Monday, September 8, 2008
Fingerprinting Appointment!
I cannot believe it! I wasn't expecting these letters for about two weeks! But they came! Today! Brian and I have to go to Philadelphia to be fingerprinted next Wednesday the 17th. It is for the I-600A Advanced Processing form that we mailed at the end of July. Once the fingerprints are taken, it should be about 10-12 weeks for our approval. So, we will now be waiting on another letter! I hope our fingerprints are good and that we don't get a letter telling us we have to do it again!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Soccer and Football!
Two big games today! Brian had his first travel soccer game and my nephew Joe started in the first game of his NFL career! Joe's game was at 1:00 pm and Brian's was at 3:30. We listened to the first half of Joe's game on the radio at home. We got Sirius just to be able to hear the games since we don't get Baltimore games on our local stations! It is going to be hard not seeing him, but I guess the next best thing is listening!
After half time we had to go to the soccer field and I brought the radio with us. We got the "boom box" so we can hear it away from the house and car! Joe had a great game! He was 15 for 29 with no interceptions, and passed for 129 yards! He even rushed 38 yards for a touchdown!!! Go Joe! I heard an interview with him after the game and I could hear the excitement just exploding from his voice! We are all so happy for him, and of course so proud!
Brian's team played well but lost 3-1. The other team was really good and you could just tell they had a lot more experience than we did. Brian had 2 shots on goal and one assist! So, all in all, he had a great game! The couch wants him to try goalie next game and he is not too sure about it!
After half time we had to go to the soccer field and I brought the radio with us. We got the "boom box" so we can hear it away from the house and car! Joe had a great game! He was 15 for 29 with no interceptions, and passed for 129 yards! He even rushed 38 yards for a touchdown!!! Go Joe! I heard an interview with him after the game and I could hear the excitement just exploding from his voice! We are all so happy for him, and of course so proud!
Brian's team played well but lost 3-1. The other team was really good and you could just tell they had a lot more experience than we did. Brian had 2 shots on goal and one assist! So, all in all, he had a great game! The couch wants him to try goalie next game and he is not too sure about it!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
A Dog's Eye View
I have no idea what Justin was thinking but this really was too cute for words. Roc was eating a rawhide chewy and Justin kept leaning down to watch him eat it. I don't know if he was just being silly or really trying to to study Roc's way of eating!
Then he was just being a stinker standing on the couch. He knows he is not allowed to do this and you can tell by his face that he knew he was getting away with something!
I wish I knew what he was thinking
look at me!
Then he was just being a stinker standing on the couch. He knows he is not allowed to do this and you can tell by his face that he knew he was getting away with something!
getting a better look
I wish I knew what he was thinking
look at me!
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Ear Infection That Wouldn't Quit!
I think I forgot to post last week that Justin got his first ever ear infection. The allergist noticed it at his appointment on the 30th. I felt really bad not knowing. Justin had been sleeping fine. He did have a runny nose and was a bit cranky, I just figured he had a cold. The allergist said he had a double ear infection and that his ears were really red and the right one had fluid in it. So, he gave me a prescription for an antibiotic. The antibiotic had a weird name and it was not the usual pink one that Brian and Sean had before.
Well, today has been 6 days on the antibiotic and Justin began to feel miserable again. This time even the outside of his ears were red and warm to the touch. He was clingy and whiny and began pulling on his ears by mid morning. I called his pediatrician and went in to have his ears checked. She told me they were both still infected and as red as a fire truck! I felt so bad for Justin, again! She was so surprised that he was napping and sleeping normally. She said he was one tough kid because it usually hurts more to lie down when you have an ear infection!
She gave me a prescription for a new antibiotic and I went to fill it right away. This was one step up from the pink stuff and hopefully it will do the trick! Wait, let me rephrase that - it had better do the trick! This poor kid should have been feeling better after about 24-36 hours and he here is almost a week later and still in pain. And that is not even counting the horrible diaper rash and diarrhea he has had from the antibiotics. And now he has to endure that for another ten days! Poor guy! The doctor said to call if he is not feeling some relief by Monday. Fingers crossed!
Well, today has been 6 days on the antibiotic and Justin began to feel miserable again. This time even the outside of his ears were red and warm to the touch. He was clingy and whiny and began pulling on his ears by mid morning. I called his pediatrician and went in to have his ears checked. She told me they were both still infected and as red as a fire truck! I felt so bad for Justin, again! She was so surprised that he was napping and sleeping normally. She said he was one tough kid because it usually hurts more to lie down when you have an ear infection!
She gave me a prescription for a new antibiotic and I went to fill it right away. This was one step up from the pink stuff and hopefully it will do the trick! Wait, let me rephrase that - it had better do the trick! This poor kid should have been feeling better after about 24-36 hours and he here is almost a week later and still in pain. And that is not even counting the horrible diaper rash and diarrhea he has had from the antibiotics. And now he has to endure that for another ten days! Poor guy! The doctor said to call if he is not feeling some relief by Monday. Fingers crossed!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
The Ball Pit!
Justin really loves balls - as did Brian and Sean. It has been all three of their favorite toys - and still is! I wanted to try to find a small pool to make a ball pit, but it is too late in the season in NJ! So, we improvised and made a ball pit out of cushions! Justin was a bit tentative at first, but within minutes he was diving in head first! These pictures are from a few weeks ago, they were suspended in my camera and I totally forgot about them! You can tell from the big smiles on his face how much fun he had. Another fun thing was trying to throw all the balls out as his brothers raced around to pick them up!
showing me the ball
balls, balls everywhere!
Justin laughing
showing me the ball
balls, balls everywhere!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
First Day of School 2008
We had a smooth start for the first day of school! Brian and Sean were up early and ready for school with plenty of time. They were so excited - and a bit nervous. Brian went had to be in first and he got in line and quickly began to talk to his friends. He was excited to see them, some he had not seen all summer. When the bell rang, he filed into the building and gave me a smile and a quick wave. I waved back and managed to keep the tears back. My eyes did water a but nothing ran down my cheeks this year!
Sean's first day was a bit different. Brian and I got to go with him for a classroom tour. We spent an hour with him getting to know his teacher and looking at the classroom. Sean loved the snack and the hermit crabs! I know tomorrow will be more difficult when he goes in alone! Well, more difficult for me anyway!
Brian and Sean
Brian
Sean
Brian, Sean, and a not happy Justin
Brian in line
Sean
Brian, Sean, and a not happy JustinBrian in lineTuesday, September 2, 2008
USCIS Letter!
We got our letter today from Immigration that just basically let us know that our paperwork was accepted and we should be getting another letter soon to tell us when our finger printing appointment will be. I am so excited! Each little thing seems so small separately but all are needed to get our baby girl home next year! So, I celebrate both the small and the big steps! Hurry up finger print appointment! I expect the letter in about 10-14 days, I am going by the timeline of a friend and she is about two weeks ahead of us in the process!
Monday, September 1, 2008
Happy Labor Day!
I thought I might celebrate Labor Day by telling the stories of each of the boy's births!
Brian was long overdue (11 days) when I checked into the hospital late on Tuesday, February 2oth to be induced. The plan was to put a medication on my cervix that evening, to start Pitocin the next morning, and to have a baby sometime in the afternoon on Wednesday the 21st! It sounded great to me and I went to sleep with thoughts of seeing my baby the next day.
The medication did nothing to change my cervix, so Pitocin was started the next morning. It didn't take long before I was experiencing contractions. In a short time, they were 2-3 minutes apart and the peaks were off the chart from the monitor. After a few hours of 'toughing it' through the contractions, the doctor wanted to check my progress. If I was past 3 cm, they would think about doing an epidural. No such luck. My cervix had not really changed much - they told me a finger-tip dilated and 70% effaced, baby was at -4 which is still really high in the pelvis. Ugh! They proceeded to turn up the Pitocin a bit. Ugh again!
The contractions got even stronger and lasted longer than before and I was still without medication! At about 5 pm, I had only gotten to about 1 cm and was 80% effaced. So, they decided to turn off the Pitocin to let me sleep and start again in the morning. So much for a baby today! The problem was that when they turned off the Pitocin, my contractions didn't stop. The nurses gave me some kind of medication to help with the pain and to help me sleep. It only took a few minutes before my head was dizzy and I could not complete a sentence. I was a very strange feeling. I slept a few hours and then woke up when the medication wore off. The nurses gave me something else to help me sleep and the next thing I knew it was morning.
The Pitocin got started again and I hoped for the best. At about lunch time the doctor came in and I was almost 2cm and 90% effaced. Woo-hoo, progress! They decided to use a foley catheter to help my cervix to dilate. This was a small rubber tube that was pushed through my cervix and then inflated with saline water like a balloon. The hope was this pressure would dilate me further. By late afternoon the foley fell out and I lost my mucous plug. I thought it was another great sign! But when the doctor checked, I was still just a little over 2 cm, she said she would say 3 cm if it made me feel better!
This was now two full days on Pitocin and a night with medication on my cervix and I all I had to show for all of that pain was almost 3cm! I was about 90% effaced still but the deciding factor was that the baby was still very high in my pelvis at -3 station. After a lot of tears and thinking, I told them I would consent to a c-section. I could not believe it. I just peeked my head into the surgery room during the hospital tour. I was so sure that I would never need it!
The problem now was that there was a snow storm and a major accident occurred on a highway near the hospital. So, there were no anesthesiologists available to do my epidural! I had to wait a few hours, but understood them being needed for emergencies first. I was in so much pain and so tired while in recovery that I didn't even want to hold Brian. I remember worrying my Mom because I didn't even want to open my eyes. I told the nurse I was in pain and had contractions like labor again, she said it was to be expected. A bit later I told another nurse and she checked a few things. She found out that the Pitocin to help me contract a little after surgery was turned up too high. She turned it down and a bit later I began to feel so much better. They surgery went well and Brian was born at 6:34 pm on February 22nd!
Sean's story is so much shorter! He was due on August 25th and I scheduled my c-section for Monday, August 18th! It was so nice to know that I wouldn't be two weeks overdue this time! The weekend before we were finishing up last minute baby things. Then I got a call on Sunday from my OB. There was scheduling problem and I was not being bumped to Tuesday the 19th! I was really upset at first, but then after all of these months, what was one more day? My c-section was planned for 10:30 am but we had to be at the hospital around 8:00 am. Everything was going well and we got checking in quickly. A nurse came in to tell me I was next and I started getting excited. About 35 minutes later, they were wheeling me towards the operating room. Right as we were about to turn into the hallway, I was quickly pushed back into the room. There was an emergency c-section and I was being bumped again. A little over an hour later, it was finally my turn. This time the surgery was so much easier. I guess it was the two days of labor on top of the surgery that made the recovery so hard! Sean was born at 12:05 pm on August 19th!
Justin's birth was the only one with no complications. He was due on May 9th and I was scheduled for Thursday, May 3rd at 10:30. I was not bumped or rescheduled this time! The surgery did take a bit longer because of some scar tissue, but that was not a problem. Again, the recovery was even easier this time! Justin was born on May 3rd at 11:28 am.
Brian was long overdue (11 days) when I checked into the hospital late on Tuesday, February 2oth to be induced. The plan was to put a medication on my cervix that evening, to start Pitocin the next morning, and to have a baby sometime in the afternoon on Wednesday the 21st! It sounded great to me and I went to sleep with thoughts of seeing my baby the next day.
The medication did nothing to change my cervix, so Pitocin was started the next morning. It didn't take long before I was experiencing contractions. In a short time, they were 2-3 minutes apart and the peaks were off the chart from the monitor. After a few hours of 'toughing it' through the contractions, the doctor wanted to check my progress. If I was past 3 cm, they would think about doing an epidural. No such luck. My cervix had not really changed much - they told me a finger-tip dilated and 70% effaced, baby was at -4 which is still really high in the pelvis. Ugh! They proceeded to turn up the Pitocin a bit. Ugh again!
The contractions got even stronger and lasted longer than before and I was still without medication! At about 5 pm, I had only gotten to about 1 cm and was 80% effaced. So, they decided to turn off the Pitocin to let me sleep and start again in the morning. So much for a baby today! The problem was that when they turned off the Pitocin, my contractions didn't stop. The nurses gave me some kind of medication to help with the pain and to help me sleep. It only took a few minutes before my head was dizzy and I could not complete a sentence. I was a very strange feeling. I slept a few hours and then woke up when the medication wore off. The nurses gave me something else to help me sleep and the next thing I knew it was morning.
The Pitocin got started again and I hoped for the best. At about lunch time the doctor came in and I was almost 2cm and 90% effaced. Woo-hoo, progress! They decided to use a foley catheter to help my cervix to dilate. This was a small rubber tube that was pushed through my cervix and then inflated with saline water like a balloon. The hope was this pressure would dilate me further. By late afternoon the foley fell out and I lost my mucous plug. I thought it was another great sign! But when the doctor checked, I was still just a little over 2 cm, she said she would say 3 cm if it made me feel better!
This was now two full days on Pitocin and a night with medication on my cervix and I all I had to show for all of that pain was almost 3cm! I was about 90% effaced still but the deciding factor was that the baby was still very high in my pelvis at -3 station. After a lot of tears and thinking, I told them I would consent to a c-section. I could not believe it. I just peeked my head into the surgery room during the hospital tour. I was so sure that I would never need it!
The problem now was that there was a snow storm and a major accident occurred on a highway near the hospital. So, there were no anesthesiologists available to do my epidural! I had to wait a few hours, but understood them being needed for emergencies first. I was in so much pain and so tired while in recovery that I didn't even want to hold Brian. I remember worrying my Mom because I didn't even want to open my eyes. I told the nurse I was in pain and had contractions like labor again, she said it was to be expected. A bit later I told another nurse and she checked a few things. She found out that the Pitocin to help me contract a little after surgery was turned up too high. She turned it down and a bit later I began to feel so much better. They surgery went well and Brian was born at 6:34 pm on February 22nd!
Sean's story is so much shorter! He was due on August 25th and I scheduled my c-section for Monday, August 18th! It was so nice to know that I wouldn't be two weeks overdue this time! The weekend before we were finishing up last minute baby things. Then I got a call on Sunday from my OB. There was scheduling problem and I was not being bumped to Tuesday the 19th! I was really upset at first, but then after all of these months, what was one more day? My c-section was planned for 10:30 am but we had to be at the hospital around 8:00 am. Everything was going well and we got checking in quickly. A nurse came in to tell me I was next and I started getting excited. About 35 minutes later, they were wheeling me towards the operating room. Right as we were about to turn into the hallway, I was quickly pushed back into the room. There was an emergency c-section and I was being bumped again. A little over an hour later, it was finally my turn. This time the surgery was so much easier. I guess it was the two days of labor on top of the surgery that made the recovery so hard! Sean was born at 12:05 pm on August 19th!
Justin's birth was the only one with no complications. He was due on May 9th and I was scheduled for Thursday, May 3rd at 10:30. I was not bumped or rescheduled this time! The surgery did take a bit longer because of some scar tissue, but that was not a problem. Again, the recovery was even easier this time! Justin was born on May 3rd at 11:28 am.
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