Introducing Callie

On Saturday, November 16 at about 12:15 in the afternoon we welcomed our little girl Callie.

She was 7 pounds even and 20.5 inches long, with a FULL head of dark hair. Way more hair than Oaklee was born with.

 

The day didn't go exactly as planned (it's almost as if babies don't care about their mother's plans). Late Friday night my sister Lindsay arrived from Utah. Incredible timing, especially with Ryan away for work. So we got Lindsay here and then about 9:30 Saturday morning my water broke. I knew from Oaklee's birth that I was going to have this baby pretty quickly, so we got everything together and jumped in the car. After dropping Oaklee off we hurried to the hospital. When we arrived I didn't waste any time telling any nurse who would listen that I was going to transition quickly and I needed drugs right then. The next hour or two were a little stressful for me. While I'm sure all the nurses there were very competent, they didn't take my warnings seriously and needless to say it was time for me to push and they still hadn't given me any drugs. Now, I know that women have been having babies for thousands of years without drugs, and many women today chose to do it naturally. I had absolutely NO desire to be one of these women. I will probably have a bitter spot in my heart towards the Grande Prairie hospital until my dying day.

But I digress. After being at the hospital less than two hours our little Callie was born. About five minutes after she was born Ryan walked in, after rushing home from the rig. While I wish he could have been there for the birth, I am so glad he got there as soon after as he did.

 

While the delivery part of Callie's birth was more stressful than Oaklee's, the rest of the day was a breeze compared to Oaklee's. No CPR, no tubes down her throat, no IV's in her head. It was so amazing to get to hold her right away and know that she was healthy as could be.

 

 

 

Later that afternoon Oaklee came to meet her new sister. The first 20 minutes were a little rough on Oaklee, but she eventually warmed right up to her sister and now I hear her say at least 10 times every day, "Oh, cute baby Callie." Although if you ask Oaklee if Callie is cuter than her, she is very quick to tell you no.

 

 

24 hours after her birth, Callie and I were headed home.

 

 

We got to have a few great days with Ryan before he went back to work Tuesday night. Since he is gone I have been extremely grateful for Lindsay and all her help. We've had an awesome first week getting adjusted to our new little girl. Oaklee has been a champ. With a few small moments of jealousy thrown in, but for the most part she loves her sister and is very helpful. We love our little Callie and think she is adorable. Here are some pictures to convince you that she is:

 

 

 





The Last Days

As my due date draws nearer (and my level of comfort  decreases greatly) I've been thinking a lot about the fact that these are my last weeks and days with it being just me and Oaklee. For two and a half years she's been my little buddy. And with Ryan's job keeping him away from home three weeks out of the month, it really has been just me and Oaklee most of the time. Don't get me wrong, of course I'm extremely excited for this new addition to our family. I know that Oaklee will be such a good little helper and an amazing big sister. But I can't help but be a little sad too. Our whole dynamic is going to change. For the better, I have no doubt, but still a change. So, as a tribute to the last days of me and Oaklee as a duo, I thought I would do a post about some of her antics.

 

She's a crazy kid, that Oaklee. Way too much of her dad in her. Good thing I like her dad. She's always had a big personality but as she's become better and better at speaking I am just blown away by what comes out of her mouth. Some of my current favorites:

 

• She will randomly stop in the middle of playing, look up at me and say, "What are you doing here?" I'm not sure where I'm supposed to be, but apparently not in the room with her.
• Every time I go to the bathroom (which these days is constantly) she will follow me and ask, "You go potty?" And after I get out, "You went potty?"
• Same thing with the shower, at least twice during every shower she will come pull the curtain aside and ask, "You take a shower?"
• She refers to herself as 'you'. When we are looking at pictures she will name everyone and when she gets to herself say, 'you.' I've started saying, "That's Oaklee," but she's sticking with you.
• She LOVES to Skype/Facetime. Good thing her grandparents think she's cute too or they would probably stop answering. She constantly asks me to call someone. Mostly I think it's because she likes having an audience and being the good people they are, our family members are willing to sit and watch her do whatever activity she thinks is entertaining at the time.
• She has a purse that she HAS to take everywhere. If I try to get her to leave the house without it there is a major meltdown. She will lug that thing all over any store we go to. It contains all the essentials; her cell phone, her car keys, and a full set of Disney Princesses.
• She loves to dance. I get asked multiple times a day to turn on a song for her. Most of her dancing consists of her spinning in a circle, which has on more than one occasion resulted in a bruised head from falling over.

I'm sure there are many more that I can't think of now (pregnancy brain is not joke people). And of course she did pick up a few of her dad's less desirable traits as well. I could do without the night terrors and the short temper. But I'm so grateful this insane little girl is mine and I can't wait to see what excitement she brings to being a big sister. 

 

Here are a few pictures of what we've been up to the last few weeks:

 Oaklee has a new found fascination with pockets. She gets so excited when an outfit has them and will walk around most of the day with her hands in her pockets.

 We had an awesome Halloween. The weather was MUCH nicer than last year and Oaklee got to go to her first trunk or treat. Ryan had to work on Halloween but a few days before we carved pumpkins with him and Uncle Tyson.

As you can see Oaklee was a kitty. Cutest one I've ever seen.

 Modeling her new elephant pajamas. She also has a new fascination with elephants. I'm not sure where it came from but she gets very excited about them.

 Oaklee and Ryan like to watch movies together. For some reason instead of watching shows on our TV they will sit together and watch them on Ryan's phone.

 We got our first real snow of the year, and unlike last year, Oaklee LOVED it. She had so much fun playing in the snow with dad. She was not happy when we made her come inside.

 

 

 

Pregnancy: Not for the faint of heart.

Pregnancy.... A miracle they say. I think 'they' are men. 'They' don't have a uterus. Now, obviously the end result is worth it. Babies are great and all that. But until that baby comes, it is just 9 long months of torture. Torture that comes at you from a hundred different and unexpected ways.

My mind set at the beginning of this, my second, pregnancy: I can do this. The first one wasn't so bad. Sure there was some morning sickness, but there are drugs for that. Some mild heart burn, but I like the taste of Tums. I had a hard time sleeping, but that was just preparation for the sleepless nights to come as a new mom. I can do this even with a toddler to take care of. No problem.

Oh the stupidity. Obviously everyone experiences pregnancy differently, so I speak only for myself when I say, pregnancy number two SUCKS!

That morning sickness that was easily cured by drugs? That will triple, maybe quadruple in intensity. Drugs will only do so much. Even with the maximum dose you will still find yourself throwing up in the driveway, the car, the bed, outside the doctors office, and in the flower bed. I knew my morning sickness was really bad the first time Oaklee stopped on her way to the car to spit in the grass. She had seen mom do it so many times she assumed that's what we did on our way to the car. Add to this lovely image the fact that we were living in a friends basement at the time, so this was not my yard I was violating, but someone else's. I'm sure they were really loving their decision to let us live with them. Also, all the people who assure you it will go away after the first trimester? Liars. Big fat liars.

That heart burn? Go ahead and throw the Tums away, they won't touch this. I've come to think of my chest as an active volcano. The burn is always there, bubbling, mocking my hunger, daring me to eat something. And once I do, the volcano erupts, bubbling up into my throat until I am literally choking on it. Literally, I have choked on my heartburn. I am taking a prescription twice a day to help, but I still can't sleep flat. I miss being horizontal. It's such a great way to be.

The lack of sleep? Between peeing, hunger, the resulting heartburn, and Braxton Hicks sleep is a thing of the past. A distant memory. I know at some point in my life I have slept more than a half hour at a time, but I can't recall what it feels like. I bet it's wonderful.

Braxton Hicks contractions are another demon I was not prepared for. I never experienced them with Oaklee and they are evil. For a solid month now at least 15 hours a day my uterus feels like someone is trying to squeeze the water out of a wet towel. Stop teasing me uterus! If you are so eager to contract let's get on with it and have this kid!

There are a number of other side affects that caught me off guard, some of which I won't mention because frankly there is no need to embarrasses myself by sharing them. Needless to say, they aren't pretty. One last one that I had heard was very common but was not expecting was the deterioration of my teeth. This kid is literally sucking the life out of my mouth. By the time I get everything fixed I think I will have paid for my dentist to get a new car.

In closing may I just say, this kid better come out as cute as the last one, otherwise I can't promise to feel like it was worth it.

My make up attempt.

 

How on earth does one go about catching up on a year of neglecting their blog? To be honest, the prospect of doing it is making me want to go another year without blogging. But, as I was bugging one of my friends for going two weeks without giving me a new post to read, she pointed out that I might be a little hypocritical. So I will do my best.

I don't think I can possibly cover everything so I will cover the highlights.

Over the past year, in no particular order:

 

• We moved into a new home. It is just a rental but we were ready to be in our own space again.
• Oaklee and I (sometimes with Ryan) have made the trip from Grande Prairie to Utah 6 times.
• We went on a trip to California with my family.
• Ryan and I each had a sister leave on a mission.
• Ryan received a promotion at work.
• Oaklee has grown in leaps and bounds, learning to walk and talk.
• And perhaps the biggest one, we learned that we will be adding another little girl to our family this November.

 



 

 

We are so excited about this new addition to our family. I am due November 27 which makes me just under 35 weeks right now. This pregnancy has been a little more difficult than Oaklee's was so I'm happy to be nearing the end. My doctor is watching me closely now, because this is almost exactly when Oaklee was born. We still aren't sure why she decided to make her early entrance, but we are hoping this baby comes out breathing on her own, whenever she decides to come. The thought of doing another month with a baby in the NICU makes me panic slightly, so hopefully this kid cooks all the way. Cross your fingers.

 

This last year has also been filled with growing experiences for me. The task of sharing all of those experiences isn't one I'm up for undertaking. But because I'm apparently making lists today, I'll make another of some of the lessons I've learned, again, in no particular order:

• How to be a single mom 3 weeks out of the month.
• How to be apart from family, including Ryan, on holidays. Side note: I'm not claiming that I do this gracefully, just that I am capable of it.
• The HUGE blessings that can come from having good friends.
• The humility that can come only at the hands of a two year old.
• And maybe most importantly, the gas stations with the cleanest bathrooms from Grande Prairie to Kaysville.

I'm certain there are more I'm forgetting, and there are quite a few lessons I have learned before but been reminded of this year. I'm not always eloquent when it comes to expressing my feelings but I do want to say that this has been a year of personal and spiritual growth for me. There is a lot about my current situation in life that I never planned on, some positive and some negative. I'm still quite a work in progress, but I have seen the benefits that come from these unexpected events. The opportunity to grow and learn has been ever present in my life. I'm not always willing to take those opportunities, but I'm working on it.

 

On a MUCH lighter note, a side effect of Oaklee learning to talk over this last year is her personality bursting out in new and hilarious ways. I have said it before and I will say it again, she is SOOO much like Ryan. She talks constantly and always amazes me with the things she has to say. She has a HUGE imagination and I do my best to keep up.

 

To end this long, random, and somewhat rambling post I will leave with some of my favorite pictures from the last year. Enjoy!

 

 

And lastly, the one and only photo of my pregnant belly you will see. Oaklee also felt the need to show her belly. Who wouldn't want to look at hers right?

 

 



Fall in Canada

The snow has arrived and Oaklee is ready!

She's got her war face on and everything.

 

We hyped ourselves up by looking out the window. Oaklee was

so excited, thought the snow was great. Couldn't wait to get outside.

 

And then we actually went outside......

Nope, not a fan. It's going to be a long winter in Canada.

 

Along with the snow came the cold weather. Oaklee and I made a trip to Walmart today. After freezing our butts off with just the 15 second walk inside, we've decided we will be staying in the house until April. Ryan will have to pick up groceries on his way home from work.

 

Aside from the risk of frostbite, we have been enjoying our time in Grande Prairie. Oaklee is as crazy as ever. She makes me laugh every day. And she gets more like her dad every day. Good thing I happen to enjoy his personality.

We are living with Ryan's brother Corry and his wife Steph. They just built a beautiful townhouse and decided a naughty one year old would do a good job of breaking it in. So far no permanent damage. Hopefully it stays that way. Honestly though, we are lucky to have such a beautiful place to live while we are here for the winter.

This summer and fall seem to be FLYING by. It felt like we were just getting settled into Grande Prairie when we made a trip back home to Utah. My Grandpa passed away and we were lucky enough to get there early enough to spend some really great time with him before he died. We loved getting to see everyone. We had only been gone a month but we are needy and missed our family. :)

We've been back in Grande Prairie for about 3 weeks now and are getting settled again.
Ryan has to go work in this every day:

 

Poor sucker. Oaklee and I are very lucky he's willing to spend 12 hours a day out in Canadian winters. I'd like to say I'd do the same for him, but......I think we all know that would be a lie.

 

While daddy is working very long hours Oaklee and I find ways to entertain ourselves:

 

 Oaklee has a current love affair with banisters.
They provide hours of entertainment.

Pumpkin carving! I really can't believe it's almost Halloween.

 

This will be our first holiday away from the grandparents's, aunts, and cousins. Hopefully they forgive us for not having Oaklee there to trick or treat. It will certainly be strange for me not to spend it with them. Oaklee is going to be a lady bug! Pictures to come.

Oakleeisms

I saw a pin on pinterest the other day that said,

 

"I'd post photos of other things besides my kid,

  but all I do is hang out with my kid."

 

Some days that feels VERY true. Especially since we got to Canada and I really don't know anyone. Luckily for me, I like my kid a lot so it's okay.

 

The bigger she gets the more personality she gets. I find her to be hilarious most days. Some of the things she does are so random and you can't help but laugh.

 

 

Here are a few of the things she's been doing lately that get me every time:

 

~ She claps all the time. If there's ever any clapping on TV she will

stop whatever she's doing to clap with them. She claps

anytime we finish a task; eating, diaper changing, getting

dressed. It's so hilarious.

 

~ Every morning she wakes up for a bottle about 5:00 (luckily she

goes back to sleep for another two hours after that). When

she wakes up she's crying and really upset. Every morning

without fail she will drink about half the bottle and then stop,

turn to look at me with a huge smile, say 'hi' and then

goes back to drinking.

 

~ She recently started getting scared by the most random noises.

When water comes down the pipes or a door opens or

someone yells on TV she will drop whatever she's doing

and run (crawl really fast) over to cuddle with me.

I'm not saying I want my baby to be scared,

but I really love the cuddles. :)

 

~ She loves to wave goodbye. If she sees me put my shoes on, or

pick up my purse, or hears the word 'go' she will instantly

start waving to the room, even if there is no one for her to

say bye to.

 

Crazy baby of mine. She also loves to laugh. If anyone is laughing around her she will just start to laugh. She's a charmer too. She's charmed the pants off of the couple we are living with and she also had quite a few rows of people behind us laughing at church on Sunday. Are you supposed to take your kid out of sacrament when their laughing is too loud? How's a person supposed to get mad at this face?

 



 

Ryan has gone back to work now so we are alone from 4:45 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. It can make for some long days but we try to keep ourselves entertained. We have gone to the park near us quite a few times. Oaklee LOVES the swings. It was pretty chilly last week but this week is supposed to be almost warm so hopefully we can have some good outdoor time before Canadian fall and winter descend upon us.

I'm sad to report that I STILL haven't found my vanilla coke here.... Based on a facebook page I saw, I'm started to suspect that there isn't vanilla coke anywhere in Canada. Guess I know what I'll be asking to have sent up by my family. Other than the lack of my preferred drink, I am okay with the move so far. Here is the view from our back yard. There are ducks in the pond which of course Oaklee enjoys. 

Canada

After a VERY long six weeks and two days Oaklee and I are finally with Ryan again. Not that I was counting or anything. We are all three very happy to be together again. Here's a little bit about our journey up here and the days spent here so far.

 

Grande Prairie is about 22 hours north, and a little west, of Salt Lake. So we set out Thursday afternoon with my mother in law for the first leg of our journey. Here's Oaklee all geared up to go in her Canada shirt. Poor girl didn't know what she was getting into.

 

After a stop for dinner and a change to pj's for Oaklee we were back on the road. In all honestly Oaklee was an angel. She couldn't have been any better. 

 

We spent the night in Butte and then Friday morning got up and were in Alberta by early afternoon. We planned to stay a few days in Cardston to see all of Ryan's family.

A lot of whom Oaklee hadn't met.

We stopped in the duty free store and gave Oaklee her first taste of Canada. I hesitate to say, as soon as I took this picture she threw the flag down on the ground. I'm sure it wasn't personal....

This is a bad picture but it's the only one I got of Oaklee meeting her Great Grandma Enola for the first time. We also got to go out and see their farm which was so much fun since I have heard tons of stories about the farm.

 

On Saturday we went to Waterton Park which was SO beautiful. This picture cracks me up. She was so happy to be sitting in the rocks. We got a few sideways glances though because right behind her was a sheer drop to the lake.

 

Us with Nama at Waterton.

 

 

Oaklee loves her swings, even in Canada. And yes, she's swinging with a chip. Like her father, she prefers to keep food near by at all times.

 

 

On Monday we started the last (and very long) leg of our trip, Cardston to Grande Prairie. Oaklee wasn't as good as the first part, but really I can't complain. She did pretty good for what it was. I did have to bribe her with some oreos though, as you can see:

 

And this is what happened when we ran out of oreos. She has hard life.

 



 

Tuesday morning Ryan got off work and we FINALLY got to see him. You can't tell it by this picture but they were both very happy. We had all three had a very long night, Ryan at work, and us driving.

 

Then we headed over to what will be our temporary home here. We are staying in the basement of Tiffany and Kent Manville and really I couldn't ask for a better temporary home. They have a beautiful house and we have tons of space to ourselves. Plus the bed we are on is freakishly comfortable. I'm trying to figure out how to steal it when we go. Here's Oaklee telling you with her face how amazing the bed feels:

 



Ryan is off work until next Wednesday so we decided to take advantage and get as much fun out of our daddy time as possible. Today we hit up the local rec center for some swimming. Oaklee is a water baby so she loved it. 

 

The rec center here is WAY impressive. Here is the big water slide that we didn't get to go on because Oaklee got scared by some waterfalls and we had to leave. Next time...

This picture is too small to get all the details, but the kiddie area is super fun. Oaklee's too small for all of it, plus she didn't like how noisy it was, but still, it was cool.

 



 

Here she is doing some back floating with dad, notice in the big pool away from all the loud noises of the kid area. Silly baby.

 

 

So far my only complaint about Grande Prairie is that I can't find Vanilla Coke! How depressing this town is if they don't have vanilla coke. I'll keep searching. Other then that I am thrilled to be with Ryan, but trying to get used to being away from our family. That part pretty much sucks. But Skype helps! Besides the lack of vanilla coke here are a few of my observations so far:

 

• There are street signs to get to Alaska, WHAT?
• I'm going to say at least 98% of the population here owns a camper. EVERY driveway has one.
• The drink sizes at fast food places are HUGE. Do NOT order a large, you will never finish it.
• You have to pay to get a grocery cart. You get your money back when you return the cart, but still.