Monday, March 22, 2010
Crawling!
Alyssa is crawling now! She took her first crawl steps (is that what you would call them?) on Saturday I think but it was just like 2-3 but she has been practicing all weekend and today she was all over the place and did at least 20 crawl steps in a row. She still isn't too fast yet which is good for me so I can keep track of her. It's fun to have her growing up but at the same time I miss my little snuggly baby.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
What a fun game
This is Alyssa's current favorite game. She is so quick at getting over to the DVD's and taking them all out. I don't mind too much cuz it keeps her occupied for at least a few minutes when I need to get things done.Good thing this mess is a quick one to clean up :)
In other news we only have about 7 weeks left in Utah. I just realized that today and I am now kioda nervous thinking about all I need to get done before we move. We are looking for jobs in Reno, NV right now but will probably end up moving to Portola, CA until we can find a job/place to live in Reno or whereever we end up. We are excited that Jim will be done with school. At the same time, it's going to mean a big change in our life. Change is good though right?
In other news we only have about 7 weeks left in Utah. I just realized that today and I am now kioda nervous thinking about all I need to get done before we move. We are looking for jobs in Reno, NV right now but will probably end up moving to Portola, CA until we can find a job/place to live in Reno or whereever we end up. We are excited that Jim will be done with school. At the same time, it's going to mean a big change in our life. Change is good though right?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Just a couple pictures
Alyssa after church on Sunday in the dress my sister Cindy made for her. The dress is beautiful, thanks Cindy!
She sure loves them Yankees!
Just playing
She sure loves them Yankees!
Just playing
New Hobby
So for awhile now I have wanted to be an artist. I don't know why but I just want to be able to draw and paint etc.. Somehow Jim picked up on this and the other day he said we needed to stop by the craft store. He bought me some beginning watercolor painting stuff and beginning drawing stuff. I didn't even know that he knew I wanted to do art. I love that he listens to me and figured out one of my dreams! So anyway here are some of the first pieces....
This was done in watercolor and is one of my favorites^
Also done in Watercolor^
Done in colored pencil^
Done with regular drawing pencils^
I still have a long way to go before I can really consider myself an artist. I am proud of myself though for trying something that I've never done before. It's something I wanted to do for a long time but never felt like I'd be good at. I guess practice makes improvement though and I'm having a lot of fun trying it out.
This was done in watercolor and is one of my favorites^
Also done in Watercolor^
Done in colored pencil^
Done with regular drawing pencils^
I still have a long way to go before I can really consider myself an artist. I am proud of myself though for trying something that I've never done before. It's something I wanted to do for a long time but never felt like I'd be good at. I guess practice makes improvement though and I'm having a lot of fun trying it out.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
She's not a boy!
When I was pregnant and found out that I was having a girl, I promised myself that I’d always dress my daughter in dresses and ribbons and bows. I would never let anyone think that my baby girl was a boy. Well fast forward to now and in her almost 7 months of life, a few people have thought that Alyssa was a boy. I don’t dress her like a boy. While dresses and hair bows don’t always happen, she does wear pink most of the time. I guess it’s really only the old ladies that make the mistake but it really bugs me. Alyssa is a girl!
One of the times I really remember was one Sunday at church. Alyssa had on a pink dress and a pink blanket, and still I had an old lady ask if she was a boy or girl. Then yesterday, we were in the checkout line at the store. Alyssa was in her carseat in the cart. The lady behind told me that “HE wants to get out” I just smiled and said “yeah I bet SHE does want to get out”. In the lady’s defense, Alyssa was wearing a grey sweatshirt but the sweatshirt said “baby girl” on it. She also had a pink and yellow (but mostly pink) blanket. I guess I will have to work harder now to make sure that nobody else thinks that my daughter is a boy. I will also have to remember to use gender neutral terms when I am an old lady so that I don’t make the same mistake. Hopefully those ladies just had bad eyesight, that’s what I’m going to tell myself…
One of the times I really remember was one Sunday at church. Alyssa had on a pink dress and a pink blanket, and still I had an old lady ask if she was a boy or girl. Then yesterday, we were in the checkout line at the store. Alyssa was in her carseat in the cart. The lady behind told me that “HE wants to get out” I just smiled and said “yeah I bet SHE does want to get out”. In the lady’s defense, Alyssa was wearing a grey sweatshirt but the sweatshirt said “baby girl” on it. She also had a pink and yellow (but mostly pink) blanket. I guess I will have to work harder now to make sure that nobody else thinks that my daughter is a boy. I will also have to remember to use gender neutral terms when I am an old lady so that I don’t make the same mistake. Hopefully those ladies just had bad eyesight, that’s what I’m going to tell myself…
Sunday, January 24, 2010
It's official, I'm a graduate!
So yesterday I got my BYU diploma in the mail. Now I feel like it's actually official and I really am a graduate! I was so excited. I almost started crying. It's amazing that all my hard work from the last four years has paid off. Now I am right where I hoped I would be with an amazing husband and an adorable daughter. It feels good to have reached such a huge goal of mine.
In other news Alyssa can now roll over both ways and does so all the time. I think it's only a matter of time before she is crawling. Sometimes she trys to scoot forward but ends up going backward instead. She gets so frustrated. Poor thing. She loves eating real food (well baby food) and her favorite is pears. She is so cute. I am so glad to have her in my life! Kids are such a blessing, I can't wait for more. I am suddenly baby hungry again but then I tell myself my baby is only 6 months old, so we'll wait until she is mobile and then see if I change my mind.....
Jim is still trying to find a job/internship and has put in applications to a few places. He has an interview this week so we'll see how that goes. It looks like we probably won't end up in Portola in the near future so he is going to start looking for full time jobs soon. We are thinking Reno but could end up anywhere he finds a job. He was only slightly jealous that I got my diploma and he is still in school. Luckily this semester is turning out to be a cake walk compared to his others.
I have finally gotten into a habit of exercising nearly every day. I can't go to a gym with Alyssa so I have just been doing exercise DVDs at home. My new favorites are Leslie Sansone walk at home DVDs. I have two of them that each have five miles on them. I can just put Alyssa in the snugli and she loves it! Hopefully one of these days I'll lost the rest of the baby weight..I actually love exercising now though which is great because I feel so much healthier and happier. I have to give credit to my mom for setting a good example. She started last January and is still exercising with her friends 3 times a week. I'm so proud of you Mom!
In other news Alyssa can now roll over both ways and does so all the time. I think it's only a matter of time before she is crawling. Sometimes she trys to scoot forward but ends up going backward instead. She gets so frustrated. Poor thing. She loves eating real food (well baby food) and her favorite is pears. She is so cute. I am so glad to have her in my life! Kids are such a blessing, I can't wait for more. I am suddenly baby hungry again but then I tell myself my baby is only 6 months old, so we'll wait until she is mobile and then see if I change my mind.....
Jim is still trying to find a job/internship and has put in applications to a few places. He has an interview this week so we'll see how that goes. It looks like we probably won't end up in Portola in the near future so he is going to start looking for full time jobs soon. We are thinking Reno but could end up anywhere he finds a job. He was only slightly jealous that I got my diploma and he is still in school. Luckily this semester is turning out to be a cake walk compared to his others.
I have finally gotten into a habit of exercising nearly every day. I can't go to a gym with Alyssa so I have just been doing exercise DVDs at home. My new favorites are Leslie Sansone walk at home DVDs. I have two of them that each have five miles on them. I can just put Alyssa in the snugli and she loves it! Hopefully one of these days I'll lost the rest of the baby weight..I actually love exercising now though which is great because I feel so much healthier and happier. I have to give credit to my mom for setting a good example. She started last January and is still exercising with her friends 3 times a week. I'm so proud of you Mom!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
So it's been a long time since I've posted anything...I finished up my classes and graduated in December. So I guess I am officially a college graduate. I still don't feel like it though since BYU doesn't do graduation ceremonies in December and I have yet to get my diploma in the mail. It is fun to just stay at home with Alyssa though. Maybe I'll finally be able to get her on a regualr napping schedule.
Christmas break was fun. We went to Portola California and spent the break with Jim's parents and brother. It was nice to have some time to relax. We went sledding and snowshoeing. I'd never been snowshoeing before but it was fun. We went at night though so I made Jim not go to far from the house because I am scared of the bats and bears at night. I think all the bears hibernate in the winter but I sure didn't want to take any chances!
Alyssa is now rolling over more often from her stomach to her back. She has only rolled once from her back to belly and it was in her crib so maybe she used the bars to help herself over. She is a lot of fun and is super curious about everything around her. She never wants to go to sleep anymore because she is afraid to miss anything. We have recently discovered that she loves cats and dogs. She tries to talk to them when she sees them and she gets all excited. Too bad though for you Alyssa because your parents aren't pet people.
The new year is a time when everyone is making goals and trying to improve things in ther lives. So since we got back I have been trying to drink more water and exercise more. I have actually really been enjoying exercising. When I get out of the habit I forget how good exercise makes you feel. I have a baby at home so I can't really get to the gym(and I don't have a gym membership anyway) so I have been doing exercise DVD's at home. It's nice because that way Alyssa can be right with me and I can fit in into my day pretty easily.
Hopefully it won't take me another few months to post again...
Christmas break was fun. We went to Portola California and spent the break with Jim's parents and brother. It was nice to have some time to relax. We went sledding and snowshoeing. I'd never been snowshoeing before but it was fun. We went at night though so I made Jim not go to far from the house because I am scared of the bats and bears at night. I think all the bears hibernate in the winter but I sure didn't want to take any chances!
Alyssa is now rolling over more often from her stomach to her back. She has only rolled once from her back to belly and it was in her crib so maybe she used the bars to help herself over. She is a lot of fun and is super curious about everything around her. She never wants to go to sleep anymore because she is afraid to miss anything. We have recently discovered that she loves cats and dogs. She tries to talk to them when she sees them and she gets all excited. Too bad though for you Alyssa because your parents aren't pet people.
The new year is a time when everyone is making goals and trying to improve things in ther lives. So since we got back I have been trying to drink more water and exercise more. I have actually really been enjoying exercising. When I get out of the habit I forget how good exercise makes you feel. I have a baby at home so I can't really get to the gym(and I don't have a gym membership anyway) so I have been doing exercise DVD's at home. It's nice because that way Alyssa can be right with me and I can fit in into my day pretty easily.
Hopefully it won't take me another few months to post again...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
ABC's about me
A= Age: 22
B= Bed size: full for now but as soon as we get a house, we are gonna get a king size! Then my poor husband won’t have his feet hanging off the end of the bed every night
C= Chore you hate: doing dishes and putting laundry away
D= Dogs or Cats? Neither, I don’t really like animals
E= Essential to start your day: glasses or contacts
F= Favorite color: blue, green, or pink
G= Gold or Silver: silver
H= Height: 5'2" or 5’3”
I= Instruments you play(ed): umm…I played the recorder and violin a little bit in elementary school
J= Job Title: Mom! And student til December
K=Kid(s): Alyssa, 3 months
L= Living Arrangements: I live with my sweet husband and baby
M= Mom's name: Shari
O= On time or late: depends but I like to be early or on-time
P= Pet Peeve: Don’t really have any
Q= Quote from a movie: “The florist says they have people everywhere, they don’t mean in the same room.” Can’t remember the exact quote but it’s something like that. It’s from a James Bond movie….
R= Right or Left handed: right
S= Siblings: Cindy (20), Ryan (17) and Amy (14)
T= Time you wake up: Whenever Alyssa wakes up and needs to be fed. Usually 5-7 but then she and I go back to sleep for a little while longer
U= Underwear: G’s
V= Vegetable you dislike: fresh mushrooms (I like the canned kind though if they are chopped small)
W= Water or juice: I like juice better but water is good too
X= X-Rays you've had: teeth, ankle
Y= Yummy food you make: Our new favorite is Pepperoni pasta. Also homemade hamburgers and French fries
Z= Zoo favorite: Tiger!!!
B= Bed size: full for now but as soon as we get a house, we are gonna get a king size! Then my poor husband won’t have his feet hanging off the end of the bed every night
C= Chore you hate: doing dishes and putting laundry away
D= Dogs or Cats? Neither, I don’t really like animals
E= Essential to start your day: glasses or contacts
F= Favorite color: blue, green, or pink
G= Gold or Silver: silver
H= Height: 5'2" or 5’3”
I= Instruments you play(ed): umm…I played the recorder and violin a little bit in elementary school
J= Job Title: Mom! And student til December
K=Kid(s): Alyssa, 3 months
L= Living Arrangements: I live with my sweet husband and baby
M= Mom's name: Shari
O= On time or late: depends but I like to be early or on-time
P= Pet Peeve: Don’t really have any
Q= Quote from a movie: “The florist says they have people everywhere, they don’t mean in the same room.” Can’t remember the exact quote but it’s something like that. It’s from a James Bond movie….
R= Right or Left handed: right
S= Siblings: Cindy (20), Ryan (17) and Amy (14)
T= Time you wake up: Whenever Alyssa wakes up and needs to be fed. Usually 5-7 but then she and I go back to sleep for a little while longer
U= Underwear: G’s
V= Vegetable you dislike: fresh mushrooms (I like the canned kind though if they are chopped small)
W= Water or juice: I like juice better but water is good too
X= X-Rays you've had: teeth, ankle
Y= Yummy food you make: Our new favorite is Pepperoni pasta. Also homemade hamburgers and French fries
Z= Zoo favorite: Tiger!!!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
You will be missed Grandpa!
As I was filing papers the other day I came across the funeral program for my Grandpa McLean. I was not able to attend the funeral but my mom brought me back a program. It hit me that my grandfather was actually gone. Charlie McLean passed away on July 6th, 2009. Just 3 days (almost to the hour) before Alyssa was born.We like to think that Alyssa and Grandpa got to meet each other and spend some time together in the spirit world before she came to Earth.I was sad that I couldn’t attend the funeral but got caught up in the birth and life of my new daughter. I hadn’t really had a moment to reflect on my grandpa’s life until now. He was a great man. Grandpa was a quiet man and was soft-spoken. He was a strong man who loved his family and did all he could to support them.
He suffered for most of my life with Parkinson’s disease. This meant that his body didn’t always cooperate with all the things that he wanted to do. It was sometimes hard for him to walk and I remember my Grandma always letting him put his hands on her shoulders for support as he walked behind her.
My grandpa liked to go for walks and I remember going on many walks with him and my grandma. We would go to the park by their house in San Diego and walk around, enjoying the beautiful scenes of nature.
My grandpa also liked to sail. He raced sailboats when he was younger and won many of the races. He would take us out sailing when we went to visit. Sometimes he would even let us help steer the boat. I always loved going sailing with him.
My husband Jim only knew my grandfather for a short time. Jim was only able to meet him after Grandpa got very sick. Jim and I went up to visit him and my Grandma the summer before we got engaged (2007). It was a great trip and I am so glad that we were able to go. One of my favorite memories is going to the waterfall in Oregon where my grandparents lived at the time. It was fun for my grandpa to be able to get out and to enjoy nature again for a short time.
While I miss my Grandpa McLean, I know that he is in a better place, a place where he won’t have to suffer anymore. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have and for the Holy Spirit which brings comfort to us in times of grief. I am grateful to my Grandpa for accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ and joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I can see my grandpa again. I know that the plan of salvation is real and that there is life after death. I am so glad that I will be able to see him again and get to know him better in the next life. I hope that I can pass on the legacy that my grandfather left me of hard work, strength, intelligence, humility, sacrifice, love and charity.
I love you Grandpa!
He suffered for most of my life with Parkinson’s disease. This meant that his body didn’t always cooperate with all the things that he wanted to do. It was sometimes hard for him to walk and I remember my Grandma always letting him put his hands on her shoulders for support as he walked behind her.
My grandpa liked to go for walks and I remember going on many walks with him and my grandma. We would go to the park by their house in San Diego and walk around, enjoying the beautiful scenes of nature.
My grandpa also liked to sail. He raced sailboats when he was younger and won many of the races. He would take us out sailing when we went to visit. Sometimes he would even let us help steer the boat. I always loved going sailing with him.
My husband Jim only knew my grandfather for a short time. Jim was only able to meet him after Grandpa got very sick. Jim and I went up to visit him and my Grandma the summer before we got engaged (2007). It was a great trip and I am so glad that we were able to go. One of my favorite memories is going to the waterfall in Oregon where my grandparents lived at the time. It was fun for my grandpa to be able to get out and to enjoy nature again for a short time.
While I miss my Grandpa McLean, I know that he is in a better place, a place where he won’t have to suffer anymore. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have and for the Holy Spirit which brings comfort to us in times of grief. I am grateful to my Grandpa for accepting the gospel of Jesus Christ and joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I can see my grandpa again. I know that the plan of salvation is real and that there is life after death. I am so glad that I will be able to see him again and get to know him better in the next life. I hope that I can pass on the legacy that my grandfather left me of hard work, strength, intelligence, humility, sacrifice, love and charity.
I love you Grandpa!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Shots :(
Alyssa got two of her immunizations yesterday. I am doing her two month shots in 3 sets of 2 instead of all six at once. I almost started crying with her when they gave the first shot, it was so sad to see my baby in pain. She cried really hard for about 5 minutes, then I changed her diaper and nursed her and she was happy after that. What a brave girl!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
House of Order
Our Stake Relief Society is sponsoring a guest speaker named Marie Ricks. She is a BYU education speaker who has a program called "House of Order". The class is 8 weeks long and started last Thursday. After only one class I am motivated! She has such great ideas. One of my favorites is having a housecleaning plan. She talked about it only briefly but she had a sample that people could look at and it was such a great idea that I had to make one!
You use index cards, dividers, and an index card box. I made one tab that says "daily", a divider for each day of the week, and a divider for each month of the year. Then I took 3x5 cards and wrote different tasks on them. In the upper right hand corner write how often the task should be done (daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annually, annually etc.) For example: Read Scriptures, Exercise, and Straighten living room are daily tasks. Clean the bathroom, Vacuuming, and Dusting are weekly tasks. You can decide which days or months you want to do each task and then place the 3x5 card behind that divider. Each morning it is easy to know what needs to be done, just take the daily cards out as well as the weekly cards for whatever day it is. As you complete the tasks, place the cards back in the box.
I truly feel that when our houses are in order, it invites the Holy Spirit to dwell in our homes. I feel much better about myself and my life when the house is clean and having this plan is an easy way to organize the cleaning so everything can get done each day.
You use index cards, dividers, and an index card box. I made one tab that says "daily", a divider for each day of the week, and a divider for each month of the year. Then I took 3x5 cards and wrote different tasks on them. In the upper right hand corner write how often the task should be done (daily, weekly, monthly, semi-annually, annually etc.) For example: Read Scriptures, Exercise, and Straighten living room are daily tasks. Clean the bathroom, Vacuuming, and Dusting are weekly tasks. You can decide which days or months you want to do each task and then place the 3x5 card behind that divider. Each morning it is easy to know what needs to be done, just take the daily cards out as well as the weekly cards for whatever day it is. As you complete the tasks, place the cards back in the box.
I truly feel that when our houses are in order, it invites the Holy Spirit to dwell in our homes. I feel much better about myself and my life when the house is clean and having this plan is an easy way to organize the cleaning so everything can get done each day.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Back in Utah
We are now back in Utah and started school again at BYU on Monday. I only have 2 classes left to take this semester so Alyssa and I get to stay home on Tuesdays and Thursdays. School has gone well the two days we've been. Alyssa has been really good for me but a little fussy for Jim, hopefully she decides to be good for him too. Alyssa and I hang out in the Wilk a lot while Jim is in class because they have a great little mothers lounge. It's inside a bathroom but has two couches and two comfy chairs. I have gotten the hang of breastfeeding in public with a blanket and feel more confident about that after getting two nursing camisoles(that way I can feed Alyssa and still feel modest!)
Alyssa is 8 weeks today and has started to smile recently. It just melts my heart every time she smiles at me. I love being a mom. She is sleeping great and usually sleeps through the night. She goes to bed at 9 or 10 and sleeps until 5 or 6, eats and goes back to sleep for another couple hours. It's a great blessing because I do much better and I'm much happier when I get enough sleep.
Here are some pictures of Alyssa
Alyssa is 8 weeks today and has started to smile recently. It just melts my heart every time she smiles at me. I love being a mom. She is sleeping great and usually sleeps through the night. She goes to bed at 9 or 10 and sleeps until 5 or 6, eats and goes back to sleep for another couple hours. It's a great blessing because I do much better and I'm much happier when I get enough sleep.
Here are some pictures of Alyssa
Friday, August 14, 2009
Yes I am officially a slacker at blogging. The last post was over a month ago and that was from my sweet husband Jim and not even myself. Oh well, as a new mom there is always a long list of things to do and not enough time to do them all. Alyssa is now 5 weeks as of yesterday and doing great. I love watching her grow each day. I think she is starting to recognize my voice when I talk to her. Now I am just looking forward to her first real smile.
I just want to say that I have an incredible husband. He was so supportive during Alyssa's birth and the long, hard labor leading up to it. I really couldn't have done it without him by my side. He is also a great father to his baby girl. She sure loves her daddy and calms down easily for him. He is so good with her and so willing to help.
We only have 2 more weeks here in California. The first half of the summer went by slowly but this second half has flown right by. We've enjoyed spending time with family and we are glad so many of you were able to be with us for Alyssa's blessing. We plan on driving back to Utah on August 28th and then starting school on the 31st. That will be the next adventure in our lives and I am just hoping that our baby likes school and that I can learn how to calm her down quickly so we don't disturb all the students in the Clyde building.
Sorry there aren't recent pictures up yet. The internet here is not high speed and I haven't been successful in my attempts to upload pics. Hopefully we will get some up when we get back to Utah and high speed internet!
I just want to say that I have an incredible husband. He was so supportive during Alyssa's birth and the long, hard labor leading up to it. I really couldn't have done it without him by my side. He is also a great father to his baby girl. She sure loves her daddy and calms down easily for him. He is so good with her and so willing to help.
We only have 2 more weeks here in California. The first half of the summer went by slowly but this second half has flown right by. We've enjoyed spending time with family and we are glad so many of you were able to be with us for Alyssa's blessing. We plan on driving back to Utah on August 28th and then starting school on the 31st. That will be the next adventure in our lives and I am just hoping that our baby likes school and that I can learn how to calm her down quickly so we don't disturb all the students in the Clyde building.
Sorry there aren't recent pictures up yet. The internet here is not high speed and I haven't been successful in my attempts to upload pics. Hopefully we will get some up when we get back to Utah and high speed internet!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Baby Alyssa is Finally Here!
After 32 long hours of labor and an emergency c-section, a healthy baby Alyssa was finally born at 2:56 in the morning on Thursday July 9, 2009. We were hoping for the 8th so that she would be born on 07/08/09, but we are just thrilled that she is healthy and happy. It was a rather difficult delivery.
It started on Tuesday night at around 7 p.m. The contractions continued into the next day and we headed to the hospital after tracking the contractions for several hours. Jim made a chart of the contractions on Excel. When we got in to the hospital, Julie was dialated to 1 cm. After four hours of contractions, it was still at 1. So they sent us off, the nurse said that eating something might help the contractions get stronger or stop all together. So we went to the food court at the mall. The plan was to walk around the mall in hopes that the contractions would get stronger. That kind of happened. While taking an hour to eat a hamburger, the contractions increased in intensity and duration. It quickly became apparent that we would be lucky to walk back to the car.
We then called the on call doctor (Our doctor was off that day) to ask if she would prescribe some pitocin and an epidural to speed up the contractions. The doctor said that Julie wasn't in labor, which was completely ridiculous. She was in so much pain she could hardly talk on the phone. So, we decided to check into Circus Circus, a casino right next to the hospital. The hospital had a deal for $30 dollar rooms. It was quite the ordeal to get Julie into the room. By then, the contractions were very strong. It was all we could do to get Julie through the ever-intensifying pain levels. The contractions were now lasting about 2 minutes or more with just 30 second breaks in between. We monitored them for an hour, then called the hospital. The nurse we had worked with earlier told us to come right back in to see what was happening. Luckily Julie was at a 3 and was emitted to the hospital. She was set up on IV's and finally given a pain medication in the IV.
That made a huge difference. Within minutes, Julie was asleep for a couple of minutes. Later that night she finally got the epidural, which took the pain all away. What a blessing that was to see after all of the pain she went through earlier in the day. As midnight approached, we were all anxious to see if Julie would get to a 10 and be able to deliver before midnight. The nurse kept coming in and changing Julie's position. The problem was that the baby's heart rate kept dropping and staying down after each contraction. The nurse could sense a problem, and eventually called in the doctor around 2 in the morning. Julie had been progressing slowly through the night, but went from 6 cm. to 10 from 1 to 2 in the morning. The last hour was hectic.
Another problem was that the epidural had leaked into Julie's spinal fluid, causing numbness from the waist down. This became a problem when it was time to push. Julie didn't have enough feeling to really push the baby out. It would have been a problem anyway due to the baby's low heart rate. So the doctor called for an emergency c-section. Julie was so strong and didn't hesitate. Our goal was a healthy baby, Julie was willing to do whatever was necessary. After surgery, little Alyssa came out at 2:56. We soon learned that the source of the problem was the placenta. For some reason it was extremely calcified. That usually happens on a late delivery, but she missed her due date by only three hours. Due to that, she was only 6 lbs. 1 oz. when she came out. She is very healthy though. Julie has been recovering well, she can now take some laps around the recovery wing of the hospital. We will be here until Sunday.
Baby Alyssa is very calm and cute. She enjoys snuggling, sleeping, and eating. We are thrilled to have her in our little family.
It started on Tuesday night at around 7 p.m. The contractions continued into the next day and we headed to the hospital after tracking the contractions for several hours. Jim made a chart of the contractions on Excel. When we got in to the hospital, Julie was dialated to 1 cm. After four hours of contractions, it was still at 1. So they sent us off, the nurse said that eating something might help the contractions get stronger or stop all together. So we went to the food court at the mall. The plan was to walk around the mall in hopes that the contractions would get stronger. That kind of happened. While taking an hour to eat a hamburger, the contractions increased in intensity and duration. It quickly became apparent that we would be lucky to walk back to the car.
We then called the on call doctor (Our doctor was off that day) to ask if she would prescribe some pitocin and an epidural to speed up the contractions. The doctor said that Julie wasn't in labor, which was completely ridiculous. She was in so much pain she could hardly talk on the phone. So, we decided to check into Circus Circus, a casino right next to the hospital. The hospital had a deal for $30 dollar rooms. It was quite the ordeal to get Julie into the room. By then, the contractions were very strong. It was all we could do to get Julie through the ever-intensifying pain levels. The contractions were now lasting about 2 minutes or more with just 30 second breaks in between. We monitored them for an hour, then called the hospital. The nurse we had worked with earlier told us to come right back in to see what was happening. Luckily Julie was at a 3 and was emitted to the hospital. She was set up on IV's and finally given a pain medication in the IV.
That made a huge difference. Within minutes, Julie was asleep for a couple of minutes. Later that night she finally got the epidural, which took the pain all away. What a blessing that was to see after all of the pain she went through earlier in the day. As midnight approached, we were all anxious to see if Julie would get to a 10 and be able to deliver before midnight. The nurse kept coming in and changing Julie's position. The problem was that the baby's heart rate kept dropping and staying down after each contraction. The nurse could sense a problem, and eventually called in the doctor around 2 in the morning. Julie had been progressing slowly through the night, but went from 6 cm. to 10 from 1 to 2 in the morning. The last hour was hectic.
Another problem was that the epidural had leaked into Julie's spinal fluid, causing numbness from the waist down. This became a problem when it was time to push. Julie didn't have enough feeling to really push the baby out. It would have been a problem anyway due to the baby's low heart rate. So the doctor called for an emergency c-section. Julie was so strong and didn't hesitate. Our goal was a healthy baby, Julie was willing to do whatever was necessary. After surgery, little Alyssa came out at 2:56. We soon learned that the source of the problem was the placenta. For some reason it was extremely calcified. That usually happens on a late delivery, but she missed her due date by only three hours. Due to that, she was only 6 lbs. 1 oz. when she came out. She is very healthy though. Julie has been recovering well, she can now take some laps around the recovery wing of the hospital. We will be here until Sunday.
Baby Alyssa is very calm and cute. She enjoys snuggling, sleeping, and eating. We are thrilled to have her in our little family.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Catch up
I know it's been a long time since I posted so I will get you all caught up with our lives here in Portola. Things are going great here in California.
Jim is working for Bastian Engineering which he really enjoys. Lately he's been doing lots of surveying work and he loves getting to be outside for most of the day. He is also busy with lots of projects at home. He has been watering and mowing the lawns which look great, and washing the cars every saturday. It's funny how much he loves to do those jobs. He and his dad are also planning to build a shed and a greenhouse this summer.
Both Jim and I are working with the youth in our ward. Jim is the first counselor in the Young Mens presidency and I am the second counselor in the Young Womens presidency. That has been fun for us and it's nice to be able to both go to mutual together. I taught my first YW lesson a few weeks ago and I am also teaching this Sunday. Jim has also taught a few times.
The pregnancy is going well. I'm not really uncomfortable at all yet but I am still looking forward to Alyssa coming. We are down to 6 weeks! We are pretty much ready except for setting up the crib, stroller, carseat etc. It's all still in boxes for now. Alyssa is doing well and seems to know when we are rubbing her and talking to her because she starts moving. We are really looking forward to having her join out family. I am taking advantage of this time to rest and relax before the months of sleepless nights start:)
That is pretty much what's going on in our lives. We love it out here in the mountains. It's beautiful here, especially the bright blue skies against the green trees. The only downside is the bugs. I hate all the bugs that are here and it scares me a little when the bats come out at night but other than that life is great.
Jim is working for Bastian Engineering which he really enjoys. Lately he's been doing lots of surveying work and he loves getting to be outside for most of the day. He is also busy with lots of projects at home. He has been watering and mowing the lawns which look great, and washing the cars every saturday. It's funny how much he loves to do those jobs. He and his dad are also planning to build a shed and a greenhouse this summer.
Both Jim and I are working with the youth in our ward. Jim is the first counselor in the Young Mens presidency and I am the second counselor in the Young Womens presidency. That has been fun for us and it's nice to be able to both go to mutual together. I taught my first YW lesson a few weeks ago and I am also teaching this Sunday. Jim has also taught a few times.
The pregnancy is going well. I'm not really uncomfortable at all yet but I am still looking forward to Alyssa coming. We are down to 6 weeks! We are pretty much ready except for setting up the crib, stroller, carseat etc. It's all still in boxes for now. Alyssa is doing well and seems to know when we are rubbing her and talking to her because she starts moving. We are really looking forward to having her join out family. I am taking advantage of this time to rest and relax before the months of sleepless nights start:)
That is pretty much what's going on in our lives. We love it out here in the mountains. It's beautiful here, especially the bright blue skies against the green trees. The only downside is the bugs. I hate all the bugs that are here and it scares me a little when the bats come out at night but other than that life is great.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Well we made finally made it to California, our new home for the summer.The trip usually takes 9-10 hours. It took us 12! We hadn't gotten very far (about halfway between Salt Lake and Wendover)when Jim started to see smoke coming out the back of the truck. We stopped and found out we were leaking fluid. At first Jim thought it was oil which would have been really bad. Instead we were just leaking transmission fluid. Still bad but not as serious. Jim called his dad who said that the transmission probably overheated and the fluid was leaking from the overflow. We let the car cool down a little and then continued to Wendover where we got some more transmission fluid to put in. We didn't want to overheat the transmission again so we drove 60-65 mph instead of the usual 75 which is the speed limit out in the desert. It made for a long trip but we feel so blessed that we were able to make it safely and without any more problems after we put more fluid in the truck. Heavenly Father was definitely aware of us and answered our prayers to be able to make it here. Baby Alyssa is happy to be in Cali. She started kicking a lot as soon as we got to Reno and kicked in California too. I guess she knows that this will be her home. Last night when we got here to Portola it was freezing! It was also cold this morning but we started a fire which warmed the house up and luckily it's sunny today so it's warm outside. I forgot from last summer how cold it is when we get here. Looks like it's hoodies and blankets for awhile, but it's worth it. It's beautiful here and it's so nice to be away from the stress of school and crowded cities.
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