Emerson:: 2 Months

Emmy Boo:: Emmy Loo:: Apple Dumplin'

2 months old, little sweet thing.

Weight: 13 lbs 13 ounces

Height: Dr. Appt this week

Diapers: Target's Size 2

Clothes: most are 3-6 months

Nurses: around the clock

7-10-1-4-7-10{{ish}}

Mommys Diet Limitations: No milk, yogurt, etc. 

Some cheese.

Very limited caffeine.

Sleeps: in our room, beside me, in a bassinet

Naps: on the go, in her bed, in her swing

Smiling, talking, cooing, little laughs here and there

Such a little joy.

A pleasant little soul.

So very thankful she's ours.

recipe:: ganny's 'nanner bread

i love banana bread & i cherish this recipe.

i had one in my recipe book but on a whim i called my grandmother for her recipe.

it's fool proof.

it's perfect every single time.

i always have a mental debate in my head...add vanilla??  add pineapple??  add nuts??

but, i always stick to the tried and true recipe

so, here you go::

ganny's 'nanner bread

ingredients::

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

1 stick softened butter

3 tbsp buttermilk

{if you don't have buttermilk:: 1/8 cup milk with 1 tsp vinegar}

{{this makes almost 3 tbsp, but i always measure anyways}}

2-3 bananas

directions::

sift flour, salt & soda in small bowl

set aside

mix sugar & butter in large bowl

add eggs, banana & buttermilk

gradually add in flour

bake at 300 for 30 min or until golden brown

serve warm with a dolup of butter on top

enjoy!

happy tuesday friends!

Weekend

This weekend we had Lance home all weekend long.

No work.  No duck hunting.

It was a welcome weekend for sure. 

He'd been gone 3 days on a duck hunting trip to Arkansas so it was so nice to have him home all weekend.

Nothing fancy, just together.

Cooked together Friday night.
Steaks on the grill.  Fresh green beans.  Home made french fries.

Saturday morning the boys went to Lowes and got a donut.

We spent the whole day at home working on home projects.

The washer and dryer were moved to their rightful spots.

The pumps under the house were fixed so it didn't sound haunted when they ran.

Took a family nap.

Mexican for supper.

Sunday we all slept in.

We've yet to go to church since Emerson was born.

And probably we'll wait until February or March just to be safe.  

I think church should be germ-free.

We ran to Lowes and Joann.
We watched more episodes of LOST than I care to admit.
We cooked supper together again.  The boys had duck.  I had fish.

And- sweet potato hash.  Can we talk about Sweet Potato hash?!  It's my new favorite.
Chop up a sweet potato in small chunks.  Pulse in the Ninja till it's fine consistency.
Cook in the skillet with a little butter and brown sugar.
AMAZING.
Another way I've cooked it was to chop up an onion tiny too and saute it first with some olive oil.
Add in sweet potato and a generous helping of salt and pepper.
Cover and let cook.
Both are really good, even if you overcook a little to make it crunchy.

Also, apparently I've become the crazy bird lady.
Ever since we made pine cone bird feeders, the birds  have been coming around regularly.
We have an open lot next to us and it's filled with Blue Jays.
I got a bird feeder last week and the birds finally found it this weekend.
I so enjoy watching the little lovies.

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

First Time Obedience

My little buddy.

I love this boy.

HOWEVER, with the new addition of little sister, we've had some adjusting to do.

Listening has been one of our biggest struggles.

I found myself asking him to do something over and over again.

I was so over counting to 3 or threatening punishment.

This would end in frustration and tears for us both.

And several calls and text to daddy.

I had read about first time obedience from a friend of mine and she recently posted about it again.

I had begun working on first time obedience but was having trouble with the follow through. 

However, with a little positive reinforcement it's really started to click.

It goes a little something like this:

ME: Easton, can you please get your toys picked up in your room so we can have lunch?

Easton: raises eyebrow and frowns as if to tell me no.

ME: Yes ma'am (and begin to help him with whatever the task is)

Thank you for doing that the first time I asked.

Something so simple, yet so effective.

For an entire day, I'd do this, every time I needed his help.

By lunch time the second day, he was doing it on his own.

He'd do what I had asked and then with a big smile look up and say 'one time, mommy?'

He knew he'd done the right thing!

I'd praise him for it and we went on about our day.

Some days we still have trouble, but it doesn't take long for him to remember.

It's also a nice reminder to me that raising my voice really isn't necessary.

As my nana has told me, speak softly.

It's amazing how just some positive reinforcement and a kind tone work wonders!

My favorite baby products

This time around, I've found a few products that I didn't have with Easton.

I thought I'd share my favorites.

Happy Baby Wrap

I knew I wanted to try babywearing this time around and thank goodness Emerson loves it.

My sister in law let me borrow her Happy Wrap and her Sakura Sling and we love both.

I feel like I am more handsfree with the Happy Wrap and find myself using that one the most.

With a very active 3 (almost 4!!!) year old, it's important to have my hands free!

We were able to tackle WalMart, me and 2 kids, this week with the Happy Wrap.

I do wish I had a shield for her face because people do tend to want to get close when they look so cute bundled up.

Medela Pump 

I pumped for a year or more with Easton.

I nursed, but had to pump at work for his bottles for school.

This time around I am trying to pump just to build up a supply in the freezer.

It's a challenge to see just how much I can store up.

It's nice to know if I need to get out, there's milk in the freezer for daddy, should he need it.

aiden + anais blankets

I had heard wonderful things about these blankets before we had Emerson.

I didn't have them with Easton but my mom and my MIL gifted us with a set.

They are wonderful!

Lightweight and breathable for my hot natured baby.

We swaddle her every night, arms out, in these blankets.

They are a great size for laying on the floor too.

A great gift for any new mom!

Samsung BabyVIEW Video Monitor

I knew I wanted a video monitor this time.

My nana always wants to buy useful gifts, so she put me on the hunt for something we needed and this is what I came up with.

My friend Ashley posted about this monitor while I was pregnant, so that saved me from having to research myself.

So far, we really like it.  I like that I can see her without having to go in her room.

Not that we've had many crib naps but it's nice to have.

It doesn't interfere with Easton's monitor either so that's a plus.

Fisher-Price My Little Snugamonkey Rock & Play Sleeper

And this is where the little Apple Dumplin sleeps.

She's not a fan of flat on her back so this has come in handy.

I was able to borrow this from a friend and we love it.

With Emerson's diagnosis, it's important that she get up every 3-4 hours to eat so I like having her close.

This little seat is so cozy and snuggly and has the perfect incline.

It's lightweight and easy to move around.

I carry it to the bathroom and she sits in there while I shower.

Its a lot easier to move than the pack-n-play.

So, what are some of your favorites?

Have you found you use different things on the 2nd (3rd, 4th) child or do you tend to use the same?

7 weeks of emerson

I couldn't decide between these 2 pictures...so...here's week 7.  

Little sweet sister.

I can't believe it's already been 7 weeks.

The first 4 to 5 weeks we were eating around the clock.

2 hours, sometimes less.

Tired momma.

I think we've finally turned a corner, and are now at 3 to 4 hours consistently.

This provides a lot more freedom to get out and about as we need to.

As I said here, she has to eat at minimum every 4 hours anyways.

Sleep at night is pretty good.  Our last feeding is at 10 and then she starts stirring around 1/2 & 4/5.

After the 4/5am feeding she snuggles up next to me and we sleep till around 7 or 7:30.

We start our day at 7:30 and follow our 7-10-1-4-7-10 routine like we did with Easton.

Naps.  Well.  Naps happen.

There is no consistency yet in napping.

We're working on naps in the crib, but not forcing it.

I did the 'cry it out' method with Easton, but I don't know if I'll do that with Emerson or not.

I feel a lot more laid back with Emerson, than I was with Easton.

I do like routine and schedule, but hey, if she naps in the swing or on the go or in a wrap, at least she naps.

She likes the Happy Wrap & the Sakura ring sling.

Thanks to my SIL for letting me borrow!  They are a life saver!

This is very helpful at dinner time!

She takes a passi.  I'd prefer the thumb but she seems to like the passi most of the time.

She's awake a lot more now so it's fun to see her little sweet eyes.

She's got a twinkle just like her brother did..her brother does.

We got our first smile on December 30th, in the Lowe's parking lot.  

She gives us smiles several times a day.

Sometimes we'll get a giggle too.

We are mainly dairy free, just like with Easton.

No milk, cheese or yogurt.

Its a big help with fussiness 

She really is a delight.

She has a soft sweet spirit and is such a welcome addition to our little family.

diy:: footprint & handprint plaster keepsake

My mother in law made a plaster casting of Easton's hand and foot when he was a baby and I love it.

I knew I wanted Emerson to have one too, so this week we got to work.

Easton's was done at 5 weeks, Emerson at 6.

The earlier the better, in my opinion.

I was with her when she did Emerson's and I jotted down the instructions.

First, you will need Window Glazing (Lowe's or Home Depot or any other home improvement store)

Pottery Plaster/ Plaster of Paris (Craft store)

A Cool Whip Bowl or the bottom of a bleach bottle, cut off.

Plastic Spoon

Some sort of disposable bowl and spoon to mix the plaster in.

Directions:

Put enough window glaze in the bowl to be about an inch thick.

Smooth it out as best as you can with the plastic spoon, using the back side of the spoon.

You want this part as flat as possible because this will be the front of the cast.

Place childs hand or foot in putty, making sure to press evenly on each finger/toe/palm/heel.

Remove hand.

Mix the plaster as directed on the container.

You'll want this to be the consistency of thick batter.

**Make sure to mix this in something you don't mind throwing away as it will harden on bowl**

**DO NOT rinse bowl in sink as it will harden in your drain**

Once plaster is desired consistency, pour over the top of the mold in the bowl.

Tap the bowl, mold & plaster, on the counter a few minutes to get out any bubbles from pouring.

Let harden 30-60 minutes.

Cut the side of the bowl away from the plaster and mold and pop out.

Plaster will come right off of the window glaze mold.

With a fine grit sand paper, smooth the edges, front & back and the flat surface of the cast.

And there you have it.

A sweet little hand & foot to remember just how tiny they once were.  

(emerson's hand)

(easton's foot)

Daddy's little duck hunter

When we found out we were having a girl, I called it.

The boys will go with the boys, and the girls will stick together.

I wasn't sure how I felt about this, having always been 'one of the boys'.

But here of late, Lance and Easton have been having some fun quality time duck hunting.

And it's rather heart warming to see them work together to get their stuff ready and spend time with each other.

Easton thinks he is THE COOLEST kid on the block when he gets to go hunting with Daddy.

He walks around with confidence as he prepares for the trip.

He layers up, gets his new waders on (that would fit a 10 year old boy, but he HAD TO HAVE THEM for Christmas), he requests face paint, he gets all the snacks into his camo backpack.

They head out the door, boys to the duck blind, girls at home.

It's a nice break for all of us I think.

Easton absolutely worships the ground Lance walks on.

And Lance has the patience of Job when he's got Easton one on one.

He gives him all the details of what to do, where to go, how to call the ducks.

Lets him stand in the water, just because he can.

Lets him help drive the boat.

It's really a beautiful relationship.

I do miss being 'one of the boys' but I know they're building a lifelong friendship & I am so thankful for that.

VLCAD:: abnormal newborn screening

Now that we have some peace of mind and clarity, I'll update on what we've been going through. 

Emerson had an abnormal newborn screening.

They called us from the pediatricians office the Tuesday after she was born and sent us straight to Vanderbilt.

After a series of blood draws and heel pricks, it was confirmed that Emerson has VLCAD.

VLCAD was fatal prior to newborn screenings but as the geneticist has reminded us, 'we know that she has this and we know how to treat it.'

VLCAD means for Emerson that she cannot use the fats that normal people use.  Her body cannot process very long chain fats.  Where our bodies turn fat into energy, hers cannot use the very long chain fats.  There are a few different levels of this disease, hers being the mild form.  Praise Jesus.

We are still learning about this very rare disease.  The first thing they want to make sure of, is that her heart it healthy.  We had an EKG a few weeks back that was normal and an Echo cardiogram on Friday and the results came back from that today.  Results from that were all normal as well.  Praise the Lord!!!! 

With VLCAD, if her body gets too many very long chain fats, her heart has to work extra hard to try to process them.  Thus enlarging her heart.  If in this echo, or any future echo's, would have shown any sort of enlargement of her heart we will supplement breast milk with formula- a formula containing the medium chain fats only.  Breast milk is very high in fat.  After speaking with the geneticist Friday, and understanding more about what that 'supplementing' would look like, we have decided to continue breastfeeding until the echocardiogram tells us to do differently.  I don't feel it's best at this time to stop breast feeding 'just in case'.  It's a bond I treasure and wish to continue as long as possible.  We will closely monitor her heart for the first 6 months of her life to ensure there is no enlargement.  After that we will begin her on a heart healthy diet with an addition of MCT oil to provide her those medium chain fats.  MCTs are a fat source for patients who cannot tolerate other types of fats.

The second thing they routinely monitor is her CPK enzymes.  This would show any muscle break down.  That blood test was performed on Friday as well and CPK enzymes are all normal.

The danger with VLCAD comes in times of fasting or times of sickness.  If Emerson were to get the flu or a stomach virus or something else that causes her to not eat we would go directly to the hospital.  Her geneticist would then request an iv of sugar water to keep her blood sugar up until she got over the virus.  To me, it sounds like it all starts with her blood sugar.  If we keep that in check in times of sickness, we are on the safe side.  We are all now on high alert for germs and sickness, even more so than before. I don't think God could have given her to a more perfect family as far as germ awareness goes.  If you know me at all, you know that I am a major freak when it comes to germs and sickness.  So, if I ask you if you are healthy if you're coming for a visit or to wash your hands

For now, times of fasting, for Emerson means anything over 4 hours.  So she MUST eat every 3-4 hours around the clock for at least the next year.  At that point we will evaluate how her body responds to no food for certain periods of time and go from there.  So, don't ask me if my child is sleeping through the night yet, cause, that's a no. 

We now have a geneticist, a cardiologist and soon we will have a nutritionist to help with her diet (and ours).  If she's going to be on restriction, we all are.  We could all stand to be on a heart-healthy diet.  I never could have imagined having a team of doctors looking over my child's health but I am thankful for the amazing children's hospital that we have close by and for this group that knows about this disease. 

This is all I know for now.  At least all I feel somewhat comfortable having an educated discussion about.  There are many things we don't yet know.  What her life will look like, only time will tell. Her doctor did say that he expects her quality of life to be excellent and as a mother, you can't ask for more.

Yes, this diagnosis is heartbreaking.  Yes, this could cause some 'disruption to our lives' in the future.  But I am so very thankful for newborn screening and that we KNOW this about Emerson and we know how to care for her the very best we can.

The doctor told us best case scenario would be that we caught this early enough and that hopefully all we will have to do is monitor her through her life but she'd never show any symptoms or complications. 

We are believing in best case scenario.  We ask that you pray for that for her as well. 

 

God has really been working on me lately.  My faith.  Sitting still.  Believing.  But that's for another post.

Content. My word for 2014.

Ok. Here we go.

My word of the year is CONTENT.

I'm reading Calm My Anxious Heart as I get time and it's speaking volumes to me.

I like control.

"I have many uncontrollables in my life."

I try to 'Help' God in so many situations.

In my helping I develop anxiety.

Me and anxiety DON'T MIX.

I can make a mountain out of a mole hill quicker than you can blink.

Add my children into the mix, and I can get into a mess quick.

HOWEVER.

"When we take over and try to control what happens we take our focus off the ONE who is in control and put our eyes on our circumstances."

 

But Psalm 16:5 says

LORD YOU HAVE ASSIGNED ME MY PORTION AND MY CUP, YOU HAVE MADE MY LOT SECURE.

What happens to my husband, my children, my family, my friends, me.

It's already assigned.

My anxiety, my fears, my worries, can't change a thing. 

So why waste time?

 

As I {work to}accept my portion and that it was chosen for me my heart becomes much less anxious. Content. Quiet.

So. I'm striving for contentment in 2014.