April is almost here :)

I am excited tomorrow is April 1st. March is still winter in my mind but April is hello Spring time! I am really looking forward to going to the Amish with my family...this is the 7th year we have gone so it's become quite the tradition over Easter weekend and it's so relaxing there and they have this really good market with all these homemade foods and jams....a really nice deli....and the biggest ice cream cones you've ever seen. Well, last year we discovered these wonderful, heavenly things called Chicken Teriyaki Wraps....oh my Lord are they good! I plan on eating at least 5 of them and being pregnant is only making me crave them that much more! I wish there was a way I could get a bunch of them and freeze them but they just would not be the same.

Once we get down there (Ohio) we all go to Texas Roadhouse for Easter Dinner and it's soo good! They have this cinnamon butter that is to die for and really good chicken tenders....mmm, Easter Sunday could not come soon enough!

I'll be 31 weeks tomorrow....only 9 weeks or less left, can't believe how soon our sweet girl Bertha will be here. I pray she comes on or after May 29th....my midwife gets back in town on the 28th and I would so love for her to be there for the delivery so I'm praying and asking God for it. I would actually love for this baby to be born in June....just because I've always wanted a June baby....but if it's the end of May I will be ok with that. Her newborn clothes, bibs, washcloths and bedding are all washed and ready to go so I'm glad that stuff is done and organized.

My dear mommy will be coming to take care of Ethan while Jeremy and I are at the hospital having the baby so I'm glad she is able to do that for us. Hopefully I don't call her at midnight like I did with Ethan that I was in labor, would be nice if it was in the morning or something...but that's out of my control, the baby will come when she's ready!

I am really looking forward to it just being me and Jeremy at the hospital this time. While I loved all the love and support of family when I was in labor with Ethan I felt a lot of pressure after he finally got here to let the grandparents come in right away to meet him since they were all waiting so long. I didn't have those "first moments" with him because I wasn't about to tell everyone he's here but you can't come see him for a few hours after waiting in the lobby for hours. So, this time it will be nice for it to just be Jeremy and I there, spend the first few hours alone with her after she arrives and when I feel ready for visitors and feel more refreshed and not so out of it I will call everyone and let them come meet her. Don't worry Grandma Petke and Grandma Harrison, we will be sure and call you both soon after she's here....but don't grab your car keys quite yet....it may still be a few hours before we have anyone come up.

Ethan is good, he's much happier today and his teeth don't seem to be bothering him today so that's always a good day! He was up the night before with me for a few hours so it was nice to get a good night's rest last night, it makes such a difference for all of us.

Well, it's naptime for Ethan and I need to start my spaghetti sauce....having my sister over for dinner tonight for a spaghetti dinner, salad and garlic bread....it doesn't get much better than that :)

Hope everyone is having a good week so far and thanks for reading! :) I posted a picture of Ethan at the Amish last Easter....he was a wee 6 weeks old :) So precious.

30 weeks already!

I am 30 weeks pregnant today and I can't believe I only have 10 weeks or less before this little girl arrives. I am so ready to meet her, she's going to be so beautiful.

Well, Jeremy has been sick with a bad head cold/sore throat the past 5 days or so.....and now I have it :( I started feeling sick yesterday when we were out watching a high school basketball game and have a bad sore throat. If you know me you know how badly I despise sore throats, I always get them really bad for some reason...and there's really nothing you can do for a sore throat other than take tylenol to hope it relieves the pain a little. I don't get sick often and I usually don't catch things when Jer is sick but he's been blowing his nose for 5 days, sneezing a lot....it was inevitable I suppose. Jer stayed home from work yesterday and he's home again today, this cold is just dragging out...ugh....not excited about it. I'm praying Ethan doesn't get it, I've never been sick and had a sick baby so I can only imagine how fun that would be. So, praying our little guy stays healthy while mom and dad fight this thing.

I was supposed to have my baby appt. on Thursday but since Jer was home yesterday I called to see if I could get in yesterday instead because it's so much easier for me to not bring Ethan along. They were able to get me in so that was great. It was a pretty quick appt. All is well with the baby, strong heartbeat and nothing new really to report. I did ask my midwife for that prescription for the pelvic harness as I'm still having a lot of pelvic pain and I can barely walk and get out of bed at times without being in a lot of pain. It is very normal she said but nonetheless no fun and very uncomfortable. So, I gotta go to some medical place by the hospital today to get a pelvic harness....at least that's my hope....since Jer is home once again....would be easier to do without E.

I gotta go back to the lab on Monday to do another urine culture to see if the antibotics I was on took care of the E-Coli that was in my urine. I am hoping it did because 2 yogurts a day for 10 days gets really old! If not, she said I will go on another round of antibotics. I'm praying that is not the case.

Nothing too new to report with Ethan. He is a lot of fun, growing up so much and loves loves music and dancing to music. There is also this new show on tv I found that he just loves. It's the only show he actually watches, they dance and do other things but it is his favorite forsure. I love that he gives kisses to us so freely as I know in just a few years those moments will be long gone, haha! He's precious and I love that he is half me and half Jer, he's just the sweetest thing!

Alright, I need to get myself some tylenol....and give Ethan his bottle. Hope everyone is well and blessed!

~ Keri

11 weeks left!

I will be 29 weeks tomorrow and can't believe I will only have 11 weeks or less before we have a baby girl. This pregnancy is flying by! She is going to come out fighting I think...she is so active, kicks and moves all the time during the night and day, she just may be a little fiesty red headed child, Lord prepare me now if so ;) I am getting more and more excited to meet her and to see Ethan with a little sister. It's weird to think just a couple more months of it being the 3 of us and then we will be a family of four!

Our sweet boy is doing good. He's 13 months now and growing everyday, learning new things, and just becoming more and more like a big kid to me. He absolutely LOVES to be outside and has the biggest smile when we take him for walks and let him play. He's a little unsure of the grass though and prefers to stay on solid ground, the cement :) He screams and cries when we have to bring him in from being outside...will make for an interesting summer...fun to take him out but not so fun when he has to come in!

I wanted to wish my father in law a very happy birthday! His birthday was yesterday. Hope you guys had a nice and relaxing vacation up north :)

Well, I need to hop in the shower so that's all for now. It is supposed to be 67 today and I am SO excited. Yea for Spring time!

Love,
Keri & Baby "B"

28 Week Baby Appt.

Well, I just got home from my appt. with my midwife, a couple things to report!

First off, my glucose test came back good so that was great news. No gestational diabetes for me which I'm thankful for. It's common to get it during pregnancy and I was hoping I didn't have it as your diet completely changes and a lot of times you have to poke yourself with a needle everyday, not fun! So, good news on that.

I was a little anemic at this time when I was pregnant with Ethan and so I took iron pills everyday with E. I was just about to ask her about it this time and before I did she said my blood work did show my iron was low but that I'm not anemic at this point. It was 12.9 last time I was in, was 11.2 now and 10.5 or lower is considered anemic. She said it did drop significantly but she doesn't want me on iron at this point if I don't need it since I'm not anemic at this point but she just said to eat more foods with iron and also to take a B Complex vitamin everyday along with my pre-natal vitamin and that should help and most likely take care of that.

They also did a urine culture when they took my blood at the lab and I have E-Coli in my urine so she does have to treat it. She said that everyone has E-Coli in their bodies and that some women do get it in their urine while pregnant and if so then it needs to be treated. I asked why you get it or if it's the way you eat or something that causes it and she said no and that it's just one of those things that can occur while pregnant. So, I have to take a pill twice a day for 10 days called Macrobid (it's an antibotic). I haven't been on an antibotic since I was a kid. She gave me the prescription for it. I have to drink a lot of water when taking it and because it's fighting the bad bacteria it causes me to need more bacteria.....so, I have to eat 2 yogurts a day to build up more good bacteria. It's important for me to drink the water and eat the yogurts because otherwise it can cause a yeast infection so I'm going to do my best to avoid that. I was glad she said yogurt because I like yogurt. So, nothing major really...just a few little things to do.

I start going every 2 weeks now, I can't believe I'm already at that stage. I'm in my 3rd trimester now. So yeah, I go every 2 weeks until I'm 36 weeks and then I go once a week. So, that's the latest with the baby....I didn't even catch the baby's heartbeat count, she never told me we were too busy talking....but it was loud and strong that's forsure.

That's all for now folks!

Keri

Ethan dancing to Napoleon Dynamite...

A Rainy Saturday

It's been awhile since we've had a rainy Saturday. Although I prefer a sunny Saturday I would rather have rain then snow and this only means Spring is not far away so that is exciting!

I took Ethan to the doctor's yesterday even though his rash was almost gone. I wanted to still talk with the doctor about everything and see what his thoughts were about the itchy rash, etc. He doesn't think it's a food allergy because if it was a food allergy it wouldn't be on his bottom only which makes sense. We went over everything it could be and we didn't really come to a conclusion. Ethan's been on a few different cremes so the doctor said let's just go back to using the one I prescribed originally (we apply it just twice a day) and then in between cake on the Aquaphor which is very similar to vaseline. He wasn't quite sure what was causing these itching episodes.

His bottom seems to be getting better and I'm praying it continues to get better and that this rash thing is over with. Ethan's never had a diaper rash until this whole Rotovirus thing developed and maybe this itchy rash was just an after effect or something to the Rotovirus, who knows....it remains a mystery.

So, I'm going to keep applying the creme twice a day, Aquaphor in between for another 3-4 days until it seems it's gone completely and not coming back! The doc said also after bath time to make sure we dry his bottom real good, put a little bit of baby powder on to help dry it out, let him run around for a few minutes with no diaper on (which we've been doing everyday anyways for the past week) and hopefully it doesn't happen again. If it does he said he would like to see what it looks like and to bring him in and that I could give him a fourth tsp. of Benedryl to help with the itching. So, I'm hoping he's done with this rash now.

We were still up in the night with him. He slept until 4am but then woke up crying. We let him cry for a good 20-25 minutes and he wasn't letting up so I went and got him. I rocked him and held him for a good 30 minutes, laid him back in his crib and of course he woke up crying instantly. Little stinker. I then decided to just let him cry it out. He cried for another 20 minutes and then fell asleep. Slept for maybe an hour, then woke up again crying....cried for maybe 5 minutes, then back to sleep. The night was a blur for Jer and I but I'm hoping letting him cry it out those few times last night will get him back into his normal sleeping routine this week. I knew he didn't have the rash anymore so I figured it was time to let him cry it out....and it really didn't seem like he was in pain, it was more of him wanting me. Any time he gets sick it always messes up his sleep because he gets used to having mommy visits in the night hours so I think he adjusts and expects it....so now it's just getting him back in that routine and I think he'll get it down in the next couple nights.

The three of us didn't wake up until 9:45 this morning...I was still out cold but Jer woke up and went to check on Ethan and Jer said he walked in and just saw his little bald head sitting up in the crib being quiet. Who knows how long he was awake, lol....I'm thinking maybe just 15 minutes...usually he will start talking in the morning or crying so I don't think he was sitting there long. So, our schedule was a little off last night/this morning just due to the crazy night but I'm just so glad his rash seems to be getting better and staying better.

We have just been hanging out this morning in our pj's having some family time on this rainy day. I think we are going to go get some yummy Chinese food later tonight at a new place we found that we love in Howell. It's a good 30 minutes or so away but hey it's a rainy day, nothing better to do :)

I looked in Ethan's mouth this morning to see how his molar was doing....it's coming in more and more....I then looked on the other upper side of his mouth and sure enough in comes another molar!! It's just starting to come through but man this kid is going to have a full set of teeth by 15 months at this rate :) He hasn't been real fussy though so he's handling the molar thing pretty good....at least the past couple days. I just checked his mouth 2 days ago and the 2nd molar wasn't through at all....so, that may have been part of the reason he was crying a bit last night....but he sounded more tired than anything and it really didn't take him too long to fall back asleep.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend, I know I sure am! Thanks for reading.

Keri

Itching, Itching & Itching...

Well, Ethan's bottom seemed to be getting better, I've been applying Desitin and Vaseline on at each diaper change and it was finally starting to look normal again.

Yesterday when I changed him around 5:00 it was suddenly really bad again. His bottom was all red and bumpy and just a bad rash, an itchy rash. Of course I would rather him be itching then crying in pain but it's just so strange and I can't quite figure out what's causing it. I am now led to believe he must be having an allergic reaction to something...I just wish I knew what it was.

I have not changed the brand of diapers or wipes I've been using. He did start on whole milk (just a couple ounces in his bottles) on Monday however his first itching rash attack was this past Saturday, so I'm thinking it's not the whole milk. He really isn't eating any new foods, he's still eating level 2 baby food for the most part and he still chokes on most of the level 3's. I'm not sure if they can suddenly develop a food allergy that he didn't have before? One of his diaper changes yesterday I didn't have the Desitin/Vaseline next to me so I put on another generic creme I have called Butt Paste. It's just a creme to keep their bottom soft and free from rash. I noticed when I changed his diaper after I applied it is when his bottom was broken out in a rash. So, I figured that was probably it as I don't really use Butt Paste much at all...but I think I used it earlier in the day yesterday too and he didn't have a break out...unless it takes time to set in or something. I know I've used it a couple times over his life and there was no rash from it.

Nothing is making sense to me. It gets better for a day or so it seems and is almost gone and then suddenly it's really bad again and causes him to itch like crazy. I was up with him last night for hours because he couldn't sleep because it was itching him so bad. I tried putting some of the hydrocortisone creme the doc prescribed for him a week or so ago on it last night thinking maybe that would stop the itching but it didn't seem to help. I was just laying there praying and asking God to help stop the itching so he could get some rest. He would sleep for a couple hours and then be up for an hour itching and so on.

I am waiting to hear back from the doctor. I want to see if he has any ideas for me or has a different creme he can prescribe that would stop the itching if/when it happens again. I have Ethan running around nude right now so his bottom can air out but I'm not sure if it's helping because he just keeps itching it.

It's so hard when you don't know why something is happening and nothing really makes sense to me what it could be. I've been so tired of course too because I haven't slept good in 2 weeks with the Rotovirus and now these itching rash attacks. I'm telling ya, everytime he gets sick with something his sleeping schedule gets totally messed up.

Anyhow, so I don't know...he's been on so many different cremes the past 2 weeks for his bottom and none of them seem to be really taking care of it. I'm just praying God will give me an answer as to what is causing this so we can stop giving him whatever it is. Of course I won't put on anymore Butt Paste but I'm not confident that was the problem since he is still itching today and I haven't applied Butt Paste since yesterday around 2 or something. I did give him a warm bath last night hoping that would help clear it up but it really didn't.

I am using different laundry detergent now...not using the Baby All I was using for his clothes but it can't be that because that wouldn't touch his bottom....the rest of his body is fine. It either has to be one of the cremes or a food he is eating that he's suddenly allergic too. Kinda strange.

During the hard days/nights of being a mom I always remind myself that this time will pass...and it really helps me get through the rough days. I'm thankful as the Rotovirus definitely is gone so at least his bottom isn't burning and he's not in pain, just gotta figure this itching thing out. Maybe the doctor will have the answer, we'll see.

Ker

This is the day that the Lord has made

"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalms 118:24

I felt God put this song in my heart today because He knew I needed it. I was up in the night with Ethan from 1:30-4:00 and I was feeling so frustrated during the night. He's been waking up again in the night crying but once I go get him he stops crying and he is fine and goes to sleep on my shoulder. I wait 20 minutes and lay him back in his crib and he starts to cry again. Just like the old days. The last few nights I've ended up sleeping with him again in the spare bed because I try to get him back in his crib for hours with no success and I myself am exhausted by this point and give in so I can sleep. I felt so frustrated last night because I didn't feel like he was in pain but rather just wanted me and I don't want him to get in the habit again of crying for me in the night, he was sleeping through for months so well.

Our thought is he may be teething and maybe for him comfort is just me holding him and being with him. I'm hoping this is the case and he's not just getting into a habit of waking in the night hours again because we've been so past that stage for awhile now. His one molar is still coming through so we are hoping that's it, he normally doesn't wake up crying in the night for no reason but it's been a little strange to me that he immediately stops crying once I hold him. Again, it could just be he's teething and the comfort of mom helps.

I don't like posting stuff like this because I am not looking for someone to feel bad for me or to start getting emails saying, "How are you sleeping, etc" or for someone to give their opinion of what they think is going on, etc. It's not a big deal and we will get through it and figure it out...just part of being a mommy...but the reason I am blogging about it is because I just felt so loved by God this morning.

After a night of not sleeping for me and feeling a little frustrated about it I woke up singing "This is the day" which I have not heard recently or sung in a very long time. I then realized the words I was singing and thought, "Yes God, thank you for this day. You made it, and I'm going to rejoice."

I just love how God cares about the details of our lives and how he renews our strength each day. He gives us strength when we don't have it and gives us what we need each day to make it through ya know? This is just a little thing and again I was debating even blogging about it because I am not complaining and people have real issues going on in their lives but I wanted to share just because God blessed me with that song this morning after having a few nights of not much sleep and frustration.

I'm sure he's just teething....he has been extra clingy the past few days and has wanted us to always be holding him so hopefully tonight with some orajel and motrin before bed he will get some good rest. If not, God will give me the strength to get up with him during the night again until his teeth are popped through :)

We didn't end up going to our birthing class last night. I wasn't feeling well yesterday (just a stomach issue I get here and there) so I decided to cancel it. I don't think we'll reschedule. The main reason I was doing it was just to get a tour of the L&D floor but we've been there once visiting some friends when their baby was born so I'm not too worried about it. I definitely don't need the breathing and relaxation techniques again which was the majority of the class. I just went through that and they didn't help for me anyways. Breathing does not help when you are dying ;)

I was supposed to have my dr's appt. today for the baby but my midwife is at the hospital all afternoon delivering a little miracle so it got rescheduled for next week, no big deal.

I encourage everyone to rejoice today because the Lord made this day and how beautiful that is!

Loved,
Keri

Happy March!

I must say I am quite excited that March is finally here. I love March because that means that April follows and April means Spring and the beginning of no white stuff on the ground and this I love :)

Saturday was a bit of a long night for us. After a fun filled day Ethan was up in the night from 2am-5am with ants in his pants :) We aren't really sure what was going on but he kept having these itching episodes which eventually led him to being awake and playing for 2 hours. Yawn. Needless to say he slept through last night and it was much needed for all 3 of us. I think he is finally over this Rotovirus thing and is starting to get back to his normal & happy self. Praise God!

Tonight is Women's Ministry at church and it is always soo good. It's just once a month so I always look forward to worshipping with the ladies and hearing the Word and just whatever God has in store for us that night. It's at 7:00 tonight at the church for any of you ladies out there who want to come :)

Tomorrow I go to get my Glucose test done and my blood drawn. This is normal procedure at this stage of pregnancy and the purpose is to check for gestational diabetes. It is common for women to develop this during pregnancy and if you do have it you have to change your diet until the baby is born. I didn't have it with Ethan and praying I don't have it this time around either. I have this orange drink I have to drink tomorrow and then you have to get your blood drawn exactly an hour after drinking it. It really doesn't bother me all that much, the stuff you drink tastes like really sugary orange pop and getting my blood drawn doesn't bother me that much so it's all good :)

Wednesday night Jeremy and I are going to McLaren hospital to deliver this baby. Just kidding. We are going for our Childbirth re-cap class, it's just one night for 2 hours. Normally I wouldn't do this as I just had a baby and know what to expect but since I am delivering at a different hospital this time I thought it would be a good idea to get the tour, know where to go when it's time and so on. Thursday is my next doctor appt. with my midwife. So, lots of baby events this week, it's only getting closer and closer to this little sweet pea arriving!

Well, I am feeling a little sleepy and E just went down for his nap so I should probably take advantage of this time and get a little nap in myself.

I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the many blessings that God has given each of us. He is so faithful and so good to us!

Much love,
Keri