Random pictures from the last two months!

Cute Kiddos

First Smiles

Snuggling on the Couch, watching something?

Some pictures from Target Girl's first months

Target Baby has decided that after 2 years he wants to be a pacifier boy, well at least chew on them occasionally. I walked into our room a couple of weeks ago and found him in Baby Girl's cosleeper with two pacifiers in his mouth.

The Boys' First Bracket Picks for March Madness! I found and printed pictures of all 65 NCAA tournament team's logos and Target Boy and Target Baby took turns picking the outcome of each game. Target Man and I have a contest each year, so now the boys can actually participate. It was a perfect FHE activity for us! Its a little late, but GO Tarheels!



Cheers its Popsicle Time!

Bad Reminder

Target Baby decided yesterday that I needed a reminder of what his infancy was like. At about 4:30, he stopped breathing. Thankfully, I was in the room and I turned around and looked at him. I grabbed him and blew in his face with no luck and immediately threw him across my knee and started pounding on his back. His eyes rolled up and back into his head and his arms shot out really oddly above his head. I kept pounding and looking at him and then started scanning the room for my phone to call 911. Then he finally started breathing. It was so scary. I really can't get the pleading look in his eyes out of my head. He just needed help. He pretty much then immediately fell asleep in my arms within minutes of starting to breathe again. I immediately called Target Man, who actually picked up his phone and was able to come right home. Then I called his pediatrician.
We aren't sure what happened. The pediatrician thinks its one of three things: First, he really could have been choking on something and instead of it coming up, it went down. Second, he could have been having a breath holding spell, maybe he hurt himself and I didn't see it. Third, it could have been a seizure. Either way, we are supposed to watch him and not push eating on him, which hasn't been a problem, he's been eating great.
I really don't think it was breath holding. The only time he passes out is after he gets hurt pretty badly and his face is usually in a silent scream pose. This was not that. Though obviously at the moment it crossed my mind or I wouldn't have blown in his face. Its horrible to think about, but I really hope he was choking and I just missed it. If he was choking, then it was a random accident, maybe he still had a piece of pop tart in his mouth from earlier, who knows, but it most likely won't happen again. And I really don't want this to happen again. So we hopefully will never know what happened.
Last night, I was a wreck, I just kept crying, and I didn't let him out of my sight or Target Man's. We did call our home teacher who came over and Target Man gave Target Baby a blessing. It was a good blessing that helped me to calm down, but I really wanted to hear, "he is fine, this will never happen again" something pretty much exactly those words, but apparently Heavenly Father wants me to have a little more faith. He also wants me to be at peace. That phrase, still this morning keeps coming to my mind, Be at Peace. So I'm working on staying calm, not freaking out anymore and trying to breathe normally if he walks into the other room. So we will see how the day goes.

Picnic at the Lake - a Photo Essay by Target Boy

Cloth Diapers

Awhile ago, we are talking more than a couple months (okay, six), I mentioned we had switched to cloth diapering. It was always something I never thought I would do. I mean, cloth diapers-you do what with that poop? Eww gross. Then came actually having children, and changing your own child's poop is definitely easier somehow, but still no thoughts of switching to cloth. Then came the kicker, potty training! While we were potty training Target Boy, we actually had to rinse out poopy undies, and it really wasn't as bad as I thought, so I started doing some research.

I was overwhelmed. Flats, prefold, fitteds, covers, soakers, pockets, PUL, AIOs...the diaper world jargon rivals military jargon. But slowly, (and discovering a great definition page link that I wish I could find again) I figured things out. It also helps that I know a couple of people who cloth diaper. Anyway, after probably three months of active research, I decided I was ready to jump into the cloth diaper world and try pockets, and so for my birthday (strange I know), I asked for cloth diapers.

Target Baby sporting his new look (back in September)

I got enough bum genius 3.0 diapers to start with a toddler, but I had to wash them everyday and a half, which didn't always happen, so we would use "sposies" (more jargon) as a back up for my slacker self. I had been meaning to buy some more, but they are dang expensive, 17.95 a piece. So I started looking a prefolds and covers, but just never bought any for a variety of reasons. Then I discovered a whole new world of cloth diapers...making them yourself.
So, again after much research, I am a nerd I know, I ordered 4 yards of PUL, diaper fleece, and a couple yards of Aplix all for 100 bucks and headed to my mom's.

The Result: 19 new pocket diapers, and 17 more still to be completed!

some of my stash

They are awesome and cost just under 3.00 per diaper.

and what did I learn from this post...I am not concise!

Wow, time flies

Target Girl is already a month old! At her check up she weighed in at 8 lb 9oz and a whopping 20.6 inches. I can't believe people regularly give birth to babies her size and larger, OWIE!

Target Baby loves his sister a little to much

Anyway, Target Man was able to bless her on Sunday March 1, with lots of family there to participate and witness (14 to be exact). Sadly, Target Man's mom was really sick and so his parents were not able to make it. His mom ended up having surgery the following Tuesday and is now doing much better.

For the blessing of the boys, my mother made a little suit out of her wedding dress. She has been waiting for a girl so she could smock a beautiful blessing "gown". About a month ago, we drove to Richmond to learn how to smock and pick out patterns. Well, the dress was finally finished the week before the blessing and turned out absolutely beautiful. She did an amazing job making all the puff strips, pin tucks, and smocking. Anyway, I just wanted to show off her work and my beautiful little girl.

Sporting a beautiful headband made by one of my sister's friends

I've been paid to say this is Target Girl's Favorite Aunt

The East Coast Sisters

We had a great time with all of the family that have been in and out since baby girl's birth, and are now actually settling back in to normal life.

The Rest of the Story

Okay, this is really long, and as a warning, is mostly for me, so that I have some record of the events surrounding my baby girl's birth. I figured if I put it here, I will remember where it is, and I will be able to find it. So, here it goes.

Three weeks ago today, February 1st, I was feeling really cruddy. I was getting progressively more itchy, crazy couldn't stop scratching my legs itchy, and having major gallbladder pain. By the time Target Man got home, I was feeling so itchy that I was starting to really stress about whether the baby was okay. At about 8:30, I finally decided I would feel better if I at least called my doctor and went to the hospital. So, we headed out and got there about 9. Being able to hear her heartbeat strong and steady was really reassuring. They took blood for labs, even though the test that really matters for ICP, bile acids, takes at least 3 days to get back. My regular liver function tests were still within normal and since the baby was tracing well (even with the regular contractions I was having), they decided to send me home. We got home around midnight (thank you to Emily who stayed with the boys) and at some point I was able to sleep.

Monday, was beautiful. Target Man was having a "Team Building" day for work-snow tubing and dinner-so he didn't leave home until about 1. We were able to play outside in the sunshine and take this "beautiful" 37 week pregnant picture of me.





Tuesday, Target Man's normal day off, we woke up to about 5 inches of snow. So, we bundled up the boys, and took them out to play. I started feeling really dizzy, so ended up just sitting down with Target Baby who wasn't really enjoying the snow anyway. Later, I went to my doctor's appointment and NST. In the waiting room, I started feeling so lightheaded, I almost called out to the receptionist people, but then the nurse came. I felt so off, icky, gross, etc. Turns out that my blood pressure was really high (for me), somewhere between 130-140 over 80, when its normally 110/60. The baby's heart rate sounded great, but it wasn't as variable as it normally was. Usually, with the NST, she had done everything she was supposed to in the first 5 minutes of being hooked up, even though we had to stay hooked up for 20 min regardless. This time they watched her for about 45 min. My doctor was in and out, and finally said, we should go ahead and schedule an induction for the following week, the 11th. Then they found my bile acid test results from Sunday and since they had gone up, he said he would feel more comfortable if we went in the next day, the 4th. So, we got everything set up, the nurse made sure I was okay to drive myself home, since I was still really dizzy and flushed, and I started making phone calls.

Target Man thought it was great timing, since he hadn't really worked that week and was ready for more "vacation". His parent's, in North Carolina, hopped in their RV and came up to watch the boys. My mom, dad, and cousin (who is staying with them for a couple months) drove the 2 1/2 hours down, so mom could be with us at the hospital. We cleaned the house as best we could, and actually packed a suitcase for the hospital. We ended up going grocery shopping too, cause I had already made my list and organized my coupons for the week.

Wednesday morning, we left for the hospital and got all signed in and set up by 8:30. The following is the rest of the day, broken down by my sister from the reports were were giving her:

Well Target Widow went into the hospital today to have her baby
#3. The docs say it is a girl but I am still saying it is a boy so we
will see. I am calling her every few hours to keep up to date and
see what is going on and the verdict is pretty much nothing. By the
way, Target Widow is planning on having this one OLE NATURAL!!!
8:45AM the Pitosin is started
1:15 PM the docs broke her water and said that there wasn't very much
water. She is still talking to me on the phone very calmly so it can not
be too intense. My job is to keep everyone posted on the baby delivery.
1:43 PM They just upped the Pitosin to 16. Mom is teasing Target Widow by eating one of her favorite cookies, EL Fudge, right in front of her very gluttonously.
3:15 PM the Pitosin as now going in at 20 units per hour???? I am not
quite sure but she is at 20. Mom says she still looks way to happy to be
having a baby and she is still smiling way too much. Target Man just snored through 2 whole Home Improvement episodes. Mom and Target Man took a cafeteria break.
4:13 PM She is now dilated to a 6 and her face is a little less happy. (They say that is a good thing)
4:24 PM the nurse now has the baby tray all sitting out and ready. There is a little baby blanket all waiting and ready for her to pop the baby out
already. Target Man is eating stinky peanuts. Target Widow is a little pale but still way too happy.
4:34 PM Target Widow stood up to go potty and all the fluid that
had not come out earlier just came out as she stood up to use the
bathroom. So now she knows what it would feel like to have her
water break for real.
5:26 PM Nothing is happening but Target Man has almost eaten
all of the sunchips.
5:43 PM Still at 6 stretchy, -2, 80% effaced need more water to come
out so the baby will drop more. Pit has been upped to 22!!! The
doctor wants her to have it by 8 so he can go to bed and the nurse says
she has to have it by 11 because that is when she goes home. Direct Target Widow Quote: GET IT OUT! Dad is going home, he gave up.
6:41 PM Dilated to 7.5. She is at -1. Is in a lot of pain and asked for an
epidural. During three or four of the contractions Target Widow said, "This has got to stop!" They gave her Staydol for the pain.
6:48 PM Too late for the epidural... we are going all natural!
6:54 PM I am on speakerphone unpronounced to Target Widow and I
hear lots of screaming
6:56 PM Break in contraction... Target Widow Asks "Is it out yet!?" "Is it out yet!!!
6:57 PM Baby is not out yet... Target Widow screams some more... Mom
tells her she is doing a good job!
6:59 PM Nurse and then Doctor announce "It is a girl"... and it is out! Target Man cut the cord!
7:00 PM Target Widow says, "It's 7 o'clock!" and mom says she is
crying!



7:25PM Baby has a name. She is 6lbs and 11ounces and 20 inches long
making her Target Widow's longest baby!



8:15 Target Baby and Target Boy visit their new sister for the first time. Target Boy didn't like the hospital. He started crying and saying that he just wants mom to come home now. He didn't like mom being in the bed and he didn't like the IV. Target Baby wanted to know how the bed worked, what was under the bed, what was in every drawer. Target Widow showed Target Baby the baby's feet and he said Tickle Tickle. Target Boy tried to sing a song to the baby, but she kept crying and he was done.


9:24 I am on the phone and I hear the baby crying in the background.
9:26 Baby Girl is in the warming tray preparing to take her first
bath. Target Man is really tired. So is Grandmommy but Target Widow won't let her go home.
9:32 Target Widow has her first shower as a mother of three!
9:34 Baby's doctor is here for a visit. Baby Girl is fine. She is a strong, healthy happy baby with no issues whatsoever. She was asleep for most of the appointment.
11:00ish Grandmommy finally gets to go home.



Wednesday from the time they started pitosin, till about 6:30 was really boring. I was having contractions, but they didn't start bothering me until probably about 5:30. I just didn't really want to talk through them anymore. But at 6:30, I decided I was done with the pain. I was shaking and it was bad. I asked for the epidural and then waiting for the anesthesiologist, kept telling myself I was really stupid for ever wanting to do this without drugs. By 6:59, Baby Girl was born. I still thought I was stupid for subjecting myself to that kind of pain on purpose, but was really proud of myself for doing it, especially with that much pitosin. I felt so much more in control. I was laying on my side, and the nurse wanted me to scoot up so they could drop the table down, and she made the mistake of phrasing it as a question. I said, "NO". They also didn't tell me when to push, there was no counting, I was completely in control. Pushing, thankfully, has always been short for me (12 minutes being the longest), but this was the fastest and I think being in control of the process made it worth not getting the epidural.

I am so thankful she is here and healthy. She is of course beautiful, but even better than that, she is calm. After Target Baby, Target Man and I really needed a healthy calm infant. I think having her here and only dealing with spit up/mild reflux, has made me appreciate how strong Target Man and I are. Target Baby's beginning (and middle) was not easy. I am so thankful, that at the nearly three week mark, she is peaceful and easy. We just pray that it stays this way, and for her sake, and ours, that she doesn't have to deal with the issues Target Baby did.

She's Here! We're Home!

"NONI"

Anona Renee

February 4, 2009

6 lbs 11 oz

20 in

Short Story: We were induced, she was born, we escaped from the hospital 24 hours and 20 min later. FREEDOM! More pictures and info later (and a preggo picture, just for you Jessica).