New Adventures

This weekend was a lot of fun! On Saturday we didn't have anything planned because it was raining but we started to get hungry and then I remembered that I wanted to try this one place that made crepes in Irvine so Matthew said we should go get some for breakfast. We ordered strawberry crepes and I got some hot chocolate. It was my first time having a crepe and it was very good. The hot chocolate and the crepe made a fantastic breakfast!

 Keeping Alexa occupied

 Mason slept through breakfast

 Cut up strawberries were inside and it was amazing!

 Matthew also ordered root beer and a pina colada smoothie

 This may sound dumb but I loved drinking my hot chocolate out of that cup. It was just different. Yum!

Sunday was even better because it wasn't raining and half of the stuff we did were free!
I have never been to the Great Park in Irvine and I found out that on Sunday's they have a farmers market. I love farmers markets. We left after Alexa woke up from her nap and when we got there we decided to walk around the market first since it was going to close in less than an hour. Matthew and I started making purchases immediately, those people really know how to draw you in with all the free samples they hand out. One free sample and your taste buds are sold! We tried this cake bread and we bought I think 6 in total but 3 different flavors. It was different because it was super moist and had so much flavor. We only sampled one flavor but some of the others looked so good that we had to buy them too. After that purchase we walked by a jam lady that had a variety of different homemade jams. Since I eat a lot of PB&J sandwiches we decided to get a jar of apricot pineapple, so good! Another favorite of mine was the raspberry pear. I'm going to get that next! :) I just wanted to get one at a time so that I knew I wouldn't waste it. As we walked a little further Matthew and I saw the Shaved Ice stand! There was no way that we weren't going to get one of those, haha! That was also very delicious! We had blueberry, strawberry, and watermelon all in one ice! We also bought 5 red potatoes, 1 lb of green beans, and 1 artichoke. After we were done we walked over to the Carousel and Orange Balloon ride. Both are FREE to ride on! All you need to do is sign a form and get your hand stamped. We rode on the carousel and the balloon ride that takes you up 400 ft in the air! It was an amazing weekend!

Christmas 2011

Christmas was especially fun this year! Alexa is now old enough to understand presents and Mason came just in time for us to be home to spend Christmas with the family! It was a great day! This year Matthew and I didn't spend a lot on each other since we now have 2 kids. I got him his NeoCube and he got me the makeup primer that I wanted. We both knew what we were getting each other but that didn't matter since we had more things to look forward to.

It's funny because even though Matthew and I said we wouldn't get each other anything else I got him a jar full of fruity candy and a pair of black slippers and Matthew got me a stocking that had different kinds of candy in it. Plus, little did I know that he had a surprise gift at Grandma Fairbanks house! He got me a nice pair of black boots! It was the perfect 2011 Christmas!

Mason Asher Johnson

After my false alarm, Friday came around and I was still doing fine. I was having constant braxton hicks contractions but still no pain. After putting Alexa down at 8pm Matthew and I continued with our nightly routine of watching The Office episodes on Netflix. Around 9:30 I noticed that I had some small pain when I had a contraction. At first I just thought that it was a stomach ache and that it would go away but it happened a couple more times during my contractions. I also noticed that the pain was getting a little stronger. Matthew noticed that I was a little uncomfortable so I told him that I was having some pain. We then started to time my contractions and after about 30 min and more pain we decided to go to the Hospital. We got our things ready and left Alexa in Kayli's care. I was happy to know that my pain was constant, but the pain was not so painful that I couldn't talk through it. When we got to the Hospital I met the doctor and I was not very happy. The doctor that was on call was a male doctor! I have always had girl doctors so I was a little uncomfortable about this. I knew there was nothing I could do about the doctor, so I just got over it. It also helped that the more I talked with him the more comfortable I felt. The doctor checked to see how many centimeters I was dilated and sure enough I was still only 3 cm! I was so upset because I was having pain. The doctor told me to walk for an hour up and down the hall then he would check me again. So Matthew and I walked from 11 something at night to a little after midnight. We walked up and down this one hallway the whole time. It was kinda nice because the hallway was far off from everyone so we were all by ourselves. I kept having to stop every now and then because my contractions were hurting more and more. I kept thinking that if I'm not dilating there is no way I could just go home and have this pain until the baby finally does come. Matthew was so great through this part because he made me laugh a lot during our long walk. There was this one camera above us in the hallway and he would do the moonwalk and we both joked that the nurses were able to see him dancing on a monitor at there desk, haha. We always make up fake scenarios. After an hour of walking the doctor checked me again and before he said anything I held my hands over my face and said I know you are going to send us home! Dr. Johnston then said well actually you are 4cm and we are going to keep you! I can't even tell you how happy I was that I was in labor and we were going to have our son very soon! They put me in a room and everything was all good. At around 3am they gave me the epidural, which I really needed because I was in major pain by the time it came. I had 3 contractions while the doctor was working on my epidural. It was really tough to stay still, but the nurses helped me to breathe through the pain. 20 minutes later the epidural had kicked in and I was in Heaven! I was numb, but yet I was still able to move my legs like normal. When I had Alexa I couldn't move anything. At about 5am the doctor came in and checked me, he said I was 5cm and then he popped my water. Matthew and I got a little more rest after they came in and at around 7:30 they came in again and checked me and said that I was fully dilated and I could push if I wanted. I said sure and so they got everything ready to go. I pushed for only a few minutes and only a few times and they said Mason was on his way. He came at 8:05am December 24th! He came so fast and so easily that I couldn't believe that he was already here!
Mason Asher Johnson
8:05am 8 lbs 13 oz 21 in
December 24, 2012

 

False Alarm!

It all started on Wednesday December 21st. I was having constant contractions from 6:30 in the morning and they were coming about every 3-5 minutes. I didn't really know what to do because I didn't want to go to the Hospital just to have them send me home. I was already 2 cm dilated and wasn't sure if I was actually in labor. By 9 am I was still having contractions so I told Matthew to come home so that we could go to the Hospital just in case. When I had Alexa my water broke so I had no idea what contractions would feel like. Matthew picked me up and we were off to UCI. When I got there they told me to put on a gown and get in one of the beds and the nurse and on call doctor would be in shortly. Matthew had to wait in the lobby because another girl was in the room with me. When the nurse and doctor came in I told them about my contractions and they said that I looked a little too comfortable to be in labor, haha. Right then and there I was very frustrated because my contractions were so constant that I thought this could be it. They checked me to see how many centimeters I was dilated and it turned out that I was 3 cm. Tuesday I was just a 2 so something was progressing at least. They told me the news I didn't want to hear and that was 1 of 2 things. I could go home and wait to see what happens, if anything, or I could go walk around at the Block across the street for 2 hours and come back to see if I was further along. Since Matthew was already out of work we decided to walk for a bit and try again. It was fun walking around, just the two of us. It felt like old times when we were young and we would go to the Block almost every day during the summer when we were dating. Its funny to look back and see where life has taken you. I wouldn't want my life to be any other way that's for sure!

After 2 hours of shopping and a nice lunch, we went back and guess what??? Nothing changed, so this asian lady came into my room to have me fill out discharge papers and held up 5 fingers and said in her very strong accent that I needed to come back if I was....... and listed 5 things. It was a good thing that those 5 things were on the piece of paper I signed because I could not understand one word that she was saying to me. Basically I needed to come back if I was in PAIN and since I wasn't, they sent me home. I was not happy, but little did I know that my son was on his way very soon!

Still waiting...

So it's been a week since I posted and I'm still waiting for Mason to come! My doctors appointment last Friday went well and Mason is good and healthy. I'm 2cm dilated as of Friday.

Now that Christmas is less than a week away, all I want is to make sure that I'm home to spend Christmas with Alexa. I would LOVE Mason to come this week but if I'm in the hospital for a couple of days, the latest he can arrive is Thursday so that I'm home Christmas Eve. This is honestly the ONLY thing I want for Christmas so I hope Santa can make it happen. Either he comes by Thursday or after Christmas. Anyways, just an update.

Just waiting...

So....... its 12-12-2011 and I really had hoped that Mason would have come by now. I have not been this far along before and the nights are just getting more and more restless. Matthew keeps telling me that I was spoiled with Alexa because she came when I least expected it, 3 weeks and 2 days early. I'm now 37 weeks and 4 days pregnant and I'm so ready to go into labor and deliver this little guy! I have tried walking, spicy food, and other things to induce myself but nothing is working. On Friday my doctor said that I was 1cm dilated and I have another doctors appointment this Friday so if nothing has happened then I hope to at least have dilated a little more. I only have a few more weeks to go but this seems to be the worst part of this pregnancy because I'm so excited to meet Mason and I'm so excited to get back into shape. I have been pregnant for most of 2011 so I'm ready to have my body back to myself again. Another thing I'm excited for is to give Matthew a reason for getting out of work. We love spending all our time together so it will be a lot of fun to have him home for a week or two.

In the meantime my sister-in-law, who I just call my sister because we are so close, is keeping me company. She flew in last Wednesday and she has been amazing! She has cooked me great meals, helped me with Alexa, and its really nice to just sit and talk about everything! I love hanging out with her even if we are just both on our laptops doing other things because its just nice to have someone there if you have something to say.

On another note, Alexa is learning so many new words and its so cute listening to her tell us what she wants when she wants it. She is growing up so fast and I can't believe she will be turning 2 in just 2 months. We love her so much and we can't imagine life without her. She is going to be a great big sister when her brother finally decides to come!

Treats in the Streets

Thursday was a very busy day for the Johnson family. Matthew took half the day off so that we could take a tour of the new Hospital that I will be delivering at. It was a lot of walking and poor Matthew had to hold Alexa most of the time, but by the end of the tour I felt a lot better about what to do and where to go when I go into labor.

Since Alexa is Princess Belle for Halloween, at the last minute, I decided to make Matthew a t-shirt that looks like the Beast suit. It took a lot of time since I don't have a sewing machine and had to hand stitch all of it, but it turned out great for the most part. He needed to look like a prince and I think I accomplished that. I had to work on it all day Thursday because we were to go to our first night of trick-or-treating. Luckily I was able to finish it and we were on our way to a fun filled evening!

Alexa and Matthew were absolutely adorable together, I even got compliments on the t-shirt!

Alexa loves wearing her Princess Belle dress! She had a lot of fun trick-or-treating and the fun isn't over yet, we still have a few more fun evenings planned!