Daddy and his baby girl....

We figured it was time for another shoulder shot with Reese and her daddy.

It's rare for Reese to snuggle and watch TV, unless it's Sesame Street or the Electric Company...But this night she was content to couch potato it with her daddy.

There is blue sky ahead...

(Thanks to my brother Brady for this awesome picture!)

Where do I begin...? This week has been challenging, thoughtful, emotional, spiritual, tearful, prayerful, healing, loving, and scattered with small doses of smiles and laughter. I feel like I've been on somewhat of an emotional amusement park ride. But here is what I'm grateful for:

• The most amazing husband in the world. He has taken such good care of me. He's done everything this week from clean the house, cook the meals, give me massages, talk me through all my emotions, and just hold me while I cried. I am a lucky woman.
• My beautiful baby girl who has allowed me to smother her with kisses, hugs, and about a million "I love you's". So many of my wonderful friends have offered to take her or watch her so I could get some rest, and while all the offers are greatly appreciated and very thoughtful...she was just the one little person I couldn't bare to be away from this week. She keeps the smiles and laughter ever present in our home.
• The support and love of my family, friends and neighbors. I have been touched and overwhelmed by the outpouring of flowers, food, gifts, emails, phone calls, notes and visitors reaching out to me this week. It really has been healing to know that I have such wonderful people in my life. I can't thank you all enough.
• My faith. Just two weeks ago I stood in front of my church congregation and gave a talk about the importance of the scriptures in our lives. I spoke about the power of the scriptures to "heal the wounded soul". This week I have put my words to the test, and each time my heart began to ache, I turned to the scriptures for peace. It has been there, and in thoughtful prayer, that I have found it.

I'm really doing well both physically and emotionally. My energy is back. It feels good to get up in the morning and be well rested and not be nauseous. It feels good to run around, roll around and "really" play with my little "r" again. I missed that these last few months. If feels good to be accomplishing all the things on my "to do" list again.

Don't get me wrong, I would still give anything to be pregnant and to have our little baby back, but that's not what the Lords has in store for me right now. So I will look for all the good and focus on that.

As dark as the day may seem...if you look for it...there is always blue sky ahead.

MY FUNNY GIRL!

This is a terrible picture but I couldn't help posting it. I've said that Reese has kept me smiling and laughing this last week and this is one example. This particular day she was walking around the house in my slippers and her hat, flapping the ears up and down while singing to herself. Pacular...maybe...but I couldn't stop laughing.

Pasta Love!

I got a pasta maker for Christmas this year and homemade pasta has quickly become a favorite around here. Especially with Reese. She can't get enough. We're always amazed with how much she can eat on pasta nights. Not only does she finish several helpings, she licks the plate clean! We don't know where she picked up this little trick. Unless she inherited it from her Grandpa Nordfelt!

A little sunshine...

My good friend Lisa was watching Reese today while we were at the hospital receiving our not-so-fun news. She took these sweet pictures of Reese. (Lisa happens to be an amazing photographer.) She didn't tell me she took the pictures, she just snuck the photo disk into the diaper bag. Earlier tonight Reese was playing in her bag and brought me the disk. I didn't know what it was until I stuck it into the computer. It was a little sunshine in somewhat of a dark day.

Thanks Lisa! You're pictures were a sweet reminder of the beautiful blessing in my life.

A sad day...

I'm supposed to be taking a nap, on orders from my husband, but I just can't sleep. I suppose this has to be done, one way or another, so I would rather get it over with.

This morning we found out that we have lost our baby. It has been rather shocking as I was almost 16 weeks along and well past the "worry" stage of a miscarriage. But for some reason the little person inside of me passed away a few weeks ago and the placenta and uterus continued to grow. That's why I've had no signs or expectations of a miscarriage. I guess it's pretty rare, but does happen sometimes.

Nothing about the process of motherhood seems to be easy or expected. But I'm grateful still, to be a woman and to have the gift of motherhood bestowed upon me. I'm especially grateful for the little girl that I get to hang out with everyday and who has continued to make me smile despite the sadness I feel inside. She is my angel.

It's true what they say...once you are a mother, you can't watch or see a child in need without feeling as if it could be your own.

My heart has been a little broken this week watching all the children suffering in Haiti. It makes me wish I could be a mother to the world. Not possible, I know. But it makes me feel a little helpless. To think of my baby trapped under rubble, scared, hungry, and alone; a mothers worst nightmare.

The only comfort; I can only believe that Heavenly Father provides some angels to watch over his helpless little ones in such a time of tragedy. And maybe a few to watch over their mothers.

Siblings...

Jen:

Growing up as a Nordfelt there was one philosophy that we all subscribed to as brothers and sisters; We can beat on each other and fight as much as we want at home, but the minute we stepped outside, we were each others greatest allies. No one messes with one Nordfelt with out facing all the rest.

When my sister and I were in high school, living in Germany, we used to ride a bus to school every day. On one particular morning we had a brutal fight. I don't remember what about. I'm sure it had something to do with me borrowing an article of clothing, or some other trivial matter. We left the house not speaking to each other and boarded our bus. I met up with my friends and proceeded to the back of the bus. Within minutes a boy in our neighborhood came back and started giving us a bad time. He was a senior and didn't think we should be sitting in the back as freshmen.

I was never one to back down, even to a senior. If you don't already know...I'm a little stubborn. So I of course stood my ground and the argument started to get a little heated. It was right when the boy called me the "B" word that my sister swung into action.

She stood up, came to the back of the bus, grabbed the boy by the shirt collar, pulled his face right up to hers and in a very stern voice she informed him that no one calls her sister a "B". She then proceeded to inform him that if he had a problem with me then he was going to have a problem with her. After her speech, she pushed him back into his seat and walked back to the front of the bus.

You have to know that this boy was actually one of my sisters friends. Also, at the time my sister was a mere 5 feet 5 inches and maybe 105 lbs. soaking wet. But it didn't matter, if you know my sister she has a vicious bark and little bit of bite when she needs to.

She still didn't speak to me for the rest of the day, but it's ok....that's what Nordfelts do.

Kit:

I'm not sure if we get it from our mom or dad, but all of my sibling have great creativity. We all excel in different mediums, from art, photography, writing, cooking, creating etc... we have all been blessed with creative minds.

But Kit...he has the most talent. It doesn't matter what artistic medium he attempts, success is always his. From pottery, carpentry, painting, drawing, design, writing...it's all his. However, as most great artists, I don't think he really knows how talented he is. There is no perceivable perfection in art. It's his great potential for creativity that makes this story so funny.

When I was serving my mission, I got a letter from my mom telling me about the amazing poem my brother wrote for his English class. He got an A+ and his teacher had raved about his writing ability. I have written poetry since I was very young and my mom thought, I of all people would be particularly impressed with my brothers accomplishment. At the end of the letter, she enclosed a copy of the poem for me to read.

To my surprise...it was one of my poems. Apparently my brother had forgotten about he assignment until the night before. With desperation he went through my room to find my poems, knowing I would have one he could use. I guess even my creative genius of a brother, needs my help from time to time.

Hey...but I got an A+

Brady:

Brady and I have always had a special bond. I wasn't quite old enough to be a second mom to him, but growing up he was definitely my baby. He used to come crawl into bed with me when he had a bad dream or couldn't sleep. I would scratch is back until he fell asleep. To this day Brady and I have never had a fight. We've disagreed, but never fought. Hard to believe, I know...but it's true.

When I was a senior in high school, Brady was 9. I had a TV in my room and Brady loved watching TV with me. He would bring his teddy, footprints, into my room and snuggle right up to me. On one particular night we were watching TV and he suddenly turned to me and said, "So when you graduate, are you going to go away to college?"

Me - "I am, but I'll still come home and visit."

There was a long pause...

Brady - "I think I might miss you"

Me - "I think I might miss you too"

...and I did. It's still hard for me to believe that my baby brother is now a father of two.

And so begins the fruit phase...

With Reese I craved crunchy taco's and pretty much anything salty for the first semester. Then entered the second trimester and the fruit phase began. Pineapple, grapes, lemon's anything tangy and sour. That lasted right through delivery and lingered into the first few weeks of Reese's life.

...now with baby #2 the pattern has continued. Just like clock work. First trimester; taco's, popcorn and chips. Then suddenly in the last couple of days I can't get enough fruit. If I could be hooked up to a fruit juice IV, I would.

So far the only difference between my two pregnancies has been the throwing up. Baby #2 has caused serious tummy troubles! I didn't know it was possible to feel so sick all the time. The good news is...I'm on day 3 with no throwing up. Maybe second trimester will bring some relief!

She's like her mommy...

She loves shoes. I too had a fascination with shoes right from the start. I can remember my mom coaching me before guests came to our house, "Mindi it's rude to ask people if you can try on their shoes." Sometimes I just couldn't resist.

Just like her mommy, if you're not careful Reese will steal the shoes right off your feet. Around the house, however, her favorites are my pink poke-a-dot slippers.

I love that sometimes she wears one or both backwards!

She's no dummy...

she knows the best part of baking is the frosting! She was happy to have me pipe it right onto her finger.

A new bathrobe and a melt down...

Reese loves her new bathrobe/swim robe. We couldn't get her to take it off the other night.

Here are some fun faces of our little Reese. Sometimes the "not-so-cute" faces are the funniest.

Melt down face. She wanted into the refrigerator, but wouldn't let us move her stool to open it.

Angry melt down face...she doesn't like not getting her way.

Maybe I'll listen to reason...but get that camera out of my face...face.

Inspiration...Friend...now cousin!

I have this amazing friend. We've been friends for over 10 years now and although I don't get to hang out with her as much as I wish I could, she is one of the most inspirational people in my life. We met years ago through another mutual friend. We then had the pleasure of working together. She's kind of a big wig at Deseret Book and when I was the Marketing Director at The ZCMI Center Mall/Crossroads Plaza, we worked together every "Ladies Night Out". When I moved to Utah County we didn't get to hang out anymore. I got married and married life took over. She's since become an even bigger wig at Deseret Book. She oversee all the "Time Out For Women" events across the country. She's also written several books for women/young women and she's a motivational/inspirational speaker for Young Women. She travels all over the country speaking to woman of all ages, inspiring them and uplifting them. We've kept in touch all these years and then a couple months ago through the amazing connecting power of facebook...we discovered that we are in fact cousins. Second cousins to be exact. That's right our mothers are first cousins. Over 10 years and we're just putting it all together. It's crazy, but people have told us for years that we were a lot alike. We should have known.

Anyway, I just love Laurel to death and think she was put on this planet to be a light on a hill to all women. She posted the following on her blog, it's a excerpt from something she wrote for the "Time Out for Women" newsletter. I really liked it and wanted to share.


We're putting away the notion of New Year's Resolutions this year.

Instead, we're bringing out HOPE.
Or, rather, New Year's Hopes.

Some of us have hope for a mended broken heart.
Some of us have hope for more capacity in the one we have.
Some of us have hope for the life growing inside us to be born healthy.
Some of us hope for the chance to mother in any way possible.
Some of us hope for the man of our dreams to come along.
Some of us hope for the strength to support the man we already have.
Some of us hope for the will to finally get our bodies in shape.
Some of us hope for one more year with our bodies.

Whatever we hope FOR, those hopes are only possible because of what we hope IN.

As women of God, we hope IN
the power of the Savior's atonement to change our hearts
the sanctity of eternal families
the strength of our covenants
the reality of eternal life

Written by Laurel Christensen

You can check out her personal blog here, and her professional blog here! You won't be sorry.

Blocks!

Cindy and Adam bought Reese these fun blocks for Christmas. They've proven to be one of Reese's favorites...and Arnold's too. He builds and Reese destroys. The destroying is her favorite part. I actually found her building something today, but once it got all of 4 blocks high, she sent it crashing down with a squeal of delight. I guess I need to read her my "destroyer or builder" poem. In time I'll teach her the importance of being a builder :) I suppose at 16 months destroying is where the fun is at!

Boy or Girl???

The reasons I want this baby to be a girl...

• I would love for Reese to have a sister close to her age. I know it will result in some fighting and drama down the road...but I love having a sister and I would love for Reese to have the same.
• It would definitely be easier on the pocketbook. I have everything girl ready to go.
• I love little girls...drama and emotions included. I really feel like I was meant to be a "girl" mom.
• I'm not sure I'd know what to do with a boy. I love boys. I have 2 brothers...but I don't know...boys are still a mystery to me.
• I have a long list of girl names that I like...all boy names I like have been taken.
• I have all kinds of fun design idea's for another baby girl room!

The reasons I want this baby to be a boy...

• I would love for Arnold to have his son, and I honestly would love a son as well.
• We would have one of each...then maybe we could stop??
• As much of a mystery boys are to me...I'd love a chance to be a mommy to one. I may not know much...but I have two great resources in my friends Iliana and Chellese?? Right friends??
• I hear over all, boys are cheaper. It's just a rumor, but it makes sense to me.
• Reese needs to have a brother. I love my baby brothers! Even though they are younger than me...they always took good care of me. They even let me give them facials and teach them how to treat a woman. Reese need to experience that!
• I have all kinds of fun design idea's for a baby boy room!

All in all I'm 50/50! The bottom line...I win either way!