Guessing Game!!

Okay, everyone, here's a little game. Justin, I, and many other people think that Mackenzie looks a lot like Caleb.

Now, I can tell the difference, but the question is, "Do they really look that much alike?"

So, these 5 pictures are numbered. pretty clear.

Just indicate in a comment which picture is which child?



And no, there aren't any tricks. They're all either Mackenzie or Caleb.

I can't say there's a prize...just satisfaction that you can tell our kids apart. lol

List of Gratitude: #11-20 or so

So, Maybe I should clarify: when I said I'd post a list everyday, I meant, every day that I get a chance. lol

I'm still totally thinking about it and trying hard to focus on the things that I'm grateful for, but I'm not stressing out about taking the time to get on here and post (learned that from my sister, too).

Well, Here's the current addition to my on-going list:

11. A wonderful night's sleep: Mackenzie woke up only once!
12. water. mm it's so good and it entertains Caleb like nothing else
13. Caleb's expanding vocabulary...in his "own" language of course. Currently I love his frequent use of "ra" (rock) and "wow!"
14. air conditioner.
15. pop sickles. in this heat...gotta have 'em.
16. A successful dinner made: I love getting back into the routine!
17. Random people that Justin met at church that have been very helpful and appear to have connections for housing.
18. Justin got complimented for his waxing at class. My husband is so talented! It's my prerogative to brag, right?
19. Cheap second-hand boutiques. Seems like a paradox, but it works!
20. Disappearing fever blisters. I hate them, so I'm glad this one is leaving.

21. An ever-slowly returning tan!
22. A wonderful and caring mother who is always thinking of me and my family
23. A beautiful new sister-in law (not so "new," but I haven't posted about her! I'm excited to meet Thaciana!)
24. Exciting family plans for the next few years
25. Caleb's infant-to-toddler rocker and his willingness to let Mackenzie use it
26. Longer hair. I always get bored with it and then chop it, but then I hate not being able to pull it back, cuz I'm lazy and that's always an easy solution. so I'm very glad it's gotten long enough to be "long" now!
27. Lessons learned.
28. Family Home Evening. Such a wonderful, inspired tradition! It's so good for me and I'm excited to make memories for my children.
29. Scriptures. I'm trying to make time now (again) to read. It's such a hard habit for me to get back into, but I'm so grateful for the spirit the word invites into my life.
30. People in the ward willing to help out with anything! I love it!

Well, that's it for today! There WILL be more another day...but there might be some other posts going on too.

Pity Party: Denied

Everyone deserves a pity party once in a while, right?

Well, I didn't want to indulge myself. So, I decided I'd take my sister's idea and do 10 days of 10 things I'm grateful for. That would be 100 things I'm grateful for. Count 'em.

So, starting for today.

100 Things of Gratitude: 1-10

1. A loving husband, even from a distance.
2. web cams, that let me talk to family (sisters, husbands) from far away, and also lets me have a simple job at home so I can stay home with my kids.
3. internet, so full of information and capabilities and allows such great communication.
4. pictures, memories, the laughs, the growth, the tears...all of it!
5. Surprises: Shh, I can't tell! It's a surprise. ;)
6. Caleb's fabulous appetite.
7. Tomato plants that are actually growing in our "containers."
8. Mackenzie's sweet, dependent eyes and cute baby noises
9. friends: near, far, close, new, acquaintances...they are all so special to me!
10. the spirit of song.

Stay tuned. I've gotta do this every day. I might do more than 10 days. Justin's gone for a month.

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!