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December 31, 2007
New fun toy
My cousin Patty makes these awesome videos that I watch all the time on her blog (tearing up of course) and so I thought I'd sign up and try. I only spent like 40 min on this and most of that was user error. :) I chose only a handful of our Christmas pictures and it even links to flickr to upload. I am super excited about this new find, it is way easy and I can see myself spending lots of time creating videos for various family members on birthdays and what not. They are so cute. I wanted to put a video together of Andy's parents with the girls for his dad's Christmas gift but Andy rained on my parade and said he didn't think they'd watch a dvd of photos more than once. (I think he's wrong, what do you think Kristin?). Anyhoo- just thought I'd share my first little experience with it. Again, its pretty pitiful and I'm excited to actually do a good one.
Update: So my sister told me she does this on her mac in iphoto- duh, where have I been. Although I still think one true media might hold your hand through each step.
In my defense, it is a fine arts degree I have and not a computer science! LOL
Posted by JennR at 09:03 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
Look how big I am!
I put her in the swing today for the first time in a long time and couldn't believe how much she has changed and grown in just two and a half months. I feel like I'm about to pack her up for college, sniff sniff! Just kidding.
The girls entertained her today with a puppet show. Finally they played with the Ikea finger puppets Andy wanted to get for them that we have had for several months now. They weren't a big hit on Christmas morning.
Posted by JennR at 05:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
It's a BOY (not for us!)
Our good friends JoyLynne and Chris welcomed their new baby boy yesterday evening and I am so excited for them!! Michael Truett (they are calling him Truett) arrived a little after 8pm weighing 9 pounds and 2 ounces and is 22 inches long.
I spoke with mom last night and all sound like they are doing well.
It's so much fun to walk along side of our friends as they begin this awesome journey. I am counting the days till we meet him (25!). LOL
Posted by JennR at 10:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
December 27, 2007
Bits from Christmas
Christmas Eve picture in our matching pjs from Nann.
We got the girls a new wooden oven and frig for the play room. I think I made them more amazing in my mind cause I was a bit disappointed in the size, I thought they would be huge. When asked what they liked best both girls said they like their princess figurines, you know, the dollar store ones that look like cross dressers. LOL Not the $200 new kitchen we got them, of course not!!
We had a very sweet morning together. We want to start traditions that help to balance out the true meaning of Christmas with the commercialization. We let them open their stockings and then we had a nice breakfast together and read the Christmas story. I'm pretty sure by the age of 6 that will be torture to wait but then hopefully it will pay off later on as we enjoy a nice long day together. We even sang some carols, including Frosty the Snowman, LOL. They opened presents one at a time which was challenging but I think is important.
My Christmas elf.
The only small bummer of the day was that we had to travel. It was GREAT to see family and I enjoyed our lunch at my Gran's but I did feel like it gave a rushed and stressful feel to the day. I just don't know how to work that out, because its a chance to see everyone together but then I also want to protect Christmas day for my family. We'll have to work on that for next year. I did think if we choose to stay home for Christmas I would just make more of an effort to see my family a lot more so I wouldn't have to rely on a holiday to see them. Caroline had a tough day which was sad. She is so happy and the crowd was a bit stressful for her so she either slept, ate or was screaming. They didn't get to see the happy smiles we see everyday. Oh well, we'll just have to go down soon for another visit. Lizzie has little cousins who live near my Gran that I really want her to spend more time with. I need to be better about that.
All in good time though. Its been a wonderful holiday. We have had Aunt Kristin here for a few days and that has been such a treat.
Posted by JennR at 10:38 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack
December 18, 2007
Reflux AGAIN
(I'm always apprehensive about being too honest on my blog cause I don't want to sound whiny, but this post will be very much where I'm at . . . whiny or not.)
Today was quite eventful since we had both older girls get VCUGs. Quick update- after we found out Caroline had kidney reflux our pediatrician recommended that our older girls get tested as well. Apparently its hereditary.
I really waffled on this decision, and got lots of opinions (all of which I appreciate). In the end we decided it wasn't worth the risk even though neither girls had shown signs that we could tell.
So I prepped the girls last night by telling them what a catheter was and all that they could expect the test to be like. I believe in the honest approach and I think our 4 yr old and 2.5 yr old handled the info well. Lizzie was very concerned and Julia was oblivious but I thought it was at least important that they realize it had to do with a private part so they weren't caught off guard.
So we went in at 10 am for the test and left two hours later drained and exhausted (well at least I was).
Both girls handled it like champs. It was not traumatizing in the least for them. Lizzie was visibly worried but warmed up to the nurse and chatted away barely even noticing the actual catheter. Julia was the same but not even worried and very chatty. In the end they are supposed to pee out the "contrast solution" that has been dripped into their bladders through the catheter, that was where it got challenging for Julia. She did not want to go potty on the table or in the bed pan or in her pull up. She realized we wouldn't let her down till she did and this is when the fighting starting. She was crying and when they tried to hold her legs she was kicking them. But if there was a melt down, better at that point and not when they were doing the catheter. That would have made for a long test. So it took 4 cups of warm water poured on her and she finally went.
All and all I am so proud of how they handled everything, they really are great kids.
We did find out that Julia has reflux, a grade 2 just Caroline. We'll go in and meet with our pediatrician to go over the results tomorrow and see where we go from here.
My mind is going crazy with possibilities. Is a grade 2 operable, or will we be on meds like Caroline and if so for how long? Since she's already two and a half how much longer would they wait for her to out grow it? All the kids that I know who have had surgery have been two, but they have also had grade 4s and 5s. And if we do have surgery, how will I be at the hospital with Julia if I am nursing Caroline? (see, my mind is going CRAZY)
I'm so tired in the head, did I mention that? I'm honestly not sure how much more we can handle.
Andy is still not fully recovered from his wisdom teeth which made for a very difficult weekend on all. I'm totally behind in house cleaning, grocery shopping (although this one is enabling me to have Lupis for dinner!) laundry, Christmas cards, and basically life. : )
Its the perfect opportunity for me to put into practice things like letting stuff go that really isn't important and not letting my imagination go crazy and remember that God is so much bigger than all of this.
So all in all, we survived today and we're glad we at least know about it. We'll take each day as it comes and try our best to remember that its the holiday season. That's supposed to mean celebration and not stress!
Posted by JennR at 05:03 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
December 14, 2007
Summer in December
Can you believe the weather this week? We spent two days in a row at the St.Elmo park. Even though it was exhausting, I just couldn't keep them indoors when it was nearing 80 degrees!! It was fun to visit with other moms and eat lunch with Andy.
On Wednesday Caroline had her two month appointment. She was NOT happy after her 3 shots and next time I am giving her tylenol before we go to the appointment.
She also weighs 13 pounds 9 ounces which is so exciting. We are thrilled with her weight since Julia was considered failure to thrive and it was SUCH a roller coaster ride for me of stress and struggling with feeling like I failed her. For a little perspective Julia was this same weight at 8 months! I still get so nervous at appointments when we weigh in because I don't want her weight gain to slow down and I'm not sure if that will ever ease up. But for now she is doing great!
And since things just weren't exciting enough in our lives, we thought it would be a good time for Andy to get his wisdom teeth out! UGH! Seriously, they were giving him a great deal of pain so I got him in with the oral surgeon this past Tuesday and they had a cancellation on Thursday so he had them out yesterday. It's such a bad time for this but since we put it off for 4 YEARS now and since he was taking tylenol for headaches, he thought he'd just go for it.
It's been an interesting experience for me. I was nervous while he was getting it done and then when I saw him I got even more nervous. I've never taken care of him through something like this. He's had some major colds since we;ve been married but with those I usually have a suck it up attitude. (I'm not very compassionate) I sat in the room with him waiting on instructions of how to take care of him (while nursing a baby) and he was in and out of it and I almost teared up. I was thinking about how he would be relying on me and I all of a sudden did not want to take him home. LOL Nice huh?!?!? It sort of stressed me out to watch him be in so much pain, poor guy. The bottom two were impacted so it was a doozy of a job to get them out. I think he slept well. When I got up to feed the baby I would get him jello and a pain pill. Caroline and his pain meds were on the same 4 hour cycle. :)
It's been slightly stressful at times but we're making it through. I hope each day for him is a huge improvement on the last. I am SO appreciative of all he does even after just one day! I was getting a little annoyed with Caroline in the middle of the night when she wouldn't just eat and go back to sleep and I realized I had cared for her ALL day. When he holds her in the evening and changes a few diapers, those little moments to myself really help ALOT. So we miss him and hope he feels better soon, for all our sakes!!
Lizzie has been so sweet to him. She is content just to lay on the couch with him and give him lots of hugs and kisses. She certainly has the gift of mercy, and it does not run in the family! I'm really proud of her very kind heart.
Posted by JennR at 09:15 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack