Somebody has been naughty

The other day I left our sweet dog inside, which we have done many many times. He usually just sleeps on the couch and waits for us to come home...

 But this day was different:

I walked in the door and he wouldn't even come over to me. All I could do was cry! I looked for things that might be Jeff's then left it so I didn't ruin too much if anything was for me. Two of the gifts he shredded were for Norris. He had diapers EVERYWHERE and then some socks he pulled out of the packaging. There was something Jeff had to re-wrap and a couple other things that were for the both of us that he chewed on but didn't ruin.  I guess you could say he hasn't been left alone and I don't even feel bad about it! He gets to go back out side when we are gone, lucky for him he has a dog house. Maybe after Christmas we'll try again but I don't need him having all the fun and opening everything for us!

36 and 37 weeks

Well the last couple of weeks have been pretty uneventful! After last month I'll take a boring couple weeks any day!
I am now considered full term and although I don't feel as though he will be here any day I guess you could say he really could show up any time now! I have finished his room and have my bag partially packed with a list of things to add when the time comes. I also have his stuff packed and ready, but I still need to make a couple hats for him. We are getting excited but I think our families are a little more anxious than us! I think I still have it in my mind that I will go over my due date and have come to terms that it will be okay if I do. Everything will work out even if that means costing us a lot more money!

Here is week 36 in pictures for your viewing pleasure:

 This is what I look like from the front (obviously) and in Jeff's sweats!

And here we have week 37:

Why do I feel like I got huge again? I really can't tell if I have dropped or not, I don't think I have still but my stomach looks different every day and I know the little man is low. Only time will tell!

Dresser

There have been a couple of projects I worked on for the baby's room. Before I even got pregnant I told my parents I wanted the dresser/changing table they used for me when I was a baby. I wanted a black crib and knew it would look like a whole new piece painted black. So the weekend we broke the news to my parents it was put on the list to bring up on their next trip. I had it for about three months sanding it all down and then priming it then I sent it back home to my Dad for him to spray it black. I could not be happier with how it turned out! 

Here are a couple before pictures:

I already started sanding here

 

And here are some after pictures:

Seriously... LOVE! Thanks Dad for helping out and doing the finishing touches! Again, I love having pieces with history! (sorry pictures are not that great but with it under the window I had to use flash or be at a weird angle!)

Relief Society Christmas

Last week I had the opportunity to be a part of the Christmas program for the Relief Society get together. A couple of days before I started thinking about it and what I would say, but the more I thought the more I realized how difficult it was going to be! They wanted me to talk about my feelings as I am about to become a first time mom and then talk about how I thought Mary might have felt. I talked to Jeff about it and I told him I had no idea how to even compare Norris to Jesus! Then I talked to my mom and told her i felt bad because I really hadn't sat and thought about how i feel. Most of my concern has been about how different life will be and making sure we have all that we need to welcome the little guy. After some encouraging words from my mom I sat down and wrote some stuff out. I will share it here and for the most part it is what I said but I did add a little bit here and there as I spoke er cried through the whole thing. It was very overwhelming but a great experience!

I’ve thought a lot about what I would say tonight. It has been much more difficult to put into words and share my thoughts as I approach motherhood than I thought. I believe pregnancy brings on every single emotion possible, as it has for me. Thinking about this next month is overwhelming. I know my Heavenly Father has trusted me with one of his precious souls and I could not have been given a better gift.  I also have the blessing to experience my last month of pregnancy during one of the best times of the year. We are surrounded by the love and constant reminder of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ this month and I often wonder how Mary could have felt knowing who she would bring into this world. I wonder if Mary’s thoughts and feelings at this time in her life were similar to my very own.

As a new mom I have many fears and expectations of what it will be like. I fear the unknown, I don’t know what my marriage will become, I don’t know if there is something wrong with my child that has not been detected, and I have no idea what kind of mother I will truly be. I know what is expected of me by others and by myself and I often wonder if Heavenly Father really knew who he was trusting with one of his children.

Do you think Mary knew the extent of the miracles her son would perform on this earth? Heavenly Father trusted her with his only begotten and she obeyed him and exercised a tremendous amount of faith. I can only imagine her fears and expectations during this time for her. You want so badly to do everything right. You want to raise your child knowing right and wrong. You want to be an example to them and instill good standards. You want them to be close to our Heavenly Father and you want Heavenly Father to know you are doing your personal best.

I know I will not be a perfect mom. There will be many trial and errors, many tears, and many times I will kneel on my knees to ask for help. One of my biggest comforts is knowing I will never have to do this on my own, Heavenly Father will always be there! I have already spent many times on my knees as we have prepared for our first child. There have been plenty of moments where I have been overwhelmed and have asked myself “what have I done?” Then there are the moments I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I am so ready to be a mother. I am ready to take on one of Heavenly Father’s biggest gifts and most rewarding experiences.

As I think about Christmas this year it has a different meaning. I think about the emotion and preparation Mary was going through. Now I know I am not giving birth to our Savior, but I am bringing our own little miracle to this world. I have no idea what he will accomplish in his life as I’m sure Mary did not know all either. She had many fears, she had a love of a mother and a faith in Heavenly Father. She worried about all the things us mothers worry about today. She wanted to teach her son right from wrong. She wanted to teach him unconditional love and Mary wanted to be an example to him. But just like any other mother, she learned along the way. I can only hope and strive to be the mother she was and offer all that I am to my family and Heavenly Father. 

There are many unknowns before me but one thing I know for certain is I am about to receive God's greatest blessing, and that through him I can be the mother he wants me to be. I hope and pray as we celebrate this Christmas season we feel the love of our Heavenly Father and celebrate with him the birth of his son, our Savior. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. 

South Jordan baby shower

A couple of weeks ago we went up to Jeff's parents and had our second baby shower. I was surprised with how many people were there and it was so good to see everyone, and meet new family! I had one request for this shower and that was that Jeff got to be there and open all the gifts with me. So after the game and food he came out from hiding and got to open everything! It was fun to see his reaction and I'm glad he was able to be there!

We got lots of goodies and had a fabulous time! A big thanks to my sister-in-laws for putting it together and another thanks goes out to everyone that came! We are so blessed!

Kidney Stones and 33 weeks

I am a little behind on my belly shots but I have a good excuse! It all started last Monday. I woke up feeling better than I had the week before as I was just getting over a cold and the little boy I babysit showed up. While he was napping and playing I began to get uncomfortable (this may be a little TMI for some sorry) I would sit down to pee and nothing would come out or only a tiny bit would. This went on for a couple hours then it started to become painful and I thought it was just a UTI. Probably around 11 that night I called my mom and told her what was going on as it was to the point that I could not sit or lay still. We thought worst comes to worst it was getting to my kidney and just irritating it a little. Another hour goes by and I knew by this point something else had to be done so I went in to labor and delivery. (Jeff is still mad I did not wake him to go with me). I told the nurses what was going on and so they hooked me up to all the monitors had me pee in a cup then waited for the results. Norris was doing great I was not contracting and the results came back said i had a little bacteria and sent me on my way with a prescription for a UTI and told me to take some Tylenol. I felt dumb! I did not get any sleep when I got home and right about the time Jeff got up and got in the shower I started throwing up. I just thought it was the flu on top of everything else. Drank some water and tried to get some sleep. Didn't happen. He came home with my prescription and saw I was even worse off and continued to decline. I finally called and made an appointment to see the Doc that was covering for my Midwife (she broke her shoulder 2 weeks before) and around 3 we went in. The Doc came in and I was so overwhelmed with pain I was crying. He asked me what was going on I told him where the pain was and he examined me. He told me if I still couldn't keep food or water down by the next day they would have to admit me. I was then sent to do blood work and get an ultrasound on my kidneys, bladder and baby's fluid levels (I was on watch for having too much fluid). During the ultrasound my left kidney was functioning fine but we sat there for about 45 min. watching my right and got nothing. After trying a few things and waiting forever she finished and I went to get my blood drawn. After poking me in one arm and getting nothing they tried a heat pack on my other arm and still got nothing. I was so dehydrated nothing would come. After all of this I went home took the medication he gave me and was finally able to sleep for a couple of hours. Wed. morning i went in and was able to get my blood drawn, only after she had to go digging for a vein (if you know me you know I do not do needles well... and at this point I had to lay down so I wouldn't pass out). I got a call that same day from the ultrasound results saying my kidney wasn't functioning well and that it was most likely a stone. Thursday my blood work came back and the Doc called again a little more concerned at this point because my blood work did not come back great. The Creatinine levels for a normal pregnant woman is supposed to be around a .5 and mine came back over 1.2, so 75% higher than it should be. I was then sent to the pharmacy for my 4th prescription and my last resort. This one was supposed to help open the kidney valve and help me pass the stone, the next option was to have it surgically removed... at this point i would have done anything! Jeff called one of his friends and they gave me a blessing, thank heaven for the Priesthood! Friday I had to get my blood checked again and then i went off to Vegas with my mom... in what could have been the longest car ride of my life! I knew that she had a lot to do and that i should be walking around as much as I could so I ran some errands with her. Finally around 8 or so that night I began having a lot of discomfort again and felt I had to go to the bathroom every few minuets but not much would come or it was a little painful. After an hour or so of this the pressure was gone and I went to bed. Saturday morning I woke up a new woman! I tell you what it was night and day and could not have been at a more perfect time! Just got my last results back today and everything looks to be going back to normal! I am so so so glad that fun little experience is over and would like to give a shout out to my dad and thank him for passing those genetics on to me! :) I was very blessed to have so many people check on me and offer to help with so much! I'm surrounded by amazing friends and family that is for sure!
and now for 33 weeks...because week 32 was quite possibly the worst week of my life:

Norris is getting big! He is over 4 pounds and close to 17 inches in length! His bones are starting to get hard and he is starting to fill out and put some fat on. The kid is pretty active and does not like when my belly is being pushed on. He is head down and definatly a boy. We are getting more and more excited to meet him. I feel as though this pregnancy has flown by and find it hard to believe we're down to less than 50 days! We have been talking more about what he might look like and really it could go either way. He could come out with the darker features of the Garduno Family or he cold come out blonde and blue eyes like his parents and Coache family! Either way we'll be happy but I think he has a pretty good chance of having the Coache blue eyes... at least I hope he does. We'll know soon enough but keep growing Norris we will be ready to meet you soon!

Baby shower

This past weekend my mom, sister-in-law and best friend threw a baby shower for me in Vegas. I wasn't sure I was going to make it all week but my mom came to the rescue and drove all the way up to Cedar to get me so that I could be there for it! For those that don't know I was lucky enough to get and pass a kidney stone last week! HOLY COW do they suck! Back to the baby shower! After a long week I was glad to have a small get together of family and close friends. Everything turned out so cute and little Norris got some great stuff! Our last big item is the car seat then we will be set for this little guy to arrive.

I served milk and cookies for dessert and had little bags so people could take them home

 How cute is this diaper cake!? Loved it!

 This is quite possibly one of my favorite blankets for the little guy!

 I had to put a picture of the baby shower invite. My mom made them and seriously they turned out SOO cute!

Thanks everyone that came and a HUGE thank you to my mom, sister-in-law and Julie for putting it all together for me! We can't wait to use the swing, stroller, all the blankets and little outfits he got!