3 weeks!

It has been so fun having Alec with us these last 3 weeks. I feel like he's way older than that since I'm with him 24 hrs...and he keeps growing every day! Here are some recent pictures.

The Whole Story...

So Alec decided to come out very quickly...at 2am that morning I started feeling my first contractions ever and I couldn't go back to sleep. I waited a few minutes (20 to be exact) and noticed they were already 7 minutes apart, and so I woke Steve up. He was really excited to go to the hospital!! On the way there, the contractions were 4 minutes apart and they were getting quite strong. When we got the hospital, I was only 2 1/2 cm dilated and so the nurse asked to me walk around for 2 hours, and if I wasn't 4 cm by then, I would have to go home :( I was determined not to go home cause I was in so much pain by then. As I started walking around my contractions felt like they were 30 seconds apart, each one was right after the other and I couldn't walk or sit or do anything cause it was just so uncomfortable and painful. I told the nurse that, but she still made me wait the whole 2 hours to check me again. By then, I was already 4cm dilated, and they admitted me to the delivery room. By the way, this whole time I went to the bathroom every 10 minutes or so...I had a strong urge to pee and poop the whole time, but 'number 2' never come out...After I settled in the delivery room and got all hooked up and signed the Epidural waiver, I asked the nurse to unhook me one more time as felt like I reaaaaally needed to go to the bathroom again for 'number 2'...she then decided to check me as I was bleeding quite a bit...and guess what? I was already 9 cm dilated!!! I went from a 4 to a 9 in less than 1 hr...and the nurse said that she could already see his head and I just needed to start pushing. She told me the feeling I had to go to the bathroom is because his head was pressing down there. So I started pushing, and after 45 minutes Alec was born! Everything went really fast, I didn't get to have the Epidural and I was really scared of the pain. In the end, I'm glad how everything went because I was able to feel such a relief when he was born and I really didn't feel any pain after that. I had no tearing or cuts, and I was able to walk to the bathroom shortly after. I just felt sooo great! The nurses and doctors told me I handled it really well, they told me I was really calm...but I didn't feel that way inside! I never noticed my water break, it must have happened as went to the bathroom one of the times. Alec was born 7 lbs and 8 ounces, and 20 1/2 inches long, with lots of black hair. He immediately started nursing without any problems and hasn't stopped ever since. He loves to suck! He is such a good baby and will only cry if he's hungry.
We are all doing great and I feel so blessed on how everything went so smoothly. I've had a lot of energy lately and I love staying home with him. It's amazing how our lives can change in a minute. I don't think I can live without our little Alec... I'm addicted to him!
I'll try and be good and take more pictures of him and post here more often...Hope everyone is doing great too!

He has arrived!!

More details on the next post....but just wanted to let everyone know Alec Steven McLeish arrived on Saturday, Nov.22 (only 1 day late...not too bad!!). We are all doing great!

No baby yet...

So, I'm 40 weeks today...and still hanging in there with the big belly. I wanted to know what the baby counter to the left would say once I reached the due date ( like, -0 days to go...or something like that...hehe). Steve and I are very anxious for his arrival, but we're not the only ones...his parents, my parents, grandparents, co-workers, and others have been keeping contact everyday to find out if something is going on around here. Sadly, this baby is not making much progress towards his debut, but hopefully he will soon!! I'm still working since I feel great, plus it helps to work from home :)
I'm confident he will be here by my next post!
Hope everyone will have a great Thanksgiving.

Baby Shower & Baby Room

I've been so lazy to update the blog, Steve's helped me out by doing the last post of his San Diego Trip, which I was sad I didn't get to go. But I'm sure one day we will go back together to explore beautiful San Diego.
I can't believe it's already November and my due date is just around the corner...the doctor said at 37 weeks the baby is full-term! I can't believe he can be here anytime now! I've been feeling pretty good, except for being so swollen all over (my feet, ankle, hands, face...). I'm hoping it will all go away once the baby is here.
My baby shower was so much fun. My mom and her helpers put together a baby shower for me and my sister-in-law, Virginia (who's due in December). Below are some pictures, and as you can see there was plenty of food and fun! My mom and some friends even performed a dance from an Abba song to show everyone that moms can still have fun!

The baby room is finally clean and organized just waiting for Alec to come home. It took me hours and hours to get it together since I've been just piling stuff there for last few months. Now I can't stop going in there cause it looks so cute and feels so comfy!

San Diego Trip

This is a quick video from my trip about a year ago to San Diego in a 172. My friend and I flew about 9 hrs from Denver to San Diego trying to build some time for our commercial pilot certificate. We flew from Centennial to Albuquerque, Albuquerque to Phoenix, Phoenix to San Diego International. San Diego International was awesome. I flew the localizer approach in to their only runway just over top of the condos and into the displaced threshold where the centerline lights were all lit up just before dusk. What a rush! Behind me was a MD-11 from FEDEX and in front of me was a B-737 from Southwest. I had the throttle firewalled and the airspeed indicator pegged. We were probably doing about 145 knots or so down to the runway. Luckily the air was really smooth this day. We stayed the night in KSAN and then flew to Catalina Island the next morning. This was also a cool flight because it was about 50 nm off the coast of Southern California located at the top of a mountain. The runway was 3000 ft long (shortest runway I have landed on). At the end of the runway is a cliff that goes off into the ocean about 1200 ft. below. Very cool! Check out the link. I know the photography isn't very good, but my friend is the one that took it. He's a pilot not a photographer. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4322772973261107406&ei=ii30SMCtFISKqQPfpc0B&q=steves+san+diego+trip&hl=en

Last post of the day...Mt Rushmore Trip!

For Labor Day weekend we stayed in Rapid City but drove up to Keystone, Custer, Deadwood, and other small towns around there. On the trip it went me, Steve, my mom, dad, brother and sister-in-law...enjoy the pics!

We also visited a Chuckwagon Supper & Show in the area...

In Deadwood, we took a bus tour around the town and visited Calamity Jane and Wild Bill's grave.

It was a long drive, 6:30 hrs each way, but thank goodness my parents have a DVD player in their car and we got to watch a few of movies each way.

It was a great weekend!

I'm back....

So I had to take a quick break from the last post 'cause it was taking too long to upload all the pictures I wanted. I must mention that my favorite part about the house renovation was putting in ceiling fans in the bedrooms (thanks Dave), I don't know if I could have lived without them!! Also, this summer (I forgot to mention below) we had Kristin's wedding and here are some more pictures from that. For those who don't know, Kristin is Steve's oldest sister. Isn't she soooo beautiful!

The bride

My sister Fernanda, my mom Lucy, me and sister-in-law Virginia

Steve & Keri (other sister)

Kristin & Nick

Steve, Virginia, Lucy and Fernanda

Brenda looked great!