Plagiocephaly

As you have probably noticed, Emma is now wearing a helmet.  Here's why.

When I was 20 weeks pregnant with Emma, we went in for a detailed ultrasound, to check for any possible problems, and to find out her gender!

Along with finding out that she was a girl (yay!), we also saw that she was facing left in the womb.

From that time on, every ultrasound we had showed that she was facing left.  So, I wasn't totally surprised when she was born in transverse position, that is, head facing left.

 She continued this preference for facing left as she grew older. 

Because Emma was spending so much time looking left, the muscles on the right side of her neck weren't getting enough exercise.  As a result, her neck got tight on the right and she couldn't look right as easily as she could look left.  She also got a flat spot on the back of her head, because it was staying in the same position so much. 

 

Emma's doctor diagnosed her with torticollis and plagiocephaly and referred us to a physical therapist to help strengthen her neck muscles. 

We love her therapist.  He has been super kind and very helpful with Emma.  We started out with a couple of neck stretches on her for 2-3 minutes, 3 times a day.

Here's what her stretches look like:

Note: Emma does not hate her stretches this much (I promise we're not baby torturers!!!).  These photos were taken after a full therapy session, when she was really tired.  She normally doesn't mind them too much.

 After we got the hang of the stretches, Emma's therapist increased them to 15 minutes, 4 times a day.  It's a lot of work, but her neck strength is improving a lot.  Getting her to hold funky positions for 15 minutes at a time is tricky too, but my sister gave us some Baby Einstein dvds and they are great distractions.

We kept doing the stretches, and also worked on tummy time (an hour a day to help strengthen her neck muscles) and repositioning Emma to help her face right more often, but after a couple of months her head still wasn't reshaping itself well enough., so her physical therapist referred us to an orthotics office to see about getting a helmet for Emma.

So, that's why Emma needs a hemet-- to help correct her flat head.

Stay tuned for another post with more details about the process of getting a helmet, how the helmet works, and how it is going so far!

Baking buddies

I'm glad to have my little helper around when I make bread!

Diapers

If you meet a dirty diape
Do not let it stay!
Quickly change the diaper out
and throw the mess away!

No one likes a stinky diape-
Change it for a fresh!
Make the world a better place
by throwing out the mess!

Naptime Reflections

I'm so glad when Emma takes naps!
Glad as I can be!

Clap my hands and shout for joy
then hurry and tidy

Get my scripture study done
Practice piano, too

Curl up and read a book . . .
then I nap too!

Watch Out World!

Watch out, world!  Emma is eating solid foods!

What is this stuff?

Hmm . . . interesting.

I like it!!!

Pregnancy-- the real truth

This week I had an epiphany.

I had eaten breakfast in the morning, and a short while later, I was already hungry again, thanks to the growing child inside of me.  As I started frying up an egg, I joked to Spencer about my never-ending hunger.

That's when it hit me.

I know what's going on here . . .

Pregnancy changes women into hobbits!

Think about it. 

When we're pregnant, we get fatter, hairier, and need to eat every two hours!

Totally hobbit-like.

I just hope my baby turns out to be a normal human, and not a baby hobbit.

Now, please excuse me-- it's time for my second breakfast.  Mmm.

A Baby For Becky

Today I want to share an opportunity for you to help someone in need-- our friend, Becky Soderquist.  

I first met Becky at Timpview High School, where I was impressed by how kind and cheerful she always was.  She knew my sisters first, but was quick to befriend me and make me feel included.  I really appreciated her kindness, as I was very shy.

Fast forward a few years and Spencer and I are now happily married and enjoying Spencer's position as a hall advisor for BYU.  Becky, coincidentally, is also a hall advisor.  She's a great hall advisor and a very loving mother to her daughter, Julia.

Becky struggles with infertility.  It's a surprisingly common problem-- 1 in 10 couples will struggle with infertility.  It's a very heartbreaking, exhausting, and expensive disease.  Becky will either need special treatments to help her become pregnant, or she will need to adopt.  Both are very expensive.

Becky is selling some beautiful resurrection-themed easter eggs to help raise the money for a baby.  The eggs are made of the finest quality materials and contain scriptures from the Easter story and items that represent those scriptures.  They are a wonderful way to teach young children the story and meaning of Christ's resurrection.  I haven't had a chance to see these eggs yet, but we have a simpler version that we love.  All proceeds from these eggs will go directly to Becky's baby fund.

If you are able to, please consider buying a set of these eggs to help Becky.  It would mean a lot to her and us.  This is something that is very near and dear to my heart because we have also been struggling with infertility.  I know firsthand how difficult, painful, and expensive infertility is.  Any support you can give would be greatly appreciated.

You can purchase the resurrection eggs here: http://traditionswetreasure.com/product/easter-story-eggs/.

If you can't afford the full price, you can donate any amount to help Becky here: http://traditionswetreasure.com/product/baby-becky-fundraiser/. 
 

Please consider donating, even if it's just a dollar or two.  Every little bit helps.

If you really can't afford to donate anything, please don't feel pressured.  I understand that not everyone is at a point where they can spare the money.  But, I would ask that you at least spread the word and let people know about the Resurrection eggs.  It's a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the true spirit of Easter by helping someone in need.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, That  . . . ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy . . . In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

       --John 16: 20, 33

Gender Reveal Cake: Update

In my last post I showed the practice cake I made.  Now, here's the real deal.  It was a big hit at the party tonight!

Let them eat cake!

Gender Reveal Cake

This week one of my friends is having a party to reveal the gender of the baby she is pregnant with.  She asked me to help make the cake.

This is the cake she wanted for the party:

 

I've never done a rosette cake like this before, but I looked up a tutorial online, and it didn't look that hard (not that that guarantees that it actually will be easy-- how do all those bakers on baking blogs make decorating look so easy?)

So, I made a cake today to practice the rosettes.

Here's how it turned out:

I think it turned out pretty well, even if it's not quite as perfect as the original!  

I'm excited to try this style out on more cakes.

Employment

I've got a job! I've got a job!  I've got a job, hey hey hey hey!

My Second Claim to Fame

Today during my family history missionary shift, I found this article in the Daily Universe:

(Source: Daily Universe, July 23, 1998, page 3)

What a fun trip back down memory lane!  I can't believe I looked so young.  (I also can't believe anyone would actually think we traveled to 10 cities a day and had time to teach music lessons at each one.  So much for the accuracy of the press!)  

Accurate or not, I'm glad I found it and can preserve it as part of my history.  Guatemala was a valuable learning experience, and I'm glad my parents chose to give me such a unique opportunity to serve those who are less fortunate than me.

The Family and Same-Sex Marriage

I shared these thoughts on Facebook today, and I decided I wanted to share them here as well.  The definition of marriage is an important issue to me, and I want to explain why exactly it is so important and what it means to me.

There has been a lot of furor lately over the Supreme Court's hearing on the legality of homosexual marriage.  My personal beliefs are that homosexual marriage (and behavior) is wrong and sinful.  In the words of the prophets, "Marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children . . . Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose . . . We warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World)

I understand this may be difficult for those of you who do not share my belief system to comprehend.  From a purely secular viewpoint, defining marriage as a man and a woman doesn't totally make sense.  But, my beliefs are not based on secular knowledge.  My beliefs are based on faith in God and the teachings of his prophets.  The book of Isaiah says "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Holy Bible, Isaiah 55:8-9,)

I believe that God has greater understanding than we do.  He sees the big picture, the eternal scheme of things, where we see only a small portion of it.  Just because we don't understand everything doesn't mean that something isn't true. Oftentimes, both in religious matters, and in secular matters, things initially don't make sense, but turn out to be for our benefit.  Did it make sense to people in the 1800s when doctors suggested that sickness came from tiny, invisible life forms?  Did it make sense for Washington to attempt to stop the powerful British army with a ragtag band of half-starved and frozen farmers?  Did it make sense for God to command Abraham to sacrifice his only son, to tell Noah to build an ark in the middle of dry land, or to direct Moses to lead the Children of Israel straight into the Red Sea?  Did it make sense for Jesus Christ, the only perfect person to ever live on this earth, and the literal son of God, to allow himself to be killed, even though he had the power to protect himself? 

The answer is NO.  None of these things made sense from a logical standpoint, yet each in each of these instances the thing that didn't make sense turned out to be the best thing in the long run.  And like these examples, I know that in the long run, it will turn out to be the best thing to preserve the definition of marriage as purely heterosexual.  It may not make sense now, but some day it will.

I know that I probably didn't convert anyone over to my viewpoint, and I didn't really intend to.  I just hope that this piece helps those of my friends and family who support gay marriage to understand where I come from and why I feel so passionately.  Please believe me when I say that I grieve deeply to hear about people who are pro-heterosexual marriage who name call or physically, emotionally or otherwise abuse or bully those who support homosexual marriage.  Bullying, abuse, name-calling, and other such negative behaviors are not Christlike and are never acceptable.  Even though I may disagree with those of you who support same-sex marriage, I care about you.  I stand by my views, and the words of the living prophets, but I love and respect each of you, and I hope that you will show me the same love and respect, regardless of your viewpoints. 

Palm Sunday

"It is fitting that during the week from Palm Sunday to Easter morning we turn our thoughts to Jesus Christ, the source of light, life, and love. The multitudes in Jerusalem may have seen Him as a great king who would give them freedom from political oppression. But in reality He gave much more than that. He gave us His gospel, a pearl beyond price, the grand key of knowledge that, once understood and applied, unlocks a life of happiness, peace, and fulfillment."

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Way of the Disciple," Ensign May 2009, 75-78

I love Palm Sunday.  It begins one of the most sacred weeks in Christendom.  It reminds us of the great atoning sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am grateful to be able to celebrate Palm Sunday each year and sing praises to the King of Kings as the people of Jerusalem did so many years ago.

In honor of the day, here are some photos from the Palm Sunday procession in Jerusalem the semester that I was there.  It was an incredible sight to watch Christians of all different denominations gather together to celebrate the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem.

Dad buying "palm" fronds from the local kids. 

(He always was a sucker for cute kids selling stuff over there!)

)

 Look how big the palm fronds are!

Various Christians of all different sects and groups marching in the Processional

There were a LOT of people there-- you can see it filled up the whole street.  

The processional follows the way Christ would have walked, from the Mount of Olives to the Lion's Gate in the Old City on the Temple Mount.

This isn't a video I took, but it's a beautiful one of the Palm Sunday Processional in Jerusalem

A non-LDS, but pretty good depiction of Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

An LDS Bible video of the Triumphal Entry.

Happy Palm Sunday!!!

My Claim to Fame?

Last week I went to the library and looked up some old birth notices in the Daily Herald.

Guess whose birth notice was the one notice on the whole page that was cut off?

 So much for my claim to fame!

 
(If you can't tell, the cut-off line says "Girl to Keith and Linda Wilson of Provo.")

A Knight for a Princess

The theme for the Helaman Invitational dance this semester was medieval.  

Good thing I had my knight in shining armor handy!

Happy Birthday Spencer!

Monday was Spencer's birthday.  Luckily he is working Friday night, so he was able to take Monday night off for us to celebrate in style!

We started off the night with dinner at a cute little restaurant in Springville

The Art City Trolley is a fun restaurant made out of an old trolley car.  We liked the atmosphere there

. . . and the yummy food!

Next I surprised Spencer and took him to the Festival of Lights in Spanish Fork.  They have some impressive light displays, but of course our camera didn't do them justice.

 

When we got home, the birthday boy opened his presents

(I know the picture is blurry, but I just had to show you the look on his face!)

 

We had a special birthday visitor, too.

I was worried about finding a place for our new friend, but Spencer found just the right spot

(Negotiations are still under way to determine whether or not Giant Teddy will become a permanent member of the Fields Family.  Right now the jury is tied, 1-1.)

We finished out the night's celebration with a very special set of birthday cakes.

All in all it was a great night.
Happy Birthday to the most wonderful husband in the whole world!