Brandi Jo Photography!

Hey everyone local, go  HERE!! 

and check out Brandi's photography!

 Right now she is doing an awesome giveaway! 

Go ahead and enter to win, but I'm hoping I win!!! :O)

Fun While Mom and Dad are at the Hospital

My mom and dad  and grandparents kept Dalton happy while we were at the hospital. 

Thanks!

Lydia's First Day

Lydia was still nameless here in these pictures. :O)

Lydia Jane being held by her namesake. Grandma Jane

 New baby!

 Papaw Jim holding Lydia for the first time.

 Papaw Dave sure loves his first granddaughter

 Happy grandparents.

 Dalton meeting Lydia.

 Dalton shows Lydia his silly face.

Soon after Dalton got to the hospital we were taken down to my recovery room. The room was pretty small so all of our visitors went home. Once everyone left it was so quiet and peaceful. We took a few hours to get to know our sweet baby and finally after putting a bow on her head we were able to decide that she was Lydia and not Stella.

Lydia's Birth Story and Some Pictures

 This was me two days before having Lydia.

 This is me before the pain set in.

 Today's Goal: Have a Baby!

And here goes Lydia's birth story. I never write Dalton's story down and I really regret it. 

I thought I could NEVER forget even a detail of that day, but I have.

We were scheduled to go into the hospital between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm  Sunday, July 1st. Because of the terrible storms we had had on Friday  my parents and grandparents didn't have electric and came up early on Sunday. As we were getting ready to leave another storm blew in. We called the hospital and let them know that we would be later. We arrived at 7:30 and by 9:00 our nurse gave me my first dose of the medicine used to thin out my cervix. My doctor was hoping that the medicine would also put me into labor. 

I almost immediately started having contractions. 

Because I never really felt contractions with Dalton I felt like I was being a big baby. To try to help the pain I took a shower, slow danced with Jed, and tried hanging out on the birthing ball.

At 2:00 am my nurse gave me something in my IV that made me pass out. 

It was heaven to actually fall asleep.

 I woke up around 6:00 am and from then until 10:00 am I labored. And REALLY wanted to ask for my epidural, but really just didn't think I was far enough along to get one.

At 10:00 am my doctor came in and I was dilated to a 4. He decided to break my water. While the nurse was in the room I told her I thought I was ready to have my epidural as soon as they could do it. 

From the time my water was broken to about 30 minutes later when my epidural was in place each contractions was one right after another and so strong. I cried through each one.

 I really have no idea how women go all natural!

The nurse put me on my right side and told me to rest that she would be in at Noon to help me flip to the right side. I woke up at 11:50 feeling a lot of pressure and remember thinking that I felt like I needed to push and that it was going to be a long few hours because the pressure was so uncomfortable. Only a minute after my nurse walked in, my doctor came in to check on me too. I told him I felt a lot of pressure.

When he checked me he got a look on his face and I really figured he was about to tell me that I better suck it up because I was still at a 4. Then he told us that she was right there and it was time to have the baby.

I had Jed call my parents and see where they were because they were on their way to the hospital. They were still about 15 minutes away. By that time the doctor had his things all ready and got a page for another patient and asked the nurse to call the other doctor in the practice and have him go delivery that baby. 

Then 1 1/2 pushes later our baby was born!

After everything was kind of cleaned up and what not my parents and grandparents made it there. 

She was nameless until that night when we were able to really get to know her just the three of us. 

Lydia Jane 

12:18pm 

July 2

6lb 9oz

18.5 inches

 Our First Moments.

 Jed checking out our Little Miss

 Chubby cheeks!

Dalton's First Time at the Movies- Disney Pixar's Brave

When we first saw the previews for the movie Brave we decided that it would be the perfect first movie experience for Dalton. I'm really glad we waited until he was this old to go. He was PERFECT! Seriously, the child sat on Jed's lap the entire time. He and Jed even got into a perfect synchronized popcorn grabbing rotation. This would be the perfect time to explain that I have never seen people eat popcorn like Jed 

and his family. It is a staple for all of them and Dalton has taken after them with that. 

I won't even tell you how much those two boys ate during the movie! :O) 

Really I'm so happy we made such a big deal about going. Dalton was on Cloud 9!

Father's Day

It's a good thing I gush over this man on a normal basis, because he deserves

 more than one day to celebrate how awesome he is! 

Jed is such an amazing person. I don't know a single person who could find a negative thing to say about him. I really don't understand how someone could be so genuinely good. Even more I can't figure out how I got to call him mine. I love him so much and I am so blessed to have him. 

Jed is such a hard working man and even in the toughest months with school, he always put Dalton and my needs (and even wants) ahead of his own. There were many days where I received 3 or more times more sleep than him, but if Dalton woke up in the middle of the night, he was the one to comfort him. 

He is the best daddy I could ever imagine. He has been hands on from pregnancy with Dalton and always wants to know more to help. Dalton and I are beyond spoiled and I know Baby Sister will be just as spoiled when she arrives. Thank you babe for all you do! We love you! 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

I Am a Blessed Girl!

A couple of my friends threw me a baby shower for Baby Sister.

I am so grateful for the time they took out of their lives to plan and throw it.

 I was surrounded by friends that I love. This ward is seriously wonderful and we have made more than friends here, we have made family. And that is the very best gift anyone could give us. 

I think back to when we moved here and Dalton was six weeks old. We had left our only ward we'd been in our married life. There we were all similar in age and experience with children. Here most of the ward had at least one school aged child along with older toddlers. There we were useful and well-known; Jed was in the bishopric and I was in the RS presidency. We were strong members trying to serve others often. Here after three weeks I was called into the Primary and Jed was called as a Sunday school  teacher for the Laurels and Priests. No one really knew us. There we were social butterflies and never got home from church until an hour after or more because we were visiting. Here after four months in the ward people were still asking us if we had just moved in. There we lived on campus and there was a free shuttle for the town and for  Utah State, so Jed could take that and I could have the car and I was at cosmetology school 40 hours a week. Also our entire ward was within 100 yards of each other. Here, I was a new stay-at-home mom stuck in our little apartment all day every day. Trying to figure out how to take care of our new little guy.

It's really not a surprise that I suffered from terrible postpartum depression that eventually went on to become depression because I was ashamed to admit to anyone that I needed help. It was the longest 10 months of my life. I was blessed to finally start making friends a few months after we were here, but it's pretty easy to see that at one point I really didn't like living here and prayed all the time that we would move back to Utah. And now I'm preparing for our second baby and I am so happy that this is where she gets to call home. So many people love her already. I am so loved here and I can't even explain how good that feels. 

You know the saying "It takes a village to raise a child"? I believe it. I know that postpartum depression can and will probably happen this time, but I have some of the very best friends that will be here for me. I can visit with them, I can ask them questions, I can be reminded that I am a good woman and mother and in return I can fight this battle and be the best darn mom to my two kids I can be.

So to say my shower was amazing is an understatement.

Baby Sister got onesies, sippy ccups, diapers, a super cute Owl play pillow mat, a couple dresses. some adorable outfits, some sleepers, a couple blankets, diaper ointment, a Target gift card, pampered by getting the most amazing pedicure anyone could receive (technically that wasn't for Baby Sister but I'm pretty sure she enjoyed her mommy felling oh so relaxed!)  AND this amazing quilt below. 

It was the very last thing I opened and it made me pretty emotional. I just love my friend Kristi. I had asked her to help me figure out how to make this quilt and I had to decide it wasn't something she HAD to have. I was sad to let go of that for her room. Well she (did I mention she has a two month old and three other little girls herself) surprised me and made it for me. I hate that she took so much time and effort when I know she is tired, but I was so very grateful for it. I love it so much and to be from her makes it that much more special. Thank You Kristi!

When I got home I spent 15 minutes or more trying to decide just how to have it over the crib. I still play around with it when I go in, but I think this is my favorite way. I love it and her room is so special!

Guys Night Out

A couple Fridays ago I got to enjoy a little "me time" and get my hair cut and colored.

 I finally found someone I really like going to! YAY!

Jed and Dalton went to the mall across the street and went the the pet store to look at the puppies. 

They rode the escalator a few times and rode the coin operated rocket ship. 

They also ran some errands for me and once they picked me up they took me out for ice cream.

I think we all really enjoyed our evening! 

And here they are dressed alike. :O) 

Baby Girl's Room

Yes, even though the title of our blog has this baby's name as Stella and my phone says "I love Jed, Dalton, &Stella about three weeks ago I had a bit of an emotional moment where I realized that I was feeling a pull from somewhere that we really needed to see her to name her. So the last few weeks she has been known as Baby Girl or Baby Sister. If you ask Dalton, her name is Baby Stella, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. 

Anyway here is her finished room, other than a shadow box that will house her blessing dress and a couple frames beside it on the big blank wall.  

Of course, I just have to say that the pillow will not stay in the crib when she is in there and the frame that is sitting on the crib will be on the wall. 

 I wish this picture showed how amazing this blanket is. It is a crocheted alphabet blanket. It is so soft and I love it so much.

 Here is her mobile. I am so happy how it turned out.

Since we don't do bumper pads, I made this pillow to make the bed look a little more finished.

 This is a frame that had a picture of someone related to my side of the family. We don't know who it was but it was old. It was going to get tossed so I took it home with us and we painted it cream and added chicken wire on the back.

Here is the view from the door.

:O) I hope it is a nice serene place for Baby Sister.

Cast #2

This is cast #2 for Dalton. 

It only took him a couple days to break the cast in half at the wrist.

Note the wet compress on his knee and the flower in his hand. 

On his way from the car to the the front door, Dalton picked a flower and was running to give it to me.

He tripped and skinned his knee. 

After a few minutes of crying he settled down with the compress and passed out.

Hard Working Man!

I love my hard working man! 

Thank you sweetie for all the hard work you've been doing!

 We sure love you and are super grateful that we have you!

As Mike, our good friend/landscaper, calls it. Here is Phase #1 of the front yard.