She's Here!!!

I know, I know, I've been a bad girl. Rowan is one month old TODAY and this is the first time I'm writing about her. Sorry :( It's just hard to blog when I have her in my arms ALL the time!

So, our precious baby girl came to us on Saturday, September 5, '09; 4 days before her due date. She weighed 7 lbs 15 oz, and was 20 1/4 inches long. We so exciting to have her!

Here's the birth story if you're interested, and if not just go on down to the pictures and see how CUTE she is!

Friday afternoon (Sept 8), my sweet Mom and I sat on the couch most of the day trying to keep the contractions away since my sister Michelle was not going to be arriving until Sunday morning. No luck. By Friday evening I was having pretty close contractions, but they were somewhat irregular. Well, I didn't want to go to the hospital and then have them just send me home again, and I rather wanted to labor mostly at home since it's more comfortable. So we stayed at home and timed contractions nearly all night. I would sleep for

about 3 minutes at a time...that is to say, in between each contraction. Ben was already exhausted from school and such so he fell asleep. Mom went to bed and I timed contractions through the night. Around 4 am I came out to the living room and rocked on the glider chair and then Mom came and timed my contractions from then on (btw, contractionmaster.com is the best and easiest for timing contractions). Around 5:30 am they were SUPER strong so I said it was time to go. We were already all packed and ready since the night before we weren't sure if we would be going or not so we got ready anyway.

We drove to the hospital (thank goodness it wasn't far away). Once we got there we checked in and then they took their sweet time coming down for me. Finally they got me up to triage, I gave them my birth plan and I was still set on going natural. I did think for one second..."Hm, I could get the drugs and then I wouldn't feel anything...um...no, not worth it." That was the only time I ever thought about it. The nurse told Ben to go ahead and set up the labor tub in the other room, then she checked me and said "Good girl, you're already at a NINE! He might not even have time to fill up that tub."

YESSSS! I was almost there! And it wouldn't be long at all!!!

Then another younger nurse came in and said that she was going to put in a saline lock..."Um, no thanks." Then she said she needed to draw some blood..."I'll just become weakened or faint, no thanks." Never saw her again.

Finally I got to my labor room and got in the labor tub. Highly recommend these tubs, they're amazing! It felt so good to sit in the hot water while laboring. My midwife, Ramona, arrived and said that once I was ready to push to get up on the bed. I still hadn't decided on a laboring position for delivery when I was ready to push. I had kind of planned on the squat, but it just didn't feel right so I laid on the bed. Ramona had to break my water (I figured she would since they had to do that for my Mom and Michelle for many of their pregnancies). After that I pushed for about 20 mins or so and she was out at 9:09 am! It totally didn't feel like that long, actually I could've sworn that the whole morning only took 1 hour instead of 4! Ramona was so great. I highly recommend a midwife, but especially her. She was so supportive, gave clear directions, and was there the WHOLE time! I just love her!
The whole experience was amazing! I'm totally not afraid of labor at all. It's hard, I'll never say it's not. But I think it's all about endurance and relaxing through the contractions. If I relaxed my whole body through a contraction, well it's hard to do, but it actually was less painful and I swear it made me dilate quicker. Actually, I had Ben help me by repeating to me to "relax, relax", that way it was more like taking orders and easier to do.

Rowan and I were in the hospital for just under 2 days, we left the next night. Our staff was amazing, THANK YOU GUYS! Michelle still arrived Sunday morning, and she and Mom were the BIGGEST help the following week, I'm so grateful to them! Especially when Rowan was trying to figure out her feeding/sleeping schedule and probably figure out why she was out in the open instead of cozy inside of me, they took shifts during the night to help Ben and I sleep. Love you both so much!!! Thank you for taking time away from family and work to help us out, and thank you to the families back home that let them come and help us. :)

We are still adjusting to our little babe, but figuring her out more and more all the time. It's just so neat to have a little person with tiny little fingers and toes, and eyes and lips, she's so precious!!! It's amazing to me how she came together perfectly! I just don't understand how people can see that miracle and not believe in God. I'm grateful to have been able to be a part of that miracle. Though the greater challenge, I'm sure, will be the lifetime role of being a good mother. I hope I do well at that, 'cause that's what really counts. We love Rowan so much and feel truly blessed.

WARNING: Lots of photos::

Here is me in labor at home. WOW! I was HUGE!

(Sorry about the size of the pictures. First they were too big, now they're too small. Well, I'll go and resize them, but for now this is what'cha get.) (And blogger is being weird and won't let me write in between the pictures, but they're pretty self-explanitory. Enjoy!)

Place your bets....

Just a quick poll to see when you think this baby will finally be born. I'm really not too anxious to "get her out of me" like I've been hearing from others that recall their month #9. But I am anxious to see her and hold her.

My midwife did say that I had three things going for me this weekend:

1. There's a storm coming

2. Full Moon

3. LABOR DAY!

K, she did say the last one was a joke, but that she really does see more babies born during storms and full moons...huh, who'd have thought?

So, when do you think it'll be? Poll to the right. :D

Still pregnant...

so I forget to blog. Sorry :(

But I do have good news! My Mama is coming tomorrow!!!

Health Care, everyone's talk'n 'bout it!

I don't want to get too political in my blog, unless I deemed a certain topic really necessary for me to voice my opinions. But I did just send an email to my Congressman, Jeff Flake, asking him to vote against the Health Care Reform Bill, and I thought that some of you might find his response interesting. So, here it is:

Dear Crystal,

Thank you for contacting me about universal healthcare.

The rising cost of healthcare is truly a major problem. As you know, over 45 million Americans are either unable to acquire health insurance on their own or simply choose not to have coverage.

I believe that all Americans should have access to affordable healthcare, and the federal government can achieve this by making the market as open as possible and encouraging health insurance companies to offer a wide variety of plans that cover a wide variety of health conditions. The key to meaningful reform is not more government intervention, but rather to allow the free market to control costs and improve quality through choice and competition.

For those truly unable to acquire health insurance, government programs like Medicaid and welfare are available to qualifying individuals. Medicaid is ahealth insurance program jointly funded by both the states and the federal government. The United States welfare program provides assistance to qualified low-income individuals and families.

Waste, fraud, and abuse are prevalent in government programs, and we owe it to all taxpayers to ensure that only those who truly need assistance are the ones receiving it. Expanding the government's role in healthcare will not create access to affordable healthcare but, as we have seen in other countries that have nationalized their healthcare systems, will only create delays, rationing, and increased overall costs. Instead, a free market system will lower costs, encourage innovation, and empower individuals.

I believe that Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are a successful example of the free market system encouraging individuals to obtain health insurance and control where their health care dollars are spent. Millions of Americans are now taking advantage of HSAs, which allow pre-tax dollars to be used for health care expenditures. I support the expansion of HSAs, so that more Americans will have the freedom to determine the direction of their health care dollars.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to do so again in the future. I also encourage you to visit my website, which may be found athttp://flake.house.gov/.

Sincerely, JEFF FLAKE Member of Congress

WYRW - thought provoking

So sorry about missing last weeks WYRW!

This and last week have been crazier than usual, since I've been training my replacement at work, which can be more tiring than just working...or that's just the pregnancy. She's great though and I know she'll do a great job! But with keeping my mind busy like that, it's hard to think of anything outside work. So, there was no "Would You Rather Wednesday" last week.

I have to admit that I was a little surprised by the votes in the last poll. I did think there would be more even votes, but I guess it's more appealing to chew on a dried piece of someone else's saliva than risk a "potty" mouth disease ;)

Well, I thought I'd throw in a quick WYR for today. Considering how much our world revolves around the computer these days (for work, keeping up with friends, email, blogging, facebook, etc.) I came up with the following poll:

Would You Rather:

a) Never be able to use the computer again.

...OR...

b) Be paralyzed

Details::: This is set in your current circumstances; no fantasy world here. So, what will it be???

Oh, and don't you love the pic? I know we all have those days...Happy Polling (top right)!

A Sunbeam's Love

I read this story in the New Era today, and just had to share it with all of you. And yes, I still get the New Era, I guess I'm just still so young at heart :)

It's truly precious, please read on.

The Visitor

Ken Merrell, “The Visitor,” New Era, May 2000, 9

When Mike visited my class, he was faced with a startling question.

When I was 18, as I was preparing to serve a mission, my bishop called me to teach the Sunbeams. I had never before learned to love others more than myself until I had served those children in such a simple assignment. With time and patience I learned how to keep those seven children in their seats and listening to a simple lesson.

One day I invited Mike* to come to church and sit in my class. Mike was my age but had stopped attending church completely by the time he was 12. We had remained friends over the years as I had served as the deacons quorum president, the teachers quorum president, and first assistant to the bishop in the priests quorum. He had been the topic of many fellowshipping discussions and was often part of my prayers as the years had passed. Once in a while Mike would accept my invitations to come to an activity. It always surprised me when he did, so I kept inviting him.

At that time, Mike had long, black hair and a beard. His complexion was dark and pleasant. I don’t remember when I invited him to my Primary class, but one day he showed up.

“Class, I would like to introduce you to my friend Mike,” is how I began my lesson. “He is visiting us today.”

Mike sat next to me in front. The children sat in a semicircle with their eyes fixed on him. They were much quieter than usual. I was about five or six minutes into the lesson when one little boy got up from his chair and walked across the room and stood directly in front of my friend. The boy paused for a moment and then climbed onto his lap. I continued with the lesson as I watched the two of them from the corner of my eye.

The boy sat looking into Mike’s face. Mike was quite uncomfortable but did not interrupt the lesson or turn the boy away. The other children watched the two of them for a few minutes.

Then one of the girls climbed off her seat and approached Mike. I was intently interested in seeing how Mike would react and did not want to instruct the two children to return to their seats. The girl stood with her hand on Mike’s knee looking into his face.

Then it happened. The boy on Mike’s lap reached up with both hands and turned Mike’s face directly to his. I stopped my lesson to see what was about to unfold.

With the innocence of a child, he said to Mike, “Are you Jesus?”

The look on Mike’s face was total surprise. It seemed, as I glanced at the children’s faces, they all had the same question on their minds.

Mike looked at me as if to say, Help, what do I say?

I stepped in. “No, this is not Jesus. This is His brother.”

Mike looked at me as if in shock.

Then without hesitation the boy in Mike’s lap reached up and wrapped his arms around Mike’s neck. “I can tell,” the boy said as he hugged Mike.

The rest of the children smiled and nodded in agreement as their simple question was answered. Mike blinked back the tears in response to the love he felt from this small Sunbeam. The lesson went on, but that day the teacher who taught the most was a three-year-old child.

Mike spent more than a year getting ready to serve a mission. It thrilled me to learn that he left for the mission field a few months before I returned. I still think of the scripture in Matthew 18:5 [Matt. 18:5]: “And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.”

We can learn so much from children, through their example of love and innocence.

Here is the link to the story online at www.newera.lds.org. Click here to go directly to the story.

New Challenge

Today we had Stake Conference. And just about every Stake Conference our Stake President gives the Stake a challenge. The new challenge he presented today, is one I'm very excited about!

New Challenge to all the Stake:

Be out of consumer debt in 24 months.

Wow! That's amazing! Can you imagine how many lives this will change?? Imagine if this challenge was presented to ALL American's and they DID it! What a different world we would live in, that's for sure. Of course he doesn't assume that they will all do it by themselves, but there are so many resources within the church, or out of the church that can help. So, he did present those resources so that if anyone needed it, they could get help. How awesome. I'm just really excited about this, and I think it will do a world of good :D