Our first family vacation at the lake house

Mom and Dad purchased a lake home in Park Falls, WI on Butternut Lake for our entire family to enjoy.  We all spent Memorial Day weekend there and Jamie and I decided that we would go up there for 10 days this summer.


The lake house

We arrived on Friday, June 29th and stayed through Sunday, July 7th.

Our first weekend we were joined by Ben, Karen, Hannah and Jack.  They are such a fun family!  I've never seen such a happy baby and sweet little girl!  We had lots of fun watching Hannah play in the boat and learn how to fish!  She also taught me a thing or two about little kid games on the Ipad.  Wow how times have changed since I was a child! The guys took some fishing trips and took turns making meals for all of us.  We also ordered pizza from the local lodge.

Jamie and Karen fishing off the dock

Ben, Karen, Hannah and Jack

Their family returned home on Monday, July 2nd.  Jamie and I relaxed with Harper that evening and on Tuesday, the 3rd.  Jamie did some fishing, I did some kayaking and Harper did some sleeping!

Daddy and Harper

Nap Time!

Happy Girl :)

Mommy, Harper and JJ laying out

Mom arrived on Tuesday evening and we sat in the sunroom with a view of the lake catching up.  We decided to rent a pontoon on the 4th.  Mom and dad have a fishing boat up there and we have a jet boat, but we decided a pontoon would be more ideal for Harper.  She LOVED being on the boat!  The lake is about 1000 acres so we'd cruise around for a while and then stop back for a bite to eat and then go back out again.  We stayed out until sunset.  It was SO MUCH FUN!

Happy 4th of July!

Family picture on the pontoon

Mom driving the boat!

Me & my baby girl

A drink at the bar while mom watches Harper

Mom left on the 5th and Jamie and I did more resting and relaxing.

Beautiful sunsets

The boys did a lot of relaxing too!

Friday, July 6th, Ty, Joella and Delilah arrived.  It is so fun watching Delilah interact with Harper.  She loves her little cousin SO much!  After the girls went to bed, we played the newlywed game and then had our first official campfire with roasted marshmallows!  Saturday we decided to rent another pontoon and spent the day on it!  Harper didn't mind her "boat coat" one bit and Delilah found one she doesn't mind wearing as well!  We did a lot of floating around while the boys fished off of the boat.
 

Cousins :)

Pondering

Seesters

Delilah was sure to keep both hands on the wheel!

Harper relaxing in her boat coat

We did a lot in that 10 days.. fishing, boating, floating, sitting in the sunshine, campfires, kayaking, roasting marshmallows, drives to town, walks, watching sunsets, and so much more!  It was definitely a vacation we will never forget, and we can't wait to do it again next year!

This view will NEVER get old!

Happy Father's Day to an Amazing Man!

Jamie's New Year's resolution this year was to write a thank-you note to someone daily.  I joked that I'd better get mine within the first couple of weeks!  I didn't.  To be honest, I forgot all about his resolution and I think he did too for a while.  Last week I was confused when I got our mail and found a card addressed to me in Jamie's hand-writing.  I didn't realize until I opened it that it was my turn to be thanked.

My card read:
"Janelle - Thank you for giving me the greatest gift in the world and doing it with grace, style and humor.  I love you more than words can say.  p.s. pretty exciting to make the list of "thank yous" huh?"

I both cried and laughed at the same time.  Well I sure couldn't have done it without you, Jamie!

Jamie seeing his daughter for the first time

Everyone told me that I would have a new found love of my husband after he became a father and everyone was right!  From the moment we found out I was pregnant our lives changed so much.    Jamie started looking for projects that would make our lives easier once Harper arrived.  The day after we found out we were having a girl, Jamie got to work painting the nursery and putting together furniture.  When I almost had an anxiety attack when my etsy tree wall decal arrived, Jamie told me to step back and he'd take care of it.  When I told Jamie I wanted a natural water birth, he supported my decision,.  The same goes for cloth diapers, although we both decided they weren't for us after a week of using them!  When I was sitting up in bed reading books on child-birth and breastfeeding, Jamie was right next to me reading books on what the father should do and expect.  He watched the Lamaze video three times at my request so he could help me breathe in labor.  Jamie attended every appointment I had during my pregnancy because he didn't want to miss the opportunity to hear his daughter's heartbeat.

Jamie was so supportive during my pregnancy.  Of course that support only became stronger while I was in labor and even stronger when we brought our new baby girl home. As anyone who has a child knows, the first few weeks are very rough.  Jamie was so understanding and supportive and never got frustrated with my frustrations.

Last weeks, someone joked to Jamie "I bet you change a lot of poopy diapers", as if he doesn't.  Jamie said "Yes, as a matter of fact I do." He feeds her, changes her, plays with her and loves her.  His face lights up every time he gets home from work and sees her, as does hers when she sees him.  I joke it's because she thinks she's looking in the mirror. :) Jamie is a VERY hands on father.

Jamie is the most amazing husband and father I could ever ask for and I'm so excited for Harper to grow up with such a loving, caring father. 

Jamie's new favorite thing to do!

Proud papa

So this Father's day Harper and I would like to steal a quote from Big Nutbrown Hare..

We love you to the moon and back Daddy!

Harper meets Henry

It seems fitting that Harper and Henry were born exactly 7 weeks apart, both at 10:28 on a Thursday morning, both by Tracey Bolden.  Henry's mom, Emily, and I met during pregnancy.  Jamie and I were swimming at the Y one night and we noticed a pregnant lady swimming in the lane next to us.  Jamie said "hey look, a pregnant lady, haven't you been looking for someone pregnant to hang out with?" I said "yeah, should I just go up to her and say "I noticed you're pregnant, let's be friends!"" Ha! we went about our swim and left the pool without giving it a second thought.

The following Monday at yoga there was a "new girl" who had just moved back to town.  Her name was Emily.  After class, she asked me if I was at the Y the previous week.  Small world!  A couple weeks later Jamie and I attended our water birth class.  Also in attendance were Emily and her husband, LJ.  In the next week or so I ran into Emily at the Co-op, Waterfront and at Gundersen.  I realized we were probably meant to be friends!  Emily and I started chatting and realized that we had very similar birth plans.  We both wanted a natural birth, a water birth if possible, to nurse, use cloth diapers, etc. etc.  It was great having a pregnant friend to discuss plans, concerns, etc. with.  It's even better having a new mom to talk to who has recently gone through everything I'm currently going through!

Emily and Henry brought me and Harper lunch today.  Well, Henry and Harper had their milk but Emily and I had a yummy lunch from the co-op.  It was great to catch up and talk about what went as planned, what we hadn't expected, we we struggled with and what we love about being mamas!  We agreed that we need to get together again soon.  Maybe even take the babies to the park!

I'm certain Harper and Henry are going to be great friends some day.  Emily and I might already be planning their first prom! :-)

Happy Mother's Day!

This has been my favorite Mother's Day so far!  That might have something to do with it being my first Mother's Day as a mama!  We started celebrating yesterday.  Jamie let me open my card and present a day early.  Harper got me a beautiful pair of diamond earrings.  Diamond happens to be her birthstone and I may have, for months, hinted that it might be neat to get a pair! :)  Jamie joked that he almost bought me a canoe instead since he was having trouble getting someone to help him in the jewelry dept. and spotted a canoe that was $100 cheaper!  My girlfriend, Lauren, asked what I'd do if he'd got me the canoe instead... I said I'd buy him a pair of diamond earrings for Father's Day! ;)

I then took mom to get manis and pedis and do some quick shopping while Jamie and Rudy Joe took care of Harper.

This morning I woke up to Jamie attempting to make breakfast in bed for me.  I had yummy french toast with my beautiful baby in my arm.

We go to church every Mother's Day, but today that was a special occasion too.  Harper got dedicated this morning at Bethany Evangelical Free.  13 children got dedicated at the service this morning.  Harper was the youngest, and the cutest! :-)

Our brunch tradition on Mother's day is Waterfront Restaurant.  We went with mom, dad, Rudy Joe, Joella, Ty Delilah, Grandma Viv and Ann.  We had a great brunch which Harper slept right through!

Normally I would let everyone pass Harper around the table but, since it was "our" day, I held her the entire time.
Below is a picture of Harper on our way to brunch.  I'm now that mom who rides in the back with the baby :-)

 

I am so blessed to have an amazing mother who is also one of my best friends!  I only hope that some day Harper and I are as close as I am to my mommy!

 

Happy Mother's Day!

Harper's birth story

Harper Lynn Loss was born Thursday, April 26th at 10:28 a.m. She weighed 7 lbs, 3 oz and was 20" long.  Present were my amazing husband, Jamie, whom I've never loved more in my life; my beautiful sister who, along with Jamie, helped me get through the most difficult and amazing experience I've ever had; Gundersen Lutheran midwife, Tracey Bolden and nurse Julie.  There was also a student off in the corner.  This was the first birth she had witnessed and I can only imagine what she was thinking!

I woke up on Wednesday morning and decided to get a few more hours of sleep before going into work.  I got to work around 9 a.m. and started feeling a little crampy.  I wasn’t sure if it was early stages of labor, but assumed it might be.  I decided to go home around 11:30 a.m.  Early contractions start around 1:30, so Jamie came home to be with me.  We took a walk around the neighborhood and then went to the Pearl for some blue moon ice cream J 

My contractions started getting pretty painful around 6 p.m. so I started getting in and out of the bath at home.  We called Gundersen at 11:20 p.m. and were told to stay home until contractions were unbearable.  They also said that someone had just taken the birth center suite 15 minutes earlier.  That was kind of a bummer, as I was really hoping to get it!  My contractions were very painful from 12 – 3:30 a.m.  I went from the bed to the tub to the couch.  Jamie and I researched several soothing techniques.  We found the one that worked best for me was him telling me how to breathe.  I would take a cleansing breath and then he would tell me how many quick breaths to take and would talk me through them.  He stayed in the bathroom with me the entire time I was laboring in the tub.  At one point I was sleeping in the tub and he was sleeping on a pillow on the toilet.  The contractions were very painful but I was exhausted so I was able to sleep in between them.  

At 3:30 a.m. we called to see if we should come in.  They said I could come in and get checked and, worse-case scenario, I would get sent back home if I wasn’t progressing.  I called my wonderful sister and doula, Joella, and let her know we’d be coming in.  She could tell by my voice on the phone that they wouldn’t be sending me home, so she decided to drive to the hospital as well.

Once we arrived, I was taken into an exam room to get checked.  They were surprised to find that I was already dilated 7 cm and fully effaced.  Obviously it was time to get admitted!  That’s when we got even more wonderful news, the woman who was in the birth suite at midnight was sent home so it was all ours!

We got into the birthing suite and I immediately got into the birthing tub.  Unfortunately I had back labor so no position was comfortable but the splashing water on my lower back and abdomen was very helpful.  I was in and out of the tub and bed from 5-9 a.m.  Jamie, Joella and the nurses were all very helpful and encouraging.  I wanted the contractions to stop and kept lying down to slow them down.  The nurses kept telling me that I’d need to stand up and walk around in order for things to progress, but it was too painful so I just lay in bed.  Jamie and Joella were both very encouraging telling me how great I was doing.  They both learned several places to apply pressure during labor to relieve pain but, much to our surprise, I wanted nothing to do with being touched during labor.  As everyone says, there is not word to describe those contractions towards the end!  I knew that I wanted a 100% natural birth and am very proud that, through the entire process, I never once asked for any drugs.  It wasn’t easy though and there is no way I could have done it without my partner and doula’s support!

                         Jamie filling the water birthing tub

Tracy Bolden, CNM, came in somewhere around 9 a.m. to check me.  I was fully dilated but she said my bag was fully intact.  She said to get up and walk around to get the bag of water to break, otherwise she would need to break it for me.  All of the sudden I felt very cramped up and ran to the bathroom.  I sat down and my water burst into the toilet.  Jamie and Joella were giggling because I yelled “there goes my water!”  That’s when contractions started getting REALLY tough, so I got back into the water birthing tub in preparation for Harper’s arrival. I’m hoping my sister will write about Harper’s birth as well because things get a bit blurry at this point!  I was in so much pain that I wasn’t sure I was going to make it. I’ve never felt so exhausted in my entire life and now it was time to start pushing.  Jamie was up by my head holding me up and Tracey was at the foot of the tub so she could tell me when to push.  Joella and Nurse Julie were on each side of me holding my legs up so I could push.  I think I pushed 3 times through about 4 contractions and then on the 5^th or 6^th I pushed 4 times and Harper Lynn was born.  They pulled her out of the water and put her right up on my chest.  It was such an amazing feeling!  Harper and I got to stay in the water while I passed my placenta and Jamie cut the cord.  The moment they put her on my chest is undescribable. Jamie and I both just cried tears of joy!

Everyone told me during my pregnancy not to plan my baby’s birth, that they are unpredictable and out of our hands. I can’t tell you how many times I was told “don’t be a hero” when I said I was opting for a natural birth.  I fully understand that you have no control over your baby’s birth, but I must say that Harper’s birth was exactly how I planned it to be! I prayed every night during my pregnancy that Harper would be born happy, healthy and naturally. God answered all of my prayers and Jamie and I couldn’t be happier! 

Daddy cutting the cord

 

40 weeks and counting!

12 weeks

                                               

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21 weeks (in New York City!)

                                                  

22 weeks

                                            

23 weeks (Christmas Eve)

                                                  

24 weeks (our 1 year wedding anniversary!)

                                          

25 weeks

                                         

26 weeks

                                             

27 weeks (finally celebrating our anniversary with dinner at Waterfront!)

                                 

28 weeks

                                            

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30 weeks

                                                 

31 weeks (day of bridal shower hosted by Jen/Lauren at mom's!)

                                               

32 weeks (had professional pictures taken and went to the annual boathouse party!)

                                               

33 weeks

                                                

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40 weeks (due date 4/19)

4/24 (the night before I went into labor)