Remembering...

Today, October 15th is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day.


Prior to 2008 I ashamedly admit that October 15th was, well, just another day in the month.

Ironically, my wedding anniversary is in October (the 7th), but other than that, October only represented the celebration of my marriage and the fact that Halloween is enjoyed by many of us on the 31st.


Having my miscarriages (seeing two heartbeats and then seeing a still screen two different times) not only changed how I view the month of October, it changed me...forever.

Angel Baby #1
EDD: 4/1/09



Angel Baby #2
EDD 7/31/09


You see, I am not the mother of TWO children, my precious boys, I am the mother of FOUR children.

Two here on earth to love and cherish each and everyday (and I do) and two angel babies who (although not ever having been able to hold them in my arms) I also love and cherish.


There is honestly not a single day that goes by that I don't think about those angel babies and "what if"?


Their due dates are just as emblazoned in my mind and in my heart as the delivery dates of my sweet sons.


For some of you reading this who have not every experienced such a loss my sentiments might be hard to understand.


However, unfortunately, there is a secret fraternity of woman out there who know and understand exactly how I feel.


Worse yet, this secret fraternity has members that have sadly and courageously endured bringing a "sleeping" infant into this world or experienced losing a baby/ies after having them here on earth to hold and love.


In 2006, the U.S. House of Representatives (with the U.S. Senate concurring) passed a Resolution supporting the goals and ideals of having a Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day and declared October 15th of each year to be that day.

If you click here you can read a portion of the transcript when Congress passed this resolution...a resolution that held special meaning for so many of the members who felt compelled to address the House floor and speak from their hearts.

One member, Representative Gingrey from Georgia, spoke words that totally hit home for me:


Mr. Speaker, I think the importance of this resolution is to let people know that when couples have a miscarriage, it is a child. It might be for some people, well, it is just a miscarriage. They were only 6 weeks or they were only 9 weeks, and they did not even know whether it was a boy or girl. But in the minds of that couple in many instances it is their very first pregnancy, and they are already thinking about that little boy or the little girl and what the name is going to be and the clothes that they are going to pick out and the joys they are going to have sending that child to school and raising it and seeing it play sports and become an adult some day and contribute to our great society. We tend to forget that. And this was brought home to me pretty vividly recently when my daughter-in-law, pregnant with their first child, found out at 10 weeks that the baby did not have a heartbeat. And so that baby was lost. And she went on, of course, and miscarried. And that loss will be with them forever. And so I think it is just so important for us all to realize that when somebody, when you hear about somebody having a miscarriage, do not think, well, it was just a miscarriage, it is not like losing a child or an older child, which of course I do not know that anything compares to that. But this is a significant loss. And that is why this resolution today is so important.

So friends, if you are reading this, I simply ask that you take a brief moment today to say a prayer for all who share in the significance of this date.


For many, it's simply October 15, 2011, but for oh so many as well it's a day to...remember.


Thank you and God Bless!

Normal Limits

We took Colton to the pediatric opthalmologist yesterday to get his eyes checked for amblyopia a.k.a. "lazy eye" that his baby doctor and I thought he possibly might have. 

Knowing how squiggly wiggly this 16 month old can be when simply changing his diaper, I was wondering how he was going to do when we had to slightly restrain him at the doctor's office because I knew they were going to have to dilate his eyes for the examination.

I figured I would let Colton get used to the chair so he would feel "semi" comfortable (sure, Mom, sure) when we had to remain seated for the actual exam.

So I propped him up and there he sat proudly, taking it all in...

As I was taking pictures the doctor walked in and it startled him (and Mom) so I artistically clumsily got this shot of Colton in the chair (which I might say is a great example of what he was seeing things like after they put the drops in...LOL!)

Anyway, we got the drops in his eyes without any major fidgeting and the doctor did the full exam.

Diagnosis:  Colton does have some asymmetry when both eyes are compared and he is slightly far sighted, but both are completely within NORMAL LIMITS for a child his age and there is no sign of amblyopia. 

Great news!  

And then, I dropped him off at daycare this morning to find this notice:

"We have confirmed cases of pink eye at the center."

Figures right?!!!  LOL!

Amblyopia

It's pronounced [am-blee-oh-pee-uh].


What is it?


Lazy eye.


Who has it?


Colton (we think).


It's noticeable in this recent picture of him from a few weeks ago...

Actually, Michael and I noticed what we thought was a slight bit of lazy eye back a few months ago.


Here it's even more noticeable than the other picture above...

So, we mentioned it to Colton's pediatrician who at the time said that it was very common in infants and she made a note to keep track of it on subsequent appointments to see if it was still discernable or if he seemed to be outgrowing it.


Well, after examining Colton at his last appointment the doctor felt like (just to be on the safe side) it would be best for Colton to get checked out by a pediatric ophthalmologist who specializes in the area of amblyopia.


I know she is recommending this because it's the right thing to do, but I have to admit it made me a little bit anxious hoping that it turns out to be nothing, but having typical mommy worry that..."Oh, my gosh, what if it IS something?!"


Over the weekend we got the packet from the ophthalmologist's office in the mail and Colton's appointment is scheduled for early October.


Of course, I will let you all know what we find out after meeting with the doctor.


In the meantime, I hope you all will please keep my sweet friend Ali's baby Fitz in your prayers.

Fitz will be undergoing surgery to correct his cleft lip next week.

I know that Ali, her husband John, and the rest of the family are nervous about having to give their sweet little boy up to a doctor's hands for surgery, but they are steadfast in their faith that Fitz is ultimately in the Lord's hands and it is the Almighty who will be guiding the surgeon as his hands work on their son.


"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

Baby Stats - 15 months

Will someone please tell me why they do not have any child toys to play with once you are put back in the examining room?

Because after all, Mommy’s purse is just not going to suffice as a fun toy.

Okay, so maybe the clipboard thingy will?!

Nope, then how about the Family Circle magazine?!!

Maybe if I push it on the floor like a truck?!

Well, what if I scrunch it up and pretend it’s a ball?!

I give up!

Just get in here and give me those darn shots and let's be done with this already!

Colton's 15 month check-up

Appointment on: 9/6/2011

Age: 15 months and 3 days old (on date of blog entry)


Weight: 27 lbs. 2 oz. (75th percentile)


Length: 30 inches (10th – 25th percentile)


Head Circumference: 48 cm {19 inches} (75th percentile)


Diaper: Size 5 –Pampers brand – Cruisers (during the day) and Pampers Extra Protection Size 5 (at bedtime)


Clothing: Wearing sizes 18-months and 24-months/2-T depending on the brand/type of outfit.  He still comfortably fits into size 12-month onesies, go figure?


Shoe: Size 4 ½ to 5 (based on mommy's guess-timation).  Taking him to be professionally fitted for walking shoes this weekend.


Liquids:  Skim milk for this babe.  Whole milk made him throw up every single time he drank it.  He will still only take milk from a bottle.  He loves juice (diluted white grape, apple, pear) and he'll drink it from a sippy cup.  Try putting the milk in a sippy cup and he refuses to drink it...go figure?!  LOL!


Amount:  He takes 24 oz. of milk per day and approx. 6 oz. of juice.


Solid Food: He's gotten much better dealing with texture.  He definitely loves pasta - - and having a mommy who's Italian, that's pretty much a given!  Ravioli, spaghetti-o's, beefaroni (I know, I know, it makes his Mimi [mommy's mom] cringe).  He still loves pancakes and his new found favorite is french toast sticks.  He likes plain ole' buttered toast even and he'll eat scrambled eggs and grits too.  He's not too keen on meat yet, but we're still trying.  He's a fruit kid...clementines, peaches, bananas - - Mmmmmm!  He's more particular about his veggies.  He likes green beans and peas, but isn't too thrilled with carrots or corn.  Of course, he loves his fruit puff snacks and another favorite...pudding (especially if some of it drops on the highchair tray and he can finger paint "color" with it!)


Sleeping Habits:  On a usual night, he goes down about 8:00 to 8:30 p.m.  He was getting up in the middle of the night and taking a bottle, but we've cut that out totally. Now if he wakes up, we just pat him or comfort him back to sleep (i.e., pop the pacifier back in his mouth that inevitably has fallen out).  He gets up around 6:30 a.m. on most weekdays and if I am really lucky, he will sleep until 8:00 a.m. on the weekend, but there is no guarantee, nor consistency in that.  At daycare he's taking one 2 to 2 ½ hour nap per day and he is on a napper with attached blanket on the floor instead of in a crib.  I was afraid he wasn't going to adjust to that too well, but the daycare staff said he's handled the transition just great.


What He's Doing/How He's Progessing:  Well, he took his first steps this past weekend.  YIPPEEEE!!!  He still isn't quite sure about the walking thing all the time yet, but he's definitely on his way.  He is still an explorer...he explores everything!!!  Cabinets, drawers, under tables, under chairs.  You name it and he wants to explore it.  In go the outlet protectors and closed are the bathroom doors with tempting toilet seat lids covers!  He has just started to enjoy puzzles...the big wooden pieces taste really good too!  We have also discovered that this kid has a great throwing arm...seriously.  He can take a ball and throw it overhand like a pro!   He also is very adept at manipulating the Leap Frog alphabet refrigerator magnet toy as well.  But his favorite part of that toy is taking the alphabet magnets and strewing them all over the kitchen floor.  He still enjoys looking at books and turning the pages when you read to him.  Music makes him very, very happy and he's totally into Sesame Street.  Just a glimpse of Elmo and he breaks out into a huge smile.  His babbling has gotten much more "conversation-like" albeit with himself...LOL!  He has also figured out how to say, "R.J." and he KNOWS that's his big brother's name for sure.  This sweet faced little boy has also got a wee bit of a temper which we are having to cull. He's slowly, but surely figuring out what mommy, daddy and big brother will and will not tolerate as far as his behavior goes. Right now he is drawn more to mommy...her legs, her arms, just climbing on and being held by mommy in general.  He's still a smiley britches. He's got the most addictive and adorable smile.  Which is great because it shows off the 12 teeth he already has!!!!!  He's still bathing in the big kitchen sink because the vastness of the bathtub frightens him, yet he loves a swimming pool...still cannot figure this one out - - LOL!


Vaccines He's Received To Date:  Hepatatis B, DTaP (Diptheria, Tetanus, Pertussis), Hib (Haemophilus Influenzae Type b), IPV (Polio), Prevnar/PCV 13 (Pneumococcal Conjugate), RotaTeq (Rotavirus), Flu, Varivax (chiken pox), and MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella). 

If you want to read about, contrast/compare Colton's 12 month stats, click here.

First Steps!

This was an eventful weekend.

My Mom and Dad celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary this past Saturday,

and

Look who started taking his first steps...FINALLY!

They say it's your birthday...actually, it's MY Birthday!

Okay, my birthday (today) has been made...this is the e-mail message my hubby sent to me when I got to work. Thank you God for giving me a good man, father, husband, friend:

Thanks again (x 10) for all that you do for the 3 of us. It’s really not even possible to accurately put into words but you hold everything together and that’s invaluable.

Colton is...

STILL not walking.

But, he's getting very close!

Stay tuned - because after all...