Crazy Cinder

Our pooch loves having a new little man in the house...However, she hasn't been getting as much attention as usual.

More baby pics

 Per our families requests...here are more photos of our adorable son, for your viewing pleasure.

  

Baby's first bath

 Adam got these beautiful photos after he was clean, dry and content

 We do a lot of staring in disbelief at our perfect little man

 He smiles in his sleep

Welcome to the world!

February 11, 2012 at 5:34 pm our son Lucas Rushton was born at Lester Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan.
Weighing in at 6 lbs 5 oz, 19.3 inches long.  He came out wide-eyed, screaming and perfect.

We came into the hospital when I was 34 weeks, 3 days pregnant because of a tiny leak of amniotic fluid and the doc said she wanted to make sure everything was ok...we thought they would check me out and send me home...
Nope!
They told us I was already 2cm dialated, 80% effaced and his head was pretty low.  However, I was by no means in labor....
We were put into a delivery room and I was induced at 4:30 pm on Feb. 10th with pitocin (pidevil)...I really wanted a natural birth, so for 20 hours I endured pitocin-enduced contractions, medication free.  Very very intense unnatural contractions!  They continued to increase the volume of pitocin throughout the night, until it reached a point when I was having no breaks between contractions, delirious with labor pain, the pain level peaked...
Doc came in continuously to check my dilation...around the 20 hour mark, after 8 hours I had not changed from 5 cm dilated; very discouraging news...even worse, they wanted to really amp up the pitocin...that's when (through gritted teeth) I told them I needed the epidural.
About 30 minutes later, I was laid out in the bed, napping and smiling.  Within 3 hours, he was getting very low and I was getting an intense urge to push.  They checked me and when the nurse said I was 9 cm dilated, it was pure joy!!!
About an hour later, it was time...the nurse wanted me to push just to see if I could move him at all.  Adam grabbed one leg, nurse grabbed the other, I curled around my contracting belly and pushed with a strength and intensity that I didn't know I was capable of...Yep, it was time.  I heard Adam say "woah, is that the head?"  The nurse said "Stop pushing!!  I need to get the doctor!"  The nurse alerted the doc... she told me typically it could be 1-2 hours of steady pushing...I needed my energy now.
I was SO ready.  After about 9 pushes in 12 minutes, out came a healthy, wide-eyed, screaming little boy.  He was immediately placed on my chest.  See video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed3471cuHdE&feature=youtu.be


Next was:
Complete elation, surreal blissful peace, delirium, enchanting jubilation...rejoicing, love, love so much love, tears, disbelief, more love.


Still in hospital photos:

 

 Milk drunk

Finally home

I am a mother.

He couldn't be more perfect, more healthy or alert...he is ours forever, our sweet son.  We love him more than life itself.  This feeling that we cannot describe is wow.  I've always wondered what it would be like.

Well...my heart has left my body.  It is external now...can't describe it any other way.

DIY with paper and string

With my huge figure, it has been pretty difficult to get around, get in and out of the car/huge van, bend over among other things.  So in the meantime, I have been super crafty.  The animals for his walls are hanging up by ribbons; and yesterday, I just finished his homemade baby mobile!
The idea came when we were visiting some good friends of ours and peeked into their little girl's room.  She had this gorgeous mobile, all white, all paper butterflies hanging over her crib.  It was really breathtaking.

I went with a simpler route, with lots of color.  All it took was time, a handy woodworking husband, some scissors, paper, and string.
Vuala! 
Cute paper baby mobile!

View from Baby's angle!

Practicing Restraint

Every morning when I get out of bed, I want a piping hot cup of coffee and good ole fashioned buttermilk pancakes. 
Every morning, I go to the kitchen cabinet, and look at the pancake mix.
Every morning, I have to practice restraint.

Pregnancy cravings are serious business...

Baby Room

Every time I walk into Luke's room, the thought of his arrival is all consuming.  We've got it filled in with all the essential things that he will need for his welcome home celebration.  Adam is building him a corner changing table with shelving, and eventually some cute book shelves to go on the wall.  We have also received some really amazing gifts from family and friends.

I've had a fun time making some animals to decorate the walls!
I drew some fun sketches of lions, giraffes, turtles, butterflies, elephants and other animals...We got a huge thin sheet of wood and I chose a few of the good sketches, graphed them onto the wood to a larger scale.  Adam cut the outlines out of the wood, and then I painted them.  Now they are hanging on his walls and we will be able to take them with us when we leave the island!
Check it out!  Very fun project...

Before...

 After...

(The elephant is my favorite!)

Maternity Photos

Airin Owen Photography is AMAZING!  She is a local photographer here in Okinawa, and she has a great eye and wonderful personality.   She really hooked us up with an awesome photoshoot experience.  I saw an ad for a model call to do a free photoshoot...she was looking for a big ole pregnant woman.  I fit the bill!
We went to a beautiful little hidden beach in Yomitan and had a really fun time playing in the water, laughing and telling our stories.  It didn't feel like a photoshoot...except for the times that she made me feel really beautiful, despite my balloon of a belly.
Here are the photos that she captured...a time in history that Adam and I will always remember.

 

 

Thank you Airin!  

These are awesome!!

week by week

2011 is OVER!?

Where did the year go?  Anyone have an answer to that?  I can't believe how fast time flies...Adam and I have been in Okinawa for 8 months already!  It feels like we just got here.
2011 was truly amazing though...can't say anything negative about it.  A collection of good memories!

Cinder and I inevitably took all of our wonderful Christmas lights down... a sad evening.

 

Then Adam showed up from work early!  Surprise! 

However...2012 is going to be incredible!  With the birth of our son fast approaching...of course due on leap year.  The anticipation is building!

Onward 2012!  Time to look forward!

To NEW beginnings...

Fun Christmas 2011

 A few fun Christmas moments to share!

 Thanks Mama, for the beautiful jewelry set that belonged to you...I will always cherish it!

Love Adam's face...that's got to be the best part of Christmas morning...watching the surprise and excitement!!  And of course, playing with all of our new toys!

 I got Adam an adult Darth Vader costume...just so he can say "Luke, I am your father"

 Cinder held on to all the bows for us...she really loved it :)

Christmas belly!!!