Burton Family Reunion

Last week Zac, John and I drove up to Logan for the Burton family reunion. John was only a week old but I was in need of a reason to get out of the house. John did great is a pretty good little traveler. It was great to see Zac's parents and Rachel and her boys were there too! So John got to meet his cousins. Another reason we went was so Zac's grandpa could meet his newest great grandson. It was pretty special. 

Ready for game day! 

Grandma and Grandpa with all of their grandchildren 

Four generations! Grandpa Burton, Margaret, Zac and John

I guess if you are dressed like a football it is only fair that you are treated as a football :) 

Welcome to the World John J

Saturday September 3rd, 2016 my life changed forever, for the better. John J Vidmar was born September 3rd at 10:37am weighing 8lbs 12oz and was 21 1/2 inches long. Zac and I are completely in love with our little guy. He is healthy and sleeps and eats well. He is perfect.

John's due date was September 1st. I had a doctors appointment on August 30th, but when I went in there was very little progress. I was dilated to a 1 so I agreed to let her strip my membranes. That night I had a few contractions but they didn't last long. Fast forward to the 1st, a friend suggested that I bounce on an exercise ball to get things going...so that night I bounced on an exercise ball for an hour. It must have helped because the next morning I went into my doctor's appointment and was dilated to a 3! That night around 8pm I started having contractions. I was so excited that it was finally happening! But, holy cow, I have never experienced pain like that before! Zac was great and so supportive. I was able to take a bath to help with the pain and work through the contractions. But by midnight and throwing up several times I was ready to go to the hospital and get an epidural. :) We were admitted about 1am and then I got my epidural at about 2am. At that point my contractions were about 3 minutes apart and I was dilated to a 7! It slowed down a little bit after that and I was able to get a little bit of sleep. My water finally broke around 7:15am which helped move things along. John was born at 10:37am that morning. 

It was the most amazing experience I have ever had. Right after he was born the nurse laid him on my stomach as they cleaned him up a bit and Zac cut the umbilical cord. I will never forget the rush of emotions when I saw him for the first time. I cried and cried and cried as I held him and touched him for the first time. He is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. My heart quadrupled in size as I held him.

There are no words to describe how I feel about this tiny human. I love him more than anything in the world and would do absolutely anything for him. I am so blessed to be his mom. Right now, we are just getting to know each other. There is definitely a steep learning curve but I think we are getting the hang of it. He is slowly becoming more alert during the day. He has already changed so much in the two short weeks since his birth. Zac and I are so so so happy to finally be a family of three!

Being swaddled by Dad

The picture on the right: Zac holding his son for the first time

First Family Picture

Aunt Michelle and Aunt Lindsey holding little John

All ready to leave the hospital

Happy Due Date!

Happy due date! I have done a lot of waiting over the last several years. Two week waits, doctor office waits, medical procedure waits, but I can say that this is the happiest waiting I have ever had to endure in this almost five year journey to get this baby here.
Back in the summer of 2014, I decided to start a journal that was written to my future child. It was a way for me to process the many emotions of fighting infertility. As I have been waiting for him to make his arrival, I have had time to read through those first initial entries. I am still writing in that journal to him. And I hope to continue through his life. I also wanted to share that first entry with you:

June 11, 2014

Dear Future Child, 
I am not sure how to even begin journal. You see, I've dreamed about you, prayed for you and hoped for you for what feels like eternity. It, in fact, has been two years and seven months.
I never thought I would have to fight so hard for you. I am still fighting for you.
I have been to multiple doctors in hope the would be able to fix me. But none of them know why I am broken. Next month, I will be having surgery in hopes they will find the source of our problems. Even though you aren't even close to being on earth yet, I want you to know how much I love you. I know that I am meant to be a mother, your mother. 
I picture what you will look like, who you will become, and choose names for you. If you are a girl, I think I may name you Evelyn, Genevieve, or Vera. Genevieve and Vera are my grandmother's names. I like to think that you are up in heaven with Grandma Vera Heap and she is telling you about how she would always give me cookies and Hawaiian fruit punch when we would visit. 
If you are a boy, then that is a little harder. I like the names ben, John, William, Landon, Marcus nad probably a ton more that I haven't even thought of. 
I just know you are going to be special. The longer you have to wait for something, the better it is. I know you are there and that you will come. Sometimes being patient is difficult I am learning to trust in the Lord's timing.

Oh how I am so happy that I am finally almost to end of this waiting. Waiting is hard but makes everything that much sweeter.
Something else I have been doing while I have been waiting is looking through the rest of my maternity pictures. I can't get enough of them. I sure do have a talented sister-in-law and I am so grateful she chose to use her talent to catch these memories. Thanks Emma.

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