First Family Christmas!

Well this was our first year as a family with a kidlet for Christmas! I know that I was way more excited for it than either Justin or Ryker. Oh well! Ryker got presents from everyone and gave some too! We went to Rupert for Christmas Even and Christmas morning. Ryker wore his adorable red butt-flab Cabela's jammies! Then after opening presents and eating breakfast we came back to Nampa to do Christmas with my parents. It was great because everyone was there, even Mike and Micaela! I slacked off, again, and didn't take a lot of pictures. I think Merena and Candice might have more so I'll try to steal them. But here are the ones we did take!

Ryker Meets Santa

Ryker got to meet Santa for the first time on December 23, 2009. The line was FOREVER long at the Boise Towne Square Mall, but we made it! Ryker even gave a half smirk and didn't fuss! Not too bad for a three-week-old!

Guess What...

Okay, so I know that I look exhausted in this picture...I am. This was just 18 days after Ryker was born and happened to be the same day as Justin's graduation. I know I'm a nerd for loving my birthday, but I do! Ha ha, so year 24...bring it :)

Graduation

Wahoo! We made it! Justin is finally done with his Bachelor's Degree! I am so proud of him and all of his hard work. He ended up with a 3.12 GPA - which I think is pretty dang good especially with a job and a family for most of it!

Justin graduated with his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering on December 18th. We are now anxiously looking for a job and hopefully one here in the valley. Although, we are willing to move wherever he can get a job especially with the economy being the way it is!

We had lots of friends and family come to help celebrate his graduation. Thank you all for that and for your love and support throughout our lives!

 

Slideshow of Ryker's Pictures

He is SOOOOOOO beautiful!!! I love my little guy! And the photos that Bonnie and G with Once Remembered Photography took are AMAZING! Here is a slideshow of our beautiful little guy!

Just a Recommendation

Don't have a baby two weeks before finals your last semester in college! We made it through and passed all of our classes, thank goodness. But really, I don't recommend it!
We had Ryker's newborn pics taken on December 5th. Here are just a few!

Ryker John Reed

He is finally here! Ryker John Reed was born on Tuesday, December 1st at 8:05pm in St. Luke's Hospital, Meridian, Idaho. He weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz. and was 21 3/4 inches long.

We went to the hospital at 6:30 Tuesday morning for a scheduled labor inducement. I was actually happy about scheduling his birthday. No offense to everyone with a November birthday, but I think December's birthstone is a lot prettier...but I am bias and I know it! Everything was all setup and ready to go when we got there, it really was nice! The room they had me in was HUGE!

Getting Ready to go to the Hospital

After they got the pitocin going to induce labor I started having really regular contractions. The funny part though was that I couldn't feel them...not even a little bit! At about 9:30 my water broke on its own and that is when the pain really started pretty heavily! By 10:30 they had my epidural in and the pain was gone...nothing can explain how wonderful an epidural is!

Ryker was born later in the evening, though I didn't get to hold him right away. There was merconium in the amniotic fluid so they had to check him and make sure he didn't swallow or breathe any before I was given him. Poor little guy came out face up with his head to the left so his head was all sorts of deformed. The swelling went down pretty quickly though.

Being Weighed

 My first thought when I saw Ryker was that I couldn't believe how much he looked like MY DAD only with Justin's nose! Ha ha ha! Then it set in, I'm a MOM!!! I remember asking Ryker, "Okay Kid, now what???"

We had quite a few visitors come see us in the hospital and actually ended up staying in the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday night and came home around 2 on Thursday afternoon. Justin's mom, Merena, was there to greet us and had made the cutest little gingerbread men/women to welcome Ryker.

"Welcome Home Ryker!"

Merena stayed with us through Saturday, which was so awesome! It was great to have her here to help! 

I am so excited our little man is here...Let's get this party started! :)