No Dad! we want the taller tree!

Its practically Christmas and you guessed it, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! Every family has certain traditions but one in mine was the importance my sister and I put on the Christmas tree. There were three criteria it HAD to meet in order to set the correct tone.

1. It HAD to be much taller then Dad (he's 6"2)
2. It HAD to be massive- fat and full
3. It HAD to be real- plastic didn't smell the same.


This went on for years. A family trip to the nursery to find the perfect tree and sip apple cider. At the end of the Christmas season Dad would again threaten the unspeakable, "Next year we are getting a fake tree!" He was always less then thrilled about the countless needles in the car, up the stairs, and on the living-room floor. It seems the vacuum always missed a few... dozen needles.
Mom got smart and we began to leave Dad out of the collecting/delivery of the tree. This way the mess was all taken care of and we survived another year without a fake tree. Good one Mom!

This plan worked very well until....

The tree that ended it all.

Dad had installed hardwood floors earlier in the year and decided to put a large piece of plexiglass underneath to protect the floor while we watered the tree. Genius- or so we thought. 

Somehow, still unknown to the Westbrook family, water got in between the hardwood and the plexiglass. It went unseen until we took down the tree and removed the plexiglass... leaving warped hardwood panels beneath. CRAP! Without a word spoken the Westbrook women knew what this would mean.

The following December Dad came home with a plastic tree. To not break with every traditional rule, he did buy one MASSIVE, full and tall.

Last year my parents gave Matt and I the fake, fat and tall Christmas tree for our very own Christmas. We had to change around our whole apartment in order to fit it in Provo. 

There was no exception this year as we shoved it into the corner so we could still have our couch. Four different furniture arrangements later we found one that kinda worked.  

We found out something new about the tree this year. 

Fake or not it's quite possibly the coolest thing to stare at for hours!

And the tradition continues, my son LOVES Christmas already. 

Sir William

No, I did not name my son after Prince William... even though I have had a huge crush on him ever since I can remember.

But that all changed when I met Matt.

Obviously.

Earlier this week Sir William had his 2 week appointment. I will have you all know that I was fully clothed when I arrived and again when I left. Success! 

While I was pregnant, I was convinced my baby was going to be AT LEAST 9 pounds at birth. I was 10, 1 and Matt was over 9.  So lets just say I was pleasantly surprised when Will was only 6, 14.

Here are his stats 2 weeks later.

Weight      8 pounds 1 ounce    (25th percentile)

Length      21 3/4 inches           (80th percentile)

Head         14 cm                      (20th percentile)

How funny that they include the head size. I would love to know what percentile my head is, why don't we know this about ourselves?

So what has Sir William been up to now that he's 2 weeks older and wiser too?

He sleeps in his crib... most of the time. We got smart and Matt elevated the mattress on one end. We find he does better elevated due to his abundance of gas.

He LOVES his car seat. Either in the car or in his stroller it doesn't matter he is content either way.

Will rocks tummy time and has a blast until his head becomes too heavy to bare, then he just takes a break.

Getting your diaper changed isn't as traumatic as it once was... In fact it's kinda boring now.

Yes that polo onesie is for a 3 month old... as you can see its just barely long enough but a little bit baggy... oh dear

He loves just hanging out with Mom and Dad in his "boppy" 

With all the pictures taken of him he is starting to master posing. "The Thinker"

The swaddle is still the greatest.

Yesterday was our first successful bath where he didn't scream murder or pee on me. I was so proud and grateful I didn't need to bathe after his bath.

I cannot believe William will be 3 weeks old this weekend. Who pressed fast forward? 

Gratitude in a grilled cheese

Spoiler alert- I get mushy about my husband. Consider yourself warned.

Last night Matthew came home from school and William was still napping. We prepared dinner (grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato basil soup) It had been a hard day. I went to check on Will and Matt set the table and put out dinner. I came back and saw that my sandwich was cut into two triangles- just the way I like it and Matt's was cut into two rectangles- just the way he likes it. I smiled and wondered if I had ever told him that's how I like my sandwiches cut or If he had just picked up on it.
Such a silly thing really... the shape of your bead. I don't even know why I prefer it. But in that moment I had appreciation for my husband and how he knew that silly little fact about me. There are so many things he does for me and I never have to ask.


That morning I had woken up to the dishes washed and the garbage taken out. That night he took the first "night shift" with Will and let me sleep. Even with studying left to be done he gave me the break that he knew I needed.

I have become convinced that I secretly married Clark Kent. One day Matt will turn to me and say that he wears spandex and flies around saving people in his spare time. But that's just it- he has no spare time! Between school, work, church callings and us at home he is stretched thin yet somehow he does it all.

I tell William everyday what a wonderful father he has and how hard he works for us. I also tell him to grow up and be just like his dad.

So thank you for all that you do for our family and for cutting my sandwich into triangles even when you  like rectangles.

In advance... I'm sorry William

Last night Matthew came home from work and it didn't take long until both of us were in a laughing fit while Will sat sleeping in his chair. I don't remember what we were laughing about (probably something immature and not really funny at all) but I do remember stopping and saying to Matt, "Who put us in charge of another human being?"

If any of you know Matthew or I well,  you may have had similar thoughts cross your mind...
 But If there are any that need some convincing just take a look at the photographic evidence...

There is really no hope of our offspring being normal is there?

Everyone says that having a baby changes your life and it is never the same. I already know this is true and I am trying to keep up with my new mom responsibilities and demands. However, we have had a few  hick-ups so far...

Last week Matthew and I took William to his Dr's apt. It was his first time out of the house and in the car. Naturally I was packed and ready to go 2 hours before we actually had to leave. We had the appointment and everything went well. William was a little fussy after they took off his warm cloths and weighed him. It was feeding time anyway so I nursed Will in the room before we left.  After he was done I kept him just sleeping on my chest like this, covered by a soft blanket of coarse. 

I put Will in the car seat, still asleep and sat down in the passenger seat only to look down and see my bra completely exposed! I turned to Matt and told him it was up to him to make sure I was properly covered in public because clearly I was no longer in a mental state to be held accountable. I explained that this was a much more serious offense then forgetting to tell me that I have something in my teeth. 

An experienced parent is fully clothed... now I know 

Matt and I were changing Will's diaper (yes at the beginning it took both of us.) Once we finished we put him down for a nap and had lunch. About 1 min in Matt exclaimed, "Who forgot to wash their hands before eating...." Offended, I told him I had washed them. "It was me," he admitted. 

An experienced parent eats lunch without poop on their hands.... write that down

Dear William, I will embarrass you many times in your life due to my spastic ways but I will try not to be exposed or have poop on me when I do. 

... no promises though

A Visit From Nanny And Grandad.

 Mom arrived a week before William was born. We had tons of fun visiting, shopping and preparing for his arrival. It was so nice to have her help out when my feet started to tingle and swell. After William was born mom stayed with us for a week and man did I need those extra hands and hours of sleep they provided.

Thanks to dad and Jeffy for letting me steal mom during both their birthdays. 

Not to worry, we celebrated with a delicious cake from "A Sweet Life." The very cafe that put me into labor... 

After all it's not every year you turn 60 and get your first grandchild. 

Dad's arrival brought a few new things to our cupboards as moms carry-on was packed tight. A package of all things wonderful and Canadian.

Explain to me how in the huge country of america there is no Kraft peanut butter to be found. However there is everything else Kraft... some moron forgot about the peanut butter. As for the ketchup chips, I never really bought them in Canada but as soon as I cross that border I miss and want them. Matt tries to pretend he doesn't like them but we all know he does.  If you don't know the bliss that is Pury's chocolate hedgehogs, my condolences. I would share with you but they are already gone.

Dad's arrival also meant that mom was now staying in a hotel with him and I lost my extra set of hands. I was terrified but Will pulled though like a champ and I was able to get some sleep. 

William loves to entertain and make people laugh. He was quite pleased with his larger audience and quickly began his greatest trick- flatulence...

Just try to keep a straight face when he lets out a toot on you. 

After his comedy act he settled down in Grandad's arms and began his photo shoot. 

First family photo!

Thanks Nanny and Grandad for everything. We love you!

First Impressions

Here are a few things I have learned about William in his first days of life. 

-He HATES being naked. This includes diaper changes or baths. He is much like his mother and clearly hates being cold at any point. 

-He has gas, LOTS of gas (much like his father....j/k)... Sometimes he will wake up with a high pitch squeal only to let out a massive burp or surprisingly loud toot. This is usually accompanied by some hilarious facial expressions or the "gas shimmy" which is compiled of outrageous body contortions. I realize its probably unkind to laugh at his pain but he looks so cute. 

-Being swaddled is the best. Naps are always longer and sounder when a good swaddle has been implemented. This probably has to do with the fact that he likes sleeping with his arms up around his face and will punch him self awake.

- He hates his crib, in fact it is what I use to wake him up for a feeding. His record is 20 mins in the crib. BIG thanks to Kourtney for the baby chair/bouncer which is what he sleeps in for hours.

- He loves walks and so do I because my feet no longer swell up during or after them. Today was his first walk, it was a beautiful fall day and he liked observing the leaves on the trees. 

-Eating is hard work and sometimes he will fall asleep while I try and burp him. He could sleep like this for hours.

please excuse how tired I look in this picture-I was!

- Yes there are socks on his hands in most of the pictures we have. He will scratch his face and eyes in seconds if given the chance.

-Sometimes he likes to just stare at who ever is holding him. I will tell him its not polite to stare later on but for now I love it. 

-He loves a good snuggle with Daddy when he comes home. 

-He is also a great snuggler with Nanny and is so happy she came to help take care of him.

I love this little boy and am so excited to see how his personality evolves.

Williams Arrival

My due date had come and gone and I was supper bummed  he hadn't come. After all, the Dr had told me he would be surprised if I went over the due date. My mind turned to an extra week of pregnancy and I just wanted to cry. Everyone kept telling me what had made them go into labor but so far nothing. Matt came home Friday night and told me that a girl in his class told him a dense chocolate cake put her into labor. This one I was more then willing to try. Matt and I set out for date night to a locate dessert cafe, "Sweet Life" which I HIGHLY recommend!

The very next morning (October 29th) I woke up 8 am to my first contraction. They started out regular, coming every 2 mins but were very manageable and I could comfortably talk through them.  After about an hour they turned less frequent (every 4 mins) but increased in intensity. The Dr was called and we were on our way to the hospital by 1130.

After we arrived the nurse brought me in to monitor my progression and determine whether or not I would be sent home or admitted. I had dilated from a zero (two days previous) to almost a 4 which was a positive, however as soon as I walked into the hospital my contractions spaced out even further. We decided it would be best to stay at the hospital but to get some lunch and come back by 130.

We went to "Cafe Yum" and instantly the contractions increased in frequency and intensity.  I sat eating my Asian chicken salad trying to hide the fact from the others enjoying their lunch that I was in labor. For a hospital setting I sure got some weird looks by passers-by. You would think my stomach and deep breathing in a hospital might just give a small hint- maybe the Asian salad threw them off.

After I had devoured my lunch we had a little longer and I thought I would try walking the halls. Soon the contractions were getting stronger and stronger. We headed back a little earlier than 130... The cafe was on the second floor and I had to make it to labor and delivery on the 5th floor. I probably should have taken the elevator but pride took over and I opted for the stairs. If any woman would like to speed up labor, TAKE STAIRS! Oh man! contractions were so close together and so hard they took my breath away and I had seconds to recover.

This time I was not sent away but sent straight to my labor room. Now off the stairs my contractions lessoned but were still progressing. I was then told that due to a shift change she couldn't guarantee when the anesthesiologist would be able to make it in to see me, so if I wanted an Epidural I had to request it "like now".  I requested him then.

After the Epidural kicked in, I was in bliss. I was also in a time warp and couldn't believe that it was 6 o'clock.

In this picture I had about 6 heated blankets on me. The IV made me cold and I started to shake but the blankets were a miracle and felt great. It was the first time in 9 months that I felt cold. 

I was so happy that mom could be there. 

With the epidural in place I could comfortably return to my addiction-Backgammon on my phone.

The epidural had slowed things down slightly so they gave me a small dose of pitocin through the IV. I was on the pitocin for one hour and then the Dr came in to break my water. Forty mins later I felt the sensation to push. The Dr was called and I was given the okay. Eight minutes later William was born. 

Matthew was a champ through the whole experience. We had joked before that he might need his own IV to keep his fluid levels up so he wouldn't pass out but he was perfect and so helpful. I needed his encouragement and calm to pull me through.

They placed William on my chest and he looked up at me with WIDE eyes. I couldn't believe how alert he was as he stared into me and took in the whole situation. He started to whimper and grunt instead of cry. This concerned the pediatric nurse and they took him to the side to examine his lungs. From this point I am a little unsure of what happened but Matthew followed Will and the nurses. They told me that normally it takes much longer for babies to be "pushed out" and this actually helps clear out their airway and lungs. Because he came so quickly this happen but it could have been more serious and they were afraid of a possible infection.

 They told me they were going to take him to the NICU. I didn't listen to anything the nurse told me regarding the explanation, I just started to cry.  Matthew left with William and Mom stayed with me. They cleaned me up and gave me three stitches. My stomach felt weird and vacant. 

I was taken to the "Mommy and Baby Recovery Room" They continued to monitor me because my temperature was feverish. I was checked a few minutes later and they determined I was okay and  was free to go to the NICU. The nurse wheeled me down where I saw William. 

He continued to improve and was brought into my room an hour sooner then planned- thanks to my wonderful nurse who told the NICU that she was perfectly capable of taking his blood sugar and reporting to them if they needed to be concerned. She was my favorite nurse.

Reunited! We were all in bliss and so grateful that William's little lungs had gotten stronger on their own.

I didn't want to stay in the hospital long. They really did take excellent care of me and I must say that the food was amazing (weird I know) BUT I can't sleep at all in those beds. So after William and I go the "okay" from our doctors we were allowed to leave. We left and looked at the clock to realize William was exactly 24 hours old. 

Overall it was a wonderful experience and I am so grateful for a loving husband and mother to have been there supporting me. I am grateful for my sweet baby boy and that we are both healthy and strong. 

William has giant hands and feet. The nurse was concerned that his feet might not fit on the card that they stamp. 

I keep those fingers covered all the time because he likes to scratch his face off.