A Recap

So, down to business, it's been almost two months now since I posted last. Shameful, I know. But in my defense it's been a very busy two months. Adam and I had a bout of the crazies and bought a house in Bountiful. But we're recovering, and the house isn't so bad. We actually like it a bit. The first few weeks were pretty awful... when taking into account that we had no furniture, no internet, no TV, and didn't know a soul. We still don't have TV. Which is a blessing as it can no longer waste our time. We decided TV is over-rated when you can find most shows on the internet anyway.
Everyone says owning a home is wonderful. Well it is, and it isn't. It's wonderful to be able to hang up pictures where we want, to paint if we want, to decorate the way we want, to shower as late as we want, and to make as much noise as we can, but mortgages are painful.
Jonathan is growing like a little weed... or not so little. He's almost 18 lbs now and over 27 inches. He's babbling, blowing bubbles, and generally making noise all the time. He's discovered his feet and enjoys playing with them. He also had a taste of cereal for the first time (as pictured). He loves to play with, sleep with, and suck on his goat doll. It stinks now. We love him. Everybody who meets him loves him. And it isn't hard to see why.

Sadly it's already been more than a month since I last posted. Shame on me. A lot has happened since September we've all been learning and growing a ton. Especially Jonathan! Watch this...

So, Jonathan has been smiling for weeks but we haven't been able to prove it until now. For your viewing pleasure...

Baby Blues and Navy Blues

The baby blues... most people get them, but Adam and I were unprepared for their arrival. Our first day home from the hospital was fine but the night arrived and Jonathan was hungry but nursing seemed to be something he couldn't figure out. We got at most 45 minutes of sleep and we both felt that we were in over our heads and that maybe Heavenly Father had made a mistake, we weren't ready to be parents. Unfortunately, graduation was the next day and Adam had to say the closing prayer. I couldn't stand the thought of going out in public after such an awful night so I missed my own and my husbands graduation. Adam went and though he slept through most of it he made the walk, gave a short but sweet prayer, and celebrated with a nice brunch. Meanwhile I slept. So we are both graduates. It all seemed somewhat anticlimactic after having Jonathan... I still hope to go out to lunch sometime in celebration. I was able to take some pictures a few weeks later. Oh, and never fear, Adam and I adjusted, got rid of the blues, and LOVE being mommy and daddy.

Labor

"He's posterior" Jessica whispered to Cheryl... whispered but still heard (even though I was in the middle of a contraction). It had been a hard day waiting to hear when we'd be able to come into the hospital for our induction as a lot of women decided to begin labor naturally (8 to be precise). Adam did his best to distract me from dwelling on the fact that stripping my membranes had done nothing and that we might not make it in on our scheduled day. Finally around 7:00 pm they called and asked if we could come in as soon as possible. We left in five minutes and were there faster than I wanted. We checked in, in a flash (much to my dismay as I realized what was coming), and were in our delivery room ready to go. Jessica (the on call nurse midwife) came in and asked why we were being induced on my due date, why weren't we waiting a little longer. We told her that it would be nice if I could walk in graduation and were hoping it might be possible, not to mention the fact that we'd been on pins and needles waiting for the little guy to get going for a full month. She finally agreed (reluctantly) that we'd break my water. She checked me and it was funny to watch her surprise as she found I'd already dilated to a 7 without pain.

The water was broken around 8 PM. I got to a 10 in roughly four hours, pushed for an hour before the pain became extremely intense. That's when I heard them whisper. I'd read up before hand and knew that posterior births are noted as being more painful and long. I think my brain gave up at that point and I started begging for an easier way. I received an epideral and was allowed to rest for an hour. We pushed for a few more hours with no success so they called Dr. Young to come in. He came and told us he would try to turn the baby with a vacuum extractor and if that didn’t work we’d need a c-section. Well, after a few tries with the vacuum, the good Dr. “made a little more room” as he phrased it, and Jonathan was born at 5:09 AM, looking like a little gorilla. Once he pinked up we found him rather charming. I think we were all glad to be done with the labor. The hospital stay went very quickly and our little family was on its way home.

My two cents

We had dinner at mom and pops' tonight as we always do on sunday evenings.  It was fun, however upon leaving, as Kates and I were walking home it dawned on me for the second time today that tomorrow is the first day of Summer classes.  Even though I only have one class, I dread this term because in order to attend the class I have to drive myself up to work and I abhor the drive to Salt Lake, I much more prefer the bus because I just get to sit and play tetris.  I hope the six weeks fly by and i can graduate and be done with school.  Im sure it will fly by because Katie and I will be wrapped up in gross anticipation of the upcoming arrival of our little guy.  That event also in and of itself is a stress all its own that I am both excited for and nervous at the same time.  Are we ready?  Do we have what we need?  Will insurance cover what we need it to?  Will he be healthy?  Will Katie be fine with no ill effects?  Do I freaking have swine flu??  I suppose answers to all of these questions are right around the corner...  but do I have what it takes to handle them?

For Maggie

eight things i am looking forward to

1.  finishing my online classes

2.  sleeping on my stomach or back once the baby is out

3.  my last day of work

4.  someday fitting into my normal clothes again

5.  seeing my baby face to face

6. graduating

7.  adam coming home (i look forward to that every day)

8.  going to the cabin in the mountains

eight things i did yesterday

1.  went on a walk in the morning

2.  went to work

3.  made adam's favorite dinner

4.  went to the mall bus stop twice to drop off and get adam

5.  tried to read my art history reading and fell asleep

6.  watched the film "marty"

7.  laundry

8.  had a fhe lesson from the ensign

eight things i wish i could do

1.  be with adam all day long

2.  get over my intimidation of other people 

3.  read fast enough to finish a book everyday

4.  paint everyday (i could, but i don't have the discipline to do it)

5.  buy a house free and clear

6.  write a book or two

7.  run to my bed and flop on my stomach

8.  sleep through the night

eight magazines i like

1.  martha stewart living

2.  cottage living

3.  real simple

4.  the ensign

5.  national geographic

6.  fine cooking

7.  everyday food 

8.  can't think of another one

eight things on my wishlist

1.  a healthy baby

2.  a crib and other  baby related items

3.  a beach cruiser

4.  a longboard

5.  $20,000 in the bank

6.  a house of my own

7.  furniture that i love

8.  a new look

eight bloggers i am tagging

1.  mom

2.  beth

3.  adam

4.  anyone who wants to fill out lists.

5.  

6.  

7.  

8.  

We had our second ultrasound yesterday to check on baby's kidneys. They're still slightly dilated but the midwives said it wasn't anything to worry about as he seems to be functioning just fine and that it will probably resolve after birth (or in these last 12 weeks). He was uncooperative as far as getting a good shot of his face, we had to be satisfied with a close up of his nose and lips. 

When we got home we went to my mom's and got out all the newborn pictures of me and all my siblings and one of Adam at 6 months and compared the ultrasound shots of his nose and lips to the photos. Looks like he got my nose. The lips are a mystery. I suppose we'll just have to wait until the little guy decides to come out to really get a good look at him.  

After dinner Adam said he was going to take me somewhere as a surprise. I tried to guess but was unsuccessful, and after awhile Adam told me to stop guessing because a surprise is supposed to be a surprise. The surprise turned out to be a trip to YoZone. We both got our cups of frozen yogurt, ate in the car, and drove back home. It was a fun little date. We talked about how dating after marriage is always a little more ambiguous as it's harder to discern what counts as a date... we decided YoZone counted. 

April

As I look back on the month of April I am not at all surprised by how quickly it came and went. The end of school was busy for Adam and me, and then we had a trip to prepare for. Before I knew it, it was April 25th and we were on a plane bound for Italy. The two weeks we spent there were long, tiring, but amazing. I loved watching Adam's admiration of the sculptures, watching him meet my aunts, uncles, and cousins, and watching his love for Italy develop. It was fun to be with my parents and I'm grateful to them for giving us such a wonderful opportunity. It was a great time to go in regards to the pregnancy (much better than traveling in the first trimester!) and in general as a tourist. The tourist season only just beginning, the weather not too hot (we experienced quite a bit more rain then anticipated), and less worry for mom leaving the kids at home all day without school to occupy most of their time.
I do have a few regrets in regards to the trip, marvelous as it was, firstly, I don't think we ate enough gelato. Secondly, we didn't eat enough pizza. And thirdly, and most importantly we didn't really get a chance to celebrate our 2nd year anniversary on April 28th. This last may not seem possible, as I imagine some would say "but you were in Italy! Isn’t that celebration enough?" Well, in answer to that, no, it wasn't enough, we were so tired and moving about so rapidly in order to see as much as possible, and that the day came and went without much thought to what the day signified. I am not saying we didn't wish each other a "happy anniversary," because we did, all I am bemoaning is that I felt that I wasn't able to express to my darling Adam how much he means to me, and how acutely I have loved being his wife for the past two years.
So, hoping he will read this sometime in the near future...Adam you are the best husband a woman could ever ask for. You have made the past two years so wonderful, and I can't imagine life without you. Thank you for choosing me. I love you.
I apologize for those of you who abhor sappiness, but there you have it. On another note, my baby boy is getting bigger everyday it seems, I feel like I have doubled in size the past 3 weeks. What a joy. I wonder if perhaps I'm growing at an abnormal rate...it feels that way. Some days it feels like the skin on my stomach will burst open from the stress and that will be the end, other days it isn't so bad. I do love the little thing though. I love to feel him kick and punch around and generally cause mischief. The other day we put a flashlight on my stomach and were tickled pink to have him respond to it by repeated kicks that would case the flashlight to bounce up and down. One of his best tricks is kicking an area best left unmentioned and causing me to gasp at the shock of it. I can't wait to see him but at the same time I dread it! What if he looks like a little troll? Will I still love him? "Of course" is the answer most people give but I wonder anyway. Every now and then it all seems surreal, like I'll wake up and my waist will be back instead of the melon that is there now...and then there are those rare moments were it hits me "oh goodness, I'm going to be a mom, there is a living creature in my stomach, and one day he will come out, and be out for good." I love those moments. I'm excited and nervous for all the change...I have a feeling that these next 3 months are going to be long.
I'm going to try and post more than once a month just for kicks.
Arrivederci miei amici.

March

I'm the worst blogger ever. March was a busy month, far too cold for my taste, and it seemed to drag on forever (partly due to the weather and partly due to the fact that I was counting down the days the entire month until the 26th!). But March is now over and the 26th come and gone leaving us to contemplate the fact that we are having a boy! I'd suspected as much but hadn't told Adam because he wanted a girl. He's getting used to the idea of a boy now and I know he'll make a great father.

So today being April Fool's Day I played a small prank on my Adam. I called him and told him I'd taken $2,000 from savings and put it towards the car on a whim, he was silent for a few minutes and then nervously asked if I was serious! Hehe. I had a good laugh. I have high hopes of April passing in a blur but hopefully a slightly warmer blur then March.

November and December

Well November and December have come and gone without a posting from yours truly. I have the perfect excuse of being extremely busy just as I'm sure most people are during those particular months.
I have another excuse...I'm expecting. Unplanned. According to some not an "accident" either. I suppose it's good timing as I am quickly nearing the end of my college experience. I have been sick most of December so there you have the second excuse.
Beth, Rich, and Jimmy have been in town which has been just lovely. Rich left for home this morning and Beth and Jimmy will follow this Tuesday much to everyone's dismay. It's been good to spend time with them. Well, I'm off to work again so perhaps January will glean a better post...perhaps.
love
Kate