Some new pictures of my beautiful baby. Isn't she adorable?

Grace

So, my baby girl is finally sleeping after keeping mommy and daddy up ALL night. It's a good thing she is so darn cute. Joe is in our bedroom getting a much needed nap after taking the morning shift and letting me sleep a little. He has been such a great help. I don't know how I would have managed this last week without him. This has also been my first real chance to sit down and blog a little. Since this is as much for me to remember as to keep grandparents and friends in the loop, I figure I would talk a little about the actual birth day.

After having Grace, I feel like having a long labor story is somehow a right of passage into motherhood. Mine lasted nineteen hours, fourteen of which I was on Pitocin (not fun stuff if you ask me). We were scheduled to go in Tuesday morning at 7:00 to have my labor induced as I would be seven days over-due. However, at three in the morning I awoke to a strange feeling and on a hunch, jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Sure enough, my water broke. Joe said he hadn't seen me move that fast in months. So we loaded our bag into the car and drove to the hospital. Five hours and one viewing of The Incredibles (I love this movie) later, I was still barely having contractions. So my doctor decided to put me on Pitocin to get things moving. Wow did it. I really had hoped to labor as naturally as possible, but I also didn't want to wait for several days in the hospital for my labor to progress. I managed to hold out till 4 pm (almost nine hours after being put on the pain increasing drug) for an epidural. I know there are many sides to the argument, and I really had hoped to do it without any drugs, but I have to say, an epidural was a lifesaver. Having contractions every two minutes where every contraction lasts for about a minute and a half gets really tiring. Fast forward another five hours and it was finally time to push. Man was that an exhausting hour and a half. Grace gave us a little scare when she came out with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck twice. She was completely gray and wasn't breathing. The nurses took her over to the corner of the room and of course everyone else in the room followed, leaving me wondering what was going on. I remember looking over at Joe and seeing a complete look of panic. It still chokes me up to think about those few moments that seemed like an eternity when I wasn't sure if my baby girl was going to be okay. They even called in the resuscitation team "just in case". But she finally took her first breath and made the most beautiful sound in the world, she cried. At two in the morning after trying to feed her, change her and pacing around the house, not such a sweet sound, but then it was.

At the hospital maybe around hour 11. Kind of amazed I am still smiling.

Grace Elisabeth Mogford was born at 10:29 pm, June 2, weighing 8 lbs 2 oz and measuring 19 3/4 in long. I can't believe how much I love this little girl, and it's days like today when I sure am thankful I do. :)

One proud Daddy. I think one of the best moments was seeing Joe hold his daughter for the first time. He told me that in that moment, it all became real and he had never felt a love quite like that before.

We named her Grace because, first of all because it is a beautiful name, and second because of the reminder of what our savoir did for us; saving us, giving us grace, and loving us more than we ever deserve. It's hard to imagine, but the Lord loves my baby even more than I do.

Her middle name, Elisabeth, is after Elisabeth Elliot, the author and missionary to South America whose husband was murdered by the very tribe she later helped lead to Christ. Her story and writings have been such an insperation to me over the years and her example of faith is definilty one I want to emulate. It also happens to be a family name on my side.

So welcome to this world beautiful baby girl.

The Best Things Come to Those Who Wait

As of today I have a week to go till my due date. Really I shouldn't expect anything to have happened yet right? I've been told that most first time mothers are a week late. However everyone I know who was pregnant the same time as me, had their baby early. I guess I do have to mention that several of the early ones also had premies. I want my baby to be healthy and ready, but doesn't the mom get a say in when she's ready? I have had to carry her for over nine months now and is it so wrong to want to see my babies face, oh and be able to turn over in bed without feeling like a beached whale? The hardest part is on the days I'm sure, this is it. I get my hopes up, then nothing. Like last night. I could not get comfortable. Every position made my back ache, legs cramp, hips fall asleep, have to pee... poor Joe. Although, on a side note, I was awake to witness him jolt half way across the bed, hitting me with his elbow on the way, because he was trying to get away from a yellow-jacket. :) But I really thought last night was it. I even had the "cramps" to prove it. But when I woke up this morning, it wasn't to be. I was just tired and uncomfortable. Then to make matters worse, one of my good friends, who, I might add, has the same due date as me, is timing her contractions as I write this. I really am happy for her, but is it wrong to wish that was me instead? I know my time will come, and looking back I will say it was all worth it. I know it's all worth it; for the moment I first lay eyes on my child, or watch my husband hold our little one for the first time. Those are things I have to stay focused on and try not to get too ahead of myself. After all, the best things come to those who wait.

One good thing about waiting... I finished the nursery. Here are some pictures to prove it.

Fun in the Sun

So I realized I haven't posted anything about my trip to Hawaii. This was my first trip there, so I figure it deserves a place on the Mog Blog.
I have always wanted to visit Hawaii, so when a couple great friends from college asked if I wanted to go with them, it didn't matter that I would be eight months pregnant.... Okay it did. :) I asked my doctor if it would be okay and she told me I could fly up to a month before my due date. I would have six weeks left to go at the time of the trip, so I was home free. However, I was a bit nervous about going into labor. But I didn't. Instead I had a great time with five girlfriends from college. Here are some pictures to prove it.

My Sister and I at Black Sand Beach in Hana.

Andrea and I at the beach by our hotel.

I had to get one belly shot in here. Now Grace can say she's been to Hawaii too and has the pictures to prove it.

The whole gang, Sarah, Shelby, Tara, Andrea, Me and Monica.

And what selection of pictures from Hawaii would be complete without one of a beautiful waterfall?

Growing... and Growing

Every month of pregnancy, starting in November (the last two are from Hawaii).

Man has this last month gone by fast... and I'm glad too. That means only seven more weeks till my wonderful baby girl is due to come out and see what the world looks like. So far I have had a great pregnancy. Not perfect mind you, but good non-the-less. Some of my favorite things:

• I love feeling Grace move and kick inside me


• My nails are long and beautiful (Although instead of also growing long beautiful hair like most pregnant ladies do, mine decided to start falling out. But don't worry, it has stopped falling out and now I have all these little fly-aways, oh and more gray.)


• There is a little piece of Joe and a little piece of me growing in my belly


• I get to buy and receive really cute baby girl clothes


• I kind of like all the attention I get :)


• People seem to be nicer to you and complete strangers will stop to give me advice (which I guess can be helpful and kind of annoying)


• I can eat that extra cookie and when the scale says I have gained a little weight, I can blame it on the baby


• My husband has been so helpful and understanding through all the ups and downs of pregnancy and that he still tells me how beautiful I look


• When Joe puts his hands on my belly to feel the baby kicking


• I finally get to do what I've always wanted to do... be a mom

Baby Shower

This last Saturday my wonderful sister threw me a baby shower. I had so much fun. Thanks Andy for putting that all together and to all those who helped make it so special. We even played my favorite party game, the dice game (in a nutshell the goal is to roll doubles and then you get to pick out and steal prizes from others once you roll a double). Growing up I went to a small country church which never failed to play the dice game at any baby shower, bridal shower, or other ladies get together. Grace is also now very well outfitted and ready for bath time (I must admit all the bath stuff was so cute I may have added quite a lot of towels, washcloths, even an inflatable ducky tub to my registry at Target).

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure:

The gift table with the cute inflatable ducky bathtub.

Both my grandmas were able to come. I love them both!

Here is a picture of the yummy cake (we are actually going to spell her middle name Elisabeth)

Then came the task of starting to organize the babies room. I think being 30 weeks along may signify time to start putting the nursery together. :) So Sunday after church I went through most of the clothes I have been given and I am so excited to get to dress my little girl in all her cute outfits. I then went to Lowes and picked out the paint color, a soft cheery yellow. I think I may begin the painting process this weekend (with Joe's help of course). But things are coming together. Grace constantly lets me know she's there by her kicks and somersaults which I absolutely love. I can't wait to meet her. Only 10 weeks to go. Below is a picture of me at 29 weeks.