Sterling Davis Has Arrived… 3 months ago. Oops!

Well, life has been busy to say the least. I couldn't remember the password to my log-in (sorry no replies to those who have blogs… that's why i haven't been responding), didn't have a chance to get my pictures from my phone to my computer, and haven't had a lot of time to get on the computer lately. But, here I am! Here are some pics of his first month!

BABY BOY PAGEL ARRIVED on June 3rd at 9:28 AM! Here is his birth story that I wrote for our family scrapbook:

My desire from the start was to have a VBAC with Sterling. I truly believed that I would go into labor easily and be given the chance to attempt the VBAC. I knew the odds of a repeat c-section were still high, even if I did get to try, but I still wanted to be able to attempt a natural birth. However, God had different plans for us. Despite doing everything possible to naturally induce labor, nothing worked. I even post-poned my c-section from June 1^st to June 3^rd, hoping the extra couple days would give me a better chance of going into labor. Matt and I had prayed from the beginning of the pregnancy for God’s protection over baby’s delivery, whether c-section or VBAC. Both have their risks. I prayed that whatever we faced, we would have a peace about it and see it as God’s answer to our months of prayer. So when June 3^rd came, we saw it as God closing the door to our VBAC.

The night of June 2^nd, I barely slept. I was so nervous and excited—nervous for the c-section, but excited to meet Sterling. I got out of bed at 5:00 AM and showered, curled my hair, and did my make-up. I figured if I was going to be in the hospital recovering for a few days, I might as well have my hair done. Kerry came over to watch Jace at 6:30 so we could head to the hospital. We got there at 7, and once we were checked in, we were sent to triage where I was hooked up to a couple IVs, signed consent forms, and waited for the 9:00 hour to come when our c-section was scheduled for. Once it arrived, and all of the doctors were there (3 doctors who worked on me, 2 anesthesiologists, and 2 nurses for the baby), I was taken to the OR where I was given a spinal block and I was surprised that it  didn’t really hurt much at all. Matt wasn’t in the room for that, which he appreciated. Once I was prepped for the c-section, Matt came into the room. This c-section was different then my first with Jace in that I felt more of it then I would have liked. But a short time later, out came baby Sterling, crying! I didn’t think I would be emotional as I didn’t cry when Jace was born. However, as soon as I heard Sterling cry, I sobbed like a baby. And I couldn’t stop. He was the answer to so many months of prayer! After they gave me a quick look at baby, they took him to get cleaned up. They had to suction him a bit and give him some oxygen because he was a little purple. But he pinked up pretty quickly. Sterling Davis was born at 9:28 AM weighing 8 pounds and 6 ounces, and was 19 and ¼ inches long. We got a couple of pictures and then Matt and Sterling were taken to the recovery room while I was stitched up (that took an extra 30 minutes). Once in the recovery room I was able to nurse him and do some skin-to-skin. He was so precious. We stayed 3 nights at the hospital, and within the first day, Sterling pooped 8 times and went down to 7 pounds 15 ounces. I tried walking the halls the first night because I know that’s good for my recovery, but every time I stood up I would throw up. So I couldn’t walk until the next morning. Our stay went so well and the nurses were amazing. Sterling was healthy the entire time (no jaundice, low blood sugar, etc) and he slept and ate very well. By the time we left the hospital, he weighed 7 pounds 9 ounces. I was nervous to come home because I remembered our first nights with Jace very well—lots of crying and no sleep. Sterling is the complete opposite. I had to wake him up in order to eat and he sleeps like a champ. He is such a chill baby. Matt and I feel so blessed! We love him so much and are so excited to have another son to raise. God has been so gracious to us in answering our prayer for another baby, to allow a smooth pregnancy, to grant us a safe delivery, and to give us such a sweet baby boy. We are in love.

Morning of the C-Section! Last bump-pic!

Matt has all the pictures of Sterling from the OR room on his phone. So no first pics to post quite yet. He got a picture of me seeing him for the first time… Cue Ugly cry! Oh man it's a hilarious picture! I'll post it when I get it to my computer. :) 

But here he is! 

 Jace seeing him for the first time!

 They have a little garden area outside of the Maternity Ward at my hospital. So I walked Sterling outside a couple times when I walked the halls for recovery purposes.

Coming home!

I tried taking a couple newborn pics of Sterling… this was one of the only good ones I got. haha.

First day a church for Sterling! (My hair is strategically placed… let's just say that's the last time I leave the house without nursing pads…)

Jace wanted to tickle Sterling's feet. 

Jace wanted to help give Sterling his blanket. I died laughing. He tries so hard to be a big help.

 Suns out, guns out! Tank tops on babies are just too cute!

 Matt on the left. Sterling on the right. I think there are some big similarities. Everyone I see says that Sterling is Matt's mini-me. I have to agree. I don't see much of me in him. 

Well, the first month of Sterling's life flew by. I am so blessed to have 2 boys that I love so incredibly much. God has been so so kind to Matt and I to bless us with another child. He is everything I could have prayed for and more. It's amazing to look back and to see the struggle it was for me in trying to get pregnant for a year without success. Those times were so hard. But looking back, that time was so crucial for my spiritual growth, dependence upon God, and for drawing me closer to Him. I wouldn't trade it. It was perfectly designed by God for MY good and ultimately HIS glory. In the recovery room we stopped and prayed to thank God for His blessing of another son. He is good.

March - beginning of May

Well, I've been MIA for months… Just so much going on and no motivation to upload pictures. :) This goes back to March, since that was my last post. This will be a quick summary of what's been going on with my little family!

We took Jace to Disneyland mid-March. He had so much fun and did very well. He loved meeting Goofy, the Dumbo ride, and the Carousel! 

We did a "Going on a Bear Hunt" unit! Here are just a few of the activities we did. We did others not shown, but I don't feel like finding them in my pictures. Haha. This unit took a while too because of interruptions in our daily schedule. But he loved it. 

We did sensory play with the events in the book… He liked the shaved iced (snow) the best.

Here's is a our themed lunch. Long wavy grass - Veggie straws. River - cheese stick. Thick gooey mud - pudding (Which he didn't want to eat. What???) Forest - Spinach leaves with some ranch (didn't want to eat that either… not surprised with that one though). Snow Storm - popcorn. And the Cave - Strawberries with a bear sandwich inside.

We did an obstacle course of all the events. Here is the grass… He LOVED this. We set this up for a couple days because he would come ask me to go on a bear hunt. 

Here is Easter! (31 weeks).We went to church that morning, then brunch at the Pagels, and then to my family's house for dinner. It was a busy day.

 Cousins. Can't figure out how to rotate this picture. Oh well. :) 

 April 6th we went to Starbucks like we have every year since being married. It is such a fun tradition that we are glad we do each year! 

I think I'm 32 weeks here. Jenn let me borrow her dress for the "Sprinkle" she through me, which was so sweet. She is so creative and did such a great job with all the details like she always does with parties. I need to get the pictures of it from her. :)

 This picture pretty much sums up the last 3 weeks in our house… we've been knocked down hard with sickness. I came down with the flu 3 weeks ago, Jace got it 3 days later for a couple days. We were healthy for 2 days, and then Jace spiked a super high fever that led me to take him to the doctor (pic) that lasted 3 days, the day he dropped his fever I started getting sick with something like bronchitis and am still getting over that 12 days later… Jace and Matt caught it as well during that time. All of this started after a Listeria scare in our house (We had some frozen fruit bars from the company that recalled ALL of their products due to Listeria. In case you don't know how that effects pregnancy, it results in still-birth in 25% of women who get it while pregnant). Thankfully I hadn't eaten those bars in a few months, but my stomach flu matched the exact symptoms of Listeria so I was a mess. I told Matt how we take our health for granted and how we take Jace's for granted and how truly dependent we are on God for protection and health. And then Jace got the flu the next day and then we've all be so sick since. Just a great reminder before all of that hit that God is in control of all things and we have so much to be thankful for. 

 Picture comparison. 35 weeks with Jace on the left, and 35 weeks with this baby boy on the right! 

That still leaves me a couple weeks behind with updates, but I don't have those pictures on my computer yet. Hahaha. But we haven't done much with being sick. :) 

Pregnancy update: I am busy nesting and trying to get everything ready for baby boy as I am 37 weeks.  I have no reason to think he will come early, but I just want to be prepared as much as I can. I tested positive for Group B Strep so will have to have the IV of medication for 4 hours before laboring. I was really praying I wouldn't have it but that was God's plan for me, so that's okay! I am still praying for a VBAC and praying I will go into labor naturally before June 1st at 9:00 AM when my C-section is scheduled for. I will likely cancel the C-section though if I make it to that date. My uterus has measured a week behind the last 4 weeks, so we assume baby boy has dropped already. My OB won't check for dilation/effacement until my appointment next week for my 38 week appointment. I'm praying we are at least progressing in the right direction. :) I've had a few painful Braxton Hicks contractions, but with how sick I've been, my OB and I aren't surprised. Other than that, not much new. :) 

My next post could be after baby… unless I feel highly motivated to update again. I just don't spend much time on the computer these days. :) 

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

So this unit took us over a month… yep… a month. We started it and then mid-unit Jace decided he wanted to potty train, so away went Tot-School for a good 3-4 weeks, as we had more important things to focus on. ;) Jace already knows all of his upper case letters and points out letters he sees all of the time. So I decided to focus on lower-case letters as much as possible for this unit.

We started off doing this puzzle. I asked him about all of the lower-case letters and he knew all but 5-6 of them. So many look like the upper-case letter, so I figure that's why he knew many already.

I got Jace lower-case magnetic letters for Christmas and then put them away to save for this unit. Mom of the year, right? hahaha. We practiced recognizing the letters as we put them on the coconut tree.

Whenever we get to this page in the book, Jace sings the ABC's. It's really cute. I point to the lower case letters as we sing. 

We matched sticker baby letters to baby letters on a toilet paper roll (trunk of a coconut tree). We made it to "j" and he was done. Oh well. :)

We watched Chicka Chicka Boom Boom on YouTube. He LOVED this.

I hid his lower case letters around the room and he put them on the coconut tree and practiced telling me what each one was. We did this multiple times.

I decided I wanted to practice some pre-writing. None of this has anything to do with letters or coconut trees, but it's a skill I know he needs help with. OH BOY we have a long ways to go. Hahaha. He preferred to scribble. :)

We played with alphabet floor mats.

 Jace made a coconut tree and we practiced spelling his name.

He also made a letter coconut tree hat.

Organic alphabet cookies for a snack.

The last day I had him match lower case letters to upper case letters. He did so well! He needed help with the "b" because he get's "b" and "d" confused. But other than that he did well. He made it through most of the letters. He really enjoyed this activity. It lasted a lot longer than I thought it would. 

We attempted coconut bowling… 2nd throw and Jace broke the coconut. Sometimes activities just don't end up the way I think they will. ;) 

We made a coconut tree with a banana, dried apricots, and Alphabits. 

This was a fun unit. He still mixes up "b" and "d", and he will sometimes turn the "z" sideways and call it an "N", an "l" would be an "I" at times, and he would call a "q" an "a" or a "9" (he still loves his numbers and points those out whenever he sees them too). He would call a "g" a "9" too at times. Sometimes he would get those letters correct, but others times he would see a different letter or a number instead. Over all, he did better with his lower case letters than I thought he would! On to the next unit, which will likely be "Going on a Bear Hunt". It's currently his favorite book already, so he will be stoked to do activities with it in a couple weeks.