Quick Update

I hate this new blogger format! I has somehow lost all of my blog list and can't access anyones blogs anymore. It is not like I am new to this or anything, so I find this ridiculous. Anyway, Max is getting big. 17 lbs and 17 inches long. He says dada now, but I don't think he knows what it means yet. He rolls all over the place and drools a lot. "Who needs a swimming pool? We have Max". We just bought a house and traded in our car for a newer one. We are spending most of our time updating the house, but have also somehow found time to join a softball lueage and participate in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Kanab does a comunity production every other year. We are prepping for the entire family to visit the first week in August. I am so excited, but have SOOOO much to do. Well that is it for a short little update.

Introducing Max

Well, it is past midnight, but thought I would make a post since it has been forever.

An overview on the birth. Kent Maxwell "Max" was born January 5th, 2012 at 1:39 am. He was 6 lbs 10 oz and 19 inches long with huge feet. The nurse came back after getting him dressed and looked at Kent with wide eyes as he said, "These are the biggest socks we have". The heel only came to his arch. We think he will be tall.

I went into labor at 4:30 pm on the 4th going right to contractions every five minutes, when they got unbearable we went to the hospital at about 10:30 pm. They were still four to five minutes apart and not seeming to speed up, but the doctor said he would just check me to be safe. In the five minutes it took us to get to the hospital (small town) they went from five minutes to every 1 1/2 min. I just kept thinking, "they want me to breath through these"? Once we got there my doc checked me and I was dilated to a 5. He said that it usually takes about an hour per centimeter, especially for a first baby. My contractions were way off the charts and the doctor couldn't believe how massive they were. He kept telling me they were "monster contractions" I just couldn't handle the pain so I caved and got the epidural. Does that make me a wimp? I hope not. It is child birth after all. The guy who gave it was hilarious (not really). He just kept saying, "when you get a contraction (coming every 45 seconds now), you can tell me how bad they hurt, just don't move". Like I said, HILARIOUS!

The nurse accidentally clamped the IV to the epidural and forgot to unclamp it. When the machine wouldn't stop beeping and I started feeling everything again and she couldn't figure out how to fix it, the epidural guy came back. After giving me two extra syringes of meds directly into the line, he looked down and saw the clamp. He quickly unclamped it releasing even more meds into my body. It was like instant paralysis from the chest down.

Once all this finally winds down the doctor comes back (about 12:30) to check me again. To his surprise and mine I was at a ten and fully effaced. He says all right, put your legs up. HA! I can't feel them or anything else! I try to lift them up with my arms but dead legs are really heavy! Everyone starts laughing at me. Then they decide to actually help me hold them up.

Max's umbilical cord around his neck so the doctor had to work quick to get him out. Not so good for me - I will spare you the details. Max was born at 1:39 am after pushing through only three contractions. It all went pretty fast.

One benefit of living in a small town... Max was the New Year's baby. Famous from day one, there was an entire article about him in the local paper and we were given tons of free stuff. Lot's of diapers! Yea!

I just can't believe how amazing birth is. Well worth the wait. I just keep wondering how a baby can have a body so small, but a spirit so big. It seems like his little body to hardly contain its sweet spirit. Like a spiritual giant coming straight from heaven, he seemed to be surrounded by an unseen mass of strength and power and peace. What an exciting moment to witness a child of God willingly coming to earth knowing he will have to forget the life he knows to enter a body that has to learn how to do everything and is completely dependant upon others. I of course am grasping for words to explain and indescribable experience and failing miserably. It was just amazing.

Max is three and a half months old now and doing fantastic. He is long and skinny. He is cooing a lot, playing with toys, trying to stay sitting up (he hates laying down so I bought him a bumbo) and has just started sleeping through the night without feedings. 11 hours a night! Special thanks to the Baby Sleep Solutions book. We just love him to pieces.

Kent and I just bought a house are can't wait for closing at the end of May so we can move from our one bedroom apartment.

I am preparing for another solo recital here in Kanab at the Crescent Moon Theater on May 26th. Finding time to practice is a challenge, so I have become nocturnal.

Those are the big things... Here are some cute pics. Kent found out that Max likes to sleep with stuff on his head, as you can tell by the stuffed chick. I will try to update sooner next time with some more recent pictures.

This is him at about four weeks:



This was the day I decided to play photographer. He is about two months in these:

Cow Tipping and Waiting

The holidays this year were great. We went to my dad's house for Christmas Eve and spent the day with him, my sister and her kids, my Aunts, Uncles and cousins in Monroe. It was a great day. We did have to drive home that evening so I could be home on Christmas day for our Sacrament program. It went well and I was grateful to have participated in it and for all those who helped.

We played this fun game "Reverse Charades". It was so fun. Only one person guesses and everyone else on your team acts out the word or phrase. I got cow tipping once and everyone had a good laugh as I made my sister get on all fours, gave a loud "MOOOOOOO" and pushed her over. How many sister laugh when you call them a cow! She was such a good sport.

We are still waiting for our little bundle of joy to make his appearance. We hope he comes soon. It is getting pretty uncomfortable. I have gained 35 lbs (5 just last week!) and my mid section is measuring at 40+ inches. I was hoping he would have come already, but I came down with a bad cold on Monday and am hoping that I can kick it before labor and delivery since I won't be getting much sleep after that. Oh the congestion! I hate not being able to breath!

My cousin Stephanie, who has just started her photography business took my maternity pics which also doubled as our Christmas photo. She is amazing! It was sure fun. So here are some of our fun pics with my belly at 8 months.

Ward Music Chairman (Chairwoman)

I just received a calling as the ward music chairman. I am so excited and a little overwhelmed with the responsibility. Unfortunately there is a limited number of musicians in the ward. There are only three people who can play the piano (one of which is me) and one person who can play the organ. The bishop has offered me a key to the church and asked that I start practicing the organ. That's a little intimidating! Guess I had better get to it.

I do wish I had been called a little sooner, there is nothing planned for Christmas and we do not have a ward choir. I am supposed to throw together a musical program in the next four weeks. Hmmm. I have some great ideas, but I do not know many people in our ward yet so finding volunteers is going to be a challenge. Thank heavens for Sally DeFord!

I just pray that the Lord will bless me and the ward to be able to come up with something that will invite the spirit and make Christmas special.

Home Stretch

Wow, I didn't realize how long it had been since I've posted. Sorry about that. It has been a great couple of months. We are finally feeling settled into our new place and making friends with the scorpions who think they are going to share our house(yikes, I am getting a nice bulk of students, Kent is loving his job and we are getting excited for the holidays and to go to Salt Lake for Thanksgiving.

Kent and I were asked to perform a Saturday Night Live skit at the local theatre. We were dressed up as cheerleaders. It is the Will Ferrel skit at the chess club tournament. We changed it a little to make it cleaner and to fit the local mascot, but it turned out great. We got a wonderful response. I only wish we would have taken pictures. I was so tired when we got home that we forgot. Darn it! I am sure we looked hilarious. I just did another performance of Women at the Well and have one more this Thursday. It has been so fun.

I have 7 and 1/2 weeks left until my due date and the heartburn is taking over, but all in all - life is good. I had two showers and received some very nice gifts from friends and family. Thanks everyone! We love it all. Here are a few pics...

Here is my six month pic...

Here is my seven month pic...

Women at The Well

I just got invited to sing in a local musical production of Women at The Well. It is a great program about the women in the scriptures and their relationship with Christ. I felt really inspired as I prayed that the spirit would be able to communicate Christ's love for his daughters as we sang about these faithful women.

I had a distinct thought pop into my mind that just because we were not there to witness Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead, or to reach out and touch the hem of his garment, to see his empty tomb, or to wash and anoint his feet, does not mean that our relationship with him can not be every bit as personal and significant.

I have often felt like having a relationship as personal as Mary and Martha did with the Savior would be impossible for me, but as I listened to the songs and narrative in this program, the spirit bore witness to me that I could indeed have that dear friendship with Him as they did.

I hope to be able to live the kind of life needed to be worthy of that friendship. What an amazing experience this has been. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have received and talents I have been blessed with that enable me to participate in inspired programs such as this. I hope you all have the chance to see it at some point. It is amazing.

Kanab Adventures!

First off, I want to clarify that the last post was Kent's doing. Need I say more?

So we are still looking for a place in Kanab and are still in limbo. We were supposed to move into our new place on September first, but the previous tenants are still there. Hmmmm. So, where are we? We are staying in a cabin at a place called "Hitch N' Post" (and RV park). It is quite the adventure. Is my sarcasm evident yet? Poor Betty doesn't know where we live any more. Of course neither do I. Ha! I just can't wait to be settled. I keep reminding myself that it will be over soon and this will a be a great memory.

The people here are great. I just got invited to sing in the tri-ward Women at the Well musical program. It should be really fun. My solo recital is coming up in only 24 days! Yikes, but I am feeling really good about it now. Luckily the bishop is letting me practice at the church five days a week since my piano is still in Salt Lake. It is a great blessing.

Here are my five month photos outside the "Hitch N' Post" cabin.