Our best Christmas present of 2013

This pregnancy was probably the hardest one yet. I had full-blown nausea from the week we learned I was pregnant up until 33 weeks (one pleasant variation from previous pregnancies: I could tolerate chicken). Other than that, everything ran smoothly and according to plan until I went in for my 39 week check-up appointment on Monday the 2nd. The minute Ambyr (my favorite nurse EVER, may I add...We just love you!) looked up at me as she checked my blood pressure, I knew I was in trouble and in for the news I was hoping not to hear this time around. My blood pressure was pretty high and given my medical history, I was in the gestational hypertension zone. Dr. McCarter (who is also amazing and I HIGHLY reccomend) checked on me and we decided I was ok to go home and wait until Wednesday (my scheduled c-section date) unless I had specific symptoms come up before then. Well, long story short, I showed up the next morning at the doctor's office because I had had terrible headaches the night before and that morning my body and mind were telling me what I already knew. This baby had to come out asap.

Without further ado, Dr. McCarter sent me to Labor and Delivery and about an hour later I fell in love at first sight for the 4th time {yes, I knew I would marry Chip the moment I saw him, believe it or not}.
Our third little princess joined our family on December 3, 2013 at 11:04 am on a beautiful, white snowy morning. Kiersten Mia was 6 pounds, 8 ounces, 21 inches long, and simply perfect. The first thing Chip said when he met her was "Look at that hair!". He wasn't joking. She had more hair than Khloe did when she was born.
Nana and Alexa were there during the procedure in the waiting area with Kami and Khloe. Honestly, I remember being taken back to my room but what happened after that is very blurry.

Feel free to skip the next paragraph if you don't care/need/want to know any details about my recovery... my memory can be terrible and I always kick myself for not recording things about my deliveries and post partum stuff.
The stay at the hospital was very enjoyable; Orem Community has the most caring, genuine, and efficient staff. My recovery has been very good even though it has been the hardest one yet {at least it felt that way for about the first 3 weeks}. Breastfeeding was painful up until 13-14 days, but this time around I asked for Newman's Ointment from the get go to avoid any bleeding which I had with Khloe day 2 at the hospital. This time around I didn't have any bleeding whatsoever. I started exercising at week 6 and am in better shape at this point in my post-partum recovery than I ever have been with my other 2.

Kiersten is on a "flexible schedule" and is doing great with her sleeping. She just turned 10  weeks and is easting every 3 hours and only wakes up twice a night to eat (goes down for the night at 10, wakes up around 2:30 and then between 6:30-7:30 {thank you BabyWise}.

Life with 3 kids has been the hardest challenge I have ever faced hands down. No kidding. I wake up every morning and tell myself "You can do this. You can do this. Heavenly Father believes in you" and that seems to help me for the most part but unfortunately, sporadic tears/sob fests are not uncommon. I love my 3 girls so much, so so much...but boy, motherhood just reached another degree of challenging, to say the least. Kuddos to the women out there who have more than 3 kids and still figure out a way to get themselves showered, dressed, and cleaned up nicely all while hauling 4 or more kids to things of life. I look up to and admire many of you, my family and friends who do this. You are truly amazing. The world is so much better because of your efforts...and I am glad that I can turn to you for encouragement, support, and inspiration.

Heaven knows how much I need those things. I am so grateful that I have been blessed with wonderful family and friends that have helped along the way, in one way or another. I am fortunate and blessed to be a mother, even though there are days like today where I woke up in pjs and even though I did shower, spent the day in pjs because picking out something civil to wear was not a priority on my already cluttered agenda for the day.

I am very blessed. I am very fortunate to have what I do. I don't know what I would do without Chip.

I can't imagine my life without him.

Or Kamila.

 Or Khloe.

And now Kiersten.