1999

It's hard to believe that just 10 years ago you couldn't find a can of tuna on the shelf and people were talking of living in the cellar for months on end. Everyone was scared that their video cameras wouldn't work and that life as we knew it was going to come to an end. Because after all, why would a computer know how to go from 1999 to 2000? It's not like computers are based on numbers and coding. There's no way a computer would be able to go up one number in a sequence!



I remember that monumental New Year's Eve celebration. We were at Dale and Mary's (my uncle and aunt's) in Yoder. I still love that place! (They say the only reason I like that place the best is because I haven't been to Oregon. I dunno, I like the plains with the mountains in view, but I think it might just be a ploy to get me to Oregon!) I loved being there, especially at the new year because there are fireworks shot from Pike's Peak and we could see them from the house.

Christopher, Caitlain, Nathan, Brannon and I were all out jumping on the trampoline waiting for the fireworks to start. One (maybe two or three) of the springs on the trampoline had broken so that made having that many kids on at one time even more volatile. As we were all being kids, we heard someone on the tramp scream and we saw two little white socks going down in the hole where the springs had once been. Nathan had gone head first through the hole.

We laughed and laughed, but Nathan did NOT find it nearly as humorous as the rest of us. I mean he REALLY didn't find it funny! He cried for a long time.

We went ahead and watched the fireworks on Pike's Peak then scurried inside to see if the computer would spontaneously combust at the mind boggling transition. I remember trying to take a picture of the date on the computer. We watched a little bit of news to see if anything big had happened. The only thing in Colorado Springs was that someone had played a prank in a building and when it turned 01-01-00 they flipped some breakers or something. We took a picture of all of us out on the porch at Dale and Mary's to commemorate the year... and Nathan was still crying!

Aspen is 2 weeks old...

Life with Aspen...

I can't believe she'll be two weeks on Friday!

Although I feel at least a few years older by now!

The first night we had her home I was a good little text book mommy and got her up every 2-3 hours to feed her. She would get really ticked off and fall asleep relentlessly during every other feeding. So I took her cues and let her wake me up the next night. We both got more sleep.

I felt so lucky to have such a sleeping babe. Then momma got a wake up call.

-Hey, Momma...

-Yes, baby?

-It's only gonna be like this every few nights.

-That's ok, I understand you're still learning about life... and so am I!

-No, you don't understand, Momma. It'll be utterly awful for you when it's not blissfully great. You'll cry uncontrollably and feel like you won't ever be able to meet my needs. Not to mention it'll make you incredibly jealous when Dad waltzes in and picks me up and I become silent wonder-baby again! There will be relief from it, no doubt, but will add bountifully to your feelings of inadequacy.

-Oh, Aspen, dear. It won't be that bad. You're a wonderful, gorgeous baby that I wouldn't trade for the world!

-Ok, Momma. I tried warning you...

*Cue the colicky (luckily it's only intermittent), nocturnal baby's entrance.

It's been trying to say the least. Who said it wouldn't be, right? I now understand why maternity leave is so important.

And what about those hormones? They weren't this bad during pregnancy... well, there was Thanksgiving day... but one day out of 38 weeks (I'm sure Jerrad would change that number, but who's counting?) isn't bad! This is almost constant, and I'm ready for that part to be over almost more than the sleepless nights. I feel they would be more bearable without the hormones. But there is the exhaustion factor in there too.

I know I will be back to normal - err - a new normal soon.

And did I mention she is amazing?!

Wow!

I have never seen a more beautiful baby! Seriously, my heart swells so much every time I go to check on her. I see that perfect face and I just wanna sit and stare at her. Her nose is A-DOR-A-BLE!!! Those lips? Nothing but edible! Her hands only get more precious when they clasp my finger. She makes the most adorable faces and has started smiling in her sleep. Oh, I can't wait for her to smile at me for real!

Jerrad is such a great dad! He walks around the house holding her and singing to her. What does he sing to her? You name it! If he can't think of something, he makes it up. One of his favorites is "Cowgirl Don't Cry" and - all hormones aside - I cry every time I hear that song! And I almost lost it the first time I heard him sing it to her. He does have an uncanny ability to calm her. Probably has something to do with the same things that make him calm me! He is such a rock for me and I couldn't be happier seeing him be that for her already!

We have our second doctor's appointment tomorrow. Hopefully she will have gained back what she lost in her first week. She was only down a few ounces. She is a slow eater (kinda like her momma was) so I have had to learn to take our time with feedings.

Well, speaking of eating, I must do so while I have the chance. No new pictures yet, (*gasp) but I will have soon. Hopefully some Christmasy ones!

Aspen Adelle

With this little critter, we were skeptical about going anywhere for Thanksgiving. Luckily I was only 40% effaced at my appointment before the holiday so doc cleared us to go. Apparently the little one wanted to meet her great aunts!

We had a great time in Dumas and at my next appointment (Monday after Thanksgiving) I was dilated to a 1 1/2, and the head was engaged.

Tuesday I walked in the door and Dr. Bill gave me a hug, felt my belly and said he thought I had dropped more since the day before.

Wednesday I lost my mucus plug. I decided I had better get my tree up while I had the chance.

Thursday I ran a few errands on my lunch break and went back to work. I was trying to figure out what to do the rest of the afternoon. My relief for maternity leave was already in place and we had been running out of things to do. Since we were slow that afternoon I decided to call the hospital and see if I could get the tour. (Not that our hospital is big - In fact I was in the last room in the hall when I was in for my "sinus problem" in 2007 so that was my "tour." - but Dr. Bill has it set up that the labor, delivery, and post partum rooms are designated for just that.) Diane said to come on over and she'd show me around.

I told Dina what I was going to do and decided that I was going to use the restroom before I went over to the hospital. While I was in the bathroom, things kept going when they should've been shut off. I came out and consulted Shannon in the lab about it. She asked if I needed Dr. Bill to check me. I said, "I don't know... I don't want to be the paranoid pregnant woman!" (We tend to see a lot of those!) Shannon convinced me that since it was my first baby I really didn't know what I was feeling anyway and that she'd get me set up in a room.

I was getting up on the table with my drape and I was kinda chuckling at what was going on and the thought of this really happening. Well, chuckling used too many abdominal muscles and I made a BIG mess in the room!

Dr. Bill came in and declared that unless I had just lost all control of my bladder, I was headed to the hospital. He swabbed some litmus paper just in case. We all laughed at the color (I went ahead and let loose seeing as I had already made such a mess!) and got me set up to dry off and get to the hospital.

While in the room, I tried calling Jerrad - No answer. Then Kitty - No answer. Then Jimmy - No answer. I thought to myself, "Why are people not answering when the 38 week pregnant woman is calling?!" I clicked over to the line to try Jerrad again and he was there.

I said, "So, you wanna come to the hospital?"

"Ok... Why?"

I replied sheepishly, "Hehe... My water just broke..."

Apparently he was with all of the others and hollered, "HEY GUYS! We're gonna do this! Baby's coming!!" Cue the hoops and hollers from the farm.

They had decided to butcher a steer that day to get it out of the way before I went into labor. The building we butcher in has little to no cell phone service, so that's why no one was answering... that and they were all too bloody to get to their phones right away.

I told the other girls in the office what was going on and went out the back door to go to the hospital. On the way I called Trina. (She and I really wanted her here for my delivery, but she wasn't going to be able to make it until the 15th.) David answered and I asked if Trina was around. He said she was kinda busy and asked if I could give her a message through him. I said I needed to tell her this myself. He said ok, then said, "Oh, Alyssa! Alyssa, NO!" I said "Yah..." Then Trina got on the phone and I broke the news to her.

She asked if Jerrad was there and if I had my bag packed. Nope and nope! We had talked the night before about my bag, but I was exhausted when we got off the phone so I decided to wait until the next evening. Haha!

We hung up and I walked into the back door of the hospital. Dr. Bill had already called over to tell them I was coming so when I saw Diane and she asked, "So are you ready for that tour?" We laughed and the nurses got me all set up in the labor room.

The CNA on duty for the evening brought me my liquid supper. I ate the popsicle and drank plenty of water but I left the rest. When she came back to pick up my tray, she asked, "Is that all you're going to eat?" Like I was going to pig out on a popsicle, ice chips and apple juice. But this is also the same CNA that got ticked off at me when I was in the hospital before for never eating my breakfast! Yeesh! But I was relieved to find out who was about to come on duty! Brooke Wilkerson, Nicole Housholder and the D of N, Pam Twilleger. Say what you will about small towns, but it's nice to know people that are going to be by your side during such a time!

Jerrad got there shortly thereafter and hung out. He was really clueless as to what to do. To be quite honest, so was I! So we watched a little TV, then Dr. Bill came in and was talking to us. He hung out a while and by this time the contractions were coming on harder.

Jerrad and I walked around for a while. Then went back and I got in bed. It was then that I started vomiting. I was getting my IV antibiotics (for my group B strep) and I figured I might need something IV for the pain. It seemed to ease for a bit but not much. Doc started me off slow on that and as we were working up I vomited a couple more times. Then I got to a 4. At a 4, Dr. Bill will start para cervical blocks which involves a HUGE needle. Now I'm no fan of needles, but it was going to help so I could handle that.

After the first block, I slept for an hour! It was great! When that wore off about an hour and a half later, he did another one. It worked well also. Not enough to sleep, but still a major help. When that one wore off in another hour and a half, I got a third one. I got that one when I was at a 7 and it didn't seem to work at all. Then thirty minutes later we tried another. That one was tricky as I started getting the leg shakes. Same story. As we were waiting for the fourth block to possibly start working, he checked me and said, "She's complete! Let's go!"

So they unlocked the brakes on the bed and wheeled me into delivery. I was really shocked that I went so quickly! We got into the delivery room and Dr. Bill briefed Jerrad and I on what was going to happen then we got down to business.

We got into delivery at 2:20 A.M. As she was crowning, Dr. Bill said, "Look at all that hair! If it's a boy, he'll need a hair cut tomorrow!" Then Pam started raving about all the hair. I asked if it was dark and they told me it was light colored. I was so happy to possibly get a little toe head!

I don't remember much pain during delivery. I don't know if the blocks were kicking in just right or what, but the worst part was the pain in my hips from my knees being up by my head! The rest was enormous pressure, which was exactly what Dr. Bill told me it would be.

I was growing weary of pushing and pushing with seemingly no results and Dr. Bill could tell. He asked me if I wanted to feel the head. I had heard of people doing this and finding the strength to go on, and I figured I would do the same thing. However, at the moment I thought to myself, "How dumb! Feeling a nasty slimy head isn't going to make it come out any faster or easier!" So I said no. I just wanted it to be over!

I got the head out and we were working on the shoulders. Just as her shoulders and ribs came out she let out a HUGE cry! Dr. Bill said, "You're not even born yet and you're screaming!" It was so awesome to see her head and shoulders. I was looking in wonder and all of the sudden the rest of her just came on out at 3:09 A.M.! 11 hours from water breaking to delivery. Not too shabby!

Jerrad had said a while back that if he was going to cut the cord, he wanted to use his pocket knife. We talked to Dr. Bill about it and he said that was fine. He sharpened it really well Wednesday night and Shannon ran it through the sterilizing machine while I was in labor. The nurses were kind of shocked at the "butcher knife" in the delivery room. Dr. Bill got the cord ready for him and Brooke grabbed the camera. After he cut it, Dr. Bill said, "Whoa! That is sharp!" Jerrad was pretty proud of himself!

It wasn't until this point that I finally asked, "Is it a girl or a boy?" They chuckled because most people already know! Dr. Bill told me that it was a girl! I was so excited because I absolutely love the name we picked for a girl!

I had a slight tear so Dr. Bill gave me a stitch. I swear that hurt more than delivery!

Pam started getting her cleaned up and weighed. I delivered the placenta with no problems. I was finally able to rest for a bit. Dr. Bill got her wrapped up and told Brooke to get the camera for a family picture. The blanket she was wrapped in was the same blanket that is in every hospital in the world! It's also the one that Keagen is wrapped in for the "portrait" we have of him. Trina and I were talking the night before about that. She mentioned that she is bringing her own receiving blankets to the hospital when their little one is born. I had mentioned this in coffee that morning at work so Dr. Bill knew the story. We were still a little unsure if I would do the same. I had Jerrad pick up a couple at the house when he was packing our hospital bag just in case. I saw him start wrapping my baby in that blanket and I made up my mind! That blanket has the connotation of death to it and I couldn't stand to see my baby wrapped in it! I asked if we could get a different blanket for the picture and Dr. Bill said, "Yah! Go ahead! I hate those things anyway!"

So Jerrad ran and got our bag and I grabbed a blanket out of it, then we took our picture! Then they wheeled us into the post partum room. As Pam was cleaning me up, Brooke was showing Jerrad how to swaddle Aspen. I saw them just as he said, "Oh, like a little burrito!" =)

Jerrad was really great during all of it. He was really quiet, but I'd so much rather have that than an overbearing know-it-all! He was really good at making sure I was breathing through contractions. They take 40% of the uterus' oxygen away each time, so we knew it was imperative that I breathe. He comforted without being in my face. He was just the right balance! Oh, I love him!

And her!!

Aspen Adelle Banning
December 4, 2009
3:09 A.M.
7 lbs. 1 oz.
19 1/2 inches

Thanksgiving 2009

Wow - What a whirlwind week we weathered! On Tuesday evening we left for Dumas and arrived at my MeeMee's house. We got all 13 of us bedded down for the night in MeeMee's house. spread amongst beds, air mattresses and couches.

On Wednesday All of the others went to tour a dairy while Jerrad and I went to Amarillo to go pickup shopping. We were about to give up when we met up with an unfortunate blessing at Texas Dodge. THE pickup Jerrad wanted was there. He said he wanted to test drive it but the salesman showed him a few other pickups first. Then he went in to get the key for THE pickup and came out with some shocking news. It was gone. They had just wholesaled it to a dealership in Lubbock and it was on its way to Lubbock right then. Just 5 minutes after Jerrad said he wanted to test drive it. They said they could get the guy to turn around with it only if we agreed to buy it. But we could buy it for the wholesale price that the other dealership had agreed to.

So we went and ate dinner and discussed it. I was STARVING and Red Robin was just down the frontage road... it was a sign from God! So we agreed that this seemed to be a great deal and exactly what Jerrad was looking for. I hadn't even seen the pickup because I was taking a nap while he was shopping!

Then we went back to the dealership and told them we wanted that pickup and to turn it around. So while the guy was driving back with our pickup we filled out all of the paperwork. We bought the pickup without test driving it and without me even seeing it. But it is great and Jerrad really likes it! I don't have pictures because I just really haven't gotten to it. And most of the time it's in our driveway, it's already dark outside

That took most of our day Wednesday so we decided to extend our stay in Dumas until Friday afternoon sometime.

Thursday started out kind of early. The guys went out shooting and the women started on the meal. It was a long HOT morning. I ended up having to get a pan from WalMart so my lil cousin, Jessica, and I got out of the house for a bit. That was a much needed break! When we got back I got the rest of my rolls done and rising. It was hot enough in the house we could've put them in the refrigerator and they would've been fine!

We got the rest of the meal done and on the table when the heat, stress, exhaustion and high emotions mixed with a few hormones (wherever those came from) overwhelmed me. Let's just say I spent Thanksgiving dinner in the bathroom liquefying my mascara and sweating to death. Then realizing how much I hadn't slept since we got there, I went to bed for a bit. Didn't sleep but I rested well.

Later on we went to visit some of my mom's family that I hadn't seen in way too long! We had a nice visit in their cool (temperature and style) house and watched the Cowboys game. When we got back to MeeMee's the women devised a Black Friday plan. Since we were sticking around Friday to spend time with family I figured it'd be best to stick with them in whatever they were doing.

Friday morning I woke up at 3:15 and we were out the door by 4:00 on our way to Amarillo. Bryant, Shayla, Mary, Suzy and me! WalMart and Target were a mess and pretty much pointless. You had to get there long before the sale in order to take advantage of the sale. That would've meant just staying up Thursday evening and staying the night in WalMart. Knowing how much I enjoy WM, you can tell what I would've done =)

I did, however, manage to pick up the last glider rocker at Babies R Us for 1/2 off! So now we have a crib and a rocker! That was my only "Black Friday" purchase. The rest was "Ooooh, I love that scarf!" and "Oh yah, we need cereal." and "We've been wanting to see that movie." I got some Tech onesies at Academy and a fleece camo outfit as well. But mostly got some great time with family!

I can't brag on Bryant enough for how he treated all of us like queens, carting us women around Amarillo on the craziest day of the year. He only got mad once, and it was at a guy he THOUGHT was parking in the "Expectant Mothers" stall at BRU without an expectant mother. We had to check for some sort of vandalism when we got back out to the car!

So what am I thankful for this year? I had thought about this before we left just in case we had to go around the table like in the old days. I have so much to be thankful for this year. I have a healthy baby inside of me. I have had a very smooth pregnancy. I have a family that loves me, even my in laws! I have a sister in law that has turned into a best friend. I'm thankful for my aunts that sneak in to check on me when I have a meltdown on Thanksgiving Day and know that they aren't overstepping their boundaries when they do. I have great cousins that are always fun to be around. I have an awesome cousin who is TOO awesome to spend Thanksgiving with us because she is in Korea. A job and boss that have made it possible for us to feel free to live and go on with our life and not feel oppressed. A church that loves us and that we get to encourage each time we are there. And a loving God who has blessed me with all of this and soooo much more!

But what I am thankful for the most this year is my husband. He is patient with me. He has stepped up so much since we decided to have kids. He protects not just me, but our family. When I don't see that we need protecting, he does and protects anyway. He loves me... ME! A girl that has had to learn so much about being a woman and wife worth loving. Is it always paradise... Ha! Nope! But we have built our relationship by leaps and bounds in the last 6 1/2 years we have been together. I cherish the times that we had before children and anxiously anticipate what times are to come with our children. This man is mine forever and I wouldn't have it any other way!