Friday, April 25, 2008
The Sit-N-Spin
Well Mommy just wanted to make sure you were aware of how special you are. Mommy loves you more than words. You were so cute last night. For your Christmas Auntie S, Uncle S, and Cousin C got you a Sit-N-Spin. So for the last several months, someone (maybe Mommy or Grandma C or somebody else) would put you on it and spin you, but you would just sit there like you had no clue what was happening. Well last night was a first for you. You initiated sitting on the contraption and you actually took ahold of the wheel and spun yourself around about 3 or 4 times. It was simply amazing. You sure know how to put a smile on your Mommy's face. Keep up the good work Little Man.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Oh Poop!!!!
Just be for warned. This post might contain what most people would consider TMI. If you are quesy or easily made so, you might want to skip this one.
As if being sick for a week has not been bad enough, tonight you just through Mommy for a loop. After dinner, you got cleaned up and decide that you did not want to take a shower. You did want to go lay on Mommy's bed and got to sleep. This would have been wonderful if that is what you did. Oh no. You kept runny from the bedroom to the front room and back. This is not unusal; it is just part of your night routine to get yourself to sleep, but tonight you did something new. You came running out of the bedroom into the hall. You had not only taken off your pants, you had taken off your diaper. Mommy will admit this is not something new, but the fact that you were covered from head to toe in poop sure was. After you had taken your diaper off, you both pooped and peed on the floor in Mommy's bedroom. YUCK!! Then you smeared it all over your legs, up your tummy, on your chest, on your arm, and on your face up into your hair. DOUBLE YUCK!!! You absolutely amaze your Mommy sometimes. With all the mess all over you, there was not any, anywhere else, well except for the pile on the floor. You also managed not to get any on your pants and a just a little on the front of your diaper, but none on the back. Mommy is still wondering how you managed to do that. But the thing that really bothered Mommy the most was after I had put you in the shower to clean you up, YOU looked me straight in the eye (not something you do very often, by the way) and said YUMMY. GROSS, YUCK, DOUBLE YUCK, ICK!!!!
Now Mommy does know that this is something that some kids your age do, not just because of the problems you have. Mommy sure hopes that this is the last of these kinds of experiments. Mommy is pretty sure it won't, but it does not hurt to hope. Just always know that Mommy might not like the things that you say or do and might even get mad, Mommy will ALWAYS love you no matter what.
As if being sick for a week has not been bad enough, tonight you just through Mommy for a loop. After dinner, you got cleaned up and decide that you did not want to take a shower. You did want to go lay on Mommy's bed and got to sleep. This would have been wonderful if that is what you did. Oh no. You kept runny from the bedroom to the front room and back. This is not unusal; it is just part of your night routine to get yourself to sleep, but tonight you did something new. You came running out of the bedroom into the hall. You had not only taken off your pants, you had taken off your diaper. Mommy will admit this is not something new, but the fact that you were covered from head to toe in poop sure was. After you had taken your diaper off, you both pooped and peed on the floor in Mommy's bedroom. YUCK!! Then you smeared it all over your legs, up your tummy, on your chest, on your arm, and on your face up into your hair. DOUBLE YUCK!!! You absolutely amaze your Mommy sometimes. With all the mess all over you, there was not any, anywhere else, well except for the pile on the floor. You also managed not to get any on your pants and a just a little on the front of your diaper, but none on the back. Mommy is still wondering how you managed to do that. But the thing that really bothered Mommy the most was after I had put you in the shower to clean you up, YOU looked me straight in the eye (not something you do very often, by the way) and said YUMMY. GROSS, YUCK, DOUBLE YUCK, ICK!!!!
Now Mommy does know that this is something that some kids your age do, not just because of the problems you have. Mommy sure hopes that this is the last of these kinds of experiments. Mommy is pretty sure it won't, but it does not hurt to hope. Just always know that Mommy might not like the things that you say or do and might even get mad, Mommy will ALWAYS love you no matter what.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
What is up with the SCREAMING?
Mommy really wishes she could figure out why you are having such a rough time the last couple days. You had been doing so well, but yesterday and today, almost evey time the smallest thing bugs you, you start screeching at the top of your lungs. Now we all know you have some words that you could be using, but it has been like we are torturing you to get you use them. Mommy sure does not like having to put you in time out, but sometime the only way to get around the screaming is let you work it out yourself, by yourself. Mommy hopes and prays that you things goes more smoothly. Always know that no matter what Mommy loves you more than anything. You are the most precious thing in her life and somedays the only thing in this world that is worth fighting for. Mommy just wishes you could tell her what is going on.
From The Very Beginning (Part 6)
After the bout with jaundice, things went fairly well. Though there were multiple trips to the Drs. office and several visits to our house from the lactation consultant, all still seemed to be going well. But unfortunately when you were 28 days old, you ended up back in the hospital. You were 4 wks old and still had not made it back up to your birth weight. Your Dr had said that if it were not for the fact that every time she said to come in for a check up that Mommy and Daddy made sure you were there she would have put you in the hospital a whole lot sooner. You were classified failure to thrive. Mommy tried everything possible to get that milk to come in for you, but it just did not happen. Mommy tried Brewer's yeast, Fenagreek, Reglan, pumping, nursing you, and more pumping. Know the Mommy really did try very hard. While you were in the hospital they would weigh you, Mommy would nurse you, and then they would weigh you again. They found out that Mommy just was not producing enough milk and that you were burning more calories eating than you were getting in the maybe 1/2 an oz. When Mommy and Daddy started supplementing formula in earnest, you started growing by leaps and bounds. Still had to take you to the nursery at the hospital every other day for about 2 wks to get you weighed to show that you were still growing well. Auntie AL did the most amazing thing. She started increasing her supply and started pumping and freezing the extra. Eventually it got here and you loved every sip of it. Lots of people thought we were crazy, but Mommy really thinks that is why you have been so healthy. Between the antibodies that you got from Mommy's milk and the different ones from Auntie AL, you were truly blessed. Thank you to Auntie AL for doing all that work, to T for sharing, and to Uncle N for agreeing that it would be a wonderful way for their family to bless ours. The Lord truly works in amazing ways. Know that lots of people thought we were all very weird, but it was worth every strange look to provide you with the best things in life, and that at the time was truly the best thing every.
Things continued to go well. At some point within the first two weeks after your birth, your Dr. did do your circumcision but she sure botched the job. She did not take off enough of your foreskin and this is a constant problem still today. Hopefully as you get older that you will grow out of it.
Now originally Daddy was going to stay home and take care of you and Mommy was going to go back to work, but then Daddy realized that taking care of you was just more than he could handle and he renewed is efforts to find a job. Believe me this was not because he didn't want to send time with you, actually it was the opposite. He loved you soooo much that he realized that was just not something he was going to be able to do. When you were about 2 wks old, Daddy was finally able to get a job working out at Feather Falls Casino, the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut Express. The boss really liked his work and wanted him to learn everything. She did the best she could to make sure that he had full time all of the time, but that ment that she kept moving him from one schedule to the next. Daddy started having all kinds of trouble sleeping and kept drinking more and more. It was really yucky and Mommy is so glad that you were too little to remember. Mommy would get up every morning, do her best to keep you quiet so Daddy could sleep, clean the house and then go to Grandma C's house. On May 11, Mommy went back to work. She was so sad to have to do that, but it was necessary. At least you were going to be spending lots of time with Grandma and Grandpa C and Cousin C. Mommy felt good about that. It took a while for her to get back into the swing of things, but she was able to and then again things seemed to be going okay for a while.
Between not getting enough sleep, the drinking, and something that was obviously already wrong that no one knew about, Daddy started having some real problems. Then in July 2005, the scariest thing to happen yet, even worse than the hospital recovery nurse....
Things continued to go well. At some point within the first two weeks after your birth, your Dr. did do your circumcision but she sure botched the job. She did not take off enough of your foreskin and this is a constant problem still today. Hopefully as you get older that you will grow out of it.
Now originally Daddy was going to stay home and take care of you and Mommy was going to go back to work, but then Daddy realized that taking care of you was just more than he could handle and he renewed is efforts to find a job. Believe me this was not because he didn't want to send time with you, actually it was the opposite. He loved you soooo much that he realized that was just not something he was going to be able to do. When you were about 2 wks old, Daddy was finally able to get a job working out at Feather Falls Casino, the Taco Bell/Pizza Hut Express. The boss really liked his work and wanted him to learn everything. She did the best she could to make sure that he had full time all of the time, but that ment that she kept moving him from one schedule to the next. Daddy started having all kinds of trouble sleeping and kept drinking more and more. It was really yucky and Mommy is so glad that you were too little to remember. Mommy would get up every morning, do her best to keep you quiet so Daddy could sleep, clean the house and then go to Grandma C's house. On May 11, Mommy went back to work. She was so sad to have to do that, but it was necessary. At least you were going to be spending lots of time with Grandma and Grandpa C and Cousin C. Mommy felt good about that. It took a while for her to get back into the swing of things, but she was able to and then again things seemed to be going okay for a while.
Between not getting enough sleep, the drinking, and something that was obviously already wrong that no one knew about, Daddy started having some real problems. Then in July 2005, the scariest thing to happen yet, even worse than the hospital recovery nurse....
Friday, April 4, 2008
Mommy's Prayer Tonight
Dear Heavenly Father, Please be with my little man. Help him to continue to improve. Help me to keep my eyes open and aware that though the days can be tough that there is nothing more special than this precious gift that you placed in my life; to nurture and love, to cultivate and guide, to show your way and truth, and live the plan that you have designed for us. Please give me the strength to continue through the rough days and celebrate the good days. Ultimately knowing that because you died for us that we might live, that we receive the wonders of cherishing each and every day that we are blessed to live in.
I thank you God for finding me worthy of the journey I am on. Please continue to guide me in your way, your truth. Show me the plan that you have in store for us. Point me in the right direction and come along side me to guide me into your righteousness. Open my eyes that I might understand what it is that needs to be done. But ultimately Lord help me to understand your will.
Thank you Father for your awe inspiring sarifice of your one and only Son. Not until I was a mother did I truely understand even a fraction of what that could felt like. Thank you Dear Jesus for doing your father's will and giving us the examples of the life we should live.
All this I pray in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
I thank you God for finding me worthy of the journey I am on. Please continue to guide me in your way, your truth. Show me the plan that you have in store for us. Point me in the right direction and come along side me to guide me into your righteousness. Open my eyes that I might understand what it is that needs to be done. But ultimately Lord help me to understand your will.
Thank you Father for your awe inspiring sarifice of your one and only Son. Not until I was a mother did I truely understand even a fraction of what that could felt like. Thank you Dear Jesus for doing your father's will and giving us the examples of the life we should live.
All this I pray in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.
The Visit
On Friday, March 28, 2008, Auntie AL and the kids (L, B, C and T) came down to visit Grandma L. What a wonderfl Birthday present for Mommy, well actually it was for Grandma L, whose birthday is April 2.
On Sunday, Auntie and the kids went to church with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma C, and you. T got to stay in the nursery with you which was cool. Then after church, we all went out to lunch at BK. Not Mommy's favorite, but what Auntie wanted since it was the only thing that was sitting well on her preggo belly. It was nice. You got to go outside and play with the kids on the playground, while Mommy, Daddy, Grandma C, and Auntie AL talked. Auntie AL and the kids went to Grandma L's house and the rest of us went home. Auntie AL came over to Grandma C's house later with T, but you fell asleep after Auntie AL called, but before they got here.
On Wednesday, you and Mommy went out to Grandma L's to visit. Before we went over there, we went to Grandma S's house to have Daddy sign some papers. You walked up the steps all by yourself. What a good job. Then you walked in and you went over and gave Grandma S a great big hug. You sat down and ate your dinner while Mommy filled out the papers Daddy needed to sign. Because Grandma S has bad hearing, the TV was really loud and got you a little wound up, but not too bad. When it was time to leave you walked down the steps all by yourself without even holding onto the railing. Oh my goodness was Mommy ever so proud of you.
While driving out to Grandma L's house, Mommy was talking to you about who was going to be out there and all of the sudden Mommy realized that maybe this was not the best idea. There was going to be Grandma L, Grandpa B, Uncle L, Auntie AL, L, B, C, TH, Uncle J, TM, Mommy and you, not to mention the cat and the two dogs. Uncle L is also hard of hearing and so the TV was really loud there too. For the first 10 to 15 minutes you were so overwhelmed and this was frustrating Mommy, which of course in turn was frustrating you. What a bad cycle. Things finally settled down. You had such a wonderful time playing with T. He was up in your face, tackling you, and chasing you over the furniture and around the house. Mommy was sooo proud of the wonderful interaction you were doing with TH. It showed such improvement compared to any other interaction Mommy had seen you do, other than with Cousin C, which just is not quite the same. But then TM showed up with Uncle J and really opened Mommy's eyes. Watching TM and TH playing together, interacting together and Mommy's joy crumbled. Though you have improved by leaps and bounds, and believe me baby Mommy is still so proud of you no matter what, this just showed how much farther you have to go to be up to mainstream. Also showed Mommy how adaptive TH is. He was able to play with you on your level and then switch gears and play on level with TM. You will continue to grow and change and get better all the time. Mommy hopes and prays that some day there will be no obvious difference between the 3 of you, other than the 5 weeks that separates you the youngest and TH the oldes, that is only 5 weeks.
Thank you TH for opening Auntie Trish's eyes, it sure put things into perspective and for that I am forever in your debt. You will never know how much you have helped. Love you so much. Can't wait to talk to you on the phone soon.
On Sunday, Auntie and the kids went to church with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma C, and you. T got to stay in the nursery with you which was cool. Then after church, we all went out to lunch at BK. Not Mommy's favorite, but what Auntie wanted since it was the only thing that was sitting well on her preggo belly. It was nice. You got to go outside and play with the kids on the playground, while Mommy, Daddy, Grandma C, and Auntie AL talked. Auntie AL and the kids went to Grandma L's house and the rest of us went home. Auntie AL came over to Grandma C's house later with T, but you fell asleep after Auntie AL called, but before they got here.
On Wednesday, you and Mommy went out to Grandma L's to visit. Before we went over there, we went to Grandma S's house to have Daddy sign some papers. You walked up the steps all by yourself. What a good job. Then you walked in and you went over and gave Grandma S a great big hug. You sat down and ate your dinner while Mommy filled out the papers Daddy needed to sign. Because Grandma S has bad hearing, the TV was really loud and got you a little wound up, but not too bad. When it was time to leave you walked down the steps all by yourself without even holding onto the railing. Oh my goodness was Mommy ever so proud of you.
While driving out to Grandma L's house, Mommy was talking to you about who was going to be out there and all of the sudden Mommy realized that maybe this was not the best idea. There was going to be Grandma L, Grandpa B, Uncle L, Auntie AL, L, B, C, TH, Uncle J, TM, Mommy and you, not to mention the cat and the two dogs. Uncle L is also hard of hearing and so the TV was really loud there too. For the first 10 to 15 minutes you were so overwhelmed and this was frustrating Mommy, which of course in turn was frustrating you. What a bad cycle. Things finally settled down. You had such a wonderful time playing with T. He was up in your face, tackling you, and chasing you over the furniture and around the house. Mommy was sooo proud of the wonderful interaction you were doing with TH. It showed such improvement compared to any other interaction Mommy had seen you do, other than with Cousin C, which just is not quite the same. But then TM showed up with Uncle J and really opened Mommy's eyes. Watching TM and TH playing together, interacting together and Mommy's joy crumbled. Though you have improved by leaps and bounds, and believe me baby Mommy is still so proud of you no matter what, this just showed how much farther you have to go to be up to mainstream. Also showed Mommy how adaptive TH is. He was able to play with you on your level and then switch gears and play on level with TM. You will continue to grow and change and get better all the time. Mommy hopes and prays that some day there will be no obvious difference between the 3 of you, other than the 5 weeks that separates you the youngest and TH the oldes, that is only 5 weeks.
Thank you TH for opening Auntie Trish's eyes, it sure put things into perspective and for that I am forever in your debt. You will never know how much you have helped. Love you so much. Can't wait to talk to you on the phone soon.
From the Very Beginning (Part 5)
At 9:01 p.m. weighing in at 7 lb 7-1/2 oz and measuring 19 in you, Zachary Ray Smith, were born. Daddy was there and went with you down to the nursery, while they took finished things up with the surgery and took mommy to the recovery room.
Let Mommy tell you that not all people in the hospital are very nice at all. As I was coming out of the anesthesia in the recovery room, I was having a nightmare and couldn't breath. Mommy had something similar happen when she had her tonsils out in High School. Mommy pulled at the oxygen mask and the nurse yelled at me. Here is how it kind of went.
Nurse: "Tricia stop. Tricia stop that. Do you know where you are?"
Mommy: "Yes, I am at the Hospital in Oroville."
Nurse: "Do you know why you are here?"
Mommy: "Yes, I am having a baby."
Nurse: "That's right. Now do you want to die and leave that beautiful baby all alone? Stop pulling at that mask."
Mommy: "But it is so cold, I can't breath, get this thing off my face."
Nurse: "fine if you want to die, what do I care."
I am not sure how much longer it was before I was taken back to our room. Daddy got to hold you and rock you and give you a bottle of sugar water. This was nice for thing for Daddy, bonding that he needed with you, but it was also the next step of messing things up for Mommy being able to breast feed you. Once I was in our room, I did try to nurse you but they were concerned about some sort of levels were off. So off they wisked you to the nursery to feed you while Mommy had to use a pump. You stayed in the room with me the rest of the time. Mommy just wishes that someone would have told me that you needed to be fed every 2 hrs and that if you were sleeping to wake you up.
We had a few visitors while we were in the hospital. Daddy came every day, but didn't stay very long because Mommy was tired a lot and kept falling asleep while he was talking. Grandma C, Teresa B, Auntie S, and Cousin C all came to visit. Grandpa C tried to come to see you, but unfortunately the incision site (from his appendectomy the week before you were born) opened and was bleeding and oozing. Poor Grandpa.
The Dr. did try to send us home on Friday, but Mommy just wasn't ready. We did go home on Saturday. That day Mommy and Daddy got to have our celebration steak dinner, after Mommy finally got to have a shower. The beautiful little outfit Mommy and Daddy picked out to take you home was waaaaaaay to big, but you wore it anyway. After we left the hospital we went straight to the Pharmacy to pick up Mommy's pain medicine. When we pulled up outside, Daddy didn't think to help Mommy out of the car (bad Daddy), but 1 of Grandma C's friends, Alice, was outside (thank goodness) and helped Mommy out of the car. We all went inside. Your first stop out of the hospital and Yes at 4 days old you were in public. Then we went to visit Grandma S and Marvin at Grandma's house. We were there for several hours. Oh Mommy was so tired. We finally went home.
Mommy was having problems getting in and out of bed, so she slept sitting up on the couch. Oh was this ever a big mistake. She did not think about propping her legs up and boy did she pay for it. Mommy woke up in the middle of the night with her legs hurting and swollen. Mommy called the nurseline from the health insurance company and the recommended calling the Dr. right away. So at 2 a.m. Sunday morning Mommy was calling the Dr.'s exchange. They woke him up, poor guy. He said get those legs up, drink lots of water, and not to worry. At about 11 a.m. he called to check on Mommy and she was doing much better.
You had your first Dr. visit on Tuesday. You were doing okay but your weight was down, but at this point she was not too concerned about it. She was a little concerned about your billirubin count and had us go over to the hospital to have your blood checked. You were feeling so out of it that you didn't even cry when they clipped your heal. Then we went home. Later Mommy got the phone call saying that you had jaundice (high levels of billirubin) so they wanted you in the hospital under special billilights to help. You had to stay in the hospital overnight. While there you had to stay under this special light. Nothing on but a diaper and a special eye protector. The hospital had so many babies with jaundice that they had to call other hospitals to try to get extra units in. There were so many ladies there having babies that they did not have a place for Mommy to stay while you were there. Mommy and Daddy went reluctently home but were back first thing in the morning. Luckily that was all it took and we were able to take you home shortly after we arrived to visit you in the morning. At some point between when we went home from the hospital on Saturday and you went back into the hospital on Tuesday, we did go to visit Grandpa and Grandma C at their house.
Let Mommy tell you that not all people in the hospital are very nice at all. As I was coming out of the anesthesia in the recovery room, I was having a nightmare and couldn't breath. Mommy had something similar happen when she had her tonsils out in High School. Mommy pulled at the oxygen mask and the nurse yelled at me. Here is how it kind of went.
Nurse: "Tricia stop. Tricia stop that. Do you know where you are?"
Mommy: "Yes, I am at the Hospital in Oroville."
Nurse: "Do you know why you are here?"
Mommy: "Yes, I am having a baby."
Nurse: "That's right. Now do you want to die and leave that beautiful baby all alone? Stop pulling at that mask."
Mommy: "But it is so cold, I can't breath, get this thing off my face."
Nurse: "fine if you want to die, what do I care."
I am not sure how much longer it was before I was taken back to our room. Daddy got to hold you and rock you and give you a bottle of sugar water. This was nice for thing for Daddy, bonding that he needed with you, but it was also the next step of messing things up for Mommy being able to breast feed you. Once I was in our room, I did try to nurse you but they were concerned about some sort of levels were off. So off they wisked you to the nursery to feed you while Mommy had to use a pump. You stayed in the room with me the rest of the time. Mommy just wishes that someone would have told me that you needed to be fed every 2 hrs and that if you were sleeping to wake you up.
We had a few visitors while we were in the hospital. Daddy came every day, but didn't stay very long because Mommy was tired a lot and kept falling asleep while he was talking. Grandma C, Teresa B, Auntie S, and Cousin C all came to visit. Grandpa C tried to come to see you, but unfortunately the incision site (from his appendectomy the week before you were born) opened and was bleeding and oozing. Poor Grandpa.
The Dr. did try to send us home on Friday, but Mommy just wasn't ready. We did go home on Saturday. That day Mommy and Daddy got to have our celebration steak dinner, after Mommy finally got to have a shower. The beautiful little outfit Mommy and Daddy picked out to take you home was waaaaaaay to big, but you wore it anyway. After we left the hospital we went straight to the Pharmacy to pick up Mommy's pain medicine. When we pulled up outside, Daddy didn't think to help Mommy out of the car (bad Daddy), but 1 of Grandma C's friends, Alice, was outside (thank goodness) and helped Mommy out of the car. We all went inside. Your first stop out of the hospital and Yes at 4 days old you were in public. Then we went to visit Grandma S and Marvin at Grandma's house. We were there for several hours. Oh Mommy was so tired. We finally went home.
Mommy was having problems getting in and out of bed, so she slept sitting up on the couch. Oh was this ever a big mistake. She did not think about propping her legs up and boy did she pay for it. Mommy woke up in the middle of the night with her legs hurting and swollen. Mommy called the nurseline from the health insurance company and the recommended calling the Dr. right away. So at 2 a.m. Sunday morning Mommy was calling the Dr.'s exchange. They woke him up, poor guy. He said get those legs up, drink lots of water, and not to worry. At about 11 a.m. he called to check on Mommy and she was doing much better.
You had your first Dr. visit on Tuesday. You were doing okay but your weight was down, but at this point she was not too concerned about it. She was a little concerned about your billirubin count and had us go over to the hospital to have your blood checked. You were feeling so out of it that you didn't even cry when they clipped your heal. Then we went home. Later Mommy got the phone call saying that you had jaundice (high levels of billirubin) so they wanted you in the hospital under special billilights to help. You had to stay in the hospital overnight. While there you had to stay under this special light. Nothing on but a diaper and a special eye protector. The hospital had so many babies with jaundice that they had to call other hospitals to try to get extra units in. There were so many ladies there having babies that they did not have a place for Mommy to stay while you were there. Mommy and Daddy went reluctently home but were back first thing in the morning. Luckily that was all it took and we were able to take you home shortly after we arrived to visit you in the morning. At some point between when we went home from the hospital on Saturday and you went back into the hospital on Tuesday, we did go to visit Grandpa and Grandma C at their house.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
