Before Olivia.... (Maternity Pictures, Deception Pass, and a Baby Shower)

It's true what everyone says... once you have a baby time flies and you have little time for blogging.  I've been dying to get these pictures up for weeks!  I'm going to do my best over the next couple of days to get caught up on my blogging.

The week before our sweet, little Olivia arrived we had a busy and fun week.  It began at Deception Pass State Park.  We planned an 8 day camping trip with my dad, Patti, and my sister and her family last October; little did I know I'd be 37 weeks pregnant!  The campground fills up so quickly that you have to make reservations at least 9 months in advance.

We joined the SNAPsisters baby club.  Instead of doing 3 or 9 month pictures we opted to get maternity, newborn, 6 months, and 1 year pictures.  Jodi decided to join us for the beautiful scenery at Deception Pass for our maternity pictures the first Saturday we were at Deception Pass.  As usual she did an awesome job!

Our original plan was for Zach to stay the whole week camping with everyone.  However, that changed when we found out we were pregnant.  He couldn't take a week off and then a couple of weeks later take another two weeks when the baby arrived.  So, we made the best of it.  He towed the trailer down Saturday, July 16 and stayed until Sunday evening when he had to head back for work on Monday.  He surprised me and drove back up to Deception Pass Thursday evening and was able to stay Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, July 21-23.  It was a super fun camping trip with everyone!

Sunday, July 17 we celebrated Charlie's 1st Birthday at the beach!

The next day it was off to the beach again to build sand castles.

Anne had planned a fun activity for the kids each day.  One day was confetti eggs!  We usually only do this at Easter, but because I forgot to bring my eggs this year we had plenty of extras for a fun camping activity.

Tuesday we decided to head down to the beach across from Cranberry Lake.  Everyone rode their bikes except for Patti and I.  She joined me in making the 2-3 mile walk.  In hindsight I'm sure it was all of this great exercise that helped little Olivia come a couple of weeks early!

We continued to spend our days down at the beach having a great time.  The weather was absolutely perfect!

Wednesday my mom and brother headed out to spend the afternoon with us at the beach.

We then headed back to the campground for the daily activity, painting rocks.

We may have been camping, but we ate like kings!  This particular night we feasted on a taco bar.

Wednesday evening the skies opened up and it absolutely poured ALL night.  Luckily Jack and Emily were sleeping with me in the trailer and somehow Bryan, Anne and Charlie managed to stay dry.  Bryan, my dad, and Patti all headed into Bayview to go crabbing, so Anne and I packed up the kids and headed into Mount Vernon.  It had stopped raining, but the ground was absolutely muck and mud.  We did a little laundry, showered in nice, big showers, and regrouped and headed back to camp.  On our way back out Bryan called to tell us they had stopped in at the Shrimp Shack one of their favorite placed to eat.  We met up there, ate some delicious food, and headed back to the campground.

Zach wasn't supposed to return until Saturday because of work.  He surprised us and came on Thursday evening!  We all headed down to the beach for some more fun memories.  

Dad and Zach toasted to our final morning at camp.

And the perfect way to end a perfect camping trip.... a perfect campfire at night.  I love, love, loved this trip!!  It was so relaxing and fun.  It brought back all of my childhood memories of camping with my own parents and grandparents.  I'm so excited for Olivia to have the same wonderful memories!

We arrived home the afternoon of Saturday, July 23.  I unpacked a little, showered, and got ready for my final baby shower hosted by my "Yogis" as Zach calls them.  As usual it was a great time, with wonderful friends and amazing food!

First Month

It's hard to believe that it's already been a month since our precious little Olivia arrived into this world. I know she's only a month, but it makes me a little sad to know that she's already growing up so quickly.  She now weighs 9 lbs. and is 20 inches long.  She's grown out of her newborn clothes and diapers, and is wearing 0-3 month clothes and size 1 diapers.

Over the last couple of weeks she has become much more aware of her surroundings.  She opens her beautiful blue eyes wide and looks all around.  I engage her with my eyes, talking and singing to her.  We also love playing "This Little Piggy" and dancing around the house.  She still does pretty well in the car, usually falling fast asleep, and took her first road trip to my cousin's wedding last weekend.  She LOVES to talk.  She makes all sorts of cooing noises and grunts whether she is wide awake or sound asleep.  She is growing like a weed.  In the last week she has grown out of newborn clothing and diapers.  She is now in size ones and 0-3 month clothing.

We have spent hours over the last month enjoying and soaking up every minute with her.  She is absolutely wonderful!

(In her 1 Month pictures she is sporting one of the adorable outfits her Auntie Anne made for her.  It has her name on the front and the cutest ruffles on her little bottom!)

Happy 2nd Anniversary!

It seems longer than two years ago that we were married. (And I mean that in a good way.)  I truly treasure our relationship.  It has everything a good marriage needs: love, compassion, humor, kindness, and the desire to constantly want to do something nice for the other person just because.

We both received the best anniversary gift possible this year... the gift of a child.  We both feel absolutely blessed to have Olivia. 

This evening we exchanged our "cotton" gifts, ordered take out, and enjoyed a quiet evening at home with Olivia.  It was absolutely wonderful; good quality time with the two people I love so dearly.

2 Weeks

It's crazy to think that today is when our little girls was supposed to arrive.  I can't believe she is already 2 weeks old.  It amazes me how quickly they change.  In the last week Olivia has become more aware of her surroundings.  She is more alert and opens her eyes wide to look at her mommy and daddy.  She makes the most adorable noises.  We find ourselves constantly staring at her in adoration.  She fills our hearts with love and happiness every moment of every day. 

First Doctor Visit

Today was Olivia's first visit to her pediatrician, Kristina Garrido.  We LOVE her!  Olivia checked out perfectly.  She is 7 lbs. 4 oz, almost back up to her birth weight!  Dr. Garrido was very happy with Olivia's eating, sleeping, and health.  It was so nice to hear a medical professional tell me not to wake her up to feed her.  I am so tired of hearing that; I say if she wants to sleep let her sleep! :o)

1 WEEK

I can't believe our little girl is already a week old.  I called Zach today at exactly 5:34 pm while holding her in my arms.  It still seems so surreal that she's ours forever.  She's just as precious as can be and we're holding on to every moment with her.



It's a Girl!

Olivia Charlotte Mae Mitchell

July 27, 2011 at 5:34 pm

7 lbs. 5 oz.   19 inches long

My water broke at about 7:30 am.  At first I didn't believe that I was really going into labor, since I was convinced she would be late and I was exactly 38 weeks pregnant.  My contractions started almost an hour later around 8:30.  I was still convinced that we had plenty of time so I took a shower, got ready, paid some bills, cleaned a little, and began walking to help progress my labor.  It obviously worked because by 10:30 my contractions were only about 2-3 minutes apart and were lasting over a minute.  Zach decided it was time to go to the hospital.  When we checked in I was half way there (5 centimeters) and we were moved to a delivery room.

 

Just 10 hours later little Olivia Charlotte Mae Mitchell came into this big, new world.  Everything went exactly as planned.  I have to admit I was anxious about being able to do it, but by using all of the breathing and relaxation skills I learned in our Hypnobirthing classes I was able to labor completely naturally with the help of Zach and our doula, Marnie.  They were both AMAZING and I couldn't have done it without them. 

Zach cut the umbilical cord.

Dr. Te was great!

Our AMAZING doulda, Marnie.

One proud daddy!

All of our family members were in the waiting room anxiously awaiting to hear Zach's news, "It's a Girl!"

 

(My sister took lots of pictures of the family holding baby Olivia, so I'll post those as soon as I get them.)

Although the staff at Overlake were absolutely wonderful and we were blessed with great nurses, we were anxious to leave the hospital and be in the comfort of our own home.  Less than 24 hours after little Olivia's birth we were discharged and on our way.  And her "firsts" began...

Her first car ride.  Daddy drove very carefully, avoiding all semis on the freeway.

Her first time at home.

Daddy's first time changing Olivia's diaper.

Her first time meeting her great grandma Doris.

Her first "nap" with daddy.

Her first stroller ride.



Her first bath at home.  

Aunt Mary's first time holding her.

Olivia with Grandpa Jim.





The first few days home I have spent in awe.  I am completely amazed at every little movement and sound she makes.  We both find ourselves just staring at her, laughing, smiling, and in complete amazement at how it feels to be a parent.  Life is never the same again.  The love we feel for this little, precious girl cannot be explained in words.  We can only thank God for making all of our dreams come true.  She is absolutely perfect in every single way!

I think it looks like she's making Daddy's signature hand gesture. (See the picture below with Daddy and Ty.) 

Daddy and his friends celebrating with their "It's a Girl!" cigars.