Talk, Talk, Talk....& 3 months

Be still my heart! 

  Daily I watch this little one grow grow grow.  Also, knowing that this will be my last week of summer, I hold back tears daily.  I know, I know.  I am truly blessed to be able to spend almost 4 months with this precious gift, but I believe that it's a bitter sweet moment just like many moms have.  I LOVE my job, yet I DO LOVE watching my little man learn new things. 

 A few things Jase has learned this month:

1. We are SO proud of this little one.  He has transitioned from the Haeberman bottle to the Pigeon nipple. YAY!  

(Haeberman bottle- basically force feeding your kid. NO FUN! You get lots of questions, funny looks, and that dreaded fear that you are going to choke the bejesus out of your kid)

 

He is now using  which is a pigeon nipple that goes on the regular medela bottles. AMAZING!  This nipple looks normal to anyone else's eyes, but it still has a valve where the milk can't back flow.  It also has a hard top and a soft bottom on it. This way all Jase has to do is basically bite down and the milk flows out. I am thanking God daily that he has finally figured this out.  I was dying over here feeding my kid like a bird.

2. His daddy has him laughing constantly. 

I love these boys!  

3. He is rolling over like nobodys business.  He started this when he was just a little over 2 months. I'm amazed daily at the things he does to watch T.V. 

P.S. I caught my dad propping him in front of the T.V. watching Madagascar the other day. Shame. Shame. 

 

(watching T.V. as he plays with his ball)

4. He now sleeps in his own crib. We put him to bed at 8p.m. asleep or awake and he's usually out within 5 minutes. THANK YOU JESUS!

 5.This boys loves to talk. 

A little background on this...

His momma is a talker.  God sure did give me the gift of gab.  This can be a GREAT gift in some situations, yet awful in others. 

 I am a teacher. Talking has to be a strong quality.(PLUS all this kid heard for 9 months was talk talk talk while I taught taught taught)

BUT... sometimes it's not all that great.

I married my husband 5 years ago after dating for 4. We are PERFECT for each other!  He calms me down (Pretty sure I was supposed to be diagnosed with ADHD) and I give him a little spunk. I talk talk talk and he listens listens listens ignores and says umm hmm.  He has finally admitted that he has learned to tune me out. LOL!  :-( The other night I asked him to do a few things and then ended it with, "Did you hear me?" He of course said, "Yes, hun!"  I then asked him what I had said.
Are you ready for this?
He replies with, "I love you??"

Good guess, but NOPE!  Oh boy....

I also find myself asking him quite often, "Do you think I talked too much? I think I talked too much. What do you think they thought about ______? I talked too much, didn't I?"

This conversation one person conversation happens quite often. I dread it when he takes me somewhere "different" or where I'm a little uncomfortable.
Example: The first time I met the entire crew at his fire station: (Mind you, he works at a large station with about 12 men.)

He introduces me to each one and of course I'm nervous. This is his 2nd family. They have heard everything about me. I'm SURE Corey has talked me up some. I have to be the perfect wife in front of them.
(HA!)

So of course, my gift kicks in. I talk, talk, talk.  After I left, I was so nervous that I had no idea what I had even talked about.  I'm sure I started 15 conversations and never ended a single one. I'm sure I told long winded stories without a climax or ending. I'm sure I embarrassed myself as well as Corey.  

Of course I did.  

The next morning Corey came home with a list of things saying, "I can't believe you said that." and "So and So thinks your hilarious." and "Kristina! Please don't ever mention ______again." 

Yep. I like to talk. 

I guess what I'm trying to get as is that there really isn't anything or anyone who can quiet my heart. I think think think. I over analyze each move someone makes or each word they say while they are speaking to me. Right then, my mind wanders 100 different directions and then BLAH...I start talking off subject or repeating myself. BUT, this little guy quiets my heart. I spend hours just watching him and praying. I thank God daily for such a perfect gift. I ask myself what I have done to receive such an innocent, perfect, and beautiful gift to raise the best I can to be a Godly man. Looking back, I don't know what life was really like before Jase. I was so empty without him, yet didn't know it. I can't imagine not waking up thinking about him, going to bed without thinking about him, waking up 10 times a night to go check on him, or loading up the truck to the roof just to go to Wal-Mart. :-)  I love this little guy and 3 months ago I KNEW God is a miracle maker and my Savior. I'm blessed.

the end.

Jase is 2 Months Old

Whoa!  Where has the time gone?  It was just yesterday that we were having to put padding in the bottom of his swing for him to fit and now he has about outgrown his swing. :-(  One sad momma.  

With all of the ups and downs that we've had the past two months, I think we now have the hang of this whole parenthood thing for now. LOL!  A few things we've learned about Jase:

1. He HATES to be swaddled during the day time.  You'll get this really girly high pitched scream if you try it.  (kinda funny)

2. He LOVES to be swaddled at night. We figured this out about week 2 and haven't looked back.  Keeping him in his swaddle at night makes for a good nights rest.

3. Our kid will not nap. Opossum? Yes!  He will fake you out for about 5 minutes and then open his eyes and smile at you. End result? Still a tired momma.

4. Acid reflux sucks!

5. Breast milk is amazing!  Formula...not so much.

6. He loves to watch T.V.  He has learned to scoot off of his mat and turn himself around to be able to see the T.V. 

7. He has learned how to throw fits. Yep! You turn the T.V. off or his "Johnny Cash" music off..he will scream. What this means for us? We have a very noisy house. 

8. He loves Gretchen. He will just laugh and grin at her if she lays next to him. This makes my heart happy. 

9. He loves to swim. 

10. He hates fireworks. :-(

11.  He loves attention. He will melt anyone's heart that talks to him with a cheesy flirty grin. 

12. WE are in love with this little man. 

I have also been welcomed into the mommyhood circle.  Yep! I didn't know it existed either until I had Jase.  The most random mommies will walk up to you and start talking mommy talk.  It's like a secret club. LOL!  I now find myself talking about baby poops, giggles, milestones, and telling my labor story. It's one weird club to be in, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. ;-)  I now understand all of the mommy talk that my friends tried talking with me before Jase.  Then it seemed like some alien language and now....well....I understand. 

Happy 4th of July!  Hug your babies tight tonight. I know I sure will...and have.  

I think I've had to put Jase down to bed 100 times tonight.  

Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. Neighbors setting off fireworks.  Jase wakes up screaming.  Rock baby to sleep. 

Vicious Vicious cycle. 

Much Love-

The Eisenhower Clan


P.S.  Auntie Faith gets to come stay with us beginning Saturday.  Jase and I are overly excited. Corey probably not so much.  This time every summer giggles, late night talks, lots of popcorn, and make up/hair sessions begin.

Anywho...back to Jase's excitement.  During FaceTime with sis I think he believes I'm doubled.  He gets overly excited when Faith and I start talking at the same time.  He will LOVE her! :-)

 

Jase's Story

I am a very outgoing and exciting person, yet my husband is the quiet and reserved one. Recently we have both been a bit reserved and for good reason. I'd like to share our story, Jase's story, with you. 

As you read and are looking into our lives for the past two months, I want you to know that we are not looking for sympathy, but more for understanding and hope that our story will inspire others and be a comfort to others as well. 

Corey and I were married in September of 2008 after a lengthy deployment. From day one we knew that we wanted children. In 2010 we decided that we were ready to start a family. Exciting as it may be, the excitement dwindled with each month and each negative pregnancy test. June of 2012, my doctor decided that we should start looking into fertility treatments.  I was to meet with a fertility specialist in August.  To our surprise, God had answered one of our most lengthy daily prayers. July of 2012 was life changing.  I was pregnant. Corey and I couldn't have been more ecstatic.  We told our parents and spread the news of our upcoming bundle of joy in September. We could hardly keep our excitement a secret. 

My pregnancy was blissful and exciting each day I got to watch little Jase grow and feel him move. We had our initial  ultrasound as well as the gender ultrasound. Jase was a healthy baby boy and I was doing great as well. 

I was put on bed rest a few weeks before Jase was born due to not gaining enough weight.  Our doctor told me that Jase was a small baby and we both needed to gain weight. 

To our surprise, Jase was born a happy and healthy baby at a whopping 9 pounds 5 ounces at 4:09pm on a rainy Saturday evening. Sometimes the docs guess wrong. ;-)

On this day April 27th, God had given us the most precious gift that we could have ever received.  Immediately he was adored and loved by all.  I noticed immediately that Jase wasn't nursing appropriately, but I was assured that he would figure it out soon. We spend all evening cuddling our little boy and showing him off to our family and friends.  He was taken back to the nursery around midnight to have his bath and to be checked out extensively. 

At 2a.m., our world was turned upside down.  Corey was asleep and resting in the bed next to me while I was still awake reliving every moment from the past 24 hours and taking in every second.  A nurse walked in with Jase and told me that she had some bad news. She told me that Jase had a birth defect and wouldn't be able to feed right.  She handed me a glove and asked that I feel the roof of his mouth. She showed me the roof of his mouth and told me that he was born with a cleft palate and probably because I did not have enough folic acid. You could imagine the guilt that I had. After that, she left. Corey was still half asleep. How was I going to tell my husband the news that I had just received through my tears and the pain that I was feeling while holding our precious little one? I was going back to every day that I was pregnant wondering when I had missed a prenatal vitamin. I was feeling guilty and couldn't imagine that I had caused this. Corey and I sat there holding each other and praying over our precious miracle. Praying for healing, strength, and knowledge. I prayed harder than I ever had that God would help us raise this child to love himself and for him to show others how perfect he is. I spent all night researching about cleft palates wondering how I was going to feed my baby.

The next morning, we met with the hospital pediatrician who told me to continue breast feeding because he was doing fine. Little did we know, that he wasn't doing fine.  The day we left the hospital we went directly to Jase's pediatrician.  We found that he had lost over a pound and was close to being put back in the hospital on a feeding tube.  We were put into direct contact with the cleft team at Children's Hospital and were going to get to meet what we didn't know at the time were the most amazing people that we could ask for.  The night before meeting with the team we had created an assembly of different bottles, nipples, and gadgets trying to feed Jase. 

Tuesday morning we met with Emily Copeland who is the R.N. at Childrens over the cleft team. Oh how God had answered a prayer.  We were greeted with the first positive person that we had seen in days. All smiles and excitement, Emily informed us that Jase had Pierre Robin Sequence. She told us that basically Jase had his tongue at the roof of his mouth during 6-10 week gestation or was simply just sucking his thumb. RELIEF!  After feeling guilty for three days, Emily reassured me that there was nothing that we could have done.  Jase was just going to be a thumb sucker or had his tongue at the roof of his mouth. Here at Childrens Hospital, we met with his surgeon, speech pathologist, nutritionist, nurse, and the rest of the team. Here we learned how to feed Jase and we were given all of the information and tools that we would ever need.  We were assured that Jase was a normal baby and would grow up to be a handsome young man and normal as any other. Right there I wanted to jump up and hug each person that came in the room with a smile on their face, excited to meet Jase, and who set us at ease. 

Leaving Childrens that day, I was in tears. Happy tears.  We had just met a group of the most positive, sweetest, and most caring team of doctors and nurses. I can't thank them enough for the smiles and positive conversations that we received that day.

What all this means for us is that we will be visiting our pediatrician monthly for weigh checks, etc. We will also be seeing his team of doctors frequently until he is two years old. At 10 months old he will undergo reconstructive surgery to fix his cleft. He will never know that he had it unless we tell him. 

Right now we are struggling with feedings and others views which is the hardest part. I just ask for your prayers especially during his 10th month. Yes, I will be a complete wreck!!!!! He'll have to be in the hospital for about a week to help his mouth heal. He will have arm braces on for three weeks to keep him from putting things in his mouth. At 9 months Jase has to quit using a bottle and start using a sippy cup that just flows. Pretty sure he is going to take all of this better than Corey and I ever will.

Our little boy is still perfect in our eyes and we thank God for him daily. Currently we have only told our parents and a few close friends. Talking about Jases condition is still very difficult. In his short 8 weeks of life he's been to the doctors office multiple times.
The hardest part is having others question the type of bottle he's using and us having to simply explain the reasoning. The questions come out of ignorance, so no feelings are hurt, yet still having to explain that your baby is not "perfect" is still hard being a new mom.
I've told you our story, not for sympathy, questions, or just to tell, but just asking for understanding and informing others.  I hope someday that I can be that supportive shoulder that a new mom would need in a similar situation. In the beginning, all we were looking for was a smile, someone who understood, and just a hug. 

We are truly blessed with Jase and I can't thank God enough for putting him in our lives.  Today when I look at Jase, I completely forget about his cleft.  The only times that I am reminded of it are when others ask about his bottle.  In our eyes, he is perfect. God gave him to us for a reason.  We may not know why he was given to us with a cleft, but somehow it's in God's plan. 

You may have questions, such as "What type of bottle?", etc.  All of these can be answered at www.cleftline.org.  I ask that you do any research here. The internet can be cruel and lead to misinformation. 

And of course...a few pictures of our little one. :-)

 Check back for Jase's updates frequently. I can't wait to share with you the Eisenhower happenings as we grow closer and closer as a new family! :-)

(MY ALL TIME FAVORITE) James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change

Psalm 139:13-16  For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.