Introducing Lukas

Lukas Willijns


July 6, 2010
8 lbs. 2 oz.
19 inches long
9:45 a.m.


Daddy and baby right after birth.


Holding brother for the first time. The girls can't get enough of their new little brother. They fight over who gets to hold him and are being great helpers.


Can we say Denos, party of 6!


Getting ready to come home!

Finally!

The baby is finally here!

(Warning, because this is the closest thing I have to a journal this is my full birthing story. If you don't want the details, don't read!)

Our little bundle of joy decided to finally join our family on July 6, 2010.
I woke up at about 2:30 in the morning and was having light surges. I stayed in bed for about an hour and hoped for them to come faster and stronger. I had an appointment with my midwife that morning at 10:15 and I did NOT want to make that appointment. I couldn't sleep, but the surges were not really turning into anything substantial so I decided to get up and shower. I was hoping that this would either strengthen them or make them stop. Well I showered and got ready and they were still coming so I decided to wake up Kory. Kory got up and got ready to go to the hospital and of course everything stopped. It was about 5:00 a.m. so we decided to go back to bed. After a little while they started back up again and Kory started timing them. They were coming about 10 minutes apart. It was about 6:30 in the morning, but I knew it was time to go. I wanted to get to the hospital early enough that I could get settled into my room.

We arrived at the hospital at about 7:00 a.m. and they put us into a triage room. They like to monitor you for about 30 min. to make sure you are far enough along to admit you. Once they started monitoring me Kory called my sister Manda to let her know that we were at the hospital and it was time for her to come. I still wasn't sure they would admit me, but felt it was time. I was lucky enough to have a friend of mine, Jenni Carter, starting her shift at the hospital about the same time that we got there, so she was able to be my labor and delivery nurse. It was really fun to know everyone in the room. I usually have just Kory and I attend the birth, but my sister wants to become a doula and so I thought it would be really cool if she could be there too.

While they monitored me I wasn't really doing anything and was afraid they would send me home. In 30 minutes I only had two surges, however, during those two surges they found that the baby's heart rate would drop. Jenni told me that this is normal if I am dilated to an 8, but I was only a 4 and so she was pretty sure they would keep me there to make sure the baby was okay. She went and called my midwife and she told them to go ahead an admit me. At that point I got to move to my labor and delivery room and Kory and I started to set it up the way we wanted. We put on some music and dimmed the lights. I was able to get a birthing ball and just started to relax. I asked Kory to help keep the mood light and that I wanted to be laughing. He did his job very well and when Manda got there at about 8:00 we were just finishing getting settled. She told me I looked too happy to be in labor. That was a very good thing for me to hear. I had hoped that I would stay happy and smiling through this labor.

We talked and visited for about half of an hour and I still didn't seem to be doing very much. I wanted to get into the tub to fully relax and so Manda went and filled it for me. They let me get in just as things started to pick up. It felt so good to slip into the hot water. I remembered with Holland how much more at ease it put me to be in a warm bath. Well it relaxed me and I stayed in there for about 10 min. when my midwife got there. She started getting the room set up while I relaxed. Unfortunately, I was not able to stay as relaxed in the tub as I had with Holland, so after only about 20 minutes in the tub I was ready to get out. I got dressed in another hospital gown and got back in bed so my midwife could check me and they could monitor the baby. I was dilated to a 7. At this point everything seemed to happen very fast. I am not sure what time it was at this point, but I am guessing it was between 9:15 and 9:30. Right after my midwife checked me I changed positions in the bed to get more comfortable. It seems like I only had about 2 more surges when I felt the urge to push. My midwife told me to go ahead and do what my body was telling me to do. I started pushing and within what felt like two or three pushes the baby's head was out. Then another push and the baby was here. I had delivered on my knees facing the bed and I couldn't see the baby at this point. I looked over to Kory and we were both emotional and I asked him what it was. In a soft voice he told me we had a baby boy! I was so happy he was finally here!

The baby's umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck three times and that is why every time I had a surge, the heart rate would drop. They put the baby in my arms and it was over. I am amazed at the wonder that is birth, what a miracle. I have done this four times, and it is always an amazing experience. It is such a wonderful thing that our loving Heavenly Father created our bodies in a way that makes it possible for us to reproduce. I love the spirit that a new baby brings with it. I am so blessed.

It took us another day to finally come up with a name, but we are so glad that Lukas Willijns is now part of our family.

Independence Day

I was hoping that this Independence Day I would be sitting home with a new baby, but baby decided that was not in the plans!

Because we weren't sure where I would be, we didn't make any plans until that day. For most of the weekend we took things easy and just hung out around the house. Then the night of the 3rd we packed a picnic and some stale bread and headed out the door. Our first stop was to feed the ducks. We didn't know of very many places to feed ducks so we went to the same place we usually go in WJ. We were surprised when we got their to find more pigeons and seagulls than ducks, but decided to stay and feed them anyway. The kids had a lot of fun throwing out all the bread, but decided that the pigeons were just annoying.


After all the bread was gone, we headed to Riverton Park for our picnic dinner and fireworks. My sister Monica and her family, and Kory's brother Kris and his family were both able to sit with us. It made it so much more fun for my girls to have their cousins there. They had a great time playing on the playground, playing games as we waited, and of course watching the fireworks. It was fun to watch Holland this year as he watched the fireworks because he was really nervous at first, but then when he realized they wouldn't hurt him he got really excited and kept clapping and cheering!

What happened to June?

I have been so negligent of my blog! I can't believe it is already almost the middle of July and I didn't even have one post for June.

June was a busy and fun month. We started the month off with seconds. Skylar lost her second tooth and I had a second ultra sound.

Skylar made sure that the Tooth Fairy knew where to put the money this time. We didn't want the sadness of not finding the money right when she woke up. She set a special spot on her dresser and told us to let the Tooth Fairy know that the money was to go there.

I also got to go in for a second ultra sound for the baby. I was measuring three weeks ahead and my midwife was concerned that the baby was breech so she sent me in to double check the positioning and size of the baby. It was so fun to see the baby this far along. The features were easier to see and at one point during the visit it even looked like the baby was waving to us. Luckily everything looked good. The baby was in position and unfortunately for me was still measuring to deliver around my original due date. I usually go late, but since I was measuring ahead had hopes that maybe this time would be different.


It finally started warming up so we took the opportunity to take an afternoon and go to the splash park with some friends from the neighborhood. The kids had a great time and it was nice for me to sit and visit with friends.


That same day we took advantage of free admission to the Natural History Museum up at the University of Utah. We met my two sisters up there and the kids had so much fun looking at all the cool stuff. This was one of their favorite things - if you put coins in the dinosaurs mouth it would talk to you. They thought it was really cool. They also liked all the bugs and the rocks.


This is a slightly random shot, but we were cleaning out the garage and getting out all the clothes for summer and I found these adorable cowboy boots for Holland. They were his size, but he has really wide feet, so I got him to put them on long enough to get a picture!


I also had Skylar and Kortnie in swim lessons. I was introduced to their teacher Callee through my friend Adrienne and the kids LOVE her. This is their third summer and they love it! They are not great swimmers, but I do it more for them to have fun. They do get better every year though.


Skylar's school had an end of year carnival for the families. We went as a family night, but I forgot to pull the camera out until the end when Skylar was on the rock wall. She was so excited to go up it and she did a pretty great job.


Skylar also had a class presentation at the end of the year where they put on a zoo for the parents. They had to dress up as a morphed animal (two animals from two different animal classifications). Skylar dressed up as a cheetah and a butterfly. Then they needed to know three things about their animal and tell the parents as they came by. Then they sang a couple of songs and got completion certificates from their teacher. This picture is Skylar with her teacher Mrs. Thayer - she is an amazing teacher and we will miss her so much! Skylar is very excited to be moving on to first grade though.


39 weeks and still pregnant!


Kortnie learned to ride a two-wheeler! Kory has worked with her a couple of times, but she was over at my neighbor Michelle's house and she was going to help repair her bike when Kortnie asked if she could try it without the training wheels. One afternoon with Michelle and now she is a pro! She was so excited to show us. Kory took her out and she just needed a little of his help to get started, but now she is doing great!


40 weeks and 1 day. Still pregnant!