As one stage ends another begins..

I have thought about how many people are at different stages in their lives lately.  Many have children that are leaving for college.  Many have children that are entering kindergarten, middle school, or high school.  Some are getting married and yet some are getting divorced. Our stage is three fold--we have a new life in our family and yet we have easy transitions of first grade and third grade.  Not much going on in the Thornton's house--but we get to get used to our new normal.

I stayed awake last night thinking about my sweet friend who has a big transition ahead of her.  Her oldest is boarding at  his high school.  Although its not far away from home, he is still spending the night away every night.  She is typically the ROCK for all of us.  The one we go to for advice, for help, and for a glass of wine.  She is taking on this transition of course with a solid outlook--no doom no gloom.  However, her comment the other night struck me and brought tears to my eyes.  She said, "I am not upset, but I know he will never live back at home."

I have thought about this for days.  How much time do we have with our children?  It goes by so fast --in a blink of an eye one month has gone by and Chambers is already sort of smiling.  Eight years have gone by and Gram is wearing 10/12 underwear!  Six years has gone by and Eliza is locking her doors and listening to 99.5--and singing all the words!

My point of this blog is not to wish away the summer days--although an extended school start has made me wonder! However, embrace all the time that we have with our precious children.  Fill their suitcases with wonderful memories to take away with them.  Because if my calculations are correct, I only have 10 years until my first one packs up and takes his with him.  If those 10 years go by as fast as these last eight..it will be done before I know it!

Gram the dinosaur

Eliza the model

Gram at eight

Eliza at six

Happy Birthday

Chambers at one month

Coming home take one...

We walked into the NICU and were told that we were coming home the next day.  Filled with emotions we decided the kids would stay with friends and Ingram and I would sleep up in a family room at St. Vincent's.  All was good.  We cozied into the room--were told directions of our perfect baby and had an excellent night.  Temperature perfect, eating perfect, diapers perfect (well diapers diapers).

We discharge from the hospital following every direction that the nurse gives us.  When to give medicine, when to feed, how to swaddle, what signs to look for as we go home.  We have this--we are the parents of three children--we have done this before.

Eliza's first meeting

LOVE

More LOVE

Is this how I hold her?

Gram telling her he loves her

The children had not a clue that their little sister was coming home.  To see their faces was priceless.  I cannot tell you how special it was to witness immediate LOVE.  I captured a few pictures, I cried a few times, and I felt a bit nervous as they got a little to close.

But as the day goes on the temperature goes down. As you can see in these pictures her coloring looks a bit off.  Is it the bilirubin? Is it her heart? Is it her temperature?  Well we call and they tell us to come back in to the hospital.  We readmit and she spends the night.

Our hope is for her to maintain the 97.9-98.6 for 24 hours.  We have raised the temperature in our house.  We now really know how to swaddle.  For our kids, its not going to be so much fun to watch her do three things: sleep, eat, and poop. But for us, it will be reassuring to keep her bundled and keep her well.

I have said this many times--give me three months and a heart surgery and I will be more relaxed!!  Get her fixed--a true blessing from God.  Lets hope take two tomorrow goes well!!

sweetest angel

mailbox bow

My sweet neighbor decorated for us

Butterfly kisses

Old normal to new normal...

Ok I should have been keeping up with this over the last few months, but I wanted to really focus on Eliza, Gram, Ingram, and our old normal.  We were induced to have Chambers on July 12, 2012.  She came into the world at 5:47 pm after 10 or so hours of boring not too eventful labor.  Four hours after she was born the took her off to NICU for testing and then admitted her and there she stayed.  She is still there but we are on the home stretch of this little angel coming home.

I should have posted her updates here instead of Facebook, but I honestly did not think about it.  So I am going to try to create a diary of sorts to log the past few days...

7/12/2012

Welcome to the Mary Chambers Thornton!! 6 lbs 14oz 5:47 pm 19.5 inches long!!


7/13/2012


Sweet baby girl will spend the night in nicu..she is breathing fast and has to be fed by iv...please pray that this will only last one night!!


7/14/2012


Leaving this sweet baby girl today might breathe hardest thing I have done.
"I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13.


7/15/2012


Ok update as of 3 am last night: gained back 5 oz. Off of oxygen-- Eating from her tube with no residual left! Only one spike in breathing at 64 cpm--staying under 60 is great! All tests have come back normal--except ecg--please pray for Chambers' heart!


7/15/2012


Breathing soooo much better!! We are eating from a bottle--she ate 2 oz in like 10 minutes--the girl LOVES to eat!! An awesome sign that we have NO feeding problems as of now!! Bilirubin numbers at 11.8--need those down--pray pray pray!! Things are looking better--taking one day at a time!


7/16/2012


I know you are probably sick of updates but....40 cc (1.35 fl oz) bottle 8 times a day..bilirubin is down a bit but still running tests for proper liver function..breathing is better a few spikes--but nothing major..IV still in but not giving fluids!!! Hoping she can get what she needs from being bottle fed!! Waiting on gastro doctor to read her abdominal ultrasound and cardiologist to contact about partial av canal defect or asd--not sure which-- we have been told both one prenatally and one post--but either way- could be the cause of some breathing issues--all is good right now!


7/16/2012


Up to 45 or 50 cc of formula-I can't remember--wanted more--girl can really eat-bilirubin levels are continuing to lower--slowly but they are going down--one more feeding tonight and IV does get removed! Still waiting on gastro consult and tests to come back ruling out any abnormal liver function or viruses. Breathing is almost where it needs to be!!! Heart is a partial AV canal defect but if you are going to have a heart defect this is the one to have--easy fix! Waiting on cardiologist consult as well!! On the home stretch for little bit!! Thank you for all your continued prayers--they are amazing!! You all are amazing!


7/17/2012


Just left St. Vincents--was able to hold sweet MC for almost 20 minutes--ahhhh...gastro called and they are running a lot of tests today to rule out any rare findings associated with liver function and bile acid reduction--apparently they have a 0.0% chance of coming back abnormal--but they still need to run them--but starting her on medicine today to reduce this bile acid and help her a long a bit--she is probably just taking a lot longer to get rid of the yucky stuff than others. So they have to put her IV back in but for blood tests and medicine administering--not for feeding. Its just a wait and see now--the tests will NOT keep her there--so that is a good thing--oh she gained weight and is now bigger than birth weight--6 lbs 15 oz---whoo hoo!!


7/17/2012


No more lights---bilirubin is being helped along by meds--all tests that came back completely normal. As we left her she was wrapped up like a burrito!! Two days of eating normally and maintaining her own temperature and we are home free! Follow with gastro to check bilirubin numbers and follow up with cardiologist to set a plan and a goal for her AV canal defect--hopefully next week and they can ease our minds!! But things are looking great


7/18/2012


SImple update--those are the best--in a crib when we went in last night!! Such a big step. Swaddled and cozy. Getting antibiotics, probiotics, and bilirubin meds--just bilirubin meds through IV. Momma was able to feed her and then supplement--a big step--they project two days of eating normally--as much as she will eat no limits now--and keeping her temperature normal--and then we stay up one night--and hopefully she is home free! UP to 6 lbs 15.6 oz--almost 7 lbs--wow!!


So looking back at all these updates--it honestly felt like forever, but in looking back her progress has been amazing!  


Our three a day visits could not have been done without the help of so many wonderful people.  The progress could not have been acquired without so many wonderful doctors and nurses.  The prayers have been felt and I am amazed and feel truly lucky to live in the community that we live. People are just amazing souls.  I feel that every person that we know has given us so much encouragement and love that God is truly watching.  He is and must be so happy with what people CAN do and WILL do.  We are truly humbled and are forever grateful for all those who have supported us.


The road to going home is in the distance and we can see it for sure.  I cannot wait for Eliza and Gram to get to finally meet their little sister.  I can't wait for all the kind and love people to meet Vestavia's new local celebrity.  She has NO idea how much she is loved, but I already can't imagine life without this perfect angel!!

Baseball, softball, and other things I have grown to LOVE!

I never thought I would become one of those moms! However, I have come to love baseball so much this season.  We have such an awesome team of parents, children, and coaches.  It doesn't hurt that your team is #1..we have only been beat by one team.  It truly makes for an incredible season and for incredible passion for the game.  This is only eight year old baseball..but in Vestavia...there is nothing like it!

I see the passion in the players.  The tears when a batting streak goes bad.  The cheering from the dugout when we are one run behind.  The anticipation of each player as the call goes good or bad!  I see the dedication in coaches.  The encouraging words to get them motivated to hit it hard.  The intensity of each base coach as the players round the bases to score a run.  The direction toward each child to be "baseball ready".  I see the excitement in the parents.  The nail bitting as there are two outs and your child is up to bat.  The need for your child to score that winning run.  The fear that your child is not "baseball ready".

It has all brought me into LOVING the game. I don't understand much about it..and have to listen to hear the rules.  However, this season has been so much of a learning experience.  I have learned that we have a really awesome group of parents.  We are fair and support our sons and the sons of others.  We are competitive but with passion not with need.  If that makes sense. The group is awesome--and I am so glad that I have gotten to know these wonderful people.

The children are incredible as well.  These are boys that I strive for my son to be exposed to at all times.  They listen, they are respectful, and they are encouraging!  This has to be one of the best seasons of baseball that we have had.

My little catcher

Jay Faulkner hitting it hard

Jack Poole run like the wind

Slugger Joseph Brown

Coach Scott getting them focused

Shaking hands on a win!

Softball is a new experience for me.  I never thought Eliza would LOVE it as much as she did!!  Even though we only tied once--and lost the rest--she could not have cared less.  She really learned a lot with skills and following directions.  I am super proud of her growth as a team player during this amazing sport.  I only wish we could have evaluated for All Stars--our summer is going to be busy-and there is not telling when baby sister will get her--so All Stars for both will be put on hold!

She is ready

Having a good time!

A strike but she has more to go!

Hopefully about to hit!

Eliza in action!

Both of my kids chose to be #9...their dad's number when he was little.  They also claim that number to Drew Brees!!

Being cautious....

Gram gets a whole post today.  What I must do for one child I must do for the other.  He is my first born.  He is the essence of the first born child.  Cautious, careful, full of fear, afraid he will get in trouble for anything.  Our personalities are way too similar.  I see so much of me in him---probably why we butt heads all the time.

The qualities in him that I do see are amazing.  He gets it naturally, but I do want him to go beyond the fears and experience life.  He is a creative child--when he wants to be.  He is a sports driven child--when he wants to be. He is willing to try many things--when he wants to try.  I want him to go beyond my personalities and live.

I know he will come into his own--and honestly already has developing personality traits that are unlike mine.  He has so much living to do to find what fits for him.  Boys are so much different than girls--they grow differently, develop differently, feel differently, and think differently.  To have one is to see why our husbands behave like they do--and why they are always boys.

To look at old pictures of Gram is to see his personality coming through.  I enjoy watching him change everyday.  I like to see new sides of him that I didn't know existed.  I am interested to see where he will be in 10 years--when I send him off to college.  Right now he is planning on going to UAB or Samford so he can live with mommy and daddy--and I love that!  But in a few years--who knows. I can embrace the fact that he wants to be close to us now--and love the fact that he still wants to snuggle.  The fact that in his autobiography at school his prize possession was his "boppy" (the thing he sleeps with) brings comfort to my heart.

He is my first born--he will always be my comfort and my security.  Full of fear or not I just want him to love what he does and have the passion for what ever road he chooses to take.

Just a few pictures to show Gram in his element--what he LOVES to do!!

Love of baseball..he is number 9--I used this one before but it shows so much passion!!

Love of dinosaurs started early..

at the zoo

hamming it up before school

love of sister

fearful of the birds

love of the beach

again..love of sister

love of the superhero.

love of the outdoors and the beach..

love of the hula hoop

hamming it up at 4k graduation

love of fishing..

love of Pluto???

loves to dance...the worm

loves his friends

Being Brave...

So tonight I decided to be brave.  We tell our kids to be brave all the time.  I catch myself telling my son all the time, "Just go into the bathroom and turn on the lights yourself!"  Being the first child I think he remains cautious at about most everything.  He hesitates in baseball--making sure he does the right thing.  He hesitates in timed math tests--thinking everything through.  He and I need to go on a retreat hosted by my daughter and my husband.

She is really brave and has NO fear.  That is where I should become more like her--be brave or fearless.  She really shows great signs of having no fear.  She doesn't have fear when she gets dressed.  She shows no fear when approaching people.  Her everyday behavior is amazing--she knows she will succeed and is very confident.

So today and it has taken me many days to do this...I am going to be brave.  I know that putting myself out there may not seem brave to anyone else, but to me it is.  It is a moment I am sharing with friends and family what our future holds.  I however really don't know what our future will hold...heck no one really does.  However, we do know that we will have challenges. We have 11 weeks to enjoy our party of four and after that our new little growing family will be upon us.

We will have sleepless nights, late night feedings, and lots and lots of diapers.  I hope I remember how to change a diaper.  We also will have each other.  I am sure the definition of BRAVE has not even enter my dictionary.  Things are going to be different, but they are with any new addition to your family.

I am looking for the next several weeks as a time to embrace what we have and the weeks after to embrace what will be given to us!  So for the next several weeks--I vow to take on the braveness of Eliza and wear what I want to wear--well what will fit--be who I want to be --and live as though I want to live.

Thanks for Eliza bringing braveness into my vocabulary!!

Eliza will try any food

Eliza will wear anything

Eliza will interrupt a man to give him a kiss

Eliza is not scared to be silly

Eliza is strong like a superhero!

Eliza is not scared to cheer for another team!

Eliza is not scared to get in well water!

Happy anytime

Not afraid to upstage her brother

Taking a leap of faith

On the top of the world!