Good-bye 2012!!

So today is the last day of 2012.  To be honest, I am glad.  2012 brought one of the best things to my life - our son Simon - who is just 3 days shy of being one.  But it has also brought frustrations, heartache, and well, just plain "worration" - a blended word Jeff thought of that is a mix of "worry" and "frustration."

Simon turns one on Thursday!!!  He has been a joy to our lives.  I know I have not updated since October, so what has happened?  Well, he now has 6 teeth, and he started walking a few days before he turned 11 months old.  He is playful and loving.  He is definitely a Mama's baby.  He did not care too much for Santa, but he did like the Christmas tree -- ooh, lights, etc.

Luke has also turned 6 recently, and sometimes, he can be trying.  He was once described as determined, and that, he is.  But he is also sweet and loving.

Both kids are healthy and growing up too fast!!

Work has steadily gotten busier.  And with the "lovely" (sarcasm) changes ObamaCare brings, well, it is good that I am employed at the moment.  I just can't wait for more regulations and less reimbursements!!!

And our church life is about the same.  We still attend the same church, and we are loved truly by many.  We have had some changes in the church - some for the good, I believe.  But it is hard to hold on when the changes come.  That just makes us trust the Lord even more.

So here's to 2013!!  Here we come!!!

9 month update

Well, I ended up mostly updating Simon during my last post, but I had to really post about him now that he is officially 9 months old. That means he will be a year old in 3 months. I can't believe how time has flown by. I just love his personality. He is starting to show me when he is not happy about something by pushing my hand. He likes to look at the "baby" in the shadow of the oven, the fire place, and over the bed. He really does not care for the baby in the mirror because it appears that baby has HIS Mommy. His nicknames are Si and Simey. He is standing some on his own and just soo close to taking those first steps. I'll probably be at work when he does it...

Simon has his official 9 month well visit on Friday, so we'll see the stats. I am guessing 20 lbs.

Yesterday, he wore an outfit (shirt and pants) that Luke wore when he was a year old. It amazes me how much they look alike.

Simon just adores his big brother. He follows him. He plays with big brother's toys. And that just makes Luke soo mad. I don't how many times I have said "The living room is a share-zone."

Luke is slowly recovering from having his tonsils and adenoids taken out last Friday. He is quite pitiful at this point, so I am hoping he will turn around quickly. Otherwise, he might have to finish kindergarten NEXT year.

The weather has definitely turned Fall-like. I am not sure how I really feel about that. But at least it will be nice and not really hot at the ECU Homecoming Game. GO PIRATES!!!

Updates and random thoughts

So Simon is almost 9 months old. He's standing some by himself. I first caught him standing two weeks ago while holding the remote control in his mouth. He is cruising around some, but sometimes crawling is faster. I often let him crawl around the kitchen, dining room, and living room while I am working on supper or just folding laundry. I have caught him crawling to the laundry room and heard the sound of the cat food bowl. I think I will need to put up the baby gate soon.

Today happens to be my birthday. I had a little time to reflect this morning on my life. It has had its ups and downs. I have had successes and failures. I once was reminded that without failures, we don't appreciate our successes. It does seem that now my successes revolve around my family more than myself. Over the last year, I have had a baby at term who has been a great joy to my life. I never imagined the bond that Simon and Luke would have. Luke has started school, too, and I did not cry that first day of school. We have already adjusted to getting up earlier and getting to school on time. Jeff continues to be a great support with the kids and allowing me to work. At work, we are getting busier and I feel we do a good job. We did get a new boss, so we are all adjusting to that. My church family has changed some, but I am happy where we are - with genuinely loving people whose goals match mine.

Today also marks 40 days until the election. Anyone who knows me already knows my views. All I can say is this country needs some help. We have to pray that God will forgive us and heal us. We need to pray for godly leaders who want the best for all people. We want someone to have morals. We need to pray for vision to protect Israel - God's chosen people.

So what else is on my mind? I was thinking about it the other day that really, truly, I am a kind person. I try to think of others a lot. I always remember birthdays, babies, people's financial and personal situations. I am burdened by my lost patients. Yet, it seems that I often get the "short end of the stick." I have found myself feeling somewhat annoyed about it all, but then I remember how kind and tender-hearted my Jesus has been. And I strive to be more like Him - despite how I am treated, even when I am hurt.

7 month update

Okay, I am a little behind. Simon is actually almost 8 months old. But we've been busy. Really busy.

So Simon continues to amaze me more every day. He is crawling and pulling up. And he eats. VERY WELL.

We went on vacation to the beach and the little tike was caught crawling towards the water like a little sea turtle. Very cute and captured on video too.

Luke is preparing for school which starts Wednesday for him. Yep, my little Luke will be in kindergarten. I'll blog more about that later.

Growing up too fast!

My boys are growing up too fast!

Luke - who has never sang and done motions with ANY program - from church to preschool - has done them... with a smile! It brought tears to my eyes seeing him with all the other kids singing and doing motions to songs about Jesus. Trust me, the pictures and video clips I took don't do it justice. Just a priceless moment. And very proud Mommy.

Simon - now 6 1/2 months old and crawling AND pulling up to stand. Trying to cruise too. And weighing in at 16 lbs 9.6 oz.

Next milestones will probably turn me into a fountain!

1/2 a year already?!!

Today marks our little baby's 1/2 year mark. Wow!! Simon is already 6 months old. He has been doing well with solids. He likes to eat most anything so far, except for bananas. I think he is trying though. He is working on holding his own bottle. And he is TRYING TO CRAWL! He can lift up and move but he is just a bit uncoordinated to master it completely. He reaches for me to pick him up. He still sucks his middle fingers when he is hungry or tired. I'll have his stats in a couple of weeks but I would not be surprised if he was at least 16 lbs. Big boy!!

Luke is enjoying his summer too! He and Jeff have been playing Nintendo - old school kind. Right now, they are working on Super Mario Bros 3 - you know, the one from 1988. It's been entertaining to watch them play and to listen to Luke. He tells Jeff to get the "mushroom," "get the fire seed," and "get the Tanooki." Yep, old school stuff!

Otherwise, we have been busy as usual. We had VBS at church last week. And it has gotten very hot - up to 109 degrees last Friday. Now the humidity has creeped in.

And the Olympics are around the corner! I get so excited about them! I just love the diving, swimming, and my all time fave - gymnastics!! Can't wait until July 27th!!

May is over!!

Five months ago, I was blessed with the sweetest little baby who has grown up sooo much over the last month.

So what can the little man do now?
- Roll over
- Military crawl (belly on the ground)
- Hold toys and put them in his mouth
- Tolerate cereal a bit
- Suck on his two middle fingers

Okay, that doesn't sound like a lot, but really to a baby he has grown up!

Simon loves to look around. He does not want to be rocked. He would rather be laid down where he will roll over onto his tummy, stuff two fingers in his mouth, then go to sleep.

His stats - at his 4 month well visit (when he was 4 1/2 months) - 14 lb 14 oz!!

I love my sweet Simon!!!

And what about big brother Luke?

Well, he graduated from preschool!

And he had tonsillitis (again).

And I think he really loves Simon, but sometimes, he's a bit rougher with the baby than he should be. Working on that.

And he weighs 30 lbs wet, with clothes, and shoes... Working on that too.

4 months out of my tummy

Baby Simon is 4 months old today. Four months since he left my tummy kicking and ventured out into the world. Four months of sleepless nights and crying and poopy diapers and just wanting to be held when Mommy is cooking, cleaning, etc. Four months of blessings from a smile first thing in the morning to holding on to Mommy's clothing for dear life. Four months I would not trade for anything else. So what is my little man doing now besides drooling and smiling? He likes to be upright so he can see what's going on. And that includes standing on me. He likes to sleep in the bed beside Mommy and big brother. He turns his head when he hears us shaking up his bottle. He turns his head to watch TV. I think he is about 15 lbs now but we'll have his official weight soon. He is taking about 6 ounces most feedings, and usually does not require an overnight bottle - to my delight. He is curious about the cat. His big brother Luke adores him. Life is great!!!

Developmental Milestones

Anyone who has had a baby or takes care of them medically knows about developmental milestones. They are, in short, the things your baby does that shows he or she is growing appropriately.

Like about 6 weeks when you have to go back to work and the baby starts to smile at you.

So Simon is about 3 1/2 months. I was looking forward to his rolling over in the next few weeks, but he brought to my attention a milestone I really have not missed at all. That would be drooling - lots of drooling - on his hands (which are in his mouth), down his clothes, on his burp cloth, and now a beautiful rite of passage for my clothing.

Everyone seems to think "he's teething" but I think he has just found his hands and it seems that a good place for them is in his mouth. And drool is just kind of something he does. A lot...

Then again, if this lovely mess is a sign that my baby is growing well (and too fast I might add) then I'll take it. Just because I love that baby!!

3 months

Wow! My sweet Simon is 3 months old today. He is a big boy compared to my little Luke was just shy of 6 lbs at 3 months of age. Simon weighed 12 lbs at his 2 month visit, so I expect he is close to 13 lbs now. Sometimes, he feels light. Sometimes, he feels like he weighs a ton - especially in that car seat!

I have found I can go out with either Simon or Luke by myself for shopping or groceries. I need the help of another adult with both of them. At first, it was Jeff who went with me. Lately, it has been mostly my mother-in-law. I like the adult company, but sometimes Mr. Luke can go overboard and want so many things.

When I was a kid, I wanted a lot of things, but I don't think I really asked for them. I knew that I had to be patient and wait. For example, I had to wait until my birthday or until I had saved up some money to get things. And eating out, even at Mickey D's was a treat - not a once a week occurrence. And maybe, I realized even as a young child that my parent did not have money on trees. They worked hard for things, and we were considered blessed because we lived in a brick house. Life seemed so much simpler then...

So back to 2012 and how blessed I hope my children are. If only they knew the prayers said on behalf of them...

The Only Thing Constant in Life is Change...

Change is always upon us. Sometimes, it is difficult to experience change. And sometimes it is a wonderful thing. There are events to look forward to - like the birth of a sweet little boy. And then are those changes that are difficult to muddle through and swallow.

So far, it's been a wacky 2012. I had a baby, and now I'm back at work. Good for the budget but miss the little smiling baby. The weather has been mild this winter - good for my heating bill, bad for experiencing snow with the kids. And so many other changes that would be too complicated and possibly boring to mention.

The experts tell us that there are stress levels associated with change, like marriage, moving, and starting school are some are the heavier ones. And I am very happy that I experienced getting married, moving to another town (to be with my new husband) and starting medical school - all within a span of about 6 weeks. And the cool thing is that my Lord carried me through those changes.

As a doctor, I see a lot of stressed people. And they often seek medication to help them. And because I believe there are some benefits to those medications, I will prescribe them.

As a Christian, I also know that "Great is Thy faithfulness" and that stress needs to be turned over to Him who will fulfill His will. And our trials will make us stronger for Him as well. We just need to trust the Lord and not fear what lies ahead. Our future is great.

So change can be a really good thing!!

Baby, Oh, Baby!

So we did not go into labor, and on January 3, 2012 at 7:47 am we welcomed Simon Carl into our family from the womb to the world.

He is a big guy - can't believe he was in my belly. He weighed in at 8 lb 1 oz and was 20 inches long. Came out with a head full of dark hair. (By the way, no heartburn!!!).

We came home from the hospital last Thursday! We were eager to be home - especially to sleep in our own beds. I was eager to see how big brother would do, and Luke has been great!

So we are settling in to a new routine of sorts and enjoying our expanded family.

Here's to 2012!

Happy New Year everyone!

Our family enjoyed a very good Christmas with a happy Luke and a lot of surprises for him. He received enough toys to make my head spin.

We also enjoyed a nice service at church on Christmas celebrating our Lord's birth - complete with the Lord's supper.

The past week has been pretty uneventful - work and waiting on the baby.

And now we are in 2012 and we are still waiting for our little baby's arrival.

So many things to look forward to...

L-O-V-E

Sounds cheesy - but it is really all about love. What you ask? Why Christmas of course.

The presents, the get-togethers, the good food - all of that is done because we love.

And that love started with Jesus' birth, a birth prophesied when Adam and Even failed. A birth that was done with the knowledge that death was coming on a cross - just for you and me.

So enjoy it all. Don't forget about Christmas on December 26th like the rest of the world.

And do something nice for someone else - randomly. Like the idea I had this afternoon while in the drive-thru at McDonald's. I felt God's nudging and obeyed. So what was done? I paid the whopping $12.37 for the meal for the people behind me. I did not know them. And the money won't break me, but maybe, just maybe I showed them God's love.

Merry Christmas!!

Nesting 101

With Luke, I never nested. Too much going on! I was just happy to get my little baby home.

With this one, I have definitely been nesting. I organized the samples and vouchers at the office last week, and now I have 1) finished Christmas shopping 2) packed my hospital bag 3) packed baby's bag 4) washed the baby's clothes 5) set up the pack n play / bassinet 6) organized the baby's clothes, etc 7) cleaned our shower 8) done countless things that have obviously been more OCD than I normally am.

So we are at 36 1/2 weeks. I had an ultrasound on Wednesday and the estimate is 6 lb 5 oz. He's got hair and nails, and apparently, I have some signs that he is making his way lower into my pelvis. And my weight has been good - only gained 13 lbs the whole pregnancy.

I have a C-section scheduled for January 3rd. Until then (or earlier), we wait...

Munchkin Milestone #2

Today we are at 32 weeks and the coolness about that is that my local hospital can care for babies at 32 weeks. So that means my doctors are around, and if needed, my baby boy would be around 15 minutes away from home versus an hour. Still, we pray for baby to come a little later.

I have been doing pretty good with the gestational diabetes. I have also lost weight with it, and that does worry me a bit. And there are the fun contractions. Some are those Braxton-Hicks ones, but occasionally I have those intense ones that just take my breath away.

And my little boy will be 5 years old in 9 days! I cannot believe he is 5. Luke is growing up way too fast. I am very lucky to have such a sweet little boy. I think he is going to be a great big brother. I know Luke will have his days, and even though he can be babied a lot, he is also very mature sometimes. He will say things and just catch me off guard because they are just so, well, mature. He thinks a lot of others' feelings and that has been special to me.

One of the hardest things to explain to him has be related to death. We had to go to the funeral home for a friend's brother who recently passed away. Luke asked so many questions and most of them were easy to answer. But the hardest one was related to "why is there a body if he is in heaven?" So quickly, I told him that his heart was with Jesus in heaven. I thought it would be too hard to explain souls to him. Then again, he might understand it better than most people I know.

So I am looking forward to the arrival of my second little boy. I pray he is as loving and kind as my big boy.

Munchkin Milestone

Well, I am still pregnant. Yep, that is a milestone.

With Luke, I had a C-section when I was 28 weeks pregnant. I had pre-eclampsia and he was taken. A miracle baby with his 1 lb 13.7 oz self.

And now I am about 28 1/2 weeks. My blood pressure has been pretty good. I have only gained about 8 lbs this pregnancy. I have not had the swelling, and I can even wear my rings.

Of course, I think this baby is bigger than Luke was at 28 weeks. I just feel a little bit clumsier and off-balance. I have learned to take time and rest, which I did not do with Luke.

So my prayers continue for a healthier pregnancy. Praying for a December delivery...

Firefighters and Puppies

I just can't help myself. I am so in awe of my little boy who is still so little but so grown. Not too long ago, he told me he wanted to be a train driver - not the conductor but the driver. So that's okay.

Well, now Mr. Luke wants to be a firefighter, ambulance driver, policeman, AND a train driver. He's going to be busy I think.

He is planning to dress up as a fireman pretty soon, and he wants a fireman party for his birthday. I also gave him the task of picking out the baby's bedding, and any guesses what we're going with - yep, fire engines, etc.

The bedding set is really adorable but boyish. We can order the optional puppy dog plush, so I splurged and have ordered two of them - one for each of my boys.

So puppies are also a part of our lives. Most days, Luke is barking and begging like a puppy. Last year, he dressed up as Clifford, which was so cute for a homemade costume. And Jeff wakes him up in the morning by being a dog, and at night, Luke wants us to rub his puppy tummy and scratch behind his puppy ears. The funniest thing recently was yesterday when he stubbed his toe or tripped (don't really know for sure). He proceeded to tell me that he had hurt his back paw.

He might be a bit obsessed with this puppy thing, and I am wondering if his little brother will think there is a dog in the house instead of a big brother.

But it's cute, and it makes me smile!

A September to Remember

Hurricane Irene fortunately did not do much damage at all here. It tore off some edging on the shelter outside and of course, we lost power for about 12 hours. But we survived and ran the generator for about 4 hours to heat up some supper and cool down the house for bed time.

So, we cruised into September without too much trouble. Work has gotten busier and that has been really good.

And I have been seeing my OB doctor every two weeks. She asked me at my last visit if I was sweating yet, and of course, I am. I am 25 1/2 weeks and had a baby at 28 weeks the last time. So I have been more nervous and I think that is the real reason my blood pressure has been trying to creep up.

My birthday was earlier this week and my new Physician assistant made me some cupcakes - not just any kind of cupcake - but chocolate cupcakes with rocky road icing from her great-grandmother's recipe. Delicious!!!!

The only drawback to the week has been more OB stuff. I did not pass my 1 hour glucose test last week, and I did the lovely 3 hour one yesterday. Yep, I flunked. So now I have gestational diabetes and guess what - that can increase the risk of pre-eclampsia. Just great (sarcasm intended). That means no more yummy chocolate cupcakes, Pepsi, cookies, orange juice, etc, etc, etc. And just a little bit more nervousness for this pregnancy.

But it will be worth it when I see my baby boy.

Me and my boys

Well, what a week! We had our ultrasound on Monday and very quickly found out that our little Coconut is a boy. So according to Luke, his name is "Coconut Sippy Cup." Jeff and I are trying to find a different one, so don't worry. He is growing well and healthy appearing so that is great for us. Weighs about 11 ounces.

I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed that the baby was not a girl. But it is God's will for me to have another little boy and that is something I have accepted. I realized that we have a lot of clothes, and yesterday, it dawned on me - no weddings to pay for. And life will be fun. Luke will have a playmate who he can mentor and teach the important things to - like play trains and learning to urinate standing up. And I won't have to deal with drama from hair, make up, dresses, and boys I am not fond of visiting our home.

Now we are in the midst of a lovely hurricane - aka rain and wind and light flickering. I am up, having had the bright idea to shower before the lights go out again. The two big boys are asleep (Jeff and Luke). Prince Murdock is creeping around and Coconut is just happy that I have had his morning OJ.