I not getting a shot?

This was the moment I had been waiting for...

this is as close as he got to looking at me

I think he was remembering being there with the rotavirus, that was not a happy memory, so he wanted out of this room and off that bed.

he was very gentle, but was looking for an opportunity to bolt

"we have the same"

brother and cousin love

the next day when we were home, Henry told Zane, "I got my baby brother"

I cried that night being away from Henry. I was never so glad to be home in my life.

PS that is not a bruise or dirt on Ryan's chin, it was something on our inner lense

Due Date

So 5/10/10, I loved that this was my due date and back in January, I thought it was so cool. Starting in May, not so cool, and in fact, quite annoying. I had a big belly, big face, big lips and a big attitude.

When I was woken up on 5/10/10 at 12:00am pretty much on the dot, with a massive contraction, I thought ohhhh,ohhh, ohhh, I love 5/10/10. As the night progressed, I did not want this to be my due date, I wanted the contractions to stop and I wanted this baby to be brought to me, by a stork, on my door step, wrapped in a blue blanket, cooing and fat and happy. I did not get my wish.

By 2:30am I thought it would be a good idea to call my doctor and see what he says. One of my favorite doctors, Dr. Wilson was at Banner Desert Sunday night. He said my contractions, although hard sounded a little too random. I decided to stay at home where I was not hooked up to any machines and where I could be left alone to suffer.

From 2:45-5:00am my contractions were 10 minutes apart and painful. Somehow between each contraction, I fell asleep only to be woken up by another squeezing lightning storm in my back. Not being a nurse or doctor though, I thought that since they were so far apart, it was not time to go in to the hospital.

Finally I went back to our room to moan so I could get some recognition on how hard I was working.

We got to the hospital around 7:ooam. My triage nurse said let's hope you are at a 5 and then you get a room and an epidural. As she's checking she looks at me and says, "I was wrong (I was freaking out) you are at a 6-7!" So happy! Then I panicked thinking what if it got too late for an epidural? What if the pain got worse? What if the epidural did not work? Then on my next contraction, my water broke. And then more panic. Then the nurse went to put in my IV and more panic, and the IV was the beginning of things being worlds apart from my last "experience"

I.V.

Last time--The first nurse that tried, turned green and I never saw her again, the second nurse that tried, got it, but my whole hand was a bloody mess until the next day.

This time--First try, no pain!

L&D Nurse

Last time--She wore sunglasses and had man hands and called the doctor in 2 hours too early. And was lazy and said my 2nd epidural would last and it didn't.

This time--Oh Jenny P, how I love thee. You will see pictures of my new personal hero below. She took charge, was confident, gentle, supportive to me. She left a C-Sec to be with me. She all but pulled the baby out. She bossed the anesthesiologist around and made us laugh. She talked me through each little and big step. I remembering just wanting to make her proud of me...isn't that funny.

Epidural

Last time--Now that I have had one the worked, I do not think either epidural worked last time. There is no way.

This time--oh heaven. The anesthesiologist said in all his years, he has never heard of one not working and looked me in the eye and assured me what happened last time was not going to happen again and HE WAS RIGHT! Wow, that was some good stuff. I got an extra dose...yummy.

Dilation

Last time--24 hours or so

This time--About 14 hours, but 12 of those were spent at home.

Pushing

Last time--3 hours and my nurse was ridiculous. It was painful and exhausting and long.

This time--Under an hour and I did not feel a thing, but I had great coaching from both nurses and it was a happy time.

Legs

Last time--numbness in right shin for a couple of days and could not walk for 6 weeks plus.

This time--I left the hospital walking and climbing stairs.

PICTURES!

I was loving my epidural

Auntie Tricia

Hantie

A little more serious picture

My mom made it just in time

Oh baby...9:36am

So stinkin' happy!

Feeling my heart double in size

So thankful for a husband who adores his family

Liz made it in time too!

Before I started pushing, I was on my side and Tara re-did the left braid and then when Jenny turned me she was going to do the other side, but by the time she turned me over, I was a 10! So, my right braid is a little messy.

My hero for life. Every time I remember this day, I will think of how thankful I was that Jenny was my L&D nurse!

Can you tell from the picture how great she is?

7lbs, 7.9oz.

21 inches long

Happy Family

tanning

First Bath

He is so advanced :)

He loved this part of the bath

All Smiles

William Reid Gelbrich

Welcome to Our World

Labor Day

So this is what I was doing on the day I went into labor...

It was Mother's Day. First we had brunch as a big family.

Then we went to the Langenbachs so I could swim this baby out.


I started having some, I will say now, mild contractions. They were random, but steady.

Around 7:00pm, we went to the hospital. By the time we were half way there, the contractions had mostly stopped. I was frustrated, but decided to walk around the parking lot and then go in and get checked. As I walked out of the bathroom, I was thinking that I told Kimberlee Stoda that I would ask for her when I got to the hospital. She was walking toward our triage room when we both saw each other and started screaming.

I was so thankful it was her, because I kinda knew I was going home and she wouldnt make me feel dumb and because I love her. I was only at a one, which I was at a week before. So back I went.

Little did I know, that was the beginning of a long night for me...

corn corn corn

First Corn of the Season

and Henry loves it

he finished his and Ryan's.

So I really thought this baby would come last week for some reason. My water broke 10 days early with Henry and I just thought. I have always got annoyed with people for wanting their baby to come early. And here I am of course, because I always reap what I sow especially when it comes to judging people.
This picture is of me, in need of a haircut, faking a smile, because I cannot believe I am going to work, on my birthday. Aaron made me biscuits and gravy to soften the blow and then I went out to lunch with some of my favorite people and that helped as well.

It literally looks like I stuck a basketball in my shirt. No more work shirts for me.

And this is me Tuesday night after my mom's chicken tacos and some cake...feeling much better.

There you go sister Kristi, some big belly pictures!

Big Brother

Dear Henry,

You do not know this but your whole world is about ready to be turned upside-down. I wanted to let you know how special you are and that you are loved intrinsically by your dad and I. Which means we love you not for what you do or do not do, but just for you.

You have brought so much into our lives for the past 2 and a half years. You are so funny. You love people, especially your family. We left Grammy's today and you were yelling out the window that you love her. And then you whined all the way home to be with Grammy. Or its Yach and Yane. You like to wrestle and cuddle and rub our ear when you drink your juice or your two chocolate milks. You are stubborn. You like things to be a certain way and you have to do EVERYTHING by yourself right now, including getting OUT of your highchair and getting INTO the bath tub--which of course makes me bonkers. You love to laugh and make us laugh. You shhh me when I sing. You barely make it to your potty because you are so busy watching Dinosaur Train or playing with the Toy Story Gang.

You have us all to yourself right now and it is gut wrenching to wonder what is going to go through your head as we bring your baby brother into this world. We know that you will love him and be gentle with him. I know that as you both grow you will be buddies and hate us and love us together. I guess it is always going to be my worry that you both feel fully loved by your parents separate and together.

And more than I can love you and your dad and all your family combines can love you it will not even come close to how much Jesus loves you. I pray you really know Him and in turn really know yourself. You are on the grand journey and we are your caretakers in this part. We will do our best, but I am sure we will disappoint you now and then. I hope you live life to the fullest and experience the joys and sorrows that accompany the privilege of being alive. You were made for this life and I love that I get to be the mom of you Henry Ethan Gelbrich.

I love you Henry Boy.

Buy me some peanuts and Ring Pops

We have been very thankful for Friday Night Little League Games. We love watching Zach grow as a baseball player and Henry gets to enjoy rolling around with Zane. Their favorite time is when they get to purchase a ring pop. I love when they run around with them in their mouth...not really. I try to consume my weight in roasted peanuts.