so do you think they look like brothers?.....I do and they definentley have their own unique looks, I thought it would be fun to compare the two to see how much they looked like each other when they were born....:)
Ok here it is folks, how my wonderful baby boy came into this world.......so wednesday we had our weekly check-in appointment with our Dr. Lunt, he told me that I had progressed a lot from the week before, that my cervix had moved forward and that it was softer, he let me know that at this point and induction was something we could talk about since I was progressing so well, keep in mind my actual due date was not until April 16 the following wednesday. Shad and I had discussed already the pros and cons of inducing or not, some of the great pros were I would have more help and more time once my mom left because then we would hit 2 of Shads 6 days off instead of just one and he wouldn't have to take any paid time off. The other great part was having him long before finals so I could prepare and get ahead so that when they came they were not stressful, plus Shad would be off so he could watch the boys while I took them. The other thing I really liked is not being pregnant another week or two, and my whole family pretty much (except Kristy and Thomas and the girls...we missed you) was going to be there for the weekend and it was so great last time to have them there to help out and support me, I knew there wouldn't be another weekend where they could all come down....the cons were after reading and researching everything about inductions and epidurals I was hesitant to want to do it and just let him come naturally, and try to have a natural birth after all I had been reading about hypnobirthing, I had been having mild contractions and tightness all that week, so I knew he was coming soon, but Taegyn was a week late, so soon was so relative to me. So that wednesday we tenatively scheduled to be induced on Friday April 11, and knew we could always cancel it if we felt like we needed to do something else. Shad and I went home that day and prayed about it and talked about it extensively. I spent a lot of time that day to myself and feeling out what would be best for my body, for Taren and for our family. After much extensive pondering and thinking...Shad and I decided to have Taren on friday, we both felt really good about everything, I also had Dem work on me and that gave me some insight and feedback about where my body was at. So Friday they called us at 5:40am and told us to be there at 6:40 am, I hardly got any sleep, I was anxious. But I knew I needed sleep because I knew I was going to be having a baby the next day, it was a rough night and I still had mild contractions. My dad came over at 6am to be with Taegyn for the day, and my mom met us at the hospital, I asked if them if they started me on pitocin just to get me started and then take me off to see if I could continue labor on my own, I got to hear how they try and make it as gentle and natural as possible to simulate natural birth, they start you on a low dose 4ml and you get as high by the end as 20ml and that once they start you on pitocen they want to leave you on it till baby is here. So since I already was getting induced, I decided I would try then as much as possible to not get an epidural, I already had the IV and so I waited to see if I could breath and talk myself through the contractions. At first they were mild and no big deal I would say that they started me on the pitocen around 7:30 or 8am, and then we just chilled, I was at a tight 3 so I knew it would be some time before I started getting bigger contractions. I rested, my mom and Shad read books, Dem came and hung out and we chatted, by about 11ish am I started getting painful contractions, they checked me I was only at a 4, they were a few min apart, so I started really trying to breath and relax and just think of pressure and not pain, I knew that if I couldn't get myself to relax through the contractions that I would not be able to aleviate the pain I was feeling because tense=pain when the contractions come. Well after awhile I knew that I had not practiced the techniques enough, I had just not given myself enough time and I knew myself enough that I would not be able to be relaxed during "go time" so I made the decision to get the epidural, I let them know that I wanted one that just took the edge off and not completely numb me, I still wanted to be able to "feel" Taren being born so I could stay as engaged as possible, I got an epidural with Taegyn, but I don't remember it hurting like this one did, it sucked, and after I got it I fought with feelings of sadness, dissapointment, and discouragement thinking to myself this is not what I wanted to end up like, with IV's and another needle in my back. I only spent like 10 min there and then changed my thoughts and focused on the positive, it really helped and then my family came around noonish to eat yummy food in front of me, and bring my starving husband a sandwhich, it was nice to laugh and just relax, once I had the epidural and I was in a positive frame of mind I could feel the pressure build up and then release, but not the intense pain. It became nice to visulize my birth at this point and how I wanted it to go. Dr. Lunt came in to check me and I was only at a 4 1/2, he said this is usually the time that takes the longest and that once I was past a 5 things would speed up. Again I decided to relax and Shad took a nap while mom read. I checked my messages and even did a little bit of work, the nurse came in to check me but I was on the phone so she said she would come back, we all kept wondering around 1pm why nobody had checked me again, so we figured it was still going to take a lot of time and that I still was not much past a 5. So my sister and Dem decided to leave and get Dem's kids about the same time they left, Dr. Lunt came in and checked me and all of the sudden I was at a 9 1/2. I had been feeling back to back big contractions, but I was surprised, he looked at me and told me to push just a little and said I was ready to go if I wanted to, I wanted Dem there so my mom called her real quick, they turned around and as soon as she walked in the door it was go time. I pushed 4 times and his head came out and Dr. Lunt eased the rest of him out, Dem cut the cord and they immediately set him on my chest, I tore a little, so while he was stitching me up, they let me hold and bond with baby, they did all his vitals with him by me, so for the first little while we were able to bond instantly, while he finished stitching me up, the nurses and Shad went to do all the clean up stuff and they brought him back and told me to keep him skin to skin for awhile, soon after he began nursing and did it like a champ, no problems, the thing I like about this hospital and Dr. Lunt is that they do things like skin to skin and believe in the instant bond that mother and baby need so they did everything they could to facilitate us being together as much as possible as soon as he was born. We did not want to stay in the hospital overnight so I was in the birthing room for another hour with Taren and then they moved us, a lot of the nurses thought we were weird for wanting to go home, but I knew Taren was fine and I knew I would be more comfortable at home. So about 8pm we headed home with our newest addition to the family. What a blessing he has been! I love having him here and have so much joy. I am so glad I am not pregnant still and that everything went so smoothly. I am healing quickly and feeling great. Taren is truely such a unique and amazing spirit, when I do it all again I will give myself some more time to prepare for a more natural birth, I do believe it is possible, and I also think that Taren came for us at the right time. I love being a mom, he sleeps really well already and is so much fun to have around. Hopefully I can post a picture this time...:) ok picture still isn't working, I will figure it out soon though...you will see pictures of Taren soon...I promise! :) In the meantime enjoy the longest post ever....
Well I was going to write about Taren's birth extensively but....I am tired and Taren is sleeping right now so I am going to post this short post and then do a bigger one later about his day of birth....:)In the meantime enjoy our newest addition to the family...he is soo cute! :)
ok the picture won't post, I will post some tomorrow...Dang computers....
alright folks, this is the last pregnant picture I am going to post of myself before Taren gets here...so enjoy..:)I think I am going into labor soon, lots of activity has been happening these last few days...I also am 80% sure at this point to go natural with no epidural or pitocin, I also have heard some great things about birthing in the squatting position, it opens your pelvis up to 30% making it easier to birth the baby, I have read now a lot that being on your back is one of the worst positions...so I am up for trying new stuff, I don't think I have had enough time to learn all the hypnobirthing techniques, so I am not expecting a pain free birth neccisarily, but I am expecting that I can do this and that I can have a smooth easy 2nd birth with Taren, I do believe it will go much faster than Taegyn did, sooooo hopefully you'll see a picture of Taren on here soon.....very soon....:)
Well yesterday I had the privilige of saying goodbye to Mia, Jody's rottie that she has had for the last 8 years. Mia a year ago got cancer in her bones and inevitabley it has eventually spread through into her lungs, she woke up blind on saturday and Jody bless her heart made the decision to ease her suffering and put her to sleep today. As a goodbye gift and as a way to say thanks to all she has done for me, I brought Demeree over and had her work on Mia, for those of you who don't know Demeree she is my dear friend and like a sister, she is a gifted massage therapist and doesn't usually work on animals, but she did it for me and for Jody. Demeree is also very good at sensing the energy system of the body so it was really neat that Jody let me be in the room with her and Mia and Dem, I was able to see the love that those 2 had for each other and hear some pretty cool stuff, overall Mia was so grateful to Jody and there was an overwhelming sense that she has had a great life and a great companion in Jody. Dem let Jody know after feeling the disease in Mia's body that she was making the right decision, Mia was only going to get worse and more miserable, and that she was ready to let go. The timing in Jody's life I think is so amazing, she just got this great life changing job, is moving back to SLC, it has been hard for her to live in St. George and now she is returning to a city she loves to be in, I think Mia knew Jody needed her companionship while here in St. George and realizes that Jody with this new opportunity will be fine with out her. Both Jody and I commented on how ironic the timing of all this was. I know some of you might read this and be like, whatever its a dog....blah blah blah...but I know for a fact that the animals we bring into our lives and homes share our emotions as well as our lives, sure they do it on an animal level, but there is no question in my mind that animals sense, feel and see things that even we as humans can be closed to understanding. It was so cool to be a part of that wonderful experience for Mia and Jody, and Mia was so grateful for the massage, her body was hurting and she continually expressed thanks in her "doggy" way to Dem. I am so thankful to Jody, she has been a great friend and I see her tremendous potential and wish her the best in her new adventure. I am grateful to Dem, she has SO much on her plate right now, and still took the time to do that for me, even though I know she has a lot of other things to do right now. So overall I am feeling a sense of gratitude and happiness for those I care about and my prayers are with Jody on this day, it will be a rough day for her.
(for above picture, just imagine this cart even more full, with a little boy trying to constantly grab stuff out of it!!)
Well I just made it through another round of tests, quizzes and assignments this week, and I still have all A's!! Yeah I am doing awesome, it is such a great feeling, doing that all with being a mom (full-time work mind you) unless he is sleeping or taking naps....which I find is when I try and get most of my work done and school assignments done, which is one of the reasons I go to bed so late, but the trade off and almost being done is soooo worth it, I also signed up for my summer classes....and then whala! I have my BA!!!!Yeah!! and a new baby!! What a great life!!!! it feels sooooo good to be almost done with this milestone in my life...:) so yeah good times. Add to the list of things I did well this week was send Jody off (our head field director and good friend at Entrada) off with a farewell party that I got all the stuff for. Mind you that was a funny scene, me with a packed full cart coming out of costco, Taegyn is pulling stuff out, things are sliding off, the cart is so heavy it is going where ever it wants to not where I want it to go...man that was a crazy day....and after 3 things fell off this guy says "wow you look like your having a hard time..." and then continues to walk...ya think mister? yeah why don't you help me...Let's just say I am glad that I am not a party planner for my job, I know some people really like doing that kind of stuff, but not me, I was so glad when it was all over, the party was nice and it was nice to say goodbye to a good friend and co-worker! So yeah for me for being super Jennie this week!! Oh and I just got back from a cute movie called Nim's Island, Jody Foster does SUCH A GOOD JOB acting like an agrophobe....I laughed a lot. Now I just can't wait for the new Indiana Jones, they should have done 5 more of those already....life is good, even though I am a little more tired than usual these days...now my baby just needs to be born...:)
well I just got back from my appointment, first off lets just say I hate getting checked, but I wanted to know where I was at, you know if my cervix was soft, was baby still head down, how far am I dialated....all that good stuff. So the crappy stuff first...when he checked me my cervix was behind Taren's head so he was having a hard time getting a good check, so he was like pulling it and hurt, I was like whoa what are you doing...he said he was trying to move the cervix forward...anyway that is the only crappy thing that happended today the rest is all good, my cervix is soft, baby is still head down and I am at a 3, now we need to wait until the cervix is moved forward more, so it looks like I am still another week away, I was hoping to have the baby on the 9th, but it looks like I am going to make it to another appointment where I get the oh so fun privlidge of getting checked again, so unless I go into labor before then, which knowing my body and based off how Taegyn went, (it took some time for my cervix to comply with him to) I will make it to next week without a baby, I am not saying I still couldn't have him anytime, I just have a hunch we got another week or 2...anyway so no induction on the 9th, which is most likely a blessing in disguise. I want my body to be ready, so like the affirmations cd that Bri gave me says....babies come on their birthdays not when doctors (or moms who want to conviently take advantage of their husbands days off, or not worry about finals and baby at the same time...) say they should. So I guess at this point it is up to Taren...now for the other decision...epidural or natural? still thinking about this one....anyway more later.
Well, we had an appointment this last wednesday and found out baby was head down!! Yeah! I was sooo relieved! Shad teased me after about how extreme I get with trying stuff, he was like "you don't just try 2 or 3 things...you read about everything you can do to turn a baby, you buy books, schedule massages, acupuncture, look on the internet and if it gives you 17 suggestions you try all 17, you go swimming and you hate chlorine in your hair, you dive to the bottom of the pool to try and turn him....so maybe he is right, I did try a lot of things, and whether this little tike turned on his own or not...if what I did helped or not....at least I know I was willing to do my portions to do whatever it took to stay away from C-sectionville...and what can I say...I am a sponge of knowledge, I like to explore lots of different avenues and try lots of different things, I think that is what helps me stay so open to so many different things and phenomenons in life...anyway things are looking good, as soon as April hits it can be anyday now..I hope he comes earlier than later...and reading this hypno birthing book and listening to the affirmations CD makes me want to contemplate natural baby birth on his own time so no inducing, but I haven't made my final decision yet....more later!! Yeah Taren for turning....thanks for helping mama out....:) by the way Shad says that cereal and ice cream can't be the only things I can eat before this baby is born....I say why not, I eat the fat free low cal kind, I think I must need the extra calcium because ice cream sounds good all the time, and cereal is just easy, only 2 dishes to wash and its easy....no cooking, yeah Shad leave me alone already...:) a pregnant woman should get what she wants the last 2 weeks...:)
So Shad and I have recently gotten involved in a marriage strengthening class, I wanted to do it because I think it is great to do anything that fortifies and makes for a better relationship, Shad intially did it because he thought it was important for me, but now he is more on board, anyway there is some cool stuff I am learning about that pertains to having a happy, well rounded, balanced marriage. The first thing that we covered were actually 4 cornerstones that President Hinkley metioned in a talk for couples. He said if these 4 things were happening that any marriage would be sitting on a sure foundation, instead of a weak one. The 4 are 1- Having mutal respect for each other - this one is pretty straight forward. 2 - Soft answers/soft replies even if disagreeing or in an arguement, granted easy to say harder to do, especially when your mad at each other, but even practicing this more it make a huge difference, for example I have found even if I am upset or have some concerns I want to express to Shad, that I don't have to be a big B and treat him poorly, I believe I can still treat Shad the way I would want to be treated even if I have negative feelings, yes they eventually need to be talked about and resolved but in the inbetween time I have learned (and still am learning) to still be kind and nice with my attitude and words, which inevitably creates better moments when we do process stuff. 3 - Financial honesty - he made a great point here that is he not talking financial responsibility as much as being honest and not doing the whole "my husband can never know I bought this or vice versa, that all financial matters are done together and both are on the same page. 4 - Couples prayer - he made a huge point here saying that if couples did this consistently, and this being different that the prayers you say over food or with your kids, but together morning and night, if more couple did this one and only this one, you would see communication improve dramatically. Shad and I are not as vigilant as we could be on this one, so we are trying for the next month every night to end the day with a prayer that we do together. The teacher talked about 3 things couples can do to strengthen marriage, 1 - husbands kissing thier wife before they leave and when they come home, he compared it to being their ticket out and their ticket back in. 2 - Call once a day and just check in. and 3 - again couples prayer. He talked about learning how to be pliable and flexible in a marriage and that it was essential to growing together and being able to meet each other halfway (comprimise) He made the comparison that a marriage is a corporation for those 2 people, it is our corporation so we need to always be working and making decisions together. He listed 8 areas that are couple areas that would be best discussed and decided together not necisarily delegated into different parts. They are Time, Money, Resources, Intimacy, Life Philosophies, Spirituality, Parenting-discipline, and communication-disputes/dissagreements. He taught that it is best never to make an individual decision in what would be a couples area. To not act like we are single in an area that belongs to both of us. He warned that talking each area out and trying to find middle ground is not the best way to find the comprimise, certainly we will talk about some of these things, but a better way is to start asking questions like, "is the way I am doing it now in a certain area comprimise?" and self assessing and checking in with your partner if it is or not, and make the adjustments from there. One other point that really stood out is that no one should be a better protector of your partner than you, not a sibling, not even a parent, that a spouse both the husband to the wife and the wife to the husband need to be each other best protector, essentially a warrior for each other, I really liked this and it helped me recognize that even when I am upset at Shad that it is still my job to be his greatest advocate and protector. He ended with it is better to be wrong together than correct apart, it can't be about my way but OUR way, we win, we lose together. and to be careful how we use no, use not right now or how about later or hey I will make time for that in so and so days, that no can be a way to flaunt your metaphorical muscles and just stop the conversation or close and cut off the other person. The key with this here though is to follow through if you have said later, or it is like saying no, just playing with the words. This gave me lots of food for thought, I know some of this stuff is straight forward and makes sense to anyone that is in a relationship, and most of you probley know this stuff anyways, it was helpful for me to assess how much of this I am doing and what I can do better, I really like this class and am excited to continue to go with Shad, I think we will be closer and have a stronger marriage because of it. :)
Okay okay I got called out by Bri to post some belly pics....so here they are even though I do not like taking pictures in my last month...mainly because I rarely get ready and I am usually in comfortable clothes like sweats since everything else feels closterphobic on me....anyway here you go....:)
So a quick update on the whole babio situation....as of now my baby is still head up and I am only at a 1, it isn't even april yet, so I am not worried, Tae was head up clear until the last week or so, I will let you know more as it goes since now I am to once a week visits, I have to make the decision by wednesday if I want the doc to manually try and move him head down, but it is not a gentle "hey lets turn your baby with my hands moment" it can be pretty rough for me and the baby, and it is only 65% effective and half the time after that percentage the babies go back to being head up again, what I read online is that most babies who are head up turn by the time it is go time, so again...I think I am going to decline on the manual movement if he is still head up wednesday, and just patiently wait for this little guy to turn and for my body to get more and more ready for labor, I figure babies come when they are ready and if I am not filled with fear and worry, he'll know what to do and help me out and turn when he needs to.......so it has been interesting to watch so many things change at the place I usually work when I am not pregnant, lots of people moving around and moving on and all sorts of different jobs are opening up...sometimes I think about what if....what if I had walked a different road, taken a different job...you know that kind of thing, I have watched people over the years I have worked at 2n come and go and some have made a really nice career at 2n, I never wanted to be on the management side of things, and sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I had been....I have a moment, but it ends up being just a moment..and then I remember that the universe is big and expansive and there is room for us all to achieve our dreams, I watch others step into some amazing opportunities and realize that the timing or the desire for certain jobs for me has just not been there, so I continue to trust in the lord and wait patiently for my time to realize one of my dreams, to work on the theraputic side of things, until then, I get to realize one of my other dreams right now, to have an amazing family that will soon be filled with 2 sweet boys....well 3 if you count their daddy!!!
Here are a couple more...:)The one with the hat and mittens is funny because out of the blue Tae came up to me and wanted them on, he wore them for the next few hours...silly boy...
Here are a few of my favorite funny faces Taegyn makes lately...he is a hoot!!
Oh sleepless night, how I hate for you to come... when you come and visit me the next day I feel like a big bum....not wanting to move or do anything really....it all just really seems so silly.....Go away sleepless night, wait what is that you say?....there is much more to come with the little one on the way?...Embrace you, love you get used to having you around....because there is more to come where I am bound?....well I say no, there has to be an answer....because I am pretty sure that lots of sleepless nights could cause cancer...:)I say go away, I will figure it out....and then during the day no longer will I pout...I will find a way to banish you forever....don't you worry I am pretty damn (excuse me..) clever....I will swim the greatest seas....turn over lots of leaves....to find the cure that keeps you at bay....I am very serious about this here ok....I can't be living in a zombie like place...can't you see why I am pleading this case....enough with the taunting, I find you quite daunting....be gone with you, I banish you...I actually think your are a like a really big peice of poo...yeah how do you like that, not so much you say?....well then go away so I can hit the hay....leave me alone so I can get some rest...don't you understand...NOBODY likes you the best...in fact I am pretty sure its safe to say, NOBODY wants to play with you any day....so again for the last time please go away...I must find a way to keep you at bay.....
More later folks on my quest for a wonderful nights sleep, with no interuptions....
Well here is our newest addition to the family for awhile, her name is Harmony, but she goes by Mony, she is a lab puppy about 6ish months old, we are doing our cousin Merissa a favor while she moves her life to Salt Lake City and figures out if she can keep her or not....we watch so many other dogs that it was easy to tell Mersa we would help her out. I am not going to lie though, she can be stressful at times...mainly because she is still a puppy and does puppy things like pull everything out of the trash and drag it all over the house...pee on my carpets...(so far this has only happened twice, lets hope thats the end of that...) chew apart my running shoes, yeah they are ruined, but luckly I have another pair, chew apart my chaco flips...yeah I have lots of pairs of those, and dig holes all over are yard, ya know I don't care about the holes...but she did dig up my precious baby pomagranate tree and bit off all the new growth from last year, I have been nurturing this plant for the last 2 years, I was afraid she had killed it, I didn't get it, of all the things to pick to dig up and chew on I didn't get that one, she got in big trouble for that one I am not going to lie, I was really mad about it, I mean 2 years people....it is a super special breed of pomogranate bush, so she is lucky she didn't kill it, she knows now not to ever touch it now at least I am pretty sure she does...anyway it all sounds like a crazy time, but here are the good things, Shad enjoys having her in the field and she gets to play with him, I like taking her on late evening walks, and she is really good on them, she is a fast learner, she is really beginning to understand what she can and can't chew on, she does not touch the trash any more and I hope she is done with peeing in the house. Her and Taegyn completely get along now, he loves giving her little doggy treats when she picks up her foot and shakes and overall this is a great learning experience to see if we are ready for a dog, Shad gets dog hungry every now and then so what a great opportunity, she is in a trainable place and can teach us a lot about owning a dog. Overall I like having her here, even if she is a little devil at times.....more on her I am sure later.....this is her favorite chewy toy that we gave her. :)
So this is Taegyns favorite new toy, he always wants to go outside and ride it, he wants to live on it right now...he had his first wreck on it the other day, he started pushing himself and started going down the driveway and it went to fast and he just fell over once he hit the grass, he was not a happy camper, and I didn't have the camera handy once it happened, plus I had to console him, so this picture is a couple of days later, obviously he still loves his trike! :)
So today's adventure with Taegyn was quite interesting.....I threw away some blueberries that were going bad...(I can tell you all know where I might be going with this...) and Taegyn LOVES blueberries...well needless to say I ran upstairs and had to check something on the computer, I thought he would be fine, little did I know that he would find the blueberries in the trash, eat a few and then dump the rest out, but he didn't stop there my fine friends....after he spilled them out, he decided to squish and stomp on them ALL! I came downstairs to a blueberry mess(I was gone for maybe 5 min by the way...). At first I found myself wanting to get mad because of the mess, and then I realized, other than taking a moment to teach Taegyn to not take things out of the trash, that he was being very innocent, the blueberries were on the very top of the trash and in his mind there for the taking, and he likes to eat them, I realized he was just being a baby boy, and that he wouldn't understand why I was mad at him because I feed him those almost every morning....so instead I picked them all up, (I had him help me) we went over to the trash and I told him to not take things out, and then when he went down for a nap I shampooed the carpets to get most of the stains out....Now for my lesson of the day....messes are messes and they just aren't worth the tender little feelings of our dear children, I am not saying that Taegyn doesn't sit in time-out for somethings and that boundries and rules aren't important, but teaching Taegyn to not take things out of the trash did not have to include me yelling at him for making a mess, I could let it go, teach him how to pick up with me, and teach him that we don't take things out of the trash in a loving way that he understood, and I walked away with yes maybe a little more work for the day, but ultimately feeling great about how I handled squished blueberries all over the place, I have hurt Taegyn's feelings before with sharp words....let me tell ya' right now folks...it's not worth it and today I was so grateful for the opportunity to teach Taegyn in a different way, and I may have to do it over and over again, but I prefer that way instead of yelling over and over again....at least some food for thought for me today!! I love that Taegyn is my constant teacher...:)
Well it is official! I LOVE the age and stage that Taegyn is at, we have SO much fun together it seems unreal sometimes that I can have such a blessed time in my life to spend so much time with Taegyn, I don't have a ton of work taking my attention away and even school is so mellow right now, we get to play together most of the day. He is beginning to resist naps and going to bed, but only cries for 10-15 min before deciding to play in his crib or go to sleep, so these pictures are from the other day, he took out all the tuperware and decided to have a little "cuboard hut", I have so much fun watching him develop his personality and explore the world, I never get sick of hearing what a happy baby he is, I know this is because we nurture and play with him a lot and we foster and environment where he can explore and develop, and we play with him a lot....how could I not, Shad gets jealous about all the time I get to spend with him, but he gets his fun time in as well, they say in psychological studies that if men did nothing else but took the time to play with their kids from the time they were born for 1 hour a day, that they would have well adjusted kids and a great bond with dad, Shad really strives for that time with Taegyn. I know Taegyn is special and that he came to this earth with his own unique qualities, and it is so much fun to watch those develop and also to see how Shad and I influence his development, he has a lot of family and friends who love him and show him affection! Taegyn definently knows he is loved and best of all he really knows how to play and laugh, aside from the occasional treat fit, or betime fit that boy rarely cries, I got so lucky with this sweet special boy, I pray in graditude daily to God for letting us watch over and be parents to this amazing boy! Somethimes I wonder how Shad and I got so dang lucky, when he was born a good friend told me a great compliment that Taegyn was lucky to have me as a mom, but as I spend such precious moments with this great spirit and revil in all that he teaches me, I realize more each day that it is Shad and I who truely are the lucky ones to have Taegyn in our lives, he teaches me about joy, love, patience, kindness, laughter and so much more. I watched two young brothers play today and I got so excited to have 2 boys that will be close to each other. I know they will fight but I also hope they stand by each others sides and can also be the best of friends. I can't believe I can have this much fun in my life right now. And the irony is that someone else may look at my life and think it is boring, but I can't remember when I have had this much fun and it is because Shad and I made him and we are responsible for him, God entrusted us with such a bright light and I truely am grateful and wouldn't trade any fun experience I have had in the past to my now mellow, low-key life right now. Now if we could just get Taren here...I say the sooner the better, as soon as April 1 hits I say any day works for me....I think if all is going well I will induce april 9th....that is soooo close...unless he decided to surprise me and fulfill my early wishes, then he can come early.....I love my life! :)
Taegyn woke up really early today, at least early for me, it was 8am, I usually sleep till 9am and he just plays till I come and get him, well he was crying at like 7:30 am so when he was still going at 8 I went and got him, I shut my door downstairs and laid on the couch while he played with his toys, well this is what happens when mommy is not really paying attention...
This is one of my favorite pictures, he wanted it on, and then when I put it on he was soooo mad....
Well I am feel so close but soooo far away....I am excited for this baby to come, it does not feel like it is going to change our lives drastically, but everyone else says 2 especially this close is crazy....we'll see, people said stuff about 1 being hard and Taegyn has been a huge blessing in our lives, the easiest happiest baby ever....so I hope Taren fits right into the swing of things. What I don't like right now is my tight tight belly and aching ribs....I went to the doctor the other day and he is head up still, so hopefull in the next 2 weeks he moves down into the correct position...we want a smooth easy birth, in fact that is what I imagine...so hopefully that is what I attract. We just adopted another dog for a little while, her name is Harmony, mony for short, she is my cousins dog, we said goodbye to lucky, she was way too dang needy for me and she couldn't go in the field with Shad, and Mony can, she is a 6 month old lab puppy, I thought it would be a good opportunity for Shad to see if he is really ready for a dog soon, she hasn't grown on him yet, but its only been a few days. She is still a puppy so she can be a little mouthy and it scares Taegyn, so we have had to work on that a lot, she is a fast learner though and she understands now that it is not ok to be rough around my baby....however the other night she woke us up like 6 times to let her out to go to the bathroom, I started to get so mad....so I put her outside, then came the barking the rest of the night. I decided to try something, now it might sound mean, but I wanted her to learn it was not ok to bark non-stop at night, so I put her out around 9pm and sure enough around 10:30 pm she started barking, I asked her to stop, she didn't so she got the muzzle, she hated it, tried to take it off and resigned to go lay down in the pen outside, now this muzzle still lets her breath and drink water, it isn't a mean one, just keeps her from barking...well I went and took it off around 3am when I got up to pee, and didn't hear a peep from her the rest of the night, she didn't even wake us to go to the bathroom, sooooo I think we are all beginning to adjust to each other which is good because I think we are going to have her for at least the next 2 months. She is sweet and a fast learner. I like having her around....more later
Well it has been a few days, last night I could not get to bed for the life of me, I would lay down and just could not get comfortable, I am sooo ready for this baby to be born, seriously as soon as April hits I would be fine with him coming anytime early that month, it feels right around the corner....I am surprised at how mellow everything feels for me right now, even school seems totally under control with no extra stress, sometimes I feel like I have tons of time on my hands, but I don't feel like doing much....Kinda sucks. Shad went down and saw our new nephew and he said he remembered how much work Tinies are and that he wasn't ready for another all of the sudden....then he told me he was, he just isn't looking forward to less sleep. I am really excited to see what Taren is going to be like....til next time...
Well I looked on my cousin Cami's blog page and she had this fun meter, but after doing it I don't know, I mean it was nice to hear he looks equally like both of us, but most of Taegyn's living life I have heard he is a little clone of Shad and only has my eyes.....so I am not sure if I believe this meter thing, because I do think Tae looks a lot like Shad.....Joy to insomnia.....the things we do....:)
Well here I am up at 2am because I can't sleep right now, but doesn't my blog look cool, yeah well after trying to read a few articles for my research paper, I decided I would have some fun with my no sleeping time...and whala..a beautiful new blog...so yeah were going to need you to come in on friday...yeah...(just in case you didn't know that was a quote from office space...) anyway...I am tired again, so I am going to try and get some sleep, at least I went to bed at 9pm tonight so maybe that will help with waking up....oh yeah for babies and yeah for cooler blogs because of them...yeah how about my new pregnancy ticker...it is so cool it shows you how big the baby is getting....oh good times....good times indeed....:) I have been going through my pictures lately and have found some dang cute ones like the one above...
Well I am finding these last two weeks myself with lots of time on my hands, I mean I have a school assignment here or there but no tests for awhile...so here I am blogging, I just have to say that I wish we only carried babies 7 months, these last 2 months always are difficult for me, I have a hard time getting comfortable, so I have a hard time sleeping, I try and drink lots of water so I have to pee all the time whih is so annoying at night when I am trying to get quality rest, I have to be careful what time I eat at night so I don't get acid reflux....and it is harder to breath and my dang ribs hurt, this is when I start saying things to Shad like....Hey remind me we want to wait 3 or 4 years for another baby....it is always the last 2 months...I think the worst is feeling so lethargic and tired, because I didn't sleep well last night, it was so hard to get up today, Tae doesn't usually cry in the morning, he just plays till I go get him (what a blessing) even if it isn't till 10am, he'll squack at me if I wait to long, but he wakes up between 8 and 9 am and will play for awhile before he asks for me which is nice because right now I like to sleep in till 9 or 10.... well this morning all I wanted to do was sleep, and he woke me up at 8am screaming...not usual behavior for him, so I got up and felt tired all day long, I hate feeling that tired...it sucks because I don't want to do anything and that makes me so mad because I want to have energy to do stuff.....anyway blah blah blah, just me venting about being prego and uncomfortable, on the bright sunny side of life, I did get to hang out with Demeree for a little bit today and we had a wonderful chat...she is going through hell and manages to stay so positive, she is such a good example to me....Now if I can just get some consistent rest I won't feel so tired all the time...., I wish that ticker up above said like 15 days to go....I guess I can make it 49 more days.....:)
I am so proud of myself I had to write a quick blog about it, I just made some green curry with chicken and rice and it turned out AWESOME!! I mean it was a little on the hot side for Shad and I but overall, the flavor was great...I still need to learn how to adjust the spice level with Thai cooking, but I am soooo glad it turned out good, I branched out with my cooking skills and it paid off....I made Masala curry an indian dish awhile back and it was soooo HOT that Shad and I could not eat it...so yeah for me for learning how to cook yummy healthy meals that have lots of flavor....one of these days maybe Shad will jump in.....I won't hold my breath:)
So Tae wanted to be a lion the other day, we got this costume from his friend Nate and it is to small for him now, when I was going through the clothes that we get from him after Nate outgrows them, we found this little gem, and Tae kept trying to put it on, so I decided since we are trying to learn different animal sounds anyway like...what does a lion say and then I say...Roar and try and get him to do it, I thought this would be the perfect way for him to learn about lions...we had a blast, he wore this to walmart and got flooded with "oh he is so cute" comments...and he learned what lions say and did it all day...so dang cute....I love my life with him right now, he is my little buddy and as you can see we have a blast together...:)
Tagged by Kristy Pool
So I was tagged by my wonderful sister Kristy and I am going to write 5 things you didn't know about me.
If I tagged you here's what you do. Post the words in all caps below and fill in info about yourself. Then, at the end you tell who you are tagging & go and tag 5 friends on their blogs. It's just a way to get to know fun little things about people
TEN YEARS AGO......I was into my first year playing softball at UVSC, it was a blast, traveling with the team and meeting a new best friend Heidi, I had some crazy fun adventure with her. I also was living with Cami at the time, and that was of course super fun and adventurous....UVSC was really like 13th grade...I knew everyone..still lots of fun times there...I miss playing on a team like that...
FIVE PLACES I HAVE LIVED....Hmmm Texas, Mississippi, and then grew up in Provo, lived in MOAB as a river guide for awhile and that was super interesting....yeah some crazy stories there and now in St. George Utah, never thought I would end up here, but here we are....
FIVE THINGS ON MY TO DO LIST...... Organize our new finished computer room upstairs, organize all my stuff lying around by the computer, clean the bathrooms (I always put this one off forever...), burn some CD's for friends and catch up on some movies....
I ENJOY..... My sweet baby boy, we have such a fun time right now, I love finding things to do with Shad, even if it is watching a show together, any sports and outdoor stuff although that is on the shelf for a little bit right now with being hugely prego...hanging out with my family and friends, going to movies, reading a good book and making jewelry....and learning about energy and psychology...oh and making good cookies...
THREE BAD HABITS..... well I already said one, I am a slacker bathroom cleaner, I hate bathrooms and most of the time it is dirty because of Shad...I mean come on men get it in the toilet...:), sometimes I procrastinate my homework....and sometimes I stay up way too late doing mindless studpid stuff, I really should just get to bed...
FIVE THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME..... 1 - Love Love the show Lost, I have other shows I like but I love lost....2- I am a crazy shower singer at times...3- I used to have a big crush on Heath Ledger, and now it is James Franco...4- I like Jack Johnson music....5- I would love to get lost with my family for a year and backpack all over the place....that would be so fun!! And I would love to river guide again...on the futelefu (I know I probley spelled that wrong)
FIVE JOBS THAT I HAVE HAD..... Lets really say what didn't I do before I started working at 2nd Nature....I mean I was a janitor at BYU, Spenc and I had some fun times for sure there from 5am-9am...I did sales on phones, surveys, I worked for insurance companies, Spencer and I tried to be construction sign holders once, I was a river guide (one of my favorites) you name it I think I tried it...ok maybe that is total exageration, but I did a lot of jobs....
I tag BRI,DEM,CAMI,MOM(get a blog mom),EMILY(I know you are getting one soon)
Ok so I am off to Hilldale today to visit the polygamists to get some raw milk....because the other farm is 2 1/2 hours away so it is a difference of a 1 1/2 hour trip or 4-5ish....but the milk in redmond (the far away place) is better because the cows are grass fed, and the cows in Hilldale are alfalfa and grain fed...yes people it makes a difference in the quality of milk. Anyway it is still a pain to get and I do it anyway because I have seen the wonderful health benefits my beautiful boy experiences....(you can ask me about them if your curious) I just wish that someone closer or in town would sell raw milk here because usually my mom just brings it up from provo once a month (from Real Foods Market...awesome store) but we still run out sometimes and I have to supplement with the Hilldale milk or get the organic pasturized, homoginized crap they have at the store, I know I know you all hear that and say we drink that crap....and the organic is better than regular milk in the store...but still it is crap, you kill everything good when you pasturize and homoginization is soooo bad for the milk....and re fortifying it with vitamins and minerals is like trying to take a multi vitamin instead of eating your vegetables...ok so off my milk soapbox, I just am saying I wish there was a store I could go buy it in like in provo instead of having to drive far away to get the goods.....Oh yeah we all drink it too (Shad and I) and we have seen a huge difference....I still can't get my family to drink it though....ideally I would have my own land to have my own cows (for grass fed beef and milk) and have my own fresh chicken eggs and a big beautiful garden where I grow all my own organic vegetables, then eating healthy would be a sinch and not a million dollars....ok I did say a couple of things so here is the other thing, my boy is growing up so fast...it is exciting and I am sad sometimes....before I know it he will be graduating from HS ready to leave on a mission (assuming he wants to go) and off into the big world....makes me crazy sometimes....He is such a fun age right now, he is just figuring out hide and go seek, we have a blast...oh and he LOVES treats, he asks for them all day and surely can weasle 2 or 3 out of me a day....yeah sometimes treats are chocolate and somtimes they are grapes....it is easy to give him lots of healthy treats though it is the other ones I worry about...have a created a sugar fiend....Anyway life is good! :)
Ok, I just finished a take home exam, it is for a pretty hard class and I have to admit, I am pretty proud of myself, I am getting all A's currently. If all goes well this semester (which it is looking like it is....) I only have 2 classes in the summer to take and then I am done with my undergrad and walk away at the end of the summer with my bachelor's degree....take a small break and then on to my Masters....I am sooooo excited, I think to not mess with finals I am going to induce as early as possible, which means I could have this baby on the 9th of April (assuming my body is ok with that) I am so excited about my life right now, we got a new computer that I love, our room upstairs is almost done, Shad and I are doing wonderful, tonight we played with Taegyn chasing him around the room and hiding from him, he is already understanding how to play hide and seek, we had such fun....Oh I live such a blessed life....:)
Well, time surely flies, here we are just within two months of having baby #2. The name we decided on is Taren Stanley Sorensen, a way to honor both of my parents, they have been amazing parents to have, I feel so blessed to be a part of thier lives, they have been more generous and loving than I can ever say thank you enough for, they are amazing people and I am so glad to call them friends...:)
Get your free online pregnancy calendar from WhatToExpect.com
Well it was Shad's 29th Birthday on the 6th of Feb!!! It seems like birthdays for us just aren't as big of a deal anymore, but I tried to make it special for him, Cami made one of his favorite dinners, salsa chicken and Dem came over with the kids and we sang happy birthday to him! He hates regular cake so I got him an ice cream cake, one of the big presents to ourselves (since my birthday was in January) was to finish the upstairs and that he did! And it looks wonderful. Anyway we have a great life! Here are some pictures of his cake and his celebration day and then some cute ones of Taegyn...:)
So here we are at the close of another year....I have recently decided via inspired some good friends...(Bri and Dem) to recognize more of the things I am grateful for in this life instead of see what I don't have or still want. As this year closes, let me close with the things I am most grateful for this year. I am so grateful to have a wonderful husband who loves me and adores me, I know we both still have a lot to work on to get to perfect amazing marriage together, and I love that we are both willing to weather the storms together and enjoy the clear sky happy moments. I am grateful that Taegyn is a healthy happy boy, he brings so much joy to our life, he has been such an easy baby and loads of fun, he is officially walking and officially big, I am so grateful that I am not in a hospital wondering if my baby is going to be ok and live, or fighting a horrible disease or that anything other than a simple cold here or there has happened to Taegyn. I love him immensely and am grateful that I get to wake up and play, teach and love him each day, I am grateful that he can teach me to be more patient, kind, loving and grateful for him in my life. He is such a sweet little independant boy. I believe he is very special and will be a teacher to Shad and I our whole lives. I am grateful that I am able to get pregnant again easily and that we have another coming to share our lives together. There are times when I find myself getting uncomfortable or being frustrated with being pregnant, and I remind myself to have gratitude for the ability to be able to have babies and bounce back quickly. I am a lucky woman and so am daily waking up and choosing to be grateful that this new spirit is growing in my belly. I am grateful to my parents for helping me so much with school and life in general, they are trusted companions throughout my whole life, they have embraced Shad like one of their own and have shown so much love an gratitude towards him and that is something I am truely grateful for, that he can feel so much love and acceptance from them. I can never say thank you enough to all my parents have done and will continue to do for me. :) I am grateful that I have a wonderful best friend Demeree and that I can tell her anything and everything and she will listen without judgement, she is there for me when I have my lowest lows and celebrates with me my joys and highs in life, she truely is a sister to me and I know we will stay close throughout our lifetime. I am grateful despite her extreme struggles this year that she can be an example of forgiveness and letting go. I am grateful for opportunities to work and go to school. I am almost done, I have 6 more classes I need to take to get my bachelors, and then I will probley take a break. I should be done this next summer. I am grateful I have a flexible schedule where I get to work from home and when I go in the field I can pretty much decide when. I am grateful that we have a house, the goal is to get the upstairs computer room done for christmas...I used to get frustrated about living in an unfinished house, but now I realize I can be grateful for even having a house, and a big one for us at that, it keeps us warm and safe, I truely am grateful for our house and all the comfort it gives us. I am grateful for my brothers and sister, they have become my best friends and weather all kinds of storms with me, I could not make it through this life without them, well I guess I could, but it would never be as fun as it is now. I am grateful that I live in America and that I don't have to worry about someone taking my babies and making them do horrible things, I know those things are happening in America too, but I am grateful to live and St. George and to be protected and sheltered. I am grateful for the gospel, I am grateful I have something to rely on and help me have a strong foundation when life tempts and trys me. I have had a wonderful year, between school, work and family and friends I can say that 2007 has been a great time, it certainly has flown by so fast. I look forward to what the future holds for us and continue to wake up each day thinking of things I can be grateful for......:)The Sorensens
Well there you go, they grow up too fast, Taegyn is now offically walking everywhere he goes, he may crawl a few paces but then he will stand up and start walking, where the heck does the time go.....
So Tae had his fist official trick or treating experience, he was a tiger and got more candy than he'll ever eat...He is almost walking...so close and we have a blast with him! He now says HI really loud and lots of times over and over, and is doing more signs....we love the guy...
So our big boy is starting to walk, it is so cute, he takes like 4 or 5 steps on his own and then falls down and is sooo excited to try again, he will be walking on his own in no time. He is also acting more and more independant, wanting to feed himself and do things himself, no help from mommy. His laugh is my favorite sound these days. Another great thing just in case for those of you who don't know, we have another addition to the family on the way due April 16th! I think it is a girl, now I will have another baby to write about. So Taegyn got in his first fight today...ok well it was not really a fight, but he tried to take away a game boy from another little boy who is about 17 months and the boy bite his head, he had little teeth marks and everything....so sad, he didn't understand why that happened because he had never had that happen before. He ended up being just fine and the two of them went on playing together again and it was neat to watch him learn how to share and learn how to play nice. :) I love him so much, he brings so much joy in my life! My mom took him for two days and was able to confirm that he likes to climb and get into everything right now. The best has to be my dear husband...I was gone in the field working and Shad had him by himself for 2 days and when I got back Shad was ready to finish the house, he went on about how it is not baby proof and Taegyn gets into everything....pretty much everything I had been telling him the last 4 months, that is one of those times I am glad I leave and Shad has to be full-time daddy, then he REALLY understands instead of me just saying it. :)
