Patent Pending

A girl can never forget the moment she sees two lines, +, or the expensive unmistakeable word PREGNANT appear on her pregnancy test. Emotions explode in a chaotic fashion. For some women, their emotions include (in no particular order):

Overwhelmed

Fear

Happiness

Relief

Shock

Guilt

Pride

Anxiety

Panic

Peace

Weighted

Courage

Power

Confusion

Lost

Gratitude

Love

Hope

Paralyzation

Loneliness

Regret

Shame

Eagerness

Humiliation

Self-consciousness

Excitement

Disconnect

Blindside

Robotic

Obsessiveness

Astonishment

Determination

If you're thinking, "Wow that's a pretty comprehensive list." Then let me tell you that a very important one was left out..

JUSTIFIED

Confused? You won't be in a second..

The alarm goes off (my husband reminds me for the nth time of the dwindling time left before we have to leave for church).

I fly around the house like every other Sunday morning, trying not to forget anything important that needs to be done before we can leave for church.

Roast in the oven. Check.

Feed the kids breakfast. Alex handled it. Awesome.

Slap on some makeup. Check.

Get dressed. Check.

Get the kids dressed. Again, thank you Alex.

Grab my Primary binder. Check.

Run a brush through Jade's hair. Check.

Grease up Leo's hair. Check.

Make sure everyone has their shoes on. Check.

And we are off, just like any other Sunday. 

A friendly church member gives Leo chocolate and Leo drools brown all over Alex's dress shirt. Normal.

Alex runs home to soak the stain and get a new shirt on. He accidentally locks the car and house keys inside the house. 

He calls me at church to tell me what happened. 

Next thing I know, I'm crying tears that can't be stopped. 

Alex calls me back to tell me that he got into the house through a window and is on his way back and all is well. 

I expect my eyes to dry up and to move on with the rest of church but instead the flow of my tears increase tenfold. Friends are stopping me in the hallway and bathroom to ask me what is wrong and I can't find an alone place to get myself together. 

I can't tell them what is wrong, because NOTHING is wrong. 

Then ah ha!! It all makes sense.

In all of my pregnancies thus far (3/3), I experience a complete out-of-body, who is this Tiffany person, studies should be conducted, water-works, red blotchy, make up smeared faced, always in public, cringeworthy moment. This moment, my friends, is more reliable and accurate than any store bought or doctor performed pregnancy test. This is my body's personal pregnancy test invention.

And this is how I find out that I am bringing another child into this world. 

Before any tangible evidence and tests are available to me, I already know that I am 100% PREGNANT! Patent pending folks!

I then wait the required few weeks before I can take a pregnancy test. When I see those already predicted two lines appear, I feel all the emotions over again but this time I also feel JUSTIFIED. 

We are VERY excited to bring a 3rd child into our family and I know a lot of you have some questions for me. Let me see if I can answer some of them. Yes I'm sick again, yes Alex is in his last year of law school and we are very busy, yes this was planned, but most of all YES we are oh so EXCITED and HAPPY! We find out the gender this weekend! Can't wait to see how the scales tip in our currently "even Stevens" family!

The results are in..

About 6 months ago, I was praying for guidance about Jade. Something just wasn't exactly right with her anymore. Her stamina wasn't as good as other kids her age, her skin was rough, her hair was brittle and her weight didn't seem like healthy baby fat anymore. I found myself getting hurt by some comments made by friends and strangers (don't worry friends, I'm long over it). Mama bear was on guard! I didn't want my little girl to feel the pressure and judgement of others or even me at such a young and tender age. I prayed and prayed to get some sort of answer even if it was peace and reassurance that everything was just fine.

I remember this one day where I couldn't get it out of my head that maybe, just maybe, Jade had Hypothyroidism (like me). She had all the right symptoms and the genes to inherit it. I took Jade to her pediatrician and shared with him my concerns. He told me that it was very unlikely that Jade had Hypothyroidism because usually they are diagnosed as babies or much later in life. He didn't want to test her for it but said he would just to clear my Mom worries and probably to shut me up.

Blood test #1 results: 
Low thyroid

They said they wanted to get another test to make sure it wasn't just some freak result.

Blood test #2 results:
Low thyroid

They told me that her levels changed dramatically and wanted to get one last test done to see if it would fluctuate again.

Blood test #3 results:
Low  thyroid

This is when they diagnosed her with Hypothyroidism and filled her an ongoing prescription for Synthroid.

Let's just say I thoroughly enjoyed my next pediatric appointment. My doctor apologized for not seeing the signs himself, for discouraging me to get her tested and congratulated me on my intuition. I felt like Super Mom leaving the doctors office that day. Take that medical school, sometimes Moms know best!

I'm grateful for family and friends who kept me positive during those dreadful blood draws and for a loving Heavenly Father that guided me along the way. We are very excited to know that Jade's body is getting what it needs and happy to have the healthiest Jadie girl possible! That girl deserves the best of everything!

Leo's First Birthday!

I HATE when babies turn one. All of a sudden they stop being babies overnight. But you can't stop time so Leo is now our one year old boy! This boy of ours is a gem and a half. He is a different breed than his big sister. They both have their own strengths and I enjoy learning their strengths on what sometimes feels like a daily basis. Some ways to describe Leo would be:

Active! Leo is one active boy. He likes to be included in all things. We have a couple rooms in the house that we don't like him to go in and when he sees us close the doors, he throws is head back in an all out rage. Poor guy! Lucky for us, he doesn't stay mad for too long, he quickly moves onto something else. 
Quiet. Yes this is a strength. It might be because his sister does most of the talking in our house. 
Happy. 
Smart. For example, one day I opened the front door and ran to get something from our car and he followed me, climbed down our front porch stairs and was at my feet before I even got what I needed from the car. I had no idea he knew how to go down stairs. 
Observant. I only have to show him once how to do something, and sometimes I don't have to show him at all and he learns.
Problem solver. I love how he doesn't demand my help for every little thing. He tries to solve problems himself first and usually succeeds. 
Playful.  He loves teasing!

He loves:
balls, Jade, meat, water, straws, baths, climbing(he can already get onto the couch, tables, beds and chairs), he also loves going up and down stairs, slides, getting dirty and most importantly his own reflection.

Updates:
Has 4 teeth (although I think he only had two on his birthday)
Sleeps well
Says mama, dada, duck and hi
Waves
Claps
High fives
Shakes his head
Eats anything
Walks (this started a month after his birthday)

We are so blessed to have Leo in our family.  Nothing but unconditional love for this sweet boy.

Jade Marie Stevens is 3 years old!

Oh the joy that Jade brings into our lives!! For those of you who don't get the pleasure of knowing Jade, let me paint you the picture that is Jade Marie Stevens.
Imagine a short little bouncy haired girl with a tiny yet LOUD voice. She doesn't do ANYTHING unless it's recognized, because what's worth the effort if you don't get praise right? I can't imagine Jade ever going through a hard time in life and not being able to overcome it. She finds it easier to be happy than to be unhappy. Her laugh is my life's theme song. She giggles at anything! She makes babysitters, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends feel like the funniest people in the world. But she truly thinks they all are! She is always looking to make a room laugh. She loves her brother Leo, but not in the motherly, nurturing way. She loves him in the be my best friend, always inclusive, party with me way. When Leo was born I thought my attention sponge of a daughter would have a hard time sharing the spotlight..but she didn't! When she sees me gooing at Leo, she either joins in or compliments his cuteness. I see many qualities that will stay with her forever because she just came with them. She will ALWAYS be:

Beautiful
Giggly
Funny
Helpful
Observant
Talkative
Smart
Musical (this girl can sing and entertain at the same time, I see theater in her future)

Some of my favorite things I have recorded Jade saying this year:

Don't rush me, I'm laughing

(while pointing at herself in a picture) Dad, that girl is hungry.

I love you TOO much mom.

All of my friends are beautiful.

I'm happy because I'm Jade.

I talked to Jesus and told him that I puked in a bowl.

(Grandpa asked Jade when she is coming back to Brazil) I can't, we don't have any money.

(After a very traumatic experience getting her blood drawn) Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for this day. Doctors are mean. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen. 

We threw a barn yard bash party for Jade. We brought the jump house and decorated it to look like a barn (we forgot to take a picture of this..oops!), had farm animal cupcakes, broke open a pinata, and cuddled with our then baby chicks. I spent way to many hours making stick horses for the kids to take as their take home gift(major back pain, major regrets). Thank you for all who helped me decorate, take down, came and spoiled celebrated Jade!

Leo at Nine Months

Poor Leo has much less proof of his existence than Jade did by the time she was his age. I have been very inconsistent with journaling, blogging and documenting my thoughts, pictures and memories involving Leo. When Leo grows up and reads this, I hope he doesn't think a mothers love isn't equal between all of her children. I blame it on Jade and her ever expanding world of curiosity. Toddlers are time consuming, as they should be. So Leo, if you are reading this, blame your big sister :) Leo Alexander is nothing short of a dream boat blissful baby. His smile changes my mood into complete pride in the matter of an instant, that WE made that. HE is OURS! I think he even likes me a little, which makes me feel like the cool kid is paying attention to me and I don't deserve it. He is an amazing piece to our family puzzle. Our family needs him and is blessed by him daily in our home. He is NOT a perfect baby, but we think he is pretty dang close!

Updates:
-19 lbs
-Blue Eyes
-Dirty blonde hair
-Loves to talk and blabber
-Rolls
-Has no teeth
-Loves his carseat
-Likes any and all baby food
-Is growing to really like water and sippy cups
-Extremely loves his big sister
-He smiles every time anyone looks at him
-Still loves jumping
-Sits
-Loves baths and swimming
-Sleeps better than some children so I shouldn't complain but I am getting antsy for him to consistently do the 12-14 hour stretch like his sister....VERY anxious...how about tonight...?
-Laughs easily
-Still hates a soother
-Hates loud noises (although he should be used to it by now thanks to Jade)
-Claps
-Shakes his head
-Is very much in the toy loving stage

 

He was the perfect baby Jesus for the Missionaries nativity reenactment

Morning hair..

He has been working hard on his crawling..

I love his small dimples way far back on each cheek when he smiles real big

The more I take the time to consider our lives since Leo was born, the more my heart spills over with gratitude. We love you Leo Alexander!