Friday, December 20, 2013

Mirror, Mirror...

On the wall...

Who's the sweetest baby of them all??



And in case sepia floats your boat and makes your soul sing...




Either way...I can't get enough of this baby.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Just Because...

...I couldn't help myself.

Little Miss H getting into the christmas spirit with her little friends...

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Ella was recruited to snap a quick pic...



Me and my wonderful hubby...parents to 5 awesome kiddos. :)

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

The Shakedown

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!


This breaking news just in!!




Control has shifted. (insert applause, horns blowing, and dancing in the streets.) The toy closet has been returned to it's rightful owners. The Authorities have regained their rightful place...they now are 100% in charge of what comes in and what goes out.

The Band of Misfits tried to call their parents' bluff. Smelling that change was in the air and that they were on the precipice of a new dawn, the Authorities fearlessly and tirelessly worked to regain control. Throwing caution to the wind and with reckless abandon, they worked quickly. Piles of toys were contained one by one (literally...into containers), removed from the premisis and put into lockdown. Screwdrivers were brought out and knobs were removed. Locks were installed and keys placed up high and out of reach of curious, menacing fingers. Rules were put in place and a vow of No Wavering was promised. Now items will only be allowed to leave the closet if the previous items are picked up and put away first.

Before the Band of Misfits even knew what was happening, order was once again restored. I am happy to report that peace and tranquility has once again fallen on Hubler Planet. Gone are the days of ooooodles of toys overtaking the living room floor, gone are the days of multiple game pieces lying around just waiting to poke into the unsuspecting arch of a foot, gone are the days of legos being tripped over, gone are the days of a whole bucket of dress-up clothes throwing up all over the floor, gone are the days of magnetic dolls and their clothes being stuck to any magnetic surface that will welcome them, gone are the mountains of dominoes mascarading as banana peels just itching to see someone slip and come crashing to the floor, gone are the days of Hello Kitty playing cards littering the every surface making it look like a parade has just come through...gone are the days of clutter and chaos.

Peace has been restored.

Thursday, November 7, 2013

You Wanna Be What?

Tonight's conversation at supper:



Ben: I want to be a chef when I grow up.
 
Jason: Cool...if you could work at any restaurant, where would you want to work?
 
Ben: Ummm.....Acapella.
 
Jason: Where?
 
Ben: You know, Dad, that restaurant we went to Nana with.
 
**Much thinking going on...**
 
Jason: Oh...do you mean Acapulco? That mexican restaurant?
 
Ben: Yes!
 
Lily: I want to work at Hot Cocoa too!
 
Ben: Where?!?
 
Lily: You know, the restaurant Dad just said...Hot Cocoa!
 
Ben: Acapulco....not Hot Cocoa Lily!
 
Cora: When I grow up, I want to be a mad monster...roar!
 
...Or Spiderman
 
...Or a goat!
 
Let's be Animals!!!!
 
 
True story, folks. This was all said in seriousness. This is what we talk about around the supper table.
 
Craziness ensues. Followed by lots of giggles from the parents.
 
 

 
 

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

The Fab 5


How did I end up to be such a lucky mama...

I can't believe that these 5 are mine....

Each with their own personalities...

All created by a God who loves them so...

I am so blessed.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Ella's 9th Birthday

Seriously...how can it be?

How can I have a 9 year old?

And when did she decide to start growing up when I clearly told her she needs to stay little...just for a bit longer?

*sigh*



And can we just pretend that she doesn't look 12 years old in this picture?!?

***

Ella had a fantastic birthday this year. She was smiling and giddy from sun-up until sundown. Her morning started out with her requested birthday breakfast...pancakes with homemade blueberry syrup and whip cream. She was so excited that she was allowed to put on as much whip cream as she wanted...after all, she was the birthday girl. I might add, she made the most of it and enjoyed them thoroughly.

After breakfast, we loaded up the van and drove to Teavana. It's a tea shop. She was so excited about this idea. This year she said she didn't want any toys...afterall, those things are so "babyish" (her words, not mine). Jason and I decided that we would try to embrace all this growing up business and let her pick a few teas that she wanted as well as a teacup.

As an added surprise, we picked up some lunch and headed out to the park. We had us a nice picnic lunch and the kids played in the 78 degree sunshine for about an hour at the Elm Creek Park Reserve. Even Hattie had a great time just watching all the children running around.

Ella had TruthQuest at church that night. She arrived a little early and noticed that her room was still dark. Assuming she was the first one there, she went to turn the light on and when she did, the whole room erupted with "Happy Birthday, Ella!". Her whole class had hidden in the dark and surprised her...she couldn't stop talking about it. It was such a thrill.

Once home, we had a little party for her with presents. Jason bought her a pink fishing rod and they are going to go on a little fishing excursion in the next couple weeks for an afternoon. Just the two of them, hanging out and having some qaulity father/daughter time. But don't count me out...I get to take her out to the movies for some one-on-one time. I thought it was a little tough to think that she is starting to grow out of wanting toys...but knowing that what she wants more than anything is to spend time with her parents/family is so wonderful. I'll take that over a toy r us shopping trip anyday.

***

A few more pics from her session...






Now to just be able to pick one for my wall...

Monday, October 7, 2013

One Of My Favorite Things About Homeschooling...

...is that I can see this each morning.



I love that I can incorporate learning about God right into her school day. That I have control over what subjects she studies. That I can instill in her the morals and values that I hold so dear. That I can teach her how much she needs her Savior. That this is the best way to start your day.

Miss Hattie


Hattie is getting so big...I can hardly believe that 5 months have passed by and we are approaching her half birthday already! How the time flies. A good reminder that I've got to be more purposeful about blogging so these memories aren't lost. Now just to find a way to carve out a little extra time in order to get it done. :)

Hattie is rolling over now. She can go from front to back and back to front. The rolling from the tummy to her back is her latest development within the past 24 hours so life is about to get real busy with a mobile baby. I guess it's time to go through all the toys and remove legos, polly pockets, etc. The thought of it gives me a headache. The big kids will be somewhat easy to sit down and explain the "no little toys downstairs" rule...but Cora and Lily? Well, I'm guessing all bets are off.

Another new item for us is that Hattie is now sleeping on her own mattress. This little girl and I spent the first 5 months sleeping together with her on my chest in the recliner. I know...I know. But I got very used to it and honestly, it was how I got the most sleep. I tried a few times to put her down on the mattress next to me....and after an hour or two of not sleeping on my part, I would scoop her up and head for the recliner. I would peacefully drift off to sleep knowing she was right there and safe.

But as this wee little baby grew, she began to feel more like a bowling ball on my chest instead of my girlie. So when the flu hit me, (and wow, it hit hard) I was forced to sleep next to her instead. Turned out to be a blessing in disguise as she has done really well with the transition.

Oh...duty calls...Ella is playing with her, but alas, I hear the complaining cry telling me that Hattie's done and wants her Mama.

Well, I'll call this a success...a blog post written, a memory preserved, and a cute picture to boot.

Love you, Hattie-cakes!

Friday, September 20, 2013

Hattie

A few pics I finally got around to editing...


Saturday, August 17, 2013

Look What Lily Can Do!

She decided yesterday that she wanted to take her training wheels off.

So after much begging, Daddy took her out to teach her how to ride her bike like a big girl.

It only took once around the circle and she had it...



In action...

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Monday, July 8, 2013

Monday Funnies...

I usually try and keep a list of all the funny little things the kids say. Then I type them up here and get a giggle when I go back to re-read old posts.

I happened across a list of them that I had lost. Some are from awhile ago, while I was pregnant, some are newer...and yet, they all crack me up.

Sit back and enjoy the ride...

(While pregnant)...

Lily (with eyes wide open in amazement): Mama, your tummy
is soooooo big and huge!
 
Me: (with forced smile on my face): Thank you, honey.
 
***
 
Lily: Mama, when you go to the hospital,
are you gonna be brave or cry?
 
Me: Both, Sweetheart...both.
 
***
 
(After baby)...
 
Lily: I just can't stop giggling for nothing!!!
 
***
 
Ella: Lily + pizza = a full girl!
 
***
 
Lily: I don't want to be a regular girl, I want to be
a princess....And have a big wand.
 
***
 
Jason and Lily were playing a game one evening. Jason would think of an animal and start giving clues and Lily would have to guess which animal he was thinking of. Lily decided that she wanted a turn and started giving clues about her animal.
 
Lily (her first clue): it's something small that lives in the grass.
 
Jason: A gopher?
 
Lily (with a "are you kidding me?!?" tone): No, Dad. Gophers live in GARDENS!
 
Just some backstory...if you know us at all, you know that gophers have all but completely eaten every. single. thing. out of my garden every year we've lived here. Apparently, Lily, thinks that a garden is a natural habitat for these annoying creatures.
 
***
 
Ben: Hi Hattie! Do you remember the song I sang to you yesterday?
Oh, duh...of course not...because your brain is sooooo small.
 
***
 
After Cora had downed a total of 6 pieces of watermelon for the day, I asked the following:
 
Me: Cora, is watermelon your favorite fruit??
 
Cora: No, cupcakes!!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Monday, June 17, 2013

2 Months Old-Hattie Joy

How the time flies! I can't believe that little Hattie is two months old today.

*sigh*



It's exciting to see all the new things she can do.

Her little personality is slowly emerging and in between all those naps we are getting to know our little girl.

She is such a good baby. A baby who loves, loves, loves her mama. And as long as we are together, this little one is pretty much happy. We eat together, nap together, and sleep together. As you can tell, we do pretty much everything together. (Can I just say that I am so thankful that I have a recliner sofa?)

She is smiling a ton too. This little expression is presented to us multiple times a day. She adores all her sibilings and each of them can get her to smile in their own little ways.

Hattie has just started to find her hands and I am fairly certain we will have a thumb-sucker in the house in the not-to-distant future.

She enjoys baths, being naked, and snuggling in the newborn curled-up position still.

And best of all, Hattie can sleep 6-7 hours at night before waking mama up for a nighttime snack. I am very much enjoying getting more than a two hour block of sleep these days.


Happy 2 Months, Sweet Hattie! You truly are my Joy.



Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Rite of Passage

t's a rite of passage...

Every parent's nightmare...

It was bound to happen at some point with one of the children...

***

I was upstairs, in the loft, holding Hattie as she slept. Jason was downstairs in the office, working from home. And yet...

Ok, so I wasn't just holding Hattie, truth be told. I was browsing on my tablet, when my friend Tricia sent me a message. Oooh, glorious day...some adult conversation! I figured I'd only "talk" for a bit. We sent a few messages back and forth, planned out a "hang-out" session for next week, and chuckled a little bit about occupational hazzards of being a mom. Little did I know what was transpiring downstairs...

I had noticed that it had become fairly quiet, so I figured I needed to investigate. As everyone knows, quiet children are trouble. One of Murphy's Laws...you wish your child would just be quiet for a few blissful moments...but if those blissful moments of quiet are when you aren't around, then trouble with a capital T is sure to follow.

I walked downstairs to find that my sweet little 2 year old yet again had found her wild streak. This girl is such a curious monkey about everything. There in front of me lay a lake of water all over the dining room floor. "Ah bummer" you say, "that stinks, but at least it's just water!" Did I mention that she had dumped an entire container of glitter in said water? Hmmm....can't just sweep the glitter up, it's all wet. Can't just mop up the water, it's full of glitter. Now it requires getting on hands and knees and a lot of papertowels. Followed by sweeping. Followed by more papertowels. Followed by more sweeping. Followed by cleaning the broom out because the wet glitter is sticking to everything.

Oh wait...there's more. God threw this in just for good measure. A little reminder that my job during the day is to watch 5 children, not chit-chat with my friends. A little something extra special just for me.

Cora...oh, sweet dear Cora.

She decided it was high time that she experiement a little. With scissors. You know where I'm going with this right?!?

Viola! A new 'do has been born. Yep, she chopped a 2 inch chunk of hair from the front of her head.  *sigh*


The mugshot...the "I'm fairly certain I did something I wasn't supposed to..." look.


Me: Cora...what did you do?




Cora: I cut my hair!

Ella: Why did you cut your hair??

Cora:  I wanted to look pretty!

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Hattie


Such a little peanut...

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Friday, May 10, 2013

Hattie's Picture Parade

Here are a few to help make up for the lack of writing lately.

Enjoy the cuteness...

 







...and me with my baby....





Wednesday, May 1, 2013

More Hattie Joy...


One more for tonight... :)



*sigh*....can't get enough of this little one!

Hattie Joy


Introducing...

Hattie Joy!



There is a lot of updating that needs to be done...lots to catch everyone up on...

but until I have a few minutes to sit down at the computer to type...

here is a little somethin' special to keep you going.

***Many, many more pictures to come. I had an absolute blast taking these!***

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

39 Weeks and All Is Well...

Another week, another appointment.

Quick recap:

She scored another 10 out of 10 between the ultrasound and NST. In fact, my amniotic fluid once again went up. I was 8.6 today which is within the normal range for being at this stage of the pregnancy. It baffles my mind to know that I have made it this far when 5 weeks ago they were telling me that my odds of getting her weren't all that good. In fact, not only have I made it to 39 weeks, but the fluid has gone up instead of down. Don't even try to convince me that God doesn't perform miracles every day.

Many people have asked if there is any indication of when she might make her debut. All I can tell you is that God is the only one in on this little secret and as badly as I want her to come soon, I have to trust that His timing is perfect. And let me tell you that I have to remind myself of this almost hourly...especially when the nausea is coming at me full-force. It seems silly that I shouldn't be able to wait another week or two, knowing that I am so close to the end...but after enduring 39 weeks of sickness, each day feels like the equivilant of many, many very long hours. The weeks just go by so slowly. Prayers for mental strength would be greatly appreciated. :)

From my devotions today:

When you complain, you are acting as if you think you could run the world better than I do. From your limited human perspective, it may look as if I'm mismanaging things. But you don't know what I know or see what I see.
 
 
~Jesus Calling Devotion Book
 
 
So here's to working really hard at not complaining about my circumstances, trusting in His perfect timing for this little one, and knowing that God has everything under control...and in a manner that is soooo much better than I could ever do.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Little Beauties

 
 
Cora and Lily love to dress up these days.
 
Who can't resist a ladybug costume and a fluffy dress?!? Combine that with hats and you've got a stunning outfit!
 


When these two play nice...they can play for hours together, singing...dancing...twirling.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

38 Week Appointment

I forgot that I hadn't updated for the week...sorry about that! I'll explain why in just a minute.

First things first...

The appointment went great again. She scored a 10 out of 10...meaning the biophysical was awesome, the NST was great, and the amniotic fluid level is still within normal range. I just gotta say that I think I am having a *little* help from above. Usually, the fluid starts to decline once baby starts taking up more room and you are in the last weeks of pregnancy. So to me, this seems like divine intervention.

My doctor said that since my blood sugar numbers are so good that she doesn't see any reason to even talk about any induction possibilities. She told me that she would let me go naturally on my own...music to my ears!

***

So why didn't I updated on time? Well, there are lots of praises to be sung with the good appointments and the health of the baby. On the other side of the coin, the nausea has come back with a vengence. It's been hard to cope with once again and the days are incredibly long. Add to it that I feel like a hippo and am quite uncomfortable...and well, let's just say that I'm ready for this little one to make her appearance. I'm amazed that I have been sick throughout this entire pregnancy. I did have a few weeks here and there that were quite managable...but those days are long gone. I'm fairly certain this contant companion of mine (nausea) will hang on until delivery.

So if I seem like I am MIA...it's because I am just trying to make it though to the end. One foot in front of the other, one day at a time.


***

I wanted to make sure I documented this...cause I want to remember how much it has meant to me. So probably more for my sake than yours, but you will probably smile at the memory along with me.

The nausea was getting quite bad and I was becoming un-functionable once again. I spent time in prayer asking God to lift this burden from me. I want so badly to be able to enjoy these last days...to tuck wonderful memories away. Hard to do when you just want to lay on the bathroom floor. I told God if He would allow her to come early, I would be ever-so-grateful. That this journey was getting to the point where I feel like it's requiring more strength than I've got left. BUT...above my own desires, I want His plan for this baby's life. He formed her, He is allowing me to be her mother, and He's in the driver's seat. With that being said, I asked that if it's not in the plan for her to come early, that He would provide me with the strength I need to get through. Within 24 hours of this conversation, my friend Tricia contacted me and said that she had a meal ready for my family. It was such a blessing, because it was something I could eat without throwing my blood sugars off and not only that, but it was a double batch. That alone saved me from having to make 2 meals and struggle with the cooking of it all. Another 24 hours later, my friend Sarah texted me. She told me that she was coming over to clean my house and that I better have a list ready for her. And she wasn't taking No for an answer.

What a huge blessing these two woman turned out to be for me. Just when I felt like I was once again hanging on by a thread, God called into action two of His servants. They both blessed me immensily. Not just by what they provided (which was amazing), but by making me feel loved and that I wasn't alone. It encouraged me and lifted my spirits. God knew I needed it...and what I needed even more was to have the confirmation that He is right here with me as well.



Tuesday, April 2, 2013

37 Week Appointment

I had the 37 week appointment today...which means I am technically full-term! It feels so great to have reached this milestone!

The appointment went really well today:

Amniotic fluid was up to 8.6...which puts me back in the "normal" range.

NST was perfect...she was busy moving like crazy.

She scored a 10 out of 10 today.

On the not-as-fabulous side...

*I lost 2 pounds

*The nausea has decided to be my ever-faithful companion once again. I had about 10+ days where it was actually very manageable. So manageable that I could easily be distracted out of it, and really...I just felt sort of off, sort of "blah". But the last 6 days...hmmmm....well, it seems to be ramping up a bit. It's been hard to sleep once again as I have been waking up in the middle of the night because I am feeling so sick. Today has proved to bequite challenging and I have spent most of the time on the couch. Only 3 weeks left...and frankly, this little one can't arrive too soon in my book. Now that the nausea has returned stronger...I am ready for this adventure to be over. Whew.

I'll have Jason take a pic and I'll get one posted. Today just didn't seem like a good day since I looked a tad on the green side. :)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

36 Week Appointment

Quick post regarding the appointment today:

*Baby scored a 10 out of 10 again on the biophysical (ultrasound) and NST...is she a rockstar or what?!?

*Fluid has dropped a bit. I went from a 9.2 cm last week to 7.3 cm this week. This puts me in the low end again...but at least I'm not scraping the bottom of the barrel while in the low range.

*Will definitely have to be monitored again next week...hoping that the number remains stable. It's at 36 weeks that the amniotic fluid naturally starts to decline. So we'll keep our fingers crossed for good things for next week.

Monday, March 25, 2013

35 Week Appointment

My 35 week appointment will go down in the history books.

Why?

Because it actually went well!

(How often does that happen to this pregnant mama??)

Here's the run-down:
I was nervous to head out to the appointment...not knowing what it was going to hold. I debated the night before on packing my hospital bag. I just wasn't sure what kind of news I was going to get and what if they told me that the amniotic fluid had dropped more and I needed to head to the hospital?
I decided to put it to prayer and let God take the burden of this. He is in control of when this little one arrives and I knew I just needed to trust His answer...whatever that might be.

The ultrasound (or biophysical) was scheduled first. They look at baby and give her scores based on lots of different things. Big body movements, hands flexing in and out, practice breathing, and pockets of amniotic fluid to name a few. Although baby was busy napping, the tech was able to rouse her enough to get the movements counted. (She, however, did not want her picture taken...she refused to show her sweet little face...instead insisting on keeping the back of her head towards us.) Once done, I was informed that the fluid had risen...gone up! From a 6.2cm to 9.2 cm! That actually takes me out of the lower end bracket and puts me at "normal"! Barely...but still...to be in "normal" range was very exciting!

Next appointment was the NST (non-stress test). I have to sit with two monitors on my tummy. One measures baby's movements and the other her heartbeat. There is a little button that I have to press each time I feel her move. It spits out a print-out that sort of resembles an EKG looking paper. After 10 minutes, there was a knock at the door and in came Dr. Green. She said she had some great news for me. Baby scored a 10 out of 10 on the biophysical (can't get better than that!) and she had already seen all the movements she needed to on the NST. I was free to go home...home to celebrate a fabulous appointment. Dr. Green did say that I still have to be monitored every week as the fluid level can flucuate...but for this week...I'm good! She did, however, inform me that I managed to lose 1.5 pounds in a week...but that just means I'm gonna enjoy some blueberries with cream this week! Bring it on.

I stopped at Caribou and got a decaf coffee for me and a mocha for Jason. I walked in the house and told him we were celebrating...so blessed to have a great appointment.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) is my 36 week appointment...complete with the ultrasound, NST and dr. visit. The first one starts at 8:50am and I will be gone for about 3.5 hours by the time all is said and done. Please keep us in your prayers...that results are great again. I'm just a hair away from being classified as "low" again so I am praying that I will remain stable. I happen to like where I am at. :)

Side note: Only 1 week left until this little one is considered "full term"...meaning that everything that needs to be developed, will be. If I were to go into labor or the fluid was low, the chance of her having any complications would be very slim in regards to development. It's a huge milestone.

Friday, March 22, 2013

Her blanket is finished!

Whew! I did it! I finished her baby blanket!

I can't tell you how happy I am to be done with it...I feel like I have done a million rows back and forth...and this pattern was NOT one of those you could mindlessly work on while watching tv.

Many brain cells later...here it is:


I can't wait to snuggle her up in it.

34 weeks Recap

Disclaimer:
Another post...a week late in getting published. With 4 kids and constant interruptions, I don't always get the opportunity to get back to the computer to proof and publish it on the blog. But again, more for my own records so you will have to bear with me.

*******************************************

34 Weeks Along...

6 Weeks To Go...

April can't come fast enough!

****

Headed out to my 34 week appointment today. Hoping for a good one, but not expecting there to be big changes. At my 32 week appt, I was told I was measuring small still and if I continued on that trend, then an ultrasound would be ordered. Got to say, I wasn't expecting an "all-clear" on this one. I could tell that I hadn't really gotten any bigger. I was quite certain that I was going to be told to get another ultrasound on the books.

First stop of the morning, the scale. I had only gained the measily half pound last time over a total of a two week period. (I should be gaining a pound a week at this point). Stepped on the scale and it said I was up 5 pounds. Huh?!? I had changed my diet to include more high-fat foods, but 5 pounds?!? Yes, I dined on lots of berries swimming in heavy whipping cream (which, by the way, is amazing), avocados, almonds, macadamia nuts, full fat sour cream, lots o' butter, full fat cottage cheese, etc. (I have to say that I am fairly certain I will never go back to skim milk again...for anything.) 5 pounds?!? In two weeks?!? Whew...that could make for one heavy mama by the time 40 weeks rolls around. This may have to be tailored back a bit. But I'll take it...a step in the right direction and I do have some ground to make up.

Second stop, bump measurement. Oh dear. Haven't changed. At all. From two weeks ago. Still between 28-29cm. Dr. Green said that I needed to get my ultrasound scheduled to check on baby's growth.

Normally with gestational diabetes, if your blood sugars are not in check, you can end up with a larger baby. BUT since I am of "advanced maternal age" (code for old) along with the diabetes, the opposite can occur. You can deliver a baby with low birth weight. So off to the scheduling desk I went. They just happened to have a cancelation and I could get in within 5 minutes. What a blessing...no need to sit around and wait, no need to come back later that same day, no need to have to wait for days awaiting an answer. They called me back just minutes later and took a look around.

Results:
Baby is right on track, right where she should be regarding growth for a 34 week baby. So why am I measuring small? Well, apparently I have low amniotic fluid. As the pregnancy progresses, there will be less and less fluid as the baby takes up more room, but it's not a good thing to be low at this point already. The cut-off point if 5cm of fluid. Read on to find my number. In other words, if you are below 5cm, then it's time to have some conversations about next steps. Depending on how low the fluid is would determine what should happen next...decisions ranging from a trip to the hospital for IV fluids to see if that will bump the fluid up to a possibility of induction because it's just not safe for baby to be in utero anymore.

Dr. Green said that she will be monitoring me closely from here on out. Meaning that I will be starting weekly ultrasounds and NST (non-stress tests) as well as dr. appointments beginning at 36 weeks. I have to say, I was a little deflated. Not that I thought I had grown and this wasn't going to be an issue, but because I never even considered it was due to low amniotic fluid.

Pregnancy isn't easy for me. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I can deal with the hyperemesis for months on end, I can deal with the diabetes, I can deal with the skipped heartbeats and racing. These are things that affect me. I can pull on my big-girl panties each morning and muscle myself through the day. I've always just been so thankful that these are things that I go though...and doesn't necessarily affect my precious baby. But low amniotic fluid?!? *sigh* That's something I have absolutely no control over. And it's something that directly affects her. As a parent, whenever something hard comes along, it's always the plea to be able to shoulder the hard stuff instead of it resting on the shoulders of your little ones. This was throwing me for a loop.

I came home, spent the day processing and researching. I realized that I had forgotten to ask Dr. Green what my exact level was. Just how low was I? The high end of the low range or barely scraping the bottom of the barrel and narrowly missing the cut-off for the danger zone?

I spoke with Dr. Green the very next day, my number: 6cm. (Remember...the red line is 5cm).

**Sigh**

I asked her if she would be willing to allow me to come in at 35 weeks for the ultrasound/NST to see where things were at instead of waiting until the 36 week appointment. Goodness, I was a stressed-out basketcase. And two weeks seemed like an eternity. Upon reconsideration, she agreed that with a number that low, it was a good idea to start weekly testing/monitoring at 35 weeks. Whew.

I spent the day drinking lots and lots of water. And will continue to until the next appointment. Over 100 ounces of water today to give you an idea. I have to admit, I pretty much loath water. Wow, it tastes aweful.

Here is a pic of me at 34 weeks...


Sweet baby girl...there's not a lot that is in my control right now...but trust me when I tell you that I will do everything that I can.

So until next post...



Thursday, March 21, 2013

32 Weeks

Had this post done up...just didn't get it published...

****

Whew...32 weeks and counting! Can't believe I'm in the homestretch. It feels so great to be in the single digits now. The nausea is still my contant companion, but I figure if I've felt this way for 32 weeks, I can hang on for another 8. Guess everything is relative.

Lots of updates for this post (for my own reference...sorry, it will be a long story):

**I've switched doctors and hospitals. This happened just in time for me to start seeing my new doctor, Dr. Green, at my 30 week appointment. Instead of delivering at Mercy Hospital (which is where Ella was born), I will be delivering at Unity Hospital.

Why the switch:
Jason and I toured both hospitals and were very impressed with Unity. They went through a 1.2 billion $$ overhaul of their labor/delivery floor two years ago and let me tell you, it looks nice. The kicker that make me decide that's where I wanted to go was because they have started offering waterbirths as of January 2013. Yes, I am having a waterbirth!

I had contacted the doula line in the information packet given to me when I started seeing my regular ob, these doulas service both hospitals, although you have to pay out of pocket, privately, to have one of them come to Mercy. Unity Hospital actually has an "on-call doula program". Meaning that they will help pay for the doula if you choose to have one, and once you arrive at the hospital to deliver, the on-call doula will arrive and help you through-out your birthing process. After having a doula with my delivery of Ella, I knew that I wanted to go that route again. Well, long story short...I got in touch with the head doula and she informed me that Unity had begun the waterbirths. I was pretty intrigued. Considering how hard my labor was with Ella, I knew that any option offering the opportunity for things to go a little smoother was appealing.

I researched waterbirths, watched lots of videos, and read lots of books. And spent even more time in prayer about it. I wasn't sure what God's plan was for how He wants this little one to enter the world, so I asked for guidance. I have to admit, although the waterbirthing experience seemed interesting, I was a little nervous to switch from my regular doctor. I had been with her for a long time and she even delivered Ella, and now she was the one in charge of my care with the hyperemesis and gestational diabetes. She knew my situation well. She has impeccable bedside manner and I just didn't know if I was willing to give that up. I knew, however, that I needed to start looking at the end game...the delivery. At my 28 week appointment, I asked her what my odds were of getting her again for the delivery. The big city isn't anything like the small towns...you don't get your regular doctor, who just shows up for the delivery when you make your way to the hospital. Instead, there are 15 doctors on rotation and you are stuck with whatever doctor happens to be on-call when you arrive at the hospital. When the question was raised about her being in the middle of a rotation when I needed to come in, she informed me that she no longer did deliveries...just saw patients in clinic. Well, that certainly seemed to make this decision easier. Add that to the helpful staff we talked with when we toured, getting to look at the nice, comfortable rooms, and knowing the option of a waterbirth seemed like just the things to point me in the direction of Unity. To top it off, I had spoken with Dr. Green while I was there for the tour (she just happened to be on rotatation that day) and realized she was the doctor I had heard so many great things about from 3 different people. Within the next few days, I had made the switch. Turns out that Dr. Green reminds me a lot of my old doctor. Who knew?!?

I had also found out that by choosing a waterbirth, the mother gets free doula service. This includes having the doula come out to your house for a visit to talk things over, meet you, and answer any questions you might have. On top of that, once I start having consistent contrations and know it's the real thing, she will come to the house and labor with me and help me decide when it might be the right time to leave for the hopsital. She will be there throughout the entire delivery and even help with some post-partum care. What a deal! I was sold.

**
SO...back to the 32 week appointment inself:

The 32 week appointment went pretty good. Baby is doing well, although I am measuring small. Amazingly, if you are 32 weeks along, your bump should, in theory, measure around 32 cm. I am however measuring around 28ish. This happened not that long ago too. At my 28 week appt, I was measuring at 26, so an ultrasound was ordered to just check on baby. The ultrasound showed that she was right on target and that everything looked good. We chalked it up to human error in the measuring. Crisis averted. :)

Well, now that I was once again measuring small, Dr. Green told me that if I was still measuring the same at the 34 week appointment, another ultrasound would need to be ordered. So...we wait. Hopefully I will catch up in the next 14 days and things will be right back on track.

Oh, another catch in the otherwise fairly decent appointment. Apparently, I'm not gaining that much weight. (duh) It certainly helps when you are on a diabetic, gluten free diet...not a lot of junk to be munching on in the wee hours of the night. No giving in to pregnancy cravings, no craming extra food/carbs into my face, or stuffing myself with delectable, rich, smooth, creamy chocolate ice cream with almonds and mini marshmallows mixed in from Coldstone (YES, if I could eat that, I think I would just belly-up to a giant pail of the stuff). Apparently, I only gained 1/2 a pound in the past two weeks and she would like me to start eating some higher fat foods. I'm thinking blueberries with heavy whipping cream over the top...at least there's a silver lining somewhere.

In the meantime, here's a pic:


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Wordy Wednesday

Thought I would share this...just cause it cracked me up.

A conversation with Lily usually does this to me.

 
Lily: "How did you get the kitty?"
 
Me: (I've told her this story a few hundred times so I turned the question back to her:
"Lily, how did Mommy get the kitty?"
 
Lily: "Did he come over on the ark?"
 
 
Love the concept of time a 4 year old has. :)

Monday, February 25, 2013

Cora and I in Seoul

I ran across this picture...



...couldn't resist posting.

Cora Jihee and I in the hotel room in Korea. Only hours after we had received her.

This one evokes so many emotions for me. I don't think she could be any more precious.

Sometimes...

...the stars align


...and these two get along famously.


Sure didn't hurt that Daddy was taking them to the water park. :)

Monday, February 11, 2013

Ever Increasing...

 
 
Oh...to be this small again...
 

 
I'm feeling particularily large today.
 
The good thing about an ever increasing tummy size is knowing that it brings me closer to holding this little bundle in my arms. :)
 
Here's to being at week 30 today!
 
 
...only 10 more to go!



Saturday, February 9, 2013

A Girl After Her Mama's Heart...

Ella has just discovered the joy of knitting. A sentence that, well, makes my heart sing!

Yes, I am a knitting-nerd and I can't tell you how it makes me squeal inside to see Ella seeing the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands out of a pile of yarn.

She wanted to get her kniffty-knitter loom out for one very special reason. She was determined to make her new little baby sister a hat for in the hospital. Ella carefully selected the yarn which had to meet her requirements of soft, cozy, and yet a pretty color. It had to be perfect for the new baby.

Ella sat down on the couch with determination on her face and went to work. Everytime I turned around, she was quietly and intently working on her creation.

Me: Ella, time to eat.
Ella: Mom, just one more row, then I'll come.
 
Me: Ella, time to get some school done, put down your yarn.
Ella: Ah, Mom...can't this count as art class?
 
Me: Ella...Ellla....Elllllaaaa where are you?
Ella: Working on my knitting, Mom!

The end product turned out beautiful and the pride was evident.


And what do you suppose I saw this morning when I came downstairs?



A sleepy, blurry-eyed Ella who had just woken up. Kniffty Knitter in hand. Creating boot cuffs for herself.

*sigh*

Don't Wake the Baby

There isn't anything sweeter than a sleeping baby...

(Disclaimer: I apologize for the weird orientation of this picture, blogger is having a mind of it's own today.)
 
 
After refusing to take a nap, she couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. She layed down and zonked out in record time...right here...
 
 
 
...in the middle of the living room chaos on Grammie's lap. :)
 
 



Monday, February 4, 2013

Baby Profile

Here she is:

Profile picture with her little hand coming up to her mouth...

I may be biased, but I think she is pretty cute!

Ultrasound #3

At 29 weeks along, I had my third ultrasound today. Nothing like being high-risk to get you a ton of these things. I guess it's the silver lining to being so aweful at being pregnant. :) They like to check on baby lots to make sure things are going well...which allows me to see her every 10 weeks or so.

Little bugger is doing great. She's right on target and the doctor's exact words today were: "I don't see anything concerning here...everything looks normal." Music to my ears.

She's 2 pounds and 11 ounces as of today. That puts her in the 41st percentile for weight. We'll see how she changes in the next 11 weeks. She is currently head-down...but since there's still room to groove, that could easily change for a few weeks yet. She's still really good at tumbling and twisting around in there.

The ultrasound techinician was having a grand time trying to secure some of the measurements today as baby was busy moving around. At one point, however, she stopped and was busy fiddling with her toes. It was so sureal to see. She had her little hand curled around her tiny toes, squeezing them. *sigh* My heart grew a size bigger when I saw that. I also got to see her practice her breathing as her abdomen rose and fell. I'm getting very excited to hold this little one and although 11 weeks isn't too long, it still seems far off to me. I'll be glad when April is here!

Another reason to love that month? Because when baby is born: the...nausea...will....END. Yes, 29 weeks and counting and I'm still sick on a daily basis. I just started my third trimester last week and so far this trimester is showing to have lots of relapse days. My mornings (gernerally) are manageable (still sick, but I can function), but by about 2:00-3:00pm it comes back strong. This means that Jason has had to step-up once again and take the lead parenting role once he gets home from work as I am usually stuck on the couch. I won't lie...this is really hard. Both mentally and physically. I had hoped that by this stage of the pregnancy, this constant nausea would be long gone. I guess I'm in it for the long haul. It will make the birth of this little girlie even sweeter.

Although it's tough...I know my God is with me. He'll continue to take care of me and be my source of strength. I'm reminded daily what a blessing health is, how it is such a gift. I'm so thankful that God has allowed me to take this journey one last time. There are so many moments to savor, to treasure, to file away in the depths of my heart. Watching her move, feeling her have the hiccups, seeing my children's expressions as they feel her kicking. Knowing that a miracle is growing inside me...a miracle that has God's fingerprints all over her...a little eternal soul entrusted to my care. The nausea is rough...but it is nothing...nothing compared to the gift of a child.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

25 Weeks and Counting

Last week's picture:


It looks like I've just stuffed a basketball up my shirt...but I assure you, I am only pregnant.

I was having a fairly decent day....I like seeing some color in my cheeks again.

Seriously can't believe I still have 15 more weeks with which to grow! *Sigh* I can only imagine how big I am going to get.


A Sioux Fan Amongst Us

I overheard Jason say:

"Didn't Daddy teach you never to be a SIOUX fan?!?"


I'll be honest with y'all. Jason was a little bit of a whiner when I told him to grab her Sioux jersey. :)

Happy Hockey Day!

Today is Hockey Day in Minnesota. Jason is v.e.r.y. excited....to say the least.

Everyone had their jerseys on.

We celebrated by having Jason's family over for some pond hockey out back. He is also going to a Gopher hockey game this afternoon and then tonight we have a Wild Hockey party to go to with a few other families.

Jason couldn't ask for a better day.

Or cuter kids.


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

20 weeks


I don't post too often about myself...especially pictures. However...

I am going to make an exception this year. 

The reason for this blog is to capture the growing up years of my kids...a way to preserve things.

And...well...with new little one on the way...I guess her story has already started. 

I remember I didn't take a lot of pictures when I was pregnant with Ella, due to the fact that I was so severely sick. In fact, I think there are maybe....maybe...a whole 4-5 pictures from the entire pregnancy. At the time, I didn't want to smile for anything, capture the moment, etc. Now, looking back I wish I would have just done it, no matter how much like death I resembled. So this time around, I decided that no matter what the day held, I would try to make an effort of getting more pics. Can you tell this is a forced smile? I can. Wasn't feeling all that well the day of this picture. 

But with trying to keep in the spirit of things and not disect this entire picture...here I am at 20 weeks.

(PS...I am actually 26 right now...but need to do a little catch-up...bear with me.)

(PSS....and sorry about the yellowishness in the pic, it is driving me crazy....it was in the evening when I finally got out of my jammies for the day and was up for doing this...hmmm...maybe I'll chalk my "sick" look up to the lack of natural light...now that's an idea!)



Love how my tank top doesn't even cover my tummy all the way. ;) Oh, the start of getting bigger....

Friday, January 11, 2013

Puzzled

Cora is really into puzzles these days. She can spend hours doing them.

There will be times that I will hear a little voice say "Hold my hand, mama. Help me." And off she leads to a puzzle.

She was very proud of herself the other day when she assembed this one all by herself.

Last piece going in...


Clapping for herself!



Had to throw this one in, not because of the puzzle, but because of the bow in her head. She takes this bow with her everywhere. E.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e. It goes to bed with her, it comes to the store, it has become her best friend somehow. Luckily, it even manages to make it in her hair on occasion.


The infamous "pirate face"


So proud!