Aiden's 1st Christmas

Seeing that our newborn was just that a newborn, he didn't seem to excited or interested in what Santa brought him this year.... next year should be more fun!

This year however was really great. It's the first year in many that all of us have been together for Christmas, sad to say it will be many more years till this happens again.

Anneke, Kris and Nicholas flew in from Boston. Mia, Bill and Aiden were home from the hospital. Gerry, Nikki and the soon-to-be Twin girls were down from Malibu, Nick was home from his mission, and Elise, Janette, Mom & Dad were here too!

I love my family so much and it was a great time spending this holiday season all together as a very LARGE and HAPPY family!

all the above pictures were on christmas eve at my parents the below pictures are of just my cute little family christmas morning before Bill had to work.

Bill's version of "where's waldo" poor Aiden....

Happy Christmas / Aiden's Annoucenment

family christmas 2011

The "Anderson" christmas party was in Oceanside this year on the 23rd. We actually had alot of family show up which was nice, plus i got to show off our new baby boy! This year was a little different than most, we didn't have our annual white elephant gift exchange. Its funny because i used to love that part of the family christmas party, but i can honestly say i didn't miss it one bit this year. Could it be because i have this little bundle of joy to keep me so busy... naw... its because of how horrible the gag gifts have become, I swear we have some gifts that have been in rotation for almost 10 years! scary right!

we ended up having a light dinner (thanks aunt pam) of hot sandwiches, salads and desserts. Spending time with family and catching up on every ones busy lives. It's crazy to think how much our family has changed in just 5 very short years. multiple cousins getting married and having babies, it feel like yesterday that we were all re-enacting the birth of Christ at grandpa and grandma Anderson's house.

Aiden's 1st Bath

Sunday December 11th Aiden had his first bath, and i have to say i think he really liked it! It wasn't as hard as i thought it would be to bathe this little guy he didn't squirm too much and having the puj tube to use in the sink was awesome (plus storing it, is easy). I was afraid he would scream or cry the whole time. Not only did he not make a peep, but he seemed to be happy about the whole experience. Auntie Lea was here and took some photos to document this occasion.

getting ready for the bath

unsure at first

out of the sink and into the towel

all clean

Aiden

Introducing...

Aiden Douglas Hughes

December 5, 2011 @ 9:18am

8 pounds 5 ounces - 20.5 inches

His Birth Story:

Sunday December 4th, Bill had to go to work so my mom came over to stay with me. I had some spotting and a few contractions that morning, so Bill felt "safer" if someone was home with me while he was as work. I was 38 weeks and 5 days into this pregnancy and i thought it would never end. I had been about 3cm and over 50% effaced since tuesday. I wanted this sweet little baby out of me.

While my Mom and I were watching a marathon of "BONES" I started having contractions up to this point I've had a few but they were very mild. Now they were getting stronger and coming about every 15 minutes. I'm not going to lie i was getting excited.... I thought "YES! finally this baby is coming!" But to my dismay, the contractions stopped all together around 8pm. Disappointed and frustrated I was going to bed, my mom left to drop off my dad and then came back over around 10pm.

At 11:01pm i was lying in bed and then it happened.... my water broke! At first i thought i just had an accident (wetting the bed) but i hopped out of bed and stood in the shower calling for my mom. She came in and i told her i think my water broke but wasn't sure. She said did it feel like a little "pop" and then water leaking out. Yes that's exactly how it felt. So we called Bill to tell him.

It took Bill about 20 minutes to get home he expected to find me in pain or stressing out, but no, he opens the front door and there i am dressed and calm, just finished putting away laundry and getting my hospital bag ready.

We arrived at Hoag at 11:45pm got admitted and and by midnight i was in the labor/delivery room. Now my contractions started to come at first i could handle the pain, I was trying to hold off on getting an epidural mainly because i was scared, but also because i had been toying with the idea on trying it natural.

By 3am I could barely breath through or in between contractions that i had Bill get my nurse and said i needed the epidural. I had a wonderful doctor who's quick and steady hands had that epidural in, in under 10 minutes. from that moment on i felt NO pain it was pure bliss. I actually slept the whole night with a few exceptions when the nurses came in to check blood pressure and dilation. Bill on the other hand didn't sleep at all.

3am- 3cm

5am- 6cm

7am- 9cm

8:30am- 10cm and baby's head already about to crown.

8:50am- started pushing

9:18am- Aiden was born!

I pushed for about 30 minutes and then Bill tells me we have a SON! My reaction was kind of funny. To Bill's announcement of having a boy all i said was "what, a boy?" his reply was "Yes, a Boy!"

my whole pregnancy i thought i was having a boy but then about 3 weeks before giving birth we had a 3d/4d ultrasound done and from then on i was thinking girl, i was a bit surprised!

I had one of the most wonderful birth experiences because i had my loving husband there to hold my hand and support me, my doctor made who actually deliver me and the two nurses who were there RN Nancy was my first nurse through the whole night and RN Ashley who actually started me on the pushing and cared for me and Aiden right after he was born. Those two women did a wonderful job!