CHAFFIN'S

My Favorite Thing.....

2012-01-31T12:48:00.000-08:00

Brooklynn was making a funny face so I told Robbie to match her face....but then Brooklynn changed her face....

She will always be safe in her daddy's hands....

Such a proud daddy

Their morning reading/music time.

So I sure hope Robbie doesn't get mad at me for posting this....but the one thing I have loved the most, by far, is how much he loves Brooklynn! Even before she was born he was looking up dollhouses and talking about how she's not going to date until she is like 50, etc. He initially wanted a son so that he could coach the sports teams and rough house with him and when he found out we were having a girl he was wrapped right around her finger.

Right after she was delivered he was right by her side just admiring her and watching everything they were doing to get her cleaned up. From the minute she arrived in this world he has made sure he has taken care of her and done what needs to be done.

He is sooo cute with her. He asks me to text him pics of her throughout the day so that he can just see her. He has introduced her to different types of music (she won't learn this from me....I barely know any bands), he reads to her, he takes time every day just to enjoy her. I know that she just loves her daddy because he can get her to smile pretty much on cue and as soon as I try she won't do it. She'll do anything for him and vice versa.

Having a child has made me realize how much I really love Robbie. I know I loved him before but just seeing him hold Brooklynn when she's crying and trying to make her feel better just melts my heart. He is just such an amazing guy and I'm so thankful he is in my life and that we will be together forever!!

Brooklynn is Home!!

2012-01-21T16:41:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have so much to post about but no time to do it in!!! I tried downloading some pics from my phone to my computer so I could put them on the blog and just getting like 10 pics downloaded took forever and then I wanted to sleep...so I did. So I will continue to work on the pics but on the meantime I will update our last few days....

I went to the hospital on Monday to see Brooklynn with my mom and the nurse told us they would like us to "room-in" (where you stay at the hospital in a room...kinda like a hotel room...and the baby is still hooked up to everything but we can't see the numbers and then we just actually get to act like parents and change her diapers, feed her, wake up when she wakes up etc) and then if we felt comfortable and she passes the car seat test then we would get to take her home.

So we stayed the night and it seemed like she woke up a lot...more than we were used to because we had never had to get up for a child before. So I think we ended up getting like 1 hour of sleep. At 9 am the nurse came in and took Brooklynn to do her car seat test...which she failed within the first 10 minutes of, and so they tried her in another one that was meant for preemies and she passed it. So they brought her into us and said ok she's ready to go home...unhook her and change her and we'll take everything outside. I had thought they would unhook everything and maybe get her cleaned up before we left because she still had the stickers on her face from the oxygen...but they left that to us...oh well...at least we finally got to take our baby girl home!!!!!!!!

The first night she was home was CRAZY!!!! She slept probably no more than 45 minutes the whole night. I think it was a mixture of her trying to get used to a new place, actually being around her parents, nursing every feeding instead of bottle feeding, etc. By the morning I was so exhausted! I don't think I had ever been that tired before in my life. She would eat and I'd lay her down and then she'd just sleep for a minute or so and then wake up and cry. It was so hard for me because I have never been a mom before and I didn't know what to do for her to make her sleep. By 7 am she still wasn't sleeping so I just sat in bed and held her and just cried. I didn't know what to do, I was so frustrated, tired and emotional! I didn't realize that my emotions would be kicked up a notch once she came home but they sure were. I had to text my mom to see what advice she could give me. I sat and talked to Robbie and I just felt like an awful mom because I didn't know what to do.

She's now been with us since Tuesday and we're still trying to figure things out and get frustrated but I just love to be able to kiss her all day long if I want to or if I want to hold her without wires attached to her I can!!! I get to just sit and stare at her continually amazed that I really am a mom...this is what I have been dreaming of for years and it's finally happening! It's not exactly what i thought but it's pretty close. It's amazing to think that I am now responsible for this little child...Robbie and I are the ones that will make decisions that effect her life....so we better make good ones!

I will post pics soon!!!! She is now 5 lbs 6 ozs and growing like a week. I put a newborn outfit on her and it drowned her! But she will fit into it soon I'm sure. She still has thick, reddish brown hair, gorgeous dark blue eyes and is just so freaking darn cute!!!!! I can't wait for you all to meet her!!!

Pictures

2012-01-08T20:03:00.000-08:00

Here are a bunch of pictures of Brooklynn!!! They aren't in really any particular order but just a bunch I have taken over the last week and a half. I love the one with Robbie and Brooklynn. It is so sweet to see those 2 together.

Brooklynn is now 4 lbs 10 oz and quickly growing. She is now doing "ad lib feeding" where she wakes herself up when she's hungry and she lets the nurse know that she's hungry. Robbie and I have yet to really hear her use her lungs but I guess soon enough we will. The nurses just keep telling us that Brooklynn is running the show and everything revolves around her!! We are just so grateful she is in our lives and we don't know what we would do without her!!

She should be completely off oxygen tomorrow and as long as she can go a day without and "periodic breathing" (where she "forgets" to breath for like 10 seconds) then she can come home!!!!!!!! We are so excited!!! The nurse practioners all tell us that she eats like a champ and she's keeping her temperature up so we just are trying to get her off oxygen. I am so amazed at how quickly she is improving. Tonight my mom and I went and spent a few hours with her and she was awake for a full 2 hours!!!!!!!! By the time we were getting ready to leave she was so tired but she was fighting it so bad and I think it was because she knew that I would be leaving and wouldn't be back until the next day. It was hard to leave but knowing that hopefully by the end of this week she will be ALL MINE!!!! I just can't wait to cuddle with her and spend so much time with her. It's amazing how quickly our lives have changed and what a miracle she is to our family. I'm pretty sure it was a miracle that we got pregnant and then to have her born a month early and doing as well as she is...she's just a pure miracle! I love her so much and can't wait to see her grow up and reach her potential.

NICU

2012-01-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

So Brooklynn has been in the NICU for a week and has made some amazing progress!!! The Nurse Practitioners that are watching over her have mentioned how amazed they are at her progress. She has had a feeding tube in her, IV for an antibiotic, IV for lipids to give her the nutrients that she needed. She had lost an ounce but she is now almost up to 4 lbs 5 oz!!!!

She has been eating so good the last few days. I am so proud of her!! It has been so hard to split my time in seeing her and resting! I believe that I was blessed to not have a hard delivery so I can focus my time on her and trying to rest so that when she comes home I can focus my whole attention to her! The nurses that have watched over her have been amazing and most of them have treated her like they were their own which makes it so much easier to leave her in their hands.

I have had a few emotional breakdowns. I just want to be able to hold my baby girl when I want to hold her and for as long as I want to. I know it will come in time and I just need to be patient but it's so hard some days! Robbie and I have tried so hard having a positive attitude which I think has helped a lot. We are planning on her coming home around her due date and not sooner so then if she does get released sooner then it will be a great celebration!!!

I just have to say that I am SO GRATEFUL for all of you that have expressed love, prayers and help in anyway that you can. I have felt the strength from those prayers. I know I couldn't do this on my own and days I plead to my Heavenly Father to give me the strength to get through this. I have found so many people that I wasn't aware of that either were in the NICU when they were little or had their own children in the NICU and they have been able to give us the strength that we need. I know that in 2 months it will seem like a distant memory but right now it feels like the 23rd will never get here. I just hope that I can be a mother to Brooklynn that she needs me to be. She already has shown me what a fighter she is and what an amazing spirit she has. She isn't going to give up so why should I give up on her? She is my little angel and she has daddy wrapped right around her fingers!!!

I will try to keep you all updated on what's going on and will add pictures soon. I think I have used all my energy to get caught up to this point. Thank you again for all your prayers and encouragement. We really appreciate them.

First Night

2012-01-04T20:22:00.000-08:00

So after Brooklynn was born she was taken to be washed up and I got switched to another room. (I just have to say what GGGREEEAATTT nurses we had at Timp Hospital...every single one we came in contact with were amazing). They had mentioned Brooklynn was having a hard time keeping her temperature up so they were trying to keep an eye on that. They said if she couldn't keep her temperature up then she would probably have to go to the NICU! We had kind of been briefed on that before she was born by my doctor so we were a little more prepared.

The next morning I was informed she wasn't able to keep her temp up so she would be going to the NICU. She wasn't urinating like she should be, her red blood cell counts were up, she may have possibly have an infection from the Strep B. I think I was still a little naive thinking that she could be in the NICU for no more than a week and then be able to go home....boy was I wrong!!!!

We talked to the specialist that worked there and he told us to plan on being able to take her home on her due date which is January 23rd....that was almost a month!!! ONE MONTH!!! Here I was so anxious to take my little girl home to just love her so much and to show her off to everyone and I wasn't able to do that. We were told by my doctor that if he had waited another week to induce me she probably wouldn't had made it....he saved my daughters life! How grateful I am to him...he was such an amazing doctor in everything he did for us.

Our lives have changed!!!!!!!

2012-01-04T20:16:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in forever it seems like!!!!! I have found that my time now is torn between going to the hospital to see our beautiful little girl, sleeping, pumping and trying to get our house ready to bring Brooklynn home. I am hoping to get you all caught up on what happened....bear with me if it takes awhile!!! This is the first time I have been on the computer for awhile (I have just been accessing facebook through my phone).

So we went into the hospital on Tuesday, December 27th at 6:30 a.m. We were suppose to be there Monday night but they had called us and told us that there was no room in the hospital (now I just think...."there was no room in the inn....lol) so we had to wait. We had gone in Monday for an amniotic fluid intake test and the fluid was down to 6.99 and our doctor had told us if it had got below 7 he wanted us induced sooner than Tuesday night.

So Tuesday morning they started me on Prepigel which softens the cervix because I was only dilated to a 1. I had to take 3 rounds of that and still didn't dilate at all!!! It was a long 18 hours...Robbie was getting anxious. So at 5 am Wednesday morning they started me on a Pitocin drip that was suppose to start contractions. I started feeling small ones but not anything really big. By like 7 am I still hadn't really progressed so the dr came in at 8:30 am and broke my water. After that I started feeling harder contractions which were painful but I thought that I was being a wimp so I had waited until like 10 to let them know I wanted an epidural which took like another hour to get cuz they had to check some lab tests to make sure it was ok to get on.

9:30-10:30 probably was the worst hour because the contractions were off the chart. I have a high tolerance to pain so the nurse was surprised I was doing so well. Once I got that epidural I was GREAT!!!!! I couldn't feel anything!!!

At 1:00 we had a scare where Brooklynn's heart dropped and they prepped me for an emergency c section just in case. The dr came in and checked me and said that I had progressed really quickly (within like a half an hour) and so he wanted me to try pushing.....4 pushes and Brooklynn had arrived!!!!! 2:31 pm Brooklynn MacKay Chaffin was born. 4 lbs 2 oz and 17.5 inches long. She had a full head of hair!!!!!!!!

Arrival Date

2011-12-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

We went to 2 different doctor appointments yesterday...man I have never been to the hospital/doctors so much in my life (for myself....since I work at a doctors office)!! I feel like I know all the nurses at Timp and of course I know everyone at my drs office.

We first had an ultrasound done to measure Brooklynn's organs and to make sure everything looked good and then Dr. Jacobsen, a maternal fetal medicine doctor, came in and talked to us about what she saw. She said that I have mild pre eclampsia and that Brooklynn was showing some stress from it but not a dire amount. Brooklynn is starting to push more blood to her heart and brain then the rest of her body so she is about 2 weeks behind in growth. The dr said that babies whos mom's have pre ecclampsia seem to be stronger because of the stress they have had to endure. They estimate that she is about 4 lbs 11 oz give or take 11 oz but the doctor said that she's "not a small child and is taking up a lot of room in there" so I think she may just be really skinny and tall. Dr. Jacobsen answered all of our questions and said that she would recommend her being born before 37 weeks but Dr. Hoggard, our OB, would make the final call. She moved my due date up to January 19th instead of the 23rd, which I am still confused about but then that makes me at 36 weeks this week instead of 35.

So after this appointment we went straight to see Dr. Hoggard. I just love him and the staff he has working for him!!! I had previously told Robbie that if we have to be induced I didn't want to ruin Dr. Hoggard's christmas and he just started laughing....I just have always hated inconveniencing people but Robbie and Dr. Hoggard confirmed that this is kind of a different situation and I shouldn't worry about it! But I still do! Anyways I guess the protein in my urine has gone up a little from last week and my blood pressure is starting to slowly creep up and so Dr. Hoggard confirmed that she should be born sooner rather than later so he turned to us and said that we could be induced Friday (tomorrow) or Tuesday the 27th.....wow I was in shock...even though I knew it was coming it still doesn't seem real. So I will go in tomorrow for another non stress test and if everything is still looking ok then we will go in Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. to be induced!!!

I am a little scared, nervous, excited, etc...I don't know what to expect and so that's hard but I trust the doctors and the thing that keeps coming back to me is 2 blessings I have received from 2 different people that said to listen to what the doctors say. I worry that Brooklynn will have to be in the hospital a little longer but she will be well taken care of which I have no doubt!!!

So next week I will be a mom and it still just doesn't seem real to me!!!!!!!! What a blessing and a scary time! Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. We have definitely seen many blessings in our lives and the support from family and friends.

So I guess the next post will be pics of our cute little girl!!!! Oh and by the way....she has hair! The doctor showed us it in the ultrasound which I thought was crazy but so cool cuz I had thought she was going to come out bald!!

Quick Update

2011-12-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

All I have to say is if I didn't have my phone I would feel so disconnected from the world!!! There was a day that it was about to die and I couldn't get the charger to work and I think my blood pressure was raising just because of that!!

We went in for a non stress test yesterday which showed Brooklynn moving around, doing great but my blood pressure is continuing to creep up. I took it just a minute ago and it was 123/82 with me just laying down doing nothing so I have a feeling she'll be here before we know it!!

We have an appointment with the Maternal/Fetal Medicine doctor tomorrow to see if it is going to be more beneficial to me and Brooklynn for her to be born sooner rather than later and then right after that appt we have one with our OB so we can figure out what needs to be done. I was hoping to not have a baby so close to Christmas but it looks like it may be happening! But all I care about is having a healthy baby with no complications to me and her. I'll keep you posted on what the doc says....and I guess an estimation of when our little "cupcake" will be here!!

P.S. On a funny note....I guess I should just document it in case Robbie or I forget this...which I doubt we will. Yesterday while we were at the hospital the nurse asked if I wanted anything like a snack, pop, sandwich, etc (She did ask about a sandwich). So I was freaking STARVING so I told her a snack, sandwich and juice sounded great. So Robbie just keeps teasing me that she didn't ask me if I wanted a sandwich and he's wondering how a sandwich is constituted as a snack....but I SWEAR she said sandwich and let me tell you...it was one of the best sandwiches I ever tasted!! (I'm sure it will be added to our bill but I was so starving!!!)

Bed Rest

2011-12-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

I have a few minutes that I can sit up so I figured I'd update you guys on what's been going on before Robbie gets mad at me for being out of bed for too long....

Tuesday we went in for our 34 week appt and they checked my blood pressure and it was 136/96 which is high for me. I haven't had any problems before with it so they checked it like 3 different times and it was still high and so next thing we knew we were being whisked to the hospital for an ultrasound, a non stress test and blood work to see if I had toxemia. So we had the ultrasound and I asked Robbie if she could tell if Brooklynn had any hair (cuz you know that was the top of my list to know...) but he said the tech was going so fast to check the amniotic fluid to make sure everything was ok and so he didn't really get a chance to even see her. Then we went to labor and delivery and they hooked me up to heart monitors to listen to Brooklynn and did blood work and everything came back normal. I had to do a 24 hr urine test and they came back midly elevated.

I didn't go to work Tuesday but went back Wednesday and started working and then had my blood pressure checked and it was 144/96 so one of the medical assistants, and a good friend of mine, demanded that I go lay down for an hour and check it again. She wouldn't let me get up at all and they checked it in an hr and it was still high so we called the dr and he told me to go home and be on bed rest and watch it and see him on Friday so I went to my parents and borrowed their blood pressure machine so I could monitor it. Later that night I checked it and it had got up to 149/102 so we called the dr and he told us to go to labor and delivery to have another non stress test and I ended up getting steroid injections to help Brooklynn's lungs develop in case she has to be delivered early. And we had to go back the following night for repeat blood work and another shot.

We had an appt today and my blood pressure was fine when I woke up but when I had it checked at the office it was elevated again so he has put me on bed rest until Brooklynn comes and I have to go back in for another non stress test either Sunday or Monday and if my numbers start to creep up even when I'm resting the dr said there's 100% chance we will have a baby by the end of this year. So I am trying my very hardest to just lay in bed and read, watch movies and eventually will start cross stitching again. I want Brooklynn to stay in as long as she can so I am being watched very carefully by Robbie and people at work.

In all of this I have realized how blessed we are. We weren't able to get ahold of the bishop in our new ward to help with a blessing but because the hospital is so close to our old ward we were able to call our home teacher and he came without hesitation. We have made some really close friends in that area so that will help if we need anything while we're down in Orem! We have great family that has been checking up on us and helping however they can! I am just amazed at the outpouring of love! People at my work have been checking on me constantly. I just feel so loved!!! Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes and I will try to update the blog as much as possible....I guess I better go lay down now......

Latest Project

2011-12-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

The picture of the whole cross stitch

How far I've got so far

When I was in IL I came across this cross stitching pattern for an amazing deal!!!! Robbie had told me he wanted me to cross stitch a picture of Christ for him and so I couldn't pass up on this. I got it in March but I didn't start working on it until September (procrastination on my part) and since then I have been working on it pretty much every spare change I get. I should've documented how many hours it's been but I haven't. I think it's turned out pretty cool! Robbie gives me 10 years to finish it but I'm hoping to have it done before then!! I feel like if I'm not working on it I'm losing time but then there are other days that I just can't focus on the pattern and stuff! I'll put pics up as it progresses!

We Moved!!!

2011-12-09T17:08:00.000-08:00

Well on November 28th (Robbie's birthday) we got almost everything moved out of our house in Orem! It was our last night there. We had about 20 people from the ward there to help us pack the truck up which was a lifesaver. I wasn't able to lift anything (Robbie's orders) so the guys lifted everything and the women helped finish the kitchen up. We were done with loading everything up within an hour!! I kept asking Robbie, "did everyone show up because they were anxious for us to be gone or did they show up because they loved us??" I know the answer to it but I just had to give him/us a hard time!!! We loved/cherished the time we were in that neighborhood and am grateful for all the friendships we have made! We were there for almost 3 yrs! I have to admit...as I was driving away I started crying. I didn't know what exactly our next adventure would be like...what would it be like with Robbie's grandparents?....would we get into our own routine?....would it be harder to drive a little longer to work?... How would the new ward be?......The unknowns are always hard....I HATE change and this was a HUGGGEEEE change!

Here we are 2 weeks later and I am so grateful that Robbie's grandparents have opened their home to us. We have our own entrance, we come and go as we please, we have our own bathroom, we get to spend time with his grandparents or if we want to be left alone we just go downstairs. The travel to work hasn't been too bad. I'm not a morning person at all (I have gotten a little better) and so instead of waking up at 7:15 we have to leave by 7:15 I thought that would be really hard but I've adjusted well (maybe that's why I'm so exhausted though by the end of the night lol)!! I now drop Robbie off at work and then pick him up when I'm done so he ends up getting more hours. I've enjoyed the time I get to spend with Robbie in the mornings and evenings to and from work.

I know there's still A LOT more change coming but this transition has gone pretty smooth. I just can't believe that Brooklynn will be here in a month in a half (maybe sooner). My pregnancy has gone by so fast (so many people have told me that) and I am so glad and saddened at the same time! I enjoy the times that she has hiccups and I can feel her kicking me and I know that will be gone soon. But pretty soon I will get to hold my little girl in my arms and just take it all in. I will then be called a mother....which I have wanted for 30 years! We were able to get all of her stuff set up so it seems a little more real that she is actually coming...I think I'm still in shock/denial that I really will have a child of my own....but I am excited beyond words!!!

We are so grateful for all of our friends and family that have got us to where we are!! We have been blessed to have some amazing people in our lives!!!!

30 Weeks and our Newest Adventures!!

2011-11-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

So I don't want every single blog to be about the pregnancy so I haven't really blogged because it seems like nothing else really is going on. So I'll update about my pregnancy and then I'll share our newest adventures.....

I have had a few gall bladder attacks in the last month that aren't really fun and I just have to suffer through until after Brooklynn is born which I am willing to do.

I get restless legs a lot (but my friend gave me an awesome trick....get anything lavender flavor--I have lavender lotion--and I rub it on my legs and within 10 minutes my legs calm down

I feel her moving all the time!! Robbie makes sure he feels her kick every night before we go to bed which I think is the cutest thing ever!! I love how he's soooo excited to be a dad and to start bonding with her even before she is born.

I had my drs appt today and I'm measuring right on track at 30 1/2 weeks.

We still have so much to do to get ready for her but we're so excited that she'll be here before we know it!!!!

So on to our latest adventures! We are moving in with Robbie's grandparents in Kearns for a few months to save up for a house. It will be nice because we will have the basement to ourselves and they're so excited to have Brooklynn so close to be able to spend time with her. So I've been busy packing and Robbie's been awesome about taking things to storage.

I'm sad to leave our ward that we're in and all the friends that we have made. This seriously is the best ward we have ever been in and if we can buy a house in this area when we're ready we will. It's crazy how much a "church family" can make a difference but it does! We're excited for all the new things coming up in the next few months and am just so thankful for the amazing people I have in my life!!!

Yellowstone Getaway!

2011-10-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

Katy taking pictures of the wolves....her favorite thing

Robbie, Katy and Josh

gigantic bear

Katy and me (she's one of my favorite people)

The newlyweds!!

Robbie having fun

Some brotherly love!! Josh and Robbie having fun at the store

Waiting for Old Faithful to go off

Robbie and I decided that we wanted to take a trip before Brooklynn came in January and we wanted to go somewhere that we didn't always go and we had to stop in Rexburg to drop Katy and Josh's wedding presents so we figured yellowstone would be a great one!!! So we left last Thursday right after work and stayed the night at Katy and Josh's apartment. We got lucky and got to sleep in there bed instead of the floor because I'm pregnant....oh the perks!! And as Robbie said he benefited from that as well!! It was fun to hang out with them.

Then Friday around 1 Robbie and I drove up to West Yellowstone. We stayed in the Gray Wolf Inn which is right across the street from the Discovery Center that had bears and wolves that you could watch eat and interact in the packs and stuff. It was pretty cool We were about 1/2 mile away from the entrance to Yellowstone.

Saturday Katy and Josh drove up and stayed with us until Sunday afternoon and we had so much fun!!! We hung out in the room and watched some of the world series, we went to the discovery center, saw Old Faithful go off, saw some wildlife. It was such good times to have them there!!!!

We drove home Monday and just relaxed the rest of the day. It was fun to get away and it's nice that we have so many beautiful places so close to us. The drive up there and back was so pretty. We will definitely go back probably next year. We loved the time of the year we went because it wasn't crowded and we could just do things at our own pace!!!

Baby Chaffin is a................

2011-09-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

Here's a good profile pic of our baby. I know it's not the clearest pic but I took a pic with my phone of the dvd they gave us because they didn't print out a profile pic for us. I love this picture!!! People have told me that they already think the baby has my nose so we'll see.

Here's me at 22 weeks. I still really don't feel like I'm showing. I guess it just mostly depends on what I am wearing. But no stranger has come up to me and asked me when I was due. I'm sure I should be grateful that I'm not gigantic but oh well. I haven't really had anything significant happen in the pregnancy. When people ask me how I feel I always say good and they give me a weird look like I'm lying. I started feeling the baby at 17 1/2 weeks and then more on a regular basis at like 18 or 19 weeks. Now I feel the baby all the time and if I lay down you can see the baby kicking from the outside. It's the coolest thing in the world!!!! If you think about it it is kind of weird thinking there's a little human growing inside of me but it's amazing at the same time. We went to the drs the other day and he said everything is looking good. I did get an outbreak of shingles which at least it isn't as bad as it could be. I'm just so excited to meet this little one.

Oh and by the way for those who don't know.......it's a girl!!!!! Her name will be Brooklynn Michelle Chaffin!!!! We have liked that name for a long time and so it made it very easy! Now let's hope when she comes out she really looks like a Brooklynn.

18 Weeks

2011-08-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

So I'm starting to kind of look pregnant. I was wearing a shirt yesterday and noticed people were looking at me funny at the store and I had to turn to Robbie and ask him if I had something on my shirt or do I look funny or what? His response was, "You're pregnant and people can tell in that shirt." Kinda made me feel good cuz now hopefully people won't just think I'm fat. I still haven't had anyone come out and ask me if I'm pregnant but I'm sure it will be coming!! I am really officially 19 1/2 weeks now....almost halfway there!! We have our anatomy u/s in 2 weeks to make sure the baby is growing and is healthy and yes.....to find out what we're having!! I'm kinda sad cuz this may be the last u/s we have before the baby comes so I guess I should enjoy it while it's here! I started feeling the baby move at 17 1/2 weeks and it just gets to be more and more frequent. I can't wait until Robbie can actually feel it. He will ask me everyday if the baby has moved. I think it's cute. I have been very lucky to not have been really sick. I was nauseated early on but that has passed and now I'm not really having any symptoms. I have wanted more healthy foods such as tomatoes, cucumbers, etc which has been nice. I haven't really wanted to eat chocolate which is BIG for me! Robbie tells me that it will continue after the baby is born but we'll see. I did have an incident last weekend where my right leg started to swell but it was because I didn't have a lot of sleep and I was on my feet for a long time and it was hot so after I got off my feet it calmed down thank goodness. I think it still doesn't feel real to me that we're actually going to be having a baby soon. I think right now I'm just on cloud 9 and haven't really thought about the sleepless nights I'll have and how it's going to change our lives but maybe that's a good thing!! I think I can just honestly say that I love being pregnant!!!!

Katy and Josh's Wedding

2011-08-21T14:05:00.000-07:00

Robbie's best friend, Rob, being part of the "museum" or whatever you want to call it. When I first saw him standing there I had to take a second look cuz I didn't realize it was him!! It was pretty funny (maybe it's cuz I was only running on 3 hours of sleep)

Katy and Josh's cake. I thought it turned out cute!!

The bride and groom sitting down waiting for the luncheon to start. They were both parched, tired and I think just anxious for everything to be over (even though they still have 2 more open houses to do)

Talking about how to cut the cake

and where to cut the cake

Katy, Robbie's little sister, got married to Josh yesterday at the Salt Lake Temple! It was such a gorgeous day (would have been nicer if it was like 15 degrees cooler). The ceremony was wonderful and the luncheon was great. I love Katy like my own sister and am so glad she's part of my life. We usually talk on a daily basis. I love Josh and they just make such a cute couple. I'm so happy for them and hope they thought the day was perfect. I didn't take my camera out because I just didn't think about it so these are the only pics that I took of the whole day. It was fun to see family that I haven't seen in a while and some that the only time I had met was at mine and Robbie's wedding.

Here's to an eternity of happiness for Katy and Josh Montross!! I'm glad that they only live 4 hours away (would be nicer if it was closer) so that we can see each other pretty often!!!!

Bear Lake Trip!!! Beware TONS of pictures!!

2011-07-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

Cierra

Jayden, Cierra and Kylie doing what they know best....sleeping

Look there's a ghost in the cabin.....

My cousin Jayden and nephew, Cooper in a life jacket together

Ella and Oliver having fun on a floaty

Ella relaxing

Isn't she the cutest girl ever????

Jayden, Cierra and Kylie hanging out on the boat

Cooper, Aleksia and Heather on the boat

My mom

Ella and me hanging out on the boat

Beautiful Bear Lake

Cierra Wakeboarding

Jayden attempting wakeboarding

Aleksia

Kylie attempting the wakeboard

Cierra

sleeping again.....

Me and Cierra...she's about to do my hair

My hair when it was all done

Kylie hiding from the camera

My mom

Playing phase ten on the floor and girls asleep on the couch

I braided Jen's hair!!

Catch phrase

Ella was exhausted and zonked out on the couch

Spoons!!!!

Ella and Oliver playing on Ski Bob

Cooper driving the boat

Oliver enjoying the ride

Aleksia driving the boat with my brother AJ

High School Musical pose!!

another pose

Oliver driving the boat

Jen driving the boat while Ella was hanging on for dear life

Oliver cuddling with Daniel, Jen's boyfriend

Ella driving the boat

Kylie and Cierra on the tube

Every year my family goes to bear lake and so here's all the pics from that trip! I need to get some that my mom took cuz I think there will be some cute ones! We rented a cabin on the east side of the lake and then we had a private beach (well....a few feet of sand, but not much), boat dock. It was fun to be together as a family. My twin brother, Jeff, and his family weren't able to come and either was my oldest sister Heidi, they were missed!!

What I've been up too.....

2011-07-16T18:52:00.000-07:00

2 of my good friends got married in the Timpanogas temple yesterday and I was so happy to be able to attend!!! It was great just seeing them walk into the sealing room looking so happy. I guess I should take full responsibility because I set them up but I really don't think I was responsible....they're so cute together and I'm just glad it worked out and that their day was so gorgeous. So I made their cake for them and it was a purple velvet (as purple as I could get it) cake with cream cheese frosting covered in fondant. The fondant turned really dry but I think it turned out cute. Robbie is so gracious and helps me so much in putting the cakes together and adding the final touches....as much as I think he doesn't like to.

I know this isn't the best pic but my camera is about to die. Keisha looked AMAZING in her dress!!! She completely has the best figure and it just accentuated that so much. I just loved how happy they were the whole day (or every time I saw them). Their reception was gorgeous and they had DELICIOUS food there. I could've eaten that all night long!!

Here's a better picture of the couple and Keisha's dress. She was getting him to go somewhere but I'm not sure where.

I am not sure why the picture turned so blueish so I'm sorry but this was the 2 cakes before we stacked them. It was a white cake with strawberry filling. I have never done a cake like this before and if you were to ask me today I would never do one like it again. Robbie told me he would never cover a 14 inch cake in fondant again (yes he helped me with every layer).

This was the final result. I thought it turned out gorgeous and one of if not the best cake I have ever made even though it made me have a meltdown because the fondant WAS NOT cooperating at all!!! We just barely made it to the reception in time to set it up and I had been working on it since 9 in the morning. So needless to say I am glad that I am done with wedding cakes for a month!!!! I'm almost tempted to just be done with wedding cakes until the baby comes....but I guess we'll see.

Robbie placed the temple on top and every flower and the middle topper.

Close up of the detail. It took a long time to do it but I really think it turned out gorgeous!!!

Pregnancy Update

2011-07-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

So tomorrow I will be at 11 weeks which I'm so excited for!!!! I've never made it this far before and it's awesome. Sometimes I have to remind myself that there's actually a little baby growing inside of me and other times that's all I think about. The baby is about 1 1/2 inches long now and it's the size of a fig and they're pretty much all formed! :) I have another OB appointment in 2 weeks which we will get to hear the heartbeat and I'm so excited!! I have lost like 10 pounds from being nauseated and no appetite but I think the nausea is starting to calm down now so I feel pretty good! I have to wear compression socks because I have really bad varicose veins but then I can use that to my advantage to get them taken care of after the baby is born!!!! Our estimated due date is January 23rd which my niece is hoping we have the baby on the 25th cuz that's her birthday!!

I think that it's going to be a girl but Robbie thinks it's going to be a boy! There is this thing that if you look at your left eye underneath the eyeball there is a vein that will either look like a V or a U and by about 12 weeks it's pretty accurate and if it's a V it's a boy and if it's a U it's a girl and mine is going towards the U shape....but I guess we'll see. It's cute to just see how Robbie reacts to different things and just how he's handled everything!! We're just so excited to be parents and don't think January can come soon enough!!!

Guess what I'm excited for??????

2011-07-01T19:59:00.000-07:00

BEAR LAKE!!!!!! We go in like 19 days and I'm so freaking excited. It's the one family trip we take that all my siblings go to and there's not really any worries and we can just go and relax! I can't believe it's coming up so soon and just can't wait to spend time with my family...but mostly my awesome cute nieces and nephews!! I'll take lots of pics (just not me in a swim suit) to show how fun it is.

All I have to say is WOW!!!!!!!!

2011-06-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

So it finally happened! I am still in shock even though we have known for about a month but still it just doesn't seem real!!! I think I had finally given up that we would ever be parents without adopting and then bam it happened!!!! We are due January 23rd. I know we had an ultrasound early but the doctor wanted to make sure everything was going ok because we had the miscarriage 3 1/2 years ago and then it took 2 1/2 years to get pregnant again. I wasn't going to complain one bit if I could see proof that there was actually a baby in there!!! It was amazing. I have never seen a baby on the screen like that before and just completely fell in love! It's so amazing to realize something that small can grow so big and into someone we will love forever! I have been feeling a little nauseated and headaches have come and gone but nothing that I can't handle. I can't see myself complaining when we have been wanting this for so long so I'll take whatever symptoms I can get and am just still just so shocked!!!!!!!!

Where did 5 years go????

2011-06-08T16:35:00.000-07:00

So I have started this blog like 3 times and get two lines and then either get distracted, tired, or just don't know what to say so I don't finish it. So as I'm sitting here waiting for my visiting teachers to come I will try finish it.

Robbie and I recently celebrated 5 years together! I can't believe that it's been that long but at the same time it just feels like yesterday we were dating!! The most exciting thing we did for our anniversary was go to Red Lobster!! I know that sounds lame but I had just found out they were doing this AMAZING deal for $15 a person and we just couldn't pass up. So after work Robbie picked me up and we headed down there. It must have been a hard day at work or something cuz as we were sitting there eating I could barely keep my eyes open. Robbie just kept saying that I was going to fall asleep. We were going to go to a movie but I really didn't think that I could make it through so we just went home and hung out. (I think I zonked out at 7 pm and didn't wake up until 7 am).

I love being married to my best friend and be able to talk about anything with him. We have really come a long ways from 5 years ago. He's taught me a lot and I hope I have taught him at least a little. We've moved a few times, bought a dog, had a few different jobs, etc. As I look back I wouldn't have wanted to spend my life with anyone else but him!!!!

Keeping Busy

2011-05-24T19:41:00.000-07:00

Cookie Bouquet I did for my mom. The cookies weren't my favorite but my mom seemed to like it. I liked the mug that I found though

Lacrosse Cookies I did. i thought they turned out pretty cute. I didn't like them at first but as I kept going I think they turned out cute. Hopefully the lacrosse team will like them as well!!

More lacrosse cookies

Seems like these past 2 months I had a lot of cake and cookie orders, which I like but sometimes it's just hard to find the time to do it all when I work full time! But if I have a lot of orders that means people like my work so it's spreading by word of mouth!!! Thanks again for all of your orders and input on the stuff that I do!

My Latest Project

2011-05-14T12:11:00.000-07:00

One of my closest friends at work decided that she needed to go to the nursing program at the University of Utah and so she quit at work. :( It was a sad day for me because the is one of the few people that I could actually talk to and not ever wonder if she was judging me or that she was going to go tell someone else everything that I just told her!

I don't make friends very easily and so it was hard for me to say good bye but I know that we will stay in touch and still hang out lots and lots!

So for her goodbye present I found this cute cross stitch pattern that was perfect and made it for her and put it in a frame. I thought it turned out really cute and it didn't take an incredible amount of time...just a month. What do you think of it????

New Toys

2011-05-09T11:15:00.000-07:00

Robbie and I got us some new toys last week and I'm so excited for them!! We bought some new bikes to help us get out and be more active. We've gone on a few bike rides and I love them other than the uncomfortable seat (I'll buy me a new one soon). I'm so excited because Robbie is excited to get out and go ride his bike and I see a lot of fun in our future. I loved riding my bike on my mission and was sad/mad that I didn't just keep that bike so I would have one but oh well. I now have me a purple bike which I love. So if you see us riding our bikes around give us a honk!!!!