Happy Father's Day

We love you Dad Tanner and Dad Spence.

I finally got Nate a man's tool set. He's been using my pink one that I got for Christmas one year, and it is no Craftsman. So I got him a basic Craftsman tool set.

Welcome to the Family Dallin

Dallin Richard Spence was born today on June 13, 2008 at about 1:15 pm. Dallin and Kelly are doing well and are as healthy as they can be right now. Kelly is pretty exhausted, but she doesn't seem to show it very much. It has been a long labor, but the delivery was very quick. So quick it only took 15 minutes of pushing, if that. I almost missed the delivery because I thought things were progressing at a good rate, and thought it would be ok to take half an hour and put Tanner down for a nap and eat lunch. Well shortly after I left, Kelly said to come back because the doctor said it was time to start pushing. Don't worry, I didn't miss anything. She did great!! He was 8 lb, 7 oz and 20 in. long. He was huge to me. Tanner was 6 lb. 12 oz and 18.5 in. What a difference. I wasn't expecting a baby that big, but he is adorable. Such a good kid so far! Here are a few pictures. This is the first time doing the blog thing, so I hope I don't slaughter it. By the way, Tanner did very good with his first encounter with Dallin. He came into the hospital room with a peaceful smile and climbed up with Kelly and just looked at Dallin. It was cute and I think he will be a wonderful Big Brother.

Longest night of my life, and STILL no baby

So I have been in labor since yesterday. Started having mild contractions about 2pm and finally at about 1am they were 5 minutes apart and lasting a minute. Went to the hospital and they hooked me up to monitors and said yep 5 minutes apart, but when the nurse checked me I hadn't progressed any from my appointment earlier in the day. She talked to the doctor and he wanted me to go home and wait until my contractions were 2-3 mins. apart and hurting twice as bad. I thought Great, this will be a fun night! Let me just add this. There were 12 babies delivered before I got there and 5 ladies in labor when I was there. I think the doctor didn't want to deal with me right then. He didn't even come in and see me himself. So anyway, came home and continued to have contractions every 5 mins. lasting a minute each all night and they hurt about twice as bad. I am still waiting for them to get frequent enough to go back. Luckily my preferred doctor will be on call today, maybe he will break my water and get things going. My sister Tracie came to stay with us last night. Hopefully my labor will speed up pretty quick. They say your second is easier, but so far this is worse. We'll keep you posted.

0 days

See my baby counter? ZERO days! I wonder if it goes in the negative? I think today might actually be the day. I woke up at 5:30am feeling crampy, then started having uncomfortable contractions every 8-10 minutes for a couple hours. They stopped though. I had an appointment a little while ago, and he said I am pretty much 100% effaced and dilated to a 2-3 . He said "I don't know why you aren't in labor right now." He stripped my membranes. Ouch! And said I should have the baby anytime. We'll keep you updated. I don't plan to induce unless he is a week late, although he said if I did, I most likely wouldn't be one to have a hard time with it like many do because of how I have progressed already. That is reassuring.

Trouble

The little stinker got a hold of a crayon when I was taking a shower. He looks pretty proud of his art work. Thank goodness for Mr. Clean magic erasers.

Tractors

Tanner and Nate were watching a tractor outside. It would go out of site and then come back. Here is Tanner saying "Go?" when he couldn't see it, then he'd see it, get excited, point and scream. Just thought the pictures were cute.

Still no baby. I've been having those dumb Braxton Hicks contractions all day and feeling lots of pressure, but not enough to send me to the hospital. Soon! I hope.

Waiting

I hate waiting for a baby to come. I started telling Nate a week ago, "I feel it is getting close." I may have to eat my words. I went to the doctor yesterday and I am dilated to 2 and 80% effaced. He offered to induce me if I wanted to. Even though it is tempting, I said no. I hear things go more smoothly when everything happens naturally. So we continue to wait.

Here is Tanner playing with a kind of scary mask--up side down.

39 Weeks

Here is the latest and probably last belly shot. I am hoping to have this baby soon! See how low he is? Doc says if he was any lower he'd be out. Any guesses on how big he is? I've put on 23 pounds. I am guessing he is in the 7 lb range.

Park

We went to play at the splash park, but he's intimidated by it still. So we went to the playground.

2 weeks or less

I saw the doctor today and he checked to see how things are progressing, sort of. Dallin's head is really low and somehow got in the way of the doctor being able to reach my cervix very well. He explained how that happens and I don't think I could explain it like he did, so I won't even try. He said from what he could feel of my cervix it is dilated to a 2 or 3, and to check the effacement would be really uncomfortable so he spared me. I think he predicts the baby will come in a couple days, but I am not sure. He said well my prediction is he'll come within a couple weeks, (duh, I am due in a couple weeks) but then he said to go ahead and make an appointment for next week just in case the baby doesn't come by then, so then it sounded like he meant days. I was confused and didn't clarify, so we will just have to wait and see. It was just a weird appointment and I should have asked more questions. But he said that the head being low was a good sign and things are looking good.

Trapped

We got Tanner a toddler bed a month ago and have had the same problem we did when we tried before where he'd get up in the middle of the night or early morning and show up in our room. So, we got a gate. He doesn't like it much. Now he'll get up, go to it and cry himself back to sleep in front of it. It is like his room is a big crib that he can't escape from. At least he isn't disturbing us much.

Baby shower

The baby shower Mickie put together was great fun. Thanks Mickie! Luau theme. We ate Hawaiian haystacks, fruit, salad and cupcakes. The weather brought us indoors last minute, which was a bummer since we planned to play kickball or something at the park. Instead we ate, socialized and played a game at our apartment lounge. Tasty food, thoughtful gifts, and good company. In the lounge we have a treadmill and Tanner liked playing on it. He got going pretty fast, and wanted to do it over and over again. He enjoyed having "hi ya!" (Uncle Matt) around, like most kids do.

A great afternoon

Thanks to toilet paper. Tanner built tp towers for quite a while this afternoon. It was great, especially since it is rainy today and we couldn't get out!

3 weeks to go

Today I am considered full term at 37 weeks, so I could have a healthy baby anytime. I probably won't have him yet, but it is possible. Last week the doc said I was measuring big this week I am measuring small. Whatever. I don't think it means much anyway unless you are way off. And supposedly I lost 3 pounds since my last appointment last week, but I don't believe it. I think I was just wearing lighter clothing this time. I'm feeling ok, I guess, as ok as you can being this pregnant. Not too much going on. I am getting a baby shower this Saturday that was supposed to be a surprise, but I found out. That should be fun. I didn't have one with Tanner, so this will be my first. Hopefully the rain we are having will stop in time. Just to give you something to look at. Here is Tanner picking out what to eat. 9 times out of 10 this is what he will do. The 2nd video is how he eats it. Eats the ranch off the carrots but not the carrots.

Wrestling

Joel, Tanner's cousin, is reaching an age (almost 9 months) that is more fun for Tanner. He doesn't know a lot of people's names but Joel is one of them.

Kissing Cousins

Prego pics

My friend Alicia took some pictures of me yesterday. She is amazing. The park we were at really isn't very pretty right now, and I am not a very interesting subject, but she was really creative and did so good. She'll be famous one day. Thanks Alicia!

Mother's day

Since Mother's day falls on a Sunday and we try to keep the Sabbath holy, we decided to celebrate a little early. We went out to lunch today and Nate got me these beautiful flowers. I like being a mom; one more day to honor ME. :)

I cut my hair today. It was a guy that did it, nothing against men hairstylists, but he didn't do what I wanted him to. I will take a picture later and post it. It isn't horrible, just not what I was wanting. This guy was interesting, actually not flaming gay like you'd expect. He told me how he just got off of probation and that there had been a warrant out for his arrest. Nice guy though.

Time for a new do

I've come to accept that I wasn't meant to have pretty long hair; it gets stringy and thin looking when it passes my shoulder, so I think I will be cutting it. I am liking the looks of Katie Holmes's hair these days. I've had one like it before. Here is a picture of it. What do you think? Do it again?

Destroyer

As the Relief Society president I get a copy card so I can make copies for R.S. anywhere on campus. Tanner was getting impatient and whiny, so I let him play with the card. Where we were there is a copy room with the normal stuff in it, including a shredder, and the door was open. The copy card went missing so I looked all over. Saw the shredder but though, no, he couldn't have, but he did! He shredded the copy card. We fished out the pieces and had Tanner hand it to the bishop and confess. Luckily everyone just got a good laugh, and I can replace it. And luckily we didn't lose irreplaceable fingers while he was at it.

So weird

I didn't know if I could catch my belly moving around on video; thought he might get stage fright. It is to the point that you can pretty much any movement from the outside. Must be tight in there. It is the weirdest feeling, but really cool. I try to imagine what bumps are what body parts.

34 weeks-6 to go

Not the best belly shot, but it is definitely much more interesting with Tanner in it. Went to the doc today he said everything is perfect.

*A pee story, if you can't handle, stop reading now. :) I wasn't expecting to get in to see the doc so fast, and I had to go to the bathroom before I went, so I went at home. Nate got after me but I just said, "come on I am pregnant I can pee on demand." I got in within 10 minutes of peeing, so when it came time to do it in a cup I was in trouble. Got maybe 3 drops. Before he came in I heard him in the hall yell to a nurse, "If the hospital calls tell them I'm on my way." I was thinking, "great, and now he will probably have to wait around until my bladder is full enough." Amazingly he was able to work with what I gave him. Phew.

Uh oh

Grading papers

It's that time of the semester again when I grade 12th grade English papers for a local teacher. I only have about 30 this time. So far this is my favorite sentence from one of them.
"UV light kills germs on our skin. This makes sunbathing a useful treatment for many skin diseases, such as diaper rash, athlete's foot, acne, etc."
Did you catch why that is funny? Who clears up diaper rash by putting their baby's bum in the sun or on a tanning bed? It is always fun to read what teenagers have to write about.

River dance

We were watching Dancing with the Stars and they had River Dance on. Tanner first started laughing at them, then he got up and copied them. I didn't even have to encourage him to do it; he just got up. It was pretty cute, I wish I got a longer video.

Stretching

Tanner likes to copy people's actions and words. Here he's stretching with Nate. Nate and I were talking about how we don't like the word "Geez"; too similar to Jesus, but we both say it sometimes out of habit and usually when we are frustrated. I said it and Tanner started doing, and in the same tone of voice. We'll have to be extra careful what we do and say around him.

Crossed fingers

Remember how I said that Tanner crosses his finger all the time? Here is a picture. I had to follow him around a little to get the picture. Unfortunately his middle finger is over the top of his big bump so you can't see that. It's kind of gross anyway.


It was a beautiful day today; in the 60s and tomorrow snow is in the forcast! I am getting mad at mother nature!

Eyes & Fingers

I finally got a new pair of glasses. It has been years since I have warn them and I like these a lot, so I'll wear them all of the time I think.

Nate talked with an eye surgeon today about LASIK and found that his cornea is pretty thin, so they'd have to run a number of tests on his eyes to see if it would be ok to do the surgery on him. He's going to do a little more research before even going through with the $150 tests. Makes me a bit nervous; I don't want to end up with a blind husband.

Also took Tanner to the doc yesterday. He has a large, bruised, hard lump on his index finger that won't go away (I'll try to get a picture). He had one several months ago that went away on its own over a couple months. Doc said he didn't know exactly what it was maybe a tumor, but it wasn't worth ultrasounding at this point since it doesn't bother him. So I was told to watch it for changes. It is funny though because he goes around with his middle and index finger crossed most of the time now. Not sure why. Maybe he likes to feel it.

I'm a Blogaholic

I was just thinking, I blog about pretty much anything, even if it isn't that interesting--like this stroller. I just got it yesterday and was so excited I had to take a picture for the blog. I always have my blog in the back of my head and look for opportunities to post. I am pretty sure that my mom is the only one that appreciates every little detail of my life. At least I think she does.
Anyway, the stroller so far is awesome, but I haven't used it much yet. I thought my first one was too until I started using it. But get this, there is a speaker next to Tanner's head where I can hook up an MP3 player for the kids to listen to music. Too bad we don't have one. My birthday is coming up. hint. hint. Just kidding. I want to take it for a spin, but need a second kid. Guess I will steal my nephew so I don't look silly taking my one kid out in a double stroller.

Sunday

Sunday everyone went home. We ate a yummy lasagna with Jordan and Michaela and went for a walk to the park. Oh I have to mention this; Tanner can say Michaela. We tried to get him to say his other uncle or aunts names which are easy--Matt and Mickie, but he wouldn't. Michaela is all he will say. But it is Jordan's name too, he calls both Jordan and Michaela "Lila". It is really cute. Of course it makes Michaela feel special. Wonder if he will pick up Tracie's name. She is my sister who is coming back to school for the summer. So excited to have her back. Anyway, it was another beautiful day. I think spring is officially here. Here is Tanner and Nate looking for a plane in the sky. Tanner loves them and hears them before anyone else can; those and dogs, as you can see in the video below. Sorry it is sideways and you can't really hear the dogs that he was barking with because of the wind.

Here is another prego picture. I am 32 weeks now. Still feeling pretty good. Uncomfortable most of the time but the end is getting near.