Getting Out

Matt and I both really enjoy fishing, camping, and hiking so we've both been getting a little stir crazy this summer because first I was hugely pregnant and now we have a little baby and that makes all those activities a little more difficult. So last night we decided on just going up to the Laramie range to have a little picnic. We didn't stay outside too long but we drove around for quite awhile and it was SO nice to get out. Brennen did really well and slept most of the time we were out (which is probably why he didn't sleep much last night.... he LOVES sleeping in the car).

Matt holding Brennen

Our little family! Too bad you can't really see much of Brennen except his head. :)
Asleep in the car, sorry it's sideways.

And a picture of the Clark family! You can definitely tell I wasn't born into this family. :) Brennen looks like he belongs, though!

One Week Already!

I looked at the clock today at about 3:00 and I realized that exactly one week ago I was in labor telling Matt that I didn't want any more kids and then about two hours later we were blessed with our amazing little guy. And in that week I have decided that I do in fact want more children (someday!) :)
I've had some requests to share the story of his birth but it really wasn't anything too exciting. The doctors thought he was measuing too small so we scheduled an induction on the day before my due date. We got to the hospital at 7:30 and they checked me out and started me on pitocin at about 8:30. Dr. Glode broke my water at sometime around 10 or 10:30 and the contractions started getting really bad at about noon. They checked me at 3:30ish and I was at an 8 and then a half hour later I was at a 9.5 and they FINALLY let me push and Brennen was born at 5:17.
That's all there is to it. I elected not to have an epidural and I didn't even end up getting any IV drugs and it was seriously the hardest thing I have done in my life but easily the most rewarding.
Anyway, I thought I would post a few of my favorite pictures of Brennen.

Our little family (I'm sure we'll get better family pictures soon...)

Three generations
Uncle Brad seems to be amused with his new nephew

Mom and Brennen

Trying to get rid of that pesky jaundice

Kicked himself out of the blanket
Laying with his dad (I LOVE this one!) Just a cutie

Straight From Heaven

Our little boy has arrived! Stay tuned for pictures, they will be coming very soon (as soon as I locate my camera cord).

Brennen Matthew Clark

June 15, 2010 5:17 PM

7 lbs. 5 oz. 19 3/4 inches long

Storms

We've been having lots of rain and thunderstorms around here lately. I am TERRIFIED of tornadoes and Matt thinks it's hilarious. I don't. Every time there's a storm I'm so afraid it will turn into a tornado. So last night while the hail was threatening to break all the windows I was clinging to Matt and hiding my face under the pillow on our couch. He tells me it won't help our kids if I'm more afraid of things than they are. I guess he'll have to be the tough one.
Anyway, so after the hail stopped we stood out on our balcony and took this little video of the lightning. It was actually pretty cool and I wasn't freaking out anymore. :)

Last Day, False Alarms, and Baby Names!

Last Day!
Today is officially my last day of work. It's a staff development day but I only have one meeting from 9:00-11:00 so the rest of the day is for planning for next year and cleaning classrooms and etc. Since I don't have to plan for next year I don't have much to do because I have already cleaned all of my stuff out of the room. I just have to make it look a little more presentable for the next person. It has been a great year and I'm amazed at how fast it went but I'm so anxious to be able to be at home all day so I can actually clean and get ready for a baby! I'm so excited to be a mom.

False Alarm
Well, this wasn't a REAL false alarm but it kinda scared me!
Tuesday night Matt had a softball game and I was half watching it, half talking to the other wives when I realized that I was having contractions. At first I didn't really think about it cause I've had TONS of braxton hicks but then I realized that they were starting to hurt and that hadn't really happened before. After a while I decided to time them and they were consistently 7-8 minutes apart and were lasting about a minute each. They kept up like that not getting any closer together but getting progressively more painful. So after we got home I took a shower and just decided to go to bed. I woke up countless times in the night and didn't really sleep because they were keeping me awake. I kept thinking "This can NOT be it. I'm not ready!" but by morning they were gone. PHEW! But it really got me thinking that I need to get all my ducks in a row just in case he decides to come before we're expecting him.

Names!
So I've been really reluctant to share any of the names we've come up with because #1 we had WAY too many on our list and #2 I didn't want people to say negative things about names that I liked. :) So last night I compiled a list of every name we had even mentioned (there were over 20 when I was done) and Matt and I took turns crossing names off until we finally got down to six. I will share them with you now but if you don't like one, keep it to yourself. :) hee hee I'd love to hear which one(s) you DO like, though. These are all first names and the middle name with either be Matthew or Randal depending on which sounds better with the first name. This is the list we'll take to the hospital and we'll give the little sprite his official name after we've met him.

• Brendon
• Brennen
• Dean
• Garrett
• Landon
• Micah