So who coined the phrase "Terrible Twos?" I know we have just entered that stage of life, and Olivia definitely is strong willed and has her moments, but it has been absolutely fantastic. Just watching her learn and become more independent and see her personality developing is so amazing. I think if we think "terrible twos" it will be terrible. If we think "terrific twos" it will be terrific. I've been reading materials from "Parenting with Love and Logic," and they say if a child tests the limits it means their healthy and intelligent. So when they test us, it's normal and good! It's all about how we respond. They say the most important thing is being consistent and using empathy! When we follow their ideas it almost always goes well. So I recommend to anyone with kids to read Love and logic. If you go to www.loveandlogic.com you can also sign up for a free weekly email on various topics. It's great.
Birthday breakfast for Olivia! Breakfast is my favorite meal, I love it! So we had a little picnic downstairs. It was fun.
Last night, we spent FOREVER putting together this lovely little nursery. There were a billion little plastic pieces that didn't quite fit together. Thanks to the skills of Mom and Rob, it was complete for Livvy the next day. It felt a lot like Christmas Eve:) So worth it, she loved it. She has really gotten into taking care of her babies since Brooklyn joined us. I tell her she's a great little mommy!
Livvy had such a fun day. She had so many presents, I wanted to keep a few and give them to her throughout the year! Thanks Aunts, Uncles, and Grandparents!
Grandma Martinsen got us matching aprons!! They are so cute and Grandma and Grandpa Monson gave her cookies. She's going to be a real chef! She'll have so much fun with her kitchen with these additional accessories:)
Okay, so this is Skor cake. You make a chocolate cake and let it cool. Then poke holes all over it with a fork. Mix a can of sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping together. Then pour it over the cake and it sinks into the cake. Make homemade whip cream and put it on top. Crush up Skor bars and sprinkle over whip cream. Oh....soooooo good. I think I gained several pounds throughout the week because of course I'm the one that is home as it stares at me, beckoning me to take just one more bite!
Olivia loves to help me make dinner and she loves her new apron. Here's an action shot.
On January 2nd, 2011, Brooklyn received a beautiful blessing by Rob. One thing that was said was that our Heavenly Father has watched over and guided her for milennia to get to this point. What an amazing thought - that before we came here, we lived with Him and was taught by Him. That He knew, and knows, us so well. Brooklyn is a very special spirit. She is very content and happy.We feel so incredibly blessed to have her in our home.
She was also counseled to look to her sister Olivia, that she would be a good example to her. "Be best friends and you will learn much together." I can already see that they will be great friends. Brooklyn looks at Olivia and smiles and Livvy loves it. Yes, Livvy also scares her at times too:) We look forward to seeing them grow up together.
Okay we had about 4 cameras going at once and every one of our pictures are like this - not to mention by this time, Livvy had had it with pictures and Brooky was starving! So this is the family picture:)
We are so grateful that Mom and Dad Martinsen were able to break away from their crazy schedules to be here with us. It made us wish even more that we were closer to them. They are terrific examples to our kids and so much fun! (Thanks Mom for another gorgeous blessing dress)!
Mom and Dad Monson were also here - they have been here in Utah for a couple of months and have decided to move here (to Birdseye, 40 minutes south of Provo), since 4 of their kids and all of their grandkids live down here. We are so excited to have them here, though it will be hard to get used to not having our Canadian home:( The benefits of having them closer far outweigh being able to go home to Canada once a year.
Rob and I tried HypnoBabies for this birth, which is a positive thinking, self hypnosis, go natural program. People who can't have meds during surgery have done self hypnosis and been pain free. The mind is a powerful thing. We took 4 classes that taught me how to get into deep relaxation where I have the ability with my mind to send hypno-anesthesia through my body. Rob had a big part to play in it and would read scripts and help me focus. He was fantastic through the whole thing.
Well, my contractions started Sat. night and were 6 min. apart for about 6 hours, then they slowed and almost stopped during the day Sunday. That evening around 8:00 they became really regular. I had used my self hypnosis up to this point and it had worked pretty well. When they were 3 minutes apart we decided it was time to go to the hospital and it was here that I kind of lost my concentration.
Very shortly after arriving at the hospital, I looked up at Rob and said, "I think I want an epidural." Of course Rob said, "Whatever you want, that's great." So, though I felt a tad guilty for a moment (our hypnobabies instructor would not have approved), that blessed epidural was shortly in full force and I was in birthing heaven. I dilated quickly to 8 and they thought I would go so fast, but she hung in there for 2 more hours.
Near the end, during each contraction, her heartbeat would slow, so they thought a cord might be wrapped around her neck. They decided I would need a C-section right away. The doctor had checked me and I was still at an 8. I was about to be wheeled away when she checked me again, not 2 minutes later, and I had fully dilated. 3 pushes and she was out. It was truly a miracle.
Brooklyn Joyce Martinsen entered this world Monday, November 22, 2010 at 5:59 a.m. She weighed 6 lb. 10 oz. and was 20 inches long. She was healthy and beautiful and we are so grateful.
Okay, so you have to have one of those hideous hospital bed, "Wow, I'm glad that's over, I'm so tired," pictures right? This is it. So happy and relieved and grateful and tired:)
The proud Daddy. Rob was a trooper the whole time. He was right there whenever I needed him. I am so blessed to have such a truly wonderful companion. He's such a great husband and daddy.
Livvy had been at Tyson's, with our neighbors, with Grandma and Grandpa, pretty tossed around. I missed her so much when I was in the hospital and we couldn't wait for her to meet her new baby sister ??? (at this point we still hadn't decided on a name but were fairly confident about Elizabeth).
Grandma and Grandpa Monson helped Livvy pick out a gift for her sister. She was pretty timid at first and put the duck quickly into the little bassinet. She would say, "Baby sister!" and point to her. Her shyness soon left and she was hugging and kissing her baby sister. It was precious.
"Hmm. So you're the one that's been in Mommy's tummy for so long."
My mom and dad left Canada Saturday and stayed in a hotel in Dillon, Montana Sat. night. They woke up the next morning and their heater had broken. Of course it was Sunday so they had to wait until Monday to fix it and get to Provo. They finally made it Monday evening. Livvy was very happy to see them and so were we!
At home with baby Brooklyn. It's amazing how less stressed I felt with Brooklyn than I did with Olivia. With Livvy, I thought, "You are going to let us take this child home with us, really? You know we have no idea what we're doing, right?" We still don't really know what we're doing, but we have learned that babies are tougher than they look. Brooklyn is so sweet and will be a wonderful addition to our little family.
This is the first time Livvy has ever "posed" for the camera. What a ham. She loves her sister. Favorite phrases - "Baby Brooklyn, poopie (as she points to the baby), binky (as she puts Brooklyn's binky in her mouth, baby seeping (sleeping), How you? (she skips the are, less important)." I worried about how she would handle the new baby, but she has been fantastic. We love our girls!
Our sweet, precious little Brooklyn.
