Emery Mia :)

Announcing Princess Emery!! She was born at 6:07 Feb 26th. NINE pounds 10 oz, and 20 inches long.

Mike did this when they took her down for her bath. He told her to hold the card, and she did. He thinks it looks like her little mug shot. :)

No special effects here, but this is my wonderful Midwife Heather Johnson. Anyone having a baby in Utah County--I HIGHLY recommend her. She was awesome!

Just ignore anything else in this picture! She had a big knot in her cord. There were several things that could have been bad, and worked out just right to let this little one be here. They said the cord was around her neck, and the way her cord inserted into her placenta was not right, and could have been fatal! The nurses and my midwife kept calling her miracle baby. She is! My little ray of hope--in miracles. :)

So--things got a little mixed up, with medical politics and stuff I guess, and I ended up delivering at a different hospital, but they have been great here, and as long as it all works out one way or another with the insurance, I am happy. :) We came in around 11:30, got all set up (IV and such) and then waited for my midwife. After about an hour and a 1/2, the nurse called her, and relaized I was supposed to be started on Pitocin right when we got here, and THEN she was planning on coming over to break my water. Heather came over about 2:30 and broke my water (SOOO fun BTW) Then the contractions started coming really strong, and hard, and right on top of each other. I still had no epidural at this point, but the baby was so high up, and I KNEW she was posterior. (Face up) I was in a lot of pain, and losing my strength. The nurse checked me, and I was a 6+, but the baby was still really high up, and killing my back. Not too much later I decided I was ready to give in and get me an EPIDURAL already! What was I thinking?? As my mom just put it--would you go get a root canal with no numbing or anything--just to see what it was like? lol--needless to say, when the anestheologist came in, he was my HERO! Not to say I wouldn't have loved to say I did it, and I FULLY admire those who do, but man, I was ready. I got really sleepy right afterwards, probably because I could finally relax, and I took a nice nap for an hour or so. I woke up feeling pressure, and had the nurse come check me. Sure enough, ready to go. :) I love all the rushing around that goes on as they get ready for the baby to be born. A couple good pushes (which were much more painful than I had felt with my other babies!) and here she was! (All 9 lbs 10 0z--I knew she was BIG, and turns out she was posterior) She is such a little angel. So sweet--That moment when you look at your little one for the first time, I wish I could bottle it up, and let a little out on a bad day. Last night I couldn't sleep for a while, and I just laid here and cried to my Heavenly Father for this little girl. SO grateful for her. HUGE thank you to Andrea and Michelle for watching my 3 other "angels." And my mom was able to be here supporting us too--so great!

More "stuff" we've been up to :D

Let me just start out by saying HOLY COW!!! I cannot believe my little ticker over there says only 15 days left. I find myself conflicted in about a million different ways. This has felt like the longest pregnancy ever, because as I see it, it honestly has. I was pregnant for 15 weeks before I found out I had "miscarried," then had my D and C, then got pregnant right away again (which I am SOO grateful for) So I have effectively been pregnant for over a year at this point. But, in the same breath I find myself wanting to complain about how miserable I am, I am have found myself savoring this pregnancy so much. Knowing this is our last, and also because of the miscarrage I guess has made me want to cherish ever little kick and twist. Having Bailey around who loves to feel the baby moving helps too! Now that I am here, on the home stretch, it feels crazy. My other 3 kids have come early (Tyler 2 weeks early, and 9 lbs 2 oz; Bailey 3 weeks early 7 lbs 2 oz, and Kyle 2 weeks early and 8 lbs 2 oz). But this baby seems to be changing that mold--so far at least. At my last dr's appt., she said I wasn't dialated AT ALL!!?? What is so different about this baby? I joked with my aunt the other day that it must hear me getting after the other kids, and be fine staying where it's at! I have a dr.'s appt. tomorrow, so we'll see how it goes I guess. She said she would induce me at 39 weeks, which is next Friday, and would work out wonderfully as far as schedules go--especially having someone to watch the other kids. But then I feel anxious about that for some reason. AHHH--the mind of a pregnant woman--what do you do??!! I guess either way this baby will be here in a week or so. And we are all so excited!! Mike has been so wonderful to give in to my list of nesting "demands." And I have found a love for sewing I never thought I'd have. (Now if I could just do the same for running :))

And yes, I am brave enough to believe it is a girl, and decorate accordingly! This is something I saw online somewhere a few years ago, and have been itching to do it in the babies room.

Mostly finished Bailey's/babies room. I love it! I walk past and just look in it and smile. Especially when Bailey's in there sleeping with the little flower light on. :)

Randomly in here, but the kids LOVE going to visit Grandma Livingston, especially when she reads stories. (She tells an amazing story--voices and all)

I just finished the car seat cover today--HOORAY!! I finished it up, and told Mike, "Ok, NOW we can have the baby."



Can't wait to put the little munchkin in it!




Mike also painted our room last weekend. (Happy Valentines Day) I am horrible at picking out paint colors, and have not been super happy with our room color since we moved in. (5 years ago--I can't believe that either) So right before Christmas when we went to visit my brother and his wall color was exactly what I wanted--I hounded him until he told me what it was. I love it! Feels like a whole new room.

And here we have my ONE obligatory preggo-belly picture. Wow--what a hottie! :P

Nesting... (Does that make me a momma bird?)

Car seat canopy. The inside is just about done--thanks to Alisha. So excited to put my little bug in it--sooner rather than later hopefully!

My first blanket (with lot's of phone calls to my wonderful mom!) I think it turned out pretty nicely. I am officially addicted to sewing now. It's so fun to have an idea for something, and see it come to life. :)

YES--those are my ankles! And no, it's not broken, just swollen like crazy!!! Attractive I know.(good thing Mike's stuck with me already)

Like mother like daughter...

My poor little Bailey! If something has/is going to happen to someone in our family--somehow always seems to be this girl. She is such a brave little girl though--really. I was AMAZED today when I took her into the ER how brave she was. She was just calm, and patient, and let them do their thing. She did ask a lot of why's, and what's that, but never fought them at all. I left Kyle and Bailey home with Mike while I ran to get Tyler from school, and was headed to the bank real quick when I hear my phone (somehow it got turned WAY down, so I guess I missed a couple calls from him before that) He yelled "Come home NOW! Bailey is hurt really bad.") So I flip a "U-ie" and get home, he has her lying on the floor with a paper towel over her forehead. I peeked underneath, and scooped her up and said we were going to the hospital. You could see her SKULL! I did not take any pictures of the open wound--you may have lost your last meal if I posted it. It was about 1/2 wide, and 3 inches long though. Not fun. But thank goodness we are close to the hospital. They were great to us, she even got a little bean baby poodle, and lot's of Princess stickers. Oh ya--and 4 stitches on the inside, and 10 on the outside--maybe 11. She is no worse for wear, aside from looking "terrible" (her words) She is concerned about people laughing at her, but I told her she is still my pretty Bailey, and her bangs will hide it nicely. (BTW, she ran head on into the corner of the wall--girl is always in too much of a hurry!)

Happy Birthday!!!!

Just want to wish a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister Michelle. :) I am truly grateful to have her in my life, and even more that we live close enough to see each other every so often. (Sometimes feels like not enough ;) I look up to her, now, and always more than she probably knows. I am glad we are friends, and I hope she has a FABULOUS birthday!

BYU Mint Brownies--YUM!!!!

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.

PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

Brownies

1 c. margarine

1/2 c. cocoa

2 Tbsp. honey

4 eggs2 c. sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

1/2 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. chopped walnuts (I am not a walnut fan, so I did not include these!)

MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine

dash of salt

3 Tbsp. milk

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

2 1/3 c. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. mint extract

1-2 drops green food coloring

CHOCOLATE PAN FROSTING

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup milk

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. (Mine did not get "fluffy" until I added the milk, so don't stress that part)Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

4. Prepare chocolate frosting: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, 2-3 minutes. Stir in cocoa powder and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring, and then remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar until frosting is thickened and smooth. Pour and spread warm frosting on top of the layer of mint frosting. Let them cool before cutting.

They don't look super pretty or anything, especially with my limited camera skills, but MAN they are good!!! If you have a better chocolate frosting recipe, go with that. I jsut found this one on someone else's blog with the brownies recipe, as the BYU website just said use your fav, or buy the canned frosting. I think you could melt down chocolate chips and spead them over it too--for that Andes Mint look. Hope you like it!

Still here

Boy what a slacker I am!! I cannot believe how fast time has FLOWN by. How is it already 2010?? How do I have just over 8 weeks left until this little one is due? WOW is all I can say. The Holidays were great for us, we had a lot of fun spending time with our little family, as well as our extended families. Tyler made the sweetest comment as we were driving to Mike's parents on Christmas Day--he said, "The thing I love most about this time of year is how much time we get to spend with our families!" Who could say it better? And coming from a 6 year old boy who just got loaded up with presents, it was extra big. Now for a massive unloading of pictures from the last what, almost 2 months?! In no particular order of course--since blogger is no longer my friend!

Bailey Jean in her Chirstmas dress. Getting a new dress on Christmas and Easter is one of my favorite memories. Fun to be able to share it with my daughter now. :)

Tyler in his new Christmas duds. We could not get him to pose seriously for anything--guess it just lets his personality shine thru!

We (I should say I pushed for it) were crazy enough to stand in line for over an hour to see Santa at the Fashion Place Mall. A bunch of people on KSL said he was the best Santa--NOT worth the wait in my opinion. It was funny to see Tyler have a Christmas Story moment though when Santa asked what he wanted for Christmas. He had repeated the same thing every other time someone asked--but this time, it was "I want, I've always wanted..." I chimed in--a Transformer?! "Ya--a Transformer." Goofy kid!

Mike ever so patiently waiting in line. I finally had to sit down for a few minutes, as my lovely feet have started turning into marshmellows, like they did with Tyler.

Here is Bailey in her pretty Christmas dress from Grandma "Idaho"

Mike cut out a bunch of ornaments for our tree, and we caved and let the kids help paint them. Even Kyle--which was a HUGE leap! They all loved it though, and the clean up wasn't too bad. I needed to recover my chairs anyway. ;)

Right before Thanksgiving, Bailey decided to give herself a haircut. I was out running some errands--so I blame Mike completely! ;) Funniest part about it is that Tyler saw her hair on the floor, and thought she'd cut HIS hair, so he cut a huge chunk out of the back of her hair--to even the score. Lucky for us, Alisha (who cuts our hair) loves us, and got us in the next day to fix it. Now she is sporting a spunky little bob, which I actually love. But we had a serious discussion about just WHO is allowed to cut our hair.

Had to throw this one in here! An awesome lady in my ward threw a New Moon party for the premiere, and I talked my sister in law Andrea and my neighbor Kira into going with me. It was a LOT of fun--especially since I was already a huge Jacob Fan. :D

Randomly thrown in here is a shot of this delcious pumpkin cake I made! SOOOO good. So not in anyone's diet, but yummy just the same. If only I was married to a man that actually enjoyed sweets like I do, I'd have eaten less of this than I did. But again, YUMM-O!

Tyler's school had a "Dad's and doughnuts" day, where kids got to bring their dads, and a book and have chocolate milk and doughnuts before school. So much fun!

This should have been at the top, to go in order, but whatever! During Super Saturday (while Mike also had Youth Conference) the kids were in Childrens Class, and had a BLAST! They made all sorts of Thanksgiving crafts--including these outfits.