Christmas!

Christmas 2012 was a special one. It was my first away from my family, which was really hard and I missed them like crazy. It was Juliet's first Christmas, and it was so special having a new born on Christmas. I mean that is what Christmas is all about, and it was so special to think of Christ as a small helpless, perfect little baby. It was also really fun to have Kelly and Keri with us. I was grateful they were there, I would have been devastated if we didn't have any of our family to celebrate with us. Christmas Eve we stayed up after Abby went to bed and set up her gifts. We were so excited to see her face on Christmas morning. She is still too little to understand what is happening, but she got the idea on Christmas morning. 

Abby was a little confused after she woke up, but she got the hang of it and had a really fun morning playing with new toys. I think she was a little disappointed when she woke up the next morning, and there weren't any new toys. 

Santa brought her this wagon with blocks. She loves to push things around, and fill stuff up with all her treasures. Santa hit the nail on the head with this gift, he (me) may have been a little proud of himself that morning for finding the perfect gift.

Her popi (my dad) gave her this little play kitchen. She loves it, we put it up in her room and she kept going up there by herself to play with it. 

Look what we woke up to on Christmas morning! A white Christmas. So awesome!

Juliet had a great time Christmas morning...

Sibling love. I hope Abby is always this sweet with her, she just adores her!

Abby loved her new doll from Aunt Angell. 

Juliet snuggled with Keri all morning. 

This is Kyle opening the present I was so excited to give him. 

I got him a new towel for his golf clubs that has a Colorado Buffalo on it. Go Buffs!

Kyle got me a case for my kindle that has a light on it so I can read at night while I'm up nursing. I love it!

Then we had to go sledding and play in the snow!

Abby enjoyed the sledding, but she didn't enjoy the snow if it touched her in any way. It was cold!

Juliet's cute Christmas outfit!

Kyle has really gotten into foosball at the school. He plays it on his breaks with his friends. He really wants to get a foosball table for our house. But we are poor.. so its not going to happen. When I saw this little beauty at Ross I knew I had to get it. Kyle laughed pretty hard over it, but its actually been pretty fun. One day we will get a real foosball table, but until then this will have to do. 

We had a great Christmas. It was one that will always be really special to me. We made some wonderful memories and added an new member to our family.

 I don't have any pictures to post of New Years Eve or day. It didn't seem worth it to stay up until midnight when our newborn was sound asleep. It didn't sound like fun to take our newborn and our 19 month old out to party either. So we went and visited our friends that had just closed on their new house, then came home and put the girls to bed. Kyle and I wished each other a happy new years when I got up that night to nurse Jules. 2012 was one of the best years we've ever had. We found out that we got into 3 different dental schools, decided on which one we were going to go to. We found out we were pregnant. Abby turned 1. We moved to Colorado, and Kyle started school. I finished school. And we finished up the year with little baby Jules. 2013 is going to have to work hard to top 2012! 

Kyle started back up with school on the 2nd and he has been super busy already. I've started on the adventure of being at home with girls by myself. Its been interesting and luckily it hasn't been too crazy. I've been feeling great, and the girls have been awesome. We're really looking forward to watching these two little girls grow up!

Juliet Cordner

I could hardly sleep Wednesday night because I was so anxious and excited to go to the hospital the next morning. We had a scheduled induction at 6:00 on December 20th. Since the world was supposed to end on the 21st we thought that would be the perfect day. We were scheduled to be induced a week early so that Kelly would know exactly when to come up so she could watch Abby. I also didn't want to go a week over my due date because Kyle would be back in school, we really wanted to have this baby during the break. Also my due date with Abby was May 27th, my water broke May 24th and she was born May 25th. With Jules my due date was December 27th, if that same pattern were to happen again that is Christmas Eve and Christmas Day! I would have been heart broken to be away from Abby on Christmas. I wanted to be gathered together with my little family on Christmas Day. So luckily my doctor was wiling to give me a chance.

When we got to the hospital on Thursday morning things were not looking good. I was not progressed very far, so they gave me this tiny, iddy bitty little white rock looking thing that went up under my cervix. It was supposed to start helping the cervix thin out. After the nurse left Kyle and I said a prayer together that this would work and that we would get to meet our little girl that day. About 2 hours later I was having regular contractions, and I was in labor! In 4 hours I had progressed from 1 centimeter to 4 centimeters. I was thrilled, they wouldn't be sending me home and we were going to have a baby that day.

The day continued and luckily I was able to sneak lunch in before I was declared to be in active labor and had to stop eating until the baby was born. We walked laps around the labor and delivery floor to help the baby drop and make the contractions stronger. Luckily for me the contractions were strong, but they weren't painful. I was feeling great and had plenty of energy. Before they broke my water I got my epidural. That was not the best part of the day. I wasn't in a lot of pain and didn't feel like I needed the epidural at that time, but there was a chance that she would come really fast after they broke my water and there wouldn't be time. The epidural worked great, the contractions started to get huge, and really close together but I couldn't feel anything. We had a wonderful nurse Connie who had been with us all day long. She was so sweet, and clicked really well with us. The only problem was I was still only dilated to a 4! So depressing. So I changed positions a couple of times to get her to drop. Hours passed and I was just making a little progress at a time. At 7:00pm the nurses changed and Connie was so upset because she knew I was getting very close, and she was just going to miss the birth. I was so sad because I was so attached to her. The nurses changed at 7:00, and our nurse was from Poland. She was exactly what you picture when you think about somebody from that part of the world. She was awesome, and I really liked her a lot. 

After the nurses switched I started feeling a lot of pressure with each contraction. I had been feeling pressure a little bit throughout the day, so I wasn't sure if this was really it. I was dilated to a 4 last time they checked, so I wasn't sure if I was finally ready. So I just kept breathing through each contraction. I was getting ready to call the nurse in, when she came in. She had been watching my contractions in the nurses station and she could tell the baby was coming. She checked me, and the baby was right there! She called my doctor who was at home, and told her to get here as fast as she could. We started pushing a little bit, but the baby was coming so fast I had to breath through a few more contractions so that my doctor could make it. They had the on call doctor waiting just incase I couldn't wait. Luckily she arrived just in time to catch the baby. A few pushes, and sweet little Juliet Cordner was here! That is one of the most amazing experiences. Feeling this little person come into the world, hearing them cry for the first time and then seeing their little face for the first time is incredible.

7lbs 14oz 20 3/4 inches long and totally perfect in every way. She has a full head of dark hair, and it looks like she might have brown eyes. We'll see in a couple of weeks. She sleeps ALL THE TIME!  The only time she wakes up is to eat (and I usually have to wake her up). The past few days as she has grown a little bit, she is more awake in the morning and then right before bedtime. She wakes up once or twice a night to nurse, and then goes right back to sleep.

Her big sister loves her more than anything. I want to cry with joy when I see the two of them together. Poor little Jules doesn't love getting loved on by her big sister, but Abby just adores her. She brings her toys, and makes sure she has a blanket. She tries to share all of her drinks and snacks with her. I was so nervous about how Abby would react to this new little person in our house, but she seems to be doing really well. She isn't jealous when I hold her or feed her. She just wants to rub her head and tummy and give her lots of kisses. I love my little girls, and I'm so grateful for this opportunity to be their mother. 

We love you so much beautiful little Juliet. We are so glad you are here!

We like to relax

She climbed into this all by herself and relaxed there for a good 20 minutes. She cracks me up. 

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Are really good. 

Christmas Time so Far

This has been such a fun december! It started out with our ward Christmas party which was in the morning. I guess that is the new thing to do, and it turned out pretty fun. I almost had a serious allergy attack when I had a cinnamon roll that had walnuts in it, and Kyle had to leave early so that he could spend the rest of the day studying at school. Abby had a great time running around, and dancing with they primary while they sang Christmas songs. She has made some cute little friends at church and she loves playing with them. 

Its actually the two of us in a picture together! We celebrated our 4 year anniversary in Arizona before Thanksgiving and we are happier than ever. Its crazy to think of all the things that have happened in the past four years. Its been the best four years, and I'm really looking forward to all the things that are going to happen in the next four.

We've wrapped most of the gifts and put them under the tree, its been fun trying to keep Abby from unwrapping them or climbing all over them. We've actually lost a gift for her little sister, I'm not sure where Abby put it. So that is going to be fun when we find it, hopefully it is before Christmas.

Abby asking please. If she wants anything she starts asking please to get it.

This little 18 month old Abby is the funnest Abby yet. She loves to say uh-oh, mom, dad and doggie. She is always making us laugh, and she is a blast to be around. She is still tiny compared to other kids her age, but she is so big to us. She is always running everywhere she wants to go, playing with her stuffed animals, and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She likes it when I paint her nails, and wants to show everyone her "pretty fingers". She loves to give big hugs, and her dad gets the biggest hugs when he gets home from school. We got her a new baby doll this week and she has loved taking care of her baby. She wants to feed her, wrap her up in blankets and she even wants to take her to bed with her. She is going to love having this new baby around.

Every time I'm cooking in the kitchen she pulls her chair over to the counter so that I'll put her on it and she can help me cook. We've made cookies a couple of times for different things and he loves to stand up there and eat the cookie dough. She is my daughter 100% when it comes to sweets. We can't get enough of them!

Since Kyle finished his finals (and got an A in anatomy!) he has been home all the time and Abby and I have loved it. Finals week we only saw him if we went to the school to have lunch with him. Abby has loved having her daddy home, and he has had a blast playing with her. Their new favorite thing is building tents. Abby will bring blankets over to kyle wanting him to make her a tent.

On Monday we went to a "cultural night" with some of Kyle's dental school friends. It was potluck dinner where everyone brought some sort of cultural dish. We had curry, japanese food, sushi, pot stickers, bruschetta, and we brought homemade oreos (our culture was American). It was fun to get to meet more of Kyle's dental school friends, and the food was delicious! Abby was the only little girl there out of 8 kids. But she had a great time, and she was making everyone laugh.

The highlight of my Christmas, and probably the most traumatic even so far in Abby's life was seeing Santa tonight. We were in the mall, and there wasn't a line so we thought we would take advantage of the opportunity. Abby wasn't thrilled. Hopefully next year she will be a little more interested in seeing Santa.

As you can see in the picture above I am still very pregnant. I am running out of clothes that will fit, but we only have one more week! I had a doctors appointment today and everything is still looking great, and I'll be ready to be induced on the 20th. I finished all of my classes this past Monday, so I am officially done with my college career! I'm so grateful that I did it, and that it is over. Now we are ready for this sweet little girl to come into our home!

Rebels

Over Thanksgiving in Arizona (during which I did not take 1 picture!) we had our Christmas gift exchange with my family since we won't being seeing them on Christmas. My parent's got us the best gift ever!  A Canon Rebel T3i, which basically translates into a freaking sweet camera. I have been having so much fun taking pictures with it, I am definitely not a pro like my mom! These are a few of the pictures that I've taken since I got it. I can't wait until I am done with school in less than TWO weeks! Then I can devote some time to figuring this thing out and really getting some awesome pictures of my little family!

Decorating and un-decorating the Christmas tree

Eating Lunch, she is the cutest little thing!

Dirty little face

There have been thousands of geese migrating and Abby loves to watch them as they fly over.

Model face

A little bit of sassy attitude. 

She has the most beautiful blue eyes in the entire world!

In other fun family news I had my 36 week check up today and everything is looking good. We scheduled an induction for the 20th of December at 6:00 in the morning! I'm so excited to have that date in my mind and hopefully everything works out and we have a new baby girl come the 20th! 

Abby is doing great, I can't believe she is 18 months old. Its crazy! She is saying more and more words and really becoming more of a little kid rather than a baby. 

Kyle is busy finishing up his last week of school. He has finals all week next week and then come Friday afternoon he will be all ours for 4 entire weeks! He has been doing great and working so hard. Abby and I are very proud of him!

I'm just getting bigger and bigger and I am VERY ready for this baby to no longer be in my belly. I keep having dreams about her and I am so excited to see her little face for real! I only have about a week and a half left of my classes and then I am done FOREVER!

Life is great and we can't wait for all of the adventures the next few months will bring. 

I don't usually argue with teachers.

This is going to be another rant post. Kyle is gone all of the time, and I really don't have anyone else to complain to... except for this blog. So humor me while I get this off of my chest.

I am really upset about this class that I am taking. Its Sociology 101 from ASU. I've taken a 400 level class from this teacher and it was awesome, so I was excited to be taking another class from her. Well this class is a joke. There are only two types of homework that get graded from this class, a discussion board and an exam each week. My problem right now is with the discussion boards, For your original post you have to post it to the discussion forum, and then post it AGAIN to a thing called the dropbox. I've never had to do that before in the 10,000 online classes I've taken. For this last weeks discussion (which was close to 600 words long) I worked really hard on it, and got it submitted to the discussion forum 3 days early. But I forgot to ALSO submit it to the dropbox. So out of 20 points I received a zero. A ZERO! Even though I worked hard on it, met all of the requirements and turned it in early. Seriously? Can I get half credit or something? SO STUPID!

And then I got my grade back from the week before forum and I received a zero for my response to another student's post. We are only required to respond to one post, but I had actually responded to two, because I wanted to keep the discussion going, I mean that is supposed to be the point of these things. So I responded, and met all the requirements but I didn't use the exact words like "this is why I disagree/agree with you". I would say something like I agree with what you said, but I would also like to add". Writing like that felt more natural, like I was actually having a discussion with my classmate. So even though I submitted the assignment on time, met the 150 word requirement, and met most of the criteria I was given a ZERO! A ZERO! Because I wasn't explicit in my writing so the TA could see I met the criteria. Seriously? Use your brain, give me the benefit of the doubt and give me the points. It is obvious that I am trying, that I am writing well and that I am making a worthwhile post. I went above and beyond by writing two posts, and yet I get a zero? Why even waste my time trying if you aren't going to give me any credit?

So that is a total of 30 points that I am not getting. That is a lot of points, and I am struggling to keep my grade up even though I am working hard and doing all of the work.

I've written a couple of emails and I'm going to fight to get at least some of the points back. I'm not asking for full credit because I have made mistakes, but not mistakes that will warrant a ZERO! I don't usually argue with teachers, I feel that once they have made their decision its final. But in this case I want my voice to be heard. I feel that I have been wronged.

So angry, but I only have a few more weeks left. I just have to pass this class and I'll be done. No more teachers or stupid TAs.

Bring on the bachelors degree. I've earned it.