I'm a famous birth mom....kinda!

About 3 weeks ago, at the beginning of my Spring Break, I got a call from my wonderful social worker, Julie. Julie is retiring in September, which makes me incredibly sad, because I have LOVED working with her! She called me and said that some higher ups in our church, (the LDS church, or AKA "Mormon Church"), had picked her office (called LDS Family Services, which I used in the adoption of "C"), to do a special on. The special was going to talk about the services that LDS family Services provides. Well, Julie picked me to be the birth mom who spoke in it! This special was to air in between General Conference. General Conference is something that happens twice a year where our church leaders speak to us in a televised "conference". The whole world gets to see our prophet and his apostles speak to all the members all over the world. Its pretty awesome! Anyways, this special was going to air in between the 2 conference sessions! Well, they never told me it would only air in Utah. So here we were in California waiting for it to air...and nope. I had people texting me from Utah saying they saw me and my aunt called as well. But we never saw me! I was so disappointed! They filmed me in L.A., so you would think they would at least air it here. BUT....we did find it online. The whole thing was an hour but I'm in segment 3. The whole thing is great but if you just want to see me, it starts about 3:49 in segment 3! Sorry I have to take you to the actual website. It wouldn't let me post just the video.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

I'm so grateful for all the opportunities our Father in Heaven has given to me to be an advocate for adoption and for other birth moms. He has truly blessed me. If you would like to learn more about what I believe, visit http://www.mormon.org/

Latest happenings.

SOOOO many things have happened in the last month and I kept wanting to blog, but just never got around to it. First off, Brielle had her blessing day on March 6th! She looked beautiful and her daddy gave her a wonderful blessing. Brielle turned 3 months! (even though she's 3 1/2 now.) I really can not stand her growing up. Its making me quite sad. Last we weighed her, she was about 13lbs. She smiles a TON and giggles! When we were in the car recently, I was in the back with her and she was looking at me and started laughing. That got me laughing. So there we were...nothing to laugh about...but Brielle and I were both cracking up! Love moments like that! She is the best baby. She's only upset if something is wrong.....which is only hungry and sleepy. Once you fix those...she's a happy girl. She loves when I sing to her and loves to be tickled. She has been such an amazing sleeper since I've gone back to work. She wasn't a bad sleeper before...but she woke up often when I was still home. She sleeps pretty good through the night now. Waking up either once or not at all. LOVE HER! We took Brielle on her first vacation! We went to Carlsbad for Spring Break this year. We had a nice relaxing time...even though it was raining! She had fun and my mom loved having her every day....and so did I! She went to Sea World for the first time and we just relaxed. I got sick again for spring break. Remember last year when I was in Cancun and got bronchitis? Well this year it was a sinus infection. Goody....i actually still have it...but thats a whole different post. I'm slowly getting into the routine of Brielle, work and school. Slowly but surely. I have many more things to blog about in the next week...so stay tuned!
Brielle looking all beautiful in her blessing dress.

Our beautiful family.

Brielle's blessing day. March 6th 2011.

LOVE the spaz smile...its my fav!!

She is just to darn adorable. I can't stand it!

My family at Sea World

Mommy and Daddy

My two favorite people

I love Brielle's face in this one. Especially because we were in the shark encounter and I love how uncertain she looks.

Daddy and Brielle got to hang out all day at Sea World!

Brielle's first time at the beach. It was nice...but no not enough to get in the water.

this too shall pass.............

This is my favorite phrase when things are not going the way I want. When I'm sick, I chant this to myself. When I was in labor and it was decided that I wasn't going to get an epidural, I was chanting it then. It really helps me get through a hard situation by telling myself that it won't last forever.

I'm depressed right now. Don't worry and don't go calling in a prescription for anti-depressants. Let me explain something. Before Brielle was born, work was exhausting. And not just physically, but mentally as well. For those that don't know, I work with severe special needs students at a high school. I really do love them all and they all hold a special place in my heart. But my job is no easy task. I'm talking, changing, feeding, restraining and taking care of these kids who are the size of adults! I used to come home wiped out and it was all I could do to get my homework done. But I loved my job. Fast forward to now. Brielle is added to that picture. As much as I love my job, there is something(Brielle) I love WAY more and I'd much rather be taking care of her. It's hard to find balance when I come home because all I want to do is snuggle and spend time with her but there is homework and housework to be done! I wake up at 5 am and sometimes a little earlier depending on when Brielle wants to eat. And I now find myself doing laundry at 5:30 in the morning or cleaning a bathroom.
The point of this post is not just to hear me complain (and I'm sorry because I hate complaining). My point is, despite how much I DESPISE going to work (I actually almost cried a few times because I didn't want to be there), I know this is just a short season in my life. The only hard part for me is I want this season to be over with, but I don't want Brielle to get any bigger. See my dilemma? I KNOW I will look back on this time in my life and realize how much stronger it made me (even though I don't feel that way now). I KNOW that one day, I'll be able to stay home with Brielle and my future children (really wish that was right now). Until then, I will just have to keep chanting....."this too shall pass."

p.s. all the colorful words were making me feel better, that's why there are so many. =)

Craziness!

Life has been CRAZY!! Last week, we took Brielle on her first road trip to Utah. My great aunt passed, so we went up to Saint George for the funeral. It was really great to see family and for Brielle to meet her great grandma! Brielle even got to meet my birth mom Emily. It was a good trip. Even though we made the trip in 2 days!

Brielle had her 2 month check up yesterday. Can you believe she's 2 months?! I can't! She's 11 lbs 13 oz and 24 inches! She's getting so big! She got her shots. She was not a happy girl. But she survived and today was back to her sweet self.

Sad news in our lives, I had to return to work. =( Definitely something I wasn't looking forward too. I prayed and prayed to find a way to stay home, but we just know that me going back to work is just something that I have to do right now. I survived my first week back. It wasn't easy, but I did it. I could tell the adversary was trying to make me feel horrible and was putting negative thoughts in my head (even after prayers for peace and a blessing). But I recognized what he was doing pretty quickly and decided I wasn't going to let him do that to me. And sweet little Brielle decided she was going to help me out by sleeping practically through the night since I went back. I say practically cause twice she woke up to eat at like 4:45 and my alarm goes off at 5. She is such a little angel! So, we are just trying to get in the swing of things. Work is EXTREMELY exhausting, even before a baby. So now I'm trying to adjust working a tiring job, being in school and taking care of my sweet baby. I know that we will all adjust to my new schedule. And I know someday I will be done with school and get to stay home with my sweet babies. I can not WAIT for that day!!

Meeting her cousin Jake. He is one month older.

We got to see my birth mom Emily!

She is such a little charmer!!

4 generations!

Such a little doll!

LOVE her smile. It seriously melts my heart!

Our little family

Visiting my grandpas grave.

My LONG journey to graduation!

Utah State University is located in Logan Utah. If you haven't been there, I highly recommend it in the fall! Simply gorgeous! This is MY university! I first started at this school in August of 2002 (doesn't that seem like forever ago??). I have now been attending USU for almost 10 years!! (with a 2 year break from 2006-2008). Well, I am finally getting close to the end of my USU journey. For the best 2 years, I have been taking classes online through USU. I now only have 3 classes left! (insert squeal here!!) I wish I could take all 3 now and be finished. But, when I was pregnant with "C", I didn't do very good in school. So, when I re-enrolled, I had to promise the school that I would get nothing lower then a C. The lowest grade I've received in the past 2 years is a B+. So, since I'm a new mom, I'm taking one class at a time now, except for a math class at AVC. I'm hoping to have my degree by this fall! Oh, that will be sooooooo awesome! My school journey has been so long and I'm so ready to be a college graduate! The only downside, I don't plan on stopping at my bachelors. Gotta get that masters too! Lets just hope that doesn't take 10 years too!

So......let the countdown to graduation begin!

Super Daddy!

Brielle and I had a first week without daddy! Sean went back to work last Monday. He had 5 weeks off with us, which was AMAZING!! Since Brielle was born December 18th, and the last day of school was December 17th, Sean got the 3 weeks of Christmas Break off and then he took off another 2. It was so awesome having him home. He got to bond so much with Brielle and he was my little servant when I was nursing. He'd bring me food, water, the remote, whatever I needed. We were sad when he went back to work, but we already visited him twice for lunch! We just missed him too much!

I'm so grateful for my awesome husband! When Sean and I first got married, he made it very clear to me that no one was going to "wear the pants" in our family. We were going to "wear shorts" together, be equals. He has proven to me throughout our marriage that we are equals and a team. Not that I doubted his daddy skills, but he has shown me again that we are "wearing shorts" together. We are raising and taking care of Brielle together. None of the, "well your the woman" stuff. I'm sure if he had boobs, he'd nurse right along with me! Ha ha, I know that sounds funny but that's really the only thing he can't do for her and I know he wishes he could help feed her. So, Sean is a super daddy and a super AWESOME husband! Heavenly Father was really looking out for me in the marriage department!

Wish I could stop time....

Can time please stop! Our little girl is one month old today! It hardly seems possible! We feel so blessed to have her in our lives and we are having so much fun! On Sunday, 1/16, Brielle smiled at us for the first time. Not the 'sleeping' smile, but an actual smile! I was talking to her and she smiled at me but I thought I was seeing things. Sean was in the other room. I said, "um Sean, I think Brielle just smiled at me." He came in and preceded to talk animated to her and she then gave him the biggest smile! We both about died!! It was the most precious thing we've ever seen. Needless to say, she stole our hearts yet again! So happy one month birthday Brielle!! And please slow down on the growing up!

snuggling with my love bug on a nice day!

I just love this little face!

Life with Brielle

Christmas day! Her first Christmas and she slept through it!

Snuggling with my lil lady on Christmas!

She loves her some breast milk! Its a good sedative!

In her little Christmas dress on Christmas day

She enjoys her bath...most of the time.

Celebrating New Years with mom and dad.

A photo shoot with mom and dad!

I LOVE baby yawns!

Life has been so wonderful with our new little girl. She is such a good baby. She only cries when she is hungry and sometimes when her diaper is changed. But she is so happy and content. She already had her 2 week check up last week and she turned 3 weeks on Saturday. SO SAD!! I just don't want her to grow up! At her appointment, her weight went from 7 lbs 14 oz to 8 lbs 6 oz! And her height went from 20 1/2 in to 21 3/4 in! She is in the 90th percentile in height! She is tall and lean and apparentely my breast milk is doing her good!!

Sean is the best daddy and so in love with Brielle. I seriously could not ask for a better companion in caring for our daughter. He is 100% about doing his part. Love him for that!

More hospital pictures of Brielle

More hospital pictures of our sweet Brielle. They are not really in order and I would have added more but blogger is only letting me add one at a time. But here is out little lady when she was brand new!

Look at that double chin!

Auntie Olia and her Baba (Ukrainian grandma)

Happy grandparents!

Snuggling with my love bug.

Love our little family.

Auntie Chanel

Grandma is very happy!

First bath=a very unhappy baby!

Just newly entered the world!

A very proud daddy

Brielle Charisse

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