Fay Pauline

Fay's birth story

Thursday May 2, I went to see Rebecca (my midwife) I was due the next day and feeling so very, very tired of being pregnant.  She did a non-stress test and made sure the baby was happy which she was and then checked my cervix.  The baby was very low and I had a very favorable cervix.  Which by 40 weeks has always been the case but my babies just don’t want to come.  She stripped my membranes and gave me an herbal tincture that she calls rocket juice to see if we could get labor going.  Within 10 minutes of drinking the juice I was having contractions 3 minutes apart.  They stayed that way until 10:30 pm when Rebecca came to see if I was progressing, I was so we broke my water at 11:00 pm and Fay was born at 1:10 am.  We called Bob just before Rebecca broke my water and she came to help just in case the kids woke up or we needed to transfer thankfully neither one happened.  It was my longest labor, 12 hours but we did make her come a week or so earlier than she would have come.  Although the labor was long and hard (I was having a harder time relaxing then I have in the past)  I am glad I only had to be pregnant 40 weeks exactly.  I am always amazed at how quickly my nausea goes away after birth, I was throwing up through labor feeling so sick and boom I have a baby and I feel great.  I started eating just a couple of hours after birth and haven’t stopped.  Last week was binge week and I thoroughly enjoyed eating again and being able to satisfy my hunger since it has been nine months since I have been able to do that.  Starving and pregnancy shouldn’t go together.   The only perk, I don’t have any weight to lose but it comes at a high price.   

This time I really thought we were having a boy.  This pregnancy was so similar to Jensen’s in how high my nausea stayed throughout and my weight gain it was much more like Jensen’s pregnancy.   I have always been wrong on the gender but Derek and Rebecca thought it was a boy too.  We had a boy’s name picked out but hadn’t been able to decide on a girl’s name.  We had about 6 that we thought were OK but I was so sure it was a boy I didn’t worry too much about it.  So when SHE came out I was shocked!  Really I must have check 4 times to be sure.  Of course we are very happy to have another girl a little afraid of the teenage years but we have some time to learn to be better parents before we have to deal with that.  

Rebecca and my mom left about 3 am Derek and I talked about her name and tried to get a little sleep.  Derek got about 2 hours but I couldn’t sleep still too high on adrenalin to sleep.  I was trying to pick a name so over the 2 hours I called her each name we liked and tried to decide.  We hadn’t told our kids I was in labor but Jensen has this internal awareness and always knows when something has happened and was up and in our room at 6:00am exactly(he is not allowed to get up before then).   He saw the baby laying there in bed and I asked if he wanted to guess what it was.  He of course said a boy.  When I said it was a girl he response was “oh shoot” Then he climbed into the bed next to her and me and started talking about how tiny she was and how cute and has been in love ever since.  I discussed names with him and he liked the name Fay, I still wasn’t convinced.  

Siesa and Elsie woke up about 7 they both came into the room.  Their eyes got so wide with excitement.  How fun for them to go to sleep and wake up to a baby.  Of course the girls were so happy to have another princess in the family and oohed and aahed over her all morning long.  We still needed to pick a name so we gave the girls a few choices they liked another name and for 30 minute she was Lydia but then Siesa came in and changed her mind Elsie followed suit so the vote was in favor of Fay.  She has been Fay Pauline ever since.   

After some breakfast the kids all gave Fay her first bath.  Fay of course screamed the whole time then we pulled out some pink clothes and the girls have been fighting pretty much every day about what she should wear.  Apparently they not only have strong opinions about their own clothing but Fay’s as well.  

We sent the kids to school a little late but very happy to share the news.  My mom came and took Elsie for a few hours so Derek and I could get a little sleep.  Sunday afternoon Rebecca came to check on me and Fay she did the PKU and hearing lest which she passed.  So for 9 days I didn’t leave the house.  It has been great.  Derek is the best nurse a girl could want and has been so great cleaning and doing laundry and cooking.  We have had some meals brought so that has been fun for us all.  Derek took a few days off work but thanks to moms he has been able to get some work done too.  Fay has slept 5 hour stretches at night so I am not feeling too tired yet.   Hopefully the trend will continue.  

We took this family picture a few days before Fay was born. 

Baptism Day 

It is official Jensen is now accountable.   Jensen’s baptism went very well.  He was so excited and couldn’t wait.  I don’t know what was more exciting for him turning 8 or getting baptized.  Jensen played the piano for part of the program, he was so proud of himself, he strutted up to the piano and he played very well.  Jensen gave a talk last Sunday in primary he gave it about his baptism.  Here is the talk: 

 “Friday at school I told my friends I was going to be late for a birthday party on Saturday because I was getting baptized.  They started to tease me and say that baptism has no purpose and that I shouldn’t do it.  One of them said, “It’s just a weird Mormon thing.”  I said, “Why would you make fun of something you don’t even know very much about?  Why would I do something if it had no purpose?”  They think I’m weird for being a Mormon but I don’t care.   I’m glad that I made the choice to get baptized even though I got teased

Yesterday I was able to get baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  I am glad that my family and primary leaders were there.  It felt good to have all my sins washed away.  I am glad that I got the gift of the Holy Ghost so that it can be a light and a comforter for me.”

We are so proud of him!

Birthday Week

It is great to be 8

Jensen had an awesome birthday.  Last Saturday he invited 4 of his friends and they all went to Airborne to play.  It is a huge warehouse type building with a lot of trampolines, even on the walls to bounce off of.   You can climb up on platforms to do flips and play dodge ball and other fun games. They had so much fun.  They then came back here for cake and ice-cream.   Jensen got a new helmet, Legos, clothing, chess and a new suit.  I forgot to alter the pants last week he was not very happy with me so today was the first time he was able to wear it.  He was strutting around the house all morning feeling so happy to finally have a real suit (he has been asking for one for at least 2 years).   

6 and happy

 Siesa did not have a party because I will only do them on certain years (1,5,8,12,16 if you want to know) so she and Derek went to the U of U modern dance performance and then out to ice cream.  She loved it.  A few times Derek was sitting there thinking this is weird and Siesa would look at him with a big smile and tell him that she really liked the dance.  Siesa really loves to dance but not tap and ballet it is too structured and she just likes to move.   Siesa got clothing, diary, yoyo, hula hoops, beads to make jewelry, and a Barbie.  Her cake was a white round cake with edible crayons.  Elsie and I made the crayons with pretzels dipped in colored white chocolate. The wrappers had Siesa’s name and birthday wishes on them.   She loved her cake and snacked on the crayons all day.   

School, Sick, Baby, Christmas and Happy

 Well blogging has been on the side burner these last few months because we are excepting a baby in May.  We are very excited to have another baby and feel so blessed but at the same time my life gets flip upside down and I can't and don’t do much due to extreme pregnancy sickness.  But my kids have been so sweet about it and my husband has been working double time and we have just 31/2 more months to go.   On the up side things have been better these last few weeks.  I cook again to which my family in very grateful and sometimes I even go and do fun stuff with them instead of staying in bed.   We didn't find out the gender and so are in constant debate if we are having a boy or girl but like my daughter says "Mommy I just want a healthy baby" and I couldn't agree more.

Christmas Fun!  

Over the summer to keep us busy my kids work on earning badges.  They were so proud of all the hard work.  We celebrated by going out for ice cream.  Yeah for learning new things! 

Siesa is in all day kindergarten and she loves it.  Her teacher is just perfect for her very sweet and soft spoken.  Because she is in all day she gets to go to computer lab, PE, music and they get to do more art.    She is not tired at all after her day and wants to sit down and do homework or practice what she worked on at school some more.     Jensen started 2^nd grade.  He like school he said he wasn’t very excited for school to start  but I think he really means he is not excited for school work but very excited about friends.     He walks with some other kids on our street and the first day of school everyone’s parents were walking with them.  I asked if I should walk with them and he said “no, I don’t need a mom”  sniff, sniff.  So he went with the group.  He has sure come a long way over the last few years and the leg clinging little boy is no more.  

I love Summer

We have been trying to do as much fun stuff as possible this summer.  I love having no homework, no schedule and being able to play all day.   

What would summer be without some camping 

and hiking too. We went to some natural hot spring and what fun.  The water was very warm just the right way to relax after a 2 1/2 mile hike.   

we also went to Mount Timpanogos cave.  Jensen and Siesa both completed their junior rangers badges.  

Siesa and Elsie have been taking gymnastics.  Thanks to DI my girls even look official 

We went to learn about birds at the tracy aviary.   

Just plain fun.  I love my kids and summer.
The best part we still have over a month left to party! 

Bike Riding Girl

Siesa learned to ride a bicycle last week.  We have a balance bike (a small bike with no pedals) that she has been playing on.  She was getting good and would get going down the hill fast and pick her feet up and could coast past a few houses.  I told her that I was taking off her training wheels on her real bike and I was sure she would be able to ride it.  She was a little nervous and told me not to let go of her when she got on.  She got on and took off with out any problems.  I started to laugh and ran beside her showing her that she didn’t need any help. We were both shocked at how well she did

She can’t get enough of her bike and rides it all the time. 

She is so small and her bike is tiny I love watching her ride it.  Yeah for balance bikes the best way (I think) there is to teach kids how to ride a bike with out any work.         

Easter Sunday

Not the best picture but this is what I get when I try to take a picture.  Jensen does not like them and Siesa was not very happy about going to church or getting her picture taken but I am sure you can tell that from her face. 

Jensen has been asking for a white shirt and brown pants for a while.  He was very excited to get them in his Easter basket.  He was also very happy to look just like his Dad.  What handsome men!