Touched by an Angel . . .

. . . or perhaps I should say Angels. I have been so overwhelmed by the tremendous outpouring of love and support we've received with the arrival of our precious Ashilene. So many wonderful notes, calls, visits, gifts, meals, etc. I haven't even checked my email yet! (Thank you SO much for cleaning our bathroom Alexa!)

It's amazing how the arrival of my little angel, Ashilene, has completely changed my entire world. It's hard to keep track of the days now. My life primarily consists of feeding, changing diapers, trying to make the most of Ashilene's awake times and taking advantage of any chance to get sleep I can. I've had to let go of my insanely task/goal oriented side and just focus on enjoying every simple moment I have at this blessed stage of life. I've always wanted to be a mother, but I'm finding more happiness and joy now than I could've possibly imagined.

I'm sorry I haven't been the best at keeping my blog updated. I have an even greater appreciation for how diligent my awesome sister-in-law, Stacy, is at keeping her blog updated with photos, video clips and fun stories about my darling niece, Annabelle. I will try to be better in the future, but can't make any guarantees.;)

Since I'm kinda counting my blogging as my journaling, I want to type out some of my memories from the past couple weeks. Feel free to just look at the pictures if you don't want to read all the gory details.;)

Ashilene's due date was May 21st. Since I was 16 days late for my poor mother, I had totally mentally prepared myself for my baby to also be born late. Plus I kept hearing that most first babies come late. Also, at my doctor's appointment on Friday May 15th, I was still only 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I figured I easily had at least a week before Ashilene would be born. Consequently I had a HUGE To Do List for Saturday May 16th that included all my last minute Get Ready for Baby Stuff. I definitely was not prepared to be awoken at 6am Saturday May 16th with a scare that my water had broken because of some sudden moisture I felt down there. Upon further investigation, I realized that it was just my mucas plug passing with some bloody show. I got out all the materials I'd received at my Childbirth Class and my other pregnancy books to refresh my memory on what this might mean for me. I was relieved to read that most women don't go into labor for a few days to a week after the passing of the mucas plug. I was relieved because I had way too many things on my To Do List to be going into labor that day. However I was a bit worried by the totally extreme menstrual cramps I kept getting. They were so bad that I couldn't find any comfortable position to lay or sit on my bed and I felt the constant urge to go to the bathroom. The only position I could handle these severe cramps in was sitting on the birthing ball that I had Rojohn inflate for me. Sometime around mid-morning, I called my sister, GayLynn, who had just had her first baby a few months ago. I was curious how long it was between her mucus plug passing and the birth of her son. I was relieved when she said it had been a few days, but then as I began explaining the insane cramps I kept getting, GayLynn told me that my cramps actually sounded a lot like contractions. I was still kinda in denial that I might actually be having a baby that very day when I called my mom to tell her that I didn't think I'd be able to make it to the bridal shower I was supposed to attend with her at 11:30am. I told her I thought I might be in early labor, but that it could possibly last a few days. As the pain continued, I began to hope that maybe it wouldn't last a few days because it was hurting more and more and the thought of having to endure that kind of pain for a few days was not at all pleasant! I started trying to keep track of my contractions and began reviewing my To Do List to determine how I could possibly get everything done that absolutely had to get done before the baby came, just in case I actually was going into labor. Rojohn was able to do the Walmart shopping and even assembled our new glider and ottoman. After the bridal shower, my dear mother was able to run a few errands and do some laundry for me. I think it was around 3pm when I finally called my doctor's office. After speaking with the oncall doctor, she told me that it did sound like I was in labor and could probably leave for the hospital in about an hour. That meant I needed to take a shower, get dressed and pack for the hospital. That had been on my To Do List for that day, but the contractions really slowed me down! It took me forever to get packed and ready because I had to stop every 5 minutes or less to have a contraction. As the pain with each contraction got worse and worse, I began making up songs that I would sing about how much pain I was in to try and distract myself from the severe pain. I think it was almost 7pm by the time I was finally packed and ready enough to make the journey to the hospital. I called each of my siblings and my friend, Tiffany, on the drive to the hospital to try and distract myself from the contractions. It was terribly uncomfortable not being able to sit on the birthing ball in the car!

Rojohn parked right in front of the hospital. There was NO WAY I would've made it all the way from the parking garage! Those who know me, know that I have a tendency to bring more than I actually need in my attempts to be prepared for anything, so you just have to picture poor Rojohn carrying my bag, his bag, my purse, the computer bag AND the birthing ball all by himself as I tried to walk beside him through the pain. Like I mentioned, we were parked right in front of the hospital, but I had to stop 3 times to sit on the birthing ball for a contraction before we made it to the front door of the hospital. I'm sure we were quite a sight! Finally someone came and rescued me with a wheelchair and hurried me up to the 3rd floor for Labor and Delivery.

Although I do love the theatre, I've never considered myself to be much of a drama queen offstage, however I found myself quite vocal in the expression of my pain that day. As I kept crying out "It hurts! It really hurts!", they wheeled me to the front of the line of pregnant women at the admitting desk and got the only absolutely necessary signature they needed in order to admit me. It's kinda funny because it was after I actually gave birth that they went back and had me sign everything I should've signed beforehand (like the consent to do a vaginal delivery.)

As they wheeled me over to Triage, they asked if I needed to use the restroom. At first I moaned, "I don't know," but then I said that I should probably at least try. I ended up having 3 contractions while in the restroom and Rojohn said that my moans echoed through all of Triage! When I finally made it out of the bathroom, they had me get up on the bed in Triage, which was definitely not comfortable, and they discovered that I was already 10 cm dilated! It was determined that they needed to get me straight to Labor and Delivery and I was informed that I had missed my window for an epidural. This baby was going to be delivered a Naturale! The nurses were pretty amazed that I'd labored for so long at home before coming in. I guess I have a higher tolerance for pain than I thought. Of course, I think it was mostly because I couldn't allow myself to come in without having my bags packed, so that forced me to endure the pain.

Unfortunately my doctor was not available that night, but the on call doctor (Dr. Schleign?)ended up being fantastic! She did an excellent job coaching me through everything. It was still by far the most painful thing I've ever experienced in my life, but I'm sure it could've been much worse. After about 45 minutes of pushing, Ashilene made her grand entrance. She was in a little shock from the delivery and had to be taken care of before they could bring her to me, but I still needed to endure the stitches for my slight second degree tear anyway. My face got terribly swollen and I even popped a blood vessel in my eye from all the hard pushing, but once they were able to bring Ashilene over to me, I was reminded of how it was all totally worth it.

I have to say, I'm really glad we had our first baby at Alta Bates. They put a real emphasis on helping first time moms have a positive experience and I really did have a positive experience. The nurses were great -- so very helpful and kind. We were so grateful to have our own postpartum room. There was even a bed for Rojohn. We stayed in the hospital until Monday and enjoyed visits from many of our family members.

Grandpa Darryl and Grandma Lynda Pettersen:

Lola and Uncle Teejay Rieta:

Rigo and Riesel Canizalez: (Ashilene can't wait until her new cousin, Kaylana, is born in August!)

On Monday afternoon (May 18th), we left Alta Bates with lots of baby care items and headed home with our precious new bundle of joy. Unfortunately, Ashilene absolutely hated her car seat at first. It broke my heart to see and hear her sobs. Finally I started singing Primary songs to her. She cried through "I Love to See the Temple", but by the time I got to the second verse of "I Am a Child of God", she had completely calmed down. Then I had to try and sing through my tears because I got so emotional thinking about the powerful message in each of the beautiful Primary songs. Rojohn made sure we stopped by the Oakland temple on our way home from the hospital. We want the temple to always be a very special place for Ashilene.

The first night Ashilene came home she cried almost nonstop from midnight to 5am! I was SO scared that this is how she was going to be every night, but fortunately she's never had a night like that since. She's mostly on approximately a 3 hour feeding schedule. Sometimes she'll feed more frequently during the day and occasionally she'll even go 4 hours at night. I always love it when that happens.:) We've had to be creative in where we get her to go to sleep. Sometimes she'll sleep in her crib, sometimes her car seat and sometimes we give in and let her sleep with us.



The first week Ashilene came home, my dear mother made dinner for us every night. My dad would join us after work. He enjoyed reading from The Baby Whisperer book I'd been reading. It promotes the E.A.S.Y. system (Eat, Awake, Sleep, You). I love this picture because it shows my dad trying desperately to keep a totally sleepy Ashilene awake with my mother cooking another one of her delicious meals in the background.

Over Memorial Day Weekend, Ashilene got to meet her cousin, Jonah Ribeira. I still remember how tiny Jonah was in the hospital, so it totally tripped me out seeing how big he is next to Ashilene now. It was fun getting together to celebrate my dad and Grandma Ardie's birthdays. It's pretty cool because Ashilene and her Mommy and her Grandpa Darryl and her Great Grandma Ardie all have birthdays in May. What a fabulous month to be born in!


This past week, members of our ward have brought in yummy meals for us. We've also enjoyed more visits from friends, like Nancy Lemmon, and Rojohn's family. Rojohn's Grandma Purie brought us some Melagat with a special Philipino vegetable that is supposed to be good for breastmilk. Cool story about Grandma Purie -- when we were still in the hospital with Ashilene, I remember looking at her and thinking she looked a lot like her Great Grandma Purie. A while ago, we had decided to give Ashilene the middle name Maria after Maria Von Trapp from The Sound of Music. Then I found out that Great Grandma Purie's first name is actually Maria! I've just always known her as Grandma Purie (apparently Purisima is her middle name that she goes by). So now Ashilene Maria has 2 awesome namesakes.:)

In addition to the endless feeding, diaper changing and sleeping, Ashilene has also made visits to the doctor (We love her pediatrician, Dr. Balestreri --Thanks Carolyn!), Babies R Us (to get all the things we were supposed to pick up the Saturday she ended up being born!), a Car Seat Installation Inspection, Daddy's work and Mommy's work to meet all their co-workers, the Hayward 1st Ward Memorial Day Picnic and she even made it out to sacrament meeting today.

We love our precious little Ashilene SO much! Many times I will find myself just staring at her in wonder and awe and thanking my Heavenly Father for the tremendous blessing of having her in my life. Being a Mommy is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me! I love you Ashilene!