He Giggled!

HEHEHE Christopher just giggled at Tony!! Tony is playing retro music and dancing with Christopher and he started to Giggle!! Man my little dude is growing up soo fast.

Doctor Visits all around.

Well today was Dr. Visits for the kids and here is the run down:

Catherine had her 5 year check-up. She weighs 35 pounds (25%) she is 40 ½ inches tall (50%). They checked her vision and hearing and all was well. She received 3 shots and did not even flinch till shot #3, which burns and then she did cry. She even received a terra because of how good she did.

Anna saw the Doctor because she is running a fever. Her temp was up to 103 but was back to 99.7 when we got to the Doctors. The Doctor found nothing wrong with her other then her right lower molar that is coming in is terribly swollen. She said that the tooth should not be causing that high of a temp, so she must have a virus. To keep giving her Ibuprofen for the temp and try to keep fluids in her, since she does not want to eat right now. Anna weighed in at 22 pounds 2 oz (25%).

Christopher had his 2 month check-up. He weighs 12 pounds 10 oz (50%), he is 24 inches tall (90%), he head measured 15 ¾ inches (50%). He received 4 shots which he was not happy about.

So over all they kids are doing great, other then Anna’s bug.

Catherine's Birthday Cake

Well Catherine turns 5 years old tomarrow (which I can not believe). So today (Sunday) I did her Birthday cake while she is at Ice Skating practice. She is crazy about Cinderella so I put Cinderella on the cake. I am very pleased about the way it turned out, which is funny because normally I hate the work I do, but this I am happy with. I looked at her birthday party napkins and free handed the Cinderella on the cake.

Catherine's 1st Ice Skating Compitition!

Well today was the big day. Catherine has been taking ice skating lessons since Dec of 04. Today was her first Competition. So she was in the Pre-Alpha divisions these are the 4 to 6 year olds. She was the first one to skate today and she brought tears to my eyes, and her Grammi's too. She took 2nd place and got a silver medal. I don't think she realized this was a true
competition and that she might win something, she just thought it was a chance to
perform and have fun.

And to think she has not even been skating a full year.

Here is the video Tony shot of Catherine.

The Faith of a 4 year old

The Power of a 4 year old’s faith.

I guess I should start back almost a week ago. My family went to the memorial service of a dear friend and church member, Mary. It was a very moving service, the church was runith over with people. After the service Catherine wanted to know why there was no casket with the sleeping body (the way she puts it). So my dad took Catherine to the front of the church and showed her the urn that was sitting there, for our friend has been cremated. My dad explained to her that she was now ashes and inside that urn. He told her that from ashes we come and ashes we go...from dust to dust. That seemed to sit well with Catherine and we went on our merry way.

Well during the week Catherine has been asking me lots of questions. Her first is why do we say from ashes to ashes when God created Adam from the dirt on the ground. So we explained to her that the saying ashes to ashes can also be told dirt to dirt if that makes more sense. She was fine with that. Catherine also wanted to know why she went to heaven. So I told her she went to heaven because God wanted her back home. Then Catherine said “Oh just like God wanted Great Grammi back home”. Exactly I told her.

Well now we come to Thursday, which is TNT at our church. TNT is a family kinda thing. Catherine has children’s choir and jr. communications (like a Sunday school of sorts) and I go to crocheting. Well as we were leaving the lady who does Jr. Communications comes up to me and tells me about what they did. I guess they talked about feelings and about making cards for people. Catherine told her that she was sad because Mrs. Mary had gone to heaven to be with God. So the teacher recommend that she make a card for our Mary’s husband, Glen, because he is probably sad too. So I guess Catherine made a card, she put stairs on the card, and when asked what those stairs were she said “those are the stars for Mrs. Mary to get to heaven.” Catherine wrote in the card “I miss Mary too”.

Talk about the caring and faith of a child.

Snow kinda

Well today we had a snow storm. Only it is so warm that the snow melted as soon as it touched anything. Catherine loved it though. They were great big flakes and she went out chasing the snow trying to get them on her tounge it was soo cute.

Christopher's 1 month weight check

We have made it through the first month of breastfeeding Christopher and his weight is wonderful!!!

At birth he was 7 pounds 9 oz
at 2 weeks old he was 8 pounds 6.5 oz
at 1 month he is 9 pounds 15.5 oz

I think he is going to make it being a breastfeed baby!!!

Catherine is sick :(

Well at 1:30 am Catherine comes into our room, I was still sitting up from nursing Christopher. She came in saying her head was hurting bad. I told her I could give her some tynoloal if she wanted, but being the anti-medication child she said no to that offer. So we made a spot for her to lay down in our bed. The next thing I knew she hopped out of our bed. I told Tony "Catherine is sick and I am not sure what to do" with that I hear the sound of gushing water, my thought was oh no Catherine is having a potty accident. I jumped out of bed and looked at the foot of the bed and there was Catherine stading there bent over throwing up. Poor girl was throwing up with all her might. So into the bathroom Catherine and I went and Tony got the joy of cleaning up the carpet.

Catherine has been dragging all day and napping on and off, poor girl.

Christopher's 2 week check up

Well today was Christopher’s 2 week check up. He did wonderful!!

Here is his stats:

Birth Weight 7 pound 9 oz……..today: 8 pounds 6.5 oz!

Birth Height: 20 5/8 inches……..today: 21 5/8 inches

Head circumference: 14 inches…today: 14 3/8 inches

Basically at birth Christopher was in the 50^th percentile and right now he is the 50^th percentile in everything but height and he is in the 75^th percentile.

So maybe just maybe the breastfeeding will go on with no issues!!!

Heading home

Well today we headed home. It is great to be heading home and yet I am scarred of what it will be like when I get home.

Christopher's going home picture:

The Pierce Gang

Today, Christopher is 2 days old. My parents came to the hosptial after church and brought both girls with them. So here is my family totally complete. Catherine age 4, Anna age 14 months, and Christopher 2 days.

Tony's parents made it from Tennessee. It is nice to have them visit, and the girls are in heaven having their Grannie and Papa Bruce in town.

Christopher 1 day old

What can I say, I love my little dude. I have started calling him "Little Dude". All the nurses and stuff say little man, but I like dude better. Here he is, 1 day old, sleepying away!

Christopher comes into the world.

Well at midnight on October 7, 2005 I started having contractions. The contractions continued and seems to be pretty close together. I got up and took a shower to see if that would make them go away.

At 1:30 am I called my parents to see if they wanted to meet us at the hospital or come over to our house, because I thought I was in labor. They said they would come over to our house. So Tony and I picked up and got stuff together and waited for them to arrive.

Well we got to the hospital about 2:30 am, via a stop at Walgreen’s to pick up film for the camera. We walked into the ER and the lady at the window says to me “Can I help you”. I told her “I think I am in labor” she just pointed around the corner and said “Go over there and they will check you in.” So we go over to the evening admittance, the people working in the area are just talking and chit chatting. Finally one of them looks over and says to me “Can we help you.” So again I said to them “I think I am in labor.” You never saw people move so fast. So they got me registered and then we walked up to the maternity floor. I chose to walk because I thought it might help move things along. We got up there and to our room. Took forever to get a nurse, because the room next to us the person was getting ready to push so they were busy. Finally a nurse came in and told me to change clothes and put the monitors on me. The monitors showed contractions every 7-12 minutes, but not supper strong, like 40 on the monitor. So they called the Dr on call from my OB group. He told them to give me Visceral, which is a muscle relaxer and water. I was to take the meds and drink the water to see if the contractions would go away. I guess the Dr. thought it might be false labor. Well the medication sped up my contractions and made them slightly stronger. They checked me and I was still only dilated to 1 cm. So they called the Dr. and he wanted to send me home saying I was in early labor. So we told the nurse, does he realize I am a repeat c-section and that my last c-section was 14 months ago.

Well that phone call changed everything! First the Dr. asked if I would like to have my regular Dr. do the c-section, saying that I would have to labor for about 3 hours till that could happen. I said oh I would love that if possible. Well after checking hospital schedules they realized that could not happen, so he was on his way in to do the c-section.

So they rushed and prepped me for the c-section. First the nurse told me she would have to shave me, but she found he did not need to do so. Then they got my IV in, and did it on the first shot!!!! (with Anna it took 4 tries). Then came the catheter, I hate those things!

Finally they took us down to the OR. We got in there and they put the spinal in, which the guy did on the first shot and it only hurt a little. I watched them do all their counts for stuff and prep.

Finally in walked the Dr, who was trying to light a fire under the hospital staff, they were moving too slow for his liking. Then Tony came in. It was funny I watched the monitors the whole time, since with Anna they bottomed out my blood pressure. And sure enough I watched the numbers drop and drop and drop. Then came the sick feeling. Only I did good I did not get sick. I just kept swallowing saying, I can do this I can do this.

Then we heard the sound from heaven. A cry. And the Dr. said “It’s a boy” I about lost it, I started crying and looked at Tony and said “you got your little boy”. It is funny because just the other day at my 38 week check-up I called my mom on the way home, and told her I was sure we were having another girl. Tony went and took pictures and stuff of Christopher.

They then brought Christopher over so I could seem him, he was sooo tiny and soo cute. Then Tony and Christopher left to go to the nursery to get weighed and checked out and such.

I laid there while they finished the surgery, which seemed to take forever. The Dr asked one last time if I was done having children and I told him, yes I was. So with that my fate is sealed. I have three wonderful children and we are a complete family.

Christopher was born at 6:56 am and weighed in at 7 pounds 9 ounces and was 20 1/8 inches long. He was kept in the Nursery for a long time, because the pediatrician was late getting there to clear him and they were watching his breathing, which was rough at times. They took me back to our hospital room to monitor me and then we moved to the 8th floor, the floor for c-section mommies. This was to be our home till Monday.

I think I am in Labor

Ok it is now 1:30 am and I have been having contractions like crazy. They are coming every 7-12 minutes.

So I have called my parents and they are coming over and we will head to the hosptial.

So we shall see what happens.

Cleaning Nut ME

What can I say but I am a cleaning nut. Something has gotten into me and I am cleaning cleaning cleaning!! Catherine and I have been cleaning all day today and all night. I have cleaned almost the entire house and such. I even told Tony that I feel like I am going through freak outs..and totally going nuts because I feel like I have all this stuff to do and I am going to run out of time.

38 week check-up

Well today was my 38 week check-up. All is well. I lost 1 pound. The baby’s heart rate was in the 160’s. The fundus measured 40. My blood pressure was 120 over 82 (which is up but not a concern). Talked to the Dr. about the pain I was having yesterday (could barely walk) she said it is either muscles, might be from my c-section scars stretching or it could have been contractions. She told me if it happens again to go to the hospital and get checked.

I go back next Wed at 4 pm for my final check-up.

37 week check-up

Well today was my 37 week check-up
I gained 1 pound :( Oh well can’t win everything now can we.
My blood pressure was 120 over 74
The babies heart rate was in the 150’s
The height of the fundus was 39.

The Dr. and I talked about my c-section and tubal, about how she does tubals and such.

She checked me and said I was not dilated at all but that I have dimple.

So everything looks good. I go back next Wed.

Only 15 more days after today!!! Now if I am lucky maybe I will go into labor since I went into labor night after my 37 week check up with Catherine…although I am not holding my breath.

We Did IT!

Well we did it! We are officially a cloth diapering house. Last night (Tuesday) we went to Babies' R Us and bought a 12 pack of cloth diapers, 6 vinyl pants, and 3 lined covers.

We did this for a couple of reasons. #1 In 16 days (MAX) we will have 2 kids in diapers, and the thought of buying that many diapers is freaky...we are talking about $60 plus a month. #2 Cloth diapers are better for the environment. #3 Cloth diapers are better for a child's skin. #4 Cloth diapers make potty training much easier.

So we are starting with Anna and getting use to it.

So far so good. Took me 3 tries to get the first diaper pinned on Anna, kept making it too lose. So far Anna has pooped once and it did not leak through or anything and the change went good. She also went potty and again NO LEAKS!!!

As soon as we run out of diaper wipes I will probably change to washable diaper wipes too. Just makes sense to do it because then you have no stinky trash at all.


( I am soo funny. I called my mom and Tony to tell them that we changed our first cloth diaper. They both just laughed at me..but I was soo proud!!!)

Happy Apple Day!!!

Happy Apple Day!!!

For those who are thinking "what is she talking about?" Well on this day back in 1774 (or 1776 I have conflicting stories) is the day Jonny Chapman aka Jonny Appleseed was born.
So what are you doing for Apple day???

Today we have read books on Jonny Appleseed, made an Apple Puppet, and have Apple slices drying in the food dehydrator. We are also going to make Canned Apple Pie filling, but I have to wait for my ClearJel to get in (had to order it), so we will do that later this week.

Again Happy Apple Day!!

36 week check-up

Well today was my check-up.

I gained 4 pounds in 1 week. Which now scares the crap out of me...so needless to say I have to watch what I eat, which I already do. So total I have gained 15 pounds.

My blood pressure was 118 over 80.

The Babies heart rate was in the 140's (it has slowed down).

The fundus messured 37, which is 1 more then 2 weeks ago.

My Doctor was at the hosptial delivering a baby so I got another doctor. He was ok. He did my Step B test. When I told him about all my contractions he said he would check to see if they were real or not. So he checked and said my cervix is totally closed.

So that is the appointment that was. I go back next week same time same day.