Family bonding

Mommy, Ty C and Ti Ti took Aiden & I to Lansing to visit grammy (mommy's grandma) before she moves to Colorado. I also got to visit with mommy's uncle, aunt and cousins.


Cousin Tiffany

Cousin Ahmad & his son Jachin, Aiden, Grammy, me & Ti Ti Lalla

Me, uncle Thomas & Jachin

Me, Jachin & Aiden

Can you guess which one of us is the oldest? It's not that obvious in the picture so let me give you a hint, it's the smallest baby, which of course is me. But that's okay, good things come in small packages!

Me - 18 months, Jachin - 13 months, Aiden - 6 months

Christmas Morning 2009

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Peek a boo

Justin had a ball playing peek a boo with his Ty C & cousin Aiden.

Happy Holidays!

Special thanks to Kelicia for writing our x-mas poem. Come on now, did you all really think I was THAT creative, lol!

Christmas Eve

We spent x-mas eve at Keith & Sarah's. Justin wants to thank his aunt Doraine, aunt Sarah and Uncle Keith for the toys, and uncle Ron, aunt Danielle and cousin Zoey for the clothes.

But auntie, I want to eat the toy, not play with it.

I think I can do this.

Got it.


Auntie, you're not moving fast enough, get it out!!

I'm ready to play, I mean eat!

Alright, I guess I can share.

Let me guess, he's almost 1, right?

That's what someone asked while we were at the dr waiting for Justin's 2nd H1N1 shot. First she commented on how cute Justin was. Then she noticed my stomach and said "let me guess, you're having another boy, right....you're 8 months, right...he's almost 1, right?" When I told her I was only 6 1/2 months she responded with, but you're so big. THANKS! And of course when I told her Justin was actually 18 months she said, but he's so small. Once again, THANKS!

Here are some pictures from later that day, Justin likes to play in Aiden's carrier and with his bottle.

28 week appointment

BP: 131/76

Total weight gain: +3 lbs

Baby's heart rate: 149 bpm

The baby now weighs 2lbs 15ozs and is still measuring ahead at 29w 1d and is in the 65th percentile. My cervix is still long and closed and the blood flow from the placenta to the baby looks good. The fibroids noted in earlier ultrasounds appear to have gotten smaller and shouldn't pose any problems.

I lost a pound since my last appointment so I asked about it at today's appointment, but the doctor wasn't concerned. Usually when they are concerned about a women's weight gain, or lack thereof, they schedule growth ultrasounds. Given my history, they are already watching the baby's growth, and he's clearly growing on track, so she told me not to worry too much about it. Just eat what I can and stay hydrated. So maybe I'll be like Carlene, she didn't really start gaining weight until ~ 30 weeks.

I am scheduled for an amnio on February 19th, and if the baby's lungs are mature my c-section is tentatively scheduled for February 22nd. If not, I will have a c-section on March 1st.

Wow, in just 2 months, I will be the mom of 2 boys under 2.

Splish Splash

Reading is fundamental

What i'm up to nowadays

In short, everything! Like I've said before, I have a lot of exploring and catching up to do. I figured out how to climb up on the glider in my nursery. I also figured out how to get down without hurting myself. I'm starting to put words together. Last night I said "hey dad" when he picked me up out of the bath tub. I now have 6 teeth (4 top, 2 bottom) with 1 more coming in on the bottom. I've taken a few steps at Ty C's. I have to tell mommy and daddy about this thing called carpet that cushions you when you fall. I like it much better than the hard wood floors at home. Since mommy doesn't rotate my toys often enough, daddy showed me how to open up my toy chest to get out different toys. Hopefully Santa will bring me more.

Love
Justin

GI appointment

Weight: 18 lbs, 3 ozs
Length: 28 3/4 inches

Good news is Justin IS growing. His body proportions fall in the average range, meaning he's not malnourished, just small for his age. Bad news is his growth has slowed down and we've yet to see his "catch up" growth.

For the most part Justin's reflux seems to be under control as he only tends to throw up after working himself up into a fit or gagging on newly introduced table food. So at today's GI clinic they made some minor adjustments to his medications. He'll continue with the Prevacid 15mg Solutabs once a day, but they upped his Lactulose from 2.5 ml to 5 ml, which should help him become more regular. I asked about discontinuing the Prevacid but they want to keep him on it until his weight gain picks up some.

For now we'll continue with what we're doing feeding wise (3-4 bottles of Pediasure + 3 meals of solids). But if his weight gain hasn't picked up by our next appointment we'll work with the dietitian on ways to increase his caloric intake.

All bundled up

3 more months

Justin had an appointment with the pediatric surgeon on Friday to check his progress and she wants him to continue wearing his helmet for 3 more months and then we'll be done. Since I wasn't at the appointment I don't fully understand the reason why. She explained to Carl that she wants to take advantage of the next 3 months, which I don't get, only because his weight gain has slowed down so I'm not sure how much better it'll get if he's not experiencing a growth spurt. But at least we have a definite end date in sight. Justin has an adjustment appointment with the orthotist on the 29th so I'll see what she says then.

26 week appointment

BP: 114/50
Weight: +4 lbs
Baby's heart rate: 150

Today I had my glucose screening test to check for gestational diabetes. This was my first time taking this test since I obviously never made it to this point with Justin. But in talking with other moms I heard that the sugar solution you have to drink is, in short, nasty. So I was a little nervous that I wasn't going to be able to stomach it, especially when I started feeling nauseous on the way to my appointment. Fortunately I had the choice between orange and fruit punch so I chose fruit punch. The nice thing about it was it tasted just like Faygo Hawaiian punch, was chilled and wasn't syrupy at all, so I had no problems downing it within the required 5 minutes. An hour later they took a blood sample to check my blood sugar level. I should have the results within 3-5 days.

The doctor confirmed today that since I had a classical c-section with Justin they will be delivering the baby early. I have to call in a couple of weeks to schedule the c-section but the plan is to have an amniocentesis done around 36 ½ weeks. If the baby’s lungs are mature I’ll have a c-section at 37 weeks, which is considered term. If not, and both the baby and I are still doing okay, they’ll let me continue on with the pregnancy, but they definitely won’t let me go past 39 weeks. So if things continue to progress the way they are baby boy #2 will be here sometime between February 21st and March 7th.

My blood pressure is still good, baby’s heart rate looks good, my stomach is measuring right on track and I’ve finally gained some weight. Just to be on the safe side I'll have another growth ultrasound at the next appointment to make sure the baby’s still growing on track.

X-Mas Card Photo Shoot

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Double Digits

Yesterday marked less than 100 days to go until the end of my pregnancy. Things are so different from my last pregnancy: I'm wearing maternity clothes, I already have the pregnancy waddle, I'm tossing and turning at night because I can't find a comfortable position, and I'm loosing my breathe for even the smallest of movements. I'm really enjoying feeling the baby kick and seeing my stomach move when he kicks or does somersaults. Carl's even been able to feel/see the baby move. These are all things we never experienced during my pregnancy with Justin. So even though I can't really say that I'm enjoying this pregnancy I'm definitely excited to have the opportunity to experience these things.

Moving on

to size 12 months clothes that is. Unfortunately Justin is vertically challenged like his mom so this is what you get, a baby that sags.

Walking (or something like it)

18 month well baby visit

Weight: 17 lbs, 14 ozs
Length: 28 1/4 in

I was a little disappointed with Justin's weight gain and was really hoping he was closer to 20 lbs. Having said that, although I would've liked to see him weighing more, his weight gain is in line with that of an 18 month old. And since he continues to follow his own growth curve for both weight and length Dr. Hirsch isn't too concerned. Maybe he'll have a growth spurt when he turns 2, I can keep my fingers crossed, right.

Dr. Hirsch really wants us to start experimenting with lots of different textures and flavors outside of the the normal toddler diet, as long as it's not a choking hazard. We had a little bit of a setback a month ago when Justin stopped eating all solids, including baby food, but with help from the occupational therapist Justin is now back up to 3 meals (solids) per day, along with 3-4 bottles of 30 calorie Pediasure.

Although at the lower end, developmentally Justin is on track for his actual age. He isn't walking yet but he is quickly cruising along furniture, starting to take/make bigger steps and movement without support, and recently started standing on his own for 3-5 seconds at a time. He's also doing much better with walking while only holding one hand.

He's also expanding his vocabulary and says the following words: mama/mommy, dada/daddy, papa, uh oh, bye, hi/hey, baby, ball, okay.

V-Day

Today's my viability date. Many women breathe a sigh of relief after the pregnancy reaches the point at which the baby would be able to survive if born early, but I know better. With Justin I was put on hospital bed rest at 24 weeks, oblivious to the fact that I would deliver just 3 days later. Nonetheless, this is still a huge milestone. Next stop, Thanksgiving, when I'll be 24w, 4d.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

You never stop worrying

When you first find out you're expecting you worry about having a miscarriage. After the 1st trimester you worry about a having a premature or stillborn baby. And if this is your first pregnancy you may naively think things will be fine once your baby is born. Boy was I ever wrong!

Once they're born you have a new set of worries: SIDS, colds/illnesses, eating issues, weight gain (or lack thereof), developmental delays, and the list goes on and on. And let's not forget the self inflicted pain they may bring on themselves. My adventurous child has learned how to climb out of his crib, not realizing that it's a long way down. So see our new set up (for extra cushion and padding in case he decides to do it again) until Carl comes home Friday and can lower his crib.

22 week appointment

BP: 126/70
Weight: -2 lbs

The baby now weighs 1 lb 7 ozs and continues to measure ahead. On average he's measuring 23w 2d but some body parts are measuring 24w 2d. My cervix is still long and closed and the placenta is still in tact.

They did notice 2 fibroids which I now know have been the culprit of all my additional pain & discomfort. The u/s tech mentioned that the 2nd trimester is when you start to notice them more as there is more blood flow to the uterus and they thrive on that. But the Dr. said that he doesn't foresee any issues or problems with the fibroids. So I guess I'll just continue to take Tylenol to ease the pain.

Today's visit was the first time my weight gain, or lack thereof, was discussed. Although the baby is growing on track, if I continue on this track of weight loss, it could cause issues with the baby's growth in the future. So the Dr. encouraged me to start eating a little more. It's not like I'm not eating, and at work I snack often. But it's kind of hard to put on weight when your nauseous and throwing up on a regular basis.

We have a climber

J has discovered the stairs and is on a mission.



And if at first you don't suceed, try, try again!

Justin's new toy

After a month of sitting in the living room and Justin trying to play with his new toy through the box I finally put his walking toy together.

Justin's new crawl

I've never seen a baby crawl like this before, have any of you? I didn't catch it on camera, but he starts out doing a regular crawl and switches half way through.

You can also see his teeth in this video.

20 week appointment

Blood pressure: 124/72
Baby's heartbeat: 152
Weight: -1 lb

I'm still experiencing nausea, vomiting, stomach and back pain. I've been taking Tylenol to help with the pain but it hasn't been working so the doctor recommended I start wearing an abdominal brace. She also said that I need to limit my carrying/picking up of Justin. Of course when I mention that to Carl he says "so stop picking him up". I don't think he realizes it's not that simple. Since Justin is not walking I have to carry him pretty much everywhere, up/down the stairs, to/from the car, in/out of crib, etc. So I won't get much relief from that until Carl gets home (21 days and counting).

I have a growth u/s scheduled in 2 weeks to make sure the baby is still growing on track. Other than that things continue to look pretty good and I'll continue with my appointments every 2 weeks.

Random Pictures

Justin's first carved pumpkin

Last night we went to Kelicia & Donald's for a pumpkin carving party, but Justin was more interested in playing with little Donne's toys and Starky than his pumpkin.

NICU Reunion

Justin and I had a nice time at the annual NICU reunion. Unfortunately it was a little chilly so he didn't get to ride the train, but he got his face painted, ate potato chips & balloons, took pictures, and caught up with some of his favorite nurses.

18 week appointment

Blood Pressure: 124/74
Weight: back to pre-pregnancy weight after loosing ~ 5 lbs

I had my big ultrasound (u/s) last Friday and all of the baby's anatomy looks good. Our little man is measuring ahead by 1-2 weeks in most areas. The results from my integrated screen came back normal, with no increased risk. They also checked the scar from my previous c-section and noted that my placenta is not causing any added pressure to my incision. Next milestone: Thanksgiving, when I'll be 24 weeks, 4 days, the gestational age at which Justin was born.

Since this will more than likely be our last child Carl and I were both hoping for a little girl. Surprisingly, Carl was more disappointed than me. I held out hope, even until the end of the u/s when we finally found out it was a boy. But by the time the u/s tech said "there's the legs" and I could clearly tell it was a boy, I had already seen that our baby was measuring ahead and everything looks really good. I hope no one gets the wrong impression, because in the end all we really want is a healthy, full-term baby. But we won't lie and say it wouldn't be nice to have one of each.

Erwin Orchards

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from Sunday's trip to the orchard & cider mill. I'm sure we would've had more fun if Carl had been there (31 days and counting until his return home) and if they hadn't given Justin such a hard time about riding the pony. I know he's small but I was a little offended when he was accused of not even being a year old.

Click HERE to see the rest.

I love my little...

brother, mommy and daddy are having another boy!

Ty C & Uncle Ray don't mess around

Ty C had me all bundled up and waiting at the door when mommy picked me up after work.


Uncle asked Ty C how much it would cost to ship me home.

Justin's first cold

I guess it was bound to happen but I was so proud of the fact that Justin hasn't been sick since his bout with pneumonia last year. Last week Justin and I both came down with colds and it's been rough: sleepless nights, complete exhaustion, vomiting, congestion, runny nose, you name it. Obviously having a sick child is no fun, but add a pregnant mommy and an out of town daddy to the mix and it makes things ten times worse.

I've been feeling much better since Sunday and Justin has just a little bit of a runny nose left but he's finally getting back to normal. Now we just have to get back to him putting himself to sleep. For the last month I've been able to put him in his crib and he falls asleep within 10-15 minutes, but last week's cold totally set us back and he's back to wanting to be held and rocked to sleep.

I've been up to a lot lately

I've been hearing the word NO a lot. I know what it means, but I'm too busy exploring to pay attention and stop what I'm doing. But can you blame me, I have a lot of catching up to do.

I'm finally getting my first teeth, one on top and one on the bottom.

I weighed 17 lbs 2 ozs at my last appointment 2 weeks ago and am comfortably fitting into size 6-9 month clothes, and wearing size 3 shoes.

I graduated from formula to Pediasure and am enjoying the new flavors, especially strawberry. I'm experimenting with tons of new food and textures, and get a taste of pretty much everything mommy eats. My favorite so far is definitely the biscuits at Red Lobster. YUMMY!

I proved daddy wrong, I'm crawling all over the place, pulling up on everything and starting to cruise along the furniture. He didn't think I'd be crawling before he got back, but at this rate I'll be walking and running in no time. He thinks he's going to wear me out but he's got another thing coming. Check out my moves.

Love

Justin

Adventures in babysitting

I've been watching Aiden on Thursday's and Fridays since Carlene went back to work in August. But last Friday was the first time I had to travel with both boys by myself; Justin had an appointent to have his helmet adjusted. Surpsingly, it wasn't that bad. I put Justin in his stroller and attempted to put Aiden in the sling, which he doesn't like much when he's awake, so I ended up holding him and pushing the stroller.

Justin has been responding well to the helmet and I can clearly see a difference. The doctor wants him to continue wearing the helmet a couple more months to maximize the results, but I'm hoping that maybe he'll be done with it at his next adjustment.