The Noticer

I was lucky enough to be able to read The Noticier byAndy Andrews- even before it is released tomorrow.

This book was about a man named Jones: not MR. Jones or __Jones- Just JONES. Jones was an old man and had been old for many years, yet somehow, never seemed to age. Jones had a way of finding his way into peoples lives at the moments they needed someone most. Ironically, it was the times that people would need God most that Jones appeared. In this book, for example, it was when people were down on their luck, a divorce, someone who was thinking that their life just wasn't worth it... Jones had a suprising way of not only finding these people, but by being able to comfort these people in just the first few minutes of talking with them. By reaching such a comfort level with these people, they were much more receptive to what he had to say. While he never quoted from the Bible, there were always Biblical principles implied.

After reading The Noticer, it almost makes you wonder about the people who have been put into your life at the moments they were. How, if we all take the time, to pay attention to the situations we are in, that somehow the people we meet during those moments, good or bad, that those people could have a tremendous impact on our lives- if we are receptive. We should also take notice of the time we come into other peoples lives, as we could help them in some way too- without even knowing they need us.

I would defintely recommend The Noticer by Andy Andrews- it was such a wonderful book that pulled you in and didn't let you go. I got up the next day, wondering if Iwould meet Jones......

Sorry for the delay

I greatly apoligize that is has been over a week since I updated! Our laptop charger isn't charging the computer and I have to use my few minutes of freedom to get on the desktop. It has been an exciting week to say the least..........

On Tuesday, we had our weekly appt in Nashville at the Maternal Fetal Group. Sorry, he was hiding his face, so the only new pics I got were of his huge feet! On Ultrasound, they look to be the size of Tatum and JD's combined when they were born. His large foot is gonna look funny with my tattoo! (sorry- I digress...) Well, at this appt we got and estimated weight for Conner- boy, were we suprised when she said 4 lbs 13 oz!!!! We brought JD home from the hospital at 5 lb 3 oz- so, you can imagine our suprise. I truly thought that Jeremy was gonna fall out of his chair- he actually had her repeat it! Everything there looked good= see ya next Tuesday.

I went to the hospital Friday am for my weekly NST. Conner looks wonderful but, they questioned if I were having some contractions. Which, I have been questioning myself, but, seeing as I have never had labor, wasn't for sure. Got really nervous when my nurse, another nurse, AND my Dr came into my room while I was on the monitor. The other nurse just came to say HI, and my Dr was there, so he came and looked at my strip- don't they understand how paranoid I am?? Don't do things like that to me!!! I was sent home with my usual instructions- except this time, she told me what to do if my water broke or if I was having more abdomen tightening. Could be braxton hicks or could be contractions. Most importantly, if I thought anything was wrong DO NOT take my lovenox injection. I have to be off my bld thinner 24 hrs prior to delivery to be able to stay awake during the surgery.

After my NST, I actually had a Dr appt. Too bad he couldn't have seen me in the hopsital, would have saved me a trip. Blah, Blah, Blah, routine stuff. Told me he wasn't gonna let me off bedrest until Conner was born. I asked about attending Tatum's dance Recital on the 16th- I will be over 37 weeks- considered full term. He said that why would I want to risk anything since I was doing so good. I told him that at that point, I thought my good was good enough. I also told him I would probably go anyways. This is VERY important to me and Tatum. She would know if her momma wasn't there. I cried for about 3 hrs over that. Yesterday was a pity- poor me day!

As of Thursday, I am 34 weeks. In terms of Conner, that means lots! obviously, he is a healthy weight. The part of his brain that so many babies born prematurly get brain bleeds in has closed, almost completely eliminating chance of a brain bleed. If he were born now, he would most likely be fine- and shouldn't spend much time in the hospital, especially since I've had the steroids already. I am BEYOND thrilled to be this pregnant (excpet I am beginning to get to experience all the negatives of getting this big- but, not complaining!)

OH YEAH- I have a delivery date (as long as things continue this way) May 27th. (I will be 38 w 6 d) almost scared to tell people, as I don't want to jinx anything! Everytime I ever told anyone when my other 2 babies were coming home, they acted out in the NICU and we had to stay longer. Just please pray that we will have a May 27th baby!
(Sorry Jennifer- 25th is a Monday, and my Dr only schds deliveries on Wednesdays! Thought about ya though!)

Dr appt- almost 33 weeks!

Sorry- this isn't a new picture, but, it's still cute!

So, today is Tuesday, so that means a weekly trip to Maternal Fetal Group in Nashville. For some reason, I was so incredibly nervous for todays appointment. I'm talking, I was making a mental note of the things I wanted Jeremy to pack for me to bring to the hospital. I don't really know how to explain why I was so nervous, but.... I was....

Well, on to my appt. The Ultrasound girl brought me back and started the scan. I think we were in the Step child room that no one uses (hey- she even made the comment that no one uses that room). This machine didn't even have a printer! Anyways... I digress.... So, she is scanning and gets her measurements then turns on the monitor so that we can watch Conner on the Screen. He had been so calm until we got into the room to do the ultrasound, then he began moving and flipping! She measured Conner's cord blood flow and my right and left uterine artery bloodflows. Other than my lt uterine artery having a notch, she actually said my flows were- GOOD! That was so nice and such a relief to hear. At that point, I could exhale the breath I had been holding. So, another week down! It's crazy to think if I can stay pregnant for 3 more weeks, I can deliver at Hillside. I truly never thought I would get this far- but, I am thankful to GOD everyday that I have.

Just wanted to catch you up!

Call for Kids

Sorry it's has taken me so long to blog this- for all the people who have requested more info on the Call for Kids.

Please watch Nashville News Channel 2 this Sat, April 18th starting at 7 pm. It is the annual Call for Kids that the Ronald McDonald House has to raise money to fund the house. This year, they did a family interview with our family and there will be a segment on our family.

The Ronald McDonald House is such a wonderful organization; I truly believe that the House was a Godsend to us. Between the wonderful place and what it stood for and the staff who truly love the families, it was a Home away from Home. I cannot even begin to express my love of this house and what it has meant to me and my family over the last few years.

Please take the time to watch the Telecast this weekend- call and pledge some money if you feel compelled. Even if you aren't able to donate, you can go to the website and donate your time-rmhnashville.com

Tay is breaking my heart

I felt like this one deserved a seperate blog from my other long one! As I had blogged earlier this week, Tay wasn't sleeping well/staying in her bed. Well, Wednesday night, she didn't get up until 4:30 am, so we were thinking it was a one night flukey thing. Then, she spent the night with my momma and there were no problems there. Well, here we are- Friday night- beginning at 9:30 when we finally got her in bed. For 2 hours!! she was up and down, back and forth from her room to ours. At one point, she had come into our room for the 3 or 4th time, and Jeremy thought we would try ignoring her. She was crying soooo piitifully! I finally told Jeremy that if we kept ignoring her, I was going to cry too. It breaks my heart to hear her cry- especially when she isn't being ugly, she is truly upset. What is worse about this, is that something is bothering her, but, she, for some reason, isn't able to express what's wrong with her.

Well, here's a kicker- that makes me want to cry even now thinking about it. I think Jeremy was very hesitant to tell me this, knowing my emotional/hormonal state, but, he did and I have it on my brain. Well, one of the times that he walked her back to her room, and he tries to talk to her, reason with her why she should stay in her bed, etc. She tell him, that she doesn't want to sleep because "Mommy's on bedrest and I'm scared for her" - do you know how my heart hurt from that? How guilty I feel that she thinks I may not be here when she wakes up in the morning? (I know, she could be using it as an excuse, but, she comments on m y bedrest all the time- including mentioning that Paw Paw was on bedrest (in the nursing home) and then he died. She actually asked me if I was gonna die.)

AHHH- we are at our wits end with her and this sleeping thing! I know she wants in our bed, but, it's not gonna happen! If this continues, I guess we'lll make her a pallet on the floor and she can sleep in the floor. Any suggestions on how to deal with all of this?????

Week in Review

So, today has been a pretty good/uneventful week. Well, aside from Tatum not sleeping. As I'm typing this, I am 32 weeks 2 days pregnant!!! 32 weeks was my goal and now I have passed that. It's kinda crazy that I'm less than 2 weeks away from the Maternal Fetal Groups goal of 34 weeks. At 34 weeks, you greatly reduce the severity of effects of prematurity, also part of the brain closes us greatly decreasing the risks of brain bleeds which is so common in premature babies. I have already had the steroids that have been shown to improve lung maturity. I had my weekly ultrasound in Nashville this week for BPP and dopplers- while my dopplers are still abnormal, they are consistent and until there is a drastic change or the flow reverses in the cord, they aren't worried. I'll be back Tuesday for the same thing...I'm always hopeful there's no change, I just wish I knew what his weight was....

Had my Dr's appt in town this week. My Blood Pressure is great, My NST at the hospital was great- they said Conner looks great! I hadn't gained any weight in the last 2 weeks, but, I didn't get in trouble this time (probably because I had gained 6 lbs in 2 weeks at the last appt). BUT, with all the weight I lost in the beginning, and then I just wasnt' gaining, I have only gained 6 pounds this pregnancy! While at my appt this week, I begged and pleaded to have a 1 day pass- just for a few hours, to be able to go to Wal-mart and ride in a wheel chair. I was shot down. I was disappointed, and I understand- why risk it when things are this good. Oh yeah- almost forgot... Very strangly, the rash that was on one side of my stomach is now on the other side (switched from rt to lt) and is almost mirrored from the other one. Doesn't really bother me- just weird! Well, the Dr thinks it isn't anything pregnancy related, he thinks my skin is reacting to my daily injections... makes sense, especially since it's not anywhere else.

Tatum and JD both went to the Dr this week. Tay is actually 31 pounds! JD was 18 lbs 11 oz! They are both struggling with allergies, gotta love Tennessee weather! Tay's allergies spiraled her into a asthmatic flare that she was able to get over. JD was just snottin' and coughin' horribley and just wanted to be sure that nothing else was going on. It was all allergies, but, he had an ear infection! So, JD's on an antibiotic and started on singulair allergy med. Tatum was given an inhaler for when she gets to coughing and wheezing so bad on exertion and pulmicort breathing treatment daily. Seems there's always something around here......

Sorry this is all so long! Had a lot to say!

What time is is... now?

Last night, was to say the least a rough night for Jeremy and I. But, My heart was breaking as i felt so sorry for Tatum. Let me explain......

About 11:30 pm, about 2 hrs after Tay had gone to bed, she comes bursting into our room (we are sound asleep as well), absolutely hysterical. I think the dog may have done something to wake her up/scare her. Well, she had gotten in our bed, we calmed her down and Jeremy took her back to her bed. Which was the end of that. Or, so we thought.....

From this point on, obviously, we are in that deep sleep, so we drift right back off when she is back in here bed. Well, every few minutes, she is back- on either mine of Jeremy's side of the bed, gently rubbing our arm, sometimes calling our name. I truly lost count of how many times this happened. I know that this probably happened for about 2-3 hours. So, we would be off to sleep for afew minutes, and then woken up by a sweet, scared girl. Who knows what finally got her to stay in her room- or what was even scaring her! I defintely wanted to just cudddle her in the bed with me but..... it took us forever to get her out of our bed and tehn almost as long to get her out of our room. Don't want to start that again. Hopefully, tonight will be different. I almost wondered if she was sleep walking- but, she was quite alert to have been doing that.

So, we'll see..... Hopefully tonight will be a better night! No one got any sleep last night! (except JD who slept like a baby (ha ha) all night!

Any suggestions/ remedies for scared little girls?

Addendum: Just talked to Jeremy- all this started at 11:30 pm and Tay didn't finally stay in her bed until 4:30 am! It was a long night! (and I'm pretty sure Jeremy was up at 5 am to get ready and get the kids to Erin's) Hopefully we can all have an early bedtime!

31 weeks tomorrow

Let me begin by apologizing for not bloggin in over a week! Nothing exciting to tell! (Which, is a good thing!)

I had my weekly Maternal Fetal Group appt in Nashville yesterday (Tuesday). I had my usual ultrasound with BPP and dopplers- right off the bat- Connner passed his breathing test- he breathed for the entire Ultrasound scan- never stopping! Way to go Conner!!! His estimated weight was 1514 grams- (to all my fellow preemie mommas- you will understand how excited I was to know that I had a baby big enough in my belly to be born and be able to wear clothes when he is born!). I was able to figure up in weight what he weighed because 1500 grams is big enough to wear clothes and that = 3 lbs 5 oz! (Well, it's actually probably 3 lbs 5.4 oz, but, the computer rounds to an equal number). His head measures bigger than his gestational age and his belly and femurs measure slightly smaller than his GA; but, given my history and the fact that my kids are still small, he won't be a whopper baby regardless of how long I carry him. He's already bigger than Tatum and JD were combined! It's a very weird thing to wrap my head around. It is also a very weired feeling in my tummy, as I've never had a baby this big and am expierencing a lot of things for the first time!

I also got to talk to the Dr yesterday. I have a strange rash on one side of my tummy, and Dr. Gists office wanted me to have them look at it since Iwould be there. They think it may be a pregnancy rash, but, it doesn't really look like a typical rash they see. Said it could be the beginning of PUPPS (which is a pregnancy rash that appears in 3rd trimester and itches like crazy with no relief, usually pops up in stretch marks.) Mine itches every now and then but not often. Have been putting hydrocortisone cream on it and taking benadryl. Dr. Lindzee at Mat Fet said she wasn't worried about it and that I was being watched so closely that if it were to cause any problem, we would catch it. She also remarked at how GREAT Conner looked and how well I was doing. She said she was really pleased with my pregnancy.

My first goal was to get past 28 weeks- I am now 3 weeks past that. My next goal was 34 weeks and I am only 3 weeks from that. I have said the whole time I was Due in June but, hoping for May- I am only 30 days from that now. I am so hopeful for that now. In the beginning, I would have never thought I would have been able to have done this. Maybe this HORRIBLE bedrest or nightly shots have really made the difference for me and Conner. I am also beginning to see/learn alot of the things that I have been missing- Everyone told me that God gave me Conner for a reason- it sometimes takes something like this- completely unexpected and out of the blue- to teach you many things. I have definetly learned how to pray again........


On to my other two sweet babies! They are both being plauged by allergies! Gotta love this time of year and weather changes. JD seems to be handling it all pretty well. Tatum on the other hand, has begun having her Asthma flare ups. UGH- I am predicting by the end of the week having her in the Dr's. This am she can't do anything for coughing! I think we are gonna need an inhaler for times like this- she isn't gonna be able to do anything outside if we can't manage this. She can play for a few minutes until she begins coughing so badly that she can't catch her breath. We did a breathing treatment this am that helped for about an hour. And both kids have snot covered faces- which means mommy has snot covered shoulders! Love them both!


Hope you enjoyed this LONG blog!