Thoughts

I had a whole different post set out to write, and then I realized that it was just TMI.  So, I thought that I'd write a little bit about the experience that I had almost two weeks ago (on 3/3). 
1)  Early Saturday morning, my water broke while I was in bed.  I totally thought that I had lost all control of my bladder, then I monitored it and realized what was going on. 
2)  We found Evan a sitter, and went to the Labor and Delivery Unit where they told me that my water had broken. 
3)  They started me on pitocin to kick start my contractions, which worked.  I took some drugs to take the edge off.  That didn't work.  So, they gave me an epidural.  And I am now a fan of those suckers.
4)  After three contractions (with me pushing), Logan Andrew was born.  He's a tiny little guy--only 6 lbs, 1 oz.  19 inches long.  He was 15 days early. 

What a different experience that I had this time in labor than I did with Evan.  I felt like I was going to be pregnant for the full forty weeks (or close to it!);  I really wasn't expecting to go into labor early.  But, now that I think about it, it's the perfect timing. 

1)  Friday/Saturday was supposed to be a scout trip that ended up getting cancelled.  That meant that Rick spent the night with me on Friday, instead of camped out with his boy scouts. 
2)  One of my friends made a blanket (a fancy shmancy swaddling blankie), and gave it to me on Friday afternoon. 
3)  I was informed that I would be released from my calling in church soon. 
4)  My worries about Evan no longer being an only child and his adjustment to having a brother had just subsided. 
5)  My house WAS clean... I had finished all of my nesting with a nice clean house
6)  My fear of labor and delivery was beginning to subside as well. 
7)  I had just finished a book (book #2, I hadn't started the third yet)...this is important, since they're a good set of books and I wasn't too into the last one yet. 
8)  I had come to terms that if I couldn't make it a nonmedicatd delivery, I wasn't going to be angry with myself.
9)  I had finally said a prayer on Friday night, telling Heavenly Father that whenever Logan decided to come, we would be ready to have him in our family and that we were prepared.

What an adjustment it is to having a small baby and a toddler.  I feel as though Logan has been a part of our family for eternity... he's a perfect fit, and a very sweet little guy.  We're very blessed to have him in our home, and for me to be healthy, with no complications at all this pregnancy/labor/delivery. 

Logan just moments after he was born.

Myself, Rick and Logan with our doctor.

Our new family. 

Evan getting to hold Logan

Myself and Logan

Logan in his going home outfit.

Day 14- Book by your Favorite Author

Since JRR Tolkien is my favorite author, I think that it's a no-brainer that The Two Towers is my favorite book by him. 

I seriously LOVE the middle book in The Lord of the Rings.  I love the flow of the story, from the three different points of view.  I love the reintroduction of Gollum in the books and his role in the story.  I love the introduction of two of my very favorite characters:  Eowyn and Faramir (and Treebeard is pretty cool as well).   I love the friendship that is seen between Legolas and Gimli.  The fight scenes are epic.  The role of Samwise in the books as a hero develops as well.  Okay, that's just really the tip of the iceberg. 

I can go on and on about the whole trilogy, but I really love the second book because you see the fellowship that was introduced in the first book really grow, develop and thrive in this second book on their journey. 

Book Challenge-Day 13- Your favorite author

I like so many authors, but I have to say that JRR Tolkien is my favorite---by far. 

The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit are two of my favorite books.  I don't think of myself as a fantasy nerd, but I just have to say that they are fantastic.

Ahh!  I really can't write more in this post because I am planning on writing in more length about Tolkien's books, but he is hand's down my favorite author because his books are my favorite.  :) 

Book Challenge- Day 12- A book you used to love, but don't anymore

Hands down it's this book: 

Well, more like the entire series.  I really enjoyed reading this book the first time.  I remember picking it up in Barnes and Noble as I was waiting for the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.  I enjoyed the intrigue, mystery and crazy obsession that it had in it. 

But then, I read the second one, and the third one, and I wasn't a big fan of either of those.  I thought Bella was getting dumber and dumber with each book, and I would've felt bad for Jacob and Edward if they both weren't such big jerks.  But then, the last one.  OH, how I despised the last book.   I think it started alright.  And then, came part 2 of the second book.  The part where (SPOILER) Bella prances around everywhere, has hot sex with Edward AND is always talking about how beautiful she is now that she's a vampire.  Well, then it became really lame because I felt like Stephenie Meyer was giving a cope-out of an ending, with everyone living happily ever after without any major losses to the story.  Everything was TOO tidy.  And far too naive.  There will always be some sorrow and sadness in our lives--you can't have happy endings, for everyone, all the time.

  I am not a fan of these books anymore;  I read them a second time to see if I could see why I liked the first three (or thought they were at least entertaining) and I have no idea.  Then, the first movie came out, and well, I've got to say that Bella and Edward weren't played well at all.  I think Robert Pattinson just comes off really creepy and stalkerish (which is kind of how Edward is in the books).  And Bella... well, the stuttering, gaped-fish mouth opened all the time, and the twitchy eyes really just spoiled the entire series for me. 

Full term and a diaper shower

This past Saturday, two close friends threw a diaper shower for myself and my other friend (also named Rachel).  We are due within a week of each other, and work in the primary together, so, it made perfect sense!  We were so blessed with so many people coming!  I am a pretty traditional person--I wasn't expecting a shower at all since this is our second boy.  This little guy was definitely showered with love.  And I absolutely LOVED spending time with my sister (who came up for the shower) and so many close, kind friends.  I think being in the church makes it so much easier to be in the military.  We've been in two areas so far that that AF has sent us, and each ward has been fantastic.  It really is about the support and people! 

 Before the shower with my sister and good friend Rachel!

 The spread of yummy food and the diaper cakes.

 All of our friends.

 Another shot of Rachel and I opening up gifts.

 Rachel is seriously so cute. I love her very obvious pregnant belly.

Me opening up a couple of gifts.  Not the best shot...

All the stuff I got... My mom sent the quilt and my awesome sis bought me the cute diaper bag and several shirts for the spoiled boy.

A closer look at the diaper cake.  Evan seriously loved the sock monkey.  We may have to get one just for him so he doesn't steal it from little brother!

 I made this jewelry as a thank you gift for one of the hostesses, Tara.

And this jewelry set for the other hostess, Amy. 

On another note, this Sunday marked my success at getting to the 37 week mark in pregnancy aka FULL TERM!  Why is this so momentous?  Well, because this child hasn't given me any issues at all, while his big brother wanted to come at 30 weeks!  I am so thankful that I didn't have to deal with bed rest with a two-year old.  Maybe that means that my second boy will be a bit more cooperative and obedient than the first one?  We shall see...

And, a picture of Evan wearing Rick's hiking backpack.  Love this kid, he loves wearing daddy's stuff!

Book Challenge-Day 11- A book you hated

For this post, I also have to go back to high school to find a book that I hated. 

I appreciate the point that Joseph Conrad was trying to make about mankind, the dark side of humanity, and loneliness, but I just have to say that doesn't make it any less depressing.  I really didn't enjoy this book.  I like books that make me happy, and while I have to admit to liking tragedies by Shakespeare, to me there's a difference.  I don't know what it is, but I know that this book was probably my least favorite book that I read in AP English my senior year.  Maybe.  Metamorphosis, The Stranger, and Invisible Man were close as well.  I just didn't really like much that I read that year, but like I said, I like books that make me happy and give good closure.  So, basically I'm not a huge fan of philosophical type books.  

 

Day 10-Your Favorite Classic book

I have to admit that when I think of classic books, I think back to high school.  I'm not a fan of classic books in general, so the majority of classics that I read were in high school.  (I tested out of college English classes--Passage to India was the only one I had to read in college, and that was for a history class).  I also think back to each of the years in high school and ask myself, "Which year did I enjoy the reading assignments in English class the most?" 

There are two books that come to mind that I enjoyed reading in high school.  One of them is being used for another post on this book challenge thingy, so I am going to say that this is my favorite classic book (play). 

This is actually the movie poster, not from the book.  This is by far my favorite Shakespeare play.  We read it my sophomore year in high school.  And, for some reason, I absolutely loved it.  I can't give any good reasons why---I only read it once, enjoyed it immensely, and I always have said that it's one of my favorites, but can I give specific reasons?  No, I really don't remember too much from the play, except all the betrayal that seems to be happening in it.  I know this is kind of a lame explanation of why I liked it so much, but that's that.