Needing some blog time!

It has been about a year since I've last blogged/journaled any of our family updates, spiritual impressions, and sweet baby moments. I'm always impressed by my fellow bloggers who are diligent and crafty with their sites. I'm am far behind on the creative side but hope that if I start simple with pictures and stories I can (with time ...which I will start to have more of!) hopefully master the blog site and all it's amenities,

So last I blogged Addison was about 3 months old, now 14 months old. I am so grateful for her. She has been such a joy and blessing in our lives. She is very healthy, eat like a horse, and is climbing, walking, and running, currently her vocabulary consists of the following: No! U-hm, please, up, thank you (very slurred), mama, dada, and mas (my poor attempt to teach Spanish to my daughter). Addison does have a feisty side. If someone touches a toy she wants she will grab at them or push their hand away. If she can't have what she wants she will collapse on the ground or hit.sigh at least my job training skills will come into good use with her. Addison loves to play chase with her daddy and me. It usually consists of her running into my arms while squealing with excitement as her dad will chase her and peer at her from around corners or behind doors. Addison also love naked time. Generally after a bath she will run away from me as I chase her with a diaper. There have been a few times when I just haven't been fast enough and have had to clean little pee puddle from the ground. Speaking of bathroom related topics....you know where I am going with this. One morning Addison got up particularly early so I got her out of her crib and let her play while I went to lie down half awake half not ...just not ready to start the day yet. After a few minutes I see Addison busily talking to herself and walking past my door with her diaper being dragged by one of her feet open. I bolted out of bed and as I picked her and put her on my hip I smelt and felt a moist sticky feeling. She had pooped but not on me...it was the leftover between her cheeks. Where was the droppings? No. Not in the diaper. I turn and look into her room and bingo...there it was two poop piles on her carpet. Good morning to me!
Fortunately that has been the only true turd incident. Addison will grab her diaper and pull down on it , creating the cutest plumber's crack. I love being her mother and look forward to spending more time at home at the end of the summer!

In other news, after Addison was born...6weeks later I returned to work. I kept telling myself it was only going to be for a few months for insurance purposes. However, out of necessity and I guess a little because I like to work, I continued to work and currently do so now for about 25 hours per week. When Addison was born Chris got an internship at a diabetic research company in idaho falls, where they later offered him a full time temporarily position. We decided that since we were both going to be working in idaho falls that we should make the grand leap from rexburg to Ammon Idaho. Now rexburg is a very small city and we didn't think that we could live any closer to a Walmart in rexburg (it only bring about 5 minutes away), well our current apartment is about 30 seconds away from a walmart which makes late night runs to the store very quick and easy!

Living in Ammon has been very convenient as far as work, shopping, and our gas bill but we did/do miss all our friends in rexburg. But we are looking forward to greater things.

Chris has been on the road a lot lately interviewing for medical schools. In four weeks he had gone to Florida, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. When we had discussed the different medical schools I was 100% in favor off Florida and Chris Washington for family reasons. However during the interview process we were reminded that Heavenly Father's ways are not always our ways. We ended up getting wait listed at all the school expect for one...Arizona. It was impressive how strongly the







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A family Update

Once again, I have neglected keeping my blog and as always I continue to promise myself that I will do better next time. Here is what has happened since I last posted (fill in the blank here).

More of that Baby!

And more pictures of what my baby does all day...sleep!

Look at those big baby lips!

Totally relaxed

The football hold

Sweet dreams

She didn't seem to mind when we washed her hair.

Bath time wasn't a great experience for the baby

She had no idea what was coming...bath time!

Milk drunk baby!

My little cuddle bug

We discovered that Addison loves plush blankets the other kind don't cut it!

Mae B. Baby Brown

Daddy daughter time

Baby Addison Mae

In the Hospital

Addison's first bath...it wasn't a pleasant experience.

Mommy holding baby for the first time.

Tired little baby.

Dad taking care of business.

More of our sleepy little baby.

Our little family.

Mom and baby exhausted from the long day.

Chris thought this was hilarious...I think it's nasty!

Daddy daughter time.

Addison's going home outfit!

Baby Addison Mae

It has been a long time since I've last blogged and a lot has happened but the most important update is that Chris and I welcomed our daughter Addison Mae Brown to the world on 1.2.12 at 10:49pm! Our labor was planned but how she came wasn't! We went in that Monday morning at 7:30 am to be induced. Chris and I were able to get checked in, hooked up, and my contractions going without a problem.

See? Things were going great! However, after several hours to our disappointment, I wasn't dilating. When I got to a two, the doctor came in and broke my water to help jump start my labor. The minute that the doctor did break my water, my contractions became very painful. I felt most of the pain in my back. Poor Chris had no idea what to do and I was only able to speak in short one or two ward statements such, "Chris...hand...back...left...off!" After about an hour of intense contractions, I still hadn't dilated at all! I opted for an epidural at that point. I remembered thinking..."There is no way I can do this all day...and if I don't have to feel this I'm not going too!" It did take the anesthesiologist several attempts to get the needle in right. He had send an electric shock through my back, that was not pleasant. However, within minutes of getting my epidural, the pain subsided. Chris and I started to play cards and watch Arrested Development. (Our poor nurse kept coming in during the parts of the show that were more crude).

Several hours later, I still wasn't dilating. The doctors came in and had to stretch me several times and even then I was making very little progress. At one point our nurse called out for assistance and threw an oxygen mask on me. Turns out, baby Addison was starting to get stressed. Her heart rate dropped with every contraction and she had a slow recovery time. The oxygen help her stabilize but the doctor decided to take me off the pitocin to see if my body would regulate the contractions on it's own; which it did, but even then Addison was getting stressed.

After 14 hours of labor, the doctor came in and informed me that because of Addison getting stressed, my lack of progress, and our time limited (since they broke my water) that he recommended that I get a c-section. We were told that we could wait and see if I progressed on my own but if not then I would still have to have a c-section.

Chris and I discussed it and thought that it would be the best choice. This was my reaction...Chris seemed calmer than me...

We were wheeled off and they put Chris in scrubs. I was given more drugs and lifted on an operating table. They strapped my arms and legs down and began to cut me open. After about 5 minutes I heard a little baby's cry and then I started to tear up. The first thing Chris said was that she had my lips. The nurses took her away to clean and weigh her.

Addison weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 21 inches long. She is healthy and strong. Addison is a very calm baby. She sleeps for 4 hours, eats, and will sleep for another 4 hours. Addison does have a fantastic habit of pooping and peeing during her diaper changes. Chris has promised Addison that he is going to pay her 5 bucks every time she pees and poops on mommy during a diaper change. Chris owes her $45 now...however, she did projectile poop on dad one night...now her father proceeds with much caution.

WE ARE HAVING A BABY GIRL!

A baby what??? Yes, that was my reaction when we found out what we were having. On Thursday August 11, 2011 we had our first ultra sound appointment. I have to admit that prior to our appointment I was an emotional wreck! Since becoming pregnant I am way more sensitive than what I normally am and my mind was wondering on the worst possible scenarios. I was able to collect myself before going and my emotions turned from worried to excited. The ultra sound tech got us in right away and so there was no waiting. Cara, the tech, got us in the room, kicked on the machine, poured some jelly on my belly, and right away we saw our baby. I first noticed that spine, then the head. I was in awe that that baby was inside of me. The baby was very wiggly and Cara had to chase the baby around. I kept referring to the baby as a him and this is why...
I've just always had an thought that we were having a baby boy. I don't know why I just did. During my pregnancy I have had only three baby dreams.

Dream 1: The first one was that I had a baby girl at four months. I didn't remember what happened (in my dream) and was concerned about her going to the NICU. My mom and sister where there to reassure me that the baby was fine and that she was just ready to come out early. Then when I saw my baby I thought man, she is kind of ugly and then got freaked out because although she was an infant she was running around the house. My mom and sister were like, "oh look she is a genius baby," and I said, "oh my baby is a freak."

Dream 2: I don't remember it right now but I know that I had one.

Dream 3: I had a baby boy and it was super real! Our baby had my eyes and Chris's eyes put together and they were BEAUTIFUL! They were a crystal blue and I was so excited in my dream. But then I saw my baby's nose and it was my nose and then I started to cry because I felt sorry for the child. (Note, I don't have a problem with my nose at all but for some reason in my dream I did).

But because my last dream was more realistic and also by the way I am carrying the baby (out...every out) I thought I was having a boy. So I was always looking at baby boy clothes. Also, I work with a lot of Hispanic clients. All of there mom's are excited that I am pregnant and one of them in particular told me that I she could tell what I am having. She went to her room and pulled out a golden medallion with el virgin de guatalupe on it. She made me hold it in my hand and then held it up. Then depending on how the medallion spun it would tell me what I am having (circles for girls and back and forth for boys). Mine swung was back and forth. She told me congratulations and that she was never wrong. Sooo everything I thought of and felt pointed towards a little boy.

Back to the ultra sound, Cara told me that I should probably stop referring to the baby as a he and call it a she. "WHAT? ARE YOU SURE?"

Cara told me that she was almost 99 percent positive but that she would keep looking and take lots of pictures. SO to our baby when you get older and are looking through your baby album and are wondering why there are so many pictures of your women parts it's because your mommy wanted to make very very sure that you were a girl and not a boy!

But we are excited! I am looking forward to having a baby girl. Cara took lots of pictures. The baby does look healthy, is active, has a good heart beat, and all her organs! We could also see her little button nose! Chris told me that he is going to have two bossy ladies in the house...it's a good thing that he is soooo patient! HA! We know that this baby is going to melt Chris's heart and he will be wrapped around her little finger!

Pictures soon to come!

Virginia City Montana

Several of my co-workers decided to plan a trip to an old mining town called Virgina City. It was one of the biggest gold mining cities with tons of history and is supposed to be haunted (?). I guess that they have ghost tours at night and regular tours during the day. Chris and I learned that Virgina City was a booming gold mining town (p.s. gold mining is still in operation today) and was built in 1864. During that first year the city grew to 35,000 miners plus a town to support them and had 100 murders!!! During the time of the murders, the sheriff himself was on probation for murder in another state. He hired some of his crook buddies to run the town hence the chaos. Eventually the town went on a vigilante spree and took manners in there own hands, hanging 24 people in two weeks. What was really neat was that most of the towns buildings are the original and are over 100 years old.

WELCOME TO ENNIS....this is not a typo.

On our way to to Virgina City we passed through a small town called Ennis where they have FREAL Milkshakes. I believe Ennis was this guy...

Please excuse my poppin belly I am almost 5 months prego and am showing A LOT!

Ennis people love hats

Finally after passing through Ennis and through some mountains we arrived to Virginia City!
Chris- "gotta go gotta go gotta go right now!"

Some of the scenic shots taken...the middle is of an old brewery where you could get a bucket of beer for a dollar but you had to bring your own bucket!

Home at last! All the houses were built for short people like Chris and I!

The End