Helping Other Women

I’m going to turn and show a side of me that many may not know about for a minute.

Why do I do what I do? What even do I do? I guess let’s get that out of the way. I am an independent beauty consultant with Mary Kay.

Now. Why, on earth, would I want to do something like that? Well, there are a few reasons. Number one, the reason that got me going in the first place was that when we (I say we because Steven was there with me) first heard about the opportunity, Steven encouraged me to go for it. I was totally prepared to walk away with just a free dinner (yep, we feed you if you’re willing to hear us out) and say no. But I think he saw something in IT that could benefit ME. And maybe the possibility for some extra dollars was appealing to him.

Number two, and this is the reason that keeps me going, is the opportunity I have to help others. Before Mary Kay, I was using drug store… everything. And I didn’t particularly love anything I used. I had acne (ugh, WHY is skin so mean? I was an adult who wished she could go back in time to her teenager self and smack her and tell her that her “acne” was not that bad, but I digress). I didn’t really like the way I played guesswork with the foundation wall (SERIOUSLY, how in the heck are you supposed to know what color to buy? You can’t try it first because that would be stealing, I’m pretty sure…) I didn’t really know how to put on makeup. I felt it was all too expensive. I felt pretty enough, but not like anything really special.

Mary Kay helped me. First, the acne line cleared up my skin. I used to buy another, SUPER EXPENSIVE, super harsh acne line. You know what? It didn’t really work for very long. Anyway, clear skin= instant confidence (for me). Like, seriously. I am a mom of 3 little boys, did you know that? Did you know that some days, makeup just doesn’t make it on this face? That used to make me want to hide and not be in photos with my kids. Now, not so much. I don’t mind having my picture taken (or going out in public) with no makeup on. Side note: I still like to at least brush my top lashes with mascara because they’re invisible and I gotta have SOMETHING…

Also, I really love putting on my makeup. It is fun to learn new techniques and try new colors and basically do art on my face. (And then to be told my makeup looks fantastic!)

My point is, I am more confident because of Mary Kay. I want to help other women get there. I want to help someone resolve a skin concern they have so they can feel beautiful. And you know what? If you feel beautiful, you ARE beautiful! When you feel beautiful, your confidence radiates from you and people notice. I want to help women find the perfect shade of foundation. I still remember when I went to my foundation matching appointment (before I joined). First, it’s high quality stuff, so it goes on really nice. But more than that, when I put it on (before I bought it, mind you… that’s just how it works in Mary Kay: try before you buy!) I was completely BLOWN AWAY by how it looked on me. I was instantly more in love with myself. I want to share that feeling with others!

Think back to when you last bought any skin care or cosmetic from a drug store. Did anyone ever follow up with you to see if it was working out and if you were satisfied with it? I’m betting all my money the answer is no. Bet you can see where this is going… I will check with you. I want to make sure you are completely satisfied. And I want to fix it if you aren’t.

I know that people say you should love you the way you are, but that is really hard sometimes when you look in the mirror and see things that are hard to love. I submit that it’s easier to clear up the acne than it is to learn to love the acne. Sometimes it’s easier to get the right cleanser and moisturizer for your dry flaky skin than it is to learn to love your face feeling so dry it will crack and break off (I’ve been here). And sometimes it’s easier to use a lash building serum than it is to learn to love those cute little stubby, sparse lashes. I am here to help.

I really love what I do and I hope and pray that more people will give me the opportunity to do it!

PSA

Public Service Announcement:
When the back of the semi truck says "do not pass on right" just listen.
I WAS NOT passing on the right.  I had merely merged onto the freeway and happened to be on the right of a semi.  An unfortunate situation, one that is causing headache.
Let me back up a little.  Well, first, we're fine.  The boys were in the car with me and we're all doing alright.  (unless you count Lucas screaming his lungs out most times I put him in the car...)
I was headed to the park last Thursday.  The one in Kaysville with the castle.  I was supposed to meet my sisters-in-law because one was visiting from out of town.
I merged onto the freeway, and since the entrance puts you in an "exit only" lane, I got myself out of it because I didn't want to get off there.  I had noticed the semi in the middle lane but didn't think much of it.  Apparently, he didn't notice me and thought he was clear to move back into the right lane (let's face it, that's where we all want the semis to hang out).  He bumped my back door, wheel, and bumper.  It sent me fishtailing, and eventually spinning out to the side of the freeway.
At this point, I have to express my gratitude to my Father in Heaven for sending guardian angels to protect us as we spun across that other lane of traffic.  Also, I can't tell you how many times I've prayed in gratitude that we didn't roll.  It could have been so much worse.
We landed facing the same way we had been going, but I don't know how many times we spun (probably just once...).
The kind lady who had gotten on the freeway behind me (actually slammed on her brakes so she didn't hit me) stopped and called 911.  She stayed until she knew we were okay.
My mom came and rescued us. (Since the car wasn't going anywhere without a tow)  We went to the park anyway (YOU try telling a 2 year old he gets to go to the park and see Nana, and then changing your mind).  We bought new car seats (you're supposed to replace them after any collision).  The next day, we got a rental car.
Now, we're in this mess of getting compensated for our losses.  The truck driver was cited, so his insurance is supposed to be taking care of everything.  Which is nice.
But seriously, it would be way nicer if we didn't have to deal with any of this.  Bringing me back to my original message:  BELIEVE the warning on the back of a big rig, and don't hang out on the right side of them.  They can't see you.

Baby Number Two: Birth Story

I wrote this up a while ago. I figured I should post it.

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*This time around, I wanted to try without an epidural.  We took a 5 week class for Hypnobirthing and the things I learned got me so pumped to have this baby.

 

I woke up around 2 am with some mild contractions on Friday, February 13.  I timed them for about an hour and they were about 7-10 minutes apart. After telling Steven that he wasn't going to work today, I went back to sleep, knowing I would need my energy.  Daylight brought less consistent, and still mild, contractions.  I called Mom to let her know to be on standby.  Around 10 Steven took Bennett to Nana’s house with the bag packed for him to spend a few nights there. 

Mom and I went to get pedicures at about 11, and after that I spend the afternoon drinking a whole pineapple (sent through the juicer), eating some 5 alarm hot sauce from Taco Time (I didn't drink it, I put it on some stuffed tater tots), and eating some spicy Chinese food from Panda Express.  We also went to Kohl’s and, after shopping, walked around the parking lot.  The contractions had all but gone away and all this was an elaborate attempt to get them to come back.

I finally called Guy (my midwife) and asked if I could come in again and he could sweep my membranes again.  We got to his office around 5 and he said I was dilated to a 4.  As we left we said “see you later” and he laughed and said, “Yeah, let’s hope it’s not at 3 am.”  Ha.

After that we went to Grandma’s house.  She has a nice soaker tub that can be filled to cover a pregnant belly.  Warm baths are supposed to help you relax and let labor continue naturally… I soaked for an hour.  My contractions got more consistent and stronger.  They hurt, and I really wanted to know why because everything I had learned about Hypnobirthing said that it shouldn’t hurt like it was.  We decided I should call the instructor of the class to see if she had any suggestions.

She tried to help over the phone, but said that without actually being there, she couldn't be sure what was going on or exactly how to fix it.  She gave some suggestions though, and we headed to my parents’ house to try them out.  I wasn't ready to go to the hospital yet because I really had my heart set on the calm birth experience that I had prepared so hard for and I knew that with the way things were going, it would be less than the calm that I wanted.  We tried for a couple of hours to alleviate the pain I was feeling (think worst diarrhea cramps EVER). 

Around 11 we kind of gave up.  The contractions were so close together and so intense I had a hard time remembering how to calm myself down between them and I began questioning my ability to have this baby the way I wanted to. 

We headed to the hospital.  I rode in the Suburban with Mom because it’s a more comfortable ride than our car.  When we go there, Mom got me a wheelchair.  I remember thinking that that was kind of silly, but thinking back, I’m pretty sure I wouldn't have made it walking.

They admitted me without making me go to Triage, which I was grateful for.  When the nurse checked me to see how far dilated I was, she sent the room into a small frenzy because I was a 6 and I had tested positive for Group B Strep, which requires antibiotics 4 hours before you deliver the baby.  It was kind of funny to watch them fly around to hurry and get the IV in me so that the medicine could have time to work.

From there, it’s all kind of blurry.  I think mostly because about the time we checked into the hospital (about 11:30), I realized I hadn’t had anything to eat since lunch.  BAD IDEA.  (note to self, make sure you eat before you head to the hospital to have a baby, especially if you plan to do the whole thing without pain medication).  Another factor to the blurry-ness of the memory is probably the intensity of the contractions.  I had asked for the Natural Birthing Suite at the hospital (it has a labor tub!) and I got in shortly after we go there (I think).  The water helped me be a little calmer and handle the contractions (which were still very painful) a little better. 

When I wasn't in the tub, we tried a few of the relaxation techniques that we learned from the class, but I think I was mostly really disappointed with how things were turning out.  I remember I kept saying to Steven that it wasn’t supposed to hurt, and that I just wanted it to not hurt.  He asked me if I wanted to get an epidural, but I told him no.  Mostly, I think, because I really didn't want to change rooms (the Natural Birthing Suite is only for those who go, well, natural). 

I got dilated to an 8, and hung out there for a while.  My water still hadn't broken, and Guy came in and said that if he broke my water, we'd have a baby within probably 30 minutes.  That was around 2 am.  I asked if he could tell if the baby was anterior or posterior.  He couldn't, and that made me scared.  I knew that he could still be born if he was facing the wrong way, but it still made me nervous to speed things along.  (I'm fairly certain my lack of food and sleep contributed to the mostly non-logical way I was making decisions at that point).  I handled the VERY intense contractions for another hour before I just couldn't take it anymore and called Guy back in to break my water. 

3:25(ish) am, my water was broken.  A few things I remember from the 20 minutes that followed: I learned what a real intense contraction feels like.  I found out what it feels like if I hyperventilate (tingly fingers).  I watched my midwife jump into action and in almost one motion put his gown and gloves on and catch my baby.  I had no “ring of fire” and I in no way feel I missed out on anything.  When Guy said “no lacerations” I wanted to pump my fist in the air because I knew that recovery would be so much easier because of that. And finally, at 3:43 am, I was handed the most perfect pink squirming baby.

While I’m not ready to accept that what I experienced is what Hypnobirthing is for me, it wasn't a bad experience, and I still think it was a better experience than the first time I had a baby.  I plan on trying again and maybe looking into a few extra things to help out.   

And now for a picture overload:

Steven reading me a script to help me relax

Laboring in the tub and trying to keep my IV out of the water...

"Why does my head hurt???  It's so BRIGHT!  What's going on???"

His official weight is 7 lbs 3 oz

Bath Time

Lovin' that shampoo

All that RED hair

This is the newest technology in anti-baby-switching efforts. That thing was so cumbersome...

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I want to promise more blog updates on the rest of our lives in the near future, but I won't because I really don't like to break promises...

Quarterly Update

Or biannual update (ha!... It's been a while.)

Well, my son had a birthday.  It's been a whole year since this happened.

The party was awesome, and I made a delicious and very cute cake.   Also, of course, a very cute and delicious mini cake for Bennett to destroy.  Unfortunately, he was tired by the time we got to cake,  he was almost uninterested and very clingy.  The plan was to put him in a chair to eat, he just screamed.  So I guess plan b was my lap.  That was fun.  Also, the cute bow tie I made for him to wear while eating cake was promptly ripped off... (but not before a photo was taken!)

See?  Cute bow tie.

The cake got cut before we got a good photo.  *sigh* oh well.

Getting cake on mom.

We also moved from Lehi.  I don't know who remembers how I felt about going there in the first place.  Well, it turned out to be not so bad.  We made some good friends there.  And I was sad to leave them.  But we moved to Layton, so we're closer to our families.  No, Steven didn't get a new job.  Yes, it's quite the commute, but he rides the train, so it's not so bad.  (I'll let him refute that if he wants to...).  The plan is to get lots of school work done on that train ride so there can be another degree holder in this house (sooner?).

Right after we moved, we went to the air show at Hill.  We love the Air Show.  It was convenient that we lived closer so we didn't have to get up an some unholy hour to be there on time.  Seriously, these guys are so cool, and I'm excited for them to come back.  Also, my child is adorable, and you know it. ;)

I LOVE his hat

Rockin' his patriotic shades

Posing in front of the Thunderbirds

EVERY time I see these guys fly, I am amazed at how precise they have to be in order to make such 

Someone didn't get a morning nap.  He just passed out in my arms on the way to the car (we were on a shuttle bus)

On the Fourth of July, we went to our ward breakfast.  And then headed to stake out a spot for the Layton Parade.  I have like ONE photo from the whole day.  Awesome.  Also, Steven WAS there, we just ended up with zero photos of him...  After the parade, we headed home for lunch and a nap.  We grilled some chicken (just the 3 of us) and I baked a spaghetti squash (yum).  And after dinner went to my parents for some s'mores.  We put Bennett to bed at his usual time and figured we'd catch what we could of the Layton show from our yard.  It wasn't bad, and considering all the cars parked on our street/in our neighborhood, I'm actually glad we didn't have to fight with the crowds of people.  I figure there will be plenty more fireworks when my kid doesn't require to be on such a schedule.

I think that's all I'm going to add for now.  I think that there was more that happened between March and May, but I'm not sure what.  :)

Things My Paper Route Taught Me

If you didn't know, Steven and I started a paper route about 2 weeks ago. We had both delivered for the Standard Examiner when we were kids, and thought "how hard could it be?" Well, I guess we found out how hard it could be. Here is the list of things I learned during our 12 days of delivering newspapers:

~My husband is kind of an irrational/illogical/*grumpy* man in the middle of the night… (love him anyway)

~Believe it or not, it IS possible to get car sick while you are driving.  Ugh.  Who knew.  Thank you, Sea Bands I guess… oh, and yay for wearing contacts in the middle of the night!

~Wait, people still take a paper EVERY DAY?! Whatever… it pays well I guess.

~JK, $800 a month is not worth filling up the gas tank every 4 days, being a zombie mom, and having to go to bed when my kid does...

~Delivering 4 papers simultaneously is slightly (ha) more complex than just delivering one paper.  I never thought I’d miss the days on my bike…

~It’s harder to recover from getting no sleep when you’re 25 than when you’re 15.  First Sunday on the route, 3 naps were had and church was attended sans shower.  No joke.

~NO ONE is up at 3 in the morning.  Except your paper carrier who may or may not be contemplating whether it is worth the paycheck to keep getting up at insane hours of the morning just so you can have your paper on your driveway (or porch-extra effort, mind you) by 6 am.  

~Because no one is up at 3 am, when you are driving around at said times, don’t be afraid to drive on the wrong side of the road if you have to.

~While I’m not grumpy at 2 am, I do get grumpy during the day if I have been up since 2 am… just ask my poor primary kids.

~When they say it gets easier, they mean it. I actually got done on time the second day that I did the whole route. But that wasn't enough to keep me on the route.

~Doing the whole route on Sunday, however, was enough for me to quit the route... (see also thing number 4)

~I married a wonderful man. When we decided to quit, we called and they said we still had to do one more day. Technically it was my day (we had split the days). But Steven said that he would do it so I could sleep. Even though he had to be to work that day. I just love him so much.

~Even when I'm exhausted, and I hate what I'm doing, it's really hard for me to quit. I just don't want to be a "quitter." I've only ever quit one job before because I hated it so much. And if you know me, you know I've had lots of jobs.

~I need to find another way to make a little extra cash...

Sacrifice

I LOVE my son.  Being a mom is way more than I ever thought it would be, and I believe that it can only truly be understood by someone else who has been there.  I love that I can be there for him all day, every day (a luxury not all mothers enjoy).  I love that I get to watch him grow.
I have to start with that because I am going to complain a bit now.

It is likely that my child will never know how much I went through to get him here... as I'm sure most of us are unaware of every struggle our mothers went through... but this has to be said:  I AM SICK OF MY HAIR.  Everyone tells you about how you'll get beautiful pregnancy hair.  And oh, it was gorgeous.  I even heard it would fall out (though I secretly hoped it wouldn't happen to me).  No One told me I'd get lovely baby hairs all around my hairline that would stand up and do whatever the heck they pleased.  For months.  And months.  UGH.  Are they EVER going to grow out?!  (I suppose natural logic should have told me that the hair would grow back, but hey, I'm claiming mommy brain on that one.)

Here is the part that hurts the most to think about:  I want more children.  This is going to happen again.  (and again, however many kids we decide to have...)  So just so everyone knows: my hair is going to look horrible for the next several years (because it is likely that when my hair starts looking normal, the cycle is going to start over...)  I'll affectionately call it "the 'chia-pet' years."

But I DO love this kid, I guess he's worth it ;)

Odds and Ends

I realize it's been a while since I updated the blog, so today I will attempt to do so while Steven works on homework.

First, holy mobile child.  Pros: He doesn't cry as much because I can put him down and he can follow me.  He is SO stinking cute when he crawls (and climbs) that I can't help but encourage him.  Con: He can now get into pretty much everything that is near the ground.  I still haven't really baby-proofed the apartment.

Christmas was fun.  We actually made it back home this time!  (in hind-sight, this fact is so much more exciting than I thought it was... more on that later.)  Last Christmas, there was a mondo snow storm that prevented us from traveling back up to Logan, so we stayed at my parents house that night.  No big deal since we were just us, but I prayed really hard that it wouldn't blizzard this time because I just didn't want to try and stay anywhere with Bennett.  We didn't get much in the way of gifts this year, but that's ok; we've got each other and when I think about it, that's what is most important to me.  We got a few things for Bennett, but his favorite things Christmas morning were the bows that topped his presents.  He did not care about what was under them one bit.  I think it will be fun next year when he can/will actually open his presents.

My kid says my name.  Haha, well he says momomomomomomomom..... I think it's so stinking cute!  And while I can't prove that he associates the word "mom" with me, he sometimes does look at me when he says it, which makes my mommy heart melt.

Speaking of melting, remember when I talked about Christmas and being able to go home?  Well, it turns out that our child can't handle sleeping in someone else's bed (cue total melt down).  My cousin came home from his mission this past week and spoke yesterday.  We took the opportunity to visit our friends in Logan, including staying with some friends there over night.  That was THE longest night of my life. (Including the night I was in labor, I swear!)  First, the kid hadn't had a good nap all day (driving in the car for hours can do that to you)  and he just did not want to settle down and go to sleep.  We ended up taking him for a drive to get him to sleep, but that only lasted until about 11 (the sleep, not the drive which lasted until about 9).  Then when he woke up again, I was able to put him in the crib (that belonged to another baby who was graciously letting him sleep in it) and he fell asleep for probably about 3 hours.  Steven ended up taking him for another drive at about 3 in the morning but Bennett woke up not long after they got back.  That was probably the saddest part: when I got him out of the car seat that time, he looked around and started crying again.  I think he was really hoping to be back in his own room with his own bed.  Well, then we put him back in the car seat to try another drive, but he fell asleep almost instantly and Steven ended up finishing the night on the couch with the baby in the car seat on the floor.  That night's "sleep" wasn't really good enough because as soon as we put Bennett in the car seat to leave at 10 he was out.  I just can't imagine how Christmas morning would have felt if we hadn't been able to make it home to our beds.  Because of that, I am grateful.  (I am also grateful we have friends willing to let us stay with them, though I'm not sure we'll be doing it again...)

This was the first time I got him to go to sleep... by laying next to him on the floor.  But it didn't last long, and that's when we took the first ride in the car.

Today, Steven and I have been married 2 years!  We went on a date, and my mom and sisters came to play with Bennett while we were gone.  I was a little worried because in the past Bennett has only been a basket case for my mom.  We planned on being gone for 4 or 5 hours and I really hoped he could handle it.  And he did!  He only cried for a few minutes when he left and he got upset just before we got home.  (haha, there are pictures to prove he was happy while we were gone).  I am now considering trying to leave him with people that live closer so we can go on dates more often (so they don't feel so monumental when they happen).  Which is SO awesome because before today, the last date we went on without the child was before the child was born... WAY too long ago.

I'm realizing that all these are really about Bennett.  But I guess that's what it is now: our lives revolve around him.  I can't believe he will be 8 months old in 6 days.  I feel like time is speeding by on a freight train, and all I can do is take lots of pictures and try to keep up!