Funny Story

So yesterday, I dropped my boys off at a friend's home while I ran down to the hospital. Soon after I left their house, I pulled up to a red light and noticed a homeless guy with a sign walking down the line of cars. His sign read that he was 'looking for work, had two kids and loved God'. It drives Steve crazy, but I always hand these guys a granola bar or a bottle of water or whatever I have. I won't give them money (which I'm sure they'd much prefer!) but what mom doesn't have an extra snack or two in their bag??? Steve just laughs at me and doesn't think they'd want random food handed to them, but their signs say that they want food or that their kids need food - I just can't ignore them! And really, my kids and I can do without a snack for an afternoon to help some hungry guy out. They're usually very appreciative and don't seem to really mind the lameness of my snack options.

Yesterday though, I smiled at the guy, all while shaking my head. I appreciated the fact that he had 2 kids at home...but I didn't think I had anything to eat with me. Then I realized, I had some fruit roll-ups in my bag...so I started rummaging through the bag trying to find them. I found them just as the light turned green, so I just handed them out the window and said "Here you go...this is all I have." He looked at me, took them, and then responded "I'd rather have your phone number!" I just laughed and shook my head and said something about how I hoped he enjoyed his fruit roll-ups!

I drove off, thinking that my new sunglasses must do a great job hiding the huge dark circles under my eyes from my lack of sleep and crazy schedule these days or my new set of wheels must be pretty alluring! But then I really got to thinking about it - really, is the best time to ask for a girl's number, the moment that you're accepting handouts and advertising the fact that you have no job, no money and have 2 kids to support?!?!?!? Sure guy...here's my digits. Give me a call if you can bum a quarter off the next couple of cars in line and track down a payphone sometime to call me! I can see how that relationship would be off to a great start!!! Sooooo funny!

When I told Steve about it, he laughed really hard and then wanted to know if it was the guy who does the hat tricks while asking for handouts??? Like it would have been okay if it were that guy...since he does really cool tricks!?!? :)

Bottle #1 - CHECK!!!

Today Steve and I got to feed Olivia her first bottle!!!! She did great! She drank the whole thing and didn't seem to have any problems with it...no forgetting to breath, no choking and she didn't even swallow too much air!!! She had a great suck reflex and downed the whole thing in half the time allotted her! We were so beyond excited! Hopefully the doctors will increase her to two bottle feeds tomorrow so she'll get some more practice.

Today also marks Olivia's first month! I can't believe she has only been with us for a month - it seems more like a year with everything that we've managed to cram into these past four weeks! But we are just so grateful for her and her spunky little personality. She continues to be such a little fighter and has such strength! We are truly blessed to welcome such a special little one into our family!

She can even eat while sleeping...such a talented little girl! :)

First burping session!

Snuggle time with Daddy after eating!

Out in the open

I came in early this morning to spend some time with Olivia and I walked into her room and low and behold...she's in an open crib. No more incubator! Wahoo!!!

She's doing well so far, but she is so bundled up with blankets that it's hard to tell for sure! Her nurse today is very nervous about her being out, so she has about 400 blankets wrapped around her and piled on top of her...she almost looks normal-baby-sized today! :)

So hopefully, this is one thing we can cross off our list of to-do's before we can take her home! Now, bring on the bottle-feedings/nursing...if she can master that, we'll be in the clear and VERY close to having her home! Of course, that could take a few weeks to a month or more to master...it just depends on her. :) So we'll keep cheering her on and praying for another miracle!

Teeny Tiny

Here's a pic we took of Olivia the other day. One of the nurses told us that he was a preemie baby and never quite understood how small he was, no matter how his mom described it, until he saw a picture of himself next to a ball point pen. Pens never really change...so hopefully Olivia will one day appreciate just how tiny she was - although this picture is her at about 3 1/2 weeks old and an extra pound or so! :) Oh well, better late than never, right???

A day in the life...

Each day now is so extremely different from the day before. Now that Grandma is gone, the juggling act has gotten a bit more interesting! It's challenging, but great...just in different ways.

Today I woke up early (really early for me) and quickly headed out the door for the hospital, trying desperately to stay ahead of morning traffic. It was so fun to spend my early-morning hours snuggling with Olivia. Yesterday she didn't sleep much when I held her, but this morning, she tucked right in and slept for a good long while! I love it...and I'm convinced she grows more when we get to hold her for longer periods of time! :)

I then rushed back home so that Steve could make it into work without missing too much of his morning. The boys and I ran a few errands and then rushed back to fit in a super-late nap for Ethan. We enjoyed a quick break at home (meaning, we had time to do a few things like start a load of laundry and empty out the dishwasher - much to Garrett's excitement...but also had some fun visitors too! Thanks again for stopping by guys!!!)

Then we had to rush back out again. I dropped the boys off at a dear sweet friend's home who agreed to take my boys for the night so that Steve could come help me at the cannery. My poor husband knows me all too well, and came to ensure that I didn't do any heavy lifting throughout the night as I tried to help everyone fill their orders! Thanks again Steve...I would have popped every stitch for sure if you weren't there! :) Then afterwards, I rushed home to pick up the boys and tuck them into their beds...while Steve took the chance to head down the the hospital and see Olivia.

This is our life - crazy, but wonderful at the same time! Easy to say now that I have a second to sit and catch my breath! :) Thankfully, not every day is this chaotic - I'd fall apart if they were!!! But it's days like this that make me so excited to get Olivia home so that we can be together...no more rushing back and forth to the hospital at the wee hours of the morning or late hours of the night! And yes, I know that life is always busy and crazy...and, we're not the only ones with hectic days right now - everyone is bustling around with back-to-school stuff, crazy work schedules, last-minute vacations...it's just that time of year! But just knowing that hopefully sooner rather than later, our family will be together...the way we should be! :) I can't wait!!!

So, thank you, every one of you, for all your help...either with watching my boys, bringing us meals, stopping by to chat, thoughtful phone calls, prayers in our behalf, touching emails or even comments on this crazy blog! We appreciate all of you and your thoughtfulness!

4 pounds!

I just called to check on Olivia...and the nurse said that she's over 4 pounds! She's officially 4 pounds 1 ounce! Depending on how she does tonight and in the morning...she may be out of her little incubator and into an open crib by tomorrow night! Wahoo!

Life

Life continues to revolve around trips to the hospital, time with the boys - and apparently no time at all spent on the computer keeping everyone updated! :) Sorry!!!

We are doing great. Olivia is continuing to do well...she officially has gained 1 pound since birth...so we're excited about that! She's up to 3 pounds 11 ounces now...really packing it on! She's still feeding through a tube and doing great. We're anxious for a few more weeks to pass so we can try a bottle feed...just one more thing she has to master before she can come home! They say, it's usually around 34-35 weeks that babies can figure out how to suck/swallow/breathe at the same time...so hopefully she'll be a natural eater (like the rest of the family!!!) and figure all that out quickly! :) She's also starting to reach the weight where some babies can start to regulate their own temperatures...so we've been able to put clothes on her now and it is soooo fun! She's adorable in her 'way too big' onesies and outfits!!!

The boys are doing great still too. My mom has been here since the day after Olivia was born, so they have pretty much had their normal life...just minus the parents a little more than usual! But they've done so well and have had SOOOOO much fun with Grandma! Grandmas are just way better than Mom's...nothing but fun! :) Between trips to the library, swimming at the pool, puzzles, toys galore, walks, sidewalk chalk, extra bedtime stories, lunch dates, sprinklers, and puddle jumping...the boys are busy and happy and perfectly content with their new-lifestyle! Grandma left last night though, so we'll see how this next adjustment is handled...I know I'm not nearly as fun as Grandma!!!

Steve and I are doing well too...just trying to continually find the ever-changing balance. Steve's been back to work...though with a completely flexible schedule, which is such a blessing!!! We've still been able to go to the hospital together most days which is so nice! I'm healing up well from the c-section and feeling pretty good still since delivery. I'm sure the transfusion is still carrying me...got to love blood that has actual necessary components to it! But hopefully my body will find some way to regulate itself and continue this upward trend. The doctors are still baffled and offer no explanation, but at least they're hopeful that post-pregnancy will be better than pregnancy...so we'll see how it all goes!

Here are some pics from the week...

Wide awake!

She's growing...still teeny tiny...but growing! :)

When she straightens her legs, she has the cutest baggiest knees! I guess my dream of having a cute chubby baby with all the rolls and dimples has officially come to an end...I get the scrawny little bird-like babies! Not that I mind at all!!! She's just as perfect scrawny as she would be chubby!!!

Olivia's first real outfit...the boys picked this one out for her! Plus, it was my first time dressing my little girl...sooooooo fun!

Aunt Debby's outfit...minus the cute flowered pants. I think the nurses get tired of putting pants on after every diaper change...but they she looks adorable anyway! Thanks Deb!!!

Sweet baby!

I LOVE that her hand is on the puppy the boys gave her! Makes her seem not so lonely in her little box!!!

Apparently we missed out out on 'SUPER HERO NIGHT' at home...but it looks like fun was had by all!