Introducing...

Rhett Charles Benik

January 19, 2012

1:44am

6 lbs. 7 oz.

20 in.

And this is his birth story:

It was Wednesday, Januray 18th, 3 and a half weeks before Baby's due date. It was 11pm and I was hungry. I went into the kitchen to get some cookies and thats where and when my water broke. I called my Mother to let her know to get a flight out for that next morning and then my best friend, Brittany, to come stay with Lola until my Mom's flight got in. I then took a shower and finished packing my hospital bag. My contractions were still irregular and hardly noticeable so I took my sweet time getting ready. Around 12:45am the contractions started picking up in intensity and were coming every 3-5 minutes so we decided it was time to go to the hospital. By 1:20 I was admitted, in bed and checked. The contractions were then coming every 2-3 minutes and hurting enough that I had to focus on my breathing to get through them. I was 5cm dilated and 90% effaced. They hooked up my IV and checked me again. I was between 6 and 7cm and the contractions were one on top of the other and REALLY hurting. The nurse went to call the anethesiologist and my doctor. A few minutes later a huge contraction came that I thought for sure would never end. At that point, the head nurse came in and checked me and found that I was 8cm and the baby was 'on his way'. She called for the delivery table to be brought in and then told me I was going to have to do this on my own because we didnt have time for any meds or the doctor. My heart sank and my head started swimming and I couldnt even see straight from the pain of the contractions. It was like a bad dream where you have no control over whats happening and I was SO scared! All the what ifs were racing through my mind and I was so nervous about my doctor not being there to oversee and wondering if the nurses really knew what they were doing?! Another few minutes of blinding pain and I was 10cm, fully effaced, and the baby was crowning. At that point it was almost impossible not to push but the nurses kept telling me not to like they thought if I could hold out a few more minutes, my doctor would have time to get there. But Baby Boy was not waiting for anyone! And the pain was so excruciating I just wanted it to end and holding him in was even more painful, so I pushed (throughout all of this Luke stood right by my side holding my hand and reassuring me that everything was going to be alright. He kept telling me I was doing great and I could do this and that he was so proud of me. I'm so grateful I had him there because I was so scared and dont know how I could have done it without him). Baby Boy was out in just a few pushes. It hurt so crazy bad, I cant even explain it in words (nor would you want me to)! It was seriously the worst, most painful 10 minutes of my life! But I know that I am really lucky in that it was only 10 minutes while others who deliver naturally can go through that pain for hours. Baby Boy was born at 1:44am. It was the fastest 24 minute birth (that I seriously thought was going to be more like 3-5 hours and with an epidural). I will never, ever forget it!! Because it all happened so fast and he was premature, the nurses immediately cut his cord and wisked him away to thouroughly check him over. After what seemed like an hour, they finally brought him over to me. I loved him the moment I laid eyes on him. He was so tiny and calm and would peek out of his little eyes to look at me while I held and kissed him. Right away it was evident who this baby's daddy was- nearly every feature of his was Luke's exactly- His hairline, forehead, eyes, nose, chin and cleft, feet and bum! And he had tons of dark, dark hair! He was beautiful and as perfect as I had imagined him to be. All that I went through to get him here was worth it and I'd do it 100 times over for him. I am so lucky to get to be this amazing little boy's Momma and am so in love with him already :)

This is one of my favortie pictures because it shows just how much like Luke he looks. Honestly, so much its a little scary but totally cute at the same time :)

Lola came to the hospital to meet her new baby brother first thing that morning. I love her face in this first picture below because you can tell she's trying to put it all together and not quite sure what all to think. It only took her about 5 minutes before she was as in love with him as the rest of us. Brooklyn came after school that day and again the next day. She was really cute and sweet with him. And so motherly, it was adorable. We're glad the girls like him so much :) 



Once There Was A Snowman

 ...and then Lola bit his head off.

 The End :)

  

T-Minus 25 Days

Today I am 36 weeks, 3 days. I can finally say I have less than a month! I can't wait- to not be huge pregnant anymore, to finally have Baby Boy here, to see him, to hold him and to kiss and love on him. 

As of the last 2 weeks or so, Lola has finally decided to acknowledge that Baby Brother does in fact live and sleep in Mommy's tummy. Before then, she would completely ignore you and walk away if anyone tried mentioning anything about the baby in my tummy. I felt really bad about it. At least now, she'll give my belly loves and kisses, says good morning and hi to Baby Brother and will often agree to help me feed, change, and play with him once he gets here. I know that it could be a whole different story once he's actually here and she realizes he's staying forever. But I hope its a story of adoration and love and not one of jealousy and annoyance :) Lola is pretty spoiled in the attention department and very much fussed over when family and friends are around. So we will just have to see how it goes... Brooklyn on the other hand is really excited. She always asks about the baby, when he'll be here and what we're going to name him (she loves leaving me new lists each week of her personal favorite name choices:). And she loves babies so I'm sure she's going to be a big help and a good example to Lola of how to treat Baby Boy :)

34 Weeks

(pic is from last week as I'm actually 35 weeks now).

I'm officially eating my words from my post back when I had bragged that this pregnancy was sooo much easier than Lola's was. As of the last 2-3 weeks I have become plenty uncomfortable and miserable- I can't sleep, can't ever seem to get comfortable, have to pee about 100 times a day (half of those trips seem to occur between 12am and 5am), the lower part of my uterus burns, from the pressure on my nerves, if I stand, walk, or sit for too long, I'm always feeling out of breath and tired, and doing anything, like putting on my shoes, shaving my legs or carrying Lola around, requires way too much effort. I could go on but I think you get it... I am ready to be done and have my lighter, more agile body back! I know Luke is ready for me to be done as well because he often comments that he doesn't remember me being this whiny and babyish the last time. But on a more positive note, I am almost done and before I know it our sweet baby boy will be here!

2012

 The annual New Year photo tradition- our only New Years tradition thus far (not counting the one where we don't bother celebrating and go to bed early).

  

  

 

Happy New Years!

Tiny Tots With Their Eyes All Aglow

 This was a very magical Christmas for Lola. She loved EVERYTHING about the season from the twinkling lights to learning all about HoHo. It was all so exciting and new again since this was the first year she actually understood and could anticipate the holiday. This year, however, was also Brooklyn's first year not believing in Santa. I was a little sad for her at first because I remember 'finding out' about Santa and how sad I was but she actually didn't seem all that disappointed and was even curious to learn the ins and outs of what all parents do to make Christmas 'happen'

In addition to many hours of baking, gingerbread house decorating and other festive activities, we also went down to Lehi to see the Thanksgiving Point lights and downtown for the Temple lights. 

 Our Christmas Eve with Brooklyn. Per tradition the girls opened their 2011 ornaments (purple and blue crystal snowflakes) as well as new jammies and slippers.

 We went to our cabin for Christmas this year. The thought of spending the holiday up there surrounded by beautiful white snow seemed really nice at the time we planned it... But getting all of our crap, luggage, gifts and everything else up there was NOT awesome. However, after getting all settled in we enjoyed 4 whole days of relaxing, eating, hanging out and spending time with our family. Uncle Taylor and cousin Dylan took Lola and Lincoln out sledding one afternoon and even though Tay let Lola fall down the stairs and bust her lip open, she had a great time and insisted on going back out for more after we cleaned up her face :)

 We celebrated our annual Christmas Eve traditions of Scriptures and stories followed by (more) new jammies. Lola LOVES Hello Kitty right now so her new HK jams were a big hit. She pretty much insisted on wearing them for 2 days straight. And here's our awesome Charlie Brown tree (that the big boys went and cut down) and all the gifts Santa brought for us waiting to be opened the next morning.

 Lola loved her new kitchen from HoHo. She kept saying "HoHo Baby awise" (Santa brought Baby(Lola) a present) I'm glad she likes it so much. Daddy and I had lots of fun putting it together and adding the stickers at 1am the night before.

 Luke and I joked that Lola's favorite present this year would be this cheap $7 set of hideous cat figurines... little did we know but it actually was! And we foolishly let her open it very first so of course she refused to open anymore after having opened that one. All she cared about for the first half of gift unwrapping was her kitties and her candy :)

 While visiting Lincoln back in October, Lola had coveted his oh-so-cool pirate ship so sweet Auntie Paige gave her her very own for Christmas and Lola was SO excited! Do you not just love that smile?! It seriously cracks me up every time.

 Momma and Lolie

 Baby's Daddy happy to be up so early after getting to bed so late

 Uncle Taylor

 When you play hard, you sleep hard. Lola literally passed out in the middle of playing on the floor downstairs. I think that might actually be the first time EVER that she has just passed out while playing!

 Presents with Brooklyn. Lola was so excited for another round of gifts even if it was mostly watching Sissy open hers. We had saved a few of Lola's for her to open then too.

 It was kind of nice getting to take the credit for the cool gifts this year instead of Santa being the one who remembered what things Brooklyn really wanted :) Her favorites this year were a cotton candy machine, singing/karaoke Wii game, Hermione wand and HP Hogwarts Castle Lego set. She and Daddy spent much of the next two days building the castle. Luke said that at one point during, Brooklyn asked him why most girls are into lame pink princessy fru-fru stuff instead of cool things like Legos and magic :) Beats me... I was one of the lame ones I guess.

 

Christmas 2011 was a great success and we were all generously gifted upon by our loved ones. I'm very thankful that we were able to give to our kids all that we could and that they had a great Christmas holiday filled with love and happy memories. Next year will be that much more awesome as Baby Boy will be here to help us celebrate and join in on all the festivities and wonders of Christmas (and HoHo):) A very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you!