We're going to Dental School!!!

This started out as a one month post for Mackenzie but exciting news that we received at 12 AM this morning took precedence. We are definitely going to dental school next fall! The first round of acceptances started today. Keith stayed up until midnight in case any of the schools were on the ball with e-mail and it turns out they were. Keith came in to wake me up at midnight incredibly giddy to tell me he had been accepted to Louisville in Kentucky. We both love Kentucky and would love to go there for school. We're just waiting now to hear from a couple of other schools and then we have 45 days to make a decision. I'm so proud of Keith and his hard work and am so excited to embark on a new journey.


I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since our little girl was born! These have been the longest and shortest weeks of my life and I think Keith would say the same. I sincerely apologize to those of you I haven't called back, life has been crazy and I will try to stay in contact better. We are so thankful for Mackenzie and the wonderful blessing she is in our lives. She's still such a sweet baby who really only cries when she's hungry. She is gaining weight well and seems to grow longer every day. Everyone comments on her long fingers and toes; we have high hopes for her height!

One of our few pictures together (that I'm somewhat ready in anyways) and Mackenzie's gas caught on camera:

Today I took her into the doctor because she's been really congested for over a week now and she threw up a couple of times this morning. I guess there's a virus going around right now that he's seen a lot in little kids which makes them experience cold symptoms along with throwing up. Poor thing, we're hoping she is able to get over it soon. She has gained quite a bit though, tipping the scales at 8 lbs. 4 1/2 oz which isn't bad considering she's gained almost 2 lbs. since birth.

Keith and I had a fun week off of school for Thanksgiving break. We decided spur of the moment to surprise Keith's family in Utah for a few days. We were there for Keith's sister Katie's birthday which was a lot of fun.

Kirk and Joy came with their kids so we could have the whole family together. Joy, Katie and I saw Twilight that night and we loved it. I think the casting was really well done and I can't wait to see it again.

While in Utah we were able to get a picture of 4 generations: Keith, his mom, and his grandma Lovell:
Tuesday, we came back from Utah and stayed in Idaho Falls with my family until Saturday. My whole family including my grandparents came for Thanksgiving which was really fun.

Mackenzie with Great Grandma Anderson

With Grandma and Grandpa Brower

With Kate and Taft

"All these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good" D&C 122:7

Seeing as how it's Sunday and I'm here at home with Mackenzie instead of at church, I thought I would just express my love for Heavenly Father and the blessings he has granted unto me. This week has been the best and the worst. I have never felt so much pain and I also have never felt so much happiness. Before Mackenzie, I didn't realized how special life is and how great the love a parent has for a child. I was so selfish and prideful. Pregnancy was difficult and so was the labor, breastfeeding, waking up in the middle of the night...but a couple nights ago it hit me; I need these trials to make me appreciate my sweet little girl and my incredible husband and to understand the sacrifice of a parent. Keith and I didn't get much time alone as a married couple and for most of it, I was pregnant. I was not a very happy pregnant woman and yet Keith put up with me and loved me through and through. During the labor, he was the most amazing supportive coach I could have ever asked for. My love for him has increased tremendously and I'm so grateful he will be my partner for this life and for all eternity. I don't know why the Lord felt I was worthy enough to bless me with such a beautiful family but I'm so grateful for them. Mackenzie has brought the Spirit into my life in a way I have never felt before. I know that God lives and I know Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that there is a Father in Heaven who loves us all tremendously and wants each and every one of us to return to him. I know that he listens to our prayers. I know the Savior suffered for all of our pain, sickness, and sin. I am eternally grateful to him and hope that I might live up to the expectations he has for me.
I heard again a talk given this last LDS General Conference and highly recommend it to those who are struggling. It's by Elder Quentin L. Cook and is titled "Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time." You can click the link and it will take you to it.

IT'S A GIRL! Birth, According to the husband!

Well we did it! Well Natalie did it, I just told her to push and complimented on the size of her birth canal. It was an exciting moment you can't really put in words, seeing your child come out, especially since she is covered in amniotic fluid. Natalie had a pretty rough labor. We checked in Sunday night around nine and at this time they put a catheter in her to help her dilate. She was in excruciating pain until about five in the morning when they finally took it out. She dilated from a 1 to a 4 and the nurse informed her the great news that she could receive a epidural. Natalie said the pain was terrible when she had the blown up catheter but once that was removed she said the contractions were easy. She was feeling a lot of back labor and finally got the epidural around eight. And once she got that she was out, sleeping a lot of the day. I was able to sneak out for a few hours and go to some of my classes. I got a call from Nat around 2. She said she had finally jumped from a 4 to a 6 and to hurry over. I ran to the car, took off and got there when she was at a 7. She did not change until about five, which she dilated to an eight. The nurse said Nat could start pushing around 8:15 P.M. Around nine she checked around the cervix and realized that it had not effaced all the way and told Nat she had to stop pushing until about 9:30 when the doctor would get there and see if she was good to go. Ya, you try telling a pregnant women to hold it for 30 minutes after she had already been pushing for 45 minutes. Oh and by the way her epidural started leaking we think, about 45 minutes before she started pushing. So Nat had to do the last couple of hours without the anesthethesia. But Nat conquered what no man could do and can I say how thankful I was at the other end. Mackenzie had a cone head coming out, probably because she was in the birth canal for so long. She is an angel though and has hardly cried. Well I better end this and get some pictures posted for all you eager women! Love you all and thanks for all the support.

Happy Halloween!

8 inches and counting

Here's the pregnancy update: she's not coming! At least that's what it feels like at this point. In just 2 weeks my belly has stretched 8 inches! I didn't think I could get any more stretch marks and boy was I wrong. Every day my clothes get tighter and my back and stomach ache a little more. At my 39 week appointment last week, the Doc gave it to me straight. The baby is very high (which I've heard a lot this last month) and dropping does not seem to be in her plans. Here's why: I haven't made any improvement for a month now (my cervix is not effacing and dilation not occurring), the baby is posterior meaning she's facing the wrong way which makes it hard for her to drop and if anyone has experienced "back labor" it's most likely because the baby was posterior, and the doctor thinks I have bony protuberance blocking the path. So what does this all mean for Keith and I? A likely c-section on Monday. I wanted to avoid an induction but after pushing off dental interviews for so long in hopes the baby would come early or on time, Keith scheduled 3 interviews and will be gone from the 7th through the 12th. Since it's our first and my emotions are running extremely high, I absolutely want Keith there for the delivery. So the doctor and I decided to go ahead and schedule an induction for Monday the 3rd in hopes that some good changes occur this week. Please pray for us and the delivery of a healthy baby!

Baby Shower

Last Saturday was full of baby! After attending my friend Meagan's shower (her little girl is due about a month after mine) I headed off to a shower thrown by the amazing girls I work with in the archives. It was so fun to see my friends and open up packages of adorable baby goods. Thanks to everyone that came and for all of the wonderful gifts. Special shoutout to Natalie Groen for heading up the shower!

Keith's rendezvous with the car door

Keith is a real man now and he has the scar to prove it! Last week Keith was getting into the car after a little shopping trip and smacked his head on the door frame. He got into the car and had blood running down his face which sent me into panic mode as I frantically searched for something to stop the bleeding and my nausea. I don't typically handle blood well and being pregnant has only amplified that. Luckily we had some napkins in the glove compartment (I know they're not necessarily sanitary) and we were able to save the car interior from a new red dye job. Seeing as how it was after 5 pm and being poor college students on DMBA insurance, we opted not to go to the ER for stitches-probably not the brightest idea but we saved a little money right? The next day the wound was still bleeding so Keith went to the health center to get it stitched up:


Notice the bruising underneath, that looked pretty nasty for about a week. Unfortunately, the stitches were put in pretty late and he is going to have a good scar from it. Luckily he has fun with it and likes to tell people that he got between me and my ice cream which really isn't all that far fetched.