Emergency Room and Engagements

Does the blog title scare you? I know, we have officially started off 2010 with a bang!!! Literally, I guess.
This past Monday we where getting ready for my cousin's birthday/engagement party that night. Well the party was at 6pm so I was scrabbling trying to get the girls ready, because Jared walks in the house everyday from work at 5 so I was going to get him to feed Stella and then we would be off. So I was running behind, of course, and 5:15 I had a clean baby that was hungry and another child with a wet head. Sittre Paige always stands in a little chair in the bathroom that allows me to blow-dry her hair and brush her teeth. So I am finishing up my makeup and Sittre Paige is on her own planet, jamming out in the chair to the music in her head, waiting for me to come over and blow-dry her hair, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her foot slip. I turn my head and she is in mid-air, I leap to try and catch her but too late she falls and slams her head into the corner of the wall. I pick her up, trying to console her while she screams "my head hurts", so I turn her around and all I see is blood running through the back of her hair. Oh yes, many know that I am a "freaker-outer", but I really felt I kept my composure, for my daughter. I knew she was hurt. So Jared threw me a towel and I figured all I could do was apply pressure to the wound until it would stop bleeding then we could see exactly what kind of wound it was. So of course I am praying the whole time, because I don't know, if you have ever experienced a head injury but there happens to be lots of blood. Much, much more it seems than when she just falls and scraps her knee or something. So they towel is soaking up the blood and I finally peel it off her scalp to reveal a very tiny gash. Certainly nothing to be severly alarmed about but it didn't take rocket science to know that it was a gash that needed a couple stitches. Long story short, I refused to go to Childrens downtown e.r. to sit there for 20 hours, so we ended up calling the children's hospital on Acton Road and thank the Lord they have "after hour care" and said to just come on. So we threw everyone in the car thinking it would be a quick trip and we could get to the party. Well, is anything ever quick in the medical world??!! No. We walked in at 5:45 and walked out at 8pm. I know, I was totally bummed out. I wanted so badly to be at the party for my cousin. I tell you, kids. They just can sometimes totally bust up your plans. Anyway, posted some pictures of us in the hospital room.

3 Stitches

hanging out waiting on the numbing creme to kick in. Which took about 45 minutes, but it was worth it because Sittre Paige didn't even flinch when the Dr. was putting the stitches in.

Since we missed the party, I put up a picture of my cousin and her future husband, Cory. We love him so much. He and his Dad own Big Boltons Barbeque in Springville. He is soooo funny and down to Earth. I am really excited about him becoming part of the family!! I hate we missed their engagement party but we are super excited for them and can't wait to be there for them on the big day!! Congratulations Cory and Kaitlin!!!

Jared also had a cousin get engaged this past weekend. Her name is Kerry and she got engaged in Central Park in New York City......I know, amazing right??!! We are super excited for her and her future husband Danny. Congratulations Danny and Kerry!! Looks like an eventful year already for both our families.

South Carolina on my mind

(Wrote this blog during a very emotional moment this past Sunday, January 3rd)

Today we left my baby brother Jacob in South Carolina.

I knew this day was coming just was never prepared for it. We left for South Carolina Friday morning at 2am so the kids could sleep and so we could have a full weekend preparing my brothers new apartment. Not to mention my brother had to pull a Uhaul behind his truck so we knew it was going to be a long ride. We arrived at 10am central time and walked into an awesome 1-bedroom apartment in Hilton Head, actually Bluffton, right outside Hilton Head, but its all the same, I mean he is 10 minutes from the beautiful beach......does it get any better?? We unloaded all the furniture and it took a couple hours to get everything set up, we then made our way to Walmart to get my brother all his essentials, mostly FOOD, to make it over the next couple weeks. We all fell asleep pretty fast, it was a busy day. Saturday was reserved for shopping and sight-seeing Jacob's beautiful new place he will call home for the next 16 months. We had such a great day, we shopped the outlets, visited the beach, had some yummy food, signed the apartment lease, shopped for more food at Kroger and finished hanging curtains and other things in the apartment. Before we knew it, everyone was in bed and it was just my brother and I sitting on the couch together. We sat there together until 2 am. Granted, he was playing xbox and I was typing a blog but we still talked and laughed. It was an awesome ending to a great trip, just me and my brother hanging out. We woke up Sunday morning, went to see his college, and then said goodbye. A very emotional goodbye for everyone in my family.
I miss him so much. already. Its 8 o'clock right now and I just miss my brother. I took a long shower when we got home and basically can't hold back the tears. I am so excited for him and tomorrow morning at 9 am he will start his new life. He will start a life-long career in a sport he is very good at. Golfing is his life, ever since his middle school days on the golf team leading into highschool, and now as a college student. But really does his new life have to be 2 states away from his sister??!! I mean, he has stepped out on a limb by himself. I wish I could be with him. Certainly not in school, but just be there with him, for support. This is going to sound silly, but I don't feel as complete with him not near. I don't know if its the fact that he is growing up or the fact that in these next 16 months I can't just call him to run up to my house. This is going to take some major adjusting. I mean I know he will always need his sister.....wink wink. And I will always, always, always be here for whatever he may need. He just has to say the word and its done. I love him like I love my own children, he will forever be my baby brother.

Pictures from our trip this past weekend.

Silly Brother-in-laws

Jacob's life for the next 16 months.

His apartment

Jacob and Stella

Our family on Hilton Head beach. Can't wait to be there in bathing suits!!

I love you Jacob. I support you and am so excited about your future! I am always here for you.

New blog post below.

Goodbye Racecar Baby

A much-needed UPDATE on my angel Stella. We have said GOODBYE to her helmet!!! Yes, it is officially gone and her head is beautiful!! I stare at it all the time. I mean she really does have such a pretty head, probably because it was so bad before I just didn't realize what kind of "shaping up" the helmet would provide. Everytime Jared catches me staring at Stella he says, "look at that $2500 head". Gasp......I know, thank you Lord for health insurance. I don't really know how to explain the whole evaluation of losing the helmet but I will give it a shot if you care to read, this is just in a nutshell, and basically from MY perspective of how the helmet thing works. They measure the head by taking a scan of the entire head and then dividing it down the middle. How they get the measurement number is how many millimeters the right side of the head is off from the left side or vice versa. When we took her to her first head scan her measurement was 10.2 millimeter, meaning her right side of her head was off by 10.2 milimeters to the left side. Make sense? Probably not I am the worst explainer of things!! So if your are reading this and don't get it, its me not you. Anyway, her last head scan on December 31st showed that she was down to 7 millimeters!!!! I mean the best news in the whole wide world, considering a 6 and below is considered "normal" head range. So its still off 1 millimeter, but we had to toss the helmet because actually she outgrew it. We knew this would be a possibility with the helmet, they either get the head in the "normal" range or the child outgrows the helmet before time is up. Stella was suppose to have the helmet until her 1st birthday on January 29th but her growth rate was speedy so we knew the helmet would be off earlier than expected. Still extremely excited about the progress we made and can't believe its actually over. It seems like yesterday I was typing about getting the helmet. We will return at 18 months for another head scan just to see if there has been anymore improving on her own. So, goodbye "racecar baby", as one little boy called my daughter in a store. A funny reaction to seeing a baby in a helmet, I guess. The poor mom was devastated her son had pointed this out, but I couldn't quit laughing, because that was a true reaction from a child and again goes to prove you never know whats going to come out of their mouths.

Another story about the helmet, we were in Bass Pro Shop one day and I was, I guess you could call it rare form, just in an ill mood because it was severely crowded and I just felt everyone was staring at my baby and her accessory. Now almost the whole 2 1/2 months she wore it I didn't get offended at the stares or whispers but on this particular day I was just touchy. I thought okay the next person I catch staring at her I going to throw a punch, okay see, this is just horrible. But we turned down an aisle and noticed a father and son shopping. The father kept looking at Stella and I thought okay, you know what, I've had it. After a couple minutes he finally walked up to me and said "you have a beautiful daughter". I said a not so polite thanks, thinking he was just saying that to make up for all the staring he did. Then he said "I understand this", Jared and I were like "huh"?? He said, "my son here had to wear one for 2 years and it wasn't easy". I wanted to break down (I mean TWO YEARS!!!), I said "I know, and I just feel like everyone is staring at her today and its just upsetting". He said, "don't worry about them, look at my son, its worth it". I almost tackled him with a hug, I know God sent him to me that day. Just confirming once again we were doing the right thing for our baby, bringing the humbleness back, and knowing that God delivers. Always. Always.

Again, its sort-of shocking that the journey is over. I wasn't mentally prepared for it to be over a month early.

It was so short, it was sooooo hard the very first 2 weeks of having it, it was so rewarding spiritually, it was an extra step to my day that is now gone, it was humility as a parent, it was enjoyment seeing Sittre Paige giving kisses to Stella on the helmet like she could actually feel them, it was relief when Stella would fall and hit her head because it provided protection, its security knowing we did what we knew was right as parents, its fulfillment in my Savior for being with me every step, and last but not least, it was worth it.

Other than that, Stella turns ONE on January 29th, she is such a pleasure to us. A stress-free baby is a good way to describe her. She just goes with the flow, completely fine doing whatever we are doing. I am totally in love with her and her personality. A total opposite from her sister, don't get me wrong we love having Mrs. drama living with us, but Stella just brings a beautiful calmness into the family. Her ways are just so graceful, even as a baby. Now, I have been warned about a good baby.................they turn into bad toddlers. I am nervous, because SP was a, ummm, not so good baby but an awesome tot. So we shall see, fingers crossed.

Some of Stella's milestones (to us) at 11 months:

*walking, not perfect, and she gets nervous when she finally realizes she is doing it by herself. We have ordered Stella her first pair of shoes, squeakies, these shoes actually making a squeak every time she takes a step. Some find this highly annoying, I find these shoes hilarious and am actually excited about the noise.

*says mama, dada, and ho,ho,ho

*claps uncontrollably when we say "Yeah, Stella"

*waves her hand to "bye-bye" and we are pretty sure she also says "bye" with the wave, but its high-pitched and very fast

*has crawled up to at least the 5th step on our staircase with no assistance (I swear we are watching her)

*will lean forward with her mouth wide-open when she wants a kiss

*has eaten these table foods (all chopped in baby-fine pieces of course): chicken nuggets, cheese puffs, ritz crackers, vanilla wafers, green beans, carrots, banana, biscuit, spaghetti, toast, cheerios and rice. She loves "our" food. She still gets baby food and 4 bottles a day, but with her 8 teeth she can handle a lot of our food, and actually seems to enjoy just chewing.

*uses a sippy cup

*points her first finger and yells/talks to anyone looking

*lays her head down on a pillow when we say, "Stella go night-night"

wow, this makes me realize how great she is growing and how lucky I am to have a healthy baby. The one thing she is not doing.......will not, not, not, hold her own bottle..........simply refuses. Just has ZERO interest in feeding herself, wants to be held with her arms down by her side and if you even attempt to put her hands on the bottle she will curl up her fingers or simply slap the bottle out of your hand. Apparently she has decided to grow up at her own pace. She is lovely.

Lovely baby Stella, I guess if I could describe her in one word, it would be lovely. I always do that, try to think of one word to describe my kids at the current time. I don't know, I'm weird. (If you are wondering the one word to describe Sittre Paige right now, God love her, she's just like her mom.......................emotional.)