Holy Cow Daddy!!

While I was diligently working to get some last minute Christmas stuff done.... ie wrapping gifts, addressing cards, making treats,etc, Shawn had so nicely volunteered to hold the baby while he watched a Cowboy game. This is what I get for taking him up on it during game time!! I vaguely heard the baby's faint little yelps and thought that I had better check things out... as you can see I found everything but her head wiggling around outside the two couch pillows. Poor little girl had fallen in between them and couldn't do anything but kick her legs around! She's such a mellow baby that she didn't even cry. She would just let out a little whimper now and then hoping for someone to come to her rescue! Shawn happened to notice right about the same time as I did and we both got a pretty good laugh out of the whole thing. I do think Shawn felt a little bad... but not bad enough to hold her for the rest of the game (it's probably safer that he didn't)! He just propped her up more securely and went on yelling at the tv. GO COWBOYS!

Baby pics

Finally......

OK... I am finally updating my blog. After many months, it's about time, I know! Lots has happened in the last month. We got moved into our new house, which we absolutely LOVE. it is more than we imagined it would be. We have tons of space now and views to die for. The weather here in Boise is icing on the cake... and we get the most stunning sunsets out our back windows. We are technically outside of Star, Idaho so we are about 20 minutes to almost anywhere we could want to go yet we have the peace and quiet of being in the country. It was definitely a process to get all of our stuff moved in and unpacked, but we managed to get it done well before my due date. After getting settled in the new house I proceeded to do everything humanly possible to get my labor started. I was SOOOO done being pregnant!! I walked what seemed to be the length of the united states, used every essential oil known to start labor, made Shawn rub all my "acupressure" points.... and the list goes on and on. No matter what I did, she wouldn't come out of there so they induced me the day after my due date.
Shawn and I got to the hospital at 7:45am and they proceeded to hook me up to all kinds of things, take my blood, poke and prod me, and then make me eat. By the time all of that was done it was after 11am. The nurse started my pitocin at 11:30 and the doctor broke my water at noon. I thought I was good to go once that happened, but instead I had to wait till 2pm before my contractions finally kicked in and became consistent. My labor was 4 hours and 17 minutes long. It was great. In fact, I can't imagine a better experience. We named her Brynlee Teann Fernandez. She is named after my mom (a shortened version of Teresa Ann) and was 6lbs 10oz, 19 inches long. She is an absolute dream baby. So I have posted some pics for all of you to view. ENJOY! I will try my best to keep this thing updated.

Finally feeling better.... a little bit

I am finally starting to feel like there is a light at the end of the Morning Sickness tunnel! I still feel horribly nauseous most of the time, but there's not much throwing up happening anymore. I have been getting headaches a lot lately, but my good friend Danielle has been giving me massage. She has just focused on my head, neck, and shoulders because they have been feeling incredibly tense, and let me tell you.... she has helped me immensely. It has been amazing how much it has helped my headaches. The day after my massage, I am a bit sore but the following few days are a million times better. The headaches felt like they were killing me. I just couldn't function. What a blessing Danielle has been! Otherwise, I think I will only have a few more weeks of sickness and then hopefully I'll be in the clear. I can't wait!
We bought some books for Ryland about having a new baby in the family. He LOVES them. I wasn't sure whether he would even pay any attention to them, but surprisingly, he soaks them up. He has even been rubbing my belly and talking to the baby. it's so cool to see him being a part of this process. I am looking forward to what's coming next.

A New Little One on the Way

So... We are proud to say that after 8 months of diligent practice, we are expecting!! It was starting to seem like it was taking forever, but now it feels like perfect timing. I have to admit that I was really hoping to avoid having a baby during the holiday season, but Heavenly Father obviously had other plans for this little babe. I am six weeks along and should be due around the 17th of November. We are incredibly excited and can't wait to add a new little personality to our family. Ryland won't know what happened to him, he is convinced that the world revolves around him. Surprise, Surprise! We never actually told him that I was having a baby. The day after we told our families, I was in the shower with Ryland and he pointed at my stomach and said, "Momma, I think you have a baby in your tummy." I was so shocked! I told him he was right, but was unprepared for what came next. He immediately asked me where the baby was going to come out! He of course said, he thinks it might come out my belly button or my leg. Who would expect a 3 year old to think of asking that? I suppose we'll have to broach that subject in a more detailed way when it gets closer to the baby's arrival. I know you're all wondering how I am feeling.... Horrible!! I thought I was doing pretty good with just my little daily nausea until yesterday. Yesterday, morning sickness (it should be called "all day sickness") hit me like a hammer on the head. I have not slept in 2nights because every time I moved I felt like I was going to throw up. I know, that's not a pretty picture, but it's true.... It's also true for how I have felt all day today. Today, however, I have actually had to run to the bathroom more times than I would like to write in this blog. I am praying that it stops at 12 weeks like normal people. When I was pregnant with Ryland I was sick until close to 20 weeks (absolute nightmare!). Even while feeling like death warmed over (and looking like it too) I have a deep feeling of gratitude for the blessing that this baby is. We prayed so hard for this little spirit and I feel like I couldn't appreciate being sick more than I do right now.

Rachel

Unconventional Playmate

When I was younger, I absolutely loved this movie about a little girl who had an imaginary friend... it's called Drop Dead Fred. I could watch it over and over again, sincerely laughing in all the same spots (a hundred times over) and never tiring of the love this little girl had for her "friend" Fred. I see that same kind of love growing inmy own son. I was reminded of this movie today after my son handed me the phone and said "Hooha said goodbye. She needed to go." He really had been talking to my mom (whom he calls Hooha) and after a short "Love you mom... bye," I turned the phone off, only to realize by the timer it has on it that Ryland had been on the phone with her for 43min and 27sec!!! He calls my parents most every day and talks as quickly as he can get his words out, while he walks around the house "showing them things." He literally plays with her as if she were physically here with him. Today I heard him saying "You're chasing me..." (as he was laughing), so I quietly walked downstairs to see what the fuss was about. He was holding the phone behind his back and running in all directions in the basement. Hooha really was chasing him. How funny is that? He often holds the phone up to his train tracks and proceeds to have her "push" a train or two around the track. I love that he doesn't skip a beat about the fact that she isn't actually here. Though I think my mom is crazy to let him keep her on the phone for long periods of time, I also love that she truly wants to be with him that bad. I know that he will probably always remember his playdates.... ie phone calls to his Hooha. I can only hope he holds onto that desire for at least the next 25 years or so.

Something so amazing... and yet so hard.

As I left Ryland's (my independant, extremely loving, and strong willed little 3 year old) room tonight after he woke up from a bad dream, I was thinking about being a mother. It's hard not to think about it.. it's my life. Ryland is really growing into his independence, so it is so often difficult to distract him from what he wants, or get him to accept the word no that I often feel drained at the end of my day. Even with this strong characteristic, he still NEEDS me. Amazing. It is incredible for me to think about how much he depends on me... and yet he truly yearns to feel like he is in control. I have been working hard to help him feel like he can make choices for himself, but man, it is hard! I find myself trying to cut down on the messes, hassle, and the feeling that all I do is follow him around like a vacum, just cleaning up all the things he mis-places, when my focus should be on being a fun, attentive mother. Jeez! I never realized how hard it would be to feel like a good parent. There are always a hundred things that I could have done better, and I have come to realize that I am very hard on myself when I don't feel like I excel at the things I choose to do. How do I relax about being the best mom possible when so much of Ryland's future "being" will be determined by the things I teach him (or don't teach him)?? What an amazing gift it is to be his momma... I love that little stinker!