The Atkinsons: Party of Three: 2010

So I know it's been forever since I've update this, and I am truly sorry. Being pregnant is not a cake walk though and I was super sick for pretty much all of my pregnancy, and I have been busy with my beautiful baby girl. I did graduate however in July with my bachelor's in psychology:) I am going to go back though and become a Special Ed. teacher but I am proud of myself!! I was 8 months pregnant when I finished :) So I am going to update the last couple of months with pictures of course :) The last time I posted we found out we were having a girl and I was 4 months pregnant. Here is a picture of me at 4 months.

I was still working with Devyn at school and doing thearpy at his house. I was still very sick with morning sickness. I would throw up water sometimes I was so sick. Thankfully I had a nausea pill they give cancer patients that I would take twice a day which helped a lot. Some how I survived work and school being so sick. I did live off of popsicles and crackers for months though haaha. And I don't know how I gained any weight my first 6 months.

Here is me and Devyn:

I finally stopped having morning sickness around 6 months. So to be honest besides work and school, I wasn't doing anything up until the month of May. Dakota was so sweet and good with me. There were many times I would throw up and he would clean it up for me :) He was still going to school full time and working full time, and was stressed. We went out for dinner on our anniversary in April but I was so sick afterwards I almost threw up the delicious food from The Cheesecake Factory, and I went to bed at 7:30 that night. hahah. In May, Dakota's old roomate Corey got married to Haley, who happened to be from my stake back home. They got married in the Salt Lake Temple and it was beautiful :) They are the cutest couple. We were extra excited because they were going to move in with us the end of August.

Here are some pictures of their wedding:

The rest of May was pretty boring. Dakota and I started spring courses and we were both working. It was my last semester and because I didn't have morning sickness anymore I was going to campus. Walking around campus when your 7 months pregnant is not fun. I did like my classes though and it was a fun last semester. May was hard though because I was still working at Devyn's school plus going to school, and I was tired! The end of May brought Devyn's school getting out for the summer so less work for me :) I was still working with Devyn at his house but it was less hours so less stressful, which was good because I was starting to gain 2 pounds a week and getting so uncomfortable, and hot!

Here is a picture of me and Reeses in the end of May:

June was a good month. Less work, still in school, feeling better, and Derik (Dakota's brother) and Jessica got married. They got married on June 4th, the same day as Dakota's parents anniversary:) It was a beautiful wedding and I cried like a baby (I blame that on being pregnant). I love having Jessica as a sister in law. She is so sweet and so fun and a perfect addition to our family :) They had such a pretty wedding and reception. It was fun to set up for the reception. I couldn't help much because I was pregnant but I did as much as I could. Dakota and I ran one of the refreshement tables which was fun, but hard work. I had to sit a lot because I was so tired, and my feet got really swollen. All in all it was a beautiful day. Here is a picture of Derik and Jessica on their wedding day:

In the end of June, my aunt (the one we lived with) moved out of the top part of the condo and Dakota and I got to move up to the top of the house! Moving was hard because I was huge!! I couldn't lift anything too heavy either. While Dakota would go to work and school, I would pack up everything I could that day. After two weeks and lots of help from our family we got everything moved in to the upstairs. I was so grateful for all of the help because I couldn't do much but pack and unpack. It was a true blessing and we were so grateful to have more room for when the baby came. I also cute my hair in June, really short. I don't like it to be honest, I miss my long hair but it is quick and easy which is convenient with a baby. Here is a picture of me with out empty house since half of it was moved:

So by July we were all moved in and I was done with school and just working about 15 hours a week. I was getting super uncomfortable and big as well. My feet were huge and I'm glad it was summer because they could only fit into flip flops. Twice this month we had to go into the hospital because I had some bleeding and was freaking ut about the baby but everything ended up fine. With so much free time I took on another Applied Behavior Analysis(ABA) therapy job. This boy's name is Dallin and he was 5. He had barely been on the ABA program for a couple of months so a lot of his programs were the basics, which was fun for me to learn. Devyn is more advanced so it was fun to learn the basics. Dallin was a lot of fun and he was super cute :) he loved Ritz crackers and nature valley bars, the snacks I would bring to work. In the middle of July we drove up to Haley, Idaho for Dakota's cousins Kai's wedding. They are a super cute couple and it was fun to be together again with all of Dakota's family. I especially missed Dakota's cousins Devan and Jade, it was fun to see them. My doctor didn't really want me to go because I was 35 weeks pregnant so every hour we were driving we had to stop and I had to walk around so I didn't get blood clots in my leg. It was a fun trip and I'm glad we got to go to the wedding. Here is a picture with Dakota's cousin Devan and me. We were somewhere outside of Haley, Idaho driving through the beautiful mountains. This is a picture of Dallin, the other boy I worked with. It's not the best picture but it's the only one I have.

Finally August came. I was ready from the end of July to have the baby, but Raeli had a different mindset haha. I worked up until the thursday before my due date, and my mom, sister and brother Alex came that weekend. It was tons of fun having them here. I miss my family tons, especially Alex, who was only 4 when I moved out of the house. We had fun playing games, and watching Toy story 2 over and over and over again! hahaha. The saturday I was due August 14 I started having contractions but they weren't painful at all, my stomach would just constrict. This went on until the day I was induced. I walked a ton and did everything I could think of to get that baby to come but she didn't want to. The tuesday after I was due, my doctor said I would be induced that thursday the 19th. We went into the hospital at 7:00 and they put a low dose of the drug to induce me. I slept that night and the next morning around 7:30 my water broke, strangest feeling in the world. As soon as that happened my contractions go super painful, and just my luck the anesthesiologist was in a C-section, and then he went into an emergency C-section. Boy was it painful and poor Dakota, I was yelling at him a ton to find the "drug doctor" haha. I got my epidural and was already at a 6 (just in time). An hour later I was fully dilated. So from 7:30-11:30 I was fully dilated. Then I pushed for three hours! She has a super big head, in the 95% and I just couldn't get her out. So finally around 2:30 the doctor used fourceps and with one push she was born!! It was the most amazing feeling in the world to see her finally. I bawled and when I got to hold her I felt so much love for her. I didn't know you could love this much. It was the best moment in the world. Here are some pictures of us in the hospital.

She is such a beautiful baby and I love her so much. Araeli Kim Atkinson born August 20th at 2:46 pm, weighed 8 lbs, and was 19 1/2 inches long. I am so grateful for all of the people who helped me through my delivery, especially my husband, mom, and Dakota's family. It was amazing. It was a hard recovery but well worth it. We left the hospital on Sunday and those first few weeks are kinda a blur haha. I was so tired from lack of sleep. After two weeks I couldn't breast feed anymore because my milk ran out so she has been on a soy based formula because she threw up a lot. After we figured all of that out she was about two weeks old. We then had her blessing at Dakota's home ward and so many people came. We are truly blessed to be apart of an amazing family. It was an amazing blessing and a great day. I loved having my whole family there and I was so sad when they had to leave. I bawled like a baby. The night before her blessing we were up at the Atkinson cabin having a barbecue with my family and his. Dakota was cutting kindling to fast and he chopped his finger. He cut down to the bone and cut some of the bone off. My dad, Dakota, and I rushed to the hospital and poor Dakota was in so much pain. All he did was sing and pound his fist on his leg but I knew he was in pain. I didn't throw up seeing it though, and he got it stitched up. So when he blessed Raeli he had a huge bandage on his finger. After the blessing we had a huge family gathering with lots of yummy food and I have never been happier. I loved seeing my family and especially my grandpa who drove down from Teton, Idaho. This is a picture of us and Raeli on her blessing day and my family.

After the blessing Dakota and I drove back down to West Jordan. Dakota had started school that past week and was back to work. My mom stayed with us for another week and a half and then went back home. I loved having my mom here and she really helped me more than I can say. She was such a blessing and I am so grateful she was able to help. Around this time Corey (Dakota's old roomate) and Haley moved all the way in to the basement :) It has been amazing to have them here. We have our privacy but it's nice to have a built in couple to do things with. We already do Sunday dinners and walks. Haley learned how to crochet over the summer and watching her do it made me want to learn, since I have had ton of free time. She had this book she learned from so I borrowed it and learned. I have made a scarf and hat for my sister in law Jessica, a hat for my brother's birthday, and two hats for Devyn and his brother Corwyn (their birthdays were one week apart). I will pictures of those at the end.

The rest of September I took easy. I cleaned, looked after Raeli, crocheted, and slowly healed. The next big thing we did was go to my cousin Ethan and Taiya's wedding. It was in Heber on a lake and it was beautiful. Taiya was gorgeous and it was beautiful. Dakota and I had a horrible cold so we didn't stay long but it was fun to go. Here is a picture of Raeli and I before the wedding. That flower on her headband I crocheted :)

Now it's October and the past couple of weeks have been fun. Conference weekend we went up to Idaho and took family pictures with Dakota's family. We haven't gotten them back yet but when we do I will post them. Raeli was pretty good for it. She did cry towards the end though because she was done haha. Conference was amazing and it was fun being with family. This past weekend we carved pumpkins with Corey and Haley which was tons of fun. My favorite part is the pumpkin seeds which turned out amazing! :) I have already eaten a ton. I can't believe so much has happened just in the past couple of months, and there is so much to look forward to. We are going to washington for Thanksgiving and to my friend Erika's wedding in Portland. I can't wait for that I miss my family a lot and I can't wait for Erika to get married. Her fiance Zech is super nice and they are perfect for each other. I am so happy to see her so happy. I love being a mom. Raeli is the cutest baby ever and she has started to smile this past week. She smiles whenever she hears my voice and sees me. She grows so much each day and I love those precious moment's I get with her. Life is amazing and I am so grateful for it. Well here is the long awaited update and I promise to be better about updating. Now for some pictures :)

Some of the things I have crocheted. Devyn's hat looks like the blue and gray one but it's red and gray.

The pumpkins we carved:

Dakota's is the superman one, mine is the one with the A. Raeli's is the one in the middle. Corey's is the FOX one and Haley's is the one on the far right. I am signing off for today :)