It's a GIRL!!

Heidi Alice Muller

It's a GIRL!!!!!!! On September 26th at 5:50pm, Heidi Alice Muller entered the world. She weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 19.9 inches long. She is the most perfect little being that I have ever seen and Dennis and I are in completely love. We are now back home with her and couldn't be happier. She is a eating, sleeping and pooping machine. Kendall is so in love with her and gets upset if she cry's or whimpers...it is adorable. He is such a good big brother. Dennis has come into the father role with such great ease. He is such a big help and Heidi and she is so lucky to have such a wonderful man in her life. She will for certain be a Daddy's girl. We are now one big happy family and I like to joke with Dennis that now the house is finally even with two boys and two girls. We have had several visitors, in the hospital and at home, and are so lucky to have such amazing people in our lives. Especially, since it's really tough being so far away from our close family so it's been so nice to have so many supportive an loving friends here in Misawa. We feel truly blessed! And to all of you back home we can't wait for you to meet Baby Heidi in November/December! You will fall instantly in love with this precious little lady.

I know a lot of people have been wondering about how labor and delivery went and I wanted to clear everything up so I have included my birth story below.

"DAD" Scrubbing in ;) 

My birth story

So like most things in life not everything went according to plan when it came to giving birth to Heidi. I went into the doctor's office on my due date having no contractions yet to get my 40 week check up. When I went in this time I was told that because I had high blood pressure last week and are now showing signs of it again this week that I would need to be induced the next day to be safe. They actually wanted me to be induced that night but I finally convinced them to let me wait a night to try and start things on my own. They agreed and told me to come in the morning for induction. I was at first disappointed with this news because I was really hoping to go into labor naturally but now left determined to start things on my own. That night I was on a mission and my contractions began that evening on their own. I went into the hospital the next morning having contractions about 7 minutes apart. Even though I was contracting, they were still planning to mechanically induce me with a foley bulb to get things moving along faster. But before they did they would check one last time if the baby was in the right position. She got out the ultrasound machine and low and behold Baby Muller's butt was in the birth canal instead of her head. She was breech. They told me we could try to turn the baby, which has a very low success rate and is very painful, or we could elect for a c section that afternoon. The doctors told us with trying to turn the baby this late it could be risky and I might have to have an emergency c section in the process. I was devastated at first with this news because it wasn't what I had envisioned for the birth of our child. Dennis and I talked it over and decided it was best for me and the baby just to have a scheduled c-section that day. I was told before I came into the hospital that day that I could eat food since I was planning on a natural delivery. Now since I had eaten and was having a c-section I would have to wait at least eight hours to go into surgery. We waited around most of the day and I was stuck in bed since I was hooked up to a bunch of machines. But it was a good time to let my emotions settle and process the whole c section. I started to pump myself up with all the pros of a c-section like the babies head coming out round and pretty and my lady parts getting to stay intact. But what really got me excited is that in about 8 hours I was going to get to meet our Baby.

She's here!! 

So after waiting most of the day in bed it was finally time to prep for surgery. Dennis put on this cute scrubs and even wrote on his surgical cap "Dad"....he said he didn't want them confusing him with being a real doctor. The doctor's loved it. They wheeled me into the surgery room where they administered a spinal tap. The spinal didn't hurt at all and made me totally numb from the chest down. It was a weird/amazing at the same time. I was then laid down on the table under bright lights....it was almost like my belly was about to play at a college football game with the amount of lights above it. After they got me all prepped and numbed up they then brought Den into the room. From there it was less than 10 minutes until they held up our baby and Dennis got to announce that we had a GIRL!!!!! I was so estatic since I had been secretly (well maybe not secretly) hoping for a little girl. They swept her off to the warming table to get her cleaned off and Dennis was allowed to cut the cord. They brought her back over to me for me to see and put her cheek to cheek with me before taking her out of the room to get all checked up. She was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen and I just couldn't wait to hold her in my arms. They got me all stitched back up and I was brought to the post delivery room where I waited for them to bring in my little angel. The only downside to having a c-section is definitely waiting on getting to hold your little baby. Thankfully I am a patient person and it made it so much more worth it once I got to hold her back in the room. We had to stay in the hospital for two nights since I had just had major surgery and were so antsy to go home by the second night. Since I have been back home I have been feeling really good. A little slow at first and sore but I have been able to get by just taking my prescribed motrin. This is great because it has made it so much easier to take care of my adorable baby girl, Heidi! So even though everything didn't go according plan all that matters is that I ended up with a beautiful baby girl in the end. She completes mine and Dennis' world.

Love our little lady! 

Thank you to everyone for all the congrats and love! And we can't wait until you all get to meet this very special little girl in our lives. Love you all!

Proud Daddy 

Proud Mommy

Proud Big Brother

Growing Belly!

6 weeks!

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13 weeks! CP! 

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40 weeks pregnant! 

Waiting for Baby M!! 

Barbells, Box Jumps, and Babies

38 weeks pregnant! 

Less than two weeks to go until Baby Muller could make his/her appearance. I got the hospital check list made, the nursery filled with all the essentials like diapers and wipes, and my text/call list of people to inform when we I go into labor. I did get an exciting delivery the other day from my best friend Allison from back home. She is the ultrasound tech that scanned me the past few times I have been in the U.S. and is the only one who knows the sex of Baby M. I gave her some money and made a wish list of boy and girls clothes for her to buy for Baby M. The clothes have been arriving over the past few weeks and it is so exciting to think that within these boxes lies the answer to if Baby M will be a he or she. I have a good amount of will power and will not be opening the boxes prematurely but I sure am wondering. We plan on opening them once Baby Muller is born and I am just so happy that I will have some gender appropriate clothes. It is so nice to have such a wonderful friend who could keep such a big secret and help out so much.

Are you still working out? 
Yes. I actually just did a Crossfit WOD this past Friday and rocked it. Throughout my entire pregnancy I have continued to workout and specifically continued to Crossfit. I was told by my doctor and other doctors, who also Crossfit, that it would be safe to continue since I had been working out before I was pregnant. Throughout my 1st and 2nd trimester I was still able to go 4-5 times a week with modifications on certain workouts, of course. Sometimes even doing two a days with Spin class or a run. Since I hit my 3rd trimester I am more of a 2-3 times a week with daily walks with Kendall. I am still able to kip a couple of pull ups together which was my one goal since becoming pregnant but man do my hands hurt from the extra weight their having to hold. I keep thinking to myself how much easier it will be once all this extra baby weight is gone to do pull-ups. Working out throughout my pregnancy has made feel great and hopefully will help me with the "workout" of giving birth that should happen soon.  I have always heard that people who are in better shape seem to have easier births and have an better time getting back to their pre-pregnancy bodies. Here's to hoping :)

After a workout with my other Pregnant Crossfit buddy :) 

Crossfit Baby Shower....Love these ladies!

While crossfitting on base here for over a year I have made many good friends who also share my love for working out. One of my good friends, Martine, threw me a Crossfit themed baby shower this weekend. It was at this cute little Japanese cafe and was decorated with a barbell made of diapers and chalk on the table. We even played a game of "Name that benchmark WOD" (workout of the day) using descriptions of birth and babies. It was such a wonderful shower and I am so lucky to have these wonderful ladies in my life. Thank you all who attended and showered Baby Muller with love. I can't wait for you all to meet Baby M once I am able to bring him/her to the gym with me! 

Diaper Barbell. Mini Box Jump. And a sign for the babies room with benchmark workout names on it :) 

With Baby Muller coming in less than 10 days I have been feeling more anxious and my mind keeps racing with questions like do we have everything we need, are we ready to be parents, and will it be a little Dennis or Heidi?!?! I have read so many birthing and baby books over the past months trying to prepare myself for this life changing event. My mom always reassures me with that she and my dad had no idea what they were doing but you figure out as you go. I am just so thankful that the military will give Dennis ten days of paternity leave and we can figure it out together. I know everything will be fine, though I am sure overwhelming and life altering at first. I just keep on thinking how we are about to embark on one of the best journeys in our lives....being parents. I can't wait!