Lil miss is 1 !!!!

Our sweet girl is 1 today!!!! I can't believe it, fastest year of my life! Now I sound like one of those parents saying "They grow up so fast" but wow it's true, it happens fast and it makes me wish I could freeze time sometimes. In honor of her birthday I thought I'd share her birth story :) I always love reading other people birth stories so here's mine! ( And don't worry it won't be gross :) :) 

On September 10th, 2011 (2 weeks before my "due" date) we went down to the hospital/birthing center to have a check up cause I had noticed a little strangeness the day before. The sweet nurse asked if my water had broken and I replied "No of course not". I mean come on, haven't you seen the movies?!? You can TELL when someone's water breaks......usually everyone can lol.  So then I felt dumb when they came back and told me it actually had. Okay well it's my first baby I have no clue what to expect! Since my beta strep test thing hadn't even come back from the lab yet they wanted me to come back around 7:30 pm so they could start me on antibiotics and treat me as if it had been positive. I wasn't very excited about that idea since I wasn't really having any contractions or feelings of labor and I wanted things to go as natural and least intrusive as possible. So we went for a LONNNNNNNG walk around Ikea. Again, and again and again. Not sure I can ever go back there and see it the same again haha! We walked a ton trying to get things to start and then headed back to the hospital. 

Once they got us all set up around 8:15 pm the midwife came in and told me, "I'm only on shift for the next 12 hours so I will probably not be delivering your baby. Since this is your first baby and your happy and smiling it's going to be a while." A while after she left we decided to go on a walk again (let me just say, my legs were DEAD from walking so much with a heavy belly!) and I was really starting to feel uncomfortable (don't you love how people always use that word?!? I always want to say, NO I'm not uncomfortable, I'm in PAIN). Okay, so I was in pain.....but moderate pain. We went out for a walk in the garden and a contraction hit me and I remember falling onto my knees.....my poor hubby didn't know what to do. He told me he was thinking, "I don't know how we'll do this for over 12 hours!!!". Since she had told me it would be a long time and it had been an hour lets just say I felt like an INCREDIBLE wimp that I was already crying at every contraction.  This is the part where I will NOT tease my husband for when he kept coming back into the room with a mouth full of sandwich cause he was worried it would take so long and he would get hungry.............mmmmmhhhmmm :)  Love him :) He did such a great job. On a side note, us ladies need to remember that as hard and painful as labor is for us it's really hard for them too! To watch us be in so much pain and really be able to do nothing about it. I'm sure it's draining as well. 

 The nurse came back in came back in our room around 10:30 pm.......yes because they could hear me :( and the same sweet nurse said, "So you're sounding a bit uncomfortable (that word again...) lets check on things." I felt so dumb! I wasn't even in active labor and I was crying my eyes out! They knew I wanted to labor in the tub but they usually wait till you're a 4 or 5 to let you go in so it won't slow things down. She had a nice surprised look on her face when she said, "Oh, you're at a 6 lets move you over there!" 

I had written out my birth plan, talked to Jeremy and talked to the midwife about how I wanted to do it naturally and labor in the tub. This is the part where I told Jeremy, "Go get her, I need something I can't do this!!!!" Poor guy just stood there since I had told him before that if I asked for drugs to not let me and just tell me I could do it! But after insisting (that's my nicest way of saying that.........) that he go get her the midwife came back in an sat with me. I remember crying and gripping the pole on the bed and telling her I REALLY wanted something for the pain. I LOVE this part of my story because she ROCKS! She told me that I could do this, that the drugs would just make me feel sick and that I was in transition and it was going so fast I didn't have time anyways. 

Among the millions of things I loved about my birthing center, is the fact that they have on-call Doula's for FREE. Seriously, as amazing as my husband was, I don't think I would have made it without this girl. I can't even remember her face cause my eyes were clenched shut the whole time! But she literally got me through every contraction. Making me breath, making me relax and steady my breathing, she was amazing. I wish I knew her name so I could write her a letter. 

I remember I kept saying I was really worried about all the other women walking around outside our room cause they had to listen to my not quiet voice screaming :( Oh well, what can ya do! As soon as I had a contraction in the tub I could feel her head coming down (yes OUCH!) and realized I was going to have a water birth even though the thought had scared me before! I simply wasn't going to make it out of the tub. So at 12:35 am on September 11th Juliana Marie was born weighing 7.13 and 19 in long! 

Right after she was born! (well.....right after I hobbled from the tub to the bed that is :) 

My labor was fast and furious. The worst and best thing I've ever done! Hard work. Great reward. 

Her newborn shoot :) Couldn't resist....I mean, look at this little peanut! Done by my friend Tanya! 

We love this girl with all our hearts!!!!! So blessed to be her mamma!!!! 

Back to It :)

Yea! We finally have internet in our new place AND we are moved in! As much as I love the internet and netflix and all.........it has been nice to spend our evenings this whole week getting things done, reading, and just hanging out. Am I happy to have internet again as of today? YES! It is kind of sad how often we would go to "do" something that required the internet. We've had a great week of moving in, trying to make this new place a home and this weekend was our girl's first birthday party! (Pictures in a following post :) 

So here's me catching up on a few "posts" that didn't get up! 

My tip for the week -- when you're in a hurry, opt for the rotisserie chicken. Packed with flavor and slow roasted they make a perfect dinner simply because you can use them in so many different ways. The first night we always end up just eating pieces of chicken (usually cause it's late, per the rotisserie chicken to begin with) and we are hungry! But for the second and third nights you can strip all the chicken off (you'd be SHOCKED at how much is on there) and use it in pasta, soup, casserole, salad, etc. Finally, take the whole thing......well what's rest of it now anyways and instead of dumping it in the trash pop it in a pot of water with  a cut up onion, carrot and celery. You'll have a really good chicken stock for soup or future use! 

We had a really yummy ribbon squash and chicken pizza on the grill the other night! I used to always use pasta sauce (yes pre-made from a jar......gasp!) But I've realized that if you're adding meat that already has flavor on it or cheese, you really don't need all that extra flavor (not to mention the extra sodium) from the jarred sauce. I've just been spreading some tomato paste or olive oil with spices like thyme, basil and oregano. 

My view today :) One done and one to go! My mother in law is turning 60 on the same day my baby is turning 1! Some fun celebrations this week :) So we're throwing her a lil party!

Side note, do you like writing DONE or crossing things off your list?!?! I do! :) 

It's a salad kind of day :) I've been trying to have salad as my go to lunch every day. I've found it's a LOT easier if I have lettuce already cut up and veggies already sliced. Makes for a fast assembly and a more likely meal for me. I try to get all my lettuce cleaned and dried when I get home with groceries and veggies chopped and stored for the week. Doesn't usually happen but it's a nice thought right?!

One of my new favorite things for Jules is an idea I got from my sister in law. I cut a store bought otter pop in half, drain it, rinse it out and then refill it with the mixture of your choice! My sister did coconut water for her older kids. I just filled it about 75% with water then splashed in some apple juice. Refreeze and your kiddo can have a fun snack (minus the corn syrup!) For a teething little one, this is great cause they can gnaw on it for a while :)  

What a great Daddy stringing Cheerios on string for Juliana's party!  Love him!

 

Now we're off to our county's fair!!! Love my town :) Glad to be back blogging!!!

Just movin fun.... :)

I am using the internet at our parents house to share some fun moving pictures! I am still working on my before and after pictures of each room so you'll have to wait to see those! (and there JUST MIGHT still be boxes so I'm not ready to show you yet........)

Forgive me while I go a little bit on picture overload........but come on......how cute is she! Every time something was packed she had to find a way to either unpack it or crawl inside it :) 

We feel like we live at Home Depot right now........seriously

I can climb! :) 

"Helping" Daddy :) don't worry we didn't let her stick it in the outlet :)

I am so Thankful for all our family and friends who have helped us! We are in our house and getting things organized :) Hope to have internet soon! 

Now I'm off to work on adorable and completely unnecessary projects for Juliana's 1st Birthday this weekend!  

Weekend Recap

Had such a great family breakfast on Saturday! Love the amount of eggs we need to feed our crew!

If you've never made pumpkin pancakes, you are totally missing out!!! These are the most amazing pieces of fall fluff you will ever have :) Check out the recipe here!

My nephew is pretty cute :) 

Ohhh babe....

Sisters and Mamma!

And of course you gotta have fresh waffles too!

The master chef :) 

Such a crowd!

Last meal with our sweet girls from France :( 

Mark and Becky announced they are expecting baby #2!!!!!!!! Congrats guys!

I somehow missed the other table full of people! Love these fun family times! 

Sorry I have been MIA!!!!! We don't have internet at the new house yet :) This week has been a whirlwind of moving and boxes and late nights! We are exhausted but we are IN our new place! Pictures are coming!!! :) 

Friday Letters

Dear New House, 

Wow!!! The day has come! We are moving in! I am so excited! :) You look so nice and new with pretty paint colors and even floors haha. I think you will feel much more like home once everything is in it's place. I look forward to lots of memories and conversation at this place! God is so good to bless with a house to use as a tool for ministry :)

Dear Old House,

I will miss you.

I know you are an apartment above a vet clinic (specifically above the animal boarding kennel), overlook the highway and neighbors with the tire factory. But I love you! You were our home for so many amazing events in our life and I can't believe we've lived longer here than anywhere else! You were a great home, and I feel slightly territorial over you!

Dear Hubs, 

You are working so hard :( I know I always say that, but this week is unlike anything else. Going to the new house before work, working all day, then going back till midnight every day is insane :( Thank you for ALL your work to get us moved in today! I love, appreciate and admire the heck out of you!

Dear Nutella, 

Please move yourself back to the pantry. Because I seem to be lacking the willpower to do so. I soon ditch all items (pieces of bagel, apple slice, even tortilla chips......yes you heard me) whose sole purpose is to be a vessel and just grab the spoon. Call me fat yet!?!?

Dear JuJu B,

I love the adorable new nickname your 2 year old cousin gave you. Adorable! You have handles all the changes so well baby girl! People in the house packing your stuff up, a "construction site" of a new house! We're so close to getting you in YOUR OWN ROOM (praise the Lord!)

Dear Summer,

Why are you over?!? I do NOT give you permission to be over yet! I've spent the whole summer working on house stuff and not nearly enough time at the pool, river or lake! Please extend yourself another month for me, sincerely, Anne. 

Dear Family, 

Thank you thank you thank you thank you. For your hours of hard work to help us get into our house today. Without your painting, moving, babysitting skills we would be no where near moving in! What a blessing family is!!!!!

Dear Boxes,

Could you please go unpack yourselves into all the right places? Thanks!

 

My Family in a Nutshell :)

Had fun the other night celebrating my Mom's birthday and good ol family time! For those of you that haven't met my family, they are loud, fun and well........loud! But I LOVE them! I'm the youngest of 4 which we are now 8 since from the very beginning my parents made it clear that our spouses were also their children :) I appreciate that! I love that when we get together there is always amazing food, really good conversation and lots of time spent sitting around the table talking. I love that the conversation varies from what God is doing in our lives to food to travel to how to more actively spread the gospel in our city. This absolutely does not mean my family is perfect and free of issues. Of course not. BUT over the past few years I've really been challenged to work on and grow those family relationships because I've seen how friends can come and go, but your family is always there (good OR bad!) So it really is one of those places where you'd like to have deep, meaningful relationships. 

My family often breaks out into song and dance.....a fact that for years really embarrassed me (especially when friends were over) and..............lets be honest.........still does embarrass me! However I would never trade the laughter and fun we all have! Now that we are all married with kids it's only that much better! For some reason the other night we got onto the conversation of squatting......ya know as in squatting for using the restroom in other countries...so of course we all had to try out our squat! Mmmmkay! 

Mom and Kim (good job mom didn't even drop your wine hahah!)

Laura and.....Dad that isn't quite it!

There ya go! Even with  your bad knees!

Scott........and Jon observing from the swing!

Way to go babe! 

MMMMMmmmmm gotta have yummy Caprese while squatting lol ;) 

Anyways, I hope I encouraged you to invest in your family today!!!