HAPPY BIRTHDAY Erika Brooke!!!!

Born October 25th, 2007 weighing 10lbs 4 oz and 22" long. ...

Wow, what a day THAT was!!

Tomorrow will mark 2 yrs ago that I was in labor with Erika. I had waited 11 LONG days past my due date and was starting to lose hope I'd ever go into labor on my own.
It still feels like yesterday to me...I can't believe how fast it has gone by....I'm not even sure WHERE it has gone actually??? If someone knows..tell me!
If I may...I will reminisce a bit:)

As I may have shared before, I had a very wonderful spiritual experience in the Temple after I had a misscarriage (In between Meg and Erika) ....in that experience I learned that there was another little girl that would come to our family....so 6mo's later when we felt it was time to try to get pregnant again (and we did, first try), I KNEW it was girl. Steve tried to HOPE for a boy, but I knew. no doubt at all.

When we confirmed she was girl with an ultrasound (for him, not for me), it was such a cool experience. I continued to grow...and GROW....my belly just got bigger and bigger....I thought I would soon pop. During my pregnancy I had decided that I would birth naturally. My experience with Megan, the epidural, the episotomy, the vacuum....ugh, well it was less than great to say the least and the recovery was worse.

This time around, I wanted to experience a Positive, healthy, beautiful labor. I'm proud of myself for all the work I did to make it happen. I read a book about hypno birthing or rather relaxation, I listened to my relaxation CD everyday while Megan napped and I prayed my little heart out that the Lord will allow me to have this great blessing of a natural child birth. SO...after 11 days past my due date, I was SO happy to go into labor.-FINALLY! that in itself was a surreal experience:)

I woke Steve up at 4am and told him I thought it was real....by 5am I could really FEEL the contractions. we left for the hospital and driving there he just kept making me laugh...it stands out so much in mind for some reason...I kept laughing and telling him it hurt and to stop making me laugh! lol....we arrived at the hospital to find out I was already dialated to a 5 which was GREAT!. I got in the tub and stayed there til about 8cm. after that I moved to a bed where my saving grace was my nurse who pushed on my back during back labor.
The whole experience, though I don't have time to recount here was amazing. I love to think back on it, b/c it was everything i could have hoped for. I had to push for more than 90min and in various positions..this part was NOT so much fun, but when that 10lb baby girl came out (at 1:36pm), I knew it had been worth it.

She was so beautiful, so BIG and so sweet! I couldn't believe I had done it! I had accomplished my dream and I will always be thankful for the Lord for listening to my endless prayers during that time of my life. It was a blessing I wanted so bad and now I have it to cherish forever.

Erika grew quickly and soon became known as "The moosh" "Gaga", "mooshy","Ca-ca" (though that one was short lived), and many other silly little terms we have for her.

Now at 2yrs old, I can say she has brought this little family A LOT of joy the last 2 yrs.
She is Always making ALL of us laugh!! She is fun, SPIRITED, fiesty, cuddly, silly, energetic, smart, adorable, and beautiful -inside and out!.

I love her curly hair, I love her green eyes, I love that smiles when she is being naughty, I love that she runs up and hugs my legs so tight and then runs away, I love that she asks me to scratch her back by just laying on my lap and lifting up her shirt, I love that she says "I you mama" which means " I love you mama". I love that she is so expressive with her face, I love her big squishy nose, I love her smile, I love her chubby little thighs, I love her independence and how everything lately starts with " I DO!" or "I SEE, I SEE!"...haha.., I love that she is POTTY TRAINED already:), I love that she loves me:) gosh, I could go on and on...she really has my heart. all of it. I love her so much. she is so much like I was as a little girl and I feel like I can relate to her and all her crazy emotions:):)

I'm so thankful to know, when the times get tough, that she is meant to be in THIS family. Looking back on that temple experience 2.5yrs ago, I know that the Lord has a plan for us and for families. I know that Erika was meant to come to OUR family and that I was meant to be HER mommy!... I'm so glad for the plan of happiness that she can be ours forever.
Happy Birthday Mooshy. We ALL love you!!xo
Here's a few pics from those early days, and up until now:)

Me at 36.5wks pregnant

Me at 39.5 wks pregnant...I went for more than 2 wks after this!

Look at that cute face!

SO happy!!

4.4mo's old...her first 2 bottom teeth broke through that day!

about 9mos old...

1 year old birthday!

About 7.5 mos old...

learning to crawl! haha...

Having fun! about 5mos old...

with her adoring big sister!

She foune a red lipstick! haha...7.5 mos old...
Learning to walk!
At pig and pancake..this summer

Now, THESE are funny!! I decided to do a little afro on her hair a few weeks ago...I LOVE this kids hair,it is so "woggy" as Megan calls it...I caught some of our Typical Moosh facial expressions:)


One of my favs...

A close second for sure! haha
and this was earlier this summer....

I love you Erika:)
(megan is so beautiful!-when I look at this picture, I make a mental note to myself to never actually let her wear makeup as a teenager!)

These last two I took about a week ago. they asked me for a makeover! lol..so here's my two girls "Glam Shots". Awesome eh?!!! lol
I LOVE the smirk on her face here! hahaha