Isabelle's Baby Blessing

Finding a date to bless Isabelle was tricky. We had to plan around family members being on vacation and church callings. We settled on Sunday, September 8 which still wasn't ideal for the Ditto side. (The brothers went on their all brothers hike that weekend, but none of them were planning on making the 12 hour drive anyway. I don't blame them.) It also wasn't a fast Sunday, but our ward has so many baby blessings that the bishopric didn't care. I was thrilled because there was absolutely ZERO pressure for me to bear my testimony. I can only imagine how hormonal that would have been.

Jill and Rob flew in for the blessing which I really appreciated. I always love to see them and wish they lived here. We packed in the fun while they were in town. We hiked Stewart Falls and Andrew and I brought BOTH kids with us. (We hiked about 4 miles.) Andrew was the lucky one who got to carry 30+ pounds of James. I got to carry Isabelle. After the hike, we ate at a scrumptious breakfast restaurant. That evening, my sisters and their spouses came over for a game night which kind of ended up turning into a BYU Football viewing party--much to my dismay. Why did BYU have to go into overtime??

9:00am church means we were up plenty early to ensure everything was just right. We decided to have a brunch following the blessing, so the house was spic and span.

All of my siblings came to the blessing which meant a lot to me. We snapped a family photo, so the pressure was definitely on to be looking good. Who knew that the apple tree in our backyard would be the perfect backdrop?

I love how it turned out!

Grandma Langlois was thrilled she was able to make it. (She has been dealing with a foot injury the last couple of months.)

The Dittos!

Ben and Cousin Becca, (plus their 2 kids) Uncle Dan, Cousin Alex, Cousin Tyler, Cousin Malia

I didn't get pictures of Grandma and Grandpa Denning (Giggi and Go-Daddy), my Aunt Lisa, my cousin Allie, or my cousin Kimberly. We had so much support which made it such a special day. Andrew gave Isabelle a neat blessing and one of the speakers even mentioned a specific part of it. Something that stood out to me was that Isabelle was blessed to be service-oriented. Another part focused on love and how many people love Isabelle.

Brunch afterwords was a success! My house felt small hosting so many people. I was hoping to use some outdoor space for one of the tables, but rain ruined that plan. We had Costco muffins, 2 breakfast casseroles, juice, and parfaits with fruit/yogurt,granola, whipped cream, etc. I had so much help which I greatly appreciated because it would have been hard to pull off on my own.

Let me just say that I was exhausted after all of this! We all took naps (for about 2 hours) and then headed to one final dinner at my parent's house before Jill and Rob had to fly out. Even after the nap, I was asleep by 9:00pm. (That seems to be the new norm around here though these days.)

I'm dying over these pictures. Thanks to Lindsey Denning (as always)! I can't believe how big my baby is getting. Isabelle is such a sweet, good baby. It helps that she sleeps through the night.

This picture of the 4 of us is now hanging on our wall. I'll cherish it forever!

I'm truly blessed with the best!

Isabelle Rose Ditto

Introducing Isabelle Rose Ditto!

Birthday: July 23, 2019

Time: 4:48pm

Weight: 7 pounds 8 ounces

Length: 20.5 inches

Hospital: American Fork

Andrew recently pointed out to me that both of our children have birthdays the day before a minor holiday. James was born the day before St. Patrick's Day and Isabelle was born the day before Pioneer Day (which is a big holiday for some in Utah). He mentioned that we'll have to plan accordingly for our next one... (Don't talk to me about having more children right now.)

I had a much more positive labor experience this time around. I think the fact that Isabelle didn't have to go to the NICU played a major part in that.

James was so early, so I think we kind of expected baby girl to follow suit. She didn't! I can't count the number of times that I convinced myself that I was going to go into labor. Our house had never been cleaner because I insisted that "oh, she might come tonight" like every night.

On Tuesday, July 23, I was induced at 39 weeks. I thought that Isabelle would be much bigger than she was (We actually had to go buy some more newborn clothes that actually fit her) and I was all for being done with pregnancy.

Taken right before we left for the hospital. I wanted to document my bump better this time.

The American Fork Hospital called and told me to come into the hospital at 10:30am that day. The morning seemed to drag and we found ourselves at the library to help pass the time. Once we arrived at the hospital, I found out that the labor and delivery section had been super busy and they almost had to call and tell me that my induction was going to be post-poned. Thank heavens this didn't happen!

It seemed like once I got there, it took some time to get labor started. The  staff seemed a little backed up. A random nurse had to come in and get me hooked up to my IV. Let me say that she wasn't very good at poking me and she seemed concerned about how my arm looked. I am still bruised from where she inserted the needle and I will say it wasn't very comfortable. (This is really one of my only complaints about labor which must mean it was a success).

My actual nurse, Jessica, came in a while later and I finally got my first round of petocin at 11:45am. I wasn't sure exactly when I wanted my epidural, but decided why not get it as soon as possible. The anesthesiologist came in at 12:15pm. Last time, my epidural only numbed me up to my knees and the anesthesiologist had to come back in and give me a higher dosage. He was not pleased about this and brought up how tall I was several times. I'm so glad that this time the anesthesiologist took into account my height. I mean, it's pretty obvious that I have long legs...

Doctor Young stopped by at 12:50 to break my water. Of course he came during the 5 minutes that Andrew went downstairs to pick up lunch in the cafeteria. (What are the chances?)  I didn't realize how quick or easy breaking my water would be though, so he didn't really miss much. Sidenote-- I was starving and should have had something more to eat before coming to the hospital. The nurses told me numerous times to "eat a small breakfast" and I followed their advice. My stomach was literally rumbling as I pushed Izzy out. The nurse and doctor mentioned it.

Isabelle arrived at 4:48pm. The doctor told me there was a chance she could come by 3:00, but that he guessed she would arrive by 5:00. I did 3 rounds of pushing and each round consisted of about 3 pushes, so I only had to push about 9x-- not long at all. I was actually worried that the doctor wouldn't make it in time. (The nurse seemed to think that might be a possibility as well because she kept the bed in the position that she likes to deliver babies and said she would move it when the doctor arrived.)

I loved my nurse (the fact that she shares my sister, Jessica's name gave her an advantage) and Andrew and I enjoyed talking to her for most of the afternoon. We both agree that labor felt longer in the daytime than it did in the middle of the night/early morning. I was chipper and in a great mood thanks to modern medicine. I'm happy to admit that I didn't get mad at Andrew this time!

It was amazing to be able to enjoy Isabelle right after she was born and not have her swept away. I remember the doctor saying as soon as he saw her head that she had quite a bit of hair. I was thrilled! To pass the time that afternoon, the nurse, Andrew, and I made predictions about baby girl. The winner got to spend $30. (Andrew wanted to buy a board game and I wanted some clothes.) Let me just say that I ordered new clothes this week!

My predictions:

Weight: 9 pounds
Length: 20 inches
Hair: dark and lots of it

Andrew's predictions:

Weight: 8.8 pounds
Length: 18 inches
Hair: not a lot (like James), but dark

There was definitely a moment that scared us in the hospital. While I was breastfeeding Isabelle, she stopped breathing. When I looked down, she was blue. The nurse was actually in the room talking to me while this happened and immediately rushed Isabelle out of the room. I was terrified and so afraid that they were going to take her to the NICU. Luckily, Isabelle was brought back to our room a couple minutes later and everything was fine. Apparently she had figured out how to breathe on her own before they had to hook her up to anything. What a huge blessing! 

Going into the hospital, I was quite stressed out about what we were going to name her. I changed my mind countless times this pregnancy. Naming a child brings lots of pressure! I even brought a list to the hospital of the 5 names we were deciding on. After seeing her, we thought Isabelle was a good fit with all of her dark hair. I was a little concerned about the popularity of the name, but there are so many nicknames she can use if it becomes a problem. We call her Izzy, Belle, and Isabelle. Other noteworthy nicknames are "little miss" and "little sis." 

Isabelle is named after my great great grandmother's mom who came from a long line of Isabelles. The line of Isabels continued from mother to daughter for 8 generations!! It all started with Isabel Blair in 1674. And it ended with my great great grandma, who only had boys. We're happy to continue the tradition. 

Using the name "Rose" as a middle name for your first girl is a Ditto tradition after Andrew's Grandma Rose. So happy to be done stewing about names! 

We left the hospital on July 24 at about 5:00pm. I wanted to get out of there ASAP. I have friends who rave about the hospital food (apparently I ordered the wrong thing?), but I wanted to leave immediately. I will say that I did discover a new kind of chip that I love with one of my meals at the hospital.  It's hard to sleep well when nurses are checking your vitals constantly.

Someone was excited to go home!

Recovery has been much different this time around and for the better! I didn't walk around like I'd been hit by a bus for days after and the bleeding has been much less intense. My body seemed to know what it was doing. We've been going on walks regularly and I'm feeling great! 

Having family close by is such a blessing! I knew that James was in great care staying with my mom while we were in the hospital. James still talks about having a sleepover at Nana's house.

Nana

Listening to baby sister

James definitely likes Isabelle. He tries to share his blankies with her and likes to lay next to her. He's really good at sharing toys with her, but gets disappointed that she can't play. That being said, his whole world was rocked and he has been acting up for attention. We went to the park recently and she rode in "his" stroller and it's hard to describe how mad he was. He's getting used to it though!

Isabelle seems to be a content baby and I adore her. She eats every 3 hours, has started to smile in her sleep, and is beautiful. While labor and recovery were smooth with no hiccups, breastfeeding has been quite a challenge this time around. There have been lots of tears, lanolin, clogged milk ducts, blood, and sore nipples. I probably would have given up by now, but things seem to be improving. (slowly) Having Andrew home has been dreamy. I'm spoiled and am nervous about him heading back to work on Tuesday. (Yay for 2 week paternity leave!)

Updated family pic

Isabelle's face sums up how I feel most of the time these days. Exhausted! She did give me an almost 6 hour stretch the other night, so here's to hoping that happens again and on the regular.

**Special thanks to my sister-n-law Lindsey for taking photos of us in the hospital!**

You are loved, Isabelle! 

Summer Happenings

Strawberry Days has come and gone. I decided not to run the 5k this year at 8 months pregnant. I did consider it, but ended up being happy with my decision. James and I bundled up to support Andrew. Andrew was proud of his time-- it was his fastest time yet for this course--25:36.

James is at an age that makes Strawberry Days extra fun. I took him to Huck Finn Days and he enjoyed getting prizes at each station, but hated waiting in line. He also didn't really care much for the games, and would sometimes just take the treat and leave. You can tell he's my son... all about the food.

We watched the parade and James was fascinated. He seemed to especially love the motorcycles that started the parade off. He was also quite good at snatching candy by the end of the (over hour long) parade. The carnival was also a big hit. James loved the roller coasters and seemed to have no fear on them which kind of surprised me because he easily gets scared.

Jess and Chris joined us for the carnival which was a blast

The fourth of July was eventful. We went swimming, had a big bbq, and let James stay up until 10:30pm to watch the fireworks.

The temperature was only in the 70s, so it was actually a bit cold

4th of July cookie decorating

Sparklers

We have been trying to pack in the fun before the baby comes. One of our favorite things to do as of late is have a picnic in the park. This past weekend, our "picnic" food happened to be pizza. You can't get better than that.

Although I sometimes complain about the heat (let me mention it's worse pregnant), this is why I love this time of year. Spending time with the people I love outside is priceless.

Sprinkled with Love

Some friends in my ward threw me a baby "sprinkle." If you're unfamiliar with this term, basically it's like a baby shower, but it's not for your first child. (It's typically for your first child of a different gender.)

My friend Kristee and I both were celebrated at the baby sprinkle. It was nice to share the attention with her. I consider her to be one of my closest friends. Lucky Kristee, she had her baby about a month ago! I have about a month until mine comes.

I walked in to see pizza which was perfect and so thoughtful. I ate at least 4 pieces. All the food was divine including a yummy salad and a swig sugar cookie knockoff recipe that I can't seem to replicate. 

I felt so spoiled and loved being surrounded by so many friends. Also, girl clothes and accessories are so cute. It's quite different than purchasing for a boy. My budget might be in trouble...

Flash forward ahead a month or so and I had a family shower. Jessica made darling invitations. I can't get over how cute they were. 

I walked in to Olive Garden to find a table full of presents and cupcakes. Nothing beats that. Also, there were some leftover Reeses Peanut Butter Cupcakes and I enjoyed those thoroughly for a few days afterword. 

Jill was in charge of the game at the baby shower. She has been to her fair share of baby showers that include cheesy games that nobody likes. Jill took a different approach which was refreshing. She asked each person that came to the shower beforehand 2 things: 1) A memory have with me. 2) A trait of mine they hope my baby girl inherits. 

People were so kind with their responses. The "game" part was that Jill read a response and I had to guess who said what. This was surprisingly hard and I didn't do very well. Jill even drew little illustrations to go along with the responses which I have on my fridge.

What a relief that the baby shower game didn't include tasting various types of baby food and guessing the flavor or practicing changing diapers filled with chocolate (to resemble food). I'm not making these games up people.

I decided to go all out at Olive Garden and ordered my favorite entree called Tour of Italy. I'm so bad at deciding what I want to order, but this large entree includes lasagna, fettuccine, and chicken parmesan. Jessica paid for my meal which was so generous. I definitely felt bad ordering such a pricey item. 

Grandma Lynda, Jessica, Me, Jill, Esther, Lindsey, Diane, Grandma Langlois, Mom, Lori

Baby girl was spoiled once again at this shower. I have some talented relatives. Grandma Lynda made a fabulous quilt and my mom crocheted a soft blanket in the perfect color. I can't wait to snuggle our little one in these. I didn't take a picture of all the clothes and accessories I got, but I came home feeling like, "what did I do to deserve all of this?" 

Unfortunately, I didn't inherit Grandma's amazing sewing skills

My super long, detailed list of chores I want to finish before baby comes is getting shorter and shorter. All that's left is really just for the baby to join us. The nursery is ready to go now that James is out of the crib and sleeping in a big-boy bed and the new pink curtains add a nice touch to her room. I'm also feeling better and more confident about our name of choice and am no longer having nightmares about it. Now if only time didn't seem to be moving at a stand-still. We are all so anxious to meet her. July 23 can't come soon enough! Also, for being such a planner, I wish I knew if she was going to arrive early like her brother. This waiting game is really testing my patience, but what can I do?

Here's to enjoying the last little bit of pregnancy. Who am I kidding?

Hawaii Part 3

How was the food?

The picture above is the answer. Pizza was one of our meals, so I was completely satisfied. There was a Round Table Pizza about a mile away from where we stayed. They don't have these in UT, so we took full advantage. 

For another meal, we had some delicious, authentic ramen. We went to a huge mall in Honolulu called the Ala Moana Center. There is a little village food court called the Japanese walk which is where we had this tasty meal. Andrew and I ate every bite. (My brother in law served his mission in Japan and knows where to find the good stuff.)

My dad's colleague invited us to a fancy dinner. It was requested that we wear aloha attire. Who knew that was a thing? We had unlimited prime rib, although for most of us that just meant 1 helping. Thanks Rob, for taking one for the team and getting the meat sweats.

We had a scrumptious cherry dessert to top off our prime rib and Simon was in heaven because he got to help make the fire. It was like magic.

I can't gloss over these quotes my mom made at Mahaloha Burger. "I would come back to Hawaii just for these! These fries are the best I've ever had." My mom ordered the Parmaroni fries and clearly had no regrets. The burgers were juicy too.

Popsicle's were a staple in our freezer for the duration of the trip. I've learned that they sell these popsicles at Costco. They're called melona bars and I'm in trouble having them so close to me. There are a variety of flavors: mango, strawberry, banana, melon, coconut. I think my favorite was the banana with melon coming in a close second.

Esther had her fair share of these popsicles and the back porch was quite sticky by the time we left.

We didn't take pictures at every meal, but clearly we were starving the whole trip. Andrew got to have some seafood (and I happily declined the invitation), so I think we were all content.  

What are some things you want to remember?

Andrew is a huge Jack in the Box fan and made going there a priority. After snorkeling, we had a second breakfast at Jack in the Box. We realized that all of our fries were forgotten and had to turn around. This took quite sometime. Andrew told everyone in the car that he was going to ask the employees to make him a shake for the inconvenience. Sure enough, Andrew walked out giddy with an extra order of fries (on-top of our 3) and a large shake. I didn't realize that I had been craving a shake, but it was oh so good and I was no longer upset about the long detour the turnaround caused.

We got leis at the Polynesian Cultural Center and James heard the word, "Aloha." He says "Hello Ha" and its adorable. We brought some leis home as souvenirs and he often puts one around my head while saying, "Hello Ha." One of his new favorite things to pretend to do is fly on an airplane to Hawaii. 

At the PCC, we were taught the traditional New Zealand nose greeting and told to try it out with our neighbor. My dad loudly told the woman sitting next to him, "my wife is over there" and refused to do it. I can't stop laughing about this.

In the car, we had a conversation about DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) and my dad made some pretty drastic statements. Basically, I think we all know what he wants if he's ever put in that situation.

A few days after returning from Hawaii, my brother sent us a link to this article: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/Dr-Beach-2019-List-Names-Hawaii-Oahu-Kailua-Best-Beach-in-US-510319541.html

See, we aren't making it up. The beach was heavenly.

Can I see some more pictures?

I didn't think you'd ask.

The timing of this trip wasn't ideal for us financially. We're trying to save up for baby girl and weren't planning on doing much (if any traveling) this year. My parents were generous and helped cover a lot of the trip. (James' airfare--he is no longer free, housing, and some meals.) We really appreciate them for making this trip possible!

Here is a short video of our experience (thanks mom!): https://drive.google.com/file/d/15kYEey34DbQYwKTZIbS1bUfB_mggqzqDqQ/view?ts=5d114375

In the words of my mom, "I could go on and on..." But really, what a wonderful experience we had in Hawaii. (I'll spare you from more Hawaii posts, but know that I have enough material to write a book about it.) There is talk of going to Maui next and I fully support that idea!