Live The Life You Love Love The Life You Live: Time To Play Catch Up

Let's start from where we left off shall we......

October 2012- Trying to get pregnant and discouraged as all get out!

Jared and I had been on fertility treatments for going on 7 months with no luck of conceiving. It was getting emotionally and mentally exhausting(for both of us)so after talking about we decided to take a little breather. I stopped taking all medications and decided to do my best to focus on building clientele and bettering myself. Jared kept busy with work and school and we chugged along. Surprisingly things got a lot easier and enjoyable. It was nice not focusing on days, ovulation charts, dr. appointments, etc.... I found myself becoming content with the way things were. Always hoping but no longer dwelling on something I had no control over. We enjoyed our new home in Oregon, Duck football games, Holidays and family! It really was a fun few months :)

On our way home from a Duck Football game! Mom & Dad have season tickets and always share with us kids! Love them. Love football.

I told Jared to get all dressed up because I was taking him out on a "fancy" date! It was sooooo funny because he even shined his shoes.....

This is where I took him...haha

It was a BLAST!!!

We drove to Utah with my dad to visit my Grandma Durfee who was sick and recovering. While there we met up with some of my cousins and Jared's best friend and his girlfriend. We went to a haunted house in Salt Lake...oh the things Jared talks me into!

At an Oregon Soccer game with these handsome men! Love nephews and nieces :)

Lindsay's photo bomb = EPIC!

My sisters and I went to the Scandinavian festival,

It was a lot of fun!

December 2012- Feeling Weirdly Sick

On Sunday December 2nd I woke up like normal and started getting ready for church. I felt weirdly sick(that's the only way I know how to describe it). I felt nausea's but knew it wasn't the flu or anything like that. When we got to church I thought I was going to die. I was a little light headed and was seriously STARVING! I thought it was maybe due to it being fast Sunday. I was feeling a little silly being that hungry after fasting for such a short time. I made it through church and ran to find my chatty Kathy husband so we could go home ASAP! I kept begging him to break my fast but he kept encouraging me to wait a little longer. I felt like a lame bot. Great I'm the fat twinky girl I thought. I am a stinkin chubbers who can't go without food for longer than 3 hours. Feeling pretty discouraged I decided to take a nap(after eating of course...sorry babe this girl can't wait any longer). I went to the potty room before my nap and out of the corner of my eye saw a pregnancy test. I was going back and forth trying to decide if I should waste it. Ahhhh what's one more wasted 8.00 test...haha I locked the door so Jared didn't see me and my crazyness. I was positive it would be negative. I took it. I waited. Two lines. Wait what?!?!????? TWO LINES!!!! Rubbed my eye's. Checked again. Still two lines. Almost Passed out. Yelled for Jared. Secretly celebrated that I wasn't a twinky girl after all. Jumped up and down. YAY YAY YAY!!! Jared came running down the hall to see what was going on. I showed him. It was not at all the reaction I was expecting. He was really calm and serious(I think it may of freaked him out a bit). He told me not to get too excited until we went to the doctor and found out for sure for sure. Then he decided to take a nap! It kind of threw me off a bit. I guess I was expecting more of a reaction. I love Jared and looking back realize he was only trying to protect my heart in case of another let down. As the night went on he got more excited at the possibility!

That night...positive tests!

The next day we went to the doctors and blood tests and ultra sounds confirmed the pregnancy! We had no idea how far a long I was because I hadn't had a period for 6 months. I have no idea how I got preggers. It was 110% Heavenly Father's doing. This little girl was meant to come at this time. My little miracle! I love tender mercies.

We found out we were 6 weeks along! This was going to be a flip flop lovin Summer baby!

Soon after the excitement reality of pregnancy set in and it set in HARD! I was deathly sick. I didn't want to move or even think for that matter. It was miserable but I tried to remember how badly I wanted this and how blessed I was. We waited a week before telling family(other than my dad, I had to tell someone)! First we told my parents(video of that below) and older sister. To tell my other siblings my mom bought three Graco Swings for my siblings and I. They gave the swings as an "early" Christmas present to my brother and sister(who already have kiddo's). They then told me that when I had a baby they would buy me one. My dad paused and then said, "Oh wait you are having a baby, here's yours". My siblings sat there for a second before my older brother JUMPED out of his seat and excitedly said, "What your pregnant"!!! It was hilarious and a fun way to tell the rest of my family! Jared wanted to tell his family in person and already had a plane ticket out there before we found out about all this baby madness. I bought stuff for him to make a shirt with! He wore it there. Everyone was excited!

The shirt Jared wore home!

Pregnancy was a challenge for me(not my shiniest of moments)but I was grateful for the opportunity.

The things I craved....WATERMELON was my happy thought...holy yum!!!

Jared on a late night run to get me my bff Mr. Watermelon...he drove the whole way home like this so that he could experience a moment in my shoes...haha Best Husband Award!

GIRL or BOY???!!!!!!??????

The entire pregnancy I was convinced that I was going to have a baby boy, probably because I have so many nephews. Jared thought it was a boy up until the night before the ultra sound then he changed to team girl. It was exciting and nerve racking going in to find out. We took my mom and she was so funny. She wouldn't stop asking the ultra sound tech if it was a boy part anytime she thought she could see something that resembled it slightly. The ultra sound tech FINALLY told us that she was pretty sure we were having a.....

and the doctor confirmed it! I was in shock and still didn't believe it! I even woke up the next morning and started tearing up because I told Jared I still thought she was a he...haha Lame spice pregnancy hormones! I was beyond thrilled. I got girly giddy really fast! My mom took the day off from work and after we found out took me for lunch and shopping for baby clothes! It was such a fun day! We told my siblings that night. They all guessed and then unwrapped pink clothes to find out the sex!

Our sweet baby girl!

20ish weeks pregnant!!

By the 5th month my ALL day sickness(the name morning sickness = all lies) had come to an end...HOORAY!!!!! I still experienced the normal comfortableness of pregnancy(heart burn, restless legs and sleep deprivation, etc) but made it through! I had two great showers thrown for me. One here in Oregon and one in Utah! I am so grateful for my awesome moms, grandma and sisters for all that they did for me. I was and still am beyond blessed!

34 weeks pregnant!!

Jared at birthing classes, he was such a good sport!

We decided on the name Averie Nicole after a lot of long thought. When we were dating I told Jared that I really liked the name Averie and he seemed to like it too. When I got pregnant Jared decided that he also liked the name Lucy so to be fair we tried calling her that for a month to see if it fit and it just never felt completely right. We kept coming back to Averie. We named her middle name after my older sister Lindsay(Nicole) because she is the one who introduced us! If it weren't for her Averie would not be here so it only seemed right :)

August 2013- BABY TIME

Thursday(August 1st)Jared and I were scheduled to go to the hospital at 8:00pm to prepare to be induced early the next day. That morning I woke up with really uncomfortable back pain that would come and go off and on. I had a hunch it was contractions but they weren't close enough to go in. That evening we went out for one last date as a family of two and then headed to the hospital! When we got there they checked me in, started the monitors and sent for someone to start my IV. While waiting for my IV Jared made himself at home setting up his air mattress and jumping into the giant jetted bath tub..haha I love it and I love him. He also got me a redbox! It took two hours, 5 people and ten needle pokes to get my IV in(talk about bruised arms and hands)! That was probably one of the worst parts of the whole thing. They checked and I had dilated enough on my own that they decided I was in active labor and didn't need to be induced after all. Averie is awesome and decided to come on her own! They gave me a sleeping pill and I was knocked out. Around 4:00 in the morning I woke up in pain but it was bearable. I tried not to wake Jer up and jumped in the tub myself. It worked really well, making the pain go down. Around 6:30 I had a painful contraction and Averie kicked really hard at the same time causing my water to burst(literally)! There was a lot meconium in the water so I was a little nervous but they made sure to keep a good eye on the baby and her heart rate which made me feel better. I was dilated to a four. By 11:00 I was fully dilated and ready to go. I had a good cheer team in the room(Jared, mom, sisters and dad). They also had a pediatrician and respiratory therapist in the room because of the meconium. I pushed for about 15 minutes and her heart rate started to drop. I could tell the doctor and nurses were nervous as they kept looking at the monitor and back at me. At that moment in time I was in a lot of pain so I couldn't really concentrate on much which I am grateful for. The doctor decided that they really needed to get her out so three pushes and a vacum later she was in my lap. She was a gray color and not breathing(which actually was a good thing because she didn't have a chance to swallow the meconium). I was in a lot of pain due to her some what violent entrance into the world(I don't know how to say it much better than that). The doctor thought she may have broken her clavicle but luckily it was fine. They got her breathing pretty quick and her color started to get better. She was BEAUTIFUL and PERFECT in every way! Jared got a little green at the end of the delivery but luckily it didn't last long. It was cute he was in tears as he saw her for the first time happy and healthy! She was 7lbs 8ounces and 21 1/2 inches long! Her cry is to die for cute and quiet. She is such a good baby, we are so lucky! I am grateful that we were at the hospital when my water broke and during the delivery because of the extra help we needed to make sure she arrived alive and healthy. Honestly it was such a fast and easy process overall. I thought it was going to be so much worse. I am counting all of my blessings. Through this process I am once again reminded how aware of us our Father In Heaven is. He truly did answer so many of my prayers. I am the luckiest girl!

Momma & Aves

First bath...a little bit of a shocker...haha

Our little Family

Baby Averie

Two days old and BEAUTIFUL!!!

Averie Nicole with her aunt Lindsay Nicole

We love her! We got her newborn pictures taken when she was 3 days old! I trade hair with a photographer so she will be a little model baby!

My Family!!!

Sweet baby!!!

Aves has been such a happy blessing in our lives. She has slept through the night since week 4! She started smiling at week 3. She loves to laugh, look around, sit up, be on her belly, cuddle, talk(chatty Kathy like her daddy) and eat! She had a BEAUTIFUL blessing that all of her family that could make it attended! I am grateful to be married to such a strong priesthood holder who loves his girls!! I feel beyond blessed! When I think about the frustrations of trying to get pregnant it is completely swallowed up in love. Love for my sweet husband. Love for my supportive family. Love for my perfect daughter. Above all else love for my savior who paid the ultimate price for me. It is because of him that I am here and that I am able to have a FOREVER family!