Jen-ology

My Fantasy Wish List

2009-12-17T14:55:00.001-06:00

House

The Grand Foyer

Black Lab

Grand Caravan

(yes, it's a minivan. I've officially become that mom.

But it has awesome power sliding doors on both sides, and captain chairs,

and some other great stuff.)

Dyson Ball

Washer & Dryer

Diamond Eternity Band

and just one pair from Louis

After that, I swear I'll be happy :)

Now excuse me, I have to go look under the couch cushions for some spare change so that we might be able to afford Christmas presents!

1 down, 7 to go

2009-12-12T19:06:00.000-06:00

Jared is done with his first semester of medical school. We survived...

PS. It finally snowed this week too! (Probably to make getting to finals a bit more exciting!)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2009-12-04T18:24:00.002-06:00

This is mine and Jared's 5th Christmas together. The 1st we were dating. The second christmas we were just barely married and too poor for Christmas decorations but we did have a tiny, 1 foot tall, fake ugly tree. Our third Christmas I was about ready to pop with Adelyn and we were still too poor for christmas things, plus who decorates when they're 9 months pregnant? Our fourth Christmas Adelyn was almost a year old, but we were moving to California over Christmas break so we didn't have decorations or a tree (let alone a house). But this year (our fifth Christmas) we have eachother, Adelyn and JR and second most important: decorations and a beautiful tree! It really was so exciting putting up our very first Christmas tree.

Notice in the bottom left corner of the picture that our neighbors still have their lovely pumpkins out...in December. If they're still there in a week I think I'm taking them to the dumpster myself.

Merry Christmas!!!

P.S. Still no snow here in Missouri!

Jared got his birthday present

2009-12-02T15:45:00.000-06:00

He wants to know who wants to play paintball with him. I already said not it.

OMG

2009-11-23T21:17:00.000-06:00

This is exactly what happened when I canceled Jared's subscription to WoW.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Only 2 More Years til 30!

2009-11-22T16:54:00.000-06:00

Happy birthday to my sweet hunk of burnin love! Jared and his twin sister Rebekah turned 28 today!

Happy birthday also to my cousin Amber and my favorite niece, Reese, who is turning 2! Adelyn wishes she could come to your birthday party.

Twilight Party

2009-11-18T23:56:00.003-06:00

The girls got together tonight for a "Twilight Party." We brought a ridiculous amount of yummy food and desserts (mainly desserts) and watched the first Twilight movie to refresh our memories and to prepare to see New Moon tomorrow at midnight! We're really excited.

L to R (top row): Brandi, Lindsay, Krista, Me, Lechelle and Ana

(bottom row): Anne, Amber, Ruth, Milli, Rachel and Trisha

The food table...awesome.

The lovely gigantic wet spot on my sweatshirt is not leakage (but that has happened to me too, possibly more that once, oh the joys of nursing) it would be from carrying my bean dip over to Brandi's house with only one hand and accidently putting my boob in the dip.

Ruth made the mushroom ravioli. It's what Bella ordered for dinner on her and Edward's first date!

Blood.

It was a blast, can't wait till tomorrow night ladies!

P.S. Thanks go to Jared for letting me have 3 nights in a row of no kids (last night I helped the young women at the church with updo's, tonight was the party, and tomorrow night the movie!) Major husband points.

Adelyn got arrested

2009-11-18T15:17:00.001-06:00

This is her mug shot.

How much does yours cost?

2009-11-17T15:53:00.001-06:00

***Disclaimer- This gas station is actually closed down. Based on the last posted gas price, it happened quite some time ago.

Remember how I used to be a real blogger?

2009-11-14T02:16:00.001-06:00

It's like 2am and even though I have one happily sleeping husband, one peacefully sleeping toddler and one miraculously sleeping newborn (at 7 weeks he's already sleeping 6-8 hour nights!!!!) my insomnia is kicking in and I can't sleep. I've read all of your blogs, checked facebook like 3 times, played a few games of minesweeper (more like 20) and when I ran out of ideas I decided to go back and read my old blog posts. What I found out is that I used to be a semi-decent blogger...and now I completely suck. I've decided that I seriously need to up my game, or my former blogging self is going to kick my own behind. I just don't know where all of my creative juices have gone. I kid you not, I think that producing children (mainly the pregnancy part) seriously effects my potential. (To my children: You're worth it I swear!)

After skimming through my old posts, I decided to add a new feature to my side bar. It's a list of my favorite posts. This way, if I never get back into this, people can see that I did at one time write a few clever-ish things, instead of always just posting pictures of my ridiculously good looking kids. So check it out...and just maybe I'll think of a few good things to say on here...but if I don't, I apologize in advance.

At least my mom will always love my blog! Now I'm going to go see what crappy movie is playing on LMN! (Lifetime Movie Network) Oh, I'm such a loser.

Family Pictures ~ October 2009

2009-11-06T09:00:00.002-06:00

The 1st official Romney Family Pictures with our new addition! Thanks to Krista Shawcroft for doing an amazing job!

Josh & Tim

2009-11-05T20:18:00.002-06:00

Josh Duhamel & Tim Olyphant

Jared refuses to agree with me that these two men look alike. I saw one in a movie and thought it was the other at first glance. He was like no way...they don't look anything alike. I think they at least look like brothers...I've seen real life twins that look less alike than these guys. Someone please tell me I'm right...more specifically that Jared is wrong.

Patty Cake

2009-11-03T19:22:00.002-06:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T12:35:00.002-05:00

From our pumpkin patch to yours!

Baby Comparison

2009-10-25T18:01:00.002-05:00

More than a few people have asked if JR looks like Adelyn did when she was a baby...so I decided to let you decide for yourself. The first picture is of Adelyn at 3 weeks old. The second is of JR also at 3 weeks old.

So what do you think?

Peepee Teepees

2009-10-21T13:02:00.003-05:00

My friend Lechelle gave me adorable homemade "peepee teepees" for JR's baby shower (Thank you so much Lechelle!) But I bet while she was making them she didn't know she was actually giving Adelyn her new favorite toy. She thinks they are hats and anytime she finds them she will make you wear the hat.

She loves having all of her animals and baby dolls wear them

Daddy gets to wear one too! (I bet he won't like that I'm posting this picture...it's ok babe, you're totally working that peepee teepee) :)

My favorite is when I turned my head to check on JR and discovered he has been properly accessorized too!

PS. If you don't know what a peepee teepee is: You put it over the little man's goods during diaper changes so that you don't accidently get sprayed!

FYI. JR has only squirtled me once in his almost month long life. I can't believe it's already been almost 4 weeks!

JR's Baby Blessing

2009-10-16T14:50:00.004-05:00

JR had his baby blessing last Sunday October 11, 2009 in Marshall, MO at Jared's parents ward. It was so nice to have both my dad and Jared's dad able to help with the blessing as well as JR's uncle Miles. I am so grateful to have a husband that is a worthy priesthood holder and that is such a good and loving husband and father. I love him so much and feel so lucky and blessed that he is all mine!

My Little Woman

2009-10-16T13:46:00.004-05:00

Adelyn is seriously all girl.

These were taken at a neighborhood barbeque a week or two before the baby was born. You can't really tell in the picture, but she was totally bossing those boys around. They were pushing her around in the car and it was really funny. She already has a way with the boys.

She is so stubborn and determined like her mom. If she wants something she WILL find a way to get it.

Doing Mommy's hair.

Holding "her" baby. She is always telling me that JR is her baby and not mine.

Girlfriend LOVES shoes. She is constantly getting shoes out of closet and out of the shoe basket by the door. She especially loves my high heels. At least she has good taste!

She's just cute.

Quarantined: A Birth Story

2009-10-15T22:41:00.000-05:00

It's been exactly 3 weeks today since the birth of our son, JR, and I'm finally sitting down to record the story of his birth. It's gonna be a long one...if you're not up to it, move on!

To begin the story I'm going to take you back to the last time I posted before he was born. If you recall I had explained that my last prenatal appointment would take place the next day and I was hoping to be scheduled for induction that coming Friday (Sep. 25, 2009). Well just for the record, the doctor was very kind and did schedule me for Friday at 6:00am. I also found out I was dilated to about 5cm and about 85% effaced. (This is my 38 week appointment.) At that appointment the doctor also stripped my membranes (too much information???). Anyways, if you don't know what that is it's basically a very painful technique they use that makes some women go into labor. I had this done to me 3 different times when I was pregnant with Adelyn and it never worked. And I had it done the week before with JR and it hadn't worked. So I really didn't think it was going to do anything this time either. My appointment was around 1:30pm and for the rest of the day I didn't have any contractions or cramps or anything so I really thought it didn't work. Also, my mom got here from California at about 7pm and we all went to bed around 10:30pm.

At 5:30am I woke up to a VERY strong contraction. From that very first one they were automatically two minutes apart and very painful. But I was induced with Adelyn so I didn't really know what it felt like to "go into labor" and I was scared they were going to go away. So we waited about an hour just to make sure. At that point I knew I was definitly in labor so we woke up our neighbors so they could watch Adelyn and went to the hospital. From the time we pulled into the hospital parking lot to the time JR was born was 45 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly. I had my first contraction at 5:30am and he was born at 7:33am.

1 hour at home + 15 minutes of preparation and driving + 45 minutes at the hospital

= My entire labor!

When we got up the elevator they took me straight to my room and Jared went to check me in...I was actually scared he was going to miss the birth because he was taking so long! When I got into the room I immediately asked for an epidural and the nurse said they had to get my IV in and put me on fluids first and all that. She also checked me and I was dilated to a 10 and 100% effaced. Right after that the doctor came in and broke my water...and gave me horrible news, I COULD NOT HAVE AN EPIDURAL! It was at that point I had a nervous breakdown and started crying and I believe I said I changed my mind and I didn't want to have a baby anymore. Jared came in shortly after that and I started pushing...without an epidural! During this I said some really crazy things...I remember begging for an epidural, begging for help, saying "Please get him out, get him out!" And then the doctor would say push and I'd say I didn't want to! ha ha I was kind of a baby.

A lot of people have asked me what it really felt like to have a baby "el naturale" and to be completely honest I don't even know how to explain the pain. I think the worst part is a tie between the really bad contractions and the moment that he actually came out. Pushing was not that bad, though that could just be because I was concentrating on the pushing instead of the pain. The only thing I really know is that the instant he was out I had complete relief. I also felt so much better during the hours after having a baby naturally than after having a baby with the epidural. But once again, that could just be because my first labor was longer so I was more tired. Who knows...but the look on my face in the picture below should be enough to tell you natural birth is hard.

Anyways, out he came and he was perfect and beautiful and healthy.

You're probably thinking the story is over, but we're just getting started.

Background info: Adelyn got a tiny cold about a week before this, she gave it to me, then I gave it to Jared. Adelyn was already better at this point, I had a stuffy nose still and Jared was still kind of sick. But none of us had a fever or EVER had a fever or any other flu symptoms.

After JR was born they immediatly gave him to me to hold. Then the nurses took him to the side to clean him up and check him out and all that stuff. After about an hour they gave him back to me to nurse (FYI: he was a champ at it...complete natural, he didn't even hurt me) and for Jared to hold and my mom got to hold him. After he nursed, the nurses then took him from me again to go down to the nursery to get his first bath and whatever else they do down there. He was gone for about an hour and a half when finally my nurse came back in to say we were changing rooms and the baby would meet us at my new room. So Jared took our stuff and went to the new room while the nurse was helping me go to the bathroom and all that other personal stuff. Then she told me she'd be right back to take me and my mom down to the recovery room. After about half hour later she came back (insert a dramatic musical "dun dun dun"). Oh yes she finally came back only she was dressed like this:

She was wearing a freaking hazmat suit. Ok maybe it wasn't a real suit like that but it might as well have been. A full mask covering not just her mouth and nose but her whole face, a full length bright yellow gown and blue rubber gloves. She then proceeded to tell me that we aren't going to the recovery room but to an isolation room because they are concerned I might have SWINE FLU. I think this is funny because I know that I do not have swine flu, I have a runny nose, not to mention she's wearing a freaking hazmat suit! I'm typically a pretty easy going person so I say ok lead the way. So she then gets my mother and I our own hazmat gear. Mask, gloves, gown the whole nine-yards. And then I ask her if my baby would be meeting us at that room. She casually says that he has to wait until the results of my H1N1 test come back before he can be with me. I say ok and think he'll be coming in an hour or two...no big deal. But then my mom asks how long the results take. The nurse then says about 48 hours but that will be a Saturday so you probably won't get the results till Monday!

She then takes us to our isolation room where Jared has been waiting this entire time in his own little hazmat gear having no idea what's going on or where his wife and baby are. (It's been about an hour since he had left.) So I start to cry and tell him they won't let me have my baby and that I don't have swine flu and all that. We wait in our isolation room for about another hour when that same crappy nurse comes in with a breast pump and says its time for the baby to eat and so I need to pump. (This is when Jen no longer remains an easy-going person.)

You see I'm pretty into breast feeding. Big advocate. Adelyn nursed until she was 15 months old. In that entire time she never had a drop of formula and the little devil refused to even drink breast milk out of a bottle...which I didn't even try to give her till she was about 4 or 5 months old. So when girlfriend walks in with a breast pump demanding that I pump, I was a little upset...I have a runny nose, I DON'T HAVE SWINE FLU! I explained to her that I wanted to breast feed my son, I said I'll cut holes in my gown and wear a mask and gloves if she wanted me to but I wanted to breast feed. She said I would have to talk to the Infectious Disease doctor about that (he was the one that put us in isolation and was calling the shots) so I asked her to please send him in. She comes back about half hour later and says he is busy and will have to talk to me later. So for now if I won't pump my breast milk, they would be giving my baby formula. So I do it. And now we wait for the ID doctor (infectious disease).

While we wait, the pediatrician comes in. He tells me that this whole thing is ridiculous that the baby is perfectly healthy and he should be in the room with me and says that he is so sorry that this is happening, etc etc. PS. We LOVE the pediatrician. After him the ID nurse comes and says she's sorry the doctor is taking so long (my baby has now been gone from me about 8 hours). She explains why everyone is freaking out. Apparantly swine flu is very dangerous for pregnant women and babies. Like when other people get it it's no big deal, but when pregnant women get it, they die. In the hospital that I delivered at they had a pregnant woman in intensive care that would most likely die and at another neighboring hospital had already died. So all the hospitals are really scared of this virus...and for some reason someone in my delivery room thought I might have it cause our whole family was sick, and that I'm the very first delivering patient they've had that might have it, so they don't really have any protocol for what to do. Lucky me! I say that I don't mind if they want to keep us in isolation and all that, none of that matters, I just want to be able to breast feed my baby. She says that she agrees with the pediatrician and that the baby should be with me. But that she is just the nurse and once again I have to speak with the ID doctor.

Finally after a total of about 10 hours since the baby got taken away the stupid man shows up. He says the same things and says the reason that they think I had it is because our whole family had it and it is uncommon at this time of year for a cold to be so contagious. I reply that our family shares everything (spoons, cups, not to mention my husband and I on occasion swap spit and every thing else and blah blah blah) and that every other time in our families 3 year history one of us has gotten sick, so has everyone else. (Isn't that how is works!?) He does not agree. Then he says that we will still be discharged on Saturday whether I have it or not. So I ask...will the baby be coming home with me whether or not I have it...he says yes! SO this is where I get really confused. Even if I have swine flu, they are letting me take the baby home in 2 days...so why can't I have him now? He says because if the baby comes in contact with me he can't be allowed to go back to the nursery where the other babies are. THAT IS THE ONLY HOLD UP!? Hello! I'm his mother! He can stay in my room, I can take care of him...I have the equipment! He says what about at night when you sleep? Hello I'm his mother, I will be sleeping at home! He can sleep in my room with me and when he wakes up, I will wake up! The doctor then says he does not want me to have the baby regardless. (This is when Jen gets fiesty.) He's about to leave and so I say, "What if I just say no! Am I allowed to do that? Can I just take my baby and go home now? Will you call social services on me?" He says that we cannot go home, but that I am allowed to "say no." He said that he does not recommend I have the baby with me but that if I sign a paper waiving the hospital of responsibility I can have my baby back. I smile and ask for the papers.

PS> Just so you all know, if there was any ligitimate reason I thought I could possibly have swine flu, or if I had had a single symptom, I would have been fine with all of it. But I KNEW I didn't have it. I had a runny nose! Plus if the baby was going to get it from me, why not get it now when I'm in the hospital and someone can save him rather than in two days when I'm at home?

About 2 hours later my same annoying nurse from all the other times comes back with the paper for me to sign...still no baby. The paper basically just says "I wish to go against the doctor's recommendations, and waive the hospitals responsibility if my child get's sick, or harmed, or etc etc." and then in the margin the nurse had written in in pen, "or death." She was such a biotch. So I signed the paper. She then informs me that they are transfering us out of the maternity ward (our isolation so far had just been that our room was down at the end of the hall away from the other patients -it wasn't a busy day.) I said I didn't care where we were. So they moved us to the main part of the hospital to a floor that was on complete lock down that had all the people that were dying of all the contagious diseases like pneumonia. It was finally at this time that they gave me back my baby!

The rules of our isolation were:

The baby and I were not allowed to leave the room (funny that Jared, my mother and Adelyn were all allowed to come and go even though they were in contact with us!)
The door had to be shut at all times
If anyone was holding the baby or nursing the baby they had to wear a mask and sanitize their hands
Anyone coming in the room had to have the hazmat suit on (i.e. doctors, nurses, cleaning people, lactation consultant, etc)
JR and I had our very own nurse who was also banished from the maternity ward and could not come in contact with any other patients
They strongly discouraged us from having any visitors

I had a special phone number that rang my special nurse if I needed anything. That was kind of cool. And I suppose that is kind of the end of the drama. Once I had my beautiful baby I was happier than can be. I was a little sad I didn't get to try out the amazing maternity ward showers that have 8 shower heads coming from all directions...and the maternity ward had a really good snack bar that was free and always stocked...I missed out on that too. Plus it did get a little boring being stuck in my room for 48 hours. But my isolation nurses (I had 4 in total, each had a 12 hour shift) were amazing. Since they didn't have any patients they would hang out with me a little, it was only slightly awkward because they had hazmat suits on. They each couldn't believe why I was in there cause they knew I wasn't sick too. Anyways, the rest of the stay was lovely...JR got circumsized, we both got some shots, doctors visited us a lot...we were always healthy...and then finally in the morning on the last day the nurse walked in with no suit!!! My test results got in earlier than they thought and I DID NOT HAVE SWINE FLU! I still couldn't leave the room though because the other patients around us were all dying of infectious diseases! And they didn't want US to get sick! But I got to take off my mask and kiss my baby! And that was pretty great.

It took Jared and I until about half way through the second day to decide on a name. We really had trouble picking this little guy's name. But we are happy with it now! Adelyn is an amazing big sister. She loved him from the second she saw him. She gives him tons of kisses, she is always snuggling with him and asks to hold him. "Hold!? Hold!? Baby? Hold? Me??? Hold???" It's really cute. And she really likes to help me burp him, which I think is funny. She get's a little frustrated before bed when she wants me to hold her, if I'm nursing him. But besides that she is so gentle and sweet with him.

And I guess that's all I really have to say about that!

First pic on left: JR is in isolation chamber while he was waiting for me in the nursery to save him

Middle: Getting his first bath, and the only picture I have of someone in their hazmat gear. All you can see is their hands. I'm so sad I didn't take a picture of someone.

Right: Our first family photo!

Left: Leaving the hospital

Middle: Adelyn watching JR the entire car ride home

Right: I can't believe Adelyn is so big already. I hadn't noticed.

JR Clarification

2009-09-28T11:09:00.002-05:00

Lots of people have asked.

JR as in "jay-are" NOT "junior"

If you call him junior you can't be my friend anymore...seriously

Introducing JR

2009-09-26T15:30:00.003-05:00

Jared Karl Romney II
a.k.a.
JR
September 24, 2009
7:33am
7lbs 12oz, 19.5 inches

Birth Story and a gazillion more pictures to come (you don't want to miss it!)

The Girl

2009-09-22T11:51:00.003-05:00

Update: I am 38.5 weeks pregnant. The first time they checked me at 36 weeks I was dilated to a 3 and 75% effaced. At my apt last week, I was dilated to a 5 and they didn't tell me how effaced (and I forgot to ask). Also his head dropped down around 35 weeks (which is THE most uncomfortable thing in the world.) Probably too much information but walking around with a head between your legs for 4 weeks seriously sucks. And I have yet to have a single contraction. Not even the fake ones. This is exactly the same story as with Adelyn (except she hadn't dropped.) With her I was induced at 39 weeks already dilated to 6cm and 100% effaced. My last prenatal apt for this pregnancy is tomorrow at which point they will set my date to be induced which will hopefully be this Friday. I say hopefully because I won't actually be 39 weeks till Saturday and I don't know if they'll be really strict and make me wait till Monday (you're not allowed to be induced until 39 weeks unless it's an emergency.) Everyone say a prayer that the doctor takes pity on me and let's me schedule for Friday!

Also, this kid still does not have a name. Any suggestions? I would like his middle name to be Jared...so something that sounds good with that. _______ Jared Romney. Seriously we have nothing.

Townhouse Remodel

2009-09-21T10:58:00.009-05:00

I realized that I still haven't posted any pictures of where we live. But it's a nice thing I waited because they just finished a remodel of all the townhomes. The remodel included: new roofs, new exterior siding, all new windows and doors, complete new kitchens (new cabinets, new sinks, new disposal and they added a dishwasher and built in microwave) and the downstairs bathroom got new sinks and cabinets and vanities. Also, some of the townhomes still had nasty green and yellow linoleum from like the 70's or something and those got replaced with updated 2009 linoleum. So here are some before and after pictures of the remodel. I'm still decorating Adelyn's big girl room and the I'm still painting the new baby boy nursery so pictures of those and some of the other rooms will come soon. Also, I forgot to take the before pictures of our actual townhouse so the outside ones are actually across the street that are still getting worked on and the inside ones are from a neighbors house...but it's the exact same layout.

Exterior Before and After

1/2 Bath Before and After

Kitchen Before & After

My siblings

2009-09-10T21:59:00.004-05:00

For my mom's birthday this year my sister-in-law, Alex, put together these pictures. I think they are so great I wanted to share them with you all! PS. If you're one of my hometown friends she does family/couple/kids pictures...give her a call!

PPS. On each line, the person shown first is my sibling, the person shown second is their spouse. And it's in order of age.

Brandon: Border Patrol Shelley: High School Teacher

Chad: Electrician

Kurt: Manager at In n Out Alex: Photographer

Me: Trophy Wife Jared: Doctor (at least he will be in a million years)

Kari: Cosmotologist Chase: Banker

White Coat Ceremony

2009-08-10T14:58:00.003-05:00

The white coat ceremony is where the new medical students receive their "symbolic white coat." Someone who is already a doctor actually puts the coat on them. Since Jared's dad is a doctor he got to do it for Jared. After they receive the coat they then had to recite the hippocratic oath. It was a really nice ceremony. Sadly I forgot my good camera at home so I didn't get any good pictures. Hopefully Jared's mom got some good one's with her camera. (PS. Nancy send me some good ones when you get a chance!)

The entire class of 2013 after they've already received their coatsA close up of Jared taking the oath.Us after the ceremony, don't forget I'm very pregnant...not just fat.

I didn't get a picture of Jared's dad giving him his coat, I also didn't get a picture of Jared with his parent's and brother James and also my mom was there.

After the ceremony there was a ridiculously nice reception in the ballroom at one of the nicest hotels in Kansas City. There was really good food, an open bar (which we didn't take advantage of, although everyone else did) a live band/singer and a dance floor. And I didn't take a single picture while we were there. Oh well!