California and Thanksgiving

Curtis and I decided to spend Thanksgiving in California this year. I however, was lucky enough to go to California a week before to get some extra family time in. There was lots of Christmas movie watching (yes we watch Christmas movies before Thanksgiving!), eating, visiting, and baby holding. Brooklynn's aunties really love holding her. I mean who wouldn't want to hold this perfect girl?

Yes, I know, she is the worlds cutes baby. 

Since it's Thanksgiving time let me just take a minute to tell you all how thankful I am for my family. I have the most hard working, strong, loving, and smart husband! He is so good to me and I would be lost without him! Then there is my perfect baby who at 5 weeks is already sleeping through the night most nights. Yeah, you should be jealous. She's amazing! I never knew I could love something so much until she was born. Basically, I love my little family.

Also, my parents and sibling. I am so thankful for them as well. They always are there for me when I am having a hard time. I love how much they love little Brookie. And she sure loves them!

I am thankful for my in-laws for raising such an amazing son! They also are so good to me and I am so glad they welcomed me into their family!

So more about the trip.

On the day the Brooklynn turned one month old my family went to California Pizza Kitchen for dinner and my dad told the waitress that it was Brooklynn's one month birthday. The waitress thought that was funny and brought her a birthday dessert.

I have this friend. Her name is Kristen. I have known her pretty much since I was born. We are 1 month and 8 days apart. She was born in September and I was born in October. We just happened to get pregnant very close together both with baby girls. Kristen had her baby in September and I had Brooklynn in October. They are 1 month and 6 days apart! CRAZY! They met each other for the first time on this trip. How cute are they??

Here is a little random photo of Brooklynn and me.

The week was pretty great. Then Wednesday night after driving through a huge storm Curtis finally got to us! We were all so excited! That night we got to go on a little date. Then thursday morning our whole family got up and went on a little walk. The turkey trot we called it. Got our appetite ready for a our Thanksgiving feast! Then we had an amazing Thanksgiving lunch! My mom is an amazing cook! After that Curtis, Brooklynn, and I took a very long nap! Then the family went to the movie to see Tangled. Such a cute movie!! Brooklynn slept the whole time. Like I said before, I have a perfect baby! Then it was turkey sandwiches and games! It was a perfect day!

On friday we went to the beach for hot dogs and corn. It was a beautiful day! It was nice since it was 19 degrees back in Utah! MUCH rather be at the beach! Brooklynn loved being in the warm weather!

Saturday morning we went to my grandma and grandpa's house to help set up their Christmas decorations then we all went to In-N-Out for lunch. After that we packed up and headed back to Utah. We drove to Vegas and stayed there for the night. Sunday we got up about 9 and headed out to finish the drive. This part was a lot worse. It took us 12 hours to get from Vegas to Salt Lake City. Not cool. Brooklynn slept the whole time! It was great. Except that made her stay up most of the night last night. But I can't complain.. I have a perfect baby.

So overall, Thanksgiving was great and I am thankful for all that I have!

Workout Time! AH!

As all of you already know, I just had a baby 3 1/2 weeks ago. And something that comes with having a baby is gaining weight... Which sucks but that's life. I gained a lot of weight because I retained so much water. So I got huge! BUT because most of it was water I lost a lot of weight really fast! Within two weeks of having Brooklynn I lost 40 pounds! How crazy is that?? It was pretty awesome! I pretty much just woke up soaking wet every night and was dropping LBs like it was my job! But now that has slowed and I still have 20 pounds to lose. Now those I am actually going to have to work for which is something that I have never had to do before! It's kind of depressing. However, it'll be good for me because it's about time I really got into shape. 

I went to the doctor this past friday and she cleared me for cardio. Just no weight lifting. So I got a gym membership at Golds Gym and I've been going every day since. I've never been one for working out but I am determined to get back to how I was before. Actually, even better than before! I know I can do it. It's just going to take more self discipline than I have ever used before in my life. haha

Wish me luck! I will be skinny again!

Life with Brooklynn

Life with my little angel is pretty much awesome!

She is the perfect baby. Seriously. I mean she gets gas and cries sometimes which is really sad because there is nothing I can do for her and that makes me sad. 

But other then that she is a perfect very alert little girl.

Like for instance... Last night she slept from 12am to 7am! 

She's only 3 1/2 weeks old! She is a super baby!

I love her SO much!

Finally.... the birth story...

I checked in to University of Utah Hospital on Tuesday, October 19th at 7:30am to be induced since I was a week overdue.

I was hoping to have a quick delivery...

I wasn't so lucky.

I was in labor for 2 days with the doctors doing everything they could to help me dilate and NOTHING was working. They tried a lot of different things that let's just say hurt REALLY bad. I was stuck at 5 centimeters for 10 hours before my doctor came in and said that it just wasn't going to happen.

On top of that in those two days I was in labor my epidural was not working. They kept upping my dosage and even gave me pain killers on top of it but I could still feel my contractions.. I couldn't feel my legs but I could definitely feel my contractions. It was awful!

So about 7ish pm on Wednesday night I started being prepped for a c section. I was really scared since my epidural wasn't working, that I was going to be able to feel it.

But once I was in there any they gave me a much higher dosage in my epidural all I could feel was tugging. 

At 8:01pm Brooklynn Eileen Duty was born.

She was 8lbs 3oz and 20 1/2 inches long.

And just perfect!

Coming off of the epidural was rough. Really rough.

I got back to the room and was shaking uncontrollably. Literally. 

I couldn't even hold Brooklynn because I felt so terrible.

The next day they tested my blood and realized that I lost a critical amount of blood and I had a temperature of 103. I was put on 3 different types of antibiotics and had to get a blood transfusion of 2 units. And to make matter worse they had to poke me like 4 different times because I was so swollen no one could find a vain. 

Then kept monitoring me. 

My blood level still wasn't going up and my temperature was not going down.

So I was back on antibiotics and had another blood transfusion.

My blood level FINALLY went up but I still had a temperature so they were still not letting me go home. I wanted to go home SO bad. I was getting so depressed being stuck in that hospital! But every night one time I would have a high temperature and they would keep me another day to run tests only to find out that they were fine. 

Finally, after being in the hospital for an entire week I was able to go home!

I am so thankful for my family who came out to keep me company and sane while stuck in the hospital! Brookie misses you guys!!