Interview Trip

 When Lydia was 3 weeks old we drove down to Spfld so Matt could interview for a job he had applied to. It was also his spring break week so things worked out really well for us.

 Some things never change. My parents put this Christmas tree out on their porch each year for Christmas. It rotates and flashes lights and is pretty.  Each year it sits on their porch for months following Christmas. This was just before Easter. Last year it made it past the 4th of July.

With that being said though, each year a bird makes her nest in this Christmas tree. We get to watch the little eggs, then little chicks. It is really neat. Those little eggs were about the size of an a pencil eraser.

 Grandma always makes an Easter egg tree.  The kids love it!

 Matt interviewed almost all day.  It was beautiful outside so we enjoyed the sunshine.

 I love that newborn fuzzy hair.

After Matts interview the head Ophthalmologist and a few other Administrators at Mercy treated Matt and me to dinner at Touch for an extended interview. It was super fancy and super delicious. They specialize in super fresh sea food, so I was in heaven.  Dinner was over 3 hours long. It was really fun, but I sure missed my little Lydia. She did really well for Grandma, who loved snuggling her while we were gone.  We're so grateful to have family close by. It would have been hard to leave Lydia with anyone else.

 Hannah trying to catch Grandma's Eggs.

We had planned to leave early the next morning, but Lydia had hardly slept that nigh. When the older kids woke up Matt took them downstairs and told me to go back to sleep (because Lydia was finally sleeping.) When I woke up it was close to 11!  Matt got a call from another administrator at Mercy asking if Matt was still in town, which he was, so asked him to come in for another chat.

 That night Grandma ordered Jet's deep dish barbeque chicken! If you haven't had this slice of heaven you need to order it today! Right now! It's amazing!

 We left the next morning and drove strait to the new Chick Fil A they were opening in St Louis.  Matt made if just in time again to get the year's worth of free meals.  We dropped him off and made our way home. Later that night we went back to take him a tent and change of clothes and bedding. He had a fun time with all of our friends who were there braving the rain with him.

Houston holding his "Chick" baby in the parking lot of Chick Fil A.

This was when we dropped Matt off.  They were so ready to be home. :)

Seizures

When Lydia was born we noticed that she did this funny rhythmic thing with her tongue, she has been doing it since she was a couple days old. As she has become older she has started moving her eyes back and forth at the same time. When she was 3 weeks old one morning after I changed her diaper she turned her head to the side and started suddenly moving her eyes back and forth and moving her tongue in the rhythmic motion. Thinking it might be a seizure i recorded it on my phone. After a minute she came out of it with a surprised look on her face as if she hadn't been aware of anything for the past minute. I called the pediatrician and he had us come in. He watched the video and said it looked like a seizure, then she started having one right there in his office and he sent us to the pediatric ER. They admitted Lydia and monitored her through the night. They put in an IV port to draw some blood to be sure her levels were all normal. She slept through the whole thing and didn't seem bothered by it a bit. She is sure tough.The next morning she had a MRI and EEG done. I was amazed at how well she did with everything. She slept through the EEG which came back normal. She didn't have a seizure during the one hour test so that was expected.  Dr Thalakoti her pediatric neurologist said that about 80% of newborn EEGs come back negative even when the baby clearly has seizures, they have to be timed just right to be very helpful.

  I was concerned that they would sedate her for her MRI.
 After Heath's experience I really didn't want to do that.  When they came in to explain everything and said that they don't sedate newborns at all I was so relieved! All they did was have me feed her just prior, then wrapped her up snug as a bug in this little cozy form. 

 She also wore little stick on headphones to block out the noise like these ones.   I was really impressed with baby friendly they made everything.  She slept comfortably through the whole MRI.

Her MRI came back completely normal and so did her blood work!  So there is no physical reason that can be seen causing the seizures. :)  Dr Thalakoti said she is having what they call benign familial neonatal seizures. So she is just a healthy baby who happens to be having seizures. He said this is fairly common in newborns as they are learning how to adjust to all the stimulation that comes with life. Some kids are just more prone to them. Usually the seizures stop on their own when the baby is about 2-3 months old. He doesn't think we need to medicate her in any way since otherwise she is thriving well. Her oxygen and respiratory levels were good the whole time we were in the hospital, even through seizures. If her seizures increase in frequency or intensity they will reevaluate but for now he is pretty confident she will grow out of them shortly and not have any ill side effects from them.
We are so grateful for the outcome and so blessed to have so much help from friends and family. We sure feel loved.

We got to go home the next afternoon. It was SO good to be back home.

We kept her swaddled as much as possible, and other things to avoid over stimulation. 

Lydia continued to have seizures every couple days for about a week. Then she went a whole week without one. She had her last one when she was 7 weeks old and hasn't had one since. She is now 3 months old and doing wonderfully!

First 2 weeks of Lydia

 I just love the way the wind up after they've fallen asleep.

 I love how sweet little boys are with a new baby.


This little girl is treated like a princess.  She is  held by someone almost all day long. We just love to snuggle her.

When Lydia came home from the hospital she weighted 7# 14oz.

At 5 days old she was 7#15oz.

At 11 days old she was 8#11oz. (75th%) and 1'8'' (80th%)

At 3 weeks old she was 10#1oz(87th%) and 1'10'' (96th%)

 Grandma Fo came up and spent a week with us. She was SO helpful and wonderful! We are so grateful for her!

 Grandma slept in the LR on a mattress so naturally it became a wrestling ring during the day.

 Heath especially loves to hold Lydia.

Oh Hannah.

 Hannah turned 2 five days after Lydia was born. (3 days after I came home) Thankfully I had made her a 2 shirt several weeks ago because I totally wasn't thinking about presents.  Grandma was so great to make it a special day for Hannah and the boys.


Hannah being Mommy to her baby. Apparently Mommies always are carrying a lot of stuff.

 "WeeeeA!"

 Hannah got her very own carseat for her baby.  She LOVES it!

 Houston, our real life photographer always captures us at our best. :)

Lydia did so well at night.  She really sleeps all the time unless she is eating.  She eats about every 2-3 hours, but goes right back to sleep.

In the hospital she didn't sleep much, but the pediatrician who noticed she had a broken collar bone suggested she sleep on a pillow until it heals to avoid hard pressure on it.  Once we put a pillow in her bassinet she started sleeping so much better. We also have found that she sleeps really well on her side.  I guess it's more comfortable on her little break.

 Goodmorning

 Trying out Grandma's boots.


At her 2 year old appointment Hannah was:

2'10'' Tall (61st%)

27 pounds (50th%)

18.35" head circumference (24th%)

If she doubles her 2 year old height she will be about 5'7'' when she is fully grown. We shall see.

 Hannah the bag lady.

 1 week old and showing off her eyes!

 Grandma sent us out on a little date and watched all 4 kids.  We went and had my favorite buffet, Joy Luck.  It was SO delicious and fun to have an hour all to ourselves. 

 Playdough with Grandma

I don't know if it's just because she was "broken" and needed her Mommy, but I totally felt no desire to do anything but sit and snuggle this little girl.  She is so wonderful!

 These got out of order... Hannah's birthday again.

 I just love the newborn milky dream smile.  :)

 The first few days we pinned Lydia's broken arm with athletic wrap, but once it healed a bit I just sewed all of her sleeves to her pant leg on her sleepers and that kept her from moving that arm in a painful way.  It worked really really well.

 I love that little upturned nose.

 Great big paws.

 SNOW!

 Hannah made Lydia pretty.

 Can you tell Heath makes the bread at our house?

 Out of order again...

Lydia 5 days old.