Blessing Day

   We gave Sawyer a name and a blessing on Sunday, May 6th, 2012 in the Cypress 5th ward.  What an amazing day it was for our whole family!  Jeff did such an amazing job, and Sawyer was actually quiet the whole time! I was so grateful that so many people came and supported us- the Sorenson's even drove down to be there from St. George, Utah!  I look at each one of the men who stood in that priesthood circle and know without a doubt that they will always love and look after my son. What a sweet blessing as his mother to know that he has worthy men to guide him through this crazy life and be examples for him.  Thank you to everyone who made this day such a special and sacred one for us!
P.S. It was also Jeff and I's 6th wedding anniversary that day- pretty cool :)

Sawyer Kenneth Goodwin

Dear Sawyer,
   WOW! Mom has definitely let time slip by since posting anything! But before too much more time passes, I really wanted to introduce you to everyone and recount just a few moments in how you made your entrance into the world.
   You were born on Tuesday, March 27th, 2012 at 11:24pm. You were 7lbs., 12oz., and were 19.5in. long.  Mom had been having really bad contractions for almost a week before you came.  In fact, Mommy and Daddy even went to the hospital on Thursday, March 22nd thinking you were going to arrive then - no such luck! The doctors sent us home to wait some more.  Monday night rolled around and Mommy was feeling really sick to her tummy and had a bad headache.  Daddy tested Mommy's blood pressure and it was pretty high so off to the hospital we went again. Mommy thought for sure she would be sent home again, but Surprise! Mom was dilated to 3cm and we were admitted to the hospital to have you!  Words can't express how excited we were to finally meet you after all of these long months.  Mom was feeling pretty yucky so she got some medicine to make the contractions stop hurting. She also got some medicine to make her contractions come more frequently.  After just a few hours, Mommy's medicine stopped working and she felt all of those stinky contraction pains. Bummer! (However, you were totally worth every pain!) After lots and lots of hours of labor - more than 30, Mommy finally had to have a c-section.  She does not really remember much leading up to the surgery because she was really tired and hurt but Daddy never left her side and took great care of her. 
   Once in the operating room, things went really fast.  Unfortunately, Mommy could feel the doctor starting her surgery so she had to be put to sleep completely so you could be born.  Daddy saw you be born and he was sooo happy! You had kind of a hard time breathing at first and were purple. You scared Dad pretty bad! Soon you were breathing on your own, but you were breathing too fast, then too slow.  You had some tubes put in your mouth and nose and got an i.v. put in your hand.  You had to go to the NICU where some really wonderful doctors and nurses were there to take special care of you.
You quickly became every nurses favorite baby to take care of!
   Mommy had kind of a rough time with her surgery and did not get to see or meet you til Wednesday afternoon.  As soon as Mommy woke up from surgery though, Daddy showed her your picture. You were the most amazing and beautiful baby Mommy had ever seen! She cried alot looking at your picture!  One of the happiest and most sacred moments of Mommy's life was getting to see and hold you for the very first time.  You melted and captured my heart forever that very moment Sawyer. Because Mommy has diabetes the doctors wanted to keep an extra close eye on you to make sure you were healthy.  Mommy had to leave the hospital a few days before you did and that was the hardest thing she has ever had to do! But know that we were by your side around the clock and when we could not be there with you, you had heavenly angels watching over you - as well as some awesome nurses!
   We brought you home from the hospital on Monday, April 2nd.  Truly life has not been the same since!  You have brought so much joy, happiness, and LOVE to Mommy and Daddy already.  You have quite a little temper and not so much patience right now. You can get mad pretty darn quick! Your favorite time to be awake is in the middle of the night.  You love to eat and you love to smile.  Your smile is the cutest thing ever!!  You like to grunt and make lots of noises when you sleep- it is pretty funny!  So far, you have the most incredible dark blue eyes and reddish hair.  Mommy and Daddy hope you keep both forever!  You are truly a blessing to us and we love you more than we ever thought was possible.  We are treasuring every single moment because they are going soooo fast! You are already so much bigger than when you were born!  We are so glad you came to our family.  We are an eternal family and will be together forever.  That is the best blessing Mommy and Daddy could ever have. Welcome to our family Sawyer. We are so happy you are finally here!!!

That's my boy!!!

A few weeks ago Jeff and I went and did 4D ultrasounds. What an awesome experience! For any of you expecting moms, I highly recommend it! I felt like seeing him in this light made him so much more real. It was a humbling experience and one I won't forget. We are anxiously awaiting his arrival and can't believe the time is fast approaching. Soon the days of just being a couple will be gone, and now we will be a "family." Not that the two of us weren't family before, now it will just be different - and bigger! We can't hardly wait!! And the bias mother in me is already coming out - cuz I think he is already pretty darn cute!! :)

Here we come 2012...

I can hardly believe that another year has ended! I feel like I have been pregnant forever! April seems so far away at times(like when I get winded after walking for 10 minutes, when I need help tying my shoes some mornings...) and yet, at other times I feel like this little guy will be here before I know it. Since my last post we have definitely felt him move. It is pretty cool. The first night it happened I was half asleep and ended up waking Jeff and then not going to bed almost the rest of the night hoping he would move again- he did not! He is quite the mellow baby so far. He likes to stay curled in a ball holding on to both of his feet. I have had at least 6 ultrasounds and he is always in this same position. I am not sure whether to count my blessing that he stays so calm and isn't kicking the life out of me or continue to stress out when I go almost a whole day without feeling him. More than likely I will do both! ;) Important thing is, he is super healthy and right on track. My doctor is very pleased with his growth and progress so I will try and stay calm. Hahaha! Easier said than done! I am really grateful for the opportunity to be pregnant and share this experience with the love of my life. I am not going to lie though, sometimes it is really weird as well. When I sit and truly contemplate the fact that I am growing another human being inside of me, it's well, strange! I wonder things like how can he stay upside down for hours or days on end without getting a headrush? Is he going to have webbed toes like me? Am I really going to be able to make til the end of this pregnancy without ripping in two(some days I have my doubts!)? All normal thoughts I am sure. Most of all, I am excited to be a mom and watch Jeff be a dad. I know it is going to be a heck of a ride :)

Some other fun events recently were of course Christmas and visits from family! Jeff and Amy and the kids were out here this year and we had such a wonderful time! Their visits always seem to be way to short and go way too fast! We finally got to meet their newest addition and he is a doll! Our Christmas gift to all my siblings and their significant others was a trip to Medival Times. We had a blast and I am so glad we all got to go together. A big thanks to Mom and Dad for volunteering to babysit all the kiddos. I think they had fun too :) We got to talk to Justin Christmas day and he is loving the Dominican Republic. It was soooo great to talk to him, but it also reminded me how much I miss him!

So here is to a fun, exciting, adventurous new year! Can't wait to see what happens....!!

It's a...

BOY!! Jeff and I are so stinkin excited and happy to finally know what this little guy is! I have to admit we were both kind of surprised when we saw the ultrasound Monday. But there was no doubt to us, or anyone else for that matter, that a little boy is baking inside of me :)

I still feel really good and never did end up getting sick which is such a blessing! I am patiently, or not so patiently I should say, waiting to feel him move. So far, he seems to be hiding. He kept putting his arms and hands in front of his face and chest. So cute to watch from his mother's perspective, not so cute to the doctor who was trying to take measurements of his heart! What can I say? He must have some stubborn Skinner genes in him :)

I am so blown away by modern technology! It is incredible all of the things modern medicine can do nowadays. Just having ultrasounds is such a miracle. I saw my son making fists, rolling over, opening and closing his mouth, and got to see the blood moving through his heart! So cool, and so amazing! I am so grateful that he is so healthy and that he is growing and doing everything that he should be doing. I bet he won't be like forever!

SO BLESSED!

Yes, the rumors are true! We are expecting our first baby! My heart is so full and at times, I still want to pinch myself because it doesn't seem real. Words fail me. I am humbled, grateful, shocked, so in love already....For a really long time, I wasn't even sure I would ever be able to have a baby. Heavenly Father has truly blessed us more than I can imagine. Already I have seen the miracles occurring in our and our baby's lives. The journey is not going to be easy, but I know I will have tons of help along the way. I feel the Spirit so strong and know that it is power beyond my own that my blood sugars have been as great as they have and that I have not had to deal with any of the bummer side effects alot of pregnant women do. I feel great and haven't been sick once so far. A true miracle and blessing! Jeff and I are so amazed that we get the opportunity to be parents to one of our Father in Heaven's spirits. We are SO BLESSED and SO EXCITED!!

Another adventure in life...

Today I embark on another adventure in dealing with my diabetes. I am usually not one to talk about my diabetes a whole lot- not because I am embarrassed or shy or like to pretend it's not there ( believe me, I KNOW it's there every moment of my life :) ; it's just that I try really hard for people to know who I am. There is more to me than diabetes.

So anywho, this past week I got a new toy called a Continuous Glucose Monitor. Now in addition to my insulin pump which is connected to my 24/7, I also have a sensor which monitors my blood sugar non-stop. There are obvious upsides to having such a device. Now instead of poking my finger 10-12 times a day, I only have to do it 2! My fingers are singing this things praises for sure! I am constantly alerted if my blood sugar is moving out of my target range and it lets me know if I am heading for a reaction- aka- really low blood sugar. Now, the downsides- I have to wear another big sticky piece of tape with a transmitter stuck in it. It stays on for a continuous week at which time you have to insert another one. I don't know about you, but being only 5 feet tall, I have limited skin real estate. We will see how this goes! Another kinda bummer thing is that I have another bulky monitor clipped to my pants. Can't wait for all the random questions I will get about that! And last but not least, my self-esteem took a temporary hit. I seriously feel like a walking medical equipment advertisement. However, I have the most amazing husband ever who quickly reassured me that he thinks I am beautiful- no matter how many pieces of plastic and wire are both in me, and hooked to the outside of me. :)

I know that to have the longest and best quality of life, diabetes is something I have to work at every single day. I want to grow old with my hubby and family and not from a wheel chair, being blind and legless. I am grateful to live at a time where Heavenly Father has blessed people with the abilities and talents to create such products, because though at times they are inconvenient, they do improve the quality of life for those of us dealing with this disease.