Mylie is TC!

When I went to Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho) my roommates and I loved to use letters to express certain words. For example, TC meant totally cute, or totally cool, GP (this one's bad!) meant gay potential. I'm sorry, but there were a few weird dudes who totally had GP! And yes, we were usually talking about guys when we did this! We did this all the time, and would randomly make up new ones in which our other roomies would have to guess what we were saying...remember this Kim, Lauren, Atalie, Jamie, Kate, and Allie? So today, I found some pictures in which I think Mylie looks TC!

Go Mighty Cougars!

Today was BYU's second game of the season against Washington. Mylie got all decked out in her BYU outfit that Grandpa Kevin and Grandma Joni gave her. The shirt says, "You're Lookin' at One Cute Cougar!"
We went to Uncle Ryan and Aunt Schuyler's house to watch the game, and as you can see, Mylie couldn't wait to watch it!















With the yummy food...















And good company...















Mylie was thoroughly enjoying the game in her daddy's lap.












Until sleepiness got the best of her!












I guess next week we'll have to put more caffeine in her bottle!

What a Blessing!

Mylie was blessed in our ward yesterday! Our wonderful family came: Grandma Joni and Grandpa Kevin, Aunt Lisa, Grandma Eileen and Grandpa Doug, Aunt Rachel and Uncle Troy, cousin Landon, Uncle Ryan and Aunt Schuyler, Great Grandma Wannie and Great Grandpa Pop Pop. We had some great friends attend the blessing as well...Emily and Trymm's family, Richie's classmates: Kim and Jason, Aileen, Becca, Fadyeh, Richie's professor Dr. Lee, and four of my darling students from last year: Shelbi, Robbie, Jack, and Nathanael!
Mylie looked beautiful in the dress that Grandma Eileen gave her.
















This is Mylie with her wonderful grandparents!


Unfortunately, my camera battery died so we didn't get any pictures with Mylie and her great grandparents, Mylie with her aunts and uncles, or Mylie with US! Sad! Hopefully our parents can send us the pictures they got with their cameras.

New Goals

If you remember, a while back when I was still pregnant, I posted my goals for the summer. Well since the birth of Mylie, my personal goals have changed immensely! They are goals for each and every day now.

1. Shower
2. Get ready for the day
3. Make my bed
4. Eat breakfast before noon

Okay kind of funny, but so true! I do have a couple other "real" goals as well...but let's face it, will I ever really complete a "real" goal for me again? Oh the joys of motherhood! (Actually I LOVE being a mother so much!)

Waking Up

We realize that the majority of you will find these videos quite boring, but family...eat it up!

Mylie with Grandma Eileen

Mylie is Growing!

We took a fun family vacation with Richie's family to the Colorado River. We stayed in Richie's sister's in-laws beautiful home that sat right on the river. We got to go boating, tubing, wake surfing, and more! Here is a picture from the backyard that looks over the lake. Spectacular!












Mylie is sure growing quickly! She's still so adorable!






































She LOVES bath time!



































She looks so small in her carseat.

Mylie's Many Faces

Our blog is turning into something Richie never wanted to happen--a blog all about our kid! This post is dedicated to my mom, who keeps begging for more pics. Enjoy Mom!


Mommy loves her baby!












Burping=Happy Baby













Mylie loves sleeping on her side









Sweet Face!









Aaah, the swing!















Mylie only smiles in her sleep!












Oooooo!















It's so tough being a baby sometimes!

Giving Birth

I've had a few requests to tell about our birthing experience! Well it was quite the ordeal but we've all come out just fine!
Monday night, the 14th about 11:45 I began to feel REAL contractions! We arrived at the hospital a little after 1:00 am and I sat in triage room for almost 2 hours while they monitored my contractions and Mylie's heart. Contractions were horribly painful! Finally they admitted me and asked if I wanted an epidural. Of course I said, "YES! As soon as possible!" It was wonderful once the epidural kicked in. I still had a little window of pain in my stomach, but it was bearable. However, the epidural stopped working and my pain was even worse! I was doing something I thought I would never do...crying uncontrollably, moaning, and groaning! I personally think the pain from contractions is worse than the pain from breaking a bone. So my anesthesiologist gave me a new epidural. After 30 more minutes of enduring the pain, I realized this epidural was not going to work either. When everyone was out of the room, Richie gave me a blessing. Then in came the anesthesiologist to give me a third epidural. Miraculously this one took effect immediately. I was incredibly grateful!
At 7:30 am Doctor Chen came in. I loved this doctor! He wasn't my doctor, but I liked him better than mine, and I felt so comfortable with him. He broke my water, then my nurse gave me some Pitocin to induce my labor (I wasn't dilating very well!)
By noon I was dilated to an 8, and my nurse didn't even check me again until 4:15 pm! Richie and my mom were not happy with her, but didn't show it. I was then dilated to a 10 and fully effaced, ready to push! I pushed and pushed for THREE hours. I was so thirsty and exhausted. During the three hours, my blood pressure went up, and Mylie's heart rate went from 160 and worked it's way up to almost 200 bpm. It was really scary. Finally Dr. Chen came back. He called for a double team of nurses from NICU for when Mylie would be born. He said, "Well looks like you've been pushing for just under 2 hours." Wrong! Either the nurse had confused the time or she lied to him to save her hiney because of Mylie's and my condition. Dr. Chen said I had 2 options: 1. Try the vacuum or 2. Get a c-section. I opted for choice one, and within 4 pushes and a 4th degree tear, Mylie finally entered our world! She was born Tuesday, July 15 at 7:34 pm. LONG day, but it was the most joyous feeling and honestly I felt this immediate and immense love for our little girl.
It was immediately discovered that Mylie's heart was wacky. Fast, slow, skipping beats, totally irregular. They let me hold her for a few seconds then rushed her off to NICU. Richie was able to go with them. Then they noticed between gasps and coughs that she was also having a problem with her respiratory system. When they reached NICU and the nurses were working on her, Richie slipped his finger in her little hand and she held on to it the whole time. Richie fought his tears really hard. The nurses told him he could talk to her--perhaps she would recognize his voice. But he couldn't do it because he knew he'd burst into tears and be very embarrassed. However he did feel a special connection with Mylie right away.




Later that day when Richie and I visited Mylie, he gave her a blessing. Soon enough her heartbeat was regular and her respiratory system seemed to be normal too. What a blessing! She was still on antibiotics in case she had some type of infection. Forty-eight hours after the culture, we discovered it was negative.
There was a good chance that Mylie was going to stay in the hospital and we'd have to go home without her. The Lord heard our prayers though. We had a very great desire to bring her home with us and were very worried that we wouldn't be able to. Late Friday afternoon, all three of us, as a family, FINALLY got to go home.




Through this rough experience, my faith was immensely strengthened. I am incredibly grateful for the priesthood and the power of prayer. I am grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord and his watchful care over us. I am so blessed to have a husband who is worthy, who holds the priesthood and can bless his family with it, and who loves so deeply and unconditionally.



Look how she's grown!

Our Mylie

We love our little girl so much!

She's Here!

Well, it wasn't easy but she made it. I'll let Angie post all the details later but we're excited to finally have Mylie Joleen Whitaker! She's 7 pounds 1 ounce and 19 1/2 inches. Here she is:

Feelings

My due date is today. All I can say is I am still looking like this...minus the smile.

Need I even express how I feel? I think many of you may understand. My baby countdown is going to go into negative numbers tomorrow...aargh!

Beeeeeeautiful!

Tucsonians look forward to monsoon season all year long! The storms have come a little early this year and it is wonderful! One night I swear it stormed all night long. It seemed that every time I woke up to tinkle, it was raining! I love the sound of those big drops of water beating on the warm earth. I love it as it taps gently at my window. I looked out the window each time I woke and thought that the water was very possibly going to start leaking through my door crack! Luckily not, but in the morning, what a glorious sight to take in! I went on a morning walk around the apartment complex and marveled at the beauty of the desert after her long awaited drink. To many it may not seem that wonderful, but after living here a while, the "greens" have actually begun to look green to me! I now see several of the shades. And oh the smell of the desert after a monsoon...! Behold, the desert! (Okay so our apartment complex may cheat a little, but still!)

Oh, it's Normal

Don't worry, anything on this list (or more) that you experience during pregnancy is completely normal!

Nausea
Vomiting
Abdominal pain
Pelvic pressure
Weight gain
Waddling
Super sensitive sense of smell
Bleeding gums
Carpal tunnel
Clumsiness
Constipation
Dizziness and fainting
Excessive salivation
Cravings
Fatigue
Forgetfulnes
Frequent urination
Gas and bloating
Hair and nail changes
Headaches
Heartburn
Hemorrhoids
Itchy skin
Leg cramps
Lower back pain
Nosebleeds
Cramped insides
Kicked in the ribs
Round ligament pain
Shortness of breath
Skin darkening
Stuffy nose
Swollen extremities
Sleepless nights
Varicose veins
Vision changes
Foot growth
Development or growth of moles
Braxton-Hicks contracions
Pre-eclampsia
Diabetes
Anemia
Postpartum depression

Well it's a good thing we don't have to experience ALL of those things. Count all that have applied to you! Let me know how many of these pregnancy symptoms you experienced! My count is 27! I'm sure there are many more that I didn't really want to add to this list...self-explanatory.

Top 10 Most Boring Updates in the History of the World Ever

1. I am not dilated at all. Aargh.
2. I am 50% effaced. Better!
3. My doctor will be out of town on my due date and after. Rude!
4. Richie's sliced finger from a can of Spaghettio's is practically healed.
5. We qualify for a little moola in Food Stamps. Awesome!
6. Richie has not beat Zelda or Super Mario Galaxy yet. Ha ha!
7. We qualify for Medicaid. Woo hoo!
8. I beat Richie in Yahtzee the majority of the time. Sweet.
9. Tucson is really, really, really hot. For real.
10. We are naming our baby Mylie Joleen. Awww!

Project Nursery

Well I have finished a few of my projects. The dresser turned out cute but I'm still deciding whether or not to add some black designs on the drawers. I made the boxes with flowers and the frames on the walls to match the crib bedding. I had a friend Devin paint me the adorable pictures on the frames. Check 'em out!



























Here are a few shots of the bedroom in it's almost complete edition. When my mom comes out, she is going to make some matching curtains. (How I wish I could sew!) My friend's mother is going to give me an adorable vinyl sticker to put on my wall as well...(she sells the cutest vinyl lettering and designs I have EVER seen!) http://www.uppercaseliving.com
Then it will be complete. So fun!

Some Summer Goals

Angie
Paint the baby's dresser
Learn to make bows
Make a baby book
Keep the house clean
Finish the nursery
Write thank you cards
Read some books

Richie
Beat Zelda on Nintendo Wii
Beat Super Mario Galaxy on the Wii
Watch old BYU football games