This time one year ago...

Would you believe I looked like this?... Yeah, I don't either. I was SO huge! Last night I was taking myself back to last year in my mind, and I can remember the pain in the last month of pregnancy. He was getting so big so fast and my body just couldn't handle it. He was due Jan. 1st, and I had been praying that he would come before Christmas, and that time came and went. Then I was hoping before the new year...and then nothing. Then I went in Jan. 2nd to the hospital thinking that was it, and it wasn't. As I was leaving I saw one of the ladies who I did Moms in Motion with (a water aerobics class) and she had just had her baby Dec. 31st and wasn't due until after me. I was very discouraged. I felt like my body wasn't doing what it needed to.

Finally Jan. 9th I was having really strange contractions. They weren't painful, but they wouldn't stop either. I would have one and my stomach would harden for 5, then 10 minutes and more at a time. Paul and I knew this wasn't normal. So we went and told my mom (who was staying with us) and we decided it was time to go to the hospital. As we got there we found out the contractions were definitely not normal, and that they wanted to keep me and induced me. I was so nervous. I didn't want to be there. I was freaking out at this point because I was terrfied to deliver, but yet I had waited so long that I didn't expect to be that scared. But I was induced the next night (because the hospital had 6 women in active labor the night before so i had to wait), started pushing early on the 11th and had Ryder at 11:53 a.m. My whole life my biggest fear EVER was of having a baby. I was terrified of it ever since I can remember. I never thought I could do it. I remember hearing cousins when I was younger having babies, and then thinking, "Wow, they made it out alive. It can happen." That's how scared I was. So, I couldn't believe that I, of all people, did it!

And honestly I had the Lord's help the entire time. I look back and wonder how I did it, and I know I couldn't have done it without Him. Paul was so wonderful! My mom was great, too. And I know I couldn't have done without my amazing Paul, and my mom was such a bonus to have her there. It was such an amazing day! And now Ryder is almost 1 and I wonder where the time went. I try to enjoy each day, each moment, because I don't want to look back and think that I wish I had. Ryder was my miracle baby, and I thank Heavenly Father every day that I have him. I can't imagine my life without him, and now I know that I would go through it all over again in a heartbeat.

As I think about the Savior's birth and life at this time of the year, I feel even more grateful to Him that I have Ryder. The Savior was born a perfect baby, and now I feel so much more grateful for Mary that she had the strength to deliver him into this earth, and raise Him to Redeem us all. What a wonderful example of a mother I have to look to. I'm so thankful for my family and mine and Paul's family, and we are truly so abundantly blessed in so many ways!

Blizzard of the decade...

...that's what they say at least. Here's the the view I met when I had to go out our front door so that I could clear away the snow that was blocking the furnace exhaust. The furnace had turned off sometime in the night and it was about 62 °F when we woke up, which was fine for us, but Ryder doesn't quite understand how blankets work yet, so I was worried that he'd wake up at any moment because he was too cold. Here's a picture of the 2.5 ft drift I had to clear away from the driveway. It took me roughly 2.5 hours to shovel it all off (and I'm not one to take my time about it).

Ryder seemed very happy that morning. I think that he understood that I (Daddy) was staying home from work. Here's Ryder getting into the cupboard (One of his favorite pastimes).

Who Likes Bananas?

Ryder's really taken a liking to bananas and he wants to tell you all about it.

Random

So, I decided to post these pictures, but there's no connection between the two situations. The first set are from Ledges National Park, just 20 mins. or so west of Ames in Boone, I think. Anyway, we had wanted to go for some time, and last month decided to go when the weather was nice. It was still pretty chilly and windy, hence the blanket wrapped around Ryder, but he didn't mind one bit. Paul and Ryder walked around and looked at the stream and the changing colors and all. Ryder's mouth was wide open most of the time, he loves the outdoors and anything new.

The second part of pictures was from Ryder's first taste of spaghetti. Too bad we didn't have video, but the pics pretty much speak for themselves. He LOVES any type of sauces, especially tomato! Hope you enjoy the pics!

Halloween 2009

Ryder's first Halloween started off a little bad. Our ward's Trunk or Treat was on the Wednesday before Halloween and he started running a high fever that afternoon, so we missed that. And the next day the fever was still around, and we were just praying he would get better quick since Paul's parents were in town late Thursday. And that didn't really go as planned either, since their plane was late leaving SLC, and they missed their flight out of Minneapolis. So they hitched a ride to Ames (by hitched I mean they met up with other passengers who missed the same flight and were going to Des Moines, and rode down with them). That turned out pretty good, but they got here very late Thursday night/Friday morning.
But, once Grandma and Grandpa were here, Ryder LOVED it! He got cool new toys from them that he loves, and he got to cuddle with them, which is rare for him. It was a hard weekend for him, trying to get better and all, but he did really well. We trick or treated down Main St., had his picture taken, ate yummy Great Plains pizza, watched Ice Age 3 (so cute!), watched Twilight, trick or treated around our neighborhood, and had Tracy's very yummy brisket! It was a good time. We can't wait to be in Utah again soon! Watch out, we're coming....

Vegas Baby!

So, a couple weeks after going to Chicago, we took off for Vegas because Paul had a course to attend for work, which was 2 days, and then we stayed an extra day, too. We met my parents there, and stayed at Harrah's, which was at an awesome location in the center of the strip, next to Venetian and across from Caesar's. We had a blast! We shopped (when I say we I mean Ryder and me, and my mom and dad, as Paul was in class, and he wouldn't have wanted to go anyway) at the outlet malls, walked around the strip, went to MGM and saw the sleeping lions, hit some awesome buffets (with Paul too) and had a great time! Also, Paul and I went to the temple and that was an amazing experience. There's something special about visiting a temple for the first time. And the pictures I took of it don't do it justice, but there they are anyway... We also went and saw a medievel dinner and show with cool acrobats and fighting and pyrotechnics and all. Ryder didn't go but I know he will love that when he's older.

Also, I didn't take pictures of our room and view since our camera's battery died and we didn't bring the charger, but it was way nice. The window was floor to ceiling view of the strip, and I love to have rooms with views. And we went to the Hoover Dam, which I've been to plenty of times, but was Paul's first time. He thought it was cool too. However, not cool enough to take a $30 tour of it.... Yeah, crazy!

All in all, it was a great trip! Ryder loved to see Grandma and Grandpa....and will seeing his other grandparents next week, what a lucky boy!