A Mini Van? SERIOUSLY?!?

We are officially buying a "family" mini van. :P

We put an offer on this used Plymouth Voyager and will own it tomorrow, subject to it passing a BCAA inspection. I am almost the owner of a mini van ... *shudder*

Could I be any more of a MOM?!?

One Reason I'm a Vegetarian ...

Not looking forward to the upcoming days of fasting?!? Here is one reason to be happy we won't be eating meat ... I found this recipe while searching for dinner ideas ...

Slow Cooker Squirrel and Liver

"Winter in Mississippi means wild game and slow cooking! Try this delicious variation on squirrel. The beef liver brings out the amazing natural flavor of the squirrel, while repressing the 'gamey' taste. Serve with malt liquor."

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 squirrels - skinned, gutted, and cut into pieces
2 pounds beef liver, sliced into thin strips
2 large sweet onions, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed dried thyme
1 bay leaf

DIRECTIONS
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sear the squirrel and liver until browned on the outside. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the onions, carrots, bell pepper and garlic. Stir in the tomato juice. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and bay leaf. Cover, and cook on High for 6 hours.

It definitely makes me hungry, how about you? ;)

Help!

Help! The new blogger won't allow me to show my blogs on the main page ... (ie// the first one that comes up where the different blogs are displayed). I've gone into edit profile and attempted to add the blogs but it won't let me ... what do I do?

Hillbilly Love

I received this as an email from my Aunt Jacki and thought it was kind of cute. ;)

Hillbilly Love

SUSIE LEE DON FELL IN LOVE;
SHE PLANNED TO MARRY JOE.

SHE WAS SO HAPPY 'BOUT IT ALL,
SHE TOLD HER PAPPY SO.

PAPPY TOLD HER, SUSIE GAL,
YOU'LL HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER.

I'D JUST AS SOON YO' MA DON'T KNOW,
BUT JOE IS YO' HALF BROTHER.

SO SUSIE PUT ASIDE HER JOE
AND PLANNED TO MARRY WILL,

BUT AFTER TELLING PAPPY THIS,
HE SAID, THERE'S TROUBLE STILL.

YOU CAN'T MARRY WILL, MY GAL,
AND PLEASE DON'T TELL YO' MOTHER,

BUT WILL AND JOE, AND SEVERAL MO'
I KNOW IS YO' HALF BROTHER.

BUT MAMA KNEW AND SAID, MY CHILD,
JUST DO WHAT MAKES YO' HAPPY

MARRY WILL OR MARRY JOE.
YOU AIN'T NO KIN TO PAPPY.

I Miss My Baby

As I posted before, Joshua has been extremely sick this week. He even ended up in the hospital overnight on Friday night. That was NOT fun! It's impossible to keep a 1 year old contained in his 1/4 of a hospital room, attached to an IV pole and keep him quiet at the same time!!

While I've been taking care of Joshua this week (a more than full-time job) Joe's parents have been watching James. They've had him every day since Tuesday and even kept him Wednesday, Friday and Saturday overnight. I really appreciate all their help this week but I miss my baby! I have managed to see him everyday for brief periods of time and Joe and I got to 'babysit' James at their house last night while they went out for dinner but, still, I almost feel like he's not even mine anymore ...

He has changed so much in the past week!!

Mom and Dad will be bringing him home in a few hours. (Dad says sometime around 9pm because he's become so attached to James that he doesn't want to bring him back yet.) :P Apparently Dad holds James almost constantly each time he's there. It is very nice to know that they have been taking such good care of the baby!

So, I will say a great big THANK YOU to my in-laws for being so amazing this week but, if you read this, please bring him back soon! ;)

New Blogger

*GRRR* I just switched over to the new blogger (because I was forced to ... there's nothing quite like procrastination!) and not only did I have to change my sign-in name, email address and password but now I can't get my formats right. I like Joshua and James' template but mine is giving me a headache.

I'm 51% Stupid

Thanks for posting this on your blog, Jeannine! :)

Stupid Percentages

[x] I have walked into a glass/screen door.
[x] I have tripped on my shoelace and fallen.
[x] I have choked on my own spit
[ ] I've seen the Matrix a bunch of times and still don't get it.
[ ] I type only with my pointer fingers.
[x] I have caught something on fire
[ ] I've told a cop to get lost.
[x] I have attempted to sip out of a straw but it accidentally went into my nose, rather than my mouth.
[x] I have thought of something funny, and laughed out loud and people looked at me weird.
[x] I've caught myself drooling
[ ] I've "accidentally" caused an explosion
[ ] If someone says the word "toot", I can't help but laugh.
[x] I've accidentally been into a "Do Not Enter" one way road plenty of times.
[x] Sometimes I just...stop thinking and zone out.
[ ] It is POSSIBLE to lick your elbow.
[ ] I just tried to lick my elbow.
[ ] People often shake their heads and walk away from me.
[x] People often tell me to use my "inside voice"
[x] Gum has fallen out of my mouth while talking.
[x] I use my fingers to do simple math sometimes
[ ] I've jumped off a moving vehicle
[ ] I've eaten a bug for $5 or less
[x] I'm taking this test when I should be doing something more important.
[ ] I repost chain letters because I'm scared of what they threaten will happen if I don't.
[x] I've removed my pants when I was with friends.
[ ] I've ran around naked when I was with friends
[x] I've searched all over the place for something, and then realized it was in my hand the whole time.
[ ] I "accidentally break" a lot of things.
[ ] My friends know not to use big words on me.
[ ] I put my head to the side when I'm confused.
[x] Sometimes I start telling a story and suddenly forget what I'm talking about.
[x] I've fallen off of my chair before.
[ ] When I'm laying in bed, I sometimes stare at the ceiling and try to find pictures and words in the texture.

I tag you ... post in the comments your percentage!

Then copy and paste into your new post, take out my x's and put in your own. Add up your x's and multiply by 3 to get your "stupid percentage".

Sick Again

Joshua and I are sick again, this time with a stomach virus. The only good thing is that James has not gotten it and Joe, so far, only has a cold. Neither of us has been able to eat anything in more than 36 hours. We both saw the doctor this morning and he said that Joshua is dehydrated so if I can't get him to keep any liquids down by tonight we will have to take him to the hospital. I am trying REALLY hard to get him to sip Pedialyte every 20 minutes because I cannot spend one more night in the Pediatrics ward at MSA hospital - we had our fill of that last month with James!!

Finally, New Pictures ...

The first picture was from December, James was less than a month old.

The final three pictures were taken earlier this week (James at 2 months old).

New Photo

For those of you who have been asking for a new photo of James, here is one taken with Steph's cell phone about 2 weeks ago while we were waiting in the Emergency Room to be admitted to MSA Hospital. He has gained about 2 pounds since then but I haven't had a chance to upload any new photos. Mom took the boys to Walmart yesterday for photos and we'll have them back in 2 weeks so I'll definitely post new pictures then.

What a MOOSE!

James' official 2 month stats are in ... he was 15 lbs 5 oz and 25'' tall at 2 months of age. Joshua, our original moose, was only 13 lbs 13 oz and 24 1/4'' tall at 2 months old (and look at him now). James is so far off the charts that I'm a little worried ...

Updates

James got his 2 month immunizations today (2 in each leg) and weighed in at a whopping 15 lbs 5 oz ... more than a pound heavier than Joshua at this age!!

Joshua was awake 4 times during the night, wanting to cuddle with his Mommy. We figured he was coming down with something because he was very clingy and cuddly yesterday (thanks for holding his all through church, Myn). It was a VERY exhausting night, up with Joshua 4 times and James twice. My wonderful husband got up early for work and fed James for his 6am feeding, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU honey! I desperately needed the sleep!!

James has always been a very gaseous little boy (:P) but today he won't stop crying and his belly is so hard ... I don't know what to do ... we never had this problem with Joshua. He is spitting up everything I try to feed him and is just crying and crying ... help! (The doctor just called me back and suggested Ovol but even that is not working.) :(

Any suggestions?!?

Great News!

One of my best and oldest friends just told me some amazing news! (We've been friends for about 17 years ... since she and Steph were in the same grade 2 class together.)

She sent me the above picture on MSN Messenger and then told me their third baby is due in September!! :)

Congratulations Mike, Lyndsay, Bayleigh and Carter!! We can't wait to meet the new baby!

Just Call Him, 'The Nebulizer'

As many of you know, James was admitted to the hospital last Friday morning because of his RSV (a common respiratory virus) and bronchiolitis which caused him to suffer from some fairly severe dehydration. He was having a lot of trouble breathing and coughed almost constantly.

The pediatrician put him on oral steroids and ventolin (through a mask) for his lungs. RSV, when contracted by babies less than 3 months old, causes their bronchioles and alveoli (lungs) to swell, thus preventing them from breathing. The ventolin is a bronchodilator which means it expands the airways for a short period of time (usually about 4 hours), allowing the baby to breathe. While the medication did not help him to get better, it did help him to breathe so he was able to eat and get re-hydrated. So after 3 long days and 2 even longer nights we were allowed to take him back home on Sunday.

I stayed with James the first night (Friday night) but there were 2 other babies in the room who took turns screaming all night long. Joe was really sweet and offered to stay the second night so I could get some sleep and I quickly took him up on his offer (even though I felt guilty for leaving the baby)! The RSV virus is extremely contagious so we were all put in isolation which meant the babies could not leave the room nor get within a metre of eachother and us parents were supposed to put on gowns, masks, and rubber gloves every time we left the room. All visitors, doctors, and nurses also had to wear protective gowns, gloves and masks whenever they entered the room ... nothing like making us feel like we had the plague! :P

We came home Sunday afternoon with a prescription for Ventolin and a rented nebulizer. (It gives the medication in a vapour form which is more effective than a regular 'puffer' chamber). By Tuesday morning, though, James had started experiencing apnic episodes where he would briefly stop breathing (for maybe 10 seconds at a time) and then start again on his own. I was worried but sleep apnea is a complication of RSV so I figured we would be okay. I held him most of that morning so that I could keep an eye on him but then needed a shower so put him into his swing, hoping that if he did stop breathing the rocking motion might remind him to inhale.

Well, I emerged from the shower about 15 minutes later to find my little baby in the swing - limp, not breathing, and blue around the lips. I freaked out!! I immediately picked him up and shook him and then called our family doctor, crying. He advised to me call the ambulance and so there we were on our way back to the hospital for the second time in one week. We had to wait in Emergency for over 5 hours before they finally admitted James and moved us up to Pediatrics for yet another stay in isolation. We were in a different room, again with 2 babies, but they just happened to be 2 families we had stayed with last time. One was still in there and the other had been discharged Monday and was back on Tuesday, just like us. Apparently RSV can get better and then worsen again many times in the 6 weeks it usually takes to go away in small infants. We stayed another 2 long nights (this time Joe was at work so I had to stay both nights) and now we are home, extremely exhausted yet feeling lucky to be out of that room!! James' pediatrician has advised me to watch him closely for the next several days for apnic episodes. I am not sure why we were released from the hospital already when James has suffered from 10 episodes in the past 36 hours, the most recent being 2 of them overnight last night but here we are at home.

I am ready to stare at his chest for the next week, if I have to, to make sure he's going to be okay ...

James' First Visit to the Emergency Room

Steph and I had to take James to the emergency room today while Mom and Rick watched Joshua. The baby was coughing and having trouble breathing and then he lost his voice. It was so cute to see him crying but not hear any noise. Cute but also a little scary!

The doctors were so nice. They gave him some steroids through a mask and then took a chest x-ray and tested him for the RSV virus. The x-rays were good but he tested positive for RSV (a completely normal virus that is only especially harmful in small infants). So he is now on a baby inhaler and we have to watch him for the next 10-12 days in case it gets worse.

Joshua has a doctor's appointment tomorrow afternoon as he has been very whiney and clingy lately, even waking up a few times a night. It's probably just anothe ear infection resulting from his cold, though. So he should be better in a little while.

I will hopefully be getting my normal nights back soon enough (where I only have to wake up twice with the baby, not with Joshua as well!!) Life sure is more hectic with 2 than 1!!

James Comes to Church

Today was James' welcome to the church (after a 40 day rest for both me and the baby). The ceremony is called being 'churched' where he was officially welcomed in with prayers for him as well as myself. I have several photos of the ceremony thanks to Amy Lanteigne. :)

Life Expectancy Calculator

Joe found this site on the internet and it's kind of cool. You input all the information and it gives you an estimate on how long you will live. Mine said 89.96 years while Joe's was 85.6. Joshua got about 62 years and James' was 56 ... I think the program thought my babies were "little people", thus shortening their life spans?!? :P

http://gosset.wharton.upenn.edu/mortality/perl/CalcForm.html

Joe's first attempt said he would only live to be just over 28 (another 13 months) but he went back and realized he'd accidentally input that he had Aids and was not receiving any treatment for it ... OOPS! ;)

James' 1st Photo Shoot

We had our first 'family of 4' photo shoot in early December (Joshua was 18 months old and James was 12 days old) with Clay and Jeannine of Custom Concept Photography. It was actually a lot of fun and they got some great shots. Here are some of my favorites of James.

Check out Joshua's blog for pictures of the 2 boys together.

Family Photos

Adjustments

Today was the St Nicholas party at our church. We packed up both kids and headed out (getting there only about an hour late). :P

Joshua was really good, as he has been lately. Although, I didn't see him very much as he was hanging out with the older kids and stealing candy off the gingerbread houses. James slept through most of the party but kept waking up starving and then falling asleep almost as soon as he started nursing. It was not fun because I had to feed him alone in the washrooom as all the other rooms were being used, the car was too cold, and he's not yet good enough to nurse in public. :P

We stayed at the party for a few hours, visiting with friends, and then decided to go visit Joe's family on the way home. By that time Joshua and I were exhausted but we stayed there for about 2 hours before I had to get home and take a nap.

This evening Joshua is being HORRIBLE! Despite a 3 hour nap he is running around the house, getting into everything and refusing to listen to his Daddy or me. I don't know what to do!! He has been so good since we brought James home and now today it's like he has run out of patience and tolerance. As I type this he is trying to get at the key
b
oa
r
d .
and screaming.

*grrr*

(That was typed with some help from Joshua).

His Mommy is running out of patience too.

It's a Boy!

James David Michael Parson was born at 7:22 am on Tuesday, November 28. He weighed 8 lbs 8oz and was just under 20 inches long (4 oz. and 2.5'' less than Joshua!).

I was not expecting to go into labour for at least another week because I had convinced myself the baby would be late so, even when I was having horrible contractions, I thought they were false or pre-labour. The contractions started at 4pm Sunday and by 3am we had to go to the hospital for medication for the pain. At that point I was only 2 cms (out of 10) so they gave me morphine and sent me home, saying it could be another few days. By 6am I had Joe call the hospital and ask what else I could do because I could not cope and the morphine was not working. They said to have a bath which definitely did not work! We drove back to the hospital and got there at 630 am. When they checked me I was almost 10 cms and ready to push. I was shocked and screaming for an epidural but there was no time. We waited the 15 minutes it took the doctor to get there from home and then 12 minutes of pushing and he was out (large head and all). ;)

It was extremely painful but I'm definitely in better shape post-birth than I was with Joshua.

Joe has the next 2 weeks off and we are home and adjusting to our new family so if anyone wants to stop over for a visit, please feel free to give us a call!

Some Pregnancy Photos

We had our pregnancy photos taken at Custom Concepts Photography on the long weekend in November. We won't officially get the pictures back until we have the newborn and Christmas family ones taken but here are a few that Clay and Jeannine posted on their blog (http://beta.blogger.com/profile/04846761507711289867). I hope they don't mind that I stole these. ;)

Joshua was only happy and cooperative when he was being given smarties or playing with the hockey equipment ... thus, in the first picture he's holding a hockey stick and in the last one is eating a smartie. His new favorite word and game is "hockey". *L*

39 Week Update

I had my 39 week doctor appointment with Dr. Kornelson today. I have only met him once before, when he was breaking my water and giving me an epidural with Joshua (18 months ago), but he somehow remembered me! He has an amazing bedside manner, I must say!

The baby is measuring at just over 41 weeks, which is apparently the same as Joshua did at this stage. The heart rate is 130 and my weight is UP (a lot).

The doctor took the extra time to feel around my stomach and tell me exactly how the baby is positioned and which direction it is facing, etc ... A nice change!

My appointment was for 130 this afternoon but Dr. K was delivering a baby and would "be back any minute" so I waited around for a long time and finally got in to see him at 4pm. Thank goodness I had left Joshua with his Grandma and Grandpa during the appointment!! Thus, when Dr. K offered to check my cervix and sweep my membranes (which induces labour) I did not even realize my mouth was open until I heard myself say, "That's okay, you are running so far behind and don't really have time to do that today. We can wait until next week". Am I crazy?!? I regretted the words the minute they were out of my mouth but it was too late ... he agreed with me and said he'd see me next week, if not before ... I am such a dumb girl! :P

Thoughts 2

Our visits with Sarah always make me feel better. I now know that I can handle the labour, delivery and new baby any time he or she chooses to arrive. Even if it is sooner rather than later. ;)

Some Thoughts

There is now less than 6 days until my due date and yet it feels so far away! I was more prepared and ready for this new baby 2 weeks ago than I am today. In fact, the closer it gets, the further away it seems. Hopefully my thoughts will change before the day of delivery!

Matushka Sarah is coming over tonight to meet with us and go over birthing plans so maybe that will help me become better prepared and feel more ready ...

38 Week Appointment

I had my 38 week prenatal appointment today with Dr. Driedger. He had 2 women in labour at the hospital (one was already pushing) so he was in a bit of a hurry but he did manage to check all our vitals and tell me the baby is still healthy and growing with a heart rate of 150 bpm. Also, he said they will usually induce 7-10 days after the official due date (usually 7) so I won't still be pregnant at Christmastime, as I feared. :P

One way or another this baby will be on it's way by December 9!! :)

My Little Slug ... Oh, the memories!

It's amazing the things you find when you look back through the computer ... here is a picture of Joshua, taken at 2 weeks old, that only a mother could find cute! *L* (He looks like a slug!)

Yesterday

Yesterday was a good day. Joshua and I watched Joe play hockey with the Goads (our Church's team) and then we came home and had our pregnancy pictures taken (some with Joshua are SO cute!)

I started getting some fairly painful contractions at about 4pm and by the time we were at our photo appointment at 7pm, I could barely walk or breathe through them. Joe and I came back home, had dinner and headed to the hospital at 9pm just to be checked out since by then the contractions were (again) 3-4 minutes apart. Of course, I had my last contraction as I was checking in at emergency and then we got to sit on the non-stress test machine for 30 minutes watching the baby move, with no contractions in sight. *grrr*

This baby just wants to torment me! ;)

So, now everything is back to normal and I'm counting on carrying this baby for at least another 2 weeks ... then (hopefully) I won't get my hopes up for no reason, again.

What a Night!

Last night was horrible! I had incredibly painful contractions that started in my lower abdomen and spread all over and into my back all night long. I was able to fall asleep with them at around 11 but then Joshua woke up for a bottle at 230 (as has become his custom over the past 3 nights) and I was having such painful contractions every 5-6 minutes that I couldn't go back to sleep.

Poor Joe! I tossed and turned and complained for over an hour before I decided to get up and have a bath. The contractions continued for the next few hours while I had a shower, walked around the house, drank water, ate some cereal and laid on the couch. I didn't want to wake Joe up and head to the hospital because I was paranoid they'd send me home and he has a church hockey game to play in today that I didn't want him to miss ... it sounds like it'll be a lot of fun!

Finally, at about 530 I decided that I knew how far apart the contractions were (every 3-4 minutes by this time) but not how long each one lasted so I got out a stop watch and started to time them. I figured I would time 4 and then call the hospital to see that to do. They were 50 to 60 seconds in duration but I had only 4 more contractions and then they stopped! All that incredible pain for nothing! *Grrr*

At least I was able to go back to sleep until Joshua woke up at 10. :)

37 Week Visit

I had my 37 week appointment with Dr. Driedger yesterday and everything is good. The baby's heart rate really jumps around and was 140 bpm this week. It's been as low as 130 and as high as 170. Hmmm ...

Hopefully we have less than 3 weeks to go! :)

A Visit with Mat. Sarah

I had my first official visit with Matushka Sarah yesterday regarding my pregnancy and labour and delivery. Joshua was tired because it was around his nap time so he was grumpy and whiney but her son Simon tried to keep him occupied so it worked out okay. We discussed my expectations for labour (I don't even know what they are) and what medications I'd like to rely on (I'm definitely keeping my options open). Surprising enough, she helped me the most with breastfeeding tips. Mat Sarah went through similar issues with her first that I went through with Joshua and was able to overcome them and nurse her next 2 children with minimal problems. It made me feel a lot better and more confident in my ability to nourish this child. *L*

I am definitely ready to have this baby (with the help of Joe and Matushka). ;)

Some mistakes are GREAT!

My sister Cindy is four months pregnant and had her ultrasound last week which showed she is having a girl in March. But due to some complications she had to have an amnio last Friday and it turns out that not only is the baby healthy but it's actually a boy!

Cindy and Mike really wanted a boy and truthfully seemed a little disappointed after the ultrasound so I am extremely happy and excited to hear their news! I can't wait to meet you, baby Michael Marcotte! :)

Almost Done the Kitchen and Living Room!

Obviously we still need to install the chair rail, some trim and all the baseboards but if the baby chose to come now, at least it's liveable! :)

Before the Renovations

36 Weeks

I am huge, tired, uncomfortable, and SICK of being pregnant.

A Doula

Joe and I hired a Doula today, to help in our labour and delivery. Matushka Sarah is the wife of one of the priests at our church (Father Justin) and is also a mother of 3 children (her youngest is less than 2 months old). I had never thought of hiring a Doula or, in fact, having anyone in the room besides Joe but after my experiences with the nurses when having Joshua, and hearing the birth stories of women who have used a Doula (specifically, Amy with Matushka Sarah), I couldn't say no.

Many people have asked me what a Doula does in the delievery room so here is an excerpt from Matushka Sarah's blog ...

The Purpose and Value of Labour Support

For most women, giving birth is a pivotal and life changing experience. It can affect, for better or for worse, how the mother feels about her baby, how well they bond, and even the mother’s relationships with her partner and other children. The medical community is recognizing how much the mother’s state of mind can affect the efficiency of labour and is returning to a more natural environment and labour practices, as well as continuing to provide all the miracles and safety of modern medicine. This helps birthing mothers to feel more relaxed, reassured, and in control of their birthing experience.

A doula provides emotional and physical support as well as information to the birthing mother and her partner before and during labour. Having that kind of support usually means a substantial advantage toward achieving better birthing experiences. A doula’s goal is to help the family, through this support, to have as satisfying a birth as possible, regardless of whether they want a natural labour, a painless one, or a c-section. In some cases this means helping them adjust to a labour that does not go as they hoped due to medical emergencies.

A doula provides the mother and her partner with information so they understand what is taking place, which allays fears and enables them to work with the mother’s body and the medical professionals. This information provides them with more choices and more confidence in making decisions regarding those choices. A doula can provide the couple with useful questions and productive ways of approaching concerns with their care providers, facilitating a smooth interaction with hospital staff, if that is an issue.

A doula takes care of the mother emotionally and psychologically during labour by assuring her she is doing well, making her feel cared for, important, and miraculous. She can, in many ways, labour right along with her, conducting and directing her energy and pain. She can assure and direct the partner, giving him confidence in his ability to be helpful which in turn is comforting for the mother to have a calm and confident partner.

A doula can provide physical comfort to help cope with pain, as well as suggestions for positions and techniques that can encourage efficient labour. She can direct the partner in ways he can physically support the birthing mother, which enables him to be an even better support than he might have been without the doula present.

Women who have had a doula usually express much more satisfaction with their labours, even if they’ve had interventions they did not anticipate. They more readily speak of their labours as a wonderful and memorable moment in their lives, a special, intimate, and joyful experience with their partner. Many find healing and closure for previous disappointing labours. The partners express immense gratitude for the doula and sometimes surprise at how much difference the doula’s support has made.

Statistics in studies carried out by medical professionals such Kennel and Klaus (as detailed in the DONA Position Paper and Klaus, “Maternal Assistance and Support in Labor”) demonstrate that having a doula-supported labour significantly decreases the length of labour, the incidence of medical complication, and the amount of medication and medical intervention needed during labour, including c-sections, epidural anesthesia, and forceps or vacuum delivery. Doula support also improves the effectiveness of medication when it is used. Studies also show improved postpartum outcomes in areas such as healing, bonding, and breastfeeding.

The doula’s responsibility during labour is strictly one of support. She does not make any medical decisions, perform clinical tasks, offer second opinions or medical advice, or speak on behalf of the mother. She does not push her own goals on the labouring woman, but supports the labouring woman’s desires for her birth. The doula’s role is a unique and important one that does not take the place of the partner, the nurses or the health-care provider. In fact, the doula’s support of the mother helps all of these individuals to fulfill their own roles and responsibilities during labour in the best possible way.

*SHUDDER*

I have mentioned to Joe on more than one occasion that if he ever decided to grow a mustache I'd have to leave him ... the other day he came out of the bathroom, after a shave, looking like this. My bags are packed! :P

Another Joe Update

Joe saw his doctor today and the numbness in his hands and neck is due to a degenerative condition in his spine which is compressing the vertebrae and pinching the nerves. There is nothing that can be done for him. The pain in his back is caused by arthritis ... at the age of 26! He is not taking the news very well and I'm worried about him.

Joe Update

Joe has still been experiencing the numbness in his neck and hands so I decided to call his doctor again yesterday for an update. It had been 3 weeks since his x-rays and we hadn't heard anything so I assumed nothing was found on them but wanted to know what the next step would be.

When I called, the receptionist told me they don't call if everything is normal (I know) and then, when I said I needed to know what was happening next, she suggested she'd just check out the x-ray. It turns out his doctor was away when they came back and another doctor looked at them. They show a narrowing of the spine (whatever that means) and she booked an appointment for Joe to go in to see his doctor "as soon as possible".

My problem with this office is that now they not only misdiagnosed his bicep tear for 3 MONTHS last year but they also did not follow up on a matter that seems to be important, judging by the receptionist's demeanor on the phone. I need to find him a new doctor!!

House Renovations

I haven't been posting lately because Joe and I have been so busy with the house renovations. Since last Friday we have ripped up all the carpet in the living room, hallway and office and installed laminate floors. We also painted these rooms and ordered the new linoleum for the kitchen. I started painting the kitchen as well but figured it's probably better to wait until after we've pulled off the base boards to go any further. The new floors and walls look amazing. It'll look better once we get the trim and base boards back up but I'm happy with the work we accomplished in the last week. Joe says that when we do the upstairs we're hiring someone to install the floors for us, though *L*. He really did an amazing job for someone who has never done renovations before. I am SO proud of him! We've hired professionals to do the linoleum in the kitchen. It seems cheaper in the long run than having Joe take more time off work and attempt another new project. Hopefully we will be almost done the renovations by the time the baby arrives! :)

33 Week Appointment

I had my 33 week doctor appointment this morning and everything is going great. My blood pressure and weight gain were normal and the baby's heartbeat is 155. It was by far the quickest appointment I've ever had at their office ... 5 minutes total. The baby's head is down but is still quite high which, this far from my due date, I think is a good thing. :)

33 Weeks

I am 33 weeks pregnant and feeling *BLAH*. The baby is getting bigger and putting so much pressure on my pelvis that I can sometimes hardly walk. 7 more weeks to go?!? How is that possible? My quick shopping trip to Superstore today turned into 2 hours of slowly shuffling my way up and down the aisles *L*. It was definitely a good thing that my Mom and Rick were watching Joshua! :)

I have also developed what I can only assume is third trimester morning sickness (has anyone heard of this before?) ... we even had to leave church last Sunday because I couldn't make it through to the end. I guess it's true what they say, every pregnancy is different! (Even though up until now it's been fairly similar to Joshua, even in the way the baby moves and where it kicks me the most.

Joe's Dad thinks thie baby is a girl because apparently Athina was sick with Becky in the last trimester but not so with 3 of the 4 boys. Hmmm ... I still think it's probably a boy but we'll have to wait and see ...

On the plus side, I am enjoying my time with Joshua so much lately. Sometimes I need to lay down in the middle of the day so I lay on the couch and he climbs all over me ... playing and laughing. And he is back to playing nicely by himself for a few hours each day. For the past two months he has been sick and has needed constant attention. It got so exhausting! But he is back to his loveable, independent little self. I LOVE THIS LITTLE BOY SO MUCH! It actually makes me sad to think that I'll be losing my one-on-one play and cuddle time with the little monkey so soon. But I guess he'll be getting a new sibling to play with so I can't be too sad for us.

The house renovations were stalled for a while but Joe and I bought some new laminate flooring today for out living room, hallway and office. We now have less than 7 weeks to install it and neither of us know what we're doing. *EEK* We also need to get the walls painted and replace the linoleum in the kitchen (just because it's ugly). When you come over in 6 months and we're all still living on exposed concrete, you'll know why! *L*

Joe's Health

Joe has been having some trouble with his hands since last January. They are tingly and numb a lot of the time. He has an appointment with a neurologist but they are booking 9 months in advance (thus, his appointment is not until the end of January). We were hoping the problem was a pinched nerve (though we have absolutely no medical information to back that claim) because it might be fairly easy to correct (again, I don't know if pinched nerves are, in fact, easy to fix). Yesterday, though, some tingling and numbness started at the base of his neck and by last night it was spreading down to the middle of his back. I am really scared of what this could be ...

He sees his doctor this afternoon but neither of us have a lot of faith in his doctor after the misdiagnosis on his arm last year.

Please pray for him.

31 Week Doctor Visit

I had my 31 week appointment with Dr. Shaw today (one of my obstetricians). She is so nice!

She answered a few questions that I had. Apparently, if I have more than 4 contractions in an hour again I have to go to the hospital because at this stage in my pregnancy they would be concerned about premature delivery (I've been having fairly painful contractions every day for almost 2 weeks). Otherwise, she's happy with my weight gain and the baby's development.

The baby's heart rate was only 130 beats per minute this time, usually it's been around 150. Joshua's was always between 150 and 170. Hmmm ... could it be a girl?!?

Also, when she was measuring the fundal height (the distance from the pubic bone to the top of the baby) she looked shocked and kept checking her chart and then re-measuring my belly. It turns out I'm measuring a few weeks bigger than I should be (I'm measuring just over 34 weeks at 31 weeks). Then I asked her what I measured with Joshua and it turns out we were the same. She said, again, that Joe and I just make big babies. *L*

So, our little guy/girl is actually closer to 5 lbs. (No wonder I feel so huge!) :)

31 Weeks Today!

Well, I don't know about you but I've never seen a 3.5 lb, 18'' long Barbie doll! :P

The Baby at 30 weeks ...

This is not our exact baby ... in case you didn't notice, it's a drawing! :P

Baby Stats

Baby #2 is now over 16 inches long and weighs around 3 pounds. We have less than 11 weeks to go until we meet him or her!! (Hopefully, anyway!) ;)

Christmas Gift Dilemma

Joe and I never know what to get his parents, brothers and sister for Christmas (or birthdays either, for that matter!). I find it really easy to shop for my sister and parents but his family is an enigma to me. Last year we got them tickets to a Giants hockey game and we all went together and while it went over alright, it was not the amazing gift we all want to give to our families at Christmastime, you know?

So, this year we are throwing around the idea of buying them a swimming pool. Joe thinks this is a good plan but I'm worried that giving one gift to 7 people (who will all definitely live at home for at least another 3 years) is kind of weird ... Plus, what if not everyone wants to have a pool? His sister and one brother would love it, I'm sure; but there are 4 kids, ranging in age from 19 to 25 and I don't know if this gift might be a little too young for them. And will his Mom like it as much as his Dad?!? Oh, the dilemma ...

Apparently they talked about getting a pool a few years ago but for some reason never got one. Hmmm ... what should we do? The pool would be similar to this one but it is a little bit better in that is has steel sides, not plastic.

(I realize no one knows them very well, and certainly not better than Joe and I, but any advice would be very much appreciated).

New Baby Cook!

Congratulations to one of my best friends, Cheryl, and her husband, Corey, on the birth of their first child, Devon Riley James Cook, on August 30 at 6:31 pm! The little guy weighed in at 5 lbs 15 oz and has A LOT of dark hair (under the hat). Cheryl and I have been best friends for 15 years and I could not be more excited for her! He is such a tiny little guy. :)

Baby Weight

I just found out that by this point in my pregnancy (beginning of the third trimester) I should have gained about 17-24 lbs. I am actually just back to the weight I was when we found out we were pregnant in March. (I lost a lot of weight in the first 4 months of pregnancy).

I know, you're not supposed to worry about gaining weight when you're pregnant as it's a natural occurrence and is necessary for the healthy growth and development of the fetus but I was overweight in March! I gained a whopping 50 lbs with Joshua and it did not entirely come off in those first 9 months following his birth (before I became pregnant with #2). So, to me, this lack of weight gain is a wonderful thing! (I am still at a more-than-healthy weight, believe me!)

In fact, my doctor told me at my last appointment that if I continue like this and have 3 more kids, I can be 110 lbs by the time we're done! (I realize that at almost 5'11'' that's just not possible ... but a girl can dream, can't she?!?) ;)

Another Hospital Visit

Grrr ... I was back in the hospital on Wednesday afternoon with another migraine headache. They kept me in maternity triage for 5 hours monitoring the baby and giving me pain medication, even though I told them that the baby was fine, it was just my head that hurt! :P

It has only been 3 weeks since my last migraine and already another one?!? (My second one ever). I hope this baby comes early (like, safely at 36 weeks) because I can't handle much more of this!

In better news, the baby seems to be healthy and growing quickly! (It is very active already -- similar to how Joshua was in utero -- where I can't even go a few hours without it waking me up with a good, solid kick!) ;)

Double Strollers

Does anyone have any advice on double strollers? Since Joshua and the new baby will be about 18 months apart I have been researching and pricing double strollers, but it seems they are not only very expensive but also come with mixed reviews.

We're leaning towards getting the Graco Duo-Glide Metropolitan stroller and car seat as there seem to be more good reviews than bad about this particular brand and model but I was wondering if anyone had any ideas or opinions on this matter?!?

Please help!!

What a Day

I spent the afternoon at my friend Cheryl's house, planning her baby shower, with my sister Stephanie, for this Saturday. They did the baking before I got there and then we planned the decorations and started on the party favours. After a few hours, Joshua was ready to come home so we left Cheryl's house and he quickly ran off down the street, after my sister. I finally caught him to put him in the car but he was fairly upset at being in captivity and kept whining incessantly. So, as I was belting Joshua into his car seat, I handed him my car keys to calm him down. They worked so well that I figured, why not let him hang onto them as I got in the front seat and then grab them once we were ready to take off. Unfortunately, I didn't notice that he had hit the keyless entry remote on the keys and all the doors were locked.

Thus started 30 minutes of Joshua and I crying in unison as he was trapped in the HOT car and I waited on the outside for the tow truck driver to arrive, feeling like the worst mother in the world. It was by far the fastest BCAA call I have ever experienced as they were there in no time and were very quick in getting the doors unlocked, however, I am still traumatized by the experience. Joshua seemed to be over it as soon as I put him in the bath and got him clean and dry. Now, though, I feel like a horrible and neglectful mother ... what kind of person locks their baby in the car?!? It is definitely time to get a spare key made up! (One that Joe doesn't take with him to work in Aldergrove).

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, HERE WE COME!

And we're almost off! :)

Our last girls' road trip starts tomorrow! Stephanie, Jen and I will leave Wednesday morning for 3 days in the USA. Thursday night we will atend the Tim McGraw and Faith Hill Soul II Soul 2 Tour at Key Arena in Seattle and, other than that, we will mainly sight-see and shop. :)

Jen moves to Manitoba in September to attend a Christian University so this is supposed to be our 'farewell tour'. :P

We started our roadtrips in 2001 with a trip to George, WA for a Tim McGraw concert at the Gorge, a week-long trip to the Merritt Mountain Music Festival, and a week camping in Osoyoos. 2002 brought the beginning of our annual trips (with Deanne) to stay at a hostel in Kelowna. Those trips ended when, in 2005, Jen made a trip of her own to Nicaragua to volunteer in an orphanage for the summer. Last year, Steph and I had to keep the tradition alive by taking a trip to stay in Osoyoos for a few days with 3 month old Joshua -- that was definitely different than our trips with the girls! ;)

So, this year will probably be our last for a while ... unless Jen can get away when she comes home in the summers and I can escape the growing family for a few days next year! *crosses fingers*

Yesterday

Yesterday was an interesting day.

Joe and I had plans for a dinner/football game date night but, once he finished work, it turned into a 'rush to the game and get there just as it started' kind of date. It was still very nice, though. The BC Lions won against the Edmonton Eskimos, 34-17. We then came home (where my parents and Steph had already put Joshua to bed in his own room ... I love this set-up!).

I was starting to get a small headache as we got home but that's a normal pregnancy thing for me so I just ignored it. Then, however, at about 2 am I awoke with the worst headache I have ever had and couldn't get comfortable, was too dizzy to walk and kept vomitting from the pain. I took countless pills of tylenol before I realized I couldn't keep them down long enough for them to work and so decided to call the BC Nurse's Help Line for assistance.

When I explained what was happening to the nurse on duty last night she demanded that I call 911 immediately. This completely freaked me out since she told me I couldn't even have Joe drive me to the hospital but needed to be taken by an ambulance on a stretcher. So, I called 911 and made the decision to have Joe drive me anyway mainly because I didn't want to get a bill for an ambulance ride when he was home and, thanks again to Steph and my parents living nearby, able to leave Joshua sleeping in order to take me to the hospital. The rest of my story is pretty disgusting from here on out so I will just say that my headache was a migraine (I have a complete new respect for people who suffer from migraines ... I always just thought they were really bad headaches), which caused almost constant vomitting and then the vomitting caused contractions. By early this morning I had been admitted to the maternity ward at MSA Hospital and repeatedly pumped full of copious amounts of Morphine, Gravol and another anti-nauseau medications that I can't pronounce. :P

I am now discharged and home with the lingering remains of a headache (as the Morphine is wearing off), getting ready to have some friends over for a barbecue. I probably should have cancelled and stayed in bed but then what kind of a friend would I be?!? ;)

The moral of my story ... don't ever get a migraine (as if you could help it)!!

Baby Updates

I had my first appointment with the Obstetrician today and had forgotten how annoying these appointments can be. *L* (Not the appointments themselves, just trying to get in to see a doctor who delivers several babies each week).

I set my alarm early so I could be up and at the office for my morning appointment and then got the call just as I was heading out the door that Dr. Shaw was at the hospital delivering a baby. So, my appointment was resceduled for a later time. (This was not actually that annoying and wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't already set my alarm and gotten ready!) ;)

The appointment went well. I had only gained 2 pounds instead of the 4 I thought and the doctor is happy with the baby's growth and development to date. She made a comment about the size of the baby already and told me if I wanted to have smaller babies I would definitely have to choose from a different gene pool, though. *L*

My due date has been changed to November 30 (based on the last ultrasound) which makes me really happy ... the end of November doesn't seem as far away as the beginning of December did! :P

My only concern is that the baby's heartbeat was irregular. Dr. Shaw couldn't even find it using the doppler (despite the fact I am over 23 weeks along) and had to use the ultrasound machine to locate it. When she finally found the heartbeat it was only at 60 bpm. The average baby's rate ranges from 120 to 170. When she poked the baby and made it move the heart rate rose to 150 bpm but she said we'll have to keep an eye on it. Dr. Shaw gave me a name for this developmental condition but I can't remember it and so can't even go on the internet and learn more about it. :(

Has anyone heard of this before? Any ideas? Apparently it can happen when the baby's nervous system is developing ...

Otherwise, things are going great. I will go for some blood tests in a few weeks to check for gestational diabetes and also to check my iron levels. They want to rule out anemia since I have been so run down and exhausted lately. (I have been anemic several times in the past but this exhaustion could also be a result of having a VERY active 14 month old boy at home!) ;)

That's what's happening in my pregnancy today ...

Fun with Friends

Joshua and I had so much fun yesterday hanging out with Klaudia and Nolan Sheepwash. We met them at the Walnut Grove Community Centre for a playgroup they hold there for children up to 6 years of age. Joshua was a little unsure at first but then started to really enjoy watching the other children and eating the snacks provided (they even provide Starbucks coffee and snacks for the Mama's ... plus, some to take home!). Nolan had no such worries and was playing by himself as soon as we opened the door to go in. :)

We then continued on to the swimming pool which they have in the same building. It was nice to take Joshua swimming again (especially since the Abbotsford pools are closed during the city strike). Joshua especially loved the swimming and grinned and giggled the whole 2 hours we were in there. My only complaint is that my little man in not at all afraid of the water! He has become a little daredevil and likes to walk off ledges and the edge of seats in the pool so that I have to run over and save him. He dropped off into the 4-plus foot deep water at least 15 times and then would sputter and giggle as I pulled him out. It was exhausting for me! Joe and I definitely have to start shopping for a life jacket for the boy. I've been able to find ones for under 30 lbs but Joshua is too heavy to fit them and I can't find the next size up anywhere. :(

We had such a good time that we've decided to make our Tuesday morning trips a routine (at least until Nick, Klaudia and Nolan move to Montreal at the end of the summer) :(

Baby Update

I saw my doctor this morning for the last time until after the baby arrives (I'll start seeing my obstetrician in 3 weeks). He says the baby looks great and my ultrasound confirms my due date of December 2. Also, I've only gained one pound in over 6 weeks and I was wearing way heavier clothes than last time. YAY!! This puts me at only 8 pounds more than this stage with Joshua, and I was a whopping 30 lbs heavier when I got pregnant with this second one than with him!! They say nursing is a great way to lose the weight after a baby but 9 months of nursing cannot compare to 5 months of being pregnant!! ;)

Also, when we had the ultrasound on Monday, Joe thinks he saw a penis. So, this could be another boy. We're going to wait until the birth to find out for sure though.

Things here are going great. Joshua was a perfect little boy at the appointment this morning. He just sat on his own chair and played with his little firetruck and ate mini marshmallows. I was very proud to be his Mama and got a lot of compliments of how well behaved my little man is! (If only they could see him at home when he doesn't get what he wants ... talk about ATTITUDE!)

Joe's arm is allowed to go to 20 degrees now so he's back at physio and doing his stretches again. His physiotherapist told him the arm only has a small window of time to stretch and then it's set forever so he's now worried that his doctor can't get him in until the end of August to check the bicep and allow him more range of motion. I don't blame him, though, he's supposed to be seen every 4-6 weeks by the surgeon and it'll be over 2 months by the time the doctor gets back from his vacation. Summer is not a good time for surgery or rehabilitation! (Steph is going through the same thing with the surgeon and her shoulder.)

This afternoon Joshua will get his 12 month immunizations. I completely forgot to book them around his birthday so luckily they could fit my almost 14 month old boy in this week! He's usually pretty good about it, if just a bit whiney, but we'll stay around the house today and tomorrow just to be sure.

That's all that is new in our world. The vacation was great but it's always nice to be home! :)

Change of Plans

We have been back from St. John the Forerunner Monastery in Goldendale, WA for a few days now. The trip down was long! We kept thinking we were almost there after we passed Seattle but we actually had another 4.5 hours to go. Joshua was a great little traveller and only whined a few times when he got bored but I was not so good at entertaining him in the hot car (yes, it was hot despite the air conditioner!). Plus, our car engine likes to get very hot on long trips. Joe thinks it's just the thermostat that needs replacing but by the time we got to Yakima it was red-lining on hot.

Our actual stay at the monastery was very nice. Joe's Mom gave us her room and slept in her car. I wasn't comfortable with taking it from her but with Joshua we didn't have much of a choice! I loved how laid-back the monastery was. It was nothing like St. Anthony's in Arizona (Mom explained that this is because the monks need a more strict monastery than the nuns do ... apparently men have a harder time with the monastic lifestyle). We got to the monastery at 630 pm on Thursday and left at 630 pm on Friday. It was definitely a long drive for just a 24 hour visit but I was getting sick by Friday evening and was worried it might get worse by Saturday. Plus, it was nice to drive home in the evening when Joshua would actually sleep in the car for a while. He would not go to sleep on the trip down there!

We were able to visit with Father Paisios only twice for a short while each because he was busy the first day and a half hearing (constant) confessions and then the Bishop arrived so he helped show him around. I am happy to report that Joe's uncle is not actually as intimidating as I first thought. When we travelled down to Arizona in December of 2003 it was to receive his blessing to get married and I think he seemed so intimidating just because I was worried he would say no! :P

The trip to Goldendale has sparked Joe, Steph and I to buy plane tickets to Edmonton for next week. *L* I am definitely not doing the equivalent of another 4 of those long car rides with Joshua, despite how good he actually was! So, we fly out on Thursday of this week and fly back into Abbotsford on the following Friday. It's a fairly expensive trip with the airfare and car rental once we land but it'll be nice to see that part of the family again.

Yesterday we attended Rylan's Baptism at my Grandmother's Lutheran church in Matsqui Village. It was a nice service and he looked so cute in his Baptismal outfit! Congratulations Rylan!! :)

Anyway, enough of the twenty page blogging. I hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine (and for your sakes, the air conditioning too!) ;)

Travel Plans

Well, the next two weeks sure filled up in a hurry. Joe and I decided this morning to go down to Goldendale, Washington tomorrow morning and stay for a few days. Joe's Uncle, Father Paisios, is visiting a monastery there, up from his monastery in Arizona. He has not yet met Joshua and I've only met Father Paisios once before so this should be a nice visit. I do, for some reason though, find him a little intimidating! We'll be staying at the monastery in a room to ourselves (which is weird since our last visit to Arizona found us segregated at worship and meal times, let alone bed times ... I'm just very happy for the constant help with Joshua!) Joe's Mom and Grandma will be heading down too so we will definitely have more than enough help with the little boy.

Thus, we will leave tomorrow morning after our home-cooked breakfast at Papa and Oma's house (YUM!) and drive the 4? 5? or 6? hours to Goldendale .... I honestly have no idea how long the drive will be. (Fun with the little moose, I'm sure).

We will be back by Monday and then leave for Edmonton on Wednesday (with Stephanie) to visit our sisters and brother and attend an anniversary party for Uncle Alan and Aunt Ruth. We'll be driving and probably spending a night in Valemount on the way there and probably on the way back too. I'm not looking forward to the many hours of car travel ahead of us! Joshua hasn't been on a long car ride since he was 3 months old and slept most of the way so we'll see how this goes ... I'll keep you posted! ;)

Not a lot is going on ...

Well, for once in a long while I am happy to report that life is fairly normal right now! :)

Joe, of course, is still off work due to his bicep tear and Joshua and I are fully accustomed to having his Daddy around to play with (Joshua) and help with the house (Mommy).

Mom and Rick are away for about 10 days so we're finding out what it's actually like to not have built in babysitters and while we are having a great time constantly hanging out with the boy, we're also realizing how much easier it is to do simple things like vacuuming when he's upstairs visiting his Grandpa and Grandma Styles.

Joe, Stephanie, Joshua and I are also planning a trip to Edmonton for the end of this month. We weren't sure if it was possible since Joe's off work and we haven't yet been approved for Medical EI but we've decided to just go and make it work when we get back (that might be a mistake, I know). Luckily, my sister Sherri and her husband are almost done building their dream home in Edmonton and it will be ready about a week before we land on their doorstep! :)

The little Parson fetus is growing as I'm now almost 17 weeks pregnant. This means he/she can hear sounds from outside the uterus and is a whopping 5'' long. I can't wait to look pregnant instead of just fat! :P

What a Week!

Wow, it has been one crazy week! It all started with our sick Joshua at the hospital on the weekend. Then, we had a birthday celebration as a family on Tuesday for the little man. He wasn't yet 100% so we spent the day at home and then went to Castle Fun Park in the evening. He just clung to Joe and I like a little monkey and would not go on any of the rides so we soon left and came home.

Wednesday, Joe had an appointment to have his splint removed at MSA Hospital with his surgeon. I was feeling so sick and throwing up almost constantly but my Mom dropped me off at the hospital so I could be with Joe while he waited. This, however, was not the best thought out idea as I just spent the whole time vomitting in the washroom (and accidentally hitting the call button ... that's an embarrasing story!) Thus, I finally left Joe with his surgeon and stumbled over to the Emergency Room to see if it was okay that I was getting so dehydrated. The next thing I knew I was committed for the night and being poked by about 10 different needles as I was so dehydrated they couldn't find my veins *shudder*. I spent Wednesday night in the ER and was moved to Pediatrics on Thursday to "get more sleep". They told me I was going home and then ended up keeping me for another night in a room with a snoring woman and 2 young girls on suicide watch. WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! The girls were properly medicated and restrained and went down for the night alright but the woman was so noisy that they finally had to move me to a room with a sick baby. It was so sad! Luckily, crying is not as annoying as snoring so I was able to get more sleep the second night.

Now, I'm home cleaning and preparing food for the 55 guests I invited over on Sunday for the barbecue, despite being told to stay in bed and consume only liquids for 2 more days. *EEK*

The good news in that I'm no longer contagious and the whole experience has made me realize how incredibly fortunate we are to be able to spend every night at home with our healthy families! :)

Updates

Well, my life has completely changed overnight. Joe had his surgery in Chilliwack yesterday (I didn't call you Amy, because I had forgotten your number at home and didn't really want to leave the hospital ... I was pretty worried!) We got there at 7am and Joe was prepped for surgery (IV, really nice hospital gowns, etc...) They told me the actual surgery would take about two and a half hours so I waited, and waited, and waited ... 5 hours later I was starting to freak out, standing at the nurse's station with no nurse in sight when he was wheeled around the corner. I almost cried! :P

The surgery went well but they did have to take some of his hamstring tendon to repair his bicep tendon. Dr. Wickham explained that Joe actually had no tendon left in his arm so they had to take a piece from his leg that's about as long as his upper arm *ouch*. There's about an 85% chance that the surgery was successful so we are definitely praying about it!

Joe is on Tylenol 3's and they are not working well enough to allow him to sleep or to even
move around the house. He can't walk and his arm is in a cast from his shoulder to his fingers ... it looks horrible! (It makes me wish they had thought to operate on his opposite arm and leg, so he could at least use a crutch!)

I am thus taking care of Joshua and Joe as well as this little baby in my belly that is making me really sick! I'm glad I can do this for my family but I'm just getting so burned out already. :(

Plus, Stephanie is having shoulder surgery as I type this ... we'll have another invalid around here very soon (like, by about 6pm)!

In response to Myn's last comment, we're hoping to be at church this Sunday, if all goes well for Joe over the next 2 days. We didn't go last week because I thought Joshua was getting a cold and didn't want to give it to all the new church babies. As it turns out, I think it may just be allergies (at less than a year, poor kid ... he has no hope!)

Now for some better news, this pregnancy seems to be going well. I feel huge already but I know I'll only get bigger over the next 6 months. I'm almost 11 weeks pregnant and can't wait for the nausea to go away! I've looked back and there's absolutely no way I'm further along than I thought (as my doctor suggested) because I had a pregnancy test at the doctor's the week before I think I got pregnant and it was negative, thus there must be another explanation for measuring so big (16 weeks according to fundal height).

I hope all is well for everyone! :)

My Life ...

I had a doctor's appointment today to have the normal early pregnancy tests run and Dr. Heffner thinks I'm measuring way too big. I'm positive of my dates but he feels I'm about 5 weeks more pregnant than I should be ... hmmm ...

That would make me 3 1/2 months along! YAY! (or pregnant with twins, which I DO NOT want! -- I don't want Joshua to be the ignored big brother of twins).

So, I get an ultrasound in 3 weeks. I'm very excited ... I LOVE ultrasounds (except for the whole drink so much water you think you'll explode and then they press on your bladder thing).

Also, Joe goes in for his bicep reconstruction surgery in 6 days. I am so worried for him. I know that I've had major surgery in the past but that was me, so I didn't have to wait in the waiting room worrying like I definitely will this time.

On May 11 I'll drive him into Chilliwack and wait, worrying, until they tell me he's woken up and everything went normal. Then it's 4 months of no-work and lots of physiotherapy for him. This is definitely going to put a strain on our finances!

We just found out that Stephanie's shoulder surgery has been bumped up so she'll be in for surgery with the same surgeon (Dr. Wickham) the day after Joe's surgery (May 12). Then we'll have 2 recuperating invalids in the house. :P

I jsut got my last 2 grades back for school and I got an A- and an A+. I'm not sure what dropped that first mark but I guess I should be happy, I will graduate on the Dean's List with a 3.74 GPA with my Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice in just over one month! :D

Anyway, that's my life for now ...