Hello World!

Okay, so I know that it has been 5 months since I have entered the world of BLOG! So, let me try to do a brief update of what we have been up to.

The Housing Situation:
We are living with my parents and have our house plans complete. Our builder is working on a final contract so that we can get a mortgage locked in while these rates are low. We hope to break ground by the first of March.

I have had a lot of questions about what happened with the house that we were planning to buy. Well, we were set to close and had the mortgage almost completely finalized except for the appraisal. The appraisal on the house came back less than we were buying the house for. We decided that we were not going to pay more than what it was worth nor did we want the lowest valued house in the neighborhood.

The Pregnancy:

Today I am 32 weeks! I have a genetic mutation called MTHFR that causes blood clots. Those blood clots have caused two miscarriages in the past. Both of those miscarriages were very early. In fact I didn't even know I was pregnant until I was already miscarrying. So I was shocked when we went to the doctor at 8 weeks and actually heard a heartbeat. Gary laughed for weeks. I just kept telling him that it is NOT funny!

Treatment for the MTHFR has included a daily baby aspirin, 1 mg of folic acid, and a shot of Lovenox in my belly each day. Everything has gone pretty well except for terrible morning sickness from September to November. We have been to the hospital twice. Both times I was dehydrated. The last time was after Thanksgiving and I had just gotton over a stomach virus. I actually feel like a normal person now. The fall was a blur to me. I don't remember very much. Thank goodness for Gary! He is truly the best daddy and husband! He fed, bathed, dressed, put Caedyn to bed, and everything else that comes with parenting -for months!

Beginning Monday, I will have to go to the doctor twice a week. Mondays will be for ultrasounds, and Thursdays they will put me on a monitor for 30-45 minutes. Monday we will find out how big Mr. Eli Samuel is. I have been measuring one cm over since 28 weeks. I feel like this time I will be 5 cm over, but I think everyone feels that way at this point.

So, are we ready for another baby! Of course not! I have no idea how we are going to do TWO! It takes both of us to get Caedyn situated at night once we get home. And the mornings are so rushed, they run together! We know we will adjust, but right now we are still in some disbelief and wonder at how it is all going to pan out. (Eli will have to sleep in the foyer at momma and daddy's house ! )

Caedyn:

Miss Caedyn Lynn is just dandy! She is the smartest 13 month old we know. (I don't think we know any others!) She walks and talks up a storm. She tries to feed herself and wants to help with everything we do. We have been so lucky with how pleasant she is, that we are afraid that means Eli might not have as pleasant a disposition. Everyone seems to remind us that there is no way we can be so lucky twice. We can only hope!

Caedyn has been quite sick. She was well for 8 months, and then she started daycare. She LOVES daycare, and has lots of friends, teachers, and toys to play with. But the HUGE downside is the spread of germs.

The weekend we moved, Caedyn was 8 months old and got her first fever. It was not fun! She went to the doctor and got another antibiotic for an ear infection. This continued on and off for about 6 weeks. Finally we got tubes! We were hoping that this would take care of everything. A week after the tubes were put in, we got a call saying we had to report to the children's hospital to have a PICC line put in. The bacteria they took from Caedyn's ear turned out to be resistant to all oral antibiotics. (No wonder nothing was working!) Gary was in Vegas at the time on a business trip (he really was!!), so my parents went with me. The surgery was supposed to take 45 minutes at most, but it was 2 hours later before she came out of surgery. Everything was fine, but we were SO nervous! She had to be on the IV antibiotic for 10 days. Then the PICC line came out. As of now we haven't had anymore ear infections. She has had bronchitis, and numerous coughs, and colds. She is on Zyrtec for allergies and Albuteral and Pulmicort for breathing treatments. Last weekend she had a virus and ran a temp of 103 - 105 for 4 days straight. That was very scary! She just laid on the floor or in our arms. She is an active child and through all the other illnesses, she never was still, so we knew that she was really sick. She is better now! For today, Caedyn is well.

Below are some pictures. I will try to put captions, but I haven't done this in a while!

Caedyn got her wagon from Ci Ci and Popsey for Christmas. She loves it! December 25, 2007

Caedyn did so well with her birthday cake. We had her party at church since we don't have a house! I was afraid that she would make a huge mess, but she didn't. December 8, 2007

Caedyn and Nathan. She "kisses" by leaning her head into you. She is such a sweetheart! Nathan is a friend of the family. October 2007

Caedyn's "cheezy grin." She still smiles at us like this. Now she does it on purpose because she knows it will make us laugh. October 2007

This is me at 31 weeks. Last weekend my mom and I went shopping, so this is in the fitting room at Belk. I am to the point where my first maternity clothes are not quite fitting. January 27, 2008.