Two Weeks old and still a Wee One

Eva with Grandma (5/2/10)

Dear Friends and Family, Today I brought little Eva to her two week appointment and PKU test. I have been breastfeeding her frequently and was hoping for the best. Instead, we learned that she has only gained 3.5 ounces in sixteen days. She is not yet at birth weight. Also, Joe and I have been concerned about the infrequency of her poop. When she does, it is black, thin, small, and smelly. We would expect at this point to be past meconium and onto yellow/greenish poops. She has several very wet diapers every day. She is growing taller (on the 75%). Her head circumference is on the 25%. But weight is under the percentages because she is still below birth weight. So, I will be taking a blogging break to nurse and pump and hope for the best. If she does not reach her birth weight (meaning putting on the weight she did in two weeks, in one week), more tests will be run to determine malabsorption and malnutrition issues.

Lisa's Emergency C-Section

Dear friends and Family, For those of you who know my sister, Lisa, please keep her, her husband, her family and infant in your prayers. She went in for a non-stress test in her fourth pregnancy at thirty-one weeks gestation. Her baby was small and it was felt that because of Lisa's high blood pressure that the best thing would be to deliver the baby by emergency c-section last night. This came as a shock to Lisa who was hoping to keep the baby at least four more weeks. The baby weighs two pounds and is currently stable and breathing on it's own in the NICU. She was told that the baby will most likely be in the hospital for eight to nine weeks. Post Edit: Lisa was scheduled to come home last night. She will be pumping and visiting her little one in the hospital . The pictures downloaded are off of my father's phone. You will note the lanugo (downy new hair covering this tiny body) and that they are still monitoring this tiny one closely. Thanks for your prayers. Lisa is feeling much better. Toxemia!

Thoughts on a Sunday Morning

Susie eating Dippin'Dots in front of The Bat Mobile

Jonathan wades out to a rock at the Duck Pond

Our courageous Hero!

This morning has been like a holiday. My parents took the older four children over night on Friday. Saturday, Grandpa took them to the Zoo and to feed ducks and carp on the way home. Of course, Jonathan waded in the pond up to his thighs intent on "catching" one of the big carp eating all the bread meant for the ducks! What a wonderful gift for Joe and I to have TIME together to sort through things (during our remodel that must be moved or donated), sleep, and be together with little Eva uninterrupted. Two whole nights of wonderful sleep can do a lot to renew ones spirits! I was impressed while listening to sister Julie B. Beck's talk in the recent General Conference of the Church of Latter-day Saints. I can't wait for the May Ensign to bring this and other spiritual talks for me to read and review. Below I have included some snippets that were important for me today. Perhaps they will inspire you too. She speaks of her testimony of the value of the daughter's of God today..."So much depends upon them!" "In my visits with sisters, I have felt that there has never been a greater need for increased faith and personal righteousness. There has never been a greater need for strong families and homes. There has never been more that could be done to help others that are in need." She continues (and I paraphrase): "A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all the people or do all the worthy things her heart yearns to do." Life is not calm for most women and it seems we have a million important things that must be done daily. How do we know what to focus on then? "With personal revelation, she (we) can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently." "The ability to qualify for, receive, and act upon personal revelation is the single most important skill that can be acquired in this life!" Some of the ways to recieve personal revelations are: daily prayer, personal daily scripture study, having a pen and paper close to record inspiration and revelation which can come throughout the day, nurturing others in a Christlike way, honoring and keeping sacred covenants, and by being in the right places at the right times. "Because personal revelation is a constantly renewable source of strength, it is possible to feel bathed in help even during turbulent times. We are told to put our trust in that spirit which leads us to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously. We are also told that this spirit will enlighten our minds, fill our souls with joy, and help us to know all things we should do!" "Promised personal revelation comes when we ask for it, prepare for it, and go forward in faith trusting that it will be poured out upon us." Peace, joy and hope are available. It is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. We are doing well when we seek to develop Christlike attributes. We can have the spirit with us even when surrounded by tired children. We lose the spirit when we become frustrated by them and yell.

Welcome Home!

Awoke to early (5:30 a.m.) sounds of a loud crane outside my window, literally. They were lifting a new AC unit onto the hospital roof. Who knew that lifting things could be so noisy?

Spring flowers and sunshine.

Home!

Lunch!

All the celebrating is tiring.

Don't look too close at the "recycled clothing" the children are wearing. By wearing the same thing day by day they are saving the world on soap and water usage, etc. How thoughtful of them! (Obviously Dad let them dress themselves and didn't look real close at all the stains).

Afternoon naptime.

Think she has had some late nights with Dad at home? (Asleep at 6:30 p.m.)

Little things tucker Dad out!

Saturday, was a special day...because Eva got to come home! Joe set the children to chores (which of course mostly went undone being unsupervised) and came to get us. Our nurse, Julie, took many pictures (most of which were posed and I have not included here). She also snuck us into see CNM Jana Sund who had her baby two days after ours, Ava. (She was born at 38 weeks and was bigger than little Eva). At home, our little Artist made a welcome home sign and saved her pear for me to eat. Oldest sister had made (from scratch) a spaghetti lunch with pineapple mandarin orange smoothies. Grandma and Grandpa brought us in dinner and we relished the quiet and our own bed. Joe smiled at the dinenr table and whispered to me, "I'm so happy that your're home!"

Hospital Life

Grandpa is a natural with the little ones!

Littler Sister with baby sister

Artist brings a watercolor and apple for Mom.

Brother decides "we should keep her!"

Eva's shirt says, "I'm the little sister."

Cousin Sydne remembers what it was like to see such little feet.

Dr. Matt and Eva: Eva's raccoon eyes were created by the mask from the light box she has been using to precipitate healing her jaundice.

Grandma loves em' little!

Ahh, Joe reconnects with the Office via the internet.

Happy big and little sisters.

Russian lullabies from Grammy.

I love giving birth at a little hospital in a nearby city. (There is a very busy, big, regional hospital in our city we have never delivered in). After the change of events in the birth of our baby, our hospital stay was prolonged. The nurses took such good care of our baby and me. It was fun to have family visit and meet our newest family member.

Celebrating Life

The Short Story-- As some of you know, our little Eva (meaning "Life") was born to us on Tuesday, April 13. Because I hurt my back and it was difficult to stand or walk, we had an induction scheduled for Tuesday morning. She beat us to the punch and my water broke at around 2:30 a.m. necessitating an earlier arrival to the hospital than scheduled. At the hospital, when contractions petered out, Oxytocin (a synthetic form called Pitocin) was used to encourage labor along. After considerable time, I opted for an epidural so that I could relax and allow my body to bring the baby's head down. CNM (Certified Nurse Midwives) and nurses studied the monitor showing contractions and baby's heart rates to find a pattern. The pattern discovered was that with each contraction the baby's heart beat would drop dramatically (from 140 beats per minute to 40, for instance). This suggested a cord around baby's neck was getting compressed. Also, baby was head down and ready to deliver but had not yet descended. Several positions and measures were tried to relieve this compression. Fortunately, an OB, Dr. Weibell was at the nursing station when the CNM were ready to call for emergency backup. Dr. Weibell came and attempted (as had the CNM's) to guide me in pushing baby out. With each contraction, the baby's heart rate dropped more dramatically. Contractions were less than two minutes apart. With the best in mind, respiratory therapists, neonatal nurses and others had come to my room. When the baby's heartbeat fell to 38 and held, my bed was quickly wheeled from my room to the OR (about 12 yards down the hall). My body was lifted onto an operating table. In less than two minutes and without further anesthesia, CNM Jana Sund and Dr. Weibell sliced across the abdomen and brought little Eva out who was heartily crying. All breathed a collective sigh of relief at the "life" that our little one demonstrated as she was welcomed abruptly into this bright world. Eva had a very thin, short cord that was wrapped around her neck and would not allow her to descend. Joe asked the Head nurse in the NICU (newborn intensive care unit/nursery) how often an emergency Cesarean section was done. "Like yours? One percent." The Comforter was with us and we felt great relief at her safe arrival. She is a week old today. For those interested, I will post a more detailed birth story later.

Thank You

Joe posted the last two entries (could you tell? :) We read the comments to our posts together today at the hospital and Joe and I were very emotional. Thank you for your prayers, thoughts, and kind wishes. We felt (feel) them. We feel very blessed with the safe arrival of our little lady (her name meaning life). I am still in awe at all that has happened and the comfort we recieved that all is well. Looking forward to writing more about Eva's birth story soon. I have gotten so little sleep that Joe will take Susie and I will try and sleep while I can. God bless you and yours. Thanks again for thinking of us.

Pictures of Eva

A Baby!

Pictures to come, but I will give a short post that Julie and the Baby (Eva) are doing well! Eva was born by emergency C-Section on April 13, 2010 at 2:33 pm. She weighed 6 lbs 7 oz, and was 20 inches long. Eva scored very well on her Apgar (8-9) and Julie is recovering well! We will still be in the hospital for a few more days, after which I am sure Julie will get back to posting some more info!

Induction Scheduled

Dear friends and family, It was determined today that I would go in for a scheduled induction (this morning) because nature was headed that way except for a back injury (possible fracture) that has been preventing me from walking and standing to aid natural birthing. Thanks for your understanding and prayers. Wish the last two weeks of this pregnancy could have been as healthy as the majority of this pregnancy. Love, Julie

Tired, So Tired!

I do not remember being sooo tired before having a baby before. I am wondering if I am normal or fighting sickness (a cold brought home by little ones, perhaps). Joe was asking Jonathan why his hair looked so unusual this afternoon. (I spoke of cutting his hair on Tuesday but didn't get around to doing it). "Oh well, I cut it!" he says smiling. He then went onto explain that he cut the front bangs with a pair of scissors he found in the girls room earlier today. Joe and I are putting baby things away in drawers and packing for the hospital. Spring Break has been an adventure having children home for a staycation and unnesting...as they nibble from 72 hour kits we are rotating, while I am trying to "nest." Can you say one step forward, four steps back?! Hannah and Bekah helped Joe paint in the basement. (Hannah is motivated to move down there while our home is under construction upstairs. New room!) Rebekah made cookies (which are definitely more fun to make and eat than to clean up afterward!) Jonathan and Susie may need their eyes checked. They seem to think the garbage is about three feet from the actual can and have scattered misc. wrappers all over the floors.

My Little Pony

Mom Saphira and filly Serendipity

Grandma and Owen feeding hungry Burros

Burro checks out the bag of carrots just outside the gate.

Hannah, Eli, Owen, and Alex

Actually, this is not my little pony. It is Beth's new mare. This pony is only nine days old and such a cutie. The children enjoyed a visit to the barn with Aunt Beth to feed the animals and see her new little baby. So cute!