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This blog was started in 2008 when we did IVF for the first time to build our family after 5 1/2 years of infertility. We now have 14 and 8 year old boys (thanks to modern medicine) and we are enjoying our blessed life as parents ♥ In the summer of 2016 we took another huge step and moved across the country from Oklahoma to New York! This blog is about life and everything in between



Saturday, December 12, 2015

8 Months Old


At 8 months old you:

  • Go to bed awake and put yourself to sleep very well, but....
  • Have been waking up several times a night recently!
  • Usually wake up around 6am but we can get you to doze for a bit longer in bed with us
  • Take 2-3 naps per day still
  • Have a 6-8oz bottle every 3-4hrs, plus a small one during the night if you won't go back to sleep
  • Are sitting up much better now
  • Are getting more mobile and love to roll around and scoot backwards
  • Love to eat food! Anything and everything
  • Are getting better with finger foods
  • Have outgrown most of your 6-9mo clothes and are into 12mo
  • Love going for trips
  • Are a happy baby!





We had family photos made--the first nice ones in two years! The boys did great and we got some really amazing shots.
 

Jacob enjoyed his first Thanksgiving. He ate about as much as I did!
 




We are gearing up here for Christmas in a couple of weeks. The weather has not been conducive to festive feelings...it has been sunny with record highs in the 70s. I am ready for some snow! On Bradley's first Christmas we got a blizzard with over a foot of snow, but I don't think Jacob's will be that exciting.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Homemade Baby Teething Biscuits

Today I decided to finally try my hands at some homemade finger food for Jacob. He is starting to be at that stage, and man is that crap pricey at the store! Not to mention all of the sugar and crazy list of ingredients. I knew I had seen some simple recipes using baby cereal on the internet so I sat down and picked one to try! I changed it just a pinch but the gist was the same.


Here is the link to the original recipe.

I did olive oil instead of coconut, and I added about a tbs of sugar. Mine didn't turn out so much as a dough like the recipe said--it was more of a batter that I spooned onto the parchment paper into an oval shape. Much quicker than rolling out and cutting to shape!


 Baby was able to easily grab onto it and get it into his mouth. It softened very quickly and he didn't gag or cough once while eating it. Even big brother tasted it and approved!


 These baked up very easily and I threw them into a ziploc baggie after they cooled to room temp. They should be good for several days since there is no egg or any thing perishable in them.

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Saturday, November 14, 2015

An Almost Surgery

A couple of months ago, one of the doctors I work with was talking to me and noticed a large lump on my throat that I had not noticed before. It had popped up quickly, and I could tell it was growing larger every week. It started causing pain and difficulty swallowing so I talked to another one of the surgeons I work with (Dr. Jolliff) and he was kind enough to order some tests for me (I did not have a primary doctor at the time).

First I had an ultrasound done. It showed that the large lump I could see and feel was a 4cm complex cyst, and there was another nodule that was about 1cm. The ultrasound tech called Dr. Jolliff right then to tell him the results and he said he was going to order a biopsy.

Of course this got me worried! I Googled everything I could about it and all I really learned was that it could be something, or it could be nothing. I called to schedule the biopsy and they said they couldn't get me in for over a week. I told Dr. Jolliff this the next day I worked with him and he called that department himself to get me an appt. sooner! They called me back that evening and told me to be there at 8am the following morning.
They numbed up my neck and went for the larger nodule first... Unfortunately it had thick fluid in it and they couldn't get a good sample even using an 18g (!!!) needle. The smaller nodule gave a good sample so they bandaged me up and I went up a couple floors and worked the rest of the day.

 
In my heart I knew that regardless of the results I would be okay. There were a lot of people praying for me and I was tougher than whatever was growing on my neck. But my brain was kinda freaking out waiting for those results!

Dr. Jolliff called me at home Saturday morning to tell me himself that the results came back as benign and it was basically a goiter. Praise the Lord! He said my recent pregnancy may have caused my thyroid to go a little crazy.

I made an appt. with an excellent ENT surgeon that I work with and we went over my options. My thyroid levels were all normal, however it was large enough to cause discomfort so he scheduled me to have a total thyroidectomy on Nov. 11. I would have to take 2wks off of work with no driving or lifting over 10lbs.

I went home with my surgery packet and signed consent forms, and told my boss the updates. But then a funny thing happened... I started noticing the bump getting smaller and smaller! After a couple of weeks, it was less than half of it's previous size and was no longer causing trouble swallowing or discomfort.

I thought about it for awhile, and decided to cancel the surgery. I had many reasons and if it goes crazy again in the future i can always reschedule it. It is still there, but do much smaller and you really can't see it any more.

Everything worked out for the best, because the week after I canceled the surgery Nick was laid off of his job. It would have left us in a huge bind with me not working for 2wks right before the holidays, and having to pay more medical bills.

I am so thankful for the wonderful doctors that I work with and how Dr. Jolliff made it a priority to see that i was taken care of. I know I had many people praying for me, and I know those prayers worked!

Friday, November 13, 2015

7 Months Old


At 7 months old you:
  • Are FINALLY starting to sleep thru the night!
  • Go to bed around 7:30p and get up around 7a
  • Occasionally wake up around 4a but just need your paci
  • Are sitting up pretty well on your own
  • Eat 6-8oz every 3-4hr
  • Love baby food and are starting to work on finger foods
  • Take a 2hr nap in the morning, and a couple short naps in the afternoon
  • Love going on trips and visiting people
  • Are starting to grow out of your 6-9mo clothes
  • Like to laugh at big brother
  • Still just have 2 bottom teeth
  • Will sleep in your crib in your room but are easily distracted in there!

This is definitely the fun age of babies! He is much more interactive now and is becoming more mobile. He rolls over a lot and squirms around to grab what he wants to put in his mouth (everything!). He loves visiting grandparents and going on trips. He wears cloth diapers during the day and a disposable at night. We recently got out his high chair for feedings and loves sitting up in it and banging on the tray.
 
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Monday, November 2, 2015

Halloween 2015

This Halloween was a fun holiday for our family! We had a ton of family and kiddos to enjoy pizza and trick-or-treating together well into the evening. The kids all got a grand haul of candy and were tuckered out by the end of it! This was Jacob's first Halloween and I think he had a fun time too!

A few days before, daddy carved pumpkins with the boys for our porch:







On Friday Bradley was allowed to wear a costume to school. He couldn't have worn his ghost costume because it would interfere with PE, so we dressed him up as a biker! He loved it.
 


Jacob got to be an owl! The costume kept him warm in the chilly air and of course everyone thought he was adorable (which he was!). He got lots of candy :)
 



Here is Brad in his ghost costume with his cousin Zoe who was "Elsa":


Here is niece Kiara and nephews Cameron and Kavyne:
 



Everyone had a fun time, and we all got a lot of exercise! We were happy to put on our PJs at the end of the day and relax with a few chocolates!


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Saturday, October 24, 2015

Saying Goodbye


A few days ago we said goodbye to my father-in-law Mark Pierce. He has been sick for a few months but we had no idea how sick he really was until the end. The doctors found his body full of cancer and he battled in the ICU for 2 weeks until the Lord finally called him home.
 

It has been very hard for the family because Mark was such an important part of our lives and he was taken so quickly. We struggle to get through each day without him and now we all have to adjust to our new "normal" life without him in it.
 

Mark Pierce
1956-2015

His memorial service was on Tuesday and there were many friends and family who came from all over to say goodbye. After the service the family and close friends came back to the house for food and visiting.

 My MIL's brother Gary and his wife Kim

 My brother Shane and his girlfriend Regina

 Nick and Jacob being silly

 Mark's brother Chris, sister Lois, and Lois' husband Warren

 Penny's best friend Cathy and I

 Cathy and Penny

Jacob and his great Aunt Lois

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Thursday, October 15, 2015

6 Months Old



My big guy is 6 months old now! He grows more every day and we just love having him in our life.

Weight: 17lb 4oz
Length: 27 3/4"

At 6 months old you:
  • Go to bed around 7:30 and usually wake up about once per night, then get up around 7-7:30am
  • Take about 2 two hour naps
  • Are done with breastfeeding and eat a 5oz bottle every 3-4hrs
  • LOVE eating solids (homemade!)
  • Still have just 2 bottom teeth
  • Are back in cloth diapers
  • Love to play with toys and laugh at big brother
  • Are STILL sleeping in our room....




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