Hey cats,
Hope everyone is doing well. Bets-you are in my prayers, as you know I too am a breastfeeding "delinquent" according to some. I remember feeling a lot of guilt, even with Eliana, when I made the choice not to before she was born. Even to this day, the thought of a bruised nipple makes me shudder! I have been my usual sick self with this pregnancy. I have been on prometrium for my low progesterone and am about to lose my mind. I go to the OB on Thursday so hopefully I will be finished with that! I miss you all and really hope we can get together this spring!
V
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Therapy Session
Well Cats, thank you for all the wonderful comments. We made it home yesterday after a relatively short hospital stay. I was glad to get out of there and be back in my own home. Mia is doing well, pretty much just slept and ate yesterday. Speaking of eating- I decided to breastfeed her, even though things didn't go so well with Brevin. She was doing really well in the hospital- she would nurse for about 20 minutes on each side. We got home and she did well- of course my nipples were getting sorer. By the 7:00 feeding it hurt so bad for her to latch on and even continue to nurse. I noticed she had cracked both of the nipples so apparently I didn't have her latched on right at some point. So of course I had told myself I wouldn't stress about it- but that is what I did- the thought of her having to nurse again would just bring tears to my eyes. So I just made the decision to stop. I feel I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but I guess not when it comes to my nipples : ) So that was a struggle for me last night but hopefully I will kick out these guilty feelings and just not worry about it. I know everything will be okay it is just hard right now because I feel like I "gave up." Anyways, she slept pretty well last night which was good and we are ready to start another day. I love you all!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Another Update
Hey Cats,
If you want to pics of new baby Mia Jane, check Betsy's blog. www.theswartzfamily3.blogspot.com. She is of course, absolutely beautiful! I think Brevin is slightly proud of his new little sis!
Mcat
If you want to pics of new baby Mia Jane, check Betsy's blog. www.theswartzfamily3.blogspot.com. She is of course, absolutely beautiful! I think Brevin is slightly proud of his new little sis!
Mcat
Monday, January 26, 2009
A Kitten is Born...
Hey Cats,
I just got a text from Bets. Mia Jane was born this morning at 8:10 am. She is 20.5 in long and weighed 6lb 12oz. What a little baby! How exciting!
-M
I just got a text from Bets. Mia Jane was born this morning at 8:10 am. She is 20.5 in long and weighed 6lb 12oz. What a little baby! How exciting!
-M
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I want a cat reunion!!
Hey, it's Klep here. Holy cow, if ya'll don't stop having children for just a small interval, we'll never be able to get together!! No, really, V, I"m so excited for you! And Bets, I"m praying for you these final days! Oh, and Fulton, I've shared your throwing up story with about five people who also cannot believe it is for real. :)
So...is a cat weekend possible once Bets has a newborn and V is in early pregnancy? I say lets do it. March or April-ish?
Our holiday season was busy but grand. I took 1/2 day personal day the Friday before break and Eric and I headed to Charleston, SC for our three-year anniversary trip. Eric found a sweet deal through a time-share company to listen to the spiel but get three days/two nights plus some extras for only $75! It was great...except for when we saw the crappy hotel they had put us up in and Eric killed a GIANT roach right next to his head that night. So...we saved the roach in a bag and went in and told them this wasn't going to work for us so we would get our own place. Of course, they apologized profusely ...and then put us up in a 5 star resort hotel and let me tell you, it was plush. I kept saying, "Thank you, God, for the roach!" It was great fun and romantic. We went on a haunted prison tour ( the jail there is 200 years old) and the guide was literally trying to call up the spirits. I just kept saying "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" over and over again, so I think that's why none of them showed up. :)
Welp, then we headed to Knoxville for Christmas Eve, then up to Ohio that night. All my brothers were in and it was wonderful. We got to stay for a week and a half. Eric helped Dad finish building his garage outside and loved every moment of it. It was so great to chill out with family. If you think of it, you can pray for our little Molly. OK, she's 18, but she's decided to withdraw from college (she was going to one nearby and living at home) because 'she hates class'. She's planning to take all online classes to get her degree...but we're nervous she may chuck college altogether, which isn't the end of the world but when FOUR people in Eric's family lost their jobs in this past month because of the economy and they have no other options and no skills, no degrees, nothing but high school diplomas, the future doesn't look real bright for them. I just really hope she gets the importanc eof just having that piece of paper that says 'degree' in her hand or her future is seriously limited.
School is good - we got our first day off last week for flooding. Then we got yesterday off because of 'extreme cold' - (9 degrees). So now I've got a four day weekend including MLK Day Monday. Yippee!! Volleyball season is up and going so this past week I was at school until at least 7, sometimes 8. Then, even though I teach sixth grade, they pulled all Language Arts teachers in the building to teach 8th graders in an intensive writing workshop (um, yeah, I've never taught writing either) for 3 hours. So I had 13 eigth graders and I was SO nervous...cause, um, I just don't really like 8th graders! :) I prefer the little baby 6th graders. But, it went really well and I feel good after overcoming a challenge.
Eric will graduate next December if all goes well. So we actually have to start thinking about what to do next. We haven't had to do that our entire married life! I'll be honest, cats, I am sometimes sad that I am nearly 30 and have no children. I mean, you all have at least two, some have three. And nearly all our friends here just had a baby. I find myself worrying over what to do if/when we are blessed with a child. We have so much school debt, and I"m really enjoying teaching and I don't know that I want to leave it anytime soon right when I'm getting good at it. But I"ve always said I wanted to stay home with my kids. Any job Eric gets will be significantly less than what I"m making. ?? I know it's senseless to worry about any of that because God always lets me know what to do right when I need to know and not a moment earlier. Bottom line is: If we both worked for jsut one year, that would pay off massive amounts of debt. But then that pushes off babies even longer...and I'm nearly 30. So, that's just the kind of stuff I find myself thinking about a lot recently. Especially when I get around our parents and realize that they're not getting any younger and I sure want them to know their grandchildren.
I'll try to dig up a picture or two to attach. I'm so thankful for all of you and thankful that we can keep in touch this way. I love hearing about everyone's blessings and struggles, moments of joy and of sadness as well. meow, cats!
- klep
So...is a cat weekend possible once Bets has a newborn and V is in early pregnancy? I say lets do it. March or April-ish?
Our holiday season was busy but grand. I took 1/2 day personal day the Friday before break and Eric and I headed to Charleston, SC for our three-year anniversary trip. Eric found a sweet deal through a time-share company to listen to the spiel but get three days/two nights plus some extras for only $75! It was great...except for when we saw the crappy hotel they had put us up in and Eric killed a GIANT roach right next to his head that night. So...we saved the roach in a bag and went in and told them this wasn't going to work for us so we would get our own place. Of course, they apologized profusely ...and then put us up in a 5 star resort hotel and let me tell you, it was plush. I kept saying, "Thank you, God, for the roach!" It was great fun and romantic. We went on a haunted prison tour ( the jail there is 200 years old) and the guide was literally trying to call up the spirits. I just kept saying "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" over and over again, so I think that's why none of them showed up. :)
Welp, then we headed to Knoxville for Christmas Eve, then up to Ohio that night. All my brothers were in and it was wonderful. We got to stay for a week and a half. Eric helped Dad finish building his garage outside and loved every moment of it. It was so great to chill out with family. If you think of it, you can pray for our little Molly. OK, she's 18, but she's decided to withdraw from college (she was going to one nearby and living at home) because 'she hates class'. She's planning to take all online classes to get her degree...but we're nervous she may chuck college altogether, which isn't the end of the world but when FOUR people in Eric's family lost their jobs in this past month because of the economy and they have no other options and no skills, no degrees, nothing but high school diplomas, the future doesn't look real bright for them. I just really hope she gets the importanc eof just having that piece of paper that says 'degree' in her hand or her future is seriously limited.
School is good - we got our first day off last week for flooding. Then we got yesterday off because of 'extreme cold' - (9 degrees). So now I've got a four day weekend including MLK Day Monday. Yippee!! Volleyball season is up and going so this past week I was at school until at least 7, sometimes 8. Then, even though I teach sixth grade, they pulled all Language Arts teachers in the building to teach 8th graders in an intensive writing workshop (um, yeah, I've never taught writing either) for 3 hours. So I had 13 eigth graders and I was SO nervous...cause, um, I just don't really like 8th graders! :) I prefer the little baby 6th graders. But, it went really well and I feel good after overcoming a challenge.
Eric will graduate next December if all goes well. So we actually have to start thinking about what to do next. We haven't had to do that our entire married life! I'll be honest, cats, I am sometimes sad that I am nearly 30 and have no children. I mean, you all have at least two, some have three. And nearly all our friends here just had a baby. I find myself worrying over what to do if/when we are blessed with a child. We have so much school debt, and I"m really enjoying teaching and I don't know that I want to leave it anytime soon right when I'm getting good at it. But I"ve always said I wanted to stay home with my kids. Any job Eric gets will be significantly less than what I"m making. ?? I know it's senseless to worry about any of that because God always lets me know what to do right when I need to know and not a moment earlier. Bottom line is: If we both worked for jsut one year, that would pay off massive amounts of debt. But then that pushes off babies even longer...and I'm nearly 30. So, that's just the kind of stuff I find myself thinking about a lot recently. Especially when I get around our parents and realize that they're not getting any younger and I sure want them to know their grandchildren.
I'll try to dig up a picture or two to attach. I'm so thankful for all of you and thankful that we can keep in touch this way. I love hearing about everyone's blessings and struggles, moments of joy and of sadness as well. meow, cats!
- klep
Friday, January 16, 2009
Delinquent
Hey Cats,
I know i am delinquent in updating. For this fact, i apologize immensly. However, i will say that truly this is the first moment in a very, very long time i have really felt like i had the actual time to blog without 30 other things taking priority. Usually, January is a relatively calm month--not so this go around! I cannot believe how insane it has been, between family and friends visits, TCTC and then the ever increasing amount of TRH stuff we just are not coming close to being able to take a breath.
At any rate, i feel like there is so much on the horizon for my family and one thing seems to depend upon the other. It seems like forever now Daniel and i have been weighing our options and desires for adding to our family. I really thought back before Christmas that Ethiopian adoption was definitely our next move. The financial part of it all was very worrisome but, as with all things Watson, when God is leading we just felt like things would fall into place. Then a bunch of stuff started happening that has made us reconsider:
1. Van transmission went out
2. Waterheater went out
3. I had a talk with Atley's MDO teacher who confirmed my suspicions that instead of kindergarten next year Atley needs a really good full time prekindergarten program next year
4. TRH will likely hire a new staff memberin the next two months, taking a HUGE amount of stress from me as i will move from Family Advocate to Program Coordinator (which is much more my speed)
5. It looks like TRH will be breaking ground on a huge building project of 15 condos and a community center in June. Going through the motions of an international adoption is just a little too much to add to the plate; particularly for Bo.
So now what? Well if Atley goes to school full time next year AND my job load is lightened this frees up some time and stress in a major way. So, i THINK we might be back around to fostering to adopt. I think we are just interested in the one year and under age group where there is generally less background of trama. We have also heard that people don't like to foster infants b/c they don't like all the attention they require, like feeding and sleep schedules and such. All that to say we are still hoping to adopt from Ethiopia at some point. It is truly a dream of mine, but i want it to be in the right timing. Maybe number four.
I also think there is a good chance Atley might get a scholarship to go to Maria Jenkin's montessori school-which is also super exciting. I am going there week after next to observe and talk with Maria.
Overall, i just appreciate your prayers so much is up in the air for us and like i said it seems that one thing depends upon the other. I am confident that God will continue to reveal himself to us, if we will slow down and listen! Ugh! So that is where we are...nothing major...just life. :)
A&A are doing well. Ava is so ornery but has moments of sheer hilarity that generally save her life. Atley has become one of the more well mannered kids i know. Four is a whole lot of fun! I will start documenting our stories a little better. They say funny stuff all the time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Sorry for the somewhat boring post. Just an update...
Love you all!
Meow!
mandycat
I know i am delinquent in updating. For this fact, i apologize immensly. However, i will say that truly this is the first moment in a very, very long time i have really felt like i had the actual time to blog without 30 other things taking priority. Usually, January is a relatively calm month--not so this go around! I cannot believe how insane it has been, between family and friends visits, TCTC and then the ever increasing amount of TRH stuff we just are not coming close to being able to take a breath.
At any rate, i feel like there is so much on the horizon for my family and one thing seems to depend upon the other. It seems like forever now Daniel and i have been weighing our options and desires for adding to our family. I really thought back before Christmas that Ethiopian adoption was definitely our next move. The financial part of it all was very worrisome but, as with all things Watson, when God is leading we just felt like things would fall into place. Then a bunch of stuff started happening that has made us reconsider:
1. Van transmission went out
2. Waterheater went out
3. I had a talk with Atley's MDO teacher who confirmed my suspicions that instead of kindergarten next year Atley needs a really good full time prekindergarten program next year
4. TRH will likely hire a new staff memberin the next two months, taking a HUGE amount of stress from me as i will move from Family Advocate to Program Coordinator (which is much more my speed)
5. It looks like TRH will be breaking ground on a huge building project of 15 condos and a community center in June. Going through the motions of an international adoption is just a little too much to add to the plate; particularly for Bo.
So now what? Well if Atley goes to school full time next year AND my job load is lightened this frees up some time and stress in a major way. So, i THINK we might be back around to fostering to adopt. I think we are just interested in the one year and under age group where there is generally less background of trama. We have also heard that people don't like to foster infants b/c they don't like all the attention they require, like feeding and sleep schedules and such. All that to say we are still hoping to adopt from Ethiopia at some point. It is truly a dream of mine, but i want it to be in the right timing. Maybe number four.
I also think there is a good chance Atley might get a scholarship to go to Maria Jenkin's montessori school-which is also super exciting. I am going there week after next to observe and talk with Maria.
Overall, i just appreciate your prayers so much is up in the air for us and like i said it seems that one thing depends upon the other. I am confident that God will continue to reveal himself to us, if we will slow down and listen! Ugh! So that is where we are...nothing major...just life. :)
A&A are doing well. Ava is so ornery but has moments of sheer hilarity that generally save her life. Atley has become one of the more well mannered kids i know. Four is a whole lot of fun! I will start documenting our stories a little better. They say funny stuff all the time.
I hope everyone is doing well. Sorry for the somewhat boring post. Just an update...
Love you all!
Meow!
mandycat
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Hey Kitties!
I am glad everyone had a good Christmas and judging by the lack of posts by all of us--a very busy Christmas. Bets, I will be in prayer for you and baby and hope all goes well. I know you are definitely ready! I also wanted to share with you all that another Kiser-bun is in the oven! Yes I am preggo! Looks like early Sept. if all goes well. Please be in prayer as with Elie my progesterone levels were a little low and I had to take hormones the first trimester. Hopefully, I will get in to my OB quickly, as I have yet to find one! This probably means my kick-boxing class is on the outs--yes kick-boxing! I love you all and hope you are well!
V
I am glad everyone had a good Christmas and judging by the lack of posts by all of us--a very busy Christmas. Bets, I will be in prayer for you and baby and hope all goes well. I know you are definitely ready! I also wanted to share with you all that another Kiser-bun is in the oven! Yes I am preggo! Looks like early Sept. if all goes well. Please be in prayer as with Elie my progesterone levels were a little low and I had to take hormones the first trimester. Hopefully, I will get in to my OB quickly, as I have yet to find one! This probably means my kick-boxing class is on the outs--yes kick-boxing! I love you all and hope you are well!
V
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Let the Countdown Begin...
Well ladies, it sounds like everyone had a wonderful Christmas season. Ours was good- different since we had to stay in TN but nice also. Brevin was very much into tracking Santa on the internet- Swartz showed him how to do this and he continued to try to do it for a few days after Christmas. It was the first thing he wanted to do Christmas morning. My parents, brother, sister, and their significant others arrived at our house about 11:30 Christmas evening. Then we got to open gifts again on the 26th with them. Which also was the day I turned the big 3-0. Kind of hard to believe, but just like any other birthday, I really don't feel any different. Our house was definitely packed with all those people and my sister brought her puppy that she received as a gift- Brevin enjoyed that, but Denali not so much. The next weekend we were to meet Randy's family at a cabin in Pigeon Forge. Well, that Friday I woke up not feeling too well and a few hours into the day Brevin was complaining that his stomach hurt. He ended up puking twice- once on the chair but the second time he did make it to the bathroom. I tried to lay as still as possible on the couch so I wouldn't throw up, but at about 3:00 I got up to help Brevin get to bed and up came everything else. So we didn't join his family that night, but ended up going down on Saturday and spending at least one night. We were feeling back to normal by about lunch time on Saturday.
They have set my c-section for January 26th! Only about 2.5 more weeks- it is hard to believe, but I am so ready. I have two more doc appointments where I am lucky to get an ultrasound each time and hooked up to the heartrate and contraction monitors for 20 minutes. I guess because of my blood clotting condition- they just want to be on the safe side. The last ultrasound estimated her weight to be 6 lbs 4 oz so if that is right she will probably be close to 8 lbs at birth. I have switched over to taking 2 shots a day now- I am kind of getting nervous for the c-section with the added risk of taking these shots (I guess it can increase chances of blood getting into your spinal fluid and causing paralysis) so you all can be praying for my safety during all this. And if my platelets are below 100 they will have to put me completely under- at my last appointment they were 104 so we are bordering on the edge here. Oh the c-section is set for 8:00 that morning. In the mean time, I am still babysitting and trying to stay busy to make the days go fast- I just can't wait to hold this little one in my arms!
Can't wait to hear from the rest of you- Vanessa I hope things worked out with your MIL!
Love you all!
Betsy
They have set my c-section for January 26th! Only about 2.5 more weeks- it is hard to believe, but I am so ready. I have two more doc appointments where I am lucky to get an ultrasound each time and hooked up to the heartrate and contraction monitors for 20 minutes. I guess because of my blood clotting condition- they just want to be on the safe side. The last ultrasound estimated her weight to be 6 lbs 4 oz so if that is right she will probably be close to 8 lbs at birth. I have switched over to taking 2 shots a day now- I am kind of getting nervous for the c-section with the added risk of taking these shots (I guess it can increase chances of blood getting into your spinal fluid and causing paralysis) so you all can be praying for my safety during all this. And if my platelets are below 100 they will have to put me completely under- at my last appointment they were 104 so we are bordering on the edge here. Oh the c-section is set for 8:00 that morning. In the mean time, I am still babysitting and trying to stay busy to make the days go fast- I just can't wait to hold this little one in my arms!
Can't wait to hear from the rest of you- Vanessa I hope things worked out with your MIL!
Love you all!
Betsy
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Let's get back on track
Happy New Year Kitties--It's time to start blogging again!
I'm sure you all had eventful holidays and we want to hear about them.
To start--Eli took 3 weeks off during the holidays and 15 of those days we were either in B-town or Tennessee. We enjoyed the time with family as well as a brief visit with the Watsons. Byrd, Daniel, Eli and I got to have an evening kid-free thanks to Aunt Shell--so should a little surprise arrive in the mail it was because we were together and feeling quite free-spirited!
My feet have been dragging as I try to get back into the swing of things. Not because I don't want my break to end--we had a nice long time together--more because I'm in need of a little change. Maybe a new haircut or some new faces in our lives. Eli and I may make a change in our church lives--time will tell. I'm not sure what 2009 will bring us. I'm turning 30 soon! Good gracious that is crazy to consider--Betsy how is it? I think we're the oldest cats. Baby Byrd just turned 29 and Fulty is sometime this month.
Eli and I celebrated our 8 years of marriage! Hard to believe it's been that long. So, does that make it the Politte's 5th or 6th year and the Frazier's 3rd year?
Well, I'm kind of at a blank as to what else to share. Duncan put a nice stink in his pants so I should go take care of that probably. Actually--he's not wearing pants but a pair of Kenna's black stockings and a black turtle neck because we went out in the snow and I put them under his pants. He looks like a little black nymph scurrying around. Too cute.
Please, please, please blog!
Make time even if it is just a line or two.
liz
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
