Letters

Dear Baby in Belly,

I'd rather you come sooner than later. Can you fit that in your schedule by chance? I know you're busy developing and such...but now that you're full term I think we can handle it.


Dear Dirty House,

I would greatly appreciate it if you would clean yourself once in a while. I obviously can't seem to do it by myself and my emotions run high when everywhere I look I realize how behind I am in my "wifey/motherly duties".


Dear Stairway,

Thanks for the quick reminder that back pain during the final stages of pregnancy CAN get worse. Just take a small tumble down the stairs and get a few scrapes and bruises....makes me remember how great it was back when I only had the pregnancy back pains to worry about. Although, a favor for next time you decide to let me take a tumble....throw me into labor while you're at it.


Dear Finals,

My husband keeps telling me how important you are, how much time he needs to spend with you, and how much attention you need. You know, I try to tell him that all the time and he doesn't listen to me like he listens to you. Its kind of making me jealous...and a bit neglected to be quite honest. You should let me in on how to get the same results you get from my husband.


Dear "TO DO" Lists,

Aren't you supposed to be getting SHORTER instead of LONGER?


Dear Cell Phone, Email, Blog, and Facebook,

Isn't there a quote from a movie that says something like, "I don't go online because its just another form of rejection."? No missed calls or texts, no new emails (except junk mail), no new comments on my blog, and no new messages or friends on facebook....I think I'm starting to feel this "rejection" that was talked about.


Dear Eden,

You have been such an angel through this whole "pregnancy" thing. I couldn't ask for more...seriously. You've been good about letting me sleep in while you watch a movie, checking up if you don't hear from me just to let me know that you care and want me to be there, saying "I love you" all the time and giving me hugs and kisses on demand, making me laugh with different things that you say and do everyday, calling me your "best friend", never making me feel bad for having a dirty house or undone laundry or dishes filling the sink, and not making much trouble. The only complaint I'd have is that I wish you were a bit taller...and your toys were a bit taller. Its getting kind of hard to get down to your level to play with you for extended periods of time.


Dear Glasses,

No offense, but I don't want to wear you anymore. I really enjoy my contacts. And I realize that I should really be saying "thank you for being there while my contacts give me pink eye every other day" but maybe we can come to a happy compromise where I use you for emergencies instead of everyday wear. Please, don't be offended.


Dear Weather,

While people in Utah are complaining that it still snows in late May....I'm DYING out here in Missouri. Pregnancy, heat, and humidity DON'T mix well.


Dear Utah,

I miss you a lot. I miss my old friends and my family calling me to ask me to do stuff with them all the time. I miss having a grocery store that I like and can trust around every corner. I miss not having the smell of stale smoke come through our vents. And I miss the KSL Classifieds. Unfortunately, I think you've long forgotten about me.


Dear Self,

Stop complaining. Its not attractive.

Fun in the Sun

Here are just a bunch of pictures from today's fun in the sun. We got some new outside toys from someone in the ward who was moving and didn't want them anymore. Today's been the first day in a while that its been warm enough to go out and play. So, we also invited Drew over to play with Eden.

p.s. Yes, our grass is INCREDIBLY long and needs to be mowed.

These pictures are posted backwards...but this shows how tired Eden was by the end as she just laid back on the fish for a while to rest.

Drew didn't like getting his hands in the mud. So, Eden was trying to help him get up.

Blast to the Past

Nothing like the realization that I only have 4 weeks left until my due date to scare the life out of me, get me to somewhat "prepare" for the event, and make me remember what it was like when I delivered Eden.

But first...a question:

I've recently heard, "a rule of thumb is that the second labor is half the time of the first (but of course there are exceptions to every rule)."

Does this theory seem to have some truth to it? What is your experience?

And now a flashback to May 12th, 2008 (day Eden was born)

*Fading to a blur as we travel through time*

I woke up a few times during the night thinking, "Oh, I'm having a contraction". And seeing how sleep is so important to me, I just went back to sleep.

7:30 a.m. rolls around and I have another contraction and decide to wake my sleeping husband

Me: "Honey, I think I'm having contractions."
Husband: (much more concerned than I was) "When did they start?"
Me: "I don't know, sometime in the middle of the night. I woke up a few times and just went back to sleep."
Husband: "How often do you have them?"
Me: "Umm..I don't know, I haven't been keeping track."
Husband: "Ugh! Start keeping track."

After realizing how regularly they are occurring, we decided to wait until 8:00 when our OB's office opened to call and see if I could just slide in there and they could check if I was really in labor...cause we didn't want to go to the hospital to just be sent home.

8:00 Call Dr's office.
8:15 Go to Dr's office.
8:45 Sure enough, I'm in labor and we go to the hospital.

After a while of being in the hospital they decided to put me on pitocin and ask if I wanted an epidural. Learning that pitocin often makes the contractions harder and more frequent I decided to go ahead and get an epidural.

After getting an epidural...

Tyson: (looking at monitor next to me) "Oh, you just had a contraction."
Me: "I did?! I LOVE the epidural!"

*Take a nap, watch some tv, play some games to pass the time*

7:00ish p.m. Time to start pushing

Two pushes later...

Nurse: "You're crowning! This never happens! Let me get the doctor."

A minute later, nurse returns...

Nurse: "Your doctor is actually delivering another girl right now. So, whatever you do or how much you want to, DON'T PUSH."
Me: "OK."

7:45 Doctor comes in apologizing.

Two pushes later a baby is born.

Two Years Old!

Eden is two...although she occasionally tells people that she's seven. Sometimes she ACTS and TALKS more like a seven year old than a two year old.

This is the event that Eden's been waiting for. She's been talking about her birthday for MONTHS...how she wants presents, chocolate cake, and balloons. She picked up on how "birthdays" work from family and friends birthdays and when we told her that hers was coming soon...she became very excited and started planning.

These are the presents she got to unwrap. Of course the two bigger ones are from grandparents and the two smaller ones are from the parents.

Tyson and I got Eden a little kitchen set (which I didn't get a picture of because when she woke up that morning I took her into our bedroom where it was hiding in the closet...but Tyson forgot the close the closet door and she peeked in and said, "What's that? I want to play in the closet!" So, I figured that I'd just take it out and I let her play all morning). We also got her markers (with a little case that I sewed) and a new coloring book.

Eden's actually really good with markers. If you can see from the picture she's actually pretty good at staying in the lines. She also knows to be very careful, always put the lid on when you're done, and to only color on coloring books or papers we say are ok to draw on...with the exception that the other day she decided to draw herself some "purple eyebrows". (For that picture and story, click HERE.)

Nana and papa Finlinson gave Eden a Curious George book and lantern. Eden LOVES the book and has already had me read it to her at least 4 times.

Grandma and grandpa Sakamoto gave her a package...and of course her favorite part was the marshmallows. If there is one girl who is in LOVE with marshmallows...its her. This is her begging for us to open it so she can eat them.

Balloons! She's been wanting balloons on her birthday for MONTHS. She was not disappointed. This picture makes me laugh cause it shows how excited DREW was about his gift to Eden. She opened it and he got all excited saying, "OOOOH!"

We had a "decorate your own cupcake" party. Eden enjoyed it...although, I think she ate more of the toppings than she put ON it.

It was also Eden's friend's birthday a bit ago (Jack). So, we had him blow out some candles as well.

Overall, I think Eden was happy with how her birthday turned out. HAPPY BIRTHDAY EDEN!

A Celebration...

Tyson and I decided to have a Cinco de Mayo party today.

(OK, I admit that it was my idea at about 9:30 last night to make a little "fiesta" and then we invited a few friends over to share the excitment.)

I searched for "Mexican" type dishes: Mexican pizza, 7 Layer dip, and Tres Leche. (None of which were "authentic" by any means.)

But during the tres leche a question came up..."What is Cinco de Mayo celebrating?" We looked it up online.

The Story of Cinco de Mayo

(according to Wikipedia)

So, it appears that Cinco de Mayo was started when Mexico was in debt to France. Mexico decided that they didn't want to pay these dues...and France got mad. So, France invaded. And Mexico won the battle. That's how it all came about, all because Mexico didn't want to pay their debts.

Umm...and within the year France invaded again and won.

The End

p.s. I also had a doctor's appiontment today and everything is still going as planned. Six weeks left....