DIY Studio Photography

Alivia Jane

Our sweet baby girl has arrived!

Here's the story: I had an amniocentesis on the 19th. Based on the results of the baby's lung maturity, I was scheduled to have a c-section on the 22nd. But a few hours after my amnio, I started having contractions. By that night, I started getting uncomfortable. The contractions were coming about 4 to 5 minutes apart. I got a little nervous and called the doctor. She told me to go directly to the hospital to get assessed. They started me on IV fluids hoping to slow things down, but the contractions didn't stop. So around 11:30 pm, my OB determined that I really was in labor. He said that letting my labor continue naturally would not be good, because of the risk of rupturing the blood vessel on my cervix. And stopping my labor would not be good, because I would get sent home and I could just go into labor again before my scheduled c-section two days later. The best thing to do was to go ahead and deliver her right away. He did tell me that there was a small risk to the baby because the amnio showed her lungs to still be slightly immature. But the risk was only a 1% chance of her developing respiratory distress syndrome. We both felt like delivering her was the best thing to do.

So at 12:32 am on October 20th, exactly an hour after the decision was made, Alivia Jane Sharp was born. She weighed 6 lbs 7 oz and was 19 inches long. She gave a good cry when she emerged and only had a little bit of trouble breathing. I got a quick peek at her before they whisked her away to the NICU to help her transition. Luckily she only had to stay there for a couple of hours before they brought her to my room after I came out of recovery.

I am so happy with how everything turned out. After a stressful pregnancy riddled with complications and anxiety, I am so relieved that Alivia and I are both safe and sound! I have to say that I was in shock for a while on Tuesday; I had my baby a bit earlier than expected. But I am so grateful for the fact that I went to the hospital when I did. Having been induced with my first two babies, I never experienced the natural start of labor. So when I started having contractions on Monday, I thought I was just having more braxton hicks like I had already been experiencing throughout my third trimester. The only difference this time was that they hurt just a little bit and they were way more regular.

Alivia and I stayed in the hospital from Tuesday until Friday afternoon. It was a bit longer than expected due to the fact that Alivia developed a bit of jaundice, and she failed her car seat test. We weren't allowed to bring her home in her normal infant car seat because her heart rate and blood oxygen levels would drop when she was sitting in it. We had to buy a special car seat from the hospital that allows her to lay flat. And I developed a spinal headache from the spinal block anesthesia I received for my c-section. On Friday morning, they gave me a blood patch to seal the small leak in my spinal fluid. The headache magically went away! By Friday afternoon, we both received our discharge and came home. It has been great being at home. The boys and Grandma Oehrig are enjoying having Alivia here as much as I am.

Visiting Greenville with G and G Sharp

When Grandpa and Grandma came to visit for Ethan's birthday, they took a trip to downtown Greenville, SC to see the waterfall and suspension bridge. They had a lot of fun and even got rained on later when they drove up into the mountains. These are some great portraits Dustin took while they were there. We might just have to go again after the baby is born to do our family portraits.

Ethan's 6th B-day back in September...

The 7-hour cake...I'm not even joking.

Making a wish.

Enjoying the chocolate feast.

A happy family of four, soon to be five!

Pregnancy Update

So, I am officially 34 weeks pregnant today! (Though the picture above was from about 3 weeks ago.) And I am definitely feeling it...I am very large and uncomfortable. But baby girl is growing strong and healthy. We still haven't figured out a name. But we better think of something quick, because instead of coming in six weeks, she will be here in just over a week...

For those of you who don't know, my 18 week ultrasound showed a low lying placenta and vasa previa. Basically that means that the placenta and a large blood vessel are at the edge of the cervix. This makes a very dangerous situation for me and the baby. Going into labor and having the cervix dilate at all would rupture the blood vessel and cause massive bleeding. And since it is not clear as to whether the vessel belongs to me or the baby, it would either mean massive blood loss for me, or certain death for the baby. Neither option is acceptable.

After that first ultrasound, the doctors hoped that the vessel and placenta would move during the course of the pregnancy, as it does in many cases. But a close watch of the area has shown no improvement. So the last several weeks I have been seeing a maternal fetal specialist once a week, in addition to seeing my OB once a week, for ultrasounds and monitoring. Originally they said I would probably have a c-section at 37 weeks. But then they found that I have excess amniotic fluid, which can cause preterm labor. So it was decided by the MFS that the baby should be delivered at 35 weeks to avoid any further risks to me and the baby.

So, next Monday, I am scheduled for an amniocentesis to check the baby's lung function. If she is ready, they will deliver her the next morning. Otherwise, the results of the test can give them an estimate of when she might be ready. It could be just a few days later. Either way, she is coming sooner than we ever expected!

I am very nervous about all the unknown factors involved with this situation. First of all, I've never had a c-section. That will be a new experience, though I've heard it's a piece of cake after having vaginal deliveries with severe episiotomies like I did (sorry if that's too much information). And, I've never had a premature baby. There is so much anxiety and stress associated with that: she will likely be very small, and possibly needing to be in the NICU for several days, and potential feeding problems, and being born in the middle of the worst flu season ever...the list goes on. As far as her weight is concerned, I'll get a more current estimate at the specialist tomorrow morning, but a couple weeks ago they said she would probably be almost 5 lbs by 35 weeks. Regardless, a NICU stay will probably be necessary in case she can't regulate her own body temperature and such. That makes me sad, but at the same time, if she is safe and healthy, I'll gladly take it over the alternative!

She has been one of my wiggliest babies in the womb by far. Every time they hook me up to the fetal monitor the nurses are amazed at how much she moves and wiggles. They always have to reposition the monitor to find her heart rate after she flip flops positions. So I know that she is going to be bouncy and active just like my boys. I was hoping for a more calm and peaceful baby, but I really don't think that is her personality. I can already tell. I have been constantly wondering this whole time what a girl baby of mine will look like, having had only boys before. One thing about having a high risk pregnancy is that I get to see her on the ultrasound once or twice a week. We have so many pictures of her face, profile, feet, etc. We know that her cheeks are nice and chubby already, she has my little pug nose, and that she has a lot of hair. Technology never ceases to amaze me! I can't wait to meet her! I promise to put up pictures and video as soon as we have some after she is born.

So, that's the story of what's going on in our family right now. My mom flies in from Seattle this Friday for an extended stay. She will be such a comfort and a help for me and the boys when Dustin has to return to work. Wish us luck, and please send prayers our way that all will go well!

Wedding Pics!

My mom and dad came through in my moment of need. A few days after my anniversary post, a CD arrived in the mail containing several digital photos from my wedding! I guess my dad had a digital camera there and I didn't even remember. In fact, I don't think I had seen these pictures before now. What a fun surprise. So, without further ado, here are some of the pics from that day eight years ago...

8 Years Ago...

Dustin and I were married for time and all eternity in the Baton Rouge Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Find out more about LDS temples here. I wish I had a wedding pic to post, but alas, not many people had digital cameras eight years ago. And I don't have a scanner. Bummer. Well, I'll put that on my list of things I want. Could be a great anniversary present...ah hem...

Anyway, here is one of our most recent family photos. Baby Girl Sharp is even in the picture, though disguised rather well as a growing belly. She should be here soon (less than 7 weeks now) and will make our little eternal family even more wonderful!



I am so thankful to have met Dustin 10 years ago after a chance meeting. I say "chance" because I had no good reason for moving to Baton Rouge back in 1999, other than the fact that there was also no reason not to move. I remember very clearly having a discussion with my mom that summer back in Chicago about whether I should take a break from college (which wasn't going particularly well) and move with a friend of mine down to her home state of Louisiana. We had no apartment lined up. I didn't have a job there. I knew not one soul besides Dawn. The prospect of moving was scary yet enticing at the same time. I had never been on such an adventure. And I remember my mom commenting that I would probably meet some southern boy, get married, and have kids that say "ya'll". Well, one out of the three came true. I don't really consider Dustin a southerner, even though he grew up in Baton Rouge. He has no southern accent due to his parents being from the west. And, our kids don't say "ya'll", though I say it when I get around southerners.

Thank you, Dustin, for our first two years of dating and then eight more years of wonderful marriage! We were really meant for no one else but each other. We have come a long way...from our beginnings in Baton Rouge, to our finally finishing college in Utah last year, to you getting a great job and taking us to new places: Massachusetts for a year, and now South Carolina. And for giving me two beautiful boys along the way. And I know our daughter will be gorgeous as well. I can't wait to meet her. And I'm so grateful to be spending eternity with you and our family!

First Day of School

Ethan's first day of school was a success! We all got up early in the morning (which is quite a feat for us). I made french toast for breakfast, packed Ethan's lunch and school bag, and we were off. All four of us piled in the car to take Ethan to his classroom on his very first day. That way, we made sure he got there ok, and Dustin was able to see the school and meet the teacher. Ethan was so cute carrying his new school bag and Superman lunch box. He proudly walked down the hallway saying, "I'm starting school today" to anyone who would listen. We got to his class and found the cubbyhole marked with his name so he could hang his bag there. Then he joined the other kids on the rug to watch an episode of Clifford until the bell rang.

Luckily, no tears were shed by any of us. I thought I would cry, but I guess I got over my separation anxiety last year when he went to preschool. That was more traumatic for me (and him). This year, Ethan is so much more mature, and SO ready for school, that I am not sad to see him go every day. He leaves the house with such excitement, and with a smile on his face. I am confident that he is having fun and will learn a lot this year, even though he claims he hasn't learned anything yet. :-) I assured him that once the teachers get past the first few days of laying down the rules and getting the kids used to the school routine, they will start teaching them new things.

Last night, Ethan and I attended an open house at the school. We went to his classroom where they explained a new program called the 100 Book Challenge. He will be reading books in his class, and he will also bring books home, that we will read together and keep track of on a chart. I am excited about this. Ethan has already been sounding out words and reading short sentences on his own, so this will give him the extra practice he needs to be reading in no time!

After the presentation was over, his teacher came over to talk to us. She commented on how good and sweet Ethan is, to which I agreed. :-) And then she said, "And he's so smart. He was the only one in the class who knew what vowels are!" She explained that she had shown all the kids the big alphabet letters hanging on the wall and asked them why some of the letters were red instead of black. She pointed them out to the kids: "A, E, I, O and U..." Then Ethan said loudly, "And sometimes Y!" That's my boy! And I believe he told her that those letters are called vowels. I know every parent thinks their child is the smartest one in the class, but now I have proof! Tee hee. Hopefully, he's not so smart that he gets bored this year. We have tried hard to teach him things at home as much as we can, and I hope his teachers make sure to challenge him at his current level. If not, we will have to supplement his learning at home, or maybe have him skip a grade, if that is possible. I guess we'll wait and see.

So far, we have fallen into the school routine pretty well. Ethan's now on his fourth day. His enthusiasm hasn't worn off, and I have been surprised at how easy it's been to get up early, get Ethan dressed, make breakfast and pack lunches. Dustin's pretty excited that we're getting up with him now. He actually gets breakfast and a lunch packed for him too! And it's worked out that Dustin drops Ethan off at school on his way to work at around 7:30. Otherwise, Ethan would have to get on the morning bus at around 6:30! Way too early, if you ask me. I let Owen sleep in until after Dustin and Ethan leave. That makes it a little easier on me, and that way I can sneak a shower in before Owen wakes up. It's been fun hanging out with Owen all day. He finally gets some one-on-one time with me, at least until the baby is born. Then the bus drops Ethan off right next to our house at around 3. Now the trick will be getting to bed earlier. We are still not getting the hang of that, especially me. After 6-7 hours of sleep, I am able to wake up ok at 6 am, but then feel like I'm ready to crash by 9 am. Not good... If I could just grab a couple more hours of sleep at night, that would be perfect. Although, that won't last long anyway. After the baby is born, all regular schedules will be thrown out the window! Such is life...

Getting ready for school

I would say "Back to School", but seeing as this is Ethan's first year, that doesn't really fit. Tomorrow, he will go to kindergarten for the very first time! He attended part-time preschool in Massachusetts, but this is entirely different. Now, Ethan will get on a bus and go to school all by himself for almost 8 hours a day, 5 days a week! And, among other things, he will learn how to play the violin. I was so excited to find out that the school offers Suzuki violin lessons. We met the teacher last week and signed him up. It also gave me a good excuse to dig my violin out of the closet and take it to the shop to get it in playable condition. I am ashamed to say that it has been a LONG time since I played it. After school tomorrow, we will go back to the violin shop to pick mine up, and rent a small violin for Ethan. I think I am more excited about violin lessons than the fact that he is starting kindergarten tomorrow.

Since the camping trip two days ago, Ethan keeps waking up with kind of a nasty dry cough, which worries me. I'm hoping that a little Tylenol and a humidifier tonight while he sleeps will clear it all up so that he doesn't have to miss his very first day of school. What miserable timing!

In preparation for school, we visited his classroom, met his teachers, and filled out all the paperwork last week. We've purchased all of Ethan's school supplies. This morning I gave him his official school haircut, since he was getting pretty shaggy. Owen also got his haircut, because he was a shag-a-muffin too. They both look like they are ready for boot camp now. I might have gotten a little too clipper happy. I will take some pics tomorrow of Ethan's first day. In the meantime, here are the "before" and "after" pics for the haircuts.

Camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains

Last Friday, Dustin and the boys drove up to North Carolina to the Blue Ridge Mountains. I stayed home for obvious reasons. They intended on setting up camp at a "car camping" site. Upon arriving, it was already crowded by several tents and families. And, it seems Dustin managed to pack everything for the trip except for the $14 cash to pay for the site! Seeing as there was no ATM within 30 miles, Dustin got a permit to go back country camping instead.

The upside: It's completely free.
The downside: You have to leave your car and hike several miles into the woods.

Luckily, there was an open campsite only 1.5 miles from the road...up the side of a mountain. Dustin packed his hiking pack with the bare essentials and left everything else in the car. They had a tent, 2 thermarests, 2 sleeping bags, some food, water, some clothes, and the camera. Dustin thinks that the pack probably weighed about 100 lbs. I honestly don't know how he hiked up the side of a mountain carrying that much. He continues to amaze me. Ethan was able to carry a small pack, but Owen didn't carry anything. In fact, Dustin had to do a lot of pep-talking to get Owen to make it all the way to the camp. Several times, Owen wanted to turn around and go back. He even asked Dustin to carry him, which wasn't possible. Amazingly, they made it! I'm so proud of my boys.

They had fun setting up camp, making a fire, and sleeping in a tent. They cooked hot dogs and ate smores...well, chocolate and graham crackers. Somehow the marshmallows got left in the car. I guess Dustin already had enough to carry. The next morning they were able to hike all the way back down to the car and go visit some other landmarks, and take some great pictures along the way.

















This is scary, but the boys were brave.







Devil's Courthouse

On top of Devil's Courthouse