Hannah Ruth

We- Brookie, KC, Owen, and Jack- want to welcome Hannah Ruth Cowles as the newest addition to our family. And we are all in LOVE!

Hannah was born 2 weeks ago on the 24th of March, which was a very special day because it is KC's mother's birthday. What a special bond Hannah and Grandma Holly share thanks to their birthdays.

Well for my own journaling purposes I'll give a quick overview of everything that happened. Well on Friday the 21, I started counting contractions. They were not painful and sporadic but they were close enough together for me to pay attention. But, alas, I went to sleep and slept just well that night. Saturday I woke up feeling nothing. So as KC and Owen were out, Jack and I did some "labor inducing" stretches and exercises.

Still, I slept just fine Saturday night not even feeling anything.

Sunday, 23rd, I woke up, got the boys ready for church, got there early for choir practice, and even offered to do singing time for the nursery. With 5 nurseries in our ward, there was a lot of up and down (Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam gets tiring) and by the time I was finished I was exhausted and not feeling well. I came home and put the boys down for a nap and tried to rest. No contractions just definite discomfort. So by that afternoon I called my DR to ask her opinion since we both knew that once I go into labor, my babies come quick. She suggested I go to the hospital to get check just in case. So I called a babysitter and KC and I arrived at the hospital around 7pm. The nurse checked me and I hadn't dilated any further than I was when at the dr's on the Thursday before. But the hospital kept me for 1hr to watch my contractions and see what happens. 1hr later, random not strong contractions BUT... I had dilated further. I thought that was random since nothing was different from how I felt all weekend and I hadn't changed at all then. But after a phone call to my dr I was admitted to the hospital and a baby was on the way. KC and I were so not expecting that so we didn't really have anything we needed for our stay.

Here's where I have to mention my fabulous neighbors. I had a few on call and I called one, Nikki Crandall, and she came and picked up my boys and took them to her home for the night. By then in was about 9:30pm and unfortunately my boys woke up a 6am. Poor Nikki, but she is fabulous and I am so grateful for her help!

I also need to mention my mother, She and Kimberly were literally on an airplane flying back from Washington DC, using the on flight Internet, and we were texting updates of what was going on. After being admitted my mom decided to fly right here. So my family packed her a suitcase, met her at the airport, gave her a new suitcase of clothes, and she turned right around and flew to SLC. She arrived about 2:30am.

Back to me... So being admitted around 9:30, my dr arrived somewhere after 10pm. I started an epidural, they started a slow drop of pitocin, and 30 min later, Hannah was ready to join us in the world. Literally, very ready. BUT we asked to wait until midnight if possible so that Hannah could be born on Monday, 24th. It was 11:15pm at this point and we wanted to wait 45 min. My dr was ok with that but she said I was not allowed to cough, sneeze, laugh, or move otherwise we wouldn't make it that long! So I laid there very calmly and KC and I anxiously waited the 45 min.

At midnight, and not a second sooner, Hannah was born. Her official time was 12:00:44AM. But her birth certificate will say 12:01 because they cannot do seconds. It was the easiest, most smooth delivery I have had and it was just wonderful.

We spent the 2 days in the hospital, came home to very excited brothers, and we have been in love ever since.


For those of you reading this on email, click here to see my blog and picture slide show of Hannah

Owen went skiing!

Its only been 2 weeks, which is probably quick for me at this point, but Owen and KC went skiing a few weeks ago and I'm finally putting pictures up.

Owen is 5!!

I know its totally cliche but I cannot believe I have a 5 yr old. Even when I had hit the 5 year mark in my marriage it didn't feel this weird. I am just totally baffled that he's 5. He'll start school this year and that is just way too old for me. He has always been my smart and mature child but he was always home, this year he'll leave for a while and I'm not sure how I'll handle that. Fortunately I have 8 more months before that happens. But, of course, I already worry about it.

Owen dressed for his Piano Recital

Happy 5th Birthday Owen. This is so true to him that I kept this as his 5 yr pic for now. Crazy hair, star wars shirt and shorts in the freezing cold.

He had to get his finger pricked and 4 shots at the dr for his birthday, woo hoo. After the finger pricking he was a little woozy and had to lie down. 

And by the end of the night, he fell asleep even with friends over.

In other news, Jack started getting very attached to KC. This weekend I wasn't even allowed to look at him with out him melting and crying "Mom's looking at me, don't look at me mom". Then at night I wasn't allowed to touch him or read him books, or kiss him, or feel his forehead when he said he was sick, or pretty much take care of him at all. That was fun. For KC I mean. He got to play mom for a few days. But then Jack really got sick and Dad had to leave for work so there was no one else to snuggle with, he warmed up to me again. But snuggling with him right now is not the easiest thing, especially when he wants to be up on my shoulder and right over my stomach. But we made due. :) 

KC wanted a picture to post for his friends to announce that I'm pregnant. I guess it was about time. I'm 29 weeks in this picture. 

We got a surprise visit from my Dad this weekend on his way out of town from business meetings and we always love that. My boys were in heaven. Owen even wanted to miss his very last group Piano class to see Paga. We also had Owen's group class recital. It was cute, Owen has no problem performing in front of people, and in the singing number, he sang the loudest. 

Owen has started piano lessons with his new teacher Miss Oshida and she is much more intense and strict than we are used to but Owen seems to be handling it much better than I do. I feel so stressed for him when he plays because it has to be 100 percent perfect, but He does just fine and doesn't even get upset if he makes a mistake and has to do it again. I am very impressed with him. 

And last on my updates, KC has a week long work trip to China planned a few weeks before I'm due. I hope I am not put on bed rest again :)

I'll take what I can get

Last night KC put a sick Owen in bed and I put an extremely tired Jack in bed. It was an exhausting day. Jack didn't even get books. I just turned the light out and started singing to him. He struggled against my tried to snuggle him but eventually fell asleep, exhausted in my arms. I went to bed right after. 815, in bed. It felt great.

But at 1:50am Jack woke up crying. KC tried to calm him but to no avail so I took my turn. After all, I had been asleep for hours already, who knows when KC went to bed. So I went in and tried to reason with my 2.5 yr old about why I was not going to let him get out of bed. If you have never tried reasoning with a 2.5yr old, who is crying, at 2am, you should try. You learn really quick that you just can't. Eventually he won and I pulled him out of his crib and changed his diaper. My reward, however, came right after, at about 2:05 am, when my little independent Jack, climbed onto my lap and started just let me rock him, with out crying, with out fidgeting, with out saying he wanted a different song, or just being ornery. I know he was probably doing it because he was exhausted and didn't want me to put him back in bed, but I didn't care. Those little moments are my most favorite with Jack and they are few and far between. I take them when they come, even it is 2am. 

Well, we just got back from our New Years week in AZ. It was so much fun. We did a Skousen Christmas party, and stayed with the Larsons. KC went riding on his dirt bike a few times (and of course loved every second), and I did some baby shopping. We already miss being there.

And one of my favorite parts about being there was the small baby shower my wonderful sister threw for me. It was a surprise and I sure gave Kerri a run for her money trying to get me out the door but I'm glad I went after all :)

What is with mustaches?

At the game center with the Larsons

Riding with Daddy

My baby shower

Jack and his "Aunt Fossa". He never wants to leave her, its so sad to watch

Papa with his grandchildren Hollie, Jack, Owen, and Ethan

Jack got a special shopping trip with Grandma, Aunt Lyssa, Paga and me

This was Jack's present from his Papa. He's a natural :)

KC and Kevin

I think Owen is enjoying the ride :) I'm pretty sure our next motorcycle purchase will be helmets for my boys so they can go on actual rides instead of a small circle.

We are ALIVE! Oh, and Merry Christmas!

Almost a whole year since I posted last. Well I had almost decided to drop the whole idea but KC suggested I keep doing it, if only for my benefit. And as I was looking back at previous posts, I'm glad they are there, so here I go again. My goal is to be much much more consistent with the whole posting thing. SO I'll start with Christmas and go forward.

Christmas Eve was a fabulous family day. We took the boys to see Frozen and neither KC nor I knew what the movie was about but we did very much enjoy it. We spent the rest of the day at home relaxing and finished it with a bang. Dinner turned out delish but thanks to our wonderfully efficient Vivint alarm system, and my very dirty oven, we received a visit from the fire department after broiling my steaks. That was quite embarrassing. Fortunately they didn't come blaring down our street with the sirens on. No need to draw more attention to the fact that I don't clean my oven. But after the minor embarrassment, we enjoyed our Christmas Eve cheese and chocolate fondue night.

We read the Polar express, opened jammies, watched how the Grinch Stole Christmas, and went to bed. It was the perfect night, just what I was hoping for.

Christmas morning started around 7:30am and I am definitely not complaining about that. Any earlier and I would have sent my kids back to bed ;) Maybe. But the boys played with Santa toys while I made breakfast and then we casually spent the whole morning opening presents, playing, FaceTiming with family, and doing our own thing. I LOVE Christmas at home! We love it with family too, but home is so relaxing, I can't complain. And thanks to KC's Aunt Kim, we had Christmas dinner with some family. It was the perfect day.