Had Me A Daughter

I was only 36 weeks pregnant when Atticus was born.  So by the time I was 39 weeks with Jonny, I was going crazy.  I really had hoped to have her the first few days of December so she wouldn't have Christmas right on top of her birthday, but too bad for her.  My doctor agreed to induce me the as early as the 10th, (I was due the 17th) but Dan didn't want to miss his company Christmas party.  So we went to his work party on the 11th (which is always good with amazing food) and then I went in at six the next morning to be induced.  I didn't know beforehand what time they would have me come in.  I had to call them at 5 am to get a time.  I have this amazing visiting teacher who put herself on standby, so I took Atticus over to her house long before dawn and she watched him (and he loved it) until my sister was able to come get him at nine.  (And then later my mother-in-law came and took over for her.  Poor kid getting tossed around all day.)

So after a few hours.  I think sometime after 10 they started asking me if I wanted an epidural.  I was all buckled in for the long haul because with Atticus it was forever before they let me have one so I was surprised it was already time for that. Anyway, the nurse had checked me and said something was not quite right, so they brought my doctor up to check me and he said as he checked me he put his fingers right in the baby's mouth.  She was presenting face first which means she was in the right position but instead of having her chin tucked down into her chest, she was looking up.  (My doctor said they only see that 2 or 3 times a year.)  My doctor explained that we could do a C-section or keep trying to have her normally.  He warned that the doing the latter would most likely cause some strain on the baby and she'd come out, as he put it, with a face only a mother could love from being bruised up in the process from how she was positioned  He also said we could keep trying for hours and still have to end up having a c-section.  I could tell he was trying to be careful because some people are really into having the baby without a c-section no matter what.  I'm not one of those people.  I told him let's definitely do a c-section.  I don't feel like a failure because she was a c-section.  I say all that because I looked up face presentation later and read on all these forums etc about women who were so upset they had to have a c-section or women who refused a c-section and the pictures of their babies were heartbreaking.  Their faces were puffy and bruised and some even had cuts.  I'm so glad we were able to do a c-section.

My view that morning as we waited for things to get going

So anyway, we were glad I hadn't had my epidural yet, as the anesthesiologist was on his way to do it when they figured out she was a face presentation baby, because I guess the shot they ended up giving me to numb me up was better for c-sections.  They had allowed me to eat some crackers which is bad for a c-section so I had to drink some seriously nasty stuff to try to keep me from puking.  As soon as I said let's do a c-section they said okay, let's get you ready and Dan's response was something like "Whoa!  Right now?  This is happening?"  It was just before noon so neither of us was expecting to be done so quickly.  It was kind of funny.  The staff told us they weren't going to rush us because it wasn't an emergency so that was nice because we were able to calm down a bit.  I had started shaking with nerves realizing they were about to cut me open and then I'd have my kid.  But once we got in there we were okay especially after Dan was assured he would stay behind the drape with me and not see anything if he didn't want to.  (He ended up peeking and I think he'll regret it maybe forever.  His response to it later was just to say "so much blood")  He was also not pleased about the scrubs they made him wear.

We got in there, they put me on a table made me spread my arms out (they didn't strap me down though) and about 2 seconds and so much pressure (Seriously, so much pressure!  I think one or two of the nurses were sitting on me, maybe jumping...) later, she was out.  I hated that I didn't get to see her right away because of the curtain and because as soon as she came out I got super nauseous and thought I might die.   But Dan got to go over while they cleaned her up and we both cried a little bit.  (Okay Dan got teary but don't even tell him that I shared that much on here)

Here I am trying not to throw up.  

 It's a baby!!  Love!

 They gave her this ridiculous little hat and I loved it.

She was born at 12:38 on 12/12/14.  7 lbs 12 oz and 20 inches.  She is perfect and looked just like Atticus.  So much so that I had a hard time naming her for most of the day because she just looked like her name should be Atticus.  Anyway, as previously mentioned we named her Jonny after my mom and her middle name is Ruth.  My middle name is Ruth as is my grandmother's, great grandmother's and at least one more great grandmother.  Except for the fact that it was a fight to get her to eat every time, she was so easy at the hospital.  I hardly noticed her at night because she would just quietly sleep  until the nurses woke us up and then there were plenty of cuddles all day.  

Bath Time

 Christmas bow they stuck to her forehead.

My cute mother-in-law, Renee, was nice enough to watch my sister's daughter along with Atticus so Stefanie could come and see us.  Later Renee was able to come see us and that night my parent's came up.  I love having visitors in the hospital.  I am so bored otherwise.  So I'm glad so many people could come see us.  Oh and by the way.  I loved having my c-section because just like that, I had my baby, but then I thought I was going to die for the next 5 days.

Stefanie

 Renee

 My Parents

 Girlfriend/My kid's fairy godmother

Atticus got to come see us the next day.  But because it was flu season he couldn't come in.  (Lame!)  He had to look at Jonny through the window and I had to go out to the waiting room to see him.  (He pretty much ignored me because he was mad at me for leaving him and it was cute/sad)  But he loved seeing Jonny.  Even if he was still referring to her as Bobo or Cloud.  (Bobo was what he called her my whole pregnancy and Cloud is what he said we should name her once she was born.)  Even when we came home from the hospital.  I walked in and the first thing he said was "Where's my sister?"  He adores her and it makes me so happy.

I love this picture.  Love it.

Oh and so far the weirdest thing about having two kids (maybe I should just call it the horrible thing about having two kids) is how huge Atticus seems now.  His hands are are big and fat and his head is literally gigantic!  I hate it!  I just want him to be my tiny little boy but he is so heavy now.  It makes me sad.

Ready to go home.

 Not so pleased about her carseat.

 Right as she got home.  He is so sweet to her.

Names

So if I were better at expressing myself and sharing my feelings this would be a much better post.  But you get what you get.
I adore my mother.  I've always been pleased and proud when referred to as "My mother's daughter" and I believe out of all my siblings, I am most like her (and I'm her favorite).  She taught me to love books by reading to me and always reading herself.  And through her great example, she taught me to treat others with kindness and fairness.  And trust me, she always does her best to be fair, right down to making sure we all had the same amount of each color of M&M if she was passing out treats to my siblings and me.  My mom has always been there when I needed her, from crying with me to helping me think of state names by first letter when I couldn't sleep.  There has never been a question in my mind about my mother's strong testimony and love for the Savior.  I know her favorite scriptures and why she loves them and I knew where to find her each early morning as I got ready for junior high and high school, on the couch reading her scriptures.  She loves others as Jesus Christ did, no matter their circumstance, actions, or beliefs.
I wrote this blog post much better in my head in the wee hours of the morning but most of it is lost to my current sleep deprivation.  I want my daughter to be like my mother.  To be strong and faithful, loving and fun.  My mother's name is Jonan.  Her dad called her Jonny and she always wished more people had.  So we happily named this baby girl Jonny Ruth Bronson.  I love you, mom.

Thanksgiving in Sun Valley

Thanksgiving in Sun Valley, Idaho is pretty much the best kind of Thanksgiving.  We went a lot when I was growing up with my grandparents and cousins and it was always my favorite.  We stay in a time share condo and now we go (When we can get it for the week of Thanksgiving) with all my siblings.  It's cramped and loud and hilarious and chaotic and annoying and I love it.  I'm really glad I got to go this year.  I was 37 weeks pregnant which is more pregnant than I ever got to with Atticus and had to get an okay from the doctor.

We got up there Wednesday evening and from there on out I barely saw my kid.  He was so excited to be with all his cousins (and their kindles...) that he had no time for me. 

 Oh and he's apparently the Jonathan of the group.  This is what happened when Samantha told them to smile.

Stefanie was a champion aunt and helped all the little kids make turkey placemats for our dinner the next day.

We played "M&M's"  The first night.  We don't call it poker because as my dad says, we don't play poker.  I put my dad, my sister's husband and oldest son, and I think my own husband out of the game.  Then I retired because I hadn't wanted to play in the first place.

This delight was also discovered on my phone.

 Thanksgiving morning Atticus was well taken care of by his older cousins and his uncles Brad and Kamron.  I guess it wasn't as cold as it looked as none of them were wearing coats.

 I made enough sweet potatoes for 30 additional people (There were 22 people there, although Mary isn't quite a year old so wasn't eating much.) and some cranberry sauce.  I somehow never managed to eat any of Stefanie's mashed potatoes.  Jen made some amazing stuffing and a salad with homemade dressing that was so good it's all I wanted to eat.  Samantha had the very important job of bringing up the pies from Marie Callender's.  (I would have died without my Kahlua Cream Cheese pie.) and my mom and dad made everything else.  Including the 6 rolls I maybe ate...  And my dad's delicious citrus-carrot soup.  Plus my mom even packed up beautiful center pieces and my dad made us all a Thanksgiving Bingo game which included a square for when Sharli asks for the rolls to be passed and when Sharli asks for the rolls again.

 I guess all they ate were olives.

Friday I got myself a "fresh batch of pregnancy hormones" (Ross) and was super grumpy at basically anyone who spoke.  So that was fun.  We all went into town and Atticus spent about 45 minutes at the toy store.  We kept having to convince him it was okay to leave a toy because there were plenty of others to see.

 "So proud to live.  So proud to die."

And everyone made awkward attempts at doing these weird stilts. 

 After that we headed to go see Big Hiro 6 which I had never heard of.  It was pretty good though.  Then my dad took us for dinner at the yummy soup place whose name I forget but whose food we never miss.  My mom gave all the kids these great 3D type glasses that turn Christmas lights (or oncoming headlights which turned out to be a life saver when it got dark on our roadtrip home) into Christmas shapes.  There were gingerbread men, Santa Claus, or snowflake glasses.  

In rained all day Saturday so that morning Atticus and Jonathan's kids Anna and Jonah snuggled and watched Frosty.

 Anna and Atticus thought it was a bit intense I guess.

 A few of us braved the rain and went over to some shops by the Sun Valley lodge.  I definitely got asked by a lady, after she saw I was about to pop out a baby and that I was Atticus' mom, if 1-year-old Mary was also mine.  "Yes, that's how we do things back in Utah ma'am.  If you're not producing a new one each year than you've got problems." I let Atticus pick out a treat at the chocolate factory and he was so excited about the basketball shape on his chocolate-covered Oreo that he nearly forgot to eat it.

 As we were finishing packing up and cleaning, The kids played a game of Duck, Duck, Goose.  Atticus jumped to his feet every time someone said goose.

 Jersi.

Baby Mary with cousin Morissa.  I am so sad I won't be seeing this one for who knows how long.  My dumb brother is doing his residency in Ohio and they probably won't be out again until next Christmas.

 Stefanie brought everyone mustaches for Movember and so we took some cousin pictures.  My baby girl is about to be grandkid #12 followed shortly by Sam's #13 in February. 

 I love all their expressions in this one.

Also, I know I already posted one of these but Stef took it on  her phone and I can't get over Atticus' face.  Hopefully it's not too hard to see.  He was trying to keep the mustache on by scrunching up his face. 

" Happy Thanksgiving Ladies"

We were sad to leave and Atticus keeps asking when we can go back to Thanksgiving time/Our new house/His cousin's house.  He was a little confused about the whole condo stay. 

Oh and highlight of the trip was when Jameson and I snuck some Kahlua Cream Cheese pie and didn't want anyone else to get the same idea so we went and hid in my room.  Then had to move to the closet when Dan and Atticus came in.  I turned funny when trying to hide which caused pregnancy pain and I said a swear.  So Jimmy and I couldn't stop laughing and Dan and Atticus discovered us there laughing uncontrollably holding onto our secret pie.  Dan explained to Atticus that I had just gone crazy and yesterday when I told Atticus he was driving me crazy he asked "Like with Jimmy in closet?"

Halloween 2014

So once upon a time I wrote this post back in 2014 and it remained until 2016.  But then my blog had issues with google and picasa and as I was fixing it, this post disappeared entirely.  So I will try to remember the goings on of Halloween.
Because Atticus was only two I still got to pick what he was for Halloween, I mean obviously he would have also chosen to be William Wallace, but still.
So our ward did this adorable carnival the night before Halloween.  It was so much better than a trunk-or-treat.  (No idea what the point of those are when we live in a perfectly safe neighborhood.)  But the carnival was fun.  Lots of games and prizes for the kids.  And some random adult asked if Atticus was from Blue Man Group....

Hair pinned up like a pretty little girl, ready for his makeup.

 We're making warrior faces.

I love his face in this one as we got set to head to the carnival. 

Cakewalk!

 Doing some fishin'.

 He was psychotically pleased with his glow sticks.

This is what he got fishing.   (And it remained in my house for at least the next year...  He would wash it off in the sink when it got overly disgusting.)

The next night was obviously Halloween so trick-or-treating and way too many pictures happened.  Enjoy.  Oh and enjoy this video of him entertaining himself while he waited for his makeup to dry.

My Warrior Poet.

 

 Dan was whatever Woody Harrelson's character's name was from that Zombie movie.  I can't remember what it's called.  I think the character's name was Tallahassee?

Fifty.  Like they was one.

With a machete.  Totally normal for a two year old to have, right? 

 I was a gross hillbilly again because it fit over my pregnant belly.

Freedom!

 

I'm super gross, and that's his tough face and his Batman underwear.

 Off to get candy!

 He was obsessed with the giant skeleton at this house.  And then he was super scared of it.

All his loot. 

Some Halloween information.