Claire Jane Thatcher

Our little one arrived on December 4th at 6:39. We were convinced it was a boy, so we really did get a surprise when she came out. She weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 21 inches long.

Here's the story:

We got a good dose of false labor this week. On Saturday night, Jen had regular contractions for 7 hours. So we called Grandma, who quickly came down from Cache Valley to get the girls. Paul canceled all his Sunday meetings, and we got ready to go to the hospital to deliver. That's when the contractions stopped! We had a quiet Sunday together, just sure we'd be going into the hospital any minute, but the contractions never started up again. So we got the girls back on Monday morning and went back to our routine life, preparing for the baby to come.

Then on Wednesday night, Jen had stronger contractions for a few hours, so we headed in to the hospital, excited and sure we wouldn't return without the baby. They admitted us, but then sent us home after an hour, saying that the contractions weren't putting me into labor. It was discouraging to drive back home at 5:00 am, after another sleepless night, especially since Jen's contractions were even more painful than before. We wondered if we'd really know when it was the right time to head to the hospital. Even though the contractions continued all day Thursday, we were able to sleep well that night, and then head into LDS hospital Friday morning to be induced.

During labor, it was uncanny how everything that could go wrong did. Jen had to get 4 IVs and 4 epidurals (none of which worked!), and then delivered completely natural. The baby came so fast that the Doctor almost didn't make it back for the delivery. She had to leave another delivery and made it just a minute before the baby came. We were so grateful that the baby came safely and that Jen survived the unexpectedly difficult labor.

We enjoyed a few hours just holding our darling little girl, feeling so grateful she was healthy and safe. That night though, a nurse popped her head into our room, and told us that they had sent Claire into the "Special Care Nursery" to monitor her more carefully because she had not been breathing correctly on her own. Then a few hours later, a Dr. came in to our room to talk to us about his concerns with Claire's behavior. They began antibiotics and tests, trying to find out why she would be struggling to breathe at times.

We've had to stay at the hospital a couple days longer to do these tests, but we haven't felt worried or concerned. Claire seems to be healthy, and we are hopeful that everything will be fine. But seeing her covered with monitors and IVs, and hearing all the possible problems she could have, has helped us empathize with others who have had children in the hospital. We thought we'd be able to go home this morning, but we had a talk with the Dr. and it looks like 2 more days here at least. This was disappointing, but we're trying to look at the positive side of things.

Millie and Gracie have been happy at Grandma and Grandpa's but they can't wait to meet their little sister. They have been patient as the plan to go home and see the baby tomorrow keeps being pushed back a day. Every time we talk to Millie, she asks us if we are holding the baby. She has asked a couple times for us to send a picture of the baby coming out of mommy's tummy. She wants to know how that works, and since we haven't really answered her question, she would like a picture of it. Well, needless to say, none of those! But here are some pics of our darling girl!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Babysitting Co-op
This was something I learned about when visiting my brother's family in NM. They told me all about their babysitting co-op and I got so excited about it that I took the initiative and started it up with a few friends in the neighborhood. It's grown to involve about 14 families, and more can still join. We're doing it a little differently than they did it in NM, but the basic idea is the same.

This is how it works:
Every family who joins the co-op, receives 10 blue coupons that are each good for 1 child for 1 hour of babysitting. So if they need 2 kids to be babysat for 2 hours, they will "pay" 4 coupons. Then, we also have 1 yellow "weekend date night" coupon that is good for the entire family for 3-4 hours on a weekend night. This makes it fair so that every time you babysit on a weekend night, you get a chance to get out the next time.

If someone needs a babysitter, they just email the entire group asking who can do it, and usually within a few hours, they have a willing sitter. There are no obligations, other than when you volunteer to watch someone's kids.

My favorite things about it:

• we save money from not paying babysitters
• we have always been able to find a babysitter when we've needed one
• it eliminates the awkward phone call to a friend or neighbor when I need their help
• it's even better than trading babysitting with one family because you don't have to keep track of who owes who, and you don't have to work around both family's schedules
  

So, if anyone in my neighborhood reads this and wants to join, feel free! Just contact me. And if you want to create your own co-op in your neighborhood, I can give you some helpful information.


Dinner Group
I've been hearing about this from another sister-in-law for awhile, so I don't know why it took me so long to get one going. We have 3 families in the group, and so we each take a night each week to make dinner for the other 2 families (the dinner includes the main dish and two sides). We make up a calendar ahead of time to make sure that we get variety each week. It makes for 2 blissful evenings when dinner arrives at our door, hot and ready to eat. Not to mention that our dishes after dinner are quick and easy. Then we have one day a week when I spend a lot of the day in the kitchen, and at about 5:00 I'm a little stressed, trying to get dinner ready on time for three families. On that night, we have a lot more kitchen clean-up, and I'm exhausted. But the pros far outweigh the cons. And I've found that it's become easier the more I've done it.

What I love about our dinner group:

• I personally enjoy the food more when I didn't spend the time preparing it
• The nights we get dinner brought to us, I don't have to think about dinner, and I can spend my late afternoon doing other things
• There is less time that I feel like I'm neglecting my kids while I prepare dinner
• We eat better (more variety, well-balanced meals, and more desserts!)
• I'm finding new meals ideas and recipes from my friends' meals
  
• Our monthly grocery spending has gone down
• I am more motivated and get more enjoyment out of cooking the one meal, knowing that my friends' families will be getting it too
  

Price Matching at Wal-mart
I may have already written about this on our blog, but since it's still one of my favorite things, I'll write about it again. We save SO much money each month on groceries by only buying what's really on sale, and buying enough to stock up for awhile. I get the sale details from a website www.dealstomeals.com, where they have it organized so well that I can quickly make my list of all the sale items from every store around. Then I head to Wal-mart. It took me a lot longer at first, but it's getting easier and faster each time. Sometimes I can't find the right item to match the sales, but most of the time I can. I leave the store each week with a huge grin, knowing I just saved a LOT of money!

To give an example of the deals I've been getting, I only buy grapes for $0.99/lb, sour cream and cottage cheese for $1.00, yogurt for $0.33 or less, cheese when it's $3.99 for 2 lbs., sausage when it's $1.00, pre-made salads for $1.00, ice cream for $1.00 and cereal for $1.50 or less. Then often, I'll get crazy deals, like a cucumber for 0.20, a pineapple for $2, Fuji apples for $0.33/lb, bakery fresh french bread for $0.50, kiwis for $0.20 each, etc.

I love that it's easy and doesn't have to involve any coupons. I love that I go to ONE store, instead of running around town from store to store, only to find that the sale items are gone. And I'm surprised how easy it is--you don't have to show the adds and most of the time, they don't even ask what store is having the sale. They trust your word, and this takes away a lot of the stress. In the end, it benefits Wal-mart too, because they are still getting my business, and I end up buying some other non-sale items from them each time as well.

Keeping the Love Alive

When we got married, Elder Featherstone counseled us to continue "courting" each other, with love notes, small acts of service, etc. Even the small things can mean so much. Thanks, Paul!

A Lazy Sunday Evening

We have to enjoy the good weather while we have it! There's nothing like an evening outside with our dad!


The dolly comes outside too, of course!

Why do kids love being naked?
We finally convinced her to get dressed

What a sweet girl!
Who has discovered the game of "hit." Not only can she hit really well, but she can do it while holding her Becca.

What would life be like without Abby? The day is not complete if we haven't had a chance to play!

In Search of Autumn Leaves

For a recent Family Home Evening, we took our much-anticipated hike in the mountains to find beautiful leaves. We got off to a late start, and the sun went down too soon, so it ended up being a 10-minute hike. We agreed it was the perfect hike for us this year! We just love being together as a family!

Gathering the Courage

After an entire summer of us suggesting that Gracie try the slide, she finally overcame that fear! And of course, she did it by herself. One thing you must know about Grace: She does what she wants to do when she wants to do it.

"I so brave!"

Halloween Happenings

Wheeler Farm & Pumpkin Patch
Grace got to dress herself. It was her lucky day! She got to wear her sunglasses and the coveted green skirt!! I've learned my lesson not to buy something just "for fun" because it might end up being worn almost everyday. But I have to admit, there was something so cute about her combo that day! We just adore her!


The Hayride was a blast!


Who would have guessed that the kids would be so entertained in a pumpkin patch? We could have spent an hour there, just running from pumpkin to pumpkin, picking them up and then dropping them again!

Making the Best out of a Bump
Our porch was pumpkinless for most of October (probably because I didn't want to lift one more heavy thing at the store), so we were glad when our nice neighbors gave us this pumpkin that they got from their uncle's garden. But I kind of got the feeling that it was the one nobody wanted (who wants a strange growth on their pumpkin?). If the gardener could see this now, I'm sure he'd be wanting it back! What personality, without a minute of carving!

Halloween Costumes

Yorgason Family Halloween Party

Joyschool Halloween Party

The "Nesting Stage"

5 weeks to go! The due date is December 6th.


I feel HUGE! I'm already bigger than I've been when I delivered the girls (my OB confirmed my suspicions!). I'm so glad this baby is coming out soon! I'm a little more anxious than I've been in the past, so I really wouldn't mind if he or she came early. Lately, the baby has been pushing up against my ribs and it's been really painful. I don't think I could endure this for another month. At this point of discomfort, I have to remind myself how blessed I am to be able to get pregnant, and how excited we are to have another child. We can't wait to meet this baby!

Every pregnancy, I have major goals to finish things before the baby comes. But I think this time, it's been more extreme. I started earlier (as soon as I knew I was pregnant, I started thinking of all the things we need to do before we have three kids--but then morning sickness hit, and I was out of commission for awhile), and I'm hoping my energy and motivation will last up until the day before the baby comes.

So, here's what we've done to our "nest":

Decorated the Basement and Millie's Room

We found the bookshelf on KSL for $50 and painted it. The lanterns were $5 at a garage sale! And I finally forced myself to get some things up on the walls. Even though I LOVE to decorate, I have the hardest time doing it in our own home!


Millie's bedroom should have been decorated a long time ago, and now that it's finally looking "done", we may have to change it into a boy room! Maybe this is one reason why I don't want to know what we're having yet!



Organized the Closets/Drawers/Cupboards

I was inspired to do this after visiting Dave and Holly in NM. They gave me new meaning to being organized. I realized what a mess I was in, and I had a vision of how I could fix it. Thanks, Holly! I love having "a place for everything and everything in its place." I think it makes it easier to keep a clean house.



More Food Storage Space

Our unfinished basement bathroom is now officially a food storage room. It's so nice to have more shelf space. I think this is my favorite room of our entire house!

(before)
(after)


Organized the Garage

There is nothing like a clean garage! For some reason, we get it clean and then a few months later, it desperately needs another big cleaning. But it always feels good when it's done.

I don't know why it took us so long to discover that this area of the garage was PERFECT for shelves! Paul is such a "handy-man!" He always impresses me with his shelf-making.



New Transportation

With the baby coming, it was time to make the plunge into being a minivan family. We looked around a lot, and test-drove some really nice vans. But in the end, we went with something more affordable. Dave Ramsey's "financial peace" principles have really sunk in. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked the van, but we were sure we liked not having a car payment. Now, we really like the van too! It's been surprisingly fun to drive a mini-van.

Good-bye "Blackie"

Hello Minivan!

Millie's in Preschool!

I can't believe Millie's old enough to go to preschool! Sometimes it feels like yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital. She goes to "Miss Kristi's" school called "Oceans of Learning" while mommy and Gracie play with Brooklyn (the teacher's daughter). This works out great to have a friend come home with us, because Grace gets sad to leave Millie behind.

Miss Kristi says that Millie is one of her best singers in the class. Millie is growing up so fast and loves to learn! We're so glad to have her in this great preschool. Millie already knows more about bees than I do!