Superheroes

In our house this week there have been a couple of Superheroes. I woke up Sunday morning with a high fever and alternating between full-body shakes and sweating like I was in a sauna. It is SUCH a horrible feeling. I was completely down and out ... enter my superheroes!

Jeff was super dad on Sunday and every second he has been home ... he has gotten up with Landon every time he has been awake, took care of me and still been at work during the day.

My mom. Wow - we are lucky she lives so close!! She came in Monday and Tuesday (with plans to come back tomorrow too!) and took care of both of us all day! She fed, changed, soothed and held Landon ... and made me toast, insisted I sleep more and did laundry and vacuumed for me! I simply couldn't have done it without her.

So, as you can tell I am really grateful for these two! Landon has gotten some seriously good Grandma and Dad time ... which is wonderful for them ... but it breaks my heart to have to stay away from him! So here's hoping I get better soon!

Friday Adventures

Today was a gross, cold day ... and with a newborn that spells some serious inside time. But today was not without its adventures. Today, on top of a busy schedule of eating and sleeping Landon tried out his swing.

He looks a bit startled by the experience doesn't he?!
And then I was chatting on the phone with my friend Kristie when I heard a strange noise. Since I was holding a sleeping Landon, I knew the noise had to be coming from a different source ... Ellie.
The picture is a bit dark - so just in case you can't tell exactly what you are seeing ... Ellie tore a hole in her ball ... ripped out all the stuffing which she then decorated the hallway with ... and preceded to try to eat the squeeking mechanism (which was the noise I heard). Who needs a toddler when you have such a creative dog? In a couple of years I can only imagine what these two will come up with together :)!

Today

Today, reality sets in. Jeff went back to work. I miss him already ... I know Landon and I will be fine. But I know I'm going to miss having his company around ... someone to get a second opinion from and to laugh with at all of our first time parent blunders and Landon's adorable-ness. And his second pair of hands that come in handy.

But mostly we'll just miss him ... wish us luck!

I Never Knew...

~That tired could feel so good
~That you could stare at someone for hours and never get bored
~That a sleepy smile could make you cry at just the sight of it
~That five tiny fingers wrapping themselves around yours could make your heart melt
~That you could already be dreading the day they didn't need you for absolutely everything
~That a nap taken with a baby on your chest was the best sleep you have ever gotten
~That you could already be dreading the day when they don't want you to cover them in kisses (so you spend the day doing just that)
~That you could want each day to last forever
~That watching a father and son interact could make you cry
~That you could ever love your husband more than what you did, but in less than a week it has magnified a million times over
~That this new love could rock your world in a whole different way

And I never understood what everyone talked about ... until now.

Introducing ...

Landon Jeffrey Terry

March 18, 2010
8:46 am
7 lbs. 11 oz.
20 inches
Absolute Perfection!

Here is our big journey home this morning ... we couldn't be happier!

Predictions?!

We're having a baby! AH! And the Dr. confirmed he put me on the schedule for tomorrow. So *fingers crossed* that's when we'll get started. Since no one can technically predict a date (that would be cheating now that I have narrowed your choices down so significantly :)!) how about I open it up for a few more predictions before he makes his big entrance ...

So what do you think ... Weight? Length/Height? Time of arrival? Hair color (okay that's a joke ... we're pretty certain any child of ours will be bald ...)?

Can't wait to see if anyone is close!

A Hurrah

Rumor has it we're having a baby this week! AH! So as a just in case precaution we decided to have a fun and busy weekend :)!

Friday night Jeff took me to Archibald's - the restaurant up at Gardner Village. Delicious! If you haven't been the appetizer (potato skins) and dessert (apple crisp) are the best. We ordered both - something we never do!! I'm pretty sure we were in a food coma after that! It was fun to get out of Utah Valley for a little while and walk around just the two of us. Here we are at Gardner Village:
Saturday we had our carpets cleaned (by Precision Cleaning who did a fantastic job for a good price. If you are thinking of having yours done I can pass on their info ... totally worth it!) and we took it as a good chance to deep clean the house. I love a clean house. Then we ran errands ... I don't think our cupboards or fridge have ever been so full!

Then as a reward for all of our hard work we went out to dinner with Jacqueline and Scott, which is always super fun. We tried to go to a movie, but it was sold out ... so we watched Glee instead. Jacqueline had rented the first 4 episodes and we watched all 4 :)!Oh my heck ... that could very easily become an obsession!

Sunday we just relaxed ... which was so nice!

Well, with all that fun we should be ready now right?!

Be Strong...

We were sitting in the temple yesterday and this scripture came into my mind as clear as day. It is the YW/YM theme for this year, which we talked about extensively right before I was released ... and it has clearly stuck with me.

Joshua 1:9 -

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Applicable to any time in life, but particularly right now ...

My Work Experience ...

I have now been out of school and working at my "real job" for the last 6 years (okay ... like a month and half shy of 6 years ... but you get the point). Crazy huh?! As I am preparing to "move on" to some new roles I have thought a lot about my full time work experience. I have learned more than I could ever write here ... and am incredibly grateful for both my education and work experience.

I have learned what hard work truly is. The kind where you think you have absolutely nothing else to give, and yet you give some more. The kind where you don't stop for several days straight and still have a lot to do. I know what it is like to be a part of a team ... a team of people who will stick together and genuinely care about the work they are doing and me as a person. These people have become some of my closest friends and some of the people I admire the most for their dedication, determination and for how much they care. I know what it is like to have several other people's livelihood rest in a huge part on how successful I am. That is a huge responsibility. I know what it is like to pray as hard as I can that somehow we will pull off what we need to in order to keep other people employed. I know what it is like to succeed ... and what it is like to fail.

I can talk to people for hours (literally) on the phone or in person that I have never met before, and comfort people who are going through one of the hardest times in their lives. I have heard stories that move you to tears. I know what it is like to have a family trust us with their most precious possession - their child. I have seen what real change is.

I know what it is like to travel alone, navigate a strange city and plan a business trip for myself and others. I know how frustrating it can all be ...

I know what it is like to sacrifice my own personal time to do my best at work. And (for my own personal satisfaction) I have done it all in high heels :).

I think the think I am ultimately the most grateful for is knowing what it like to experience all this. When Jeff gets home from work and we are eating dinner one of the things I love most about our day is talking about our days. And I am fortunate enough to understand what he is going through, and he knows how to support me and give me advice - it's a two way street. We can give each other advice on bosses, navigating company culture ... and can empathize with a really long day and a daunting to-do list waiting in the morning. I'm glad that I will get to hold on to this with me still working part time.

Now I am facing two new roles - motherhood and a new role at work when I come back. By far, motherhood is the most daunting and rewarding job I will ever face ... I am sure of it! But I am very hopeful that all the skills I have picked up along the way the last several years, and the challenges I have already faced will, in some small way, help me navigate these new challenges successfully. I guess we're about to see!

But no matter what I am grateful for the experiences I have had and the people who have shaped them - and me - along my way.

The Countdown Begins...

Sometime in the next 1 1/2 weeks-ish (give or take a bit) we will have a baby. AH! I was thinking about this over the weekend, and it still seems really unreal to me. I vividly remember the day we found out we were pregnant (does anyone forget that day?!). It was 10 pm when we "found out" and I didn't believe it completely (that pink line seemed awfully faint), so we went to sleep. Okay ... I don't think either of us slept much that night. I wanted to retake the test the next morning, so I woke Jeff up at 4 am. That time there was NO mistaking the line. We tried to go back to sleep, but ended up getting up to work out sometime right after 5. Wow ... that seems like so long ago now.

Now that I'm facing the end of this experience, I am actually really sad. I know everyone talks about how done they were by the end ... but I am going to miss this. Now, I will be the first to admit that I have had world's best and easiest pregnancy, which I am sure is affecting my opinion about this, but overall I just think it is a very cool experience. I really, really love being pregnant. I have never gotten bored of watching my stomach jump around, or of feeling him move. Don't get me wrong ... I am excited to make fewer trips to the bathroom and to be able to breathe again ... but overall I love it.

So even though I am really nervous about the next step ... let the countdown begin!

The BIG 3-0

Many of you know today is the day that my sweet, adorable husband turns the big 3-0! I keep teasing him about how much older he is ... which he only sometimes thinks is funny :)!

Anyone who knows him knows how incredibly lucky I am. Not only is he funny and incredibly thoughtful, he is simply the best person I know. He is kind, honest and hard working. He always puts others - particularly me - before himself. He makes me laugh everyday ... and is always there for me (and during this pregnancy he has comforted more than his share of emotional tears!!). He is exactly the kind of man I need in my life ... so I feel profoundly blessed.

Happy Birthday babe ... I love you!