A Child is Born

For anyone who is interested, here is Nathaniel's birth story:

Disclaimer: this is the hardest thing I have ever gone through, and I am not looking for sympathy, nor judgement. This is just an easier way of sharing the story for me than having to re-tell it over and over.

So on Sunday January 15th, I had done quite a lot, for a women who was 38 weeks pregnant. I had gone to church. Ok, that may not seem like a lot, but after 3 hours of waddling, getting up and down, and sitting in uncomfortable chairs and pews, I was beat! After we got home, I noticed that I had a slight headache. It wasn't bad, so I paid it no mind. Eventually, however, I did end up taking something for the pain in my head, as it got worse. Vince and I had also been invited to dinner that night by the Elder's Quorum President in our old ward, and we decided to go. While we were at dinner, I noticed my headache getting worse and I had some intense pain in my lower back around 9 pm. Once we got home from dinner, I took some more tylenol, and waited to see if it would kick in. My feet and ankles were also very, very swollen. The pains in my back continued, and my belly would harden up. (The thing I thought was wierd though, was that my stomach never really hurt when I was having contractions. It was just my back that hurt). After about an hour or so of waiting for the tylenol to work, my mom suggested calling the doctor. I went and called the after hours number, and they said the nurse would call me back. A few minutes later, I got a call from the nurse and she said to go in to the hospital and get checked (as the doctor's office was closed...).

So, at 11 pm, Vince and I grabbed the bags and headed for the hospital with no idea what to expect. I was just thinking it would be a regular check-up, and they would send me home. You can imagine my surprise when they told me I would be having my baby that night, one way or another. I was in shock! My blood pressure was high enough that I had Pre-eclampsia (toximia) and they were going to induce me to help convince baby to come sooner then he already was.

By this time it was midnight and I was in a state of panic. I had been given a gown, an iv, and was hooked up to a couple of monitors. I knew that the baby was supposed to come, but I didn't think that it was going to be right then! They put me on Magnesium to keep me from having a siezure due to the high blood pressure. The Magnesium made me feel terrible! It gave me hot flashes, and made me so tired, that I was sleeping between the less painful contractions. Thank goodness for a sweet husband who put cool damp rags on my forehead and neck, and fed me ice-chips. I got an epidural very early on, and at 2 am they started me on the Patocin (Oxytocin). I tried to sleep as much as I could with the nurses coming in to check, and take my blood pressure. The magnesium helped me sleep, but it wasn't restful. I kept waking up.

I don't remember a lot of what happened next except that at one point, the edipural wasn't covering the contractions in my back anymore. I pushed the little button, but to no avail. I talked options with the nurse, and I ended up getting a booster to the epidural put into my lower back. It didn't last long, and I was in pain again. By about 5 pm on Monday January 16th, I was in immense pain and I was 9 cm dialated. At 6:15 I started pushing, with the contractions that were coming in my back. The pain in my back was as though someone had stabbed me. Repeatedly. With something long and pointy. And to top it off, I had started to feel the contractions in my lower abs also. All I can say at this point is that I was half asleep, in the worst pain of my life, and I was supposed to bring a baby into the world. Talk about intimidating! I would push with the contractions, lay down and practically sleep, wake up when the pain was coming again, push, sleep and repeat the process again and again for the next hour and fifteen minutes. Thank goodness for a smart doctor, and amazing nurses who were encouraging, and very positive. I ended up needing an episiotimy, but the good news is, I didn't tear, and at 7:32 pm on January 16th my son was finally born!

We did it! Our beautiful baby boy was here, safe and sound, healthy and strong, and we had both survived the ordeal. He was 7 lbs. 11 oz. 20.5 inches long, and just perfect! We love him very much! This was hard and scary, but very worth it! We have the sweetest little boy! :)

Life as of Late

Sorry so long since our last post! Not having internet makes it hard to post frequently.

Baby update: We are having a boy! We found out in September and we could not be happier that we are having a son. :) He is healthy, and growing right on track. I have been healthy as well. I am very grateful that this pregnancy has gone so smoothly, and I hope it continues to go smoothly for the sake of my sanity, and the health of our baby. I will post ultrasound pics at some point; I just need to figure out how to scan them in to the computer. ;)

As far as names go, we like Nathan Edward Methot, (giving him Vince's middle name) or Nathaniel Edward Methot. We are open to others, but this is one of the only ones we have been able to agree on. ;)

At my next appointment, they are performing the glucose test. Needless to say, I am not looking forward to this appointment, and quite frankly, it is making me anxious. I have always struggled with things don't taste good. I am not the type to just eat it despite the taste. If it doesn't taste good, it's not going in my mouth. You can see why I might be nervous about said upcoming test... I was wondering if there is any alternative to this test? Or if this test is necessary? I would love to avoid it if possible... Then again, tons of pregnant women have had to do the same test, and have come out fine, so maybe I just need to "man" up (for lack of a better phrase) and deal with it.

I am currently 26 weeks along, and it is very obvious I am pregnant. :) My husband thinks its cute. I roll my eyes and make a bloated monkey face, cause that's how I feel. But fear not! For this too shall pass!

You know that feeling you get right before you sit down in the dentist's chair? That one you get when the dental hygenist says, "let's just get you some novacain and we'll get started." Novacain?! What?! No one told me about this!!! Enter panic, and that feeling of the floor being ripped out from underneath you. Not to mention the fact that your heart has begun to pound so fast, you feel as though you have just run a marathon, and you are hyperventallating. Now, picture feeling like this non-stop for a good 5 to 10 minutes. This is what a panic attack feels like for me.

I have also described that I sometimes feel "anxious." There is a definite difference between anxious and nervous. Have you ever been on a roller coaster? One that goes uphill really fast, and as you fly over the top of the hill, you feel like you've left your stomach at the top of it? Everything returns to normal once you get off the ride however, and sometimes sooner. This is what feeling anxious is like. It can last for long periods of time, (days or even weeks) or can last a matter of moments until I can master myself.

I am scared out of my wits about labor and childbirth. Plain and simple. It also makes me anxious. That said, please refrain from telling me horror stories!!! I do NOT want to know! I would rather be blissfully ignorant and have my own "horror story" to tell after our baby gets here. Horror stories will only make my anxiety worse, and therefore, make me miserable.

On a happier note, it looks like we have a house in Georgia!!! :D The seller accepted our offer as of this afternoon, and we have 10 days to get the house inspected. If anything comes up in the inspection then we can resind the offer. It is the cutest little house!!! :) It is a 3 bedroom house with an upstairs and downstairs, and a beautiful backyard. We are so excited!!! :D

That is life as of late!

Big News!

Hello everyone!

There are going to be some big changes taking place in the Methot household. Most recent of these changes is... WE'RE HAVING A BABY!!!!!!!!! :D We could not be more excited! Our baby will be making his/her grand entrance on January 28th, 2012!

I am only about 9 weeks (just over 2 months) along right now, but so far so good! I don't get morning sickness, and I only get nauseated on occasion. This baby sure makes me hungry though!!! I am generally pretty tired, and get mild headaches on a regular basis. We have already had our first Dr.'s appointment and everything looks great! :) We got to hear baby's heart beat, and see the baby for the first time. Surprisingly, I didn't cry, which is nice! Now I just cry over everything else... Including movies, anything the least bit sentimental, movie trailers, pretty much you name it, and I will cry over it eventually, or I already have. Hormones!!!

Vincent is so excited to be a dad! He is treating me very well, and making sure that I am well taken care of. He is such a sweetheart!

Baby names... Well... Here is where it gets interesting/frustrating. We have the HARDEST time picking out boys names that we agree on!!! Girl's name were a bit easier. We have come up with a couple of boy names and a girl name that we can both live with, and like. I will not be posting these here however... ;)

All for now!

School for Vinchenzo

This past Monday, Vincent started school! He is taking chemistry 2, which is a pre-requisit for organic chemistry. Basically he has a bunch of pre-requisits, for pre-requisits, for more pre-requisits... He won't be done with them until after we have been in Georgia for a few months. So excited for him! It is definitely different however having to ask my husband wether or not he finished his homework...

Change? Remember what happened last time...?

Things are changing in the Methot household. For those of you who don't know, Vince got accepted to attend Life University in Marietta, Georgia. That's right. Georgia. He is going to be studying chiropractic. Yes. My husband wants to be a chiropractor when he grows up. Don't get me wrong, I fully and completely support this decision, and he will have his Electrical Engineering degree to fall back on, but change and I don't get along so well. Here's why.

On April 10, 2010 Vince and I got married! It was the best day of my life! :) I have never been so happy! As some of you know, getting married presents a lot of change. A LOT of change. Said changes, caused me to start having panic attacks 3 months in, and I was clinically diagnosed with anxiety. Thank goodness I have a kind an supportive husband. Did I mention I hate change?

Thankfully, the Lord has blessed us with time to adjust to the idea. We won't be moving until January 2012. Vince will be taking some pre-reqs. here in Austin at Austin Community college this summer and fall, and then we will move to Georgia. The Lord has given me time to adjust to Vince going to school, which will definitely be a change. Once we get out there, Vince will take a couple more pre-reqs, and then start full time into the chiropractic program.

He hopes to study a specific form of chiropractic, called Upper-Cervical. We currently go to an Upper-Cervical chiropractor and that is what sparked Vince's interests.

Upper-Cervical Chiropractic is different because it only deals with your atlas and axis bones at the very top of your spine. Basically the two bones that are at the base of your head and top of your neck. They adjust your atlas bone by tapping it back into place with an adapted dental tool. They do some other adjusting, but the atlas is the main focus.

The reason Vince is so interested in this form of Chiropratic, is that is more successful at curing ailments from anxiety and mental issues, to digestive problems and heart issues. (Upper-Cervical can only cure problems caused by subluxations in the atlas. It is by no means a cure all.) Some one described the difference in chiropractic types this way.

Regular chiropractic is like hitting a baseball and getting to maybe first, or second base. Upper-Cervical Chiropractic is like hitting a home run every time.

And so, our life is changing. For the better, but changing none-the-less.

Wish us luck!

Work work work and did I mention work?

I am a dance teacher. I am paid to teach children to dance. This also means I am paid to choreograph recital pieces for said children.

Keep in mind that I absolutely ADORE my job, but as this is my first year working as a dance teacher, I am beyond intimidated by the daunting task. The studio I work for has been voted "Best of the Best" in the Cedar Park/Leander area for the past two years running. Pressure to perform? You bet your bottom dollar there is!

Side note: I teach 6 classes of varying ages. Coming up with music and choreography for all 6 of those classes is no walk in the park! Luckily, I have been able to finish 5 of the 6 dances.

The one that I am struggling with right now, is my Monday evening class. This class started out with 5 dancers in it. There are now 12 girls of the ages 5-7... Enough said? I think yes... They have trouble paying attention and some of them are very vocal about things. Did I mention there are 12 of them!?!?! It is hard enough to get them to listen to me, let alone remember choreography. The recital is in just over a month, and I still have 45 seconds to choreograph. Stressed? Me? Did you really just ask that question?!

On the upside, I pretty much know what I want them to do for those last 45 seconds. Now its just getting them to hold still, and learn, then do. They get costumes today, which means they should be more eager to dance.

Fingers crossed!

Tiffany

Engagement story!!! :)

So it was New Year's Eve, and Vince, Kylie and I were in the car on the way to the annual New Year's Eve dance. While in the car, we were discussing plans for the following day which we hadn't really made yet. He suggested that we should go to dinner, and I was like ok cool! Nothing out of the ordinary, we do that all the time. Well then he said he'd like to go somewhere "fancy..." Fancy? ok... He usually never has a preference as to where we go. I didn't really know any "fancy places..." so we decided on Cheesecake Factory, because I had never been there before. We danced our hearts out, and went home.

Three hours later, I was up again. Every year on New Year's day, the Mount Bonnell Ward goes up to a place called Mt. Bonnell to watch the sunrise. (Go figure right?) It was lovely! On the way home, he asked me if I wanted to see the sun rise and set in the same day, and I thought, well sure! That is something I have never done before, and it sounded ridiculously romantic.

I had to work that day, and he had said that he had to go to "work" for something also. ;) I was talking to my co-worker about how I thought he might be up to something, like popping the question. I pretty much knew what was coming.

He picked me up at my house, and I wasn't wearing anything special. I was ridiculously tired as well, but excited about the potential the evening held for us. :) When I opened the door, I noticed 3 things that seemed out of the ordinary about Vince. He had dressed up a little, wearing my favorite polo of his, he had his contacts in, which he normally only wears for special occasions, or when asked, and he was nervous. The nervousness was the biggest clue for me.

We went to dinner at the Cheesecake factory, and I was thinking, wow! This is really fancy! I wonder if he'll propose here. We ordered food and ate, all the while, I was hoping the ring would be in our cheesecake, or my drink. Nothin'. No ring, no propsal, nothin'. I thought to myself, well, there is still the sunset. We paid the bill and left, cheesecake in hand. We went up to Mt. Bonnell again, barely caught the sunset. It was beautiful! After the sun had set,Vince took me to a secluded place, away from everyone. A woman even told us good luck! This is it, I thought! This is the moment I have been dreaming about for months! He pulled out a piece of paper and read me a poem with all the things he loves about me. It was very sweet! Then he grabbed my hand we started to leave. I was confused and dejected. It was the perfect set-up for a proposal and nothing had happened. Nothing! We had gone to a nice dinner, watched a gorgeous sunset, and he had proclaimed his love for me on a mountain top, but still no ring...

We headed toward my house, and I was thinking, well maybe it just isn't going to happen tonight, and if it doesn't, I might just cry! (keep in mind that I was running on only 3 hours of sleep...) Vince and I enjoy reading scriptures together and we hadn't done it yet that day, so he then asked if I wanted to go read scriptures. I said yes, and we parked in the pool parking lot that is by my house. Now, just so you know, there is a neighborhood pool just up the road from my house. Out in front of said pool is a cute little place called, "the ruins." It kinda reminds me of stone henge... anyways, there is a cute, little, circular alcove in the ruins, with a bench you can sit on, and if you look up, there is no ceiling so you can see the stars.

We got out of the car and I went to put my gloves on. Vince grabbed them from me and told me that he would keep my hands warm. HELLO!!! HINT AND A HALF!!!! and no.... I didn't get it.

We then walked to the ruins, and I walked into the alcove. He stops, sets the scriptures down, and just looks at me. I was like ok...? I looked up and above my head on the wall, were some red light. I thought to myself, that's a really stupid place for lights, no one will see them, and looked down again. Meanwhile, Vince is still just staring at me. He kinda forces me to look up again, and it was then that I realized the lights spelled out something."Will you marry me?" was suspended in mid-air above me. :) I jumped back! I said, "Oh my gosh!!!" and my hands flew over my mouth, and the next thing I knew, Vince is on one knee with a ring in his hand. He asked me to marry him, and I obviously said yes. 3 months later we were married. :)