So the morning of Aug 16th 2013, Joe and I went in at 6:30am to the hospital to get ready for surgery. I got prepped and ready to go. It was surprisingly very calm and we both felt so anxious to see our little boy. By the time I got in to the surgery room was when I started to get really nervous about the surgery. Once they let Joe in to be with me I became a little less nervous. It was a very different experience going in for a scheduled C-section then ending up with an emergency one. As well as not going through all the labor. My pain only got to about a 4 at most with contracts that day. So I'm guess he was going to make his debut on that day or the next if I was not going to have a C-section. So we timed it pretty good. =)
So Aug 16th 2013 at 9:50am Joseph Grafton Hovey Jr. was born. 6.4 lbs and 19in long. Once he came out -- Joe told me "yup it's a boy for sure!" Once they did his first check they laid him next to my head while they were sewing me back up. It was amazing to be able to see him and hear his first cry. Since with Isabel I did not get that experience.
We were at the hospital from Friday till Sunday afternoon. It was nice having someone take him during the night and hold him so we could sleep between feedings. The nurse told me he would just cry if he was put down so they all took turns holding him. Luckily there weren't to many baby's there that weekend.
Isabel loved Baby Grafton off the bat. She was all for holding him and talking to him and especially singing to him. It's amazing how well Isabel has taken to being a "Big Sister." She has been telling every stranger that says hi to her how she is a big sister and she is 4 years old. It's so cute. She is one proud sister.
So far Grafton has been one happy content baby. At first his cry sounded like a seagull or something and it was rather funny. He now has a cute newborn cry as I call it. He doesn't really cry much though. He just fusses and moves a lot and it's pretty easy to tell what he wants. So far he has been much easier to handle than Isabel ever was. Such a sweet little boy.
I took off about a week and half of school and now starting up for the new semester. My teachers have been awesome with working with me with be absent and understanding about my work load being a little more hectic right now,
it's been really nice. Joe also last minute decided to start school as well. He finally decided on a Business degree and is doing online classes this semester so he can watch the kids while I'm at school. Joe is really excited about going back to school and so far they have put him as a junior only needing his upper divisional classes unlike Weber State where he was having to start all over. Isabel starts up preschool on tuesday and she is excited to go back and she will be starting up her ballet classes up again as well in a couple of weeks.
Things here at the Hovey house are going well and very busy!
Mom came out waiting for Baby Grafton to make his debut.. We did a lot of things around town and eating good food! Outside our apartment by Isabel's school was a little pond in the road. So Joe had Isabel go "fishing " in it. Isabel had a lot of fun!
One of the activities we did was going to the Alligator Farm. It was fun and interesting. Here are some picture.
Isabel for some reason wanted to take a picture with the tires.
Isabel actually took this picture of Joe
Holding the alligator and this one signed a paper for Isabel too
First up 4th of July-
Alamosa had there 100th anniversary celebration. There was a morning parade which Isabel was scared pretty much the whole time from the loud trucks. Otter pops seems to be the most common treat handed out. We were pretty sick of them by the time the parade was over. After the paraded we headed over to the fair at the park. Walked around a bit and then Isabel had to have ice-cream so she got that and Joe and I had some BBQ-- brisket, pull pork, and a turkey leg. It was pretty yummy. As we were leaving Isabel wanted to stay and watch some Japanese drummers. It was really loud and she loved it. Which didn't make much sense to us, since she was scared from the parade which wasn't that loud. But she loves her music. The fireworks were cancelled from the fire banned which was disappointing but makes sense considering all the fires around here.
How Isabel looked during the parade
Isabel started ballet class for the summer season. She was way excited for it! We weren't going to spend the money on it but she asks every other day if she can go to dance class so we figured we would give the summer season a try since nothing is going on. She pretty much loves it and talks about ballet all the time now. She is constantly showing me her moves from class and the stretches. One of her best friends from preschool is in her class too, Carson. They were really happy to see each-other. I was in class for Isabel's first day so Joe took some video for me, so here you go!
carson is the one in front sitting down waiting.
Our 5th year anniversary was this month! We both can't believe it's been that long! Time has gone by so fast! Joe made a nice dinner for us and then realized we didn't have a table to eat at. He painted all our side tables he made and the kitchen table that he transformed from an old table. So a picnic was made which Isabel though was very fun! It was a nice quiet night in with the family. Which was nice since I was gone all day at class. We got each other a couch set for the family room, which came the next week. Which were loving so far! It's nice to be able to seat more than two people at our apartment now! I also surprised Joe with a portable dishwasher delivered to our place when I was in class. He had no idea and was very happy! I have been complaining about getting one for the past year and finally had the money to get one so I got the cheapest one I could find that had good reviews. So far its working amazingly! It's so worth having my kitchen clean every day and actually having a dish clean in the house! The dishes are Joe's chore since every time I would do them I would ended up in tons of pain from the belly and feel like passing out. As well as I had no time with school. Also I have broken many dishes from clumsiness. Needless to say, the dishes got washed like every other week. Hence it wasn't really an option to get a dishwasher it was a mandatory thing for our family to be happy! When the mother is not happy, no one is happy! Plus now I have a prep station in the kitchen! love it!
Isabel took our picture
I finished my summer semester finally! A nice needed break for me is in order for sure! 6 weeks of torturous weeks of math is finally over and found out I passed with a C, which for me seems like a miracle. I am just thankful that the teacher gave out so much extra credit and an easier final exam than all the other tests! Plus i'm pretty sure my teacher felt really bad for me since it was my 4th attempt in passing a math class. but it feels amazing passing a class I never thought I would! Now here comes a year of first 400 level classes! I am so glad joe is going to be home with the kids most of the time! A class even opened up for spring semester for forensic psychology and part of the class is going to Europe for 2 weeks and seeing old prisons and a Jack the Ripper Tour in London. I am seriously contemplating going since I will never have this opportunity again. Joe has made up his mind that I am going and that I will regret it if I don't take this opportunity when we can have him watch the kids and I can receive financial aid for the trip. But I don't know yet, I have 4 months to think about it still. But exciting to think about.
Pioneer days or they call Manassa days has come and gone. It's a huge thing here. We went on the last evening on saturday. We walked around the carnival and Isabel was so excited about the rides. We ended up letting her go on the carrousel and a car ride. She really wanted to do more but luckily fireworks were about to start up. ;) We went over to one of joe's friends/co-workers house and had a prefect view of them. During the fireworks Isabel kept saying " Hey! I'm not scared of the fireworks AFTER ALL!" and apparently some of the fireworks look like the Hungry Caterpillar.
Isabel 4th birthday is here! First year of her actually excited for her birthday and a "party" meaning balloons and cake and ice-cream. Apparently as well as donuts and popsicles. She ended up getting all of that-- the spoiled girl! We opened presents and she played for awhile and then we went to McDonald's for dinner. She was so excited to get french fries and go on the playground. Afterwards we had her Princess Barbie - rainbow ice-cream cake. (She was very specific on the cake she wanted this year.) She has been telling random people about her birthday cake, so I guess she really liked it! After that she was exhausted and crashed cuddling with me. Which is surprising since she says she can't cuddle with me because my stomach and the baby is in the way." Which is pretty much true. Grafton usually kicks her head the whole time she lays on me. The day was a nice relaxing day and it's so nice just to have our little family together. I can't believe our little girl is 4 years old already!
Video of Isabel's birthday won't upload so all i can do is a link.
Well, I thought I would dedicate a whole post to pictures because there are so many I love and just breaking down to this many was hard! Are pictures were so fun to do and turned out amazing! I give credit to the amazing photographer Rachael Van Schepen from Van Schepen Photography . If you live around colorado springs I would highly recommend her!
Enjoy!
I posted 3 new posts, so look at those too for more pics and videos!
The first week of June I had a couple of days off from school so we decided to go camping. I figured my pregnant body could handle 1 night for Joe and Isabel. =)
So we decided to head up to the Sand dunes campgrounds since Joe and Isabel have never been before. We got there in the morning and set up camp. Had some watermelon and headed to the sand dunes. It was hot but no too hot. The water stream was pretty low but Isabel and Joe had fun making dams and formations to make a little type of pool with the water. Isabel really loved playing with the sand and water. Eventually she got tired and had a picnic. Afterwards Isabel was tucker out. At the same time a storm came in so we left just in time. =) Got back to the camp ground, took a nap in the tent since it was raining. Joe made Isabel and I walking sticks and then we headed out on a "bear hunt" as Isabel would say. Really hoping we wouldn't see any since we were in bear country. After our long walk we roasted some hot dogs and then Smores. Isabel was pretty much scared of the fire the whole time. Another storm was coming in so we didn't see any stars, which is what I was looking forward too. =( The wind was blowing hard all night so we really didn't sleep very well.
At the camp ground
Camp ground
Mine has a man and Isabel has a cat face
"Going on a bear hunt"
Isabel photo bomb
In the morning we packed up and then went on a hike to Zapata Falls. It was very pretty and the water extremely cold which was nice for cooling off. After our hike we decided to go to the visitor center. We actually learned a lot about the dunes and they had some fun kid activities there. After the long 2 days I was glad it was only about an hour drive home. =)
At the beginning of the hike
She totally posed for the picture
We celebrated Father's day with a "Meat Cake" for Joe. He has been asking for one for a while. So I made him a meatloaf with glaze in the middle of the layers. Mash potatoes for icing and bacon for sprinkles. Isabel really thought it was a cake and was very disappointed when she realized it wasn't.
Other than that the days have been just filled with me doing homework all day. Joe and Isabel hanging out.
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