party of six

Thursday, July 31, 2008

oh happy day

I passed my 3 hr glucose test! They are going to do another one at 28 weeks just to make sure I'm in the clear. I really am sooooo happy. Now I can sit back and enjoy bread, well at least for another 18 weeks!

Thanks for all the prayers and concern. It makes a huge difference.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

first doctors appointment

Well, my first appointment went okay. I am officially 8 weeks along. They figured it out by doing a sonogram. So, I'm due March 2nd. They even got the heartbeat! It was 166 (if I remember right).

But, I failed the 1 hr glucose test and so I get to take the 3 hr soon. I'm really upset about this bc I failed both (the 3 hr barely) last time and I had to be induced because of it. I really do NOT want to be induced. I hated it. I want to be able to go into labor on my own, at my own house not on some hospital bed. They said if I have to be induced (which I will if i'm gd again) then my chances of a c-section are going to go up dramatically (c-section rates are always higher with induced patients). I do not want to be in agonizing pain for a week again. And I'm a firm believer that the whole induction/c-section drama was the whole reason I couldn't nurse Parker. And I really want to nurse this baby.

I'm just so sad.

I just want to cry and cry and cry...

Monday, July 7, 2008

here comes the sun

do do do dooooo....

I'm PREGNANT!

I seriously had no idea til I randomly took a test at my friends house.
I really thought it was going to be negative and then....
Bam.
There it was.

Its not an etch-a-sketch.

This is one doodle that can't be undid homeskillet.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

when the day is gray and gloomy.... i just pick up my chin and grin and say....

... the sun will come out tomorrow. betch'er bottom dollar that tomorrow, they'll be sun.

So, I know this sounds (eh, idk the word) but we are kinda sorta trying for baby #2 and everyone around me seems to be getting pregnant (or jsut had babies). It's not exactly true that I want to be pregnant right this second but my body is all messed up, and I just got insurance today, and I need to find a new Dr/MW. So, idk. I'm just a little gloomy right now.

ugh, and the name we wanted to use for a boy was connor and there are seriously at least 2 babies i know, jsut born, named connor. what the heck. ughhhh

I just wanted to vent a little. Thanks for listening.

filled out mon july 7th
I was TAGGED by Brooke =]!

20 years ago-
1. I was 2 yrs old
2. I was an Army brat.
3. We lived in Penn.

10 years ago-
1. I was 12 and living in Churchville-Chili.
2. It was summer vacation and we just decided to move.
3. I couldn't wait to get outta there.

5 years ago-
1. I was 17 and just graduated high school!
2. I graduated with honors and was in the top 10 of my class.
3. I was in an on again, off again abusive relationship.

3 years ago-
1. I was about to meet the love of my life!
2. I was in the hygiene program, a Resident Assistant, and student library worker at college.
3. I was loving my life.

1 year ago-
1. Married for 1 yr!
2. 6 months preggo with Parker.
3. Thought about moving back to Rochester.

So far this year-
1. Moved twice.
2. Got a nursery calling.
3. Kept a secret (so far).

Yesterday-
1. went swimming
2. visited the inlaws.
3. .... cant tell....

Today-
1. woke up wayyy too early
2. can't get back to sleep
3. for once im pretty excited to go to work!

Tomorrow- (which is really today.... bc its only 3am)
1. work
2. hangin out with daisy!
3. watch the bachelor finale!

In the next year-
1. think about baby #2
2. brian graduates with his masters
3. get a house!

Friday, June 27, 2008

inherently good

So, I got in a "debate" with people at work... and I want to know your honest opionion.

Do you think people (meaning all people) are inherently good?

Saturday, June 21, 2008

martha stewart: watch out!

So, I make my own baby food as you all know. But today, I took it one step further. I'm such an over achiever! =]

a closer look:

Thursday, June 12, 2008

watch this video

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=265263428002185148

watch this video. its about 40 mins.
watch it all.
it will change your life.

"why is there not a movie made about your life?"
"well that's easy- there's noone beautiful enough to play my wife"

Our Story:

Brian and Holly got married in Rochester, NY 6.3.06. They moved to Oswego so Brian could attend the school there. They survived one winter and decided that Oswego was not the place they wanted to settle. During the valentine's blizzard in '07, they found out they would have a new member added to their family. Brian and Holly were sealed for time and all eternity at the Palmyra Temple on 10.16.07. Parker Brenner Steffen joined our family just two days later- 10.18.07. They then moved to Farmington, NY in late Dec '07 so Brian could student teach and so we could be closer to family.

In Feb '08, after much prayer, we both felt prompted to move back to the Oswego/Syracuse area. In March '08, Holly was asked to come back and work for Small Smiles in Syracuse and we knew this was our chance to make the move. After deciding not to get a house, we settled into a quaint apartment in Baldwinsville.

July 3, 2008 Holly took a pregnancy test on a whim and lo and behold it said "Pregnant". No one saw that coming-- not even us. We were excited to welcome another member to our family. Carter Miller Steffen arrived Feb 24, 2009 via a completely intervention-free and med-free VBAC.

October 2009, we bought an old victorian-style 4bedroom, 1.5bathroom house in Oswego and are slowly making it our home. :)

Surprise! Right before Christmas 2010, we found out another baby would be joining our family. Holly is actually "due" on her own birthday- Aug 31. Our newest addition should be here around then. We are waiting until the delivery to find out if baby is a boy or girl! We're super excited! Holly thinks it is going to be a boy but is hoping for a girl. Brian is hoping for a boy and thinks its a boy. Parker wants another brother and Carter wants a sister. On August 24, 2011 baby Anderson joined our family. It was a boy! :) Holly said, "I knew you were a boy!!" Right after Holly looked to see the baby's gender. Even though deep down Holly wanted a girl, she was elated to see his sweet face.

SURPRISE baby4 is on the way. Due 10/24...
We had another baby boy- Beckett- and we love him to pieces! He is the perfect "cherry" on our family sundae. :)

The Mom:

Holly is an MCC Dental Hygiene graduate of '06 and registered dental hygienist. She left her career to take on what matters most: raising her family. Being a mom is what she's always dreamed of.

After having a VBAC completely med-free her passion is now to help women who are pregnant and women in labor. She wants women to feel EMPOWERED by giving birth. She wants women to make EDUCATED and INFORMED decisions for their birth. She has since become a DONA certified birth doula.

She has thoughts of someday writing a book about birth... just a mom tell all.

Holly enjoys being "crafty" and considers herself a jill of all trades, master at none. She has made:
homemade babyfood, knitted scarf, breastfeeding cover, burpcloths, bibs, etched glass, reverance bag, handwriting placemats, chair cover, crayon roll, decoupaged letters, potty cover, tote bag, scripture tote, recovered carseat, diaper detergent, dryer balls, tag blanket, fhe board, embroidered clothing.... and has recently learned to crochet.

Parker is 7!

Parker was born on October 18th 2007 by unplanned cesarean section. He weighed 7lb 8oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. Everyday he learns something new. He is my greatest joy. Parker loves to tell you who are in gospel art pictures. He loves Jesus, Temples, and the Book of Mormon. He is excited to be a big brother again. He loves saying there's a baby in mommy's belly and that I've had 2 boys there before- Parker and Carter! :) He is so excited to have another brother and he said he "knew it was a boy".

He is such a blessing.

Carter is 6!

We found out we were expecting baby #2 July 3rd 2008. After a sonogram on Oct 16th we had the sonographer seal up the sex in an envelope. We later opened the envelope in the temple (on our sealing anniversary), and we found out that another little baby BOY would joining our family.

Carter joined our family Feb 24th, 2009 at 8:58am. (after being at the hospital only 5hrs) He weighed 8lbs 4oz and was 20.5in long. I delivered him via VBAC and did it completely med and intervention- free with a doula by my side! His birth is my greatest accomplishment.

His favorite thing to do is picking movies to watch on wii, getting into trouble with his big brother, looking at gospel art pictures, and eating. He loves helping mommy and making people happy. He is a great big brother!

He is such a blessing.

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

-President Thomas S. Monson

"Thee lift me, and I’ll lift thee, and we’ll ascend together"

- Quaker Proverb

“I know of no scriptures,” President Kimball continued, “where an authorization is given to young wives to withhold their families and go to work to put their husbands through school. There are thousands of husbands who have worked their own way through school and have reared families at the same time”

-“Marriage Is Honorable,” in Speeches of the Year, 1973, Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1974, p. 263

“Never suppress a generous thought.”

-Camilla Kimball

"For this child, I prayed"

-1 Samuel 1:27

"If a child is given love, he will learn to love

If a child is helped when he needs help, he will learn to serve

And if he has been truly valued at home, he grows up secure enough to look beyond himself and to the welfare of others"

-Dr Joyce Brothers