Dada song!

I feel like blogging!!!

Boy, oh boy, do I feel motivated to start blogging again!! I better hurry up, both boys are napping at the same time!! WHOO HOO!! (too bad Preston is a 30-minute max napper! He takes 3 "mini naps" per day...painful but 100% TRUE!)
Here's the deal, I think about blogging all the time, I even have a couple of post started but they haven't made a debut. Typically, I take a blog post idea and turn it into a few sentences as my facebook status. Pretty lame, I know! I'm going to make an effort to post on my blog and then put a link on Facebook~ Maybe that will work!
So here is a photo update of what the Fulmer's have been up to!
My matching cutie patooties heading a Greek Restaurant for their Grandpa's Birthday!

My stunning 5 month old!

The happiest boy I know:

A new family picture that I adore:

A picture that makes my heart melt:

Every weekend we can be found by a pool or at the beach!

If you take the hose away from Easton, this is the face he will make!

I put this picture on a coffee mug that says, "I LOVE MOM" for my Mother's Day gift! (yep, that's right, I ordered my own mother's day gift because I wanted it and didn't want to stress Ryan out with my wishes! He did surprise me with 2 fabulous new Calvin Klein pillows! He said that since I'm not getting too much sleep, I better make the hours I do get count! So sweet!)

Easton is CRAZY in love with his "dada"- soon I will post a video of Ryan walking in the door, Easton dropping whatever toy he has to run into Ryan's arms! Easton then sings the "Dada song" and Ryan's heart melts as he hugs his son! It's priceless! There are some memories, such as this one and the sound of Easton's bare feet pitter-pattering on the tile that I hope to NEVER forget!

This little baby LOVES to be on his tummy!! He is already pushing himself backwards and just started to get up on all 4's! Crazy huh? Easton didn't crawl till he was 10 months- Pressy will be 6 months in 10 more days- Could he be an EARLY, EARLY crawler? We'll see!!

Well, there is an update, that's sufficient right? I have so many topics that I want to write about and I hope to get to soon!!!
Love you all,

Well, this sums up my days!!

Thinking about blogging!!!

I wish I could find the time to blog about our day to day happenings. Life is amazingly busy and happy in our home. Easton continues to be the happiest 1 year old, impressing me everyday with new learnings. He isn't saying many words yet but he is understanding word meanings. He knows how to go and get a book, a ball, or a balloon. (All B words!) His favorite thing to do is play chase with daddy and I. He laughs and giggles all the way to my arms as Daddy is chasing him. My favorite time of night for sure!
Preston is growing like a weed! I call him Mr. Smiles because I can easily make him smile and giggle, which makes my heart melt. We are working on nap time because he is only sleeping 30 minutes, 3 times a day. I have continued to exclusively breastfeed, which I am very thankful for. Preston isn't taking a bottle well but we are trying everyday. We are going to introduce rice cereal this week to start the routine of solids.

And there's an update!!

Got the video camera out!!!!

For all of my Pregnant Friends!

Dearest Pregnant Friends,
I’ve decided to blog from my personal experience of motherhood. I’ve read a lot of the books and I’ve done numerous Google searches during the last 10 weeks. My intention is just to tell you a couple of things that I would have liked to know before bringing home our darling Preston. I completely agree that “ignorance is bliss”, however, being prepared and having the right expectations will bring JOY into your household. Hopefully, I can keep this post short and to the point and you will be able to gain a helpful perspective for this life changing experience. *I must share that this was composed over 3 weeks and the majority of it was typed with 1 hand as I held a baby!

Take tons of pictures and video- If I didn’t have the video of Ryan bringing Preston to me in recovery or breastfeeding him for the 1st time I would remember NOTHING! All of the hospital pictures/video are priceless to me! I created a photo book for Preston of his whole birth. I know that he will love it when he’s a little older. (I intended on making a traditional baby book but I think using technology and ofoto.com was more realistic)
**I volunteer myself to be your personal photographer and videographer if you would like!! I will even be in the room with you!! Haha!! I love you all dearly and would love to be there for you!! =)

C-Sections stink and I have nothing nice to say about them! (Perhaps vaginal birth stink too but I will never know) Recently, a friend of a friend had a c-section, after a vaginal birth 2 years prior- her opinion was that the c-section was 100 times worse- I obviously agree =) Here’s my advice- plan on having a c-section- Try to mentally accept it as a possibility so that if it does happen you aren’t completely devastated (as I was).
With a c-section you will not have “your moment” in the room when your baby is born – I experienced “the moment” with my brother Aaron and his wife Meg. It was an amazing experience of happiness and joy. “The Moment” in the operating room is completely different- You will be very drugged up and your memory will be fuzzy, to say the least. (Most likely you will be vomiting, bummer)
It is extremely painful and recovery is a full 6 weeks. I thought for sure I would be able to bounce back, however, weeks later I was still slowly getting out of bed and was always protected my stomach area. I had hoped that after 6 weeks I would think “it wasn’t that bad”- the truth is that it was “that bad”. I am not a good patient so maybe that’s why I had such a hard experience.
There isn’t really anything positive to say here- Just that C-sections stink and there isn’t anything that can be done about it. I had my hopes set so high and was completely devastated and sadden by the C-section- it made Preston’s birth and 4 days in the hospital more difficult than I had ever imagined.

Use your help!! I had a unique situation because I wasn’t able to lift Easton for 3 weeks however, I honestly do not think we would have survived without my Mom, Cathy (Ryan’s Mom), my Dad, family, and friends. The first night home from the hospital Ryan’s Mom was with us. She was incredible. Ryan was completely exhausted and passed out on the air mattress and I was hardly able to get out of bed. Preston screamed the whole night- we even called the pediatrician because we swore something was wrong. We now believe he was in pain from his circumcision and had colic. Cathy and I took turns holding Preston and trying to console him.
Moms have a way of helping you in ways you didn’t know you needed help! ☺ Both Cathy and my mom were amazing with laundry, feeding me, grocery shopping and taking care of the babies. I remember Cathy filling up my Tervis Tumbler of water for me without even asking- It meant the world to me!! Having dinners being brought was extremely helpful, especially when Ryan was back to work. However, visits were better when they were short and sweet. I promise to only stay 45min to an hour when I come to bring you dinner. It’s so nice to see people but I was never comfortable nursing in front of them. At 6 weeks I was much better but the 1st few weeks are awkward. I was also more successful when I could take off my shirt and get comfortable in bed or on the couch. When guest are over you just can’t do that.

Breastfeeding- This is one of our strengths!! I am very thankful to have a successful breastfeeding story to share! The nurses at Lil Nippers Mommy group shared that the first 48- 72 hours after you give birth is critical for your milk production. Therefore, feed as often as possible, even if you have to wake the baby up. We decided not to follow the saying, “Never wake a sleeping baby”. We woke Preston every 2-3 hours to help my milk production. Preston has always been a good eater, obviously because he grew out of his newborn clothes after 2 weeks! For the first month I fed him every hour in the evenings. Most likely this was to comfort him during his fussy hours. It worked for us, since Preston wasn’t interested in a pacifier.
Easton is bottle fed so I can say that breastfeeding is equally the same amount of work. The only thing easier about bottle-feeding is that someone else can do it. Knowing that it is the absolute best thing I can give Preston is motivation enough for me. Trust me washing bottles and buying formula isn’t a walk in the park by any means! My advice- Be proud of the fact that you are nursing, be persistent through challenges, and be thankful that you can give your baby the most organic, naturally food in the world! ☺

I cannot say enough good things about Nipple Cream!!! I am on my 3rd bottle of Lansinoh. I put it on after every feeding, even at 3am! The only negative thing is that it cost $9.99!
My milk took almost 9 days to come in! I was getting really worried and thought it was delayed because of the C-section. The books and websites said 2-4 days so I was surprised it took so long.
The Pump- The first couple of times I pumped I got drops and poured them down the drain- I was very worried that I wasn’t going to be successful- However, I was persistent and continued to pump until one day it just started flowing! I pump once a day- usually after Preston feeds and falls asleep for his nap. I only get between an ounce or two but it’s adding up. When Ryan and I have a date night my parents have fed Preston about 3 ounces of milk. The breast milk only last about 3 months in the freezer so I’m trying not to hoard it. I do feel overly protective and weird about having breast milk stored. I guess I just want to be able to “go out” and eventually have a “girl’s night”.
LIQUIDS_-I am obsessed with drinking! It has to be the breastfeeding that causes this! Stock up on Gatorade, varieties of cranberry/pomegranate/apple juice (no citrus juice though), caffeine free ginger ale/coffee/tea
Lindsey brought me a smoothie in the hospital and I have been obsessed with them ever since!! (I will do my best to bring each of you a smoothie in the hospital)
Nursing bras and shirts- Luckily a friend gave me some of her nursing bras- I would definitely suggest you prepare to wear nothing but nursing bras- I’m basically living in them!

Colic- Every baby has their strengths and challenges. Preston is an excellent sucker (meaning he nurses well) and he is a good nighttime sleeper. His challenge is that he is constantly fussy, crying and/or screaming. We believe he is very gassy and uncomfortable. From talking with other mom’s everything Preston does is normal but not ideal. From what I understand, an “easy baby” will be content while awake in a bouncy chair, swing or lying on their back for about 20 minutes. If they do start to fuss or cry you can pick them up and console them. A “fussy baby” might be content for only a few minutes alone and when they do cry you feel helpless because you cannot console them. We have tried everything- Gripe Water from the Indian Grocery store, Mylicon, baby calisthenics (legs to tummy to relieve gas), “The Colic Hold” (baby lays face down on your forearm), spending time outside…we have basically tried everything the doctor, friends and books have recommended. The only thing that has helped is changing our expectations and perspective! We thank God that Preston is healthy and that crying/fussing is the only challenge that we have! We focus on the positive things that he does and realize that colic only last 3-6 months- We have already seen progress in the last few weeks.

*My “Ah Ha Moment”- One night when Preston was screaming and demanded I hold him for hours on end, I remembered my time in Ethiopia. I saw too many mothers desperate to feed their children. I saw babies crying and screaming because they were starving and mother’s begging for money to feed them. I then realized that I can and WILL happily continue to try and console my Preston. Any of my sadness and frustration was wiped away when I realized that our son was having all his needs met and he was simply doing what babies do! I was blessed that his crying was not to signify a desperate need and our challenges were simple in comparison to what other parents have endured. When I am up at 3am, walking around the house begging Preston to go back to sleep I find comfort and JOY in the fact that I am walking around an air-conditioned house, on tile floors, completely safe from harm? How can I complain when I have all of these luxuries? It is hard to keep this perspective all of the time but when your mind considers other possibilities it’s amazing how fast your attitude can change. Lastly, when times get really tough I remember back 18 months ago when I felt broken because I wasn’t sure if I would ever be a mother. I remember desperately wanting to become a mother and to have a child. I remember that I would have given anything to have a fussy Preston!!!! It makes me smile to see God’s work in our family and I am thankful for every moment, even the challenging ones!

Getting Day Time and Night Time established- A girlfriend suggested I do this: During the day open all the blinds and keep lights on, especially after the sun sets. When it is time for bed make the house dark - I did this from the 1st day we brought Preston home and I was very pleased that he never had his days and night confused!

Husbands- I honestly wish I could have prepared Ryan better for the hospital experience, lack of sleep, inconsolable Preston, my physical pain, and crazy emotions. I’m not sure if there was anything I could have really done but- maybe if he could have read this exact passage prior to Preston’s birth he would have been better prepared! ☺
Another “Ah Ha Moment” was when I realized that God created me (the wife and mother) to nurture and care for our baby. He intended for me to carry, birth, and provide for Preston- I believe God’s intention was for Ryan to support me and love Easton and Preston. I cannot expect him to do things the way I do them. I am thankful that my job is to be the mother and I am simply focusing on doing the absolute best job that I can do. My strategy is to lead by example! I also ask myself, “Will it matter when Preston or Easton are 6 years old?” Meaning, does it really matter in the long run if Ryan puts too much water in the bathtub or covers Easton in baby food? The answer is almost always, “No, it won’t matter.” So I choose to let it be and be THANKFUL that I have an amazing husband that is loving on our boys daily.

Having 2 Children- Easton had me all to himself for 7 months- Preston will never have me all to himself. I continue to tell myself this because I need to accept that fact that I can allow myself to spend more time with Preston during the first 2 months. Our routine has been for Ryan to care for Easton so I can focus on Preston, this is working well for us. Through Easton’s adoption I was very anxious about creating a healthy attachment and bonding. Since I was in Ethiopia for 2 months I had an abundance of uninterrupted time to bond with him. Honestly, I am more concerned about creating a healthy attachment with Preston because I have constant interruptions and limited alone time. Therefore, I have tried to scatter the boy’s naps times to create one-on-one time for each of them. This isn’t ideal for any Mommy time but it’s more important to have time with my babies! ☺

Welcome Baby Preston!

Today is Preston's 3 week birthday! It has been a fabulous, challenging and emotional last 3 weeks.
We wanted to document Preston's birth story on our blog so that we remember the details of November 29, 2010.
Preston's Birth Story:
Preston's due date was November 20, 2010. While I was in Ethiopia I visited the Korean Hospital to have an ultrasound done to monitor Preston. After taking his measurements, with the ultrasound machine, the Ethiopian doctor told me that Preston's due date was November 22. I was convinced that Preston would make his debut on the 22nd of November. As the 22nd came near I had no indication that I would be delivering a baby anytime soon. I then thought I would ruin our Thanksgiving plans and go into labor on the 25th...but still nothing happened. Then I thought I would ruin my brother's surprise 30th birthday on the 26th...still nothing happened. Our OBGYN, Dr. Alvarez, decided that if labor didn't start naturally by Monday, November 29th, I would need to be induced. On Monday, November 29th, at 4:30 in the morning, we drove to Lakewood Ranch Women's Center to begin the induction process. We got admitted and they started Pitocin and fluids by 5:30am. At 8:00am our midwife, Joanne Bevers, came to check my progress. I was 2cm dilated, as she broke my water. Almost simultaneously the epidural cart was rolled in by the anesthesiologist assistant. My nurse knew my level of pain tolerance (which is very low) and suggested the epidural be administered after my water was broken. Ryan had to step out of the room while the epidural was put in, he has a bit of a weak stomach for needles. My Mom stayed with me, holding my hands as I tried to breath through each contraction. The anesthesiologist assistant was not successful the first time she put in the epidural. I could tell she was frustrated as she told me she needed to try again. Meanwhile, tears are flowing down my face every minute or so...my Mom did an amazing job talking me through each contraction. Fortunately, the epidural was successfully put in on the second try and I had almost immediate relief from the pain. Ryan came back into the room and we patiently waiting for my body to respond to the Pitocin. Around noon Joanne came back to check on me. I was 5-6cm dilated and she was pleased with my progress. Joanne had a veterinarian appointment at 5:00pm and joked that she needed Preston to be delivered by then! We were all on board and hoped our baby boy would appear soon! Around 3pm things changed for me. Suddenly, I felt pain and I mean REAL pain that took my breath away and brought a flood of tears down my cheeks. The nurse checked me and I was at 7cm, however, the pain was not "normal". She called in the anesthesiologist anesthetist to diagnose the problem. His name was Don Johnson and at the time he was my hero! I needed him to stop the pain and he gave us 2 options. Either push more meds through the epidural or redo the epidural. He said that it wasn't working and I was feeling 100% of the contractions. We decided to up the meds first and if that didn't work we would redo the epidural. Thankfully, the addition of meds eased my pain and I was able to relax comfortably again. I believe the medicine did cause me to run a fever and feel very nauseous, which resulted in spewing the ice chips I had been eating. Around 5pm Joanne came in to check on me, I'm guessing she missed her vet appointment. I was still at 7cm but she was hopeful I would make progress if they up'd my Pitocin. She did share that she was a little worried that Preston had not descended, I believe his station was at -2. I asked that Ryan text our bible study group to pray and my parents told our friends and family in the waiting room to pray for Preston to descend. Around 7pm Dr. Alvarez returned to check on us. I was dilated 9cm but unfortunately Preston was not at the appropriate station for delivery. He informed Ryan and I that we would need a caesarean section to meet our baby. We were devastated. We begged...what else could we do? We had prepared ourselves for vaginal birth, we went to all the classes, we were going to have a room filled with the women we adore for the glorious moment. We did NOT want to be in an operating room. However, it wasn't our choice any longer. Preston was too high and Dr. Alvarez attributed it to my narrow birthing canal. Bummer. C-section indefinitely and I cried. I cried hard. A C-section meant a long recovery and the worst part would be that I could not lift my sweet baby Easton. After about 30 minutes of praying and crying I pulled it together, put on my hair net and let them wheel me into the operating room. Ryan was my rock! He was so positive and eager to meet his son! Let me be honest, I am not a good patient. As I sat on the operating table, I cried and talked uncontrollably. I remember asking everyone in the room their names and if they had a dog, so random! As Don Johnson (anesthesiologist anesthetist) took out my epidural and put in a spinal, he tried to calm me down but there was no stopping my continuous monologue. I was so scared and the only thing I could do was to talk. Oh boy did I embarrass myself!! =) Finally, they brought Ryan in and begun the c-section. I would post the video but it's down right shameful. At 8:09pm Dr. Alvarez showed us our precious son Preston Abenet Fulmer! Ryan asked, "Does he have all his digits?" immediately after seeing him over the curtain! I'll never forget that! I asked, "What color is his hair?" curious to know if I had a red head like his daddy! Turns out that Preston is absolutely perfect, with all his digits, and strawberry blondish hair!

Our first 3 weeks have been emotional and challenging. The c-section caused for a painful recovery. Honestly, the first week was a blur. We were in the hospital for 3 nights and 4 days. Thankfully, Ryan's Mom was able to take off to be with us when we returned home. Easton spent a lot of time with my dad, Papa, while we were in the hospital. I'm so thankful for the support system we have. Our house has been flooded with visitors, which I adore!! Everyone has been so helpful, from dinners, to laundry, to playing with Easton! Not being able to lift Easton had an emotional toll on me. I am thankful that Easton and I have such a strong bond. I know that we will bounce right back to what we used to be. Today, December 20th, is my 1st day with my boys ALONE!! We are managing just fine! (As I write this both boys are napping!!! Lucky Mama!) Being a stay at home Mom is a dream come true! My goals right now include nursing Preston for his first year of life and establishing his schedule. I am working on teaching Easton to feed himself Gerber Puffs and to crawl. Lastly, I want to have dinner on the table when my amazing husband comes home from work. =)

Sweet Brothers!

Our last picture as a family of 3! I'm 41 weeks pregnant here!!!!





We are all excited for Christmas and the New Year! I'll be taking lots of pictures of Easton and Preston in their Christmas outfits.
I hope you enjoy your family as much as I enjoy mine!
With love,
Ashlie

Pregnancy! This post is for you baby Preston!!!

I have wanted to blog about our pregnancy for so long now! Being home with Easton has filled my days with happiness but not a lot of "me time" for writing. I did want to get this post out before our beloved Preston makes his appearance!!! I have absolutely loved every single day of being pregnant! I'm pretty sure that I had accepted the fact that I may never carry a child. When we were surprised by our pregnancy I was elated. Morning sickness, aches and pains, and tiredness all eluded me- or atleast I didn't acknowledge it. Just the simple fact that I was PREGNANT caused for pure happiness!

Now, being only 17 days away from our due date, I cannot explain the excitement I have to meet our 2nd son. I have many moments when I compare my anticipation for meeting Easton, with my feelings of meeting Preston. Honestly, they are different-but the same! Both meetings are emotionally filled, trying on your patience, and mentally consuming. I'm pretty sure that I will have the exact same feeling when I meet Preston, as I did when I walked into Easton's nursery to hold him for the first time.

I have watched every episode of "The Baby Story", been to every birthing class my local hospital offers, and read a handful of baby books to prepare for Preston's birth- If only I actually felt prepared...At this point I will just cling to God's plan and have faith that everything will be just fine. I'm not going to lie- I'm petrified of the pain, scared of the hospital, and worried my husband will pass out...but besides that, I am ready for Preston!!!!!! ;)

Here are some of my favorite pregnancy moments:
1. Telling Ryan that I was pregnant...I could watch the video over and over again! The look on his face, of confusion turning to tears of happiness, will forever be a favorite moment! The videos of us telling my parents and his parents are just as special!
2. The fact that I lived in Ethiopia for 2 months while pregnant with Preston!
3. Feeling Preston kick for the first time while I was sitting on my bed at the Yebsabi Guest House in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
4. Feeding Easton as I feel and watch Preston do summersaults in my stomach!
5. Seeing Preston's face on the 3-D Ultrasound at the Korean Hospital in Ethiopia.
6. Dreaming of what Preston will look like...will he have red hair, green eyes and fair skin like his daddy? Or be blond with blueish/green eyes like his mama?
7. The way people look at me in public- Being obviously pregnant, while carrying a 6 month old baby gets lots of stares!!! A few brave souls will ask me if Easton is my son, then I get the chance to share his adoption story and the miracle of Preston!
8. The fact that almost EVERY girlfriend I have is pregnant!!!! Including my brother's wife, who is due 25 days after Preston!
All of our babies will start Kindergarten together!!! I am so thankful for God's timing! Here are 7 of us girls, in order of due date:

6 Months Pregnant:
7 Months Pregnant:
8 Months Pregnant:

Easton and Preston's 3-D Ultrasound~August 7, 2010:

We went to the doctor today and she said Preston's heartbeat and growth are perfect! What wonderful words to hear!!! I am measuring right at 37 weeks and there is no reason to think Preston will be early. If anything, I will go past my due date of November 20th. My brother's birthday is on November 26th, which falls the day after Thanksgiving this year. Maybe Preston wants to honor his Uncle Aaron!!! We'll patiently wait...

I hope to be back to blogging on a regular basis~ We'll see how that works out with Preston's arrival!
Love you all,
Ashlie

Fulmer's Adoption Story

The journey to our son Easton!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com