Ketchup

Birthday Dinner

Well, it's been quite a month... I haven't yet figured out how I'm going to write this post since I have so much to say. Chronologically seems the most logical, so I'll give it a try. On August 22, I had my "golden" birthday- 22 on the 22(nd). In typical Jade fashion, he made it extra special. We started off with breakfast in bed, Kneaders french toast, my very favorite. Then he had to work, and I had a million things to do (things for the move, the baby, and a doctor's appointment), and to add to it all, I HAD to pack for a surprise weekend adventure (note the facetiousness in my tone). So after a hectic day, we finally got together for dinner at Tucanos, another favorite. It was extra good that night. Then we drove to Park City, to celebrate my birthday and also our 2 year anniversary. The weekend was wonderful. We were able to get away from all our stressors, and just relax for a minute. I got a massage, we hung out by the pool, went to see a movie, ate a whole bunch of food, and basically just enjoyed each other's company and undivided attention. Oh, and on my birthday night, Peyton gave me the best present ever- 8 1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep! That's right everyone, she started sleeping through the night (since then she's averaging 8 a night, but since we've been in Portland we've digressed a little. Hopefully she gets back to 8 soon!). Jade's gift was a close 2nd- a darling pink bike! I've been wanting a bike since Jade started riding more often, so we could ride together. And we even got a bike trolley so Peyton can ride behind us when we go for bike rides. As usual, the weekend went by too fast, and soon we were back to the madness we called our last week in Utah. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were devoted entirely to packing, cleaning, and moving out of our house. That Wednesday night, we officially moved out. The four of us drove to Vegas, where we were able to relax for one day before Jade flew back to Utah to drive our belongings back to Oregon. My mom's pool was heated to bath water temperature (note: that is not an exaggeration at all. It really was bathwater temperature), and we swam and enjoyed our last little bit of summer. Jade left to Portland, and found us a home! On the 31st, we celebrated our 2 year anniversary. I use the word "celebrated" loosely, since we were 800 miles away from each other. But I did get to spend it with my family, which is almost as good as spending it with Jade. Monday the 1st, Jade started his business. In case you don't know, he basically bought a franchise of the company he used to work for. Since he was going to be working outrageous hours starting this business, I decided to stay in Vegas for a couple weeks, while he got settled in. That first weekend, my mom and I flew up to Portland and moved Jade and I into our new home. The boys moved all the boxes in, then left town to go to Seattle for a boys' weekend. While Jade was at the BYU/UW game (which BYU won, might I add) and 2 Seattle Mariners/Yankees games, my mom and I were crazy busy unpacking and setting up house. It was a ridiculous weekend, but somehow my mom and I managed to get us entirely moved into our home, and with a baby, to boot! So, then we went back to Vegas and left Jade to his work up here. While in Vegas, I devoted myself to my favorite woman in the world: my momma. I became her assistant, and spent 3 weeks running around with her, crossing things off her 4 "to-do" lists. It's incredible how much this lady has to do. I also transferred all 52 hours of her home videos onto DVDs. That was a project I probably should have never started. However, we did manage to squeeze some fun into our jam-packed days. We went to lunch with all our favorite people. Peyton especially took to my soul-sister Suz. She pooped on her pants. Suz was a great sport, and she still loves Peyton (and me). We also went to see The Women. It got horrible reviews, but I absolutely loved it! And we shopped like crazy women. And I got to see all my Stilettos! And Peyton was busy, too. She achieved some great feats: she started laughing, she started grabbing things, she got her first mani/pedi (hot pink, of course), and she got her first haircut. That's right: I shaved her head! At first I regretted it because she looked like an alien, but once the stubble started growing in, the shine factor died down, and now she looks cute again. I miss her hair, but you should have seen it- she looked great from the front, but the back was a mess. She had long stringy hair on her neck, and a ring of no hair in the middle, and a patch of long, stringy hair on her crown. Trust me, I was doing her a favor, and besides, she's ALWAYS wearing a headband with a big old bow anyway, so it's not like the baldness is a big deal. Anyway, I'm excited for her hair to grow again. The coolest thing we did was going to "Time Out For Women". If you haven't ever gone, I definitely recommend it. It's like education week, but not at BYU. It was really great, the speakers were wonderful, and I had a great time with my momma and Cands. Also while we were there, we helped Cheyanne campaign for V.P. of her school, and guess who won... Cheyanne!! We're so proud of her, and so excited for her. Eventually I wore out my welcome, and Jade came to fetch me, Peyton, and Tinky and bring us back to Portland. Sunday we came back in time for family dinner, and Monday came too soon. Although, Monday did bring a nice little surprise... My new car! We signed for it on Monday. It's absolutely darling. It's the same car I've always had (Lexus RX350), but really dark gray (smoky granite), and 2009. I L-O-V-E it. The best part: heated seats! The next best part: Dual climate control. The next best part: Navigation!! All day Monday I drove around, running errands, figuring out my car, and learning my new city. Well, I think that about sums up our last month. So, until next time, Jade will be working like a maniac, I will be trying to get us settled in, and Peyton will be trying to roll over.

Shopping in Park City

(If I look a little stoned, it's because I just had an amazing massage)

Swimming at the resort

I forgot to write about this, but I started a garden in our yard (before I found out I was moving). Believe it or not, I actually grew this cucumber and tomato. I ate both, and let me tell you- they were delicious. Also, I learned I'll never be a gardener. But I was very proud of my accomplishment! If any of my Sleepy Ridge friends want cucumbers or tomatoes, the plants are still there- go grab some!!

This is us, leaving our home. Officially moving away from Utah. It was quite bittersweet.

Okay, so my mom bought Peyton a winter outfit since Portland is a lot colder than Vegas. It looked SO cute, but Peyton was a little annoyed because it was so hot.

Darling

Love it (it's not blue, that's the lighting)

I just love my little family! On Saturday, Peyton turned 2 months old. To celebrate, Jade surprised me with my favorite breakfast in bed... Magleby's french toast. I can hardly believe Peyton is 2 months old already. I'm so sad, but so happy at the same time (any mom can relate). I love to watch her change and grow and start doing new things (smiling, blowing bubbles, holding her head up), but at the same time I think she's growing up too fast. I wish I was pregnant (with her) again. That way, I could do it all over. I keep myself up at night worrying that I'll wake up and she'll be going off to college. Why does time go by so fast when things are fun and exciting, but so slow when you're going through rough patches? (As a side-note... after I wrote this post, I was reading through Parents Magazine and there was an article on preparing your pre-schooler for school for the first time... I started bawling hysterically) On Thursday and Sunday night, Peyton slept 7 hours!! I know that doesn't seem amazing, but for a 2 month old, it's excellent. I'm not getting my hopes up that this will happen regularly, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Monday Peyton had her 2 month checkup. She's 10 pounds now! She's in the 33rd percentile for both weight and length. The doctor said she looks perfect. Things have been crazy (and messy) around here, as we're packing up and moving out. We are going to be out of here on the 28th. It's still surreal to me. It's a little sad, but mostly exciting, and I can't wait to start our new life in Portland. Other than packing, we haven't been up to much. Friday I turn 22, and while I'm excited to celebrate, I'm having anxiety about getting older. This is the first birthday that I've ever dreaded. I know 22 is still super young, but I feel like I'm old now. To me, 21 was young, and cute, and fun, and 22 is old and matronly. I know everyone probably thinks I'm crazy, but I don't want to be seen as just some old, frumpy mom, and 22 makes me feel that way. So, don't be surprised if I still call myself "21", just play along...

We're Back

Because sometimes 3 chins just isn't sufficient

Recently I took a sabbatical from the blog to have some summer fun, and since I'm momentarily back, I decided now is as good a time as any to update. We've been busy, and traveling all over the place. After Peyton's blessing, we were lucky enough to have Jade's parents stay with us for a couple days. Peyton loved all the attention from her grandparents, and we loved spending quality time with them, since we barely ever get to see them (although that's about to change pretty quickly!). I had my 6 week checkup with my doctor, who told me "you're fixed!", and gave me the 2 greatest nuggets of information ever: I'm back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, and I'm clear to exercise! Hooray for nursing (the best weight loss program ever)! After the Thelins left, we drove up to Idaho for Megan and Ryan's wedding! It was awesome, Megan looked beautiful (of course), Peyton was showered with attention in amounts only surpassed by the bride herself, and Jade actually asked me to dance! The day after we got back, we packed up a bunch of stuff for our first trailer load up to Portland. Jade dropped Peyton and me off at the airport, and Peyton and I flew down to Vegas while Jade drove the UHAUL up to Portland. Peyton slept the entire flight, which gave me ample time to get addicted to Stephenie Meyer's latest masterpiece: Breaking Dawn. I read it in 3 sittings. For anyone who hasn't read it... read it. You'll never forgive yourself if you don't! Vegas was wonderful. My mom heated her pool to bath water temperature (literally), and Peyton loved her first (and second, and third) time swimming. Peyton had her first intentiional smiles- 3 times at my grandpa Coy because he was singing to her. After a relaxing week in Vegas, we drove up to Mesquite for a mini-vacation with my family. The boys golfed, the girls went to the spa, Peyton learned to blow bubbles with her spit, and we all did a lot of swimming and relaxing in the sun. To finish off the trip, we went to St. George and watched the second installment of the Saturday's Warrior play. It was just as good as the first, only with (somewhat) better costumes. Even the boys liked it, except for the singing.

At the temple after Megan's sealing

Peyton's first airplane ride!

Loving her first swimI couldn't resist taking this picture pf my 3 favorite people, sharing a nap

Relocating

It's true... After 8 cumulative years, one wedding, two graduations, and a baby, we are officially leaving Utah. So the company Jade works for is changing the way they're run, and instead of having one corporate office in Provo, with lots of smaller offices around the country who report to the corporate office, they're turning it into a franchise-type company, where each area will be wholly self-sufficient. They offered all the upper-management the chance to buy a franchise, and Jade was given first pick, so he chose the area that's been the top-market every year, which coincidentally is Portland! So the company is initiating the change after the summer term is over, which means we'll be packing up and moving to Oregon at the end of August. We're not sure how permanent this move will be, because it all depends on how well the business works out. We're keeping our house here, mostly because we would lose a ton of money if we sold it now, but also "just in case" things don't work out in Portland. This isn't the business Jade wants to be in for the rest of his life, so he hopes to just get it running super well so it can basically run itself, and he can just take a backseat and do what he really wants to do: sell insurance. So we could be in Portland anywhere from 5 months to a couple years. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I'm not exactly the biggest fan of Utah. I don't hate it here, and I'm not unhappy here, but it's just not where I want to live long-term, it was more of my get-the-degree-and-get-out-of-there place, and I did not want to be here any longer than that. Despite those feelings, this move is going to be really bittersweet for me. I actually can't believe I'm saying this, and Jade will probably give me grief about it for years to come, but there's a lot I'm going to miss about Utah. Here's my list: Jerai, Phil, Boyd and Remy (Tink is going to miss her best friend SO much, and Peyton is really disappointed because she and Boyd had been planning on living really close and being best friends). I can't articulate how sad I am that we're not going to be living in the same zip-code as the Moultons anymore. It's been great the past few months, and I wish you guys were moving with us! Stephanie Holt, my resident best friend and best hairdresser. That girl was my sanity while I was in Utah, and I'm so glad her and Jade went on that non-date shooting date and became friends, so that when I met Jade, I became best friends with her. Steph, I'm going to miss you like crazy. This just means you're going to have to visit home more often since Seattle and Portland are so close!! The guys from Stampede and their wives. You all have been such fun friends. I'm glad most of you are staying with Stampede, so we'll always be connected. All my friends from A and F. Thanks for making my pregnancy so much fun. I could not have asked for a better pre-baby job, and I'm so glad I got to know you all. You better stay in touch. Our friends from Sleepy Ridge. Who knew we would actually have some really cool people in our ward! I was so skeptical about Utahns before I moved into this ward (sorry to be so judgmental, but it's the truth. I was a cynic). Living right on the golf course. It's been great playing all the golf and night-golf we wanted, and Tinky had the best backyard ever. We're really going to miss that. Knowing the best place for a wax, a massage, a manicure, a pedicure, a chocolate-banana milkshake, Mexican Food, Italian Food, Brazilian Food, and Steak. Knowing how to navigate my way around. I'm going to be absolutely clueless in Portland, and I'm not going to know where anything is. Utah-only places: Trendy Tots Boutique, Rod Works, Burger Supreme, Tucanos (there's one in Colorado, too, but that doesn't help me), Pita Pit, Prime Steak, Steak Out, the little Italian hole-in-the-wall in Provo, and Joe Vera's. BYU football games. It's been so fun being a BYU groupie, following the team and watching our friends play so well. We'll still be watching every game, but it's not the same! My entourage: Dr. Judd, the best OB/GYN ever, Dr. Wynn, who is the top pediatrician in Utah and we're so glad he accepted us as patients even though he has a closed practice, Dr. Robinson, who was a great dentist and rescued me from a really bad dentist, Jessica and Debbi, the best nurses of all time, and Orem Community Hospital- I couldn't have asked for a better place to deliver my baby, and I might just have to come back to Utah to deliver any and all subsequent children. Coaching cheerleading. The temperature in June, July, and August. Portland isn't as hot in the summer as Utah, and I'm going to miss hot summers. Utah has been pretty good to us the past few years, and thank goodness we both moved here! Thanks to everyone who made it bearable. I'm actually going to miss a lot about Utah, but I'm so excited to move to Portland (I call it a "real city") and I can't wait to live so close to family. This is going to be a big adventure for us. Wish us luck!!

What a blessing!

She can never resist making her stink face

I can hardly believe she's old enough, but Sunday was Peyton's blessing day! It was an amazing experience to hear my husband bless my daughter. It was so surreal. Jade gave such a sweet blessing, and I was able to record it and transcribe it, so now Peyton will have a copy of her blessing forever. What an incredible daddy/daughter bonding moment. We were so lucky that almost all of our family were able to come into town to be there. All we were missing from our immediate family was JaNea and Nipper and the boys (plus the triplets-to-be!). I cannot express in words how amazing that experience was, but it brings me to (happy) tears to think about it. It was a truly phenomenal day, and I'm so grateful that (almost) all the people I love were there to celebrate.

Happy Friday

It's been such a great week so far! My mom and the kids came up Monday, and we've been having so much fun. It's been wonderful having my mom back again. I wish she wouldn't ever leave. I'm just glad I'm able to see them so often- I know not everyone is lucky enough to get their mommy for 3 of the first 4 1/2 weeks of their baby's life. We went to Lagoon yesterday. For everyone who has never had the privilege of living in Utah, Lagoon is a cross between Disneyland and Universal Studios, only not as clean as Disneyland and not as big as Universal Studios. Besides all the men in tank tops, it was actually really fun, and we had such a good time. Peyton was really good, but I think overstimulated because she barely slept at all, and she was really cranky when we left the park. Also, her newborn pictures are finally done. Amazing!

A week in review

Our girls on the 4th of July We've been busy the past week! On Wednesday, Peyton took her first road trip, up to Idaho for Jade's work. We also had another first- her first time on a golf course! We stopped in Pocatello on our way to Rexburg and played a round with my best friend Megan and her soon-to-be husband (2 weeks!) Ryan. We just put her car seat in the golf cart and she slept away. I'm pretty sure it was against a rule, but it was a public golf course, so no one said anything to us. Another first- Peyton's first professional athletic event. When we got back from Idaho, we went to the Minor League baseball game and watched the Orem Owls get stomped on by some other team. Peyton basically slept the entire time... Apparently baseball isn't her thing. For the 4th of July, Jade planned (in typical Jade fashion) an over the top scheme for us to watch the huge fireworks show at Stadium of Fire. Friday morning he drove his truck, with the 4 wheeler and bike, to the top of Squaw Peak, one of the mountains with a view of all Provo, parked his truck at the top, hid the 4 wheeler about halfway down the mountain, then he rode his bike home. When it was time for the show, the place was packed. They weren't even letting people drive past the halfway point up the mountain. So we 4-wheeled up to his truck that was backed into the best parking spot, where we could see everything. Jade put a mattress in the bed of the truck and blankets and pillows and we watched little fireworks that people were setting off in the Valley, as well as the 15 minute Stadium of Fire fireworks show. It was incredible, and we had the best seat in the house. My thoughtful guy even made a dutch oven dinner for us to eat after the show was over. Peyton was an angel, and she didn't even notice the fireworks. Being with my husband and baby was the best way to celebrate the 4th. We're so grateful to live in this beautiful country and enjoy so many freedoms. And, we really hope America doesn't ruin it by electing that Obama man. The past few days were the first Peyton has been really fussy, and I am exhausted! Now I know what they mean when they say sleep-deprived. I'm hoping it's just a phase and she'll go back to normal sometime soon, because this is not the baby I'm used to. I just wish my momma would come back and rescue me! Lastly, Jade had the championship softball tournament the past two days. Since it was double elimination and they were in the loser's bracket, on Monday they had a series of games, and if they won, they kept playing, if they lost, it was the end of the season. They ended up winning every game, so they had to play 4 games in a row! The last team they beat was the first place team, and they hadn't lost, so since it was a double elimination tournament, they played that team again last night. It was a great game, the guys played really well, but we lost by 3 runs. Jade played so well though, and even has a battle wound from sliding into home wearing just gym shorts. At least he scored the run! 2nd place is nothing to be ashamed of!

At the golf course

At the baseball game

Look at how she's sleeping- she wriggled out of her swaddling so she could have her hands by her face. We think she looks like a doll. A lady at the store came up to me last week and said "I've been watching you for awhile because I thought you were walking around with a doll- I can't believe that's a real baby. She's beautiful." Sweet and funny!

Mt. Hood

After the hike

On Friday, Jade had to make a quick day-trip to Portland for work, so he decided to extend the trip by 20 hours and spend some time with his favorite guys in the world- his dad and brothers. The past 2 years they've been trying to arrange a trip to climb Mt. Hood, but both years they weren't able to do it for one reason or another, so Jade was way excited when he found out they were finally going to be able to do it this year. Everything went well during the hike, thank goodness, and the boys had a blast. I'm so glad he was able to do it, now maybe it's out of his system and he won't need to do it again (I know it's fun for him, but it's so dangerous- lots of people die climbing Mt. Hood every year). Anyway, I'm so glad they were safe and had a good time. Jade loves every minute he spends with them, and I always wish they could spend more time together. Also, can you believe his dad is 61? I don't know anyone close to that age that is in as good of shape as him... wait to show those young guys! Climbing to the summit

That's the shadow of Mt. Hood, with the Pacific ocean in the background. GORGEOUS

In other news, I think I found something Peyton loves almost as much as the sunshine- her Peanut Shell. I wrote about it before, but she really can't get enough of it! I am now convinced that she loves it because it reminds her of the womb. I've been doing a lot of reading (of course), and they say the first few months of life are really like the "fourth trimester", and that for all intents and purposes, newborns are still fetuses. So that's my theory. Anyway, she loves the sling, and I love carrying her around so close to me. Plus, she looks darling in it. We had her 2 week checkup yesterday. She's regained all her birth weight, plus 4 ounces, so she's now 6lb 4 oz, which puts her in the 5th percentile for weight. She grew 3/4 of an inch, which makes her 19 3/4 inch long, and in the 28th percentile for height. The doctor said she looks perfect (like he needs to tell me that!) :)
Loving my Peanut Shell

Stink face- the face she makes when she's annoyed at us

That actually is how long she is, that's not just a bunch of fabric at the bottom

Angel Baby

I don't know if you can tell, but she LOVED this. She slept for 3 hours under that umbrella

Well, it's been almost 2 weeks now, and I think I have the sweetest baby in the world. Peyton is such an angel. She's so calm and mellow and such a lover girl. The nursing is coming along (finally, thank goodness), so that has made a huge difference for both mom and daughter. We're still getting up twice a night to eat, but she almost always just eats and goes right back to sleep. She's not fussy at all (except when she's hungry), so that's wonderful. She's really a great baby and we love her so much. In the past week she has had her first real outings (last week she did errands with me, but that's hardly an outing); Jade's softball game (they won one!), the mall (she loved it of course), Boondocks family fun center (she rode with me in her peanut shell sling and absolutely loved it. Jade thinks it reminds her of her home the past 9 months. She was so happy in there, just sleeping away)- we even rode bumper boats together (she was in the sling), and the movies. She takes after me- she loves the heat and sunshine. If she's crying, we just go outside and she stops immediately and becomes really still and pacified. Needless to say, the two of us spend a lot of time together outside. Other big news this week: she's smiling more. It's not a voluntary thing, she usually just smiles every once in awhile when she's sleeping, but it's not just gas. She is starting to focus more on people's faces. I think developmentally we all still look like blobs at this age, but I know she recognizes me. She loves her car seat. She took her first nap in her crib, and slept forever. She loved it because her room is shared with the office, and since the office is "my" room, it's the hottest room in the house. Oh, and on Wednesday she slept from 5 am until 11 am. 6 hours straight! What an angel. Also my mom went home today. I feel like I'm going to have a nervous breakdown. I don't know if I'm ready to do this without her. I knew she'd leave eventually, but I feel like this was way too soon. She was such a huge help and I couldn't have done it without her. Despite my mom leaving, so far I feel like this was the job I was made to do. I know it's early and I know I'm going to make a ton of mistakes, but I can't imagine anything more rewarding than being a mom. Especially to this darling girl.

Her first real outing- daddy's softball game

Our babies

Peyton Coy Thelin

It hasn't been a week yet, so I'm not too late. In case you hadn't heard, Peyton Coy is here! We couldn't be happier. If you read previous posts, you know we went to see the peri-natologist and they decided she was indeed not getting nutrition, so they induced me on Monday. If you want all the delivery details you can call me, but I'll just write that it was probably the best labor and delivery in the history of the world. The whole affair was 6 hours and 15 minutes, from the minute we checked in to the hospital to the minute she was born. My epidural worked like a charm, I didn't feel a thing. In fact, the worst pain I was in the entire time was when the new nurse (not Debbi or Jessica) tried unsuccessfully 3 times to put in my IV. I still have the bruise to show for it. I pushed 3 times a contraction for 10 seconds each push, and I pushed through 8 contractions total. She weighed 6 pounds (they thought she was only going to be 5 pounds 2 ounces), and was 19 inches long. She has gorgeous, big blue eyes and a ton of light brown hair, but the blondest eyebrows and eyelashes ever, which leads us to believe that her hair will lighten up to match (at least we hope she has matching hair and eyebrows). We stayed in the hospital the full 48 hours that our insurance covered, and we had the best nurses ever (Jessica and Debbi). They made the whole thing so easy and they took such amazing care of me. I really did not want to leave the hospital because they were so good to us! Dr. Judd, my OB/GYN whom I absolutely adore was out of town all week, so his partner, Dr. Gordon delivered me. He was great, but I do have to admit I would have loved Dr. Judd to be there. My mom and Cheyanne made it just in time for the delivery, we held off pushing until they got to the hospital, just in time! They've been here helping us, and let me tell you... my mom is an angel. I don't know what I'd do without her here. I really will have a nervous breakdown when she leaves. Tink loves her new baby sister, but Jade and I decided Tink is hoping she's just a visitor. She's been great with the baby though, and her favorite thing about having a baby sister is licking milk off her mouth. Everyone is healthy and happy. We're starting to get the hang of nursing, which nobody warned us would be this hard. Thank goodness I have the best cousin-in-law/personal nurse ever, who is just a phone call away. Jessica has been a life saver. Peyton has been great. She sleeps a ton and eats a ton and doesn't do a whole lot else. We love when she's awake because she does such cute things. She yawns, sneezes, coughs, makes a "stink face" when she's frustrated, sucks on her hands, makes kissy faces when she's hungry and rooting, curls up into a little ball when you lay her on your chest (she makes herself SO small), and when she startles, she throws her arms out and it looks like she's trying to give hugs. We realized she likes to suck, even when she's not hungry, so we gave her a binkie, and when she sleeps, she keeps her hand on it, palm down, fingers outstretched, like she's guarding it. Our favorite thing she does is sleep pretty well through the night. She usually only wakes up once or twice. She's absolutely perfect, and it's crazy to think how much we love her, even though shejust got here. I'm already feeling the post-partum blues, I cry when I think about her getting big. I'm just not ready for her to grow up, and I want her to stay this small forever. But, we're so grateful to have a happy and healthy baby. She is amazing and we're so in love.

Right after she was born

After they bathed her (I still look stoned)

Proud Daddy

Proud momma

Her first outfit

Our family (minus Tink)

Going home from the hospital

Peanut

Snoozing

Tinker loves baby