Our Grace is Here

Grace Elizabeth
Nov. 18th, 1:20 p.m.
6lbs 130z, 19.5'' long

We feel so blessed to have our daughter. For so many reasons she feels like a miracle to us, and a gift from heaven. We are loving being a family and getting to know our prettiest addition.

The Story
A few nights before she was born I started to notice that Grace wasn't very active (strange for her). I kept thinking that I must be paranoid or that she is just out of room. On the 17th I spent several hours trying to get her to perk up but I felt nothing. Not even a flicker. My heart sank and I knew I needed help. Ryan caught a train home and I went to the doctor's as quickly as I could. I was popping in candy to wake her up and praying the whole way. It was the darkest feeling of my life, I never knew how much I loved her until that afternoon.

At the doctor's office we got a strong heartbeat (the best sound in the world), but she still wasn't moving and didn't pass their tests, so I was sent to the hospital for more tests and eventually to be induced. Because of my experience with Jackson, I had to be induced slowly and we ended up spending almost 24 hours in labor and delivery. With one push she came, but she was silent and blue. Time seemed to stand still. The cord was around her neck and wrapped 2 or 3 times around her entire body. She looked like she had been wrapped up like a mummy. The doctor was amazing and in just a few moments the panic was replaced with a gorgeous girl in our arms. She has strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, lots of dimples, and angels protecting her. We love her dearly and feel so blessed that through our Savior's grace and love we have our little girl.

Daddy is totally in love and she can get anything she wants already. Jackson is a proud big brother and loves to investigate her fingers and toes. Grace is sweet, happy, and sadly has a pretty nice case of acid reflux. She is doing great though! I am feeling good and recovering well. We had some set backs when we all got really sick coming home from the hospital, but between my brother, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law we have been pampered and spoiled. I am just so excited to have Grace and we can't wait to go shopping together!

Thank you to so many who have prayed for us. It's been a roller coaster for us and we know that many prayers have been offered and answered on our behalf. Welcome to the family Grace!

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My Superhero...."Piggy"

Piggy joined our family a few weeks ago for Jackson's birthday. He is a lovely shade of pink and has a curly tail. He is my superhero. He came in a set of puppets. In order to get Jackson to like his gift, Ryan was in charge of making them seem cool. He did a great job of that. Piggy was the first puppet he put on his hand and it has practically never come off. Piggy can jump high, drive trucks, and knock over towers. But his real superpower is that he gets Jackson to do anything. If Jackson doesn't want to eat his oatmeal and Piggy does.....all of the sudden Jackson is asking for seconds. When Piggy wants to brush his teeth so does Jackson. I love Piggy, he is a beloved family member now.

I'm not sure Ryan loves Piggy as much as I do. He is feeling a little replaced. When Ryan would walk in the door from work, Jackson always ran to him with open arms yelling, "my Daddy's home!" Now he runs to him holding Piggy saying, "Daddy wear Piggy please." He seems to enjoy conversations with Piggy more than Ryan. I am only allowed to "hold" Piggy, I can't wear Piggy.....only Daddy can do that. But even when I just hold Piggy he still has enough power to get my toddler doing just what I want him to....... such a sweet pig! I love you Piggy!

(I am sorry Ryan that you have to talk in such a high voice while wearing Piggy.....which is anytime he is at home...ha ha ha)

Has anyone noticed?

Have you noticed my countdown is less than 30 days?! I am due in a month!!! I'm having a baby! A baby girl! Sometimes it just seems so unreal that I will have two kids. I am so thrilled to meet our little sunshine. I think I'll call her that (sunshine). That's what my paw always calls me.

A month away means this in my life:

• Ryan's gym shorts are my favorite thing to wear (although I have strict rules about not wearing them in public)
• I have less bladder control then my son
• It's been 3 weeks since I received my first compliment of "Are you past due?"
  
• I just may have narcolepsy
• I feel the strong urge to organize......(I could be driving my dear husband crazy with this....oh well)
• Ryan and I can't stop talking about when she will come, what she will look like, how easy this labor will be (trying to send out positive vibes in hopes it comes true), and what would our parents say if we completely changed her name.......
• We spent our weekend setting up the bassinet, finding the swing, and reliving what it was like to have Jackson
  

In other fun news:
Jackson is officially two years old now, adorable, smart, funny, and my favorite little boy. Ryan and I are still working away at more grad school applications. And were having tons of fun enjoying the beautiful leaves here.

Some much needed pictures from a grandparent trip, visitors, and everyday life:

Ryan's Nana:Showing Doggy the clouds from the airplane:
Visiting Great-Grandma in Idaho:
Throwing rocks with my aunt:
Playing with water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was born to drive a John Deere:
My Grandma and aunt Lindsay came to play:
Pumpkins are the best:
I'm a daredevil!


Big splash!
Natural curls and naturally cool:
My sweet parents:
p.s. I told you I update my blog Marissa!

Are you alive?

The answer is yes. Just haven't had time to sit down. We've had an awesome little trip back to Utah, been totally sick, and completely absorbed in MBA applications. That's my excuse for not even looking at the blogging world. The plus side of being busy is that all of the sudden I am almost 33 weeks! Hooray for me! So, I'll do a real post later...like at the end of the week when the applications are done and I get to sit down. Hooray for me again!

Pennsylvania Loves

What I love about my Pennsylvania home:

• Green trees that touch each other. Everywhere you look it's a forest, it's so pretty!
• Autumn is gorgeous
  
• Dale and Thomas popcorn.......yum
• The Amish. I love their horses, produce stands, applesauce, clothes, accents, auctions, and especially their restaurants
  
• Winding gorgeous roads that go by 5 different names at the same time. This is a love hate relationship; pretty when you have lots of time.....and ANNOYING when you are in a rush
• I'm just so unique here. Who is under 30, married, a mother, goes to church every week, doesn't drink tea for water, and orders juice at her husband's work parties? Answer: me and about 5 other people in the state
• Longwood Gardens. Look it up, it's beautiful
• Cool history and way charming towns
  
• Eastern accents, new words, and phrases. People don't go to the beach, they go to "the shore" for the weekend. And by the way, "New Jersey" is not a state, "Jersey" is the real name
  
• Fireflies or lightning bugs....depending on where you are from
• So many nice and very diverse people. Tons of new cultures
• The parks Jackson and I go to are so pretty
• I have big cities and a beautiful countryside, the best of both worlds
  
• My two best boys are here and one sweet little girl to be, that makes it home for me
  

And a few dislikes:

• Snowplows aren't invented here yet
• No real mountains
• When your lost, you are REALLY lost....like easily in another state
• Mexican food is just lacking a real presence
• "Jersey Drivers." I know I am stereotyping and offending a few friends. But most aggressive drivers that have come into my life speed off with "Jersey" plates

We have enjoyed all the new things here: like ice storms, clinging to our GPS to get to the store, trying Pennsylvania Dutch cooking, and discovering that East and West really are different lifestyles. It's an adventure. And a few pictures from July...I'll eventually get some up from August.