HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGIE IN THE WINDOW?

How cute is this little puppy!

JAYS TWIN

Okay, so if Jay was a girl this is what he would look like! Elizabeth looks more and more like her daddy every day! Thats not a bad thing! The other day Nina (my mother in law) said 'Lori, I think she has your feet...." ah.... no, she has her daddys feet also! Maybe, just maybe she has my eyes, and as her hair lightens up maybe she will be a blonde of some type.

She has done great since she got out of the hospital 2 weeks ago. As I look back on the week before she went in, I can see that she was not feeling well. It's a total learning process all the way around! She is so much more alive, cooing and trying to talk when she is awake! Her

neck control is getting so good and she attempts to stand when you hold her up! It's amazing!

She goes to bed at about 11 PM and only wakes up once during the night to eat and that's only for about 7-10 minutes and then she is right back to sleep.

Jay and I are still trying to adjust to not being able to pick up and go at a moments notice. I am still trying to figure out how all of you with KIDS do it! I feel like I am packing to

go on a camping trip everytime that we leave! I guess this will get easier. She has still

not gone out to what I call "General Population." Once she gets her immunizations- which is in about 10 days we will be traveling bugs! She has not yet been to church, and everyone is so anxious to see our precious girl! I am ready to be able to show her off.... because she is just so

cute! Guess that's what all mommies think!

I went to my last ob/gyn appt on Wednesday and was cleared! I have lost all of the weight that I gained and then some! I now understand what they mean about breast feeding! Man, the weight just fell off! I am now also able to get back to my running... which I have really been missing! Jay and I walk the Seawall about 4 days a week but some running will be nice.

For all of you that moved away from Galveston I want to tell you that the weather has been

AWESOME! Not too hot, a nice breeze and the water is beautiful! I miss all of you that moved away... especially those that took off to start life in the country.... ( and to be a PTA mother!)

Well, its time to find some lunch for me before I am needed to be lunch for her!

I love you all!

Lori

BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE IS NO FUN!

In the hospital - UTMB
Going home... she's knocked out..
and I'm not far behind her!


When I graduated from nursing school I worked with newborns - well and sick. I started many IV's, had to draw tons of labs, hold babies for doctors to do lumbar punctures for... and whatever needed to be done to care for a sick baby. The babies cried and I always felt horrible but I knew that I was doing what needed to be done to help treat or diagnos whatever was wrong.



Well being on the other side is no fun! This past week, Elizabeth came down with a fever. Our pediatrician told us from the beginning that if she came down with a fever before her 1st set of shots that she would get the full work up. So when she had a fever I knew what was coming! I was crying before we even left the house!

She was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday and was found to have a UTI!! Of course all I could think was that we failed to change a diaper quick enough and that we had caused this!


We were reassured that we did not cause the infection and that it is actually a common reason that babies are admitted to the hospital at an early age.

We stayed for 2 1/2 days and were able to come home on Friday on oral meds. She is doing well and with the prayers and love of our family and friends I have managed to not go crazy.


I was so exhausted last night that I don't even remember her waking up at 2 AM to eat. I woke up at 3:30 AM with her in my lap in the glider- we were both crashed out so I guess she got enough to eat! She woke up at 7 AM to eat and I called Nina (my mother in law) and asked her
to come over for the day so that I could sleep. She came to the rescue and I slept until 1:30 PM!!



Now if I could figure out how to get her to go to bed before 1:00 AM!



Love to you all and thanks for all the prayers!





Lori and Elizabeth

Just Precious

I can't believe that time is flying by so quickly! She will be a month old tomorrow! Everyday there is something new to laugh or cry about! She is such a wonderful gift from GOD! This picture was taken last night as we were going to watch Daddy play softball. We don't get out much so the baby carrier is something that we are trying to get adjusted to so I was so glad to take this precious picture to share with all of you. We are dealing with some fussy evenings so if any of you have wise words on dealing with a somewhat colicky baby I would love to hear what to do!

Love to you all!

In Christ Alone!

Lori and Elizabeth

CONSTANTLY CHANGING!

Sorry that it has taken me so long to update my blog! Being a new mother is certainly a huge change! Getting used to a new schedule has not been nearly as bad as I thought it would be. She started off eating about every 2.5 hours and now she is feeding every 4 hours! I can't believe that Elizabeth is almost 3 weeks old! She is changing so quickly! Elizabeth is a very good baby. She now weighs 8.8 pounds- she started at 8.3 lbs.

Jay and I are such proud parents.... it's such a wonderful change but we are enjoying every minute of it! The picture on the left was taken today, Saturday, Aug 2nd and the one on the right was taken on July 29th. What a change in 5 days!

Look for more updates soon!

WHAT IS LOVE?

LOVE IS:

having friends and family pray for you for 9 months!

having friends like Jillian Griefenkamp and Julie Dickerson give me the play by play details about the c-section and being 100% right about it!

having Leela Thomas (an old church member and retired Postpartum RN meeting us

at the elevator at 6:15 on Monday morning to be with us during the WHOLE procedure!

having a wonderful Dr- Michele Blackwell who was wonderful!

having a mother in law (Nina) have good friends at UTMB who made sure I was

treated like a QUEEN the second I was admitted!

then being treated like a QUEEN!

having a WONDERFUL husband who did not leave my side the entire time who constantlyencouraged me before the c-section

seeing all of your friends and family cheering you through the OR doors!

having a wonderful team in the OR who talked me through the entire procedure and

made sure that I was okay.

realizing that I was going to make it through the spinal because low and behold just like

EVERYONE told me I was still going to be able to feel myself breathe!

listening to the conversation being held my my doctor and the rest of the staff assisting

with the c-section while they were cutting me open - it reminded me that they do this

all the time!!!

again having Leela Thomas sitting by me reciting the Lords Prayer and other scritpure

throughout the entire c-section --- this lady is an amazing child of GOD!

hearing the first cry of MY baby girl for the first time!

seeing Jay with Elizabeth in his arms

seeing my whole family so excited about this new baby

and last but not least

holding your new little girl in your arms and your wonderful husband by your side!

Rookie of the Year

If you watched the movie Rookie of the Year then you will remember in the middle of the movie they decided to send in the new little rookie to bat. As the ball was being pitched to him all he could say was "oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" As I sit typing this last blog before the birth of my baby girl I feel like the "rookie" did.... but although I cry out to God in 2 ways.

The first way being that fast pitch ball that is coming and there is no turning back. The ball was
pitched 9 months ago and its almost to the bat. I stand here totally freaking out, not sure if I will hit the ball or it will hit me! Either way, its coming! So I am saying "oh my God,"oh my God, Oh my God" in preparation to what is about to happen I have no control over!

The second way is that I am crying out for God to prepare me!
* For the c-section- I am not good, NOT being in control.
* For the new birth - for her to be healthy.
* For all the family that will be around- what a blessing!
* For the preparation of Jay and I as Godly parents!
* For the total change that is about to happen in our lives!

But as I sit here freaking out.... I know that God says:
"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

So, now its Birthday, July 14, 2008

Look for a picture of little Elizabeth sometime today!

Love you all!

Lori