Graham Christian Rabe's baby blessing!

We were so lucky to have my brother Ben, Kendra, Sophie, and their new baby Graham come into town. Ben had interviews in Idaho, SLC, and Denver- he graduates in December so they decided to make a family trip out of it and bless their baby. Graham was born 6 1/2 weeks before Mckell. They blessed Graham last Sunday up at my parent's house. It was our first time out since Mckell was born.

All the men who participated in the blessing

Part of the Rabe Family... We wish Jake & Jill and their cute boys could have come- but Christmas will be here before you know it and we'll all be together again!

Graham 7 weeks 2 days old, Mckell 5 days old- do they really grow that fast!?

Sophie holding Mckell

Sophie sure knows how to cheese it!

Blake and Taryn looking pretty comfortable holding our baby... hint hint! It's your guys turn next to have a baby! haha

Our first family picture.. how do we look? Like new parents with no sleep?!

5 generations of girls! Mckell, Gr. Gr. Grandma Clifton, Gr. Grandma Critchlow, Grandma Rabe, And me. Our sweet Grandma Clifton is 100 years old and we were so lucky to have her come to the blessing.

Mckell's first tub

We gave Mckell her first bath and she loved it! I think we will be giving her lots of baths because it woke her right up. We'll be using it as a way to keep her up so that maybe she'll at night... hopefully

Going home from the hospital and more pictures

Leaving the hospital.. She didn't like getting into her carseat, but she calmed down.

We're home! We're living in a duplex in Provo.

Flowers on the left are from my sweet sister-in-law Taryn and my dad and the roses are from Courtland congratulating me on being a new mommy!

We have her sleeping in our room in a pack n' play for now just to keep her close. I don't know when I'll put her in her crib in her own room..

First day home, the sleepless night showing in my appearance! haha

So Courtland has to be the cutest daddy ever. He is already teaching Mckell how to count, add, say the alphabet, and is reading her books. She's going to be a little smarty pants if he keeps this up!

Having Mckell home with us is so much better than the hospital. Wow! How life changes- so much fun... even the sleeping all day and staying awake all night. We're trying to figure out how to switch her schedule around!

Introducing our baby girl!

Our baby girl Mckell Riley Astill did FINALLY arrive Tuesday night 09.15.09 at 7:54 pm. She weighed 6lbs 15oz and measured 20 inches long.

Monday I went into the doctor for my visit and the plan was to induce me later that night but I still wasn't dilated so my doctor decided it would be best if we waited. He said if I hadn't gone into labor on my on by Saturday or Sunday he'd induce me then. I went home feeling extremely disappointed to say the least. But by about 6pm, I started feeling some unpleasant pain, not sure what it was. By 8pm, I decided they were contractions and were about 30 minutes apart. But Courtland didn't believe me, thought I was just faking because I wanted to go to the hospital in hopes they'd just keep me since I was past my due date. The contractions just kept getting worse and closer together and after hitting Courtland every 5 or so minutes from 2am to 4am, he finally decided we could go in. They hooked me up to the monitor, and watched me for an hour to see if I'd progress any (I was dilated to a 2). But after an hour, there was no more dilation so they sent me back home. I thought I was going to die- my favorite part was they said to go home and sleep! How the crap do you sleep when you're dying from contractions every 4 minutes! But we went on our way and got back home at 6am. I got in the tub to see if that'd help at all with the pain. Then my doctor called at 7am saying he told them to keep me at the hospital and was happy they sent me home and to go into his office right now and he'd check me and stretch me to get me going quicker. I was dilated to a 3 1/2 at his office and he said to go back to the hospital either right then but for sure by 9am. So we went back home, I died for another hour or so while Courtland took some quizes for school and headed back to the hospital at 9am. We got all checked back in and at 11am, I was finally relieved! I got my iv and epidural which is by far the best thing ever! No more pain! The rest of the day went slow, and by 7pm I was fully dilated and complete and began pushing. My doctor got there about 15 minutes before she came and had to do in his words, "a pretty bad episiodomy." But I didn't really feel much so it was ok by me, I just wanted her out. And here she is!!!!

I still can't believe she is finally here- what a miracle! It's weird because she doesn't look a thing like I'd pictured she would. I thought she'd have peach fuzz for hair and be super chunky like I was. We aren't sure where the dark hair came from- both Courtland and I had blonde hair- if I had any at all. But because she looked so different than I imagined, none of our names seemed to fit her. I was liking Ashley Nicole and Courtland was still liking Brinley Nicole... but neither of us really loved the other, so we decided to start thinking of new names. The funny thing is for the past couple weeks I've been telling people our favorite names but saying that knowing me we'd probably name her something completely different that we hadn't thought of and it'd probably be like the nurse's name or something. Well my friends, that is exactley what happened! I must know myself pretty well. We picked Riley for her middle name after her papa because I think she looks just like him (can't see me in her at all). Riley is Courtland's middle name and his dad's name. And Mckell we both just liked and thought it fit her which by coincidence was our labor and delivery nurse's name! Go figure! But she is here and well and we're all doing great!

40 weeks and my latest obsession..

From start to beginning... 9 months of pregnancy!

15 weeks

22 weeks

30 weeks

40 weeks and 23lbs later!

My latest obsession and way of trying to stay busy is bow making... I've gone bow crazy! I think I have enough for her to wear a different one everyday forever.. haha