California Trip

When Miles was just 3 weeks old, we packed up and went on a road trip to California. I felt crazy for taking a 3 week old and was very antsy because I was so worried about germs. But Gary's brother Adam was graduating from UC Irvine with his PhD and it was a big deal for his whole family to be there to watch him graduate. His family decided to make it a week long trip starting in San Diego and making our way up to Anaheim...for a quick 2 day trip to DISNEYLAND!!!...and then on to Adam's graduation that Saturday. Gary and I were nervous to have all 4 of us in the same hotel room seeing that McKay still sleeps in his crib. He ended up sleeping in a double bed every night with Gary and I had a bed to myself so I could get up to feed the baby and try not to disturb the other 2. After the first night when McKay was jumping all over Gary thinking he was playing "games" with him, he slept pretty well. Gary on the other hand pretty much got pushed to the very edge of the bed each night. It's easy to say McKay really moves around when he sleeps.

Here is a quick run down of our time in California and then I will unload the massive amount of pictures!

We left on a Friday. Gary came home a little early from work so we could get a head start and beat the afternoon traffic in Utah County. We were headed to St. George to stay with Ron, Gary's dad for the night. I'm so glad we broke the trip up. The baby slept the whole way except for one stop to feed. McKay watched movies on my dad's portable dvd player. They both travelled really well I thought. One little mishap...McKay had just had fruit snacks. Soon he started coughing and next thing we know, he had thrown up everywhere. I think he has a tad bit of car sickness. Good thing we were almost to St. George and had a washer and dryer at our convenience!

Saturday Gary and McKay went 4-wheeling with Ron. McKay did not want to get in the quad but when they got back, Gary said McKay loved it and kept saying "more!" We left St. George and headed to Las Vegas where we stayed with Natalie and Jason for the night. We introduced them to a restaurant Gary took me to in Washington DC and has now become my new "tied with The Olive Garden" favorite Italian place. It is Maggiano's and only found in a few cities across the USA. Thankfully Vegas is one of them. We left the kids home with a babysitter and us 4 adults enjoyed a few hours of being "kid-free" and a delicious dinner. Creamy pesto four cheese ravioli is to die for!

Sunday Gary and I got up, went to church then we headed on our way. We got to San Diego and had a yummy dinner at a little Mexican restaurant. Janna and the Campbells got in that night.

Monday was cold and overcast. Of course that was a beach day. We went to look at a light house and look at some tide pools. The Giffords got in town and we headed to the beach. We were there only a short time because it was so cold. We went back to the hotel to let the kids swim in the hotel pool. We got ready and then went to dinner at a Italian place. I totally forgot the name of all of these places we ate at. After we went in search for some ice cream.

Tuesday it was nice and hot. We went to the San Diego zoo this day. The kids LOVED this day and I will have to admit, I don't need to go to another zoo again. Nothing will beat how big and massive this zoo it. I can't think of many animals it didn't have. We stayed until it closed and then went to In N' Out burger on our way to Anaheim.

Wednesday was spent at my most favorite place...Disneyland! I love, love, love that place and can never get enough of it. I love that McKay is getting older and is understanding it more. He liked all the rides he could go on which I thought was quite a few. He was so good this day. Gary and I took him back to the hotel in the afternoon for a little nap both days and that was really smart. With all the fast passes and child swaps, we all got to ride on pretty much everything.

Thursday was California Adventure day. I loved the Toy Story ride! We saw World of Color for the first time and it was pretty amazing. I love how magical Disney is to even an adult!!!

Friday I was able to stay in the hotel for the morning with McKay and Miles. Everyone else went on a whale watching boat. We met up with them that afternoon for a fun day at the beach. McKay loves water and sand. That night we got Cafe Rio and went to eat dinner in a park. Gary bought me and Leslie a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake since today was her birthday and mine was the next day.

Saturday was spent packing up and doing graduation for Adam. On the way to his graduation, Gary got pulled over for being on his cell phone in California. We even have wireless connection in our car and he just hadn't hooked his phone up. 3 other cars were following us and Gary was stressed about people keeping up. Anyway, sadly his ticket for even a first time offense was $173!!! OUCH!!! Lesson learned. That night we all had a celebratory dinner at the Yard House. Dinner was delicious and after it was over, most of us drove through the night back to Natalie and Jason's in Las Vegas.

Sunday we spent driving home. It was a long drive but once again, both boys did so well. It was a great week but Gary and I were exhausted from lack of sleep. You will notice the bags under my eyes and tired look in most pictures. Now for the pictures...

 Miles getting some lovin from his cousins. Matthew and Tate loved Miles

San Diego temple. Once again I was in the car feeding the baby

 These packed full vans belong to us!

 Adam and McKay. McKay has definitely found his nose!

Toy Story!

The Carousel at California Adventure. McKay rode this over and over...probably his favorite ride!

 My beach boy

 McKay loves him some treats...especially ice cream!

Ryan and McKay getting a ride on the luggage cart

 I missed family pictures. I was in the van feeding a very hungry baby

 McKay was wiped out from a busy day and no nap. This is him in Miles's car seat at the restaurant. He stayed this way all through dinner

I carried Miles around in our Ergo pack the whole week. He loved being close and this is what he did most of the time

Miles Glenn

Baby boy #2 was due May 11th. I had a doctor's appointment Wednesday May 9th. The week before, I had my doctor strip my membranes but like with McKay, that didn't help. I was down on my hands and knees scrubbing my house and baseboards. I got very sore but nothing "contraction" wise. At my appointment May 9th, I asked my doctor if he could schedule an induction for Friday, May 11th. After calling McKay Dee and finding out how very busy they were, I was put on the "waiting list" for a Friday induction. I was so frustrated because I was going for a natural birth again but knew if labor was anything like it was with McKay (having my water broken and pitocin started), I was in trouble. I have never physically felt what it feels like to go into labor on my own with no medicine. Supposedly this is normal and many woman do not labor without help.

I was told if I hadn't heard from the hospital by 9:00am Friday morning, I should call them. Thursday night I got really sad rocking McKay to bed. I was thinking how much life was going to change and this was the last time I would put him, my only child to bed. I wondered honestly how I could even begin to love another baby like I did him.

Friday 9:00am came and no call. So I called and when I told them I was on the waiting list to be induced, the nurse on the other line kind of laughed and said no way would they be able to get me in that day. Gary and I were both bugged as we had anticipated having a baby that day. He had taken the day off from work and we felt it was all a waste. My mom called and invited me to go get some of her favorite chocolates with her in SLC and since I was feeling sorry for myself, I went. Gary met us with McKay later and we went to Tony Burger's for dinner and then I went for a long, fast-paced walk up a steep hill trying to make myself go into labor. Nothing helped but I did get a call from McKay Dee and was told that I needed to be at the hospital Saturday morning at 5:30am and I would be induced then.

Gary and I left McKay in my dad's hands bright and early Saturday morning. I was nervous as the memories of McKay's birth started coming back to me. We checked in and I was assigned the BEST NURSE! I loved her from the first moment she started talking to us. When asked if I wanted an epidural, I told her no but then explained I wasn't against one but wanted to try natural if I could. She said I was in luck because she is the nurse on the unit that helps with the most natural births and she would help me out. She began to explain everything that would happen and then what I would be feeling. She told Gary what his job would be and then since I wanted my sister there to be a cheerleader for me, she was told her job. My mom had always wanted to see a birth so I decided she could be there too. After everything was explained, my iv was started, pitocin was started and my doctor came in and broke my water...all at 7:00am. I was having little contractions according to the monitors but was feeling nothing. After a few hours, I was getting bored and asked Stacie, my nurse if there was any way I could walk the halls. She went and brought in a wireless monitor (one of only two on the floor) and spent 10 minutes re-hooking everything up so I could walk. She was amazing I tell you!

Shani and Gary started walking the halls with me around 10:00am. I was contracting and soon the contractions started getting so intense they were making me double over in pain. I would have to stop walking and I bent over to try to stop or lessen the pain. It would take my breath away and I could barely talk. After one of my laps, Stacie stopped me in the hall and said she was going to check me again at 11:00am. It was then 10:30am. As she is telling me this, I contract and double over in pain. She saw this and said she had better check me then if I was having that much pain. We headed back to the room and she checked me. I was 6-7cm dilated but the baby's head was still pretty high up. The contractions were coming faster and harder and I could barely hear her tell Gary what to expect. There was a "labor" ball in the room and I was sitting on that but every contraction made me want to fall to my knees and scrunch into a ball. I had never felt such pain....and no, kidney stone pain was not even in the same realm as labor!

Well, after what seemed like FOREVER to me, I heard Stacie tell another nurse to go call my doctor and to do so fast. Once I was in transition, all I wanted to do was push and I was told that was okay. The most intense pain I have EVER felt. I was so hot and almost felt out of my mind. I just wanted the pain to go away! Gary said I told him and the doctor that I couldn't do it anymore but they said I didn't have a choice...the baby's head was crowning. Dr. Housel got to my room at 11:25am and after a few pushes and 5 minutes, our son was born at 11:30am. I couldn't believe it! I had given birth naturally with pitocin and my water being broken! I was crying in relief that the pain was over and then all I can remember is my sweet baby being placed in my arms. More tears as he is crying. Then the shaking started. Intense shaking and then I was so cold! The doctor told me that was all normal and it was my hormones. I tore a little but no episiotomy like with McKay. So I was stitched up and after our son was wiped off, given his shots, made sure his vitals were stable and he was weighed, he was placed back in my arms.

Our perfect baby, 8.0 lbs, 20 inches long had no name until we got home and he was 5 days old. We had the hardest time with his name but we finally decided on Miles Glenn. Glenn is my dad's name and he is literally my hero, my idol. There are not many people I look up to more so Gary and I thought it fit to pass on his name. Miles has a huge legacy to live up to!

Now we are just trying to adjust to life with 2 kids. It has been easier than I thought and McKay is really good with him. I can tell he is going to look out for Miles his whole life and be the big brother every kid dreams of! And would I do birth naturally again? Right after I delivered Miles, I would have said no. But as I'm slowly forgetting the pain, I will say yes. It was SO WORTH IT! I liked that I knew when my contractions were and I could push and feel something actually happening. And I healed so much faster this time. My labor from start to finish was four and a half hours so I was lucky. Gary wouldn't want to hear me say this but if we are lucky enough to have other children, I don't think I would do anything different! That being said, I couldn't have done it without him by my side!  I love my little family!!! I love being a mom to my little boys! And now tons of pictures in no particular order...

An Update

It has been SO LONG since I have blogged. I have been too busy enjoying life and our little guy that isn't so little anymore and won't be little to me for sure after our new one is born. These pictures are out of order but I don't have the time or patience to fix them!

Here is probably my one and only pregnancy picture. I hate my picture taken any time but especially when I have extra pounds on! This pregnancy has felt so different from McKay though. I have felt pretty good but getting SO ANXIOUS to meet our new one and see what he looks like and what personality he is going to come to this earth with. No, we do not have a name and will probably be nameless in the hospital as was McKay until it was time to sign the birth certificate! Boy names are HARD!!! Here I am at 35 weeks.

So, we never thought we would be "VAN" owners. Neither Gary nor I wanted one but after talking to many people, driving vans and SUVS and with the way gas prices are going, a van was the most sensible option. We love our brand new Honda Odyssey! It took some getting used to driving seeing how I have driven a Ford Focus for the last 11 years. But I do love it! It holds 8 though and we are a family of 3...soon to be 4 and I told Gary it will be a total waste unless we have enough kids to fill it up!!! Ha ha. He isn't as keen on the idea as I am!

Thank you to my dad for helping us paint McKay's new room. We are moving him up to the front room and keeping his old room as the baby room. We debated for a long time about getting him a toddler bed or going to a twin bed but he does not climb out of his crib yet and he is not even 2! Moving him out of the crib is a huge step and I don't think either of us are quite ready for that big step yet. I figured the new baby can sleep in the pack and play for a few months until McKay is a bit older and bigger. Plus I thought a move to a new room would be a big enough change for a while. Don't make fun of our ghetto bumper around the rim of the crib...McKay put teeth marks all around it...multiple times. How sad am I??? :(

I love these 2 SO MUCH! This was Easter Sunday. McKay likes to be behind the camera snapping pictures instead of in front of it. But these two are my life and I could not imagine life without them!!!

He is still really tall but doesn't love eating so he is getting too skinny in my opinion. Yes, he used to eat everything. He likes banana's, cereal, "honey" on toast, cheese, yogurt, milk, spaghetti and any "nummy!" which is anything with sugar in it. I shouldn't be surprised because most kids love sugar but he is obsessed some times! And we don't just have sugar stuff around. He was introduced to sugar by my sister, the "treat" aunt and my mom. Despite him not eating dinner, somehow he always gets dessert from one of the two. No, I do not love it but I have been called the mean mom before. His all-time favorite? "I ceam"...aka ice cream. Love the words coming out of this little stinks mouth!

Loves, loves, LOVES being outside. In wind, rain, snow, or sunshine he always wants to be outside. And it is a FIGHT to bring him inside. There are usually always tears poor boy. This is him at a park. Too busy to look at the camera.

He was being silly one night and loved saying "cheese" over and over

So I love being a 95% stay-home mom. But McKay has turned into a stubborn little toddler and by the end of the day, I am counting the minutes until Gary walks in the door. And the second he does, he is all about "DA DA!!!" He runs to him the minute he comes in the door, grabs his hand before he can take his coat off and pushes him on the living room floor to play. McKay ADORES his daddy and I love it. I also love the hour I have to myself before it's his bedtime because he still wants his mommy to put him to bed. Gary had brought a box up from downstairs and McKay had a good time playing in it...of course with his daddy by his side.
More "cheese" pictures
Another obsession? Computers. We can't get on the computer around him because it is a constant plea of "Up pease, up pease" until he is sitting on the chair in charge of the mouse.

Have I said that this child gets into EVERYTHING?!?! This is his bum cream. He got a little too quiet one day and Gary went and saw cream all over his face. He loves to get into my makeup. He stopped taking naps (for the most part...but goes to bed earlier now) but I still need time to myself so he goes to his crib for "quiet time" every afternoon. He never fights me or cries while in his crib. I used to put a book or two in his crib to keep him busy for an hour. Well, he destroys his books now. He picks at the board books and it upsets me SO MUCH because he has destroyed many of his books. So I don't give them to him anymore. Man, I sure hope he grows out of this stage. But I love him too much and when I try to get mad, he throws his hands out to the side, tilts his head just a bit and starts jabbering as if to tell me why he was doing what he was doing. Once I laugh or smile, it's all over. Being a mom is the most challenging but rewarding, FUN experience ever and I will be forever grateful I have the chance of being one!

It's a...

BOY!!! I know you all may know this by now but I guess putting it on your blog makes it official, eh? We are SO excited and I'm sure McKay will be too...once he figures out what the heck is going on. He has become quite the "Momma's boy" lately. He wants me over Gary 95% of the time. He also has a jealous streak if I am playing or holding another child. So it will be interesting with a new baby here. But as always, I'm sure things will work out and in the end, he will be ESTATIC to have a new brother to "play" with!

Expecting...

Yes, that is correct. We are expecting baby #2 (no NOT twins) in early May! We are so excited! I have definitely been sicker this pregnancy. That may be due to the fact that I have a toddler to chase around now but maybe we are having a girl? Either way, I will not complain. I know too many friends and family that cannot get pregnant so I am just content to get through these months and to know that I have been given the gift to be a mom again. We will find out in December what we are having if you would like to make a guess in the comment box!

When Grandma Comes to Town

Gary's mom came to visit us last week. And we sure enjoyed her being here. I think maybe McKay the most because she was always going outside with him and just letting him WALK! She took McKay to the mall to walk around, to the park to feed the ducks, and got on the ground and played with him.

She helped me out a ton when I needed to sleep after working a grave yard shift and when I didn't feel well and just wanted to lay on our couch. She cooked us dinner, took us to yummy Spaghetti Factory and to Sills for breakfast and hot scones!

We (me, Gary and Janna) got to do a session in the Bountiful temple which was really nice. We got to see family and spend time with a great grandma! We love you Janna. Thanks for coming and please come back soon!!!