10 weeks

Just random stuff tonight:

Battley weighed 5lbs-10oz tonight.

It rained a lot here, so we snuggled all day.

Can you believe we are celebrating 10 weeks today? I have to pinch myself sometimes!

My friend Kristina came by for a visit today...and brought petit fours. At this rate I will have a lot to pinch for a long time. Time goes by so quickly when we hang out. She's a rock, and I love her!

More to come soon on the possible surgery...it's hard to explain and I need time to pray about it first. It is without a doubt the biggest decision Adam or I have ever been faced with. Please pray for wisdom and guidance as we seek an answer.

Hmmm...that's about all that's going on here.

C

Wednesday

This is a pic of my friend's bedroom. She and her hubby would really like to win this makeover. Look at the dog in the corner! We texted earlier today...she said she is in 7th place and she can't believe she may not win AND she exposed her bedroom.


I've known her for a long, long time. In fact, her mom's pic has been on the blog before:


That is her backside on the far left! She was my girl scout leader.

Go here to vote once a day until Friday.
http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/221574/voteable_entries/50735548

My gals from the pool on Monday...aren't they adorable!!


H and I made it through his dentist appt this morning and a 3 (I kid you not) hour doctor's appt for B. Her cardiologist is booked and continues to invent appt times for us so she can see us. H was a rock star for helping me today!!


H got a little bored after the 2nd hour and had Battley smuggle a glove out for him in her stroller. This probably qualifies as stealing, right? I'll have a chat with him about that. He said nothing to me...I just turned around on the way home to see this:




I love him...he knows I love to laugh and is willing to be silly to make it happen.

The doc appt was a reality check for me. Her little heart isn't doing well and Adam and I will have to make a decision about surgery in the next few weeks. I can't go into details right now, but please pray for guidance for us.

C

Update

I'm having to post this from my phone. The computer is not working for me tonight. We got a call late Monday night that Adam had to go into the office everyday instead of once a week! Talk about a shocker for me! He did work from home this afternoon just because we had no time to prepare for that. Tomorrow it will be just me all day. Prayers needed. B is doing well...a little tired. She did get to try out her floatie on Monday! I'll have to post a pic later. Remember to vote for the bedroom makeover once a day until the 31st! C

It's a Small World

This time last year we were at Disney World.  I made Hayden and Adam ride It's a Small World.  It was my favorite ride when I went as a child.  One of them complained the whole time, but I think he secretly liked that his Momma made him ride her ride.

All that was just about the title...it was random, I know!

But seriously...it IS a small world.

My mom's cousin posted this in the comments the other day:

Catherine & Adam, I'm sitting in my den in Atlanta with one of my dearest friends who is visiting from Louisville. She's been praying for you since before Battley was born because she knows your sweet friend Sarah Triplett Hill who is in her church. How we discovered this, I'm not sure, but both our jaws dropped to our shoes. What a God story!! Her name is Ann Llewelyn, and you couldn't ask for a more faithful prayer warrior. Much love!!

Okay, I am sorry for just calling your names out like that, but I just had to share that...how cool!  Adam and I are amazed how many people who don't even know us are praying for us...truly heart warming.

Quick weekend update...gosh, it's Sunday night and I don't remember much of the weekend at all.  We didn't do very much because it is in the 90s here.  We did go to church this morning.  B wore the prettiest white smocked dress, and of course I remembered to take a pic right after I changed her.  It was so great to get to take her though!  Other than that we had some friends over and just did weekend stuff.  Oh, and B ate some popsicles...not really ate a popsicle, but we let her have a taste on her lips.  Poor girl doesn't get to taste any food, and aren't popsicles part of Summer? 

Now I have to tell on myself...you've heard of "mom brain", right?  Here's one for ya:  B's apnea monitor is a soft band that fastens with velcro around her chest.  It has a sensor on either side with tiny cords that attach to the monitor cord...she always wears gowns to sleep in so the cords can just hang out the bottom.  Well, we try not to ever wake her up...so we have a short time span to get that monitor on her (normally between 5:30pm and 7pm when she has a feeding...she usually falls asleep during her 7pm feeding and wakes up sometime between then and 11pm...I am not good for anything after 10:30pm and putting that monitor on is one of those things) and after that we are stuck in the bedroom.  We have eaten many meals lately in the bedroom.  So about a week ago my brain kicks into gear and realizes that the cords unplug!  Just put that band on her, unplug the cords, and plug them in when we are actually ready for bed!  We're not tied to the bedroom all night now.  Genius!  And it only took me 7+ weeks to come up with that!

Here's a pic of H and B from Sat night...they were propped up having a little chat:

And this one is for Ryann...isn't Mac so cute?  By the way...his full name is Big Al Mack.  It's from Hayden and my favorite morning radio show.

H is officially out of school and has 2 free weeks all Summer...this being one of them.  This is a big week though...Adam is busy at work and is going to start going into the office some.  I'm a little scared to be honest.  He will still be working from the home office most of the time.  B has an appt with the cardiologist this week.  Hayden and I are going to do that and his dentist appt alone!  He watched her while I drove us once before, but that was 3 minutes from our house...this is a lot longer.  He says he's up for the challenge though!

The new medicine is great so far.  B hasn't seemed any more sleepy than normal.  She is up to 5lb-3.5oz as of last night. Thank you all so much for your prayers!

I am really skipping around here, huh?

Your reminder to vote: 

http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/221574/voteable_entries/50735548

 C

A day late

Okay...I'm a day late on the 9 week b-day.  B had a great day, and I just never made it to the computer to blog.  We had another great day today!  We got out to run a few errands, went to the pool (B and I sat in the shade), and my dad and brother came over for dinner...Meem is out of town.

B's new pool floatie:

 

The water is still way too cold, but we are prepared.  She can just lay in it and float.

B sleeping on my lap this morning:

And hanging with Hayden this afternoon:

B started a new medicine today.  It's for seizures, which the doctor believes is what she was having.  One of the possible side effects is lethargy.  She already sleeps a majority of the day, so we are hoping that it won't make her sleep even more.  The doc said that even if it does, her body will get used to it in a bit and the sleepiness won't last forever.

Swimsuit update: none fit...all too big!  Oh well!

Now, I want to ask a favor for a friend.  She and her hubby are in a contest to win a bedroom makeover.  I will post a link below so that you can vote...you can vote once a day.  You can also see a pic of their bedroom when you click on the link.  ALL you have to do is click the link and find the button that says "VOTE NOW"...press it.  You don't have to give your email address or any other personal info.  I did this from my phone all week and you just click the button.  I just tried from the home computer and you have to type in the squiggly letters, but hopefully you will vote.

NOW...Here's the great part about voting...she and her hubby have promised that if they win they will make a $250 donation to a charity.  I figure that if I can get a major jump in their votes by posting this on the blog then surely I can make a good case for a donation in B's name to the March of Dimes.

http://promoshq.wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/221574/voteable_entries/50735548

Happy Voting...and I know there are more than 10 people that read this blog unless all 10 of you are checking it 150 times a day.

C

Wed night update

B hasn't had any spells since this morning around 7am.  We went to see our pediatrician today.  She also believes what we are seeing are seizures.  We will go back to see the Palliative Care doc we saw on Monday for help with that.  The doc increased her feedings and gave us instructions for how to keep increasing them so that she keeps gaining.  Even though we don't have a final answer on the seizures, I am thankful for none today and that we are on a road to fixing them.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PRAYERS!!!

Today we added 3 new things to our list of firsts:

1.  H and I took B somewhere without another adult.  He graciously offered to sit in the back and watch her so we could get out while Adam worked.  We went to lunch!  A date with my 2 babies...it was great!  I didn't eat and held B...but still great!  A new chicken wing place opened right by our house, and H was eager to test it.  He gave it the thumbs up...had something called suicide wings...the smell was too hot for me!

2.  We had a few minutes before our doc appt so we hit up Target for 15 mins...AND left empty handed...make that another first!  We strolled B, and I didn't freak out about germs!

3.  The pool in our hood is open.  We love to go late but before dark...we went at just the right time tonight.  H got to swim and Adam, B, and I hung out in the shade with our neighbors.

A few pics of B from yesterday and today...thanks SM for the tip:

I love all the faces she makes.

A friend sent me a link to this song today...it pretty much sums up how I feel.

Praise You in this Storm by Casting Crowns:

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus:]
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

[Chorus]

I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

C

Prayer request

Thanks for all the emails and texts yesterday! I read them all and love hearing from you...some days it is just too hard to respond to each one.

Yesterday was a rough day for Miss B...she had spells all day. They were similar to the ones she had on Mother's Day. After explaining them to the doc we saw on Monday, we think they may be seizures. I had a suspicion of seizures about 2 weeks ago when I saw some strange eye movement, but Rosa (our awesome hospice nurse) thought that alone may just be underdevelopment of the eyes. We are headed to the doc this afternoon. In addition to this, she hasn't gained enough weight the past few days. The goal is an ounce per day. She's only gained a half ounce since Friday.

Our prayer is to find an answer quickly to these spells and get her feeding on track to gain some weight.

And I have to say Thank You again to our sweet LaDona! She works at the hospital where we had B and has helped us every time we have an issue and can't resolve it on our own. She may have just hung the moon!!

C

2 months old

Thank you all for the sweet birthday wishes for B! She's celebrating with a nap!

We went to see a Palliative Care doc at UMC on Monday morning. We really didn't know what to expect. He seems like a great guy to have in your corner. It would have been very helpful for us to see him before B was born. His function is similar to hospice or genetic counseling. He is in simple terms a hand holder in providing comfort care.

Swimsuit update: duck is in the lead, followed by tutu, pink/green, and no votes for turquoise...I will try them on her today and see which ones fit

Meem says, "It was A Corona...not beverageS."

I've been playing with Instagram on the iPhone when B goes to sleep at night. I need a lesson because I see people posting split screen photos. Some before and afters:












C

Weekend Roundup

Hayden had a soccer tournament in Hattiesburg (2 hours South of where we live) this past weekend.  We reserved our hotel room a while ago and didn't think about it again.  This past week we decided that there is nothing we can't do in a hotel room that we can do at home...so we loaded up the ole car...and I do mean LOADED up the car and went for it.  My mom went with us.  We needed all the room in the back so the 3rd row had to lay flat.  It was TIGHT!

On the way down, Battley had a feeding in the car that didn't sit well with her.  Before we made it to the first game her tube was out!  So we sat through the 1st game with no tube.  

Tube went right in once we got to a clean place to put one in.  That wasn't the only mishap over the weekend...my mom SMASHED her finger in the hotel room door!  She took 2 tylenol and a beverage for it...it's purple and swollen, but she will be okay.  It was smooth sailing after that...

The team won both games on Saturday!!

B slept great all night that night...I was worried because my mom was in the room with us and H had to play another game the next day.  My mom and I were even able to sneak off to Secret Target for a few on Sunday morning!

Sunday's game was a little different.  Apparently the referees called the game after 30 mins instead of 35.  The guys lost by one goal.  Boo!  That meant we finished around 1 and didn't get to play at 4.  We actually went to a real restaurant before we left town!

This is how Adam looked after the game:

 This is what Hayden did after the game:

He was so proud...Adam hid by the baby!

Meem and her grandbabies:

We made it home in time to read a new book on the back porch...B napped:

Now, back to Secret Target for just a second...I found this little plastic pink flamingo in the dollar bin.  I got him to go in a flower pot on the back porch...remember B's pic by the Flamingo on the hay bail?  Well...this is Mac's response my idea:

And a pic of my other furry baby:

Okay...I need help!  We decided our next mission would be to find B a swimsuit and a pool floatie with some shade.  I kid you not...30 mins after I said this out loud Amy shows up to my house with 4 swimsuits to pick from!!  You will have to help me decide which one!  The two in the middle look kinda plain, but they can both be monogrammed to be cuter!

These are all from Sweet Dreams in Madison...they let Amy have them on loan while we decide!  Aren't they awesome!

We saw the palliative care doc this morning at UMC...I will have to post about that tomorrow...there is a gal that needs some Momma holding!

Oh, and a few of you asked...the pic of burned food from the other night was flour tortillas courtesy of Mary Ann!  Her sweet Momma made her dinner the next night!

C

Camera Pics

I got some pics off the camera this morning...

Awards Day at H's school:

B and EK...remember B is 4 days older than EK!!

Another one from Mother's Day:

And another baby from Mother's Day:

Remember a while back when Adam's truck got keyed?  I did everyone a favor and colored over the words and pictures:

A friend of ours fixed it for us...wasn't that the nicest? 

8 weeks old!!  We were outside for our afternoon porch time:

And we can't have a weekly celebration without something sweet like B:

If I don't post for a day or two, don't worry...H has a soccer tourney this weekend.

C

8 week B day

We woke up singing Happy Birthday today! Gosh...8 weeks...WOW!

What's been going on around here? How about a list:
* B has gained a whole pound...she was 4lbs-15oz when we weighed her last night!

* H is now officially taller than me...we had a big contest a week ago, and I'm just now coming to grips with it

* H has awards day at school today...pics to come

* B has been sleeping all night. We haven't...there was a diaper incident one night and last night her tube got clogged or something. The pump kept stopping, and it took both of us to get it figured out.

* The pugs went on a mini vacay today. Our good friend Amy took them to the vet this morning to get their nails clipped. Side story: when we lived in VA, we were trying to pay off some debt and needed every penny we made to make it happen. It was tight, and we had nothing to spare...nothing! After trying to clip Zeke's nails a few times (he made horrible alien noises and scratched us) we decided to part with the $14 to have someone do it. $14 was a big deal but worth it!

* So many of you have brought food that we haven't had to cook dinner but once or twice in 8 weeks! We appreciate this so much! Not only was the food great, but we got some new recipes to add to our rotation. Now...if you know me well, you know I like to bake but not cook. Adam does most of the cooking around here unless we have company. I actually cooked something yesterday! It was a roast for roast beef sandwiches. I didn't plan well because it wasn't done until 11pm, but it's done and delicious! My friend Abbey and her mom made this for us before, and I couldn't wait to have it again. Abbey came over and helped me get it going, but I am good for next time.

* I am crazy about this salad that Michelle made for us too...we have had it a few times and just grill some chicken to go with it.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/crunchy-romaine-strawberry-salad/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=strawberry%20romaine%20salad&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page

* We are going to celebrate 8 weeks tonight...not sure how yet, but it won't be with this. LOL!



C

Wed pic

Loving this gal...

C

Tuesday

Just a quick update today...B had an appt with the cardiologist yesterday. It went well. She upped her dosage of medicine to hopefully ease some of her rapid breathing. B had a good day, and Adam and I both feel like we slept better last night than we have in months.

C

Mother's Day

Pic of B on my lap Saturday:


We had a great night out on Sat night. Our friends live in the same neighborhood so it was really easy to go have dinner there. We took a sweet video of the girls.

6 adults standing around watching 2 babies:

Sunday was wonderful for me! I really enjoyed being mom of 2 this year! We had lunch with my parents here and then planned to go to the art museum...a friend suggested it a few weeks ago since it's cool, not crowded, and quiet. We didn't make it though. B quit breathing so many times we lost count. Despite that we still enjoyed the day.


And look who I caught being naughty...he's so darn cute though!


C

Backup Plan

Pictured L to R: Woobie (aka Woobster), Battley Cate, Backup Woobie

Our friend brought Battley a woobie.  We called him "backup woobie" at first, but he's softer...see who she's holding and see who's falling over...haha!  Really we use these to cover her up in the carseat while we ride...they are the perfect size and weight.

We ventured out yesterday afternoon to run a few errands.  B had enough of the carseat right away so we decided to get out for a few.  We stopped at the Ray's house...they paint a hay bail for every season...it's a mother/daughter project...love the flamingo! 

Hayden and I had a date night breakfast date this morning.  He had to have a physical for school sports so we did that and then had breakfast together.  It was nice to get out of the house and spend some quality time with him.  This was the first time other than taking him to school 2x that I have been away from B since H and I went to a movie when she was a week old!  Her Meem and Daddy took good care of her while we were gone.

Tonight we are going to do something we haven't done yet...take B to someone's house.  We realized one day this week that it's hard to go anywhere with her after dark...can't see her breathing in the dark car.  We had to ride home with the lights on in the backseat and the driver didn't like that.  Luckily we can just walk to where we are going!

C

The BIG 5-0

I am trying not to get caught up in how many days old Battley is...it is something I could really obsess about if I let myself. Someone asked how old she was and Adam calculated days earlier this week...she's 50 days old today! That is amazing! We were told she was "not compatible with life" but she has surely proven otherwise!! It's Awesome what God can do!

B hasn't felt well the past few days. She is having stomach issues...related to diapers...enough said. She's been fussy and super snuggly. She basically wants to be held 24/7...okay with me!

Now on the flip side...Adam and I have been with each other practically 24/7 for 50 days now...ahhhhhhh! With little sleep I might add...enough said.

Here's a pic of sweet B playing dress up yesterday with all the headbands my friend brought her. I still have one more thing to show, but I'm waiting until she feels better to take more pics.

So since I knew all week that B would be 50 days today, and since I have lots of thinking time...I kept picturing this old SNL skit.  I looked it up and we have been laughing about it all week.

Just for the record...B likes to kick and stretch too!  Haha!

C

7 weeks old

It's been another week...time flies when you're having fun!  I am more in love with Battley every day...didn't know that was possible.  Her little personality is showing now, and she's started to really smile.  Hayden kissed her 3 times in a row the other night, and she smiled each time.  It melted my heart.  She didn't do it the 4th time...had enough...ha!

It's been quiet around here today...B stayed awake for a good bit of last night so she's super sleepy today.

A few pics:

Our friend Marlo came over last night and brought B some goodies...more pics to come, but isn't that headband just too cute?

Here are the pugs yesterday...don't they look like they are holding hands?

And look who I caught with a binky this morning...don't worry...it's not Binka-mon...it's one B never liked.

C