So today starts a new decade for me....my thirties! It's kinda funny to actually think that I'm thirty now. I remember when I was a little girl, thirty seemed so....well....mature and grown up. (Notice I didn't use the word old!) I really don't think of thirty as old at all. It's not. And it's kinda funny to me when people say they feel old at 30. I tease about it, but in my heart, 30 truly is not old!! Anyway, back to my younger perceptions....30 as mature and grown up. In so many ways, I don't feel thirty. I'm not quite sure what age I 'feel' that I am, but 30 isn't it, according to my young perceptions. But when I take a glance back at the things I have accomplished in the last decade, I feel good about how far I've come! I have a good education, graduating near the top of my class both in undergrad and grad school, I am married to a wonderful, loving man who has known me literally half of my life as of today (remember that we met was I was 15!), I have a beautiful, miracle-child who has brought countless blessings to my life (as well as showing me that I am much stronger than I ever imagined I was!) and a new little life is on the way! I have a beautiful home, a loving support group of friends and family surrounding me, and at this moment, I am in good health. What more could a woman entering her thirties ask for? I've accomplished everything at this point that I set out to achieve before this birthday! So......today is not a day for mourning the loss of my twenties and my 'younger self'. No....not at all. Today is about celebrating all that life has brought my way and looking forward with eager anticipation to all that it will continue to hold for me. I consider myself a very blessed girl today!
And so how will I celebrate???? Well, for starters, Luke and I snuggled for an extra long time in bed this morning, which you know I LOVE! I had prepped him last night in the bath that today was my birthday (yes, I am shameless!) hehe and he practiced telling my "Happy Birthday" while we played in the suds. When he climbed into bed with me this morning (at 6am sharp, I might add!) I asked him, "So Luke, what special day is it today?" He hardly skipped a beat and replied in the cutest little excited whisper "Mommy's bird-day!" :) Then I asked, "Is there anything you wanted to tell Mommy this morning?" And he quickly responded with an adorable smile, "HAPPY BIRD-DAY, MOMMY!" Then he leaned over, kissed my face and snuggled in closer! Mmmmm.....warms my heart remembering it! I love that child!!!
We headed downstairs soon thereafter for a breakfast of almond poppyseed mini-muffins, coffee (for me, of-course) and milk while we cuddled on the couch under a blanket to watch Zaboomafoo. He is now playing quietly in front of the TV, half watching Sesame Street and half engrossed in his toys. I'll head up for a shower soon and will be dropping him off at Grandma's house (my mom) for a few hours while I indulge in some relaxation!
I'm meeting Krystal for lunch at our favorite little sandwich shop in downtown Redlands and then we are both heading over to a day spa for facials and massages! Yippeeee! My first prenatal massage! And boy! Do I ever need one!!!! I am soooooooo looking forward to it! After our pampering, I'll pick Luke up, head home for a few hours and then we will meet my parents and Ty's mom and brother for dinner at another one of my favorite little spots for Italian food. Mmmmmm....a day of good food, good friends and lots of pampering! What more could a girl ask for?! I'm sort-of stretching out the day a little too, because on Saturday night, Ty and I will be joined by a few other couple-friends of ours for a nice steak dinner out in the desert...kid-free, of-course!
So, that is my day! I'm going to hop off the computer for now and enjoy a bit more play time with my son before it's time to get ready for the day! Happy Birthday to me!!!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Baby's First Gift......
The mailman paid us a visit today! He dropped off a nice little box from my good friend Diana! What a surprise! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE getting unexpected things in the mail! They are always so fun! In that little box was a birthday gift for me....the cutest navy colored hat....and the other part of the box was for Baby. It was the first gift we've received for her in the mail. :) And when I opened it, my heart just melted at the sight of her precious gifts. Wanna see?
Inside was the most darling little outfit I think I've ever seen....a brown, pink, & cream polka dotted short sleeved top that ties loosely in the back, along with a pair of matching brown capri's that have little ties on the side of each leg. It is, in my opinion, the cutest thing ever! It actually made me cry! :) (No pregnancy hormones flowin' here.....uh-uh...not me!) There was also the coziest Bunnies By the Bay cuddle bunny....one that is half stuffed animal and half blanket and a precious little story book to go along with it. Awww...it just made me heart melt! I LOVE girl things! I can hardly wait until she is big enough to wear that outfit! It's a 12 month size, so it'll be awhile, but how fun is that! :)
Okay....as you can see, I'm just a little excited about this! It was a highlight of my day! What else did we do today, you ask??? Well, we had Gymsters this morning and this week's class was A LOT better than last weeks one. They all seemed a little more organized (remember that last week was their opening week, so I give them grace on that one!) and Luke seemed to enjoy himself even more than before. He was much more relaxed from the get-go and was eager to explore on his own much sooner. Today was a gymnastics kind of theme, so he got to practice headstands, swinging from the rings, walking on the Squiggly-Wiggly balance beam and the highlight of the morning was the Astronaut Swing, in which the kids rode a zip-line sort of contraption down an incline as they sat in a giant kiddie swing! It looked like SO much fun! I wished I was small enough to do it! Luke was a little hesitant at first, but he climbed in and smiled on the entire accent. On the decent however, I could tell he felt a little scared at the speed he was traveling, but his face was a mix of excitement and fear. He tried twice more and loved it!
After class, we headed to Target for some necessities, shared a Starbuck's Berries-n-Cream smoothie as we strolled the isles, and hit up Bed, Bath & Beyond for a table cloth for the accent table in Baby's room before heading home for Luke's nap. He was starting to fade a little in Target, and occasionally rested his head on the front of the cart as we strolled, but he didn't fall asleep until we were almost home. He napped for over 2 1/2 hours today, which was soooooo nice for me. I took the opportunity to create the baby's birth announcement on Photoshop (sans her photos and stats, of-course) and I must say, I'm rather proud of my work! It would spoil the fun if I shared the details now, but let's just say it would give any "professional" photo birth announcement that you might find online a run for their money. So.....yay for me! One more thing to knock off my to-do list! I've got all the address labels typed and ready for printing too, so once she arrives, all I'll have to do is order copies of the announcement on my trusty photo site and pop 'em in the mail! Yes.....I am still nesting...... :)
Speaking of nesting...Ty and I put together her crib last night. It took a little longer than we had expected and was a little more irritating than we would have liked, but it's done. And I like it! I'll like it a whole lot better once the mattress and bedding are in place though! We didn't get any work done on the chair rail yesterday however. Ty wasn't in the chair rail mood, I guess. Maybe next weekend. I realized last night as we were pouring over crib parts that in the best case scenario, we only have 11 weeks left. 10 weeks and 6 days to be precise! Whoa! How's that for a shocker! It's coming faster than I think!
What else??? Oh yes....remember how I said that Luke slept so long for his nap today? I think he's going through a growth spurt. Yesterday, as I was cleaning up the kitchen after lunch, I looked over to find this:
He was out cold in his highchair. Another first for him. Even when he was little, he never fell asleep like this. I could hardly believe my eyes....hence the picture! I un-bibbed him, wiped off the remnants of the apple from his hands and gingerly took him to his bed. He slept for 2+ hours then too! And this morning, he woke at his usual time of 6:15 and climbed into bed with us (Ty didn' t have to leave until 7:30 this morning, so he was still there too!) and I told him my usual thing "Okay, Luke. Grab Snuggie and close your eyes. Its still time for sleep." To my amazement and surprise, he did just that...he closed his eyes and slept for another 45 minutes! We all got to sleep in until 7am! Unheard of! I was a happy momma when I got out of bed! :)
So....I s'pose that's enough rambling from me for one night. Kinda a random post, but oh well. Tomorrow is already Wednedsay! Whoohooo! I love holiday weeks! Not much planned for the day I don't think. Just a trip to Sarah's in the morning to drop of Luke's outgrown baby clothes for a friend of hers, a quick trip to the grocery store for a few things and then to Redlands in the afternoon for Luke to see Mamaw for an hour or so. I'm treating myself to a pedicure tomorrow, since it's near impossible to paint my own toenails at this point. It's a good excuse, eh?
Okay....enough from me.....g'night. But oh yeah....I had just one more picture of Luke for today...just a random shot I thought I'd share! :)
Inside was the most darling little outfit I think I've ever seen....a brown, pink, & cream polka dotted short sleeved top that ties loosely in the back, along with a pair of matching brown capri's that have little ties on the side of each leg. It is, in my opinion, the cutest thing ever! It actually made me cry! :) (No pregnancy hormones flowin' here.....uh-uh...not me!) There was also the coziest Bunnies By the Bay cuddle bunny....one that is half stuffed animal and half blanket and a precious little story book to go along with it. Awww...it just made me heart melt! I LOVE girl things! I can hardly wait until she is big enough to wear that outfit! It's a 12 month size, so it'll be awhile, but how fun is that! :)
Okay....as you can see, I'm just a little excited about this! It was a highlight of my day! What else did we do today, you ask??? Well, we had Gymsters this morning and this week's class was A LOT better than last weeks one. They all seemed a little more organized (remember that last week was their opening week, so I give them grace on that one!) and Luke seemed to enjoy himself even more than before. He was much more relaxed from the get-go and was eager to explore on his own much sooner. Today was a gymnastics kind of theme, so he got to practice headstands, swinging from the rings, walking on the Squiggly-Wiggly balance beam and the highlight of the morning was the Astronaut Swing, in which the kids rode a zip-line sort of contraption down an incline as they sat in a giant kiddie swing! It looked like SO much fun! I wished I was small enough to do it! Luke was a little hesitant at first, but he climbed in and smiled on the entire accent. On the decent however, I could tell he felt a little scared at the speed he was traveling, but his face was a mix of excitement and fear. He tried twice more and loved it!
After class, we headed to Target for some necessities, shared a Starbuck's Berries-n-Cream smoothie as we strolled the isles, and hit up Bed, Bath & Beyond for a table cloth for the accent table in Baby's room before heading home for Luke's nap. He was starting to fade a little in Target, and occasionally rested his head on the front of the cart as we strolled, but he didn't fall asleep until we were almost home. He napped for over 2 1/2 hours today, which was soooooo nice for me. I took the opportunity to create the baby's birth announcement on Photoshop (sans her photos and stats, of-course) and I must say, I'm rather proud of my work! It would spoil the fun if I shared the details now, but let's just say it would give any "professional" photo birth announcement that you might find online a run for their money. So.....yay for me! One more thing to knock off my to-do list! I've got all the address labels typed and ready for printing too, so once she arrives, all I'll have to do is order copies of the announcement on my trusty photo site and pop 'em in the mail! Yes.....I am still nesting...... :)
Speaking of nesting...Ty and I put together her crib last night. It took a little longer than we had expected and was a little more irritating than we would have liked, but it's done. And I like it! I'll like it a whole lot better once the mattress and bedding are in place though! We didn't get any work done on the chair rail yesterday however. Ty wasn't in the chair rail mood, I guess. Maybe next weekend. I realized last night as we were pouring over crib parts that in the best case scenario, we only have 11 weeks left. 10 weeks and 6 days to be precise! Whoa! How's that for a shocker! It's coming faster than I think!
What else??? Oh yes....remember how I said that Luke slept so long for his nap today? I think he's going through a growth spurt. Yesterday, as I was cleaning up the kitchen after lunch, I looked over to find this:
He was out cold in his highchair. Another first for him. Even when he was little, he never fell asleep like this. I could hardly believe my eyes....hence the picture! I un-bibbed him, wiped off the remnants of the apple from his hands and gingerly took him to his bed. He slept for 2+ hours then too! And this morning, he woke at his usual time of 6:15 and climbed into bed with us (Ty didn' t have to leave until 7:30 this morning, so he was still there too!) and I told him my usual thing "Okay, Luke. Grab Snuggie and close your eyes. Its still time for sleep." To my amazement and surprise, he did just that...he closed his eyes and slept for another 45 minutes! We all got to sleep in until 7am! Unheard of! I was a happy momma when I got out of bed! :)
So....I s'pose that's enough rambling from me for one night. Kinda a random post, but oh well. Tomorrow is already Wednedsay! Whoohooo! I love holiday weeks! Not much planned for the day I don't think. Just a trip to Sarah's in the morning to drop of Luke's outgrown baby clothes for a friend of hers, a quick trip to the grocery store for a few things and then to Redlands in the afternoon for Luke to see Mamaw for an hour or so. I'm treating myself to a pedicure tomorrow, since it's near impossible to paint my own toenails at this point. It's a good excuse, eh?
Okay....enough from me.....g'night. But oh yeah....I had just one more picture of Luke for today...just a random shot I thought I'd share! :)
Monday, May 28, 2007
Happy Memorial Day!
Memorial Day.....a time to remember and reflect on those who have died serving our country and protecting our precious, precious gift of freedom! Boy! How thankful I am for all those men and women!
On the home front, Memorial Day isn't much different from any other Monday, really. Ty actually has to go into work at one of his sites for the morning. Just for a few hours though. I guess his job is the job that never sleeps. In the facilities that he works, employees are there 'round the clock, and in order to provide trainings and have the opportunity to see most of the workers, he sometimes has strange and even holiday hours. So it goes. He'll be home a little after lunch, so we'll have the afternoon together, which will be nice.
Let's see.....what's been happening since Thursday??? Please continue to keep Amy's baby Sara in your prayers. She is still admitted to the NICU and on c-pap (an aid to her breathing). As with most preemies, it's two steps forward and one step back, and Sara is no different in that respect. She is doing well, but still struggling to catch on to the whole independent breathing thing. She has started feedings and does not appear to have an infection, so those things are good news. But we need to pray that she begins to learn to breathe on her own and go home with her Mommy and Daddy sooner than later. Amy was discharged from the hospital on Saturday, which was undoubtedly a horrible, miserable experience. I know the day that I had to leave Luke in the hospital when I was discharged was, without a doubt, the worse day of my life. It was gut-wrenching. I know Amy's day was likely much the same.
Anyhoo......
What else did we do this weekend?? Friday was a 'nesting' day for me. I had that age-old urge to ORGANIZE! So I harnessed my energy and organized Baby's closet, Luke's closet, and the linen closet. Then I tackled some of the Baby laundry, just so that it's clean when I need it. We still don't have her dresser yet (it's purchased, but not home yet) so I'll just pack them away in a tupperware box, or hang them in her closet until I can upack them. I just LOVE seeing her little pink, purple and green clothes hanging in the laundry room and folded on the counter. Can't wait until she can wear 'em!
Friday also marked the beginning of my 26th week of pregnancy. Phew! 26 weeks! It's going by so fast! It's crazy to think that at this point with Luke, I only had 5 more to go. I pray it's much longer this time around! I was checking the pregnancy journal I kept for Luke last night and at this same point in his pregnancy, I was a full 10 pounds heavier, my blood pressure was 130/70 and in the notes I wrote, I had already started to have facial, feet and hand swelling. It was Nov. 30 at this point with Luke. Our 2nd anniversary. I hadn't recalled until I read it that the facial swelling had started that early. Why didn't I take it more seriously?! Why did I think that facial swelling was even mildly okay?! But I had had a doctors appointment that very next day and there was no protein in my urine and my BP was still in normal range. Guess it was just an early sign.
As of now, I have had NO swelling (YAY!) aside from when the weather turns really hot and I puff up until I cool off. But nothing that lasts long and certainly no facial swelling. I'm still wearing my wedding ring, which I was not able to do with Luke at this point, and I'm encouraged that my weight is lower. I must've been retaining a lot even at this point with Luke. So.....I am again encouraged.
Okay....back to our weekend.....
On Saturday, Ty had a bow shooting tournament in the morning (he's taken up bow hunting in recent months) so Luke and I ventured out with him for an hour or so to offer our support and take a few pictures. He did really well while we were there! We were his good luck charms! :)
There was a horse Luke had to visit....
Once it got too hot for Luke and I to stand outside much longer, he and I headed out for some errand running and then awaited Daddy's return home after lunch.
Here's Luke giving Ty a "Good Luck & Goodbye Hug"
Luke took a nice, long nap and we headed over to a friend's house for a pool party. Luke is really taking a liking to the water! He doesn't have much fear, but is still cautious when it comes to putting his head under or when he knows the water is too deep. A healthy fear, I think.
Here is Luke and Owen playing telephone after dinner....cute kiddos!
We stayed late at Tami's house while the parents shot the breeze and the kids played endlessly with one another. It was 10pm before we arrived home, and Luke was STILL going strong when we left! We very, very rarely let him stay up that late, but he was doing so well and we were having a good time, so once in awhile won't do much harm. Despite his late bedtime, he STILL woke up at 6:15am. He's definatley not one to sleep in, even if he's tired. Bummer. Here's how he looked when I went to check on him before we went to sleep! How do kids sleep like this?
I worked in the NICU yesterday while Ty hung out Luke. Apparently, they had a busy day filled with Play-Doh, painting the chair rail for Baby's room, working in the garage and having tickle wars. :) It was close to 6:15pm when I finally got home, so we opted for an easy dinner of PB & J sandwhiches, delightfully eaten during our impromptu picnic on the family room floor. :) We layed out a cozy blanket, busted out our best paper plates and dined together on the floor. It was fun! Luke LOVED the idea of it all.
Today began early with Luke popping out of bed at an early 5:40. :( Grrr. I took him back to bed, explaining that it was still 'nigh-nigh time'. He cried at not being able to climb into bed with us, but I just needed a little more shut-eye. I rolled over at 6:15 to find him staring me in the eye and pulled him into bed with us then. He's taken a liking to 'snoozing' between Ty and I early each morning, and I must say, I've taken a liking to it too. He's so cuddly and calm at that time of the day. He willingly curls up next to me, nuzzles his head into my chest and lays very still while I catch a few more minutes of rest. Occasionally, he'll turn his face towards mine, plant a little kiss on my lips and say "Dood morning, Mommy." Who could resist that?! So I relish those little moments. Even if they're as early as they are.
I think we will spend the remainder of the morning tidying up around the house and waiting for Ty to get home. Then maybe we'll put up that chair rail and have ourselves a little homemade BBQ for dinner. Alright...for now, I'm off to do some block building with Luke. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your long weekend!
On the home front, Memorial Day isn't much different from any other Monday, really. Ty actually has to go into work at one of his sites for the morning. Just for a few hours though. I guess his job is the job that never sleeps. In the facilities that he works, employees are there 'round the clock, and in order to provide trainings and have the opportunity to see most of the workers, he sometimes has strange and even holiday hours. So it goes. He'll be home a little after lunch, so we'll have the afternoon together, which will be nice.
Let's see.....what's been happening since Thursday??? Please continue to keep Amy's baby Sara in your prayers. She is still admitted to the NICU and on c-pap (an aid to her breathing). As with most preemies, it's two steps forward and one step back, and Sara is no different in that respect. She is doing well, but still struggling to catch on to the whole independent breathing thing. She has started feedings and does not appear to have an infection, so those things are good news. But we need to pray that she begins to learn to breathe on her own and go home with her Mommy and Daddy sooner than later. Amy was discharged from the hospital on Saturday, which was undoubtedly a horrible, miserable experience. I know the day that I had to leave Luke in the hospital when I was discharged was, without a doubt, the worse day of my life. It was gut-wrenching. I know Amy's day was likely much the same.
Anyhoo......
What else did we do this weekend?? Friday was a 'nesting' day for me. I had that age-old urge to ORGANIZE! So I harnessed my energy and organized Baby's closet, Luke's closet, and the linen closet. Then I tackled some of the Baby laundry, just so that it's clean when I need it. We still don't have her dresser yet (it's purchased, but not home yet) so I'll just pack them away in a tupperware box, or hang them in her closet until I can upack them. I just LOVE seeing her little pink, purple and green clothes hanging in the laundry room and folded on the counter. Can't wait until she can wear 'em!
Friday also marked the beginning of my 26th week of pregnancy. Phew! 26 weeks! It's going by so fast! It's crazy to think that at this point with Luke, I only had 5 more to go. I pray it's much longer this time around! I was checking the pregnancy journal I kept for Luke last night and at this same point in his pregnancy, I was a full 10 pounds heavier, my blood pressure was 130/70 and in the notes I wrote, I had already started to have facial, feet and hand swelling. It was Nov. 30 at this point with Luke. Our 2nd anniversary. I hadn't recalled until I read it that the facial swelling had started that early. Why didn't I take it more seriously?! Why did I think that facial swelling was even mildly okay?! But I had had a doctors appointment that very next day and there was no protein in my urine and my BP was still in normal range. Guess it was just an early sign.
As of now, I have had NO swelling (YAY!) aside from when the weather turns really hot and I puff up until I cool off. But nothing that lasts long and certainly no facial swelling. I'm still wearing my wedding ring, which I was not able to do with Luke at this point, and I'm encouraged that my weight is lower. I must've been retaining a lot even at this point with Luke. So.....I am again encouraged.
Okay....back to our weekend.....
On Saturday, Ty had a bow shooting tournament in the morning (he's taken up bow hunting in recent months) so Luke and I ventured out with him for an hour or so to offer our support and take a few pictures. He did really well while we were there! We were his good luck charms! :)
There was a horse Luke had to visit....
Once it got too hot for Luke and I to stand outside much longer, he and I headed out for some errand running and then awaited Daddy's return home after lunch.
Here's Luke giving Ty a "Good Luck & Goodbye Hug"
Luke took a nice, long nap and we headed over to a friend's house for a pool party. Luke is really taking a liking to the water! He doesn't have much fear, but is still cautious when it comes to putting his head under or when he knows the water is too deep. A healthy fear, I think.
Here is Luke and Owen playing telephone after dinner....cute kiddos!
We stayed late at Tami's house while the parents shot the breeze and the kids played endlessly with one another. It was 10pm before we arrived home, and Luke was STILL going strong when we left! We very, very rarely let him stay up that late, but he was doing so well and we were having a good time, so once in awhile won't do much harm. Despite his late bedtime, he STILL woke up at 6:15am. He's definatley not one to sleep in, even if he's tired. Bummer. Here's how he looked when I went to check on him before we went to sleep! How do kids sleep like this?
I worked in the NICU yesterday while Ty hung out Luke. Apparently, they had a busy day filled with Play-Doh, painting the chair rail for Baby's room, working in the garage and having tickle wars. :) It was close to 6:15pm when I finally got home, so we opted for an easy dinner of PB & J sandwhiches, delightfully eaten during our impromptu picnic on the family room floor. :) We layed out a cozy blanket, busted out our best paper plates and dined together on the floor. It was fun! Luke LOVED the idea of it all.
Today began early with Luke popping out of bed at an early 5:40. :( Grrr. I took him back to bed, explaining that it was still 'nigh-nigh time'. He cried at not being able to climb into bed with us, but I just needed a little more shut-eye. I rolled over at 6:15 to find him staring me in the eye and pulled him into bed with us then. He's taken a liking to 'snoozing' between Ty and I early each morning, and I must say, I've taken a liking to it too. He's so cuddly and calm at that time of the day. He willingly curls up next to me, nuzzles his head into my chest and lays very still while I catch a few more minutes of rest. Occasionally, he'll turn his face towards mine, plant a little kiss on my lips and say "Dood morning, Mommy." Who could resist that?! So I relish those little moments. Even if they're as early as they are.
I think we will spend the remainder of the morning tidying up around the house and waiting for Ty to get home. Then maybe we'll put up that chair rail and have ourselves a little homemade BBQ for dinner. Alright...for now, I'm off to do some block building with Luke. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your long weekend!
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Naptime...
for me and for Luke! I just woke up from a little cat-nap on the couch! Guess I was more tired than I thought I was! Seems to be the case lately! I find that I am napping more frequently these days. Maybe it's just the lack of solid sleep at night or just the strain of this pregnancy on my body....or maybe it's just the sleep necessary for me to continue recovering from this illness.
Anyhoo....
Before I really begin for the day, let me say....
Welcome to the world, Sara Elizabeth Hershey! My good friend Amy delivered a precious little girl very quickly this morning! She was 36 weeks along and had been on modified bedrest for the last 7 + weeks, until last Friday when her doctor okay'd her to return to normal life again! Thank goodness for the bedrest, because Sara Elizabeth came into the world very rapidly this morning...so much so that the time between Amy's contractions starting and the time of delivery was only a little more than four hours! But Mommy and Baby are doing well so far! Sara was a tiny 4 lbs 15 oz (almost 5 pounds!) and 18 inches long! She will spend the next 48 hours in the NICU due to some breathing difficulties, but Lord willing, she will be well enough to make the journey home with her parents in several days! Please keep her in your prayers that her breathing improves and that no further NICU interventions or time there is needed!
Luke and I were on our way to the lab this morning when I got the call that Amy was in labor. Today was my day for the glucose tolerance test I needed to determine if I have gestational diabetes. (I highly doubt that I do!) So we packed Luke all sorts of toys and snacks to sustain him through the hour long wait for the test. Thankfully, Ty had an unexpected break from work this morning, and was able to come rescue Luke from the waiting. They went to the park for awhile together and returned to the lab to meet me just in time from what Luke called my "pokie" (my poke!)
He seems to have awakened this morning into a language explosion! He is a non-stop chatter box today...more than usual even! The cutest thing that came from his mouth was when I hung up the phone with Heidi, who had just told me Amy was in labor. From the back seat Luke asks "Aunt Trystal, Mommy???" "No honey...it wasn't Aunt Krystal. It was Heidi. She was telling Mommy that Amy is going to have her baby today! You know how Mommy has a baby in her belly? Well, Amy has a baby in her belly too, and today is the day that the baby gets to come out!" After hearing this and pausing for just the briefest of moments, he replied, " WOOOW!!!! Dat's tool, Mom!" (Wow, that's cool!) Where he learned that phrase, I don't know. I must say that a lot or something. But it made me smile and laugh out loud! He's be incorporating quite a few phrases like that lately, come to think of it. A few moments later in the car, he saw a big truck next to us on the freeway and said, " WOOOW! Oh my dosh! Der's a BIG tuck, Mom!" (Wow, oh my gosh! There's a big truck, Mom!) and then on the way home, he saw the mountains in the distance and said, "Hey....look-it.....snow on da mountains!" He's never noticed the mountains much before (even though I point them out often on particularly clear days), and I've not ever really talked about snow being on them, since there hasn't been in months, so his words surprised me! He seems to be noticing everything and amazingly has most of the words he needs to describe them to me! He's even starting to use pronouns like she, her, his, you and me! And for one last little example, yesterday Luke pulled out a quacking duck from his toy box that Ty's boss Sonia gave to him at Easter. It's an annoying little duck, with a very loud "QUACK!" and as Luke played with it, he turned to me and said "Dut from Sonia, Mommy." It has been 2+ months since he received that duck! How he remembered the small detail that it was from her is beyond me! Again, he surprises me!
I've been super laid back about checking all the milestone checklists in my development books. I figure I will just pretty much know when/if he is staying on track for his age or falling behind in areas. After so many months of being so anal about his developmental milestones due to his prematurity, I've kinda swung in the other direction and really haven't had the desire to 'keep track'. But I know he's doing very age-appropriate things, both in the physical realm and the verbal/language one. He's right where he should be!
Well, I think that I'll wrap it up for today! Luke should be waking soon and I need to go cut up some of the yummy fruit I just bought from Costco! Mmmmmm! How my preggo belly LOVES fresh fruit! :) But before I go....I've continually forgotten to give you all an update on Brayden, my friend Kelli's boy! Sorry! He has been home from the hospital for several weeks now (after his 2+ week stay for the open heart surgery), and he is doing very well! The surgery appears to have been successful and Brayden is starting to gain weight well, eat more (solids even!) and has not had any more apnic episodes! I know that Kelli was very grateful for your prayers! So thank you on her behalf!
And.........
I just wanted to say a BIG thank you to my commenters for the notes you left on the last few posts! I can feel your love and support through your words and they are of great comfort to me! And as always, it's soooooo nice to know that you are out there reading! Thanks!
Okay....time to go! Hope you are all having a great week!
Anyhoo....
Before I really begin for the day, let me say....
Welcome to the world, Sara Elizabeth Hershey! My good friend Amy delivered a precious little girl very quickly this morning! She was 36 weeks along and had been on modified bedrest for the last 7 + weeks, until last Friday when her doctor okay'd her to return to normal life again! Thank goodness for the bedrest, because Sara Elizabeth came into the world very rapidly this morning...so much so that the time between Amy's contractions starting and the time of delivery was only a little more than four hours! But Mommy and Baby are doing well so far! Sara was a tiny 4 lbs 15 oz (almost 5 pounds!) and 18 inches long! She will spend the next 48 hours in the NICU due to some breathing difficulties, but Lord willing, she will be well enough to make the journey home with her parents in several days! Please keep her in your prayers that her breathing improves and that no further NICU interventions or time there is needed!
Luke and I were on our way to the lab this morning when I got the call that Amy was in labor. Today was my day for the glucose tolerance test I needed to determine if I have gestational diabetes. (I highly doubt that I do!) So we packed Luke all sorts of toys and snacks to sustain him through the hour long wait for the test. Thankfully, Ty had an unexpected break from work this morning, and was able to come rescue Luke from the waiting. They went to the park for awhile together and returned to the lab to meet me just in time from what Luke called my "pokie" (my poke!)
He seems to have awakened this morning into a language explosion! He is a non-stop chatter box today...more than usual even! The cutest thing that came from his mouth was when I hung up the phone with Heidi, who had just told me Amy was in labor. From the back seat Luke asks "Aunt Trystal, Mommy???" "No honey...it wasn't Aunt Krystal. It was Heidi. She was telling Mommy that Amy is going to have her baby today! You know how Mommy has a baby in her belly? Well, Amy has a baby in her belly too, and today is the day that the baby gets to come out!" After hearing this and pausing for just the briefest of moments, he replied, " WOOOW!!!! Dat's tool, Mom!" (Wow, that's cool!) Where he learned that phrase, I don't know. I must say that a lot or something. But it made me smile and laugh out loud! He's be incorporating quite a few phrases like that lately, come to think of it. A few moments later in the car, he saw a big truck next to us on the freeway and said, " WOOOW! Oh my dosh! Der's a BIG tuck, Mom!" (Wow, oh my gosh! There's a big truck, Mom!) and then on the way home, he saw the mountains in the distance and said, "Hey....look-it.....snow on da mountains!" He's never noticed the mountains much before (even though I point them out often on particularly clear days), and I've not ever really talked about snow being on them, since there hasn't been in months, so his words surprised me! He seems to be noticing everything and amazingly has most of the words he needs to describe them to me! He's even starting to use pronouns like she, her, his, you and me! And for one last little example, yesterday Luke pulled out a quacking duck from his toy box that Ty's boss Sonia gave to him at Easter. It's an annoying little duck, with a very loud "QUACK!" and as Luke played with it, he turned to me and said "Dut from Sonia, Mommy." It has been 2+ months since he received that duck! How he remembered the small detail that it was from her is beyond me! Again, he surprises me!
I've been super laid back about checking all the milestone checklists in my development books. I figure I will just pretty much know when/if he is staying on track for his age or falling behind in areas. After so many months of being so anal about his developmental milestones due to his prematurity, I've kinda swung in the other direction and really haven't had the desire to 'keep track'. But I know he's doing very age-appropriate things, both in the physical realm and the verbal/language one. He's right where he should be!
Well, I think that I'll wrap it up for today! Luke should be waking soon and I need to go cut up some of the yummy fruit I just bought from Costco! Mmmmmm! How my preggo belly LOVES fresh fruit! :) But before I go....I've continually forgotten to give you all an update on Brayden, my friend Kelli's boy! Sorry! He has been home from the hospital for several weeks now (after his 2+ week stay for the open heart surgery), and he is doing very well! The surgery appears to have been successful and Brayden is starting to gain weight well, eat more (solids even!) and has not had any more apnic episodes! I know that Kelli was very grateful for your prayers! So thank you on her behalf!
And.........
I just wanted to say a BIG thank you to my commenters for the notes you left on the last few posts! I can feel your love and support through your words and they are of great comfort to me! And as always, it's soooooo nice to know that you are out there reading! Thanks!
Okay....time to go! Hope you are all having a great week!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Hope renewed
I had an OB visit yesterday and I left with a renewed sense of hope that all just might go well this pregnancy! :) What a good feeling! Dr. Hage scanned me again to check the location of my placenta, and it has moved upwards, away from my c-section scar! Hallelujah! Thank you to all of you who lifted this issue up in prayer for us.....it worked! :) So...no accreta! My blood pressure was unusally low for me (115/58) and Dr. Hage was quite impressed, given the fact that I had taken Sudafed for my congestion just hours before. I guess that can increase my pressures. Not so yesterday. :) Good news!
We also have an official date for this little girl to arrive. Lord willing, at 7:30 am on August 16th, we will be in the OR awaiting the arrival of our second child! I'm officially on the schedule books! :) I was telling Ty last night that it is kinda strange to know in advance the exact date that our child will be born. Now comes the time to pray earnestly for that date to be hers, and not earlier! :) I will be 37 weeks and 6 days on that day. Will you all be my prayer warriors for this?? Please?
I also had a visit with my primary doctor yesterday morning. I do, in fact have a lovely sinus infection. She prescribed some antibiotics and by this morning I could tell that they were beginning to work. Today has been the first day in the last week where I can sorta breathe normally and my head, sinuses and jaw does not feel like they were going to explode! Hallelujah again!
Luke had his first My Gym class this morning. It was so much fun! In his usual fashion, he was a little slow to warm at first, but to my surprise, it only took just a couple of minutes for him to begin exploring all the equipment and begin playing on his own. In the beginning of the class, we have circle time, where the teacher, Miss Nicki, leads songs and warms ups. Luke was NOT into that part at all, but he did sit still in my lap for the duration. As I tried to 'help' him move his arms and do the motions to the songs though, he fussed and pulled his hands away. No big deal. Once circle time was through, he quickly found the trampoline and cars to ride and ran around throwing gigantic balls into the ball pit! He swung and climbed and hung on the bars. He was quite active and involved! They have a separation time where the parents leave their kids with the teachers to play solo for the duration of one song. MUCH to my surprise, Luke hardly noticed that I was gone. He engaged in play with the other kids and the teachers and had fun with all the toys they had provided. I was glad to see that he wasn't fazed by my absence. I greeted him with a huge smile and a hug when separation time was over and he was happy as a clam. The only trouble he had was during the Fox Game, where he was supposed to stand on the a white line of tape with all the other children (Mommies were right behind each child) and listen for Miss Tara to call out a number...the number of steps they were supposed to take towards her. He pretty much threw a fit at having to stand still and NOT go into the center of the circle. But over all, he did awesome! Especially for not having been there before and having so much stimulation around him!
In fact, the stimulation was my only concern, and I use that word lightly. It just seemed like they had the kids (all of whom are between 2 and 2 1/2) switch activities too quickly. To me, it would have been nice to have just an extra minute or two for each activity, and maybe cut out one all together in order to give the kids a little more time to 'dig in' and adjust. But I'm sure that as we go and learn the routine, the transitions won't seem so quick. We'll be able to anticipate them easier. All in all though, it was a ton of fun and Luke can't wait to go back again next week!
After My Gym, we headed to the grocery store for a few things and now he is napping soundly...having fallen asleep in the car on the way home...banana in hand and all! :) I'm going to wrap up this blog so that I can get some laundry thrown in the washer and clean up a bit before he wakes. Adios, friends!
We also have an official date for this little girl to arrive. Lord willing, at 7:30 am on August 16th, we will be in the OR awaiting the arrival of our second child! I'm officially on the schedule books! :) I was telling Ty last night that it is kinda strange to know in advance the exact date that our child will be born. Now comes the time to pray earnestly for that date to be hers, and not earlier! :) I will be 37 weeks and 6 days on that day. Will you all be my prayer warriors for this?? Please?
I also had a visit with my primary doctor yesterday morning. I do, in fact have a lovely sinus infection. She prescribed some antibiotics and by this morning I could tell that they were beginning to work. Today has been the first day in the last week where I can sorta breathe normally and my head, sinuses and jaw does not feel like they were going to explode! Hallelujah again!
Luke had his first My Gym class this morning. It was so much fun! In his usual fashion, he was a little slow to warm at first, but to my surprise, it only took just a couple of minutes for him to begin exploring all the equipment and begin playing on his own. In the beginning of the class, we have circle time, where the teacher, Miss Nicki, leads songs and warms ups. Luke was NOT into that part at all, but he did sit still in my lap for the duration. As I tried to 'help' him move his arms and do the motions to the songs though, he fussed and pulled his hands away. No big deal. Once circle time was through, he quickly found the trampoline and cars to ride and ran around throwing gigantic balls into the ball pit! He swung and climbed and hung on the bars. He was quite active and involved! They have a separation time where the parents leave their kids with the teachers to play solo for the duration of one song. MUCH to my surprise, Luke hardly noticed that I was gone. He engaged in play with the other kids and the teachers and had fun with all the toys they had provided. I was glad to see that he wasn't fazed by my absence. I greeted him with a huge smile and a hug when separation time was over and he was happy as a clam. The only trouble he had was during the Fox Game, where he was supposed to stand on the a white line of tape with all the other children (Mommies were right behind each child) and listen for Miss Tara to call out a number...the number of steps they were supposed to take towards her. He pretty much threw a fit at having to stand still and NOT go into the center of the circle. But over all, he did awesome! Especially for not having been there before and having so much stimulation around him!
In fact, the stimulation was my only concern, and I use that word lightly. It just seemed like they had the kids (all of whom are between 2 and 2 1/2) switch activities too quickly. To me, it would have been nice to have just an extra minute or two for each activity, and maybe cut out one all together in order to give the kids a little more time to 'dig in' and adjust. But I'm sure that as we go and learn the routine, the transitions won't seem so quick. We'll be able to anticipate them easier. All in all though, it was a ton of fun and Luke can't wait to go back again next week!
After My Gym, we headed to the grocery store for a few things and now he is napping soundly...having fallen asleep in the car on the way home...banana in hand and all! :) I'm going to wrap up this blog so that I can get some laundry thrown in the washer and clean up a bit before he wakes. Adios, friends!
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