Alive

We are in our new home.
Alive.
And connected to the internet.
Seriously though, we've had some amazing help this week.  My mom and grandpa took a long day to help drive us and the truck down and did a ton (maybe literally?) of unloading.  And then some of our friends coordinated another crew of unload-ers that evening.  And for the past week, my angel of a mother-in-law has been helping from sunrise to waaaaay past sunset taking care of the children and doing dishes and keeping us well snacked.  Let's just say that there is not enough of her fudge left in the fridge!
Ken and I feel so blessed to receive so much help during this crazy Christmas season.

Also, I 'll be posting more pictures of our little angels once I unpack (and identify) that particular USB cord.

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

I just remembered how much I love this song!



Es ist ein' Ros' entsprungen
aus einer Wurzel zart;
wie uns die Alten sungen,
aus Jesse kam die Art
und hat ein Blümlein bracht
mitten im kalten Winter,
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

English:
A rose sprang up
from a tender root;
as the ancients sang to us,
this variety came from Jesse
and produced a little flower
in the middle of cold winter,
at midnight no less.

Das Röslein das ich meine,
davon Jesaias sagt:
Maria ist's, die Reine,
die uns das Blümlein bracht.
Aus Gottes ew'gen Rat
hat sie ein Kind geboren
wohl zu der halben Nacht.

English:

The rose I mean
is the one Isaiah mentions:
it is Mary, the pure,
who produced the little flower.
By God's eternal providence
she bore a child,
at midnight no less.

Good Bye, Hospital

We're heading home today!

Rosie's Birth Story

So we had our induction scheduled for Tuesday (so we could be home for Thanksgiving), but we never dreamed that we wouldn't have a baby by then.  The weekend came and went without much note and so did Monday.  It was really nice to put Jared to bed and even be able to tell him goodbye, instead of leaving more unexpectedly.  So after a restless night, we got to the hospital at 7:30 Tuesday morning.
When we got there, they checked my cervix and I was already dilated to 5cm!  Halfway there before any real work was done!  Since I was so far along, my midwife (the amazing Loree) recommended that my water be broken and I should start walking.  Well, Ken and I walked for about half an hour before my mom got there (after she dropped Jared off with the sitter).  I had a few real contractions (real means I couldn't walk or be smiley through them) in the hallway.  The three of us headed back to my room at 9:30 so I could be monitored by the  nurses for a couple of minutes.  I laid down on the bed and then the contractions stopped.  I was a bit disappointed.  As soon as the nurses left, I got up from bed to start off on another walk and immediately had to go down on my knees.  And from then on things were pretty serious.
I don't remember too many details about the next few hours, but the contractions were long and the breaks were short.  I tried relaxing in the tub, but it just wasn't cutting it. Fortunately, I had an amazing support team.  There was my nurse Lori, my midwife Loree, Ken and my parents.  They took turns rubbing my back and feet, holding my hands, and putting cold cloths on my neck.  They were awesome!
I did ask for an epidural a couple of times, but apparently I only asked during contractions so my requests were unaddressed.  In the end, I did decide on getting a little something to take the edge off during the last hour or so. I don't remember the name of it (I'm learning my medical knowledge is very limited).  It was just perfect thing to make things more bearable at the end.
Pushing was scary (as it was my first time experiencing it) and not as exhilerating as I thought it would be.  For a couple of contractions, I refused to push.  It hurt and I did not want to.  There was much yelling and protesting.  That's when Ken, my hero looked at me and told me I had to push and that I could push.
He is my hero.
Anywho, that baby did get birthed.  She was quite the little yeller and I fell in love with her immediately.  I got to hold her and cuddle her right off and it was just the best.  She is beautiful and special and I love getting to know her everyday.  I am so glad that she is a piece of our family pie.

 I mostly love this picture because of my parents hugging in the background

 With nurse Lori (left) and midwife Loree, both of whom were amazing

 My mother holding my daughter

Brand new 

Peter and Rosie

 Proud Grandpa

Father-daughter bonding

This labor and delivery was completely different than my experience with Jared.  This time I was a week overdue with a midwife and without an epidural, while I went into my labor on my due date the first time with a doctor and epidural.  I am definitely going with a midwife from this point on because I just loved the support I felt at appointments and during labor.  The epidural debate is still going on in my mind.  I love how quickly I felt like myself this time, but that labor was nuts.  Good thing I have a while before I need to worry about that.

Double guilt

Today is the first day when I have felt guilt because I can't meet the needs of both of my children.
I was in the hospital the whole day with Rosie and I didn't get to see Jared at all.  I didn't know until near the end that Jared had a rough day.  And then I wasn't going to be able to get home before his bedtime.  When I was leaving Rosie in the able and loving arms of my mother, I felt just awful for not being there for her tonight.  Even though she is doing great, all the what ifs were running through my head as I hurried to the car to get to my sweet toddler boy.
When I got home I woke Jared up for a few minutes for some giggles and snuggles.  And I felt better.  He still loves me;  He knows that I love him.  After I calmed down a bit, I knew that Rosie will be even better than fine.  My mom is awesome with children and there are two nurses whose only job is to take care of her medical needs.
I've chilled out now.
I guess I'm glad to have another new experience in the parenting world!

We're back in the hospital

Sunday night, Rosie was very restless and not acting like herself.  When we got up, she seemed hot and her temperature was 101.4.  My mom advised we go to the hospital immediately.  After the pediatrician saw her and confirmed her fever, she was admitted.  Apparently it is very, very bad for a newborn to have a fever.
As soon as we got there, the did all the blood tests and did a lumbar puncture to test for bacteria in her cerebral spinal fluid too.  This was heartbreaking to watch my tiny little girl in so much pain.

 She is looking so much better!

Her poor little legs!

Anyway, she has been on some serious antibiotics, lots of tylenol and mostly unclothed since we got here Monday morning.  We got the news that her urine tested positive for Group B Strep.  I didn't test positively, so we're guessing the culture was botched a bit.  Rosie got the bacteria from me when she was born.  But babies cannot handle the bacteria like adults can.  I haven't done too much research (on purpose- I don't want to be burdened at this point with all the possible complications), but this is much more serious than I originally thought.  We're going to be at the hospital for at least a week, so long as things continue to improve.  She definitely is doing better.  Her fever is coming down and she seems less irritable.  I am glad that things are going so well considering where we could be.

Ken with the baby

Grandma Kindt with our Rosie

She is here!

Our sweet Rosalie Ann was born on Tuesday the 22nd at 12:44pm!  She weighs 8 pounds, 1 ounce and is 20 inches long.  She is doing well and we are so glad she is finally here.  We'll let you all know more once we catch our breaths from our new life.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

Although I wish I already had my little girl in my arms, I will soon!  Tomorrow morning I'll be induced and hopefully that will work it won't be too long until she is born.  One of my favorite midwives is on call then, so that is nice too.
And if everything goes smoothly, I'll be home in time for Thanksgiving dinner!

Get Out

This video is making me giggle today.



Be sure to put on the closed captions!



P.S. Sorry I was crabby yesterday.

Yes, yes, I am.

For those of you holding your breaths, I am still pregnant.  You are just going to have to wait.  Jared was born the day after his due date, so as of today, I have never been this pregnant before.  You don't need to ask again, I will let you know (with plenty of exclamation points) when things have happened.  No one is more ready than I am.
I've had contractions every single night this week, none of which have turned into a baby, so I've got better things to do.  I've had my little cry about it, but I am going to move on now.  There is some baking to be done, sewing projects to start and finish, movies to be watched and a little boy who needs some attention. 

Ugh, pregnancy, I am so over you.

We're together now

Ken is here now and we are together!  Hurray!

Well, except that he was gone all of yesterday to get us a new apartment.
Well, and today, after our last midwife appointment, he spent the rest of his time doing this:

Seriously, though I am glad we are in the same state.  And I'm glad that he is willing to miss all the fun we have during the day, so we can have a job someday.  He is awesome.

 

We are in love!

Feeling pretty

I got my toenails done today.  The leg rub and shiny colors make me feel like a million bucks. 
Now I am pretty sure that this means I am labor-ready.  Someone should let the baby know...

Pink eye

Jared got a touch of pink eye this weekend.  This was taken after the goopiness really cleared up.  Thankfully, it is almost completely better now.  It was just too pitiful!

First snow

The day started out rainy, but turned into this.  Hurray snow! 

On a related note, oh my goodness, I am having a winter baby.

Planning for success

So one thing I forgot in Utah is the USB cord for the camera.  And the one my parents have doesn't fit.  So, you'll just have to use your imaginations for a while.
My life feels like it is full of countdowns.  4 days until Ken gets here. 8 days until my due date. 15 days until I'm a week overdue.  16 days until Thanksgiving and 46 days until Christmas.  Well, yesterday instead of focusing on what is not happening, I planned.  I figured out everything I want to do before Ken gets here this weekend.  And then (this is the coolest part) I planned a reward system for each day between my due date and my possible induction.  Great right?  That way I'm not as grumpy when I don't have a baby yet!  Highlights of this plan include a haircut, a luxurious bath, frozen custard from Culver's, and a romantic night out with Ken.  Waiting a bit to have this little one is not looking so bad after all!
I am feeling pretty proud of myself right now...

Things I miss about Provo

• My friends (I miss my friends, I miss my friends!)
• Football game traffic and energy- inconvenient, but exciting
• Free stuff from on campus- hot dogs, cake, magnets, frisbees, concerts, movies, etc.
• Near sound proof apartments
• Peers- Seriously 90% of people I interacted with are within five or six years of my age
• Museums (again mostly free)
• Turning lanes- stress free left turns!
• The temple
• So much to do! If you complain about the activities available in Provo you are crazy. Seriously there are plays, concerts, dances, comedy shows, sporting events and special lectures going on all the time. And that is just on campus! Off campus there is bowling, mini-golf, roller skating, boating, hiking, dollar theater, shopping, parks, dozens of restaurants and much more! I apologize for this mini rant.
• Mormons- I am truly excited for my life of being in the religious minority, but there is something nice about not having to explain yourself or your actions. General conference, fast Sunday and handcart recreations are a little hard to explain sometimes.
• My apartment- I just figured out where everything belonged...
  
• Watching autumn and winter come down the mountain.
• Walking past the places where Ken and I fell in love. We did this walk on the night before I left. Hormones and memories combined were a powerful combination.
• Being near my sister Ruth. I have come to appreciate the idea of living in the same town/neighborhood as all of my siblings. That would be a feat to coordinate!
• Wymount- it is such a wonderful community. Safe. Quiet. Lots of playgrounds. Volleyball in the summers. Free pastries on Fridays. *Sigh*
• Case lot sales- When everyone is working on a ten year food supply, the grocery stores supply anything you could want. In bulk.
• BYU devotionals- Honestly, I didn't go to many after I had Jared, but it was nice knowing they were there.
• Smoke free environment. Especially when I am pregnant, I have a hard time understanding why smoking isn't a criminal offense. I am absolutely horrified at the thought of moving into an apartment that has ever had smokers in it.
• Hilly walks- I dread them, but my calves look awesome after just a week or two of consistency.
• Ken- I hope he gets here soon!
  

Where's Waldos?

Kelsey and Ruthie did a great job making where's waldo costumes. Costumes reminds me that the first time I published a technical paper I wrote "costumers" instead of "customers". 3 engineers proof read paper and didn't catch the mistake. Non-engineers like my wife and mother, the only non engineers who ever read it, caught the mistake. Which makes me wonder, "are all engineers dyslexic like I am?" Anyhow there will be no costumers mentioned in my thesis that I am currently wrapping up. The photos shown here are from a church Halloween party.


I was hoping to get a picture of us walking around in our costumes in a crowded walkway in between classes. But unfortunately finishing my thesis and getting Kelsey and Jared to Wisconsin and preparing for a move are more important.
Jared and Eden
Jared and Calvin

Goodbye Provo!

I'm a little bit freaking out about leaving my home and friends. But it is good and I will allow myself to process emotions when I get a little more settled later.
Provo, BYU, our friends and neighbors have been wonderful and I can hardly believe this day has come! Goodbye!

I did a goal!

A goal I set after Jared was born was to make a quilt for the next baby. And unlike most of my goals which I forget or exchange for different goals/priorities, I actually did it!!!
It was a simple start (no cutting and it is tied, not hand quilted or anything), but I feel wonderful about this!
It took me three months of mostly procrastination, but some definitely some work and perseverance, but I changed this:

(pre-cut jelly roll strips)

Into this:

Ta da!

Sewn, basted, tied and bound! Special thanks to the ladies at the fabric store for answering my dumbest of questions. Also to Lauren who gave me the motivation to finish it!
I can hardly believe I am learning all these traditional homemaker skills. Adding to the stereotype every day!

36 Weeks

You always need a mother

My mom was here this past weekend. It was awesome!

Jared enjoyed running to her with outstretched arms yelling, "Grandma!"
We did a lot of things most of which are not pictured. But I don't have to photo-document things to prove it to you.
We went to the Hare Krishna temple in South Fork and fed the llamas some apples and grains. And Mom got Jared a llama put that now has to eat apples several times a day.

On our way back from one of our hikes, (that's right we are athletic and outdoorsy) we encountered cattle on the road. I was nervous, but Ruth needed to "run with the bulls."
We did some shopping. Some at Sundance, some at Sam's club, some at cute boutiques, but most importantly we shopped Ikea.
Ruth and Jared did much sword fighting and horse riding.


It was an amazing weekend and I am glad I don't have to wait very long to see my mom again. Just one more week!

Building temples

There were never more devoted sisters!

My older sister, Annalisa, flew out this past weekend with her family for a quick visit. It was wonderful!!!
I just love the dynamic that the three of us have together. It is awesome.
Hurray for sisterhood!

Also, Baby Leggings

Told you I was on a crafting kick...



These are from that day I did tie-dyeing.

Homecoming parade

We felt like good parents this year for braving the cold and letting our toddler to run into traffic to pick up candy off the road.






We, of course, didn't get any pictures of the parade, but fortunately we got plenty of Jared's balloon obsession.

Conference Weekend Craft

I love that crocheting is so quick!!!
Jared and I needed new hats, so I just powered these out in a few hours each. Ken is jealous and maybe he'll get a hat if the stars align again in the next 6 weeks.

Baby Gowns

A few months ago I got these shirts from DI:

And finally, I decided to work on some projects. So I used this awesome tutorial to change them into these:

Baby gowns and hats!
Cool, right?!?
They are not necessarily "well crafted" as I am a beginning seamstress. But I had fun making them and it has been good practice for learning how to use my new sewing machine.
One tip- If you are planning on doing this tutorial be sure to use at least a large-sized t-shirt. Medium shirts just do not have enough material.

Play Imitates Life

One of Jared's main pretend play is putting his toys in time-out. They usually say sorry pretty quickly and give kisses.
Larry gets in trouble a lot.

Now, where did my two year old learn this?

Another Lovely Conference Weekend

So, I'm a Mormon. One thing this means is that twice a year, I set aside a weekend to listen to prophets and apostles. Pretty cool, right?
Well, we had a wonderful conference weekend! On Saturday, Ken and I watched conference at home while trying to teach Jared the names of the first presidency members. They are now known in our home as "Monson," "Eye" and "Arf." Jared now demands treats whenever he sees pictures of these men! It is cool to watch Jared's progression of awareness.
Oh, and who else gasped when they heard about the second temple to be built in Provo? Because I sure did!
Sunday morning, Ruth and I went up to Salt Lake to the conference center. Somehow, we got amazing seats! We were in the seventh row from the front!!!! That is like out of a bajillion rows! We could see the expressions of not only all the General Authorities, but also of all the choir members. It was awesome to watch everyone up there. This session also contained my favorite talk of the weekend by Elder Hales. He is awesome.
Sunday afternoon was spent with some awesome family members. The Woodwards are amazing hosts and always feed us sooooooooooo well. Eliza and Caroline (my cousins who attend BYU) were there as well. I'm so glad my family is so lovable!
Thanks to Aunt Geniel for the photos!

Suzannah and Ruth are chilling with my little boy

All the lady relatives (Caroline, Suzannah, Ruth, Me, Geniel and Eliza) plus Jared.

Jared is in love with the giant shark stuffed animal he is leaning on and recently discovered hiding in the Woodward's cabinet.

Sweet angelic cousin Kemper!

Family photo!

Dehydrating

There's a little orchard place (not near the actual orchard, but I don't know what to call it because it is less than a store and more than a stand) not far from here. I finally went there to buy some fruit. Their "good" half bushels cost between 15 and 18 dollars, but their half bushels of "seconds" are only 6 dollars! You have to get there early and wait for seconds because they are in demand, but considering the fruit is about 25 cents per pound it is definitely worth it in my book.
Well, I got a half bushel of apples and a half bushel of peaches to share with my sister. She took care of Jared during the 1.5 hour wait, which was awesome because it would've been near impossible without her.
Anywho, instead of doing canning, which is heavy and hard to move, I chose to dehydrate my produce! I made dried apple slices and peach leather. It has been truly satisfying to take something that is literally second rate and turn it into something awesome.

The apples and peach leather don't last long in our house!

Enjoying My Chocolate

This past weekend I went up to Salt Lake with my new friend Jamie to see the General Relief Society Broadcast. I love to go and be a part of all the energy and excitement surrounding this wonderful meetings!
Well, as there usually is, there was a message that really has stayed with me because it was what I needed to hear. President Dieter Uchtdorf talked about 5 things we should not forget. The one that touched me was about remembering to enjoy the happiness of every day. He shared the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. When people start frantically looking for the golden ticket to tour the factory that is all they care about. They are then disappointed by their chocolate bar when it is not accompanied by one of those tickets. People who live their lives this way are missing out on so many things that would have otherwise made them happy.
For those of you who don't know, this spring we were planning on moving to a job out in Indiana. They had all but sent the official paperwork for a job that I was very excited about. (Ken like it too!) But in late June, they informed us that they were in a hiring freeze and would not be offering Ken a job anytime soon. This was devastating for me. I LOVE stability and I had already imagined a future in Indiana, but that was gone. So I cried for that day, but since then I've let it go.
Since then, Ken has applied for lots of jobs all over and has had some promising interviews. It seems that every week we are anticipating a job offer. None have materialized quite yet. Which is fine because he hasn't finished his thesis yet, but it will be soon.
Meanwhile, I want to nest! And since I am anticipating moving before this baby arrives I can't set up her room or decorate or hoard frozen meals. So I've used this energy to thoroughly research the four or five cities that are our most likely future homes. I can tell you where the best schools are, where the housing I am looking into is located, which hospitals have the best reputations, which midwives or doctors are covered by our current insurance and the prospective insurance we may have if we take a job with the local company. (Yeah, I've researched that too.) It has been a nice way to expend some nervous energy and feel prepared(ish) to move a couple of weeks before this baby is born.
However, yesterday I had an epiphany (supplied by my sister, Ruth) in which I realized in all of my nervous anticipation of the future I am wasting time and worrying about possible futures that may very well not happen. I need to fill my life with things that are enjoyable now and are about my life here in Provo. I'm very good at the internet and I can be fully confident that if we are offered a job in Timbuktu, I can find out the things we need to know very quickly. And there are things I don't want to miss out on here. There are museums I can visit, food I can try, crafts I can make, corners I can tidy, people I can help, errands I can run, friendships that I can strengthen. All of these things are more important than my "golden ticket" of having a stable job and home. And no amount of fretting is going to get us a job!
And seriously, we could have a job offer in a couple of days or weeks. Or it might even take several more months, but I need to focus on finding happiness in each day. I know that things will work out just fine! I want to live my life each day and not be waiting for some future event to happen before I let myself relax and enjoy things. There is no way I am going to let myself be disappointed with a great chocolate bar!

Ready like Daddy

Jared got all ready to head out the door with his dad!

I'm pretty sure just about everyone has a picture from their childhood wearing gigantic shoes. I love it! Jared just loves Ken so much. It is so sweet to watch their relationship develop.

Mmmm, Fiber

Recently I bought some of this at the Stadium Farmer's Market.

They were giving out samples and I couldn't help myself! This stuff is seriously awesome! Now I am trying to tread a fine line between feeding my family cheaply and feeding them healthfully. This mix is a bit on the expensive side (for a student family) at $7 for two pounds, but on the other hand it has 5 grams of fiber per serving and is probably the most delicious pancakes I have ever tasted. Quality has won this round!
I got a bag of sugar free pancake mix and was not disappointed by the flavor. I simply added bananas and served!


If you are interested in getting in on this scrumptiousness even if you do not live in my near vicinity, you can visit their website: treestreetgrains.com. They ship!
Enjoy!