Two Months Old

Time flies when you're having fun. I am two months old already. My mommy says that because I am growing up so fast I will begin potty training next week--I'm not sure what that means.

I've spent the majority of my second month in Utah. Mom and Dad call Utah home. I insist that New York is my home because that is where I was born. Utah has turned out to be a very nice place.

Here is what has happened in my second month of life:

I saw my first snow
I smiled at my mom and dad
I rolled from my back to my belly without any help

I started talking and love to tell stories. My favorite word right now is a-goo
I was real brave when I got my first shots from the doctor. At six weeks old I weighed 10.5!
I took my first plane ride and was a perfect angel
I saw Utah for the first time
My cousin Frances was born the day after I left on vacation. I can't wait to see her!
I met my GGVD (Great Grandma VerDawn)

I met my Aunt Nicole
My blessing day was December 20

I celebrated my first Christmas

I went to tons of parties and met lots of family members


I love to stand. My daddy can't believe how strong I am. I hold my head up for long periods of time and don't even get tired! I have discovered my tongue and love to stick it out and blow bubbles. My mommy still loves to cuddle me and I love my cuddle time. She is glad I haven't outgrown her yet. I can't wait to see what other tricks I can discover in the next month!

Blessing Day

Today was my blessing day. It was a very special day for me. I was blessed at my Great Grandma VerDawn's house by my Grandpa Richard. My Uncle Micah and Aunt Chelsea drove up from Cedar City especially for my special blessing day.




This is my GGVD--Great Grandma VerDawn














My mommy and daddy love me to pieces and can't imagine life without me!














These are the men in my family. My Uncle Richie isn't here because he is in New York with my new cousin, Frances Susan.














My family loves me and helped make my blessing day the best day ever!















To make my day even better, my mommy took me to meet my Grammy Sue. She made me bundle up and wear a hat because she said it was cold. Today I got to meet my Grammy Sue, get a blessing from my PopPop Williams and have early Christmas with Micah and Chelsea.

What a special day!

One Month Old

My name is Jasper. I'm one month old today. I was born on October 30 because I wanted to be here for Halloween. My mommy is really sad that I'm already a month old because she never wants me to grow up.

In the last month I have been really good for my Mommy and Daddy. They think I am spoiling them. Because of my calm temperament, my mommy has decided it may not be so bad having a little brother or sister for me someday. Here are some things I have done in the last month:



I celebrated my first Halloween in the hospital













I met my PopPop













I met my Uncle Richie and Aunt Julie

I met my sister (dog) Addi













I met my cousin Ruby













I have had 2 pediatrician visits--no shots yet!













I met Grandma and Grandpa Whitney













I took first hike at Mendon Pond

I had my first tear. Only one tear and no more since then...

I met my Uncle Micah and Aunt Chelsea

I celebrated my first Thanksgiving













I took my first trip to Palmayra

I love to be cuddled and I love to be swaddled. I sleep really good at night I don't even cry when Mommy puts me to bed. I get the hiccups a few times everyday. I am still very small but I am growing. I love my swing and I love to take tubs. I love to walk Addi in my Baby Bjorn with my mommy and I love when Daddy pushes me in the stroller.

My daddy says I have big eyes like my mommy...













My mommy says I have big lips like my daddy...

Either way I am pretty handsome and I am one month old today!

Introducing...JASPER FELIX WHITNEY

It's true. Our baby has come. I certainly did not anticipate the events of the last few days. I guess pregnancy and having a baby is as unpredictable as everyone says.

Thursday Night: Steve suggested we go out to dinner seeing that when the baby came we might have to slow down on the whole "dinner out" thing. We went to the King and I so I could order some spicy Thai food. I had not felt much during the day--even managed to get Addi out for her two walks. I had two pains real close together while we ate. As Steve was paying I stood up and realized I was sitting in a puddle (draw your own inferences). We RACED to the hospital.

I do not want to brag or jinx myself by saying that not only was my pregnancy a piece of cake, the labor was even easier! As soon as I got my epidural I was cracking jokes and having a great time with Steve and Cathy the nurse. I thought it was a really fun night.

Two hours after I started pushing the doctor discovered that Jasper was facing diagonal and battling his way out with my bone. He had 2 large scrapes on his head. The doctor believed that if his heart rate stayed stable I could get this baby out but she was beginning to think things were getting scary. Jasper was stressing himself out. No C-section for me...I suggested using a vacuum and they were happy to oblige. One vacuum cleaner and five pushes later and Steve and I had our new baby, Jasper Felix Whitney.




Friday: I couldn't help but just watch as my new little boy slept next to me in the room. He had the cutest little whine while he slept. As it persisted for a while I began to think maybe he was swaddled too tightly so I called my nurse. His heart, lungs and blood sugar seemed to be just fine, but he was taken to NICU for observation. I was told he would be back in a "couple of hours".

Hours passed. No baby. I went to NICU to feed him. They let me know that there were some concerns but that he would be back with me by early afternoon.

Early Afternoon: No baby. I went again to feed him. They let me know that he would have to stay overnight in the NICU because he couldn't keep his temperature regulated and it kept dipping. They did some cultures and also placed an IV in his hand and began antibiotics. They thought because he had scraped his head in the womb that he could have an infection. I would have stayed with my baby forever but anytime the nurses needed me back at my room they would track me down and I would have to leave.

All Night: Every two hours my nurse would come into my room and wake Steve and I up. We would walk down a very long hall to the NICU, wash our hands up to our elbows for no less than 3 minutes and sit together while I fed our baby. It was probably one of the hardest nights of my life.
Jasper with his IV

Saturday: Happy Halloween!! Jasper stayed in NICU until about 3:00 p.m. My dad came to see him and must have been our good luck charm. We were able to walk with the baby back to our very own room! Now we could be a family.

Sunday: Home again, home again. We were the last in our wing to be discharged. We had to wait to make sure all of Jasper's cultures checked out okay. Once they did, we hit the road and didn't look back. What a wonderful and scary experience! I never knew I could feel so elated and so worried all at once. Everything worked out perfect and I am the mother to the most wonderful and precious little boy in the world!
Jasper Felix Whitney
Born: October 30, 2009, 2:43 a.m.
Weight: 7 pounds
Length: 21 inches

39 weeks

23 weeks pregnant

37 weeks pregnant

As my anxiety level has steadily increased on a daily basis, I have come to the realization that this pregnancy is almost over. I have loved everything about being pregnant and I can't believe that I will soon be holding my baby in my arms instead of my ever growing belly.

I was blessed to find out about this baby on my Mom's birthday. She sent me a wonderful gift on her special day. I moved to NY half way through my pregnancy and didn't know what doctor to see or where to even begin. Thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law, who has taken my hand and led the way through this pregnancy, it has been smooth sailing.

Pregnancy Thoughts:
I will miss feeling my little guy moving all the time although I am anxious to hold him and smell him.
I was never sick and never threw up but Jasper hated toothpaste and mint gum my first trimester.
Jasper loves fruit of any kind...now he is wanting more cakes and cookies.
Perfect strangers have predicted he is a boy because of the perfect basketball my belly resembles.
To date, I have gained 40 lbs. Everyone insists it's all baby...finding it hard to believe my baby weighs 40 lbs!
No stretch marks in sight!!!
My doctor estimates his current weight between 6 & 6.5 pounds--just a little guy.
Steven acts slightly annoyed when strangers tell me how darling, beautiful or great I look.
I have been able to keep his middle name secret because there has to be one thing I can keep to myself till he comes.
Jasper is NOT named after Twilight. If I hadn't been set on the name for FIVE years I would have changed my mind about it. Truth be told I have loved the name since the movie 28 Days.
I have been faithful about my asprin taking...not so faithful about my squeezy sock wearing.
Addi has tested everything we have bought for Jasper. She especially likes the crib, the pack and play, the activity mat and his stroller.
I haven't faltered on my walking and manage to still walk twice a day with Addi. Soon Addi and I will be walking with another member of the family!
I think he is with my mom right now. Even though I can feel him move and know he is alive in there, something about this experience tells me his spirit is chillin' with Grammy Sue. I think he is having a hard time saying goodbye to her...who can blame him?
I have talked to my mom and told her to send something of herself down with him...her toe thumb, smile, anything.
Jasper will have a new cousin in December. I am sure they are already best of friends.


The two preggos and two cousins.

November 1st can't come fast enough. Needless to say that within the next two weeks (tops) Steve and I will be Dad and Mom. I can't wait!!

THINGS MY MOM HAS MISSED. . .
Dad's retirement in November...
Ruby's 2nd birthday...
Micah's wedding.
Her 56th birthday...
My positive pregnancy test on her birthday.
Steve's acceptance to PT school...
Our big move to New York.
Her 34th wedding anniversary.
Baby Showers...
Belly Bumps...
My WHOLE pregnancy...
Giving motherly advice to her only daughter who is pregnant and needs her mommy.
Birthdays...
Her smart, sassy but oh-so-adorable granddaughter, Ruby...
Julie's pregnancy.
Countless things I cannot even begin to mention

THINGS I HAVE MISSED ABOUT MY MOM . . .
EVERYTHING. The small stuff; the big stuff; and, the inbetween stuff. Still can't go a day without tears being shed, a choking feeling in my throat and a need to call my mom. No matter what she has missed out on in our lives, I miss her more. Sending my love up to my mom today. I MISS YOU MOMMA!

New York

Isn't it funny (or strange) that my unfamiliarity of New York is familiar to those who have lived in New York their whole lives? As I walk Addi, I can't help but think that I am a stranger on the outside looking in. Ironic thing is that everyone in New York treats me as if they have known me forever. The people in Rochester are very friendly.

I got lost on my way to my brother's house yesterday. I have made the trip many times over the course of the summer. Yesterday I tried to do it without trusty Tom Tom leading the way. It is now clear to me why even native residents still travel the city with their GPS units--it gets pretty confusing. I can proudly say that I know my way to the doctor's office and the best mall in Rochester without "Tom". I wish I could find my way to Richie's house without him.

Some of the stranger things I have seen living in Rochester are the squirrels running across the power lines outside my front room window. Why don't they ever get electrocuted? On the same note, watch out for falling acorns when walking under the thick trees. Addi loves to hunt the squirrels so I believe they are trying to declare war on her from up above. People actually buy and display lawn jockeys in their front yards...I can't remember EVER seeing a lawn jockey in Heber. Though the climate here is comparative (minus humidity) to Utah, everyone has a swimming pool--mostly the ones above ground but they put really fancy decking around them. We have not experienced fall yet. The trees are barely beginning to change. I am anxiously anticipating the vibrant autumn season the East is known for.

I have decided that in order to remember the great memories and strangeness of this new environment, I need to document what I am thinking--pictures would be better. Today, I love NY...tomorrow could always be a different story!

Home to Utah

I know...my blog is boring. I must say that my summer has been ANYTHING but boring. We just got back from a two week trip to Utah. As many of you know, I was not as tough about moving to NY as I thought I would be---I had a horrible case of homesickness and, at times, believed I was going to lose my mind. Being back in New York after our trip "home" has been much easier and I feel like Heber is where I visit now and New York is where I call home.

Besides eating out on a daily basis, Steve and I enjoyed our time with family. We went to a Bees game, the zoo, the Uintah's a few times and boating more than once. Steve caught 31 fish--only 4 of them ended up in the oven. I had three baby showers; one given by my mother-in-law and grandma-in-law; the second from my wonderful aunts Veronica and Judy; and, Debbie and Peggy from my old neighborhood threw my third shower. I think I am in business for baby J to arrive in the next 6-10 weeks!!

Addi in her carry-on bag. She is the perfect flyer!



















I love these people! Some of my cousins and my Aunts Judy and Veronica. They mean the world to me.


I guess my baby bump is pretty apparent at this point. I am on the countdown and am getting really nervous and very anxious to meet baby J. Thank you to everyone who made our trip to Utah the best! Steve is back in school now. He has a busy semester of PT school topped off with the arrival of our new addition. We will have many visitors throughout the end of the year and at Christmas we get to go home again! What could be better than that?