PICS OR IT DIDN'T HAPPEN

Since I already gave the rundown of Kairi's arrival in the last post, I figure I'll be lazy and give you the skinny on the Brower summer via pictures.

Enjoy!

Went to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple to be sealed as a family - June 14

Kawaii Kai!

Vincent seems to think he fits.

Vincent is such a cheeser.

Chillin' in her sling

He seriously loves her, guys. Soo so much

Sleepyhead Kairi

Reclined, oh so cool

24th of July - Grandma got Vincent a kiddie pool

This kid would take 3 baths a day if I'd let him

Brower Family Reunion at Island Park, ID in July

Vincent's favorite game is "Watch People Dive in the Lake After Their Shoes". I played it twice.

So, yeah. I have cute kids. Definitely bragging.

-Laura

P.S. - New family pics coming soon! Hooray!

The Best Catch-Up Post You'll Ever Read

So. It's been a while. 

A lot has happened since... Wait, when was my last post? Don't answer that. Between then and now, magic happened: 

It's a baby!

Say hello to Kairi Ashe Brower, est. June 19, 2014.

Miss Kairi (pronounced Ky-Ree; I found that sometimes there is confusion) here is evidently a little impatient, seeing as she wasn't due until mid-July. She started giving us the hint that she wanted out in April, when I went into the OB office to talk to my wonderful doctor about some persistent Braxton-Hicks contractions that I'd had throughout the day. Turns out that said contractions had caused my cervix to dilate 1 1/2 cm, which might not seem like much, but it's too much for two whole months before the due date. I was told to Take these meds, Put your feet up and Come back tomorrow for another shot o' steroids. I waddled out of the office sporting a very sore left buttock (apparently that's where steroid-laden needles go) and a nervous twitch. 

Well, almost two months later, I get real-life contractions and head to the hospital. There we find out that although my contractions were quite strong and frequent, I hadn't dilated AT ALL from the 4 cm I had been at my last doctor visit two days previous. Learning that hours of back labor had done essentially nothing towards bringing our baby girl to us was disheartening. We also noticed that little Kairi's heart was beating very irregularly, and after about 11 hours of laboring in the hospital with only 1/2 cm of further dilation, the doctor on-call decided that a C-section was best for us. 

NOOOO! I had been practicing Hypnobirthing and relaxation techniques for months and was so looking forward to a quiet, natural, relaxed birth. I admit I teared up a bit; it felt like such a loss. Before I knew it I was in the operating room and drugged out of my mind.

What seemed like seconds later, she was born! 10:02 am, and my 6 lb - 18 inch princess was finally here. I didn't get to see her as several nurses stood around evaluating her. I didn't know it at the time (nobody tells me anything around here!) but Nate said that it was scary for her at first. She was put on oxygen and whisked away to the NICU. I told Nate to stay with her, but he said that as far as the nurses or Kairi was concerned, it was if he wasn't even there. The staff was 100% focused on Kairi and making sure she was okay. Props to the nursing staff! By the time I was all sewn back together she was stabilized in the Special Care Nursery. It wasn't til around 2 pm that I was coherent enough to be transferred to the maternity ward. I requested that I be taken to see my baby, but as soon as I was put into the wheelchair I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold her. I was a mess! I still insisted on going up a floor to see her. Morphine won in the end - the second I was in her room I started retching. I had to get the heck outta there so I wouldn't throw up near my newborn. I only caught a glimpse of her before I was back downstairs and crying like a baby in my stupid hospital bed. It wasn't til 5 pm that I got the all-clear to go and see little Kai.

The wait was long, but she was so beautiful.

The IV only stayed in for about a day

So pink and squinty and newborn-y!

She was able to breathe well enough on her own by the time that I got to see her that she no longer needed oxygen. She had to stay in the hospital for 3 whole weeks before we got to take her home with us.

A couple of days before discharge - I look like I'm still drugged, yay.

Now we're all home and adjusted! Vincent loves his baby sister more than anything. If anyone he thinks is too sketchy tries to get close to her, he throws a giant fit. He's the most protective, sweet big brother Kairi could ever ask for.

So anyway, there was the biggest catch-up piece ever. I promise I'll be more punctual from now on. For now, welcome to the Brower clan, Kairi!

Grandpa Brower & Kairi

-Your favorite Slytherin

Easter = SUCCESS

Sorry everyone, it's been about a thousand years since I've posted anything. Don't worry - I'M NOT DEAD YET.

As you all know, we had a certain 4/20 holiday recently...
I'm talking about Easter, guys. Don't do drugs.

Anyway, as parents, Nate and I were most excited about how Vincent was going to experience Easter (although I think that for Nate, getting pumped up for Vincent's first Easter egg hunt only barely overshadowed the anticipation for my mother-in-law's annual lamb dinner).

I didn't particularly love the idea of a one-and-a-half year old consuming record amounts of sugar, so for his Easter basket I only purchased squeezable applesauce, little bunny-shaped grahams, and fruit snacks - however he did have some candy as well, from the Easter egg hunt the day before.

"Check out my loot." -Actual words from Vincent's mouth I promise

As happy as he was with his Easter treats, MY very favorite part of the day was his reaction as he was going through his basket.

We've been teaching Vincent some ASL, just for a few words here and there, to ease communication - and he's recently gotten the "thank you" sign down. So, after he receives something, we tell him to say thank you, and he responds with a modified version of thank you in sign. I always assumed that he signed thank you whenever he was told to, and thought no more of it.

Well, after he'd opened up his first plastic egg (with bunny grahams spilling out) and seen the candies in his basket, he looked up at me and signed thank you, thank you, thank you over and over again.

I was ecstatic! I realized that I had been far underestimating his comprehension. Not only does he understand when it is appropriate to say thank you, but he knows how to express himself when he is feeling genuine gratitude. He is growing up so much faster than I had even begun to imagine. Even as I'm typing this, I am touched at how sweet and thoughtful he naturally is. I was expecting him to act like whoa, I'm going to see how much of this I can stuff in my mouth before mom takes it away and instead he stopped what he was doing to thank me for giving him treats. 

I think that was the best Easter gift I could have gotten!

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

YOU GUYS I'M SO EXCITED.

I just found out (although the initial announcement was made last year or something) that J. K. Rowling is writing the screenplay for a Harry Potter spinoff called Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. For anyone who doesn't nerd out as hardcore as myself, that title is shared by a schoolbook that Harry has for the Care of Magical Creatures course at Hogwarts. J. K. Rowling actually published this book for fans to read back in 2001.

WELL IF THAT ISN'T AWESOME ENOUGH BY ITSELF

Not only is this going to be a real actual legitimate thing, I read today in an article on IGN's website that it's being planned as a TRILOGY.

I'm losing my mind here. MORE HARRY POTTER. Yesssssssssssss.

In the video that IGN created (posted in the article that is linked above) it's stated that the movie will be taking place 7 years before Harry's story, and that Rowling doesn't mean for it to link into Harry's life. It's to be considered an extension of Harry's world rather than his story itself.

Excuse me while I go dance like a maniac for a couple of days.

Honey, Where's My Supersuit?

If I need a superhero utility belt, I think I'm entitled to the rest of the ensemble too.

Apparently my ligaments are fed up with my crap. Being pregnant the second time around has made them throw their figurative hands into the air in exasperation.

How do I know this, you ask? Well, you see, they've made it very clear to me that they're unhappy with my life choices, and they're throwing a giant fit.

Last Sunday, I'm sitting in the car, minding my own business, when all of a sudden I get an angry, stabbing pain in my lower right abdomen. It was situated about level with my right hipbone, 3-4 inches in toward my belly button - and it alarmed me because sharp, stabby pain in the lower abdomen could mean very bad things for a pregnancy. At least, that's what was running through my head at the time. After a few moments, it subsided, and I was very very confused. I decided that I wouldn't worry too much about it unless it came back.

Which, of course, it did. The pain would come and go whether I was sitting, standing, walking, or laying down. I couldn't get it to back off for longer than ten minutes or so! After an hour and a half of this, I contacted the lovely on-call services at my OB-GYN office and was told that it simply sounded like round ligament pain.

Oh. That's all? Phew.

I had heard the term before. My doctor had actually brought it up at my last checkup, when I mentioned that I had felt some tenderness in my lower belly with sudden movements. All in all, I felt kind of like a blubbering idiot for wasting the on-call doctor's time with ligament pains that I had already discussed with my OB, when he could be dealing with someone else's real emergency.

The next day, I was relaying the experience to my mom over the phone. She has fibromyalgia, and as such is very familiar with pain that is very real but has no reason for existing. I was telling her about how dumb I felt about calling the doctor's office over something so small. Her reply was simple and quite sensible: anytime, especially during pregnancy, that you feel pain and you don't know why, it's something to ask about. She told me that she understood how frustrating it was to not know what's causing discomfort, and that it was always better to ask and find out that you're overreacting than to blow off a potentially serious issue.

Great advice! I felt so much better, though still perhaps a little silly.

So, what do I mean by round ligament pain? Buckle up, kids, it's LEARNING TIME.

For all my experienced moms out there, this is probably no news to you. But for the rest of us commoners, treat yourself to a fun fact: during pregnancy, mom's belly gets pretty big. Like, a whole lot bigger than it normally is. In order to accommodate a growing baby, mom's ligaments start to stretch out like so much silly putty. This can cause some pain - sometimes mild, sometimes not so much.

The reason I was having pain (and since been having pain) in that particular area is due to where the round ligament attaches in my body.

Image found at pregnancy.familyeducation.com

Would you look at that? The lower end of the ligament attaches right where I was feeling the imaginary knife stabbing into me. Go figure.

If there are any newly expecting moms reading, let me put in a disclaimer. If you're feeling pain in the area I described above, do not hesitate to bring it up to your OB. While most likely, like in  my case, it's simply ligaments protesting, it may be something else entirely. If your pain lasts for more than a few minutes, it's always a good idea to call your doctor. If your pain is paired with fever or chills, painful urination, or your pain is just super severe, definitely call your doctor. Your growing little one is always worth the worry.

If you're experiencing round ligament pain, there are a few things you can do to help relieve it - and even prevent it! Exercising is a great way to keep your muscles and ligaments toned and ready for some hardcore stretching. Prenatal yoga is awesome! I've been doing it around 3 times a week for most of this pregnancy, and I love it.

The doctor told me that while my ligament pain wouldn't go away from half an hour of relaxation, a warm pack on the area may help. He also recommended that I get a support belt.

A whaaaa?

One of these bad boys:

Stylin'.

Can't wait to wear this hot number around town.

Okay, this one is definitely going to be worn outside my clothing.

All of these are available on the wonderful amazon.com. Needless to say, I'm going to resist as long as possible, and I'll concede only if I get a spandex suit to wear with it. And it must be metallic. Or have tiny LED lights that flash all the time.

Treasure-box Womens Green Catsuit Shiny Metallic Dancewear Zentai Unitard by Treasure-Box
Only $39.99 on Amazon!
Well, there goes my excuse.

The #1 Greatest Haircut of All Time

Laura is not a hairstylist. Keep her away from your hair.

I would like to tell you a story about how much I should not be trusted with scissors.

I have given my husband maybe half a dozen half-decent haircuts. I guess that translates to 3 fully-decent haircuts. Maybe don't ask his opinion on said haircuts, because I'm sure he would tell you all sorts of wild things.

Vincent's hair is something that I refused to touch for the first 15 months of his life, because I was terrified that I would maul it. His first haircut was this January, and I paid someone to do it (it cost me all of $3!). The next day, I decided to trim up the back because the stylist had had a difficult time with that part, as Vincent was squirming. I was pretty successful! I was all excited that I didn't have to pay to get my son's hair cut (I'm a dirty rotten cheapskate).

So a couple days ago, when I notice that Vincent's hair was getting into his eyes again, I decided to wield my amateur styling skills like the dull-edged kitchen scissors I used in this case.

Just for background knowledge purposes, this is his hair maybe a week or so ago:

Look at me, I'm super cute and stuff
Also stop judging the nasty discolored sealant on my bathtub
I CAN FEEL THE JUDGES ROLLING OFF OF YOU

In order to tame some of the wiggles he gets when I mess with his hair for too long, I put on a little YouTube video that Nate and I have recently found out is Vincent's very favorite. Apparently Vincent is a fan of Japanese pop music. I don't know how I feel about that.

Enjoy it for yourself! I really don't know what he sees in this other than sheer ODD:

Although, I do admit, it's very catchy and hard to resist dancing to.

And also impossible to get out of your head, even though I have no idea what's being said or even how to repeat it. I kind of just go PONPONWAYWAYWAYYYY and dance a little.

Anyway.

I wait until he's thoroughly entranced by the chaos that is a music video, and position my scissors so that I'd only be trimming maybe like 1/4" from his bangs. That's all I wanted to do. 

As I start to snip (I'm fairly positive that's the professional term) Vincent decides that he must dance to the music.  He does a giant bob of his head as I cut his hair. In one SNIIIP, there's a great big V in his hairline that goes up like two whole inches. 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Yeah that happened. I'm pretty sure the neighbors in all directions heard me.

Vincent just looks at me like the crazy woman that I am and turns back to his jams. I try to problem solve, and as far as the rest of his head goes, I did a pretty good job. But straightening his bangs almost reduced me to tears (I place all blame on pregnancy hormones).

I shall let the picture do all the explaining for me.

Jim Carrey, as seen in Dumb and Dumber, 1994.

When he's a teenager, he's going to look back at these pictures and curse me. Or just laugh at me a lot. That's been Nate's coping mechanism so far.

Moral of the story - don't let me touch your hair, ever.

In the Beginning...

Maybe it's just because I'm a noob, but the idea of "the first post" is daunting to me. In all honesty, this blog has been sitting around for a while now with no posts to its name simply because I've had no idea how to start it. 

The question came to me as I was editing the layout today for the fiftieth time - why am I starting up a blog in the first place?

So I figured I'd explore that in the first one. The catalyst. The genesis. Can I make this any more dramatic?

Really though, why are you starting a blog anyway? Everyone and their dog has one.

Yes, yes, I'm aware. The mommy blog parade started a good long time ago. I simply entertained the idea as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed.

You see, I'm a teen mom. The term is not exactly flattering. The stigma is rather overwhelming. Thusly, I say this to all the other teen parents out there trying to outlive the stereotype - I know. I know how hard it is to try to make the best of your mistakes. I still get reproachful looks from elderly ladies when I take my young son and my pregnant belly to the grocery store. But I'm trying my hardest, and that counts for something, right? 

Back to the Facebook story.

As I'm scrolling through my feed a few months back, I'm marveling at the fact that a few girls I know/knew in high school that are all of a sudden adding me as friends. To be clear, I was never super popular in high school, and so it was only a few people that noticed when I did not come back for my senior year, and even fewer that knew the reason behind it. And yet, people that I barely spoke with through school wanted to reconnect with me? 

I did some digging and found that a couple of these girls had gotten pregnant in high school, after I had dropped out. Another couple girls announced that they were pregnant shortly after I accepted their friend requests. 

I had already reconnected with a friend (we'd known each other since middle school) who has just recently had a beautiful baby boy. She had gotten pregnant shortly after graduation. Before she delivered, she asked me a million questions about labor and taking care of babies and everything in between. I was more than happy to answer them, but expressed to her that I felt grossly underqualified to be preaching as I'd only had one of my own. It was nice to be able to share my experiences, though, as they seemed to help her to deal with the more difficult aspects of being a mom - though most of the credit for her support goes to her family.

Even before that, I was able to get together with another friend from high school who had gotten pregnant only a few months after I had. The baby's father decided to shove all responsibility in any direction but towards himself, and she made the tough decision to place her baby for adoption. She told me about how hard it was for her to go through the rest of her senior year with a growing tummy and a deadbeat babydaddy. She was able to find a wonderful family for her little girl and continue on to go to college. 

Both of these great young women have found something good in the mistakes they had made, and both had come to me for a little extra support when it was hardest for them. Now, I'm not trying to toot my own horn. I'm not saying that I'm oh-so-wise-and-knowledgeable. But I do know that sharing experiences can be healing for both ends. Now that I spend most of my time at home (and a good amount of that time is online due to the work that I do) the easiest way for me to reach out to anyone who cares to listen is through the fantastic world wide web.

Well, that was long-winded.

Sorry. I don't imagine I'll be as wordy in other posts. But now you know!

If you don't like it, don't follow me. Easy enough. I basically just wanted to put it out there that although mommy blogs are pretty freaking common, maybe I can put a twist on this one with new perspective.

If you're reading this, then I thank you for making to the end of my rambling! Props to you!