Just some random pics from the first week with baby brother!!

We love Grandma Yes-a-Ree!!

My mom came over as soon as my water broke on March 12 and got here around midnight :) She picked up Kalista from my sister-in-law, Larissa's the next morning and was here till the next Wednesday. I know it's hard to leave everything at home and I'm so grateful to her for coming and helping us out.

Gavin's mom came out the following Thursday and was here for 2 weeks!! She really helped us SO MUCH! Kalista loved sharing her room with her and asks where Grandma is sometimes at bedtime. These pics aren't the best of anyone haha but we love you Grandma "push" Metcalf.

Update :)

Zach is 3.5 weeks old. I took some pics yesterday that turned out pretty cute. I'm doing well, getting used to having 2 children is a little harder than I had thought but we're all doing great. Kalista is 2 typical 2 year old drama queen but I'm surprized what a help she is to me. She is still doing great with the potty and has only had a few accidents since the baby.
At Zach's 2 week appt he weighed 10.5lbs and was 22.5 inches!! He's growing SUPER fast!
Gavin is excited school will be out soon and can't wait to have the summer off, this will be the first semester he takes off since we met!!
Kali loves to share with baby Zach and put her cat "Meow" and her flower blanket (her 2 things she sleeps with) with zach and his new monkey. I love being a mom :)

Birth Story, Kinda Rambling ON and ON

Zachary Brian Metcalf
Born March 12, 2009
16:31
9lbs 5oz 22 inches


On Tuesday, March 10, I went to my Dr. appt and was checked at found to be about 3cm dilated and she stripped my membranes. The stripping didn’t do much that I could tell. Wednesday morning I woke up not feeling well and thought I might have food poisoning. I was having contractions on and off but nothing hard or too close together.
In the afternoon we went to Costco to walk around but that trip was cut short due to Kalista having an accident on the floor haha. We got home around 6:00. I went potty and came out to the couch to sulk about not having any contractions from the walk. As I was sitting down I felt my water and JUMPED back up and ran to the bathroom and said, “MY WATER JUST BROKE!!!” and Gavin said “are you sure?” I was 100% sure. So, we got things together and put Kalista in her pajamas and headed off to the hospital. It was so cute Kalista kept saying, “Your water broke mom? You gonna fix it?” We had to try and explain that her baby brother was taking a “bath” and that it was time to get out so he pulled the plug haha.
We got to the hospital and I was having some contractions but nothing too bad. We got checked in and as I told people I would like to avoid an epidural they all just looked at me and laughed. It was very discouraging and annoying to say the least. My doctor was not on call, her partner was. The nurse came in and said that the doctor want me to know that she strongly advises me to get an epidural due to the fact that I was attempting a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section), just in case they had to do an emergency section they wanted me numb. I still refused the epidural and went on laboring every 2 min. The contractions felt like menstrel cramps that got progressively worse and worse.
It was Wednesday, which means Gavin has a hockey game at 10, since not much was happening and I was still at a 3 I told him to go ahead and go to his game and then go home and clean up a bit and come back. So, around 9:45 he left and went to his game and got back at the hospital around 12:45. They had started 1cc of pitocin an hour to get my contractions stronger and more regular because at that point they were not changing anything. I was very nervous to use any altering drugs as it can increase the chance for uterin rupture in a VBAC but they assured me I would be very closely monitored.
Gavin got there and I told him to go to sleep, so he did and didn’t wake up till around 9am. While he was sleeping I labored in the halls and on my birthing ball. It was VERY hard to achieve any type of concentration because I had the belts on me and 2 IV’s and water gushing out with every move I made. Not to mention the constant interruptions to check my cervix and blood pressure. So, finally at 5:30am after laboring more than 10 hours and only making 1 cm progress my doctor said we had to turn up the pitocin and try and break any more water bag up there. I said STOP I’m getting an epidural for sure let me get that first. I got the epidural and HATED the way it made me feel. It wore off 4 times and I couldn’t move my lets at all. BUT, it was better than the contractions.
FINALLY at I believe 1pm they checked me and said I was complete and I asked if I could labor a while to bring him down and let my epidural wear off a little as I could not move anything below my chest. That may have been a bad idea, I’m really not sure. So I started pushing once the epi wore off and 50 min later my big baby boy was born. The pushing was very intense and a feeling I can only describe as having the “runs” really really bad worse than anyone has ever had and when you feel the urge to push and they tell you not to there is no controlling it. Once his head came out I was still pushing and nothing was happening and all of a sudden the room became in a panic. They were yelling at me to push even though I wasn’t contracting because the baby couldn’t breath and he was stuck. And when nothing was happening the doc said OK and reached both of her arms in and had to get his shoulders unstuck. She finally did and he came out and she plopped this huge bloody ball on my tummy, I remember thinking what’s this really heavy thing she just set on me not even realizing it was my baby… They called the INCU unit in and checked him out, it took about 30 seconds for him to purk up but he did great.
I had a fever so he was born with one that spiked to 102!! So he was in the nursery for about 3 hours with an IV but nothing in it. Finally his blood work came back fine and his fever went down on it’s own. Just as I was going down to see him they were wheeling him to my room so we got to spend time together.
He’s an amazing baby and we love him SO MUCH!!
Having a VBAC was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I’m so grateful to all those that were praying for me while I was in labor, I know it made such a difference in how things went.

Zachary Brian Is HERE!!

I'll post my whole "Story" later for those interested in reading it. But as for now here is my beautiful family of 4!! I am feeling great considering I pushed out a 9lb 5oz baby boy!! My water broke Wednesday the 11th at 7:30pm and Zachary was born at 3:41pm Thursday the 12th. We are SOOOO in love with him and Kalista loves being his big sister. She is such a cutie and we are so proud of her for accepting him into our family. This morning she was laying in my bed looking at him and she took his hand and said "Welcome to my home" haha it was the cutest thing EVER.

My Beautiful Family

Here are a few pictures of my beautiful family. Gavin and Kalista are the most amazing people in the world and I LOVE them both so so much.
In the picture where Kalista is against the red wall. I had just had Gavin take a "belly" picture of me and she said she wanted one too. So I was about to take it when she runs over to the red wall and said no over here mom. So then she puts her hands on her belly like I do, she is TOO CUTE.
Another exciting thing with Kali is that she has decided she wants to be potty trained. We have worked on and off with her on this but about 4 months ago I decided she could just go when SHE wants to and I would not ask her all the time. SO about three days ago she finally just started asking to go potty and hasn't had an accident since!! We are SO proud of her and kinda sad she is growing up SO fast.

4 days and counting...

So, I honestly did NOT think I would still be pregnant at this point but this little boy just will not come out!! I'm starting to get irritated, but realize he will come when he is ready and not when I want him to.

I got this e-mail today and feel it's worth sharing but hate forwarding.. SO if you want READ it :)

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted in to an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clo thing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... you never r ealize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.

Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the govern ment t hinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

& nbsp;& nbsp; When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this?

It's quite simple.

If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I’ll fire you. I’ll fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.

Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....

Signed,
Your boss

37 weeks!!

OK so I'm 37 weeks pregnant and SICK of all the comments of how big I am. Every time I go to church the old women in my ward go ON and ON about how I look like i'm gonna die and pop and am i sure it's not twins and on and on it goes. Are people really that stupid? What makes them think they can say things like that, I just don't understand it. I don't walk up to them and say.. my goodness you look like you're about to die (and half of them do cuz they are SUPER old) Anyway it will be over soon then i'll have to hear people asking me if i'm pregnant when i'm not, more motivation to lose the baby weight even faster i suppose.
Sorry for the rant I just needed to VENT!

This is my theme song!! Press pause on the music to the Right before playing this video!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KALISTA!!

Kalista turned 2 years old on Jan 22 the same day as Aunt Cyndi! They are birthday twins and have a lot of the same characteristics, it's funny. We went to Chucke Cheese down in Orem so we could have a little party with Cyndi and Shalisa and our friends Kryn and Ben... We had a LOT of fun. I TRIED to make kalisat a Spongebob Square Pants cake but my hand mixer broke while trying to make the frosting and it didn't turn out the way i had planned. I cried a few times while making it haha Pregnancy hormones i guess (at least that's what i blamed it on)..
I'm SO ready to meet our new baby boy and be done being pregnant. Only 6 weeks left!!!

Christmas.. better late than never I guess

Sorry I haven't posted in FOREVER! I've been busy and lazy I guess. We went out to Spring Creek and spent Christmas with my parents and some of my siblings. It was so much fun to see kalista get excited to play with her toys Santa got her and mommy and daddy. Kali made everyone wear bows on their heads as you'll see in a silly picture of her and Gavin. She sure loves being out at my parents house because they have a play room FULL of TOYS!!

Snow Day!!

Kalista and Daddy LOVE the snow!! It must be because they haven't experianced it like I have.. I'm not a big fan of going out and getting all wet and cold especially being big and pregnant. But a few weeks ago we had a big storm and they went out and had some fun.. Kali LOVED playing with Gavin and trying to build a snowman.. It was Cute so see them both out there having so much fun!