The biggest update from us as of late is that Jaxson has developed his first ear infection. The last few days have been bumpy. Sunday night right after we had put Jayden to bed, I noticed that Jaxson felt really warm so I decided to take his temperature. It showed that he had a 102 degree fever, so I immediately stripped him down to just a diaper and gave him some Infant's Tylenol. No matter what we tried his fever just didn't seem to break, and when it did it was only for a couple of hours...and then it just skyrocketed. We tried cool baths, Pedialyte, keeping a fan circulating cold air. He was cranky, lethargic, flushed, wouldn't eat or drink, couldn't sleep unless it was just short bursts, etc. Needless to say it's been a crazy few days. I took yesterday and Monday off of work to help Aaron care for him and also to try catching up on sleep since the last few nights have been sleepless. We tried to get him to the doctor yesterday to no avail so we decided that we would have to take him to the walk in clinic first thing today. This morning about 2:00am I checked his temperature again and it was up to 104. So for the better part of the last 2 and a half days, Jaxson has had a fever ranging from 101-104 degrees. I felt awful for him, I felt nervous and scared, and just plain exhausted. Luckily, we were able to get his fever to break again around 3am so we didn't have to take him to the emergency room and Aaron was able to get him in to see the doctor at the walk-in clinic.
Doctor confirmed that he has an ear infection and he's now on antibiotics so I hope he will be feeling better soon and we will all be a little more rested in the coming days. My poor baby... I'm so sad he's been ill, but I'm glad to know that he should only be getting better from here on out!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Feeling Sick
Really sums it up right now... I got my Mirena removed just over a week ago and my doctor put me on Trinessa, which is a generic form of Ortho Tri Cyclen. So far... I'm miserable. It makes me feel SOOOO nauseated (or is it nauseous...don't know, and really don't care) and I get dizzy. I can feel my face turning green! Fingers crossed that the hormones or whatever it is stabilizes soon. I don't feel like eating anything because it makes it worse, but then I get headaches if I don't eat. I'm starting to think birth control is the devil!!! My body hates every form of it for some reason... Now I know what it feels like to have morning sickness without the puking, and I have to say that it's horrible. I don't know how anyone could survive weeks or months of this during a pregnancy! So far I've been lucky. I didn't have any with Jayden, but with Jax there were some days where I felt a little queasy. By the time I was done with my first trimester it was gone completely and never came back. Boy, do I hope that with my next (and final) two pregnancies that I have the same luck!!
Speaking of which... Aaron approached me last night and said, "You know, I've been thinking...It's not 100%, but...". And of course he left me in suspense for like five minutes before I said, "Alright already! What do you want to tell me??". To which he said that once he gets a stable job paying good money that he thinks we can start trying for our next baby, maybe even sooner than our plan. We had originally talked about starting at the end of this year for a Fall 2011 baby, and that may still end up being the case, but he's not opposed to starting earlier if we get to that point. I have to say that I was actually shocked and surprised in a good way since it's not all the time that dads get "baby fever" and the fact that he approached me saying that he's getting to the point where he's ready rather than just following along with my biological clock's urging was really awesome. It was really sweet because he said that in the time that he's spent at home with Jaxson that he's had a lot of fun with him and is enjoying the baby stage and having fun spending quality father-son time. It's made him want more kids. :)
So stay tuned...our family could be "under construction" sooner than we had planned. Hopefully not before summer though since I want to enjoy my 25th birthday and my short-lived, new post-baby bod before I gain all the weight back!! And that means I can get off this awful, almost-vomit inducing birth control... not a moment too soon!
Ah, anyway... I'm so glad it's Friday! I'm going out tomorrow with my mom to get a manicure & pedicure. I need my quality girl time!! :)
Speaking of which... Aaron approached me last night and said, "You know, I've been thinking...It's not 100%, but...". And of course he left me in suspense for like five minutes before I said, "Alright already! What do you want to tell me??". To which he said that once he gets a stable job paying good money that he thinks we can start trying for our next baby, maybe even sooner than our plan. We had originally talked about starting at the end of this year for a Fall 2011 baby, and that may still end up being the case, but he's not opposed to starting earlier if we get to that point. I have to say that I was actually shocked and surprised in a good way since it's not all the time that dads get "baby fever" and the fact that he approached me saying that he's getting to the point where he's ready rather than just following along with my biological clock's urging was really awesome. It was really sweet because he said that in the time that he's spent at home with Jaxson that he's had a lot of fun with him and is enjoying the baby stage and having fun spending quality father-son time. It's made him want more kids. :)
So stay tuned...our family could be "under construction" sooner than we had planned. Hopefully not before summer though since I want to enjoy my 25th birthday and my short-lived, new post-baby bod before I gain all the weight back!! And that means I can get off this awful, almost-vomit inducing birth control... not a moment too soon!
Ah, anyway... I'm so glad it's Friday! I'm going out tomorrow with my mom to get a manicure & pedicure. I need my quality girl time!! :)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Birthdays, Antibiotics, and Calories
This weekend was full of them. Ay carumba!
First, Jayden had a rough week... he was complaining that his ear was hurting, but then he'd say "All better!" so we thought he was just kidding around. Then on Thursday night we put him to bed as usual and then a couple hours later he woke up crying and refused to go to bed. He didn't want to lay down at all...and this is pretty uncharacteristic for him. He usually sleeps through the night without problems, but he wasn't complaining about anything so I thought he had a nightmare or something. I went back to bed as I have been struggling with getting sleep lately and Aaron tried to get him back to sleep (which, according to Aaron, took until about 3am). Friday morning comes and I'm getting ready to leave for work and take Jayden to daycare when he again starts grabbing his left ear and saying, "Owwie!!". But then he followed it up with an "All better!". To which Aaron said "He was saying that all of last night too...". I started to think that maybe something was wrong with him, but I was going to keep an eye on him to see how he was doing.
As I was picking him up from daycare that evening (and after I told his DCP about his ear and lack of sleep incident), she said, "So I know why Jayden had a rough night last night and why he was complaining about his ear". Which of course I followed up with a, "Yeah? Why? What happened?". And then she said, "Well, he started whimpering at naptime and kept getting out of his cot, which he never does, so I went over to check on him and he had fluid coming out of his ear". Yellow fluid coming out of his ear... Then I started wondering why, if they have naptime at noon, was I not told until 5pm when there was no guarantee I could get him to a doctor? Was I supposed to let him suffer another night in pain? Luckily, there was a walk-in clinic still open so I rushed him down there. After waiting for like 30 minutes and listening to Jayden scream for pretty much all of them because he wanted chips and I wouldn't let him climb up and down the stairs on the other end of the room, we finally got called back. Doctor told us the obvious, that Jayden had a bad ear infection, but thankfully the fluid was not from a ruptured ear drum. He actually had it in both ears as well as conjunctivitis in his right eye, so he's on oral antibiotics and ear/eye drops. I have a feeling that tubes are in Jayden's future as he gets so many ear infections. :(
Then on Saturday it was "Birthday Day". My niece's 11th birthday was on the 8th and her party was Saturday. My dad's actual birthday was on Saturday as well so we had two parties to go to at practically different ends of the state. Not really, but there was a lot of driving. Go figure we ended up having pizza and cake at both places. NOT good for my diet.
That brings me to the calories part... I swear between 2 birthdays and Valentine's Day (which was a fabulous day... hubby and I had a lovely time with just the two of us. I love him so much!) this weekend I'm surprised I still fit in my clothes. Oh, and then we had my nephew's birthday the week before. 3 birthdays in 2 weeks! Ugh! I tried to be good, but no matter what diet I'm on, I don't think I could ever pass up cake at a birthday party. I just won't do it. Needless to say I'm afraid to know how many calories I've consumed this weekend. It's Monday though, so I'm back on track now and I plan on staying that way... until the next birthday anyway. Which, luckily for me, isn't until March 25th so I have a reprieve for the next 6-ish weeks. I did gain a pound this week because of all of the sweets, but I'm still doing good. Still eating well otherwise and I'm working out multiple times a week.
Speaking of which, I'm off to take a break and go for my daily walk at work. The sun is out and so I'm putting on my tennis shoes!!
First, Jayden had a rough week... he was complaining that his ear was hurting, but then he'd say "All better!" so we thought he was just kidding around. Then on Thursday night we put him to bed as usual and then a couple hours later he woke up crying and refused to go to bed. He didn't want to lay down at all...and this is pretty uncharacteristic for him. He usually sleeps through the night without problems, but he wasn't complaining about anything so I thought he had a nightmare or something. I went back to bed as I have been struggling with getting sleep lately and Aaron tried to get him back to sleep (which, according to Aaron, took until about 3am). Friday morning comes and I'm getting ready to leave for work and take Jayden to daycare when he again starts grabbing his left ear and saying, "Owwie!!". But then he followed it up with an "All better!". To which Aaron said "He was saying that all of last night too...". I started to think that maybe something was wrong with him, but I was going to keep an eye on him to see how he was doing.
As I was picking him up from daycare that evening (and after I told his DCP about his ear and lack of sleep incident), she said, "So I know why Jayden had a rough night last night and why he was complaining about his ear". Which of course I followed up with a, "Yeah? Why? What happened?". And then she said, "Well, he started whimpering at naptime and kept getting out of his cot, which he never does, so I went over to check on him and he had fluid coming out of his ear". Yellow fluid coming out of his ear... Then I started wondering why, if they have naptime at noon, was I not told until 5pm when there was no guarantee I could get him to a doctor? Was I supposed to let him suffer another night in pain? Luckily, there was a walk-in clinic still open so I rushed him down there. After waiting for like 30 minutes and listening to Jayden scream for pretty much all of them because he wanted chips and I wouldn't let him climb up and down the stairs on the other end of the room, we finally got called back. Doctor told us the obvious, that Jayden had a bad ear infection, but thankfully the fluid was not from a ruptured ear drum. He actually had it in both ears as well as conjunctivitis in his right eye, so he's on oral antibiotics and ear/eye drops. I have a feeling that tubes are in Jayden's future as he gets so many ear infections. :(
Then on Saturday it was "Birthday Day". My niece's 11th birthday was on the 8th and her party was Saturday. My dad's actual birthday was on Saturday as well so we had two parties to go to at practically different ends of the state. Not really, but there was a lot of driving. Go figure we ended up having pizza and cake at both places. NOT good for my diet.
That brings me to the calories part... I swear between 2 birthdays and Valentine's Day (which was a fabulous day... hubby and I had a lovely time with just the two of us. I love him so much!) this weekend I'm surprised I still fit in my clothes. Oh, and then we had my nephew's birthday the week before. 3 birthdays in 2 weeks! Ugh! I tried to be good, but no matter what diet I'm on, I don't think I could ever pass up cake at a birthday party. I just won't do it. Needless to say I'm afraid to know how many calories I've consumed this weekend. It's Monday though, so I'm back on track now and I plan on staying that way... until the next birthday anyway. Which, luckily for me, isn't until March 25th so I have a reprieve for the next 6-ish weeks. I did gain a pound this week because of all of the sweets, but I'm still doing good. Still eating well otherwise and I'm working out multiple times a week.
Speaking of which, I'm off to take a break and go for my daily walk at work. The sun is out and so I'm putting on my tennis shoes!!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Sigh of Relief
I'm definitely breathing one right now...a sigh of relief that is. Yesterday was my doctor's appointment to have my Mirena IUD removed. I was a little concerned with if there would be any pain involved and to my surprise it wasn't all that bad. It came out a lot easier than it went in. My doctor seemed rather surprised that I was back in already to have it removed after only 6 months. I explained to her my reasons and those of my husband, and her reply was not to believe everything you read on a forum. Which is true and, while I respect her professional opinion, I also like to get first-hand information from those people who have been in the trenches. I wasn't asking for statistics that people found online. I was going off of the personal experiences of people who have used Mirena...some have had no problems, and many people have. I'd much rather take my chances and be safe.
Recovery, if you can call it that, has gone well so far. There's some cramping and spotting, but they said that's all normal upon removal. So, one step has been taken, but the true testament to all of this will be if and when I become pregnant again. My fingers are crossed that it will happen shortly after Aaron and I start trying in December (or at least I hope we stick to that plan). That will tell us if there are any lasting effects. For now I have asked my doctor to put me back on the pill even though I've said how horrible I would be at remembering to take a pill everyday. However, I've gotten a lot better about taking my medication daily thanks to alarms and reminders on my Outlook calendar at work. I figured if I'm already taking my Levothyroxine daily then I should be able to take my birth control at the same time. It's only temporary anyway.
Speaking of Levothyroxine... I also had my blood drawn yesterday so they could check my TSH and T4 levels as well as my Vitamin D since I was low on the latter of those last time. I'm assuming the Vitamin D is good now, but I'm being overtreated for my thyroid so now they have me taking 200 micrograms on every day except for Mondays and Thursdays. On those days I have to take 175 micrograms and then get rechecked in 6 weeks. So now I have two prescriptions.
Thanks for all the good thoughts! I'm feeling fabulous and I definitely am breathing easier. :)
Recovery, if you can call it that, has gone well so far. There's some cramping and spotting, but they said that's all normal upon removal. So, one step has been taken, but the true testament to all of this will be if and when I become pregnant again. My fingers are crossed that it will happen shortly after Aaron and I start trying in December (or at least I hope we stick to that plan). That will tell us if there are any lasting effects. For now I have asked my doctor to put me back on the pill even though I've said how horrible I would be at remembering to take a pill everyday. However, I've gotten a lot better about taking my medication daily thanks to alarms and reminders on my Outlook calendar at work. I figured if I'm already taking my Levothyroxine daily then I should be able to take my birth control at the same time. It's only temporary anyway.
Speaking of Levothyroxine... I also had my blood drawn yesterday so they could check my TSH and T4 levels as well as my Vitamin D since I was low on the latter of those last time. I'm assuming the Vitamin D is good now, but I'm being overtreated for my thyroid so now they have me taking 200 micrograms on every day except for Mondays and Thursdays. On those days I have to take 175 micrograms and then get rechecked in 6 weeks. So now I have two prescriptions.
Thanks for all the good thoughts! I'm feeling fabulous and I definitely am breathing easier. :)
My Boys...
... oh how I love them so.
So, I thought I'd share some pictures of the little men who have stolen my heart and lit up my life. After all, Valentine's Day is around the corner, is it not?
Jaxson is such a character... He has become so vivacious and silly. He proves to me more and more each day that he's quickly outgrowing his baby status. He's in a really oral phase right now and was having a blast playing around with his plastic baby fork and I had to capture his funny moment. Oh, how much this Mama loves her silly little monster. :)
Back story on this one... Jayden was watching his new favorite Pixar movie "Monsters and Aliens" (or "Blob" as he calls it) and there's a part where the President of the United States is trying to make peace with an alien ship that landed on Earth, so he breaks out his keyboard and starts playing some "flashback to the '80's song" (not sure of the name). Well, Jayden LOVES music and he loves to dance...and he will beg us to play this scene over and over again so he can bee-bop around in the living room. It happened to be dinner time when the scene came on and so our little dancer decided to get his groove on while sitting in his chair. Oh, and don't mind the sour cream dribbling down his shirt...take it from me that ALL of the Andresen boys are messy eaters. :/
...this last one cracks me up! I must have caught him in between facial expressions because the look on his face is an awkward "Ugh, I ate too many chicken taquitos and now I'm going to hurl" look. I just couldn't delete it...
And a couple random shots of Jay from last weekend. One playing with Brayden on the new music station that Brayden got for his 2nd birthday (gave me a good idea of a present for Jayden...) and the ONE shot I was able to get of Jayden's first dentist visit before he ran away screaming. Ok, maybe not screaming, but he wasn't happy.
Happy Friday and I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day spending time with those that make your heart go boom. I'll be spending my day with the three most wonderful guys I know.
...and oh, how I love them so.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Weekend Wind-Up
I just wanted to pop in and update about our fun-filled, crazy weekend! Saturday morning we had a family date at the dentist's office. I made an appointment for Jayden and I to get our teeth cleaned now that Jayden finally has all of his baby teeth. Aaron needed to get his teeth cleaned and luckily they had a cancellation that morning so they fit him in as well (he's got 8 cavities...I still hold the record since I had 12 after having Jayden). Then the doctor also asked us to take Jax in to have his teeth looked at since he's been having this weird issue with plaque where half of his top teeth get really yellow. I thought at first it was some decay issue but they said he looks just fine. Phew! The dentist's office was crazy. We were there for three hours total and Jayden didn't end up getting his teeth cleaned because he was too scared and didn't want to sit down. Instead, he wanted to throw tantrums and run up and down the hallway until the receptionist came to the rescue and put "Cars" on the lobby's big screen. :) He did get a kick out of the hygenist squirting water in his mouth and letting him test out the suction straw aka "Mr Thirsty". Jayden called it the "little vacuum".
I'm hoping that he will be more prepared in 6 months. We go back as a family on August 7th for our cleanings so maybe we can make it more fun next time. I also got 2 Starbucks gift cards for referring Aaron and Jayden. :) Not that I drink coffee anymore since they took away decaf Caramel Frappucinos. :(
After that we went over to Tommy and Samantha's house for Brayden's 2nd birthday party. I ate way too much pizza and cake and totally screwed up my diet for this week, so I'm glad that it's Monday and I'm back on the bandwagon. Weekends derail me like crazy when there's birthdays and Super Bowl involved. I have to suffer through one more weekend of birthdays this weekend (my niece, McKenna, turns 11 today and my dad's birthday is on Saturday) and then Valentine's Day... hopefully I will be good after that and temptation will be gone. The party was good and we got to see lots of family. Aaron's sister, Jen, came down with her kids and our nieces and nephew decided to spend the night on this side of the water (they live in Bremerton) after the party. Our nieces, 13 year old Megan and 11 year old Morgan, stayed with Tommy and Samantha, while our 14 year old nephew, Devan, stayed with us. Still seems crazy to Aaron and I that we have nieces and nephews that old. I guess that's what happens when your husband is the baby of 7 kids and has siblings in their 30's and 40's. I think we even have a niece that is 16.... Anyway, side tangent.
So on Sunday we went to church. I have to admit it's been over a month since we'd gone. I wanted to go, but I hate going by myself with the kids because it's just crazy. I like to be in fellowship with my husband and not by myself. Lame excuse, I know. I have zero willpower and no spine. It's something I need to work on. After the brotherly bust-up with Tommy and Aaron in December, Aaron really didn't want to go because he didn't want to deal with the awkwardness of a run-in. I'm glad that's in the past so that we are able to worship again and it's not like dragging a screaming two year old to church. At least, not with our two year old. They were talking about relationships this week and I have to say that the messages always turn out being exactly what I need to hear when I need to hear it. Not to mention that it was hilarious seeing Pastor Ryan's best "Single Ladies" Beyonce dancing impression while singing, "If you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it!". Seriously, our pastor is the awesomest (Is that a word? Well, it is now...) pastor ever! He and I have the same sense of humor so I find everything he says funny and relatable. If you are in the Seattle area and are looking for a church, I urge you to check out our home church, EastLake Community Church (view their website here). It has a younger, hip vibe, a little less traditional (we don't sit there with open bibles singing hymns)... it's very raw, real, personal, and inviting. EastLake has an "open arms" policy and we welcome people from all walks of life. All imperfections are welcome... it's the most open-minded church I've ever been to. Jesus was definitely calling to my heart when we found ECC and I'm very glad we are members of the greatest church ever. We brought our nieces and nephew with us to service and Megan and Devan both said they would literally take the ferry over every weekend just to come to church with us. :)
After church, we had to drop the kids off at the ferry so they could go back home and we retired to our house for the Super Bowl. Football is huge in our house...at least for my husband. I get sick of it after the first like 2-3 months. I have to say that I was happy that the Saints made it to the Super Bowl, though, because I felt like they were the "underdogs" (no offense to the Colts, of course as I think Peyton Manning is awesome) and I always vote for the underdogs. Needless to say, I was pleased that they won. I had placed a bet (not really, I don't gamble) that they would win...Tommy and Aaron ate their words since they guessed the Colts would win...muahahahaha! We finished off the weekend with the kids asleep and by the hubs and I curling up on the couch to watch I Am Legend. Good movie...creepy, but good.
Tonight, I'm ready to draw myself a bath and watch "The Bachelor". I can't believe Vienna is still there. :( Reality Steve says she's the winner, but I'm holding out hope for Tenley. I think she's stinkin adorable!!
Oh, and my weight update for this week: Ha, actually there's not really any update as I didn't lose anything this week. With all the pizza I ate I should be grateful I didn't gain anything (Pizza Hut is the enemy!). Better luck this upcoming Sunday! I also have to admit that I already abandoned the monthly challenge. I think I bit off more than I can chew just because I'm busy and I'm already doing a lot. I walk every day at work in addition to Zumba twice a week. That means I'm getting in almost 5 hours of cardio a week. I think I would like to try to lessen it to one set of 100 of one exercise a day versus three. With working full time and taking care of business and kids at home, I don't have much time to squeeze everything in. I wish I did but there's not enough time in the day. :(
Anyway, happy Monday! Hope it's a great one!
I'm hoping that he will be more prepared in 6 months. We go back as a family on August 7th for our cleanings so maybe we can make it more fun next time. I also got 2 Starbucks gift cards for referring Aaron and Jayden. :) Not that I drink coffee anymore since they took away decaf Caramel Frappucinos. :(
After that we went over to Tommy and Samantha's house for Brayden's 2nd birthday party. I ate way too much pizza and cake and totally screwed up my diet for this week, so I'm glad that it's Monday and I'm back on the bandwagon. Weekends derail me like crazy when there's birthdays and Super Bowl involved. I have to suffer through one more weekend of birthdays this weekend (my niece, McKenna, turns 11 today and my dad's birthday is on Saturday) and then Valentine's Day... hopefully I will be good after that and temptation will be gone. The party was good and we got to see lots of family. Aaron's sister, Jen, came down with her kids and our nieces and nephew decided to spend the night on this side of the water (they live in Bremerton) after the party. Our nieces, 13 year old Megan and 11 year old Morgan, stayed with Tommy and Samantha, while our 14 year old nephew, Devan, stayed with us. Still seems crazy to Aaron and I that we have nieces and nephews that old. I guess that's what happens when your husband is the baby of 7 kids and has siblings in their 30's and 40's. I think we even have a niece that is 16.... Anyway, side tangent.
So on Sunday we went to church. I have to admit it's been over a month since we'd gone. I wanted to go, but I hate going by myself with the kids because it's just crazy. I like to be in fellowship with my husband and not by myself. Lame excuse, I know. I have zero willpower and no spine. It's something I need to work on. After the brotherly bust-up with Tommy and Aaron in December, Aaron really didn't want to go because he didn't want to deal with the awkwardness of a run-in. I'm glad that's in the past so that we are able to worship again and it's not like dragging a screaming two year old to church. At least, not with our two year old. They were talking about relationships this week and I have to say that the messages always turn out being exactly what I need to hear when I need to hear it. Not to mention that it was hilarious seeing Pastor Ryan's best "Single Ladies" Beyonce dancing impression while singing, "If you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it!". Seriously, our pastor is the awesomest (Is that a word? Well, it is now...) pastor ever! He and I have the same sense of humor so I find everything he says funny and relatable. If you are in the Seattle area and are looking for a church, I urge you to check out our home church, EastLake Community Church (view their website here). It has a younger, hip vibe, a little less traditional (we don't sit there with open bibles singing hymns)... it's very raw, real, personal, and inviting. EastLake has an "open arms" policy and we welcome people from all walks of life. All imperfections are welcome... it's the most open-minded church I've ever been to. Jesus was definitely calling to my heart when we found ECC and I'm very glad we are members of the greatest church ever. We brought our nieces and nephew with us to service and Megan and Devan both said they would literally take the ferry over every weekend just to come to church with us. :)
After church, we had to drop the kids off at the ferry so they could go back home and we retired to our house for the Super Bowl. Football is huge in our house...at least for my husband. I get sick of it after the first like 2-3 months. I have to say that I was happy that the Saints made it to the Super Bowl, though, because I felt like they were the "underdogs" (no offense to the Colts, of course as I think Peyton Manning is awesome) and I always vote for the underdogs. Needless to say, I was pleased that they won. I had placed a bet (not really, I don't gamble) that they would win...Tommy and Aaron ate their words since they guessed the Colts would win...muahahahaha! We finished off the weekend with the kids asleep and by the hubs and I curling up on the couch to watch I Am Legend. Good movie...creepy, but good.
Tonight, I'm ready to draw myself a bath and watch "The Bachelor". I can't believe Vienna is still there. :( Reality Steve says she's the winner, but I'm holding out hope for Tenley. I think she's stinkin adorable!!
Oh, and my weight update for this week: Ha, actually there's not really any update as I didn't lose anything this week. With all the pizza I ate I should be grateful I didn't gain anything (Pizza Hut is the enemy!). Better luck this upcoming Sunday! I also have to admit that I already abandoned the monthly challenge. I think I bit off more than I can chew just because I'm busy and I'm already doing a lot. I walk every day at work in addition to Zumba twice a week. That means I'm getting in almost 5 hours of cardio a week. I think I would like to try to lessen it to one set of 100 of one exercise a day versus three. With working full time and taking care of business and kids at home, I don't have much time to squeeze everything in. I wish I did but there's not enough time in the day. :(
Anyway, happy Monday! Hope it's a great one!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Ten Months
Not much to post about today (it's Friday...yay!) but I just wanted to jump in quickly and say...Jaxson is ten months old today!! WOWZA!
I cannot believe at how fast it's gone by! He will be celebrating his first birthday in two very short months and that completely wows me. I cannot tell you how much I love this little guy (and, of course, his big brother too!). He is such a lovebug and my favorite thing is going home to spend time with him and Jayden. Those two boys love each other so much! The other night I was changing Jayden's diaper (I'm so hoping to retire those soon for big boy underwear!!!) and he had a squirting fish bath toy in this mouth and Jaxson reached over to grab it and Jayden started shaking his head around. This sent Jaxson into a fit of belly laughter, which then sent Jayden into the same fit. For a good ten minutes these boys continually were cracking up laughing at each other for no apparent reason. Oh, how I wished I had been able to get it on videotape! It was hilarious.
In addition to adoring his big brother and wanting to be just like him, he's starting to learn some new things too. He's a little more sturdy on his feet, but he still prefers crawling around. I'm thinking that maybe he might be more of a go-with-the-flow kind of kid and won't be as eager to take that next step...literally. I thought that he'd definitely be close to walking by now, but he doesn't seem to care at all. Knowing his learning pattern, he'll just amaze us by just getting up one day and going for it. Jayden had a natural and steady progression. Jaxson, on the other hand, doesn't do test drives. He observes and then does the sneak attack approach...boom he's got it! You never see it coming. It could be tomorrow for all we know. Sneaky little baby... :)
He's starting to sleep better at night. He's still waking once a night, but he just wants a few ounces to drink and then he's back down for the count. No staying up for hours in the middle of the night anymore...fingers crossed. I'm hoping to get him sleeping through the night in the pack and play and once he masters that, it's off to the crib for him and he'll share a bedroom with Jayden. Also, his new thing is that he wants a sippy cup. He can't figure out how to get the stuff out of it, but if big brother has a sippy then he wants a sippy. Apparently bottles are for babies and he's just too good for that stuff (have I mentioned he's my man-diva baby??). Ok, well he'll still take a bottle as long as there's some form of "food" in it, but he's definitely being more assertive and independent and showing us that he's growing up. He's not going to be a baby much longer.
Which reminds me... I have a birthday party to think about planning soon. Wow.
Here are Jaxson's 10 month stats:
Weight: 19 lbs. 4 oz. (15-20%)
Length: 29.25 in. (60%)
Head circumference: 17.5 in. (10-15%)
He's definitely still a little guy, but he's getting bigger (and longer!!). He's going to be the "string bean"...tall and slender. Jayden will have the more athletic build of the two as he's also tall and slender, but solid and sturdy. Jaxson's light as a feather. You could blow on the kid and knock him over. :) He makes up for it with personality though. He's got enough to go around the world at least twice!
Ah, my Little Man... Tinky Linky Stinky Pants. How your Mommy freaking loves you so! Happy 10 months... you are growing up too fast!!
I cannot believe at how fast it's gone by! He will be celebrating his first birthday in two very short months and that completely wows me. I cannot tell you how much I love this little guy (and, of course, his big brother too!). He is such a lovebug and my favorite thing is going home to spend time with him and Jayden. Those two boys love each other so much! The other night I was changing Jayden's diaper (I'm so hoping to retire those soon for big boy underwear!!!) and he had a squirting fish bath toy in this mouth and Jaxson reached over to grab it and Jayden started shaking his head around. This sent Jaxson into a fit of belly laughter, which then sent Jayden into the same fit. For a good ten minutes these boys continually were cracking up laughing at each other for no apparent reason. Oh, how I wished I had been able to get it on videotape! It was hilarious.
In addition to adoring his big brother and wanting to be just like him, he's starting to learn some new things too. He's a little more sturdy on his feet, but he still prefers crawling around. I'm thinking that maybe he might be more of a go-with-the-flow kind of kid and won't be as eager to take that next step...literally. I thought that he'd definitely be close to walking by now, but he doesn't seem to care at all. Knowing his learning pattern, he'll just amaze us by just getting up one day and going for it. Jayden had a natural and steady progression. Jaxson, on the other hand, doesn't do test drives. He observes and then does the sneak attack approach...boom he's got it! You never see it coming. It could be tomorrow for all we know. Sneaky little baby... :)
He's starting to sleep better at night. He's still waking once a night, but he just wants a few ounces to drink and then he's back down for the count. No staying up for hours in the middle of the night anymore...fingers crossed. I'm hoping to get him sleeping through the night in the pack and play and once he masters that, it's off to the crib for him and he'll share a bedroom with Jayden. Also, his new thing is that he wants a sippy cup. He can't figure out how to get the stuff out of it, but if big brother has a sippy then he wants a sippy. Apparently bottles are for babies and he's just too good for that stuff (have I mentioned he's my man-diva baby??). Ok, well he'll still take a bottle as long as there's some form of "food" in it, but he's definitely being more assertive and independent and showing us that he's growing up. He's not going to be a baby much longer.
Which reminds me... I have a birthday party to think about planning soon. Wow.
Here are Jaxson's 10 month stats:
Weight: 19 lbs. 4 oz. (15-20%)
Length: 29.25 in. (60%)
Head circumference: 17.5 in. (10-15%)
He's definitely still a little guy, but he's getting bigger (and longer!!). He's going to be the "string bean"...tall and slender. Jayden will have the more athletic build of the two as he's also tall and slender, but solid and sturdy. Jaxson's light as a feather. You could blow on the kid and knock him over. :) He makes up for it with personality though. He's got enough to go around the world at least twice!
Ah, my Little Man... Tinky Linky Stinky Pants. How your Mommy freaking loves you so! Happy 10 months... you are growing up too fast!!
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
The Evil In This World...
I'm a member of BabyCenter and am active on the birth boards for both of my boys. I came across a posting on the April 2009 board this morning that just tore me down. I feel so heartbroken for this family and I cannot imagine how anyone could ever fathom doing such a thing. I hate talking about such horrible and horrific things, but this is one I cannot escape from. As heart-wrenching as it is, it also serves as a blatant reminder that we need to love constantly, not take anything for granted, and make changes to laws and our horribly faulty judicial system in order to prevent tragedies like this in the future.
Short version of the long story: There is a girl named Katie (amishpug8586 on BBC) and her April 2009 baby is Wyatt. There was a long history of physical abuse in her relationship with the baby's father, and they broke up in August. This "man" has serious mental issues and was completely unstable. After she left him and he found out months later that she had a new boyfriend, he became completely obsessed with Katie and started making threats to kill their son and himself. Katie tried multiple times to get restraining orders to protect her and Wyatt, and three separate judges told her there was no grounds for a restraining order, called Katie a liar, and basically laughed her out of court...even though she had written proof of his threats! Earlier this month, one judge went back on his original ruling and granted her an emergency restraining order which was overthrown by a different judge two days later. On his last court appointed visit with Wyatt, he sent texts and made calls to Katie trying to force her to come back to him or he'd kill Wyatt and himself. Law enforcement did not get to them in time, and sadly, the baby's father shot baby Wyatt and then killed himself on Sunday morning.
For more direct information on the developing story, please see these links if you feel led to do so: BabyCenter thread, the father's last letter, and other news stories ( #1, #2, and #3 ).
I cannot imagine the grief, anger, anguish, and more that Katie is feeling right now. I broke down crying at my desk when I read this, not to mention how angry I am. How could someone do such a thing and be so selfish and delusional? Why is our judicial system so faulty? The signs were there and this poor mother was reaching out for help and they refused and rebuked her. Their oversights and shitty judgment just cost this child his life!! A mother lost her child, who she so desperately tried to protect, and the courts just crapped all over her. Something needs to change!! And it shouldn't take an innocent life being lost to spur that change. This is what they are supposed to be preventing!!! I pray to God that they are able to find some legal recourse against the judges and law enforcement that sat back and did absolutely nothing for this young mother and her child.
Reading this has also made me grateful. Grateful that I have a loving and wonderful husband who is an amazing father. He would never hurt me or our children. I'm grateful that my kids are safe and loved. However, my heart also breaks for Katie, her older son Dakota, and the rest of her family. As a mother, I know now just how much it would devastate me to lose one of my children. It's something I cannot even bear the thought of. This tragedy puts into perspective the things I often lose sight of in the day to day. Yes, maybe my kids drive me crazy when they throw their food on the floor, have a tantrum, won't go to sleep at night, or cry and scream when they want something or don't get their way. I know there's times where they test my patience and I feel like I'm going insane and I want to just lock myself in a room away from the chaos. But you know what? I wouldn't trade a minute of it. Because I'm lucky that my children are happy and healthy...and alive. They are still here with me, and for that I am most grateful of all. I would gladly take every minute of the chaos just to be reassured that my children are alive and safe and that they are mine.
Please join me in prayer for Katie and Wyatt if you feel led:
Dear Jesus, please lift up Katie and her family in prayer for the senseless and unimaginable loss of baby Wyatt. Although I may not understand the evil in this world, I know you are good and that you will help guide this family through their tragedy. May you help them to grieve, but also help to heal some of their pain. I pray that they can feel your presence. Please protect their hearts, Lord, and give them as much solace and strength as you can provide. Please help Katie to realize that this isn't her fault and help lift the burden of any guilt she may feel.
I also pray, Lord, that the law enforcement and judicial officials can learn from the errors of their ways and use this tragedy as a way to make change to the system. Help them to stand up for what is right, God, and maybe better provisions can be made for families in need and to protect all of Your children. May we all help to keep them safe.
Lord, although I know you already have, please keep baby Wyatt safe with you. Although his time on this side of Heaven was cut way too short, in some way I hope peace can be found with knowing that he is healed with You. He no longer must endure the evils of this world. May his mother, Katie, find some peace in knowing that her sweet baby boy is eternally held safe in the arms of the Ultimate Protector. I know you have welcomed him home with open arms and he has been saved. I thank you for keeping him protected outside of this earthly world.
Lastly, may you please speak to all the hearts of every parent. May they love their children and hold their children even more today than yesterday. Please help them to be grateful and cherish their family on this side of Heaven while they are here. Life is short already, and can be cut even shorter. Every day must be lived to the fullest, and no breath should go unbreathed.
I pray all of this in Your Holy Name. Amen.
I know that I cannot wait to go home and hug my children, kiss their sweet little foreheads, and thank God for keeping them safe here with me. I know that I love my children more than anything in this earthly world, and this makes me cherish and love them even more. I don't ever want to take a moment with them for granted. They are my everything. I also cannot wait to hold my husband and thank him for being such a wonderful and loving father and husband. I know that I don't tell him that I love him and that I appreciate him as much as I do. I'm so thankful that he knows the right and wrong, that he follows the Lord, and that he would never even think of harming anyone for his own selfish desires. I give him so much crap about petty things like his clothes being on the floor, or playing too many video games, or not helping me with the household chores...but all of that pales in comparison to the things that truly matter and he's always came through where it really counts. I hope that all of you who read this may do the same. Please love your husbands and children and thank God that you are lucky enough to have been spared from being in a situation like Katie. Life and time are too precious to waste.
In closing, I wanted to leave a poem and the lyrics from a song which I was reminded of while writing this entry. The first is my favorite poem and it always reminds me, when I'm sad or lonely, that I'm not alone...even if I think I am.
Katie, may the Lord carry you through this time in your life and help you to find peace.
The last entry is the lyrics from a song of one of my favorite Christian artists, Plumb. Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, who is Plumb, has a way of capturing emotion so deep in her songs...so raw and real. It has spoken volumes to my heart as a mother and it always comforts me to hear this song knowing that my children are ultimately loved and protected by God, our Saviour.
Short version of the long story: There is a girl named Katie (amishpug8586 on BBC) and her April 2009 baby is Wyatt. There was a long history of physical abuse in her relationship with the baby's father, and they broke up in August. This "man" has serious mental issues and was completely unstable. After she left him and he found out months later that she had a new boyfriend, he became completely obsessed with Katie and started making threats to kill their son and himself. Katie tried multiple times to get restraining orders to protect her and Wyatt, and three separate judges told her there was no grounds for a restraining order, called Katie a liar, and basically laughed her out of court...even though she had written proof of his threats! Earlier this month, one judge went back on his original ruling and granted her an emergency restraining order which was overthrown by a different judge two days later. On his last court appointed visit with Wyatt, he sent texts and made calls to Katie trying to force her to come back to him or he'd kill Wyatt and himself. Law enforcement did not get to them in time, and sadly, the baby's father shot baby Wyatt and then killed himself on Sunday morning.
For more direct information on the developing story, please see these links if you feel led to do so: BabyCenter thread, the father's last letter, and other news stories ( #1, #2, and #3 ).
I cannot imagine the grief, anger, anguish, and more that Katie is feeling right now. I broke down crying at my desk when I read this, not to mention how angry I am. How could someone do such a thing and be so selfish and delusional? Why is our judicial system so faulty? The signs were there and this poor mother was reaching out for help and they refused and rebuked her. Their oversights and shitty judgment just cost this child his life!! A mother lost her child, who she so desperately tried to protect, and the courts just crapped all over her. Something needs to change!! And it shouldn't take an innocent life being lost to spur that change. This is what they are supposed to be preventing!!! I pray to God that they are able to find some legal recourse against the judges and law enforcement that sat back and did absolutely nothing for this young mother and her child.
Reading this has also made me grateful. Grateful that I have a loving and wonderful husband who is an amazing father. He would never hurt me or our children. I'm grateful that my kids are safe and loved. However, my heart also breaks for Katie, her older son Dakota, and the rest of her family. As a mother, I know now just how much it would devastate me to lose one of my children. It's something I cannot even bear the thought of. This tragedy puts into perspective the things I often lose sight of in the day to day. Yes, maybe my kids drive me crazy when they throw their food on the floor, have a tantrum, won't go to sleep at night, or cry and scream when they want something or don't get their way. I know there's times where they test my patience and I feel like I'm going insane and I want to just lock myself in a room away from the chaos. But you know what? I wouldn't trade a minute of it. Because I'm lucky that my children are happy and healthy...and alive. They are still here with me, and for that I am most grateful of all. I would gladly take every minute of the chaos just to be reassured that my children are alive and safe and that they are mine.
Please join me in prayer for Katie and Wyatt if you feel led:
Dear Jesus, please lift up Katie and her family in prayer for the senseless and unimaginable loss of baby Wyatt. Although I may not understand the evil in this world, I know you are good and that you will help guide this family through their tragedy. May you help them to grieve, but also help to heal some of their pain. I pray that they can feel your presence. Please protect their hearts, Lord, and give them as much solace and strength as you can provide. Please help Katie to realize that this isn't her fault and help lift the burden of any guilt she may feel.
I also pray, Lord, that the law enforcement and judicial officials can learn from the errors of their ways and use this tragedy as a way to make change to the system. Help them to stand up for what is right, God, and maybe better provisions can be made for families in need and to protect all of Your children. May we all help to keep them safe.
Lord, although I know you already have, please keep baby Wyatt safe with you. Although his time on this side of Heaven was cut way too short, in some way I hope peace can be found with knowing that he is healed with You. He no longer must endure the evils of this world. May his mother, Katie, find some peace in knowing that her sweet baby boy is eternally held safe in the arms of the Ultimate Protector. I know you have welcomed him home with open arms and he has been saved. I thank you for keeping him protected outside of this earthly world.
Lastly, may you please speak to all the hearts of every parent. May they love their children and hold their children even more today than yesterday. Please help them to be grateful and cherish their family on this side of Heaven while they are here. Life is short already, and can be cut even shorter. Every day must be lived to the fullest, and no breath should go unbreathed.
I pray all of this in Your Holy Name. Amen.
I know that I cannot wait to go home and hug my children, kiss their sweet little foreheads, and thank God for keeping them safe here with me. I know that I love my children more than anything in this earthly world, and this makes me cherish and love them even more. I don't ever want to take a moment with them for granted. They are my everything. I also cannot wait to hold my husband and thank him for being such a wonderful and loving father and husband. I know that I don't tell him that I love him and that I appreciate him as much as I do. I'm so thankful that he knows the right and wrong, that he follows the Lord, and that he would never even think of harming anyone for his own selfish desires. I give him so much crap about petty things like his clothes being on the floor, or playing too many video games, or not helping me with the household chores...but all of that pales in comparison to the things that truly matter and he's always came through where it really counts. I hope that all of you who read this may do the same. Please love your husbands and children and thank God that you are lucky enough to have been spared from being in a situation like Katie. Life and time are too precious to waste.
In closing, I wanted to leave a poem and the lyrics from a song which I was reminded of while writing this entry. The first is my favorite poem and it always reminds me, when I'm sad or lonely, that I'm not alone...even if I think I am.
Footprints in the Sand
One night a man had a dream.
He dreamed that he was walking along the beach with the Lord.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life.
For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand:
one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life that there was only one set of footprints.
He noticed that this happened amongst the lowest and saddest times of his life;
in times of sorrow and anguish.
As it bothered him, he questioned the Lord about it:
"Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way.
But I have noticed that during the troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints.
I don't undertand why when I needed you most you would leave me."
The Lord replied:
"My son, my precious child, I love you and I would never leave you.
During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you."
Katie, may the Lord carry you through this time in your life and help you to find peace.
The last entry is the lyrics from a song of one of my favorite Christian artists, Plumb. Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, who is Plumb, has a way of capturing emotion so deep in her songs...so raw and real. It has spoken volumes to my heart as a mother and it always comforts me to hear this song knowing that my children are ultimately loved and protected by God, our Saviour.
Children of the Heavenly Father
by Plumb
Children of the Heav'nly Father
Safely in his bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e'er was given
God, His own doth tend and nourish
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them
In His mighty arms he bears them
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord, His children sever
Unto them His grace He showeth
And their sorrows all He knoweth
Though He giveth or He taketh
God His children ne'er forsaketh
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them, pure and holy
Lo, their very hairs He numbers
And no daily care encumbers
Them that share His ev'ry blessing
And His help in woes distressing
Praise the Lord in joyful numbers
Your Protector never slumbers
At the will of your Defender
Ev'ry foeman must surrender
Children of the Heav'nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in Heaven
Such a refuge e'er was given
Although it is angering and heartbreaking that baby Wyatt, or any child, would be taken from this earth before his time, I take some comfort in knowing that God will ultimately take him under His wing and protect him wholly for all eternity. Praise Jesus.
Rest in Peace, baby Wyatt. You are safely with God and the angels now.
Baby Wyatt Garcia
April 4, 2009 - January 31, 2010
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Mirena
As I've mentioned before, my husband and I would like to add on to our family in the sort-of-near future. Our original plan was to start thinking about #3 at the end of this year. That may still happen, but we aren't sure. We have a few stipulations, but as long as they are met then we have the green light. Once #3 is born, I'll be a SAHM since we won't be able to afford daycare so we really have to make sure we have our ducks in a row.
Anyway, I currently have the Mirena IUD as my choice of birth control. I started out on the pill as a teenager and was on it for many years. I got pregnant with Jayden during one of the times where I was off the pill as we weren't actively preventing at the time. After Jayden was born, I got back on the pill for a while, and then I switched to the NuvaRing. I has massive complications with that as I bled for three WEEKS straight! Talk about having a period for three weeks...not fun. After I told my doctor about that, she immediately took me off the ring and put me on the patch. Aaron and I DTD that month and since it was the first month on a new birth control, we also got the emergency contraceptive thinking that would help us cover our bases. 2 weeks later... we got a blaring positive on a pregnancy test. Here comes Jaxson!
After Jaxson, I decided to get back on birth control. Aaron and I figured it would be a couple years before we'd start discussing another child just because we weren't expecting to have two kids so close together and we definitely had our hands full. I would have gotten back on the pill, but I've been so scatterbrained with two kids that I couldn't trust myself to remember to take a pill everyday, and seeing as how Jaxson was a birth control baby I now consider myself defective. :) I'm a little nervous that I'll get pregnant on birth control again. So, we opted for an IUD. This way I could still breastfeed Jaxson as it is one of the only methods that doesn't interfere with milk production. After looking at my choices and talking with my doctor, we decided to go with the Mirena. It's good for 5 years, has a 99% accuracy rate, wouldn't mess with my fertility, and I wouldn't have periods while on it. It fit in with my lifestyle as I didn't have to mess with a daily pill, weekly patch, or monthly ring. I could put it in and forget about it for 5 years...or whenever we decided to TTC again and then I could just make an appointment to have it removed.
Well, I've had it since late July and it's been okay. At times I can feel pressure from it or I feel a bit uncomfortable but aside from that, it hasn't given me physical trouble. In addition, I'm still having periods. Not every month, but around every other month still (which I was told wouldn't happen). I spotted for about a month after having it placed too. But over the past week or so, I've been doing additional research about fertility and conceiving after using a Mirena... and the picture isn't as pretty as it was painted out to be. I told Aaron about my findings and after talking with multiple women who have used Mirena, it looks like the rates of infertility and/or complications with getting pregnant and having miscarriages after a Mirena are higher than they lead on. It could take me over a year to get pregnant after having it removed!! Not to mention if there is scar tissue from the IUD, that it could make it hard for a viable pregnancy. Aaron looked up some information and came up with some alarming statistics: 20% of women will take up to a year or more to conceive after Mirena, 10% of THOSE pregnancies will end in miscarriage or could be ectopic.
Um, no thank you. As hard of a time as Aaron has given me at times for wanting another child sooner than expected, he's also frustrated by this. He told me, "You should get that thing removed. I know we plan on having more kids, and I'd like more. Even though I'm happy with the two we have now, I'd be really upset if I found out down the line that you couldn't get pregnant anymore or we'd have difficulty". With Jayden, he was our first month "trying". We weren't really trying, but it was our first month of not preventing and we got pregnant. Jaxson, well he was our surprise BC baby...not trying at all and we were lucky enough to get pregnant. We've never had trouble conceiving and I've always been like clockwork, so to think that I'm using birth control that could affect my ability to have more children is frightening. I'm also very alarmed that doctors and other sources downplay the risks of the Mirena which makes it sound safer than it is. I know it's not impossible to get pregnant after the Mirena, but 20% is still a big statistic. That's 1 out of 5 women. Do I really want to take the chance that I could be one of the unlucky ones? No, I don't.
So Aaron and I discussed it and we've decided that it would be best for me to have my Mirena removed. I was planning on having it removed in October or November so Aaron and I could start trying this December or January 2011, but after the research I've done and the discussions I've had, I'm not going to risk it. I've made my appointment to have it removed for next Thursday, February 11th. In the meantime, I most likely will get back on the pill and we will use other preventative methods. I'm also going to start charting so that I know my cycles well enough to know when to abstain and not.
Just as my tip to the women who may read this... PLEASE do extensive research when choosing a birth control method. I thought I had looked at my options well before choosing and now I'm feeling very uncomfortable with my choice. Had I known all of this beforehand, I would have gone a different route. If you want to use an IUD, Mirena may be right for you if you choose not to have more children but don't want something permanent, but look into other options such as Paragard. I don't think I'll ever go back to using an IUD again after this. My fertility is not something that I want to play with especially since we have not completed our family.
I'm very pleased with this decision and I'm glad I didn't wait any longer. Please pray for me for next Thursday that the removal goes well, recovery is good, and that there won't be any lasting effects. Thank you!
Anyway, I currently have the Mirena IUD as my choice of birth control. I started out on the pill as a teenager and was on it for many years. I got pregnant with Jayden during one of the times where I was off the pill as we weren't actively preventing at the time. After Jayden was born, I got back on the pill for a while, and then I switched to the NuvaRing. I has massive complications with that as I bled for three WEEKS straight! Talk about having a period for three weeks...not fun. After I told my doctor about that, she immediately took me off the ring and put me on the patch. Aaron and I DTD that month and since it was the first month on a new birth control, we also got the emergency contraceptive thinking that would help us cover our bases. 2 weeks later... we got a blaring positive on a pregnancy test. Here comes Jaxson!
After Jaxson, I decided to get back on birth control. Aaron and I figured it would be a couple years before we'd start discussing another child just because we weren't expecting to have two kids so close together and we definitely had our hands full. I would have gotten back on the pill, but I've been so scatterbrained with two kids that I couldn't trust myself to remember to take a pill everyday, and seeing as how Jaxson was a birth control baby I now consider myself defective. :) I'm a little nervous that I'll get pregnant on birth control again. So, we opted for an IUD. This way I could still breastfeed Jaxson as it is one of the only methods that doesn't interfere with milk production. After looking at my choices and talking with my doctor, we decided to go with the Mirena. It's good for 5 years, has a 99% accuracy rate, wouldn't mess with my fertility, and I wouldn't have periods while on it. It fit in with my lifestyle as I didn't have to mess with a daily pill, weekly patch, or monthly ring. I could put it in and forget about it for 5 years...or whenever we decided to TTC again and then I could just make an appointment to have it removed.
Well, I've had it since late July and it's been okay. At times I can feel pressure from it or I feel a bit uncomfortable but aside from that, it hasn't given me physical trouble. In addition, I'm still having periods. Not every month, but around every other month still (which I was told wouldn't happen). I spotted for about a month after having it placed too. But over the past week or so, I've been doing additional research about fertility and conceiving after using a Mirena... and the picture isn't as pretty as it was painted out to be. I told Aaron about my findings and after talking with multiple women who have used Mirena, it looks like the rates of infertility and/or complications with getting pregnant and having miscarriages after a Mirena are higher than they lead on. It could take me over a year to get pregnant after having it removed!! Not to mention if there is scar tissue from the IUD, that it could make it hard for a viable pregnancy. Aaron looked up some information and came up with some alarming statistics: 20% of women will take up to a year or more to conceive after Mirena, 10% of THOSE pregnancies will end in miscarriage or could be ectopic.
Um, no thank you. As hard of a time as Aaron has given me at times for wanting another child sooner than expected, he's also frustrated by this. He told me, "You should get that thing removed. I know we plan on having more kids, and I'd like more. Even though I'm happy with the two we have now, I'd be really upset if I found out down the line that you couldn't get pregnant anymore or we'd have difficulty". With Jayden, he was our first month "trying". We weren't really trying, but it was our first month of not preventing and we got pregnant. Jaxson, well he was our surprise BC baby...not trying at all and we were lucky enough to get pregnant. We've never had trouble conceiving and I've always been like clockwork, so to think that I'm using birth control that could affect my ability to have more children is frightening. I'm also very alarmed that doctors and other sources downplay the risks of the Mirena which makes it sound safer than it is. I know it's not impossible to get pregnant after the Mirena, but 20% is still a big statistic. That's 1 out of 5 women. Do I really want to take the chance that I could be one of the unlucky ones? No, I don't.
So Aaron and I discussed it and we've decided that it would be best for me to have my Mirena removed. I was planning on having it removed in October or November so Aaron and I could start trying this December or January 2011, but after the research I've done and the discussions I've had, I'm not going to risk it. I've made my appointment to have it removed for next Thursday, February 11th. In the meantime, I most likely will get back on the pill and we will use other preventative methods. I'm also going to start charting so that I know my cycles well enough to know when to abstain and not.
Just as my tip to the women who may read this... PLEASE do extensive research when choosing a birth control method. I thought I had looked at my options well before choosing and now I'm feeling very uncomfortable with my choice. Had I known all of this beforehand, I would have gone a different route. If you want to use an IUD, Mirena may be right for you if you choose not to have more children but don't want something permanent, but look into other options such as Paragard. I don't think I'll ever go back to using an IUD again after this. My fertility is not something that I want to play with especially since we have not completed our family.
I'm very pleased with this decision and I'm glad I didn't wait any longer. Please pray for me for next Thursday that the removal goes well, recovery is good, and that there won't be any lasting effects. Thank you!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Kicking off February!
So, it's a new month and a new week. I thought I'd update my progress since it seems as good of a time as any to do it. I started my monthly challenge yesterday and I'm starting to wonder how the heck I'm going to last an entire month doing 100 situps, pushups, and squats a day. My body aches already after one day!! It's weird because it hurts, but it also feels good at the same time. My body must be just like me and is a total glutton for punishment. Ugh! So, I had set my goal weight at 174 for the end of January and then I set a goal of 5 pounds every month (except for February) to lose until the end of July. I figured I could obviously lose more than that, but I wanted to leave some wiggle room and I also wanted to go along with the "losing weight slow and steady" thing. My goal for the end of February was to be down to 170. Well, so far so good! I weighed myself on Sunday and took my end of month measurements and here is what I came up with:
Weight: 171 (-8)
BMI: 23.8 (-1.0)
Waist: 31.25" (-3.25")
Hips: 42" (-2")
Neck: 13.25" (-.25")
Thigh: 26" (n/a- discrepancy w/original measurement)
Calf: 15.5" (-.5")
Upper Arm: 13" (-1.5")
** I think I measured my thighs wrong the first week because I don't know how I'd actually put on 2.5 inches, so maybe I measured in the wrong spot?? Not really sure on that one...**
I'm looking forward to this month and seeing what changes are in store. I feel really great so far!
Weight: 171 (-8)
BMI: 23.8 (-1.0)
Waist: 31.25" (-3.25")
Hips: 42" (-2")
Neck: 13.25" (-.25")
Thigh: 26" (n/a- discrepancy w/original measurement)
Calf: 15.5" (-.5")
Upper Arm: 13" (-1.5")
** I think I measured my thighs wrong the first week because I don't know how I'd actually put on 2.5 inches, so maybe I measured in the wrong spot?? Not really sure on that one...**
I'm looking forward to this month and seeing what changes are in store. I feel really great so far!
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