35 Weeks!

Well, the 35-week mark is here. This week is a major milestone for me. If I make it through the next week with no complications, it more than likely means no hospital stay PRIOR to delivery. I feel great (only slightly like a walking time bomb). I had an appointment yesterday and all was good. The baby was moving so much, the nurse had to turn the sound on the machine down because it was disturbing people in the hallway. :) The next appointment is Tuesday and I am feeling really good about things.

In other news, I have to admit that I'm re-thinking the baby's name. I know we have a great story for the name, but all of the sudden, it seems like everyone I run into has a little Sophia. Being one of about 4 Melissa's in every class I was in in school, I'm getting cold feet. It happened with both Grace and Noah and we ended up naming them what we'd planned, so it doesn't necessarily mean we'll change it, but it is weighing on my mind.

When she grows up...

Grace wants to be a medicine-giver-outer (aka pharmacist).

I thought I'd document that for her, so she'll know what her first career aspiration was.

Why the interest in being a pharmacist when most kids her age want to be a fireman or ballerina you ask? Well, thanks to the gestational diabetes we've made quite a few trips to the pharmacy lately for lancets, test strips, insulin, and syringes. Miss Grace has been quite fascinated by the medicine-giver-outers and REALLY wants one of those cool white coats someday. :) Ah, to be driven by the simple things.

For the record, when Tyler was Grace's age, he wanted to be a calculator. I love these kiddos!

34 weeks +3 days - Status Report

I had my first NST for this pregnancy this morning, followed by an appointment with the doctor. I'll be going in every Tuesday and Friday now for NSTs with doctor's appointments following every Tuesday.

Today's visit was good....apparently I am "the picture of health...for someone with chronic hypertension and gestational diabetes." So basically I'm "in good shape for the shape I'm in." :) Sophie looked great in the NST. She moved like crazy and when she did, her heart accelerated just like it's supposed to. My blood pressure was good (for me), no protein in my urine, measuring right on target.

I'm extremely pleased with the way the appointment went, but can't help but think about the fact that the 35-week mark is RIGHT around the corner (as a reminder, I ended up in the hospital at 35 weeks with both Grace and Noah for the remainder of the pregnancy). Strangely, in both cases, it was like a flip was switched at that point because all had been well prior to that time. So, if NEXT Tuesday's appointment is as positive, I will really have something to celebrate. I know if I have to be admitted prior to 36 weeks, I'm looking at a hospital stay prior to delivery, while after 36 weeks they'll probably just go ahead and deliver. I remember how hard it was for me to be away from my family for a week and a half prior to Noah's birth when I was confined to the hospital and really hope to not have to do that again.

Regardless of what happens in the next week, we have AT MOST 5 weeks til we meet Miss Sophia. I can't believe how it's flown by!

WHY?!?!

*Warning: this is probably an irrational pregnant woman rant!*

WHY, oh WHY did the makers of a very popular children's show (Thomas and Friends) give one of the main characters the name "Percy?" Didn't they know they the "r" sound is one of the last ones kids master? Noah is a Thomas JUNKIE...and Percy is one of his favorites, but he cannot get that "er" sound in the middle right and it comes out sounding like a VERY unpleasant word. And he says it 100 times a day...and sings songs even.

We try to laugh it off, but it's a little disconcerting for Aaron and me (and you should SEE the looks we get when strangers hear him say it). Guess we'll be working on the "er" sound in the very near future. Sure would have been nice if they'd named him Nick though!

Just a quick update...

We had an u/s today and...

-Baby Sophie is doing well.
-She weighs around 5 lbs (79th percentile...it's worth pointing out that Noah was off the charts at this stage).
-She is no longer breech (which could explain why I'm feeling a little more comfortable lately).
-Amniotic fluid is within normal range, but on the high side.
-My blood pressure is starting to creep up, but not concerning at this point.

The doctor I saw today (who is normally the most optimistic of the bunch) did not seem to think it likely that we'll make it to the 9-30 c-section, but is happy with where things are at the moment.

We head to the beach Saturday! Woohoo!

Finding the Positive in Gestational Diabetes...

As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have officially been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. It's VERY likely that I also had it in my last two pregnancies, but that it went undiagnosed because of later onset. Given this, when I failed my 1-hour glucose tolerance test (by just 4 points) this time, I chose to forgo 3 hour testing and just proceed with diet/blood sugar monitoring. Sure enough, my sugars were beautifully controlled for about the first 7 days (which means I probably would have passed that 3 hour test anyway), but at that point, my fasting blood sugars started getting out of whack (which according to my doc means that I definitely have GD...if I didn't, my sugars would ALWAYS be in range REGARDLESS of what I ate). Fasting sugars should be 95 or lower and even ON THE DIET, I was getting readings of around 107-112. So, I started taking 3 units of insulin at bedtime. Since then, the insulin has been increased every few days. I'm now getting fasting numbers between 97 and 102 so we're getting close (though I'm now up to 25 units nightly).

Everyone seems to think a gestational diabetes diagnosis is terrible, but I'm happy to report that it's not all that bad. In the grand scheme of pregnancy complications, it's one of the few that I can actually do something about. So, here's the positive spin...

1) The injections REALLY AREN'T THAT BAD. This is coming from a total needle-phobe. I hate shots and anything related, so if I can give myself a shot every evening, it CAN'T be that bad. Now, the blood sugar checking lancets are a tiny bit bad, but I keep reminding myself...this is a short term thing!

2) The diet isn't THAT restricting and is "forcing me" to give Miss Sophia a good start. Are there things I miss? You betcha! I've told Aaron that once this baby girl is delivered, I expect him to be at Krispy Kreme as soon as the "Hot 'n Now" sign is turned on to pick me up a soft, warm, piece 'o Heaven. It's a funny thing because despite living in Krispy Kreme's hometown, I probably eat the doughnuts maybe twice a year tops, but knowing they are on the bad list has made them incredibly attractive. And yeah, there are other high carb/low nutrient foods that I'm avoiding, but there are still plenty of yummy things that I CAN eat and I am definitely not starving! Most fruits and vegetables are safe foods and I'm eating them more than I normally would.

3) The pregnancy weight gain (or lack thereof) ROCKS! For background, I gained 45 lbs with Tyler, 58 lbs with Grace, and somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 lbs with Noah (I honestly stopped looking at the scale!) This pregnancy, I was +14 lbs at 26 weeks (which was about 20 lbs less than previous pregnancies at that point) and since starting the GD diet, I've lost 2 lbs and held there for 6 weeks. So, I'm +12 at 32 weeks. Ultrasound tomorrow will confirm this, but I KNOW the baby is growing just fine (she was already 3 lbs at 28 weeks), so this is a good thing. My doctors told me early on that gaining less weight could help delay (though not prevent) pre-eclampsia and could lessen the side effects (i.e. pulmonary edema) after delivery if I DO develop Pre-E again. So, I've been a lot more careful with my diet throughout this pregnancy and the GD diagnosis has just made me MORE careful. In previous pregnancies, my ankles and feet have rivaled Fred Flinstone by the half-way point. This time, despite being in the middle of a hot, humid NC summer, I'm experiencing almost no swelling!

4) It's the third trimester and I feel incredibly not bad! For fun, I was looking back at blogs from my pregnancy with Noah and realized that I'm not nearly as miserable this late in the game this time around. Now, admittedly earlier in the pregnancy, I felt pretty bad. I had daily headaches for the first two-thirds of pregnancy and was so exhausted in the second trimester I could barely function. However, since I started "the diet" I've felt much more like a human being.

So, there you have it. Why, to me, Gestational Diabetes really isn't THAT bad. Sure, it's inconvenient and takes some getting used to, but there are some definite benefits of getting diagnosed and getting it under control! I'm really thankful that my doctors allowed me to take control of this situation (and didn't insist that I go through "standard procedure") and grateful for the overall positive impact the diagnosis has had on me.

Waiting (and Anticipating)...

First of all, I am happy to report that right now I feel GREAT (well other than feeling like my pubic bone is splitting right down the middle). Given the way I felt back in the second trimester, I think my body's totally confused. You're SUPPOSED to feel great in the second trimester and I was a walking zombie. My guess is that getting my iron to more normal levels and controlling my blood sugar level are the big factors in my renewed energy/spirit. I'm not sure, but whatever it is, I'll take it!

Given the issues I've had in previous pregnancies, I have kind of set "mini milestones" for myself as we go through the final 2 months. Today, I hit the first one...the 32 week mark. Of course, I don't want to have the baby right now...I want her to keep "baking" as long as possible, but 32 weeks is a stage where baby is generally expected to do well if delivery becomes urgent. To me, it's a point where if my health takes a sudden turn for the scary, I would be less guilt-ridden about agreeing to delivery. (Just to catch anyone up who DOESN'T know my prior history, things have taken a sudden turn for me at 37 weeks with Tyler and at about 35 weeks for both Grace and Noah, when I developed pre-eclampsia with each. Tyler was induced/delivered immediately, and with both Grace and Noah, I was hospitalized for 7-10 days before they were delivered by c-section at around 36 weeks).

Given that we are nearing the homestretch, I can't help but start to play out the potential scenarios in my head, so thought I'd post them in my blog.

Scenario #1: "In it til the end"
This is the one that I always operate under the assumption of (though so far, it's never come to fruition). I have a c-section scheduled for September 30 at 8:30 am. At that point, I will be 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant. While this is the one we ALL hope for (because it's the one with less risk for everyone involved), it's also very hard for me to fathom. I've had three kids and have NEVER "done" the last month of pregnancy. Given the misery I've been in during the part I DID make it through, I can't imagine it. Apparently my doctors seem to think it's a possibility, so I'm holding out what I call "tempered hope." I don't mean to sound cynical, but until I sail past the 35 week mark, September 30 is merely a date chosen to satisfy legal requirements to not schedule a c-section prior to 39 weeks.

Scenario #2: We'll call this one "Sophie's Choice"
This is also a favorable option. In this one, we have no complications and I go into labor on my own when little Sophia is ready (past 37 weeks and prior to the scheduled c-section), get to the hospital and have that c-section right away. I have to say, deep down, I kind of hold out hope for this one. This is definitely my last child and so far, I've never experienced the whole "going into labor on my own" thing. Granted, it does sort of scare the heck out of me. I can't help but think that if I make it to this point, I'll be the one who ruins someone's furniture or carpet when my water breaks at an inopportune moment. I vaguely remember contractions from Tyler's induced birth almost 14 years ago and well, I can't say they were pleasant (but on a positive note, they were MUCH more pleasant than a kidney stone!) I also have some slight worries about uterine rupture and that kind of thing, since I've now had 2 c-sections, but honestly that doesn't keep me up at night.

Scenario #3: The "Bail Out"
Though not as favorable as option #1 and option #2, this is the only one I've ever known. My doctors have made it pretty clear to me in the last two pregnancies that once I hit the 36 week mark, if ANYTHING starts to go wrong, we'll bail out and deliver. They consider this a very safe point to deliver (and that has been true with both Grace and Noah) and it's the point where if my blood pressure starts to rise or any other complications surface, the risks of a slightly early delivery well outweigh the risks of NOT delivering. While I do work under the "In it til the end" assumption, I have to admit that I have looked at a calendar to see where 36 weeks falls. With both Grace and Noah, the doctors have allowed me to pick the birthday within that week. So, IF the bail out scenario happens again and I get to pick the day, I probably won't be able to resist 9-9-09 (which falls at 36 weeks, 4 days). Especially given that this is my first baby that wasn't DUE on the 9th of the month...it might be kind of cool for her to be the only one actually BORN on the 9th. And, both Grace and Noah were born fairly close to 9am, so I have even entertained a 9:09 am delivery and a 9lb, 9 ounce baby (hey, sounds far fetched but it COULD happen).


Scenario #4: The Scenario That Cannot be Named
Frankly, this is one I don't think about. This would be an emergency situation that required immediate delivery. It would, of course, be the least favorable of all. However, I count my blessings with each week that passes and as I mentioned in the beginning of this blog, we are now to a point where the potential outcome is very good (and it just gets better from here!)

So, there you have it... regardless of which scenario plays out, we have AT MOST 7 weeks and 4 days til baby Sophie's arrival. This pregnancy has absolutely flown by. I'm thankful for my family and my work for keeping me too busy to worry, thankful for a team of doctors in whom I have complete trust, and thankful for your prayers. We have an u/s this coming Wednesday and barring any drastic changes at that point, my doctors have agreed to let me take a much-needed beach vacation during my 33rd week. After that, we'll go for twice-weekly NSTs. When we get to that point, I'll try to update weekly since it's typically when the "fun" begins! Stay tuned!

We got our sign...(and I DO mean that literally!)

As I've alluded to in previous posts, naming this baby girl has not been an easy task. With our first two children, I've said to Aaron "I think we should name the baby (fill in the blank)!" and he's said "Okay." Easy, peasy, DONE! Well, this time was different. As soon as we found out we were having a girl I said to Aaron "I think we should name the baby Claire Margaret!" He didn't really object for a few weeks, but at some point he decided he didn't like it. That really put a wrench in things for me because my mind was made up. Back to the drawing board? That was unchartered territory!

For a while, Aaron pushed for Olivia Rose. Don't get me wrong, I think Olivia is a beautiful name, but I already know several little Olivia's and it just didn't feel like "the one." Then somehow we came up with Sophia. Though I know it's also very popular, we don't personally know any little girls named Sophia. While we both had other favorites, this was one that we both liked quite a bit. Still, I couldn't quite seem to let go of Claire and we just didn't know how to come up with the "final answer."

Tonight we had dinner with some friends (while the kids stayed with mom and dad). On the way to dinner, I asked Aaron how we were ever going to make a final decision and he didn't really have any ideas. We talked names with our friends all during dinner, but still couldn't commit.

When dinner was over, it was 8:30 so we had a little time to kill. That is when I came up with "the plan." I explained to Aaron that a while back I just happened to find a sign with Grace's name on it at HomeGoods (which happens to be one of my very favorite stores!) If you aren't familiar with HomeGoods...they have a little of this, a little of that...usually not in large quantities (which I've found can be a real pain when you're looking for matching placemats or napkins). Occasionally, they'll have these personalized painted signs with children's names on them. It's totally hit or miss and on one of my many trips, I happened upon a "Grace" sign (which now hangs in her room). There are never more than a couple and they just have random names. So, I suggested we go to HomeGoods and check out the little girl's section. IF any of the names we were considering happened to be there, we could take it as our sign that that was the right name. I'm not sure he agreed with me, but he DID drive me there and actually went in with me (maybe his second time EVER in the store).

As we approached the section, I scanned quickly and saw NO name signs. "Oh well" I thought..."at least I got to come in one of my favorite stores...and on date night even!: But there was a round display that had several wall hangings in it and I decided just for kicks and giggles to search through it.

And there it was...hidden behind three other pictures. When uncovered, it shone like a beacon under a sparkly yellow crown....

I have to admit, I actually gasped when I saw it. Though it was a fun idea...I didn't REALLY expect to get our answer right there in the aisles of HG! But deep down, I've been leaning more towards this name in recent weeks and think I just needed "permission" from my conscience to let go of Claire. And so there it was.

Of course, we couldn't leave without the sign. This little girl will have a fun story about how she FINALLY got her name. She needs to be able to SEE the sign. Not to mention that I really needed a picture of it for my blog too! :)

We also decided on a middle name tonight, so the final answer is:
Sophia Maren Richardson
Sophia means "wisdom" and Maren, which happens to be the diminuitive form of Margaret (my mom's name) means "pearl." Coincedentally, Maren is also a pretty good mix of "Melissa" and "Aaron."

So, there you have it...with exactly 9 weeks til the due date (which we know likely means 5-6 weeks til her arrival), she has a name!

Dear Baby Girl "Yet-to-be-named"...

Dear baby girl,

I realized today that I have done a horrible job at documenting my pregnancy with you. I was pretty good at keeping track of the feelings I was having/things I was experiencing when pregnant with your big brother, Noah, but I've been busy (and slack) this time and have mostly been posting updates on Facebook. However, since my blog also serves as a journal, I wanted to document as much as I can remember here.

The first trimester was relatively uneventful. Though I found out very early that you were on your way, it whizzed by before it really hit me that I was REALLY GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY!! I was a little sicker (and tireder!) than I had been in my pregnancies with your brothers and sister, but that could have been a result of having a 3-year old and 2-year old to chase...and a teenager to...well...just trust me, teenagers can sometimes just zap your energy. The doctor's appointments were minimal early on, but we did have some non-invasive screening done which indicated the risk of certain health conditions was low, so we chose to forgo any additional testing. You see, mommy is considered "geriatric" in terms of pregnancy, so the doctors recommend lots of testing. You are our child...and we will love you and cherish you no matter what, but do want to be prepared to help you get the very best start!

At about 16 weeks, mommy had an ultrasound done. We were so very anxious to know if you were a boy or a girl and the ultrasound tech said she was 110% sure you were a girl. Subsequent ultrasounds at 18.5 and 28 weeks seem to confirm this finding. We would have been thrilled either way, but it's nice to "even the score" with 2 boys and 2 girls. Your big sister is just as happy as she can be to get a sister after 2 brothers. She seemed to know that you were a girl from the start and declared that she already had 2 brothers, she NEEDED a sister! :)

A little later in the second trimester, I started having some problems catching my breath and the doctor thought she detected a heart murmur (on me) during a routine exam. I visited a cardiologist and had lots of tests. Luckily, it turned out that my heart was in better shape than it had been during an echo 2 years earlier and the problems were chalked up to anemia. I started taking iron supplements and after a while, began to feel MUCH better.

Apparently, you are one SWEET baby already because a couple of weeks ago, I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. Doctors now believe that I actually had this with both Grace and Noah, but that it developed after the screening tests and therefore went untreated/unmanaged (which explains why they were both almost 9 lbs at 36 weeks and probably explains why I had polyhydramnios both times). I started a pretty strict diet about 3 weeks ago which is so far controlling all of my blood sugar numbers except the fasting one. Last week, I started taking an insulin injection each night. So far, we haven't gotten the dosage exactly right, but I am working closely with the nutritionist and feel confident we'll get it under control soon!

You have gotten to be one active little girl and it is fun trying to figure out what kind of movements are causing the alien-looking contortions of my tummy. Yesterday, we hit the 30-week mark. That means, at most, we have 9 weeks to go!! The doctors want to schedule the c-section for 39 weeks if we make it that far. I can't believe how time is flying, but we are all very anxious to meet you, so I can't say that I'm too sad that it is. :) As is evident from the title of this post, Mommy and Daddy are still "discussing" your name. I know eventually we'll come to an agreement and it will be the perfect name for you, but it hasn't happened yet!

So, there you have it...the first three fourths of the pregnancy in a nutshell! I will try to do better at updating over the next few weeks. Starting in 2 weeks, we will have to go to the doctor for twice weekly non-stress tests and things tend to get a little more eventful during that time. Hopefully, things will be different this time and we'll sail right through, but if not we are very fortunate to have an army of people praying for us, so I know we'll be okay. :)

Lots of love,
Mommy

Let's hope this continues!

We had our "big" anatomy scan a couple of days ago and for the third ultrasound in a row (with three different u/s technicians), we were told how cooperative our growing little munchkin is. We're so proud! :) They were able to get a peek at all of the stuff they needed really quickly (including confirmation that this one is, indeed, of the pink variety!)

I never realized this before Grace was born (I didn't get many ultrasounds with Tyler and was generally clueless at the time anyway) that there are WAY more things to worry about than I ever thought! Having had more ultrasounds over the past 4 years than probably anyone on the planet, I've realized what a miracle life really is. So here's a summary of what we were told:

• Heart looks good. 4 chambers (the tech was particularly impressed with the pic she got and said she wished she could see all baby's hearts this well).
• Brain looks good
• Kidneys look good
  
• Nuchal fold measures as it should
• We could see the tummy so we know baby can swallow
• Bladder looks good
• 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 hands, 2 feet (and it looks like at the fingers and toes are there)
• No club feet
• No cleft palate
• Eyeballs are present
• Umbilical cord has three vessels (which is good)
• Non-invasive testing we had last month shows no markers for Down's Syndrome, Trisomy 18, or neural tube defects
  

I'm sure there's more, but bottom line is that all looks well! I'm so thankful! I am considered geriatric in the OB world and given my history I'm sure we'll get more peeks over the coming months, but this is all very reassuring.

A huge thank you to those of you who are praying for MY health. My blood pressure has been good at home, but up a little in the office. As always, my docs are monitoring it closely. I'm also seeing a chiropractor this time and so far, have been way more comfortable than in previous pregnancies. Here's hoping that continues as well!

Noah Turns TWO!!

Sorry I am soooo late posting this. I was in that first trimester pregnancy funk and have been playing catch-up ever since. I don't know WHERE the time has gone, but my little man turned 2 on March 15. We had the usual party with family and Noah had a great time. Keeping tradition, Aaron made the cakes...a Deacon basketball theme this time. Unfortunately, our Deacs embarassed themselves royally in the big dance just says before, but hey, we're fans for better or worse. Noah may be their "biggest little fan." He absolutely loved basketball season this year.



If I had to describe Noah in one word....well, I'd be in trouble, because there are so many good words to describe him. Snuggly, caring, fun-loving, adorable, and ALL-BOY are the first ones that come to mind.

Noah's been talking for a while, but in the past four or five months, we've all started to understand most of what he's saying. Recently, he's starting volunteering to say family prayers in our house and it nearly brings tears to my eyes to hear that sweet little voice thanking his Heavenly Father.

He LOVES his family. Every morning when he wakes up, he asks "Where's Grace, still seeping?" If I let him, he'll try his best to wake her up so they can get started on their daily fun. The two of them are so fun together...they really have gotten to be best buddies. Yes, they have their moments, but you can just tell they love each other. Noah has also become Tyler's biggest fan. You see, Tyler likes to play soccer and basketball and those are two of Noah's favorite things. For his birthday, he got a basketball goal for home AND for Nana's house and he will play with them endlessly.

This kiddo has his mommy wrapped tightly around his finger too. Many times when I'm helping him get dressed, he'll put his arms around my neck, pat my back and say "awwwww." Now, who wouldn't fall in love with that? He knows he's got me wrapped too...when he does something wrong, he pulls out his most charming smile (and as much as I hate to admit it, it's actually worked for him a time or two!) Being such a mommy's boy, I'm a little worried about how he's going to react to the new baby, but luckily he's taken a major interest in babies lately, so I'm hoping for the best.

I am so thankful for you, my sweet little Noah Balboa. Looking forward to seeing what we can get into this year, little man.
Love,
Mommy

Evening the score...

I know, I know...I'm still way behind on blog entries. I'll get to them soon, but we had a gender scan yesterday and the tech said that she was 110% sure that..

Of course, we would have been thrilled either way, but given that this baby will be born around the same time of year as Grace, I'm really happy to get to re-use some of the girly clothes. Of course, I've let some of them go, but something kept me from parting with all of them. We are all very excited. Grace kept insisting that the new baby needed to be a sister and when we informed her that we'd be happy with whatever Heavenly Father sent us she said "No, I've already got 2 brothers, I NEED a sister." So, she's happy...now I just need to break it to her that we are not naming the baby "Schnoop-Bop" (a name she picked up from Yo Gabba Gabba and liked!)

Is this thing on?

I haven't posted in such a long time and I have lots to update (Noah turned 2 today and as soon as we get pictures, I will post on that). Our camera is broken and I need to get the pics from my parents.

But we have some BIG news and I thought I'd post it here to see who really reads this. :)








I AM PREGNANT! (It's already getting hard to hide so I thought I'd defend myself...I'm not JUST getting fat!)

"But I thought you were done?" you say...

Well, so did we but we changed our minds and here we are. I'm a little over 11 weeks along, due on October 3, which happens to be Aaron's birthday. So far, all is well. I saw the little bean on u/s last week and they tell me it looked great (like all of the others, it looked somewhat like a gummy bear to me). I have been TOTALLY exhausted and nauseous every evening. Thanks to Aaron, Tyler, and my parents and my sister-in-law, Melissa for helping me get through it. I'm hopeful that stuff will pass soon. I'm showing faster than I did with any of the others and maternity clothes are in my near future (of course, I gave ALL of my maternity clothes away after Noah was born, so I'll be working on a new stash).

So, there you have it. If you read this, please leave a comment so I KNOW that YOU KNOW. :) It'll help me figure out who I need to fill in later.

Dancin' Queen...

I've never wanted to be one of "those moms" who re-live their own lives through their children. I want them to be active, but I want them to choose their activities when they are ready. I personally took dance lessons for oh...a month or so when I was about 4 and I STILL remember HATING getting up on Saturday mornings to go to class. So when GRACE came to ME and told me at age 3 that she wanted to take ballet class, my first response was "Oh honey, are you SURE?" I let some time pass to see if her interest waned, but she didn't forget. She kept asking when she could go to ballet like Raelyn (our neighbor and friend). Raelyn's mom, Cortney, is my running buddy, so I finally got the details from her and we got her signed up for class last week.

It has been her favorite topic of conversation ever since and she's asked several times this week when she could put on her "tippy toe shoes" and go back to dance. She is actually taking ballet, tap, and creative movement and is having a blast. I don't know how long it will last, but as long as it does, she sure is cute all dolled up for class. :)

Our Very Happy Holidays!

Whew, it seems like the month of December is always the fastest moving month of the year. We all had a great Christmas and I wanted to get it all down before I forget.

On the day after Thanksgiving, a very special visitor arrived at our house. Our Elf on the Shelf showed up on OUR shelf with a book explaining his presence. You see, Santa sends these elves out to keep track of children during the day. Each night he reports back to Santa and shows up in a different spot in the morning. The kids named our elf Sparkle and we had such a good time getting up in the mornings and looking for him. He sure did hide in some funny places! After a week or two, even NOAH would get up and the morning and say "Where Spah-kle?" Sadly, Sparkle had to report back to the North Pole until the day after Thanksgiving 2009. We all REALLY missed him for a couple of days after he left.

Also on the day after Thanksgiving, we had our second annual Christmas Tree Hunt. We drove to Sparta, found our perfect tree, cut it down and brought it home. We got a great tree this year and enjoyed our time together looking for it.

In early December, we had our hospital stay with Noah. It just so happened that we stayed on a Friday night and my first 5k was on Saturday. Aaron and I both stayed at the hospital and I was able to get up in the morning before Noah woke up and get to the race right around the corner. Cortney, my faithful running buddy and friend, and I finished and were pretty happy with ourselves! (Please pardon my appearance -- after a night sharing a hospital TODDLER bed with Noah (getting NO sleep) and a 3 mile run, I was just ick.)



Later in the month, the kids had a Christmas program at school. They sang songs and had a little party. They also got to visit with Santa while there. They BOTH loved him and let him know they wanted a train for Christmas (whew!).

Grace and I took a girl's day out trip with my mom and my SIL, Melissa to see the Nutcracker. Grace was soooo excited. Well, during the first act anyway. She fell asleep during the second act, but when it was over, we bought her her very own Nutcracker and she loved that. I, of course, forgot my camera, but am hoping my sweet sister-in-law will send me hers. She got some great ones!

On Christmas eve, we went to open gifts with my parents. We had a great dinner and had lots of fun visiting with Nana, Papa, Uncle Andy and Aunt Melissa. We all got some wonderful gifts too!

Christmas day we did our own family exchange and Aaron was able to hook us up via webcam with his family. It was such a neat experience, but I was a little camera shy. Being broadcast across the country in my pjs was a little intimidating. :)

On New Years Eve, I did another run with some friends. It was through the Christmas Light display at a local park and it was pretty neat! This one was 3.5 miles and I struggled through the hills because I had been pretty slack in my training since the last race. But, I made it through. I've signed up for a training class starting later this month and am planning to continue running into 2009!

All in all, we had a great holiday season and hope our friends and family can say the same!
Happy New Year!

Noah vs. the Peanut....

Things are usually pretty calm, ok maybe calm is a poor choice of words, let's say uneventful, in the Richardson household, but last week was an exception. Last Wednesday evening, Tyler and I went to run an errand and came home to find 3 firetrucks in our cul-de-sac. Heart pounding, I jumped out of the car to ask my neighbors (who were standing in our yard) what was going on. Some workers trying to repair a telephone line had cut through a gas line, but they thought they had everything under control. Able to breathe again, I went into the house (which smelled like gas) where Aaron, the other kids, and my parents were eating pizza getting ready to go to the Wake basketball game. Within a few minutes, the fireman told us that it wasn't as under control as they had thought and that we should evacuate the house (but we couldn't start our cars!) We managed to get both cars pushed to the top of the street where it was safe to start them and went to the game. Before we even arrived at the game, the firemen gave the all clear, so by the time we got home, all was well.

Fast forward to Friday...

Noah is an eater. He eats anything and everything and particularly loves to put things he shouldn't in his mouth. On Friday, he got some peanuts that were in Aaron's office and got in trouble. He started to choke and Aaron patted him on the back, which cleared his airway, but he continued a very distressed cough and cry. Now, I'm on my third child and I've learned not to take the kids to the doctor for every little cough, but mommy instincts kicked in this case and I called right away. The doctor's office was closing at 1:30 that day for a Christmas party, but they squeezed us in at 11.

The doctor listened to Noah's chest for a VERY long time and decided something didn't quite sound right, so he sent us to the hospital for x-rays. The x-rays showed air trapping, which is consistent with foreign object aspiration, in his right lung ( I learned while we were there that this is where peanuts usually go...who knew?) The doctor at the hospital said we needed to do a bronchoscopy to check things out/remove the peanut if it was still there. Sometime, between the x-ray and the surgery, Noah apparently cleared the peanut on his own, but they were able to see a bloody spot and lots of mucous where the peanut had been. They gave him steroids to help heal it, but wanted to keep him overnight for observation in case they had missed something. If particles of the peanut had remained in the lungs, the risk for pneumonia is quite high, so they counseled us to keep a close eye on Noah for the next week or two for any signs of that.

The scariest part of the whole thing to me was that Noah had a bad reaction called "delirium" to the anesthesia. As he was waking up, he screamed and flailed and punched and and hit at Aaron and me, not making any eye contact with us at all. They gave him some medicine to counteract that he slept from then (about 3pm) through the rest of the night at the hospital (at least SOMEBODY got some sleep there!) :) He was a little woozy for the rest of the weekend, but by Monday, he was back to his wild and crazy self and shows no signs of being worse for the wear. I am thankful for our doctor and the staff at Brenner Children's Hospital for taking such good care of our little munchkin.

I am also thankful for our normally uneventful weeks and pray they continue to be the norm!

Can it be...

Grace is THREE!!
Okay, so I've been a REALLY slack blogger and this happened over a month ago, but still it deserves documentation. My lil sunbeam turned three in early November. She had a nice party with the family followed up by a little neighborhood friend party. She got lots of nice gifts and I talked Aaron into letting me get her a dollhouse that she and I were going to Costco several times a week to play with. We, er, I mean SHE loves it.

I can't believe how much my little Lulu has changed in the past year. She's like a tiny adult, carrying on normal conversations, asking questions, and occasionally testing mommy and daddy's patience. She LOVES preschool and going to nursery at church. She likes playing with both dolls and trains and she and Noah are quickly becoming best buddies. She is helpful and loving and such a special member of our family. We love you, Grace!

Lost in Translation?

This was just one of those little "Graceisms" I don't want to forget!

The scene: My mom and dad's house. We're all just lounging around and chatting.
My mom: Hola Grace! Do you know what hola means?

Grace: Yep!....It means you're eating at the quesadilla house! (Her name for the Mexican restaurant)

I can't believe it...

My FIRST baby is a TEENAGER. How did that happen? It seems like it was just a few years ago that at this moment, I was about halfway through a 27 hour labor. I was excited, scared, tired and couldn't wait to meet the little munchkin I'd felt fluttering around for so long. Finally, at 12:09 pm he arrived...induced 3 weeks early...weighing in at 6 lbs, 13 ounces (WAY smaller than my other two!) and 21 inches long. He was healthy and screaming and we went home a couple of days later.

As a first-time mom, I remember the early days as being...well...not easy. I was amazed at how little I knew about taking care of a baby. Of course, little Tyler and I figured things out and by the time he was a couple of months old, he was a happy, smiley little fellow. He fought many ear infections during the first two years, but has been perfectly healthy ever since.

Over the years (that have flown by like minutes) he has always been a smart, precocious, caring little boy. Once, at about age 6, he was in the room with Nana as she was watching an episode of Oprah about saving money and when the show was over he told Nana he thought maybe he should open an IRA. As early as second grade, he started asking what he could do to get a scholarship to college.

At age 10, Tyler became a big brother, something he'd been wanting to be for a number of years. From the beginning, he's been so sweet to his siblings. They really look up to him and even Noah asks "Where TyTy?" when he's at school or not around. Both of the little ones feel so special when they get play time with Tyler. It warms my heart to watch them.

Over the years, we've gone from little people, to Pokemon, to skateboarding and soccer to now phones, ipods, and computers. Yes, interests have changed and Tyler has grown into a fine young man (who now stands just 3 inches shorter than me).

On this very special day, I wanted to say...Tyler, I love you. Thank you for being such a great son. I am so proud of you and pray that as you enter your teenage years, you will always remember who you are. Sometimes it may be difficult to make the right choices, but you are a strong young man and your heart is in the right place. I know you're going to do great! Happy Birthday!

Love,
Mom

Couch to 5K Progress....

Just wanted to post and say...

We're still going!! Follow-through (particularly concerning diet and exercise) has never been my strong suit (as you can probably tell from some of my previous blogs about various diets and programs). But this time, I'm committed! I have paid my money for my first 5K in December and I have to keep going so I can run it!

To track our progress, we have finished:

Week	Workout 1	Workout 2	Workout 3
1	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
2	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.	Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.
3	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following: Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds) Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes) Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)
4	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then: Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes) Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes) Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes) Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds) Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)	To be done Saturday morning

Each day, I'm skeptical about whether or not I'll make it and each day I'm proud of myself when I finish. Each week, I can't imagine doing the runs on the schedule the next week and when each week is finished I say to myself "now that wasn't so bad." The jury's still out. On day 3 of next week, we have a 20 minute run, no stops to walk. "I think I can, I think I can..."