Emily Alexis Sommerfeldt, the long, gorry version

I didn't realize I had this typed when I wrote the shorter version, so here's the story fresh and detailed. See the other Emily post for the quick version.

Emily Alexis Sommerfeldt was born Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 11:23 PM at Memorial Herrman Hospital in Katy, TX.

Emily's dues date was August 8th, but as the 8th approached, it became obvious that she would not be born on her due date. I wanted to go into labor on my own, so I did not intially set an induction date, but eventually arranged to be induced on Friday, August 16th. Early on August 15th I woke up uncomfortable. I tried changing positions but had to move to the couch to finish the night. I thought I might be in labor, but had contractions for a few days that seemed that they might lead to labor, but which hadn't, so I wasn't certain. By 9am I was having regular contractions 5 min apart. I called the doctor office to let them know that I thought I was in a labor and likely wouldn't need to be induced the next day. They asked me to go to the office at 1pm in the afternoon. I went, they confirmed that I was in early stages of labor and dilated 4cm and said that whenever I was ready I could go to the hospital. We went home and continued our day until the contractions got stronger, about 4:30pm. We arrived at the hospital around 5pm. I wanted to try to deliver naturally, so I got measured, hooked to IV's and monitors. I tested positive for group B strep so I needed 2 doses of antibiotics before delivering, so we started the first dose immediately. I slept, watched movies and otherwise waited. I had regular contractions, but would find during later measurements, that they were not frequent or strong enough to effectively progress labor. After the second does of antibiotics, around 9:30pm I asked the doctor for options to speed-up labor. I walked the halls a bit, decided I didn't want to be in labor forever, and considered whether an 8/15 or an 8/16 birthday was better... and settled on pitocin to increase contraction strength and frequency, in hopes of an 8/15 birthday. The pitocin was effective and when I measured 8 cm at about 10:45, I decided to have the doctor break my water. I had to decide if I wanted an epidural and chose not to, which committed me to a natural birth, whereas there was no time for other pain medications. Doctor broke my water just before 11pm and Emily was born at 11:23pm. The birthing experience was intense and

I did it. I went into labor on my own and delivered a baby naturally, without any pain medication. It was a neat experience. I had hard contractions two day before I actually went into labor and it was disappointing to have nothing come of those contractions, particularly since I was beginning to feel very big, have less energy, and feel uncomfortable moving about, oh, and I was overdue. Going into labor was anticlimactic. I was still excited and a touch uncertain because the contractions were regular but not particularly painful. It was reassuring to go into the doctor office and have her confirm that I was dilating some and that I was in the early stages of labor. She said I could come late in the day to see how I was progressing or I could go to the hospital. Bruce and I talked some about what time I thought the baby would be born. I had no idea and made an estimation of 7 or 8 pm. At around 4pm I suggested that we go to the hospital in about an hour, then at about 4:15 I suggested that we go then because the contractions were becoming painful. We dropped Hailey and McKayla off and Kevin and Laurel's house and headed to the hospital. They started me on an IV and all was well... except the extra fluids and my immobility (from the monitors and IV) made the contractions significantly less frequent and less intense. It was a welcome break for a bit, I took a nap and watched TV, but when the didn't pick up after an hour or two I grew impatient. Because I tested positive for group B strep I needed to get 2 doses of antibiotics, given 4 hours apart, before delivering. We originally were in no hurry to deliver due to the antibiotics, but when I had made little progress and was partially through the second bag of antibiotics we started discussing options to speed things along. The doctor knew I wanted to try it naturally, so she suggested that we walk the halls. After a few laps I asked for additional options and settled on some pitocin with the option of breaking my water. The nurse started me on pitocin, contractions increased. When I felt like there was a change, I had the doctor measure me. I was 8cm so I asked the doctor to break my water. At that moment I had to decide if I was going to get an epidural (no other pain control options would be effective at that point in labor). I was nervous I would decline and then not be able to make it though, but decided that I'd be more liekly to regret an epidural than the pain, so I declined. After the doctor broke my water, contractions picked up. I squeezed Bruce's hand through the worst of them and heard Bruce and the doctor encouraging me. I could feel the baby dropping- kind of a cool sensation- and the doctor said inform them when I felt the need to push. I had a few strong contractions and then a space of time when I didn't feel any contractions but the doctor assured me that we were still progressing, and a few minutes later I moved to my hands and knees to work through a contraction. A few minutes after that  switched to standing. I could feel the baby descending, and then almost without warning I had the urge to push. It was intense and I suppose painful, but it didn't last long and there was a sense of relief when I felt the head emerge and then the rest of the body. It was cool. Not the spiritual or bonding experience some women describe, but sensational.
The top question I hear is, "Would you do it again?" My answer "Maybe." It was a good experience. It was hard to have labor slow while in the hospital- by the time I got to the hospital I wanted to be a few hours away from delivery, not hours and hours. But, given the need for antibiotics, I needed 4.5 hours in the hospital (plus the hour it takes to get checked in before you even lay down), it probably couldn't have moved much faster than it did. Without Strep B, I'll probably just stay at home until the baby crowns, next time. :) Just kidding.

Emily Alexis Sommerfeldt

Last night we welcomed Emily Alexis Sommerfeldt to our family.

She was born at 11:23 pm at Memorial Herrman Hospital in Katy. Labor went well. I began having contractions early in the morning and thought I might be in labor since I don't have (or don't feel) contractions usually. Since we thought I might be in labor, Bruce took the day off of work. I went to the doctor mid morning to see if I was in labor, or not. She said I probably was, but did not need to go to the hospital yet. I waited until early evening, about 4 pm and then decided I was ready to got o the hospital. We dropped the girls at Kevin and Laurel's house and headed to the hospital.

After they checked me in and started the IV of fluids and antibiotics (for the Strep B) the contractions stopped, so I went to sleep. :)

When I woke up there were a few contractions, but not as forceful as I thought they should be, so I walked around, talked to the nurse about options, and waited. At about 10pm I decided that I was ready to have a baby and that we should give her a Aug 15th birthday rather than an Aug 16th (we like that date more, easier to remember) :) and asked the nurse to start petocin. They did, and labor picked up. A bit later I had the doctor break my water. Shortly after, we had a healthy baby Emily. It was a great labor experience and expect to also do the next delivery without an epidural.

Recovery went well, beside passing out the first time I stood up and being freezing in the hospital (no wonder the hospital bill is so much, it takes a lot of money to keep the hospital at 60 degrees when the outdoor temperature is 100 degrees).

The next day Bruce and the girls came to visit, and we went home.

Sommerfeldt Reunion

In June we drove to Colorado and visited the Waite's for a few days before going to the Sommerfeldt reunion in Park City, Utah.
We stayed in some condos in Park City for nearly a week. Scott and Lisa had chosen the housing arrangements and planned the events for the trip. It was a reunion for the Theron and Delores Sommerfeldt family so many of Bruce's cousins, aunts, and uncles were there. Some of our activities included swimming in the condo pool, hiking, watching fireworks, stand up paddle boarding, and game in the condos.

On the 4th of July we went watched the fireworks in Park City.

Uncle Ben bought glow sticks and shared them with all the kids. Hailey loved her glow bracelet and necklace.

To commemorate the gathering, we took family pictures. Grandma Lisa bought all the grand-girls matching dresses.

Theron and Delores Sommerfeldt at the reunion.

One day we went hiking. Hailey hike nearly the whole time, McKayla was carried nearly the whole time. And the view was pleasant.

Hailey loved spending time with her cousins during free time and the hike.

At the bottom on the mountain was a ski lift. The kids rested on it while they waited for everyone else to get down the mountain.

One afternoon we rented stand up paddle boards and went to Jordanelle State Park.

We had four boards and took turns. One game we played was "chicken." Where you try to tip or push other people off their boards.

Everyone enjoyed the paddle boards. Even Hailey and some of the other kids rode with an adult on the board. It was much easier on your knees.

Some of the extended family joined us at the lake and everyone enjoyed swimming and relaxing on the beach.

Sunday morning we got ready for church and attended a ward in Park City.

And after a fun trip, the McKayla relaxed, played iPad, and watched movies during the long drive home.

Hailey also played with toys, the iPad and Kindle, and watched movies, but when they got boring, the best option was sleep.

Pet Store Feild Trip

Hailey and McKayla watching the animals at the pet store.

"Fish-y"

A little handful of jam is the perfect post-pet store snack.

One day we took a family field trip to the pet store. The pet store had birds, reptiles, fish, and rodents, but no dogs or cats. After the field trip we talked about caring for animals and decided to get a pet fish. The following week we went back to the pet store and bought a beta fish. Mom lost interest a few weeks into pet ownership and wanted to get rid of the fish, so when we let for vacation a few months later we gave the fish to a young women in the ward. Hailey thought the young women was going to take care of the fish while we were gone and return it at the end of our trip, so she was distressed when Mom told her that we gave the fish away. 

Catching Up

 Visitng Grandma's new house and finally becoming friends with Yogi the dog.

 Riding the turtle at Loveland Sculpture Park. Sunday morning walk before afternoon church.

 One afternoon Mom watched all the kids for us and Ben and Sarah took Bruce and I shooting near Boulder. That afternoon we went swimming at the Longmont Pool.

Home Improvements

Preparing for cement

Mixing cement

Cement

Patio extension poured

Patio

Bar moved onto patio

Bar with backer board

Bar partially tiled

Hailey in the backyard doing an Easter Egg hunt

7 yards of mulch for the yard

Rachel spreading mulch

New flowering cherry tree, flower beds, rock path

Home Improvements
We've undertaken a few home projects recently, many of the outdoors. (Yes, January to April is the perfect time to work outside. Be jealous all you cold weather folks!).

Bar
We've been working on the back patio with grand plans of a covered suite complete with misting fans, a wet bar, a lounge couch, and an outdoor TV. Turns out that all takes money.... so we're not done, but in the last month we've make some great progress. Scott, John, Kevin, and Bruce worked on it over Thanksgiving, but the project was put on hold due to to poor weather (you know, rainy and cold.... not snow :) ) and the next thing we knew it was "busy season" at work for Bruce.
During busy season Bruce traveled to Jackson, Mississippi for most of the month of January. When he was in town he would leave form work about 7:30 am and return home between 10:00 pm and midnight. He worked weekends, and generally had no time to do anything but sleep and work, so the bar waited.
 After his client filled their earning statement he was given a few days off. We celebrated with 800 lbs of concrete. I've become a bit of a softy, so I carried a couple bags, maybe a whole half dozen, but Bruce carried the rest of the concrete from the garage to the patio and then lifted them into the mixer. He was a little sore the next day, but the patio was poured and a week later we bolted down the bar.

Bruce ordered the parts of our latest toy- the carbonator! It's a home carbonation device. Like the commercial product "Soda Stream," but WAY cooler. While visiting for Christmas, Ben Merritt gave us a CO2 tank, so Bruce ordered another $70 in parts and built our very own carbonator. The maiden voyage was homemade lemon lime soda (we couldn't find root beer concentrate at the stores close to home).

With the bar bolted, we started cutting backer board. We've almost cut and attached all the backer board. The next step is tile the bar. We chose a dark slate for the sides and a light marble tile for the counters. Should look pretty cool.

After tile the patio will be on  hold until the project fund can be restored, but it will be completely usable and look finished. When we resume work we'll add a roof, fans, misters, furniture, etc.

Yard
Pre-busy season we started another project: yard renovations. We love our backyard and chose our house, in part, for the large yard. Last fall, Bruce cut the grass from the perimeter of the yard to create flower beds. We bought a few fruit trees and made room for a garden. Recently, I  tilled the beds and planted a garden. We cut out a bush in the front and created a tree bed (like a flower bed, but for trees... maybe I made it up), added a flower bed, and reshaped an existing bed. And last weekend we finished laying landscape fabric and spread mulch. It's nice to look out and see a pretty, finished yard. We need to add some plants, but need to figure out what first.

Rock path, area for sand box (back right corner near fence), tomato plants (right)

Those have been the two great sink-holes for our money recently. 

Other home projects include a finished living room, a painted master bathroom, and ideas for some of the other rooms.


Living Room
Bruce built some small side tables which I painted black. I potted some leafy, fern-like palm in a pot that I got off someone's curb because literally, their trash is my treasure, or in this case, my living room decoration. Bruce suggested painting it so if anyone knows if you can paint giant ceramic pots, let us know. And with those final touches, I consider the room complete (don't mind that the curtains need to be hemmed.... ask again in a year or two).

Master Bathroom
We painted the girls bathroom a grey that we found in the garage and like it, so we decided to do the same to our bathroom. We have grey walls and black cabinets. Someday we'll have all white linens including the shower curtain... maybe even some wall art, and the bathroom will be finished.

Ideas for other Rooms
I finished painting the base coat for some family wall art and finally settled on an image, so Laurel will paint it for us and with art and some more curtains the family room will be finished.

We decided that baby 3 (we are accepting name submissions- real and otherwise since we haven't name the fetus or the baby yet) will share a room with the girls (it's a girl!) and with 3 girls, it's probably time to resign ourselves to girly paint. :) We're thinking we'll paint their room brown and pink.

Bruce is getting antsy, which means it's time for me to start caring, to have the master bedroom decorated. We need nightstands, curtains, a couch cover, paint, and some wall decorations. We'll see what we decide.

Other rooms need curtains to keep the summer sun out, but room design is still unknown.