Monday, December 28, 2009

Baby's First Christmas!

It was fun to spend Christmas with our new baby. There were few presents, but the joy we felt as we celebrated what we did under our tree were priceless. I am so blessed to have one of Heavenly Father's children in my home to nurture and enjoy. Anaya is the best Christmas present we could have ever received.

Our daughter shows her true feelings about Christmas morning...


Deciding to put on a good face for documentation sake...


Still not in the Christmas spirit I suppose...dirty diaper?...

Our ornament (still to come) for 2009...

Visiting with family...cousin Phil...

Merry Christmas everyone!...

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Graduation Numero Dos



I have finally done it...I am finished with school! I had some serious debate with myself whether I should go to my graduation or not and after much deliberation decided I should most definitely. I worked hard for this and I deserve to walk across the stage. These past three and a half years I got my masters degree, ended one job and started another, purchased a new home and had a baby...all while working full-time. Phew! Glad I did it though.

Mommy Grad and her babe...

My professors and I with some of the other grads...

Monday, December 14, 2009

Moving forward...

It has been over one week after my big moment and things are doing well. Anaya is the best thing that has ever happened to us. She is healthy and happy, except when she's hungry...she's so needy! I am happy to announce that her umbilical cord has fallen off and no longer reeks to high heaven. Holy cow...that thing smelled worse than her frequent poo explosions. Anyone else ever experience that magical smell?
Reed is even getting the hang of the whole Daddy thing. He's been so helpful. It's nice to have a support system when you're in the throws of postpartum gook (no depression, just gook...ya know what I mean).


I am healing nicely and can walk normally now for almost 15 minutes. Yes!!! I am almost down to my "beginning of my pregnancy" weight, too. But...will my ugly belly skin go away anytime soon? Oh, I hope so.

Friday, December 11, 2009

She's Here!!!!

Well...I am happy to report that after 9 long months and 9 not so long hours of labor (thanks epidural lady!...I love you), my long awaited moment of sheer joy has come. Her name is Anaya Elyse and she made her grand debut into this world Thursday, December 3rd, at 11:58am. She weighed 8 lbs. 12.9 oz, 21 inches long and she is amazing. I couldn't love anything more. Now I know what women meant when they said they never thought they could love someone so much. I am so in love! She is beautiful and I am so proud of her. I find myself in tears quite often purely from the love I have for her. What a blessing.
As far as the infamous "labor story" goes,...my water broke at 3:00am-ish after two days of on and off cramping (which I chalked up to diarrhea pains that wouldn't go away and let me sleep) and we rushed to the hospital, tears, heavy breathing and all. 40 minutes later we arrived and I meeeeeeaaaaaandered down the hall to my room. I managed to make it to 6 centimeters all by myself until the lovely epidural lady came to take away my woes. I highly recommend an epidural solely due to the fact that you can pay attention to what is going on around you and enjoy the moment...oh, and so you don't feel your estimated 10-11 pound child burst through your body. I know women like to feel their child come out and so did I, but having an epidural didn't change the moment for me. I still felt like I worked hard and made my big contribution. My doctor called the hospital to check on her patients that morning and was shocked to hear that I was there in active labor after 3-4 long weeks of 1 centimeter, 50% effaced, and -3/-2 station. I was so excited to see her walk in to rescue me...and then she left me. :( However, my nurse Karen was amazing and helped make sure my baby was safe and happy before gracing the room with her presence. Finally, at 11:58 after my doctor came back in to rescue me, my beautiful baby girl popped her head out with some help from the forcep lady...aka, my wonderful doctor. I was so glad she was there to help me bring my baby into this world. I didn't even have to push the rest of her out. I guess after 37 cm has just passed through your loins, the rest kind of just falls out. It was kind of an odd feeling to have her placed on my stomach and then in my hands. I didn't feel that rush of emotion at first. More like..."Wow, she's heavy and smells a little." But after they cleaned her up and handed her to me I was overcome. What an amazing opportunity it is to bring a baby into the world. Reed was great, too. He didn't even pass out. He was quiet the whole time, but there for me just the same.
Anaya and I are doing fine now. I am still very sore even a week later, but getting better everyday. Anaya is healthy and oh so cute. See for yourself...
Above: my little bundle of joy after her first bath at home, and kisses from mom after she was all cleaned up. Kisses make everything better...baths can be rough.

A new family...

Chillin' in her new boppy swing... On her way to her first doctor appointment...

So photogenic...and super cute!...
Vogue...work it...

A new mama...

What a proud mom...

Our family is complete...for now...

Hee hee...

and their eyes met, and it was love at first sight...

Gettin' all shined up...and better smelling...

A new daddy...

Not as big as we thought...

Awww...

Brand new...

How could you not love this face?...

...and they lived happily ever after.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Say What?!!!!!?

If you will all just take a gander to the right side of the screen, you will note it says I still have over 2 weeks left to go. Not so bad...right? WRONG! Especially when your doctor just told you your baby is still face up (not down like she's supposed to be...she's already being rebellious)...and I'm only 3 cm dialated. Oh wait...there's more. Here's the kicker: she already weighs 9-10 lbs. WHAT?!? How could someone with my small frame grow a child that is a fatty? Again...I blame Reed, which my doc said I am totally justified in declaring. She also said that mama's size and diet has nothing to do with baby's size...which is why it's okay she's a tubby (at least I know I didn't contribute to her girth). She did make me feel better though by assuring me that fat babies are indeed cute--a phrase I have always cringed at and shoved in my bank of ludicrous thoughts--and when I see her and she looks like me, I will just fall in love with her. Didn't I already say I love my doctor? I'm glad she didn't just roll her eyes in disgust at my "I don't like fat babies" comment and exit stage right quickly. Anyway...I'm having a huge baby and that's that. Moving on...
I have passed all of my master's exams with flying colors (who ever came up with that phrase...honestly?) and will graduate December 17th unless I have spontaneously combusted by that point. Thanks for caring.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Trick-or-Treat!

This Halloween was much more of a success than last year. That's right...the door bell rang 7 times this year, instead of the disappointing 2 last year. And...sometimes I would open the door and 4 or 5 creatures would be standing there yelling at me. Ah...such fun. I love Halloween. I actually got rid of almost all of our candy. Yes, we had scaled back a bit on the sweets based on last year's stats, but we still had a big bowl prepared with nothing left now but tootsie rolls and a lone mini-twix bar. Hmmm...guess I'll have to eat that. I may decide to be nice and hand those left-overs out to my primary kids. They really could use the energy. NOT!
Here is my costume I wore for Halloween 2009. I only wore it to work and everyone thought it was brilliant. Too bad I couldn't take any credit for it. It was all Reed's idea. I thought it was pretty funny myself...
...bet ya can't guess what I am.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Whoa!

1. I am so sick of drinking water!
2. I think I look pretty good for 8 months pregnant...that's humble...right?
3. I am uncomfortable doing anything.
4. Sometimes, I think she's going to fall out...so much pressure.
5. No stretchmarks as of yet...gulp!
6. Love every minute of her daily calisthenics even though it occasionally frightens me that she may be having a spasm.
7. I cannot wait to see what she is going to look like.
8. I am starting to get really nervous about the whole labor thing.
9. Heartburn sucks!
10. I can't wait to see Reed with her and raise her together with him.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Fancy Toes!

I finally got my first pedicure. It was lovely. I highly recommend it...and I will be doing THAT again in the near future. My friend Sandra went with me. Here are our toes...

Here are our faces...

Me at 7 months and 1 week, or 29 weeks, or with only 1o weeks and 6 days to go. Whichever you prefer.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

"You have a beautiful belly"

The other day, one of my co-workers told me I have a beautiful belly. I thought how nice a comment that was, even though it was coming from a guy. I guess he could have said, "Hey you cow, your belly looks pretty fat today," but he didn't. It totally made my day, too. I always feared that I would retain a ton of water and my face would break out into one giant zit when I was pregnant. Luckily, I have been able to ward off such nonsense. But I still have 3 months to go...so I'd better find some wood to knock on QUICK! In other news, I have just completed my first 4 weeks of school teaching my new middle schoolers. Even though most days are pretty similar, each day brings with it new and interesting "items of business" shall we say. Sometimes these items are pretty down right hilarious. Not so hilarious however are the moments when one of my students decides he is going to throw a big bowl of chocolate pudding across the kitchen in protest of cooking-time and then yells at himself while I make him clean it up. Okay...that last part falls into the 'hilarious' category. Oh...kids! Also, I have just signed up for my master's exams and will be taking my orals October 1. So, please don't curse my name or think bad thoughts about me until after that date...for I shall know it was you. I will finally be done with stupid school in December. I have been going to school now for 10 years (my fault, I guess). I could have been a full-fledged doctor by now. Well, almost. Anyway...to close, here are more pictures of me and my "beautiful belly" at 6 months. Just FYI: I am now 6 months, 3 weeks and counting...



Friday, August 7, 2009

The Best Birthday Present Ever!!!

Yesterday I got to spend an entire 1/2 hour with my baby girl. What a great birthday present! That's right...we're having a GIRL!!! The doctor knew we wanted a boy, so she looked real hard for a penis, but to no avail. Oh well. That's just more incentive to try again. It's just going to be very hard to choose a name now. Reed and I had already agreed on a name we both liked for a boy. Now, we have to start all over. Reed doesn't like the name I want to choose for our girl...but who's doing all the work here? Oh, that'd be me. Who's gonna bring this baby into the world? Oh, that'd be me. So I think I'm entitled to have dibs on the name...right?? Maybe if I convince him to let me name this girl, I will let him name all the other kids whatever he wants. That shows you how much I like this name I chose. Anyway...back to my joyous 1/2 hour birthday present. I am simply amazed at not only nature and God's beautiful creations in action, but the technology we have now to see it happen. I saw just about everything you could see on a human...and she was perfect. Everything was developing normally and she just looked so perfect. She moves around a lot too. It was fun to see her mouth open and close and her arms and feet move right in front of me. It didn't really hit me just how amazing an experience that was until later that day at home. During the appointment, you are so focused on what the doctor is saying and what you are seeing, and then of course the big revealing of the gender. It's hard to really soak it all in and realize what you are priviliged to be seeing. But once I let it all in and was able to concentrate on it, it was the best feeling ever. My first baby. I am already in love with her.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Road Trip!

So, we're back from our very long, but beautiful trip across the country. We flew to West Virginia and met up with Reed's parents and nieces there. We stayed with a very nice couple (my mother-in-law's cousins) for several days. They had such a nice home and lived in a fabulous neighborhood. I was starting to look at real-estate ads. WV is so green and lush. I loved it! After our stay, we began our voyage across the US. We drove through 13 states and eventually ended up in California. We were supposed to end in Utah for the Seamons family reunion, but this ended up being cancelled due to a family member passing away. The family packed up and headed over to California for the funeral. The funeral was very nice and this woman was loved by all. I wish I could have met her. It gives the phrase "never too late" a completely different meaning. This trip allowed me and Reed to meet family we had never seen before, and we are glad to know them. Below are some of our pictures from the excursion. The rest can be found here.

An awesome waterfall just hangin' out by the side of the road. Much more tolerable than stupid, ugly cacti!

WV countryside.

Some of the family...Reed's mom's side.

The state capitol.

Here are some pictures for my mom's viewing pleasure...

Maybe it's a good thing I was born without a butt. These are of my pregnant glory at 5 1/2 months.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Reed and Jen and then...

Reed and I were thrilled when we woke up the other day to this...




He was in our backyard stealing some shade. Guess we'd better put those screens we bought in the openings in our wall now. This sucker was over 4 feet long and looks as though he's staring right at me in this picture. Reed discovered him (luckily, because he didn't have a rattle) and ran upstairs to share the joyous news with me. I threw some clothes on and hurried downstairs. Reed was a little upset that I just waltzed outside to find it with seemingly no caution at all. Especially because in other news...





I'm pregnant!! I figured it was okay to tell now because:

1. It's getting too hard to hide it and


2. People are probably wondering why I'm "letting myself go" and


3. I'm 4 and 1/2 months





So there ya go. I will finally breed. Watch out world!!!!!!


We'll find out on August 6th that it's definitely a boy...cuz that's what I want!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Independence Day 2009

Reed and I had his family over for the 4th's celebration this year. We usually just watch the fireworks on TV or go up to the second floor of our apartment complex and see what we can see, but this year we decided to mix it up. Being a homeowner sure does open up many more rooms of possibilities. Reed and I thought it would also be more fun to have a BBQ at the very nice and spacious park by our house. Well, when we arrived to clean off the grill that other nasty people have used and start the coals burning, the very nice and spacious part was drenched in about a million gallons of water (courtesy of the downpour we had the night before). Apparently this park also serves as the drainage for our community. Brilliant!! Reed had actually gone over earlier to check the park's availability of crusty grills but decided not to tell me about the water in hopes it would all be gone in the next few hours and I suppose in fear of any yelling that may ensue upon me hearing the dreadful news. So, Reed and I enjoyed cooking and semi-hosting our first BBQ in pools of molch sprinkled with rabbit poo...and the aroma...mmmmm! I say semi-hosting because instead of Reed's whole family attending like we thought and were hoping for, Reed's parents came. (That sounds bad...we did enjoy their company). The other family members showed up in small numbers eventually. The night ended up being rather enjoyable. Reed did a wonderful job with the burgers and hotdogs, he even fed one to the rabbit pooed water. They were tender and juicy. Yummy! We ended the night at the Fireworks Spectacular held in Marana. Next time we'll have to bring lawn chairs, even though we thoroughly enjoyed sitting in the ant-ridden dirt hoping that one would not crawl down my pants.

Reed and his BBQ-ing skills!


Only a fraction of the drainage aftermath...and my father-in-law, Darwin.


My mother-in-law, Jeannie, waiting for her food in the van. She did not want to hang out with us in the rabbit-poo water for some reason.

Now there's the spirit folks!!