Introducing... Connor Trent Jeppson

He's here!!! Our baby boy and newest member of the Jeppson household, Connor Trent Jeppson, was born at 12:08 a.m. on October 23, 2009. It was a long labor (28 hours from the time we entered the hospital on 10/21 at 8 p.m. to his birth; 17 hours once they finally started Pitocin on 10/22 at 7 a.m.) but well worth the wait. He is beautiful and healthy, and we love him to pieces. He weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 2 oz. and was measured by hospital staff as 20 inches long, although according to the first doctor's visit a few days after birth, he is actually 21 inches long.

Brad is a wonderful daddy and Connor already adores him. He waits on me hand and foot because I now have a hard time moving around, and stayed up long nights with Connor in the hospital to let me sleep. He dove right into diaper changing and even shows his soft side by giving Connor kisses (don't tell him I told you :) ). We love being parents and this has been by far the best week of our lives. We are so excited for the wonderful years ahead...

A special thanks to my mom who has been staying with us since we came home from the hospital Sunday afternoon. The first week has been unimaginably hard and would have been near impossible without her help. She does everything for us right now and we are so grateful for her. This weekend the Jeppson grandparents come down from Utah and will take over helping with baby. We are so blessed to have such wonderful families who are supportive and so willing to help.

Thank you all for your love and prayers in our behalf. We can't wait to introduce him to all of you!! Here is a slew of pictures, mostly for the Utah Jeppson grandparents and other relatives living far away. The rest of you may get bored. :)


Admitted to Torrance Memorial Hospital at 8:15 p.m. on October 21, 2009.

Eagerly waiting for baby.

To pass the time - movies and surfing the net.

How I LOVE epidurals! Getting some much needed shuteye during active labor before pushing.

Born at 12:08 a.m. (actually 12:06 but the doctor forgot to say until we asked what time they were recording it at a couple minutes later).

The most amazing feeling ever when they place that little baby on your chest!!


Getting cleaned off by the nurse.

Cute (and long!) little baby toes - Brad is holding a nickel up to them in the picture below to give you a scale!!


Proud papa just minutes after birth.


Getting dressed for the first time.


He absolutely loves to be swaddled. The only time he cried in the hospital besides when he was hungry or getting needle pricked was when he was unswaddled.








I think he looks like me in this picture, but if you see him in person he is all papa. His ears, eyes, nose, lips, feet and toes, hands and fingers are identical to Brad's. He even has little side burns like his dad!! The only things he inherited from me/Carver side are his hair (even though it will all most likely fall out soon like mine did), maybe his face shape, his cleft chin (from me and Grandpa Carver), and his dislike of being cold. Who do you think he looks like??

Proud Grandpa Carver (for the second time).

Snuggling with Auntie Ady.

Snuggling with Auntie Claire.

Meeting cousin Jaxson (6 mos.) for the first time - so cute!!

Grandma Carver with both grandsons Jaxson and Connor.

After a long, hard labor every girl needs a Bailey's shake - thanks sisters!

This is why we call him our little snuggle bug. He loves to lay on your chest and snuggle.



I don't know why Connor is yawning in this pic. It should be Braddy. He stayed up many long nights with the baby changing diapers and pacing the floor so mommy could sleep. What a great husband and father!

Last pictures before going home from the hospital.








Home at last.

Meeting Uncle Jono (Ady's husband).

First bath - he does not like to be cold.


Brad is a natural.

We're teaching him "young"!!

Connor is super smiley all the time. If you come to visit he will likely flash you a brilliant one. I just can't get enough.



Grandma Carver and our little snuggle bug. Thanks for all your help mom!! We would have died without you!

We are a happy family.

Ding!!

Baby is officially done cooking!! Our bags are packed, my belly button (a.k.a. turkey timer) has popped, and our house has never been cleaner. Today is my due date (10/21) and tonight I will be induced. The eviction notice has been signed and baby will come out whether he wants to or not!

Today, as my last day as a childless adult, I plan on doing nothing but pampering myself. Lunch out, pedicure, and lots of relaxation (if my nerves will allow). We are leaving for the hospital tonight at 7 p.m. so I can be induced and baby will most likely be born tomorrow, October 22. I think that will be a great birthday!

Brad and I are excited and we can't wait to meet our little baby boy! I wonder all the time what/who he will look like and now the wait is finally over!!

Check back in a couple days (probably Thursday) for baby's first pictures! Can't wait for you all to meet him!

Belly Pictures!!

On Saturday when Brad and I were down in OC visiting my parents, my sister Claire took some belly pictures of/for us at a lake near their house. I am 39 weeks today - only 7 days to go!! Unless, of course, the baby has other plans... I'm getting the eviction notice ready... :)








I couldn't help putting this one in, I think it's hilarious. Brad was DONE taking pictures by this point. :)



Won't Brad make a great daddy? (This is our nephew Jaxson who is now 6 months old!!)


A little update on how I'm doing: I'm feeling quite large these days (as you might have guessed from the pictures - I'm HUGE!!). I'm now done with work (my last day was Thursday 10/8) and now I spend all my time getting ready for baby. I'm nesting BIG TIME!! I've never been a clean freak but now, all of a sudden, every little spec of dust in our house is completely unacceptable. I am sleeping a little better these days, and I think it's because I'm wearing myself out during the day cleaning my house from top to bottom. Brad and I are still working on a name, but I think we're a little closer. We can't wait for our little guy to join us soon!!

Pregnancy

So, I'm not gonna lie. There are many things about pregnancy that are less than glamorous. Here's what I mean:

One of the worst side effects - kankles, elephant feet, and piggy toes at the end of the day (heat makes it worse):

Fortunately after sleeping/laying down for 8 hours, they are back down by the next morning (notice there are actually spaces between my toes):

And this is what my left hand looks like now cuz my hands are a little swollen most days:

To add to the list: between frequent trips to the bathroom and the impossibility of rolling over in bed without being fully away, a good night's sleep has become completely foreign to me; it is increasingly difficult to get out of a chair or bend over to pick something up; my back protests quite loudly now from the weight gain; the ever-present double chin; and many others that I will spare you for TMI's sake.

However, this is what makes it all worth it:

Jelly Bean is alive!! (And does this not remind you of the movie Alien?) He visibly moves around like this all the time now and I was finally able to capture it on video. He's an actual person!! He kicks and moves, and (my favorite) flinches at loud noises near his head. He sleeps and wakes up in regular intervals (let's hope that keeps up after birth) and, near as I can tell, really loves to kick box and break dance (usually across my ribs). He kicks when I eat (probably because the food takes up what little space he has left) and also when I listen to music or sing (maybe he's telling me to shut up?). It is so amazing to get a sense of his personality already, and to see sharp protrusions from my belly that are his little feet, knees, and elbows. I am now 35 weeks pregnant and I can't wait to meet him in only 5 short weeks!!! CRAZY!

For now, here are a couple of belly pictures to date:

In Hawaii, 21 weeks (I love my maternity swimming suit!)

Father's Day in OC, 22.5 weeks

Hiking with Jeppson Family in Yosemite, 27 weeks

In our El Segundo apartment, 34 weeks

We are still working on a name for our little guy, but with all the talking and joking around about the name Trent Rex Jeppson, it's kinda starting to grow on us... is that horrible to plague him with the inevitable nick name? We have a few other names we're thinking about too, so we'll see what he ends up with...

5 WEEKS AND COUNTING!!!