As you all can imagine, I've had a lot of time on my hands with Gabe being in the hospital. A lot of my time is spent on my laptop by Gabe's bedside, researching new craft ideas and recipes. Now, I've always heard about taking an afternoon to make meals to freeze for a later time...however, I never really wanted to try it...until now.
In the next week, I'm going to be up here in St. Louis by myself while Jesse starts his new job at the mines. I hope that Gabe gets to come home soon...but we're still expecting at least another month. So, I've decided that since Jesse will be home, I should get some meals ready for him to eat. I know he'll be tired when he gets home from work and hungry...so it will be a lot easier for him to just take a meal out of the freezer, heat it, and eat! Plus, when Gabe gets to come home, it will be MUCH easier for me to get supper ready when I have some things already cooked and frozen!
So, here's my plan for this upcoming weekend...
Friday: finish painting Gabe's room and arrange his furniture. Clean room thoroughly!
Saturday: Baby Shower Day!! I was hoping that Gabe would be out of the hospital by the shower to meet everyone...guess Jesse and I will have to do for all our guests! :) Anyway, after shower...go home, organize all of our goodies, and then cook meals to freeze.
Sunday: Trip to Target. Cook a GOURMET dinner for Jesse and I... it will be his last night free before he starts work...and our last night together for awhile...since he'll be home and I'll be in StL.
Monday: Doctor's appointment, possible Vet appt for Rylee, and then back up to StL that night. Also going to work on Gabe's room some more this day!
Busy, Busy weekend ahead! I'm excited though! I like to have things planned to do! And it's good that the only thing I'm going to be spending money on is food to cook! I've been to hobby lobby 2 times this past week...I think Jesse is about to tell me to stop shopping! haha. He sent me yesterday to go on a shopping spree there...however, i went about 20 bucks over my budget. oh well! Jesse actually liked everything that I got. I'll post pics soon of all my finds and creations I've done! I'm in the process of trying to make our house feel more like a home. I want it to be warm & cozy for when Gabe comes home. And how am I doing this???
Well, Jesse said that we needed dimmer lighting in our living room. At first I laughed about this, but then sitting at home, I realized he was right. All of our lighting in our living room is so bright. So, I took an old lamp that I originally intended to put out by the trash, and covered the lampshade with some fabric, spray painted the bottom black, and TA-DA! Brand New Lamp! It puts off a dimmer light and looks AWESOME in our living room. Next step, trunk/chest for our living room. I found a trunk on sale at Hobby Lobby for $40...originally $119.99...it was such a great deal, I had to get it! I also bought a 3 trays that went with the trunk...all of them were like 66% off marked between $6.00 - $10.00. When I got up to the counter to pay they ended up being 90% off instead! WHOA! I was super excited. Anyway, along with the trunk and trays, I added some new decor to the living room. I also covered some old pillows with new fabric... Our living room is finally coming together and looking better!! I'm so happy. Since I got pregnant, I wasn't in the mood to really do much. I was always exhausted, moody, and just not in a good mood at all. I always had ideas to do on the house, but I'd get half way done working on something, get tired, and pass out! haha. I'm happy that I can finally finish a project!
I want to start an at-home business..I think. I've always made hairbows for my niece, so I'm considering taking that up again, getting better at it, and selling them for some extra cash. It's going to take some time to get it started...but I like the idea, and it will give me something to do that will help contribute to our income. I recently quit my full-time job at Verizon to be a stay-at home mom. We're going to be just fine financially, but a little extra cash to go shopping would be nice! :)
Alright, that's it for tonight folks. Have a good one!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Cardinal Glennon
It's been a crazy week so far. Our baby boy that we were told was doing so well, was flown to St. Louis' Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital last Sunday! As you all can imagine, the rumors started flying from that moment on. It was to be expected, especially in the small town that I'm from. Luckily, I'm here to set the record straight. Here's our story of the Schiff's Journey to Cardinal Glennon...
On Sunday, July 17, Jesse and I woke up to a phone call from Gabe's doctor in Carbondale's NICU. Obviously, this is not the type of phone call you want to wake up to. She informed me that they had decided to fly Gabe to St. Louis with the reason being they were scared an eye exam would cause further problems. And since he had an infection and they couldn't figure out why, it was just better to send him there. She then said we needed to be there in about an hour to see him off. I said ok, hung up the phone, and started packing our clothes. And then it hit us...what did the doctor just say? Why is Gabriel going to StL? This started to make no sense at all. So, Jesse called back, got a few more answers, still unclear as to why they were flying him here. About 15 minutes later we were out the door. Rylee packed up ready to go to his sisters house, and our clothes and snacks packed ready for another stay in a hospital.
Cardinal Glennon's air team was already at the hospital by the time we got there. I dropped Jesse off at the hospital and then took Rylee to Tori's, so by the time I got there, they were ready to go. I could see the helicopter on top of the hospital. We held our boy one last time before he left. We couldn't fly with him. My mom, Jesse, and I all left the hospital. We were all going to drive up to StL right then. So, we did just that. Jesse and I arrived about an hour after Gabe did. They told us he did great on the flight... and once the doctor and nurse practioner were done examining him, we could go back.
Here at Cardinal Glennon, we have our own private room. Gabe is doing so great here! No, he does not have a heart problem or lung problem. Turns out, he needed a blood transfusion, which made him automatically look and act better. He was on antibiotics for 5 days here to help if he did have some kind of infection. Never found one. The eye exam that carbondale was so worried about seems to be no big deal here....which is understandable. it's just an eye exam...nothing traumatic! So, that is taking place this Tuesday! Gabe took his first bottle last Monday, and has been doing pretty good so far with that. We love it here! We literally can't imagine taking Gabe anywhere else now! The doctors and nursing staff are all amazing here and Gabe is doing 100x better than he ever has! It's just amazing! :)
We still have a long road ahead of us. We're told that Gabriel still has another month here in the hospital. As you can imagine, Jesse and I are both pretty sleep deprived already! We take shifts so we can share the small couch in our room to sleep on. Jesse does nights, I do days...with about 4-5 hours where we're both up and spend some time together! On the days that we're not here, my mom comes up and stays with him. We don't like to leave him alone, especially at eating time. Thankfully, we have family that lives close to here...like my brother and sister in law who live 6 minutes from here. My mom and I timed it! haha. So, we know that someone will always be around to check on him if we're not here. We have to go home to get some clothes, bring Rylee home for a night so she's not too traumatized, and to work on Gabe's room. It's a work in progress that has basically stalled because we're never home! Oh well, it'll get done in time.
Anyway, Yesterday I went on a hobby lobby shopping spree! I got sooooo much stuff for less than $75. I was amazed. I can't wait to get it all home and decorate and such. I feel like our house is finally becoming a home. Once I'm done decorating my living room and finishing Gabe's room... I feel like it'll be complete! I can't wait. I still have soooo many crafty ideas for my house, but those will take time...especially since I'm not home much these days...
On Sunday, July 17, Jesse and I woke up to a phone call from Gabe's doctor in Carbondale's NICU. Obviously, this is not the type of phone call you want to wake up to. She informed me that they had decided to fly Gabe to St. Louis with the reason being they were scared an eye exam would cause further problems. And since he had an infection and they couldn't figure out why, it was just better to send him there. She then said we needed to be there in about an hour to see him off. I said ok, hung up the phone, and started packing our clothes. And then it hit us...what did the doctor just say? Why is Gabriel going to StL? This started to make no sense at all. So, Jesse called back, got a few more answers, still unclear as to why they were flying him here. About 15 minutes later we were out the door. Rylee packed up ready to go to his sisters house, and our clothes and snacks packed ready for another stay in a hospital.
Cardinal Glennon's air team was already at the hospital by the time we got there. I dropped Jesse off at the hospital and then took Rylee to Tori's, so by the time I got there, they were ready to go. I could see the helicopter on top of the hospital. We held our boy one last time before he left. We couldn't fly with him. My mom, Jesse, and I all left the hospital. We were all going to drive up to StL right then. So, we did just that. Jesse and I arrived about an hour after Gabe did. They told us he did great on the flight... and once the doctor and nurse practioner were done examining him, we could go back.
Here at Cardinal Glennon, we have our own private room. Gabe is doing so great here! No, he does not have a heart problem or lung problem. Turns out, he needed a blood transfusion, which made him automatically look and act better. He was on antibiotics for 5 days here to help if he did have some kind of infection. Never found one. The eye exam that carbondale was so worried about seems to be no big deal here....which is understandable. it's just an eye exam...nothing traumatic! So, that is taking place this Tuesday! Gabe took his first bottle last Monday, and has been doing pretty good so far with that. We love it here! We literally can't imagine taking Gabe anywhere else now! The doctors and nursing staff are all amazing here and Gabe is doing 100x better than he ever has! It's just amazing! :)
We still have a long road ahead of us. We're told that Gabriel still has another month here in the hospital. As you can imagine, Jesse and I are both pretty sleep deprived already! We take shifts so we can share the small couch in our room to sleep on. Jesse does nights, I do days...with about 4-5 hours where we're both up and spend some time together! On the days that we're not here, my mom comes up and stays with him. We don't like to leave him alone, especially at eating time. Thankfully, we have family that lives close to here...like my brother and sister in law who live 6 minutes from here. My mom and I timed it! haha. So, we know that someone will always be around to check on him if we're not here. We have to go home to get some clothes, bring Rylee home for a night so she's not too traumatized, and to work on Gabe's room. It's a work in progress that has basically stalled because we're never home! Oh well, it'll get done in time.
Anyway, Yesterday I went on a hobby lobby shopping spree! I got sooooo much stuff for less than $75. I was amazed. I can't wait to get it all home and decorate and such. I feel like our house is finally becoming a home. Once I'm done decorating my living room and finishing Gabe's room... I feel like it'll be complete! I can't wait. I still have soooo many crafty ideas for my house, but those will take time...especially since I'm not home much these days...
Gabe taking his first bottle...such a big boy! :)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Life in a Small Town
Tonight, as Jesse and I were on our way home from the hospital, a house in our town was on fire. The road was blocked by cop cars and firetrucks. We sat there for a few minutes until the cars that we're coming behind us backed up and turned around...making room for us to back up and turn around to take a different road home. As we were sitting there, all I could think about were the people who owned that home who were now watching their house be slowly destroyed. Then, I looked around only to see the firemen working veryyy slowly and people from the town all gathering around to watch. It was literally minutes until TONS of people were driving, parking, and gathering on the other side of the street to watch. I was in awe...I couldn't believe that these people had NOTHING better to do than to just stand there. I mean, really!? come on... find something better to do. I'm sure that made the owner's of the home feel so much better seeing all those people just standing and watching. Ridiculous! I couldn't believe it...but then again, I shouldn't have expected anything different from a small town! This place amazes me everyday...and tonight was another constant reminder of how we definitely need to move away from this place. The entire town was filled with smoke in the air, and it seemed that half the town had nothing else better to do. I even saw one lady walking up with a soda in one hand like it was a show. I literally wanted to punch her in the face. This town angers me so much...and this just really put me in a bad mood. I understand that events like that make people want to stop and stare...but then, would all of these people really want others standing and watching!? I'm thinking NO!
Anyway, I was thinking today and that's not always the best idea. Somethings been bothering me lately and I feel it's time I speak my own little opinion. It was called to my attention that someone didn't want to come visit Gabriel in the hospital in fear that something "bad" might happen to their child if they did. Like Gabriel being in the NICU is a disease or something. I want to make it abundantly clear that my child does not have a disease, disorder, or some other life-threatening illness. If he did, we'd love him just the same. However, he was simply born 2 1/2 months early. It's in his best interest to stay in the hospital to get the proper care until he's ready to come home. I can't explain to you how hard it's been not to call this person and give her a piece of my mind. But, like Jesse says, some things are better left unsaid. And then it occurred to me... this person obviously has NO idea what we have gone through and are still going through. And how could they? I don't expect anyone to relate to our situation, unless they've been through it too. There aren't many families who have their child stay in the NICU for so long. I know this. And the reason I know this is because we received a package from the hospital which was from an organization that is primarily for families of "micro-preemie" babies. Like I said, I don't expect anyone to relate to our situation, but that doesn't mean that we anticipate anyone to be so rude and cold to our situation either. Seriously!!!!
With that being said, we definitely appreciate all of the love and support from our actual friends and family throughout this whole process. Today, however made me realize how much our baby boy is loved. He had so many visitors come to see him this afternoon... Friends that already loved and supported him even before meeting him for the first time today. I then started thinking, why am i complaining about this one person that doesn't want to see my beautiful baby boy? He has sooooo many people who come to visit, call, text, and email about him every single day. He also has tons of people who pray for him daily who also have yet to meet him. I'd say if there's only one person that doesn't want to see him out of the many that do...we're doing pretty good! :)
Jesse and I were talking about the nursing staff tonight. They're job seems so relaxed...but then we realized...that's only what we see. We realized that these wonderful people are caring for Gabriel day in and day out. 24/7. Can you imagine how stressful but rewarding their job must be!? I can't imagine having to care for someone else's child for that long of a time...knowing that their well-being rested in my hands. Needless to say, our respect for the wonderful nursing staff and doctor's at the hospital increased by about 100%. We were talking about what we could get them all to show how thankful we are for them. Though, we do have until Gabe is released to decide this...we decided to start brainstorming now. Honestly, what do you get someone that has been so great with your child and cared for him for so long? I know that simple card can speak volumes...but a card just doesn't seem to justify how thankful we truly are. Any ideas!?
Anyway, I was thinking today and that's not always the best idea. Somethings been bothering me lately and I feel it's time I speak my own little opinion. It was called to my attention that someone didn't want to come visit Gabriel in the hospital in fear that something "bad" might happen to their child if they did. Like Gabriel being in the NICU is a disease or something. I want to make it abundantly clear that my child does not have a disease, disorder, or some other life-threatening illness. If he did, we'd love him just the same. However, he was simply born 2 1/2 months early. It's in his best interest to stay in the hospital to get the proper care until he's ready to come home. I can't explain to you how hard it's been not to call this person and give her a piece of my mind. But, like Jesse says, some things are better left unsaid. And then it occurred to me... this person obviously has NO idea what we have gone through and are still going through. And how could they? I don't expect anyone to relate to our situation, unless they've been through it too. There aren't many families who have their child stay in the NICU for so long. I know this. And the reason I know this is because we received a package from the hospital which was from an organization that is primarily for families of "micro-preemie" babies. Like I said, I don't expect anyone to relate to our situation, but that doesn't mean that we anticipate anyone to be so rude and cold to our situation either. Seriously!!!!
With that being said, we definitely appreciate all of the love and support from our actual friends and family throughout this whole process. Today, however made me realize how much our baby boy is loved. He had so many visitors come to see him this afternoon... Friends that already loved and supported him even before meeting him for the first time today. I then started thinking, why am i complaining about this one person that doesn't want to see my beautiful baby boy? He has sooooo many people who come to visit, call, text, and email about him every single day. He also has tons of people who pray for him daily who also have yet to meet him. I'd say if there's only one person that doesn't want to see him out of the many that do...we're doing pretty good! :)
Jesse and I were talking about the nursing staff tonight. They're job seems so relaxed...but then we realized...that's only what we see. We realized that these wonderful people are caring for Gabriel day in and day out. 24/7. Can you imagine how stressful but rewarding their job must be!? I can't imagine having to care for someone else's child for that long of a time...knowing that their well-being rested in my hands. Needless to say, our respect for the wonderful nursing staff and doctor's at the hospital increased by about 100%. We were talking about what we could get them all to show how thankful we are for them. Though, we do have until Gabe is released to decide this...we decided to start brainstorming now. Honestly, what do you get someone that has been so great with your child and cared for him for so long? I know that simple card can speak volumes...but a card just doesn't seem to justify how thankful we truly are. Any ideas!?
Sunday, July 10, 2011
I Saw God Today
"I Saw God Today" George Strait
Just walked down the street to the coffee shop,
Had to take a break,
I've been by her side for eighteen hours straight,
saw a flower growing in the middle of the sidewalk,
pushing up through the concrete,
Like it was planted right there for me to see,
The flashing lights,
The honking horns,
All seem to fade away,
but in the shadow of the hospital,
at 508,
I saw God today,
I've been to church,
I've read the book,
I know He's there,
But I don't look,
near as often as I should,
His fingerprints are everywhere,
I just look down and stop and stare,
open my eyes and then I swear,
I Saw God Today,
Saw a couple walking by,
they were holding hands,
and she had that glow,
Ya, I couldn't help,
but I noticed that she was starting to show,
stood there for a minute,
taking in the sky,
lost in that sunset,
a splashing down from mounting in shades of red,
I've been to church,
I've read the book,
I know He's there,
but I don't look,
near as often as I should,
His fingerprints are everywhere,
I just look down and stop and stare,
open my eye and then I swear,
I Saw God Today,
Got my face pushed up against the nursery glass,
she's sleeping like a rock,
my name on her wrist,
wearing tiny pink socks,
she's got my nose,
she's got her Mama's eyes,
my brand new baby girl,
she's a miracle,
I Saw God Today
"Wires" Athlete
You got wires, going in
You got wires, coming out of your skin
You got tears, making tracks
I got tears, that are scared of the facts
Running, down corridors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
I see hope is here, in a plastic box
I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes
You got wires, going in
You got wires, coming out of your skin
There's dry blood, on your wrist
Your dry blood on my fingertip
Running, down corridoors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
First night of your life, curled up on your own
Looking at you now, you would never know
I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes
You'll be alright
I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes
You'll be alright
Alright
Running, down corridors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
I see hope is here, in a plastic box
I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes
down corridors, through automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
First night of your life, curled up on your own
Looking at you now, you would never know.
Had to take a break,
I've been by her side for eighteen hours straight,
saw a flower growing in the middle of the sidewalk,
pushing up through the concrete,
Like it was planted right there for me to see,
The flashing lights,
The honking horns,
All seem to fade away,
but in the shadow of the hospital,
at 508,
I saw God today,
I've been to church,
I've read the book,
I know He's there,
But I don't look,
near as often as I should,
His fingerprints are everywhere,
I just look down and stop and stare,
open my eyes and then I swear,
I Saw God Today,
Saw a couple walking by,
they were holding hands,
and she had that glow,
Ya, I couldn't help,
but I noticed that she was starting to show,
stood there for a minute,
taking in the sky,
lost in that sunset,
a splashing down from mounting in shades of red,
I've been to church,
I've read the book,
I know He's there,
but I don't look,
near as often as I should,
His fingerprints are everywhere,
I just look down and stop and stare,
open my eye and then I swear,
I Saw God Today,
Got my face pushed up against the nursery glass,
she's sleeping like a rock,
my name on her wrist,
wearing tiny pink socks,
she's got my nose,
she's got her Mama's eyes,
my brand new baby girl,
she's a miracle,
I Saw God Today
"Wires" Athlete
You got wires, going in
You got wires, coming out of your skin
You got tears, making tracks
I got tears, that are scared of the facts
Running, down corridors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
I see hope is here, in a plastic box
I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes
You got wires, going in
You got wires, coming out of your skin
There's dry blood, on your wrist
Your dry blood on my fingertip
Running, down corridoors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
First night of your life, curled up on your own
Looking at you now, you would never know
I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes
You'll be alright
I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes
You'll be alright
Alright
Running, down corridors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
I see hope is here, in a plastic box
I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes
down corridors, through automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
First night of your life, curled up on your own
Looking at you now, you would never know.
I just came across these songs tonight. The George Strait song reminds me so much of what Jesse and I have gone through. From our 2 week hospital stay to Gabriel's arrival. Gabe's definitely our little miracle. He continues to amaze us every single day. I had never heard the song Wires until tonight. The singer of the band had a preemie baby and wrote this for him. It definitely tells the story of what it's like having a baby in the NICU. My favorite line is "I see it in your eyes, you'll be alright" Can't wait to bring that boy home so he can listen to all of these songs with me! :)
stove burns and pumping...
Tonight, I managed to successfully burn 3 of my fingers on the stove! How you may ask? Well, being the intelligent woman I am, I forgot I turned the stove on and put my hand down. OUCH! This is when my "baby" side comes out. So, what did I do? I instantly went to the sink and ran my hand under cold water...I then went and got Jesse and cried for a bit saying how much my hand hurt. He then informed me that I better put it back under cold water...after trying to explain to him that the cold water only works when my hand is under it and that as soon as I take it out from under the water it burns again... i decided he was right. So, back to the sink I went. I decided that it was stupid to just stand there with my hand under the faucet...so I got a bowl of cold water and sat down at the table with my laptop with my hand in the bowl and the other typing. FYI...don't ever put ice on a burn... luckily Jesse and I remembered this... and it was exactly what the internet said to do. I kept my hand in the bowl of water while talking to Rachel on the internet. I couldn't move my hand out of the cold because it hurt so bad. I looked up every home remedy there was. Luckily, I live in a small town that has no stores or gas stations open past 11. Yes, Lucky I am! hah! just kidding! I wanted aloe soooo bad, but I refused to make a 30 minute trip to walmart for a burn that was not that bad. So, with a little bit of praying mixed with myself yelling at my fingers to stop hurting...I managed to put bandaids over them and take ibuprofen for the slight pain that I felt. Then, after pouting to Jesse some more and insisting that he help me make popcorn because I was wayyyy to incapable of doing it myself since my right hand was so fragile, I realized that I was being a big baby about it all! Seeing that one of my best friends was just in an accident where he has way worse burns than I do, I decided it was time to get over it. And that's just what I did. I couldn't believe I made such a big deal over small burns that didn't even produce blisters, when a friend of mine had just been through way worse than me and doing fine! Man, do I feel silly! Thankfully, my fingers are fine now and I can successfully use both hands to type this wonderful blog to you all! :)
So, tonight Gabriel officially reached 3 pounds!! Oh man, were we ever excited! I joked with him right before the nurse weighed him saying that he better way at least 3 pounds or he was in trouble... but boy was I surprised when the nurse told us his weight! He was a little over 3 pounds...3 lbs. 0.2 ounces to be exact! He's doing soooo great! The nurse practioner told us last week that it would be at least 6 more weeks until he gets to come home unless he just miraculously starts doing well and gaining weight and all that good stuff! I'm so happy our boy is proving them all wrong! I said when he was born that he could be one of those miracle stories that you always hear about... how the Dr's say one thing and then the patient proves them wrong! And with all the prayers that everyone is saying for Gabe, there's no doubt in my mind that he'll do sooo much better than the doctors or nurses think he will. Heck, he's already proving them wrong! We're so proud of him! And what else has he done!? Well, one of the main things that he has to be able to do is maintain his body temperature. Once he does this, he will no longer have to be in the incubator. The incubator's temp is set to help him maintain his body temp...well tonight, the nurse actually had to turn it down because he was too hot! woo hooo!! Another great report! This is a great thing as well!!! This means that he's keeping his temperature better, so the incubator's temp doesn't need to be set as high! Who knows...he may be out of that thing by next week! Anyway, he's doing great! He's even got a little double chin going now. It seems that all his weight is going to his face! But that's ok...it's too cute! :)
Rylee had a great birthday. And now, she's passed out beside me. It's funny...because when I move she just looks at me with this look of "why are you moving and waking me up!?" hahah. She's such a big baby. when we moved the bed out of Gabe's room we found at least 3 of her bones. And what did she do!? Yes, that's right...she whined until she found new hiding spots for each of them!
Yesterday, we bought some new toilet paper. And for those of you who remember one of my previous posts...you'll remember that I sent Jesse on a TP run a while ago and he came home with the WORST kind ever!! So, I figured that this time around, we'd tackle the job together! Needless to say, it was a success! We came home with the nice, soft, gentle, thick kind. Oh, how wonderful it is! hahah. It's the simple things in life, ya know!?
Tonight, Jesse decided to tell on me to Gabe's nurse and my mom. I complained that I wasn't getting as much milk as I had before when pumping...and when the nurse asked if I was pumping every 3 hours..Jesse decided to chime in and say no. Now, Seeing that this is the truth, I couldn't get mad at the guy for saying so. But now, I'm on strict orders to pump every 3 hours. So, my alarm is set for every 3 hours! Oh, this shall be interesting!!
Finally, I won't lie, I slightly miss the hospital. Only because it was a chance for me to catch up on all my favorite shows such as House, CSI: Miami, NCIS, and Criminal Minds. I had each channel written on a napkin that told me what channel each network was on. I had it all figured out too...CSI was on at 8 a.m....just in time for me to eat my breakfast...followed by an episode of Criminal Minds. House was on during the day, usually a marathon from like 12-4 p.m...followed by a 4-5 hour marathon of NCIS. And then after NCIS, criminal minds would be on for another 3-4 hours! My days were set...and since I wasn't allowed out of bed except to go to the bathroom, shower, ultrasounds, and the occasional wheelchair rides Jesse would take me on...these shows kept me entertained. Now, I hardly watch tv and I couldn't tell you the channels they're on here at my house! I'm not complaining, I love being home, but I'd really like to catch up on my shows again! haha! :)
So, tonight Gabriel officially reached 3 pounds!! Oh man, were we ever excited! I joked with him right before the nurse weighed him saying that he better way at least 3 pounds or he was in trouble... but boy was I surprised when the nurse told us his weight! He was a little over 3 pounds...3 lbs. 0.2 ounces to be exact! He's doing soooo great! The nurse practioner told us last week that it would be at least 6 more weeks until he gets to come home unless he just miraculously starts doing well and gaining weight and all that good stuff! I'm so happy our boy is proving them all wrong! I said when he was born that he could be one of those miracle stories that you always hear about... how the Dr's say one thing and then the patient proves them wrong! And with all the prayers that everyone is saying for Gabe, there's no doubt in my mind that he'll do sooo much better than the doctors or nurses think he will. Heck, he's already proving them wrong! We're so proud of him! And what else has he done!? Well, one of the main things that he has to be able to do is maintain his body temperature. Once he does this, he will no longer have to be in the incubator. The incubator's temp is set to help him maintain his body temp...well tonight, the nurse actually had to turn it down because he was too hot! woo hooo!! Another great report! This is a great thing as well!!! This means that he's keeping his temperature better, so the incubator's temp doesn't need to be set as high! Who knows...he may be out of that thing by next week! Anyway, he's doing great! He's even got a little double chin going now. It seems that all his weight is going to his face! But that's ok...it's too cute! :)
Rylee had a great birthday. And now, she's passed out beside me. It's funny...because when I move she just looks at me with this look of "why are you moving and waking me up!?" hahah. She's such a big baby. when we moved the bed out of Gabe's room we found at least 3 of her bones. And what did she do!? Yes, that's right...she whined until she found new hiding spots for each of them!
Yesterday, we bought some new toilet paper. And for those of you who remember one of my previous posts...you'll remember that I sent Jesse on a TP run a while ago and he came home with the WORST kind ever!! So, I figured that this time around, we'd tackle the job together! Needless to say, it was a success! We came home with the nice, soft, gentle, thick kind. Oh, how wonderful it is! hahah. It's the simple things in life, ya know!?
Tonight, Jesse decided to tell on me to Gabe's nurse and my mom. I complained that I wasn't getting as much milk as I had before when pumping...and when the nurse asked if I was pumping every 3 hours..Jesse decided to chime in and say no. Now, Seeing that this is the truth, I couldn't get mad at the guy for saying so. But now, I'm on strict orders to pump every 3 hours. So, my alarm is set for every 3 hours! Oh, this shall be interesting!!
Finally, I won't lie, I slightly miss the hospital. Only because it was a chance for me to catch up on all my favorite shows such as House, CSI: Miami, NCIS, and Criminal Minds. I had each channel written on a napkin that told me what channel each network was on. I had it all figured out too...CSI was on at 8 a.m....just in time for me to eat my breakfast...followed by an episode of Criminal Minds. House was on during the day, usually a marathon from like 12-4 p.m...followed by a 4-5 hour marathon of NCIS. And then after NCIS, criminal minds would be on for another 3-4 hours! My days were set...and since I wasn't allowed out of bed except to go to the bathroom, shower, ultrasounds, and the occasional wheelchair rides Jesse would take me on...these shows kept me entertained. Now, I hardly watch tv and I couldn't tell you the channels they're on here at my house! I'm not complaining, I love being home, but I'd really like to catch up on my shows again! haha! :)
Saturday, July 9, 2011
These are a few of my favorite things....
I know, I know... 2 posts in one night. WOW! haha. Just wanted to share a few of my favorite things at the moment with you all! These are all things that I believe you should invest in! haha. :)
My friend Giovanna got me this bag! I absolutely looooveee it!! She brought this to us as a gift for Gabriel while we were still in the hospital! I instantly thought it was cute...but didn't realize how handy it would become once Gabe got here! It's been so nice to have...especially since Gabe is still in the hospital and I'm pumping at home. It makes is so convenient to transport milk to the hospital! Not to mention the fact that it is super adorable! I'd recommend this to any mother! I'll definitely be buying these as baby-shower gifts in the future too! :)
I read this book when I was first put on bed rest back in May. It was such a good book... I ended up reading it in 3 days! And for those of you who know me...you know that this is amazing...seeing that I don't like reading that much. However, I do enjoy reading when the stories are about real life. I found this book especially interesting because it has to do with a mother and her son with autism. And since working with children with autism is what I ultimately want to do...this book was very intriguing to me. Definitely recommend this book to everyone! For those who may not know much about autism and the struggles and joy's that these families go through...this book will definitely open your eyes! It's a remarkable story!
My Aunt Jill and Cousin Caitlin brought this book to me to read while I was in the hospital. However, I didn't get to read it until I got home...but Man, was this book Good!! Again, it's a real-life story, so I read this book in less than 3 days. I found myself staying up late just to read more. Not like me at all! This book will definitely make you look at life in a whole new perspective! I'd recommend this to EVERYONE!! Such a great read! :)
Ok, these flip-flops are AMAZZZINGGGG!!! Seriously!! They're made by a company called "Sanuk" and the soles are made out of yoga-mats. My friend Courtney and Jean brought these to me in the hospital as a gift right after I delivered Gabe. My feet were still the size of Texas at the time so I couldn't wear them. However, now that my feet are back to normal size... I wear these shoes EVERY SINGLE DAY! They're honestly the most comfortable flip-flops I've ever worn! Honestly, you will L-O-V-E them as soon as you put them on...it's like walking on air!
Ok...who doesn't love Victoria Secret, right!? My mom gave me one of these sleepshirts while I was still pregnant. I was finding it hard to get comfy in my normal t-shirts at the time. This sleepshirt is soooooo comfy, I want one in every color! Though they are a bit pricey... I must say the comfort that comes with these shirts are worth the extra $$$. Now I know you're probably only paying the extra money since it's VS and you could probably find one just as good only cheaper...but seriously, like I said..these are totally worth it. Plus, they're super cute!
Who doesn't like Crackle Nail Polish!? This is so fun and crazy for summer. I love this nail polish! :)
"Here Without You" featuring Sara Evans!
I love this song...but Sara Evans just made me fall in love with it all over again! Jesse even liked it...and he's not a fan of much of anything doing with country! So, that says alot! haha.
Happy Birthday, Rylee Grey!!
Yesterday, July 8th, was Rylee's one year birthday! How did we celebrate? Well, we started the day with a trip outside to play and ended the day playing catch with her favorite squeaky toys. I didn't manage to make it to wal-mart to buy her some new toys and treats, so this coming week, we will celebrate again! It's hard to believe that she's one year old already! She's definitely gotten much bigger. I'm constantly trying to remind her that her brother will be coming home soon....trying to get her used to the idea of a baby being in the house. Earlier this week we brought home the "frog" that Gabe uses...it's basically a weighed down pillow...that helps soothe him and keep him from moving all over! Anyway, I let Rylee get used to the smell of Gabe before I washed it. So, I'm hoping that slowly, but surely she'll get used to the idea! :)
How's our baby boy doing? Well, he's 2 pounds 10.2 ounces! Whoa! Like I said before...it's crazy how just a few ounces can make such a difference. We can definitely tell that he's gaining weight...especially in his face. He looks so big in the pictures that we have of him...but pictures are deceiving. He's still tiny...and we can still hold him with one hand. But Jesse and I are so proud of him...we can't wait to bring him home!
On a happier note, progress is being made on Gabe's room and all of his other goodies! All of his clothes are washed and organized...along with his towels, blankets, bibs, etc. I swear he already has at least 30 bibs. It's insane! Jesse and I laugh because there are sooooo many!! His closet is full of clothes already! His stroller and carseat came in last week and it is all put together now! It's sooooo cute...even better than the picture! :) His bassinet is all ready to go... Now, if I could just decided on a paint color...we'd be good to go!
I've started making bows again. I figured that I needed something to do to keep me busy. Between that and finishing his blanket, I think my time will be well spent.
How's our baby boy doing? Well, he's 2 pounds 10.2 ounces! Whoa! Like I said before...it's crazy how just a few ounces can make such a difference. We can definitely tell that he's gaining weight...especially in his face. He looks so big in the pictures that we have of him...but pictures are deceiving. He's still tiny...and we can still hold him with one hand. But Jesse and I are so proud of him...we can't wait to bring him home!
On a happier note, progress is being made on Gabe's room and all of his other goodies! All of his clothes are washed and organized...along with his towels, blankets, bibs, etc. I swear he already has at least 30 bibs. It's insane! Jesse and I laugh because there are sooooo many!! His closet is full of clothes already! His stroller and carseat came in last week and it is all put together now! It's sooooo cute...even better than the picture! :) His bassinet is all ready to go... Now, if I could just decided on a paint color...we'd be good to go!
I've started making bows again. I figured that I needed something to do to keep me busy. Between that and finishing his blanket, I think my time will be well spent.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
My feet are so small!!
Well, it's been a while since I've updated. Gabriel is doing so well! We're so proud of our baby boy. He's a whopping 2 pounds 6.1 ounces. Whoa! That's huge! :)
We go to see our baby boy at least once a day, if not more. Like I said before, it seems like everytime we go to see him he's made so much progress. It's amazing how just a few ounces can make such a difference. I was looking through all of the pictures that we have of him...and believe me, there's a ton...but you can definitely see a HUGE difference in him from the time he was born to now. Gabriel is now breathing all on his own. :) Though, this might not seem like a big deal to some...for us, it's huge. He's also receiving breast milk every 3 hours through the feeding tube that goes straight to his stomach. He still can't eat on his own, but his belly is getting stronger, so we know it won't be too long. He smiles ALL the time...tonight he was making faces too...he even crossed his eyes at one point. It was so cute and funny...Jesse and I just laughed. He's so calm too. He hardly ever cries...even when they take a blood sample from him. He just seems to go with the flow now! :)
One big change is that his IV's that were in his belly through his umbilical cord are now out and he now has a pic line that goes through his little hand all the way up his arm and down close to his heart. I know, scary! It was scary for us to imagine, but this line is better for him. It lasts longer than IV's...which is good because we didn't want him to have to get poked all the time for new IV sites.
We got to hold him for the first time last night. No better feeling in the world. Jesse and I each got 10 minutes to hold him. He was so precious and tiny. Rylee weighs more than him...which blows my mind. Holding him felt perfect. He just laid there...didn't cry...he was just happy and content. I can't wait to hold him more!
Anyway, my swelling has finally gone down! I feel like a new person. My feet look normal again! I had forgotten what normal was...it seems like my feet were swollen for most of my pregnancy! I find myself staring at my feet when I'm at home...they just look so small! :) My blood pressure has finally gone down as well. This was a concern when I was released from the hospital...since it had been so high. With pre-eclampsia, you're not automatically "cured" of it after delivery... you still have to do some monitoring afterwards. we were a little concerned after we were released because my blood pressure was still high. We went to see Dr. Bishop a week after Gabe was born about it, but he assured us that since my blood pressure was "trending down" there was no need to put me on medication for it. And boy, am I glad he was right! It's totally back to normal! I won't lie...I still have quite a bit of weight to lose, but i'm slowly feeling like myself again. I had forgotten what that felt like. Even Jesse commented on how much better I look...neither of us noticed it until we went back through old pictures. It's crazy how swollen my face, hands, legs, and feet were. We were looking at a few pics we took in the delivery room a few hours before Gabe was born, and man, was I ever swollen! haha.
It's almost been 2 weeks since Gabriel was born. I thought time would go by slow since he's still in the hospital, but it actually hasn't. I look forward to the day he gets to come home! We've been working on his room and the house, trying to get it perfect for him to come home too! All of his little clothes are washed and put away, and his bed is all put together. Slowly, but surely, things are coming into place for his room. We weren't ready for him to be here so soon, so his room was not even close to done when we came home. However, we are making progress! Hopefully we only have about 4 more weeks or less until we get to bring our baby boy home! :)
We go to see our baby boy at least once a day, if not more. Like I said before, it seems like everytime we go to see him he's made so much progress. It's amazing how just a few ounces can make such a difference. I was looking through all of the pictures that we have of him...and believe me, there's a ton...but you can definitely see a HUGE difference in him from the time he was born to now. Gabriel is now breathing all on his own. :) Though, this might not seem like a big deal to some...for us, it's huge. He's also receiving breast milk every 3 hours through the feeding tube that goes straight to his stomach. He still can't eat on his own, but his belly is getting stronger, so we know it won't be too long. He smiles ALL the time...tonight he was making faces too...he even crossed his eyes at one point. It was so cute and funny...Jesse and I just laughed. He's so calm too. He hardly ever cries...even when they take a blood sample from him. He just seems to go with the flow now! :)
One big change is that his IV's that were in his belly through his umbilical cord are now out and he now has a pic line that goes through his little hand all the way up his arm and down close to his heart. I know, scary! It was scary for us to imagine, but this line is better for him. It lasts longer than IV's...which is good because we didn't want him to have to get poked all the time for new IV sites.
We got to hold him for the first time last night. No better feeling in the world. Jesse and I each got 10 minutes to hold him. He was so precious and tiny. Rylee weighs more than him...which blows my mind. Holding him felt perfect. He just laid there...didn't cry...he was just happy and content. I can't wait to hold him more!
Anyway, my swelling has finally gone down! I feel like a new person. My feet look normal again! I had forgotten what normal was...it seems like my feet were swollen for most of my pregnancy! I find myself staring at my feet when I'm at home...they just look so small! :) My blood pressure has finally gone down as well. This was a concern when I was released from the hospital...since it had been so high. With pre-eclampsia, you're not automatically "cured" of it after delivery... you still have to do some monitoring afterwards. we were a little concerned after we were released because my blood pressure was still high. We went to see Dr. Bishop a week after Gabe was born about it, but he assured us that since my blood pressure was "trending down" there was no need to put me on medication for it. And boy, am I glad he was right! It's totally back to normal! I won't lie...I still have quite a bit of weight to lose, but i'm slowly feeling like myself again. I had forgotten what that felt like. Even Jesse commented on how much better I look...neither of us noticed it until we went back through old pictures. It's crazy how swollen my face, hands, legs, and feet were. We were looking at a few pics we took in the delivery room a few hours before Gabe was born, and man, was I ever swollen! haha.
It's almost been 2 weeks since Gabriel was born. I thought time would go by slow since he's still in the hospital, but it actually hasn't. I look forward to the day he gets to come home! We've been working on his room and the house, trying to get it perfect for him to come home too! All of his little clothes are washed and put away, and his bed is all put together. Slowly, but surely, things are coming into place for his room. We weren't ready for him to be here so soon, so his room was not even close to done when we came home. However, we are making progress! Hopefully we only have about 4 more weeks or less until we get to bring our baby boy home! :)
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