Update

Wow. I haven’t written in a long time. Sorry. I have been super busy. So I will just start at the beginning (a very good place to start…sorry…) July brought my sister Sarah and her kidlets to Utah. I got to see her family for a whole MONTH! A WHOLE MONTH!! It makes them living so far away easier. I am really happy that we finally got the two boys together. While they were here we did a ton of things together. We ate good food. We talked a lot. They all went swimming, without me. I wasn’t putting my 3 month postpartum body in a swimsuit. I am not that brave.

It makes me so happy to have a friendship with my sisters. I am incredibly lucky to have them in my life and consider them my dearest friends. LOVE YOU LIZ AND SARAH.

During this time we also moved. That was incredibly stressful. Ok, it was and it wasn’t. I think we were ready to be away from our apartment. We found an incredible place not far from my Grandma Loveridges place that we LOVE. Our new place has 3 bedrooms, tons of space (including storage!), tons of kids Little Misses age, a great ward, it’s in a cool-de-sac, it has a recycling bin, NO PETS (which means we can finally play outside), fantastic neighbors which means I have friends, close to a lot of great shops, Walmarts in Utah County double coupons on Tuesday, um…there is more. There are 2 downsides though. We moved away from my dad and sister. That sucks. I miss seeing their faces almost every day. Also, now I don’t have a ready and willing babysitter whenever I need someone. Luckily, my new neighbors are wonderful.

Little Miss started “preschool” with a neighbor, she is doing it 2 days a week for 2 hours for only $10. She is loving it. I am enjoying being able to clean when Mr. Man sleeps and the extra one-on-one time with him.

Little Miss is now 3.5 years old. Holy cow. When did that happen? She is such a joy and such a handful. She has an evil laugh though. Kind of freaks me out and annoys me at the same time. Where did she get that? She is a GREAT big sister. She loves her brother so much. Lately, she loves the movie Tangled and has named her dolly Rapunzel. She likes to change her diaper and “feed” her while I feed Mr. Man. She was traumatized by the move. When I ask her if she likes our new apartment she says she doesn’t like the inside but she like the outside because that is where her friends are. Silly girl.

Mr. Man is 5 months old. He is 15 pounds now. Which is huge to me. I think his sister was 15 pounds at a year!! He has been battling one cold after another. Poor dude. He had a croup cough for a couple of nights so I took him in. I was told that for being so sick he is pretty healthy, with great lungs and great ears. He finally started rolling over. I wasn’t really pushing him to. I know that once he is mobile he won’t stop being mobile….He is the happiest baby even though he has had a nonstop cold for the last 3 weeks. He smiles such a handsome smile. He just recently started eating solids. He is doing well. But he is growing up too fast!

Branch is doing so really well. The Provo office is slowly moving along. He is enjoying his prosthetic residency, just wishes he could be more immersed in it. I am so thankful he is working in a field he loves. He is pretty lucky in that aspect. He was also diagnosed recently with sleep apnea. He stopped breathing 18 times an hour!! Though, his uncle stopped breathing 60 times an hour. Anyway, he now wears a CPAP mask at night to help him sleep. It is amazing the difference. He now rarely falls asleep on the couch when he comes home. I am so thankful for this man in my life.

As for me, I am doing well. I find this two kid thing easier than I thought, though it is still hard. Little Miss, while difficult at times, is a really good sibling and Mr. Man is pretty mellow. THANK GOODNESS!! I love our new home. I have friends now!! Seriously my neighbors rock. I love our ward too. I really like American Fork too, except the traffic lights are so stinking long. I love that the Wal-Mart’s in Utah county double their coupons on Tuesday, so my new thing is that I go shopping at 10ish on Monday night, check out after midnight. It is tiring but I am getting incredible savings with that and price matching…anyway. I love living near my grandparents. I miss my dad and sister terribly though. I am so thankful we got to spend so much time with them.

Well that is our update. Maybe I will try to post pictures later…

GOSH DANGIT! I stinking had a huge, well written blog I had written on a word document. THEN I FORGET TO SAVE IT! NOW IT IS GONE! GONE! GONE!

Argh.

Now you have to wait even longer for it. ARGH!!

Grand Teton and beyond

This last weekend we went up to
Grand Teton National Park and stayed
for a couple of days.
It was pretty nice
(it does help that Grandma has a trailor....)

It was fun hanging out and exploring.
Mr. Man even slept throught the night
3 nights in a row!!
It was a camping miracle!

Little Miss had a blast playing in the dirt.
She asked everyday if she could get dirty.
The first day she was COVERED in dirt.

The last day there we went to Jenny Lake
and took a boat ride across the lake and took a
hike to Hidden Falls.

It was an easy hike, even with an infant on me,
but I think it may
have been to much for Mr. Man and I.

Little Miss got a slushy drink. She loved it.
She loves everything blue.
Let's just say her tongue wasn't the only
thing to turn blue...

Yesterday we were painting her treasure box
of things she collected in Jackson (mostly money)
when an unfortunate accident happened....

...all over her...all over the floor...all over the wall...
Luckily it came out of everything...

I am not feeling very good, and while it was a pain
to clean up, it did make me laugh!

Then today she asked me about my wedding ring.
I told her we wear them on that finger when we get married.

The conversation went like this
Me: That is the wedding ring finger
LM: Oh...wedding ring finger....
I'm getting married tomorrow!
Me: Oh yeah? Who are you marrying?
LM: I'm gonna marry Daddy...tomorrow!
Me: Really? Where you going to marry him?
LM: Um...Merica!
Me: America! Really?
LM: Yeah, Merica! Were the people don't sing!

Alrighty then...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
BRANCH HUNSAKER!

The Blessing

Mr. Man had his blessing this last Sunday. It was an awesome experience. With Little Miss it was a small affair with just us an Becky and Mont. This time we had a ton of family. Branch gave a wonderful blessing and was surrounded by a great circle of priesthood holders.

(Dad, Brody and his family, Mom and Tony, Ashlee and Jeremy, Liz and E, Grandma and Grandpa Loveridge, Bill and Stephanie and their family, Aunt Julie and Uncle Brent, Becky, Mont, Keelen and Mia, Melissa and her family, Amberly and her family, and our friend Ben.)

We actually ended up only going to Sacrament that day. Then after the blessing we had a luncheon celebrate.

With Grandma Grandma and Grandpa Grandpa

Just relaxing...

This is NOT the best picture but I LOVED Little Misses face...

Seriously such a cute face!!!

E and Rachel kept posing for the camera. What adorable models.

Yup...I am definitely not photogenic...

E really wanted to be in the picture...

Thank you Becky for making Mr. Man his adorable blessing outfit!

What cute kidlets! I am so lucky!!

Guess what I did? I cut my hair...really short.

And...I LOVE IT!

Sorry about the weird smirk. That is what happens
when a 3 year old takes your picture,
and you have to guide the camera...
and your not photogenic...


Also, I thought I had posted a before picture
but I didn't and I don't want to go looking for it...

Brother and Sister

Ahh so sweet!

Help me mom!!

Meet Richard...

4 Generations of Richards

I know you're probably not to interested in birth stories but I love hearing what other people go through when they deliver, so here it is:

I was supposed to be induced Wednesday, sometime. It was all planned. Mom and my mom-in-law Becky took time off of work and came here to be with us in the delivery room. We found out late Tuesday that I was sixth in line for inductions. We thought "Ok so not a morning induction, maybe after 2 sometime". They did say that if I hadn't recieved a call by 11 to call and find out what is going on. So I did.

"I'm sorry, but we are going to have to bump you...to Friday."

WHAT?

I was devastated to say the least. I really wanted to hold my son in my arms. I really didn't want my ribs to hurt anymore. I really felt bad for everyone else who was so excited for us and would now have to wait and take more time off of work.

So we went shopping, and eating, and having fun for two days. Little Miss was so spoiled. Thursday we celebrated her 3rd birthday at a fun place around here called Jungle Jim's. She had a lot of people come celebrate with her, which was good because we did end up being in the hospital on her birthday.

Finally Friday came around. I woke up at 6:30 and just knew I wasn't going to be induced so I was trying to mentally prepare myself for that. Then the phone rang. They asked two simple questions.

"Are you ready to have a baby?" and "How fast can you get here?".

OH MY GOSH IT IS HAPPENING! I woke up Branch, called parents, texted family members and we hoped in the car and headed the 5 minutes to the hospital. In the car I told Branch something that I said every time I felt a little overwhelmed during this pregnancy
"I don' think I am ready for this?!"
and he said the same thing he said every time I said that...
"I'm getting sick of you saying that! You're going to be a great mother of 2!!"

Wow, what a wonderfully sensitive husband I have. Thanks for those words of encouragement! We walked into the hospital and checked in and walked into Labor and Delivery as a family of three.



They hooked me up the machine, and started the antibiotics that I needed to take four hours before I delivered because I was positive for Group B Strep. They started the pitocin and...we waited. Becky finished Mr. Mans quilt, Branch downloaded a free book app on his phone and then started reading, as did my mom. What did I do while I was in labor? I checked facebook, blogged, peed, and had my hair done!



The pitocin was making me have more contractions, but not more intense contractions. I even thought I might be able to do this unmedicated! But I decided to get the epideral because the anistecialogist was going into a c-section and would be unavailable for a while so I might not get it if I didn't get it then. Finally my doctor, Dr. Hebert showed up. She broke my water and BAM! the contractions when from very mild to HELP ME! GIVE ME DRUGS!!

They did have to give me two doses of the good stuff because I was still feeling a very sharp and painful pain every contraction, which were coming on one on top of each other. In a very short hour I went from a 4 to 10cm and I was ready to go!

Now when I had Little Miss I was started induced slowly because I had to have a version to turn her breech body. I also didn't push well being a first time mom who didn't know what she was doing. This time, even though I couldn't feel anything down there, was able to push really well. I swear I felt him moving as I pushed. I felt really good about how I was pushing. I was funny though that the moms who were at my head kept pushing and holding their breath with me. I only pushed for 2o minutes and he was here! They put him on my chest and all I could think through the tears was "Oh my gosh he looks just like his sister!!" They took him and did all the measurements. He was 7lbs 11 ounces ( a full 1lb 10 oz bigger than Little Miss) and 21.5 inches long and just perfect! They then put him on my chest skin to skin. Again something I wasn't able to do with his sister but something I absolutely loved about his birth.

Little Miss was able to come in a little later. She had a look of bewilderment on her face. She understood that there was a baby in mommy's belly but now that he was actually her I think it was a little to much.


All in all it was a wonderful birth experience for us. I am so in love with this little boy. He melts my heart. I am so happy to be his mother. I love you!!

Easter and the gift that kept giving....

This was a fun Easter. It was the first one that Little Miss "got". She now knows the deal. We had an Easter egg hunt at Grandpa Bobby's house outside with one of her cousins. They were all over the place! They had so many eggs that they kept falling out of their baskets.

Saturday we did a craft at a local store, while Branch and Mr. Man relaxed at home. Then we spent the rest of the day as a family at home. It was nice. Later that night we dyed eggs. So much fun!



Sunday, Branch took Little Miss to church while I stayed home with the boy. (There is a bad case of Measles going around, and his pediatrician recommends we not take him anywhere public for the first two months.) While they were gone the Easter Bunny showed up at our house!

Easter Bunny lefts some gifts*

Coming home and being amazed that the Easter Bunny HAD come!

If that egg had been a snake it would have bitten her.
She kept looking right past it.

This picture is funny, not just because of
her expression but because she is making
that face after we told her to smile, trying
to look around for more eggs at the same time!

We then went back to Grandpa Bobby's house for Easter dinner. All in all it was a great Easter weekend!

*We have given LIttle Miss this box of play-doh
3 times now.
First was Christmas 2 years ago, then Christmas this year
...and then Easter!

She is now playing with it as I write this!*

Who's who?

And now for a game of Who's Who?

The players are: Branch, Little Miss, and Mister Man.

Who is this? A...

I bet you can't guess who this is! B...

This is a hard one! C......

TRIVIA TIDBITS:
Branch was born 3 weeks late! THREE WEEKS! That is why his skin is so red in the picture. One of the doctors at the hospital said his skin was starting to fall off.

Little Miss was Breech and had oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid). Version was performed at 38.5 weeks and induced then.

Mr. Man was born at 7lbs 11 oz, a full 1lb 10 oz bigger than his sister! Both Grandmas were present at the birth.

Welcome to the world!

Look below for a special birthday post for Little Miss!

Happy Birthday Little Miss

ARGH! I thought I made this to automatically post on Little Miss's Birthday...

So...for Little Miss's birthday post I am going to be posting the lyrics to a love song, so I changed some of the lyrics, because if I didn't that would be weird...but here you go!

"Just The Way You Are"

Her eyes, her eyes
make the stars look like they're not shining
Her hair, her hair
falls perfectly without her trying

She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday (yeahh)


When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change

'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are

And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while

'Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are
*
She's so beautiful
And I tell her everyday

Oh you know, you know, you know
I'd never ask you to change

If perfect's what you're searching for
Then just stay the same


When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change

'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
*
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while

'Cause girl you're amazing
Just the way you are


The way you are
*
The way you are
*
WE LOVE YOU LITTLE MISS! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!