Update for Thanksgiving....

Here are some updates.....

We have been having some gastric issues with Emma-Kay. At one point she was throwing up so much she was losing weight instead of gaining. She was also having these horrible crying fits for hours at a time. They have changed her formula, she has had three different medications(which the nexium seems to be doing awesome and these new drops for her fits that reduces stomach spasms, and so they thought it best she sees a gastro doc So Monday we are traveling a little over two hours to see a doctor. But, praise the Lord that things seem to be getting better. I really think the crying fits are getting less and she is gaining weight since being on the nexium!! So that's the update on the gastric issues.

Well, we took her in the other week when she wasn't feeling well. The doctor thought for some reason she had a UTI. So they did a cath on her in the office. We have not noticed any of the normal symptoms that Lilly has..so we were not too concerned. Lab results came back while we were there that she did not have one. Great I thought....next thing I know the culture they sent off grew. So now she has a UTI and they prescribe her antibiotics. I call to speak with the nurse about what is next...we have been down this road before and being that we do have genetic issues we are aware that it can be more. They suggest a VCUG and renal ultrasound. At first we thought it was too aggressive for just a UTI with no other symptoms..but, the doctor is insisting...so we cave. She goes in and the ultrasound looks great...she did have a ovarian cyst. We get to the VCUG...well, there it was...Dr. comes in and works with Barry..he just looks at us and says "Get your antibiotics guys!" I could have cried right there in the room. So Emma has what Lilly has and believe when I say we were blindsided by this. We did ultrasounds in the womb, she has never had fevers, and etc. So both girls have vesicoureteral reflux. I get to the pediatric follow up a couple of hours later and he informs me it is a grade 3...which there is only 5 grades. He tells me that she needs to see the pediatric urologist and I ask for Lilly's right off the bat. She has to go to Children's hospital in January. That is over a three hour drive from us. Lilly also has her VCUG/renal ultrasound next month (Lilly has the reflux..but, she was also born with deformities...a uterocele, two ureters on one kidney, extra tissue that also produces urine on the same kidney)...well, now they are going together this year on the same day and same doctor. We may face having both girls in the same hospital having similar surgeries now! We are praying that Lilly comes off her medication this year and the doctor will tell us if he recommends surgery or not. Now Emma is on daily antibiotics too and the doctor does not know if she will have to have surgery. Please, pray for both our girls. I have read that sometimes these issues can spontaneously heal...I have been praying...I know if anyone can spontaneously heal it is the Lord.

Um...I tried to come off my medication. The day I started 1 1/2 (600 Mgs a day) my BP shot up to 160/100 by my afternoon medication. I ended up having to take it over an hour early to get it down. My head just felt like it was going to fall completely off. My internist told me that I am going through a lot of stress and he doesn't feel it's in my best interest to continue the weaning. So I am still on 800 mgs. They will also recheck my thyroid and see where I stand on it. I should know something by the end of this month. But, the good news is...here lately it's running 110/65!!! That's about 30 minutes before my medication. So maybe it's evening out? Anyone been through this please tell me what happened if your pressure leveled out. My memory? Still frustrating..lol. I refuse to believe it will be permanent. It's embarrassing really for me....I can't remember things, right words, I go to do something...get sidetracked...then totally forget about it, I can't remember when I last fed Emma..just little things I SHOULD know. I don't want to write things down or have to explain myself to those that aren't aware. I guess it's more of dealing with the issue....having it didn't hurt...I didn't even know I had it at the time. Dealing with the aftermath is the worst. On the light side I can poke fun of myself and try to find humor. I told Barry we will never grow tired of each other...both of us are forgetful..we'll just keep telling the same stories over and over..lol. I will be honest with you...I would LOVE to have my old body back. But, you know I didn't take care of it, took it for granted, complained about it, and even took it for granted at times. There is a lesson in this from the Lord...I think he wants to appreciate what we do have..not what we want or what we don't have.

Other than that we are doing wonderful! I have tons and tons of things to be thankful for today. Just remember that our God is a AWESOME God indeed. He is not in the business of giving us what we want...but, what we need:) I truly have everything I need in this life.

Our Thanksgiving.....

Sorry, these pictures are coming up out of order. This is the stick family I finally got for the van:) They sell them at Walmart now and are WAY cheaper than buying them online. I finally put them on today and they were super easy...My Mom and I were outside letting Lilly play on her swing.
Lilly showing everyone she can do hop scotch..which is her favorite game. See the shoes she insisted on wearing with her pretty dress..lol. Last week she wore her Optimus prime shirt to school...she loves transformers now. She reminds me so much of me when I was little...I was a tom boy too.

My Dad and Emma...Daddy pretty much held Emmers the whole time he was here.

Barry taking a break:)

My Mom...Nana and Lilly

PawPaw and Emma

Apparently, the going rate for little sisters is 2.00..lol. Daddy told Lilly he would buy Emma from her and take her home. At a 1.00 she said no he could not have her because he did not have any children at his house:) When rates hit 2.00 she was ready to sell Emma and then told him she would pay him 2.00 to take her. This money is out of her tea cup in her room that she has been saving. I guess the big thing at school is buying snacks rather than taking them. I pack her snack everyday and so she saves her "extra" money and wants to buy snacks now. One day Emma will look back at this picture and feel really loved by her sister..lol.

PawPaw and Emma

Pawpaw, Nana, and their favorite girls.

Pawpaw and his favorite girls in the world. They are very blessed little girls..they have the two best grandfathers in the world...of course that is just my opinion;)

Awww..sisterly love.

Me and my girls.

This is my FAVORITE picture of the day!!!!!

Next to eternal Salvation...this is what I most thankful for in my life..my family:)

Emma chewing on my hand..lol.

My girls...they are beautiful!! Emmers is slobbering pretty well now.

My girls.

Me and my girls.

Me and my girls.

Some of the food we had today. I took a picture of Lilly's first Thanksgiving:) I am so mushy like this.

Lilly-Rose.

Lilly-Rose

Lilly-Rose

Emma-Kay

Emma-Kay

Emma-Kay

I took some early Christmas pictures for the girls...

Lilly in the same dress her first Christmas:)

I decided to dress the girls up earlier this week to take some photos in front of the tree. We did something different this year...we got a full size tree. I will be honest the first year we were saved we didn't feel comfortable with a Christmas tree and we did not put one up. There after we prayed on it and decided that we would use a small table top tree so the emphasis would not be on a tree. So all the years Lilly has celebrated Christmas..it has been with a small table top tree:) Well, the small table top tree finally gave out last year. Between the cats and Lilly it got knocked over so many times it stopped rotating and made this awful sound when turned on. It was fiber optic..so no lights unless it was turned on.

Last Friday Barry and I had our first date day since Emma has been born. We let them stay at Barry's parents for the day. Emmers got to stay at home with Memaw(her grandmother) and Nanny(her great grandmother) the whole time we were gone..which meant she was held from start to finish..lol. Lilly got to go with Papa(Barry's Dad) to visit her Uncle (Barry's brother who is a farmer) in the field. She got to see all the farming and tractors she was so excited. She also got to haul peanut wagons with her Papa..to which she got upset when they had to turn them in to the peanut mill. She got to eat raw peanuts and now she thinks her Uncle farms toys for a living..lol...we still don't understand how peanuts equal to toys:)

So Barry and I caught a movie at a matinee..it was our first movie in FIVE years! We then ate at the Olive garden. I tried the chicken Marsala and LOVED it. They also finally had the chocolate gelato in with semi sweet chocolate chips and caramel...mmmmm:) Then off to Target...this is where I found on the 1.00 aisle the cutest matching Christmas gifts for the girls...kid sized cook hats, aprons, and rolling pins. Then off to Walmart where we picked up a tree..yes, I finally get to the tree..lol. After browsing we found that for 5.00 more we could get a full sized one that was pre-lite. So we finally got a big one....Lilly was thrilled to see we got one as big as her grandparents tree. She asked could we put it up this weekend and I gladly obliged. I find that I am more easy going and spontaneous now...why not? We are never promised another day and Christmas trees up in November do not hurt a soul:)

Oh, before I forget. We got a new advent calendar this year. I was able to catch this wonderful sale at Lifeway. I bought the "What God wants for Christmas" Nativity advent set. It only counts down 7 days until Christmas..instead of the full month. It comes with 7 present boxes, a figure for each one that leads up to completing the nativity scene, and a book to read along with it. I will post a picture for each day and let you know how the girls enjoy it.

So one morning before school we decided to take some pictures in front of the tree.

Low down on the outfits....Lilly is wearing a 6.50 outift...3.00 for the outfit(yard sale), 1.00 for shoes(weebok from thrift store), bow was 2.00 from local children's sale, and stockings .50 (Children's place from thrift store.) Emma is wearing a hand me down believe it or not. My parents bought this dress when Lilly was around Emma's age from a local store here. It was on sale for 14.00 and is a Dolly Pardon dress:)

UPDATES.....

Here is the inside of our home. I decided to dress up the fireplace a little bit and remember fall decorations can last until the end of November:) I got these cute little scarecrows on sale for half price at Walgreen's.

Lilly, Emma, and I baked these cute little cupcakes this week. Lilly was so excited that we put tiny little pumpkin sprinkles on top..now remember you can buy these at the end of the year for almost 75%! They tend to keep for a VERY long time. Lilly thought they were pumpkin seeds..so she scooped up some to put in a tea cup in their room. She said her and her Daddy were going to plant them and grow pumpkins:)

There are many reasons why I have not been keeping up with my blog lately. So I will start off..

First, Emma has been having some awful reflux. They have put her on Zantac and her formula has been changed quite a bit. She was still throwing up and having three hour crying fits. We took her the doctor for a cough and was told it was just a cold. Well, a week later we were back at the doctor. Apparently she has acid coming back up into her throat and that is causing the cough...as well as her snoring and she sounds like Darth Vader all the time when she breathes...awake or sleeping. She is also losing weight and so they have her set up to see a gastro doctor next month. Right now they changed her to another formula and while it has helped with the crying fits...she is still throwing up like crazy.

Second, I have been having a lot of memory issues. It is mainly my short term memory. I forget the most biggest things right down to the smallest. I have even been forgetting whole conversations and I have a overwhelming tiredness. I had naturally assumed this was stemming from my blood pressure medication and had a appointment with my internist this week. I found out that I had a mini stroke during all I went through with Emma's birth and there after. I was disappointed to find that this may not get better. He told me there was no treatment and put me on aspirin therapy to prevent another one. My Dad has been really supportive with me on this...he too has went through many mini strokes. Barry has also been very wonderful with me...he has been so thoughtful..right down to asking around at the hospital for the best aspirin for me to use. So it's been hard to cope with...I am only 30. I realize that this is a trial and that my reward is just starting to smile and coo. I can't say that a whole lot of other folks can get sick and something so beautiful to show for it. So I am coping the best way I know how. I have made myself a planner to write things down so I don't forget. I can get quite embarrassed about my memory issues and this was one of the reasons that prompted me to see the doctor. I also have figured out ways to not let the girls know what is going on. When I am extremely tired I will take a break...read a book, play a game, watch a cartoon, tell stories, or play counting games on the couch. The good news is they are decreasing my lebetalol(my blood pressure medication)from 800 MGs a day to 600 Mgs...then on to down until I am completely off!!! They think my blood pressure is leveling out finally. I have also stopped my thyroid medication and they will recheck my TSH levels next month to make sure all is well there.

I thank you for continuing to read my blogs and hope soon that everything will return to normal. I do hope you understand why I had to take a absence and why things may be slow for a little while. I do need time to focus on my family and adjust. I will try my best to start posting more often than what I have been doing. Monday I have a blog coming up...my friend Angel(Please check side bar for her link) has given me a award to pass on to some wonderful bloggers:) So I have to come up with ten things about myself. I am also going to post a freebie post then.

Also, may I ask for prayer for the above..especially for our Emma-kay. I also have a unspoken prayer for a church that is going through a lot here locally.

Our local fair that we have every year.....

We recently took a trip to our local fair:) We wait for it every year to roll around. We love getting cotton candy, candy apples, and fresh green boiled peanuts. Since we had already purchased our gate tickets and ride tickets in advanced from Barry's work...Doots being super excited...and Emma having some tummy issues here lately..we decided to take Barry's parents up on the offer to let her stay with them while we went. It was my first time ever leaving her (besides being in the hospital that week after her birth.) I was super nervous about that..but, I really trust Barry's parents. She had a slight cough and we were worried about the cold night air.



Lilly and I waited and waited for our candy apples. We had been looking forward to them all day. So before we left the fair we went to the stand to grab one. She picked out this one with lots of marshmallows and I went with a regular old fashioned candy apple. Well, as they were adding them up and Lilly was sinking her teeth into one...they told me the total was 10.00!!! Yep, 2 candy apples at this fair was 10.00!!!!

I thought this picture was cute...looks like this goat is smiling at the petting zoo.
Emma-Kay when she came back from Mee-Maw and Papa's house.

Yes, this bull was absolutely thrilled we were touring the petting zoo..lol.

This Llama made me think of one of Lilly's favorite books...Llama Llama mad at Mama.

Lilly feeding a goat.

This is the smartest goat I have ever seen:)

Mama and Doots.

Doots

This is a log house built in 1939 out of a giant log. Lilly was so in love with this tiny house...one question she had for the man that ran this...Where was the TV..lol. He explained when it was built and gave her a tiny history lesson.

This is a circus we caught at the fair. I believe this lady is using over a 100 hula hoops!!!! At the end of the show they had two motorcyclists in a sphere that went around a lady inside. Well, they wrecked head on in the cage. They said everyone was fine and closed the show. We sure prayed for them afterwards..it scared the crowd senseless..we were all worried about them. I also felt horrible that Lilly had to see it.

The circus at the show.

This is a prize Lilly won at one of the games we let her play.

Doots picked this as her game of the night. She won a choice of ball or stuffed animal...well, she wanted to take one of the ducks home for Emma-Kay. It took about 15 minutes to finally convince her that she would get to play ball with Emma one day and that they duckies had to stay at the fair.

Mama and Doots

This was the only ride I was able to get on due to my high blood pressure. We went on this ride that consisted of a rope ladder..to which one little girl started crying and clinging to me. I tried to get her back down off the ride..but, her Dad came to the rescue for her. It consisted of another slide that was inflatable. Word to the wise...skirts and slides do NOT mix. Then came the rope bridges. I am terrified of heights and Lilly left me. This other little girl decided it would be funny to bounce me on the bridge..lol. Once up I tried to get the little girl to go down before me..to which I think she was having second thoughts too..lol. In the end I did make it down and Barry said he thought he was going to have to come get me. I tend to freeze on heights.

Doots flying her helicopter:)

On the bumper cars. She loved this ride more than anything else.

Daddy and Doots...poor Barry...his back was really hurting after all of this. He had to ride all the rides with her.

Mama and Doots

The ticket dance.

She wanted to hold all the tickets.

Doots

Our little clown.

For Doots the scarier the better on the rides. She loves things that go high, fast, and roller coasters!!! She has no fear what so ever. I was the same way when I was little..for some reason as I have gotten older I get scared way to easy..lol.

Doots.

Look at that smile.

Daddy and Doots

Daddy and Doots on the roller coaster..which broke with them on it. This was on their second ride..how scary!!

Fall festival at Lilly's school....

Unfortunately, these were the only photos of Lilly without any of her classmates...I don't feel comfortable posting them without permission. So I am very sorry there are few in this post. But, I had the two cutest dragons a the whole school festival:)

A visit from Paw-Paw, Nana, and their new puppies.....

Emma-Kay
Lilly using the fire place as her stage..doing her best job at singing "The muffin man."

Emma-Kay and Paw-Paw(My Dad)

Emma-Kay and Paw-Paw

My Dad could not wait to show his grand babies their new pups. His dog Lady had two of the most beautiful little pups you have ever seen. We may actually get the solid black one or Lady. I am still trying to talk Barry into it and working out the details:) Lilly had an absolute fit over them.

Paw-Paw and Emma-Kay

Paw-Paw and Emma-Kay..if you notice the tape my Dad recently had his fistula for dialysis replaced. So right now they are using a temporary chest port until his fistula is completely healed. The swelling is due to some diabetic issues.

Nana(My Mom) and Emma-Kay

My parents and My girls.

Paw-Paw helping Lilly hold one of the puppies.

Lady and her pups..she is such a good Mama. She actually kind of stole my heart. My parents are having to find her a good home as well. She is so sweet and this was my first time meeting her. She did so great with the girls and took right to Lilly.

Paw-Paw and Emma-Kay