HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANTSEN

JANTSEN IS 4 YEARS OLD TODAY

And I really cannot believe it. So many emotions have been building up in me as we have come closer to his birthday. "I am old...I have a 4 year old kid", "He is one year away from starting kindergarten" "I want him to stay little forever so that he has to depend on me for everything." (Now I know that that is unreasonable and crazy, but I really wish I could spoil and baby him forever.) Unfortunately, "I AM old enough to have a 4 year old, that WILL be starting kindergarten, and that HAS become totally independent". But in thinking about all the fun memories and events we have been through these past 4 years as we have watched Jantsen grow and learn, it makes me so excited to see what he can do just in this next year. I am so proud to be his mom and feel so blessed each day to have such a wonderful little man that brings so much happiness and laughter and fun and joy, with occasionally the need for patience, but especially unconditional love in our family and in my life. What a blessing Jantsen is in our lives.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANTSEN
WE LOVE YOU!
love Dad, Mom and Kambryn

Journal post about Jantsen birth:
I woke up at about 4:00am on the 24th(Saturday) with my first small contraction. I was able to go back to sleep until about 8:00. We then just went about our business getting alittle packed for the hospital, helping my mom finish some blankets we were making, and also dealing with the occasional contractions. It wasn't until about noon that they started getting alittle harder and closer together. (Unfortunately I was under the impression that I wasn't suppose to eat OR drink anything that day in case of complications and C-sections and I was totally afraid of throwing up while in labor) So the whole day I hadn't eaten or had anything to drink. Well at about 3:00 in the afternoon my contractions started getting harder and lasting longer (for like 1 minute) and also being further apart. Not exactly what the book said was going to happen. But it was so bad that finally at 4:00 I told Kyle that I had to go to the hospital and couldn't take it any longer. We went there and they checked me and came up with the conclusion that actual I was in the first stages of labor but I was also totally dehydrated that my uterus was cramping (from lack of water) and not really contracting. They loaded me up with water and I stayed there for about an hour. The nurse told me I could stay but they wouldn't admit me or I could go home but to come back at about 7:00. Of course we went home and hung out at the house. I got a Jamba Juice (which I threw up with my first REAL contraction). We finally felt it was time to go back at 8:30pm. I checked into the hospital and kept contracting with a little help from Nubain (pain medicine that took the edge off the contractions) until I couldn't stand it anymore. At midnight I told the nurse that I wanted an epidural. They came and at 12:30 I got the epidural and then they broke my water. I could still feel the contractions and almost everything on my right side. My left side was numb but I felt it the whole thing on my right side. They gave me another dose of epidural stuff but it was too late to even feel any effects from because I was dilating too fast. So I only pushed for like 15 minutes and then I had my cute little Jantsen man. He was born Sunday morning July 25, 2004 at 1:42 am. He weighed 7 lbs. 5 oz and was 21 1/2 in. long. We were so grateful to have this little man in our family and felt blessed to be his parents!

For his birthday we went to Seven Peaks Water Park in Provo. I use to go there all the time growing up and so it was alittle crazy that I was taking my own child there, for his 4th birthday. Anyways, we were joined by alot of family members. Curt, Natalie, Kade, and our little family and also my cousins Madeline and Sarah went to the park earlier. We then were met up with the rest of the family. I was so excited that Cami and Parker flew to Utah earlier, and that James decided to drive all night from Kansas to make it to Jantsen's party. It is wonderful to have such great support and family members.

Well it was such a hot and beautiful day, which also caused for the park to be PACKED. But we had so much fun going down the slides and floating on the lazy river and playing in the wave pool. Jantsen and Kyle went down a tube ride immediately when we got there. Jantsen is such a little daredevil and absolutely loves the thrill of rides. He was begging us to let him go on all the BIG slides like free-fall and skyscraper. But he had to settle for the smaller rides. We told him when it is his 5th birthday he could go. So that was sufficient enough for him. We all had a great time playing in the sun and spending time with each other. Kambryn, Eme, Parker and Jantsen loved playing together in the kiddie area and also racing the waves to the shore at the wave pool. We are so blessed to have such close relationships with all our family. Thanks so much to everyone that came.

After the day at the pool, we went to home and ate some YUMMY and much needed food, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches! Evelyn and Jim, and Phil and Allison came to the house for the rest of the party. Jantsen had a blast opening his presents and having people sing happy birthday. He couldn't wait to blow out his candles on his sugar cookie cake. We even cut out some candy canes and turned them into "J"s and he thought that was just great! After stuffing our faces with the delicious food and letting Jantsen and Sarah and Parker tear into the toys, we all went outside to light off some fireworks for the big grand finale of the party. Jantsen and Parker went wild with the little poppers, trying to throw them at everyone. Oh to be a kid again and get away with that. Well my dad had some old fireworks and so...why not?! The only bad thing is that it was 10:00pm and all we had were the noisy screamers and then we lit a long line of the illegal firecrackers. Now that was the longest 5 minutes of my life. Just hoping that those firecrackers would stop, because it was so loud, and if it was me trying to sleep, oh I would be so ticked at my neighbors. Well it was a great day and so much fun to celebrate Jantsen's birthday. We love you Jantsen!