Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Well...I am just sitting here on the couch feeding Gunnar...again. I can't believe how much he eats for how small he is...where does he put it? I guess he is getting ready to have a big growth spurt...he is almost two weeks old. I have finally gotten into a little bit of a groove and have my computer out and ready for when he does want to eat...which is all he time. I also can't believe that 2008 is almost over. This is definitely one of the most memorable years of my life.

January: We decided that we were ready to start a family.
March: I turned a quarter of a century old...25...crap that's old.
April: We found out that we were pregnant.
May: Adam and I finally got married after ten years of bliss.
September: We found out that Gunnar was a boy.
December: I became a mom when Gunnar was born ahead of schedule on Dec. 21 at 11:24 p.m. and we had our first Christmas together as a family. We also decided to move back to Salem if I get my transfer to CCCF in Wilsonville.

As you can see...a lot has happened to change my life this year. I can't wait to see how 2009 goes.

Monday, December 29, 2008

On Sunday morning I woke up about 8:15, sat there in my bed and thought to myself..."I really don't want to go to work tomorrow"...I then realized that I had to pee...whats new...and so I got up. When I was finished I was walking back to bed and there was a little drizzle...I said, "did I just pee on my self?"...so I stood around for a few minutes trying to figure it out. Adam woke up, saw the look on my face, and asked me what was wrong. I said, "I can't decide if I peed on myself or if my water broke." He just looked at me funny. After a few minuets of nothing went to get back in bed and as soon as I sat down you could hear the gush of water. Adam was up in a split second throwing clothes on and asking what we should do. I said, "get me a diaper" and as he was running out of the room I started laughing and told him to calm down. At this point I had not had a contraction. I told him to go out to the truck and get my suitcase so that I could put a few more things in it and then we could go. Adam went out to his truck three times before he could remember what he was getting. He was so cute. At about 8:45 we were off to the hospital...in the big white truck of course because Gunnar was just waiting for the BIG snow storm before he decided to make his appearance.


On the way we started making phone calls and while the weather was a hindrance at this point I was a little happy that it was so bad...most people didn't come to the hospital to see me flopped on a bed like a beached whale with enough tubing stuck to me to wrap the world twice. I also started to have contractions on the way, and while they hurt I did not think the pain was unmanageable.


About and hour and a half later we finally reach the hospital in Caldwell...which is only an hour at the absolute most away from my house...and the contractions are coming about every five minutes. We get out of the truck and Adam sits me in one of those wheel chairs, mine happened to have only one of the things for my feet and was sticking straight out (Adam was a bit nervous), and he wheels me inside where they basically just verify a bunch of information that they already have and make me sign a HIPPA form...like I really give a @#$% right now, and then give us really bad directions to the elevators. So Adam takes off like speed racer down the halls and then back again because we might be going the wrong way, and then...no, we were right the first time so we turn around again and go back. Finally we find the elevators and are on our way up to the O.B. ward.


Once we get up to the second floor the nurse puts us in this little room...with two beds...and so I sit there for and hour or so before they move us into my laboring room. Adam of course was getting all pissed because number one this was a tiny room and it wasn't a private room which of course is what we wanted, and second while we are there some other lady comes in and is in labor and all she wants to talk about it how her uncle just committed suicide. Yeah, that is super sad and I am probably going to hell, but I was thinking who the hell cares. Give me a break...the contractions are now about three minutes apart and really starting to hurt.


Finally they move us into our laboring room and there we stayed until the c-section. At about 4:00 p.m. my doctor comes in and checks me...uuuaggh...and says that I am about a 4 1/2. At this point the contractions don't just hurt any longer they are slowly killing me. When they say it hurts they are fucking lying...they are enough to kill you and drive you mad. So like any person with a firm grip on all there faculties I asked for the best drugs they could give me. The first thing they gave me was some Stadol which basically knockes you out enough so that you are physically unable to respond to the pain without making you unconscious. It was okay, I was still conscious of the pain just unable to do anything about it. My anesthesiologist came in about an hour later and gave me my epidural...which is on a drip, with a nifty button that lets me give myself more if I want...and thank god for him! I would not have made it otherwise I think.


At about 6:00 my doctor comes in and says that I am about a six and at 7:00 I am still a six so they start my on pitocin just to move things along. I am so glad I had an epi because I was watching those contractions come with the pitocin and holy shit. They must have hurt. Look at that last one...it is almost off the chart. Adam's sister Kathy is there and looking at me saying, "I can't believe you are sleeping through all of these..."


Anyway, the contractions keep coming about ever minute and a half to two minutes and are very strong until about 10:30 when my doctor comes back to tell me that I am not progressing and that Gunnar has not dropped below a -1 and that he recommends a c-section but he doesn't want to press me into it. At this point I have been in labor for 12 hours...true I can't feel much...but I am tired and just want to have Gunnar out already so I look at him and say "Great, let's do it." He smile and off we go.

They wheel me into the surgery room...which scared the crap out of me before...and moved me onto a bed, hung the little sheet by my face, and began. Adam was totally astounded that I didn't feel a thing and that they were pulling my stomach open with those things the dentist use on your cheeks only times 100 in size.

Finally at 11:24 Gunnar is born and handed to Adam so we could see him. He was so beautiful and when I heard him cry my universe tilted and my life finally made sense. I was here for him.

They finished sewing me up and all that jazz and wheeled me into recovery where Adam and Gunnar were waiting. After all the buzz and pictures I was finally alone with my tiny family. We looked at each other and cried. It was the happiest day in my...our lives.

The next day even drugged up on vicodin I was in so much pain that I was not sure I wanted to do this again...and that is a big deal coming from me who wants to have at least four kids. But true to form I soon forgot about the pain and want at least three others just like him. What the hell is wrong with me...glutton for punishment I guess. Oh well, what can you do.

Now my life is consumed with feedings every two hours, pumping when I can, ice bags in between and sleep...I forgot what that was. It is amazing though how two hours of fitful, interrupted sleep can totally get you through the day. Gunnar also likes to pee on us...must be a boy thing...and instead of changing him once we have to do it twice most of the time. I have also only broken down into tears once since I have been home...a fact I am really proud of...I thought I would cry a lot more. Adam is completely in love and I adore my tiny family. How life changes.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Gunnar Eugene Tamez
December 21st 2008
11:24 p.m.
6lbs. 15 oz.





Thursday, December 18, 2008

Well I went to the doctor and today and found out that I am 3 centimeters dilated, my blood pressure, and weight gain are fine. I also had to have an ultra sound to check Gunnar's size again and this time it said that he weighed 7lbs. and 4oz. with three weeks to go. The doctor said that everything was fine and that now we just wait. I hate that! "now we just wait". That is like saying you have won 297 million dollars but you just have to wait for it.



I was laying there on the table while he checked my cervix and was wondering why in all the baby books I have bought they never mention that when the doc checks your cervix it hurts like HELL! When I thought about it I realized there are a lot of things that they don't tell you in those books. For instance, they don't tell you that literally your crotch is going to hurt...I mean they tell you your hips hurt from the spreading but not your CROTCH! I guess I should read Jenny McCarthy's(spelling ?) book, maybe she will be more truthful. The normal baby books are vague like they don't want to scare you. What scares me is all the shit that I don't know because they didn't tell me that. A good example...your mucus plug will be a snotty ball of tissue that is white...or yellow...or brown...or red. WHAT THE HELL OTHER COLOR COULD IT BE! Why not throw blue or green in there for gods sake. Can they be a little more specific PLEASE!
I know that I would appreciate it.



I guess I have really made it into the final stages of pregnancy. I am testy, judgemental, and very TRUTHFUL! I was hoping to skip all that and keep my sanity but I am completely engrossed in the emotional pregnancy cloud. Like you can't tell from my babbling. Anyway, I wanted to post the new picture of Gunnar that the lady gave me today. It is a 3D ultrasound photo and you can see his little chin and his BIG lips. He has is fist in his face rubbing one of his eyes so you can only see half of his face but it is still cute. At least I think so! Here it is:

We are so excited for him to get here. I can't wait to hold him...in my arms, not my giant house of a uterus...and kiss his sweet cheeks and lips.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

I have a lot of new stuff to share with you so lets get started.
Fist is my latest work for Craftwarehouse. It is my last assignment and they have really come through this time with some bright and fun paper. Hambly...who doesn't' love them? I do want to say sorry though because I was unable to think of something fun and quirky to do with the moustache rubons...I guess my mind wasn't far enough out there for that. Anyway...I was charged with making two layouts, a tag or card, and something of our own choice. I decided to make the two layouts, a tag, and a card. I wanted the projects to be bright and chaotic just like the paper. Here are the pictures. Some of them are a little blurry and the overlays got a little dusty so there you go. I also didn't post a picture of the tag...it is just square and green. Not much to see.
Second. Adam and I finished Gunnar's room the other day except for the trim around the door and window and the curtain (which I have to make yet) but I wanted to post pictures of the color so that every can see it and the crib bedding. It is a green called Pesto and the Rain forest Bedding set from Fisher Price. Here are the photos.

Look at his little clothes in the closet...how cute is that. He doesn't have much to hand up...most of it is onsies which I guess is a good thing. I love the bedding set we got for the crib...the monkey, tiger, and tucan (which you can't see) is adorable. What do you think of the color? I think it is perfect.
I went back to the doctor on Friday and my blood pressure was perfect. 110/62. He asked me what has changed since then and I told him that Adam came home and he said, "well, I don't recommend that he leave again any time soon." I have to go back for my next appointment on Thursday and he will give me another ultrasound to check Gunnar's size because I am now measuring 39 inches. Almost full term. He then said, "if this baby is close to 10 pounds you might want to consider a c-section." I looked at him and said, "that sounds awesome." If Gunnar is ten pounds I don't think I will be able to deliver him vaginally. That is a huge baby.
I have also been really nervous lately because we are getting so close. Every time I feel any type of pain that is new to me...and there is a lot of them...I wonder if it is time or not. Every day I get up and every night I go to bed I wonder if it will be today or tonight. I guess that is normal...I just can't wait for him to get here.
We are almost ready for Christmas. Our living room is about done and we found a really great deal on carpet for the first of the year. I can't wait to have everything put back together again. It is so hard living in a house that you are remodelling. Nothing is clean, and as hard as you try it never will be clean until you are done. Well, we are almost there so I guess that is the best I can ask for now.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Oh, I forgot...my sister sent these pictures of Terrance to me to show to our Dad. She said that she thinks Terrance looks just like me in the picture of her and the sticks. What do you think? I don't think she looks anything like me but she is still stinking adorable.

Well, I went to my first weekly appointment today and of course had a ton of questions for my doctor. He...like always...answered them all in good humor. He checked my cervix and said that I was 2 centimeters dilated and that he wanted me to have another ultrasound in two weeks to check the size of the baby again. He also talked to me about bed rest and pre-eclampsia because my feet are pretty swollen and my blood pressure has gone up a bit. He said that when I come back next week, if my blood pressure has gone up again he was going to put me on bed rest. This of course scared the crap out of me because that is definitely out of the normal, and anything out of the normal is not good. He said that everything is fine and not to worry. That Gunnars heart rate is in the 150's and that is really good. He said that they don't really know what causes pre-eclampsia it is just something that happens. I asked him if it had something to do with me working and he said it could be because the more you do the more your blood pressure goes up but it is mostly just being pregnant. That your blood pressure automatically go up when you are pregnant it has only just now reached a level that he is starting to worry about. I also found out that when the top of my stomach gets really tight it is actually a contraction. I thought it was just Gunnar pushing on me because they don't hurt they are just uncomfortable. The nurse asked me how often they happen and I said anywhere from 4 to 10 times a day...just depends. She asked if they are coming with any regularity and I said....uhm...I am not sure, I didn't know they were contractions so I was really paying that much attention to them. I definitely will now. So far I have had two of them in the past 45 minutes. Some days it is like that and some days I will have none. I guess that means it is getting pretty close...that makes me nervous. I am really excited for him to get here but really nervous as well. I guess that is normal though.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Here is the final sketch of the year. I did this layout in probably March of 2007 when Alycia was about six months pregnant with Terrance. Isn't she cute? The chipboard elements are designed, and painted by me and totally original. I used bright colors and contrasted them with some light neutrals to make them pop. One of my favorite parts of this layout is having the title run over onto the photo. I also loved developing and making the elements for this layout. You should definitely try this at home.
*look at how long her hair is...I can't believe she cut it...I wish my hair was that long*

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Besides the cheering teenage crowd the movie was awesome. I thought that Adam was going to get up and leave when the first WEEEWWW! went up when Edward finally made and appearance. It was funny. I thought besides being shorter than I wanted it to be it was really, really good. They did a good job making it funny and relateble to the teenage crowd without overdoing it. I am really excited for the next three though...I wish they were coming out all at once. They did have some really good movies coming up in the previews though. Besides the Harry Potter preview...which looked AWESOME...they had this new movie with Tom Cruise that looked really good. Most of them come out in December so I will hopefully be able to go to the movies...depending upon Gunnar and when he wants to make is great appearance. Even then I think that Adam would be only too happy to stay home with him and have him totally to himself for the night...the only question would have to be if I could bare to be away from him so soon. We will see. Anyway...GREAT movie, and I totally recommend for others to go and see it. If it wasn't so expensive to see a movie...$9.00, unbelievable...I would go and see it again. I adore the love story.

Friday, November 21, 2008


YEAAHHH!!! Were going to see the movie tonight at 7:10! I am so excited. I can't wait...I wonder when the next three are coming out? Is that getting a little ahead of things? I didn't think so. I will let you know what I thought when I get back tonight.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

I went to play bingo with one of my friends from work (Denise) at the V.F.W. hall in Ontario last night and it was so AWESOME! It was so like that episode of Rosanne with the woman and her troll dolls and the old ladies with bags full of dobbers but I loved it. It felt like we were in a dingy church basement with crappy lighting, poor air circulation, and the entire elderly population of Malheur county all packed in one room deep in concentration. We loved it and are planning on going back once a month. It was nothing like the bingo hall in Salem that I used to play at but I like it better. It is more fun. The hall in Salem was all business...this one is terribly small town...and that is why I love it. The pots are considerably smaller (usually 500.00 blackout paid 70.00 here) but that doesn't bother me. Out of all the times I have been to play bingo I have never won anything until last night. Yeah it was a measly 25.00 but that means it only cost me 2.00 to play all night long. It was awesome. I do wish my sister was there to play with .us though...she probably wouldn't have liked it as much as I did. She hates that small town stuff...especially this small town stuff, but I love her anyway.

To get to the subject that has commanded my attention for the last eight months. You know when you really sit down and think about being pregnant...it really is a very STRANGE thing. You have a tiny human being just living in your abdomen with all your vital and not so vital organs. Kicking you...moving around...and generally feeling at home. Some days making life so much harder then you have ever known it to be and sometimes giving you more joy with a few kicks to the ribs than you could have ever imagined. To feel him move and the little life that we have created makes me cry every time I think about it. It is a beautiful gift....in a very strange package.

Now that I am winding down in this pregnancy...only 48 days left...I can't help but look forward a to a few things and wonder about some others. For instance: what do I do now? The waiting is about to kill me. It seems like every few minutes of the day I look down at my ginormous belly and wonder will it be today...tomarrow...or next week? What will my delivery be like? They are all so different. Did I do everything right, or the best that I could? Will he be happy and healthy? I guess these are all normal thoughts and concerns facing a new mom to be. On the other hand I am looking forward to A LOT of things that I have missed while being pregnant.

1. Being able to wear my jeans again! You have no idea how much I have missed that these past eight months. I didn't know how much I would miss it. Lately I find myself standing in front of my closet staring up at my pile of perfectly good, comfortable, and PERFECT jeans fantasizing about the day when I will get to wear them again. I even thought about taking a pair to the hospital with me just to see if I could wear them afterward even though I know that wont happen for a while.

2. A nice big ice cold glass of diet Pepsi...or a sugar free Rockstar. I guess it is just the caffeine that I miss the most but oh well. I am tired of hearing people complain about how they need to give caffeine up or that they can't believe how they have survived with out a drop of caffeine for the last TWO DAYS! What the HELL! It has been 8 months for me so shit twice and die for all I care. As you can tell I am a bit touchy about the subject. I guess it is true then they call caffeine a drug and talk of addiction.

3. Being able to breath or bend over. This hasn't necessarily been a big problem until just recently but it really is a pain in the ass. You can't do the things that you usually do and it is damn annoying. Simple things like putting on your socks or picking up one of the many things you drop during the day are a giant task and you have to hold your breath to accomplish them.

No...all in all pregnancy has been a blessing and I better get used to them if Adam and I want to do this at least three more times, it is just that after so long the end is starting to look so great. I can't wait for Gunnar to get here and to finally begin my new roll in life as a MOM. I have an appointment on Thursday with the doc where I get to see Gunnar again in an ultrasound so I will post what he said and any new pictures I have later. Gotta jet.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

With so many of my friends giving birth so soon I am really getting nervous. My count down says 51 days but I am sure it will be before then. I am not so scared of the pain of giving birth...although I know it is going to hurt like HELL...I have pretty much resigned myself to the pain and decided that it is what my body is made for so I should be able to survive...right? Anyway, what scares me the most is this whole MOM thing. Sometimes I am a little dorky and do things that are completely blond and...what if I do something like that with Gunnar? This is the most important thing that I will do in my entire life and what if I totally screw it up? My sister says that it is not as hard as you think and that once he gets here your instincts kick in and take over. I really hope that is true. I didn't have the best roll model when I was growing up so hopefully my instincts are stronger then that.
On a different note my next doctors appointment is on the 20th and my doctor has scheduled another ultrasound because he is a bit worried at how big Gunnar is. I have measured three weeks ahead of where I should be for the last three months and so my doc wants to see exactly how big Gunnar is. What he will do with that information I am not sure. What if he is going to be 10lbs? Holy SHIT! Oh well, one good thing is that I get to see him again and hopefully we will get some new pictures. YES!! If we do get some pics I will post them so you all can see how handsome he is!
I have also been working on some new projects and am almost finished with one of them so I will post some pictures as soon as I finish them so you can check them out. They are super cute.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008



Here is Novembers sketch! I love the idea of running two lines of photos vertically down the page like a photo strip and then intersecting them horizontally with two patterned strips and accenting them with the title and embellishments. It is one of my favorite designs. Try it for yourself.




Saturday, November 1, 2008

Well, there had been a lot going on lately. My baby shower was great. Quite a few people were there and by the time it was over, I was stuffed, sweating like I was going through menopause, and tired enough to sleep for three days. Here is my one and only pregnant picture so far, I am 30 weeks pregnant here. I know what everyone is going to say..."you should take a ton of pictures and document this time in your life."...trust me, i will never forget what it was like being pregnant and I don't need a thousand pictures showing how huge I have gotten. Not that I am whole heartedly complaining...I do get to eat a lot of stuff that I wouldn't because I am pregnant, it really isn't that bad. Plus when I get done breast feeding Gunnar (if I can) I am going back to see my doctor who helped me loose almost 40lbs in three months before. Dr. Radar. He is awesome and well worth the money.


I also finished my last birthing class last Tuesday and it was all about infant care. The nurse took out the bulb sucker and it immediately scared the crap out of me. I mean I know that it is not likely to hurt the baby but the whole "sucking" thing and sticking it up his nose and in his mouth is a bit terrifying for me. I guess that I will get over it but I don't know. I also wasn't thrilled about the umbilical cord thing. What if I bump it and it hurts him or something. When they were talking about it I looked at Adam and said "I think you got this one".

Now that Gunnar is ONLY at the MOST 62 days away from arriving and his room is so full of stuff it is getting more real and I am getting both really excited and really nervous. I keep imagining bringing him home and looking at Adam and going "Now what?". I got a lot of great stuff at my baby shower. Mostly blankets, and warm sleepers. I got some toys, sippy cups, diapers, and a vibrating table top chair in the fisher price rain forest theme that I just love. I also got some cash so I went and bought him a bath, it is blue and has a net for him to sit in that sits in the water for when he is a newborn and then you can take it off when he is a toddler. I also got a cover for his car seat that will help keep him warm. Adams dad bought us a travel system and it is really great. I am so glad we have it. Adam looked so funny literally jumping up and down on the stroller and car seat in the middle of the store. Everyone was staring at us and I looked at him like, "what are you doing?" he said, "I just want to make sure it is safe." Ten minutes later he stands up and goes, "I'm impressed!" I said, "you should be." It was funny. Today I bought a white and blue glider on sale for 75.00...what a deal, and a bobby pillow. It is so fun shopping for him. It will be better when he is here and I can dress him up and hold him, and play with him.

Adam also went hunting this last weekend and the first day he sat down in his spot and shot a bull within ten minutes. He got to spend the rest of the day (12 hours) packing it out. He is a big 6 x 6. I would be proud of him. He got to come home on the same day and I was super happy because it is hard for me to have him gone for any long period of time. Guess it is the pregnant thing coming through. It was always hard but not THIS hard. Here is a picture of him.


Sunday, October 19, 2008

I was shopping yesterday for my friend Megan who is do on November 21st. That is next month and I can't believe it is already here. Before I know it she will be having her baby and then I am next...holy crap! Anyway, I was shopping and I fond the sweetest little beanie and gloves. They are brown knit with little ears. Gunnar is going to look so sweet in them. Check them out.

I couldn't decide what to get Megan for her sweet little baby. I walked around the clothes for a while but didn't find anything that I couldn't live without except a little onsie with a little hand turkey ( you know the ones you paint your hand and make in the first grade) on it...it was adorable and I figured he would probably be born before thanksgiving so he could wear it. I did finally settle on a diaper genie and refill since I heard you can't live without them. I also made her a blanket with that sweet owl print flannel I bought about four months ago. I hope she likes them.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

OK...I have a lot to share and talk about so here we go.

First. Today is my brothers first Home Coming Dance...oh my god am I getting old. He wanted to rent a tux that was all black, white, and red so that he could look like the Hit Man(you know the movie). He looked so handsome it about made me sick. We also decided to let him use our $30,000 truck with the lift and tinted windows to drive himself to the dance(god help us) but we did give him a 5 mile limit and we wrote down the mileage so maybe that will help. Here are his pictures. The second one is my favorite.

Second. I wanted to share with you my latest assignment for Craft Warehouse. We had to decorate a jewelry box. They wanted us to seal the box which would make it look shiny and I didn't like that so I left it alone and let it look like a chalkboard. I thought the look was much better. They gave us these new bead things from 7 Gypsies and also some flowers from them and I loved them all. Here are the photos.



















Thirdly. I also wanted to share the pictures of my latest layout. I absolutely love it! The monochromatic theme and the glitter really stand out for me. It is titled "Wondering about you". The journaling says: "We wonder...who you will look like more? What color is your hair? Will you be and athlete or a scholar? How tall will you be? What will be your favorite color? What we know is we love you more than life." I used products from Making Memories, American Crafts, Karen Foster, Rusty Pickle, Imaginesce, and Bazzill. The lace stamp was made with a sculpy texture plate that I painted and stamped with. They are my favorite things lately. I found one with coursive writing on it, a grid pattern or graphing paper pattern, this lace one and a few others. I also got them on clearance for about 0.95 cents...how can you beat that? Here check it out!