Announcement. . .

I am so excited! I have been stressing about what to do for Sasha's announcement. I searched online and couldn't find any that I really liked. Then I was playing around with Picasa- if you have never heard of this, it is a free downloadable program from Google that organizes all your photos, lets you crop and edit them and all sorts of stuff. I recommend you check it out, as it also lets you upload photos and posts strait to your blog! So anyway, there is a feature that lets you create a collage and add text. So I played around and this is what I got!

 

Turned out totally perfect in my mind! And printing the announcement will be really cheap because it's just like printing a photo! It has been such a good day!

MeRRy CHRiSTMaS!!!

Well, I didn't get the Christmas cards out this year, but thank you to all of you that sent us one! I hope you all have a fun, safe, love-filled holiday tomorrow! Enjoy your friends and family and don't forget to tell them how much you love them. You may think they know, but it's still nice to hear it.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Newborn Pics/Plug for Marissa

Okay, ya'll have to go check out the preview of the newborn pics we had done on Monday. Marissa is such an awesome photographer! If you want some cool pics done she is the gal to call. Sasha did really good and these turned out so cute! I cannot wait to see the rest of them!

http://photosbymarissa.blogspot.com/

Oh, and check out the pics she did of the "Rodeo Queens and Cowboys" they are so cool and such a cute family.

2 Weeks!

I can't believe that I have officially been a mom for two whole weeks! Time is flying by and she is growing so fast! Anytime someone sees her for the first time they say how little Sasha is, but I think she is huge! She is getting so big to me, but I guess that's cause I look at her for hours on end every day.

We had her 2 week check up today and everything looks good. She lost 4 oz. or so the first week, but she is back up to 8lbs 7oz. and she has grown 1 1/4 inch! She is just so freakin cute! Here are some recent pics for you. We had her newborns done today and I cannot wait to see how they turn out!

Love this outfit . . . thanks Michelle!

What a chub-a-lub!

I love this, she looks so peaceful

Yet another cute outfit!

Okay, that is all I will bore you with for now, lol!

Okay, my baby really is Hollywood!

My husband has the best clients! One after my own heart is Fiona. This arrived on our doorstep today-

Recognize the signature blue box and white ribbon? Yeah, it's from Tiffany. How does my one week old daughter already have something from Tiffany and her mother doesn't? NOT FAIR!!! If I had $5,000 to blow on a vacation to anywhere I would go to New York City, stay in a hotel suite overlooking Central Park and if I saw nothing else but the inside of Tiffany & Co. I would go home a very happy woman. I know, it's a stupid obsession, but ever since I first watched Breakfast at Tiffany's with my Grandma I have been in love with Tiffany. You know that part in Sweet Home Alabama where Patrick Dempsey proposes to Reese Witherspoon inside Tiffany after hours? The part where all the lights inside the store come on totally takes my breath away every time. This girl is spoiled beyond belief. It seriously took me two hours to actually be able to open the box. And of course my mother will have to replicate the tied ribbon on top so that the box will look unopened and sit in her room as a keepsake. Yes, I'm keeping the box. There will be an entire page in her scrapbook dedicated to this box. Even the tape that held the bubble wrap closed will be in there (I peeled very carefully). Do all mothers live vicariously through their daughters? I guess I will have to for now when it comes to the Tiffany box. But Josh and I did strike a deal . . . when he gets his motorcycle I get to pick out something from Tiffany. Sounds like a deal to me!

Here's a couple of pics of Sasha opening her precious gift.

It's a handmade earthenware bunny bank, made in Italy. Is that not gorgeous? No coins in this bank, $100 bills only!!!

Oh, and the day gets even better, NO MORE BILI LIGHTS!!! The doc was happy to report that she is back down to an 8.6 so the lights can go away. If that darn suitcase wasn't so expensive I'd probably chuck it out the window of a speeding Front Runner train! But we'll be good and just let the nice people at Apria Home Health Care come and pick it up tomorrow. This poor thing was so tired today. While we waited to get her blood drawn she could barely keep her eyes open. We came home and she slept like a rock for most of the day while we waited for the doc to call. Darn lab took FOREVER doing the test, in fact the doc had to go down and ask for the results cause at 5:45 they still hadn't brought it to him. Whatever. But we have the best doctor, he is the nicest guy and you can just tell that he loves what he does and really cares about his patients. Thanks Dr. Doug!

What a great day! Now mommy and daddy can get some decent sleep!!

This just cracks me up

Sasha right before going under the lights for the first time. Too funny!

What else do you do at 4 am?

This Bili light thing is getting old. Pray that by Monday she is fine and doesn't have to spend another second under those darn lights!!!
So here I am at 4 am, and what else is there to do but post pictures for you all to ooh and aah over. Okay, so mostly I'm just bragging about how stnkin' cute my kid is! The saddest part? My mom has most of the pictures we've taken of her on her camera so you'll just have to wait for the really good ones.

Cuddling with Grandpa Donald

And with Grandma Joni

With cousin Mcartny

With Grandma DeEtte
Dressed and ready for the trip home!
Our first day at home! These little mittens are so huge on her tiny hands! They looked like boxing gloves to me. "And in this corner we have Sasha 'Smoosh your face in' Lakin!!!" She's even got one eye squinted and her hands up like she's ready to fight. I love it!
We like polka dots at our house, can ya tell?

Last week Chris stayed with us from Tuesday through Saturday. It's always good to have my little brother around. He helps Josh out around the house and the yard a ton!!! They spent two days putting up Christmas lights on the outside of the house. It looks so awesome!

Josh also had to get glasses last week. Tell us what you think. . .

Okay, so you figured it out. That's not really Josh and that isn't really our house. But ours does look awesome. And Josh does morph into a slightly calmer version of Clark Griswold this time of year. I'd go out in the freezing cold night and take a picture, but it's now 4:30 am and he has the lights on a timer. Don't want to mess that up. Instead, check out the cute little gingerbread house that Chris and I made!

And finally, to end our night on an inspirational note . . . since it is Sunday morning . . . Josh is giving the lesson in Elder's today and he chose to base it off of President Monson's talk from conference titled "Finding Joy in the Journey." This really is an awesome talk and Josh and I have been discussing it quite a bit this last couple of weeks given all the changes that have gone on in our lives in the last year. It all goes by so quickly! So anyway, if you haven't read it I posted it below. Even if you aren't LDS or church-y at all it really is a good message that applies to everyone, no matter who you are, your religious or other lifestyle preferences, this message applies!

Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family.

My dear brothers and sisters, I am humbled as I stand before you this morning. I ask for your faith and prayers in my behalf as I speak about those things which have been on my mind and which I have felt impressed to share with you.
I begin by mentioning one of the most inevitable aspects of our lives here upon the earth, and that is change. At one time or another we’ve all heard some form of the familiar adage: “Nothing is as constant as change.”
Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly.
This conference marks 45 years since I was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. As the junior member of the Twelve then, I looked up to 14 exceptional men, who were senior to me in the Twelve and the First Presidency. One by one, each of these men has returned home. When President Hinckley passed away eight months ago, I realized that I had become the senior Apostle. The changes over a period of 45 years that were incremental now seem monumental.
This coming week Sister Monson and I will celebrate our 60th wedding anniversary. As I look back to our beginnings, I realize just how much our lives have changed since then. Our beloved parents, who stood beside us as we commenced our journey together, have passed on. Our three children, who filled our lives so completely for many years, are grown and have families of their own. Most of our grandchildren are grown, and we now have four great-grandchildren.
Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now. The lives of all of us, of course, go through similar alterations and changes. The difference between the changes in my life and the changes in yours is only in the details. Time never stands still; it must steadily march on, and with the marching come the changes.
This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not. I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and nonexistent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do. Instead, find joy in the journey—now.
I am what my wife, Frances, calls a “show-a-holic.” I thoroughly enjoy many musicals, and one of my favorites was written by the American composer Meredith Willson and is entitled The Music Man. Professor Harold Hill, one of the principal characters in the show, voices a caution that I share with you. Says he, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”1
My brothers and sisters, there is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today.
I’ve shared with you previously an example of this philosophy. I believe it bears repeating. Many years ago, Arthur Gordon wrote in a national magazine, and I quote:
“When I was around thirteen and my brother ten, Father had promised to take us to the circus. But at lunchtime there was a phone call; some urgent business required his attention downtown. We braced ourselves for disappointment. Then we heard him say [into the phone], ‘No, I won’t be down. It’ll have to wait.’
“When he came back to the table, Mother smiled. ‘The circus keeps coming back, you know,’ [she said.]
“‘I know,’ said Father. ‘But childhood doesn’t.’”2
If you have children who are grown and gone, in all likelihood you have occasionally felt pangs of loss and the recognition that you didn’t appreciate that time of life as much as you should have. Of course, there is no going back, but only forward. Rather than dwelling on the past, we should make the most of today, of the here and now, doing all we can to provide pleasant memories for the future.
If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.
Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. Wrote William Shakespeare, “They do not love that do not show their love.”3 We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us.
Send that note to the friend you’ve been neglecting; give your child a hug; give your parents a hug; say “I love you” more; always express your thanks. Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved. Friends move away, children grow up, loved ones pass on. It’s so easy to take others for granted, until that day when they’re gone from our lives and we are left with feelings of “what if” and “if only.” Said author Harriet Beecher Stowe, “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.”4
In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote—and I quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”5
Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows.
In the book of John in the New Testament, chapter 13, verse 34, the Savior admonishes us, “As I have loved you, … love one another.”
Some of you may be familiar with Thornton Wilder’s classic drama Our Town. If you are, you will remember the town of Grover’s Corners, where the story takes place. In the play Emily Webb dies in childbirth, and we read of the lonely grief of her young husband, George, left with their four-year-old son. Emily does not wish to rest in peace; she wants to experience again the joys of her life. She is granted the privilege of returning to earth and reliving her 12th birthday. At first it is exciting to be young again, but the excitement wears off quickly. The day holds no joy now that Emily knows what is in store for the future. It is unbearably painful to realize how unaware she had been of the meaning and wonder of life while she was alive. Before returning to her resting place, Emily laments, “Do … human beings ever realize life while they live it—every, every minute?”
Our realization of what is most important in life goes hand in hand with gratitude for our blessings.
Said one well-known author: “Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend … when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth.”6
In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 88, verse 33, we are told: “For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift.”
The ancient Roman philosopher Horace admonished, “Whatever hour God has blessed you with, take it with grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that in whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happily.”
Many years ago I was touched by the story of Borghild Dahl. She was born in Minnesota in 1890 of Norwegian parents and from her early years suffered severely impaired vision. She had a tremendous desire to participate in everyday life despite her handicap and, through sheer determination, succeeded in nearly everything she undertook. Against the advice of educators, who felt her handicap was too great, she attended college, receiving her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Minnesota. She later studied at Columbia University and the University of Oslo. She eventually became the principal of eight schools in western Minnesota and North Dakota.
She wrote the following in one of the 17 books she authored: “I had only one eye, and it was so covered with dense scars that I had to do all my seeing through one small opening in the left of the eye. I could see a book only by holding it up close to my face and by straining my one eye as hard as I could to the left.”7
Miraculously, in 1943—when she was over 50 years old—a revolutionary procedure was developed which finally restored to her much of the sight she had been without for so long. A new and exciting world opened up before her. She took great pleasure in the small things most of us take for granted, such as watching a bird in flight, noticing the light reflected in the bubbles of her dishwater, or observing the phases of the moon each night. She closed one of her books with these words: “Dear … Father in heaven, I thank Thee. I thank Thee.”8
Borghild Dahl, both before and after her sight was restored, was filled with gratitude for her blessings.
In 1982, two years before she died, at the age of 92 her last book was published. Its title: Happy All My Life. Her attitude of thankfulness enabled her to appreciate her blessings and to live a full and rich life despite her challenges.
In 1 Thessalonians in the New Testament, chapter 5, verse 18, we are told by the Apostle Paul, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God.”
Recall with me the account of the 10 lepers:
“And as [Jesus] entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
“And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
“And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
“And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
“And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
“There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”9
Said the Lord in a revelation given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, “In nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.”10 May we be found among those who give our thanks to our Heavenly Father. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues.
Despite the changes which come into our lives and with gratitude in our hearts, may we fill our days—as much as we can—with those things which matter most. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and in deed.
In closing, I pray that all of us will reflect gratitude for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His glorious gospel provides answers to life’s greatest questions: Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where does my spirit go when I die?
He taught us how to pray. He taught us how to serve. He taught us how to live. His life is a legacy of love. The sick He healed; the downtrodden He lifted; the sinner He saved.
The time came when He stood alone. Some Apostles doubted; one betrayed Him. The Roman soldiers pierced His side. The angry mob took His life. There yet rings from Golgotha’s hill His compassionate words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”11
Earlier, perhaps perceiving the culmination of His earthly mission, He spoke the lament, “Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”12 “No room in the inn”13 was not a singular expression of rejection—just the first. Yet He invites you and me to receive Him. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”14
Who was this Man of sorrows, acquainted with grief? Who is the King of glory, this Lord of hosts? He is our Master. He is our Savior. He is the Son of God. He is the Author of our Salvation. He beckons, “Follow me.”15 He instructs, “Go, and do thou likewise.”16 He pleads, “Keep my commandments.”17
Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude.
Brothers and sisters, my sincere prayer is that we may adapt to the changes in our lives, that we may realize what is most important, that we may express our gratitude always and thus find joy in the journey. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Notes

1. Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey, The Music Man (1957).

2. Arthur Gordon, A Touch of Wonder (1974), 77–78.

3. William Shakespeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, act 1, scene 2, line 31.

4. Harriet Beecher Stowe, in Gorton Carruth and Eugene Erlich, comps., The Harper Book of American Quotations (1988), 173.

5. Personal correspondence.

6. Sarah Ban Breathnach, in John Cook, comp., The Book of Positive Quotations, 2nd ed. (2007), 342.

7. Borghild Dahl, I Wanted to See (1944), 1.

8. I Wanted to See, 210.

My Baby is SO Hollywood . . .

Little Sasha is such a diva! In fact, she is so cool that she needs a reverse tan. We got a little crazy with the spray on tan and she's a little too orange, so we have to reverse it. Ha! Ha!
Yup, the Bili count was up to 16 when the doctor checked her today so our little one is now under the lights. :( This is so not fun!!! My new hobby is cuddling with her and sitting here watching her in this little bed is kind of hard. But at least her eye shields are cool! (Funny pictures to follow soon.)

Okay, so here is the whole glorious story . . . sorry if you've already heard it but I keep getting asked. :)
Overall, it was not bad. For anyone that had a bad labor, I'm sorry. Mine was not that bad. We got to the hospital at 7:30 am. By the time they got me all hooked up it was about 8:00 when they started the petocin. The doc came and broke my water about 1:00 or so. Can I just say what a completely uncomfortable feeling that is? Sitting in a bed and basically peeing your pants for five minutes straight and you can do nothing about it. Not fun. By 2:45 I was ready for the epidural. Those of you who go natural by choice, good for you . . . but why? Never mind, I've sparked enough debate on my blog for one week. But let's just say I was GLAD to have those drugs. I know I could have survived without them, millions of women have, but since I had a choice I chose drugs. Josh had to sit out for the epidural though. He has a thing about needles, plus since administering the epidural itself is such a touchy thing he didn't want to risk getting weak in the knees and making me move while the doctor was putting the needle in my back. I was totally ok with this. And actually getting the shot wasn't too bad either. It hurt at first, but then it was fine. Once that kicked in things were good. At about 5:30 I was dilated to a 9 and ready to roll. The doctor got there about 6:15 and I started pushing. I just took it one push at a time and it didn't seem like it took two hours, at least not to me. I kept asking the nurse if she was moving along at all. She very sweetly lied to me. Every time I would ask "Is she getting closer? Has she moved at all?" Josh and the nurse would exchange glances while I wasn't looking and silently say to each other "This baby is not coming out without help." Finally the doctor decided that the vacuum had to come out. He did an episiotomy, unfortunately it wasn't long enough and I tore a little more. Ouch. Then he attached the vacuum, it took about three tries and finally her head came out! From there it was all very easy. He lifted her up so I could see her and I was expecting him to lay her on top of me like they do in the birthing class video, but he immediately handed her off to the nurses. At this point he discovered that I tore an artery and he had to start working on me right away. I was completely weak and totally out of it by this point. Of course Sasha was fine and doing everything that newborn babies are supposed to. I on the other hand couldn't stop shaking. I was anemic to begin with and by the time the delivery and stitch up was over I had lost too much blood. Not that it was an extreme amount by normal delivery standards, but since my blood was already low it was too much for me. The hematocrit (sp?) number was down to 25 so my doctor strongly recommended that I get some blood pumped in to me, which I happily accepted. Otherwise it could have been a long, slow recovery. I got two units overnight and felt much better the next day.
Our hospital stay was great. If you get the choice, I recommend delivering at Lakeview. The nurses are super nice and fabulous, they spoil you rotten and happily get you anything you want. The lactation specialist there is very nice and very helpful with all things newborn. The food is actually good as is the cafeteria for hubby and they don't gouge you on the prices. Sweet! They served us a 'Special Meal' with steak, potatoes, salad, rice, veggies and dessert, which was kind of cool. Not that it was the greatest steak I have ever had (hello, NO ONE can top my dad's steaks!) but it was good and unexpected from a hospital. Plus they gave us a cute little shirt and hat for her, put a new and cute little bow in her hair every time they brought her back to us, and Sasha got a new blanket for Christmas. So if you have the choice, I say do it at Lakeview.

So there's the story . . . don't think I left anything out. I was so worried about something going wrong with her that I never thought that I would be the one to need extra attention. But all in all, it wasn't scary, horrible, extremely painful or long. The day actually kind of flew by and it felt like a total out of body experience to me. It was strange to me right after that I had just performed (with a lot of help) the most amazing miracle ever. Josh was totally amazing, and continues to be the best husband and dad ever. He changed all the diapers in the hospital, ran around for me and did everything with a sleep-deprived and exhausted smile on his face. I love him so much and could not have asked for a better partner through all of this than him. My mom has also been super wonderful. She has been here with me the last two days since Josh had some work to get taken care of. She spoils me rotten and I know she just loves to get paid in 'Sasha time.' She has been the absolute best. And thank you to everyone that has called, emailed, texted, commented or even thought about us in the last week. We have felt all of your love and support and we very much appreciate it.

And now she's back to sleep under her Bili lights for the weekend and we'll know on Monday if she has to stay longer. This is going to be a long weekend. Time for another ice pack.

Christmas Tag

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Love to wrap but I think I should take a class so it looks like it was professionally done.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. I love the smell and I would rather vaccuum up pine needles for a month thanhave to shape a fake tree.

3. When do you put up the tree? Usually by the 15th of December

4. When do you take the tree down? First part of January . . . though one year it was up past Valentine's Day!

5. Do you like eggnog? Ugh

6. Favorite gift received as a child? My porcelain dolls

7. Hardest person to buy for? My dad- if he wants it he just goes and gets it. And Josh . . . not that I don't know what he would want, but I have to edit, otherwise I could spend our entire gift budget on him!

8. Easiest person to buy for? Nieces and Nephews under age 12

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I love gettibg something besides bills and junk in the mail.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? I have never thought of a gift that way.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I have 2 "The Elf" "Chevy Chase's Christmas Vacation"

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I always say that I'm going to start early and I never do . . . mostly because I love going shopping at Christmas time- everything is just so festive! However this year I finished early so I could spend less time shopping and more time with Sasha.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Nope...I am grateful for the gifts

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Every goodie that lands on my doorstep!

16. Lights on the tree? Of course! Who doesn't put lights on the tree?

17. Favorite Christmas song? Taylor Swift singing Silent Night and Carrie Underwood singing Do You Hear What I Hear?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel as in going around to see my family

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yep Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixon, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen...then of course RUDOLPH.....

20. Angel on the tree-top or a star? Usually a star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve and rest for Christmas morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The fact that people are willing to trample another person and take a life just to save $400 on a stinkin' TV! That is NOT what Christmas is about.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? It changes every year

24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Turkey and mashed potatoes

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I already got her . . . she was delivered on Monday!

26. Who is most likely to respond to this? everyone of course!

27. Who is least likely to respond to this? I only respond to the language of increase.

Momnesia has set in!

So I'm a total dork and didn't realize I didn't put her stats in the last post. Oh well . . . here is the run-down:
8 lb 6 oz
21 inches long
Born at 8:21 pm, had to push for about two hours.

We just got home and everyone is doing great. Josh is glad to be able to sleep in his own bed, not that he'll get much sleep, but that's okay. Elvis and Priscilla seem to like her ok. I was a little nervous at how they would react but so far so good.

Thanks to everyone who came to see us at the hospital, it was great to have visitors. I never thought I could survive two days in the same room, but I did and I think it was the visitors that made the difference. But so glad to be back home now!

We have to go in on Friday to the doc for a jaundice check. She didn't get quite enough food in the first 24 hours so we think that is the problem. I think I was so stressed out about being able to breastfeed that we didn't do so well on making sure she was getting enough of anything. The milk still isn't in yet. I'm not worried, but seriously considering just doing the bottle, even if my milk does come in. It will be much easier on Josh when I go out of town, I think. In the hospital I was all for the boob and focusing on that, but I think I lost sight of what was most important. I'm probably going to spark a huge debate about which is better or if it really matters, but when it comes down to it- I'm a good mom. Period. If my kid gets breastmilk from a bottle, she'll be fine. If she gets formula from a bottle, she'll be fine. As long as she is eating and healthy I don't care where it comes from. I'm not going to stress myself out cause it doesn't do anyone any good. So that's that for my little rant.

Thanks for all the well-wishes! More pics coming soon!!!

Sasha DeEtte Lakin

Well, Sasha's here!!! FINALLY! I was induced on Monday morning and she finally came out at about 8:21 p.m. I had to push for about 2 hours and we had to use a vaccuum on her head to finally get her out, but overall it was a pretty good experience. It seems kind of weird that I'm a mom now, but I'm so excited to get her home, into her new room and all those cute clothes! So now it starts, my blog will be filled with pictures of my kid, ha ha! So here are the first few. . . enjoy!

Right before they started me on the petocin. . . last belly shot.

Getting all cleaned up!

I'm kind of puffy . . . StatePuff Marshmallow Woman!

Already wrapping Daddy around her little finger.

More to come, don't you worry!!!

Monday is the day!

So either my child is too comfortable in the womb to come out or my body just does not want to go into labor. SO . . . the doc is inducing me on Monday morning. Yay! 7:30 is when I head in so hopefully by Monday night we'll be parents. Maybe she'll come in time for her dad to watch Monday Night Football. Ha! Either way, it looks like the end is in sight. Whoopee! I'll post pics as soon as the fun is over.

Trying my patience . . .

Like mother like daughter? Uh, yeah I think so. I'm never on time for anything, so why on earth should I expect my little one to be early? In all fairness she must take after both her parents cause Josh has time issues, too. (For those of you that know him know that there is 5 minutes and there is 'Josh 5 minutes'. Totally not the same thing.) So tomorrow is the 'official' due date but as of 9:30 this morning I am barely at a 3 and 50% effaced. My doc said that if nothing has happened by Saturday night/Sunday morning he will see me and strip my membranes again (oh boy can't wait for that- AGAIN!) and if all else fails he will induce me on Monday. Apparently Smoosh does not want a November birthday. Whatever. It's not that I'm miserable or being pregnant has been a horrible experience, it's just that I'm not a very patient person. I guess you could say I'm over being pregnant and ready for the next phase. But then that's alwasy been my problem . . . I get halfway through one thing and want to move on to the next. I did the same thing with college. And it's not that I really miss school, but it was a fun time. So in the meantime I'm hanging out with my little brother, scrapbooking, and just taking advantage of the 'me' time cause I know I won't have much soon. So there's the update. I'll keep you posted!!!

oNLy THRee WeeKS LeFT!!!

I feel like a kid just waiting for Christmas to come! The only thing is, Christmas could be in three weeks or three days, so that's even worse! Yesterday's check up went fine, still no dilation so it's looking like it will be more than three days. :( Oh well, I can wait. I'm still not quite finished with her room, just a few details left to take care of, but for the most part, if she comes then we'll be (mostly) ready for her.

Meet Yolana

We had a great Halloween this year. First my mom had a party at her house so we stopped by there for a bit to get some chili and home made root beer. Then we headed to a party at Michelle's (she works with Josh) and partied into the night. Here are a few pictures. . . tell me what you think of our costumes.

First, a few of the options we went through before finding Josh's perfect costume . . .

I liked the Catholic School girl/early Britney Spears look, but Josh felt a little self-conscious showing his midriff.

A more business look perhaps?
Almost there, it's just missing something . . .

Sadly enough, Josh is wearing all my clothes! My skirt, my sweater, my necklace and even my red stiletto's! He looked great! We even painted his nails red to complete the whole look. And I must say that he has a great pair of legs. I was developing a complex by the end of the night, but at least I know between the two of us our daughters will have great legs. Oh boy are we in trouble!
Totally random! I ran into my great friend Chelsea at Michelle's party! I never in a million years expected to see her there, but it was great for both of us. Neither one of us knew very many people so we at least had someone to talk to! Great to see you beautiful girl!

So all in all we had a great night. Josh got about a million and one compliments on his legs and I was surprised at how many people asked if my pregnant belly was real or not! I was dressed as a devil, so I don't see the irony or humor in a pregnant devil. Maybe if I'd have gone with the pregnant nun like I wanted to (couldn't find a costume) I could see why people would ask. But anyway, it was funny. I almost thought I would have to pull up my dress just to prove to a couple people that it was real! Thank goodness I didn't have to do that . . . that might have been a tad embarassing.

Crazy 8's Tag

Whit started it! So here we go....
8 FAVORITE TV SHOWS
1. The Office 2. Charmed 3. Gilmore Girls 4. Las Vegas 5. Project Runway 6. Top Chef 7. What Not to Wear 8. Today Show
8 FAVORITE RESTAURANTS
1. Charlie Chow's 2. Famous Dave's 3. Little America (Coffee Shop, brunch and breakfast buffet) 4. Zeponie Pizza 5. Ruth's Diner 6. Mikado 7. Chuck A Rama (stop laughing! As long as you know what to eat there, you are okay) 8. Maddox
8 THINGS I DID YESTERDAY
1. Went to Church 2. Baked a Pie 3. Made Dinner 4. Helped Josh with his homework 5. Took the tape off the walls in Smoosh's room. 6. Took a nap 7. Watched football 8. Visited with home teachers and visiting teachers.
8 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT FALL
1. FOOTBALL! 2. Warren Miller 3. Sweater weather 4. Falling leaves 5. Countdown to Christmas 6. Halloween and Thanksgiving 7. Smoosh's birthday (well okay, that will be what I love about fall in the future) 8. Shopping for Christmas
8 THINGS ON MY WISH LIST
1. Vacation 2. Energy 3. A new Infiniti 4. A motorcycle for Josh (so he will quit bugging me about it) 5. Financial security 6. To be able to fit into my normal clothes 7. New wardrobe 8. Braces
8 PEOPLE I TAG
1. You 2. You 3. You 4. You 5. You 6. You 7. You 8. You

That was fun, but harder than I thought!

Smoosh Update

Holy cow, I only have five weeks to go!!! Even better, I only have three weeks of work! I get more and more excited as the days go by and I think I will absolutely burst by the time she gets here. The nesting has totally set in. I've been spending time every day sorting through all of the great gifts we've gotten so far. You would not believe how many outfits she has! I don't even have that many clothes!!! It is definitely going to be a fashion show at our house every day. I'm just so excited. Did I say that already?
We started painting the room . . . well Josh did anyway. He promises to have it finished by tomorrow, then he will set up the crib. I'm excited to get things moved in her room and start putting things away. I love to organize stuff, that is probably the only part of moving I like. Of course I have been documenting with pictures and I'll post them as soon as it's all done. It is looking great so far!
We had some pictures taken last night by my friend Marissa. She did such an awesome job I can't wait to see the rest of them! You can get a sneak peek at a few of them by going to this link:
http://photosbymarissa.blogspot.com/
I actually got Josh to come with me. We took some pretty fun shots. She has a few up on her blog already and she'll let me know when the rest are ready. I'm excited to see the rest of them! Oh and please ignore my dorky socks. I can just see my mother rolling her eyes at those right now. Mom, I didn't know you'd be able to see my socks! But if its any consolation, they are brand new. And at least they match. (My socks don't always match but you usually can't see them so I don't care).
Did I say how excited I am?

Who are you???

Take the Quiz and Share Your Results!
You are intelligent, outgoing & stylish. A true girly girl, you love shopping & makeovers.
Although you are a generous friend, you can be coy, tricky & very persuasive in order to
get your way. You are known to zone out occasionally during conversations, but your
friends forgive you because you are understanding, supportive & know how to throw one
heck of a party!

Tradition- films and the almighty itch

Now that the first snow has fallen Josh has already started twitching. If you have known Josh for at least five minutes you know that he LOVES to ski. And I'm not talking 'hey its great to get up on the slopes a couple of times a year.' I'm talking "IF I DON'T GET UP ON THOSE SLOPES AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK I WILL DIE!!!!!!!" And no, that isn't going to change once Smoosh arrives. Just like I won't stop throwing parties because I have a baby. :) He got some new boots, finally, the ski's are about to be tuned and he is ready to go.
But ski season cannot begin for the Lakin family without this:

It's an annual tradition to go to Warren Miller in our family and this year is no exception. I'm not kidding- we do not miss this! One year we were gone the weekend it was in SLC so we drove all the way to Logan to see it. That is how dedicated to this film Josh is! If you've never been, it's a pretty cool movie where these awesome skiers and snowboarders travel all over the world and ride in some pretty awesome places. They have a drawing at intermission and give away prizes (don't worry I have gone every year for the PAST TEN YEARS and I have NEVER WON A SINGLE THING!!! Oh I'm not bitter, it's just that you would think I would get rewarded for my loyalty at least once! But whatever.). This year I think the title of the film is very appropriate- it describes my husband to a T!
So who's with us? We are going on Friday, October 24th to either the 6:30 or 9:30 show at Abbravanel Hall. Oh, and we ALWAYS do dinner, usually Little America, but this year I might make him go to Charlie Chow's, we'll see. Trust me, get a babysitter and come out with us, it will be worth it!

Good cat Bad cat

Another stick from the blog jar . . . Brag about Elvis.

Elvis is the best cat ever. I mean it, he is the perfect cat. He cuddles just enough but doesn't smother you or need constant attention, he doesn't eat people food, he's just an all around great cat.

Ain't he sweet?

And then there's Priscilla . . . I swear this cat was spawned from the devil just to torture and ruin me. Yesterday she got up on the counter in the kitchen and spilled an entire glass of water all over. Then she pulled ribbon out of a box on the counter, pulled it out, tore it apart and strung it all over the house. I'm not exaggerating, it was upstairs, downstairs, in the living room- EVERYWHERE!!! Then this morning I found a bag of rolls that I had left on the counter, mind you they were wrapped in a grocery sack, and she had dug through two layers of plastic to dig at and eat from two of the rolls. I absolutely lost it this morning. I was this close to throwing her out the door and not bothering to look for her. Josh stopped me. I honestly don't know where he gets his love for this cat.

Good Fortune

Last week Josh and I ordered in some Chinese food and settled in to watch the U of U game. Below are the fortunes that we got in our cookies- very good fortunes I think.

"One who admires you greatly is hidden before your eyes."

"A family reunion in the coming months will be a tremendous success."

It totally blew me away when we saw these fortunes. Most of the time I read these and they might ring true a little or be kind of funny, but I have never had any like these two- and both of them in one night!

We are both so excited to become parents. Can't wait to see what she looks like and we are just so ready to have her here. Seven more weeks!

Pet Peeves

So my friend Whitney gave me the cutest bday gift- a Blog Jar! I totally love it, but haven't used it yet . . . so I thought I would start. (If you want to see pictures of what she did go to my friend's list and click on Steve and Whitney).

Today, my pet peeves:
I'm traveling on my last trip of the year for work so some of these have to do with travel.
1- I fly Delta most of the time. Any of you that have flown in the last, say 5 years, know that Delta boards passengers in zones. They do this so that the gate attendants don't have to act as cattle herders. So please tell me why people STILL gather at the edge of the boarding line even when they are seated in ZONE NINE!?!? And why do they have to spread their bags DIRECTLY into the path of everyone seated in zones 1-8? Trust me, if you've been given a boarding pass, have a seat assignment you WILL get on the plane. There is no need to line up 20 minutes before they start boarding. And if you are going to stand and wait, at least move to the side and get out of my way. Or if you aren't going to move out of the way, don't get all pissy when I knock my suitcase against yours.


2- Halloween is only weeks away, which is great- I love Halloween and the holidays that follow it through New Years. But please can I enjoy one holiday at a time? I'm sure that in two weeks time, when fright night is still another week or so away we might get to see some Thanksgiving decorations in the store for about a day then it's on to Christmas. No wonder life seems to be going so fast. We can't even get through one holiday without prepping for the next, and this lasts clear through Valentine's day! Slow down people!


3- Cankles. This is just not fair. Don't we go through enough being pregnant that we have to deal with cankles too? And why do I have to sacrifice my heels? This is doubly unfair! I look hot in heels, dang it! Just cause I'm prego doesn't mean I can't still look hot!


4- People that stand right outside the elevator door while waiting for it to reach them. This is similar to the airport thing. How do you expect me to get off the elevator with my bags so that you can get on to the elevator when you are standing directly in front of me? Again, stand there if you want, but don't get pissed at me if I run over your toes with my suitcase.

I'm actually in a pretty good mood today, otherwise I would have more of these.
What are your pet peeves?

Randomness

So I have this overwhelming urge to blog, but nothing real specific to blog about. So here are just some random thoughts from the mind of a pregnant woman. Brace yourself.

I have to say that I am overwhelmingly happy right now. It could just be hormones, but I don't think so. I have a wonderful husband, a nice home, a baby on the way and life just seems to be good. Sure there's the occasional bit of drama, but that just makes things interesting, right? I have such a great network of friends that are so insanely good to me. I hope I am as good to them as they are to me. I certainly do my best to treat them like the beautiful, wonderful, rockin' women that they are.
I do miss my husband, just a little. He works so hard for our family. Right now it's tax season part 2 for him so that means late nights and a few Saturdays, which sucks. He is almost as busy in September and October as he is in March and April. But that's a good thing because it means that his job is stable and we don't have to worry about him losing his job anytime soon.
I'm really excited to be a mom. I'm not nervous, not really anyway. I'm a little scared for the whole labor and delivery thing, but only because I've never done it before. Taking care of a baby is not a worry, done that before. But the labor thing- totally new. But I'm excited. I mean, there really is nothing to be scared of. Millions of women do it every day and survive. So I'm not worried. It will be awesome to go through a totally new experience. I'm actually more interested to see how Josh does. My cute husband. He's is totally afraid of needles. He has to lay down just to get a flu shot! What is he going to do when he sees the epidural needle? Even though it won't be going in his back, he's still going to freak out. Watching him will probably distract me from everything I'll be feeling, which might be a good thing. Guess we'll just have to see.
I have the coolest little brother. Chris is the best teenager I have ever met. He gets good grades, he isn't a hooligan or trouble maker, and he has girls crawling all over him! It's so funny! He also helps Josh and I around the house a TON! Josh has gotten so many projects around the yard done this summer, and they wouldn't have happened without Chris. Thanks bud!

Okay, that's all for now!

Mark Your Calendars!

Hey all you girls that love to scrapbook or make cards, I'm having a Close To My Heart Scrapbook party on Tuesday October 14th at 7 pm at my house. It will probably be my last party for quite a while since the Smooshster will be here soon. I'll be sending out an email invite soon, but wanted to let you know in advance. If you want to come, leave me a comment and I'll be sure to get you an invite! Don't forget that Christmas is coming so if you have any scrappers in your family you can get great gifts for them! Can't wait!