Wednesday, December 31, 2014

2014 for the bodtchers

-Jeremy traded in his white scrubs for a couple of rough weeks of unemployment, before we were blessed with his new job with Envision Home Health and Hospice.
-I gave palliative care to two patients before their deaths, and really decided this wasn't my field.
-Jeremy and I celebrated our fifth Valentine's Day at the temple.
-Amelia made many trips to Home Depot with Dad, which initiated her obsession with the place.
-I was released from my primary calling, and was called to be the Young Women Secretary.
-I finished the Salt Lake City Marathon, exhausted and burnt out. Unbeknownst to me, I was about 3 weeks pregnant.
-Amelia started talking more, understanding more, demanding more, and sleeping less.

-we remembered our Savior on Easter, and Amelia enjoyed her new airplane and egg-hunting at Grandma's.

-I peed on a stick and saw two beautiful lines on Mother's Day. Best Mother's Day ever.
-Jeremy turned 30, and we celebrated with a surprise party with his family.

-we went to Yellowstone for Memorial Day weekend, got away for the first time since Amelia was 4 months old!

-we threw our darling two year old a pirate party for her birthday!
-we finished our basement and signed a one year lease with our renters.
-we got a piece of paper telling us we own both our vehicles.
-we celebrated Father's Day by sleeping in and announcing our pregnancies to our family!
-I interviewed and got a job offer to the IMC Maternity unit.
-Amelia and Bosten took swimming lessons together again for the summer.
-I joined a Ragnar team last minute, ran all three legs, slept uncomfortably in a van, dry heaved a bunch, got a medal and a couple of souvenirs. It was a great experience!
-We celebrated Independence Day faithfully with tradition, and told the whole world we were expecting a baby in December.
-I went to girl's camp with the young women of our ward, and we truly discovered how to Come unto Christ.
-I interviewed and got a job offer to the U's Labor and Delivery unit. I never want to forget how good it felt to know that such a prestigious place wanted me, and I never want to forget how important being a mom is and how important my influence in the home is.

-I started consistently throwing up 2, 3, 4, too many times to count daily and seriously relied on Jeremy throughout my second and third trimester.

-we found out the sex of the baby, and I started dreaming up matching dresses for my girls!

-we fed the ducks of Daybreak Lake often this summer, and Jeremy taught Amelia how to put her arm to good use!

-I ran/walked a half marathon for pioneer day, and we celebrated the evening with the Bodtchers!
-Amelia started preschool at Daybreak Academy and her personality bloomed and vocabulary expanded.
-we went to the Ogden Temple open house before it's re-dedication, and Amelia bellowed out "I love to see the Temple" the entire tour.
-our sleigh bed broke, and Jeremy helped me make a new headboard.
-I finished up orientation and started flying solo as a maternity nurse. It truly is my dream job.

-we went canoeing on Daybreak Lake like 2 minutes before they shut down for Labor Day.

-Amelia found the courage to go the "big slide" by herself, and has never looked back!
-we switched Amelia to a toddler bed because she kept climbing out of her crib. It was followed by probably one of the hardest week of parenthood.
-Jeremy and I celebrated four years of marriage and reminisced how far we have come.
-Amelia brought home her set of school pictures and I about died.
-we went to several pumpkin patches as a family and picked out a perfect little pumpkin at each patch.

-Jeremy sold his final fish tank and solid wood desk so we could transform the office into our new nursery.


-we strolled around the car show on Soda Row and Amelia still asks about it.
-Jeremy repainted our family room and kitchen. And when I say repainted, I mean fixed all the bumps, mudded the holes, sanded them down twice, taped off the ceiling with exceptional care, and retouched the whole place.

-Melissa Jane took our family pictures by Silver Lake and I teared up thinking about the change that will happen by our family pictures next year.

-I threw my first shower for my friend Courtney and baby Harrison. I thought it was a success and I loved that so many women from our ward came to shower her.
-we celebrated my 23rd birthday at Cornbelly's, and I felt truly loved with all my phone calls that day.
-we were Hedwig and Harry Potter characters for Halloween and loved celebrating all week long!
-the combined Young Women and Young Men planned our ward Halloween party, which I considered a slamming success in my books!
-I helped plan and host Young Women in Excellence for the beautiful young ladies in our ward.
-Amelia had her first dentist appointment with Dr. Cottam, and kept giving him her suspicious eyebrows.
-we celebrated Thanksgiving with both families and were thankful for our blessings.
-we planned for all of our Christmas traditions in December, unsure when baby Scarlett would make her debut. we managed to follow through on all including fotofly Santa, temple square, gingerbread houses, holiday treats for neighbors, and zoo lights.
-Jeremy and I celebrated five whole years together.
-we enjoyed Christmas week with our families.
-I finished my last shift as a full time employee on December 28th, exactly 40 weeks pregnant.

-we welcomed baby Scarlett on December 29th with full, grateful hearts. no better way to wrap up an amazing year!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

40

dear scarlett anne,

i get to meet you tomorrow
and i can't even begin to describe how excited i am.
you're so close to being in my arms,
my precious little newborn to be,
i can barely stand it.
i'm going to say a little prayer tonight
for everything to go perfectly
and for you to come safely.
and i probably won't sleep a wink.

can't wait to meet you,
mom


Thursday, December 25, 2014

christmas for the bodtchers

My favorite pictures from Christmas eve and day:









































We have the holidays figured out around here. Christmas eve dinner with my parents and Grandma Allred's party right after. Christmas morning with our little girl, off to the Bodtchers for brunch and presents, then to my parents for more food and more presents, usually to a movie while Millie girl naps, and finally to Grandma Jackson's before bedtime. It's pretty insane, but I love our Christmas celebrations. Who knew you could feel so much joy watching your babe on Christmas?

We were spoiled and got a white Christmas this year! It snowed probably once this whole winter season, and it didn't even stick. The tiny blizzard was definitely a cherry on top. Millie girl got a beautiful red kitchen from Santa, and was so so pleased Christmas morning. We got gifts of experience from our parents-- season zoo and aquarium passes, and went to see Exodus: Gods and Kings while Amelia passed out.

We ate more than we should have, and probably threw a few more tantrums than necessary. While Amelia was screaming on a drive, Jer and I looked at each other and I knew. Christmas music was playing in the background, and I just thought you are my best friend. Raising children is hilariously difficult sometimes, but I'm so glad I have my man holding my hand through this wild journey.

Hoping to meet baby Scarlett any day now, that bump of mine looks a little unnatural nowadays!
Hope you and yours had an amazing Christmas!
xo

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

39

Dear Scarlett,

I can't believe we made it to 39 weeks. I've been praying we'd make it this far, but it's also hard to believe we're actually here! In more dramatic terms, I'm more pregnant than I've ever been in my whole life! There are some moments that my body aches and I feel pretty miserable, but for the most part I'm grateful my body is you cooking so well. I'm definitely feeling better at the end of this pregnancy than I was with my last pregnancy, something I am so thankful for! We're inching close to Christmas Day, and I'm feeling at peace that you will just sleep through the holidays for us! Dr. Thackeray says my cervix is a 2+, maaaaaybe a 3 if he stretches, and that he'd be surprised if you came before Christmas; he guesses you're weighing just under 7 pounds right now, and says he's excited for your birthday! I'm feeling so blessed for this season and all the reminders it has given me about my eternal family. I know I am at a crossroads again, where the next moment will lead to my life being forever changed. I've been a little emotional this week, wondering how things will work out- of course it always does, but it feels strange to be in this moment right before the storm of surprise. I hope we can good earthly parents, teach you all that must know, to live with Him again. I hope you know how much I value this responsibility to be your mother. I hope you will always know and remember the love we have for you, even when we're not perfect. I hope you never forget who you are, and why you came to us. You are a sweet little miracle of love and my heart is pounding as I count down this last week until you join our family!

Love you so,
Mom