Television

My son likes to be held...a lot! When he isn't sleeping or eating, he wants to be in someones arms. I am trying to find remedies for this so that I can, say, eat or take a shower most days. I have discovered that he likes to swing (sister hated it) and that he sometimes doesn't mind laying down on his back and staring off into the distance (sister hated that, too). Each child is so different! But for now, Nolan really likes being held, so that means I get to spend many evenings watching tv!

This year I am loving my regulars, The Biggest Loser, American Idol and of course, The Office! I have found that I cry quite a bit watching TBL, like every week when someone gets sent home. I am a baby. I think that there are some LDS people on there...am I right? Blue team, maybe Black team? I can't tell for sure. It is also nice to watch the show and not keep gaining weight, like last season. Only 3 more weeks till I have the clear to exercise. I can't wait to lace up my new Asics that Matt's mom got me for Christmas. I also really like the new judge on American Idol. She gives people funny looks. And my mom pointed out how pretty her eyes are and she is right! Simon still cracks me up. As for The Office, a one hour episode this week AFTER the Super Bowl. What a treat, since my Chargers didn't make it in. I think something big happens in this episode. There are rumors of a spin-off show and maybe this one sets it up? Just a guess.

Why I live in California

I got an email from my brother (the Kevin Youkilis look-alike!) who travels a lot for work. He sent us some photos that he took in Louisville this last week. He was in both Minnesota and Kentucky, where they are just getting hammered with cold weather. He said that he couldn't wait to get back to Utah and warm up with 33 degree weather.

I do not like cold weather at all and I have to admit that I am enjoying my 60-70 degree January weather right now. I am sure we will pay the price later when we are in the biggest drought ever, but for now...it is nice.

Nolan's first 2 weeks!

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind, so I haven't had a chance to sit down and post more photos of Nolan, but I finally made myself do it! I know that our families are probably wondering what he looks like outside of the hospital! We also made our blog private and I really hesitated to do so. It is something that I was always wishy-washy about. I don't think there is any real danger in having it open, especially where my settings don't allow people to google it at all, but I also hated just posting any old photos of my kids on the internet and also, in many cases, other peoples kids as well. On the flip side, I don't want to discourage ANYONE from reading it, heck that is why we blog in the first place, and I don't care if friends of friends found me through blog stalking at all. If you know of anyone that is into our blog that maybe doesn't have access right now, tell them or send me their email address. But, in the meantime, here is what has been going on in our household for the last couple of weeks.

Matt had the first week off, which worked out wonderfully. If he were a stay at home dad right along my side, I would be set. He never complains about a single thing. He played all day long with Reagan. They enjoyed the 70 degree weather all week long, heading to the park and riding bikes a lot. Matt watched Reagan and Nolan several times a day so that I could take quick naps here and there, which allowed me to get by. I was shocked at how much I hate postpartum recovery! I had forgotten about that part with Reagan. It sure sucks. I could hardly walk for the first few days and so I sat on my couch. Those "afterpains" were horrible, at times I thought I was in labor again or that something had gone terribly wrong, but it wasn't much that a vicodin couldn't fix :):) Also, word to the wise: read your medications CAREFULLY!! The day I got home from the hospital, I was a little out of it and overwhelmed, and I thought my bottle of ibuprofen read "100 mg tablets." It actually said "100 tablets, 200 mg each." I took the max dose, 8 tablets, every 8 hours. I thought I was taking 800 mg, but alas, it was more like 1600 mg. No wonder I felt so good!!

Our little man has been doing really well!! He hates having his diaper changed and I sure hated changing it. Boys are harder to change than girls. However, now that his little "ring" has fallen off, it is easier :) And the umbi cord is just about all the way off, so hopefully this little guy can graduate from sponge baths to sink baths pretty soon! He continues to quiver away as well. Many of you have already heard this from us, but Nolan has a case of the "newborn shakes." His legs twitch all the time, especially when changing his diaper or bathing or when he is crying really hard. Some of the nurses in postpartum mentioned it, but weren't too concerned. At his 3 day check-up, the nurse there was all in a tizzy over it and called in another nurse practitioner. The word "seizure" was thrown out a few times, causing me to about pass out from fear. They sent us over to pediatrics for another opinion and we were assured by not one, but two doctors there that it was more than likely an immature nervous system, which they outgrow in the next few weeks. I was still kind of bothered by it and was about near a breakdown that night (hey, my emotions were out of control, in my defense) when Matt brought up several websites which discuss the condition and I was relieved to see that it is common and it isn't anything serious. Here is Nolan voicing his opinion over getting his diaper changed!
He kind of fights the swaddle, but since it helps him sleep, we make him do it anyway!

Flashing his gang signs!! This one is for Lindsey and Loni.

Already sick of the camera!

Chilling in his bouncy chair! This one is for Cait, who requested a hatless, feet-showing photo!

The second week my mom was here helping. Man, I miss her already and she has only been gone about 24 hours. It was just nice to have her here helping. She watched Nolan and Reagan each morning while I slept in, sometimes until 11am or so. She played with Reagan and above all, gave me someone to talk to and have company for that first week while Matt was gone.

She was a good sport and let Reagan do her hair!!

Nolan's constipated face.

On Friday we went to Jelly Belly for a quick low-key trip. Reagan loved the tour! She was fascinated by the jelly bean making process.

Reagan is really a good big sister. She has her issues, but mostly with obeying Matt and I. She has (yet) to intentionally harm Nolan. Reagan was sick all week long and now Nolan has a cough. Not fun for them. We invested in a humidifier and it has been a really excellent purchase. I can't believe I haven't owned one before.

Reagan's Christmas present finally made its debut. Grandma and Grandpa Rasmussen got her a kitchen and my mom and Lindsey made us some matching aprons. So far, it has been a huge hit and we have been treated for the last two days to many burritos, chips, heated up milk, and bananas.

Reagan has been giving her baby the royal treatment since Nolan arrived.

Having this new little one in our house has been a tremendous blessing. I am completely overwhelmed by it. I know there will be sleep deprivation and that overwhelms me. I am overwhelmed at the thought of keeping an active Reagan indoors for so long while we continue to recover and adjust. I am also overwhelmed at nursing this one every 2-3 hours, night and day and keeping an eye on R. But there is nothing more overwhelming than the love I feel for my little family. The day after we came home from the hospital, I laid down to take a nap and I just bawled my eyes out. I couldn't believe the love I felt, I thought my heart was going to burst. Reagan has been my treasure for the last 2 and a half years, my little sidekick and the owner of a big portion of my heart. All through my pregnancy with Nolan, I wondered what would happen. Could I really love another child as much as I love her? Would she think I was neglecting her? Then along came Nolan and realized that the love in my heart wasn't filled to capacity, but actually expanded to include this little one. My love for Nolan is just as real and he brings such a sweet spirit into our home and just makes it complete. I bawled thinking of my husband and the many sacrifices that he made for me and for us. I really just felt so blessed and almost felt unworthy of it. I know that my emotions and hormones were running amuck and that had much to do with it, but I haven't forgotten that feeling.

Many thanks to all of you who called, sent notes and gifts, brought meals and treats and were just plain thinking of us these past couple of weeks. It has been amazing to see the support and outpouring of love while we adjust to this big change. We love you all.

Nolan Matthew

Our son was so excited for the 70 degree January weather that he decided to come a few weeks early. Nolan arrived at 12:56 pm on Sunday, January 11th weighing in at 7 lbs 4 oz.

Private

Hi friends and family~

We are making our blog private soon! If you wish to view it, please leave your email in the comments or if that makes you nervous, you can email me at mattandlacy@netzero.com with your email. If you are a friend of a friend, no worries, just tell me who you are and it all should be fine. I am probably looking at your blog as well.

Love
Lacy

Our Christmas post is below the sledding video!! It just took me forever to finish, so it finally posted and falls below this video. Thanks friends and family :):)

Reagan sledding

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Reagan sledding down the Rasmussen deck ski slope

Christmas Vacation

We arrived in Utah on Christmas Eve and were greeted with COLD temperatures!! We forgot how cold it got there! Living in California spoils us. It continued to be pretty cold for a few days, but then warmed up some...to like 30 degrees high or something like that :)

We wasted no time getting to the snow. The Rasmussen back deck converts into a tube slide plus jump in the winter, so we got to send Reagan down it. We don't have snow clothes for her, so she was freezing, but I think she liked it! The video of her sledding is of this specific slope.

Grandma Rasmussen and Reagan. Reagan really enjoyed her two sets of grandparents this vacation and it finally hit her that she has two sets. She kept exclaiming over and over "TWO grandmas" or "TWO grandpas." It was like a double treat for her. We made the trip back and forth to each set (only 5 minutes from each other) several times and every time we would get packed to head out, she would say "I go to other grandmas." She definitely knows her routines!

Lindsay and Jared...we love them and are excited they are giving us a reason to return back for a visit in less than four months! Can you spot the Fruit Heights star on the hill behind them???

Christmas morning we woke up to pancakes and Jeff/Selly omelettes!!!! Grandpa Rasmussen made Reagan mickey mouse pancakes and she was in heaven. She loves Mickey. The guys got a LeBron James pancake.

Because Reagan was the only kid there and she still doesn't quite get that Santa came to visit the night before (maybe next year...) we didn't commence opening presents until everyone was up, fed, and relaxed. She was a spoiled gal and got many gifts. After a while, she got tired of opening and with one gift to go, threw her hands in the air and said, "I'm all done." This may be the last year we see that as well.

Reagan and Grandpa

Later in the morning, we headed over to the Roundy household for Christmas dinner and to celebrate with family. I love being with my entire family. Even our very own secret agent man was in town from the East Coast and it was such a treat for all of us to see him. My dad can cook an excellent meal and we had smoked turkey plus my favorite--sweet potato casserole (the kind that is more of a dessert than a veggie). Kelly's mint brownies are to die for! Two years ago she made them and used peppermint oil instead of extract. We didn't have to brush our teeth for weeks after that!! But alas, she has perfected the recipe and because I crave chocolate and mint combo this pregnancy, I had one too many. Speaking of good meals, my dad also barbequed us some Santa Maria tri-tip later that week and one of the best hamburgers I have had in a while right before we headed to the airport. It's been a shocker for Matt and I this week--back to our simple baked chicken and spaghetti meals!

Here is Reagan with her gift from Grandpa and Grandma Roundy.
Reagan got lots of cuddling time with grandparents!

I couldn't resist this. We went to Walmart with my sisters while out there and of course, Reagan could not pass up the coin-operated horsie.

New Years Eve was spent with my family. Thanks a million to Mom and Dad Rasmussen for watching Reagan again this year! Per tradition, we went out to eat and had plans to go to Texas Roadhouse, but when we found out that the wait was over 3 hours, we opted for Chili's instead. Lance and Katey couldn't make it, so it was all of us minus them and Caitlin and Emma as well.
Loni and her BF Drew.

2 dollar Sparklers from Walmart make for a great midnight show.

Loren and Kelly hosted a great party. They had a gazillion games set up and every time you won, you got to put your name in the bag and at the end of the night, names were drawn and prizes awarded. Here is Alyssa and my dad thinking really hard over a game of Connect Four. And Roland in the background, undoubtedly watching someone play chess.

Game table. Or in true Office style, I like to refer to it as "Casino Night." If a fridge were the prize, I would have been Creed, cheating like crazy and putting my name in the bag more often than necessary. Brother Lorenzo, nieces Ashlee and Alyssa, Matt, and Kelly's dad was there as well. Dennis and Ann joined in on the crazy game night fun.

New Years Eve is just not complete without my mama's gyozas. These things are the bomb-diggity. They have been tradition in our family for ages. They are basically a homemade potsticker, but seriously...way better than anything you can buy in the store.

Classic pic of Lorenzo letting off sparklers.

Classic pic of Lindsey and Landen playing some sort of nerf shooting game on the Wii.

Mom, Ann, Drew and Loni. The five of us played a few rounds of Uno. GASP!!!! Yes, I played Uno. And I won the first few rounds. It has been a while since I have played that game. The fact that I faced many many years of playing that with brothers and a dad who cheated their way through every game has left me permanently scarred. But I found myself actually enjoying it.
The best part about New Years was not having to fly out at 6AM the next morning like last year. Instead we got to sleep in, and had fun doing the WiiFit balance games. Lindsay rocked hard core at the hula hoop.

We had a great trip and out plane ride home was great. Reagan watched her movie and I watched the Office Season 4 (Matt's gift to me!) and Matt read Harry Potter. He is starting book 2. He loves them. Maybe I will read them next??? Who knows. I love how this pic shows my belly barely fitting when the tray comes down. It only got tighter when the person in front of me leaned their sit back.

Less than 3 weeks till D-Day! As of monday this week, I am 2cm and 75% effaced, in case anyone is interested in that stuff. But doc makes it sound like another two weeks at least. Pray for me that it doesn't go that long, but shoot, we all know it will. Happy New Year to all!

Master of Stalling

Reagan has officially mastered the art of stalling. It can take a really long time to get her in bed these days. Tonight was a classic example. Her biggest cue that we are going to put her in bed is when we say, "let's go sing songs." Usually she kind of complains and says, "no," but lately she has just started ignoring us. Like she will keep doing what she has been doing and pretend like we said nothing at all. When we finally coax her into her room, we read a couple of books, sing a couple of songs and have her turn out the light. She usually turns it on and off about two dozen times before I have to count to 3 to have her leave it off. Then she climbs into bed (I can't lift her and by golly, this chic knows how to get in and out of her crib) and after like 10 minutes of blowing kisses and singing Twinkle, I leave the room.

Tonight she was in there singing songs for a while. We heard "We are a Happy Family" at the top of her lungs and then she sang, "Do As I'm Doing" with the line "follow, follow me" edited to say (scream) "follow, follow REAGAN!" We thought that was funny, though. Then I hear, "Mommy, Mommy!" I go in and she says, "I need daddy." So I tell her dad will come in and give her another night-night kiss. So Matt goes in and she says, "Mommy..." and Matt asks me to go give her a kiss. When I went in, she says, "Daddy..."

This time I just gave her a kiss and closed the door. Good night, Reagan! As I type this, she is yelling at the top of her lungs "I SAID YES!" Matt taught her this in response to her saying, "I said no!" all the time. We thought that yes was a nicer word than no.

By the way, the photos above are of Reagan wearing her Minnie Mouse sunglasses as well as a little infant boys Nike shirt that is for her brother.