Healing the thumb sucker!

 Healing my poor Thumb sucker!!

I know what happens to your teeth when you suck your thumb. I had a cousin that had that terrible habit for many years and it damaged her smile! She had to have braces to correct it. So I thought, What if I look up pictures on Google of what happens to your teeth when you suck your thumb and show them to Emma? I wasn't sure what the outcome would be. The pics were nasty and I worried that at 5 years old, it might be too traumatic for her. I am providing this link HERE to give you an example of what I saw.

I thought about whether or not to do it for about an hour or so. Emma came into the living room and I saw her thumb in her mouth and that was it, my decision was made! I told Emma what I was going to show her and she didn't wanna see them. I told her that it was really important that I show her what can happen. She agreed to look at them. When I showed her she was utterly disgusted! With each new picture she just gasped. I showed her the pictures of what the teeth looked like AND pictures of what can happen to your thumb from sucking on it. Emma has Eczema from sucking her thumb. Examples of what it looks like are HERE and HERE. Emma left the room in a hurry and ran to the bathroom. After a minute or two she came back in, covering her mouth and teary eyed. I asked her what was wrong. She told me that she ruined herself. I asked her what she meant and she lowered her hand and smiled so I could see her teeth. Sure enough she had a hollowed horizontal oval shape between the top and bottom teeth where her teeth should meet. I told her that she didn't ruin herself. I told her that she still has baby teeth and if she stops now, then we have a better chance of fixing it sooner. She said that she didn't want ugly teeth or sore thumbs anymore!

Needless to say, she hasn't sucked her thumb since!! I give myself a pat on the back for this one. I really thought maybe it wasn't a good idea, but it turned out better than I had imagined! I am so proud of her for making that choice to stop on her own. Even though I helped, she could have just kept doing it.

My next objective: Healing the 'Finger" sucker! Corbin is next :)

Meet Master Corbin

This handsome boy is Corbin. We call him, Bunky! He was born on February 8, 2007 at 7:38a.m. He weighed 8lbs 8oz and was barely 20 inches long. He had light brown hair and dark blue eyes!

Corbin was not a planned child. His Father and I were not getting along and we both wanted our marriage to work. So, we decided to leave our small town for the city. His Father was born and raised in the Salt Lake area and that is where we went. 

Corbin's cousins Shaun and Cody were deathly Ill with Leukodystrophy. Typically in cases of Leukodystrophy, your life expectancy is usually no more than about 5 years of age. His cousin Cody is about 14 years old and has outlived many life expectancies. He has been given only months to live on several occasions. Shaun's battle with Leukodystrophy was more severe at that time. He was deaf, blind, immobile and unable to ingest any foods other than pediasure through a tube inserted in his stomach. Emma had turned 1 on May 12th. Mothers Day was May 14th that year. On May 15th, just three days after Emma's birthday, our sweet Shaun passed away in the loving arms of his Mother and Father. He was 6 years old. 

 I had gotten sick the night of Shaun's funeral. Everyone was coming down sick. Just one of those things where many different people shake hands and one has a cold, therefore most of us got sick. It was about the second week in June and I still wasn't better. This nasty cold wasn't going away. Our Insurance was canceled in April and so I couldn't go to the Dr's. Finally I decided to apply for Chip and be seen. They said that I could go to a Doctor and once my Chip went through they would pay for the visit. So it was off to Granger Medical Clinic. I explained to the nurse how long I'd been sick and that everyone else was better weeks ago. They wanted to give me a medication that would help but in order to take it they had to make sure that I wasn't pregnant first. 


I took the test and returned to the waiting room. I was off in my own little world when the Nurse came out and asked me to come back. I got up expecting to see the Doctor and get a prescription. The nurse asked me if there was a chance that I could be pregnant and I started laughing and told her that she just had me take a test, so why was she asking me. She grinned and asked me to look at the test strip and see if I saw a line. I didn't see anything. She was thoroughly convinced that she saw one. For a moment I thought that she was crazy. I kept looking at the strip and I could actually see a white line... on WHITE paper. What the... ? She said that the white line could be a positive but she wanted me to re-take the test to make sure. So, I did. And the result was the same. It was time for the Doctor's eyes to see what we weren't sure of. Sure enough, it was a straight up POSITIVE!! That's why I wasn't getting better!! It all made sense. I was due February 27th, 2007

 I was seriously devastated. As wrong and rude as that may sound, it was true. My marriage was on the rocks and now this? I told him and his family and everyone was so excited!! I put on my best happy face and called Mom. I told her the news and she sounded happy. Then I started to cry. She asked me what was wrong and all my word vomit came out. I wasn't happy. I was hiding my anger with a smile. She knew that the timing wasn't good and understood why I was upset. Then she preceded to tell me how this baby was a blessing. And that regardless how my marriage ends up, I got a miracle and blessing from it all. She told me that God wouldn't give me anything that I can't handle. And if those words didn't help me then maybe the fact that this baby was a gift from my Father that died in 2004 would. And it did. I was still upset and struggling with the idea, but knowing that My own Father sending this gift to me, made me feel better.

Before I knew it, it was July and I could already feel him moving. I had missed that feeling more than I thought. I started to wonder if it was a girl or boy and what would I name him or her. We had a problem finding the right name for a girl and that's when I knew it had to be a boy!

At the end of July someone tried breaking into our apartment in the middle of the night. My (ex) husband was working nights at that time. We started to realize the danger of him not being home, me being pregnant and having 2 other small children in this city, wasn't a good idea. It was time to go home. We had barely been in Salt Lake 5 months and it was back to Richfield we went. By August 15th we were back home. We lived with family til' we found a place.

On September 20th it was confirmed that we were having a BOY! We were so excited! The idea of having this boy was already something that I had accepted by then and things were getting better. At 18 weeks it was time to take my AFP (Alpha-Fetoprotein) test. I had done the test with Kyden and it came back high for Downsyndrome. After many visits with Neonatology, we learned that there was nothing wrong with Kyden. So, with Emma I declined to take it cause it was not even needed with Kyden. I didn't want one. So I didn't. With Corbin, I had a feeling that it was needed so I took it. Sure enough there was something wrong. There were so many things that came up. My Mid-wife, Dixie told me that it wasn't Downs. I was relieved. Instead, it was much more. There was a high chance that my son would be still born. I was once again devastated. I had finally gotten excited and excepted this blessing and now it could all be taken away from me. She said that he could lose rapid amounts of weight, which was dangerous. OR, he could rapidly gain which was also scary.. If he got too big then he might not be able to fit through the birth canal and his organs might shut down. I was to be watched like a hawk! I was so scared.

Like Emma, I had non-stress tests and ultrasounds quite often to watch him very closely. I had no contraction at all through the whole pregnancy I only had Braxton Hicks. By December 20th I had started dilating slowly. Mid January I was only 1 1/2 cm dilated. So I was doing good. The baby was very active. We had moved in October to an apartment. And things were going pretty good. I started noticing, around Christmas time that I couldn't life my right leg. I was measuring about 49cm in fundal height and I thought that I just couldn't function well cause he was getting SO big! I could walk but that was about it. If I was going to bed or getting in the shower, I had to have someone lift my right leg for me. It was very painful to get around and that wasn't something that happened normally. I had a routine Ultrasound done around the 1st of Jan. the baby was weighing in at about 7lbs 10oz give or take a few. He was growing a bit TOO big TOO fast! Worried, the Mid-wife consulted the Doctor that was the attending physician. He wanted to keep watching the weight himself. On February 7th I had an Ultrasound and the baby's weight had increased to 9lbs 9oz. The Doctor himself was there for the Ultrasound. He told me that it was in our baby's best interest to get him out. I was barely 37 wks. The Doctor said that it was up to me to decide but an Amniocentesis was needed to determine if his lungs were developed enough to be born here. I agreed to do the testing. Let me tell you.... it is NO fun at all!!! After all that needle action the Dr told us that the baby's lungs were only at 51% developed. It only needed to be 50% to be born here and even though it was a risk, I was given steroids to mature his lungs. The C-section was scheduled for that next morning at 7a.m.

I remember that night so vividly. Family was called and we started preparing for baby. Family had come from Salt Lake to take care of the other kids and the house. I left the bustle of conversations to take a shower. My last shower being pregnant. I had already discussed with my Mid-wife and Dr that I wanted to be fixed. So, the plan was to be fixed that next morning... no more babies for me. This night would be the last of any pregnant memories for me. I stood there in the shower and I was deep in thought when baby started moving (he loved showers) and just like that, I was in tears. I was feeling him move and flip under my hand and I was scared that this would be the last time I would feel him move... what if he was still born after all....? All the thoughts, feelings and emotions flooded my mind. I finished my shower and went to bed early.... in tears. I loved my child. After how rotten I had been in the beginning, I might lose my baby...

On February 8th I was wheeled into the O.R. My previous deliveries I had been unable to have an Epidural. I was prepared for that this time too... which meant I wouldn't be conscious. The Anesthesiologist looked at my spine and told me, we can do this. I was nervous. It is always described as the most horrific pain, other than childbirth of course... but I didn't feel any more than a pinch. I had my first Epidural and it worked!! they didn't start the operation til' bout 7:30. Within a matter of a few tugs and pulls I heard the most beautiful sound in the world... he wasn't crying, he was shivering and grunting! :) He was dark red and beautiful!!! My son was born!! And well! The respiratory therapist was working on getting the fluid out of his lungs and said that his oxygen was very low. I was worried. They took him to the nursery. The Dr was cleaning me up and putting things back when he looked at me and asked, are you ready for the tubal? I told him no. After all the discussions about getting it done, I decided at the last possible second that I didn't wanna be denied the choice to be a Mother again. He smiled and stitched me up :). 

After some tests were run, Corbin's lungs were at 97% matured by the time he was born. For some reason though he couldn't keep his oxygen up. He stayed in the hospital for 6 days following his birth. He was released on February 14th, the day before his brother's 4th birthday! We were sent home with an oxygen machine and Oximeter. He lived on it for 3 1/2 weeks with no real explanation. Every once in a while his OSATS will dip down to 65-ish for just the simple cold. Other than that, he is happy and healthy!! He is a fearless boy! A thrill seeker. He isn't afraid of very many things. We just love him to pieces!!! 

 

Kids.....

Photos...

Okay, so I decided that I should start posting some photos. Photos that I have taken myself. This is more than just a hobby for me... it's a passion. It's something that I really enjoy doing. I love photographing nature. I don't have much to say about my passion. I just like showing people my talents. I would really like to know what everyone thinks about them.. 

Ice, at the bottom of my glass

James and Dude

More to come...

Meet Miss Emma!

This beautiful girl is my daughter Emma. We call her Emmie :) She was born May 12th 2005, at 11:21 p.m. She weighed in at 8lbs. 11oz. and was 21 1/4 inches long. She had dark brown hair and blue eyes!

When you are pregnant with your second child, just about everyone that you know tells you that it's so much easier the second time around! They say that you already know what to expect because you have had one already. So NOT true folks! This little girl definitely made things difficult for me the whole pregnancy!  Which explains her attitude now days ha ha ha.

From about two months to five months I was so sick! (Mind you that my first pregnancy was perfect.. hardly any nausea and NO vomiting. And definitely NO other problems at all.) Emma made me so sick. I literally went days without eating because I couldn't. I never threw up with her but as sick as I was I should have, just to feel better.

In January I started having what I thought were just Braxton Hicks. I went to my Mid-wife and told her that they were very strong ones and they were becoming more frequent. She was concerned and checked me. She told me that I wasn't dilating and that it was just my muscles stretching and they were sore. So, with that, I went home. My next appointment was about February 16th and they were hurting so bad at that point but just as before, I wasn't in labor. 

On February 22nd about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I was feeling a lot of full on contractions. I was taken to the Emergency room. My Mid-wife happened to be there so they admitted me and sent me down to Labor and delivery. Dixie, my Mid-wife, came in to check on me and wanted me to have a stress test done then after an hour she'd check on me again. The nurse hooked me up and let the test roll. The needle on the paper kept spiking like crazy! After an hour Dixie came in and said that with my test activity she wanted to check me again.. and nothing! She started me on Breathine to slow the "hicks" as she called them. At that time my mother came to check on me and told me that my Brothers wife had just gone into labor (7 weeks early) and she wanted to know if I wanted her to stay with me (fearing I would have my baby if she left me) or if it was okay that she go be with them in St. George (a few hours drive). I told her to go cause Dixie was wanting to send me home.

On February 22nd My niece Nyla Marie was born. She was a little over 4lbs. A very tiny miracle. 

About 2 weeks later I was back in the hospital. Same terrible contractions. And just like last time, I wasn't dilating so there was no need to worry. I was sent home... in pain... again.

This problem kept getting worse and worse! I felt like she was going to fall out every time I stood up! I was so miserable. I wasn't on bed rest or medication. She assured me that I didn't need it. I should just take it easy so I didn't over do it and create the need for hospitalization. So, I did what I was told. My Iron was very low and was taking Iron supplements and eating a small steak every other night to raise it. It was working, slowly.

By the time that mid-April arrived I was unable to do anything. I could barely go to the restroom alone. I was nervous and scared that something undetected was wrong. Because of my "hicks" I was to get a non-stress test Mon, Wed, and Fridays. And on Tues and Saturdays I was to have an Ultrasound done. My Amniotic fluid level was dangerously decreasing. I went from 17oz. to 7oz. in less than a month. 

This takes us to May 11th (my sisters birthday). I went in at 9a.m. for my 37 week check up. I was 37w 4d. My fundal height was 50cm. I know, I was huge! The week previous, I was 52cm. The baby was descending into the birth canal. Dixie checked me as always and still, I wasn't dilating. I refused to believe that yet again. I told her that I wasn't dumb... something wasn't right!! So, just to ease my mind, she arguably checked me again. I will never forget what she told me when she started checking... "OH NO.... I WAS WRONG!!" Talk about nervous! I asked her what was wrong and she told me that she needed to reach higher and that it would hurt. And boy, she wasn't lying. It was then that she stopped and told me that to her astonishment, I was 6 1/2 cm dilated and 90% effaced!! My bag of water was bulging and would pop at any time. It turns out that after I had Kyden (my oldest), my cervix had tilted itself toward the back. I had so much scar tissue from having my son that she couldn't tell I guess. I was terrified!!! I wasn't going to my sisters birthday party after all... Instead, I went to get my (ex) husband and to the hospital we went. 

By 8:30 that night I was at 10cm. My baby's head kept floating away from the canal so they couldn't just pop my membranes because because she might flip. There I stayed... in full blown labor. I was at a miserable 10 for over 24 hours!! Finally I told Dixie at about 6:30 on the 12th that I wanted a C-section... baby Emma didn't want to come out normal and I couldn't stay in pain any longer. She agreed and called down and instructed the Operating team that I was coming down there so get ready. She decided to check me a few minutes later and shockingly so, Emma was ready to come out. Without any delay she popped my bag of water and hard labor was coming.

At 11:32p.m. on May 12th 2005, Miss Emma Angelyn made her appearance after 37 hours of labor!! She weighed 8lbs. 11oz. and was 21 1/4 inches long. She had tons of dark brown hair and bright blue eyes! Her actual delivery was so easy compared to Kyden's. Her oxygen was a tad low so she needed oxygen for a few hours after, but she was just fine!

I swore that she was my last baby!!! Needless to say, I would be wrong. :) Emma is a wonderful child. Even though my pregnancy was very rough, I'd do it all again! :) She definitely is a Drama queen. She had a dramatic entrance into this world and it made her who she is! :)