Pictures!

Here are some pictures of Ammon. They're not that recent, mostly from the end of May-June, but I really needed to post something new. I still have TONS more to post and TONS to write about, so for now, enjoy!

P.S.- Don't ask why there's so much space in between pictures, I have no idea how that happened.

I can't believe my little boy is going to be four months old tomorrow! Where is the time going? Make it stop!

He's Home!!!

Ammon is finally home! YAY!! We are so happy to have him home. He came home on May 20th, which was my due date! We spent the night before that in the hospital to get a feel for what it would be like to have him at home, and it was also really comforting to know that so many nurse and doctors were there if we needed them. He slept the whole way home, and he has been such a good baby.

Ammon has been doing amazing since he's been home. He eats a little more than 2 oz every 3 hours, which means Mom and Dad don't get a lot of sleep...but it's SO worth it! He hates having his diaper changed, and we've had more than our share of projectiles, but we know that there's always more. I took him to the pediatrician on Monday, and she said he was doing great, he weighed 5 lbs 12 oz now!

He is such a sweet baby, he's so cute and we can't get enough of him. It is such a relief to have him home, and without any special equipment or monitors. We are so blessed to have this little miracle join our family, we love him so much, and we are so proud of how far he's come!



So, I can't find my camera, so these are all I have right now, but I'll post more as soon as I find the camera. Enjoy!

Coming Soon!

I know it's been forever since I posted, and I definitely have a lot to post, so look forward to one soon!

Ammon Michael Thomas

So, this post is LONG overdue, but I wanted to post the whole story of Ammon's birth. Updated post coming as we speak...

Our little boy!

Our little boy is here! And he came early! I guess he was ready to be born, he just couldn't stay in Mommy's tummy anymore!

So, here is the story...

It was a Sunday and Cameron and I were at home unpacking a few things because we had just moved to a new apartment. When I stood up, I started bleeding pretty heavily. I thought I had gone into early labor...and way to early, since I was only 31 weeks. We drove to the hospital and waited for my OB. When he got there after what seemed like forever, he did an exam and told me that my water had broken and that I would need an emergency C section. I was terrified. Since the hospital where we live is so small and it isn't equipped to deliver and take care of premature babies, I had to be transported to Roanoke Memorial, which is an hour away from us. When I got there, they brought me to a room and the doctor did another exam and told me that my water was not broken. Needless to say, I was relieved, but I was still worried about the bleeding. They kept me overnight so they could monitor me and the baby. THANKFULLY my mom drove up from NC because Cameron had class the next day, so he couldn't stay, and I did NOT want to be there alone.

The next day went well for the most part...except that I had more bleeding. They did an ultrasound and everything looked normal, my fluid level was good, the baby was moving and his heartbeat was good. The doctor did another exam and I wasn't dilated and I wasn't having contractions. He told me that my placenta may have abrupted and that there was the possibility of a C section, but that it wouldn't happen that day because the baby seemed to be doing well and I was doing well other than the bleeding. I think at this point, I was mildly preeclamptic because there was protein in my urine, but I didn't have any of the other symptoms. So, it became a waiting game, and I sat in the hospital for almost a week. On Friday, the doctor told me that since the baby's heartrate seemed ok, except for a dip at least once every hour, (ended up being a problem with the cord, it was only a 2 vessel cord) which I guess is normal for a baby at 32 weeks, that I would probably be able to go home if I did well over the weekend. I was so excited, I wanted to be home so badly, but I was scared at the same time because we live so far away from the hospital.

Saturday afternoon, the OB that was there on the weekends came in and told me that she was very concerned that I had such a high level of protein, and the fact that my blood pressure was slowly rising. She told me that if I wasn't at least mildly preeclamptic (which I'm pretty sure I was) then I would be later. She sent me down to radiology for an ultrasound and...it was not good. The tech said he wasn't responsive and he wasn't moving at all, and he had a biophysical profile of 0/8. My fluid level was also below a 5, which for anyone who's never been pregnant, that is dangerously low. After the ultrasound, I went back to my room and as they were hooking me back up to the monitor, the resident came in and said "don't freak out", which is SO NOT what anyone wants to hear when they're in the hospital, and then he told me I needed a C section because the baby was not doing well. Well, I freaked out. As they were prepping me, I was desperately trying to call Cameron, who didn't answer (go figure) because he was in the middle of a sale at work. The doctor who was going to perform the C section told me that he couldn't wait for Cameron to get there, and that I needed to go right then. As you can imagine, I started bawling. I was terrified of surgery, but even more terrified of having to go ALONE. And on top of that, I had to be completely knocked out because they didn't have time to give me an epidural. Luckily, I had an amazing nurse that day who stayed with me the whole time, and the team of doctors who were in the OR were all so great. The last thing I remember before going to sleep was the nurse asking me who I was and what was going on and then I was out.

When I woke up in recovery, Cameron was there and apparently, I had been asking the same questions over and over again. The anesthesiologist told me that everything was fine, the surgery went perfectly without any problems or complications and that the baby was fine. Ammon Michael Thomas was born Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 2:03 PM, weighing 2 lbs 8 oz and was 16 and 3/4 in long. He is such an amazing little boy, we are so blessed to have him in our family, he is truly a miracle.

29 weeks!

I can't believe I'm 29 weeks today! It seem like it was yesterday that I found out I was pregnant! It's so crazy to think that in 11 short weeks our little guy will be here! I can't wait!

Reasons Why

So, I noticed that for Valentine's Day and for birthdays and such, a lot of my friends were blogging about how much and why they love their husbands, and I couldn't believe that I hadn't done that yet! And of course, I ADORE my husband, so, here are my reasons why...

1. Cameron is a VERY hard worker. Ever since we started dating, he has proven over and over again that he has a great work ethic and that an honest day's work is something to be proud of. When we first moved to Virginia, he wasted no time in finding a job, and held a management position there until the store went out of business. It only took him a month to find another job, and he was so dilligent about filling out as many applications as he could, which isn't easy, because there are not a lot of opportunities for work where we live. He has a full time job at RadioShack and he loves it. Not only does he work full time, he is also a full time Business student at SVU, and he works very hard and does very well, and with very few complaints.

2. Even though the baby isn't here yet, I know Cameron is going to be an AMAZING father. He absolutely loves our son and he is so excited for him to be born. He's always talking to the baby, rubbing and kissing my tummy, and he is so excited to have a little boy to take fishing and play ball with. I can not wait to see my husband with our son, I know that he is going to be a great dad.

3. He loves his family. He and his dad share a lot of the same likes, including a love for The Beatles. He gets along really well with his brothers and loves to goof around and hang out with them. He loves his little sister, and he treats her so well. Cameron also has a great relationship with his mom. He tries to talk to her as much as he can, and I know that he misses her so much. I am so grateful that he grew up with such a great mother who taught him very well, and I love that they have such a good relationship.

4. He makes really good milkshakes! He worked in his family's ice-cream booth ever since he was a teenager, and knows how to make the best milkshake ever. We don't have them often, but when we do have the stuff to make them, I always ask him to make mine, and it is amazing. If you ever get a chance to have Cameron make you a milkshake, try it, you will not be disappointed!

5. He loves his video games. Video games are like Cameron's second wife. Although I'm not a big fan of them, I'm glad that he has something that he enjoys doing when he has some much deserved free time to himself. I love that he knows when to play and when to stop, and that they don't come first.

6. He has a strong testimony. I am so proud to be married to a worthy member of the church. I am so glad that we were able to be sealed for time and eternity in the temple, and that we will be together forever. I am so grateful that he holds the priesthood, it is such a blessing to have that in our home, I don't think our home would be what it is without the power of the priesthood. He loves going to church and does his best to follow the teachings of the church and magnify his callings.

7. He is very supportive of me. He tries very hard to make sure that my needs are being met and that I feel safe and comfortable and happy. If there's something that I want to do, he encourages me to do it. He is always there for me when I need him, whether I'm sad, happy, lonely, even when I'm angry, he lets me vent my anger and listens to accepts my apology, even if I don't deserve it. He has been there every step of the way during my pregnancy, and I am so grateful for that. He always listens when I need him to listen or give me advice, and I am so lucky to have him.

8. He is so helpful. Even though he is already super busy with work and school, he is still very helpful to me around the house, whether it's reaching something that I can't or lifting something that's too heavy for me, or doing a chore like laundry or cleaning, he does it, and he does it willingly. Being pregnant had made doing a few things difficult, like carrying laundry baskets and cleaning the bathroom, and he is so sweet to do those things for me.

9. He loves to have fun. Cameron can find a way to make anything fun. He loves being outside and being active, whether it's playing a sport or just throwing a frisbee, he loves it. He also loves Disney World, and whenever we go is when I think he has the most fun, I think he enjoys more than your average kid!

10. He is happy. Cameron is one of the happiest people I know. He's been through some pretty rough spots in his life, but he has come through and I always love to be around him because he is always so happy, and he makes others happy too. I love being married to such a wonderful man, and I can't wait to spend many more wonderful years together!

Cookies

So, being pregnant has given me the urge to be super busy all the time, and one of the ways I keep busy is baking. Here are a couple of cookie recipes I found recently that are so good!


Chewy Coconut Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cups coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda & salt; set aside. In medium bowl, cream butter, white sugar & brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually blend in flour mixture, then mix in coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Cool on wire racks.

Cameron LOVED the coconut cookies! They were so good, so easy, and definitely a nice change from the same old cookies.

Lemon Sugar Tea Cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tbs corn syrup*
1 tsp lemon extract*
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup white sugar

In medium bowl, cream together butter and 1 cup sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in egg, corn syrup & lemon extract. Stir in flour, baking soda & baking powder. Cover dough and chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.* Roll chilled dough into walnut-sized balls. Roll balls in 1/2 cup sugar and place on cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

*Honey is a good substitute for corn syrup if you don't have any. I used a little less than 2 tbs and the cookies still came out great. Also, if you have lemons on hand and no lemon extract, you can substitute 1 tbs of lemon juice and 1 tbs of lemon zest for the extract, and the cookies still taste good. I also didn't have any parchment paper on hand, so I generously sprayed the cooking sheet with cooking spray and the cookies came off nicely.