April showers bring May flowers.....I hope.

The month of April has been kinda crazy for my family and I am anxiously awaiting May's arrival. On April 8th, my grandma ("Nani") passed away very unexpectedly. She suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke (massive brain bleed). Nani had dementia and it had definitely worsened over the past few months. She also had cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration so her vision was very very poor. About 3 weeks before she passed away she had cataract surgery and her vision actually improved slightly. On Easter Sunday we took pictures together and she was able to see Hudson. It was a really big deal that she was actually able to see his face. It meant so much to me. Nani had such a cute sense of humor and we miss her so much.

Today was a very very hard day. Our cat Max (short for Maxie) has been very sick and we had to put her to sleep this morning. She was born with a bad bladder and after 8 years of strict diets, medication regimens, and surgical procedures it was time to let her go. I know some people may think that she was just a cat, but she was much more than that to me. She was a part of our family and I miss her more than words can say. It is such a strange feeling to have control over the life of another being (even if it is just an animal) and it was so hard for me to make the decision to put her down. How do you know when they have had enough? I feel so guilty. Pets are so much fun and they bring such joy into your life, but I hate this part. It is miserable.

I love you Max and I miss you so much.

Today, our nephew Ben had to have his second open heart surgery. This one was even more extensive than the last. He had an EKG last week and there was a little change that concerned the doctor so Ben was sent to Primary Children's for more testing. The testing showed that his left ventricle was failing so surgery was necessary. We have been on iChat all day with the family at the hospital, which is wonderful I might add because it makes us feel like we are actually there with them in the waiting room. On a happier note...the surgery went well and Ben is in the ICU doing good. They had to leave his chest open because of the swelling that will take place, but they hope to be able to take him back into surgery to close it on Saturday. Keep him in your prayers.

Sweet Sweet Baby

Hudson's newborn pictures were taken last week. You can view them online by going to this website...

www.s7foto.com

click on families, fashion, and fun

then click on client slideshow

enter the password "Hudson"

enjoy!!!

Hudson Luc Homer!!!

Hudson arrived on March 11th at 6:32pm. He was 8lbs 8oz and 21 inches long.

"Hudson" is a family name on Torrey's side and "Luc" (pronounced Luke) is short for Lucius which is my Dad's middle name.

My due date was March 8th so when March 8th came and went and still no baby, my doctor decided to schedule me for an induction on Friday, March 12th. I was dilated to 3cm for the last 2 weeks of the pregnancy and I would have contractions all the time, but they wouldn't stay consistent. On Thursday morning I began having contractions at about 4:45. They were about 6-7 minutes apart at first, but they quickly progressed to only about 1-2 minutes apart within an hour. I wanted to take a shower and do my hair, etc and Torrey was looking at me like I was nuts! I would straighten one or two pieces of hair and then stop to make it through a contraction. When it got to the point that I was practically down on the ground on all fours trying to get in any position I could to relieve the pain, Torrey insisted we head to the hospital. So we arrived there at about 7am. When we arrived I was 4cm with a bulging bag of water. Fortunately I was able to get my epidural not too much later (thank goodness!!). I can't say enough about how nice the epidural was! I was feeling the contractions in the front and back and they were so close together that I just couldn't get a break. Just as the pain would start to let up, another contraction would start. I was checked again right after getting the epidural and I was 5-6cm. Because of the epidural, I was able to relax and spend time talking with Torrey, my Mom, and sister. It was actually pretty "fun" (compared to the way the morning started). The labor continued to progress and I was fortunate enough not to need pitocin. The contractions stayed 1-3 minutes apart the entire day. The next time I was checked I was 8cm. Although my bag of water was still bulging, it never broke on its own so at about 4:45 in the afternoon my doctor came in and broke it. I was completely dilated at this point so I began the pushing process. I pushed for 1 hour and 15 minutes and Hudson arrived at 6:32pm!! The whole process went so much smoother than I had ever imagined. I was very pleased that the labor only lasted a little more than 12 hours. My family was at the hospital waiting, but it was just Torrey and I in the room for the delivery. It was the most amazing experience ever!

He had some fluid in his lungs right after delivery so he spent a few hours in the special care nursery being monitored, but he was just fine.

The proud grandparents!

Our little family

Friends...

Taking our little guy home...

First day at home and first sponge bath (at home)...

We feel so blessed to have Hudson as part of our family. It feels so amazing to know that he is really ours! We are absolutely in love with him!!