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Shopping at City Creek

To start off, I have to say that I have an amazing husband. Seriously.  In June I turned 29, and he made it the best birthday ever for me. For the longest time I'd told him that my 19th birthday had been my favorite. Clear back in '03 when we were dating, he'd surprised me by coming to my parent's house (I was home on summer break from college) and decorated my bedroom while I was out on a morning walk with a friend.  He had made me a bedside table (that is still in our room today, ironically, on his side of the bed) and then he took me to Downata Hot Springs for the day. It had always been my favorite birthday, until this year.

This year my birthday was on a Monday, and Sunday night I was kind of dreading that he had to go to work. I told him that I would probably take the kids to Thanksgiving Point or swimming for the day so we could do something fun for my birthday. He told me that would be a good way to spend the day and then when he got home he'd make me dinner and we'd have family over for a little party.  The next morning my alarm went off at 7:00 (when Jeff is supposed to start work) and when I went to roll over to shut it off, I noticed Jeff's arm was still around me.  I immediately panicked and yelled at him that he had slept in and was late for work. He shouted, "Surprise! I took the day off!" but in my groggy state I was still a little confused and asked, "You mean you don't have to go to work?" He then got up, made me breakfast in bed, and took care of the kids so I could have a relaxing morning getting ready.  Then we headed into Salt Lake so I could go shopping for a birthday present.

I was on the hunt for new bedding as ours was getting quite old.  We first stopped in to Target to look around, and I found a beautiful pin tuck comforter, but I'd had my heart set on a pin tuck comforter from West Elm, so I passed it up.  Jeff bought me two shirts and then we headed off to grab some lunch at Cafe Rio.

Umm, Pork Barbacoa Salad for my birthday lunch?? Perfect!

After lunch we headed to my SIL's house to drop our kids off for a few hours. We went over to City Creek so I could hit up West Elm and drool over all their cute stuff.

I seriously love West Elm.

  In the end, I decided to go with the Target bedding since its price point also allowed me to get new sheets. An awful picture of the bedding, but you get the idea.  Next up on the list is a new bed, or headboard...Christmas maybe?

After a full day of shopping and feeling spoiled, we came home and Jeff cooked me the most delicious ribs for dinner. I love that man.

 Then his family came over for cake and ice cream and my SIL made these super cute cupcakes.

Jonas and Mason snuggling in the new bedding with me.  Love these guys a "million-gillion".

For my birthday I had also gotten money from several people and I saved it up to fund our board and batten project. You can read about it on my other blog here. Overall, it was a spectacular day and I am so thankful for my wonderful husband and little boys who made it so great.

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Ever since we moved into our house, I've struggled with what to put on this wall. This picture has hung here for the past 2 1/2 years and before I repainted there was also a vinyl quote above it. A few months ago I decided that I wanted to do a gallery wall here. I fell in love with the look of the whimsical frames and talked Jeff into making some for me. After a week of hard work, Jeff made me these frames for my birthday (the black ones were purchased at Hobby Lobby, but he made the others). I think I will eventually re-hang the frames so they are closer together and I want to add a canvas print.

For my birthday, we had family over for dinner and cake.  My sweet husband and boys made me this pink tank cake.  I loved it!

Meeting Porter

{Before the Delivery}

Two very anxious parents, who managed only three hours of sleep.

A 6:00 AM check-in time at the hospital.

A crash-course for Daddy in using the DSLR camera...hence the blurry, head cut-off belly picture.

Getting hooked up to monitors, blood draws, and a painful IV.

A "belly-picture" of Daddy all suited up and ready to go to the OR.

One nervous Mommy as she walked into the OR and had a spinal block placed.

{During the Delivery}

A surprisingly fast birth.

An answer to prayers...scar tissue was miraculously better this time, which means less complications and more brothers (and maybe sisters) in the future!

The sweet sound of a newborn baby cry...before his body had even been delivered!

The time: 8:05 AM. 

The measurments: 7lbs 11oz, 21.5 inches.

Then the sound of a nurse next to me saying, "Sara, look at this."

A perfect knot in the cord.

Doctors explained to me that this is rare and my baby was VERY lucky to be alive.  A natural delivery could have been fatal. If he would have moved wrong in the womb and pulled it tight, he wouldn't have lived. A rush of emotion as I realized how very blessed we were to have a scheduled cesarean.  How very blessed I was to hear that newborn cry.

{After the Delivery}

The joy of finally meeting Porter.

Mom and Dad marvelling at the miracle of their newborn son.

Then an hour spent in recovery...snuggling our sweet boy and learning all over again how to nurse.

Finally a move upstairs to the postpartum unit.

Then a postpartum hemmorhage.

Everything felt like a blur to me. Doctors and nurses were coming in and out of the room.  There was near constant massaging of my uterus.  I was given three different medications that finally stopped the bleeding and saved me from being taken back into surgery. 

One of the most frightening things this mother has ever been through.

After everything was stabilized, it was time for Grandma and the brothers to meet Porter.

Such excited little boys!

And finally, having my little family all together.  How I love these boys!