Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category

Life circumstances are hard sometimes

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Mommy Nurse
1 month, 3 weeks ago
in Life and Uncategorized
. 4 Comments

Emotions are such a complex thing.  God created them as part of who we are.  We experience so much of life through emotions.   I have felt the joy of seeing my child for the first time, and inversely experienced the sorrow of losing one (actually three through miscarriages).  I have never wanted to be considered overly emotional.  It used to drive me crazy when women would use their hormones to excuse their incredibly emotional behavior.  I recognize that emotions are often the warnings of what is really going on.  So I value their place, however I don’t like to be ruled by them.

I had one of those mornings that just didn’t start out right.  It started out overly emotional at 4am.  I couldn’t sleep.  My mind was racing with worries and anxieties, some of which were warranted and others were not.  I finally succummbed to my wakefulness and got out of bed.  After perusing the computer for a bit, I knew I was up for prayer.  Life has felt a bit stressful lately.  There is not ‘one’ thing to blame it on, but it is definitely a culmination of things.  My husband would say that this year has been the hardest so far.  If I had to be honest, the “life is hard” stage probably started in 2006. It was that year that we began earnestly trying to have a baby and in the process lost two.  All the while, I was working a job that was incredibly taxing emotionally (I worked at the fertility clinic that I was being treated at), and it consumed my life. It was also that year that my husband had left his steady paycheck job to embark on starting a business, leaving me the primary breadwinner for a while.  We were also planning our move to Nashville, which involved uprooting our lives in Orlando.  Then came 2007, it was definitely a blessed year, but it didn’t come without its hardships. We moved, I became a homemaker (thus shifting all the financial stress to my husband), built a house, had a complicated pregnancy with a premature delivery, and became a mom.  Again, I must stress that this was one of the most blessed years of my life, but it didn’t come easy.  I was hopeful that the year 2008 would be settling and peaceful.

It is September already, and I feel as if I’m still fighting for that peace. I’m realizing that part of my problem is that I’ve allowed my circumstances to determine my level of peace.  I listened to a friend the other night say how easy it is to have faith when things are easy and are looking good.  Then life hit hard, and now his faith and trust are being tested.  This was such a reminder to me that God is more concerned with my character than He is with my circumstances.  It is through circumstances that He is shaping my character.

I tend to feel the pain and stress of those around me.  My heart breaks with them and I just want to make it all better. However, it’s not in my power to do so.  Because I feel powerless to help, I tend to not push in and suppress any emotions that I may be having. I recognize that this isn’t healthy or helpful.  I’m learning.  I know that the circumstances described above are not unique nor are they dramatic, but they are the circumstances of my life.

One of my favorite life verses is Romans 5:3-5

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Through it all I’m learning how dearly God loves me!

double stroller dilemma

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Mommy Nurse
1 month, 4 weeks ago
in Uncategorized
. 6 Comments

So this baby isn’t even here yet, but I want to be prepared for his arrival. Because the kiddos will only be 18 months apart, then I know that a double stroller is imperative! It’s one thing to feel like you can’t get out and about, but it’s another thing if you actually can’t get out.  Anytime I buy something, I like to do really research my decision. I’m not one for spontaneous large purchases.  Let’s just say that I’ve researched just about every double stroller out there, and my conclusion is….there is no perfect double stroller.

I’ve talked to every mom I know to get their opinions.  They all like different things.  Through talking to moms I found that you need different strollers for different things.  There are tandem strollers (kids are seated one in front and one in back).  Tandem strollers are ideal for getting around in places with narrow aisles (most stores/malls).  I found that it’s typically a tandem stroller that has the capability to latch a carseat into. Then there are side-by-side strollers, which allow both children to sit next to each other, giving them each a good view of what’s going on.  Side-by-side strollers are ideal for travel, the zoo, the park etc.  There are a few side by side strollers that have the option of snapping in the carseat.  However, I found that most of them are brand specific–peg perego has a great twin aria but only uses peg perego carseats, same thing goes for combi. There are a couple of high end strollers that will accomodate different brands of carseats.  However, be prepared to pay a pretty penny.  After looking at all the reviews and talking to moms, I’ve decided that ‘used’ is best for me.

This past week I’ve struck two good deals.  I bought a Graco duo glider stroller at a garage sale for $15.  It’s a tandem stroller that will accomodate the Graco carseat that I already have.  Then on Craigslist I found a Maclaren Techno Twin for a third of the price!  It’s a lightweight, side by side stroller that will be good for the long haul.

When considering double strollers, be sure to consider weight (some of them are almost 50 pounds), maneuverability, and of course price.  Each stroller has it’s pros and cons, so I realized that it would be best for me to have options at an affordable price.  That is why I opted to go for a couple of used strollers instead of saving up for one brand new stroller. Although I would still love to have a Phil and Ted’s.  It’s a tandem stroller that gets rave reviews, but it’s a bit pricey.  You never know though, maybe I’ll find a good deal somewhere! When we were in D.C., Kyle made fun of me for looking at everybody’s strollers.  I simply replied, “You look at cars, and I look at strollers”.  He didn’t make fun of me anymore after that.

getting your kids to eat healthy

Published
by
Mommy Nurse
2 months ago
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot lately.  A friend of mine just posted a great article from the NY times.  I found it extremely helpful and encouraging.  Check it out at Wholesome Tummies!

It’s a….

Published
by
Mommy Nurse
2 months, 2 weeks ago
in Uncategorized
. 16 Comments
What a sweet face!

What a sweet face!

It's a BOY!

It's a boy!

We are so excited to share the good news that we have a healthy baby BOY!  If you look at the picture above, there is no denying what gender it is :) I’m sure someday he will hate that I posted this picture :)  As for the placenta issue, so far so good.  The placenta implanted on the front and is considered low-lying, but it is NOT over the cervix.  At this point that is great news.  There is a concern, that the placenta may be over the preexisting scar from the c-section.  If this is the case, then it can cause problems if the placenta decides to grow into the scar/uterine wall.  This would be called a placenta accreta.  However, we are going to continue to believe that this does not happen and there will be no complications with this pregnancy.  The good news is that it means I get to see my little guy via ultrasound once a month.  We are so excited to receive all this good news. God’s miraculous hand is continuing to work through me.  This baby is truly a miracle in the making.

great giveaway

Published
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Mommy Nurse
2 months, 3 weeks ago
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Does mommy love it? is doing another great giveaway, go over and check it out.  It’s super easy to enter.

Babies need sleep!

Published
by
Mommy Nurse
7 months, 2 weeks ago
in Nurse Perspective, Parenting and Uncategorized
. 2 Comments

It’s a well known fact that babies need sleep, but how much? A couple of recent studies have found a correlation that infants who receive less sleep are more likely to have problems with obesity as well as other health problems. In one study, they found that “Among the long sleepers (more than 12 hours), 7 percent were obese at age 3. The short sleepers (less than 12 hours) fared worse. Twelve percent of them became obese 3-year-olds. Adding TV to the picture, 17 percent of those who slept less than 12 hours a day and watched two or more hours of television a day were obese by the time they were 3.”

In another study, they state that inadequate sleep is an “invisible phenomenon that fails to receive attention from primary care providers until it interferes with the child’s behavior, mood, or performance”. Their poll also found that:

• Infants (0-11 months) average 12.7 hours of sleep — experts recommend 14–15 hours
• Toddlers (1-3 yrs) average 11.7 hours —
experts recommend 12–14 hours
• Preschoolers (3-5 yrs) average 10.4 hours —
experts recommend 11–13 hours
• School-agers (1st through 5th grades) average 9.5 hours — experts recommend 10 – 11 hours
• Adolescents and teens average 7.9 hours —
experts recommend 8.5 – 9.25 hours

Having a daily routine of eating and sleeping only helps a child get the amount of sleep they need. It also helps mom know exactly how much sleep their child is getting. The first study also pointed out the recommendation that children shouldn’t watch more than 2 hours of tv a day. It sounds like more parents need to turn the tv off, and put their kids to bed!

Currently Savannah gets 12 hours of sleep just at night, then add her 1-1 1/2 hour morning nap and her 2 hour afternoon nap, I guess we are doing good. She doesn’t really watch tv, but if and when she does, you better believe it won’t be for more than 2 hours a day!

Contending for life

Published
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Mommy Nurse
7 months, 3 weeks ago
in Infertility and Uncategorized
. 13 Comments

When my OB/GYN brought up the question of starting birth control after Savannah was born, I almost laughed. Seriously, when you’ve tried to get pregnant for 5 years, and have only been successful with treatments, the idea of stopping pregnancy seemed extreme. Considering the odds, pregnancy happening spontaneously just didn’t seem probable. After talking it over with my husband, we agreed that we would love to have another baby, no matter how close it would be to Savannah.

Last week I had four migraines! I was getting enough sleep, I wasn’t stressed, I just couldn’t figure out why I was having so many migraines. The last time I had that many migraines was…….when I was pregnant with Savannah! What? Could it be? I calculated my LMP, I was 2 days late. Hmmmm! I then pulled out a pregnancy test, and immediately both lines appeared! Did I see it correctly? Maybe it was the test, although they are pretty accurate. Unfortunately, within moments I started spotting. Joy and disappointment all in the same moment. What a roller coaster life can be sometimes! I felt as if someone had pulled the emergency stop button on my roller coaster, leaving me hanging in mid-air. I told Kyle that night, and then proceeded to take 3 more pregnancy tests, ALL positive. I knew I needed to be guarded. We have been down this path before, and 2 of the 3 times ended in losing a baby. I couldn’t help it though. I was pregnant. I was giddy! We have never gotten pregnant on our own. I have been praying that my body would be healed. Savannah is a miracle, but I know that there are more miracles to come. Still feeling perplexed, the next day I went to the store and bought the expensive pregnancy test. What did it say? “Pregnant”. In all, I took 5 pregnancy tests! Looking back it seems excessive, but I was in such a state of shock that I needed the proof! I was still bleeding though, so my giddy phase lasted only a short while.

I called the doctor and went in for bloodwork the next day. They called and my hcg (pregnancy hormone) level was 892! Wow! That’s a really good number. Maybe there was a chance. Some women bleed during pregnancy and go on to have a healthy baby. Maybe that was going to be my story. I started progesterone supplementation immediately. Why? Because I’ve always suspected this to be part of my problem, and with every treatment I have ever done, I took progesterone. On Friday, they called with my progesterone level, it was 2.9. It should be between 8 and 10. Sigh! This doesn’t look good, but there is still hope. I kept praying for the bleeding to stop, but every morning it just got worse and worse. I knew what this meant. I prayed, cried, and asked God to save this baby, but afterwards all I felt was peace to let this baby go. If I believe that everything I have is God’s, then that includes my body. If He in His infinite wisdom, wants to use my body to bring life into eternity without ever having to live life on this fallen earth, then so be it.

Today the bloodwork confirmed what I already knew. This pregnancy didn’t make it. It’s been a bit sad, but ultimately I’m excited. I got pregnant! There is hope that it will happen again. With my previous miscarriages, my identity of becoming a mom was wrapped up in the emotions of it all. Savannah made me a mom, and nothing will take that away. However, now I know what I am contending for-not just another baby, but for life, for joy, for a sibling for my daughter.