Dallin's baby blessing

Wilford and Kathleen were able to fly in this past weekend to see the baby before general conference. Also, Spencer had his first high school dance, homecoming, so let's be honest, they needed to check in on him! :) It was so fun to have them here, they really do help me a lot when they are around. Mostly, I just nursed. Lets face it. That's about all I do.

But, since they don't get to come into town very often, James wanted to bless the baby. Ever seen a not even 2 week old be blessed? In public? Ha, it was a little crazy, and I had a hard time getting everyone ready and out the door on time. Then, as soon as we got there, he wanted to nurse again. I hated that so many people rubbed his head, and kissed him, so we snuck out right after the blessing. But, all in all, it was beautiful and worked out perfect.

He had James, Grandpa Wilford, Grandpa Anderson, Grandpa Jay, Brad, Jared, John, and Nate all in the circle. Here's the highlights:

Dallin Scott Andersen
- already brought such a calming influence
- feel Savior's love through family
- strength to overcome trials and struggles
- desire to be obedient
- love savior and gospel plan
- desire to make and keep covenants (this will come as you come to know the Savior)
- make friends and influence for good
- love and kindness will bless others
- be a missionary and serve others throughout your life
-go to temple to bless your family
-such a blessing in out home
- blessed to feel love of parents and family often

Coming back home to reality

I have had so much help this past week. From people taking the boys to play, to the endless meals and sweet phone calls. I am lucky to live in such a nice neighborhood and to have so much family around. I don't know how i would do without them.  Jackson has been so sweet and helpful, and adjusted to a new baby so much better than he did with Tommie. I feel guilty that I can't give Tommie the attention he needs anymore. You can tell he feels a little cheated, but is still pretty happy. He just learned how to open the doors, and the toilet seats, and now my whole life has changed. I can't just close the doors to contain him, and I have to lock the baby away from him.  If someone forgets to lock the door on the way out (aka SPencer) He will run out the front door into the street while i nurse. Everytime i sit down to feed the baby, my blanket/cover ups get stolen, the baby's legs get pulled, and then he puts something else into the toilet. I'll admit that by the time James gets home, I look pretty desperate for help sometimes! James has had to work later some nights, and i can tell he is just as wasted as I am, but he is so sweet to just drop everything, not ask me any questions, and just take over until I shower, calm down, etc. Ha! What a team we are. 

I have spent so many hours just holding dallin, and the boys give him his fair share of wet kisses, and too-tight of hugs till he wakes up and cries! :) He had the big circumcision, and caught Spencer's cold in the same day. So, on top of the pain, he can't breathe. I don't think I ever had a sick one-week old, but I hope it's nothing that lasts too long. I am congested, have headaches, but at least my fever broke last night. Tommie just has a bad cough, but so far benadryl keeps him sleeping at night. 

Dallin is the best eater I have had and has already gained over a pound. We love our new pediatrician, Dr. Milius, and he just raves about how impressive Dallin's growth is. 

Dallin still goes pretty cross-eyed when he looks at things and Jackson thinks it is so funny.

Every chance i get, I try to just drop everything and snuggle this boy as well. It's so sad to me that he seems so grown up now, but I can't imagine life without his huge smile.

This is Dallin and Whitney sharing the same car seat. They are 2 1/2 months apart, but Whitney seems so huge already. 

The day I came home from the hospital, and picked up the boys from my mom's, Julie's water broke. She ended up having the baby at midnight, so technically they are 3 days apart. Little Roland Jay (affectionately nicknamed RJ after Grandpa Fuzz...) is so cute. Poor Julie has already had to deal with another blood clot problem, but her baby is just as cute and Brad is always so fun to watch as a new dad. I feel a little bad I can't really help her with anything, nor have I really even visited the baby, but their together time will come soon enough! :)

Introducing Dallin Scott Andersen born 9/17/2013

The monday after stake conference, I went in to see Dr. Layton again. He said I was so close, he didn't know why it was taking so long, scheduled an induction for me, and stripped my membranes. I left the office feeling fine and went to combined family night out in gilbert at Andrea's house. I started not feeling very well there, but it was Spencer's birthday party, so I tried to just be happy. James worked late that night, and when he finally made it home, he was so full of energy. he kept saying "let's go walking, let's go drive over speed bumps, lets get this baby here...." I just felt so tired and went straight to bed. I woke up around 1 am with contractions again, and found james on the couch just watching TV. He said he was too anxious to sleep cause he knew the baby was coming. Ha! I told him as I went back to sleep. But by 5 am, I knew that I was going to celebrate Spencer's 17th birthday in the hospital. 

James and I walked around the neighborhood for a while until I couldn't take it anymore. I showered and packed the boys bags and laid around moaning until we finally left to the hospital. My mom took the other boys and Spencer went to school. I just couldn't figure out why the contractions were so strong, yet still only 5 minutes apart...they weren't getting any closer. I did NOT want to get sent home from the hospital so we went to Wal Mart. Ha! Dumb idea, I waddled around there so miserable and hurting so bad. I went in to the nasty walmart bathroom and just thought, this is so dumb, lets just go. So, James brought the car to the front door of wal mart, and by the time we checked in, I was already 100% effaced and at a 7. I really wanted an epidural and luckily the anesthesiologist came in fast, because I was starting to not think very nice thoughts about everyone around me. :) He kept telling me I was his favorite patient, just so funny, but I really don't remember anything except for him taking so long. Of course the epidural slowed the contractions, which was nice to just relax for a little bit. Mom, Mansi and Brianna, and Candela (my mom's foreign exchange student) all came down to the hospital and came in to just talk to me, eat lunch in front of me, etc. 

Dr. Layton came in during his lunch break to check on me, said to up my pitocin because nothing was happening anymore, but I sat up and said no, it was time. I was feeling way too much pressure to just lay down anymore. Sure enough, my water broke, and I felt ready to start pushing. The girls and my mom hurried behind the curtain, while the nurses were scrambling to get stuff set up. I looked over at everyone's feet crammed behind the curtain, started laughing, invited them in, and a few pushes later, the baby was there. All within 10 minutes. It was kind of crazy how fast it happened when the Dr. walked in, how fast everyone started moving, and yet how smooth and peaceful the delivery went. James is always the biggest support, knows just what to say, and he always gets emotional. I love just watching his face and seeing how much he just loves being a dad. My sisters were just stunned, my mom was crying, Candela was crying, and I just couldn't believe I let everyone in there with me. Granted they all stood in the corner, by my head... but I do remember going in to shaela's delivery when I was a teenager. Such a neat, spiritual experience. 

And, there it is, the birth story. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, weighing 7 lbs, 11 oz, and 23 inches long. He was born at 1:20 pm. He had the most dark hair out of all my babies, and a birth mark on the side of his head. His ears were bruised, and his eyes very swollen, but he hardly even cried at first. 

When the boys came down to see the baby, Tommie was just in shock.  I love looking back at the pictures of his face. Poor kid, he had to grow up way too fast.

He had a few hours of crankiness int he hospital, but i had a killer migraine and felt like fainting. I almost landed on the nurse. So, for a few hours I kept saying to James "oh no, he's a crier already..." Ha! I think it was just me. Brad came down, held him for 5 minutes, and he really hasn't been cranky ever since. Sure he's fussed a little, but Brad claimed I just needed to eat something and couldn't believe I had called my baby "high maintenance".

I think he is the most "James" looking baby we have had. I compared James' baby pictures and think they are so similar. I kept saying he looked like a little wilford, but not everyone could tell with all the dark hair. 

All in all, I feel so much better to not be pregnant anymore. Even though I am tired, I overall have more energy and desire to get out and do things. I have been pretty emotional lately, and have to try really hard to not lash out at Jackson and Tommie, and James for that matter, but I know it's just temporary. I am so grateful to be a mom to another sweet boy. Having a baby is such a spiritual experience for me, and I love that I feel so close to heaven just holding him. 

I stayed in the hospital 2 days, and we narrowed his name down to 2. We finally picked Dallin Scott and sent out the announcement so we could just quit thinking about it! He really is perfect and the name already fits. 

Waiting for the baby to come

I always hate the last few weeks of pregnancy. Besides being incredibly uncomfortable and tired, it just is hard to plan around! I tried to stay active to help baby come early. I REALLY didn't want to speak in stake conference. But, come Saturday night adult session, I was doing fine. We went to Blue Adobe Grill with brad and Julie, then headed to the stake center. I started getting nervous that night just thinking about standing up there, so swollen. Sure enough, baby didn't come over night, and there I went, walking up there in my biggest church clothes possible! I spoke on kindness, and seeing others as God wants them to be seen. I talked about how hard my week had been, how i started feeling miserable  and just complaining about everything. One day it had hit me real hard that Satan was so happy I was so miserable. He wanted me to not be excited about ANOTHER baby, he wanted me to complain about the happy relationships i have here. Satan will never have good friendships, he will never have a happy marriage, and he certainly can't be a loving parent bringing beautiful babies into this world. From there, I compared certain BYU experiences to how we really can learn to let things go and see people in a more Christ-like way. I would say it went really good except as I was walking back to my seat, I realized my skirt had fallen PRETTY LOW. As in, my garments showed the whole time I was talking. The youth int he stake were the choir, so I asked Mansi and Brianna afterwords, and they just kept laughing saying "it was only a few inches....". I know that everyone saw my see through, stretched out garment bottoms. How embarrassing.

I got the nicest letter int he mail from Pres. Burnham though. "Dear Shawnne, Thank you for speaking this past Sunday. Your message of kind and appropriate relationships with others was powerful and touching. I appreciate your preparation and the wonderful spirit with which you delivered your message. I see why I was impressed to ask you to speak. You are a wonderful lady. I am grateful for your example and your goodness. May the lord bless you. I am so glad you are a part of our stake family. Sincerely, Lynn Burnham." 

WHEW! Glad that's over with. Seriously. 

We went to Mansi and Brianna's swim meet. It was fun to watch them and remember what high school really was like. The heat didn't work to put me into labor. Darn. And, I got this great picture of a bee landing on Tommie's eye. Ha. 

Orange patch preschool starts again!

If Pam Sharp and Jennie Jeffries knew just how much this little boy LOVES preschool, they would know we would pay way more than what they ask for each month! :) Jackson gets incredibly excited, it's almost embarrassing. Shaela compares him to the movie "Elf" when Will Ferrell goes to work with his "dad" and goes to the mail room. They have to call his dad because he is just too excited. Ha ha. It's a hard time of day to get him there, 12-2, but I'm sure I'll get used to it and it's only 2 days a week. Can't believe we sign him up for kindergarten in January! 

The newest assistant ward missionary leader

When James was called as the assistant ward mission leader, they asked him to please send in some photos of himself to post in the stake offices. He really took the following photos of himself and texted them over. It was late on a friday night and too bad phones don't have filters to say "bad idea!" :) 

So, then come saturday night, he was supposed to dress up and we were to get a nice head shot. We laughed so hard and spent a good hour on James photo shoot. Best date night we've had in a while. I still laugh about how hard it was to get some "normal" looking pictures. Oh well, I still think my husband is so good looking and love that we can spend nights at home just laughing together. With nothing to entertain us but our camera phones! :) 

September Family fun

We knew it would be a little harder to get out and do things once the baby came, so we tried to fit in a few "family fun activities" at the first of September. 

We visited my Great-Grandma Mish. She sure still is spunky all though her memory is not quite there. She loved the grandkids singing primary songs, even though she claimed she had never heard them. She still quoted her favorite poems, and kept saying we did look familiar. I sure love her. 

Jackson had no recollection of ever bowling in Utah, even though Jamesa nd I went to BYU games' center all the time. He sure was loving bowling but James just wanted to get back and watch the BYU football game. It was delayed a few hours for weather, and thought that was a perfect time for us to get out. I was wrong. Tommie screamed so loud the whole time, wanting to run after the ball,  and James kept pulling out his phone to check when the game was starting. Jackson and I had a lot of fun though! Bowling 9 months pregnant really isn't very easy though.

 

 

Jared Joe had a "Messy Messy Boy party" for his 6th birthday. Jackson thought every single part of it was the coolest. From the shaving cream fight, to the playing in the mud pit (shaela's garden), to eating ice cream cake with no spoons, and even to Jared Joe's crack hanging out the whole party. What a great idea. 

Walking has sure changed Tommie's personality around. My quiet, easy going, content little boy is WILD. He is in to everything and yet, still so happy to find whatever he can. He absolutely can not sit still and has to be doing something now. He is way more energetic than Jackson ever was. Jackson would get really competitive and when someone took what he wanted, he would throw major fits. Tommie just wanders around to see what everyone is doing and is happy to join in whatever.