Elsie's 1 year check up!

My sweet Elsie turned 1 this year... People always would say how fast they grow and I can now see why! It feels like yesterday we were in the hospital in tears thinking she would NEVER COME OUT!!! Finally after 2 days at the hospital, 3 hours of pushing, and a episiotomy from hell, she did!!

This year has been full of complete happiness! For so long I wanted HER, and she has been more beautiful, more precious, and more FUN then I could have ever imagined! I haven't lost myself in her, or with being obsessed about finally becoming a mom (which I feel a lot of woman struggle with but that's it's own post) but I feel that I cherish each moment with her and I'm trying to enjoy each phase to the fullest!!

She had one fun Elmo party!!! We had lots of family and friends gather round to share her special day. My most favorite memory of her party is watching her scream as the kids hit her Elmo piñata! Poor girl just didn't get it.. Can't say I blame her.

Some things about Elsie at age 1:
-she doesn't like sweets
-she loves peas, cheddar puffs, and drinks to no end (water, milk, anything)
-she has 4 top teeth and 3 bottom
-she pounds some serious laps.. Past walking.. Girlfriend straight runs!
-she weighs 21.5 pounds
-she's 30.5" tall
-and her awesome Bowler head is measuring at 18.5"... That's my girl!
-she shakes her booty (my favorite)
-she does a piggy face
-says moo, na na na na (no no no no), da da, ma ma
-she sings... It's cute now but if she takes after me or Jod, she's in trouble
-she's in size 4 diapers
-she gives the best loves and kisses
-when she's tired, she lays her face into the ground with her cow, don't forget the cow
-she laughs more at herself then anyone else
-she loves to get scared and play peek a boo, or "I"m gonna get you!"
-her favorite people besides us of course ;)... Jamie, Jeff, any 2-4 yr old, Laureen, Launa, and the Hopkins clan
-she sleeps like a champ 7-7:30 or 8 with 2 good naps a day!

I love this girl more than anything in the world and I'm so glad for the wonderful year we've shared as a family and for many more to come!!

30 days of Thanksgiving

November has always been my most favorite month... Along with Thanksgiving being my favorite holiday! I feel like its a happy month.. Where people are more kind, more thoughtful of others, and really, just a little happier :) So many take the time each day to post, write, or reflect on all the blessings they have in there life.. With that alone, I feel like if we all took the time of day, everyday, whether it was March, or November, the world would be a happier place all year round, people a little sweeter, and a lot more selfless!

As for me... I can be bitter at times, negative, annoyed, and many other things that aren't Christlike characteristics, but I feel that's part of being human. We all struggle with such things.. Or at least I hope so! I look at my current state and couldn't be more happier in my life!! Of course I don't have it all, but I have found a way to find happiness in all the things I do have, and all the things I don't.. In all the things that are perfect, yet all the things that aren't.. One of my most favorite quotes is "Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect, but that you've learned to look beyond the imperfections." I feel that I have finally been able to do that! So many things aren't perfect in my life... (this is a long list for another blog post) but here is a list of the important things, at least to me, where I am able to lay my head down every night with a happy heart for all I do have!

- The Gospel- without it, I would be lost. It's as simple as that! It guides me everyday, and strives me to be the very best person, friend, mother, wife, daughter I can be.

- My Husband- I love this man more then anything in the world and I'm thankful everyday he's mine.. He is 100% my soulmate and I know the Lord put him on this earth for ME and it's reassured to me often! He is my rock.. He makes everything better, he makes life exciting! He has one of the strongest testimonies I've ever seen, thats all his! He's figured out so much of life on he's own and done a fine job in doing so! I loooove the outstanding father he is... He may not be the best at changing diapers, making dinners, cleaning bathrooms or seeing things that need to be done and doing them, in fact, he actually really sucks at all those above :)... BUT, he WILL do anything I ask, and try his hardest to do his best... He adores Elsie to no end, makes her days full of fun! Exceptionally thankful for him!!

- My sweet Elsie- where would I be without this girl... She is my whole life!!! There's not a day I don't look at her and feel a tremendous amount of gratitude for the blessing she has been in our lives. She has lit up our world.. Our family is a happier one because SHE'S in it!

- Puss the kitty- her sweet soul brings a sense of peace in this crazy house.

- My car- she isn't the shiniest, nor the nicest, but I love my car.. It gets awesome gas mileage and has been a faithful thing since the beginning.

- My parents- I have missed them more then I could ever say... Sooo thankful to have them home. Even though I'm old, married, with a child of my own, I will always look up to them and asking for help and advice til the day I die!

- My mother in law- at times I would completely deny that I love this woman and am thankful for her in my life, but I would be lying to myself if I did. She teaches me things everyday, and has the heart of gold! She would give you her last dollar or the shirt off her back for a complete stranger. I yearn to be more like her and her Christlike qualities.

- My friends- I have some pretty awesome friends in my life.. Young and old! Family, not family, but I'm grateful for friendships in this life and the wonderful ones I have.

- Food- need I say more.

- My home- it may not be the most cleanliness, or the most organized, but I have a warm, cozy, love filled home, that brings a smile to my face on cold, windy or rainy nights!

- A good heart- I'm thankful I was blessed with a good heart, who has good intentions and tries to see and love everything and all around! Of course I'm not perfect and have plenty of negative things in my life, but at the end of the day, I try to focus on the good, and do my best to be the sweet, kind person I know the Lord would want me to be.

- Jody's job- I'm thankful my husband has a job.. A job that continues to grow and that provides our family with the temporal things we need to survive and enjoy life. His best quality is that he is a hard worker... He never misses a day when he's sick, he'll get up early, work 20 hour days if needed, and balances out family time in the mix. Grateful he learned such great work ethic and will always do his best to take care of his family's emotional and physical needs!

- TV Shows- they keep me sane!

- Holidays - I LOVE holidays... They bring so much joy to all around.

- Modern day Medicine - it's amazing isn't it? Soo glad I live in a time with all the things they can do!

- Positive People - I'm thankful for positive people. Life is hard, things don't always go the way WE think or want them to, but I LOVE those positive people that roll with the punches and continue to find the good. I strive to be more like this. Thank you for being good examples to me!

At the end of the day, my list would never have an end because I'm thankful for all that I have, imperfections and all!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

Mr Cow

Oooohhh, the love Elsie has for Mr Cow (whose really a giraffe)... She has slept with this thing since she was a newborn. She would pull it up on her face to go to sleep at just a few months old. He has always stayed in the crib and used only at sleep time... Until last week!

Mr Cow has to come out of the crib every time Elsie does. We can't leave him in the car without a few tears . I had to pull him out of her hands last night to finally wash it, and she woke up twice during the process!

Today Dad got up with her, and she started crying the second he picked her up without her cow! I could hear him trying to calm her as he changed her diaper and started to prep her cereal... Finally I yelled from the back room, half asleep, and said, "she wants her cow!" He went in and grabbed it and that was the end of the fussing! Not sure what changed today to where she feels she needs this thing at her side every single second but I know I'm ordering a new one online in case we ever lose this guy!!!

Labor..

Pregnancy treated me so well.... I was never sick, I never had heart burn, I slept when I wanted, and my skin (that usually struggles) GLOWED!!! I absolutely LOVED it...

We were getting close to October 3rd, and my cousin Lara came out while I was 39 weeks, HOPING she would come. We toured Boston, did some shopping, went to the aquarium, the zoo, and everything else you can imagine... TRYING to get the time to fly by.. and lots of walking hoping that would help. Finally around 39 1/2 weeks, we started to get serious about her coming... I ate pineapple, I would bounce on an exercise ball, and finally convinced myself to drink castro oil. OHH that stuff is disgusting!!

Right after I drank it, we all went to bed, and I woke up around 4:00 AM and called my doctor because I was having contractions. He said I needed to go in because it sounded like I was in labor. My contractions were consistent but no progress was happening. We walked around the hospital for an hour, and after still no progression, we decided to go home and wait to out... WHICH bothered me... I wish they would have just induced me then. Anyways- went home, and contractions stopped and basically had a false labor.

Then 40 weeks hit... Oh I thought FOR SURE she would come a few days before her due date, if not the day of. I had a doctors appt that day, and the news they shared was, if she doesn't come this next week, we will induce you at 41 weeks on Sunday the 9th! TEARS flew down my face. This baby girl that we have waited soooo long for, finally ready, and STILL had to wait another week which by now, was MISERABLE!!! That week I was busy doing ultrasounds, and placenta testing, making sure all organs were working properly and she wasn't in any distress.

Sunday, the 9th finally came... still no dialtion and my cervix hadn't done much thinning. They started the cervidal (cervix thinning medicine) the first night. Woke up, not much progress. Decided to give me a pill, every 3 hours on Monday hoping for some progression. I was bitter, miserable, and emotional that day. I think I asked 5 times if I could call quits and do a c-section. They all laughed but that just made me more annoyed. FINALLY, Monday night, I had some light, but steady contractions. It was late, we were all tired, and decided to take a sleeping pill to have me get all the rest I can, and hopefully start labor in the morning. BOY, were they wrong. They gave me the sleeping pill with a light dose of pitocin to keep my contractions steady... By midnight, I was having full on contractions and in the worst pain imaginable... labor!! I asked for the epidural and they didn't even check me (one thing I regret) but they could see I was ready! The anastegologist did the best job on my epidural. I think I told him I loved him a million times and it still wasn't enough. I fell asleep, and slept suprisngly really well!

At 5:30 AM, I woke up, and they checked me. I was at a 10, and her head was pretty much there. The doc told the nurses to have me hold off on pushing, because he had a scheduled c-section at 6:00. Reality started to set in.. I got a little nervous. Around 9:00, I started pushing.. Felt like I pushed for an eternity.. Never saw any progress. I can remember seeing her hair, but that was all. 10:30 rolled around... I was getting tired. My nurse suggested I use a birthing bar... No progress. Finally around 11:40 AM, my doctor came in and talked about using the vacuum to help get her out. THAT made me nervous. All I could think of was a cone shaped head for the rest of her life!!! Plus, any risks of using it which he assured me that we were safe there.

I remember pushing so hard, with the help of the vacuum and FINALLY after 3 cuts, yes THREE (an episitomy all the way to the end) the relief of her head finally out... then her shoulders, and then her!!! FINALLY, after the longest wait of my life, I was able to look eyes into my sweet and most precious little girl!!! I lost it... J lost it! We had never felt such joy in our lives. She laid on my stomach for a short time, and then the nurses took her to the table to get all the meconium off her and do what they do. J went over to cut the cord, and was mesmerized by her precious self. She latched on to his fingers immediately. There's not a day that goes by, I'm not grateful for the long wait it was, the experience we had, and THE GIRL the Lord chose to come to our family. She is the best!!! We love you Elsie!!!! All 8.4 lbs of ya!!