Proper Front Door

Since moving in, I have always disliked our front door. It has been something I've wanted to replace, but hasn't been high on our priority list until recently. I understand wanting more light, but I don't think having an almost entire glass front door is ideal when you have young children. 

Our neighborhood has close, compacted homes which makes it a prime spot for salesman to knock continuously. We get our fair share of people walking door to door throughout our area, especially in the summer. Because of this, I choose to ignore the door quite frequently. James, being a young, curious toddler, always sprints right to the door the instant he hears the doorbell. He moves the blinds to peek out and see who is there. This has made the situation even more uncomfortable when I refuse to answer the door for the salesmen because they see James and wait expecting me to open the door. Yeah, right!

I cherish my quiet time and have made it a priority since becoming a mom. With that being said, I was once in bed reading or possibly napping while letting James watch a show downstairs. I heard the doorbell ring and consciously chose not to answer it. Well, it continued on. I knew James heard it as well because his footsteps loudly stomped across the floor. I stuck with my choice not to answer the door. Meanwhile, I got a text from my friend who asked me if everything was ok. "Jenna, is everything ok? I'm at your house to drop something off and James is staring at me through the door by himself." I don't want neighbors, friends, and strangers being able to tell if I'm home! I also can't have any interruptions when relishing in my few moments of peace!

Recently, someone posted on our ward relief society Facebook page. What they said was alarming to me. "Just a heads up to make sure you keep your doors locked especially when you leave your house. A young man was seen going around our neighborhood yesterday afternoon knocking on peoples doors and if no one answered he tried to open the doors. Police came and questioned him and let him go." This post made purchasing a new door a huge priority. What if that creep had come to our house and James had hustled to meet him at the door? 

The new door has turned out to be quite a hassle, but it's finally up! Here are some things we've learned throughout the process:

• Before you start painting a door, make sure you're painting the correct side. I didn't even think about this and started eagerly painting the inside of the door BLACK. Well, it took 4 coats to cover that back up with white.
• Make sure the hinges are on the same spot. We assumed they would be but we learned the hard way they weren't.
• Don't decide to install a front door at 10:00pm on a Friday night when it's pitch black and you don't know what you're doing.
• Make sure the hardware on your door will still fit. (Ours doesn't and needs to be replaced.)
• Be prepared to replace the weatherstrip on the door. Andrew gets to do this possibly today! (The new door doesn't seem quite as wide and there is a fairly big gap that needs to be filled in.)

As you may have gathered, this has turned into quite the project/ordeal. I will say it was worth it though. See for yourself.

Before (Notice that the blinds aren't long enough!)

After! 

I emphasized our front door, but Andrew had his eye on something else. Our couches have been old and flaky for several months now. It has been annoying. I find little black specks all over the house because the couches are falling apart/peeling. We didn't want to replace our couches quite yet, (I'm sick of spending money and so is our bank account.) but suddenly it seemed like an urgent problem. 

We decided to start our search for a sectional. After looking at brand new ones, we thought it would be best to buy a used couch because we didn't want to spend thousands of dollars. My sister in law is actually the one who found our couch for us. I sent Andrew to look at the sectional one night, and he approved. He has extremely strong opinions about couches. "I'm going to be spending 80 percent of my time on this couch, so it better be comfortable." The couch was sitting in a storage unit 40 minutes away. We ended up having to rent a uhaul to get the massive sectional to our house which was kind of a hassle.

Don't miss this!

Andrew was right! The sectional is extremely cozy and comfortable. It fits the space nicely and the neutral color ties in our decor well. It was a little more worn-out than I expected and has some stains on it, but we do have kids who will just add to that anyway. Our house is almost unrecognizable with these two changes--the new front door and the new couch. Basically, if you ever come by and think we're not home, you might be wrong and I'm okay with that. 

Out with the Old and in with the New

We've made some big purchases recently. We bought a new washer and dryer and a new (to us) car! 

Our washer and dryer have been on the outs for several months. We discovered that the timing belt on BOTH machines needed to be replaced and the repairman quoted over $600 for that. It didn't seem worth it to fix the washer and dryer because our machines were 10+ years old. We were holding off a bit to purchase new ones. (To be honest, I was hoping to find a deal over Labor Day weekend...) Well, that was a dumb move. Our washer decided to flood our laundry room, basement, and kitchen during the night (when the city turned off the water for a quick fix). We are blessed that more damage wasn't done. Our basement had A LOT of water in it. I'm so glad we didn't decide to finish the basement this summer like we considered. The bad news is that we will need to replace the flooring in our laundry room. 

The flood made purchasing a new washer and dryer my number one priority (forget waiting for a sale!). We purchased a new washer and dryer that week. $1500ish later and here they are...

They both play chipper songs when the cycle is complete! It has been extremely nice to have the washer finish an entire cycle on its own (before, I would have to re-start the washer at least 4 times in one load). Also, the handle to turn the dryer on had broken off. Andrew had rigged up a way to use pliers to turn the dryer on. That was always an experience and I was not always successful. Now, I can simply push a button and poof, it starts. What a relief.

We have been fortunate not to have a car payment for most of our marriage. When Andrew's car died last year, we got our first car loan to purchase the Hyundai Sante Fe. After over a year of paying for that, we decided it wasn't worth it. Yes, we loved the car, but no, we did not like paying $293 every month.

We knew that we eventually wanted to get a mini-van and we probably should have just bought one last year. We figured by the time we paid off the Sante Fe, it would be about time for a new car anyway. Our van hunt began and we tried to sell our Sante Fe private party. After weeks of dealing with annoying people making low-ball offers, we finally decided to just trade in the Sante Fe and get a van. 

We LOVE having a van! James might enjoy it more than of any of us. Opening up the sliding doors is one of his favorite things to do. We can't believe how much more space we have! Also, our car payment is significantly lower. We did buy an older model, but it drives nice. It's a 2014 Kia Sedona with about 75,000 miles on it. It still has some really nice features though. (blue tooth, back-up cam, dual heating/air control, etc.) Hopefully it lasts us a long time!

Here she is! And in case you're wondering, neither of us would have picked this color. It was a good deal though. We'll see if it's true that red cars get pulled over more often. I have yet to be pulled over since getting my license and hope I don't attract the police now. 

We have plans in the future for a new sectional (our current couches are ripping), a new front door (it's painted and ready to be put on), and who knows what else. I recently told Andrew everything I wanted to update in our house and he estimated it would cost at least $25,000. Here's to dreaming and being married to someone who goes with my crazy ideas and works to pay for them. :) 

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.