Happy Halloween!!!

We started our Halloween off by going to our ward play group. I was able to go while Cherie stayed with Spencer. It'll probably be awhile before I'm able to go again. At the activity the kids decorated cookies, did a bean bag toss, ate pizza, and ran around like kids do.
Later Chris took Jared around the neighborhood to do trick or treating. Chris said after every house Jared would walk down the side walk and say one more time! Sometimes when someone would come to the door then go get the candy Jared would try to walk in and grab the candy before they came back. And another side note, I was going to go buy Jared shoulder pads for his costume last Monday but was unable to due to labor:) so instead last Thursday for the law school trick or treating I used maxi pads and they worked so well (I think better than shoulder pads) that I did it again. For Jared's sake when he's older I will say he didn't like them much!
So we didn't take Spencer out but a friend at law school told Chris he'd be a bad parent if he didn't dress his kid up for his first Halloween. So one night Chris and I were laying in bed trying to decide what to buy or dress him up as. Chris said, "What would go with a football player?" and it dawned on me of a friend, Heather, who dressed her boy up as a football last year. Perfect!!! Cole was born in June so the costume was obviously too big but it worked out great! I thought he made a dang cute football. Thanks so much Heather!!!

Carving Pumpkins

Last Monday I was in charge of FHE and we were going to carve our pumpkins. Well a little hiccup came along and instead of carving pumpkins we got to meet our new addition Spencer. So we waited the week and Spencer got to be involved in the process. Jared enjoyed being right there helping us and colored the pumpkins while we carved and cleaned them out.
My mom brought down the big pumpkin from her garden. At first we were just going to keep it outside as was for decoration but decided to go ahead and carve it. It's huge and it looks great from a distance since it's so big. Side little note, after we took the top picture Chris stood up and so did I and Jared was still on top of the pumpkin and it started to tilt. Both Chris and I tried to stop it from falling using our knees because Chris' hands were full with Spencer and I was holding the smaller pumpkin. Luckily Jared just slid off like a slide. But it did scare Chris and me at the moment.

Meservy's Visit Spencer

Cherie came to help me with my two boys and Jim brought her down on Saturday along with Baillie and Jordan and went back home later that day. This makes two grandkids for the Meservy's so that means no girls yet. My guess is Chris' sister Ashley will have the first girl. Time will tell:)

Cell Phone

In case I'm unable to talk to you before you read this I wanted to inform those who call me that I no longer have my phone. I was fortunate to have it and use it for personal use because my work provided it but at the beginning of the month I stopped working and sent it back with my mom. So now Chris and I are down to one phone the 801 number. I no longer have the 208 number.

First Bath

I tried holding off on Spencer's first bath at home because I didn't want to risk getting his umbilical cord and circumcision wet. But by Friday I decided I couldn't wait any longer my baby no longer smelt good and wanted my mom to be there to capture the moment for us before she had to leave.

Chris took charge and did most the washing according to how he saw it done in the hospital with cotton balls. Spencer loved when I rinsed his head under the running water. And Jared liked observing and helping where he could.
I wish I had more pictures of my mom and dad while they were down, but often she was the one behind the camera. I can't express enough how much I appreciate her and her love for me and mostly for the love she has for my two boys! She gave so much of herself while down and left me very prepared to meet my next stage of life. When she left and after a few friends visited the house was a little messy (not bad at all). I thought to myself, "now I have to pick this up!" And the sad thing is it wasn't even bad! Oh how I got pampered by my mother and I love her for it! Thanks mom, I love you!

Down Set Hike, Hike, Hike

Thursday was the law school trick or treating around the carrels. I was hopping to have Spencer after that so I could attend. When Thursday came I was feeling pretty good so I ended up going anyway and was able to leave Spencer home with my mom. Jared had fun being a BYU football player and enjoyed getting candy that mostly dad and mom will eat:) Towards the end of the "trick or treating" Jared started to give everyone a candy that gave him one, a little swap, after he reviewed both he would keep the one he liked best often giving back the one he'd been given!

More Pictures

I just wanted to post more pictures of the new beginnings of Spencer's life.

Homecoming!

We're home and it feels good! Spencer is doing well except he's sleeping too much and not eating and I can't wake him up. I'm afraid he's getting days and nights mixed up, but a lot of babies do it's a process. Jared is being a good big brother and loving Spencer and is being very gentle. I've been impressed with him so far. I thought he'd get jealous when he saw me holding a baby a lot but he hasn't been bad I guess the true test will come when grandmas leave. I just wanted to put some photos up because I think Spencer is cuter then the current pictures we have posted.

And the name is ....

This was a tough decision. It came down to Riley and Spencer. We had a really tough decision but decided Spencer James Meservy. I guess will try it out for a couple of years and if we don't like it then we'll try something new.

Oh and if any one wants to visit feel free to come by today. Just call before and we'll let you know. My phone is dead so call Marjorie's it is the 208 area code.

Chief Justice John Roberts is speaking at the law school today so I will be gone from like 1:30 to 4:00. I know you all are planning on seeing me, so you probably want to avoid that time. You will be amazed at how great I look after such a hard labor. Oh Marjorie and Spencer are cute too.

Timeline of Birth

This is not my choice, but when your wife is at the hospital having your baby you do what she asks. So I am going to update (this same post) throughout the process and I may even throw in a photo.

8:10--Marjorie's water broke while running

9:30--Marjorie went to her doctor's and confirmed the water broke. Stats: Dialated-4 Effacement--70 to 80%

10:30ish--She picked Jared and I up at the law school

10:50ish--Dropped Jared off with Ashley at our place.

11:15--Arrive at the hospital

12:00--She just got her IV and is having some contractions, but they are not painful and not consistent. So we are waiting for the doctor to arrive to break the water and I will keep you updated. Good news I am missing Business Associations and Evidence. Bad News I needed to get a lot done on my paper.

1:55--They broke the rest of the water. You would think you can't break water but you can. Amazing what science can do. We have been watching Memoirs of Geisha, and Marjorie's been fine. Her only complaint is that she is hungry and wants water. I just tell her to toughen up. On a side note I would like to thank Robinson's for letting us visit their DVD library. We really enjoyed Crash.

2:55--Marjorie started to have consistent contractions and started to feel some pain. At 4:00 they are going to check her. If she is progressing then she will go on her own. If not, then they will start to induce her. The movie was okay. Marjorie liked it more than me, but I guess I am supposed to focus on her today. In our room we have a nice view of the valley, so if you drive by the West side of the hospital give us a wave.

3:55--She is dilated to a 5 now, so no pitocin today (I think). My arms are getting tired. To help ease the labor pain, I apply pressure to her lower back. That is a tough job. They should give me an epidural or at least a steak. If I ran a hospital thats how it would be at least. Maybe someday!! Oh and they would have espn or some sports game going on with an occasional interruption for the Office, Heroes, or Lost. Well here comes another contraction so I got to go.

4:25--Here is a picture of my beautiful wife. She is doing great. I am getting tired though.
4:35-- The nurse came in and checked and she is a 5 plus.

4:47--Marjorie is in some major pain and wants to start pushing. She jumped from a 5 plus to a 10 in just 12 minutes. The baby will soon be here.

5:02--WE HAVE A BABY!!!! 8 pounds 10 ounces. 21 inches. AND IT WAS ALL NATURAL!!! I'll let the pictures explain it.

Oh and her last words (almost last words) "NEVER AGAIN" (which she screamed, I think she meant going natural and not child birth)

Snowy Day in Cougar Town

Since we have our all sport passes for football and I knew I wouldn't be able to attend all the games seeing we'd have a new baby I wasn't about to miss this last Saturday's game against Eastern Washington! Last game remember I wasn't prepared at all so this time we came prepared. We had our winter coats and gloves, ponchos, and blankets!

The first half of the game was actually nice (cold if you didn't dress properly but great if you did). Then the second half was another story. It started raining in the third quarter and by the fourth it was snowing. So I thought I was prepared but the one thing I was lacking was snow pants for our family:) Jared was a trooper and never complained! In fact he still was cheering during the bad weather. People around us were commenting on how cute and well behaved he was. We did end of leaving just because we didn't want to risk getting sick before the baby comes. We left with less than ten mins left and heard the game end as we were walking to our car. I knew a lot of people had left before us but didn't realize that we were almost the only ones in our section by the time we left.

After the game we headed to TGIFridays and had dinner with friends and Chris and Jared swam in the pool at the Marriott's swimming pool and hot tub. Unfortunately I didn't bring the camera in to show the fun they had.

All in all I have no regrets to going to the game; I just wish the pictures would have turned out to show how hard it was snowing. It was pretty.

Going on Month Ten!

So I have two due dates to go off of. The first one I calculated was Oct 20th and the ultra sound due date was the 21st. So after today I am officially over due! When I was pregnant with Jared I felt like I could go on forever, but this time I'm starting to feel more of the awkwardness. By the end of the day I am exhausted and my body just feels cramped. There's no real good position to be in besides just laying down so it doesn't feel like the baby is jabbing me in the ribs.

I'm trying to be positive by looking forward to events for the week. I wouldn't mind making it till the 25th when the law school does trick or treating during the day. I love watching the kids and who doesn't like seeing their own kid dress up!? So that's my motivation to keep positive for right now:) So till Thursday I probably won't have an update unless by some means the baby surprises me and comes before then... we'll see!

Chicago Bound

Jenner & Block here we come. We accepted the offer at Jenner in Chicago. It looks like I will take the Bar at the end of July and Start work in September. I am sad to leave behind the world of academics, but it is exciting at the same time to enter the real world. To all those already in the real world here we come and to those in school enjoy it.


(my office will be in the building between the new Trump Tower and Marina City (corn cob buildings))

And the Nobel Peace Prize goes to the Inventor of the Internet!!!

I am returning to the blogging scene with a "What were they thinking post?" If you hadn't heard Al Gore was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. I am not here to debate the validity of global warming, but I do not see the connection to peace. Here is the reason provided by the Nobel Prize website,

"for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change"

With Darfur, the Iraq War, Myanmar, and other conflicts the Nobel Prize goes to a guy (who consumes significantly more energy than the average American) for his efforts in building up and disseminating knowledge about global warming.

It just doesn't make sense. Now that I have vented, I can go back to the very interesting world of Family Limited Partnerships. I bet you're jealous.

Busy, Busy, Busy

There have been several things I wanted to write about but time has flown by. Our baby is due on the 21st and I think I'm in a work, work, work mode until it comes. Everyone has unfinished projects and all of a sudden I've felt like now is the time to do them. It's been great getting things done and feeling like the day was productive. The only bad part is I often go to bed with my mind racing and thinking of what I want to accomplish next making it hard to sleep at times. Some of the things I've been able to do:

• Put our wedding pictures in our wedding book (I wanted to scrapbook them but after 4 years of doing nothing I decided putting them in plastic covers was better than nothing and I'm totally ok with that!)
• Scrapbooking at least 4 pages a week (earlier this year when learning I was pregnant I made a goal to have Jared's first year done before the baby came. I think I'm in his second month nearing the third, But! I'm doing it!)
• Organizing digital pictures so I can print them off. (I haven't printed them yet, but they're copied onto a CD)
• Reading a couple different books on birthing techniques (I really want to go natural but I haven't practiced hardly at all so unless the labor is short and a little less painful than Jared's, I'm looking at getting another epidural and I'm ok with that. I will eventually go natural. How many kids did you want Chris???)
• Preparing for a relief society lesson for this Sunday (first Sunday teaching I hope it goes well!)
• Cut Jared's and Chris' hair (I cut Jared's a lot shorter than I usually do but I decided to cut it shorter because he was moving so much that I wanted it to be awhile before I did it again!)
  
• Shopping for Christmas! (I have a lot done. I only need to buy for my father-in-law and two brother-in-laws, plus Jared and Chris' birthday and Christmas plus our new addition)
• And some more things like organizing our budget (Chris did most of it), and figuring out insurance and other annoyingly long boring projects spent on the phone. But they're done!

Some fun updates are: having Canadian Thanksgiving at the Jensen's, going to the outlet malls in Park City with Ashley and her girls, going to Wendy's surprise birthday party, and going to the park with Ashley and her two little girls (Jared loves Elizabeth)!

Who knows how many more posts I'll do before our baby comes cause for right now I am enjoying getting things done and I need to take advantage of the little time (1 1/2 to 3 1/2 weeks) I have left!