5 months!...

Today is Lusi's 5 month birthday!  I can't believe how fast these months have gone by.  I never believed when people would say, "enjoy it cause they grow up so fast"... but really they grow up soo fast!  I can't believe how big my little Lusi is and how much she is learning.  She now weighs around 16lbs and is 29in long.  She is learning to sit up on her own and will sit for a little bit before she throws her balance off and falls over... but sometimes she catches herself with an arm and can steady herself before face planting it.  She's been able to roll over from her back to her belly for over a month now but we are still working on getting her to roll back, from belly to back.  She is such a fast learner, and strong.  She is working on using her arms more in tummy time and after about 2 days of practicing she was able to lift her chest off the ground.  She now gets into the crawling position but doesn't know what to do from there.  She does a little squirming around and can go backwards and around in a circle.

 

Her legs are very strong and has been able to stand supported since she was a new born.  She loves to be held standing in your lap or on the floor and has even practiced walking... with help of course.  She has such chunky little legs, and lots of rolls, and squishy little cheeks!  Her hair is getting so long and the other day we did her first pony tail.

 

  

She loves outside and going for walks, she goes on daily walks, plus it helps her fall asleep.  We've taken her on a few hikes and she seems to enjoy all the different things to look at.  She hates taking naps and has pretty much since the first month.  She will only nap in her stroller, on someone, and occasionally will actually put herself to sleep after playing.  She usually takes a bunch of short naps through out the day rather than a big one, which does make it hard sometimes for us watching her to get anything done.

She started eating baby cereal on her 4 month birthday and continues to like it.  She has gotten really good with eating using a spoon, we are now getting her used to drinking from a cup.  She loves bananas!  But they did cause a little bit of a rash so we are gonna wait a while longer before we start that up again.

She is such a little talker, and she is loud!  She likes to scream, not just when she's mad but when she is really excited and even just in normal talking.  She is such a happy baby and has the sweetest smile.  I love all her little faces and just watching her personality develop.

I will admit it hasn't always been easy and fun, but it has definitely worth it!  Lusi is our world and I wouldn't change anything... in fact I don't know how we lived without her!  She has brought Teki and I so much closer as a couple and family.  I am so grateful that we have had this opportunity to be parents and I just love my little eternal family so much!

Happy 5 Month Birthday Lusi!  We Love You!!

My Model Husband...

Sitting at work the other day and I get a picture text...

I'm a model! Lol

 

 

I just sat and laughed to myself... then responded... "Dang I'm lucky!" 
I know it was all just kind of funny but really I feel so lucky to have such a "Model" husband.  He is such a hard worker, he's talented, handsome, he loves me and baby unconditionally, he make me so happy and is everything I ever wanted.   Thank you husband for all you do for me and our little family!  I couldn't ask for anything more!  I love you!

Summer Time...

So it has been so long since my last blog, I feel like such a slacker, but it is hard to get around to it with work and baby and everything else going on.  So here will be a big long update of everything we've been up to since baby Lusi came along.

Lusi is now 3 1/2 months!  I cannot believe how fast these past months have gone by and how big our baby has gotten.

She is growing so fast and changing so much every day!  She has brought so much joy and happiness to our lives I don't know how we ever lived without her!
Lusi's first holiday was Easter, we didn't really do anything and since she was only 9 days old she was really too little for anything, so we just went to church for the first time as a family and that was good enough for me.

Next was my very first Mother's Day!  It was so nice to celebrate a Mother's day where I didn't have to do anything!  I finally got to be spoiled!

 

 My sisters both decided to move home in May when Lusi was 1 month old.  They were so excited to finally meet baby and baby was happy to finally get to meet her aunties! 

Lusi was blessed on June 5th.  Teki did such a good job with her blessing and I was so happy that I have a worthy husband who was able to bless her.  Lots of family was able to come for the blessing and we had a small eating at the house after church.

The next weekend on June 11th was Teki and I's 1 year anniversary.  What better way to celebrate than by making our marriage and family eternal!  We were sealed for all time and eternity in the Mount Timpanogos Temple.  The best part was being sealed to our little angel!  It was the most amazing experience and we got to share it with our families!

We had a family reunion for the Salakielu side on June 16-18.  It was kind of small but it was still nice to see some of the family that we don't always get to see.  And Lusi loved meeting her aunties and cousins.  On June 22 Lusi had her 2 month doctor appointment.  She weighed in at 12 lbs 4 oz!  She also had to get 3 shots, 2 in one leg and one in the other... this is her crying about it.  Later that night she had her first Girls Night In.  We all had a fun time and Lusi loved meeting all her new friends.  She also got her very first pedicure that night!  We gave her little monster yellow and green because she is a little monster!

On July 1st we took a road trip up to Choteau, Montana to visit my grandparents for the Forth of July.  This was Lusi's first road trip, and she did not enjoy it at all!  It was about an 8 hr drive and she screamed most of the time!  But we made it and she got to meet even more new aunties, uncles and cousins.  Best of all she got to meet her Great Grandma and Grandpa Nordhagen.  This was also Teki's first time visiting Montana and we all had a great time celebrating the 4th and spending time together on our first family vacation. 

Once we got back from Montana, I had to go back to work the next day.  I wasn't too happy about this and was really sad to have to leave my princess.  But I knew she would be in good hands with Aunty Jenn, who has become Lusi's new babysitter.  She watches her everyday that I work, I feel so lucky that I am able to have someone that I trust watch Lusi. 

I can't believe it is already August and Lusi is almost 4 months old.  I swear this has been the fastest four months ever! If only the last 4 months of my pregnancy felt like it went by this quick!  I will start to get better with my blogs and try to stay up to date with everything going on in our crazy lives.  Until next time...

And...She's finally HERE!!!!

Finally our sweet lil angel made her debut into this world on Friday April 15th...(tax day baby)!

Here is my birthing story...

Two weeks before she was born on March 30th (37 weeks)  I went to my doctor's appointment.  The doctor checked my cervix and she  was surprised I had already started to dilate, I was already at 3 cm, she said that was really good and she was really excited about it.  

So the next week on April 6th (38 weeks) I went for my appointment and my doctor checked my cervix again and this time I was at a 4.  I hadn't been feeling any contractions and my doctor was again surprised that I was so dilated already and not feeling anything and still walking around.  She said it was rare because this was my first baby and she doesn't usually see that.  She also wanted to strip my membranes but I didn't want her to just yet.  So she figured I would start going into labor any day and I was fine with that I just wanted to make it past Saturday because that was the day of my last baby shower!  So everyone kept making predictions and saying I was going to go into labor before Saturday.  But I didn't think I would because I still wasn't feeling anything!  So finally after Saturday I was ready for her to come and started trying everything I could to go into labor.... except drink castor oil... I wasn't going to try that!  I kept walking around and staying busy trying to get baby to come and nothing... 

Finally Wed. April 13th (39 weeks) came and it was time for my doctor's appointment.  I went in and my doctor was so surprised that I hadn't gone into labor yet.  So she checked my cervix again and I was dilated to about 4 1/2 now so she stripped my membranes hoping it would help start things along.  As she was listening to the baby's heartbeat she said it was a bit lower than it had been before so she wanted me to go and get a non-stress test to make sure everything was okay with the baby.  So I had to go up the hospital and get this test done and what they do is put a monitor on my belly to monitor the baby's heartbeat for 20 or more min.  They also put a monitor on my belly to monitor for contractions.  So after all that they said the baby was fine and there was nothing wrong but the monitor did show I was having contractions but there wasn't any pattern to them and I still couldn't feel them so they said I was okay to go and hopefully the baby would be coming soon.  My doctor had told me she was going to be out of town from Thursday night till Sunday night, so I was hoping after she stripped my membranes I would go into labor either that day or on Thursday day... wishful thinking.  

I went home and again tried everything and she just didn't want to come out!  So Thursday came and still nothing... My mom and I were able to go shopping for some things and when we got home I wanted to go for a long walk with Teki, but after I got home around 4:20ish I went to wake him up from his nap and then I felt a gush of water... my water broke!!!  So I wasn't really sure but felt pretty sure that that was what happened.  So I went up to ask my mom and she said I probably did break my water.  But I wasn't feeling any contractions so I wasn't sure what to do, so we called the hospital and told them what happened and they said they wanted me to come in since my water was broken there was a risk of an infection if I didn't come in.  My mom and I had bought some plaster stuff to make a belly cast, so we hurried and put it on before we left.  We got all ready and I took a shower and off we went to the hospital.

Waiting to be moved to our room... last pic of my big belly!

We got to the hospital around 6:15ish and they were really full so they didn't have a room ready for me.  They put me in a temporary room and they came in to do some tests to make sure that my water did really break...and I passed!  They also said they couldn't check my cervix because they couldn't see past all the fluid.  So we waited around, they had me hooked up to a monitor to check the baby's heartbeat and my contractions.  My contractions were coming in more of a pattern and I could kind of feel something but nothing that really hurt.  Finally around 7:50 we moved to the birthing room and waited around some more... around 9ish the doctor came in and they decided to check my cervix, she said there was still a pocket of fluid that was still in there so she popped it and I again felt a gush of water.  After that they started me on Pitocin and I started to feel the contractions... they did not feel good!  But I was tolerating it because I didn't want to get an epidural.  Teki had gone to get something to eat with his sister and when he had left I was fine and when he came back I was starting to feel the contractions so he was worried for me cause I was in pain.  But he did really good to be supportive.  The next few hours were kind of a blur, I  was in and out of pain and was a bit nauseous, I actually threw up twice.  

Finally around 11ish I started feeling that need to push.  The nurses and doctors were all convinced that I was going to be there for awhile and didn't think it was going to be fast, so when I said I wanted to push, the nurse checked my cervix and again and said I was fully dilated and she said I could start pushing if I wanted to.  So of course I did, my mom grabbed one leg and Teki grabbed the other and I started pushing.  It wasn't too long after I started pushing that the nurse called the doctors in.  The contractions were painful but all the pushing was exhausting me.  It felt like forever in between contractions and having to push was so hard.  I don't even know how long into pushing it was that I heard one of the doctors say 'she has a full set of hair!'  And i was shocked that they could see her head and that I was almost there.  But then she decided to stay there... her head was stuck for what felt like forever, but I just kept pushing and pushing and I was getting more and more exhausted but I knew I couldn't stop.  Finally I could feel her moving and she was almost there, the pain was at it's worst and I could feel her head almost ready to pop out and they doctors pushing on the skin around where her head was.  Finally my next contraction came and I pushed as hard as I could and it was the worst one I screamed and then I heard it, my lil baby crying!  

Getting Weighed!

She came at 1:03 am.  I was so tired and felt like I was in shock like it couldn't be that she was finally here!  They had Teki cut the cord then then put baby up on my chest and started cleaning her off... I just looked at her and couldn't believe it.  I couldn't believe that Teki and I had made her, that she was here, that she was OURS!  I didn't want to let her go but they took her to weigh her and give her a shot.  She weighed in at 6lbs 15.8oz.  She was 21in long and just perfect!  Teki put on her first diaper, then they gave her back to me for some skin to skin, which I loved!  They put her on my chest and I couldn't take my eyes off of her, she was beautiful and I was so in love with her!  Teki's parents were there and my friend Vanity, so they finally all came in and got to see her.  They all soon left so that I could get some rest.  The nurse showed me how to start breast feeding and she started eating,  we did that for about 45 min then we were moved to our recovery room.  My mom finally left us around 3 and we tried to get some sleep.  Lusi stayed in the room with us the whole time.  She only left the room one time to go get weighed and to do her hearing test.  When the nurse took her me and Teki were so sad.  We didn't want her to leave our side!  

My lil Angel!

First Family Picture!

Loved Skin to Skin!

She is now a week old and I cannot believe how much our whole world has changed.  It is all about Lusi now and I love it!  I wouldn't change anything about it!  She is so precious and sweet.  We are so in love with her and are trying our best not to spoil her but she is just too cute it's so hard not to!  

Proud Daddy!

I feel so blessed to have her here with us and to have such a loving supportive husband who is such a good daddy!  He helps so much and is so sweet to her and me!  I also am so blessed to have my mom here to help me out.  I don't know what I would do without both of them.  I am so grateful for my family and for all the love that has been brought into our home with this sweet lil angel.  It really is the best being a mom and I am loving it so much!!! 

Love my Family!

Warriors!...

So Teki has always loved and played rugby.  Growing up he played with the Provo Steelers.  They were good, he even went as far as to permanently tattoo it on his leg!  They almost always won all the tournaments they played in and Teki was happy to be part of a team that all played well together.  But after we got married he moved up here to Sandy and it was harder for him to get to his practices.  He would head down to Provo when he could and practice and still would play in the games when they had them.  But last fall the opportunity arose for him to try out for a new team.  A new Super League team, The Warriors.  Teki made the team and since they were new they started putting things together.  They started out having late 10 or 11 at night practices, it was hard to be going to bed and having Teki be leaving but I knew it would be worth it for him to go and to get those practices in to become a better team.  In January the Warriors had their first game/scrimmage against the University of Utah and did really well 59-19.  Next up was the Las Vegas Invitational.  The team they were supposed to play didn't show up and they ended up playing another team who they killed with the score ending in 81-5.  Teki scored twice in this game!

Finally the Super League season started in March and their first game was an away game in Denver.  A lot of people were doubting the Warriors because they are a new team but they came out on top and played well against Denver, they won 38-21.  Their first home game was against Dallas and they killed it, winning 78-15!  Last week they traveled to San Francisco and they played hard but came out defeated losing 32-8.  They had a home game this past week against Seattle and ended up losing by one point!  The weather was really bad but still they tried, the score was 18-17, Teki scored their last try this game.  They still have a few more games this season.  And I am hoping the Warriors and Teki can continue to do well!  This has been such an amazing opportunity for Teki to continue doing what he loves, playing rugby.  I'm so grateful that he has been blessed with the ability to play and to continue to play!

 Notice the tattoo on his leg...

Warrior Nation!

Time to move on?...

I have had a job since I was 16.  I started working at a company my uncle worked at...Future Vision. It was actually pretty easy and I ended up staying there for about 9 years.  I had graduated from college and was looking for something else where I could go into what I actually wanted to do.  I randomly found an ad in the paper for a residential treatment center in Draper.  It was called Youth Care and I was really nervous to do something else but at the same time I was excited and ready for a change.  I went in for an interview and it turned out the supervisor that was supposed to do my interview was out sick that day and I interviewed with a different supervisor who was Samoan.  I feel like fate intervened that day and I was able to get the job because of who I interviewed with.  That was in 2008,  I stayed at my other job part time and went full time with Youth Care.  I was working 7 days a week and it was definitely draining me.  I ended up quitting at Future Vision after about 7 or 8 months.  It was sad to leave after 9 years but I knew it was well overdue.  Working at Youth Care has definitely been one of the biggest blessings in my life.  I have been able to work with kids who need help who are going through struggles in their life and I actually felt like I was making a difference... no matter how small it was I was helping.  But... after 3 years there, my job announced last week that with the economy and everything going the way it is we will be moving up to Syracuse, which is west of Ogden and about an hour away.  Our parent company has property up there along with two other facilities on the same campus and we will be moving into an empty building on the campus.  I understand that it makes sense financially for the company but it is has been just bad news all around at work and you can really feel it in the atmosphere that people are worried and upset.  For most people like me the drive isn't worth the pay with the cost of gas going up and up there would be no way financially to make it worth it... unless they gave us all raises... which is wishful thinking.  They are supposed to be making the move June 15th but depending on what they need to still do to get ready it will be at the latest Aug 15th.  I am supposed to be taking my maternity leave in April, I'm due the 17th but I was gonna try to work up until I am ready to have the baby.  So that leaves me out on maternity while the whole transition at my work is going to happen.  I have 12 weeks of maternity leave and I am supposed to come back in July. 

For the first time in almost 11 years I might not have a job.  For the first time I don't feel stable, like I'm not really sure what I am going to, if I wasn't pregnant I would just start looking for another job and probably be okay with finding one.  But with me being pregnant and about to have this baby I'm at a loss and worried about what will happen with my family.  It is a big decision to have to make, do I stay, do I just have my baby, take my maternity, severance, and hope for a new job before I have to take unemployment.  Then I am also worried about insurance because we get it through my work and we need insurance especially for the baby.  It's just so much to think about and worry about i don't really know what to do.  Hopefully things will all work out and I have faith that it will I am just really stressed over everything and it all couldn't have happened at a worse time.  But I know the lord gives us trials and he doesn't give us anything we cannot handle, so I know we will make it through this and be okay as long as we keep doing what is right and do our best.  In the mean time I am going to just get ready for this baby and worry about her and what we are doing with her.  I have been so blessed with everything in my life and she is going to be one of our biggest blessings and I cannot wait for her to get here!

Spring Fever...

So the past week or so has been pretty nice, still cold but you can tell it is starting to warm up... not only that the days are getting longer too, which means Spring is just around the corner!  Not only am I excited for the warm weather but that means I will finally have this baby!  Yesterday started out cloudy, then started to rain, then of course turned to SNOW!  It snowed all afternoon and into the night.... and the thick, heavy, wet snow!  UGH!  This is what I woke up to this morning...

Okay Mother Nature.... I'm done with the teasing... please stop snowing and please bring the warm Spring weather!