Where's Dinner??

Today we had a fun day with friends. My friend Shelley has been feeling sick and today she woke up and felt worse. She is a mom of 3, with one of them only being 4 months old, so when she is sick, there isn't much rest time. I am a firm believer that rest is one of the best things to do when you are not feeling well. So, I offered to take Rainey with me to Bible study and pick up Terry after school at 12:15.

My girls were beyond thrilled to have their best friends over to play! I must say having the Keith kid's over is like my own children. They are so good! (Did I just say in a round about way that my kids are so good? Hmm? Well, that's still to be determined...) Anyway, they always play really well together. Today even more so, there were no tears or episodes of not sharing, you know typical kid stuff. They all played and weren't ready to go home when Taylor came to get them. (Doesn't that secretly make you feel good when you are the other parent? hehe)

Well, I said all that to say Ryan came home and said that he was not in the mood to eat. He had gone out to lunch with a vendor to Chinese...don't blame him there. :) Luckily I hadn't started cooking but I was just going to do Cheese Ravioli (frozen from Sam's - super yummy) and salad anyway. That's super quick. Since the kiddo's had played so hard today, they were quite smelly and Ryan got them in the bathtub while I got dinner together. The dinner was ready and the girls were in the bath still so, I figured why not bring dinner to them? Why not? No napkins needed, no messy clothes and hey, it's totally different! So, in I came with dinner and tv trays! We all sat in the bathroom (Ryan and I on the counter, not in the tub) while the girls ate. It was a family dinner in the bathroom. Not the best sounding thing but the girls thought it was a hoot.

I hope they remember days like this. I want to be a mom that thinks outside the box and does things not always "by the rules" every once in a while. :) I love those little girls so much and just want them to have fun and know that fun comes in so many different forms. :)

Here's the pic from dinner in the tub!

Baby #3 - 13 weeks

13 Weeks

The baby is approximately 3 inches long and 1.5 oz - about the size of a lemon. 

I am really starting to get a "baby bump" as you can see in the picture above. 

All mommy wants to wear are stretchy black pants - jeans are just not comfy. :/

I am really getting over the morning/all day sickness and I am slowly feeling my energy coming back. 

I still get super tired about 1:00 in the afternoon & wherever I am, I could fall right asleep!

I am craving sweets - long gone are those bacon cravings from the first few weeks...YUCK!

I still have 1/2 the appetite I usually do but trying to eat healthy options. (HARD- I'm hoping I haven't already gained the 5 lbs I lost the first couple months.)

Valentine's Day at Riley's Preschool

Sweet Riley and her friends had such fun at this Valentines party. They had some fun crafts and yummy treats. These kids are such fun and so happy and full of life. Riley loves her friends, she just lights up every time she talks about them or sees them. 

Isaac & Riley

They love each other!

Valentines Day 

Greatness of our God

Last night was one of the scariest nights of my life yet when I look back and even in the midst of it, I can say I had a peace that can only come from the Lord. Here's the story, I had to write about it because I knew I would forget so much if I waited (me and my awesome memory!)...

5:40 The girls and I were at Brrrberry Yogurt setting up balloons for my friend Shelley's 30th surprise party. I suddenly felt something was not right and after going to the bathroom I realized I was bleeding. (sorry if this gets a little detailed) I forgot I had promised them yogurt, so after a quick grab of cups and toppings we were out the door. I was becoming a little panicked as I phoned the doctors office and waited for the on-call doctor to return my message. I have had 2 healthy pregnancy's with no complications but oversized infants trying to make their way into the world! So, for me, this is way out of the ordinary and my mind immediately started running in 1,000 different directions. The only thing that could come from my mouth was "I trust you God, I trust you God". I must have repeated it over and over and over, claiming it every time the words were spoken.

5:50 The on call doctor said it was no "rush" but that I should make my way to the ER to be seen. With a whole bunch of other talk about what it could or couldn't be and that no matter what happens, there was nothing I could do, it wasn't my fault, etc. etc. Not the most encouraging conversation. And, I'm sorry, but we were going to get there ASAP...it was a RUSH for this momma!

Somewhere between that phone call and arriving home I managed to take care of plans for the rest of the party, call some friends to start praying and find a place for the girls to stay while Ryan and I went to the hospital. My neighbor Tammy took the girls without a hesitation and made me feel completely comfortable that they would be well taken care of, loved on and have fun on top of it! I know I really freaked Avery out on the way home - I was crying and praying and explaining what was going on to friends and doctors. I wanted her to pray and to know that Mommy was praying and even though the situation was scary that God was in complete control (not sure you can convey that point to a 6 year old, but it's just what I felt was right).

6:30 Ryan and I are on our way to the hospital and I was scared! Our pastor preached on praising the Lord at all times recently and the only thing I thought to do was turn on a song, to keep my mind from wondering to the absolute worst thing possible. I had so much running through my mind - "We've seen this baby on Ultrasound, would you really take it from us now Lord? I've got 3 very good friends all due within a few short weeks of me, Is that going to be my reminder of what could have been? Why had we already told people? Why had we told the girls? We should have waited until after the 1st trimester? The girls will not understand and be devastated. Did you give this gift to us only to take it away it way? How long would it take to get pregnant again?" I was real and honest with God. I trusted Him but I was scared and all those thoughts would not leave my mind. I wanted them to, at least for a minute or two.

One of my favorite singers, Natalie Grant came up on the playlist and I clicked on her song "Greatness Of Our God". Oh, just what I needed. Oh the Lord knew, just what I needed.  The second verse says

Give me grace to see beyond this moment here

To believe that there is nothing left to fear

That you alone are high above it all 

And you my God are greater still

As we arrived at the hospital the seriousness of what was happening began to overwhelm me. What was happening God? Why me? Why now?

We checked in, tried to wait patiently and began to get texts and phone calls from dear friends. Friends that I knew needed to know about the situation and could approach the throne of the one true Healer. I needed to know that when I didn't know the words to speak that I had intercessors there for me. Typing this now brings tears to my eyes because for the first time in my adult life I think I really felt like being completely vulnerable with people. I didn't care who knew, what they knew but just that they would pray. Oh, I needed those prayers. 

Over the next two hours my bleeding slowed to barely a spotting. By the time we were called back almost 4 hours later, I really hadn't noticed much blood in the last hour. I had no other symptoms and this made Ryan and I both very hopeful. I can remember feeling an overwhelming peace in the midst of my fear. I knew whatever the outcome that night that God was there with us, that he was going to take good care of us either way. Ryan felt it too and we talked about it at some point during our wait and I think that eased both of our worried and tired minds. 

At around 10:00 I was called into an ER "room". At least it had a bed! I was so tired of trying to make a chair a bed in the waiting room. I laid down and let my body rest. Over the next 3 hours I had a few different exams, blood tests and even a very detailed ultrasound (both inside and out, if you must know specifics! haha). My ultrasound was at 12:15 am and it was then that we were finally able to see and hear the baby's heartbeat and see the little miracle moving around inside my belly! THANK YOU GOD!!! THANK YOU GOD!!! Ryan immediately texted friends and family that the baby was fine.  I could tell he was so relieved, I remember the look on his face as he stared at the ultrasound waiting to see something that made sense to him. He finally asked the technician and she said, "Yes, that's your baby, heartbeat and all!" The two ultrasounds lasted a good 45-1 hour. We were exhausted! They wheeled me back into my room and we waited for the results.

At around 2:45, the ER doctor came in and said that I had a subchorionic hemorrhage. Not much more details were given to us, except that we were to go home, rest and call my Dr. on Monday morning oh and to return if bleeding became worse. Okay, really? I mean honestly, Ryan and I were so tired that the few questions that we did ask weren't super important ones but according to the ER Dr it wasn't his "specialty" and if I had questions I should call my OB because they would know. Wow! Okay, so we left the hospital feeling very relieved that we had a healthy baby but a little scared about the diagnosis. 

I try to stay off the internet but did look up a couple of cases of this in other people. It is the most common reason for bleeding in the first trimester (besides miscarriage). So knowing that made us feel better. 

We decided to put me on strict bed rest for the entire weekend and until I can get into see my doctor. So, that's what I've been doing. Laying in bed. Not so fun but it's been kind of overcast and yucky outside so it's made it a little easier. 

I believe God brought us this far to display His glory. I will do my best to make sure that he gets honor for bringing us through that night with a diagnosis and a HEALTHY baby! So for now all I can say is 

"Thank you Lord and I will trust you"! 

Sweetheart

On the eve of Valentines Day 2012, I thought I would right a quick note about my girls.

I am always telling Avery that God gave her a sweet heart and that she needs to never forget he gave that sweetness to her. It's a special thing. She is very thoughtful towards other people and not the outward type of thoughtfulness like asking someone if they are feeling better or asking someone if they are okay. But the behind the scenes kind of caring. She asks to pray for people that she knows are sick, hurting or whose family member is ill. She will randomly bring people up and tell me she has been thinking of them. Or she asks to do things for them. She likes to write cards, send notes, do something to surprise someone etc. The other day we were getting our teachers valentines together and she asked if she could bring a valentine for the other Kindergarten teacher. I asked her why and reminded her that Mrs. L wasn't her teacher and she didn't have to bring her a valentine. But then she said "Well, Mom, she is really sweet and she always says hi to me and she helps me at carpool sometimes. I just want her to know that she is special." Precious! I love that she thinks outside the box for that kind of thing.

These are the Teacher Valentines

My sweet Riley Kate. I always here people saying how sweet boys can be and how they love their momma's. (I wonder if I'll get to find that out?) But for now, my Riley Roo is for sure that sweet to me if not sweeter. She tells me sweet things like I look pretty or I smell good at random times. She is my snuggler for SURE! She will scoot as close to me as possible on the couch and sit there completely content for so long. She will come to me out of the blue and kiss me on the forehead or wrap her arms around my neck and then run away and finish playing. :)  I love you so much RK. You are one special little girl and God made you so unique! I hope you love Him lavishly, like you do me!

BTW, added a few pics of the girls school valentines this year.

These are valentines for the girls classes.

The girls ones said "for a real gem"

Fits & Verses

Tonight Riley Kate threw a pure-T-fit at bed time. She had just had a bath and I think she wanted to stay in there and play but Daddy knew she needed to get to bed. So, it went on for about 10 or 15 minutes. Finally, I think she was getting tired and she at least let Daddy put her pull up on. After she had calmed down, had her teeth brushed and was laying quietly in bed, I was trying to talk to her about what had happened. She really seemed to be getting upset about it and I think it was her heart knowing she was doing something wrong. Well, we ended it with her apologizing to Daddy (in a very hard to understand baby whine) but we accepted it.

Avery and Riley have been reading from their special baby dedication Bible's, you know the ones with the tiny writing, just New Testament and Psalms and Proverbs. Well, Riley wanted to read from hers tonight. By no chance, Mommy opened right up to Ephesians 6:1 "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right." After we discussed that for a minute, I moved to Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." It was really sweet to correlate these two verses for Riley and to help her understand that even when we don't want to do what is right, Christ gives us the strength to do it. Praying for her little heart and that God will soften it through the years to Him. She seems to be my "strong willed" child and definitely doesn't have that pleasing streak like Avery. It might be a different challenge to parent her. I think I'll just have to remember Philippians 4:13. :)