He is here!!!

Welcome to our family Hyrum Blake Russell!!
I am sorry but I will not be posting his birth story quite yet! It is way too long and I need time to write it down! I started the inducing process at 8pm Wednesday the 23rd and we thought he would be there the following morning because things were progressing so well.... Hyrum had other plans and decided to make it a little harder on the both of us! His name was not even a name we had thought of or put on our list but came to Kim when she held him for the first time after he was cleaned off! Story to come soon!

Born Thursday October 24th, 2013 (His exact due date)
Time: 4:01pm
Weight: 8 Pounds 1 Ounce
Length: 21 and a quarter inches
His hair is brown but still has that hint of silver like Olivia's had when she was born!

I absolutely love that little face! So grumpy!

Getting his foot print done

Daddy loves his little boy! Yes there were some tears shed from everyone

Within the first couple hours he had already found his fingers and was sucking on them

First Bath

Rock On Kid! (getting his hearing test done)

Dad, Olivia (21 months) and Hyrum (1 hour)

Our little Frankenstein Baby

After 2 long days of no sleep... I was exhausted

He already started to take a pacifier by day 3 after being born

Hyrum is perfect in every way and is such a good baby! We are still getting a hang on the whole nursing to fill his belly instead of snacking every 15 minutes but he will figure it out soon! He already only wakes up 2 times every night and is such a good sleeper during the day! It is 7:30pm and both the kids are down for bed already so I am going to follow the trend! We are so lucky to be blessed with these amazing kids and we love them so much!

Little Man Update

On Friday last week I went to my doctor for another weekly appointment! My blood pressure was up a lot (it has been creaping up for the past couple weeks but has never been this high before) so he increased my dosage of blood pressure medicine and then we started talking baby! He said that he will not let me go over my due date (which is Thursday Oct. 24th) so we needed to either get this baby coming on my own (which I have been trying to do for about a week now) or that we will have to induce! I was not thrilled about the idea of inducing because I was hoping to go on my own but I guess it is a better idea than my blood pressure increasing more and causing other complications the further along I am or over my due date.

So while we were still in his office he called the hospital to see what they had available for my due date day (they didn't have anything available) so then he started working his way backwards away from my due date.

The hospital scheduled me to go in Oct. 23rd Wednesday at 8pm to be induced! Trevor and I will go out to one last date night dinner before and then head to the hospital on Wednesday evening! My doctor said that he will let me walk around and do whatever I want once I get to the hospital so I am not strapped to the bed like I was last time. He will only monitor me every couple of hours... which we are hoping means that I wont be strapped down the whole time and I can walk around the hospital as much as I want. We will see what happens! We are hoping to add our new bundle of joy to our family by Thursday early in the morning but I guess we will just see what happens!

Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers in our behalf while we have been waiting for this little munchkin boy to get here! We are so excited to welcome him into our family and can not wait to show him off too the world (and my blog family)

Happy Monday Evening! I hope you have a great week! We sure will with all the joy that will be happening this week!

Photo Explosion

Since we will be having another addition to our family sometime soon I have been trying to clean off room on my camera and video camera to make space for all his cuteness. He is due in 2 weeks from today but we have a feeling that he will not make it to his due date since I am having a lot of progress happening and great contractions. Anyway... my point is I have a lot of pictures but no story to go along with them so here you go! Oh and ignore how Livy's onesie is always snapped on the outside. She is having a problem with going into a different room than where we are and taking off her diaper and making a mess. This was the only way we have found that works for naps and bedtime to stop that problem. During the rest of the day she wears normal clothes I promise.

Standing and sitting in window watching an amazing monsoon season storm

Livy had to sit and face the camera

She is silly

After watching most of the lightening Livy was finally ok to go outside and play in the water and not be scared

She was shaking because it was so cold... but any type of water and livy is playing in it

They look like they have streaks on their faces in the next couple pictures but it really was pouring rain so hard I couldn't get a good shot of just them in the rain and not the rain on them

These 2 sure love each other

It was freezing

Livy looking out the window at another rain storn

She is precious

She has figured out how to get a laundry basket flipped over next to our bed so she can climb on top

She would not let go of the shower bar after a tub one night so we closed the curtain and one took a picture and the other held her up so she looked tall

That girl has a death grip I tell you

All ready for bed but watching a movie waiting for her dad to get home from class (with all of the toys that she asked for)

This girl loves pasta.... That is why she is only wearing a diaper or else all her clothes would be ruined (trust me, it has happened before)

Pasta Smile

Why yes that is waffle up her nose. We did not teach her how to do that but she does that a lot with stuff and pretzels. (even during church she did it one time... silly kid)

She really knows how to melt me heart. Throw tantrums till I am gonna go crazy and then smile like that and give me a kiss... yeah! She is good!

My 2 favorite people in the whole entire world. They are so much alike it is scary some times!

I hope that gives you a little update on our life lately... through pictures! Hope you are having a great week! Happy Columbus Day Weekend!

The Two Curly Headed Princesses

Once Upon a Time there were two Beautiful Princesses!

One had Curly Red Hair and  the other had Curly Blond Hair

They liked to have secret meetings talking about who knows what! Until one day, the blond princess noticed a camera women trying to take their photo. She told the red headed princess about this crazy lady.

The younger princess was not pleased with this crazy women and started to yell and say "no no" to her. She then took off her crown and robe and stormed away.

The camera lady thought she was being clever by taking pictures to show to the older princess' mom... boy was she wrong! The younger princes then had a melt down as the beautiful and sweet red headed princess tried to comfort her and tell the camera lady "she sad. she sad?!?"

The camera lady then felt very bad for ruining the princesses meeting and went into another room to put her camera to rest.

Moral of the story is: If you have 2 pretty little princesses that are having a meeting that you are not invited too... then sneak into the room to take pictures instead of opening the door wide open.

Credits:
*Red Headed Princess is Trevor's Cousin Allee Brimhall Johnson's little girl who is 2 (I think she is almost 3). Her name is Kimee Tink Johnson! (She is so precious and we all love her so much around our house)
*Blond Headed Tantrum Throwing Princess is my little 21 month old Olivia Jean Russell! 

Alone with me, myself and some random thoughts!

Is it just me or does this year seem to be flying by so quickly! Spring went by fast because we were preparing for all the trips we would be going on during summer. Summer flew by in the blink of an eye because we were so busy every week with something fun to do and a lot of vacations. Now it is September 16th and I am wondering where time has gone!

I love fall. The beautiful colors of leaves changing and the weather is still warm but not quite coat season yet. This monsoon season has even lasted for a really long time. Trevor and I were discussing the other day about how long monsoon season has lasted. We began wondering what winter will be like. Will it be cold all winter but not much snow or a lot of snow and be short! I hate being cold and so this winter I am a little nervous about living in our current place with having to use space heaters and a propane heater that only keeps one room warm! Will we all be warm enough?!? Knowing that Trevor is a propane man I am pretty sure he will keep us warm! We will have to make it work! We have gone back and forth about trying to find a new place to live but it always came down to "We dont want to be tied to a year contract somewhere when we are wanting to find a new job starting in May next year... and that new job may take us out of Snowflake or something."

I am going to be 35 weeks along on Thursday this week! Time has been flying by in my pregnancy too! It seems like just yesterday I was telling people that I have 10 weeks left... 2 months left....  a month and a half.... Yeah! I have only 5 weeks left and that is a little scary. I will hopefully be fully ready for him by this weekend after I go shopping in the valley with my mom and sister but I think I need to prepare mentally a little more! I am not ready for my family of 3 to be a family of 4 yet. I am really ok enjoying my time with my little girl and amazing hubby, just the 3 of us, for the next 5 weeks or longer! Last week at my appointment compared to todays appointment was a big relief too! Being put on Blood Pressure medicine kinda freaked me out making me think that I was going to have to be induced again or be on bed rest! Today my blood pressure was at a normal range and my doctor said that he is not very worried about it because the little dose he gave me has helped in a big way! But.... I am afraid! When being induced you dont have contractions that are real that you have to time. I had my water broken for me with an epidural so I dont know what it even felt like. I had an epidural so my contractions were strong but I dont remember feeling any of them! The hospital we will go too is about half an hour away from us and I am afraid that I will try laboring as much at home as I can and then I wont make it in time! I have so many thoughts and concerns because I feel like I am going through labor for the first time. Like how a first time mom would be concerned! Trevor and I talk pretty much every night about our plan of how it will go down but it still is a little nerve wreaking.  Livy already has a place to go when i go to the hospital. After the baby is born livy will be brought to the hospital by Trevor's dad and then go home with Trevor's parents to stay the night. We have it all figured out... but I still am a little nervous!

Talking to my sister and mom about it will help calm my nerves! There is just some people that are good about helping me feel better about things when I am nervous or scared or like this morning up tight about something dumb! I know this post is a complete ramble so I am sorry! My family is either in bed or at school so I am alone with my thoughts! Happy Monday Night! Have a great rest of the week!

My Pregnancy Explained....

Ok so maybe it isn't the whole pregnancy explained but it for sure finally makes sense to us!!

Today I had my 33 week pregnancy check-up. Last time I went was at 31 weeks and I had border line high blood pressure but they didn't do anything about it! Today when i went in, it was about the same (border line 140 something/80 something).... My doctor didn't even think twice when he walked in and said, "yup, we are putting you on high blood pressure medicine." I just thought... Oh great, here we go again!

He measured my growing belly and listened to little man's heart beat (which was perfect and normal).. Then my doctor sat down and started to explain the difference of my  HBP from my first pregnancy with Livy and then the diagnosis of today!

 HBP= High Blood Pressure

When I was pregnant with Livy around 26 weeks I started to swell really bad (retain water), had really bad headaches, got light headed all the time (even turning a corner too fast..) and I always was tired. I was put on HBP medicine at around 32 weeks and sometime between 34-36 weeks I was put on bed rest. It was so hard. I felt like doing anything made me even more tired and it was really hard to not be able to do anything besides take a shower every day and then lay on my side the full day. Around 36 weeks my doctor started to talk about inducing me (which freaked me out a little because I had so many people tell me it is a harder labor and delivery) I was induced at 39 weeks and was blessed with the most perfect little angel girl ever! We love her so much! If you do not know her... you need to become friends with her! She will win you over with one little "hi."

This pregnancy I have tried the whole pregnancy to avoid HBP! I went to my appointment and I was put on medicine like I said before!

How my doctor explained the difference between the first pregnancy and second is so easy:

1st time:
I had toxicity which means my body was not getting ride of the toxins and I was retaining fluid like no other so it was pretty much toxic for Olivia when I was pregnant with her. So the HBP meds were to keep it at a normal level. And I also had Preclampsia which pretty much your body is not producing enough oxygen so the placenta veins are starting to get smaller and so instead of giving my body a boost to get those veins to open and kill us both, the only choice was to induce!

This time:
I have pregnancy induced hypertension. Which just means I have higher blood pressure due too the increase in blood volume and trying to provide to the placenta too! I am not retaining water and getting light headed. I am actually really healthy and the meds are just to maintain a normal blood pressure unlike the first time when it was to keep me pretty much alive since it kept increasing everyday!

It made sense too us so much better than my 1st OB doctor explained it! This may not make sense to some but the point is I am healthy and strong... baby is doing great! I am on blood pressure medicine just to maintain a healthy blood pressure while little man continues to grow! I am due in about 6 weeks and am so excited to meet him!

Happy Little Girl

She was dancing for us! So dramatic

Our little happy family

Little Sass when mom asks her to smile for the camera

 

The 4 year battle!!!

Today is one of those days where I kept looking at Trevor and thinking to myself "Man, I am so dang lucky." Lucky because, he could have given up the battle of 4 long years to win me over.

 I dont think many of you know our "Story." So, for just a fun recap to pass the time I will fill you in!

In 2006 I graduated High School. There was a Special EFY that was being held in June after I graduated in Showlow and Snowflake! I was told by my parents that this would be the last time that I would be able to attend EFY (I had only been 1 time before) so I decided to attend! My sister was going to be a counselor for it so I figured it wouldn't be that bad! I was going to be rooming with my cousin Mary and I was thrilled for that chance to spend time with her! I went to this EFY not expecting or even hoping to find friends from it because A: I was way older than anyone attending because I had already graduated High School and B: Why make friends when you get to go away to college and meet cute college guys right?!?

NOT....

The first day was nothing that I can remember but then the second day... oh the second day... there was this skinny blonde headed kid that was super cute but who knew if I was older than him! Maybe I will become friends with his little brother who was in our same group and see what happens from there. ......... I really cant remember details but all I remember is that by the end of the week we were together constantly and he was "Interested" in another girl in our group but still acted like he liked me a little. By the last night, with the last dance we dance every slow dance together... we had a blast and laughed so much together! The morning we all were checking out we said our goodbyes and I had this thought in my head of "dang it. I will probably never see this guy again because he is from Snowflake, In High School still and I was moving to college in a month."

BOY WAS I WRONG AGAIN.....

He emailed me the following day and asked if Mary and I would want to come meet him and his brother in Holbrook at the fair grounds. After some discussing with my parents I had the keys and my heart was racing and I couldn't contain my happiness! We went to to fair grounds, to Dairy Queen for Ice Cream and then to a park. We even held hands for the first time at Dairy Queen because I was so star struck by this guy and wanted too hold his hand... haha. Yes, I made the first move... :)

That date ended and then time went by. We "dated" the rest of the summer, which consisted of 24th of July festivities in Snowflake and a movie date in Flagstaff with a picnic at a park up there... it was so much fun but I couldn't continue to date this guy that I was falling head over heals for because I was moving off to college and he was going back to High School (yuck...) and it just wouldn't work out. So after him trying to convince me a couple times to stay around and go to school closer, we ended our "dating" and I went to school in St. George Utah.

WE kept in contact a little by email but nothing serious that whole year! The following summer we picked up where we left off a little and I just thought, "Oh you are going on a mission... I will be in Utah(the land of people getting married), who knows if I will be around when you get home." He tried giving me a promise ring but I laughed at him and told him my hate of boys asking girls to wait... and off he went to Serve a Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Russia.

Russia.... yeah right! Like I will be around when he gets home!

MAN I REALLY AM WRONG EVERY TIME.....

2 years passes and yet, I am still single (Thank You Mom for kidnapping me when I dated "Puke Boys") His younger brother (the one I met at EFY) emails me the week before he gets home and invites me to his homecoming. I work things out so I can come and I show up with Mary again!

OH MY GOSH... LOOK AT HIM... HE LOOKS SO GREAT, MATURE, AND SO HANDSOME.

My heart melted.. I couldn't keep my eyes off him. When our eyes first met, I think that same spark happened for both of us. To tell you the truth I seriously dont remember a word he said in his homecoming talk because I was probably thinking about wedding colors or something. haha :) After Sacrament we met out in the hall and he gave me a hug for the first time. Yes, I melted in his arms too.. :) I am so strange.. I know! I Brought my camera so we got a picture of Mary, Me, Him and his brother! The whole time we were taking pictures he had his arm around me and kept trying to tickle me like it was before his mission. (I hate being tickled and he knew it... but I loved him tickling me and he knew it) We went home after that picture and I came back a few days later and we sat on his parents front porch on their swing and talked. We talked about how the feeling were still there between us... and how much we wanted to make a relationship work. He kissed me, liked it was the first time (It wasn't the first time... the first time was at the movie in flag sorta and then at the 24th of July celebration back in 2006) We are now in 2009 people. 3 years later and these feelings for him were still there! I went home after that porch date and we lost contact. He got home in July and I didnt hear from him till September. He wanted me to meet him at the WInslow VS. Snowflake game in Winslow... I went even though I was annoyed at this Snowflake Boy that broke my heart by telling me he loved me and then never called me. Other details happened and I ended up moving to Utah to date another guy because this guy broke my heart and I was not gonna give him another chance.

YOU WOULD THINK I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE IDEA THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE WAS MAKING HIM WIN ME OVER EVERY TIME.... I DIDN'T GET IT...

He some how one night got the impression to call me late one October night after I had gotten home from a date with my boyfriend in Utah... I answered... all those feeling came flooding back to me.

After 2 weeks of every night talking on the phone with what I told my boyfriend was "A friend back home that was having troubles and needed my help to talk too to get over the problems." After those 2 weeks I realized that the guy I was dating was nothing I wanted in a future spouse and that dating was going no where and so I talked to my parents and decided to move back home. I moved home during the middle of the week and by the weekend was going to be having a date with him again. We went on our date and those feelings were there. We had already told each other that we loved each other and wanted to date. There was no way I was gonna let him forget about me again....

I moved back the week after Halloween. We were engaged January 23rd, 2010 and Married April 23, 2010! After 4 long years of this back and forth battle to win him over we finally sealed the deal!

Back to the point of the post.... I look at him and realize how lucky I am that through 4 long years we finally were sealed for Time and All Eternity and now I get to spend the rest of Eternity looking at my best friend and eternal companion and realize how lucky I am that he chose me.