Team Francks

baby jack's birth day: the semi-abridged version

I've been working on my this post for two weeks... its taking me FOREVER...  my internet time is seriously limited these days!

We're settling in to our new routine... my mom is still here (YAY!!)... Joey is back to work (Boo)... I still have a few more weeks off before I have to go back to work... life is good... and we LOVE baby Jack.

So here's baby Jack's birth day story... I did try to keep it brief... but I wanted to record it before I forgot details :)

• I was scheduled for a c-section for 10am on January 12th... supposed to report to the hospital at 8am.

• Scheduled to drop Buddy off at Preschool at 7:30am (on the 12th) while I was in surgery. 

• I really really wanted my mom with me after surgery while Joey was in the nursery with the baby... Last c-section was soo horrible that I really wanted somebody with me while I was in recovery.  Did I mention I was stressed about the c-section?  I was having a lot of anxiety about the whole repeat c-section experience.

• My mom would then go in the afternoon and pick up Buddy from school and bring him to the hospital to meet baby and spend some time with us.

• I had a plan.

• I'm a planning kind of girl.

• On the evening of the 11th we all went out to dinner... kind of pre-baby celebration... had prayer as a family and Joey gave me a blessing that every thing would go well and that I would feel comforted and not afraid.

• Stayed up late pulling last minute stuff together... my hospital bag had been packed for a week but there's some stuff that can't go in to the bag until the last minute (makeup, glasses, etc).

• Finally got to bed about 12:45am... was a little bit annoyed that I was getting to bed so late when I had to be up at 6:00am to get ready for the hospital. But at least I'd be getting about 5 hours of sleep.

• Woke up at 3:15 to go to the bathroom... had just stood up when I felt a little trickle down my leg and was a bit surprised... I've never had an accident... so as I was standing there for a brief second contemplating the trickle all the sudden I felt this gush and next thing I know my water has broken all over my bedroom carpet.

• I said "Joey!"

• and he said "I heard!...   I guess we're having a baby now!"

• and I said "we can't have a baby now... we have a plan!  we're scheduled at 10am!  And we can't drop Buddy off at Preschool until 7:30am!"

• And he said "well... it sounds like the baby wants to come now... I don't think he's concerned with the plan"

• We talked about  leaving Buddy at home with my mom (but I really wanted her in recovery with me)... we talked about calling friends and I KNOW they would have been MORE THAN HAPPY to take him 3:30am... but I didn't really want to call and wake anybody up at 3:30am.. so we decided to take him to the hospital with us.  

• I went in to wake up my mom but she was already awake from all the commotion.

•  I called Labor and Delivery (its about 3:35am at this point) and told them my water and just broken and that I needed them to call my Doctor... and they said that my doctor was already at the hospital and that she was just finishing another delivery.

• They asked if I was have contractions and I told them no... and they said because my water had broken I needed to come in right now... . so much for getting my five hours of sleep!

• I jumped in the shower and Joey loaded all the stuff in the car and exactly 45 minutes from the time my water broke we were on our way!

• Our hospital is about 15 minutes away... about 7 minutes in to the drive I started having contractions in my back.

• Got to the hospital and they took me up to labor and delivery and had me get dressed for surgery.  By the time they got me on the table to check me out I was having full blown contractions and was dilated to a six.

• They went to check with the doctor and see if she wanted me to go in to surgery now or wait until the doctor got back from getting her kids up and ready for school (for some reason i found that really funny... sometimes I forgot my doctor is a mom with school aged kids). 

• When the doctor saw how dilated I was she said they would take me now.

• By this time my contractions were intense.  They gave me some medicine to help them not hurt as much... in hind sight I wish I hadn't taken it because it made me sooo groggy.

• They moved me in to surgery... had Joey get dressed in scrubs and gave me my spinal block (oh bless you spinal block!)

• Joey came in.... my doctor came in and it was game on!

• Thankfully I didn't feel anything except for a ton of tugging... little man #2 did NOT want to leave... he was waaaaay stuck in the birth canal and it was hard to get him out... my doctor is little and (not even five feet tall) had to get her knee up on the table to pull him out.  

• I was so groggy from the meds and was in and out the whole time... I wish I'd been more awake.  But I do remember at 6am the doctors phone alarm went off and she said to the nurses "will one of you call my kids and tell them to get up and get ready for school"... haha... I think it was the meds but I thought that was so funny.

• At 6:02am little man entered the world.  Happy Birthday little one.

• The anesthesiologist came over to tell us that it was a really good thing that we'd had a c-section... he said that the baby was breech (had turned in the last two days since my appt), had the cord wrapped around his neck and that baby's shoulders were so broad that it would have been a miserable delivery and that I probably would have ended up with a c-section anyway.

• The doctor told us later that I had a uterine window that would have most likely ruptured if I had tried a VBAC.  So even though I didn't want a repeat c-section I'm so grateful we went that route.

• They cleaned the baby all up and Joey brought him over for me to kiss him and then they left to go to the nursery while they finished sewing me back together.

• They took me to recovery where I had the shakes so bad from anesthesia... I do not do well with anesthesia... but I'm oh so grateful for it!

• Later they took us in to our room we took naps on and off and settled in to our little hospital routine... mom stayed with me at night... Joey would take Buddy home and put him to bed... they'd come back in the morning.

• Two days in to our hospital stay we decided that little man did indeed need a name (that and the Birth Certificate office asking us several times a day!).  Joey said I could pick his name and I decided I really did want him to be named Jack... I tried it out for a couple of days before we called the birth certificate office and we're hoping it fits him!

• I was in the hospital for four days... the nurses were awesome... everything was great (except for trying to nurse, throwing up all day from the anesthesia and being moved to three different rooms!)

• On Sunday the 15th we got to bring him home and settle in to life as a family of four! 

• I have to say that this experience was a hundred million times better than last time.  I still hurt... but not nearly as much as the emergency c-section did.  We had huge nursing issues this time too... and so we decided after four days of trying to nurse in the hospital (along with the lactation consultant) that unfortunately it just wasn't going to work (I'll spare you the details)... so we made the decision just to bottle feed this time... I'm sad about it... but unfortunately nursing doesn't like me!!

• Baby Jack is so sweet.  He's such a good good baby... he's such a miracle and a blessing and we are so so grateful for him. 

 Here are a few pictures... here's a link if you want to see even more :)

Baby Jack Album

 

Introducing...

He's here and he's absolutely perfect! We'll be in the hospital for a couple more days (darn c-section)... but we're doing good and we are soooo in love!

Details coming soon!

The last few days with just me and my little buddy.

In just a couple of days it'll be me, my buddy, and my our new buddy.

grateful for every moment... big and small.

Advent Highlights...

I promise we're almost done with Christmas posts!  I just want to journal this so I don't forget details.

I loved loved loved our advent system this year... worked out so well!  And I'm soo glad that I stuck with 15ish activities (instead of trying to do 25)... it was the perfect amount for us! It wasn't too stressful or overwhelming because I planned ahead and knew what was coming up (why can't I do this for all things in my life!).

As I mentioned in this post I wrote out our 15 activities on little cards that I had on hand... the night before an activity I slipped it in to the appropriate pocket. He's little enough that it wouldn't have been a big deal if I'd put them all in at once... but I can see as he gets older that its easier if they don't know what the upcoming activities are (in case there are last minute changes).

Our 2011 Advent Activities in review:

• Toys for Tots Family Home Evening

Met up with some friends for dinner and then went and dropped off the toys... There were many tears on the way home when he realized he didn't get to keep the gifts. He hasn't quite grasped the concept of service yet. :)

The moment when he realized the gifts were staying in the box and not coming home with us!

• Ward Christmas Party

• snowman craft

• make magic reindeer food

• Family date night... dinner out and Christmas lights at our local park

• make thumbprint ornaments to send to Grandparents

• Decorate Tree and house

• Watch Elf (our favorite!)
  

• Letter to Santa

• Brunch on Christmas Eve at Cracker Barrel

• Decorate cookies and hot chocolate date with our neighbors

• New Christmas PJ's and read the story about the birth of Jesus on Christmas Eve

• Visit Santa

• Special (dress up) Candlelight Christmas Dinner and Family Home Evening
  

 

Activities that didn't happen this year:

make paper snowflakes

Live Nativity at Cowboy Church - its only one weekend a year and we only had one night we could go and it happen to be the weekend that everyone had a nasty cold.... so we'll try again next year!

make handprint ornament - I'm still planning on doing this one in the next week... I just ran out of time.

And there you have it... our very fun, very successful Advent activities for 2011!

 

Christmas: Top 11 in 2011 (part 2)

Onward and upward with the rest of my favorite Christmas highlights of 2011!

6.  The magic of Christmas with a three year old is seriously so so fun.  He was in to Christmas this year... was excited about the activities and Santa and the gifts... loved it! (mental note: do not put presents under the tree early!  torture for both of us for entirely different reasons!)

Christmas morning was really fun... we didn't let him in the living room before Church so when we came home and let him in he the room he was SO excited!

All morning he kept saying "oh wow!"... he'd open a present... go play with it for awhile... come back open another gift...  play with it... it was seriously so fun.  Loved it!

    

7.   Decorations around the house (old and new).  Decorating for the holidays is one of my very favorite things.. I didn't pull everything out this year... which was still plenty.  We got a new tree on clearance after Christmas last year... went with a new snowflake theme on the tree... just lots of fun little touches.  I love a house all festive for the holidays!

 

This bench sits on my porch... but when Christmas comes I move it inside to my dining room so that I have room for my snowman on the porch... I bought the sign for $4 in Canton this year... I love the sign (its all sparkly!) and thought it was cute just sitting on the bench. 

Bought this little tree for around $6 after Christmas last year... set it up in Buddy's room and he LOVES this tree.  Calls it the "Buddy Tree" and will tell anyone who will listen about the tree in his room.  Best $6 ever!

8.  We started a new gift giving system this year... I got the idea from my friend Kim McCrary ... each person gets five gifts...

• Santa
• Gift you want
• Gift you need
• Gift you wear
• Gift you read

This was my first year doing it... and I have to say I love it.  I still want to get some ideas (from Kim and others who do it) so that next year goes smoother. But I love love love the concept... helped me keep Christmas about Christmas and not just the gifts. 

Plus I love lists... so I just wrote out those five gifts on a paper and then plugged in the gift idea... totally made it easier.  Looking forward to fine tuning it for next season.

Here's a print out I found on Pinterest. 

9.  Christmas Dinner

Like I said earlier... I don't want to be in the kitchen all day Christmas... I know... that's not very festive... but I just remember my mom spending ALL day long cooking and cleaning on Christmas... and that just doesn't seem fun to me... so as I mentioned we do our nice Christmas meal early.

But... with that said... I still try to make it a nice easy meal... this year for Christmas Eve we did appetizers... 

For Christmas dinner we did BBQ sandwhiches (in the crockpot and on these rolls... soo good!), loaded baked potato salad (which was sooo good!), green beans and bacon and pecan and pumpkin pie for dessert. 

I made everything (except for the green beans) two days before... and so it was just a matter of warming it up and setting it out.  Yummy and easy!

10.  Visiting Santa... we got to see Santa a couple of times this year... let's just say... Buddy is not quite a fan yet... :)  In his defense Santa was a little scary this year.

Totally makes me laugh. 

11. Gifts of Time

This year we decided to focus more on family gifts... my cousins family does "Gifts of Time" which I thought was such a fun idea!  So we totally borrowed the idea this year (and will do it going forward).

Each person in the family gives a gift that the whole family does together... an afternoon at the movies (child presenting gets to pick the movie), sledding together, ice skating, etc... basically a family activity together...

You could TOTALLY do this as a low cost/no cost activity... or you could give a game that everyone plays together, a DVD that everyone watches together... just the fact that you're together.

Our Gifts of Time this year:

Buddy gave us a gift certificate to Chuck E. Cheese (his favorite place!)

I gave us a day at a local(ish) Animal Park/Wildlife Center... you ride a safari type bus around the park and get to see animals (giraffes, zebras, etc) out in the open (not behind gates).

Joey gave us a day at a Waterpark in Dallas

and my mom gave us money for Christmas that we'll be using for our Summer swim passes to the local pool.

My rule was that when giving the gift you actually had to have something wrapped to present... you couldn't just tell people what you were giving.  So Buddy actually had his Chuck E. Cheese gift certificate wrapped under the Tree.

I had a print out of the animal park with a map tied to a toy kangaroo (that we already had)...

We presented our gifts of time at the end of the morning after all the other gifts were opened.

Next year I'm going to have the kids present smaller gifts (like a movie, game, sledding, etc) and me and Joey will give the bigger gifts... that way we keep the cost down.

Anyway it was a fun fun addition to our Christmas and will help focus on "memories" vs. "stuff"

It was such a wonderful magical year... so incredibly grateful for our Savior and the reason we celebrate this wonderful season! 

Christmas: Top 11 in 2011 (part 1)

This Christmas was so so great... simple... wonderful... almost perfect.  If we'd been with family it would have been perfect... but alas Skype had to fill in for us.

Here our my favorites of this Christmas... in no particular order.

1.  Fancy Christmas Dinner

I decided several years ago that I don't want to spend the whole day in the kitchen on Christmas... so we have our nice fancy Christmas dinner the Sunday before Christmas... we have a Family Home Evening on our Savior and its the perfect addition to our Christmas season.

Usually we wear dressier clothes... but the boys opted for PJ's this year.

Eventually I'd like everyone in the family (and if we have visitors) to have a part in the Christmas FHE... musical number, story, etc. 

This year we did it early since Liberty was in town and wanted her to be a part of it... after dinner we went and looked at lights and listened to the First Presidency Christmas devotional. 

2.  Adeventing

I want to do a whole post on our advent activities turned out...  it was perfect.  It kept us focused on doing meaningful/fun activities throughout the whole season... 15 activities was the perfect amount. Loved it!

3.  Christmas Eve Eve bowling

Joey and I both had Christmas Eve Eve off... so we got together with our neighbors and went Christmas bowling... I think we have a new tradition in the making.  So fun!

4. Christmas Eve

We had Christmas Eve brunch and Cracker Barrel, attended a Christmas Eve Party and then came home and opened our Christmas Pj's, sprinkled Reindeer Food and read the nativity story.

5.   Christmas Day... love having Christmas on a Sunday.  We had the sweetest church program, came home had our Christmas breakfast, opened gifts, took a nap, ate, talked to family.  Perfect!

to be continued.... 

name poll...

I wasn't going to do this... I'm pretty private about names... I think half the fun of a new baby is finding out the name... especially when you do Invitro and pretty much all of the "surprise" of the process has been taken away from you... but as I've mentioned before we're struggling with names... so I'm posting it here for all to read.  Because I really really want your HONEST (but kind) opinions.

I have very very very strong opinions about names... I hate made up names.  I hate weird names.  I hate "unique" spellings.   I can't just like a name... it has to have some significance to us... family/church/etc.  I know its weird.  But that's just how I am.  And Joey is just as opinionated about names as I am.

So here are our three names that we're trying to decide between.  Please submit your vote and comments below. 

Ezra

I think this is an absolutely horrible name (no offense to Ezra Taft Benson who was a wonderful man and I think very highly of).  But I hate everything about the name Ezra.

BUT... this is Joey's very top vote.  He LOVES this name.  LOVES.  Ezra Francks.  blech.  Have I mentioned I hate it?

John David

One name.  He would go by both names.  Not John.  Not David.  John David.

Pros:

It's the name we strongly considered for our first child.  It's a family name.  John is Joey's dad's first name... David is my dad's name.  I think its a beautiful name.  I love how it sounds and I love that it works well with our last name.

Cons:

I have two first names... and I've fought my whole life to go by both names.  Now that I'm older I like having two names... but its hard.... People always want to drop the second name.

But I'd want him to go by both names. I HATE the name John (no offense to the Johns of the world).  I hate the name JD.  I'd rather not name him John David than to have him go by John or JD. 

Plus on both sides of our families we have a million Johns, Davids and even a John David or two.

Jack

Pros:

We got the name as a nickname from Jacksonville... My dad is from Jacksonville Florida and  Jacksonville has a lot of family significance for us and is very near and dear to my family's heart.

I don't like name Jackson... so it would just be Jack.

I like that its common but not too common.  People wont have a hard time knowing how to spell or say it.

I love that its a name that would fit a little boy as well as a grown man.

Jack.  Easy and simple.

Cons:

It doesn't really flow well with our last name.  Jack Francks.  That's a whole lot of 'ck' going on.

Joey has an uncle named Jack... we love Uncle Jack.  But he would not be named after Uncle Jack.  I don't want there to be any confusion about that.  :0)

It is a little bit more common than I like... but like I said above its easy to say and easy to spell and that's not a bad thing!

Oh... and before you suggest us naming him John David and calling him Jack... not an option.  It will either be one or the other.  :0)

So there you have it... our three names we're fighting considering.

Happy Voting!  And I love to hear any thoughts or input you have.

making: the christmas edition

1. Reindeer Cookies

I found these cute reindeer cookies on Pinterest (have I mentioned my complete and utter love of Pinterest?!  LOVE!)

The Pinterest version is way cuter... but they were just for my Nursery class... and thankfully the 2-3 year old crowd is easily impressed!  

Recipe found here.

 

2.  Easy peasy crafts... Walmart had the best selection of easy foam crafts this year... and for under $2 (everything included!)... Buddy loved doing it and I just let him do it.... I didn't try to micromanage (which is what I usually do when crafting)... especially when it comes to sprinkling glittered... but I just let him go crazy!.  It was a really fun activity together.

 

 

3.  Holiday Pretzel Treats... Hugs and Rolo's versions.

The boys are awesome candy peelers (is that word?).

 

4. reindeer thumbprint ornaments... gifts we made in nursery... the kids loved them... we loved them... hopefully the parents loved them.

5.  Easy Peacn Pie... My friend Amy makes the BEST Pecan Pie... I love Pecan Pie... but I've never attempted to make it... she sent me her recipe and now its on the menu for Christmas Dinner. Super excited!

The secret (in my opinion) to good pecan pie is having the pecans chopped in to small pieces... I'm not such a fun of big huge pecan pieces.

Easy Pecan Pie

1 stick of butter

1 cup sugar (I use 1/2c. brown and 1/2c. white)

1 c. Karo syrup

3 eggs,beaten (add to cooled mixture)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a saucepan, melt the butter but don't let it brown.  Mix in the sugar and corn syrup and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.  After mixture cools-- Stir in the eggs.   Mix well. Stir in the pecans.  Pour into the pie shell and wrap edges with foil.

Bake 40-50 minutes until pie is only slightly jiggly in the center. Remove foil the last 15-20 min. Allow to cool.

What are you making??

when I was 36 weeks with Buddy I made this scrapbook page...

 

 (click here if you want to read the journaling bigger)

 

And here I am at 36 weeks...

We can't agree on a name.

His bed is not set up.

His room is not ready.

Nothing has been washed.

Car seat has been located but needs to be washed and put back together.

I feel stressed out.  Not because he's coming (obviously)... just because I'm not ready for him to come yet.

I should never ever blog when its late and I'm tired.

I guess I just don't ever ever want him to feel less loved... or like we're less excited for him than we were the first go around.

Because we are so so soo very excited... and feel so soo soo incredibly blessed that we get to do this again. 

I don't know if I'll get to do this again. I hope so. I pray we do.  But my body doesn't work like it should.  It takes lots and lots of medical help for us to have our babies.  Lots.  Which stinks.  I'd have 12  kids if I could.  Seriously. 

I just need to slow down... and savor every little moment.  Every little kick.  Every little hiccup. 

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank my Heavenly Father for this miracle.  I know how incredibly lucky I am.

T minus 23 days little man.  I love you.

Seven on Sunday

1. Two weeks ago my bff Liberty came to visit all the way from Chicago... we've talked forever about her coming to visit (I was at her house in 2006)... but she's busy, I'm busy and the timing just never worked out.

But she had an opportunity to use some stand by tickets that were going to expire at the end of the year... so it was now or never. 

We had so much fun... the five days flew by... and we were both exhausted by the time she left.

Did I mention that my three year old LOVED her... LOVED... he called her "Bibby" (Libby)...

Highlights of her trip:

Lunch at Olive Garden

seeing Breaking Dawn

Girlfriends Christmas Party

Mexican food from "The Bus"

Canton

Seeing Santa

Baking Cookies

Special Christmas Dinner, First Presidency Christmas Devotional and seeing the lights

and other fun fun adventures!

I'm sooo happy that she got to come!  We had the best time!  Thanks for coming Bibby!

 

2.  While Liberty was here I hosted my annual Girlfriends Christmas Party...really it deserves its own post... but for lack of time I'm putting it in this post.

I thought this year was a lot of fun... I changed up the guest list a teeny tiny bit and I thought it was just a really great mix of women.

In the past I've cooked dinner for everyone... one year we went out to dinner and then came back to my house.  This year we did appetizers and dessert.  I think it turned out well.  I don't know if it was too much work for the guests to bring food and 12 gifts... but at 8.5 months pregnant its what I could manage this year...

Everyone had such great ideas for their gifts and it was just so fun to be together.  It's one of my favorite traditions. 

3.  My little on graduated from Nursery today and will move on to Primary the week after Christmas... We had a little diploma ceremony (we have a GREAT nursery leader!)... sniff sniff.  Where did the time go?  It feels like he just started Nursery!  I've so loved working with him in Nursery the last year!

 

(my attempt at blurring out other peoples kids!)

4.  Last night was our Church Christmas party... it was so much fun.  They did such a great job!  Probably the best one in the last few years... which is sad to say since I helped plan last years... but I can admit defeat... this one beat ours hands down!

5.  baby Jesus ended up in the tub with Buddy's 5,000 other toys... even the Holy Family is not safe from my three year old.

6.  I looooooooooooooooooooooove online shopping.  I love that I hit a little button and boxes show up on my porch.  Love love love!  Amazon has been my best friend for Christmas shopping this year... I may never visit another retail store again....  well, until Wednesday when I have to do grocery shopping.   I have one more gift to buy and I am DONE shopping for the year.  Hallelujah!

7.  This week I was missing eye drops, prenatal vitamins, lotion and tweezers... couldn't find them anywhere.... until I saw Buddy playing with his "treasures" and low and behold there were my missing items.  Next time its the first place I'll look.  Hopefully he'll understand our talk on "leaving mama's stuff alone". :)

 

And with that the weekend is over... back to work and real life! Have a great Monday!