Brylie Pictures

Danielle gets ready for pitocin (funny story: Danielle asked if drinking pitocin has any effect, and the nurse told a story about a lady who wanted to get induced so bad that when she came in for a monitoring visit and the nurse left the room the lady went to the cupboard and drank IV bags of the stuff. The nurses came back and saw the bags all over the bed. Too bad for the lady, though, because pitocin has no effect unless injected).

Danielle and her sister Erica

 Sadly, Dani had to wear an oxygen mask almost the whole time. For the last 30 minutes before it was time to push (8-10cm), she was lying on the bed, thrashing back and forth and almost smashing her face into the rail on the side of the bed (her nose was saved only by the oxygen mask, until we got smart and put a pillow there).

Finally, the pictures you've all been waiting for:

While Dani was getting stitched up, I kept Brylie company in the heating bed. She kept trying to open her eyes and look at me. She just listened to my voice and didn't fuss (until the nurse started poking at her).

Chubby face?

Three generations: Lisa (Grandma), Dani, and Brylie.

What are you doing to her face, Grandma? (Just kidding, you've been a great help).

Dani's sister Natalie meets Brylie.

Neil's sister Cindy meets Brylie

Brylie meets her oldest cousin, Alli Stoddard (she has yet to meet any other cousins).

On the way home!

(No more nurses waking us up every hour... but then again, we don't quite know what to do).

Brylie in her own bed after being fed.

Brylie's here!

Dani and I went to get monitored at 8. At 9 the doctor called to recommend that we get induced because Brylie was not as active as he wanted. We started antibiotics at 10, pitocin at 12:15 (which didn't get things moving much), and broke the bag of waters at 4:30.

At 7:01, Brylie was born! She weighed 7lbs and was 20 inches. Dani went through labor without an epidural or other pain meds (but with plenty of help from her mom and I). She did a great job!

Pictures will be posted soon.

One more thing

I realize I've already made 3 posts in the last few hours, so this will be short...

Today marks 7 years since I entered the MTC. I'm amazed at how much life has happened to me in the time that has passed. I spent nearly a third of that time as a missionary, even more time trying to date (and not being very successful), another year+ dating/being engaged to Danielle, and now just over a year married (and expecting the baby any day)!

I've been blessed so much in my life. Thanks to everyone who has been one (or many) of those blessings.

-Neil

New Perspective on School

Dani and I started our last semester of school today. I have 12 credits (the first time I've had only 4 classes in a long time), and Dani has 7 credits (3 classes, just two mornings a week).

In my first class, the tax professor explained that he knows most of us are in our final semester, and he knows we may have a hard time focusing because most of us already have jobs lined up. I found myself agreeing with him (Dani and I have already talked multiple times about how all we have to do is pass our classes and we'll be on our way to California).

Because of that, I surprised myself when I realized that I was looking forward to (some of) the things I would learn in that class. As I was reading an article for my first Strategy class, I found myself enjoying the topic and thinking of ways I could apply it to the firm I will start working for in 10 months. I was even more surprised when I stopped focusing on the article because I was thinking about ways to use some of the things I learned last semester.

I want to make a good impression and a positive difference for Burr Pilger Mayer when I start working for them, but I think this is more than just wanting to make a good impression. I think I'm finally beginning to see how the things I'm learning in school can be used in real life (even though I have yet to see the inner workings of BPM). It's exciting to suddenly see school in a different light (although I definitely still see it through the "thank goodness it's almost over" light). I hope  I have a chance to make a real difference before I forget what I've learned or enter the zombie mode of just doing what I have to do to be able to get back home at the end of the workday.

Does it ever happen?

Dani is now over 39 1/2 weeks pregnant. We were really hoping Brylie would be born last Friday; my last day of work for the week was Thursday and I didn't work again until Tuesday; we didn't have school until today; we were already prepared with clothes, a bassinet/changing table, diapers, stroller/carseat, etc; Dani's mom was on her way to Utah to be there for the birth; and to be honest, we were getting a little bored with nothing to do (although spending time together walking, watching movies, and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning was lovely).

Needless to say, Brylie didn't come Friday. Nor did she come Saturday, Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday. Today we had our first day of school (and no Brylie). I feel like Dani could give birth anytime, but it's also entirely possible that she won't give birth ever. Did anyone else feel that way with their first kid? It's a weird feeling, knowing in my mind that Brylie will be born within a matter of days, yet not totally comprehending that things will actually be different then, we'll always have that Brylie kid with us, and the thing we've wanted for months (and years) is finally going to happen.

Perhaps tomorrow we'll have big news to report to the world... and perhaps not.

Christmas

We had a fun, relaxing Christmas. We slept in a bit, went to church (our last time in our student stake before switching to our family ward), opened presents, and had dinner with the Stoddards, where we were able to Skype with our brothers (Steven and Devin) from their missions in South Carolina and Puerto Rico. Some of our favorite presents were:

• Sony Handycam from Dad and Mom Freebairn
• TomTom GPS from Dad and Mom Jarvis
• Scripture Scouts music from the Zwahlens (I brought it in the car for the drive to the Stoddard's house, telling Dani it was really good but thinking it was going to be the kind of children's music that kids can't get enough of and parents can't stand more than once, but we both ended up liking it; Dani kept saying "I really like their voices. They sound so good!")
• A nice waterbottle and socks from Neil to Dani (she's been dreaming of the day when we'll have enough money that she can have all the same socks)
• A BYU license plate cover from Dani to Neil

Thanks for a wonderful Christmas, everyone!