My Handsome Husband!

I've been tagged by Chelsi. I guess I am supposed to share some info about Sean and I.

#1 What is his name? Sean Steven Christensen

#2 Who eats more? Sean and I both snack all day long so it's hard to say.

#3 Who said "I love you" first? Sean. It is really a funny story. We were talking on the phone. It was the night (well early morning) before he left on a family trip. He told me that he loved me and I couldn't believe it. I fell out of the chair and dropped the phone. When I picked it up I just listened to see if he was there. I didn't hear him so I hung up on him! I told him I loved him back when I saw him after his trip.

#4 Who is taller? Sean but not by much.

#5 Who is smarter? Although I'd like to say me, Sean is. He loves school, loves reading, random trivia and knowing what is going on in the world.

#6 Who is more sensitive? Me for sure! Although Sean has a soft side that he doesn't show, I am for sure the more emotional one.

#7 Who does the laundry? It is a team thing. Lately Sean has been the one to take it to the machine since we live on the 3rd floor and I have been so huge and prego and now am recovering from my c-section. I do most of the folding though.

#8 Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do. I have our whole marriage. We have switched sides a few times and Sean couldn't sleep. Sean likes sleeping on the same side as his dad I guess.

#9 Who pays the bills? I do. Maybe someday Sean will since he is going to be an accountant.

#10 Who cooks more? That is me for sure. If Sean was in charge we would be eating Taco Bell and McDonalds.

#11 Who is more stubborn? We are probably both too stubborn to say it is our self.

#12 Who is the first to admit they are wrong? We don't usually get into situations were we have to admit this, so I don't know.

#13 Who has more siblings? Sean has 5 and I have one.

#14 Who wears the pants in the relationship? I do. Sean is so laid back and just goes with the flow.

#15 What do you like to do together? We love to watch the Office and now Wipe Out together. We enjoy driving together and taking walks together. And now we love just being with our daughter.

#16 Who eats more sweets? Over all, Sean eats more junk food.

#17 Guilty pleasures? Sean loves buying books and getting McDonald's french fries and playing Wii.

#18 How did you meet? At a Youth Conference in the summer of 2001. The first night of the conference was a dance. I asked Sean to dance.

#19 Who asked whom out first? We became instant friends after youth conference. We hung out at church activities. Eventually I gave him my phone number and he called me and we started talking on the phone everyday. As soon as I was 16 we started dating.

#20 Who kissed who first? Sean will say that I made the move but it was mutual. We were watching the Swiss Family Robinson at my house. I turned to look at him and then it happened!

#21 Who proposed? Sean, of course. He proposed 3 weeks after I got home from Chile. It was our last night home before we left to go to Rexburg. I didn't think he would propose that night. We went down to Seattle. We shopped, ate, went on some rides under the Space Needle and walked around. Then we went to Alki beach and walked by the water and sat on a park bench. Sean told me how much he loved me and that he was grateful that I waited for him while he was on his mission and then he got on one knee and pulled out the ring. It was a magical moment. After putting the ring on and look at it under a nearby street light I said yes and the rest is history.

#22 His best features and qualities? Sean is so friendly. He is my best friend. Sean is also a good friend to many others. He is loyal and caring to those he loves. As for his best features, I would say his smile and his eyes.

#23 Tag you're it! Who do you tag? Val, Aubrey and Court

He Works Hard for the Money!

Life has been so crazy with Alexia's arrival, my graduation and my family being here that I have forgot to blog about Sean's new jobs. He quit his job at Progrexion, where he sold credit repair, right before Alex was born. He now washes windows on campus. It is such a laid back environment, which Sean loves. The management of our apartment complex has changed and now Sean mows the lawn and he (well we) clean apartments when people move out. We feel so blessed that Sean has been able to find work that makes him happy and will provide for our growing family.

Could you imagine washing these windows with a giant pole? Sean does it with a small crew. He says it isn't that hard anymore. He is getting so buff and tan!

The Two Newest Cutest Christensens

Two weeks after our little Alexia was born came her cousin Adalynn. They were both born two weeks early and both are currently 7 lbs and 19.5 inches and both are adorable! They have doubled Grandpa Christensen's grandkids. We can't wait for the girls to get older and play together and dress alike. They are going to be great friends.

We are so happy for you Jared and Val!

Alexia

Adalynn

They both have cute button noses, a good head of Christensen hair and are napping like Grandpa.

2 Week Check-Up

Today was Alexia's 2 week check-up. The doctor said she looked perfect! She is very alert and active (when she is awake). She is now 7 lbs (12%) and 19 1/2 inches (17%). Her head has even grown and now is 13 3/4 inches (22%). Her BMI is 12.9.

BFF

Buck and Aubrey have become some of our best friends. We do everything with them- play Wii, watch TV, play with our babies, croquet, etc. Aubrey graduated with me and is also a new proud mama! Buck graduated with his associates in April and is transfering to BYU because his new major isn't available here. They left Rexburg yesterday and we are so sad.

We just want Buck and Aubrey and Mikayla to know that we love them. Amazing friends are hard to find. We don't know what we are going to do now that they are gone. We will miss them a ton and have to visit them in Provo.

We become friends back in the winter of 2007, when we were two engaged couples. Now we are a group (family) of six!

Class of 2008

I made it! I am officially a college graduate. I had a hard time at the end; having a baby the week before finals is not the ideal way to finish college but I survived. Well, I won't know for sure if I officially graduated until my grades come out on Thursday, but I participated in my convocation ceremony. I was the student speaker. I was stressed about that because I have been so busy that I didn't have much time to write my talk but it went well, at least that is what people said. I am proud as myself, I graduate Cum Laude (I didn't know that until I saw the program).

I want to thank my parents and everyone who has helped me get to this point in my life.

I can't wait to take a picture like this with two more kids and Sean in a cap and gown.
To be honest I am more excited about motherhood than graduating.
Waiting on the stand.
The proud family picture.

A New Way to See Our Family Pictures

Since we have this adorable baby girl and I love taking pictures, I have created an online photo album through Picasa Web Albums. Here is the link. I will put a permanant one on our blog. Enjoy the pictures. More are sure to come!

http://picasaweb.google.com/samic123

Coming Home

We came home from the hospital on Tuesday night. It has been so fun being home with our little princess. It amazes me how natural everything feels.

Alexia is doing great. She is such a doll. She hardly ever cries and she loves to cuddle. So is so wake and alert, even though she isn't looking at us it is still so fun to look at her. She goes through so many diapers and loves to eat. She has brought so much love into our home.

She is doing great. We went to the doctor's and he said she is perfect. She is only a few onces below her birth weight and is catching up quick. Her skin is wonderful and she is healthy and strong as can be! We are so proud of our little one.

Here she is all dressed up for grandma's arrival. I made these mittens and they just look like lobster claws on her.
We are reading a book together. She did so great- she just sat there and listen and staired.
After feeding her in the middle of the night I put her next to daddy. They both were really sleeping in this picture. They are so cute!
I just love this picture. She is four days old and getting cuter every day!
Look at her cute little, almost naked body.

Alexia's Surprise Arrival!

Saturday, I woke up with lots of energy. So I thought that I should use it to clean our apartment and get it ready for when Alexia would come home. We did all the laundry and cleaned the kitchen and bathroom and then went and bought a play yard for her to sleep in and set it up. I had decided to buy some newborn clothes last week so we washed those and worked on my hospital bag. Then I got tired and decided to take a nap... and my water broke in bed. It was around 4:00 in the after noon. I was shocked. Only 15-20% of women actually have their water brake and I didn't think it would happen to me. Plus it was 2 weeks until my due date. I decided to eat and then we packed up the car and went to the hospital.

They checked me and I wasn't dilated at all! My doctor told me from the start that this was going to be a long labor and that I had a high chance of c-section because my water had broke and I hadn't progressed. So they had me go walk the hospital for 30 minutes at a time and then they kept checking me. After a few hours, I got into a room and hooked up to patocin and some fluids. That first night was a long one. Luckily I was able to sleep. Sean on the other hand was so excited. Plus he was sleeping on the world's worst cot. The labor and delivery rooms are made for overnight usage.

Sunday morning they checked me and I had only dilated to 1 cm! Also, my doctor told me when my water broke some membranes came down and clogged me up. So all night, Alexia had produced more 'water.' So he broke my water again. Sean said it looked like a super soaker squirting. The funny thing is Dr. Allred was in his church clothes. He just rolled up his sleeves. After he broke my water he said that he was glad he tucked his tie in. So, at that point we were basically back at square one. The first night had been a waste! They made me go walk again and then they started me on a low dosage of patocin and work back up.

By the time Sunday evening had come I was in a lot of pain and we weren't getting anywhere! So I got an epidural. I was so ready. I was only dilated to 2 1/2 cm but Dr. Allred knew I had suffered enough. We hoped that the epidural would help me relax so I could progress. It didn't and finally I was told that we would have to do a c-section. At that point Sean and I were glad. Alexia was started to get stressed and the risk for infection was high because I had been in labor over 30 hours. Soon my room was filled with people who wanted to check me and get blood work and hook me up to more machines and medications.

This was the first time I have ever had any sort of surgery preformed. I was a little scared for me but more concerned about my baby. Sean and I shared a family pray right before I went it. I was taken to the operating room first while Sean got suited up. I remember feeling so out of it. I wanted to cry because I was experiencing so many emotions. I felt like I was out of my own body. I was just laying there numb, unable to open my eyes because they lights were so bright and I left alone. I was glad when Sean was finally able to be by my side.

I didn't even realize that they had started the surgery when they pulled her out. She was born at 11:26 pm on July 6th. I remember hearing her first cry and thinking that this couldn't be real. Sean actually looked over the curtain and watched them pull her out (this is amazing because he wouldn't even watch them stick my IV in). Sean said she was so blue and the cord was wrapped around her neck. They took her away as soon as she came out and then brought her back a minute later all bundled up. It is such an indescribable feeling to see your child for the first time. She look perfect. Sean thought she looked like his mom and I thought she looked like an angel. We took a few pictures together and then Sean went off with her to the nursery. She had her first bath and got all her vitals checked. She was 6 lbs 2 oz and 19 inches. Meanwhile I got sewn up and taken to recovery. The whole thing was so hazy to me.

Finally, I made it to our room and was met by Sean and Alexia. She was born hungry and so I fed her as soon as I saw her. It's amazing how natural everything feels. I held her most of that night and just enjoying seeing and touching my precious and perfect baby girl.

Now we are a family of three.
Sean is such a proud dad. He loves this little girl.
I love holding her in my arms and not in my belly. Being a mom is such a sweet experience.
Here is our little sleeping angel.
She looks so perfect!

God, Family, Country

4th of July was great this year. Sean loves being in Rexburg because it is such a patriotic town. There are so many flags and families out for the celebration. We went to a parade, basically everyone is town was in it or watching. It was tons of fun. We sat on the side under a tree because I was so worried about getting hot and we watched from a block away from the hospital because I was paranoid. Sean bought $8 worth of fireworks and gave me and Alexia our own personal show. Then at night we went and sat outside the temple and watch several firework shows go off around the valley. It was fun and free.

About a 1/3, if not more, of the "floats" were local dance groups. The little girls are so cute!
This is so Rexburg. And the driver was throwing out candy taped to pass-a-long cards!
Sean enjoying his fireworks.
Enjoying our own personal show...
Or at least we thought it was just for us, these little girls watched from over the fence.

You Had a Birthday, Shout Hurray!

I woke up to Sean singing that primary song like 10 times this morning. It has been another good birthday. I am now 22. It was an okay day, I went to school and work. Sean met me at school though with a picnic lunch, that was really fun. We went out to Winger's for dinner and then went to the D.I. and got a few cute tops for Lexi. Then we went home and put up our feet while staying out of the heat. It has been a good day. We bought my birthday gift a week ago- a video camera. We are so excited to use it on our little girl.
It's crazy to think that 22 years ago today my mom was in the hospital giving birth to me. Soon I will be the one giving birth to a little girl... It's the circle of life!

This was my 20th birthday.
Here I am turning 21.
And now I am a more mature 22!
Check out my baby belly. I have started to get a few microscopic stretch marks. So I figured I better take a belly picture now.

Anytime Now...

I am now less than three weeks from D-day, which means I am full term. Alexia can come whenever she wants to. We are ready. I am actually more ready than ever to be done being pregnant. I am nauseous a lot and can't sleep at night anymore. I am huge and miserable in the heat. But Lexi is healthy. I did however test positive for Group B Strep, so I will have to take antibotics before I give birth so that she doesn't get infected. But she should be fine.

Sean loves talking to and singing to his little princesses. I can't wait to see them together.
This is what I see when I look down... a bump and no feet (and in this case, Sean's head).
I am huge! This picture really doesn't do my belly justice. Here I am at 37 weeks. I don't really think that I can grow that much more!