Crawling and standing

Bennett officially started crawling on Oct. 28th. He finally put both leg and arms together in a coordinated movement that day after getting our attention for a few weeks with what looked like 'about to start crawling' movements. Now it seems like no big thing, he's all over the place. Soon after he started crawling, he pulled himself up to standing position hanging on to the ottoman. And just in time for the crawling we've childproofed a majority of the house. We're now considering putting a clamp on the toilet seat...He's into everything. He's pretty top heavy and funny to watch, especially when standing kind of like watching a person who's had a little bit to drink.

It's been too long...

Bennett is 6 mo old. His first year is half over and what a blessing it has been. We had our six mo check today and he is 24lbs and 28" growing and growing. He has recently started to get very active on his belly and will probably crawl in the next few months. Still loving the bath here is a little video of our man.

happy at 13 weeks

As you can see Bennett is growing so fast. He is rolling over from tummy to back, holding is head steady and very smiley. It's amazing to watch him grow and learn, watching us and everything around him just taking it all in.

7 weeks

Here is a little video of our dude and Maggie. He is growing so fast and more fun everyday. He smiles, makes some cooing noises, rolls from his tummy to back and loves to take baths. We had professional pictures taken and you can view them at www.phoenixphotoduo.com hit the "proofing" tab where you will see Baby Bennett. Log in using your email and name.
Love you all

1 week old

little Bennett is a week old.
To tell you a bit about Bennett's arrival it was to say the least a very long day. I was induced beginning last Tuesday night the 3rd. Colin and I went into the hospital at 8 were we would spend a sleepless night. I had a monitor on my belly to watch the baby's heart beat every time I moved the alarm would go off because it would lose the signal so I had to try not to move and sleep sitting up. Colin slept minimally because his bed was a roll out chair with a squeaky plastic mattress plus every time I heard the alarm I would also alarm Colin. The night went by and soon it was 6am, let the fun begin. I was given pitocin to start labor. In the beginning all was great the contractions were very manageable and we were watching movies (Step brothers and Sex and the City). Probably about 9 the doctor was by were she broke my water and said I could have an epidural when I was ready. The nurse advised that I do that soon because the hospital was very busy and there were already 2 or 3 Lady's to be done before me. In the mean time it got more pain full the nurse gave me a little pain medication to help until the epidural man came. An hour later he was there and in a rush (or so it seemed) I told him I had scoliosis which I think he completely disregarded as he proceeded to prep my back without even feeling it. To make a long story short he had to poke me in the back/spine 4 times at one point my bp dropped to 77/40 I nearly passed out but have little recollection of that time. I do not like that doctor and tried to be rude to him but Colin says I was not. After that trauma all was good I had some major contractions but did not feel them. It was not 'til later that evening that the baby dropped, it was at that time they lost the heart beat on the monitor and without warning a team of nurses flooded the room where they placed an internal monitor on the baby's head, it took a couple of tries before they found the heartbeat again. Those few moments were the scariest of my life. Because of this things were slowed down because the medication had to be turned off to monitor the baby. After an hour the medication was back rolling making me terrible nauseated. I would have vomited but had not had anything to eat so there was nothing. Hours went by of extreme pain and pressure I begged the nurse, Colin who ever to please do a c-section that I could not do it, I was exhausted. The doctor was back about 10 till 9 she said she was going to do a c-section on someone and promised to be back in 1 hour. I felt like no one was listening I wanted the c-section, take me to the operating room. Tears were flowing as thick as the mascara that came with it. Hair was plastered as I had many a cold wash cloth placed on my head. I was done and no one would listen. Then a glimmer of hope, the nurse said I could push when I had contractions and even though there was not any of the medical staff in the room I was going to push. If Iwas not getting a c-section then by God I was going to do anything to get this baby out. The nurse was soon in and she got me ready to labor. Colin was on my left while my sister Jackie was on my right. I would push with every contraction for the next hour. Wow that is hard. The doctor was in as promised and in my half asleep nauseated state 16 minutes later at 10:16 pm Bennett James Gransbery made his arrival to the world. Yes it was long, yes it was hard, and yes it was so, so painful but it was worth it. I don't know that I would rush out and do it again but I sure am in love with this little man.
Now that its been a week I am out of my fog and can talk about it. Talk to Jackie and she'll tell you it took everything she had not to laugh at the things I would say between contractions. For example I asked if he was done playing soccer, I quoted the verse in the bibile about being fruit full and multiplying the earth and that it should not be this painful if that is what we are suppose to do. I proclaimed that I was going to tell my sis Rhonda not to do it, not to have babies.
Oh yea and I even threw a wash cloth across the room at one point. A great day filled with lots of memories. Bennett is a completely joy, everyday he's more fun. I am so happy and cannot wait for you all to meet our awesome blessing!!!

It was for me both the best and most difficult day I've ever experienced. I felt so hand-cuffed and helpless with Stacy asking me, "why won't anyone help us?" She also said at one point, "I'm going to take out all of these tubes and walk out of this place!" Stacy's epidural was kind of questionable as described above, but at the same time she would react strongly sometimes to the medicine like, when her blood pressure dropped and she got nauseated. For me too, it was all worth it. Despite being so uncomfortable for so long, Stacy remained very nice to me, asking me once when I was trying to comfort/support her through a contraction, "can you get another piece of gum, your breath smells". As I write this, Stacy says she doesn't remember this part. I don't blame her after all the medicine that went through her that day as well as not having any food since 1130pm the night before.

Maggie has adjusted well even since we didn't give her much chance to ease into it. All of a sudden after 3 nights away from home we show up with something that sure smells interesting. She sniffs Bennett at times and comes to the bedroom when he cries, but will leave the room if he cries for too long.

I have to admit that I was a little sad to leave the hospital when it was time to go home. I think the whole 'parenting' aspect had finally sunk it, I felt overwhelmed, we didn't have a call light at home to push when we needed help from our nurse, and I'm very sentimental. I walked by suite 12 (our labor room) multiple times when I took loads to the car and kept thinking, wow, that's where it all happened. Stacy and I thought a lot yesterday about what were we doing a week ago at this time.

So amazing it's been over a week now. We are doing well and better everyday. Bennett seems to like to sleep more during the day than the night. We've actually both been peed on. I'm enjoying having this time off. Our days are wide open to sleep-in or do whatever we want. We've been out to run errands with Bennett twice now and we've all done fine. Of course, we weren't out very long and we planned our trip to Target yesterday around the time that Bennett would be asleep and he came through for us.

Thanks to everyone we've heard from since the birth and we'll keep posting videos and pictures so keep looking on this blog. We also enjoy the comments you leave.

Biggie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, we had a second ultrasound last Wednesday as Stacy was measuring big and the results were at 36weeks, 5 days the baby weighed in at 8lb, 11oz.! Ultrasounds this late in pregnancy are less accurate, so he could really be +/- 1 lb. So, conservatively he is 7lb, 11oz and again conservatively adding half a pound a week total weight is getting up there. So, Stacy will be induced on March 4th if the baby doesn't arrive on his own before that. Just want to keep everyone updated as we are very excited and he'll be here very soon!

In the picture, the baby is looking towards us with his hand/arm covering the lower part of his face, but you can see his big right cheek and forehead.

videos!

we just got a video camera for christmas in prep for the baby's arrival. here is a video of our first child...maggie. we were having lunch and maggie of course was begging from stacy. this is just our first try at all of this. quite amazing how we'll be able to put the baby on the internet for all to see soon after he arrives.