ER Visit and Water Fight

We made our first visit to the emergency room with a child yesterday.  While at a friend's house, Kaylee fell off a fairly high bed onto the floor.  She split her lip completely through.  And I must admit, I got a bit light headed initially.  

She actually didn't act like she was in pain or anything after I was able to calm her down and clean her off a bit.  We ate lunch - since it happened around 11:00 - while trying to decide whether I should take her somewhere to be seen.

A good friend of ours is a family doctor so I texted him a picture and he recommended she be seen since it was completely split.  He also recommended the ER in case they needed to do conscious sedation in order to stitch it up. (I did call her doctor and was told the same thing)

**Momma did not like hearing that part

I tried to convince myself maybe we didn't need to go.  But my friend helped me decide that we probably should.  So off we went.

I thought maybe the wait at the ER wouldn't be that bad.  It was a smaller hospital and it was the middle of the day so people with flu or cold symptoms would go to their regular doctor right?

Wrong.  They were SLAMMED!  And slammed full of people who had colds and flu like symptoms.  I know I'm a bit hormonal these days but it really was quite irritating to have people there for things they could have gone to a regular doctor for...cause trust me, if we could have gone elsewhere, we would have!

Anyway, after a total of 4 1/2 hours, we were done.  We were there so long, Septtro was able to come right before they stitched her up.  I was afraid I'd lose it when Kaylee got upset.  But I actually did surprisingly well - praise God!  I even watched him do the stitching.  :)  They did have to wrap her up in a "papoose" as they called it - it was a lot like a bigger swaddle blanket so she would be still.  At that point I think she was so exhausted she didn't struggle much at all.  I was thankful they didn't have to do any sedation!

thank goodness for smart phones in these situations!

She only got one stitch.  He said he could have done two but because of the location of the injury, it would have been extremely irritating and he thought just one would be fine.  Unfortunately, the stitches don't dissolve.  So I will have to take her to her doctor to get them removed.  Hopefully that won't be a big deal.  

Today has been pretty low-key.  We have been home all day and I've gotten to catch up on some housework while the girls played together.  
I wanted to give Kaylee a bath right away after leaving the hospital and I probably should have since there were so many people there with flu-type symptoms.  But we were all tired when we got home.

So the girls got a bath before nap time today...in our bathtub.  It's like a small pool to them.

A water fight soon broke out.  The girls were cackling and laughing so much I couldn't bear to ask them to stop all the splashing.  At least not at first.  :)  

Have a fun weekend ya'll!!  ;)

18 Week Baby Update

Ok so I didn't give an update to my last baby post.  There's just one in there, thank goodness!  :)

We didn't get a lot of really fun pictures. She only gave us one of the baby looking directly at us - which always seems the most alien-ish to me.  Also, I was measuring right on track!

I had another appointment this past Friday and it went great.  I'm still very guarded with the midwives just because of my previous experiences with my providers.  But they have been so fabulous!  Both times, they've sat right next to me, put paperwork down, and just talked.  I feel like our relationship will be so much better than with previous ones.  

18 weeks!

One really encouraging thing from my last appointment was I asked to skip the GTT (glucose tolerance test) and monitor my sugars for a few days to a week on the food I'm already eating.  My last provider said I'd have to do this for the rest of my pregnancy, which I couldn't afford.  The supplies are expensive!  But I have leftover supplies; enough to monitor for a week, maybe more.  They were super cool about it and even said they didn't want me to feel "boxed in" with the GTT.  So I'll monitor a week before my next appointment.  I had explained at my previous appointment that I felt I was, at the very least, misdiagnosed with gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy and she was really open and understanding about my feelings. (wondering more about my feelings on the subject?  see my posts from when I was pregnant with Kaylee here and here)

So it seems this prenatal experience will be a lot less stressful and, dare I say, more pleasant?  :) 

I've been feeling the baby move more and more which is always fun.  When she found the heartbeat, she said the baby was moving all over the place.  Heart rate was in low 150s again.

Our "big" ultrasound is the 13th - next Wednesday.  We are still planning not to find out the gender.  I'll actually be glad when the appointment is over because I think it's going to be very hard to know that I could know the gender but choose not to find out....especially because I'm such a planner.  :)  But I do wanna wait.  I think it will be a nice surprise at the end of labor.  Hopefully this time we will get some better pictures of the baby!

In other news, Septtro quickly put up Ri's hair the other day when she was sick.  And it was SO cute. I tried it again the next day and I like it. I may stop brushing it out as much. 

I'm SO Ready for Spring!!!!

It's not that I haven't enjoyed winter.  We have gotten to see snow a few times this year.  Overall it hasn't been too horribly cold.  Life seems to move a little slower after the holidays end, which is a bit refreshing.  

the girls didn't care to have a picture made but the snow was so pretty!

No worries.  Kaylee wasn't upset the whole time.  :)

she starts t-ball this month!!

But this has, by far, been the worst season for sickness!  I typically don't get sick - to the point where I lay in bed.  I may get a cold here and there but it's usually very mild and I function fine.  When I'm pregnant, I know I'm more susceptible to illness and I usually get something.  But it seems this season, it's just been one thing after another.

Right when I felt I was getting out of the first trimester icky-ness, I started having a cough.  It was annoying but I slept fine.  Then we were exposed to a cold virus.  My cough got worse, I couldn't sleep at night.  One night I woke up with ear pain.  

Thankfully a friend told me about garlic oil.  I made my own and it stopped the pain immediately.  I still went to the doctor and an ear infection was confirmed.  But instead of doing antibiotics, I did the garlic oil and it cleared up - yay!  I did ask the doctor about my cough but it didn't seem too concerning to her.  Not long after, I pulled a muscle coughing - so then coughing became a literal pain.  

Finally, about a week ago, my cough calmed down and I started to sleep better.  

Then, my girls got pink eye. But at least they didn't act like it itched or bothered them at all.  Both still slept and functioned fine.  We just had to clean the eye goobies.  :)  Of course this kept us away from playing with friends.  

 On top of all this, Ri was referred to a pediatric cardiologist for an echo cardiogram (ultrasound of the heart).  When she came with me to my appointment for my ear infection (because she had a cough too), the nurse practitioner heard a heart murmur. I don't recall being told she had one before (although Septtro said he thought we had) and so she referred us just to be sure.  She told me not to worry.  But I knew a heart murmur was very common so I wasn't sure why such an extensive test would be ordered for such a common problem.

Thankfully, the cardiologist didn't even do an echo.  He said she was perfectly fine and healthy and sometimes nurse practitioners aren't trained well enough to know what they're hearing is totally normal.  Praise the Lord!

I thought she looked quite cute in her little gown.

So then yesterday, my KK woke up dry heaving.  No fever.  But all she wanted was to be held.  After a few hours and a nap on me, she requested her sippy.  I tried and she couldn't keep it down.  But she kept requesting to eat and drink.  So after a couple hours I'd try again.  But she'd just throw it back up again.  It was quite disheartening.  By about dinner time, she'd gone several hours without getting sick and kept some of her sippy down. 

But then after lunch, Rilynn started saying she was sick.  I thought maybe she was jealous of the attention I was giving Kaylee.  She soon cried about her ear hurting - she's never had any ear infections or issues with ears before.  But I put in a couple drops of garlic oil anyway.  And she took a nap on me while Kaylee snoozed on Septtro.  

At one point, I had both of them on my lap while Septtro was trying to fix the chicken coup (we've lost several chickens to predators recently).  

I had no time to do anything but snuggle my girls yesterday.  Every time I would get up, I was beckoned back by one of them.  

I can't say I didn't enjoy all the snuggles.  But I hated the context of it.  

Kaylee slept all night last night and has been fine all morning - so thankful!!  

But Ri woke up this morning at 5am and had gotten sick in her bed.  It wasn't much because her stomach was empty but she got sick two more times after that.  At around 6am, Septtro took her out into the living room to snuggle.  They both fell asleep for a couple of hours and Ri hasn't gotten sick since.  

Let's hope it stays that way.

So...needless to say, I'm SO weary of one thing after another coming into my house.  

Be gone, winter!!!!  You have worn out your welcome!

The Piano Playin Preschooler

This girl seriously loves music.  She's constantly singing.  She loves to watch videos of marching bands - or any bands for that matter.  Maybe one day she'll be a famous piano player/song writer too.  :)  (after about 40 seconds in, most of the performance is over)

Same picture, different baby

I took a picture of Ri that quickly became a favorite of mine.  So I took another one that's similar of Kaylee when she was around the same age.  :)  Looks like I had much nicer hair after Ri than with KK.  

6 months

7 months

Baby Update

I had my first appointment yesterday.  I've decided to switch providers....again.  Guess I'll just keep going until I find one that I really like.  :)  

I'm seeing a nurse midwife this time.  A local hospital just started a new program last year (this wasn't available when I was pregnant with Kaylee).  So I will be at a hospital but seeing a nurse midwife the whole time.  I am SO excited we have this option now!  They offer water birth too - which is fabulous.  Except that, for some reason, some big wigs at the hospital don't think vbac patients should even set foot in the water.  I asked the midwife what their reason was and she said she wasn't sure and that they haven't really been given a very good explanation.  They're working to change this so hopefully by the time our baby comes, I'll be able to at least labor in water. 

Baby at about 12 weeks

Of course, I was nervous about my appointment.  I was nervous about the baby being healthy, about establishing a new patient/provider relationship, about how open and friendly the midwife would be to straying from standard care.  But it was a great experience!  I really felt like she listened and even agreed with how I feel in general about caring for pregnant women!  Right now there are three midwives and a fourth will be joining in March.  

Everything went great at the appointment yesterday!  We heard a good, strong heartbeat!  It was in the 150s - which makes me think it's a girl because my girls were always around the 150s too.  But...I know that's not a 100% error-proof way to determine the gender.  :)

We don't plan to find out the gender this time.  I never thought I could do that.  But the more I think about and even talk to others who have waited, the more I think it'd be a really fun surprise!

I am scheduled to have an ultrasound next week.  We weren't going to do one.  I'm 13 weeks now.  But I've had dreams I'm having twins.  And so has my sister-in-law.  And I already feel huge (although let's be honest, I always have carried quite large).  So it'd be nice to know for sure.  Plus, the midwife said it felt like my uterus was higher than she would expect for 13 weeks - so she thinks I may be further along than I think; although I'm pretty confident about my dates.

So we'll see.  Ultrasound is a week from today at 8:30.  It will be fun to see the baby!  I had early ultrasounds with both my girls so it will be nice to have one for this one too!  

P.S.  I am hiring a doula for this birth.  She's already worked with these midwives and done vbacs with them as well.  So, overall, I believe it will be a much less stressful experience than last time.  Here's her website.  She rocks. **don't know what a doula is or what they do?  click here

Family Photo

I know it's rare to see our whole family in one picture.  We happened to get this shot last weekend when we went downtown after church.  It's not perfect.  But you can see everyone's face.  :)

Handy Hubby

Septtro has been improving a lot around the house lately.  Recently, he got a lot of free pallets.  So he made a new chicken coup.  **the picture below shows it not quite finished.  He put a door on the right side** 

and a fort (or clubhouse as Ri calls it) for the girls -- it's got a ladder inside that leads to the "roof"

The play kitchen out there was free - someone was throwing it away and it was already dirty.  We have since moved it inside the clubhouse.  I didn't have any idea how many cool things you could make out of free pallets!

**he's currently working on a zipline that will attach from the top level of the clubhouse**

I needed somewhere to hang clothes besides my racks in my dining room - not so pleasant when you have company over.  I'm not a huge fan of using the dryer so Septtro installed a rod in the laundry room.  

He put bead board up in our guest bathroom (aka the girls' bathroom).  That poor wall has taken a beating with bath times and potty accidents.  Not to mention the time both of them got into a bottle of shampoo.  It's definitely an improvement and I think it makes the bathroom look bigger.

 I joke that Septtro should have been an engineer. But I mean it.  He built the chicken coup and the clubhouse without any real instructions.  He got on youtube and watched some videos.  But I could never create something like that without specific, step-by-step  instructions.  So thankful for a handy husband!!!  

Changes

I really didn't mean to coincide this post with the new year.  It just happened that way.  

There's a few things that have changed recently...

Kaylee isn't nursing anymore.  Below is the last picture I have of her nursing.  (Yes, I take pictures of her nursing.  I didn't have many of Ri and I regretted it. I don't think it's weird.  It's special to me and I wanted to remember it another way besides my ever-so-depleting memory.  I wanted to remember how long her hair was, where she put her hands, and the feeling of her cuddled against me for a few minutes uninterrupted).  

I suppose it's partly due to me being pregnant that she stopped.  Ri nursed until I was about five months pregnant with Kaylee (18 months old).  She never refused but I could tell she wasn't interested anymore and she never asked after I stopped offering.  Kaylee has asked a few times here and there but since it's been so long, there's not much there. Plus it probably tastes weird.  So she whines about it not being the same.  But it was her choice and I try to explain that to her.  After offering her sippy cup, she quickly forgets all about me - maybe a little too quickly for my liking.  :)

 Kaylee used the potty.  Once.  Apparently, it freaked her out because every time we talk about her using the potty now, she adamantly says "no!"  My goal is to potty train her this summer when Septtro is home right around her second birthday.  We'll see how it goes.  She knows a lot but is fairly stubborn.

Rilynn is becoming such a little girl so quickly.  We went to an indoor play place last week. And I didn't have to help her up to the slide. She did it.  All by herself.  Over and over.  She makes up songs in the car, can make believe anything into existence, and she will sit for hours and listen to me read her books.

 I am on an indefinite break from my cloth diapers.  I know - I am just as surprised as anyone.  Part of this started when I ran into some issues with my cloth diapers.  I just didn't wanna strip them again, replace elastic, try a different type.  Plus, it's really been good to simplify at least one thing in my life while I'm in the exhausted, not feeling so well stage of pregnancy.  I do eventually want to go back to my cloth diapers.  The cost savings just makes it hard for the practical side of me to ignore.  One thing I have noticed that I'd forgotten, is how quickly you can go through a box of disposable diapers!  Thankfully, I have a decent stash still from when I find good deals.

These two.  More and more, they are together.  They share a room and even tonight, Kaylee didn't want to go to bed without Rilynn.  She kept asking "where Ri Ri?".  That makes my heart glad.  They do argue.  But they love each other's company.  And I love that.  They watch shows together, race from door to door inside the house, and throw rocks in the creek together; among other things.  I hope they become super close.  I love that they have each other!

Christmas 2012

Reading the real Christmas Story

Happy Birthday Jesus!! (lovingly referred to as the "cheese-us cake"  :)

Ri got The Sound of Music and was absolutely delighted while watching it

 Septtro got the both girls a head light.  They always want to wear his when we have fire night at our house.  Kaylee wore hers almost all morning.

Snagged this princess tent for $5 - big hit!!

wearing the stockings

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!!

Bless a Momma from Newtown, CT

Remember that sweet nest necklace from my last post? 

Well the gal who makes them was contacted by a friend of a mom who lost her little girl in the school shooting a few weeks back in Newtown, Connecticut.  She's decided she wants to give every mom who lost their child that day the opportunity to have a necklace.  

Read more here.  

They will be sent out January 10th so please consider if you are able to give to this cause.  I know it would bless those mommas.  And of course, no guilting yourself if you can't help.  Prayer is very powerful and I'm sure they will need lots of prayer for quite a while.

On a happier note, we had a great Christmas.  I hope you did too!! (hopefully pictures of that to come soon)

Hint, Hint

link for nest jewelry 

That's right - two lines...on two tests (just in case!)  :)

A new little Sene is expected at the end of July/beginning of August.