Friday, May 31, 2013

May Random Pictures

This is her fake sleeping pose..whenever we tell her it's time for night-night, she does this
I bought a giant package of paper towels (the giant pack was only $2 more, for twice as many rolls, as the normal pack) - Evelyn has since used them as her little step stool
We're full on into the sticker phase
Hey guys, can we go to Hawaii again this year?
Checking out some cars...
One of her favorite things - playing her piano and singing
(sounds like someone I used to know...)
Just waiting for you to get ready, Mom!
Listening to some tunes...
What, Mom?  I'm driving...
When we walk to get the mail, she always insists on trying the key in every lock she can reach
Bedtime stories in her new room
(yes...I am officially a whale)

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Pregnancy Update

Over the past few weeks, this little one has been growing, growing, and growing.  I have been measuring further along than I am for about 6 weeks now.  Today, I measured 37 weeks (by ultrasound and the old fashioned tape measure) and the baby "weighs" 6 pounds, 5 ounces (by ultrasound).  I am 33 weeks, and she should be around 5 to 5.5 pounds now.

About 3 weeks ago, I went through the fun glucose tolerance and challenge tests and found out that I do have gestational diabetes again.  I have been following the diet and exercise regime that I did with Evelyn pretty much to the T with this one - but my glucose readings have been all over the place.  Which likely explains the baby growing so quickly.  Late last week, my endocrinologist put me on an insulin pill to help control my blood sugar.  Hopefully that will help bring my numbers back into the ranges that they should be. 

At my appointment with my OB today, other than confirming that I'm carrying a sweet little chubbers, I've been labeled as high-risk because of the largeness of the baby and having to be on insulin to control my GD.  I learned that blood sugar is toxic to the placenta (which is crazy, because it's the placenta that develops GD in pregnant women).  The problem with this is that if your blood sugar is not controlled, it basically kills the placenta and the baby can not get the oxygen that she needs.  Because of these, I now will go in for weekly tests to be sure my placenta is healthy enough to sustain the baby in utero.  The main test is a biophysical profile, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour depending on how the baby responds.  A biophysical profile (BPP) begins as an ultrasound where they measure the baby's heart rate, activity level, breathing movements, muscle tone, and the amount of amniotic fluid.  Each of these 5 indices are rated on a scale from 0-2 to give a number from 0-10 indicative of the baby's well-being.  A normal score is between 8-10, between 6-8 requires a non-stress test to follow-up the BPP results, and anything below 6 basically is an alarm to induce soon for the baby's health.

I will go in every week until 39 weeks to complete this test.  Thanks to ObamaCare, I can not induce before 39 weeks unless there is a medical necessity.  As my OB put it, apparently he went to medical school in his free time and knows more than I do.  If my score drops to the non-normal level, that would be reason to induce earlier than 39 weeks. 

The hardest part of this for me is that my risk for a cesarean is pretty high now, and that's something I really do not want to do.  I am hopeful that now that we are controlling my blood sugar with the insulin, that her growth will level-off a little and allow me to still deliver vaginally.  If she sticks to the half a pound a week plan from here to 39 weeks, I'll be right at the 9.5 pounds that my OB says is where she will start to consider cesarean a necessity for the safety of the baby.  I'm praying that she will slow some and stay in the 8 pound range on the ultrasound measure (which was totally off for Evelyn...she measured 9.5 pounds the day before I delivered, and was 8.5).  They will measure her every two weeks during the BPP test.

All-in-all I am needing peace, mostly over the cesarean issue.  While it won't be the best experience ever, I can join the "I delivered a 10 pound baby club", and I am happy that my OB has one of the lowest cesarean rates in our area.  Praying that I will experience God's peace and remember the authority I have, in Christ, to remind my body what it was designed to do.  There are times when my faith is strong, but also time when I am fearful.  

On the up-side, I get to see our sweet girl every week from now until I deliver!

Here are some specific things I am praying for, I'd love for you to join me:
  • No cesarean
  • Safe, vaginal, delivery (I'm not opposed to using an epidural if needed)
  • That my gestational diabetes will stay under control
  • That baby girl will slow her growth enough to allow me to deliver vaginally
  • That my placenta will stay healthy and provide the oxygen that she needs while she finishes cooking those internal organs of hers
  • Peace of mind - resulting from a deeper knowledge of God and His provision
  • My doctor, Dr. Nowitzky, that she will have wisdom to know what care is best

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a fairly low-key Memorial Day.  I have entered into full-blown nesting mode, so I took advantage of Dan being home to entertain Evelyn so that I could get the nursery ready.  We aren't really changing anything in it, it's more getting things put together that have been stored in the attic.  I also wanted to shampoo the carpet in there so she has a nice, clean room.

We did make time for some fun things.  We planned to take Evelyn to the splash park/zero-depth pool that we found last year on Saturday.  There were some thunderstorms that pushed through in the morning, but it looked like it would just be cloudy but storm-free when the pool opened at noon.

Not so much...of course we talked about swimming the entire way there in the car, then as soon as we got out we heard thunder.  Evelyn was so confused, poor girl!
This was her in the car after we got back in...she kept saying, "swimming?" and looking out the window.  Broke my heart.
We had plans that night to attend a going away party for our friends, David and Leah.  They are a navy family who we have known for about 3 years who are moving to Virginia in June.  Their son, Isaiah, is about a year younger than Evelyn and one of her favorite people.  She often imaginary plays with him when we are at home (Isaiah has been known to be put in time out a time or two).
Here they are sitting at the kiddo-sized table
On Monday, we played around the house for most of the morning with plans to go try the splash park again at noon.  We moved some of Evelyn's toys outside (those that were taking up way too much space, and could be outside). 
Dan was putting sand in the base of the basketball goal to keep it on the ground (both from Evelyn's mad dunking skills and the wind), Evelyn thought she needed to provide some assistance.
Fortunately the splash park was open today - it was so much fun watching her play this year.  We found this pool at the end of the summer last year, so she only got to go a few times.  She had only been walking for about 2 months at that time, so she was still pretty unsteady getting around.  This year, though, she was all over the place - from the splash pad to the pool and back.  When she figured out that she could still walk in the water when it was up to her chest, she thought she was pretty neat stuff (until she lost her footing for the first time!).  Dan and I love all of the nooks that this pool has that let her jump in and be able to stand/walk.  It's fun to watch her try to be independent. 
She was all over the place for almost an hour, we were sure she'd have a good nap before we planned to head over to David and Leah's to hang with them one last time.  Not so much - it was a no nap day.  We just headed over to David and Leah's early and let the kiddos swim (it was a weekend full of swimming).
Evelyn (with her never healing toddler knees and shins) and Isaiah swimming
They were back and forth between the pool and the play set - it's so funny to me to see them together, pretty much the same size, but a year apart in age. 
This picture cracks me up - believe it or not, Evelyn did not push him down the slide.
Isaiah creeped up the slide from the bottom this way.
All in all a good Memorial Day.  Thanks to all who serve and who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.  It was bittersweet to celebrate with David and Leah as they were living out this life of service to our country.  We'll miss you guys!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Evelyn's New Room

We have started getting ready for #2's arrival.  We wanted to wait until after Evelyn's birthday so that my Mom and Dad could still stay in our guest room on a normal bed.  Slowly over the next week, we got her new room (the guest room) ready.

I wanted to keep the queen mattress we have in there so that when people do come, if they want to stay with us we can just move it into our loft (which is next to this room).  Evelyn has a pop-up castle that we have had downstairs since she got it for Christmas, so we decided to do a princess theme in her room.  I found some bedding (for a twin bed), and was hopeful that with the colors in it, I would not have to repaint that room.  Our plan is that once #2 is out of a crib, we'll put them both in the same room and make that back into a guest/play room.  Fortunately it matched, so the room transformation was much quicker than it could have been!  We bought a toddler daybed/crib off Craigs List a few months ago, and had planned to set it up as a daybed for Evelyn and just put one of those bumpers on the side to help keep her from rolling out.  At her 2-year well-check, her pediatrician convinced me to go ahead and keep her in the crib (especially since we could).  Her reasoning was that Evelyn will go through some regression when the new baby comes, and we won't want to have to be fighting her to stay in bed while adjusting to a second child.  So, we decided to go ahead and set up the crib, and a few months after the baby comes, we'll convert it to the daybed.
Dan surprised me one morning by getting up early to put the crib together.  Love that boy.
He had a little helper, as well.
Her favorite thing was to put the screws in the holes for Daddy
We let her come in at first, so she saw the queen mattress on the floor and the crib.  
Once I started really decorating, I kept the door shut so it would be a surprise for her.
Here are some pictures of the final set-up...once she gets a little older (and won't pull it out of the ceiling), we'll probably take down the castle and just have the hanging hideaway
My Dad made me this dressing table when I was in High School, I love that now my daughters will use it!
Got the idea for these from my sister...thanks Aug!
The day we showed it to her (also the first day she napped in there), Dan caught her reaction on video...priceless!
So far it's been a pretty good transition.  Hopefully that will continue!  She refers to it as "new room" and still goes into the nursery when we tell her to go to Evelyn's room.  I'm sure as I start to get things set up in there, she'll start to figure it out (I hope...and not get jealous!).

Monday, May 20, 2013

TuTus and Ties Soriee

Our photographer (Cat Herndon Photography) had a client appreciation event this weekend.  She called it a TuTus and Ties Soriee and had all the little girls in tutus and all the little boys in ties.  You can see a lot of the pictures on her blog, they were all so cute!
I took this one as Cat was doing her magic
The sneak peek that Cat posted of Evelyn...love.
She got a sucker from Cat on the way out, so we just stripped her out of her tutu and let her go at it on the way home!
Cat plans to release the other pictures she got that evening in the coming weeks - so I'll be sure to post those when they come as well!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

A Party for a Princess

My Mom and Dad flew down the day after Evelyn's actual birthday for her party that weekend.  In preparation for their arrival, we got the house cleaned up (it desperately needed it...and this pretty much kick-started the nesting stage for me!).
Evelyn helped Daddy vacuum the stairs...
And helped Mommy dust.
On Thursday, after her nap, Evelyn and I went to the airport to pick up Grammie and Grandad.  Since she had just seen them the week before in Colorado, she was pretty excited to see them again. 
Watching for Grammie and Grandad
Grandad always finds fun things to do with littles
(and wears that Notre Dame shirt just to get a rise out of me!)
After dinner we came home to open Evelyn's birthday gift from Grandma and Grandpa (Dan's parents).  It had come in the mail earlier that day, but we waited for Dan to be home for her to open it. 
She was a big fan of the bubble blower they gave her (still is!)
Usually when my parents come down, I have a list of projects for my Dad to do while he is here.  Knowing the last few weeks he had been through (the chainsaw accident, followed closely by his mother's death), I figured he would like to just relax.  I forgot, this was my Dad we were talking about..he can't sit idle (I wonder where I get it from!).  He was literally going around the house finding things to fix.  The good news was we got our dishwasher bracket, doorbell, two faucets, and some wiring in our guest bathroom fixed.  Thanks, Grandad!

Evelyn's party was Saturday afternoon.  Sofia the First on Disney Junior is one of Evelyn's favorite shows, so we had a princess themed party for her.  Because Sofia the First is a new show, there wasn't really any party things like plates or decorations, so I pretty much stuck to a generic princess theme (lots of pink and purple, though!).  Here are some pictures of the afternoon (just for you, Em and Nicole!).
These were some of the decorations I had...I chose a picture from each month of the past year and added a promise to us being daughters of the King with a correlating Bible verse.
A closer look at one of them

One picture before the party started 
(it's fuzzy because we live in dumb south Texas where you have to wait for an hour to use your camera outside because it's so humid)
Playing in her sand/water table
(this quickly became a mud table when some of the older kids got to the party)
 Playing with one of her best friends, Isaiah
(it cracks me up because they are actually a year apart in age, but pretty much the same size!)
 I was surprised how long she left this tiara on!
This is the first picture of my Mom, Evelyn, and I that we have ever taken...seriously?
Dan - the grillmaster
Having some dinner
 Time for some cake!
 And ice cream!

 And now to open presents...she loves this trike from Grammie and Grandad
(and will hopefully be able to reach the pedals in a month or two!)

Having some tea with her new tea set that goes in the bath with her
Such a fun afternoon celebrating our little princess!  Thanks to everyone who came to celebrate with us!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Evelyn's 2nd Birthday

When did these two years fly by so fast?!  I can not believe we have a two year old in the house now!  We woke Evelyn up a little bit early so that she could open her gifts from Dan and I before Dan had to go to work. 
Coming down the stairs, she knew something was up
This was her expression when she first saw her presents - priceless!
She immediately ran for her new car - she didn't realize there was a door on the other side, so she climbed in the window
Now she found the door!
Opening her cards while sitting at her new table and chair set
My Mom and Dad have this cash register and Evelyn played with it a lot when we were in Colorado, so Dan picked it out for her.
She also got a Princess Sofia dress and a new guitar
(don't mind the snot running down her nose...she has my pollen allergies unfortunately!)
Every princess needs to mow the lawn sometime!
Dan had to work all day, so Evelyn and I were home by ourselves.  We mostly stayed around the house and got her backyard pool out after her nap.  

We asked her where she wanted to go to dinner and she said, "McDonalds."  We've hardly taken her there, but apparently the few times we have left an impression.
Little ornery two year old!
She enjoyed playing the play place at the McDonalds for a while after we ate.  The last time we were there it was overrun with bigger kids, so she didn't really get to play.  Tonight, there were just a few, and they were all aware of a little one around so she got to climb and slide - two of her favorite things.  I had made a cake earlier in the day, so we had that when we got home.
Happy Birthday, sweet girl!
Mmmmm.....cake!
She kept saying, "I like it!"
Happy birthday, baby girl.  I can't call you that much longer, but you'll always be my baby.  You bring such joy to your Daddy and I's lives - we can't imagine life without you in it.  We pray you will grow to know the love of Jesus in ways we haven't had the courage to try, that you will learn to serve others in humility, and always know how much you are loved.