Dear Audrey

Dear Audrey,

Today is your 8th birthday. I want you to know how proud we are of you and what a beautiful person you have grown into. As I promised, the following is the story of your birth. Your story is a little sadder at times but the day of your birth is a day I will always hold dear in my heart.

Some interesting facts -

I craved lobster, crab and any kind of fish...you culd not get enough. (This is probably why you are so smart.)

I could not eat pizza, even looking at pizza on T.V. made me sick.

I wore Army BDU maternity clothes for the majority of your pregnancy. You looked very cute in camouflage.

I ended up losing 16 lbs (all muscle) when I became pregnant with you. I went on the baby weight loss program.

Daddy read several books to you when you were in my womb; Lord Of The Rings, the Nania series and a few others.

Mommy loved drinking root beer for a couple of months, until I learned that the root beer in Louisiana had caffeine in it. That explained why I couldn't get enough of it. Mommy went cold turkey after that.

After you were born, we were moved to another room, Mommy was watching the television. On the news they were doing a story about local singers trying-out for a Jazz basketball event, when I spotted that one of the hopefuls was my best friend, Tricia (Cunningham) Erickson! Mommy hadn't seen Tricia in about three years. Hi!!! Tricia:)

The following is your story -

Mommy and Daddy were stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana and we found out that you were coming to join our family. We were ecstatic. Mommy had not been that happy in a very long time. A few weeks went by and we went for our first ultrasound and found out that we were having twins...I will not lie to you, Mommy and Daddy felt overwhelmed but so happy.
Mommy started to get nice and fat, and we were getting ready for you both to come into our family. Daddy loved watching me waddle like a penguin to the Rigger Shed (that is where he packed parachutes).

Six months into the pregnancy, Mommy got really sick. I got to take a helicopter ride to a city called Shreveport, Louisiana (it is not a place you need to visit) and the doctors told us that you were both in trouble...you are turning 8 so I will be honest with you...the Army hospital did not do everything that they could to help you and your brother. Instead of putting me on bed rest they sent me back to Active Duty and sometime between that hospital stay and a few weeks later you brother passed away. I know that this makes you sad, it also makes Mommy and Daddy very sad but I want you to know. You were so strong and brave and you fought really hard to come into this world. That is when Mommy and Daddy did everything in our power to protect you and Mommy got out of the Army. We moved to Salt Lake and lived with Grandma and Grandpa Breakfast. For the last few months of the pregnancy you could find Mommy wherever she was because I was always eating ice chips and crunching really loud. That is all you wanted. We couldn't keep enough ice in the house.
Mommy was still really sick and at 7 months my pelvis fractured (I believe it was a break). This was very painful and Mommy was miserable...but I kept taking really good care of myself and you got stronger. Even with the 16 lbs that Mommy lost I weighed 145 pounds which is really big for me. After you were born Mommy suddenly lost 55 lbs.
Mommy and Daddy did not know which baby had survived. The doctors could not get a good view of the important parts so before were you were born we did not know if you were going to be a boy or a girl. We had talked about naming you Audrey from early on...Mommy and Daddy thought that Audrey Hepburn was classy, very graceful and beautiful and I knew that my daughter would be too. In fact we had come up with so many names that we chose to give you three. The last two were not decided until after you were born. We had a few boy names picked out, but I thinnk I knew that my little girl would be coming into the world. We did decide to name your brother and picked out John Wesley (after Daddy's late father and Daddy).
Mommy was not due for you to be born until the 2nd week in October...you were 5 weeks early.

September 17th (1.5 days to go...)

As I had mentioned before, Mommy was very sick and miserable. You had been giving me contractions for weeks before you were born (the doctors gave Mommy medicine to stop you from coming a couple of times: you just wanted out). Andrew Johnson was your doctor, and Mommy liked him a lot...two days before you were born he told Mommy that we were not going to wait any longer and you were going to be born. They really wanted to give me a C-Section, that is when they cut your tummy open and pull out the baby. I told them No...only if you were in danger would I agree. As usual Mommy got her way. It is the Rook in us. Mommy and Daddy were so happy, I was admitted to LDS hospital (downtown Salt Lake) and Grandma, Grandpa, and Great Grandma were there to help Mommy. The Sydney Olympics in Austrailia were on T.V., this is an important detail in your birth story.

Doctor Johnson and the nurses thought you were going to come into the world very quickly because you were trying so hard to get out. They broke my water and Mommy started hard labor. Mommy was in so much pain because of my pelvis, and just childbirth in general that I asked for the pain medicine right away (epidural). Well this was a bad choice...it stopped my labor all together and the nurses had to give me yucky medicine to get my labor started up again (patosin). This was when I knew you were going to be stubborn, just like a Rook. They started Mommy out on a #3 drip and by the time you were born, we had maxed out at a #22...(just so you know that is not normal). I hope that you never have to experience patosin. Well lots of time passed by and Mommy played cards and watched the Olympics. Lots of people came to visit (Uncle Eric, Uncle Andy, Uncle Kurtis, Aunt Danielle, Zack, Nate Derrick, Nick and I am sure there are others I do not remember).
The pain meds had worn off around hour 20 and Mommy was so tired. Dr. Johnson came into see us and checked me and said you would be coming in a few hours. He said he was going to go home to have dinner and would be back. That made me happy, but he was wrong. Dr. Johnson actually got to stay at home and go to sleep for most of the night. The nurse came to check in on me at 3:30 a.m. and told me she was going to call him to come back to the hospital. Praise the Lord!!!!

At 5:15 a.m. Audrey Katherine (after Catherine the Great and Katherine Hepburn) Shyrl (after Grandma) Jordan was born weighing 6 lbs 2 oz. and 19 inches long, with pitch black eyes and a TON of black hair, you were so beautiful. The minute that you were born you filled a great big hole in Mommies heart and I knew that you were very special. A whole team of nurses were waiting for you. The doctor put you on my tummy and Daddy cut the cord. The nurses and Daddy whisked you away to the neonatal unit. Mommy was not done yet about 15+ minutes later your brother was born and the doctor got Mommy all put back together. Daddy followed the nurses as they took you to another room.

(Wes typed the following)

In there, they cleaned you up, and used a little vacuum to suck the mucous out of your nose and mouth. They checked your eyes and ears to make sure you were alright. Daddy stood right next to you when they did this, and he was speechless that he now had a daughter. Uncle Andy, Uncle Eric and two of their friends were standing at the door watching us. They were all very happy. We were very happy. Then, the nurses wrapped you up like a little burrito in a baby blanket, put you in my arms, and said, "Every Daddy should have a Daughter." I walked you back to Mommy's room, and as I did, I talked to you. You opened your eyes when I said, "Do you recognize my voice?" They were two beautifully, deep black eyes. I asked if you recongnized my voice because of all the books I read to you when you were growning in Mommy. When we returned to the room, I put you in Mommy's arms.

When Daddy came back I looked at you and said lets name her Sydney...remember Mommy had just watched 37 hrs of the the Olympics and frankly I deserved a gold medal for what I had to do to get you into this world. This the name we had them put on your baby bassinet: Sydney Diane Shyrl Jordan. The doctor told Mommy that you were ok and that they were going to watch you. They could not believe how healthy and strong you were.
I gave you so much love, I did not want to let you go. Grandma and Great Grandma came in and gave you kisses and lots and lots of love. Everyone else had gone home ( I think they thought you were never going to be born). That is when Grandma gave you your cow, Creme Moo Le. She had bought it at a gift shop in the hospital. A few hours later Grandpa breakfast called and asked how "Cindy" was doing instead of "Sydney" and from that moment forward you were back to being Audrey...we had come to our senses. We only stayed in the hospital for 2 days and then we went home. For the first few nights of your life you lived in Aunt Danielle's room. One of the best stories is when you were 3 days old. Mommy had to go to the store with Grandma and Daddy was left to watch you all by himself. Mommy called home a couple of hours later to make sure that everything was ok and see how Daddy was doing. He told Mommy that he was hungry but was afraid to leave you alone so he could go make a sandwich. I told him that you would be fine. When I got home Daddy told me that he hurried to the kitchen and checked on you 3-4 times while he was making his sandwiches. Little did he realize that you weren't going to begin rolling for another six months. Right there and then I knew what a wonderful father you had and how lucky we were.

Another story about those early days when our little family was borrowing in Aunt Danielle's room comcerns a stuffed elephant we gave you. We both woke up with you in the middle of the night to feed you. You could not have been any older than two weeks. Daddy picked up the elephant to toss it into another part of your bassinet in order to clear some room to prepare your formula. In the process, he said, "Chuck the elephant" meaning to "throw" the elephant. Mommy and Daddy looked at each other immediately and had a moment of understanding. We laughed for a long time about it, because it came out sounding like I was calling it Chuck. The name stuck, he was forever named Chuck. We were soooooooo tired.

Audrey I want you to know how important you are to me (us) and that you are my inspiration. You are an awesome big sister and you have the kindest heart. I know that as the years go by you and are going to surpass every dream that I have for you...well, because your Audrey...and your already doing just that.

Happy Birthday my darling girl...may you always know of my deep love and devotion to you.

Mommy

You are my sweet little girl. I look at you and see so much to be proud about. Audrey, you are one of a kind. Happy Birthday!

Daddy

Postcards To Audrey

Audrey's 3rd grade class is doing a postcard project and I am asking for all of you to help. I am going to take advantage of having my family scattered everwhere throughout North America.
When you get a chance please send a Postcard from wherever you live to:

Audrey Jordan
C/O Mrs. Kringer's Class
KC Heffernan School
2 Learners Landing
Marcellus, New York 13108

Please add an interesting fact about the city or state that you live in. I will be very THANKFUL!!! It is hard on the girls not having any family around to participate in school activities and projects, this would make Audrey not feel so left out.

Goodbye Indy...

Indiana Jones died Friday (Sept 12th). She almost made it to her 2nd birthday (Oct 14). I know she was just a Gerbil, not a dog or a cat, but we loved her just the same: she was part of our family.

I was very sad (and yes I did cry)...I was grateful that the girls were at school. Really it should not have come as a surprise, she never exercised a day in her life, and all she did was eat.

Wes and I brainstormed of ways to tell the girls, thinking that they would take the news hard. I took them to the mall, bought them their favorite pretzel and we sat down on a bench (public places are always better, the girls usually are more reserved). I started off by saying "I have some sad news," they were both curious and asked me, "What?" I then told them that Indiana had died. The first thing out of Hannah's mouth was "Now we are closer to getting a Guinea Pig!!!" (We told the girls that when the gerbils died we would buy a Guinea Pig) That's Hannah for you...I know that she was sad and was trying to be strong for the rest of us but always looking at the bigger picture.
Audrey had a delayed reaction. At first she was concerned for Mocha, she did not want her to be lonely, and then she was fine. It was not until later that night when she had been in bed for a couple of hours that she woke up crying and heartbroken. I comforted her and explained the lifespan of different animals, and Indiana was old and had lived a very comfy life.
The next morning Audrey wrote a letter to Indy saying goodbye, and Hannah drew a picture and taped it on her wall by her bed, and I did the best thing to cure sadness, we went to the chocolate shoppe. We each got some chocolate and said goodbye to Indy. Later that night the family went to Petco and looked at Guinea Pigs...they were sooooo cute. Wes felt like he was betraying Mocha, it was so adorable, I love seeing that softer side to him. It was a sad weekend but this has been one of the more important lessons about life we have taught the girls.

P.S. I promise when Harrison Ford dies, I will say "Harrison Ford died." When I talked to Megan, and Mom (and she talked to Dad), I told them that Indiana Jones had died, they were so shocked that Harrison Ford had passed away...no, no, my gerbil. I think they were all relieved that Harrison did not die, I too am thankful that Harrison is still with us.

Standing up for Nuts

We went to Audrey's 3rd grade orientation last Wednesday. I really think Audrey is going to have a great year. I hope that her teacher is up to the "challenge" because Audrey really needs to be "challenged" this year. 2nd grade was so easy, it was laughable.

She still has only 20 minutes of homework a night (that includes her 15 minutes of mandatory reading by the teacher). I raised my hand during question-and-anwser time and asked if more homework was available. Every parent laughed at me and thought I was crazy. What is so wrong about your child loving school work and willing to learn above and beyond? Of course I am going to nourish that. Nutty!!!

Then the topic of Nut allergies came up and it has been only this year that we're certain that Audrey is not allergic. Mrs. Kringer asked if any of the children had nut allergies; nobody raised their hands. Then, some loud-mouth (well, she was) piped up in "Hallelujahs", and saying what a pain in the butt people with nut allergies are...you can only imagine my reaction. You will be happy to know that I held my tongue. Fortune was on my side when I was filling out the class volunteer sign-up and that woman just happened to start talking to another parent about what a pain and how inconvenient it is for everyone when there is someone allergic to nuts. I turned around and told her that I was deadly allegic to nuts, and furthermore, I have children that are allergic...she became quiet very quickly. I swear the nerve of some people...do you thinnk I put in a special request to be allergic to nuts (not to mention all the other allergies I have) just so I can be an inconvenience to the PTA?:P I'm allergic to nuts and I am proud.

I really do not understand this school district's stand on Nut allergies: their solution to the problem is to segregate the children (Hannah, she gets to sit with one other girl) who have the allergies by making them sit at another table all by themselves during lunch. In Canada, Audrey went to a "Nut Free School". I do not undrstand why this is such an inconceivable concept. Not only do the children have to be afraid of dying but also can't be with their friends at lunch.

Unity

I dreamed I stood in a studio
And watched two sculptors there.
The clay they used was a young child's mind.
And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher; the tools he used
Were books and music and art;
One was a parent, with guiding hand,
And a gentle loving heart.

Day after day the teacher toiled,
With touch that was deft and sure,
While the parent labored by her side and
And polished and smoothed it o'er

And when at last their task was done,
They were proud of what they had wrought,
For the things they had molded into the child
Could neither be sold or bought.
And each agreed he would have failed
If she had worked alone,
For behind the parent stood the school,
And behind the teacher, the home.

Audrey will be writing completely in cursive by the end of this year. She is going to be studying China, nigeria, and Australia and has two New York State tests.

For those of you who want to know Audrey's daily schedule, here it is:

8:50 - 9:02 - Arrival, morning jobs, announcements and Pledge

9:05 - Specials -

Monday - Library
Tuesday - Art
Wednesday - Music
Thursday - Computer Lab/Enrichment
Friday - Music

9:35 - (MWF) - Morning meeting

10:00 - Snack
10:00 - Math
11:00 - Cursive
11:20 - 11:45 - Gym
11:45 - Science/Social Studies
12:30 - Lunch
1:05 - English Language Arts
2:35 - Planners
2:45 - Recess
3:00 - Read Aloud
3:18 - Dismissal

Lucky # 8

Today Wes and I celebrate our 8th Wedding Anniversary. The #8 is very lucky in Chinese lore and twice as lucky celebrated in 2008. Wes and I have been showered with so many blessings of luck through our whole marriage that I am really looking forward to the great things to come this year.

I want my husband to know how much I adore and cherish him. Our marriage has been full of so many extremes, but the one constant is that I can always count on our love pulling us through...we have are own modern fairy tale.

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments, love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempest and is never shaken:
It is the star to every wand' ring bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Loves's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come,
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom:
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

William Shakespeare

Of course, I gave him a card with two penguins on it, but I thought Shakespeare would express my words more eloquently.

Wes gave me two cards one with these cute little stuffed animals (which he loves and thinks is the cutest thing next to slice bread, and so do I) and the following;

There aren't enough words to tell you I love you,
Not enough ways to show you I care,
Not enough laughter and good times to wish you,
Not enough wonderful moments to share...
A million bright mornings would not be too many,
Long evenings forever would still be too few,
For I need you and love you so much that it seems
There aren't enough days in a lifetime with you.

We are going to be celebrating our anniversary in October. It is hard when you have every other celebration happening in the same month, we should have planned better:P So here is to lucky #8 .... and lets face it, if anyone needs luck, it is me. Love you Rabbit!!!! (Hey, you have a lucky rabbits foot...ha, ha, ha)

Dear Hannah

Today is Hannah's 6th birthday. I was thinking about the day that she was born and how long ago it seems but how fast the time has flown by.

Hannah often asks me the story of when she was born so I thought that I would document it on my trusty blog.

Dear Hannah,

This is the story of how you came into this world.

Daddy and I had a hard time getting pregnant with you, but then we got the Happy news that you were coming to join our family.

You craved ice cream cones without ice cream and loved to eat all the time. You kicked Mommy a lot and always had the hiccups.

You were almost named Haley but at the last minute Daddy agreed with Mommy about naming you Hannah.

You were born 4 weeks early but, don't worry, by the time you were 3 months old you were extra plump.

September 3rd 2002 -
I was doing my work study at Salt Lake Community College. Daddy and I were both going to school, Daddy was finishing and Mommy was just starting.

I knew that you were coming but Mommy was in no rush to get to the hospital. I went home, took a bath, made sure I had everything I needed, and we took Audrey over to the Butler's apartment. We then went up and down the stairs (5 stories) 10 times. You probably think this is silly...but I was in labor with Audrey for 37 hrs. Just so you know, 37 hrs is one full day and half of another one. Mommy did not want to do that again. Mommy & Daddy wanted you to come into this world much quicker than that. You were born at Jordan Valley hospital, the same hospital as your Aunt Danielle. Your Doctor was Maria O'Neida and she was Aunt Danielle's Pediatrician.
Daddy and Mommy played card games (I won a lot) and took strolls around the maternity floor. Great Grandma came and helped to take care of me. Grandma was living in California and she did not get to Salt Lake until a few hours after you were born.

You came in 12 hrs!!!!!!!

On September 4th @ 5:00 a.m. you were born. You were so small and pink you looked like a little piglet, but much cuter. You were crying very loud. You weighed 5lbs 13 oz and were 19 in long. You had no hair. The doctor put you in my arms and Daddy cut your umbilical cord. The nurses then took you and wiped you down and wrapped you in a blanket and put a little white cap on your head. Mommy and Daddy were so happy. We told you that your name was Hannah McClain Ireland Jordan. Daddy gave you lots and lots of kisses and cried. Great Grandma held you and gave you lots and lots of kisses and cried and then Mommy held you for a very, very long time and gave you lots of kisses and cried.

Doctor O'Neida told Mommy and Daddy tht you were having a hard time staying warm and that you had to have some tests done. The nurses took you to a special room and put your little arm in a cast so that they could give you an I.V. and special medicine. This made Mommy and Daddy very sad. Mommy rocked you in a rocking chair in the little room and told you were going to be alright. Grandma got to the hospital and Daddy went home to get some sleep. Grandma wrapped you up like a little burrito and sang to you and gave you lots of kisses and I don't think she cried.
Daddy went home and got Audrey (who had a cold) and brought her to see you. She gave you so much love and held you for the first time. Audrey watched Sesame Street when she came to visit you. Audrey brought Mommy McDonald's (that was happy).
We had to spend two extra days in the hospital but you were starting to stay warm all by yourself and you got all better.

We took you home to West Valley, you had a "baby animal" bedroom. You took your first bath in the bathroom sink and you slept a lot. We had been home for a day when you stopped breathing, this really scared Mommy and Daddy....Mommy turned you over and hit your chest as hard as I could and you started to breath. Everyone was really scared but after that you have been perfectly healthy and perfectly loved.

You are such a good girl, you are so kind and caring and Mommy , Daddy and Audrey are so happy that you came to our family. You have had a hard 6yrs of life compared to many children but you have given Mommy strength and courage and the will to fight...that makes Mommy love you even more then I will ever be able to express to you in words.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Love,
Mommy

(*Next week I will add pictures to this blog.)

Almond Joy?

I have been craving lots and lots of chocolate lately...what's new. I have been sick of eating the same chocolate, so I thought I would experiment. I got hooked on Lindt's - Chocolate with Chiles & Cherries; very, very good...sweet with a nice heat. I have been going through a bar about every 2 days, and had to go to the store on Saturday to pick up another. I started getting these tummy aches and thought it was just because the time of the month.

I was watching Alias (Season 3 disk 4) last night and, all of a sudden, it occurred to me that I was crunching on something and did not recognize the flavor...so I looked down at the wrapper and panic set in as I read the name of the chocolate I had been eating. Cherries with ... Almonds!!!! (The wrapper was identical to the Cherries & Chilies.) I never had an Almond before so it made sense that I did not understand what I was eating. Usually when I eat a nut my throat starts to swell up, and all kinds of other nastiness happens: like the time I ate some pesto, (which I loved) but pesto is made with pine nuts, and swelled up like Odo from Deep Space Nine; or the time I ate a walnut in a chocolate chip cookie...the stomach ache was so bad that I compare it to being in labor. European chocolatiers like to put hazelnuts in their chocolate and I wish I did not have such a severe reaction, it is very similar to what happens to me if I come in contact with a peanut but not as bad.

I had eaten half the chocolate bar and just sat there on the couch waiting for catastrophe to hit, but then I realized that is why I had been feeling like a seagull who had eaten an antacid. All I was going to have was a slightly painful tummy ache...no big deal.
I finally was able to taste an almond and not have to depend on somebody trying to describe the taste to me. I still have not had cashews, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts or pecans. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Almond joy has nuts...Mounds don't:P

New Layout

Dear Jenny,

Ta Da!!!

Let me know what you think about your new layout and header. . .Yours came out too big too and cut some stuff off, but I don't know how to fix it. If you don't like the color scheme, I can change that too. Hope you like it!

--Megan

We Got Maized

We had taken the girls mini golfing a few weeks ago and there was a maze. I told the girls that we would go back and do the maze...Wes and I decided to do it this weekend. To start off with, the place was about 40 minutes from the house...we got there and everybody cost $4.00 each (at least when you play mini golf, Hannah is free). I asked the guy how big the maze was and he said it was pretty big, so in my idiocy I handed him over the money. We punched our cards with the start time to see how fast we could find all the letters in the word "MAZE" scattered through the maze and depending on how fast you were you got a prize. We got done in 11 minutes...we paid $16 for 11 minutes and the girls got a lollypop. I felt like marching back to the cashier and demanding a refund. We got so ripped. They have these huge corn mazes out here that you pay a few bucks to go through and your lost for days...now that is getting your money's worth.
(We did eat corn on the cob that night for dinner...get it? Maized!!!)

On a really great note; Audrey rode her bike by herself for the very first time this weekend. It truly is a miracle!!!

You may be saying to yourself, "She is almost 8..."

Audrey is wired differently then most of us. You can give her Twain, Shakespeare or any book, ask her to read it (and she's done in a matter of hours), write a 10 page paper, and then teach the book to others, but getting her to do anything that has physical coordination is a big challenge. Her mind just gets too wrapped up in trying to "solve the problem," when there isn't any. When she finally rode her bike, we were so proud, and , I did cry.

To Veal Or Not To Veal

Did you know that I will not eat Veal? I think that the killing of baby cows and keeping them chained up in little dog houses is cruel and unjust. There are so many great foods made with Veal, so it makes me sad on one hand, but I will stand firm. Wes makes fun of me all the time because of this...I get mushy every time I see a calf and outraged every time I see Veal on the Menu.

We were driving the other day and we passed by a herd of cows. Hannah chirped up and said, "I just saw two Veals!!!" This is after Wes had been telling her to call the calves veals just to get my goat. I think I am going to have to put my husband out to pasture.