Thursday, October 31, 2013

Thursday Birth Day: Roland's Birth

Welcome to Thursday Birth Day!  My hope is that this series will help to encourage women who may be expecting their first baby or their second/third/fourth/etc.  These posts will provide some real life experiences that we can all appreciate and maybe even learn from.  I also hope for this to be a place where women who have gone through birth can have a place to share their beautiful stories. 

We are kicking off this series with a firecracker of a little guy! Little baby Roland was born at just 28 weeks gestation but he didn't let that stop him from growing and getting stronger and stronger! Read Carrie's story of Roland's birth, below. 

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Baby Roland's Birth Story
My pregnancy started out so normal! Our first appointment at 8 weeks showed measurements right on track, a healthy heart beat, the start of a wonderful journey to parenthood. This would be the only “normal” appointment we would have the remaining 20 weeks of my pregnancy. That’s right you read it right, 20 weeks. My husband deployed when I was just 19 weeks pregnant with our baby boy! We had prepared ourselves for his absence during the birth of our son, as much as anyone really can prepare! I traveled to Virginia for the holidays to be with my family and returned to California on December 11th. December 12th my pregnancy changed in ways that no one could ever prepare for. I was in preterm labor at just 24 weeks due to a shortened cervix. My contractions were stopped and I was placed on strict bed rest beginning that day! Bed rest? I have a full time job, a house and 2 dogs to take care of all by myself, not to mention I have NO family anywhere near me. 

I was visiting the high risk doctors once a week at this point and every week was different; I was going to make it to full term, then our goal date was January 31st. Christmas came and went as I laid on my couch. Skyping with my husband everyday letting him know that I and baby were well. On December 27th and 28th they gave me the steroid injections for the baby’s lungs just in case he decided to start acting up in there again. I made it through New Years and I was feeling pretty good, better than I had in a few weeks! 
January 3rd at 9:30 am the high risk doctor told me that my blood pressure was elevated and that the protein in my urine had gone up another unit so back to L&D I went for more monitoring. I went home that night feeling what I thought was defeat, but slowly I started feeling worse and worse. I slept all day on the 4th of January and when I woke up on the 5th I knew something was wrong. I felt like my skin was about to burst. I ran (well more like waddled) to the bathroom and found my self face to face with a sumo wrestler. My worst nightmare had come true; I was showing active signs of preeclampsia. 

I admitted myself to L&D here in town and was there for about an hour before they decided it was best that I be transported to Sacramento to the high risk maternity ward and where there was an amazing NICU. I was in Sacramento for 24 hours, skyping with my husband telling him everything was going to be ok, and all the while I literally felt like I was dying. My head was pounding and my stomach was cramping terribly. At 4 pm January 6th 2013 my doctor came in and told me that my kidneys were shutting down, my protein was at 11, and my blood pressure was so high I was about to stroke. All of that meant nothing to me as he muttered his next sentence “we will be delivering your baby via emergency C-Section tonight!” What? My baby is only 28 weeks and 3 days, he’s not ready to come out yet, I could suffer through anything they threw my way just to keep the baby in-utero. 
The next few hours were such a blur, I had to tell my husband that our precious baby would be celebrating his birthday January 6th instead on March 28th, I had to tell my mother to book her flight immediately instead of in April, I had a room full of some amazing people that were trying to be so strong for me all the while I could see the fear in their faces. I even had to send my friend out to try and find me a charger because my husband would be joining us for the delivery via Skype and my computer decided it was a good time to fry! So many doctors and nurses both for me and the baby came in to introduce themselves; I remember none of them, even today! 

At 8 pm I climbed on to the stretcher myself as they wheeled me down to the OR, talking to my husband the whole way! It was now that I was alone with him that I could finally let it out and just cry! Cry because I was terrified of the uncertainty of my son’s health at this point and cry because I was so disappointed in myself for not being able to keep him healthy. My husband was a champ the whole time; he never once let me see the fear in his face as I held the phone above mine while they took my son from me.  
At 8:27 pm on January 6th I heard the most amazing sound any parent waits to hear, my 28 week 2 lb 8 oz Roland Pierce was born screaming!! They quickly took him away and my best friend with my husband in hand on the phone stayed with him the whole time. Once I was out of recovery I was able to see my baby boy for the first time, breathing on his own with no oxygen. It was at that point I knew he was a fighter and he was going to continue to fight until he came home with us. 7 weeks to the day later, at just 35 weeks gestation, Roland came home with us on February 24th. He amazed us in the NICU and every day since has continued to amaze us with how perfect he is.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Letters to Everett: 10/22/13

Dear Everett,

Life seems to be flying by these days.  You are growing more and more independent and are becoming such a much more like a kid and less like a toddler.  You are speaking in full sentences (sometimes paragraphs) and are able to articulate what you want with little to no frustration.  If we are unable to understand what you are saying you are able to come up with an alternate way of describing something. 

This past month we visited Sneads Asparagus Farm to check out the pumpkin patch and took our annual trip with Uncle Aaron, Aunt Krystal, and Colt to the Apple Harvest Festival at Graves Mountain.  You had a lot of fun playing with Colt and your friend Kristian who met us up there too! There was a corn maze, a bouncy house, and a few other activities but you guys had more fun just running around together than anything else. You love to run and play and you are really into exploring and testing out boundaries. 
 
One thing you started doing this month that I particularly like is telling us you love us without being prompted or asked.  You will just walk over to me and say “Mommy, I love you.”  Ahhh it melts my heart.  You are such a sweet boy and you really love to be with mommy and daddy- you especially love for us to hold you. One thing that you don’t like is us kissing on you! You “wipe kisses off” when we give them to you- but don’t worry, I sneak more in when you’re not paying attention. 
Another fun milestone you hit this month was standing up to go potty, you tell us “I do it all myself.”  (Don’t hate me when you’re 14 and reading this!)  You are consistently telling us when you need to go potty and you make it to the potty almost 100% of the time.  When you go potty you get “kenny” (candy) and I think that is your favorite part.  I tried to stop giving you candy as a reward but you decided to rebel and not use the potty when I did that!  We have transitioned from Hershey’s kisses each time to small tootsie rolls or Nerds. I am hoping that you’re not still getting candy each time you go potty by the time you are 28!

I love you so much little big boy! 

Momma and daddy love you to the moon and all the way back! 

xoxoxox,

Momma
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For Letters to Everett, click here
For Letters to Nolan, click here!

Friday, October 25, 2013

Weekend Links

Halloween is around the corner.. here's some inspiration for the big day:
Here are some interesting political links for y'all to peruse: 
Our lovely and talented photographer is hosting fall mini sessions on November 2nd; be sure to check out her website and the flyer for more info! 

And of course, a cute video to make you smile! 

Happy weekend! 

Thursday, October 24, 2013

FBP: Growing Up in a World Full of Rachels

Photo found here.
I have always felt the need to show the world that I have high self-esteem.  To put on the mask of confidence and pretend that I don’t care what other people thought about my appearance.  I thought that I had to look/act/be a certain way because that is what I was supposed to look/act/be like in order to fit in.  

Read the full post here over on my blog at FredericksburgParent.net!  
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Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Please do!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Letters to Nolan: 10/18/13

Nolan, 

You are still growing like a weed! I love you and all your chub chub, I could just squeeze your little cheeks all day! So cute!  You are really starting to develop your personality and are an all around happy guy.  I know every parent says that, but you really are! The only time you are cranky is when you are hungry or if you are in the car seat and you can't fall asleep. 
You have discovered your voice this month and are experimenting a lot with how to use it. There are a lot of goo's and coo's in your vocabulary and it is so sweet to see you trying to communicate with us.  I love looking over at you and watching you have your own little conversation with the moose hanging from your mirror in the car.  (Well, that is when you're taking a break from screaming and crying when you're in the car seat!) 
You weigh a little over 19lbs and are still in 6-9 month clothes.  Your clothes still fit pretty well and I am hoping that you will be in them for another month or so.  The pants fit you perfectly but the sleeves are usually a little too long for your arms! It is fun to see you wearing the clothes that your brother wore and remembering him in them (although he was a little bit older when he wore them!) 

Here's what you've been up to this month: 

09/21/13: Started playing with your toes

10/04/13: First trip to the pumpkin patch (Sneads)
10/05/13: Started chewing on your toes
10/09/13: First time in a swing, Everett gave you a cookie and you gummed it and weren't impressed, let you play with a sippy cup of water
10/19/13: First time to wear shoes, first trip to Graves Mountain, first visit to Uncle Aaron and Aunt Krystal's house


Momma and daddy love you to the moon and all the way back! 

xoxoxox,

Momma
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For more Letters to Nolan, click here
For Letters to Everett, click here

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Time keeps on slippin'... Part Two

Turns out I am really bad about sharing photos of the boys!  I shared Nolan's three month photos yesterday and then I realized that I never shared the photos of Everett from September of last year when he was 16 months old (at the same farm that the photos of Nolan were taken this year)! So enjoy the photos and if you shed a tear I wont judge you- I may or may not have done the same! :) 











Thanks again to K. Brinklow Photography for these amazing shots of my little man! Can't believe that was over a year ago! 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Time keeps on slippin' ...

... slippin' slippin' into the future! I realized that I never shared Nolan's three month photos! Goodness! I know they say that "time flies when you're having fun" and whoever "they" is are is right! When did my tiny newborn become an almost five month old baby!? I am so glad that I am able to take photos of my kids on a daily basis because they are growing so fast that sometimes I can't even believe it.  We are also lucky enough to have our kids photos taken professionally from time to time, so without further ado here are Mr. Nolan's three month photos! 





I want to give a big thank you to K. Brinklow Photography for getting these cute shots of my little man! 

Monday, October 14, 2013

This evening...

A few highlights from this evening... 

  • After dinner Everett and I made cookies together in the kitchen while daddy got Nolan situated in the swing
  • I got some one on one time snuggling with Nolan while he was nursing and rocked him to sleep
  • After Nolan was tucked into the co-sleeper and was fast asleep I got to enjoy the fruits of our labor and eat our delicious cookies and enjoyed some bluebell ice cream
  • Since E was round up we decided to have a nice fun roughhousing session before bed
These are just some of the many reasons why I love my family. 

9:23 pm UPDATE: Now E is watching How to Train Your Dragon (his newest obsession) while I work.. I am pretty sure he is sleeping with his eyes open in an attempt to be stubborn and refuse sleep.  Ha! A Thompson to the tee! 

10:27 pm UPDATE: Went into the bedroom to nurse Nolan and while I was in there Everett nabbed my iced pumpkin spice latte that I had sitting out! He drank about a quarter or so of it before I got back out into the living room... might be a late night!

11:05 pm UPDATE: He sleeps! Cuddled right next to me while I work. Love this boy! 

1:52 am UPDATE: I'm up too late but this momma only gets work done when the house is still.  Everett is still curled up next to me on the couch snoozing while I finish up some work/photo editing and arranging/photo uploading/post writing/etc.  I'm watching Nolan on the monitor as he sleeps soundly in the room with Tyler and am listening to a serenade of snoring from all around.  This is the good life folks.  :)  

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

FBP: Keep 'Em Close

Everett sleeping in the Ergo
What is this whole "babywearing trend" and why would I want to wear my baby? In a nutshell babywearing is keeping your baby/infant/toddler close to you in a baby carrier or sling.  What are the benefits of baby wearing? Happier babies, babies who cry less, more confident caregivers... the list goes on. 





Read the full post here over on my blog at FredericksburgParent.net!  
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Have you liked my Facebook page yet? Please do!

Friday, October 4, 2013

Love is an Amazing Thing

I post about Everett a lot, so here is a post that is dedicated to my little NoCurt... Notis... Nonnie... NoNo... Nolan Curtis. Sheesh, for a boy who we named so purposefully so that he wouldn't have a nickname he sure does have plenty of them! I love this boy.  I was so (so) so worried about how I would feel after this boy came into the world.  How could I possibly love another child as much as I already loved the one I had?  
Nolan has captivated my heart and I love spending time with him.  His little eye brows are so expressive that he can speak volumes just by moving them.  He has my forehead wrinkles, my mom's chin, and Tyler's skin tone.  I am secretly not so secretly hoping that Nolan's eyes turn brown.  Most people say he looks like me or my mom or my dad which is nice because Everett is practically a clone of Tyler. 
He is such a happy baby and will smile anytime you look at or talk to him.  He was even happy even when he was dealing with acid reflux- which seems to have subsided either because he has grown out of it or the addition of an amber necklace.  A few of our church friends have dubbed him "the baby that doesn't cry," which is pretty accurate except when he is hungry or over tired. He sleeps well and likes to cuddle with me at night but he is also fine sleeping in the co-sleeper right next to me. 


He is nursing like a little champ and is gaining weight pretty quickly which makes for super cute little big "chub chub" legs.  When he was first born he was content to nurse only when he was hungry but now he would enjoys nursing any and all the time (see "chub chub" legs in the sentence above) and I am perfectly okay with that. 


I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.
Mother Teresa

I love Nolan so much it hurts! I love him just like I love Everett and I can't imagine how life was without him just like I can't imagine how life was before Everett was born. These boys have taken my heart and have shown me a love that I never knew existed. Until I had children, I would never have known how deep I could care about someone.



Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Nap Time Craft Time: Fall Bunting


Here's an easy Nap Time Craft Time project that can add a little spice to your autumnal home decor.  Being a fairly new home owner, I don't really have a plethora of decorations for the seasons yet.  I wanted something that would be easy to make but look cute as well and this is what I came up with! This is a very cost effective and easy project that even the most "craft challenged" person can do! 

Here's what you'll need

  • Felt of various fall colors
  • Ruler
  • Sharpie or marker
  • Scissors
  • Twine, ribbon, yarn, or string
  • Hot glue gun
  • Paper or card stock

Here's what you'll do

Trace and cut out a triangular shape on your paper or card stock to make the bunting template. You can make these as small or as large as you prefer.  I wanted to fit two triangles on each piece of felt so mine measured about 10" long. 

Now use your template to trace and cut out your desired amount of triangles from the felt. 
     Note: My bunting says "FALL" so I used four triangles, one for each letter. 

Now you will cut out the letters that you plan to use on your bunting.  I free-handed my letters but you can print templates out as well (try this site.) 

Next you will grab your hot glue gun and affix the letters to each individual triangle. 

Here is an example of what each triangle looked like once I had them cut out and the letters glued on. 

To attach the twine, you will need to cut two small holes in the upper edges of each triangle and then thread them (in the correct order) through your twine.  

 Now you are ready to hang it up and enjoy!