Carter and his Alligator

My sister Nicci gave Carter an alligator and a book for Christmas. The book was about a pet alligator that an Aunt gave her nephew, so it was fitting. Now that he is born we ca actually give it to him. As you can see it is a bit large (almost as large as him), but Carter enjoys sucking on its ear and using it as a pillow. Not sure if he realizes what it is and what he is doing--but he will in a few months. He is already 10 days old.

Carter Jacob

Ryan broke the news already along with Melissa, my Mom, and Angela, but I have all the pictures and details so I figure I too will announce to the world that I am a mother.

Saturday morning around 3 AM my water broke. I started having a few contractions around 4 and called the hospital shortly there after and they told me to come in. But since Carter is a very special person and I wanted to impress him I straightened my hair and did my make up. I had just packed for the hospital on Friday so I did not have to do much to be ready. Of course while I showered and primped my dear husband ran all over the house vacuuming and lysol spraying and just making it so our home would be nice when we got back from the hospital. So off we went. Of course we stopped by McDonald's on the way there because we heard a nasty roamer that they don't let you eat if you are in labor and we hear the first time around is slow-12 plus hours of joy.

So I was admitted and given an IV of patosin (sp?) (to induce and speed up my contractions) and left to suffer in my pains. I don't know why but I decided I did not want to have an epidural (I know I am crazy) -the thought of them scares me. Around 11:45 AM my wonderful nurse asked me if I wanted to try a shot of pain killers in my IV (she asked me in the middle of a contraction.. How lovely). So I did take something that made me feel like I was high or something you know that dentist office drug feeling- but not quiet as nice because at the dentist office you just have to breath and sit there with your mouth open. The drugs made me a little delirious and I might have said some very confused things because I was very confused. And then it happened.. (in reality it seems to be a very long time) our little boy was born. BUT it still counts as a natural childbirth (a nurse told me so)! I did it. I did it. So weird and amazing. And he was born at 12:12 PM so that means that my labor was only 'bad' from around 7:30 AM-12:30PM- That's 5 hours.


Doesn't he just look perfect. I have to tell you two weeks early and being only 6 lbs 12 ounces was lovely- when you think of the alternative of two weeks late and 9 lbs or something. Well I really should be going to sleep. I am super excited for the future and for my visiting mommy and sister.
Here is Carter's bed for tonight.. (this is just the posed picture..)

Our Baby

Liz is still in the hospital (I came home for food and a shower) so I will get to break the news--- Carter was born at 12:12 pm Saturday. He is six pounds twelve ounces, and twenty one inches long. Everything went great, Liz did such a good job that even the doctor and nurses were impressed by her. I would tell y'all what he looks like and the details of the event, but I don't want to steal Liz's moment. She will post pictures tonight of him when she comes home.

thinking about baby

Ryan

Liz

So as it draws closer to the day our baby will be born. We (naturally) wonder what our child will look like. Will he look like his Mom or Dad or one of his Uncles or Aunts? We are excited to find out.

Mysterious Gift

I went to the mailbox today and found this mysterious gift-no note! My little boy is so lucky to have so much love that people will send him presents before he is even born. Isn't this the most beautiful onesie you have ever seen? There was one clue to the sender the letter came from California and I think it said M. Madsen so.. Mr. Madsen! It was Eric my brother-in-law! What a swell guy thinking of my little guy when he has one on the way himself. Well all I have to say is Austin is one lucky guy because he has you as a papa or dad or daddy or father whatever you prefer. And I love my onesie! Thank you!












Okay joke.. I know it was my sister.. Thanks!

Tribute to Snow

Well I thought that the snow was going to be gone soon so I went out to the yard and took some pictures - and then it snowed today. Oh well, here are the pictures, my own personal tribute to snow.

Watching Tyler

We took care of Tyler this week while his parents were house hunting in Amarillo. We had some fun and here are some pictures of our adventures.


We went to pick up Tyler in Rexburg (Anna watched him so we could go to our night class). I had to get some things done at the Pinnacle building so Liz and Tyler went swimming and then I joined them. Too bad we didn't get a picture of him in the orange lifejacket, spiderman floaties and inside of the baby float- he was a little bit afraid of the water.
We bribed him into bedtime with sparklers before bedtime.
I made this snow-fort (a continuation of a mound Tommy made) and we did sparklers inside. Tyler thought it was "so much fun."
Sometimes little boys have toys that are too big. Don't worry he turned out alright- ducktape can take care of anything.

The Game

Remember this post? Well it's finished. With lots of planning and lots of problems later,

we now have a beautiful box and board for our copy of the The Game

(with a beautiful checkerboard on the back for Chess and Checkers).


Ryan didn't like the face cards that came with the little round cards we found at skybluepink.com. As you can see they are rather immature and ugly. So he fashioned some of his own- many hours googling and photoshoping later we (we because I shared my opinion and helped find the Jokers) came up with these beautiful face cards (click on the picture to see bigger).


See how nicely the box is shut and the board is ready? Ryan used powerful magnets in the box to hold one side shut making the board removable and the box a storage device. pretty cool huh?

The Game is a Family game that is very much like Sequence (or so we have heard never played Sequence, so don't know for myself). I really like this game because it is cross generational. It does take some skill and some are better players than others but for the most part The Game is pretty easy. My mom asked for the rules so I will attempt to type them.

The Game- This is a couple game. Meaning that an even number of players are required, 6 players is usually best. Players sit around the board in boy-girl-boy-girl fashion. Titles are passed out to each player (typically girls with red titles and boys with blue).
The Objective- To win a team must get 3 rows of 5 titles. The rows can go in any direction and titles can be used twice as the most. (so if you have a row up and down and right and left one of the titles can actually be used for both rows). The four corners are Jokers and are also a free space.
To Play- All players have 5 cards in their hand at a time. Titles can only be placed on the board when the player trades that card in for a title to be placed on it. Once a card has been discarded the player must put a title on that space and then draw another card for next time. Teammates use blind strategy to decided to play defensively or offensively (since communication between teammates is forbidden). Two decks of cards are used- with all the Jokers removed and all but two of the Jacks removed. Jacks are wild and can be used to place a tile anywhere on the board. (Some families play with the one eyed Jack which can remove a tile from the other team's progress and replace it with a tile for their own team.)

Baby Belly

Saturday, February 17, 2008


35 Weeks

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day Ryan and I went to his grandmas' houses (Grandma Miller, Great Aunt Marlene and Great Grandma Lavetta) and gave them all a rose. It seemed to make them all smile so it was nice. See what I planned on doing was making heart shaped cookies and decorating them and giving some to grandmas and Reed's family and mailing some to Melissa and Ryan's Family and Nicci and my family.. But that didn't happen (it's the thought that counts.. I thought it :)). Anyways so even though I wasn't as gracious as I planned some were gracious too me. Besides my fabulous husband who got me roses, my sister made me a beautiful and very easily packable bookmark and my mom made me a great potholder to match an apron she made me (now I don't know if the potholder really was for Valentine's day or for my birthday but I am pretending it was from Valentine's because there was a heart pin pinned to it.)

J.C.J or C.J.J.

Okay so for quiet some time the baby's name has been

Jacob Carter

But we have always called him Carter. So Carter is his name. But I'm not convinced. Doesn't it make life a little bit more confusing to have to tell people what you go by. Like me I'm Elizabeth but go by Liz and believe it or not I had roommates tell people that no one by the name Elizabeth lived here and hung up.. some people are just that dumb! But tons of people go by there middle name. Ryan's Grandpa did for awhile but he said it was a pain. Ryan has two siblings that do. Tons of apostles do L. Tom Perry etc. So for school and things do I just say J. Carter?Or.. do we name him

Carter Jacob

I don't think it flows as well, but with time it really wouldn't matter. So basically I am asking for your help! What do you think about middle names and which one do you think flows better?

Free information on baby stuff

So I have looked at this website a few times and have found some of the information interesting.. therefore I thought I would post a link (also lets me enter a drawing twice instead of only once). I know that at least two of my readers have little children so maybe you will be interested in the information too.

Happy Tuesday.

We had a puzzle similar to this when I was younger. Siblings, do you remember? It is possible I did it this morning!
Good Luck.

Snow!

It keeps snowing and snowing.
Look at how beautiful (and thick) it is.

Great Grandma Eva Hatton's Lamp

Before (Ryan took it apart before we remembered to take a picture so I'm holding it up)

Before Close up of the base (there is a button down there that use to turn the lamp on)

Ryan's Grandma Miller has had this lamp for a long time. It was her mother's and Grandma remembers it working when she was a little girl but it hasn't worked in at least 30 years. So Ryan being the fabulous fix-it man he is rebuilt it. He also made the bottom light up with the floor button that previously turned on the whole lamp. (it's a low watt bulb so don't worry). We haven't gotten the lamp a new shade so we didn't take pictures (but we wanted to post it, so Ryan took this video on his phone last time we were over at Grandma's.)