Road Trip!

Lana, Brooke, and I all headed to AZ this past week to visit Ashley, Sean and Parker.  We had such a great time, and it was so fun just to all be together again. We shopped, watch movies, talked, ate way too much food, and just had a great time together. I got food poisoning one day and was kind of miserable but, I recovered quickly. Brooke and Parker had a great time seeing each other again! Parker did try to beat her up quite a bit but he got use to her the day that we left! I have been planning there marriage since before Brooke was born so I was quite happy to let the two play together:). I did really bad at taking pictures the whole vacation and I only got a few from when we went to the temple and visitors center. It was such a blast and we can't wait to do it again!

Ashley looks so cute with her new haircut!

I can fly, I can fly, I can ifly......

Jason and I got to do indoor skydiving this past Wednesday with all the Executive Directors, Director's of Nursing, and  families in the company Jason works for. It was really fun to get to meet everyone and especially fun to do the ifly skydiving. They say that it is just what skydiving feels like, except that you aren't jumping out of a plane. It is basically a gigantic wind tunnel that blows you up. We had a great time and I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to have a little bit of fun, while also doing something different. It isn't scary at all and you just have a good time. Here are a few pics - 

Here is Jason flying high with the instructor

Me flying high

Me just getting a hang of it. It is funny because everyone who is walking by at Universal City Walk can watch you, and slobber is coming out of your mouth because the wind is blowing in your face so crazy.

Happy 1st Birthday Brookie!!

My sweet little baby is a year old!! I have to admit that I thought her birthday was the 13th, but my sweet husband called me this morning and told me today was her birthday. That was a really sad moment for me. 

I am so glad that we have had our little "Bookie" in our lives this past year. She has added so much joy, fun, love, amazement, laughter, and goodness into our home. She is such a sweet little girl and I really can't imagine life without her. She is such a smart little girl, and she loves to learn new things. She loves saying uh-oh, pointing, playing with candy wrappers and socks. She has taken 3 step on her own about a week ago, but ever since then she really just wants to crawl and get around that way. She loves to share her food and drinks with us or anybody around, she loves to dance and sing and she really is quite good at both of them. She is starting to say more words now but she gets stuck on "uh-oh" a little bit too much.

We love her so much and are so glad that she is our baby. We feel so blessed for this past year we have had with her and can't wait for the years too come. (Hopefully they won't come too soon though!)

Birthday Cake time

She never really dug into her cake. She was actually quite clean about everything.

Opening her presents. She still doesn't really like or get the whole wrapping paper thing. 

Lots of family who came to celebrate with her.

Here are a few shots from a few weeks ago that my mom did for her 1 year old photos.

Loving her new big girl car seat. She loves it and it is so fun having my little driving buddy now.

A year ago today...

A year ago today I went into labor. I had read everything about pregnancy and labor. I had educated myself through Bradley classes, I had listened to my hypnobirthing tapes everyday twice, I walked, did pelvic thrusts, kegels, and several other exercises for months to prepare my body for the big day. However nothing could have prepared me for what I was about to go through.

 I was almost a week over due, and I needed to go in to get a NST (non stress test) early in the morning to make sure the baby was doing okay. I knew I had been having contractions every 5 minutes or so but they didn't hurt at all and they just felt like the Braxton Hicks (fake contractions) that I had had so many times before. When I was being monitored in the NST the nurse said "honey do you know you are having regular contractions?" I told her that I did but that they didn't hurt and I wasn't feeling any different. She said okay but you need to come back when they start to hurt. I left and did what I had done all that week. I went to Ontario Mills and power walked it a few times (the people in the little carts that sell stuff actually knew me because I did this so often). If I walked it twice I was allowed to buy 2 Auntie Anne's Pretzels which was about the only thing I ever wanted to eat at this point in my super uncomfortable pregnancy. I got 2 and one extra for my friend Ashley. I took it to her and she was such a good friend, she did my hair and blew it out for me and made me feel a little better. (Ashley you still have no idea how much I loved that and how grateful I was, and am to you for doing it.) I was still having consistent contractions but nothing to bad. I went through the rest of the day. I went to Young Women's for the activity that night, and finally got home around 9 PM. At this point I cleaned a little and then told Jason I wanted to watch a movie and cuddle. He said okay and after an hour of popping in a movie all of a sudden my contractions started hurting ...bad! I was fine with that, I was just happy that this baby was finally on it way. After about 10 Min's I noticed that my contractions were coming quickly and regularly so I had Jason start timing me. They were about 2- 3 minutes apart and lasting around 30 seconds to a minute. I was having to breath with every contraction but still was not overwhelmed with the pain. I called my mom who live in Oceanside and told her to come because the contractions were staying regular and quick. She use to be a Lamaze instructor many years ago and she told me that if they got closer I should go to the hospital and wait for her. I instead decided to get in the bath and I rested for about 20 Min's in there. I drank a lot of water listened to music and breathed and focused. My contractions were still consistently 2-3 Min's apart and they were lasting forever at 1 min to 1.5 minutes, and it didn't really give me much time in between to relax. Once my mom got here it was about 1 AM, and when she walked in she was like "we need to get you to the hospital right away, this baby is coming!" So we got in the car and drove. The contractions were still the same 2-3 minutes and lasting around the same time. Once we got to the hospital they admitted me to triage and monitored me and checked to see what I was dilated to. I thought I would for sure be at least a 6 the way my contractions had been but to my dismay, I was only at a 3. They actually told me it was up to me if I wanted to stay or not. I was like "yeah I'm staying." Even though I had always planned on laboring at home as much as possible, because my contractions were so close and lasting longer and longer I thought that I could progress rather quickly and didn't want to go home and have the baby there or in the car. I was admitted and put into a room, where I endured a long, long, long, long labor. I didn't want an IV, so they put a hep lock in me and I was able to eat and drink if I wanted to but I didn't feel like eating anything so I ate honey sticks for energy and drank lots of water and red raspberry leaf tea. I couldn't lie on the bed at all because it was so uncomfortable to me, I couldn't walk around because it hurt to bad and was almost impossible with how long my contractions were lasting and with how quickly they were coming on. The only thing that worked was my birth ball ( I still love this thing and recommend it to any pregnant lady). I sat on my birth ball almost my entire labor. It was good because I could let it open my pelvis and since I was vertical I wasn't preventing or prolonging the baby form coming down the birth canal. The doctor kept coming in and asking me if I wanted to have my water broken  so things would go quicker and I told her no, over and over again. By 12 in the afternoon the next day I was still only at 5 centimeters dilated, and totally exhausted form all the focusing and relaxing I was doing. I asked if I could take a shower to help with the pain and they let me. Oh how I love those showers!! The water felt so good and took away a lot of the pain that I was having in my back. I did this off and on alternating with being on my birth ball when they wanted to monitor the baby. Finally around 4 the doctor really wanted to break my water, I talked to Jason about it and my mom, and they thought that it was the right thing to do, so they did. What the doctor found was the Brooke had pooped meconium in the amniotic fluid, and so then they wanted to monitor me consistently now and they wouldn't let me stand up, get in the shower, or do anything like that because they didn't want the cord to prolapse. So I was suck being monitored the rest of the time and mean while my contractions were so close together and lasting so long that I barley had a minute in between all the pain. I was doing okay though, the hardest part was how exhausted I was. By 5 o'clock I was at 6.5 centimeters, and I kept telling myself that once I get to a 7 or transition that it would go quick from then on. I had always heard that it only took about 15 minutes to go from a 7 to a 10. That was what I was hoping for because this labor was going so slow and it was so intense. After another 2 hours I was at 8 centimeters but things were still progressing very slowly. I didn't have an once of energy left in me and I was starting to lose it. I was crying now, and almost with every contraction I was screaming a little instead of breathing through them like before. I was able to get some of my focus back after a while but I didn't know how on earth I was going to push my baby out without any energy. After another hour and a half and only being at 8.5 cm, I finally agreed to a low dose epidural. The problem was that because I didn't already have an IV in, it took about 30 minutes to pump all the liquid through me that they wanted to and then it took the anesthesiologist another 15 Min's  to set up. Jason couldn't be in the room with me while I got the epidural and the anesthesiologist told me if I moved at all that he wouldn't give it to me. I had a great nurse though who told me he was a jerk and that she would hold me, but that I needed to hold completely still even though I was having my most intense contractions yet. I did it and it took about another 15 minutes before I could feel a difference. I told the guy to give me the lowest amount he cold so that I could still feel when I pushed. He did great and I was able to get a little rest before I pushed. It took me another 2 hours after the epidural before I reached a 10. I pushed for about an hour and was ready to push Brookie out but the nurse told me to wait and that she needed to get the DR. and the NICU team in. The NICU team needed to be there because Brooke had so much Poop in her amniotic fluid and they were worried that she would inhale it and get it into her lungs. I blew like crazy for the next 15 minutes and then it seems Brooke went back inside a little. Once everyone got in there (there were like 9 people watching me give birth) I pushed nice and slow and took my time, I did a perennial compress, and told the doctor that I wanted to ease the baby out so I wouldn't tear. Brooke was crowning and I was pushing slowly and then the Dr. told me I had to get her out so I did do one big push at the end, but I did let my perineum stretch slowly first. Brooke was born at 11:55 PM with the cord wrapped all around her little body, she was sideways, and she was born with a Nuchal Hand (a hand by her head which makes it harder and bigger to get that head out.) I was so relieved that she was finally born, it seemed like it would never happen. I was in active labor for a total of 26 hours, and I luckily felt like I had an easy recovery. I only had 3 tiny tears and my adrenaline was going like crazy. Now that I look back I am even more amazed at how capable a woman's body is to endure all that it does through pregnancy, labor, and recovery. I am hoping that my next baby won't be quite as long, but now I know not to expect things to go any certain way even if they are the "norm." I would do it all over again though, the reward is far too great!

Here we are arriving at the hospital, stopping for a contraction.

Jason sleeping while I labored through the night. (He did help me a lot I told him to get some rest:))

Working through the pain together. This may be TMI (hasn't his whole post been though?) but when I was having a hard time with the contractions smelling Jason is something that helped me, and made me focus more. So funny how our bodies adapt to pain.

Not very happy that things were going so slow..

Finally at a 10!! I don't think I will ever be one of those people who look great during or after giving birth. I looked totally trashed, and I envy all you pretty birthers!! (Sandy this comment is mainly directed to you!)

She is finally here! So worth it all!!

These are my feet after they went down a little. They didn't swell my entire pregnancy until the day I went into labor...then they turned into what I like to call Shrek feet. When my dad saw me a few hours before giving birth he came in the room with a disgusted look on his face and said "honey what happened to your poor feet?" I said "I'm in labor dad!"

trying to be "MADE"

There is this really cute blog that I love called "MADE." On it the lady always puts the latest things that she has made. She is so talented and creative and makes the cutest dresses, onesies, and so much more. I always go on her blog hoping to find something new, and then I dream about the day that I would ever be able to sew and create things like her. She inspires me so much, and I really admire all that she tries to make. That being said, I have made a few things lately. (Mostly due to Brooke's First Birthday Party.) They are very easy and not at all as wonderful as the things that I see on others blogs, but I thought I would share them anyways, and perhaps inspire someone to try something. (Most of the pictures downloaded out of order, sorry!)

I saw this shirt on etsy for $18 and thought I could make it myself with freezer paper stencil. So easy and much better for the wallet at $1.50 for paint:)

I didn't really make anything on this one, but it was a new project. I was sick of our red in our room, and had this black and white flower cover for sometime tucked away and decided to re-vamp our room a little. I really like it. I don't think Jason likes the flowers though. And for just $25 I have a slightly refreshed look to our room.

Kayla/Brooke's Birthday cake. A very chocolaty ganache cake with fondant polka dots. So yummy, but so rich! 

Brooke's 1st birthday cake. I made it a apple cinnamon bran cake with a cream cheese frosting.

I made these customized volleyball socks for my niece Kayla for her B-Day. Once again using freezer stencils.

Pacifier clips

Brooke's B-Day tutu. These are so easy to make. And they come out so cute. They are quite time consuming though.

This was my hard project for the month. A chenille bib with 2 sew on appliques that I made. I was very happy with the finished project.

A birthday Highchair cover

And what birthday chair would be complete without a tulle skirt?

P.S. The pictures of Brooke's party are coming soon....

I'm one of those type of people..

I'm one of those type of people who would rather do something myself then pay to have it done.  Like waxing my eyebrows, upper lip, pedicures, manicures, spa treatments etc... I love to save money, but today I went to far. I have been growing my leg hairs out for the past week and a half (poor Jason) so that I could try to wax them. I had my legs waxed before we got married and I loved how smooth they looked and how you couldn't see the dark root growing beneath my skin. Well lets just say that things didn't go according to plan. I has wax everywhere, and couldn't get it off, I had muslin strips sticking to me, I even got wax on the ground and couldn't get it off until I tried olive oil. Well I waxed the first part of both my lower legs and that was it. I don't think you can see in the picture but I have about 5 inches of red, irritated waxed skin, and hairy legs the rest of the way up. What is even worse is that I still have to shave where I waxed because I didn't get all the hairs. Oh what we go through to be women! Also just for the record, about 2 weeks ago I tried to do a bikini wax on myself...ouch! I won't even tell you how bad that one went, you think I would have learned my lesson! 

So if there is anyone thinking of trying this, just don't!

Trip to San Diego

Jason, Brooke and  I all got to get away to San Diego on Monday and Tuesday. Jason needed to go down to take his State Administrator test and he invited us to come along. We had a great time. We stayed at the Hyatt Hotel which is right next to the San Diego Temple, and it was so beautiful to see every time we went outside. We got to hang out, eat a lot of yummy food, and we even got a short trip in at the Wild Animal Park. It was so fun and it was so nice getting to hang out with my sweet hubby those two extra days. 

I love this pic that I took of Brooke looking at the Temple!!

11 months.... Really?.....Already?

Brookie turned 11 months on the 12th of this month.  It is so amazing to me how fast the time has gone. She is at such a fun age right now and I love to see how fast she learns things and how everything in this world has something to teach her. Her favorite thing to do is point at things right now. I love seeing how smart she is by asking her to point at something and she will. It amazes me how smart she is. She talks her crazy baby talk all the time, she makes silly noises with her mouth, and she is back to doing a very cheesy smile, that is oh so cute. She still isn't walking on her own, and she really hasn't shown an interest in walking unsupported. She loves to hold on to everything and she is a very cautious baby, so I don't think she will be walking on her own anytime soon. She has such a fun and sweet personality and I am so glad that she was sent into our family! I can't imagine life without her.

Fun time at The WAP

This past Thursday my mom and I took Brooke to the Wild Animal Park for the first time. It was such a perfect day. It was slightly overcast, not to cold, and then it started raining right before we left (this is a good thing..I LOVE the rain!) We had such a fun day. Brooke had her little finger pointing at everything and she really had a  great time there. It was also nice to hang out with my mom and just have a relaxing girl day with her. She also took some awesome photos during the day. (Thanks Mom!) Here are some cute one's that we got.

I was hating that this bird was on my head. I thought it would poop on me for sure. I was quite happy when it flew away. Brooke loved looking at all the birds even though her mama was freaking out because there were like 5 of them all on me. Lets hope she gets a better like for touching animals then I do!

Like mother, like daughter?? This picture cracks me up because Brooke and I have the same facial expression. She is definitely my baby girl.

Looking at the elephants. 

These flowers were so beautiful and I love how this shot of Brooke and Grandma turned out.

Grandma getting attacked by the birds. 

My baby finally let herself go to sleep, after 7 hours of being awake!

I love this picture. When we were on the tram ride Brooke found this little pole to hold herself up with and she loved holding it and talking to all the animals. She looks like such my big girl in this picture. Where has the time gone???

Such a cute photo with Grandma. Can't you tell where my baby got her very blue eyes??