far too long.

Lately my life has been a bit of a whirlwind.  My baby girl is now FOUR months old.  The past few months have been amazing.  In a quick summary:

November- Thanksgiving, was our last holiday with Jason, Kaylee, and Eisley Cohen.  We had a wonderful time together, eating great food and being thankful for our friendships.

December- On December 22nd, we had to say our tearful goodbyes to Jason and Kaylee.  Because of the army transportation guys taking their sweet time packing up their house, we had to rush our goodbyes. Eis and Ave had their first set of vaccines that day, and since Jason couldn't take Kaylee to the dr.  I went with her.  It was so crazy to me that our babies were already two months old!  We hurried back to my house afterward and I quickly finished packing.  Jason drove us to the airport.  I'm still so sad that we didn't get to spend our last day together, relaxing and enjoying our final moments in Alaska.  :[  Chris, Ave, and I got to the airport too late for our initial flight.  After having such a traumatic day, I completely broke down.  Of course the airport attendant did not care to hear my story, and even though our plane hadn't left the runway yet, they wouldn't let us board the plane.  After A LOT of frustrating phone calls to Delta, Alaska Airlines, and a few other airlines, the senior flight attendant took pity on us and put us on the next available ERA flight. I have never been more grateful for a puddle hopper plane in my life! haha. They comped our flight, and we made it to Anchorage.  From there, we had to re check through security.  Chris was carrying ALL of our luggage and he had to run from one end of the airport to the other.  Ave and I went through security and made it to the terminal as they were boarding.  I was begging, yet another flight attendant to wait just a few minutes, as Chris was trying to get all of our bags checked and still had to go through security.  Eventually he came running through the crowds of people.  Once we boarded that flight, we were home free.  We landed a few hours later in Seattle and from there we finally made it home to Salt Lake.

It was December 23rd when we finally got home.  Chris and I were so beat we spent the day sleeping and my elated family took care of Avery.  haha.  Thankfully we were staying at my mom's so we had a lot of much needed help.  On December 24th it's tradition for my mom's side to get together to celebrate Christmas.  Being surrounded by family was all that I ever wanted for Christmas.  Especially since last Christmas was so rough on Chris and I, it was wonderful to spend time with people we love.  Christmas Day we spent with Mark Molly and the girls.  And more of Chris' extended family.  It was so much fun.

January- New Years!  Chris and I were lucky enough to be able to spend New Years at home as well.  We spent it with our second family the Levies!  Erin Dylan's girlfriend, and Talena Ryan's girlfriend were also there.  Cameron Drane tagged along too and it was a blast!  We played cranium with my grandma and grandpa, and it was the FUNNIEST thing I've done in a long time.  My grandpa Halford is one of the sweetest men in the whole world, and everyone knows his hearing is really bad, so playing a game with him was beyond hilarious.  After cranium we played Pictionary on the wii.  Oh my gosh, I was on my grandma and grandpa's team.  And we won!  It was a fabulous night, that I will always cherish.  I'm so thankful for my crazy, wonderful family.

21st Bday!  Chris and I have the same birthday.  I flew standby to get back up to Fairbanks.  I'd been trying to get on a flight since Sunday, January 16th.  But God had other things in mind.  Tuesday, January 18th my Aunt Rae flew in from OK.  Her flight landed a few hours before mine took off.  She hadn't met Avery yet, so we met up at the airport and hung out before my flight left.  God is so good!  I made the flight which allowed me to be home with Chris on our birthday.  And because I waited until Tuesday Avery was able to meet her auntie!! It worked out so perfectly.  I was really sick by the time I landed, and I spent my birthday sleeping while Chris worked haha..

February-  Chris left on February 5th, to train in Cali at the NTC.  Needless to say we didn't get to spend Vday together.  But Chris had a miche bag mailed to me!  It was so sweet and thoughtful of him.  I honestly thought that he had forgotten all about it, as I'm generally the more sentimental one.  Anyway, I can't believe that it is now March, this year is FLYING by.  I love my family so much, and Chris should be home from training soon.  I can't wait to see him, he's the best man in the world. and I'm so lucky to call him mine.  [:

happy birthday.

On Tuesday October 26, 2010 I had a doctor's appointment at 10:15  A.M.  I had been contracting for over a week at this point, but Sunday Oct. 24 Avery had dropped noticeably and I was certain that she would be coming soon.  Chris was unable to get time off to go to my appointment with me, so luckily my mom was up here.  While waiting to be seen, I had a couple nurses ask if I was ok, and if I needed to just go straight to labor and delivery.  I assured them that I wanted to keep my appointment, and see my doctor before I went anywhere else.  After getting checked my heart sank when I found out I still hadn't dilated past one centimeter.  Bassett would only admit me if my water had broke or if I was dilated to a four.  My blood pressure had been increasingly getting higher at each visit, but the nurses hadn't seem too concerned.  This time Dr. Matthieu had seen me, and she felt I needed to be monitored longer.  I was determined that I would just get sent home again, so I fought my mom tooth and nail about going up there.  Eventually my mom was willing to persuade me to go.  So Dr. Matthieu sent me up to labor and delivery, where they hooked me up to morphine and phenogrine so that I would be able to sleep for awhile and they could see if my contractions would progress without stressing Avery and I, or to see if they would stop all together. 


After being hooked up for an hour or so, I started reacting to the phenogrine, my heart rate started to escalate, and blood pressure started getting dangerously high.  Around 4 or 5 P.M. I was admitted and moved into the room I planned to deliver her in.  After such a long, stressful week, I was RELIEVED to know that within 24 hours I'd be having my baby.  I was immediately given an epidural, and I was finally able to sleep.  After a few more hours I was given pitocin.  I was contracting beautifully and not feeling a thing, so I anticipated having her around the late afternoon, early evening on Oct. 27.  


Around seven o'clock the next morning I was woken up by doctors telling me to switch sides.  They had noticed a pattern that disturbed them.  After each contraction, Avery's heart rate would drop.  They took me off the pitocin for an hour to see if I could contract on my own and let her rest for awhile.  I was about to get hooked back up to the pitocin when Ave's heart rate dropped below 65.  They were worried she could be laying on her cord or that it could be around her neck, or in someway restricting her oxygen supply.  Within minutes I was being pumped full of drugs and signing my life away on the c section form. All I had dreaded my entire pregnancy was ending up having to have a c section.  But I was willing to do anything as long as it ensured Avery's safety.


At 9:51 A.M. on Oct. 27, Avery Jane Pettriess was born.  She weighed 8 lbs. and 1 oz. and was 19 inches long! Within fifteen minutes of being whisked away to surgery, Chris was back in the room holding our precious baby and showing her off to my mom.  [:  Dr. McWilliams was a great doctor and he delivered her so quickly and safely.  I am so thankful that my mom was with me at my appointment on Tuesday.  I was so upset about not being dilated she practically dragged me up the stairs to labor and delivery.  Without Chris being able to go with me at first, I know that I would have left the hospital right after my appointment and who knows what would have happened to Avery.  I love my mom and I'm so blessed and grateful that she was able to here for her first grandbaby's birth.  I love my amazing husband, as without him, I wouldn't have my beautiful little angel.  Chris has been so phenomenal since day one.  He changed every diaper at the hospital and really took care of her in every way (other than nursing [: ha) for the first two days of her life.  I was under the impression that I would be able to bounce right back after surgery, but it has been much harder than I thought.  I can't thank Chris, my mom, and my church family enough for all of their help, love, and prayers.  Above all I am so thankful that God has taken care of us, and given us a beautiful, healthy child.  I've never been so happy or felt so completely in my whole life.  God is good, and my family is wonderful.  [:

update [:

WOW.  It's been a while since I've updated everyone on our life.  To make a very long story short, I'll back track to September 8th.  That morning I was woken up by my apartment's maintenance man.  He was banging on the door, and when I answered it he told me I needed to get out of my house right away because my neighbors below were running a meth lab.  Chris was at work and wasn't able to get home, so I waited around for the Fairbanks PD and Fire Department to show up.  After going through the house, they said there was a cat that wasn't being properly taken care of so the ammonia smell was from them not taking care of it.  I spoke to a police officer, and she admitted that it was unsafe living conditions even to live above them, because the fumes were so strong.  That night, we packed up all of our things and moved in with our dear, WONDERFUL friends Kaylee and Jason.

The next day the Fairbanks Drug Task Force went through our neighbors home, and they determined they had been hoarding animals and that they house was unlivable.  Needless to say, we were unable to live in our home.  Eventually we bothered enough people to get moved on post, last Tuesday September 28th.  It has been extremely stressful for us lately, but there's no way we could have made it through the last three weeks without all the love, support, and help of the Cohen's.  I just love them so much and I'm so thankful for all of their help!  


Now, we are all moved in to our new home.  It is so much better than our old apartment. It's safe, clean, and a lot roomier.  Avery's room is all set up, and its adorable.  We're so much healthier and happier and are so grateful to everyone who helped us.  Members of our church stepped up beyond our wildest dreams, and helped us move all of our belongings to our new house and the Cerelli's helped us clean and move ALL day Tuesday.  It's so nice to feel loved even though we're so far from home and our friends and family.  


As for my pregnancy, Avery is doing great.  She's dropping and is in perfect position.  I'm feeling pretty ready to have this little lady, and being that she's full term this week it can happen any day now!  I've had a lot of braxton hicks contractions and they've escalated since Friday, but we'll see what happens.  Right now I'm just focusing on having this beautiful baby in my arms!  I cannot wait to meet her.  [:  She's so wonderful already.  


On a final note, I love my husband Christopher Pettriess.  He had to go to the field for deployment training, while I was staying at Jason and Kaylee's.  That just happened to be over our first Anniversary.  I was so sad that we couldn't spend our most important day of the year together.  But he was able to call me and just hearing his voice made my night.  Chris is so amazing and even though the last year has been absolutely crazy, and a lot harder than we ever expected, I'm so glad that I was able to go through all of it with him by my side.  [:

hooray.

For some reason my goal throughout my entire pregnancy thus far, has been to make it to thirty weeks.  I just kept telling myself, "If I can make it to week thirty I can make it all the way."  I remember being so excited to be over eight weeks, so I could say I was two months along, at the time I felt quite accomplished being able to count in months rather than just weeks.  haha.  Now that I am in the "final stretch" I'm feeling even more accomplished.  


My roller coaster of emotions is still in full swing.  My strongest emotion is excitement, but its followed closely by anxiety!  I am so ready to not be pregnant out of sheer selfishness.  My body has never been so stretched and disproportioned.  I'm ready to sleep on my belly and have regain some much needed energy.   [:  All in all, I have enjoyed being pregnant a lot more than I expected to, but I never anticipated how life changing it is, even before giving birth.  I'm ready for our family to be whole, and to meet this little monster who is so active I can hardly stand it.  I watch my stomach in amazement as she stretches from under my ribcage all the way to my hip.  Even though she has kicked and squirmed for over two months now, it still makes me laugh to watch her contort my stomach and cause it to ripple.  As excited as I am to hold and kiss her, I know I'll miss these little reminders of her growth and development in my belly.  Nothing is more wonderful than feeling her grow bigger and stronger.  I just love my baby.  [:  

third trimester.

My little Avery has done a lot of growing the last few weeks.  And these are a few of her latest accomplishments:  She weighs a little over two pounds, her retinas are developing and she can detect light (which is why she kicks at Chris when he shines a flashlight on my belly.)  She is also having hiccups more, because she's practicing breathing.  She's forming her own sleeping patterns right now, which are the opposite of mine.  She kicks when I lay down for bed, and wakes me up every morning around four or five by stomping on my bladder.  haha.  I love my little Avery Jane so much, and I can't wait to meet her. 


My body has changed so much from gaining WAY more weight than I ever intended, to horrible headaches and leg cramps, heart palpitations, and swollen feet and fingers.  I can't wear my wedding ring or half the maternity clothes I got.  I never anticipated pregnancy to be so hard, but I am more than willing to go through anything for this little lady.  I've had so many friends have babies recently, and I'm so thankful for all of their support and advice, and for the support of the rest of my friends and family.  Its been hard being so far away from home, but its amazing to still feel so loved.

Avery's Room

Today I am 25 weeks pregnant!  Chris and I worked hard on turning our spare room into Avery's nursery.  Here are a few things we worked on.

This is a cute little cubby system Chris put together.  It has brown and pink basket things which are full of her clothes and bath stuff.

This is our awesome stroller and car seat.

These are little flowers that we're decorating her room with.  They're brown, green, and pink. 

This is her blanky that I made for her.  It has elephants on one side and polka dots on the other.

I spend a lot of time in her room.  I can't wait until she is here and completes not only her room, but our family.  [:

memories with the family.

Family Vacation.

My family flew into to Fairbanks International Airport around one a.m. Sunday morning.  [June 27th]  We slept in a little bit after our initial excitement of picking them up and getting everyone settled into our small apartment.  At eleven a.m. we had brunch at Pike's Landing.  Its a restaurant right on the Chena River.  It was pretty pricey but the food and view made it worth it, to me at least.  

Monday was the big day!  I'd been waiting for months for this day.  I got up early and got ready.  My family woke up pretty early as well.  We couldn't wait to find out how many and what sex this baby was going to be.  After getting a little lost on the way, we found the "hole in the wall" clinic.  I got all signed in, and we got called back rather quickly.  As soon as we saw our little jelly bean kicking around, I asked if that was the ONLY one. The tech said, "Yep, there appears to only be one."  After breathing a sigh of relief [not that we wouldn't love having twins]  I let her know that we definitely wanted to find out the sex.  She checked its heart, spine, made sure it had all ten fingers and toes.  After finally getting it to roll around enough, she let us know that we are expecting a beautiful baby girl.  I cried.  Secretly I felt from the day I found out that I was pregnant that this little being was a girl.  But hey, what did I know?  It was my first pregnancy.  Anyway,  I am ecstatic to have miss Avery Jane.  She was 1.3 lbs and she may be a little further along then we thought.  I find out tomorrow at my doctor's apt.  I love you little Avery, and I'm already so proud to be your mommy.

Tuesday my family and I drove to North Pole.  Its a small city a few miles south of Fairbanks.  They have a really fun tourist stop called "Santa's House."  I'm not so sure how much my brothers enjoyed it, but my mom and I had a great time.  I got a picture on Santa's lap [which I'll have to get from my mom.]  And speaking of my sweet mother, she bought Avery her "baby's first Christmas" ornament.  Its darling.  [:  

Wednesday my family and I went to the Farmer's Market.  It was really fun, I wish we would've had more time to explore.  BUT we had to go see Eclipse.  My family is obsessed with Twilight.  haha.  I laughed throughout the entire movie, thanks to Ryan making smart little remarks the whole time.  Later that night we all went to see Toy Story 3.  Chris came to that one, it was great.  I cried.

Thursday was "family day" on post.  We did a walk around part of the base, at SIX THIRTY in the morning. I was a little beyond grumpy.  [:  Then my family and Chris went back at nine to shoot big guns and stuff.  Since that's not really my thing, I stayed home and enjoyed a little peace and quiet.  Love you family!  :]  After they got back, we got all packed up and drove to Chena. We hung out in the hot spring and spent the night in a little suite together.  It was really fun.  

Friday morning we went to an ice museum [in Chena], it was SO cool. We drove home from Chena and had a yummy lunch at Tubby's BBQ.  

Saturday we got up early and went to Denali.  I wish we would've planned it out better, but the boys had fun climbing up the mountain together.  My mom, Charlie, and I hung out in the car for a couple hours. haha.  During their hike, there was a huge storm.  By the time the boys got back to the car they were all soaked, so we got them new warm "Alaska" clothes from a tourist shop.  We had a great pizza lunch on our way back home, and all in all it was a really fun day.

Sunday we went to church and then went to Pioneer Park for the fourth of July.  We went into a little store that offered a "real Alaskan winter experience."  It was a room that was kept at 40 below 0 degrees.  We got a really cool picture taken and only stayed in there for a few minutes.  My cheeks are STILL pink from it.  ha.

Monday was my family's last day up here.  We hung out at our apartment all day and just spent time together.  I love my family so much, and it was one of the hardest things to have to take them back to the airport.  I cried the whole way home, but Christmas will be here soon.  And we'll be visiting Utah!  [:  I love you mom, Ryan, Dylan, and Bryce!