It's like 2am and even though I have one happily sleeping husband, one peacefully sleeping toddler and one miraculously sleeping newborn (at 7 weeks he's already sleeping 6-8 hour nights!!!!) my insomnia is kicking in and I can't sleep. I've read all of your blogs, checked facebook like 3 times, played a few games of minesweeper (more like 20) and when I ran out of ideas I decided to go back and read my old blog posts. What I found out is that I used to be a semi-decent blogger...and now I completely suck. I've decided that I seriously need to up my game, or my former blogging self is going to kick my own behind. I just don't know where all of my creative juices have gone. I kid you not, I think that producing children (mainly the pregnancy part) seriously effects my potential. (To my children: You're worth it I swear!)
After skimming through my old posts, I decided to add a new feature to my side bar. It's a list of my favorite posts. This way, if I never get back into this, people can see that I did at one time write a few clever-ish things, instead of always just posting pictures of my ridiculously good looking kids. So check it out...and just maybe I'll think of a few good things to say on here...but if I don't, I apologize in advance.
At least my mom will always love my blog! Now I'm going to go see what crappy movie is playing on LMN! (Lifetime Movie Network) Oh, I'm such a loser.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Remember how I used to be a real blogger?
Posted by Jen R. at 2:16 AM 1 people who love Jen
Friday, November 6, 2009
Family Pictures ~ October 2009
The 1st official Romney Family Pictures with our new addition! Thanks to Krista Shawcroft for doing an amazing job!
Posted by Jen R. at 9:00 AM 14 people who love Jen
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Josh & Tim

Jared refuses to agree with me that these two men look alike. I saw one in a movie and thought it was the other at first glance. He was like no way...they don't look anything alike. I think they at least look like brothers...I've seen real life twins that look less alike than these guys. Someone please tell me I'm right...more specifically that Jared is wrong.
Posted by Jen R. at 8:18 PM 4 people who love Jen
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Baby Comparison
More than a few people have asked if JR looks like Adelyn did when she was a baby...so I decided to let you decide for yourself. The first picture is of Adelyn at 3 weeks old. The second is of JR also at 3 weeks old.
Posted by Jen R. at 6:01 PM 5 people who love Jen
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Peepee Teepees
My friend Lechelle gave me adorable homemade "peepee teepees" for JR's baby shower (Thank you so much Lechelle!) But I bet while she was making them she didn't know she was actually giving Adelyn her new favorite toy. She thinks they are hats and anytime she finds them she will make you wear the hat.
Posted by Jen R. at 1:02 PM 2 people who love Jen
Friday, October 16, 2009
JR's Baby Blessing
JR had his baby blessing last Sunday October 11, 2009 in Marshall, MO at Jared's parents ward. It was so nice to have both my dad and Jared's dad able to help with the blessing as well as JR's uncle Miles. I am so grateful to have a husband that is a worthy priesthood holder and that is such a good and loving husband and father. I love him so much and feel so lucky and blessed that he is all mine!
Posted by Jen R. at 2:50 PM 3 people who love Jen
My Little Woman
Doing Mommy's hair.
Holding "her" baby. She is always telling me that JR is her baby and not mine.
She's just cute.
Posted by Jen R. at 1:46 PM 4 people who love Jen
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Quarantined: A Birth Story
It's been exactly 3 weeks today since the birth of our son, JR, and I'm finally sitting down to record the story of his birth. It's gonna be a long one...if you're not up to it, move on!
To begin the story I'm going to take you back to the last time I posted before he was born. If you recall I had explained that my last prenatal appointment would take place the next day and I was hoping to be scheduled for induction that coming Friday (Sep. 25, 2009). Well just for the record, the doctor was very kind and did schedule me for Friday at 6:00am. I also found out I was dilated to about 5cm and about 85% effaced. (This is my 38 week appointment.) At that appointment the doctor also stripped my membranes (too much information???). Anyways, if you don't know what that is it's basically a very painful technique they use that makes some women go into labor. I had this done to me 3 different times when I was pregnant with Adelyn and it never worked. And I had it done the week before with JR and it hadn't worked. So I really didn't think it was going to do anything this time either. My appointment was around 1:30pm and for the rest of the day I didn't have any contractions or cramps or anything so I really thought it didn't work. Also, my mom got here from California at about 7pm and we all went to bed around 10:30pm.
At 5:30am I woke up to a VERY strong contraction. From that very first one they were automatically two minutes apart and very painful. But I was induced with Adelyn so I didn't really know what it felt like to "go into labor" and I was scared they were going to go away. So we waited about an hour just to make sure. At that point I knew I was definitly in labor so we woke up our neighbors so they could watch Adelyn and went to the hospital. From the time we pulled into the hospital parking lot to the time JR was born was 45 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly. I had my first contraction at 5:30am and he was born at 7:33am.
When we got up the elevator they took me straight to my room and Jared went to check me in...I was actually scared he was going to miss the birth because he was taking so long! When I got into the room I immediately asked for an epidural and the nurse said they had to get my IV in and put me on fluids first and all that. She also checked me and I was dilated to a 10 and 100% effaced. Right after that the doctor came in and broke my water...and gave me horrible news, I COULD NOT HAVE AN EPIDURAL! It was at that point I had a nervous breakdown and started crying and I believe I said I changed my mind and I didn't want to have a baby anymore. Jared came in shortly after that and I started pushing...without an epidural! During this I said some really crazy things...I remember begging for an epidural, begging for help, saying "Please get him out, get him out!" And then the doctor would say push and I'd say I didn't want to! ha ha I was kind of a baby.
A lot of people have asked me what it really felt like to have a baby "el naturale" and to be completely honest I don't even know how to explain the pain. I think the worst part is a tie between the really bad contractions and the moment that he actually came out. Pushing was not that bad, though that could just be because I was concentrating on the pushing instead of the pain. The only thing I really know is that the instant he was out I had complete relief. I also felt so much better during the hours after having a baby naturally than after having a baby with the epidural. But once again, that could just be because my first labor was longer so I was more tired. Who knows...but the look on my face in the picture below should be enough to tell you natural birth is hard.
Anyways, out he came and he was perfect and beautiful and healthy.
You're probably thinking the story is over, but we're just getting started.
Background info: Adelyn got a tiny cold about a week before this, she gave it to me, then I gave it to Jared. Adelyn was already better at this point, I had a stuffy nose still and Jared was still kind of sick. But none of us had a fever or EVER had a fever or any other flu symptoms.
After JR was born they immediatly gave him to me to hold. Then the nurses took him to the side to clean him up and check him out and all that stuff. After about an hour they gave him back to me to nurse (FYI: he was a champ at it...complete natural, he didn't even hurt me) and for Jared to hold and my mom got to hold him. After he nursed, the nurses then took him from me again to go down to the nursery to get his first bath and whatever else they do down there. He was gone for about an hour and a half when finally my nurse came back in to say we were changing rooms and the baby would meet us at my new room. So Jared took our stuff and went to the new room while the nurse was helping me go to the bathroom and all that other personal stuff. Then she told me she'd be right back to take me and my mom down to the recovery room. After about half hour later she came back (insert a dramatic musical "dun dun dun"). Oh yes she finally came back only she was dressed like this:

She was wearing a freaking hazmat suit. Ok maybe it wasn't a real suit like that but it might as well have been. A full mask covering not just her mouth and nose but her whole face, a full length bright yellow gown and blue rubber gloves. She then proceeded to tell me that we aren't going to the recovery room but to an isolation room because they are concerned I might have SWINE FLU. I think this is funny because I know that I do not have swine flu, I have a runny nose, not to mention she's wearing a freaking hazmat suit! I'm typically a pretty easy going person so I say ok lead the way. So she then gets my mother and I our own hazmat gear. Mask, gloves, gown the whole nine-yards. And then I ask her if my baby would be meeting us at that room. She casually says that he has to wait until the results of my H1N1 test come back before he can be with me. I say ok and think he'll be coming in an hour or two...no big deal. But then my mom asks how long the results take. The nurse then says about 48 hours but that will be a Saturday so you probably won't get the results till Monday!
- The baby and I were not allowed to leave the room (funny that Jared, my mother and Adelyn were all allowed to come and go even though they were in contact with us!)
- The door had to be shut at all times
- If anyone was holding the baby or nursing the baby they had to wear a mask and sanitize their hands
- Anyone coming in the room had to have the hazmat suit on (i.e. doctors, nurses, cleaning people, lactation consultant, etc)
- JR and I had our very own nurse who was also banished from the maternity ward and could not come in contact with any other patients
- They strongly discouraged us from having any visitors
I had a special phone number that rang my special nurse if I needed anything. That was kind of cool. And I suppose that is kind of the end of the drama. Once I had my beautiful baby I was happier than can be. I was a little sad I didn't get to try out the amazing maternity ward showers that have 8 shower heads coming from all directions...and the maternity ward had a really good snack bar that was free and always stocked...I missed out on that too. Plus it did get a little boring being stuck in my room for 48 hours. But my isolation nurses (I had 4 in total, each had a 12 hour shift) were amazing. Since they didn't have any patients they would hang out with me a little, it was only slightly awkward because they had hazmat suits on. They each couldn't believe why I was in there cause they knew I wasn't sick too. Anyways, the rest of the stay was lovely...JR got circumsized, we both got some shots, doctors visited us a lot...we were always healthy...and then finally in the morning on the last day the nurse walked in with no suit!!! My test results got in earlier than they thought and I DID NOT HAVE SWINE FLU! I still couldn't leave the room though because the other patients around us were all dying of infectious diseases! And they didn't want US to get sick! But I got to take off my mask and kiss my baby! And that was pretty great.
It took Jared and I until about half way through the second day to decide on a name. We really had trouble picking this little guy's name. But we are happy with it now! Adelyn is an amazing big sister. She loved him from the second she saw him. She gives him tons of kisses, she is always snuggling with him and asks to hold him. "Hold!? Hold!? Baby? Hold? Me??? Hold???" It's really cute. And she really likes to help me burp him, which I think is funny. She get's a little frustrated before bed when she wants me to hold her, if I'm nursing him. But besides that she is so gentle and sweet with him.
And I guess that's all I really have to say about that!
First pic on left: JR is in isolation chamber while he was waiting for me in the nursery to save him
Middle: Getting his first bath, and the only picture I have of someone in their hazmat gear. All you can see is their hands. I'm so sad I didn't take a picture of someone.
Right: Our first family photo!
Left: Leaving the hospital
Middle: Adelyn watching JR the entire car ride home
Right: I can't believe Adelyn is so big already. I hadn't noticed.
Posted by Jen R. at 10:41 PM 11 people who love Jen





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