A Happy Home is Filled with Love and Laughter

Mindshare

Beej & Chris

BJ hasn't been doing blog posts for awhile now because he is so busy. But I want to do all I can to write about what is going on with him and his work the best way I know how. And since I am his wife- I get to brag a little bit about him :) BJ has been working really hard with his new job. And even though I tease him that they play more than work- I know he is a hard worker and is doing his very best at his job. The following e-mail that he received from the CTO of his company just shows you that I am not the only one that sees how much of a hard worker he is.

"BJ,

I know I already gushed about the organization search earlier today but it's worth repeating. That's solid work that I'm sure will be a big hit with our internal and external customers. Also, you're doing great work everywhere else in the system. I've spoke with Derek several times about your contributions to outbound dial and he's very complimentary.

It's rare that someone can hit the ground running like you have at Mindshare. On top of your great work, you're very professional, enthusiastic, and great to work with.

I really appreciate what you're doing.

Kurt"

Way to go babe! I am so proud of you and the kind of person you are. You are an example to me and Kaylee and we really appreciate all you do for us.

The following pictures are some of the fun things BJ does while at "work". :)

BJ participated with a group from his work in an indoor soccer game. Unfortunately he only got to practice with the team before he dislocated his finger blocking a shot while acting as the goalie. But the team ended up doing well and took 1st in the competition.

This is a group of co-workers that all went paint balling after work. BJ had a lot of fun and came home with a few really good bruises.

Everyone has a Nerf gun at his work and they participate in several "Nerf wars" throughout the day. BJ also joins his co-workers (including his boss and CEO) in playing ultimate Frisbee during lunch twice a week when the weather is good and then basketball when it is too cold. It makes me very happy to see BJ smile and enjoy going to work!

Conference weekend

Beej & Chris

I LOVE love LOVE Conference weekend. The spirit is so strong as I watch the Prophet and Apostles speak to me, even if I am in my front room in my pajamas :) There is always at least one talk that brings me to tears and gives me answers to a prayer. This past Conference was no different and I am so grateful I was able to be home to watch it.

BJ took this picture of me feeding Kaylee during Conference

Saturday night while the boys go to the Priesthood session at the church- the girls always get together for a girls night. My mom, Kaylee and I went to Deseret book, did some shopping at the Layton Hills Mall, got pedicures, and then met the boys at Garcias for dinner. It was soo much fun and a much needed time out. I love my mom and really enjoy spending time with her just talking and walking around.

Kaylee eating a lemon and loving it :)

My mom watched Kaylee while I got a pedicure and then while they were finishing mine I held Kaylee while they started giving my mom her pedicure. I ended up just holding Kaylee while she got her pedicure done and Kaylee was so good. She was making everyone laugh in the salon.

It was a lot of fun! I can't wait till next Conference weekend :)

28 weeks plus....

Beej & Chris

28 weeks +

Can you believe that I only have 12 weeks left until this baby boy arrives!!?!? Ya- me either! I have a hat, one onesie, and a pair of shoes for this boy and that is it! Luckily my swing, carseat, toys, and baby bath will all work for a boy; but my bouncer, play mat, boppy, and everything else is PINK PINK PINK. What am I going to do?!? My amazing friend Rosalee was going to throw me a baby shower but our schedules were CRAZY and we couldn't ever figure out a day to do it. But I am sure things will all work out. I just need to get shopping!! I think I am ok with that. ;) Baby Connor is moving all the time and I am 99% positive he did a little jig just barely. It was hilarious to watch my belly move all around and felt even funnier (is that a word- it looks funny. he he). He gets the hiccups quite frequently and yesterday it just hit me "there is a baby in there and he has the hiccups". I could just picture this tiny 2lb baby having the hiccups and it just made me so happy I wanted to cry. What a blessing it is to be pregnant. I am very excited to meet our sweet little Connor boy. Kaylee's cousin Desiree was over the other day and Kaylee just leaned over her carseat talking to her like she was a baby (she is only a few months younger than Kaylee) and was giving her her bottle and giving her kisses...LOTS of kisses. It was really cute and made me super excited for Kaylee to be a big sister. Things are going pretty good for me. I have slept on the couch a few times because that was the only place I could get comfortable. I feel like I can't breath and am trying to catch my breath all the time but its not too bad. My reflux really hasn't been too bad which is nice. The wonderful "morning sickness" decided to come back for a little bit this past week which is not fun, but luckily isn't as bad as it was at the very beginning of the pregnancy. It usually gets bad when I am tired or haven't eaten for awhile. I also got a call from my OBGYN telling me that my HCT was low so I needed to start taking some iron every day, which really explains why I have been sooo tired and have been craving steak lately. But overall things are going pretty good. BJ and I start our Lamaze class next week and are anxious to get started. Wish us luck! :)

Venting about work stress

Beej & Chris

I have been stressing out about my work for awhile now but it just keeps getting worse. I keep venting about it to BJ and some of my co-workers (who are having the same problems) but nothing is helping with the stress. So I looked at BJ and said, "ok let me just do a blog about it and I will be done with it." I dont know what it is, but writting down emotions really really helps me deal with stress. I sometimes write blogs or e-mails and then just end up deleting them because I dont want to remember feeling that stressed and writting them is all I needed to help me with the stress. We will see if I delete this one or not. ;)

Here is what I have been stressing out about and dislike about my job

- A boss that I can't please. One that has a temper and will swear at you if she is mad and just doesn't make you feel good about yourself.

- My bosses boss who fails to recognize there is a problem with our boss even though 4 nurses will be quitting in the next few months and then a few others once they have their baby or when they find a job. 3 nurses, a secretary, the marketer, at least one CNA and the physical therapist has called to voice their concerns and complain about our boss. And all my bosses boss says is "well- you are a small branch." Wow that makes us feel important :)

- Waiting for a referal bonus for now 4 months...after having my boss e-mail them twice and then calling the HR lady and never recieving a phone call back.

- Finding out we have a mandatory meeting that is 4 hours long two days in a row, and when I called my boss to find out when this meeting that I am hearing about from other people is- she replies "It is Mandatory. You have to be there". Well that is all nice and good but how am I supposed to be there if I have never been notified of when it is??

- Having a meeting about our patients that lasts 2- 2 1/2 hours EVERY week. When before we would have a meeting every other week for about an hour...maybe an hour 1/2.

- Working with a nurse that complains that she doesn't have enough visits one week and the next gives away 3 out of 5 days worth of visits and when we cant take them all she says "I am NEVER asking for help again. Nobody EVER helps me". How bout you just work!

OK- now onto the POSITIVE things about my work and things I am going to miss when I dont return after maternity.

- Cute and amazing patients that I get to visit with and not feel rushed. Patients that I have really become attached to and will miss a lot!

- Working with two AMAZING nurses that have become really close friends (Challae and Tina)

- Only having to drive 10 minutes to get to most of my visits and getting paid $75 after only working for an hour.

I think my very favorite part about homehealth is just the time I get with patients like I said above. I love being able to just sit and talk to them about their concerns. Give them a foot massage to help with pain. Help them get dressed and walk them to breakfast or dinner to keep them company a little bit longer since they are alone most of the day.

I will definitely miss the patients and the conveinency of it, but as you can see...the con's outweigh the pro's by far at this point. I just hope I can make it for two more months until I have this baby. Wish me luck! And I promise----this is it. No more complaints! I have it out on paper now and am done with it. I am just going to do my very best at my job and not worry if they get frustrated that I can't pick up more visits or do more. I can only do my best and that is all they can ask me.

Natural Childbirth

Beej & Chris

Let me start by saying I know everyone feels differently about this and I totally respect every ones views and thoughts on natural childbirth, and I think what each person decides is what is best for them.

BJ and I were talking this morning and after our conversation I decided I wanted to document some of my thoughts and feelings about going natural with this pregnancy so I can remember them later on.

While I was pregnant with Kaylee I was ALL ABOUT the epidural. I would say, "We have these amazing medications. Why wouldn't I use them to help me feel better?! I mean- who likes to be in pain?" And I will agree that with all of my chronic knee pain it was nice at first to have the epidural, because I was completely out of pain. It was such a nice feeling. That however quickly wore off when I didn't have any control of my legs and I couldn't get comfortable. BJ and my mom kept taking turns helping me move my legs so I could lay on my side or even move up in the bed. It was a constant battle to get comfortable, and I hated not having control of my own body. They turned down my epidural several times and it wasn't until right before I started pushing that I could move my legs.

If the epidural was the only thing that made me decide to go natural this time around I don't think I would be able to do it. I mean- I could just get 1/2 the dose or not get any boluses unless I absolutely needed it, so I could still move my legs but not be in pain.

But I remember breathing through some uncomfortable contractions and feeling so accomplished after each contraction. When I got the epidural that feeling was gone and I kind of missed it. I had wished afterwards that I had gone a lot longer before getting the epidural.

I also remember wanting to walk around or even just sit in the rocking chair to ease some of the pain from contractions, but since I had an epidural I was to be in bed so they could continue to monitor the baby and my blood pressure.

Yes- I do have some concerns and fear. I worry about how the experience will be. Will I be able to communicate with BJ like I did with Kaylee's birth, or will I be too focused on breathing that I can't really talk to him. Will he feel a part of the labor or just feel bad I am in pain and in the way? Will I be able to find ways to ease the pain and stay focused without worrying about how I look to others. What if my water breaks like it did with Kaylee and they have to start pitocin for risk of infection- how will that affect the contractions?

After going through all of the fears I told BJ that I know I would feel like a failure if I didn't try it, but I worried about feeling like a failure if I ended up having complications and therefore ended up getting the epidural. BJ said, "It is better to have tried and failed then never to have tried at all".

I signed up for a Lamaze class that starts April 12th. It is a 6 week course that starts at 7pm and goes till 9:30pm every Tuesday night. My favorite part of the pregnancy class we took for Kaylee was how much BJ and I learned together and how better prepared we felt. I think this will push us to take time to focus on our birth plan, and it will help BJ to learn ways on how he can help me deal with the pain, therefore making him feel a part of the labor. BJ is my rock and I couldn't imagine having a different couch there helping me through this. I am excited for the class to start and think that it will help us both feel more comfortable and be able to make a plan together.

Motherhood...an emotional rollercoaster

Beej & Chris

Kaylee and I had the best morning. She cuddled with me while she drank her milk. I gave her a ride on her toy car that she got for her birthday from Grandma Scott. We marched around the house. I would yell "Attention!" and put my hands on the side of my legs and Kaylee would copy me and yell "Attention" the best way she knew how and then we would march around the house while she giggled. We told secrets to each other. I would say "I need to tell you a secret" and she would put her ear up next to my mouth and I would whisper and she would giggle. She then put her mouth up next to my ear and said, "shhh shhhh". It was just a good morning.

** here is a video of Kaylee saying "attention"**

** this video is Kaylee telling secrets**

THEN NAP TIME CAME......

Kaylee is developing her personality more and more in these past few weeks and only likes eating certain foods. She likes fruit and really anything sweet. I try and try to give her veggies and meat but it is usually a big battle with Kaylee throwing the food on the floor and closing her mouth so tight so I cant sneak any in her mouth and me saying "Kaylee just try it!". What a little stinker. Needless to say she didn't eat very much this morning. She wouldn't even eat the banana (which she always eats). So I figured she was just tired since she was rubbing her eyes I would put her down for a nap. She kept whining on and off for what seemed like FOREVER. I knew she was tired so I tried bringing her milk....brought her some more milk.....brought in some ibuprofen....NOTHING worked. After an hour 1/2 of this. I went in and said "Kaylee what is going on?!" She squints her eyes and makes this silly face and just giggles. SERIOUSLY. I take her out of her crib because she is obviously not going to go to sleep even though she looks EXHAUSTED. Kaylee is smiling and happy as can be.

I then put her in the bath and attempt to try to feed her some rice. Thinking she must not have slept because she was still hungry. NOPE. I tried one more thing. Left over noodle soup. She gobbled it up. Saying "yummm" with every bite. By this time I don't know what to do. Be frustrated, relieved or just laugh.

Kaylee then starts shaking her booty, giving me loves, and then started making the silliest faces forcing me to laugh. Motherhood is definitely an emotional roller coaster. One minute I am sooo frustrated and ready to lock myself in a room with the radio up high so I don't hear whining or crying and then next minute I am the happiest I have ever been because I get to spend my day with such a cute and loving Kaylee girl. I love being a mom!

24/25 ish weeks along.....

Beej & Chris

Almost 24 weeks with Kaylee

Almost 25 weeks with Connor

I Just got back from the doctors office. Things are going pretty good. This baby boy is very very very active! I love it! With Kaylee I would have to sit and focus on kicks but with Connor I wake up to go to the bathroom and almost cant fall back asleep because he is kicking so hard. We saw a different doctor today because my doctor is out of town and the first thing he said was "wow- this baby is very active". Yes- yes he is.

I am starting to feel a little more uncomfortable. I am definitely bigger at 25 weeks than I was with my first pregnancy and I feel everything in more intensity than before. I have braxton hicks contractions off and on, good ole' round ligament pain, and just recently sciatic nerve pain (which I had never experienced before now). Feeling these pains now makes me realize even more how blessed I was with a super easy pregnancy with Kaylee. Don't get me wrong, I still feel super blessed it is just a little more uncomfortable.

The doctor told me today "A few pointers.... we usually get more ladies come in with false labor with their second than with their first, because with your first you don't feel when your body is contracting and dilating but with your second you feel it all. So women think they are in labor but they are just feeling the contractions they didn't feel with the first one." I am glad he told me that because I worry sometimes about the menstrual cramps I have on and off (especially recently), so this really helped calm my nerves.

** I also look a little more puffy in my pregnancy picture than I did before. My systolic blood pressure went up from 116 to 135. My diastolic stayed the same in the mid 60's so the doctor wasn't worried. I feel ok now but it makes me a little nervous since with Kaylee my systolic stayed in the low 106-116 all the time and never jumped up. I also have had the crazy feeling that this baby will come early. I don't know how early or if it will even happen but it has just been a gut feeling for awhile. But all in all things are going really good. **