Tuesday, November 9, 2010

I guess the cat's outa the bag now

Well, it's official. Nixon baby number four (and number last) is a coming June, 12 2011. And if it's like Bryony then maybe it will come on that date.

P.S. Disregard my nasty nails in this pic. I hadn't taken off the nail polish from Halloween yet. Eww!

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Well, look at that..


So, as much as I try to tell myself that I am going to start blogging on a daily basis. I need to just admit to myself the truth and that that, will probably never happen.

Anyways, back to business. Most people who are close to me have heard me refer to "the vision" lately. A few weeks ago, I went to a neighbors house for a "Trash to Treasure" relief society activity. And ever since, I have been obsessed with doing some crafting. The vision being, things I want to do for our house.

So, two weeks ago, my friend, Ann Michelle, and I went to Poky. I'm a follower of the Vintage Farm Furniture on FB and they had this pitcher that I wanted. So, I made the drive down to purchase my $10 pitcher and then we did some antique shopping at a fun antique store. It was way fun. )Next time going to go on a Tues-Sat for sure tho, so I can go to my favorite antique store, Vain and Vintage, they were closed :(.
Here's the pitcher

I bought a $4 old crate at the antique store, and this is what I did to it.
I had already started to paint it, but you can see that it's just an old wooden crate. With a little paint and stain. (And pain in the butt hand-painted letters.) Followed by some 'shrubbery'. Voila! It says "La Cuisine de Nixon est. 2003" Translated it means The Nixon Kitchen est. 2003.


























Perfect above our pantry.

I also bought a bunch of old frames from the antique store and the DI for like $.75 a piece. No Lying! Those are still a work in progress. So, maybe I'll get pics of those up when I finish those. But no guarantees. I'd really hate to become regular on this whole blogging thing. :) haha!

Monday, May 31, 2010

Triple Chocolate Cookies... Oh my!!!

Triple Chocolate Cookies
I heard a girl talking at the girl's Tball practice about making some chocolate cookies with cake mix and pudding. I tried looking online for the recipe, but couldn't really find one. So, I made up this recipe myself. Whoot!!! Cookies come out so soft. And they're super easy and take like five seconds to make.

1 Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Cube melted butter
1 Chocolate Pudding cup
1 Egg
1/4 Cup White Chocolate Chips
1/4 Cup Chocolate Chips

Mix cake mix, butter, pudding, and egg in large bowl. (Dough will be thick) Stir in chips.
Drop spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet approximately 2'' apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 min or until fork poked in the middle comes out clean or slightly fudgy. Cool cookies on cookie sheet for a few min. Sooo Good!!!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What the... Lost??


During my pregnancy with Bryony, I was soo nauseated and exhausted during the first trimester that I started watching Lost on Netflix. I got sucked into the weirdness and the drama and I loved it. I fell in love with the characters and the chemistry between them. Well, Sunday night was the finale of the show. And I have to say that I'm not satisfied with the end result at all! I feel that they left a lot of things open and unexplained. It left me feeling.... do I dare say it... Lost!!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Betty White and SNL

Watch this! Probably the funniest SNL I've seen in a long time.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/147989/saturday-night-live-betty-white

Trying to be a blogger!

Bryony on Mother's Day. Two months old!!

Alright ya'll! I just want you to know that I'm a terrible blogger, but I am working at trying to be better. Haha!
Bryony had her two month checkup yesterday. And I'm very happy to report that she is growing like a weed! She is weighing in at 10.08lbs and is over 22 inches long! Go Bryony! Unfortunately, with the two month checkup comes the two month shots. Poor girl. I've been soo blessed to have this baby be soo easy that when she cried when she got her shots, it was almost a sound I've never heard before. She is not a crier. So, when I heard her wail, I felt soo awful.

Right after Bryony was born, we got two dogs! Yes, we're that crazy. Pete's always wanted dogs and all I have to say is "I love my husband." They are beautiful huskies. The mom's name is Rainey (cuz that was already her name) and the pup's name is Idgie (as in Idgie Threadgood and if you don't know where that's from then shame on you!) They are driving me nuts though. Digging, and jumping up on the kids. I'm just hoping that they start to calm down so that I might have that perfect garden like my neighbor, Ashley, someday.
Rainey and the smudged up glass door.

Idgie. She's got one blue eye and one brown.

Other news of note, um..hmmm. Nodda whole lot cuz we are boring! Pete got me my trees for mother's day! I love trees and I've been wanting them for a long time. A Maple and a Sugar Maple. Now, we just have to see if they'll survive or not.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

She's here, and here's her story.

Bryony Elene Nixon
3/10/10 @ 4:40p.m.
6lbs. 5oz. 20 inches long
Well, for all the anxiety and worries that I had with her, she finally came. Happy and healthy and on her own. The pic was taken when she was only 30 min old. With this being my third baby, I really wanted the experience of letting the baby pick her birthday. I had always been induced, and I wanted to know what it felt like to say, "Am I in labor? Ok, I really am in labor!" For those who love the juicy and the not so juicy details, here's how our little Bryony (Pronounced BRY ON EE! If anyone else pronounces it wrong I'm going to punch their lights out!) came into the world.

When I was prego with Shaelynn, my body started getting ready for labor a few weeks in advance. I was dilated to a four for almost two weeks before she was born and I went into the hospital and was induced by prostaglandin hormone gel being dilated a four and her head was a plus 2. Needless to say that when I finally went it was quick! Three hour labor and under ten min of pushing. I had had the epidural administered and then forty five min later I had her. So, I definitely felt a lot more with her than I had with our oldest Kylie. It was because of my experience with her that I had decided how I wanted things to go with the next pregnancy.

As with Shaelynn, my body started gearing up for delivery a month before. I'd have contractions all the time. Just never consistent. Every week, I'd have them check and I was already starting to dilate. A week before my due date, I was a four, and Dr. Leavitt stripped my membranes. For most women, this will put you into labor. But for me, usually not. Shaelynn, I'd had them stripped twice and I'm sure it helped with the progress, but it never seemed to start labor. I was starting to feel more contractions. I'd have what I liked to call "episodes" where I'd have the cramping every 15 min apart. and then they would just sort of go away. I was still have the NST's done twice a week, as well as ultrasounds to make sure everything was ok. Dr. Leavitt was still trying to talk me into induction. So, the closer I got to my due date the more anxious I got.

The morning of my due date, I had a few contractions. I went in and saw the P.A. Scott. He checked me and said that I was dilated to almost a six! He stripped my membranes again. And we discussed getting induced the next morning by having them break my water. Those of you who know me, know that I'm very anti Pitocin. I've delivered babies with and without it. And there is such a world of difference between natural contractions and Pitocin contractions. (Despite what the MALE doctors will try to tell you) Dr. Leavitt knew how I felt about Pit, so this was really the only other option. I left the office and went to the mall with my good friends. We walked around a did some minor shopping and had lunch at Subway. The whole time, I was feeling pretty crampy. I decided to go home after lunch. I had a couple of contractions on the drive home that were about five min apart. I walked in the door, and called my hubby and told him that I thought I might be in labor. This was at 2:00 p.m. He came home and started straightening up the house and getting some things in order while I laid on the bed. I could still talk through the contractions so I wasn't too worried. I got up to use the bathroom, and as soon as I stood up, the contractions jumped to two min apart and were definitely more intense. Taking my focus and energy during each one. We knew it was time. My lil sis was on her way over, and as soon as she walked in the door we were out!

If you've ever had to labor in the car, you'll know that it's DEATH!! I don't know if it's the position or what, but I hated having contractions in there. And they almost seemed on top of each other. We pulled into the hospital at 3:35 p.m. I walked through a full lobby in labor. Kinda embarrassing. When we got into the labor room, the nurse asked if I wanted an epidural. I said "no." I really. wanted to try it naturally. Especially, after my experience with Shaelynn. I was given a birthing ball. Which seemed to help. And I went to the bathroom and labored on all fours a lil bit. And that helped a lil too. I needed to go number two, so I went to the bathroom. As soon as I was done, I was kinda getting the urge to push. The nurse said I was only an 8 and that I really needed to wait. Meanwhile, she was trying to hurry and call some nurses and Dr. Leavitt to hurry and get in there. I tried to fight the urge to push, but it over came me. I felt that I had no option. I yelled "Pete, I'M PUSHING!!!" I was getting really loud. This part is almost hard for me to remember, because it's the most intense. It's like watching a scary movie where the camera is running and jumping all over and it's hard to focus on what's going on. I know I was pushing, and from pushing I broke my water. And that my water came out dirty and smelly like a sewer. I know that the my legs were in the stirrups and that the nurse was asking me to bend my legs, but I was soo tense that my legs were sticking straight out and lifting me up off the bed a little. I know that Dr. Leavitt asked if Pete wanted to help deliver the baby, and they even went to get Pete the gown and gloves. But the baby came to quick and Pete missed it. I know that I had a moment where the pain and everything was sooo intense that I looked up at the ceiling and kind of had a freak out moment, where I wanted to throw in the towel and just be out! Haha, obviously, there was no turning back. I know now that this was when she was crowning. She was born at 4:40 p.m. As soon as she came out, they laid her on me. I looked down and saw that she was covered in what looked like green slime.I was still a little out of it from what I had just been through. So, I grabbed her a little, but then I laid back and looked at the ceiling and said "Thank God she's out!" I could hear her crying in the distance now, as I came back to the reality of what had happened.

As soon as she was wiped up and her lungs suctioned, I was able to try and nurse. She did very well. The nurses attributed this to the fact that I had gone naturally. The best time to try to teach your newborn to nurse is right after delivery. When she was done, they took her to do her tests. Because I had had her naturally, I was able to shower right away. Really sore, but I could walk around.

Crazy? Yes! Will I do it again? Probably. There are benefits of having a natural child birth. And the feeling of accomplishment is amazing. Plus, I know that my body gets ready way early. I can't imagine having to go through that for hours and hours.Bryony is a week old now, and here are some pics of our precious baby.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Here's a long and overdue update.


It's been just over a year since I last blogged, and we've had quite the eventful year. (Sorry, most of our pics are on our other computer or on the memory card still so these will have to do for now.) To start off, last February I began training with my awesome running buddy, Ann Michelle for the half marathon in SLC. Those who know me well, know that running is a passion of mine. We would run at 5 in the A.M. and in -9 degree weather. Crazy?? Yes, we are. I loved it though. There is such a constant feeling of accomplishment when you are keeping yourself in such good shape. I miss it... :( Due to an unplanned surgery for Ann Michelle, we decided that instead of running the half in SLC in April, we'd do the Rexburg Teton Dam one in June. Plus, that gave us a couple extra months to train is semi decent weather. When racing day finally came, I felt GREAT! I felt that we had done our training and I was ready. I'd ate exactly what I should have ate leading up to this and I was pumped. I cruised through the first four miles and then I started to have a sharp pain under my foot. I ignored it as much as possible. Then on mile 6 it really started to get to me, so I started running on my toes on that leg to compensate for the pain. It was Awful!! Eventually, I even took off my shoe three times and rubbed my ankle and foot to try to fix the problem. Nothing helped. I ran/limped my way across the finish line at 2 hours and 33 min. Which is still pretty decent for 13.2 miles. Turns out I'd given myself a stress fracture. With all the crazy hills on the course. Grrrr.... I WILL do another one. Cuz to train for that long and that hard only to have something like your foot fall apart at the end is very frustrating.

In the midst of all this, Pete my awesome, hubby who can put anything together (except plumbing ;) Managed to install our fence, put in our sprinkler system, and get our yard in. Someday, I'll post pics of all these.

Right at that time, is when Pete and I had decided that we were going to start trying for our third baby. We had picked this time to start three years before since our two girls were so close in age and we wanted a long break. We got prego right off the bat. I was pretty sick in the beginning. But, truth be told, this has been my hardest pregnancy yet. I thought for sure that because of how in shape I was when I got prego, that my body would handle this one the best. I was wrong. From grindy hips, to constant nausea and heartburn and low energy this is definitely the hardest.

Since we had baby coming in March, Pete's next project was finishing a room in the basement so we could move the office downstairs and turn office into baby's room. He started in Oct. and he finished it completely in January. Once, again he did an amazing job. For someone who doesn't know exactly what he was doing when he started. I'm really proud of him and his ability to figure these kinds of things out.

Leaving out a few minor things, that brings me to the now-a-days. I'm 38 weeks prego and we've had some minor complications lately. Two weeks ago at my regular Dr's visit. The fundal height was measuring me at 34 weeks instead of 36. So, my Dr. Scheduled an ultrasound to check things out for the next week. When we had that ultrasound we found that there were a couple of pools of blood (venous lakes) behind the placenta. Which can be totally normal in this stage. Pretty much it means that my placenta is worn out and ready for me to be done. But that added with the fact that her lil body in there was measuring two weeks too small while her head was measuring about where it needs to be was another raise for concern. We did a NST at the Dr's and she didn't do so well. So, Pete and I had to go to the hospital and have them monitor me for over an hour. It was really scary, cuz the Dr. had made it sound like we would probably be having her that night. I never go early. I know that my baby's like coming around their due date and are still 6.5-7 pounders. But at the NST at the hospital, she did really well. So, we were able to go home.
The next day I was at the hospital cuz my sis was having her baby. I know one of the lead nurses of labor and delivery. So, I was explaining to her the situation. She wanted to hook me up to a monitor. So, I let her cuz hearing the heartbeat is always reassuring. She called my Dr. and he was all set that I was getting induced that night. They even started getting a room ready for me. I was alone, cuz Pete was at work and I felt so overwhelmed. I had to tell the nurses that I didn't feel that it was necessary. And I don't know if you've ever had to go against a Dr. or a nurse, but it's very scary. They make it sound like you're making a huge mistake. But being hooked up to the monitor, I could see that her heart was doing exactly like it's supposed. And she was very active. All really good signs. Not to mention, gut instinct told me that she's not ready. So, I went home.

I have to have NST's done every Monday and Thursday and ultrasounds on Thursdays to make sure that my placenta isn't failing and she's still growing well. I go in today, and I have a feeling that the Dr. is going to try to tell me to induce, and I'm going to have to be a stubborn patient and say "No" again.

Going into this pregnancy, there were certain things that I knew I wanted. I knew that I didn't want to be induced as long as baby was doing ok. And she's still moving all over and that last couple of NST's have been really good. We had an ultrasound yesterday and she isn't in distress and she got an 8/8 score on all her stuff. We will continue to monitor her closely, but a part of me wonders if maybe she's just going to be a small baby. I know that she'll be here when it's time.

So, that's our year in a nutshell! Maybe, I'll try to be better about blogging. Maybe...;)

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