Whitney's Blessing

Whitney was blessed by her dad on June 26, 2011 and it was such a sweet blessing. Her Father in Heaven loves this little girl so much! Whitney was perfect all day and didn't cry at all! (Good during the day, but up ALL night) This is the gorgeous blessing dress that my amazing mother made for Whitney. She made Rachael's, and now she made Whitney's. Hopefully we don't have 5 girls, right mom? :) My sister also made the ultra cute bracelet, and a matching one for Rachael! Nate's parents, sisters Melissa and Elise, and little brother, Kimball, were able to come down from Rexburg for a little while. (More on the actual weekend later, I just figured my grandma wanted to see pictures of Whitney) I love the blessing day, they look so sweet and angelic. Thanks, Mom, for the beautiful dress, I know the girls will cherish these one day!

First Church Appearance

How do you like the new blog? Pretty creative, eh? I thought so too...

Yesterday was Whitney's first day to church. Rachael decided to wake up at 6:30, but even though it was RIDICULOUSLY early and I was super tired, it ended up being a blessing because everyone was ready to go at 8:30 so we made it on time! NICE! And Saturday night (technically Sunday morning) was awesome because Whitney slept for THREE HOURS STRAIGHT! Yes my friends, I got three consecutive hours of sleep, from midnight to three a.m. Amazing! We're working on her not wanting to eat every hour, because that is no fun for me! We're getting there.
Whitney is wearing the super cute dress I had picked out to bring Rachael home from the hospital in, but she didn't fit into it. It fits Whitney perfectly. She was wonderful in church, so much easier to take care of than Rachael is, even with Nursery :)
Rachael is wearing my shoes, and she apparently is destined to be a model, what with her freakish height and her already knowing how to strike a pose and strut her stuff. Tyra would be proud :) Man oh man, she's a girl alright!

Love my girls!!

Nursery Rhyme: Modern Application

There was a little girl,
Who had a little curl,
Right in the middle of her forehead.
When she was good,
She was very good indeed,

But when she was bad she was horrid.

Welcome to the world of Rachael. That Rhyme sums her up.
*Note: these pictures were staged (not the curl in the middle of her forehead, that was natural, and the obvious inspiration for the post), she's not quite this bipolar*

The Name Game

My Aunt Stefani has asked to hear the story behind the name, so here it is. Its not too exciting, but should be documented none the less.

For the last few months we've been reading the baby name book (I literally looked at every girl name in the book!), watching movie credits all the way to the end (Nate takes the left side, I take the right), looking at family names, asking my mom and sister (who both spend a lot of time with kids as they are both teachers) for cute names, and basically just looking for the PERFECT name. I don't remember when it happened, exactly, but I walked into our room one night and Nate was reading the baby name book. "What do you think about the name Whitney?" Now normally he would suggest a name, and I'd immediately say, "No," but this time, it caught my attention. I was quiet for a second, then said, "I like it!" But, us being us, we could NOT commit. Every once in a while we'd refer to her as "Whitney" but never truly accepting it as fact. I still loved the name Lyla (Rachael's almost name) and Nate still loved Kate (but we're foreseeing a boost in popularity because of the new Princess...). Whitney was good common middle ground. Middle name? LaRee, my mom's middle name. (Unless we had chosen Kate, cuz in Nate's ears Kate LaRee sounded too much like "cutlery." Weird, but I guess legit.)
So the big day arrived and we HAD to name her. We're pretty much forced to. It is STRESSFUL naming a child! Its their NAME! The list we had was: Whitney, Lyla, Kate, and Jenna (thrown in a few nights before because of a credit from a TV show). Immediately we tossed out Kate and Jenna, they just didn't suit her. Whitney or Lyla, Whitney or Lyla? Nate had never been 100% on the Lyla wagon like I always wanted him to be, but all the sudden he was. What the? Now what?? We had "Whitney LaRee Russell" and "Lyla LaRee Russell" written on our white board all day, and we'd just stare at them. Finally, FINALLY we decided. I don't recall exactly how, but we did. She just seemed more like a Whitney.
So there you have it folks, Whitney LaRee.
(P.S. The girl who took Whitney's pictures at the hospital's name was Whitney, the girl my mom picked up my pain meds from was named Whitney, our institute teacher's oldest daughters name is Rachel and his youngest is Whitney, and our Bishop has a grand-daughter named Whitney LaRee! CRAZY!!!)

Whitney LaRee

She's here!! And she is GORGEOUS!!!

So here's the story.
As stated in previous post, I had my membranes stripped on Wednesday the 1st, no go. So I had them stripped again at 3 p.m. on Friday the 3rd. After I got home Nate, Rach, and I went to the park. At around 5 I started feeling a strange tightening in my belly and noticed that about every 15 minutes they happened again and again. I texted my mom and told her I thought something might be happening and I'd keep her posted. So, posting her through out the night they were getting closer and closer. She, my dad, and my sister came up around 9 p.m., after the kid was in bed. We spent the evening watching the hilarious show called King of Queens my friend loaned us. (Lifesaver!!) We turned it off at about 1 a.m., but needless to say I did not get much sleep. And by much sleep I mean no sleep. At around 3:30 Nate and I headed to the hospital as my contractions were about 4-6 minutes apart. I got checked in and made it through a few more contractions then asked for my epidural at around 5ish. Glad I asked for it then because it took them a while to get my IV in. Since I was Strep B positive I had to get two rounds of antibiotics in me before I could deliver her. Epidural in, me out. Nate and I took a small nap :) I don't remember times too well, but eventually we woke up, had a nurse switch, had my cervix checked a few times, I was only at about a 5 or 6. I was put on pitocin to hurry things along. At I THINK 9 a.m. Dr. Sanders broke my water (the antibiotics were all in!) so we were all (me, Nate, my mom, and sister) just waiting waiting waiting. At about 10:30 they called the doc in. By the time he got situated and robed It was about 10:40. Three contractions later, TAH DUH! She's here! 10:48 a.m. Enjoy these pictures!! More stories later :)

Baby

Some of you may have been confused by my last post, what with the emotions that were heavily flowing. Let me explain. Tuesday night I was very emotional because I knew on Wednesday I was going to get my membranes stripped, which would hopefully put me into labor. So, with those thoughts running around my little brain, my emotions went on overload and I gushed. I don't regret it, at all, I just haven't had those overpowering feelings since, just mini ones. Well, needless to say, the membrane stripping didn't work on Wednesday, so I had it done again today, with an induction scheduled for next Thursday if things don't work again. Well... let me just tell you that I think something is happening. THINK. I've never done this whole "going into labor" thing, what with me being induced last time. But I'm pretty sure, so my mom and dad are on their way up. And I'm not Facebooking this, for my own good reasons :) so only you loyal readers get the scoop.
I'm also wondering why I wanted this to come so soon... I'm getting nervous :)
And I am REALLY excited about the doll we're giving Rachael when we bring the baby home. I had this doll when I was little, its called a Water Baby. You fill her with water and she feels more lifelike. I have her little doll carseat for her to sit in, and my mom made her a little tiny carseat tent. SO CUTE! I just filled her tonight and put the original outfit on her that I had saved from my water baby, and let me tell you... I may just keep her for myself!! Ok, I think I'll have enough on my hands, but really, I LOVE this doll. I wish Rachael was talking and could give her a name, but I'll just be patient for that. My doll's name was Holly, because I got her on Christmas. Pretty creative for a four year old, eh?
Well... Have a good weekend, and hopefully I'll be back soon with pictures of my beautiful new baby girl. (Name still TBD)

EEK! I'm in labor!!