tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33099545675998231892024-03-12T20:23:46.949-06:00Logan and Camille SpenceCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-18359678185305266212016-02-04T12:44:00.000-07:002016-02-04T12:44:32.831-07:00My Second Loss<div class="MsoNormal">
My Second Loss<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I wanted to write this all down before I start to forget the
details.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Logan and I wanted to get another baby here, but I wasn’t
ready to commit to “trying” again. You
know, the tracking, the testing for ovulation, the counting days, the waiting
to take the pregnancy test only to see a negative and to feel like a failure. We did that for SO LONG to get Landon here,
and it was terrible. Our compromise was
we would stop using birth control after we got home from our Disneyland trip,
and that was it. We didn’t pay much
attention to it after that.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My cycles are always wonky, not consistent, different
lengths, just weird. So when some cycles
were longer than others, I didn’t pay much attention to it, until this past
month. I realized it had been a long
time since my last period. I took a
test, it came back negative, but I wasn’t bothered by it, and I waited for my
period to start. After another week, I took
another test on a Sunday morning before church.
It came back POSITIVE. Like dark,
solid positive line that popped up super-fast.
Logan and I were shocked! We were
hugging each other and we were so excited at the news. We hadn’t needed to get on the “trying”
roller coaster; we were going to be blessed with the sweetest surprise
possible. We decided to keep it as our
little secret until we knew more about what was going on. The whole day we were on a cloud. Logan kept smiling at me and squeezing my
hand. It’s amazing how special and sweet
that news is for a couple.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next morning I called my ob office. I had had low progesterone with Landon and I wanted
to see if that was going to be a concern with this pregnancy as well. They called in a prescription for me and had
me come in for blood work. Tuesday
afternoon I got a phone call from the office.
My progesterone was indeed low, as we had expected. But also, my hCG was really low as well. The nurse told me sometimes things like that
just happen, and maybe I wasn’t as far along as I had thought I was. She said to think positively, but also that
realistically, things might not be viable.
I was to go in the next day to get more blood work done.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We decided we wanted prayers on our side. I called my mom and let her know. We told Logan’s parents. We told our siblings, my birth family,
grandparents, and a few other close friends.
We wanted prayers, and lots of them, going for our baby. I was a wreck. My first miscarriage was the hardest trial I have
been through, and I was terrified I would go through it again. Logan gave me several blessings that week to
comfort me and give me strength, and we prayed our hearts out over this baby. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wednesday I had blood work done again. That evening the nurse called me back. My levels had gone up…not as much as they
wanted, but they were up. I was to come in
the next week for an ultrasound to check on the baby and to see how everything
was going at that point. Thursday I was
nauseous!! That’s a sign that your hCG
is continuing to rise, and I had never been so happy to feel sick before! My symptoms continued to increase as the
weekend wore on. Saturday night we were
saying family prayers and thanking Heavenly Father for sending us this little
baby. We were all so happy and feeling
hopeful.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then Sunday.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I opened up my eyes and I just knew. Before I even moved. Before the pain hit. I just knew.
I was going to lose my baby that day, and it was going to be bad. I pushed the thought away, and rolled over to
get out of bed to go to the bathroom, and that’s when the tugging pain started
in my left hip. “Ectopic Pregnancy” went
through my head, and I tried to shut that out.
It couldn’t be. Not to me. Please, not another loss. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I walked to the bathroom to pee, and the pain
intensified. Logan was in the shower and
I told him that I was hurting. And then
I began to sweat. I became nauseous and
I leaned over the toilet bowl, sure I was about to puke. Logan said he thought maybe I was just
pregnant nauseous, and after he was done with his shower, he’d help me get
breakfast. Hopefully the food would help settle my stomach. And then I passed out on the bathroom
floor. I came to and my babies were
looking at me so scared. Logan got out
of the shower and helped me get to the bed, shuffling our kids away to get
breakfast. Everything felt worse with
each passing minute, and I had a very strong feeling we needed to go to the
Emergency Room. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Ugh, Camille, no.
That’s going to cost so much money.
Just rest, you’ll be okay,” was all I kept telling myself. And another wave of pain hit. And another. And another.
It was getting worse. I couldn’t
stand up to get Logan in the kitchen. I
grabbed my phone and called my mother in law, who lives upstairs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Deana, I think I’m having an ectopic pregnancy.” Another wave of pain. “Please come get the
kids, Logan is taking me to the hospital.” Another wave. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Deana came and grabbed them and got their church clothes and
took them upstairs. I pulled on some
shoes and my coat, and Logan helped me to the car. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
By the time we got there I could barely walk. They rushed a wheelchair to me and helped
check me in. Logan did all the talking
as I was crumpled up in pain. They got
us back in a bed and talked to us about I’m not sure what. An ultrasound tech came to get me to go do
the ultrasound and helped me sit up, which I could barely do. He said “Yeah, we’re not moving her until we
get her some pain meds.” At this point I
felt like I was being stabbed over and over again, the pain then radiating from
that spot to fill my entire body. I
started to cry to Logan “I want to die.
I want to die. Take this pain
away.” And then I started to black
out. I would come back around and then
everything would go dark again, back around, and dark, back around, and
dark. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t talk, I
couldn’t breathe. (I think this is when
my tube was bursting.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somebody came in and got an IV started on my arm as I was
coming in and out, and they gave me a dose of Morphine and Phenergan. My arm started to burn and feel heavy, and
then the pain calmed down. I got very
sleepy and could barely communicate. I
guess after that they wheeled me back for an ultrasound, I remember the room
being dark, I remember clicks and beeps of the machine, I remember hurting
whenever the tech would push on my left side.
I also remember dreaming I was playing Toy Story Midway Mania in
Disneyland, so there you go…on a drug trip my brain takes me to Disney. And then I was suddenly back in my other room,
shivering and having them put blanket after blanket on me and I just could not
warm up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Everything felt like it was taking hours, but Logan later
told me it all happened pretty fast. A
doctor came in and confirmed it was ectopic.
An on call ob came in and talked to me.
Dr. Cloward? She was really
pretty and really nice. She told me I
was going in for surgery, and they would need to remove my tube. They saw blood pooling on my ultrasound and
they were worried about me hemorrhaging.
An anesthesiologist came in and talked about the sedatives. Logan signed a bunch of forms for me, and I
texted some family to let them know I was going in for surgery. I still could barely stay awake from the
morphine.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They wheeled me back, I kissed Logan goodbye, and they shot
something in my IV and told me I wouldn’t remember much after that. I looked up and saw all these “PACU” signs
and wondered what it meant. And then I was
waking up.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They explained I did indeed lose my tube. They were glad I was at the hospital as early
as I was, because of it I didn’t lose as much blood as they were anticipating
and I avoided a blood transfusion. I was
so drowsy and out of it, but I looked over at a doorway, and there was my sweet
Sadie holding someone’s hand and bouncing up and down watching me. I signed “I love you” to her and she signed
it back, focusing so hard to get her fingers right. She was so worried about me and later told me
she hated the baby and didn’t want any more in our family because she didn’t
want me to get owies again. It broke my
heart to hear her say that, all I wanted was for that baby to be back with me,
but I was grateful I was alive to be with my other two babies. Apparently you can bleed out pretty fast with
a ruptured tube, I didn’t realize it was so life threatening.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually we got back to a recovery room. Sadie went home with Deana. My parents were there. Logan was there. I just wanted to sleep. They had me order food and take more
medicine. We watched Food Network on
tv. My parents ended up going home while
Logan went to go get my prescriptions filled.
I got checked out at about 7:00 that night and we headed home.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I started bawling in the car. I was completely hysterical and wracked with
guilt. Because of my body, because of
me, we lost another baby. I lost my
tube. It would be harder than it was
even before to get pregnant again. And
here I am, married to the best father I have ever seen, and I was holding him
back from having a gaggle of kids, and he probably wishes he had married
someone else who could have all of his babies easier and quicker than I could. I guess I had started rambling these things
out loud, because Logan <i>pulled the car
over</i> and told me to knock it off. I’ll
never forget that. He said, “Camille, <i>never,
ever, ever </i>say that again.
Never! Do you hear me? I want you.
Only you. I don’t care if we have
2 kids or 20, as long as you are the one by my side, that’s all I want. Don’t you forget it or tell yourself
otherwise.” And I was a wreck. He is better than I deserve. I am still so devastated that I can’t give
him a dozen kids with ease, because he is such an amazing father. But I am so grateful that he is mine, and
that he wants to be mine, and that he wants me—as broken and imperfect as I am.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sweet in laws had already gotten my kids fed and in their
jammies. Deana had made us two plates of
food and left them downstairs for us.
Logan heated up the food and we ate, and then he put me to bed and then
the kids to bed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My sister in laws rallied around us for the next few days to
care for my babies while Logan was at work.
I can’t lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk, so I can’t hold
Landon. Also it hurts to walk around,
and my medicine makes me drowsy, so I wouldn’t be able to care for my kids
well. They have had play dates with
cousins every day this week, and they come home exhausted, happy, and well fed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So many people have brought us dinner this week. My family has been fed and I haven’t had to
worry about it at all. A friend sent me
a Barnes and Noble gift card and told me to buy a book that helped her heal
from her miscarriage, which should be shipped to my house today. Another group of friends sent me a bouquet of
Edible Arrangements. Another dropped off
a sack of DVDs to watch while I am down and out. Another sent me a sweet note with a gift card
to get a treat. Literally hundreds of my
friends have checked on my through social media or texting. I can feel so many prayers being poured over
us to help sooth my soul. So many
miracles and so many angels have come together to help my family through this
nightmare.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am heartbroken.
Completely devastated. I wish
nothing more than being able to be pregnant again instead of having had this
happen. I’m scared for the future, but I’m
trying to not focus on it yet. There is
nothing I can do about it yet; I just need to get better physically. I am so beyond grateful that I have had Logan
with me through all of this. I hate that
this happened, but he has been so wonderful, it has really helped remind me of
what a wonderful man I am married to.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For all of those that have helped us—thank you. It has not gone unnoticed, and I love you
all. You are all angels in my eyes, and
I have been thanking Heavenly Father for all of you over and over.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-35359716390319382032014-10-12T13:53:00.001-06:002014-10-12T13:53:22.212-06:00Mr. Landon Chase--A Birth Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQTCEQ-RutU/VDrZyVxe47I/AAAAAAAAAos/8yrT0Y84cPQ/s1600/DSC_0086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aQTCEQ-RutU/VDrZyVxe47I/AAAAAAAAAos/8yrT0Y84cPQ/s1600/DSC_0086.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We have another baby; a sweet little man. He made us fight to get him here, and we were
left waiting much longer than we had wanted, but I am so glad he is here. My little miracle man, Landon Chase Spence,
was born at 37.5 weeks on September 30, 2014, at 6:57 p.m. He weighed 7 lbs 9 oz, and was 19” long, and
we love every single bit of him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In October of 2012 we decided to start trying again for baby
#2. A few days later we actually were
quite surprised when we found out we were actually already pregnant! We were so excited and couldn’t believe
everything was falling into place so easily. We decided to wait until Thanksgiving to
announce to our families. We bought
Sadie a shirt that said “Big Sister” on it to wear to Thanksgiving Dinner. That day we stopped by Logan’s parents’ house
and took Sadie’s jacket off to reveal her shirt, and after we repeated the same
thing at my parents’ house. We were so
excited to share our news, and everyone was so excited for us as well. Two days later, though, everything came
crashing down. At around 4:00 in the
morning I woke up soaking wet, I thought “Oh my goodness, how embarrassing! I just wet the bed!” So I went into the
bathroom, but when I flipped on the light I was covered in blood. I was in complete shock and just started
saying “Oh, my gosh” over and over again.
Logan heard me and came into the bathroom, and when he saw all the blood
he just started crying. Then it hit me,
I had lost my baby. We just held each
other and cried. Even though we hadn’t
been pregnant for very long, we were both attached, and we wanted that baby
more than anything. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For the next year and a half we were on a roller coaster
trying to get pregnant again. We kept
trying for a while, and after several months of no success, we went to a
fertility specialist. I have a biseptate
uterus that we had discovered during my c section with Sadie (everything looks
normal from the outside, but is heart shaped on the inside, so I have an extra
wall in the middle that makes two different chambers in there). We were told if an embryo ever implanted on
the extra wall, I would miscarry because the wall wouldn’t be able to handle
the weight of the baby, which was scary to think about. We pursued having a surgical procedure to
have the wall removed, but kept running into problems with my insurance and
could never get coverage. Twice we scheduled
the surgery, and right before would have to cancel because of my
insurance. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We moved to a new ward in American Fork, and the bishop of
the ward is a family practitioner. We
had talked with him about what was going on and he recommended an OB, Dr.
Haskett, who could help us with our insurance so we could get our surgery. I was very down and sick of being on the
roller coaster ride of trying to get our next baby here, and I was looking
forward to trying to find the next step in the road to go down to make some
real progress. I had an appointment
scheduled for mid-February for a consultation.
February 1 I was due to start my period again. I decided on a whim I would take my last
pregnancy test I had in the medicine cabinet.
I wanted to take it so I could see the negative and get over not being
pregnant once again that month. Much to
my surprise, the test came back positive.
I could not believe it! I got
Sadie ready in a hurry and went over to visit Logan at work. I took him into an office area away from
everyone and asked Sadie to show Daddy her “new toy”—I had given her the
positive test. She handed it to him and
as soon as he saw it he started to cry.
He gave me a priesthood blessing that day and told me no matter what happened
during the pregnancy, I would be able to learn to rely on family for support…which
made me worry that I would once again lose this baby and have to rely on family
to pull me through once again.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I hit 6 weeks, I woke up feeling very crampy on my
right side. I tried to push the worry
aside, but after a few hours I decided to call in to the OB to ask about
it. They thought it sounded like it
could be an ectopic pregnancy, and told me to go into radiology so I could be
checked out. After a few ultrasounds, I
got some pretty good news…baby was great, I even saw the heartbeat, and was
implanted in a really good spot, far away from the extra wall. We were slightly worried because the baby was
in the right chamber (Sadie grew in the left), and we were concerned maybe my
body wouldn’t be able to stretch out enough on that side to hold a full term
baby. We also found a clot that had
formed under the placenta, and we also discovered my progesterone levels were
low, both of which could cause miscarriage.
My doctor was so incredible helping us get through the scary first
trimester. I was put on pelvic rest, progesterone
supplements, and he had me come in almost every week to check the progress of
the clot and to see the baby on an ultrasound to see how everything was
developing. Over time, everything looked
great, and the clot resolved itself. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rest of the pregnancy went uneventful, more or
less. We found out we were having a boy
at the end of May, which was a shock.
Sadie kept telling us we were having a girl, complete with many details
about this little girl. It took me a
while to wrap my head around having a boy, and I even wondered if I would be
able to love a little boy as much as I loved my little girl (news flash: I was so wrong, I am completely obsessed with
my little boy). Baby Landon was in a
breech position and we had scheduled a c section for him for October 13.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Saturday, September 20, at 36 weeks, I started having a
lot of pain and contraction-like cramps.
I started timing them and as they got closer I had Logan take me to the
hospital to get checked. Much to our
surprise, Landon had flipped head down (which is why I was hurting so badly),
and the stress of him flipping had gotten my body stressed enough to start
contractions. Because he was head down,
we decided to try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after ceserean). I was still early and not progressing very
fast, so they gave me some Percocet to help with pain and slow down the
contractions to give Landon some more time to grow. Sunday night, contractions started up again
and we headed in to get checked again.
Same story, little progress, so more Percocet to slow things down again. The next Friday night things started up again
really hard, we headed back to the hospital sure that this would be the real
deal. Nope! Again, little progress, but I was in a lot
more pain. They gave me a morphine shot
and sent me home to rest. My goodness,
that completely knocked me out and I slept until about 3:00 in the afternoon
the next day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Logan and I were both frustrated and tired of the
contractions and the false alarms.
Monday, things picked back up, but Logan refused to go in unless
something major happened, so we waited it out.
Tuesday I had an OB appointment, and I was still contracting (and
exhausted because I hadn’t been sleeping well due to said contractions). As we were going through the appointment he
asked how Landon had been moving around…and it hit me…I hadn’t felt him move
all morning. He checked for his
heartbeat, which was still strong, but sent me to the hospital for a non-stress
test, where they monitor how the baby is handling everything in there. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was having very consistent contractions,
and finally started to show more progress. My
OB came to check me during his lunch break, and stripped my membranes to see if
he could get me to progress a little faster so they could admit me. He went to go do a c section on another girl
and checked me again, I had finally progressed to 5 cm, so they decided to
admit me and break my water. As I got
into my bed in labor and delivery, my water actually broke on its own, and
everything got super painful. My
contractions got very intense and I was not handling super well. The lovely epidural guy got there quickly and
started on my epidural. As soon as
everything kicked in and I was feeling really good, Logan finally arrived! He was at school this whole time and I didn't
want him missing much school if I was about to have a baby, but my goodness, he
missed out on seeing all the really painful stuff. An hour after my epidural went in, they
checked me again and I was to 8 cm. 30
minutes after that I was at a 10 and ready to push!! There was a little bit of meconium in the
water when it broke, meaning Landon had been a little distressed through all of
this and pooped in there, which can be problematic, so they had some extra
people there to help him out in case he had trouble starting to breathe. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I pushed for about 30 minutes, and Landon started showing
distress. With every contraction his
heart rate kept dropping, so they put me on oxygen to help him out a little
bit. Ten minutes later the on call
doctor came in (my OB couldn’t stay because he had to go help coach his son’s
flag football team), right as he walked in I started gushing a lot of
blood. He suspected my placenta was
starting to tear on the inside and he was concerned with everything else going
on. He gave me a small episiotomy and
put in some forceps to help pull Landon out a little faster. Another huge gush of blood, more meconium,
and Landon’s heart rate and oxygen levels just tanked. The doctor looked at me and said “Camille,
you have to push with all you have, you need to get your baby out now, because he
isn’t handling this well.” I pushed with
all I had in me, and the doctor used the forceps, and we got Landon out on that
push. He was so blue and limp. They put him on the little warmer table and
put a tube into his lungs to suction him out really well. He wasn’t crying at all. I remember watching them pick up his arms and
they just fell right back down. He had
all these tubes in him and he looked so pale and all of these medical people
were just working so fast on him. I
couldn’t stop crying, I was so worried about him. After a few minutes that felt like an
eternity, he began to pink up, and he did a little squeak of a cry as they gave
him the vitamin k shot. I was so
relieved! They wrapped him up and put
him on my chest and I got to hold him for a little while before they took him
down to the nursery for his tests.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPgKvFEYf7g/VDrakDSpHNI/AAAAAAAAApQ/2VD9Vqf3p6A/s1600/LandonChaseafterbirth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MPgKvFEYf7g/VDrakDSpHNI/AAAAAAAAApQ/2VD9Vqf3p6A/s1600/LandonChaseafterbirth.jpg" height="320" width="181" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Landon was doing so well, I on the other hand, was not. Because he had to come out so fast, I had
torn a LOT. I had a 4<sup>th</sup>
degree tear, which means essentially I tore all the way through to my bum hole
(sorry, that’s the least graphic explanation I can come up with). It took a really long time to get me stitched
up. I asked the nurse what the highest
degree of tearing there was (I though t it was five, so maybe I wouldn’t be TOO
bad), but I was put out when she told me “Honey, the highest amount of tearing
is basically what you have right now.
You basically had a c section through your bum. Don’t worry, we’ll do all we can to help you
stay as comfortable as possible.” So
yay, I knew I was going to have another long, painful recovery ahead of
me. After they were done monitoring me
after delivery, my nurse helped me out of bed to go to the bathroom. While I was in the bathroom I passed out, and
after I came to I threw up. So I needed
to be monitored a little longer again.
Finally I was able to go downstairs to be with my family. I was surprised to find my family, and a lot
of Logan’s family was already there with Logan and Landon. I was really sad I had missed watching Sadie
meet her little brother for the first time, but Logan told me all about it and
he had taken a lot of pictures for me (but I hope that doesn't happen again
with the next baby). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_3QJI8Q6a0/VDrajwtKzsI/AAAAAAAAApM/-55XKXmf1R0/s1600/LandonChaseafterbath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v_3QJI8Q6a0/VDrajwtKzsI/AAAAAAAAApM/-55XKXmf1R0/s1600/LandonChaseafterbath.jpg" height="181" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rest of my stay in the hospital was painful, but I felt
like I was handling it pretty well. I
could get out of bed easier than after my c section, but it was still very
painful to get around, and I could not get comfortable sitting because….my bum
had been exploded and then reassembled.
We came home Thursday, one day sooner than I had been in the hospital
with Sadie. I was excited to be home
with my family, and I was sick of the uncomfortable bed and chairs in the
hospital. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After we got home I had so much help from my family, and it
was so wonderful having so much support.
My recovery after the first few days became much more painful and
difficult to manage than my c section was.
I was really discouraged and frustrated with myself, I wanted to VBAC so
I could have an easier recovery than after Sadie, but that was very much not
the case. Seriously though, my mom and
mother in law were complete angels and such a huge help for my little family
and I am so grateful for all they helped me do.
I’m almost two weeks postpartum, and while I’m still hurting, I am off
narcotics, and I can mostly get around okay.
I just have to take things a lot slower than I am used to, but I am
happy I am recovering.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At a postpartum check-up one week later I was getting my
stitches re checked (I popped a few over the weekend, yeah; it was as painful
and horrible as it sounds). My doctor
said that with the next baby, while it is my choice, he strongly discouraged me
doing a vaginal delivery ever again, because my chance of blowing out the same
area was very high (yikes, no, thank you).
Sooooo….we will be doing c sections from now on. I’m kind of glad I had the opportunity to at
least try a vaginal birth, but overall, wow, it has been much more difficult to
recover from than the c section. I am
kind of relieved to just know what is in my future. It’s no question…I will just have c sections,
and I can prepare myself better for them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ww6IMrTUAm8/VDrbhlFQJKI/AAAAAAAAApc/3Gf9zUHm2R0/s1600/DSC_0052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ww6IMrTUAm8/VDrbhlFQJKI/AAAAAAAAApc/3Gf9zUHm2R0/s1600/DSC_0052.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Landon has been a dream baby. He hardly ever cries, and he loves to
snuggle. Sadie is pretty hands on and
isn’t as gentle as I’d like her to be all the time, but he doesn’t seem to mind
too much. Sadie loves to be a big sister
helper with her brother, and she is so sweet and loving towards him. She loves to talk to him, hold him, hug him,
and kiss him. She loves to get things
for him, throw away his diapers, and help pick out his clothes. So with that, I am so happy. She has started to ignore pretty much
anything else we say to her though, which is driving me crazy. We have really tried to help give her a lot
of attention away from baby, and we both try to really make a huge effort to
tell her we love her and think she’s so special, on her own and as a big
sister. But, she still is being stubborn
about certain things and just flat out ignores us a lot of the time. She is also very emotional about things she
wasn’t before. Again, just trying to be
extra patient with her, I know her entire world has basically been flipped on
its head and we’re all just trying to adjust.
I’m hoping this is all just normal and we’ll figure it out
eventually. However, not once has she
ever said anything negative towards her brother or asked to give him back (at
least, not yet), and she seems to really like having him around. </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LbBRoYxsypI/VDrZ5M_bbBI/AAAAAAAAApA/-lMTk-1nFaE/s1600/DSC_0027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LbBRoYxsypI/VDrZ5M_bbBI/AAAAAAAAApA/-lMTk-1nFaE/s1600/DSC_0027.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
Adjusting to two kids has been an adventure, but I am so happy they are here. I feel like they are both my miracle babies who fought to get here, and I am so grateful to have been blessed to be their mommy. I love them so much my heart could just burst. Even through all the heart ache and pain, emotional and physical, one thing is for certain: our Mr. Landon Chase was well worth the wait.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pY8n790l_tY/VDrZ3lV94FI/AAAAAAAAAo0/4psBarWpVdg/s1600/DSC_0097-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pY8n790l_tY/VDrZ3lV94FI/AAAAAAAAAo0/4psBarWpVdg/s1600/DSC_0097-001.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-46536932021142143842013-11-07T12:56:00.003-07:002013-11-07T12:56:50.293-07:00Sadie Smarty PantsAs her mother, I have this biased towards my child. I always think she is the smartest, most beautiful, sweetest, most awesome living thing in the whole universe. Well, the other day, Sadie was in the tub and just started counting. She got to four, and I was happy, she got to seven and I was surprised, and when she got to ten all by herself, I was seriously floored. I did not teach her that. Honestly, I think playing hide and go seek with her cousins is what did it. I pulled out my camera to film her, and by then she was a little distracted and needed a bit of prompting, but I was seriously so shocked with how high she got at the end without any help<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dybEEBcsuvxAzqTpgMIkL73gHB33dJFM6tVSV6bceT8Ru6yVKVIDBYNlzTdbwiJ2d9-woxEheLX6mepXKGX6w' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div>
Smarty pants girl. Gosh, I love her, and I love being her mommy.</div>
Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-79519839443039097152013-09-07T16:07:00.001-06:002013-09-07T16:07:28.955-06:00To my sweet TWO year old little girl...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klo7VZjvsn4/UiuaMYlHTVI/AAAAAAAAAoM/b4ZGU1aWIeY/s1600/P5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-klo7VZjvsn4/UiuaMYlHTVI/AAAAAAAAAoM/b4ZGU1aWIeY/s320/P5.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
Miss Sadie Sue,<br />
<br />
Looking through my past letters, it is crazy to realize how much you really have grown in only a year. You are quite literally my most favorite girl on this entire planet. I thank Heavenly Father every single day that I am the lucky one who is blessed enough to be your mother.<br />
<br />
This past June we moved into Grandma and Grandpa's house. Daddy is in pharmacy school now, and we decided that it would be best for our family to be able to save money on rent, as well as be closer to our family and Daddy's new school. We love living here, and you especially love having "Mrama and Papa" right upstairs. You ask several times a week to be able to go upstairs and say goodnight to them. You love playing in the backyard, especially in the play house and play truck that Grandpa and you daddy built a long time ago. You adore Grandma's doggies, Tuxedo and Rio. You love following them around, giving them loves, and laying on them like they are pillows. You are pretty sweet to them, and you are good at remembering to be soft with them. Most of all, though, you love having so much more room to play around the house. <br />
<br />
When we moved here, we moved you out of your crib and into a big girl bed. The first night I was so nervous you would be so anxious about being in a new room, and not being contained in your crib. I was worried you wouldn't adjust well to your new home. Well, sweetheart, you proved me wrong!! That night we got you in your jammies, brushed your teeth, and read you a book. We sang you a song, and put you in your bed, I tucked you in and told you "Good night, Sweet Girl. Sleep well, stay in your bed until the sun comes up, okay?" You said "Okay, Mama." and closed your eyes and went to sleep, and that was that. We have seriously had zero problems with transitioning you to your bed, and I have been so proud with how you have adjusted to such a big change in your life.<br />
<br />
You are a little ball of sunshine in my life. Every morning after you wake up, I can hear you talking in your big girl bed, and I open the door to tell you good morning. I love this part of your day, because I come and sit on your bed and ask if I can hold you. You always say "yeah" and climb into my lap and let me snuggle you for a couple minutes. I ask you about what you dreamed about the night before, and you usually tell me you were reading books, this morning you told me I came to you and washed your cheeks. I don't know if these are really your dreams, but I love that you will talk to me in the morning. <br />
<br />
You actually talk to me all day long. You hardly ever stop to take a breath, now that your vocabulary is large enough to communicate most of your wants and needs throughout the day. I love your sweet little voice, and I wish I could bottle it up. I love watching you put together sentences and phrases to communicate what you want. You are pretty soft spoken compared to some of your cousins. When you get really excited about something, you usually get pretty quiet instead of squeal-y, which I think is pretty funny. When we ask you what a tiger says, you even "roar" in a whisper instead of getting really loud. You are usually so wonderful at remembering your manners, and you are so great at saying "please and thank you," which makes me just beam. You used to use sign language for a lot of words about a year ago, but slowly you have dropped all of the signs, except you still always sign please when you say it. I also love how you say thank you like "tang-too."<br />
<br />
You love love love bunnies right now. You have two pink bunnies that play music and you always want them to play while you're falling asleep. You love watching a show on netflix called "Miffy" as well, which is about a little bunny.<br />
<br />
You love Minnie Mouse. This makes me SO HAPPY. You have several Minnie dolls that you play with, and you always want bows in your hair, like "Mi-ee Mouse."<br />
<br />
You love to say prayers and read your Book of Mormon. Every night, Daddy sits you on his lap and you guys read and pantomime one verse to me. Daddy is so silly about it, but you love doing this with him, and I love hearing you try to say big words like "commandments."<br />
<br />
You got a play kitchen for your birthday a couple days ago, and you have been glued to it. You love to play with it constantly, and you are always cooking me "snacks" throughout the day. Grandma Ilene gave you a Minnie Mouse mini table and chairs, and you love eating at your table for every meal.<br />
<br />
You are starting to go on the potty about once a day now. There have been a couple of days you go more often, but usually it's only in the morning before I put you in the bath. We give you a sticker after every time, and you love that. I think in a couple months we'll see if you're ready to be completely potty trained. I wasn't planning on potty training you until next summer, but you might be ready sooner than that.<br />
<br />
You know almost all of your colors now, and you love to tell us what color everything is ("Mom, byoo pwate! Lellow tup!"). You also sing your alphabet a lot, but I don't know if you really know what "letters" are. Except today when I was putting you down for your nap, I was wearing a necklace that said "Paris" and you grabbed it and said "Mom! A-B-C-D necklace!" so maybe you're catching on more than I realize.<br />
<br />
You love being girly, you love pink, purple, princess ANYTHING, sparkles, bows, dresses, skirts, and having your hair done. You love it when I paint your nails, and after we do mani-pedis at home, you tell EVERYONE all about it, Daddy, Grandma, the cashier at the grocery store, I mean everyone. You love shoes and have taught yourself how to put your own flip flops on this summer. Sometimes they are on the wrong feet, and sometimes you get the little thing in between the wrong toe, but you are always so proud of you doing it yourself. <br />
<br />
You are the sweetest girl, Sadie Sue. You are charming, friendly, and happy. You love playing with your cousins, and we love watching you interact with them. You are seriously the most incredible little human I have ever met, and I am so glad you get to be my sidekick every day. This past year has been a hard one for us, but through this time I have come to an even greater realization of how much of a miracle baby you are to our family. Daddy and I love you more than words could ever express, and we are more grateful that you were able to make it into our family despite all odds. Thank you a million times for fighting your way into our family. We are so grateful you are here and we can't imagine our family without you in it.<br />
<br />
Happy birthday, sweet little girl, I love you more fiercely than I could have ever imagined I could love anyone. Thank you for being <i>my</i> baby girl.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-7971618890230868822012-10-09T17:23:00.002-06:002012-10-09T17:23:25.278-06:00To My Sweet 11 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdSXs3n_8yQ/UHSs_lk3_QI/AAAAAAAAAmw/v2HNONizkRo/s1600/11+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdSXs3n_8yQ/UHSs_lk3_QI/AAAAAAAAAmw/v2HNONizkRo/s320/11+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Wiggle-Wart,<br />
<br />
You are a curious, squirmy, wiggly, little girl who never has one second to hold still, unless you are sleeping. We took pictures with the SAAS cousins (Sadie, Avery, Adalyn, and Sonja) all in matching outfits, and were such a little trouble maker. Because you are the oldest cousin, you are the first to become the most mobile, and while we were taking pictures, you were only interested in crawling away, or worse, crawling <i>on top of</i> your smaller, helpless cousins. Luckily, we still were able to get a few good shots, and we were all able to laugh about it at the end of the day.<br />
<br />
You are a happy little girl and love to jabber and giggle all the time. Your favorite jibber jabbery things to say are "diddle deedle dee" and "da da lum." I'm not sure why those are your favorite noises, but they are so silly to listen to and you keep all of us giggling. You also love to say "mom mom mom" over and over again. I don't think you really know that the word "mom" means me, but you seem to get that it means "help me" or "pay attention to me" or something like that. <br />
<br />
You get very, very giggly when you are tired, and you will giggle at the funniest, smallest things. One night during dinner you hadn't gotten any good, long naps, but later that night while we were eating, I would look up from my plate while I was eating my dinner and just look at you, and you thought that us making eye contact was pretty dang hilarious. You love being tickled, and it is so fun for us to play tickle games with you.<br />
<br />
The other day we were playing with your toys in your room. I picked up a stuffed animal and cuddled it like it was a baby. I was trying to show you how to snuggle and love on it, and you got very jealous! You started shrieking and crawled into my lap, and threw the stuffed animal away from me. I hope you handle things better when we decided to have another baby and I'm holding a newborn all the time. <br />
<br />
We got to visit Flaming Gorge this month and you got to see Great Grandma and Great Grandpa for the second time. They loved you, and were so amazed by how much you had changed since you were only 4 months old the last time they had seen you. You are almost walking, and you would cruise along all of their furniture, which they thought was amazing. Great Grandma is an amazing mother, and I tried to get as much advice from her while we were there as I could. She told me to love you and to be polite towards you. She told me that you are the most important thing that will ever be in my life, and to always be kind towards you, even if I feel myself trying to lose my patience. I will try to do my best at this, sweetheart.<br />
<br />
I love you so much, baby girl. I have loved having you in our family, and I can't believe it's almost been a full year since you joined our family. You are the best first child I think I could ever have, and I am so glad I get to spend all day every day with you.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-42332221953464519082012-10-09T17:01:00.003-06:002012-10-09T17:01:31.204-06:00To My Sweet 10 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nSTpOd3OaiI/UHSkobxswbI/AAAAAAAAAmY/tbDauCLMUG4/s1600/10+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nSTpOd3OaiI/UHSkobxswbI/AAAAAAAAAmY/tbDauCLMUG4/s320/10+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Bug-Bug,<br />
<br />
You turned 10 months old on the 4th of July, and we had a blast celebrating! We started off the day at a hot air balloon festival with Daddy's side of the family, which you thought was very fascinating. We then headed up to spend the day with my side of the family and watched a parade, went swimming, and had a BBQ. At the end of the day, we watched fireworks, and even though you were so tired, you stayed awake, and you loved watching the sparkly sky. <br />
<br />
This month you took swimming lessons with me, Aunt Autumn, and your cousin Avery. You love swimming so much, and if I would let you, I'm sure you would stay in the water all day every day. I was worried you would be nervous about being in the water, but you were always so happy and loved kicking your legs and splashing in the water. We even practiced dunking you under the water, and while it wasn't your favorite, you didn't even cry. We spent a lot of time this month at a water park, and you loved crawling around in the wave pool. You were sometimes a little too brave, and would crawl in too deep, so we'd have to really stay close by and watch you, but you always loved being in the water. <br />
<br />
You are a very fast crawler and love to get into everything. If I take my eyes off of you for only a couple of minutes, sure enough, you will try to tip over containers, empty baskets, and make all sorts of messes. Even with all chasing after you I have to do, you are still so sweet and happy that I can't help but just laugh.<br />
<br />
This month the last of the four baby girl cousins we got in our family was born. Sonja was born a couple of weeks early, on Aunt Alicia's birthday. You actually got your first cold the day before she was born, so you didn't get to meet her until about a week later. I can't wait to watch you four girls as you grow up, I'm sure you girls will be great friends and have a lot of fun together.<br />
<br />
You also decided this month that you were too grown up for baby food. You had only been eating pureed foods regularly for about two months, but once you had six teeth, you were much more interested in eating whatever your daddy and I were eating instead of the mush we had been giving you. You love feeding yourself little pieces of food, and your favorites right now are green peas, zucchini, tomatoes, and cheerios You are such a good eater, which makes me so happy!<br />
<br />
You are a hoot, little girl. I love you to the moon and back, and I am so glad that you are my sweet little girl.<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-9981265330642765892012-09-03T23:13:00.001-06:002012-09-03T23:13:54.586-06:00To My Sweet 9 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YduIGg3oVrw/UEWHbmbuBtI/AAAAAAAAAl8/unWP1sg8HlQ/s1600/9+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YduIGg3oVrw/UEWHbmbuBtI/AAAAAAAAAl8/unWP1sg8HlQ/s320/9+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Sweet Pea,<br />
<br />
This month marks the month that you have now spent the same amount of time in the real world as you did growing inside of me! Crazy thought!<br />
<br />
This month you consistently will clap for yourself or other people, give high fives to those around you, and do other silly things to get a reaction from people. You love to make people laugh and you <i>adore</i> any kind of attention you can get.<br />
<br />
You crawl crazy fast now, and everything has to go right in your mouth while you are exploring the world. One night Daddy was playing tennis with his friend, Wyatt, and you snuck a leaf in your mouth without my seeing. I didn't know it was even in there until you started coughing and gagging on it, and I was able to get it out of your mouth. It was kind of scary for me, and I've had to watch you a lot more carefully now to make sure you are kept safe.<br />
<br />
Your hair is finally long enough for me to put two piggies on the top of your head. You definitely look like your nickname now--Bug. They are so cute, I melt a little every time I see you with them.<br />
<br />
You cut FOUR teeth this month, bringing your grand total up to six little teeth in that cute mouth of yours. You, my little bug, were a <i>monster</i> while you cut all of those teeth, and you did not want to take naps. When I would lay you in your crib, you would just stand up to the side and cry and scream and not nap at all. You were also running a fever and had a runny nose and were so sad with all those teeth coming through, so I spent a lot of time snuggling you and trying to help you feel better.<br />
<br />
Your daddy and I celebrated our third anniversary this month, and we decided to take a family day-cation up to the zoo. You really enjoyed yourself and loved having so many different things to look at.<br />
<br />
We celebrated our first Strawberry Days with you this year as well. That week we were also babysitting my cousin's three little boys, and they got to celebrate with us. We went to the carnival, the parade, Huck Finn Days, and entered you in the baby contest. It was a fun week, and you loved having those boys to play with too. You actually love all little kids in general, and love being around them and trying to copy them. Are you sure you were supposed to be an oldest child?<br />
<br />
Other favorites this month were going to Seven Peaks a lot--your favorite is the wave pool, and visiting Thanksgiving Point Gardens--you still love going for walks and being outside, and you love playing with your cousins. You are growing up so fast!<br />
<br />
Sadiebug, you are precious. You are sweet, you are kind, you are so important, and I love you so much.<br />
Thank you for being my very own,<br />
Love,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-32071291194132951102012-09-03T23:13:00.000-06:002012-09-03T23:13:49.846-06:00To My Sweet 8 Month Baby Girl...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KnR29fiHpP8/UEV1_dPUHVI/AAAAAAAAAlk/vQ7x6qrFX1c/s1600/8+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KnR29fiHpP8/UEV1_dPUHVI/AAAAAAAAAlk/vQ7x6qrFX1c/s320/8+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Sweetheart,<br />
<br />
This month was such a fun month with you! <br />
<br />
At the beginning of the month, your Aunt Rilee left for her mission. It's a weird concept to think that while she will be gone you will change SO much and SO quickly. We've promised to keep her very up to date with letters and pictures, and she has loved hearing about you.<br />
<br />
One of your favorite things you figured out this month was how to pull yourself up to standing next to objects. You love grabbing onto the handle on the drawer of your dresser and standing up next to it. One day when I was trying to lay you down for your nap, you pulled yourself up to the side of the crib and stood there giggling at me. You were in a very silly mood, and every time we would make eye contact, you would get a new wave of giggles started. I even got out the camera and took a video of you, and whenever I watch it, I can't help but get the giggles myself. Your happiness is so contagious!<br />
<br />
Another silly thing you have been doing is you will crawl up to something like a wall or a doorway or the leg of a table and head butt it by rocking back and forth, and while you bonk it with your head, you will do this cute little snorting sound. After a while of this, you will sit back and clap for yourself. Speaking of clapping, you are doing that all the time now, and you love having people clap for you too, you get so excited and will clap back.<br />
<br />
For a couple days in a row, you would tuck your toes into the bottom of your pant legs so you would be standing on them, and then crawl right out of them. I could <i>not</i> keep your pants on you to save my life! I guess that trick got boring because you lost interest in your trick by the end of the week, and started keeping your pants on again.<br />
<br />
You love taking walks, and me and my friend Katie will take you and her son, Coleman, out to walk around at different parks. You are loving the warmer weather, and love being outside.<br />
<br />
We took your first major vacation this month. Uncle Phil, Aunt Jenny, and our family all went to San Diego together for a week, and we had so much fun! The first day we went to Sea World, and your favorite thing that you got the most excited about were watching the puffins, falling asleep with your sun hat over your face during the dolphin show, and having so many people pay attention to you. We had so many people stop us and tell us we had one of the cutest babies we had ever seen, and we can't blame them, you are hands down <i>the cutest</i> baby we have ever seen too. <br />
<br />
We took you swimming at our condo for the first time. I was afraid you would be scared while you were in the water, but you were so happy and kept kicking your little legs and squealing. We were hoping you wouldn't mind the ocean the next day when we took you to the beach, but we were wrong! When we put you in the water, you cried because you thought it was too cold! However, the beach was not a total bust, because you loved eating the sand by the handfuls (you had the weirdest diapers for the next few days), and crawling over to strangers and smiling at them. <br />
<br />
Our last day we took you to the USS Midway, an aircraft carrier that they turned into a museum. You loved being carried around and looking at the displays. There were some old men that worked at the museum, and they thought you were so cute, they gave you your own wing pin to wear, which was so cute. That night we went to Old Town to visit the Mormon Battalion museum, and then went to dinner. It was colder that evening so we visited some shops to try and find hoodies to wear. Phil already had his hoodie with him, and he was worried about you getting cold, so he took you and cuddled you inside his hoodie to keep you warm. After a long week of fun, and after getting all cuddly and warm, you fell right asleep in his arms, and it completely melted his heart. Right now Uncle Phil and Aunt Jenny are trying to adopt a baby, and getting to play with you for an entire week had them all wrapped around your little chubby baby fingers. They love you so much, you are lucky to have them in your life.<br />
<br />
Sweetie, so many people love you, and you are a blessed little girl, and don't you forget it!<br />
Of course, no body could ever love you more than your daddy or me!<br />
Love,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-22305137834648489542012-05-03T16:40:00.000-06:002012-05-04T13:02:16.377-06:00Sister Rilee Belnap<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
After 7 years of trying to get pregnant, my parents adopted me as a newborn. 8 months later, my mom got very sick. After going to the doctors, she found out she was pregnant, and when I was 17 months old, my little sister, Rilee, was born. Although we were very close in age, we couldn't have been more different people. In fact, we purposely chose interests that would make us basically polar opposites. I loved dance, so she chose sports. She loved Harry Potter books, so I refused to read them. When we were little I had short hair, and she had long hair, and as we got older, I grew my hair out, and she kept hers bobbed. I'm outgoing, and she is as shy and quiet as can be. We are so different, but I love this girl.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This girl is always thinking of others. She serves others without a second thought. She gives everything to those she loves. She is so calming. She is a wonderful listener. She is funny and cheerful. She is tender hearted and one of the sweetest people I have ever known.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Right after the new year she received her mission call to Kobe, Japan. It couldn't have been more perfect. Rilee has been studying Japanese all through college, and she has already fallen in love with everything culturally that she has come across. When she opened her call, she burst into tears because the call was a complete dream come true for her. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Yesterday she started that dream. For 18 months, this great girl is going to be serving the people of Japan. Before she entered the MTC we went out to lunch and she told me "I only have one goal today, and that's to make new friends." I haven't heard from her yet, but I'm sure she did just that, and will continue to do so for the remainder of her mission. I miss her, and I'm sad that I can't talk to her whenever I want to, but I am more excited for her than anything. I know this is where she is supposed to be, and I know she will grow so much from this experience. I am so looking forward to hearing from her and learning about her first few days, her companion, and how everything is going.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9wp-pXCEMF8/T6L0Eb_eaHI/AAAAAAAAAk8/nMZ3dtqKi2E/s1600/Aunt+Rilee+and+Sadie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9wp-pXCEMF8/T6L0Eb_eaHI/AAAAAAAAAk8/nMZ3dtqKi2E/s320/Aunt+Rilee+and+Sadie.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This little girl will be just over two years old when her auntie comes home.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We'll be sure to send Rilee lots of pictures and updates, and we'll also show Sadie pictures of Rilee so hopefully she will know who she is when she comes home.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0RtYK7Muu2o/T6L0HSYO7AI/AAAAAAAAAlM/7OFjstbRoHw/s1600/Sisters+at+Set+Apart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0RtYK7Muu2o/T6L0HSYO7AI/AAAAAAAAAlM/7OFjstbRoHw/s320/Sisters+at+Set+Apart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here are all of the Belnap sisters. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Rilee, Me, Emily, and Dawniel</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I am so blessed to have so many sisters, I hope Sadie has a few sisters of her own someday. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I love mine so much my heart could just burst.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9aJL5GYgoFc/T6L0Gqmlk9I/AAAAAAAAAlE/YxcOF8wkadM/s1600/Going+into+MTC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9aJL5GYgoFc/T6L0Gqmlk9I/AAAAAAAAAlE/YxcOF8wkadM/s320/Going+into+MTC.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Ready or not, here she goes. This picture makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. She looks so timid and unsure that I want to just jump in there and protect her, but at the same time, I love that she is not looking back. Even though she is scared, she is facing forward, ready to tackle her fears head on and get out there! I admire her so much!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-54530255548581329502012-05-03T13:07:00.002-06:002012-05-04T13:02:29.532-06:00Quarter of a Century+Cutest Baby Ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This post is very, very, very late, but about six weeks ago (I told you it was late), Logan turned 25. He is such a great husband and daddy, so Sadie and I wanted to do a little unexpected something to surprise him. The day before his birthday, we snuck into Smith Drug (where he works) and bought 25 balloons. Then we came home and blew them all up and hid them in our land lord's house. After a long day of work and studying and playing with Sadie, Logan luckily fell asleep pretty early. I was able to sneak the balloons into the bathroom without him knowing, and then I left him a little note on the mirror. Totally cheesy, but it says "Congratulations you had enough common 'cents' to survive to your 25th birthday! Happy birthday! Love, Your Wife" and stuck 25 pennies to the mirror for him to find. The next morning he was quite surprised to find not only the decorated mirror, but the shower full of balloons as well. He had to work most of his birthday, but that week was spring break, so we made sure to get out and play together as much as possible. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCBfR3SGUoQ/T6LRcEjmYUI/AAAAAAAAAkw/-muIeB-uK7I/s1600/Birthday+Shower+Ballons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FCBfR3SGUoQ/T6LRcEjmYUI/AAAAAAAAAkw/-muIeB-uK7I/s320/Birthday+Shower+Ballons.jpg" width="179" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KpQGe4vumr0/T6LRaqFNIHI/AAAAAAAAAko/jXTS5uhTDGM/s1600/Birthday+Mirror+Message.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KpQGe4vumr0/T6LRaqFNIHI/AAAAAAAAAko/jXTS5uhTDGM/s320/Birthday+Mirror+Message.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
In other news....</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Here are some darling pictures of the cutest baby ever.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc5WbxYsNQk/T6LRPwNilbI/AAAAAAAAAkI/4YhV3Wnope4/s1600/Baby+Bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zc5WbxYsNQk/T6LRPwNilbI/AAAAAAAAAkI/4YhV3Wnope4/s320/Baby+Bath.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
When our tub is not being filled with 25 balloons, it is usually being used to bathe this little beauty (and okay, fine, shower her not as darling parents). She loves her baths, and she especially loves her little rubber duckie that Grandpa Mark and Grandma Angie (my birthdad and his wife) gave her.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1nwdPiJAEA/T6LRRXVExfI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/OPYip3Ddboc/s1600/Baby+Bird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1nwdPiJAEA/T6LRRXVExfI/AAAAAAAAAkQ/OPYip3Ddboc/s320/Baby+Bird.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
My friend Shannon made this darling little hair clip for Sadie Lady. I love the little feathers on it! Her daddy's nickname is "Bird," so these little feathers make her look like my "Little Bird."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wHtjowlA0p8/T6LRT4WwkTI/AAAAAAAAAkY/68hu2uvvAxA/s1600/Baby+Foodie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wHtjowlA0p8/T6LRT4WwkTI/AAAAAAAAAkY/68hu2uvvAxA/s320/Baby+Foodie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
We are starting her on solids. She hated them at the beginning mostly, and would fight me on them every time I would try and feed her. This was what she looked like at the end of every feeding. Lucky for her, after every meal she would get a bath (see above); lucky for me, she is getting more used to the idea of eating solids, and more of it is getting into her mouth.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZSIPM272h8/T6LRYDTAMOI/AAAAAAAAAkg/_FBDXuV7iyI/s1600/Baby+Tennis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3ZSIPM272h8/T6LRYDTAMOI/AAAAAAAAAkg/_FBDXuV7iyI/s320/Baby+Tennis.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
And last but not least, we are busy brainwashing this little girl into thinking that tennis is the coolest sport ever. We're hoping she takes after he daddy and has an amazing ability and love for the sport hidden in her little body. College scholarships, anyone? (We are fans of free education!!)Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-3138822762925661672012-04-24T15:26:00.001-06:002012-05-04T13:03:36.167-06:00To My Sweet 7 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-csDOj8xqI5I/T5cVIf5RSHI/AAAAAAAAAkA/pjNocPvpqOE/s1600/7+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-csDOj8xqI5I/T5cVIf5RSHI/AAAAAAAAAkA/pjNocPvpqOE/s320/7+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Munchkin,<br />
<br />
This month you have been busy!!<br />
<br />
For a few days you were super cranky, cried at the littlest things, and had the snottiest nose ever, and then last week you had two teeth pop through. First the bottom left, then the bottom right. You are always feeling them with your tongue, lips, fingers, and gums. You love to say the sound "Bah!" because I think you can feel your teeth when you do. You have been extra drooley since the teeth came through, but now you are as happy as can be again. It's exciting, strange, and a little sad to see little teeth in your mouth when you smile at me. It's so fun to see you growing up, but everything is going by so quickly that I find myself clinging on to everything I can, trying to hold onto my little baby, because before I know it, you will be a toddler.<br />
<br />
You figured out crawling this month, and my goodness you keep me running after you. You have a mischievous streak that is coming through now that you can move yourself around. When I take showers in the morning, if you are awake I will pull you out of your crib and surround you with toys to play with while I'm gone. Last week while I was in the shower I could hear you babbling to yourself, but then you got really quiet. I was almost done with my shower when I heard you again, but you sounded a lot closer. You had crawled out of your room, down the hall, and then sat in the doorway of the bathroom. You babbled into the room as if to ask "Hey, Mom! Are you in this room?" I peeked out of the shower and said hi to you, and you just crawled across the room to the tub like it was no big deal. That day you really did just wake up and decide "I'm sick of just sitting here, I will crawl today."<br />
<br />
Now that you are crawling, nothing is safe. You are moving faster and faster every time you try to crawl, and you want to explore and put everything in your mouth. You love to crawl around my feet as I am cooking dinner in the kitchen, and you remind me of a little puppy. You also are starting to pull yourself up onto things, which means I'm sure you'll be bonking your head a lot more this month (you gotta learn somehow, I suppose, but I wish I could protect you from everything). <br />
<br />
You are learning that things exist even if you can't see them. You love playing peek a boo with me, it always makes you laugh. You also love to drop things off of the edge of the couch or bed and then lean over to try and find it again, when you do see it, you get so excited and kick your legs and do this "excited face" where you scrunch up your nose, pucker your lips out, and breath really fast (it's adorable). You don't understand that you could fall off and hurt yourself, though, so we have to watch you closely.<br />
<br />
We are finally diligently starting you on solids now. You hated them at first, but after a week of "practice" you are now opening your mouth to take a few bites before you start clenching your little gums together. You really liked peas, you LOVED bananas, you hated the chicken puree we gave you last night (but honestly, it seems funky to me anyway), carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes are okay in your opinion, maybe you will like them more as you eat them more. You would much rather have smaller chunks of food we are eating, so I will often give you tiny pieces of bread, or squish up some veggies we are having for dinner that night, and you love that.<br />
<br />
You are such a happy baby, and I love being your mommy. I am so blessed to be able to hang out with you all day every day. Daddy just finished school this week, so he will have a lot more time this summer to play with you, and he is so excited! This summer will be our funnest summer yet! <br />
<br />
Until next month,<br />
Love,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-59718801094807604972012-03-28T18:28:00.002-06:002012-05-04T13:03:36.186-06:00To My Sweet 6 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwulCmva7OE/T3OoINHSoJI/AAAAAAAAAj0/Wa6ciYNDukc/s1600/6+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwulCmva7OE/T3OoINHSoJI/AAAAAAAAAj0/Wa6ciYNDukc/s320/6+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Smiley Sadie,<br />
<br />
This month you are go-go-go. <br />
<br />
One morning you woke up and you decided "I think I'll sit up today," and then you were just sitting. You are pretty darn steady too, you've hardly ever fallen over, and even when you do you have never cried. Your favorite thing to do is to sit in front of a pile of toys and pick each one up, cover it with slobbers, and then put it down. You look like such a big girl sitting up, I had a few moments where I panicked that you are growing up too fast. I have to keep reminding myself that you are getting more and more fun the older you get, and that it is okay, great even, that you are learning new "big girl" things.<br />
<br />
You love to be on your hands and knees now. You do something we call "rocky-rocky" where you rock back and forth from your head to your bum. I laugh at this because I spent a lot of time at college studying the fundamentals of movement, and how babies all start moving, and you are taking the exact steps in movement I learned, and you are fantastic at them. It is so cute because I think you can even understand me, because you will be on your hands and knees just looking at me and I'll say "Hey Sweetie, could you show me your rocky-rocky?" and you just take off, rocking away, only to stop and look up at me and smile as if to say "Hey Mom, look, I'm doing it!" You also love to get your feet up underneath you and do something that looks a lot like the yoga pose "downward dog." You can get up and down from that, but you can't figure out how to move your arms too. I can tell that you are so incredibly close to crawling. I'm waiting for that morning that you just wake up and decide to do it, and then there will be no stopping you, you will be crawling <i>everywhere</i>. <br />
<br />
You are a determined little girl. If you want something, you will figure out a way to get it. If it is a toy just out of reach, you will scooch, roll, and reach your way over there to get it, and you are so proud of yourself when you accomplish your goal. Hang on to that quality, sweet girl. Set good goals, and don't be afraid to work for them.<br />
<br />
You have become extra wiggly this month. You usually think it's pretty annoying to be held in my lap anymore, but you love to be sitting next to me. If I try to hold you, you will just squirm and twist around until I put you down. However, you hate being by yourself. If you can see me in the same room as you, you are fine, but if you see me walk away from you, you panic and start to fuss.<br />
<br />
Braxton is your favorite cousin right now. He can make you laugh better than anyone in the family, including your daddy or me. You think he is absolutely hilarious, and he loves that you give him so much attention. You usually see him a few times a week, and I love watching him play with you.<br />
<br />
We have been working on baby signs with you for a few months, and this morning you may or may not have showed me your first sign back. You were laying on my bed and I looked at you and you reached out your hand and squeezed it shut like the sign for "milk." When I asked if you wanted milk, doing the sign back, you got very excited. I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I like to think that maybe you are picking it up and beginning to understand.<br />
<br />
A funny little trait you have picked up this month is you are always sticking your little tongue out, especially if you are concentrating on something, just like your daddy. I think you are so dang cute like this, and can't get enough of watching you do it. You also love to pat your hands on things...your knee, the floor, your toys, me, whatever is near you. It's like you're saying "Hey, I like this thing right here."<br />
<br />
You love your baths so much! You could lay and sit in the water for an hour and be happy to just splash around. We should probably get you some bath toys, huh? You love getting me wet with your splashes. You will kick the water and splash me in the face and then laugh and laugh.<br />
<br />
You are keeping me on my toes, little one. I can't believe I ever survived without you in my life. You are the best thing that has ever happened to our family, and I am so glad I get to be your mommy. Thanks for choosing us for your family!<br />
I love you,<br />
MommyCamille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-67651488482995415222012-03-28T18:07:00.001-06:002012-05-04T13:03:36.199-06:00To My Sweet 5 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-H4fCuGe8c/T3OkMkuoznI/AAAAAAAAAjs/U2_6SKgpMPA/s1600/5+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-a-H4fCuGe8c/T3OkMkuoznI/AAAAAAAAAjs/U2_6SKgpMPA/s320/5+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Sweet Girl,<br />
<br />
This month was a month of lots of fun with you. Some of my favorite highlights of this month have been:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Taking you on your first road trip to Flaming Gorge. You loved Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Flinders so much. You loved sitting on their laps and talking to them. They are almost completely deaf, so I'm not sure if they heard you, but they loved singing you songs and talking to you and just enjoying your sweet company.</li>
<li>Watching you became a professional roller. I used to leave you on the bed to do quick things, like take a shower, or load the dishwasher, or switch over a load of laundry. You used to only roll once, and then stop, but after I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth and came back to find you right on the edge of the bed, we had to stop doing that. </li>
<li>You sat in your first high chair at "Dairy Keen" in Heber. You are so tiny that we had to shove a sweatshirt behind you to keep you from slipping all over the place, but you thought you were pretty dang cool sitting up with all the adults.</li>
<li>You love to hang upside down and look around the room. You will lean back in our laps until you are looking upside down and then laugh and laugh.</li>
<li>You also are starting to recognize when Daddy is coming in from school. You hear the front door open and close and then start looking around, kicking your legs with excitement, for Daddy. You love him so much, and I love watching you two together.</li>
<li>You LOVE blowing spit bubbles. You are constantly a drooly, wet mess because of your constant bubble blowing. </li>
<li>You have also discovered your voice this month. While you are sitting in your bouncer in the kitchen while I cook dinner, you will chatter away at me the entire time. I can't stop laughing at you, and you think it's pretty great to be getting attention, so you keep talking my ear off.</li>
<li>You love to be naked, so every morning I will take off your jammies and change your diaper, but then I will bring you into our room and let you lay on our bed and wiggle around for a few minutes before getting you dressed. You are all smiles during your morning "nakey time" and I love giggling at you.</li>
</ul>
<div>
You are such a content baby, and I love being your mommy. It takes a lot for you to cry, and you are usually all smiles and giggles while you are awake. I love you so much I can hardly stand it!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Love,</div>
<div>
Mommy</div>Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-14193290606273889172012-02-24T12:55:00.001-07:002012-02-24T12:55:11.669-07:004 Generations in Flaming Gorge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My mommy's parents live in a cabin up in Flaming Gorge. I have always loved going up to visit them. They are seriously the cutest old people ON THE PLANET. I have a thing for old people, I think they are adorable, and my grandparents top that list with golden stars.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
My mom found these picture frames that said "Four Generations" on them and after she bought a couple, she became antsy to visit her parents with Sadie and me to get the picture to put in them.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlNj4ds8Zqw/T0fn2NyWbfI/AAAAAAAAAjY/4LgDyM46498/s1600/4+generations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZlNj4ds8Zqw/T0fn2NyWbfI/AAAAAAAAAjY/4LgDyM46498/s320/4+generations.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Four Generations</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My grandma is the youngest of 9 or 10 kids, and her mom was almost 50 (yes, you read that right) when she gave birth to her. Her oldest siblings were easily old enough to be her parents, and I'm pretty sure she never even met her grandparents. If I remember correctly, her grandpa <i>crossed the plains</i>, as in with the pioneers. My grandma's grandpa knew Joseph Smith. That is just wild to me! My grandma was telling us these stories and kept saying the only 4 generation picture she would ever be able to hope for was one in heaven, but she isn't so sure if there are cameras there to take the picture for her!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ALxwdM9jrgY/T0fn37qbsNI/AAAAAAAAAjg/l6VgbY0AkBs/s1600/Great+Grandpa+and+Sadie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ALxwdM9jrgY/T0fn37qbsNI/AAAAAAAAAjg/l6VgbY0AkBs/s320/Great+Grandpa+and+Sadie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
My grandparents seriously loved Sadie Lady to bits and pieces. They just wanted to hold her and squish her and talk to her and watch her play. I am in love with this picture of my sweet old grandpa holding my sweet little girl, just having a little chat. I have been blessed with amazingly kind and loving grandparents, and I am so glad they were able to meet the most precious thing I have ever had in my life, my wonderful daughter.<br />
<br />
We had a great weekend full of stories of my grandparents' past, crafting, cooking, and just visiting. I love being in their home, and can't wait to get up there to visit them again as soon as Logan is out of school for the summer.Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-47710149373323547422012-02-24T12:38:00.001-07:002012-03-13T18:13:45.585-06:00Adalyn Comes Down from Heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Well the triplet cousins are all here now! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
January 27th Brynn and Casey had their third baby, but their first girl, Adalyn. She has so much hair she looks like she is wearing a wig.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She squeaks like a little bicycle horn when she cries.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She is teeny tiny and very sweet.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She makes my baby look like a giant.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gCmLUNNZ-6Y/T0fkWzM4uWI/AAAAAAAAAjI/F7LC--V_c9U/s1600/triplet+cousins+at+hospital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gCmLUNNZ-6Y/T0fkWzM4uWI/AAAAAAAAAjI/F7LC--V_c9U/s320/triplet+cousins+at+hospital.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Here is their first picture together, all three of them looking a little doofy.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Probably this picture will be on their wedding slide show. I just love these girls.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m_uO5NlyAKc/T0fk2NuPfhI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/MoGWN2eKCm0/s1600/Adalyn+Hospital.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m_uO5NlyAKc/T0fk2NuPfhI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/MoGWN2eKCm0/s320/Adalyn+Hospital.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
I seriously get all giddy and silly inside when I think about these cousins all being so close in age. I am not really close with any of my cousins, and was always jealous growing up when people at school would talk about how their cousins were their best friends. These girls are so dang lucky!! I am hoping they will all be the best of friends. I'm hoping I have a house full of girl cousins in the future, all painting their nails, or giggling about boys at school, or having sleep overs, or getting ready for school dances together. And honestly, how sweet of a deal would that be...we mommies would all know and trust our daughters' best friends' families, because hey, they are our family too.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
I love my family so dang much!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Logan and I are so blessed!! Sadie is so blessed!! Our other future babies are so blessed too!!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-68966754493208414972012-01-19T16:04:00.002-07:002012-01-19T16:04:43.587-07:00New Years 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
This past new years eve was pretty chillaxed. We spent the evening at Autumn and Doug's, eating food, and chatting it up with friends. I made some pretty rockin' jalapeno poppers that I was pretty proud of. We got Aaron to stop by our party with his date, Kim, who is a girl I used to dance with in high school. We rang in the new year at midnight, but by 12:15, we were already packed up and headed home. I don't know if we are just old farts now and are incapable of partying it up, or if we are just experiencing parental tiredness (in which case, I'm sure the tiredness will wear off just in time for the old fartness to set in...so are we going to be party poopers for life now?).</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tdUeRV-SfJc/TxieXxiULHI/AAAAAAAAAi8/A6x5E2utABI/s1600/happy+new+year+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tdUeRV-SfJc/TxieXxiULHI/AAAAAAAAAi8/A6x5E2utABI/s320/happy+new+year+2012.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
2011 was a good year, we found out we were having Sadie, I graduated from UVU, we traveled lots, we laughed a lot, we had Sadie, we found out what "tired" really feels like, but we found out what "love" and "joy" really feel like too. I'm sure 2012 will treat us just as well, if not better. Honestly, every year since Logan has come into my life has just gotten better and better. Oh dear, I love my little family so much it hurts a little.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Oh, and also...this is what Sadie did basically our whole party:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZha6eDIDJk/TxieV6C7SaI/AAAAAAAAAi0/ouR0olaCOyw/s1600/sadie+new+year+2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gZha6eDIDJk/TxieV6C7SaI/AAAAAAAAAi0/ouR0olaCOyw/s320/sadie+new+year+2012.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Even with 9 other kids running around screaming their guts out.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Even with all of us blowing our new years horns.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Even with everyone talking and laughing super loud.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She stayed asleep.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
It's almost as if she has a parent that also falls asleep at various locations, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and could sleep through nuclear warfare. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(hint: I'm not talking about Logan)</span></div>Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-49253349000367427342012-01-19T15:48:00.000-07:002012-05-04T13:03:36.179-06:00To My Sweet 4 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v83mr7JIpPU/TxiUwo5zkiI/AAAAAAAAAis/dWFz7nPebnA/s1600/4+month+onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v83mr7JIpPU/TxiUwo5zkiI/AAAAAAAAAis/dWFz7nPebnA/s320/4+month+onesie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
Baby Girl,<br />
<br />
Your personality is starting to shine more and more, and it makes it so much fun to be your mommy. You have learned so much this month, and it is seriously the coolest thing ever to watch.<br />
<br />
The day after Christmas, you rolled over for the first time. I was sitting in the basement with Grandma Deana at her house, and you just rolled over from your tummy to your back, like it was no big deal. I got so excited about it though, I think I scared you because your eyes got all big and you looked very worried. You don't do it all the time, but you do try so hard to roll from your back to your front. We will lay you on your back and show you our phone, then we drag the phone so it is above your head, and you'll arch your little back to look up at it. You can get your legs to roll over, but you can't figure out how to get your elbow out of the way so you can end up on your tummy. You'll figure it out soon though, I'm sure of it.<br />
<br />
You like tummy time a lot more than you have in the past. You can hold your head up so strong, and even reach out to grab a toy in front of you. You love toys now, and can hold onto them and bring them to your mouth. We think you might be in the early phases of teething because you like to chew on <i>everything</i>, but your most favorite thing to chew on are your own fingers. This, sweet girl, drives me a little batty. You are constantly a slobbery, wet (and cold) mess. You suck and chew on your fingers basically from the second you wake up, to the second you fall asleep. You aren't picky about which fingers get in your mouth, in fact, sometimes you will stack your hands on top of each other and chew on all ten of them at once, gagging yourself the whole time. We try to stop you, but you don't seem to listen.<br />
<br />
This month we found out you have a bit of acid reflux, and you're on some medicine to help that. You spit up a lot now, and I constantly smell like puke. Not my favorite, but you're too cute to get upset at. The medicine is helping a little, I think. You spit up, but you don't fuss as much about your tummy hurting. Hopefully you will stop spitting up so much, though, because you are a tiny little bug, and seem to be struggling a bit to gain weight. You are about 55% for height, but only 5% for weight, and you're dropping lower every month. What can I say though, with Logan for a daddy, you're bound to be tall and skinny.<br />
<br />
You laugh and chatter all the time. Daddy and I can't get enough of it either. You also recognize us and prefer us over other people now. Grandma Ilene will be holding you as you scream, but then I pick you up and you settle right down. You love it when Daddy comes home from school or work, because that means it's play time! He will "fly" you all around the apartment, sing songs to you, or get down on the floor with you to play with your toys. He loves you more than life, and you have him wrapped so tightly around your baby (slobbery) fingers.<br />
<br />
I love being your mommy. I try to tell you I love you, kiss you, and snuggle you about a trillion times a day. I feel like I'll blink and all of the sudden you'll be 12 and too cool to snuggle with your mommy, so I'm doing my best to soak it in. I'm so glad I'm your mommy, and I'm so glad you chose to be my daughter. I feel like I'm finally adjusting to my new normal of hanging out with a baby all day, rather than running around from school to work and back again like I have been for the past ten years or so. Sometimes I miss my old life, but honestly, I would never trade it in a million years. I get to hang out with you, my bestest buddy, and cutest friend all day long. Plus, you seem really like me too, which makes me feel like a total rock star.<br />
<br />
I love you so much my rib cage might just explode from trying to hold it all in. I love you so much, sometimes I think I might have to scream it from a roof top. I love you so much that sometimes I have to remind myself to not squeeze you too tight. You are amazing, little girl. I'm learning lots, and you are patient with me. <br />
<br />
More love than you could ever imagine (until you have your own baby),<br />
Mommy<br />
<br />Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-13000330833058047902011-12-31T10:46:00.004-07:002011-12-31T10:50:56.886-07:00Christmas with our Little Miss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Last year I was writing about how weird it was to do the whole Christmas thing without kiddos. Now, one year and one kiddo later...it is still weird. Haha, for some reason, a 3 1/2 month old just doesn't get all jazzed up about opening gifts. I'm thinking by next year she'll probably like all the boxes more than the presents. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
(Note to self...only get Sadie boxes for Christmas next year, kidding.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Honestly, maybe we are bad parents, but we really only got Sadie one outfit this year, but she didn't seem to mind because she got spoiled rotten by all her grandparents and aunts and uncles. She loves things that light up, make noise, and are shiny, and she sure got lots of all those things. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Logan spoiled me with "The Help" on DVD, some makeup, and a super cute sweater he picked out himself (this is a rarity, people). Poor Logan got undies and socks, which were much needed, but still...boring. I got him a copy of our apartment key...boring but needed. I also took stamps of Sadie's feet into the shape of a heart, and framed it, which he did really like. (thank you pinterest)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Most of all, we have been spoiled by this little girl coming into our family:</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-emcuvU7o4_0/Tv9IJOoLUFI/AAAAAAAAAig/Gr-Gxs0VSY8/s1600/Sadie+Christmas+Shirt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-emcuvU7o4_0/Tv9IJOoLUFI/AAAAAAAAAig/Gr-Gxs0VSY8/s320/Sadie+Christmas+Shirt+2.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
She really is our favorite gift.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We found out she was coming a little after New Years last year...I feel like 2011 has been the great baby adventure. I'm excited to see what 2012 brings!!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8iG-fqd_MaU/Tv9H9kqheyI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/BCzbmRuWMEA/s1600/SANY1141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8iG-fqd_MaU/Tv9H9kqheyI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/BCzbmRuWMEA/s320/SANY1141.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Mommy and Sadie in front of the tree.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
She's so excited...not.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EXWD6gHzV3I/Tv9IGnQSMtI/AAAAAAAAAiY/XI3qBcs8l4k/s1600/SANY1139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EXWD6gHzV3I/Tv9IGnQSMtI/AAAAAAAAAiY/XI3qBcs8l4k/s320/SANY1139.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Logan and Mini-Logan</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The rest of the day was filled with family, food, and fun. I seriously am the most blessed girl ever to have such a wonderful life. Here's to making 2012 as wonderful as 2011 has been!</div>
<br />Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-19053939629147440362011-12-23T12:12:00.002-07:002011-12-23T12:12:19.049-07:00Sadie meets her BFF (#1)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Autumn had her sweet baby girl on Tuesday! That means two of the three girl cousin triplets are here! Brynn (number 3 baby girl is still baking in her tummy) said she imagined Avery coming down "Saturday's Warrior" style...you know, when the spirit stands on the platform and dissolves as they are being born...leaving her baby girl all alone up there. Don't worry Girly, you'll be down here too in about a month (we're all super excited to meet you)! I seriously think these three girls must be the best of friends, since they all decided to come into the same family within 5 months of each other. What lucky little girls to have the opportunity to be best friends <i>and</i> cousins. I hardly know any of my cousins, but I'm glad that my babies will know theirs.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Anyhoo...Avery is here, and she is <i>precious beyond words.</i> Almost (but not quite) as cute as Sadie was when she was brand new...but I mean, as her mommy, I'm bound to be biased :). She has the cutest chubby little cheeks, and the brightest eyes; she cries like a kitten, and has long fingers and toes. She was a breech baby too, so she is always trying to get her feet up by her head since that's how she grew, which I find both adorable and amusing. And this girl, she already <i>loves</i> her binkie. She can hold it in a thousand times better than Sadie. (Maybe Avery will teach Sadie a new trick)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvE9CJKx4VQ/TvTL08MYvsI/AAAAAAAAAiE/g9nbhBgKsfE/s1600/Avery+Day+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvE9CJKx4VQ/TvTL08MYvsI/AAAAAAAAAiE/g9nbhBgKsfE/s320/Avery+Day+2.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Avery Lyn</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">It is really fun for me to snuggle on Avery and think back on when Sadie was that tiny. Even though it wasn't even 4 months ago, I feel like Sadie has been here forever, so it seems like it's been a lot longer.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVahsxFIzb0/TvTLyukY6OI/AAAAAAAAAh8/3MzonKigigU/s1600/Avery+and+Sadie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVahsxFIzb0/TvTLyukY6OI/AAAAAAAAAh8/3MzonKigigU/s320/Avery+and+Sadie.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<br />
Also...everyone comments on how tiny my Sadie Lady still is...but now that I've seen her up next to a smaller, newer baby, I feel like my baby has magically gotten ginormous. How quickly we forget how tiny they are when they come. I mean, look at this picture...Sadie looks huge next to teensy little Avery!!<br />
<br />
I am so grateful Avery is here, safe and sound, and healthy as can be. I am seriously ecstatic for Sadie to have her friend here! In only 5 more weeks, we'll have another sweet little spirit in our family, and the triplet cousins will be reunited! (Dude, how humongous is my baby girl going to look next to the new baby <i>then</i>?!)Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-63234209689630138392011-12-15T17:16:00.001-07:002012-05-04T13:03:36.192-06:00To My Sweet 3 Month Old Baby Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqzXZ-K-t9s/TuqJDH5e7MI/AAAAAAAAAhs/HM7yRxmGBF4/s1600/Sadie+3+Month+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sqzXZ-K-t9s/TuqJDH5e7MI/AAAAAAAAAhs/HM7yRxmGBF4/s320/Sadie+3+Month+2.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
My Little Sweetums,<br />
<br />
I literally call you "Sweetums" so many times a day, you are probably confused at what your name is. I can't help myself because you really are the sweetest thing in my world. I am that annoying mother who thinks their child is the most perfect being to grace the planet...except I don't think, I <i>know</i> you actually are. Don't let it go to your head little one.<br />
<br />
This month we had...constipation issues. Yes, it is true. Thank goodness for brave Grandma Ilene, who came to your rescue many a time to help you poop with torturous ways like glycerin suppositories. I'm sorry, your mommy is a chicken still...but Grandma is brave, brave, brave. I think we are on the up and up on that issue, though. You are pooping more regularly...please keep it up. And please don't hate me in the future for posting about your potty habits on the web. Thank you dear one.<br />
<br />
You are seriously the dang cutest thing I have ever laid eyes on. When you came home from the hospital, I swore you would NEVER be as cute as you were those first few days, and I seriously mourned that you would get bigger and not be as cute. Oh my, was I ever wrong. Yes, Sweetums, you were darling then, but you are sooooooo much cuter now than I could have ever imagined. You smile ALL THE TIME. Your most favorite things to smile at this month are Christmas Lights, Daddy and me, and other little kids. You love your cousins, especially Bailey and Avery (my side of the family's Avery, not the one that is coming down from heaven next week). They are both almost 2 years old, and love to giggle, love, and snuggle on you, and you love smiling at them. Yesterday while I was reading the mail, you were squealing at the pictures of them on their Christmas cards on the fridge. I love that you already love other babies and children. I feel like you still remember all your siblings up in Heaven, and you are excited to have other children in your life more regularly. Give your parents a few years to get our feet back under us again from having you though, please. But trust me, I'm excited to meet them too. I'm sure they are just as awesome as you.<br />
<br />
You are usually sleeping through the night now!! You go down at around 8, wake up at 11 to eat, and then don't wake up again until 7:30 the next morning. It rocks my world. I am seriously loving it! I am so proud of you for sleeping for so long!<br />
<br />
You are still a petite little thing. Haven't gained much weight or length from your 2 month appointment, the doctor told us to keep an eye on that for next month (you have barely cracked 10 pounds, and are 22 inches long). But you eat lots, and you don't spit up a ton, so I don't know where all this milk is going! Grow my little one! (But at the same time, not <i>too</i> fast)<br />
<br />
You laughed a little at Daddy yesterday. He was singing Alvin and the Chipmunk's "Christmas Song" to you, and whenever he would sing the words "hula hoop" you would laugh at him. We basically melted with joy over this. It was seriously the cutest, most bestest sound I have ever heard in this life. I look forward to when you giggle more, sweet thing.<br />
<br />
You snuggle lots. You are recognizing other people. You love watching Baby Einstein videos. You love having us read books to you. You go back and forth about liking or detesting your binkie. You are a full fledged hand sucker...we tried to deter you from that, but you fought us on that, and won the battle. You are very, very sweet. Most of all, you are probably the most loved baby I have ever met, and don't you forget it!! I say this all the time, but seriously, thank you for coming to our family. I can't even imagine my life without you in it anymore. I am so stoked I get to be your mommy forever!!<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Your #1 Fan,<br />
Mommy<br />
<br />
<br />Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-55630692523641060382011-12-14T13:22:00.001-07:002011-12-14T21:35:40.188-07:00Sadie and Santa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-654ypdtxnsM/TukE0I8KfhI/AAAAAAAAAhk/TRqJrRkgUHw/s1600/Sadie+and+Santa+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-654ypdtxnsM/TukE0I8KfhI/AAAAAAAAAhk/TRqJrRkgUHw/s320/Sadie+and+Santa+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Our ward Christmas party was this past weekend. Santa was even kind enough to come down from the North Pole and visit all the children personally (I mean, seriously, how legit is this Santa?!), and braved our hysterical Sadie.<br />
<br />
Oh, you don't think she looks hysterical here? Well, she was, until the second I placed her in his arms, and then she turned into a complete angel baby, and was totally fascinated with his beard. Don't worry, she continued her little freak out the second I picked her back up.<br />
<br />
Oh, I see Sadie, you'd rather be with the magical man with the soft snuggly suit than your own mother? Well, at least your first Santa picture turned out adorable!Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-91755382349760049572011-12-12T18:43:00.000-07:002011-12-12T18:43:08.884-07:00Christmas Lights at Temple Square We went up to Temple Square with the whole Spence Family. Sadie LOVES our Christmas tree at home, and will stare at the lights forever, so we thought she would maybe like to see lots and lots of trees all lit up. We bundled her up to a ridiculous degree...think Ralphie on "A Christmas Story" that falls over and can't get up because he's wearing so many layers. But she stayed warm, and seemed to enjoy it a little. Honestly, she fell asleep through most of it, and woke up for the very end to take a peek, but she really liked the 5 minutes she was awake for! I think next year she'll get a little more excited about the whole idea.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i7sSd4_4Aps/TuarZdWnUzI/AAAAAAAAAhM/hQdizGSdWRw/s1600/Spence+Family+at+Temple+Square.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i7sSd4_4Aps/TuarZdWnUzI/AAAAAAAAAhM/hQdizGSdWRw/s320/Spence+Family+at+Temple+Square.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our little family. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Look at her pink fluffy legs...they are only really half that size, she was bundled up LOTS.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNBEVE5Xi68/TuarY4bo6qI/AAAAAAAAAhE/b-is-ffxaRU/s1600/Sadie+Temple+Square.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nNBEVE5Xi68/TuarY4bo6qI/AAAAAAAAAhE/b-is-ffxaRU/s320/Sadie+Temple+Square.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Her sweet eyes taking a peek.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Most adorable thing ever, yes?</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b9_MK93mdJ8/Tuarr8yorOI/AAAAAAAAAhU/hWtmLwneGRI/s1600/Sadie+Temple+Square+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b9_MK93mdJ8/Tuarr8yorOI/AAAAAAAAAhU/hWtmLwneGRI/s320/Sadie+Temple+Square+1.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This was on our way out into the cold. We had just woken her up to get her in her snow suit and hat, and she was less than thrilled about it. Her face just cracks me up here...she looks like one of those cats with the squished up faces!! Oh my, I am just so in love with my baby!!</div>Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-66291649094008627342011-11-30T12:32:00.001-07:002011-11-30T12:35:37.978-07:00Guest Blogger for AdoptionI was asked to be a guest blogger for an adoption blog called "My Angels from Heaven."<br />
I wrote about my experience of growing up knowing I was adopted, reuniting with my birthparents and their families, and how it has affected me as an adult and as a mommy.<br />
<br />
If you want to check out my post, you can find it <a href="http://myangelsfromgod.blogspot.com/2011/11/adult-adoptee.html?spref=fb" target="_blank">HERE</a>!<br />
<br />
Adoption is amazing, people!!Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-3901933259415219042011-11-30T12:19:00.001-07:002011-11-30T12:32:03.482-07:00Baby's First Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qU6Qq4xEo6U/TtaBt6FxV4I/AAAAAAAAAg8/P-aWhH18fL8/s1600/First+Thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qU6Qq4xEo6U/TtaBt6FxV4I/AAAAAAAAAg8/P-aWhH18fL8/s320/First+Thanksgiving.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
We celebrated Sadie's first Thanksgiving with Logan's family this year. Alicia's family had dinner with us, and it was so great spending a whole afternoon with them and their silly kids. <br />
Sadie basically thought the food was totally uneventful, and slept through the whole dinner. However, she sure does love going to Grandma Deana's because she gets passed around the whole time. She's a social butterfly and loves to snuggle, smile, and talk to everyone around her. The food was great, but the company was even better!<br />
<br />
We had a game and pie night at Grandma Belnap's later that evening, which was super fun. As long as I can remember, PIE has been the big to do at Thanksgiving with the Belnaps...not turkey...it's all about the pie, and there are always close to a dozen varieties to choose from. It was fun to be able to see both sides of our family on that day. I LOVE OUR FAMILY!!!<br />
<br />
As we sat down for dinner, I leaned over to Logan and asked him if last year at Thanksgiving dinner he thought we would be parents by the next year. We thought maybe we might be pregnant, or still even trying to get pregnant by the next holiday season, but we didn't think that she would already be here! I am so glad she came when she did, because she is the best thing in our lives. <br />
<br />
I am so grateful for my sweet husband and for the wonderful job he has to provide for us. I am grateful for the opportunities we have had to get us through school almost debt free. I am grateful for our apartment we live in, for the shelter it provides, and the loving landlords we have upstairs. I am grateful for our neighborhood and the friendships we have made since living there. I am grateful that we have a running car that has good gas mileage, and has been so great for our little family. I am grateful that I have been able to continue teaching dance after having Sadie, my boss is amazing and so supportive of me. I am so grateful that we have all of our family so close so we can visit them often. I am grateful that Sadie will grow up knowing her family and being close to her cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Most of all, I am grateful that I have the gospel in my life, for the joy and peace it brings, and the knowledge that I can be sealed to my family forever. I am so grateful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the love he has for me, individually. I know he knows who I am, and that he loves me, and I love him. <br />
<br />
We are so incredibly blessed, and I am so grateful for the life I am living, and all of the wonderful things in it.Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3309954567599823189.post-16597567140254931362011-11-30T12:14:00.001-07:002011-11-30T12:18:53.430-07:00Blessing DayNovember 6, 2011 Sadie had her baby blessing. Her daddy gave a wonderful blessing, and Sadie was so well behaved during the blessing. It was a sweet day, especially for me, because ALL of my family was there to support her--my family, my birthmom and her family, my birthdad and his family, and all of my in laws. I am still just blown away at how many people love and spoil this little girl of mine. She is so blessed!!<br />
<br />
My super talented mommy made her gorgeous blessing dress, hair bow, and blanket for her big day. The dress is so beautiful, with beading to add "bling" around the bottom, and lace, ribbons, and flowers galore. Super girly, and I LOVE it. (We couldn't get a good picture of the details of the dress...when we put her in it, she just kick-kick-kicks away at the skirt and all the pictures are super blurry! Haha!) She was so beautiful in the dress, it made me a little emotional--I will blink and she will be in her white baptism dress--then I will blink again and she will be in her white wedding dress. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0yFnT8ndttU/TtaBVvj7tfI/AAAAAAAAAg0/DpHkbQFQdOs/s1600/Blessing+Dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0yFnT8ndttU/TtaBVvj7tfI/AAAAAAAAAg0/DpHkbQFQdOs/s320/Blessing+Dress.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
She is just so sweet, we are just soaking in every moment. I am so incredibly blessed to be this baby girl's mommy. I am so grateful she chose to come to our family!Camille Spencehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16277827026214299198noreply@blogger.com2