I am thankful for my husband- Happy Thanksgiving

Back in May Alex graduated law school with a dual JD degree (both Canadian and American) at the University of Windsor and the University of Detroit Mercy. We are all extremely proud of Alex's hard work and accomplishments. Alex never grew up dreaming to one day be a lawyer. He never would have even dreamed of planning out a career that would involve additional years of schooling after his bachelors in finance degree. Alex did however grow up, dreading school, work and any attention coming in his direction. School and work were both just obstacles in his way of playing soccer full time. I still remember a story told by one of his church youth leaders while growing up. Apparently Alex had come to the youth activity and in conversation mentioned that he had got an A on his exam that day. His leader asked him what he did differently on the exam to do so well that time. Alex simply responded, "I studied". When Alex values something and decides to set a goal I'm always confident that he will succeed. Ever since the day Alex and I were sealed in the temple and started our eternal family, I have witnessed a fierce diligence and drive develop in my husband. He started questioning and researching facets in several occupations. He had a major desire to put his career path on lock down. During this time, he eventually shadowed my dad at his law firm. I still remember the day he told me he wanted to study for the LSAT and see if that's something he could pursue and excel at. I tried my very best to remain calm and to push him in neither direction. I just wanted my husband to have sole ownership over his choice in career and educational pursuits so that he could better find joy in his work long term. I supported him while he studied for the LSAT and celebrated with him when he got the exact score he had hoped for. Before I knew it, we were packing our life and heading to Michigan so Alex could start law school. We had two babies in law school which also means two difficult pregnancies and Alex was still able to get the grades he needed to keep his scholarships. We were blessed to get an amazing articling job in Peace River Alberta upon graduation. It feels like a dream to be back in Alberta and we feel confident in our future here. Alex took the US bar exam at the end of the summer and we recently got his score back. He passed! He is officially a lawyer in the US and currently a "baby lawyer" in Canada until he finishes his articling year and makes it official. When I look back on all that has happened for us to be where we are right now, I can't help but see God's hand in every moment along the way. God is real. He loves me more than I deserve. Today and everyday I am grateful for God's plan of happiness. We are here for a reason. That reason is surrounded by His love and grace. May we all keep trying harder everyday to be more like His son and give credit where credit is due. God is in everything good. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Birth Story of Wes Gregory Stevens

How dare you people think such rude things of me. I know you're thinking to your self "wasn't Wes born months ago?", "Why are we just seeing his birth blog now?" or, "Man I bet Tiff is overwhelmed with 3 kids and can't get her life together." Yeah but I guess if I'm honest with myself..you're right. My life right now is ultra crazy. A week after Wes was born, our family packed up and moved from our home in Detroit Michigan. We traveled across the country to spend our summer at my family's cabin in Bigfork Montana while Alex studied for the US bar exam. It was a long week of traveling but thanks to Niz (Alex's little sister), caffeine and the Moana soundtrack, we made it the 23 hours to Montana. We spent a beautiful 6 weeks in Montana. Alex's entire family came to stay while we were there to attend Wes' baby blessing. We will always cherish all the great memories made in Montana this summer. At the end of July, we ventured over to Oregon where Alex was to take the bar exam. We spent a few weeks there and our kids were spoiled with attention from Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Niz. Alex took the bar exam (bye student life--forever!!) and then we finally made our way to Peace River Alberta for Alex's law articles all before Wes was 3 months. This boy has really spoiled us with his sweet nature and sleeping habits. But it didn't start out that way in the beginning. Wes pulled a fast one on me, literally..and forced me into an all natural birth. Don't mind me, I'll just be cringing over here as I revisit the details of Wes' birthday..

I had an induction date scheduled and arrived in the Dearborn Michigan OB triage at 6:50 PM May 18th for initial registration and monitoring. At 7:30 PM the nurse checked and I was 4 cm dilated (which wasn't news to me as I had been this dilated for weeks. OUCH), head low, cervix very soft and still waiting for a room. At 7:40  PM we got into our room and were just waiting on our nurse Anna. Our nurse got approval from our doctor to do a "natural induction" which is basically to break my water instead of inducing with pitocin and to see if my body would just kick into action. At 7:55 PM they put my IV port in. At 8:10 PM they broke my water. At 8:25 PM the nurse came in and told us that I was contracting every three minutes and I was surprised because I wasn't feeling the contractions too strongly yet. Not even a minute later I was feeling the contractions VERY strong. At 8:30 PM they hooked up my IV fluid. I then asked for an epidural. I looked at Alex in between contractions and through tears told him that I was scared that I wasn't gonna get an epidural in time. I asked him to pray that I would. He paused, held my hand and told me that he felt like I was right and to prep myself for the real thing. I knew it was true but I couldn't accept it fully. Every contraction was SO REAL. I could literally feel him exiting my body and the pain was extreme misery. The anesthesiologist was next door, giving another woman her epidural (yay for her--sarcasm intended) and I was told she would be in as soon as she could (Mmmmhm..big eye roll). I knew I was only a few contractions away from having to push. At 9:25 PM, a few contractions later the anesthesiology came in. I told my nurse that I needed to push very soon. She asked if I wanted her to check how dilated I was or if i just wanted to get the epidural as fast as possible. Her body language told me, I was a goner but I was too scared for her to check if I was dilated because deep down I knew I was fully dilated. I held back the urge to push as much as I could and begged for the epidural. I could hardly sit up for the epidural because I felt as though I was sitting on the baby's head (which I probably was--slrry not sorry Wes). They put the needle in and before they could even hook me up to the pump, I laid back and finally accepted that it was too late. He was coming. It all happened so fast. I waited for an epidural that was seconds too late. I started pushing at 9:35 PM. At 9:40 PM, a few contractions later Wes Gregory Stevens was born! 6 lbs. 1 oz. 19 inches.

It took us until the next day to commit to a name. We were deciding between Wes, Russ, Huck and Pete. We did however feel confident in his middle name being Gregory. We know a wonderful Gregory who my kids adore and like to call Grandpa. Alex's dad is a strong link in the Steven's family chain. He inspires me to be diligent, loving and Christ centered. Blessings come to generations that do so, and I'm so blessed to have married a man that was taught these principals. Alex and I couldn't decide on his first name and the deliberations were intense and long. Alex wanted Wes while I was leaning towards Russ. We both ended up committing to Wes, some more confident about the choice than others. haha When we think of WES' name we like to think of our big move back WESt and how it took place only a week after he was born.

Even with how great my recovery was, I would still never choose natural labor. Just sayin'. I was very thankful it was all so fast (an hour and half to be exact from when they broke my water). Thank goodness for that. The little guy has been making up for it ever since though. He is as sweet as they come. I can't say enough good things about him. Brother and sister are smitten with him and we are finally getting into a rhythm that I feel is sustainable. So we are all gonna make it okay and survive so..God is good and life is beautiful. Thanks to everyone who has made it this far in the post. I wish you all could meet sweet Wes Gregory. He's as sweet as sugar and as cute as can be. 

 

A mother's thoughts the day before baby #3

Little man, I can't even describe how connected I feel to you. You have been my constant companion for 9 months now. You and me have already been through a lot together. We've been through, nausea, a blood infection, cravings, aversions, pains, anemia, sleepless nights, conversations, walks, airplane rides, and everything in-between. 

We call you our little radish because of the crazy amounts of radishes I eat on a daily basis (talk about low iron). You love Mcchickens from Mcdonalds and gave me the blessing of being able to tolerate water this pregnancy (no coke this time!- yay!). 

You are by far my strongest and biggest baby yet! I have gained the most with you, feel you the strongest and have never been told you are "small" by doctors like I have been told with my other two pregnancies. I can't wait to see what you can accomplish in the outside world! Thank you for making me stronger, more patient,  and more humble than ever (I am more aware now of all the things I can ask for help with and also the things I need to let go of). You have not been easy to grow, but I can promise that I have grown along with you this last year!  Cheers to making each other better and striving to be better each day! 

You have the invaluable blessing of having a dad that you can trust, learn from, and want to emulate. He knows just as much as anybody else in this world how difficult life can be, but chooses to rise above and turns to God always. If you desire to be a man of God, I pray that you watch your father closely and learn from him. As you do so, you will not find perfection, but you will undoubtedly find strength and power in a man who is persistently happy to follow a righteous path of worthy living. I pray that you will choose to follow the righteous examples of your earthly and Heavenly Father. 

I want you to know more than anything else how much our Father in Heaven loves you! As I have prayed, grown and carried you these last months, I have felt His love for you on levels I can't even describe. I know He is watching over you and wants you to be happy. I know He has big plans for your life here on earth and I promise that if you actively search out God and grow a relationship with him, that you will find happiness and you will never be alone.

As your dad and I prepare for your arrival tomorrow, we are anxious, excited, but mostly grateful for your soon to be permanent role in our lives.  We don't know what we are going to name you, how your siblings will welcome you, where and if you will sleep and in general what changes you will introduce to our family but we are thrilled to find out and love you forever! Welcome to the Stevens family!

Let the games begin..Leo is TWO!

Our Leo is TWO years old! For months now when people ask me how old Leo is, it has been so hard not to say he was two. He is growing up so fast and has acted, talked and insisted he has been two for a while now. Two years ago on April 14th, we were on our way to meet a sweet boy that would change our lives and family dynamic forever.  We are so lucky to have Leo in our family. He is loved by all of us so very much, especially by his big sister. I am grateful everyday for their bond, friendship and loyalty to each other. Let me describe Leo for those of you who don't have the pleasure of knowing him.. Leo is determined to do everything his sister does. Yet he puts his own "Leo/boy" twist on everything he attempts. If Jade is playing princess dress-up, you better bet Leo will demand to put on some high heels but he doesn't plan on participating unless he can bring a boyish contribution to the fun. He doesn't copy Jade's story line and instantly transforms the high heels into monster claws and chases the family mercilessly around the house. Dresses become ghosts, necklaces become weapons, unicorns become furocious and tea parties become water fights. Leo is as sweet as they come. He is polite, snuggly, obedient, giggly and happy. But don't you leave him out of ANYTHING. Shrill screams burst out of this kid like streaming fireworks on their way to combustion if he thinks just maybe he is being wronged, left out, or slowed down. 

The boy can EAT! He is never satisfied with just one avocado, banana, sandwich or snack. Concluding his last bite, you can always count on a persistent slowly amplified song of "mo please mo mo mo" following you around the house.

He loves to lift, carry, flip, push and rearrange furniture. I'm always surprised with how much he can lift and carry. 

He has this odd inside joke with himself where he picks a task whether it be chasing Jade, eating, cleaning, climbing or walking, and attempts to do it with his eyes closed. It isn't uncommon to see him just walking around the house with his eyes closed giggling to himself as he runs into things and trips all over the place. It's a strange yet entertaining hobby that is probably one of my "Leo favorites".

Our favorite Leo quotes, words and moments: Up until about two weeks ago Leo was consistently calling water "Waz". It was kind of our favorite to have him hand us his empty cup and emphatically say WAZ WAZ WAZ!

Leo has THE CUTEST "amen" you'll ever hear. It's so enthusiastic that we can't help but giggle every time.

He either calls his sister Jade or sissy and we love that he knows her by both.

When Daddy leaves for school or work, you will hear Leo from his bedroom whimper "Daddy gone". It is SO sad but also very telling about how much he adores his Daddy. He has the opposite reaction when he hears Daddy drive into the driveway. He exclaims "Daddy home"!  Squeels and hoorays always follow and the wrestling begins immediately when Dad opens the door.  

Our favorite qualities about Leo: sweet, gentle, curious, persistent, silly, obedient, observant, happy, enthusiastic, playful, hard working, independent and boy boy boy!!

Some of his favorite things: JADE (but really..he is a wreck without her- Preschool on Tuesday's are ROUGH), books, learning, spiderman, batman, bananas, cookies, outside, puppies, babies, snuggling, baths, making messes, avocados, corn on the cob, growling and other sound effects, running, hiding, slides, wrestling with Daddy, Aladdin, watching Daddy play the guitar, music, dancing, meat, oatmeal, lotion, sanitizer, jumping off of varying household objects, praying, singing, being tickled and tickling others, vitamins, brushing his teeth and sitting on his baby brother- OUCH!

Some of his dislikes: haircuts, getting dressed, watching Daddy leave, trees, baby gates, star wars masks, being left out, Moana, waiting for food, the sun in his eyes(he will scream like a vampire exposed to the sun), dirty hands and coming in from outside.

We love our Leo and can't wait to see him fulfill the big brother role! This year Leo has grown so much! He took his first steps, started talking small sentences and almost has the same shoe size as his big sister! Happy birthday to our Little Lee, bad boy, lion boy,  Ee-oh, brudder and Monster Leo!

4 years in the making {Jade turns 4}

Jade Marie how are you 4 years old?! Four years ago, you made me a Mom. A title I hold very dear and sacred. You are just so fiercely fun loving and we are so blessed to have you in our family! This year we have seen you grow so much, not only in size but also maturity.

As your 4th birthday was approaching, your Dad and I sat down and talked about all the wonderful things about you. We are in awe at who you have become and are still becoming. We narrowed down our endless list of beautiful qualities that you possess to our most favorite ones.

1. You are a true friend. Something in you values people and people value you right back. You are drawn to people, laughter, fun and bonding. I want to remind you that this is a very powerful tool that Heavenly Father gave to you to develop and use for good! You see people for the good in them and are kind to everyone around you and this is something our world needs more of. You are constantly reminding me that life is about being happy and enjoying the journey.

2. You are spunky. Spunk bursts out of your every pore. You are hilarious and creative and together it always makes for a good laugh. You like to make people laugh and it isn't hard for you to do.

3. You are resilient. As our oldest child. you have been through the most change and endured all our first time parent mistakes. You have always rolled with the punches and remained your giggly, silly, and smart self. May you always accept change and create success out of the ups and downs of life.


Some funny/cute things I have recorded you saying this year:

"Mom, Leo isn't choosing the right and it makes me sad."

After opening a Christmas present..."It's what I wished for! Thank you!"

"Chocolate isn't healthy for our bodies....but sometimes it is"

"Mom I like cutie oranges because me and Leo are cuties. So it's a match."

While staring at a boy at the park with braces.. "Why does he have a necklace on his teeth?"

"I don't want another brother I want a gihhhhl"

"Leo is my best friend."

"This is how I do"

"Everyday I grow bigger and bigger. Soon i'm gonna be an adult! Adults can drive!"

"Mom say please nicely and I won't cry"

"Mom go in your room and get some rest, i'll watch Leo and make sure he doesn't get dead"

On the way to the hospital because I was having a painful false labour.. "Mom, it's okay. Take a big breathe like this (takes a dramatic big breathe). You aren't going to die. It's gonna be okay."

After giving a homeless women some food and explaining to Jade that she doesn't have a house and sleeps outside.. "Mom, we can build her a house right?"

"Leo you're breaking my heart because you aren't listening to me."

"Mom my crack (a splinter in her toe) healed. Heavenly Father did it."

After telling Jade to not unbuckle her carseat while we are driving because a police officer might see and get us in trouble (Yes I use scare tactics).. "Okay i'll just close my eyes and the police officer won't see me"

"I'm gonna marry Leo in the temple"

"I'm holding Leo's hand like Daddy holds your hand."

"Mom your belly is BIG, I like it."

"My brother that's in your belly kicked me. He needs a time out."

After explaining to Jade that it is raining and so we can't go to the park until the afternoon.. "Mom it's okay i'm not going to cry."

"The baby in your belly is gonna get bigger and bigger and then it's gonna pop! Don't worry, it will only hurt a little bit. Not much."

Click to see Jade's birthday interview

Some pictures of Jade's magical unicorn ballerina birthday party!

Happy 4th Birthday Jade Marie!