Ashlyn Elizabeth Lloyd

Born July 1st, 2010 at 2:35pm. Weighing 8lbs 3oz and measuring 21 inches long.

The Story:

I (Sara) went into the hospital Thursday at noon. Although my surgery wasn’t schedule until 2pm… I wasn’t quite sure why I had to be there 2 hours early, but I was there, along with Matt and my parents. Jackson went to play at Tio Steve’s and Tia Norma’s. When I checked in they didn’t have a room for me. WHAT?! I’m a schedule c-section, how can you not have a room for me? *sigh* Literally an hour and a half later they had a room. Which gave the nurses 30 minutes to prep me: IV (ugh, still have a bruise), medication, questions, gown, etc etc etc. I had 3 nurses pulling every which way, asking all sorts of questions–it was very hectic but they were determined to get me in the operating room. And I’m glad for it.

The pregnant me

prepped and ready to go! let's DO THIS!!

This time, for my C, I walked into the operating room. This experience was so completely different than my last C. SO much more postive!! In the operating room I was given a spinal (which made me nauseous) and then Matt was allowed in. At 2:35pm our beautiful baby girl was born and with blonde hair!! While Matt was with Ashlyn in the nursery and the doctors were putting me back together, my doctor noticed that where my previous incision was (from my C with Jackson) that my uterus was pretty thin, almost translucent and that she’s not quite sure my uterus would’ve made it through a long labor. After hearing that, I’m even more grateful we opted for the Cesarean.

After my surgery I was in recovery for about an hour and then they wheeled me to my postpartum room. However, because Ashlyn was a c-section baby, her breathing wasn’t what the nurses wanted it to be. For naturally born babies, their lungs get squeezed in the birthing canal which helps get the fluid out of their lungs. But Ashlyn was a C section baby and her lungs didn’t get squeezed. So until her breathing was what the nurses wanted, I laid in bed waiting to hold my baby for about 3 hours after my C. *UGH!!*

Finally, around 6ish, I got to hold her.

The first night Matt got to stay with me. But the second night he had to leave, since I ended up having to share a room. There were a lot of babies born those few days. But luckily for me, I got to leave on Saturday. It was SO nice to be home with my family!!

Here are some more photos of that first day, taken by my amazing sister-in-law, Joni

Life is good. Amen.

Had my last doctors appointment today. It went well. After 40 weeks of being pregnant, Ashlyn will be here tomorrow! At my last appointment my doctor noticed (from my ultrasound at 38 weeks) that Ashlyn is a big girl. My doctor was/is concerned that if I did VBAC, Ashlyn’s head would be delivered but her abdomen could possibly become stuck in the birthing canal. *Just so you get an idea, at my ultrasound I was 38 weeks pregnant, Ashlyn’s head measured at 39 weeks and her abdomen measured at 41!! And she measured about 8.5lbs. YIKES!* After that, we scheduled a ceasaren for tomorrow, Thursday July 1st at 2pm. And although I wanted to have a vaginal delivery with this one, I would much much rather have a safe delivery than a traumatic one.  It doesn’t help my case any that for the past 3 appointments there has been NO change in my cervix. How ’bout that?! No change. Still the same. Annnndddd I am SO done being pregnant. So for me, a c-section is welcomed!  Today the doctor estimated that Ashlyn will be around 9lbs. She’ll be one healthy girl, that’s for sure! I have had a very healthy pregnancy and have kept my weight gain under control. (thank God!) I weigh a lot less than I did when I delivered Jackson and I only went 37 weeks with him. I’m very much proud of this But I also think this is what has kept preclampsia away this time. And I praise God for that!!! So tomorrow we become a family of 4!! I couldn’t be more excited! Hopefully I’ll sleep tonight… but I highly doubt it.  Prayers and positive thoughts are welcomed! Pictures will be coming soon…

a picture update of Jackson

i’ve been meaning to post some pictures and videos of Jackson and now that i have a little time (hubby’s at a church meeting and J is down for a nap).

MARCH: Jackson’s 2nd birthday

jackson really likes firetrucks!

cousins!! jackson, macy and zach

family photo in front of the bounce house

SPRING BREAK (end of march/beginning of april): we went to the ZOO!

GIRAFFE!

seals were fun!

the zoo was f.u.n.

EASTER: we colored Easter eggs! and the Easter bunny was very good to us

SO fun! and wearing a towel for a apron, since he doesn't have one... yet...

thank you Easter Bunny!

and last but not least a video of jackson singing twinkle, twinkle little star

IT’S A GIRL!!

20 weeks! and it's a GIRL

We found out last week that we’re having a little baby GIRL!!  I’m feeling good. Feeling her kick and flip and headbutt my bladder! Had an ultra sound this week and the tech said she was 14 oz already!! I guess average is about 10 oz… so I’m thinking she’ll be a big girl and hopefully early-ish! I’m coming to terms with my weight gain, especially since I haven’t even hit the 10 lbs mark yet. Mostly because I am being as conscious as possible about my salt intake. Sugar, on the other hand, is ALL I want. Jackson likes to point to my belly and say ‘baby. Ashlyn.” (Yup. That’s her name. It’s been her name since before she was even created. and NO not like the street!) We’ve gotten a few cute little girly outfits, which is always fun. So that’s a little snap shot into our lives right now. People ask us if we’re done after this since we’ll have one boy and one girl. I honestly don’t know. If I get really sick again (preclampsia) then yes, mostly likely we’ll be done. But if not… who knows….

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

…pregnancy…

i’ve been meaning to blog about this pregnancy for a while now. and now that i dinner is done, eaten and put away and jackson is playing in the living room, i have about 2 minutes to myself to spit this out. i am about 18 weeks pregnant now and starting to show. well, actually, i started showing a few weeks ago but now people ask me “are you expecting?” several times i’ve wanted to say “NO!” and stomp

off… but i haven’t. why do i love awkwardness? we find out next week if we’re having  a boy or girl. i have a feeling it might be a girl but i’m not as certain as i was that jackson was a boy.

so far this pregnancy has been “easy.” morning sickness was bearable and over quickly at 13 weeks. i was/and-still-am tired but don’t often get a chance to rest with an almost 2 year old running around. that’s one positive thing about this pregnancy–it’s gone by rather fast. which for me is a HUGE plus…. ’cause guess what? pregnancy is not my favorite. the end result? that precious baby–makes it all worth it. but i do not enjoy pregnancy. and this particular time i think there two main reasons.

::one:: gaining that freakin’ weight! i know most women are like “YES! finally!! a reason to get FAT!!”" that was totally me during my first pregnancy. well, maybe not getting fat, but eating everything and anything i wanted or ‘craved.’ i did not eat healthy with jackson. at. all. but last year i worked very hard to lose that baby weight and get in shape and get healthy. and now i have to gain this weight back! it might sound silly to you but this is what it is for me.

::tw0:: i’m going for a VBAC this time around (verses another c-section, Lord willing) and when my Dr got my op report back from kaiser she turned and looked at me and said “GUUURRRRRLL… you were SICK!!” seriously, that’s how she said it. i love my Dr.!  i knew i had preclampsia with jackson but then i learned that i had severe preclampsia. *gasp* i had no idea!! and the chances of getting preclampsia again increases if you had severe preclampsia the first time around. *big sigh* so i’m supposed to stick to a low salt/no salt diet. and i have NO idea how to do this.  i’m praying against getting preclampsia again and doing everything i can not to get it. i’m also healthier now and eating better than i did with jackson, so i’m hoping that helps.

luckily this pregnancy is going by a lot faster than my first one. and for that-i’m thankful. lately i’ve been able to feel the baby move, which is fun. that part i like. so here’s to the second half of my pregnancy going as fast and as healthy as the first.

jackson in his NEW CAR! had to end the post with a pic of my first born!

It seems as though I only get to blogging every few months. I hate that. I wish I were more… hmm what’s the word… consistent. I wish I were more consistent. There’s always a new story around here. Especially that Matt, Jackson and I are living with my parents and my brothers kids almost always over here. *sigh* alas, I am far from consistent when it comes to blogging. And because I am so inconsistent, here’s a little snap shot into our lives since we’ve moved to Fresno/Clovis.

MATT: started a full time job working for a company called J&D FoodService where he is an inside sales rep. And he looooves it! He’s met some pretty awesome people and enjoys working. I love the stories he comes home with and the fact that Matt really wants to learn Spanish now. So he tries to converse with my mom (and sometimes me)… and he eventually switches over to German. It’s pretty entertaining.  We’ve also got to try some amazing food that J&D carries (since they are a food/restaurant supply distribution company.)

SARA: I started my job at the beginning of the year as only part-time. But within the month, they bumped me to full time! Which means benefits!! HOLLA!! I work for Clovis Unified as a sign language interpreter–a job that at one point I thought about giving up. And now I love my job! I love the kids I work with. I love the teachers and other interpreters I work with. The school is great! GREAT! GREAT! GREAT!

JACKSON: is 21 months and will be 2(!) in March! He is very much into sports: soccer, baseball, football, basketball. He only kicks left footed. His sign vocabulary has increased a lot lately but he has also become a “parrot.” The other day my mom called him a “little brat.” And for the rest of the day he said “little brat, little brat.” Jackson also loves music! When Matt gets home from work, Jackson will sign “guitar” so that Matt will play Rock Band for him. True Story! He is such a busy little boy but brings so much joy to those around him. I really should post more cute stories about my ham of a son…

CHURCH:We have been attending Sequoia Community Church in S/E Fresno and are LOVING it!! It’s a relatively new church, planted by our dear friends Nic and Katie Pope. We’ve met some pretty rockin’ people and are looking forward to serving more consistently in this new year. Matt is going to finish his degree by doing his last internship there and we are very excited to see how God moves in this!

… so that’s our life so far. The last thing that’s new and exciting is we are PREGNANT with baby number 2!! We are due June 30th–which means as I write this, I am 13 1/2 weeks pregnant. I’m past the nauseous part but am still tired. However, I feel like it’s gone by so fast! Which is nice, since pregnancy isn’t my favorite thing in the world. The end result of pregnancy is quite amazing… but oh those 40 weeks…

Here are some pictures of the past few months, here in good ol Fresno

Jackson learning to hit off the tee

Jackson's costume for Halloween--A GUITAR!

family pictures!! by max wyatt

I am sure that a lot more has happened during these last few months and maybe my new years resolution should be to be more consistent in blogging. Although I think I say that every year… maybe this year will be different. Maybe. Once we download pictures from Christmas, I’ll upload those too. But before I end this post, I gotta give a shout out to my sis-in-law (Heidi) and her hubs (Joe) on the birth of their first baby girl: Elizabeth Joy! Born Dec 26th, 2009! I love this little girl SO much and I have yet to hold her. Guess we’ll be traveling to Vancouver sooner than later! Oh and another shout out to our parents for all the support and baby sitting these past few months. We couldn’t have gotten through it with out you!!

…welcome home Lloyd family, welcome home…

I have learned a very important lesson this past week: never say never. I am eating my words. I was wrong. And I can’t believe I am about to say this…

We’re moving back to Fresno/Clovis.

Yeah, I know. You can say “I told you so.” I deserve it. Matt, on the other hand, knew better. And believe or not we are SO VERY excited to move home. Ahhh… HOME. Family. Friends. Affordable housing. Yodigity. Dog House. Bubba-Lu’s… Ok so here’s the story:

Matt and I have been trying to figure out what we are supposed to be doing/where we’re supposed to be living, working, ministering, etc for the past 7-8ish months. It has been a very trying and difficult time for us. I have screamed, cried, pouted and shaken my fists at both Matt and God. I said I would NEVER move back to Fresno. I was wrong. This past weekend I started to realize (and God started to reveal) what life would be like in both Fresno and LA. In LA we’d be permanent renters. We would both have to work full time. I would not get to stay home with Jackson and his future sibling(s). And this did not sit well with my heart. I started to ask Matt “what’s keeping us here?” And he didn’t really have an answer—except Aunt Debbie and Marisa. (It is going to be the hardest thing, to leave them. That just breaks my heart.) From here my heart really started to change. If we moved to Fresno we could own a house sooner than later. We wouldn’t be living from paycheck to paycheck. Our family and friends live in Fresno/Clovis (or the surrounding areas.) So Matt and I talked about what it would be like to come home and it just started to make sense. Things started to fall into place.  And within a week we could see and feel and hear God say “Yes. Fresno. Do it.”  I am sad to leave LA, especially Pasadena. I will miss my girlfriends from Wives. I will miss La Canada Volleyball.  I will miss the farmers markets, the closeness to the beach, the shopping, the weather, New Moon (the restaurant), but especially Marisa and Aunt Deb.

Pray for us as we transition back. LA and Fresno, although close in proximity, are two very different worlds. One not better than the other. Just different. Matt and I have learned a lot here at Fuller and are excited to bring what we learned back home and somehow apply it…? For those of you who have supported us and prayed for us and kept in contact with us (despite my inability to keep in contact with you)… THANK YOU! We are excited for this next journey in our life.

GO DOGS!!

A Few Snap Shots of our busy life since… February?!?

♥FEBRUARY♥

Jackson had a photo shoot with the famous photographer B. Davis

Sara’s birthday celebration

SMOOCH!!

the Group!

*MARCH*

Jackson on his actual BDay 3/19/09

Jackson's birthday party. He didn't like his hat.

CUPCAKE!

Matt, Steve and Dad/Opa at spring training in AZ watching the Dodgers

APRIL

Jackson and Auntie Lyndsey on the tram to Disneyland!!

DUMBO!

Jackson's Fresno birthday party at Oma and Opa's

Easter Basket!!

Paco and Grandma with Jackson on Easter

Opa and Oma with Jackson

(wow April was a busy month!)

~MAY~

not sure if this is in May... but had to add it in here. Jackson wearing Daddy's shoes

For Mother's Day, Matt got awesome Dodger tickets for us--it was a beautiful day AND the Dodger's won! (and we could be seen on TV)

me and my hubs

For our anniversary, I surprised Matt with a trip to the beach and stayed in a fancy beach house. this is us walking to the beach

the beach was a 10 minute walk from the house. too bad the sun didn't come out all weekend.

I’m sure I’m missing some events and have forgotten some pictures. But you get the idea. It’s been a busy past couple of months and summer is right around the corner. Hopefully I’ll update the blog more… hopefully. Happy Memorial Day!

Matt’s lament…

It is almost 10:30pm on a Sunday night and Matt has yet to finish his homework and post it online. (It’s due by midnight.) This sums up his feelings about his homework:

Homework! Oh, Homework!
by Jack Prelutsky

============

	Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink! I wish I could wash you away in the sink. If only a bomb would explode you to bits. Homework! Oh, homework! You’re giving me fits.
	I’d rather take baths with a man-eating shark, or wrestle a lion alone in the dark, eat spinach and liver, pet ten porcupines, than tackle the homework my teacher assigns.
	Homework! Oh, homework! You’re last on my list. I simply can’t see why you even exist. If you just disappeared it would tickle me pink. Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink!

It’s about time!!

I have been meaning to blog for the past month and a half now and am finally getting around to it. FINALLY!! We had a great holiday traveling all over… we visited our friends in snowy Portland, OR. Which was fabulous!! Jackson got to meet Reid, who is about 7 months young and almost the same size as Jackson. It was really good to see our friends and we miss them dearly.  a few pictures for your enjoyment:

 

matt excited to SEE his breath

 

sara talking with Reid

 

The Lloyds and the Lails in the snow

 there are so many more pictures of this trip, including a really cute one of me and anna, but this is already gonna be a very long post—i can feel it. 

 

Next was our trip to the ‘No to visit family for Christmas. Man, it seems like so long ago…. It was  a great time of hanging out with friends and seeing family. It was nice for Jackson to get to hangout with all his cousins. Let’s see… do I have some pictures? Yes, yes I think I do: 

 

jackson in a santa hat that is a bit too big for him

 

Matt and Sara by the Christmas tree

 

Missy playing with our camera... and our son.

 

Jackson on Christmas morning, after being up 1/2 the night with a fever

 

Christmas dinner at Oma and Opa's. mmmmmmmmm

As I’m going through my pictures, I am realizing that we don’t have any family pictures on Christmas. Which is LAME! I know we took family pictures… I just don’t have them on this computer. BLAST! Oh well–maybe family that does have those pictures will send them to us. (hint hint Oma and Opa and maybe Joni?)  

Since I’m having such a hard time remembering the going-ons of our lives, I’ll do updates by family member. Starting with… MATT

MATT: Ended his internship at MBCP with an amazing retreat in Glen Oak. He lead a workshop called “God and the media” or something to that affect, which went over quite well with the kids. *Jackson and I stayed home, unfortunetley, since J was sick.* Matt has 2 1/2 more quarters at Fuller. Which is both exciting and pretty freakin’ scary. He is enjoying this quarter with lots of Wii, free time (until he gets a J.O.B.) and hanging out with one of his BFF’s who recently moved with his family to attend Fuller. 

 

SARA: is really tired right now. I have recently become a distributor for Juice Plus+ and am very excited about the opportunities it has already given me. *I’ll post a link to my JP website soon* I am hoping to interpret a class or two at the local city college this spring semester. I will also be helping out a friend of mine start up a Young Life ministry called “Caperneum” I’m really excited about that!! Hopefully this Spring/Summer my best friend, Lyndsey and I will enter a beach volleyball tourney–more motivation to get in shape. I am enjoying going to my Fuller Wives Support group on Wednesday mornings. And now I get to walk with my good friend Gia who is married to Matt’s BFF that recently moved to Fuller. That kinda worked out nicely. 

JACKSON: is a very busy little man. He is cruising around the furniture and standing on his own for a few seconds at a time. Matt actually tricked him into taking his first steps the other day. I just about freaked out… in a good way. Jackson says ‘Ma ma ma’ and ‘Da da da’ and today he actually started saying ‘uh oh’. He thinks he’s a comedian and likes to dance. And thinks it’s funny to spit at you. He is growing and changing faster that I’d like him to. I can’t believe he is 10 mos already and will be a year this March.

I think I’ll end this post with some more pictures… and here’s to hoping I blog more often than I have been.

 

our last friday night with youth alive *tear*

 

Jackson and Santa

 

swinging at the playgroud