My babies

Friday night we had a memorable moment when both the kids were asleep. The moment wasn't just special because both kids were asleep, although that was a nice added bonus.

It was just fun to look at both of them and see how much Jarom has grown and realize how blessed we have been.

Some moments of motherhood are hard, but little moments like these are the ones that remind me of how lucky I am, and help me remember how much I LOVE being a mom - through it all, good times and bad, I can't imagine my life being any other way.

Taysia Noel Dawson

Well, it finally happened! We now have two kids!!! (wow it makes me feel really old to say that!) We went into the hospital Thursday night at about 10:00 where I found out that I wasn't much further along than I was two days earlier at my doctor appointment. I was still only dilated to a three and 80% effaced. I was told to go for a walk around the hospital and come back in 45 minutes. Determined to make the most of this, I decided to take the stairs and push it along a little faster, however after one flight of stairs and a few contractions later, I said heck with it, slowed my pace and tried to not double over with the pain of every contraction. 45 minutes later I was dilated to a 5 which was good, but not exactly what I wanted to hear. I was hoping I was more like a 7 because I felt like I should be at least a 9.
I think I was just worn out from trying everything like walking and stairs all day Thursday to try to make myself go into labor, because to me the contractions felt so much stronger than they ever did with Jarom. I was hoping that everything would go super quick and I could do without the epidural like I did with Jarom, but as the contractions kept getting worse, and I knew I still had a long ways to go (and a lot more pain to go through) I finally babied out and requested an epidural. I don't regret my decision though because it made it so that I could relax which made me progress about twice as fast. In the 20 minutes that it took for the epidural to kick in I went from being dilated to a 5 to an 8, and 2 contractions later I was ready to push, so I had to blow for about 7 minutes until the doctor could get there. Three contractions later, at 12:50 am, Taysia Noel was born. She weighed 7 lbs 10 oz (which is pretty good for being nearly 2 weeks early) and was 19 inches long. She is truly a beautiful baby!!!




Jarom was so delighted to meet her, and wanted to hold her and hug her and give her kiss after kiss. He is definitely excited to have a little sister, and goes around constantly saying "Tayta! Tayta! every time he sees her.

We're finally home after our 24 hour stay. It feels so good to just be home and spend time with my little family. I feel like I have just recently witnessed the most beautiful miracle. I believe that every baby is a miracle, but just holding my little girl and looking at her perfect little face and fingers and toes, and knowing that she is finally here, and that she is healthy and strong and that there weren't any complications or problems is amazing to me. There were so many opportunities for complications to have arisen throughout this pregnancy and at her birth, and yet here she is, as perfect as a baby could be. I feel like I have witnessed the greatest miracle of all, and I know that I will feel that way every time I hold this precious child of God in my arms, and thank him for entrusting such a special spirit to me and Thayne. We have truly been blessed and I thank my Heavenly Father for it.

Christmas projects

We have had such a fun Thanksgiving. Last weekend was spent with my family in Oregon, and Thanksgiving day was spent with Thayne's family in Utah. I can't help but feel so grateful for all that I have been given in this live, especially my family. I don't know what I would do without such a wonderful husband and adorable little boy. I am so grateful to be sealed to them for eternity. I believe that is the most incredible blessing that anyone could ask for.
I have been meaning to post this video for a long time. Thayne taught Jarom to flex his muscles, and he is so funny when he does it. It was hard to get him to do it for the camera, but I am glad that I got the video when I did because he doesn't do it as well now. Aren't kids the cutest when they do the littlest things?!?

Thayne and I spent the day decorating the house for Christmas (pictures coming soon!) I was having the hardest time trying to figure out what to do to hang our stockings up, but Thayne came up with the most creative little hangers that hook over the banister. I have to admit, I did have my doubts when he explained it to me, but after we had them all cut out and painted I realized all over again that my husband is truly a genius and I need to stop doubting his "crafty abilities"!

6 lbs 6 oz

I think I am doomed to have big babies. I had an ultra sound yesterday to check on the growth of our little girl, and make sure that the placenta is still functioning properly. I was told that everything looks great and normal, however, she is measuring about a week ahead on her growth. She is 6 lbs 6 ounces right now, and I still have 4 weeks to go until my due date. If that is the case, and she continues to gain like she has been it means I will have a nine and a half pound baby! Not that a big baby is a bad thing if it means she is healthy, I was just looking forward to having a slightly easier delivery than last time.
Thayne and I had a wonderful weekend in Oregon with my family. It was so fun to see everyone again, I only wish we could have spent more time instead of feeling like we were rushing there and rushing back home. I have to say though, it was a wonderful way to spend my birthday. It is funny how it is with birthdays, they used to be such a big deal to me, and turning one year older was so important, but suddenly they just seem like mile markers, of wonderful memories from the past. To be completely honest, I don't feel any older or different than I did five years ago when I turned eighteen. Maybe that is how it is supposed to be. Now if I had just turned 25 like Thayne... That would be different; I am sure I would feel old then. (wink wink!) I love you Thayne!

an opportunity to do better

We've finally decided to join the rest of the world and get Internet. So this opens a whole new window for me to do better about updating our blog. Hopefully now that I will be posting more often, my updated news won't be too boring. I finally had Thayne take a picture of my belly about a week ago, the problem is, I swear I am sticking out four inches further this week. (sigh) There is no way to keep up with it.
Jarom loves to give my tummy hugs and kisses when we ask him where his little sister is. I know it is going to be a big change when she is born (I think he is going to be incredibly jealous of all the attention that she gets, and the fact that he is suddenly no longer the only child), but I don't think it will take long for them to become the best of friends.

I also feel like this pregnancy is taking forever. It didn't seem to take this long with Jarom. I just feel like there are so many more aches and pains this time around, and every week feels like it should have been two. Maybe it is because I have my hands full with an 18 month old little boy who is determined to make every day a challenge. Which brings up a whole new subject. I need some advice. Jarom has started pushing and hitting everyone, especially kids who are his size and smaller. I feel like I have tried everything to get him to stop, but it just doesn't sink in. He is very smart and knows that what he is doing is wrong, but for some reason he just keeps doing it for no reason. So if any of you have any advice on how to make it stop, I will take it... I'm pretty much desperate.

I realize that it is nearly a month late, but I haven't posted pictures of Jarom from Halloween. He made a pretty cute Tigger (Thanks Amy!!!!) he just wouldn't sit still for the pictures, we were lucky we got any. We had fun the night before, carving pumpkins with Grandpa and Grandma Dawson. Grandpa Dawson's pumpkin is the one that you can see. Jarom thought they were the coolest thing watching them glow!!!

It has been way too long since I last updated our blog, and even longer since I got around to posting pictures. I'm sorry. My only excuse is that I've been a slacker!!! I was looking at the last pictures of Jarom that I posted and couldn't believe how much he has grown up since then. Some of these pictures show it, but it is amazing how much he has changed and grown in ways that can't be captured by a camera. He is such a character, and keeps us laughing (as well as running after him and constantly telling him "no touch") Every day he provides me with atleast one moment where I cant help but feel so grateful that I am a mom and that I am able to experience these wonderfully precious moments of his life with him. I could never do it without Thayne by my side. Some days (like today for example) he is the only thing that keeps me from losing it. So thank you Thayne for being such a good sport and for stepping in when I need you most!!!
The pregnancy is going well, everything is right on track with where I should be, so hopefully it will continue that way. I also can't complain about how I am feeling, as I have really felt pretty good the whole time. my little belly sticks straight out, I think even more so than I did with Jarom, I definetly need to post a picture for the fun of it. We are thinking of naming our little girl Tasia (we're stil working on the middle name). I am having a blast dreaming in shades of pink and am so excited to do the whole dressing up thing that the mother of a little boy doesn't get to experience to the same degree.

IT'S A GIRL!

I only have a quick minute, so I'm not going to spend time uploading pictures right now. I am just over 26 weeks pregnant, and it feels like the time is dragging by. (It never seemed to go this slow with Jarom.) We found out about six weeks ago that our lives were going to be changed by a little girl... not another boy. I've had a feeling that it was a girl the whole time, but part of me just thought it was wishful thinking. There was some concern when the ultra sound was performed that there might be fluid around her heart, but after a visit to the perinatoligist they confirmed that her heart looks great, however I am going in for another ultrasound on the the first of October so they can do an Echo on her heart to confirm that everything still looks good. They also discovered during the ultrasound that instead of her umbilical cord having one vein and two arteries, she only has one vein and one artery. What does this mean? It isn't as uncommon as you would think, however there are some risks that the doctors worry about. 90% of babys born with a "2 cord" are perfectly normal without any problems, the other 10% are born with some kind of birth defect. We have been assured that we are in the 90%, which is reassuring. The other concerns that the doctors have are that she may not continue growing towards the end of the pregnancy (that doesn't seem to be a problem now) and they would have to take her early, or there is also a slightly higher risk of having a still birth, which means they will do stress tests the last six or so weeks just to monitor things. I try not to worry, but sometimes I can't help it. I never imagined how scary it would be to be told that there could be complications or problems; it just never seemed like it would happen to me. I am just very grateful for technology, and that the lord answers prayers.

So, I actually remembered to put some pictures on the jump drive so I could add them to our blog. It has been so long since I added pictures that I actually have a lot that I wanted to share. When my family came to visit the end of May, we went to Egen Lake (I don't know if that is how it is spelled) We had so much fun. It was all I could do to get Jarom out of the water after about an hour. He had a blast!



Thayne and I love camping, and finally had the opportunity to go this year. It was so fun to take a little break and have some fun. The only bad part about the whole deal was that Jarom wasn't sure what to think of the whole experience, and was scared to death everytime he woke up in the night. When he would open his eyes and see the tent he would start crying and crawling as fast as he could across the tent trying to escape his nightmare. Needless to say, we got absolutely NO sleep that night. We watched it get darker and darker, and then watched it get lighter as the sun finally came up. We are all hoping it will go better next time.



This was Jarom's birthday. It was fun to watch him open his presents, and even more fun to watch him dig into his own personal chocolate birthday cake.



Jarom's Sandbox - which he loves. I am excited to put in a real one when we finish landscaping the yard, but the tire is working great for now.




We finally got some family pictures taken, and surprise, surprise, they actually turned out really good. It is nice to finally have something that we can hang on the wall.



This is one of the pictures that we took in between the family pictures. Jarom is getting so big!!!



This one was actally taken around easter time in our new house... when we still had Baby Girl(the dog) Jarom had a new facination with bubbles. I wish we could have captured the whole thing, but it was so funny to watch him trying to grab the bubbles as I was blowing them. It would have been better if we had done video (I know now).

Happy 4th of July!!!

I can't believe it is the middle of summer already. It feels like it should just be starting into spring. I must have missed something somewhere. Everything is going well for us. We are definetly keeping busy with trying to landscape the yard and everything, but I enjoy having something to do. Our garden is growing so well. It is so fun to finally have one at our house where I can take care of it. My biggest fear is that it is going to become overrun with weeds, and at the rate I am weeding, that is exactly what is going to happen.
As far as the pregnancy goes, I really can't complain. For the most part I feel fine, except for the occasional dose of nausea that hits me out of nowhere and makes me take it easy for a few hours so I don't puke or pass out. I am fifteen weeks, and although I fee like I am poking out and huge, everyone says I don't even look pregnant, so I guess that is a fairly good thing.
For the 4th, we are having a little BBQ at our house with Thayne's Brother and his family. It should be fun. I don't know if we are going to watch any fireworks because it is always so crowded and crazy when we go to the big show, and I'm not really in yhr mood to be pushed around and crowded to the point that I can't even enjoy it, but it will be nice to have Thayne home for an extra day. It seems like it has been lifetimes since we actually had some quality time to spend together. What is everyone doing for the 4th?

My busy boy

I've been such a slacker lately, partly because I want to post pictures, but never have the camera around to upload them when I think about posting another update. But I've decided to just post the pictures when I get around to it. Jarom started walking a little over a month ago (it was mid April) Now he is practically running everywhere. It is so fun to watch him go after one thing and then another. He is so busy, but honestly, I think it is easier with him walking than it was when he was crawling because his frustration is gone. But in addition to his new walking skills, he has also developed a sudden temper. I am trying to get him to walk more because his squirming 27 lbs is hard to pack around everywhere, but when I try to get him to walk, he throws himself on the floor and screams at the top of his lungs. I can't help but wonder if it is out of frustration of him not being able to say what he wants because when I try to get him to say "up", he will stop crying and hold his hands up looking so relieved that I know what he is trying to tell me. Being a mom can be so challenging on my patience some times.
The other big news that we just found out, is that we have a little number two on the way. I didn't actually find out that I was pregnant until i was 6 1/2 weeks along. The due date is December 23rd. I am just over 10 weeks today. It was a little bit of a surprise that we'll have two kids 19 months apart, but to say the least, we are excited, and trying to prepare ourselves for it.

SPRING

Spring is finally in the air! It seems to have hit us over night. One week we had two feet of snow, and the next we are staring at the bare dirt that is so abundant in our back yard. Although the change in weather is wonderful, with it comes the HUGE job of landscaping our full acre lot. I am excited for the end result, but know that there is going to be a lot of work that has to go into it to make it what we want it to be.
Last week My sister Taio and her husband came to visit. It was fun to see them and enjoy the couple of days that they were here. Their two little girls are adorable.
Jarom is getting close to walking. I am hoping that he will do so soon because I can't immagine it being possible for him to get into any more trouble than he already manages to find, so i don't think we will have to worry about that. It is amazing how fast kids grow. I know that everyone says that, and I know that I say it all the time too, but I just look at my little baby that isn't so little anymore, and can't believe how much he has changed and grown up. It is just crazy to see how he has changed from a helpless little newborn into a chubby little boy who is out to discover the world. I love being a mom. It is the most rewarding thing I have ever done, or ever hope to do.
Thayne made me a cake today, he said it was to cellebrate what a wonderful mommy and wife I am. It made me wonder what I did to deserve such an amazing husband. He is so much more than I ever expected to find in a man. He makes every day so fun and special for me. I wish I could be more like him. He is truly my best friend and the person who I look up to the most. I love you Thayne!

March 4th 2008

Today marks 9 months from the time that Jarom was born. I can't believe it has already been that long. I had no idea that he could be so busy and so much fun at the same time. We had to get a gate for the top of the stairs, and needless to say it as a major attraction for Jarom. He loves to shake it and lean against it, and try to climb up it, and because there is a six inch gap between it and the top step (just big enough for his little bum to fit in) he also tries to sit by it, but occasionally - as this picture so nicely shows - he can't get out of his sitting position. He was quite stuck! The thought did cross my mind to leave him there for a few minutes so he wouldn't be into everything, but after watching me laughing, and snapping a few pictures, he decided that he'd had quite enough.



On one of the most trying days as a mom (trying to keep up with him and trying to be patient.) we decided to go outside and build a snowman. I built it, wile he tried to figure out what all the white stuff was. To be honest, it took longer to get him dressed than we ended up staying outside, but it was fun to have a nice change of pace.


Jarom has also sprouted 4 teeth in the last 5 weeks (talk about stressful!!!) His second top tooth just broke through today. As a result of them coming in so fast, he hastn't really had time to figure out what they are, so he was constantly grinding his teeth and giving us the cheeziest looks as he felt his teeth inside his mouth. We couldn't get the picture that we were hoping, but now we are glad that we got the ones that we did because he stopped the cheese.

On a happier note, I have decided to try to shed some of the baby weight that has plagued me since I was pregnant, and have started jogging a mile and a half every morning for the last week and a half. To be honest, it isn't the easiest thing to drag myself out of bed every morning before Thayne leaves for work, but on the other hand, I haven't felt this good in a long time. It feels good to actually be doing something physical every day (besides chasing a nine month old little boy)!!!

Finally home!!!

Well, we are finally moved into our new house! I love it! I love the location, the colors, the size, the fact that we don't have crazy neighbors banging the other side of our wall!!! I love everything! I also love our new ward. I think I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever been welcomed into a new ward quite like this one! Everyone has been so eager to meet us and cater to our every need. It has been wonderful! I know that most wards start out good, and then you realize there are cliques, but I really hope that this one isn't that way! I was just amazed at fast and testimony meeting today, listening to the testimonies that were born. I really feel like we are part of a choice group of latterday saints.
my other big news is that Jarom started crawling, toddling along furnature, is cutting his first tooth (wow!), and is getting weaned off his binky all in the last week. He is so cute when he crawls, it is a rather robotic movement, but it is more than obvious that he would rather be walking, as he only crawls as long as he has to to get to something that he can pull himself up to. And as far as the new tooth thing goes... I am not sure what to do. He is so tempramental! I can only hope that he will get over that soon. When he is happy it is wonderful, but he throws a tantrum like a two year old. The weaning of the binky is going well. I wanted to get him off it before he hit a year, and in the last couple of weeks Thayne and I have realized how rediculously dependant we all are on it. He can't do anything without his binky either in his hand or his mouth. So far, he is down to only using it at night and at nap time, which is a relief, and I think it will be easy from here, since we made it through our first sunday without it. we'll just take it one step at a time.

January 11th 2008

We were supposed to close on our house on the 10th of January, but unfortunetly we had to post pone it until the 22nd. which means that we only have 11 days until we close and can start moving in. We have had two new additions to the family this last week. Two of Thayne's brothers just had little girls; one blond and one dark, but both as perfect as babies could be. I hope this week goes fast. I am so excited to be in our own home.