23 Months

Ella is now 23 months. I cannot believe she is almost two. We had planned on having her a family birthday party this weekend! I had worked really hard on the details and sent out invitations for a fun "Mickey and Minnie" 2nd Birthday...but it is now been put on hold. Looks like ella's little sis will get to join us for her 2nd b-day party after all. I was hoping to do it before so that we wouldn't have a house full of company with a new baby (I'm a little bit of a germ-a-phobe with a new baby)! Oh well!

We are crazy about our ella. She has brought so much joy to our hearts and lives in these past 23 months. She is a sweet little firecracker who makes each day more enjoyable.
At 23 months ella:
-is still a super picky eater! She only weights 25 pounds. We had made it to 27 but she lost a few when she was sick a few weeks ago and we are still working to gain them back. She likes sweets, pasta, chicken nuggets, pizza, oranges, apples, yogurt, and a few other things. I continue to "try" to get her to eat new things but so far we are still picky!
-still loves to nap. She is still napping from 10-11 or so and them from 3-5. She goes to bed at 8 and sleeps until 6am. She is our alarm clock. She lays in bed with me until we get up for the day. She sleeps good because she goes strong when she is awake!!
-she is totally into shoes and clothes. I am sure it is my fault! She loves for me to fix and straighten her hair and asks me to everyday when I fix mine. Seriously what 2 year old even knows what a straightener is for? Oh well, she has my crazy waves and will need it one day! She now likes her toes painted too.
-She loves playing with her cousins and thinks she is just as big as they are. They have taught her how to play hide-n-seek. The other day we were at my parents house and I kept hearing her saying, "papa, come mere!" After a while I went to see what she was doing and I found her hiding behind mimi's dresses is her closet. I guess she forgot to tell papa that he was supposed to come looking for her.
-she can count to about 13 or 14 and sometimes higher. I am beginning to think she is colored blind...and I am not kidding. The only colors she can distinguish are brown, gray and black. It is very weird. She knows the names of the other colors but cannot distinguish them. It is too funny!
-she is not so sure about eliza. At times she will kiss my tummy and other times try to hit it. She refuses to acknowledge that the car seat in our car now is for eliza and continues to tell is that it is for Titus (her cousin). We continue to tell her that eliza will ride in it very soon.

These are some of my favorite things that she says:
come mere- come here
how are you
I's fine
bye-bye, see you later
love you
mommy I hold you -meaning mommy you hold me
ella do it
I got it
mines
my share -meaning you share with me
ella's turn
dank you
wunch-lunch
ahkay-okay
hair straight
mommy's bed
ella's place (guess where that is)
watch t.d. (t.v)
she calls our neighborhood pool the beach!
go home, rest
play doys house -play at joy's house
and the funniest was when she patted my dad and said " aw, sweet ole papa"

-last but not least...when have been practicing for a long time now talking about Jesus making the world, us, healing us, etc. I asked her the other day who painted her toes and she told me DE-jus (Jesus). Well, not quite...it was her mimi. At least she has learned that Jesus is a good answer for most any question!

Bed Rest Day 6

Today has been a long day. Can I just tell you how much I'd love a trip to Target or even Wal-mart right now! I even despise going to Wal-mart normally but the thought sounds pretty exciting right now. I have no idea how women last on bed rest for months on end. I know you have to keep the goal in sight of having a healthy baby, but I cannot imagine. I am counting down it's only about 12 more days until my scheduled induction and maybe not even that long.

I keep wondering "why" eliza is growth restricted. I know my doc. said that my placenta isn't functioning as good as it needs too...but "why?" I am the girl who is seriously careful throughout my pregnancies! I will admit to having one caffeinated drink a day (this pregnancy) from around week 26 or so...which is totally ok! I am the girl who has taken a prenatal vitamin (the really expensive kind) everyday since March of 2005. I am scared to not take them....I guess I subconsciously feel like I better or else! Samuel's condition was like a 1 in 10,000 chance and growth restriction occurs in only 2-3% of all pregnancies. I always feel like we are good at getting in that narrow percentage!

I am praying, eating lots of extra calories, and doing lots of resting! I am so hoping that eliza will have fattened up a little this week. I am doing all I can!

I better run, Ella is jumping in her bed and counting! I am so proud of her counting skills...colors are still another subject! I just remembered that I forgot that she was 23 months yesterday. Can't believe she is almost two! I'll leave you with a few beach pics from last week!

Bed Rest Day 5

Today I got to get out and go to the doctor...so exciting! I had pretty much worked myself into a panic before going over eliza's movement. I had a NST first and it looked okay but maybe not as reactive as it should be and so I then had a biophysical profile ultrasound where they check for fluid levels, diff. blood pressure ratios, movements, breathing, swallowing. It was reassuring to us and to the doctor. My levels looked a little better than on Friday and she didn't feel the need to induce me today. We did learn from our ultrasound that miss eliza has some hair on the top of her head...didn't look like tons but some. I will continue on bed rest and go back and do it all again on Friday. I have an induction date set for Sept. 22 which is still 13 days away but she said we'll see if we make it there.

As we were leaving our sweet doctor made the comment that we must be trying to run the gamit (spelling) on Ob problems. We both agreed. Feeling more optimistic and better today...it is amazing what a ride in the car will do! Thanks for your prayers!

Bed Rest Day 4

Today has been another slow day. I am so thankful that Kevin has today and tom. off, he is such a big help! I just wish we were able to spend a fun family day tog. I am feeling anxious. I am preparing myself mentally for the reality that eliza could be very small, may not breathe well on her own and may have to stay longer in the hospital. Can I just tell you how much I do not want to leave the hospital without my baby in my arms. That is the worst experience and I just feel like a cloud of doom is hanging over my head today. I just want another healthy baby. Why is that so hard for me to get! I don't feel like I was prepared for things not going just right this time. Maybe it is because I had a wonderful pregnancy with ella and a super fast and easy delivery! I just wanted that again...I don't want things to get complicated!

Bedrest Day3

There may have been points in my life where the thought of bed rest seemed like a lovely option. I can now assure you it is not...esp. for someone like me. I am as some of my family have recently noted a "control freak" and very "type A!" I agree with them and wish I weren't so much this way but it is the way the Lord made me. I like my ducks in order, my house in place, my child on her usual schedule, and you know...but it's times like these when you just have to let it all go.

Kev is doing such a super job being mr. mom. Poor guy he was so tired last night he left his shoes at my parents house and came home bare footed! To his defense he had run errands, chased ella at a birthday party, cleaned, fixed all my meals, and etc. I just hope he doesn't get burned out too soon.

The worst part of this is doing kick counts. I have to count 10 kicks many times a day...and I stress over if she is still ok. I keep wondering why her growth has slowed...was it all my crazy nesting and not enough resting, was the 34 (yes I said it) lbs I have gained so far not enough! I have gained more with her than my other 2 pregnancy's. I haven't allowed myself to google or research the possibilities. I am trying to count her kicks and trust the Lord that we will continue to grow. I do know I probably just make small babies...ella was only 6lbs 7oz. at 39 weeks...so hopefully eliza can grow so more and catch up some.

I seriously feel like I have spent the last 2 years trying to plump ella up and here we go again! Maybe eliza will come out starving and be a super eater! I hope!

Thanks so much for all of your prayers and offers of help. We may be taking you up on it as the weeks progresses. I just don't know what this week will hold for us! I have never been so ready to get back to the doctor before...the outing sounds so exciting and I am praying for some encouraging news. Now to eat some more ice cream....:)

Bed Rest!

My day started out busy and is ending very slow! I headed to my routine ob appt. this morning and excited to find out if I am progressing. When my doc. measured me my stomach..I think it is called the fundal height...it really hadn't changed sincemy last visit 2 weeks ago. I have always measured right on track and so I guess this sent off a red flag. She wanted to do an ultrasound to check the fluid levels and eliza's growth. Those of you who know me know that have some serious ultrasound anxiety and normally Kev. accompanies me to any appt. where I get an ultrasound. I guess I just always fear that they will find something wrong with my baby! This is a fear that I have had to give to the Lord over and over...but the unexpected ultrasound today really paniced me.

Little eliza is def. measuring smaller by about 2 weeks. Her estimated weight was only 4lbs 9oz..so she is a peanut for sure! Her belly measured the smallest. I then had a Non-Stress Test..which I really think should be called a Stress Test. I hate sitting in a freezing cold room listening to her heartbeat on the monitors waiting for her to move so I can push the little button. I find them stressful. Thankfully she did great on the NST and I felt good about that. After that I waited again to see my doc. and she ordered me on strict bed rest. I can shower and use the bathroom but my life is taking a Major slow-down!!!

She feels that my placenta is not functioning as well and is not giving eliza as much nourishment as she needs. Bed Rest will optimize the blood flood from me to her. I will have NST twice a week and a weekly ultrasound. She said if at anytime these don't look good I will go straight from the doc. to the hospital...and to put my bags in the car! She is planning to induce me in 2 weeks if I haven't had her yet...wanting to give her some more time to grow and gain some weight but not wanting to wait too long with a not so good placenta.

I guess I should just expect some excitement in every pregnancy. They are the beginnings of raising a child which is always full of twist, turns and surprises.

As I sat in the ultrasound room today and watched her practicing breathing on the screen it made me want her so much! Not that we haven't wanted her from before she was conceived but for the first time I really felt like she needed her mommy! I felt a strong bond to her and pray that these 2 weeks go by so fast.

With each of my pregnancies I have felt that the Lord has given me a verse for that child. With eliza from early on my mind always went back to Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. " Eliza was a true gift from the start... the kind of gift that comes totally unexpected...a blessing given just 2 weeks after having a D &C ...when two people who had struggled in the past to conceive got pregnant without even trying...when the doc. couldn't even believe it herself...when I gushed blood at 5 weeks and was sure that we had lost her too...God did more and I know He has a big plan for her life.

If you think of us please pray that she will hang on and do some good growing! Please pray for my doc. to have wisdom and know when to induce me or when to wait. Please pray for ella who is having a hard time today understanding why mommy cannot hold her standing up...she keeps crying and saying, "mommy hold you stan up!" Please pray that I can lay and rest...something I am not good at!

September!

It's September and that alone just makes me happy! I guess most people have a season that they love and I have always loved fall! Unfortunately where we will it will still be a while before we feel that first cool breeze...but that is okay...I can dream.

I love so many things about fall. These are just a few!

I love a warm sweet pumpkin smell in my home! I have already started burning my fall candle! It just makes me happy!

I also love it in lotion. Fall is the only time of the year that this lotion works.

I am not a big football fan...but something about Saturday afternoon Clemson football games on TV just make me happy. It is a good excuse to make some yummy food and hang out with the family! Football just says fall!

I love Mums in the fall! I cannot wait to find two big ones to but on either side of my front door along with a pumpkin or two!

I am a little weird and enjoy watching the weather channel..esp. as the seasons begin to change! I love seeing what areas of the country are experiencing "cooler" weather! I also like watching it during hurricane season and tracking the storms. Kevin thinks I'm crazy!

Who doesn't love a great pair of comfy jeans on a cool day. I am sad that most of my favorite pants won't fit for a while. If you've ever had a baby you know what I mean. You feel so small after having a baby until you attempt to try on your old clothes...then reality hits.

The best thing about this fall will be another fall baby.