September, September

*the first of several catch up posts!  This should make Jessica and Keisha especially happy :) (they have been on me for a while to update!  here you go girls)

September was spent with me being in the hospital.  You can read more about it here and here.  I wanted to have a place to keep these pictures since I obviously didn’t do much blogging from the hospital!

These are in no particular order…just stuff I want to remember.

I got alternate activity each day.  Day one was shower day!  Day two was outside day.  This picture was taken on my very first day outside.  This was on Friday 9.3.10 – what a great day!

My sister Stacey, her sweet husband, Marc, and precious Zoe came to visit.  They came the first week I was in when we thought Eli was coming at any minute.  I’m so thankful that they made the trip out from Cali.  So thankful that Eli wasn’t born that early (28 weeks), but also sad that they haven’t met the little guy.  They are now expecting baby #2 due in June!

I received so many thoughtful cards and gifts while in the hospital (and after).  It’s proven difficult to find the time to write formal thank you’s for everything, but we appreciated everything much more than words can say. 

Jaxon was such a blessing during this very difficult time for our family.  In some ways I wish he had been younger so that he wouldn’t remember it all.  But he did an amazing job dealing with the up’s and downs that we were presented with.  He and Joey tried to keep as normal of a schedule as possible.  They came up most days after school and stayed just a while.  On Friday nights they would come about 6pm, bring dinner and we’d have a sleepover!  He really enjoyed it and we made the best of the situation.  We have some great memories of those Friday night sleepovers!

On Sunday afternoons, the pet therapy people would come around and Jax LOVED seeing the dogs!

Almost every evening that they were there I would read to him before bed or before they left for the night.  I LIVED for these moments.

Self explanatory.  I loathed this chair, but in the middle of the night it was great.  Since I was hooked up to monitors 24/7 (except for the 30 minute break each day), I was SUPPOSED to use this chair every time.  I had amazing nurses who understood that it was really just a few steps to the ACTUAL toilet and let me break the rules.  Once my fluid levels reached ZERO, my dr. highly encouraged use of the bedside toilet.  …..  oh the bedside toilet chair!

It was Like a family reunion.  Throughout my almost 5 week stay, I got to see lots of family and friends!

I was SO VERY THANKFUL for each person that came to visit.

Here are pictures of both sets of my grandparents.

Grandparents Kennedy

Grandparents Gregg (this was while I was still at lakeside, before I realized it was ok to wear clothes!)

The view. The Oklahoma City Skyline.  This was naturally taken by Marc.  I couldn’t see this from my bed unless I set up really high but I loved to look out this window!

My sweet friend, Tracy helped me with this chain.  Instead of doing a countdown, we added one link for everyday I was there.  This picture was taken on Tuesday 9.21, the day before Eli was born.

It’s funny that the tv was on in this picture.  When people find out that I was in the hospital I often hear “man, you must have caught up on a LOT of TV”.  Actually, I watched very little tv.

My last belly shot.  This was taken on Tuesday morning 9.21.10 also (31 weeks 2 days), the day before he was born.  Funny looking back, I must have instinctively known that he was coming!


I’ll leave you with that.  I am writing more posts today to get caught up :)

Happy Sunday!

Tradition…

A new tradition…  Originally posted 12.1.08….. Updated version coming to you soon!

I present to you:::

I saw this idea about two years ago and saved it! Now that Jax is old enough we can do some really fun and amazing things!

Inside this jar are 25 scrap pieces of paper. Written on them are some awesome activities for us to do. Each morning leading up to Christmas, Jaxon will pick one out of the jar. That evening we will complete the activitiy.

I won’t list all the activities right now….but stay tuned! Some of the activities include::
making cookies to share with friends at school
watching a christmas movie
going to see christmas lights
AND many more!!!

It’s not to late to start your jar!

on blogging

I miss  my blog.  I’m going to blame facebook for stealing me away from my home on the www.  Along with everything else in our society, we all are looking for a faster, easier, simpler way of doing things.  While the shortcuts are good for a while, most good things in life really take time.  As far as social media and memory keeping, nothing compares to this blog for me.

I started this blog back in September 2005.  My baby, Jaxon was 4 months old.  I learned quickly that I enjoyed writing and keeping a log of our lives online.  Some people scrapbook for this, I am not that crafty so this was perfect for me.  Time passed and we got really busy and I stopped posting as much.  As I look back though, I don’t think we were any busier then than we are now.  It’s just that it’s easier to post a one-liner on facebook and get instant feedback.  That’s great… but those memories don’t have a permanent record.

The other day I spent an hour or so going back through the archives.  Jaxon, now 5 enjoyed so much looking with me and seeing the pictures of him as a baby and having me read the stories.  It was very special to me and I felt proud that I had those memories saved somewhere tangible for him to see.  I want to keep this up and I want Eli to have the same.  I checked my posts for this year, I only posted 36 times.  WOW!  Not enough.

The next few weeks I am going to do some catch-up blogging to fill in some of the gaps from this year.  I will date the posts close to the actual event.  Maybe you’ll enjoy the posts, maybe you’ll be bored to tears… either way, I know two little boys who will get a huge smile on their face when I share the memories with them some day!

And because posts w/ out pictures are kind of boring… I’ll leave you with an outtake from our latest photo shoot!

In an attempt to get Jax to smile, Michelle said “everyone make your pouty face”… and of course Jax smiled!

home

Sometimes I’m cheesy.  Well, most of the time I’m cheesy.  So the cliche sayings such as ” home is where the heart is”, and “there is no place like home” come out of my mouth a lot, especially this past week!

10 Weeks  after my water breaking…..(12 weeks early)

almost 6 Weeks after birth…….

5 Weeks after a very serious post-partum complication…..

On Sunday, 10.31.10…..

Elijah Michael Winn got to come home from the NICU!

our last picture in the NICU

EXITing those doors for the last time WITH our baby!!

Ready for the ride

my boys

While Jax was changing out of his church clothes he noticed that he had a shirt that matched Eli’s outfit so he decided he needed to wear it!  So sweet!

So, because it’s totally expected….. 

HOME is where the MY heart is

Thank you all for the thoughts and prayers over the last 3 months.  We are transitioning into a family of 4 nicely.  I have much to blog about…   I hope you have a great week!

Then and Now

Elijah... taken 10.3.10

my boys taken 10.24.10

wow.  the second picture above was taken exactly 4 weeks after the first.  so much has changed.  it feels like it has been three months not four weeks.  there is so much i am thankful for.  there is so much i feel overwhelmed by.  mostly i am so thankful for my boys and for the life we’ve been blessed with.

Elijah Michael

My brother in law, Marc reminded me today that I have not posted about Eli yet! (thank you Marc) I’ve got some major make up blogging to do…. but for now, let me introduce you to the newest member of our family!

Elijah Michael

9.22.10 4:40 am

4lbs 5oz, 17 1/2″long

Eli was born at 31.3 weeks and is still in the NICU.  He is healthy but we still have a road ahead of us in getting him home.  As of today, his two week birthday he is up to 4 pounds 7oz.  He is eating about an ounce per feeding through the feeding tube in his nose.  He is able to wear clothes and almost has his own body temperature under control, so we are praying he moves to an open air crib and out of the climate control isolette by the end of the week.

We so desperately want him home with us, but for now we know he is getting the best care possible.  It’s hard to believe he has been here for two weeks but in reality should have about 6 left to grow inside me.  We are so thankful that he was able to stay put for 25 days past my water breaking.  It is quite amazing that he made it that long and we were both healthy.

I will post much more later, but for now please enjoy the pictures of our sweet new son.

We love you Elijah,

daddy, mommy and jaxon

operation keep me pregnant – day 18

after an EARLY morning ultrasound we have great news. And not so great news.

First- I am 30.3 weeks today and Eli is now measuring
4#8oz!  Awesome growth!!

Second- there was no fluid to measure so he called my fluid level a 0.

We do not know what my dr’s will do with this information yet. We’ll let you know once we do! Thank you for the prayers!! Please keep praying a we still have a long road ahead of us!

Operation keep me pregnant!

First of all thanks to Megan for keeping everyone posted here and on facebook.  Facebook gets updated more frequently so you can add me if you’d like.

Today is Thursday, day 5! *(Update, now it’s actually Saturday 9.4 at 5:47am)  My mind is finally starting to wrap around all of this.  On Sunday (8.29.10) I came to the hospital with my purse on my shoulder and my husband on my hand.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be staying!  There has been a LOT to take in this week.  Also a LOT to get over.  As I plan to be here for a while, I plan to blog quite a bit!  I want to remember this time.  I also want to forget this time.  ha.  I just want Eli to stay safe inside me for as long as possible.

I hope you all have a great Labor day weekend… praying I don’t go into Labor! :)

Taken on Sunday 8.29.10 - Mommy and Jaxon (and Eli)