Christmas - Week 5

John is now 5 weeks old and he had his first Christmas. We are at my family's cabin in Midway, Utah. Robert and I admit that it has been nice having some help. So many people have been wanting to hold him, feed him, and even change diapers. It has been nice to have a meal or take a shower where you aren't racing the baby nap clock!

John had his first bath where he didn't scream at all. I let him play in the warm water today and he loved it. When he got out of it he didn't even cry = milestone. He had a rough couple of days. He either has gas or acid reflux. He screamed a lot last night. Auntie Meredith (my awesome sister in law) was a nanny for a year to a three year old and an infant. The infant had bad acid reflux so she had some good tips. He started to do better during the night when Robert and I tried her tips. I'm so glad that other people know what they are doing; it saves me from having to figure things out via trial and error. We also tried some Mylicon drops (for gas) that were recommended by my friend Micci and those seemed to help as well.

John has also realized he enjoys floor time. He will lay there on his blanket (surrounded by willing admirers) and kick his chubby legs and move his arms back and forth. He also started cooing and trying to "talk." It is really fun to watch (I admit that I am biased:) ) Today he also started deliberately smiling. He looked right at me while Meredith was holding him, focused on me and smiled (letting his pasi fall out of his mouth). He did the same thing to grandpa Duffy. He loves the swing and his food. If you don't feed him fast enough when he wakes up he lets you know he is not happy.

Robert and I have to go buy books this week and prepare for classes to begin again. It is going to be a tough semester. I have a full load plus my substantive writing. At least when it's over I will have my law degree!

I'll have to add pictures later because I'm posting from another computer. My Internet is not working at the moment.

Week Four

Getting ready for bed. He loves this sleeper

Staring at the clock (see below) and moving his arms.


Finally asleep. Mom wants to be asleep too.


Bonding with daddy.

Week four has passed. I can't believe John-John is four weeks old. Some funny things: he loves looking and listening to the clock hanging above his changing table, once you lay him down he stares intently at it. He likes his baths and cries less now, the toaster intrigues him. When he's staring at something that he doesn't quite understand his mouth forms and O and his eyes get really big. He continues to eat well but he's spitting up now as well. He is growing out of his 3 month clothes (the pediatrician said the dates on baby clothes aren't accurate) and is learning to use his legs to push off of things (read: mom and dad). He has slept 5-6 hours that last few nights and we are hoping that lasts; the trade off - he is awake a lot during the day (we'll take sleep at night over productivity during the day).

I'm continuing to heal but it is taking longer than I thought. I've had a rough couple of days this week where I couldn't sleep and couldn't do much during the day. It's hard. I spent nine months dealing with pregnancy and now more time recovering from it. Don't misunderstand me, it is worth it and I love my son, recovery is just harder than I thought it would be. I cannot wait to get to my doctor so I can discuss what happened during delivery so I can ensure it doesn't happen with subsequent deliveries. At least I get to eat sugar and treats again! YUUUUUM! Christmas is almost here and I am excited for family to come into town.

Goodbye to Finals

Finals are done. I just finished a paper and just have to turn it in. Robert is at school today so he can finish a big paper he has due. I've spent the day cleaning, doing laundry, finishing my paper, and taking care of John-John. Christmas is coming and I can't wait. It's always hard to get in the Christmas mood while finals are in full swing. I'm excited to have some time at the cabin.

I am continuing to recover and feel almost human again. I can't believe I have managed to have a baby and take law school finals in a little over three weeks. Thank goodness for family and the Lord who have made that possible - I could not have done it alone.

John is continuing to transform from a newborn into a baby. He has more awake time and is intrigued by the Christmas Tree lights. He is holding his head up really well. When we burp him he holds his head up and looks around for a few minutes. He is starting to love bath time. He started pumping his legs in the water, but he still screams when we take him out. He is a little munch-mouth and is getting adorable chubby cheeks. He is also daddy's little poop-monster (Robert's nickname for him when he has a poopy diaper) and kicks his legs so much when we change his diaper that it is hard to get the new diaper back on. He is a cutie and we love him so much. Babies change life so much but they are worth it. Even though I love it when he naps, there are times that I just like cuddling my little (happy) baby.

Happy Holidays!

It's That Time of Year Again

No not the holidays...FINALS. Okay, so the holidays are here too, but before we get to enjoy them we have to brave finals. Only two this semester for me and one for Robert; we both took several pass/fail classes this semester with John on the way. We took very few pass/fail classes the last two years so it is a welcome break. Robert has two papers to write and I have one. We had our tax final today, I just hope that I passed (I say this after every final, but with having John and then the infection I hope things went well). It is interesting looking at the 1L's this year and remembering what it is was like taking those first round of finals. I'm glad I'm past that point. My mom came and stayed with us so we could study for finals and she watched John while we took our finals. She is enjoying being a grandma and we are grateful for the help. Thanks mom.

It is very cold here, and snowy. We had a storm dump several inches of snow the past few days and another one is moving in so we will get more. I was hoping for a mild winter, but I guess you can't have everything in life.

John had his check-up and is doing well. He gained over a pound (I guess I know where he puts all that food he eats) and looks good. His reflexes and growth were all great. Here is a picture of the cute little one.

Week Two

Week two has not gone as well. John has been great. He is a little more fussy and is having more "awake" time between naps. He loves to cuddle right before he goes to sleep. He hates being cold. When we change his diaper he cries because he is cold (although now he is starting to realize that it's temporary and we will put his pants back on). He used to cry all during bath time but not anymore. Once he's in the water he's fine because it's warm; he screams when we take him out until his clothes are on and he's swaddled and being held. I don't blame him I don't like being cold either.

Week two has not gone as well because I got sick. I have an infection that I probably caught in the hospital. The doctor kept asking me how long I felt sick. I wanted to say "hello, I had a baby two weeks ago, that's how long I've been feeling sick and gross." The past three days I have been really sick. Flu-like symptoms and everything. Robert was in class yesterday and had work after class, but I called him during class and told him to come home. He took my temperature - 102 degrees. We found a babysitter for John while Robert took me to the doctor. I felt so horrible I went in my pajamas and a blanket (summer pajamas no less because I kept getting the chills then 10 minutes later I would sweat like I was at the gym); the sad thing is, I didn't care how I looked because I felt so horrible. My temperature was 103 when I got there. They spent the next four hours running tests to figure out what was wrong. They finally gave me a shot of antibiotics (Robert said it was a 2 inch needle) in my hip and told me to come back in the morning. Brian watched John this morning and we were there when they opened at 8 o'clock. My fever was down as were my blood pressure, and heart rate. They ran more tests which confirmed that I had an infection and gave me a prescription for antibiotics. I've been sleeping, picking up, and doing laundry.

Robert has been absolutely wonderful. He has been up with John the last three nights (we usually tag team it) because I've been sick and has been great taking care of me. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband. I am also thankful for my son who was really good for his babysitters. I am also thankful for Brian and Lorena who watched John on such short notice; we couldn't have done it without you.

Week One

We are home. John had jaundice and we had to bring him home on bililights. It was heartbreaking having to keep him on those at home but Robert and my mom took him the next morning to get his levels tested and they were down so we were able to take him off the lights. He loves his clothes and hates being cold. When I bathe him he screams until he gets his clothes back on; same for when we change him into his sleepers at night and when we change his diapers.

He eats a ton. I don't know where he puts it all (well, his diapers would tell a different story). He is changing already. He's looking more like a baby and less like a newborn, his legs and face are chubbing up. He can sleep 4-5 hours at a time as long as his tummy is full, but he likes waking up at midnight and four o'clock in the morning. We've had a lot of family in town this week so he has been held a lot and met a lot of family. I'm ready to get on a schedule with him. He really is pretty good (thank goodness).

My labor was pretty good. 15 hours total, epidural after seven. My delivery was somewhat more complicated. I was close to an emergency c-section but the doctors and nurses were able to avoid that. Despite that, John did great the entire time. I was worried and kept asking how he was doing; the nurse said he was doing the best on the floor and he was the one baby she was not worried about. Apparently his monitor was textbook in a good way. After my delivery I felt vindicated. The hospital had not wanted to induce me but my doctor insisted as I had reached 40 weeks. Several doctors had felt that my due date was off by a couple of weeks and that I was overdue. After John was born the nurses and doctors said he was about two weeks overdue (after they looked and checked him) and that it was a good thing I didn't wait any longer to induce.

My recovery is also more complicated but I am moving along nicely now. I lost a lot of blood but they didn't want to do a transfusion so I was lightheaded for a few extra days (I passed out in the hospital) and I have some tearing and bruising to recover from. John continues to do well. I couldn't have made it through this week without my mom who stayed with us to help. Grandma and Grandpa were also wonderful with running errands, helping bring John home (he was in the hospital longer than planned because of the jaundice and Robert had a class he couldn't miss). Robert is a great dad and has already started to teach John the inns and outs of football. He gets up with him in the night and is great to me as well. Finals are approaching so we hope things continue to go well.

Mommy and John.

His first night home off the bililights.

Sleeping in his bassinet

Daddy and John in the hospital

Shortly after he was born. Daddy is so proud.

We're Parents!

John Owen Newell. Born 6:13 am. 8 lbs 14oz 20.5 inches. Big hands and feet, head of dark hair, and perfect.

I had a fifteen hour labor which didn't pick up until I had an epidural and they broke my water. Delivery was rough but he made it here and is doing well. They said it was a good thing we didn't wait to induce any longer because he shows signs of being about 2 weeks overdue. We love him so much. Robert is such a proud daddy. We both cried when we first saw him. He is very sleepy but seems to know who his mommy and daddy are.

A big thank you to everyone. To Alexander and Annalee for bringing Robert dinner while I was in labor. To Brian and Mindy for bringing Robert breakfast; John got to meet his aunt and uncle! Thank you to family members and all our friends who mean so much to us and who have been a great source of strength and support.

Due Date is Here but not the Baby

So my due date is here but I guess John didn't get the memo :) I go to the doctor tomorrow but as of now I'm not in labor and he shows no signs of coming soon. My professors and friends at school keep asking why I'm still there; I wish I weren't! Finals and Thanksgiving are going to be more difficult the longer he decides to wait. Every time I call a family member they think I'm in labor (or if I don't answer a call). I have my phone off most of the day if I'm at school so that it doesn't ring during class. So, as of now I'm just trying to stay caught up in school, trying to get more baby things ready for his arrival, and getting even bigger (I didn't think that was possible but people are starting to ask if I'm having twins).

I have one outfit that still fits; fits being defined as my stomach is completely covered, but the pouch on my pants is visible at the bottom because my shirt won't reach as far anymore. Being this pregnant is not fun but it is worth it. I can't sit for too long or I'm in pain, I can't stand too long or I'm in pain, I can't lay down too long or I'm in pain. I can't see anything past mid-belly. It is getting harder to resist tempting treats with the holidays approaching. I had to visit the bookstore yesterday to run a few errands and the entire store smelled of chocolate and they had so many goodies on display, including all of my favorites. Sigh. Did I mention that I had to pass the yummy homemade fudge. Twice. I really am looking forward to being able to eat chocolate and other sweets again. It's harder to resist knowing I'm not allowed to eat any of it, but I am doing it. It's all for the baby and it's all worth it.

Still Pregnant

So I'm still pregnant. My doctor wanted to induce me this weekend because the baby is getting big and I'm miserable, but the hospital won't allow it. Apparently, the hospital has allowed early inductions (36-37 weeks) for convenience and gained lots of negative attention for the number of NICU babies they had. So, the hospital has swung the pendulum the other way. Because my gestational diabetes is controlled they won't budge and they won't listen to my doctor. My doctor is encouraging me to try everything to go into labor on my own. Other than that, it's snowing (boo because I hate snow and it makes walking difficult and I can't even indulge in hot chocolate) and BYU has decided to only half show up for the game.

On a happy note, I bought bread pans today. We registered for some when we got married but never received any and we never bought any. We have bananas that are overripe and I don't want them to go to waste, so it was time. I bought the Williams-Sonoma gold line bread pans. We have round cake pans in the same brand and they are wonderful. They cook evenly and the cake comes out easily and without tearing. I recently did some research and the loaf pans come highly recommended by long-time bread makers, professional cooks, and cooking magazines. After reading user reviews I decided this was the way to go. My mom also has them and loves them. Robert and I also bought the all important, heavily recommended boppy. We're ready for him to come!

Pictures and Updates

I have heard from several people who want to see some pregnant pictures of me. I admit I haven't taken many but I took some this week and so I will post them. The update from the doctor is that the baby is still measuring big so they have set an induction date if I don't have him by them. It is near my due date. They don't want to let me go overdue because he would be measuring over 43 weeks by that time. Robert and I have the car seat, stroller, swing, bouncer, etc. and are ready for him to come. I have some wonderful friends and a wonderful ward who threw me awesome showers. More on that later as this is a quick post because dinner is on the stove and needing my attention. I hope you all rejoice in my hugeness!

H1N1

I was vaccinated today at my doctor's appointment. It will take two weeks to be fully effective so I still need to stay away from sick people (you don't need to tell me twice). My blood pressure is a little lower than it was last time but they still don't know why I feel dizzy and faint. The baby was transverse at the last visit (head on the side of my abdomen) but he has turned. Robert and I have been telling him to turn and singing "turning" songs to him this week (mostly as a joke) and it appears to have worked :p So far I show no signs of labor so I go back next week. Because my diabetes has been so well controlled they are not going to induce for another two weeks if at all.

My mom is in town and we have been baby shopping this week. We have the necessities and I bought a rocking chair yesterday. Robert put it together today and it is so cute that I can't wait to rock our little baby in it. We will put the crib together tomorrow (thank you to aunts Jan and Ann).That's it for now other then the news that the law school has confirmed cases of H1N1.

Doctor's Visit

Friday I received a call from my doctor's office. He has H1N1 and they wanted to reschedule for the 27th. I reminded them that I was 35 weeks pregnant, and they rescheduled me with another doctor instead.

I felt dizzy most of the weekend so I was really looking forward to this doctor's visit. I stopped driving when the dizzy spells first hit this week so that I didn't cause an accident. I was hoping they could figure out what was wrong, fix it, and I could go on my merry way. They checked my blood pressure. It was lower than it had been but not too low for a pregnant woman. They then took some blood to see if I was anemic; nope not anemic. (He had asked me if I was taking me prenatal vitamins, I said yes and he was surprised when the blood test showed that I was telling the truth. Why would I lie when I want to find out what is wrong with me?) They asked if it was related to lows in my blood sugar. Nope told him that I tested when I felt really dizzy and told him my numbers, even he said they were excellent and wouldn't be the cause of dizziness. Bottom line - (drum roll please) they don't know what is wrong with me. If I don't stop feeling dizzy they want me to come in so they can give me and IV and hopefully make it go away. I go back next week anyway so we'll see what happens. I felt fine today until this afternoon at work.

Work: I gave notice that this is my last week until after the baby is born - I'll probably go back in January (December if I can swing it). I love my job. It is something I love doing and it keeps me sane (law school is insane and being able to get away and into the real world has saved my sanity). I also love the people I work with. They are like me but different also so we compliment each other well and have a good time at work. I'm really going to miss them. But, I realized that the baby comes first, right now school comes second, and then work. I had planned to work right until the baby was born but these dizzy spells have changed that. I really wish the doctors could find out and fix the dizzy spells so that I could work a few more weeks at least.

On other baby news - he has not turned yet. The doctor started feeling for the head and couldn't find it until he found the back. Yes, my cute little guy is still sideways. I am encouraging him to turn but don't know if he understands me yet (English is a difficult language after all). Anybody have any tips on how to safely get him to turn? The doctor wasn't concerned, he says that there is still plenty of time. Everyone, encourage John to turn so I don't have to have a C-section. (caveat: I have nothing against C-sections per se I would just rather not have to recover from surgery if I don't have to). I've only had Braxton Hicks so far so it looks like he won't come just yet. I'm 36 weeks this week so let's hope he doesn't go past 40.

I'm Huge

So I'm 35 weeks pregnant today. I wish I were 40 weeks and done already. I had to skip work and school today because I almost passed out as I was making breakfast. Never had that happen before. Also, The baby is sitting on my sciatic nerve and I walk like an old lady that needs a cane or a walker. I called the doctor and he told me to lie down. I was feeling better in the afternoon until an hour ago when I began feeling really light-headed and nauseated again. I'm also huge and I just want John to be born so I can be done with being pregnant. But, it's still a little too soon for him to come so I have to hang in there so that he is as healthy as he can be; he is most important right now. I'm getting sympathetic looks from people at school, along with a few "is she crazy" looks from others (why yes, I am crazy to be attending law school, working, and pregnant; just look up my picture in the dictionary - it's next to crazy, insane, giant pregnant lady). Others ask if I'm ready to be done (the answer is a resounding YES).

My diabetes continues to be well controlled with diet and I am anxiously dreaming of the day I get to eat ice cream again. They will need to monitor the baby carefully after he's born to make sure that he's okay. My arms and legs are actually smaller than they were when I was diagnosed, but my stomach is getting bigger by the second. I constantly feel the baby move and just wish he didn't like my bladder so much. It's embarrassing to go to the bathroom before class, during class, then again right after class. When he moves, I have to hobble to the bathroom. Most of all, I feel huge, ginormous, (insert favorite adjective or synonym for giant pregnant lady here). I remember buying maternity clothes and wondering if they were too big. It's a little depressing when you realize that you fit in them; then you wonder if you will ever shrink back to your old size.

I love my baby so much and I know that all of this is worth it. As long as he is safe and healthy I can deal.

One Month Into School

I had a doctor's appointment last week. The baby is still measuring a couple of weeks ahead of schedule so he might come early. My diabetes seems to be responding well to my diet but they will still monitor the baby closely, especially when he is born. His heartbeat was strong and I feel him move all the time now. He has steered clear of my rib-cage (he hasn't kicked me there yet), but sometimes I feel his head right at the top of my left thigh joint. When he gets an elbow or foot in just the right place it hurts. He is big enough that my stomach moves when he does and I have to admit it is fun to watch. He lets me know when I have disturbed his comfort because of the position I am in and sadly part of his comfort is settling right on my bladder. I have been achy this week and a little grumpy and emotional. More than anything I feel tired and huge (I haven't gained any weight this month :) and don't know how my body can stretch anymore than it already has.

School is...well...school. We are both in the swing of the semester and plugging along. Work is also going well and provides a nice escape into reality (law school is close to insanity most of the time), even though I'm editing Supreme Court cases :) Robert likes his job as a Lexis student rep.

If only I could have some ice cream, the real stuff with hot fudge and caramel, life would be awesome. (Grandma will have to eat enough for grandpa and me; he can't have any either.)

Sunday

We went to our new ward today. We went last week after checking the church website. We went to Sacrament Meeting and asked where Sunday School was. This stake does RS and SS before SM so we had missed the other meetings. Today we made it to all of them. We have 9:00 church. I usually like early church but it was difficult to get up today. Our new ward was very welcoming and I am glad that we are where we are.

Robert and I had some friends up at the cabin yesterday. It was a lot of fun. We ate, watched the game (go Cougars), played the Wii, and played board games. It's great to get out of Provo for a few hours and unwind with friends. Most of us are all in law school so it's great to out of the pressure situation. We have a solid group that does "geek nights" and we always have fun together.

The baby is moving regularly and when he moves my belly usually follows. Sleeping is getting more elusive so Sunday naps are a life saver. Work is going well. I like my job a lot and many days I prefer work to school (I think getting paid to be there helps).

Blood Sugar Update

I had an appointment with the diabetic nutritionist on Monday. My blood sugar levels were pretty low for the week so they are encouraged as it seems that the diet is controlling the diabetes. If this continues I will not need insulin and the diabetes should go away after the baby is born. I don't have another appointment for a few weeks, but they want me to call in this week for a phone appointment. When I arrived they were running behind so I had an opportunity to talk to some other gestational diabetes patients. Their levels were all pretty high and they were worried. I have the opposite problem, mine are sometimes too low.

Blood sugar needs to be 70 or above to be healthy; anything below that is considered hypoglycemic which brings its own risks (one of them being death). At least once a day I have slipped into the 60's and even the 50's. The nurses could not figure out why I was dipping so low and questioned me about what and when I ate. I always dipped that low before lunch or before dinner. They said it sounded like I was following the diet to a "T" and made some adjustments because of the lows and the fact that I was spilling ketones into my urine. The adjustments worked for a day or two then my blood sugar started dropping into the 50's again. I have to call in tomorrow and see what is going on. My blood sugar has never been close to the upper threshold, even the time I cheated and ate a cupcake (insert guilty face emoticon here).

Last night was really scary. They no longer have me test my blood sugar before lunch and before dinner because my levels were always so low that they weren't worried about them. I tested before dinner last night because I felt my blood sugar might have been high. Wrong. It was at 48. When blood sugar plummets to the 50's the brain is not getting the sugar it needs to function properly. When you reach these levels you are supposed to eat sugar to bring your level up to safety, then, to sustain it, you're supposed to eat a meal. I ate some chocolate cake that a member of the ward had brought as a welcoming treat, a hard candy, a glass of milk, and half a soda and tested again in 15 minutes. My blood sugar had increased to 69. I then ate dinner and tested two hours later (this is the norm). My blood sugar was 92; after eating all of that it was only 92 (120 is the upper threshold for two hours after a meal). This has left me wondering if I really do have GD. The nurses told me at my appointment that I might have had hypoglycemia before the pregnancy and that untreated hypoglycemia can turn into Type II diabetes. We'll see how the phone appointment goes this week.

Heather Luedtke Chapman

My cousin Heather passed away a week ago. She was an amazing woman, wife, mother, sister, and daughter. She lost her battle with breast cancer at the age of 32. She has a husband and two children. One of my earliest memories of Heather (other then swimming in uncle Fred and aunt Coy's pool) is singing the "Elvira" song ("my heart is on fire for Elvira") in the old van they used to have. Heather loved the song and kept rewinding it to sing it; uncle Fred was driving and I was in the car. I don't remember what we were doing other than driving and singing the song. I also remember playing barbies and kitchen with her and Cherise. Her funeral was in California and I wish I could have been there. I had school and work and being almost 30 weeks pregnant with gestational diabetes (that has a tendency to dip into hypoglycemia) I could not travel. My mom said it was the best funeral she's even been to and that it was a real tribute to Heather and the Savior. I know Heather will be missed. Not that anyone ever deserves cancer, but Heather is someone who really didn't deserve it. She brought joy and happiness everywhere she went.

A Day of Firsts

Robert and I had our last first day of school. I only had tax today so off I went for my first diabetic appointment. The meeting was three hours and I have a very specific diet plan. They said that half of the women who follow the plan are able to regulate their diabetes, the other half require medication even if they follow the plan. Since I discovered that my insurance will not cover any diabetic medication I'm hoping that diet will control it. If I do need to go on medication then I would be considered a high risk pregnancy and they would take the baby at 36 or 37 weeks. One other woman in there had GD with her last pregnancy and they took her baby at 37 weeks. They said that if most people would follow the diet plan many of them would not develop type II diabetes at all. They said the number of children and teenagers that come into the clinic is skyrocketing.

I have to test my blood sugar four times a day until I deliver and they will monitor it closely to see if my diet controls the diabetes. Also, I have to test my urine daily. This really is going to be a pain and I hope I don't have this with any subsequent pregnancies. I have to eat every 2 hours while I'm awake, that's 6 meals a day. It will by difficult to do while at school because I will have to prepare three of my meals before I leave and keep them fresh etc. I also have to eat right before I go to bed, I don't really like doing that and before I was pregnant I skipped breakfast which is a huge cardinal sin with diabetes.

I know people think this is a great adventure but I hate adventures. I like the boring, predictable life with few surprises.

More Doctors for Me

I had the 3 hour glucose test yesterday bright and early (8:30 am). I had to go completely fasting and drink a higher concentration of sugar water. The nurse told me that if I felt sick she had a cold dark room I could go and lay down in. I thought I was fine until 30 minutes had passed and I had a pounding headache and felt sick to my stomach (Hello 1st trimester is over). I finally asked if I could go back into the room. I spent the rest of the test trying not to be sick. They take your blood sugar four times, one at the beginning of the test and then three more every hour for three hours. If two of the three glucose levels come back over the limit during the test then you have gestational diabetes. I failed one big time, one was right on the threshold, and one was one point over. The nurse wasn't sure that the doctor would refer me to the diabetic clinic because I was technically on the threshold. The doctor called me and he did refer me so while Robert and I move today, I have to keep an ear out for my phone so I can talk to the specialist and the diabetic clinic.

I'm mostly scared for the baby. I don't want him to be hurt by this, I feel like I've failed him. The doctor and nurse told me that the cause of GD is unknown and that you can have it with one pregnancy and not others - there's no rhyme or reason to it. Still, this is just one more thing to deal with on top of Law School and the pregnancy itself and one more risk to the baby. I also don't want to actually get diabetes. Having GD makes it more likely that you'll get real diabetes later in life. On that cheerful note I get to go move now.

I FAILED a TEST

Seriously bummed. I had my gestational diabetes test today. I failed by two points. Now I have to go tomorrow morning and have another longer test. For the test today I had to drink sugar water and then test my blood sugar after an hour. Since I failed, they will give me a higher concentration of sugar water and test my blood sugar every hour for three hours. So, I get to camp out at the doctor's office for 3+ hours tomorrow and get my finger panifully pricked. Oh goody.

Robert starts work tomorrow (oh to see the scared 1L's and remember what it was like). We move Friday and start school Monday. So glad it is the last year of law school for us. Oh the plus side, the baby is kicking a ton and I feel him move all the time.

Updates!

Robert and I have moved back to Utah. When planning to come for Heather's wedding we realized that it was better if we stayed. School starts a week earlier for the Law School than for the rest of BYU and we still had to find an apartment. Married housing is not an easy find in P-town. We move in right before school starts. I'm still working and will be even after school starts. We've had several thunderstorms at the cabin and are having a little bit of a breather. When schools starts there will be no down time at all. Robert's internship is done and he's helping me with projects and things that need to get done before the move and school. It's been great to see good friends again.

I realized today that it will likely be several years before I sleep through the night again. As soon as I got pregnant, before I even knew I was pregnant, I had to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom. This hasn't stopped and when the baby comes one of us will need to get up with him. I told Robert to enjoy his sleep while he can - I can't anymore (I also discovered that he talks in his sleep). My baby is stubborn. Now that he's bigger I feel him move all the time. He lets me know when he doesn't like the position I am in. I'm a stomach sleeper but that ended months ago; sleeping on my back is also out now. So I switch from side to side during the night. When I roll over to my left he kicks and wiggles until I roll back over to my right side. He'll kick for several minutes and won't let up until I roll over. It's a good thing I love the little guy and it makes me wonder how stubborn he'll be after he's born. When I told Robert about this he said "honey, with us as parents he was bound to be stubborn." I had a good laugh.

We'll I'm off to take a nap while I still can.

It's a BOY!!

I had my 20 week ultrasound today. They perform these between 18-22 weeks. I am 22 weeks this week. I had three different doctors perform the utlrasound, one would enter the room after the other one was finished. They measured his head, torso, limbs, and his organs. They also looked at his brain, spine, and the chambers of his heart. They think they woke him up because he was moving so much and seemed a little "grumpy." It is definitely a boy and we also got to see his face and when they first started the ultrasound he was moving his jaw and the doctor said that he was sucking.

He's measuring big - so big that they think I am actually 24 weeks pregnant. They measured one of his feet very last (only one doctor was able to get a still shot of the baby, he kicking his little legs and hence moving his feet) and even that measured big. He is about a pound-and-a-half already that they think he will be around 8 pounds when delivered. YIKES! They also had to work hard to look at his heart because his ribs are also developed past the 22 week mark and they started interfering with the equipment; they were able to look at all the chambers of his heart and they look good.They are not going to change my official due date because it is within two weeks the measurement due date, but the doctors told me to be prepared at the beginning of November just in case. I have a prenatal appointment Monday with my doctor to see how I am doing (swollen feet and ankles anyone?). Yea for babies!

I'm having scanner issues so pictures will follow when I get it figured out.

Boo to Colds

So I'm sick. Battling a sore throat and a stuffy nose = cold. I hate colds with a passion, they just make you feel yucky all over. It's especially worse when you can't take any cold medicine for them. Being pregnant = no cold medicine. I'm glad we know this little medical gem so that my little baby is safe. The only thing I've taken since being pregnant is regular Tylenol and that was only three times (major cramps and migraines). I'm usually the type to suffer through things, but colds and migraines are usually the exceptions. It's a good thing I work from home so that I can still get my hours in while sick (although I'd rather be settled into bed with a good book to read in between naps - but, as they say, you can't have everything in life).

Shaun is also sick with a cold. He came down with his yesterday, and mine hit last night right before I went to bed. Robert was sick a few weeks ago with a sore throat. I just hope everyone else stays well.

Happy Half-Bake Day

So today I am 20 weeks pregnant. I have been feeling my little one moving around all day today. Usually I feel him every now and then, but today he has been getting some exercise. My mom came to see how my work was going and to tell me that she couldn't believe I'm already 20 weeks. I told her how much he was moving and then I looked down, put my hand on my tummy and said "are you so excited because you know it's your half-bake day today?" My mom started cracking up.

Robert is all recovered from his sickness (Yea for antibiotics) and is back at work and having a good time. I am continuing to work this summer and trying to get registered for classes. I have to find professors that are willing to work with me because my due date is in the middle of the semester. We are gearing up for fourth of July and the fun weekend. Robert has Friday off so tomorrow is his last day of work for the week.

Anyway, Happy Half-Bake Day to baby Newell.

Life Happens

Robert is sick. He didn't feel good Monday and stayed home from work so he could hopefully be well enough to go to his preliminary hearings. He had worked hard on them and was really looking forward to being able to argue these in front of a judge. Alas, he was worse yesterday so he went to the doctor. They thought it was strep but the test came back negative. They decided to treat it with antibiotics anyway because he was contagious and they didn't want it to get worse. The doctor told him he had to stay home today because he is still contagious. He gets to go back to work tomorrow but he missed his prelims and is really bummed about that.

The baby is growing! I can feel him taking up more space inside of me and my stomach is getting harder and bigger. I can feel him move even more now. I am 19 weeks today and in a few weeks I have my ultrasound that will conclusively determine the sex and due date. It is now starting to hit me that Robert and I need to make decisions about baby things and so we should start looking. This is going to be an interesting last year of law school for both of us. We both like the boring, predictable, quiet life - but this is definitely going to change that. That being said, I am thrilled that I'm going to be a mom.

My work is going well. I am still briefing USSC cases for my work and I'm learning a lot about federal procedure and federal courts from it. I find it interesting even though many others would find it boring.

Baby Update

I went to the doctor today. My insurance said they covered a doctor in California but it turns out that they were "mistaken." So I flew out to Utah with my dad (Robert had to work) and went to my same doctor. My appointment was supposed to be yesterday, but Utah was in the midst of severe thunderstorms and we boarded the plane only to learn that SLC airport had grounded all incoming flights. We were an hour-and-a-half late so I had to call and reschedule my appointment. My doctor was off work today but when he discovered what had happened he decided to come in the morning and scheduled me for an appointment. He is in his residency so I really have two doctors. He treats me and another doctor that is in charge of his residency checks his work etc. Earlier in this pregnancy they could not detect a heartbeat, so the other doctor came in and conducted a more-invasive-than-normal ultrasound and she was able to get the heartbeat and see the baby. The office I am at has approximately 150 residency applicants and only 6 spots, so they have their pick of good doctors.

They did the typical urine test and then took some blood to check for genetic defects. Robert and I want to know so we can be prepared if we need to be. The doctor did the measurements and checked my weight and everything is right on par. He checked for the heartbeat and it was a good 160 beats per minute.

The doctor plans to practice sports medicine when his residency is finished. Doctors are now using ultrasounds to treat some sports injuries so he did a free ultrasound!!!!! :) :) It helps him perfect his skills and as he put it "expecting moms usually don't mind seeing their baby." He is right about that. The baby had curled his left arm up to his face and it was so cute. I could also see eyes, nose, and mouth, and the heart beating. He was moving a lot. I have been feeling some flutterings for a few weeks but didn't quite know if it was the baby. The doctor said it was definitely the baby because he is very active. He was kicking his feet a ton and he didn't like the ultrasound wand very much; at one point he totally moved away from it and the doctor had to find him again. It was so cute (sorry I'm gushing a bit so bear with me). The doctor thinks that it is a boy but he said "it's still early so don't go buy anything" because he's only 75% sure. We will know more next month when they do a clearer ultrasound and measure the limbs and such.

Anyway, that is the update and I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. I love this baby already and I really can't wait to be able to raise him. Robert feels the same way. Here's to delivering a healthy baby. Cheers (with sparkling cider of course).

Happy Birthday Mom

You've had a Birthday shout horray (horray!)

We want to sing to you today (today!)

One year older and wiser too (too!)

Happy Birthday, to you (to you!)

When I was in primary this is how we would sing this song. The words in parentheses would be shouted after the line. Apparently this is how it is still sung in primary.

Mom's birthday is today. We are having Ruby's for dinner and then going to Mike and Adrianne's for birthday cake. Yum.

Happy Birthday mom we love you.

Earthquake

Well we had an earthquake. Like all earthquakes you could hear it before you could feel it. It was pretty small (meaning that we are either far away from the epicenter, or it was a small quake). Christine is a little scared, she hasn't felt too many earthquakes, and the ones she has felt have been small. I remember Northridge; I don't think I can forget it. That earthquake felt different then the rest, it was more a rolling, surfing motion rather then just shaking. It also seemed to last forever, I was 8 or 9 at the time but I remember waking up to the sound of shaking then as I got up to go to the doorway I felt the shaking. The neighbors pool water sloshed everywhere. There were also several aftershocks, some of which were at school; it was pretty scary for all of "us kids." Mike and Josh missed it because there were in Phoenix visiting Auntie Lisa and Uncle Craig, Christine was not born yet, and Shaun and I were scared little kids. The news showed all the destruction - buildings collapsing onto the ground floors, fires, roads up torn, and much more. Well, hopefully the ground will remain firm for some time.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. I had a yummy breakfast and we had church this afternoon.

...and Baby Makes Three

Robert and I are expecting our first child in November. Yes, I am twelve weeks pregnant this week. I have had morning sickness and all that good stuff that comes along with being pregnant. We are both thrilled and are doing what we can to ensure that the baby is healthy and happy. Being pregnant made this semester interesting. I am tired most of the time and Robert has been great picking up the slack, running to get the one food that I can keep down, and holding me when I am emotional and cry.

School became interesting as well. I would have to leave class sometimes to go throw-up and homework became more difficult to finish because I didn't feel well. Finals were horrible. I had to leave my exams to go throw-up then return and finish the exam; I also caught a horrible cold that lasted more than a week and I couldn't take any medication for it. Moving was also difficult as I could not lift anything heavy. Robert and I had a good system going so we were able to pack and we had help moving all the heavy stuff. But...

...it is all worth it. I had my first doctor's appointment right after finals and before moving. I had an ultrasound because they could not find a heartbeat with the regular heartbeat thingy. I was really scared because they brought in other doctor's and were asking me a ton of questions. Then they found the baby and his/her heartbeat on the ultrasound and the atmosphere changed. They said the baby looked healthy and were commenting on how much he/she was moving. I got to see the baby move and I have a picture of him/her. Robert and I are hoping things continue to go well with the baby so we can welcome him/her to our family in November.

p.s. from Robert: It is going to be a boy!

Finally Finals are Finished

So finals are done and I am so happy about that. I really bit off a little too much this semester. Normally it wouldn't have been too much but some mid-semester news changed that. Robert and I moved out of our apartment over the weekend (thanks dad and Shaun for the help and the truck) and finished cleaning it on Monday. I had training meetings for work yesterday and today, and now I think I know what I'm doing (I hope). I am doing research for a professor this summer and continuing the job I had this semester with a publishing company; I am doing both remotely which will give my schedule some flexibility. Robert starts his externship soon and we are excited to enjoy the summer and not have to worry about school. Next year at this time we will be graduated and studying for the bar exam. Good luck studying for that Josh we are praying for you. So, just an update and more updates will be coming soon.

Computers and Stuff

Sooooo......my computer decided to crash and refuse to boot on Saturday. BIG PROBLEM because finals started on Monday. I called Dell and they did pretty much nothing but said they would send someone on Tuesday. Um hello finals on Monday and Tuesday. In law school you take finals on your computer; no final=failing grade. Luckily, the IT guys at the law school took pity on me and allowed me to use a school laptop for two days to take my finals. The tech guy that came today was nice, but I still hate Dell because I paid a ton for same day service and I got four day later service. The tech replaced my motherboard and LCD screen and my computer works again. Thanks for nothing Dell, I will remember not to buy a computer from you again.

Finals are here. Robert has one left and I have four left. Why did I not take any pass/fail classes this semester? Anyway, I am living in finals survival for the next two weeks.

Finals

Ugh! what more do I have to say?

Hello, It's Spring!!

But Mother Nature thinks it's still winter. We had snow this week. I mean, really. We are also supposed to get a ton of snow tomorrow and more during the week. We all expect cold temperatures and snow in January and February. March comes and it gets warm and sunny for a few weeks and then WHAM! more snow and cold. It happens every year, I mean it's normal for Utah, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I wish I could boycott snow. Really.

This week is going to to busy. Robert has his Crim Pro final on Monday in SLC at the courthouse. Guess who gets to be a witness. That would be me :) Then we have work and finals to get done. I didn't get the laundry done today, but I got one of my outlines for finals finished. I have six...finals, that is. Robert and I also went on a date last night :) Mimi's has good food and we got to play some games with some friends of ours so it was a lot of fun. I'm tired so I'm going to bed because we have 9 o'clock church (but it's way better than 1 o'clock church).

Thursday

Wow. Another post. So soon after the last one. I know. I know. I wouldn't be doing this if the class I am currently in (accounting for lawyers) weren't so boring. We are four chapters behind and yet finals are in three weeks. Yikes. Three weeks. I have a feeling that we will not be finishing the book before finals.

The weather is finally warming up, but another snow storm is expected. Ugh. At least I have the Twilight party to look forward to this weekend. One of my friends is braving the crowds Friday night to get the DVD. She is bringing it to another friend's house (where we have Geek Night) and we will have an awesome party on Saturday. We know the movie is bad and that the books don't contain the greatest literary merit (most of us are English majors and editors). While we like the stories, we are aware of the flaws and a good part of the party is going to be making fun of the flaws. Oh it is so fun to have friends who think like I do. Go Twilight! (The guys will be having a "guys night" on Saturday)

Class is almost over (finally, it's a two hour class) so I better go. BYU is playing in a few minutes and I know Robert is dying to go to the fishbowl and watch the game. The fishbowl is the receptionist office at the law school. They just installed some flat screens there. I have work after accounting, and then Insurance Law (which is surprisingly very interesting). At least there is a new "Office" on tonight.

I'm still here

School has been crazy. So much to get done and so little time to do it. I guess I shouldn't have maxed out my credits this semester. I am taking the max the school allows. It has been fun to have Shaun here this semester. I get to see him when I help him with his papers.

The weather is getting warmer, but just when you think Spring has arrived. Wham! Snow :( Typical March weather. At least you expect snow and freezing temperatures in January. Robert's parents and little sister were in town this weekend for Brian's (Robert's brother) men's choir concert. The concert was great as always. On Friday, Robert and I had a huge group project worth 80% of our grade in Entertainment and Sport Law. The professor said he liked it and that we had set a high standard for the other groups. We were the first group in the class to present. There were six of us in the group.

Finals are only four weeks away! Where did the time go? I looked at the calendar and realized that I need to start outlining and studying for them. Finals are no fun. I just hope my computer decides to cooperate this time around. That's all there is for now. Just work and school and crazy weather.

1 Year for Mike and Adrianne!

So I have been pretty bad about posting big events (birthday's, anniversaries) so I am starting today. Mike and Adrianne have been married for one year today. I remember when they got married. Robert and I were in Provo and Grandma Duffy had just died. We were all here for the funeral (except the bride and groom who had to finish wedding things) and there was a huge snow storm in Utah. The whole family was able to make the flight to get home for the wedding.

Mike and Adrianne chose to get married on February 9th because they had a running joke with that date. He used to tease her by telling everyone that her birthday was February 9th even though it is in January. So it had a special meaning for them already.

It was such a gorgeous day in San Diego. The sun was shining and it was around 80 degrees. Oh the warmth was so nice. Adrianne was beautiful and Mike was dashing. The reception was so nice and the food was excellent. I caught Adrianne's bouquet and then Mike and Adrianne left for their honeymoon. I am so lucky to have them in the family. It has been a fun year with them.

A New Semester

So it's been awhile. Since my last post, we had no more snow until today :( We had stake conference and Elder Ballard was our presiding speaker. He spoke about listening to the Spirit and getting our finances in order. Robert had to leave extra early to "usher" because it had started snowing. It was the dense, wet snow that sticks to everything. We were in the Provo Tabernacle because we had an Apostle presiding. Robert drove with a friend who was also an usher and I picked up the friend's wife (who is also a friend) and we drove and sat together.

We started a new semester at school and received last semester's grades on Friday. Robert beat me in evidence and I kicked butt in professional responsibility :) Also, despite my computer's attempt to ruin my grade in business associations, I passed with a not to shabby grade (oh what it might have been if not for my computer crashing in the middle of the final). We have different schedules this semester but we still have a few classes together. Robert still works for Lexis Nexis and I got a job with a publishing company in Orem. I love it. I get to use my undergraduate education. I am an editor of literary criticisms and I also edit foreign language translations for the company (no I do not translate from other languages, I edit the translations so they are in proper format and use proper English). I work with awesome people and I get paid! This job makes me feel like my English degree was good for something besides getting me into law school. Many people think I am crazy for doing law school and having a part-time job, but I like it. Naturally, we are busy with full-time school and part-time jobs.

Last Friday we had dinner and played games with Lauren and her boyfriend Chris. The food was good and we had a great time. Friends are awesome. This Friday the law school gang is getting together. Instead of Geek Night we are doing Austen night for the girls, and Guys Night for the boys. It is going to be fun.

Also, please do not judge my writing ability on my blog. I post in the spare time that I have. I am much more careful at my job and at school. This is the one place where I don't have to use "correct" English :P

Snow Snow and More Snow

Holy Cow! Robert and I started school today and we like our classes. Robert had class until 7pm and my afternoon class was cancelled because my professor was at a conference. I came home and did some cleaning and it was snowing hard. There was half an inch on the car when I left and the plan was that I would pick-up Robert after his class. I went to pick him up and there was about five inches of snow on the car! No joke. I scraped the snow off the car and tried to leave the driveway. No go. I could get out of driveway but not past the dip and into the street. I tried four times but I would get to the dip (which no one could see because of all the snow) and then I would get stuck and start to slide to the right. There was a car parked to the right and I did not want to hit it. I finally called Robert and he said he would walk (it was still snowing). Luckily we live about two blocks from campus. He couldn't tell the difference between the sidewalk and the street. There was only one set of tire marks in the main streets of town because there was so much snow. I stayed on the phone and talked to him until he got home. I had dinner waiting so he could warm up. We are hoping to be able to get to school tomorrow.

Mexican Christmas

Robert's family went to Cancun for Christmas. We were so glad to get out of the cold and snow. We arrived later than expected in Cancun and we got to our resort pretty late. However, it was a lovely resort and we had a lot of fun staying there. They had a ton of pools with little veranda's by the pool that you could sit on. We also say the crocodiles and flamingos that they had at the resort. Robert and I got our own room. We had two condos, they had a limited kitchen, living area and two suite-type rooms. It was a lot of fun sitting in the whirlpool bathtub.

On Christmas Eve we went to Chichen Itza. It was unbelievable. We got to see all the ruins and we even were rained on a few times. Apparently this is usual weather for July and August, not December. When Robert and I were huddled with a large group under some trees one of the peddlers came and offered Robert and free Mayan-type mask for his hat. He agreed to trade. The hat was a BYU one that he got free at a game; it was a good trade. We missed the on-ramp to the highway on the way home and a three hour trip turned into a four to five hour trip through the jungle. Another adventure. Freeways in the US are so much nicer. The freeways in Mexico have speed-bumps in them (I'm sure it's different in the bigger cities). We got a few other souvenirs to remember the trip by. We were able to go the beach and just relax. We played games and had adventures as we went grocery shopping. It was very nice to see another culture and way of life.

On the way home we spent about 30 hours travelling. We got to the airport about three hours early (like they recommended). Our flight was delayed about two and a half hours. After we, finally, got on the plane we were had missed our connection. Robert and I were on the same flight and his parents, Aubrey and Janae. We all missed our connections. We were given a phone number for a hotel and told to stay there if we wanted. We were not comped rooms, meals, nothing, zip. Then Robert and I were told that we would not be leaving Denver until after noon the next day. We were not very happy and we were not in good moods. When we finally got to Salt Lake Airport Robert went to dig the car out while I got the luggage. Lo and behold they had lost it. We vowed to never fly Frontier Airlines again if we could avoid it at all. Boo to Frontier Airlines :( At least the rest of the trip was good and no one got sick from the food or the water.