Time is Flying!

Time is just chugging away and it's crazy to see it go so fast! Grey is 9 1/2 months now and getting into everything.  He crawls and pulls up on everything (couch, tv stand, bath tub, toilet, really anything that he wants to).  I really thought we would have a little more time before he was standing up and getting into trouble and I know it will only get busier.  Today he took a pretty bad fall by the TV and has a line across his forehead.  I knew it was bad when I heard the thump... he really has had a rough month with his first cold, ear infections, 4 new teeth, and falls but he is still so sweet.  We went in to the doctor for Grey's 9 month checkup and I've decided to change doctors.  I just don't feel comfortable with this doctor, his recommendations go against what my instincts say; like to stop breastfeeding altogether so Greyson will take formula better, and I felt really pressured about the flu shot which I hadn't planned to get... it's just time to find someone else I think.  Nice guy... just not for us.  We went for a fall family photo shoot yesterday so I will post those as soon as I get them back!

7 month happenings...

This month started well a great photo shoot with our little Grey but has had it's share of trials as well.  We just finished up another Prophecy Seminar at our church and this one was really exciting because it was being filmed for TV.  It's refreshing to hear the messages and to see the excitement of new people coming.  Unfortunately I wasn't able to go every night.  It was just too much for Greyson with his bedtime being about the time the seminar started.  Last Friday night I stayed home to put little one to bed and on his way home Stephen told me something was wrong with him and his legs.  I met him at the garage door and he just collapsed.  He had NO strength in his legs and I had to help him to our bedroom.  He said it just hit him on the way to his car.  My mind started racing with all the possible things that were going on but I also knew he was tired so we decided to see how things were in the morning after a good night's sleep.  The next morning his legs were still weak but he could walk and made it through the day of 3 sermons.  By night he was exhausted and very weak again.  My mind kept running through different diagnoses that could possibly explain what was going on and it kept coming back to something neurological which is not anything to mess with.  So Sunday we went to the ER where they did a CT scan of his brain and back with no conclusion.  Then Monday night we got a call from the ER nurse saying the scans were not negative after all and he had a cerebellar protrusion causing increased intercranial pressure and he needed to go to the main hospital ER immediately since this was very critical!!!  Oh goodness! I started to immediately fear the worst and that I would have to raise Greyson by myself.  The whole family was so worried and we just kept praying that they would figure out what was going on.  5 hours later in the ER we discovered the ER nurse was not really correct and he MAY have a protrusion but even if he did it wasn't life threatening and there wasn't any pressure on the brain either.  Anyway the doctors are still running tests and a MRI is scheduled for Monday so we still don't know what's going on except that he's very fatigued and his legs are weak.  I know this is a time to just trust God and come close to Him.  I'm also so thankful we live in Tulsa, the support from our families to watch Greyson and just be here has been awesome.  It has also made me put things into perspective.  I always get upset with the smallest things like feeling overwhelmed with housework and laundry or whatever but after a week like this, I'm just thankful for our sweet wonderful family and a wonderful husband.

Developing

Wow, Greyson turned 7 months this week and it really seems like in the last few weeks his development has just taken off! I think I mentioned earlier that I was starting to worry a little that he wasn't rolling, not like really concerned and about to take him to be evaluated at my office but just decided we needed to work a little on it.  Well in no time at all he started rolling and now will roll around on the floor while playing.  He's also started sitting which makes him really proud and will scoot backwards on his tummy like an inch worm.  It's really slow scooting, if you look away you might miss it.  Anyway he's been loving the solids and eating well too which is great.  Last night he had 1/2 of an avocado along with peas/spinach.  He really seemed to love it and I can tell he's just itching to get real adult food in his mouth.  Today he tried to swipe my haystack a few times.  Along with all the great growing he's doing are teeth.  A blessing and curse! They came in a couple weeks ago and with them came biting mom while eating.  I can't tell you how quickly I would move him away after he did it, Stephen said once it looked like I was going to throw him across the room! By last weekend I was so sore, more so than after I first started nursing and I knew something had to be done.  I actually preferred to just pump and give him a bottle.   So at the end of my rope I decided he needed to learn the lesson and gave him a little pat on the cheek (really hate calling it a slap but...) just enough to surprise him and let him know that it was not ok to bite mom! First he was shocked, then terribly offended! It was so sad for both of us but luckily it worked pretty well and momma's feeling much better now.  Here are some pictures with more to come since we're doing a photo shoot tomorrow with him! (I realize these all look very similar but hey... he's cute and I love them all)

Blackout curtains

So again, I feel so inconsistent with this but in my defense, Greyson hasn't been taking the best naps lately.  They've been anywhere from 30 minutes to not at all which had me so worried. I feel like I need naptime to just rejuvenate and get things done.  Monday Greyson napped a total of 30 minutes and we had shots.  We were both a disaster by the end of the day and I called Stephen and my mom crying.  I was just worn out and tired after trying to put him to sleep all day.  Anyway, yesterday Melissa watched him and got him to nap twice for 1.5 hours! After discussing it, we figured her blackout curtains had something to do with it so she gave me an extra set she wasn't using and I put them up this morning.  AMAZING! He's been sleeping for 2 1/2 hours now and still sleeping.  So I don't want to say anything too early, but I think we may have naps back :) !!!

Anyway, Greyson just the sweetest guy with the most personality! It cracks me up how excited he gets about things like playing peek-a-boo, when Stephen is about to tickle him, drinking ice water from a cup, eating solids, toys, but the best part is when he does it when he sees me! It just makes my day, especially after being at work.  Here are some videos of the fun we've been having around here lately.







Greyson weighed in at 15 lbs 11 ounces this week and 27 inches.  We are finally out of most of the 3 month clothing and he's really starting to grow fast! He loves eating carrots, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal cereal.  Peas and cauliflower are ok.  Green beans are a no at this point.  He started a transition sippy cup this week and did really well!

Silly songs with mom

So I realize I'm not the most consistent blogger, and I always feel like I'm playing catch up so I'm not going to do that tonight... I just want to talk about music

Greyson loves music which just melts my heart and makes me love him so much more! All during pregnancy I hoped he would be a musical guy and have a love for music that Stephen and I do.  So I guess all that singing during pregnancy paid off.  When he's upset while riding in the car, or having trouble going to sleep I just start singing or play lullaby station on the ipad and he stops crying.  It works 95% of the time.  We sing all kinds of songs from Sabbath school songs to made up songs about how much I love him and God loves him and birds and flowers, and his name.  The songs are really silly actually but it seems like when you're singing them to a non-judgmental baby it doesn't matter.

Campmeeting

5 1/2 months old!

Campmeeting is a wonderful time of year.  I know many people don't agree with me and while it always means the end of the summer :( it also brings back good memories from my childhood :) and the start of Stephen and my relationship.  I have gone to Oklahoma Campmeeting every year since I was born which is pretty crazy! 25 years of Campmeeting! So I was excited and determined to go as much as possible this year with Greyson.  He really seemed to love it.  We got a new stroller that I absolutely love (I can get it out of the car, open with one hand, and easily maneuver) so he enjoyed just riding around, it was actually pretty funny how chill he was.  We went to his class, sang songs, made crafts, listened to Stephen's class, and just hung out!  Campmeeting is usually the hottest week of the summer too but this year was surprisingly cool and rainy but we sure didn't complain.  We all were so tired by the end of it all but we really enjoyed ourselves :)

Enjoying the ride

Painting his feet for a craft

Wooly wooly lamb

He's so crafty ;)

Being silly at Mia's 3rd Birthday party!

Drying up

It's 3 in the morning and I'm pumping for the second time tonight.  Yesterday I got practically no milk while pumping (0-2 oz) and Greyson ate like crazy.  I think I may be drying up and it really makes me sad/frustrated/depressed and feel like I'm failing a little bit, which I know isn't really true but feels that way.  I've tried everything including the nasty Mothers Milk tea, Lactation cookies, increasing calories, drinking water like a camel, and Fenugreek which will have me smelling like maple syrup by morning.  The one thing I probably need but can't figure out how to get is more sleep. It's just so hard to sleep on my days off, I feel like I have so much to get done while Grey naps...  Anyway, I'm hoping it will kick in again and I can continue breastfeeding.  I'm praying and giving it to God.

Another good day :)

Oh I am SO tired from today! Greyson and I had a busy and fun day.  After being at home the last few days I knew I needed to get out so I decided to go to the gym for the class "RIPPED" and it is as intense as it sounds but I'm determined to get toned again.  We also went to Laurie's house to swim and just relax outside.  It's really starting to warm up here and actually be very hot so we can't be outside too long without Grey getting fussy.  After getting home, cleaning, laundry, and putting Greyson to bed I'm just exhausted and starting to get pretty sore from the workout today.  Greyson is the funniest guy sometimes.  Tonight he was squealing for about 10 minutes straight.  We also played a game while he was in the swing where I would kiss or catch his feet each time he came forward and he just laughed and laughed.  It's endless entertainment around here.

A Poop Story

Well I have so much to catch up on, but it's not because I haven't meant to blog.  Actually I sat down many times to write and would be interrupted by Greyson waking up from a nap or needing something.  Right now he's playing contently under his play gym trying to roll over.  He still hasn't mastered it but he keeps trying, he gets his upper body over but hasn't figured out the legs yet.  Anyway the last couple weeks have given us a couple scares and it all started when he stopped pooping.  It was 6 days (1 week ago) when I became really concerned.  We had tried EVERYTHING! (prune juice, warm bath, bicycle legs, massaging the tummy, tummy time, etc.) I had become quite obsessed with thinking and worrying about it and knew I would just be so happy to clean up a dirty diaper!  We were at the lake and he kept pushing and straining but nothing would come so I called the pediatrician.  They told us to do a glycerin suppository and 20 minute baking soda bath to loosed everything up.  And if nothing came after 1 hour or if he started throwing up or anything like that we had to go to the nearest ER because it could be very serious!  I really started to worry then, especially since we weren't at home and I had no idea about how good the hospitals were.  So we did the suppository and bath, and 5 diapers later everything seemed to be working just fine again.  We went on with the day, I put him down for a nap to come in 15 minutes later to him crying just having spit up - a lot!  He still looked really tired so I just pulled off the clothes and put him back to sleep.  Another 5 minutes and spit up again.  This time he seemed more upset about the whole thing and I was concerned with him spitting up laying on his back so I put him to sleep again laying on his side and just as I went to lay him down it came again.  This time though, I knew it wasn't spit up :( the poor little guy was sick!  Over the next 30 minutes he continued to vomit and become more and more lethargic until he was just laying limp in Stephen's arms whimpering   It broke our heart to hold him while he was heaving and just so tired.  We decided we needed to get to the hospital, remembering what the pediatrician had said about something serious could be going on but the problem was we didn't have a car.  When everything seemed to be back on track, Melissa took the car to see a friend at the camp she worked at last summer about 30 minutes away.  We tried to call but she didn't have phone service so Stephen ran to the neighbors to see if they would take us.  The man was really nice and willing to take us to the hospital just a few minutes down the road so we loaded up with no car seat and headed out.  Upon arriving to the hospital, the neighbor told us this was one of the worst hospitals in the area and his wife would never let him bring her here... which made me thing, oh great! thanks for the encouraging words.  Luckily we got right in with no wait.  The doctor came in to see Grey and let's just say Stephen may or may not have about passed out during this time, laid on the hospital floor, and had to drink some Sprite ;) But as soon as she came in, Greyson was all smiles and decided he was no longer feeling sick.  It was really an answer to prayer, we had texted a few people to pray and just a few minutes after that he was doing so much better.  They kept us for a while to make sure everything was ok and he nursed well.  It was so scary to have him sick like that though.  We love him so much!!!

Since then he went another 6 days but our Sabbath blessing came yesterday with a good 'ol dirty diaper, and another one this morning.  It's good to know everything is working again.  We started some pear juice this week but I talked to a friend from church who said her lo did the same thing and some babies just absorb the breast milk so well they don't poop too often so I've decided not to worry about it anymore, it's nice to not think about poop all the time, ha :)

Here are some pictures and video from the last couple weeks.

I love these snuggles, sometimes I just can't put him in his bed. 

Happy boy at the lake!

Watching mom get ready for church, he really enjoyed looking in the mirror too

Cuddles with dad

Soaking up the sun at Auntie's pool

He prefers to lounge than swim

my favorite boys :) 

Close to home

Yesterday I received news that both broke my heart and made my love for Greyson grow even more.  A little guy I'd been seeing for a couple months, who was born a week before Grey passed away last week.  Mom went in to check on him and he wasn't breathing.   They did CPR but he didn't make it.   This is the first client I've lost and with him being so close in age to Greyson, it makes it so hard.  When I first picked him up I thought "this will be interesting to see a child with delays growing up the same time as my little one" and he was really doing so well too! I didn't expect to see him longterm.  I know in my profession - working with kids that have complex medical conditions - this is bound to happen but I was just so shocked with this little guy.  I found out about the funeral today about 30 minutes before it started and cancelled my appointments to go.  I wanted to be there to support mom, especially knowing she doesn't have a huge support system.  It was a really tough funeral and I couldn't help but cry.  I've also been questioning myself (which I know I shouldn't do, but it's pretty impossible).  Did I miss something? A red flag?? Anyway, I feel pretty emotional - my heart and prayers are with this mom and her family, I can't even imagine loosing my baby :(

The BIG scare

I cannot quite describe the absolute fear I felt Friday night.  About midnight, I hear Stephen ask me "Is that the SIDS monitor?" I was so tired that I hadn't even heard it and probably wouldn't have waken up for at least another few minutes.  I was scared of what I would find when I went into Greyson's room but that didn't slow me down.  Within 1/2 a second I answered yes and was out of bed.  Stephen said I was out the bedroom door before his foot could even touch the ground, must be my quick "momma instincts".  I turned the light on and looked in the crib to a sweetly sleeping baby it seemed and started to shake Greyson to wake him up.  I was yelling at him really loud and about this time Stephen joined me at the crib.  It was absolute relief when I heard him cry but the whole ordeal kept me up for another hour.  All I could do was praise God that my baby was alive and well! I'm not sure if it was a false alarm or if he had really stopped breathing (the alarm goes off after 20 seconds of not detecting any breathing) but that didn't make it any less serious or scary.  

In other news, I've been attacked by wildlife lately.  A bird has taken residence in my hanging flower basket and I'm pretty sure has laid a nest as well.  Every time I water the basket she startles me by flying out of the basket then sits in the tree squawking at me!  I have mixed emotions about the whole thing.  I don't want to hurt her and her babies, but I sure wish she hadn't laid her nest in my pretty flowers! 

Anyway, VBS starts tonight and it's gearing up to be a very busy week for us.  My mom is so wonderful to help with Greyson in the evenings though.  She's going to bring him home and put him to bed at a reasonable time since I'm doing music...  - So I'm really enjoying the peace and quiet of a clean home and sleeping baby! 

Mouthing

Greyson has been putting everything in his mouth lately, I mean everything! His hands, my hands, blankets, toys, his carseat, really anything he can get to... Tonight I decided to take his 4 month pictures, but he wasn't so interested in smiling, just his hands.

Growing into a parent

I feel as if I've been officially welcomed into parenthood.  (especially since it's taken me 3 days to write this post!) Yesterday Stephen got home and I was so happy to have him back! He went up to Lincoln, Nebraska to do a two guys and the word event at campmeeting, I know he had a blast... it's the ministry he loves to do most!  But I cannot explain how good it is to have him back.  While he was gone we had some pretty nasty storms come through.  Since the Moore tornadoes a couple weeks ago I am reminded of the potential diaster and loss which made these so much more scary! Thursday night they hit Broken Arrow just a couple miles from us and damaged homes.  I've never been one to be scared of tornadoes or hide in the tub but when they said "south broken arrow", "funnel on the ground", and "91st street" the protective parent side of me came out my sis and I ran to the bathroom with Greyson to take shelter.  The storms were supposed to continue Friday night and be pretty bad but in Tulsa we just had rain and thunderstorms.  Saturday night I really felt like a parent.  Greyson and I went to spend time with some friends but about 7:00 he was getting fussy and I knew I had to get him to bed so that was the end of our Saturday night!

Today Greyson is 4 months old and I cannot believe how time flys.  Now that I have a baby, I think my life has kicked into super speed but I absolutely love it.  I love my husband and baby, my job, and the great family and friends we have in Tulsa.  I know we won't always live here which makes me really sad, but in the meantime I'm really enjoying it.  Greyson is so sweet and smiles so much, it just makes me day to see him so happy.  Unfortunately I think teething is upon us.  This morning Greyson was fussy and he's been putting everything in his mouth lately.  I was trying to put him down for a nap and he just would not stop crying so I tried a teething tablet and he immediately stopped crying.  Say a prayer for us!

Before I had Greyson a colleague told me that being a parent would give me a lot of "credit" with families I work with and I have found it to be true.  Last week I met with a new family and the mom was telling me about her daughter's birth history, labor and delivery.  Mom (a small petite young girl - about my age it think) wasn't progressing so they kept increasing the medication which was not working and the baby went into distress.  A few hours later she was born but now has mild cerebral palsy affecting her left side.  I couldn't believe it but I actually started tearing up when she told me this and I just got so emotional thinking about Greyson and what could have been.  It made me realize that maybe it was a blessing that he was breech and we had to do a c-section... there may have been so many complications of a vaginal delivery since I'm pretty small too.  So I'm thinking I may just go with the c-section next time around too but I won't have to worry about that for awhile.

Well I'm going to do a little cooking before Grey wakes up which should be pretty soon I think!

3 month pics

Today was good.  Baby Grey slept 3 1/2 hours which was such a surprise and I got so much done in the meantime.  We were out late last night and he didn't nap well yesterday so I guess it all caught up with him.  I've been behind in taking 3 month pictures of him and decided it was a must today.  It was a little difficult since he likes to smile at me and not the camera so it took some tricking and quick maneuvers to get the smiles in the pictures.  He's sweet though, smiles or not.  Tomorrow is his baby dedication and Elder Moyer is coming, I think he may have dedicated me as a baby... pretty cool. (OK, I double checked on that and it Moyer did not dedicate me... but it seems I've known him that long, :)

(this is my favorite, I'm so bummed it's blurry)

"oh mom, enough pictures already!"