5th Wedding Anniversary

Happy 5th Anniversary!!

Trent and I before his work Christmas party
*photo credit: Terri Parmarter*

I promised I would write about the love of my life when the time got closer, and now, here we are, just 2 days away from the 5-year mark.

I'm not sure where to start. As I'm thinking back through the past 5 years I am surprised at how quickly the time has gone, especially since having children. I can honestly say that I love Trent more with each passing day. I am so thankful that God is molding me in to the woman that He wants me to be. I'm excited to see the spiritual growth that has happened in my life, as well as Trent's. We are stronger as a couple than we are as individuals. I try my best to be submissive to my husband. With my personality, one might think it is a difficult thing for me to do. For sure, sometimes it is. If there is something that I feel strongly about I will "argue my case" (Trent loves to debate). Sometimes I win Trent over, and other times I submit to him. I will admit, that I once used the shameful tactic of crying to win him over. This is the reason we have a dog. Which I sometimes regret even though the children love him dearly.

I was reminded of the slogan that Engaged Encounter (a weekend for engaged couples) used. "A wedding is a day, a marriage is a lifetime". Our wedding was pretty simple, but there was still a lot of time and energy put in to that one day. And now, just 5 years after that day, I am wondering what I really remember most about it. I think that the funniest thing that happened was as I was walking down the aisle, my Uncle Ken held up a cardboard sign that he made that said, "It's not too late." Every Sunday at church he would tell Trent that it's not too late to join the family. After we said, "I do" and kissed and were walking out, Uncle Ken held up the other side which said, "It is now". Oh, and my dress. I loved my dress.

There are so many reasons why Trent is such a great husband. First of all, he loves God. Then he loves me, and the children. He tells me that he loves me. He shows me with his unselfish actions that he loves me. He is the leader of our household. Trent makes me feel safe. Trent is a wonderful provider. He is strong. He is confident. He is good-looking. Okay, I know that last one isn't a personality/character thing, but I do like to look at him!!

When we got married I still had 3 semesters of college left. We figured that I would teach for 2 years, then be pregnant while teaching my third year and stay at home with our children. However, God has such better plans than our own! Much to my surprise we found out we were pregnant while I was student teaching in my last semester of college. So, after I graduated I was a substitute teacher until Anne was born. I am so thankful that it happened that way. I can't imagine how much more difficult it would have been for me to quit teaching and go from two incomes to just one. The way God had it planned was that we would never get used to having two incomes, and we would have more faith in God. And God is so good! He has never let us down. When things were very tight in the beginning of our marriage, we just pulled the purse strings a little tighter, and we made it through. God had some wonderful ways of providing for us at those times.

To celebrate our 5th anniversary we have decided to go to Trent's parents cabin. I'm excited for the seclusion we will feel after our regular lives of noise in the city. I'm ready to lay on the couch with a Louis L'Amour book (tradition), and the wood stove heating the cabin to a balmy 80 degrees. I'm excited to go out for dinner with (almost) no kids (Magdalena will be along). I am ready to do a puzzle with Trent, drink lots of coffee, and whoop his butt in Scrabble. I'm ready to love on my husband, talk about life with him, and enjoy every simple moment of being together.

I keep thinking that these are the best days of my life. The "big" girls were under the Christmas tree hiding and giggling the other night. Trent and I were sitting on the couch together talking about how sweet they are, and how much fun this Christmas will be. Then we were talking about how next Christmas will be even better because Maggie will be giggling with the other girls under the Christmas tree. Having sweet children is addicting. Will there be a point in which it will not be fun anymore? I hope not.

Enjoy your life, people. It's the only one we get.

Just for fun: These are my kitchen helpers. The girls are loving helping bake tons of Christmas cookies. It's definitely more difficult and takes longer, but how can I not let these little ones help out? p.s. I'm thankful for my lovely kitchen. Dec. 3rd marked 1-year since it was finished. Praise the Lord!!

Random Ramblings

At the suggestion of a dear friend, another dear friend and myself are working through a study on Esther by Beth Moore. It is a 10 week study and tomorrow is that last day of week 7. It has been an incredible journey. It has helped me focus my devotion time to delve deeper into God's word instead of just reading a few chapters in the Bible. I find that my thoughts keep going back to a verse that struck me anew, or a quote from B.Moore. I am learning something new everyday and being challenged.

Throughout my pregnancy with Magdalena, God was teaching me to have more faith in Him. I felt that I did have a strong faith, why the need to grow me more in this aspect of my relationship with Him?

Romans 5:3-5 (NIV) "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."

And so, through those difficult days, God was building me up to be a stronger, more complete individual. There is something that God has laid on my heart many years ago, and I feel strongly that it may soon come to fruition. However, it will be a journey, and one that will require much faith. I'm certain God is using baby steps to walk me through it. What I felt was a difficult time with Magdalena's pregnancy was really the building blocks of faith that I will need to get through the next journey that God has in store for us. God is good!

This is a random Anne quote from yesterday: "Daddy, I didn't care when you spanked me because I was looking at this baby shoe." This is what she said to Trent when he had to spank her for getting out of bed. She was literally looking at one of baby Maggie's shoes.

Magdalena is consistently sleeping through the night, but it seems to be about 11 p.m. until she wants to settle in.

Abbey is starting to get into that age where children can be a real "pill". She was such a sweet baby I didn't think she would ever go through (dare I say it?) the terrible twos!!

Trent and I will soon celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. I am so blessed by this amazing man. Who would have thought I would ever marry Trent Hess!! Me? Emily Parmarter?? Marry Trent?? No way, that's too weird! I mean, we went to church together all our lives! I must admit, I haven't had any of those "get real" moments for awhile, but it sure is fun to think back on them. Closer to our anniversary I'll write more about us. But let me just say that I am so thankful for a godly husband. Not only is he good to me but he is a terrific daddy. Sure, he's a little too nice at times and finds it hard to keep a straight face when Anne says or does something a bit naughty but is funny at the same time. But I wouldn't have it any other way. He is so precious when he reads books to the girls. I think one thing that is so dear to me that Trent does is brush their hair after a bath. Sure, he usually has to wrap his legs around them to keep them from wriggling away, but there is just something about it that tugs at my heartstrings. Perhaps it is because that is one thing that I remember my dad doing just a very few times. Daddy hands are much bigger than Mommy hands. I think girls like to feel little. I even like to feel little. There is something humbling and awe-inspiring to be smaller than someone else. Perhaps that is why we look up to heaven, to God, our creator.

Another random Anne funny: Last night we were at Trent's parents for dinner. Afterward we were enjoying some home videos of the Hess boys. When the video panned the backyard Anne saw the clothes line in a + shape. She said, "Look, there's the cross that Jesus died on to save us from our sins!"

Precious.

Stay-at-home-mama

Abbey just got cuter!!

Abbey got her glasses today! I was worried about how she would do with them. The optician helped me put them on her, and then showed Abbey her image in the mirror. She just stared and stared and stared. Then he put the mirror back up on the table and she walk around a little, and said, "Nonnie (Annie), Nonnie, Nonnie!" And pointed to her glasses. The optician said he has never seen a child that young allow glasses to be put on with out a fight, and leave them on. Abbey is loving her glasses. She really must be able to see so much better! I'm so so thankful for her willingness to accept her glasses. We went over to JCP to pick up pictures and say, "Hi" to Aunt Stacy and Aunt Audrey. They loved her glasses and Stacy insisted we take a couple photos. And how could I resist? So, thanks Aunt Stacy!! =)


There are so many reasons why I love being a Stay-at-home-Mama. I'd like to share just a few with you.

This morning I was able to vacuum my living room while barefoot, wearing pajamas, and drinking coffee. Any job that allows that is a job for me!

I get to enjoy all of my kids "firsts". First smile, step, word, etc. Every one of those is so precious to me.

I get to hold and hug and kiss my children as much as they will let me.

As much as I enjoy the "firsts" I sometimes wonder when it will be their "last". When will be the last time Anne will ask me to carry her up the stairs, or hold her hand, or read her a book? It helps me to cherish each of those moments knowing that some day she will not need me as much as she does now.

I get to teach my children about the Lord. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road (drive in the van), when you lie down and when you get up." Those are some of my favorite verses that remind me how to be a good mother. If I am doing those things, then I'm getting it right. Even if my house isn't totally clean, my hair isn't brushed, and dinner got started late; if I'm living life by those verses, I'm okay!

Since all of my children still nap (and usually at the same time), I have some "free time" in which to relax, read my Bible, do Bible study, exercise, shower, clean, do laundry, clean, wash fingerprints off windows and doors and walls, clean some more.

The list could go on and on, and I'm sure I'll share more at another time, but alas, laundry is calling!

Life as of now

Where to start? So much yet so little since it is all so simple. It is life. Growing. Changing.

At Magdalena's 2-month appointment she was 9 pounds 11 ounces. That's right, she has more than doubled her birth weight! Praise the Lord! She is getting some amazing chubby cheeks. We all adore them. Anne loves to squish them and say, "Chubby cheeks!!" Then Abbey comes up and pokes Maggie's cheek and says, "Cheeky!" Gotta love these girls!

Soon before Magdalena's birth I noticed Abbey's right eye drifting in. I took her to the eye doctor (thanks a million Diane for watching Annie and Magdalena!) for what was over a 2-hour appointment. The result? She doesn't have a lazy eye or a crossed eye which is what I thought, but she does have poor vision, especially in her right eye which is why it would drift sometimes. So our little Abbey will be getting glasses. They are ordered and should be in soon. I'll post a picture once she has them. She is also starting to say a lot more words. She used to say "doe-doe" for any word she didn't know, but not she is actually trying to say the word. Anne loves that she can talk to her sister. Unfortunately, they do more talking than sleeping since they share a room. I'm hoping that as they get older they will have a very close bond and continue to share with each other all their thoughts and talk about their day together before going to sleep.

AND we now have a 3-year-old!!! Anne is so smart (I know every parent thinks this), but she really is. I know I'm shamelessly bragging on my child. She can write her name in all caps: ANNE. She can also write most of the alphabet in caps, and we just started working on pairing lower case and upper case letters. In addition to that she will gladly show anyone who is willing to watch that she can balance on one leg, do "hand dance" aka hand stands, all in her childish, slightly clumsy manner. I love it because it reminds me that she really is only three, despite her precocious nature in other aspects of her life.

I think this picture is the embodiment of "everything Anne". She is laid back, yet extremely energetic. She's fun and crazy and wild. She loves Jesus with all her heart. Today she was explaining the salvation message to Abbey. What better way for Abbey to learn about the Lord than from her big sister? As Anne says, "Praise God!" as she lifts up Maggie's arms toward heaven.

I love this, but it makes me feel a little sad because it looks so much like a school picture and I'm not ready for her to be 5 or 6 yet.

I think that as I get older, or as my children get older, or for some reason, I am becoming much more nostalgic. I always enjoyed nursing Anne and Abbey, but I love it so much more with Magdalena. I held the other girls a lot, but I try to hold Maggie with every spare moment of my day. I am cherishing each stage that the children go through. I was doing a puzzle with Anne and thought, "wow, this is really great. What a fun age this is." Then was down on the floor steam rolling with Abbey and thinking the same thoughts. Not long after that it was time for Magdalena to eat and I was holding her and nursing her and thinking that this is such a special time for us! Life is short. We don't know if we will live to be 85 or 55 or if we will die in an accident tomorrow. I'm trying my best to follow God and leave that legacy for my children. I am trying to enjoy each moment of every day. I often fail at this. I lose patience (especially with Anne... we are so much alike), and then I feel terrible. But, I do try to ask forgiveness of my children. It is so humbling to see their willingness to forgive, and their amazing capacity for love.

The Name Game

Names are very important to Trent and me. We pored through the 50,001 Best Baby Names books, Hess genealogy books, Miller genealogy books, the Bible, any old-fashioned names, and really wracked our brains to come up with what we felt would be the best name for our third child. As I mentioned before I left the boy name up to Trent. He didn't decide until we were in the Operating Room, only to find out that we had a girl and could use the name that we had decided upon a couple months previous.



Magdalena Faith Hess:

Where did Magdalena come from? Trent thought it would be neat to trace his Hess side all the way back to the first Hess's who came from Switzerland. The first couple was Hans and Magdalena Hess in the 1700s, and the third in his line was David and Magdalena. It seemed to be a popular name back then, there were several in that particular Hess book. It's popularity seemed to die out around the 1800s. Anyway, we thought it was a neat name, and liked the nick name Maggie.



Where did Faith come from? Originally I really liked Rose as a middle name. It is old-fashioned and I love old names, plus I thought it sounded very pretty, Magdalena Rose. However, as our pregnancy progressed and I was being so challenged by God to have more faith in Him, I thought we could use Faith as a middle name. It is a name Trent always liked as well, so we decided on Magdalena Faith. Magdalena is so beautiful. I am so thankful for her good health and amazed at how well she is growing and eating.



At her 4 week check up (when these photos were taken) she was 7 pounds already! She had gained 2 pounds and grew 2 inches in just three weeks. She will be 9 weeks tomorrow, and has a doctor appointment Friday. I will not be surprised if she has gained another 2 pounds!

NICU Experience & More

Trent was able to go straight over to the NICU to be with Magdalena. Because I had the spinal block I could not yet get out of bed. Trent's mom was in the room with me at this point, and was able to keep me distracted and not feel too upset. While I was talking with Diane my face started itching like crazy. At some point a nurse came in and noticed that I was scratching my face (my nose was VERY itchy) and gave me some medication. Apparently this is a side effect of the morphine that is in the spinal block. I kept asking nurses about Magdalena and if she was okay and when could I go see her. Finally a nurse called over to the NICU to get a report. She was doing fine, but was on oxygen and they were giving her antibiotic just in case she had an infection. I don't know how long it took but finally Trent came back to the room and updated me. My mom had to work the next day so we needed to transfer the kids from my mom to Trent's parents, along with switching carseats and gathering clothes and diapers and other gear for the next 5 days or so.

Trent, Diane, and my mom all met at our house. They took care of everything! Then my mom came to see me at the hospital. Trent arrived soon after my mom did. After a while a nurse came and helped me to get out of bed and I was able to be wheeled over to the NICU. Let me just say that I had amazing recoveries after Anne and Abbey. With the C-section I had staples and I felt like I couldn't stand up straight. I was quite literally pulled together and stapled shut. This is not something I want to do again any time soon.

**1st night**

Everything about the NICU was amazing. The nurses were fantastic and helpful and encouraging. The doctors were all friendly and honest. The parent lounge is set up very nicely so that parents can hang out throughout the day and even stay the night if they want to.

*Maggie with all of her tubes.*

Magdalena spent 6 days in the NICU. Everything sort of blurred together, but we got into a bit of routine between handwashing when you enter, signing in, then going to her "pod", taking her temperature, changing her diaper, and when her feeding tube and oxygen came off I was able to take her out of the special bed by myself and get set up for breastfeeding.

little peanut

*After her sponge bath*

I think it was day 3 or 4 that I started getting a headache. I thought it would just go away but it didn't. It got really bad when I was feeding Magdalena and had to go back to my room to lie down. That seemed to help. When I told the nurse she said it sounded like a spinal headache, and sent the anesthesiologist over to talk to me. Of course it was a spinal headache. I had 2 options: wait it out (they usually last about a week) and take percoset/ibuprofin and drink a lot of caffeine; or do a "blood patch" where they draw blood from your arm and put it into your spine. HA! Yeah right. I decided to wait it out. It was difficult, and I actually even went home for a little bit (I was discharged at this point already). After getting some good sleep in my own bed and drinking as much water and caffeine as possible I felt a lot better. I went back in to the hospital and stayed the night in the NICU. The next day was when Magdalena was to be discharged! The NICU closes while doctors make their rounds, so Trent and I went out for breakfast. It'll probably be the last time just the two of us go out for quite a while! When we got back we were able to pick up our sweet Magdalena and go home!!

Going home!!!!

Anne and Abbey were very excited. I was a bit nervous about the transition, but there was none. We brought her home and sat the carseat on the living room floor.

4 lbs. 9 oz. when we came home!

Abbey said, "hey Baby!", and that was about all the transitioning it took. The girls completely accepted her from that first moment and we are loving every second of all of our girls being together!

3 little Hess girls

About my C-Section. I should clarify that the cut they did on the outside is the "bikini cut", the incision on my uterus is the "classical cut". The doctor who did my surgery explained that this had to be done because of the position Magdalena was in. She was feet first. Normally when the baby is either head or bottom first this stretches the uterus to make it wide. They can then do a horizontal incision and pull the baby out that way. Since she was feet first my uterus was not stretched wide enough to make a large enough incision to remove her, so he had to do a vertical incision. This is why any baby has to be a C-section after this. With the classical incision the chance of your uterus rupturing during labor and/or delivery is very high. The classical incision is not as strong as the bikini cut, and the stress of the contractions and pushing is often too much for the uterus to handle. He told me that no doctor would consider allowing me to labor again.

What does this mean for our future? We don't know. I hear stories of women having 7 C-Sections, but I can guarantee that will not be me. Some people say it depends on scar tissue, and on how your body heals. The general rule of thumb is 3 C-sections, which means we would have 2 more biological children. Many of you who know us well also know that we want to adopt at some point in our future. We really struggled as to when that would be since we were quite happy having biological children. However, the more I thought about this I felt that perhaps was the Lord's way of slowly closing the door on having biological children and slowly opening the door to adoption. We are praying about biological children, adopted children, and our home situation. We do love our home, but are questioning how long we should be here? 2 years? 5 years? We know that God will show us the way, but God has such a different idea about timing than I do! I just like to KNOW things in advance. If I know we will be here for 5 more years I feel like I want to prepare myself for that. And if we will only be here 2 more years I would want to prepare myself differently for that! And this is why I'm thankful for such a grounded, level-headed husband who can talk sense into me!

All I know is that all the difficulty is worth it in the end...

Magdalena's Story

Now that we are back home and pretty much settled into a routine I figured I'd take the time to write out Magdalena's story.

Sunday, August 22, 2010: Trent preached a great sermon. After lunch and naps we went to Lancaster County Central Park to hike around a bit. Life was "normal". (Yes, Elmo is wearing a diaper... It's bad enough diapering kids but my kids make me diaper Elmo!)




Tuesday, August 24, 2010: 8:15 a.m. I dropped Annie and Abbey off at my mom's house while I went to a check up at MFM.
8:45 a.m.: I arrive for my appointment and get checked in. My Non-Stress Test is scheduled first. The nurse, Lindsay, got me hooked up to the monitor and I read a magazine while I waited the 20-odd minutes that it takes. Lindsay came to check on me a couple of times. I could tell by her face that she wasn't thrilled about what the monitor was showing (several drops in the baby's heart rate). She asked if I had a date scheduled yet for a C-Section, and I said, "No, we were hoping to wait until 38 weeks." I was 36 weeks and 6 days at this point. I also didn't have an ultrasound scheduled for that day, so she went out and talked to the doctor and they fitted me in as soon as they could after the NST.
9:30 a.m.: The sweet ultrasound tech came to do my ultrasound. When she checked the fluid level around the baby I could tell (even though she didn't say anything) that there wasn't much. There was no measuring done this day, so the ultrasound didn't take very long.
10:00 a.m.: The "mean" doctor came in the room. He looked through the slides that the tech had taken of the baby. He looked very closely at the fluid level, then he measured it himself, several times. He then went in and did a doppler of the baby's brain. This is one thing that they do that I'm never quite sure of what they are looking for, so I wasn't sure what he was seeing (and he doesn't like to talk while he does these things). When he was finished he said something like, "Well, there is very low fluid around the baby (4 c.m. when they like to see at least 8 or more), and there is shunting in the brain. The baby was also showing a dropping heart rate on the NST. We're going to send you downstairs for an emergency C-Section since the baby is still breech. I'll have Lindsay and Jackie get you ready to go downstairs." I said, "Can I call my husband?" He said to go ahead out to the waiting room to make any phone calls and I never saw him again.
10:15 a.m.: I called Trent's direct line at work and he didn't answer. I called the receptionist and was trying not to cry as I told her who it was and can I talk to Trent. I asked Trent to leave work because they want the baby to be born ASAP. I also called my mom to tell her and make sure she would be okay with the girls the rest of the day. She didn't answer so I had to leave a voicemail! Ugh!! What a way to tell someone such big news!

The next couple hours were quite strange. Trent arrived shortly (his office is just a 15 minute drive), and we waited to get checked-in. We weren't sure of how serious the 'shunting' was and it seemed like it took forever to get officially admitted. The women behind the desk were just laughing at how it was taking so long because they needed to figure out how to enter my information into the computer for billing purposes. I was frustrated at this entire procedure.

From here we were sent back to Triage and were hooked up to monitors to wait. Every couple minutes people would come in and ask me questions (how tall are you? how much do you weigh? do you have any allergies?) I thought if one more person asked if I had any allergies I would go nuts! We also met with the anesthesiologist and the doctor who would do my Cesarean. My only concern was that we wanted to have more children and can the doctor be sure to do the horizontal cut. He said they nearly always do what they call the "bikini cut" and not to worry. Now we just had to wait for our time slot to open up. They were fitting us between 2 other C-Sections, and we were going to go to surgery around 1:00.

Throughout our waiting period I felt an overwhelming sense of peace. I felt rested in the peace that God was with me and watching over me. As odd as it sounds, I was worried about the 1/2 bushels of pears that were sitting on the counter at home ripening, and thinking how I wouldn't be able to can them as planned.

1:00 p.m.: I was wheeled back to surgery. While they did the spinal block Trent was not allowed in the room with me. He kissed me and I went back into a huge room filled with people but all by myself. Let me just say now, I don't mind shots, and I don't mind needles. However, when that needle is going into my back I just don't do well. Unfortunately, they had a difficult time getting the spinal block in just the right spot. At one point the woman hit a nerve, causing a painful jump in my left leg (twice). Then she moved the needle and hit another nerve causing my right leg to jump. At this point I lost it and was shaking and crying and a real mess. They had to completely stop and get me calmed down. I was praying SO hard at this point. Once I was calm they tried again, this time with immediate success. You could almost hear everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

I'm not sure how long all of this took, but soon Trent was in the room and by my side. There was all sorts of medical personnel working busily. I won't go into detail about the procedure, but it was a very odd one. Although my body was numb I could feel tugging and other odd sensations that would have been extremely painful had I not been numb. When it came time to open my uterus, the doctor leaned over the drape and said, "I had to do the classical cut. All babies after this are C-section. I'll talk to you more about it later." I could feel tears start streaming down my face, and the nurse who was watching over me wiped them away. Soon they were getting ready to pull out our baby. They asked Trent if he wanted to watch (yeah right!). He squeezed my hand as we prepared to meet our new baby, not knowing if it was a boy or a girl, if he or she would have any problems (physical or otherwise). Trent hadn't decided on a boy name until he was IN the Operating Room.

1:47 p.m.: The doctor pulled out the baby and said, "It's a girl!" Trent and I started laughing. The doctor asked if she has any older brothers or sisters at home. Trent said, "Two big sisters!" And the doctor said, "Oh, how old are they?" Trent replied, "2 and 1." The doctor asked what we were thinking, and Trent said, "I don't think there was much thinking involved."

Unfortunately, we didn't have a camera with us because it all happened so suddenly. There was a NICU doctor there that checked out baby Magdalena, and he said she looked great. She was pink and crying and beautiful with a head full of dark hair. Magdalena Faith Hess weighed in at 4 lbs. 10 oz. and was just 17 1/4 inches long.

When I was in recovery the nurse noticed her making a grunting noise. She said it sounded like fluid in her lungs. As I was sent over to my regular room the nurse took her to the nursery to check her out. They wanted to send her over to the NICU, and so I was able to kiss her and then she was gone. The first pictures we have of her are from much later that evening:

Maggie in the NICU with oxygen, IV antibiotics, and being closely monitored.

Close-up of the oxygen and feeding tube in her mouth.

Our little Magdalena.

I will share more about NICU and our other experiences and challenges at another time. The girls will be waking up from their naps soon and I want to get a little house work done!

36 Weeks!!

*36 weeks pregnant.
Annie making a sad face because she wanted her pic taken!*

Yesterday was another MFM appointment. The baby looks great! We had an estimated weight of 4 lbs. 12 oz. which is a gain of 19 ounces in 2 weeks! Praise the Lord!!! This brings our little Hess baby up to the 4th percentile (2 weeks ago it was in the 1st). Unfortunately, we didn't get to see our "nice" doctor because he is doing a long bike ride with his son and was riding with him yesterday afternoon. Our "mean" doctor was on his best behavior. He must have been scolded after I "told on him". This doctor said the gain looked good. When Trent and I mentioned that it was 19 ounces of growth, he was suddenly skeptical. He did some re-measuring of the baby's stomach and was coming up with 4 lbs. 6-8 oz. Regardless, of which measurement is more accurate, the baby had gained about a pound in two weeks, which is what they expect "normal" growing babies to do. I definitely felt that my prayers were being heard and answered, and was very thankful to hear about the babies good growth.

They are still recommending induction/Cesarean at 37 weeks. I have an appointment next Wednesday (37 weeks to the day) with May-Grant who will do the scheduling. We are anticipating either late next week or early the following to have the baby. The baby still has the umbilical cord around his/her neck, which is why I think the baby has not gotten to the head-down position yet. During my ultrasound yesterday this little one went from footlong, to bottom down, to completely sideways.

I am still praying and hopeful that the baby will be able to get to the head-down position before next week. However, I do feel much more at peace about the possibility of a c-section. As I thought through my fears last night I was thinking that my reasons for not wanting to have a c-section were very selfish. I am anxious about the recovery, about the procedure itself, about what this can mean for future child-bearing, and also about the anesthesia. A friend of mine had sent me an encouraging devotion about our fears. After I read through it again last night it really hit me how selfish I was being. I know with my head that God will take care of me through all of my fears, but I was having trouble truly trusting and resting in this belief. I know that he is able to turn the baby if that is in His plans. It reminded me of the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. They knew God could save them from the fiery furnace, but even if he didn't they still believed that He was God. The devotion said something along the lines of this: that most of our worst fears will not come true, but sometimes bad things do and will happen, but through them all God will take care of us. I'm so thankful that we serve a wonderful, forgiving God. So although it is still my prayer that the baby will turn head-down, I am now at peace that whatever may happen, God will see me through this delivery and we will all (Trent, Annie, Abbey, Baby, and I) will be okay!

Thanks again for all the love, support, and prayers. God is listening. God is good. ALL the time!!

35 Weeks

Abbey at the beach.

Annie and Daddy!

Today marks 35 weeks. I plan on taking one last belly shot next week and will post that along with our weekly update.... Yesterday I had an appointment to check-up on this little one.

Good: The baby still looks healthy and strong; the doppler showed good blood flow and the baby was moving around. I also got to see a different doctor at MFM who was much more encouraging than the first. He refers to the baby as a "Mighty Mini" (Strong but Tiny).

Not-so-Good: Baby Hess is still breech (his/her feet are actually up at his/her head!); the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby's neck so chances of the baby turning are pretty slim; the amniotic fluid is at the low-normal range.

The doctor I saw very thoroughly explained some statistics and some individual cases that he has worked with dealing with Intra-Uterine Growth Restricted (IUGR) babies. He said he really pushes for delivery at 37 weeks because the placenta in all pregnancies begins to deteriorate after 37 weeks. Normally this isn't too big of an issue. However, with IUGR babies who aren't getting the nourishment that they need it becomes very dangerous. The rate of still births for IUGR babies who go past 37 weeks is incredibly high (I forget the numbers) versus babies who are growing normally.

What this means for us: We have an appointment this Saturday to check the fluid level and just to make sure baby is still looking good. Tuesday we have an appointment where we will check for growth, along with the other weekly check-up items, and confirm baby's position. I believe at that point we will schedule a date for either a c-section (if the baby doesn't turn) or induction (if the baby does turn).

I am still praying that the cord will come off the baby's neck and that it will be able to turn before 37 weeks. I'm also praying for a peace about our situation as well as being willing to let go of my plans, and to do what is best for baby. Thanks so much for all your thoughts and prayers! I've been so thankful for the encouraging emails that have been sent my way!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

*Miniature sunflowers in our flowerbed*

Yesterday was another appointment at Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM). I was 34 weeks and they were checking for growth along with the other regular things they check.

So, we'll start with the good. The baby has gained 12 ounces in the past 2 weeks. (All that peanut butter must be helping!) The doctor said this was "adequate". The baby is still looking healthy and strong; the umbilical cord, placenta and doppler (brain measurement) all looked fantastic.

The bad: The baby is still breech (feet first). Also the doctor still wants to induce at 37 weeks.

The ugly: When Trent questioned whether induction was really necessary as long as the baby is growing, the doctor said that it is what they recommend. When Trent asked what the risks are of continuing to let the baby grow in-utero the doctor said, "Death". Trent said, "So, the baby is just going to spontaneously die after 37 weeks?" And the doctor said, "You can refuse to be induced, but if the baby dies after 37 weeks it will be your fault. You'll have to live with that for the rest of your life, knowing that if you would have induced your baby would be alive, but just because you don't want a more painful labor you'll risk your baby's life." (So is he responsible if the baby dies prior to 37 weeks???)

Needless to say I was a sobbing, blubbering mess by this time. I was extremely dissatisfied with the way the doctor approached our questions (maybe he has never been questioned before?). Looking back I can see what he means; that induction is their recommendation and if we choose not to follow that recommendation, that whatever happens (good or bad) it was our choice. He could have worded his thoughts differently. Our question that he didn't ever answer was that AS LONG AS the baby continues to grow, what would be the purpose of inducing early? Obviously if there was something wrong, the baby wasn't growing, the placenta was dying, or becoming unattached to the uterine wall, etc. then yes, of course we would induce/c-section to insure the baby's safety. If he could give me a good reason for inducing early we would consider it.

Today I had a May-Grant appointment and saw a doctor I had not seen before. When I voiced my concerns to him, he agreed that the doctor from MFM was extremely rude and should not have talked to me in the way he did. He also said that I can ask for the other doctor that works for MFM. In addition, he said that they should look at each individual on a case-by-case basis. Since I go to MFM weekly and am closely following the baby's movements at home, we should be able to catch any problems very quickly. He was very encouraging to stick it out and allow the baby to grow in-utero for as long as it is safe.

At this point we are going to continue with our weekly appointments at MFM, and May-Grant. We plan on only inducing if it is necessary for the health of our child, which it does not seem to be at this point. We would definitely appreciate prayers for wisdom, and also for strength. The appointments with MFM are very stressful and emotional for me, and Trent will not be able to accompany me for the next 2 appointments so I will have to be the one asking the questions and standing up for myself and our child. Thank you again for all your thoughts, prayers, and encouraging stories; they are much appreciated!!

Baby Hessian Update

Our crazy Annie-Banannie!

Sweet Abbey Frances with her big eyes! I've recently taken to
calling her "Francie" which seems to suit her quite well.

Hi friends & family. Just thought I'd update on our little baby Hess. Last Tuesday baby was measured for growth and it was estimated that the baby weighed 2 lbs. 13 oz, which was a 4 oz. growth from 2 weeks previous. That put baby Hessian below the 2nd percentile. The doctor said he would have liked to see a 6 or 8 oz. gain. The baby was moving great and looked healthy otherwise. He/she even had a 10 minute bout with the hiccups during the ultrasound, which was pretty cute to see.

Today I had another U/S and NST. They did not measure growth today, but looked at the brain, movement, heart, lungs, and measured fluid. The sonographer pointed out that the baby's lungs contracting, showing how it is practicing breathing. It was amazing to be able to see this. The NST went well, and thankfully the baby stayed awake (last week it fell asleep) so they were able to see what they needed to and all is well.

The baby is still in breech position. At this point one of my biggest fears is that the baby will not turn. The doctor I had today said that at this point in pregnancy (33 weeks) about 30% of babies are breech. In the next 2-3 weeks that goes down to about just 3% of babies in breech position. I'm really praying for the baby to turn to the head-down position before next Wednesday when I have my next appointment. It will be very reassuring for me and a big weight off my shoulders.

Today Annie stayed with Mema (my mom) after my appointment. Annie was beyond excited to go to Aunt Pat's pool and try out her new goggles that Mema gave her! Abbey is teething and having a rough morning. She's sleeping now, for which I am thankful. Hopefully she can get a good nap in and feel better!

It is extremely difficult having weekly ultrasounds and not finding out the gender of this little one!! Some days I think the baby is a girl, and Trent and I joke that we'll probably end up with 7 little girls. Other days I think the baby must be a boy if it is this stubborn. Plus, we haven't decided on a boy name, so we'll probably end up having a boy and be in the hospital with no name!

I'm so thankful for such a wonderful and supportive husband. He is taking good care of me. Some evenings when I am very tired he will take the girls out for an hour or so just so I can get a little extra rest in. Plus, I think he really does enjoy his little outings with just him and the girls. He has also started forcing me to eat spoonfuls of peanut butter everyday for the extra protein!!

I will continue to keep you all posted in the coming weeks as to what our Baby Hess is doing!

Not much news...

**Our steadily-growing family at the PA Grand Canyon**
(29 weeks pregnant in this photo)

Today I had a follow-up ultrasound at 31 weeks. There isn't much to report other than the baby is still looking strong and healthy. The baby is now in breech position but it's not really a big deal until 35-36 weeks. The only "major" thing to report is that the doctor said that they are treating the baby as "growth restricted" and not as a miscalculated/wrong due date. He didn't or couldn't give me a reason as to why they think the baby is growth restricted which is a little frustrating. I just wish there were something in my control to make the baby get bigger. I asked if they see the baby following it's own growth pattern (the 3rd-4th%) over the next couple of weeks if we can reduce the appointments to every other week instead of weekly. The doctor said that unless the baby jumps up and stays in the 10th percentile or higher, then that is not an option.

So for now we just continue our semi-normal routine. I've been extremely grateful to my mother for watching the girls every Tuesday while I go to appointments, and to Trent's mother for coming to our home last Friday to take care of the girls while I was at an appointment. We are planning on taking the girls for a day-trip to the beach on Friday. It'll be their first time at the beach, and Anne has been talking about it all summer. She is beyond excited so hopefully we'll have a nice day, good traveling, and a cute picture to share with you all! Thanks again for your continued thoughts and prayers.

Perspective

***Our 2 cutie girls at the family cabin***

It's amazing how my husband has this fantastic ability to help me put things into perspective. We had absolutely no time during/after the appointment today to discuss our thoughts and feelings. I only knew what I was feeling, and as a pregnant, emotional woman, those feelings may not always be "accurate".
Trent's thoughts are that we go to the first 2 or 3 of these weekly NST/ultrasound appointments, and if the baby continues to grow on it's own schedule, we assume there is a wrong due date. If we cannot get May-Grant or Maternal-Fetal medicine to agree to change our due date, we tell them we are sorry but we disagree and do not wish to continue all the tests or to be induced at what could be 5 weeks early.
Of course, as the mother carrying this child that is hard for me to swallow because of the big WHAT IF??? However, we do both agree that more than likely, since the baby is completely healthy and normal from what they can see, the doctors are trying to cover themselves from a legal standpoint. Plus, they have absolutely nothing to lose by scheduling extra appointments, since ultrasounds are not cheap, and their time is very valuable.
From what I was hearing from the doctor was that we have no option but to induce at 37 weeks or before. Trent says that of course we have that option, as it is our child. I have a problem with feeling very guilty not doing all of these things, because I don't want the doctors/midwives/etc. to think that I don't care for or love my child, when I certainly do!! We will keep all of you posted in the coming week(s). Thanks again for the thoughts and prayers!

only 7 weeks?

After a very long and in-dept level II ultrasound this morning, it looks like our baby is quite little. They are estimating between the 2nd-3rd percentile. The good news is that the baby is head down, the cervix is still closed, and the baby appears to be healthy and strong. The bad news is that I will now require weekly Non-Stress Tests and Ultrasounds at Maternal-Fetal medicine, along with my either bi-weekly or weekly May-Grant appointments.
So what does this mean and why are we doing it?
Although the baby appears to be healthy, they want to continue to monitor closely the baby's heart rate and movements (via the weekly NSTs), and the growth (via the ultrasounds). My big question was why do this if the baby is healthy? Is there really something wrong with having a small baby? What I heard from the doctor was that although there doesn't appear to be anything that is restricting the growth, if there was, they would catch it much quicker doing it this way than waiting 3-4 weeks before doing another u/s. I also was hearing that there isn't necessarily anything wrong with having a small baby. There is a possibility of a wrong due date since I was breastfeeding when I got pregnant with our sweet Baby #3. However, they can't change the due date now, since apparently that needs to be done early in pregnancy via U/S.
So what happens?
We pray for growth, we go to our weekly appointments, and we wait. The longest they will allow me to go is 37 weeks considering the baby continues to grow and stays in the same 2nd, 3rd, or higher percentile. If they see the baby going down to the 0 or 1st percentile it could potentially require hospital stays and/or daily/every-other day ultrasounds. Obviously we do not want that to happen. One of our big concerns was what if the due date IS wrong, and they induce at 5 weeks early rather than the "full term" 37 weeks? The doctor said they would probably do amniocentesis at 37 weeks (if we make it that far), and determine whether the baby's lungs are mature or not. If not they would give a steroid shot to help the lungs along, but he made it seem that regardless this baby will be born by 37 weeks.
Tomorrow I will be 30 weeks, which puts us at 7 weeks or less until the baby is born. I was counting on 10 or more weeks (considering the girls were both late, I fully anticipated that this baby would be as well). The doctor also said that at the current rate of growth we can expect to have a baby anywhere between 5- 6 pounds.
So how do we feel??
When I left the appointment I was nearly in tears. This is not what I had anticipated or wanted. I wanted to go into labor on my own, deliver with out an epidural, etc. However, after driving through McDonald's and treating myself to a Mocha Frappe, and sitting down by myself at home (my mom still had the girls for me), I was able to allow myself to really think through the situation, and most importantly: PRAY!! And I really did feel a sense of peace. I know that God has this baby in His hands, and that regardless of what happens, God is still good. Some women do go in to labor naturally at 37 weeks (and before), and have perfectly healthy babies. After my experience of being induced with Anne I decided I never wanted to do that again. (ouch!) However, I do want what is best for this baby, and if the doctors feel that it is best to induce labor at 37 weeks, then that is what we will do. Most importantly, throughout these next few weeks we will continue to put our trust in the Lord, and pray fervently for this little one to grow and stay put until 37 weeks. I also will be praying to go into labor naturally at 37 weeks, and really try to remember that God is in control over the entire situation.
We are extremely thankful to the family and friends who have offered to watch our girls for us while we are at appointments or just to give me a break. I would say the best way you can help at this point is to pray for growth, pray for a strong baby, and to pray that I will go into labor on my own by 37 weeks to avoid induction. Thanks again, family and friends! We love you!

Is technology really all that great?

**4-D photo of baby #3! You can clearly see the baby's nose and mouth. At one point the baby had his/her foot in front of his/her face!**

**A regular 2-D profile shot of our sweet baby!**

This is my third baby. I have been to the same OB-GYN for all three pregnancies. My stomach and babies have consistently measured small.

My stomach measured small with Anne (baby #1), so we did many many ultrasounds and Non-Stress Tests. About a week before delivery I was told that I would probably have a little 5 pound baby girl. She was 7 pounds.

My stomach measured small with Abbey (baby #2), so we did ultrasounds and NSTs. Not as many as we did with Annie because I refused since I had gone through it already and baby #1 was perfect. Abbey was born and weighed 7 lbs. 15 oz. (Yes, that is almost 8 pounds people!)

My stomach measured small with Baby #3. Today we had our second sonogram as a follow-up to the first one. According to their measurements, Baby #3 weighs 2 lbs. 0 oz. Evidently that is the 4th percentile, about 2 weeks behind what it should be. During the ultrasound, the baby was moving, and everything (heart, etc.) looked great. The placenta and umbilical cord also looked fine. Yet they still are requiring me to have a Level II ultrasound. This will look more closely at the placenta and umbilical cord to make sure they are functioning properly and that baby is getting the nutrients he/she needs.

So here is my main issue. This is a common trend for my pregnancies. Is there something wrong with having a small baby? Or a small stomach? When I asked the midwife what they will do they if they find something wrong, she said the doctor will be able to better discuss that with me. When I pressed for an answer she said it's probably nothing, not to worry, and that I may just have a small baby. She said if they find something wrong, they will probably just continue to monitor the growth closely. If at some point they determine that the baby would grow better outside of the womb, they would induce labor.

I want what is best for the baby. I'd be one of the first to admit that it really is a miraculous thing to see the baby in the ultrasound. However, I find myself being frustrated with the fact that this has been a common occurrence in my pregnancies, yet my babies have been healthy and of good size. At what point do we say that maybe this technology isn't really doing me any good? Yet if something WERE to be wrong, I know I would be extremely grateful for the same sort of technology that I am now scorning. I feel guilty in not wanting to have all of the follow-up ultrasounds. It's not because I don't love and care for this baby, because I certainly do! I just don't really know if in my situation it would be better to not do the sonograms since it seems to result in more tests and sonograms. I'm extremely thankful for our great medical insurance.

God is faithful, which is perhaps why I am less-concerned than other mothers would be. He provides for us in good times and in bad. I continue to have faith that God has a special and perfect plan for this baby and our family, whatever it may be.

Thankful

"Better a little with the fear of the Lord than great wealth with turmoil"
~Proverbs 15:16

I'm often struck with how I seem to be forever struggling with contentment. As I was thinking recently about the things that I want (a bigger house, more land, more children, etc. etc.) I was hit with how much I do have.

So today I am feeling very thankful.
~This morning Trent and I heard baby's heart beat at about 145 bpm,
~Tomorrow I will be 20 weeks, officially halfway to meeting baby.
~I have 2 very healthy, beautiful girls.
~Anne's Guardian angels were watching over her a couple weeks ago when she was nearly hit by a car.
~We have a warm house (in the winter) and a cool house (in the summer).
~I have a faithful husband who loves me, our children, and supports our family.
~We may not have enough yard for a garden, but we were able to rent space at Lancaster County Central Park for a minimal fee. We've already spent much quality time there as a family.
~I have a beautiful kitchen that is so much more efficient than the one we had before.
~I have an amazing mother who is willing to watch my children while I'm at doctor appointments/when Trent and I go away.
~The same can be said of my mother and father-in-law. They are very supportive of our family and love the girls dearly.
~I have a really great group of stay-at-home-moms that get together with our children.
~I have easy pregnancies and great deliveries (Baby #3 better not prove me wrong, haha!)

This list could go on forever. So while I would love to have a bigger house and yard someday, for now I will be thankful for what I do have.


***Just look at those faces. What more could a Mama want in life?***

From the Mouths of Babes

Trent's (paternal) grandmother has not been while for awhile. In January she finally went to the doctor and they found a large hard tumor in her throat. She could not swallow any food or liquid by the next weekend. They decided to put in a feeding tube at the end of January. Two weekends ago she was feeling pretty well so Trent and I took the girls to see Granny and Pappy. Granny has trouble talking because it hurts her throat, but she did say a couple of things and was very pleased to hear Anne say Psalm 23. We had a nice visit with them and I was so thankful that we were able to go, tell Granny and Pappy in person that we are expecting again, and just visit for a little while. Granny even laughed a couple of times, and looked as though she was really enjoying watching the little girls play together.
This past weekend things went downhill very rapidly. Granny was having quite a bit a of nausea, and then was vomiting quite a bit. Friday the decision was made to call hospice to come to the house to check on her. This was done, and when the nurse checked the feeding tube she saw that it had become dislodged and recommended that she see a physician as soon as possible. She was taken to Hospice by ambulance, and Pappy rode with her. Trent's dad and aunt followed behind in the car. She was told she could get the feeding tube put back in or she could choose not to. Granny chose to have it put back in but when she was taken to the hospital the physician said there was nothing wrong with it. There was some confusion and frustration, however, many of us feel that this is really near the end for Grandma. She is 85 years old.
In order to prepare Annie for the death of her great-grandmother (Granny), I was reading her the story of Jesus' death and Resurrection from her little Bible. She was really into it, and we were talking about how it was really sad that Jesus had to die, but he did it because he loves us and wants to see us in heaven. And I was explaining that if we tell Jesus we are sorry for our sins and ask him to come into our hearts that he will never leave us and we will get to go to heaven when we die. And while we are still alive we can be Jesus' friend.
I had said to her something like, "Isn't that so great that Jesus did that for us?"
And my little 2-year-old said, "Yeah, and when I go to heaven Jesus will hold me in his arms and I'll hug him!"
I had tears in my eyes as I saw the love that this little one is starting to have for Jesus. She is starting to "get it" and beginning to understand the awesomeness of our Jesus.
Later we had a friend and her children over for lunch. Halfway through lunch Annie said, "Heather, guess what? I love Jesus!" Again, I had tears in my eyes as this dear child is sharing her love of Jesus with everyone she knows. What a great challenge that was for me! My 2 year-old is beginning to share the gospel! Who am I sharing the love of Jesus with??
I hope you all enjoy that story as much as I do and were encouraged by it!

For those of you who haven't heard.......

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!!!!!

The above picture is baby and me at 12 weeks. I'm thankful that my jeans still fit nicely, and hope they continue to do so for a little while at least. My "skinny jeans" are all in the back of the closet, put away for another day. My size 3s still fit nicely, and it is kind of nice that I wasn't always really thin because I also have a pair or two of 5s lying around that I can use before maternity jeans!

I am thankful to be feeling well. I have been a bit tired, but that is not unusual for me! Whenever I am pregnant I find that coffee no longer appeals to me. So as terrible as it sounds, I've sometimes been drinking iced tea or soda in the morning to give me a little caffeine boost.

We got to hear the baby's heartbeat on Tuesday, March 2nd, and it was so neat. It is always such a relief early on in pregnancy to hear that sweet sound, especially when you don't feel the baby moving yet or see any outward signs of having a baby in the belly!

Annie is understanding a little bit that there is a baby in Mama's belly. However, she is more excited about friends of ours from church, Stu and Laura, that are also going to have a baby. When I asked her if she wanted a brother or a sister she looked at me like I am the dumbest person in the world and said, "I already have a sister!" Duh, Mama, it can't be a sister because I already have one. I hope she's not disappointed if it is a girl! I'm sure she'll love her just as much as she does Abbey. Abbey doesn't understand but does love to poke my belly button when we show where the baby is!

We are so thankful that God has chosen to bless us with another baby.

Pacifiers: Part 2

Yesterday morning was the official start of no pacifiers for Abbey. She screamed for about 45 minutes for her morning nap (don't worry, I went in to calm and reassure her about every 10 minutes). She finally fell asleep and slept about 1 1/2 hours. Afternoon nap wasn't quite as bad. She was more like whimpering for about 30 minutes. At one point she pooped, so I changed her and she went to sleep soon after. She slept a solid 2 1/2 hours. Bedtime was what I was most worried about. I debated whether to give her the pacifier or not, but finally decided cold turkey was the way to go. She screamed for about 12 minutes. I went in and picked her up, sang to her like I always do and laid her down. She went right to sleep, at about 7:30 p.m. Through the night was what had me worried. Thankfully she slept all night and woke up just a tad earlier than normal, at 5:45 a.m. The phone rang and I think that could have been what woke her.

This morning for her nap I did our normal routine: nursed her, sang to her, and laid her down. She went right to sleep with out a fuss. She is attempting her afternoon nap right now, and is fussing a little. Often she poops right before her afternoon nap, so I will go in soon and check on her, change her diaper if necessary, and then I assume she'll go right to sleep.

Anne is doing better at night, but she did wake up 2 times in the night last night. The first was about 1 a.m. She had turned off the heat in her room and it was only 57 degrees. Trent turned it back on and got her tucked back in. She woke up 1 other time and after I went in and asked her to get back in bed she did, and didn't get up again until morning.

Pacifiers

Last night I vowed any children I have after Abigail will not use a pacifier. I am so tired of waking up 2-3 times in the night because it fell out of her crib.

We're working on both of the girls sleeping habits. Anne never took a pacifier and I was very grateful for that. She has long been a good sleeper, but recently has been getting out of bed several times before bed and in the middle of the night. We are getting tough and cracking down on Anne getting up out of bed. Anne never has trouble going right to sleep at nap time. Starting tonight we're telling Anne that we will not be coming back in the room unless it is a real emergency (like blood everywhere). Unfortunately, she has gotten sneaky and will tell us that she needs to go poop just so she can get out of bed.

Abbey goes back and forth between sleeping all night or getting up several times. Last night she woke up at 11 p.m. (needed the pacifier), 2 a.m. (needed the pacifier), 2:30 a.m. (I don't know what was the matter) and I let her "cry it out". I would go back in her room and reassure her about every 10 minutes, but this lasted until after 3 a.m. As soon as we get Abbey sleeping a little better, the pacifier is going to go. I believe I'll start weaning her from the pacifier during naps first, starting tomorrow.

Oh the things you have no clue about until you have children of your own. And they are each so different. . . I'll keep you updated on our screaming/sleep levels.

TV vs. Books/Crafts/etc.

*Grandma reading to Anne.* *Uncle Todd reading to Abbey.*

Anne is 2 years, 3 months old, and until recently has never watched "TV". Around Christmas she started watching the old-fashioned Rudolph on YouTube. We have one television in our home. It is set up in the basement with VCR and DVD capabilities. Trent and I watch about 1 movie a year. I have long scorned children watching TV, as I feel that books are a better form of "entertainment" and they get more involved with books than staring at a TV or computer screen.
However, I was having some difficulties putting Baby Abbey down for her naps because Anne would want me to read her books while I was rocking and nursing Abbey. Normally that is not a problem, but when I am trying to settle Abigail for a nap, it doesn't really work well. I started putting on segments of Disney movies from YouTube. (Bambi, Fox & Hound, and Robin Hood are Anne's favorites). They are typically 8-10 minute segments which give me enough time to get Abbey rocked and settled for her nap. This also works
well for brushing and braiding Annie's hair.
I can see how easy it would be for me (or any stay-at-home-mom) to just turn on the TV or put a movie in for their child. It keeps them quiet, and you have time to do something on your own. However, I'm not willing to allow my child to be raised by Disney. Today, when Abbey went down for her morning nap, I used the time with Anne to make Valentine cards for her little friends. She painted, glued, colored and used scissors. Would it have been easier for me to just let her watch movies? Sure, but how much more is she learning by being involved in a hands-on craft than staring at our computer screen. She has years of being on the computer ahead of her.
So when it comes up in conversation with other SAHMs and I say we don't have a TV I see the look of surprise on their faces. It may not be for everyone, but I find it works well for us. There are days when I wish we had it for watching the Olympics, the Super Bowl, etc. but in general I'm thankful that we don't watch TV. It's so nice to cuddle up with the little ones with a big pile of books (though I do get sick of hearing my own voice from time to time). :)
How do other moms do it?

****Of course, I posted this yesterday, and last night Anne got sick (vomiting, diarrhea, you know, the works). So what does she want to do today?? Lay on my bed and watch Robin Hood. Of course I caved for the poor little dear didn't feel well! She did want some books read to her, but mostly just to be snuggled.****

New

Blogging is new to me, but it seems as though many mothers are doing it as a way to stay connected and share ideas. It seems to be a good way to be in contact and get information. I am hopeful that I will be able to get help from other moms who have already gone through situations that I am currently dealing with.