Broken

Our computer is broken. I'm stealing away a few moments on the in laws computer after dinner. I miss my computer. I miss the Internet. I miss facebook. I miss having stupid games to play and entertain me while I'm feeding Croix. I miss looking at cute pics of my cute baby. I miss sharing those cute pics with the world! I have a client who has offered to help me fix it. I really hope he can get it working! I hope even more that we don't loose anything from the computer! My whole life story is on there in the form of photography. Which not so smartly is not entirely backed up anywhere! Pray we get it working and pray we haven't lost anything. Also I've got a post Ive been dying to post! Well Croix is crying and hungry and since I only have a few minutes this will have to be all for now! Hopefully I'll be back soon!

Croix's Newborn Pictures

My friend of Red Bucket Photography did a newborn session with Croix. The results were amazing........

I uploaded the whole session on our online photo album if just haven't gotten enough of our sweet angel!

Muddeling Around at Midnight

Sleep deprivation has created a few funny stories. One that really cracks me up.....should I save the best story for last or just start with it???? I think I'll make you wait and save it for last.

First the other day, wait no not day, night, middle of the night, I got Croix up to feed him. Propped up my pillows. Put the boppy in place and sat there in a state between sleep and consciousness. Croix was just nuzzling and nuzzling and making frustrated noises. I thought Ugh what's the deal why doesn't he just eat already. Look down, I hadn't even undone my bra! No wonder he wasn't eating!!!

Second I woke up to Croix fussing. I'm laying in bed trying to fully wake myself up, and feel Croix next to me. I'm feeling for his face......all I feel is blanket!!! My heart starts pounding as I'm thinking I've smothered my baby. I wake up enough to open my eyes and realize all I was feeling was my body pillow. Croix was safely in his bassinet, still fussing!

Third a few days after we were home from the hospital, while I was still instructed by Brent not to get out of bed unless it was to go to the bathroom Croix woke up. So I rub Brent's back and say can you go get Croix. He just made sleepy noises. The he gently rubs my side and I think oh he's being sweet. Then his hand heads south and he's trying to pull down my pants! I move his hand and ask him what he's doing. He just mumbles. Then he's trying to pull down my pants again. I ask Brent what are you doing? Just trying to...mumbling. Still trying to get my pants down. I take his hand and say Brent you need to wake up. He replies I am awake. I ask well then what are you doing? He says Trying to get ready for him. I say Brent you're trying to get in my bottoms. He says what's the difference. I'm laughing at this point, he's so out of it and has no clue what he's saying or doing. But he's still trying to pull my pants down so I take his hand and say Brent you need to wake up and get your son so I can feed him. No response just trying to get his hand free. So a little louder and more sternly I say Brent you need to wake up and get your son so I can feed him all the while holding his hand a little more firmly. Well he then sits up and gets out of bed and says Fine maybe you need to go to sleep! I really wish I could tell you this story because the tone of voice he used is the best part. He sounded like an indignant teenager! Fine! But maybe you need to go to sleep! I was busting up! I asked him about it the next morning figuring he wouldn' remember anything. He did vaguely remember, he says all he really remembered was that he just thought he needed to help me get ready to feed Croix! Too funny!!!

Just because he's too cute here's a few pictures that I took the other day of the cause of the sleep deprivation.

Fur Babies

Have you all been dying to know how the dogs are doing? I mean enough about our sweet little one, you want to hear about the dogs right? Ok ok I'll fill ya in. They are doing great! They have done even better with Croix than I thought, and I expected them to do really well! Monday morning before we left for the hospital they could tell something was up! It was kind of funny to watch them so unsure of what was going on! When we first got home from the hospital Brent went in first to say hello and get them a little calmed down. Then he came back out and got Croix and we all went into our home! Now Bosco has a pee pants problem. He gets overwhelmed with emotion and pees himself. He does this for two reasons, one he's really excited, two he's trying to be super submissive. Well we came home and he was just peeing and peeing and peeing, not excited! He was so sad! He couldn't figure out what was going on and I honestly think he was worried he was getting the boot! He wouldn't come and be with us, he just layed by the front door. When he was by us, he had his ears back and looked very unsure. We made sure to give him some extra love and cuddle with him. We made sure to pet him while holding Croix so he could see, we can love them both! It took him a day or two but he's figured out that he's not going anywhere, we still love him and he's still part of the family. Rusty had a much easier time of things. I think he has just always know he's on the bottom of the totem poll and so nothing has really changed in his world! He is very cute when Croix cries Rusty will come over and look at him and look at me like hi Mom ya gonna do something about this? They both have been really good about not kissing him, just coming up and smelling him. They have done great! It's also cute to see how a new person in the house has efficted their relationship. They seem closer. I know they are just dogs but it's like they've kind of come together and become even better buddies. Funny how babies bring a family closer together!

Bosco and Rusty meeting Croix

Now on to funny stories! Rusty is a funny dog! He found the mirrors on the wall in the bookshelf. He thinks there is another dog there! He keeps growling and barking at this new dog. He also is protecting his teddy bear! It's hilarious! We've been dying laughing at him! He also had quite the incident the other night. I was down stairs Brent was upstairs when all the sudden I hear Rusty yelping and making a fuss. I figured he must have gotten into the trash and got a thump on the nose. But then he kept on yelping and crying and I thought what's going on up there! I come upstairs and Brent is on the floor next to Rusty while the poor dog sounds like he's dying! I ask Brent what's the matter and he doesn't know! He said Rusty was just laying on the floor sleeping and then woke up sounding like he was dying. He had his front paw completely contracted up next to his body and it couldn't move. We thought maybe his leg fell asleep, so we tried rubbing it. That didn't help, we tried to straighten it out and couldn't. His paw would twitch but he leg couldn't straighten. I get the phone and call the animal hospital since it was sat eve. and the vet was closed. While I'm calling Croix starts crying down stairs so I go get him. Explain to the animal hospital what's going on. They say we should bring him in, it sounds kind of serious and not normal. She mentions ACL and I'm thinking crap. ACL problems are expensive! Just as I get off the phone Brent hollers I figured it out bring some scissors?!?!?!?! What the heck could he need scissors for? I hurry upstairs and he says He has his paw stuck in his collar! You've got to be kidding right? Nope this silly dog some how got his dew claw, which is the back one, stuck in the latch of his collar. Now being the frugal person that I am stop Brent from cutting the collar off of Rusty, I'm thinking we've just spent hundreds of dollars on baby stuff we don't need to spend another ten bucks on a new collar. But Rusty was nipping at Brent when he'd try and unhook the collar because it hurt. So I in my post delivery crippled state finally make it to the ground so I can hold Rusty's head down while Brent unlatched the collar. Instantly Rusty was fine. He stood up, shook it off and was instantly his happy go lucky self again! All of that fuss over a stuck paw! You seriously would have thought he was dying! He's so dramatic and overly vocal! Silly dog. Well that is all the dog stories for now! Hope you feel satisfied and informed as to the state of our dogs!

4 Years and Still Going Strong!

Funny I was about to sit down and write yesterday was our 4 year Anniversary, but it was two days ago! Hummmm tired? Yes! So Tuesday was our 4 year anniversary. We enjoyed a quick trip to Sonic and loved spending the day with our little boy! We both feel like every year, every anniversary just keeps getting better and better! I know I'm so much more in love with my sweet husband today then even yesterday and for sure more then 4 years ago! He is amazing and I'm so grateful to have him in my life! He makes it so complete and worth while!

Birth Story

Warning!!! The following is the story of an actual birth, which is not so neat and pretty and talks about girly parts and personal matters. Considering the content "viewer discretion is advised"



Sunday I had quite a lot of contractions through out the afternoon/early evening. But they were not regular or constant. So even though I was having quite a few an hour they were sporadic. I figured they were not going to do anything. Then before bed they died down. I actually got a decent nights rest (I think that was a gift from God). Then Monday morning I woke up at about 6:40 with a very strong contraction and then though, oh crap I just peed my pants! I had felt like I was on the verge of doing this several times before when I had a full bladder and a strong contraction would hit, but had yet to do it! I figured it had finally just happened. I get up, go to the bathroom and then when I stand up I peed my pants again! At this point I was annoyed. I said to Brent, who was in the shower getting ready for work, this is ridiculous. First I'm having contractions all the time and have to pee every 5 minutes, now I'm having strong contractions all the time and have lost all control of myself! Ugh! I go back to the toilet and wipe myself and notice that it was a little slimy. All of the sudden my heart jumps.....could my water have just broken? I don't know. It wasn't a big gush. But there is a little bloody show.....humm. What to do? CALL MOM!!!! The whole time I'm thinking of my friend who just days before in conversation had said she has no idea how people don't know when their water has broken I quote "How could you not know? Terina you had better not do that!" But Mom confirms what I had already suspected. Just for the record if I had given myself 2 more minutes I would have figured it out on my own!

It hits this is the big day! Brent thinks we should jump in the car and head to the hospital right now. I say.....it can take hours for labor to progress, especially with a first, I'm going to take a shower and eat some breakfast, and pack a bag! I get in the shower and notice the contractions are really getting strong, and close. By time I'm done with a quick shower it was very clear I was not one of those people that has plenty of time to get to the hospital! They were coming very close and strong. I was going to time them but decided not to waste time counting when I'd already had 4 contractions in 12 minutes! I'm putting on clothes Brent is trying to pack a bag, asking me what I need, I can't remember! I can't think. The contractions were demanding all attention! Finally Brent decides that we are not that far from the hospital, if we forget something important he can come home or someone can bring it! I whole heatedly agree! We jump in the car and are off! I was also grateful the night before we had decided that Brent should start driving himself to work that week instead of taking the van pool. Other wise he would have already been gone to work!

By time we are at the hospital I can't walk during contractions and have to sit one out in half in half out of the car! We get checked in, get wrist bands, paper work is filled out. I'm wondering why there is so much paper work when I had filled all of that out before online so I wouldn't have do this very thing, sit in pain doing paper work! Which was very difficult since I was in so much pain I couldn't focus enough to give my name, address, date of birth, etc. Thank goodness for Brent!

Finally the paper work is all done and they get us back to triage. My first question is when I can get an epidural! Now for the record I had thought long and hard about doing this naturally. I decided to get an epidural just a week earlier. But truth be told if I had decided to try natural, my first question still would have been about an epidural! It was more pain then I had ever imagined, and it was just the beginning of what I was going to experience! My hat goes off to every woman who has every had natural child birth! I was dying! It was about 8 when we got to triage and by that point I had dilated to a 4. No wonder I was in so much pain I had gone from 1 to 4 cm in 90 min!

They got me into a delivery room and got me all attached to IVs and such. The pain, was practically indescribable! I was begging for an epidural! But apparently since I had gestational diabetes the anesthesiologist wanted to run some blood work to make sure it was safe. That took a very VERY VERY long time! I was nauseous from the pain, even threw up in my mouth a little a couple times. I couldn't breath! I was trying so hard to stay focused and breath but I was just hyperventilating. I heard my self saying I can't do this! Which I had always laughed at the women on the baby shows on TV who say that! Of course you can do it! Women have been doing this since the dawning of time! Silly lady. And I had just said that! So even in my delusion I amended my statement and said I can't do this with out an epidural! LOL I was literally writhing in pain on the bed! I felt like I was on the verge of a melt down! They finally gave me some Demerol. Which I really wish I hadn't had to get. It is an IV pain killer and made me so sleepy! The pain was still so bad even after the drugs it only took the edge off! The contractions were coming so close, one on top of the other and were so strong I felt like I wasn't getting a break in between them to rest and catch my breath. I said to Brent I'm so not strong and tough!! FINALLY after 90 minutes around 10:00 the anesthesiologist came to give me an epidural! I don't know if I've ever been so happy to see another human being in my entire life! I was finally able to rest and breath!! They checked me and I was at 6+ cm maybe 7! I couldn't believe how fast I was progressing! I just thought no wonder I was in such pain! After getting an epidural I just slept!

It was only 12:30 before I was to 9.5 cm. The Dr. was with someone else so the nurse decided that since I couldn't feel anything to just let my body labor on it's own and move the baby down so I wouldn't have to push as much. Sounded good to me. Then about the time they were ready for me to push I felt awful! I had not eaten anything all day and had gestational diabetes. They checked my blood sugar and it was very low. I told them and knew that unless I ate something, even just juice I wouldn't have the energy to do this! So they switched my IV to something with sugar in it to bring my levels up. That took about an hour. Finally at 3:45 I started to push. I didn't realized how exhausting that would be! So tiring! My little guy decided to come out slightly sideways. His head came out transverse. The Dr. tried to turn him but he just turned right back. At that moment I was SO grateful for an epidural! No doubt that would have been excruciating with out one! So I had to push him out the hard way! Which is why it took so long! I pushed for 90 min! I had to get a small episiotomy, the Dr. apologized, and again I was grateful to be numb! Although part of the epidural had worn off by this point and I was starting to feel things again. This was actually a good thing! I could feel when contractions came, I knew when I needed to push but it only hurt a little! It was pretty perfect! It's true what they say the second he was born all the pain was gone! Not that I was feeling a lot of pain at that point but what little I was feeling completely disappeared! I was so overwhelmed with joy I couldn't stop the tears! He was so perfect! He looked like an alien but a perfect alien! LOL

Because he was early they gave him his own nurse to monitor him. By the end of the second day he was doing so good they transferred his care over to my nurse! We came home two days later and are doing great! Recovery is painful! But getting better! Nursing is going good. Also a little painful! Hello girls! Hello milk! Hopefully my body gets the supply and demand message and stops making so much milk here soon! Little Croix is a great eater! He is doing all his new born jobs like a champ! Eat, sleep, pee, poop, make adorable faces to entertain Mom & Dad, doing them all beautifully! I get lost just staring at his perfect face!



Brent was so perfect through everything! He was a wonderful helper and coach! He helped me to focus and breath when I thought I was going to die. Held my jello leg up for me, did a great job of communicating with everyone. He was perfect! He has also been so perfect since we got home! He helps in every way he can, makes sure I take naps. Has run to the store several times for things we needed, like diapers as soon as we got home, yeah that was on the list of things I was going to do! He even gave me strict instructions that at night I'm not to get out of bed unless it's to pee! He's been amazing! I love him so much!!!! I fall in love with him a little more ever time I see him gently care for our little angel Croix!

To see more pics of Croix go to our online photo album

Oh and someone asked how to pronounce his name it's like troy with a k. Like the Virgin Island St. Croix

36 Weeks

AKA 9 Months

Ok ok I know he's already here but I still wanted to post about my final week or so of pregnancy! I was SO READY TO BE DONE! After having to take it easy for the past 5 1/2 months I was finally given the ok by my Dr. to return to "normal pregnant life" at my apt the Fri before Croix was born. I had plans to do EVERYTHING starting the following week, deep clean the house (really wishing I'd gotten that done right about now as I can barely walk!) walk the dogs every morning, maybe at night too, purchase the last essential baby items, walk at the mall, finish my art project for his room, write thank you cards, hand deliver the ones in the neighborhood (more walking) pack a bag for me and baby. Yep had lots planned. Got none of it done! Instead I had a baby! Which I was so glad to do! For weeks I had been having bad contractions! They were just getting worse and worse! Because of said contractions I was getting no sleep. My back was hurting. I had hit the "take it easy" wall. I was going crazy from boredom! I knew he was safe, 36 weeks was still early but risk of complications were low! He was measuring 6 lbs 8 oz which is a good size! I was tired of my gestational diabetes diet! I was ready. Apparently I have an obedient child, he heard, he listened, he came!! Birth story coming up next!

Croix James Maldonado

I'll post a more detailed post later but I just wanted everyone to know Croix is here! 6.9 oz 20 in. long 9/9 on the apgar born 8/24/09 at 5:26 pm. He was almost a month early but was perfect! Not a single problem! We are all so in love!!!

PS The new song makes me cry! It's so perfect, like the words are straight from my soul!!

Happy 30th Birthday Brent!

Brent's birthday is Sept 6th but since I've been threatening pre term labor for over a month now and that is only 11 days before my due date I decided to throw him a party early. I also decided it should be a surprise party!!! He had never had a surprise party and I figured what a better birthday to have a surprise party then your 30th!! We also celebrated at Peter Piper Pizza! So we could all remember how young 30 really is!! And Brent had never had a Peter Piper Pizza birthday party so again I figured what a better age to do that then 30?!?! Brent was totally surprised and had no clue what was going on, even when I blindfolded him to get him there, he still never suspected a birthday party for him (another advantage of having a party so early)! Brent has an amazing sense of direction so on the way there I drove around in circles for a little bit, hummm not such a good idea, blindfolded he got a little car sick! Oh well, what's a girl to do but drive in circles when her husband has an impeccable sense of direction? Even after driving in circles he still knew we were at Peter Piper Pizza when we got there. Don't ask me how?!?! When we got there our friends were there waiting. It was so fun to hang out with friends, eat some pizza, play some games, and celebrate 30 years of Brent (almost ;) I also invited people to come dressed in their best rocker duds, thinking, big hair, loud clothes, 80's hair bands!! Most people were not so excited about that! There were only a couple people who dressed up! But it was still fun! Although I will confess I did feel just a bit silly walking around Peter Piper Pizza sporting a side pony tail, bright blue eye shadow, and a shirt band thingy (I don't know what they are called!) It was lots of fun and I'm so glad Brent was totally surprised and that we were able to celebrate his birthday before the baby came so it could be all about him!! I love this man and I'm so happy to have him in my life! Here's to 30 more years and even more then that!!

LOVE YOU BABE!!!!

Brent blindfolded with no clue why? :D

We had a "quiz" to see who knew Brent the best. His sister Heather won with 100% can you believe it!!!

This was her prize, an autographed picture of Brent!

Crystal won the Best dressed rocker, she won a cool rockin' microphone and some pop rocks! Worth dressing up for huh!

Playing some games.

Brent trying to figure out what to do with all his tickets he won. Wanna know what he got? 47 plastic frogs!! What will we ever do with 47 plastic frogs?!?!? Humm Maybe that's what we'll have to hand out for Halloween!

His cakes

Wonder what he wished for?

Yup Brent is still wild at 30!

Brent and Chris

Crystal, Adam, Spencer, and Rochelle



Phil, Heather, Danita, Jacob, and Cade

Showers

I'm a little sad because I was too busy having a good time to take any pictures! That can't be too bad of a thing though right? I had two baby showers, one was with my friends from church and the other was family and other friends. They were both fantastic! My two great friends Heather and Mary threw the church friends one. They were so thoughtful and had a delicious spread of diabetic friendly food! It was so fun to celebrate with my friends from my ward.

I did manage to snap a picture of the beautiful bouquet they had! Sunflowers, my favorite!

Then just two days later I celebrated with family and other friends! It was so fun! My friend Angie and beautiful sister in law Heather hosted the shower and did an amazing job! It was so fun! I feel a lot more prepared now since we have a lot more stuff! Now I just have to take inventory and see what few things there are left to get! We've already washed all his little clothes. I just kept smelling them! I had to go get the special baby laundry detergent! Couldn't resist! I am amazed at how small some of the clothes are! The new born diapers are the size of my hand! And the baby shoes, my favorite! I'm so grateful for every one's generosity!

The table all laid out (not quite as diabetic friendly but delicious non the less).

Angie, holding little beautiful Marley, Me, and Heather