Poor Pitiful Pup

Daisy has one major obsession:  the tennis ball.  She loves loves loves her tennis ball.  Jonny was outside throwing the ball with her and she popped up her back leg.  Luckily, she had a vet appointment the next morning.  Doc seems to think it's her ACL.  We think she caught her nail on something because she absolutely refuses to let us cut them.  Jonny takes her back to the vet Wednesday for x-rays.  Doc is right (he better be though.  He does have the degree.) and her ACL is torn completely through.  Friday she goes in for surgery.  Everything goes as well as can be expected.  We are so sad watching her hobble around wearing a giant cone.  She must wear her cast for 3 weeks and have weekly check ups to see how she is healing.  Poor Daisy!

Jonny and Alyssa have a countdown. 

Baby #3 Birth Plan

My blog is mainly a scrapbook of my adorable children.  A good thing about technology, I can instantly share pictures and daily events, no matter how small, with my family all at once.  Every now and then I'm going to have a personal snippet included.  This is one of those times.  Although since it's about Whoopsie it still fits into "My Adorable Children" category.

At some point many pregnant women make a birth plan.  Birth plans can be simple one page requests with a few bullet points or a multiple-paged, detailed booklet.  Anything goes when making birth plans.  A woman might request certain music to be played, lights to be dimmed, to be able to eat more than just ice chips while in labor.  There can also be requests of no interventions, no constant monitoring, able to move freely during labor, husband cutting the cord.  Birth plans can also include things for the baby such as instant skin to skin contact, no eye goop or vaccines.  I've never been big on birth plans.

I've always had an idea of how I would like my labor and deliveries to go, but I've never made a formal birth plan.  None of my pregnancies, labors, or deliveries were picture perfect.  I feel that the less I have my heart set on and committed to paper the less chance I have to be disappointed.  My birth plan has always been Baby Come Out.  I trust my OB and I really feel as though she would do the right thing for me and my baby.

This time is a little different.  James was an emergency c-section because the stubborn little boy would not quite get in the right position.  After trying many crazy positions, the boy still wouldn't budge.  Once Jonny and I got past the surprise of baby #3 we talked about how we wanted things to go.  I really want to have a VBAC and Jonny supports that 100%.  I'm the perfect VBAC candidate.  I've had a successful labor and vaginal delivery before and James's c-section was because of his position.  First OB appointment with Whoopsie, VBAC was my only question.  My Dr. supports VBACs and thinks they are wonderful.  The hospital is a different story.  They say they support VBACs when in reality, they have impossible requirements for OBs to really offer their patients a VBAC.

I was devastated.  I researched and researched my options.  Very few doctors AND hospitals support VBACs around here.  The birth center, only took on patients who have already had a successful VBAC.  My only real option would be a home birth with a midwife.  My image of a home birth would be Alyssa crying and asking a million questions.  She is so sensitive to others, I would feel like I couldn't show any pain or discomfort without upsetting her.  James would want me to hold him.  And if I coudn't hold him he would voice his displeasure with his terribly loud pterodactyl scream.  Daisy would be all up in my business running away with the placenta.  And poor Jonny would be trying to calm all this chaos and not be able to participate and enjoy the birth.  Not the calming wonderful birth experience I'd hope for.

So, I stay with my OB, who I trust and love.  My new plan is to labor at home as long as possible.  Jonny is aware that the key phrase is "EMTALA."  Basically that is an act that states that no hospital can turn down a laboring woman.  The hospital cannot transfer a woman until she is in stable condition.  Stable meaning delivery of the baby and placenta.  And no hospital can force a woman to have a surgery.  As long as I'm far enough along not to be sent back home I have a snowball's chance in hell of getting my VBAC. 

My husband and my doctor are aware of my plan and are supportive.  Whoopsie, on the other hand, is not!  Whoopsie happens to be breech.  I have tried all sorts of techniques to get this baby to flip head down.  S/he will flip, but always flips back.  This baby just likes to stick his/her head in my rib cage.  I have accepted the fact that this baby may just be destined to be born via c-section.  I have been a good little patient and scheduled my repeat c-section date.  Unless Whoopsie flips and I spontaneously go into labor, d-day is April 16th.

I know c-sections do not mean failure.  A woman can still have a wonderful birth experience and have a c-section.  And I cannot wait to meet the new baby!  I also know that women can vaginally deliver a breech baby.  I definitely know I'm not brave enough for that one!!!!

An Enchanted Sick Day

Last Thursday, Alyssa spiked a fever.  She had zero energy.  All she wanted to do was lay around all day.  Lay around and watch Enchanted.  In a Princess tent.  While coloring in an Enchanted coloring book.  And eating an Enchanted snack (goldfish, mini marshmallows, sprinkles). 

There's a bear, I mean James, outside that tent!

My sleeping beauty.

Happy Birthday, Granny!

February 28th was my Granny's birthday.  Granny has very advanced Alzheimer's.  Alyssa loves to look at the pictures of Granny and Popa's visit when she was just a few days old.  Granny must live in a facility with around the clock care.  We've taken the kids to visit her many times.  Alyssa never seems to notice anything different or strange about where Granny lives.  Even though neither one of them are aware of it, they share a very special bond.  Alyssa wanted to make sure Granny had a present "just in case she came by" on her birthday.

Okay, she wanted Granny to have a lot of presents!



Every bag had a book and a hand made card.



Sleeping Siblings

K-Pa came into town for a much needed visit last weekend.  Jonny and I have been trying to figure out the best arrangement for kids' rooms once Whoopsie is born.  Should Alyssa and James share a room?  Should we convert our study/playroom into a nursery?  Should we wait and see what Whoopsie is and put genders together?  Alyssa heard us talking (as she always does) and asked if James could sleep in her room.  She wants to have a "sleepover with Bubba" every night.  That seems like a perfect solution!  We are well aware that there will be an adjustment period, but so far it's working out really well.  We decided that since K-Pa was in town and schedules would be different anyway it was the perfect time to stick them together. 

Share a room...

...share sleeping habits.

K-Pa and the kiddos.

My Girlie Girl

"Mama, I want to wear a beautiful dress and high heels."

February Shenanigans

This February has been a rainy one!  Our afternoon walks only occur once a week if we're lucky.  The crummy weather also brought about crummy sickness.  Both babies have had allergies and/or croup.  Needless to say, we've been going a little stir crazy in this house.  However, lots of fun and lots of memories have been made.




Made new color from broken crayons for Valentines.



Heart colors

Too wet to go outside...

...play in the garage.

James rocks the big boy undies.

Alyssa "camping" with her dolls and Barbies.

Making Valentine/Christmas cookies