Mack: Week 2

I promise not to write about every week of Mack's existence, but I wanted to clear a few things up:

Last week at his 1 week apt, they told us he was really only 20.5in long and probably weighed about 7.10lbs when he was born. Well, when we went this week, he measured at 21.5in again and they did it 3 times. I kind of wondered if they were wrong last week because he wasn't really giving them a good long stretch and he was laying in a crack on the little bed they measured him on. Oh, and he also weighs 8.4lbs now. The little chunker is doing pretty good and gaining lots of weight! I can attest to that weight gain because lately, all he wants to do is eat. Seriously, if he's not sleeping he thinks he must be eating- even after I've already fed him plenty! The Dr. told me that I'm feeding him too often haha. Already spoiling the kid..

Let's talk about those feedings, because his constant urges to eat, eat, eat are always coming at night. He'll do great during the day- sleep 3 hours, eat an hour, sleep 3 hours, eat an hour. But I swear the second that clock hand hits 11:30pm this boy is up for 5 hours straight. Poor Cameron hasn't been able to get much sleep because he just cries and cries as if he's completely famished. But whenever I try to feed him- he'll just arch his little back and pull away and act disinterested. Gosh, I wish newborns could talk- eating would be such an easier task. I'm completely clueless as to what his deal is. Also, if he does eat, he'll fall asleep occasionally, but the second I lay him down, he's up! So, now I've found if I just let him fall asleep on me and then lay him down next to me in the bed, he'll sleep a good 4 hours- the problem is, I don't sleep as sound because I don't want to squish him in my sleep. Why is it that he sleeps so much better on our bed than he does in his swing or bassinet lately...who knows. All I know is that I really can't get much done these days until about 3pm. Because he's up all night, we sleep til about 1:30. How do you get that changed around? I've tried everything, but when I'm so exhausted from being up all night, it's hard to keep him up during the day. Ahhh, the life of a new mother with a newborn. I have no idea what I'm doing.

Despite all those frustrations, I still love that little nub. Here are some pics as of late-

He most definitely got his Momma's long, witchly fingers

This is how he has been falling asleep- and then I'll gently slide him next to me

He's already starting to not look so new-born ish and it makes me sad! It's been the longest, shortest 2 weeks of my life. Love you Mack!

Mack: 1 Week Old Today!

I mean honestly, could time go by any faster?

It's weird, time has flown by, but yet every day has felt so long and I've been able to enjoy lovin' on this cute boy.

I decided that it was important to write about Mack's first week because it marks his first week of life here on this earth, but also my first week as a mom....ever. I'm not going to lie to you and say that it's been a breeze, but I will say that every bit of it has been worth it!

He wanted to eat, so that's why he gave me the dirty look. Haha. 

Let me just tell you how things have gone down-

The first night we were home, Mack had his schedule totally flipped around. He was up the entire night and all he wanted to do was eat. I was so exhausted and I didn't know how I could possibly keep my eyes open for another minute to try and soothe this hungry baby boy. Thankfully, Cam took his fair share of holding, rocking, changing diapers, and helping me help Mack. I felt so completely inadequate and so unsure of what I was doing. At one point in the night, Mack started doing that choking thing that he did in the hospital, only this time he was turning really red and not taking in a breath- I started freaking out! I didn't know what to do. Cam jumped up, and calmly took him from me and held him on his side, while I syringed out his excess spit. (Apparently, in the little book they send you when they go home, that's what they tell you to do if something like this happens) Cameron had already read up on it and was completely calm and confident in what he was doing. Well, here I am, hormonal and exhausted and felt like I was about to lose my baby (a little dramatic I know) with the baby crying in Cameron's arms, and me crying next to Cameron. Haha. I thought I was going to throw up I was so afraid. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks- this boy was mine and all I could think about were all of the horrible things that could happen to him and I started feeling really inadequate about being his mother. It was such an unwelcome feeling.. So, after Mack was able to settle down, I asked Cameron to give me a Priesthood blessing. I knew at that moment that was the only way I was going to feel peace amidst all this anxiety I had started to feel. It was a very sweet moment for the both of us- here we were at 3 in the morning with this brand new baby, and we were able to call upon the powers of Heaven to help us through this new challenge in our lives. The instant he finished, I felt such tranquility. When Cam finished, he looked over to me and said, "That's the second time you've asked me to give you a blessing since we've been married..." I hadn't even realized it, and it made me a little sad that I hadn't reach out to Cameron more often for that help when I know I've surely needed it. That blessing though gave me the strength and inspiration to push through the night and to know how I could help Mack get to sleep. Finally, around 7 that morning I got him to go down and I was able to get a few hours rest to revamp.

The second night was very similar to the first. Mack was still switched around and Cameron and I were up all night rocking, cradling, calming, feeding, and changing diapers. Even though those first two nights were long, I was so incredibly grateful to have Cameron's help. I seriously don't know how I would've done it without him.

Slowly, but surely, Mack has gotten into this routine the last few days of sleeping for about 3 hours and then feeding and being alert for an hour. I know a lot of that has to do with the fact that my milk has come in and he's finally feeling fulfilled when he eats. The poor guy always acts like he's famished haha. The last 2 nights, he's actually slept about 4.5-5 hours straight! And then he'll eat, and go back down for another good 3-4 hours. It's been such a miracle!

Yesterday, he had his first drs appointment, and he did so well! But, they totally got his birth weight and his height wrong when he was born. How disappointing right? Apparently, they are assuming he actually weighed around 7lbs 10oz and he's really only 20.5in long. They said that it happens all the time, and I'm thinking...You think they would try to be the most accurate considering it's such a monumental announcement.. When they told us that, I looked at Cameron and said, "Well, he really is going to be a little mini Cam. (Cam weighed 7lbs 13oz when he was born and was 20.5in long).

I'm sure there's more I wanted to write about with this being Mack's first week, but with all the lack of sleep everything has run together and I honestly can't think of what else may have happened. The first night though was definitely one to remember. Overall, I've equated this new experience of being a first time parent to the first weekend in the MTC. All of you who have served missions will know what I'm talking about when I say that the first weekend in the MTC feels like forever. It's so long and exhausting and such an adjustment you feel like it's never going to end and you'll never get enough sleep, but by about the 1 week mark you're totally in this groove and you can't even remember what life was like before you came. That's exactly what being a first time parent feels like the first week. I can now say that things are going better, he's eating well, sleeping better, and I'm starting to feel more comfortable with this whole mom thing- my next feat is accomplishing more in the day than feeding Mack and sleeping. I'd really like to take him for a walk. Hopefully, that's something I can do his second week of life!

And now- here are some more pics of my Mackey boy...

This pic is horrible lighting, but I love his face here! On our way to Dr. Kaddu's

Mack with Great-Grandpa Bechtold

Look at that hair! Mack taking a sponge bath- they aren't his fav

 Oh how I just love this boy of mine!

Mack Cameron Sevier

I have finally found the time to write about this sweet boy's birthday!

After a long and anxious pregnancy, I went into labor with Mack on Wednesday night at about 10:30. I started having mild-medium contractions that were about 8-10 minutes apart and so I thought, "Ya, know just in case this turns into something, I should probably shower and clean the house a little.." I was already exhausted from not getting any sleep the night before and working all that day and I probably should have slept but I'm glad I showered none the less. Haha. After I got out of the shower, my contractions became more and more painful and it was hard for me to finish, but I pushed through thinking that it was probably just false labor (because I had already gone to the hospital 2 weeks before with similar pains). Well by about 12:30 those contractions were coming hard- about every 2 minutes. So, I decided to call the hospital first to get their opinion on if I should come in or not.. she said she thought I should but couldn't guarantee if it was labor or not. Not much longer after that phone call, I didn't even care, my contractions were so strong and so painful I wanted to swear like a sailor. Instead, I just kept snapping my fingers to distract me from the pain. Finally, around 1 I told Cameron to load up the car and get me the heck to the hospital- this baby was coming!

When we arrived to the hospital, the dang doors were locked! They have a phone system that you pick up and someone will open the door, but no one was answering the phone and I was contracting real bad. Just inside the door, in the waiting room, was some guy walking up to the door and I motioned for him to open it for us asap! He probably thought I was a crazy lady because I was acting like one. He kindly opened the door, and then we had to go through another set of locked doors, waiting for someone to answer the phone and open it for us. They took forever I swear. Haha when they unlocked it, I swung that door so hard it hit the wall. Cameron reminded me to be pilot, and I should have been, but I was a little distracted. We walked down the hall and a nurse was right there and got us into an observatory room. I could barely change my clothes through the contractions. When I finished, I painfully stepped into bed, trying not to puke, and they checked me- I was already to a 4. She said they had to monitor me for an hour before they'd admit me, and I didn't know how I was going to wait that long! Well, she soon found out I was contracting every 2 minutes and had gone from a 4-6 within 15 minutes. Right there, she moved us to a labor and delivery room and told me that they'd bring the anesthesiologist in for an epidural.

Just waiting to deliver the little guy

After waiting for a bit, the nurse came back in and said, "oh sorry, he's actually stepping into a c-section right now and won't be able to give you an epidural for an hour..." I honestly was like, please no! I don't want to wait (ha, and here I was thinking I could do this natural- props to you natural moms)... Well, by some grand miracle the lady who was set for a c-section was waiting for her mom to show up before they started and told the anesthesiologist to come give me my epidural first. I thanked that woman over and over in my head and told the nurses to please go thank her for me. Seriously, how sweet of her! So, they gave me the lovely epidural and finally I could rest a little. It definitely slowed up my labor though. I was a 7 when they gave it to me around 2, and labored all through the night until about 9:30 the next morning. I think they broke my water around 5 am so they didn't have to give me pitocin, and it helped. I ended up not needing it at all to keep my labor moving along.

At 9:30 the nurse came in and checked me, I was a 10 and fully effaced, and she said, "Ok, it's time to start pushing.." I started to feel a little anxiety and thought, "Wait, seriously? You mean I am going to have a baby in my arms in just a moment, after all this time? This is too soon.." Haha. Well, push I did, for about 30 minutes, and then Dr. Chalmers came in to get the party started. I only had to push about 3 times with the Dr. and before I knew it- WAM! That precious baby boy was here in my arms, covered in that cottage cheese looking stuff and screaming like...well... a newborn baby!

(I'm being brave and posting completely unedited pics...yikes! Don't worry, you'll only see Mack nudity)

Sorry for the graphic-ness but I think these shots are so cool!

Everyone in the hospital kept asking what his name was and we hadn't officially decided on Mack yet (more so the middle name) and so we just kept saying we weren't sure, but really we (or I should say I) have wanted to name him that pretty much the whole pregnancy. And to my surprise, when I saw him, he totally looked like a Mack to me. I wish I would've just said Mack so they could've written it on the board and his little nursery crib, but it's all good. He looks so much like Cameron but he totally has my lips and my nostrils haha, and my long fingers and toes.

Here's a cute little video Cam took after they took the baby to take all of his measurements.. It just melts my heart!

About an hour after I delivered and they cleaned me and the baby up, they took us up to our room- 465- and got us all settled in as new parents. I love that they keep the baby with you so you can bond and nurse and just have time together. It was such a sweet and overwhelming feeling to look over and see that innocent baby boy next to my bed. The first day seemed like forever because everyone was so excited to come see him, we didn't get much rest- but regardless, I was happy everyone got to meet him the day he was born. His first night he woke up about every 2 hours, but he kept spitting up amniotic fluid and would choke on it. One time he did it I about jumped out of bed- forgetting how sore I was- to grab him. It scared me so bad I had the nurses take him for 2 hours so I could sleep without feeling anxious and so someone could watch him to make sure everything was ok. When she brought him back to eat, she said everything looked good- so that was a relief.

His hat was made by sweet old ladies who make knitted hats for all thew new borns at the hospital

My boy- So in love

Grandma Tami holding Mackey boy

Daddy and his boy

The next day, they told us we could go home after he got his hearing, PKU, and jaundice tests completed, and after he was circumcised. (I'm really glad that we chose to get it done while we were in the hospital so he was screaming there and not at the drs office, and so they could keep an eye on him). We lucked out and got an awesome pediatrician who never has room for new patients, but we managed to get him somehow- Dr. Kaddu. He was so helpful answering our questions and said little Mack gave him a nice present and peed on him after the circumcision.. I guess Mack was just showing him how he felt about that one. Haha. Thankfully he passed all his tests with flying colors- even the jaundice test- he marked really low and so we didn't have to bring him back to put him under the lights. One perk of being overdue I suppose :) Around 2pm, we got dressed, got little Mack ready to go, and loaded him up in the car seat. It was such a surreal feeling- knowing that he was ours and we were taking him home.

Can you tell we're new parents? So tired...

When we got home from the hospital, Grandpa Rudy was there to greet us, and Kay (Rudy's business partner) had bought us all of this food. It was so thoughtful of him! We couldn't believe it. All of Cam's siblings had gotten us this beautiful bouquet of flowers and everything was clean. It was such a nice thing to come home to.

After I took him out of his car seat 

Grandpa Rudy holding Mack

Words cannot even describe how in love I am with my baby boy and how grateful I am that we get to be his parents forever. I hope and pray I can become the mother he needs me to be, and am so excited to raise him with Cameron and to teach him the ways he should go in this life. I couldn't ask for a better teammate by my side to help raise this little guy either. Cameron has been nothing but helpful and supportive the minute he was born. I don't know where I'd be without him. I feel so beyond blessed in every way. Mom and Daddy love you Mackey Boy.

My Pregnancy Timeline...ish

After finding out I was pregnant, I went on Pinterest and saw all these cute ideas of how I could record the growth of my belly or what kind of maternity pictures I could take, etc, etc. Well, let's just say none of what I wanted to do really happened. I think that's how life goes. Maybe it's just because I'm a perfectionist and didn't have the "perfect" outfit, or camera, or place to take pictures at and so I just said- "ahh to heck with it." I figured as long as I got something of my belly while I've been pregnant with this little guy, it's good. I mean, really, the biggest reason why I wanted to do this is so I could show him when he's older how I looked while I was pregnant with him. I remember as a little girl always wanting to see pics of my mom when she was expecting me and I don't think she had a one. But then again, he's a he, and we all know most guys in general aren't the sentimental type. Look at me, I'm already stereotyping my first born. At any point, if he doesn't totally appreciate it, I know I will.

So, alas, here is my lame, and somewhat lazy attempt at tracking my belly growth. Don't mind the lousy picture quality and the fact that I'm mostly sitting down at work when I took these-

1st & 2nd Trimester

3rd Trimester

My 40 week shot kind of got cut-off but hey, I'll probably have a 41 week shot at the rate I'm going. I know most first time moms go past their due date, but man it's disappointing. You get so anxious to deliver this baby on or close to the due date, only to be sorely saddened that he's not coming and you don't know if he ever will! It really is that feeling of opening your presents on Christmas day and then someone telling you- oh Christmas was moved to TBA. And you're like, "TBA?!!! What does that even mean?" Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely grateful that I have had such a smooth pregnancy, and that he's been able to cook the full amount, but shoot- I don't want him to get over-cooked.. does that mean he'll come out crispy ;)

I guess on the bright side, all this extra waiting time has really given me motivation to write and document more than I anticipated I would have time for.

Here's to hoping I don't have to lug this weight around in my belly for much longer!

Positively Parents To Be

(Happy Due Date to me!)

I have wanted to write about how we found out we were expecting since I started this blog- and today I've had lots of time to write, so I figured I better take advantage of it before I have my hands full of a juicy baby boy.

Everyone always asks us if getting pregnant with this little guy was "planned." I've never liked that word because to me, starting a family is such a personal thing. I know they mean well, but sometimes I feel like it takes on a negative connotation, as if to say, "if you planned to have a baby this fast, you're crazy." No, Cam and I didn't "plan" on getting pregnant right when we did, but we knew that was something that we wanted sooner rather than later. Maybe this sounds crazy, but I've had a lot of me time- meaning, I've had all the time I wanted/needed to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish. Sure, there's more I would like to have done before we got pregnant, but then again- there's always going to be something you would like to have done before moving on to any major change in your life. Obviously, it was in the plans, otherwise Heavenly Father never would have allowed this to happen at this time. I truly believe that.

I know that starting a family is one of the most important things that we can do here on earth. To be sealed in the temple and to usher in an innocent, sweet little baby is probably one of the most special opportunities we can have. Right now, the world is so against families and having children, and raising them in righteousness and quite frankly it makes me so sad! I remember reading once something an apostle said, it was along the lines of, "the moment Satan can tear apart families, or keep families from happening, is the moment we know the world will soon come to an end." I've felt pretty passionately about the importance of families during my pregnancy- I guess because now I've seen and heard a lot of people's opinions on when you should have kids, or how long you should wait after you've been married to have kids- and you know what I think? I think it's different for everyone. The Lord has His own time table, but I also know that if we are so set on doing things our way and in our own time, that we're missing out on a lot of blessings. Challenges and hard work bring about our happiest moments. I saw and felt that numerous times as a missionary. Our central roll as couples is to bring children to this earth and teach them the principles of the gospel so they can return to live with Heavenly Father again someday. I only hope and pray that I can become the mother that this little boy, and future children will need me to be. But I know that I cannot do it on my own. I'm grateful for the gospel and for this chance I've been given to become a parent and have a little understanding of what our Father in Heaven goes through on a daily basis. I honestly don't think that you are ever ready to become a parent, and there's no use waiting around for something that will never come- I'm learning it's easier to just do what you know is right, and press forward with faith.

So, back to how we found out we were expecting-
I will never forget, one late night Cameron and I were watching a movie and I was so hungry, I had to eat something but we hadn't gone grocery shopping in awhile and I was dying. So, Cam being the sweet husband that he is, whipped up some pancakes for the both of us, and even put some yummy jam on it to boot. Well, I tell you what- I've never wanted to throw up so bad in my life after I ate those jam-covered pancakes. I could not stand that jam that I used to love so much. It was right then that it hit me- I think I might be pregnant...

The next day I went to the store and bought a cheapie pregnancy test. That night I took the test and was beyond nervous, but to my surprise it was negative. So, I went another week living life and thought- "hmm, maybe you should take another test just in case.." Back to the cheap pregnancy test I went, and this time that pee stick went positive so fast I didn't even have time to set it back on the counter. Because of that, I thought surely this must be a faulty test stick. So, again, the next day I went to the store and bought another box of the same cheap test (don't ask my why I didn't try a different brand). Well, when I took a test from this second box, the first test was a dud, and the second test turned positive again way too fast. I thought for sure I was peeing on that stick too much and so it was spilling over onto the positive section and that's what was turning it to the little plus sign. Once again, I went out and bought more pregnancy tests. And guess what, this box of tests did the same thing as the other, one was a dud and the other turned positive too fast. Well, if you haven't noticed by now- I just can't seem to learn something the first time, I have to make the same mistake over and over again. So, the following day, I went to Walmart bought another pregnancy test, went into the bathroom at work, and sure enough that pee stick went straight to positive. I guess the 4th times the charm because I finally believed it. I walked back to my desk at work and could not believe it. I had no idea how I was going to hold it in so long. Cameron knew I was pregnant the first time it turned positive and he tried telling me I wasn't doing it wrong and that it wouldn't turn positive if I wasn't but like I said, I'm stubborn.

Cameron and I decided to keep it a secret from most everyone except our parents. I didn't really want to say anything too quickly just in case I had a miscarriage. It was when I was about 13 weeks that I finally told everyone at work, and only because they needed to know if I was going to be on the softball team and I wasn't sure if I was allowed to play or not being pregnant. Haha.

This was after my very first apt- 9 weeks! So tiny!

This was when I was about 12 weeks, and waiting to announce it to the world!

After that, I announced it to the world and just about 2 weeks after our announcement, we found out that we were having a boy. I honestly thought it was going to be a girl at first because for as long as I can remember I have always dreamt about having a little girl, but then I had this feeling deep down that it was actually going to be a boy. I fought that feeling because I wanted a little girl so bad, but now that I know it's a boy- I can't imagine starting our family any other way. I've been extremely blessed during this pregnancy and never really got morning sickness. I mean, I definitely felt the nauseousness and all around crappy feeling during the first trimester, but I never threw up or spent the entire day in bed. I was able to go to work every morning with no problems. During the second trimester, I felt great and would forget that I was even pregnant. Even the third trimester hasn't been too bad- other than the sweltering heat, stretch marks, and swollen feet, I've faired pretty well. And thankfully, I've had a patient husband who will rub my feet and back whenever I need him too :)

BABY BOY SEVIER- Due 9.9.14

Now, if this baby would just be so kind as to arrive this week. I'm just putting that out there son...

Ydraw Mexican Riviera Cruise: 2013-2014

I know I just posted a year in a review, but this was something that deserved its own post.- my very first cruise!

For just about the past 2 years, I've been working for a video marketing company- Ydraw. We create whiteboard videos for companies all over the world. I've been mostly involved in sales and I've really enjoyed all the different people I've been able to meet and the companies that I've learned about. It has been a huge growing opportunity and I'm thankful that I've been able to keep a good job here in St. George. Last December, our bonus was a paid for vacation to the Mexican Riviera. I had never been on a cruise before- and like I've mentioned before, I get really carsick- so to be honest I was terrified I was going to be miserable. Not only that but I have this weird fear of being in the middle of the ocean with no way of getting off onto land. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and although I did get seasick, I still had a really good time!

We left St. George at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning and drove to Los Angeles to board our boat. We cruised on the Princess Cruise line. I could not believe how incredibly huge that boat was. It has 17 floors! How insane is that? Our cruise had 3 stops- Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and finally Ensenada. We were supposed to go to Mazatlan, but the drug cartel had been really bad there so we weren't able to stop. We spent a few days where we were simply cruising on the ocean and the water was so calm- which I was thankful for.

Leaving the port in LA

Every night we had an assigned time to eat and the food was absolutely delicious. I think I had salmon almost every night, along with another plate of food to try. We could order as much as we wanted- and I always had at least 2 plates and 2 different desserts. I seriously could not believe how good the food was. They had so much fresh fruit every morning. I lived off pineapple. They also had some pretty fun entertainment nights. One night in particular were these two comedians who were absolutely hilarious, and it was clean humor, so that made it even better! Other nights were spent playing shuffle board on the top deck, or watching a movie on the enormous big screen on the top deck of the boat. They would lay out the lawn chairs every night and offer free popcorn and bring out blankets so you could watch a movie under the stars in the middle of the ocean. Such a cool experience. There was so much to do on that boat when you spent the day at sea, that you would forget you were even on a boat.

Our first formal night on the cruise- Ydraw crew

Our favorite stop was Puerto Vallarta. It was absolutely beautiful- we went zip-lining there in the middle of nowhere and we had a blast! We did get eaten alive by mosquitos (which I still have scars from) but it was totally worth it. It was New Years Day when we went and the whole zip-lining crew that was helping us was totally hung over from the night before, haha, but it was kind of funny.

Our huge boat

Street market

Where we went zip-lining

The crew after zip-lining

Wow! Look how white I am!

Cam's birthday cake on the ship

New Years Balloon Drop on the ship!

New Year's Day

Puerto Vallarta Beach

Poor little guy was missing a leg

Haha, he doesn't look too excited to kiss me here

On the street of Puerto Vallarta

Looking out over the city- love this pic!

The next stop was Cabo San Lucas. We ended up not doing much here but walking around and visiting the beach. It was a really hot day- but it was nice to just walk around and see the street markets. 

Tyra and Curtis holding a real baby lion!

Our boat from the beach in Cabo

On the way back to the cruise ship on a tinder boat

Our final stop was Ensenada- it's kind of a dirty town, but they took us to where 1 of the world's natural ocean blow holes are- and that town was so pretty! We rode an hour long bus ride to get up there and right outside the cliff was a huge street market. It was fun to visit and see all the beautiful scenery.

Here comes the water!

This guy totally posed for my picture haha I loved it! 

Yummy street churro

This is what the blow hole translates to in Spanish

Street market on the cliff side

All in all, it was a super fun trip- we got to see so many cool things and now I can finally say I've been on a cruise. I'm moving up in the world! Thanks Ydraw for the good times!