In my weakness...

I need prayer. I need patience. I need God, always.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NLT)

⁹ Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong [through Christ].

For almost 10 years now, I have known that I have Fibromyalgia. It has been tough, but for the most part, manageable.

Over the past year, my Fibromyalgia has been worse and the treatments have been increasingly ineffective. A couple weeks ago at my doctor's office, my doctor decided to run some tests to see if there is something else going on.

There is.

I have been diagnosed with Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, aka MCTD. I had never heard of it and I didn't really know what to make of it. After reading the information the nurse provided me, and doing some research, I've discovered that this is a pretty mean disease, with a poor prognosis. It has no known cause, no known cure, it's painful, it's progressive and it's destructive.

On the other hand, MCTD is a name and in Jesus' name it MUST bow down!!

Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)

⁹ Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
¹¹ and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

I need prayer warriors to join with me. This disease may be "incurable" to doctors in the natural world, but I know that the Great Physician, Jehovah Rapha, Our Lord is the God of the Super Natural. 

I know that everything takes place for the glory of our God. 

Genesis 50:19-21 (MSG) 

^19-21 Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people. Easy now, you have nothing to fear; I’ll take care of you and your children.” He reassured them, speaking with them heart-to-heart.

Keith and I are believing that we will grow old together, I will be there for my children AND someday grandchildren, and this is a perfect opportunity for us to watch Christ Jesus work in our lives! His plan is perfect and I will find peace in that, whatever His plan is!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

¹⁶ That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. ¹⁷ For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! ¹⁸ So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Halloween & Doctor's Report

Halloween

So, we sort of celebrate Halloween. It's not really a big deal, and Keith & I could totally do without it, but I think it's fun for kids to have a reason to dress up and be kids! Our little "neighborhood" doesn't ever have any kids trick-or-treating and I think it would be weird to show up in someone else's neighborhood to do that, SO we went to Publix. They do stuff for kids on Halloween like various games, face painting, hair painting/coloring, cookie decorating, and just basic kid-friendly trick-or-treating fun. After we left Publix, we drove over to my parents' house and let the boys show off their costumes.

Brayden was a shark (borrowed from a friend) and Landen was a scuba diver (home-made by mommy). Landen's pronunciation of his Halloween costume improved through the course of the night... at first he was referring to himself as a "Super Diaper" which progressed to "Scooper Diaper" and finally landed at "Scooper Diber". Once the accessories came off and he was in all black, Keith told him he was a Ninja. The pronunciation of Ninja never did stand a chance.... Landen got the sounds all backwards and called himself an In-jan /engine/ for the remainder of the evening. He never fails to make me laugh.

Gatorade Oxygen Tanks, Spiral Binding Snorkel, and Play Construction Worker Goggles 

My 3 boys

Shark deciding he doesn't love the headpiece

Shark diet: Marshmallow ghosts

Pregnancy Update: Week 35

1. How Far? 34 weeks
2. Bump? That's an understatement at this point
3. Weight Gain? 7 pounds
4. Belly Button? flat, stretched, and tender (especially when I run into door knobs)
5. Blood Pressure? 136/87 (it's been up this past week)
6. Fundal Height? 39 weeks - running.out.of.room.
7. Fetal Size Approximation? 39 weeks - He weighs about 6.5 - 7 pounds
8. Maternity Clothes? exclusively
9. Fetal Heart Rate? 143 bpm
10. Movement? YES! he is ALWAYS moving SOMETHING (kicks, punches, elbow jabs, etc)
11. Cravings? Lemonberry Slushie from Sonic
12. Aversions? Green Grapes, Red Beans, Onions, FISH
13. Symptoms? Swelling, CLUMSY, Braxton Hicks (some are rather painful), Headaches, Exhaustion, Emotional, Moody, Back pain, Pelvic Pain, Forgetfulness or just general stupidity, Nesting, and then some rather unpleasant things
14. Sleep? NOT GOOD! Difficulty going to sleep. Can't STAY asleep. Uncomfortable. I could go on...
15. Gender? Boy
16. Name? Declen Miles (Landen pronounces it /Duck-oh-lan/... PLEASE let this change before Declen is old enough to know better!!!)
17. Best Moment? Getting to fill out the Big Sibling book with Landen, watching him getting so excited to meet his new little brother, and having Landen rub my tummy to tell Declen goodnight. 
18. What I Miss? having room in my lap for Landen to sit... Brayden is still small enough that he just climbs on top of the bump and roosts there.
19. Doctor's Report? Declen's blood flow/oxygen to his brain looked good today. My amniotic fluid levels are in the upper range of normal. I convinced my doctors to allow me to continue working 1/2 days. I have NOT been diagnosed with preeclampsia but I am on preeclampsia precautions (since I am apparently a "ticking time bomb") and when I am home I HAVE TO STAY IN THE BED. Beginning today, I have to take a baby aspirin everyday (Change: The aspirin made me break out in hives). My doctors all agree that any day now, I have to be prepared for them to tell me to stop working and go on bedrest/have this baby. I apparently have 3 weeks MAX before Declen arrives. BUT THE BEST NEWS OF ALL: The fluid on Declen's heart has resolved itself!!! They said this is something that would not go away before he was born, but would hopefully stop increasing... IT'S GONE! PRAISE GOD!

Buddies, Beds, and Blessings

Life Updates

• Landen and Brayden are really becoming the best of friends! They are to the point now that (for the most part) they play with the same things, like the same books, look out for each other, etc. It’s such a precious time in our house! And though they do occasionally end up getting possessive over toys (or trash or cats or mommy/daddy’s attention or anything at all), they are also getting really good at sharing and helping each other!

Peanut Butter

Poor thing was so sleepy... I just had to take a picture

• Landen is officially sleeping in his big-boy bed (the bunk bed) and Brayden is FINALLY and officially sleeping in his big-boy bed (the toddler bed).

First night for Brayden to actually SLEEP in the toddler bed!

• Nana took Landen to get his first PROFESSIONAL haircut. He did great and it looks great!

• It occurred to us this past week that Declen is going to be here SOON! We dug out the baby clothes and got them in a drawer. It is crazy to think that the clothes we brought Landen home in are already too small for Declen. But it’s always fun to me to pull out the boys old clothes and get that flood of memories that go with the outfits… the milestones, the mishaps, the funny things, the learning experience, etc. Along with getting Declen’s wardrobe sorted, it also dawned on me that I’m probably going to need to get moving on packing a hospital bag (and overnight bags for the boys) one of these days! Especially since I have a history of unexpected birthdays (Landen @ 35 weeks during what should have been his Baby Shower and then Brayden @ 36 weeks)… I plan to pack bags this week!

• Keith has 3 weeks left of clinicals...  THREE WEEKS!!!!! I can't believe he is actually going to be finished with school! FINALLY! 

• We are now on car number 6! The wagon, despite the NUMEROUS desperate attempts at fixing every possible thing that could be related to the car, has officially kicked the bucket. Luckily, we were able to find and trade-in our money pit wagon to help us pay for a 2007 Chevy Uplander (by the grace of God and with the help of Keith’s dad). It’s nice and roomy and CLEAN (though I’m quite sure we will change that very quickly)! All three car seats fit with plenty of room to spare!! God ALWAYS provides!

• We celebrated my Dad's 66th Birthday last night... the whole way home and until he fell asleep, Landen was was singing "Happy Birthday to Papa! Happy Birthday to Papa!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pregnancy Update: Week 34 

(These stats are really more from last week as I have my weekly appointment tomorrow)

• How far? 33 weeks, 0 days - which means I (hopefully) have 4-6 weeks left in this pregnancy
• Bump? Most definitely!
• Weight Gain? 5 pounds
• Belly Button? Pretty much flat
• Blood Pressure? 136/86
• Fundal Height? 33-34 (last week)
• Fetal size approximation? 36 weeks (last week)
• Maternity Clothes? Definitely
• Fetal Heart Rate? 121 bpm
• Movement? YES! And when he moves, my entire midsection goes with it!
• Cravings? Chicken Tetrazzini, steak, green beans, key lime pie, lemon stuff...
• Aversions? Strong smelling stuff, green grapes, red beans, sausage, onions, FISH
• Symptoms? Braxton Hicks, Swelling of my hands and feet (especially by the end of the day), Headaches, Exhaustion, Moody, Emotional, Back Pain, Pelvic Pain, MAJOR Forgetfulness, some rather unpleasant things... and I've currently got a sinus infection & bronchitis so I’m not feeling my best, which apparently affects my blood sugar :(

Swelling by lunch time
Please disregard the polish... it's not a priority

• Sleep? Not great.
• Gender? BOY!
• Name? Declen Miles
• Best Moment? Ultrasound showing that the excess Amniotic Fluid has decreased, Declen’s growth slowed down a little this past week, and his blood flow/oxygen levels looked good!
• Doctor's Report? I don’t have preeclampsia! They checked my liver enzymes and everything came back normal. My platelet count looks good. The Gestational Diabetes (up until the last couple days when I've been sick) seems to be cooperating with my diet and medication. We are still trying to keep as much stress off of Declen as possible, so I am now working 4 hour days so I can rest more, which will HOPEFULLY allow me to continue working longer before starting my maternity/full-time leave (and maybe not have bedrest AT ALL for this pregnancy!). 

The Fight

There are many things that I don't understand or that I can't fully relate to, and I know that the same goes for everyone. We have never walked in anyone else's shoes and we don't need to, as we all have our own to fill.

We all have a choice to fight or not fight the battles in our lives. Some people fight with diseases, some with finances, some with infertility, some with abuse, some with things we cannot even fathom, and any combination of the above.

One of the greatest callings we can have is to be a parent, to be given the blessing and responsibility of raising, molding, influencing, and fostering a child to grow for the Lord. I think as a parent, young or old; biological or not; current, past, or future; planned or unplanned; some of our biggest battles are related to our children. Keith and I have been blessed with precious children. For us, the course of getting them here has been a HUGE battle - fighting for them and with them, for their safety and development, for their health, for their survival, for THEM. Sometimes the battles seem overwhelming, unending, hopeless, or downright frightening! Thankfully, I have a God who is sovereign, who is unchanging, and who promises to be our healer and our provider. God promises to come to our rescue EVERY time (Psalm 34:19) and NOTHING is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37). Though we are inevitably going to face difficulties, we are never alone.

Right now, we are in the midst of a fight. I am 30 weeks pregnant and we've gotten some tough news from the doctors. While at my doctor's appointments Monday, I was told that due to my having gestational diabetes, Declen has Pericardial Effusion (fluid on his heart) and Hypoxia (limited oxygen particularly to his brain). Declen is measuring 4 pounds 8 ounces which is four weeks ahead, but this is size only; his organ development is still that of a 30 week baby. My blood sugar is not reacting to what I eat/don't eat, so I have started taking some medicine. Hopefully the medicine will decrease the junk in my system and ultimately take some stress off of Declen's little body. My doctor said that if this medicine doesn't do the trick, there are other medicines we can add to the mix.

We are so blessed to have a group of great doctors, family, prayer warriors, friends, etc to surround us during this time! But more than anything else, we are so blessed to have a God that can handle this. God is not a god of infirmity, pain, fear, or suffering! He is the God of peace, love, healing, strength, and power. These conditions (gestational diabetes, hypoxia, pericardial effusion) are names, and with a God whose Name is above ALL names, these names have to submit. I find so much peace in knowing this!

Please join us in prayer as we claim victory over these diagnoses and watch what God has in-store for Declen's precious life!

Twenty Nine

It's that time of the year again... MY BIRTHDAY!

I think the main thing I've dreaded about 29 is that it's one of those ages that no one believes (unless they know you actually ARE 29 and not just claiming it). But I DO keep thinking about how old 29 seemed for SO LONG... I mean 29 was practically 30, which was practically "middle age" when I was younger... clearly I had a skewed perspective, but then again a WHOLE LOT can happen and change within (almost) 3 decades! I mean, a TON has happened in just the last decade of my life!

29 Things I've Done (or that have happened in my life) over the last decade:

1. Attended, transferred, and graduated from college
2. Had 3 different college majors
3. Traveled all across this country numerous time (by car and plane)
4. Traveled to Peru
5. Traveled to Africa
6. Met my husband
7. Been engaged
8. Got married
9. Learned how to be a wife
10. Been pregnant 3 times (obviously still in the midst of one)
11. My feet and my ring finger have grown 1 full size (since my 1st pregnancy)
12. Become a mommy
13. Become an aunt
14. 2 C-Sections, sinus surgery, spinal blocks, & ear tubes
15. Been hospitalized for kidney stones, pregnancy complications, births, pneumonia, and a stomach bug
16. Had a total of 5 cats (not all at once): Gus, Milo, Charley, Cali, and Tilly
17. Worked 3 "grownup" jobs: Cache (Assistant Manager), Wells Fargo (Interim Loan Processor), Alabama Power (Admin Assistant)
18. Grown from being a college KID to being an adult
19. Owned a total of 5 cars (and yet I still drive the car I got when I was in high school)
20. Moved 8 times (all within the same state)
21. Discovered the value of family
22. Learned to really seek God and His will for my life
23. Gained a true appreciation for my parents (and all parents)
24. Learned how to forgive (others as well as myself)
25. Grown from being a victim to helping victims
26. Actually ached for the pain, suffering, and salvation of others
27. Learned (and continuing to learn) that God ALWAYS provides and that His plan is PERFECT
28. Discovered that no matter how much I research/read/consult/etc there are some parts of parenting that are completely new territory which NO ONE is prepared for!
29. Kept an amaryllis plant alive for 2 years and counting (my 1st plant to NOT annihilate)!!

Keith's 1st time to make a cake

Joint Birthday for me and Janeen
Ok, so it's not really the best pic of any of us, but I love how excited Landen is!

Pregnancy Stuff: Week 30

• How far? 29 weeks, 4 days (That's right... I'm 29 years old and I'm 29 weeks - I couldn't have planned it better if I'd tried)
• Bump? Of course! See picture below

Our family of 4 (and a bump)

• Weight Gain? I've gained 1 pound (so I'm at ZERO from pre-pregnancy)... though from the looks of things you probably wouldn't believe it!
• Belly Button? Shallow, but IN 
• Blood Pressure? 126/83
• Fundal Height? 31
• Fetal size approximation? 33 to 34 weeks
• Maternity Clothes? Definitely
• Fetal Heart Rate? 133 bpm
• Movement? This kid has a TON of energy and with his tushy and feet up it's very apparent!
• Cravings? LEMONADE, key lime pie, lemon stuff... not sure what's going on with the sweet/sour thing
• Aversions? Strong smelling stuff, green grapes, red beans, sausage, onions, FISH
• Symptoms? Some swelling of my fingers and feet by the end of the day, Headaches, Exhaustion, Moody, Emotional, Back Pain, some rather unpleasant things...
• Sleep? Meh it's alright, once I get comfortable. 
• I had a VERY weird dream last night though... something about me being pregnant and then the baby being born and I was out of town so wasn't there for the birth so I didn't get to see the baby for a few days because I had to come back in town to see my baby... I dunno... I was crying in my dream though.
• Gender? Definitely a BOY!
• Name? Declen Miles
• Best Moment? Finding out that the oxygen levels in Declen's brain looked good!! AND seeing his hair on the ultrasound (crazy right!?)!
• Doctor's Report? So I had a good visit to all my doctors on Tuesday. My blood sugar doesn't seem to be related (much at all) to what I eat, which means it’s the placenta that’s causing the craziness – if my blood sugar continues upward, then I will be placed on some medicine, but right now I’m just having to track my meals and blood sugar closely. The oxygen/blood flow to Declen's brain looked really good on the ultrasound/doppler and he had only grown 1 week's worth over the course of 1 week (Good job buddy!). I also learned that my High Risk OB is NOT an advocate for bedrest unless it's absolutely the last resort AND that we are going to try to get this baby as close to 40 weeks as safely possible! :)

Pregnancy Surprises

Well, so far (excluding the 1st Trimester) this has been a rather non-eventful, normal, healthy pregnancy... or so I thought.

Things changed this week. Actually, things probably changed a while ago and we just didn't know it yet...

I went to my OB/GYN on Monday to take my Glucose test. I didn't pass it. so I had to go back Wednesday to do the 3hr Glucose Tolerance Test, which I didn't pass failed miserably.

Here’s the report I was given:

I have gestational diabetes. As a result, Declen is measuring extremely large. After doing some tests, the doctors are concerned about the blood flow and the oxygen levels in his brain. They told me that they're going to try to do everything they can to keep Declen out of the NICU, but there's a good chance he'll be a NICU baby.

I now have a list of health care providers: My OB, a High Risk OB, a High Risk Nurse Practioner, and a Nutritionist. I’ll have to go in to see the High Risk doctor weekly. They'll be doing weekly advanced ultrasounds/doppler to measure Declen's size, blood flow, oxygen levels, & fluids. I have to track my blood sugar throughout the day each day and then on Tuesday I'll meet with the nutritionist to see what kind of diet I need to be on based on how I am responding to foods, as well as what medicines I need to take. 

In addition to this, I have been experiencing some bleeding this again week and we aren’t yet sure of the cause. At some point (based on the Ultrasounds/Doppler results) I will start doing non-stress tests at the hospital 1-3 times a week. 

General Pregnancy Update: Week 29

1. How far? 28 weeks, 3 days 
2. Bump? Of course!
3. Weight Gain? I've gained 2 pounds (so I'm at -1 pound from my pre-pregnancy weight)
4. Belly Button? Shallow, but IN (unless Declen kicks me - then it pops out momentarily. It's a bit weird)
5. Blood Pressure? 126/76
6. Fundal Height? 30
7. Fetal size approximation? 32 to 33 weeks
8. Maternity Clothes? Definitely
9. Fetal Heart Rate? 141 bpm
10. Movement? This kid has a TON of energy!
11. Cravings? Not much of anything... just thirsty
12. Aversions? Strong smelling stuff, green grapes, red beans, sausage, onions, FISH
13. Symptoms? Some swelling of my fingers and feet by the end of the day, Headaches, Exhaustion, Moody, Emotional, Back Pain
14. Sleep? Not too bad, once I get comfortable
15. Gender? Definitely a BOY!
16. Name? Declen Miles
17. Best Moment? Watching sweet Declen suck his thumb on the Ultrasound

In OTHER News:

Our kids have continued their fascination with the toilet. As a result, we had to replace a toilet this week. The culprit - makeup brushes. The guilty party - still a mystery.

We adopted a new friend - Tilly

We now have bunk beds for the boys to grow into!

18 Months (& 24 Weeks)

Brayden is an 18 month old! How is that even possible!?

He is an absolute blessing! His laugh is so heartfelt. His love is so genuine and constant. His curiosity and determination are so defining and encouraging. His words are so carefully planned and practiced. His little heart is so big, while his little body is so small. It is so hard to imagine our life before he joined us!

Sweet boy, you are treasured, loved, and blessed beyond measure! You are a perfect creation by God!

Most children at age 18 months are well beyond wearing "baby" clothes or have completely outgrown "baby" toys. For Brayden, this is not the case. Mentally, he is on (above) "par" but size wise he is small, very small. At this point, we don't know if Brayden is just a late bloomer that will fully catch up or if there is something "wrong". Either way, Brayden is exactly how God made him and that is perfect. He has never let his size hold him back - the child can climb anything! He can wrestle Landen as if they were the same size. If he is meant to have a small stature, then that's how it is and he will be perfectly equipped for whatever the Lord has in store for him.

He had his 18 month appointment on Friday. Brayden has grown 1/2 inch and gained 2 ounces since his last well child checkup. For this reason, our pediatrician wants us to see a specialist - to make sure there isn't something going on that we are missing.

Side Note: We've always known he was small for his age, but it really didn't seem like that big of a deal until we realized he was being held back from kids his age & maturity because he was "too small" or because it wasn't "safe" for him to be in a room with kids that were "so much bigger" than him. It was at this point that it really hit me how people are categorized, and as a mom it made me feel horrible. At 17 months old, he was still in the newborn class. Sure, he had precious teachers who had some great one-on-one time with him (because the babies were sleeping a good bit during the day), but he wasn't getting to play with kids his age - or kids at all, really. It wasn't until registration for this new year, that we realized he was being placed in the infant class AGAIN. Don't get me wrong, we have a great daycare that does a LOT of wonderful things! It's because he's the same SIZE as the babies - he was just being overlooked. This hurt. I mean, he didn't know any different and he was content, but he also wasn't being challenged intellectually. He wasn't getting to play outside, he didn't have interaction with kids, the toys were way to young for him, everyone in his class drank out of bottles and were fed by the teachers (if they were at that point) - how had I missed this!? This child that was "too small" is the same kid that can: flat take-out my 3 year old (who happens to be a FULL FOOT taller than him), climb the shelves in our closet, throw a ball right.into.your.hands, sit at the table (in an adult chair) for meals, speak 70+ words (that I've been able to write down), sit and "read" books to himself, etc. He needs to be challenged, to play, to explore, to grow (in whatever way that may be).

Currently, we are waiting for the appointment to be set up for us to see the specialist. In the meantime, the pediatrician (actually the nurse) called to let us know the initial/preliminary blood work came back normal! :)

Pregnancy: 24 weeks

So this week marks one of the biggest milestones of pregnancy for me. This is because it is, what is generally considered, the age of viability. I mean, I know that this baby is NO WHERE NEAR being ready to join the air breathing world, BUT I also find a certain level of peace in knowing that IF something were to happen, there is a chance he could possibly survive outside the womb. <= Don't worry, I plan to keep him in there for at least another 13 weeks (hopefully more), as I'm counting on this being the longest pregnancy I've had yet... anyway... this post is intended to be mostly a Brayden post, so I'll save the rest of my pregnancy stuff for a later date :)

I didn't forget... I just didn't have time!

Okay, so it's been A WHILE since my last post... and honestly, I haven't had a moment between then and now to post anything! (<~ it's hard when I don't have internet at my house)

Let's play catch-up...

• Brayden has started talking up a storm! 
• Both boys had a stomach bug.
• Keith and Landen had a nasty summer cold.
• My grandmother fell and broke both hips, had a heart attack, then had surgery.
• Two of my family members (on my dad's side) passed away.
• A friend of mine (and co-worker) had a baby.
• I collapsed at work from intense uterine pain... we determined it was some scar tissue tearing (baby and I are fine)
• Brayden is cutting 4 teeth at once... 3 of the 4 have FINALLY broken through the gums
• We have had the mildest, wettest weather I can EVER remember having in Alabama during the month of August. EVER!
• Brayden went potty IN THE POTTY! (one time thing that hasn't happened again)
• My 10 year high school reunion is this weekend... I'm not going
• Brayden has started saying bedtime prayers and blessing the food when we do! It is PRECIOUS!
• Keith's mom broke her leg

Pregnancy Update: Size of a Cantaloupe

1. How far? 23 weeks, 2 days
2. Bump? Oh yes!
3. Weight Gain? I gained A LITTLE, so I'm now at -5 pounds
4. Belly Button? In
5. Blood Pressure? 118/80
6. Maternity Clothes? Yep
7. Baby's Heart Rate? 150s
8. Movement? Definitely, especially mid-afternoon and around 7-8 pm
9. Cravings? It varies from day to day, but my appetite is definitely increasing
10. Aversions? Red Beans & Rice, Sausage, Bacon, & Onions
11. Symptoms? Gastritis, Tired, FORGETFULNESS!, Back Pain
12. Sleep? VERY weird dreams
13. Gender? Boy
14. Name? Declen Miles
15. Best Moment? Landen & Brayden talking to Declen! 
16. Doctor's Report? Everything is looking good! My doctor was glad to see that I actually gained a little weight at this appointment & Declen is growing well. My blood pressure is doing fabulous. Not having hardly any swelling.

Pregnancy Update: Banana Baby

Pregnancy Update: Size of a Banana

• How far? 19 weeks, 1 days
• Bump? Can’t miss it
• Weight Gain? Still -6 pounds… mostly due to gastritis, BUT this is number SUPER confusing to me since I am nowhere near being able to wear regular clothes
• Belly Button? In
• Blood Pressure? 118/82
• Maternity Clothes? You bet!
• Baby’s Heart Rate? 152 bpm
• Movement? Yep! He’s a kicker (luckily for me, he’s still little enough that it’s painless)
• Cravings? Pineapple, milk, juice
• Aversions? Red Beans & Rice, Sausage, Bacon
• Symptoms? Some heartburn, acne, EXHAUSTION, hips getting a little achy, forgetfulness, bleeding gums
• Sleep? Not sleeping too well… Hard time falling asleep, I keep waking up, never really feel rested
• Gender? Most definitely a boy!
• Name? Declen Miles Thomas
• Best Moment? Seeing Declen on the ultrasound today
• Doctor Report? Baby Declen is looking great! He’s measuring right on target and all parts are present and accounted for. His neural tube is closed and his spine looks great! He is head down and facing forward. My blood pressure it doing great! I was “diagnosed” (I have no idea if that’s the right word) with having a grade III Partial Placenta Praevia 
• Pictures?
  
  
  
  
  
  

  

  Profile (He's looking UP with head middle right and body on the left)

    
  
  
• Video? Okay, so it's pretty obvious that this video was taken toward the end of ultrasound.... poor buddy had been punched/prodded/etc so now he's all over the place.... BUT it's fun to see him move around :)

Eggs Benedict & a Peach Smoothie

Warning: if squeamish avoid reading the last bit of the blog... just look at the pretty pictures :) Don't say you weren't warned

Landen is making some awesome progress with potty training. FINALLY! He gets SO excited about wearing big boy underwear! We are so proud of him! He does, however, not have much success using the potty at school. I think it’s a pressure thing… At home, he knows mommy and daddy are trying to help him with a goal that HE wants. At school, it’s more of a forced issue. He is really cute getting excited about his underwear. He keeps running up to me/Keith/anyone saying, “I wearin unnnderwear! Wanna see?!” then proceeds to show off is undies with the biggest smile on his face.

Landen (not wearing his glasses bc he was cuddling with me)

Brayden is such a precious little guy. He just LOVES his big brother (who absolutely ADORES him, too!)! They are learning how to really play together now, and it is such an awesome thing to watch.  We initially thought Brayden had a virus last week, but the more investigating we do, the more it seems he is having some milk sensitivity. Previously, we had been giving him formula (or breast milk) and that seemed to be fine. Then we started mixing a little milk in with the formula (still okay). Once we started mixing more milk and less formula, his diapers started going rotten.  Last week, we really began the 3/4-7/8 Milk to formula ratio. Things went bad, quick. Terrible diarrhea, vomiting, gas, fussiness, etc. all entered our lives. Over the weekend, we were at my mother-in-law’s house and we gave Brayden just straight milk with no formula and he starts projectile-vomiting, all over Keith’s mom. (SORRY!!!)  Keith’s mom and brother are both lactose intolerant, so it wouldn't be entirely out of the question for one of our children to be. We've decided to try soy milk for a while and see how that goes. Last night, Brayden had soy milk and kept it down fine. Time will tell.

This just makes me laugh...

Brayden playing on brother's tricycle

Keith just finished his first clinical rotation. He did SO well and I am so incredibly proud of him! He has the next two weeks off, so he’ll be keeping the boys home with him. This couldn't be better timing, with Brayden’s digestion issues and Landen’s potty training.

And finally….

We’re having another baby!

 Being pregnant, for me can be a bit frightening. I've had some crazy complicated pregnancies so far and that can be unnerving for anyone involved, but I know that whether I have preeclampsia again, a full term normal pregnancy, or something completely different, I know it’s in God’s hands. With that, I find immense peace! It’s been a bit of a bumpy ride so far. Aside from having morning (all day EXCEPT morning) sickness and my typical bizarre cravings, I have had some a lot of bleeding/cramping. It started on Friday, 4/26 and lasted through Sunday, 4/28. Then I had a terrible (like the worst one ever on planet earth) 24 hour stomach bug. I had a little spotting after that, but not bad. Then, on Saturday, 5/4 I woke up bleeding, it was a little more than spotting but not significant; by Saturday evening, it was EXTREME. As of last night, the bleeding had stopped completely. So far, after exams and ultrasounds, there is no known cause for the bleeding/cramping and baby looks just fine! BUT because of the bleeding, I am not allowed to lift anything = not my kids, not groceries, not car seats, nothing bigger than a 5 lb bag of sugar. On the upside, I have gotten to see the little peanut several times, and I have to go back this afternoon for another peek.

Please keep this sweet baby and my body in your prayers, as he/she is trying to have a safe little home in the body that doesn't seem to want to cooperate.

Cravings so far:

•         Beef stew
•         Eggs Benedict & a Peach Smoothie
•         NOT banana sandwiches (it may be a while before I eat one of those again)
•         NOT rice & beans (again with the time-to-recover)
•         Green grapes
•         Lumpless yogurt… I can’t explain it other than the fruit chunks aren’t going over well
• Filet Mignon

36 Weeks: And the verdict is…..

Baby Brayden will be here Thursday!

For those of you who like things short and sweet... stop reading here... this is a LONG post!

Since the last post:

• My blood pressure has continued to rise.
• The protein levels in my urine have continued to rise.
• I have had the following: continued bedrest, 3 doctor’s appointments, an overnight stay in L&D, an ultrasound, a non-stress test, a Biophysical Profile screen, a GBS test, continuous monitoring, fetal movement monitoring, contraction monitoring, blood screens, and so much more….
• At one point while I was in the hospital, I was having very strong (non-productive) contractions every 1 to 1½ minutes. The doctor put me on Procardia XL, which is actually another blood pressure medicine, to get the contractions to chill out a bit. It worked!! The contractions are still strong, but they have spaced out to 1 every 15 minutes or so!!

Doctor’s Report:

• Well, I get to stay at home… still on strict bedrest and monitoring, until Brayden is born.
• Brayden is measuring 4 weeks ahead (that would put him at 40 weeks). His head is measuring at 41 weeks 5 days. He has dropped some, which is REALLY making me waddle AND making me take potty trips constantly (I guess strict bedrest is kind of compromised in that sense).
• Because of my blood pressure, rising protein levels, being less than full term, and Brayden’s massive head circumference, I will be having a C-Section on Thursday, 2/23/12. At this point, it will be safer for both him and me for Brayden to join the world.

 Pregnancy Update:

1. How far along: 36 weeks 0 days
2. Total weight gain: 18 lbs
3. Fundal height: 39 cm
4. Baby’s heart rate: 160s bpm
5. Baby bump: You bet! It moves all by itself… kind of like an alien movie…
6. Movement: Yep! Not as much though… he’s super cramped in there! The nurses have used a buzzer on him a couple times during monitoring to get him moving… apparently he can hear quite clearly and gets the hiccups when startled! It’s funny (minus the rhythmic headbuts against my pelvis with each hiccup)!
7. Cravings: Milkshakes, milk, juice, water, French dip sandwiches, Eggs Benedict… that’s all I can think of right now
8. Aversions: Onions, chicken, peppers
9. Symptoms: Generally uncomfortable, in virtually every way…
10. Sleep: O geez! I would love to get a good night’s sleep! I can’t get comfortable, so I change positions, which causes contractions, which make me need to pee, I waddle back to bed, finally get remotely comfortable and my foot/leg/arm/back/head/neck (fill in the blank) starts to hurt or falls asleep, I change positions, and the whole thing starts over!
11. Gender: He is still a boy. I checked again, today during the ultrasound… there is no question about it!
12. Belly button: By some strange coincidence it is still in. I can’t see it without a mirror and it is stretched beyond what seems humanly possible, but it’s still sticking in!
13. What I miss: Playing with Landen, I mean REALLY playing with Landen. Being able to sit with my legs together. Independence. Being able to get in and out of my own car.
14. What I’m looking forward to: Meeting Brayden. Getting off bedrest.
15. Concerns: (I am really striving to focus on Matthew 6:25-34, but I am struggling with turning these over to God)
1. I am so concerned about being a mom of two!! I don’t know if I am ready for this! I can’t imagine loving another child as much as I love Landen (I realize that other mom’s think this too, but it has been keeping me up).
2. I’m super concerned about Landen adjusting to having another baby in the house. He’s not old enough to understand any of this, or even to know what a brother actually is… I DEFINITELY don’t want him to ever feel like he’s being replaced or neglected. I was up crying about this last night… for quite a while!
3. I am really concerned about Keith. He has SO much on his plate anyway, and now having another baby with sleepless nights, as he goes through PT School.
4. I’m a little concerned about Gus (our cat). He and I have been bonding lately, with me being in the bed all the time, and he is VERY much my cat. Landen loves Gus, but Gus is quite the skiddish little buggar and gets a little freaked out when a toddler starts chasing him. When Landen was born, Gus had a bit of a nervous breakdown and his hair fell out in places and he lost weight. I realize he is a cat, of all things, and I should NOT be worried about him adjusting, but I am. It may be more hormonally based than anything else, or maybe I’m just blaming the hormones, but Gus is my little buddy… my buddy that keeps getting bumped down the line of importance.
5. I am extremely concerned that Brayden, being a month early, will end up in the NICU.
6. Finally, out of sheer selfishness, I am extremely concerned about the actual surgery and recovery! I realize that I have been through a c-section before, but it scares the mess out of me! I mean, really, who wants to get cut from one hip to the other!?!
16. Blessings:
1. Keith was able to take his PT practical today (it was scheduled for Thursday).
2. I have been able to remain at home rather than being hospitalized (for the most part).
3. Brayden seems to be on target developmentally.
4. I have an amazing job with amazing co-workers.
5. Our families have been super supportive and helpful.
6. God’s Promises: 

Matthew 6:25-34 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
   28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

35 Weeks and counting

35 weeks! - at this point I think I'm actually counting hours, minutes, and seconds...

Life Update:

So, Keith and I made a couple practice runs to the hospital over the weekend. My blood pressure was up and I had blurry vision and headaches. We went Saturday... stayed for a few hours until I was stable and came back home. We went back on Sunday.... found a small amount of protein in my urine (showing that I was beginning to develop toxemia) and had to spend the night being monitored. We got to come back home on Monday with the orders of STRICT bedrest...

FYI... the new women's center is like staying in a hotel (with the exception of the beds)!! It is SO fancy!!
 

Doctor’s Report:

So apparently I now have protein in my urine (indicating my level of toxemia) that seems to be gradually rising. I am on strict bedrest with a home monitoring system that takes my vitals, asks questions, and transmits everything to a nurse 24/7. I have a nurse that is assigned to me until this baby is born, her name is Eileen. I originally thought she would have to be here with me, but lucky for her, she and I have a phone relationship (unless something goes really wrong). Twice each day I have to count Brayden's movements... good thing he's a kicker, and I also have to test my protein levels. If anything seems unusual, I am immediately contacted by my nurse.


As long as I am laying flat, my blood pressure (for the most part) is maintaining. If that continues, and my toxemia remains below a "critical level", I will be able to continue bedrest at home.


We are taking things one day at a time. The longer Brayden can safely stay in me, the better his chances of staying OUT of the NICU. Anyone who has had a NICU baby can attest to the fact that you don't want to go through that stress again!! (Don't get me wrong, the NICU staff/doctors at Brookwood were absolutely AMAZING with Landen (and us), but it's a really tough thing to have to go through).


Brayden is still measuring big. I am having contractions (and have been) every 2-7 minutes. Most of them are not too uncomfortable, but there have been a few that flat take your breath away!


Assuming everything continues smoothly, my next appointment is Tuesday, 2/21. I will have another NST (non stress test - done weekly for me) to measure contractions, blood pressure, fetal movement, fetal heart rate, etc. I will also have another ultrasound (done every 4 weeks for me) to measure Brayden's development, size, amniotic fluid levels, and my cervix. Then I will have my OB appointment, at which point I have a feeling we will be scheduling an induction/c-section.

Pregnancy Update:

1. How far along? 35 weeks  2 day
2. Total Weight Gain? 15 lbs
3. Fundal Height? 37.5 cm
4. Baby Heart Rate? 150s bpm
5. Baby Bump?  I think the term “bump” no longer does it justice…. Mount Everest is more fitting.
6. Movement? Of course! The little (or big) wiggle worm is super confined, but he still manages to kick, punch, and bump all the time!
7. Cravings? Milkshakes, milk, juice, water... I've been thirsty
8. Aversions? Mostly just meats (not all the time though) and onions and FISH!
9. Symptoms? Strong Contractions, Moody, Pains (back, sciatic, leg, hip, neck, etc), Cramps (stomach, back, and into my thighs), Hands and feet swelling (though it's MUCH less with me being on bedrest), Legs falling asleep, Headaches, TIRED, Forgetfulness,  Blurry Vision, Heartburn/Acid Reflux, and a few very unpleasant unmentionables
10. Sleep? Yeah, right.
11. Gender? Boy! Brayden Daniel Thomas
12. Belly button? In, but VERY shallow
13. What I miss? Being comfortable and being able to do stuff!
14. What I’m looking forward to? Getting out of the bed. Meeting Brayden.
15. Concerns? Toxemia/blood pressure affecting Brayden's health and my own. Landen not understanding why mommy is in the bed ALL THE TIME. Landen's reaction to having a baby brother. Finances with me unable to work. The load that Keith has to carry between taking care of me (the vegetable), Landen (the inquisitive energizer bunny), PT school, and everything in between!
16. Blessings? Keith, Landen, our family, and our friends! That I’ve made it this far into the pregnancy, and Brayden is still appearing to be healthy! My awesome coworkers that donated 80 hours of vacation time to me to help with the fact that I have an unpaid maternity leave! Gus, our cat, who tirelessly keeps me company 24/7. Landen learning to say, "Love you momma" - it puts such a bright spot on my entire day!