99 Things

Okay, I've seen this on a number of blogs and thought it would be fun. The green things are the things I've done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept over night on a train (Stockholm to Copenhagen and back)
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone Deep Sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the changing of the guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

I've learned I have a lot of traveling to do. There are a few things on the list that I don't have any interest in doing. Of course there are the obvious things like breaking a bone or bouncing a check, but I've heard the Salt Lake is not a great swimming place and Russia is very very cold.

2 Months

I can't believe Calder is now two months old. Time is going by so fast. I am having so much fun discovering new things about him. I imagine he's having a bunch of fun discovering new things about himself as well. Here's a few he's working on:

• He coos a lot. I love it. He's so close to laughing. It's like he laughs silently. He jiggles, but no sound comes out. Oh, I love it.
• He has started reaching for things.
• He is working so hard at getting his hands to his mouth. He brings it up so he can see it and then very slowly pulls it in to his mouth, or chin or forehead depending on where the hand ends up. He has also found that if he gets his hand to his chin, he can use his other hand to push it up to his mouth. The greatest thing about this whole thing is that he doesn't like the way his fingers taste. He gets this totally grossed out look on his face.
• He has recently started loving swaddling. We've been doing it since he was born, but it didn't seem to matter until this last week. It totally calms him down when he's upset.
  
• Calder puts himself to bed. Yes, you read that correctly. He has been doing it for quite some time. If I notice his eyes getting heavy or if he yawns a few times I swaddle him and put him in bed. He coos and talks for a little bit and then goes to sleep. It's so great. If I miss the subtle tired cues he gets upset and cries to sleep while I hold and shush him. I really try not to miss the cues because it makes both of us happier.
• During those upset moments when I miss the tired cues he cries a certain way. He makes the 'N' sound a lot. It's very cute.
  
• He has started sleeping 6-8 hours a night consistently. Oh, how blessed I am.
  

Our Elf Dance

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

I'm a Believer

Calder received a letter from Santa this week. Yes, Santa Claus himself. It came in an envelope with a North Pole postmark and on beautiful stationary. Here's what is said:

Dear Calder,

I know you can't read this yet, but I wanted to send a note letting you know how excited I am to share your first Christmas with you! One day when you're bigger, you'll know just how special and wonderful this time of year is, and all about the magic I bring to good boys and girls.

Since this is your very first Christmas, you get a special spot on my GOOD LIST! When you're older you'll have to be sure to listen to your family, be kind to others, and do your best to be a good person, but for now being a sweet, cuddly baby is just fine! The joy you bring to your family is one of the greatest gifts of all, even better than the toys I bring!

I can't wait to peek in on you when I fly into Hermiston this Christmas. I'll do my best not to wake you up, since a baby sleeping all night is quite a blessing, too! Merry Christmas, Calder, and welcome to the world!

Love,
Santa Claus

Calder's Blessing Day

Jason blessed Calder today at church. It was such a sweet blessing and a special day for us. I'm so thankful for a husband who can perform such special priesthood ordinances. Calder did very well and didn't cry. He looked adorable of course. My mom was in charge of his outfit and she did very well.

As you can see I chose haircut #3. I just got it done so in a few days, after playing with it for a while I should be able to make it look more like the picture. But I like it a lot.


My brother Cody came to visit for the event. He flew in from California where he is working for his off track at BYU-Idaho. I'm so thankful that he was able to come spend a long weekend with us. We had tons of fun!

First Church Visit

Calder went to church for the first time last week. He did a great job and slept the whole time. Of course we took a picture to document the event. He looks like such a little man. He was almost six weeks old.

Calder Rolling Around

Hair

Okay, I'm going to cut my hair. I am not someone who is emotionally attached to their hair and my hair grows fast so I don't feel like I've spent a lot of time growing it out just to cut it. I've had long and short hair over the years and have liked it both ways.

I am tired of wearing my hair in a ponytail every day because that's all I have time for. That being said, I want to know which one you guys like. Please vote on the side for the one you think would be the best.

#1

#2

#3

#4

One Month

Calder is one month old. I can't believe it. It seems like he has been here forever, but at the same time the last month has gone by so fast. Here's a few things I love about Calder.

He really likes to snuggle.
His smile will melt your heart.
He has his daddy's chin.
He loves to look out the window and spend time outside.
He likes having his diaper changed.
He hates to have his neck tickled.
He laughs in his sleep.

Tagged

Rules: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, and 3 facts about yourself. tag 5 people at the end of post by leaving names.

Joys:
1. Traveling. Near or far, I love it.
2. Good weather so I can spend time outside.
3. Christmas time. I can't wait! I love the holiday season.

Fears:
1. Snakes.
2. Something bad happening to those I love.
3. Not being organized.

Goals:
1. Go back to school and get the artsy degree that I was too practical to get the first time around, but really want.
2. Be a better listener and pay better attention to detail.
3. Patience.

Obsessions:
1. Calder James.
2. Baking. I love to bake. In times of stress I bake. I may not be the best cook, although I try, but I am pretty darn good at baking. You should try my chocolate mousse pie, or my Mounds Bars. Yummy!
3. Crafty things. I have a need to do something creative every so often. (Okay, very often).

Facts:
1. I have terrible luck flying. I have spent the night in airports, suffered canceled flights and massive delays. It's gotten to the point where Jason doesn't want to fly with me and we often fly separately. I also refuse to check bags due to the fact that I rarely go the same route planned.
2. I LOVE Sweden. I can't wait to go back and soak up some more Swedish goodness. I love Scandinavian design and would love to spend more time exploring more of Scandinavia. Oh, but Denmark makes great furniture not a great place to visit.
3. I don't like peanut butter. I especially dislike it in sweet things.

Tagging: Lorraine G, Melanie W, Whitney H, Katie (yes sis, you have to start a blog), Celeste C.

Tummy Time

As you can see, Calder enjoys tummy time. He is incredibly strong and can lift his head quite well and look from one side to the other. I love the last picture. He gets pretty tuckered out during tummy time.

Sisters

I love this article. It made me cry. I feel very blessed to have my sisters and know that they would do many of the same things Stephanie's (Nie Nie's) sisters have done.

Two Weeks

Calder is two weeks old today. I can't believe how fast the time has gone. At the same time I can't believe just two weeks ago I was still pregnant. It seems like Calder has been part of our family for such a long time. It has been such a joy to get to know our little guy.

He had a doctor appointment today and is doing very well. He now weights 8lbs 4oz and is 20 inches long. The older he gets the more I think he looks like Jason. Of course, it doesn't bother me at all because I think Jason is pretty cute.

I am loving being a mom. It is the most rewarding thing I think I've ever done. I never would have imagined being able to feel as much love as I do for Calder and Jason. I want to do everything right. I want Calder to be happy and have every dream achieved. I want him to feel safe and protected. I want him to feel like he can always be himself. I want to give him the best possible opportunities. I'm sure these are things every mom wants for their child but I still find it amazing how you can instantly feel all these things. I am so blessed.

My mom came to help us out for 10 days after Calder was born. She was so awesome! We really appreciate all she did for us. She washed our dishes almost seconds after we were done using them, she cleaned the rest of the house, bought groceries and spent a lot of time with Calder. It was so helpful to know she was here just in case I needed her. Thanks Mom!

Calder's First Bath

We gave Calder a bath last night and as you can see from the pictures, he didn't particularly love it. We'll see if he will grow to love it. Once his umbilical cord falls off he may like being submerged in water but he didn't welcome the sponge bath.

Posin'

Here's a few cute poses from Calder yesterday. He loves to sit with his legs tucked under his belly. And of course he loves to put his finger to his chin when he's deep in thought.

The Birth Story

I don't know if anyone is interested in hearing the nitty gritty details of Calder's arrival, but just in case I thought I would include them, plus having them recorded somewhere is a good idea.

On Sunday (Oct. 12) we went to church as usual. I had some serious Braxton-Hicks contractions the night before so Jason and I were up between 2:00 and 5:00, they stopped so we went back to bed and thought nothing of it.

After church we hung out a little bit and I noticed I was having some painless contractions and come to find out there were about 10 minutes apart. I was pretty sure they weren't the real meal deal, but we timed them just in case. So, I would say the contractions started around 1:30 or 2:00 in the afternoon but it wasn't until 6:00 or 7:00 that we were sure they were real and I could definitely tell when they started and stopped. I took Deebo for a very long walk around 5:00 and that seemed to help things move along. After getting back I made some chocolate chip cookies to keep myself busy.

At 9:00pm the contractions were about 7 minutes apart and Jason and I decided we should get Deebo to our friend's house for the evening before things get too serious or too late. Jason drove him there and I took a bath. Somehow the bath made things speed up a lot and the contractions jumped from 7 minutes to 4 minutes apart. They were becoming uncomfortable and I was getting a little anxious for Jason to get home. Once he got home I hung out in the bath a little longer. In fact I didn't really want to get out of the bath and Jason was joking that he couldn't get the tub down three flights of stairs and into the car, so I had to get out. After getting out I got a bit more uncomfortable.

We hung out a little longer, I threw up at some point and we decided it was time to call the doctor. She said we could come in, but she would like the contractions to be 4 minutes apart for about 2 hours before we get to the hospital. So, we waited a little longer. Finally we decided to head out to the hospital. It was a little early but we figured we should go. Jason got some last minute stuff packed up and off we went.

After getting checked in around 11:00 pm we went to triage. I was already 9cm dilated. They were a bit shocked that I was pretty much ready to go. Unfortunately I was Group B Strep positive and needed two rounds of antibiotics before they would deliver. My water was still intact and so they said if it broke on it's own we would deliver, but if not they wouldn't break it until I had enough antibiotics. So, I sat, fully dilated for 5 hours until they would be willing to break my water. This was the hardest part. It was a little late in the game to have any pain meds. I didn't want any but would have welcomed a nap. I kept willing my bag to break even though I knew it was better for my baby if we waited. I was just so tired. I hadn't slept and had a short night the night before. It felt like 4:00am would never come. Thankfully it finally did.

After breaking my extremely thick water we were ready to go. They actually had a hard time breaking the water and didn't think it would have ever broke on it's own. He could have been born in the sack. We took a few practice pushes and were ready to go.

It took five or six contractions worth of pushing to get him out. Pushing was a pleasant switch from just sitting and waiting. It certainly burns and feels tight but I wouldn't say it's painful. It's pretty cool how your body just does a lot of the pushing on it's own. It was such a sweet moment when he came out.

Jason was so sweet the whole time. He took incredibly good care of me and talked me through the harder contractions, which were basically all of them towards the end. He saw things I'm sure he would have preferred not to see but acted as if he didn't even notice. He just held my hand and helped me through it. I'm so thankful for our little family. I couldn't be happier.

Calder Day 2-3

We're home from the hospital and everything is going splendidly. Here's a few pictures from day 2 and 3 of Calder's life. I promise we won't count in days for the next 18 years (although I'm sure his grandparents would be thrilled).

Jason is a fabulous dad. He is very patient, loving and caring. I love to watch him snuggle with Calder and tell him sweet stories. It looks so natural and comfortable for him. I don't know if anything makes you feel more in love with your husband than having a child.

This was us right before leaving the hospital. You can see part of our room. It was great. I really enjoyed our visit to St. Josephs Hospital. It was nice to be able to stay in the same room from labor to recovery. I was in no mood to move when it came time to deliver. I'll post about my labor etc. later.

Here's Calder today. He has discovered his fingers and is always trying to wriggle a hand out so he can suck on them. Of course I can't move fast enough to get a thumb sucking picture, but it did start happening today. He is so cute. I love him to pieces. It feels like he has been part of our family for much longer than 3 days. Jason is an incredible father and I am so excited to start this journey together.

Of course, we haven't forgotten about Deebo. He stayed with friends while we were at the hospital. He was very spoiled. They even let him sleep on their bed. Jason went and picked him up after we got home. Of course Deebo was very excited and curious about his new family member. Every time Calder made a peep Deebo was on high alert last night. I think Jason and I slept better than Deebo did.

Today, he is not as tense. He will still come running if Calder really belts it out but if Calder sighs, Deebo does't care anymore. It's probably a good thing. Deebo is dog tired today. He has not moved in hours. I think the adjustment will be pleasant but exhausting for Deebo.

Baby Shower

I have the greatest friends! A few weeks ago they had a fabulous party for me. I am so appreciative of all the time and effort that went into it. I feel so very thankful. Here's some fabulous pictures taken by Danielle.

Sven's Room

Here's what Sven's room looks like. I absolutely love it. We found the dresser on craigslist for a steal of a deal. The owl decal was handmade by Elephannie. The fabric bins are from Target and I made the little tags for them. I also made the cork board on the left wall. The other half of his room is waiting for his crib to be moved from our room. Right now it is where his laundry basket, my nursing cover, nursing pillow and his blankets are stored. I am so ready! I can't wait to meet our little guy.