Happy Birthday Nikki!

Yesterday my best friend and Reef's godmother turned 25! I was lucky enough to see her over the weekend since she hopped on a flight and surprised the bageezus out of us :)

I can't imagine my life without her. She's not my best friend but the third sister Bridget and I never had. Nothing but love for her. xo

SURPRISE, YOU'RE MOVING!

Yep, I haven't been around much lately. With Reef, family, friends, and more family coming and going last thing I needed or wanted was..TO MOVE...but I can't control anything the army says, soooooo...We're moving ASAP. We'll be off to Texas in who knows...at earliest in 2 weeks (YES TWO FREAKING WEEKS) and at latest in 4 weeks. We weren't supposed to leave until January 2012, so..yea..sucks...we had a glorious plan of taking a month or two in Kona (my home town) and then off to Texas to start our army-less life BUT nothing seems to work out how I plan...which I'm learning to accept.

Come Monday I will be packing packing packing. Luckily my mother-in-law is here to help, THANK GOD.

In other news: Reef is getting huge.

Have a fabulous weekend.
xo

The Happiest Baby on The Block- READ THIS BOOK & WATCH THE CLIPS

If you have a colicky baby- read this book.
If you have a fussy baby- read this book.
If you have a baby like mine who won't go back to sleep in the middle of the night- read this book.
If you have a baby in general- read this book.

I first heard of it from Joanna Goddard in this post on her blog (A CUP OF JO), which if you don't follow it you totally should, she's hilarious and completely down to earth with great advice.

Dr. Karp (a brilliant, brilliant man) has come up with a very simple solution to calming your screaming baby. Before I explain it I've posted two videos- one British and one American- of interviews with Dr. Karp and him demonstrating the technique. I like the British one better because the American one is on The View and ugh the ladies during this interview were just fricken irritating- like LET THE MAN TALK. Anyways, I digress.

Maybe you're like me. You don't follow too many baby trends because, well, many of them just don't work.This one...oh this one does and is totally worth the $10 bucks for the book on amazon. I'm lucky enough to have a Kindle reader on my phone and downloaded it straight to there. There's a lot of info for a whole big book but just flip through and find the techniques and have at it. Your baby will thank you and so will your sanity. AND DON'T WORRY- IT'S SUPER EASY!!! (I know, you probably think I'm lying).

Torn, Tired, TMI, & Tentacles

WARNING: DO NOT READ ON IF YOU DONT LIKE TO HAVE TMI RUBBED IN YOUR EYES.

Today my amazing parents left and Zach went back to work. Today has been rough. Today, I'm exhausted. 

For some reason unknown to me Reef decided he wouldn't sleep from 1:30am-4am this morning and that everything I did would make him content and then highly upset. We played this game for two and a half hours. I know, newborns are fussy and unpredictable and yadda yadda yadda but DAMN I'm tired. I barely remember Zach leaving for work, did he kiss me goodbye or was that a dream? Who knows. BUT I'm very blessed. Before they left my mom held and rocked Reef so I could get in a quick nap since he wasn't into napping this morning either.

I'm also unbelievably sore. I, and here comes the TMI, tore in three different places- I tore down (perineum), inside (i have no idea what this is technically called), and I also tore up (labial tear). NOW, I feel slightly cheated and lied to in the fact that I read all the books, took the classes, and talked to my doctor but somehow NO ONE & NO BOOK mentions Labial Tearing- bitches. Even finding credible information on the internet on Labial tears isn't easy. And, since I was so overwhelmed with the birth of my son I didn't really ask my doctor about the tears while she was stitching me up- big mistake on my part.

I can't sit right and I can't stand or walk for anything more than five minutes. It's seriously ridiculous. I also have no idea to what degree I tore either. Ibuprofen and tylenol are my two best friends in the world, I take those suckers every six hours and that relieves some of the pain- thank good god.

Did anyone else have these kinds of tears? I hate to get all "open" with you guys but after giving birth I really have no shame anymore. Sad but true.

And, lastly, here's a photo Zach took of my dad playing with an octopus out at a dive spot called Fire House on the North Shore of Oahu.

My family rocks (just saying)

Papa Clarke with Reef..this kids got it MADE.

I have absolutely no clue if we would have survived the last 11 days without my parents being here, without my sister living here, and without our best friend Jordan living here and being awesome (like so awesome that he cleans up after my dogs have an accident in the house...yes, he's that kind of amazing friend).

Did anyone else have a straight month of family come visit when they had their baby? I'm a little overwhelmed and a lot excited and then more overwhelmed. My parents leave tomorrow night- seriously people I have no idea what I'm going to do without them cooking every meal, cleaning my house, and doing laundry...not to mention taking my crazy dogs on walks and holding Reef so I can pee and take a shower (you know, the things that I took for granted before I popped my son out) Funny side note: I had to pee so bad and no one was home so I took Reef in there with me and gave him a sorry look and said "hopefully you won't remember this and need to see a therapist when you're older" gotta do what you gotta do right?!

Anywho, my grandmother, aunt, and cousin arrive around 1:30pm today- I haven't seen my Nana since our wedding and my aunt and cousin...hmm it's been a WHILE. After they leave my mother-in-law arrives and once she goes home my other epically fun aunt arrives and half way through her stay my best friend finally gets to fly over!!!!!!

I'm really extremely blessed to have such wonderful friends and family willing to fly all the way to our little island in the pacific just to meet our son and chill out on the beach (btw when can I take my newborn in the ocean?! I think it's 2 months, we'll see what the doc says on Wednesday).

I hope everyone is having a relaxing Sunday...the trade winds are a-blowin' today and it feels oh so nice.

xo

The Big Debut of Reef Kaikoa Follis

HE'S FINALLY HERE!!!!

excuse my crazy boob and jaba-the-joyce face

The quickie on the birth story (longer version to come once I figure out some balance in my house). 

After all of my complaining I started getting light contractions on August 2nd around 4pm, we thought it was false labor...again...BUT I woke up at about 2am on August 3rd (12 days before my due date) doubled over in pain- oh...so THAT'S what a contraction feels like. I woke Zach up and told him that we needed to leave in an hour for the hospital...he went back to sleep for half a second then realized what I said, got out of bed, took a shower, and started running around getting everything together.

I was checked into Queens Medical Center by 3:45am and had an epidural by 4:45am while I was about 5cm dilated- I know people have strong views on meds vs no meds but oh dear god I LOVED that epidural.

My parents flew in around 7am (thank goodness they only live a few islands away) and by 2:30pm I was 10cm and ready to go...oh wait...that's right, my doctor...she STILL wasn't there. I know they wait until the end to show up but she was seriously pushing it. I told the nurse I NEEDED to push- seriously, if I didn't start pushing it felt like I might die on the inside. 

40 minutes later they told me to "STOP PUSHING, you're doctor is in the parking lot" so I sat there with my son literally about to fully pop out as my doctor waltzed on in...5 minutes later, at 3:22pm & a doctor not even in her scrubs yet,  I had a gooey 6lbs 14oz little baby in my arms.

After a not so ideal pregnancy filled with loads of hurdles I had a smooth sailing labor and am SO thankful for that. Queens Medical Center literally provided the most outstanding care I've ever been witness to and my nurses- FLIPPING AWESOME. Seriously..I kind of want to facebook stalk them and go to the beach sometime, that's how rad they were!

SO..here are some pictures and what I have learned about my son, my husband, myself, and my dogs in the last 8 days.

Zachs Gigantic size has transferred to our little baby robot- Look at those feet!

I've discovered a new level of love for Zach that I can't describe.

I shouldn't try to take photos after not sleeping for two days.

Reef has my nose, zach's lips, my chin, and zach's eyes.

Reef is obsessed with his hands and squeezing fingers.

The last week just leaves my speechless at times.

I've never been so afraid of a car seat.

Zach is a really good dad.

After 3 nights my son finally slept in his bassinet/Arms Reach Co-Sleeper! He also hates being swaddled.

He sleeps just like his dad.

HUGE hands.

Reef is a serious wiggler/snuggler

I've never felt something so loving and perfect.

too hot for clothes.

I had no idea a smile like this could make not only my entire day better but my life better.

Reef has a love/hate relationship with his bouncer. He loves it when he's asleep and hates it when he's awake.

I don't really need anything else in the world.

Despite my largest most natural efforts my son has epic diaper rash on his booty. So, now he naps in a towel while I air out that crazy bottom...Any suggestions for diaper rash cure???

Diesel wants nothing more then to lick every single inch of Reef..I think it's killing him more and more each day. He's also taken a week to calm down and be allowed in our bedroom with baby BUT he's being so gentle and such a good guard dog. He'll ignore all the people in our house take his chew toy and sit outside of our door just waiting/guarding. I love him.

Rub your feet and pop a baby out?! + Pyscho Dog

I'm getting desperate and I still have 14 days to go until my due date. I'm SO ready people. I have everything we could ever possibly need for the first few months of life for this child. My last night of coaching is tonight and then I will be only coaching our morning workouts that are much closer to my house- I AM READY. I'm also a control freak and extremely impatient- it makes my sister laugh at me.

Anyways...I made, yes MADE, her rub my feet for a good half an hour in hopes it would speed up the whole labor process...I know I know...not good but I'm just done. Pau. Kapoot. If castor oil wasn't so dangerous I'd be downing a few spoonfuls of that as well. AND I'm the only person I know who hasn't gone into labor from having sex...come on universe..please?! Nope, just terrible braxton hicks all night. Oi Vei.

Also, the next few days are the birthdays of some of my best friends so maybe he'll hop on the cool train with them. As you can see I'm delirious.

My sister's not really a creep but she looks like one here

In other quick news: anyone have advice for crazy territorial dogs? My sweet-dumb-loving boxer has been getting gnarly the more preggo I get...He bit our neighbor...our NEIGHBOR who he LOVES because he tried to come over and say hi...WTF?! He doesn't leave my side either. As you can see from the photo above...If I'm napping, Diesel is napping. If I'm doing laundry Diesel is somehow right behind me ready to trip me...If I'm in the shower Diesel HAS to be lying down right outside of the tub IN the bathroom. And heaven forbid someone walks outside my bedroom window...He stands on the pillows barking like he's going to eat their face and won't let me get between him and the window aka "them"- I kid you not it's getting ridiculous. My sister and I took him and Brie do the doggie beach park hoping to burn off some steam and put him in a calmer state but, alas, all he did was "guard" me from clearly the meanest dog named Meatball who liked to give kisses. Any help would be wonderful.