Here are the quick updates in this house. (much longer post to follow...) Gavyn was sick all week. He actually didn't leave the bed until Thursday! During that time, Dad introduced him to Cartoon Network...seriously. I am a bit picky(I know some of you are rolling your eyes...picky me..I know!) Anyway, for five years Gavyn has thought PBS and Disney were the only things out there. He currently is obsessed with Sponge Bob, which he has never seen. (Okay, that's a lie, he SAW it at a local eatery, but there was no sound.) So thankfully, he is better (and away from massive amounts of TV watching) and at school. (With fall break, he was out 12 days!!!)
Emi got sick Tuesday and was only sick for two days. Brian was a trooper and kept both kids separated AND cared for them both because Charlotte and I went into "isolation." We barricaded ourselves in the bedroom (that was to be Harrison's) and had access to the kids' bathroom, while Gavyn moved into our room and Emi stayed in hers. Honestly, as hard as it was to be away from Gavyn and Emi, it provided some amazing bonding time for Charlotte and I. (Oh, and if you need house renovation ideas, I watched approximately 40 shows on kitchen remodels on HGTV. Glass tile is VERY "in.")
Charlotte only spent a couple of days on lights and then tested normal. During that time, she was gaining 3 oz. a day! She thought that after all that snuggle time with mom, she should be held all the time, but lo and behold, last night she slept in her bassinet from 7-7 only waking 3 times! Let's pray for more of that!
Brian and I are still healthy. Of course, since I am the over-protective mother, I called in to our doctors and they put us on Tamiflu, just in case it was H1N1. So hopefully that will do the trick until we get vaccinated later this week.
And what, pray tell, are the girls doing while I blog... Love, Jenn
It was only a matter of time before we started accessorizing...
Blue lights are the "in" thing...jaundice will (hopefully) soon be out!
Big sisters are very helpful!
Love, Jenn
**Gavyn still remains in isolation. His cough is really yucky, but he hasn't had a temp. today. Hopefully, he will return to school on Thursday. (He's not to happy about missing library day tomorrow, so it's a sign he's beginning to feel better.)
Here are some awaited photos! They haven't been edited or anything, but they are up! Life here is a bit crazy. We got home Sunday afternoon and by five pm, Gavyn had come down with a bug. So we rearranged a bit and have him quarantined off. (He has temp + cough and drainage) He is handling it pretty well, and keeps showering so he can glance at his new sister. (He showers and then puts his shirt over his nose and mouth for just a glance!)
Charlotte loves to sleep in our arms and is quite a good eater. Her big sister loves to be mommies helper.
Our beautiful baby girl joined us today at 1:58PM. She weighs 7 pounds and 9 ounces and is 21 inches long. She has dark curly scruff and the cutest little pout. Mom and her are doing great!
*Updated Update* It's now 11AM. We broke the water about an hour-and-a-half ago and are progressing well (3-4cm). The wonderful epidural is in place and everything is looking good.
*Update* At 6 am Dr. Jones came in and started pitocin. Small change overnight, but hopefully this will start things moving. I have had contractions on and off. Some pretty strong, others...not so much. Once again we just rest in God's timing.
So...came in at 6pm and I was contracting...but apparently doin' nothing!Looks like it will be a long night, but on the good side, I can eat! Brian just ran out for food. The plan is that I had the pill and will start pitocin at 6 am. If anything changes, I'll post again.
Tomorrow, October 15th is designated as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance day. It is beyond our earthly knowledge to understand why such a day has to exist, but I am glad that we have a day to mourn our sweet children’s lives, even as short as they may have been.
As I was doing some research on this day I found the following statistics:
· The overall miscarriage rate is 15-20%, which is believed to be a low estimate, as many miscarriages occur before women realize they are pregnant. Testing reveals the cause in 50% of those miscarriages. · 28,000 babies will be stillborn every year here in the United States. Two thirds of the parents who give birth to a stillborn baby will never know the cause. · About 19,000 children will die in the first month of life in the United States. · SIDS will claim the lives of another 7,000 infants nationally.
It’s a shocking reality, one that unites so many. There are so many that are affected by miscarriage, stillborn loss and infant loss. If you are one of those parents who has lost a child, this day is a day to know that your child mattered.
There are several ways to honor these children. *At 7 pm, on October 15, you are invited to light a candle to remember those children who touched our lives without ever speaking a word. *You can visit http://www.october15th.com/ for more information. *Additionally, if you want to share your story, (and then we can all pray specifically for you,) you may share in the comment section here on this site. * Most importantly, you can pray for all parents that have lost a child and in that knowledge you know that God’s love is uniting us all.
I will share first, my name is Jennifer. I will give birth to four children; I have been pregnant six times. Gavyn is five, Emilia is three, Harrison was 37 weeks old when he was born into the arms of Jesus on September 16, 2008 and I am giving birth this week to our little girl, her name is Charlotte. I also miscarried on Sept 14, 2007 at eleven weeks and again on January 14, 2009 at five weeks. I am a believer that holds on to a home far greater than the one that I reside in.
Love, Jenn
I will continue to update this post with blogs that are observing this day.
I thought this video on was exceptionally touching. Please remember to pause the music on the right side before playing.
***Updates*** Here are other blogs observing the day: My Charming Kids My friend Jodi's blog Bring the Rain *PS. We are being admitted at 6 pm to begin the process of induction for sweet Charlotte Hazelle. We'll update you later tonite and tomorrow.
Monday, October 12, 2009
There have been many times this last year where I have felt alone and just really so sad. Then I turn on my computer and look at a couple of my favorite blogs. Blogs written by other moms who have had to place their babies in the arms of Jesus. It has been here that I have felt a kinship with people I have never met, where I have shed many tears and where I can identify myself. One of those precious blogs is Bring the Rain. Angie has an amazing way of making the everyday life seem normal, even when as a grieving mom you feel anything but. She has been there...she is there...and I love that Audrey is as much a child in their family as Harrison is in ours. So when I found out that she would be in Omaha with her family on the Selah concert bus, I was overjoyed. And when she responded to an email, I was in shock. Then last night as I spoke with her, well, it was one of those moments where you know that you are in the presence of someone who really knows Him. I really wanted to take a picture with her, but it was such an intimate conversation and she was so incredibly amazing, it wasn't right. She inspires so many to lead lives that are better and has a huge following, but you can tell she is as real as it gets. I stood in line to meet her, and her face lit up with recognition when I told her my name, then we just talked as if there was no line and we were at a Starbucks just hanging out. Oh, and all the while, she was holding a sound asleep Kate (?). It was an honor to meet her and I only cried about a dozen times during the concert...no big surprise. Love, Jenn
I think so...one year ago today was the day Harrison was to be born and the day sweet Harley was born right into the arms of Jesus. We miss you so much. God has once again left us with no coincidences, there are lots of kisses surrounding us. Thanks Harley and Harrison.
Love, Jenn
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Patience is a virtue that rarely comes easily. I plan things; I do things by a plan. So when Miss Charlotte's test score came back as a t.w.e.n.t.y.-e.i.g.h.t. rather than, let's say a 67 (that's what I was trying to visualize) Devastation isn't even close to how I felt. (And still how I feel.) I want to hold a crying baby, and yes, of course I want her to be ready, but I felt owed this score. I know it’s selfish, but it’s honest. My thoughts were somewhere along the lines of "God, you have one of my babies, I want this one NOW." So that was Brian that posted the other day, I would never have said "a little bit longer," because now we have to wait two more weeks. Two weeks is no "little" time.
Two weeks means that now I have to go way past the point where we lost Harrison. It feels like a ticking time bomb. Dr. Bonebrake offered to do another amonio on Friday, but I won't do that to Charlotte. After 14 hours of constant movement on Thursday, I called Dr. Jones who readmitted us to the hospital at 2am for observation and then a biophysical in the morning. We really love those doctors. Anyone that thanks me for calling, and says I can come in everyday for the next two weeks is good with me. Really good...and it's been over 24 hours and I haven't called, but I know that they don't mind if I do.
Two weeks also means that we will go past our due date with Harrison. That she will most likely be born exactly one year and one month past his birthday.
We will go early though. No one is comfortable with me carrying 4o weeks. 39 weeks is the longest Miss Charlotte can go. The risks go up after 39 weeks. (I know we all read the benefits of those last weeks, but the last week is also when stillborn risk increases. That and every day after that.)
So there we are. I managed to get out of bed today...I even showered and we went to a birthday party. Now I am off for a few errands (retail therapy). Then I may crawl back in bed…it’s warm there.
We had hoped for a different answer today, but Charlotte's is not quite ready for us yet, so we will wait. We ask for prayers of strength. This has been a difficult journey so far, but just a bit further yet to go.
I am a mom of four children, three on this earth and one in Heaven. I am blessed to have a faith that hangs on and an amazing husband that wipes my tears away.
