Last day in CDA

Left to right - Josiah (my brother), Lisa (Josiah's wife), Alan (my Dad), Shirley (my Mom), Garrett, Ed, and me.

We got to spend our last day up north surrounded by family and relaxed. Lisa, Josiah and my Mom went and floated the CDA River while Ed and my Dad went truck shopping (for my Dad not Ed). Garrett and I hung out at the house for a little while until we went out to Post Falls to have lunch with Ed and my Dad at Rob's (breakfast burger...YUM!). Then later my Uncle Bob and his wife Vicky, plus their two girls (Gabi & Maggie) and Vicky's niece (little Vicky) came from Colville, Washington for dinner and to meet Garrett. It was a nice evening and a nice end to our first family vacation!

swinging!

Grandma bought Garrett a swing - just because. :) He loves to stare at the toucan and whatever else that red thing is (a frog possibly). He likes to swing, if he is in the right mood!

Not a big fan of sunglasses

Camping - North Idaho Style!

We parked the trailer in the backyard at my parents house - and that's where we stayed for about 2 weeks. Seems like a strange idea - but it worked out great! We rolled out the awning and we hung out under that in the evenings (sometimes during the day when it wasn't horribly hot). We sat around and played cards and other games, and ate ate ate!
Poor Garrett never made it too late into the night - since Grandma is a master snuggler! He would bounce (asleep) from person to person until we all finally gave in and called it a night. North Idaho gets a lot colder at night than Southern Idaho does - so Garrett had to be bundled even in the dead of summer.

We made a fire in Mom & Dad's firepit and made s'mores. Garrett is sitting with his Aunt Lisa while the rest of us are cooking marshmallows!

One month old!!!

It's been so hot during our trip that Garrett's perfect skin erupted on him! Poor kid! He developed either a heat rash or baby acne almost as soon as we left home. We had two days of cooler weather (yesterday and today) and it helped his skin quite a bit. The doctor said there was nothing I could do about it, and I've been putting expressed breast milk on it, but it hasn't helped much at all.

Garrett (and Mommy) had a rough day yesterday. He had a horribly upset stomach, and I can only assume it was from something I ate. He could not sleep and he had a constant bubble in his tummy. He puked sevearl times during the day, including right after he ate. But, today was much better. Him and I both got some sleep last night and he was in a great mood all day today. It amazes me how much he's been staying awake during the day. I love watching him watch things and I can't help but wonder what he's thinking. He is one month old today you know. I had no idea it really did go by this fast. I want to cry when I think about having to go back to work - but I also get excited at the thought of watching him develop and grow. He's already a great baby - he's going to be such a fun little boy! We celebrated by having huckleberry cheesecake!

Garrett and his "niece" Camala

Ed's daughter Stacy had a baby girl on July 5th - so Garrett's new niece is 11 days younger than him. She weighed in at a teeny tiny 4 pounds 4 ounces when she was born. The difference between our super healthy little boy and our granddaughter astounds me! Here are some pictures to show you the two of them together!

Ed's daughter Stacy (the mother of baby Camala), her sons Tim & Davin, and Ed's mom and brother Kenny all came to my parents house and we had a BBQ.

Garrett and his "niece" Alexus

We took Ed's son James and his daughter Alexus out to dinner, but that's all we really got to see of them. James works out of town and he was only in town to spend two days with his daughter (and get some laundry done). Here is Alexus and Garrett!

Garrett meets the Brodens!

Garrett, my Mom, my sister Sarah, and I went to Libby, Montana to introduce Garrett to his Granny Great (Broden - my Dad's Mom). Sarah had called ahead and let a couple of people know we were coming - and it was like a holiday at Granny's house! :) In this picture Garrett is meeting my Aunt Kathy, Eric (my cousin) & Carrie's daughter Maddie, and Katie Jo's (my cousin) & Ryan's son Cooper. He also met Carrie (Eric's wife), Ethan (my godson and Eric & Carrie's son), Aiden (Eric & Carrie's son), my cousin Carli, my cousin Katie Jo and her other son Layne. My uncle Bruce and his finacee Penny came out a little later. My aunt Bobbie and my cousins Nate and Noelle came out which was very cool because I haven't seen them in what seems like a really long time. I also got to see my cousin Kerrie, who was working when we went to leave town. And of course Garrett met one of my favorite people in the whole world - his Granny Great!
My Uncle Bruce holding Garrett

Garrett with his Mom (uh me), his Grandma (to the right) and his Great Grandma!

In true Broden style everyone was highly impressed with Garrett's farting ability. He really does have man-like farts. He's not shy about them and he doesn't care who is holding them when he lets them fly. Ed takes credit for this talent, yet my side of the family also says it's a Broden thing. Either way, all I know is that I might as well give in to the "pull my finger" game happening at my house. I'm not pulling any fingers though.

Garrett meets Grandpa!

The title and the picture kind of explains it all. I know my Dad's been waiting for this meeting for awhile. Garrett had already met Grandma right after he was born - and he loves her, now he's got Grandpa wrapped around his little finger (see it in the picture) as well!

Garrett meets Grandpa!

The title and the picture kind of explains it all. I know my Dad's been waiting for this meeting for awhile.

Our future home

Well if you wanted to know, Garrett is a master roadtripper! He gets into his carseat and once the truck starts moving, he's asleep. When we stop he wakes up and I change and feed him, but then once we get into motion again he's asleep again! :) We couldn't ask for a better travel buddy than him!

Ed got the notification that he was approved to take the Powell, Idaho residency (try and find it on a map and you might not be able to). Powell is a tiny little area, not even a town but a Ranger Station. After we left Salmon on July 13th we travelled to Powell (it's about 45 minutes south and then west from Missoula, Montana) and met with the current resident state trooper, a man named Stan. Stan gave us a tour of the state owned house that we'll be living in when (and if) we move there. The next day (the 14th) Ed and Stan went to work for a couple of hours and Stan showed Ed all over the general area, explaining the ins and outs of the area. Garrett and I stayed in the trailer and watched a movie and then when Ed and Stan came back from checking out the area we left Powell and headed for Coeur d'Alene (a day early - so we surprised my parents). This picture is of Ed and Garrett at the Lochsa River, which is just across the highway from where we will be living. Aren't they cute together? Can you imagine the childhood Garrett is going to have with Ed as his Dad? He's going to learn all about everything outdoors. I might as well get ready to be camo-fied permanently!

Garrett versus the butterfly

Now admit it - you had to look twice to see the butterfly didn't you? Garrett was already fussy when I put it on him and it just got worse when Ed tried to get his picture.

I love my camper!

Garrett sleeps like me - withe at least one eye cracked open at all times. Here he is sleeping on his bed in the camper. There is a large bedside nightstand and right above it is the clothes wardrobe. I just slide him in there for bedtime. He fits perfect! I'm pretty sure that won't be the case for long though!

First family road trip!

We've been on our nice long road trip for awhile, but I'm just now sitting down to blog a little bit about it (now that it's almost over - I'm a little slow). Yes we're the weirdo's who buy a big truck and a travel trailer once gas goes over $4 a gallon. We left on July 12th, driving up to Salmon to stay with an old friend and his family. Garrett got to be loved on by Duncan's girls and wife - he was a happy baby. It was also the first night we spent in our camper. It was pretty cool I'll admit!

Here is Garrett having some booby by a river on our way to Salmon, while the dogs cooled off.

More firsts (for me - not G)

So yesterday I'm giving G a diaper change, something that happens several times a day, every day (obviously). I have been teasing Ed about the fact that he's either really slow at changing or he sucks at his timing in changing G's diapers. G has peed on Ed several times already, even spraying his changing table, pack and play and the wall on one occassion last week. Well yesterday I changed G (and did not get peed on) and I was putting Desitin on his little tushy. He farted. Twice. I laughed and thanked him for saving that for me, and went to finish putting the Desitin on his butt. And then he started to poop. I barely got my fingers out of there in time. I didn't have a clean diaper under him yet, so basically I just had stand there and wait for him to finish what he was doing. Ed came around the corner from the kitchen and stood there and laughed while Garrett pooped all over his changing table and pad. Anyone who knows what breastfed baby poop looks like can sympathize with my trauma.

Then later Garrett was on the boob. He wa being very fussy, which is very strange for him. I had already pumped for the day so I was worried that somehow he didn't have anything to eat. I unlatched him and gave myself a little squeeze, and shot myself in the eye with breastmilk. Sometimes I amaze myself with how smart I am! :)

I am loving this life of mine. Even when Garrett is fussy or I want to get something done and can't because of him. Watching Ed with him, and watching Garrett change every day is what I think I've always been meant to do.

Our first day without any help!!!

Even though Ed is on paternity leave, he had to go into work this morning and write up a report on a case that happened earlier this year. He left at 7 am and it was just Garrett and I alone for the first time since we were in the hospital (and we weren't alone then since I could call nurses for help). Garrett woke me up at about 9:30 am and I fed and changed his diaper. Ed texted me and wanted to know if I wanted to go to breakfast with the guys (that he works with). Who am I to turn down a lunch invitation? Garrett fell right back asleep and instead of snuggling him and watching tv I got in the shower. I got myself ready for the day and then got Garrett dressed. We went down to Ed's office to pick him up (he was in his civilian clothes in his patrol car) and hung out there for awhile.


Garrett decided he needed to eat again while we were there so I fed him. When he was done he spit up, all the way down the front of my shirt (inside) and soaking me. I have learned to always pack G an extra outfit - never thought I'd have to pack myself one too. I wasn't about to try one of his extra onsies. So I went out to lunch with barfed on boobs. It was really quite impressive on his part. Little turkey.

We went to lunch at the restaurant and Ed ran into a woman he knows (I'm not sure how exactly). The woman asked Ed (who was carrying G in his carseat), "Oh! Is this your granddaughter?" I tried not to laugh, since we knew comments like this would be coming someday (it only took 12 days) but then I realized that this woman called my son a girl. How dare she? I don't think he looks anything like a little girl!!! People.

Then our waitress (a girl who probably hasn't even seen the age of 21 yet) asked Ed how old G was, and when he told her that G is 12 days old the waitress said, "Oh! And his eyes are open already and everything!" Uh....now my kid is a dog/cat? Sheesh! Ed's coworker and I exchanged glances of humor with each other but neither of us said anything.

After that, we had to take Ed back to his office. G and I went home and I fed him again (I think he's going thru a growth spurt of some kind because he is eating and eating and eating) and we both laid down and took a nap! Man I was tired by that point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ed came home about 6 pm, and we were very happy to see him! Garrett missed his Daddy time today!

my perfect world

Really, does it get any better than this? I knew Ed was a good dad, but until I saw him being the dad to my child I had no idea how much love and patience he was capable of. He helps me change him in the middle of the night, he gets up with him in the morning so I can sleep a little extra (because we all know I'm not a morning person), and he loves on Garrett every chance he gets.

Garrett peed on Ed at the hospital, and pretty much at least once a day since that point. Tonight Ed was changing Garrett and Garrett peed a fountain - getting the wall, his pack and play, his outfit, and Ed of course. Then on his next diaper change - he got him again. Hilarity if you ask me - but I have a sick sense of humor. I have to sign off of here and go get another clean (and dry) outfit for my boy - the Whizzer!

family picture

Our new little family! :)

Boob juice!

After Garrett and Ed got back to my room a nurse from the nursery came in. She asked me if I was going to be breastfeeding. I told her that I really wanted to, but that I had never done it before and didn't know what to do. She got some gloves on and picked up Garrett, she showed me a couple of different positions, and because of my c-section (and the fact that I still couldn't feel my legs) she laid him in a cradle position. She no sooner pointed his face in the direction of my breast and he latched himself right on. That should have been an indicator of what was to come. He nursed and nursed and nursed the whole time I was in the hospital. I was happy to let him do so of course! He bruised one of my areola's and my nips got sore pretty quick - but I was just too happy that it was working!!!


They say that it is normal for a woman's milk to come in 3-5 days after having baby, and that it can be delayed when one has a c-section, since the hormones aren't exactly right (since I hadn't gone thru natural childbirth). Garrett is such a champion breast feeder that he was born on Tuesday, and my milk was in by Thursday evening.


His birthweight was 7 pounds 10 ounces, and when he was weighed on Wednesday night he was 7 pounds even. When I saw the lactation consultant at the hospital five days later he was 7 pounds 7 ounces, and when we saw the doctor two days after that he was at 7 pounds 10 ounces again. Boob juice does a little boy good!!!!


Engorgement started Friday morning and lasted awhile. My boobs are already big enough - engorgement was INSANE!!! Breastfeeding was getting to be downright painful (i.e. I was doubled over in pain and crying) so I went and saw a lactation consultant at the hospital. After watching me feed him and making sure that his latch was correct, she informed me that Garrett is what they lovingly refer to as a "barracuda baby" meaning that he just sucks really hard. She told me that I could massage his jaw joint to get him to lighten up, but that other than that I would just have to keep going (if I wanted to continue to breastfeed) and get used to it. So I tried that. Then when I saw my doctor (for Garrett's 1 week checkup) I asked him how long engorgement was supposed to last, since by that time I had been consistently painfully engorged for 5 days. He told me that engorgement could last awhile. Then he suggested that I pump for two days to give my nipples a break from the barracuda baby and let Daddy feed the baby with a bottle. This upset me since the engorgement question still went unanswered really and because everything I've read said not to introduce the bottle until 3-4 weeks.


I went home and pumped, getting an insane amount of breastmilk from each breast. I felt 110% better - the engorgement was basically gone. I went ahead and tried to feed Garrett on the breast the next time he was hungry and it felt like a totally different experience. It wasn't even close to as painful as it had been for a week at that point!!! Instead of giving myself the two days off as the doctor suggested, I continued to feed Garrett on the breast and pump. Now I pump at least once a day to help with engorgement and I'm so much happier. Then I came to find out, from Ed's friends' wife (a member of the Le Leche League) that I should try to not let engorgement happen because it can decrease my supply (because my body will think that it's producing too much milk and it will slow down to meet my "needs"). She also said that the pain I was having was probably due to the engorgement and the fact that poor Garrett was working with some giant boobs and stretched out nips. Makes perfect sense doesn't it? My only question now is why didn't I go to her sooner???? So now breast feeding is enjoyable again, for Garrett and for me!!!

The big day!

Sorry about not updating in a little while. Anyone who has had a newborn knows - they take up some time! :) I'll gladly spend that time with him as opposed to blogging, no offense to the rest of you. Where do I begin? I'll go back a little ways to Garrett's b-day!

We got to the hospital at 5 am for our scheduled c-section but had to go first to Admissions for more paperwork (even though we pre-registered and all that jazz). We went up to the maternity floor and I was taken to my room (317) at the end of the hallway. The rooms at PMC are teeny tiny, but somehow I lucked and out and got the "suite." A room bigger than my living room. I was tickled about that. My Maternity nurse got me all prepped for surgery (including hitting a valve while putting in the IV in the back of my hand - causing a bruise to immediately start forming. The next thing I know two male nurses showed up and wheeled me off to surgery. I sat in surgery prep for a little while, answering a few questions from the anesthesiologist (who was a man with a giant band-aid on his cheek and two giant sores on his lips that frightened me). My doctor showed up a little before 7 am (my scheduled surgery time) and talked some with the surgery staff. They started to wheel me away while a nurse took Ed to the waiting area (or holding pen I like to think of it) so that he could put his scrubs on.

They brought me into the actual surgery room and a different anesthesiologist started to talk to me about my spinal. He was concerned that because the tattoo on my lower back is right on my spine that he might not be able to do the spinal. He was concerned that ink could leak into my spinal fluid. What??? He wanted me to consider letting him do a general anesthetic but I refused to do that (that means I would be completely under and not be able to at least hear my babes first cry). So they did the spinal. I watched in the reflection of a big light above me, as the male nurses scrubbed up my lower half, shaved me, and put in a catheter. Never need to see that again. They had pulled the blue curtain up by that point, so I wasn't doing much but laying on my back and trying to remember to breathe! My doctor showed up in the room, along with the partner in his practice. They were all suited up and ready to go.

They got started (i.e. cut me open) and then a nurse came in with Ed and had him sit by my head. The doctor told Ed when to stand up and watch as they pulled Garrett out of my belly at exactly 7:30 am! Garrett didn't hardly make a noise - nothing near as dramatic as you see on TV. The baby nurse grabbed Garrett and took him to the warmer and started to wipe the goo off of him, etc...and Garrett only whimpered a little bit, let out a tiny cry, and was content to be taken care of from there. Ed went over and picked him up and brought him over to me so I could see him. Love at first sight? You betcha!!! I fought back the tears, but I'm pretty sure some of them escaped, since I remember the anesthesiologist wiping my eyes for me. Ed and the baby nurse then left with Garrett.

My anesthesiologist ended up not being the guy with the suspicious looking sores on his lips. It was a wonderfully kind man with an old fashioned name that escapes me right now. He was wonderful through the whole surgery, constantly talking to me about the baby, and asking questions about what his name was going to be, etc...He really did take fantastic care of me, and I felt very safe with him the whole time. The nurses that I came in contact with were great as well. Very professional. My doctor (and his partner) had been working on sewing me up and since they had to make the incision thru a tattoo on my abdomen (an ill placed choice made many years ago) it took them awhile. I was very thankful that my doctor took his time doing this as he was trying to put the tattoo back together the best he could. I can't tell yet - but I'm sure he did a good job.

After the doctor was done sewing me up I got to go to recovery at about 8:10 am. The nurse I had there was nice as well, though she seemed a little bit on the busy side!!! She asked lots of questions about the baby as well and catered to my every need. I was still more than numb from the anesthesia but she said as soon as she could see that I was moving my toes, feet, or legs then she would get me up to my room in Maternity. At about 9 am she took me up to my room (she saw me move my toes even though I couldn't feel it). When I got back to my room I called the nursery looking for Ed and Garrett. Shortly thereafter they came in!!! Finally our little family of three was together and I got to hold my son for the very first time. When anyone says the word magic around me ever again - that is the feeling I will remember.