We would like to welcome our nephew to the world, and to congratulate his parents!
He entered this bright new world on November 29, 2007 via c-section. He was born 4 weeks early due to low fluid levels. He weighed 6lbs2oz, and is 20 inches long. He is perfect in every single way! He captured our hearts instantly!
He is doing wonderfully, as are his parents. It is obvious that they are so in love with this little miracle!
Friday, November 30, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
12 Weeks
Again, my disclosure! Pic's of Junebug should be around 18-20 weeks!
Junebug is now approaching 3 inches in length and weighs half an ounce! But that tiny little body sure does have a lot of detail! Including 10 fingernails and 10 toenails on those teeny tiny digits! His/her face is taking more shape, with the nose and chin becoming more refined. As the muscles begin to bulk up, Junebug is busy stretching and kicking! I sure am anxious to start feeling those lil movements!!
Today I had my 12 week appointment. Everything is right on track, and we heard the heartbeat. Which was very exciting of course, cause it is every time we hear it! We took Gryfinn to this appointment, but that didn't go over so well. He is extremely afraid of his doctor, and we had hoped that he would be ok with mine. But it turns out that he is afraid of all doctors. He started crying as soon as he walked in, and didn't stop until we left. Needless to say, he will be staying with one of his Grandma's at all future appointments. He wanted me, but wouldn't let me hold him cause I was on the exam table. And he did not like the doctor touching me. He was so distraught, that when checking out, he grabbed two suckers, and one of the office staff said, 'oh, he deserves two after what he has been through!' Poor lil Gryfinn! Those big ol elephant tears will break anyones heart!
Friday, November 23, 2007
Celebrating Our Love
Today is our anniversary. Although it has only been 5 years, I feel like I can not remember a time before Kelly. Before her, it was just Jarrod and me, and I lived for him. I met Kelly, and my entire life changed. I found my one true love, and I actually began living. I saw the true beauty of the world around me. And I think my heart actually made it's first real beat. Cause it does beat for her, and only for her. Each day, we make a new memory. Memories that will last a lifetime.
To you my dear, you honestly do complete me. With you, I am whole. I have found the meaning of life. I have felt what it is to love completely, and to be loved completely. You have made all my dreams come true. And my future consists of you and our wonderful children. The ones that we brought to each other, and the ones that we have conceived with our love. I look forward to our love growing ever stronger. You are my everything, always and forever.
11 Weeks
Again, these are not photos of Junebug - just ones I found on the net! :O)
Junebug is slightly more than 2 inches long this week, and weighs nearly a third of an ounce, and is growing by leaps and bounds! At this point, the head is the same size as the rest of the body. On that head (and the rest of the body) hair follicles are starting to form. (bring on the heartburn!) Toenail and fingernail beds are starting to develop, and by next week the nails will start growing. The body is starting to straighten and the torso is starting to lengthen. Junebug can now do stretches, somersaults and forward rolls! Our lil acrobat in the making! Maybe she will be the next gold medalist gymnast or he will be the next kung fu fighter!
Monday, November 19, 2007
Happy Birthday Jarrod!
From One.......
To Ten.......
His birthday was the 16th, and I just can not believe it - he is 10 YEARS OLD! We are the parents of a 10 year old - it just does not seem possible. But we are very blessed to have this 10 year old in our life. He is amazing. Yes - we have our ups and downs, he gets mouthy at times, and a bit grumpy. I think it is the pre-hormonal thing that all kids go through. But for the most part, he is so very pleasant, so very loving, and so very much fun! He is definitely one of the four joys that we are proud to call our kids!
Happy Birthday baby - we love you so very much!
To Ten.......
His birthday was the 16th, and I just can not believe it - he is 10 YEARS OLD! We are the parents of a 10 year old - it just does not seem possible. But we are very blessed to have this 10 year old in our life. He is amazing. Yes - we have our ups and downs, he gets mouthy at times, and a bit grumpy. I think it is the pre-hormonal thing that all kids go through. But for the most part, he is so very pleasant, so very loving, and so very much fun! He is definitely one of the four joys that we are proud to call our kids!
Happy Birthday baby - we love you so very much!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
We Found It!
We got our doppler back from Kel's sis-n-law on Monday. And today was the second time that we used it, and we found Junebug's heartbeat!!! It took awhile, but we found it! It was 171 bpm. And it was good and strong. We actually found it twice. She/he is so little that it was easy to lose track of it. I am still just so amazed that we found it. So very relieved. It is such an amazingly wonderful sound. This little being growing inside of me has a heart that is beating! Words can not describe the feeling - this overwhelming love that flooded me at the sound. That was our baby - our baby that we created - that we created with our love for each other. So amazing - just so amazing!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Praying For a Miracle
Dear God
I am writing you this because I have a friend who is in need of a miracle. I pray, as do so many others, for her and her family. I know that you have a lot of requests, but I just want to plead her case.
She is 29. The wonderful Mom of a 3 year old son and 5 1/2 month old twin boys. Her and her husband are one of the few couples that actually love each other, and show it.
She was first diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) before she had any of her kids. It was only in her salivary glands, so they were able to remove it with surgery. It came back when she was pregnant with her 3 year old. And again, they were able to remove it. Well, unfortunately, it came back again, when she was pregnant with her twins. Her ob/gyn would not allow surgery until after she delivered, due to it being too risky. She had the twins at 35 weeks, and they had it scheduled to do surgery 4 weeks after her c-section. While she was pregnant with the twins, she had a lot of pelvic and back pain, which she took as her sciatic nerve. After she had them, the pain did not go away, so she had it checked out. They found out that she had 3 large (inoperable) masses in her pelvic bone. After doing further testing, they found that she had lesions in her upper left chest wall and her upper left arm. She was going to a dr that she had always liked, until she found out that they were only treating her to make her life more comfortable - not to cure her or save her. She told them that this was her life they were screwing with. She took matters into her own hands, and found a wonderful dr in Cleveland. This dr gave her hope, and the first good news she had received in a long time. They submitted all of her information for a clinical trial that will take place in Pittsburgh. I guess that it was sort of like an application. Once they accepted her for the clinical trial, she had to have all the tests redone, I guess to 'prove' that she actually has ACC. When they did these tests, they found that it had spread to all 4 lobes of her lungs and also to her right kidney. She knew that this meant it was urgent to get the ball rolling. Things were getting in gear to start, and she has a seizure. Upon doing more tests, they find that she has a mass on her brain. Her dr has her go to Pittsburgh. They can not start her clinical chemo until they take care of this mass. Her dr decides to do surgery to remove it. Everything went great. The mass was 1 inch by 1 inch in size. Shortly after she gets home from Pittsburgh, she gets an infection. They take her to the local hospital, and try to treat her with antibiotics. They feared that she had MRSA because the infection would not respond to the antibiotics. They found out that she has a blood clot in her arm and also on her brain, and that was keeping the antibiotics from getting to the infection. She then has to give herself shots of blood thinner. She fights with the dr's and they do release her so that she is able to go home and see her 3 year old all dressed up for trick or treat. They do another scan, and have it all set up for her to do 2 rounds of radiation, to sterilize the spot on her brain, and then she will start the clinical chemo 10 days after her last radiation. This past Sunday, she gets a call from her dr, and he says that he wants her to be in Pittsburgh Monday morning so that they can get going on her treatment. When she gets to Pittsburgh, they do another scan, and they find more spots on her brain. Due to this, she no longer meets the requirements for the clinical trial. They were going to go ahead and do radiation and some form of chemo yesterday, but I am not sure how all of that went.
Through everything, she has been so strong, so positive, so optimistic, so full of faith. She just knew that this clinical trial was it - it was going to kill her cancer so that she could get back to living. I am not sure how she has been affected by this recent news. But I know how I have been, and that is why I am praying to you.
I want her kids to know her. I want her twins to know the love that she shows them everyday. I want them to feel it, and know it, forever. And I want her 3 year old to remember her. If she goes now, her twins will never know her, her touch, her love, and her 3 year old will slowly lose those memories. I want her to be here when her 3 year old starts his first day of kindergarten, and I want her to see her twins crawl, walk, and I want her to hear them say I love you. I want her to grow old with her husband, and to be able to spoil her grandkids rotten.
I am asking for nothing short of a miracle. I know that sometimes you want these people to come home to you. That you want to take care of them. But I am pleading that you grant this miracle - that you let her get well here on Earth, so that she can take care of her kids. So that she can be a part of all three of her kids lives as they grow up. So that her husband has her support while raising three rotten boys.
I know that it will take a miracle to cure her. Her cancer is very aggressive, and has spread so very fast. But, you are the one that can grant this miracle. Please let this woman, this Mom, this wife, this daughter, this sister, this friend, get well. She has so much to live for, and she is fighting so hard to continue living.
Amen
I am writing you this because I have a friend who is in need of a miracle. I pray, as do so many others, for her and her family. I know that you have a lot of requests, but I just want to plead her case.
She is 29. The wonderful Mom of a 3 year old son and 5 1/2 month old twin boys. Her and her husband are one of the few couples that actually love each other, and show it.
She was first diagnosed with Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma (ACC) before she had any of her kids. It was only in her salivary glands, so they were able to remove it with surgery. It came back when she was pregnant with her 3 year old. And again, they were able to remove it. Well, unfortunately, it came back again, when she was pregnant with her twins. Her ob/gyn would not allow surgery until after she delivered, due to it being too risky. She had the twins at 35 weeks, and they had it scheduled to do surgery 4 weeks after her c-section. While she was pregnant with the twins, she had a lot of pelvic and back pain, which she took as her sciatic nerve. After she had them, the pain did not go away, so she had it checked out. They found out that she had 3 large (inoperable) masses in her pelvic bone. After doing further testing, they found that she had lesions in her upper left chest wall and her upper left arm. She was going to a dr that she had always liked, until she found out that they were only treating her to make her life more comfortable - not to cure her or save her. She told them that this was her life they were screwing with. She took matters into her own hands, and found a wonderful dr in Cleveland. This dr gave her hope, and the first good news she had received in a long time. They submitted all of her information for a clinical trial that will take place in Pittsburgh. I guess that it was sort of like an application. Once they accepted her for the clinical trial, she had to have all the tests redone, I guess to 'prove' that she actually has ACC. When they did these tests, they found that it had spread to all 4 lobes of her lungs and also to her right kidney. She knew that this meant it was urgent to get the ball rolling. Things were getting in gear to start, and she has a seizure. Upon doing more tests, they find that she has a mass on her brain. Her dr has her go to Pittsburgh. They can not start her clinical chemo until they take care of this mass. Her dr decides to do surgery to remove it. Everything went great. The mass was 1 inch by 1 inch in size. Shortly after she gets home from Pittsburgh, she gets an infection. They take her to the local hospital, and try to treat her with antibiotics. They feared that she had MRSA because the infection would not respond to the antibiotics. They found out that she has a blood clot in her arm and also on her brain, and that was keeping the antibiotics from getting to the infection. She then has to give herself shots of blood thinner. She fights with the dr's and they do release her so that she is able to go home and see her 3 year old all dressed up for trick or treat. They do another scan, and have it all set up for her to do 2 rounds of radiation, to sterilize the spot on her brain, and then she will start the clinical chemo 10 days after her last radiation. This past Sunday, she gets a call from her dr, and he says that he wants her to be in Pittsburgh Monday morning so that they can get going on her treatment. When she gets to Pittsburgh, they do another scan, and they find more spots on her brain. Due to this, she no longer meets the requirements for the clinical trial. They were going to go ahead and do radiation and some form of chemo yesterday, but I am not sure how all of that went.
Through everything, she has been so strong, so positive, so optimistic, so full of faith. She just knew that this clinical trial was it - it was going to kill her cancer so that she could get back to living. I am not sure how she has been affected by this recent news. But I know how I have been, and that is why I am praying to you.
I want her kids to know her. I want her twins to know the love that she shows them everyday. I want them to feel it, and know it, forever. And I want her 3 year old to remember her. If she goes now, her twins will never know her, her touch, her love, and her 3 year old will slowly lose those memories. I want her to be here when her 3 year old starts his first day of kindergarten, and I want her to see her twins crawl, walk, and I want her to hear them say I love you. I want her to grow old with her husband, and to be able to spoil her grandkids rotten.
I am asking for nothing short of a miracle. I know that sometimes you want these people to come home to you. That you want to take care of them. But I am pleading that you grant this miracle - that you let her get well here on Earth, so that she can take care of her kids. So that she can be a part of all three of her kids lives as they grow up. So that her husband has her support while raising three rotten boys.
I know that it will take a miracle to cure her. Her cancer is very aggressive, and has spread so very fast. But, you are the one that can grant this miracle. Please let this woman, this Mom, this wife, this daughter, this sister, this friend, get well. She has so much to live for, and she is fighting so hard to continue living.
Amen
10 Weeks
Again, these are not actual pictures of Junebug. Just ones that I pulled off the internet.
Here is a link to an ultrasound, I hope that it works. I tried to save it, but couldn't figure out how. It says the baby is 10 weeks - but another part says 10 weeks conception - so I am not sure if the baby is 10 or 12 weeks. But I thought the video was so very neat!
http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/encyclopedia/U/Ultrasound
This week Junebug is 1 1/4 to 1 3/4 inches in length. This week the weight is also able to be measured. Before, it was just too small to measure the weekly differences. Junebug weighs close to 0.18 ounce, and is the size of a small plum. By now the complete body plan has been laid out, but will continue to grow for the remainder of the pregnancy. The fingers and toes have separated and the tail has disappeared. Junebug has taste and tooth buds now. The brain will continue to develop at an amazingly rapid rate, and the embryonic heart is completely developed. External genitalia are not apparent until next week, but a male testes will already be producing testosterone.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
9 Weeks
This is not our actual baby - just a picture that I found on the world wide web. But, this is what our lil Junebug looks like today - at nine weeks. Goodbye embryo - hello fetus! Junebug has graduated from the embryonic stage and is now entering the fetal period!! Junebug is about 1 inch long, and the size of a medium green olive. Junebug is also making spontaneous movements now that his/her muscles are starting to develop, but movement of the tiny dancer will not be felt for a couple more months. The head has straightened out and is more fully developed, the ears are more prominent and some new organs are forming (the liver, spleen and gallbladder). The heart is developed enough and grown large enough to be heard on a fetal doppler. Junebug is still rather small, and is quite snug in Mommy's belly, so no need to worry if not able to detect the heartbeat on the monitor yet. In a few weeks, the miraculous sound of the heartbeat is certain to be audible for our listening pleasure!!
Halloween Pictures
Jayk and Jarrod at their school Halloween Party.
Yes - they are the same thing! They are skeleton ninja's.
Jaykie in full gear!
Jarrod all ready to hit up some houses!!
Gryfinn, our root-tooting cowboy!
These are some of my nieces and nephews. We have a star wars guy, a cowboy, and then the Siamese twins (my nieces are too silly!) along with our cowboy and one of our ninja skeletons. Jaykob went trick or treating with his other Mommy and his cousins, and then came home and had a slumber party with us and his cousins here.
And here are our carved pumpkins from the patch!!
This one is Jaykies - the skeleton!
This is Jarrod's headless horseman!
Kelly carved Blue for Gryfinn!
And she also carved the silly face for us, and BOO for Junebug!!
I realized when looking at pic's to post, that we just did not take many pictures. I am disappointed, but with having everyone over for dinner (Kel made her oh so delicious chili!), and then trick or treating, I think we were just preoccupied. I do know that the Grandma's took some - so I will have to raid their pictures, and probably steal a picture or two, or three - or more! :O)
Friday, November 2, 2007
Jarrod, The Dancing Fool
We were recently at the wedding reception of my best friend. And my boys like to dance - especially Jarrod. And one of the ladies that I work with, her and her husband were watching them out on the dance floor - and she heard Jarrod tell his cousin to watch out - cause he was a Dancing Fool!
Well - he is part of a select group of kids that are doing a production of 'We're All in This Together' from High School Musical. They practice, every Saturday from 10-1 - which has just recently been switched to 10-2. This is some hard core practicing! Jarrod was also selected to sing the part of 'Ryan'. Let me tell ya - he is SUPER excited! Oh - the reasoning behind the production is due to the combining of 2 of our high schools. There is a lot of controversy over it, and they are doing the song 'We're All in This Together' to show that they have to work together to make it work.
Here is a video from this past Saturday. They did the song over and over in the parking lot of one of the local high schools. It was the last football game between the two schools, so they switched the game from Friday night to Saturday afternoon to make a big 'to-do' about it. Jarrod is the one in the red jacket with the hat on - he is dressed like Ryan - but it was cold so I made him keep his jacket on.
Well - he is part of a select group of kids that are doing a production of 'We're All in This Together' from High School Musical. They practice, every Saturday from 10-1 - which has just recently been switched to 10-2. This is some hard core practicing! Jarrod was also selected to sing the part of 'Ryan'. Let me tell ya - he is SUPER excited! Oh - the reasoning behind the production is due to the combining of 2 of our high schools. There is a lot of controversy over it, and they are doing the song 'We're All in This Together' to show that they have to work together to make it work.
Here is a video from this past Saturday. They did the song over and over in the parking lot of one of the local high schools. It was the last football game between the two schools, so they switched the game from Friday night to Saturday afternoon to make a big 'to-do' about it. Jarrod is the one in the red jacket with the hat on - he is dressed like Ryan - but it was cold so I made him keep his jacket on.
And so we Christen you.......
Ok - so we have been trying to decide what we will call this lil being that is growing inside of me. Since we don't know the sex, and don't plan on finding out, we have to be able to call this lil person something.
Here is the list of what we came up (also with the help of my wonderful BFF!!) - as you will see, Kelly put some wonderful thought into the ones she came up with - and her lil side notes just cracked me up!
Cherub
Suckling
Papoose
Moppet
Tad (tadpole)
Squirt
Imp
Urchin - means mischievious child
Sweat Pea
Peanut
Jelly Bean
Gummy Bear
Our Heart
Snuggles
Luv Bug
Nugget - Mommy is quite fond of chicken nuggets
Cletus - As in 'Cletus the Fetus' - hey, it rhymes!
Junebug - She is due in June
Teddy Gram - We do like the name Graham
Brownie - She did wait until after the big game to be conceived. She knew how important that game was to us
--> Back to Cletus. I would never really want to name our fetus that. I must have had a complete Dad moment. Only men want to call their babies names like that. Remember 'Boofer'?!? (inside joke about Kel's brother!)
Poppy - Mommy has to suck on a lot of Preggie Pops just to keep from throwing up.
Gem - She will be a Gemini.
Ok - so I am sure you can tell which ones are from Kel! She really is a trip! And I love how she keeps referring to the lil being as she! :O)
So - we have made a decision - and the survey says!!
Here is the list of what we came up (also with the help of my wonderful BFF!!) - as you will see, Kelly put some wonderful thought into the ones she came up with - and her lil side notes just cracked me up!
Cherub
Suckling
Papoose
Moppet
Tad (tadpole)
Squirt
Imp
Urchin - means mischievious child
Sweat Pea
Peanut
Jelly Bean
Gummy Bear
Our Heart
Snuggles
Luv Bug
Nugget - Mommy is quite fond of chicken nuggets
Cletus - As in 'Cletus the Fetus' - hey, it rhymes!
Junebug - She is due in June
Teddy Gram - We do like the name Graham
Brownie - She did wait until after the big game to be conceived. She knew how important that game was to us
--> Back to Cletus. I would never really want to name our fetus that. I must have had a complete Dad moment. Only men want to call their babies names like that. Remember 'Boofer'?!? (inside joke about Kel's brother!)
Poppy - Mommy has to suck on a lot of Preggie Pops just to keep from throwing up.
Gem - She will be a Gemini.
Ok - so I am sure you can tell which ones are from Kel! She really is a trip! And I love how she keeps referring to the lil being as she! :O)
So - we have made a decision - and the survey says!!
JUNEBUG!!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Into the Minds of Children
Ok - so you never know what children are thinking, unless they talk to you about it. And lucky us, we have some kids that LOVE to talk. So we are frequently allowed into their minds. And let me tell you, it is always such an amazing journey! You always come out enlightened.
Lat week, Kelly and Jayk had the following conversation.
Mama: Grandma and Chelle are coming over.
Jayk: Why is Chelle coming too?
Mama: Because she is moving and wants to get the boxes out of our garage.
Jayk: I didn't know she was moving. Where is she moving to?
Mama: Her and Brian are getting a trailer.
Jayk: -deep thought- I wouldn't want to live in a trailer.
Mama: Ok. (thinking oh no, please don't say anything mean to Chelle) Why not?
Jayk: Cause. Your house is always moving around - you know, from place to place.
Mama: What?
Jayk: You know, like Grandma's.
Mama: -giggle- Grandma has a camper. Chelle's trailer will be in one place, on a lot, just like a house. She will have regular water and a regular toilet.
Jayk: Oh.
So - apparently, Jayk was worried that Chelle would have to move her house around - one night they stay at the camp ground, the next night in Grandma's driveway, the next in ours! Kids - gotta love 'em!!
Lat week, Kelly and Jayk had the following conversation.
Mama: Grandma and Chelle are coming over.
Jayk: Why is Chelle coming too?
Mama: Because she is moving and wants to get the boxes out of our garage.
Jayk: I didn't know she was moving. Where is she moving to?
Mama: Her and Brian are getting a trailer.
Jayk: -deep thought- I wouldn't want to live in a trailer.
Mama: Ok. (thinking oh no, please don't say anything mean to Chelle) Why not?
Jayk: Cause. Your house is always moving around - you know, from place to place.
Mama: What?
Jayk: You know, like Grandma's.
Mama: -giggle- Grandma has a camper. Chelle's trailer will be in one place, on a lot, just like a house. She will have regular water and a regular toilet.
Jayk: Oh.
So - apparently, Jayk was worried that Chelle would have to move her house around - one night they stay at the camp ground, the next night in Grandma's driveway, the next in ours! Kids - gotta love 'em!!
The First Appointment
We had our first dr's appointment on Tuesday, Oct 30. We first meet with him in his office. He is amazed that we have succeeded at getting pregnant two times with doing at home inseminations. I think with being a dr, and especially one that used to perform inseminations, that he has this misconception that it is odd for us to be able to receive frozen sperm via DHL, unthaw it ourselves, perform the insemination, and get pregnant - not once, but twice. So - he is amazed, and says, well this sure does seem to be working for you!
Everything looks fine, and while doing my exam, Dr. W says - well, you are 'really' pregnant - then checks his lil spinner thing and says it is too early to check for a heartbeat. We aren't sure what he meant by the 'really' part. Maybe it was a realization that 'Yep, these crazy lesbians did it again!'
Dr W and his nurse, L, are wonderful. I think we made a great choice in using him again. He has such good people skills, and not to mention his good bedside manner. He is so polite, and so gentle. While my feet are in the stirrups, and the speculum is in for him to do the pap, I am jittery. Maybe because I am in a most vulnerable position, but everytime he would barely bump my leg, I would jump, and he would just apologize. Poor guy probably thought he was hurting me, but no, he was just startling me. Thank goodness I don't have to be there in that position for awhile.
Our next dr's appointment is Nov 27. And I will be 12 weeks. So, we should be able to hear the hearbeat. Although, we do have a doppler, and will be trying before then. I can't wait to hear that sound of our lil bun's heart - that is the most precious sound ever. Well, until you hear their first cry, and then their first giggle, and then their first word. :O) Gosh, I sure do love being a Mom!!
Everything looks fine, and while doing my exam, Dr. W says - well, you are 'really' pregnant - then checks his lil spinner thing and says it is too early to check for a heartbeat. We aren't sure what he meant by the 'really' part. Maybe it was a realization that 'Yep, these crazy lesbians did it again!'
Dr W and his nurse, L, are wonderful. I think we made a great choice in using him again. He has such good people skills, and not to mention his good bedside manner. He is so polite, and so gentle. While my feet are in the stirrups, and the speculum is in for him to do the pap, I am jittery. Maybe because I am in a most vulnerable position, but everytime he would barely bump my leg, I would jump, and he would just apologize. Poor guy probably thought he was hurting me, but no, he was just startling me. Thank goodness I don't have to be there in that position for awhile.
Our next dr's appointment is Nov 27. And I will be 12 weeks. So, we should be able to hear the hearbeat. Although, we do have a doppler, and will be trying before then. I can't wait to hear that sound of our lil bun's heart - that is the most precious sound ever. Well, until you hear their first cry, and then their first giggle, and then their first word. :O) Gosh, I sure do love being a Mom!!
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