Nothing Much...

Well, I had a few minutes this afternoon, so just thought I'd give a quick update. Vivi went to the orthopedic doc again yesterday and they x-rayed her arm and said everything looked good and we should be able to get the cast off in a couple of weeks. I hope so because the dress I want her to wear for Easter (one that mom made me in the 80s) won't fit over her cast and I don't want to try and disassemble it (the dress) to make it fit...don't trust myself that much :-)

Bryton went for his one year check today - he was 31 inches long and weighed 23 lbs - around the 50/75% percentile for both. He's kind of coming down off of his 95% for everything, but doc said that that usually happens b/t 9-18 months, as they get more active. Speaking of active, he's taken a couple of  steps - they aren't pretty, but they are unassisted steps none-the-less. He's getting there. He's been kind of fussy lately - got some congestion and teeth coming in. Doc accounted the fussiness to the teeth coming in. Also, he cried what seemed to be all night long a couple of nights ago; I guess he forgot that after a few weeks old in the Buchina household, mama and daddy leave you to be on your own from 7p-7a (don't come down on me...Vivi was a 12 hr sleeper at 10 weeks...Bryton at 7...I didn't just abandon them in the middle of the night). Anyway, we went in a couple of times because we figured there was something wrong - he never cries at night. Sometimes he'll make 'baby noises,' but if he fusses, the we know there is something amiss. Anyway, we walked in there to find him standing in the crib looking over the edge at Bowser, his sleeping buddy (equivalent to Vivi's Wooly) whom he had dropped on the ground. We picked up Bowser and gave him back. All was quiet for a little while...then he's up fussing again...anyway, I think he had some discomfort due to his teeth and some congestion which woke him up...then losing Bowser over the side of the crib...well...that was just too much for him! Anyway, we made him tough it out once during nap when he lost Bowser over the side of the crib...mama and daddy don't play that game. Vivi never really dropped things off the high chair just to watch us pick them up...we're hoping Bryton doesn't learn that game.

Other than that, we bought a minivan! We got a Toyota Sienna - and it's fabulous! Drives great and makes my life just a little easier (not that my life is hard by any means, but the mini does help simplify some things thus making traveling and loading/unloading from the car easier on me).

Hope everyone is doing well...

A Year Ago...

Well, today, one year ago, I was sitting at Dr. Robinett's office (my OB at Brookwood) hearing him tell me "It's time to get this baby out." If you spent any time with me at this time last year, you probably realize how uncomfortable and well, sick, I was. I had been spilling protein for months (sign of decreased kidney function), had 9+ lbs of baby pulling on my lower back, was taking about 5 times the amount of insulin that I am currently, and just felt yucky. So, it might stand to reason that I would have been so glad when Dr. R said that it was time to take B out...that I would have been relieved...and I guess I was to some degree. But the mama part of me just wasn't ready. I was 35 weeks and just wasn't ready to see another of my babies start their life in the NICU. While some of my friends that I'd seen have babies had some problems, the vast majority (90% or more) went to the hospital, had a 7 lb baby several hours later, and came home with their baby a day or two later. Going to the hospital to see my friends after their deliveries would mean walking into a room where mama is sipping on ice water and baby is swaddled comfy in the bassinette right by her bed or all snuggled up on her chest. But at my moment in my doctor's office, I knew that by him saying we had to deliver, it meant that I wouldn't get to have a baby put on my chest right after coming to the world; that I would have another c-section, never have the chance to have a 'natural' delivery; I knew that he would spend his first days learning and struggling to breathe by himself; I knew it would mean that his 'breathe, suck, swallow' instincts would take several days if not weeks to learn; I knew I might not see his eyes until he was several days old. I knew that it meant that I wouldn't be able to hold him until he was a day or so old.  I trusted God through all this, but was always aware that His plan didn't necessarily mean a healthy baby. I had been told by Dr. R that male preterm babies have a harder time that female preterm babies. Vivi was such a superstar when she was born...at 34 weeks. But, I had been given a steroid injection upon my admittance to the hospital (at 32 weeks) to develop her lungs. So I just wasn't sure with Bryton...didn't know how he'd do on his own.

Anyway, fast (fast!) forward to today - we had his birthday party this weekend, he wants to walk really bad (really badly? real bad?), he'd flirt and flash his grin to a pickle jar if it would smile back at him, and is just doing great. He's eating almost everything we eat, enjoys being held, read to, played with, and playing with the dollhouse in Vivi's room when she's away. He's doing great with a sippy cup (water only) and his snack trap (which Lexie loves...the occasional treat hits the floor). He's still nursing a couple of times a day, but getting most of his nutrients from table food.

And me? I've had 2 doctor appointments (check ups) with no protein evidenced, my A1C's are in acceptable diabetic range, and even though I had the eye problems, I recovered from the stress the pregnancy put on my body. The pregnancy weight is gone (has been for a while), even though the shape is not...not sure how that happens...but it's a very small price to pay to have 2 precious little lives gifted to me.

So, thanks to everyone who prayed us through the pregnancy and delivery and first year of B's precious life.

Happy Birthday Bryton!