Lucie Joy was born at 12:17 am , September 5th weighing in at 7lb 4oz and 21" long. She's beautiful and petite, with a full head of dark hair! Mom and baby are both doing well, and trying to recover from the 24 hours of labor...and Dad? Well, he's already quite smitten :)
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Lucie Joy
Lucie Joy was born at 12:17 am , September 5th weighing in at 7lb 4oz and 21" long. She's beautiful and petite, with a full head of dark hair! Mom and baby are both doing well, and trying to recover from the 24 hours of labor...and Dad? Well, he's already quite smitten :)
Friday, September 4, 2009
Cousins!
Will is VERY EXCITED that he will meet his new cousin Lucie Joy in just a few hours!!! It's pretty cool, they'll almost be exactly 6 months apart! My SIL Lin is in hard labor as I write this! She's having my first niece, Lucie at home....please pray for a great and safe delivery, and health for little Lu.
More later :)
Thursday, September 3, 2009
I've been missin' you
my blog friends! We had a computer crash, so my patient husband took several days to get everything restored and back up and running. I still need to go around and pick up where I left off on your postings!
this really great breakfast joint called "Kountry Kitchen"...they have THE MOST delicious biscuits and gravy :) YUM.
My very first canoe ride ever! I was a bit shaky at first, with the balancing act, but I soom became accustomed and enjoyed the peaceful water.
He saw the opthamologist for his little left eye that seemed a bit lazy. They dialated his eyes and so I sang to him to keep him comfortable when his vision got blurry. But then he fell asleep before the doctor ever came in! She said some of her best patients are asleep :) She was able to be very thorough in her exam and she's giving him 2 months to naturally strengthen it. She said he has the same prescription in both eyes, and the laziness is only intermittent, so he does show some control of it on his own.
He's also been seeing a chiropractor for adjustments. With all the arching he's done in his life, he needed a little help getting re-aligned. He always goes away from those visits very calm and peaceful. It must feel good!
Early Childhood Intervention is making bi-weekly visits to help us work him out even more. I found it very encouraging when they had to stretch to even get him in the program. He's on track with all of his developmental milestones, except his head/trunk control. So, they're adding even more excercises to our daily routine, but we feel like they're already paying off. He does his little sit ups and toe touches and really enjoys my pilates ball :)
What a lovely trip we had in Cali, and here are few more pics...
Eatin' on his hands in Nana's lap... this really great breakfast joint called "Kountry Kitchen"...they have THE MOST delicious biscuits and gravy :) YUM.
My very first canoe ride ever! I was a bit shaky at first, with the balancing act, but I soom became accustomed and enjoyed the peaceful water.
We've had a good month, full of good reports. On Monday we went in to see if Will's meds needed to be upped with his weight gain. He'd shown some signs that his motility might be a little sluggish again. We were thrilled he weighed 13 lbs 11 oz. and was 24 3/4" long! The doctor came in with a huge smile on his face exclaiming that our little man was finally on the chart! He's in the 5th percentile now for his weight...and his length and head are even better than that. He's really doing so well, strengthening his little head/neck and stomach muscles and burping like a big boy now! LOL. His most recent find is his little footsies. 
He can't seem to get enough of them. It makes us so happy he's been smiling a lot more lately on his own, and seems delighted pretty much any time you lay him down to play with his toys.
He can't seem to get enough of them. It makes us so happy he's been smiling a lot more lately on his own, and seems delighted pretty much any time you lay him down to play with his toys. He saw the opthamologist for his little left eye that seemed a bit lazy. They dialated his eyes and so I sang to him to keep him comfortable when his vision got blurry. But then he fell asleep before the doctor ever came in! She said some of her best patients are asleep :) She was able to be very thorough in her exam and she's giving him 2 months to naturally strengthen it. She said he has the same prescription in both eyes, and the laziness is only intermittent, so he does show some control of it on his own.Will saw the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, to check for any blockages. They scoped him down his nose and saw that every thing is in it's rightful place, and she didn't find any ulcerations at all. That was great news, that even if there were any to begin with, the antibiotic helped heal them!
He's also been seeing a chiropractor for adjustments. With all the arching he's done in his life, he needed a little help getting re-aligned. He always goes away from those visits very calm and peaceful. It must feel good!
Early Childhood Intervention is making bi-weekly visits to help us work him out even more. I found it very encouraging when they had to stretch to even get him in the program. He's on track with all of his developmental milestones, except his head/trunk control. So, they're adding even more excercises to our daily routine, but we feel like they're already paying off. He does his little sit ups and toe touches and really enjoys my pilates ball :)
We had some fun times this month with family in town... 
Will and his pals Jeremiah, David and Courtney!
Will and his pals Jeremiah, David and Courtney!Crazy story...last 4th of July (2008) Billy and I invested in a king size bed. It was SUPER COMFY for a few weeks, and then it just went downhill from there...LITERALLY. It had a ton of depressions that made big pot holes when we slept, and I would get stuck! So we called the store and asked if we could return it *(a year later) and they said YES, without ANY QUESTIONS! So we traded it in for one that's a little bit firmer. 
Will tested it out, and agreed, this was a good purchase :)
Billy and I are fasting refined sugar to pray for Will's complete and total healing, and also asking for opportunities to be a light in the dark places. Let me tell you it's not easy, especially when your family is eating delicious and decadent chocolate chunk cookies around you! BUT, already, we've seen doors open to reach people in new ways. Every single time we're tempted with yummy sweets, we say a prayer for Will and are reminded of how grateful we really are to have a great marriage and a very happy and healthy boy!Wednesday, August 5, 2009
5 months and The Greats
I can hardly believe our little boy was born 5 months ago today! This morning after waking to 3 different doctors phone calls (still on Central time), and a returned call from 911 that Billy accidentally made when he tried snoozing his phone alarm :) I found our 5 month old sleeping like a big boy.
He looked so cute, with his new chubs belly and legs. When he woke, Billy told him "happy 5 months little man" and he kissed me and said "happy surgery day" lol. I don't know that I want to remember THAT part of the birth day of our son...although it was kind of a crucial part in getting the boy out in to the world so I'll go ahead and celebrate it :)
This past weekend was fun. We made the drive to both sets of great grandparents, and had a little travel buddy that kept us entertained.
He doesn't have a name yet, but he's got a great "boooiiinngg" sound he makes when you bop him. We put him in the back of the durango for the ride, and forgot to "buckle" him in...so every bump on the road set him off. He even entertained Will :) Check out this video...if you listen closely you'll hear the little froggie talk. Will chimes in too. You can hear and see him (Will) in the mirror on the left bottom portion of the screen .
It was a great drive down. First we stopped to see the B's again. They were thrilled to see the great grandson for the second time. They just wanted to eat him up! He was a bit tired, so the pics we took are a little sleepy, but I'm glad we got any! After we left, great grandma B called and asked if we could stop back by on our way home....Larry had to remind her that we had a vehicle we had left at their house, so it was inevitable we'd see them again before we left town. She was thrilled :)
We stayed Saturday night with the E's. They had a lovely home in the mountains, and we even slept with the windows open enjoying the mountain breeze. They had a great porch out back where we enjoyed most meals and down time together. The guys took a generational pic, but Billy wasn't quite ready and Will was screaming for it (I think he was hungry)! Grandma E gently rocked her new great grandson, and Grandpa E was a bit timid at first to be holding him. He says that babies all "break and puke on you", but he took a shot at holding him when he realized our boy almost NEVER spits up :) Will was very comfortable with both of them and it was great they got that special time together.
It was a nice weekend, and Billy was especially happy because we found a stand that was still selling fresh strawberries. He's been wanting me to try the California strawberries for a long time now! They weren't the best batch he's ever had, because it's a little late in the season, but they still tasted great to me!
He looked so cute, with his new chubs belly and legs. When he woke, Billy told him "happy 5 months little man" and he kissed me and said "happy surgery day" lol. I don't know that I want to remember THAT part of the birth day of our son...although it was kind of a crucial part in getting the boy out in to the world so I'll go ahead and celebrate it :)
This past weekend was fun. We made the drive to both sets of great grandparents, and had a little travel buddy that kept us entertained.
He doesn't have a name yet, but he's got a great "boooiiinngg" sound he makes when you bop him. We put him in the back of the durango for the ride, and forgot to "buckle" him in...so every bump on the road set him off. He even entertained Will :) Check out this video...if you listen closely you'll hear the little froggie talk. Will chimes in too. You can hear and see him (Will) in the mirror on the left bottom portion of the screen .It was a great drive down. First we stopped to see the B's again. They were thrilled to see the great grandson for the second time. They just wanted to eat him up! He was a bit tired, so the pics we took are a little sleepy, but I'm glad we got any! After we left, great grandma B called and asked if we could stop back by on our way home....Larry had to remind her that we had a vehicle we had left at their house, so it was inevitable we'd see them again before we left town. She was thrilled :)
We stayed Saturday night with the E's. They had a lovely home in the mountains, and we even slept with the windows open enjoying the mountain breeze. They had a great porch out back where we enjoyed most meals and down time together. The guys took a generational pic, but Billy wasn't quite ready and Will was screaming for it (I think he was hungry)! Grandma E gently rocked her new great grandson, and Grandpa E was a bit timid at first to be holding him. He says that babies all "break and puke on you", but he took a shot at holding him when he realized our boy almost NEVER spits up :) Will was very comfortable with both of them and it was great they got that special time together.
It was a nice weekend, and Billy was especially happy because we found a stand that was still selling fresh strawberries. He's been wanting me to try the California strawberries for a long time now! They weren't the best batch he's ever had, because it's a little late in the season, but they still tasted great to me!We're having such a good time letting Will's uncle, grand and great grands all get to know him. He's changing so much every day, and I just love his new vocal self! He's got lots of personality these days, and I told Suzanne that his new hair he's been growing makes him look like a Chia pet!
I am convinced Will has swept every heart he's met thus far...and how could anyone resist this face?
Friday, July 31, 2009
Rollin' down the river
Okay so it should really be called, "Rollin' AND the river". We're still having a great time here at Will's Nana and Pop's place. Nana has been having a lot of fun playtime teaching Will some new "tricks"....like yesterday when he decided to roll over from his back to his tummy! He's been going tummy to back for a long time now...but this was his first time to go the other way all by himself! Now there's no stopping the boy. I'm sure he'll be crawling before we know it.
Last night we went for a walk in Caldwell Park then stopped at a long bench to enjoy the beautiful breeze off the Sacramento River. It was better than A.C. and a wonderful change from the heat waves we've had here....speaking of heat, I had a funny thing happen to me today! Suzanne and I were out shopping around, and she ran in to purchase a few groceries while I stayed in the car with my sleeping son. I decided I'd make the most of my time waiting, so I pulled my nursing cover over my head, and started to grab the pump, when I heard a fist banging on my window! It was this rather burly woman and her daughter, so I cautiously opened my window to see what they needed and she yelled at me "you're too close! I can't even open my door!". I didn't understand what she was talking about, then she pointed to her old beaten down truck parked beside us. She said "I can't even open my door! You're too close!" so I just apologized and told her I didn't do the parking :) She said "Well are they going to be quick? It's HOT OUT HERE! We can't wait forever, can't you move it?!" I was a little flustered, espeically being all "undone" to pump, and shoeless and such...so I locked the doors (just in case she had someone waiting to jump me under the car, lol) and I climbed up into the front seat and moved the car. She signed "thank you" about 5 times before driving off. My mom in law said I won brownie points for taking the yelling for her, but that lady was CRAZY!
Tomorrow we drive about 3 hours South and then into the mountains to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa "E". That should be a fun time for them to get to meet the little man for the first time. We'll be with them for a few days and I'm sure they can't wait.
This is from last week but I had to share-It's a shot of our little man with his Aunt Mary. 
He was all dressed up for his cousin Lucie's baby shower! I'm sure he can't wait to meet her just like the rest of us! The other day he was asleep on Auntie Lin's big baby bump, and Lucie kicked him (in utero)! I told him "get used to it son, I'm sure there's more where that came from!" Lol, girls always rule the roost.
I'll post more when Will does something else new :)
He was all dressed up for his cousin Lucie's baby shower! I'm sure he can't wait to meet her just like the rest of us! The other day he was asleep on Auntie Lin's big baby bump, and Lucie kicked him (in utero)! I told him "get used to it son, I'm sure there's more where that came from!" Lol, girls always rule the roost.I'll post more when Will does something else new :)
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Leaving on a jet plane...
So Will had his 1st official plane ride yesterday!
He did GREAT! I was so glad he didn't seem to be bothered at all by the altitude. I gave him a little Tylenol so maybe that helped. After sleeping for the first hour or so, he woke to nurse, played a little bit, then slept for a few more hours...the only time we heard a peep from him was when he pooped :) and then he yelled for a few minutes AFTER we landed. Other than that, it was a breeze! He talked a lot and wooed all the ladies especially. Pretty much everyone around us knew we were going to see "Nana and Pops" by the time we de-planed.
Once we had a quick bite to eat, we headed straight over to let the Great Grandparents (the B's) meet the little man...and they were IN LOVE. He was all goo goo eyed at them, and seemed at home with the new family. We also managed to get a 4 generation picture of Great Gpa B, Pops (Billy's dad), Billy and Will. I can't wait to see that one! 
You can only imagine how excited Billy's parents are to have us here! It's been about 3 months since Will's Nana held him, so she pretty much gets dibs anytime she wants. He's been very happy to see her, and flashes many smiles and coo's at both of them. They had the house SET UP for us and it was WONDERFUL! They invested in a lot of
baby gear for all the future grandchildren to enjoy too...so our room has a crib, changing table, diaper genie and bouncer. Suzanne also picked up a stroller, baby bath sling, hooded towels and washcloths. She kept the Jungle theme for the bedding and Will seems to be sleeping very comfortably :) She also made a new blanket for him to play on when we visit..it's real cute and soft.
baby gear for all the future grandchildren to enjoy too...so our room has a crib, changing table, diaper genie and bouncer. Suzanne also picked up a stroller, baby bath sling, hooded towels and washcloths. She kept the Jungle theme for the bedding and Will seems to be sleeping very comfortably :) She also made a new blanket for him to play on when we visit..it's real cute and soft.
Uncle Todd met Will for the first time. It's so cool he gets to spend time with his new nephew. I think he surprised us the most, because when Will cries, he seems in no hurry to hand him off to anyone else..he is quite determined to quiet him on his own and really seems to have the touch when it comes to putting the little guy to sleep.
We get to be here for the next 15 days....so I'm sure I'll have plenty of good stories to tell. It's STINKIN' HOT so we haven't left the house much yet....we shall see if that changes depending on the weather. I think we set records yesterday at 116!
More later. Gotta' wake my son up to eat. He thinks we're still on Central time :)
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Brinner
Some of our favorite breakfasts take place at dinnertime....and tonight was no exception :) We had blueberry waffles, scrambled eggs w/parsley and bacon.
I thought I'd share my homemade syrup recipe. It's so quick to make and really makes the meal seem that much better.
Easy Syrup
1/2 cup each of brown sugar, sugar and water
1 Tbl butter
1/4 tsp flavoring (vanilla, maple, cinnamon, etc)
Boil first 4 ingredients 5 minutes.
take off the heat and add flavoring of choice.
serve warm :)
serves 4
I thought I'd share my homemade syrup recipe. It's so quick to make and really makes the meal seem that much better.
Easy Syrup
1/2 cup each of brown sugar, sugar and water
1 Tbl butter
1/4 tsp flavoring (vanilla, maple, cinnamon, etc)
Boil first 4 ingredients 5 minutes.
take off the heat and add flavoring of choice.
serve warm :)
serves 4
Friday, July 24, 2009
This little piggy
keeps eating and eating and eating all the way home!
We had our 4 month shots and weight check on Wednesday, and the little man gained 9 ounces this past week! He's 10 lbs 14 ounces and 23" long!
I FINALLY put the last of his newborn onesies in the "outgrown drawer" when I attempted to put one on him yesterday. He's officially a size 3-6 month boy :)
Look at those cheeks!
I'll add more later, just thought I'd give an update on the good news!
We had our 4 month shots and weight check on Wednesday, and the little man gained 9 ounces this past week! He's 10 lbs 14 ounces and 23" long!
I FINALLY put the last of his newborn onesies in the "outgrown drawer" when I attempted to put one on him yesterday. He's officially a size 3-6 month boy :)
Look at those cheeks!I'll add more later, just thought I'd give an update on the good news!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Exceeding our expectations
Since the meds are making Will hungrier than ever, we were thrilled at his checkup Wednesday when he weighed 10 lbs 5 oz.! (He went into the hospital at 9 lbs 8 oz.)
He's averaging a gain of about 1 ounce per day as opposed to his usual 1/2 ounce. He's still eating like crazy, and he's been ending most nights now with a 6 ounce bottle. I've rented a hospital grade pump for the time being to really keep my supply going (since he's not good at demanding what he really wants) and I'm seriously having to keep up with him! I want to store some away for our upcoming trip to Cali (to visit Nana and Pops) but he keeps eating everything I pump! Ya'll pray for me! LOL! I've been nursing him during the morning and night, and the daytime is usually bottled breastmilk w/or w/out the rice starch supplement.
It seems like the reflux and arching are improving more and more...we just gotta work on the tummy aches and cramps that the new meds cause. He seems to deal with them pretty well, but he has a few more fussy times than before. I guess that comes with the territory. Overall I think he's feeling better. We noticed the other day he was so peaceful after he ate. I love it!
I caught this cute moment he was having with Grandma May and her "boo" game. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry...it was too funny.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Jesus in his heart
I've had a started draft of this post for several days but I had to go back for more edits today because the leading line was "we're finally home after an 8 night stay in the hospital." This was actually 6 days ago, and my apologies for not updating you all sooner :)
We were discharged with paperwork that read "Reason for admission: Failure to Thrive. Current Diagnosis: Failure to Thrive, Reflux."
First of all, we Praise our God for giving Will a good heart! His echo showed the murmer was minor and warranted no repair. We were able to watch the entire thing. Will was sedated (poor boy ended up sleeping the rest of the day), and it was just a very long and complete ultrasound. At one point, I looked up the screen and I saw JESUS! It was his face, his hair and his robe....he was looking over at Will, and He was in his heart! I'm serious, I had a peace after I saw Him, and knew that He was watching over our son. How cool is that?! Will had Jesus in his heart!
It took the last day of testing to prove what we were suspicious of the entire visit. Reflux. The doctors were very thorough, as I posted earlier, but they couldn't possibly believe that a baby could actually be deemed "failure to thrive" because of something as simple as reflux. Every baby has a slight case of reflux, with their immature inner workings...but others, however are very simply put "sick" with reflux. One doctor in particular, whom we have a scheduled appointment with in September states in his book, Colic Solved the sad truth that babies, especially the ones who don't spit up, are constantly overlooked when they are in fact, very sick. So sick to the point that they don't want to eat (because it hurts), they don't want to sleep (or they wake themselves up frequently), and the don't grow very well (because they don't want to eat). Sounds familiar to me.
I'm glad we got to the bottom of Will's issues. Besides the reflux we suspected all along, the Upper G.I. showed he has delayed gastric emptying....in other words, he stays fuller longer because his tummy doesn't do it's job in pushing the food out as well as it should.
I know some may have criticized me in the past saying that I should have been feeding him more all along, or possibly even changing his main food supply to formula rather than breastmilk. The fact is I DO feed him as much as he will eat. I wake the boy up to eat, even when he shows no hunger signs. At the end of our nursing periods, I attempt to give him milk I've pumped off. But until now, he showed no interest in eating more. He was full. NO WONDER! And as far as formula vs. breastmilk, breastmilk is the best food for Will and his reflux. It is easily and quickly digested. This means less acid to come back up all day long. It also contains a natural antacid that helps his cause. We are, however adding those 2 formula-infused breastmilk bottles that contain a rice starch thickener to help with the reflux, and add a little more calories (and a red rash he doesn't usually wear on his hind-parts).
The doctors added a third medication to Will's daily doses, in order to improve his motility. I have to say I now have a PIGGY for a son! I have NEVER seen him eat so much in a day, I think he's gained 2 pounds since we've been home! LOL! It really seems to have improved his hunger, but I'll have to give it a few more days to take shape before I really say whether I like how upset his tummy seems to be from it. I will be so glad when he doesn't have to be medicated every day! But for now, we have a better handle on his reflux and motility, and his arching has improved dramatically! We are praying he grows out of the reflux and d.g.e.
As far as our hospital stay....
It's funny how we'll miss those wonderful nurses who interrupted us every 4 hours to take vitals :) They were so helpful and encouraging during our stay. It almost seems like they weren't just doing a job, but also showing us love.
One evening I was crying in the waiting area of our floor, because they had poked Will 4 different times looking for a good vein to insert the I.V. He was SCREAMING and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I asked Billy to take over at the foot of Will's bed, and I quietly left the room...and took a walk. A nurse I hadn't met stopped to console me, and offered encouragement for my weary heart. She periodically checked on Will thereafter.
One afternoon they were drawing blood and our sweet nurse thought it would be better to remove him from his "fun room" and do the mean things somewhere else. While I stood by Will's side, kissing his little face, I saw that she had made a good poke on the first try! I said "Oh wow, thank you so much for getting it the first time!" she said "don't thank me, I was talking to the man upstairs". Billy told me later that when she came in to get him for the draw, he had the praise baby dvd running, and she curiously was asking about it. I think she felt comfortable later, letting us know she too was a believer.
Another day, while visiting the milk bank, I overheard one of the lactation consultants introducing her coworker to an emotional mom. She said "this is my good Christian sister and anytime you need her to pray with you about your son, she's here too". So on one of my weary moments, guess what I did? I asked her to pray with me! She held my hands firmly and we prayed in the spirit together! Then she sent me on my way with prayer cards to claim for our son, and a whole packet of healing scriptures.
We praise God for the knowledge we now have concerning our son and his health. He has a good brain, heart, thyroid, pancreas, liver, kidneys, bladder and gallbladder! He doesn't have cistic fibrosis and the issues he has faced up to now will be gone and outgrown in no time! It's not too often you find out so many things about your kids health this early, but we're thankful we did.
He is STRONG and the boy is getting FAT I tell ya'!
We were discharged with paperwork that read "Reason for admission: Failure to Thrive. Current Diagnosis: Failure to Thrive, Reflux."
First of all, we Praise our God for giving Will a good heart! His echo showed the murmer was minor and warranted no repair. We were able to watch the entire thing. Will was sedated (poor boy ended up sleeping the rest of the day), and it was just a very long and complete ultrasound. At one point, I looked up the screen and I saw JESUS! It was his face, his hair and his robe....he was looking over at Will, and He was in his heart! I'm serious, I had a peace after I saw Him, and knew that He was watching over our son. How cool is that?! Will had Jesus in his heart!
It took the last day of testing to prove what we were suspicious of the entire visit. Reflux. The doctors were very thorough, as I posted earlier, but they couldn't possibly believe that a baby could actually be deemed "failure to thrive" because of something as simple as reflux. Every baby has a slight case of reflux, with their immature inner workings...but others, however are very simply put "sick" with reflux. One doctor in particular, whom we have a scheduled appointment with in September states in his book, Colic Solved the sad truth that babies, especially the ones who don't spit up, are constantly overlooked when they are in fact, very sick. So sick to the point that they don't want to eat (because it hurts), they don't want to sleep (or they wake themselves up frequently), and the don't grow very well (because they don't want to eat). Sounds familiar to me.
I'm glad we got to the bottom of Will's issues. Besides the reflux we suspected all along, the Upper G.I. showed he has delayed gastric emptying....in other words, he stays fuller longer because his tummy doesn't do it's job in pushing the food out as well as it should.
I know some may have criticized me in the past saying that I should have been feeding him more all along, or possibly even changing his main food supply to formula rather than breastmilk. The fact is I DO feed him as much as he will eat. I wake the boy up to eat, even when he shows no hunger signs. At the end of our nursing periods, I attempt to give him milk I've pumped off. But until now, he showed no interest in eating more. He was full. NO WONDER! And as far as formula vs. breastmilk, breastmilk is the best food for Will and his reflux. It is easily and quickly digested. This means less acid to come back up all day long. It also contains a natural antacid that helps his cause. We are, however adding those 2 formula-infused breastmilk bottles that contain a rice starch thickener to help with the reflux, and add a little more calories (and a red rash he doesn't usually wear on his hind-parts).
The doctors added a third medication to Will's daily doses, in order to improve his motility. I have to say I now have a PIGGY for a son! I have NEVER seen him eat so much in a day, I think he's gained 2 pounds since we've been home! LOL! It really seems to have improved his hunger, but I'll have to give it a few more days to take shape before I really say whether I like how upset his tummy seems to be from it. I will be so glad when he doesn't have to be medicated every day! But for now, we have a better handle on his reflux and motility, and his arching has improved dramatically! We are praying he grows out of the reflux and d.g.e.
As far as our hospital stay....
It's funny how we'll miss those wonderful nurses who interrupted us every 4 hours to take vitals :) They were so helpful and encouraging during our stay. It almost seems like they weren't just doing a job, but also showing us love.
One evening I was crying in the waiting area of our floor, because they had poked Will 4 different times looking for a good vein to insert the I.V. He was SCREAMING and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. I asked Billy to take over at the foot of Will's bed, and I quietly left the room...and took a walk. A nurse I hadn't met stopped to console me, and offered encouragement for my weary heart. She periodically checked on Will thereafter.
One afternoon they were drawing blood and our sweet nurse thought it would be better to remove him from his "fun room" and do the mean things somewhere else. While I stood by Will's side, kissing his little face, I saw that she had made a good poke on the first try! I said "Oh wow, thank you so much for getting it the first time!" she said "don't thank me, I was talking to the man upstairs". Billy told me later that when she came in to get him for the draw, he had the praise baby dvd running, and she curiously was asking about it. I think she felt comfortable later, letting us know she too was a believer.
Another day, while visiting the milk bank, I overheard one of the lactation consultants introducing her coworker to an emotional mom. She said "this is my good Christian sister and anytime you need her to pray with you about your son, she's here too". So on one of my weary moments, guess what I did? I asked her to pray with me! She held my hands firmly and we prayed in the spirit together! Then she sent me on my way with prayer cards to claim for our son, and a whole packet of healing scriptures.
We praise God for the knowledge we now have concerning our son and his health. He has a good brain, heart, thyroid, pancreas, liver, kidneys, bladder and gallbladder! He doesn't have cistic fibrosis and the issues he has faced up to now will be gone and outgrown in no time! It's not too often you find out so many things about your kids health this early, but we're thankful we did.
He is STRONG and the boy is getting FAT I tell ya'!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
A little updating
So the doc came in yesterday and informed us that Will is having 3 major tests tomorrow. The first will be a heart Echo and he will be mildly sedated. He won't be able to eat 8 hours prior, so they are putting him on I.V. fluids again tonight to keep him hydrated. I'm sure he hasn't missed that big taped up mess that keeps him from sucking his fingers :) At least he's had a few days to be without it.
They will also be doing the swallow study that we've been pushing for. He'll drink the barium and we'll be able to tell how everything moves inside.
The final test tomorrow (from what we know at least) is a sweat study to check for cistic fibrosis. I guess it can cause growth restriction so they're just covering all their bases.
We're still waiting to hear the results of the organic stool test (it looks for any chemicals from his gut that are signs of gene mutations) since I have the MTHFR.
Everything else has come back NORMAL. Oh, and the last post I said they added Maalox to his regime...my bad, it was Zantac, and it's making a difference! He wanted to eat like a little piggy yesterday!
We had a pretty lazy 4th of July....just played the Wii and mom relieved us for an hour or so and we ran out to get food "off campus". That was nice :) I wanted a Coke Icee from Burger King, and that is precisely what I got :) Billy opted for Pizza Hut pizza and he was satisfied :)
Will wore an adorable festive outfit from Nana and the nurses couldn't help but pat his little booty when they would come to see him.
We could kinda see the fireworks, but it's not quite the same when you can't hear them or the background music :( Oh well, maybe next year.
They will also be doing the swallow study that we've been pushing for. He'll drink the barium and we'll be able to tell how everything moves inside.
The final test tomorrow (from what we know at least) is a sweat study to check for cistic fibrosis. I guess it can cause growth restriction so they're just covering all their bases.
We're still waiting to hear the results of the organic stool test (it looks for any chemicals from his gut that are signs of gene mutations) since I have the MTHFR.
Everything else has come back NORMAL. Oh, and the last post I said they added Maalox to his regime...my bad, it was Zantac, and it's making a difference! He wanted to eat like a little piggy yesterday!
We had a pretty lazy 4th of July....just played the Wii and mom relieved us for an hour or so and we ran out to get food "off campus". That was nice :) I wanted a Coke Icee from Burger King, and that is precisely what I got :) Billy opted for Pizza Hut pizza and he was satisfied :)
Will wore an adorable festive outfit from Nana and the nurses couldn't help but pat his little booty when they would come to see him.
We could kinda see the fireworks, but it's not quite the same when you can't hear them or the background music :( Oh well, maybe next year.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Still waiting...
You've been in a hospital too long when...
*The prepackaged muffins in the hospitality basket are like gold
*You greet the doctors in a towel-head
*Half a building's been built next door in the time you've been there
*Your idea of "getting out" is walking across the street
*You've learned the names of each ultrasound technician
*You go down to the milk bank and pump in your p.j.'s
*You hear monitors beeping even though it's really silent
*Hospital food doesn't taste "that bad" anymore
*You start making up nicknames for the doctors
*You associate the interns with characters off scrubs or greys anatomy
*Your back hurts from playing the WII
*You know more doctors than the nurses do
*You are thrilled about renting a VHS version of Liar, Liar
*You start using words like "stat"
*Your entertainment for the night is getting stuck in an elevator
*You consider 4 hours without interruptions a "good night's sleep"
*The most exciting part of your 4th of July is the view of the downtown fireworks
*You think you can diagnose your son better than anyone else can...
Pray we're right. Pray it's just reflux that doesn't require anything invasive (like surgery).
So far since my last update they've done an abdomen ultrasound including the kidneys, liver, pancreas, galbladder and bladder. All were normal.
They ran an organic culture on his stool to check for any milk allergies. We've yet to hear those results.
The EKG on his heart was normal. They did, however feel it is necessary for an echo cardiogram since his little murmur still peeps it's head up when they give a listen.
They are infusing my pumped milk with a high cal, preemie soy-based formula, and I'm cutting all dairy from my diet until we hear if he's allergic to milk or not. We give him the fortified bottles twice a day, as an added supplement to the nursing. Especially since we think he's not eating as much as he wants to because of how he feels.
Today they are talking about a possible swallow study. This is THE REASON we came here. We feel this is Will's biggest obstacle to overcome....swallowing properly without any reflux involved. It affects his eating and sleeping, and the boy's gotta grow! Pray for favor that they are able to perform this test sooner than later. The weekends usually mean wasted time getting nothing done (especially on a holiday weekend), and we would love for Will to feel better soon!
The occupational therapist has been coming by daily to work with Will on his suck, and on his arching. She placed an "X" of kinese tape over his tummy to encourage him to use his stomach muscles more and tuck his chin and arms when he lifts up, or when trying to raise his head from a lying position. IMMEDIATELY we saw a change in him! Although he still tries to arch after he eats (because he is still refluxing), he is no longer doing it continuously. I wanted to cry! They've added Maalox to his reflux regime and are using a liquid compound of his Prevacid that really seems to make a difference in him. This morning he just played and played on his back, talking to his toys and acting like he already feels better.
Thank you for your support and love. We have a direct phone line and private room if you want to see the little man. There are no certain visiting hours either. Pray for wisdom for the doctors, and sanity for us :) We're tired, but willing to stick this out until we resolve the underlying issues of Will's weight gain, comfort and health. He hasn't been able to gain much weight here in the hospital, since a lot of these tests require an empty stomach, and then with emergency's that come up in the ER we get pushed back sometimes a few hours longer....so pray for him to GROW GROW GROW! Even though our schedule is crazy here, we're believing we will have answers soon.
*The prepackaged muffins in the hospitality basket are like gold
*You greet the doctors in a towel-head
*Half a building's been built next door in the time you've been there
*Your idea of "getting out" is walking across the street
*You've learned the names of each ultrasound technician
*You go down to the milk bank and pump in your p.j.'s
*You hear monitors beeping even though it's really silent
*Hospital food doesn't taste "that bad" anymore
*You start making up nicknames for the doctors
*You associate the interns with characters off scrubs or greys anatomy
*Your back hurts from playing the WII
*You know more doctors than the nurses do
*You are thrilled about renting a VHS version of Liar, Liar
*You start using words like "stat"
*Your entertainment for the night is getting stuck in an elevator
*You consider 4 hours without interruptions a "good night's sleep"
*The most exciting part of your 4th of July is the view of the downtown fireworks
*You think you can diagnose your son better than anyone else can...
Pray we're right. Pray it's just reflux that doesn't require anything invasive (like surgery).
So far since my last update they've done an abdomen ultrasound including the kidneys, liver, pancreas, galbladder and bladder. All were normal.
They ran an organic culture on his stool to check for any milk allergies. We've yet to hear those results.
The EKG on his heart was normal. They did, however feel it is necessary for an echo cardiogram since his little murmur still peeps it's head up when they give a listen.
They are infusing my pumped milk with a high cal, preemie soy-based formula, and I'm cutting all dairy from my diet until we hear if he's allergic to milk or not. We give him the fortified bottles twice a day, as an added supplement to the nursing. Especially since we think he's not eating as much as he wants to because of how he feels.
Today they are talking about a possible swallow study. This is THE REASON we came here. We feel this is Will's biggest obstacle to overcome....swallowing properly without any reflux involved. It affects his eating and sleeping, and the boy's gotta grow! Pray for favor that they are able to perform this test sooner than later. The weekends usually mean wasted time getting nothing done (especially on a holiday weekend), and we would love for Will to feel better soon!
The occupational therapist has been coming by daily to work with Will on his suck, and on his arching. She placed an "X" of kinese tape over his tummy to encourage him to use his stomach muscles more and tuck his chin and arms when he lifts up, or when trying to raise his head from a lying position. IMMEDIATELY we saw a change in him! Although he still tries to arch after he eats (because he is still refluxing), he is no longer doing it continuously. I wanted to cry! They've added Maalox to his reflux regime and are using a liquid compound of his Prevacid that really seems to make a difference in him. This morning he just played and played on his back, talking to his toys and acting like he already feels better.
Thank you for your support and love. We have a direct phone line and private room if you want to see the little man. There are no certain visiting hours either. Pray for wisdom for the doctors, and sanity for us :) We're tired, but willing to stick this out until we resolve the underlying issues of Will's weight gain, comfort and health. He hasn't been able to gain much weight here in the hospital, since a lot of these tests require an empty stomach, and then with emergency's that come up in the ER we get pushed back sometimes a few hours longer....so pray for him to GROW GROW GROW! Even though our schedule is crazy here, we're believing we will have answers soon.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
My milk's gonna' be better
...those were the first words I uttered to my mom this morning when I informed her that our son's brain ultrasound came back normal. Looks like we might just have a genius on our hands :)
Yep, you heard me right. We're at Texas Children's (been here since Monday) to figure out just why Will isn't gaining enough weight. If you couldn't tell from my opening line, they are being very thorough in their search. We'd like to attribute it to his silent reflux, and it looks like the more tests they rule out, the more they kind of agree with us on the culprit.
Considering the high stress involved in this visit, and the fact that we actually cancelled a much anticipated trip to Cali to be here, my milk supply was almost NOTHING yesterday. It was the saddest thing ever, and I didn't have any of my stockpile with me. So we went ahead and gave Will 1 small amount of formula while I pumped and tried to rebuild what was "broken" at the moment...and he threw it up...TWICE! He's NEVER puked before, and it was very scary to watch. Several nurses rushed in to check his vitals and see if he was breathing okay, and I was overwhelmed with emotions. They ended up putting him on fluids since he seemed slightly dehydrated. I was shocked when the doctor came to check Will after he threw up. She looked over at me and asked " How does he look to you right now? Out of all the people in this room right now, I trust to you the most". Little boy's got an I.V. and he's been quite the trooper, that boy :) He's already won all the hearts of the nurses and doctors over, and they've been for the most part very informative and great listeners!
They've done alot of blood work, and some tests so far....His chest xrays are normal all except that his stomach was extremely dialated in them. It could be due to the voracious yelling he did during the tests, but it could also be something else. His thyroid tests were good, and his vitals are all good. However, two doctors agree they hear a slight murmer in his heart. Today he will undergo an EKG and we'll go from there. They will also do a ultrasound on his abdomen. I believe we are meeting with a gastroenterologist this afternoon to find out what tests they will perfom on his esophogus and possibly pharynx and vocal chords...I personally believe his silent reflux is burning him all the way up to his eyes (if you see my boy on his back, or try to hold him "like a baby" you'd know what I mean) and if we can get that under control then HALELUJAH! Billy has a pyloric sphincter that doesn't always function properly. It gave him a lot of grief growing up, and it could also have been inherited. It attributes to the emptying of the stomach, and it could explain why Will doesn't gain as much weight as he should...
We are just shouting praises to God that it seems like they are narrowing the issues of weight gain down to a few minor fixable (wouldn't it be amazing if God did a miracle and they didn't even have to fix anything!) things.
Like a very thoughtful voicemail I recieved yesterday said "Will's rescuer is coming to his rescue, and his name is JESUS".
Yep, you heard me right. We're at Texas Children's (been here since Monday) to figure out just why Will isn't gaining enough weight. If you couldn't tell from my opening line, they are being very thorough in their search. We'd like to attribute it to his silent reflux, and it looks like the more tests they rule out, the more they kind of agree with us on the culprit.
Considering the high stress involved in this visit, and the fact that we actually cancelled a much anticipated trip to Cali to be here, my milk supply was almost NOTHING yesterday. It was the saddest thing ever, and I didn't have any of my stockpile with me. So we went ahead and gave Will 1 small amount of formula while I pumped and tried to rebuild what was "broken" at the moment...and he threw it up...TWICE! He's NEVER puked before, and it was very scary to watch. Several nurses rushed in to check his vitals and see if he was breathing okay, and I was overwhelmed with emotions. They ended up putting him on fluids since he seemed slightly dehydrated. I was shocked when the doctor came to check Will after he threw up. She looked over at me and asked " How does he look to you right now? Out of all the people in this room right now, I trust to you the most". Little boy's got an I.V. and he's been quite the trooper, that boy :) He's already won all the hearts of the nurses and doctors over, and they've been for the most part very informative and great listeners!
They've done alot of blood work, and some tests so far....His chest xrays are normal all except that his stomach was extremely dialated in them. It could be due to the voracious yelling he did during the tests, but it could also be something else. His thyroid tests were good, and his vitals are all good. However, two doctors agree they hear a slight murmer in his heart. Today he will undergo an EKG and we'll go from there. They will also do a ultrasound on his abdomen. I believe we are meeting with a gastroenterologist this afternoon to find out what tests they will perfom on his esophogus and possibly pharynx and vocal chords...I personally believe his silent reflux is burning him all the way up to his eyes (if you see my boy on his back, or try to hold him "like a baby" you'd know what I mean) and if we can get that under control then HALELUJAH! Billy has a pyloric sphincter that doesn't always function properly. It gave him a lot of grief growing up, and it could also have been inherited. It attributes to the emptying of the stomach, and it could explain why Will doesn't gain as much weight as he should...
We are just shouting praises to God that it seems like they are narrowing the issues of weight gain down to a few minor fixable (wouldn't it be amazing if God did a miracle and they didn't even have to fix anything!) things.
Like a very thoughtful voicemail I recieved yesterday said "Will's rescuer is coming to his rescue, and his name is JESUS".
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
It's all gonna' burn
This has been one CRAZY weekend! My Aunt Mary and cousins Mel, Jeremiah, David and Courtney spent the night Saturday after a fun time swimming and staying up late (some didn't crash til' 4:00am) playing games and hanging out. We went to sleep in a very chilly townhome (we like it that way), only to wake to it being 84 degrees inside! My aunt dragged herself into the living room, scratching her sleepy head asking if the a.c. had broke. IT HAD. Will's crib monitor was registering at 81...and the poor boy was sweatin' big time.
So we called the repair man in, and he fixed that bad boy up. It was wonderful to come home from a church event on Sunday to a very breezy home again.
Until last night, that is.
My parents were over for a visit when all of our smoke alarms went off around 9:00 pm. We smelled a very strong electrical fire smell, and smoke was filling our home. Billy turned our A.C. off and I rushed outside to get our son out of that stinky place. I banged on our neighbors door, because we couldn't find fire anywhere...but they wouldn't answer. It occured to us that we actually hadn't heard them (and believe me, those guitar hero boys can ALWAYS BE HEARD) for a few days....
I called 911.
They sent 2 firetrucks, but only 1 could get through our gate! LOL! So the other stood on standby. About 3 firemen ran into our home, and couldn't find fire anywhere. Where was this smoke coming from? and the smell?
They found a hotspot of 400 degrees in our guest bath ceiling! It was coming from the newly fixed Air Conditioner! The firemen said we did the right thing in calling them. Even though there wasn't an active fire, if Billy hadn't turned it off, it could have eventually sparked and started one! Thank God for his wisdom in that!
They turned our breaker off so the maintenance men could replace our whole unit. We couldn't stay home last night, because of the heat or the smell, so we came home with my parents. I'm sure they were really "put out" by their grandson staying the night :) Thankfully, Will ended up sleeping on my shoulder through the whole ordeal.
I think the hardest part about leaving was walking out the door, wondering if it would happen again while we were away. Then I remembered an old saying my cousin Danyne used to say...
"It's all gonna' burn!"
But, we'd really rather it not happen today if possible!
So we called the repair man in, and he fixed that bad boy up. It was wonderful to come home from a church event on Sunday to a very breezy home again.
Until last night, that is.
My parents were over for a visit when all of our smoke alarms went off around 9:00 pm. We smelled a very strong electrical fire smell, and smoke was filling our home. Billy turned our A.C. off and I rushed outside to get our son out of that stinky place. I banged on our neighbors door, because we couldn't find fire anywhere...but they wouldn't answer. It occured to us that we actually hadn't heard them (and believe me, those guitar hero boys can ALWAYS BE HEARD) for a few days....
I called 911.
They sent 2 firetrucks, but only 1 could get through our gate! LOL! So the other stood on standby. About 3 firemen ran into our home, and couldn't find fire anywhere. Where was this smoke coming from? and the smell?
They found a hotspot of 400 degrees in our guest bath ceiling! It was coming from the newly fixed Air Conditioner! The firemen said we did the right thing in calling them. Even though there wasn't an active fire, if Billy hadn't turned it off, it could have eventually sparked and started one! Thank God for his wisdom in that!
They turned our breaker off so the maintenance men could replace our whole unit. We couldn't stay home last night, because of the heat or the smell, so we came home with my parents. I'm sure they were really "put out" by their grandson staying the night :) Thankfully, Will ended up sleeping on my shoulder through the whole ordeal.
I think the hardest part about leaving was walking out the door, wondering if it would happen again while we were away. Then I remembered an old saying my cousin Danyne used to say...
"It's all gonna' burn!"
But, we'd really rather it not happen today if possible!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Ants in... Will's pants?!
So about a week ago, my hubby, son and I were on our way out of the church parking lot. It was a BURNING HOT summer day, and as usual, we cranked the a.c full blast. All of a sudden we realized there were hundreds of ANTS flying in to our car through our air vents! They were ALL OVER THE PLACE....our arms, legs, clothing, seats, dash, doors, you name it! We were freaking out, and Billy was trying to keep his eyes on the road while I smashed each little black ant I could possibly track down. Poor little ant kamikazes were flying into their doom. It was like something from a horror movie or something! I was mostly concerned the ants could be tracking down the sweet and innocent baby boy in my back seat, so as any normal parent would, I screamed for us to pull over and see where these crazy ants were coming from.
We pulled into a parking lot nearby, and watched as they poured out of the car onto the hot pavement...finding some other tasty treat left from the last car parked there. But we still weren't able to keep all of them from coming back in.
It was CRAZY!
Later that afternoon we went through a professional car wash, hoping it would clean out the carriage and hopefully vacuum up any remaining ants. We got back in our car only to find the residual ants left behind, sticking with every step to our freshly Armor-All'd car like fighting soldiers dragging their wounded bodies in a swamp. To this day (about 10 days later) we still have a serious problem when we turn the air up. We have no idea how to rid our a.c. system of these critters.
I've only found 2 of the castaways on Will's car seat, however, Monday afternoon I saw several sticking to a few different outfit options in his closet. I looked closer only to realize they were trailing in the closet now! What is this all about?! Then I found a few crawling on my arm in my bed!
We immediately told the complex manager to call Pest Control, and the guy came out yesterday.
I had spotted a dirt pile behind our rocking chair, very close to Will's bed...and I didn't want to mess around. The pest guy said they were breeding under our carpet there under the window seal! He sprayed inside and out, and we haven't seen any signs of live ones in our room since late last night.
I'm going to try and rest tonight without worrying about those crazy little ants that seem to have infested our world like nobody's business lately.
We pulled into a parking lot nearby, and watched as they poured out of the car onto the hot pavement...finding some other tasty treat left from the last car parked there. But we still weren't able to keep all of them from coming back in.
It was CRAZY!
Later that afternoon we went through a professional car wash, hoping it would clean out the carriage and hopefully vacuum up any remaining ants. We got back in our car only to find the residual ants left behind, sticking with every step to our freshly Armor-All'd car like fighting soldiers dragging their wounded bodies in a swamp. To this day (about 10 days later) we still have a serious problem when we turn the air up. We have no idea how to rid our a.c. system of these critters.
I've only found 2 of the castaways on Will's car seat, however, Monday afternoon I saw several sticking to a few different outfit options in his closet. I looked closer only to realize they were trailing in the closet now! What is this all about?! Then I found a few crawling on my arm in my bed!
We immediately told the complex manager to call Pest Control, and the guy came out yesterday.
I had spotted a dirt pile behind our rocking chair, very close to Will's bed...and I didn't want to mess around. The pest guy said they were breeding under our carpet there under the window seal! He sprayed inside and out, and we haven't seen any signs of live ones in our room since late last night.
I'm going to try and rest tonight without worrying about those crazy little ants that seem to have infested our world like nobody's business lately.
Friday, June 5, 2009
YUM!
Sometimes I come across recipes that really stick with me and tonight was no exception :) I thought I'd share it with you all. It's one of those "1 dish meals" and I've made a version of it a few times before, but this was by far my fave.
It's pretty close to Sunny Anderson's (food network) "Shepherds Pie with Mushroom Onion Gravy", but I'll post exactly what I did with it.
2 lbs russet potatoes, washed and cut into chunks (I like the peels on)
1 Tbl dry minced garlic, or 1 clove smashed
Salt (I like Kosher)
6 Tbl butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 Tbl tomato paste
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 zuchinni, julienned
2 carrots, julienned or about 1 1/2 cups of baby carrots cut in half
8 oz. corn
1 tsp Paprika,
16 oz. cheddar, shredded
Mushroom-Onion gravy (recipe below)
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes and garlic with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add some salt and bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high and cook unitl fork tender, about 15 min. Drain and return to pan, and mash together with 3 Tbl butter and the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper (and I added parsley for color and a dash of cayenne pepper) and set aside.
In a large pan on medium-high heat combine 1 Tbl butter and 1 Tbl oil. When butter has melted, add beef, worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook until meat is brown. Stir in tomato paste and saute for a few minutes. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer. Place meat in a casserole dish and set aside.
In the same pan, add remaining butter and 1 Tbl oil and saute onions until almost tender.
Add corn, zucchini, carrots and paprika. Cook until tender, about 1o min. Remove from heat and mix with meat in casserole dish.
Place a very light layer of the cheese and then cover with mashed potatoes, smoothing out to the edge with a spatula. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese across top and place in oven until cheese has a nice texture, and potatoes are brown around the edges, about 30 minutes. Serve with Mushroom Onion gravy.
Mushroom Onion Gravy:
1/4 onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbl oil
3 Tbl flour
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
Salt and cracked pepper
In the same saucepan over medium heat, saute onions and mushrooms in oil until tender and mushrooms release their moisture, about 5 min. Add flour and stir to evenly coat. Slowly whisk in wine and broth. Simmer until thickened and season with salt and pepper, to taste. This is a very rich reduction, and a little goes a long way, but you will be surprised how much it really pops all the flavors!
I served this with a romaine salad that had cucumbers, grape tomotoes, red onion, avacado, walnuts, sweet almond slivers and diced celery with Ranch. And SWEET TEA, of course :)
It's pretty close to Sunny Anderson's (food network) "Shepherds Pie with Mushroom Onion Gravy", but I'll post exactly what I did with it.
2 lbs russet potatoes, washed and cut into chunks (I like the peels on)
1 Tbl dry minced garlic, or 1 clove smashed
Salt (I like Kosher)
6 Tbl butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 lb ground beef
2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 Tbl tomato paste
1/4 cup beef broth
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 zuchinni, julienned
2 carrots, julienned or about 1 1/2 cups of baby carrots cut in half
8 oz. corn
1 tsp Paprika,
16 oz. cheddar, shredded
Mushroom-Onion gravy (recipe below)
Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees
In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes and garlic with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add some salt and bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high and cook unitl fork tender, about 15 min. Drain and return to pan, and mash together with 3 Tbl butter and the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper (and I added parsley for color and a dash of cayenne pepper) and set aside.
In a large pan on medium-high heat combine 1 Tbl butter and 1 Tbl oil. When butter has melted, add beef, worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and salt and pepper to taste, and cook until meat is brown. Stir in tomato paste and saute for a few minutes. Add beef stock and bring to a simmer. Place meat in a casserole dish and set aside.
In the same pan, add remaining butter and 1 Tbl oil and saute onions until almost tender.
Add corn, zucchini, carrots and paprika. Cook until tender, about 1o min. Remove from heat and mix with meat in casserole dish.
Place a very light layer of the cheese and then cover with mashed potatoes, smoothing out to the edge with a spatula. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese across top and place in oven until cheese has a nice texture, and potatoes are brown around the edges, about 30 minutes. Serve with Mushroom Onion gravy.
Mushroom Onion Gravy:
1/4 onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 Tbl oil
3 Tbl flour
1 cup red wine
2 cups beef broth
Salt and cracked pepper
In the same saucepan over medium heat, saute onions and mushrooms in oil until tender and mushrooms release their moisture, about 5 min. Add flour and stir to evenly coat. Slowly whisk in wine and broth. Simmer until thickened and season with salt and pepper, to taste. This is a very rich reduction, and a little goes a long way, but you will be surprised how much it really pops all the flavors!
I served this with a romaine salad that had cucumbers, grape tomotoes, red onion, avacado, walnuts, sweet almond slivers and diced celery with Ranch. And SWEET TEA, of course :)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Fave's of the Week
UPDATED: Sorry in the midst of my editing, I accidentally deleted this image the first time... here's the little man reading :)
We took Will in for a checkup today. He's 8lbs 14 oz and 22" long :) The doc says he looks great, and is developmentally right on track. He's been rolling over, reaching for toys, putting everything to his mouth, holding his head pretty steady, doing his "push ups" on his tummy and "tracking" everything around him.
He loves a little elephant his Nana got him (see pic above he's got the ear) and lovey Aunt Mary made him when he's getting sleepy. Can you see his blue eyes??! We can't figure that out! It really seems like he may keep those baby blues and we are thrilled about it!
He's really started laughing more (especially when you put his feet up to his face-weird) and smiles so much at people and his toys and mirrors. He has a lot of different faces and it seems like he comes up with a new face or sound all the time. I can't believe how much he's already grown up.
We love him so much and I'm really glad we get to keep him <3<3<3<3<3>
We bought him a bumbo seat this week, and he looks so funny and really tiny and newborn looking which is so weird because he can sit up strong in it. I was playing "teacher" and he got a "head start" looking at flashcards and learning things, lol.
Remember his stuffed Monkey(from the pic of his first night home?!)...we'll he's finally bigger than it! LOL! 
We took him out to the pool for the first time and the new swimsuit and flip flops from Grammy were adorable on his feet! He just "laid out" on the blanket under the shade chilling out like a big boy.
We took Will in for a checkup today. He's 8lbs 14 oz and 22" long :) The doc says he looks great, and is developmentally right on track. He's been rolling over, reaching for toys, putting everything to his mouth, holding his head pretty steady, doing his "push ups" on his tummy and "tracking" everything around him.He loves a little elephant his Nana got him (see pic above he's got the ear) and lovey Aunt Mary made him when he's getting sleepy. Can you see his blue eyes??! We can't figure that out! It really seems like he may keep those baby blues and we are thrilled about it!
He's really started laughing more (especially when you put his feet up to his face-weird) and smiles so much at people and his toys and mirrors. He has a lot of different faces and it seems like he comes up with a new face or sound all the time. I can't believe how much he's already grown up.
We love him so much and I'm really glad we get to keep him <3<3<3<3<3>
We bought him a bumbo seat this week, and he looks so funny and really tiny and newborn looking which is so weird because he can sit up strong in it. I was playing "teacher" and he got a "head start" looking at flashcards and learning things, lol.
Remember his stuffed Monkey(from the pic of his first night home?!)...we'll he's finally bigger than it! LOL! 
We took him out to the pool for the first time and the new swimsuit and flip flops from Grammy were adorable on his feet! He just "laid out" on the blanket under the shade chilling out like a big boy.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Good News
Billy made a business trip to Missouri this past Tuesday. He had to spend the night and I'd have to say it felt much different this time with him away. He wasn't just leaving me alone for the night like before, but now we have a son in the mix too. I wanted to call and chat with him even more than usual, because it just felt like a piece of us was missing with him not here.
While he was away, my mom and I got some much needed time in with my cousins and auntie.
While he was away, my mom and I got some much needed time in with my cousins and auntie.
Mom also came and stayed the night with me. I even asked her to sleep in my room 'cause it felt lonely without my hubby. She obliged :)
While Billy was away, we got a phone call from Will's doctor. The kidney tests came out normal, along with the acid (carbon dioxide) test on his blood.
PRAISE GOD!!!
I know it sounds crazy, but I think Will started gaining more weight faster since then. I started wondering if maybe I'm more relaxed now, knowing that he seems to be just fine health-wise, therefore I'm making more or even better food for him perhaps? Weird? Maybe. Either way, he's getting more fat and seems really long lately so that's all good news to us!
We met with the maternal fetal specialist on Thursday to discuss my lab results. She was very encouraging and confident that I will be able to get pregnant again without fear of the health risks on me or the baby. They want to keep a check on my homocysteine levels and determine whether I need blood thinners or not, but she feels at this point the folic acid and b vitamins will really help my "pathways" do their job and function properly bringing the homocysteine levels down on their own.
That's another PRAISE GOD!
I found it hard, however, to just believe that everything is "fine" with me. It's hard not to over-think things, or look for more assurance or answers. After Will's birth and situation since then, plus my own results, it's really hard not worrying the same thing will happen again if we don't make major changes. But if both my doc and the specialist think the supplements are enough, then maybe just maybe they will really make a difference the next time around and I really won't need more meds than that. I want to believe that's the case. I really do.
I really like the word REALLY don't I?
We had a relaxing day sleeping in a little extra and making burgers and homemade fries and ice cream today. We spent some good time with my parents and Brian and Lin (and Little Lucie) eating good food, getting a little sun and just chilling out. Lin is looking way cute with her preggo belly. She even sported a bathing suit and everything. She's very brave!
We took Will to his first movie! He did great, although the 30 minutes prior to the movie were crazy! He pooped all over his outfit on the way over to the theater, so I went to change him and they didn't have any changing tables in the bathrooms! I ended up laying him in my lap to change him and got poo all over my arm! YUCK. Then, the extra clothes I brought for him were too small! I guess that's a good sign right? Needless to say he ended up with just a tee shirt and diaper for the duration...he did good though. Slept like a baby on his "Grammy nanny". She's always a huge help when we go out together, and sometimes I feel like she's our nanny for real!
Hope you all had a wonderful and Happy Memorial Day everyone :)
Friday, May 15, 2009
So that explains it
"Explains what?" you ask.
1st-The humongous blog I'm about to write will explain why I haven't been online too much over the past 2 weeks
2nd-I finally got an explanation as to why my son was born IUGR (growth restricted) and SGA (small for gestational age).
On Cinco de Mayo we took Will in for his 2 month checkup/shots. Billy and I had done a lot of research on the pros/cons and it was a tough decision-not only because of the risks of the vacinnes themselves, but also because his low birthweight puts him in a more dangerous zone for SIDS. We opted to go ahead with 3 of the normal 4 vaccinnes they give (2 in the thighs and 1 orally), after having a really long discussion with our doctor.
He's been in practice for quite a long time now, and has seen several "fads" come and go when it comes to this arena of medicine. He's also seen a major decrease in the number of patients he has to treat for sicknesses like Meningitis. With Will being so small, it was in his best interest that we went forward with them, especially since they are much more pure in form now.
Mom spent a few nights with us after that. We wanted to be sure someone was always "on duty" to watch the boy (mom calls him the "watched one" hehe) Thanfully, Will took them like an old pro, and the only major reaction we saw in him was fatigue for a day or so. He desired to eat (good sign), slept well (major plus), barely even had a fever (if any), and wasn't even cranky.
At that same visit, he was given a Prevacid prescription. I think (from researching on my own) he was dealing with some silent reflux. He HARDLY EVER spits up, but I would see him "chew the cud" and arch his back with screams of pain sometimes when he was eating or he'd wake up screaming in the middle of the night (and it wasn't hunger). I read that babies with reflux don't always spit up, but instead spit into their mouths, and then swallow it back down. This means it burns coming up and back down and if it goes untreated, it can make sores on their little esophogus. Ouch! I think he may have been in pain, and it made him eat a litle less than he should be. So he hadn't been gaining as much weight as they'd like to see. At least he's still growing consistently. They tested his liver function, salt/acid levels in his blood among a few others I can't even remember.
Today we went back for another checkup, and he's ***8 lbs 4 ounces and 21 1/2" long!!!*** I know this sounds so small for you moms who delivered babies bigger than this, but to us this is another small VICTORY! The prevacid has helped. He's eating more and is so much more relaxed. That boy is just one happy baby! He even has a little bit of a belly now (what a tubbo! LOL).
The doctor said his liver function was good, and the only test that came back a little high was his carbon dioxide (acid). He said it's not always accurate if you just have blood samples, so he took urine and more blood today to re-test. That was actually a funny experience, as he peed on the table BEFORE the nurse could insert the catheter...then she waited and got a little in the tube....gave up and took it out and then he peed on the table again! She was laughing hysterically and yelling "Oh William! You could have asked us for a cup if that's what you wanted!".
From this point forward, especially during pregancies, I will be on low dose aspirin, or other blood thinners, as well as higher doses of Folic Acid and the B vitamins. Billy and I started walking daily in our gym. He's supporting my efforts to be healthier, and says it's time to lose his "pregnancy weight" :)
Crazy. My doctors didn't even think it was necessary for me to have these tests. They said the blood clots in the placenta were just "random".
Will is a miracle no doubt about it. We look forward to future miracles.
P.S. I told you this was gonna' be a long one :)
1st-The humongous blog I'm about to write will explain why I haven't been online too much over the past 2 weeks
2nd-I finally got an explanation as to why my son was born IUGR (growth restricted) and SGA (small for gestational age).
On Cinco de Mayo we took Will in for his 2 month checkup/shots. Billy and I had done a lot of research on the pros/cons and it was a tough decision-not only because of the risks of the vacinnes themselves, but also because his low birthweight puts him in a more dangerous zone for SIDS. We opted to go ahead with 3 of the normal 4 vaccinnes they give (2 in the thighs and 1 orally), after having a really long discussion with our doctor.
He's been in practice for quite a long time now, and has seen several "fads" come and go when it comes to this arena of medicine. He's also seen a major decrease in the number of patients he has to treat for sicknesses like Meningitis. With Will being so small, it was in his best interest that we went forward with them, especially since they are much more pure in form now.
Mom spent a few nights with us after that. We wanted to be sure someone was always "on duty" to watch the boy (mom calls him the "watched one" hehe) Thanfully, Will took them like an old pro, and the only major reaction we saw in him was fatigue for a day or so. He desired to eat (good sign), slept well (major plus), barely even had a fever (if any), and wasn't even cranky.
At that same visit, he was given a Prevacid prescription. I think (from researching on my own) he was dealing with some silent reflux. He HARDLY EVER spits up, but I would see him "chew the cud" and arch his back with screams of pain sometimes when he was eating or he'd wake up screaming in the middle of the night (and it wasn't hunger). I read that babies with reflux don't always spit up, but instead spit into their mouths, and then swallow it back down. This means it burns coming up and back down and if it goes untreated, it can make sores on their little esophogus. Ouch! I think he may have been in pain, and it made him eat a litle less than he should be. So he hadn't been gaining as much weight as they'd like to see. At least he's still growing consistently. They tested his liver function, salt/acid levels in his blood among a few others I can't even remember.
Today we went back for another checkup, and he's ***8 lbs 4 ounces and 21 1/2" long!!!*** I know this sounds so small for you moms who delivered babies bigger than this, but to us this is another small VICTORY! The prevacid has helped. He's eating more and is so much more relaxed. That boy is just one happy baby! He even has a little bit of a belly now (what a tubbo! LOL).
The doctor said his liver function was good, and the only test that came back a little high was his carbon dioxide (acid). He said it's not always accurate if you just have blood samples, so he took urine and more blood today to re-test. That was actually a funny experience, as he peed on the table BEFORE the nurse could insert the catheter...then she waited and got a little in the tube....gave up and took it out and then he peed on the table again! She was laughing hysterically and yelling "Oh William! You could have asked us for a cup if that's what you wanted!".
We're praying for the test to show PH balanced blood in our sweet baby! We don't want to have to put him on any more meds, or see any specialists if at all possible. The doc also encouraged us today that Will is really on a steady growth pattern, and this just may be his "normal". He's been consistent, and it's "sufficient" growth for his age, even if it's not the usual "7 oz per week". He looked at Will and said "You're just gonna' be a thin guy huh?" and then looked back at us "yeah, I think he's just gonna' be thin, and maybe tall" (I mean you'd sure think so after you look at those feet!) :)
SO....the other big event of the past few weeks was receiving the lab results from my own blood panel (remember the 14 viles??)
Turns out I have a few conditions I never knew about. Also turns out that most women never even know they have these problems until they've had multiple miscarriages or even stillborn babies all the way up to the 3rd trimester! We realized after reading posting after posting of these testimonies, just how much of a miracle William Riley is! He must have quite a destiny ahead to be so strong and to have gone through so much in the womb!
I am a Thrombophiliac.
I have a low lupus anticoagulant which is supposed to keep my blood from clotting (it's one of the 3 protein strands that do).
I also have a mutated gene (it's inherited) called MTHFR that affects my homocysteine levels, thus causing hyperhomocysteinemia. High levels of homocysteine can be related to vascular diseases, strokes, and deep vein thrombosis *(blood clots) and embolisms. Normally Folic acid keeps this in check, but not everybody converts it properly from their foods/supplements. It's actually very common in a number of people, but doesn't seem to be symptomatic until pregnancy or later in life.
I will tell you that I believe God gave me wisdom during my pregnancy with Will. During the 1st trimester, I was taking extra doses of Folic acid along with my prenatals. After I had a UTI, I started taking Cranberry pills (totally helps ya'll) and found out just recently that those are natural blood thinners! I also read a list of foods that help thin your blood, and I CRAVE and eat SO MANY of those foods already! I feel like God was taking care of both of us during the entire 40 weeks. Will could have had neural tube defects among many other complications, but God's hand was on him and he is a healthy (just "thin") boy!
From this point forward, especially during pregancies, I will be on low dose aspirin, or other blood thinners, as well as higher doses of Folic Acid and the B vitamins. Billy and I started walking daily in our gym. He's supporting my efforts to be healthier, and says it's time to lose his "pregnancy weight" :)
Crazy. My doctors didn't even think it was necessary for me to have these tests. They said the blood clots in the placenta were just "random".
I will be honest, at first, when they called with the results I just cried.
When they told me the blood clots weren't just "random" I was relieved.
When they told me the blood clots weren't just "random" I was terrified.
What about future babies? What about our dream of a big family? Was I risking future babies lives? and my own life, what about my own life?My cousin called and gave me truth. It completely put peace in my heart. She said "God is the one who placed that dream in your heart and if it's His will it will be fulfilled. He's not going to let the enemy come and steal a dream He gave you".
God loves his kids. God loves me. and I really think God gave us this news now so we can live healthier lives, be better prepared and give a testimony of His goodness. This is the time when our faith has to step up above our feelings. It's certainly been a test, to say the least.
Will is a miracle no doubt about it. We look forward to future miracles.
P.S. I told you this was gonna' be a long one :)
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Family Photos
My little bro (tharpe media) did an AMAZING
job with our very first official family of 3 photo shoot :)
You HAVE to go see the rest of his faves posted on his blog...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Sweet Sleep :)
Look who slept 8 HOURS last night!
I heard you shouldn't let them go longer than 5 hours until they are at least 4 weeks old....so especially since he was so small, I had been waking the poor boy up to eat in the middle of the night for the first few weeks...then he kinda got in a routine and would wake up on his own at 2 or 3. But last night, I decided NOT to set an alarm and he did great! I felt very refreshed this morning, and he was so sweet and calm when he woke up too. I think he's in a growth spurt. We'll see how tonight goes (I have my fingers crossed and comfy pillow waiting).
Thursday, April 23, 2009
War Zone
That's about how I would describe my body over the past 7 weeks...a living War Zone :) the good news is that today, I FEEL GREAT!
Yep, that's how he introduced himself to me, so I figure if he said it, then it must be true! :) LOVE THIS BOY. 
After coming off 40 weeks of pregnancy (exactly to the day), I had my very
first major surgery in the form of a Cesearean-this also brought with it my
first real surgery scar,
first spinal,
first spinal,
first i.v, and
first catheter. When I got home from the hospital, I had my
first post-pregnancy hormone drop (lol, well probably not the first of those being that I am a WOMAN) in the form of a shock-type reaction where my hand (the i.v. hand) and both feet swelled up over a matter of seconds, and I couldn't keep from shaking or having cold-sweats.
Later that evening, I had my
first "milk coming in" which certainly is like nothing I've ever experienced. YOWEEE! and the next night, I noticed my heart was racing and wouldn't stop for hours.
first "milk coming in" which certainly is like nothing I've ever experienced. YOWEEE! and the next night, I noticed my heart was racing and wouldn't stop for hours.
5 weeks later, I was given antibiotics for a
bacterial infection, and that same week more meds for a possible onset of
HSV type#1 (fortunately I NEVER had a sore on my lip! Praise GOD).
A week ago today, I had an
huge blood panel (14 vials) done to check my clotting factors, for possible Thrombosis (this might explain the blood clots in the placenta). We wanted to know so we could prepare for the next time. 
It left my arm bruised up pretty bad! This is how it looks today (a week later, mind you).
It left my arm bruised up pretty bad! This is how it looks today (a week later, mind you). The next morning, I woke up with a horrible headache, fatigue, chills, 102 fever, and felt very sore..turns out, I had my
first case of Mastitis. YIPPIEE! More antibiotics! Oddly enough, my body temperature has been very LOW over the last few days....I'm assuming from the meds, but maybe it just doesn't know what "regular" is for me right now. I'm praying I don't have to deal with any more major physical changes for a while!
Poor baby Will, had to struggle along with me concerning his feedings for the past week. Since my milk production was down with the infection, he was wanting to eat so much more often, and working so much more burning precious calories to do it. At one point, he ate like every hour. We weighed him today, and he didn't gain very much this week. I had a feeling :( I think he will pick back up again for the next week. Seems like we're already back on track today with our feedings, and there's more available for him to eat again. He looks so much bigger to us! and he's getting really long too! He was almost touching the end of the scale!
In other news...I got laid off from my job 2 days before my maternity leave was up. Although, we hadn't made the final decision or turned anything in yet, I planned to resign and stay home with the boy anyway. It was nice to have the option to stay if it was necessary for me to continue working (like any emergencies, etc), but I'd say it was pretty good timing :) Thankfully, I can apply for unemployment and we also get to keep our insurance for a few more months without any extra cobra fees. That will give us more time to find one we can afford, and really fits our family. BTW does anyone have any suggestions on that? We're looking for good insurance and since we're out of state from his companies headquarters, Billy's considered self-employed now.
In other-other news...did I mention the WORLD'S CUTEST BABY lives at my house??!
Yep, that's how he introduced himself to me, so I figure if he said it, then it must be true! :) LOVE THIS BOY.Monday, April 13, 2009
1 year ago...
April 12, 2008 marked the VERY BEST day of my life! On that day, I married my soulmate ~ my best friend ~ the man God made especially for me! (and I could fit in a size 4 wedding dress! LOL)
It was no mistake my brother worked for the same company and introduced me to Billy and it was by way of a miracle that God chose to bring us together to communicate on April 12, 2007. I am sooo very blessed and honored to have Billy for my husband, and as we both pledged to each other last year and on our anniversary yesterday, we are IN THIS FOR THE LONG HAUL!
This has been the most fun year of our entire lives, and I just know the future holds many more great times for the two of us and our newest little family member :)
Friday, April 10, 2009
Germs
While we were in the doctors office, I asked him about a cold sore I felt coming on (trust me I just "know" the feeling), asking if it would be dangerous for me to be kissing on the baby. He immediately pulled down his book of med's, and prescribed something for me (mind you, he was MY pediatrician growing up). I've fought cold sores/fever blisters pretty much as long as I can remember, but as I learned yesterday, they are VERY DANGEROUS for small children and elderly. He wanted for not only myself to be treated, but for Will to have treatment (via my breastmilk) asap.
WEIRD. I knew the STD kind of herpes was potentially deadly, but these measly little sores would do someone harm?
So when I got home, I found several websites, that warned not to let anyone come in contact with your child that has Herpes Simplex Type #1 (the cold sore kind, not the STD).
Anyone? What about the child's own mother?
One article in particular that was very sad, brought the horrifying reality of what could happen had the virus spread rapidly without treatment http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/7915010.stm
So, I am officially NOT KISSING my baby (this is so incredibly hard for me!) and keeping my hands and everything else that touches him SQUEEKY CLEAN until there are no signs of this little lip intruder. The good part of the HSV type#1 is that it's not contagious at all unless there are actual visible signs of an outbreak, such as a cold sore, etc. The doc said since I knew it was "coming" and it hadn't "come" yet, we most likely are able to treat it pretty quickly and aggressively. We shall see, but if nothing else, this certainly makes me question the cleanliness and health of anyone who holds Will from now on.
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