Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Birthday: One

It is crazy to me to think that this day one year ago I was entering the hospital in labor and by lunch had a baby in my arms.  The past year has been a whirl wind.  I have learned a lot about patience, prioritization, and learning to be okay if I don't get things checked off my list due to a needy child.  I remember the first few weeks of bringing Bennett home and being totally at a loss as to how I was ever going to function again as an individual and not just a baby feeder.  By two months of age I finally felt like I was getting a hang of things.  Bennett was sleeping through the night.  Lance and I took turns feeding her (dreamy) and if we had another kid sooner than later I would be okay with it.  Then teething happened and Bennett's desire to only fall asleep in our arms and my world was turned upside down again (funny time to find out I was pregnant again).  How excited I was for Bennett to start moving and interacting with us, then around 6 months it happened and the busy child I thought I had became even busier.  Baby proofing became our first priority.  Around 10 months crying it out became our go-to and we got him back on track.  At 11 months he kicked is bottle to the curb... no more formula hallelujah!! 

For Bennett's birthday we celebrated BIG... twice!  We had a gathering of friends and family come over to our home on Saturday for a potato bar ninja turtle party.  We spent about 10 minutes and went through numerous ideas to try and get his candle lit.  Just as Lance got it lit with the BBQ I rushed to get Bennett's birthday hat on and stick him in the high chair. My quickness however got the string of the hat to snap in his face which resulted in him crying and having the saddest smash cake ever!  Mom Fail. 
Kelsey made the most awesome cakes for Bennett's two birthday celebrations.  



 










 In Korean culture the first birthday is a BIG DEAL.  History behind it I believe is that before modern medicine it was a celebration for a child to live until their first birthday because it meant that child would live and grow old.  Part of the first birthday celebration is to wear Korean outfit that a Korean prince would wear.   Another part of the birthday is to choose an object that represents your life's fortune.



 A string represents a long life (that's what I chose),  a ball means he will be athletic,  a pen represents intelligence or will be gifted in school, money represents wealth, and cake represents that food will always be available, he will never go hungry. 
 Here is what Bennett picked... in order....
1. Pen!!! Oh my smart smart boy.   2.  Cake- he does LOVE food! I'll never let him go hungry.
3. Money   4.String
5... well.... sorry Lance, but athletics isn't in the cards for Bennett. 



Saturday, October 18, 2014

Wheeler Farm

My dear sweet friend Laura offered to take family pictures for us.  She is one talented lady who despite Bennett's disinterest got us some of the CUTEST pictures ever.  Thanks Laura and this is my official recommendation to let her take your family pictures.











October 17th, 2014.
30.6 weeks pregnant. 
Bennett's 4 days shy of being 1 year.
Pregnancy update in few words.
Heartburn.
Measuring on.
Charlie Horses Galore.
Braxton Hicks.
Short Scrub Tops.
Hourly Peeing.
Decrease in Headaches.
Pica- Loving Ice.
Kicks Kicks Kicks.
Can't wait to meet you in 8 weeks!

Thursday, October 2, 2014

The Chaos Known as Summ-tember

Blogging has become an unknown past-time for me over the last few months.  We've had a busy past couple of months.  Let's rewind...

June
-- The tri-cross race for Max.  Lance swam. I biked. Kelsey ran and did the weight challenges.



--Bennett's first flight.  California bound for a much needed weekend get-a-way to visit my mom.  Bennett was 8 months and figuring out that food is AMAZING!

--House Hunting in Bountiful/Murray.  Spending countless hours searching the MLS and almost 5 times a week commuting up north to look at home.  Open houses every weekend and a few during the week showings which meant a lot of tidying up and exhaustion trying to keep my home "show ready"
-- Finishing up my first term in my bachelors of nursing program.  Procrastination is a beast.  Deciding to take a 3 month term break before resuming school to get some sanity back.

July
--Pulling our house off the market. Deciding to instead finish the basement and transition our beige home into "our home."
--Lance and I framing the basement by ourselves (with verbal direction from Uncle Will).
--Bennett transitioned his swim-crawl to a real FAST baby crawl.

-- 4th of July in Bountiful with the crazy kettle corn aunt/cousins.  Lance and Elliott helped the kettle corn stand as it boomed with business while Angie and I entertained Bennett.  Fireworks didn't start until past 10... needless to say Bennett was toast.
-- Found out our sweet 2nd baby will be a GIRL.
--Last minute trip down to Saint George to pick up Jared's new jet skis.  The trip included flat tires on the trailer as we headed to the lake.  A wind/sand/rain storm that had Jared/Lance almost dead in the towering waves, a jet ski who's battery kept dying and geniuses who tried jumping it in the crashing waves, a car 2 inches full of red sand, and a delightful breakfast of krispie creams before heading back home.


-- Scrambling last minute to throw together an unforgettable Gummersall 9th biannual family reunion in Park City.  We stayed at the WestGate Resort which was beautiful with 3 suites in a row on the main floor.  Cousins enjoyed a trip long game of assassination, swimming in the pool, gondola rides down Canyons Resort, a day at Jordanelle Lake jet skiing and paddle boarding,  a short night of skits, a wonderful slideshow in honor of Leon who had passed away last summer, and a beautiful heart felt testimony meeting and family prayer.  Families truly are forever.











August
--Framing is mostly finished in the basement
--Painting every ceiling, wall, and trim in our home was started.  Numerous times along the project we thought "why are we doing this!!" but it turned out just perfect.  White ceilings to match our white trim. Grey walls that brighten up our entire home and a little splash of blue in the bathrooms for a little excitement.
--A weekend in Snow Canyon to see the Little Mermaid the musical.  It was hot, rainy, and fabulous. Bennett behaved himself in the child daycare while Hudson needed a little extra love from his mama. We enjoyed taking the babes swimming and letting them take over our room with toys and snacks galore.






September
--Painting continues at the Gummersall Home. Everyday a new room or section was started and it seemed like it was never going to end!
--A trip down to Las Vegas for family temple work made visiting the temple a completely new experience.  Lance, Jung, Megan and I were able to perform work for Jung's mom, my dad's dad, and Jung and my's grandma and grandpa.  We also enjoyed great food and Bennett loved the company of his cousins.  He was completely entertained with all of their toys and fun things.  Las Vegas is HOT in the summer. especially when you are pregnant, but the trip was a success and I'd do it again.
--Bennett turned 11 months.
 When did my baby grow up and while I am so excited for him to be older with a newborn coming into our home in just a few months I am so saddened by how independent and big he's gotten over this past summer.  Bennett loves climbing the stairs and has just figured out how to get down them feet first- Hallelujah.  He loves brushing his teeth, chewing ice and water bottles, drinking water from a grown up water bottle, hates day time bottles due to his strong desire to play instead of cuddle and drink a bottle, loves facing forward in his car seat (yeah yeah he isn't a year but he's 25 lbs and over 30 inches which are the other 2 requirements), knows the difference between a fake remote and the one which actually controls the TV, wants his independence to use a fork and spoon even though he can't quite put food on them yet, continues to say Hi or Hey to everyone, finally figured out how to clap, dances to music if its on, loves balls- tennis, golf, any ball he can palm in one hand, stands up on his own, but refuses to take any steps, loves being "one of the big kids" when Minnie, Liam, Annabelle, and Lou Lou come over, and LOVES food and I mean LOVES it.   The kid eats so much food.... and is hungry all of the time. From waffles to bananas, apples, watermelon, yogurt, mac n cheese, pasta, pizza, rice, noodles, corn, chicken, fries, ect. He will eat it all gone.
9/28/14
28 Weeks 
October 1st.
Bennett's Surgery






--I have had a lot and when I say a lot I mean I procrastinated until I could no longer and almost called and cancelled his surgery numerous times over the last few months due to my extreme nerves and anxiety, but I finally just bit the bullet and Bennett had his circumcision surgery yesterday.  Of course we scheduled the surgery a month ago, but they don't inform you of a time until the afternoon before leaving little time to prepare for this big day.  They called me at 3:30pm on Tuesday letting me know his surgery would be at 10:45 and to arrive at Primary Childrens no later than 9:15am.  Bennett wasn't allowed to have any food or formula past midnight and only apple juice or water until 7:45am. I had a emotional break down because Bennett has been refusing day time bottles the last few weeks and instead waking up at 3 am starving wanting some nourishment... and if that happened there would be nothing I could do.  I was also working and wasn't sure if Bennett's sitter would get enough food/formula in his little belly before bedtime.  Luckily things worked out and we put Bennett to bed at 9 with a father's blessing from Lance that I think was more for me than for Bennett.  He woke up at 7:15 and I attempted to stuff his little belly with apple juice only to discover he doesn't love apple juice.  745 came and went and off we traveled to the hospital on the hill.  Bennett luckily fell asleep in the car and was completely entertained by all of the toys in the hospital waiting rooms.  We switched from waiting room to waiting room watching 3 and 5 year old kids enter the operating room before my sweet little 11 month old.  As we watched and waited I felt a sense of gratitude that we decided to get this surgery done while Bennett is still a baby.  Watching the Child Life workers teach the older kids about surgery and anesthesia seemed overwhelming and so much harder and scarier.  Finally at 11:15 Bennett drove in his "truck" to the operating room.  The procedure was a half hour and after Dr. Snow found us and reassured us that everything went well and Bennett was doing fine.  Basically my kid is going to have the nicest looking wiener on the block.  Lance and I were able to go to PACU to meet Bennett, but he was out for the count.  We transitioned to post-op with him and had to pull him out of the crib to get him to wake up.  He was starving and drank a full bottle and we gave him some IV pain medication before venturing home.  Once at home he ate and ate and ate and played like it was no big deal until bedtime... Bennett was in so much pain and so fussy I felt like an awful mother for not filling his oxycodone prescription so off I went at 9pm to get it filled at the 4th Walgreens I had called while Lance held the fort down.  However by the time I got home Bennett was passed out asleep and only woke up once at 3:30 (just in time for his next dose of medicine) and a bottle before settling back down until 7:30 this morning.  His little man is swollen, bruised, red, and gruesome looking, but I'm once again so grateful we didn't wait any longer.  It also surprised me how scared/nervous/anxious I was being on the other end of things.  I know from my nurse mind that things were routine and an easy procedure and they were going to take great care of him, but from a mother's perspective I was a wreck.  Going through this process definitely gave me a greater appreciation and empathy for the family members we leave behind to wait for us to return with their loved one.  Thanks to those who returned my little love.