The First 2 Weeks

Chase is now 17 days old and I can hardly believe it has been that long already! We are absolutely in love with this little bug- he is perfect in every way. He has already grown and changed so much- I am constantly torn between pride that he is so strong and healthy and despair that he won't be my sweet little newborn for very long. Here are some pictures from his adventures so far.

Chase loves to sleep. He smiles all the time in his sleep and makes the funniest faces- my books all say that they can't smile this early and that if you think they are smiling it is probably just gas. Could be- but I think he just has funny dreams.
He is also constantly playing the air guitar. James thinks this is a sign we should buy Rock Band. Nice try, babe :)

I think the thing Chase loves the most is hanging out with his dad. They have a really special bond and it is so cute to watch them together.

This is my favorite picture of my boys. Chase is so attentive when James talks to him- let's hope that characteristic stays for a couple more years.
The one thing this boy doesn't like is bathing- let's hope this characteristic dies off soon.

James' mom and sister Stacie came to visit us and we had some beautiful fall weather (LOVE being in the east for the fall!) so we got to go out with the baby.

Chase with his Aunt StacieTHe birthdays in our family coordinate wonderfully- Chase's birthday is exactly one week after mine, and James' birthday is exactly two weeks after Chase's. Here are my boys at our birthday party :)

Chase's first Halloween- how cute is this little pumpkin butt?

Halloween outfit #2- and Chase giving me his best stink eye

Note on Chase's hair- no matter how we try to style this baby's 'do, it sticks straight up on top and goes into a fauxhawk. We love it and can't keep our hands out of it!

Really though... I have to kiss this baby's cheeks almost every time I see him.

Thanks for an exhausting, instructive, and memorable 2 weeks baby Chase!

A Labor of Love

I realize that this post is a couple weeks late... but who doesn't love to read a labor story? On Thursday, October 22nd, the hospital called me at about 9 am and told me to come in at 10:30 that morning to be induced. James, with an ability to focus on the task at hand way above my own, had gone to class that morning. Luckily the law school is only a couple blocks from the hospital, so I packed up the car, picked James up, and we headed in. Right as we got there, so did two other very pregnant women, both of whom were already in labor. This meant that we had to sit around in the waiting area for about an hour until they cleared up a labor and delivery room for me. My parents arrived in the meantime and around 11:30 they admitted me.

By noon I was hooked up to the pitocin and when my doctor checked me around 1, I was already 5 cm dilated. The nurses had to keep coming in every 10 minutes to readjust the belt that was monitoring the baby's heartrate- every time they got a strong signal he would just wiggle away and they had to find it again. My sister Lindsay showed up and it was so nice to have so much company while we waited. I could feel the contractions, but they weren't too uncomfortable. At about 2:30 my doctor decided to break my water... and by 3 I was REALLY feeling those contractions. I wanted to get the epidural before it would be too hard for me to sit still, so the anesthesiologist came in and gave me the epidural. I really didn't feel anything- they did a good job (James freaked out a little because he saw the size of the needle going into my back but was kind enough to pretend he didn't).

Me right after the epidural with the trusty button that allows you to give yourself a dosing anytime you please. Pretty exciting stuff. Well the epidural works with gravity, so you are supposed to switch from lying on your left to lying on your right from time to time to keep things even. I started out lying on my left side and was told to roll to my right side when the left went tingly. Oddly enough, over the next 2 hours, my right side went completely numb and I could still feel everything on the left side. The nurses called the anesthesiologist back in and they had to readjust my epidural because it had gone in a little to the right. In order to get things corrected, they gave me another full dose and this time both sides of me went completely numb from the waist down. As in I was pretty much paralyzed- I couldn't move or feel either of my legs and I definitely wasn't feeling any contractions.

I was a 7 at this point and progressing right along. The nurses finally got sick of readjusting the heartrate belt and put an internal monitor on the baby's head instead. About this same time the contractions started coming much closer together and with some serious intensity (or so the monitor said... I was still only half a person). Chase's heartrate started to drop pretty low every time I had a contraction, and they decided to put me in an oxygen mask to help him out. The situation started to get worse- his heart rate was dropping dangerously low and the doctor thought maybe the cord was wrapped around his neck. I was dilated to a 9, so the doctor stayed close by. That last hour before I was fully dilated was absolutely terrifying- we watched his monitor constantly and prayed that he was strong enough to pull through.

After what seemed like an eternity, my doctor declared me fully dilated at 9 pm and everyone but James filed out to wait. I could feel things pretty well at this point, but I wanted to be able to feel when to push, so I didn't push the epidural button anymore. Ouch- that was a minor mistake. As I was pushing, Chase's heartrate continued to dip really low and they called in a pediatric unit just in case. Poor James looked absolutely terrified and I think he was squeezing my hand more than I was squeezing his. There were about 20 people in the room while I was pushing and a bunch of random people kept yelling, "Come on Stephanie- you can do it!" This was the first time during labor that I felt like cursing and screaming... who were these people and how the heck did they know I could do it?!? Finally, at 9:35 pm, I pushed one last time and watched in a giant mirror as a beautiful, dark-haired baby was born.

As soon as they cleared his mouth and nose he started to yell and it was the most reassuring sound I have ever heard. The pediatric team examined him and found that he was a perfectly healthy newborn. The cord wasn't wrapped around his neck at all- it turned out he just didn't appreciate being forced out.
Here is the first picture we have of our sweet baby boy.James holding his son. Seeing my two boys together for the first time was, aside from being sealed to James on our wedding day, the happiest moment of my life.

In order to get Chase out faster, they used a vacuum and even though I had an episiotomy, I still acquired quite the tear. (Apologies if that is TMI.) It took my doctor almost an hour to get me sewn up. It is hard to put into words the amount of love that swept over me the first time I finally got to hold Chase in my arms. I couldn't believe that he was finally here and so perfect.

The next 2 days in the hospital went by in such a blur and on Saturday we brought our adorable baby home for the first time. He is such an alert and cuddly little guy! We can't help but to kiss those pudgy cheeks every couple of minutes. Being a mom is exhausting work, but so rewarding. I am so thankful to have Chase as part of our eternal family.

Chase Christopher Purcell

Chase Christopher Purcell

October 22, 2009

9:35 pm

7 pounds 3 ounces, 21 inches

Heaven on earth.

Almost There

Actually, there. And... passed. It's really frustrating to be overdue, even if it is only by a day. So far. Here's the latest.

I went to the doctor's last week and they've been telling me that I was measuring small for the past few weeks. My doctor wanted to do an ultrasound just to make sure everything was okay. The tech showed me all his healthy little body parts and said he was thriving in there. He had his face covered with his hands (obviously wanting to maintain some sort of mystery) and all we could see of his head was one chubby cheek and a whole chunk of hair. After she ran his sizes, she confirmed that I am measuring small but that the baby weighed 7 pounds and 7 ounces. Say what?! I was prepared to hear that he would be a shrimp boat. Nope. This kid is deceptively big and hides his weight well.

So since the baby is healthy and doing well, my doctor decided to let me go and see what happened. I had an appointment today and her first reaction when she checked me was, "How are you not in labor yet?" Awesome. I've been wondering that myself. She called the hospital to schedule an induction, but couldn't get me in until Thursday. My doctor said she would bet 50 bucks that I go into labor before Thursday... but if I don't, this baby will be here by October 22nd!

It's nice to see the light at the end of the tunnel. And to know that I will no longer feel that my very life depends upon the immediate consumption of double beef burritos, cheesy puffs, onion rings, and fish sticks. Gross. I'm determined to crave vegetables next time.

Hopefully the next time I update, it will be with glad tidings of a chubby-cheeked, pudgy little baby boy.

Dear Baby,

You've now been growing inside me for almost 38 weeks and your father and I, after a lengthy discussion, have decided that you have been in there long enough. Time to come out! We can't wait to meet you and see what you look like! The doctor says you are now a little over six pounds and growing. In spite of her reassurances that you cannot actually kick through my stomach, I think you better come out the right way before you get strong enough to prove her wrong.

Below are some reasons that we hope will entice you out:

1) Your Daddy cannot wait to have a little man in the house to play with. He is so excited to teach you everything he knows. Some information (like facts about dinosaurs, football, and X-Men) Mommy approves of and some (like how tasty Mountain Dew is) Mommy does not. But we can sort that out later. And look- you have the same shoes as Daddy!

2) Your room is so close to being finished! Remember when it looked like this?

Now you have an adorable crib to sleep in with lots more room to stretch out in...

A mobile that will go around and play music as much as your heart desires...

Lots of toys, books, and stuff to make you smell good! Not to mention a serioius collection of awesome shoes...

A dresser completely stuffed full of clothes (90% from Aunt Lindsay, who also votes for you to come out on the stipulation that you will come on a day that she is not on call)....

Your very own corner for bouncing...

And a corner for sitting! Mommy will rock you and sing to you anytime you want and when you are ready, you can sit in your very own chair...

We even have a place to change you and lots of blankets to keep you warm and towels for your bathtime!

So wouldn't you like to get out of that cramped space you live in now so that you can play in your room and hang out with your Daddy? If you're not entirely convinced yet, take a look at this next reason.

3) When you were about 14 weeks old, Daddy took this picture of Mommy because she had the tiniest little bump on her belly. You were a cute little 4 inches long and weighed about an ounce. You were so easy to carry around then!

So Mommy thought it might be fun to take a picture in the same outfit at 37 weeks to see how much you've grown. Skirt... check (elastic-what a pal). Shirt... not happening. This was as close as we could get.

WHOA! A little paler and a LOT pudgier! Not quite as cute, huh? So if you aren't sold on the lessons with Dad or the room, take pity on your poor Mother waddling around the house in agony.

The hospital bag is packed and we are ready to roll! We've been looking forward to having you in our family for a long time and can't wait to bring you into our home.

All our love,

Mom and Dad

Smashing Boxes

Our apartment is finally starting to resemble... well, an apartment, which is pretty exciting. With one notable exception. The baby's room is currently the "I didn't know we had this!" room, the "Where the heck are we going to put THIS?" room, and the "HOW IN THE WORLD DO 2 PEOPLE HAVE THIS MUCH JUNK!!!" room. Also, our bedroom isn't quite finished, so it will not be included on the following tour.

That being said, welcome to the new home of the Pennsylvania Purcells.
The entryway. The closet on the left is the largest closet in the house and currently serves as both a storage room and a pantry.

The living room- left view. Those of you familiar with the Provo version of our apartment are probably wondering when we plan on redecorating. The answer, of course, is when a J.D. follows James' name. Or whenever you would like to sponsor it.

The living room, right view. Here is our TV that currently gets 5 channels (one of which is a very lively Bible channel) and our "dining area." (Note to our table: we solemnly swear that our next apartment will feature a room just for you).

The kitchen. This picture, plus the refrigerator you can see in the above picture, plus a window complete this cozy space. The counter space you see is the only counter space we have, so please don't ask me to cook Thanksgiving dinner here. It's just not happening. (Hey Janeene, Kristina, and Marian- note the finished product of our craft night!)

Moving along... this is our long hallway back to the 2 bedrooms and bathroom. I can't put anything on the left wall- solid concrete. Major bummer. But please do note the gorgeous hardwood floors- we love 'em.

The last stop on our tour is the bathroom. Also smaller than life. The toilet is hiding on the left with some handy shelving around it (explained best by the complete absence of counterspace). There is a window in the shower, which is a first for me. Don't get too excited- it's frosted.

Okay, this is really the last stop on the tour- the parking lot- and our new car! It's definitely no BMW (hands over your hearts), but we love it. Still looking for a suitable name, if you would like to make suggestions. It is definitely a girl though.

James on the first day of law school! (I think half the smile comes from this being the first day of school in 5 years that he hasn't had to shave the summer goatee for) He had a great first week and is already hitting the books like crazy.

So far we are loving Pittsburgh and all its quirks. It didn't even take that long to get used to the fact that they put french fries on everything here. Literally, everything. We miss all of our Utah friends and family and have our fingers crossed that you will find your way out here to visit us in the next 3 years. There is no shortage of things to do and see here!

Nebraska is a dirty word

Hello to all from Pittsburgh! We finally made it here and it has been some journey. Let's start at the beginning...

On Saturday, August 8th, with the help of James' amazing family and friends, we packed our little apartment that was our first home together and said goodbye to Provo.

We then spent the rest of the weekend and the first part of the next week with James' family, playing and enjoying the last bit of our summer.

Let me introduce our big yellow Penske truck. This thing drove like a tank, but was actually pretty nice inside and had plenty of room to stretch our legs in. Here we are, bright and early on Wednesday morning, getting ready to take off. On the top of the dashboard you can spot Polly, our mildly temperamental GPS who is singlehandedly responsible for us not being lost somewhere in the midwest.

We rolled easily through Utah and Wyoming that morning, loaded up for the drive with food, drinks, and Crime and Punishment on CD... a 16 disc undertaking. We cruised past this sign in the afternoon on our first day of driving.

I have a few things to say about this sign.

1) We saw no semblance of anything good in Nebraska.

2) The sign should read, "Nebraska... thou art a cruel and heartless mistress."

3) Home of Arbor Day? More like home of completely pointless road construction that goes on for 100 miles at a time and forces you to drive at speeds so slow that you become dangerous to yourself.

Nebraska took almost an entire day of driving to get through because of construction, a ridiculous hail storm, and its obnoxious width. I might or might not have cried when we passed into Iowa.

The next few states were easy to get through and there was plenty more to look at. With the exception of an accidental detour into the ghetto of Chicago (Polly was in one of her moods), the rest of our trip went smoothly. Negatives of the trip: Nebraska, a very sore bum, and baby that apparently hates road trips and who at one point (probably in Nebraska) tried to escape through my belly button. Ouch. Positives of the trip? Very minimal swelling to my ankles, Ohio rest stops (you gotta see these things), and this sign:

Ahhhhhh. I loved watching the landscape transform over our trip from dusty Wyoming to brown and flat Nebraska to cornfielded Iowa and Illinois to green and rolling Indiana and Ohio to woodsy Pennsylvania. We arrived in Pennsylvania around 1:30 pm on Friday and came right up into Pittsburgh about an hour later:

This was our first glimpse of the city and we nearly rolled the moving truck in our excitement! My family and good friend Nick were there to help us unload and get settled into our new apartment, about 3 miles from downtown and from campus. We unpacked, bought a car, and are trying to get used to navigating city life. Our grocery store is immense, and has a parking garage instead of a parking lot, which should be pretty useful in the snow. Our closest mall has a Coach, Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, and a Tiffany's to boot. Crappy time to be poor students.

We have an awesome new ward who made us feel really welcome and I have an amazing new group of doctors and will get to deliver at the 7th best obstetric hospital in the country. Not bad!

Stay tuned... pictures of the car, apartment, and law school to come soon!