Fast Forward 5 Months!

The last five months have been a blur, to say the least! I think the last time I blogged we were living in California. We stayed there from April to August. My parents were so kind to let us live with them for the whole summer. It was so nice to have help with Ellie, and to have some company while Andy was working. A lot happened in the summer... Ellie learned to roll over (at 5 weeks old!), she starting sitting up, and laughing. I thought it was sad then how fast she grew up. Little did I know that she was going to grow up so much between 6 and 9 months old! 

Once we moved back to Idaho, Ellie totally grew up! She got her first tooth at the very end of October. Then, she started crawling on Nov. 1! Then, she got another tooth, started pulling herself up on things, saying da-da and ma-ma (sort of), clapping, waving, and giving hugs and kisses. Where did my little baby go??? 

Andy and I have had some fun in the past few months, too. We have been able to spend time with family in Utah for Halloween and Thanksgiving. We have TWO nephews now! Andy is finishing up his second to last semester and we are having a blast up here in Rexburg.

Here are a few pictures from the past few months:

 All the girls on the day baby Ryan was born

 Pumpkin Patch

I guess I haven't uploaded pictures since October. Oops! I will get on that! 

Home to Home

We got to come home from the hospital a couple days after I had Ellie. I was feeling so great! I had a wonderful recovery. The day we came home my sisters watched Ellie for a few minutes while Andy and I went to the store. My mom and sisters were able to stay for a couple days and we were sad to see them leave. While they were there our apartment looked semi clean, but literally 10 minutes after they left it looked like a bomb went off! We got things under control quickly though. UNTIL...

The day after they left Andy got super sick. His stomach ulcers came back and he had a hard time doing much of anything. Anytime Ellie screamed, he would throw up. Haha. So, I had a screaming baby (because she wasn't getting enough to eat) and a barfing husband for the first week. Things settled down eventually and we got ready to move just three weeks after Ellie was born.

 First bath

Andy trying to train Ellie with chocolate chips

 sleeping with her mouth open

 andy doing ellie's nails

 ellie's first doctor appointment

On the way to California, we stopped at Megan's house for Easter with her family and Amanda's family. We had so much fun with everyone! Ellie loved meeting her cousins and Uncles. 

Easter Sunday.

This is the only picture of Easter I have, but luckily Megan has some more

So, when Ellie was three weeks old we moved back to California to stay with my parents for the summer while Andy does his internship. It has been such a blessing to live here! We love it. It has been so fun.

Ellie Jane Stewart

I guess it's time for me to blog about best thing that has ever happened to me... Ellie Jane!

Toward the end of my pregnancy I was starting to get a little uncomfortable. However, I was still able to be really active. I was walking every day and still doing all my household chores. Despite the constant pain I was in, I felt great! At about 36 weeks, I decided I was ready to be done. Each time I went to the doctor I kept hoping he would tell me it was time. Unfortunately, they would just tell me, "wow! she is so low. i can't believe how far down she is!" Then, at 38 weeks he told me that I was 80% effaced and 2 cm dilated. At my 40 week appointment I was convinced that I was not having Ellie for another week. So, the night before I unpacked all my hospital stuff and re-washed all of Ellie's clothes.

We went to the doctor on March 14 at 10 am. They told me that I was 100% effaced and 2 cm dilated. So, I was thinking we would have to come back in a few days. But, then the doctor said very nonchalantly, "So, do you guys want to have a baby today?" Both of us responded with a surprised, "wait, today??" We were told to go home and get something to eat then meet the dr at the hospital in an hour. As we rushed home we called everyone! Once I got home I realized that this is what I have been waiting for. I took a long shower, vacuumed, cleaned the kitchen, and repacked all of the hospital things. Andy gave me a blessing and I was much calmer after that point. We left the house, went to Sandwich Tree (our favorite sandwich place in Idaho Falls), and went straight to the hospital around 1130.

While we were getting settled at the hospital my mom, megan, and amanda were scrambling to get up to Idaho. I'm so grateful that they were all able to be there! It was such a blessing to have family there. My mom got on a plane right away to Salt Lake. Then, my mom, Megan, and Amanda drove up to Idaho as fast as they could (despite getting lost once!).

At 1130 I checked into the hospital and got into my wonderful, spacious room. Around 1230, I got changed and they started me on an average dose pitocin. Then they broke my water a half hour later. Once they did that, things went fast- TOO fast. All of a sudden I was having really intense contractions. They realized how sensitive I was to medicine. So, they slowed down the pitocin big time. The nurse said she had never seen anyone that was so sensitive to such a low dose. Things got better after that, but still moved quick. After a couple hours, i was dilated to a 3-4. Then the nurse came in 15 minutes later and explained that she knows that I was just checked, but the dr insisted that I be checked again right then. She said, "I'm sure nothing has changed, but the dr told me to". Well, thank goodness for our dr!! I was already to an 8. So they rushed the anesthesiologist into the room to give me an epidural. I was having a lot of contractions, so I had to stay laying down for the epidural. I warned the anesthesiologist that I was a lightweight with medicine, so he gave me the absolute lowest dose possible. Immediately after the epidural, my whole body was shaking. I tried so hard to control it, but I couldn't. Apparently that is normal. It was freaking me out. All of a sudden I got super hot and felt like I was going to pass out. My blood pressure dropped to 70/48. That lasted a few minutes and the nurse was able to talk me through it. The anesthesiologist did everything he could to lower the dose, but it was already low.

Anyway, I finally stopped shaking after about an hour. I fell asleep and couldn't feel any contractions anymore... it was GREAT! The nurse came in at 600 and said it was time to start pushing! The whole time I was pushing, I was thinking, "is this really it? I thought it was supposed to be hard and I am supposed to be screaming". I was having a great time though! My dr was making me laugh the whole time and we were making jokes between contractions! It was a very pleasant experience.

44 minutes after I began pushing, my sweet little Ellie arrived! They laid her on my stomach for a second, but I couldn't see her face. Then, they took her to clean her up. That took a while because her lungs were full of nasty stuff. By the time I was stitched up, Ellie was ready to come over to me.

 7 lbs. 12 oz. 21 in long! 

Meeting my little girl.

First family photo

 Grandma Miller

 Aunt Megan

Aunt Amanda

 such a good daddy!

going home on 3-16

We just love our little Ellie girl. We have so much fun with her. The whole experience at the hospital was wonderful. My doctor, dr.leavitt, was amazing! And the hospital, Mountain View, exceeded my expectations!

35.5 Weeks!

Here is the baby bump at 35.5 weeks! I can't believe I am really that far along already. This has been a fast, but slow process. The days seem to go by slow because I don't do much, but the past 8 months have gone by really fast! We can't wait for our Ellie Jane to come in 4.5 weeks! (I really should have taken more pictures!)

At this point, I am over the morning sickness for the most part. I was really sick until about 26 weeks. Then, I got a break until about 31 weeks. Then, I started getting really nauseous again. I haven' been throwing up like I did in the beginning, thank goodness! I just feel sick to my stomach a lot.

I really haven't craved anything weird this whole pregnancy! I have always had a sweet tooth and that has definitely continued. For the first little while I couldn't keep any sweets down, but I love candy again! Mostly fruity candy. I really haven't been a chocolate person since I've been pregnant. I really love smoothies lately. Andy makes them for me quite often.

It is definitely getting harder to move around a lot. I am having trouble putting on my boots and painting my toe nails. A couple months ago our box spring broke (thanks to my fat butt literally just sitting on the bed), so our mattress has just been on the floor. SO... I have a REALLY hard time getting out of bed sometimes. Especially in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I feel like I pee non-stop! I swear that the baby things my bladder is a yoga ball and she is just trying to do a handstand on it!

I have really had a great pregnancy so far! The baby has been healthy and growing right on schedule. Besides being sick and recently having a hard time breathing... it has been great! It is pretty awesome to feel her moving around in there! We really can't wait to meet her, even if it means staying up all night to feed and change her.

This picture was from Christmas in California. I think I was about 29 weeks? I can't remember. But we had a wonderful Christmas with our families! We got to see most of Andy's siblings (minus Adam who was missed) and we get to spend lots of time with my parents and Troy. Andy got a new power drill, a gun safe, a tool box, and lots of other awesome things. I got lots of gift cards, things for the baby, a waffle maker, and Italian lessons (like rosetta stone) :) It was wonderful!

We are just loving life right now! Enjoying spending time together before the baby comes and we can wait to move to California for the summer!

Valentine's Day!

I LOVE Valentine's Day! How could I not love a day about LOVE??? This is mine and Andy's third Valentine's Day of actually being together. Sadly, he has to work until after 8 tonight. So, we are celebrating on Thursday. We decided not to give each other gifts this year. (Last year he was so sweet and got me a wedding band). So, I figured I would just post a blog about how much I love him. It's not like he will ever read this, but it is my gift to him :)

Things I love about my hubby:
NO ONE can make me laugh harder than him.
He makes me breakfast at least once a week. (It used to be just on Saturdays, but lately he does it a lot more)
He regularly does chores around the house without me nagging. (bathrooms and dishes are his specialty)
Every night he tells me three things he loves abou
t me.
He is so excited to be a dad.
He has always provided for me in every way he can.
He is SO kind... always willing to donate time and money to people that need it.
The poor guy can handle my crying like a champ! (which has been especially bad from the pregnancy).
He is faithful to his church callings and the covenants he has made.
He loves his family and my family unconditionally. (he loves to call his family just to see how they are doing because he wants to make sure everyone is always happy and healthy).
He is talented. (athletic, good voice, he can draw (who knew), smart, builds things, and he is pretty darn cute (that's a talent, right?)

I just love him so much! I am so glad I am sealed to him for ETERNITY!!!!
Happy Valentine's Day, Andy :)

Grandpa

Has it really been four months since I have blogged? Who knew! I guess not much has compelled me to blog until recently. I am terrible at keeping a journal, so I want to write on here about Grandpa Miller. I always wanted my children to meet all of their great grandparents. Sadly, that won't happen on this earth, but I am grateful for the knowledge that my kids will someday meet one of their great grandfathers later on. I really want my kids to understand how great of a man he was.

Grandpa Miller has always been, and always will be, one of my biggest heroes. His attitude about life couldn't be matched. He was always positive about everything! I never understood how he could be so kind to everyone. I don't think I ever went anywhere with him and left without him getting to know someone better. He had a special gift that allowed him to talk to anyone and make them comfortable. Grandpa had an awesome sense of humor. He could make Andy and I laugh every time we talked to him; even after we left his house. Andy never knew his grandfathers, so it was a huge blessing to him when we got married and he gained two wonderful grandfathers. I loved watching Andy and Grandpa bond over cars, guns, and everything else.

The thing I admired the most about Grandpa Miller was his love for Grandma. I have often told Andy that when I am older I want to be just as in love as them. He adored everything about Grandma and it was obvious to anyone that knew him.

Someday, I just want my kids to know that their Great Grandpa Miller was a brave man that fought a hard battle with grace. He never complained and never let his health stop him from investing time and energy in our lives. He always had a way of making me feel special and happy. I will miss his phone calls, chocolate frosting, and silly jokes. Most of all, I have recently realized how grateful I am to have a knowledge of The Plan of Salvation. I cannot wait to see him again and give him a big hug! I know that our family can be together forever. We love you, Grandpa!!