Introducing Mabelyn Elizabeth!

Mabelyn was born on Friday, March 4 at 8:30 a.m. via c-section a couple weeks early because of low fluid/possible placenta problems. She weighed 5 lbs., 13 ozs. and was 18" long.

Making Valentines

Freezer Meals

On the days that I'm not having contractions/confined to bed, I've been working on freezer meals and getting things made ahead of time for when Baby M makes her appearance sometime in March. I've been trying out new recipes, but I'm looking for more. Now that I seem to be done with the hyperemesis, I'm starting to actually cook (much to Mark's delight!).

So far, I've made and froze lasagna, taco soup, taco meat, and shredded chicken taco meat. It's a good start, but I need more ideas. I'm going to make meatballs (just thought of that one) and BBQ beef/pork for sandwiches, but that's about all I have left on my list.

I don't want to do anything too complicated since I'm still having contractions (although the antibiotic I'm on for an infection seems to really be helping in that area). I am also working around Michelle's food allergies (eggs, sesame, and tree nuts). I've been hitting different cooking blogs/recipe sites, but I don't want to waste time and money on something that I don't know if it will turn out.

If you have any easy freezer/crock pot recipes to share, I'd LOVE to have them!

Conversation at Dinner

Preface: Dinner is always a challenge at our house anymore. It generally involves at least one child refusing to eat, and for the past week or so, that has been Michelle. We don't make her a separate meal, and we don't force her to eat. If she wants to eat, though, she gets what we're having, and she can't just fill up on bread (which seems to be her favorite right now). Tonight was no different, and Michelle was a basket case.

Steven: Mommy, is Jesus happy with me when I obey?

Me: Yes.

Steven: Is Jesus happy when Michelle obeys?

Me (wondering where this is going): Yes.

Steven: Michelle, Jesus is NOT happy with you right now.

Me: Okay, that's enough. Eat your jell-o.

Lovely!

Just 70 Days To Go!

In some ways, it feels like I've been pregnant forever. That's probably because it hasn't been an easy pregnancy by any means. Most women struggle with morning sickness, but about 3%-5% have the pleasure of hyperemesis, which is the most extreme morning sickness you can imagine. At its peak, I was throwing up every time I got out of bed (despite being on two anti-nausea meds, including one that is used for chemo patients). I also had to go in and get iv fluids because I was so dehydrated.

Just about anything would trigger the throwing up--being touched (which the kids had a hard time understanding), smelling food, seeing food (even on tv), moving, and sometimes, it just happened without warning (like on the way to Bible study one day when I had to pull over to throw up in a gas station parking lot).

Thankfully, that has subsided. I rarely take the anti-nausea meds, and I'm only throwing up once or twice a week. However, I started having contractions back in November. They got worse after I carried Steven from his bed to the living room, and I ended up spending most of the following three days resting in bed. I was checked by my doctor before we left for PA, and everything looked good. I was just told not to lift the kids if I could help it.

While we were in PA, if I did too much, the contractions started up again, and then it got to the point on Christmas Day where they were just happening even if I didn't do anything. That's when we decided it would be best to get checked out at a hospital near my parents' house. Of course, the contractions stopped before we got there, but when they got me hooked up to the monitor, they were picking up Braxton Hicks contractions. It was the first time mark had heard the heartbeat since our big ultrasound in October, and he got to hear her kicking too. I'd been telling him that it felt like earthquakes in there because she is so active, and you could hear that on the monitor. Everyone who came in commented on how active she was and said that they had never heard such loud kicks (they could hear them down the hall despite the door being shut!). The midwife also said surprised by how neurologically advanced the baby was for her age :)

Mark and I were there for a couple hours, and they ran several tests and checked me again. Everything checked out okay, but they gave me two shots to stop the contractions, and they seem to have worked. I've only had a handful of contractions in the past week and a half.

We never got a clear answer on what was causing the contractions, but they think that it was a partly due to dehydration (which we don't really agree with because I had been drinking like crazy to try to make them stop) but mostly due to her insane activity, which I guess can cause contractions.

Since we've been home, I've followed up with my doctor, and everything still looks good. I am on limited activity, but I'd not on bedrest or anything. I just have to be careful not to do too much, and I really can't lift the kids (or anything else for that matter). I think I can handle that for the next 10 weeks if it keeps her from coming early!

Two!!

It's hard to believe that the Peanut is two! She decided to celebrate turning two with a bang and threw a spectacular temper tantrum in Meijer (which resulted in her learning that even birthday girls have to behave if they are going to ride the horsie!). She also started potty training that day and has used the potty consistently the last three days (despite being a bit sick yesterday). Way to go, Sissy!

She is talking non stop, and I'm understanding most of what she says (and if I don't understand it, she just yells it louder and louder). She loves to play with her new doctor kit and has been busy developing her drawing skills on the Magnadoodle she got for Christmas (which was wonderful to have in the car for the long trip to PA and back!). She loves her brother dearly and walks around like a little lost soul if she wakes up before him. She's both sassy and sweet, and we definitely can't imagine life without her!

To read my post from the day she was born, go here . (We originally named her Abigail and then decided to keep her birthname, so don't let the name confuse you!)

Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma B.

We spent the last week in PA, dividing our time between Mark's parents' house and my parents' house. We got to see all of our siblings and were even in town for my sister Lauren's college graduation. A lot happened during our 10 day trip, including two Christmas celebrations, an early birthday celebration for Sissy, many contractions (resulting in a several hour stay at the hospital on Christmas Day), Steven's first time ever throwing up (which he was very proud of since it meant he was "just like you, Mommy!") and a new (to us) minivan! I'll try to blog about most of those at some point, but tonight I just have the pictures from my parents' house.

My family does most of our celebrating on Christmas Eve (which worked out esp. well since I already mentioned that I was at the hospital for part of Christmas Day). We went to the early Christmas Eve service, where Steven was scared of the video clips of the Grinch (the movie version, not the cartoon), and then went home for our traditional dinner--pizza and shrimp cocktail. My mom also made her usual assortment of cookies (including egg/nut-free ones for Michelle), chocolate covered pretzels, and fudge, but after Steven threw up everywhere, most of us lost our appetite :(

We then read the Christmas story out of the kids' Bible, and my mom helped Steven and Michelle re-enact it with her angels and plastic nativity set. The kids were really interested, and at the end, we all blew out candles for Jesus' birthday. I think that will be part of our tradition from now on (since Michelle's birthday is so close to Christmas, I don't want to do a cake). After that, we opened gifts before going to bed. The kids did really well considering how late we were up (and how short their naps were). I'm so thankful for the time we got to spend with my family even if it didn't go how we had planned!

Waiting for the story to begin.

Watching Grandma and the angels.

Checking out the ornaments on the tree.

Right before he tackled her to the ground. . .

Playing with his train set from Uncle Andy.

Watching Grandpa's train go around the tree.

After the Christmas Eve service.

An attempt at a family picture

(before I almost dropped Michelle because of the contractions it was causing).

Three Years Ago Today

We became a family of three! Steven James, we are so blessed to have you in our lives!!

Halloween!

Now that I have a way to download pictures, I figured I should post a few of the ones from this fall that I couldn't get to before. Here are our little bumblebee and fire fighter :)

Chuck E. Cheese!

For Steven's birthday, we went to Chuck E. Cheese with Grandpa Hal, Nanny, and Uncle Andy when they were out for Thanksgiving. It had been a while since we had been there, and the biggest change I noticed was that the kids wanted to do the games instead of the rides (of course, that could have been because we sat on the side by the games and not the rides).

Chuck E. Cheese can be really expensive, but they have a ton of coupons available that make it quite affordable. I've signed up for e-mail coupons, and then I also registered the kids' birthdays to get them free tokens (no purchase necessary!). On their website, you can also print off reward calendars that get each kid 10 free tokens (with a food purchase). There is no limit to the number of coupons you can use in one visit, so we stack them all. This last visit cost right around $30, and we got two pizzas (one large, one medium), four drinks, and between 80 and 100 tokens. Not too bad for a night out with five adults and two kids!