A Favor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEdVfyt-mLw&feature=related

Please watch the above link. It is 3 minutes. If there are enough hits the hospital receives a sizable donation from Medline medical supply. For some reason it made me cry.


I think it may be because I love being a nurse.

Baby Mason had her 2 month appointment yesterday: 10 lbs 8 oz, 22 inches long and great tone (she has been able to hold her head up for several weeks.) She is still a screamer, but getting better. Pictured here with 2 of her favorite things: Daddy and the fireplace





She insisted on a Thanksgiving photo shoot:



Meanwhile Jacob's Aunties dressed him up:
Jacob's new friends Santa(right) and Snowman (left)

They accompany him everyone even here-- to our next venture:
He does just fine without pants on. But the moment he's modest we have an accident. Any tips???

Great News

I was looking for a quick cartoon to engage Jacob while I was getting dinner ready and happened upon one of my favorite childhood cartoons. Hey hey hey... It's FAT ALBERT
I am thrilled.

We are also potty training. We have been doing a potty party all week and Jacob has done really well. He does it all on his own when he is naked from the waist down. Only problem is our house so cold and I feel so sad for his frozen little bum.

Lately, I have tried a lot of new recipes. I am in the process of cooking and freezing all our winter squash so pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin waffles, butternut squash soup have all been tried. Anyone have any other recipes they could direct me to?

Some of my favorite recipes have been
- Jamacian Kale soup (I have oodles of kale we grew).
- Veggie Meatballs
- Black Bean Burgers
- Grandma's Hamburger Buns

Updates

Eli's birthday is always fun since in it is the day before Halloween. We had a party with a costume contest, pinata, food and games.


My brother in law won the costume contest. I started growing this doughnut tree in May. Thanks goodness it was ripe and ready for the party.
Can you guess who he is?
She is getting cuter everyday (less fussy). Smiling. Loves running her legs. But would nurse for endless hours if I let her.
The result of one such unsupervised hours I spent nursing.
Our harvest: That was the biggest ear of corn we grew, the rest were corn nuggets
Mason with her cousin Maren (24 days her senior)

Fall is here. and I love it. Except-- my house is freezing. No central air here. It's wall heat in the rooms and inefficient ceiling heat in the kitchen and living room. I hope we strike it rich quick and can afford to update.
PS. Sorry all the pics are misty. Jacob's new favorite toy is my camera. He broke the lens cover and smudged his greasy hands on it. He is becoming a bit naughty.

2 weeks

Mason had her well child check yesterday. She's doing well with a weight up to 7 lbs 14oz.
Loves: bath, being wrapped like a burrito, her big brother and daddy
Screams like crazy: when cold, getting dressed, or super hungry

Life is so much better than 2 weeks ago:
abundant mommy milk + baby in side-lying position for feeding= SLEEP

Its funny how much of a difference 2.5 lbs makes on a baby. Jacob was 5 lbs and didn't have the body reserve to scream and make his needs known like his sister.
She is a big girl compares to her bro. See here
They are pretty sweet and going to be good siblings to each other.



We went to a local pumpkin patch on Saturday. They had a play area the size of a swimming pool full of dried corn. It was so fun to play in.



I have been meaning to post Jacob with his "suv car". Our drive way had a pretty good incline that he loves to drive down. Eli insisted he get a helmet after he took a few tumbles. Now it is not enough of a thrill so he has started going down backwards.

Its all about the delivery

Mason Irene Hillstrom
Born 9/25/2009
at 12:10 am
7 lbs 8 oz
19.5 inches

Yay for a VBAC. My water broke Thursday at 0430 am. I labored at home until about 1pm then when to the hospital. I was doing well with staying relaxed and employing my Hypnobirthing preparation until about 5 pm and I started getting scared. I wasn't handling the pain well and requested an epidural.
It was looking pretty grim after I received my epidural. Mason did not respond well to it. Her heart rate dropped into the 50's. They nurse called a code (meaning emergency call) and I felt like I just ruined my chances for nonsurgical intervention. After oxygen, position changes, and much prayer her heart rate came back up.
At 10 pm I was dilated and per the Dr. and Nurses digression ready to push Mason out. I had prepared for a natural birth and in my mind babies should be breathed out rather than forced pushing. The Midwife and Physician (whom I had not met previously) kept asking my how committed I was to a vaginal birth and telling me it could go either way. This just made me mad as I am lying there working to get my baby out. So I pushed. and pushed. and pushed. And finally the Dr. said if she hasn't come by midnight we will have to go for cesarean. That just made me more irritated. I knew Mason would come without being sliced open. I kept yelling 5 more minutes and at 12:10 am she was born.
I think she just wanted to share her birthday with her mom and grandpa.

Jacob's loving baby Mason. My SIL gave Jacob a big brother book that really helped him understand.

Mason has some jaundice so we have to supplement her feedings until my milk comes in and stimulate my milk supply. So that means nurse every 2-3 hours, then I pump afterward for 15 minutes. I pray it comes in quickly because Eli is headed back to work and it may be a few days before my mom can get here.

Nested

Well Mason is due today, but not a whole lot happening. I hope she waits until Friday then she will be born on my dad's and my birthday. So I have doing some decorating of Jacob's new big boy room and Mason's nursery. Here are the before and after.

Jacob's room with all the baby furniture I needed for the nursery:

After converting to a big boy bed: (He loves it)






Mason's room was a guest bedroom for almost 5 months:Now it is pretty and flowery just how I wanted it:

So I made salsa and canned it yesterday because I had oodles of tomatoes to use. Next time I'll stick with the Pace Picante it was way too much hassle.
My hospital bag is packed. I have a weeks worth of dinners frozen. Laundry is caught up. Good thing because all that energy boost is burnt up. It's 10 am and I am ready for a nap.

38 weeks, 2 days

Full term and I am feeling it. Jacob was delivered at 36 weeks. I have never been this pregnant before. Now I understand what all the complaining is about. Carpal tunnel, numb hips, frequent urination, pelvic pain-- What fun. Overall, I feel pretty good. Just tired. My nesting energy went away this week. My mom has been here for almost 3 weeks helping so that has been so nice. I have 3 days of work left. My last day is Friday the 18th. I hope Mason stays put till then. In the mean time Jacob is getting lots of attention from grandparents. His favorite phrase, "do it again please".

Summer Birthday Party

WE have been planning a surprise party for Jacob and his Auntie Brittany for several weeks. Jacob is the 20th and Brits the 26th. So we told brittany we were postponing jacob's party because my mom had to have surgery that week, but invited them over the 23rd for a campfire. eli dug a firepit in our backyard. So Brittany showed up with hot dog buns ready for a fire, but we had a steak dinner instead.

Since Brittany thought we weren't doing anything earlier in the weeked, she made a nice dinner and cake for Jacob (I felt so guilty)

So Jacob is obsessed with cars, his latest thing is driving mommy's car. It is kind of nice as far as something to entertain him, but I forget and start the car with the radio full blast, windshield wipers and blinkers on.

Eli flew to Boise, ID and rented a 26 ft Penske truck to clean out my parents house there. The stuff is now furnishing our home. My parents came for the party and worked and worked to get us moved in (again). The house looks great. I finally started to hang pictures on the wall. Will post pics soon.

Jacob driving the 26 foot truck. He cried every moment to go drive it.

And the fair. Eli totally cheated the 36 inch height requirement by lifting jake off the ground so he could ride the merry go round. Totally worth it. I was a little disappointed because they wouldn't let pregnant people ride the rides. (I thought the swings looked fun).

And jacob got a hold of my camera and took about 100 photos of his gut. he laughed and laughed each time the camera flashed. Totally worth it.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Three Cheers for old movies and Dick Van Dyke's skills. Chitty chitty bang bang has entertained Jacob several times over the past few weeks while we have been working on getting our basement refinished. Jacob has never been one to sit through a movie, a half hour of Superwhy is pushing it.

We get new carpet installed tomorrow and furniture this weekend so I will post a picture then. I failed to take a before photo. Think nasty forest green carpet, the smell of mildew, lots of spider webs/dead spiders, random statements such as, "This is a house of weed pot" scrawled in odd places.

So last month I gained 10 pounds. Whoa fatty! I feel huge. I didn't get this big with Jacob so this is quite interesting and I still have 6 weeks to go. I have been reading Hypnobirthing with the hope that I can relax and have this baby VBAC.

And lastly Jacob turns two this month which is exciting. He has developed needs and the ability to put phrases together so I often am told,

I need raisin bran

I need to hold you mommy (meaning I hold him)

I need Auntie Brittany (Requested at about 11 pm after he had been told to go the bed repeatedly)

. It is crazy how much children learn in such a short time.

A Name and a Trip

This is my Grandma, Shirley Irene Mason Higham. This is me telling her the name we have chosen for our daughter...Mason Irene Hillstrom. She was pretty excited. I love my Grandma.

Our trip consisted of driving from Washington to Salt Lake with my sister in law Becky. We talked for about 16 hours straight. Thanks for ride and company Becky. I met up with my mom in Salt Lake. (thanks mom). We drove to Idaho Falls to see my grandma and then back to SLC. I flew from SLC to Las Vegas to meet up with my best friend Ryan. Thanks for the fun time Talbot Family.


Jacob was able to experience the Southern Utah beauty and HEAT. Also his first real hair cut-- I can't believe how old he looks. (thanks Ian-- good work).



I love that red dirt.

A Few Pictures

The best part of this house-- the covered, enclosed porch. Jake and Kylee (My brother Nate's daughter) always seem to end up naked and playing in the baby pool. Cool part is I don't have to worry about clean up or either of them running away, naked down the street.

Here is phase 3 of my garden. Eli built the rock wall because I kept sliding off the hill when I went to water. Peas, Snow Peas, Kale, Cauliflower, hot peppers, lettuce-- I can't wait.

This is the Gazebo. I bet Jacob will kiss a girl under those branches one day.

Here is phase 1 of my garden. Beans, squash, radishes, melons. This is the only spot not plagued with stupid moles.

The little explorer climbed under the covered porch and due to his large noggin' became stuck.

Showing off the nicest toddler shoes he'll ever have. Thanks to Auntie Brittany who was the costume designer for a recent play, Jake was the beneficiary of these sweet navy blue converse.

Jake's "Hot Tub"

We bought a 50$ fridge off Craig's list. We started noticing it was becoming less and less cold. The ice cream was more like froth cream (Hence Jake could eat mass quantities) once the diarrhea started we knew it was time for proper refrigeration. 3 cheers for the Home Dept Credit Card.

And lastly a graduation picture, Eli's parents awarded him with some sweet suspenders and a fence post digger. Congrats Eli. I am proud of you.