Diet starts NOW!

Alright friends, it's time to get serious. 


Remember that dress I bought for the marine corps ball!? Well, November is approaching, FAST...and it's time I start working on getting in shape to fit into it! 


Tomorrow is September 1st! The first day of my diet. My plan? Work out, eat better, drink lots and lots and lots of water! :) I did a diet a few years ago and lost weight on it... So i'm going to go back on it. I admit, it's going to be difficult to remember to eat 5 small meals a day...but I'm going to do my best. My goal? To lose 40 pounds by December! This is going to interesting! 


Lately I often find myself getting so busy with Gabe and household things that I forget to stop and eat. Too bad I haven't shed 10 pounds yet by doing this! Anyway, it is time to get serious. I'm so sick of these extra pounds...and honestly, I'd like to fit back into my jeans before fall gets here! 


So, how am I going to stay motivated? Well, by looking at pictures from before of course! haha. No. I'm going to keep the dress hanging where I can see it, so I have a constant reminder of what I'm working towards. I'm also going to make it my goal to lose at least 20 pounds by November and then reward myself with a shopping trip to Goodwill during the Marine Corps ball weekend. Yes, I know it's silly to look forward to a trip to Goodwill, but I love it. Especially the one up in StL where I plan on going...they have TONS of designer jeans there for like 3 bucks. Can't pass that up! So, if I reach my goal and lose weight, I'm going shopping during the day while Jesse's at work that weekend! 


I'm also going to remind myself that I want to be healthy for my family. I mean, let's face it...I don't want to be so out of shape that I can't keep up with Gabe. And, I miss my old body. This is the heaviest I've ever been and I DON'T like it at all. 


So, friends, you're all here to read this and to hold me accountable. I had to tell someone...that way I stick to my diet! On the first of every month from here on out, I plan to update on how well or not-so-well my dieting is going. Wish me luck...I'm going to need it! 

Sleep deprivation...along with a fun-filled weekend.

To say the least, I'm verrry sleep deprived these days. Gabe likes to party at night and sleep all day. We decided it was time to try to break him of this. We started yesterday. So far, so good. At least I think. I was lucky to have gotten a full night of sleep last night. Jesse was off and offered to stay up all night with him so I could finally get some rest. I've never been so relieved. It felt great to sleep...although I did wake up a few times to check on Gabe...only to look up and see him snuggled on his Daddy. 


Gabriel is getting so big! He's a whole 5 pounds 9 ounces now! I can't believe it. His preemie clothes are getting too small for him now. I'm so thankful that he's getting bigger, but at the same time I want him to stay little. He's growing up too fast. It's hard to believe he's already over 2 months old now. Man, time sure does fly. 


As many of you know, this past week was Gabriel's original due date: August 24. Jesse and I were laughing when we talked about it...because it's weird to think that I would have still been pregnant and working up until last week. Funny how things turn out. 


We had a busy, fun weekend the past few days. Jesse's grandparents (Granny & PaPaw)came up for a visit from Florida. It was the first time they got to see Gabriel. On Saturday, we went to Jesse's Great-Grandmothers house...She got to see Gabriel too. It was so sweet. Most of the family was there. It was my first time meeting some of them, and it was great. Everyone was so nice...I think Gabe got a little spoiled too. Anyway, It was great to see everyone. We enjoyed a nice family dinner at my FAVORITE, a Mexican restaurant. We also got a 5-Generation picture taken too. It was Jesse's Great-Grandma, Grandma (Granny), Jesse's Dad (Gary), Jesse, and Gabe. Everyone was so happy and blessed to have gotten a picture like this. I'm going to get a frame to frame the picture. Even though Gabe won't remember meeting his Great-Grandma, it'll still be nice for him to see the picture and know that she got to hold him! :) We finished Saturday night off with a visit to Jesse's Dad and Step-mom's house(Gary&Kim). We all got to talking and before we knew it, it was 1:00 in the morning! Shooot! We were tired, but thankful for the wonderful day with family. 


On Sunday, we started with lunch with Granny & Papaw and Jesse's brother & Sister and kids. It was a great lunch. It was the first time that Gabe got meet his older cousins and his first time eating out with Mom and Dad! He did Great...sleeping 90% of the time. We finished our day off with a visit from Jesse's mom (Diana) and little sister (Abbi). We all sat around and talked, played with Gabe, and ate pizza for supper! It was a great day... I'm positive Gabe will agree...since he got held all day! :) He's just a little spoiled, but that's ok...at least for now! 


Overall, we had a great weekend with family and friends! We're so happy that Gabe got to meet some family that he hasn't seen before and that we got to spend some time with everyone! It was relaxing. It was also nice to get a little break from changing poopy diapers! haha. 


Well folks, that's about it for tonight. I'm going to leave you all with a few pics of Gabe and a song. It's "Let them be Little" by Lonestar. Anywho, Gabe's passed out right now... so I'm going to try to get some zzzz's before it's eating time again! :) 

Top 10 Things I do as a Stay-at-home Mom

nighttime = party time

Hello Friends!

I'm sorry I haven't posted much these past few weeks...things have been a bit crazy lately! For starters, Gabe got to come home last saturday, August 20! Yayy!! It was a big day. He was exactly 2 months old, went on his first car ride, and saw his home for the first time. It was an adjustment that we all had to get used to. 


I'm a little sleep deprived to say the least. Gabe likes to party at night and sleep well during the day. So far tonight he's been doing good...so hopefully that means some sleep is in store for momma tonight! He's a little spoiled and loves to be held...ALLLLLLL the time. I'm thinking we're going to have to break him of this at some point. 


We're so happy to have our baby boy home. Today, he reached 5 pounds!! He's doing great...but we knew he'd do well when he was home with us. We were told that babies thrive more at home than in the hospital... and so far, so good. 


The week leading up to Gabe coming home was a bit chaotic. We were busy cleaning our house, shampooing our carpets, and finishing Gabe's room. I'm thrilled to announce that his room is COMPLETELY finished. Well, I still have a few more decorations I'd like to get...but other than that it's done! It turned out A LOT better than i thought it would. I love it and I know Gabe will too!! I haven't gotten pictures of his room yet, but I'll post some soon. 


Overall, we're adjusting to this new lifestyle fairly well. I'm finding that being a stay-at-home mom is no joke. I'm always busier...in fact I think I'm busier than I was when I was working full time. There's always bottles to clean, floors to sweep, laundry to do, and dishes to clean...it's never ending. Did I mention that I got a job too!? Yes, that's right. I intended to find a part-time job in a couple of months, but I couldn't pass this up. I'm working at All-Star Gym again... I worked there about 4 years ago, and I'm going back! I have the same job as before. The hours are perfect and it's just what I wanted. And, it's in Christopher, so that makes it very convenient to take Gabe to my mom's house while I'm at work. I'm so excited!! 


Jesse loves his new job at the mines. I don't like the hours...especially midnight shift...but I'm not complaining since he's working and makin money! :) He's made several friends with the guy's he works with which is good!!


Oh, and you may be wondering...How's Rylee doing with her little brother being home!? Well, as a matter of fact, she's adjusting quite well. She still has to sniff him out every now and then, but otherwise she knows better than to get in his face, lick him, etc. We're very proud of her! One bad thing...she already learned to jump over the gate. So much for that investment! haha. It worked for 1 whole day! Go figure! 


Well folks, that's about it for tonight. I'm going on about 4 hours of sleep. Gabe's passed out for the next couple of hours before his next feeding, so I'm going to try to do the same so I can get some sleep tonight too! We've had a busy day ahead of us...our first check-up at Cardinal Glennon! Can you believe he'll have check-up appointments there until he's 2!? Crazy...but those doctors are amazing...So i'm not complaining! 


Goodnight Friends!!

first night home

First time in his swing! 

yayyy!!!

he says..."Excuse me!" :) 

Car ride!!

first time meeting his pediatrician! :) He was 4 lbs. 14 oz. that day! 

Top 10 Reasons I love my Life

I know I'm publishing 2 posts in one night. But I missed yesterday and so this is my post for today. We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, so I figured I'd go ahead and post my top 10 for this week now. 

Things have got to get better

I don't want to be a complainer and drown myself in self-pity, but these past few weeks/months have been very trying and that's about the only thing left to do it seems. Let me break it down for you:: The week before Gabe was flown to StL Jesse's Jeep broke down. Then Gabe was flown to StL and we were down to one car. It was ok at first, but then Jesse got his job and one car has made managing traveling back and forth to StL difficult. Luckily, my brother had an extra car that he let me borrow. With my fabulous luck these days, it broke down on me last week on the interstate when I was on my way home. Yes, that was an ordeal that I'd like to forget about. It made me realize I realllyyy need to stop watching criminal shows, because all i could think of was how people get murdered on the sides of interstates. But thank God it was in the middle of the day and my uncle was nearby to come help. So, once again, we were back to one car. Then, today, Jesse and I were on our way up to StL in our new Jeep and guess what!? It broke down 45 minutes from home. Man, we really can't catch a break. 


Like I said, I don't want to complain or sound like I want a lot of sympathy. I'm well aware of the fact that we are very blessed and that there are probably millions of people who have it worse than we do, but lately it seems like everything that could go wrong in our life, does go wrong. 


Now, I know that God has a reason for all of this. I know that somehow Jesse and I will come out stronger in the end. But right now, it just doesn't feel that way. Now we have both of our jeeps that need to be fixed and let's face it, we don't have an extra couple of thousand dollars just sitting around for car repairs. Honestly, who does? 


I don't expect any sympathy, I just needed to get that off of my mind and write. Writing is honestly a way that I can relieve my stress. I like to write...hence this blog. :)


I know everything happens for a reason, and like I said, I'm sure we'll come out stronger. But, a break would be nice..I'd love for my son to be home, both of our cars to be fixed, and no more major problems to go wrong for awhile. I'm trying to see the good in this, but it's hard. really hard. 


I wish Gabe was home. It seems like every time he starts to get better and him coming home seems closer, something happens and we're back to another week. I swear, we've heard another week, another month for so long now....i really don't even know why we ask anymore. I'm praying that it's soon. That'd be a huge relief. 


Well, it's bedtime now. We got a long day ahead of us. I'd like to leave you with one of my favorite songs right now. It's the songs "A Little Bit Stronger" by Sara Evans. I know it's intended more for relationships, but I believe this song can relate to any hardship in life. Jesse and I are definitely learning to get stronger each day...with Gabe being in the hospital and all of our car troubles lately! :) 


Goodnight Friends!

I Have Been There

Several weeks ago I posted a few videos that we could relate to with Gabe being premature and still in the hospital. Those songs were "I Saw God Today" by George Strait and "Wires" by Athlete. Jesse and I listened to the song "Wires" about 20 times a day for awhile. We just related to it so well. The entire lyrics of "I Saw God Today" just reminded me of our journey thus far. 


Today, I was sitting in the parent room here in the NICU at Cardinal Glennon. I was eating my delicious meal in there since food is not allowed in the rooms. Sitting there, I overheard a couple talking, each to different people on their phones. They were talking about how their son was just flown here last night and how he already had to have a chest tube put in. Not knowing how long they were going to be here, how they were going to manage home life and hospital life, how they were going to afford the gas to drive back and forth, and how they were going make it. I also heard them say how the might get to hold their new baby boy tomorrow, but the doctor's still weren't sure and couldn't give them a definite "yes" or "no" on that situation. They were also going on and on about how much they love Cardinal Glennon so far. A part of me wanted to turn around and reassure them that everything would work itself out. I wanted to reach out to her and explain that I too have been there and that I know what it's like to wonder when you will be able to hold your child. When you'll be able to feed him his first bottle, change his first diaper, and give him his first kisses. God knows it's hard. But I also wanted to give her a boost of confidence in knowing that it will get easier with time and that life does go on. That everything does happen for a reason and there is a reason and life lesson in all of this. And that all of these hard times just make the little moments, the things that some may not even notice, that much better. I wanted to explain to her that you'll never forget those many "firsts" that they're bound to experience soon. 


As I was finishing my meal, I realized that both were still on their phones. I decided to wait a few more minutes to see if maybe they would hang up so I would have the chance to say something. Unfortunately, they didn't, and I had to get back to Gabe because I left him while he was fussy and I was worried he'd be crying. I left the room. Upset that I didn't reach out to her and wondering how I can do more to help the families here. 


With that in mind, I have a few ideas on how I can do my part to help families here in the hospital. Jesse and I have been so blessed with great family and friends, that we almost take it for granted. I look down these hallways and realize that some parents are here on their own, with no one to help. If they're anything like me, I know that it would be the small things that would help make the situation just a little bit easier. So, for the next few days, my goal is to figure out some way to make a contribution to helping other families get through their journey, like so many have done to help us. 


I want to leave you all with a song that I love and think is very appropriate for the situation. It's called "I Have Been There" by Mark Schultz

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Fajitas

Today, I want to share a new recipe that I tried with you all. I don't know the official name of it...but I like to call them "Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Fajitas!" 


Here's what you will need: 


2-3 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
12-14 oz. jar of salsa (I used mild 
1 Green pepper
1 Onion (I used a red onion)
1 package of monterey jack shredded cheese
1 package of cheddar cheese
8 tortillas (Get the size that will fit your crockpot. Mine were too big, so I cut them smaller with a pizza cutter) 
Garlic powder
Salt & Pepper

Now...Let's get to cooking!! 


First, you need to cook your chicken breasts. I let mine thaw, and then seasoned them with some garlic powder, salt, & pepper. I popped them in the oven at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes. Just keep checking until they're cooked all the way. 


Once the chicken is cooked, take it out and let it cool. Then you need to shred it! :) 

Next, dice your onion and pepper. Then put them in a bowl and mix them together. This will make it easier when you're putting everything in the crockpot. 

Now, it's time to start layering everything in your crockpot! Start with a tortilla, add some chicken, peppers & onions, cheese, and a few spoonfulls of salsa. Keep doing this until you have used all 8 tortillas. Once you're done, top it off with some cheese and peppers and onions. 

I also added some salsa around the sides as well! 

Let it cook for 4-5 hours on Low or 6-8 hours on high! 

And that's it! So easy! So delicious! 

Quick tips: 

**Layer your crockpot with 3 strips of aluminum foil. This will make it easier to take the fajitas out and serve them. Just tear strips of foil, fold in half, and lay in crockpot. Layer each strip over each other. 

**Serve this dish with rice. I served it with Black Beans and Rice, however, spanish rice is also a favorite in my house! :) 

Well, that's it. This meal was sooo delicious! I've been looking for different meals to fix because Jesse says that we always have pasta and pizza.... so something new and different was fun! And...He liked it just as much as I did!! Happy Cooking!! :) 

Wish List

Look How Far We've Come

I can't believe that 7 weeks and 1 day ago Gabriel was born. It doesn't seem possible that so much time has gone by. I was looking through all of his pictures so far, and it's absolutely amazing how much progress he has made. We were told in the beginning that he would be in the NICU for quite some time... so we prepared ourselves as much as we could for this. Now, with his homecoming in the very near future, I thought I should take the time to recognize how amazingly well my baby boy has done and how much progress he's made so far. 

(I can't believe I'm posting this...but this is about 2 hours before Gabe was born. After a diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia, 2 weeks of bedrest, and another 2 weeks in the hospital... it was finally time to meet our baby boy!) 

When Gabe was first born he was put on a CPAP (oxygen). Though, he was only on the CPAP for about a day until they moved him over to the nasal canula. Our boy amazed us from day one. Turns out, he didn't need any extra oxygen at all...the oxygen level on the canula was set to the same rate that both you and I breath in regularly. In other words, it was basically just there...just in case. He was also under the bili lights for jaundice for about 3 days... I told him he was "working on his tan with his little sunglasses on." 

(Gabe in the NICU the day he was born with the CPAP) 

(Under the bili lights with the nasal canula and sunglasses on!) 

(Finally done with the bili lights...still got the nasal canula) 

When Gabe was 5 days old, the nasal canula came off and he did GREAT without it! MAJOR milestone for us! It's one thing at a time...and this was one of the things we celebrated. 

NO more oxygen!!

Gabe has had a feeding tube either in his mouth or through his nose since he started eating. Last week, he finally got it out (well, he pulled it out), they put it back in a few days later, and just yesterday he pulled it out again! So far, he is doing fabulous without it and eating all on his own!! Also, he was moved out of the isolette last week as well! He's been holding his own temperature ever since!! 

NO more tubes and no more isolette!! yayy!! 

As you all may know by now, we're in the last few days of Gabe being in the hospital. We're praying that everything keeps going well, so that he will be able to come home. Originally we were told by this weekend, but now they're saying by the beginning of next week. Either is fine with us...as long as he gets to come home! We're so proud of our baby boy! He's been doing so great and trying so hard ever since he was born! We take it step-by-step everyday. It's been a long journey for us all. But he's proven the doctor's wrong time and time again. They originally thought that he'd need help with a lot of things when he was born and that he'd be in the NICU well past his due date. Well, he was fine when he was born and did amazingly well for how early and small he was! Thank God for all of the prayers answered!! 

A few more pictures of our journey...

The first time we got to hold him (6.30.2011) and our first family picture!

The diapers on the left are "micro-preemie" sized diapers... Gabe wore these until the last week he was in Carbondale Hospital. The diaper on the left is a "preemie" sized diaper.

Tired of Mommy taking his picture already... Sorry son, you're gonna have to get used to this! :)

Oops, he did it again!

Let me tell you all how frustrated I was earlier today. You see, it's been a hassle getting Gabe enrolled into DEERS so that we can then get him into tri-care. The last time Jesse and I went the entire system was down and no one had any idea when it would be back up. So, since Jesse is working every weekday, we decided that I should just go by myself to get him enrolled. Now, I called ahead of time and they said that Jesse had to be with me. I decided to go anyway, just to see...thinking maybe they would help me if I was there. Well, I got to the office today and signed in. Then it popped up..."Your wait time is 3 hours and 27 minutes." SERIOUSLY!? I was on my way to the hospital, in no mood to sit in a quiet room for three hours, so I figured I'd ask someone if I'd be wasting my time since Jesse wasn't with me. I then got 3 different answers. Yes. No. Maybe. hmmmm. Well, I was trying to get to the hospital to Gabe, so I decided I'd try again in the morning...hopefully getting there earlier so the wait won't be as long. We will see... 

Isn't this bag too cute!? And guess what!? It was only $1.00! Yes, that's right...$1.00! They're selling them at Dollar General right now, so of course I had to get one for Gabe. I'm always trying to find bags to bring up here to the hospital. Whether their for books, clothes, dirty clothes, etc... we always have a need for them. This one was perfect! I love Disney Cars, so that made it even better! And don't worry... if you have a little girl they also have tinkerbell ones, and winnie-the-pooh ones as well. I"m thinking about going back and getting the winnie-the-pooh one too. These bags will be perfect for when he goes to our parents' house... so easy to put all of his extra stuff in as well! And long road trips...PERFECT!! We can put all of his goodies in this bag for when we hit the road. They'd also make great bags to put gifts in as well! On second thought, I think I WILL go back and buy a few more...can't beat them for $1.00, right!? 

Well, my son has done it again! He had a feeding tube going through his nose for his "gavage feedings." He pulled it out last week, and since he was doing so good they just left it out. Then, when a nurse that didn't want to take the time to feed him worked, she put it back in! Well, Guess WHAT!? On my way to the hospital today, I called to find out how he was doing. His nurse informed me that he had pulled his tube out...AGAIN! I kinda laughed to myself... Guess he really doesn't like that thing! Can't say I blame him at all!! :) Plus, he looks sooooo much better without that tube! 

With tube in.... 

It doesn't look too comfy, huh!? 

No tube! This was taken after the 1st time he pulled the tube out! :) 

Let's get organized

Hello Friends! 


Today I want to share a few ideas with you on how I'm working on getting more organized. In the craziness of getting our house ready for Gabe coming home and traveling back and forth each week to the hospital, I decided it was time to do some more to get organized around here. I've always loved organizing things and getting things really clean, so this kind of stuff is right up my ally. :) 


I came across this first idea on a website that I found. I can't remember the site, but I do remember seeing the idea and thinking, "Wow, that's really smart!" So, here it is... 


If you're like me, you probably go through quite a few dish towels and cloths each week! I hate doing laundry alllll the time, so in turn, I hate having to wash a tiny load of dish towels just because they're sitting in our laundry hamper! I also dislike the idea of these towels and cloths being mixed in with all of our clothes. So, the solution that I found was to take a small trash-can, put in under the sink, and when a towel is dirty just toss it in the can. When you have quite a few (enough for a load in the laundry) toss all the towels in and VOILA! you're set! 

Here's a picture of what ours looks like. I found this old trash-can that really doesn't match anything in our home, so putting it under the sink was perfect! This idea was perfect for me... I'm always going through towels like crazy in the kitchen! The kitchen is a room in our home that I always have to have clean! I feel like I'm doing dishes and cleaning it everyday...so you can imagine how many towels I go through in a week! 

My next idea is keeping my purse fairly clean and making the important things easy to access. Now, I love buying purses and wallets....ask my husband, he complains because I have a tote box full of them in our closet!! These days, however, I have found that I need a wallet that has lots of slots for cards and space for money, checks, coupons, and anything else! I have found a new love for the zip-around wallets. These wallets make everything a bit more simple! I love the idea of it zipping all around, that way nothing can fall out of it (unless, of course, I forget to zip it closed). Anyway, I love the wallet I have now! I love it even more because I found it at Goodwill brand new for $1.99. It was originally from Target with all of the tags still attached, so I was beyond thrilled when I found it! I loved it so much  that I had to buy 2...just in case the first one were to wear out! haha. Here's a picture of it....

Alright Friends, that's a few of my organizing tips for the night! It's bedtime in the Schiff household. I got to get up early, clean around the house, and head back up to StL to the hospital to spend the week with Gabe! 

Have a good night! 

My Life: This weeks top 10!

I've decided that every week or so I'll post 5 or 10 things about my life that you may not know... So, here's this weeks top 10! 

1. I put my little family first and foremost in my life! 
2. I have a tub full of handbags that I'll probably never use again, but refuse to get rid of...(Because you never know when you might need it!) 
3. I have a college degree that I don't use...
4. I love to cook, craft, and blog about our adventures. 
5. I always had a 2 door car until I found out I was pregnant. Between December and April I went through 3 cars..yes, 3. Traded my cougar in for a 2 door altima, then we traded that for our Jeep Cherokee. 
6. My husband is the love of my life. 
7. I love being a mom to my son, Gabriel, and our puppy, Rylee! 
8. I'm trading my coach handbag for a wristlet and diaper bag! 
9. I like to shop at Goodwill! 
10. I'm learning to think before I say things... 

Blessed

I just found out this morning that Gabe can potentially come home before next weekend!! I knew the time was getting close. He has been taking his whole bottle on his own the past 2 days and is in a crib now! A few nurses yesterday said that it wouldn't be too much longer! I wasn't getting my hopes up then, but hearing the doctor say it makes me think it just might happen! So, so happy! Now, we're waiting for a few surgeons to come to check and see if they think he has a hernia. Our doctor and nurse practioner no longer believe that he has one. But, to be on the safe side we all agreed it's better to have them check. Better safe than sorry! I've also been working with the nurses and doctors, planning what types of follow-up appointments Gabe will need and when! This is the exciting part of being in the hospital! The part where we can finally start to see the light at the end of the tunnel! 


With all that being said, I wanted to share a few things with you all of what I have learned about having a preemie child and being in the hospital...

1. There is a difference between micro-preemie and preemie! What exactly is a micro-preemie? Well, according to micropreemies.com, it is defined as: a baby that is under 1 3/4 pounds (00-800 grams) and is generally born before 26 weeks gestation. Most people loosen this term up to include and baby under 3 pounds (1500 grams) or under 29 weeks gestation. Gabe was classified as a micro-preemie since he was less than 3 pounds. 
2. Isolette is the same thing as an incubator. 
3. Apnea & Bradycardia (A & B episodes) are when breathing stops and the heart rate drops. These are very common in preemie babies. It's important to remember that babies usually bring their heartrates up on their own, and they will eventually grow out of it! When Gabe first had these episodes, it scared me. Now, I just go with it, stimulate him a little, and everything is back to normal within seconds. 
4. Swaddling is VERY important, especially with preemies, again. You have to remember, these babies are supposed to still be in the womb. And like other babies, they like to feel almost like they are still in the womb. 
5. Reflux is common...more common in preemies. Be prepared for spit up every feeding! 
6. The formula with more protein in it causes their poop to smell 100x worse than normal! 
7. Bring things to your babies room to make it feel more like home. Examples: pictures, books, decorations, blankets, clothes, hats, stuffed animals, etc. Gabe's room is decorated here at Cardinal Glennon and he wears all of his clothes everyday! We usually go through about 3 outfits a day! 
8. Babies can move and wiggle more than you think. Hence the reason why we would find Gabe smashed against the side of his isolette and crib! 
9. Just because their small doesn't mean their cry isn't HUGE! I've heard the babies in this NICU cry louder than any other baby! 
10. If you have a question, Don't be scared to ask! The doctors and nurses are there to lend their support and advice! Don't worry, they understand that you have probably never experienced anything like this. They're prepared to answer ANY and ALL questions! 
11. You won't like them all! We've run into a few nurses that we weren't to crazy about. I just had to remember that they're doing the best they can and that no matter what, they would never allow anything to happen to Gabe! 
12. It's ok to cry, sometimes that's important! 
13. Always take the advice of the doctors...they're the ones with the degree...remember they put in many years and hours to become a doctor! 
14. Don't ever second guess yourself...as long as you're making the best possible decision for your child! 
15. Remember to put your child's best interest first! 
16. Most importantly, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS Remember that God is in control and everything happens for a reason. (I'll write more about this later). AND, ALWAYS remember that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is a very long, hard, tiring process having a baby in the NICU for so long. It will get easier. You will have ups and downs at times; and you will have scary moments and joyful moments! Embrace them all! 
17. AND...KEEP EVERYTHING. Even if you think it's silly to ask for a bottle that your baby took, ASK! It may not seem like it now, but one day you will want to have these things to show. I remember when Gabe was being flown to StL, one of the nurses who was flying with him was like, "you should try to get a picture of the helicopter...i know it may not seem like it now, but you may like to have it in the future!" And was she right! I'm keeping record of everything and anything! I'm planning to get a little box to keep everything in and one day when Gabe is older he can look at all of it and see how far he's come! :) 

Everything Happens For A Reason! How many times have we all heard that before? During this experience, especially at the beginning, I couldn't find it in myself to believe this. We had a lot of questions like...why did this happen to us? will our son be ok? we're young, we can't handle this... Finally, we just had to start praying that God would watch over Gabriel and help him and us through it all. God is Good...and you have to remember this. We don't have control over anything really. The doctor's can try their best and the nurses can too...but ultimately, everything that happens, God has already planned it out! I know that God is good, and he's proven that to me time and time again, especially in the past 2 months! I know that he has big plans for Gabriel and that one day we will look back and realize that this wasn't so bad after all! I don't feel sorry for us... because this process has made Jesse and I stronger and closer than ever! 


Well, I get a break from the hospital tonight. My mom is coming up here to stay with Gabe, that way I can go home and see Jesse and get a few more things done around home in preparation for Gabe coming home. I think I will make a big poster for him coming home as well! 

Love this song!! 

"Blessed" by Martina McBride

the past week in pictures....

Today's post is a little different... I haven't posted pictures in awhile so I figured I'd do a post of pictures of our week so far...

Gabriel's baby shower cake!

This is a basket that we received here at the hospital for Gabe from the organization "Basket of Hope". It came with a teddy bear, 2 rattles, a bible, a notebook, a free family picture setting along with free pictures, a blanket, a hat, and the book "Quiet Strength" by Tony Dungy. 

Gabe in is new big boy crib at the hospital!! 

Gabe staring in his little monkey outfit

This is how I usually find him when I come back into the room. Smashed against the side of his crib. Somehow, Gabe manages to wiggle his way out of his snuggy thing and ends up smashed against the side. Tonight, his nurse and I devised a plan.... we put this "U" around him to try to keep him in the middle of his crib. Believe it or not, when he was in his isolette, there were times he would be completely sideways and against the side of it... It amazes me how much he moves even being all snuggled up!! 

Gabe and Mommy...in another monkey outfit! 

Gabe and Mommy again!! 

These past few days it's just been Gabe and I here. We've been bonding... reading books, singing songs and nursery rhymes, and practicing taking his bottle! Yesterday, he took 3 full bottles for me...and today he's taken 4 in a row! We're getting there! The bottle is one of the last things he has to do in order for him to come home!! At this rate, who knows.... it may be next week! I'm so proud of him...he's doing so great! :) 

Gabe winking at mommy after he took a bottle... he says "Don't worry, I got this down!" hahaha.