Being ♥ Mommy

NEW BLOG IS UP!!!!

2011-06-05T22:43:00.000-04:00

CLICK HERE!

Be sure to follow and bookmark!

Summer Plans..

2011-06-05T18:49:00.000-04:00

I was hoping that my next update would be at my new web address. We're still working on getting things set up. So for now...here's another post from me.

Updates on the boys:

In-home therapy has officially ended for Jack! We went to tour his preschool 2 weeks ago, and he LOVED it! He went right to following the other children, playing and doing what they were doing! I love it there and am so excited for his school adventures this school year. He'll start school the end of August (well actually, early September). He'll miss the first week of school because we'll be on vacation in Indiana. Jack will go to preschool 5 days a week for half a day. :) I know this may sound strange, but I'm looking forward to being away from him for a bit, to him having experiences away from me. It's going to be so good for him. I can't wait to help him pick out his backpack and lunchbox!

Ben is doing wonderfully. He's such a big boy and yet...so little. He tries so hard to keep up with his big brother and do all the "big boy" things. He continues to love to eat and take baths. He loves climbing, so he'll attempt to climb anything he deems 'climbable'. Ben continues to sleep in his crib, I think he likes the security of the four sides. We tried taking off the one side...and that night didn't go well for anyone. Poor Ben didn't understand what the deal was and couldn't sleep well. So, we put the crib side back on. Sleep for everyone! He sleeps soundly through the night and is a HARD sleeper. You can turn on the light in the middle of the night and this kid won't budge. He's learning more words, says "ooooo" a lot. :) We've defiantly got two growin' boys.

I'll admit...I'm looking forward to having a baby girl! Someday.

Our summer plans:

We are going to Indiana the end of August. We'll be attending the Bean Blossom Blues Festival with Clint's parents/siblings and camping for a week. It should fun.

Preschool this Fall!!

2011-05-09T20:01:00.003-04:00

Jack's teacher and I had a wonderful conversation about preschool. She said she found a preschool for Jack and he'll start in the fall! I'm so excited! The school year ends May 27, so we'll have to plan our visit before then. I'm really excited that Jack will remain with his teacher and his current therapists. I think it's important or him to have that consistency while gaining a change in a atmosphere. I think going to preschool will help him immensely, he really needs role models and to interact with children his age .

Some pictures and a Speech Update!

2011-04-08T11:55:00.000-04:00

Here's a few pictures for this past weekend and Jack's birthday! :)

Not the clearest picture, but I had to post it. He's too cute!

Jack and his Aunt Tori

Jack and his Aunt Tori.

My pup Moonshine

Moonshine running off some energy.

Jack being silly with Mama.

Jack and Ben chasing bubbles.

Jack fast asleep after a long day! He fell asleep before dinner and slept through the night.

Jack blows out his birthday cupcake!

Story time with Grandpa

Jack is doing SO well with his therapy. I am just so proud. The last few weeks he's said, "Cracker", "Paint", "Water", "Swing", "Wee!", "Way cool!" "Open", "Moon" "Hi", "More", just to name a few!

Ben has been doing really well and growing like a weed. He still eats like a Quarter Back. He enjoys tickling mommy and pestering Jack. :) He LOVES vehicles...trains,, plains, trucks, boats, cars..you name it! He's been saying a few more things too...besides "Mama and "Dada" he can say "Yeah" "No" and has said "that hurt?" once when he smacked my cheek during a game of peek a boo. lol He's 15 months old and will have his 15 month check up soon. I hope his language development is going the way it should, I'm not sure how many words he should be saying besides mama and dada at this point.

Things Jack Said Today.

2011-03-03T21:26:00.000-05:00

We sang along with Baby Einsteins and sang, "Old McDonald".

Jack said, "Moo!" "Baaa!" and "E. I. E. I. O!"

We were counting pieces of bread while I made the boys' their lunch. So after that...we counted all the cups, plates, and our fingers. :) Tonight, while Clint was giving the boy's their bath, Jack counted his fingers! All by himself! One, twoo, free, four, five!

MY SON IS USING WORDS!!!!!! It's the best thing of 2011!

Yay Speech!!!

2011-03-02T16:16:00.000-05:00

Things said by Jack today, "Blow", "Green", "Stop It!". :) We played with legos, animals in a jar, a button box, markers, bubbles and legos in therapy! YAY FOR SPEECH!!!!!!

Check back later, i'll be posting some pictures!

A Letter from an Autistic Child

2011-03-02T12:28:00.001-05:00

A friend from Justmommies posted this and I thought I'd share. This is a great letter from an Autistic child to his/her family and friends.

"Dear Family and Friends-
I understand that we will be visiting each other for some get-togethers this year. Sometimes these visits can be very hard for me, but here is some information that might help our visit to be more successful. As you probably know, I am challenged by a hidden disability called Autism, or what some people refer to as Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD). Autism/PDD is a neurodevelopmental disorder which makes it hard for me to understand the environment around me. I have barriers in my brain that you can’t see, but which make it difficult for me to adapt to my surroundings.

Sometimes I may seem rude and abrupt or silly and out of control, but it is only because I have to try so hard to understand people and at the same time, make myself understood. People with autism have different abilities. Some may not speak, some will write beautiful poetry. Others are whizzes in math (Albert Einstein was thought to be autistic), or may have difficulty making friends. We are ALL different and need various degrees of support.

Sometimes when I am touched unexpectedly, it might feel painful and make me want to run away. I get easily frustrated, too. Being with lots of other people is like standing next to a moving freight train and trying to decide how and when to jump aboard. I feel frightened and confused a lot of the time. This is why I need to have things the same as much as possible. Once I learn how things happen, I can get by OK. But if something, anything, changes then I have to relearn the situation all over again! It is very hard.
When you try to talk to me, I often can’t understand what you say because there is a lot of distraction around. I have to concentrate very hard to hear and understand one thing at a time. You might think I am ignoring you – I am not. Rather, I am hearing everything and not knowing what is most important to respond to.
Get-togethers are exceptionally hard because there are so many different people, places and things going on that are out of my ordinary realm. This may be fun and adventurous for most people, but for me, it’s very hard work and can be extremely stressful. I often have to get away from all the commotion to calm down. It would be great if I had a private place set up to where I could retreat every time I go to get-togethers.
If I cannot sit at the meal table, do not think I am misbehaved or my parents have no control over me. Sitting in one place for even five minutes is often impossible for me. I feel so antsy and overwhelmed by all the smells, sounds, and people – I just have to get up and move about. Please don’t hold up your meal for me – go on without me, and my parents will handle the situation the best way they know how.

Eating in general is hard for me. If you understand that autism is a sensory processing disorder, it’s no wonder eating is a problem! Think of all the senses involved with eating. Sight, smell, taste, touch AND all the complicated mechanics that are involved. Chewing and swallowing is something that a lot of people with autism have trouble with. I am not picky – I literally cannot eat certain foods as my sensory system and/or oral motor coordination are impaired.

Don’t be disappointed if Mom hasn’t dressed me in the best clothes there are. It’s because she knows how much stiff and frilly clothes drive me buggy! I have to feel comfortable in my clothes or I will just be miserable. When I go to someone else’s house, I may appear crabby. Things have to be done in ways I am familiar with or else I might get confused and frustrated. It doesn’t mean you have to change the way you are doing things – just please be patient with me, and understanding of how I have to cope. Mom and Dad have no control over how my autism makes me feel inside. People with autism often have little things that they do to help themselves feel more comfortable. The grown-ups call it “self-regulation” or “stimming.” I might rock, hum, flick my fingers, tap a string, or any number of different things. I am not trying to be disruptive or weird. Again, I am doing what I have to do for my brain to adapt to your world. Sometimes I cannot stop myself from talking, singing, laughing, or doing an activity I enjoy. The grown-ups call this “perseverating” which is kinda like self-regulation or stimming. I do this only because I have found something to occupy myself that makes me feel comfortable. Perseverating behaviors are good to a certain degree because they help me calm down.

Please be respectful to my Mom and Dad if they let me “stim” for a while as they know me best and what helps to calm me. Remember that my Mom and Dad have to watch me much more closely than the average child. This is for my own safety, and preservation of your possessions. It hurts my parents’ feelings to be criticized for being over-protective, or condemned for not watching me close enough. They are human and have been given an assignment intended for saints. My parents are good people and need your support and not rude remarks.

Gatherings are filled with sights, sounds, and smells. The average household is turned into a busy, frantic, festive place. Remember that this may be fun for you, but it’s very hard work for me to conform. If I fall apart or act out in a way that you consider socially inappropriate, please remember that I don’t possess the neurological system that is required to follow some social rules. I am a unique person – an interesting person. I will find my place at these celebrations that is comfortable for us all, as long as you’ll try to view the world through my eyes!

-Author Unknown"

My boy, Jack.

2011-02-28T22:28:00.001-05:00

I love Jack so much. Jack is an amazing little man. He's funny, happy, loves to cuddle, give kisses and hugs. He's a sweetheart. Jack is a very helpful little boy. He likes to help with laundry, dishes, sweeping and vacuuming.

I've been thinking a lot about his diagnosis..."PDD-NOS." What does that mean to me? Nothing, really. It's important for Jack to get the therapies ect that he may need, but not something that I think defines (or will define) him. I think he's an amazing little person, Autism or no Autism.

Potty training is going great. He's been wearing underwear for almost a month. He's improving daily. It's so great to see, because before we started potty training, I wasn't sure how it was going to work out with Jack's speech delay. He seems to catch on rather quickly to things, but doesn't vocalize a lot.
He gets up in the morning and I change him into underwear and a T-shirt from his diaper/PJs. I've started to add sweatpants over his underwear, so that he'll get used to wearing pants and being potty trained. The one thing I'm not sure about is the whole getting him to poop in the potty. He's not made it that far, yet. I am confident that he will soon.

Haircuts

2011-02-28T22:04:00.000-05:00

The boys were given haircuts by their daddy tonight. Aren't they handsome?! :) I think so!

Ben's new haircut! :) 14 months old.

Jack's new haircut. 2 years (almost 3).

PDD-NOS

2011-02-21T21:43:00.001-05:00

Yep...you guessed it. Jack's diagnosis came back as "PDD-NOS" (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified). So, what else do we know? That's about it! We're waiting on the full report to be mailed to us. They said it could take 6-8 days, so I guess we'll eventually find out what all this means for Jack.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T09:22:00.000-05:00

This was from Clint! :)

ADOS Results, Rescheduled

2011-02-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention...We were scheduled to have the meeting about Jack's diagnosis on Friday 2/11 but, the health department called late last week and said they had a conflict with our appointment. So it's been rescheduled for Thurs 2/17. I was so close to just telling the lady to send us a letter! It's so irritating when they make appointments that they can't keep!

Sunday Snapshots

2011-02-06T20:19:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to share some pictures of the boys. :)

We went outside for a bit, so the boys could run off some energy! Boy did they need it!

It's February...

2011-02-05T13:51:00.000-05:00

We had the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) done last month. We are scheduled to have a meeting next week, where we'll finally get the results. I'm a bit nervous about it, I'm not sure what to expect. Thankfully, Jack is already enrolled in the therapies they'd probably suggest, due to his speech delay.

Jack's speech has slowly been improving. He's been using his signs and vocalizing a few words too. I'm so thankful for the communication, even if it's touch and go.

Back in Session!

2011-01-24T22:10:00.001-05:00

Jack had therapy today, for the first time since mid December. :) He did wonderful in getting back to his routine. He remembered the routine for his therapy and sat at the table.

His first activity was playing with a rice box (made up with rice, bowls, funnels and lil jugs), it was sort of like a sand table but with rice). I was really happy when his teacher asked if we wanted to use it for the week. I am planning on buying the things we need to make our own! :)

So far in 2011.

2011-01-09T22:08:00.000-05:00

First of all, I should mention that we had a great Christmas visiting my in-laws in Michigan.

This is a great picture of Clint's sisters and I.

Kalamazoo has a great Bounce House. We decided to take the boys there again, as they loved it so much the time before. This is a picture of Jack enjoying one of the slides. :)

Clint reading to the boys and Uncle Lionel. :)

Ben turned one over our Christmas vacation. December 26th.

We were on vacation from Dec. 22-Jan 1. We left super late because we didn't account for the time it would take us to pack everything. There were tons of things to pack, so we had to be choosey and leave some to be sent back later. We got on the road around 9pm and had to make several stops for one thing or another...it was exhausting. The most frustrating thing we experienced was a flat tire. :( Poor Clint had to be out in the wind, snow and cold for almsot an hour, changing the tire with his cell phone light. After the tire was fixed we headed out again and eventually stopped for the night. We slept for 4+ hours and were home around noon.

In our first week home, everyone has been sick. I had to reschedule Jack's ADOS testing, which was supposed to be January 6th. It's been rescheduled for next Wednesday (January 12th). I'm feeling a bit nervous and anxious about it. What will the results be? What will the results tell us?

Amateur Photography! :)

2011-01-07T16:46:00.000-05:00

I've started a blog about my adventures in photography. I will post photos, tutorials (as they come) and my Project 365. Be sure to check it out!! :)

Laundry and Language!

2010-12-16T19:50:00.001-05:00

Jack helped me with laundry earlier today. :) He'd hand me a hanger and say, "Here ya go!" and I'd respond with "Thank you!" I was so happy to hear him talk and even make attempts at saying, "You're welcome!"

Jack's Homework.

2010-12-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

Today Jack's teacher gave us a bag of Winter Break activities! The school has Winter break the week after next and will be out for 3 weeks! She said they're trying to cut down on heating, so they have a longer break during the coldest part of the season. Good idea. Because of this, Jack won't have therapy for a while and they wanted to provide us with activities to do with him. :) I think it's great. I appreciate it and can't wait to show him all his neat goodies! I am going to pack these to take with us on our Christmas vacation, I think it'd be great to have some things for Jack to do that are new during our trip, especially on Ben's birthday.

Activities include:

A Slinky

A book

Play Dough

Stamps

A Snowflake Ball

Hot Cocoa

Snow Flake Cards

Bubbles

It's not just one day...

2010-12-14T13:12:00.002-05:00

I read this woman's blog post about her cesarean and it touched me. She's right, "It's not just one day."
Here's my "The one day that lasts a life time" post:

When I was younger, I was always told I couldn't do things. I was told I couldn't do everything from survive the hour after birth to play hide and go seek. Fast forward 21 years and I was married and expecting my firstborn. I guess I was haunted by all the naysaying comments of others, because when my "Midwife" repeatedly told me "You can't deliver vaginally." Somewhere in the back of my mind...I believed her.

At 40w1d labor began, our son would soon be born! Ok, well...it's not as nice as it sounds, it was more like prelabor began. I had an appointment that day and it all started in the waiting room. I couldn't sit but I couldn't stand either. The pain was annoying and got even more irritating when I stood. Pain. Pressure...oooh the pressure! So I tell the midwife and she says I can schedule a cesarean or be induced. I opted to be induced. So we head home, making a few calls and go to the hospital. Fast forward a several hours later...I had been in labor for 6.5 hrs, unmedicated, contractions at every 3 minutes. Ok. Cool. Right? Yeah...not so much. The midwife came in and said I was 80% effaced and 2cm dilated, but there may have been a problem. She said she thought Jack's cord was prolapsed. So...Sign me up for surgery! Get him the heck out of there! I was so scared and hid it well after asking for some Stadol. So, after an IV I was wheeled to the OR. I have never felt like I failed so much in my life. I wanted a natural birth SO badly.

Why am I bitter?
My memories of Jack's birth were stolen by a cold and heartless Anesthesiologist who gave me a sedative. Because of this, I have seriously vague memories of Jack's birthday.

Why it wasn't just one day...
It wasn't just one day because I have thought about the birth of my children EVERY SINGLE day for almost 3 years now. My husband says I'm obsessed...and maybe he's right. I have a folder of links full of pregnancy, birth and vbac information on my computer. The links list has a scrollbar for goodness sakes. I have gone through all the details of Ben's birth (because I remember everything this time! Thank you Anesthesiology guy for not giving me a sedative!), wondering if I made the right decision, if I would have ever gone into labor on my own, could I trust what my OB said, what can I do to increase my chances of a VB2C (Vaginal Birth after 2 Cesareans) next time?

And yes, for those of you who are/were unsupportive, skeptical ect of my ability to deliver vaginally after 2 surgeries, it is possible to have a VB2C. Read Here! And yes, this is from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists...they're like the God's of Obstetric care, they make all the recommendations ect. You wouldn't argue with a team of OB/GYNs, would you? Yeah...you probably would!

Yay for Vocabulary!

2010-12-10T12:33:00.002-05:00

Before fixing the boys' lunch, I asked Jack if he wanted something to eat. He looked at me and said, "Eat!"
::
As I was putting Jack down for his afternoon nap he said, "Bye!" and waved at me. It was SO cute! :) Yay for vocabulary!

Refreshing...

2010-12-09T14:21:00.000-05:00

Ben has slept through the night TWO nights in a row! I can't tell you how refreshing it is to get that extra sleep. I have so much more energy now! :)

Jack started "School"!

2010-12-09T14:17:00.001-05:00

Yesterday was Jack's first day of "School"! His teacher comes over the house twice a week (Monday, Wednesday) for an hour. The occupational and speech therapists alternate on Wednesdays, accompanying his teacher.

Jack did very well for his first time with new teachers. Everyone sat around our dining table and we had some structured play. :) We played with some play-dough, drew some pictures (Jack did some circles!), and put pegs on a peg board. Jack didn't like switching activities (times for 10 minutes each), he'd scream for a bit, then calm once another activity started. I'm thrilled with his first go at "school". :)

He's been doing great at making attempts to say words. It's been fantastic. I seriously get SO excited, even for the slightest attempt. I LOVE it! My boy is well on his way to using words regularly! During his hour of school he used these words; blue, purple, please, red, poke, no. It was wonderful, although "No!" seems to be a constant favorite!

A Four Day Weekend!!

2010-11-28T16:14:00.001-05:00

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving. We stayed home and had dinner, just the 4 of us. It was Heavenly! We had cinnamon rolls and sausage bake for breakfast, it was delicious! After breakfast Clint began preparing everything to be cooked while I did dishes. While things were cooking the boys and I watched movies and played together. Around noon we all took a nice nap, when I woke up dinner was already done! We ate around 3pm.

Ben's 1st Thanksgiving!!

(I wasn't able to get any pictures of Jack because he was throwing a fit about his dinner.)

Ben after a bath! He's so cute!

Ben is officially 11 months old!

November 26, 2010

(We set up the boys' ball pit that Clint's mom had bought for Jack's Birthday last year.)

Finally a goofy/happy picture of Jack! :)

And to make this post a bit longer...Here's some video from the past couple days!

Ball Pit Fun!

Ben Belly Laughing at Mommy!

Jack & Ben helping mommy pick up balls.

It's been a great 4 day weekend for us all! :) We've had lots of fun and today has been relaxing, for the most part. I've managed to get a few loads of laundry done and cleaned out the kids closet! Yay! Those are things that really needed to be done. Clint and the boys have been playing video games (well the boys watched, more than played). I can't believe Clint has to go to work tomorrow. That's sad. :( I'm really looking forward to our Christmas vacation!

2010-11-21T22:06:00.000-05:00

There has been so much going on here. Where to start?

Last week we had Jack's eligibility meeting with the public school. He had been evaluated at our home in late October, so we were meeting again to see about services he could receive. To save valuable brain cells from deciphering acronyms and test scores, here's the low down on Jack's evaluation results:

He is above average in some areas, below in others and somewhere in the middle. All at the same time. During this meeting however, we were told for the 3rd time (after having seen our Pediatrician and a Developmental Pediatrician) that mild Autism is suspected. Ok. We'll get him tested in early 2011, I just have to wait on a phone call.

We have a meeting this coming Tuesday to discuss his IEP (Individual Education Plan).

Mama's Helper

2010-11-08T15:24:00.000-05:00

Jack has become the lil helper around the house. I really love it. I enjoy the time that I can spend with him when I know he understands what's going on and we're interacting and communicating in non verbal ways. He likes to help with laundry, he'll put it from the dryer to a basket, from a basket to the bed/couch and hand me hangers. He's great at picking up things and putting them where they go and even attempts to help with dishes. I think his favorite thing though is baking, he LOVES to help me bake cookies, banana bread or anything really that involves putting ingredients into a bowl. It's adorable!

:: Some other things... ::

Ben is saying, "Mama!" a lot. It's so cute. :) I am absolutely dyeing without my cell phone. I miss it so much. Not necessarily because of the "phone" but because of the camera. I miss capturing the cute, funny moments in the boys' day to day lives. I can't wait to get a new camera (and hopefully a replacement phone.

Walkin' Ben!

2010-10-30T20:28:00.000-04:00

Ben is so sweet toddling around the house. :) He's 10 months and walks pretty well for someone his height. He's so a small lil thing, standing at 30 inches. I am hoping to get some video of him walking soon...hopefully tomorrow.

ADOS Scheduling

2010-10-26T10:59:00.000-04:00

I called the Child Development Clinic today to schedule the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) for Jack. The Psychologist that does the scheduling/testing is out of the office on medical leave for 7-8 weeks. I was told that it would be Jan/Feb before the ADOS would be able to be done. They also informed me that they are "Out of Network" as far as our insurance is concerned, so they've done a sliding scale fee. The lady estimated that we'd pay $150.

Jack's Public School Evaluation

2010-10-25T20:43:00.000-04:00

Jack had his evaluation for the public school today. It was kind of intense, at least for me. A speech therapist, a special education teacher and an occupational therapist all surrounded Jack in my living room. I had to fill out paper work for one and answer dozens of questions for the other two. It almost feels redundant now, all the questions I'm answering are the same. They were here for about an hour and a half and Jack got bored half way through...so he spent time drawing on a big pad of paper while we talked. Ben attempted to get in the middle of the action as Jack was drawing and/or playing. This didn't go over well for Jack, who would push, roll on or hit Ben. This is something we're going to have to work on.
As usual he through a fit after everyone was gone but thankfully he napped really well after he was done being upset.

I guess we'll know more later...we have another appointment set up to find out if he's eligible for services.

To the Park...

2010-10-24T23:47:00.000-04:00

We took the boys to the park today. The weather was amazing and it wasn't too hot or buggy out. :)
The boys had a good time swinging...

Rock wall climbing...

Climbing bars...

and hanging out with mommy!

There was something that caught my attention...

Jack seemed to be repetitive in the things he liked to do and oblivious to other children around him. After swinging and climbing the rock wall he went down the slide several times (up to the slide the same route each time). I mentioned to Clint that I thought Jack was bored. I wasn't exactly sure if what I was seeing was boredom or contentment. Either way, both boys were happy weather slightly bored or not and that's what matters! :) On the way home we stopped by the new Wal-Mart, it's really nice! :) So we'll be going there from now on, it's much nicer than the other one we'd been going to. Unfortunately I dropped my cell phone before we checked out...it's broken! Thankfully Google Voice will save my life tomorrow, so I can call the insurance company (hopefully) and return any necessary calls!

Tomorrow will be a busy day (I guess I'd better get to bed!), Jack has his evaluation with the public school. I really hope it doesn't last too long. There are going to be 4 different people here evaluating his various skills. I'll admit...I'm tired, I'm frustrated, I'm feeling a bit discouraged about some things, and encouraged about others. On a good note, Jack has started to say, "No!" and "What?"! I never thought I'd be as happy as I am to hear him say "No!" His lil voice is so cute! :)

Is insurance really helpful?

2010-10-23T18:52:00.003-04:00

I'm beginning to wonder, "Is insurance really helpful?". I guess it is, but it sure is frustrating. I called our insurance company on Friday, I needed to find out if the options we have for Autism screening would be covered.
If we were to go the route of our Pediatrician, it would be considered "Out of Network". Therefore our deductible would have to be paid first and the insurance company would pay 60/40 of all bills. Bleh. This is not ideal, so I don't think we'll be doing the screening with our Pediatrician. It's SO expensive to begin with, I can't imagine what it would cost with the breakdown after insurance pays their part. I am now in the process of getting all my ducks in a row to do the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule).

Sweet Sleep!!

2010-10-22T11:31:00.001-04:00

Ben slept THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!

He had a pedi appt. on Wednesday, I asked about how to get him from nursing ALL NIGHT long. She said, "Let him cry." So, I did. :( I let him cry for 10 minutes then I went and checked on him, laid him down and patted his back and he went to sleep with his music on. I did it 2x in one night before bringing him to bed with me. The next night we fell asleep on the couch and he slept through the night, once he was in his crib! Yay for SLEEP!!!!

October Checkups

2010-10-20T16:35:00.008-04:00

Ben has his 9 month check up today. Jack also had an appt too, we wanted to get a 2nd opinion from his pediatrician.

Ben's 9 Month Stats:
Weight: 20 lbs 1 oz | 25-50%
Height: 30 inches | 90%
Head: 18 1/4 | 50-75%

We have one healthy lil boy! :) He'll be catching up to his brother soon! I expressed some concern to the nurse praticioner about Ben's nighttime eating. He seems to want to eat and eat and eat! She said that he's old enough to be sleeping through the night and that he may not really be "hungry" just comfort nursing. He'd made himself sick a few times because of this! I asked what he should do, she said, "Let him cry a bit!" Oy..hopefully he'll do aright with it and kiss the night time eating goodbye.

Jack's Stats:
Weight: 28 lbs | 25-50%
Height: 37 1/4 inches | 75%

We scheduled a visit for Jack to see Dr. Mumpher to get a 2nd opinion, after he'd been seen by Dr. Brennan in August. Link contains info on her diagnosis/recommendations.

We talked to the nurse partitioner about our concerns and she explained our options (Dr. Mumpher was out of the office). She encouraged us to have him evaluated, either by Dr. Mumpher (who is an Autism Specialist) or to schedule the ADOS (which was previous cancelled). She explained that Dr. Mumpher doesn't take insurance (in regards to doing the evaluation), so we'd have to pay out of pocket or submit the claim to insurance ourselves. They would do several labs (urine, stool, blood) as a part of the evaluation too. Dr. Mumpher's treatments for autism involve dietary changes and things other then therapies.

Or we could have the ADOS scheduled and it would be a longer test that would document (via video) the way he interacts with us, others, and some psychological testing too. Treatments done after the ADOS include therapies and don't focus on things like diet.

I'm not sure what we'll do (right now anyway). But, I'll post about it as soon as I know. We have some research to do!

Gianna Jessen Abortion Survivor in Australia Part 1

2010-10-01T22:51:00.000-04:00

This woman's story is incredible! Absolutely amazing!

Video Part Two

Jack...Can You Hear Me?!

2010-09-29T17:36:00.003-04:00

Jack had his appointment with Audiologist today, for a hearing screening. It was (in a word)...AWFUL! He threw a fit pretty much the entire time we were there. The hearing screening booth scared him, so he screamed and cried. Poor guy. He didn't like the doctor touching him either!

We have an appointment with the preschool early learning center next Wednesday at 11:30! I hope this is the beginning of good things for Jack. :)

2010-09-28T14:11:00.003-04:00

An update on Jack...

As I posted earlier about all of Jack's appointments, I think we may have solved our problem!

Earlier this month we had a meeting with an early intervention center through the public schools. The meeting was a bit long, but very informative and we walked away feeling good about it. The lady explained that their services are geared toward helping the children in whatever areas are needed, weather it be Occupational Therapy (OT), Physical Therapy (PT) or Speech Therapy (ST). They have services in-home until the child is 3, then they transition them into a preschool setting which would be of no cost to us!
We explained to her that he's in OT and PT through the state run program for early intervention, that they wanted his hearing checked and the ADOS (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule) done. He explained that they don't label the children and they don't usually turn to such testing as the ADOS. We really liked this approach. We are under the impression that the ADOS is being scheduled (has been scheduled) too early.

I received noticed a few days ago that the boys' medical records have been transfered to the new pediatrician, all I need to do now is get papers filled out and make appointments for both boys. We are going to get Jack examined by the new pediatrician and ask her opinion about doing the ADOS testing this early. If she thinks we should cancel, we will.

I am looking forward to a new start with Jack's appointments. :) Hopefully I can get everything scheduled in a timely manner.

In other Jack related news....
I am so pleased to report that he's attempting to use a lot more words! :) He's also begun signing! He knows the signs for shoe, sock, bus, car, bike, ball, just to name a few.

Win a Performance ERGO!!!

2010-09-24T14:10:00.002-04:00

Amber, the amazing owner ofHeavenly Holdis doing a giveaway for a ERGO Performance baby carrier! If you don't already wear you baby, I strongly urge you to! My baby boy is 9 months old and loves being worn. I've noticed that he cries less, nurses better and are sleeps better too. He only wakes up 1x per night! My oldest son is 2 and he woke up 4x at night until I started wearing him at 3 months old. :)

Breastmilk for babies who've lost their mothers...

2010-09-17T14:56:00.002-04:00

I love this, so I thought I'd share. It's really incredible to see women pull together to give breastmilk to another woman's baby.

Posted March 29. 2009
MARQUETTE - His big hand holds a tiny one as Robbie Goodrich sings in a deep voice, soothing his infant son Moses. The little guy observes his father's every move, focusing on his lips that produce those comforting sounds. Watching him, one may wonder how much 2-month-old Moses already knows about the bittersweet beginning of his life.

Charles Moses Martin Goodrich was born at 3:26 a.m. Jan. 11 at Marquette General Hospital. Eleven hours after giving birth, his mother Susan Goodrich, 46, died of amniotic fluid embolism - a rare obstetric emergency that is not age-related, Goodrich said. Moses is the Goodrich's second child - Julia was born in 2007 - and Susan's fourth. Still in shock over his wife's death, Goodrich realized he had to figure out a way to feed his newborn son.

"They didn't carry any breast milk," the history professor said about the hospital, so a nurse looked into getting some for Moses. As it turned out, the nearest place to get breast milk was in Kalamazoo, and it would take several days to have it delivered to Marquette.

In the meantime, Goodrich received a phone call from family friend Laura Janowski of Marquette, who was still nursing her fourth child, 1-year-old Emily. In her message, Janowski offered Goodrich to nurse Moses.

"That's when it clicked in my head," he said. "I wanted the baby to be nursed. That's something that Susan would have wanted."

One thing led to another when family friend Nicoletta Fraire of Marquette began organizing a group of women who may want to help feed Moses.

"Basically, a couple of phone calls were enough," she said. "I just had to leave my name and phone number and calls started to come in."

She also made contact with Sally Keskey, founder of the Yooper Nursers - a local breast feeding support group. Within a brief time, nearly 20 women were found who offered to breast-feed Moses. Many of them belong to the support group and had never met the Goodrich family before.

"These women are advocates of breast feeding," Goodrich said.

A schedule was put together with feeding times at 9 a.m., noon, 1:30 , 4 , 6:30 and 8 p.m. Six times a day a different mother has been feeding Moses for the past two months. During the night, Goodrich bottle-feeds his son breast milk that was pumped by the women.

"What amazes me is they are so committed," Fraire said. "They would do it for anyone because they believe in this. They didn't take it lightly and they don't miss a day."

Goodrich added: "It's commitment, passion - it's love. It's an act of love."

What these women are doing "is an example of group cross-nursing," Goodrich explained. "It's organized. That's what you don't find anymore."

Goodrich and Fraire did some research to find similar groups in the United States. They were not successful. They heard of friends sharing their babies, which is called cross-nursing, and of course wet nurses get paid for nursing someone else's baby.

"The first literary reference in western literature to wet nursing is Moses' (biblical) story," Goodrich said.

In the beginning, Goodrich and Fraire discussed whether they should have the women tested to be sure they are healthy. In the end, "we just decided to trust them," Fraire said. "The women deeply care about their health and the health of their babies."

And so far, their trust has been validated. Moses has not been sick since he was born.

"He's getting the strongest mix of antibodies in the county," Goodrich said.

But being fed and healthy aren't the only benefits for Moses, his father said.

"It's about the nurturing aspect, being held," he said. "He is happy. He rarely cries."

Goodrich said having the women come to his house to nurse Moses, often bringing their own children, has been good for him.

"These are deeply caring individuals who spend time and work with me," he said. "They've all treated me with the utmost graciousness and empathy."

Goodrich said, if he can find enough mothers willing to provide breast milk, he hopes to continue nursing Moses until he is a year old.

Here's another story posted on Mckmama's blog!

Babies!!!!

2010-09-16T16:02:00.001-04:00

My nephew Anthony was born September 8, 2010
My friend Lauren's little girl Sophia was born September 9, 2010

A happy time for babies!!:)

Lost Debit Cards.

2010-09-04T22:43:00.002-04:00

Thursday evening Jack got caught playing with Clint's debit card. We searched high and low and asked him where he'd put it. Clint thought it would be a good idea to show Jack my debit card and ask him where it was. Clint gave Jack my debit card and asked him to show us where he'd put the other one. So, Jack walked around with my card for a while and before we knew it...it was gone too!

So for Friday I cleaned, picked up, sorted through things looking for the missing debit cards. They were no where to be found! Clint comes home that evening and continued to look and ask Jack, "Where are the cards, Jack?" Jack giggled and just played for a while. Clint decided to sit at his desk for a minute and sees a cd case sticking out from the fax machine. He pulls out the paper cartridge thing and finds the cd case AND BOTH of our debit cards! We laughed so hard. Apparently Jack had done what he was told and attempted to show Clint where his card had been put, after Clint had given him mine. Clint just didn't pay attention!

More and more appointments for Jack

2010-08-29T23:49:00.002-04:00

Jack had an appointment with a developmental pediatrician this past Thursday. We went in, registered and went back to the exam room where Jack's weight, height and head circumference were taken, and an overall physical was done. He's in tip top shape! :) He's 27 lbs and 3 feet tall! He's so big, yet so small.

After all that was done, in come the people...a doctor, a occupational therapist, a nurse, Jack's early intervention coordinator, Clint, Ben and I managed to fit into that tiny room! The doctor and physical therapist played with and observed Jack. They talked to him, did puzzles, let him color and even climb around on the exam table. The nurse and his EI coordinator took notes. The room was buzzing with activity. We were asked a million and one questions, it was hard to think back and really remember when he started talking, when he stopped using certain words. I felt as though I should have kept a record of those things...Eh, it's all probably written in here somewhere.

The doctor explained that there are things that Jack is doing (or isn't) that he should be. Things like mimicking drawings (like attempting to draw a circle vs. just scribbling). he has moments where he stares off into space, he parallel plays, he's used words in the past that he doesn't use now (mama, bye). She explained that she thinks he may be mildy autistic. She suggested we enroll him into public preschool and hold off on homeschooling, get him evaluated for occupation therapy, continue speech therapy and schedule a hearing test as well as the ADOS (Autism diagnositc observation schedule).

So far we've got a OT eval scheduled
His speech therapy will be bumped up from 30 mins to 1 hr 1x a week
OT evaluation
ADOS end of October

I've been praying a lot...wondering too.

Jack sees Dr. Brennan

2010-08-26T20:31:00.001-04:00

This was copied from our discharge papers:

Jack was seen by Dr. Brennon (Child Development Specialist) today.
Here are her conclusions after the examination (attended by a Speech therapist (ST), Occupational Therapist (OT)):

"1. Normal nonfocal neurological exam.
2. Normal general physical exam.
3. Global developmental delay with visual motor/problem solving skills a relative strength.
Receptive language below 15 months
Expressive language 10 months
Visual motor/problem solving scattered to 24 months
Fine Motor 24-30 Months
Gross motor 30 Months
4. Atypical social interaction play and behavior: Difficulty engaging him socially, establishing eye contact; inconstant response to his name other verbal directions; emergence of pretend play. Suspect component of autism spectrum disorder.
5. Rule out hearing loss."

Recommendations:
1. Referral to public school for early childhood special education services.
2. Refer to the Child Development Clinic to schedule an ADOS.
3. Recommended continue speech therapy and add OT.
4. Follow up in 1 yr's time..."

Mama!!

2010-08-22T16:58:00.000-04:00

Ben said, "Mama!" today for the first time! I LOVE that sound!

2010-08-19T19:41:00.002-04:00

Clint was reading Jack his bedtime story. There was a part in the story about 3 bees and trees, or something like that. Jack said, "Bee!" I asked him to show me where a Bee was...he pointed to the Bee! Exciting times in the Armstrong household! Our boy said another word!! Woot!

1 Timothy 2:15

2010-08-17T22:56:00.002-04:00

"But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety." 1 Tim. 2:15

My father-in-law sent this to me tonight, in an email. My first thought was, "Well, I didn't exactly "bear" my children. I had surgery." But as I began thinking more about it and what it could mean for me. I've decided to pray about it. I'll study it and find out what God wants me to know, wants me to learn from this in regards to my personal experience/thoughts on childbearing.

Playing at the Park!

2010-08-07T23:32:00.003-04:00

We ventured to the park this morning, as it was nice and cool...the park was ours too! Not a soul in sight until we left! :)

Jack riding his Tricycle! :) (Excuse my finger).

Eventually Jack decided he'd had enough of the trike, so off he goes!

Ben has a great time too, he just chilled in the stroller while we walked and Jack played on the playground.

Yes, I was aware that his strap was off his shoulder. The picture was taken while we were sitting by the playground.

Jack sliding down the slide. He'd get to the bottom and try to climb back up the slide. He was told not to do this and decided not to obey, so he got a spankin'.

Jack had decided he was done with the playground and went to swing!
He laughed and laughed :)

Clint was sitting with Ben while I took pictures of Jack. I had to get a picture of Ben's cute lil' smile! Clint was tickling his feet. :)

Everyone had a great time at the park (even our dog, Moonshine). As we left, more people started coming, the bugs started coming out and it began to get warmer. By 3pm that park would be crawling with lots of people and hot, hot, hot! So glad we went early!

More Appointments for Jack.

2010-08-06T22:10:00.000-04:00

Jack has had speech therapy since June and already we're talking "out of home" therapy. Jack has been progressing in his speech but slowly. So we get back from vacation (July 15th appt) and his therapist and her boss (Jack's coordinator) tell me that they think Jack needs to see a specialist. So they refereed us to a pediatrician who specializes in pediatric development. They said that she'd be able to tell us if he is where he should be and weather he needs other services. Two weeks go by and the speech therapist tells me that she thinks Jack should get an OT evaluation. Jack has LOTS of energy. I'll admit that he doesn't get out for any long periods when it's just the boys and I, because it's been super hot lately and I'm afraid something will happen to one of the boys while I take a sec to watch the other. I took them outside yesterday and Jack ran in the street (to try to get into the car) while I peeked down at Ben to make sure he was ok. So anyway, the therapist thinks Jack could benefit from a weighted blanket and/or vest. I told her we'd just wait until he saw the specialist that way we could get it all taken care of in one place.

I'm kind of nervous about all of this. Due to the way this program works, Jack is only allowed in-home speech therapy for 1 year (it's in part due to the insurance too). We've been told several times that in November we need to start looking at where he can go to continue speech therapy after his 3rd birthday. So it'll either be daycare (cheapest I can find is $95/week) or through the public school.

Jack and the Permanent Drawing...

2010-08-04T20:29:00.003-04:00

I bought these a few weeks ago. I had done a project with the boy for Clint's birthday present. I guess I forgot to put one of them away. The black one. Jack found it and drew all over the refrigerator door! I immediatly thought, "Uh oh...that's never going to come out!" So to the phone I went, to call my mother-in-law. She has 5 children so surely she's been through this before! She suggested Goof-Off and I asked if perhaps Nail Polish Remover would work. I tired it and BAM! The marker came off! Not without a fight, though. It took almost a whole bottle of remover and about 6 paper towels to get the surface white again, but at least it's off!!

"ACOG Lightens Up" I LOVE THIS!

2010-08-04T17:44:00.005-04:00

I know I've posted about this before, but it's such big news!
Here's what a labor nurse had to say:

Kudos to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) for taking a step in the right direction. Last week, they announced less restrictive guidelines for VBACs, twin births and other candidates for vaginal delivery. ACOG realized their previous guidelines for when VBACs could occur essentially eliminated most of them. They were so restrictive they’d radically increased the c-section rate, somewhat increased the maternal mortality rate and alienated an entire generation of mothers. It’s about freaking time ACOG dialed their control issues.

Many of my very favorite people and good friends are obstetricians. Not only are they good doctors, they’re good people with big hearts, brilliant minds and a true desire to take really good care of people. I know many OBs who were so frustrated with ACOG’s vaginal delivery restrictions and rules about what kind of patient care they were allowed to provide, that they gave up. They couldn’t, in good conscience, follow ACOGs rules. They also couldn’t break them without losing their malpractice insurance or the support of the hospitals they delivered at. So, not only did ACOG alienate mothers, they alienated doctors too. Doctors who up and quit practicing obstetrics.

Now, that ACOG has decided the pendulum can start swinging back to a reasonable climate for obstetric care, it’s time for parents to grab hold and swing hard. Push your doctors and midwives to accept your right to choose how you want to deliver. It’s not going to be like flipping a switch. Change comes gradually unless you push it and make it happen faster. Obstetrics is a market-driven industry just like any business. If patients demand safe, vaginal deliveries and are willing to take their business elsewhere, doctors will have to offer that service. If we support providers who support vaginal birth, their market share will grow. See? It is just good business. OK, it’s also good patient care.

ACOG president Dr. Richard Waldman, MD said, “Given the onerous medical liability climate for ob-gyns, interpretation of The College's earlier guidelines led many hospitals to refuse allowing VBACs altogether," said Dr. Waldman. "Our primary goal is to promote the safest environment for labor and delivery, not to restrict women's access to VBAC."

Alrighty then, what does this mean for you? It means that if you’ve already had one c-section, you don’t have to automatically have another one. Your hospital can’t stand in the way of you trying for a vaginal birth if you want one. They can no longer say, “Sorry, lady, once a c-section, always a c-section because ACOG says so.” Now, it’s official: You Get To Choose. That choice is called TOLAC – trial of labor after cesarean. ACOG says, “Approximately 60-80% of appropriate candidates who attempt VBAC will be successful.”

ACOG recommends doctors seriously counsel patients about the risks versus benefits of VBAC. When they have this chat with their patients, now they’re supposed to focus on the low risk of uterine rupture (0.5 to 0.9%) and the much higher risks associated with c-section. My question is: Weren’t doctors having this conversation before ACOG lightened up? The numbers haven’t changed. VBAC was just as safe before ACOG released new guidelines last week. The only difference is ACOG changed its tone of voice.

Does anyone else think that ACOG sounds like an overbearing parent bullying adult children? For heaven’s sake, doctors and mothers are adults. Don’t treat them like children who don’t know what’s good for them.

ACOG does have a point about the onerous medical liability climate for ob-gyns. Every birth comes with risks. If we’re ever going to create serious climate change, women have to take responsibility too and quit blaming doctors and midwives for everything that goes wrong. If she makes the choice to VBAC, she accepts certain risks. However, small those risks are, the right to choose comes with personal responsibility.

Seriously, not many doctors/midwives are negligent. Most don’t mal-practice. Sometimes, doctors, midwives, nurses and patients all do their best to produce a perfect birth and still, things can go wrong. The reason why ACOG makes restrictions and guidelines is, in part, because they’re trying to make things safe across the board but also, because doctors and hospitals get sued if a baby doesn’t come out perfect. Even if they do their best and provide excellent patient care; stuff happens. Birth is a risk.

The next step in reducing the c-section rate is to avoid having that first one. We’ve talked about this before – take responsibility for your health. Don’t gain too much weight. Don’t eat the wrong foods. Exercise. Don’t smoke, drink or do drugs. Get prenatal care. Then, limit the choices you make for interventions like unnecessary inductions. If your doctor starts talking about c-sections during prenatal care, find out exactly why. Then get a second opinion, just like you would with any major surgery.

It’s your body, your baby and your health. You have a choice. Now, ACOG thinks so too.

SOURCE

Newborns & Breastmilk

2010-08-03T19:01:00.002-04:00

A friend posted this on Facebook. I really enjoyed reading and decided to share. Plus, it's World Breastfeeding Week, so it just fit!

It's World Breastfeeding Week!!

2010-08-02T14:16:00.002-04:00

It's World Breastfeeding Week!!

Digital Camera...

2010-07-31T19:31:00.003-04:00

I'm currently in the market for a new digital camera. I'm planning on saving up for a DSLR. Now...WHICH ONE?!
I'm researching this one:

What kind of camera do you have? Do you like it?

Jack's SpeechTherapy: Day 6

2010-07-22T22:10:00.002-04:00

He's talking!!!! My big boy is using WORDS! Can you tell I'm thrilled?!

In the past week Jack has said:
Wha?
Dis?
Dat?
Huh?
Dog!
Dada!
Ouch!
Go!

Speech therapy went great, as always! :) Shannon worked with Jack to get him to use his words. We discussed making more attempts to get him to eat a better variety of foods. Today he ate Tomato Soup, with a spoon!!!

ACOG New Guidelines for VBAC. A Glimmer of Hope?

2010-07-22T19:47:00.004-04:00

I am thrilled to post this! I've been waiting, researching...and they've finally put it out there! I really hope and pray that this will spread through obstetric offices and hospitals.

Ob-Gyns Make Guidelines Less Restrictive for Vaginal Birth After Cesarean, or VBAC

By Kathleen Doheny
WebMD Health News Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD

July 21, 2010 -- Many women who have had a cesarean section delivery -- and some who have had two C-sections -- can safely attempt to deliver vaginally, according to updated guidelines on vaginal birth after cesarean, or VBAC, issued by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

''What is new are a couple of key things," says William A. Grobman, MD, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, and a co-author of the updated guidelines.

Under the new guidelines, women with two previous cesareans and no previous vaginal delivery, women expecting twins, and women with an unknown type of scar from the previous C-sections are now considered reasonable candidates for vaginal delivery, updating guidelines on the topic issued in 2004 and 2006.

"In the times since those guidelines [were issued], new information was available," Grobman tells WebMD, including two large and scientifically sound studies about VBAC.

New VBAC Guidelines: The Back Story
Over the past 40 years, the C-section delivery rate in the U.S. has risen from 5% in 1970 to more than 31% in 2007, write the authors of the guidelines, published as a practice bulletin in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Behind the rise, according to the authors, are changes in obstetrics practice, such as the introduction of fetal monitoring and a decrease in forceps delivery.

The old saying of "Once a cesarean, always a cesarean" was also at play, the authors say.

But by the 1970s, data were accumulating to support a trial of labor after cesarean, or what doctors call TOLAC. As the number of women who tried to deliver vaginally after a previous C-section rose, so did complications such as uterine rupture.

That triggered a reversal of the trend, with some hospitals no longer offering women TOLAC.

Then, earlier this year, at a National Institutes of Health consensus conference, experts found TOLAC was reasonable for many women and asked professional organizations to help them help women access the option.

New VBAC Guidelines: A Closer Look
In the guidelines, Grobman and his colleagues note that neither an elective repeat C-section nor a trial of labor after C-section are without risk to mother and baby. Both are associated with risks of maternal hemorrhage, infection, operative injury, and other problems.

After evaluation of the evidence, the ACOG experts made updated recommendations, including:

Women with more than one previous C-section may be candidates for a trial of labor. The experts reviewed two large studies that looked at the risk for women with two previous C-sections who attempted labor. One found no increased risk of uterine rupture in women with one vs. multiple previous C-sections, while the other study found the risk increased from 0.9% to 1.8% in women with one vs. two previous C-sections. The experts conclude that the chance of achieving a vaginal birth after C-section seems similar for women with one or more than one C-sections.
Women who have an unknown type of scar from a previous C-section can also be considered for a trial of labor.
Women expecting twins can be offered the trial of labor.
A trial of labor is not recommended in others, including women who are at high risk for complications, such as women with a previous uterine rupture or extensive uterine surgery.
Previous guidelines recommended that resources for emergency C-sections be ''immediately available." "That was interpreted to mean all staff, literally immediately available," Grobman says. In the new guidelines, the ACOG recommends that a trial of labor after C-section ideally be done in facilities well staffed to provide immediate emergency care, but that in a facility without immediate staff available, those doctors and patients discuss the resources and staff availability and carefully consider the decision to try labor.
Overall, about 60% to 80% of women who attempt labor after a previous C-section will deliver vaginally, the authors note.

The guidelines should be interpreted correctly, Grobman says. "This is never about saying that these women should have a trial of labor or shouldn't. It is about the offer and having a plan for a trial of labor and the concept of shared decision making and autonomy, and avoidance of coercion, in either direction."

New VBAC Guidelines: Other Opinions
''This is a fresh look at the evidence again," says Salih Yasin, MD, vice chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology and director of obstetrics and patient safety at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, who reviewed the new guidelines for WebMD.

"Based on this extensive evidence, a trial of labor is a reasonably safe procedure [after C-section] as long as safety guidelines are followed," he says. That means choosing the right patient, he says, as well as the right baby and having the optimal setting in terms of staff and support.

New VBAC Guidelines: Other Opinions continued...
"There are slightly increased risks of complications with a trial of labor after C-section, and these could be offset by careful monitoring."

The new guidelines got a favorable response from the International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN). In a statement, ICAN's president, Desirre Andrews, says: "ACOG's updated recommendation for VBAC are much more in line with the published medical research and echo what ICAN has stated for years. Less restrictive access to VBAC will lead to lower risks to mothers and babies from accumulating cesareans."

But the health care environment may need to catch up with the guidelines, according to ICAN. In a 2009 survey of more than 2,800 hospitals, ICAN found that 30% had formal policies forbidding VBAC and 20% had no doctors on staff willing to accept a woman planning VBAC.

SOURCE

Speech Therapy: Day 5

2010-07-15T22:26:00.003-04:00

Shannon and Brigid came over, shortly before Kaitlyn left. I updated Shannon/Brigid on Jack's progress over our vacation. He's said, "Ya","Stop","doggie","more" and a few other words that are escaping me at the moment.Shannon played with Jack, emphasizing words...asking if he wanted "more". Ben attempted to join in and tried eating the block tower they were working on.

I signed a release form today, so Jack could be referred to a specialist. This doctor specializes in childhood development and would know exactly where he is verses where he needs to be. After he is evaluated we will be able to better determine where/when he should go to preschool ect.

I'm so excited! I can't wait to see where Jack goes with the continued speech therapy. I think it's making a big difference for him, bigger than I thought it would at this point.

God is GOOD!!!

July 2010, so far anyway...

2010-07-15T19:47:00.003-04:00

July has been a very busy month for us, and it's only the 15th! We took a vacation to see Clint's parents in Michigan, the 1-10th. We had a great visit that was very eventful! We sent the weekend at the airport. My father-in-law is a pilot, so we hung out at the hanger, watching fighter planes show-off their stuff! It was loads of fun, but SUPER loud. Someone would have to hold their hands over Jack and Ben's ears. Poor Jack, he didn't understand the difference between seeing and hearing the airplanes, so he'd cover his eyes and not allow you to cover his ears! He got scared several times, but as long as Clint was with him, he was fine.

We later discovered that Jack had the Chicken Pox. I had been diagnosed with Shingles the week before we left, although by the time we left the Shingles were no longer contagious. We decided to lay low the rest of the week and see how Jack was feeling. Tuesday afternoon, my father-in-law tells me that my rabbit, Oreo, isn't doing well. She wasn't drinking or eating and her front legs were paralyzed. We made her has comfortable as possible, tried getting her to eat and drink, but she died two days later. I didn't know what to think, I never remember having a pet die.

We had a great trip, overall. We were glad to see family and for Jack to have some time to enjoy himself too! :) Ben was happy to be passed around, explore grandma's house and try some new food.

::

Clint and I have a friend who's moving to Florida. She and her daughter came by yesterday and stayed the night. The kids hadn't hung out since they were 3 months old, so it was nice to see them interact.

Ben's 6 Month Check Up

2010-06-28T21:33:00.002-04:00

Ben's 6 Month Stats:
Weight: 17 lbs - 50%
Height: 27.5 inches - 75%
Head:17.5 - 50-75%

We're going to start solids on a regular basis, next week.

To Vaccinate or not to Vaccinate?

2010-06-27T18:51:00.002-04:00

California declares an epidemic because of an outbreak of the Whooping Cough. I can't say that I'm surprised by this. Many parents chose to not vaccinate their children now-a-days.

Ben: 6 Months Old!

2010-06-26T22:12:00.004-04:00

From Collages

Ben is offically 6 months old.
He says, "Da da!"
Crawls
Eats some babyfood & contineus to breastfeed
Continues to cosleep with mommy, after nighttime feeding.

Shingles?!

2010-06-26T13:35:00.003-04:00

I went to the doctor today and he said that I've got Shingles! Ugh. Not something I really wanted to hear, but I'm thankful it's not something worse.

The doctor was a bit worried that we have two young children, who've not been vaccinated against Chickenpox. Shingles in contagious in the beginning stages, but not after the blisters have scabbed over. Luckily for me, the experience with Shingles has been short. It started last Saturday, I went to the doctor the following Monday, and went back on Friday. So I've had it about a week and it's already not contagious. My hope is, that during the time it was contagious, the boys didn't catch it! The doctor said that I wouldn't know if the boys caught the chicken pox virus for about a month...that's a long time to wait!

Going BACK to the doctor...

2010-06-24T17:25:00.002-04:00

The antibiotics I was prescribed aren't working. My lymph nodes and my ear are still swollen and the rash seems to have spread a bit. I've got these horrible itchy bumps on my ear and they've become brown and scabbed over. I think I scratch them in my sleep.

Anyway....ewwe. lol

I've got an appointment at 4pm tomorrow, I assume we'll do blood work then.

Speech Therapy: Day 3

2010-06-24T16:00:00.000-04:00

Today, we discussed Jack's eating habits. Shannon asked about the kinds of foods and drinks Jack prefers. We are going to try to get him to drink more water than he does, he really likes his juice and milk. Shannon thinks that the reason why he's not eating much at meal times, is because he gets full on milk.

I have sent an email to Jack's therapy coordinator, to let her know that we're interested in finding Jack a Head Start type program. I'm not sure if Lynchburg has anything like that, but it's worth a shot. We think Jack could benefit a lot from having social interaction with other kids.

You shouldn't Google...

2010-06-22T18:24:00.003-04:00

I went to the doctor yesterday, because I woke up Saturday morning with swollen lymph nodes & my head ached. Sunday we skipped church, because my head hurt badly, and I was really tired from not having slept much the night before. I can't lay on my right side or my head aches.

Monday afternoon I went in to see the doctor and by then my right ear lobe had become swollen & a small rash showed up under my chin. No fun. I wait about an hour before heading back to the exam room. The doctor checked me out and did a strep test, which came back negative. He said he thinks I have an infection, "Cervical Gland Infection". I filled my prescription for antibiotics. I really hope it helps. He said if things get worse or if the antibiotics don't work, I need to come back for blood tests.

I learned through this experience, after not having a reason to go to a GP in 2 years...You should never Google medical conditions! Something like this can be as mild as an infection or as serious as cancer.

Speech Therapy: Day 2

2010-06-17T15:53:00.004-04:00

Shannon, Jack's speech therapist came over and got right to business. She began playing with toys with Jack and doing the sign for "more". She'd help him do the sign (and I'd show him), so that he could get another block or ball. He got rather frustrated and cranky when he wouldn't get another block till he'd sign more (after Shannon would show him how with his hands). We're going to continue to work with him on the signs for, "Please" and "All Done". Hopefully he'll pick it up soon.

She encouraged us to have some alone time with him. He needs time during each day to focus on one task, so I'm going to work on scheduling naps and down time for Ben so I can work with Jack.
We are also going to look into getting some flash cards and heavy toys for him to push around. Shannon said the heavy toys help him to release energy.

Our 3rd Anniversary!

2010-06-16T18:51:00.000-04:00

It's official! Clint and I have been married for 3 years!

We celebrated by grilling steaks and asparagus, with a side of mashed potatoes! It was a wonderful meal. Clint bought me a blue-tooth headset to go with my cell phone, it's been charging and I can't wait to try it out!

Video: Babbling Ben, 5 months old!

2010-06-13T22:51:00.003-04:00

I took this video the other day for my Aunt Laurie. She wanted to hear Ben babble!

Enjoy!!

Speech Therapy: Day 1

2010-06-13T22:44:00.004-04:00

This past Friday, Jack had his first speech therapy session. There really isn't much to report. We spent the half an hour talking with the therapist about things we were concerned about and things we could do to help aid in improving Jack's speech.

Things To Do:
Start sign language: Using sign language with him for simple commands such as; Please, thank you and more. We'll use these in the hopes that Jack will soon use them too. This will enable him to communicate with us until he's ready to talk. At some point, he'll find that it's easier to just say what he wants/needs, rather then signing.

Give Him Choices: We've started giving him a choice in various things through out the day, rather then trying to assume we know what he wants. A choice between juice or milk. Crackers or cookie. Emphasizing the choice he makes. "Yes, you want the cookie." "Cookies taste yummy".

I am going to start signing "Please" and "Thank You" tomorrow. In the hopes he'll catch on with those soon.

...more to come as he progresses! His next appt is this coming Thursday.

For those following my Photo Blog..

2010-06-06T13:58:00.002-04:00

Please delete it. I will be making one here on blogger to better keep track (I don't know why I didn't do that before...duh!). I now have a cell phone camera I can take pictures with when I need to, so I can better keep up with the idea of "a photo a day." Thanks.

Baby Language!!!

2010-06-01T21:57:00.001-04:00

This is awesome!

It says in the video that this is for babies ages 0-3 months, but I am thinking it may work for Ben too because he's still got the suck reflex! I'll post soon and let you know if it works!

Sitting Up!

2010-05-31T10:21:00.001-04:00

Ben sat up today, all by himself! I am so proud! :) My baby is growing up!! Pictures to come...

Ben is 4 months old!

2010-04-28T10:45:00.001-04:00

Ben had his 4 month check up on Monday. I am so happy to report that he's as healthy as a horse!

Weight: 15 lbs 12 oz
Height: 27 inches
Head: 17 inches

He did better than I expected with his shots too! He was only uspet when I wasn't holding him...poor guy!

Jack's Speech Appointment

2010-04-23T10:48:00.003-04:00

Jack had his appointment with the early intervention lady yesterday. It went well, but it wasn't what I expected. We had to fill out a lot of paper work to give permission for Jack to be evaluated, records to be pulled ect...

We were there for about an hour or so and all the lady did was ask us questions about Jack's development. She also explained that Virgina has a state wide program for toddlers with developmental delays. She thinks Jack has a speech delay and referred us to a speech pathologist to evaluate him further.

We should hear something back from them about an appointment within the next two weeks. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time. I can't wait for Jack to talk my ear off, but I'm still concerned that there could be something more going on with him...

Homeschooling?

2010-04-17T12:40:00.002-04:00

We're considering homeschooling the kids, so I've begun my research. There is so much out there for homeschooling!

I've got lots of reading to do on home to go about reporting my intentions to homeschool to the state of Virginia...but I won't have to do that until Jack is 3-4 and entering Kindergarten. For right now, I'm looking for a Preschool curriculum to help me teach Jack his ABCs, 123s, colors and shapes...

Busy!

2010-04-02T10:05:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in a while...we've been so busy!

One of the last posts I made was about the boys appointments. We were referred to early intervention for Jack's lack of speech. I had to call them today, because it's been almost a month & nobody has gotten back to us. Hopefully I'll hear from the nurse today on the progress.

We've been busy planning Jack's birthday fun! Tomorrow we're picking up his cake from the bakery at 10am, then going to the zoo!

This is going to be an incredible weekend, what with Jack's birthday & Easter!! I'm so excited!

A Sunny Sunday!

2010-03-07T20:05:00.003-05:00

The weather has been great today! The sun was shining and it was warm enough to go out in a tshirt! We got up this morning and went to church. After a great service we brought lunch to the park. It was really great to have some time with the family, outside. Jack rode his tricycle and I wore Ben as we walked...Ben slept the entire time we were there after having his lunch :)

Here's some pictures!

The Boys Checkups

2010-03-02T19:49:00.003-05:00

Jack had his 2 yr check up today, along with Ben who had his 2 month check up.

Jack is doing wonderfully and continues to be a healthy, growing boy! :) We have been given a referral for speech therapy and will be called about that soon. I am really hoping Jack will make progress. He won't turn 2 officially for another month, so I'm thinking there still may be a chance we may not need speech therapy. We'll see.

Jack's Stats: 23 Months
Weight: 24 3/4 lbs 10-25%
Height: 34.5 inches 50-75%

Benjamin is a growing healthy baby! :) He's doing wonderfully and was taken off one of medications for GERD! :) I was so happy to get one out of the way because it didn't seem like the two medications combined were helping him much. He did great, getting his immunizations too. He cried till I was able to pick him up and after that he was fine. I nursed him a bit before we left.

Ben's Stats: 2 Months
Weight: 13 lbs 7.7oz 75-90%
Length: 23 3/4 inches 75%
Head: 16 1/8 inches 50-75%

Thank you Lord, for healthy babies!

The 30 Day Shred!

2010-03-01T21:13:00.002-05:00

I decided to do The 30 Day Shred workout video by Jillian Michaels. So far, so good...I'm on day two and not dead yet! It really surprised me when I first started yesterday, I never thought it'd take so much work to do a "simple" regular pushup! I couldn't even do one! I had to do the modified version! I couldn't believe it! All those pushups I did in high school (instead of getting detention)...Eh well, I'm no cheerleadering...not anymore! I feel really great after working out, sore yes...but great! Energized. I wake up and don't feel like I should go back to bed 2 hours later. Of course, my decision to eat healthier probably has made a difference too. I'm not eating so much junk. Drinking more water...ect. Although, I will admit, my daily serving of ice cream is something I probably won't give up! I don't drink soda anymore (unless it's a rare occasion we go out) and I don't drink coffee either. I'm sure breastfeeding takes it's fair share of calories too. So, I try really hard to at least get 1800 calories a day for that reason..but usually only get 1400 or so. I've been keeping track of my calorie intake and exercise on livestrong.com.

I am really hoping to lose the pudge that comes after having a baby, perhaps I'll be swimsuit ready by July!

Kids, they grow like weeds!

2010-02-27T20:36:00.002-05:00

I noticed Ben had grown out of several of his 0-3 month sleepers yesterday...okay, fine, no biggie...I had bought him two 3-6 month ones earlier so I had them on hand. I put him in one and his feet filled the feet of the sleeper perfectly! Then after a few hours he needed another outfit, so I put him in a 6-9 month sleeper, thinking he'd swim in it a bit. Nope. I was wrong. It too fit him perfectly!

This morning we discovered that Jack too was growing! He's grown out of his 18 month shirts (most of them) all though he is still wearing 18 month pants. So we went to the 2nd hand store where we buy the kids clothes (the majority anyway) and I picked them up 2 things each. The selection wasn't that great, so I picked Jack up a few shirts from Wal-Mart for $3.50 a piece. Not bad.

To top it all off, we had to buy Jack a new carseat...he's grown out of the one we had him in! We've moved Ben from his infant carrier to the convertible (infant/toddler) seat Jack outgrew, and Jack now has his new 5 point harness, 20-80 lbs car seat! :)

Toddlers & Talking

2010-02-26T10:28:00.002-05:00

Jack will be 23 months old on the 3rd of March. He started talking (saying mama, then dada) several months ago...before he turned 1. Now he's almost 2 and has stopped using words all together. I don't know if it's something I've done, or perhaps...not doing?! He has his 2 year check-up on March 2nd. I am really hoping his pediatrician can give us some answers, I think she'll probably want to have him evaluated by a speech therapist, perhaps have his hearing checked as well. I'm really nervous about his appointment...I really hope he starts using his words (because he knows a bunch) soon. Very soon.

A New Mama?

2010-02-23T23:07:00.002-05:00

I feel like a totally new person, a new mama. Being the mother to two little boys is SO completely different than mothering just one. I feel as though I have such a better hang of things now. I guess that's what happens when you get 21 months of practice before the second comes along. I can't help but feel sorry for Jack, though...as if he got the worse of my parenting skills...what with never having had changed a diaper before, nursing being a struggle even though we did it for 1 year! I hope that he's not gotten short changed in the mothering department. I just totally had no clue how to be a mama when I became one. Jack taught me a lot about being a good mama though and I am so thankful for that. He's such a lively and active little man! We've been dabbling in the world of potty training and rewarding him with suckers when he goes! It's been great! He gets so excited and loves picking out his sucker! He really likes to help around the house too eveing though it doesn't really "help" per say... He's a smart guy, a good listener (most of the time) and knows an entire dictionary of words (although he rarely uses them) :( I kinda feel that this is MY fault...like I did something wrong. I asked him the other day, "Jack, don't you want to talk to mama? Don't you want mama to understand what you're saying?" -- He shook his head no. I have a lot to learn about the mind of a toddler, but I couldn't imagine anyone better to teach me. I love my Jack...he's such a sweetheart and gives the sweetest lil kisses! :)

Ben has made me feel like a whole new mama. I don't know what it is or why but it seems like things are so much calmer now. I think the majority of this 'change' that I feel has occurred is due to experience...I now have some! I knew what to expect with the surgery, breastfeeding, diaper changes, spit up, and all the other lil things that come with being a mother to a newborn baby!
I am so thankful to Jesus for blessing me with such wonderful children to mother! :)

No more doctors visits...

2010-02-11T22:44:00.003-05:00

until I get pregnant again or go for an annual exam. How bittersweet. I kinda got used to going to the doctor every week lol.

I had my 6 week check up today and everything is going great! :) I had sent my doctor an article I'd found in The Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology about uterine rupture in women having VBmC (Vaginal Birth after Multiple Cesareans) because I don't want to have another surgery unless necessary. Next pregnancy of course. So we talked about that a bit and he said he'd not tell me no but not tell me yes either. So it'd be a case by case basis and we'd just have to see how big the baby was, next go around. Okay good.

Apparently the guidelines for pap smears have changed...So you don't get your first one till 21 and after that you get the every OTHER year instead of every year. So that was an interesting thing to learn.

::
I'm going to start running in the spring, I think. Hopefully this will help me lose some of the baby weight and the extra "flub" left over. lol I also need to start making healthier snack/food choices too, just because I need to eat 15-18000 calories in order to create good breast milk, doesn't mean I need to be eating junk.

Updated: Our Camera....

2010-02-08T09:32:00.002-05:00

is broken. :(

Update:
Clint fixed it and we now have a working camera. I'll post my first picture for the 365 Project when the battery is done charging! :)

Project 365

2010-02-06T21:56:00.002-05:00

I have decided to begin Project 365. I think it'll be a great way to keep track of the year I became a mother to two (why didn't I know about this before Jack was born)!

I have started a photoblog to keep track of all my photos, so please check there often or subscribe so you don't forget! I will also post a link here on my blog (sidebar) too.

Enjoy!

My life since Christmas...

2010-02-02T22:27:00.002-05:00

I have been incredibly busy since Christmas! We now have two babies in the house and they seem to always keep me on my toes!

My day usually starts around 8am, after Ben's 4am feeding with Jack waking up and wanting breakfast. I get up and change Ben's diaper after he's eaten then go get Jack and change him before making breakfast. Usually while I change/feed Ben, Jack plays in his room. While Jack eats breakfast and Ben swings for a bit, I take a quick shower because usually by then I have spit up or something all over me from the night before. After a quick shower the boys are usually still content and I get breakfast for myself.

Some days don't go so smoothly so I won't get a shower till Clint gets home or the boys nap later in the day, or I won't get a chance to eat anything till nap time either which is usually when I eat lunch!

I am enjoying having two babies. I can play with legos with Jack AND have Ben who is my little snuggle buddy. He absolutely loves to be held, swaddled and suck on his pacifier. :)

5 Weeks!

2010-02-01T13:45:00.001-05:00

Ben turned 5 weeks old on Saturday...My how time is flying!

Pee Pee in the Potty!

2010-01-24T17:14:00.001-05:00

Jack went pee pee on the potty twice today! Yay!

Oh the screaming!

2010-01-20T12:18:00.003-05:00

Jack has been having these screaming fits lately that drive me bonkers! I am pretty sure this is his way of adjusting to Ben's arrival. I hope he knows his baby brother is here to stay!

A few days ago he woke up at 11pm and screamed/cried till 1:34am! There was literally nothing we could do to make him stop! I don't think anyone slept well that night and the next afternoon was even worse. I had put the boys down for their naps and everything was great, I even got to nap a bit too! Then after everyone had woken up and lunch time came around...the screaming began! 4 long hours of nothing but screams and cries from his room!

We have discovered after many conversations with "Been there done that" mommies that this is normal for the older sibling when reacting to the arrival of the new baby. Everyone has told me that there is nothing you can do, that this is a behavior that is best ignored! I did find this out on my own, after making every attempt to get him comfortable ect. Diaper change, clothes change, meds for teeth, a bath, put his bed in our room...nothing worked so Crying out it is. Crying it out seems to work for him though, which is great for us. Each time the tantrums have gotten shorter, so here's hoping my ears will stop ringing soon and he'll adjust to life as a big brother!

This makes me wonder though...when should we start potty training? As that is just another adjustment to go through.

Some Days are like This...

2010-01-17T19:18:00.001-05:00

Days 2-4: Alone with the boys!

2010-01-14T16:53:00.002-05:00

Day two of being alone with the boys was awesome...began with my oh-so-needed shower after I changed and fed both boys. Everyone got a nap in (including me) and there was lots of playing with big legos and even some reading. Jack also "read" a few books to Ben as well! :)

::

Day three of being alone with the boys started off pretty well. I was kinda lazy about getting out of bed and got a somewhat cold shower. Both boys slept in a little so I was showered by the time either one had woken up. I changed diapers and got the boys fed and Jack watched a few cartoons. Ben seemed to want to nurse more and want more attention then he did days prior. So I did my best juggling his wants and Jacks. Everyone got a nap mid afternoon and everyone was rudely awoken by our barking dog. He'd been sniffing the door and heard the cat outside (that is not ours by the way) whine. He bared and whined and jumped up and down, thus waking everyone up. Jack screamed, cried and whined with no stopping for over an hour. At some point int hat hour I sent him back to bed, becuase I thought he was still tired and resisting. He finally calmed down and drank juice from his sippy cup and watched a cartoon. He tends to freak out if the tv isn't on after a nap, not sure why. By the time Clint got home (Jack, Ben and I were crashed on the couch) with food, I was hungry and exhausted. Thank God for husbands who come home baring the gift of food. lol

::

Day four has been interesting. I got my shower in this morning after changing diapers and getting the boys fed. It was hot, so I was very happy to have been able to get a hot shower. :) I've been feeling a bit sore today, so we've not done much. Plus Jack has a cold and has been wanting to just sit or lay around. We've watched some cartoons and watched a movie or two. Everyone napped early too. I don't think anyone slept well last night (I know I didn't). Clint had I stayed up late and watched The Green Mile, while Jack was up and down with sleep.

Day 1: Alone with the boys!

2010-01-11T12:39:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 6:45 this morning as Clint's alarm went off. I sat up, thinking how wonderful a shower would be and Ben began to cry! Darn my luck! So I changed and fed Ben and got my clothes ready for after a shower. Jack woke up by the time I was finished so I changed him and got him some breakfast. Jack watched cartoons while I put Ben in his bassinet and took a shower. I managed to get shampoo in my hair and I heard Ben crying. He has lost his paci. So I conditioned my hair and washed the rest of my body...a 7 minute shower. :) I got out and poor Ben was still crying. I gave him his paci and he was fine for the time it took me to get dressed. After I finished dressing, it was finally time for me to get some breakfast of my own! I ate breakfast, took my vitamin and fed Ben for the 2nd time, as well as changed diapers yet again. Jack played with Legos and watched some cartoons and Ben eventually fell asleep. By the time lunch time rolled around, I changed diapers again and fed the boys. Then it was nap time! Yay! So everyone got a lil nap in...even if mine was on the shorter side. Jack has been sick with a cold, so his was a big longer then usual I think. He woke up at 3:45 and Ben was soon to follow. Both boys got changed again and I gave Jack a snack while I fed Ben. :) I put on a movie for Jack and by the time it was over, Clint was home from work and began making dinner!

All in all...a great first day alone with the boys!

Just a Reminder...

2010-01-10T21:42:00.001-05:00

My friend Emily sent this to me, as tomorrow is my first day alone with Jack and Ben since Ben was born.

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, Lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek-peek-a-boo).
The shopping is not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there is a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing "Kanga" and this is my "Roo."
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Ben's two week check up

2010-01-08T20:32:00.002-05:00

Weight: 9 lbs 10 oz :: His weight is up 4 oz from his birth weight)! :: 75%
Height: 21.5 inches long :: He's grown 1/2 an inch since birth! :: 75%
Head: 41.5 inches :: 50%

The Moment I Saw You

2010-01-07T15:19:00.003-05:00

Jackson Armstrong, my first born son was born on April 3, 2008 @ 9:19pm after 6.5 hours of unproductive labor and an unplanned cesarean. The first time I saw him after surgery went something like this:

I remember hearing him cry for the first time. We were still in the OR and I remember gearing up to freak out because he'd not cried yet, then there it was, the most beautiful sound I'd heard all day! I was so happy!

I remember that Jack was handed to me by a nurse and I couldn't quite process what exactly was going on due to all the drugs they had me on...tat is until I looked into his tiny little face. He was sleeping so peacefully in my arms. MY baby, the one that had been in my body for 40 weeks was finally in my arms. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I grinned from ear to ear, then got rather serious as I told my husband he needed to find the nail clippers. Jack's nails needed to be clipped.

I remember I spent hours counting and kissing his tiny toes and fingers. I was in awe of how his birth weight of 8 lbs 5 oz didn't quite seem to fit in his tiny little body. I remember examining his long legs, the spiky newborn hair on his head that was so soft and smelled OH SO GOOD. I wondered - Why don't they bottle that exact smell? Wow...that smells SO incredibly good. His entire little self smelled of that wonderfulness.

Even now at almost two years later, I remember our first meeting in great pride and overflowing love for my big brown eyed, sword loving, book loving toddler - After all, he made me what I am today. A mother!

Benjamin Wayne, my second born baby boy was born December 26, 2009 @ 10:41am.
I remember feeling LOTS of pressure in my rib cage as my doctor delivered Benjamin through my abdomen. Poor baby had been so crowded he rarely straightens his legs. Clint and I were told to look left and there he was. My big baby was PINK and oh so healthy.

I remember hearing him cry for the first time & I cried too. Clint brought him over to me, so I could see & he was beautiful. He looked just like Jack! I cried some more and kissed him before he was off the the nursery for his check up.

Inspired by this mom's blog post: Alpha Mom

Recovery

2010-01-05T15:45:00.002-05:00

The road to recovery after my cesarean has been wonderful. Considering that this surgery was a major one, I've been doing/feeling great for the most part.

The worse part was immediately after the surgery. Every half an hour a nurse would come in and check my bleeding, pressing on my uterus and Wow...that hurt! After being on bedrest for several hours, the night nurse came on duty and was ready to unhook me from everything. I had been drinking so much and it dawned on me that I hadn't "had" the urge to pee. I forgot about the catheter. It took several minutes for the nurse to drain it so she could take it out! She unhooked my fluids but left the IV in place...I later had to have even more fluids. I went to the bathroom rather slowly with the nurses help and got better at moving each time I got out of bed.

Ben and I have been home now for 8 days and things are going great. I've not taken all my prescription meds yet, because I've only needed 2 pills a day (bottle says I can take 1 pill every 4 hrs as needed) with Motrin in between. I feel better and better each day and this recovery is SO much better than the recovery after my first cesarean. I am so thankful this go around has been less painful ect. I don't know how I could handle 2 kids under 2 with all that pain. Even though Clint's parents were here for a week and Clint will be home till Monday, there will be a time where I'll have to do this on my own!

Birth Story: Benjamin Wayne

2010-01-05T15:18:00.001-05:00

April 24, 2009 - Positive Pregnancy Test ... Here we go again!
August 25, 2009 - It's a BOY!

After a rather painful experience after having my first cesarean with Jack, I had decided that was not what I wanted. I spent the past 20 months of Jack's life researching, bookmarking, reading, watching whatever information I could get on having a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). I also spent a great deal of time in prayer, knowing that I would soon be the mother of two, I wanted to make sure that I was on the same page as God was...or as best as I could be. I knew that He knew what I wanted, but I also didn't know what His plan was for this birth. I prayed that not only would I have a great doctor to work with but that if His plan was different from what I wanted, that I would not be broken hearted.

32-40 week appointments roll around, check after check after check...N O T H I N G! No progress, "baby still high" "cervix high and closed"....

Dec 23 2009
40 week appointment went something like this...
Doctor R: "Hey, how's it goin?"
Me: "Good, tired...Dr. I'm still pregnant. Hoping for some good news today."
Doctor R: "Okay, well let's check and see."
Doctor R: "baby still high" "cervix high and closed"
Me: "What? Are you serious?"
Doctor R: "Yes, I am sorry."
I knew right then what he was going to suggest....Repeat Cesarean. I thought, "Dear God, anything but that...I'll give birth through my nose...anything but surgery!"
Doctor R turns to me and says, "I'm on call all day Christmas Day, I can offer you this...I'm probably going to kick myself in the butt for it, but here it is...I'll stay over on the 26th and do a repeat cesarean that morning."
Me: "Okay, is there anyway I can call you after I talk to my husband about this?"
Doctor R: "No problem, just call Kelly and she'll set it up for you."
Me: "Okay."
He turns around to write a note to Kelly about scheduling surgery (Kelly is a surgery scheduler for Dr. R).
I sit there...half dressed and cry. Doctor R turns around gives me a big hug and says, "I'm so sorry." I thanked him, got dressed and left.

I didn't understand...regular contractions for 9+ weeks, pain in places I never knew I had...I thought it was all a good sign. I guess not. I got home and Kelly left a message...I called back and we set up surgery for 9am, Saturday December 26. Poor kid would be born the day after Christmas. Christmas Eve & Christmas Day came and went. We get up at 5:30am and head to the hospital. I don't think I'd ever been so thirsty, after not eating/drinking since Midnight.
I didn't start getting ready to be prepped for surgery till around 7am. Put on the gown. Give urine sample. Do some blood work. Get IV fluids (I was GBS+), cleanse incision site for surgery. Talk to anesthesiologist. See Doctor R. Clint gets dressed in Dr. McDreamy gear. I put on oh so fashionable hair cover up thinger and get wheeled back to the OR. The OR nurses (VERY nice ladies!) were laughing about someone getting their shoes stolen on Christmas Day. I started laughing when one of the nurses started crying she was laughing so hard. She said, "Okay time to be serious ladies.." LOL The OR was tiny, lots of instruments out on sterile trays and two rather large lights over the operating table. I climbed up on the table and readied myself for the worst part of it all. The spinal. *shudders* hate hate hate. The nurse gave me a pillow and said "Hug this." I said, "Okay. Will you hold me up so I don't fall, please. The last time, I was left to do this part on my own because the nurse was afraid I'd throw her across the room. I tried telling her I was in no position to throw anyone across a room, but she wasn't coming near me." She said, "I'm right here. Not going to let you fall."
Spinal, first try:
Me: "I feel like I'm going to fall."
Lisa (nurse): "I've got you."
Me: "Thanks so much."
Dr. Elwood (anesthesiologist): "You're going to feel a burning sensation."
Me: "Oouch!" I felt that one more time and after that it was a series of VERY painful shock waves down my spine to my left leg.
Dr. Elwood: "Sorry, but we're going to have to try again, in a different spot."
Me: "Shit!"
Dr. Elwood: "Going to feel a burning sensation...."
I felt it of course, along with other painful twinges and a sense that I was going to fall flat on my face. My belly at this point was putting pressure on my thighs. Pain. Pain. Pain.
Dr. Elwood: "Okay...going to try again. This time feeding spinal block medication through an epidural. If this doesn't work, I'll have to put you to sleep."
Me: "Dear God, just put me under already!"
He sterilized my back for the billionth time and put plastic over it...or maybe it was more like a big piece of tape.
Finally...it worked. I didn't really know it worked until after I'd laid down on the table and waited to feel numb. The numbness really never came. The only thing I felt was super cold. I lay on the table shivering, my entire body shaking. I talked to Dr. Elwood about what I was feeling and thought it was strange that I could still "feel" but not feel anything at the same time. Clint comes in and sits at my head. Dr. R comes in and says "Here we go...let's have a baby!" I was absolutely elated that he showed up. It was very comforting to hear a familiar voice on the other end of the curtain. Dr. R and I talked through most of the surgery. I could feel Ben being pulled from within me. There was LOTS of pressure on my lungs. 10:41am...Ben was born! He cried beautifully and Dr. R told us to look to the left. Ben was beautiful. Pink. Beautiful. I cried. Clint asked if I was okay and I told him I was and to go be with Ben. After Ben was weighed and wrapped up, Clint brought Ben to see me. I cried some more. I gave him a kiss and he and Clint left for the nursery. I talked to Dr. Elwood about what they were doing and he said, "They have to clean out your uterus and put it back in."
Me: "You mean it's out?"
Dr. Elwood: "Yep."
Me: "Cool!"
I asked Dr. R if he was going to use staples to close me up. He said he normally does because it's quicker. He said, "I'll do sutures if you want me to." Me: "Yes, please." I had also asked him about Ben being high ect. He said Ben was no where near my pelvic bone, boy was cramped up near my rib cage.
Shortly after I was all cleaned up and on the bed being wheeled back to recovery. I nursed Ben not long after and we went to the mother baby unit to spend time together and get rest.
I wanted a vaginal birth SO badly, but when it came down to it, I just couldn't play games with "What if" and "Should I" anymore. I didn't want to wait any longer and risk something happening to Ben. At decision making time, it was about him and not me. I am very blessed and thankful that God made it as enjoyable as surgery/recovery can be. I have a beautiful HEALTHY baby boy!

Ben is doing wonderfully, he eats well, has lots of diapers for mommy to change and is a great sleeper too.

Benjamin Wayne Armstrong
Born: Dec 26, 2009 10:41am
9 lbs 6 oz 21 inches long

40 week appointment.

2009-12-24T13:11:00.002-05:00

I had my 40 week appointment yesterday & needless to say it was an emotional one. First my urine was awful looking, I have been sleeping so much that I got a lil dehydrated. Ugh. So today I am pumping myself full of liquids. I get my weight, blood pressure checked then go back out to the waiting room to sit, while I wait for a room. The nurse calls me back about 15 minutes later and I go into the room, get undressed and climb on the oh so lovely pink exam table. Woo Hoo! LOL! Dr. R came in just a few minutes later. He checks fundal high...good, feels for Ben's head...not so good. Still high. Checks for heartbeat...there, but the stupid doppler didn't want to give him a reading and to me it sounded funny, kinda far off. So then comes the fun part, the cervical exam (can you hear sarcasm) okay so that was that. We look at one another as he helps me up and he says, "No change." I ask, "You mean no change what-so-ever? Not a finger tip, not a half a finger tip...nothing?!" He says, "Nothing!". We had a conversation and both felt like perhaps this just isn't meant to be (the whole vaginal birth thing). I talked to him about my contractions, the pressure in my crotch ect and it sounds like my body wants to go into labor but won't...or can't I don't know. So, being the oh-so-cool Dr. that he is. Dr. R said, "I can do you a favor." I said, "Ok." He said, "I'll probably kick myself in the butt for this later, being that I'm on call Christmas Day, but I can come in and do a cesarean on the 26th, to be there for you." So I told him I'd call him when I got home. He turns around to write a note about the surgery scheduling and the tears start flowing. I sat there half naked and bawled. He comes over and gives me a hug and says "I am so sorry." So, we are assuming that there could be some issues going on in there that we don't know about...small pelvis, big baby (currently in the 80% for his age group) or perhaps his cord is short...dunno. Ben will be here around 10am Saturday December 26th.

I have gone over this in my head a million times...I am still not 110% sure in my head that we've made the right decision. But, given the fact that I have prayed about this for well over a year, done research and even prayed over the hospital, it's staff, the rooms and my doctors hands (as best as I can with out being near them lol). Something tells me this is right. Why else would a man I've known professionally off/on for just about 2 yrs now would volunteer his vacation time for me? I think that's part of what makes it a semi-comfortable (cause there's always the thoughts of what if I'm wrong ect) situation for me to be in. Because I'll know that someone I know & care about is there..DOING the surgery.

I will meet my little boy soon & I'm praying to have a different experience than I did with Jack. A better one, a more positive one. I guess this is all teaching me that it's not how you birth that matters .... it's how you mother!

39 Week Appointment

2009-12-17T16:44:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I had my 39 week appointment. Everything is going well, urine, blood pressure and weight are great. Ben's heartrate was 146 and strong, I absolutely love that sound! My doctor checked me again this week for progress...he said "Let's shoot for 3cms", checked my cervix and said, "not quite".

He told he he'd be on call on Sunday, so I'd really love to have Ben then, that way I'd be comfortable with at least one of the people that would be in the room. Plus, he knows what I want out of a birth, he knows what I expect. Even though we all know there are times that we can't get what we want/expect...I'd still feel comfortable if he were there, even in an emergency or surgery.

I am hoping/praying that the Lord won't make me wait much longer. I am really starting to hurt, starting to get tired rather quickly...I am so ready to have a baby!!

Results of 38 week ultrasound

2009-12-10T11:34:00.002-05:00

I posted this on my facebook last night:
" back from a great ultrasound/appt! Ben is estimated to weigh 7 lbs 13 oz (Jack was estimated to weigh this at 36 wks). Both myself and my OB feel confident in having a successful trial of labor. Hopefully Ben will do his job and engage soon."

I bet Ben weighs less than that, due to the fact that late ultrasounds are usually off anyway. I am getting anxious and a bit nervous about what the next 2 weeks will hold. When will he engage? Will he engage? Will labor start? Will I end up with surgery again? I am trying so hard to be optimistic because I know that the Lord is in control & I know he knows the desires of my heart.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-27T23:40:00.002-05:00

We headed out for the 3.5 hr trip to Clint's aunt's house at around 9:30am. We meant to head out around 9, but it took a bit longer to get the last minute things gathered than I thought it would. We made sure to pack the infant carseat/diaper bag just in case!

We arrived around noon and spend some time with Clint's aunt, uncle, and 2 cousins before everyone else come over to eat. The mean was GREAT & I stuffed myself like a turkey! lol, as if I wasn't stuffed as it was...being pregnant and all!

After dinner we headed over to another one of Clint's aunt's homes for dessert. I really LOVED the stuffed strawberries his cousin's wife made..they were soo good!

We were blessed to have such a great Thanksgiving with family! :)

36 Week Appointment

2009-11-23T22:54:00.002-05:00

I had my 36 week appointment today. Nothing new to report. The nurse told me that my doctor wanted to check me. I didn't decline, but knew that he'd tell me there wouldn't be any progress made. I had just had an appointment the Friday before and I wasn't dilated then. He said that Ben isn't engaged yet...reminded me that he'll want to talk cesarean at 41 weeks. If I go to 40 weeks I plan to seek another opinion on induction and what not. Meanwhile, I pray Ben comes on his own and before Christmas!