Poor Ty

This weekend poor little Ty was running a fever again. We discovered the fever on Saturday night. It cleared it self not too long afterwards but then returned again later on that night. All day Sunday he seemed to be fine but then Sunday late night the big bad fever returned. Chris and I were up with him and just watching him for a while but it didn't seem that his fever was breaking this time. We took his temperature around 1:30 am and discovered it was a mighty high 103.7. We were concerned so we rushed to the ER. Thankfully there they gave him some infant Motrin and it started to break. They didn't discover any problems but had us follow up with his doctor.

So the next day I stayed home with him and we went to the doctor. Within moments we discovered that he did in fact have another ear infection, this time in both ears. We were prescribed some antibiotics which he is taking now. Poor little guy had a slight fever again that day but no where near the levels as before and I can tell a change in him already. It wasn't until he started to get better that I realized just how much his attitude and personality changes when he is feeling sick.

Weaning Time

Since Ty turned one years old this month I decided it was time to start actively weaning him from breast milk. And thankfully so far the process has been pretty smooth.

I technically started the weaning process a few months back when we started to feed him regular solid food. He really started eating dinner with us at about ten and a half month when he started walking. We started with dinner, and then slowly added lunch also. As of today we are now down to only breast feeding before bed time and middle of the night hunger moments.

First thing in the morning we have breakfast together ... eggs, peanut butter & jelly, oatmeal ... we like to change it up each day. Then he has his big boy lunches and big boy snacks throughout the day. Then we all eat dinner together at the table.

I am very proud of him for accepting the changes so well and not being demanding and expectant of much else. I think he is rather enjoying the feeling of Independence and growth.

Back to the Drawing Board

So Chris and I were this close to securing the perfect midwife for our birth but now it seems we must go back to the drawing board. We are approaching the ninth week and are really cutting it close. We need something ... yesterday.

We met with and really liked Joey of Scared Journey Midwifery. She came to the house and answered all of our questions. Things would have worked out perfectly. The last thing to confirm was that our insurance would cover it and how much of out of pocket costs it would be. Well it turns out that she is out of network which my insurance will not cover. So we would be responsible for the entire costs out of pocket. Which honestly isn't too bad ... a total of $3,800 for all prenatal visits, post delivery visits and the actual delivery. That is a lot to think about. Chris and I are praying about it, because it would truly be the best birth situation for all of us but we are suppose to be buying a home next year also.

So keep praying for us ...

The Search Continues

Here we are at eight weeks and we still do not have a midwife to deliver our baby. I have continued this tiresome search but everywhere I turn we are running into some sort of wall. They are either too far, don't have a birthing center, costs too much or require that we deliver at a local hospital that I just don't like. Hey maybe we can move within the next 7 months ... :) highly doubtful.

But I haven't given up all hope. I have been praying very hard for us to find the perfect solution and I know that the answer is near.

I have been re-evaluating myself also. Questioning if I am making a big deal out of something that in the end really may not matter. What is really important is that I bring a healthy baby into the world ... how we get there may not be all that important.

Or is it.

Chris and I watched this video after we had given Ty the best birth we thought possible. And now we just want to give this baby the same experience. It isn't so much for me as it is for the baby.

BirthCare Visit

Recently I got to experience my first baby related appointment. Ever since Ty's birth I have been dreaming and hoping for the opportunity to deliver our next child in the comfort of our own home. In Florida, we knew the right people and midwife that could make that happen. Well needless to say, we are no longer in Florida and do not have those people to rely on any more. So since we moved, and long before we found out I was pregnant I have been researching and calling around to find a midwife that would be willing and able to come to our home to deliver our child for us. I met with a few early on but for each of them I was out of their radius of travel. To make matters worse, not only was I not finding one to come to the house, the ones that were local did not have an actual birthing center, we would have to go to the hospital with them for the birth ... Boooo!!

Well finally after months of searching I found a midwife organization that has not just one but six midwifes and would actually be able to travel to my home for the delivery. I went to their information session were the get to meet and greet couples that could potentially be new patients and share information about their practice and home births in general. I was so glad that attended, they offered everything I was hoping and praying for. You can check them out whenever you like, they are called BirthCare Center out of Virginia.

The only concern that Chris has, which is completely valid is that their office is located in Virgina, we are in Maryland and for each of the regular check ups leading to the birth I would have to go to their office.They will come to the home for the birth, but not for the regular appointments. I took the metro when I went recently and it was about an hour and fifteen minute ride, each way. And considering that I was on bed rest so much with Ty, and that will more than likely happen again, I would still need to travel to them. Chris doesn't like me traveling that far, alone, and pregnant. And I agree.

All that to say, I love them, but we have to keep our options open. I am not going to begin looking into the local midwifes to see what birthing in the hospital is really like ... what does that mean ... and how involved is the hospital staff. Fingers crossed that it works out to be the same experience we had at the birthing center last year.

Ty's First Real Injury

A few weeks ago before, right before Ty's first birthday, I allowed my son, through pure neglect and just bad mothering to obtain his first injury.

We were at work and on our lunch break. As usually I went to the nursery to pick him up for about 20-30 minutes just to spend some time with him and bond a little before getting back to work.

We rode in the elevator up laughing as he has finally figured out the joy behind pushing a lot of buttons. When we arrived on our floor I set him down to talk. We stepped out of the elevator and there waiting were a few co-workers of mine, all of which love and adore Ty. So we hung out for a few moments while they got to love on him.

Well in that time the elevator sounded to signal that it was now closing and going back downstairs. Ty heard the noise, turned around and started to go back into the elevator. He then stopped right in the track of the closing door. Which usually wouldn't be a problem for a normal person but not for a tiny 1 year old. The elevator didn't sense him there and kept trying to close. The poor boys biggest little tiny toe was on the track and the elevator bounced off of it, finally sensing him and opened again.

It was too late though, the damage had been done. For a few days his little toe was a pretty rainbow of red, blue, purple and black. It has finally cleared up now but I still fear that as the weeks go back his toe nail will eventually fall off. Creepy!!!

Pins & Needles

I was hoping that this time around I would be more relaxed and not worry as much about the safety of our little baby but that is not the case. I find myself worry just as much if not more than I was when we first found out we were pregnant with Ty.

Each and every little pinch or tweak I feel in my stomach causes concern. If I go too long without 'feeling' pregnancy I start to worry. I can't go to the bathroom without being concerned about finding some spotting or any other sign of miscarriage.

But I am trying to relax and to not think about it and just enjoy this time. Not before long we will have a full household and will be busy beyond extreme. We will have plenty of time to worry about the little baby then.

Here We Go Again!

So I just found out this morning that Chris and I are expecting baby number two. Wow! That is strange and exciting at the same time. We made the decision early on that we were going to leave it on God's hands to determine when the next baby arrived but I think we still had expectations of waiting at least another year or so. Well here we are now with another little sweet angle growing inside of me and already I am anticipating the journey of watching and feeling this baby grow and finally meeting her/him around May of next year.

Our goal is to be just as active and excited about this pregnancy as we were for baby Ty. I hear that no matter how much you try to avoid it, the focus and attention the second and third babies get is always different. So we will see.