Quilt project & cooling off

My mom has her own quilting business and I've been wanting to have her help me make a quilt for our bed. So we finally picked out some fabric last month and went to work!  I am not a lover of sewing, so I kind of just wanted to get it over with.  But surprisingly enough I quite enjoyed it.  My mom made it fun and was extremely patient with my horrible sewing skills. I absolutely love how she quilted it, she's such a talented woman! I'm already trying to find a different pattern for another one to put on our spare bed. Who knows, I might end up actually using my sewing machine! 

 

 

 

Could it be any hotter outside?!  I thought Jordan would like to cool off in the sprinkler, but it didn't go as well as what I had in mind.  He pretty much just stood by it the whole time, all though he did like getting wet, I just thought he'd play in the water more.  Oh well, it was a good way to cool off and it was fun to watch him discover new things.  I'm excited to take him to a pool one of these days.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he will love it!

 (sorry - picture overload) 

March 2012

I had been working as a Medical Assistant at the Primary Children’s Outpatient Clinic in Riverton, Utah.  I had a PRN schedule, so I only worked when needed, which was really nice during my pregnancy because I didn’t get a ton of hours but just enough to keep me from going crazy.  Out of all of the jobs I’ve had, that was definitely the one I enjoyed most.  (being a mom definitely tops the chart). The people I worked with were so awesome and every day I was there was enjoyable, unless of course I wasn’t feeling great!  We moved to Preston a month before my due date, it was really nice to have a few weeks to prepare and unpacked before the baby came.  I am extremely grateful for the job that Ben has, it was and a huge blessing to know that I’d be able to stay at home with Jordan and still be financially stable.  It’s something not every mom gets to do, so I definitely don’t take it for granted. 

The first day at home kind of felt like slow motion to me, we have a baby but what do we do from here?!  Even though it was entirely the complete opposite of slow motion in my mind I felt like I was just sitting back looking at our life and how it would be different now, in the greatest way possible.  Looking back I really wish I had taken more pictures of us with Jordan, I really need to get used to using the self timer on my camera.  

My mom came and stayed with us for a couple of days, that meant so much to me and I felt so much better having her there cause I was certain I didn’t know how to be a mom.  Ha ha thank goodness it kind of just comes naturally once you wrap your mind around the reality of it!   Jordan had Jaundice too, so with that and the low blood sugar I had to continue to feed him every 2 hours.  My mom was such a lifesaver and would set her alarm during the night to get up with me, she’d change his diaper and then I’d nurse him and she’d burp him and put him back to bed.  I never realized or acknowledged the gratefulness I have for my own mom until I became one myself.  The role of a mother is so great and exhausting, I should have shown her more love while growing up.   

Jordan’s poor heels were so beat up from all of the pokes for testing.  It wasn’t getting better so we had to get a BiliBed and keep him in it for 5 days.  That was so horrible, I know it helps, but it was torture not being able to hold him!  You know the way newborns curl up their legs and stick their bum out when cuddled perfectly right on your chest?  That is my absolute favorite and Jordan was like a bean bag, it was pure heaven snuggling with him.  The day we took that bed back was the best!

The first time we gave him a bath he laid perfectly still, wasn’t quite sure what was going on but he really enjoyed it.  Ben was sitting at the counter and when I put Jordan on the towel to dry him off he started to pee and it went right all over Ben, it was priceless to say the least!  We considered that his initiation into fatherhood.

 

 Ben had to go to Salt Lake for his Apprentice Lineman classes the week after we had Jordan.  I went up to my parents house since he’d be gone for 5 days, it was a huge help to have my mom again.  I was still nursing Jordan every 2 hours, so I was completely exhausted.  One morning we woke up around 7 and my mom took him and told me to go back to bed,  I happily obeyed and stumbled downstairs.  I slept for six hours!  Oh my it was heaven, there was extra milk in the fridge that I had pumped, and since he ate so good from either a bottle or nursing they were able to feed him without waking me up.  I seriously felt like a new person after that amazing nap, it felt great to catch up on some sleep! 

 

Jordan's Birth Story

Around 4:30 am on February 29 I started to feel what I was hoping were contractions.  I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep but it didn't go away.  I kept track from that point on, which wasn't very exciting cause they were only happening about every hour. Ben was hoping we'd have him that day since it was Leap Day.  My due date was the next day, I was completely uncomfortable and ready to feel like a human again.  So I kept walking around hoping to speed things up.  Ben decided to go to work since nothing was really happening, I said I'd call if it got more exciting. His boss sent him right back home after he said I was having contractions. Thank you boss man!

 I didn't want to go to the hospital until contractions were 3-5 minutes apart.  Ben had a notebook handy to write down the time and how far apart they were.  I didn't feel hungry but I ate as much as I possibly could since I knew I wouldn't get much at the hospital.  All day long contractions hit about every 20 minutes.  Then finally around 4:00 I called my doctor and told him they'd been every 8-10 minutes for the past 2 hours.  Since the weather was getting bad and we were half an hour from the hospital he said to head in.  Ben said a prayer for us to get there safely and for everything to go well.  What an amazing calm feeling that brought to me and also him. We double checked our bags and off we went!  For so long I had feared this day and the whole process, but surprisingly enough I was totally calm and not nervous at all. 

The roads would have been horrible if we hadn't left when we did, it was snowing pretty hard.  We got to the hospital at 5:00, they checked us in and we got settled into our room.  I was only dilated to a 3 when we got there and a nurse said I could stay if I progressed within an hour.  We did not want to get sent home, so we walked around the halls. We'd stop at the windows on each end of the lap and looked out at the falling snow under the street lights.  Was this really happening?  It was so surreal to actually be there, knowing we'd hopefully soon be able to meet our little guy.  

An hour passed and the nurse checked me again, I had not progessed at all.  She left the room for a minute, then came back and said she called my doctor and he said to keep me there since the weather was getting worse.  What a relief!  We didn't want to drive all the way home in the snow.  Around 9:00 pm they decided to break my water, I had dilated to a 4 and just kept waiting for more progress.  At 10:00 I told them I wanted the epideral,  I was scared to death to get that thing, but it was not a big deal at all! I even had the Anesthesiologist show me the needle, for some reason it made me feel better to see what was actually going into my back. 

Ben got comfy on the rock solid couch and quickly zonked out.  The nurse came in every hour throughout the night to check me, I continued to progress and at 5:30 am I was completely dilated.  They have you wait an hour before pushing, that was torture!  I was ready to get the party started!  At 6:30 I was finally able to start pushing, Dr. Firth walked in the door around 7:00.  I love my doctor, he is absolutely amazing!  He came to the hospital just to see how I was doing before they even called him.  I hope he will be able to deliver all of our kids.  

He was here!  8 pounds 11 ounces of pure chubby cuteness!  We were in love, Ben squeezed my hand tightly right when he was born.  Bens aunt, who is a nurse, told me a while back that all men that come into the delivery room act all rough and tough but then when their child is born they turn into absolute mush.  Ha ha that is so true!  He was such a great support to me while in labor, he stayed right there by my side.  It was such a relief to see our son and know that he was healthy with ten toes and fingers! 

Jordan Ray Cox

7:24 am

8 lbs 11 oz

20.5 inches 

  

 

Jordan would not wake up enough to eat, it was starting to concern our nurse so she took him to check his sugar levels and sure enough they were super low, that's why he was so sleepy. Later that day the nurse said if it didn't go up soon they would have to take him to the NICU.  A couple hours later they took him cause it wasn't getting better, they hooked him up to an IV to get some sugar in him.  We went down every 2 hours so I could try get him to nurse.  He did pretty well but was so sleepy it was hard to get him to eat enough.  Ben was such a trooper to wake up with me every 2 hours during the night to go feed Jordan. It was so hard to have to leave him there, I just wanted to cuddle with him all day long.  It was kind of frustrating to have him in the NICU because the nurses that were taking care of him said he didn't even need to be in there, that if we took him home his levels would go up anyway.  But we couldn't take him home till everything was back to normal.  I am thankful though for the technology and capability of modern day hospitals, even if it was a small problem it was comforting to know he was being taken care of.  Saturday afternoon Jordans levels were great so Dr. Firth sent us home!  Wahoo!!  As a family of 3 we went home with our new little bundle of joy!  Now what?!

 

10 on 10

Have you seen any 10 on 10 posts?  It's 10 photos taken on the 10th day of each month.  Fun right?  I saw it on this blog that I love to read.  I think it's good motivation to take more pictures with my actual camera, instead of using Instragram all the time.  So here you go, first one down and hopefully many more to come!

Crisp beautiful morning

Drinking a lot of water is so much easier with this!

Stocking the diaper drawer....my chunky 4 month old wears a size 3!

Hot, hot, hot!

Hangin out while mom cleans

The neighbors horses enjoying the rain

Trimming away while I pulled weeds (should have taken a before and after picture....whoa)

Cute chubby hands

Organizing/updating Achievement Day binders (it's my new calling!)

He could lay like this for hours!

Overwhelmed

Good heavens I have A LOT of catching up to do!  I seriously cannot believe it has already been 4 months since we welcomed our little guy into our family.  Where the crap does time go?!  I am going to start updating, starting with the birth of Jordan and moving forward from there.  It may be boring but sometimes that's just how it is right?  Thanks for reading and being patient with me, I am still trying not to suck so bad at this blogging stuff.....wish me luck!!  (and come back soon!)

25 random things

I came across this list from 2009 and thought it was kind of fun to read through again and see what things have happened or changed since then.


So here is the list....

1. I absolutely LOVE dipping oreos in water....it happened by accident and what a fabulous accident that was!
2. I am literally blind without glasses or contacts.
3. I am addicted to The Office TV show.
4. I think it's super fun to doodle on a whiteboard (thanks to Sierra)
5. I know it would be hard but I really want to have twins.
6. My knees are double jointed....gross I know.
7. I've never been snowboarding and don't plan on going.
8. My second toe is longer than my big toe.
9. I hate ketchup but I love tomatoes.
10. I wish I didn't live in a basement with freaky weird crazy people living above me.
11. The spare "hobby" bedroom has been dedicated to my husband and his collection of guns and equipment for reloading bullets.
12. I can't stand the sound of a fork scratching on a plate.
13. When I was younger I use to try jump on a certain tile in the kitchen before the fridge door closed completely...
14. I'm addicted to paper and would have a room just for that and not even need to use any of it, I would just want it.
15. I really want to go to Boston again, it's simply amazing.
16. I talk in my sleep and my husband can actually have a conversation with me and I won't even know it.
17. I want a new Canon Rebel XSI camera really really bad and hope to get one soon.
18. I love it when my husband will let me wash his face with my dove scrubby thing.
19. One day I plan to understand why old women feel comfortable being naked in a locker room with tons of people around....
20. I wish I could travel to every destination that I'd like and then possibly do it again.
21. I fall asleep really fast.
22. I can't cross my legs for very long because they go to sleep really quick.
23. I want to save up and buy a piano, I miss playing and am losing my knowledge of knowing how.
24. I hate the smell of hamburger when it's being cooked.
25. I'm proud of myself for being able to think of 25 24 things!


And here is the list again with what's different now....

1. I still love dipping oreos in water, yum.
2. Sadly still blind without glasses or contacts but planning on Lasik soon!
3. I'm now addicted to The Amazing Race.
4. Still love doodling on a whiteboard.
5. After having one baby I no longer wish for twins....
6. No change.
7. No snowboarding and still don't plan on going.
8. My second toe is still longer and my son got that attractive trait  ;) poor kid.
9. I like ketchup now.
10. We have moved 6 times since living in that basement.
11. Our spare room is a nursery and the others are for guests.
12. A fork scratching on a plate is still awful.
13. I've matured a little bit, no more tile jumping.
14. Still addicted to paper and always will be.
15. Haven't been to Boston again.
16. Occasionally talk in my sleep, the hubby also does now.
17. Was suprised with a Canon Rebel camera that same year for Valentines.
18. Haven't been able to convince my hubby to let me wash his face with it again.
19. I have not been back to that gym, still way too awkward to be in that locker room...
20. Still want to travel a lot.
21. When the baby is asleep I am out soon after.
22. No change.
23. There is a piano here where we are house sitting but I have not played it at all, shame on me.
24. Still have the hubby cook the hamburger.
25. Proud of myself and my family for how far we've come since 2009!

And just for fun, a cute picture :)

living space

Here are a couple pictures of our apartment here in North Dakota.  The lighting is horrible though because the only window we have is in the bedroom......I apologize in advance.  Also there is absolutely no storage space, so just pretend that it's all cute and organized k? 

Yes that's a card table and folding chairs.....but hey, it works for now

We are so glad that a washer and dryer were included because

I'm pretty sure I'd choose to wear dirty clothes rather than going to a laundry mat in -20 degree weather

I didn't take a picture of our bedroom cause all that fit in there was our bed.....thank goodness it fit though or we'd be sleeping in the family room :)

There's a door on the left that you can't see in the pic, but that's the entrance.  Well now you know where we reside when we're not busy at work.