Presli Lillie Hoopes

38 1/2 weeks pregnant and ready to pop!

Just before going into surgery, last belly picture at exactly 39 weeks.

Presli's first picture, only seconds old.

Nice and clean after her first bath

So excited to hold my baby even though I am feeling sick

First picture with mommy and daddy in the recovery room.

Our good friends had their baby just two days after us, so we visited them before we left the hospital.
All ready to go home (well to drive to Richfield)
Watching cartoons with mommy
So tiny in daddy's hands
Hali's gift from baby Presli, she loved it!

On September 23, 2007 at 9:41 our sweet 7lb 4oz and 19in baby girl joined our family. Getting her here was a much less painful and stressful process than Hali. To begin with we chose a day and marked the calendar for when she would arrive. That in of itself was great! She was due Sept 30, so I got to skip a whole week of pregnancy.

We went into the hospital at about 7:30 and my c-section was scheduled for 9:00. I got my IV, filled out all the paperwork and didn't wait long before they had me walking down to hall to where I would be having my baby. Such a different experience than my first delivery! I was pretty calm throughout the whole morning, but as I was walking to the operating room I started to get a little nervous. I was without Travis throughout the beginning procedures so that didn’t help. Even though this was my second c-section this was the first one I would remember. With Hali, after 17 hours of labor my epidural was no longer working. We needed to get her out because I had a fever and they were worried about Hali getting an infection, so they had to put me completely out. Sadly, I don't remember her birth. So with Presli I was just hoping and praying everything would work with the anesthesia so I would be able to see and hear her when she was born.

I received my spinal and was surprised that I literally felt nothing before he said I was done and I could lie down. That was the easy part. They laid me down and I could feel my feet starting to get warm. I wasn't really sure how long it should take for me to be completely numb so I was getting a little worried that as they were prepping me and I could still feel it. My doctor knew I was really worried about this so he assured me he would make sure I was extra numb before he started. My paranoia comes from the fact that when I went into my c-section with Hali they started pinching me for the surgery and I could feel everything they were doing, so I started freaking out and so they put me to sleep.

They tested to make sure I was numb and began. Once they had started they let Travis come in and that calmed me down a lot. I was surprised with how quick it went, and how much tugging and pulling I could feel. It felt like they were pulling her from my chest, and I didn't like that feeling at all. I also had to finally close my eyes because they kept hitting the sheet (because they were pulling quite hard) in front of my face, and at some point I saw fluid spray onto the sheet! At that time I just kept my eyes closed and concentrated on breathing until I heard her cry. Later Travis said to me "you were so out of it during the whole thing, you kept opening and closing your eyes." I told him I wasn't out of it, I just didn't need a visual as to how much force they were putting into getting her out. There were a couple of times that I felt so nauseous I wanted to throw up. Finally, I heard the little gurgled cry and I think I was in shock. It was the best sound I have ever heard in my life! My doctor tried to hold her up over the sheet so I could see her, but all I saw was her little wrinkled forehead. It was such a neat experience to be awake for all of it, but it also made me feel really sad that I missed out on all of that with Hali! I was surprise to hear she was only 7lb 4oz. I wasn't expecting her to be that much smaller that Hali who was 8lbs.

When Travis brought her over to me I was surprised to see she looked a lot like Hali. However, I think that is really the only time I have seen her sister in her. The older she gets the more Barney she gets in her. After she was born Travis went with her to get checked out and I headed to the recovery room. I was feeling quite good after, just SO thirsty! After about a half hour Travis brought her into me and I couldn't believe how small she was. She nursed instantly which was such a blessing since Hali was never great at nursing. After taking a couple pictures in the recovery room we headed up to my room. Just being wheeled down the halls in the bed made me so nauseous.

When I got to my room our whole family was there including Hali. She wasn't really sure what was going on and she got very scared when she saw me hooked up to things, and sick. I told Travis I wanted to be there when she saw her sister for the first time. She was being very shy and wasn't really sure what to think about Presli, but only because I think she was worried about me.

It was after only being in my room for a couple of minutes that I asked my parents about how my Grandpa Barney was doing (he had been hospitalized just the day before) that I found out he had passed away only one hour before Presli was born. They knew when we called them to come to the hospital just before my surgery, but didn't want to ruin my experience. I know the timing was no coincidence. There is no doubt in my mind that my grandpa wanted to see his new great grand-daughter before she left for this earth to give her a big hug and kiss, tell her she is a 'good kid' and send her on her way. I like to think she has a special bond with my grandpa because the day he left this earth is the day she entered. Presli's middle name Lillie is after my Grandpa Barney's mom Lillie.

Having Presli in our hospital room with us throughout my stay was surreal. It was so nice to not have to get out of bed and get wheeled to another floor to the NICU to see, hold and feed my baby! Hali would come and visit periodically until she would get bored in our tiny room. She liked Presli, but was still nervous about me being in the bed.

With Hali I stayed in the hospital 4 days, but with Presli I left after two and a half days because I really wanted to go to my grandpa's funeral in Richfield. I knew it would be rough, but I didn't want to miss it. So two days after my c-section we basically left the hospital and headed to Richfield. That whole weekend was a blur because of the medications I was on, but I am so glad I went!

This c-section was a little rougher for me to recover from, but I think a big part of that was the fact that I traveled right after having her and then we went on vacation to San Diego when she was only two weeks old. So I never really got to just lay in bed to rest and recover.

Presli has been such a sweet spirit in our home. She is such a good baby and we are just thrilled to have her here with us happy and healthy!

Grandpa Barney

Wednesday September 23, 2009, the same day our sweet Presli entered this life my Grandpa Barney left. He passed away at the Richfield Hospital. He went into the Emergency Room Tuesday morning after a rough night. He had severe pneumonia and a bowel obstruction. They prepared my family that the end probably wasn't very far away. So Wednesday morning as I was being prepped for my c-section in St. George many of my my family members were saying goodbye to my Grandpa in Richfield. My dad was a bit torn as to whether he should be with his dad or me. In the end my Grandma Barney told my dad he needed to be there for me. The doctor came in that morning and talked to Grandma and some of my aunts and uncles. After he left, Treasa, my aunt, bent over and told him it was ok to go. About 2 minutes later her passed. He passed peacefully and we feel very blessed that he did not have to suffer very long. My Grandpa was such a neat man and I have so many wonderful memories of him. I feel feel very blessed to have been loved by him and to be one of his granddaughters.

No more monkeys...

I have never tried to upload a video, but found this one and thought I would share. It was midnight in this video and we had been driving home from San Diego for almost 9 hours with our new two week old Presli. As you can see both Trav and Hali were getting a little silly by this point!

Happy Halloween 2009

Kids sure do make holidays much more fun! This year for Halloween Hali was a ladybug and Presli was a little leopard. Because Halloween was kind of celebrated throughout two days we got to fit in a lot of fun activities. Friday I took the girls to Panorama Elementary (where I use to teach) to go watch the kids in their Halloween parade. It is fun to go back to see how grown up my old students have gotten, and to see many good friends I made while teaching. It is weird that in a couple more years my old students won't even be going to that school anymore - crazy how fast time goes by.

After the parade we headed to daddy's work to trick or treat to the residents in the care center. Because of the swine flu they aren't allowing anybody under 14 in the facility, so instead many of the residents lined up their wheel chairs outside and handed out candy. Hali wasn't understanding the 'trick or treat' concept, but knew she wanted a sucker (because I told her on the way over that she could get a sucker in her pumpkin bucket if she said "trick or treat"). So instead of saying "trick or treat" she would say "sucker". All of the residents dug through their candy to find their suckers to give to her. She was very successful in getting many suckers, and was thrilled to carry around her pumpkin bucket full of treats the rest of the day.

Saturday was a pretty relaxed day. My mom came down to see her grandkids all dressed up and suprised them with fun treats and toys. Hali was very excited to have Grandma stay with us. Halloween night Hali got to jump with her cousins in the bounce house that was at Grandma and Grandpa Hoopes house for their ward party. Before and after the party she was thrilled to have the whole thing to herself. She also got lots of candy at the trunk or treat. It was so much fun to see how excited she would get everytime she would get candy put into her bucket.

I was waiting to post this until I had my pictures working, but it may be a while so at least you can read about it for now, and see the pictures later.

One Proud Daddy!!

We went boating quite a bit this summer and on our final trip Trav decided he needed to get Hali up on the board. So here she is at 20 months old wakesurfing! She didn't love it, but mostly because she was out of the water and wanted to be in the water swimming. Travis on the other hand was on cloud nine knowing his daughter has a bright future in his favorite sport. You couldn't wipe the smile from off his face! Way to go Hali bug you made Daddy so proud (and Mommy too)!

One Month Old

The face I get when she is starving

Loving the steam from the shower

Nice and clean after her bath

Hali holding her baby sister "Sesli" (the only time she has held her at home)

Listening to Daddy's advice

Grandma and her girls

The famous 'Presli pucker'

Her hands are always by her face

Again with the pucker

Happy with a full tummy

Mama's sweet girl

She really likes her swing

Our sweet Presli is one month old today, and I am already sad she is growing up so fast. Here are some fun things we have learned about our new addition this past month.

-She loves her head rubbed (and we sure love rubbing that fuzzy little head).
-Her right tear duct is clogged on her eye (just like Hali's was). I am always cleaning it so it looks pretty sore. When she wakes up in the mornings it is always stuck, I hate it!
-She LOVES to be held, and loves her back patted.
-She has an awesome mullet with just a little on top, and a good amount in the back. Her hair is darker (more black) than Hali's was, but like her sister's is extremely curly.
-She doesn't really like to be swaddled and always wants her hands right by her face.
-She nurses like a champ and eats every three hours or sooner.
-Her lips are always puckered.
-She will be completely asleep and just out of nowhere will just cry as loud as she can and will be asleep one second later.
-She likes her binki, but will not take it when she is really hungry.
-She looks more like her mom as a baby where Hali has always looked more like her dad. She is a Barney baby.
-She does like the swing and has taken some very long naps in it (like four hour naps).
-She loves to sleep in our bed. Anybody who knows me knows that it is my rule that our kids don't sleep in our bed, but while she is so young I am allowing it for the last stretch of the night (5am-8am). Let's face it at that point I am just too tired to care!
-In her short life she has already traveled about 25 hours in the car and did great.
-She is always sticking out her little tongue and smacking her lips.

We just love this little girl so much! She is such a good baby, and we feel very blessed and lucky to have her in our family.

Four Week Whirlwind!

I cannot put pictures up right now because it won't work, but before I get too overwhelmed with being behind on updating I thought I would just give a quick update of our lives these last four weeks.

First, we welcomed our sweet Presli to the family (as you already know from Travis' updates). Second my Grandpa Barney passed away the same day Presli was born. He was an amazing man and we will miss him very much. When Presli was only two days old we traveled to Richfield so we could make it to the funeral.

The following week was full of trying to adjust to two kids, lots of Dr. appointments while trying to recover from the weekend trip and a c-section (thank goodness my mom was here to help).
Next I braved heading to San Diego for a whole week for the anual October vacation. Everybody was very helpful with both of the girls and we had a great time, but it is always nice to be home.

This is my first week home alone with the girls and we are just trying to get back into some sort of routine. Hali is very kind to her sister and always says "oh she's cute", however, she is very sensitive when Presli crys. Generally when one is crying it is pretty much a given that very shortly they will both be crying. I am hoping with time she will get out of this stage. The hardest part about it all is that I am unable to pick up Hali. I knew this would be a challenge even before having Presli, but I never thought I would struggle with it so much. How do I explain to my 22 month old that I can't hold her, but then I pick up the baby? She has had a hard time understanding that mommy has an 'owie' that makes it so I can't pick her up. However, only a couple more weeks and hopefully we will have some sort of normalcy again.

I have taken so many cute pictures of our family so I will get them up as soon as I can!