Happy Birthday Lizzie!

Picking up where I left off...

After laboring all through the night, I didn't progress.  Everyone went home except for Dale and Sherri and my mom finally arrived too.  They got to a point where they wanted to get things to progress, so they gave me some pitocin (sp?).  They gave me a total of two doses and each time the heart rate of the baby (we didn't know if it was a girl or boy yet) kept going down.  Then came the news that I didn't want to hear.  I was going to have to have a C-section, the ONE thing I didn't want to do, but it had to be done.  This decision was made at 3:15 pm and we were whisked away to surgery.

Here we were right before

And at 3:28pm Elizabeth Lyn Durfee joined us and made us the Durfee Family.  Because she was five weeks early, they were scared that her lungs hadn't developed completely, and they were right.  I didn't get to see any of this first hand because I was on the operating table, but JJ said he could see she was struggling to breathe.  I felt bad for him because he didn't know if he should go with her to the NICU or if he should stay with me.  I told him to go with her, as I would be fine.  They let me hold her for a split second before they whisked her away.  The doctor told us she was stable, but she would have to spend a few more days there in the NICU until they could take her off the oxygen and have her breathe on her own.  She was 5lbs 13oz, and while that is small, she was one of the biggest babies in that NICU and I consider us very fortunate for that. 

Here we are in the recovery room.  I was thankful that there were other "ears" there to listen to what the doctor said because I was in and out of it the whole time.

This was JJ with Lizzie for the first time.

Here we were right before I got to see her for the first time.  This was later the next day that I actually got to see her and then I couldn't even hold her right away either.

My first time seeing my Peaches

First Durfee Family Picture

We finally got to hold her, but only with the oxygen close by

Daddy and Lizzie

Me with Lizzie

Another one with Daddy

Of course she got jaundice too, so they had to put her in the lights and gave her these little sunglasses.

Here she is "basking" in the light

And after 9 days in the NICU she got to come "home" with us to the hotel.  We left on the airplane the next day.  They had me on a pumping scheule of every three hours, but of course she wasn't on that schedule necessarily, so we were concerned that she didn't want to eat and I really needed her to eat!!



She has brought us so much joy over the last 7 years and I still look at her and can't believe she is ours!!  Here are some more pictures of her over the years on each of her birthdays.

Just starting to walk

This was on her actual 1st birthday

In her party dress

Enjoying her cake!!

Opening presents on her 2nd birthday

Blowing out candles

More candles, but a year later on her 3rd birthday

The three of us on her third birthday

Her first birthday as a big sister

4th birthday party at Chuck E Cheese

With her friends

Celebrating at daycare

Opening presents

At Red Robin on her 5th birthday

Her birthday party, her first slumber party

Princess cake for a princess!

Enjoying cake at her 6th birthday party

Blowing out candles on her cake at her 6th birthday



Vegas has a different meaning to us.  What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas!!  She is a blessing in SO many ways and has a great birth story to go with it!!  Today we celebrated by going to Red Robin and to Menchies.  Tomorrow is her birthday party, so I will be posting pictures later!!

Happy 7th Birthday Lizzabear!!!

The Day in Between

July 21st...it's the day after our wedding/anniversary and the day before one of the best days of our lives.

Nine years ago today we were arriving in the Bahamas to enjoy our honeymoon at a Sandals Resort.  What an amazing place that was!!  One day we want to go back again.  The pictures we looked at online before we left didn't lie about the beauty of the place.  Here are a couple of pictures from our honeymoon.

We dubbed this little beach area "Durfee Beach" because no one was there while we were, so we got it all to ourselves.

This was at one of the many restaurants they had on the resort.



And again, we fast forward to two years later - 2004 - and it was the beginning of an exciting, yet scary, experience.  I do love telling this story.  This was the day it all began.  It was our last day in Vegas so we were going to make the most of it.  We went swimming at the Hard Rock Hotel with Jacian and Scott and Scott's dad and brother.  We had a really good meal at the Hard Rock Cafe too!!  It wasn't until later in the evening and we were at the Paris casino playing 3-card poker that I started getting uncomfortable.  I thought at first it was the chairs I was sitting in and then I realized my stomach was getting tighter every once in a while.  Nothing painful, just annoying.  JJ's mom and grandma were there, so we asked them what I should do and they both suggested I just go back to the hotel room and get some rest.  So, JJ and I headed back to our hotel room and I started dozing in and out while JJ was watching TV.  He started to get restless and asked if I minded if he walked over to one of the casinos close by and I told him go for it.  I was just resting and we were heading home the next day, so why not?! 

Well, around 8pm I was laying there, in the bed, and all of a sudden WOOSH, my water broke!!!  Boy, was I thankful for cell phones!!!  I called JJ right away, obviously, and he told me later that he cashed out the machine he was playing on and ran through the casino.  He was afraid that the security people were going to stop him or something.  My next call was to my mother-in-law, who was at the Belagio watching the water show.  I then called my mom to let her know what was happening.  We were all in disbelief!!  Mom got on a flight as soon as she could.  Sherri, Jacian, Stasia and Grandma left all the guys at the Belagio without any money for a taxi.  Obviously they found a way back.

We had several rooms at the hotel we were staying at and I was all alone except for JJ's younger cousin, Missy, who was getting ready to go out for her 21st birthday, but had to wait until midnight.  So, she came over to our room and helped me until everyone else got there.  Before I know it I'm surrounded by everyone in the hotel room.  After a bit of struggling, Missy got the front desk to finally call an ambulance.  We got to the hospital and we waited.  I was finally moved to a room where we waited some more.  My water may have broken, but nothing else was really progressing...  They let me labor overnight, in hopes that I would progress on my own.  So, I was able to get a little sleep and we waited some more...

To be continued... 

Mr & Mrs Durfee

Today JJ and I celebrate nine years of being married!!  We've had our ups and down, but there have been more ups than downs!! 

Ultimately my dad is the one to thank for introducing us in the first place.  I guess he saw something in the both of us and thought we would be good together and I do believe he was right!!  I will never forget when we were at Christa's graduation and JJ was there with his friend and dad spotted him.  The look on his (dad's) face was priceless. 

We got married on July 20, 2002 in Turner, OR.  Here are a few of our wedding pictures...

Right after we became Mr & Mrs Durfee!!

Our first dance

Now fast forward two years...

We were in Vegas having a good time and expecting our first child.  We just celebrated Jacian and Scott getting married and now we were celebrating two years together.  Here are a couple of pictures of us in Vegas.

Here we are in front of the Belagio

Jacian and I while we were walking around that night.

Happy anniversary to my wonderful husband!!!  You are the best and here are to the next 60+ years!!!

A Vegas Wedding

Seven years ago today it was day number two in Las Vegas.  This date was the main reason we were in Vegas, JJ's little sister, Jacian, was getting married.  It was a fun filled day and we went and saw some of the sights.  The wedding wasn't until the evening, so we had all day to go do stuff.

Here we are at the wedding.  It was Vegas and it was HOT!!!

This is a picture of all the girls in the family from left to right - Me, Stasia (JJ's older sister), Sherri (JJ's mom), Jacian (the bride), Zelda aka Grandma, Jodi (JJ's aunt), Shani (JJ's cousin), Desi (JJ's cousin) and Missy (JJ's cousin).  Three of us were pregnant in this photo - Me (obviously), Stasia and Shani.

The happy couple after becoming Mr and Mrs Carnes!!

Jacian and Scott after the wedding.

Happy 7th anniversary to them today!!

Eventful Week

This week is kind of a busy one for us!!  Nine years ago this week we were preparing to become Mr & Mrs Durfee and two years later we were welcomed by Miss Lizzie.  I am going to try out something for the next couple of days.  Each day I am going to reflect back on those dates when this week became an ultra important one to us!!

Seven years ago TODAY, July 18th, we left for Las Vegas.  It was my first trip there and I was excited to go and see what was all there etc.  Did I mention that I was 34 weeks pregnant too?  My doctor was not really thrilled with me going, but did give me the green light.  We took my paperwork "just in case" anything happened.  I was determined NOT to sit in my hotel room the whole time because I was pregnant!! 

This is a picture of me about a week before we left...



So, that is all that was exciting for today...  Stay tuned for more!!