S U R P R I S E !

     This morning I woke with a call from my boss who is also a great friend. I had missed it so once Brielle woke up I called her back, she told me that her neighbour was giving me one of her cars, I was just like oh good blah blah blah.  I assumed she meant she was letting me use the car to drive my  boss' kids around. (That's the arrangement we'd talked about earlier in the week) Then she starts saying "Yeah so all you have to do is get the papers and put it under your name..." I flipped out!!! I was so excited!! I couldn't comprehend what she was saying, but then she came and picked me up and I went to see it and it's real!! I can't believe how blessed am. A complete stranger gave me and my new family a car... Wow. Everyday God just shows me more that he's on my side and loves me. So here it is, our 1991 Buick baby!!! 

 

Training Day 2 & 3

    The day after my mom, Abby and I went on our first run(19th) we went to bodyworks at La Fitness. It was really hard but REALLY good. We kicked but and got a great workout, of course I was so sore the day after but I still loved doing it. I want to keep going as much as I can. 

     On Wednesday Abby and I were planning on going on a morning run. It was POURING when I woke up! But we are committed to going every 3 days no matter what. So I drug myself out of the warm, cozy bed next to my sweet sleeping Baby Bee. Since it was so rainy and dreary we thought it wouldn't be smart to bring Brielle in the rain because if she were to cry we'd have to take her out of her stroller and I didn't want her out in the cold. So my mom offered to stay home and watch Brielle which I so, so, so appreciated. Even though it was hard to leave my precious daughter I knew she was in safe hands. So Abby came and picked me up and we headed to the trail. Once we got there after about 5 minutes of being there the sun came out and the sky turned blue. It was so beautiful! We just kept saying how God cleared the skies just so his two girls could have a run and enjoy his beautiful creation.  We had so much fun running in the sun and just talking. It was a GREAT run. 

     March 20th 2013: 5 minute walk, 1 minute run - 1 minute walk (8 times), 5 minute cool down. We did the whole trail and were so sore afterwards but so proud of ourselves! 

     Today I went on a run by myself, I was planning to go just 3 days a week but I was dying to get out in the sun and I'm really starting to love exercising since I don't get to ride horses anymore. Before when I rode I got out everyday but every since I had to stop I've been way too much of an indoor girl. Anyways today I just ran around our neighbourhood, I only went for a little over a half an hour. It's just getting easier and easier! I'm so happy! Today I didn't even need all the breaks which is so great, because the first run I was DYING for that breather. Haha! 
     March 21st, 2013: 5 minute walk, 1 min run - 1 min walk (8 times), 5 minute cool down 

I Love My Baby Bee

     Brielle is incredible, I love her so much I can barely stand it. It's amazing to me how much  one so tiny and new could already mean to all of us. I pray for her everyday that she'll come to know Jesus and love him more than I ever could. I can't believe how much she's already changed lives and how she'll continue to do that all her life. Spencer and I wonder together all the time how she'll be and what she'll do. We know we will love her no matter who she becomes with all our hearts, but it's so fun to think about. I imagine our summers when she's a little toddler running through the garden with my mom and I. Hand and hand with her Daddy at the farmer's market. Then one day running with me through the woods on horseback. Ah I can't wait! At the same time it's already going too fast.
     I just adore her and her Daddy. Our new family is everything I've ever wanted. Yes, it's extremely difficult but I trust that God will take care of us all the days of our lives. This spring break Spencer and I are taking Brielle with us to the beach for the first time and I can't wait. It's our first vacation together as our own family in our own hotel and everything. We've had so many new adventures and there are so many more to look forward to...

Training Day 1

     Today my mom, Abby, Brielle and I went for a run to train for the Color Me Rad 5k in June. (colormerad.com) I'm so excited! It's going to be a blast and great motivation to get back in shape and get outside. We're doing a workout were we run for one minute then walk for one minute. It's really doable and still makes my heart pound and makes me work hard, especially after a ninth month break! I stayed fit during my pregnancy but of course my cardio is nonexistent right now. Haha!
     We are going to be running three times a week and in between those days we're going to La Fitness and doing a "Body Works" class. It's basically weight lifting, squats, lunges, ab workouts etc. I love it! My mom and I also go to Zumba sometimes which is really fun. Of course not being able to bring Brielle with me is painful, but I know it's good for me to go. 
     March 18th, 2013: 5 minute walk, 1 minute run - 1 minute walk (6 times), 5 minute cool down. We went a total of 6 miles today, obviously we only ran for 20 minutes, but it felt so good to actually get out there and meet our goal!!

     Today Brielle is one month old! It's so crazy how the time flies. She's already looking me in the eye and whenever she hears Spencer's voice she becomes super alert and looks for him. Even in her sleep she'll start wiggling in her dreams if she hears her daddy. She is so much fun to watch and play with. I don't want to miss a moment she's already grown so fast. I can't believe how big she's gotten. She's already in her 3 month clothes.  WOW. Were did the tiny little 7lb baby go? She's stolen all our hearts and we are all so blessed to have her in our lives. I'm praying everyday that I'll raise her right and that she will fall in love with Jesus Christ. I'm so very excited to see what she'll become some day. 
      Well that's all for today. I'll try to post more consistently about Brielle and how training is going. :)

Brielle Jordan Baker's Story ♥

     Wow, I haven't posted in a long time!  Brielle is now 3 weeks and 5 days old , CRAZY! She is absolutely everything we dreamed of and so much more. The 13th she smiled at me for the first time. I can't believe how fast she's growing and what a blessing she is in my life. So I decided that since I missed posting about my last week of pregnancy, I'll post Brielle's birth story. So I'll get to it!

 

     I took this on Valentine's day (2/14/13) it's the last picture I have from when I was pregnant and as you can tell, I was HUGE! Ready to pop is definitely more than just a cute phrase when you're THAT pregnant. On February 18th, two days after I took this picture, I was 39 weeks 3 days pregnant. My water broke that morning at 5 am, I tried to wake up Spencer, keyword TRIED. Haha! I whispered his name several times then finally I just said loudly, "My water broke!".  He jolted up and his eyes were wide. Then we both looked at each and smiled and he said, "This is it!". 

     At 5:30 am contractions started and were uncomfortable but no pain at all. Spencer had went back to sleep and I knew I should rest too but I was way too excited. So I came out and  my Mom was up getting heat pads ready, ice cubes made etc. I hopped in the shower to clean up and try to relax and soothe the aches. Around 6 am my mom and I started watching a movie we had just bought, "Fried Green Tomatoes" which is now one of my favourites. My contractions started to get painful around 7/7:30 am and I started to pause and try to relax and stop talking when they came. At 9 am Spencer was awake and out to help me. I really wasn't feeling good but I still felt like I could keep going, it wasn't too intense or anything.

     Then my whole family came out around 11 am and they started to watch "Moonrise Kingdom" at this point I watched in between contractions but during them I was really focused and just concentrated on being calm and dealing with the pain. If somebody talked to me during a contraction I couldn't respond and was far to involved in what was going on inside me to pay attention to anybody else.

     After the movie my mom left to go to a patient and my dad and brother went in the family room to play video games. Spencer and I walked around the house over and over to keep the contractions coming strong and quickly. We paused during the contractions because I couldn't walk through them at this point and Spencer held me and I just took long deep breaths. Spencer was timing contractions and at this point they were 5 minutes apart lasting 45 seconds. We kept walking for about 45 minutes. Once my mom came back home we stopped and I sat on an exercise ball rocking while Spencer rubbed my back. 

     Spencer needed to get his homework done so he worked on that and I laid down trying to sleep in between the pain. That was a big mistake. I did dose off but suddenly I woke up and was in EXTREME pain. There was no way to relax with it coming that quickly and not being able to prepare for it. After that happened I started to get really discouraged and started to cry. Spencer came over just as the sun was coming through the window and told me I'd be okay and the sun had come out just for me. I felt so much better and knew I could do it. 

     I lost track of time so I don't know what time it was when we went back to the living room and watched "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days". Well we had it running in the background. Haha! The contractions were unbearable. I kept waiting though because I didn't want to go the hospital too early because I knew there was no way I could resist pain medications.  Eventually I knew I had to go, I was in so much pain I could barely take deep breaths anymore without wanting to scream. I was shaking and quivering and felt extremely nauseous. Spencer and my Mom ran and got everything in the car and we headed out. 

    By the time we got to the hospital I was crying and shaking. They got me into the exam room and told me I was 5 to 6 centimetres dilated. It was so discouraging because I thought I was at least an 8. The nurses asked if I wanted an epidural and I told them my plan and they said they'd get the tub running for me. They kept asking me questions and I was at the point were I couldn't talk to anybody. They left me waiting in the exam room and I was in so much pain I screamed during the next coming contractions. Once they realized this was real they rushed me to a room in bed because I couldn't walk. I wanted to push and needed to but when they checked me again in the room I was only an 8 so I had to wait. 

     That was the worst part, I was trying so hard not to push but I NEEDED to. My body was fighting me in everyway. The rest of this flew by and I can't remember much, it's all jumbled. I remember the nurse told me I was a 10 so I could push, but then when the doctor came she told me I was only an 8 so I had to wait longer. I remember Spencer giving me an oxygen mask in between contractions. I remember when I could push having extruciating pain, then I remember holding Brielle and Spencer crying. It was wonderful! I think we both agree it was the best moment of our lives. Finally having Brielle here in that moment we were on top of the world. Brielle was born 7.9lbs and 20 and 3/4 of an inch long. Just perfection.

     So that was Brielle's story. Spencer was amazing, my Mom was the best and Brielle was perfect. I couldn't imagine being more happy than I was in that moment. 

     That day was the best day of my life and I will never forget those first moments Spencer and I had with Brielle. It was incredible.