Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Annual Trip to Santa Cruz 2014

Hello my wonderful readers! Happy New Year's Eve! So this December marks 3 years since I met my husband and we went on our first date. Each year at this time we go back to the place that we had our first date, Santa Cruz, we eat at the same place, go kiss in the same place we had our first kiss and we go to the wharf and sit where we sat and talked all day that day. This year we took Penelope back to our places with us and she saw the ocean for the first time, it was so much fun. 
 Here are all three of us at Kianti's, where we always go to eat. 

 
Here we are at the wharf. She wore her cute little peacoat and pink furry boots, so cute!!
This is the best picture so far we have taken of the three of us, Penelope is so cute and looks just like her daddy. This is my 250th post on my blog!! See you in 2015!! Loves.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Bouncing Baby #29 - Penelope's First Christmas

Hello my wonderful readers. This year was Penelope's first Christmas and man was it a busy one. We realized having a baby is a lot harder when you have to go to four different Christmas' at four different places. We started out on Christmas Eve, we had brunch with my mother in law at her house for my husband's side of the family, then we had dinner that evening at my grandparents for my dad's family Christmas and our traditional walk down Christmas Tree Lane, Christmas day we had at my parent's house with just them and my brother, my sister in law and my niece, and last we had my mom's side of the family Christmas on the Saturday after. Good thing Penelope does well in the car because we were in it a lot. Here are some photos from all the Christmas'.
Above is Penelope with her first stocking at grandma's house. Below is the three of us at my mother in laws.

Above is her in front of my grandparents house with me after walking down Christmas Tree Lane. Below is Christmas Day and where she spent most of the day in her swing when someone wasn't holding her haha.
Above is her Christmas outfit. Below is the three of us on Christmas Day.
Above is her getting some books at my aunts house the Saturday after Christmas. Below is my husband and brother with Penelope.
It was a good first Christmas for Penelope. Hope all of you had a good Christmas! Loves!

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Recipe Time - Peppermint White Chocolate Cookies

Hello my wonderful readers!! Merry Christmas Eve!!! It has been awhile since I shared a recipe with you, that's due to the baby I haven't had a lot of time to cook anything that I haven't already told you about before. But the holidays have got me a little time with my husband home and me to cook some simple things. I saw these cookies on Pinterest and had to try to make them. 
Ingredients:
1 roll Pillisbury peppermint sugar cookie dough, chilled (my store didn't have peppermint flavor so I used regular sugar cookie dough)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cup white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 crushed candy candy canes (if you want more you can choose more)

                                                    

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets or I used non stick pans
2. In a large bowl, crumble up the cookie dough and add the flour and peppermint extract, mix in really well

                                                     

3. Mix in 1 cup of white chocolate chips
4. Make 2 tablespoon size balls and lay them out 2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.
5. Bake for 11-14 minutes
6. Allow to cool 2 minutes then move to wire rack to cool completely 
7. In a microwave safe bowl, put 1 cup of white chocolate chips and the canola oil, microwave in 30 second intervals until its smooth
8. Drizzle over the cookies and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes
9. Enjoy this holiday treat!

These were a hit with my husband and family! I loved them, hope you do too! Loves. 

Friday, December 19, 2014

Bouncing Baby #28 - Newborn Photos

Hello my wonderful readers. We decided to not have professional newborn photos taken to save a little money so we took them ourselves. They don't look as professional but we love them. I thought I would share a few with you. 


She went through a few outfit changes and these were taken within a couple weeks of each other. We learned that you can't do a whole lot of photos at a time because they don't cooperate very well haha. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do. We did take some Christmas ones too, those will be in a future post about her first Christmas. Loves.  

Friday, December 12, 2014

Bouncing Baby #26 - What's in my Diaper Bag?

Hello my wonderful readers. I guess I got a little out of order on postings since this is 26 and the last was 27 oops! haha I couldn't have a baby without doing a "what's in my diaper bag?" post.
In our diaper bag we have wipes and diapers obviously, a changing pad that matches our diaper bag, a little toy, some target bags for dirty diapers if there is no place to toss them when we are out, baby powder, nighttime baby bath soap and lotion(for if we are somewhere overnight), a pacifier with a cap on it, a comb and brush, diaper rash cream, an extra set of strap covers for the car seat (in case she spits up on hers in the car), pacifier clip, hand sanitizer, socks, baby shampoo, lotion and body wash (daytime formula), two hats, formula (in the container you pre measure into), receiving blankets, burp cloth and a Winnie the Pooh rattle. 
I also have this first aid kit, shown below, in there and it has everything.
Also I throw my wallet, phone and keys in when I go somewhere and we also have an extra onsie for her in case of an accident if we are going somewhere longer than a couple hours and a bottle with water in it ready for formula.
She also has a blanket over her in the carrier when we go out, since it is winter, so we don't carry that in the diaper bag. 

 This is our diaper bag, it came from Babies R Us, we got it as a shower gift. It has so many pockets for everything you can think of, also it has straps on the two sides that you can attach it to the stroller with, which is handy. 
Hope you enjoyed this quick What's in my Diaper Bag post. Loves. 

Friday, December 5, 2014

Bouncing Baby #27 - Penelope's First Thanksgiving

Hello my wonderful readers. Penelope's first holiday was Halloween, since she was born 4 days before, but her first holiday she saw all the family was Thanksgiving. She looked so cute in her little ready to gobble outfit that her great aunt Jill got her. We had a wonderful time with family at my parents house. 
 Below is everyone at the table at my mom's for dinner. Above is our beautiful niece, Sophia. 

 Above left is my parents with Penelope, and right is them with their two granddaughters. Below is my brother, sister-in-law and niece. 

 Above is Penelope with Great Grandma Mettler and Great Grandpa Campbell. 
 Here is Penelope with my mom showing off her cute little Thanksgiving outfit. :-) Hope you think she is as cute as I do. Loves. 

Thursday, November 27, 2014

Bouncing Baby #25 - First Month

Hello my wonderful readers! Happy Thanksgiving!! I hope you have loved this series as much as I have loved writing it about preparing and eventually introducing you to our wonderful bundle of joy, Penelope. She is now a month old today actually as you read this, which it seems like this month has flown by super fast! We have definitely had a heck of a time adjusting to a newborn's sleep schedule. My husband and I are exhausted still and can't seem to catch up on sleep but we love our little bundle of growing joy.
On another note, I was planning on breastfeeding for the first six months and I actually have gotten an infection and had to take antibiotics. I have been pumping what I can but it isn't enough for her to eat and be full so we have gone to formula. It has been so hard for me to give her formula because I was so set on breastfeeding her and everything I had read said that was the best for her over formula. So when she wasn't getting enough to eat and I had to give her formula, I had a break down because I was upset I couldn't give her what she needed and what my body was made to give her. But with my husband and mother's support I have gotten ok with the fact of feeding her formula and that she will have everything she needs with formula and what breast milk I can give her.
She has her good nights and bad nights. Some nights she screams all night and won't go to sleep ever and some nights she sleeps at 4 hours at a time, which is amazing. We take turns on taking care of her at night, my husband is a wonderful father. He has amazed me so much with taking care of Penelope and the love he gives her. 
It has been a big change of life having her and I don't think anyone can ever prepare for this change of life with all the classes and books and unwanted advice. We struggle to have time for the two of us but when we do have time together its very special now. 
I know this is kind of a mix of thoughts and I hope to get back on posting to the blog with more posts that make sense haha. We are getting better at things with us and the baby everyday and hope to that it continues on that path. Loves. 

Friday, November 14, 2014

Bouncing Baby #24 - Labor and Delivery

Hello my wonderful readers! **I am going to give a warning at the beginning of this post that there might be some graphic descriptions, because of having no other way to describe certain things but I will try to be as least graphic as possible.**

On Sunday, October 26, 2014 at around 4am I was woken up by a weird feeling in between my legs. I reached down to feel what was going on and my pants were completely soaked from my crotch to my knees, my water had broke. I woke my husband up and told him, he proceeded to change his clothes while I changed my pants and called labor and delivery at the hospital to tell them we were on our way. We thankfully had everything in the car already and I just needed to grab my wallet. We made it to the hospital by 4:30am and I went into triage to be examined. I was still only dilated to a 1 just like at my appointment earlier that week. We were in triage being monitored for about an hour or two, then we went up to the delivery room. The delivery room was like a suite at a hotel besides the bed being so uncomfortable. At this point I had not really had any contractions. My parents arrived about 7-730am at our room. I walked the halls over and over to try to get things started naturally but it just didn't happen. I ended up having to have pitocin to get my contractions started, they gave that to me about 9-10am. Then they kept turning up the dose every hour and the contractions started coming on strong. I was hurting but I was determined to try to get her out. I labored until about 8pm and that's when they took my blood pressure and determined it was at stroke level and they had to give me an epidural to get it down otherwise the baby and me would both be in trouble. I felt bad for getting the epidural because I was determined to not have one so bad. I got it and slept off and on through out the night. I labored off and on as well all night and was only dilated to a 4. 

Monday, October 27th rolled around and she still wasn't any closer to being here. I labored all day and really most of the day was a blur to me. At about 9am they came in and told me that I was at a 6 and they would give me about 4-6 more hours then they would have to do a c-section, that would be about 3pm. They upped my pitocin and my contractions came back strong and close together. At about 1:45pm I was finally dilated and ready to push. I pushed for 45 minutes and out she came. She got a little stuck on her shoulder when she was coming out so they had to help her out quickly. She was completely purple so they had to cut the cord and take her to the baby table next to my bed to check her out quickly. Aaron unfortunately did not get to cut the cord because of this. She was completely healthy. At 2:29pm Penelope Ann Thorsen came into the world after about 30 hours of labor and 34 1/2 hours since my water had broke. We spent almost 4 days in the hospital from start to finish. A long 4 days! She was 8lbs 3oz, 20.4 inches long. She is perfect in every way. She had a full head of dark hair. It was for sure the hardest thing I have ever done in my life! My husband, Aaron, was amazing through the whole thing, I think he maybe laid down on the couch once to sleep for 15 minutes, otherwise he was by my side holding my hand the whole time. I love him so very much, and to see him finally look into his daughter's eyes for the first time was amazing! I have never seen my husband cry before and he did that day because he was so happy to see her and hold her! They finally stitched me up and gave her back to me to hold for the first time and the overwhelming feeling of her in my arms finally was so amazing! I cried of course because I was so happy (plus my hormones were completely crazy haha). I would never trade anything in the world for the experience and getting to take home my beautiful baby girl! Loves. 

Monday, November 10, 2014

Bouncing Baby #23 - I Introduce to You Penelope Ann!

Hello my wonderful readers! I am so excited to introduce you to Penelope Ann Thorsen!! Born October 27, 2014 at 2:29 pm. She was 8 pounds 3 ounces and 20.4 inches long. She is just perfect, but I could be bias.
 This was her first picture :-)
 In the hospital in mommy's arms.
Hanging out with daddy after we got home. 
This is her after her first bath on Halloween night. 
 Her daddy was sent to the store to get a "My first Halloween" onesie and he came home with this adorable little Batgirl outfit off the clearance rack :-)
Just hanging out at home with mommy and daddy. 
I hope you love these pictures of our newest addition to our family as much as we do, don't worry there will be plenty more to come. Loves. 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Apple Hill Visit 2014

Hello my wonderful readers! About a couple weeks ago my brother, sister in law to be and niece came to visit us and we went to Apple Hill. Apple Hill is one of my favorite places and now that we live 30 minutes from it I am so happy. My sister in law to be had never been so it was her first time and she really liked it. My niece will be 2 this month and it was her first time as well and she got so tired out from all the fun that she didn't even make it to the last place because she fell asleep haha. 
 My niece had fun in the small kids pumpkin patch at one of the places we went. 




 We went to our favorite brewery since my brother had never been there and Aaron wanted to take him there. 
 We went to an actual pumpkin patch for the last place, my sister in law to be and niece stayed in the car because my niece fell asleep. 
Well I hope you enjoyed the post about one of my favorite places. Loves.