Pictures

Last week I got Canden's newborn and Araleigh's pictures taken. We went to Katie Wells and she did a great job. She was really good with Canden and keeping him asleep. Anyways , here are some of my favorites! I am trying to get together a new page for the blog. . . we will see if I pull it off.

Baby Shower/Open House

I need addresses for everyone that would like an invite to Canden's Open House. WE are doing it July 16th (after the 4th festivities and some traveling that will be going on this is the only time to do it!) ANYWHO--- please email me or comment your addresses if you would like to come meet him! It's going to be very casual--- not really a game party more like visiting and munching on my baby and some yummy treats! Let me know ASAP we gotta get them out to you!

Happy Late Fathers Day

HAPPY LATE FATHERS DAY!!!!!!

So I KNOW that I posted on Fathers Day . . . nothing about Fathers. HAHA how retarded am I? I had so many other things on my mind late that night that I wanted to get everything in! and completely forgot to post on the Dads in my life. WOW. Pretty pathetic! Anyways, so this is for my blog book: I am so grateful for the Fathers in my life. My family is lucky to have such loving and good men in it. I cannot believe the examples that they all are too us. Between my dad, Cory's Dad, and Cory --- my children are very lucky! They are truly good men all with good intentions and faith that will get us through this life. Thank you for being such great dads, husbands, and grandfathers to us and our kids .... and being great examples and upholding the Priesthood that we know to be true. Happy Fathers Day! We love you!

*** The first picture is Cory, Araleigh and Canden . . their 1st picture together.
*** The second is the 3 generations of James C. Arnold
*** The third was taken last summer with Grandpa Kent and the kids having fun at the school.

Life as a mother of two . . .

WOW. Is the word. It has been exactly ONE WEEK today since my little man was born. I cannot believe it. He is such a good baby . . . he sleeps all the time and eats every 2-3 hours. Did I mention my boobs are about to explode? (Sorry if thats TMI). WOW . . . I COMPLETELY forgot how painful breastfeeding is. Its like I am in pain when even talking about. Hopefully I can push through this hard couple weeks . . . but HOLY COW----- I have literally become one (a cow that is!) Thank goodness for cabbage leaves! It's kind of interesting how you carry a baby for 9 months--- incubate it, nourish it, protect it . . . and suffer for it. Then BAM they are born-- wonderful and cute then your body changes from being an incubator to being a tool. The things women go through to bring life to the world. SO WORTH IT THOUGH!!

Anyways, things have actually been crazy here. I have been so grateful that Cory has been around to help with Araleigh. She has been acting out SO BAD. I cannot believe the tantrums that she throws. I knew it was coming--- but didn't know it was going to be this bad. I have tried to give her as much attention as possible . . . but for some reason its not working. Cory has been at his end a couple times trying to deal with the emotional tantrums she throws--- so we are clueless. I am glad that she hasn't resented me or the baby-- which I have heard happens. She loves Canden-- and is VERY protective of him. She comes and kisses him and talks to him all the time. . telling him how cute he is. She always wants to hold him and love on him. She will be a great big sister to him as he gets older. Now if we can only get through these rough times with her. She really has been hard to deal with and hard to stay patient with. I do have to say that I have been so grateful to Trenton and the family . . . Trent has taken Araleigh under his wing since we moved in here . . . and the last week him and his girlfriend have really helped out a lot with watching her. Friday they took her swimming. She LOVED it. It's ALL she has talked about. Then yesterday we went to a movie and Araleigh was so excited that Trent and Macall were watching her --- (she didn't know they weren't going swimming though and was pretty mad when they didn't) . So that has been a relief to have people around to give her attention too. As for me . . . I have been enjoying having this little one in our lives. I forgot how precious newborns are--- especially when they are your own. I have been trying to get off the meds because the cramping has been a little too much for me to handle but I think its getting better (I didn't have a Lortab today!) So hopefully recovery will happen fast . . . we will see though. My emotions are really running high though-- I seem to cry a lot. I am paranoid over Canden . . . like Araleigh around his soft spots (he has an extra one on the top of his head that the doctor said to be very careful with) SO . . I am a paranoid mess about it. Anyways. Little man is asleep and I need to get some shut eye before he wakes up again in 2 hours!

** Aren't my kids cute! Araleigh was dying to hold him and I finally let her. This is the first time by herself -- of course the arm of the chair was helping her hold him but she did very well!

Canden's Story . .

***Me waiting for the baby to come. Pretty sure this was before getting my epidural.

Alright, here it goes!

I was scheduled to be induced on Sunday, the 14th and was anticipating it. I have never been so nervous knowing that I was checking myself into the hospital to get this child out of me . . . pretty scary thought to be concentrating on for a week! Anyways, the hospital called me at like 10 pm the night before and I freaked thinking they were gonna cancel on me. Turns out there has been TONS of construction/remodeling going on there and it had been SO loud that it was disturbing many of the patients there. Well, they called and asked me if I wanted to reschedule at EIRMC if I could get in or if I wanted to just come in. Well, I had REALLY looked forward to this hospital since I had decided on it and had a hard time settling with rescheduling. So at 11 I called back and told them to expect me in the morning! I am SO glad I did! I didn't fall asleep until 1-2ish because of nerves and then woke up about 6 to get ready. We were down at the hospital at about 7:30 am. By the time we were admitted and all that fun stuff it was about 8:15. We were taken upstairs and taken straight to our room . . . which they were nice enough to make sure it was on the FAR end of the building away from the construction noise. The rooms were huge and just very comfortable. I dressed down and just kinda waited while they got me all hooked up to everything. She gave me my IV at about 8:30-- which didn't really hurt ... BUT the fluids and I have no idea what else (probably anxiety about it) made me almost pass out and I threw up my breakfast. Pleasant, I know! She then checked me and I was still at a tight 2 and 75% effaced. Anyways, she started my PIT around 9 and it was just a waiting game for a while. Well, I was just relaxing when all the sudden my doctor comes in at about 9:45 and broke my water . . . YOUCH! That was one of the most painful parts for me . . . that took me to a good 3 to which she said I could get my epidural at anytime. Well, since I hadn't really felt anything hard yet-- I opted to wait a while. They came a cranked up the pit a few times and by 10:30-11 I was DYING for my epidural. She had called it when noticing one of my bad contractions (it took the anesthesiologist about an hour to get there and be ready). So I knew I had to endure for a while. Anyways, I suffered for about an hour and a half of hard contractions that I want to forget! The doctor hadn't arrived with the epidural yet-- and so my nurse decided to give me some meds to take the edge off --- well, right after putting the stuff in my IV . . he walked in to do the epidural. haha. This was at noon. I had to sit there and get UNDIZZY from the meds put in the IV before I could concentrate on the epidural. The guy that gave it to me was incredible! I was SO nervous about it--- but I didn't feel a thing. Obviously there is that little sting of the anesthetic they put in before hand-- but that was nothing compared to the contractions. After it was all done-- I was the most relaxed I have ever felt in my life. Probably a combo of the drugs she gave me and the epidural. In fact for the next few hours I tried SO hard to sleep because I was SO relaxed--- but I couldn't BECAUSE I was so relaxed. I didn't know stuff could work SO well! I did get some rest-- just not a lot! Then the nurse checked me at about 12:30ish and I was at a 4-5 and 85% effaced. Then at about 2:45 we were talking about how it would be later in the evening before anything happend and my nurse came in to check me because of the babies patterns. Well, I was at a good 8-9 and she ran to call the doctor. Me: I couldn't feel a thing. I didn't have ANY pressure or ANY signs that I was close. All the sudden everything was getting wheeled in to set up and I was like---"uh whats going on". I was NOT ready----- the doctor got at the hospital by around 3 and it took 3 good contractions and he was here. As I stated before-- I couldn't feel ANYTHING. The nurses and my sister had to hold my legs and I just had to hope I was pushing right--- cuz I was seriously paralyzed from my back down. He came out and by 3:45 we had our first visitors. It was nuts. My epidural didn't wear off until around midnight--- so all the after math of massaging the uterus and that painful stuff-- I got to avoid because my epidural was too strong. It truly was a crazy and great experience. It made me know that I can do this again----- because of how smooth it went. We are so in love with out little man. He has been sooo good. Immediately he is a pro nurser. He came out chomping his lips-- and I think he is showing me how to do it properly. Although, I am currently enjoying the healing and cramping and SEVERELY sore breasts (I scream every time he latches about right now). I am so glad that he has caught on. We take him back for his 2 day checkup tomorrow and we will see how he has progressed.

He's Here!

James Canden Arnold
(he will go by only Canden though) was born today at 3:25 pm today. I will write more later on the delivery. It went SO smooth (except the hour and a half of hard contractions that I want to forget!) and it went SO fast. I do not know what I freaked out about. Next time I will know . . . this hospital has been great! Anyways he was 6 lbs 13 oz and 19.25 inches long. He's got quite a bit of hair--- and its a blonde/gray color-- alot like Araleigh's hair now. He is the cutest thing ever and we are so happy he has come into our family! More to come later . . . (I am totally wiped out, obviously)

* Araleigh isn't quite sure about the whole thing-- and she didn't want anything to do with him at first. My IV freaked her out so she wouldn't come near me . . . we FINALLY got her to come over for a picture while Cory held her-- and she went in for a kiss. It was sweet.

Goodbye 3 Hello 4

**My FINAL picture being pregnant (except probably in the hospital.) I am exactly 39 weeks.

Well, tonight is our last night as a family of three. How crazy is that? All day today I have been trying to take it in a little bit . . . spending time with Araleigh and trying not to get too frustrated with her. (Because of the reverse in potty training) Well, I have realized that I don't think it is her fault that she is wetting and just going in diapers now, again because I think the UTI has made it so she is wetting all the time-- uncontrollably. So I am trying to be as patient as possible. I am just trying to gear up for her reverting to acting like a baby and craving attention like she will probably next week. I got a phone call from the hospital tonight tell me that they currently have construction going on there and it's been loud. They gave me the option to switch hospitals and I decided to stick to it. I really hope things go well . . . I had already prepared myself and pre-registered at this hospital and I didn't know how I could switch hospitals at 9 pm the night before I go in . . . I probably wouldn't have been able to get into the other one. So I am just praying that things go smooth and it won't be too distracting. I was really looking forward to going to Mountain View with all the recent comments I've gotten from people's experience with the staff and anesthesiologist and ect. So I am just going to stick it through and hope that it won't be too loud and distracting. But I feel good now that I have decided so I am taking it as a good sign! I did get told that I get to be there an hour and half later . . . so at least that gives me more time to sleep (if I even get to that tonight!). So we are going in at 7:30 instead of 6 am. Cory is so excited he just keeps talking about it-- I am freaked out. I don't know why I get so worked up over these things especially because I have done this before --- but I absolutely HATE hospitals and even more so NEEDLES. Isn't that terrible that I am afraid more of the IV than the epidural --- only because I KNOW that I will be in pain WANTING the epidural when I get it . . . and the IV just hurts and gets things started-- I just hope they don't have to dig to find a vein. EEEEEK. Tonight I realized that Araleigh must sense something is coming because she has been acting out BIG time the last couple days and I found her with a binkie in her mouth talking like a baby tonight. Weird thing is---- HE ISN'T EVEN HERE YET. I expected that for when the baby came .... but not before. I am thinking that she kinda understands what is happening she seems to acknowledge it and has talked about it. We just hope things will go smoothly and the transition will be successful in the end. It is SO crazy how this time tomorrow night I will have a baby in my arms. I can't even fathum the idea. One day you are a mother of one . . . and 24 hours later- you are responsible for TWO. It's the craziest feeling. I am just really looking forward to meeting this little man and getting to know him myself--- aside from the kicks in the ribs, the pounding of the bladder and the nightly hiccups we have shared. Tomorrow I will finally get to see the features of our son, the color of his eyes, and the length of his hair (if any). I am really excited about that but it is truly surreal! I truly hope that I get an instant connection with him. You always wonder: will I love my second as I have loved my first? Because there is such a strong bond with Araleigh and anyone's first baby--- so thats always been a concern. But I have been corrected by many people that you will love them all the same----- a Mother's love is endless, it doesn't stop with one.

** This is our LAST picture together as Araleigh being a single child and me being a mom of one. How surreal.

Oop . . another LONG update!

Well this past weekend was a crazy one . . again. On Friday we took off to Driggs to get some firewood for a bombfire (which never happened). Anyways, we went up to the ranch that Cory used to work at and he was just dying to get Araleigh on a horse --- and surprisingly so was she. She is normally pretty scared of ALL animals . . . . but once Cory caught the horse he wanted (we had to go find them . . they were roaming on top of the hill) she was jumping and screaming to get out of the car and go over there. Me . . I am terrified of horses so I just hung back to be the recorder! Anyways, she LOVED it. She only rode for a little time but loved it so much. She is still talking about it and begs daddy to take her again. He was so proud that day-- apparently he was mad when he thought she might have my fear of horses. But she proved me wrong that day . . and he was so happy. Anyways, here are some pictures of the day and some video of her riding.

About a week ago I had my doctors appointment and Cory had Araleigh--- well as always Brock and him wanted to go golfing so they just brought her along. Apparently she loved it. And I promised them to get the pictures of her and their video on here! (They were thinking blog posts when filming.) Dad and Uncle Brock were so proud that she was playing along with them.
Anyways- Cory has been spending a lot of time with her . . . being more willing to take her with him and such. It's been a nice break for me to just relax and try and get as much done as possible before this baby comes next week.

The other day we were coming home from somewhere and Araleigh was asleep-- well we layed her on the couch and this is how she ended up sleeping. Quite the position. She didn't move from this position for like 45 minutes. It was crazy. I don't know how she slept like that. She must have been REAL tired. I had to post it though because I think its funny.

Araleigh has really been into princesses lately. I am not sure where she picked up on it or if I had been calling her a princess. Well, every Sunday she would want to wear her "Princess" dresses (any of the dresses she has she calls that.) Well, she has really been getting into it lately-- so I decided it was time to invest in some real play clothes. My mom and I went down and found some cute ones for pretty cheap at TJ Maxx. We got her the whole shebang! Crowns, jewelry, shoes, and of course the dresses. She wears them almost EVERY day now. The funny thing is that she twirls around in them--- but she ONLY twirls if her shoes are on too-- (which makes it more difficult but whatever!) She loves it. She will go talk to herself in the mirror and just prances around. I am glad she got a present before this baby comes! This picture isn't the best but it's all I could get of her. She was so busy playing and dancing that she wouldn't hold still for me to take a picture. So now if we refer to anything-- its only "what Princesses do". It's funny how little girls, usually, just jump right into their role as little moms to be. I love it!

On Saturday, June 6th it was quite the busy day. I had to itch to get out of the house - - - (especially with baby 2 coming next week). So my mom and I went to I.F. to do some shopping. I knew what I wanted to get right away . . we went to lunch and then to the mall. WOW. I forgot how TRULY exhausting it is to take kids to the mall. It was crazy. All of the sisters and their kids were their so it was one big mess and fight fest. I was sure worn out after we got out of there. Sad part is -- we only made it to TWO stores. Thats what ya get for taking the kiddies though! Well, by the time we got home it was time for our little get together Brock planned (as always . . he's a party planner!) We WERE going to do the whole bomb fire thing (hence the wood from the ranch) but it POURED. So we did dutch oven with charcoals out in the garden. It was fun to have everyone come. This is the night I noticed that Araleigh was REALLY struggling with the potty. For the past few weeks she has been having crazy mad accidents-- wetting her pants and such. It's been really weird. Well, Saturday it started and she had an accident EVERY 15 minutes I think. It was WEIRD. Then when I would run her to the bathroom she would SCREAM in pain. So I knew right away what it was. By the time I figured it out it was really late and everything was closed. So Sunday . . . it was 10 times worse. She WOULDN'T go potty and when she did it was SO sad. It was us FORCING her to stay on there to go. So I took her into Community Care and yep- Severe UTI. Now, this is not too common on my side of the family. But Cory's family gets them severely. We took her in (which was a HUGE fight as well. She HATES the doctor . . but who doesn't). It was very dramatized and made me feel so bad for her. Well lets just say the last 2 days have been an absolute nightmare. They gave her medicine (which she has to take a TON of at one time twice a day). We got the first dose in her---- and then for 2 days its been us choking it down her throat and her spitting it out and gagging on it. Tonight it took Cory, Grandpa Jamie, AND me to get it down her . . . to which a lot came out. We have reverted back to pull ups all day (which I've NEVER done) because I figured it was better for her to squat and pee on her time then us fighting her and making it a traumatic situation. And of course this had to happen 5 days before I go into the hospital to have this baby. I am just PRAYING and hoping that the Lord will speed up this healing process on her part. I just don't want to all of the sudden have my 2 year old in the hospital with me with a catheder because she wouldn't take her meds and it is backing up in her kidneys. Tonight she actually let me give her the last part of the dose willingly . . . which is progress. We will see how tomorrow goes though. I am really starting to get stressed and have SO much going on this week it is insane. I am just hoping we can get through it and I can walk into the hospital somewhat stress free-- (I didn't say fearless though. I am once again terrified of labor). I went to the doctor today for my 38 wk checkup--- I am barely at a 2--- YIKES. I would probably be waiting forever for this baby to come if I didn't have it scheduled. Anyways, please pray for our family if you can . . . especially my little one. I have never seen so much pain in a little girl for this amount of time. It truly has been heartbreaking for me and I want to be able to give her as much attention as I can before this baby comes.

Another update

Well, this past week has been a crazy one. On Sunday, Trenton got the Melchizedek Priesthood. It was great to be there for him. After his ordination we went back home to wait for church to start (we had like 45 minutes). These pictures were mostly taken during that time. Araleigh was dancing around everywhere and just being her silly self. We also were there to witness Trent's FIRST priesthood blessing, Consecrating the oil. It was good to be there. Anyways, this is pretty much what our Sundays look like--- Araleigh goofing off in her "Princess" dress (She calls all of her dresses Princess dresses and she twirls). Usually we always end up having some kind of religious discussion with Cory's parents on the scriptures and other things . . . Cory has really become a student of the scriptures. It is crazy for me to see how in the past 2 months he has just dove into them and he understands so much. And as always-- we always try to get in a Sunday nap. I haven't been napping so much anymore because I am always uncomfortable or busy. But Cory and Araleigh sure love their Sunday naps.


As for me: Well, Monday was my 37 week appointment. Dr. Hall completely forgot to tell me what I was dialated to because he was concerned about the baby being breech. He had mentioned this last week at my appt that he couldn't tell . . and since I am getting farther along-- he needed to be sure so we could have those precautions. WOW- I was sure scared! I was told that if he WAS breech we would be scheduling a C-Section for next week. WHAT? I was so so so scared. I know its a common thing . . . but not something I want common in my life! haha Anyways, so last night we went back to I.F. to EIRMC to have him do the ultrasound. Good news: Baby is not breech!!! He was kind of slanted and really hasn't engaged down yet but he is pretty much head down. WOOSH. So Dr.Hall called me today and set my induction date!!! I am getting induced on Sunday, June 14th . . . at 6 am. WHOO HOO! I am SO relieved to have a date set so I can be prepared more. (Unless he comes early . . . but I highly doubt it.) I have gained 1 lb this week and after the ultrasound asked what I was dialated to . . . he said he thought it was still a 1+ ... so not much progress. Anyways, so for now things are looking up. I am just waiting now. Only two more weeks-- which is insane. I am not quite sure if I am ready-- but is anyone ever really ready?