Tagged

My friend Nicole tagged me in her blog last week. She asked me some of these questions and it was fun to think about these this week...so here are the questions:

What is your favorite book and why?
I have never been a big reader, in fact I didn't really learn how to read until I was in sixth grade when my neighbor made me read out loud to her on the bus everyday. She finally caught my attention by having me read some young adult LDS novels. Since then I have read a lot of different books but I still have fond memories of one of the first books I ever read, it was by Anita Stanfield called "First Love & Forever". It's horribly cheesy and I like to make fun of it a little bit but it's about a BYU student who had the choice to marry a handsome rich Australian, but who wasn't a member of the church...or a return missionary. She choose the RM, and after ten years of marriage was so unhappy and questioned whether she made the right decision, then the handsome Australian re-enters her life. It is a gripping story!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In ten years...that is crazy, I saw on my friend Courtney's blog when she answered it saying we would be almost 40 and I'll have a ten year old! I am hoping that in ten years, we have finally finished our degrees and we are in careers that we enjoy. I would like to have a few more kids, own a home or have a reasonable interest rate on our mortgage, with a garage or shop for Jed and a little craft/sewing room for me. I see myself doing the same routine, church, mutual (or whatever the new calling is) boy scouts, then family activities camping and hiking...but it will be more fun with a child who is old enough to enjoy some of these outdoors activities.

Where is your favorite restaurant and what do you order there?

I think I have a few favorites, but my favorite in Utah is Barry's the little hamburger place in Spanish Fork, I always get the deluxe cheese burger with a dr. pepper. I love their white sauce! In Alaska my favorite is Bear's Tooth and their ooooh sooo delicious nachos! I love them! in fact I wish I could have some right now!

What was your first childhood memory?
I think my first memory was when my mom got pulled over in our big green van. I remember crying really hard and being in the car seat. I can't really expand much on that memory because that is basically all I remember, I think I was scared of the police officer and me crying was making my mom stressed out. I had to have been really small to have been in the car seat maybe 2 or 3 years old. LOL I also remember one time playing in the garage with my siblings and they had me on top of the chest freezer and I had to go to the bathroom and I couldn't get down from the freezer so I went in my pants...I think I was still being potty trained but my older sister got mad at me because it was really messy and she had to clean me up.

What is the most daring thing you have ever done or what are you the most proud of accomplishing?
This one is easy! It was when I finally made the decision to move to Alaska for a boy, with the hope that we'd actually get married. That was the scariest thing I think I've done. I packed everything in my little car and picked up my friend Becky, we drove for 5 days and on the fifth day we got to Tok, and I freaked out so rather than driving to Anchorage...we detoured and drove to Fairbanks. Once we got to Fairbanks I puked in the Fred Meyers parking lot because I was so nervous. I finally made it to Anchorage and was more calm about my decision, until we had to take Becky to the airport. We helped her get checked in and walked her to the security area and said our goodbyes and cried. I watched her walk away and then Jed and I walked out holding hands I realized that he was all I had, I had moved away from everything I had know, family, friends, my hometown, my college...I gave up everything just to date Jed. Good thing we got married! It has been the best decision I've made and it's helped me grow so much.

My List

Before I had Elliot I was worried about what I would do during my Maternity leave. I thought that it was going to be a long 8 weeks before returning to work, so I started a mental list of things that I could do to keep me busy while I was stuck at home. That list included:

• Make a quilt for Elliot
  
• Edit all our home videos with iMovie and post them on YouTube for the family to see
  
• Go to the Apple store for some One:One training on how to use iMovie
• Blog
• Get caught up on my DVR recordings
• Rent all the cheesy chick flicks, and Disney movies that Jed would endure watching with me but would not enjoy...so I thought I could get them out of the way while he was at work.
• Finish some other craft projects that have been lingering for longer than two years.
  
• Take naps
• work out and get my rockin' body back ;)
  
• Read a book
  
• Re-pot one of my house plants
  
• Have the house clean and dinner ready when Jed got home from work

Guess how many of those things I've been able to do in the last six weeks? Well, I have a quilt top done for Elliot, but that is because my mom helped me with the hard parts while she was here. I've been able to read 1.5 books, which is kind of a big deal since I am usually in school and I don't have time to read anything (really I just don't want to because I am too tired). Taking a nap hasn't happened, because by the time I get the laundry changed and eat breakfast/lunch/dinner Elliot is ready to eat again. My DVR keeps backing up and I haven't rented any movies yet...you have to leave the house to rent a movie, except with netflix, but I keep forgetting to update our Que to add all those cheesy movies. As far as having the house clean and dinner ready for Jed when he gets home...I think it is an unrealistic goal and it probably won't ever happen.

After a few weeks off this is my realistic To Do list:

• Feed Elliot
• Eat Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner & snacks in between
• Remember to get a glass of water, my phone, the iPad/book, and TV remote before sitting down to feed Elliot ---because once I am down I am pretty much grounded and it can be really boring staring at the wall while he is chowing down.
• Brush my teeth---at one time I had the high expectation to shower everyday...but that was too much. I may actually be able to reapproach that goal now that Elliot and I have got a better routine.
• change out of my bathrobe---even if it is just into yoga pants
• Then if any time is left over I can reapproach my previous list of things to do.

So that is why I have been away, which I am sure I don't need to explain, most of you reading this have gone through this stage of life and probably even tried to warn me about it...but we all have to learn our own way.

Elliot is growing everyday! I don't know how big he is but I know he is out grown 90% of his newborn clothes. That is sad to see those little outfits be put away, I don't want him to grow up but at the same time I want him to grow up more than anything...no offense but newborns are kind of boring, Elliot is not much of a conversationalist. He is however, very alert and always wide eyed and watching me. He wants to see everything and I can see his little eyes watching and learning new things everyday.

As busy as things have been Jed and I have been able to get out a little bit and go on some hikes with Elliot which was fun. Elliot was really good he didn't fuss and he seemed to stay really warm ( I would assume he would cry if he was uncomfortable, right?)

I love this picture of Jed & Elliot on our hike on Flat Top, the sun makes it look like we are summiting the mountain but in reality we are not even close...and the sun is setting on us because we (rather I) was too slow.

This could be argued that it is a picture of a gassy baby, but he was smiling and I am claiming this as his first Captured Smile!

My Baby

It has been a very busy month! But can you believe it? It is already been 4 weeks. My little Paco is growing so much, he is starting to get little chubby rolls on his thighs and his arms. He is almost out of the newborn diapers and the newborn clothes are getting a little snug on him. He is overall such a good baby, he doesn't fuss too much---and now that I've figured out the breastfeeding thing I'm doing much better...and he is putting on the pounds. He is very wide eyed and awake most of the day and night. He usually just wants to sit up and look around...he will fight to stay awake, I don't think he wants to miss anything.
My mom came on the 26th to help and she has been such a huge help! She is so helpful and as a Newborn ICU nurse she had all sorts of tricks. She taught him how to take a Binky, which right now I am very glad he takes one but if he becomes dependent on it I know who to blame. Not only has she been very helpful with things around the house and with Paco, it has been so nice to have her here and to spend time with her.

She is in the bedroom right now packing her bags to go home.
I am really really going to miss her.

I know she is ready to go home but I am sad to see her leave...I miss my family.

Not only do I miss my family but tomorrow will be the first day that I am left alone. I am not so much scared of being left alone to take care of the baby I think I have that taken care of...I am sad to be alone.
I was putting left overs away after dinner tonight and thinking to myself, I will have to eat lunch alone tomorrow and it made me really sad...I think I will be very ready to go back to work just to have some social interaction.

Paco and his daddy...aren't they adorable? ;)

Our Birth Story

This was our plan...Jed started his vacation time December 8th, he wanted a few days to get things done and I had a final on the 10th...so we planned to finish my final on the 10th and then go to my work Christmas party so I could dance like crazy and we hoped that would induce labor so Jed didn't have to waste all of his vacation time at home alone...

To our surprise it actually worked!

Sunday morning I started having contractions, they continued to get closer together and finally that night at 11:30pm we decided to go into the hospital to get checked. I wasn't in such a hurry, the contractions were uncomfortable but not severe, I just didn't want to be one of those women that wait too long then are holding the baby's head in while they rush to the maternity ward. When we checked in I was only dilated to a 2, in an hour I progressed to a 3 so they kept us for a few more hours to see if I would go any further. They had me walk for a couple hours and I wasn't prepared for that and only had my big snow boots on, it wasn't very comfortable--and it led to nothing they release us around 4am. I continued to have contractions but they seemed to calm down. Monday Jed and I decided we needed to go walk and run some errands. We walked Costco for more than 2 hours, got some Christmas shopping done. The contractions didn't stop but slowed down. I figured nothing would happen and it would stop and in a few weeks I would actually go into labor.

So that night I got up to go to the bathroom and my water broke...but I wasn't totally convinced that it broke so I tried to go back to bed for a while. I let Jed sleep for a few hours and then woke him up and calmly said "hey babe, my water broke"---I've decided those word make men panic...Jed didn't exactly panic but was wide awake and ready to go in a matter of minutes.
Getting to the hospital and getting checked in was a little easier than the previous night, because my water broke I had the golden ticket. But things didn't go much faster after that, they made us walk for hours I walked the halls at Providence hospital...until the pain got to be severe enough that I didn't want to be out having people watch me.

By the way

Labor is painful!

I started to get really weepy and cried really hard a few times. Poor Jed didn't know what to do but was really supportive and tried to help.

After ten hours of walking and active labor I had only dilated to a 6 and they said they were going to have to give me Pitocin...that is when I decided I needed something for the pain. They suggested taking something to take the edge off, I should have just asked for the epidural but I took the medication and instantly it completely knocked me out. I was so loopy and it didn't help with the pain, it made me feel sick and I started to hallucinate the room had changed into a gingerbread house/land with royal icing and peppermint swirl fields...It was not good!-- and still it didn't help the pain.
I cried and begged for the epidural after only a few minutes. Just when I thought I couldn't do it any longer the anesthesiologist walked through the door.

I love him & the Epidural!

Unfortunately because I took that pain medication it made me & baby's heart rate drop really low, they had to stop the pitocin and give me oxygen. They scared us by saying that I may have to have a c-section if it continued. But as that other med started wearing off, our heart rates went back up. Once I was dilated to a 10 I pushed for an hour
&
Elliot Thomas Jones
made his appearance.

Child birth is nothing like anyone tells you...it was so surreal. We were pretty relaxed, we had casual conversation in between contractions and pushing...it was weird

....Child birth is just weird.

Jed didn't plan on watching it, but I really don't know how you can avoid seeing it, I was worried that he was going to get all wigged out or sick but he was awesome and said it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

First moments with Elliot
Jed got to cut the cord and help give him the first bath. Elliot did not like having his hair washed at all!
The nurse above was one of Jed's friends--they worked together several years ago. I met her for the first time when we were admitted...then we got to know each other very very well in a short period of time. Closer than any of my other friends have ever seen me! She was very nice and I think helped Jed relax. She said that if he passed out she would make fun of him for the rest of his life.

Elliot cried the first night non-stop and we were all exhausted...the mother baby unit at Providence was not that great. The nurse didn't introduce herself, and after we called for help she didn't come for an hour or longer...by that time I was in tears and so exhausted I couldn't stand it. They took him to the nursery which we didn't even know was an option...but isn't that the point of being in the hospital (besides the whole observation of our health and stuff) but to get a good rest before going home. We got to sleep for three hours and it made a huge difference.
His feet seem so big and long to me, I guess in comparison to his body...they still look really small in this photo.

Our first family photo.

Since being home things have gotten much better. He is doing well (for the most part) with breast feeding. It is so nice to have Jed around! Jed has been so helpful and it's great bonding time for them. Jed doesn't have to go back to work until the 2nd of January we are so glad he is around, because we would probably go insane.




Well stay tuned because there will be lots of updates about our little Paco!

37 Week Update

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. It was my 37 week check up... Today I am 38 weeks and celebrating that I am almost done with this pregnancy. Things are looking really good I am 1.5 cm dilated and 50% effaced. I did find out that I tested positive for the group b strep... so I will have to get an antibiotic while I am in labor and there may be a chance that they will keep me and paco an extra 24 hours to make sure that he doesn't get. I am feeling pretty good, really busy though.

This past week was a crazy week for us, I had a bunch of homework to finish up early this week. I did some Christmas shopping and wrapped presents. One of my co-workers passed away unexpectedly last week, she fell through some ice and got caught in the current was trapped under the ice. It was really sad and unexpected, so it has been a hard week at work for many of us. I went to her service on Wednesday, which was really interesting because it was a Buddist service, they did a lot of chanting and burning incents...it was cool to be a part of. And Paco loves chanting, he must be a little budha because in my yoga class he is very active when we chant. Then we also went to a charity event that Jed's job was hosting for the Make a Wish Foundation. Last night I finished up the last of my homework, and I am just getting ready to go take my last final. So after I take this final I am going to start walking ALOT. I also have my work Holiday party tonight so there will be lots of dancing....I want this baby to come early enough that Jed can be around to help, and since he is now on 3 weeks of vaction before the New Year....I am ready!

Baby Shopping Day!

Yesterday was such a busy day....I took the day off work, not for a relaxing day, but because I knew this may be the last day that I could take off and get everything done before finals and the Christmas holidays.

This is what it was like... no joke.

8:47am: Leave in -13 degree weather to go to the day care

9:00am: Met with the Day Care provider and talk about the contracts and all that business.

9:40am: Drive to Burlington Coat Factory to check out the baby section, particularly car seats

10:30am: Stop at Costco to see if they still have a car seat, and browse the isles of the giant wonderland. (Temp rises to -5 degrees)

11:07am: Drive across town to REI, to look for a baby pack/carrier...specifically the Ergo carrier, and to look for a snow suit, ran into our friend Ann and her kids, looked at studded tires for Jed's bike.

11:40am: Stop for lunch at Marty's Bagel Deli (Warmed up to 2 degrees)

12:20pm: drive around the one way streets to get back to a small store "Once Upon a Child" which sells used baby items. Found a Bopsy for $8, and a BOB stroller for $175, but we didn't get the stroller.

12:40pm: headed to the Hospital to meet the pediatrician. (Temperatures cooled down to zero)

12:55pm: Arrived in Parking lot and killed some time by checking out Facebook...Jed thought it would be funny to update his status and say "At the hospital with Sarah"

1:00pm: Found the pediatrician office, had a great meet and greet with the doctor asked lots of questions. He said he'd see us at the hospital unless it was Christmas, because he isn't working that day. Other than that he seems like a good guy and nice office staff.

1:30pm: Went to the Nursing Boutique in the lobby of the hospital and bought an infant insert for the ergo carrier and also got the coolest ice cleats for my boots ever! I don't think I'll be slipping with those on!

1:57pm: Left the hospital drove across town to Babies'R'Us

2:14pm: Arrived at Babies'R'Us,

2:15pm: Hilary calls upset, wondering what is wrong with me because Jed posted I was in the Hospital...she was so upset she said she was crying...then she was mad at Jed for playing such a mean trick.

2:20pm: started shopping for car seat, testing out the stroller car seat combos...which by the way why is a car seat alone $160...but I can get a car seat and a stroller together for the same price?

3:00pm...Finally make a decision about just getting a car seat alone...then see the one next to it is on sale for $50 less...but go back on our original decision. Get a separate base for the seat for Jed's truck, so we don't have to switch it out all the time.

3:02pm: start shopping for little things, Onesies, snow suit. Which we still can't find a NB size snow suit...not just a fuzzy fleece 'warm suit' but we're looking for an insulated Alaskan snow suit...they had one that we wanted and we didn't buy it AND now they are gone. Shopped for a diaper bag, closet organizers, a Genie Diaper pale and baby wipes.

3:55pm: Jed dropped me off for my prenatal massage and chiropractic appointment. A very nice break during all the running around. (Temp drops again to -3 degree...and sun is setting)

5:30pm: Jed picked me up and we headed to Target. Target we shopped for closet organizing items, hangers and grabbed some nursing pads to keep on hand. (Sun is long gone, temp still -3)

6:23pm: Heading home, stopped at Little Caesar's for a pizza
7:15pm: Arrive home (Temp dropped to -7 degrees)
7:23pm: Finally carried everything into the house.
7:30pm: Eat our pizza while watching some DVR'ed Chelsea Lately
8:00pm: Start my Journal project that is due in 12 hours
9:35pm: Finally finish my project and email it to professor
9:50pm: Bedtime and exhausted

But we are so ready for this baby to come! Hopefully Jed won't post anything that misleads you all again...and the next time it will be for "realsies"!

My Zombie Themed Baby Shower

My co-workers threw a baby shower for me this weekend. They decided to have it be a "zombie theme"...I do have a love of zombies, so it wasn't just out of the blue. They used pictures from my Halloween costume to create the invitations.


All week it has been snowing like crazy, but Saturday right before the shower was starting it looked like a blizzard. But it's Alaska and it stop anyone from coming. Even some of my friends from Eagle River that said it was a complete white out. I guess that's the good thing about living in Alaska, a little snow doesn't slow us down.

We had the shower at Sicily's Pizza, which had a room we could reserve and it was a buffet pizza place. So everyone could buy their own buffet or just hang out with us. My co-workers did such an awesome job with decorations.
This little figure just added a special touch to the Zombie Themed decorations...it was really funny and definitely a conversation starter. My boss, Dixi made these adorable little bibs with "PACO" on them...since we still don't have a name picked out...and I think everyone at work will forever call him Paco, no matter what we name him.
We also had these delicious cake pops that were decorated like little zombies...and they were so good!

We also played "Wack-a-Baby"
Where you can beat a baby pinata to get all our aggression out.

I was amazed that so many people came and supported me. It makes me realized that I have made more friends here than I imagined.
I also got tons of gifts...and really good stuff too!

I was so excited that Nicole came--even through a complete blizzard. It was like having a little piece of one of my best friends Courtney there too (because they are sisters...in case you didn't know that.)

I had tons of fun going home and having 'show-and-tell' with Jed and all of the stuff we got.

Thank you for everyone that came and helped with the shower!
I love you all!