So every six months we listen to General Conference. It's when the leaders of our church give us inspired guidance and counsel to live richer, fuller lives that bring us closer to god and eternal happiness. I love this meeting, it's my favorite thing ever. I always feel refreshed, reassured, humbled, and thankful after listening to it.
Listening to conference with kids is challenging. It's four hours a day for both a Saturday and a Sunday. Granted there is a two hour break in between those four hours, but it's a lot of listening, and small kids have problems holding still and listening.
Crystal knows the purpose and idea of conference but in the past we have always distracted her with crafts, crayons, toys, etc, and she wasn't really trying to listen at all. This time as a six year old, I felt that she was old enough to at least give it a try. She has learned to read and write in the past year so I gave her a pen and piece of notebook paper and to write down anything she heard that she liked or understood, and that if she did, I would buy her a conference notebook of her very own just like mommy's.
She was really excited about it until the first speaker, President Monson, started speaking. The general authorities of the church use very educated, elaborate and descriptive words when they speak...which get the point across wonderfully, but are very hard for a 6 year old to comprehend.
She got frustrated and started crying. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she couldn't understand a dang thing that was being said and she didn't know how she was going to write anything down.
At first I felt a little frustrated too. Not at her, but at myself and the situation. I wanted to do something that would help her listen and enjoy conference, and instead she was frustrated and upset. I couldn't help but wonder if I was pushing her too hard. The last thing I wanted to do was make conference a bad experience for her. After I had a minute to think about it I told her that she shouldn't try to understand all the hard words, and to just relax, and listen and if she heard just one thing, even if it was a small thing and understood it, to write that thing down and not worry about the rest....and to make it a game. To see how many things she could understand in every talk. I told her that whatever she understood from anything said were the words that Heavenly Father wanted her to know, and that's all that mattered. I told her not to get frustrated because if a talk finished and she didn't understand any of it, I would pause it and tell her a little bit about what the speaker said in words she could understand.
So we tried again. By now Pres. Monson had finished speaking and we were on to the next speaker. The speaker, (Elder Packer) said the words "Familes can be forever" in his talk, and she brightened up, because that was something she understood. So she wrote it down. After she got the hang of it, she wrote down anything she understood for the rest of the session. Then was the two hour break and I told her how proud I was of her. I had her show the paper to me to see what she understood, and it brought tears to my eyes. Here is what my darling 6 year old little girl got out of the first half of the first session:
Families can be forever
Parents need to help kids understand
Family home evening is important
Family prayer is important
We love the gospel of Jesus Christ
There is nothing like this Church in all of the world
The Savior teaches
We can enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost
Heavenly father loves all of us.
Jesus sacrificed for us.
Jesus's blood was spilt
Jesus wants us to love one another
Jesus wants us to serve one another
Faith in Christ
We need the Gospel of Jesus
The Holy Spirit will be your teacher
The missionaries have a lot of faith
Thank you for the missionaries
I listen to the words of my father
Pray always
I was SO impressed, and really proud of her.
By the end of the second half of the first session, she fell asleep. The next day she did a good job for a while, and ended up getting distracted by her brother who was playing with Scott's ipad. That's okay though because for a beginner she did great. It took me years to try and sit down and listen to General Conference as a kid. She's way ahead of where I was.
This Monday we used the above list as discussion topics for family night. We got through the first five, but will continue to work on it every week until we've talked about all the topics on her list and what they mean.
I'm so thankful for the things my family and I can learn from listening to General Conference. It really does make our lives richer, fuller and happier.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
I"M BALD!!!
Well, not really, but I hate this part of having an infant. The hair loss, from the hormones of breastfeeding and having given birth. It's started, and it's terrible.
Crystal was 4 months old when I noticed it the first time it happened, and back then I had no clue whatsoever that the hair loss after giving birth was perfectly normal. All I knew was that my hair was falling out and I completely panicked. I was positive I had some rare disease that was making all my hair fall out and I was going to be completely bald for the rest of my life; maybe a few hairs on there, maybe a culd-e-sac like older men get, or maybe just really thin like Donald Trump. I got online and instead of researching hair loss in new moms, I started looking at expensive wigs made from human hair to cover my bald head.
Luckily, Scott was smart enough to tell me not to panic and he did the research..(which was either motivated by my distress, or possibly because he saw the prices of some of those wigs), and found out it was a common complaint of women having just given birth and that it would look normal again in a few months. Phew, what a relief.
So with this new and exciting knowledge, I would explain to people at church, at gatherings, and yes, even a random stranger in the grocery store that my baby is making my hair fall out but it will grow back and it's normal. To my astonishment, most people already knew this little fact of life and began to explain to me about increased levels of estrogen giving you thicker hair when pregnant and how it drops dramatically after giving birth, making your hair fall out. Once I realized everybody knew this but me, I was just mad that nobody sent me the memo. It would have prevented a huge panic attack.
Here I am in my current balding glory...also posting this picture has made me realize that my blue contacts look so blue that they look fake, and I will be going back to green as soon as I can.
Mini Cul-de-sac. I ALWAYS get these on both sides of my head like horns after I give birth.
Crystal was 4 months old when I noticed it the first time it happened, and back then I had no clue whatsoever that the hair loss after giving birth was perfectly normal. All I knew was that my hair was falling out and I completely panicked. I was positive I had some rare disease that was making all my hair fall out and I was going to be completely bald for the rest of my life; maybe a few hairs on there, maybe a culd-e-sac like older men get, or maybe just really thin like Donald Trump. I got online and instead of researching hair loss in new moms, I started looking at expensive wigs made from human hair to cover my bald head.
Luckily, Scott was smart enough to tell me not to panic and he did the research..(which was either motivated by my distress, or possibly because he saw the prices of some of those wigs), and found out it was a common complaint of women having just given birth and that it would look normal again in a few months. Phew, what a relief.
So with this new and exciting knowledge, I would explain to people at church, at gatherings, and yes, even a random stranger in the grocery store that my baby is making my hair fall out but it will grow back and it's normal. To my astonishment, most people already knew this little fact of life and began to explain to me about increased levels of estrogen giving you thicker hair when pregnant and how it drops dramatically after giving birth, making your hair fall out. Once I realized everybody knew this but me, I was just mad that nobody sent me the memo. It would have prevented a huge panic attack.
Here I am in my current balding glory...also posting this picture has made me realize that my blue contacts look so blue that they look fake, and I will be going back to green as soon as I can.
Mini Cul-de-sac. I ALWAYS get these on both sides of my head like horns after I give birth.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Happy Birthday Scott!!!!
Today is Scott's birthday.
I wish we could go out on a date and to the movies, maybe spend the day in the park with the kids, and sing happy birthday with a cake, but it's tax season.
Scott leaves the house at 7:30 in the morning (when I wake up) and comes home at 10:30pm these days. When he gets home I'm so tired from being with three kids all day and he's exhausted from being at work, (not to mention Jakey wakes us up every 2-3 hours still) we just go to bed once he's home. He usually doesn't see the kids on weekdays. They miss him like crazy.
I'm not trying to complain, I know that a lot of other fathers in the world are around a lot less. One of my close friends has a husband in the military and she just had her fourth child. She's spent several Christmas's, birthdays, anniversaries, and weekends alone with her kids. I've seen how hard it is on her, and so when I complain about Scott not being home for 3 months I feel like a jerk compared to what she goes through.
What can I say about Scott that I haven't already said whenever I praise him in previous posts? Just that I'm really really thankful to have him in my life. I know that 7 years of marriage isn't much to many other's who grow old together, but at this point in my life he's very much my other half. I once read a book by a marriage psychologist who said that it takes an average of at least 10 years for a married couple to really get used to each other in a marriage, and live life comfortably together in spite of how differently they were raised. I feel like I've already reached that point even though according to the author, I'm 3 years early. I can't imagine life without him and when I try to describe how deep my feelings run for him, I can't come up with the words. Which is interesting, because I've always been a better writer than speaker...you'd think I could figure out something eloquent to describe it besides the word "Love". He is just wonderful. I'm thankful for his birthday so I can have a day where I can celebrate his life, even if he's not right next to me at the moment.
So what to give him for his birthday has been a dilemma lately. I'm not allowed to spend money on him for his birthday. I want to do SOMEthing for him, so I made a video of the kids answering random questions about him in an interview...like those cute "Out of the mouths of babes" video's.
This is what I came up with, and it took me all week to get it together right. Let me know what you think (Forgive the choppy editing...I'm still an amateur filmmaker. Ha ha.) Although youtube may be responsible for slowing it down. That's my biggest issue with videos on youtube is the delay.
Also...my kids are crazy, and getting them to sit still for an interview is an adventure, so I added a blooper reel at the end to show the reality of getting my kids to do basically ANY thing here at home. Enjoy.
I wish we could go out on a date and to the movies, maybe spend the day in the park with the kids, and sing happy birthday with a cake, but it's tax season.
Scott leaves the house at 7:30 in the morning (when I wake up) and comes home at 10:30pm these days. When he gets home I'm so tired from being with three kids all day and he's exhausted from being at work, (not to mention Jakey wakes us up every 2-3 hours still) we just go to bed once he's home. He usually doesn't see the kids on weekdays. They miss him like crazy.
I'm not trying to complain, I know that a lot of other fathers in the world are around a lot less. One of my close friends has a husband in the military and she just had her fourth child. She's spent several Christmas's, birthdays, anniversaries, and weekends alone with her kids. I've seen how hard it is on her, and so when I complain about Scott not being home for 3 months I feel like a jerk compared to what she goes through.
What can I say about Scott that I haven't already said whenever I praise him in previous posts? Just that I'm really really thankful to have him in my life. I know that 7 years of marriage isn't much to many other's who grow old together, but at this point in my life he's very much my other half. I once read a book by a marriage psychologist who said that it takes an average of at least 10 years for a married couple to really get used to each other in a marriage, and live life comfortably together in spite of how differently they were raised. I feel like I've already reached that point even though according to the author, I'm 3 years early. I can't imagine life without him and when I try to describe how deep my feelings run for him, I can't come up with the words. Which is interesting, because I've always been a better writer than speaker...you'd think I could figure out something eloquent to describe it besides the word "Love". He is just wonderful. I'm thankful for his birthday so I can have a day where I can celebrate his life, even if he's not right next to me at the moment.
So what to give him for his birthday has been a dilemma lately. I'm not allowed to spend money on him for his birthday. I want to do SOMEthing for him, so I made a video of the kids answering random questions about him in an interview...like those cute "Out of the mouths of babes" video's.
This is what I came up with, and it took me all week to get it together right. Let me know what you think (Forgive the choppy editing...I'm still an amateur filmmaker. Ha ha.) Although youtube may be responsible for slowing it down. That's my biggest issue with videos on youtube is the delay.
Also...my kids are crazy, and getting them to sit still for an interview is an adventure, so I added a blooper reel at the end to show the reality of getting my kids to do basically ANY thing here at home. Enjoy.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Why my kids are awesome
I have a problem with dressing up babies and taking pictures of them. Poor Jacob is my new victom/toy. Suits on baby boys never get old for me:
I was at the dollar store getting some random stuff for a neighbors birthday party when Seth discreetly put a pair of spiderman goggles in the cart. When I asked him about it, he proceeded to beg with all his heart for them. So I figured why not, they were only a buck, and they make a great addition to his superhero attire collection.
Since spring is almost here we buzzed Seth's head. Unfortunately closer to his scalp he still has blond patches of hair that haven't turned brown yet so they look like bald spots, but oh well he's still cute and I don't have to worry about cutting his hair for another couple of weeks.
Anytime my kids laugh it makes all the stressful moments worth it. I'm in the process of writing a post about why I'm stressed out and why my responsibilities are making me a little crazy, but I took a break to post these happy moments because they cheered me up and I'll save the other post for later.
After all, these moments are what matter most, and the other stressful stuff will fade and be forgotten one day, and I'll cherish the moments I loved the most.
I freaking love these kids.
I was at the dollar store getting some random stuff for a neighbors birthday party when Seth discreetly put a pair of spiderman goggles in the cart. When I asked him about it, he proceeded to beg with all his heart for them. So I figured why not, they were only a buck, and they make a great addition to his superhero attire collection.
Since spring is almost here we buzzed Seth's head. Unfortunately closer to his scalp he still has blond patches of hair that haven't turned brown yet so they look like bald spots, but oh well he's still cute and I don't have to worry about cutting his hair for another couple of weeks.
Anytime my kids laugh it makes all the stressful moments worth it. I'm in the process of writing a post about why I'm stressed out and why my responsibilities are making me a little crazy, but I took a break to post these happy moments because they cheered me up and I'll save the other post for later.
After all, these moments are what matter most, and the other stressful stuff will fade and be forgotten one day, and I'll cherish the moments I loved the most.
I freaking love these kids.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
F.H.E. and my kids
I'm trying to alternate my posts so that some are silly like the previous one, and others are more about my actual life.
FHE = Family home evening. It's something we do in my house to stay close knit as a family, spend time together, and to teach our kids about our religious beliefs. It's quality time that my church recommends all families should do, and it's a lot of fun. Scott and I do ours every Monday night.
Lately it's been harder thanks to Tax season and Scott coming home late, but I keep the kids up past their bedtime so that we can have that time together. It's also great for Scott because it's quality time he gets with the kids who are often in bed by the time he comes home until the middle of April.
For the past 7 years Scott and I give a short lesson, that can range anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on how the kids attention spans are and then we end with some songs, a game and snacks.
A couple of weeks ago we had a great lesson about David and Goliath. I got to teach it, and since I'm a little crazy and also because I've taught lessons to the small kids in my church on and off for 13 years, I get a little animated to keep it exciting. This is especially helpful for my son who only pays attention when you make the story exciting. They loved it and talked about David and Goliath all week. It got me thinking that I needed to come up with more ideas where my kids could feel involved in the lessons and not just stuck listening to their parents the whole time, because even if the lesson is only 5 minutes, when those minutes leave an impression they are worth so much more.
I decided it was time for Crystal and Seth to start taking turns with me and Scott in teaching lessons every Monday. They aren't ignorant when it comes to stories in the scriptures and things they remember, so I let them choose the topic, and then I educate them about that topic everyday for about 10-15 minutes at bedtime all week until it's time for them to give a lesson about it in their own words. Since they are excited about giving their own lessons, and since it's a topic they chose, they listen more intently, ask more questions, and do a fantastic job when they teach.
Having your kids take turns in lessons for family home evening isn't a new and exciting discovery, but we hadn't done it in my home yet because they're both small. Crystal is 6 and Seth is 3. However, what swayed me to start them on their lessons at this point is that my parents let me give family home evening lessons as early as four years old, and the impact it had on my life was tremendous. It taught me from an early age to seek knowledge and to remember things that were being taught, and it also taught me how much I loved sharing what I knew. As a four year old, I knew I would be a missionary for my church one day because I loved telling people about my beliefs and showing them how they could find the same happiness I did through those beliefs.
I once was told by a friend, that teaching kids these things this early was equivalent to brain washing. I disagree. Teaching your kid not to lie, cheat, steal or kill, to be kind to others, to make good choices and to ask God for help is not brainwashing, it's educating them on how to live a full, happy and productive life. It's the same with my religious beliefs. As a parent who loves them, I teach them the things that have given me true happiness throughout my life, and stories that have taught me life lessons that I still use everyday.
Anyway here are some videos of Crystal and Seth telling some of the basic stories in our church. I was missing the camera during Seths actual lesson, but I had him retell the story on film this morning. He is still in his pajamas on it, I didn't make him change cause he loves his Batman pajamas more than anything on the planet. Here is seth telling a little bit about who Joseph Smith is. I'm posting Seth's first because he's only three and so his is the shortest.
Crystals lesson was a few weeks ago, and I was able to record it while she actually gave it. The lesson is in her own words, she just uses the pictures in the book as a guide so that she doesn't forget where she is when she's speaking. This also gives you a chance to see a little bit into our lives when we have our family nights together, although I did edit it a little because Seth started acting up and had a small meltdown in the middle of it, but I cut that part out so that you could only see the pleasant side of my children. :D Also I apologize that my floor desperately needed vacuuming during this video.
Here is Crystal teaching about our lives before we came to earth.
I'm so proud of my two smartie pants kiddies!!
FHE = Family home evening. It's something we do in my house to stay close knit as a family, spend time together, and to teach our kids about our religious beliefs. It's quality time that my church recommends all families should do, and it's a lot of fun. Scott and I do ours every Monday night.
Lately it's been harder thanks to Tax season and Scott coming home late, but I keep the kids up past their bedtime so that we can have that time together. It's also great for Scott because it's quality time he gets with the kids who are often in bed by the time he comes home until the middle of April.
For the past 7 years Scott and I give a short lesson, that can range anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes depending on how the kids attention spans are and then we end with some songs, a game and snacks.
A couple of weeks ago we had a great lesson about David and Goliath. I got to teach it, and since I'm a little crazy and also because I've taught lessons to the small kids in my church on and off for 13 years, I get a little animated to keep it exciting. This is especially helpful for my son who only pays attention when you make the story exciting. They loved it and talked about David and Goliath all week. It got me thinking that I needed to come up with more ideas where my kids could feel involved in the lessons and not just stuck listening to their parents the whole time, because even if the lesson is only 5 minutes, when those minutes leave an impression they are worth so much more.
I decided it was time for Crystal and Seth to start taking turns with me and Scott in teaching lessons every Monday. They aren't ignorant when it comes to stories in the scriptures and things they remember, so I let them choose the topic, and then I educate them about that topic everyday for about 10-15 minutes at bedtime all week until it's time for them to give a lesson about it in their own words. Since they are excited about giving their own lessons, and since it's a topic they chose, they listen more intently, ask more questions, and do a fantastic job when they teach.
Having your kids take turns in lessons for family home evening isn't a new and exciting discovery, but we hadn't done it in my home yet because they're both small. Crystal is 6 and Seth is 3. However, what swayed me to start them on their lessons at this point is that my parents let me give family home evening lessons as early as four years old, and the impact it had on my life was tremendous. It taught me from an early age to seek knowledge and to remember things that were being taught, and it also taught me how much I loved sharing what I knew. As a four year old, I knew I would be a missionary for my church one day because I loved telling people about my beliefs and showing them how they could find the same happiness I did through those beliefs.
I once was told by a friend, that teaching kids these things this early was equivalent to brain washing. I disagree. Teaching your kid not to lie, cheat, steal or kill, to be kind to others, to make good choices and to ask God for help is not brainwashing, it's educating them on how to live a full, happy and productive life. It's the same with my religious beliefs. As a parent who loves them, I teach them the things that have given me true happiness throughout my life, and stories that have taught me life lessons that I still use everyday.
Anyway here are some videos of Crystal and Seth telling some of the basic stories in our church. I was missing the camera during Seths actual lesson, but I had him retell the story on film this morning. He is still in his pajamas on it, I didn't make him change cause he loves his Batman pajamas more than anything on the planet. Here is seth telling a little bit about who Joseph Smith is. I'm posting Seth's first because he's only three and so his is the shortest.
Crystals lesson was a few weeks ago, and I was able to record it while she actually gave it. The lesson is in her own words, she just uses the pictures in the book as a guide so that she doesn't forget where she is when she's speaking. This also gives you a chance to see a little bit into our lives when we have our family nights together, although I did edit it a little because Seth started acting up and had a small meltdown in the middle of it, but I cut that part out so that you could only see the pleasant side of my children. :D Also I apologize that my floor desperately needed vacuuming during this video.
Here is Crystal teaching about our lives before we came to earth.
I'm so proud of my two smartie pants kiddies!!
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Valentines ecards I've been sending to Scott all day
Friday, February 3, 2012
He'll be 8 weeks this Sunday
I have a bunch of stuff to write but I don't have time as usual. I would however, like to show that I'm not being neglectful. Here is my cute 8 week old boy. He's doing great, cooing, smiling (though I have yet to catch a big one on camera) and as wiggly as a worm. Personality wise, he's more high-maintenance than Crystal and Seth ever were. He's a lot more needy, but he's cute so holding him and rocking him all day is easy...which has caused my housework to suffer. Still figuring out that whole routine, but I'm taking it a day at a time. He's worth it though.
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Another pregnancy and holiday season survived! Woot!!
This post is LOOONG overdue. Sorry. I blame the holidays. They haven't let me do anything, and I'm still figuring out my daily routine, which is a lot harder than I thought.
Our little guy, Jacob finally made it here to the world. On Sunday the 11th of December, after church and after tithing settlement I was walking to the car when mid-walk into the parking lot I felt...leaky.
That combined that every step I was taking had turned to agony made me decide that on my way to my parents house for Sunday dinner I might want to check in at the hospital and make sure what I was feeling was just a false alarm.
I made poor Scott wait in the car with the kids in the parking lot because I was sure it would just take a few minutes and they'd say all was clear and send me on my way and I could have peace of mind.
The cool thing about being in a Utah hospital on a Sunday is that it's virtually empty. It was nice and quiet and I could go right where I needed to without waiting in a crowded waiting room.
After a test or two they decided to hook me up to a contraction monitor and see how my contractions were doing, and so they informed me that they needed to keep me for another hour. I called Scott and let him know.
I was frustrated because Crystal was celebrating her pretend birthday at school the next day, (her real birthday is during the Christmas break) and I hadn't helped her make her poster about herself to take to School to share with her classmates, and now with all this nonsense at the hospital I didn't know if I could get to it. I was worried because I didn't want the celebration of Crystal's birthday with her friends to be wrecked by the whole situation.
Luckily my parents came to the rescue and my sister and brother went to pick up my kids and take them to their place to make her poster so that her birthday could be celebrated.
Meanwhile after an hour it was determined that my contractions were every 2-5 minutes apart, and that during two of the contractions, Jacob's heart rate dropped a little which made them worry, so they called my doctor on the phone and she said that we'd better be safe than sorry and to just start me on the pitocin and put me into full labor.
The conversation with Scott on the phone was funny.
Me: "Hey...they're keeping me here, I'm not going home tonight."
Scott: Did they get a hold of the Doctor?
Me: Yes, she said to just start me on the pitocin
Scott: So what does that mean.
Me: The pitocin...to put me into full labor
Scott: OH. We're having a kid?
Me: Yup.
Scott: Awesome I'm coming in.
Me: Go get some fast food first you haven't eaten dinner, just make it back in time for me to squeeze your hand during the epidural.
Scott: Okay there's an Arby's down the street. I'll eat really fast and then come up. You want a sandwich?
Me: Yes, a BLT. Our room has a fridge in it so you can put it in the fridge for me until after I give birth. I'm starving.
Anyway, yes, he made it back in time for me to squeeze his hand during the epidural which was a good thing cause the anesthesiologist was a weirdo and he was aggravating me a little bit with his stupid jokes. Which is okay because ultimately he did a beautiful job making me numb enough to feel everything that was happening without actual pain, so I was thankful for him.
Also, I really really loved my nurse. She was the best labor and delivery nurse I'd ever worked with. I recently contacted the hospital just to tell them what a great job she did. It's always nice when you can tell someone serving you actually loves their job. I felt like I had known her for years and was joking and laughing with her and talking to her during the whole labor.
My doctor, is the same one who delivered Crystal. (She was on maternity leave when I was pregnant with Seth). She has always done a fabulous job. I would recommend her to anyone anywhere who is looking for a top notch, professional, OBGYN who always puts the patients needs first. I think she's taking new patients, so if anyone is looking for an incredible doctor, let me know and I can give you her info.
I could go on and on about the miracle of birth when that tiny baby makes their appearance for the first time and how it NEVER gets less amazing, but I don't think I could describe it well enough. Needless to say it was just as special and sacred to me the third time as it was the first. I think the actual spirit of the room, or aura, or vibe or whatever you believe in changes when a new baby comes into the room. There isn't any feeling like it in the whole world, and suddenly all the stupid suffering I go through during 10 months of pregnancy is all worth it. It is incredible to see that little face and hear that little cry after all you've been through, and it's always love at first sight when you hold that little body in your arms.
Little Jacob as taught me once again that life is so beautiful, and it just gets better when you make the right choices. This pregnancy was hard for me with moving houses, my job, having two other kids at home and the toll it took on my body which is now in it's thirties and not as resilient as it was in my twenties. Alas, I am n longer a spring chicken. It was SO worth the sacrifice though. I'm so in love with this little guy. Just holding him and looking at his little face feels like the best thing in the world. As terrified as I was of going through a pregnancy during such a stressful year, it was worth it.
Here are some pictures for you.
Me on oxygen. My blood pressure dropped a few times during the labor so they gave me a sexy oxygen mask to keep me from fainting. My blood pressure is such a wimp.
Poor kid didn't like the whole birth thing. When my water broke his heartbeat kept dropping because he was pinching the cord during the contractions. I had to lay on my left side because it seemed to help keep his heartbeat from dropping.
He's SO cute though! Even when he's sad! When he cries his bottom lip hangs out.
Seven lbs 8 oz. Not bad for being 2 weeks early.
This was the BEST. My hospital offers room service! I fell in love with the honey pecan chicken breast there. I still crave it.
His face has already changed since this picture. He looks a lot like Seth here, but more recent pics will show that he's a really strong mix between both Crystal and Seth.
Crystal showed up wearing a crown because she had just finished celebrating her pretend birthday at school, and was the star of the week. She is thrilled to have a baby to cuddle in the family.
I debated on posting this one because Jacob is crying and making a mad face, but Seth is just so dang happy to be holding his brother for the first time that I had to use it.
My parents came to meet their new grand kid
First family photo!!
Isn't he cute! I made him myself!!! .... (Okay, Scott provided the blueprints)
MORE STUFF...
So we had a baby! Job well done! We can sit back and relax, right? Nope. We were right in the thick of the Holidays. Yes this little man was worth the sacrifice, but if I ever ever ever have the courage to have another child (ask me again in a few years, right now the thought is inconceivable) it will not be in December again. Why? Because of the chaos of all the family coming and going and crazy last second plans along with my wedding anniversary, Christmas, Crystals birthday and New Years eve. All those events combined with 3-4 hours of sleep a night with a newborn, make the Holidays something to be survived more than cherished. Yes I like Christmas, but honestly, I'm really glad it's over, and I don't care if that makes me sound like a scrooge, lack of sleep combined with the physical recovery from having a baby combined with usual holiday stress is not cool. I had Crystal in December, but it was a few days after Christmas and we were able to take it easy at home a lot more than we were this year.
My physical recovery was a lot harder with this baby than with my first two. I wrote a huge paragraph following that sentence describing the why's and how's, but decided to delete it for the faint of heart. Recovery hasn't been pretty as far as my physical well being is concerned. The good thing is that I can fake feeling fine in almost any situation, which came in handy when we had people over at the house. I thank my dad for passing on his extremely high pain endurance to me.
Since little Jakey was only a few days old, Scott and I spent our 7 year wedding anniversary at home with a take out meal. Not the most romantic, but it was good to sit down together and reflect on everything we had gone through in the last seven years. It's also kind of crazy to me to think that I've been married for seven years already. I've been told to watch out for the "Seven year itch..." but honestly, it's not going to happen. Why? Because being who I am, if I were to have a marriage itch, it would have been way before seven years with a personality like mine. Actually I'm quite happy to be where I am in life right now. I don't want to make you all roll your eyes at my mushiness and gushing over my husbino, so I'll keep it simple and say, that I love the man. Especially lately. The sacrifices he makes to always be there for me and the kids is beyond my comprehension. I love him with all my heart.
Anyway, on to Christmas. Scotts family were out here for Christmas, and everyone was nice enough to come to our house to open presents since I've had to stay home with the baby. By some divine miracle, Scott and I wrapped all our Christmas presents for the kids the day before I went into labor. Honestly it was inspiration to do so because we wouldn't have had any time to do so even a day later. Here are some pics of our Christmas this year.
White elephant party I had to stay home with baby so I couldn't attend this years, but I still have a picture of it thanks to Scott:
Christmas Eve dinner
Nick made an amazing shrimp pasta dinner. There was some controversy about how much wine to put into it while cooking it, but it turned out fantastic.
Closeup of pasta:
Todd also made a tasty bread pudding with chocolate chips for dessert
It's a Christmas Eve tradition for Scott, Me and the kids to make a gingerbread house together as a family before bedtime.
Santa came when the kids were asleep!
Christmas morning. Scott put a barrier up to block the kids from running downstairs to the tree before we were ready to open presents. They weren't happy about having to wait.
Jacob slept in
Crystal was the most impatient this look says it all
With so many people spending Christmas together, it was awesome yet chaotic. Here are some pics of everyone enjoying opening up their presents
With Itri's, a huge Christmas Breakfast together as a family after presents is a MUST. Scott has passed this tradition onto our little family of five as well. It was nice to have everyone over this year and the breakfast was delicious. My favorite thing? The orange rolls. I demand orange rolls every year, and I found out this year, that my father in law, Nick also shares the same passion for Orange rolls on Christmas.
Four days later we celebrated Crystal's 6th Birthday!!!!
Since Jacob was still a really brand new baby and I couldn't take her out and Scott was back at work, my parents paid me a huge favor and took Crystal to Chuck-E-Cheese's for lunch to eat pizza, play games and watch a show. Later on that night she got to blow out her candles with us and Scotts family and open some more presents.
I always feel guilty for not going all out on Crystal's birthday since it's only 4 days after Christmas. Last year I resolved to give her a huge party, but then I got pregnant and had a new baby along with just finishing Christmas. I felt terrible this year that all we did was sing, open presents and tell her how great she was all day instead of something more elaborate. Her birthday though celebrated every year deserves more attention. I'd love to go all out one year and give my only daughter the huge bash she deserves. The wonderful thing about Crystal is she's so sweet and appreciative she doesn't seem to notice or care. Cake, presents, and a little recognition is all she really seems to need even though she's always deserved more. I don't know what I would do without my darling angel girl. She helps me everyday with keeping the house clean and putting things away and lately, rocking the baby in his bouncer so that I can put him down and go to the bathroom or cook a meal. She is the most kind, selfless, loving, giving, and thoughtful little girl I know, and having her in our home blesses us every single day.
Anyway, it's been a crazy month. Along with those things we also celebrated New Years Eve, and since Scott's family was in town we blessed Jacob in Sacrament meeting the very next day even though he was only 3 weeks old. Since it was the holidays and such short notice, only direct family really knew about it, so to friends who would have come, I'm sorry for not letting you know. It was practically a last second decision, and since he was still so small we left directly after the meeting and went to our house for a family breakfast complete with waffles, pancakes and good company. It was great to have Scott's parents and his brother Brian come out here from the east coast to spend the holidays with us this year!
Some of the things that stuck out to me that were mentioned in his blessing were that he was blessed to always be able to feel the love of the Savior in his life, that he can be an example to his family members and his peers; he was blessed with a love for the scriptures, and that he will always have a positive attitude to help him through life's struggles. We're so glad to have this new person in our family!!
Here are some gratuitous baby pics of Jacob that have been taken over the last month. He is almost 6 weeks old now, and though I'm not a big fan of waking up every 2-3 hours to nurse and change him, I love feeling his spirit in our home.
Anyway, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post this. I'm still behind on so many things and there doesn't seem to be any time at all for anything. The good news is that having done this twice before, I know it gets easier. Everyone has warned me that the jump from 2 to 3 kids is the most difficult. It is, but it's not unbearable either. My biggest problem is not letting myself get overwhelmed with all there is to do, and just take things a step at a time, for example, that means that right now there are some areas in my house that are a little messy, but at least I made dinner. It's the best I can do for now, but I'll figure it out.
Also to those who didn't receive a Christmas E-card because I didn't have your email, here is the card we sent out online for Christmas. People keep asking me about my big smiling face in front of the dude on the still frame of this video. This was during our Hawaii trip. Kelsey and I thought this guys mustache was fantastic because it curled up at the ends like a supervillian, so she took a picture of me in front of him so we could always remember it. Sadly you can't really see the detail of his awesomely bad mustache in the pic.
Hope you all had a fantastic Holiday season!!
Our little guy, Jacob finally made it here to the world. On Sunday the 11th of December, after church and after tithing settlement I was walking to the car when mid-walk into the parking lot I felt...leaky.
That combined that every step I was taking had turned to agony made me decide that on my way to my parents house for Sunday dinner I might want to check in at the hospital and make sure what I was feeling was just a false alarm.
I made poor Scott wait in the car with the kids in the parking lot because I was sure it would just take a few minutes and they'd say all was clear and send me on my way and I could have peace of mind.
The cool thing about being in a Utah hospital on a Sunday is that it's virtually empty. It was nice and quiet and I could go right where I needed to without waiting in a crowded waiting room.
After a test or two they decided to hook me up to a contraction monitor and see how my contractions were doing, and so they informed me that they needed to keep me for another hour. I called Scott and let him know.
I was frustrated because Crystal was celebrating her pretend birthday at school the next day, (her real birthday is during the Christmas break) and I hadn't helped her make her poster about herself to take to School to share with her classmates, and now with all this nonsense at the hospital I didn't know if I could get to it. I was worried because I didn't want the celebration of Crystal's birthday with her friends to be wrecked by the whole situation.
Luckily my parents came to the rescue and my sister and brother went to pick up my kids and take them to their place to make her poster so that her birthday could be celebrated.
Meanwhile after an hour it was determined that my contractions were every 2-5 minutes apart, and that during two of the contractions, Jacob's heart rate dropped a little which made them worry, so they called my doctor on the phone and she said that we'd better be safe than sorry and to just start me on the pitocin and put me into full labor.
The conversation with Scott on the phone was funny.
Me: "Hey...they're keeping me here, I'm not going home tonight."
Scott: Did they get a hold of the Doctor?
Me: Yes, she said to just start me on the pitocin
Scott: So what does that mean.
Me: The pitocin...to put me into full labor
Scott: OH. We're having a kid?
Me: Yup.
Scott: Awesome I'm coming in.
Me: Go get some fast food first you haven't eaten dinner, just make it back in time for me to squeeze your hand during the epidural.
Scott: Okay there's an Arby's down the street. I'll eat really fast and then come up. You want a sandwich?
Me: Yes, a BLT. Our room has a fridge in it so you can put it in the fridge for me until after I give birth. I'm starving.
Anyway, yes, he made it back in time for me to squeeze his hand during the epidural which was a good thing cause the anesthesiologist was a weirdo and he was aggravating me a little bit with his stupid jokes. Which is okay because ultimately he did a beautiful job making me numb enough to feel everything that was happening without actual pain, so I was thankful for him.
Also, I really really loved my nurse. She was the best labor and delivery nurse I'd ever worked with. I recently contacted the hospital just to tell them what a great job she did. It's always nice when you can tell someone serving you actually loves their job. I felt like I had known her for years and was joking and laughing with her and talking to her during the whole labor.
My doctor, is the same one who delivered Crystal. (She was on maternity leave when I was pregnant with Seth). She has always done a fabulous job. I would recommend her to anyone anywhere who is looking for a top notch, professional, OBGYN who always puts the patients needs first. I think she's taking new patients, so if anyone is looking for an incredible doctor, let me know and I can give you her info.
I could go on and on about the miracle of birth when that tiny baby makes their appearance for the first time and how it NEVER gets less amazing, but I don't think I could describe it well enough. Needless to say it was just as special and sacred to me the third time as it was the first. I think the actual spirit of the room, or aura, or vibe or whatever you believe in changes when a new baby comes into the room. There isn't any feeling like it in the whole world, and suddenly all the stupid suffering I go through during 10 months of pregnancy is all worth it. It is incredible to see that little face and hear that little cry after all you've been through, and it's always love at first sight when you hold that little body in your arms.
Little Jacob as taught me once again that life is so beautiful, and it just gets better when you make the right choices. This pregnancy was hard for me with moving houses, my job, having two other kids at home and the toll it took on my body which is now in it's thirties and not as resilient as it was in my twenties. Alas, I am n longer a spring chicken. It was SO worth the sacrifice though. I'm so in love with this little guy. Just holding him and looking at his little face feels like the best thing in the world. As terrified as I was of going through a pregnancy during such a stressful year, it was worth it.
Here are some pictures for you.
Me on oxygen. My blood pressure dropped a few times during the labor so they gave me a sexy oxygen mask to keep me from fainting. My blood pressure is such a wimp.
Poor kid didn't like the whole birth thing. When my water broke his heartbeat kept dropping because he was pinching the cord during the contractions. I had to lay on my left side because it seemed to help keep his heartbeat from dropping.
He's SO cute though! Even when he's sad! When he cries his bottom lip hangs out.
Seven lbs 8 oz. Not bad for being 2 weeks early.
This was the BEST. My hospital offers room service! I fell in love with the honey pecan chicken breast there. I still crave it.
His face has already changed since this picture. He looks a lot like Seth here, but more recent pics will show that he's a really strong mix between both Crystal and Seth.
Crystal showed up wearing a crown because she had just finished celebrating her pretend birthday at school, and was the star of the week. She is thrilled to have a baby to cuddle in the family.
I debated on posting this one because Jacob is crying and making a mad face, but Seth is just so dang happy to be holding his brother for the first time that I had to use it.
My parents came to meet their new grand kid
First family photo!!
Isn't he cute! I made him myself!!! .... (Okay, Scott provided the blueprints)
MORE STUFF...
So we had a baby! Job well done! We can sit back and relax, right? Nope. We were right in the thick of the Holidays. Yes this little man was worth the sacrifice, but if I ever ever ever have the courage to have another child (ask me again in a few years, right now the thought is inconceivable) it will not be in December again. Why? Because of the chaos of all the family coming and going and crazy last second plans along with my wedding anniversary, Christmas, Crystals birthday and New Years eve. All those events combined with 3-4 hours of sleep a night with a newborn, make the Holidays something to be survived more than cherished. Yes I like Christmas, but honestly, I'm really glad it's over, and I don't care if that makes me sound like a scrooge, lack of sleep combined with the physical recovery from having a baby combined with usual holiday stress is not cool. I had Crystal in December, but it was a few days after Christmas and we were able to take it easy at home a lot more than we were this year.
My physical recovery was a lot harder with this baby than with my first two. I wrote a huge paragraph following that sentence describing the why's and how's, but decided to delete it for the faint of heart. Recovery hasn't been pretty as far as my physical well being is concerned. The good thing is that I can fake feeling fine in almost any situation, which came in handy when we had people over at the house. I thank my dad for passing on his extremely high pain endurance to me.
Since little Jakey was only a few days old, Scott and I spent our 7 year wedding anniversary at home with a take out meal. Not the most romantic, but it was good to sit down together and reflect on everything we had gone through in the last seven years. It's also kind of crazy to me to think that I've been married for seven years already. I've been told to watch out for the "Seven year itch..." but honestly, it's not going to happen. Why? Because being who I am, if I were to have a marriage itch, it would have been way before seven years with a personality like mine. Actually I'm quite happy to be where I am in life right now. I don't want to make you all roll your eyes at my mushiness and gushing over my husbino, so I'll keep it simple and say, that I love the man. Especially lately. The sacrifices he makes to always be there for me and the kids is beyond my comprehension. I love him with all my heart.
Anyway, on to Christmas. Scotts family were out here for Christmas, and everyone was nice enough to come to our house to open presents since I've had to stay home with the baby. By some divine miracle, Scott and I wrapped all our Christmas presents for the kids the day before I went into labor. Honestly it was inspiration to do so because we wouldn't have had any time to do so even a day later. Here are some pics of our Christmas this year.
White elephant party I had to stay home with baby so I couldn't attend this years, but I still have a picture of it thanks to Scott:
Christmas Eve dinner
Nick made an amazing shrimp pasta dinner. There was some controversy about how much wine to put into it while cooking it, but it turned out fantastic.
Closeup of pasta:
Todd also made a tasty bread pudding with chocolate chips for dessert
It's a Christmas Eve tradition for Scott, Me and the kids to make a gingerbread house together as a family before bedtime.
Santa came when the kids were asleep!
Christmas morning. Scott put a barrier up to block the kids from running downstairs to the tree before we were ready to open presents. They weren't happy about having to wait.
Jacob slept in
Crystal was the most impatient this look says it all
With so many people spending Christmas together, it was awesome yet chaotic. Here are some pics of everyone enjoying opening up their presents
With Itri's, a huge Christmas Breakfast together as a family after presents is a MUST. Scott has passed this tradition onto our little family of five as well. It was nice to have everyone over this year and the breakfast was delicious. My favorite thing? The orange rolls. I demand orange rolls every year, and I found out this year, that my father in law, Nick also shares the same passion for Orange rolls on Christmas.
Four days later we celebrated Crystal's 6th Birthday!!!!
Since Jacob was still a really brand new baby and I couldn't take her out and Scott was back at work, my parents paid me a huge favor and took Crystal to Chuck-E-Cheese's for lunch to eat pizza, play games and watch a show. Later on that night she got to blow out her candles with us and Scotts family and open some more presents.
I always feel guilty for not going all out on Crystal's birthday since it's only 4 days after Christmas. Last year I resolved to give her a huge party, but then I got pregnant and had a new baby along with just finishing Christmas. I felt terrible this year that all we did was sing, open presents and tell her how great she was all day instead of something more elaborate. Her birthday though celebrated every year deserves more attention. I'd love to go all out one year and give my only daughter the huge bash she deserves. The wonderful thing about Crystal is she's so sweet and appreciative she doesn't seem to notice or care. Cake, presents, and a little recognition is all she really seems to need even though she's always deserved more. I don't know what I would do without my darling angel girl. She helps me everyday with keeping the house clean and putting things away and lately, rocking the baby in his bouncer so that I can put him down and go to the bathroom or cook a meal. She is the most kind, selfless, loving, giving, and thoughtful little girl I know, and having her in our home blesses us every single day.
Anyway, it's been a crazy month. Along with those things we also celebrated New Years Eve, and since Scott's family was in town we blessed Jacob in Sacrament meeting the very next day even though he was only 3 weeks old. Since it was the holidays and such short notice, only direct family really knew about it, so to friends who would have come, I'm sorry for not letting you know. It was practically a last second decision, and since he was still so small we left directly after the meeting and went to our house for a family breakfast complete with waffles, pancakes and good company. It was great to have Scott's parents and his brother Brian come out here from the east coast to spend the holidays with us this year!
Some of the things that stuck out to me that were mentioned in his blessing were that he was blessed to always be able to feel the love of the Savior in his life, that he can be an example to his family members and his peers; he was blessed with a love for the scriptures, and that he will always have a positive attitude to help him through life's struggles. We're so glad to have this new person in our family!!
Here are some gratuitous baby pics of Jacob that have been taken over the last month. He is almost 6 weeks old now, and though I'm not a big fan of waking up every 2-3 hours to nurse and change him, I love feeling his spirit in our home.
Anyway, I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post this. I'm still behind on so many things and there doesn't seem to be any time at all for anything. The good news is that having done this twice before, I know it gets easier. Everyone has warned me that the jump from 2 to 3 kids is the most difficult. It is, but it's not unbearable either. My biggest problem is not letting myself get overwhelmed with all there is to do, and just take things a step at a time, for example, that means that right now there are some areas in my house that are a little messy, but at least I made dinner. It's the best I can do for now, but I'll figure it out.
Also to those who didn't receive a Christmas E-card because I didn't have your email, here is the card we sent out online for Christmas. People keep asking me about my big smiling face in front of the dude on the still frame of this video. This was during our Hawaii trip. Kelsey and I thought this guys mustache was fantastic because it curled up at the ends like a supervillian, so she took a picture of me in front of him so we could always remember it. Sadly you can't really see the detail of his awesomely bad mustache in the pic.
Hope you all had a fantastic Holiday season!!
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