Sudden Getaway!!

On Friday my Mom and Dennis took off for their cruise/honeymoon. I was excited for them but wishing I could go on a trip myself. The last 3 trips we have taken as a family have involved illness. We went to Bryce National Park last August and Timmy got sick with fevers and diarrhea. We were able to go out a little, but not as much as we planned. Then we went to Jackson Hole with Justin's family in September and Timmy ended up with a fever and threw up a few times so I had to stay home an entire day with him. Then we went to California in October and Allison got a really bad cold/fever and I got a flu bug or food poisoning and threw up and was worn out most of the time.

So, I mentioned to Justin on Thursday night that it would be fun to just go out and have one last hurrah before the baby comes. He actually went for it and said to search for a cheap hotel in Park City. After looking, we realized it's still ski season and there is nothing cheap up there, the cheapest room we found was $150/night. This was more than we really wanted to spend for a spur of the moment trip with medical expenses coming for the baby. So, I put aside my little dream and decided we would just go swimming Friday night instead.

Well, Justin surprised me on Friday by calling and saying that a friend/coworker had offered his condo up at Wolf Creek if we wanted to go for free, wow! I told him yes and the guy was so nice to drive all the way home to Ogden to get us the keys so we could go. I packed our stuff and off we went for an adventure. However, this trip did not go off without a hitch. The drive was fine, and the place was really nice. However, there were 3 smoke alarms going off when we got there. 2 of the 3 were easy to reach but the 3rd was at the top of the staircase extremely high up and impossible to reach. We went and bought some 9 volt batteries and then we tried to contact anyone we could and finally got a hold of a broker who was so nice to finally locate us a tall enough ladder to fix it. He came in and helped hold it steady so Justin could climb up and change the battery. It was so nice of him to spend an hour of his Friday night helping us out.

Well, after the alarms stopped chirping, we settled down to watch Spiderman but realized that the place didn't have any DVD players, only VHS players. For such a new condo, I was kind of surprised and there were no movies there to watch either. So, we turned on the Dish and realized that there were no channels to watch except infomercials and a Barbie channel. We watched that for a while for the kids and then sent them to bed. Since there was nothing else to do and we were worn out, we went to bed at 9 PM!

Allie woke up 3 times in the night and we finally got up around 7 and ate breakfast. The kids and Justin bundled up and then he went out and hooked our big tube up to a rope and hauled the kids around for a few hours and they had a lot of fun! I did the laundry and dishes and tried the TV again, and realized there are so many amazing products I could buy, lol! Then we packed up and went home and went swimming in the afternoon although it was really crowded.

All in all, it was fun to get out but I wish there would've been more entertainment there. I told Justin he should mention to his friend to either get DVD players or have some VHS movies available to watch in the drawer, or at least get a few more channels!! Hey, can't complain about a free trip and I doubt Justin will mention these to his friend, it's just me talking :)

The End is in Sight!

Well, after much debate and discussion and weighing of feelings, I am probably going to opt to be induced a week before my due date. I am still nauseated every day, and since week 32, I have been experiencing some painful small contractions when I'm up and around, and starting this week, I have been getting them when sitting also. They are not regular and usually don't last more than a few hours, but are not so fun either. The doctor has been checking me and I am dilated to a 1 and thinning out and the baby's head is low but not really progressing more than that.

There are a few things that have helped in this decision. First of all, I have an end in sight and it's less than 4 weeks away, March 14th! Second, both of my 2 previous babies have weighed over 8 lbs and with gaining an extra 10 pounds with this pregnancy, I worry about a too large baby which could mean a more difficult delivery or potential c-section. 3rd, I am just ready to move on to the next phase and ready to have my body back. Lastly, my induction with Allison was so easy and the delivery was just perfect so I'm hoping that this will be the case with this baby boy too.

Now, I am kind of funny about deliveries. I think it is way more fun to go into labor and call your family all excited instead of having a set induction date where everything is planned. I know it's silly, but that's just me. Perhaps I will be induced with this one and then try for labor with my last one!

Well, here goes nothing!

Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Roberts!

Well, my Mom is married! She was able to get her sealing cancellation to come through in order to get married last Saturday, February 5th as originally planned. It was very quick to get everything in order including flowers and a cake and photographer, but she pulled it off and it was a lovely wedding and a nice day.

We woke up bright and early, got our kids ready and headed to my in-laws to drop the kids off while we went to the temple sealing. As soon as we got to the temple marriage waiting room, my grandpa called us over to meet my new family. I believe there were 5 of Dennis' 8 kids there so we went around and met all of them which was fun. The rest of his kids showed up after us so we didn't meet them right away but we did taking pictures and at the luncheon.

The sealing was wonderful although it felt a little strange to see my Mom marrying someone new and meeting all of these people who are now my step-family.

After the sealing, we met outside and had pictures taken by my cousin Brad. My Mom had fun wearing red shoes and cowboy boots in her pictures. When my cousin posts some more pictures, I will have more to show but these are the few I was able to steal from my sister-in-law's blog. We brought our own camera, but Justin took the memory card out the night before and forgot to put it back in so we weren't able to take any pictures.

Dennis' Family

We went back to my in-laws and picked up our kids and headed to Archibald's Restaurant in Gardner Village for the luncheon. It was a small room and a little crowded but we had a nice lunch. We all went around and introduced ourselves and said where we lived, what we do, and congratulations to the groom and bride. Then my Mom and Dennis cut the cake, threw the bouquet and garter and it was over. We said our goodbyes and headed out.

Cutting the Cake

All in all, it was a really nice day and I'm glad to see my Mom so happy after a few years of extreme pain and heartache. It's also been strange to go from talking to my Mom on the phone every day for a few weeks to not talking to her at all while she is on her honeymoon to who knows where? That's okay, she is happy and I am glad to see her adjust to her new life in Wales, UT!

I loved reading this!

Someone on Facebook posted a link to this blog (I can't remember who) and I really enjoyed reading the article on why this particular woman loves her stretch marks. Here is the link and blog post:

http://www.mormonmommyblogs.com/2010/12/why-i-love-my-stretch-marks.html

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Do you remember that part in Gone With the Wind when Scarlet has just had her baby and is upset because Mammy can only get her corset laced up to 21 inches instead of her pre-pregnancy 19 inches ?

Mammy tells her, "Honey child, you done had a baby. You ain't never gun a be 19 inches again."

I think those are some of the wisest words of the entire show and lately they have been circulating through my mind a lot.

My little nursling will be 7 months old soon and my body is still not back to how it was before I was pregnant with her. Even though I've been back to my original weight for a few months (breastfeeding works wonders on my metabolism) my body is still different. I'm sure you wouldn't notice anything by looking at me, but I've lived in my body for a quarter of century and I can tell you that things aren't the same as before-- my hips are wider, my chest is a bit more saggy, my core muscles aren't quite as tight, and I have six purple marks on my side that remind me my belly really can stretch to an unfathomable size.

I just have to keep telling myself, "Heather child, you done had two babies. Your body ain't never gun a be the same again."

It has taken me awhile to come to terms with it, but it is true. No matter how hard I try my body is never gone to be the same as it was before I had my children. My children are literally parts of myself and they exist because my body sacrificed blood, cells, calcium, iron and millions of other particles to make them. I am literally missing pieces of my body that I will never be able to get back because they are now walking, talking, breathing, laughing, crying, and living in the form of two beautiful children. Becoming a mother, even if you don't physically give birth to a child, requires a huge sacrifice from your body and spirit. It is a sacrifice, that according to Elder Bruce C. Hafen of the First Quorum of the Seventy and his wife Marie K. Hafen, greatly parallels the sacrifice made by our Savior, they said:

"Just as a mother's body may be permanently marked with the signs of pregnancy and childbirth, [the Savior] said, 'I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands' (1 Ne. 21:15–16). For both a mother and the Savior, those marks memorialize a wrenching sacrifice--the sacrifice of begetting life--for her, physical birth; for him, spiritual rebirth"

It gives me strength to remember that just as Christ bears marks in his hands, feet and side as symbols of his blood sacrifice; I too have stretch marks on my side that bear testimony to my sacrifice of blood and my willingness to bring life into the world. I find strength to go forward with my mothering by remembering that just as Christ's body was resurrected, making him complete physically and spiritually, that my body is constantly renewing itself and that one day I too will be complete, physically and spiritually. I also know that my joy is more full because of my children and that because of the sacrifice my body has made life will go forward and my family will go on eternally.

So for all the mothers our there I want to remind you to rejoice in your stretch marks, to be grateful for your extra weight and wider hips, to accept your c-section scar, and to find joy in the tired bags under your eyes because they are symbols of your sacrifice.

For all you who have yet to become mothers I want to remind you to rejoice in the blood you shed each month because it is a beautiful symbol of hope and it bears testimony to the promise of continuing life.

And for all you women who are struggling with loving and accepting your body I want to remind you that anything or anyone that belittles, exploits, demeans, or mistrusts your body is not from God. Your body is beautiful, mind boggling amazing, and so deeply symbolic of Christ. Also, remember that in the eternal scheme of things--"frankly my dear, no one will give a damn" if you had a 19 inch waist or not. If you are shocked by my swearing, you need to watch the end of Gone with the Wind

Stitches are out!

Today Allie got her stitches out and I told her she needed to be brave. The nurse came in and removed them although one had some skin/scab over it so it took a little tugging to get it out. After she was done, she started laughing. I asked what was funny and she looked at me and said, "Mom, I was so brave, it didn't even hurt!" She is so sweet!

Mostly Good Things are Happening!

This past week has been full of good things and only one downside. First of all, my Mom got her sealing cancellation from my Dad and was able to call and schedule her wedding for February 5th in the Salt Lake Temple, as planned. She was not sure if it would come through in time to plan her wedding for the 5th but it came 2 weeks before. Not a lot of time to plan a wedding, but still fun to see it happen. We are having a bridal shower for her on Saturday just for fun and to get her some new things for her new home down in Wales, UT. I'm excited to attend their wedding!

Next, Allie asked to put on underwear last Friday so I decided to try some potty training. For the first few days, we had to really set timers and make sure she went every 30-60 minutes. She was dry all day on Friday and Saturday. Then on Sunday I heard some noises that I prefer to not hear when she was wearing underwear so I went to investigate. I found her on the potty going poopy all by herself, I was so proud! Then a half hour later she had an accident so I knew she wasn't quite there yet. Then on Monday she was dry the whole day and even went poopy again by herself in the potty.

Now on to Tuesday. I was talking on the phone with my Mom about wedding stuff when Allie came in with a bloody cheek, just under her eye. I got off the phone and found out my kids were fighting over her pillow pet and according to Tim, she was going to hurt him with pillow pet so he pulled it away from her and she fell and hit her face on my nightstand. The cut looked deeper than normal so I called the doctor's office to see what to do. They said to come in and have the triage nurse check it out and then if she needed stitches, we would need to go to the ER and have them do it since it was so close to her eye. I packed up what I figured we would need for a possible 2-3 hour outing complete with snacks, puzzles, coloring books etc.

We got to the doctor's office and the nurse checked it out and confirmed that she did need stitches since the wound was staying open but thankfully, not super deep. They decided to go ahead and stitch it there at the office and called us back immediately. They cleaned the wound and then we had to wait for 20-30 minutes for the doctor to come in. He came in, they numbed it with several pokes in the wound (the hardest part!) and then gave her 3 stitches. She was very tense during the stitches but stayed still, poor girl. It was hard but not too terrible. We were out the door within an hour which I thought was great for needing stitches.

Allie right before stitches.

We came home and she didn't want to go potty although she wore underwear during our entire time at the doctor's office and stayed dry. I told her she needed to go or put on a pullup and she finally opted for a pullup. She continued to wear a pullup the rest of the day and most of the next day, Wednesday. Finally on Wednesday afternoon around 4 PM she decided she was ready to potty train again and back into underwear she went. On Wed. evening the timer beeped for her to try and I called to her and found her in the bathroom already going by herself! She went poopy again that night by herself and has continued to go alone and stay dry this entire morning, I am happy!

I feel like we are just about there, and a few more days will really seal the deal. Even as I was writing this post she came to tell me she went, woo hoo!

So, even though we had stitches this week, good things are happening! She is feeling better each day and her eye is improving in appearance since she got a swollen black eye from the ordeal.

Pillow Pet Love

Allison LOVES her pillow pet! I don't think any child has ever loved their pillow pet as much as my daughter loves hers. She takes it with her everywhere and gives it kisses and snuggles on a regular basis. It needs to be washed every few weeks in order to improve it's mangy appearance but truly, the washings don't help much because it is mauled all the time. The tail is starting to break off and there is a little hole on the top of its head and she blames both of those on me, who knows why? :)

She treats her pillow pet like a doll and I will find it snuggled in blankets in her bed or in the doll bed she got for Christmas. She has even called it her sister and she definitely has a lot of love for her favorite stuffed animal, the pink and purple unicorn.

I took some pictures of her with her pillow pet as well as a video and here they are for your viewing pleasure.

So Grateful

This morning I wanted to write a post thanking my friends who have helped me out so much recently. I had to go in on Monday and take a 3 hour glucose test to determine if I have gestational diabetes (I don't, thank goodness!) and I had some friends/neighbors who helped me out. My neighbor Sarah allowed me to bring my kids over early to preschool so I could get to the test by 9 AM and then my neighbor Leann watched the kids after preschool until I finished up and made it home around 12:30.

Then, because the test was so stressful and worrisome to me, along with Allison not sleeping well, my immune system has broken down a little and my small cold has turned into a full blown sinus infection. I made a doctor's appt this morning to see my family doctor at 11:15 and my friend Sarah once again offered to watch my kids while I go to the doctor since the appt is between preschool times, what a sweetheart! Then I called my other neighbor Leann to see if she could take Timmy to tumbling along with her son and then take Tim over to Sarah's afterwards so that I can stay home and rest and she said she would. Not only that, she has offered to bring me dinner tonight, wow!

With Justin being gone to Alabama for 10 days and my Mom working full-time, these friends have really stepped up to show true friendship. I hope I can repay it in the future when I am feeling better :)

I just have to mention that I have another friend Jenni who is always willing to swap babysitting with me and that is fabulous! I love it when friends and neighbors are willing to share the burden of motherhood a little and allow us all to have little breaks now and again.

#1 Goal

We have decided as a family that our #1 goal this year will be to read the Book of Mormon each night to our children. I'm almost ashamed to admit that we have never done scriptures and prayers with our children aside from the occasional reading during FHE. We have the family prayer part down, we just need to add the scripture study. So far, we are 3 for 3 nights as of Sunday night when they challenged the primary children to read with their families or on their own every day and gave them a chart to mark off. Timmy didn't bring home a chart yet, but we started just the same.

Here's to a great year!

Preschool

Today Allie started Preschool with her brother Timmy. Timmy did not attend preschool at the beginning of the year, but Allie really wanted to go, and since Allie was going, Timmy decided to join her once a week. They both go on Mondays from 9-11 and then on Wednesdays Allie will go and Timmy will go to tumbling instead. Allie is only 2 but she will turn 3 at the end of February, and the teacher said she could come since she does well. Have fun kids!