March updates

I love naptime...i love it even more when BOTH kids are sleeping!  So after laundry is put in, and I have a moment to myself I decided a quick blog was in order. 

Since the last post we've had a few events take place...

Aiden went to GI and is progressing great!  He's up to 24 1/2 lbs and doing awesome.  He eats NON STOP! i kid you not, we get done with dinner, i clean up and he's already saying he wants to eat again...ugh.  It's a nice change from the "i never eat" stage i feel like we went through forever, but both sides have equal amounts of stress to them.  The GI doctor said now that he is off the meds we will give it till after the summer and then go in for another endoscopy to make sure the allergens have really stayed away.  In other news of Aiden, we are working on getting him into a play group for his speech therapy.  His speech is coming along well but he struggles to use it in groups with other kids, so along with getting him to socialize with other kids as much as possible we are also hoping and praying the county approves the play group idea as well. 

Melina had her 2 month drs. visit last week.  (for the record i'm not sure where the last 2 months have gone, it doesn't seem at all possible!)  anyways her weight was a breath of fresh air, for us and the doctors.  She now is up to 7lbs even and doing awesome!! 
She has a rough week last week on thurs.  Aiden lost his balance and feel on her when she as in her bouncy.  Sadly the result was a broken collarbone :( However she is doing great and taking it like a champ!  We hope to have her all healed up and good as new in 2-3 weeks!

Well i've run out of things to post for now, i'm sure there will be more to come soon!  For now here a few pictures to enjoy. 

A Stillness and Great Reminder from Today

Both kids napping at the same time= success!  So I'll take a little break and blog shortly before i get laundry going.

Today we got news that dear family friend passed away from a several year struggle with breast cancer.  My heart hurts for her family and friends.  It's something so eye opening that i know personally i try not to think about.  As we get older so do our family, more importantly on my heart today, our parents.  I'm so close to my parents that its hard to even think about what life would ever be like without them.  I'm reminded once again as three people my age have to go on without their mother here on earth.  I can't imagine what that is like, i do know that it has to be hard. 

So today, as my heart is sad for the Goodrich family, I'm also reminded about never taking moments with families, parents for granted.  Taking time to thank God for the time he gives us to be together, and making the most out of it. 

It's been too long, but with good reason...

So it's been awhile, i actually miss blogging.  I can't promise I'll be any better, but since life has had a chance to calm down a little I'll take a moment to update on our life.  Since my last post our newest family member has arrived!  After about a week and a half of hospital in and outs, doctor visits almost daily and lot of extras our little Melina Joy was born on Decembe23rd at 3:03pm.  A whole 5 weeks early she came into the world as if she owned it!  Weighing in at all of 4lbs 3oz she fought to keep up with a full term newborn and was very successful.  One day I'll post her full birth story but for now these few details will have to do.  I do however want to thank everyone who prayed for our family over those few weeks.  Pregnancy agrees with me up until about 35 weeks and then my body decides its done, but through the power of prayer and the grace of God Melina shocked not only us but the doctors, and nurses with her entrance.  All the love, support and prayer was felt and I'll always be so grateful for everyone who was with our family during that time.

Since we've been home its been an adjustment, but we are doing much better these days.  I've said many times that the first few weeks Aiden had more problems and was harder to deal with than Melina.  Due to the way Melina came, quickly and unexpectedly, Aiden was very thrown off.  Mom and Dad coming and going for a week and then just disappeared.  Aiden did horrible at the hospital, that was even more traumatizing for him, he just wanted to have everyone home!  With post pardum emotions, missing my son, his reaction to everyone left everyone in a hot, crying mess on numerous occasions.  I can laugh about it now, but the first few days the bathroom was where i had to retreat anytime my emotions got the best of me.  Aiden couldn't see my cry without having his anxiety go up so i had many trips into the bathroom to collect myself.  It's so great to see that things have returned to our new normal and we settle into becoming a family of 4.

 Aiden (despite his love of the word "no" as of recent) really does love being a big brother.  He goes to her when she cries and give her her 'packa' a stuffed alpaca toy to make her feel better.  He loves to give her kisses, help hold her and even have her kiss his boo boos he gets haha.  It melts my heart to see the two of them and how much they will grow in their bond over their lifetime.  I thank God that they have each other and hope they are forever grateful for each other, in between the inevitable fights they will have. 

Brandon and I are, adjusting as well.  It's been great to have a support in him, and we're also adjusting to our new normal.  We've both gone back to work and he is back as school, so we are becoming creative in finding time for us.  We've started on the road of Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey as well.  The road is tough, not going to lie, but I've heard so many great things about it I'm excited to see God work through our finances, as well as our marriage.  This past week especially we've really come to the point of having to do this 100% and give God that chance to show how he really does take care of us.  While my "free spirit" is more excited than my "nerds" about seeing this, i hope we are both able to grow closer to each other as well as God through this 13 week class. 

In short these are where we are now...so I'll leave you with a few pictures of our life the past month and write more later!

our little lady!

getting all ready to meet mommy and daddy

cuddle with her alpaca

<3


Many more to come soon, but for now there are mouths to feed, diapers to change, and faces to kiss!

p.s because it's been so long i hope everyone had a great Christmas and is having a wonderful 2012!!

Friday News

Thank you all for the nice thoughts, messages, and most of all prayer over the baby, and our family, it was very much felt.  We have overall good news, we met with the high risk OB, had an entire new anatomy ultrasound done and as of right now things look normal, small end of normal, but normal.  The doctor thinks that while yes we will have small babies an extra eye on things can never hurts.  While I'm not going to see him anymore and i can return to my regular OB for the remainder of my pregnancy he has recommended a few extra things.  I'll be going in every week for a non stress test, and bi weekly for fluid checks on the baby just to monitor her growth and ensure things are going well. 

I'm so thankful for God hands through everyone, while talking to the doctor, unknown to me, the main point of going to see him yesterday was to see if baby would be better off outside than in.  He was pleased to say she can stay right where she is, while she does measure on the small side, everything else looks normal, healthy and on the right track!  Thank God because, despite the restless nights of sleep, the backaches, and everything else that 3rd trimester so richly bless you with I'm not ready to be done.  I'm not ready to have her outside, that's not in the plan, its not what i want and I'm just not ready to give her up yet.  While I'm glad my OB didn't outright say that to be a few days ago, I'm so thankful that was not what we had to do.  God knows and he has been such a peaceful presence throughout this all.

Please continue to pray, this time my top request would be for Aiden.  Strange as it may seem, he senses our anxiety over everything, he's sick of being dragged along to the doctors for long periods of time, and his schedule changes so much he is just having a hard time.  I'm thankful for a peaceful Friday at home, where he can play, with no where special to be today.   It just feels good, for all of us, to have a little bit of "normal" because soon we'll be adjusting to a new normal.  Also pray God give us someone in the Rochester area that can help care for Aiden during these next weeks of doctors visits.  I'm not sure what we'll do with him, its not fair to have him sit through endless appointments, however its hard to find care sometimes. 

Thanks again for every one's love and supports! 

for now here's a picture from our last ultrasound

and a little preview of our lazy Friday at home IPhone style!



Have a Great Friday!

One More Dr. On Board

After my ultrasound I got a call yesterday from my OB and I'm being referred to a high risk OB for further testing on little Miss's growth.  In her words "she seems to be getting skinnier from what we can see in the ultrasound."  These last weeks of your pregnancy are the fat pile on time and she seems to be slimming down so that brings up concern.  The new OB is out of Park Ridge Unity hospital, which just so happens to be where my mom works.  After a quick call to her and her inside edition to the hospital she  says he  is a very nice guy and also specializes in genetics perfect! right?  God's perfect plan moment. Anyways we go tomorrow for another ultrasound (this lady is going to have just as many pics in utero as out lol) and then our first consultation with this new OB after. 

While being constantly monitored is not such a bad thing, it makes my anxiety/worry go in waves.  I'm at peace with having a small child, I'm at a peace with her growth not being what the world of medicine considers "normal".  I've been through this, the tears, fears, sleepless nights over just aren't worth it, God is in control and has His hands on her from day 1.  However every time they find something new, that concerns them it brings all the emotions back to the surface. 

Please pray for our emotions as we cont. to press on, the doctors for wisdom and for this precious life that she continues to grow into the woman that God has created her to be!  Thanks for all your love and support, and we'll update tomorrow once we know more!!

Baby Update

Little miss Switzer's update for today...We went in for another ultrasound to measure her growth and make sure she's still growing on the curve and we have less than desirable news, yet not horrible.  We've gone from the 18th percentile down to the 12th weighing in today at 3.5lbs.  With only 7 more weeks to go, we're going to be having an preemie size child at full term more than likely.  The ultrasound tech. says that the doctors don't seem to worry too much unless the baby falls below the 10th percentile, so for that I'm thankful and praying she stays where she's at or goes back up.  We will have another ultrasound before my due date to check again and see the progress that she's making before her birthday.  My prayer is I can cont. to stay health and able to carry her to 40 weeks giving her the most time available to gain weight and develop. 

For now we thank God that she's active, healthy, and doing great otherwise!

Welcome December

December is here!  So excited for this time of year; the snow, warmth of my home, time with family, laughter of pure joy and most of all the birth of Christ to remember.  Not sure if it's the pregnancy, 2 year old child or what but it really feels like Christmas lately.  Church is doing a series on advent which means "coming", a time where we look forward in adticipation to the birth of Jesus and the celebration of Jesus coming to earth.  I see how excited Aiden gets this time with the lights, setting up the tree, going to see family and its such a paralle of the joy he has for those things as we should have for the coming of Jesus's birthday. 

Updates on life...

Aiden is 22lbs which is awesome, a blessing answer to prayers!  He is becoming such a boy, it is awesome to see his personality show up more and more each day as he gets older.  I am thainkful each day for his love of life, he humor, and his way to bring a smile to my face no matter what. 

Our little miss #2  is doing great as well.  We go for our next ultrasound soon to check her growth progress over the last month and a half.  So excited to be blessed with extra times to see her before she is born!

Church is going great, God is continue to show his faithfulness as we enter into this Christmas season i'm so excited to be open for our first Christmas service! 

and now it's nap time :-)