A Double Birth Story

This story started perhaps sooner than this, but I'll start on July 1st.  I spent a fantastic Canada day with my children.  We went to a historical site, to a festival with bouncers and a magic show, out to dinner, and ended with an enjoyable time watching fireworks.  My husband was with my oldest at a campout outside of the country.  On July 2nd I had a doctor appointment.  My doctor looked at the results from my last fetal assessment.  After a few moments, my doctor said I needed to pack and go to the hospital that day.  My babies were not due till August 20th.  I had placenta previa, so my doctor said I needed to be at the hospital in case I went into labor as it would be extremely dangerous for me and the babies if I did.  She said I would have a scheduled c-section at around 36 weeks if I made it that far.  I said that is a bad idea.  I had 4 children at home that just ended school.  I had just finished working and my daycare lady was on holidays and my husband wasn't in town and I could not get ahold of him as he had his phone stollen on the trip.  My sister in-law was watching my kids so I could go to my doctor appointment.  I cried all the way there and told her the news.  She agreed to watch the kids until I worked things out.  I gave my kids hugs, told them I loved them and left to get my things in order.  I made several phone calls working out where my kids would be and packed some things, did a little grocery shopping, and my mother in-law took me to the hospital and dropped me off.  My c-section was scheduled for July 27th.  At first I could walk around and even go outside, but then they said that was too dangerous without someone with me.  So I mostly stayed around my room.  I learned how to crochet some things on Youtube and practiced making some purses, outfits for the girls - dresses, headbands, shoes.  It felt strange to be in the hospital and other than being uncomfortable, felt healthy.  They checked the babies heart beats regularly and I started to get very itchy.  I found out I had cholestasis of pregnancy.  With a medication, the itchiness became bearable.  Visitors were highlights of any day and something to look forward to.  The days moved slowly, but finally the 27th came.  Matthew and my Mom were with me.  I walked downstairs to the labor and delivery floor.  They only allowed one family member in with me, so while they prepped me, Matthew changed into scrubs.  The anesthesiologist came in with a student.  The student attempted to put an IV in.  He was unsuccessful and was digging around in my skin.  I asked that the anesthesiologist do it and made sure he was not administering the epidural.  He made me nervous.  The anesthesiologist got the IV in quick and easily.  Matthew came in.  I was laying down and could not lift my legs.  I was numb.  The epidural worked.  They cut me open and took one baby out fairly quickly.  The second baby was more challenging as she was transverse.  I was thinking this is easy.  I couldn't believe how quickly the babies came out of me.  They looked big and healthy.  The first, Lillie, was 6 pounds, 14 ounces and the second, Arielle, was 7 pounds, 1 ounce.  They were perfect, beautiful babies.  Matthew took a couple pictures of the babies, then looked at the ground and saw the pool of my blood.  I lost a lot of blood, about a litre.  The nurses were going to hand the babies to Matthew but he said he was going to pass out.  They hurried him out of the room, but not quite quick enough.  He passed out.  They stitched me up.  I was starting to have a difficult time breathing.  It hurt to breathe.  They told me I was ready to go into the recovery room, but my husband was recovering in my bed so they needed to find me another one.  Once they got me into the recovery room, I had some issues with clots coming out of me.  They needed to push them out and it hurt like crazy.  I lost a lot more blood, but I was fortunate to not need a blood transfusion.  Finally I got to go to a room.  I had visited the NICU during my time at the hospital, but my babies did not need to go there.  They came into the room with me.  I couldn't sit up at all.  My muscles were cut through.  They asked me if I had someone staying with me as they did not help with the babies.  I couldn't believe it, but my Mom agreed to stay to help.  The next two nights, my husband stayed with me.  It was crazy.  These beautiful little girls needed to eat and be changed and held and I was a mess.  I could barely move.  After 3 nights, I was sent home.  My parents stayed for a month, taking a baby at night.  After being home for a week and a half, my incision started to stink and didn't look very good.  I had to go back to the hospital.  My incision had to be reopened and drained.  It was really gross.   I had to stay there for three more days without the babies.  I wanted to get back home to help my parents as it was very difficult for them at night.  Fortunately, I was able to get home care to come to my house and take care of my wound, so I was able to go home.  Now they are 3 months old.  They are smiling and such happy sweet little girls.  They are a lot of work, but so enjoyable.  So grateful for all the help we have received from family and friends.  These girls are truly gifts from God and bring smiles and joy anywhere I go.  Not an easy road, but so worth it.  Love these little girls.  

Arielle Charity and Lillie Faith

July 27, 2015

In this picture, they are 4 days old.

I made their outfits during my stay at the hospital.

Lisa's 4 rules to Potty Training a 2 year old

Recently potty trained my fifth child.  I think I may have finally gotten the hang of it.  Here are my rules for potty training a child who has never gone on the potty… ever.  Of course, I know all kids are different.  This seems to work for my kids.  At least for the last two.  First three were miserable experiences.  Hopefully I can relieve someone from that stress.

#1 Have a day set aside where the only thing to do is have a potty party.

Potty party includes
1. New potty
2. A hard floor
3. Balloons
4. Juice boxes and milk and maybe even a water bottle.
5. Child friendly Potty movies from youtube
6. A book (to keep from going insane from potty movies)  - you want to stay close to your child to catch them going
7. Paper towels
8. cleaner
9. Long shirt for child – older brother’s t-shirt works great(No pants the first day)

Tell your child about the potty party the day before, and get them excited.

#2  An accident is never a big deal.  It’s just an accident.  Clean it up and tell your child it’s ok, next time try going in the potty.

#3  Making it in the potty is a big deal.  Get excited.  Smile, say, “Good job!”and give high fives.  Then take it to the toilet to dump and let them flush.

#4 Once you’ve started, there is no turning back.  No more diapers. … except at night.  I know lots of people train at night at the same time.  We use pull-ups at night for a while.  However, before this day he had never worn a pull-up, so it is still a little different.

Oh, and the pants lesson comes on day 2.

This Fisher Price potty is the perfect size, cute, and easy to clean.  I got it from Walmart.

Life

So people keep asking me how work is going and I really love it.  There are some challenges, but for the most part, it has been great for me.  I am starting to see patients now, and they are so fun to work with.  I am seeing all different ages from 2 to 14.  All with different kinds of vision disorders.  It has been really exciting learning and growing in this area.  It is nice to be able to talk to my husband if I have any questions.  I am impressed with all that he knows and I love how passionate he is about helping people.  It is interesting how once you start to learn about something you realize how little you know and I keep learning new things every day.
I have really enjoyed summer.  Next week school starts again.  I wish summer could last forever.  I am not sure I am ready for "real" life to start up again.  I signed my kids up for their extracurricular activities this week.  I often find it difficult to balance, but I think our schedule will work just fine this year.
My Neil turned seven years old.  I love that kid.  He is such a happy and sensitive soul.  It makes my heart ache a little to be approaching the time that he will have lived longer than his older brother... September 24rd.  That is the day.  The day that Neil will be older than Gordon ever was.
Sometimes I feel like I have come so far, and life has kind of moved on.  Like we are in our lives now and things are the way they should be.  Other days, I feel that raw emotion like it was yesterday.  Most of the time I think we are ok.  We do fun things together.  We laugh.  We smile.  We sing. We dance.  And other times we cry.  Although, we don't cry very much.
Our cat died.  I think a fox in the neiborhood got in a fight with him.  A friend found him in our front yard.  Tegan was the only one that was visibly a little sad.  I think after all that has happened, perhaps to them losing a cat is nothing.  I am not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Running and Nature

I love to run.  It makes my body feel happy.  I am generally a treadmill runner, but when the weather and time allows, I would much rather run outside.  I really appreciate God's creations and have a beautiful place to see some of them.

It is hard to completely appreciate what I see when I run in a picture, but sometimes I like to try to capture the beauty to help me remember. 

This day was so incredible.  There was tons of animal life along the river.  I saw lots of baby geese too.  They were adorable.

It is hard to tell in this picture, but that is a big bird in that tree.  I'm pretty sure it is a Golden Eagle.

 Running completely destresses my body.  I feel so good afterwards and accomplished.  Sometimes I wish the weather was always like this, so I could run out there all the time, but then maybe I wouldn't appreciate it as much.

Mother's day 2014

This year was a good Mother's day.  I hate doing things like this, but I told my husband and kids what my expectations were for Mother's day.  It turned out to be a good thing because they greatly exceeded those expectations.  I woke up this morning to the sound of my children and husband coming in the room with breakfast and their gifts made at school.  It was the most glorious way to wake up in the morning.  Jamin made breakfast for me.  He made a mushroom and cheese omelette with a bagel and a strawberry mango smoothie.  So yummy.
Jamin made me the sweetest mug.  I'll have to take a picture of it.  Neil made me a necklace and a book about the things that he loves about me.  Tegan made me a sparkly pink card.  Love it.  Stuff my kids make are the best.
After making sure I was taken care of, Matthew hurried and finished getting ready and went over to his Mom's to deliver her gift.  I love to see him treat his mother the way she should be treated.  Then he came back and we all went to church.
This evening Matthew made dinner for us and his Mom and a few of his siblings.  AKA he reheated take out that he bought the day before(Since we try not to shop on Sunday).  And the boys all cleaned up.  It was so great.  Thanks to my hubby and kids for making this day so special.

Loved ones

I have been thinking a lot about death lately.  I woke up yesterday and felt like writing a poem.  My Mom in-law's sister passed away the day before.  I didn't know her well, but did have an enjoyable stay and visit with her  a little less than 4 years ago.  She was getting really sick and was having a really hard time.
Mother's day reminds me of my Gordon not being here.  He was really sweet on Mother's day and would make me breakfast and sometimes "accidentally" eat it.  I think of my husband's cousins that won't have a Mom on Earth this Mother's day.  I think of my mom in-law who doesn't have her husband to make sure she gets treated well this Mother's day.  I think of all those I know who have moms that have passed on and those that have never had the opportunity to become a mom.  I pray that they can find peace on this day and enjoy it for what it is.

Death

I know you well

I saw you yesterday

Sick or healthy

Young or old

Does not seem to matter

When you come it hurts

Even though I know

I’ll see them in the life after

Who will go next?

Of whom I love

That, I do not know.

God has a plan

And in this life

I’m here to learn and grow

One day I’ll see my loved ones again.

I’ll wrap them in my arms

We’ll laugh and I’ll see that giant grin

While looking at your little chin

I miss you and I love you so

Wish I did not have to see you go

But death, can you just wait a bit?

Can you push the hold button

While I think and sit

Can you wait till I’m ready to say goodbye

So that though it’s hard

I will not cry

Can I hold them in my arms again

And say I love you another time

And see them laugh and see them play

And see them not go away

Just let them stay another day

Death

Please go away

Memories Made During a Difficult Time

Cousins =)

We have some that live close by

and some that live far away.

But they all came for a day to remember their Grandpa and to support their Grandma when she needed it the most.

Even though it was a hard, emotional time, we were able to do it together

and even have a few laughs

with some cousins that don't always have this white stuff around all the time.

I was so excited that two of my brothers came to be with me for a couple days after my father in-law passed away.  

Love these guys!  They took care of baby D during the funeral so I could go up for the musical numbers and we stayed up late playing a couple of good games of PowerGrid.  I slaughtered them the first time.  Bwahaha!  It was pretty awesome.  They got me back the second time, but it was still fun.

My sweet Neil snuggling with Grandma.  He loves his Grandma so much.  

This is the dress that Tegan wore to her Grandpa's funeral.  She wore it to Gordon's funeral as well, but I didn't get a good picture of it that day.  

It is the same dress that her cousin wore to her Grandma's funeral.  

It is difficult going through things like this, but it makes it so much easier to have family come and support you when you need it the most.