Jeff got tagged

Okay, so this will be fun. My friend Dallas tagged Jeff (really me) to write eleven things about him. So, here we go.

1. Jeff naturally attracts people to him. At church he has a following of other kids that just love to play with him. Young men in the ward will pick him up and play with him, kids just older than him will play with him. They all love him. I am still trying to figure out exactly what it is that Jeff has or does that attracts so many people to him. I have had many people tell me they would watch Jeff anytime because he is such an easy going kid to have around. I hope to one day bottle whatever it is that Jeff is doing to sell to business professionals who want to do networking or something.

2. Everyone thinks Jeff has an unusually sized head for his age, but I just want to set the record strait and let you all know that he is in the 50th percentile for head size... which equates to perfectly normal. :)

3. Jeff had the be the cutest baby ever born. He had a full head of long hair that was light brown with blond ends. It was sticky out in every direction. He looked like a little surfer boy.

4. Jeff is my Grandpa Cheney's 76th decedent. He keeps track of his numbers pretty closely. We were hoping to get the 75th slot, but we missed it by one. Jeff even tried to do his part to get the number 75 by coming a month early, but it didn't quite cut it.

5. Jeff absolutely loves being a big brother. Every morning he comes out of his room and looks for Baby Nate. He looks in all the spots he could be to see if he can find Nate. He also tries to nurse Nathan. A little worrisome, but I think he has stopped. He has never shown any amount of hostility toward Nathan. Once, I thought Jeff tried to hit Nate, but then I realized that he was giving his bro a high five.

6. Jeff eats like crazy!!! I will feed him his breakfast and then when I get mine, he wants to eat part of mine too. Then Scott will come out and eat his breakfast and Jeff will want part of his too. He just loves to eat. Thankfully he has his dad's metabolism so he isn't too chunky. ;)

7. Jeff loves to run and play and jump. He is pretty fearless and very capable. He loves to throw balls, kick balls, and play catch. Sometimes he doesn't wait for others to catch and that causes a few problems. Especially for unsuspecting kiddos in nursery.

8. Jeff doesn't like to have dirty hands. He hates weird textures on his skin. I hope he outgrows it because beach going is a little crazy when he wont play in the sand.

9. Everyone says that Jeff looks just like Scott. EVERYONE!!! Sometimes I feel like I had nothing to do with getting the kid here because he is "all Scott". I only really see it when he smiles, but apparently he is a mini Scott.

10. In his two short years Jeff has lived on the west coast (California) and the east coast (New Jersey). He also had a 10 month stint in Utah. Poor kid is almost a military brat.

11. Jeff (and now Nathan too) is the light of our lives. He brings so much joy and happiness to us. We are so grateful that he is a part of our family.

Nathan's Blessing

Scott blessed Nathan today in church. It was a beautiful blessing. Here are some pictures of Nate in his blessing outfit provided by Grandma Goddard. He looked pretty handsome in his white baby tux. Everyone was disappointed Scott didn't lift Nate up to show him off after the blessing.


And, here are some pictures of our little family that is growing so much. I can't believe I am the mother of two incredible little boys.

Saturday at the Lake

We spent Saturday at a really fun lake about 40 minutes from our house. Its called Greenwood Lake. It is partway in New York and partway in New Jersey. It almost felt like we were at Bear Lake in Idaho/Utah. It was awesome. It had the small town feel that we miss so much being here so close to NYC. We went to the beach, dinner, ice cream, and then fireworks. It was a great day to spend as a family and I am pretty sure we will go back because the creamery we got ice cream at was awesome.

Jeff took a while to decide it was okay to get some sand on his feet.

Our little family, with our addition. Nathan loved the beach... actually, he slept right through the whole visit to the beach part of the day.

This was just a cute picture of Jeff. Man, he has the cutest little smile.

Jeff putting his feet in the "big foot" tracks that Katie and Scott made in the sand. By this point he was okay with getting a little gritty in between his toes.

Jeff loves his daddy, but this picture doesn't show it so much. :) He is gripping onto Scott's nose so he doesn't fall when Scott leans back.

My Scott

I just don't post enough about my Scotty. He does so many incredible things and since he is too humble to tell anyone about them, I get to. :)

So, as many of you know, Scott has to take these grueling exams for his profession as an actuary Between work, family, church, and studying for exams... he doesn't have too much free time. For a while, this was Scott's schedule.

7 a.m. leave for work
7 p.m. get home from work and eat dinner
8 p.m. start studying
11 p.m. stop studying and go to bed

As you can see, it was a tough time for all of us. So, we were pretty excited for the day when Scott took his exam and didn't have to study any more. It has been awesome to have him all to myself (except for work and church). So, we were a little disappointed when Scott felt pretty certain he had not passed his test. But, all that disappointment vanished a few days ago when Scott found out HE PASSED!!! So, all those hours without him paid off.

I asked Scott if I could tell everyone how smart my husband is, but he only gave me permission to tell people he passed. So that's all I'm going to do. :)

The boys

We had our pediatrician appointments for the boys today. Here are the stats on the boys and their growth.

Jeff
Weight: 50th percentile
Height: 90th percentile
Head: 50th percentile (for all of you who have ever seen Jeff's head, this may surprise you)

Nate
Weight: 95th percentile
Height: 95th percentile
Official doctor's comment: "Wow, this kid is growing like crazy".

Just so you all know, Nate has already gained a pound. I mentioned to the doctor that he hardly ever poops. She said it looks like he is absorbing just about EVERYTHING he can to be growing as fast as he is.

Other things we learned... Jeff has a slight heart murmur but the doctor said not to worry too much about it. She also said Jeff is a little delayed in his speaking but way ahead of the game for his fine and gross motor skills. She also mentioned that he is a pretty good flirt too. As far as the speech delay, we are planning on ignoring it for a little bit longer. I am going to work on talking to him more and narrating my day to him. I'm also supposed to read to him. I know I should read to him... but the kid wont sit still long enough to get through a small board book, let alone 20 minutes a day of reading.

So, that is the update on the boys. They are healthy and happy for the most part. I am so thankful they are such healthy kids. I know it isn't always like this, so I am very grateful for a good doctor's appointment.

P.S. Jeff got three shots. He cried until they brought the lollipops and then he was all smiles. Its amazing what a little sugar will do for a kid.

Nate

Here is a cute photo of Nate. He is such a good baby! He only cries when he's hungry or if he pees on his own face. He has successfully caused diaper changing drama three times. The kind of drama that ends up in a washer full of messy pillows, clothes, sheets, and blankets. It is pretty comical. But look at that face... he can pee and poop all he wants with a face like that.

Two boys

This morning, I was sitting on the couch looking at my new beautiful son when my other beautiful son came to talk. He patted his little brother on the head, put his blanket on him, whispered in his ear, talked to him, and kissed him three trillion times.

As I got up to eat a scrumptious breakfast that my hubby made for me I mentioned to him that I didn't know what people were talking about when they said it was such a big step to have two kids instead of one. I think these were my exact words, "having two is fun".

While I still think this is true, I have to say that after making that comment the morning changed. Nathan struggled with his next feeding which made him fussy. Jeff seemed to react to a sad brother and started wailing and was inconsolable. It seemed my entire blissful morning was completely shattered.

But, after a good feeding for Nate and a long nap for Jeff, the blissfulness of two came back. It is wonderful! I know there will be frustrating times when two will seem really tough, but I also know that there will be many sweet moments when I can look at my boys (Scott included) and be thankful for how lucky I am to be sealed to them forever. As I sit here writing this, I can't believe how I could have stepped into such a wonderful situation. Saying "yes" to Scott has made my life incredible.

I just have to add this, because I feel when you feel grateful you should express it. Scott was and has been incredible through this whole delivery/recovery experience. He was my rock during the delivery. He was the perfect support team all by himself. I could never have done it without him. All week he has been cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, and waking up in the middle of the night to take care of Nathan and up in the early morning to take care of Jeff... I could tell you more and more, but I don't want to brag too much. :) Lets just say Scott is my hero, and I get to have him be my hero forever.

So, now that the pregnancy posts are over, you get some fun post-pregnancy posts. :)

Big Brother

Jeff is enamoured with his new brother. He is gentle and loves to give him kisses. He knows it is his baby and says it over and over again. Scott and I were both surprised because we didn't know if he really understood that he was getting a new buddy.

This is the first kiss from big brother to little brother. We caught it on camera by some stroke of luck. I'm sure there will be many more kisses between these two who are fast becoming best friends. :)

Here is my cute niece Katie, who is here in New Jersey with us playing nanny... without much pay. :) She is holding down the fort with Jeff back home and is doing a splendid job at it too. She is so awesome to come out here and help us. We also have lots of plans for her while she is here. All of which involve having fun!!

Oh yeah, the official name is Nathan Klyn Goddard!!!

Baby Boy Arrival

Well, we had our baby boy this morning. Here are all the details...

1:00 a.m. I woke up to a contraction, but I wasn't sure.

1:30 a.m. I nudged Scott, I nudged Scott a little harder, and he did wake up eventually. :)

2:30 a.m. We called the doctor to tell him that I had been having contractions for an hour, four minutes apart.

3:00 a.m. We got to the hospital. I was dilated to a 4 and 90% effaced.

5:00 a.m. I got my first epidural.

5: 15 a.m. My water broke.

6:00 a.m. I got my second epidural because the first didn't quite work.

6:47 a.m. Our little boy joined us after I pushed for 17 minutes.

He is:

20 1/2 inches long

8 lbs 9 oz

healthy

blessed with a full head of hair (thanks Scott)

So, there are all the details I can think of so far. Scott was an incredible coach. I could have never done it without him. Really, he was incredible. He could coach labor and delivery with the best of them. I almost forgot, as soon as the baby was born he peed all over the doctor. I think that means he will either be a Doctor or a Lawyer. Either way, it was pretty comical. :)

We will try to keep the blog posted. Thanks for all the support and prayers from our family and friends. We feel very blessed!

Tummy Talk

People have begged and pleaded for this photo... so here it is. :) Okay, so maybe begged and pleaded is an overstatement, but nonetheless you get a glam shot of me at more than nine months pregnant. I haven't seen myself from this angle really, so it is probably as much a shock to me as it is to you. I

can't believe how big I am. It must be the black shirt against the white wall. But then... isn't black the slimming color. Oh man... I guess I will just have to face the music and realize that I am just big. As a side note to some who have not seen me in a while. This pregnancy not only added an enormous bump to be front side, but also turned my hair more red and curly too. Pregnancy does weird stuff.

Oh yeah, with all this tummy talk, I almost forgot to say that I went to the doctor today and he told me I am dilated to 3 cm and am 50% effaced. It made me happy. The best part, I haven't felt anything. Nothing like progress without pain. :)

These are a few pictures of Jeff and his beloved measuring tape. He doesn't leave home without it. He doesn't go to bed without it either. He has had it in his little paws for the past two weeks and the only time I can pry it out of his fingers is to give him a bath. (I don't want it to rust). I'm not sure which he is more attached to, his tape measure, or his blanket his Grandma Goddard made for him.

Jeff loves the missionaries. Here is a fun video of him sharing a piece of cake with one of our favorite Elders serving in the ward. Elder Rodriguez is awesome, he is from Brazil and has only been a member for a few years. He is the hardest working missionary and will knock doors all day long because he knows how much people need the gospel from his own changes. He and Jeff have a special bond. They better if he will share his cake with Jeff.

This is a video of Jeff being a little Brett (my little brother who is on a mission in Belize). He is measuring stuff with Karen (my landlord) and then has to take a phone call on his cell. If any of you know my little brother... this is him to the "T". He is a farmer who spends most of his earnings paying his cell phone bill each month. It just cracks me up. Those farmer genes are strong.

I have started going to the grocery store on Saturday mornings at about 7:30. This way, I can get there before it gets too crazy with Saturday shoppers and I can go without Jeff thus avoiding the huge bumper car shopping cart that is all but impossible to maneuver without taking out a few cute grandmas.

Last week was the first week and it was great! This week... was not so great. The problem really doesn't have anything to do with grocery shopping at all. It has to do with me.

It all started in the dairy isle. I decided to get a bunch of the single serving cups of yogurt instead of a one of the big cartons. There was one fatality as I was putting them in my cart. The employee who had to clean up the mess kind of glared at me as he scooped up all the strawberry yogurt from the floor. It was like in slow motion watching the yogurt slip out of my hands onto the floor.

Then, as I was leaving the store somehow my grape tomato packages slipped out of my cart and spilled all over the floor too. Okay, so now in one morning I have successfully dropped two things on the floor. You would think I had filled my dropping quota... not so.

At home, I was emptying the dishwasher and dropped one our plates to its shattering death on our tile floor. I almost started to scream because I was so tired of dropping things. Scott quickly made me feel better by explaining that I am pregnant and it isn't my fault.

So, along with getting a baby within the next week or so, I am really excited to get back my ability to hold onto things and stop dropping everything and anything that gets into my hands. Hopefully this transition takes place before I hold the baby for the first time.

Just in case any of you are skeptical about it not being my fault... the paragraph below is from BabyCenter.com which is as reliable as The Bible. :)

Is it normal to feel clumsy during pregnancy?

Yes. Many women feel ungainly when they're pregnant, particularly in their last few months.Clumsiness comes as no surprise when you consider what your body's going through: You're carrying more weight, your center of gravity has shifted with your growing uterus, and hormonal changes can cause your joints to loosen, including those in your fingers and toes. You'll get your balance and dexterity back after you give birth.In the meantime, protect yourself by remembering that you're not at the top of your game when it comes to muscle control and coordination. Try not to put yourself in situations where you have a high risk of falling — like climbing a ladder or standing on a chair to change a light bulb.Put your high heels away for now and wear stable, comfortable shoes. Take special care when walking on wet, icy, or uneven surfaces and when going up or down steep steps. Take it slow and use handrails whenever possible.

It's amazing that a kid can go from this...

To this...

In as little as a year and a half.

I am continually amazed by the human body and all that it can do. I remember sitting in my anatomy and physiology class in college and just being completely in awe at what the body is capable of... in fact, I was so in awe that I pretty much didn't understand 50% of it. Incredibly, I still passed the class. As I think about having another baby and all that takes place to make that possible, it just gets even more magnificent. It is another testimony to me that there is a God. We are created by him in His image. It really is amazing!

Random Pictures

Here are just some random pictures to give you a taste of our lives this past week.

Jeff stretching with Scott before Scott went for a run. I realize this is a bad picture because you can't see anyone's faces... but I have to be sneaky when I try to catch anything Jeff does on camera. He likes playing with the camera more than posing for pictures.

Jeff wearing his favorite outfit.

Scott and Jeff sitting on the steps of NYU after we ate at PB&J and Co. It is a crazy gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwich place in the city.

Me, Jeff, and the big belly. It is hiding behind Jeff mostly, but you can still see it.

Here is Jeff doing some more stretches with Scott. He cracks me up. Such cute boys I have. :)

My babies

So, I decided we needed a post that wasn't about pregnancy. :) So, you get to hear all about my babies.

I decided to plant a garden this year. I started my little seedlings inside the house and watered them. And talked to them. And put them in the sun when it was out. And did all I could to help them become big and strong.

Then came the day to put them in the garden... outside. I have to say that I think this will be a big preparation for me when it comes to sending my boys (or girls) on missions. It was one of the hardest things to do. Putting my sweet pampered little seedlings out into the cold cruel world.

Some of them died. Some of them are still alive. I hope some will grow up big and strong and bring me lots of (I almost wrote grandchildren) produce. I will probably post some pictures later. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if you don't get to see pictures of Jeff for a while because my life will be consumed with my babies (the plants that is).

So, there is my non-pregnancy post. :)

Thoughts of the prego

I know you have all probably been anxiously awaiting the next "pregnant lady vent" post. And now you can rest easy, because its coming your way. :) Let me forewarn you that you might want to skip this post. It really is just me thinking and typing all at the same time. Its not so much a vent as it is... well, I guess it is a vent. I just have to talk about my thoughts and feelings relating to the new addition we will have soon.

I feel so much better about this delivery as apposed to Jeff's. I know I have mentioned before that the first delivery was hard. I have to say that a lot of it had to do with circumstances unrelated the actual arrival of Jeff.

Here are a few:

1. We had to change Doctors and hospitals last minute because of communication errors about where our insurance would work. As Jeff came early, we didn't have a Dr. that delivered at the hospital we had to go to. Thus, we ended up with a Dr. I had never met who was pretty ticked that he had to deliver my baby.

2. We didn't understand that we could say "no" if we didn't want a certain procedure done. We basically did what we were told and therefor had a few procedures that we plan on avoiding at all costs this time. I will spare the details just in case I have a male cousin or someone reading. :)

3. I don't want to trash on the care I received, but let me just say that about five days after I had Jeff and I was recovering at home, I discovered that the nurses/doctors forgot to remove some gauze from inside of me.

4. I was also pumped full of drugs to induce me because my water broke and had to deliver within 24 hours. I hear that contractions can be much harder when pit is introduced and when your water breaks.

Okay, so enough of the complaints. I have to say there were a lot of great things about my past delivery. As I said my water broke in the middle of the night. When Scott and I got home with our baby from the hospital. We found our apartment completely cleaned. Yep, my visiting teacher and dear friend and come over and washed my "water broken on" sheets as well as done all my dishes and turned on the AC a few hours before we arrived. How amazing it was to feel so loved.

Also, I was able to get some great help from a breast feeding clinic that didn't charge a thing. It was incredible. They did jaundice tests, weighed Jeff before and after I fed him to make sure he was getting enough to eat, and helped me learn how to nurse. They were also the ones that made the call to my pediatrician to tell her that Jeff probably needed to be readmitted to the hospital.

And I can't leave out that we got the cutest little boy on the planet. I still can't believe he has any of my genes. He is just too cute!!!

So... all that being said. I have to again say that I feel this time is going to be a much smoother ride. I have a good Doctor. I have a great hospital that has complimentary valet parking. I have a great husband who is the best birthing partner I could ask for. I have experience from the past that will help me plan a better birth this time. And I just feel good about it. I am also focusing on having a positive outlook because I think it can make a difference rather than expecting the worst.

Okay, this is a super long post. You don't have to read it. I will try to avoid future vents as a pregnant lady. Just lots of thoughts going on in my head and I had to type them out. Its therapeutic.

I wonder if some therapists recommend people blogging (even if no one reads it) to work things out in their minds. Huh... I'm feeling a new book I could write. "Baby steps to Blogging" (If you have ever seen "What about Bob" this will make more sense. :)

Logger Jeff

This is Karen (our landlady) who Jeff absolutely adores. Karen doesn't have any kids of her own and she is wrapped around Jeff's little finger. He watches out the window for her every day. He never lets her leave after her visits until he gives her a kiss. She is great. I have to say we have the very best landlords anyone could ask for. They have been doing tons of fixing up in the back yard. Sawing down trees, digging post holes, and planting grass have been a big part of our lives these past few weeks. Jeff loved wearing the saw helmet and ear protection. The best part of all this backyard renovation is that we get a fully fenced in yard for Jeff to play in. I have a feeling he is going to be spending many hours outside this summer. He is such an outdoors kid.

The Winner!!!

Well, Daija, you are the official winner of the bread recipe, but I couldn't only give it to you because this recipe is just that good. I think that you are the type that would like to share the wealth.

Amie, you lucked out, but just an FYI this isn't my mom's recipe, but it will become one no doubt.

Christine, your confidence just didn't bring in the winning answer, but you can still have the great bread.

Okay, so here is the best bread you will ever eat.


Oatmeal Wheat Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 cup oatmeal (old fashioned or quick, it doesn't matter)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 or more cups all purpose or bread flour

Combine ingredients in order and add the flour until the consistency is just right (not sticky, but still all together in one clump). Then let cover it with a warm damp cloth and let it rise until it is double in size (about a 1/2 an hour). Then squish all the air bubbles out of it and shape it to fit your bread pan. Place it in a greased bread pan and let it rise again covered with the damp cloth until it doubles (again, about a 1/2 and hour). Then bake it at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

I have found that if I let it get just a little too dark, then it has a better consistency. If you can keep in in the house long enough, and you want to soften up the crust over night, just put it in a plastic bag after it has cooled and by morning it will be nice and soft.

Scott's Exam

So I was going to do a post giving you an example of one of Scott's problems from the actuary exam he will take on the 15th. I was also going to offer a TI 89 (code for super cool calculator) to anyone who could come up with the right answer. I ran into two problems.

1. I don't have a TI 89 to give out to the winner.

2. Apparently the computer doesn't have any way to do math equation symbols that I need to be able to type to give you the problem.

...Oh boy, oh boy! Are you in luck. We found one without funny looking lines and Greek symbols that I can post. Here we go. And since I have already admitted I don't have a TI 89, I will give out the most amazing bread recipe to the person who gets the right answer. Good luck. Oh, and trusts me, you will at least want to take a stab at it cause this is seriously the best bread EVER... and its healthy.


CRAZY ACTUARY EXAM QUESTION SAMPLE

Which of the following statements in incorrect?

1. The Sharpe ratio will increase if the risk-free rate decreases.
2. The Sharpe ratio will decrease if the expected rate of return decreases.
3. Assets whose prices are not perfectly correlated cannot have the same Sharpe ratio.
4. The Sharpe ratio equals the risk premium of an asset divided by the volatility of that asset.
5. The Sharpe ratio will decrease if the volatility of the asset increases.

Hint: this has to do with option prices (like with stocks).


Oh, and just for the record... I don't have a clue what any of that I just typed out means. I guess if I truly were a supportive wife I would try to understand what my husband is spending so much time doing. Sadly, I only know he is taking a test, and I am jealous of all the attention those books are getting.

My favorite four

places I go
1. the library
2. the grocery store
3. the church
4. the doctor's

people who email me
1. brett
2. my mother-in-law
3. my RS president
4. the primary president

favorite foods
1. cafe rio (there is not in jersey... so sad)
2. steak
3. fresh fruit
4. smoothies

places i'd rather be
1. visiting friends and family in idaho and utah
2. wherever scotty is
3. hanging out on the farm
4. in a home that i own

movies i could watch over and over
1. return to me
2. the princess bride
3. home videos of jeff and scott
4. home videos of me when i was little (i know, i'm so vain)

people i think will respond
1. amie
2...
3...
4... i don't think there are too many bloggers out there that haven't already done this.