10.5 weeks!

 
I've decided that it's wishful thinking to get a blog written every week... or every other week for that matter... so once a month is going to have to do for now!  :)  Actually, life with JJ has been getting *somewhat* easier these days -- whether or not that's because he's become less "high maintenance" or maybe I've actually learned how to manage his needs (and my own)... it's hard to say.  But I'm feeling a little more comfortable with him, and a little less overwhelmed with our developing day-to-day schedule.  So hopefully I'll get better at the multi-tasking demands of being a semi-stay-at-home mom, including getting updates written on a more regular basis :)  In all honesty, blogging is somewhat therapeutic... helps me to process everything and actually take time to reflect and appreciate the many great blessings in my life.  That used to be the main reason I used my journal, but that's also getting pushed to the side these days... so I might as well take the little time I have to write a blog (it's pretty much a journal anyways).

SO.  Little Jackson is still "little" -- but at 24" and 13 lbs, he's bigger than about 95% of babies his age.  Yep, we have a budding little linebacker on our hands!  haha.  Or wide receiver... we won't be picky ;)  He is a funny little kid, and I've really enjoyed seeing his little personality start to come out -- he's a curious little guy, loves to be sitting up and looking out at the world around him.  So far, he's pretty mellow (which Geoff and I are incredibly grateful for) and really only gets overly fussy when he's hungry.  Surprise, surprise.  We've learned that one of his favorite things to do (aside from eat) is to lay on the floor and kick his little feet -- so we got him a toy that provides a little more entertainment for his exercise sessions:

He seriously cracks me up -- above his head is a little mirror, and he's quite impressed by the little face that watches over him :)  I'm quite grateful that he's finally able to entertain himself, it gives me a little more time during the day to tackle my long to-do list!  I've started to realize (and appreciate) how being a stay-at-home mom is actually a full-time job... pay just isn't in money -- rewards are much better :)  But staying at home isn't exactly an option for me... and I do enjoy the opportunity I have to work and help others.  In an amazing turn of events, my job at the call center as a hospice triage nurse is going to work out to be the most perfect job opportunity come November:  we are going to be able to work from home!  Over the next month, I've offered to help our new management (After Hours Triage) work to set up the system that we will need to triage calls at home -- meaning, I'll be doing a lot more administrative/technical work to help with the development.  Funny how I seem to get signed up for this type of work... but I don't mind -- I actually enjoy it, and I'm quite good with the technical aspects of computers and the internet (and it doesn't hurt having a software programmer for a husband, either).  All this means is that for now, I'll be a lot busier at home... if not tending to Jackson, running errands, cleaning house, or checking off tasks on my to-do list, I'll be working on my computer to help get this new system up and running.  Needless to say, I'll have my hands full!  And next month is going to be a busy one... Geoff's winter season is right around the corner, and that means the month of SNOW SHOWS is upon us.  3 out of the 4 weekends in October, Geoff will be out of town to promote and sell the newest Boondockers movie (numero 9) so I'm preparing - mentally - for the "alone" time I'll have with JJ.  It's definitely getting easier, so I'm hoping (and praying) that he'll go easy on me -- and that maybe he'll decide to sleep 5-6 hours at night?  maybe?? :D  He's getting better, but still not there... guess he can't help the fact that he's a little beast who loves to eat!

And before the little one decides to wake up and ask for food, I'd better wrap this update up with the best news our little family has to share:  <September 8, 2012> marks the day that Geoff, Jackson, and I were sealed together for eternity in the Los Angeles Temple.  What a beautiful day and a special experience that we will undoubtedly cherish for the rest of our lives.  As words can't quite express our appreciation and humble gratitude for this incredible blessing, I'll share some photos of the memorable occasion:

And with that, I'll leave you for now... until next time! <3

*YAWN*

So I've made a few monumental realizations over the past 5 weeks:

1. Sleep is only "good" if you get consecutive hours of it (preferably more than 4)
2. Daily showers are a luxury
3. Having a good washer/dryer is CRITICAL with an infant
4. Pajamas = all-day-long clothing (I prefer referring to them as "comfy clothes" instead of "pjs") 
5. Speaking of clothing, newborns really don't care what they're wearing: they will manage to make a mess of whatever outfit you put them in... leaving me to truly appreciate the fact that I have a boy (changing a onesie is much easier than changing an entire coordinated outfit on a baby girl)!
6. Planning to do errands is an incredibly calculated effort (...getting them done is another story...)
7.  The common understanding that newborns only "eat, sleep, and poop" is quite misleading -- it makes it sound EASY to take care of one! HA. hahaha. If only that were the case.....

And on top of all this, my never-ending "To Do" list remains just that: NEVER-ENDING.  While I miss the days of predictability (and being able to walk out the door without worrying about when Jackson last ate/pooped/slept and dragging a small carry-on bag around with us) I wouldn't trade the joy of having a child for anything.  He is such a sweet spirit and has brought such happiness into our home.  I just wish I had more time to sit down and blog about it all!  I've decided that it might be better for me to keep my updates less detailed so that it won't be as time-consuming to get one out to ya'll... besides, I'm sure most of you just care to see pictures anyways :) So here are a few of my favorites:

Jackson James

visiting JJ in the nursery - day 1 :)

finally ready to go home!

awake and alert!

hanging out at home with mom <3

our insatiable beast....

Following in his dad's footsteps... or snowtracks...

naptime with dad :)

love this little guy

just a few funny faces :)

hard to believe it's been a month!

soon enough he won't be this tiny....

GO UTES!!

And with that, I'll leave you for now... he's finally sleeping and this is VALUABLE "free time" for me!!  aka - I need to clean up and get out of my "comfy clothes" (so what if it's almost 2 pm....) :)

Introducing....

[Photo by Samantha Jane]

Jackson James Dyer

Born on Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 3:45 in the morning

Weighing in at 8 lbs 1 oz and measuring 19.5 in long

Hard to believe I'm coming up on the 4-week mark with this little guy... it's been a whirlwind, to say the least!  Forgive me for the lack of updates over the past couple months, I was not a happy preggo girl at 9 months and in 95+ degree summer heat... it was miserable, quite honestly.  I would say that the sleepless nights were frustrating too, but nothing compares to life with a newborn :)  I guess the leg cramps and back pain were irritating, but at least I was able to get solid *consecutive* hours of sleep!  Those last few weeks were draining... but I survived, all the while working full time to help contribute before my maternity leave.  It was exhaustingly busy, but working helped to keep me occupied so I wouldn't sit at home and stew... or get overly crafty and try to reorganize the house.  :)  So let me get to the story I'm sure most of you have heard... but nevertheless, I need to add it to my blog:  JJ's birth story (aka labor & delivery)!

At my 36 week appointment, my midwife informed me that I was already 2.5 cm dilated and 50% effaced (pretty good start for a first-time mom) so I was quite excited when she gave me the good news that I would probably go into labor at some point in the next couple weeks.  I kept at my normal routine, and at my 37 week appointment, I was 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced - and my midwife told me that she was going out of town for the next week, and "asked" me to go on semi-bedrest so that she wouldn't miss my delivery (basically, she had a feeling I would go into labor at some point in the next week if I kept at my normal activities).  Well, as much as I had wanted her to deliver (I had chosen a midwife for a reason), I was so uncomfortable at that point that I really didn't care who delivered as long as Jackson was taken care of.  So in other words.. I didn't heed her suggestion of bed rest.  That Saturday, Geoff and I decided to "encourage" labor -- took a drive on a bumpy road, took a long walk -- and hoped that something might do the trick.  Well, not sure what pushed me over the edge, but that night at about 11 pm, Geoff and I were downstairs on the couch (I was lying down trying to rest and get rid of some lingering nausea, Geoff was playing NCAA football on his Playstation) and I felt like my water broke.  I stood up and, well, sure enough -- I got to the bathroom and I was pretty confident that "it was time."  I leaned out to update Geoff, and this is the dialogue that followed:

Me: "I think my water just broke..."

Geoff: "What does that mean?"

Me: "Well, in about 5 minutes my contractions are going to get pretty intense... and we'll need to get going up to the hospital."

Geoff: "So does that give me enough time to finish my video game?"

Me: "Um.. how much time do you have left?"

Geoff: "About 5 minutes..."

Me:  "Well, I guess so...."

Yeah. That really happened.  And I really can't be mad at him - it makes for quite the story now looking back :)  But like clockwork, my contractions soon became incredibly strong and it was quite evident that we needed to get out the door -- but don't worry, Geoff was able to finish his game :)  Thankfully we live only a few minutes from the hospital, so by 11:30 I was already checked in and curled up in bed trying to breathe through contractions that were coming every 3-5 minutes.  The next few hours are slightly blurred in my memory, but I do recall asking for the epidural and having to wait for the anesthesiologist on-call to get back to the hospital (who knows where he went)... that was an unpleasant wait.  Our good friend Sammy (who did our engagement photos) had offered to do our "birth story" photos, and she came in while I was trying to "breathe" through those never-ending contractions... not exactly the "happiest" time of the night, but thankfully once the doc arrived and the epidural kicked in (somewhere around 12:30-12:45) I felt a wave of euphoria and the labor pains became a distant memory.  The nurse then checked and informed us that I was about 6 cm dilated and completely effaced - so only another 4 cm to go before the pushing could start!  For those who may not know... first-time moms usually sit in the hospital for HOURS waiting for dilation to complete (labor can take 15-20 hours total) so I have a feeling that the nurses on shift weren't expecting anything from our room anytime soon.  Well.. I dozed off for a bit, and when I woke up, I felt a lot of increased pressure in my lower back, and called the nurse in to check me - sure enough, I was dilated to an 8!  She was a little surprised, and told me she would come back in a bit to check on me.  Well... that was about 2:30.  At 3:00, I felt increased pressure even lower, so I called the nurse in to check - to all of our surprise, I was dilated to a 10!  AKA - I was complete and ready to start pushing!  She asked if I wanted to do some "practice" pushes... I wasn't quite sure how to respond to that question, so I decided to just go for it.  Had no idea what I was really doing, so I guess "practicing" was a good option :)  Guess my body had a better idea of what it needed to do, because about 20 minutes later the nurse told me I needed to take a break because I was pushing so effectively that the baby would come before the doctor could make it in!  So... after about 15 minutes of waiting (another one of those "unpleasant" waits) the doctor arrived - 2 pushes later, Jackson James made his official grand entrance into our world :)  And just like that, Geoff and I were finally PARENTS!  Not to say that we hadn't been "parents" for 9 months already... but now his presence was undeniable -- and life as we knew it would never be the same......

** Stay tuned for the rest of the story -- duty calls (aka JJ is waking up) so I'll be back to finish soon! **

reality. check.

So how did I manage to get through the entire month of May without blogging?  Wow.  I know time seems to be flying by these days... but that's an entire month!  And at this point, an entire month really does make quite a difference in my pregnancy status.  I remember those earlier days, the months seemed to just drag on... and all I wanted was to be another month or two further into this pregnancy.  I know people have told me to "enjoy" this special time, but I don't think I ever reached that point during my pregnancy.  Yes, I have marveled at the simple miracle that it is to "grow" a baby inside my stomach, but I can't wait to meet our little guy and enjoy him in person!  And I know Geoff feels the same way :)  As much as he gets a "kick" out of feeling Jackson move around - constantly - I know he's ready to hold Jackson in his arms... and start prepping him for the life of nonstop adventure that is in his future.  He's already talking about signing Jackson up for dirt bike races at age 4!  And I'm sure that many of you are probably wondering if Geoff is getting a little over-eager... but in all honesty, I'm grateful that Geoff wants to be so involved  - and I'm especially grateful that Geoff wants to get him OUTSIDE to explore and experience all the wonders of nature.  And I know that Geoff would never get our kids into anything that he felt would be too dangerous - as a city girl, I sometimes feel a little out of place or nervous about things that are more-or-less "common" for my country husband, so I've really learned to trust him and his natural instinct when it comes to adventures in the outdoors...  especially because I know that he would do anything to keep me and our family safe.  :)  I'm a lucky, lucky girl...!!

SO. wow. It's Sunday, June 17 - Geoff's first "Father's Day" - and I'm sitting at work.  Surprise, surprise.  But at least being at work sitting in front of a computer for 13+ hours gives me time to blog!  Well, when it's slow at least.  And I do have quite a bit to blog about... so I'll try to keep things brief (if I can even remember all the details -- pregnancy brain has really been taking it's toll on my memory...)

May 13 - My First "Mother's Day"
For Mother's Day weekend, Geoff treated me to a California weekend getaway :)  I had not been to California since November, so I was grateful for the chance I had to see family and friends (and the beach!) one last time before traveling becomes a less "convenient."  It was perfect weather, and while I would have LOVED to just relax at the beach, I really appreciated the chance we had to go around and visit with people that we rarely get to see.  And realistically... I probably would have been sitting at the beach in a t-shirt and shorts... being pregnant does not make me want to run around in a bathing suit whatsoever!  haha.  The best part of our weekend was, of course, spending Mother's Day with my family up at my mom's house in Malibu :) I will say, it was a bit surreal to be celebrating Mother's Day with my mom and then also celebrating the fact that I am going to be a mom (and her a GRANDmom) here quite soon!  Crazy to think that I've actually become an "adult" and now have a little family of my own... but I couldn't be happier or more excited to start on this next little adventure of life's long journey :) And just as soon as it began, our mini-vacation came to an end and we were back home in Utah.  One thing I will say though... living in Utah has spoiled me when it comes to driving... I used to have a certain level of "acceptance" for California traffic, but living away from it for so long has definitely impacted my ability to stay calm when driving 15 miles takes 45 minutes (but that could also have been related to my dear husband's constant vocalization of his frustration with the nightmare that is California freeways)... I will say I was SO happy to land back in SLC and know that my 15 mile drive home from the airport would take about 15 minutes :) 

May 24 - BBQ/"Baby Shower"
For those who know me, I'm sure this won't come as any surprise: I couldn't stomach the idea of having a traditional "Baby Shower" complete with corny games and female "chit-chat", so I talked to Geoff about having a joint/co-ed "party" to celebrate our impending arrival - thankfully he was open to the idea :)  So we decided to have a BBQ at my mom's house in SugarHouse, and invited family and close friends from the area to come and stop by for some food - and it was quite the success :)  I'm not at home with access to my photos, but I will post some soon so that you all can see how it beautifully it turned out -- and a huge THANK YOU to my wonderful mom who (with the help of Pinterest) created one fantastic event to celebrate our baby boy, Jackson :)

June 14 - Birthday SURPRISE!
Birthdays seem to come and go with no real "value" now that I'm getting older (and yes -- 28 is "older" in my book!) so I didn't really have any high expectations for my "big day" - other than maybe a small gift with a card and a cake... but my sneaky little husband definitely surprised me with something that I did NOT see coming.  I thought he had something up his sleeve when he started reminding me at the beginning of the week that my birthday was coming up, but I never could have imagined what he was planning....
Wednesday night, Geoff couldn't shake the smile from his face, telling me that he was SO excited to give me my gift... but he refused to give me any sort of hint as to what it was!  He finally "gave in" and told me that he was keeping the gift at work so I wouldn't go snooping around the house and find it (like I would ever do that!) and he would be bringing it home for me on Thursday.  So... while I was at work on Thursday morning, I was chatting with Geoff online like we always do, and I had no idea what was really happening on the other side of our wireless connection.  I got home that day, and "patiently" waited for my husband to get home from work... and when he finally arrived, he told me that my gift was hidden upstairs -- ?!? -- and I had to go find it!  Say, what?!? Needless to say, I was not enthused with the idea to go searching for my gift... but nothing I did or said would get him to spill the whereabouts of this so-called gift in hiding.  So, I  walked myself upstairs, looked for a bit, and when he decided to come up shortly thereafter, I got distracted and decided to show him some of the new clothes I had purchased for Jackson that day :)  Couldn't have been a more perfect opportunity for Geoff... who then "encouraged" me to do some laundry and wash some of the new baby clothes I had stacked in Jackson's room. When does Geoff ever encourage me to do laundry? I should have picked up on that.... haha.  So I got up to start our ghetto washer (it needs to be filled about half-way before adding clothes) and the following little video clip was taken by my dear, sweet husband to capture the moment:

It was pretty much the BEST surprise ever - and also made me realize that I am getting old! hahaha.  What type of girl gets excited about a new washer and dryer?  Oh, that's right... the married, soon-to-be mom type.  And that would be ME.  Crazy!  But seriously... Geoff is the most adoring husband and he truly does spoil me.  :)  I will say, though, that our old washer and dryer were on their last little bit of life anyways -- they virtually shook the whole house when they were on, and that noise probably wouldn't have done much for a sleeping infant over the next few months!  So I am INCREDIBLY grateful for this gift... and literally, I am excited to do laundry now -- I think I've found reason to do like 5 extra loads over the past couple days (thankfully our new washer is high-efficiency!) and I know that as I continue to put the nursery together I will find more opportunities to use my miracle machines ;)  Like the "Steam Sanitize" option -- I can throw a blanket/stuffed animal into the dryer (yes, the dryer) and it will "sanitize" the item with steam!  Seriously?!  I love modern technology.... and yes, I am a nerd.  Darn proud of it too ;)  Now the pressure is on... Geoff's birthday is June 30 -- how am I supposed to compete with his gift?!  It's just not possible.  So I'm gonna have to get creative... and I know what I'm getting him!  Sorry guys, can't share what it is just yet........but I'll be writing the update soon enough!

June 15 - 34 WEEKS!
And the countdown has begun...!!!  As of today, I am 41 days/5 weeks 6 days from my due date -- and that feels like an eternity at this point.  haha.  Seriously, my body is just exhausted.... and I am just READY for this to be over.  SO, when we went in for our appointment on Friday for our *last* ultrasound (and first since our 20-wk appt) I was THRILLED to find out that Baby Dyer is on overdrive and is measuring almost 2 weeks ahead of schedule (so 36 weeks)!!!!  Our "little" guy is already 5.5 lbs, and that would put him on track to weigh about 8.5 lbs if he went another 6 weeks... but at this rate, who knows -- he just might surprise us with an early delivery sometime mid-July :D  So there it is, folks:  we are on our LAST MONTH... the final stretch... and I just pray that it goes by quickly!!  These last couple weeks have been... long.  ha. haha.  But as much as I "complain" about Jackson's over-activity and desire to find new organs to play kickball with, I truly am grateful that he is healthy and progressing as he should.  So, despite all the wonderful aches and pains and other "joys" of pregnancy, all-in-all I feel blessed that this has been an "uneventful" pregnancy with no major complications - and *hopefully* we will have a beautiful little boy here in the next month or so!  Which means I need to get that nursery finished... yes, I have started it, and it's looking great so far :) but I will leave that update for another blog -- especially because I've written a novel today with this update as it is! 

Thanks all for the love and support!! Until next time... hopefully it won't be after little Jackson James (aka JJ) makes his grand appearance!! ;)

MIA

yes yes yes... i know it has been much too long since my last post... and i really do want to sit down and write (i do love to write, if you haven't figured that out) -- buuuuut it's now more an issue of finding time to get this done!  i hate writing just a few short little blurbs for updates... so i've been trying to get the latest post finished to share with ya'll, and i promise it will be soon :) so many fun and exciting things to write about!!  so stay tuned....

THIRD TRIMESTER!

I can hardly believe it... I have survived 27 weeks of pregnancy - two entire trimesters - and now I'm down to the last 13 weeks... the light at the end of the tunnel may be dim, but it's finally visible!  I can't say that I remember what it was like before all this... before my stomach was the size of a basketball, before the insatiable exhaustion, before the insomnia and multiple bathroom trips during the night... my life has been completely turned upside down, and I feel like I'm finally getting used to all the craziness of pregnancy - but soon enough, this "craziness" will be replaced with an entirely new form of craziness: MOTHERHOOD.  More specifically, caring for the needs of a newborn... it's going to be quite the adventure.  But I'm excited.  Really excited, actually.  Jackson is quite active these days... I just wish that Geoff could appreciate it as much as I do.  At about 16 inches long and 2.5 lbs, Jackson's jabs and kicks are getting quite a bit stronger - but try as I might to get Jackson to cooperate and kick when Geoff's hand is actually on my belly, it's virtually impossible to time it just right!  And even when he is lucky enough to feel a few of Baby J's kicks, it doesn't quite translate... but he does get excited when he gets to share these special moments with me :)  I've finally learned what it feels like when Jackson has the hiccups - kinda tickles, and it makes me laugh.  I can picture him sitting in there wondering what this annoying reflex is while his head repeatedly bumps into the side of my stomach. hehehe.  But as much as I have enjoyed this part of pregnancy, I'm ready to share the "joys" of parenthood with Geoff once Jackson finally makes his debut appearance in a few months.  But before Jackson decides to join us, I have my work cut out for me: setting up his nursery is not going to be an easy task.  Well, Geoff is convinced that it will take "half a day" to set it all up... HA.  Okay, maybe half a day to put the crib together and move furniture in... but it's gonna take me quite a few weeks to prepare the details!  I've actually been searching for weeks for the "perfect" crib and bedding - it's not easy to sort through the options!  Especially on a budget... but I've narrowed it down to a few that I am really fond of, and in the upcoming weeks I'll be forced to make a final decision.  It's my goal to get the nursery set up before the beginning of June... mostly because I know that after that point, I'll have no desire (or energy) to move things around in that room.  And besides, after 30 weeks - anything can happen!  He was measuring ahead of schedule when we had our last ultrasound, so he could definitely come early... and I won't complain (unless of course I'm caught off-guard and unprepared)!  But until then, I'll continue to enjoy the simple "pleasures" of being pregnant... I'm sure when he's up at 3am crying for who-knows-what-reason I'll wish I could just carry him around SILENTLY in my stomach for a few more months :)  Perspective, right?  hahaha.

As for other news... Geoff and I celebrated our "One Year Anniversary" on April 13th - and what an eventful year it has been!  We both agree that it hardly seems possible we've only known each other for a year - it feels like we've been married for years (and most of the time we act like we've been married for years... haha).  Our first "date" was April 13, 2011 and Geoff asked me to join him to a Bees' game (they are the AAA minor league baseball team in Salt Lake, and Geoff has season tickets to their games)... maybe I was naieve, but I was not aware that it was actually a "date" - I thought he just wanted company since he has an extra ticket. But it didn't take long before I figured out the truth and, more importantly, before I recognized the obvious chemistry between us :) And then... well... you know the rest ;) But here's the condensed version: June 18, engaged; Sept 9, married; Nov 19, found out we would be PARENTS!  Apparently we don't waste any time... haha.  But we both still laugh about the fact that we had this predetermined "timeline" established for our dating expectations, including dating for a MINIMUM of one year before we could ever make a valid, evidence-based decision on spending the rest of our lives with someone.  Whoops...  haha.  Guess we neglected to stick to that guideline!  But as surprising as it might have been for our family and friends (and us for that matter), we cannot imagine our lives any other way or with any other person.  We truly are blessed to have each other :) Sorry if that's a bit on the cheesy side, but it's true!  And what better way to celebrate our anniversary than at the Bees' Opening Night - April 13 was the first home game of the season, and they kicked it off with fireworks (and a W).  It was a fun night, and we are looking forward to taking Baby J to a few games later this summer (if he is old enough) - Geoff even bought him a couple Bees' onesies to sport when we take our seats the the first row behind the Bees' dugout.  Did I mention that the season tickets we have are quite possibly some of the best in the stadium?  Well, THE best if you ask me ;) And it will be so much more fun when we get to see the look on Jackson's face as he experiences his first baseball game... I can't wait!  But... I have to.  haha.  Just a few more months....

...and in the meantime, I'll keep myself busy with work.  Since my last entry, I've really changed my schedule: I'm Lead Nurse on Sundays now - a promotion that I am incredibly grateful for, but with a price that I have recently realized is more costly than I ever imagined... with a set Sunday shift, I rarely have the chance to go to church.  And I miss it.  It really has thrown off my weekly "groove" - I need that weekly spiritual boost to help refocus and redirect my attention to what really matters in life, and without it I can feel a bit of a void.  I remind myself that in a few months, once Jackson is born, I'll be able to attend church again on a more regular basis (although with my profession, Sundays are not "off-limits" for scheduling... I think of it as providing service for these patients and their families during certain times of need).  But until then, I'm grateful that Geoff and I have regular Temple Prep classes, meetings with our Bishop, and that we take time each night to read from one of our many church books that we've been asked to read as we prepare for the temple this fall.  And now with Baby J on the way, nothing is more important than going to the LA Temple in September so that we can be sealed together as a family :)  Only 4 more months....!  But back to my update on my work schedule... we've had quite a few changes in staffing in our office, and now I'm working 7a-12p on Mon, Wed, Thurs, and Fri, freeing up my afternoons and Saturdays to spend at home with Geoff!  Well, in reality it's spent running errands and cleaning the house and then crashing on the couch after it all... haha.  But I will say, getting up early in the morning was torturous at first... but now I've realized that I'm able to get so much more done during the day with that early start - and I sleep so much better at night (even if I do pass out between 830-9).  So there's my new schedule, and I'm liking the new role I have at work - much more on the administrative side, but I appreciate the relationship I have with my managers and know that the hard work and sacrifice I have made will pay off in the long run.  But for now, I do enjoy the work I do and appreciate all that I have learned since I started working here 5 months ago :)

Well, seeing as I am at work right now... I should probably get back to taking care of things here.  Granted, it has been quite a slow day (hence why I had time to write this entry) but I am busiest from 7-9 pm verifying and sending reports, so I should probably get ready for the rush!  And for those who care... Geoff and I are making a special appearance in Southern California in a couple weeks for one last visit/vacation before Jackson arrives - and to celebrate my first Mother's Day with the soon-to-be Grandma Yvonne :D  I'm really looking forward to seeing family and friends (and the Pacific Ocean) for a much-needed break from reality up here!  Has it really been 5 months since my last visit to the LA-area?  Whoa.  Life really has just flown right past me... and I know that it won't be slowing down any time soon :)  And on that note, Jackson just kicked me to let me know he's awake - and that he's flipped upside-down (or right-side up, if you want to think of it that way) as he just kicked my stomach.  But he's quite the acrobat, so I'm hoping that he'll figure out that he needs to be upside down in the coming weeks and that he'll stay that way for the rest of the pregnancy... keeping fingers crossed! 

Spring has sprung!

 Has it been another month already? I swear time isn't passing as quickly as it seems to be on my blog... although there are some days that I definitely wish it were! Here we are, beginning of April... Spring is in full bloom here in Utah, and I couldn't be happier. I wish I could say the same for my husband... :) Poor guy has had a rough winter - following record snowfall last year (and a snowmobiling season that lasted into July), he has had virtually no snow to ride here in the land of the "Best Snow on Earth." I think our last mini-snowstorm a few weeks ago finally brought our snow totals to 300 inches, where last year we had 800+. Quite the difference, that's for sure. As much as I love seasons and snow (and as much as I love Geoff) I can't say that I'm sad to see Ol' Man Winter go back into hibernation. Last year was nearly torture for me! I remember how cold it got (mornings below zero) and keeping my winter coats in my closet until May... it was a LONG winter. Followed by virtually no spring, and then an incredibly brief summer - I was in desperate need of some sun. And let's just say I'm getting my fair share thie year :) I wish I had somewhere I could just LAY OUT and bask in the glorious sunshine... that will be on my little list of things to do. Well.. more like my never-ending list of things to do. Life has definitely picked up speed as of late... with no real sign of slowing down anytime soon! But I would much rather have that then the opposite, that's for sure :)

SO. First things first: Baby J. He's growing quite rapidly - at 24 weeks, he's about 1.5 pounds and 12 inches long (approximately). He's definitely still in there... I have the great pleasure of feeling him kick me every so often throughout the day (including right now, actually) which was definitely something I had to get used to! I had my 24-week appointment this week, and our midwife confirmed what I had suspected: he's head up, feet down right now... which explains why my bladder has felt more or less like a punching bag. But as annoying as it may be to frequent the bathroom a little more often these days, I'm grateful for his constant little reminder that he's doing okay :) Geoff and I have received a few little gifts from family and friends over the past few weeks (for which we are truly appreciative) and I've really started to buckle down on planning the nursery. My goal is to get furniture moved in next month, and have everything ready to go by the beginning of June. Come 30 weeks, you never know when he'll decide to make his grand entrance... Geoff talked with a friend of his yesterday who had just gone in for her 32 week appointment only to be admitted to the hospital because she was in labor! With that piece of news, Geoff is a little more understanding of my "crazy" planning and need to get this nursery done in the next couple months. Wow. A couple months?! I know I've been feeling as though this pregnancy has been dragging on... but seriously, little Jackson is going to be here before I know it. And then all the random frustrations and annoyances with being pregnant will soon be a distant memory... not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to leaving those behind! haha. But until then, I need to take full advantage of my ever-growing belly and appreciate the blessing that I have to actually have a child of my own.  I've definitely had moments when I've sat back to really think about how incredible this "ability" is that I have... and not to take it for granted.  I mean.. really.  Medical knowledge and understanding aside, I have a little human growing inside my stomach - I don't even have to do anything (other than eat and sleep) to help this process along!  Medical technology cannot compare to the innate system that is working 24/7 inside me to help bring our son into this world.  At 24 weeks, he has a great chance of surviving if I were to go into pre-term labor - but not without high risk of complications.  In other words... as excited as I am to meet our little guy, I'm completely content to patiently wait for his grand arrival in July.  :)

And for other news... because I haven't really brought up the topic of work in recent posts, I figure I might as well update you all - I've been working as a triage nurse for hospice patients for almost 5 months now, and I just recently was "promoted" to Lead Nurse on Sundays!  Yes, I do have to work on Sundays (not ideal... but I think of it as a service that I can provide for these people and their families - healthcare and especially those patients who are dying don't exactly have weekends off) but I am grateful for this opportunity to grow in my position with this company.  Only a few more months and then I'll be on Maternity Leave... most likely coming back to work part time for a bit until we get our little guy's schedule figured out :)  It's definitely a busy time here in Bountiful, but I can't complain - the little Dyer family is happy & healthy and hoping that you all have an enjoyable Easter Holiday with your families, wherever you may be!!

our little troublemaker....

Guess I should just shoot down the thought of ever having somewhat of a predictable life... remember my last post just a few short weeks ago?  that one about us having a girl?  Well - scratch that. hahaha. Baby Dyer finally decided to show the world what he's really made of.... YES, you read that right: this little peanut is a BOY!!  Unmistakable this time... he was quite happy to give us the perfect visual, and it left us in a slight state of shock (to say the least).  In the world of ultrasounds, they tell you that nothing is certain until the baby is 20 weeks along - when the development is certain to be complete - so any readings before that are not necessarily given with 100% confidence.  So at our 16- and 17-week visits, the ultrasounds were more-or-less inconclusive... our midwife was just trying to give us her best prediction, especially as he wouldn't open his legs or move around for us to get a better view.  So I won't hold it against her :)  It was humorous though - our ultrasound tech picked up on Geoff and I calling the baby "she" and then took the opportunity to ask us if we wanted to know the gender... of course we said yes, and as she moved the ultrasound head around a bit more, she showed us proof: we are most definitely having a SON.  All Geoff and I could do was start laughing.  I mean... REALLY?!  First it was a boy... then a girl... and finally a boy.  Let's just hope there aren't two in there!  hahaha.  (Don't worry - we confirmed that there is only ONE baby to prepare for...)  SO. a little boy.  That definitely changes things!  Thankfully we hadn't done much shopping - just browsing on the internet for nursery ideas... which, of course, I have to start all over on.  But it's okay, that's the fun part :)  And I'm sure the next question on many minds is: "Do you have a name picked out?"  And as a matter of fact, we do!  Now introducing....

JACKSON JAMES DYER

 I had a few boy names picked out, and Geoff seemed to like Jackson (we had been calling him that for weeks before our first ultrasound, as I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a boy...) and he added James - his grandpa's name - that will inevitably lead to a nickname of JJ.  But nevertheless, that's what we've settled on.  And I like it :)  Geoff, turns out, was a little disappointed when he found out that he wasn't going to be having a little girl this summer... but I'm hoping he'll get his chance somewhere down the road!  We were joking that sibling rivalries start in heaven - little Jackson and Avery were both so anxious to come down here, but it looks as though Avery is going to have to wait her turn... and our little rebel-rouser Jackson has taken shotgun :)  And apparently he isn't wasting any time goofing off in there either!  Our midwife told us that he is a week ahead of schedule... apparently his legs are quite long, and his head measurement at the ultrasound puts him a little on the larger side - it isn't too much of a surprise considering that his dad is 6'4"... but then again, Geoff was only 7.5 lbs when he was born (haha I was over 8 lbs, go figure) so who knows if he keeps this up or takes a break from growing somewhere in the next couple months.  But I really wouldn't mind having a baby early - as long as he's healthy!  Which he looks to be, as our midwife has repeatedly reassured us :)  Geoff thinks that this little guy is going to be a troublemaker - only because he was one growing up, and karma has a funny way of coming back around... hahahaha.  But he is excited to have a little guy to take sledding... and biking... and camping... basically show his son what he is passionate about, and hopefully have a little partner in crime ;)  I'm just happy to see Geoff excited and looking forward to this major change that will be affecting our lives come July!  It's already March... I'm past the halfway point of my pregnancy, and while I should focus on that bit of optimism I find myself wishing it were May... or June even.  It seems like this pregnancy is lasting forever - and I just can't wait to meet our son (aka Baby Phat, as some have nicknamed him).  But until then, I will treasure this special time I have to be pregnant... and know that once he's here, our lives will never be the same :) Basically, I need to get as much sleep as possible while I still can!!  hahaha.  And of course, I have a few photos to share with everyone from our last ultrasound:

Baby Jackson!

YES - it's a BOY!

His little arm/hand

He's looking right at us (you can see the white ring of his pupil)

Hard to see... but that's his tiny footprint :)

one more profile shot of our little peanut! <3

And here are a few short clips from the ultrasound too....

 

 If you look at his head, you can see his mouth moving...

 

More visual proof that we are having a little BOY... haha

 

And one more clip for good measure :)

And I think that's enough parental bragging for now....  :) Time for me to get going - have laundry and house chores to finish before I need to get to work!  Oh the life of a housewife/working mother-to-be.... love you all!

The verdict is in...

Baby Dyer is a GIRL!!

Surprise!  haha.  Just when I thought I needed to decide which hue of blue to choose for the nursery color scheme, our midwife broke the news: our little peanut will be our precious DAUGHTER!  It was quite the shock for me... I'm not going to lie, I actually had a mini-breakdown.  Not that I wasn't excited about the idea of having a little girl, but rather I was so convinced it was a boy - and so excited to give Geoff a son - that it took me a day to digest the news and finally accept that we are going to have a daughter instead.  We had our name picked out and everything!  But we still have plenty of time to try for a son down the road... so that's something to look forward to :)  SO. A little girl.  What comes to mind when you think of a baby girl? PRETTY. PINK. PRINCESS. gag me. I know I'll probably feel a little differently when I finally see her, but I was raised a tomboy... blue is my favorite color... I didn't start wearing makeup until I was in college... so the idea of dealing with a little girl is somewhat frightening.  Granted, I don't want to discourage her from being a "girl," but it's just so not me!  And I knew way too many girls in high school that were completely spoiled... "daddy's princess"... and that just does not sit well with me.  Yes, of course I'll spoil her.... but within reason.  And I've already indicated to those close to me that "princess" will not be one of her nicknames :)  I am not about to start her off thinking that she deserves special treatment!  Of course I'll dress her up all cute and have fun with my own mini-me Barbie doll, but I've already told her dad that she is going to be "daddy's girl" -- so he'd better be prepared to take her out fishing, hiking, and even snowmobiling!  Thankfully, he's completely down for all that.  He's actually quite excited - this was his status update on Facebook the day we found out:

The female population in my house officially doubled... as will my shotgun collection. Super excited! Now i just have to wait 5 short months to see her! Lets hope she looks like her momma!

And as much as he wanted a little boy, Geoff was the first to jump on the bandwagon and remind me that "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON."  Maybe she will be a good example to her younger siblings... maybe she will be "mommy's little helper" with the next baby down the road... and on top of it, something I was told when I first found out about the pregnancy, maybe there is a reason why she will be born at this time into the world -- whether for spiritual or mere practical reasons, her being born into our little family at this time in our world is important.  The age she will be... the friends she will make... the opportunities she will have... the people she will influence... the possibilities really are endless.  So rather than sit and wonder "What if?" I've come to the conclusion that the best thing for me to do is to just MOVE FORWARD.  And guess what? I'm pretty excited to be a mom :)  Let the shopping begin!  hahaha.  And I'm just gonna throw it out there... shopping for a little girl will be SO much more fun than shopping for a little boy... so many more options!  Which, of course, can be dangerous.... so for now, I'm focusing on nursery ideas and plans.  And that is keeping me quite occupied :)  And what fun would planning be without sharing my ideas with all of you?  haha.  Thanks to Pinterest (my new obsession during pregnancy) I have come up with quite the collection of photo inspirations, so here are a couple for now....

[potential color scheme]

[dark brown wood furniture]

And I'll share more with you in the coming weeks :)  But before I leave you for today (I am at work after all) I want to share with you the name we picked out for our little girl:

I should probably mention that I did have this name picked out long before I met Geoff... one of those things that I actually thought about while I was single :)  And thankfully he approved!  I wasn't planning to share it publicly until closer to her birthday, but what the heck - It won't hurt!  And besides, only family and close friends read my blog and I would be telling you all anyways... so what's the difference?  And now the real waiting period begins... and I will say, now that I'm into my second trimester, my new pregnancy annoyances are quite simple: weight gain, insomnia, and a constant STUFFY NOSE.  Really?! Nobody told me about that... oh the joys of being pregnant!  But it will all be worth it, I'm sure :) 17 weeks down, 23 to go.....!

Oh, baby!

For those who haven't yet seen our little video, here is the most current version...

And for those who have not yet heard our recent update, we had our appointment yesterday to learn whether or not this "it" should be referred to as a "he" or a "she", and unfortunately IT was uncooperative...!!  Our midwife (also named Laura) is awesome, and she was incredibly persistent as she knew how anxious I was and how much I wanted to know this minor detail... but at the end of the ultrasound, her verdict was the following: "I am so close to saying that it is a boy, but this one view has me second-guessing myself... I don't want to tell you one way or another just yet!  But I would be happy to see you next week to double-check!"  And so we have our next appointment scheduled for Wednesday to clarify whether we should be decorating with blue or pink... and hopefully we will get a clear answer then!  I'd say the most frustrating thing about the appointment was that she kept moving the ultrasound head around on my stomach to get every possible view, and 9 out of 10 views she said "I do believe you have a boy in there" (or something to that effect) and then ONE image makes her question every other!  gahhhhhh  SERIOUSLY?!  Seriously...  For the person that plans, this is driving me slightly crazy (if you can't tell) and I just need to know already!  It's been 16 weeks.... 4 months... I'm almost half-way through this and it would be nice to know if I'm going to have a daughter or a son! :)  But thankfully I don't have to wait until my 20-week appointment to find out for sure... I can last a few more days (I think) haha.  I will say, though, that while she was moving around trying to get our little peanut into a better viewing position she was happy to point out all the other little features... arms, legs, hands, feet... and we could watch him/her squirm around while she was probing with the ultrasound head.  It was slightly humorous actually -- we could tell he/she was getting a little bothered that we were invading his/her space... ahem, that's my space too thank you very much!  I almost want to set a few ground rules while he/she is residing comfortably in his/her little cocoon... but ultimately, as "uncomfortable" as the occasional poke may be, he/she really has no idea what is really in store... the final journey is not going to be pleasant - for either of us! haha.  So just wait, little one, just you wait....  ;)  And I will point out that while we were watching the video on the screen, Laura did confirm that all looks healthy and normal -- so I should be concentrating on that detail (as I am truly grateful to know that our baby is growing as it should), and that is why I am so appreciative of Geoff and his willingness to reassure me, repeatedly, and remind me that no matter what (boy or girl), a healthy child is more than we could ever ask or hope for.  And I agree :)

So, that is my brief news for today -- I'll be sure to write more this week, praying that we actually have an answer with 100% confidence!  Love you all!!

2 + 1 = ?

It's a new year, and I definitely have some big news...

WE'RE EXPECTING!

While this isn't "news" to most who read this blog, I thought it was time to make it officially "public" by posting it on the internet  :)  Geoff and I couldn't be more excited to welcome a child into our little family and start our new jobs as PARENTS... but it's definitely taken some time for us to adjust to this reality.  I am officially 14 weeks pregnant, so I am into my second trimester -- hard to believe I'm already 1/3 of the way through this crazy process!  But I still have 26 long weeks to go... with lots of milestone moments to pass along the way.  So needless to say, my blog is going to be full of pregnancy/baby updates over the next 6 months -- up until the big day:

JULY 28, 2012! 

But let me start back at the beginning... I have a bit to catch you all up on :)

November 19, 2011:  It was a stormy Friday night, and Geoff had left me earlier that morning for a snow show in Boise... I was at home alone - bored - and I decided to double check and make sure I was NOT pregnant (I had taken a pregnancy test a few days earlier, and it showed up negative, but I knew I took it too soon).  Well... to my surprise, I soon had 3 pregnancy tests sitting on the counter staring at me with the most unexpected result: PREGNANT. (+). POSITIVE.  And as I stood there, hovering over the proof that my life had just taken a significant turn in a different direction, my mind started racing - motherhood? a baby? PREGNANCY?! What had we gotten ourselves into?? I sent Geoff a few text messages urging him to call me, but he was busy working... so I called him about 5 times until he finally answered.  And the conversation went something like this:

Geoff: "Babe, I'm working... what do you need?"
Me: "Did you get any of my text messages?"
Geoff: "No... what is it about?"
Me: "Look at your texts.  I sent you a picture."
Geoff: "Nope, still haven't gotten it. Are you okay? What's going on?"
Me: "Umm... are you by yourself right now?"
Geoff: "Yeah..."
Me: "I sent you a picture of a pregnancy test that I just took."
Geoff: "Don't tell me you're pregnant..."
Me: "Uh, well, the tests say I am - I took a few..."
Geoff: "Why did you take it while I was out of town?!  Are you okay?"
Me: "Well, I'm in a bit of shock... can't believe this is actually happening..."
Geoff: "Well I'm excited. We're starting our family! A bit earlier than we had planned, but there's nothing we can do about that now...."
Me: "HA.ha.ha.  True.  I'll see you when you get home, Daddy D...."

And with that, the truth in front of me became my new reality.  I'm not going to lie, at first it was really difficult for me to accept - I would say I went through the 5 stages of grief during those first few weeks; 1) Denial, 2) Anger, 3) Bargaining, 4) Depression, and finally 5) Acceptance.  I took a few more pregnancy tests that weekend, just to make sure, and still wouldn't completely believe the news until my first prenatal appointment in December...

Baby D!

And that was all the proof I really needed.  But while many couples would be celebrating this news, I still felt frustrated... cheated, almost.  We had only been married a few months!  We still had so many plans for our time together - just the two of us - and just like that, all those plans changed.  We wanted just a year (or two), to enjoy being newlyweds... to learn more about each other... to figure out our marriage... but alas, we would not be afforded this "luxury."  So, I started to think about this news from a different perspective: Everything happens for a reason.  That's all I could cling to... I knew that I wanted to be a mother, I knew that Geoff would be the best father I could ever ask for, so why complain?  We are both in positions that would allow us to provide for a child... we have resources available to raise a child... and we knew we would have the love and support from family and friends to help us through the process.  So that's all we needed, right?  I'd like to think so.  But then I really started to think about getting to that point - I still had another 8 months in front of me to get through. PREGNANCY.  Morning sickness? Weight gain? Insomnia? What would I have to endure?  What sacrifices would I have to make?  So many questions... and no way to really answer them, without pressing forward and experiencing it for myself.  And with that, I realized I would have to accept the fact that MY wants, MY needs, MY plans, MY life had just taken a backseat to the wants and needs of this small peanut/"alien parasite" growing inside of me.  And that was hard to swallow.  Not that I've been selfish during my adult years, but worrying about "me, myself and I" is a lot less complicated than focusing on the wants and needs of a child.  MY child.  It's surreal to type that... to read it... and to know that it's not just some idea far off in my future plans.  But you know what?  I'm ready.  I know I am.  I've lived such a full life up until this point - education, travel, and so many crucial independent adult life experiences that have contributed to make me the person I am today, and the MOTHER I will be :)  So despite the initial discouragement I may have felt, I have had a lot of time to gain a true testimony of faith...

"Faith in the Lord includes Faith in His timing."

- Neal A. Maxwell

Can't argue with that, right? So even though this may have caught me completely off-guard, I know (through many past experiences) that the Lord would not put this "trial"/opportunity in front of me if He was not confident that I would be able to handle the responsibility. So with that in mind... if the Lord knows I can do this, I have a pretty good feeling that I'll be okay :)  And as I said earlier, I couldn't have asked for a better husband/FATHER for my children, and with his love and support I know we will be able to figure out how to raise this precious little spirit. He's made such an incredible effort to adjust from bachelorhood to marriage, and I know this next adventure they call "parenthood" will require so much sacrifice on both of our parts -- but I have full confidence that he will be there every step of the way to help with this huge responsibility we both signed up for.  He's just as excited as I am (if not more so) for our little Baby D to grace us with his/her presence this Summer.  Speaking of.... girl? boy? I'm sure that's the question on so many minds... I know I can't stop thinking about it!  I don't want to jinx anything, but I have a gut feeling about this one.... I'll just keep that little detail to myself for now :)  But just for your reading pleasure, we will find out on February 10 if our little nugget is a boy or a girl and I will gladly share the great news with you all shortly thereafter!  So until then, the plot thickens and the suspense will hang over us all...

 Love you all!  Thank you thank you THANK YOU for all the continued love and support, it means everything to us (especially me, the one starting to feel like a stuffed turkey....) hahaha.  I hope you're prepared for the pregnancy quips that will be sure to follow over the next few months! And maybe, just maybe, I'll share a few photos to chronicle this epic journey.... stay tuned :)