Introducing Dakota Chase Brinley

DAKOTA CHASE BRINLEY

April 27, 2011

9:22 p.m.

8 lbs. 12 ozs.

21.5 inches

He is finally here and I know that I am a little late on this post but I feel that I can actually do something and let me son down. He has been so much fun and I couldn't imagine life without him. I know that the pictures are out of order but I still haven't been able to figure out this program the best but all these pictures are from the hospital.

I will start with the story of the "Big Day". Dakota is just like his parents and has a mind of his own and is very stubborn so when the doctor said that he was due on April 22, 2011 he was determined to let them know he would come when he wanted which ended up being 5 days late! I was going crazy waiting for him because I quit work early and I had everything done around the house a week before he was due. So on the 21st the day before I was due I had my last doctors appointment and the doctor informed me that she would not let me go more then 5 days past my due date so she scheduled my induction for April 27th and said she hoped to see me before then so every day I would go on a walk or something active but nothing would happen so on the morning of the 27th I woke up at 5am to head to the hospital by 6 for my induction.

We packed everything up and headed off when we were leaving we said that it was going to be a different life the next time we came home but we were ready. So we checked in the hospital at 6 and I was hooked up and my water was broken at 6:30 am and I was given the pitocin. In the previous posts I had explained that I was going to have him natural so I didn't have an epidual at that time. I started off great and was dialated to a 2cm which I was excited about then an hour later the contractions were getting close together and I was still at a 2 this continued for 6 hours but the contractions became very intense and would come on every 2 min. I wasn't going anywhere and I was pretty disappointed so then we decided after awhile that the best thing to do was to have an epidural because I wasn't letting my body relax through the process like I wanted. So as soon as I was given the epidural I started to dialate fast I went from a 2cm at 1:30 to a 4cm an hour later and then by 7 I was dialated all the way to a 10cm he was finally coming and I was so excited I pushed for 2 hours and then at 9:22pm Dakota was born!!!!! It was the most unreal feeling I've ever felt in my whole life. I couldn't stop smiling and to watch Daniel through the whole process was the best thing in the whole world you could see the love daniel had for both Dakota and I and we knew we were all supposed to be a family... Our families were there the whole way through with support and I couldn't ask for a better family both my side and Daniels. When Dakota was cleaned up and brought to us we couldn't have been happier. It was a feeling I can't explain but it was Joy, Happiness, Love, and excitement all in one.. Our families were waiting outside the door and couldn't wait to come in and meet our little one below are all the friends and family that were there while we were in the hospital I know I'm missing a few pictures of some of you that came and for that I am sorry I wish I had all of them but for some reason they weren't taken so if you took one when you came to visit please send me a copy I would love to have them all!! Dakota is the biggest blessing in the whole wide world and I couldn't ask for a better baby! Thanks to everyone for your help from start to know in this journey I couldn't be where I am without you and you all know who you are;) I love you all!

Our Beautiful Baby Boy
Dakotas first outfit for his first day home.... Isn't he so cute

Dennis and Dakota

Awesome friends Brian and Lizzy

Dakotas Basketball buddy Kyle

My awesome best friends Lindsay and Kylee

Aunt Kylee:)

The pool for Dakotas big entrance with my brother Jesse's picture of Kota bear from Brother bear where we got Dakota's name from we call him Kota or Kota Bear

My best friend Malena who is now pregnant and I can't wait for her to experience this blessing!!

Dakotas Great Grandma Chase

Aunt Randi

Uncle Adam

More cute pictures at the Hosptial

Grandpa Brinley

Grandma Brinley, Dakota is her first grand kid and you can see her love for him

Grandma Ivie, Dakota is #11 grand kid and she still is as excited as if he was number 1

Grandpa Ivie loves babies and you can see it how he looks at Dakota and because he came a couple times while I was at the hospital with him

Daddy's first picture with Dakota he is the best dad in the whole world!!

Our first Family picture:) Even though I just went threw 15 hours of labor I think this is the best picture in the whole wide world!!

Mommy's first picture with her baby

All ready for mom and dad (give him to me now!!!)

So cute

My favorite nurse of all I think she made the experience that much more special!!

This has been amazing and I couldn't imagine life without Daniel and Dakota. They mean the world to me and I am the luckiest girl/mom/wife in the whole world!!!

Update Before Dakota Arrives!!

Well it has been very busy around here lately and it is only going to get more crazy in the next day or so. So I thought before it was to busy I would give you a little update of what has happened in out lives around here. First of all today I am 3 days overdue! Who gives due dates anyway they are never right it just makes the mom (me) go crazy over any change because it could be "the day" but I can't complain I have loved every minute of being pregnant and I think that I am going to miss the kicking and punching my insides and I'm serious it has just been a miracle and I love it! I will say that I can't wait to meet Dakota and I'm sure it will be better then anything I have imagined my whole life and that is what excites me! I just can't wait to see Daniel with him I feel like I have known him forever and I really want Daniel to be able to feel the same way so I can't wait to see them together. I told Daniel the other day that I will be surrounded by boys with him, Dakota and boz so Im going to have to hold my ground and make sure to keep some girly in me...

I am so pound of Daniel he has been working so hard for our family and this is us at his graduation... Such a great accomplishment and I couldn't be happier of him. This is also my 40 week picture so I'm glad we had something on that day to make sure I had a picture I am not very good at taking pictures I seem to always forget about it.. Daniel and Jeromy my brother went into the same degree and graduated the same time which was so fun that we could celebrate this day together. Jeromy is the first person in my family to graduate which is such a huge accomplishment I always thought it would be me but he beat me to it haha but I won't be far behind;)

Last week was my last day at work and I came to work with it decorated and it was super fun to see that you will be missed. I really enjoyed working where I did and will miss the people I worked with but I am super blessed to have the support of Daniel to do what we both feel is what I should be doing in staying home and raising our family.

I told everyone that I had been trying to get everything ready for Dakota to arrive and I finished everything for his nursery room and I love it! I made the blanked and the wall decorations, the window valance and the crib skirt.... It took me forever but I love how it turned out especially since I did everything without a pattern... Hopefully you will agree!

I had so many fun baby showers to prepare for Dakota and I loved them all this one to follow was done by my sisters/mom. Alicia my older sister wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for me and it was she put so much time and thought to make everything match perfect and let me tell you it was perfect!! Alicia worked so hard and is such a great example to me I love her so much... I have the greatest family in the whole world and they all mean the world to me I couldn't have asked for a better support!

As you can tell with all my pictures our theme for Dakotas nursery was farm animals Daniel and I have wanted to live on a farm when we move next and so as for right now this is as close as we will get to one. But they found the cutest decorations for this shower I loved it all!

My sisters made these cute little farm animal cake bites and I was super impressed! Seriously look how cute they are they make me smile everytime I look at them. They made chickens, ducks, cows and horses and they were adorable!

Aren't they all so cute!!!!

Last but not least Daniel and I decided to take maternity pictures I have always loved them and I want to remember this special time in our lives.... I know it isn't when I've looked my best but I know when I look back on these pictures I will always remember how amazing it was to know we are starting our little family and this was just one step in Daniel and I's life time of memories! Cheesy I know but I love every minute of it! In these pictures I am 38 weeks along!

Dakotas first little pair of shoes

One of my Favorites!

I love this picture!! Its my favorite

Sorry it was so long but I promised I would get you updated so I am all up to date and hopefully I can get the next pictures with Dakota up soon!!!

Baby Pool!!

Hey so I thought it would be fun to have a pool for when Dakota is born so everyone can play along so on the left hand side there is a widget to do so and I want to see who guesses right so go there and guess away and there might be something in it for you in the end!! Have fun we will see who is right!!

To all that might know better than I

So I am 37 Weeks along and so excited I have lots to blog about and tons of pictures with the nursery etc. I will post all that this week! But I have a question to those that might know from experience or have heard.. I am getting the bags ready for the hospital and am unsure what I need. What did you want the most when you were in the hospital and couldn't live without or wished that you had.... I'm new at this and don't really know all that happens... Like do you get to shower and so I need a blow dryer ect... Please forgive me I just don't know haha HELP!!

32 Weeks & Friends Baby Shower!!

So I have the best friends a girl could ask for they threw an awesome baby shower for me and went above and beyond to make me feel special!! Thanks everyone for coming to the shower it made us feel so special!!
I don't know what I would do without these girls (Lindsay, Kylee, & Malena) they did everything for this shower and it was awesome. I just love them so much and don't know where I would be without them!!

All the girls at the shower except my mom and mother in law who were nice enough to take the picture:) The best friends a girl could ask for they all gave me the cutest things for Dakota I can't wait to use everything!!

D is for Dakota I can't wait to hang this up in the baby room

Lots of baby clothes!!! They were all perfect:)

All these pictures are of the decorations from the shower.
The theme is owls and I loved everything they made!

The girls setting everything up before everyone got there

The cutest Diaper cake!

Me at 32 Weeks!
Time is going by pretty fast and I just realized how little time I have left and how much I have left to do before little Dakota arrives! I can hardly wait!

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

I know this is a little late but on Feb. 22, 2011 my mom turned 50!! So we wanted to make sure that she knew that we loved her so my sisters Alicia and Callee helped me make a Birthday cake for her I think it turned out awesome and every time I look at it I can see my mom... Many of you know my mom and her love for Alaska and for the outdoors so this is a little of her... I love my mom more then she will ever know she does everything for us and never makes us feel bad when we call at the worst times needing help... She is the most selfless person I know and I look up to her more then she will ever know. When I think of becoming a mom I just hope and pray that I can be a percentage of what my mom is. She was and is always there for me and I don't know what I would have done without her. I love you mom!!!

32+ weeks, new car etc.....

Well I am 32 weeks and 4 days!! Almost there and I can't believe how time has flown by! We are so excited to meet Dakota we can hardly wait any longer. I know he is growing big and strong because his kicks and punches are sure getting stronger by the day. Sometimes I think he is trying to see how hard he can kick me because it will move my stomach so much and then then next one moves my stomach even more. Daniel loves to cuddle me and have his hand on my stomach and see if he will kick daddy. We get to see him again this friday and hopefully we will get a good picture because he has been a stinker everytime and covers his face each time we go in so I'm hoping to just get one picture of him.
Some updates are....
*So far I have gained 18pounds so I'm hoping to stay at about 25 so we will see how I do that way I hope I can lose the weight alittle faster after he is born.
*I have started getting heart burn everyday and I can't figure out how to get rid of it without using and medicine so I might have to get some soon.
*I still haven't bought maternity clothes but I think I will go invest in the belly bands so I don't have to buy any new pants for just 7 weeks.
* I look like I have a basketball under my shirt and Daniel always tells me to leave the Basketball at home when I am going somewhere. He thinks he is a comedian! But I sure love him!
*We have the baby room painted thanks to the sweetest husband he wanted to do it all so I wouldn't have to smell the fumes so he did it while I was gone last week to surprise me. So now we just have to put everything together. I found the cutest pictures to put on the wall that I can't wait to use...
*I'm closer to finishing the blanket but I wish a magic fairy would do it all for me:) I just can't seem to find time to do it all...
*I had my friends baby shower this weekend and they did such a great job and went above and beyond! I just loved everything I have pictures to follow.. But I have the greatest friends ever so many girls came and supported me and so if your reading this thank you so much you guys all mean so much to me!! I love all my friends so much and would do anything for you guys! I know some weren't able to make it and that is okay we know you would have if you could have... Dakota and I can't wait for you everyone to come meet him when he makes it here:)
* We sold our car and bought a family/dog car haha... We figured we would need a car big enough for the baby and our dog boz so we bought this Trailblazer I love it and I think it will fit our little family perfect! We can't wait to put the car seat in there to see how it looks! Many photos to follow soon!