Emily, the amazing 4 yr old swimmer!!! Luke's new moves...

Emily is now swimming under water for 10-12 feet all by herself. Above water, and with some support, she is swimming laps in our pool. I walk next to her as she makes her way down the pool. When she gets tired, she grabs ahold of my arm for a few seconds and then continues on. She is so proud of herself and wants to do more. She is also treading water for long periods of time. She calls this the "silly dance."


Luke is now sitting on his legs ready to get up and go. He's pulling up constantly and exploring the house. Yesterday he learned (again) that he's not supposed to pull books off of the bookshelf and thus put his attention into removing the magazines from the wicker basket. He had a lot of fun and I had a lot to clean up. :-)



Both kids enjoy their car rides still. When we take daddy's car, they enjoy playing with the drum sticks that he leaves behind. They also enjoy our weekly trip to the farm where we pick our own strawberries, and select the biggest and most appealing watermelon, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, etc. Emily walks right up to the stand and selects the tomatoes first... She also becoming an expert strawberry picker.

That's it for now. Keep checking for updates!!
- Angela

Luke is getting ready for his BIG DAY...

Luke practices the whole cake routine for his upcoming party!!!

What's Up???

We finally met the Gators... Emily was excited and Luke was busy checking them out.

Go Gators!!!

Luke enjoys his first slice of pizza... he leaned over and grabbed it so we decided to put him in his chair and take this silly picture. He was pretty serious about this new experience. He now enjoys crackers (eating them like a rabbit would a carrot), shredded cheese, rice, cooked carrots, corn and banana. Unfortunately, cheerios are not so cool anymore.
Well, well, well... what have we here. Oh yah, Daddy thought his silly hair at the pool was really cool, so we spiked it again at home and started our own little photo shoot.
Here's our little COOL DUDE!! (Just chillin' of course.)
Emily meets the tooth fairy. Unfortunately it's not the best picture of Emily, but she still loves it and now talks about seeing her again when her baby teeth fall out. (She's actually looking forward the this new milestone in life even though she has a while yet.)
And that's it from our household. No new news other than this. Luke's birthday is right around the corner, so keep checking back.
-Angela

Water Park in the Kitchen

What will they think of next? :-) Emily made Luke a sippy full of water but failed to tighten the lid all of the way. When she gave it to Luke he tested it out by shaking it and found water readily coming out. He then made a puddle on the tile floor and began splashing in it. Needless to say, the kids had a good time once they realized I wasn't upset with the mini indoor waterpark idea!!!

Always a surprise...

Emily and Luke continue to take us by surprise. At least they are joyful and pleasant surprises.

While we were at Luke's doctor's appointment, he caught the attention of all of the girls in the office. He would smile and flirt with the nurses and doctors and even say, "hiya" as he waved both of his hands. He was very very cute. Later in the day he greeted his daddy by saying, "tickle, tickle, tickle," while he tickled his own toes. Keith was so surprised that he picked up the phone and told his dad all about it.

Our precious Emily was practicing her princess manners today. As we walked around the hospital she would randomly pick a stranger and say, "Excuse me. My name is Emily and I'm 4 years old." All of which while she holds out her four fingers to them. She was sure to dress herself for the special occassion... wearing a white, pink and green easter dress with red socks and a white sweater... and of course a pink hair bow.

In preparation for Easter, Emily decided to take about 250 stuffed eggs from the church with intent to distribute them to the whole community. She sure delivered her promise to do so and took them with her to our neighborhood pool two days in a row and then finished handing them out at the mall on Friday afternoon. She was so polite and adorable that people (adults and kids) were taken away by her offer of an egg to them after first greeting them with, "excuse me, I have an egg for you," and finishing with, "I hope you have a happy Easter." A few asked why she was handing out eggs. When then did she was so excited to share with them that the eggs contained a special golden ticket inviting them to attend our church for Easter so that they can learn about how Jesus died on the cross for their sins. Emily also made 'Happy Easter' drawings and cards for each pastor at our church. They were all delighted to receive them. Emily was thrilled to hear Pastor Max tell her that he wanted to hang his on his wall in his office. She also prepared special tithe offerings for Jesus. Below is a picture of the envelopes. In all, she created four special envelopes. Keith and I have to admit, we are very proud of her.

Here are some pictures of Luke playing with some yarn on Easter day.

Many blessings to you. Thanks for reading. Love, Angela

March 2007

February 2007

January 2007

2006 In Review:

Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Character... It
Luke is a little comedian. He always turns his head from side to side when someone says, "no, no." He loves to say, "tickle, tickle" even in his sleep. He frequently waves saying, "hiya" when saying hello or good bye. He sends out a big fuss at the dinner table if we forget to give him our food (cheerios are not enough anymore). He runs his hands through his hair frequently, loves to eat paper, bounce up and down while hollering (sometimes while shaking his head back and forth), loves to pull on earings and stick his finger in our mouth with a big smile... and MUST repeat any loud noises big sissy makes. As a mom this is really hard when I'm on the phone as our house goes from a very quiet and peaceful environment to an extremely loud and chaotic home. When he sets his eyes on something, he must have it, even if it means scooting across the whole room. And right now he is insisting on helpiNG ME TYPE MAKING THIS VERY DIFFICULT. aHHHH

Friday, March 23, 2007
Wanting to be a big boy... wanting to walk
Today Luke played in the garage while daddy worked on his project. He played with the lego building block table, standing up. At one point he tried to turn and head to another 'wanted object' when he realized he couldn't keep his balance and fell down. Keith said he turned, let go of the table and then landed on his face. Luckily some towels were waiting to catch him. He was pretty upset after the fall, but still seems rather determined to try and walk. His favorite activity right now is walking up and down the coffee table while holding on to the edge. I guess he has decided that crawling is for babies and he's going to walk whether or not his legs are strong enough.

Monday, March 19, 2007
Trying to walk
Well, our little man of the house begs for us to stand him up next to the coffee table or other pieces of furniture the same height so that he can practice walking while having something to hang on to. He is so proud of himself. Perhaps he will have more of an interest in crawling after he is up and running. :-)

Saturday, March 17, 2007
He likes to sing
While in church tonight Luke sang along with the congregation. He seemed to love it and was quite serious about his participation. It was very cute.

Friday, March 16, 2007
Starting to figure out the whole crawling thing...
Luke is starting to figure out the whole crawling thing as he is actually getting places by pushing with his feet and legs and pulling himself with his hands and arms. He's pretty excited about his accomplishment even if it is a small one. When he remembers he can still roll to things he is even happier. And by the way... he is talking up a storm. We can't figure out what most of it is, but he sure is talking non-stop.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Waving to say hello and goodbye
Luke's attempts to wave are now successful.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Waves Bye-Bye
When Luke gets excited, he will try to wave Bye Bye in response to others waving at him. He first started doing this in January, but has now mastered the gesture. It's very cute.

Sunday, March 11, 2007
Grinding Teeth
Luke's upper tooth has poked through just enough that for him to start grinding his teeth this morning.

Sunday, March 11, 2007
I'm 10 Months Old!!!
Two more months to go and he can have his first cake tasting!

Saturday, March 10, 2007
Pulled Myself Up Alone
Luke has been pulling himself up to his knees and then appearing content. Today he pulled himself all of the way up while sitting next to Mommy on the couch. Later at bed time he tried several times in the crib but the top bar appears to be just a little too high for his arms to do the work. He did, however, enjoy reaching his arms through the crib to grab Mommy. He found it very fun and enlightening to reach through and grab something.

Saturday, March 10, 2007
Loves to make motor noises
He sure has the Bbbbbbbb.... sounds down. He makes motor noises all day long. It's very cute.

Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Walks with the help of his Step & Play Piano
Luke loves to play in his Piano as he can walk back and forth with it's help.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Luke tries to brush Emily's hair
Lukes tried to brush Emily's hair with her brush. He had every right except he used the back of the brush. It was cute and he was proud of himself.Now he's just practicing hitting the desk while I type.

Sunday, March 04, 2007
Love My Cheerios!
Luke loves to eat cheerios. He sits in his high chair proudly eating cheerios at each meal with the family. He is so happy and proud to be feeding himself. He makes the cutest faces at us just to let us know how happy he is. (Mommy loves it! No more meltdowns at the dinner table and everyone can eat peacefully.)

Friday, March 02, 2007
Luke Tries Squash
Today Luke tried squash for the first time. He didn't like it, to say the least. Before tasting it, it was obvious he didn't like the smell. During his first five tastings he actually gagged and made himself vomit (when none of the squash was even on his tongue, it was still on his lips and teeth). Silly boy. His next trick was to turn his head and hold his lips closed, refusing to accept it. Then Emily decided to try her magic. She played motor plane and flew the spoon all around until he would crack an ever slight smile and then she would put a little bit on his lips. He definitely didn't like the trick. After she was successful three times, the forth time was hilarious as he blew into the spoon and the squash flew everywhere. Enough said! He's not a big fan on the first day. So, Emily asked if she could eat it for him. She thought it was yummy.Until now Luke has only had puffed cereal, rice cereal, apple sauce, pears and some diced carrots (which didn't go over well).

Tuesday, February 27, 2007
3rd tooth
Luke's third tooth is starting to emerge! When looking at him, his upper right tooth is just starting to poke through! It also looks like his upper left tooth will be coming really soon. Emily and her friend like how his teeth are poking through just like their babydolls with teeth. They now ask if he's 2 years old like their dollies.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Two bottom teeth are working their way out
Luke's two bottom teeth are poking through. They don't seem to bother him, which is good for us. :-)

Thursday, February 15, 2007
He's starting to figure out how to get around
Well, he has been watching his little friends crawl... and though he hasn't quite figured that out, he can slide himself (in the sitting position) a few feet to gradually get to objects that he wants. He does it using several long reaches towards the object. He has also figured out that if he makes it to the tiled areas, he can slide more easily. It will be interesting to watch him figure out his version of crawling.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007
First Valentine's Day
Luke spent his first Valentine's day handing out Valentines to his doctors, nurses and playmates at a playdate outside of the Santa Fe Community College Zoo. I personally think his favorite part was watching Ms. Amy and Mommy enjoy our milkshakes while he and Nadia tried to figure out why they were not getting to taste any of it. It was a very nice day, with temps in the low 70s, lots of sun and plenty of time outside.

Monday, February 12, 2007
First Tooth
Yep! When looking at him, his bottom right tooth appears to be splitting the gum.

Thursday, February 08, 2007
Teeth?
Luke's 4 front teeth appear to be showing signs of activity. The gum area for them is swallen.

Friday, February 02, 2007
First Haircut
Luke enjoyed his first haircut without even crying. He fussed a few times, but mostly just wanted the camera and didn't seem to mind Ms. Julie giving him a trim. Later, at time, he climbed over Keith to reach the remote. Keith was very proud of him.

Thursday, February 01, 2007
Loves his sister
In the morning, before Emily is awake, Luke and Mommy will check on big sister. He gets so excited to see her that he starts making all sorts of noises with the biggest smile on his face.

Saturday, January 20, 2007
Luke's favorite passtime
Luke loves to say, "mama" over and over and over. It's cute. He loves his daily walk around the neighborhood, splashing in the bath, making a total mess with his solid foods (he doesn't really like to eat them, just play with them), visiting the pool, playing with this sister, swinging and making noise with the drum, piano or wrapping paper. He also enjoys playing with his little playmate, Alicia. They share toys and enjoy experiencing the same things. After a month of playdates with Alicia, he now shows signs of being jealous. If she is getting a bottle, he wants one too (only he hasn't figured out how it works yet) or he wants to nurse. He now wakes up happy and very content after naps. He is a very happy boy!!

Saturday, December 16, 2006
Said Daddy
Keith got all excited when he thought he heard Luke say, "DaDa." (However... earlier that day, the first words sputtered from the little guy were, "Mama." :-)

Monday, December 04, 2006
Drinking from a cup
Luke has been pretty interested in wanting a turn with drinking from a cup or bottle of spring water. It's very funny to watch him try. He never quite likes what he tastes.

Saturday, December 02, 2006
Telling Us He's Thirsty, Hungry or Wants Us to Share
Luke now smacks his lips while making clicking noises with his tongue whenever we are holding him and taking a drink from a cup or when we are eating. He tries to take our cups or swipe the food from our plates... willing to do just about anything to join us in the act of eating and drinking. It's very cute. If only he had teeth... we could give him cheerios or some other baby finger foods. While in stores we have to be careful if we are holding him because he will try to grab ahold of anything he can reach.

Friday, November 17, 2006
Sat Up Alone
It's hard to know exactly when Luke learned how to sit, because he's usually distracted too easily and lays down to begin rolling over to objects. However, if we remove toys from his site and sit behind him, he will sit for 10+ minutes before deciding he wants something to play with. Still, he prefers to be loose on the floor so he can play as he chooses!

Sunday, November 05, 2006
Found His Voice
Luke spends his days playing and sqealing over and over and over. Keith says, "he's one hell of an alarm clock." I find myself trying to keep him in his room or taking the kids out of the house just to let Keith sleep. Even when we are out at stores, he's sqealing like crazy. :-) He loves the attention he gets from strangers. Emily is not much help in that category. She thinks it's hilarious and does it back trying to see who can be louder. Did I mention that I have a headache most days now???

Sunday, October 01, 2006
He's on a ROLL!!!
While I was making my halloween costume last night, Luke began to roll himself over (both ways) to get to what he wanted to play with. Then again today, he's just rolling around all he wants. It's so neat to see this milestone mastered!! Next comes the crawling I guess

Sunday, October 01, 2006
One Year Mark - HG
Today marks my one year anniversary from the day I was first hospitalized for HG. It's sad, yet happy all in one.

Sunday, September 24, 2006
Luke and his socks
Luke has mastered the art of kicking off his socks, and is now trying to pull them off with his hands. The funny thing is, he's really particular about his feet and fusses when they get cold!!

Saturday, September 23, 2006
Luke appears to be SUPER interested in food...
He wants to try everything and even grabs our arm/hand to try and get food into his mouth...

Friday, September 22, 2006
Rolled Back to Front
While mommy was at the gym working out with the other mommies, Luke rolled himself over (during a real fuss for mommy's attention). He mostly rolls over to this side and balances himself there. If Emily tries to help him roll on over to his belly, he resists and balances on his side.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Straddling mommy's hip
Luke can now straddle my hip when I hold him. Another sign of him growing up on me.

Sunday, September 17, 2006
Luke loves his playmat and exersaucer
The only way mommy gets to take a shower these days (without a crying baby) is by bringing the playmat into the bathroom for him to play with his links. He loves it. He also loves his exersaucer and can touch the bottom, turn himself around, teeth on toys, etc.

Friday, September 08, 2006
Teething???
Luke is continuously nawing on his fingers, our fingers, toys... in desperation! He appears to be in pain at times too. Poor thing... we think his teeth are moving, but don't see anything yet.

Saturday, August 26, 2006
Baby Dedication
Today was my special day. My Godparents (Ken and Susan Hekking) joined my parents in my dedication to Christ at The Family Church.

Sunday, August 20, 2006
Rolled Front to Back
I rolled over... for the first time!

Saturday, August 19, 2006
100 Day Birthday!!
Today is the big day. I turn 100 days!

Saturday, August 12, 2006
Another Word
Today Luke was desperately trying to get my attention. Amongst his cries, he said another word... "Momma!" It was said with force! He wanted my attention. Emily heard it and was surprised yet excited. Too cute.

Friday, August 11, 2006
3 Months
I'm 3 months old!

Thursday, August 10, 2006
Clicking Noise with Tongue
Luke has been able to mimic my clicking noises when I practice with him each day. Today makes the 3rd day in a row. It's quite exciting.

Thursday, August 10, 2006
First Word???
This morning Luke made a noise that sounded like he said "Goodbye." How exciting! I know it was an accident, but so neat.

Sunday, August 06, 2006
Grabbed a Toy
I've been grabbing toys and my big sister's hair for a few days now!! It's fun.

Thursday, August 03, 2006
Push-ups
Luke does a push-up or two each time he is put on his belly for tummy time.

Monday, July 31, 2006
Trying to giggle
Luke is trying to laugh and giggle today in response to our play time.

Monday, July 31, 2006
Tried to talk
Today Luke tried to talk to me. He made a number of sounds that appeared to be two words, in response to my talking to him. (I was telling him that Jesus loves him.) -Mom

Sunday, July 30, 2006
Big Flirt
Today Luke flirted with all of the women at church. When I took him to the nursing room to eat, he got mad at me for taking away his audience. It was cute. -Mom

Monday, July 24, 2006
First Dip in the Pool
Mommy let me put my feet in the pool tonight! It was so nice. I loved every bit of it. (She also let me try it again on August 3rd... I got most of my body wet. What a weird sensation.)

Tuesday, July 18, 2006
He can get his socks off!
Well, at just two months of age, Luke has figured out how to take his socks off (hands free I might add). The bad thing is, he hates cold feet. We may live in Florida where it's frequently hot, but this little guy suffers from cold feet syndrome unless we're out in the heat.

Thursday, July 13, 2006
2 month check up
Luke had his 2 month check up. He weighed 12lbs. 4oz. and received about 7 vaccinations. He ran a low grade fever for 2.5 days as a result, but he's doing much better now.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Luke is moved into his own room
Luke's nursery is all set up and ready for him to officially sleep in his own room. The first night was a little rough, but he did much better within just a couple of days. Mommy is enjoying her rest now that Luke is sleeping more soundly and for longer periods of time.

Friday, June 30, 2006
Luke cries for my undivided attention
(It's 9p.) Now that all of the grandparents have visited and left... I've found myself struggling to meet all of Emily's needs for attention. As a result, Luke has cried most all day. Now that Emily is in bed and he is the center of my attention, the crying has stopped. It's amazing how he is sure to let me know that he too needs his time with me. I guess this is why he has chosen to nurse most all day, even when truly not hungry. -Angela

Friday, June 23, 2006
First smile and holding onto things
Luke is smiling more and more each day (and it's not just from gas). He also likes rolling from side to side and the noise of his raddles. He now grabs ahold of blankets, shirts, arms, hair, fingers, etc. It's facinating to watch him develop into a little person.

Thursday, June 15, 2006
Trying to control his head
As Luke tries to control his head, mommy and daddy are getting head-butted on a routine bases. What's sad is that we're both crying in the end.

Wednesday, June 14, 2006
No Sleep for Mommy
Well, Mommy hasn't had a decent night of sleep since the one amazing night last noted. Luke even looks extremely tired at times with his face being red and puffy around the eyes. He is starting to calm down more around the clock and do less screaming/crying. The only way to keep him asleep once he's out is to swaddle really tightly or hold him real tight to our chest. Oddly, he will sleep great through the day just about anywhere, without the swaddling. It's night time that he freaks out about.

Monday, June 05, 2006
Smiles
Luke likes to smile while he's drifting off into sleep, following a feeding and when staring at his mommy.

Monday, June 05, 2006
500 Hits on Webpage
Luke's webpage reaches 500 hits!

Monday, June 05, 2006
Sleep
Mommy finally got a decent night of sleep by soothing me with soft instrumental music. She says I'm a really good baby since I eat so much at each feeding. The combination of the two kept me sleeping for four hours at a time last night. She was really relieved.

Thursday, June 01, 2006
3 weeks
Luke seems to have the hiccups a lot, which leave him crying in distress. He prefers to nurse through them when given the choice. Magically, they seem to disappear when we do nurse. He also has a very distinctive choo as he does a lot of grunting. It's quite cute.

Friday, May 26, 2006
2 weeks old
Luke has made all sorts of progress and his character sure has been developing. At his 2 week checkup, he weighed in at 7.5 lbs. and 21 inches. This weight gain has allowed his face to fill out, giving him the tiniest (and cutest) little dimples when he smiles. (Daddy says these smiles are just gas... and he laughs.) During Luke's awake time, he likes to study his mommy's face and suck on his thumb. His most adoreable moments have been at night (while mommy is trying to sleep of course). He will grunt and wiggle until he gets his toes free from his swaddled blanket. (Note, he won't sleep at night unless he is swaddled.) Luke can also roll himself over to his side by curling himself up and rolling over. As a result, mommy tends to find him fast asleep on his right side quite often. If friends/family wish to call, try sometime between 9a to 12p and 3p to 8p. These seem to be the hours that we are always awake. :-)

Thursday, May 18, 2006
Emily as big sister
Emily sure enjoys her time with Luke. With every whimper or cry she rushes over to sooth him. She also enjoys changing his diapers and begs for every opportunity to hold him (all on her own of course). Today she told me that she didn't want to play with her dolls because they were pretend babies. She liked my baby the best and only wanted to play with real babies from now on. She is such a big help to me and I'm so glad she is old enough to truly share him and all of his changes with her.

Sunday, May 14, 2006
Headed Home
Luke and Mommy were able to go home after 3.5 days in the hospital. All vital signs are good and we are very happy. Emily is enjoying every opportunity she has to fuss over him and can't stand to not be in the same room with him. Mostly, she's just happy to have Mommy home for Mother's Day.

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Labor was induced
Keith and I arrived at the hospital around 12pm and were quickly settled into our room. Labor was first induced at 2p with the breaking of my water. Pitocin was introduced around 3p and labor (contractions) began around 4p. By 6p I was in relief with the aid of an epidural (thank God for those). Luke arrived at 10:36p following a very controlled labor. Dr. Harris barely caught him as we were all taken by surprise of Luke coming down the birth canal all on his own following a set of pushes. Nurse Laura was a big help through the whole process as well. His arrival was a very joyous event... one that Keith and I have long been waiting for.

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Observations at Birth
Luke was born with scratches on his face, and of course, long fingernails. His first cries were easily settled when he heard my voice... but the doctor and nurses asked me to stop so that he could clear his lungs of fluid by crying. During our first moments together, he appeared to scan my face intently. His facial expressions reminded me of my father's side of the family.

Monday, May 08, 2006
Doctor Appointment
Today I had my last doctor's appointment! I'm dilated at 3cm, my cervix has thinned and Luke's head is resting on the cervix. Dr. Harris said I could easily go into labor any day now... and that if I have not had Luke by Thursday, she will induce me! It looks like I will have little Luke in my arms for mother's day after all. Now... if anyone is taking a mother's day feast order for me, I want baby back ribs and a giant salad (with lots of tomatoes, carrots, black olives, croutons, french dressing and cottage cheese)!! Wish me luck and keep checking the website for updates and pictures.

Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Ultrasound
Today's ultrasound indicated that Luke is about 6.5 pounds. My doctor was very pleased about this news since my weight gain has plateaued (at 9.5lbs gain) and my fundal height has remained at just 34cms. Hopefully Luke will arrive around Mother's Day so I won't have to wait too much longer. :-) In the mean time Emily and I are enjoying the beautiful sun each day as we play in the pool all afternoon. Our new food favorites are egg salad sandwiches and popsicles!

Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Best Friends
Emily told me this morning that we were best friends. She has said this before, but it meant a lot to me this morning since I haven't been feeling very well lately (lots of pain and nausea). She's such a sweetheart.

Saturday, April 08, 2006
Sibling Class
Emily attended a sibling class at the hospital where she got to learn about her role as a big sister, see the delivery room and watch a silly sibling movie. She absolutely loved it since it was centered around her and all of the other soon-to-be big brothers/sisters. She was a pro when it came time to diaper and wrap the dolls they had out for the kids. She's going to be a wonderful big sister.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Emily's Inquisition About Luke's Birth
Emily asked me tonight how Luke will come out of my belly. I explained to her (in simple terms) that the doctor will help me by either cutting my belly and pulling him out or by helping me push him out between my legs (which will really hurt for a little while). She commented, "You don't want the doctor to cut you, right mommy?" She then followed with, "How do you push him out? Is it like a big poopy?" As she said the later, she scrunched up her nose and grunted, pretending to push. She then said, "That's silly mommy."

Monday, March 20, 2006
I was actually told I looked huge! :-)
Today a fellow pregnant woman asked if I was about to deliver. I smiled (realizing she must not pay much attention to most pregnant women) and told her I was due in May. She was surprised and mentioned she was due in June. I politely told her I was about her size last month and am rapidly growing... and that she could expect the same as women tend to really pack it on during the final trimester. She looked at me with horror. Other observers smiled and nodded their heads. It was so cute. The poor thing is clueless.

Saturday, March 18, 2006
Luke's Carseat Arrives
As FedEx delivered Luke's carseat, Emily showed lots of excitement. She began telling her neighbor friends all about Luke and how she can't wait for him to arrive.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Finally Reached Original Weight
After months of struggling with food, eating and weight gain, I have finally reached my original weight (gaining back the 16 lbs. that was lost). I now have 9.5 weeks to gain some pregnancy weight! My doctor is pushing the consumption of ice cream and other high calorie food items. I guess I'm one of the few lucky women who can eat as much as she wants and whatever she wants during the last trimester! Additionally... the fundal height is 29 cm! Luke is growing just fine.

Saturday, March 11, 2006
Emily's OB Examination of Me
Emily put on her doctor's tools/toys and pretended to examine my belly. She said she could hear the heart beat and that Luke was fine. She then pretended to give me a shot. Finally she felt my belly. When Luke moved, she smiled and said, "Yep, he's ready to come out now." She then put my shirt back down on my belly and proceeded to give little Luke a hug and kiss.

Friday, March 03, 2006
No More Bread and Olive Oil
My diet changed and I was finally feeling up to eating something other than bread and olive oil!!! Yippee. My favorite foods are now ice cream, Wendy's frosties, corn with cheese on top and diet soda.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006
4D Ultrasound
Today we had a 3D/4D ultrasound. We were able to see Luke suck his thumb and toes, stick his tongue out and move all over the place. It was really exciting. Emily saw it too. She wasn't particularly impressed. She just kept saying, "Yep, that's my baby brother, Luke."

Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Made Friendship with Fellow HG Survivors
Today I began a wonderful friendship with fellow HG survivors, Christa from NC and Haley from Gainesville, FL. It helps to have fellow survivors to talk to.

Saturday, February 18, 2006
Baby Expo
Emily and I attended a local baby expo. She was so excited to get to see baby items and to get Luke some things.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Gifts...
Luke received many of Landon's clothes and baby items, courtesy of Dan and Penda. We finally feel like we're getting ready for Luke's arrival.

Friday, December 16, 2005
It's A Boy!!!!!
Todays ultrasound confirmed that we were having a boy, to be named Luke Johnathan-Lounds Singleton. Keith was especially excited.

Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Return to Work
Today was the first day that I was able to drag myself back to work. I was still very sick, but managed to put a few hours in. I couldn't walk very far without blacking out, but survived.

Friday, November 25, 2005
Began Road of Rebuilding Strength
Today I made my mom take me to the mall to walk. At this point, walking was very painful and I was very weak. We took our time walking very slowly around the center of the mall, resting every few feet. We did this through the end of the month. Afterwards I went home and passed out. My favorite foods this week were Mancino's turkey grinders (cheese and mustard only) and chocolate chip cookies.

Saturday, November 05, 2005
2nd Hospitalization
I was again rushed to the ER for pre-term labor and more HG symptoms. Just a few days prior I was no longer dependent on IVs for fluids, and my body was no longer producing ketones. The diet of about 300 calories/day began.

Sunday, October 02, 2005
1st Hospitalization for HG
After 41 hours of vomitting and not being able to stay alert or get out of bed, I gave up and called the doctor. I was rushed to the ER and admitted for 4 days of treatment via IV fluids (12 liters in all) and medications. I was diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum as my body was rejecting anything consumed orally, I was dehydrated and malnurished and had high ketone levels. This also marked the beginning of my dependency on medications (Zofran, Protonix and Reglan). Keith, Emily and I's lives began to take a drastic change. Keith suddenly had to be Mr. Mom and join me in finding evening care for Emily as my condition left me unable to be alone with her and unable to drive.

Friday, September 30, 2005
First Day of True Sickness
Friday evening I was no longer able to keep food down... and thus the long road of HG began.

Monday, September 26, 2005
First Day of Nausea
After a long traveling weekend to my brother's wedding in Michigan, I began to not feel so well.

Sunday, September 18, 2005
Positive Pregnancy Test
Keith and I learned about little Luke's conception. We both were very excited, though Keith admits being a little upset that it happened so quickly. I think he wanted some more practice time!! :-) We celebrated by going out to breakfast the next morning at the local Hilton Hotel. It was amazing. I ate my heart out before going to work.