Special Time With Grandma Porter

His Fourth Month

What an Angel looks like:

He's so big!  This was the last Preemie outfit he wore.  His arms are so long like his Daddy's.

I like his Ducky Speedo and Buddha Belly

I love these socks (Thanks Aunt Sarah!) not only are they so cute, they stay on so good.

This outfit says "Brave Little Brother" picked out by his little 5 year old cousin Drew.  So cute.  Drew is the youngest so maybe Jack can be his little brother.

This is the Monkey that he was only a couple inches longer than when he was born. Proof of how big he is!  And yes, he was actually in his crib.  He is still in our room in the bassinet because of his monitor.  We can't use a regular monitor because of the interference or something.

One of my favorite outfits.  It has a Monkey on the bum, and it keeps his hands and feet covered.

This is his Retro/Throw Back to the 70's outfit.  It was my brother Ryan's, born in 1975.

This super cute outfit his Aunt Susanne sent him.  Love it.

I call him my little Buggy, because he's a just a little bug.  Can't believe he's mine!  His favorite song is "You Are My Sunshine" and smiles every time I sing it, unless he just got shots :(

His 3rd Month

Tummy Time

Notice the Wii Remote to compare his size. This was one of he last days in his Preemie outfits.

His first New Year's Eve

One of his first baths at home. He's our little Ducky

So exciting to see his belly grow!

Growing Baby!

This is Jack in his bouncy chair Jan. 6th, 2 months old.  The one below is 3 months old.  Getting so big!

Here is a progression of Jack's growth.

Nov. 30th the Day we brought him home.

Dec. 18th, one day short of 2 months old

Jan. 13th, almost 3 months old

Feb. 19th, 4 months old

HE'S HOME!! HE'S HOME!!!

Our Baby boy came home November 30th!  He barely hit 4 lbs the 29th and all of a sudden, we had to find a car seat pronto!  He came home with a monitor so he still has a wire hooked to him but we are grateful to have it.  He has sleep apnea so it has this loud beep if he stops breathing.  It's scary but reassuring at the same time.  He is now 4 lbs 7 oz and growing all the time.  Nursing is a trial, especially since he has been bottle fed before but he is doing so good, it's me that struggles getting it down.  Charlie has been so good with him.  She literally looses her mind when my family comes over, but other than that she is very mellow and sweet with Jack.  When he cries she is so concerned.  I had Jack in his swing one time and decided to try the music with it.  Next thing I know Charlie is barking at the swing and didn't stop until I turned the music off.  I really think she was protecting him and worried.  So sweet.  He is the loudest baby, grunting and moaning all the time.  I love the sounds he makes, except when trying to sleep but I'm starting to get used to them.  John is so great and helpful and I love my parents for coming over often and helping me so I can nap.  We have breast milk stored so John can feed him a bottle every now and then so I can have a break.  I just can't believe I'm a mom!  It's always been such a sacred title and now I have it!  It's very scary.  Do you ever get used to the immense responsibility?  Anyway, there's a little baby grunting for food so I must go!  Motherly responsibilities await!

Biggest and best surprise of our life

John and I would like to announce (electronically for now) the arrival of our first born child, John Blaine Dickson. He was born October 19th at 10:23 pm and weighed 2 pounds and 6 ounces and 14 inches long. We call him Jack, since that is a common nickname for John.  We are so happy, words can't describe!  So here is his birth story.

Monday, Oct. 17th (2 days before he was born) I started to have upper back pain and very high stomach pain. I was 30 weeks pregnant so I didn't think it was more than the stomach flu since John seemed to have it. It got worse and worse and after calling my mom and later my sister in law who is a nurse I decided I needed to go to the hospital. I was able to wait until John came home at 10 pm and we went to Davis Hospital. After an IV of fluids and some tests they said I need to drink more and they never really addressed the severe back ache. So we went home deciding I would just take some Tylenol for my back but then found out it's on recall! Poor John had to go to Bountiful to find the generic and then by then it was 2:30 am and he had to work at 4!

Ok, so I stayed home from work Tuesday and felt fine and then woke up Wednesday with the back ache again. Luckily I stayed home again and felt fine most of the day. 5 pm rolls around and my back is hurting pretty badly.  I called a nurse and she said go to the hospital. Ugh I thought. They are just going to tell me the same thing, maybe give me a Tylenol and send me home. My mom came over and I drove us to the hospital because I felt fine. On Monday they wheel chaired me to the room but Wednesday I just walked. So funny.  John came right after we got there (on the phone I told him I was fine and he didn't need to come). So we start filling out the dumbest paper work that we just laughed and laughed at. Then I started feeling some contractions (but I didn't even know that's what they were.) The nurse comes back after the blood work came back and all of the tests had come back. She said I had preeclampsia or also called toxemia. She said I was very sick and the doctor is coming, not a doctor I knew though of course because mine had left for vacation 1 hour earlier. She said we might be having the baby tonight (yeah right I thought!)

The doctor comes in and says the only cure is delivery. I just kept looking at her to go on and tell me what we are really going to do. I can't have the baby now!  I was really scared and I know John was too, but he tried not to show it. He just kept hold of my hand and said we can do this and that we can do anything together, and kept having me look at him. He was just amazing. He got on the phone to call his family.  My parents were there thankfully too and helped me cope with the idea of going into surgery to have the baby. The anesthesiologist was so nice and made me less nervous. John got all suited up and we went into the operating room. I remember they kept poking my belly to see if I was numb enough and I could still feel it a tiny bit. I swear they didn't believe me because I was at the highest level. I guess it wasn't enough to worry about because I didn't feel pain so I just felt the weird pullings and pushings and then he was out! John got to see him while I threw up right on queue.  Jack made a tiny little squeak as they rushed him over to the NICU. My whole family was there in my room waiting for me and Gina, John's sister and only family in Utah, had just made it from Tooele.

 I didn't get to see baby Jack until 4 am when I pulled out my IV on accident.  So before that I'm sitting there in my hospital room in total unbelief especially since I didn't get to see him.  I was on this crazy medicine for 24 hours that literally made me insane.  It was magnesium and it made my skin feel like it was on fire and I was super itchy.  Thinking about it makes me itchy.  Finally, I was able to hold my little baby.  He is so tiny and little.  He is still in the NICU and is so well taken care of.  He has to basically do 3 things to come home: gain weight (double his weight, sounds so easy right), learn to suck swallow and breath, and maintain his temperature.  Last week he seemed to have developed this scary infection or something so feedings came to a stop and he was on antibiotics.  So we get to hold him twice a day and are inbetween home and the hospital all the time.  He dropped weight like all babies, but he went down to 2 lbs  1 oz but is now a whopping 3 lbs 14 oz.  So proud of my little man.  He has little cheeks now!

It's hard sometimes to be patient and leave him at the hospital but most days I feel very strong and happy.  I know our little baby is an absolute miracle and we thank our Father in Heaven everyday for him.  I know He has made us strong through this whole thing.  I know He is guiding Jack's doctors and nurses and is helping him develop faster than he should of had to.  I try and see it as we are getting a sneek peek and he has to spend some time in a "temporary womb" before we can be home together.  We are so happy.

For a lot (and I mean a lot) more pictures of Jack's first month of life, go here https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=mrsdickson&target=ALBUM&id=5679917885210838929&authkey=Gv1sRgCJiTy6KM4-D3Pg&feat=email

Some Random Thoughts I've Had

First of all, I've been thinking a lot about Eve lately.

WHAT A BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS WOMAN!  She was the first Mother! She didn't have all the books I do to read, the internet or even anther person to ask how it felt to give birth.  I have been getting more and more scared about the birth as time goes on and I try not to focus on it but thinking about Eve has really helped.  I know that she had a perfect body (was it still perfect after the Fall?) and we know that Heavenly Father didn't leave them to fend for themselves completely.  But still, she was amazing!  I am so grateful for all the women in my life that help me and I just am especially grateful for amazing examples like Eve to look up to.

My other thoughts have been about Christopher Columbus.  (I told you it was random)

For the past few years I have held a Mock Trial to help my students learn more about Columbus and his voyages and what happened.  I have been frustrated in the past with all the honor we give him when 1) He never landed on the North American Continent and 2) He allowed terrible atrocities to happen to the native people.  What I also struggle with is how Nephi presumably saw Columbus or someone who fits the description perfectly, and how he was led by the hand of God.  So I have wrestled with the different information I have and have come to a conclusion.  But first I better explain a little about the Mock Trial.

There are 5 groups on trial for the murder and mistreatment of 1 million, perhaps 3 million, Taino Indians who lived on the island of Hispanola.  Christopher Columbus, Columbus's Crew, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, The Tainos themselves, and the System of Empire are all defendants.  So the evidence against them goes a little like this.  Columbus ordered the mistreatment (like chopping of their hands if they didn't mine enough gold) and allowed his men to do terrible things.  The Crew is responsible for all the dirty work, carrying out the orders and doing some things without orders.  The King and Queen are accused of allowing slavery and mistreatment to happen under their watch.  The Tainos are guilty for not fighting back (they are always found not guilty).  The System of Empire is basically blamed for "making" them do what they did "I was just brought up that way, that's how things were done back then."  So the kids are put in the groups and defend themselves and blame each other in a court style setting.  It's so fun to watch them get all heated about it and I feel like the best teacher having them get into it.  Some are literally red in the face trying to defend themselves on not be found guilty. They don't realize they are learning facts which is fun.

So as it goes on, I obviously can't talk about what the Book of Mormon says so that's why I wanted to blog about it.  So who's to blame?  The people in charge?  The people who actually did it?  Or is it just the circumstances and system they were living in that is responsible?  I'll let you decide what you think.  I have come to my own conclusion.

I of course believe the Book of Mormon is true and though I couldn't find any where that confirms Nephi was specifically talking about Columbus or just another explorer of the time, I do think the descriptions match perfectly.  Columbus was extremely religious and he wrote often about feeling "the hand of God" leading and guiding him.  He even started writing his own prophecies about how he was supposed to do this and was specifically called to be the one to find these people and places.  So now I come to the question of: Does Heavenly Father inspire bad people?  Does he use them to fulfill his prophecies and will?  I think we have proof of that in the scriptures, so yes sometimes.  But I don't think Columbus was corrupt on his first voyage, but after.  My opinion is that he was led by God and discovered a new place that he thought was India.  After he was appointed governor and started getting rich, he lost sight of what was important and was filled with pride. So when things got out of hand with his crew and they committed atrocities, he looked the other way and didn't do anything substantial about it.

If I were to decide, I would put a lot of blame on the crew, the men who actually committed the crimes with their own hands.  This is what I taught the kids today.  I believe that everyone has a choice no matter how you were brought up or treated in your life, you can know right and wrong and make the right decision no matter how hard.  So you can't blame only the system.  The crew could have refused and rebelled and should have.  They all made mistakes but I think the crew was the worst.

BUT, even after all that thought and debate, I realize I don't really have to decide and judge!  Yay, Christ can do that and I will just be grateful I didn't live in that time and will never be faced with decisions like that.    So wow, there's some food for thought right there.  If you read all of this: Good on ya!  I'm impressed.  Please share your thoughts if you want.

Nashville Trip

Earlier this summer I was asked by my principal to go to the Model Schools Conference for my school. There was a good group of teachers and administration from my school along with me.

John was able to come as well and tour my mission and Nashville in general. It was so much fun to be there with my husband and show him the place where I grew so much and where events molded and shaped who I am now.

He was able to meet people he's heard about a lot, like Janice Williams, the sweetest and most fun person with a great testimony. She saw the commercial for the Book of Mormon and called and met the sisters. That's when I was transferred there and was able to teach her most of the lessons and see her baptized. She has since visited Salt Lake and we were able to go to the Temple together.

He also met the famous Joe Claybrooks, a man that prayed for someone to come to his house so he would have someone to talk about the Gospel with, and the elders knocked on his door the next day. They were the Spanish elders so we got to teach him. He had a near death experience that changed his life and prepared him to hear the Restored Gospel. He was baptized the same month as Janice and has also since been to the temple.

The third person we were able to see was Sam Newton. Sam had been going to the ward for 2 years and asked me one Sunday why he couldn't be baptized. He has Down Syndrome, and was therefore overlooked but had wanted to be a part of everything. I know after teaching him and getting to know him that he is accountable, but that didn't really matter so much as doing what the Lord wanted, and that was to officially give Sam a ward family. He is almost 45, and is such a sweet person.

Most of the pictures are of the Opryland Hotel where our Conference was held, and then other various places. I served part of my mission in Kentucky so some of the pictures are of there. Enjoy :)

Just click on the link for the pictures.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=mrsdickson&target=ALBUM&id=5641558151295097073&authkey=Gv1sRgCPCtjIjKvqD1zAE&feat=email

I Felt the Baby!

I think I have felt him a few times before this but last week almost everyday I knew for sure it was him. What a funny feeling! It was so fun to see the light in John's eyes when he could feel little Jack pushing on me. It's just crazy. I keep waiting to get huge and so far I've only gained 2 lbs, and yet there is this little being inside of me! I love it. We put up the crib which was an experience. The people who think of how to construct these things must get a kick out of imagining people actually putting it together. It was supposed to be this special experience and we obviously were expecting a bit much, but it's up! And the decorating continues.

BIG NEWS!

We have been waiting so long to announce . . .

WE ARE EXPECTING A BABY BOY AROUND DECEMBER 18TH!

His name will be John Blaine Dickson, named after both his grandpa's. We will call him Jack since it's confusing with John's name.

Many of you already know but we wanted to make it official on our blog. So here's the whole story.

As most of you know, especially since I blogged a little about it, we struggled with fertility problems for about 2 1/2 years. It kind of starts when our regular ob started me on Clomid, but it wasn't working. Then I went alone to a recommended fertility specialist (John had work) that turned out to be a horrible experience. He treated me like I wasn't a person, just business as usual. I left crying. Anyone who's been through this would understand that the fact I am even having to face this problem of "fertility" was scary and awful enough but then to not have a good experience was really hard. So we found a great doctor, Dr. Hammoud at the U of U and he was great, and the nurses are way nice. He taught us what might be going on and we started back on Clomid and plus another med that I can't remember but was supposed to help. Basically, ever since I did this stupid birth control we tried at the beginning of marriage, I never ovulated again. So the Clomid helped my body remember it is a GIRL we were able to get pregnant!

I received so much support and words of comfort from so many that had gone through something similar and I am so thankful for that. I never realized how common something like this is and I hope my experience will help others.

Last March I didn't start my cycle and I was scared that the medicine wasn't working and I would have to go on more medicine just to ovulate. I decided it was time to do a pregnancy test and then to probably start on the meds again. So after taking pregnancy test after pregnancy test and not to mention the ovulation tests in the past, I would not get my hopes up because it's just too painful to keep going through that. So it was just our second cycle of Clomid and time for the test. It immediately shows the very familiar one pink line which means not pregnant, John went back to the T.V. and I finished up. Then I picked it up to throw it away and I looked closer. TWO LINES! Crazy. I was scared to get happy. Being the silly person I am, I called for Charlie and told her to look at it, which she did and I asked her what it meant. Then we decided we should show it to Daddy. So I go over and just hand it to him. He kept asking "what's this mean?" "are you pregnant?" over and over and I know he was scared to get excited too. We started to believe our eyes and of course hugged and cried, a very special moment.

The first thing Dr. Hammoud told us at our 6 week ultra sound was "There's just one!" which is a small sigh of relief when he had told us there were about 3 or 4 mature eggs ready from seeing another ultra sound (isn't technology amazing!) So I am now 5 months pregnant and going back to work at school in about 2 weeks. Luckily I will have the Christmas Break to add on the maternity leave. Then it's about two months or so of school left for the year. I imagine those 2 months being very hard. Please pray for us!

Sorry no pictures yet, my computer doesn't have room! We've had 3 ultra sounds and everything is perfect. I even think I felt the baby for the first time today! Such an amazing thing! We couldn't be happier! Heavenly Father seems to make me wait longer than usual for everything I really want, but He also knows how much more grateful I am because of it.

Our First House!

Written by John:

Here is a formal announcement, we decided to buy a home! It is actually my brother-in-laws home who is moving 5 blocks north of where we will be. It is in Kaysville, just west of where Aunt Viv lived in Farmington. Here are some pictures:



So here is the outside.

Here is the living room. Nice vaulted ceilings

More living room. Wish the picture of Washington was staying.

Dining area looking down into the family room and out into the yard. See the swing set? Fun!

Kitchen notice the wood laminate floor that Ryan recently put in!

Here is the more of the kitchen, notice the new refrigerator, what you cant see is the new dishwasher. Both of which will be coming with the home.

Family room, so nice here notice the new carpeting, which is new throughout the home.

Here is more of the family room. Fireplace, new fan, and lights! And they are giving us their entertainment center too! We're so lucky.

Here is the newly remodeled basement bathroom Ryan put a lot of work into it.

The upstairs also remodeled bathroom, double sinks, separate room for the bath/shower and toilet. Notice the new lighting and new hardware including sinks, faucets, and handles.

Master bedroom nice bay-window.

More master bedroom looking into the bathroom, walk-in closet is behind where the photographer is standing.

Bedroom 1 up stairs, you can see my nephew is a Star Wars fan.

Bedroom 2 upstairs. A good light color.

Here is the basement bedroom. Which has been used as a game room

Here is the rest of the basement and laundry room.

Looking at the house from the backyard which is fully fenced, Charlie is going to love the space to run!

Looking at the house from the backyard which is fully fenced, Charlie is going to love the space to run!

More of the backyard with the tool shed and the far corner that is used as vegetable garden. Melinda is so excited for this.

The backyard in full from the steps to the back door. Such a fun yard!

So that is our home. Just wanted to share the good news. I hope we aren't bragging, we are just too excited! Now we just need to fill it right?

John and Melinda