17 Years ago tonight...

(Random pictures of Amanda over the years, sprinkled throughout... not going along with the story.)

Bill and I were sitting watching t.v. We had put Rebekah down to bed, eaten a big dinner (of Fried foods - Steak Sandwiches and French fries deep fried in the Fry Daddy!).

I remember we watched the Dick Van Dyke Show. http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi2042691609/

It was the episode where Six-year-old Richie asks his parents the inevitable "Where did I come from?" question. They recall the days before his birth. We cracked up at all the crazy antics that go on as Rob practices what he will do when Laura goes into labor.

We had done a lot of walking that day, and I had a slight low back ache during the day after walking, but didn't think anything of it. I was just past 38 wks, and had no thoughts that I would actually go into labor early... Rebekah had been a full 41 weeks, and though I hoped to not go over, I certainly didn't think I'd be early. My OB Dr. was doing ultrasounds at every appointment, to check the baby's size to 'see if the baby was big enough', (he told me that there was some relationship to the 'measurement' about the circumference of the fetal head, and the lung maturity - I've never heard or read about this concept since) and then he wanted to induce me, because he "didn't want me walking around town and just dropping the baby out at the mall or something". At the time I believed him, and was going right along with his plan. He was going to do yet another ultrasound at my appointment on Monday, and then if the 'measurement' was just right, he'd plan to induce on Wednesday, when I was not quite 39 weeks. We were going to call Bill's mom to come stay with Rebekah after we found out for sure.

Knowing what I know now, I am so grateful that I never had to go through the experience of an induced labor, before my body and my baby were ready.

That night I awoke from sleep, and had the vague feeling that my water might have broken. I lay there trying to decide, and my mind started racing... I realized I might like to know what time/day/month it was? I rolled over and saw the clock, it was just after midnight, March 1st.

I got up to go to the bathroom, and confirm that yes, my water had indeed broken. I called out to Bill who was sound asleep in the bed. By this time I was fully awake and my mind was whirling through the list of things I needed to do to get out of the house! First, was to get something I could wear to get out of the bathroom... ;-) I told him I needed underwear, and sweatpants. He awoke with a startle, and heard something about sweats. He thought perhaps he was late for P.T.! He quickly awoke, but for a moment I almost felt like perhaps I would be living in the Dick Van Dyke show with the mishaps and antics of trying to get out of the house while in labor...

We called a neighbor a few houses down the street to come stay with Rebekah, contractions started, and we finally managed to get a call through to Labor and Delivery and told them we were coming in and to call our Dr. They said, sure, fine, Bill told them NO, You don't understand, I was in labor and they needed to be ready for us. They seemed to get it a little bit, (although I'm sure they still might not have called the Dr until we arrived and they could check me to "see if I was really actually IN Labor!") and then we headed out. As we were racing down 565, the contractions were intense, and all that greasy food I'd eaten earlier, for dinner, was not making me happy. I had to ask Bill to pull over and I left my dinner on the side of the road. Then we were off again.

When we arrived at what was then Huntsville, Humana Hospital, went in the emergency room doors, and were rushed up to L&D. The nurses were rushing around trying to get things ready, and meanwhile all I really cared about was getting to the sink and washing out my mouth! Then as they wanted me to change into their lovely gown, I grabbed the end of the bed and began squatting. I'm sure I was beginning to grunt and bear down... the nurses were in a panic! Once they were finally able to get me changed into the hospital gown, and in the bed, I began asking if I could have a drink of water or something. I still had the awful taste in my mouth, and wanted to deal with that! I was most uncomfortable being in the bed, and rolled onto my side to try to deal with the contractions. The nurse was trying to get an i.v. into my arm (as if I was going to dehydrate or something...) and finally while still rolled onto my side, I threw my arm backward toward her, and she put the i.v. in at an interesting location which ended up bruising quite a bit.

By the time Dr. T arrived the nurses had gotten my legs up in the stirrups, and the Dr. asked if he had time to change into scrubs, they said hurry!, since they could see the baby's head without me actually pushing as I was still holding back, not knowing what I was 'allowed' to do. I fought back the urges to push as the Dr. got himself ready, then he came over to me and I was still asking for a drink. He finally told the nurses, "For G*d's sake, get the woman some ice!" Then he told the nurses to raise the bed up to his level (since he's a tall guy), and so I was raised up what felt like 6 feet in the air, and then he switched a lever on the bed and tilted the head of the bed down backward so that my hips were higher than my backbone, and then they commenced with the counting and telling me to "PUSH!!!!! 1,2,3,4---8,9,10!" I did as I was told, but it was a horrible position. I actually reached over my head and grabbed the pillow behind my head and held onto it, that helped, but they didn't like it and they told me to curl up and "PUSH with gravity"... (do you remember the bed that was tilted backward, and I was literally pushing her out UP HILL!!!, Gravity certainly wasn't helping in the position they had me in in that bed!) I pushed through a couple of contractions and out she came, at 1:30 am. Dr. T called her "a little peanut", as she was only 5 lbs 9 oz. She came 11 days before her due date, but... she came when she wanted to, not on someone else's schedule.

Her birth definitely made me want to do some things differently in my life, and has helped me to become who I am today. She has been such a little mother over the years with her younger siblings, she has been a big supporter to me with so many of my interests. She mostly had such a wonderful happy personality, it was hard for me, at times. When she was little, if she got in trouble or was throwing a fit, I'd send her to her room and she was supposed to stay there until she settled down and stopped crying. Well, she would literally walk through her door, turn around and come out no longer crying and try to smile and be happy, and honestly I wasn't done being angry at her yet! It was so annoying! ;-)

Amanda was a pretty weird kid! She potty trained herself, she would often disappear, and I'd go to find her, and she had put herself to bed for a nap or at night time. She liked to go to the dentist (as a little child), and she liked to get shots! All of that is just plain WEIRD!!! It has been fun watching her grow into a wonderful young woman, and she has a sweet testimony. I enjoy spending time with her, she is a lot of fun, and I look forward to who she will become as she continues to grow and mature in her life. (though I am not looking forward to her growing up and leaving too soon!) I hope that she will continue to plan for a big future, and that she will stay close to our Heavenly Father.

I Love You Amanda! My #2 girl!!! Happy 17th Birthday!!!!!!!

FINALLY!!!

So, this is the cute background that finally showed up out of nowhere! (I havne't been on my blog in a couple of days). It is really green though... I may have to change it before too long. (of course I may be stuck with it now that it finally showed up!)

What is going on!?!?!?!?!

As you may have noticed... my blog title looks a little messed up! I decided it was time for a fresh new look. I went to thecutestblogontheblock.com and went through the same exact steps I've done several times before, and I picked a cute new blog design. Well, it doesn't seem to be working. In the process I did manage to change my title design somewhat, though it needs a little help.

What is so puzzeling to me however, is that twice now, i've been going back and forth rom blog to blog, and for just a brief moment, I see the new cute blog page, right there in all it's glory, with all my stuff right where it should be, and then before I can even have time to get too excited, it changes back to what I've had for months, and I can't get it to change permanently!

Does anyone have any suggesstions? Ideas, that might help me??? Really, it's a cute new look!

19 years ago today...

I was marveling over the new sweet little baby that had just come into my life (the night before). My sweet little girl and I were getting to know one another. Now, all these years later she is technically an Adult! Where did the time go? I am proud of the woman she is becoming. I really enjoyed the time she spent home with me (us) over Christmas Break. Happy Happy Birthday to my beautiful Rebekah! (yesterday)

Primary songs... and Playing games, Trips, and Broken Down Cars

Yesterday afternoon, Marissa was trying to find the new song they have been learning in Primary, in the Song book. It is a New Song that was in the children's friend magazine and they are learning it for the primary program later in the year. http://lds.org/churchmagazines/FR_2010_01_00___09261_000_000.pdf She was sad to know she couldn't find it in the children's songbook. Then, Liam started to sing along with her. He has been learning it in Junior Primary too!

A few minutes later I hear the piano in the other room. Liam had gone in, sat down at the piano, and was 'playing' and singing his new primary song. So sweet!!!

Bill was packing and getting ready to go on a trip (to New Mexico for the next 1 1/2 wks). Liam wanted daddy to play a game with him. He came downstairs, got a game took it up and set it all up ready to play on our bed upstairs. Bill had to come down and get something to pack, and by the time he got back upstairs, Liam was asleep, waiting for dad to paly with him... Poor little guy! Daddy owes him a game when he comes back home.

This morning we had some really pretty snow, too bad it will all be gone by the time the kids come home from school. :-( Sad face!!!

By the time we took dad to the airport to go on his trip, it had stopped snowing completely and in just a short drive (a couple of miles south) you had to look really hard to even see any evidence of snow at all! We left dad at the airpot, and headed off to physical therapy for Liam. We had driven Bill's truck, since my van has tires that are nearly bald, and when he had been out on the roads durring the snow, they were getting pretty slick. I hopped over to the driver seat and off we went... I learned to drive on a standard/stick shift car, and though I don't drive it often I do know how. However,I was having some issues this morning. SOmething didn't feel right. I didn't feel like I had much pick up/get up and go. I wondered if I was shifing to the next gear to soon, or perhaps not soon enough, so I tried both, but nothing felt just right. I had a short drive, but by the time we got near the Physical Therapist office, I was in real toruble. If the drive way had a pass through from the road (Hughes), I'd have made it into the parking lot, but no... I had to go to the light and u-turn to get to their office.

I didn't quite make it! I got stopped at the light, and could no longer get the truck into any gear at all! I had been driving for all of perhaps 5 minutes??? How could I have broken the truck?!?!?! I finally found the emergency flashing lights button, but not before several people got annoyed with me for sitting there through the green turn light! Sorry People, I tried to tell you to go around me! 3 police cars drove right past me and my flashing lights, and eventually a 4th car stopped to see what was the matter. He thought I might have burned out the clutch (which considering I thoguht it was the transmition, might not be such a bad thing...). He did manage to push me out of the turn lane in the road, and onto the median of grass. I called the insurance and they got a tow truck on the way. I managed to talk to Bill before he got on the plane, he said the clutch was probably on it's way out. Oh well...

The good thing was Liam had fallen asleep and so he wasn't annoyed thatwe were just sitting there going nowhere, and the Physical Therapist didn't have anyone else today so, by the time we were able to get across the street and inside we were 30 minutes late (I had called), and she still had plenty of time to work with Liam today. Also, we had a ride home, Amanda was home from school sick today, but I was able to drag her out of bed to come rescue us. Poor girl, really feels horrible, but she sat with Liam (well, she tried to just sit off in a corner) while Liam had physical therapy so I could go outside and wait for the tow truck to arrive an take the truck away.

So, what a start to the week! Hope the truck doesn't cost to much to get fixed, and at least Bill isn't here and we have plenty of time to get it done! I hope that Amanda gets feeling better soon! And that there are no more mishaps in any of our lives while Bill is gone.