Surviving Motherhood!

What an amazing 3 1/2 weeks it's been! I can't believe Brooklyn is going to be a month old on Thursday! I was so fortunate to have my mom here for the first two weeks, and since then I have been trying to figure out how to be a mother! Wow... it is crazy!! She is such a great baby! The last two nights she slept for a straight 6 hours! She is so much fun! I just sit there and stare at her everyday. While my mom was here we played dress up with a few of her outfits! It was so much fun, especially for my mom!

My grandma made these little booties and bonnet!

I had to dress her in her little dancer outfit!

Cameron's Grandma and Mom... 4 generations

Kristen Layton came to visit! She is having a boy in the spring!!


I know she looks a little yellow, but it's the lighting!

She loves bathtime! She is a spa baby!

One of her first big outings with Nana and me!


Stylish baby!

I love my mom!


This little blue sleeper was mine when I was a baby!


Cute little green dress! Thanks Rachel!






This is on her 3 week bithday!!




Cam's little brother Ben went throught the temple for the first time. He is going on his mission to Chile Santiago in November. It was also our first time leaving Brooklyn with a babysitter.... the best babysitters in town... Rusty and Ashley!! She took a bottle good and everything!

Brooklyn's newborn pics

They took some really cute pictures of Brooklyn at the hospital when she was less than a day old. Here is a link! She has already changed since then! :)

http://www.our365.com/NewbornPortraits/BabyDetail.aspx?birthid=15109394-6baa-484e-83d1-54dffb0f5c4e

Brooklyn Nichole Bell

We are so excited to welcome our little angel into this world! She decided to come on her exact due date, September 25th! She is already very obedient :) ! I started having labor contractions in the middle of the night on the 25th, and they were very consistent. I had Cameron stay home from work so I wouldn't have to drive myself to the hospital if she was really going to come. So, we took a couple walks around the neighborhood while I timed my contractions, and they continued to be fairly consistent. I probably looked really silly stopping every 5 minutes in the middle of the sidewalk holding onto Cameron's neck! But, I refused to go to the hospital because I didn't think they were "bad" enough. So, when they continued to get a little bit stronger, I gave in and we headed for the hospital just to check it out. I thought for sure I wasn't going to be very dilated at all.

Well, the nurse couldn't believe that I was only a 1.5 cm the day before, because I was dilated to a 5!! I was shocked! She said my contractions were every 2-3 minutes, so I guess I was really only feeling the strong ones. So, they checked me in, and I requested my epidural as soon as possible. There wasn't even a wait, so the anesthesiologist came in right away! I couldn't believe it! I was expecting to be in more pain when I got my epidural, but I wasn't going to complain! The epidural wasn't bad at all! I was expecting much worse, in fact, I asked her if she had already put it in! So, Cameron, my mom and I played games and watched T.V. while I continued to progress. at 10 pm I was dilated to a 10 and was ready to go. It took only 15 minutes to push and then she came!! It was the most amazing experience in the world! She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz and was 21 inches long. We think she is perfect! ;)

It has been so much fun getting to know her. We just stare at her all day! Cameron is the best daddy in the world! Recovery has been a bit of a process, but I've been feeling much better the last couple of days. We just love her so much! I can't believe what a miracle it is to have created such a perfect little being. I have felt so close to my Heavenly Father this past week. I can just feel His presence when I'm around her. It's amazing to think that she was just with Him! I feel so blessed to be a mother! I know that it is going to be so hard, and I feel like I don't know what I'm doing! But I know this is the beginning of another chapter of our lives, and I'm ready to dive in and go for it!

To out more pictures of our beautiful Brooklyn, go to

http://www.dropshots.com/ashleybell2