Sophie Marie is here!

July 10, 2009

Sophie Marie Vernon

was born!

My wonderful doctor, Dr. Huish, scheduled me to be induced the day before my due date, so here I am below, in labor, but in no pain... hooray!

We got to the hospital and they started pitosin at 1:50pm, and 2 and a half hours later, Sophie was born! So amazing, my epidural did wear off a little, and when I was pushing, it hurt...

She came out blue as ever, so cute, covered in gunk and they put her on my tummy and I just cried and cried! They had to give her a little oxygen at first, but it was never too stressful.

I really am happy below, I just couldn't stop crying! What an amazing experience it is, words cannot even describe the intense feelings of joy and gratitude you feel.

I feel bad that Bruce was taking all these pictures, so there are only a couple with him in them. But, oh man, do I feel thankful for such a wonderful husband and dad for my kids! He is so cute with Sophie and I love to see him kissing on her and loving her to pieces!

I LOVE YOU BRUCE-
THANK YOU for letting me have another baby!!
Worlds BEST Dad EVER!

So, I'm handed this little baby, and some of my first thoughts are always like, I don't even know you, this little angel is a stranger at first, I don't recognize her yet, because we've just met. The 2 days in the hospital are this amazing bonding experience where your baby becomes yours! I just held her and stared at her for 2 days... my little baby!

So, ofcourse all Sophie's brothers and sisters couldn't wait to come and meet her either. My wonderful sister Chrissy had my kids friday to saturday and did all kinds of fun stuff with them. She brought them to the hospital that night. So here they are, 1 at a time, meeting their new sister:

Lily

Logan

Emma

Dallin

Ashlin

And then, look at me and my beautiful children, how could I be so lucky?? It's all I ever dreamed about when I was younger, having my own family.

We don't look like that big of a family, right?

Oh my goodness, look how cute little Sophie is. She hardly cried. And I held her almost the whole time. My favorite part of having a new baby, is sleeping with them in my arms and my face next to their face. Heaven.

And here is where Sophie and I lived for 2 days. So precious, just getting to know my new baby girl, my new friend, my new sleeping buddy!

As much as I LOVE the hospital for 2 days, we were also excited to take Sophie home!

As we drove home, I warned Sophie that it was just her and me in the hospital for 2 days... but that is NOT what it would be like at home. I told her about all the other little kids that live with us and how excited they are to have her home. She took the news very calmly. I think she was disappointed at first to hear it wouldn't just be me and her forever, but she handled it very well! See what a good girl she is, she's perfect, and she's mine! (well, Bruce's too)

Baby-Eve

So, it's better than Christmas Eve... it's Baby Eve... the night before getting induced. My kind doctor scheduled me to be induced tomorrow morning at 7:30am, even though my due date is not until saturday.

I just wanted to record my feelings so my new precious baby knows just how excited I was for her to come! How can I even go to sleep? I have been getting tears in my eyes all night just knowing tomorrow I get to hold my new little baby! It is amazing to me how you cannot imagine how precious this process is no matter how many times you've gone through it. This is my 6th baby. And I still feel nervous and anxious and I can't wait. The excitement is honestly multiplied because I have 5 kids asking me constantly when she is going to get here! It is so cute to see how much they already love their sister, whom they've only seen grow in relation to the size of my belly! :)

I am so thankful to be a mother. I know that it is the most important thing I will do in my life. It is also the hardest. But I have found, and it is my testimony, that the more I call upon God, study his scriptures and pray and plead to feel joy being a mother, the more so I do! It is amazing. He has blessed me through this process, and anything good I have done, has only been because of His help in my life, alone I am nothing. And so this night I pray again to my Father in Heaven to bless me with all the capability needed to be the kind of mother He would have me be to this new precious Spirit daughter of His who awaits to come to our home!

Oh my angel baby, I already love you!! I am crying just thinking about holding you for the first time!

California Dreamin

Every year my big Blake Family gets matching T-shirts and we caravan together to Solona Beach, California where we all have time shares in the same complex.

My kids look forward to the day we leave for California more than Christmas!

Every night people just wander around from condo to condo lookin for the party, as there are always groups of people hanging out... so fun! During the day we just hang out at the beach and usually do a couple big outings. (This year we skipped a theme park day since I was 37 weeks pregnant)

Here was a day at La Jolla Cove Tide pool Can you see above how Dallin can hardly refrain from becoming ONE with the tide pool... catching little creatures is like SO HIS thing!!
(Ashlin's bestest friend and cousin Macy)

My awesone dad!

Then a day at Balboa Park, where we went to the Miniature Model Train museum and saw "Under the Sea" at the Imax theatre there. This is my sister Chrissy who was so awesome on this trip and always had the kids in her condo making crafts, cards, jewelry, etc... She was the best- THANKYOU CHRISSY!!

And Lily never wanted to leave her side-

(Thanks to Chrissy, Bruce and I had a very relaxing trip)

Lounging in the morning in the fold out bed

And then, ofcourse, the highlight of the trip....

walking across the street to the BEACH every day!!

Bruce and Dallin playing football in the ocean

Playing in the sand with all the many cousins!

The boys spent hours catching waves boogie boarding!

Emma's favorite part of the trip is her really fabulous social life for the week!

We LOVE you Blake family!

Thanks for all the dreamy memories...

(especially the visual on Lindsey whippin a hashbrown out of her pocket- motherhood has clearly broken her down- ha ha!)

New Family Pictures

VERNON8

We are back from San Diego and just thankful that our family of 8 still looks like the above (with baby in belly). No San Diego baby! Though Emma did ask if we were going to pack her clothes and a swim suit "just in case" she's born in california! Ha Ha

I didn't think I would be nervous to go to San Diego from 37-38 weeks pregnant, but turns out I was... 1 night I had regular painful contractions from midnight til 3am at our condo... I was stressin!! But the rest of the week was all good and more restful than being at home.

Emma and I both made family pictures, here is hers:I love how she did our eyes, ya, we are a family of 8 who are all "a little off". ha ha!

"real" pictures of san diego trip to come...

Memorial Day Get-Away

Every Memorial Day we go up to my families

rockin cabin in Pinetop!

Country Roads... take me home, to the place I belong...

Gone here my whole life, LOVE IT!!! Rec Center, long walks, eating at the Club, crowded tiny cabin, THE best!

This year my rockin dad brought his jeep and kayaks and took us to Showlow Lake so everyone could Kayak! Who thinks pregnant me capsized?

Here is my dad shoving off...

... and there they go!

Bruce gets the "Buff and Brave" Award for taking the most kids at a time!

My sister Chrissy

Oh and look who went kayaking even though she was 8 months pregnant....

Logan said afterwards that it was funner going with mom than dad... and Bruce said, "why, was mom faster". and Logan said, "No, dad was faster, but with mom the boat was wobblier!"

Ha ha... cracked me up, I did feel a little unstable out there... but we did NOT tip over, yeah!

Lily and Bruce

Logan and his cousin buddy Calvin

Ashlin

Dallin

And even EMMA on her own!

Don't think that this mountain water was warm just because it looks like a nice day... it was COLD... I paid each of these guys $2 to jump in!!

All the grandkids with Grandpa... notice Lexi is running away... ha ha, caught this "drama" moment on film... she did NOT want to be in the picture!

Ok, so the below picture is this awesome shot I stole from my brother in laws facebook wall... At the lake Ashlin had Geoffs camara and I walked over and made this retarded face (obviously) and she snapped it. I never even saw the picture until it was on Geoff's facebook wall with 5 comments under it... cracked me up!

When Bruce saw it he said, "wow, I don't think I could get a picture that retarded if I tried all day!" oh no, not me, 1 shot is all it took! Ha Ha!

We also took our kids to a Fish Hatchery:

Walking the nature trail there

Notice Ashlin making Logan smile here... and obviously Emma had something really interesting on her nose...

And back at the cabin for some relaxation...

Seriously Bruce has dorky habits, EVERY time he reads he puts the bookmark in his mouth, the whole time he reads... I have even found him asleep with the bookmark still in his mouth.

Love the hammock, LOVE my grandparents who bought a cabin to make so many wonderful memories...

LOVE GOING TO THE CABIN!!!!!!