Love the snow, hate the drive!

So... Now that Gavin is here and we have moved into our house and everything is just now finally starting to calm down, life is good.  Lainie and I are able to stay at home and take care of out new son, and just enjoy being with one another.  A friend of mine asked me if there were any surprises that instantly came from being a father, my reply was 2.  First, (not so much a surprise) was that Lainie is just naturally an amazing mother!  I knew she would be, but I honestly had no idea just how incredible she really is.  She takes care of the hard stuff with Gavin, I just do my best to do what I'm asked.  Number 2, was the instant amount of love that I had for the little guy.  I knew and already loved him while he was in the womb, but now that he is here i had no idea just how much love i had.  He was recently circumcised, and when I heard him scream during the procedure, i nearly fainted.  It hurt me so deeply to see and hear him in so much pain, that I had to sit down. For you fathers to be, be prepared for a new feeling, one that is overwhelming, the feeling of wanting to protect your baby at any cost.

recently we have had a bunch of visitors up to help us out, Jess flew in from NY, but the storm was so bad that she wasn't going to be able to make it up. I finally decided that she had come too far to not see Gavin, so I made the drive down to SLC to pick her up, (Jake my best friend ever braved the snow and brought her halfway) We made it through Sardine Canyon just in time and she and my nephew Little J Homer spent the weekend with us. It was a blast!!! I drove them back to SLC the next day.  Steve, Mel, and Kaitlyn came up just yesterday. Steve made crock pot lasagna and it was sooooo good!  It was so good to see them and catch up on everything.  

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that Life has just improved incredibly for us and we are so happy!  

7.12lbs 19.5 inches long

This is our new baby boy Gavin Jacob Harris!  He was born December 9th at 5:00 am, after about 14 hours of labor.  I never knew it was instantly possible to love someone so incredibly much just after the first glance at him.  Lainie was incredible, she never tired nor gave up, even though eventually Gavin wouldn't move any further. She was actually delivering for about 3 hours.  I also had know idea (okay some idea) of just what amazing woman I married. She is incredible with this little guy, feeding, changing, and taking care his every need! All that on top of taking care of a newborn is pretty impressive! ;0) There was just one complication during the birth, Gavin's umbilical cord had a pretty significant knot, and our Doctor who is also a Bishop said that he was amazed at the blessings and power of prayer that must have gone into our son.  We were very lucky. 

Happy to say Gavin is very healthy, just a little jaundis (spelling) and seems to be quite content with his new parents.  He was very alert when he came out, but since has been quite the sleeper, even allowing Lainie and I to get a whole 4 hours of sleep his first night home. He rarely cries and when he is awake, is constantly studying his surroundings.  Last night he woke up in my arms and just looked into my eyes for about 15-20 minutes.  I couldn't look away and was brought to tears with emotion. Today he was circumsized and dad didn't do to well.  We were watching and as soon as I heard that cry of pain from him, i nearly passed out.  I got a sudden hot flash and my stomach dropped to the floor, it was hard to see him in so much pain, and not be able to do anything about it.  Allie (our dog) is very good with him, she knows that he is delicate and generally stays just close enough to know where he is, she becomes very concerned when he begins to cry and won't relax until he stops.  We are a very Happy and extremely blessed little family. We will be in town (salt lake) on Sunday the 21st for little Kaitlyn's blessing, and a family Christmas party, so if you would like to meet the little guy let us know.  (As long as you are not or have not been sick)  Our Pediatrician says that RSV is going around this time of year so it is better to keep him as safe as possible.  We love you all, and thank you for your support!!!

Merry Christmas,

Cody, Lainie, Gavin, and Allie

Finally here... long awaited...

Photos of our home!  (what were you thinking of something else?) Sorry it took so long to put these up, but our lives as a student, manager, 9 month pregnant woman, and delinquent couselor have just gotten crazy, especially during the holidays!  This is the front, the living room, the backyard, and of course Gavin's room.  I spent about 2 days on Gavin's room painting and putting up the bead board.  Lainie of course did all of the decorations (she is obsessed with decorations)  This doesn't show the basement, kitchen or Master bedroom, if you want to see those, you'll have to make the trip to see us. We look forward to seeing a lot of you after little Gavin decides to join us.  Well that is about it for now.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Cody and Lainie

The House, The Fun, The Life

First off, yes we are in our house, and no there aren't any pictures just yet.  We are moved in, but not quite moved in yet.  So as soon as we are, the pictures will be posted.  The house is fantastic by the way, however it is kind of crazy how fast bills add up. Being long time renters we really never had that problem before, and now with the very large new bill, it can feel a bit overwhelming.  But still, very worth it!  Gavin is just 31 days from his due date, and we are both very anxious to meet this little guy. I just keep telling myself that each day that goes by is one more day I'm closer to meeting my son!  I CANNOT WAIT TO BE A DAD! I am so excited, and feel that (because of my own father circumstances) that this will be a completely life changing event. That it is no coincidence that our first is a boy.  I already have a special bond with him.  Lainie is doing well, she never complains, she doesn't whine, and she is amazing!  Oh and did I mention that she is the most beautiful pregnant woman alive!  I'm not just saying that either! 

I also have to mention that last thursday was probably the most exciting sports event I have ever been to. Watching the Utes come from behind to beat TCU, in a crowd of black wearing, screaming fans, sitting next to my Cousins was AWESOME!  #7 in the BCS and just two games away from another "busting" season!  Though I'm in Logan going to USU, I have and will always be a Utah Man. 

House

It's been quite awhile since we have posted any new blogs, but with good reason. We have been exceptionally busy. We have bought a house!! We are so excited for it too, we got a fantastic deal on a 2100 sq ft 4 bed home in Providence. (Just south of Logan) It is on .27 acre lot, and is very cute. The upstairs is all the way done and done very well, the basement is mostly done, but has plenty of room for us to do ourselves, which makes me happy. It has a huge yard, and a hot tub! So we have been mostly focusing on this, along with the usual baby, work and school things. WE are set to close and move in on or around the 27th of this month. I can't wait to get out of this apartment, i hate it here. That is just a quick update on what we have been up to.

Family is Everything

This last week was a powerful one for Lainie and I. Lainie's grandma Poulsen died last Tuesday, (it was somewhat expected and for the best) but still difficult to see. We spent nearly the entire week together with our family and friends. I learned a lot about my in-laws this week and can I just say they are some of the best people I know! I was really moved to see the way they came together to support their mom (one of my favorite people ever) and one another. That is what family is all about. Lainie and I spent two days at her moms house this weekend, and both nights were a lot of fun. On Friday night all of the kids were together just eating pizza and hanging out, I have felt that I don't know them all that well, and so I was a little intimidated by it all, but I felt like I was a family member. Just talking and laughing until about 12:30 that night, I had a blast, listening to the stories and everyones insights on movies and just life. I think it was especially good for Lainie's mom (even though she was completley exhausted) to see all of the Kids toghether. She has to be so proud of how well all of them have done. Brighton, (our cute niece, they are all adorable) just had to have a sleepover with her favorite aunt and uncle, but by the time we were all done talking she was fast asleep. So the next morning we built a house out of blocks and played with Allie. She is way too cute!

The next day we drove down to Salt Lake and hung out with some of my family and friends, we spent the afternoon with my best friends Jake and his wife Lindsay, oh and Allie's best friend Dutchess. Life seemed to be the topic we talked about the most, I guess the fact that both Lainie and Lindsay are pregnant probably has a lot to do with that. BTW JAKE AND LINDS ARE HAVING A LITTLE GIRL!!!!! (they just found out this morning) Which means that even before Gavin is out of the womb he may already be off the market! Sorry ladies... Anyways it was fantastic to see them and my mom, after that I went to the U of U football game and Lainie went and hung out with her best friend Jen. The game was awesome (Utes destroyed the UNLV Rebels) and Lainie had a great time with Jen. We drove home and fell asleep. It was a great week! Family is Everything, no matter what!

Work, Life, Allie and a Rutabaga!

So it's been a while since I have posted anything so I thought I'd give a quick update. Life for me lately has been pretty busy. We are somewhat short staffed at work and being the clinic manager I have been filling in where needed which has left me working about 50 hours a week and sometimes bringing home work over the weekend. We have also been very busy trying to get all of the athletes (from little leagers to USU stars) ready to play their sports which has meant some late nights of "Sports Physical Clinics" In fact I just got home from finishing up with the USU athletes! The fun part is I get to be involved in "Sports Medicine" which I love, so it's worth it.
In other news my tummy keeps growing which must mean our little guy is getting bigger. I read the other day that he now weighs as much as a rutabaga (1.5 lbs), and is about 13 inches long. Ha ha even though I was thinking "what the heck is a rutabaga" I can't help but think it sounds pretty dang cute... our little rutabaga.
Cody's ankle is slowly but surely getting better, he starts school again tomorrow and has been working all sorts of over time, which of course makes me miss him, but I'm grateful he's willing to work hard so we can be financially ready when the baby gets here.
As soon as I learn how to post a slide show we have some cute pictures of Allie. She of course is the entertainment of the household lately, and she has a new friend "Jorge" who will be featured in a number of the pictures! Today i left her in her new fancy crate/tent/mansion with food so she'd eat while I was up at the student health center with the athletes (Lately she refuses to eat unless we put her food in her crate with her, I guess she doesn't like to eat out in the open). Well I got home and she had managed to tip the whole thing over on it's side (food, water, blanket, and Allie) She was fine since the whole thing is made of canvas but, needless to say she was very grateful and happy when I got home to rescue her. At least I'm getting some practice in what its like to have a kid right?

Lazy Summer Days...

The Summer semester here at USU just got out a week ago, (Somehow I managed to pass my Biology class YAY!) I was so excited for the 3 weeks I have until Fall semester starts. Then 2 days later this happened. I severely sprained my left ankle while playing basketball at work. I've been on crutches the last couple of days and have also been doing physical therapy. As you can see my foot is very swollen and bruised... oh so much fun. So while Lainie is working away i've been trying to stay busy, (something that is difficult with a bum ankle). I've played a lot of xbox, (soon it will be much more because Madden 09 is coming out on Tuesday) read my scrips, and been doing some charcoal drawings too. I love drawing, especially when i'm the most stressed out, there is almost nothing more relaxing. So if you have anything you would like drawn out, please let me know and we can work it out. Since I use charcoals, Pictures with a lot of contrast and shadow work the best.

It's A BOY!!!

Quick update... Just follow the arrows...We are having a Boy, his name will be Gavin Jacob Harris. (yes its already set) I wonder if he'll be embarrassed later in life if he knew that I posted this?

Nah.. .I'm not about trying to blog today dawg...

It's been a little while since I last wrote the entry, so I figured I would let people know a little bit more about me. First off, I'm a husband and love my wife more than I could ever write. (those of you who know Lainie know just how incredible she is) Secondly, My family and my faith mean everything to me, my mom and my sisters are the ones that raised me, and I'd like to think they did a great job. My Heavenly Father and I are very close and he is very involved in my life. Third, I love the Jazz, the Utes, and the 49ers, sports are a big part of me. I am currently at USU studying to be a social worker, I love helping people more than anything, just talking and listening. I currently work for Logan River Academy, which is a school/treatment facility for troubled teens. The kids there have taught me a lot, especially the latest lingo. Everything they say is ..."what's good!?" "Nah dawg," or "Are you serious right now?!" or my personal favorite "I'm not about to do this, right now." These kids are ages 14-17 and have faced stuff that most of us couldn't even think of. Mostly Drug, and anger problems, which usually means they've missed a ton of school, L.R.A. gives them the opportunity to catch up and get help, while staying in a very structured environment. (A Step below Juvenile Hall) My job is to take care of them while they are in the residence, I try to keep about 11 kids in line and on task. We play a lot of basketball, and catch, we eat, and watch movies, all while trying to be the disciplinarian. Its a lot of fun. The best is when the kids begin to trust me, and really open up about life and their problems, because then I feel like I'm able to help them the most. This is good training for Lainie and my dream of opening up our own treatment center one day. Can't wait to get started. If you have any other questions for me feel free to ask.

Peace,
Cody

Campfire

This weekend we went up the canyon and roasted marshmellows with our best buds (Josh, Jennyrose, Jake, and Lindsay) Jake says we need to take more pictures so our kids can see we did fun stuff, I agree! If this picture doesn't say "fun to the max" I don't know what does!

Celebrating One Year!

Wow I can't believe it's already been 365 days! All day yesterday I couldn't help but remember our wedding day, and how amazing it was to kneel across from Cody in the Lord's house. All my life I've dreamed of being married, and starting a family, but I had no idea I could be so happy and in love. I can't express how blessed I feel to be married to Cody, he's the best husband ever! Looking back over this year I realize how lucky we are to have such wonderful family, friends, and experiences. We traveled to Hawaii and Florida, we've lived in Sugarhouse, and now Logan, we adopted the most loving dog, we both have fantastic jobs, and now we're looking forward to our first baby! We owe all we have to God who brought us together and has guided us each step of the way. Truly we couldn't be more in love or more excited for forever

This is Allie

We affectionately call her "Allie bug" or just "bug" most of the time! She is all cuddled up in a blanket on our love sac which is about her favorite nap spot (unless of course she can find a spot on someone's lap) She still has a lot of puppy qualities which makes her a lot of fun! She is really social and loves to play with other dogs at the dog park. She is very agile and Cody taught her how to climb some trees. She also likes to play on the play-ground and go down the slide! We absolutely love her as you can tell I could go on and on about her! I'm sure she'll be featured in many blogs to come!

Getting up to date...

Welcome to our Blog.
We have now been married nearly a year and wanted to let you all know just how happy we are. As many know we were married on 07/07/2007 (easy to remember if you want to send any anniversary gifts) and in just the last 11 months we have experienced quite a bit. We started off in Salt Lake, in a little 1 bedroom apartment that was pretty overpriced. However, the location was perfect for us, only 5 minutes from school (the U) and about 10 minutes away from our work. In October we adopted the first member of our family, our puppy Allie. She is a bit crazy and energetic, but through some obedience classes as well as just time, she is just about the sweetest, loving dog you could ask for. (well at home anyways) We had our first Christmas together, in which Allie seemed to get most of the presents, and in January Lainie applied for a better job up north in Logan, UT. Of course she got it, and so we were off and moved up to Logan. We found a decent 2 bedroom apt, near a bunch of parks, in a great part of town. Lainie loves her job as Office Manager of Canyon View Orthopedics at Logan Regional Hospital. Because of the timing of the move, I was unable to transfer to Utah State in time, so I sat the semester out and found a job. I was working at Qwest and hating every minute of it. Then after an emergency appendectomy, I quit. I've always wanted to work in job that I was interested in, but have never had the opportunity, because lets be honest, Social Work just doesn't pay that well. But with Lainie's new job, financially I was able to find something I liked, and am happily employed at Logan River Academy. I take care of troubled teens during their treatment. I am enrolled at Utah State and attending this summer. (I have a few classes I need to take before getting into the Social Work program.) During the month of March we added another member to the family, and are very happy to announce that Lainie is pregnant and all is well. Her expected due date is December 11th! We are so so so so so excited.
So that pretty much and very quickly has everyone up to date.