Contractions started a little before 5 am on the 26th. I was soooo happy that I had made it thru Christmas! I got right up and kept myself busy. I did the dishes, cleaned up the presents, took out all the garbage and separated the recycling from all the Christmas mayhem the day before. I got all the toys organized, started laundry. By the time everyone else was up I convinced them to bring in the Christmas boxes and we had the tree down and Christmas decorations put away. After all was clean and vaccumed we headed to Wal-Mart after lunch to walk around and get my contractions closer together. They had been at 10 min apart all day. We bought some after Christmas clearance things and after 2 hours of walking around and contractions staying the same, but still painful we headed to Kortni's house to hang out. My brother Kalan had decided to hang out and not leave back to Seattle to see if he could be here to meet baby Penelope before he took off. We got to Kortni's after 3:00 and the kids played and decided to go out in the snow. I sat on the couch and took tags off new clothes and separated bows from wrapping paper. Contractions were about 8 min apart, but a lot more painful than I was used to. Stephen kept asking me if I wanted to drive to Spokane. I didn't really want to deliver there anyways because my Dr that I had been seeing was on vacation and I hadn't even met who was to deliver me anyways, so it was no different than delivering in Moses Lake except that I got to be closer to home. After a really big, hard contraction while sitting at Kortni's kitchen table, I decided we better get this show on the road and get to the hospital. Kalan jumped in the van with us and we left the kids at Kortni's playing in the snow. I had some intense contractions on the way to the hospital and I just KNEW that there was no way that they could send me home!
Stephen dropped Kalan and I at the door and while checking in the ER I made a joke about my two baby daddies as I was standing there with Stephen and Kalan. The receptionist wasn't sure whether to laugh or not. I thought I could walk up, but after another intense contraction they practically flew me up in a wheel chair. I got into the room and the nurse threw a gown on the bed and told me to get dressed. Kalan helped me get my boots off and then I threw him out of the room, which he was thankful for. This was at about 5:18 PM. Nurse Kim checked me and I was at a 7 and she told me that I wasn't getting an epidural and I said that I figured. Contractions were really intense and I was shaking when the gal was putting in my IV and I really wanted ice. Dr King who was on call arrived a little bit later and checked me at a 9 and said that I could push pretty soon. I wanted to push now. I refused drugs again and tried to tough it out. Contractions were INSANE! Stephen had been trying to text my friend, Alicia Taylor who was going to take pictures for us since we had gotten to the hosipital but had not heard from her yet and in between contractions I kept asking about her. He texted Kortni and told her that if she wanted to be there then she's better hurry. It was all happening so quickly but at the same time the contractions seemed to last forever! Dr King was quite humorus and non chalant if thats the right word. Stephen said it best when he said that the whole 30 monutes felt like an episode of Seinfeld. When the nurse had checked me the first time she said that she could feel my water ready to pop, but it still hadn't broke, so Dr King did it and he said it was tough to do and after that I was soooo ready to push. But he said that I had to wait and I DID NOT WANT to t wait anymore! Kortni came flying in and 3-4 pushes later with me moaning and screaming and apologizing in between and wanting to keep my legs straight for some reason and kicking my leg out at Nurse Kim, who was very quick and moved before I kicked her and I apologized profusely for the next few hours, but after all that Baby Penelope joined us at 5:53PM. The intensity of it all is what gets me. One minute you have this thought that you are seriously not going to survive this. Like "I am going to die" is a very reasonable thought that the time, and then BAM! She's out and I'm happy and I want ice and I wanna hold her and will "someone please grab a camera?" and I'm back to normal. :) She didn't cry right away but she was looking great! Apgar Score of a 9 out of 9, perfect! 8 lbs 3 oz. I could definitely tell that she was bigger than Paisley when I was pushing.

See? Don't I look so peaceful and happy? When 10 minutes before this I thought I was going to die?!?!

Stephen and daughter #2 Penelope Skye

After her Aunt Kortni got to hold her Hanna and her Uncle Kalan joined us in the delivery room.

And Dr King who delivered Miss Penny. Great guy!

Stephen's photog skills aren't half bad!

Picture of Stephen posting all the happenings on FaceBook!

Brandon brought the kids in and they were pretty excited. Beck more than Paisley.

Paisley just kept asking if she could poke her in the eye.

The family is one of nature's (God's) masterpieces. - George Santayana

and the wonderful Delievery Nurse Kim

Because of my Lupus, Penelope had to have an EKG right after her birth, along with a bunch of labs, but everything checked out clear! About this point everyone got kicked out of the delivery room. There was an angry couple in the room next to us that was mad at all the visitors we had, so Kortnis girls for booted out before they even got to hold Penelope. Kalan left back for Seattle and then our kid's actually had to leave because we hadn't realized that actually no one under 18 was actually sposed to even be in the delivery room. About this point My friend, Alicia, received all my pleading texts to get to the hospital and she arrived and snapped a few quick pictures before she got kicked out as well. She was able to come
Back later and sneak into the nursery with us to watch Penny's first bath.

WE are so excited to have this wonderful little angel with us! A wonderful gift the day after Christmas! and a very Happy New Year to the Stephen Ashton family!

Christmas morning was a slow start which was perfectly fine with Stephen and I. Paisley awoke at about 8:30 and then we went and woke up Beck who after hearing that Santa came bolted straight out of bed...

Stockings were first and they are right outside the kids' door. Even Penelope who had not joined our little family yet got two bath time books from Santa.

She didn't even know that it was a headlamp, but Paisley was pretty excited about it anyway.

She was pretty excited about anything that fell out of her stocking. I made the Christmas stockings over the last year and Beck and Paisley got to pick out the embelishments that went on their stockings.

The tree was next and the kids headed in full sprint!

Santa presents didn't take long and Paisley was ripping into presents, looking for ones with her name as fast as she could. Most of the time her little bum was sticking out from under the tree digging for more gifts to open. Beck took a little more time to examine his gifts as he opened them. They loved all the little animals they got. Below is a tea set from Grandma Ann for Paisley.

Uncle Bubba was finally wide awake after stockings and got to open a few gifts. It was so great to have him here!

And after all the chaos and fun was over a pose in front of the tree before we quickly hopped in the tub and got ready for church.

You can't really see the belly, but this is the day before Baby Penelope joined us. So she didn't get to wear her Christmas church dress.

Paisley 3 years old and Beck 5 years old Christmas morning.

Even Uncle Bubba got bribed to take a picture in front of the tree.

It was nice to go to church Christmas Day and be reminded of our Savior. There was beautiful music and hymns and the Primary kids sang. Beck grabbed the microphone afterwards and said, "hello!" Quite humorous. Stephen pretended that he didn't know it was him. A very Merry Christmas 2011 with great memories!

Uncle Bubba came and stayed with us over Christmas. We were super excited to have him back safely from Australia! He is there working on designing a building there for a competition and is headed back in January. We love it when Uncle Kalan comes to stay! He helped the kids throw out Reindeer Food with glitter so that Santa could find our house.

We also hung our Santa key on the front door so that he could get inin case he didn't fit down the fire place. Grandma Maimi Dawn sent us the Santa Key. Thanks Grandma!

Christmas jammies to start off our Christmas party that the Prunedas joined us for.

We had our usual pinata and Bingo Games. The kids had a lot of fun, although Bingo didn't last long!

The kids went to bed super late after we watched Elf at about 11:00pm.

Baby Penelope Skye Ashton is here. She was born December 26, 2011 at 5:53PM weighing in at 8 lbs 3 oz and 21" long. She adorable, we love her and I spent 2 hrs late late Monday night typing up her whole birth story from my phone and it didn't save, so it may have to wait a bit until we get settled in.

Oh yeah and Christmas came and went and we loved it... :)

Beck's School Christmas party was Tuesday the 21st. They had a lot of fun activities and Beck loved the sugar cookies he got to decorate and sitting on Santa's lap. He had then decided to ask for a Baby Bunny....

Above are the AFTER pictures of Beck's big dental appointment that was yesterday. The one that we've tried 3 separate times To get his original dentist to get the work done, but he has such a high fear and goes crazy head butting, biting, screaming, and crying! We finally had to take him to an anesthesiologist to get it done. He was not very excited, but was brave and I'm glad to say we are cleared til free dental day in February! This dental work that he has needed since last February is finally done! I bawled like a baby, a hormonal
Pregnant emotional Baby when Stephen went back to the back with him to be put under. I was so nervous! The work took a little over an hour and he came out of it loopy and minus 3 teeth, a new silver tooth, and a spacer. They have him two of his teeth but one was so "mushy" (gross huh?!?!) they said we didn't want it.

This morning he ran downstairs (because he came up And slept on our floor) so fast to see what they tooth fairy had left him. 6 quarters and a note explaining that he for double for his 3 teeth because he was so brave at the dentist! I am so proud of my baby boy, and I pray one day that this insane fear subsides at least a little bit!
And on another note we spent 7 hrs walking around the mall and Costco in Spokane after another disappointing OB appt. trying to get baby Penelope here before spending Christmas Eve or Christmas Day in the delivery room... But alas, we are headed back to Moses Lake still very much pregnant.