Emily’s Musings

There are 10 kids in my family, all from the same two parents (yes, that means no step or half siblings) who will celebrate their 48th wedding anniversary next month.  We are all married with children, except for Brian, my twin.  Getting all of us together is a huge undertaking since we all have families of our own, and some members of the family live out of the state of Utah.

Two of my sisters, Rachelle and Ang, planned a family reunion up at Bear Lake which is on the Utah/Idaho state line.  Originally, David and I hadn’t planned to attend, but our schedules were worked around and we were able to go.  This only posed a tiny problem . . .

See, my very organized sister Rachelle, rented a Lake House that would accommodate all the families that planned to attend the reunion.  And since David and I kind of decided to attend at the last minute . . . well . . . let’s just say that we were one bedroom shy of perfect accommodations.

My mom rented another condo down the street for my family to stay in so we would have a nice place to sleep.  On the afternoon of our arrival, she checked in to the condo for us and brought back the key.  With a very stressed out look on her face, she proceeded to tell me about the condo.  The unfinished furniture . . . uncomfortable chairs, tiny room, nasty wall paper, etc.  Knowing full well that I might have a gasping-for-air moment the second I stepped foot into the condo, she was positive we couldn’t stay there.  (I totally agreed.  If she thought it was bad, then so would I.  The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.)

In an effort to accommodate us, she asked my bachelor twin if he would give up his room and take the condo instead.  He graciously agreed. I owe him BIG time for that.

(this is my twin, Brian, making his very late grand arrival to the lake)

Poor Brian, the bed was so terrible and nasty, he slept on the couch, which was also nasty.  David mentioned how the place must have really been sub-par if a single guy wouldn’t sleep on the bed.  But then I had to remind him that this was Brian we were talking about.  You see, Brian isn’t just any old bachelor.  This is a guy who is more persnickety than I am.  He lives in Provo’s version of high-rise downtown condos, drives a black BMW, and his condo looks like a model home.  He even took the time to change all the lights in his condo to soft lighting.  It’s the artist in him.  It’s things like this that make the chicks dig him.

Aside from the sleeping arrangement drama, we had a wonderful time at the reunion.  I have 22 nieces and nephews, so the house was certainly busy with activity.  Hannah LOVED every second of it.  She mostly loves kids (of all ages) and all of her cousins were vying for her attention.

This is the Bear Lake in Idaho.  The silhouettes in the picture are my sister’s-in-law and some nieces and nephews.

This is my sister Rachelle playing with Hannah.  Hannah LOVES Rachelle and Rachelle LOVES Hannah. She tells me all the time that she needs a “Hannah Fix.”  I’m sure glad she played with Hannah in the mud because heaven knows I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

This is Hannah with her cousin Becky (who is now 18) and Ammon.

Rachelle and Brent brought their sail boat.  I didn’t sail, but David said it was awesome.

This is my brother Ben.  This is one of his classic looks.  You may not be able to tell here, but he is actually having a great time.  He brought up a boat for our enjoyment.  David went water-skiing, and said it was awesome, but kind of like skiing on the ocean.

This of course is Hannah.  She thinks she is the same size as all the big kids.  She tried really, really, hard to boogie board, but her only success was looking cute while trying.

We had a great time and we wish we could do things like this more often as a family.  Our time in Utah is running short, and it was so nice to squeeze in some family vacation time.

Thanks Rachelle and Ang for organizing this, and working out all the details for all 32 of us.

Thank you mom for understanding my standards and making other sleeping arrangements.

Thank you Brian for taking the bullet.  I owe you.  If I made you a cake, would that make it up to you?

The other night, as Dallin was screaming uncontrollably about something major or insignificant (You see, he doesn’t actually tell us what his problems are.  He just SCREAMS AT THE TOP OF HIS LUNGS, informing us that he does in fact, HAVE A PROBLEM.) I was whispering in his ear “It’s okay” and “Mommy loves you” again and again while rocking him back and forth.

David overheard what I was saying and he piped up and said, “Um . . . I don’t think that’s his problem.  You know, the part about you loving him.”

Dear Dallin,

You are now one month old. I have enjoyed your company so much more outside of my belly than inside.  You are a BIG BOY, and that reason alone is probably the primary factor why I enjoy your company so much now.  You came out a whopping 9 pounds 12 ounces at 38 weeks.  I can only imagine how big you would have been (and how uncomfortable and miserable I would have been) if we allowed you to bake an additional two weeks.  At your two week check-up you grew two inches (so you were 22 inches long) and were back to your birth weight.  You are an excellent nurser, and I am happy to report that I have had no problems nursing you.  Thank goodness for that.

We don’t know much about your personality yet, but we do know that you like to eat, sleep, poop, and cry.  You are quite the pooping machine, and your first night in the hospital you pooped 11 times.  Yes, count that again, 11 times.  Your dad was 100% on poop duty (since I had my abdomen sliced open to get you out, I wasn’t really in any position to help you since I couldn’t even help myself) and boy did you let him know what to expect for the next few weeks!  The good news is that all of your piping works properly.  It works VERY WELL.

You do enjoy sleeping anywhere, anytime.

Dallin and mommy sleeping . . .

Dallin and Grandpa Lesher sleeping . . .

Dallin and Grandma Gloria

Dallin and Daddy

Dallin and Grandpa Probst

You have a talent at blowing bubbles when you sleep.  We think it’s darling, and we just know you have some hidden talents up your sleeve.

Your big sister Hannah LOVES you to pieces.  She ALWAYS wants to hold you, kiss you, or play with you.  She is so good to you.  She is still working on being gentle with you, but you couldn’t ask for a better older sister.  She is thrilled to have a baby brother. We are equally excited that she accepts you and hasn’t asked us to return you to the hospital.

We can’t wait to see what you discover and learn and who you become in the next few months.

We love you so much.  We’re so glad you finally made your debut!

Love,

Mommy

It’s like Christmas all over the world today.  The new Twilight book comes out today, and let me tell you, I AM EXCITED!  Like the good wife that I am, I sent David to fetch me a copy of this book this morning.  EIGHT WHOLE HOURS after its release time.  (On a side note, David DID OFFER to go get the book for me at 1:00 AM when I was feeding Dallin, but I told him my sleep was too important and I could wait until morning.)

And do you know what makes me so happy about having the book released today?  Because David is playing in a golf tournament this morning, which means that I GET TO READ THE BOOK FIRST.  In the past, when other great books have been released (like Harry Potter) we have had to share one book (more like fight over one book) or get two copies so we can read it at the same time because how could you wait another week to read such good literature?

I have now officially “outed” my husband as a Twilight fan.  Hey, it’s true.  And you know what?  I love that I can talk to my husband about how much I love Edward.  And it’s not weird.  And he doesn’t feel threatened.

Gotta go start my book.

I’m not exactly known as a “super thoughty person” who always plans really cool stuff for birthdays, anniversaries, and other important events. (People like me for other reasons, like for shopping and fashion advice and every once in a while, someone actually appreciates my knowledge of useless celebrity facts). So this shouldn’t be a surprise to many of you, but two milestones worth mentioning went unmentioned.

The first was our 11th anniversary. It’s not that we didn’t celebrate, because we totally did by power shopping (which is my least favorite kind of shopping for the record) and getting a yummy shake at Iceburg. Fun, huh? It’s not that we didn’t want to celebrate, and it’s not that the 11th anniversary is lame, it’s more like WE’RE LAME. Dallin was home sick, (we had three doctor appointments that day, NOT KIDDING) and I just didn’t feel like leaving my 10 day old newborn for an entire evening. Especially since he was sick! Next year, I promise to celebrate better. Hear that David? Mark your calendar, because our 12th anniversary is going to be AWESOME!

One detail worth noting: I got my original wedding ring sized to fit me (it was like eight sizes too small). I haven’t worn it in about seven years (I’m embarrassed to admit this) and I’m glad to have it back on my finger.

Also, David had a birthday last week. Not a significant one (you know like, entering a new decade) but a birthday none the less. Too bad for David, his birthday was completely overshadowed by Hannah’s birthday party. He better get used to it right?

On his birthday, David gave me a hug and said, “I want to grow old with you.” And I was all, um, that already happened.

David bought himself a golf club (one he really wanted, or needed, or whatever) and told me it was his birthday present from me.

THANK YOU FOR GETTING ME OFF THE HOOK.

I know he loves this specific golf club, because he thanks me for it every time he comes home from playing golf. I just smile and and give him the look that says, I’m an awesome wife. I let you buy your own presents, and then allow  you to thank me for it. It’s kind of like saying, hey, I’M TOTALLY PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR NEEDS.

I’m pathetic. I’ll try harder next year.

Happy Pioneer Day, Utah! (For those of you who are not familiar with “Utah Pioneer Day”, just know that it’s a state holiday, celebrating the day the Utah Pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah. This holiday is as big as the 4th of July around here . . .) To celebrate, we lit some sparklers.

I know, we are such party animals.

We had to light the sparklers while it was still light outside so Hannah could enjoy them. Hannah turns into a pumpkin around 7:00 PM, so waiting to light these suckers in the dark was just not an option. Seriously, the sun doesn’t set until 9:30 PM around here. (Isn’t David handsome? I sure think so . . .)

Hannah only had to be told to HOLD THE SPARKLERS OUT IN FRONT OF HER (and not directly at David) 1,298 times.

She sure had a great time. In case you were wondering why she is modeling so many hair clips . . . All I have to say is SHE IS TWO YEARS OLD. SHE WANTED TO WEAR THEM. ALL OF THEM. Need I say more?

Earlier today, I celebrated by leaving the house ALL BY MYSELF to go shopping. I made some great purchases, and found much more to buy than I anticipated. (What can I say? I’m an expert shopper!)

One purchase is worth mentioning, because it will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Well, it will change the way you feel in your own skin, which will make you feel better about your body.

SPANKS. Every woman needs a pair. No, every woman needs two or three pairs (you know, one to wear, one to wash, and one to rest). You will automatically lose inches around your waist and they are SO COMFORTABLE. I used to carry these at our Bridal store and I would sell them to every bride. They tighten you in all the right places. They are wonderful. So wonderful, that I didn’t even feel crappy about paying full price for them (I no longer have the luxury of buying them at cost since I no longer own a business). Plus, Nordstrom is offering them at 25% off right now during their half yearly sale. GO. BUY THEM. You’ll be emailing me with how much you love them. I recommend the “Higher Power Spanks.”

Happy birthday Hannah! You are two years old today! We celebrated your birthday on Saturday (July 19th, which happens to be your daddy’s birthday) and we all had a wonderful time! You are such and angel, we love you so much!

As we were setting up for the party, you got VERY excited when you saw the balloons. You kept saying, “Happy birt-day party for Hannah?” And then you would squeal, “PARTY! FOR HANNAH!” You have never been to to a birthday party, so I’m not sure how you knew what all the fuss was about.

We set up an event tent and filled up your swimming pool and you went nuts. When Malaya arrived, you were both ready to hop into the pool with your clothes on.

You LOVE Nemo and marshmallows, so your birthday cake consisted of the two. YOU LOVED IT. It turned out to be a great “kid cake.” The adults ate your dad’s cake which was a rich silky chocolate cake.

Dallin was at your party as well. He is not much of a partier. He LOVES to sleep, and since he wasn’t feeling well (he caught a cold) he slept in his bouncer chair while you and your cousins partied.

You recieved several nice gifts from family and friends. You weren’t that excited about opening presents, and it was almost a chore to get you to focus on opening your gifts. You wanted to join your cousins, Malaya and Savannah, in the pool where they were playing. They weren’t interested in watching you open your gifts, and they started swimming instead. In this photo you are actually watching them swim and saying over and over again, “Go swimming? PEAS?”

After the exhausting task of opening all your gifts, you joined your cousins in the warm pool. (Thanks to your dad for making the water warm) On your left is Malaya, (AKA as “Alpha Toddler #1) and on your right is your cousin Savannah (You used to refer to her as FADANNAH! and she is AKA Alpha Toddler #2) The three of you had a wonderful time playing in the water. You were all so cute to watch!

Happy birthday Hannah! We love you!

It’s a good thing we don’t have jobs because we wouldn’t be able to work and fit in all these doctor appointments! Almost every day for the past two weeks, one of us has had a doctor or dentist appointment. Today, Dallin went to the doc, I went to the OB for my post c-section check-up, and David had to go to the dentist. David and I both need some dental work done (living in the Caribbean for 2 1/2 years without dental care can certainly ring up a big bill for you) and honestly, all I want to say to the dentist and endodontist is: GET IN LINE. Everyone wants a piece of us (or more accurately, OUR CASH).

Did I mention I had a root canal done last week? Yes, LAST WEEK. The very week I had major surgery. FIVE DAYS AFTER BIRTHING A BABY. I absolutely had no choice, (other than cutting off my head, but then I couldn’t kiss my darling babies, or see them for that matter) and I HAD TO GET THE TOOTH TAKEN CARE OF. The endodontist was so nice, he gave up part of his Saturday morning to drill a hole in my tooth. I was SO HAPPY to be out of the mind numbing pain, I almost felt good about paying him $900 for ONE hour of his time.

But, secretly, I am kind of bummed that I had to spend $900 on a tooth. FOR MAINTENANCE. Honestly, I don’t have a problem spending that much money on any given Saturday, but it is sort of depressing to spend it on something you have to have done. You know, SO YOU DON’T DIE OF PAIN.

There are so many other things I would have liked to spend that money on, like a new SLR Camera, (Yes, we are still obsessed with Nikon cameras) a new post pregnancy wardrobe, a plane ticket to Hawaii, or a new piece of jewelry (hey, it is our 11th anniversary today). Hey, I wouldn’t even mind spending that money at the dentist for teeth whitening, or Invisalign. But for a root canal? There is no buyer satisfaction in that. In fact, I may even have buyer’s remorse.

Moving on . . . I went to the OB today for my post c-section check-up. The nurse was a little surprised to see David and me there. ALONE. WITH NO CHILDREN. I guess that probably did look weird. But Hannah was sleeping (not that we would have taken her anyway. How BORING for a toddler) and Dallin was sleeping and I didn’t want to expose him to nasty doctor’s office germs because I am a teeny, tiny, bit of a CLEAN FREAK at times. Please, don’t tell anyone. I checked out okay, and they nurse noticed I was in REGULAR jeans and she said, “Reguar Jeans? WOW! 10 days after major surgery? That is great!” And you know what? THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKING AS I HEAVED MY FAVORITE JEANS ON OVER MY OVERWORKED POST PREGNANCY BELLY THIS MORNING. It’s nice when others notice. I have five pounds to loose to be at pre-pregnancy weight. This weight should not be confused with pre-Hannah weight. I have certainly have my work cut out for me in six weeks when I can start vigorous workouts again.

It’s a good thing this shirt is made out of polyester. You know, the kind that never-wears-out-regardless-of-how-much-you-abuse-it. This is David’s “lucky shirt. He wore this shirt when Hannah was born, and said he planned to wear it when all of our kids were born. True to his word, here’s the proof:

This is David with Hannah shortly after her birth in 2006.

This is David and Dallin last week.

David has also worn this very-special-tourist-looking-shirt to other important events like the Kaplan exam (the last exam he had on Saba) at the end of last semester. He also wore this shirt three weeks ago when he took the United States Medical Licensing Exam - Step One.

One thing is for sure, this shirt will be in many more pictures in the future. We all better get used to seeing it.

I would like to point out the obvious right now. I AM NO LONGER PREGNANT. This fact alone has increased the quality of my life by at least 100%. I now have a beautiful baby boy named Dallin, and this fact has increased the quality of my life by at least a million percent. He is a doll. I am so in love with him. This is crazy, (and trust me, I know this next statement is crazy) but right after I have a baby, I want another one. Insane? Yes. So even though I HATE pregnancy (many of you have read about my pregnancy complaints so you know I TRULY DO NOT LOVE being pregnant) the final product is SO WORTH IT. In fact, I think I have forgotten all about my pregnancy ailments.

This delivery was pretty uneventful (especially compared to Hannah’s birth). I experienced no labor, (I highly recommend this) and I arrived at the hospital last Monday morning at 38 weeks pregnant for my scheduled c-section. At 8:36 am, I delivered Dallin who weighed in at 9 pounds 12 ounces. He was a tank, and I can only imagine how big he would have been if we waited two more weeks to deliver him on his due date!

When the doctor pulled Dallin out, I literally yelled, “Oh my gosh! I’m no longer pregnant!” Yes, I was THAT HAPPY ABOUT IT.

This is my beautiful son just moments out of my belly.

My recovery from this birth has been smooth. It has been SO MUCH EASIER to recover from this delivery than Hannah’s. It is amazing how much easier it is for your body to recover from major surgery when you haven’t gone through labor first. The hospital staff was wonderful, and having a baby in the USA was much more posh than my experience of giving birth to Hannah in the Caribbean.

I have had a very laid back week of recovering, and enjoying the company of friends and family who have come by to see our new addition. Hannah is absolutely in love with Dallin (much to our relief) and she always asks to kiss and hold him.

Here are some pictures from the week:

I am so glad to be home. I am up and around, and sometimes I actually get out of the house and take my kids on a walk. We love this little guy and Hannah so much. It’s hard to remember back to when David and I didn’t have them in our lives.