Baby Gabe

...by the end of August we were packed up and making the move from Orem to Las Vegas to start dental school. I was 37 weeks pregnant and only had health coverage in Utah, we didn't have a place to live in Vegas, and we were driving an '89 Jeep Cherokee with no A/C. We felt a little like Mary and Joseph loading up on the donkey to make their journey only to find no room in the inn! 

On the way, we stopped in St George to see Tracy, my mom's 2nd husband and my OBGYN and to register at the hospital. And to trade our donkey in for a car with COLD A/C. And, as mentioned on the last post, my mom was able to find us a house to rent in Green Valley, and we were able to move in the following night (phew!).

The house is a great little one-story with stained concrete floors and 3 bedrooms on the corner of Eastern & St Rose. We moved all our furniture in and got things set up as quickly as we could (thanks again Mom). Sloan, the self-proclaimed un-handy man has actually become really handy through all our moving adventures. So proud of him for moving the curtain rod over all by himself.

Four days after moving in, we made the 2 hour trip back to St George to be induced. I was 38 weeks and baby's head engaged, dilated, effaced, ETC and since Ruthie was 9lbs and this baby already seemed to be about that size, I felt safe going ahead with the induction. Part of me really wants to have an all-natural labor, maybe even a home birth someday. But this labor was SO smooth & "easy", I don't have any regrets. We checked in at 10pm, got set up with the IV & petocin, let labor progress for 4 hours, started the epidural, and 3 hours later he was ready! Tracy barely got there in time to catch him (the nurse actually held him in) and he was a perfectly healthy, delicious little boy weighing 8 lbs 15oz and 21" long.

Tracy called him "the cheese man" because he was covered in the white stuff. He took to nursing right away and was a great little sleeper from the beginning - the trick was getting him to wake up!  Sloan was an excellent labor companion - he watched "Anne of Green Gables" with me, was constantly adjusting my pillows (I had about 15), and gave back rubs. He didn't faint this time, and it was great to have him there by my side.

We stayed at Dixie Regional for 2 nights then headed back to Vegas.

Don't tell, but we gave him a bath at 4 days old. In NZ, they don't have the no-bath rule, so we took a chance. He loved it.

Ruthie was so excited to meet her new brother. She's so happy to have a buddy.

My dad and his first brown-haired grandchild

He & his wife got a dolly for Ruthie to take care of while mommy takes care of the baby.

biiiiiiiig stretch

biiiiiig yawn

My mom came back the next weekend from CA after helping us move the week before to meet Gabe and continue to help, help, help us. She's great with babies & made us some tasty dinners & we were so thankful to have her there again.

 It's been a much easier adjustment to new-motherhood this time and Gabe ("Reggie") has been a dream-baby so far. He's cuddly, settles easily, makes us smile with his expressive brow, and gives us big smiles if we work hard for them. I've had ups & downs with nursing, but I've stuck with it & hope it will continue to go well-enough. More photos for September to come soon, but for now...

 introducing Gabe