Welcome, Baby Girl!

Alright, alright! Y'all have been so patient.
Here is the latest update!

Mackenzie Renae Anderson
Born May 25, 2011
Weight: 8 lbs 9 oz
Height: 21 1/2 in

A beautiful baby girl! I won't post the entire birth story, but here are a few details in case y'all are interested.
I went into labor at 12:30a.m., we went to the hospital at 4:00a.m., and I was dilated to a 6. I was really hopefully that this labor would go swiftly. After 5 tries to get an IV line in, they finally got one and could start giving me fluid to prep me for the epidural.

After I got the epidural (which, after the way my IV went, I was really hesitant to get it!) I expected to have relief, and rest, because with Caleb I did. Well, I didn't. I couldn't feel the actual contraction, but that's where the relief ended. I felt immense and terrible pressure for the next 2 1/2 hours while they waited for me to dilate and for baby girl to face the right direction (she was sunny-side up). It was agony for me. I truly feel like I was one of those classically portrayed labors from Hollywood: screaming, crying, yelling, and just waiting.
And then when it came time to push, I could feel everything. I only pushed for 6 mins, but it felt like an eternity. I don't think that epidural did much. It was very exhausting, and when my baby was finally born, I was so grateful that they only waited to cut the cord and then they handed her to me. I needed that reward.


And now, after all that pain and discomfort, she's here. This is me right when they gave her to me. I'm very sweaty, and there's even a tear in my eye. :)

Our beautiful baby. My mom says she has my eyes.

Proud Daddy! And what a champ! I could not have done it without him. He was so patient, supportive, and kept me focused even when all I did (or wanted to do) was scream. I love you, Justin!

Back in the recovery room. We're just getting to know each other.


I'm a little more composed.

We're excited, nervous, and oh so grateful to be blessed with this beautiful baby girl. She has such a sweet spirit and we're looking forward to getting to know this wonderful daughter of God!

Caleb expresses himself thus. :) This is our family! We're so blessed!

And just as a recent update, we're home, we're good. This is Sunday when she was 4 days old. She's wearing the dress I made for her. :) Thanks, Angela for posting the link so I could find the pattern. Anyone else, here's the free pattern.

Surprise Baby Shower

I just had to spotlight this fabulous event and the wonderful friends who put it on:
Thank you Karen and Natalya!



All this was planned, set up, coordinated, and executed without me even suspecting a thing.

Justin got me to the church by telling me we were helping to clean it. Not an unreasonable story because we'd been wanting to help clean for a few months, but it had never worked out.

So, we get there, find the First Counselor, and I ask him where he wants us, or needs us, to clean. He says, well, We're all done. I was like, "Really?" He looked at Justin and said, "Did you send me an email?" Justin responded, "It's okay, we'll try again another time." I was a little bummed, but whatever. So I said, "Well, I guess we'll go home then." Then I started seeing some friends...many of them...and I thought, "Hmph, they got invited to something I didn't get invited to. Oh Well."

And then there were whispered comments of, "Don't you have something?" "Shh, she doesn't know." And I was about to tell Justin, "I think they're planning something for me sometime," when I was stopped midway to the car, told I needed to see something...and walked into the gym decorated and prepared all for me and our little expected girl.

I was so touched. I didn't think I needed a baby shower, nor did I think I would get one. With Caleb, we sort of planned our own...and that was when I thought I needed one. To have this one such a surprise and such a SPLURGE...I cried on the way home! It was so wonderful, and I felt so loved by everyone there. I have all the cute girly, frilly things that I wanted but knew weren't necessities so I wasn't going to worry about buying them. It just made me feel so special and so grateful.

Thank you to all my friends who made it happen! You guys are great!

Caleb's Sunny Smile

Caleb got a book last year that has mirrors on the pages. One page has a sun and says "The sun has a sunny smile!" Well, every time we come to that page, Caleb decides to say "cheese" by smooshing his face against the mirror. So, we started using this to our advantage.

Whenever we say, "Caleb, give me a Sunny smile!" He squints his eyes and smiles really big! Thus, we have now many pictures of a closed-eyed little boy! But it's so cute! I love it!


Just a bit of an update of what HE'S been up to: eating spaghetti, playing with flowers, helping me make zucchinni bread (he loves sitting on the counter, and loves eating flower. Baking comes natural to him), playing outside, and playing in the bath. He has a sign for water (imagine the traditional child's impression of a Native American noise), and he does it whenever he wants to play in the water, accompanied by "ba."

He's so much fun; he's definitely going to have a hard time adjusting to a new little one (he freaked out when a visiting baby was holding onto my leg)...but Justin and I had fun selecting the present that little girl will "give" to him. We're excited, on all accounts!

Spring makes me Happy

Ever have those days where you just feel like everything is against you?

Ever have those days where you just feel like everything is WONDERFUL!?!

I'm having one of those fabulous days today.

Maybe it's because the sun is shining. And Caleb and I had fun at the park. And I met a woman from Russia.

Or because I'm not hurting so much today.

or because everything for the past week has been building on top of each other to produce a magnificent feeling of gratitude.

Whatever the reason, I am grateful.

Here's a small list of the great blessings I've felt the past week or so:

• I have such wonderful friends, here and away.
• One of those good friends threw a surprise baby shower for me last week. I was completely surprised, blown away by the generosity of so many people, and deeply impressed by the overall support of sisters in my ward. (and the remarkable success of so many people, including Justin, to keep it a secret from me for about 2 months!)
• My husband is amazing. He works so hard, and still has time to make me feel beautiful, special, and accomplished. I love him so much! And I'm so grateful for his encouragement and understanding. How does he do it?!
• We bought a car! And we're learning how to drive it. :)
• We can pay our tithing. :D
• Caleb is such a precious little boy. Even when he drives me up the wall, I'm grateful for his personality and his tender spirit.
• Our little girl (name TBD) is going to be here soon!! What a sweet blessing!
• It's Mother's day this Sunday: a time for me to be grateful to my mother, mother-in-law, and the mothers around me who are such phenomenal examples. It's also a time for me to be grateful that I AM a mother. I know it's been an enriching blessing in my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

ah. It just all makes me smile. :D anyone else feeling the rejuvenating effects of spring and warm weather and sun and flowers? I love this time of year!!

And I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for all the blessings he has given me. I mean, this is just a short list! What a wonderful, loving, Father He is!