Monday's Memories

  A lot has been going on and I would love to just kind post a little bit of some randoms that have been going on around here the past couple of weeks! :)

*We got to spend some time with one of my good friends Caitlin on her birthday and hang out with her kids! So much fun just to chit chat and have girl time while our kiddos play and have fun.  Oh ya, she loves kissing her son James, but she also bit him as well :/ I see that too much kissing with her tends to lead to that. (I warned Caitlin of Brielle doing that at her party as well, but I still felt bad for James!)

* I got to meet baby Natalie for the first time, I seriously fell in love! First off, I love babies (as you can already tell I'm sure) but this family will always hold a special place in my heart as I was a Nanny for them for about 3 1/2 years.  It's so crazy how time just flies by and she was only 1 week old! So precious and sweet.

* I finally found one of the pictures I was looking for with my best friends pointing to my pregnant belly at Brielle's birthday when we revealed we were pregnant with a baby girl! :)

* I got to spend some time with my girls for dinner which is rare while I was in Round Rock visiting baby Natalie and we all went out to eat at Mesa Rosa.  So fun! I really missed Adriane, Lauren and Krystle!

* Brielle has been going through this weird phase of waking up 1-2 times during the night crying so loud wanting us to come pick her up (which we have been doing for the past week until last night I had enough after getting her 1 time and she woke up an hour later crying.  I then re-read my post about crying it out found here and it helped me let her cry it out back to sleep for about 20-25 mins at 5 this morning.  So worth it!

*I got to have my first girls night in a LONG time with my best friend Saturday night after I worked to Sunday afternoon.  Eating out, enjoying long girl talks all night, swimming in the pool and sleeping in =Heaven!

* We have our appointment to meet with the Pediatric Cardiologist Aug. 25! :)

*Baby Rochelle loves swimming in the pool.  I am assuming that is how she feels all the time, but when I was swimming back and forth in the pool she was kicking like crazy, so cute!

* I have wanting to get more crafty and creative with teaching Brielle on picking up her toys, putting things into jars/containers, and just overall having more fun games to play and she has been doing great!

* My mom surprised with me with the new Samsung S5 Active this past week and I LOVE it! So good to have a phone like this with children.  Thanks again mom! :)

Brielle loves going out to eat with her Nana and Grandpa while I am at work.

Riding her bicycle with Grandpa around the house.

Playing in my parents sprinkler.  She LOVES water!

She wouldn't nap all day for my mom until she finally crashed on her for an hour.

Our little future doctor/nurse! 

Lauren and Adriane pointing at my pregnant belly!

Brielle and James

The girls bribing Brielle to follow them with food lol!

Me with Brielle, Rachel, Natalie, and Sara

Rachel, Baby Natalie,and Sara

 I hope you all have a great rest of the week and enjoy your Monday!

Saying No

  This past month has brought a lot of new and different changes in my life.  I had a lot of great opportunities to look forward to with a new job, and the potential moving up in the current position at one of my jobs by going to training.  I was trying to juggle how everything would work out with 3 jobs instead of my two that I already have and I just knew I could make it work. The new job was perfect location (in my moms home town so that I wouldn't have to drive so far to work) and I could be right there and spend more time with Brielle on days that I work than I am currently able to.  Everything seemed like it would all work out, but I am so glad that it did not.
  I was so excited to go into training for the new job and start something different, until they told me that the patient that I was hoping to work with was no longer available for a full-time nurse in the area that my mom lives at and I was heart-broken! I knew that it was the end of the new job for me at that moment, I just didn't know how to tell them no I wasn't going to take the job.  I called Shane after training to discuss the events, and we prayed that God would let give me the strength to do something that I have never done before with confidence.  I called the company that next day, and let them know I was no longer going to work for them.  They were so sad and said that they could make it work, but I knew in my heart that everything happens for a reason and that just wasn't the right time to start another job.
  It was about a week later that I had to do some homework for my training that I was attending, and my boss sat down and discussed with me that even though I was the only part-time employee attending the training they knew I could do this job, and wanted me to put more effort and more of my own time in to learning new skills and further my training.  I knew she was right, but right now my off time is my only time to spend at home with Shane and Brielle and I just couldn't give up more of that precious time to go up to my facility for who knows how long multiple times a week to learn what all I needed to learn.  I just felt like everything was weighing on me and my family to continue to job training knowing that it might be good for us in the future.  After many late night conversations about what I should do, it ultimately came down that yes the training would be great for any leadership positions, and learning more about my facility would have been great but the job position they were wanting me to do was just not what I saw in my future or my family's.  It required us potentially picking up everything and moving just to get started, a lot of stress, and a lot of time that I knew (especially with this pregnancy and my baby) that I just couldn't fully commit to.  After calling and telling my boss that I am no longer going to continue with training (and sticking with my no even after a lot of attempts to convince me to stay) I felt SUCH a relief and knew that I made the right decision.
  Let me tell you, I have never been SO happy, content, satisfied with my choices and the way that I am living my life and working with my husband to support our family.  If you ever have any doubts, fears, or questions with how your life is going and you are afraid to say no, just think "is this really what I want to be doing long-term"? I feel so much better knowing that I can stand up for myself and my family and it will definitely help me with important decisions coming up in our life! :)

Echocardiogram Results (7/16/14)

  This morning we were scheduled to have another appointment with the genetic counselor before we had our Echo performed to check on baby (Rochelle)! (Yes we picked her name!!! It's my middle name and her middle name will be Elaine after Shane's Grandma).

  The Genetic counselor started out by asking if we had any questions.  We really didn't have any, we were just waiting for all of our testing that we did a couple of weeks before to come back.  She stated that Rochelle does have Full Trisomy 13 at this point (but she also stated that since they only tested 15 cells that mosaic can't be ruled out).  The results were negative for spina bifida, confirmed that there is no translocation, my entire chromosome testing came back and it showed that I am not a carrier for an extra chromosome.  We are planning on getting Shane tested as well.  The cystic fibrosis came back negative as well.  So that was the positive news but also stated that there really wasn't anything new learned at that point.  

  Then it came to the sonogram of the her heart and the Doctor's main focus was on the heart of course, but she also measured the baby's head which measured right on time (22 weeks) and same with her arms, legs, and stomach.  She is measured 1 pound 1 oz. at this time! :) yay!!  Her heartbeat was 148bpm. The fluid around the baby was fine as well.  Then she started to focus on the heart and she does have 4 chambers that look appropriate but she has ASD(Atrial septal defect) and VSD(Ventricular septal defect) which means that she has 2 holes in her heart.  She stated that the ASD has a bigger hole and says that some of the wall is missing.  I then started asking her to questions about possible surgery needed after birth and if she had heard of many pre-term births with mother's carrying Trisomy 13 babies.  She stated that most women can carry to full term and that she said it's completely up to Shane and myself to decide on the birth plan and that she said it's up to us to decide on what measures to take during delivery and after. The last little bit of information she gave us stated that she said if Rochelle didn't have Trisomy 13 she would be having surgery eventually after her birth, that did not seem fair at all for Shane, my mom (who I LOVED that she went with us) and myself.  We are going to get referred to a Pediatric Cardiologist in Austin hopefully soon so we can get a second opinion to see if there is a possibility that Rochelle would need heart surgery immediately after birth or if she can wait 2-3 months to get stronger before undergoing such an immense surgery.  We just want the best outcome for our baby girl (Even though the doctor did tell us again today that she would most likely not have a good outcome regardless of what we try to do to help her).

So many people have asked us, "how did this happen to y'all twice when all the genetic testing from both you and Shane have came back normal?"  Joel Osteen posted the perfect scripture in Proverbs 3:5 "Lean not to your own understanding."  There may not be a reason medically why we were chosen to be the parents to not only one, but two children with genetic abnormalities.  God chose us to be their parents, and we love them unconditionally regardless of what anyone says to us. 

20 week check-up! (7/3/14)

Baby: 20 weeks old! Baby is the size of a Banana (7 In., 11 oz.) Went to our regular MD this week just to do a general check-up on the baby, get all my labs done, and see our Doctor.  Baby is doing great, kicking and moving a lot and not cooperating during the sonogram (like usual) lol, and measuring all the correct sizes still so I am very excited about that.  The sonographer did confirm that there is indeed one artery and one vein, and also that the baby does have ECF (echogenic cardiac focus) which my doctor stated that they are soft markers on the baby's heart and not much to worry about, a lot of kids are born with them. She also stated that the baby does not have a cleft lip, she showed us the babies mouth clearly so we were excited to hear that! Also, they were unable to find any holes in the heart at this time.  We will confirm in two weeks with an Echocardiogram to see exactly what is going on with her heart and what precautionary measures we will need to take. This whole process always seems like  a waiting game.

Mommy:  Since everything has been so rushing around with different appointments with different results and work in the mix, I decided I needed this month to relax and just really focus on everything that God has planned for us, and for me to really cherish every moment of this pregnancy and being a great mother to Brielle. I did opt to get a genetic chromosome testing since this is our second pregnancy with a genetic problem, even though they say that either one did not occur from Shane and I, we still want to know what would possibly happen for our kids in their futures.

Daddy: We have been missing daddy a lot, so July is our time to spend as much time with him as possible without me having to travel so much.  He really does anything and everything to make sure his girls are happy all the time.  He is such a great help with Brielle; it's so nice to be home.

Cravings: There really haven't been any these past few weeks.  After the popcorn craving I just mellowed down but today I have eaten Shane's parents home grown cantelope so much and it tastes AMAZING! I think the stress of finding out the results, and just everything involved I just want to make sure I am doing what is best for the baby at all times.

Brielle: Officially does like anyone touching me.  It's hilarious how over-protective she is of me (At the Doctors).  She wouldn't even go to Shane went it was time for the sonographer to check the baby she had to sit on the bed with me and hold me, and she also tried to wipe the gel off my belly.  Hilarious.  She got a baby doll on our way home and she is in LOVE with it, she kisses her like 100+ times a day and carries her everywhere.  I think it's adorable and hoping this works for our future when another baby girl enters this world! Oh and we got told today at the Doctor's office that Brielle is talking a LOT for her age! I completely agree and think it's so funny how much she talks and understands what you say :)

Here are a couple of pictures, again of the face and the gender but some of Brielle at the appointment as well :)

Sorry I didn't rotate it before uploading!

Eating at Tokyo Grill

Asleep with her precious doll!

With mommy after the appointment :)

The Results (6-26-14)

    So this morning I received a voicemail stating the heartbreaking news that any genetic counselor can deliver.( I told her to leave a voicemail stating the results because I was scheduled to be working on the expected day the results came and I didn't want to not know.) She did confirm that our result from the amniocentesis showed that for sure that our baby girl has Trisomy 13.  Trisomy 13 happens in about 1 in every 10,000 newborns.  It is where there is 3 copies of the chromosome 13 instead of two (the usual).  When the extra genetic material is attached to the extra chromosome it is called translocation.  Our genetic counselor stated there was no translocation.  In other words, this means that it did not come from Shane or I (inherited), instead it occurred when the sperm and egg formed the fetus.
  Usually some signs and symptoms show that the baby might have cleft lip or palate, clenched hands, extra fingers or toes, low set ears, small eyes, small head and many more problems.  The results from our 18 week ultrasound described that she one had one artery and one vein which is usually a sign of a congenital heart defect.  Our MD did state that she may have seen a hole in her heart, as well as some white matter floating around on the inside.
  I know most people would think this is the worst news in the world to hear, but from having experienced this before with our first son having trisomy 18, spontaneous as well and not coming from Shane and I, definitely puts in a different state of mind then we were during our first pregnancy.  We are going to research the best hospitals and doctors and make sure that she has the ability to live life to the fullest, even though many articles state that these babies don't have  a long life-expectancy.  Shane and I feel like God doesn't give us anything we can't handle and even though it may seem tough at first, God already knows the plan of what's going to happen to our baby girl.  We are going to fight and give her the best life possible, regardless of what any doctor might say or disagree with our wishes.
  Most people at the age of 25, would have no idea what it's like to be Shane or myself going through this at such a young age.  This happens, and yes even though it is very rare and most people just hear of healthy babies being born all the time, it happens way more often then many people think.  This is just a diagnosis and it is not going to change how much we love and care about her.  I just wish that before people want to judge us negatively with continuing on with the pregnancy and giving her a fighting chance at life, despite what all the doctors may think, that you keep the negative opinions to yourself.
  We pray everyday, and if we could ask for many extra prayers as we continue with this pregnancy that people pray that we can carry her to full term and that we have a safe and healthy delivery for the both of us.
  We appreciate all of the continued love and support from our families.

18 week check-up (6/17/14)

Baby: 18 weeks old! Baby is the size of a mango (6 in., .5 pounds) The heartbeat is 153 bpm and sounding great! This appointment was at our specialist in San Antonio due to some blood testing results coming back saying that our baby has Trisomy 13.  We went to get an ultrasound of the baby and the sonographer stated that she didn't see any abnormalities but when the doctor came in to do the exam of the baby she stated that she only saw one artery and one vein and not two arteries and also that the she might have a small hole in her heart but we don't know if that's conclusive yet until we get out amniocentesis results in 10-12 days.  Usually with Trisomy 13 babies they have a LOT more problems with the brain, the kidneys, the lungs, every organ practically so Shane and I are staying positive that this is just a false reading and we will see what the results say in 12 days.  Staying positive is so important right now and we are leaving it up to God to bless us with this baby and we believe we will fight for this baby as long as God allows us to.

Mommy: Very anxious waiting for the results but staying positive and enjoying my days to the fullest with Brielle before I start a new job next month! I am finally getting back to my workout routine since I have more then two days actually in the same place, excited to go.

Daddy: Has been taking all of these results from the doctor's in such a good way.  He doesn't start getting negative like the doctor's expect and always asks as many questions as he needs and I am usually writing everything down. I love everything about his strength and courage throughout this process.

Cravings: These past two weeks I have been wanting popcorn all the time.  My mom ordered some for Brielle's party and that just gave me a craving fix for a while.  It's funny because I really can't tolerate a lot of corn but I seriously love it right now--even if I get sick after lol.

Brielle: At her party I was holding a baby and for the first time she actually went and pretended to give her a kiss and BIT her on her cheek.  I couldn't believe that she did because she is always hugging and kissing all the little kids around her.  Maybe she felt like mommy was getting a bit to close to another kid. (Uh-Oh)

Here are a couple of pictures, not that good but we got a DVD and cannot wait to watch it again which we probably will tonight.  We picked her name so we cannot wait to tell everyone! :)

It's a GIRL!!

Side profile of her gorgeous little self!

Summer Days

  I have taken some time off to just relax and get to enjoy being home for more than just a couple of days and let me tell you, it's AMAZING! I wish we could afford to do this more often, it's hilarious that most people get to go on these glorious vacations which is so good, don't get me wrong; my vacation is just going home and being with Shane, and Brielle and I love every minute of it!
  It's so funny how much our child LOVES to be outside.  Seriously, any time she is fussy or complaining or anything if we just take her outside for a breather she is in Brielle heaven.  She loves to play with the cat, and the dogs outside (throw balls/sticks) and just find anything and everything interesting.  It's so good to get at least 15+ minutes a day outside for some good Vitamin D but we tried taking her to the park for the first time since she has been older and she did NOT want to leave our arms! She started crying when we put her on the child play set to interact with other kids or to try to go down the slide. Looks like we have to go more often then once in a blue moon.
  What is also interesting is all the new foods she is trying being around all of our family here like different Popsicles and ice cream flavors, and of course sno-cone flavors.  She is in baby heaven with all of the desserts/goodies she has been able to taste! What I find interesting is that certain foods she will take a BIG bite out of, pretty much stating to us that she loves it and other foods you can't even tell where her bite is that she took.
  I also went to a gym class for the first time in a couple of months, I love to go for my sake but also for Brielle to be around other little kids around her age or older and they said she did great.  I always love that when I come to pick her up, she is always in someone's lap.  It's hilarious because at home she doesn't like to sit down much since there is so much to get into these days! :)
  I am going to enjoy this week to the fullest before having to work this weekend and I am going to go to our regular MD for a check-up tomorrow so we can't wait!

Daddy going down the slide with Bri!

We were trying to convince her that slides were fun, she didn't buy it! :)

Getting into everything! 

She started picking up her toys and putting them back in the bag without me asking her to! Precious.

She had a bad rash that apparently was from her one year vaccines- side effects- and now it's all cleared up! 

Playing outside at Granny and Paw-paw's house. 

Brielle turns ONE!

  I cannot believe I am posting this referring to my baby as a 1 year old! I am so glad she had so much fun and I hope all these pictures describes as much fun as we all had.  This all took place at my parents house in Lockhart, Texas which was the midpoint between pretty much every directions all of our family and friends were coming from.  It was so perfect, and it was great to celebrate my parents also purchasing their house just 4 months ago!
  Our theme was pink and gold, which was not the easiest combination of colors to find with invitations, table decorations, etc but I was so happy with how it all turned out.  We really started planning hard on everything about a month before the party and kind of just wrote down all of our activities, decorations, food, and about how many guests we thought were coming. Cards were given about 3 months in advance, just because I know with my jobs I need at least 2 weeks-1 month in advance to get off and I know many people would also be like that as well.
  For the food we started planning just finger foods only, due to kids being kids and going to make a mess so we wanted it to be as easy as possible for everyone involved.  The choices were sausage rolls, fruit platter, veggie platter, and meat and cheese platter.  For the desserts there were cake pops, different colored and flavor popcorn, snocones, and Brielle's gorgeous cake.  It was definitely enough for everyone that attended and I think we even had left over fruit and veggies to last us a few days later which was a great snack to bring to lunch at work! :)
  For the decorations I wanted just a few pieces, and not go overboard.  I got a chalkboard looking poster made digitally from etsy and bought a frame for the poster and it was all about Brielle, from her likes and dislikes to her first word and her favorite food.  It was so cute! That was the center piece on the wall in the living room with a happy 1st birthday banner on top her monthly photos on the bottom.  It looked great on the wall. I also hung up all of her firsts on a pink ribbon in the kids playroom.  (extra diaper from hospital, first shirt, socks, etc).  We also did a balloon arch which had it's ups and downs with the weather but it looked great and that was made with helium balloons outside in the front yard tied in between two trees. We did some minor extra accessories like the welcome table with the book that they sign, and a welcome sign on the outside of the front door. It was so cute and I am so glad and thankful with my parents help and a grouchy baby that morning that we made it all work!

Everyone enjoyed food, activities, and the reveal that we were pregnant with a girl with a lot of shock involved.  I truly will never forget it (even though she won't remember--the day was solely focused on her and everyone showed her so much love my heart was full!)

Thank you again for everyone that came a little early to help set up and left a little later to clean everything up.  It truly meant a lot to both Shane and I and we greatly appreciate it! :) So here are some pictures of the eventful time. Enjoy.

Our welcome table

one of the kids play areas

Cake balls

Her amazing birthday cake

Her monthly pictures

Colored popcorn

More decorations

Food table

Such a cute little pinata

Me and Lauren!

The kids trying to break open the pinata!

Brielle not sure about sitting on the counter top

Looking at something!

Val and Bri

My handsome hubby

More decorations :)

Annie and Bri

Opening her gifts

Ethan trying to help Brielle.

After her smash cake :)

Can't believe she is 1! Can't wait for many more birthdays to come :)