This week and new baby update

I hope the last several posts will keep me out of the blog checkers dog house. Well, I will probably have to have many more Matney posts to catch up enough for my Grandmama! We have moved on from the chaos of the past weeks and are gearing up for Miss M to turn ONE. I CANNOT believe she is a year old...or that we have another little one coming three months from today. By this time with Matney we had her furniture here, her room about complete. This time...um, the new baby's room came with the house so it is here. As for furniture or bedding or even a name...not so much. Time sure is flying. Birthday party and cake here we come!

For all of you concerned I went to the dr. today and all is well with baby girl no name. The drs kept track of her while I was home sick and when it was more beneficial to go to the hospital than to try to stay home we took that advice and went. The baby was closely monitored the entire time I was in the hospital (ie they had 2 monitors on her the entire time I was there checking her heartbeat, movement and watching for any signs of contractions). There was never one time that she showed signs of any distress. It is crazy to me that my body can be in so much pain and she isn't fazed. Matney was the same way when I was sick and in the hospital at 8 months with her. You'd think there would be some stress hormone that would effect them but I guess God was smart enough to cover that too!

Beautiful Girl

Since all plans for the past couple weeks have totally fallen apart Matney's 12 month pictures did not get taken in time for making her birthday invitations. I put Matney in her pink sparkle tutu and tried to get her still long enough to have at least one picture for her cards. She was a wiggle worm (and had a roll of toilet paper in one of them from our snotty nose days) but here are some of my favorites. I know I'm her mom but she is BEAUTIFUL!

Matney is worried

Now that Matney's spring wardrobe is washed and hanging in her closet I think she is worried about her lack of matching bows. I found her playing in my box of ribbon last week and I am pretty sure that if I could understand her "talk" she was saying, "Hurry up Mama. I don't care if you're sick. You could have made me tons of bows sitting in that hospital bed." Yes, Miss Matney. I promise to get ribbon and make you bows very soon!

Daddy

I know she has my coloring but really, this baby girl looks just like her Daddy!

Doesn't this hurt?

I snuck in Matney's room to take this picture. It was dark and thankfully the flash didn't wake her up! This is how she goes to bed now. She plays in her crib until she is tired and then puts her head down on her puppy. She is still pretty much sitting up and folded in half. We have tried to wait a couple mintues and then go in and lay her down but she wakes up, gets mad and goes back to sleep the exact same way. At some point she lays herself down and sleeps the rest of the night. Silly girl. Doesn't that have to hurt???

Escape!

Well, she didn't really escape. Every since Matney started getting over being sick she has been on the go. Her crawling skills are top notch and I LOVE IT! For so long I've had to guess what she wants and now she can get to anything she's after. It is fun to let her roam and she where she heads. So, I left the baby gate to the front of the house unlocked last week and just sat in a chair "ignoring" her. She looked at a me a couple times as she pushed open the gate and when I didn't react she went right through.

We now know that if given a chance the first place she heads past the gate is to the front door and Jared's office. She crawls down the hallway saying "da da da da" and sticks her head into the office door (just to the left of the front door). If he is in there she goes in and gets him otherwise she plays at the door.

For these pictures I hid down the hallways and took them zoomed in on her but then took one from where I was so that you can tell how far she had to go. What a big girl...she LOVES her Daddy!

The Healds are back...we HOPE!

If you have been wondering where we have been...Feburary has kicked the butts of the Healds! And, gracious we excited to think we're all getting better and will have soem freedom back!

Matney was sick last time I posted. I had just gone out with pretty toes but nasty feet. The next day Jared came down with the same awful crud as Matney. I don't know who felt worse - Matney, who was still sick, Jared who got sick or me taking care of them both. We went through ROLLS of toilet paper wiping snotty noses! I don't know how I didn't get that cold because our house had to be a germ palace. We took M to the dr. on Wednesday the 12th (day 10 of her illness) and she got on antibiotics. Jared was sick and stayed home from work several days that week.

Thursday was beautiful outside, and Jared was home, so we put Matney in her stroller and went for a walk that afternoon. Fresh air and sunshine are incredible spirit lifters! I spent the beginning of the walking thinking about how I was going to get Matney back on a schedule, how we were all going to get better and enjoy our Valentines weekend. And then I spent the second half of the walk thinking how I had a sharp pain starting in my belly on one side. Before we were finished Jared noticed I wasn't acting right and we decided to turn around, figuring I'd overdone it for our first day "out" in almost 2 weeks.

Long story short the strange pain got worse so I went to bed early, it wasn't better by 5am and by 6:30am I'd called Jared to come home from work (yes, he is there that early) because something was really wrong. For me, the next week is a blur but it included many dr. trips, much medication and a fun stay at Northside Hospital. There are tests, like xrays and CT scans, that can't be done when pregnant so it can't be confirmed but we think it was/is a kidney stone. A very painful, make you super sick and dehydrated, kidney stone. With all three pregnancies I have had a kidney stone that has been painful but NOTHING like this one. I don't know what it is about pregnancy and my kidneys but they do not get along!

Thank goodness for Grandmas and husbands. I don't think moms are really "allowed" to take a sick day but sometimes they can't be helped. I worried about Matney in the beginning of me being sick because she was just starting to get better from being so sick herself. By the end of the weekend she was acting much more like her old self...thanks yucky medicine! I can't believe I had to spend the night away from my baby girl but it was much easier being in the hospital knowing that she was finally feeling better.

Now it is Monday and my first day home alone with Matney in about 2 weeks. She and I have some work to do! Miss Spoiled Rotten is about to have a tough lesson on getting back int....with a cut back on bottles, pacis and nighttime cuddles!

Anyway, we are all feeling much better. I am hoping this stone will pass soon, that no one in this house will get sick and that in 3 months we'll welcome a healthy baby girl into the house. Thank you to everyone who offered to keep Matney, bring dinner, etc. We are so blessed with wonderful friends! And now I promise to get back to blogging and have up new cute pictures of our princess!

Confession time. I broke the rules.

This post is really only for a few girlfriends (you'll know who you are) with whom I have said "I would never...". Maybe we said it in the office when our email opened to a picture of an old lady's feet in sandals with really, really nasty cracked heels. Or when we've left the nail place together, our toes separated by rolled up toilet paper as they sparkle, drying in the sunshine. Remember our words..."I will never leave the house with nasty feet. NEVER.". We've said it. Remember?

But hear me out...Yesterday morning I'd been in the house with sick Matney for 5 days without leaving. 5 Days. One afternoon I ran to the mailbox to grab a couple days worth of mail. No other sunshine, no fresh air. Just days and days of snot and tears. So, when my mom called and wanted to run up for a couple hours I said GREAT! Mom and I had a couple things that had to get done before Matney's birthday and each of us had 1/2 of what we needed to complete the task. What I didn't realize until I walked outside to get something out of her car was that IT WAS BEAUTIFUL YESTERDAY! Warmth and sunshine. Ahh...stress and snot be gone!

While Jared and mom took turns wiping snot I ran upstairs and showered, got dressed in capri pants and FLIP FLOPS!!! Jared and I both hate shoes so we don't often wear them in the house but yesterday, just out of the shower and still in a towel, I went to the closet and put on my flip flops because I was so excited! (It's the little things people!) I clearly remember thinking, "my feet are SO not ready for this but I do NOT care". I got out for a real lunch, a quick trip to the store and ICE CREAM at Bruster's because it was so pretty outside. All wearing my flip flops with...gasp, I confess, nasty, gross feet. I wiggled my toes the entire time thinking how this was another lesson in why I should never say never and should not judge people.

It was wonderful. Mom and I got done what we needed to, I got sunshine, ice cream and Matney got her Valentines present from Grandma. She now has a wonderful spring wardrobe that will fit her um, how do I say this nicely, "big girl" belly and thighs. Ahh...stress and snot be gone! THANKS GRANDMA!!!! I will wash a big load of clothes today just in time for sunshine. Now, Matney and I need to make sure there are matching bows for all her new clothes. As soon as she is better we're ready to go!

Now girls...I confess I broke the rules and it was gross. I promise to be a better foot scrubber in the shower and am willing to sacrifce some time to get our toes done anytime you need to go. And I promise to teach my daughter better. So, will you still be my friend???

SICK. NASTY puppy. MIRACLE.

Welcome to the sick house. I will spare you the snot covered, nasty pictures (Actually, I haven't taken any so there are none to show. These are a couple weeks old, be glad!). I started wondering on Tuesday if Matney was getting sick and by Tuesday at 10pm it was obvious things were headed downhill. Miss M just has a cold, which isn't horrible, but she is miserable. Snotty nose (face), red eyes, cough, fever...poor baby. Tuesday night I maybe got 3 hours of sleep all broken into 20 minute intervals. She can't breathe unless she's upright so we'd rock in her rocking chair and eventually, when she'd get really asleep, I'd put her in her crib. She'd make it maybe 30 minutes before she couldn't breathe and we'd land back in the chair. I am tired! Wednesday I don't think she was out of my arms for more than 20 minutes total. It has been a while since I went to the bathroom holding a baby...I don't miss it!

We had all sorts of fun plans for this week...a princess birthday party, a trip to the aquarium, etc and all of that has been rescheduled. Of course! And, so sorry to my mom, if you thought that puppy she is so attached to was nasty before you should see him now. SNOT COVERED. She has had him in her arms nonstop since Tuesday and rubs him all over her snot covered face. I've tried taking him away but it isn't worth the screaming...which makes the snot flow faster! He's gross. I don't know that I'd take him back now even if she offered...and that says A LOT!!!

It is 8:30 and she is eating cheerios in my lap while I type. We have been up since 5:30am and are about to head upstairs and see if she'll nap in the chair again. I wonder who will be spoiled rotten when this is all over?

As I've spent hours with her all cuddled up this week I've been more than aware of how blessed we've been to have such a healthy baby. A year ago Miss Matney wasn't even born and now here she is...from 2 tiny cells to a living, breathing person. Incredible. If we make it to 12 months with only 2 colds for the year it will be a miracle. Not a "that's a miracle" said sarcastically but an honest to goodness miracle. There is a book by Phillip Yancy (and maybe someone else) called Fearfully and Wonderfully Made. It goes through all the systems of the human body and details how the all work. Miracles. How incredible is God? That all our billions of cells know just how to form organs, make those organs work and sustain life...healthy life. Miracle.

Our new baby girl Heald has been busy the past couple days kicking her big sister as we rock. She really isn't a fan of Matney laying on my belly and squishing her space. We can only pray she will be as healthy as her big sister. What incredible miracles. We are a headed upstairs to nap in our rocking chair...and spend time being thankful for our two colds.

Hello!

Hi from Miss Matney! Here she is on her lion. He is one of her most favorite toys.

We've been having fun here at the Heald house and M is growing like a weed. I have given up on her being able to wear any of her 12 month warm clothes and have moved her into the 18 month spring clothes even though it is 30 something degrees. Her belly and thigh region is just a little chunky! I just add tights and a sweater and off we go! Nice, huh?

Sunday night we had a Superbowl Party here with friends and as Matney was passed around I know I saw her eat cheese sticks, chicken wings, chicken fingers and spinach dip. Who knows what else she had...probably an entire piece of pizza when I wasn't looking! Yesterday at playgroup she enjoyed veggie lasagna off my plate. I think it was her first taste of broccoli and she seemed to like it. I assure you she got NO broccoli when she was in my belly. I'd rather eat snails! Eating "big people food" is a new thing in the couple days. She used to just spit it out but since this weekend she seems more willing to try things.

I can't keep up with all that she is learning. When we read her books she can find the cat, duck, frog, etc and loves the praise she gets when she points to what we ask. Her favorite word right now is DUCK. Everything is duck and it is super cute. She also learned "kisses" over the weekend. When we say "Matney kisses" she presses her little lips together and leans in to give you a smooch. I have been the lucky recipient of a couple open mouth, drool kisses and, as sweet as it is, they are pretty nasty!

Jared and I are doing well...because I know that you care! J is really busy with a couple things at work. We're working on keeping M up a little later at night. This way he's been able to still see her when he gets home. She is still sleeping through the night. WHOO HOO! I don't know what finally changed but she did it one night a couple weeks ago and we're still going. I may end up in there once a night but she is easy to get back asleep so I don't mind at all. New baby girl Heald is doing fine also. She still doesn't have a name though. She is growing, my belly is growing a lot all of a sudden! I saw the dr. and at 24 weeks still haven't gained any weight which is hard to believe if you've seen my tummy. I think it is all the crawling I do chasing M around! He said he wasn't concerned at all and that the baby sounds great. May 23rd will be here before we know it!