When you were born I had no idea what I was doing and I had no idea what being a mother truly meant.
You coming into our family was such a blessing. We all grew together over the past year, You learned many things, your dad learned many things, and I learned so many things. You may have taught us more than we taught you.
We had our stresses, but mostly we tried to love you as much as we could. We both love you so much.
You are now one! You are so beautiful, red hair and all. We still cannot go anywhere without someone saying how beautiful you are, and mentioning your red hair.
For the past year, and I am sure many years to come, you have been my biggest worry and my biggest happiness. I spent so much time researching things so I could provide the best for you. We spent everyday together laughing, singing, and exploring the world together. I believe that you should laugh everyday, and I made sure that you did that.
I don't even remember what life was like before you.
As you learned, I learned.
When they placed you on me for the first time, you learned to open your eyes, and I learned what unconditional love meant.
You learned to nurse, and I learned everything I could about milk supply, nursing and pumping.
You learned to laugh and smile, and I learned that your laugh was my favorite sound, and your smile was my favorite thing to see.
You learned to roll over, and I learned that I cannot stop you from growing up.
You learned to get mad, and I learned that you were a girl that knew what she wanted, and did not give up.
You learned to crawl and I learned that nothing could get in your way. You are one determined beautiful girl.
You learned to make sounds and point, and I learned you are one smart girl. We learned to communicate pretty well.
You learned to eat solid foods, and I learned how to feed you healthy foods so you could grow big and strong.
You learned to pull yourself up and stand, and I learned not to hold my breath in anticipation of you fall (okay I am still working on this).
This past year, you and I have been best friends. We have many, many years of learning together. You will learn so much more in life, and I will learn how to support you through each step. I hope that although I am your mom first, we can still be best friends.
Thank you for the lessons, the laughter, and changing me forever-I love you.
Happy 1st birthday!
Are kids really that expensive?
Are kids really that expensive?
Often times I hear people talk about how expensive kids are. But, I have a hard time believing this to be true. Let me break a few complaints down for you.
Complaint No. 1: Before the baby is born
I will be honest, most of the things people say are a must, are not.
When your baby is a baby the biggest thing they need is love.
My husband and I painted and decorated a nursery, but everyday I am learning how unneeded that was.
I do not use a crib, which means I did not need a mattress or sheet either. I do not use a changing table (why do I want to go to the room every time I change a diaper?) It would not have made a difference if I had left the walls white. Burp clothes, I had way too many, but my baby did not spit up. I had a summer baby, so I never used the hats.
Other than clothes, diapers, wipes, and thing like this, the only must have I have found is a bumbo. I loved my, but my baby did not laying down.
Complaint No. 2: Diapers are so expensive
Invest in a Costco membership. Diaper are only $29.99 for a box. This is when they are not on sale. Diapers are on sale often and you can stock up than. This box should last you roughly a month.
If this does not work for you, look into using cloth diapers.
Complaint No. 3:Food expense
I choose to breastfeed, It's free. So far, so good.
Not all are able or choose to breastfeed. If this is your case there are sights like Baby Cheapskate that often post deals on formula. Pediatrician offices are often giving samples out for free, hospitals give them out for free, look around.
As they grow, do you really need more food than you already have. Do you ever have any left overs? Your child does not eat as much food as you do, they can have the "left overs". Yes, as they grow they need more food. But, this is a slow process. Hopefully as they grow, you are able to make more money to offset the difference.
Complaint No. 4: Clothing
Babies grow so quickly, I do not understand spending a huge amount of money here. What is wrong with used clothing when they only fit in them for 3 months?
I have bought a few items new, but I only in the clearance, when the clearance is on sale. You do not need a ton.
I am also a fan of the kid consignment shops. Most areas have something like this. Here is a sight that may help you find one near you. https://www.jbfsale.com/home.jsp
Hand me downs and used clothing work great when kids are younger, but as they get older, this may not be the case. Give your kids a budget and let them decide how far to make the money go. (You can buy three shirts here, or only one here, you decide.)
Complaint No. 5: Holidays
Really, your house does not need to look like Toys-R-Us.
While your children are young what is wrong with used toys? You can find nice, almost new condition toys used all the time. This is how children learn, so yes, you will need some. But, there is no need to go over board. Teach them to play outside, and explore the world. We do not need to be entertained ALL the time.
As children get older, yes, they cost more. Do they cost as much as some statistics? I have a hard time believing so.There are many choices you can make that will add or reduce the costs along the way. Some of these areas where you can choose are food, clothes, child care, activities, and education. But there are also some areas where you may not have as much of a choice, like medical. We all have unexpected emergencies.
For the record you cannot put a price on the joy that children bring. The Smiles as you walk through the door. The hugs and kisses. The outstretched arms reaching for you, just because they want to love you, and you to love them. The cuddles, day and night. The "firsts".
Oh, what a blessing children are. Don't let the finances of children robe you of the joy they bring.
Lux: Your First's, In The First Year
Lux: Your First's, In The First Year
1. Smiling: You started smiling a lot about 2 months
2. Laughing: You starting laughing good with you mom about 2.5 months. It took a little longer for you to laugh good with you daddy-o.
3. Rolling over: You were rolling over from your stomach to your back at 4 months, it took about another month to go from your back to your stomach.
4. Sitting up: You were sitting up on your own at 6 months.
5. Your first tooth: Your first tooth broke the skin just before your 7th month birthday. Your mom would have been okay if that waited a little longer.
6. Crawling: You did not start crawling up on your knees until you were 8.5 months old. You did arm craw for quite sometime before you went to your knees.
7.First Foods: I told your Poppie that he could not give you anything until Thanksgiving, but I would sneak you some yogurt about 5 months. Thanksgiving was when we really starting giving you real food, but you were not interested in food until you were 7 months old. At 7 months you started to LOVE food.
8. Standing: You starting pulling yourself up and standing while holding on to thing at 9 months.
9. Waving: At 9 months you starting waiving to people.
10. Walking:
11. Word: starting at 9 months old you really starting mocking mostly your Mommas, but also your poppie.
12. Says "Momma: At 7 months we thought you were saying Momma, but it only lasted about a week. After that you only said Momma when you really wanted the mommas
13. Says "Dadda: At 8 months old you started saying Dada. Yes, your poppie responds to this, so you quickly learned that you would get a reaction from him by saying this. But I don't think you saying momma or dadda are actually words, I think these are just sounds you are learning to say.
13. Says "Dadda: At 8 months old you started saying Dada. Yes, your poppie responds to this, so you quickly learned that you would get a reaction from him by saying this. But I don't think you saying momma or dadda are actually words, I think these are just sounds you are learning to say.
13. Says "Poppie":
14. First Hair Cut:
15. First Birthday: I am sorry, your first birthday was not a big celebration, although we are SO grateful we have you. We were camping in Mt. Pleasant at a family reunion on your actual birthday (Saturday). The next Monday I made a healthy smash cake (no, sugar, it really was a healthy one) for you. You did not seem to like the touch of the frosting much. It was like you did not want to get you hands dirty. It was not much of a hit. But, first birthday are really for the mom, the rest are for the child. So, my Lux the parties are still to come.
16: First Vacation: Your first vacation was to Bear Lake, July 3-6. You were 2 weeks old. Your umbilical cord fell off on the drive there, so your Poppie was able to take you into the water.
17. First Road trip: When you were 2 months old we went to Yellow Stone. We were worries about how you would travel, but you did pretty good. The way there was very smooth. We did have to make some extra stops on the way back. While we were there, we when to Fire Hole. While we were in the water, there was a photographer from National Geographic that keep taking pictures of you. We tried to contact him to get the pictures, so far we have been unable to get them.
18. First Christmas: You really did not know what was going on. You were not able to even open your presents on your own. You got a Glowwarm for Christmas. It was just want you always wanted.
Lux: Your First's, In The First Year
Lux: Your First's, In The First Year
1. Smiling: You started smiling a lot about 2 months
2. Laughing: You starting laughing good with you mom about 2.5 months. It took a little longer for you to laugh good with you daddy-o.
3. Rolling over: You were rolling over from your stomach to your back at 4 months, it took about another month to go from your back to your stomach.
4. Sitting up: You were sitting up on your own at 6 months.
5. Your first tooth: Your first tooth broke the skin just before your 7th month birthday. Your mom would have been okay if that waited a little longer.
6. Crawling: You did not start crawling up on your knees until you were 8.5 months old. You did arm craw for quite sometime before you went to your knees.
7.First Foods: I told your Poppie that he could not give you anything until Thanksgiving, but I would sneak you some yogurt about 5 months. Thanksgiving was when we really starting giving you real food, but you were not interested in food until you were 7 months old. At 7 months you started to LOVE food.
8. Standing: You starting pulling yourself up and standing while holding on to thing at 9 months.
9. Waving: At 9 months you starting waiving to people.
10. Walking:
11. Word: starting at 9 months old you really starting mocking mostly your Mommas, but also your poppie.
12. Says "Momma: At 7 months we thought you were saying Momma, but it only lasted about a week. After that you only said Momma when you really wanted the mommas
13. Says "Dadda: At 8 months old you started saying Dada. Yes, your poppie responds to this, so you quickly learned that you would get a reaction from him by saying this. But I don't think you saying momma or dadda are actually words, I think these are just sounds you are learning to say.
13. Says "Dadda: At 8 months old you started saying Dada. Yes, your poppie responds to this, so you quickly learned that you would get a reaction from him by saying this. But I don't think you saying momma or dadda are actually words, I think these are just sounds you are learning to say.
13. Says "Poppie":
14. First Hair Cut:
15. First Birthday: I am sorry, your first birthday was not a big celebration, although we are SO grateful we have you. We were camping in Mt. Pleasant at a family reunion on your actual birthday (Saturday). The next Monday I made a healthy smash cake (no, sugar, it really was a healthy one) for you. You did not seem to like the touch of the frosting much. It was like you did not want to get you hands dirty. It was not much of a hit. But, first birthday are really for the mom, the rest are for the child. So, my Lux the parties are still to come.
16: First Vacation: Your first vacation was to Bear Lake, July 3-6. You were 2 weeks old. Your umbilical cord fell off on the drive there, so your Poppie was able to take you into the water.
17. First Road trip: When you were 2 months old we went to Yellow Stone. We were worries about how you would travel, but you did pretty good. The way there was very smooth. We did have to make some extra stops on the way back. While we were there, we when to Fire Hole. While we were in the water, there was a photographer from National Geographic that keep taking pictures of you. We tried to contact him to get the pictures, so far we have been unable to get them.
18. First Christmas: You really did not know what was going on. You were not able to even open your presents on your own. You got a Glowwarm for Christmas. It was just want you always wanted.
Lux: Your birth story
Lux: Your birth story
Well my Lux, life is not always as you expect it.
My entire pregnancy with you, I was expecting a non-eventful labor and delivery in a birthing center. Our plan was to labor at home until my contractions were 3-5 mins apart, and then go to the birthing center, you would be born within 4-6 hours of arriving, and we would all go home 4 hours later.
The Sunday before you were born, we were at your grandma and grandpa Gillis’ house for dinner. Your dad told your grandma and grandpa that you were waiting until Wednesday, June 17 to be born, because they were leaving to go to Florida on Wednesday.
Tuesday night, June 16, I was having contractions all throughout the night. I went down stairs to walk around and lay on the couch, because I did not want to wake up your dad.
About 6:00 am on Wednesday, June 17, my water broke. My contractions were still about 10 mins apart. Around 7:00 am, I called the birthing center to let the midwife's know what was going on. They told me to call them back when my contractions were 3-5 mins apart. About an hour later my contractions were 3-5 mins apart. Your dad and I headed to the birthing center.
Once we arrived at the birthing center they checked to see how far dilated I was. I was only at a 4. Your dad and I decided to go outside, and walk around. It was a very hot day, so we sat in the car, in the shade for awhile, then went back inside where it was cool. At about 10:00 am the midwife checked me again. I was at a 5, and was progressing at a good pace. Your dad and I thought you would be in our arms by 6:00 pm that day or sooner.
I did a lot of laboring in their tub. Most of the contractions were in my back which did not feel very good. At about 5:00 pm I was fully dilated and fully effaced. You were there and ready to come out. The contractions kept coming, and the midwife keep feeling your head, letting us know you were right there. It did not make a difference, no matter how many contraction I had you just were not coming out.
Sometime around 10:00 pm, I was no longer able to pee. I would sit on the toilet, knowing I needed to pee, but was unable to go. I expressed to your dad and the midwives that I was unable to pee. No one acted as though that was something to concern about.
While pregnant, I declined to do the GBS testing. If you only do one test while pregnant, you want to do this one. It was a mistake for me not to do this one.
Because I declined to do the GBS testing, they had to treat me as though I was GBS positive. At midnight, when you still had not arrived, they told me they had to put me on antibiotics, because they had to treat me as though I was GBS positive.
They started the antibiotics around 2:00 am. Around 5:00 am one of the midwives told me that you were there, and ready to come out. I just needed to allow you to come out. She acted as though I was not allowing my body to let you come. She was wrong, there was not anything that I needed to deal with emotionally. I was ready for you to come. I wanted to hold you, and take you home. At 6:00 am, still no Lux. I did not understand why you were not coming to be with us.
The birthing center has a policy that if you have gone more than 24 hours with your water broke, and no baby, they have to transfer you to the hospital. The midwives called Timpanogos hospital to let them know that most likely I would be transferred, they also checked to see who the on call doctor was.
Doctor Clair J Glenn was the on call doctor. He is more pro vaginal birth, which was a good sign. However, he is a doctor, and if you heartbeat dropped at all he would have to deliver you via c-section.
About 10:00 am I no longer had a choice, they needed to transfer me to the hospital. I was so scared, because I thought for sure they would give me a c-section. Your heart was still strong. Both you and I were healthy, you and I kept fighting.
As we arrived at the hospital I noticed that I had a huge bulge in my belly. Your dad mentioned that he saw it earlier at the birthing center.
Upon arrival at the hospital, they took us straight into the labor room, room 101. The doctor had ordered an epidural (to relax me) and an ultrasound (to see why you were not coming out). As the nurses came in to do the ultrasound, they as well noticed the bulge. The ultrasound revealed that the bulge was my bladder. They needed to drain it immediately.
They drained 2 liters right away, and another liter and a half within the next hour.
Once they drained by bladder, they finished the ultrasound. They revealed that you were not that large of a baby, and the delivery should be normal.
I next received the epidural. I did not enjoy the feeling of it. It felt as though my legs were asleep, and I needed to move to wake the up. While they had me laying there relaxing, your dad called his brother Robert, so that he would have someone to go to lunch with.
While he was gone, there was a time there was no nurses in the room, and I eat your dad's snacks and also had some of his drink. (While at the hospital I was only allowed ice chips. There were flavored, which made it a little better.)
At 12:30 pm they started the pitocin, since my contractions had slowed down. The doctor came in at about 1:00 pm and said that they were going to shut off the epidural. Once I had my feeling back, we would work on pushing you out.
You were no longer in any water, my uterus was shot, I needed to deliver you naturally, in order to get you out vaginally. Your heart was still strong, so we were still avoiding the c-section. (they did have everything ready, because there was still some worry that your heart would drop, and we would need a c-section to get you out.)
About 3:45 we started pushing. Your dad had one of my legs, a nurse had another leg, and the doctor was up front ready for you. while pushing you out, the doctor got a call to see if I was going to need a c-section. He let them know that we were going to do this.
You finally came out about 4:17 pm on Thursday, June 18. The umbilical cord was a little short, so they were only able to place you on my belly. After your dad cut the cord, they were worried about your breathing, and took you away. They had a warm place just to the side, where they worked on you to get the fluid out of your lungs and stomach. I was so worried about you, while they were working on you. There was mention of you needing to go to the NICU. You are strong, and I knew you would fight this. My baby girl had fought so much. I knew you were health and strong. No NICU was needed for you.
After about two hours they moved us to another room. The room we were be in until we were discharged. I was still unable to go to the bathroom. They needed to put the catheter back in me.
You were so strong, I was able to keep you with me the whole time, throughout the night. The next day the doctor was impressed that you were that strong. You have amazed everyone since before you were born. I am sure that you will never cease to amaze me. I love you, and always have.
On Friday the doctor allowed me to have the catheter taken out, and I would try to go to the bathroom. Every Time I went to the bathroom they had to do an ultrasound to make sure that I was peeing more than I was leaving in my bladder. Sometimes I did better than other.
The doctors did not discharge us to go home after the 24 hours. We were not very happy about that. We were ready to check ourselves out. We wanted to go to Del Sol Saturday. We cannot miss a sale. After talking with your dad, we decided that you and I would stay in the hospital, and your dad would go to the Del Sol sale. Your dad bought you bamboo blankets and 3 bamboo outfits. Ashley (the Del Sol Queen) was nice enough to set the baby stuff aside. Your dad was the only one that had the option of buying baby stuff.
We were so excited to be able to take you home on Saturday, June 20. We are so lucky to have you in our family. You are such a sweet, strong girl.
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