October 31, 2007

  • Happy Gotcha Monday

    Monday was "Happy Gotcha Day!" for Jared and Caleb. Unfortunately, it was also our medical exams and running around for documents on our pending adoption. Eric also had to work the evening on campus. We managed to still celebrate though with dinner and a movie. The boys both wanted Mama's tacos and together they picked Key Lime pie for dessert. I think it was their first time trying key lime pie.

    Here's the picture they wanted for "Happy Gotcha Day!" this year...


     
    Silly boys!!

    Then they did a nice pose for Mama. They picked the decorations for the pie too. I have never decorated a pie like a cake before! The boys decided they wanted the decorations to be the colors of the USA. So it became a key lime pie in disguise.

    Papa gave them a big hug!

    Mama gave them kisses!

    How embarrassing! Yes, that is Caleb you see wiping off my kiss. How dare he wipe of his Mama's kiss!

    Then the girls wanted in on the attention! Chloe kept kissing me so I then got her back with a big ole kiss on the cheek! Look at that giggly girl!

    Phoebe just wanted a big hug from Mama.

    God has richly blessed me!! Happy 8th Gotcha Day to my forever sons! <3

October 29, 2007

  • Red Sox and more...

    Caleb took this picture of Papelbon on Grampa's TV.

    We watched the entire game last night with my Grampa!

    My favorite pic of the night! Jared and Eric's reaction when the Rockies got a home run.

    The kids during the 8th and 9th inning waving "Go Red Sox" signs they made.

    Kimmy this is all about putting on a game face! lol

    Even Phoebe takes advantage of some snuggles.

    Now this is one cool Grampa!! How many Grampa's have WiFi and uses a laptop along side of you?!

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    ***Update on my Sister, my Niece and my Mom

    My Sister has been dischared from the hospital and will be doing her kidney tests in a couple of weeks. I guess it's too close to her pregnancy and birth of her baby to get a true reading on the tests. Remember they are trying to find whether her kidneys not holding the potassium was caused by the pregnancy or not. So I guess they have to let the pregnancy hormones calm down and so on before moving forward.

    Baby Mariah needs prayer as she now has jaundice. The docs informed my Sister that Mariah probably will not be able to come home until close to her due date which was Dec. 14th. It's going to be tough weeks ahead as my Sister lives in a special house by the hospital for about $70 a week. Unfortunately, Mariah's Daddy will have to be home (about an hour and a half away) during the week because he has to go back to work. He will go up and spend the weekends with my Sister and vist Mariah in the NICU. Pray for Mariah to continue to mature and for their family to stay strong through all of this!

    My Mom needs prayer for continued healing from her brain surgery. She injured herself from the skull incision site when helping my sister give birth. The night of my sister giving birth my Mom's whole right side of her head and face started to swell really bad. I hadn't seen it that swollen since she woke up from the surgery. It appears that when she held my sister up while she was pushing for the baby that spinal fluid leaked out of the skull cap not fully sealed yet. I'm sorry if this sounds yucky but it is what it is and she needs prayer for pain relief and for it to heal completely. Mom really NEEDS to take time to rest and let it heal. This is really hard for her with her daughter going through health issues and her grand daughter in the NICU.

October 26, 2007

  • Look where I went tonight!


    Alyssa is no longer bedridden!! Hooray!! She walks to see the baby now.  Please keep Alyssa in your prayers as they will be starting a 24 hour kidney test starting in the wee hours of the morning.  

    Aunty Sarah gets to hold the baby!!!! I really didn't expect to be able to do this while Mariah was in the hospital. I was soooo nervous! Seeing Mariah between my elbow and my hand kind of gives you a size comparison as long as you keep in mind that there is a lot of cushion on the snuggli they have her in. I don't think I could hold her without the snuggli as she is so tiny. It really does give a lot of extra support.

    Look she grabbed my finger! Aw! Gotta love those baby reflexes. The pictures really don't show her true color. Her hands and feet are a purple color and she is quite pink on the rest of her body. Her breathing sounds great tonight! No wheezing or grunting. She opens her mouth and sticks her tiny tongue out now. Her tongue sticking out looks about as round as the end of a pencil eraser! Mariah has only opened her eyes once for Mommy. Aunty has yet to see those beautiful blue eyes but I know little Mariah hears her voice and feels her touch.

    Finally, the proud Mommy and Daddy! This is their first family picture with little Mariah when she was just shy of 24 hours old. Daddy is holding a tube that is Mariah's food. Mariah gets fed through a tube in her nose right now.

October 25, 2007

  • INTRODUCING...


    MARIAH MARIE
    Born on October 25, 2007
    at 7:53 pm
    4 pounds, 1.5 ounces
    17 1/4 inches

    One proud Aunty!!!

    My Sister is exhausted but doing well. Alyssa was able to give birth naturally with no surgery! PTL!! Continue to pray for Alyssa as they now need to figure out what is wrong with her kidneys and her potassium levels.

    Mariah is truly a miracle from the Lord! Mariah had a breathing tube at first because she would not breathe on her own after birth. However, they were able to take the tube out soon after and she is now trying to breathe on her own. She is a bit wheezy and "grunts" as they say in the PICU. Pray that her lungs continue to strengthen. 

    I don't have any pics of Alyssa or the proud Daddy with Mariah yet because we had to go in and see her only a couple at a time. Of course, Mommy and Daddy got to go first!

  • BABY IS ON HER WAY NOW!!!!

    My Sister was brought into the Operating room at around 7:10pm. Please pray for baby to be healthy and no complications. They have brought her to the OR only for the baby's sake at this point. It appears that my sister will still be able to deliver without surgery. I will update as soon as I hear word...

  • 3 cm Dilated!!!

    We are on our way to the hospital as it looks like baby Mariah is coming for real today! Please pray for her lungs to be healthy and strong when she is born. Pray for her heart to remain stabilized through out the birth. Pray for my Sister as she emotional thinking Mariah won't make it because she is premature. Of course, I keep trying to reassure her but..... Hopefully, I will have some lovely news and pics later on today of the newest little blessings in our family.

    May the Lord's will be done with little Mariah's life!! Jesus hold my sister in your comforting arms and protect her from further complications!!

    Thank you everyone for your prayers!

October 24, 2007

  • Evening Update

    My Sister is in a LOT of pain. She could barely talk with me tonight while I was visiting her. They had her hooked up to the monitor that watches the baby's heart rate and tells whether Alyssa is having contractions or not. Even an hour and half later after receiving oxycontin she had no relief. It seems like she is just having a really hard time with baby Mariah moving around without the fluid. Alyssa says it hurts big time when the baby does "the butt wiggle" That is usually when she cannot talk through the pain.

    They will be keeping her on the monitor through out the entire night. She will probably be on it from now on... The one thing she did say was that hearing the baby's heartbeat on the monitor was so soothing to her. I have to admit it was pretty neat and made me teary eyed knowing there was a little life trying to grow and thrive!

    I couldn't get pics in the hospital because Lissy is just in too much pain. The children had to stay in the family room they provide in the birthing pavilion. I did, however, take pics of what we brought her while at home knowing the kids probably wouldn't be able to see her today. I think Alyssa will like the memories for her baby book later on. Here's what the kids helped me pick out for their Aunty Lissy....


    Balloons!!! We tried to find anything that was not pink! lol Thus, why there is no specifically "baby" balloons.

    Mickey flowers! (or would that be Minnie?) That has been the debate in the house...

  • On hold for now...

    Baby Mariah has once again decided she is going to have it her way. Contractions have stopped and Alyssa is not very dilated at all. For now we wait... The docs have given my sister some pain meds to make her more comfortable. One thing she needs prayer for is that she will eat well. She doesn't feel like eating and doesn't like any of the food at the hospital, of course. Remember she is having enough problems with her electrolytes and so on. She needs to eat when she is allowed to do so! We are going to try to get her some Kentucky Fried Chicken tonight since she has a major craving right now for that. Whatever it takes to get food in her!!

    One funny (or maybe not so) is that my Sister is sick of seeing PINK! lol Her room is literally all pink. Pink walls, privacy curtains and even the floor is pink. I would have never thought the scenery would annoy her but I guess if I had to spend weeks in a pink room it would get on my nerves too. Especially when your favorite color is purple! So, my sister is asking for flowers to brighten up the room and to make sure they are any color besides pink! I asked her, "If I tell people you want flowers and they know you are having a girl what color do you think you will get for flowers?!"

  • Sister May Be in Labor

    I received a call early this morning from my Mom informing me that my sister is clearly having contractions. She has been in a lot of pain the last couple of days due to the baby not having that extra cushion since her water broke. My sister feels every move of the baby with intense pain. Mom says at this time the doctors feel they are going to go ahead and let this baby come now. They may even induce her if the contractions she is having are not strong enough. Not sure I fully understand all of what is going on. Regardless, please pray for safety for both my sister and baby. Pray that the docs have wisdom on what is best for both!

    I am now headed to the hospital to be with my sister so updates may not be as frequent as I would like. I am taking my laptop so I will try my best. Kimmy the camera is coming along too so if baby comes I will be sure to post a pic!

October 22, 2007

  • Great Grampa is the BEST! :-)

    Sunday we spent the day with my Grampa. We took a short walk to the school play ground behind his house to let the kids run around and play. Then came back for some dinner and play time along with watching some of the Red Sox game with Grampa. I love watching the girls with their Great Grampa as it reminds me so much of all the wonderful reasons why I loved my Grampa so much when I was little. Of course, I still think he's the best!!! Love you Grampa!! xoxo

    Phoebe snuggles in with her Great Grampa.

    Grampa, I will hold the book and you read!

    Grampa draws out his food menu for the girls' restaurant since they didn't know how to spell what he wanted. How clever! The girls were completely amused that Grampa was drawing for them!

    Do the twins love their Great Grampa or what?! Good thing Great Grampa's lap can hold them both!