It's been a while...

Hello! It's only been over 2 1/2 years since I last posted. Nothing really has changed between then and now... except most everything! :)

At last, we were living in Rexburg, Idaho and Jordin and I were working for the same property management company. That company closed its doors and we bumped around a bit that took us to Logan, Utah for 6 months, and Charlotte, NC for a year. While in Logan, Jordin and I decided it was time to get the kids out of daycare and have one parent stay home. Because of our individual personalities and career opportunities, we opted to have Jordin be the stay-at-home parent and I have been working full time.

While living in Charlotte, we found out we were expecting our third baby! With the combination of that exciting news and my then-current company slowly collapsing, we decided it was time to move closer to family. I went on maternity leave and left Charlotte for Colorado. We lived in Montrose with Jordin's parents for a while while we had our sweet baby and looked for employment in Denver.

On November 3rd, 2016, Paycen Quinn Boyd was born. This sweet baby boy was our miracle in a hard and stressful time. He has beautiful red hair but it is sadly going a bit blonder. :)

Nearly a year ago, I began working as an Area Marketing Manager for UDR based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. I am in charge of the southwest region of the US for the properties that UDR owns in that area. I only travel 1-2 times a month so it's much more family-friendly than my work at Campus Evolution Villages in Charlotte where I would be gone for 10 days and home for 4 days.

So that's where we are now, living in Highlands Ranch and loving life.

Pailey is now in 2nd Grade and loves school, her stuffed animals (she still asks for a horse of her own), reading, and bossing her brothers around. She is the perfect combination of sugar and spice. She can be sassy, but also so caring and compassionate. She has been a little less girly-girl over the last year or so. She still loves pink, but isn't worried about wearing a skirt all day like she once did. She is going to be baptized this spring and I can hardly believe it. She has recently shown an interest in learning how to cook, so we have been having fun teaching her recipes and the patience of baking.

Porter is a bustling 5 year old. This boy has energy! He is enrolled in half-day kindergarten, and we may keep him in full-day kindergarten for the next year since he is such a young kindergartner. We'll see. He has developed some sass, but is also the most cuddly and caring boy. He is the jokester of the family. He always loves to tell jokes. Even if they make no sense to anyone else but him. He and Pailey are very opposite in many ways and it's been fun to learn about how to teach, discipline, and love each one in the best ways. (Hint: Porter is guided by his belly at all times. Ha!)

Paycen turns 14 months old in a couple of days and I really can't believe it. He is developing his own little personality. He smiles more than the other two every did as babes. He is quite the walker now and I love watching his little legs toddle around. He has recently started taking a pacifier (the other two NEVER would) and it's adorable to see him walking around with his little giraffe 'joey' go with him and help comfort him. He loves balls. His first birthday was ball-themed and he received a ball-pit for Christmas which he is loving. This boy will say 'dada' all day long, but stubbornly refuses to say 'mama'. When I work with him on it, he just looks me in the eyes and whispers 'dada'. Little punk. ;)

Jordin and I are doing great. Life's not always easy (still waiting for that) but I am so incredibly blessed to have Jordin as my teammate in this life. He is the perfect balance to my crazy. Jordin is a way better parent than I ever was. He definitely handles the budget better than I ever did! His passion of automotive is still there, and so is the Blazer (to my detriment). He also has discovered a passion and knack for real estate investing.

As for me, I feel like I am growing and getting better at 'adulting' with each passing year. In 2017, I had a word of the year, and it was Stability. I think we accomplished it pretty well. We've lived in our home for a whole year and have renewed our lease for another 2 years! That is pretty ground breaking for us! My job is incredible. It's challenging, satisfying, and pushes me in every way. This year, I did have a scare in May and was in the hospital for 5 days with an incredibly difficult migraine. All tests came back clear, but I now take a daily preventative medication so I don't relive that again.

We're excited for the new year and the fulfillment of our New Years Resolutions. I don't think I've been a big resolution person before, but this year I am excited to put some things in place to do better and be better. Once I've got my list, I'll post more on all that to help hold myself accountable. :) (One of which is blogging about my family more! You're welcome.) ;)

So grateful for our home, life, and all the good, bad, and ugly in between.

Ashley

FINALLY! The finished post of Porter's birth and our move to Colorado. Enjoy!

(Note: I started writing this about a week after Porter was born, but because of unexpected events, i.e. moving 1,000 miles, I have been seriously behind actually posting this.) 

It has been quite the roller coaster of emotions this last week. Ninety-nine percent have been over the moon high, but there has also been so much about a new born that I've forgotten that there have been many a 'wow, I forgot newborns were so hard!' moments too. I want to try and document as much as I can of Porter's birth because I know I will forget the little details eventually- so sorry if this is too many details.

Jordin and I went into the hospital early Friday August 31, 2012 for my scheduled induction. I was feeling pretty good. I was having a bit of anxiety the night before but Jordin gave me a blessing and I felt so much better and ready to go by the time 6am rolled around.

We drove to Christus St. Johns hospital and started the pitocin around 8-9. They checked me when I first got there and I was already at a 5 so it didn't look like this was going to take too long. Well, considering its labor anyway. :)

When I was induced with Pailey, it took a good 3 hrs before I could even start feeling any kind of contraction, but this time I started feeling the effects of the PIT after an hour or so.  The nurse I had, Lori, was pretty great- she let me get up and bounce on an exercise ball and move around as long as I stayed close enough to the monitors they had on my belly. I was in pretty good spirits because of that since with Pailey I had to stay in the bed the whole time except to use the bathroom.

By about noon or one I was dilated to a 7 and I was beginning to really feel the effects of the medication. One thing that is important to mention here is that I am not opposed to epidurals. I had one with pai and I called it liquid gold because I felt so wonderful after it took effect. I never planned on getting one specifically, just see how I managed the pain and when it got too intense I would ask for the drugs. ;) This time, however, I waited too long. It was not possible for me to get the epidural by the time I was literally screaming for one.

Side Note: I have never really been able to scream. Like, to the point that I have had people make fun of me at sporting events because I'll be cheering and only the people sitting next to me would be able to hear me. I don't know why, but that's the way it is. But no, it turns out I can scream.

Like I've said the labor was going really smoothly up until I reached about a seven. Then it turned into the hardest thing I have ever done physically. I wanted the epidural. I wanted anything that would make the pain of the near-constant contractions go away. Oh, also I was having back labor too, meaning that the baby was face down instead of face up and it makes it hurt a lot more. No fun.

Anyway...

Jordin was awesome during this time. He tried to keep me focused on my breathing which we had practiced before hand so that way I could focus on the pain. We worked out a hand holding method that I wouldn't have to talk, just squeeze his hand to let him know how bad the pain was and when it was over (to the detriment to Jordin's poor hand). 

So after about 45 min or an hour (they said it was only that long but I'm pretty sure it was WAY longer) :) I was pretty much a wreak and really couldn't take it much more. They couldn't check me to see how far along I was because every time they went to check, it was crazy painful and I would yell for them to stop. The nurse had me move over to my side to try and get the baby to turn over because everything we had tried so far hadn't worked. After about a minute of this I couldn't take it and I felt like I had to try something else. All the while the nurses and doctors were asking me if I felt the urge to push, which I didn't. So I try to go into a sitting up position, and just like that, the baby turns and I felt like I had to push NOW.

I lay back down and tell the nurses and my awesome doctor, Dr. Abair, that I was going to push NOW. They all gathered around and within two minutes, baby Boyd was born! He was born August 31, 2012 at 2:24 pm.

It was the best feeling in the world and made all the pain worth it.

He was born, just like his sister, with a full head of dark brown hair. We named him Porter Lincoln Boyd. We knew before he was born that his name would be Porter after Orin Porter Rockwell from church history and the strong faithful person that he was, but we didn't decide on Lincoln until the next day. Lincoln after Abraham Lincoln because that is a president/person that Jordin and I both look up to as a great example of integrity.

He weighed 8 lbs and 19 inches long. Ten perfect little fingers, Ten perfect little toes.

He loved the heat lamp bed!

Bonding with Daddy.

His first bath!

This is the hat that they give to the dads. It has Porter's footprints on it. It's a little cheesy, but pretty cool too. :)

It was harder than I ever imagined it would be, but he has been amazing. And we are so excited to have him!

I was released from the hospital the next day, but Porter had some minor complications from the circumcision. He was bleeding a lot more than was typical so they kept him for an extra night to make sure that he was going to be fine. So Jordin and I got to spend one more night in the hospital. (I say 'get' but that is more for me, because the bed was comfortable, but Jordin had to tough it out on a cot made for a 5 ft tall person.) :)

By that night, the bleeding had really stopped and he had peed (which the pediatrician was waiting for as a good sign), but we still stayed the night and in the morning we got to come home!

She loves him!

I love this picture! His perfect little face... :)

Jordin's mom and brother came into town the day before he was born to help out with Pailey and they brought her to see him the night he was born. She had been saying for a couple of weeks that Baby Porter is coming and so she was super stoked! She came into the room and she was a little shy at first because she didn't quite know what to do, but she quickly got over that! She just wanted to hold him or be near whoever was holding him. In the last two weeks, she really hasnt changed. She loves to 'pet' him and give him hugs and kisses. She really is just so sweet to him. She is clumsy a bit, like her momma, and so mainly we just have to make sure that she doesn't accidently hurt him.

One thing that she has been doing is every once in a while, she wants to be the baby too and ask for a diaper on instead of panties. But really, i knew there would be some things she would do in response to him taking attention away from what she is used to. So I don't feel like its a big deal, and we explain that she is a big girl and not a baby.

They 'helped' me eat my food.

Uncle Dusty!

I know this picture is super blurry, but I wanted to show how awesome my cute husband is to sleep on a crazy small and uncomfortable cot every night we were there.

LET'S GO HOME! This is probably the only pic I have of him wearing a hat because his hair is just so cool! :)

Now, it's been nearly three weeks since he was born and life is pretty crazy. I'd forgotten how much your productivity decreases with a newborn, but I've definitely been reminded. And I love it! This time, it is totally different than with Pailey because we were both in school and relied a lot on friends and family. But this time, it's just us but we (mainly me since Jordin still has to go to work) have nothing on our plates except take care of these cute babies and do 1,000 loads of laundry that somehow crop up with a newborn. So life is crazy just taking care of them, but it could be so much harder.

One major development is the fact that we are moving! Jordin got a job offer in Colorado and so we jumped on it! His job here was okay with it because things are slowing down for them anyway. Talk about things working out perfectly, eh?! Today is Jordins last day and he is so happy to be going back to his Rocky Mtns. I mean, the boy is practically glowing with excitement and joy. We really have enjoyed our time here in Texas. We have learned a lot, especially being so far from family. And I have thoroughly enjoyed the constant warm weather.

Sleeping on Daddy's lap

Chilling pool side

Pailey had to keep getting out of the pool and check on Baby Porter.

I love this one! So cute of both of them... but i'm biased. :)

So sad.

Note: I don't usually have a tarp in the middle of my living room. We were in the process of potty training Pai.

She loves to hold his hand.

A couple days before we moved, we spent some time at the Kemah Boardwalk. I knew that I was going to miss the bay (and especially the Pelican's-which I LOVE!) the most, so before the moving really got under way, we spent some time at the Boardwalk.

Pailey and I went on the train because she loves trains!

We got front row seats!

The bay... sigh...

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Once we got on the road, we drove up through Oklahoma and stopped at the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. The spirit there was so subdued. I don't know if I can really describe the feelings that you feel there.

This remind anyone else of a dream?

This made me tear up. It's across the street from the memorial and it just added to the powerful emotions there.

On the road again... 

She rode with dad in the moving truck and did amazingly well.

This is how we kept a 2-yr-old entertained for a 1,000 mile trip. She watched Lion King. A lot. (and other movies, but mostly Lion King.) She likes the part that the lion is held on pride rock so this is her doing it with her muffin. :)

LOVE this pic! What a goober! And look at those cheeks! Love him!

Alrighty- Now fast forward about 3 weeks...

We are now settled in Colorado, and we are doing great! Jordin loves his job and has been working really hard. It is so much different than his job in Texas.  Last week we had his blessing and I will post pics from that soon.


If you stuck with me til this point, thanks and sorry it was SO long! Lots of things going on...  Only more great things to come. :)