Good Bye 20's, you were good to me

Today I leave behind one decade of my life and enter another, I am now 30. Holy Cow! Where has the time gone? My 20's were awesome, I accomplished all of my life's goals in my 20's. The decade started in the best way possible, I had a first date with the most amazing man on my 20th birthday. Six months later we were married in the San Diego Temple. After we were married I started nursing school. I graduated from BYU with a BS degree in Nursing a few years later. And of course, the best thing that happened in my 20's, I had all 4 of my children. I am everything I ever wanted to be, a wife, a mother, and a nurse. Randy and I have had a lot of fun together these past 10 years. I have loved every minute of it, well almost, there was that year and a half that he was sick, but even that wasn't so bad. Our best adventure was a trip to Hawaii when Jacob was a baby. But, we don't need expensive vacations to enjoy time as a family. Everyday is an adventure with these kids. Even though my list of accomplishments is not very long I feel really good about the way the last decade went. And, while it is a strange feeling to no longer be in my 20's, I am excited to move forward with my life and accomplish new goals, like getting these kids through childhood in one piece.

A personal question

Okay, so I have kind of a personal question, I need some advice from my friends. I am considering getting an IUD at my doctors appointment next week, but for some reason I am really nervous about it. At this point in my life I do not want any more babies, but I want to reserve the right to change my mind, so I don't want anything permanent. I have always just taken the pill, but that seems too temporary and there is too much possibility of error. The IUD seems like a good, hassle free alternative. But, is it really? I don't know much about it except what I read in the pamphlet the doctor gave me. So, if any of you have had one I want to know if you liked it or not. Any problems with it? My six week appointment is next Thursday, I need to decide by then what I am going to do. I would appreciate any insight you can give me. Thanks.

One Month

Natalie is now one month old. And what a month it has been! I have to say it was one of the most challenging months of my life. I have been plagued with numerous random illnesses, and in between all the sickness have had breastfeeding troubles. The first 10 days of Natalie's life were wonderful. I felt great, was healing wonderfully, had only minor and normal breastfeeding issues, and then the fun started. The Monday before Christmas I started having stomach pain. Randy and I went to Wal Mart to try to finish some last minute shopping. But the pain got so bad we had to go home. I wasn't nauseous, but still threw up a couple of times, without any relief. Randy said to me, "This is just how I was when I had appendicitis." I pressed on my right lower side and had sharp pain. I started to freak out, I can not have appendicitis, I have a brand new baby, it is almost Christmas, I can not go to the hospital and have surgery! So I had Randy and my Dad give me a blessing and then went to bed. When I woke up the pain was still there but not worse. I still had some pain the next day, but it was managable, and by Wednesday it was gone. Then on Thursday, Christmas Eve, I had flu like symptoms, without the fever. I spent most of the day in bed. I was okay on Chirstmas, but the next day I did have a fever and aches and chills and spent even more of the day in bed. I was so greatful to have my mom and dad here to help. They left on the Sunday after Christmas. After that I got a little cold. Then one night somewhere in there I woke up in the middle of the night throwing up. And to top it all off I got mastitis last Tuesday night. Worst pain I have ever been in, including labor. Now the mastitis is gone, but the cause of the mastitis is not gone and I am still suffering with some breast pain. Will this ever end? I have to go back to work soon. I need to be all better. All of this has just made me more sure that I do not want any more babies. I never want to be pregnant again, and I never want to go through this again.

The happy part of this story is that I have a beautiful sweet baby girl. She is doing wonderful. She sleeps well, eats well, is healthy and growing. She couldn't be better.

Introducing Natalie Victoria Wardle

Natalie Victoria Wardle was born yesterday, December 10, 2009 at 11:58. She was 6 lbs 12 oz and 18 1/2 inches long. We decided to give her the middle name Victoria after my Grandma.

As I mentioned in my last post I had my membranes stripped on Monday, and I was really expecting that that would make me go into labor, it worked with Adam. But I went ahead and scheduled an induction for Thursday anyway, just in case. I had contractions off and on for three days, but they never turned into actual labor. I was pretty disappointed Wednesday night when it became apparent that I would in fact be induced the next day. We went to the new Riverton Hospital on Thursday morning. It is such a nice hospital and all of the staff was so nice, they made us feel very comfortable. Things went slowly for a few hours, then at about 11:30 they got a little crazy. I went from a 4 to holding my baby in less than 30 minutes. And, my epidural didn't have time to kick all the way in, so I could feel a lot more than I wanted to. It was not fun, but it was fast. I only had to push through one contratction and then my beautiful baby was here. No stitches eaither, yeah!

We stayed in the hospital for less than 24 hrs after her birth. I am a postpartum nurse and so I feel like I can take care of myself. I also don't really like being in the hospital, the bed is not comfortable and the food isn't very good. But the main reason to go home early was because kids aren't allowed in the hospital right now because of the strict visitor policy during flu season. I missed them and I wanted them to meet their baby sister.All ready to go home

Adam, Nathan, and Jaocb checking out their sister

Nathan and Natalie

Jacob wasn't very excited about a sister from the begining, but he feel in love with her as soon as he saw her. I knew that would happen. Nathan was very excited for a baby sister the whole time, he is also the one who really wanted the name Natalie, so he was really excited. I was worried about how Adam would do, but he did very well with her, he is facinated by her, I think he thinks she is doll that moves.

It is strange to have a little girl dressed in pink in our house. I am sure we will get used to it soon enough. Now I need to go and get some sleep.

I am ready! I think.

Today I am 39 weeks pregnant, and I am so ready to have this baby. I was really happy to wake up this morning with somewhat regular, but very mild contractions. They lasted all morning, but stopped about the time I went to my doctor appointment. I am dilated to a 3 and 70% effaced. I had the doctor strip my membranes. It hurt like heck. I had it done with Adam and I don't remember it hurting so bad. With Adam I went into labor about 48 hours later, so maybe Wednesday. If it doesn't happen on it's own, I went ahead and scheduled an induction on Thursday, so whatever happens, I am having a baby this week. I went ahead and used today to finish up some last preparations.

I have drawers full of pink clothes, which is really strange for me after having three boys.

I took our old, ugly, boy bassinet and recovered with a cute brown and pink polka dot fabric. Now it is fit for sweet little girl.

My mom and I found this supper cute car seat cover that changes my boys car seat into a nice girly one with a nice think blanket cover to keep her warm this winter. And, I got this diaper bag from my sister in law, just enough pink, but not too much that Randy won't carry it.

All this pink is really strange, but so cute. I am so excited to be having a little girl. I can't wait to see her, and give her a name. The sooner the better, I am ready.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Today I baked a batch of my favorite cookies ever. Since I haven't posted for a while I decided to share the recipe with you. I found this recipe in a ward cookbook my mother in law gave me not long after I got married, over 9 years ago. It has been a favorite of ours ever since. I have trouble with cookies at our altitude, they always fall flat, or are too cakey, these however turn out perfect every time.

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 egg
2 Tbs. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk chocolate chips

Cream the butters and the sugars. Then add the egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together, then add to wet ingredients. Stir in MILK chocolate chips. (I am usually a dark chocolate girl, but the milk chocolate goes perfect in these cookies.) Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 Dozen. It is as easy as that. Hope you enjoy.

Fall Festivities

So this was going to be post just about Halloween, but as I was looking through my pictures I found some really good ones of other stuff we have done this month. These first three pictures are of my kids and their cousins, Isaac, Alayna, and Eli, at the pumpkin patch. There is a great little pumpkin patch close to our house that has this little kid size corn maze that the kids love. This year they added kid size wheelbarrows too. We had fun looking for the perfect pumpkins.

These next pictures are from one of our families favorite fall activities, going up in the canyon to see the fall colors. This year we made the trip with Jason and Erika and their kids. So again my kids are pictured with Isaac, Alayna, and Eli. It was a beautiful day.

Don't we have some dang cute kids?

Okay, now to Halloween. Our Halloween festivities lasted for a week this year. We started off with a ward Halloween party last Saturday. Then Nathan had a Joy School party on Thursday. Jacob had a class party on Friday. And finally the real deal yesterday. So Jacob got to wear his costume 4 times and the other kids did 3 times. I usually make my kids costumes, but I wasn't feeling very creative this year and so we recycled old Halloween costumes, with the exception of Jacob's, which Randy made. Jacob really wanted to be a robot. So, Randy got a box, spray painted it silver, covered a play hard hat with tin foil, and put some dryer hose on his arms, a perfect robot, except he couldn't sit, or put his hands together when he was wearing it. Nathan wore a corn on the cob costume that Jacob wore a couple of years ago, and Adam wore a lion costume I made when Jacob was about the same age.

Adam was not very cooperative, this was the only picture I could get with his mane on

On Friday there was a little Halloween parade at Jacob's school before their class party. They started playing the Ghost Busters song and Jacob started dancing. I couldn't stop laughing, it was so cute. I tried to include a video, but it wouldn't upload. Sorry Mom, I will have to try again later. I got to help with the Halloween party in Jacob's class. This is a picture of his class, they sang some songs at the beginning of the party. Notice how little Jacob looks, he is one of the smallest kids in his class.

The little golden princess in this picture is Katelyn, she is Jacob's new best friend. This is a big deal because Jacob's cousin Isaac has been his best friend his whole life. Now he says Isaac is his best cousin, and Katelyn is his best friend. He also thinks it is amazing that a girl can be his best friend. Let me tell you about Katelyn. Her family actually moved in across the street from us over the summer, but they didn't meet until the second day of school. Jacob pointed out that she is the first friend he made by himself, without mom or dad. They sit at the same table at school. He talks about her constantly. One day I picked Jacob up from school and as we walked by her she said "bye" to him. Then one of our ward boys who is in their class, Jaxon, yelled, "Jacob has a crush on Katelyn." Jacob laughed and said, "That is funny what Jaxon said, isn't it mom?" I agreed, then Jacob said, "What does that even mean?" with this perplexed look on his face. I told him it means that he likes her and that he thinks she is cute. Then I asked him if he does have a crush on Katelyn. He said, "Well, I really like Katelyn" and left it at that. Apparently he is not the only boy in his class, or in our ward, who really likes Katelyn. Another mom in our ward asked me at the party who she is because her son, Tyler, is constantly talking about her. Today Jacob asked me if he could marry someone he met when he was five. Hmm.