THIRTY!

This is the moment I turned thirty. I just happened to check what time it was on my phone: 9:54am, June 13, 2013, exactly 30 years to the minute of my arrival on this earth. Cheesy, but it seemed deserving of a picture. I had a bit of a shock of age awareness... I am Heather. I am thirty. I am no longer a "young adult," but a real adult. I have 2 1/2 children. I've almost been married a decade. I have a career. I am at Trader Joe's buying a pink bouquet for my oldest child who is graduating preschool today and about to start REAL elementary school. Only adults have kids in elementary school. How did I get here?

Wendy's Words of Wisdom

I really love giving my kids baths. Yes, sometimes by that point at the end of the day I'm tired to my bones. Yes, sometimes I zone out a little and count down the minutes until I can just lay down for a second. But there's just something about watching my babies giggle their heads off as they get clean in the tub that warms my heart, makes me focus on them and effortlessly live in the moment the way I try so hard to do all day long. They just seem so cute and little in there. And I know there will be a day when they're too old for me to help them in this area (maybe it's because Ryan's aunt once started crying helping me bathe them because her children are now young adults and it brought her back). I've also been told that washing away the day helps prevent sickness (not to mention keeps their sheets clean a little longer). So I TRY to bathe them every night.

I always get Wendy out first so I can wrap her up in her hooded strawberry towel and hold her like a baby. This way I can get some one-on-one cuddle time with my un-cuddly child while Harvey splashes around a little longer. While cradling her, wrapped up like a little strawberry burrito, on the bathroom floor the other night, I asked her, "Wendy, will you just stay like this forever? I just want you to stay my little girl forever." Her answer was a whole lot of truth and it slapped me right in the face. 

Wendy: "Sorry mommy, I'm going to grow up. Every day I get a little older. You can't stop it... And I WANT to grow up. I want to be seven, and six, and five. I really want to be five! I want to go to school and have long hair and learn new things. And one day, I'll get married and have babies and you can love on THEM. So you don't have to be sad. But I can't stay like this forever."

Wow. I kid you not, these words came out of my four year old. Out of the mouths of babes, right?

Mixed Emotions

When I arrived at my in-laws house to pick up my children after a long day at work, Wendy was beaming. She was so excited to show me her new trick: grandpa had taught her how to tie her own shoes! It slapped me in the face and made me re-think my life. All at once I felt proud, overwhelmingly gratitude and ...and (I guess the only way to describe it would be) sadness. I was so proud of her careful determination and drive to get it right. I felt overwhelming gratitude for a child who is developing at a healthy rate, for the chance that I get to watch her grow and discover the world around her, for in-laws who take such wonderful care of my children while I can't. But then... I felt a sting. The sting of sadness that she is growing up too fast. And selfishly sad that it wasn't me who taught her. 

I guess as far ahead as she is, I'm just as far behind. I wouldn't have even tried to teach her for another year or so... maybe when I noticed all my friends teaching their kids her age or a note came home from school suggesting it was time. It makes me feel like a lazy, disconnected parent. So I'm not going to underestimate her anymore. Maybe tomorrow I'll teach her how to drive stick.

Clever Girl.

*practicing her smile/pose on picture day

Wendy was really excited, the other day, when I sat down to play dolls with her. She was laying them out and picking outfits for them. After she told me which ones I could "be," I picked up my assigned dolls and tried to start a normal doll conversation. 

Wendy: puts her hand out the way my mom does to the passenger seat in her car when she has to slam on the breaks, "MOM. Don't talk, okay?"
ME: "What?! But that's how you play dolls."
Wendy: "Mom...      all my dolls are mimes. They don't talk. Ever. Mimes don't talk. So don't talk, okay?"

Wow. I didn't even know she knew what a mime was. I think she really just wanted my presence, undivided attention, and to dress and stage her dolls... not so much my embarrassing mom pretend play. It was her very clever way of telling me to please shut up. Ha.

Oh H no.

   *birds in order from left to right: bluish, whitish, peep, silly guy
awesome names courtesy of Wendy

Ryan: Uh... babe? I only see 3 birds in the cage. I think Whitish is missing.
Me: No, my eyes play tricks on me sometimes too, because Whitish gets lost against the white cage and white wall behind it. Maybe you should check again.
Ryan: ...No, there are definitely only three birds in here.

That is when I drop whatever it is I'm doing/holding, pick up my 30 lb baby and quickly exit the patio/playroom. I announce to Ryan that I refuse to go out there until the bird is found, and since that is where my treadmill is located, he is going to have a fat, grumpy, tired, unhealthy wife if he doesn't find it soon. (at this time, the room is a DISASTER. I'm talking can't-see-the-floor-under-all-the-toys disaster. Millions of little, tiny toys. Like squinkies and legos tiny. So it was actually pretty easy to loose a living, flying animal in there).

A couple days later my father-in-law found him in the doll house with all the barbies. I can just imagine that little bird checking out those hoochie dolls from across the room and planning his escape to get to them. My awesome father-in-law chased Whitish all over the patio (incredibly, without tripping and breaking his neck) and put him back for me. So, no harm no foul, but now I can't go out there without obsessively, compulsively counting the four birds a couple times. Dang pets. They're just glorified food storage. (don't tell Ryan I said that)

Uncle Nathan

*My brother, Nathan, looking very handsome in the Rexburg, ID Walmart... 

can you tell it's a little busy the weekend before classes start?

This month my baby brother moved out of my parents house and started college. I am SO proud of him... and a little jealous of him. He is attending Brigham Young University in Rexburg, Idaho. The best college in the world. I was there from 2001 to 2004 and I loved it. Part of my heart belongs to Rexburg. That precious hick town helped me become who I am today. He's going to have the time of his life, I can already tell. He's going to develop genuine friendships with people from around the world. He's going to learn so much and have his testimony strengthened at the feet of men who are (or will be future) prophets and apostles. He's going to get 18 years worth of White Christmas' that he missed out on in California... in one semester.

For family night this week, we had a lesson about the importance of an education. We shared how happy we all are that Uncle Nathan (and daddy and Wendy) are working hard to learn good things that will help them the rest of their lives. There are a ton of scriptures about education, but Wendy was most fascinated by what we read in D&C 130:19... that the knowledge we gain in this life will even benefit us in the life to come, even after we die. Then we made uncle Nathan's favorite Sunday night dessert to send to him: homemade chocolate chip cookies! Wendy wanted to know if Nathan could take the cookies with him when he dies too :). She also suggested we just send him just the cookie dough because he always sneaks a ton of it when we make it on Sunday nights at my parent's house (I thought that was cute, just shows how much she knows her uncle... it could also be because she's his partner in crime and can never stop herself from eating all the cookie dough until it's been balled up and put in a hot oven.) We sent him the cookies (most of them) with a the picture above, and some letters.

In my brain, Nathan will always be the raspy voiced, tanned skin, sandy blonde, cutest ever 7 year old boy he was when I left home for Rexburg in 2001. This picture (above) was actually up in my room while I was away at school. I know it probably wasn't always fun having 3 big sisters who think they're your mom, but I loved getting to help raise him. I was 11 years old when Nathan was born so I was old enough to remember him at every stage of his life and it trips me out when my own kids are at those stages. It kinda slaps me in the face and makes me realize that my kids will be grown up before I know it. I love this kid, his love for the gospel, his passion for politics, our mutual appreciation for movies (and books and disneyland and dessert), his friendship with my parents and his desire to do good. I can only hope my kids follow his example some day.

*2005

Love you Nate the Great.

More rambling about the kitchen...

*ryan, looking very official... or very lost

During the kitchen remodel, I thought I was going to be that girl who knew exactly what she wanted. I would wow the contractors with how decisive a woman I was. But something that surprised me about building a new kitchen was how suddenly big decisions are needed to be made about things you haven't really given a second thought (because all you had was your first thought and didn't realize that wouldn't work out). ONE of (many of) those things that I knew what I wanted but couldn't have and had to pick something else quick was the countertops. 

I have a pinterest folder filled with pictures of shiny white kitchens and their pristine marble countertops. Apparently, marble is a horrible material for a kitchen countertop. Especially if you have little kids. It is very porous and absorbs marinara sauce and red fruit juice like a sponge. It's also a very hard substance that tends to shatter glass dishes easily. Thanks for nothin' pinterest. SO... Ryan and I went on a crazy hunt for some granite that was on the gray scale. We went to a couple different warehouses and got so many samples we could have been the 4th little pig who built his house out of granite. But I didn't love any of them. 

UNTIL... one night, with eyes burning from searching a warehouse and jotting down product numbers for samples to take home, I walked by "Kashmir White." It was love at first sight, with a slab of rock. Literally. In an instant, I saw our future together. I saw my children and I, wearing our aprons, rolling out cookie dough on this surface, my little ones with their homework papers sprawled out all over it, and myself with a bottle of windex in my hand every night, making it sparkle like new- the way my parents taught me :).  I can't tell you how much I love this granite. It's probably because of how much I DIDN'T love anything else. It's the perfect mix of white and gray. It has subtle warm and cool shades of blue, tan, burgundy, and black that will allow me to use whatever accent colors I want. It always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS looks clean (which can be a bad thing... it's probably filthy most of the time. During the remodel, all the other samples looked so dusty, but that little square of Kashmir White looked freshly windexed). It reminds me of those falling sand pictures I used to love (were those an 80's thing? I don't see them anymore), and just like those sand thingys, I could sit and stare at it all day. 

1st day of school

Wendy was SO excited for her 1st day of school today. She knew what to expect this time around and couldn't contain herself. Two or three times, as I was helping her get ready for bed last night, she clasped her hands together and told me, "Oh mom, I'm just SO excited for school tomorrow!" 

I always remember loving having something new to wear on the 1st day, so I went out into the garage, pulled out the 5T & up girl clothes tub of hand-me-downs, and pulled out a cute little skirt that would be new... to her. I wrapped it up and left it out for her to find in the morning. 

She was so excited she let me put her hair in pig tails without crying. (She usually cries when I barely touch her hair - that cute bob has spoiled her in the head hardening department. My mom used to brush my tangles out... to this day my scalp feels no pain). She even told me, "Mom, you'll be so proud of me. I'm gonna stand so still and I won't even cry when you put my hair in piggies."

She looked so cute in her little outfit, with her back-pack on. She was beaming. She ran right into class. It was her friend, Amelia's, first time ever in school. Amelia's mom was struggling just like I did last year. She asked Wendy to take care of Amelia. Wendy grabbed her hand and took her straight to the toy box. I was so proud. At the end of the day, I asked her, "How was Amelia? Was she sad today?" "No mom. She was fine. I took care of her and she had a lot of fun." I closed my eyes and gave myself a silent, parenting success "YES!"

I didn't know if I was going to let her stay for the extended day portion of class, AKA "mommie's time out" (Can I just tell you that I HATE that name!? The brochure for it has pictures of ladies napping, reading, getting massages. It makes me feel so guilty, to the point I want to pull her out early every day.) Extended day-ers eat lunch and stay there a little longer. I decided against it (even though I couldn't get a refund) but when I walked into her new class and saw the big gift bags with each extended day kid's name on them I felt guilty. She told me she wanted to stay for lunch, so I knew I was the only one that had a problem with it. So at 12pm I brought her a kid's meal from Chick Fil-A (I used to LOVE it when my mom would un-expectedly show up in my class with a happy meal for me) and asked her if she wanted to come home and eat it with me or stay. Of course she wanted to stay. Harper was going to stay. 

*Harvey wanted in on the 1st day of school picture... he even says "CHEEEEESE!" now :)

When I went back to bring her home she blurted out, "School was GREAT today, mom!" She said it again on the way home. She kept hugging me and kissing me and playing with my hair. I couldn't tell if it was because she was so happy from a wonderful day at school or if she actually missed me, but I loved it.

On the way home, she sounded so old. I couldn't remember if she always spoke this way, or if she had picked up some things from the other kids at school in just one day. She was saying things like, "Mom, three questions: one, can I have a granola bar when we get home? Two, can I watch a show when I'm eating my granola bar? Three, can you text my friends' moms and see if they can come to the park after Chubby's nap?" Wow.

Then we went and signed her up for ballet/tap class. How did this happen? (These are the type of days when I have moments of intense age awareness. I forget that I'm in this phase of my life. I feel like my mom). I'm gonna be all sorts of messed up when she starts kindergarten next year. I don't even want to think about it.

Good Day.

Reasons why today was awesome:

1. I got a special visit from my good friends, Lana & Melany, who were visiting from Utah. I love them. They're the kind of girls that make you feel comfortable, even though you haven't seen them for years, even though your patio room is a wreck and you're not wearing any make-up, even though your lovely daughter decided to have a crazy meltdown because you won't give her "fifty-thousand m&m's for lunch." It's like we've been hanging out every day for years.

2. Wendy fell asleep cuddling with me on the couch during "quiet time" (the special mommy & wendy time when Harvey is napping, where we do quiet activities, so as to not wake baby brother up). She was obviously pretty tired after the show of a tantrum she threw for my friends. I loved the rare cuddling and the 2 hours that both my children were asleep at the same time.

3. After my babies woke up rested, we headed off to a little place called Disneyland for dinner with my parents & siblings. I love that I live close enough to just go for dinner and a ride.

Good day.

*our kids, minus sweet Penny, who was deep in dollhouse heaven

The life of a part time dental hygienist

Could it be any more embarrassing than going out to the dental office waiting room and saying, "Hi, I'm Heather. I'll be cleaning your teeth today," with a HUGE lower lip covered in an outbreak of blistering lesions?! I think not. I just kept my mask on the whole time. Don't want people afraid that I'll give them herpes.

NOTE TO SELF: when you spend an entire week on the beach and you cover yourself from head to toe with spf 55 every two hours, don't forget your damn lips.

On the road again...

This was our view on the way home from our Utah/Idaho trip. The skies were amazing the whole time. I bet Ryan and Wendy got sick of me telling them to look up at it. As a kid, someone once told me that southern California has beautiful sunsets because of the smog. They must have never been to another state. The skies took my breath away. Even at night, when it seems like you can see every single star in the universe.  It's one of the few things Idaho has over California. Good show Idaho. Until next time.

The Flagwest Truckstop Motel

SO... this was our home for the last couple of nights! The actual name of this motel is the "Flagwest Truckstop Motel," in Downey Idaho. If you want to check in, fill your ice bucket or get your free continental breakfast, you do it at the gas station. There are nothing but hills, farm lands and an empty open road near by. Ryan said this was the kind of place you only see in horror movies. I felt like it was a fun adventure, but I just really love staying in hotels/motels. Maybe I would have been a little more nervous about it if every single room wasn't occupied by members of my own family (for the reunion). A.ma.zing.

If you give a mom a water bottle...

*photo via pinterest
Note to self:

If you're out of town and you're breastfeeding, you might be in a situation where you need to pump. If you pump, you might have to find an alternate method of storage (because you probably left those little baggies at home). At that point, an empty water bottle might seem like a really good idea. BUT if you are holding the water bottle, with 6 oz. of warm breast milk in it, talking to someone who is drinking water out of a water bottle, you might forget what you're holding and absentmindedly chug half the milk you just spent 20 minutes painfully juicing from your own body... It doesn't taste too bad actually, very sweet, but that doesn't stop the dry heaves.

Resolutions

*image via pinterest.com

2011 was awesome for me. I had a beautiful baby boy. My husband turned 30 (and I threw him a pretty successful surprise party, if I do say so myself). My daughter is as happy, healthy, intelligent and spunky as ever. 2011 was a good year. I even stuck to my 2011 resolution of refraining from seeing rated R movies (and I LOVE movies).

This year, (other than wanting to lose weight, but who DOESN'T have that resolution?) I'm really going to focus on being more punctual. I have a little bit of a lagger problem. I'm always always always on time for work... but that's about it. For one thing, I really don't want to walk into church late anymore, it's mortifying. Especially because we live ACROSS THE STREET from the church building. So my motto for 2012 is, "If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late." It's so true. I need to try to show up 15 minutes early instead of showing up right on time. With a toddler who wants to "do it myself!" and a baby that can't do anything for himself, I feel like I'm always running on a hamster wheel and getting nowhere. But, in 2012, I WILL be on time (for everything except maybe parties - I hate being the first one there). Phew. Wish me luck.

Some great talks on balancing time and setting priorities in life:
"Life's Obligations" by Gordon B. Hinckley
"Keeping Life's Demands in Balance" by Dallin H. Oaks

It has happened... again. Ryan got an iPhone... again. Last time he got one I have to admit, I hated it. I hated talking to myself all the time and his delayed, "...Huh? Did you say something?" I hated the glow that ruined my perfectly pitch black room at night. I hated the extra $30 a month on our already overpriced cellphone bill. I hated how he couldn't function if it wasn't working or was lost for 5 seconds. I hated this unnecessary object that took all of my husband's attention. Seriously. We have a desk top and a laptop, why would you NEED to have the internet in your pocket 24/7? Honestly, I had visions of throwing it out the car window.

But this time around, for some reason, I don't mind so much. Maybe it's that he's not as obsessed. Maybe it's that I love watching Wendy laugh over and over again at the "Talking Tom" app. Maybe it's because I have reaped the benefit of having the internet in Ryan's pocket on more than one occasion. Maybe it's because I secretly covet instagram. Okay, I admit I was wrong. Maybe I might kinda want one some day.

Dear Pinterest,

I was introduced to you 2 weeks ago and I wish I had never met you. I love you too much and this relationship isn't healthy. I NEED to go to bed early. I have a newborn that needs me. But you keep me up too late at night and leave me with a hangover in the morning. It's not you, it's me. Maybe one day, when I have a smartphone, you will fit more conveniently into my life. But for now, I think we should just be friends. Sorry to do this to you so abruptly, but I'm suffocating. I think we need some limits on this relationship. Don't worry, this isn't goodbye, it's more like let's cool things off for a while and slow down. Thank you for being so understanding and giving me the space I need right now.

Your Friend,

Heather

Turning to the dark side

My husband and I have an ongoing debate about fast food. He loves it, I don't. He tries to hide cash so he can get fast food for breakfast, lunch and dinner without me knowing. He also does things like this. I don't blame him though, I give him a pretty hard time for it. On rare occasions, like road trips or after a long day at the beach, I think it's okay. But on the whole I think fast food is a waste of money and bad for your body. Actually, I know it is. He says it's his one splurge for himself. Tell me that when you're suffering from diabetes.

On our way home from camping in Yosemite yesterday, we stopped at a Carl's Jr. Ordering Wendy's kids meal, we asked, "Do you guys substitute anything for fries in the kids meals?" The cashier looked a little lost, "Um... we could make it a large fry? Or crisscut?" Wow. Really? You can substitute the fries for... more fries? Thanks. I guess the only place that has "healthy options" or really caters to kids is McDonalds. Nasty. I took a bite of Wendy's left over chicken nugget at a McDonalds on the way up to Yosemite and just about barfed before I spit it out.
But I have a confession. I think I love Chick-fil-a. Weird, I know. I wouldn't even go there for the first while after they built one close to my house. I'm not a huge meat eater and I'm definitely not a fast food fan. It sounded like a bunch of chicken nuggets and greasy chicken sandwiches on low quality buns and did NOT tempt me at all. But then Ryan made me try it. Wow. Here are some reasons why I love Chick-fil-a:

• soft pebble/snow ice
• they list the calories next to every item on the menu (not just next to the "low calorie" items and not on a special nutrition facts menu that you have to ask for, but up in the restaurant behind the cashier)
• the play area is indoors=air conditioned, but separated from the eating area= the whole place doesn't smell like stinky socks and kid sweat
• they have hand sanitizing wipes right outside the playground door
• there are fresh flowers on the tables
• they give the kids balloons
• they will substitute fries for a high quality fruit bowl (I'm a bit of a fruit snob, I don't like fruit that is mushy or warm)
• it's always clean
• the workers are always super nice & happy
• they will substitute the crappy kid's meal toy for an ice cream cone, and not a child sized cone, a full on regular(mom) sized ice cream cone
• they're closed on Sundays
• they're a little pricier than the other guys, but they give GREAT coupons and the food quality is worth an extra 50 cents (this week, July 8th, go in dressed up like a cow and get a free meal)
• did I mention that the food is actually good?

Tonight, after dinner, I was feeling a little restless so I took the kids there for an ice cream cone and to let Wendy release some energy on the air conditioned playground (it was like 90 degrees today). We walked out of there an hour later with our 170 calorie dessert, a yellow balloon tied to her wrist, Wendy's bangs wet and her little cheeks red from the running around and I thought to myself, "Maybe I do like fast food." Just don't tell Ryan.

Introducing Baby Harvey

Born April 29, 2011
4:54pm
8lbs. 12oz.
20 inches long

Thursday, April 20th : At my doctors visit I learn I'm 3 cm dilated & Doctor H says he'd be surprised if I last a week and that I definitely won't make it to my due date (May 1st).
Thursday, April 28th : At my appointment a week later. Doctor is surprised that I made it this far, still only dialated to a 3 - 3.5. He tells me we'll induce on Sunday, my due date, at 8am. Sweet.

Friday, April 29th:
6:15am Ryan gets up to get ready for work & to be up with Wendy so I can get a little extra sleep
7:30am Ryan leaves for work which means I wake up and waddle to the couch to be up with Wendy
7:35am Okay, something feels a little different. Maybe my water broke. If it did, it's a VERY slow trickle. I tell myself it probably didn't.
8:30am I start to have contractions that get steadily more and more uncomfortable.
10:30am Okay, maybe my water DID break. I mention it to my mom on the phone. She says I should go and get checked, but I don't want to spend the whole day at the hospital just to be sent home. She talks me into going anyway. "Okay, I'll drop off Wendy in about an hour. Then I'll go." I tell her. "In an hour? What do you have to do?" The laundry. Vacuum. Go to the bank to deposit a check so I can pay the bills. Pay the bills. Finish packing a bag for me. Pack a bag for Wendy. Get Wendy's old infant carseat out of the garage (just in case this is the real deal). "Heather, I will do your laundry and vacuum and go get clothes for Wendy if she needs them. Just go," she tells me. Adrenaline kicks in and I do everything on my todo list anyway. I start to get a little anxious, my hands start to shake as I scramble to get everything done. Wendy senses my anxiety and says, "Mommy, you're scaring me." I stop what I'm doing and I just hold her for a while. I get choked up thinking this is our last moment together with her as my baby.
11:30am I leave my house with a bag for me, a bag for Wendy, and an empty infant carseat in the car. After a quick stop at the bank, I go to my aunt Ruth's house to drop Wendy off with my mom there. I tell my mom & Ruth I haven't texted Ryan yet because, knowing him, he'd be too excited and leave work and drive all the way home for nothing. (I wanted to make sure my water broke before I told him) They convince me I need to text him.
12:00pm I drive myself to the hospital.
In the car alone, I think to myself, "What if I do actually have him today? Won't this be a funny birth story."
12:15pm I arrive at hospital, go up to the 3rd floor. My nurse, Liz, shows me to my nice room in the the new maternity ward and gives me a pink gown to put on.
12:30pm Ryan, on his lunch break, finally calls me back and I tell him where I am. I can hear his voice get excited. I tell him not to leave work until I find out if my water broke.
12:35pm I get checked and find out I'm dilated to a 5.5 - 6, but the test to see if my water broke comes out negative. They check again a couple minutes later and the paper turns blue= my water HAS broken. I KNEW it.
12:40pm I call Ryan and tell him the good news. I tell him not to rush, go home, take a shower, pack himself a bag and come on over to the hospital. The nurse laughs at me because she thinks I should have told him to rush.
1:00pm A nurse comes in and tells me how incredibly busy they are in the maternity ward today. The anesthesiologist has been running around from room to room, c-section to c-section, and he's almost to my room. If I want an epidural, I should have it now. I think, "This is CRAZY! I haven't even been here an hour. Ryan isn't here yet. My contractions don't even really hurt yet." But I want an epidural and if I have to get it now, that's what I'll do.
1:30pm The anesthesiologist walks in. "How are we doin' in here?" He asks. "Great!" I say with a smile. "Great?" He checks a clipboard, "You ready for an epidural?" My nurse answers for me, "She's dilated to a 6, she's in a lot of pain, she's ready for an epidural," then she whispers to me, "Honey, you're in a lot of pain." She had my back.
1:35pm As I'm getting the epidural it hits me that nobody is here. Not Ryan, not my mom. I get a little worried that I'll be alone when the baby is born. I stop feeling proud and independent that I've come this far by myself and start to feel a little lonely.
2:00pm Ryan walks in the door. I instantly feel relieved. We laugh about how fast this is going compared to the 13 hours we spent in the hospital before Wendy was born and watch the Royal Wedding (it's the only thing on every channel on this Friday afternoon).
2:45pm They break my water (the tear in my sac is up high & they need to break it down low). Nurse Liz says that's the most water she's ever seen. Awesome! I knew this was just a bunch of water weight. And the more water weight I lose the more weight I lose.
3:30pm My mom shows up. I'm dilated to an 8 but the baby hasn't dropped enough.
4:00pm My mother-in-law shows up. I get turned on my left side to help the baby drop.
4:40pm The nurse comes in and says the doctor has a c-section at 5pm. We all assume she's telling me this to let me know the doctor is coming to my room after the c-section. "So the doctor is going to come in here and we're going to have this baby by 5pm." WHAT? That's in 15 minutes. I pushed for almost 2 hours with Wendy.
4:45pm The doctor comes in. I get turned from my left side to my back. The nurse says, "Hey Doctor, look at this. She hasn't even pushed once yet." I hear the doctor say, "Oh wow, the head is almost out already." WHAT?!
4:50pm During my pushing the doctor tells me to stop. The mood in the room changes. Every0ne gets really quiet and the doctor starts making fast, jerky movements and calling out orders for the nurses to hand her things. I don't even have time to get nervous before things are okay again. Apparently the cord was wrapped pretty tight around my baby boys neck and she had to cut it off.
4:54pm After pushing for less than 10 minutes, my son enters this world and gets placed on my tummy. I feel like I'm dreaming. Everything is wonderful.

* This is my "I love epidurals" face.

asft

*i LOVE the genuine happiness on Ryan's face in this picture.

* proud parents.

Thank you to my aunt Ruth who took these priceless pictures so my mom could be there for me instead of trying to experience the birth of her grandchild from behind a camera. I love them.

Ruth, you (and your camera) are invited to the births of all my future children.

Strollin' with the hommies...

I have waddled my sciatic nerve ALL OVER Babies R Us, Sports Chalet, Bergstroms, you name it, trying to test out double strollers to see how well they glide, fold, lay back, ect. NONE of them had the strollers I was looking for (even though they claimed they did online). Then I took Wendy to Disneyland last week... WHY didn't I think of this sooner? Disneyland is a stroller shopper's DREAM! I worked up the guts to interrogate strangers on why they love/hate these three strollers, but I was too chicken to ask if I could actually pushthem around for a second. I wish I would have inherited some of my mom's gusto and just gone for it.

P.S. I have to apologize. This is a selfish blog post. It's solely for me to organize my thoughts and maybe get some good advice. I feel like I'm buying a new car. I need this thing to last. I've narrowed my double-stroller hunt down to 3:

1. Baby Jogger City Select

2. Phil & Teds Inline Buggie

3. Baby Jogger City Mini Double 2011

These are the features I'm looking for:

Large Sun Shade Canopy

Smooth ride (not too heavy to push)
Easy to push through doorways (not too wide)
Separated seating (difficult for the kids to mess with/reach each other)
Relatively easy (for a double stroller) to fold up and throw in the trunk

Ability to lay both seats ALL the way back (for a newborn & in case both kids are asleep)

Decent storage space

Any advice?

This is pretty amazing.

I usually just skip to 1:13 minutes in when it becomes a double.