Kaley Olivia Johansen

Kaley Olivia Johansen - a sweet little princess

2 Years Old

One Year Old

Eleven Months

Ten Months

Nine Months

Eight Months

Seven Months

Six Months

Five Months

Four Months

Three Months

Two Months

One Month

Newborn

Alyss Lucy Johansen

 Alyss Lucy Johansen - a work in progress :)

3 Years Old

2 Years Old

1.5 Years Old

1 Year Old

11 Months

10 Months

9 Months

8 Months

7 Months

6 Months

5 Months

4 Months

3 Months

2 Months

1 Month

Newborn

Jane Christina Johansen

Jane Christina Johansen - Cute and Sweet

4.5 Years Old

4 Years Old

3.5 Years Old

3 Years Old  

2.5 Years Old

2 Years Old

1.5 Years Old

1 Year Old

11 Months

10 Months

9 Months

8 Months

7 Months

6 Months

5 Months

4 Months

3 Months

2 Months

1 Month

1 Day

Welcome into our Family, Kaley Olivia Johansen!

So, yeah! Kaley is here!!!! Here's what happened (I feel like Monk right now :))

Proud mommy holding baby Kaley (2 days old) 

After the stripping of the membranes, at 38 weeks, I got more cramps and lost more of the mucous plug but nothing seemed too serious or like labor was really that close. On Saturday, the 29th I thought that I was leaking amniotic fluid but it urned out that it wasn't it so we all went to the baby shower/BBQ that Eni and the girls organized for me. It was a lot of fun and quite a few people showed up. I felt tired and big the entire time so I mostly sat down and had food but I had a really good time. Over night I felt ok but I started feeling more contractions, this time more painful. I woke up around 9am and told Davd that Kaley might decide to make an appearance early. We started timing the contractions and they were not very regular and were pretty far apart (15-20 mins) but they were getting stronger. I tried to get some rest which was a good idea. Laying down did help some and I was able to rest a little bit. By the afternoon though the contractions really started to hurt and they were getting closer together. As we were trying to keep Kaley inside before the 1st of July, for insurance purposes, we thought that lying down would be the best option so I spent most of the day in bed or on the couch. By around 4pm though, even sitting or lying down wasn't helping anymore. Every contraction was so painful that I couldn't talk or walk while it was going. We then decided that it was time to go to the hospital. Picked up the hospital bag, kissed the girls goodbye with teary eyes (I just have a really hard time leaving them, especially when I see them cry and being so sad when we leave) and started walking to the car. hat wasn't an easy task as with every contraction I had to stop, bend over and breathe. We did make it to the car and started for the hospital. Man, was I in pain! Contractions were pretty close together now (about 6 or 7 mins) and each one of them took my breath away. Bangerter Hwy was pretty buy too which didn't help, considering that everyone seemed to just be out for a fun, relaxing, slow drive. We eventually made it to the hospital and David got a wheelchair for me. Even while sitting there and on the short ride to the 3rd floor, in Tower 1, I got a few more horrible contractions. They put me in a triage room and said that I was only about 4cm dilated, which didn't seem quite right since a few days before I was 3.5 and have been having contractions for the entire day. Anyway, the nurse, who we really didn't like because she did not seem very considerate or even even very knowledgeable, said that they would not send me home if I don't show any progress but they would make me walk around and make sure that I was in active labor before they admitted me. After the longest hour of my life, in which I was struggling not to strangle the nurse or break David's hand, the nurse said that I did make progress (I was now about 5 cm) so they helped me get into a delivery room. Walking to the room took forever as I was almost unable to walk, but I did make it and got into the hospital gown and in bed. Sitting in bed didn't help with the contractions but at least it was a little better than standing or walking. After another really long hour of blood tests, monitoring the baby and the contractions and two nurses trying to get an IV in, I announced that I was done with the pain and I would really appreciate some pain relief. The relief came in the form of an anesthesiologist who administered the wonderful invention of our modern days, the EPIDURAL! It hurt pretty bad getting it in, which I didn't remember from the previous deliveries, but soon I started feeling less contractions pain, at least on my right side. The left still hurt and we had to call the anesthesiologist after another 15 or 20 mins to see if he could help me get relief on my left side as well. I was worried that I was going to feel the pain on the left side, like it happened when I was in labor with Jane but the doctor put a strong dose of anesthetic into the epidural which soon started working on the left side as well and soon provided the relief I was craving so badly. So, I got to the hospital around 5pm, was admitted around 6:30pm and received the epidural around 7:30pm. From there things just started to pick up and around 10pm the nurse announced that I was getting very close and that they would call Dr. Merrill to come help deliver the baby. He showed up soon after and said that I was at 10cm and that I could start pushing. Pushed twice and Kaley's head was out but as I was starting to tear up, the doctor decided to perform an episiotomy. I really had hoped that I would not need one this time (the pain afterwards is pretty bad) but I did know that getting one would be better that not, so we did it again. Anyway, I started pushing for the third time but the doctor stopped me saying that he needed to help get Kaley's shoulders out and then she would be all here. Felt a little pulling inside my belly and Kaley came out! She cried a bit (got only a 7 in the APGAR score for the first cry, and a 9 after 5 minutes) and make a big poopy mess on the table where they put her to clean her up a little. Real soon they put her on my chest and I was so happy to see her and feel her little warm body. I held her and even nursed her a little and then they finished dressing her and doing a few tests. While they were taking care of Kaley, the doctor took care of my incision with great detail. He did a wonderful job cleaning and checking that my C-section incision on the uterus was intact and prescribed a bunch of medications for pain and antibiotics in case there was any sign of infection. Luckily, the doctor worked really well and in minute detail, so there were no complications. I did have pain and bleeding but all within normal. Speaking of the doctor, I really like him. He is very careful and nice and also a person one can talk with. When I said that I never got to see the placenta, he set it on a table and proceeded with a small lesson about it. He explained what the different parts were and how it worked. It was way cool and interesting and once again showed me how great of a doctor and person he is.
So, back to the story, Kaley was born on June 30th (screw the insurance! LOL) at 11:05pm at the Riverton Hospital, Salt Lake County, Utah. She was 7lbs 14oz and 19.5in long. She had fairly long, dark hair on her head and some on her back and shoulders (hahaha) and blue-gray eyes. She was really soft and squishy, had a cute, round head and loved to look at mommy and daddy.
Kaley and I stayed in the hospital for two days. She passed her bilirubin and hearing tests and I tried pretty hard to go number 2, which didn't happen with all the efforts everyone put into it. :) I also enjoyed fairly good meals, spending time with Kaley and having David with me the first night after Kaley was born.
We are so happy that our sweet Kaley is here and are excited to see her grow and learn new things every day. We love you baby girl, so very much!!!!

Last few weeks of pregnancy

We moved to Taylorsville at the beginning of June, in a nice 3 bedrooms 2 baths apartment. I like the place and the area is ok. I love having a walk-in closet in our room and our won bath. One challenge we had though was finding a new OB for the last few weeks of pregnancy. There was no one available at the Murray hospital, no doctors who take our insurance in Taylorsville and we didn't know any doctors in the area either. My friend Karina found out about a doctor her sister in law liked and thankfully he did take our insurance and was happy to help us. His name is Robert Merrill and he works at the Riverton Hospital. The Riverton Hospital is a lot smaller than the Provo or Murray hospitals but well equipped and I hope that the service will be more personal and that my needs will be met better there. I like small places and how cozy and personal they make people feel. This is one thing I miss about Springville... For example, I loved the service I would get at the UPS store in Springville. The employees knew me and they were always nice and helpful. You can rarely get that kind of service in a big city.

Back to going to the prenatal visits, even from the first time I went at Western OB, where Dr. Merrill works, which is on the same floor as the Maternity Ward of the hospital, at 35 weeks I was pleasantly impressed. The doctor is a very nice guy who seems to know what he's doing and the staff was very nice and helpful as well. They even had a nurse entertain the girls while the doctor checked me and ran the B Strep test. The test was negative (even though it was positive both previous times) and apparently I was dilated to 1.5cm and 30% effaced. At 36 weeks I was 2.3cm dilated and 60% effaced and at almost 37 weeks I was 3.5cm dilated and the doctor decided to strip my membranes to help things along. My blood sugar is good, my blood pressure is good too and my weight gain is ok. Lost a couple of pounds but nothing of concern. We decided to have Kaley a week early to keep her on the smaller side so that hopefully I will be able to have another successful VBAC. The induction day is July 5th, a Friday. I got a bad cold a few days before week 38 and the doctor prescribed antibiotics and some cough syrup to make sure that I'll be ok in case I go into labor early. Since the stripping of the membranes I've been having some more contractions that are a little stronger than I felt before and are accompanied by mild back pain. I'm loosing a little bit of the mucous plug every day too. First big chunk came out on Monday, the 24h and I've been having low belly cramping on and off since then. After checking today, the 26th, the doctor said that baby isn't ready to come out yet since I haven't had any spotting at all. The truth is that I never had spotting with the first two pregnancies either so not sure if that is a good measurement. I'm definitely in pre-labor but will have to see for how long. This time I seem to dilate a lot faster so, who knows... Will see how this last week goes. 

I'm excited to meet Kaley but I am a little nervous about the labor and delivery and about the postpartum period. I remember how hard and painful it was after I delivered Alyss so I'm trying to find remedies that will help me feel better this time. Hopefully the third experience will be the smoothest of all. 

Baby 3 Progress

Well, haven't written much in here in a while and time's flown by. I'm now 32 weeks pregnant. So far things have gone well. Baby, who we found out is also a little girl, is growing well and is right on schedule. Her heartbeat is a little lower than Jane's or Alyss', at about 138bpm. Doctor Burnett is not worried, as it's still in the normal range. She just thought that we might be having a boy because usually boys' heartbeats are lower. My blood pressure and weight are good too and the belly measurements are on schedule as well. I'm also happy to report that I don't have gestational diabetes. The numbers were high but still in the normal range. This pregnancy's been harder on my body though. My lower back and my hips hurt really bad sometimes, to the point where I can't walk normally. The morning sickness I had for the first 15 weeks has not come back but I still get nausea sometimes and I'm also really exhausted some days. Just a week ago I felt really sick, with stomach aches, diarrhea, chills and vomiting. The doctor was worried that I might be having gallbladder problems but since I didn't have pain when she touched my sides she just told me to let her know if the stomach aches return. I haven't had stomach aches since but my skin started being really itchy. It started on my hands and feet and now it's on other parts on my body too. It gets really annoying sometimes. I read that it could be because of cholestasis, a condition where the bile pools in the liver. It could be dangerous and could cause still births so when I go for my next appointment I'll ask for a blood test just to be sure. I guess this is about it for now. I hope that everything will turn out ok and that these last few weeks will go by fast. I really hate the heat.

Well, since I last wrote I had another doctor visit, at 33 weeks. I've lost some weight but nothing to be concerned about. Dr. Burnett was concerned about my itchy skin, occasional stomach aches and diarrhea, so she ordered some blood tests for me, to check my gallbladder. They came back abnormal so she put in for more blood work and requested a gallbladder ultrasound as well. The results are to follow shortly. 

After the new blood tests and ultrasound we found out that I'm doing a bit better and that it's actually my liver who's not very happy. The following week I had another blood test to check the liver function and also had the baby monitored for a few minutes. Baby's doing great and liver function improved. So, we seem to be in good shape wich makes me really happy. :)

Jane is Two and a Half Years Old

Oh man, I can't believe that only a few months ago Jane still looked like a baby and now she is a miniature child who is developing a personality, can talk, run and act like a child.

Jane, pui mic, cat de mare ai crescut. We are so amazed with how much you've learned. You really are not a baby anymore. Only a few months ago you still looked and acted like a baby and now you can walk, run and talk like a little child.
You definitely are developing a personality. You are nice and kind and a joy to be around. Sometimes you do get upset, sad or frustrated with things and you scream or hit us but we do understand how hard life can be and try to help you work things out.
You can also put more words together now and it's getting a lot easier to understand what you say. You also figured out how to go up and down curbs without holding unto something for support and you also learned how to jump and you enjoy doing it very much.
You like taking care of Alyss, playing with her and helping mommy care for Alyss too. One time we were at the library and this little boy came and took a toy from Alyss and you told him to leave Alyss alone and be nice to her. I loved seeing how much you love your little sister any how you cake care of her. Mommy is now pregnant and will have another baby in a couple of months, a new little sister for you and Alyss and I'm happy to know that she will have two big sisters to take care of her and love her.
Our sweet Jane, we love you so much and are so proud of you. We hope that you'll never forget our love and want you to know that we'll always be here for you, no matter what. Te iubim puiul nostru drag.

Alyss is One!!!

Alyss loves to eat! :)

Wow, Alyss, I really can't believe that you're one already! You've grown so much and learned a lot of things. You're really close to walking by yourself. You crawl everywhere and are really fast and good at it but you also stand up while holding unto things. You've been standing like that and walking along furniture since you were 9 months old but your most favorite way of 'walking' for now is still crawling.
You also know how to say lots of words and even short phrases, like 'up'n down' that you learned from Jane. You love doing everything Jane does and saying what Jane says. It's so cute seeing you talk and it's pretty amazing that we understand you pretty well.
Some things that you like doing are going on walks, going to the park and to Burger King and eating. You eat everything and you don't really want the baby purees anymore, but the real food that mommy and daddy eat. You like playing with Jane and by yourself and you get so excited every evening when daddy comes home from work.
Your birthday party was really cool. You had a Tinker Bell cake and you got it all over your face and body and had a lot of fun eating it. Everyone at the party brought you nice gifts that you really enjoyed opening. What a nice party with good friends!
Our sweet Alyss, we love you very, very much and always will be here for you. We love your sweetness and your maturity and how fearless and always wanting to try new things by yourself. Never give that up and you'll discover wonderful things in this world. Te iubim din toata inima, puiule drag si mic!

Not afraid to sit on Jane's car

Happy first birthday, Alyss!

Trying to walk 

First Doctor's Visit for Baby 3

A couple of weeks ago I finally got to go to the doctor to check the progress of this pregnancy. The doctor was kind of weird but she did a good job making sure that I was ok. My blood pressure and urine were good and so far I haven't gained one pound (16 weeks)! I probably lost a couple with all the nausea and throwing up. Well, I haven't thrown up that much but definitely more than the first two pregnancies.
They drew a lot of blood and we even had a small ultrasound to confirm how far along I was and since the ultrasound was close to 16 weeks, we decided to keep the original due date. So, the official due date is July 11. The doctor said that as far as she could see in this quick scan, the baby looks good and healthy. She couldn't tell me the gender even though the baby kept showing its bum and legs and not much of anything else. We had a hard time putting the cursor on the heart to measure the heartbeat (it was good when we got to it) and even to measure the circumference of the head. Such a little squirmer, the doctor called so I guess this is mommy's little squirmer.
This week, on the 9 of February I really started feeling the baby move - the earliest of all (18 weeks) and I'm really happy. I missed that feeling :) So, on the 20th we'll have the full anatomy scan and hopefully we also find out if we have another girl or a boy. We love you little squirmer!

Merry Christmas 2012!

Jane, David, Dahlee (+ baby 3) and Alyss

Another year coming to a close... Many things have happened; some we welcomed and others we wish took their time to show up, but overall we had a good and fruitful year.

David’s major accomplishment was to get a new job with the Jordan School District as an IT professional. We are all happy for this new job that provides experience, insurance and a step in the right direction. He is also working on publishing a book on the iTunes store, which will be used by the teachers of the schools where he works. Another thing that David got really good at is being a father. He takes good care of our two girls and helps out around the house a lot, especially with laundry and dishes. He’s also become an expert in making peanut butter cookies. Everyone loves his cookies and asks for them whenever they get a chance. J

Jane is a busy two year old. She now runs and is getting pretty good at jumping, which she’s been practicing for a few good months now. Her talking skills have grown quite a bit too. She talks, asks for the things she likes, wants or needs and knows how to express herself pretty well both in Romanian and in English. She is a good big sister too; gives Alyss her binky or bottle and lets us know whenever Alyss is crying. Jane knows seven letters, “Itsy Bitsy Spider”, “Old McDonald” and, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and can count to 3 by herself and to 8 with help. We are also working on potty training and are being pretty successful. She forgets about it sometimes while other times she herself brings the potty to us. One major accomplishment is the fact that she now sleeps through the night, which makes us really happy. She loves Toy Story and has a pretty big crush on Buzz so of course we know what the major theme of this year’s Christmas gifts will be.. We love our baby girl so much!

Alyss is now ten months old. She was born in February and was 7lb 10 oz and 19 in long. She loves to stand up all by herself. She loves to play with Jane and does everything that Jane does. She claps and says ‘bye bye’ and ‘bravo’, loves music and dances a lot and loves food. She eats everything that we eat. She is a clam baby and usually cries only when she needs something. She plays with Jane’s toys and observes everything we do. She is such a sweet little girl who gives really nice hugs. I just love it when she looks into my eyes and touches my face.

As for myself, I am really busy staying home with the girls. It’s a full time job that doesn’t give you any vacation time but it does provide plenty of benefits. I love being home with the girls and watch them grow. I learn more about being a mother every day and it’s wonderful. We go on walks a lot; go to the park on nice days and to the library. The girls like our walks and enjoy being outdoors which makes me happy. A piece of news some of you might not be aware of, we are expecting our third baby in June or July. This pregnancy’s been a little harder on me so far; more morning sickness mainly, but other than that I’m feeling ok and can’t wait to find out in about ten more weeks the gender of our new baby. We love having girls so, another girl will make us very happy, while having a baby boy would also be wonderful. In a couple of weeks we’ll have the first ultrasound and I’m excited for that as well. Seeing the tiny baby move inside my belly always makes me happy and even more excited for the new arrival.

We are all thankful for the good year we’ve had and are looking forward to more adventures the year to come. Happy holidays and Merry Christmas and a new year with love, health and many accomplishments!

Johansens 2012