Introducing Myla Avolene!

The newest member of our family arrived on Wednesday September 11th at 12:04pm.  We feel so blessed to have such a special little angel in our midst, and are so grateful she arrived safely and healthy.

Birth Story

My due date was September 7th, and I scheduled a back up induction date for Monday the 9th, but certain Myla would come before then. When she didn't, we geared up for Monday, but me and the girls caught a stomach bug over the weekend, and decided to cancel my appointment. Devin and I started having reservations about being induced, so we decided to wait a little bit longer before scheduling another appointment. 

Wednesday morning I woke up at 7 feeling a little achy in my hips, and Devin said it finally looked like my belly dropped. I asked Devin to work from home, just in case more progress happened. At 8:30 am, I started having contractions. By 9:30 am, they were coming in about every 3 minutes. I couldn't get a hold of my mom, so I called my SIL Michelle to come over. At 10 am both my mom and Michelle got to my house, and Devin and I were off to IMC hospital. After circling the parking lot for a parking spot (really?! No parking at a hospital?!), we got ourselves a spacious suite with a great view of the mountains. The nurse checked me about 10:30, and I was dilated to a 7, waiting for my water to break. I decided- meh, I'm already this far, I think I'll try out going natural, as long as I don't have to have an IV in. I paced around for about 20 minutes as the nurse hooked up the heart monitor, and did her thing. She checked me again and said I was at an 8, and it would probably go a lot faster when my water breaks. So I asked if my Dr. could break my water. The nurse said as soon as we finished the paperwork, she'd page him. So I answered the questions like "Are you allergic to medications? Do you have seizures? Have you ever had surgery? What's your favorite color?" etc.  The contractions were getting more intense and closer together, it was difficult to catch my breath. I was so grateful I didn't have a really perky nurse, that would've put me over the top.

About 11:15 Dr. Thackeray came in and broke my water. Wow! For the next few minutes my contractions were so much less intense without that pressure! However, they returned with a vengeance! Devin said, "We didn't even learn any breathing techniques!" Poor guy felt so helpless every time I'd bend over, hold my breath, and try to stay on top of the pain. I tried really hard to picture Myla saying goodbye to all of her angel friends, and prepping herself for earth. What an exciting event that was in my mind, and surprisingly helped until I reached the limit of my pain thresh hold somewhere around 11:50 am (the clock was the last thing on my mind). Fortunately, that was when I felt like it was time to push. Dr. Thackeray was paged, and a whirlwind of people in scrubs rushed in the room. I was back on the bed, Dr. Thackeray rushed in, disassembled the bed, and walked me through instructions while we waited for my next contraction. I pushed 3 times and thought my body would split in two. And then I immediately had this miracle placed in my lap. She coughed and cried and all that pain slid into the back ground. Myla Avolene is perfect and healthy, and here at last. We named her after the Lithuanian word "Meile" that means Love. Her middle name is a combination of 2 of her great grandmas- Avonelle and Berylene.

Beginning of labor

7 pounds 2 oz, 20 inches long

She's all cleaned up and snuggled into me. What an indescribable feeling that is to have someone that left heaven minutes ago placed on my chest.

Proud dad, and my personal link to sanity throughout the morning.

Cambry, Vienna and Grandma Beck meeting Myla. The girls were a little hesitant and unsure about her.

That is a lot of girl power in this family! I am so blessed to have these three.

Although they were hesitant around their new sister, they soon found all the fun things to see and do in the hospital room.

Shadow dancing in the window sill

Thanks Grandma Beck for the hours and hours of service you've given us through this transition!!

Myla's first bath

Myla had lots of visitors, and we took pics of most of them.

Steph

Jake, Missy and Hagen

Grandma Ber

Aunt Jess

Grandma Rappleye

Aunt Sara

Here are a few of our favorites of her

Devin made this banner, and Grandma Beck, Cambry and Vienna colored it, hung it up and got some fun balloons.

We already love you so much Myla Avolene!!

Weekend of Hikes (5 new posts)

Labor Day weekend we spent some good time out in nature. First, Saturday we went up Rocky Mouth Canyon to the waterfall. It's a short, family friendly hike that we all enjoyed. Doesn't this look like we're about to walk right up into heaven??

Thankfully, Cambry loves the outdoors and was so excited to be in the mountains, climbing up boulders, wading through streams, and tapping everything with a rock or a stick. She also brought her new visor, necklace, and stuffed cougar in her backpack (the essentials).

9 months pregnant and feeling great! Shouldn't hiking at least cause a few contractions???

Splashing in the river

At the lower part of the water fall. Is it any wonder these girls are so darling?? Their dad is a looker!

These two made it to the upper pool and falls. I love it when Cambry is captured looking up at her daddy trying to do what he's doing.

Monday was a new hike up to Bells Canyon Reservoir with Michelle and Wells, Mert, Jess and Rylee for company. This one was a little longer, and a little steeper. We were in beautiful nature and in great company. It was overcast and cooler- perfect hiking conditions.

Cambry loving her accessories again :)

Her favorite part: climbing on the boulders and jumping down.

Jess somehow got roped into carrying Vienna for lots of the way. What a little princess.

Wellsy happy to accompany all the pregnant women. It's so fun to be pregnant with my sisters.

This lake was absolutely Gorgeous!!

The kids had a great time tapping their feet in the water and feeding their snacks to the ducks. 

Weekends like this make us so happy to be back in Utah.

Every Day Life

We spent many days swimming at Grandma Ber's house this summer. Although I didn't take any pics of the girls actually in the pool, here they are all cuddled up in their towels. They both got really good at swimming around with their little floaties.

Frequently these goof balls take all the cushions off the couch and wrestle around in them. I can't remember why they're not wearing clothes.

For months I tried to convince Cambry to let me take her to get a hair cut. Every time she ended up in tears, despite the different tactics I used. Her hair was getting pretty stringy and icky, and I was running out of ways to make it look presentable. Finally I asked her if I could just cut her hair. She immediately agreed. So I pulled out the cape I use for Devin's hair, got my sewing scissors, and cut some bangs and about 4 inches off the back. Not perfect, but she's so cute it looks just fine on her.

C and V running around the house giving their animals piggy back rides.

Driveway painting included rocks, lasagna noodles, toes, etc

We went to a park one Friday evening after dinner and there was a big festival going on. The girls (and the husband) were mostly just enthralled with the fire truck. 

I love how Veena Bug just snuggled into Cambers

Although the fires have done lots of damage to Utah, we've had some incredible sunsets

Vienna was playing with my phone while we were grocery shopping, and I kept hearing her say "Tseee". It wasn't until later I realized she had taken over 30 pictures like this, and she trying to say "cheese". Haha, whatever it takes to get some shopping done in peace!

We made some fruit loop necklaces  one afternoon. Vienna wasn't too excited about the whole process, but was glad to have this goodness tied around her neck.

Cambry was in total project mode, breathing heavy, complete concentration. She couldn't even look up for a picture.

The little things parents do to make their kids laugh...

Devin's first day of school in his new research lab at the U of U. It's quite desolate in there, but he's so excited to make it a fully functioning, working lab, full of high tech equipment testing important ideas that I can't even comprehend. He came home one day and said he just spent over $30,000 of the U's money, and he was just getting started ordering his equipment and parts. What an exciting time for Devin to test out his models and theories from his Masters degree for his PhD. We're so grateful people are willing to put so much time and money into Devin and his ideas. It's going to be quite the adventure the next 3 years.