I wish I could tell you...

{Class of 2003}

Ten years ago today I {Jenn} graduated from Pinnacle High School. It's crazy to think about how much has changed since then. I wrote a letter to my 17 year old self.

Ten years ago Jenn...

I wish I could tell you how much you have to look forward to. All the things you will do, accomplish and do in the next decade. 

I wish I could tell you of the friends you will make and major you will choose. College is an amazing time and you make life long friends. You learn more about yourself and your relationship with Christ than you do about working in the real world.  You thought swimming defined you, but it was just a piece of who you were then that helped you to become who you are now.

I wish I could tell you life gets so much better than you ever could imagine it would be. Falling in love with your best friend is such a gift that you will always treasure. I wish I could tell you how being married is worth every heart break along the way. I wish I could tell you how your wedding day is beautiful and everything you could have ever hoped for. I wish I could tell you that it is the best day of your life so far. 

I wish I could tell you how much you love the babies you will have. That carrying them inside of you is truly a gift and a joy you can't begin to express in words. I wish I could tell you that you are the best mother, but you aren't. But you are learning more each day how to be the best mom to the beautiful babies you have. I wish I could tell you how much they mean to you. It's a love you can't even begin to imagine. I wish I could tell you that you will be more emotional because of them, because you heart is so full of love. Your cry tears of happiness because you are overwhelmed by your love for them.

I wish I could tell you about the friends  that walk you through the ups and downs are as close to you as family. I wish I could tell you how thankful you will be for them. They are a part of you. I wish I could tell you that their joys are your joys. How much you love and appreciate them. They truly are a blessing from God. 

I wish I could tell you that your best days are ahead of you. Take lots of pictures and write little moments down, because moments are fleeting. I wish I could tell you all about who you are now, but you will soon find out. The best is yet to come young one. 

I wish I could tell you.... don't blink. 

Cameron is here!

Okay so cut me some slack because my son is 10 weeks now. (Forgive me for the delay). Our sweet little man joined our family February 28, 2013 at 5:34 pm. 8 pounds 11 ounces. 21 inches long. 

I wanted to post on his birth and her birth at the same time, because I never did post about hers. So I will just do a compare and contrast post now :)

I had gels and scheduled induction with both. My cervix is super high and both doctors (different doctors for each delivery) were concerned about just inducing because of how my body might not respond and I would have to end up with a c-section. 

At 39 weeks 5 days with Brooklynn I wasn't dilated at all, so when we started gels I just needed to be anything to be induced the following day. When I left the hospital after gels I was almost a 2. With Cameron on the other hand I was a 2 at 38 weeks! Yay! My body was doing it, or so I thought. I went into the hospital Monday, the 25th to be checked for back labor. Still a 2 and super high. At my appointment the next afternoon I thought for sure I would be more. Nope. Still a 2 and high at 39 weeks 1 day. I was scheduled for gels for the next day. Whole day of gels, left the hospital at a 2 and high. Tears flowing the rest of the night. 

Arrive at the hospital with Brooklynn. Water broken at 8 and I was about 2 cm. Epidural at 11:30 because pitocin is mean and I couldn't breathe. I was only 3 cm. Four in the afternoon I was a 4. (Slow going day!) My Doctor checks me at 5:45 and I was a good 5 she said. She told me she figured I would deliver sometime after 10 pm. (Boo!) At 6:15 I was not able to make sentences and I was really annoyed with my husband and my nurse asked if i was okay. {No I'm not okay, I am having a baby that has no intentions of coming out}. She asked if she could check me again. I kind of annoyingly said it wasn't worth it to get my hopes up, but gave in. Thankfully she was right and I was almost 10. Started pushing at 7, Dr Moorehead was called right after. {She didn't believe I was ready to push, she hadn't even made it home yet}. I threw up right before Dr walks back in. I will never forget her coaching me. {Especially after losing her}. She was very encouraging. She asked my mom who delivered me and my mom couldn't remember his name. Dr Moorehead then said "You'll remember my name right?". I always will. I am thankful for her being able to deliver my girl. What a special moment. At 7:54 Brooklynn entered the world and I became a Mama. My beautiful girl was finally here. She was 7 pounds 5 ounces 19-1/2 inches long. 

We arrived to be induced with Cameron. Dr Helms checked me when she broke my water. I was a 4 and my cervix was in the right spot and lower! (Praise the Lord!). Around 11:30 my contractions were so intense I got my epidural. I was a good 5 at that point. I was a 6 after 1 pm, but Cameron's heart rate changed and so did my contractions. He had flipped and was sunny side up. The nurse had me sit up, then lay on my side with a crazy yoga ball in between my knees. Then sit up again and then other side and the yoga ball. When I was laying on my second side he flipped. I watched the monitor move like a wave across my belly. About five minutes later I knew I was fully dilated. She checked me and sure enough. Dr helms only had one patient to finish her day so we figured by about 5 pm she would be there. I sat up to get ready {gravity at its best}. Dr Helms walked in at 5:15 and suited up, checked the cord blood kit {we donated Cameron's cord blood so he could save another baby's life} and at 5:20 I started pushing. She asked how long I pushed with Brooklynn (almost an hour) and then told me it wasn't going to be anywhere close to that! At 5:34 pm my little man stole my heart with his first breathe! I felt good during the whole pushing and delivery. Honestly asked for ice chips right after. I chowed on ice while they cleaned him and she collected cord blood. We guessed he weighed high 7 pounds. Boy were we way off! 8 pounds 11 ounces. 21 inches long!

Both my deliveries were less than 12 hours from start to finish. No complaints with either. Healthy happy babies! 

Cameron's Room... Check!

We are just 2 short weeks from my due date. So he can come any time his little heart desires. We got everything accomplished that I wanted done before he comes. We have a few things to get done in his room still, but honestly Brooklynn's room continued to be a work in progress after she came too. I am thrilled with his room and the way it turned out. So anytime sweet little man... we are ready!!

Comparison {Pregnancy}

So I am just a few weeks from having another baby! Kind of hard to believe actually. I thought it would be fun to compare the two pregnancies so far. (I will post a birth comparison once little man arrives!) 

{Brooklynn}

• Had multiple symptoms before I got a positive test: forgetfulness, tired, soreness/tenderness, metallic taste in mouth, food aversions. 
• Got a positive test 3 days before missed period.
• Pretty nauseous during first trimester. Got sick a couple times, but mostly because of my own silly choices (examples: orange juice on an empty stomach).
• Wearing maternity pants by 14 weeks.
• I carried her very high.
• Felt first little movements around 16 weeks.
• I had to re-take my glucose test. This was really upsetting for me. It came back fine, but I was worried for weeks!
• I was tired (physically) a lot around the start of my third trimester. Hips started hurting then too.
• Very few problems sleeping. 
• I was not very hungry, mostly I think because she was so high up she took up stomach room.
• Started swelling around 30 weeks.
• I got stretch marks at 30 weeks!
• Brooklynn had no desire to come out on her own accord. She was still in my ribs until delivery. And that caused me to progress at all on my own. Needed medical help to get her out.

{Cameron}

• No symptoms at all until 6 weeks. Felt awesome actually!
• Got a positive test two days before missed period.
• Nauseous all the time. Sick at least 3 days a week. Couldn't eat. Felt very run down. Like I had the flu for 8 weeks straight almost. (Anti-nausea meds were my best friend!)
• Wearing maternity pants around 14-15 weeks. Even though I lost seven pounds!!
• I am carrying him really low!
• I felt his little movements around 11 weeks!
• I have a lot of hip pain, joint pain and sciatica pains.
• I wake up a lot at night. My hips always hurt worse at night. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that he isn't head down yet, but ouch!
• He moves so much! 
• I just started swelling the last couple days. Mostly it is just because I don't drink enough water. 
• I have been tired a lot more. Chasing a two year old and being big and pregnant is hard!
• No new stretch marks so far!

Here are some pictures to compare belly size. Cameron is so low compared to Brooklynn. I think the belly has stayed about the same size though. Maybe even a little smaller this time! 

 

 

Christmas

I know all the decorations are put away and Christmas is just a memory, but i wanted to recap a few things about the Christmas season before we pack it all away until next year.

We love Christmas! We have a countdown and love to do different activities in preparation and celebration of Christmas. And let me say it just becomes more fun with kiddos around. (Excited for next year when there is two!)

This year here are some of the activities we enjoyed:
Black Friday shopping
Cookie exchange
Ornament exchanges
SNOW!
Looking at Christmas lights in Moon Valley
Making ornaments
Visiting Santa

We love Christmas and had a great time with family. Watching Brooklynn was so much fun.