gratuitous pregnant/baby post

Oh goodness.  I could write for days and days about the last 10 months and especially about the last 10 days.  I could write about the earth-shattering love and absolute awe that this little baby has brought into our lives.  I could write a silly post about the absolute exhaustion and hilarious body stuff that happens during and after pregnancy.  I could write a very serious post about the admiration and appreciation I have for mothers the world over for sacrificing body, mind, and sanity to lovingly raise children.  Those posts will probably come soon, but for now, I'll just post pictures of my body so you can all feel good about your own, much-less-enormous bodies :)

Annette Elizabeth Davis

May 13, 2014

6:00 PM

7 Pounds 14 Ounces

19.5 Inches

 My heart!!

 MY HEART!!!!

Nettie has had some awesome jaundice so we've had a tanning bed at our house this week.  Anywho, I don't think I'm going overboard when I say I think she is the cutest baby ever to be born ever in all the history of the earth.

update

aaaaaaaaaand we're back.  I feel the need write and write and write and write about what has been going on this last half a year...but I think I need to tackle it slowly.  I have experienced more change, sorrow, gratitude, joy, and general sleepiness than at any other time in my life. 

In a nutshell:

January: After some routine surgery, my mom arrested because she couldn't metabolize the narcotics during her recovery.  Thankfully, my dad was with her when she stopped breathing and was able to administer CPR and call an ambulance.  Thayne and I showed up to visit her as this was happening.  We spent the night in the hospital with my dad as she was intibated and put into a coma to recover.  Possibilities ranged from full on vegetable to only slight damage.  When the MRI came in at day two, my dad and brother (everyone had come to Salt Lake by then) were distraught at the picture because the part of the brain controlling motor skills and short term memory was essentially dead.  After the coma, they woke her up and she was very loopy and her memory reset about ever 2 minutes, but, she knew who we were and loved us, and that was enough.  The first week in the ARC, she thought she was in Minnesota and found out that I was pregnant about 100 times.  She cried with joy every single time - it was really sweet.  We all took off work and spent hours in therapy with her, talking to her, feeding her, and encouraging her to improve.  Week 2, she reset about every 7 minutes and could grasp onto one concept if you repeated it about 60 times.  Living at the hospital was draining and exhausting and sad, but we began to re-appreciate this amazing woman who is key in all of our lives.  Week three, she reset about every 11 minutes and could hold onto things better, eat, walk around, and converse pretty normally.  Week 4 she came home.

Februaray: It was amazing to have her home.  The life she brought back into the sad house was refreshing.  Tax busy season started and I began to work longer hours and was unable to be around as much as I would've liked.  February was a month of very slow, frustrating progress for all of us as we eased into some new roles and as my mom began intense therapy.

March:  More of the same, slow, frustrating, patience-testing progress.  She was able to remember what happened in the morning and began to teach her aerobics class - she couldn't remember where she taught and would call me three or four times a day to confirm the location.  Her personality - 100% of it was there and she was so dang frustrated all month because she realized her injury had caused some deficiencies and she HATES to rely on other people or feel stupid.  She's such an independent lady and I am so proud of her constance and perseverance amidst this horrible trial.  I was in the depth of tax season by now, 7.5 months pregnant, and having a hard time.

April:  Taxes, taxes, taxes. I am so happy I had my buds at Grant Thornton that made the previous few months really wonderful.  They made those 12 hour days so wonderful - thanks buddies.  I don't really want to write about busy season, other than that I'm grateful that it's over and I'm happy to have worked at GT.  April was the best month for my mom.  She doesn't reset anymore - she just occasionally forgets a minor detail or tells the same story twice (sounds exactly like I am now).  I'll never quite be able to express the gratitude I feel towards God for being with us every step of the way.  For giving us glimpses of peace and understanding in our lowest moments.  For making sure my dad was by her side to save her life.  For whispering to me that this trial wouldn't last forever and for blessing our family with the chance to re-appreciate this wonderful woman.  I am grateful for the wonderful blessings we have experienced as a family: for the outpouring of love from family, friends, and neighbors, the closeness we feel as siblings, and for the sweet strength that my dad's service to my mom has given their marriage. 

Also, during April - my dad was called to the 5th Quorum of the Seventy which means he helps out 32 stakes in Salt Lake City and has a few other assignments in the valley.  He has taken on this calling with humility and an eagerness to do what God would have him do.  I am so proud of him and impressed at the loads he is able to take on with such grace and strength.  I love my dad.

Let me also state the obvious - Thayne was and is amazing, supportive, happy, and loving every single day and continues to me an amazing husband (and father)!!!!!  Which brings me to

May: NETTIE!  The love of our lives.  She was born 8 days ago and I can't believe the love I feel towards her.  I can't believe how hard motherhood already is and I want to thank all mothers for doing what they do.  You are all amazing.  Thayne finished the basement for his girls and life is good.  My mother has basically lived at our house and cleaned, done laundry, made us food, and let me sleep during the day.  She has taken amazing care of all of us and we love her for it. 

Welp, Nettie is waking up - so it's mom time...my favorite time.  I'll be back soon.