I should really be sleeping... I have to be at the hospital at 4:30am. And my mom says that I have no excuse not to have my hair and make-up done [to look nice in pictures] since I'm not really doing any work to get this baby out.
Which means I have to wake up around 2 so I can shower, dry and straighten my hair, and pretend like I know how to put make-up on.
But I feel like it's Christmas Eve and I'm ten and I just KNOW that Santa's on his way here with the coolest toy I can imagine. [I wish I could remember what I got for Christmas when I was ten... that analogy would have been a lot cooler if I did.]
We never really slept on Christmas Eve when I was little, anyway. For as long as I can remember my brothers and I would have a sleepover in my room and Ryan would wear his fancy light-up watch and make Tyler and I guess what time it was every ten minutes. One year we got smart and had our own watches ready so we could cheat... but they didn't light up.
Right now I've got the computer's clock, both cell phones, the iPad, and John's watch all within my field of vision and they're moving veerrrryyyy sslllloooooowww. All I can think is: LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!!!
Sleep is probably not going to happen.
Showing posts with label Baby Nugget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby Nugget. Show all posts
July 11, 2013
July 10, 2013
one.
ONE DAY!!
In less than twenty-four hours I will officially have a baby daughter. I may be starting to freak out, just a little bit.
She woke me up super early again today and wouldn't let me fall back asleep, so from 3 to 7 I just sort of wandered around and played solitaire on my phone. I think tomorrow will be a lot like that, too. With less wandering and more drugs.
I now have a revised to-do list. I've removed everything that I can't possibly get done before the Nugget gets here.
[1] send Nettie's b-day present.
[2] pack hospital bag for myself, Nugget, and John.
I think I can handle this one! :)
I realize that I don't necessarily need to pack anything for the baby. But I just really, really love all her sweet little baby clothes and I want some of them there just in case they let me dress her. [And also, if she's miraculously healthy and I can bring her straight home, I'd hate for her to be naked.]
In less than twenty-four hours I will officially have a baby daughter. I may be starting to freak out, just a little bit.
She woke me up super early again today and wouldn't let me fall back asleep, so from 3 to 7 I just sort of wandered around and played solitaire on my phone. I think tomorrow will be a lot like that, too. With less wandering and more drugs.
I now have a revised to-do list. I've removed everything that I can't possibly get done before the Nugget gets here.
[1] send Nettie's b-day present.
[2] pack hospital bag for myself, Nugget, and John.
I think I can handle this one! :)
I realize that I don't necessarily need to pack anything for the baby. But I just really, really love all her sweet little baby clothes and I want some of them there just in case they let me dress her. [And also, if she's miraculously healthy and I can bring her straight home, I'd hate for her to be naked.]
two.
With only two days left before we have a baby and our whole world changes, we were kind of expecting things to be nice and uneventful.
We really need to stop expecting anything at all, ever.
I woke up sooooo early Tuesday morning. John's alarm went off at 5, but he was already in the shower so I had to roll out of bed and waddle over to his dresser to turn it off. Then I went back to bed, fully expecting to go back to sleep, but Nugget had other plans. Apparently, from five to eight-thirty is the perfect time for exercising when you're a full-term baby trapped inside the womb. So I was awake when John left for work, I was awake when my dad left for work, and I was awake when my mom left for work.
That's when we saw it. My mom was leaving and I was locking the door behind her when she said, "Did you know you have a flat tire?"
No. No, I did not.
I guess I drove over a nail at some point on Monday and my tire was not a good sport about it. John and I did notice a little {!} light come on, but it's still a new car so we didn't know exactly what it meant. We've since checked the manual and found that it means low tire pressure.
Luckily, I had pretty much nothing to do all morning. Then, when my dad and John came home around 11 they filled the tire up with air and John drove it down to a Discount Tire [where they patch tires for FREEEEE!!]
Then, since it was going to take longer than John could be gone from work, I had to get in his nasty gross bug truck and go pick him up. It really is the nastiest car I think I've ever been in. It just feels like you're sitting in a gross old fly-swatter.
After that exciting adventure, my mom came home from work and we went out to the Temple to get in one last visit before I never have time anymore. It was really nice, I'm glad we went. I was contemplating playing sick all day yesterday so I could just lay in bed, but it was good to be there instead.
My mom and I also decided to do our Visiting Teaching, since I'll never have time to again [in this ward, at least] after Thursday. We didn't read the lesson, so it was really just visiting and no teaching. But we did bring them some delicious bread from Great Harvest as a treat. [This stuff is good, if you can get to a GH you need to at least go and sample the Berry Cheesecake Roll. But I promise you - if you sample it you're going to have to buy at least two loaves.]
We didn't get home from all our errands until about 5:30, but it was SO FREAKING HOT all day that I decided I needed to go swimming. Our pool has been so nice this year, not only because I'm so fat and miserable pregnant in the Vegas summer, but because we got some cool solar pads that keep the water right around 85*. It's warm enough that you can just walk straight into the water, but cool enough that you're still saved from the heat!
Finally, I made John go to Walmart with me for some random last-minute things [even though I forgot like four other things so I have to go back] and then we had Bahama Buck's sno cones!!! I absolutely LOVE sno cones. I've really missed the Rexburg Sno Shack this year, since it was conveniently located on my way home from work, and I made sure I ALWAYS had a dollar in my car. Bahama Buck's isn't as cheap as the Sno Shack, but their ice is aaahhh-mazing. It's so fine, it really is like eating snow. AND you get a color-changing spoon to eat it with! I haven't seen one of those since they came in cereal boxes. Seriously, I'm easily impressed. But I think I'll be a pretty regular customer over there for the rest of the summer.
I still haven't completed much of anything on my to-do list. And, really, at this point I'm just not going to worry about it. I will eventually finish packing my hospital bag and charge all our electronic devices. But that's probably as far as it will go.
I may still be in denial that I'm going to have a baby in just over 24 hours...
Oh, and we did eventually pick my car up from the tire shop. And it really was free. They just handed me the keys and a receipt and sent me on my way. I didn't even have a chance to ask them about new tires for John's car. Darn.
We really need to stop expecting anything at all, ever.
I woke up sooooo early Tuesday morning. John's alarm went off at 5, but he was already in the shower so I had to roll out of bed and waddle over to his dresser to turn it off. Then I went back to bed, fully expecting to go back to sleep, but Nugget had other plans. Apparently, from five to eight-thirty is the perfect time for exercising when you're a full-term baby trapped inside the womb. So I was awake when John left for work, I was awake when my dad left for work, and I was awake when my mom left for work.
That's when we saw it. My mom was leaving and I was locking the door behind her when she said, "Did you know you have a flat tire?"
No. No, I did not.
I guess I drove over a nail at some point on Monday and my tire was not a good sport about it. John and I did notice a little {!} light come on, but it's still a new car so we didn't know exactly what it meant. We've since checked the manual and found that it means low tire pressure.
Luckily, I had pretty much nothing to do all morning. Then, when my dad and John came home around 11 they filled the tire up with air and John drove it down to a Discount Tire [where they patch tires for FREEEEE!!]
Then, since it was going to take longer than John could be gone from work, I had to get in his nasty gross bug truck and go pick him up. It really is the nastiest car I think I've ever been in. It just feels like you're sitting in a gross old fly-swatter.
After that exciting adventure, my mom came home from work and we went out to the Temple to get in one last visit before I never have time anymore. It was really nice, I'm glad we went. I was contemplating playing sick all day yesterday so I could just lay in bed, but it was good to be there instead.
My mom and I also decided to do our Visiting Teaching, since I'll never have time to again [in this ward, at least] after Thursday. We didn't read the lesson, so it was really just visiting and no teaching. But we did bring them some delicious bread from Great Harvest as a treat. [This stuff is good, if you can get to a GH you need to at least go and sample the Berry Cheesecake Roll. But I promise you - if you sample it you're going to have to buy at least two loaves.]
We didn't get home from all our errands until about 5:30, but it was SO FREAKING HOT all day that I decided I needed to go swimming. Our pool has been so nice this year, not only because I'm so fat and miserable pregnant in the Vegas summer, but because we got some cool solar pads that keep the water right around 85*. It's warm enough that you can just walk straight into the water, but cool enough that you're still saved from the heat!
Finally, I made John go to Walmart with me for some random last-minute things [even though I forgot like four other things so I have to go back] and then we had Bahama Buck's sno cones!!! I absolutely LOVE sno cones. I've really missed the Rexburg Sno Shack this year, since it was conveniently located on my way home from work, and I made sure I ALWAYS had a dollar in my car. Bahama Buck's isn't as cheap as the Sno Shack, but their ice is aaahhh-mazing. It's so fine, it really is like eating snow. AND you get a color-changing spoon to eat it with! I haven't seen one of those since they came in cereal boxes. Seriously, I'm easily impressed. But I think I'll be a pretty regular customer over there for the rest of the summer.
I still haven't completed much of anything on my to-do list. And, really, at this point I'm just not going to worry about it. I will eventually finish packing my hospital bag and charge all our electronic devices. But that's probably as far as it will go.
I may still be in denial that I'm going to have a baby in just over 24 hours...
Oh, and we did eventually pick my car up from the tire shop. And it really was free. They just handed me the keys and a receipt and sent me on my way. I didn't even have a chance to ask them about new tires for John's car. Darn.
July 8, 2013
three.
Today I have a to-do list. It's probably going to take me more than this week to get through it, but I have to get as much as possible done before Thursday morning.
[1] sort baby clothes, pack or wash depending on size/destination
[2] disassemble and paint baby's crib
[3] have laptop wiped clean, and possibly updated $$
[4] get travel-size toiletries for hospital
[5] buy a new, nice smelling lotion for hospital
[6] send Nettie's b-day present (two weeks late, I'm a bad friend.)
[7] print, sign, and fax papers for John's scholarship and financial aid
[8] clean our room, sort and pack/donate clothes
[9] pack a hospital bag for myself and a little for John and Nugget
[10] prepare ALL important documents to take to hospital
[11] make a list of family and friends to text when Baby Nugget arrives!
[12] finish the pregnancy smash book
[13] take BFF belly pic with Julia and her non-existent baby bump
[14] get rid of this massive cold sore so I don't look like a zombie in Nugget's first pictures
[15] charge and pack cameras, even though we'll just end up using our phones
[16] finalize a birth announcement
[17] PICK A MIDDLE NAME!!!
[18] eat lots of delicious food before Mama H makes us all go on a diet
There. I think that just about covers it.
Ready. Set. Go!
[1] sort baby clothes, pack or wash depending on size/destination
[2] disassemble and paint baby's crib
[3] have laptop wiped clean, and possibly updated $$
[4] get travel-size toiletries for hospital
[5] buy a new, nice smelling lotion for hospital
[6] send Nettie's b-day present (two weeks late, I'm a bad friend.)
[7] print, sign, and fax papers for John's scholarship and financial aid
[8] clean our room, sort and pack/donate clothes
[9] pack a hospital bag for myself and a little for John and Nugget
[10] prepare ALL important documents to take to hospital
[11] make a list of family and friends to text when Baby Nugget arrives!
[12] finish the pregnancy smash book
[13] take BFF belly pic with Julia and her non-existent baby bump
[14] get rid of this massive cold sore so I don't look like a zombie in Nugget's first pictures
[15] charge and pack cameras, even though we'll just end up using our phones
[16] finalize a birth announcement
[17] PICK A MIDDLE NAME!!!
[18] eat lots of delicious food before Mama H makes us all go on a diet
There. I think that just about covers it.
Ready. Set. Go!
July 7, 2013
four.
Today at church was fast and testimony meeting. [If none of that makes sense, you can go here to learn more.] It's always an especially spiritual day, because you can almost see the faith and testimony coming out of everyone as the stand and bear witness of Christ and the Gospel. But today was even better. This month our ward fasted and prayed on our behalf. For the Baby Nugget. We have felt so much love and support from the members of our ward throughout this entire journey, but today really was the icing on the cake.
There was such a strong Spirit today, and we can't help but be overwhelmed by the gratitude we feel for our fellow ward member's participation. We have definitely felt the beginnings of the calm and peaceful feeling that we know everyone is praying for us to have throughout this week and the days to come. Our little girl is so lucky to have so many people in her life who already love her enough to spend an entire day thinking about her and praying for her health.
Yesterday, John and I went on our last official date as a childless couple. We put on real clothes [which is a big step for me since I've been living in sweatpants] and went out to a nice dinner and a movie. I'm not much of a conversationalist lately if there's food in front of me, but we spent the night talking about non-baby-related topics. It was a much needed break! We saw the movie White House Down, which is good, but we probably won't rush out to buy it, or even rent it, as soon as it comes out. The action is really good, and there are a a couple twists that keep things interesting. By the time we got home we were exhausted!! Poor John's still recovering from his bee attack, and the benadryl he took before dinner was kicking in. I'm just lazy and pregnant, so I can pretty much fall asleep on demand. But we came home and got to fall asleep at the same time, which is always a nice end to a nice date. :)
I've been working on some birth announcements for the Nugget, but not knowing her middle name is making it a little tricky. John told me I can choose between Charlotte and Elizabeth. I'm still stuck on Clementine. [It's just so much cuter!!] I'm really hoping that John will see her for the first time and think oh my gosh, sydney has been right all along! this baby needs to be named clementine!! Keep your fingers crossed for me. Because I really don't want to start all over on the announcements.
There was such a strong Spirit today, and we can't help but be overwhelmed by the gratitude we feel for our fellow ward member's participation. We have definitely felt the beginnings of the calm and peaceful feeling that we know everyone is praying for us to have throughout this week and the days to come. Our little girl is so lucky to have so many people in her life who already love her enough to spend an entire day thinking about her and praying for her health.
___________________
Yesterday, John and I went on our last official date as a childless couple. We put on real clothes [which is a big step for me since I've been living in sweatpants] and went out to a nice dinner and a movie. I'm not much of a conversationalist lately if there's food in front of me, but we spent the night talking about non-baby-related topics. It was a much needed break! We saw the movie White House Down, which is good, but we probably won't rush out to buy it, or even rent it, as soon as it comes out. The action is really good, and there are a a couple twists that keep things interesting. By the time we got home we were exhausted!! Poor John's still recovering from his bee attack, and the benadryl he took before dinner was kicking in. I'm just lazy and pregnant, so I can pretty much fall asleep on demand. But we came home and got to fall asleep at the same time, which is always a nice end to a nice date. :)
I've been working on some birth announcements for the Nugget, but not knowing her middle name is making it a little tricky. John told me I can choose between Charlotte and Elizabeth. I'm still stuck on Clementine. [It's just so much cuter!!] I'm really hoping that John will see her for the first time and think oh my gosh, sydney has been right all along! this baby needs to be named clementine!! Keep your fingers crossed for me. Because I really don't want to start all over on the announcements.
July 6, 2013
five.
You guys are killin' me with that middle name quiz. The correct answer is CLEMENTINE! John seems to think that just because Charlotte is winning that it has to be her name. He's wrong.
And I know, I know, Clementine is a strange name. But people, I'm strange. Don't you all know that? Haha. Really though, it sounds the best with the rest of her name... which I've decided we're not revealing on the internet until she's here. Just imagine a one-syllable "R" first name, and any randomly generated middle name, and then Orr. It just doesn't work. Her name has to be Clementine.
She even likes it best. I think... I'm still not sure if kicking me in the ribs means "YAY! I love it!" or "What? No! Are you freaking crazy?!" She's a tricky little Nugget to figure out.
Anyway, aside from the Great Naming War of 2013, we are still just puttering away, counting the days until our little Nugget arrives. FIVE. Makes me kind of nervous. Enough that I don't ever really want to wake up in the morning because it means we're that much closer when I go back to sleep. Except I still have a mile-long list of things to do before Thursday. So, today, my plan is to re-organize all the baby clothes, pack what I'm 99% sure we won't need, and finally wash the rest of it. I need to start sorting and packing my own clothes, too. For some reason I keep forgetting that we'll be moving as soon as we can, and that John has to move in August. We're not packed at all. Besides the storage unit... which I guess doesn't really count. Unfortunately.
I've been trying to figure out this whole "birth plan" thing that's sweeping the nation. It seems pretty interesting, and to make it easy for lazy-bums like me they even have birth plan generators. The first half of them are all about labor and delivery methods. Which I don't technically need. My plan for going into labor consists of getting into the hospital ASAP and having a c-section. Other than that, we'll stick with the scheduled one at 6:30am on the 11th.
But there are so many decisions about after delivery, for the baby, that make me feel like I need to write down at least most of my opinions to go over with my doctor before the big day. We know she'll need a lot of tests and scans and evaluations done pretty much right away. And I'm really just going to let the doctors do whatever they need to as far as that goes. What I'm starting to really think about are all the things they do on healthy babies... like when to cut the cord, and the Hep B and vitamin K shots. I feel like I still get an opinion on those things. [I get an opinion on everything, I know, but these are relatively easy decisions I can comfortably wrap my head around now. Her heart procedures and all that goes with that are going to take a LOT more professional input.] Sometimes I get nervous that my doctor will laugh at me for worrying about these things when we have much bigger issues to get through, but then I remember that everyone gets to worry about these things and just because I have those bigger issues doesn't mean I should skimp on the little ones.
Well, I'm sure there's plenty more I wanted to document today, but right now Baby Nugget is having a party, so I'm going to go float around in the pool. She can't kick so hard in there. [And I'll try to get a little bit of color on my skin before I start spending all daylight hours at the hospital.]
And I know, I know, Clementine is a strange name. But people, I'm strange. Don't you all know that? Haha. Really though, it sounds the best with the rest of her name... which I've decided we're not revealing on the internet until she's here. Just imagine a one-syllable "R" first name, and any randomly generated middle name, and then Orr. It just doesn't work. Her name has to be Clementine.
She even likes it best. I think... I'm still not sure if kicking me in the ribs means "YAY! I love it!" or "What? No! Are you freaking crazy?!" She's a tricky little Nugget to figure out.
Anyway, aside from the Great Naming War of 2013, we are still just puttering away, counting the days until our little Nugget arrives. FIVE. Makes me kind of nervous. Enough that I don't ever really want to wake up in the morning because it means we're that much closer when I go back to sleep. Except I still have a mile-long list of things to do before Thursday. So, today, my plan is to re-organize all the baby clothes, pack what I'm 99% sure we won't need, and finally wash the rest of it. I need to start sorting and packing my own clothes, too. For some reason I keep forgetting that we'll be moving as soon as we can, and that John has to move in August. We're not packed at all. Besides the storage unit... which I guess doesn't really count. Unfortunately.
I've been trying to figure out this whole "birth plan" thing that's sweeping the nation. It seems pretty interesting, and to make it easy for lazy-bums like me they even have birth plan generators. The first half of them are all about labor and delivery methods. Which I don't technically need. My plan for going into labor consists of getting into the hospital ASAP and having a c-section. Other than that, we'll stick with the scheduled one at 6:30am on the 11th.
But there are so many decisions about after delivery, for the baby, that make me feel like I need to write down at least most of my opinions to go over with my doctor before the big day. We know she'll need a lot of tests and scans and evaluations done pretty much right away. And I'm really just going to let the doctors do whatever they need to as far as that goes. What I'm starting to really think about are all the things they do on healthy babies... like when to cut the cord, and the Hep B and vitamin K shots. I feel like I still get an opinion on those things. [I get an opinion on everything, I know, but these are relatively easy decisions I can comfortably wrap my head around now. Her heart procedures and all that goes with that are going to take a LOT more professional input.] Sometimes I get nervous that my doctor will laugh at me for worrying about these things when we have much bigger issues to get through, but then I remember that everyone gets to worry about these things and just because I have those bigger issues doesn't mean I should skimp on the little ones.
Well, I'm sure there's plenty more I wanted to document today, but right now Baby Nugget is having a party, so I'm going to go float around in the pool. She can't kick so hard in there. [And I'll try to get a little bit of color on my skin before I start spending all daylight hours at the hospital.]
July 1, 2013
the waiting game.
So far today I've been on hold for 16 minutes with the Welfare Customer Service department. And I have a suspicious feeling that they're going to tell me to call someone else to get the information I need.
That's the kind of waiting I can handle. Because I know eventually they have to answer my call.
Last night I was talking to John about how different things would be if we didn't know exactly when our little nugget is coming. Waiting around for the 11th at 6:30am isn't really so bad. I know I have the better part of ten days left to get things done. Waiting around for my water breaking, contractions, and labor pains that could come anytime before, on, or after the 20th - that's a different story. I would be an absolute mess of emotions. Again, I feel like I'm cheating at this whole pregnancy thing.
I feel like I've had it pretty easy. Even with her heart defect. My battle with morning sickness was more of a playground-fight between kindergarten girls. I've gained a bit of weight, but not too much more than all the websites say you should/can/will - I even have one pair of jeans that will still button. I feel her kick all.the.time. And the past couple months I've spent at least two hours a week listening to her heartbeat, so there hasn't been any anxiety about how she's doing in there. I've seen her cute little face and watched her kick around and practice breathing more than the average mom gets to. Last week the nurse went through and counted all her fingers and toes for us and pointed out that she was sucking on her bottom lip. [SO cute!!] They've also given us a couple looks at her face with the 3D ultrasound, which is equal parts freaky and awesome. When we go in to the hospital on the 11th and they wheel us into the operating room we're going to have an entire team of doctors and nurses ready and waiting for our girl to make her grand, albeit gory, entrance into the world.
I really don't think I can complain, or say that pregnancy is miserable. I'm definitely not the biggest fan of all this - and we're 100% for sure waiting several YEARS before we try all this again - but I can't say I hate it.
That is, of course, until next time when I have to WAIT to have normally scheduled ultrasounds, and WAIT [and pay extra] to see her face on 3D, and WAIT to go into labor, and WAIT [and push] to have a baby.
[Update: I know you're all dying to know how long it took me to get the one measly ID # from the Welfare office... one hour and three phone calls.]
That's the kind of waiting I can handle. Because I know eventually they have to answer my call.
Last night I was talking to John about how different things would be if we didn't know exactly when our little nugget is coming. Waiting around for the 11th at 6:30am isn't really so bad. I know I have the better part of ten days left to get things done. Waiting around for my water breaking, contractions, and labor pains that could come anytime before, on, or after the 20th - that's a different story. I would be an absolute mess of emotions. Again, I feel like I'm cheating at this whole pregnancy thing.
I feel like I've had it pretty easy. Even with her heart defect. My battle with morning sickness was more of a playground-fight between kindergarten girls. I've gained a bit of weight, but not too much more than all the websites say you should/can/will - I even have one pair of jeans that will still button. I feel her kick all.the.time. And the past couple months I've spent at least two hours a week listening to her heartbeat, so there hasn't been any anxiety about how she's doing in there. I've seen her cute little face and watched her kick around and practice breathing more than the average mom gets to. Last week the nurse went through and counted all her fingers and toes for us and pointed out that she was sucking on her bottom lip. [SO cute!!] They've also given us a couple looks at her face with the 3D ultrasound, which is equal parts freaky and awesome. When we go in to the hospital on the 11th and they wheel us into the operating room we're going to have an entire team of doctors and nurses ready and waiting for our girl to make her grand, albeit gory, entrance into the world.
I really don't think I can complain, or say that pregnancy is miserable. I'm definitely not the biggest fan of all this - and we're 100% for sure waiting several YEARS before we try all this again - but I can't say I hate it.
That is, of course, until next time when I have to WAIT to have normally scheduled ultrasounds, and WAIT [and pay extra] to see her face on 3D, and WAIT to go into labor, and WAIT [and push] to have a baby.
[Update: I know you're all dying to know how long it took me to get the one measly ID # from the Welfare office... one hour and three phone calls.]
June 24, 2013
seventeen days.
For real??!!
When did this happen? How did I go from having months of pregnancy left to just over two weeks?? Let the freak-out commence!!
But honestly, I have no idea how to prepare for this little nugget. I mean, sure, I have a whole list of things to set up and figure out, but then again, I may not even need them for another six weeks.
Things like:
[1] install baby's carseat
[2] set up the pack&play
[3] wash baby's clothes/blankets/etc.
[4] read up on caring for a newborn
[5] pack for the hospital
[6] clean the house
[7] pack for the move to Utah (ok, so this one I should have started months ago...)
[8] start & finish baby's quilts
And all that in seventeen days. But in my head, I list these things out and simultaneously think: She's not even coming home for at least four weeks - best case scenario. And even if I do stay at the hospital 24/7, John and my parents are perfectly capable of installing a carseat and doing a load of laundry when the doctors finally give us the go-ahead to take her home.
And then I turn into a daydreamer and start to wonder what it would be like if they run all their tests and her heart turns out to be perfectly healthy, and all this was just Baby Nugget's idea of a good joke. If that happened, I'd be ecstatic, I know, but I would be SO unprepared. I'm really counting on having all this time in the hospital to learn from the nurses and soak in all the helpful information I possibly can. I almost feel like it's cheating, a little bit. To have a baby and then have a group of trained professionals practically write an owner's manual for me. [You can ask anyone from my childhood - if there was a way to cheat at something, I would figure it out, and do it!! Apparently I haven't quite outgrown that...]
When did this happen? How did I go from having months of pregnancy left to just over two weeks?? Let the freak-out commence!!
But honestly, I have no idea how to prepare for this little nugget. I mean, sure, I have a whole list of things to set up and figure out, but then again, I may not even need them for another six weeks.
Things like:
[1] install baby's carseat
[2] set up the pack&play
[3] wash baby's clothes/blankets/etc.
[4] read up on caring for a newborn
[5] pack for the hospital
[6] clean the house
[7] pack for the move to Utah (ok, so this one I should have started months ago...)
[8] start & finish baby's quilts
And all that in seventeen days. But in my head, I list these things out and simultaneously think: She's not even coming home for at least four weeks - best case scenario. And even if I do stay at the hospital 24/7, John and my parents are perfectly capable of installing a carseat and doing a load of laundry when the doctors finally give us the go-ahead to take her home.
And then I turn into a daydreamer and start to wonder what it would be like if they run all their tests and her heart turns out to be perfectly healthy, and all this was just Baby Nugget's idea of a good joke. If that happened, I'd be ecstatic, I know, but I would be SO unprepared. I'm really counting on having all this time in the hospital to learn from the nurses and soak in all the helpful information I possibly can. I almost feel like it's cheating, a little bit. To have a baby and then have a group of trained professionals practically write an owner's manual for me. [You can ask anyone from my childhood - if there was a way to cheat at something, I would figure it out, and do it!! Apparently I haven't quite outgrown that...]
June 17, 2013
Father's Day.
So, my dad's birthday is June 7th... and Father's Day is always just around the corner. In recent years, he has followed in mine and my mother's example, demanding a "Birthday Week" [because one day just isn't enough!] This year he decided to extend his personal holiday the entire ten days between his actual b-day and the nationally recognized day for fathers. I can't say I blame him. They're already so close, it would be silly to take a break from celebrating in the middle, just to start right back up again.
I like my dad. I think I'll keep him around. Especially because I think he's going to be SUCH a cute grandpa! The little Nugget is so lucky to have him.
This Father's Day was extra special, because I got to celebrate John, too! Well, I gave him a card. John is going to be the best dad. It's been so hard planning out the next several months of our life [having a baby, law school, moving to Utah, the baby's surgery...] but John has been wonderful. He's really going to sacrifice a lot, leaving me and the baby here while he starts school. I know it will be incredibly hard for him to be sitting in our empty apartment, just studying, while Nugget and I struggle through who-knows-what to get her healthy enough to join him. But I'm sure she'll miss him just as much, and start eating like a champ as soon as we give her a bottle. I mean, she is my daughter, after all, and if there's one thing I'm good at it's eating!!
 |
| apparently my butt has always been gigantic. |
My dad has had a mustache for my entire life. And aside from pictures of him as a small child, I have never seen his upper lip. I'm only about 46% sure it's even still there.
 |
| BYU-I graduation - 2010 |
 |
| wedding - 2011 [we almost got a smile there!!] |
I like my dad. I think I'll keep him around. Especially because I think he's going to be SUCH a cute grandpa! The little Nugget is so lucky to have him.
This Father's Day was extra special, because I got to celebrate John, too! Well, I gave him a card. John is going to be the best dad. It's been so hard planning out the next several months of our life [having a baby, law school, moving to Utah, the baby's surgery...] but John has been wonderful. He's really going to sacrifice a lot, leaving me and the baby here while he starts school. I know it will be incredibly hard for him to be sitting in our empty apartment, just studying, while Nugget and I struggle through who-knows-what to get her healthy enough to join him. But I'm sure she'll miss him just as much, and start eating like a champ as soon as we give her a bottle. I mean, she is my daughter, after all, and if there's one thing I'm good at it's eating!!
June 15, 2013
smile!!
Oh, my little Baby Nugget. It's hard to be mad at you for kicking me in the ribs all day every day when I see this sneaky smirk on your sweet face!
June 12, 2013
let's have a baby.
I am just about done being pregnant! For real. There's less than a month left.
I'm so excited to see this little nugget and snuggle her little body and kiss her chunky cheeks!! But I'm also nervous as heck for her to come out and need to survive on her own. She's going to need a lot of help from medications and surgery and then it will be a long, hard battle to get her strong and healthy enough to come home. If I think about it for too long it's frightening. If I don't think about it at all I feel like I'm already neglecting her. This parenting thing is turning out to be pretty stinkin' difficult.
We still don't have her official full name picked out. John won't let me have my way with her middle name. Isn't he rude? And, to make it even harder, he won't even give me any new ideas. I think he secretly loves the name, but thinks it's too late to change his mind and save face. Silly boy.
What we DO have picked out is her birthday. I'm already scheduled at the hospital and everything. We're pretty excited to have the day on our calendar as a "for sure" thing, instead of just the vague idea that a due-date gives you. [And it being 9 days earlier isn't so bad for me, either!] I guess she could still surprise us all and come even earlier... I hope she doesn't... preemie on top of everything else is just too many things to have to worry about.
My past couple monitoring appointments have been soooo nice. I switched to my other doctor's office for everything, since we're getting so close to the end. [Not that I don't trust my doctors to communicate well, they are married to each other, after all.] But it just felt like a good idea to have the doctor delivering the baby to be the one who does my last couple exams and checks Baby Nugget's monitoring strips. Anyway, this office has PRIVATE MONITORING ROOMS. With my own personal stack of magazines and a TV, in case my cell phone can't keep me entertained for 45 minutes. It's great. And they can keep the volume up on the machine so I can hear the baby's heartbeat [and kicks] without any interference from other moms and babies. Nugget still likes to give the nurses a hard time. The other day she kept kicking the monitor so hard for about fifteen seconds that when I looked at the strip there was a completely blank gap where her heart rate should be.
That's not disconcerting, is it? I guess it would be if it wasn't caused by her kicking so hard, and the fact that I feel her rolling around and partying all hours of the day.
Anyway, we're coming down to the wire. And I still haven't even started the diaper bag I want to make. Or either of her quilts. I better get my butt in gear!!
I'm so excited to see this little nugget and snuggle her little body and kiss her chunky cheeks!! But I'm also nervous as heck for her to come out and need to survive on her own. She's going to need a lot of help from medications and surgery and then it will be a long, hard battle to get her strong and healthy enough to come home. If I think about it for too long it's frightening. If I don't think about it at all I feel like I'm already neglecting her. This parenting thing is turning out to be pretty stinkin' difficult.
We still don't have her official full name picked out. John won't let me have my way with her middle name. Isn't he rude? And, to make it even harder, he won't even give me any new ideas. I think he secretly loves the name, but thinks it's too late to change his mind and save face. Silly boy.
What we DO have picked out is her birthday. I'm already scheduled at the hospital and everything. We're pretty excited to have the day on our calendar as a "for sure" thing, instead of just the vague idea that a due-date gives you. [And it being 9 days earlier isn't so bad for me, either!] I guess she could still surprise us all and come even earlier... I hope she doesn't... preemie on top of everything else is just too many things to have to worry about.
My past couple monitoring appointments have been soooo nice. I switched to my other doctor's office for everything, since we're getting so close to the end. [Not that I don't trust my doctors to communicate well, they are married to each other, after all.] But it just felt like a good idea to have the doctor delivering the baby to be the one who does my last couple exams and checks Baby Nugget's monitoring strips. Anyway, this office has PRIVATE MONITORING ROOMS. With my own personal stack of magazines and a TV, in case my cell phone can't keep me entertained for 45 minutes. It's great. And they can keep the volume up on the machine so I can hear the baby's heartbeat [and kicks] without any interference from other moms and babies. Nugget still likes to give the nurses a hard time. The other day she kept kicking the monitor so hard for about fifteen seconds that when I looked at the strip there was a completely blank gap where her heart rate should be.
That's not disconcerting, is it? I guess it would be if it wasn't caused by her kicking so hard, and the fact that I feel her rolling around and partying all hours of the day.
Anyway, we're coming down to the wire. And I still haven't even started the diaper bag I want to make. Or either of her quilts. I better get my butt in gear!!
May 31, 2013
a little bit creepy.
I went to the doctor five times this week.
We monitored the nugget every day [except Monday, since it was a holiday] and then yesterday I had a regular OB appointment and we also had an ultrasound with the pediatric cardiologist.
It was a lot of fun, let me tell you. Just ask my mom and John, who each came to a monitoring appointment with me and had to just sit there while the baby did nothing. She's such a little stinker when she knows we want her to be awake and moving around. They have to use something I've started calling "the baby taser" to wake her up.
But really, it WAS fun at the ultrasound when the nurse took some 3D pictures of our nugget!! We think she's pretty cute, don't you? Well, if you can get past the creepy, melted-wax look...
We monitored the nugget every day [except Monday, since it was a holiday] and then yesterday I had a regular OB appointment and we also had an ultrasound with the pediatric cardiologist.
It was a lot of fun, let me tell you. Just ask my mom and John, who each came to a monitoring appointment with me and had to just sit there while the baby did nothing. She's such a little stinker when she knows we want her to be awake and moving around. They have to use something I've started calling "the baby taser" to wake her up.
But really, it WAS fun at the ultrasound when the nurse took some 3D pictures of our nugget!! We think she's pretty cute, don't you? Well, if you can get past the creepy, melted-wax look...
May 27, 2013
reasons I can't sleep.
1 - I'm pregnant. And this little nugget is a party animal as soon as the lights are out. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: she is going to have 5pm curfew until she's 30!!
2 - I have "allergies". What I really have is a cold, but no one will believe me. And let's face it, I can't take any of the hard stuff, so there's no point in even fighting them.
3 - The A/C went out on our side of the house. It went out Saturday, but we had a big party to get ready for, and then I was too exhausted to care that night. Sunday wasn't so bad either. But last night was brutal. It might have had something to do with the temp being 82 outside until almost midnight... so we slept on the couch. These new couches are nice. They recline pretty far back, and they don't smell like the dog or Tyler (yet). But it's still a couch. And waking up seventeen times a night is bad enough when you can still try and roll over. The most I could do on the couch last night was lean a little in the other direction. Oh, yeah, Chief John Strongbow doesn't help the situation, either. I'm pretty sure he moves...
4 - This probably goes with #2, but I'm SOOO thirsty all the time. Especially when I wake up in the middle of the night. And getting out of a completely reclined couch is not the easiest activity for me and my belly at two-thirty in the morning.
There is one silver lining from all this, though. Since we were in the living room, and John's alarm went off at 5:20, I was awake enough to realize that my mom wasn't up for seminary yet. I know she's excited for summer break, but there's still a week left!! Anyway, I woke up the momma, sent her on her way, and now I'm apparently awake for good. I sure hope Paizley's ready for a nap after kindergarten today...
2 - I have "allergies". What I really have is a cold, but no one will believe me. And let's face it, I can't take any of the hard stuff, so there's no point in even fighting them.
3 - The A/C went out on our side of the house. It went out Saturday, but we had a big party to get ready for, and then I was too exhausted to care that night. Sunday wasn't so bad either. But last night was brutal. It might have had something to do with the temp being 82 outside until almost midnight... so we slept on the couch. These new couches are nice. They recline pretty far back, and they don't smell like the dog or Tyler (yet). But it's still a couch. And waking up seventeen times a night is bad enough when you can still try and roll over. The most I could do on the couch last night was lean a little in the other direction. Oh, yeah, Chief John Strongbow doesn't help the situation, either. I'm pretty sure he moves...
4 - This probably goes with #2, but I'm SOOO thirsty all the time. Especially when I wake up in the middle of the night. And getting out of a completely reclined couch is not the easiest activity for me and my belly at two-thirty in the morning.
There is one silver lining from all this, though. Since we were in the living room, and John's alarm went off at 5:20, I was awake enough to realize that my mom wasn't up for seminary yet. I know she's excited for summer break, but there's still a week left!! Anyway, I woke up the momma, sent her on her way, and now I'm apparently awake for good. I sure hope Paizley's ready for a nap after kindergarten today...
May 21, 2013
monitoring.
Spending an hour twice a week listening to the nugget's heartbeat is going to be pretty awesome. For me. Baby Nugget wasn't the biggest fan today.
The first twenty minutes she was asleep. I was totally fine with that. When she's asleep I don't have tiny little hands and feet kicking and punching me from all angles. Unfortunately, the doctors don't like to see a motionless baby.
So they hooked me back up and used a weird little buzzer-probe to wake her up. Homegirl was NOT happy with that. She was up like a rocket and moving all over the place! I wish I could bring home the strips of paper with all the lines that track her movements to show you. It's pretty crazy.
The first twenty minutes she was asleep. I was totally fine with that. When she's asleep I don't have tiny little hands and feet kicking and punching me from all angles. Unfortunately, the doctors don't like to see a motionless baby.
So they hooked me back up and used a weird little buzzer-probe to wake her up. Homegirl was NOT happy with that. She was up like a rocket and moving all over the place! I wish I could bring home the strips of paper with all the lines that track her movements to show you. It's pretty crazy.
best baby shower EVER.
Oh, man. I can't even begin to describe what a wonderful day Saturday was. I feel so much love and support from all my friends and family!! It was an incredible party. Ladybugs were EVERYWHERE!! (literally - one of the girls spilled their bug jar open in the kitchen... oops!)
Teri did a magnificent job with all the decorations and planning and treats. She is just THE BEST!! We are so blessed to have her in our lives :)
Obviously I love and appreciate everyone who pitched in and made the shower such an amazing day. It's overwhelming to think of all the people who already love my little girl and wanted to make sure John and I are prepared for her arrival. She is so blessed!
I woke up Saturday morning with my little cousins Matilda and Paizley to get started decorating! But first we had to paint our nails to look like ladybugs. (It's all in the details!!) After that it's all kind of a blur. I know at one point I took a shower and got ready, and before I knew it we were partying!!
I'll let these pictures do the rest of the talking for me...
And let's not forget all my wonderful family and friends who came to celebrate Baby Nugget!!
We knew there would be a bunch of little girlies at the party, and while pumping them full of sugar sounds like a good idea, it also means that you need to plan something for them to burn off all that excess energy. So my mom went and bought a bunch of LIVE ladybugs to let loose in the backyard for the kids to catch! She and Teri bought out all the little bug jars at every Target they went to and it was such a cute idea!! The girlies loved it - and as a bonus my parent's garden has a bazillion ladybugs roaming around!
Teri did a magnificent job with all the decorations and planning and treats. She is just THE BEST!! We are so blessed to have her in our lives :)
Obviously I love and appreciate everyone who pitched in and made the shower such an amazing day. It's overwhelming to think of all the people who already love my little girl and wanted to make sure John and I are prepared for her arrival. She is so blessed!
I woke up Saturday morning with my little cousins Matilda and Paizley to get started decorating! But first we had to paint our nails to look like ladybugs. (It's all in the details!!) After that it's all kind of a blur. I know at one point I took a shower and got ready, and before I knew it we were partying!!
I'll let these pictures do the rest of the talking for me...
 |
| my belly, me, Momma H, Teri, and Michelle |
 |
| CAKE!! adorable and so delicious. |
 |
| ready for baby nugget :) |
 |
| ladybug outfits! |
 |
| ladybug beach balls! |
 |
| ladybug cakepops! |
 |
| ladybug decorations! |
 |
| ladybug pencils in a ladybug mug! |
 |
| ladybug cookies! |
And let's not forget all my wonderful family and friends who came to celebrate Baby Nugget!!
We knew there would be a bunch of little girlies at the party, and while pumping them full of sugar sounds like a good idea, it also means that you need to plan something for them to burn off all that excess energy. So my mom went and bought a bunch of LIVE ladybugs to let loose in the backyard for the kids to catch! She and Teri bought out all the little bug jars at every Target they went to and it was such a cute idea!! The girlies loved it - and as a bonus my parent's garden has a bazillion ladybugs roaming around!
May 14, 2013
forgetful.
I remembered what I forgot to include in that last post!!
Last week I had some maternity pictures taken by my friend Alisha!! She did SUCH a great job!
You can check out the sneak-peek on her blog here:
http://alishamariephotography.blogspot.com/2013/05/sydney-34s.html?m=1
Last week I had some maternity pictures taken by my friend Alisha!! She did SUCH a great job!
You can check out the sneak-peek on her blog here:
http://alishamariephotography.blogspot.com/2013/05/sydney-34s.html?m=1
wild child.
Baby Nugget is crazy. Remember how she refused to stay still at our last ultrasound and made it increasingly difficult for the doctors to get a good look at her heart? You know, that one little glitch in her anatomy that's kind of a big deal. Well, the appointment yesterday didn't go any better. Girl was psycho!! She would NOT stop moving. Every single image we have of her is blurry. And she was hiding her face pretty good again, too. But we did get a glimpse of her chubby chubby cheeks!
I think next time I'll take some Tylenol PM to calm her down and maybe get a good [and clear!] picture of her face! Or heart... whichever the doctor's think is more important. [I'm kidding. I won't take any meds just as a science experiment to calm down my crazy baby.]
We also learned that the nugget is a BIG FAN of car rides. Well, mostly. We took a trip up to Salt Lake last weekend to look for an apartment and she did pretty well for being so cramped-up in my belly the whole time. Don't get me wrong, I was plenty uncomfortable by the end of the 6-hour drive, but car rides are apparently going to be our go-to sleep-inducing tactic. Although, she was up and running as soon as we put the car in park. Every. Single. Time.
While we were in Utah we did find a pretty great apartment. It's farther from the Trax line than we would have liked, but it has 2 bedrooms and a full-size washer and dryer. So we're sold. Now we just have to send in the applications and John's right arm as a deposit. Moving is so much fun! :/
We got back from Utah on Saturday night, and then had the opportunity to speak in a Sacrament meeting. Our stake stretches pretty far, and there's a branch about an hour away in a small town called Sandy Valley. Since it's small, the other wards "from town" take turns sending in speakers on the second Sunday of the month. It gives members a chance to meet the branch, and it gives the branch a break from hearing the same speakers too often. Right after that, we rushed straight back to Vegas to hear our lovely friend Elsa [I mean SISTER DEAN] speak for her mission farewell. [I know, I know. They don't really call them that anymore, but it's still what it is!] We are so proud of Elsa and her decision to serve a mission! She's going to be great!!
And finally, as it was Mother's Day, we had a special night planned with my family. We went to see The Great Gatsby with my mom, Yiaya, and my dad and brothers. It was so good! But I love Leo, so I'm a little biased. After the movie we had I <3 Burgers and came home for some strawberry shortcake dessert!! It was so fun and simple. And my nice brothers brought my mom flowers, which are making the kitchen smell fabulous!!
I'm pretty sure that's all the news we've got so far... Oh, except that I'd like to document that John lost his cell phone, two days after we bought him a new case and invisible shield.
Now I'm done.
 |
| Did I mention she has HAIR!?! |
 |
| Look closely... that's her arm, her big, squishy cheek, and her eye and forehead! |
I think next time I'll take some Tylenol PM to calm her down and maybe get a good [and clear!] picture of her face! Or heart... whichever the doctor's think is more important. [I'm kidding. I won't take any meds just as a science experiment to calm down my crazy baby.]
We also learned that the nugget is a BIG FAN of car rides. Well, mostly. We took a trip up to Salt Lake last weekend to look for an apartment and she did pretty well for being so cramped-up in my belly the whole time. Don't get me wrong, I was plenty uncomfortable by the end of the 6-hour drive, but car rides are apparently going to be our go-to sleep-inducing tactic. Although, she was up and running as soon as we put the car in park. Every. Single. Time.
While we were in Utah we did find a pretty great apartment. It's farther from the Trax line than we would have liked, but it has 2 bedrooms and a full-size washer and dryer. So we're sold. Now we just have to send in the applications and John's right arm as a deposit. Moving is so much fun! :/
We got back from Utah on Saturday night, and then had the opportunity to speak in a Sacrament meeting. Our stake stretches pretty far, and there's a branch about an hour away in a small town called Sandy Valley. Since it's small, the other wards "from town" take turns sending in speakers on the second Sunday of the month. It gives members a chance to meet the branch, and it gives the branch a break from hearing the same speakers too often. Right after that, we rushed straight back to Vegas to hear our lovely friend Elsa [I mean SISTER DEAN] speak for her mission farewell. [I know, I know. They don't really call them that anymore, but it's still what it is!] We are so proud of Elsa and her decision to serve a mission! She's going to be great!!
And finally, as it was Mother's Day, we had a special night planned with my family. We went to see The Great Gatsby with my mom, Yiaya, and my dad and brothers. It was so good! But I love Leo, so I'm a little biased. After the movie we had I <3 Burgers and came home for some strawberry shortcake dessert!! It was so fun and simple. And my nice brothers brought my mom flowers, which are making the kitchen smell fabulous!!
I'm pretty sure that's all the news we've got so far... Oh, except that I'd like to document that John lost his cell phone, two days after we bought him a new case and invisible shield.
Now I'm done.
March 31, 2013
bump.
I finally got around to taking a picture of my bump.
Please ignore the messy hair, no make-up, and double-chin that I'm sporting.
Someday the nugget will see this picture, look at me, and say "What the HECK were you thinking?!"
The nugget also likes to play this game... She spends aaallllllllll day sleeping, lounging around, conserving energy, and then, right around bedtime, BLAMO!! she's awake and ready to party.
Please ignore the messy hair, no make-up, and double-chin that I'm sporting.
Someday the nugget will see this picture, look at me, and say "What the HECK were you thinking?!"
The nugget also likes to play this game... She spends aaallllllllll day sleeping, lounging around, conserving energy, and then, right around bedtime, BLAMO!! she's awake and ready to party.