Looking at things in a new way...

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

Thomas S. Monson, Nov. 2008

I'm really trying to enjoy my life as it is now...this quote helped me today so I thought I would share it :)

The report is in...

Robert has an Artrial Septal Defect (ASD) which is a hole between the upper two chambers of the heart.

His is small (3-4mm or about an eighth of an inch) if they are less than 6-7mm they usually close themselves...but it may take up to 3 years to close) All we will do at this time is know that he has it and watch it at each well baby visit to make sure there are no problems. If it isn't closed up by the time he's preschool age...we'll do another echocardiogram at that point and see what's up.

Everyone has this hole in their heart before they are born, it just usually closes, and his hasn't yet...but IT WILL!! I'm so relieved, now don't get me wrong...I wish he didn't have it at all...but this seems so minimal. I even read about it online and am more comforted than scared (now if for some reason we have to have surgery in 3 years...that will be a different story!!)



Read here if you want more info (seemed like a pretty reliable source)
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11065

Here's another site that explains it pretty well too http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/heart/asd.html


Thanks so much for all the prayers and support (and thanks Dr. Watts for calling me today so I didn't have to worry all weekend!!)

Robert's big day

**Long post alert...remember this is my journal and skip what you want)

Today was Robert's first echocardiogram (I have been mistakenly calling it an EKG....that's and electrocardiogram...a little different...learn something new every day!)


The morning started early...4:50 to be exact. I woke Robert up to give him some apple juice as he could have nothing after 5am (I had given him formula at midnight since he could have no food except clear fluids past 2am...and he was awake then since Thomas was awake with a terrible ear pain...it was quite a night!!!)


I was feeling calm as we went down to the hospital. Robert had received a beautiful blessing, and although it was snowy and the roads were terrible...Dave was with me and I knew all was going to be o.k. (Thomas woke up feeling better...yay for motrin and prayer!!)


We got to the hospital and they weighed and measured him and went on and on about how cute he is and how chubby his cheeks are. The nurses were so sweet. We had a few minutes for them to play with him and get him to warm up to him (he was tired as you can see) They decided to get out the bubbles.



He really liked them but got a little upset that everytime he tried to grab one it disappeared (how rude!!) It was really quite funny :)

(He was watching bubbles pop on the floor here)


He looked so cute in his little hospital gown and the tag they put on his arm was a great chew toy!! It was supposed to go on his ankle, but they underestimated his size and it wouldn't go around his chubby calf (they probably could have taken his socks off and fit it on his ankle, but they didn't want his toes to get cold)


The pulse/oxygen monitor was wrapped around his big toe with his sock on over it...good idea I thought....then it came time to sedate him (so he would hold still for the procedure)

They explained what would happen and the side effects (always scares me) They said they weren't putting him out very deep and that we needed to keep him still so he would sleep and that some kids really fight the medicine before they fall asleep...so we went back to an old trick and swaddled him very tightly before they gave him the medicine. They actually complimented me on my swaddling skills! (we were planning on taking more pictures...but since he was so lightly sedated, we were afraid it may wake him up and then they'd have to give him stronger meds...so no other pics!)

They then turned down the lights and everyone started talking in whispers (if it was light or it was loud he may wake up since he wasn't out very deep) He fussed just a little as I rocked him and hummed in his ear...after 8 minutes he was completely asleep! What a good boy.


They took him from me and put him up on the little crib and started getting him ready. They put a nasal cannula on him and then I got upset. Even though it was just a tiny bit of oxygen, just seeing that made me sad. I cried a little and the nurses didn't even make me feel bad for doing it :)


Then the ultrasound tech came in and hooked up the wires to his chest and started the ultrasound of his heart. I was disappointed when I found out that they weren't going to tell me anything about what they were seeing. Dave said they don't pay them enough to deal with worried moms.


It was cool to watch the ultrasound...I was trying to figure out what I was seeing (without much luck) and I went back and forth being amazed at the technology and freaking out that it was my baby hooked up to this machine!


I decided that they must not be seeing anything too scary though since the Dr. that was checking on him during the procedure was looking up the RSL soccer championship on the internet between when he was checking on him.


After it was all done, they unhooked him from everything and turned on the lights and stood him up and he woke right up (he was a little groggy) They tried to offer him a sucker but he didn't want it at all, nor did he want the juice they offered (the medicine they gave him was NASTY tasting and he wouldn't let anything else in his mouth.


We finally got him to drink a little juice (from his own bottle, from me) and smile and talk to us and we were on our way.


We have to wait to find out what they found out for sure, but I talked to my Dr. today (about Thomas) and they hadn't given him the report yet...which, according to what they said at the hospital today, means it is nothing too serious.


Robert has been a little groggy and sleepy today, but with every nap he's more and more like himself...this is what they said to expect.


I'm anxious to hear the report and know what the next steps are. But in the meantime...I'll enjoy this happy boy who obviously isn't too sick!!
(enjoying a snack after his fist nap...he was in the saucer because he kept falling over while trying to climb up on things!)


Oh did I mention it was a long day...this is what I just found when I went to check on Dave and Robert in our room...TOO CUTE!!! Love my boys!!

9 months old!!

This is always kind of a thoughtful (for lack of a better word) birthday for me since now he's been living outside of me as long as he was living inside of me. As much as they develop inside in those 9 months, they do so much developing outside in 9 months too.



His offical 9 month picture...(no sitting still on the couch this month mom thankyouverymuch!! Just put that elephant by me while I play)



Stats: 25 lbs 7.5 oz 30 3/4 inches yep...that's my big boy!!



Here's his list of new accomplishments...

-pulling up to stand (using the crib, couch, chair, toy box, whatever he can)

-he's starting to inch himself along whatever he's standing up to (I'm SOOO not ready for him to walk!!)

-He has 7 teeth and almost 8

-Eating all kinds of food including table foods. We found out Sunday he LOVES ham!!

-He is a human vacuum cleaner and finds things on the floor and the go immediately in his mouth! Speaking of which ...I'm really glad he makes an "mmmmm" sound when something goes in his mouth it's alerted me to when he has something in his mouth he shouldn't have in there!!

-He is a little jabber box but has yet to say ma-ma (why is that last?!)

-Just last week he popped up on his hands and knees to crawl (instead of his belly crawl) and he is FAST!!

-He claps and waves bye-bye

-he still has that infectious laugh...he laughs at a particular point in one of the baby einstein videos he watches every time...so funny!!

-Oh...and he is finally sleeping through the night (of course he wakes up at 5:45...I could do without that...but we're working on it)



I haven't mentioned this before, because I was told not to worry about it (and was trying to pretend it didn't exist)...but his dr. noticed a small heart murmur at his first appt. and told us not to worry that it was very common and would go away...I was shocked and a little scared, but found comfort in the fact that it was normal and was assured it would go away....well at each subsequent appointment I waited anxiously to hear that the murmur was gone...and it never was...and it's still not.



Dr. Watts still assures me that it's nothing to worry about, but he's sending him for an EKG on Monday. I'm trying not to worry...but truth be told...I'm worried...It's my baby's heart for crying out loud!! No one (in the medical profession) seems to be worried about it, and they keep telling me not to worry...so I'm really trying not to.



Monday should be an experience and I'm praying that it's nothing more than something insignificant like Dr. Watts thinks it is. He just wants to make sure what it is so we know what we're not worrying about. I've promised him and myself that I will stay off the internet and not worry until I have something to worry about, I'm not sure how that will go!! I will worry...but I'm really NOT going to look on the internet about it...been there done that too many times!!!



So this will be a week full of keeping myself busy so my mind can't wander, and praying extra hard!! I'll just keep telling myself that everything is going to be fine!!



Robert...I can't belive how big you're getting!!!

I love you and love the times you still let me cuddle and snuggle you!!

Love, Mom :)

And then there are these moments...

Yes this is my husband actually reading instructions before beginning a project...a rare thing in our house. (just for clarification...it's the reading of instructions that's rare...not the project doing!)

Oh...and yes Robert's 9 month birthday was yesterday and I'll do the update post on Tuesday after his Dr. appt. but here's a picture for a teaser...

...and no...he first word wasn't "CHEESE" (although it looks like it)

These are the moments...

There are lots of things I need to blog about...but I was able to catch this moment on film tonight and wanted to share it.

One of the best things about having kids is the frienship that develops between siblings...I'm always surprised how fast it happens. Robert loves every minute he can spend with Michael. I'm glad he has such a good big brother to look up to and learn from.

(and Robert has learned to react to the camera...everytime I took a picture this is what he did the quiet beep of the focus made him look up and smile every time...silly boy!!)

Even Naughtier Baby!!

Robert learned to pull himself up to standing today!!! He did it a couple of times this evening so we decided we couldn't procrastinate any more. We had to lower Robert's crib mattress tonight before he went to bed...and boy did it make him mad when he couldn't pull himself up.

Well...the anger didn't last long. Michael came running in to get us and tell us that Robert was standing in his crib (we told him we'd put it down so he couldn't do that) he was worried he would get hurt (so sweet!!)

That little stinker...it took all of 15 minutes for him to learn to stand in his crib...he's pretty wobbly though :)

Also, notice that instead of looking at me and smiling...he was looking up to Michael's bunk bed and laughing...a regular occurance!! (and I love it) We can't put them to bed at the same time!!

Why do I have a bad feeling that he's going to walk sooner than either of my other boys did (oh he learned to wave and clap this week too...it's been a big week!!)

It was actually less than a week ago I found him kneeling...not even time to change the pink bumpers yet...I was too busy making M&M costumes...and I'll post about that later! Anyone know how to slow a boy down?!

Is it true?

Thomas told Dave the other day that as soon as Halloween was over it was almost Christmas! Guess I'd better get on the ball!