Did you see this article over at Girltalk?
It definitely encouraged me!
Although I do still have help until the 11th, we are coming off a couple long days and nights where coherent anything is kind of missing. But the short article definitely gives perspective!
As for time with God - aren't night time nursings MADE for prayer? That is how I pass them so that I am not chatting to Baby Pear the whole time! (We keep night time nursings as quiet, and dark as possible, and start it right away so that Mommy does not develop bad habits!)
How do you (did you) fit in prayer and Bible reading with babies?
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Praying for Noah
For those of you who have been here for a while, you are probably familiar with the little button on my sidebar about praying for Noah.
I would encourage you to click on it today as Noah is very sick and in the hospital again.
I would encourage you to click on it today as Noah is very sick and in the hospital again.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Modest Girl's Dresses?
I have been looking for some new dresses for Miss Pear - size 4 or 4T kind of depending on the cut. I cannot find pretty dresses that are modest that are not outrageously priced! (Last modest pretty one I saw was about a$80! I think not!) They are all cut well above the knee and/or are so ugly that I could not possibly put that on my girl!
There are no reasonable thrift shops or consignment shops around here to help out, and dress hand me downs seem to be very scarce, plus Miss Pear is very tall.
And yes, I had hoped to sew some dresses so that I could add a longer skirt, but with being so sick during my pregnancy that did not happen, so now I am a bit behind...in everything.
Where do you find pretty, modest, inexpensive girl's dresses? Both for church and everyday.
Any help would be very appreciated!
There are no reasonable thrift shops or consignment shops around here to help out, and dress hand me downs seem to be very scarce, plus Miss Pear is very tall.
And yes, I had hoped to sew some dresses so that I could add a longer skirt, but with being so sick during my pregnancy that did not happen, so now I am a bit behind...in everything.
Where do you find pretty, modest, inexpensive girl's dresses? Both for church and everyday.
Any help would be very appreciated!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
2 Week Check Up
Wednesday was Baby Pear's two week check up.
She weighed 8 lb 10 oz. Up a pound from her birth weight (which is kind of funny because they give babies 2 weeks to gain back their birth weight, she had done it in a week), and up 1 lb 1 oz from last Tuesday. (Her lowest weight was the Friday night in the hospital when she weighed 7 lb 1 oz).
She measured 21 inches, up one inch from last Tuesday, and an inch and a half from when she was born.
So she is doing great, and we are thrilled.
She continues to pick her head up and toss it back which is kind of anxiety inducing when you are holding her on your shoulder - her favorite position. And she can hold her head up for a surprising amount of time! She remains an active baby and both Mr. Pear and his mom have asked if she was really this active in me, when I say she is calmer now, they are very surprised.
The question in our mind is if she will follow her older sister and gain a pound a week for the month. (Her cousin was born at 10 lbs and gained a pound a week for the first 2 months - hence the blue ribbon pumpkin baby status!)
Either way, she is healthy and that is all that matters.
When Miss Pear was born we just took for granted that everything would be fine, and that we would have a healthy baby. After last year and our miscarriage we have no delusions about that any more, and are extremely grateful to have a healthy baby. Not that we were not grateful when Miss Pear was born, we just did not have a point of reference I guess. Now we just know to be thankful for the wonderful two blessings we have been trusted with!
She weighed 8 lb 10 oz. Up a pound from her birth weight (which is kind of funny because they give babies 2 weeks to gain back their birth weight, she had done it in a week), and up 1 lb 1 oz from last Tuesday. (Her lowest weight was the Friday night in the hospital when she weighed 7 lb 1 oz).
She measured 21 inches, up one inch from last Tuesday, and an inch and a half from when she was born.
So she is doing great, and we are thrilled.
She continues to pick her head up and toss it back which is kind of anxiety inducing when you are holding her on your shoulder - her favorite position. And she can hold her head up for a surprising amount of time! She remains an active baby and both Mr. Pear and his mom have asked if she was really this active in me, when I say she is calmer now, they are very surprised.
The question in our mind is if she will follow her older sister and gain a pound a week for the month. (Her cousin was born at 10 lbs and gained a pound a week for the first 2 months - hence the blue ribbon pumpkin baby status!)
Either way, she is healthy and that is all that matters.
When Miss Pear was born we just took for granted that everything would be fine, and that we would have a healthy baby. After last year and our miscarriage we have no delusions about that any more, and are extremely grateful to have a healthy baby. Not that we were not grateful when Miss Pear was born, we just did not have a point of reference I guess. Now we just know to be thankful for the wonderful two blessings we have been trusted with!
Is it just me or just here?
About a year ago I quit buying pork chops. We liked them, but the price was getting higher, and the meat was getting progressively tougher. If I cooked it until the pink just left, we had shoe leather, if I stopped before that, my family would not eat it. Lately I found a great recipe for pork chops, and tried again. Same problem.
Is this just a problem out here in California, or is pork just getting leaner everywhere and therefore tougher.
I have to confess, with the price of meat being what it is, I think I am done with pork chops. Am I the only one?
Are pork roasts just as bad?
Is this just a problem out here in California, or is pork just getting leaner everywhere and therefore tougher.
I have to confess, with the price of meat being what it is, I think I am done with pork chops. Am I the only one?
Are pork roasts just as bad?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Taming the Stash
So we had our 2 week ob appointment this morning (which went well) and it used up all my energy, so I had lunch upstairs to save my trip back down stairs for supper. While eating my lunch today I was reading through Bloglines and I came across this post from Coupon Cravings about controlling your shopping when your stash is huge - and actually looking at it to see how big it is!
I think we do pretty well at controlling our stash. I follow a few simple rules.
Well stocked and managed pantry most certainly has worked for me! Check out the other WFMW tips at Shanon's!
How do you manage your stash and keep limits on yourself so that you are not overwhelmed?
I think we do pretty well at controlling our stash. I follow a few simple rules.
- All household items that are not the one in use go in the garage in the old bookcase. All like items are stacked together. (So all the laundry soap is together so I know that I have 3 or 4 bottles there!)
- All like pantry items are stored together with assigned places in the kitchen, overflow of canned or bottled items in a smaller bookcase in the garage, cereal and the like on top of the cupboard so that mice don't invade our garage and help themselves.
- All medicine and toiletry items are stored under the bathroom sink in our bathroom.
- All baby extras, except for diapers and wipes are stored in the girls' bathroom.
- All diapers are stored in the appropriate girl's closet, all wipes are stored in Baby Pear's closet except for a back up package in Miss Pear's (who only wears diapers at night).
- Once we have more than a 6 month stash I only buy that item if it is free, a money maker, or I have to roll CVS Extrabucks this week and that item is on special.
- Pass on what we accumulate too much of. We have friends who are youth pastors and friends who are older and taking care of their parents who need a little help, and they are always happy to take whatever we have extra of. So if my stash gets out of control I ALWAYS have a home for it...that is not mine!
Well stocked and managed pantry most certainly has worked for me! Check out the other WFMW tips at Shanon's!
How do you manage your stash and keep limits on yourself so that you are not overwhelmed?
Monday, September 22, 2008
Baby Pear's Arrival
Our birth stories are not the usual around here, they finish up in the OR with a C-section. So rather predictable, and this time I did not even go into labor! Although I thought going into labor on Labor day would have been good!
However, I did want to share the events with you as prayer made such a HUGE difference in everything and God was so good to us! And I wanted to thank you because so many of you were praying for us, and I have to tell you, that carried us through.
The night before our C-section we got Miss Pear to bed, and began reviewing what still needed to be packed and done - unfortunately not enough to distract me. So I had my little cry and talk with God and while I was not excited about surgery, I was resigned to it. Little did I know that the Lord was really firming my heart and mind for what lay ahead - a kind of get it out of your system now kind of deal. He knows I always need that! Mr. Pear was very sympathetic and understanding about it too. He prayed for me and with me, and did everything possible to reassure me.
On Wednesday the 10th our little secondary alarm clock, also known as Miss Pear woke us up. We all got cleaned up and had a very early breakfast as I was not allowed to eat or drink anything but very small sips of water to keep nausea and dizziness at bay. (Even that was kind of a secret between me and my doctor, and was truly kept to a minimum and just in the morning - surgery was scheduled for 4, but we were over half an hour getting started late due to standard hospital delays). So after breakfast we slowly got ready, moving towards the afternoon's adventure, but really focusing on Miss Pear, playing with her, reassuring her, and just focusing on giving her our undivided attention. Then, like all Moms, I quickly rechecked to make sure she had everything she needed, and realized that the night time diapers (only ones we still use for her, Praise the Lord!) were lower than we would like, so if she refused to wear big girl unders while we were gone it would not be enough. So we went to Target, because they were on sale there...isn't that what all moms giving birth in the afternoon do in the morning??? And wouldn't you know it, a puzzle for Miss Pear somehow ended up in our cart too. After lunch and extra snuggles Miss Pear was put down for her nap, and the final steps began in earnest. Shortly after 1 we left for the hospital.
Once checked in and in a prep room, we had time to kill. And it was hard. So we did what all couples do in that situation, we found a good mystery on TV to watch...yeah, I guess we are weird. But we had talked over everything, and prayed lots, and now it was just time to wait. I stink at waiting! He told me jokes and held my hand, and just did everything to act like we had just found a few minutes to be together with no interruptions rather than waiting for surgery. By the Lord's provision, it actually worked!
My happy calm remained firmly in place with only having to remind myself a couple times that at the end of the day I would be holding our baby. That is, until the nurse came in to put my IV in. You see, I am a hard stick at the best of times. Some of the most experienced lab techs and nurses have confirmed this. If I am having blood taken I drink large glasses of water to help. Remember the no eating or drinking part? I explained the situation to the nurse she was understanding, and assured me that if she was not completely confident she would not stick me. So she looked, and looked, and looked. And then went to get a smaller IV needle, and resumed looking. When she was finally ready, she went for it, and my whole body clenched in fear. Which was unnecessary because like she said, she was confident, and she got it first try. That has never in my life happened. Ever. It was one of the big things I prayed about because I hate needles and am petrified of them. The only thing that was not great was that it was in my wrist, but it was not my dominant hand, so that was okay.
The second thing I was petrified about was the spinal block - actually, the freezing for the spinal block. It was the worst part of Miss Pear's delivery, I described in as fire down my back. Yup, not looking forward to it. But the nurse and the anesthesiologist carefully explained everything to me very calmly and the nurse comforted me through the whole thing, and you know what? It still hurt, but not as bad this time. And with the block I did not even feel the promised pressure. I felt nothing more. Truly answered prayer once more.
I was much more alert this time for surgery, and more mentally and spiritually prepared for it. So I was able to anticipate more and pay attention to the kicks at the top of my tummy more, but felt nothing lower, not even the promised pressure. Surgery went beautifully, and when I heard Baby Pear cry, so did I - tears of joy and thanks. The Lord was so gracious to give us a healthy baby girl. And she had an immediate and lusty cry. She was the picture of health scoring 9 and 9 on her Apgar scores. When the surgery was over the doctor told me that everything went great. And without being asked said that if we had gone for the VBAC we would have ended up in the OR based on the head and shoulder size. The Lord knew I needed that reassurance that we had really heard Him correctly and had done the right thing.
It was so wonderful when we got to recovery and I was able to really hold our baby. Mr. Pear was the one to hand her to me. While she was 11 oz bigger than Miss Pear, she was an inch shorter, and I have to confess, I kind of forgot how small babies come. It was so sweet. And we were doing great. It was great to feel alert and coherent to really enjoy that first time together!
We did great until just after shift change, and then the nausea hit, badly. And after eating nothing for 11 hours, I was throwing up violently. It was awful. Fortunately I was able to hand Baby Pear to Mr Pear before anything started (God blessed me with an early warning system). They gave me the drug they give chemo patients and it did not work. Then, an hour later, they were able to give me another, and the mess ended, but I was exhausted. We would find out later that the Lord brought one of me to mind of one of my most praying friends right before this all started, and she prayed us through it, not knowing really what was going on. We are sure it made a difference. It took a week for my throat to fully recover, which also meant that I could not take all the calls I was not up to anyways. But this too turned out to be a blessing. By the time I was well enough to be moved to the maternity ward I was put in a corner room, so it was bigger and had a bigger shower with no lip to step over. This too turned out to be a huge blessing as it made showering so easy! Plus seeing we were there from Wednesday night to Sunday, and Mr. Pear stayed at the hospital with us, the extra room was nice too.
We quickly settled in and had a good night.
We began working on nursing, and even though we got off to the typical slow start, Baby Pear caught on quickly, another answer to prayer! One of the nurses was kind of surprised how I just kept hanging in there through long nursings, and I just said that I had never done this with her before and she has never done it at all, we just need to figure it out. Apparently the lack of frustration was rare. But we had God helping us, so it is no surprise.
Mr. Pear stayed at the hospital with me, coming home each day to pick up Miss Pear and bring her for a visit, and then taking her home and returning to the hospital. He is always so wonderful to me, and was a trooper through it all. And it was the first time Miss Pear and I had been separated overnight, so I really missed her!
Thursday night the allergic reaction I had after Miss Pear's c-section arrived again. This time we immediately recognized it for what it was and I was on proper medication within the hour. While it did get bad, the medication always stayed ahead of the discomfort and it never got as red, angry, or itchy - praise the Lord! I was miserable with it last time, and this time it was very manageable, plus we figured out what I was reacting to! Which is huge if I ever need surgery in the future.
Friday's drama was different. They heard a heart murmur in Baby Pear. And while we were not concerned because we are well read and educated on them based on our family history, when I shared that history the nurses all flipped out and a doctor from the Children's Hospital was called - they sent the head of thoracic surgery and cardiology (Children's Hospital is on the same campus, so the babies get excellent care as it is considered one of the top hospitals on this coast, another blessing). He did hear it, but felt it was just the regular newborn murmur. When it was still there Saturday morning an echo gram was ordered, and it was confirmed to be the innocent newborn murmur. Plus they checked for the murmur that Miss Pear has, and it was not there. But the results are being sent to Miss Pear's cardiologist to read as a formality, and when they heard that he was her cardiologist, they were all impressed. We were blessed by such great doctors all through this! Plus at the 1 week appointment the murmur could not be heard.
Saturday night I was the drama, and let's just say that there were, um, plumbing issues, which were resolved, but I was miserable for a couple hours until they were. Again, the nurse was so helpful and caring and gentle!
That was a big thing I had prayed for - nurses who we connected with, who understood us, and we could talk to frankly and honestly about what was going on, who were very caring, especially on the first night, and God answered that prayer in huge ways!
So while we had drama every day, it was always resolved well, and in a way that showed us clearly how the Lord was caring for us.
Sunday morning we were released to come home, and it was wonderful. I had missed my Miss Pear so much. And it is always better to be home.
The one big thing we had prayed about is Miss Pear's adjustment to being big sister. And while she is still not sure about holding Baby Pear (with help, she kind of just rests in her lap while Daddy does the holding), she loves to look at her and touch her gently. She loves to watch and help with everything. She is especially excited about the prospect of helping bath baby when we use the little tub in the kitchen. We had prayed abut this transition lots, and we are seeing answered prayer that is overwhelming. Miss Pear says that she "loves my baby the best", which is the ultimate expression of love from her.
In the time that we have been home, we have just focused on taking care of the girls, resting, and recovering. And that is just our speed.
Hopefully you will start seeing blog posts about other things than babies later this week, but you pretty much know that our blog will be filled with stuff about family and the girls!
However, I did want to share the events with you as prayer made such a HUGE difference in everything and God was so good to us! And I wanted to thank you because so many of you were praying for us, and I have to tell you, that carried us through.
The night before our C-section we got Miss Pear to bed, and began reviewing what still needed to be packed and done - unfortunately not enough to distract me. So I had my little cry and talk with God and while I was not excited about surgery, I was resigned to it. Little did I know that the Lord was really firming my heart and mind for what lay ahead - a kind of get it out of your system now kind of deal. He knows I always need that! Mr. Pear was very sympathetic and understanding about it too. He prayed for me and with me, and did everything possible to reassure me.
On Wednesday the 10th our little secondary alarm clock, also known as Miss Pear woke us up. We all got cleaned up and had a very early breakfast as I was not allowed to eat or drink anything but very small sips of water to keep nausea and dizziness at bay. (Even that was kind of a secret between me and my doctor, and was truly kept to a minimum and just in the morning - surgery was scheduled for 4, but we were over half an hour getting started late due to standard hospital delays). So after breakfast we slowly got ready, moving towards the afternoon's adventure, but really focusing on Miss Pear, playing with her, reassuring her, and just focusing on giving her our undivided attention. Then, like all Moms, I quickly rechecked to make sure she had everything she needed, and realized that the night time diapers (only ones we still use for her, Praise the Lord!) were lower than we would like, so if she refused to wear big girl unders while we were gone it would not be enough. So we went to Target, because they were on sale there...isn't that what all moms giving birth in the afternoon do in the morning??? And wouldn't you know it, a puzzle for Miss Pear somehow ended up in our cart too. After lunch and extra snuggles Miss Pear was put down for her nap, and the final steps began in earnest. Shortly after 1 we left for the hospital.
Once checked in and in a prep room, we had time to kill. And it was hard. So we did what all couples do in that situation, we found a good mystery on TV to watch...yeah, I guess we are weird. But we had talked over everything, and prayed lots, and now it was just time to wait. I stink at waiting! He told me jokes and held my hand, and just did everything to act like we had just found a few minutes to be together with no interruptions rather than waiting for surgery. By the Lord's provision, it actually worked!
My happy calm remained firmly in place with only having to remind myself a couple times that at the end of the day I would be holding our baby. That is, until the nurse came in to put my IV in. You see, I am a hard stick at the best of times. Some of the most experienced lab techs and nurses have confirmed this. If I am having blood taken I drink large glasses of water to help. Remember the no eating or drinking part? I explained the situation to the nurse she was understanding, and assured me that if she was not completely confident she would not stick me. So she looked, and looked, and looked. And then went to get a smaller IV needle, and resumed looking. When she was finally ready, she went for it, and my whole body clenched in fear. Which was unnecessary because like she said, she was confident, and she got it first try. That has never in my life happened. Ever. It was one of the big things I prayed about because I hate needles and am petrified of them. The only thing that was not great was that it was in my wrist, but it was not my dominant hand, so that was okay.
The second thing I was petrified about was the spinal block - actually, the freezing for the spinal block. It was the worst part of Miss Pear's delivery, I described in as fire down my back. Yup, not looking forward to it. But the nurse and the anesthesiologist carefully explained everything to me very calmly and the nurse comforted me through the whole thing, and you know what? It still hurt, but not as bad this time. And with the block I did not even feel the promised pressure. I felt nothing more. Truly answered prayer once more.
I was much more alert this time for surgery, and more mentally and spiritually prepared for it. So I was able to anticipate more and pay attention to the kicks at the top of my tummy more, but felt nothing lower, not even the promised pressure. Surgery went beautifully, and when I heard Baby Pear cry, so did I - tears of joy and thanks. The Lord was so gracious to give us a healthy baby girl. And she had an immediate and lusty cry. She was the picture of health scoring 9 and 9 on her Apgar scores. When the surgery was over the doctor told me that everything went great. And without being asked said that if we had gone for the VBAC we would have ended up in the OR based on the head and shoulder size. The Lord knew I needed that reassurance that we had really heard Him correctly and had done the right thing.
It was so wonderful when we got to recovery and I was able to really hold our baby. Mr. Pear was the one to hand her to me. While she was 11 oz bigger than Miss Pear, she was an inch shorter, and I have to confess, I kind of forgot how small babies come. It was so sweet. And we were doing great. It was great to feel alert and coherent to really enjoy that first time together!
We did great until just after shift change, and then the nausea hit, badly. And after eating nothing for 11 hours, I was throwing up violently. It was awful. Fortunately I was able to hand Baby Pear to Mr Pear before anything started (God blessed me with an early warning system). They gave me the drug they give chemo patients and it did not work. Then, an hour later, they were able to give me another, and the mess ended, but I was exhausted. We would find out later that the Lord brought one of me to mind of one of my most praying friends right before this all started, and she prayed us through it, not knowing really what was going on. We are sure it made a difference. It took a week for my throat to fully recover, which also meant that I could not take all the calls I was not up to anyways. But this too turned out to be a blessing. By the time I was well enough to be moved to the maternity ward I was put in a corner room, so it was bigger and had a bigger shower with no lip to step over. This too turned out to be a huge blessing as it made showering so easy! Plus seeing we were there from Wednesday night to Sunday, and Mr. Pear stayed at the hospital with us, the extra room was nice too.
We quickly settled in and had a good night.
We began working on nursing, and even though we got off to the typical slow start, Baby Pear caught on quickly, another answer to prayer! One of the nurses was kind of surprised how I just kept hanging in there through long nursings, and I just said that I had never done this with her before and she has never done it at all, we just need to figure it out. Apparently the lack of frustration was rare. But we had God helping us, so it is no surprise.
Mr. Pear stayed at the hospital with me, coming home each day to pick up Miss Pear and bring her for a visit, and then taking her home and returning to the hospital. He is always so wonderful to me, and was a trooper through it all. And it was the first time Miss Pear and I had been separated overnight, so I really missed her!
Thursday night the allergic reaction I had after Miss Pear's c-section arrived again. This time we immediately recognized it for what it was and I was on proper medication within the hour. While it did get bad, the medication always stayed ahead of the discomfort and it never got as red, angry, or itchy - praise the Lord! I was miserable with it last time, and this time it was very manageable, plus we figured out what I was reacting to! Which is huge if I ever need surgery in the future.
Friday's drama was different. They heard a heart murmur in Baby Pear. And while we were not concerned because we are well read and educated on them based on our family history, when I shared that history the nurses all flipped out and a doctor from the Children's Hospital was called - they sent the head of thoracic surgery and cardiology (Children's Hospital is on the same campus, so the babies get excellent care as it is considered one of the top hospitals on this coast, another blessing). He did hear it, but felt it was just the regular newborn murmur. When it was still there Saturday morning an echo gram was ordered, and it was confirmed to be the innocent newborn murmur. Plus they checked for the murmur that Miss Pear has, and it was not there. But the results are being sent to Miss Pear's cardiologist to read as a formality, and when they heard that he was her cardiologist, they were all impressed. We were blessed by such great doctors all through this! Plus at the 1 week appointment the murmur could not be heard.
Saturday night I was the drama, and let's just say that there were, um, plumbing issues, which were resolved, but I was miserable for a couple hours until they were. Again, the nurse was so helpful and caring and gentle!
That was a big thing I had prayed for - nurses who we connected with, who understood us, and we could talk to frankly and honestly about what was going on, who were very caring, especially on the first night, and God answered that prayer in huge ways!
So while we had drama every day, it was always resolved well, and in a way that showed us clearly how the Lord was caring for us.
Sunday morning we were released to come home, and it was wonderful. I had missed my Miss Pear so much. And it is always better to be home.
The one big thing we had prayed about is Miss Pear's adjustment to being big sister. And while she is still not sure about holding Baby Pear (with help, she kind of just rests in her lap while Daddy does the holding), she loves to look at her and touch her gently. She loves to watch and help with everything. She is especially excited about the prospect of helping bath baby when we use the little tub in the kitchen. We had prayed abut this transition lots, and we are seeing answered prayer that is overwhelming. Miss Pear says that she "loves my baby the best", which is the ultimate expression of love from her.
In the time that we have been home, we have just focused on taking care of the girls, resting, and recovering. And that is just our speed.
Hopefully you will start seeing blog posts about other things than babies later this week, but you pretty much know that our blog will be filled with stuff about family and the girls!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Looking Better!
Hi Everyone, Just a very short post to let you know that Baby Pear is looking a whole lot less yellow today. The whites of her eyes look white, and the yellow ends about mid-chest (jaundice starts from the top down and clears from the toes up). When she wakes up we are going to work on our tans in the indirect sunlight. At least that is what we call our sunshine time, it sounds like so much more fun. We were able to get a great picture to use for the birth announcements this morning too!
Oh, and apparently we are going to have to move. Well, no not really, but that is the current half joke around here. Mr. Pear found a rattle snake in our backyard yesterday. Fortunately he did not have a little helper out there, he reacted very swiftly, and the snake was cold. Animal control arrived within the hour to take the offender away, and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Did I mention that I am scared absolutely spitless of snakes? It is my biggest phobia. On the plus side the Animal Control Officer was very impressed with the markings on the critter he picked up, so at least someone was happy. Miss Pear came up and told me that there was a snake in the back yard but that was okay because we were inside and the "snake guy was going to come and snake the snake away."
Oh, and apparently we are going to have to move. Well, no not really, but that is the current half joke around here. Mr. Pear found a rattle snake in our backyard yesterday. Fortunately he did not have a little helper out there, he reacted very swiftly, and the snake was cold. Animal control arrived within the hour to take the offender away, and we all breathed a sigh of relief. Did I mention that I am scared absolutely spitless of snakes? It is my biggest phobia. On the plus side the Animal Control Officer was very impressed with the markings on the critter he picked up, so at least someone was happy. Miss Pear came up and told me that there was a snake in the back yard but that was okay because we were inside and the "snake guy was going to come and snake the snake away."
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Mommy Cream
It has long been said in our household that it is not the first night that gets you, it is the second! And such was the case, but we had a great night last night.
Baby Pear had her one week doctor's visit yesterday (a day early), and is already within an ounce of her birth weight. The doctor was very surprise considering that she dropped down to 7lb 1 oz Friday night, so to get up to 7lb 9 oz in 3 and a half days was impressive.
This accomplishment caused Mr. Pear to pull out his old joke of me not making mommy milk, I make mommy cream. I do remember Miss Pear gaining a pound a week for over a month once she started gaining.
The other good news is that Baby Pear was given the one month development assessment and can do it all...at 6 days.
The one thing that was not so great is she is very jaundiced. Not enough to need the light treatment yet, but enough to cause concern and have us put on an sunshine cycle here. Fortunately we live in California and sunshine is abundant. We are praying that the billy will clear from her system on its own. (But thankfully if light therapy is required, they will bring the stuff to the house.)
Miss Pear is still completely enchanted with Baby Pear, and calls her, "My Baby."
Also, it is because of Miss Pear that we are going with Baby Pear on the blog, at least for now. She has been calling the baby "Baby" for as long as we have understood that there is a baby in Mommy's tummy. When we found out it was definitely a girl, the name was simply added to baby. So there we go.
I will write more about last week and all the excitement. I am also trying to find a picture to post of Baby Pear for just a couple days. So many of you prayed for us so diligently, and it made such a huge difference in everything that I want you to see our sweet girl, but also want to balance that out with our privacy and safety (I know that my readers are wonderful, but we are very protective of our girls!).
Baby Pear had her one week doctor's visit yesterday (a day early), and is already within an ounce of her birth weight. The doctor was very surprise considering that she dropped down to 7lb 1 oz Friday night, so to get up to 7lb 9 oz in 3 and a half days was impressive.
This accomplishment caused Mr. Pear to pull out his old joke of me not making mommy milk, I make mommy cream. I do remember Miss Pear gaining a pound a week for over a month once she started gaining.
The other good news is that Baby Pear was given the one month development assessment and can do it all...at 6 days.
The one thing that was not so great is she is very jaundiced. Not enough to need the light treatment yet, but enough to cause concern and have us put on an sunshine cycle here. Fortunately we live in California and sunshine is abundant. We are praying that the billy will clear from her system on its own. (But thankfully if light therapy is required, they will bring the stuff to the house.)
Miss Pear is still completely enchanted with Baby Pear, and calls her, "My Baby."
Also, it is because of Miss Pear that we are going with Baby Pear on the blog, at least for now. She has been calling the baby "Baby" for as long as we have understood that there is a baby in Mommy's tummy. When we found out it was definitely a girl, the name was simply added to baby. So there we go.
I will write more about last week and all the excitement. I am also trying to find a picture to post of Baby Pear for just a couple days. So many of you prayed for us so diligently, and it made such a huge difference in everything that I want you to see our sweet girl, but also want to balance that out with our privacy and safety (I know that my readers are wonderful, but we are very protective of our girls!).
Sunday, September 14, 2008
She's Here, We're Home
Baby Pear was born September 10 at 5:23 PM.
She weighed 7 lb, 10 oz, and was 18 and a half inches long.
She is doing very well, and is nursing like a champ.
Miss Pear is a great big sister. She came to the hospital Thursday - Saturday each day to check on her little sister and mommy, and I called home each morning to say hi.
It is our first night home, and two little girls are trying to figure it out, so more information later!
She weighed 7 lb, 10 oz, and was 18 and a half inches long.
She is doing very well, and is nursing like a champ.
Miss Pear is a great big sister. She came to the hospital Thursday - Saturday each day to check on her little sister and mommy, and I called home each morning to say hi.
It is our first night home, and two little girls are trying to figure it out, so more information later!
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Baby Girl Guessing Games
As help arrives today (Aug 27), and any day between now and September 10 is good, I have decided to go ahead with the fun baby pool with the key purposes being fun and to amuse me! (So scroll down for new posts, and feel free to change your mind if the date you pick passes and repost!)
So, here are the facts to help you make a guess about our baby girl:
I will let you know all the details when we return home from the hospital as our hospital does not have wi-fi, but will date this for September 10 so it stays on the top. I will try to let you know when we head to the hospital though, if possible. (With Miss Pear I went into labor in the middle of the night and if the suit case was not already packed with a detailed "to add" list actually inside it, we would have been in deep trouble.....)
So, here are the facts to help you make a guess about our baby girl:
- we are scheduled for a C-section September 10, so you know it will be no later than that, and that is 9 days early
- Miss Pear was born 2 days early, and even though she was a c-section, I did go into labor.
- she was 6 lbs, 15 oz, 19 and a half inches long
- at last Friday's appointment baby's weight was estimated at 6lb, 6oz, but those estimates are always high
- on average, most babies gain 2 to 2 and a half pounds in the last month (4 weeks), assuming full term delivery, but our baby will be born at least 9 days early
- babies come about the size of Miss Pear on my side of the family, but blue ribbon pumpkin size on Mr. Pear's side (why yes, that is the scientific term...)
- Will she wait for September 10 or come early? Be sure to include date (and time if you feel so inclined - our first doctor claims that babies only come in the middle of office hours and the middle of the night, and Miss Pear came in the middle of office hours)!
- How big will she be?
- How long will she be?
- Shall we call her Baby Pear or Pear Blossom or something else on the blog? (this is the one I really need help on!)
- Your best advice for a second time mom.
- Your favorite children's book.
I will let you know all the details when we return home from the hospital as our hospital does not have wi-fi, but will date this for September 10 so it stays on the top. I will try to let you know when we head to the hospital though, if possible. (With Miss Pear I went into labor in the middle of the night and if the suit case was not already packed with a detailed "to add" list actually inside it, we would have been in deep trouble.....)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
So tomorrow is the big day....
We have tried our best to explain to Miss Pear what is going to happen, and in some respects we have done well, and in others she is kind of missing some of the finer details, but she is 3! We are happy with what we got!
There is basically no chance of anything happening before tomorrow at this point, especially considering I plan on polishing off the chocolate treats a friend delivered as soon as I hit post, and I have to fast for 8 hours before surgery (really, are they kidding me? Do you know any pregnant women who can go that long with nothing?)
The plan for tomorrow morning is to spend the time playing and reassuring our girl, and encouraging her. We hope to have everything else last minute done tonight as all the ahead of time stuff is done. Although it occurs to me that I have to drop off my prescriptions, but worse case scenario is that I drop them off on the way to the hospital and pick them up on the way home - they have a drive thru window, so I am not the least bit concerned!
We have to be at the hospital at 2PM, and by supper time will be holding our baby!
The only thing kind of spoiling my excitement is the reminder of exactly what a C-section entails, especially the spinal and needles, and the thought that it is not a go home the next day kind of thing. Even though we are making plans to bring Miss Pear to visit, it is not going to be the same, and I will miss her so much.
Our hospital does not have wi-fi, or any internet access that we know of, so I will post the pertinent information when we get home on the weekend, likely Sunday. I guess it will be one of those no news is good news kind of deals until then.
Thank you for all the emails we have already received loaded with prayer and encouragement, they mean so much to us. And we know that the only way we are going to get through this is with the Lord's help!
There is basically no chance of anything happening before tomorrow at this point, especially considering I plan on polishing off the chocolate treats a friend delivered as soon as I hit post, and I have to fast for 8 hours before surgery (really, are they kidding me? Do you know any pregnant women who can go that long with nothing?)
The plan for tomorrow morning is to spend the time playing and reassuring our girl, and encouraging her. We hope to have everything else last minute done tonight as all the ahead of time stuff is done. Although it occurs to me that I have to drop off my prescriptions, but worse case scenario is that I drop them off on the way to the hospital and pick them up on the way home - they have a drive thru window, so I am not the least bit concerned!
We have to be at the hospital at 2PM, and by supper time will be holding our baby!
The only thing kind of spoiling my excitement is the reminder of exactly what a C-section entails, especially the spinal and needles, and the thought that it is not a go home the next day kind of thing. Even though we are making plans to bring Miss Pear to visit, it is not going to be the same, and I will miss her so much.
Our hospital does not have wi-fi, or any internet access that we know of, so I will post the pertinent information when we get home on the weekend, likely Sunday. I guess it will be one of those no news is good news kind of deals until then.
Thank you for all the emails we have already received loaded with prayer and encouragement, they mean so much to us. And we know that the only way we are going to get through this is with the Lord's help!
Moving right along...
...but still no news.
We are scheduled for our C-section tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), and I have to confess, it is weird knowing within an hour or two when you baby will likely arrive. Baring a little eager beaver deciding to arrive earlier (which would be great!). The weirdest thing is that our C-section is scheduled 9 days before our due date, but that I have come to start thinking about Wednesday as our due date, so earlier sounded great to me! It freaked out my husband though, who wanted baby to get all the time she needed to be sufficiently "done". But then again, he can roll over at night without hips cracking loud enough to wake up the whole household!
This past weekend we did the last things that needed to be done. All the closets are organized, which is monumental when you consider that the closet in baby's room is the one that was the "just chuck it in there" closet, since we moved, over a year ago. It is now neat and organized, as is ours. The diaper stash is even stacked in proper order so we can just go in and grab the top package and it be the one we need. Plus everything is washed, including the car seat, stroller, and swing.
The afghan is, of course, not finished yet, but that is okay, I have time as we will be swaddling for a while.
The baby books are not as done as they could be, but that is okay too, the important stuff is in there.
Our play group is rallying to bring meals next week, and our church will bring meals between the grandparents visits, so we are very well cared for.
I am trying to maintain my attitude about the C-section and stomp on my fear with the Lord's help. My attitude is that it is worth it for a healthy baby, and that I am going to trust that the Lord is protecting us from something, either me or baby, that would be a problem medically if we went forward with a VBAC.
So our suitcase is mostly packed, we will add the last things tomorrow morning, after we use them, and now it just feels like we are waiting.
I am not good at waiting.
We are very eager to hold this little one in our arms!
We are scheduled for our C-section tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), and I have to confess, it is weird knowing within an hour or two when you baby will likely arrive. Baring a little eager beaver deciding to arrive earlier (which would be great!). The weirdest thing is that our C-section is scheduled 9 days before our due date, but that I have come to start thinking about Wednesday as our due date, so earlier sounded great to me! It freaked out my husband though, who wanted baby to get all the time she needed to be sufficiently "done". But then again, he can roll over at night without hips cracking loud enough to wake up the whole household!
This past weekend we did the last things that needed to be done. All the closets are organized, which is monumental when you consider that the closet in baby's room is the one that was the "just chuck it in there" closet, since we moved, over a year ago. It is now neat and organized, as is ours. The diaper stash is even stacked in proper order so we can just go in and grab the top package and it be the one we need. Plus everything is washed, including the car seat, stroller, and swing.
The afghan is, of course, not finished yet, but that is okay, I have time as we will be swaddling for a while.
The baby books are not as done as they could be, but that is okay too, the important stuff is in there.
Our play group is rallying to bring meals next week, and our church will bring meals between the grandparents visits, so we are very well cared for.
I am trying to maintain my attitude about the C-section and stomp on my fear with the Lord's help. My attitude is that it is worth it for a healthy baby, and that I am going to trust that the Lord is protecting us from something, either me or baby, that would be a problem medically if we went forward with a VBAC.
So our suitcase is mostly packed, we will add the last things tomorrow morning, after we use them, and now it just feels like we are waiting.
I am not good at waiting.
We are very eager to hold this little one in our arms!
Monday, September 8, 2008
Because some days are like that...
Last year I had so wanted to U-pick apples and pears. I registered for orchards near us to be notified in advance of their opening weekend because often there is only one weekend. I registered a month in advance, and heard nothing. Until yesterday, when I received notice that this up coming weekend will be U-pick time.
3 days after a C-section.
Yeah, maybe not. I think I will be otherwise occupied! :-)
(And no way am I rescheduling, I can barely wait for Wednesday!)
And as today's entry into the dumb ideas I had while pregnant I honestly though that pizza would be great for supper - you know, the homemade kind??? Then I remembered! The worst night of heartburn I have had this entire pregnancy happened right after pizza night. And I am already nauseous today. So excuse me while I work on plan B....
Please humor me and share what you thought was just the most brilliant idea ever during pregnancy which, of course, was not really the case.....
3 days after a C-section.
Yeah, maybe not. I think I will be otherwise occupied! :-)
(And no way am I rescheduling, I can barely wait for Wednesday!)
And as today's entry into the dumb ideas I had while pregnant I honestly though that pizza would be great for supper - you know, the homemade kind??? Then I remembered! The worst night of heartburn I have had this entire pregnancy happened right after pizza night. And I am already nauseous today. So excuse me while I work on plan B....
Please humor me and share what you thought was just the most brilliant idea ever during pregnancy which, of course, was not really the case.....
Baby's Blanket
On Saturday I decided it was time to pull out the measuring tape again and see just how much knitting on baby's blanket I have completed, and how much I have to go.
Well, I will be knitting quite a bit more.
The afghan is 33 inches wide.
It is 28 inches long.
So while I would be happy with a square, meaning another 5 inches to knit, knitting tends to stretch more in the width than in the length, so I have more knitting to do....
On the plus side I am thrilled with the way it is turning out!
Well, I will be knitting quite a bit more.
The afghan is 33 inches wide.
It is 28 inches long.
So while I would be happy with a square, meaning another 5 inches to knit, knitting tends to stretch more in the width than in the length, so I have more knitting to do....
On the plus side I am thrilled with the way it is turning out!
Friday, September 5, 2008
Happy Friday
I am looking so forward to the weekend. Mr. Pear has had such a long week that I think he is looking forward to it even more.
I have no creative ideas to post - oh sure, I have the hope chest list to write up, but to be honest, I only get computer time while Miss Pear naps, and I am at the point where I love to be horizontal as much as possible... :-)
We are all doing well. The house is getting back into shape, and our suitcase is packed for the hospital (except for those last minute things, but there is a list!) Miss Pear is exceedingly excited about baby arriving and is always giving my tummy hugs and kisses, and taking about baby! So sweet. It makes it easier to talk to her about it more and explain more.
The million dollar relish is canned, enough for the year. Unfortunately there are not enough cucumbers left for pickles. The first of the tomato sauce is being canned today, Miss Pear and I helped a bit, but it is mostly my MIL doing it. And pears are on sale this weekend, 3lbs for $1, so we will be getting some of those to can as well. But again, it will not be me doing most of the canning. We are also loving just munching the tomatoes as well. I will skip planting grape tomatoes next year but will definitely plant the romas and sweet baby girl cherry tomatoes!
This weekend we are planning on doing the few remaining tasks to prepare for babies arrival, all stuff that could technically be done after with no problem but that are nice to get out of the way early!
It is very hot here so I am hiding inside with the A/C and loving it. But impatience has kicked in. I am having a very hard time waiting to hold this little baby of ours. I hope she comes early!
Oh, and I officially have a pregnancy craving - Chinese food. There have been two nights in the last 3 weeks where I have been totally focused on it, and then it tasted SO delicious! This is a very pleasant treat because it means that some food might actually like me! :-)
I have no creative ideas to post - oh sure, I have the hope chest list to write up, but to be honest, I only get computer time while Miss Pear naps, and I am at the point where I love to be horizontal as much as possible... :-)
We are all doing well. The house is getting back into shape, and our suitcase is packed for the hospital (except for those last minute things, but there is a list!) Miss Pear is exceedingly excited about baby arriving and is always giving my tummy hugs and kisses, and taking about baby! So sweet. It makes it easier to talk to her about it more and explain more.
The million dollar relish is canned, enough for the year. Unfortunately there are not enough cucumbers left for pickles. The first of the tomato sauce is being canned today, Miss Pear and I helped a bit, but it is mostly my MIL doing it. And pears are on sale this weekend, 3lbs for $1, so we will be getting some of those to can as well. But again, it will not be me doing most of the canning. We are also loving just munching the tomatoes as well. I will skip planting grape tomatoes next year but will definitely plant the romas and sweet baby girl cherry tomatoes!
This weekend we are planning on doing the few remaining tasks to prepare for babies arrival, all stuff that could technically be done after with no problem but that are nice to get out of the way early!
It is very hot here so I am hiding inside with the A/C and loving it. But impatience has kicked in. I am having a very hard time waiting to hold this little baby of ours. I hope she comes early!
Oh, and I officially have a pregnancy craving - Chinese food. There have been two nights in the last 3 weeks where I have been totally focused on it, and then it tasted SO delicious! This is a very pleasant treat because it means that some food might actually like me! :-)
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Just waiting...
I love being the boring patient at our doctor's office. We joke that our goal is to be the most boring patient they have ever had - labs are always good, blood pressure and weight are always good, and when we see the doctor baby is always strong and healthy and the doctor is always keeping the appointment short as there is nothing to talk about...again.
So far so good.
And I am so thankful.
It is funny, there is lots to do, but I feel tired today, so I am doing very little. Miss Pear is playing a made up game with grandma which is hysterical to her, and her hysterical laughter has her sister kicking like crazy - a usual response.
So all I can say for today is that we are getting a few things done, are taking it easy, and are resting while listening to the wonderful music of 3 year old laughter.
Now if I could just stay on track and get my stamping supplies organized and put away...finally.
So far so good.
And I am so thankful.
It is funny, there is lots to do, but I feel tired today, so I am doing very little. Miss Pear is playing a made up game with grandma which is hysterical to her, and her hysterical laughter has her sister kicking like crazy - a usual response.
So all I can say for today is that we are getting a few things done, are taking it easy, and are resting while listening to the wonderful music of 3 year old laughter.
Now if I could just stay on track and get my stamping supplies organized and put away...finally.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Still Boring
At 37 and a half weeks, we had our last ob/gyn appointment this morning, and we are still boring. Next Wednesday we are scheduled for our C-section so the doctor does not feel there is a need to see us on Tuesday unless something comes up, in which case of course we would call between appointments.
On one hand I am nervous about having another C-section, of course. But on the other hand I cannot wait to meet this little girl who moves around and kicks me, and when I hear that strong heart beat it is even worse! I don't know if I can wait another week!
Yup, patience is something I need to work on....
Oh, and the doctor figures a weight in the high 7's.
On one hand I am nervous about having another C-section, of course. But on the other hand I cannot wait to meet this little girl who moves around and kicks me, and when I hear that strong heart beat it is even worse! I don't know if I can wait another week!
Yup, patience is something I need to work on....
Oh, and the doctor figures a weight in the high 7's.
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