Bubblegum Betty

Friday, August 30, 2013

Salad Anyone?!? A SMALL HEAD of LETTUCE!!! (Week 30)

Well...this week has been fast and furious!  It was the first week of school with the kiddos back and I have been going non-stop.  Not just at school, but when I get home too.  I seriously go, go, go from 4:50 in the mornings until about 9:30 at night when I can no longer hold my head up or keep my eyes open!  But, it has been a great week and I have gotten so much done.  I love every single one of my classes and my kiddos that are in them are absolutely a dream.  It is going to be an amazing year!  I can't wait to watch these precious kids mature, learn, and grow as the year goes on.  I love my bosses, my co-workers, and the kiddos...I am so truly blessed to work at Blackwell!!!  Here goes my 6th year of teaching...it's gonna be FABULOUS!!!

Top news from other things going on this week...I had a two week check-up with Dr. Tadvick on Monday.  It went perfectly...as it always does!  When the sonogram technician was just about done reading her heart rate, Seiden got sick of it I guess and jabbed at the doppler!  Sweet baby...she's had so many sonograms, she's sick of it!  She's probably thinking...this cyst is going away guys...can we stop with all this nonsense?!?  Oh...our precious little princess...I think I know who's personality she's taking after so far!  Seiden's heart rate was 147 and when he measured my tummy...he said it was right on track with being 30 weeks along.  He said she was growing beautifully and my uterus was growing perfectly right along with her.  Such wonderful news to hear and so good to hear our sweet Seiden's heartbeat.  It never gets old!  I actually had some questions for him this time.  I normally don't really have many questions.  But here lately I've had so much on my mind with getting closer and closer to having her and with the percentage of us delivering in Ft. Worth (at this time) being about 100%...I just had some things that I had been thinking about.  The first question was who he recommended for a pediatrician.  There are some amazing pediatricians in Abilene, and I kinda already had an idea of who we would use.  But, I wanted to get his viewpoint.  He mentioned the names of some very wonderful and amazing doctors, but the practice he highly recommended was the same one that we had in mind.  I'm not sure which pediatrician we will use yet, but we are going to go with the Professional Association/Pediatrics.  What's so wonderful about this practice is that there is not one pediatrician in this practice that we would not be 100% comfortable with Seiden going to.  And the other thing that is so special (at least to me) is that my pediatrician that I had when I was growing up is still practicing and is in this practice!  They are all amazing Christian men and women and I cannot be more excited to start the process of getting everything lined up for Seiden to be seeing one of them!  The other things I asked mainly had to do with the whole C-section process.  I wanted to know where the incision would be and how long the recovery time would be.  I've looked up some stuff on the internet.  But, it's never as good as hearing it from the mouth of your own doctor.  I think the hardest part about having a C-section will be the recovery process.  I just won't be able to do anything other than walk or lift anything heavier than Seiden is for 8 weeks.  Thank goodness I've still been able to run and lift weights through this pregnancy!  Even though I'll be on hold for 8 weeks after she's here...it will take me no time to jump right back in...with ease of course.  I don't want to do anything that will delay the healing process or cause something to go wrong.  So, whatever the doctor says to do...you better believe I'll be following those orders super strictly!  I know I will be chomping at the bit to get back into running and CrossFitting though!  8 weeks is a long time to lay off from those 2 things that I love so much...but oh so worth it!

And the last thing that I'll talk about this week are a few things that we bought for Seiden!  I had some store credit to use from Kid's Village.  So, I went in there Wednesday after I got home from work and did some serious shopping.  I got her a high chair, all sorts of things to wash her bottles and other feeding supplies with, some Aden + Anais contoured burp cloths, an extra crib sheet, a minky dot changing pad cover, a Baby K'Tan baby carrier, a pacy clip, and a bustier so that I can be hands free while I'm pumping.  I am so excited to get all these essentials for our precious Seiden...and I can't wait to use them all!  I also finally got my breastpump in!!!  So excited about that.   I'll be coming back to work as soon as Seiden starts at Zion, which will be in the middle of January.  So, I'll have to pump while I'm at work so that she will have breast milk at day care.  And...it will also help because anyone can feed her if I've pumped enough.  I'm praying God gives me a good milk supply!  But man...that instruction manual for the pump is insane!  They make the pictures and descriptions online look so easy...but that pump looks like and alien contraption!  I'm sure once I read everything and get it all put together, it will be a breeze to use.  I got the Medela Freestyle Hands-Free pump...I need to be able to work and do other things while pumping.  So, getting the Freestyle was a no-brainer for me.  Let's see...we also ordered the precious little swing for her from Target.  It's the Fisher-Price My Little SnuggaBunny Cradle and Swing...and it's adorable!  We were able to get that for her with gift cards that sweet, precious people got for us for our shower.  Such a blessing!  And...quite possibly the best for last.  My parents and Cody's dad got us the BOB Revolution SE Jogging Stroller, BOB B-Safe by Britax Car Seat, an extra car seat base, the snack tray, and the handlebar console for drinks and such.  I AM BEYOND EXCITED!!!  This will be what I use as my travel system...Cody has a Chicco KeyFit travel system that he'll keep in his truck.  I know you may think it sounds silly that we both have a travel system.  But, there may be a day when Cody takes her to day care and I pick her up.  And in between that time, we won't be coordinating with each other to get the car seat and stroller switched into the other car.  So, it just made sense for us to each have our own travel system.  My mom also has her own travel system for the same reason...crazy I know...but for us it works and is the best option depending on schedules and such!  But, I have been wanting a BOB travel system since the day we found out we were pregnant.  I can't wait to take her on brisk fall and early winter walks and runs...and I can't wait until the dogs get used to running with a stroller!  We will have so much fun!  After this week, I feel like we are really getting ready for her to be here.  Our furniture should be all done and in her nursery by next weekend...which I can't put into words how excited I am to see it and see it in her precious room!  But once that's done and all her stuff is washed and put away, I think I will feel completely nested and ready for her to come home!

And we have declared, In Jesus' Name, that we WILL be home before Christmas with her!  We absolutely believe that God is going to continue to shrink that cyst to something so small it's nothing for the doctor's to worry over, or He will completely take it away all together.  We just continue to surrender to Him and give Him full control over every aspect of our lives and it's been amazing to just feel His presence and His comfort and peace.  Our next doctor's appointment is on September 3rd, and we are so excited to hear what Dr. Tabor says when he does the sonogram.  We can't wait to see her and how much she has grown and how much the cyst has shrunk as she continues to grow.  I also have a fetal MRI at Cooks later that day.  The pediatric surgeons want to get a better idea of what they're going to be dealing with.  But, I believe what we will see on the sonogram and what we'll see on the MRI is just a shrinking cyst that God is healing from her body.  And I can't wait to see the look on the doctor's faces!  God is so good all the time and He has been so good to us and given us so much peach and comfort through His healing of our precious Seiden Grace.  We are counting down the weeks until we get to meet you Seiden Grace...we love you so much and we can't wait to tell you all that God has done for you!!!  You are our precious little miracle!!!

Seiden Grace at 30 Weeks:
  • You are the size of a Head of Lettuce!
  • You are 18 inches long and weigh 3.2 pounds!!!
  • Your brain connections are continuing to develop at a rapid rate.
  • You are processing information, tracking light, and perceiving signals from all five of your senses.
  • You are starting to sleep through more lengths of time...but you are most active at night!  Just like your daddy...guess he gets night duty! :-)
  • Your eyesight also continues to develop, but won't be very keen until you are just a bit older.
  • You are quite the little mover!  I feel your bumps and kicks and punches all throughout the day.  But, you are especially active in the evenings...usually when mommy is just about ready to go to bed!  You wiggle, roll, somersault, kick, stretch, and I'm sure do many more activities and exercises.  And my tummy looks like it's doing the wave!  I love it...I could stare at it for hours when you are moving like that!!!  But, like I said...you are a night owl like your daddy!  But, you do like to run and do WODs with mommy in the mornings.  I can feel you pushing on my tummy throughout my workouts and I love that I get to spend them with you!
  • Seiden Grace...you have completely consumed our hearts.  You are so loved and we can't wait to meet you.  There are so many people lifting you up in prayer, hundreds that we don't even know.  You are one special little girl and I hope that you can always feel God's presence surrounding you.  We love you so much!!!
Only 10 Weeks To Go!!!
These are some of the goodies I bought at Kid's Village!  The changing pad cover and Baby K'tan baby had to be ordered and the high chair was in my car!  The BOB stuff hadn't gotten there yet and I had just ordered the swing...pics to come on those!

My friend, Carrie, insisted on taking this pic of me at school on Wednesday!  I love her so much...she's my sweet friend that threw us a diaper and wipe shower.  But, she thought my sweet belly looked especially cute this day...so here's the pic she took!

This beautiful pink tourmaline eternity band is what I ordered with my b-day money.  It's Seiden's birthstone!  Not only is it her birthstone...but it also just happens to be this beautiful pink tourmaline that represents a girl!  I absolutely love it and what it represents...I will never take it or my wedding bands off!!!

And here's a little throw back pregnancy pictures!!!
This was the day after we found out we were pregnant!  Oh to be that skinny again...it's coming soon!!!

This was at week 10.  I remember thinking that I was starting to get a belly...hahahahahahaha!!!
This is week 20.  Definitely starting to have that precious belly...and loving it!!!
And here we are at week 30!!!

Now that's a belly!!!  And we still have 10 weeks to go!!!


Sunday, August 25, 2013

Do you like butter? Well...I LOVE a BUTTERNUT SQUASH!!! (Week 29)

Praise, PrAiSe, PRAISE!!!  My heart is just exploding with an overwhelming amount of happiness.  Cody and I both could never give God enough glory and praise for all He has done in our lives, but especially for the glimpse of healing that we saw on Tuesday at our doctor's appointment in Ft. Worth on Tuesday.  We had a two week check-up with Dr. Tabor and going into it, we were both so calm, had so much peace and comfort, and just knew that we were going to see something amazing on that sonogram and hear good news from Dr. Tabor's lips.  I have to say...I was getting agitated before the appointment...patience Melissa, patience!  Our appointment was at 10:30 and we finally got called back just a little before noon.  Every time I did start to get irritated (mainly because I was getting hungry!) I just reminded myself that God was healing our girl right there at that very moment.  And...maybe helping me to work on my patience :-)  When we finally did get called back, the sonogram technician came in right away and started our sonogram.  My goodness...Seiden has just grown so much!  They actually didn't measure he legs, tummy, or head this time.  Which is what they measure when they are figuring out how much the baby weighs.  But, she had her legs sticking straight out again and, I swear, they have gotten even longer!  She is definitely gonna be a runner...a girl's gotta take after her momma after all!  Her heart rate was 138, which is the lowest it's ever been.  But the sonogram tech. said that as they get bigger, their heart rate starts to slow down some, but that it was in a perfectly healthy normal range.  We got to see her perfectly beautiful, beating heart pumping every so strongly.  And all her other organs were simply perfect too.  We didn't really get a good picture of her face this time, the little princess was over it I guess.  She kept putting her hands over her face when the technician was trying to get a picture of her face or of her profile.  Do we have a little diva on our hands?!?  The last thing the technician did before she left was measure the amniotic fluid...which was perfect and right on track for 29 weeks!  So far, so good.  Now...we just had to wait on Dr. Tabor to come in and tell us about the cyst.

Thankfully, we only waited on him 10 minutes.  If it was even that long.  This was the first time that Cody got to meet Dr. Tabor in person.  He was able to make it to the appointment this week...which was wonderful!  The guys in Amarillo offered to watch the jobs that he had going on Monday and Tuesday, so he was able to be home for the entire weekend through Tuesday.  It was wonderful having him there!  Before Dr. Tabor came in, Cody laid his hands over my tummy and I laid mine over his and he just prayed.  He prayed for the doctors and he prayed for Seiden and he prayed for God just to show us a glimpse of His miraculous healing.  Such a sweet prayer for a daddy to say over his daughter.  My husband is amazing...I am so lucky to have him and that he will be the daddy of this precious baby girl.  When Dr. Tabor came in, we were excited he was there because we were ready for him to tell us what we already knew.  He started doing the sonogram and found the cyst under her precious little neck.  And then he said it...it hasn't gotten a single bit bigger from two weeks ago and she has definitely grown!  What wonderful news it was to hear out of his mouth!!!  He said that she just looked perfect and that it was absolutely amazing that the cyst hadn't grown.  We both think he was a little shocked at what he saw.  But, we knew who was behind it all and that His healing powers are greater than any doctor could ever describe.  Our King is the Great Physician after all!  Cody even said that when Dr. Tabor was entering the measurements for the cyst in the computer, that the numbers were actually smaller this time.  So...it actually got smaller!  Cody said he saw that 2 weeks ago the cyst was 3.08cm and this time it was 2.89cm.  Right before our very eyes we are seeing God perform a healing miracle on our precious baby girl.  Cody said he can't wait to tell her what all God has done for her one of these days...I agree!

After Dr. Tabor gave us the good news about the cyst, I asked him about going ahead and possible scheduling a date for the C-section.  I'm trying to get everything figured out for work as best I can so that my substitute will be as fully prepared as possible.  With lesson plans and making sure that everything else is covered with all the technology stuff, I just needed to be able to tell my principal and superintendent a tentative date.  And also because Dr. Tabor wants me to come to Ft. Worth 2 weeks before the scheduled date just so that I'm close if I happen to go into early labor (which isn't going to happen!)  He did say that he still wants to do an exit C-section at this point.  It's just less risky for Seiden  because at this point, the doctors still aren't sure if her breathing will be affected when she's born.  By doing the exit C-section, she will still be connected to me after they deliver her head.  So, I will still be supplying her with oxygen while they establish her breathing.  Which, we believe, will be just fine and she will only have to have a breathing tube...if anything at all.  So, after I asked him if we could go ahead and set a tentative date for the C-section, he looked at his phone and gave us a date!  OCTOBER 22nd!!!!!!!!  We are going to have a baby girl in our arms in 2 months...8 weeks...SO EXCITING!!!

Other news this week...I'm officially back to work!  In-service was all this week and it was a great week!  I think I'm just so excited for Seiden to be here that I'm really ready for school to start.  The sooner school starts, the sooner this precious girl will be here!  But, aside from being beyond excited for Seiden's arrival, it was really a great first week back.  I got a ton of stuff done.  From technology and computer stuff to making a serious dent in my lesson plans, I feel pretty accomplished and ready for the kiddos on Monday.  And not only did I get a ton of stuff done for school...but the other reason it was so great is because one of my dear, sweet friends threw us a diaper shower!  Our principal approved for it to be during in-service hours, so it was right after lunch in her classroom and we all had so much fun!  My mom made the trip to Blackwell so that she could be there too and then stayed up there with me and hung out for the remainder of the day.  We had fruit, yummy cookies, punch, and opened tons of diapers and wipes!  I am so blessed to work with such amazing and wonderful people...it is truly like a family.  We just sat around, ate, hung out, and talked for about an hour and a half.  And before it was over, I updated everyone on Seiden and the amazing news from the doctor the day before, and then one of the other teachers offered to pray over us and Seiden before we all went back to our classrooms.  Absolutely amazing.  I am just so thankful for each and everyone at school and am so blessed to get to work with such amazing people each and everyday.  I love my job!!!

And one final thing!  Since Cody was home all weekend and our appointment was on Tuesday, we decided to head to Ft. Worth on Monday afternoon after I got home from school.  Since he is in Amarillo, our plans for a babymoon kinda got put on the back burner.  Which, is totally fine, but also something we had been talking about when we first found out we were pregnant.  We never wanted to do anything extravagant.  Just go to Austin, San Antonio, DFW, or Fredericksburg for a long weekend or something.  He had wanted to surprise me and us go down Saturday morning and come home Tuesday after the appointment, but then I was telling him about starting school on Monday and that kinda squashed those long weekend plans!  So, we just made this our babymoon trip!  We got to Ft. Worth about 6:45 and headed straight to dinner.  I've talked about how much we both love BJ's Brewhouse before.  I mean...this place is amazing!  Every single thing on their menu is mouthwatering.  So, that's where we decided to go for dinner!  And it did not disappoint!  Cody got a BBQ sandwich and I got a Santa Fe Chicken salad...both so, so good!  After dinner, we ran into Babies R Us and just looked around at all the adorable baby things.  We actually didn't buy anything this time.  I know...such a shocker!  But we spent a good 45 minutes in there just walking around and looking at everything and spending extra time on all the adorable clothes.  Then, we headed back to the hotel, watched a movie, and called it a night.  I got up the next morning to go work out, then came back to the room, got ready, then went back down to get coffee, then came back and crawled back in bed and watched some morning TV.  Cody was already up, so we just relaxed a bit before we decided to head out.  Before we went to the hospital, we wanted to run in Super Target and look at all the baby stuff there too.  Can you tell we're obsessed?!?!?  We were in there for just a little bit, then headed to the hospital.  It's only like 5-10 minutes away from where we stayed and all the fun stores, but you never know with traffic.  But, we arrived in plenty of time, so I showed Cody around the parts of the hospital that we may be frequenting when we have appointments and such.  We also sought out the fitness center, you never know when that will come in handy!  All in all...this week was absolutely amazing!  I can't wait to go back to the doctor in 2 weeks and him be in even bigger shock and awe at how the cyst has gotten even smaller...or is completely gone!  We love you so much Seiden Grace!  Our hearts explode for you and knowing we will meet you in 8 weeks is the most overwhelming feeling of love that we could every explain.  We love you so much precious girl...you are a perfect gift from God!!!

Seiden Grace at 29 Weeks:
  • You are 3.1 pounds and are 17 inches long!
  • You are the size of a butternut squash!
  • Your brain continues to grow and develop and is now taking on some very characteristic grooves and indentations.  This allows for an increased amount of brain tissue which will help you for life outside my womb.
  • Your head also continues to grow to make room for your precious, developing bran.
  • Your bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells, which means that you will be able to thrive on your own when you are born.
  • Your muscles and lungs are also continuing to mature.
  • You continue to amaze us each and every day.
  • You are growing and developing and just getting even more beautiful each and everyday.
  • You are so very active and I can even see my tummy doing waves and random jabs as you somersault and wiggle around inside of me.
  • We love you so much Seiden Grace!!!  We can't wait to meet you, hold you, kiss you, tickle you, and love you for the rest of our lives!!!
Only 11 More Weeks to Go!!!



Saturday, August 17, 2013

Remember CABBAGE Patch Kids?!? (Week 28)

Well...this week I turned 28 years old and Seiden 28 weeks old!!!  We both had some pretty fun celebrating to do since we were both turning another year and another week older!  I have said this before and I'll say it again...it's crazy how much can change in one week.  I was thinking back to last week and all the ups and downs that it brought to me and Cody as well as our family and friends.  They were all right along beside us as we struggled to wrap our minds around everything and rejoiced with us as we fully surrendered everything to our Lord and Savior.  And then I was thinking about this week and how much fun it's been.  Not one single day has been without something fun to do or celebrate.  Even the couple of days when I never even got out of my pj's!  Cause that in itself is worth celebrating!!!  Hey...this is the last week of summer vacay...I'm relishing in it!  And, the best part about this week...Cody was home last weekend and he will be home this weekend too!

Last Saturday, he wanted to celebrate my birthday because he was going to be back in Amarillo on the actual day of my birthday...which was Wednesday, August 14th!  He told me earlier on Saturday morning that he had made dinner reservations, but didn't tell me where.  He also told me that it was just going to be him and I...a nice quiet little celebration.  Our reservations were made for 6:30 and the closer we got to where we were going...I was starting to figure out where.  It was Abuelo's!!!  Which is both of our favorite Mexican food restaurant in Abilene...so I was super excited!  I can't remember the last time I ate at Abuelo's and he said he had really been having a craving for it...so it was perfect!  When we walked in, I started to walk up to the hostess stand and Cody passed right by it.  I stopped and looked at him so confused.  I knew we had reservations, but we still had to tell them who we were and that we were here.  He said that the lady had already told  him where our table was and we could go ahead and go right to it when we got there.  Weird...but I figured he was the one that had set everything up, so he grabbed my hand and followed him to the party room in the back.  He stopped a little before we got there so I could go first, and I was like, I'm still not sure where we're going!  So, he just said to go keep going to the party room.  Well...when I walked in there was a table full of inconspicuous people holding menus in front of their faces.  When we were just almost to the table, everyone put down their menus and yelled, "SURPRISE!!!"  My parents, brother, his girlfriend, Shayla, Brent, Bria, and Jansen, Britain and Dallas, and Josh and Abbie were all there surprising me with a fabulous birthday dinner!!!  Cody had called all the girls earlier in the week and they had helped put it all together...totally without me knowing!  And...I had been talking to them all week and even that day about our plans for the weekend.  When I told Abbie that Cody and I were going to celebrate my b-day with dinner that night, she was like...aww have so much fun XOXO!  Totally little sneakers!!!  She was in on it the whole time and totally played it off!  It was absolutely so precious of Cody to do something so special for me for my birthday.  I wouldn't have wanted to spend a birthday dinner with a precious group of friends and family more and it was all so yummy and so fun!  We ate and talked and enjoyed each other for a few hours and it was wonderful!  Britain also got me a sweet, precious card that is sitting on my kitchen counter...so sweet!  After dinner we came back home and Cody decided he wanted to go swimming.  So, we walked across the street to my parents house with Faith and Trigger and they had a swim/playdate with their daddy, Opa, and cousins!  Mom and I sat inside and talked while the boys and dogs relaxed and swam in the pool until nearly 11!  Oh...and I got a fabulous b-day present from my amazing hubby!  A brand new Cannon camera!!!  I know officially have a mommy camera that takes amazing pictures!  I can't wait to learn how to really use it and take pictures...especially of our precious baby girl!  Thanks for the amazing b-day babe...I couldn't have asked for anything better!  I love you so much!

On Sunday after church, Cody wanted to go and receive pray over Seiden and ask for healing for this cyst that our baby girl has on her neck.  He had talked to our pastor, David McQueen earlier in the week about what was going on.  Just mainly to ask for prayers for healing and for God to continue to grow and develop Seiden, keep her healthy, and to not allow this cyst to be any kind of a problem.  When Cody told David that, David said he wanted to pray over us on Sunday after church.  Which is absolutely amazing!  We are so blessed by our church family who is led by an amazing man that takes the time to pray over people and ask for God's healing hands to take over the situation and not allow the enemy to creep in and tell us lies.  So, after church, which is always amazing, we immediately went up to the front to tell David all that was going on and what the doctors had told us the week before.  He laid his hands on my belly, and me, Cody, my mom and dad joined.  He prayed for healing over Seiden and for God to continue to grow her, develop her, keep her healthy, and for him to just was His Holy Spirit over her.  He prayed for peace and for comfort for us and for us to not believe the enemy's lies and to trust and have faith in God that He will absolutely heal her.  He prayed over us and Seiden for awhile, and it was the most powerful thing that I have ever felt in my life.  I had been doing so good since last Wednesday, but after Sunday when David prayed over us, I have absolutely no doubt that this cyst will be nothing.  We are fully putting our faith and trust in God's hands and we believe in His healing powers.  Seiden is His precious baby girl and we know that His will and plan for her is absolutely perfect and we rejoice in knowing that He is in complete control and taking absolute perfect care of her.  God is so good!

Monday, I had a 4 week check-up with Dr. Tadvick and it couldn't have gone better!  Another answer to our prayers!  Seiden's heart rate was 149...absolutely perfect, strong, and healthy.  Mom went with me because Cody was already back in Amarillo.  And I'm always so glad whenever she goes when Cody can't.  We both talked to him for a long time about everything and told him the run down of the appointment the week before with Dr. Tabor.  He reassured me that there could be absolutely nothing wrong with Seiden, and even this cyst really isn't anything "wrong."  It's really just a crazy fluke that no one can really explain.  The only reason that the doctor in Ft. Worth is taking so many precautions and giving us the "worst" case scenario (which is the possibility of a long stay at Cooks) is because of the location of the cyst.  It's on her neck, right by her windpipe and esophagus and could cause her breathing problems the second she is out of my womb.  I don't know about you...but I don't hesitate one second to be as precautionary as possible when it comes to making sure my baby can breathe!  I certainly don't want to (and believe that it won't come to this) stay for months at Cooks, but if it's what's best for her, then absolutely that's what we'll do.  Just knowing that she will be perfectly fine and healthy for the rest of this pregnancy and we have a "plan" to get her here safely, and a "plan" for treating the cyst, is comforting.  I put plan in quotation marks because I know that this is first and foremost all God's plan.  And also because the doctors won't really know what the full "plan" will be when they deliver.  There are so many options for what could happen and it all depends on the size of the cyst when she gets here.  From ensuring she can breath the second she is out of my womb to how the cyst will be treated to how long our stay will be...it's all up in the air until this precious girl enters the world.  Just knowing that there will literally be a team of possibly 20 doctors and nurses doing all they can to make sure our little princess enters this world as easily as possible is comforting.  We have always known that she is special and will be our little princess...know the rest of the world will know it!  Of course...we can't wait to see the look on their faces when Dr. Tabor sees that the cyst is completely gone through God's healing powers!

And finally...my b-day!  I woke up around 6:00 am, just like I always do, to go to the dog house and run and do a WOD.  It was a great run and the WOD I did was Helen...which I LOVE!  It's 3 rounds for time: run a 400m, 21 KB swings, and 12 pull-ups.  Let me say...it took me A LOT longer to do it 28 weeks pregnant than it did the last time I did it not pregnant!  The last time I did Helen, I did it in 9:16.  I honestly have no idea how long it took me...I didn't time myself...but I would say it probably took me at least twice that!  It takes me a little longer to run...mainly because I have to watch my heart rate.  So I can't full out sprint right now.  And...being 10lbs heavier is tough doing those pull-ups!  I did all the KB swings unbroken and am still using the 16kg (35lb) KB...but I had to break the pull-ups into 6 and 6.  All and all...not bad for a prego girl!  I love running...it's so freeing...so I couldn't imagine doing anything else other than a one mile run and a WOD with running in it to celebrate my b-day!  When I got home from the dog house, my sweet babies greeted me with kisses and loving.  And then I noticed something sitting on my kitchen counter.  It was a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my dad and 3 sets of Bath and Body works lotion and shower gels from my mom!  She had snuck over while I was working out so that it would be waiting for me when I got home...so sweet!  My parents are amazing!  My dad is in Midland working...so they gave me another present on Sunday before he left.  Which was the new Coach Poppy perfume...it smells amazing!  I love being girly and all the fun smelly good stuff...so getting pampered with new perfume and shower gels and lotions was fabulous!  My mom, brother, and Shayla took me out to lunch as well.  We went to Abi Haus.  Which is a fairly new, absolutely amazing, restaurant in Downtown Abilene.  Lunch was amazing and it was so fun eating with everyone...Michael had us laughing the whole time!  Of course...we missed my dad and Cody being there...it's not the same without them!  And...I got an Express gift card from Michael and Victoria's Secret gift card from Shayla...my two favorites!!!  They are already burning holes in my pocket.  But, I've decided to save them and treat myself to some new things when Seiden is born!  After lunch, I headed home and a little bit later, Cody's mom and dad came by to see me.  They both gave me sweet cards and some money for my b-day and got to see Seiden's nursery.  I love spending time with them...so it was great getting to visit with each of them for a bit.  Then, I just spent the rest of the day relaxing!  Oh...and mom and I went to Nikki's for a b-day celebration treat!  It was a great day and I am excited for what 28 will bring!

And an update on Seiden!  She is such a little wiggle worm!  She is so active and it is amazing feeling her move and wiggle inside me.  I still mainly feel her when I'm being still, but I can feel her more and more whenever I'm working out, moving around, or just standing up.  But, when I'm laying or sitting down, you can seriously see my stomach moving at times!  She is a strong little girl and does not hesitate to let you know that she is wide awake and doing her WODs or gymnastic routines!  And because she is getting bigger and stronger, other people are really starting to get to feel her too!  Cody still just loves on her all the time and gives her so much love and she gives it right back!  My parents have felt her, my brother has felt her, and even some of our friends have felt her!!!  There is nothing in this world that I love more than feeling her move around.  Every time I feel her I just say a little prayer and give God thanks for continuing to lay His hands on her.  Knowing she is growing, developing, and getting stronger and healthy is amazing and I can't imagine how much more I will feel her the bigger she gets!  And...I have to make a shout out to my BFF and Sis, Amie (Witt) Turnage.  She opened up her Etsy shop this week and I bought Seiden the MOST adorable burp cloths!!!  The name of her shop is Witt's End Design (to take you directly to her shop...click on the name of the shop!) and it is absolutely adorable.  She is selling custom diaper cakes, onesies, and burp clothes, and she takes custom orders.  Seiden will be receiving many more things from my sweet Sis's shop...so excited you opened this Amie!!!  Seiden Grace...you are so very precious to us!  We could never put into words how much we love you.  We are counting down the weeks until we get to hold you in our arms and give you all the love that our hearts could ever pour out!!!

Seiden Grace at 28 Weeks:
  • You are 17 inches long and weigh 2.9lbs!!!
  • You are the size of a small cabbage!!!
  • Your beautiful skin is smoothing out as you continue to grow and put on that precious baby fat.
  • Your teeth buds formed weeks ago, but you are now forming buds for your permanent teeth in your gums as well.
  • Movement, sounds, light, and anything I eat has got you jabbing, kicking, doing somersaults, etc. because you are stronger and excitedly respond to all sorts of stimuli!
  • I love working out with you in the mornings.  You continuously do WODs with me (you always push on me...especially when we run!) and then when we get home, you practice your gymnastic routines by doing flips and somersaults!
  • You can now blink your beautiful eyes!
  • And...those beautiful eyes that we'll soon be staring into have now grown gorgeous lashes!
  • You are absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way and we love you with all our hearts!!!
Only 12 More Weeks To Go!!!

These are the burp cloths I bought from Amie of Witt's End Design on Etsy!  Seriously...they are the cutest things I've ever seen.  So stylish and, yet, so functional.  The fabric is designer fabric and the back is the softest of chenille fabrics.  You can't get any better than that!!!

All of our sweet friends and little brother (and parents who were taking the pic) who came to celebrate my birthday with me!  You made this day so special for me and I love you all so very much!!!
Me and my precious hubby after getting home from the birthday celebration!!!  Yes...I'm still wearing my 6 inch heals at 28 weeks pregnant...and don't think I won't be trucking into the hospital in them when it's time to deliver!!!
Our sweet Faith!  She's our beautiful little chocolate kiss!!!  Trying out our new camera on our favorite models...the lovies!!!

Oh Sarge!  He always thinks he's getting in trouble...then we told him he was getting a cookie and all was right with the world!
Precious Trigger!!!  She is definitely the best little model...she loves getting her picture taken!  She knows she's a star!
And of course we couldn't not take a picture of our precious, beautiful Seiden!!!  I can't believe how big she's getting!!!



Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A Precious Little Flower...a CAULIFLOWER to be Exact!!! (Week 27)

Well...this week has been a flood of emotions.  From the highest of the high to the lowest of the low.

The week started off absolutely amazing because my dear, sweet, precious friends threw us a fabulous baby shower!!!  Amie, Abbie, Bria, Britain, Jacki, Julie Pruitt, and Leah were all hostesses for our baby shower on Sunday.  Everything was perfect.  From the invitations, to the food, drinks, decorations, people that came, and all the love and support that we got from everyone.  It was an absolute overwhelming feeling to be surrounded by so many people that blessed us with so many things for Seiden.  There was not a single thing that I didn't like.  I can't wait for her to wear all the clothes, shoes, hats, and headbands she got.  I can't wait to read her the books that she received and I can't wait for her to play with all her toys.  And I can't wait to use everything that will help make our lives so much easier when she comes.  From a diaper pail, bobby, bumbo, video monitor, breast pump, diapers, wipes, etc...we are now officially ready for our precious little girl to arrive!!!  It was such an amazing day.  I had so much fun opening up every single present and seeing all the precious people there that came.  I could never thank my precious friends enough for going above and beyond to throw us and Seiden such an absolutely perfect shower.  I sure do love them more than I could ever express!!!  We are truly blessed!

On Monday, I had another doctors appointment in Ft. Worth with Dr. Tabor.  Cody had to work all weekend long, so he wasn't able to come in.  Plus, the appointment was scheduled for 10:30 in the morning...and it would have been a long day of driving or even flying for him to make it in.  So, my mom went with me!  Cody was on the phone the whole time...I had him on speaker.  So, he didn't miss anything.  He just wasn't physically there.  Before Dr. Tabor came in, the sonogram technician came in and did a very thorough sonogram.  Which was awesome because we got to watch her for nearly 15 minutes!  She was so, so active!  The technician kept trying to get measurements of her head and Seiden kept wiggling around so much that she finally had to come back at the very end to get the measurement!  Let me tell you...this girl has LONG legs!!!  I guess that explains her big feet :-)  But I can honestly say that she comes by it naturally.  I'm only 5'3" and my legs are only about an inch shorter than Cody's...who is 6'1"!  I have the shortest trousseau on the planet...so I'm just all legs...and I have a feeling she may be the same way after seeing her legs stuck straight out in the sonogram!  She weighed 2 pounds and 4 ounces...so she had gained 4 ounces in just one week!  Her heart rate was 155 and it was absolutely wonderful to see it...all 4 chambers of it...working perfectly.  It is just such a sweet sound to hear that baby's heartbeat pumping so strongly inside of you!  All her other organs were growing and developing just as they should with her growth and she couldn't be more healthy!  The technician also stayed on her chest and tummy area for a little bit to make sure that she was swallowing and breathing normally.  The scare with the cyst is that it could put pressure on her esophagus and windpipe and cause those two things to become difficult for her.  But she was steadily swallowing and breathing...just like she should be.  Then, the technician measured my amniotic fluid to be absolutely certain that the cyst on Seiden's neck wasn't causing her breathing and swallowing to become inhibited.  It was perfect and measured just as it should be.  All in all...everything about Seiden is perfect!  She is growing, developing, breathing, and swallowing perfectly!  After the technician left, we just had to wait on Dr. Tabor to come in and give us a run down on the growth (or non-growth) of the cyst.

I am not a very patient person...and I was getting really hungry and desperately had to pee!  When there is a 2 pound 4 ounce baby pushing on your bladder...it starts to get bad after awhile!  But, we waited on Dr. Tabor to come in for about 45 minutes.  When he came in, he seemed very pleased with how wonderful everything looked.  As far as everything besides this cyst goes...it couldn't be more perfect.  He started to do a sonogram and I could tell by the look on his face and his tone of voice that he was suddenly not pleased with something.  My heart started beating a mile a minute wondering what he had seen and what was about to come out of his mouth.  The news that he told us, wasn't new news from the previous time we had seen him.  But, it was just more confirmed that this wasn't going to be a "normal" delivery.  He said things like, "I'm not as optimistic" and "This is more concerning" than it was 4 weeks ago.  I could feel the lump in my throat starting to form and all I could think was, "hold it together Mel...just get through the rest of this appointment before you break down."  I just have this mentality that I have to be strong and suck it up and just push through.  Well...I made it through the rest of the appointment...but as soon as mom and I stopped in the restroom before we headed out of the building...I absolutely lost it.  I think everything that I have been hearing since we found out about this cyst just sank in and hit me all at once.  More than that, he said that he felt like the cyst had grown and there was also another little place where it looked like it could possibly put more pressure on her esophagus and windpipe.  He also said that we were really looking at probably doing an exit C-section.  Which is where I will be put completely under (Cody won't be able to be in the room), the will start the procedure, get her head out, then clamp my uterus, figure out if she needs a breathing tube or a tracheotomy, then finish the rest of the delivery.  They want her to still be connected to me while they figure out if she needs help breathing based on the size of the cyst.  That way, I am still supplying her with oxygen if she does have trouble breathing while the doctors are working on getting her assistance with breathing.

And then...the next part is probably what got to me the most.  She could possibly be at Cook's for months while the cyst is treated.  MONTHS!!!  And the part that is the worst is that we have no idea how many months.  However, they won't be doing surgery.  Which is great...but the reason she could be there for so long.  I can't remember what exactly what the fluid is that they will inject into the cyst.  But, it basically causes the cyst to harden up and then be reabsorbed into her body.  And, they won't let us go home with her until it is showing no signs of causing her breathing problems and is completely gone.  I was absolutely heartbroken thinking about our tiny, sweet, precious baby girl spending the first months of her life in a hospital, hooked up to machines, and not at home.  Even though she will be in the absolute best possible hospital with the best doctors worldwide...it was still a gut wrenching feeling.  All anyone wants to do when they have a baby on the way is spend the standard 1-4 days in the hospital and take their baby home.  I had been thinking about the holidays...Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's...all being at home with her and celebrating these joyous times as a brand new family.  It was like those "plans" were just taken from me.  All not a big deal in the scheme of things...but just one of the many things I thought about when I was thinking about what our future might be like.  And of course...I broke down again when I was talking to my mom about the dogs.  Seiden is our absolute priority and will be from now on.  But, I couldn't help but be heartbroken at thinking what the dogs will think.  I told my mom, "they'll think we abandoned and neglected them!"  Of course...they wouldn't be alone.  We have so many family and friends that would be here to love on them while we're gone.  And my mom even said that she would bring them to us...even if she had to go and come in a day with them or stay in a pet friendly hotel over night.  Precious, precious.

I went back and forth for the rest of the day with being ok and holding it together to just breaking down and sobbing on my mom's shoulder.  After the appointment, we went to lunch, then to a couple of stores.  We were in the middle of Macy's when I completely lost it.  I had just talked to Cody and he told me he was in the process of coming home for the night.  He knew I needed him there with me after the news from the doctor.  After I got off the phone with him, I was just overcome with emotion.  I was so thankful that I have a husband who knows me.  He knows that I try to be strong and hold it together.  When really, I just need to be hugged, and cry, and let it all out.  He was also shaken up after hearing everything.  Like I said, it wasn't new news when it came to the exit C-section or possible long hospital stay.  It was just the news that these were more likely going to be the case for us and for Seiden...and that is the last thing we want for our daughter.  We just want to have everything be prefect and go smoothly...and this is so beyond our control.  But after I hung up with him and I found my mom, she could tell I was on the verge of tears, and she just hugged me in the middle of the store and I cried on her shoulder until the tears stopped.  I lost it a couple more times on the way home when we would talk about everything, but by the time we got home I was better.  And...when I got home...one of our precious friends, Abbie, had left us a sweet present on our doorstep.  She had written us a sweet note full of kind and encouraging words, a pink bunny lovie for Seiden, and a bag of some of my favorite cookies.  When I read the note she had written, it brought me to tears.  It is such an overwhelming, wonderful feeling to be surrounded by so many precious friends.  We are truly blessed by them each and everyday.  When Cody got home, I was doing better.  He wrapped me up in his arms and we just stood there with the dogs standing beside us for a long time.  Then, we ran and got dinner, watched some TV, talked, looked at everything we had gotten at the shower, and went to bed.  He got up on Tuesday morning to go back to Amarillo right after I had gotten back from working out.  Even though he wasn't there for long, him being there meant more than I could ever put into words.  As the day went on on Tuesday, I still had some up and down moments.  I did a lot of research on Cooks NICU, looked into my insurance and what my policy was, and called my school to let them know that about the possibility of not coming back for longer than I had originally thought.

Most of the day was good.  I cried a lot of happy tears when I was looking at all the information on Cooks NICU.  I knew Cooks was amazing.  But I had NO idea just how absolutely wonderful the people that work there are.  Not only are the doctors and nurses the best in the world, but they are also wonderful people who truly care about you and your baby.  You are not just another patient.  They make you a priority and you are special to them and their team.  It even says in there that they want the parents to be absolutely involved in every aspect of what's going on.  They leave no stone unturned...and you know every tiny detail about what's going on.  They also have single family rooms where parents stay when they are there for long periods of time.  There's a couch that pulls out into a queen sized bed, lighting that you can adjust for you and baby, a full shower and bathroom, Wi-Fi, a breast pump, and the baby stays in there with you when they are well enough to come out of the NICU nursery.  There's also a place where you can store food...it's basically a mini kitchen.  It's for all families that are staying in those single rooms, but it's just nice to know that we can bring food from home and keep it up there.  She will literally be in the best hands known to this world when it comes to her medical care and there will be a whole team of doctors and nurses there to make sure that every one of her needs is met and they have skipped no step in making sure that she is on the road to recovery.  And as far as the insurance goes...I have FirstCare through school.  And it is an amazing policy!  Of course...if it cost an infinity amount of dollars...we would find a way to make it work.  We would pay any amount of money to make sure she was taken care of and that cyst is gone.  But, just knowing that our absolute maximum out of pocket amount is something that we will be able to afford was just an answer to our prayers.  One of many answers I was soon to be finding out.  And I talked to my school and even though it's going to be a little difficult on us all...they said that I need to do whatever I need to do and be gone for however long I need to until Seiden is home and that cyst is gone.  Not only do I work with amazing people and have amazing administrators...but God was just starting the healing process for me with looking into those three things.

There was one point in time on Tuesday where I just let my mind start to wander and I totally opened the door for the enemy to come in and start telling me lies.  I started worrying that there might be more wrong than just this cyst.  I thought, "what if it's a genetic, trisomy, or chromosomal issue and we just haven't been told?"  Tell me that's not the enemy sneaking in when I am most vulnerable and weak.  I sure as heck know it wasn't from God.  I was sitting on the couch whenever this happened and the dogs immediately came over to me to see what was wrong.  Faith was nuzzled under my neck and Trigger was sitting in my lap with her head on my head and Sarge sitting on the floor looking very concerned.  I really started to loose it and got up to put them outside because they were starting to get worked up too.  After I put them outside, I went into our bedroom and literally fell to my hands and knees.  The only thing that I could do was surrender this entire situation to God, which I hadn't done.  I was still trying to be in control and make "plans."  I jus started praying out loud.  I prayed against the enemy coming into my mind and telling me these lies, I declared that I was giving this situation to Him, and I prayed in Jesus' name that He would heal Seiden while she was still in my womb.  I cried and prayed down on my knees for a long time and I started to feel this sense of comfort and peace wash over me.  My tears started drying up and I was able to stand up.  When I did, I took a deep breath and I just knew that He had this.  It was never mine to try to handle alone and once I fully surrendered Seiden and the cyst and this pregnancy to Him, I knew that He was in full control and His hands were all over all of us.  I felt such a comfort and peace and I knew it was God telling me that Seiden was going to be fine and He would heal her.  Even if that means that it's through these doctors that He's placed us in the hands of and given these talents and abilities too...He will heal her.  I love that my amazing God is the King over this entire universe and He cares enough about me, Cody, and Seiden to take the time to come over us and give us comfort and peace in a situation that is scary and unknown.  The thing is, is that with God's presence and His sense of peace and comfort, I'm not scared and I know that He's got this and will take care of Seiden and will heal her.  Cody and I are both finding that this has become a greater blessing in more ways than we'll ever know.  But, as of right now, our relationship is stronger, our prayer life is stronger, our individual and marital relationship with God is stronger, our family is becoming stronger and closer, our friends are surrounding us and loving us in ways that we could never have imagined, and we are growing in our faith and trust in God more and more everyday.  We give all the glory to Him each and everyday and we couldn't be more thankful for how He's taken care of Seiden and continues to grow and develop her into the perfect little girl that she is.

After Tuesday, I felt more like myself and I continued to just feel a sense of peace and comfort from God.  I had to go and do some lab work before my next appointment with Dr. Tadvick and after I did that, I went up to mom's office for a bit.  We watched a video about Cooks NICU and I started crying happy tears knowing that if that's where we'll be...then I know for sure God has placed us right where we should be.  She and I went and had lunch and then ran into Kid's Village to look around a bit, then I dropped her back off at her office, and came home.  Early afternoon, I got a phone call from both Dr. Maberry and Dr. Tadvick.  I absolutely know that God was telling them to call me.  They were both calling to check on me and see if we had any questions about all that was going on.  They had both just gotten Dr. Tabor's notes back and wanted to just talk about everything.  Both of them said the same thing.  That Seiden has absolutely nothing wrong with her and this cyst is just a fluke that will be healed.  It will cause her no problems and once it's gone, it will be as if it never happened.  She is growing and developing, her heart is perfect, and all her organs are functioning perfectly.  They also both talked about the fact that if I can't deliver here, that Dr. Tabor is the best of the best.  They told me that he is an expert in doing exit C-sections and he knows exactly what the best possible options will be to ensure that Seiden gets here smoothly.  It was just so nice to talk to them both and to hear such good news from them about Seiden and to know that we couldn't be in better hands.  Which...of course we couldn't be in better hands.  God has placed us exactly where He wants us and in the hands of these, more than capable, doctors.  It is all part of His plan and His will and they are all perfect.  Seiden Grace...we are so very thankful for you.  You are a blessing and a miracle sent to us from our amazing Heavenly Father.  We cannot wait to meet you, love you, and care for you for the rest of your life.  We love you so, so much!!!

And...one more thing.  Faith turned 5 years old on August 6th!!!  I can't believe that we have had our precious Faithy girl for 5 whole years.  She is absolutely my baby and I love her so!!!  I love all three of our babies...so so much!  But, Faith holds a special place in my heart and always will.  I know that when Seiden comes, she is going to be like another momma to her.  She already loves this sweet baby so much!  She lays her head on my tummy, and when I can't find her, I know she is in Seiden's room.  Usually laying in front of her crib.  I can't wait for them to meet!  Faith gives the sweetest sugars, snuggles up to you when you are down or not feeling good in such a precious way, loves to go swimming, loves to go on runs, loves Starbuck's runs, loves to go see Mimi in Hamilton, she is very much a daddy's girl, and she is so very precious to me!  Happy 5th Birthday precious Faith!!!  We love you so much!!!

Seiden Grace at 27 Weeks:
  • You are the size of a head of a cauliflower!
  • You weigh 2.5 pounds and are 16 inches long!!!
  • You are having sweet, precious dreams because your brain wave activity has increased and could also be measured by your different sleep cycles, including rapid eye movement. 
  • You are now blinking your beautiful little eyes!
  • You are also coughing, sucking, and breathing better and better as you grow.
  • Your lungs have almost reached the point of full maturity.
  • You are waking and sleeping at regular intervals...and mommy always knows when you are awake!
  • You are so very active and I LOVE feeling you wiggle, bump, stretch, and somersault inside me!
  • Your daddy loves feeling you move too and he just talks to you and loves on you all the time.
  • Your Bella also got to feel you move this week!  She had her hand on mommy's tummy and you pushed right up on it and made her hand move!  You are very strong!!!
  • You are growing more and more everyday and you are absolutely beautiful and perfect in everyday.
  • Mommy and Daddy love you so, so much Seiden Grace!!!  We can't wait to meet you!!!
Only 13 More Weeks To Go!!!