One week old.

Last night while talking to my mom she reminded me that a week ago I was starting to go into labor. It then hit me that a week has already flown by. It has only felt like a couple days due to it being full of firsts. This week has been very eventful. Amelia went to the doctors for the first time, she met many new friends for the first time, she went on her first walk to Lake Padden,..... This week has also been firsts for Wade and me. We have really been enjoying being parents and can't thank all the people who have been giving us support, dinners, gifts and advice. It just confirms that it does take a village to raise a child. Bring on the village!!!

Wade has also shown to be a natural father. He has not only shown to be an awesome dad, but has shown to be a SUPER awesome dad to a little girl. He is very hands on and nurturing. I can already tell it will be a special relationship for a lifetime (she already has him wrapped around her little finger. I love it!!).

Getting ready for her first car ride home. Katie bought her this outfit and I thought it was the cutest thing ever! The drive home was a little intimidating due to it carrying something so small. Wade said he felt like he was taking his drivers license test again.
Meeting Tracker! Long before Amelia came, Wade and I talked about how our first baby was going to handle a new baby. This was a moment we have been looking forward to and thinking about a lot. After excitedly greeting us home, we introduced them. Tracker was a little timid at first, but licked her and went back to greeting us with excitement. Since then he has adjusted well to her. He'll come and give her random kisses and now instead of running away when she cries, he'll come and run to her. The other night he also slept in the bed between me and her bassinet. With each whimper he would look in and check on her, then back to bed. Best friends already!!

Meeting Uncle Derek. Derek and Kaitlin drove up from Seattle to meet Amelia. They were able to stay for a couple hours and visit. "D" was a little scared to hold her at first, but as you can see he got more comfortable.

My mom and dad drove up here with my grandma and Aunt Shelby. It was great to have 4 generations in the room. Just think, for me to be like my grandmother, Amelia's kids will have to be having kids! My grandma held her for about an hour while she slept.
Once Wade looked and said "it's a girl" one of the first things that I thought was about the special relationship Lyla and Amelia will have. This is a very special meeting because they are "god" sisters. They are the 4th generation of the "god" family. This relationship goes back to Megan's and my grandparents. What makes it even more meant to be is that Wade and Brett are fraternity brothers. They knew each other before Megan and Brett even met. We aren't even the reason they did meet!

On the day you were born...

Over the weekend Wade and I welcomed Amelia Ann Koning into our family. She was born at 10:34 Friday night, weighing 7.5 lbs, 21 inches long and all 10 fingers and toes accounted for. The day February 6th has been changed in our lives forever. While going through the process of labor and delivery, Wade and I talked about how each year on this day we will have to tell Amelia her birth story:

"One the day you were born, I was in labor for 28 hours. It started the night before while out to Mexican with friends. I came home and started tracking the contractions. Around 11 that night I decided they were far enough apart that it was time to go to the hospital. We arrived around midnight and they sent us home around 1:30 with two Ambiem due to not enough progress from my weekly check-up with the doctor. I was told I would either sleep or be up all night. I was up all night. With each hour the contractions got worse and worse. Finally, in the morning I couldn't take it any longer and called the doctor and asked if I could go in NOW! They said yes. At 9:00, February 6th, we were back at the Childbirth Center at St Joesph's Hospital. I was admitted. I was supposed to get an epidural right away, but due to the arrival of an emergency C-section I was the last priority. I waited for 3 more hours feeling it all!! Around 11 I had the epi and life was good. We hung around for the day. Sleeping, talking and visiting with family. At 7 that night it was time to start the pushing. However, during this time a "window" of pain opened up. I couldn't get it fixed because every time I moved to have the epi even out you didn't like it. I had to stay on my right side. So my right leg was REALLY numb and the feeling in my left came back. After pushing for 3 hours and you still weren't here. At this point they called the doctor in to see what the next step was. He watched a couple pushes and decided to bring on the vacuum. He said we would give it three more contractions and then it was off to get a c-section. Again, I could still feel my right side. They strapped me in, got the vacuum attached and did a snip here and a cut there. Contraction 1: nope. Contraction 2: nope. Contraction 3: nope. But, a 4th contraction started right away...the doctor reached in (literally reached in) and was determined this was going to be it! He got the head out and saw that you were sunny side up. The contraction stopped and the doctor had to move your whole body around and cut the umbilical cord that was around your neck. This combo was what was making you not able to get through that final part. Once done and one more push we welcomed you to this world 10:35pm. You didn't really cry, you just sat and looked around. We were all very tired, but extremely HAPPY!" The Koning Family: Wade, Karli and Amelia. Right after delivery.
Dad and his new girl. Wade has shown to be an awesome father. He does 90% of the diaper changes, has done all her baths, and is taking great care of me. He also is all about Title 9. All cleaned up and ready for some rest after the big day.

Update of update...

Today I went back to the OBGYN for my weekly and saw the nurse practitioner. She said that I was the same as last week and no new developments. She also said that I will most likely go full term and we are looking at next week. I have decided that no one really knows for sure and it will happen when it is time. However, I plan on asking to be induced come the 7th if nothing has changed by then. We'll see :). This is all good news for me! Wade is home now, but I still need to work for another week.

Yesterday they finally hired someone for my position (the person I wanted) and I would like to be there for the week while he gets the hang of the classroom. I am also not ready to say good-bye to my students. I love my job and leaving them has caused me some anxiety and restless night. For those of you who don't know I teach Middle School Life Skills, special education for moderate to severe disabilities. They are so much fun and really make you enjoy the simple things in life. Having them experience this process with me has been a teaching opportunity for us all!

For fun here are some pictures of Wade is Russia. He said he really liked it and would go back again (but during the summer and not winter):
In the heart of St. Petersburg.
Wade's Russian girlfriend. He said he had no idea what she was saying.
Russia!

Update...

This afternoon I went to the OBGYN for my weekly appointment. This week is when they start to check for delivery status and how things are going. While there things were going normal. They checked weight, iron levels, ect. When I saw the doctor he even checked my ears, nose, and cough due to a chest cold I have had all week. Nothing too exciting. He then started to check the baby and delivery status. Here is a reenactment of the conversation:

Dr: "Looks like you are having about an eight and a quarter pound baby"
Karli: "Really, already? I was 9.13. It's not going to be that big is it?"
Dr: "No, it will be about normal size"
Doctor proceeds to check other things.
Dr: "So, you are dilated about 2 cm, soft and the baby has dropped and is ready to go. I could make you a 3?"
Nurse and Karli: "No!"
Nurse: "Wade is in Russia right now and won't be home until Sunday. She can't go into labor until then."
Side conversation about Wade in Russia, Blah, blah, blah.
Karli: "Well, does this mean I may not be late? At some previous appointments it was looking like I was going to be late. I was actually going to ask you about when I could be induced. Wade is leaving Feb 28th for Dubai and I don't want to be too late."
Dr: "Well, You may be able to go next week."
Karli: "Um no, I am supposed to work until the 6th."
Dr: Laughing "You won't be working until the 6th. I am thinking you will be delivering this time next week. By the 30th."
Karli: "Okay!?!" (dumbfounded look)
Dr: "Well, things are going great. You're progressing perfect. I may see you in the hospital this weekend."
Karli: "No, I am heading to Seattle."
Dr: "Seattle? Well tell my friends at Swedish hello!" (Dr and nurse leave)

To say the least I left this appointment a little confused (not sure of what everything meant) and in a slight panic. I was NOT planning on having baby until around the 14th. LATE! I called my friend Anna for a translation of the conversation. She proceeded to insure me that you can be dilated for weeks and doctors are sometimes anxious/excited for the delivery. However, it is time for me to get ready for when it does. Once home she guided me through what I needed to pack for the big event. She then said I should put the car seat in the car just in case.

I have decided to take this whole experience as a warning that I need to get my butt in gear and this is real. So this weekend I am going to get READY! I need to find an outfit for Baby K to go home, I threw the car seat in the back of the car, and I started to pack a bag for the hospital.

BUT...don't you worry. I still plan on working until the 6th!!! I am thinking having the baby on the 7th would be nice (I am using the power of The Secret).

Co-ed baby party/shower

Last Saturday, Aimee/Jason and Stacey/Josh threw Wade and me a co-ed baby shower (Wade calls it a baby party)! We had an awesome time with our our Bellingham friends. The food was great, the company wonderful, and the games very fun. It was very funny to have "shower" games and boys playing. However, we also had a cribbage tournament and a round of bite the bag (this is what makes it a party and not a shower according to Wade. What other shower plays crib and bite the bag?).

Wade and I are so thankful to have made the friends that we have in Bellingham. We have been very lucky to have them as support during the good times and the bad times. It is going to be SO exciting to have Baby K grow up with everyone and their children. A HUGE thank you to everyone for helping us celebrate this event and spoiling us with gifts and a fun time. It truly means a lot to us!!
Aimee and Stacey had this cake made as a surprise from Haggen's. They used Baby K's room theme for the design. It tasted as good as it looks. Yummy!
I know right now I am a "big girl", but come on Wade. This string was Wade's guess about how big my belly was measuring!
One of the games during our cribbage tournament. We had 9 teams playing for the number one bracket spot.
The winners and losers cribbage bracket. Team Joz won. However, if you look closely Team Starly (Stacey/Karli) came in second. Josh just got lucky with a 17 point hand.
We ended the night with a round of bite the bag. There is a good reason why the night ends with the game and doesn't start with it:).
Stacey showing her bite the bag moves. To play this game you need to show your flexibility.
The bite the bag king, Jason. He and Maeghan has to declare a tie! You would be AMAZED by the flexibility they have!

Cousin Approved

My Aunt Kathy was in town for the weekend. I wasn't able to make the drive south to see her, so my mom, Kathy, RJ, Shelby and Macie decided to come to Bellingham for a visit and to see Baby K's room before the new arrival. While here, Macie made her self at home and decided to check out some of the goods. She took a "nap" in the crib and tested out the comforts of the stroller. She gave everything two thumbs up! Shelby and I also played the Pac 10 game I was given at a shower. Sad to say a 4 year old (almost 5) beat me pretty good. She knew her Pac 10 teams. Macie checking out the new bed. She figured out how to climb in and out.
Wade took her on a walk around the house. She strapped herself in to be safe. And yes she did come with clothes on, but she likes the free feeling and said she was "hot"!

9 months (almost)! 35.3 weeks.

So, it has been a while since my last post (bad Karli). I decided because I have the day off of work due to flooding, I better update before I forget some details. Yesterday, Wade and I went to an ultra sound to see Baby K. This late in the pregnancy you don't normally have an US, but during my last couple of appointments (I go weekly now) Baby K has been in the breech position. Dr. Mora had the US scheduled so we could see what we were dealing with and how it needed to be handled. They were looking at trying to manually turn the baby (YIKES! Painful) or scheduling a Csection (which would have been 1-2 weeks before the due date). However, Baby K has decided to move on its own and we are back on our normal schedule. Now I won't have to go to the pool and do 10 handstands in the water (U. Of Google told me to do that). The doctor said I could deliver at anytime, but it would most likely be another 5-6 weeks before I do. This is kind of a good thing because Wade and I were worried that he wouldn't be there because he is leaving for Russia. But now he would be back with plenty of time. It would have been sad for him to miss it. I am also trying to work up to the due date as close as possible. Friday, Feb 6th is my last scheduled day.

Okay, enough for the babble and on to the stuff people like to see. Here are some recent pics since my last post:
Becki and Me on New Years. She is 28 weeks I am 34 weeks.
Macie with her new trick. I taught her how to put olives on her fingers on Xmas Eve. And yes, she did wear her PJ's to the party.
Xmas morning at the Looney's. Wade and I spent the night with them. We stayed up late waiting for Santa and playing Wii. Sorry about the PJ picture ReBecca :).