Meeting Allison...

Gramma and Grumpy were on Nathan and Benjamin duty so they were the first to come and meet Allison.  My favorite part was that they didn't know if it was a boy or girl when they walked in... I had proposed surprising them... and they thought it was a good idea so we went with it!  The looks on their faces when they came around the corner and saw the PINK blanket were PRICELESS!!!  So so glad we did it! 

Stephen and Christine came after work... the suspense was killing them so they ended up with a text message photo finding out that it was a girl!  Stephens immediate text back was, "Yeah now we have a flower girl!"  

Adam came right after work and brought Allison her first bouquet of flowers!!! So sweet!  

Auntie Hannah

Auntie Katie

Great Aunt Betsy!

Grandma and Grandpa came down the weekend after Allison was born.  Grandma was in heaven buying hair bows and pink clothes

Aunties Kristin and Soraya bought Allie her first pair of shoes... little white flip flops

Auntie Casie

Matt, Grace and Eva came to meet Allison too!

Riley got to meet baby Allie at the MN Zoo

Wyatt, Gretchen and Hazel

Nicholas  and Matthew... what will Allison do with all these boys???

Quinten, Nolan and Darby met Allison at the coin carnival

Darby is glad that their is a little more PINK to balance out all the blue!

I held Greta for the first time in the hospital.... and now here she is holding my babe!  

Greta was also the flower girl in our wedding!

The Scotts our long time family friends.... I use to babysit for these guys, way back when Nathan was only a year old... now he is driving a car.  Can't believe how fast time moves!

Helping Tristan celebrate his first birthday

Meeting the Bullards and the Bathkes... future Bennies and Johnnies???

We are so blessed to have so many people in our lives that want to meet Ms. Allison!  We are so thankful for all of our wonderful friends!!!  Welcome to the world Allison, its crazy... but its so much fun!

Allie's First Week Home

Everything old is new again.  Now that Baby Allie was home.... the boys thought they should use baby towels after their tubbies too!

The boys had to introduce Allison to all their "friends"

1st trip to the pediatrician.  Look at those stats.... I would have killed for those with nathan and Ben.  As you can see... she was quite jaundice and her bilirubin was 13.  I was pretty sure that we would end up under phototherapy lights by the next day however her bili level peaked and she was good to go.  

One of her first days home I was sitting on the front porch watching the boys play... Nathan came up to me with these flowers for his sister...  When I asked him why he gave them to her his reply was..."because I love her and she is so cute"

At the Peds on day #2... Ben got to be my special helper.  He was so proud of his sister.  Dr. Strong even put him incharge of picking out stickers not only for Allison but also for Nathan.  He took his job very seriously... we looked through all of the stickers for just the perfect ones.

Snuggling in the morning!

Allison's first play was to watch Cousin Peter in his summer production of "In the Heights!"  Allison was perfect the whole time.... she ate once and snuggled in uncle Adams arms the rest of the time. 

Brent was redoing our sliding glass door so we had flies all over the house.  Brent and the boys had spent the night before with fly "Swappers."

So the next day Ben made his own out of a play wrench and mommy's breast pad.... :) all I could do was laugh.

Nathan was incharge of the next trip to the pediatrician.  Allie looked great and was back up to her birth weight by 1 week. 

Summer beach babe

They always look so tiny in their big cribs.

Nathan telling Allie all about the world!

On her Due date at the MN Zoo Big Bugs exhibit.  This is what you do with a 3rd child that you would NEVER do with a first child!  We were also celebrating daddy's last day at home before he went back to work!

First walk in the Stroller 

(I have this all documented with the boys... I have to try and document a few firsts).

The boys wanted to know why we didn't bring Berkeley.... "because mommy wants to make sure I can keep track of you 3 first!"

Lots of morning snuggles

First Bath at home with mom and dad

Big Brothers!  Allison's biggest fans already

Allison Elizabeth

Here we go!!!  I had a 39 week doctors appointment on the 14th of July.  I was dilated to 1 cm.... and wee Utech was still super high.  I figured we were in it for the long haul.  Well little did I know that by 4pm  that day we would be admitted and wee Utech would be on its way.  I started having contractions at ~1pm.  I put the boys down for a nap and started counting contractions. I had 18 contractions in the 1st hour.  It was time to have Daddy come home from work.  Gramma came to watch the boys... and off we went... daddy was really hoping we would miss rush hour. By the time I got the the hospital I was contracting every 2 minutes.... but only dilated to 2cms.  I kept on progressing though.... I had an epidural placed at ~5.5cms. Ironically Dr. Mallof had to break my water at 9.5cms.  

Thank goodness for the epidural.  Back labor is no fun!  

Brent was so calm and so patient.  He was the one that finally said it was epidural time... thank goodness he did because our estimated 30 minute wait time turned into 1.5 hours... and by that time I was more then ready for the epidural!

After about 20 minutes of pushing... here she is!  8 pounds 2 ounces, 21 1/2 inches long

Born at 4:51 am on 7/15/14

A very proud and excited daddy.  Daddy had a few jobs in the delivery room.... cut the cord, announce the gender and get a photo of baby with weight!  

LOVE! Totally worth the wait!

A tired but very happy and relieved mama!  

I was so relieved that we were able to have a VBAC... no c-section recovery!!!

Still can't believe it is PINK!

Parents for the 3rd time!

Dr. Clare Mallof!  She was pretty awesome!  So lucky to have such a wonderful team!

Meeting their new sister!  Nathan and Benjamin did not find out the gender of the baby until they came down to the hospital on Tuesday morning. Not sure who was more excited Ben or Gramma!

We also celebrated her "zero" birthday!  Thanks to Grumpy for the PINK zero candle!  He always had faith that Wee Utech was a girl.

So excited to hold his BABY!!!

The pediatrician checking out Baby Allison!

First bath!

Snuggles from Ben!

Thank you Auntie Katie for the super cute gifts!

Our family of 5!

Day #2

Dr. Mainguy stopped by for a visit!  She was with us through our crazy pregnancy with Nathan and Benjamin.  She was so great during this entire pregnancy being optimistic/realistic and so much more.  She was always sure this pregnancy was going to go differently.  Funny thing, I had just seen her in her office on Monday morning and nothing was happening... and a few short hours later were were on our way to the hospital!  She was so glad that the VBAC was a success!

Lovely flowers for Allie from Uncle Adam and Great Auntie Betsy

Ready to take our GIRL home!!!

Here we go... off to new adventures

Allison Elizabeth... Welcome to the family!

Thank you to the wonderful Mother Baby Center for taking such good care of us!

3 kids all loaded in the car.... I feel a HUGE sense of responsibility. 

Berkeley was happy to have Allie home too!