Lately...

Well, it's been awhile since my last post.

It seems like our life is CRAZY busy, yet we really don't DO that much...

Our precious cat, Gus ("Gus-Gus" to Landen), died... I was HYSTERICAL! Landen STILL prays for Gus-Gus at night. BUT we were able to give permanent a home to a sweet little kitten-ish kitty (she's 8-9 months) named Cali ("Cow-Yee" to Landen). This has been a good thing, since Gus really was essentially my first child and Landen pretty much thought they were actually brothers.

Sweet Gus

Cali seems to fitting into our family nicely... more as a cat than as a sibling (probably a good thing).

Sweet Cali

Keith's Grandmother broke her arm (at the shoulder)... My grandmother broke her leg (at the hip)...

Brayden started crawling (at 6 months) and learned how to sit up (at 7 months)... my children are backwards... but that's just fine with me!

We seem to have a several week old perpetual sinus-crud-cold-runny nose-junk virus that we are generously sharing with one another over and over and OVER again! If you happen to hear me talk, NO I'm not a man... I just sound that way... Come on weather change and STAY changed!

I turned 28 last week. (Of course the day before my Birthday, Keith asked me if I was turning 29... um, NO! Bless his heart.)

I remember watching F•R•I•E•N•D•S and thinking about them being so old at 28. Am I old? 

When did I grow up?

What are kids going to be like without have F•R•I•E•N•D•S to grow-up with? (I digress)

Brayden is eating baby food now!! Carrots, Green Beans, Green Peas, Sweet Potatoes, and Rice... actually let me clarify... he is spitting baby food and gnawing on the spoon... :) He's growing up so fast! 

And Landen LOVES to watch brother "eat" and provides some pretty spectacular commentary for Brayden's meal endeavors. 

I am planning to get a sewing machine... YIPPEE! This should really be interesting. I am an expert at sewing by hand... OK, that MAY be an exaggeration... but I DO mend things that are torn, buttons gone, seems ripped, etc. I am just so stinking pumped with all this stuff from Pinterest that I am quite certain I should be able to SOMETHING with a sewing machine. I sewed a doll outfit once... when I was 8 or so... and I've piddled here and there since then. We'll see.

If nothing else, it's going to be my toy and if everything comes out laughable... I'll at least get some laughs!!

That's pretty much what's gone on in my world...

Mayo Jar

***Please note that this post is originally from http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/NYwT. I thought it was worth sharing***

Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

Posted: Thursday, September 02, 2010, 7:21:04 PM | noreply@blogger.com (Tara) says: I was browsing through some motivational stuff and read through this write up. I know you can relate and you'd find this story really touching.I know you can always find time reading it. :)

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 Hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
He picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
And proceeded to fill it with golf balls.


He then asked the students, if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was..

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.

Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,

'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - family, children, health, Friends, and Favorite passions –

Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, Your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else --The small stuff.
'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued, there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.

The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, You will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first --
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.

Stop A Dividend Tax Hike

Stop A Dividend Tax Hike

I just asked my members of Congress to stop a dividend tax hike and keep dividend tax rates low for all Americans. Now is not the time to reduce dividend income through higher taxes and penalize Americans who invest in our country’s future!


Check out this Web site to learn more and to take action:
http://www.defendmydividend.org/

Photo Book

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Haircuts and More...

Haircuts or Hairs cut

Landen has officially moved from babyhood to little-boyhood.
It wasn't a far journey. It was really mere inches from one town to the other, but that tiny distance made a HUGE difference!
When I look at him, I no longer see the crazy-haired baby... now I see this little boy, BIG BOY running around... with a neck that is visible from all sides... it's mind boggling!

We I debated whether to take him to a hair salon for his first cut, to have me do the snipping, or to have Meemaw cut it. Ultimately, I have a hard time thinking of paying exorbitant amounts of money to cut 10 strands of hair whilst holding said child still in a chair surrounded by noises and other, potentially dangerous, distractions. I mean, it all came down to the necessary credentials:

• Is a trusted individual. Not only by parents, but also by child
• Possesses a big TV with all the George a child's little heart could desire
• Has scissors
• Is patient and steady handed
• BONUS: the mother of 5 boys, all of whom she has given haircut to for something close to 27 years!

DING! DING! DING! We have a winner: Meemaw!

Landen did great getting his hair cut! He sat still (well... still-ish. Still, according to toddler terms) watching George. He combed his hair, just like Meemaw, and even needed to dip the comb in a cup of water, just like Meemaw. It was precious! I did fine until it was all over and I realized what a difference it all made - I didn't cry or anything, but I definitely got a little choked up...

The Before Shot, aka The Mullet

The After Shot

and More...

I thought I would do a progressive look at how much Brayden has changed over the course of his first 3 months in the world. It's pretty impressive to see how quickly babies change and grow!

Birthday

1 week

1 month

2 months

3 months (I can't make it rotate?!)

23 and 3 months

It is crazy to think that Landen is just a couple weeks away from being TWO years old!
What happened to my sweet little easy-going baby boy?!? Suddenly, we are EXTREMELY opinionated, hard to please, frustrated, indecisive, winy, etc... at random times, for no reason, without ANY warning!
Luckily, this agitated state is not a constant, and in-between these little nerve wracking mood swings, he is the SWEETEST, FUNNIEST, MOST LOVING-EST, curious child EVER!

On the flip-side...

It is crazy to think that Brayden is only THREE months old!
With all we have been through with Brayden... NICU, colic, ER visits, COLIC, hospitalizations, and then some more COLIC... it's hard to believe that he has only been here for such a short time!
We are almost over the colic hump! He still has his uncontrollable screaming moments, but they are only moments now.... SO much better than the 8-10 hour stretches of blood curdling screams! Brayden has now become this little person that smiles and coos, laughs and squeaks, kicks, reaches, and attempts to grab at toys!

I love my boys more than words can express! Even through the challenging times, they are nothing short of a blessing to me and I can't imagine my life without them!

Brayden Sleeping

My 3 boys 

just a normal day...

Easter Egg excitement

Landen pushing brother

Brayden in the hospital

Have you met George? It's Landen's BFF!

Landen loves being a big brother

Bath Laughs

DON"T WAKE THE BABY! 

Brayden is NOT happy!

Brayden reaching for the camera

Landen shared George with brother... it's a big deal!

Not to the point of potty training... just potty sitting

Happy Brayden

General Wondering-ment 1

I frequently have questions and there is never a good time, or an ear near, or whatever... for me to ask. These, I suppose are primarily rhetorical, but an answer could be nice, too.

These questions are in NO particular order:

• With all the women's rights and equal opportunity, politically correct EVERYTHING, how has NO ONE been offended by the Volvo logo? I mean, it has a striking resemblance to the gender symbol for MALE.  (I'm not a feminist and I frankly don't care, I just find this interesting and perplexing)

Volvo Logo

Male gender symbol

• Why do commercials talk about how much better their product is than the LEADING brand? If it's that much better, then why is it NOT the leading brand?
• Why do people hit the breaks while travelling uphill on the interstate, or ANY road for that matter?
• What makes the number 13 "unlucky"? What good is it to call a floor 14 when in reality, the 14th floor is actually the 13th?
• Do the Occupy people really know what they are protesting? Does anyone? Get a job...
• Why are there commercials on television for things that no one wants to know about unless they are going through it... at which point they can ask their doctors privately? (i.e. vaginal mesh implants, male enhancement drugs, etc) It makes for VERY awkward moments at the lunch table at work, where we have the news playing.
• Why do golfers yell 4 when a ball is on the loose? Why not 7?
• Why does is cost more to eat healthy?
• Why are women's clothes sized the way they are? ...what exactly does it mean to wear a  2 or a 10? Why is a 2 at one store actually a 10 at an other?
• Why do we have political parties? Can people not just vote for the person that seems right?
• Is it necessary to observe Daylight Savings Time? It's a hassle and it doesn't change the number of NOR does it actually save any daylight hours!
• How do I always get behind the World's slowest, most cautious, and/or most incompetent drivers when I am in a hurry?
• Why do we have pennies when vending machines will not accept them and cashiers hate you if you pay with them?
• If it is such a big deal to have eco-friendly cars, then why are they SO expensive?
• What happened to the show "Kids Say the Darndest Things"? It was funny!
• Why is it that the winning video on America's Funniest Home Videos is NEVER FUNNY!? Who decides these things?
• Why do radio stations even bother announcing the traffic conditions? They are sitting in an office and have no idea what about the traffic conditions until WAY after the fact... at which point, is no help to anyone on the road...
• How do people with small children avoid having ants everywhere?
• Why don't we get a siesta each day? Other countries do!
• If we are so concerned about childhood obesity, why are we getting rid of recess at schools!?!?

I have many, MANY more questions that hit me daily... so there will definitely be more to come!

Have a great weekend!

Rats...

For a while now, we have had holes in our trashcan (the one that goes to the street)... We inherited the can with the townhouse, and we just sort of ignored it.

If we put trash in the can before the pickup day, some critter(s) will climb in and enjoy the contents of our trash... 

Keith saw a couple rats at one point in the can, but not in a while... I just figured he was somewhat exaggerating about the size of a couple mice...

I think, to some degree, we were in denial that they existed anywhere around where WE live. I mean, we live in a nice suburb where lots of children and house pets reside. Rats only live out in the country or in the sewage systems/subways of big cities, not HERE... right?

Over the weekend, my dad saw a couple rats... not just rats, BIG RATS on our porch... OUR PORCH! The same porch that Landen plays on, nearly everyday! EEEEEK!! 

This is NOT ok! 

So Keith went to the store and bought rat poison... I know... it's mean... it's not humane... but it's RATS! and it's not like I would catch them and set them free or anything... They carry diseases and could possibly get in our house... and THAT is NOT going to happen!! 

Last night, he put trays of poison out on our porch and under the stairs to our deck (which are enclosed with chickenwire... I don't know why someone did that, but it is what it is), as well as in the trash-less, holey trashcan ...

By this morning, the tray under the stairs was COMPLETELY EMPTY and the tray on our porch was HALF EMPTY! That means they took the bait... and were either very hungry or there were several of them eating...

I am TOTALLY. freaked. out! The fact that they ate it just confirms that they are there... something that I STILL have trouble believing... and now I am worried about having to pickup dead rats... UGH! 

I never thought I'd say this, but why can we just have squirrels... or SOMETHING that is not a nasty as RATS!?

FYI: I did buy a new trashcan that has no holes

Outsmarted by a toilet...

Yep.
You read the title correctly.
I am frequently outsmarted by the toilets at work.
Am I the only person on this planet that can't figure this out?
Is there something inherently wrong with me?
Maybe I need to talk to someone...
Here goes...

So I walk into the bathroom, no big deal. I enter a stall, nothing unusual. I reach to get a toilet seat cover out of the hanging container and the toilet flushes... hum... that seemed a little unnecessary... ok... I lean over and place the toilet seat cover on the toilet seat and stand back up... the toilet flushes, sucking down the toilet seat cover... dangit... I reach again to get a new seat cover and the toilet flushes... seriously?

This time I'm going to try to out smart the sensor... I back up almost against the stall door, squat down, and reach forward (well below the sensor) and place the cover on the seat... I pull my hands back and wait and nothing happens... SWEET! I did it!. I stand up start to turn around, and WOOSH! The toilet flushes AGAIN! Sucking down the seat cover AGAIN!... WHAT THE HECK!?!

NOW I REALLY have to go to the bathroom, we are wasting serious amounts of water, we are flying through seat covers like a runner goes through Gatorade!

OK. I am NOT going to sit on this toilet without a seat cover, so here I go again... I reach again to get a new seat cover and the toilet flushes... duh... I move to the side of the toilet (between the toilet and the wall)... I slide down the wall (not literally because, despite the fact that we have very nice and clean bathrooms at work, I don't want to actually TOUCH the walls --> I COULD be a slight germ-a-phobe) and just barely move my hands forward enough to get the stupid cover on the seat... nothing... I pull my hands back and wait... nothing... hum... I DID IT!... I wait a little longer just to be sure... still nothing!.. I sit and about 3 seconds after sitting.... WOOSH!... WHAT THE... WOOSH! Splash!...   (the back of calves just got toilet water on them) UGH!...YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?!? SERIOUSLY!?! It's a good thing I didn't have a phone in my back pocket or something like that!

I finish... I frantically jump up... and as I am getting my clothes adjusted, the toilet flushes 2 MORE TIMES!!

I can't get out of the stall without backing up to pull the stall door so I can get out... I back up to open the door... WOOSH! ... I have GOT to get out of here before ALL THE WATER IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA IS FLUSHED DOWN THIS TOILET!

Anyway, I walk out, wet pants and all... I wash my hands (with as little water as possible... trying to be conscientious of the quickly diminishing supply of water) and leave...

I'll think twice about that extra cup of tea, can of coke, or bottle of water from here on out... but it's inevitable... I just know that I will once again have to face the automatic flusher at one point or another... be it at work or somewhere else...

This, albeit some minor details have changed from one episode to another, has happened multiple times.... I'm a little scared of the auto-flush...

Is this normal?

It's been awhile...

Ok, I realize that in the world of blogging, 11 weeks is an eternity. Actually, in the world of toddlers, babies, and mommyhood... 11 weeks is equivalent to 2 years... it's something like dog years, but more intense!

So... Let me bring you up to speed:

February 23rd - Brayden Daniel Thomas entered our world, at 36 weeks gestation, 19.5 inches long and tipping the scales at 7 lbs. 5 oz.. He had a little trouble breathing on his own, so he was in the NICU for 5 days.

February 28th - Brayden comes home, eating every 2.5 hours and avidly against the paci. Landen is fascinated with this new little thing that came to "visit" him.

February 29th - Brayden rolls over! That's right! From tummy to back... just flipped right on over! WHAT THE HECK!?! (and this flipping ability has since continued, especially if he gets mad during tummy time!)

March 9th-ish - the Colic Curse hits our home! I had baby blues that were off the charts at times!! OH THE HUMANITY!

***Luckily after a few weeks of pure misery (Keith and I alternating 3 hour shifts holding/rocking/swaddling/bouncing/singing/walking/patting/rubbing/performing new realms of acrobatics from approximately 5pm to 4am EVERY SINGLE NIGHT) our pediatrician prescribed Levsin. It works! Don't get me wrong... we still have colic issues, but it is SO MUCH BETTER!!!!***

Side note about Levisin (as listed on his Rx Label...) it may cause drowsiness and/or blurred vision, care should be taken when operating cars or heavy machinery. I'll keep this in mind when I allow my newborn to drive the car! ;) 

March 28th - Brayden's 1 month appointment. He weighed 9 lbs 1 oz and was 20.5 inches long. This is the appointment that the colic medicine entered our lives AND my baby blues were almost completely gone! YIPPEE!

***It was around this time that Landen figured out that Brayden was here to stay... WHOA the jealousy! Landen never tried to hurt Brayden, BUT Landen:

• was determined that Brayden was out to steal his daddy
• started crying like Brayden for anything/everything/no reason at all
• wanted to be held whenever Brayden was held
• was mad at mommy for bringing this thing home

***It was also around this time that Landen started developing a cold... adding to the neediness of a jealous  1 1/2 year old whose world has completely flipped it's axis!

April 9th - Mommy, Landen, Brayden, and Nana go to the zoo! Brayden slept through almost the entire trip. I had such a wonderful time with Landen - seeing all the animals, being goofy, riding the train (the highlight of his entire day), picnicking, etc.

April 14th - The Saturday after Easter (but when we actually got to celebrate Easter with my side of the family). Brayden makes his debut in the Children's Hospital ER... we noticed he wasn't feeling well; i.e. he didn't want to eat, he was coughing and grunting, and he had a fever... I called the nurse and she said that a 7 week old baby with a fever and grunting is an emergency and we needed to go straight to the ER. Keith and I both felt a little silly going to the ER for this because he really didn't seem all that sick. We learned the trick to avoiding ER Waiting Room time... bring a sick newborn and they take you STRAIGHT BACK!

Anyway, they did a spinal tap, x-rays, virus panel, catheter (to check urine), blood work, Oxygen stats, etc and admitting Brayden. He stayed until Monday night... they doctor's decided he just had a virus and sent us home with the instruction to follow up with our pediatrician the next day.

April 17th - Follow-up appointment. Our pediatrician has Tuesday's off so we saw one of the other doctors who was very concerned about Brayden's labored breathing. We did 2 breathing treatments in the office, his oxygen stats were ok, so she sent us home and told us to keep in contact with them if ANYTHING changes/seems weird/etc. Our wonderful pediatrician called us that night to check on Brayden. 

During the night, his breathing got worse. He started coughing to the point he couldn't catch his breath and his lips turned purple. I flipped him over and beat on his chest until the mucus in his chest broke up and he gasp for air. Can you say S-C-A-R-Y!?! After that, I didn't sleep AT ALL. 

April 18th - As soon as the office opened, I called our pediatrician. She wanted to see Brayden right away! I took him in and she was able to see that he was doing MUCH worse. His oxygen saturation while he was wide awake was in the 80s and when he started to cry it dropped from there. Needless to say, she sent us back to the Hospital where we were directly admitted to the Special Care Unit (a step down from the ICU). No one (including Keith and me) could come near him without wearing gloves, a gown, and a mask. 

As it turned out, he had gotten a virus from our 3-foot-tall, walking germ (aka Landen) and he developed Bronchiolitis. 

April 22nd - We finally get to come home! Brayden, though not completely well, was MUCH MUCH better. Landen decided he missed his mommy and his baby. 

April 25th - My first day back to work and ironically enough, Administrative Professionals Day! I cried on my way to work. I was fine as I took Brayden over to my Mom's (Nana's) house, but as I was leaving it hit me that my still-not-feeling-fabulous baby was going to be with someone other than me! It was tough, but once I got to work I started getting back in the groove of things and I quickly remembered how much I love my job! :)

April 29th - Keith's grandparents arrived from Oklahoma. The reason they are here kind of stinks (Papa Barney has COPD and Grandma Jacque fell and has a broken pelvis... they need help right now), but it means that we get to spend time with them AND they have now met Brayden! All things work out for good!

May 1st - My sister came in town and she brought her precious baby girl, Haleigh, who is exactly 2 months older than Brayden. We ate dinner with my parents, Nana and Papa, letting me meet Haleigh and letting my sister meet Brayden for the first time! It was awesome! 

Haleigh with Aunt A

Haleigh and Landen with Aunt Courtney

Brayden and Haleigh

Smallest to Largest

Holding hands (they did this entirely on their own)

Nana, Papa, Me, Courtney, Brayden, Landen, & Haleigh

Courtney, Nana, Me, Keith, and the kiddos

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!

Week 34 - 3 more weeks to go...

34 weeks: Measuring big!

Watch what you say! Your curious baby is listening in to your conversations at 34 weeks -- and might enjoy a lullaby or two -- so go ahead and sing to him. Some say that baby will recognize songs mom sings while he’s in the womb, and may even be more easily soothed by them if he’s used to them once he’s on the “outside.” At week 34, you might breathe a little easier, since baby may descend lower into your pelvis and give your lungs some space. (Ahh!) Of course, some babies don’t do this until the day they’re born, so we’re not making any guarantees. The pitfall of this descent, of course, is even more pressure on your bladder, so be prepared to make even more trips to the ladies room over the coming weeks.

Life Update:

So, I missed last week’s post because our world got a little shaky and a LOT snotty…

Landen’s daycare called around lunch time on Monday because he had a fever of 102.5. I went to pick him up and took him to the doctor. While at the doctor, Landen’s fever jumped to 104 and he decided to have a seizure. Not just any seizure, but one where he quit breathing and seized for 2 ½ minutes. The nurses and doctor got him on oxygen immediately (SUCH a blessing we were there when it happened), but it took between 6 and 7 minutes, after his seizure, for him to begin responding. As it turns out, after multiple tests, Landen had a fever virus and a cold. SO I stayed home with him on Tuesday and Wednesday while his fever remained… I just didn’t feel right leaving him with ANYONE while he was still at risk for seizing (both for his sake AND for the sake of said caretaker). Thursday my mom kept him. Friday we sent him on to daycare.

My sweet little boy, who needed to be held in an upright position in order for him to sleep with his cold, was super generous in that he shared his stinkin’ cold with mommy! So I, in my inability take anything for said cold, returned to work feeling icky and spent every spare second of time sleeping (intermittently switching sides for the snot to drain). ANYWAY, we are all better now and our house has a distinct odor of Lysol

Doctor’s Report:

I did NOT get the news I was hoping for… Brayden is still measuring big; I am carrying him VERY low; I am having fairly regular, strong contractions – not dilated yet (good news, I suppose); my blood pressure is up (150s-160s/90s-110s); and Brayden’s heart rate is up as a direct result of my BP being up. My doctor suggested that I stop working until Brayden is born… I explained that if I am not working, our family has no income… she gave in and agreed to let me continue working, as long as I limit it to no more than 4 hours/day and spent the rest of my day on a “modified bed rest” (aka LOTS of resting, “no strenuous anything, for any reason, at anytime, at all”). We are hoping that by my modified schedule and extra rest, that I can make it to 37 weeks (this COULD be a leap-year baby). In the mean time, I have no idea how we are possibly going to make ends meet.

Pregnancy Update:

1. How far along? 34 weeks  0 day
2. Total Weight Gain? 13 lbs
3. Fundal Height? 36 cm
4. Baby Heart Rate? 160s bpm – higher because my Blood Pressure is up and putting stress on his little heart.
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? Pepcid
8. Aversions? Almost anything… there’s really something to be said for your stomach being pushed up into your throat… eating just doesn’t sound good
9. Symptoms? Strong Contractions, Vomiting, Moody, CLUMSY, Pains (back, sciatic, leg, hip, neck, etc), Cramps (stomach, back, and into my thighs), Hands and feet swelling, 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!  
14. What I’m looking forward to? Finishing some name art for Brayden… I WILL do this before he is born! No longer being pregnant!
15. Concerns? Unpaid maternity leave. My blood pressure. Being unable to work more than 4 hours/day…  because the fact that we can’t pay our bills with my full income (our ONLY income) isn’t enough stress, WHY NOT cut my pay in half as we lead up to an unpaid maternity leave!?!
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!