Piper's birth story really begins March 2, 2008 - the day her sister was born. You see, Layla was born via c-section and I was determined to not have to repeat that for my next pregnancy. Thus began my research into VBACs (vaginal births after cesarean).
My research was sporadic during Layla's first year of life. However, my mental determination was there and growing stronger. Each month that passed meant another month of my scar growing stronger and lessening my chances of the uterus rupturing during delivery.
Once I found out I was pregnant, I began calling around to find a doctor who would allow me to try for a VBAC with this pregnancy. I was even looking into hospitals in Indianapolis...that's how determined I was!! My doctor with Layla's pregnancy used to do VBACs all the time. He stopped once he moved his office out of the Professional Building and a mere 3 minutes down the road. Legal jargon is what prevents most doctors from performing VBACs. Ugh! That doctor did attempt to persuade me that a repeat c-section wouldn't be too bad b/c he would perform a little tummy tuck while he was at it. Tempting...but not enough! Luckily, I found a local doctor who allows patients to attempt VBACs. Woohoo!!!
Let's move ahead to about 31 weeks into the pregnancy. We had our 3-D ultrasound and it was wonderful. We did, however, discover that baby Johnson was in a breech position. A week later, at my normal check-up, she was still breech. What a way to ruin all my hard work at preparing for a VBAC!!
For the next month or so, you could often find me with my head down and butt up - techniques to get that baby to flip. I also began going to the chiropractor again and had him use the Webster Technique on me as well.
At my 37 week appointment, I asked my doctor to see if she could tell if the baby had flipped. I know I hadn't felt anything that would warrant a flip and wasn't too positive that she would give me good news. She went ahead and did an internal exam....and felt a head!!!! I was so overcome with joy that my eyes teared up! Who knows how many times I asked her if she was 100% sure. It was the end of the day, so she took me to the ultrasound machine to show me visual confirmation. Baby Johnson had indeed flipped!!!!
At 38.5 weeks - Friday, November 6 - my Braxton Hicks contractions changed. They now started feeling "crampy" as opposed to simply a tightening of my stomach. They were still very irregular but continued the entire weekend.
39 weeks - Tuesday, November 10 - I had my appointment (2cm & 50% effaced) and was discussing with my doctor what would happen if I went into labor the next day (she was going to be in Chicago!). She informed me that the doctor on call that night was not a fan of VBACs and would do his best to tell me I need a c-section. She did tell me I can always refuse to sign the paperwork. She didn't say too much about the doctor on call during the day on Wednesday. I had planned on taking the afternoon off and doing tons of walking and other things to get labor progressing. The news of these doctors on call changed my plans and I instead went home and just relaxed. The last thing I wanted was to be in labor and have the stress of a doctor trying to convince me to have a c-section.
Tuesday night around 10:00 my contractions kicked it into high gear! Jeremy & I were up ALL night! It was not fun at all. I kept watching the clock, wondering what time the doctors switched shifts. I was determined to stay home as long as possible to at least avoid the first doctor on call!
Wednesday morning around 7:00, the contractions quit almost entirely! Are you kidding me?!?! What is that all about! Oh well, I can now relax (Veteran's day = no school) and keep this baby in me until my doctor returns.
At some point I told Jeremy that I would not consider an epidural until I was at least 7cm and baby was obviously descending into the birth canal. Layla was a c-section because I was induced and she simply would not come down. There are a lot of factors I blame the c-section on - being induced early, having my water broken manually after just an hour on pitocin, being stuck in bed for the entire labor, having an epidural slow things down even more. I was determined to do the opposite of all these things with this pregnancy!
Wednesday night, the contractions begin again. By 3:30am Thursday morning we decide to head to the hospital. They examine me and see that I'm still 2cm & 50% effaced. What?!?! All that pain Tuesday night did NOTHING!! I was in shock. They hook me up and monitor me for an hour. Examine me again - no change! I get orders to walk around for an hour so off we go through the halls of the hospital feeling as though we're walking through places we shouldn't be. Jeremy sneaks off and gets us breakfast. Since I'm not officially admitted I haven't been told I can't eat. :-) After the hour is up, we head back. No change!! You have got to be kidding me! I honestly can't believe these contractions are doing nothing! I break down and cry (emotional me) and they send me home. My doctor tells me to take some Tylenol PM and go to sleep. The nurse leaves me with some positive thoughts saying she doesn't think I'll make it through the day before coming back. I nod & smile, realizing she's most likely just trying to cheer me up.
I take Tylenol PM and get very little sleep. I'm awakened every few minutes groaning in pain.
We sit down to watch some Tuesday night shows and at some point my contractions get considerably harder. We were told not to come back until the contractions are 3-5 minutes apart for at least an hour. Earlier in the day they were, but that was only if I was up and moving around. Now they were about 4 minutes apart no matter what I did. We made it 45 minutes and I had had enough. We were heading to the hospital.
Around 10:15pm we were back at the hospital. They examined me...4cm!!!! Woohoo!!! I was admitted and we were off to begin this journey!
Now keep in mind that we had been up since Tuesday morning. We were both exhausted to say the least.
I changed up labor a bit by rotating between sitting in bed, sitting on the birthing ball, and walking around. The contractions were quite hard, but that didn't stop my eyes from crossing from sheer exhaustion in between each one. I would be sitting on the birthing ball and almost fall off from falling asleep in the couple of minutes I had between contractions.
I finally realized that I was going to have absolutely no strength or energy to push when it came time for that if I did not get some rest now. I called in the nurse and asked her to examine me.
7cm!!! Baby was at the 0 station!! Progress was being made!!! After a somewhat lengthy conversation with the nurse (her name was Jessica and she was 6 months pregnant), I decided that an epidural wouldn't be the end of the world. She was convinced that I would continue to progress. She actually told me that being able to rest would most likely speed things up. I was at the minimum requirements I had set for myself before getting an epidural. I went ahead and decided to get it.
Around 4:00am, I had the epidural. I didn't get the great sleep I was hoping for, but I was able to doze off here and there.
Around 7:00am I started to feel more pressure. I was asked if I would mind having an EMT-in-training guy in the room during the delivery. I said no. *As I think back on my answer, I really don't know what frame of mind I was in. I don't regret having him in there...it just strikes me as odd that I would allow a stranger in there. He walked away with some excellent visual images to assist him should he ever have to deliver a baby while on the job!!
Around 7:30am I was feeling even more pressure. The nurse had me do a few practice pushes during contractions to see how the baby moved.
A little after 8:00am, the doctor came in and I began pushing. The nurse asked if I wanted a mirror in there so I could see what was going on and I said yes. She walked in with a full-size mirror and I was able to watch the entire delivery!
My eyes continued to cross between pushes because I was still so stinkin' tired. At times I had 4-5 minutes between contractions and had a little time to rest, which was nice.
There were times when Jeremy & the nurse would comment on how much the head moved when I pushed. From my angle I could see the head, but I couldn't see much movement with each contraction. I just took their word for it.
The head seemed to come out so quickly! I was ready for some major pain & pushing and that just didn't happen. She just popped her cute little head out. Of course the resident doctor stepped in front of the mirror at that exact moment and I didn't get to see it all happen! I don't believe he realized what he did, and I started waving my hand saying "you're in front of the mirror." He finally stepped aside and I saw the most amazing thing ever! I couldn't believe it!
The doctor then apologized and told everyone "this is going to be messy." Everyone took a step back (except for Jeremy). Next thing I know I'm being sprayed with liquid. I had no idea what was going on...I thought it was amniotic fluid or something. Come to find out later, the baby's cord was around her neck (not tight and life-threatening) just enough that the doctor couldn't pull it over her head like she needed to before delivering the rest of the baby. She had to cut it right then...so the spraying liquid was actually blood! Jeremy describes it as a scene out of a movie and it all happening in slow motion. All I know is that when it was all said and done and I looked around, there was blood on the bed, on Jeremy's shirt, and apparently on my face. Oh well, such is life! :-)
Once she cut & clamped the cord, the baby came out in no time flat.
9:11am - Baby Johnson is born!!
She is immediately placed in my arms and I am overwhelmed that it has actually happened....I had a successful VBAC!!!!!
Holding her in my arms was such a blessing! Being able to see & feel everything during the entire delivery was amazing!! All the things that sent me into floods of tears the weeks after Layla's delivery (regrets of having a c-section) were accomplished with this one!! It was everything I could have hoped for and more!!
Giving birth is such an amazing process! I can't truly put into words the excitement and joy I felt having been able to delivery naturally.
Piper Marie Johnson was born on Friday, November 13 at 9:11am. She weighed 8lbs and 8oz, was 22" long and had a head covered in dark hair!
Layla has the privilege of being my first pregnancy, and Piper has the privilege of being my first delivery! Both are such a blessing in my life!! I am excited to see what the future has in store for my family of four!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
I want to be "Left Behind"
I've never read the "Left Behind" series (1995-2007), nor have I ever really had the desire to. Not because I was against it in any way, or trying to avoid thinking about the End Times. I've just never been one for Christian fiction.
I remember watching a movie in youth group that was about the Rapture: A Thief in the Night (1972). I don't remember a whole lot about it. What sticks out the most is a girl running and the song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" by Larry Norman playing quite often. DC Talk has since covered this song making it popular again (at least for my generation).
From what I gather (never having read the books myself), the book series, movie and song all deal with the fact that people will be "left behind" when Jesus comes again. He will take with him the Christians and the world that remains is not one in which you would desire to be left behind.
This is what I've always believed to be true.
This morning in church, the pastor said something that really rocked my world...left me sitting there with wide eyes and, after hearing the scriptures referenced, left a half-smile on my face.
"We want to be left behind."
What?! Come again?!
"We want to be left behind."
That's what I thought you said.
Let me back up...
The sermon this morning was about "The Parable of the Weeds" found in Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43.
There are 2 kinds of people in the world: wheat & weeds.
vs. 40-42 - "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them in the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Just as you pull up weeds from your garden and throw them out, so will the angels pull up the "weeds" and throw them out.
Move ahead a few chapters in Matthew to 24:37-41.
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left."
In the Parable of the Weeds you see that the weeds will be thrown out. The wheat is left behind in the garden.
In the flood, who was taken away? Who was left behind?
"...This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man..."
Why would there be a sudden reversal in thought and the very next verses (40-41) come to mean the righteous are taken and the wicked remain?????
Doesn't really make sense, does it?
It makes me wonder where this theory that when Jesus returns, the believers will be taken away and the non-believers will remain.
Did it come about simply as a comfort method for believers...to dwell in the happy thoughts that we wouldn't be around for things mentioned in Revelation???? I don't know.
Isaiah 65 & Revelation 21 both speak of a new heaven and new earth. Why in the world would there need to be a new earth if all believers have been taken up to heaven??? Because they haven't. They have been left behind and the earth as it was intended to be, will be.
Perfect.
"There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4
"...I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy...the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years" Isaiah 65:18-20
I want to be left behind!!
I remember watching a movie in youth group that was about the Rapture: A Thief in the Night (1972). I don't remember a whole lot about it. What sticks out the most is a girl running and the song "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" by Larry Norman playing quite often. DC Talk has since covered this song making it popular again (at least for my generation).
From what I gather (never having read the books myself), the book series, movie and song all deal with the fact that people will be "left behind" when Jesus comes again. He will take with him the Christians and the world that remains is not one in which you would desire to be left behind.
This is what I've always believed to be true.
This morning in church, the pastor said something that really rocked my world...left me sitting there with wide eyes and, after hearing the scriptures referenced, left a half-smile on my face.
"We want to be left behind."
What?! Come again?!
"We want to be left behind."
That's what I thought you said.
Let me back up...
The sermon this morning was about "The Parable of the Weeds" found in Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43.
There are 2 kinds of people in the world: wheat & weeds.
vs. 40-42 - "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them in the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
Just as you pull up weeds from your garden and throw them out, so will the angels pull up the "weeds" and throw them out.
Move ahead a few chapters in Matthew to 24:37-41.
"As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left."
In the Parable of the Weeds you see that the weeds will be thrown out. The wheat is left behind in the garden.
In the flood, who was taken away? Who was left behind?
"...This is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man..."
Why would there be a sudden reversal in thought and the very next verses (40-41) come to mean the righteous are taken and the wicked remain?????
Doesn't really make sense, does it?
It makes me wonder where this theory that when Jesus returns, the believers will be taken away and the non-believers will remain.
Did it come about simply as a comfort method for believers...to dwell in the happy thoughts that we wouldn't be around for things mentioned in Revelation???? I don't know.
Isaiah 65 & Revelation 21 both speak of a new heaven and new earth. Why in the world would there need to be a new earth if all believers have been taken up to heaven??? Because they haven't. They have been left behind and the earth as it was intended to be, will be.
Perfect.
"There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4
"...I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy...the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more. Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years" Isaiah 65:18-20
I want to be left behind!!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Oh the joys...
...of being pregnant!
Extreme hip pain at night
Leg cramps that wake you up in the worst way possible
Waking up every time you move because it's so stinkin' uncomfortable to turn
No sleep
People telling you how miserable you look (gee, thanks!)
Worries about if your baby is still breech
Not fitting into any of your clothes (even maternity!)
Needing new shoes that slip on b/c you can't bend over to tie anymore
Did I mention lack of sleep???
Spending all your planning time at work prepping for your maternity leave rather than grading the piles of papers cluttering up your desk
Stretch marks
Waking up in the middle of the night to use the restroom
Swelling
But there are wonderful things as well...
Feeling your daughter move around inside you
Seeing her move around inside you
Hiccups
Ultrasounds that give you a peek inside the mysterious wonders of pregnancy
Not feeling guilty about eating that donut at church every Sunday
Dreaming about what she will look like
Thinking about the joys she will bring to your family
Knowing that this is the only time in your life when gaining weight is acceptable
Anticipation of her arrival into the world
The list may be shorter, but it definitely outweighs the first :-)
Extreme hip pain at night
Leg cramps that wake you up in the worst way possible
Waking up every time you move because it's so stinkin' uncomfortable to turn
No sleep
People telling you how miserable you look (gee, thanks!)
Worries about if your baby is still breech
Not fitting into any of your clothes (even maternity!)
Needing new shoes that slip on b/c you can't bend over to tie anymore
Did I mention lack of sleep???
Spending all your planning time at work prepping for your maternity leave rather than grading the piles of papers cluttering up your desk
Stretch marks
Waking up in the middle of the night to use the restroom
Swelling
But there are wonderful things as well...
Feeling your daughter move around inside you
Seeing her move around inside you
Hiccups
Ultrasounds that give you a peek inside the mysterious wonders of pregnancy
Not feeling guilty about eating that donut at church every Sunday
Dreaming about what she will look like
Thinking about the joys she will bring to your family
Knowing that this is the only time in your life when gaining weight is acceptable
Anticipation of her arrival into the world
The list may be shorter, but it definitely outweighs the first :-)
Heart
I realize I never updated about Layla's 2-D echo. She did very well through the procedure, falling asleep ended up being a much easier task than I had thought. However, when they got to the final views that could only be gotten by having her head tilted back and the sonogram stick thingy up under her neck, she woke up and was not a happy camper...at all! Needless to say, there were really no pictures done from this angle. We were crossing our fingers that this didn't mean we'd have to come back another day and try again. We didn't. Turns out her heart is perfectly normal!! Praise God.
Now if only I would have thought to ask the doctor if we could come back in a week to see if she still hears the murmur before scheduling such a procedure, life would have been a lot less stressful. Of course, had I done that, and the doctor been willing, and then we find out that there were issues with her heart I would have felt rather guilty holding off. I guess it's better to err on the side of caution, right?
I still think it was something with her lungs :-)
Now if only I would have thought to ask the doctor if we could come back in a week to see if she still hears the murmur before scheduling such a procedure, life would have been a lot less stressful. Of course, had I done that, and the doctor been willing, and then we find out that there were issues with her heart I would have felt rather guilty holding off. I guess it's better to err on the side of caution, right?
I still think it was something with her lungs :-)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Saga Continues
Layla's 18-month appointment was today. Or at least I thought it was today. After an hour in the waiting room and seeing 2 families that arrived after us get called in before us, I went to the check-in and asked how much longer we had. That's when I was informed that her appointment was actually yesterday! I honestly don't know how I got mixed up because I vividly remember putting the date into my phone calendar while standing at the desk 2 months ago when scheduling the appointment. Regardless, the lady apologized for missing that bit of info (HELLO, we checked in the moment we arrived!) and we finally saw the doctor 1.5 hours after arrival.
Jeremy and I were hoping for a minimum of 21 pounds with 22 pounds being the actual goal. Unfortunately, the scale read a mere 20.5 pounds. She has grown about an inch and a half, and her head has grown a centimeter. So it's not all frowns. Just a quick side note on the height growth...I'm pretty sure the last time they measured they were off, or the Dr. in Indy was off, because she showed a shrinkage between those two visits (if memory serves me correctly). So the 1.5 inches might not be exactly accurate, but I do feel she is taller regardless.
The doctor was extremely impressed with Layla's vocabulary!! She kept saying how she is way ahead of what is expected of an 18-month old in this area. Yay, Layla!! She was also thoroughly impressed with Layla's knowledge of all her body parts (right down to her neck, chin and difference between her hands and fingers)! She asked us if we were teaching her all this and our only response was that she truly just picks up on these things very quickly. I just happened to ask her a couple of days ago where her back was (never having mentioned it to her or pointed it out to her before) and much to my surprise she pointed it out immediately...and mom's and dad's which she has to do for everything.
The doctor also couldn't believe how active Layla was during the appointment. She was constantly going from one part of the room to the next, playing around with us and the doctor. I should add here that I was very happy with how well Layla stayed entertained and well-behaved during our extremely long wait in the lobby. *Knock on wood*
But the title of this post is "The Saga Continues" and we wouldn't be talking about Layla if yet another health issue didn't arise.
While the doctor was listening with her stethoscope (which Layla did EXCEPTIONAL with this time...remaining oh so still with her cute little ankles crossed at the foot of the bed) she turned and asked me if we had ever had a "2-D echo." My initial reaction was, "a what?" which I think answered the doctor's question for her. :-) She then went back to listening. And then question actually registered in my head...she was asking if we'd ever had any issues with her heart. As she continued to listen my head started reeling.
I attempted to pause any unnecessary thoughts by assuming she was actually hearing wheezing (Layla has had quite a cough for a week or so). However, this assumption was thwarted when she stopped her listening and turned to say "her chest sounds very clear."
You know how thoughts can pass through your mind in the split of a second and all at the exact moment? That's what happened at this point in time.
Are you sure it's clear? She's had such a cough lately. I hear & feel her chest rattling when I have my hands around her core. If you're saying the chest is clear, then you truly were listening to her heart. What's wrong? What did you hear? Why were you taking such a long time listening to her chest...you've never done that before...
She turns and states that she believes she hears a slight murmur with Layla's heart. Outside I remain rather calm, inside I'm...well I don't even know what I was inside - but there was a definite difference between the two parts of me - as if I could have been two separate people standing there.
She then goes on to tell us not to worry. She didn't hear any sort of blaring murmur that screamed of any type of immediate attention. Just something ever so slight that she wants to get checked out with an ultrasound.
I'm pretty sure she spat out several names for murmurs, or several types. Either I wasn't able to listen because my head was still trying to grasp this bit of news or she stopped and didn't really elaborate any more because I don't recall her telling us what she feels it might be. I do know she began saying that "it could be something that you or I..." and then she stopped. In my head I finished the sentence for her "could have once had and outgrew." I'm not sure why she stopped...I think it's because Layla was beginning to get very antsy/fussy and was tossing around the tissue paper they use to cover the beds with which was quite loud and distracting.
She just stated again for us not to worry.
And that's where we currently stand. We're waiting to get a call to see when our scheduled "2-D echo" is...it will be sometime this week or next.
A part of me still hopes that she was just hearing something with Layla's lungs - I went in expecting to hear this...I'm used to lung issues and can handle them. But she's a doctor...she listens to many lungs and hearts every day. I'm sure she knows the difference between lung gunk and heart murmurs.
Jeremy and I were hoping for a minimum of 21 pounds with 22 pounds being the actual goal. Unfortunately, the scale read a mere 20.5 pounds. She has grown about an inch and a half, and her head has grown a centimeter. So it's not all frowns. Just a quick side note on the height growth...I'm pretty sure the last time they measured they were off, or the Dr. in Indy was off, because she showed a shrinkage between those two visits (if memory serves me correctly). So the 1.5 inches might not be exactly accurate, but I do feel she is taller regardless.
The doctor was extremely impressed with Layla's vocabulary!! She kept saying how she is way ahead of what is expected of an 18-month old in this area. Yay, Layla!! She was also thoroughly impressed with Layla's knowledge of all her body parts (right down to her neck, chin and difference between her hands and fingers)! She asked us if we were teaching her all this and our only response was that she truly just picks up on these things very quickly. I just happened to ask her a couple of days ago where her back was (never having mentioned it to her or pointed it out to her before) and much to my surprise she pointed it out immediately...and mom's and dad's which she has to do for everything.
The doctor also couldn't believe how active Layla was during the appointment. She was constantly going from one part of the room to the next, playing around with us and the doctor. I should add here that I was very happy with how well Layla stayed entertained and well-behaved during our extremely long wait in the lobby. *Knock on wood*
But the title of this post is "The Saga Continues" and we wouldn't be talking about Layla if yet another health issue didn't arise.
While the doctor was listening with her stethoscope (which Layla did EXCEPTIONAL with this time...remaining oh so still with her cute little ankles crossed at the foot of the bed) she turned and asked me if we had ever had a "2-D echo." My initial reaction was, "a what?" which I think answered the doctor's question for her. :-) She then went back to listening. And then question actually registered in my head...she was asking if we'd ever had any issues with her heart. As she continued to listen my head started reeling.
I attempted to pause any unnecessary thoughts by assuming she was actually hearing wheezing (Layla has had quite a cough for a week or so). However, this assumption was thwarted when she stopped her listening and turned to say "her chest sounds very clear."
You know how thoughts can pass through your mind in the split of a second and all at the exact moment? That's what happened at this point in time.
Are you sure it's clear? She's had such a cough lately. I hear & feel her chest rattling when I have my hands around her core. If you're saying the chest is clear, then you truly were listening to her heart. What's wrong? What did you hear? Why were you taking such a long time listening to her chest...you've never done that before...
She turns and states that she believes she hears a slight murmur with Layla's heart. Outside I remain rather calm, inside I'm...well I don't even know what I was inside - but there was a definite difference between the two parts of me - as if I could have been two separate people standing there.
She then goes on to tell us not to worry. She didn't hear any sort of blaring murmur that screamed of any type of immediate attention. Just something ever so slight that she wants to get checked out with an ultrasound.
I'm pretty sure she spat out several names for murmurs, or several types. Either I wasn't able to listen because my head was still trying to grasp this bit of news or she stopped and didn't really elaborate any more because I don't recall her telling us what she feels it might be. I do know she began saying that "it could be something that you or I..." and then she stopped. In my head I finished the sentence for her "could have once had and outgrew." I'm not sure why she stopped...I think it's because Layla was beginning to get very antsy/fussy and was tossing around the tissue paper they use to cover the beds with which was quite loud and distracting.
She just stated again for us not to worry.
And that's where we currently stand. We're waiting to get a call to see when our scheduled "2-D echo" is...it will be sometime this week or next.
A part of me still hopes that she was just hearing something with Layla's lungs - I went in expecting to hear this...I'm used to lung issues and can handle them. But she's a doctor...she listens to many lungs and hearts every day. I'm sure she knows the difference between lung gunk and heart murmurs.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Learning & Growing
Layla loves to throw things away. She actually gets mad (nearing quite a fit) when I throw something away and not her. Most any paper item that she can get her hands on gets crumpled up and then she looks up to me and says, "away!" Dirty diapers are now her responsibility - an undertaking she has voluntarily taken upon herself. I have to admit, it is quite cute hearing her walk around saying, "away - away" :-)
She has also takin' a liking to the word yellow. If you ask her what color something is, her response is always "yellow" - putting the emphasis on "-ow". She gets her mouth so cute and round :-) She is also very good at saying "purple" - the ladies at day care even commented on it. She doesn't put the endings on other colors such as red and green. My guess is it's a consonant thing. It's interesting that the words she prefers are seemingly harder words. I think she just enjoys making the "l" sound.
We have added some new animal sounds to the list as well. Elephant, monkey, frog, owl, and bee are the ones I can think of at the moment. The elephant is the cutest to witness, but I think the frog is the cutest to hear.
Kisses are abundant! She puckers out her bottom lip and leans forward. Too cute!! She especially loves to give them before going to bed or down for a nap - I think it's a bit of a stall tactic :-)
Climbing is a favorite past time. She is often sitting on the back of the couch, much like a cat. Just today I found her on the bench in the dining room. I am a bit perplexed at how she got up there b/c it's higher than other things she's gotten on to and there was nothing around to assist her.
She enjoys pointing out things that are mine ("momma") or Jeremy's ("dadda"). She will repeat our names over and over and over until we acknowledge that we have heard her. She also says her name surprisingly well.
In response to the question "How old are you?" she holds up her right pointer finger - but it's always right next to her nose and angled just slightly. I'll have to get a picture and post it.
She pats my belly and says "baby." However, I don't truly think she understands. She clearly says both "baby" and "belly" so it's not an issue of miscommunication. It's interesting to hear...I wish I could know what's going on in her mind. She sometimes pats too hard and I tell her to "be nice" and she she'll then start rubbing my belly. :-) Hopefully I'm not confusing her by saying "there's a baby in my belly"...maybe she's beginning to associate all bellies with babies - or thinking she's had the word wrong in the past and now only calls it "baby." Yikes! That'd be embarrassing...have her walk up to someone, touch their belly and say "baby" - haha!
We transitioned her to big-girl baths over the summer rather than sitting in her infant/toddler tub. At first she refused to sit...but she got over that and loves bath time even more than she did before! I bought a skid-resistant mat that's a piece of junk!! It's got no fewer than 20 little suction cups (**update: I just counted 50!!!)that won't stay down...so the mat is constantly floating up. I'm so annoyed!!! However, I'll hold out until we get into a new house and she has a bathroom of her own that we can put down some of those more permanent skid-sticker things on the bottom of the tub.
*Update: I forgot to mention that one of her canine teeth has officially poked through...just waiting on the other 3 to follow suit. It won't be long until my baby girl has 16 teeth!
Things aren't all mushy and happy, though. She still throws tantrums...mostly when I won't pick her up (b/c I'm busy attempting to clean, cook dinner or do something other than giver her all my attention). She learned quickly that she must say "up" and "please" before I will stop what I'm doing to hold her. Of course the words now come through crying...we'll have to work on her calming down before being picked up, but for now I'm happy that she's using her words.
She's also still into hitting. It hasn't seemed to be an issue at daycare, though - so that's a plus. Time-outs haven't been as effective. I have simply been restraining her hands and holding her in my lap. The last few times she actually seemed to enjoy being in my lap. I've tried out a corner in the house the last 2 times - the first time was a success (in that she did not enjoy it at all)...but just today she sat there almost happy - maybe b/c I sit right there in front of her making sure she doesn't get up. But the interesting thing is, after time was up and she said sorry, she walked right to the mirror and hit herself via the mirror. I asked her if she needed another time out and she walked right to the corner and sat!! Apparently this isn't that effective, either. It's going to remain our time-out spot until I can think of another option. She has learned that hitting mom & dad is usually what ends her up in time-out...so she has resorted to hitting herself. Ugh! I can't wait until she comes up with better ways to vent her frustrations.
Looking mom in the eyes while I tell her that a specific action is a no-no is becoming more and more difficult for her to do. It's amazing how quickly kids learn that it's not easy to look mom in the eyes and admit you were wrong. We have had time-outs last longer than they should simply b/c she refuses to say "sorry." Oiy!
She has also takin' a liking to the word yellow. If you ask her what color something is, her response is always "yellow" - putting the emphasis on "-ow". She gets her mouth so cute and round :-) She is also very good at saying "purple" - the ladies at day care even commented on it. She doesn't put the endings on other colors such as red and green. My guess is it's a consonant thing. It's interesting that the words she prefers are seemingly harder words. I think she just enjoys making the "l" sound.
We have added some new animal sounds to the list as well. Elephant, monkey, frog, owl, and bee are the ones I can think of at the moment. The elephant is the cutest to witness, but I think the frog is the cutest to hear.
Kisses are abundant! She puckers out her bottom lip and leans forward. Too cute!! She especially loves to give them before going to bed or down for a nap - I think it's a bit of a stall tactic :-)
Climbing is a favorite past time. She is often sitting on the back of the couch, much like a cat. Just today I found her on the bench in the dining room. I am a bit perplexed at how she got up there b/c it's higher than other things she's gotten on to and there was nothing around to assist her.
She enjoys pointing out things that are mine ("momma") or Jeremy's ("dadda"). She will repeat our names over and over and over until we acknowledge that we have heard her. She also says her name surprisingly well.
In response to the question "How old are you?" she holds up her right pointer finger - but it's always right next to her nose and angled just slightly. I'll have to get a picture and post it.
She pats my belly and says "baby." However, I don't truly think she understands. She clearly says both "baby" and "belly" so it's not an issue of miscommunication. It's interesting to hear...I wish I could know what's going on in her mind. She sometimes pats too hard and I tell her to "be nice" and she she'll then start rubbing my belly. :-) Hopefully I'm not confusing her by saying "there's a baby in my belly"...maybe she's beginning to associate all bellies with babies - or thinking she's had the word wrong in the past and now only calls it "baby." Yikes! That'd be embarrassing...have her walk up to someone, touch their belly and say "baby" - haha!
We transitioned her to big-girl baths over the summer rather than sitting in her infant/toddler tub. At first she refused to sit...but she got over that and loves bath time even more than she did before! I bought a skid-resistant mat that's a piece of junk!! It's got no fewer than 20 little suction cups (**update: I just counted 50!!!)that won't stay down...so the mat is constantly floating up. I'm so annoyed!!! However, I'll hold out until we get into a new house and she has a bathroom of her own that we can put down some of those more permanent skid-sticker things on the bottom of the tub.
*Update: I forgot to mention that one of her canine teeth has officially poked through...just waiting on the other 3 to follow suit. It won't be long until my baby girl has 16 teeth!
Things aren't all mushy and happy, though. She still throws tantrums...mostly when I won't pick her up (b/c I'm busy attempting to clean, cook dinner or do something other than giver her all my attention). She learned quickly that she must say "up" and "please" before I will stop what I'm doing to hold her. Of course the words now come through crying...we'll have to work on her calming down before being picked up, but for now I'm happy that she's using her words.
She's also still into hitting. It hasn't seemed to be an issue at daycare, though - so that's a plus. Time-outs haven't been as effective. I have simply been restraining her hands and holding her in my lap. The last few times she actually seemed to enjoy being in my lap. I've tried out a corner in the house the last 2 times - the first time was a success (in that she did not enjoy it at all)...but just today she sat there almost happy - maybe b/c I sit right there in front of her making sure she doesn't get up. But the interesting thing is, after time was up and she said sorry, she walked right to the mirror and hit herself via the mirror. I asked her if she needed another time out and she walked right to the corner and sat!! Apparently this isn't that effective, either. It's going to remain our time-out spot until I can think of another option. She has learned that hitting mom & dad is usually what ends her up in time-out...so she has resorted to hitting herself. Ugh! I can't wait until she comes up with better ways to vent her frustrations.
Looking mom in the eyes while I tell her that a specific action is a no-no is becoming more and more difficult for her to do. It's amazing how quickly kids learn that it's not easy to look mom in the eyes and admit you were wrong. We have had time-outs last longer than they should simply b/c she refuses to say "sorry." Oiy!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Lessons Learned in Yardwork
1.) Invest in knee pads, especially when having to kneel on/over concrete (ouch!).
2.) Being ambidextrous would come in quite handy - evening out the playing field for your arms
3.) Ensure that the hole is indeed deep enough for your plant. The first hole I dug wasn't and I knew immediately upon placing in the plant that it probably wasn't going to make it (despite my best efforts to remedy the problem). Here it is just 2 days later :-(
4.) You can in fact trim a tree with just a bow saw, ladder and 2 people (one sawing and one pulling the branches down). Gloves help tremendously for the one holding the branches down.
5.) Know your neighbors - they just might have the tool you need. Thanks for the saw, Clara!
6.) A weed-eater that turns 90 degrees does wonders for trimming the edges of your sidewalk.
7.) Two flats of impatiens go a long way!
8.) A sprinkler system would be amazing! I fear I will soon slack in my watering and kill all my hard work :-/
9.) It is all quite enjoyable - it's nice to be outside in the dirt every now and then :-)
2.) Being ambidextrous would come in quite handy - evening out the playing field for your arms
3.) Ensure that the hole is indeed deep enough for your plant. The first hole I dug wasn't and I knew immediately upon placing in the plant that it probably wasn't going to make it (despite my best efforts to remedy the problem). Here it is just 2 days later :-(
4.) You can in fact trim a tree with just a bow saw, ladder and 2 people (one sawing and one pulling the branches down). Gloves help tremendously for the one holding the branches down.
5.) Know your neighbors - they just might have the tool you need. Thanks for the saw, Clara!
6.) A weed-eater that turns 90 degrees does wonders for trimming the edges of your sidewalk.
7.) Two flats of impatiens go a long way!
8.) A sprinkler system would be amazing! I fear I will soon slack in my watering and kill all my hard work :-/
9.) It is all quite enjoyable - it's nice to be outside in the dirt every now and then :-)
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