Meet Madison

I am now the mother of a 5 week little girl named Madison Elizabeth Fuqua. It is a tad surreal, but I cannot imagine my life without her. This is her story and how she came into this world and became the center of Jordan and I's lives! Our baby girl was due November 24, I was finishing up my student teaching hoping for her to come a little bit early. However, her due date came and went. I even went to my husbands flexibility class that day hoping to get something started. Nothing!

Then on Wednesday morning (the 26th) I got up you go to the bathroom around 3 am, (per the usual), and realized that my water could possibly be breaking. I know people say it is obvious when your water breaks, but when you have had a 'leaky' bladder for the past month and a half, I think it is hard to tell. Plus, you don't want to be that overzealous person that panics and rushes to the hospital for nothing. Anyways, I slipped back into bed (on a towel of course) and started Google searching different ways that someone's water could break. Jordan woke up a little while later complaining about a wet leg (sorry it may be gross, but I think it is funny). We came to the conclusion that my water was definitely breaking. We talked a little bit, and Jordan even suggested sleeping for an hour or so before going in. This seemed like a good idea, but I could not get to sleep, I was to excited. My little baby was finally on her way! Surprisingly, I didn't feel scared, I thought I would when the time came, but I actually felt calm and even took the time to french braid my hair into two side braids before heading off to the hospital. I did this hairdo for almost every basketball game in high school. My baby was coming and it was time to get serious and work hard!! :) We arrived at the hospital around 6 am, they verified that my water broke and checked me right in. I was having little mini contractions about an hour after my water broke, and when they hooked me up to the monitors I was so happy that they were actually consistent. I really wanted to start labor on my own instead of being induced from scratch. I called my mom around 8 am to let her know that I was checked into the hospital. She was ecstatic and said the rest of my siblings were literally jumping around the house. I also texted both sets of my Grandparents per request to let them know that their first great grandchild was on her way. (Madison is the oldest grandchild and great grandchild on my side of the family) Jordan also called his parents who decided to make a trip up to Utah to see Madison that day.

By 9 am, I was dilated to a 4 and 100% effaced, the contractions weren't to painful yet, and although I was pretty sure I wanted an Epidural, I was really curious to see what an 'actual' contraction felt like. By 10 am, I was dilated to a 5 and I had had enough! I got up to go to the bathroom and couldn't go. The contractions were coming fast and my body didn't have enough time to relax to let me empty my bladder. I was in pain and extremely annoyed! I ordered my epidural (Jordan couldn't help but chuckle), and laid back in bed to wait for the anesthesiologist. He came super quick, and to be honest, getting the Epidural wasn't that bad. It wasn't painful at all. However, after a half hour, the juice wasn't kicking in and I was still feeling the painful part of the contraction. The doctor had to come back and give me something stronger. (Goes to prove that the wives' tale about red heads needing more meds is true!!!) After my epidural was working I decided to fall asleep to some Taylor Swift. I was woken up at 1 pm when the nurses told me that I was at 10 centimeters. However, the doctor decided that I could wait another hour before pushing to see if the contractions would push the babies' head further down the birth canal. I fell asleep until 2, and it didn't make one bit of difference! I should have just started pushing an hour earlier. Oh well! It was time to push and get my little girl out! PUSHING, is the hardest most exhausting thing I have EVER been through. Even with an epidural and feeling no pain, it was so tiring and frustrating. To be honest, if I had felt the pain on top of being that tired and working that hard, I am not sure if I would have survived. I pushed for an hour and never saw a sign of the babies head. The nurses were so kind and tried to be encouraging telling me after every push that I did such a great job. Jordan, however, remained silent, I knew from this silence that I was being patronized and I was not anywhere near getting this baby out. The second hour came and went. Though we did see a little bit of progress! No one every tells you about the slow going of the pushing! I had no idea. My doctor finally came in and we discussed options of forceps or a vacuum to help me out cause I was so tired and it seemed her head was HUGE and not moving a muscle. However, my doctor was great, and he convinced me to push a little while longer. That hard work in the first two hours was finally paying off, that third hour I could see a little bit of progress almost every contraction/push! At 5:02, the coolest little sensations went through my body as my baby slipped out and entered this world. Even though the name wasn't decided quite yet at the time, my little Madison was finally here! She weighed 9 lbs and 3 oz and was 21 inches long. She was perfect and I was able to hold her in my arms. After 9 long months she was finally here.

As I held her, she kept her eyes wide open. She already had a strong neck and was looking around taking everything in around her. She definitely didn't want to be cuddled and had no desire to nurse yet. However, she loved her first bath and even took being pricked in the heel like a champ. (even though it broke Jordan's heart) Madison and I were happy and healthy and I got to take her home a day and half later!

Even though I didn't feel nervous about delivering the baby, I was was TERRIFIED to take her home. I didn't think I would be that scared, but all of sudden the responsibility of my baby girl put me into a little panic. I was already obsessed with my baby and didn't want to do anything wrong. I bawled like a baby as I got her in her little going home outfit and realized how little I knew about being a mother to a newborn. Even though by the time I was home, I was calm and at peace with the fact that I was a mother, those first couple of weeks were HARD. Hormones were crazy, ( crazier then they have ever been and I have consistent crazy hormones), breastfeeding hurt, and I never slept, whether it getting up to feed her, or stressing if she is warm or comfortable enough. However, from that two week mark, everything went up hill.

Now Madison Elizabeth Fuqua is 5 weeks old and I can never get enough of her! I miss her when she takes naps and wish I could feed, hold, and play with her all day. However, she needs to take naps for her health as well as to give me time to take care of my home. It is still crazy that I have finished school and will not be going back this upcoming semester, but I am excited to be full time mother and see where life takes my little family.

Pregnant!

Surprise! I am pregnant! This is old news, but I thought I would document it at least a couple of times. I am due November 24th and am currently 23 weeks and 1 day pregnant. Jordan and I are so excited to be expecting a little girl in the late fall! I can hardly focus on tasks at hand such as class or work, I just want to organize our second bedroom, purchase clothes and anything else, and sew, sew, and sew! Hopefully I'll share some of the projects I have been working on. The first picture is 17 weeks, the next are 20 week ultrasounds, and the last is 22 weeks pregnant.

I start my final semester of school in about 3 weeks. I am going to be student teaching in a 6th grade class. I am excited and very nervous that I will not be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest because I am so focused on a baby. But I think and am hoping that it will actually make time fly by faster because I will be very busy and doing something I love. Teaching! However, currently the stress is thinking of names! It is fun, but making a final decision is something Jordan and I are going to struggle with.

Book Review: The Lunar Chronicles

I like to read, mostly the popular Young Adult Fiction books that come out. In the past few months I have read or re-read: * The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth. I loved this series and even really enjoyed the movie that just came out. * The Uglies and Pretties, by Scott Westerfeld * The Maze Runner series by James Dashner * Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry, sequel to The Giver * The Hunger Games and all the sequels These books are all excellent! However, they are starting to bleed together. They are each dystopian novels where each plot is futuristic with a 'big' government. However, back in March when I was doing my practicum student teaching in a 6th grade classroom I got a hold of one of their Scholastic Book Catalogs and found a new series that is becoming popular. The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer. I have fallen in love with this series.

Although this book does fall under the 'dystopian' category, the book does not dwell on the big oppressing government. Instead these books are slight twists on fairy tales in a futuristic world where cyborgs, androids, and aliens all coexist. It sounded strange to me at first, but the stories are captivating and the author makes you fall in love with all the characters. Oh! I find out the gender of my baby in 6 days!!!!!

Great Basin National Park

We went to Great Basin National Park over the weekend. It was so fun and so cold. It happened to be overcast and windy almost the whole time, even at night. I did not sleep very well. However, we learned some dutch oven skills.

We went on two separate hikes because Jordan wanted to hike Wheeler Peak (13,063 ft) and I just didn't! I hiked to the only glacier in Nevada instead. We split at the trail head and met 5.5 hours later when he got back.

Yay for camping with Grandma and Grandpa Manner and my Aunts Cindi and Jenny!

Summer Wreath

I made a wreath. I have been planning this wreath for over a year and I finally got it done. I used mesh, a 16" metal box frame, some flowers, and burlap. Oh, and Jordan used the scroll saw to cut me out the the letter "F". I then just varnished it to make it look finished and shine.

I was amazed how easy this was actually to make. It is ruffly and girly. I definitely made a good choice by adding the burlap to calm it down.

To Jordan

Happy Valentines Day! I love you!

Book Review (September 2013 - December 2013)

A few months ago I decided to keep a list of the books I read and that I especially liked over an amount of time and then report it on my blog. I LOVE to read and don't ever want to give up reading. As an ALMOST Elementary Education teacher I want to make sure that the children around me also see that I love to read and the joy that it can bring.
Recently I read a blog that listed 8 benefits of reading that I really liked and agreed with.

1. Enhanced Smarts
2. Reduces Stress
3. Greater Tranquility 
4. Increased Vocabulary
6. Improved Memory
7. Improved Writing Skills
8. Helps Prioritize Goals  

Like the blogger in the post I am also a fidgety person. My legs never stop moving ever! Reading helps me escape to a calmer mind from my highly stimulated habits. Reading does help me reduce stress and feel peace, as well as prioritize my goals. When I remove myself and mind from my school and family stresses, I am able to see what I really want for myselfand the goals I want to achieve.

 As a future mother and teacher I feel that it is important to be aware of the books that your children and students are reading and be familiar with at least all the books in your personal library. This past semester I had a Children's and Young Adult Literature class that I took. For the homework for this class we were required to read a number of books and familiarize ourselves with the available books around us. This being said, the list for this third of a year could be a lot longer then upcoming lists.

Books I Read: 9/13 - 12/13
Timeline: Michael Crichton* 
The Giver: Lois Lowry*
Book of 1,000 Days: Shannon Hale
Waiting For Normal: Leslie  Conner                                                  
The Breadwinner: Deborah Ellis*
With a Name Like Love: Tess Hilmo
Mazerunner: James Dashner*
Bridge to Terabithia: Katherine Paterson *
The Boy on the Porch: Sharon Creech*
Dead End in Norvelt: Jack Gantos
MLK: Journey of a King: Tonya Bolden
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World: Jennifer Armstrong *
Between Shades of Grey: Ruta Sepetys *
Hope and Tears: Ellis Island Voice: Gwenyth Swain 
American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic: Jim Murphy*
 * Books I would recommend

       Books to Read    

       Divergent

       Book Thief

      Messenger

      My Name is Parvana

      Scorch Trials

      Catch 22
      Cinder

Look what I found!!! I pinned an awesome little reading nook that I would like Jordan to make for me in a playroom or a child's room! I love it! READ READ READ!!

Cute Cute Cute!!

I love that this is simple, yet so adorable. It would be easy to create! 

                            
       

On to 2014

2014 is here! However, I do not feel ready. My new apartment is still a wreck and we are hoping our car lasts a few months later so we can have some time to search for a new one. I am also behind on a couple of Etsy orders due to being away from my yarn collection during Christmas break. However, as hectic as I feel getting back to Provo, I am excited for school to start and even more excited to start teaching in an older grade classroom in a couple of months!
 I love to set goals, but I am not into setting long term goals. To often I find myself forgetting or starting not to care as much as I did about the goal as when I set it. However, for the sake of tradition I have made a list of a few. They were carefully thought out so that I can make sure that come April, I will still feel the desire to work on them.

2014 Goals

1. Be able to sprint again!  - A little over a year ago I injured a muscle. Even after a substantial amount of time and physical therapy I still have a glitch in my run and jog that I am anxious to leave behind.
2. Finish a quilt and an afghan - These quilts are close, but are going to require a little more TLC to finish and be ready to display on my quilt rack.
3. Practice the Piano - I want to keep my skills up, but because of a lack of a nice piano the motivation is hard, but I want to get a nice flashy song polished and memorized to play on the spot.
4. Be more compassionate to those around me, most importantly my HUSBAND.
5. Be aware of those around me and be confident enough to give sincere compliments.
6. Read Books