Josephine Claire Gratteau

This is a picture of the beautiful baby girl today!

Bright eyed Josie yesterday!

We are so excited and pleased to announce arrival of the newest member of our family. . .

Josephine Claire Gratteau

Born Saturday May 16th at 8:04pm

7lbs. 12oz.

20 1/2 inches

     Her birth was a very exciting and fast experience. I started labor at Robert's Luau Fundraiser, and Steve had been at the hospital to relieve Ashley for the day. I knew it was the real thing around 6:55. My mom drove me home from the luau, and I called the midwife as soon as we left. Steve was told to go straight home when they got ahold of him. He arrived about a minute before my mom and I did. Josephine arrived so quickly that she beat the midwife by about seven minutes and my mom ended up 'catching' her! It went well all things considered. I think it was nothing short of an 'act of God' that we made it home and Steve was there for his daughter's birth!

     

Belly Catch Up!

So this first picture was taken on February 6th. It is in a draft on my posts somewhere! Figured I might as well share it now!! I was around 20-22 weeks or five months then. I remember thinking I looked so pregnant! Ha ha!

This picture was taken on Mother's Day, two days ago! 

Now that is what I call really pregnant! I should take another picture in jeans, really makes the belly stand out! So this is what I call progress!

They think my little baby girl is at least 7lbs now. I think she is trying to pass up her sister and be 9lbs. 5+oz.!!! That will be fun!

No bare belly picture here! Mostly because of my heparin shots. They leave bruises on my belly! We're considering naming her Renesmee. What do you think??? Ok, ok totally joking on that one, but there has been the family joke that I just might be growing a baby vampire in there. Good thing I don't crave blood . . . gross! Had to share the funny side of my shots!

I feel like Humpty Dumpty! Not so much because of my shape, although I'm sure you see the resemblance. No, I feel like a egg sitting on a wall, about to fall off! Or maybe I'm already all cracked up, and all the kings horses and men are trying to put me back together again! Life is crazy madness and time is flying by! I can't believe I'm so close to giving birth to this little girl in my belly! I'm excited and want her to come right now and I'm feeling like I need more time! Well I'm going to go to bed now! Maybe, just maybe this is the beginning of some new posts! I am having to take it a little easy these days, so that may lend a little more blogging time! Who knows!

Dear Janelle,

I just wanted to start by saying that you are fabulous and funny and I miss you! Ok, now that said I have to get this off my chest. I couldn't help but notice on your dashboard that Ashley and Roberts blog has 67 posts (and I'm pretty sure none of those are drafts) and a start date of February 10, 2009! As for myself I was created on March 24, 2008 and I have 65 posts (at least 8 of which are unpublished drafts). Hmmmm, just some food for thought!

I am not a jealous blog, as you said before I am patient and waiting--and better than a dog! Just wanted to be sure you noticed, and tell you that I've missed you! Hope to see you and some cute pictures soon!

Sincerely,

Your Blog

Dear Blog,

Again I apologize for the lack of sharing. I have been galavanting around the countryside in the past few weeks. First Texas, and now I'm in Utah. We have been visiting Steve's brother Curt and his wife Emma, also his Grandma Aleen and his Aunt and Uncle. We have also been visiting two families of my Aunts and Uncles and cousins! I would just like to share that Byron asked me, "Mom, can we buy a farm like Severin's?" (They have chickens, ducks, a turkey and a horse on an acre of property! I'm sure he would like a couple of slides like Landon's to put on his farm too!)

The exciting news is the Steve is with us this trip! We have been having a good time, eating good food, hanging out with family and eating Neilsen's Custard in Bountiful! Yummy! I really do love to eat, I think that is probably obvious!

I really need to share that Karalee has posted our second auction to benefit our adorable bro-in-law, Robert Ashworth on her blog here! Please go and check it out! There are some really beautiful things on there! Some amazing people have generously shared their amazing talents! The auction will be open until next Wednesday!

Oh, and I am getting an enormous belly and growing very excited for this little girl's arrival! I'm really nesting too and hope she holds off until I get a couple of things done first!!!

I miss you adorable little blog, and hopefully I will actually follow up this post with real news and pics of our trip. I have a post started about Texas, does that help?

Well know that I miss and love you little blog, and I'm just so glad you are a blog, which is even better than a dog when it comes to unconditional love and patience. Thanks for waiting for me!

Love,

Janelle

How to control time!

So I think I may have figured out how to control time! Well at least slow it down a little! Have one of your children get so sick that they need you to sit around and hold them, watch movies, snuggle them, drug them, feed them, let the house fall apart around you, and remember that you have been wanting an excuse to not feel like Jo-jo this past week. 

Then just as your child has been diagnosed, medicated and is starting to feel better, get what she has and need to stay in bed for 2-3 days (at least as much as possible)! It will be the longest, slowest week of your life! Now in staying with my change of perspective I have tried very hard to enjoy motherhood, and not let the overwhelming amount of things I will have to do when I feel much better tomorrow get to me! I do well to remember that about 80% of the time! I have to say when I was feeling well myself it was nice to just snuggle on the couch, watch another Land Before Time and know that the house will get cleaned eventually (always does!) Being sick myself isn't nearly as much fun!

I've tried to appreciate the calm before the storm! And by storm I mean that the nesting need is kicking in! I have a query: why do we nest when we are in our third trimester and our energy is waning? I would really have like to nest in my second trimester when I still had some energy left! Such is life, and according to the little ticker I have 71 days to complete my tasks and projects before our little girl's arrival! So this is how you speed time up again! Working very hard and being very busy!

Then I will slow time again after the birth of this little girl, because that is what happens when caring for a newborn! I will enjoy just sitting and holding her, breast-feeding, napping and all the slower activities that come with a little one! The truth is I just know that time will take off with me again and fly ever faster! (Have you seen Taryn lately? She's huge and thinks she should do everything herself!) Yes time is a weird, strange little beast! I just hope all my little tricks keep working!

P.S. Now on to some posts I've been meaning to get to for awhile! Full of cute picture and funny stories! That is the only way I know to freeze time--take a picture and blog or journal about it! Then you can go back and enjoy that time, anytime!