Our "Little" New Years Gift

Now that the baby poll has closed and our 20 week ultrasound has been completed we thought you might like to know if you voted correctly or not. Believe it or not, more people voted correct than not! That's right...we are going to have a baby GIRL!! Everything looked great, but we will be having a couple more ultrasounds. One reason is we have agreed to be in a study that our hospital is doing which gives us the opportunity to have 2 extra ultrasounds; 1 of those is next week and the other one is around 30 or 32 weeks I believe. The other reason is that my doctor and one of the perinatologists have agreed that they want to make sure our little girl continues to grow well so we will have another ultrasound a month from now. She measured a little smaller on ultrasound than they would've liked to see, but they also realize that we have a "little" boy at home so it's probably fine; they just want to double check. This really isn't a big concern; it's just they would rather be safe than sorry. Our little girl likes to have her hands by her face, but she wasn't sucking on her thumb like Denver was constantly during his 20 week ultrasound. She weighed in at 11 ounces. We compared Denver's 20 week ultrasound pictures to hers and looking a the 3-D picture we can see a little difference, so MAYBE this time Mommy will get some credit when this little girl makes her appearance in this world!

We hope each and everyone of you have a wonderful New Year and that you will receive many blessings.

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas, or should I say Christmas'! Our first gathering was last Sunday with the Schaap family, the second was with the Kindt's on Christmas Eve (but Mommy had to work so she missed out on the fun), the third was our family Christmas which was when Mommy got home from work on Christmas day, the 4th was Friday night with Evan's immediate family, the 5th was with the Schmeichel's on Saturday for lunch and then that evening we had the Waltner family Christmas, and then Sunday for lunch we had my immediate family Christmas for Christmas number 7! Christmas number 8 with the Schrag/Hofer family (Evan's step dad's family) will be in January. Crazy, huh? It was, but it was great to see all of our family members and Denver thought all the opening of presents was great. I was a little worried what he'd think when all the Christmas' were over, but today he started lacking interest in opening gifts after a couple were opened, so I think he got it out of his system!

Denver continues to LOVE balls!

Denver playing the piano

Denver got some wonderful gifts and loves all of them. Daddy packed some of them away as we don't have room for all of them and this way we can cycle them in and out so he doesn't get bored with them. The highlight gifts were probably from Uncle Aaron, a Little Tikes basketball hoop and from Grandpa Rodney and Grandma Verni which was another Little Tikes toy; a little slide that also has a steering wheel on it.

Daddy's so proud...he's already dunking! Here are some pictures of Denver shootin' hoops.

Denver can climb up the "rock wall" all by himself! He also likes to try to crawl up the slide, but that's a little trickier.

Denver's appetite came back in full force for the holidays. Christmas Eve for lunch he maybe even ate more than his daddy! Saturday evening with the Waltner family he had a blast with all the yummy food and we got a cute video of him putting his plate up to his face to eat off of which was pretty funny.

Grandpa Rodney, Cousin Jacob, Denver, and Grandma Verni

Grandma Verni bought "her boys" matching Christmas shirts to wear

Denver's vocabulary continues to grow. On Christmas day Evan called me at work and said, "Did you know your son can say "cracker"?" I don't think I can list all the words he says anymore....but some of the newer ones are cracker, hey, hi (finally...we've only been working on that one forever), Jacob, kitty, thank you (at times), and we think he's trying to say Denver, but it sounds a lot like daddy.

Denver still loves his cousin Jacob, but today we saw a little more of the jealousy come out of him. Hmmm...what will it be like when the baby is around 24/7? Good thing we have almost 5 months of growing up before he has to put of with a baby that much! :)

I think awhile back ago on a blog I promised to post a video and if I remember correctly it was of Denver playing baseball. Well, I finally got it edited down a little bit, so here it is, enjoy...baseball at the Kindt's!

Our Family Christmas Pictures

Also, I just wanted to update on Denver's cold. He's finally starting to turn the corner and started eating better for us again. This afternoon he ate almost as much as he used to for lunch. I'm sure it would've been funny to watch him and I this afternoon while he was eating as every time he took a bite I would get all excited and "cheer" him on and then he'd clap for himself. It was pretty cute; but when isn't he cute? :)

(Our pictures are thanks to some friends of ours who work for Festive Studios which is in Hartford...thanks so much for taking them; we love them!)

The Sick Report

Just thought I'd give you an update on Denver. We went to the clinic again yesterday to have blood drawn again. Of course Doc Z (the way Sanford Health does all the scheduling, charting, etc now...we went to paperless charting) was down and they couldn't get a hold of Dr. McKercher to see what he really wanted drawn so they drew everything they drew on Monday! This meant Denver had to be poked in his arm again. We walked into the room and he immediately started pointed to the door in his own way saying Mommy get me out of here! Thankfully they got the blood on the first try this time. We waited in the waiting room for the results as I didn't want to have to come back if they decided they needed to see him or something as we didn't see the doctor. Every one's prayers were answered and Denver's sodium level was only 1 above the high end of normal so we don't have to go back anymore unless he doesn't get better. I also used this time to ask for any suggestions of how to get him to eat or drink and they told me everything I already knew and was trying. Denver is still not very interested in eating or drinking. Now, that I know his sodium level is coming down I'm starting to worry about his weight again which I know can't be helped right now. I don't think I reported on his weight at the clinic on Monday. They weighed him on a different scale. A "big" boy scale! He got to stand up on a different, instead of sitting or laying on it. He just stood there and looked at me smiling; it was so cute. Due to a different scale and him wearing clothes and a diaper I don't know where his weight was at officially on Monday compared to his well baby visits when they make them strip naked for an actual weight. He weighed 19lbs 5oz, which was probably about the same as the last time he was in the clinic, but he was dehydrated so we'll take the excuse of him missing his water weight! Anyway, just keep on praying for him to gain a little more weight and to eat a little better (especially right now). I have known since he was born that he was going to be little as we (his parents) aren't very big people so we can't expect him to be big, but I do hope we can be 20lbs when he goes back for his 15 month re-weigh. The most exciting thing about Denver hitting the 20 pound mark is that we get to turn his car seat to forward facing! So all in all, the little man is feeling better as he's running around and playing some again. He actually has let me put him down to do this update, but has come back and wanted to help me so here's a little story from Denver: km mbmm jtg ittttttt b b mktttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttbnnnvbbvS (Sorry we haven't had time to take new pictures to add to this post. There will be Christmas pictures coming eventually)

1st trip to the doctor for being sick!

We had our first trip to the doctor for being sick yesterday. First, I have to say how good has God been to us to have an almost 13 month old who's never needed to visit the doctor for being sick and has only had 1 small little cold with just a runny nose before! Unfortunately, the doctor was unable to help us make Denver feel better. I had this feeling before we went in, but I just didn't feel I could not go and take the chance of him having to be admitted to the pediatric floor of the hospital because of my own stupidity of thinking he just had a cold. Denver's examination was normal, which I had pretty much determined before we went to the clinic other than being able to see his poor little throat that seemed to be hurting. Denver more than likely has some sort of a viral infection and has been running a low fever since Saturday (it may have even started on Friday as that's when the cough started). He has a bad cough and a runny nose along with it and has struggled to have an appetite to eat and doesn't want much to drink. We've been up during the night the last couple nights. Today he finally has consumed a little more liquid which makes me feel better as his sodium level from the blood draw at the clinic yesterday was pretty elevated which can indicate dehydration. Denver did awesome during his blood draw yesterday. Unfortunately, they didn't get blood during the first poke to his little arm, so they had to poke him in his other arm. He cried and cried, but he was a champ and barely fought us as we held him down. He looked a little peaked and pale, but the rest of his blood work looked good, showing us he was not anemic or fighting an infection. Denver's been very clingy and we've been spending lots of time reading books. Thank goodness I have the next couple of days off from work so I can stay home with him and hopefully he'll be feeling better soon. We ask that you pray for our little guy as he fights through this icky cold and that God gives him the strength to keep going and drinking his fluids so we don't end up in the hospital with an IV. Also, please pray for Evan and I as it's been very hard for us watching Denver feel so cruddy and only being able to give him Tylenol and Motrin and to spend time rocking and reading books to comfort him. What a helpless feeling! We hope that this update finds everyone else HEALTHY and that you can stay that way through this Christmas season!

Since no blog can go without pictures, here are some pictures of Denver in the rocking-recliner chair that we barely move from.

Denver and Jacob

Denver and my trip to Omaha went well. We had a nice smooth ride with the new tires and Denver was a trooper! Denver once again loved his time at Uncle Jeff and Aunt Kim's (and now baby Jacob's) house. He loved seeing all of them, playing with them, playing with their cats (...well pretty much just chasing Jack, as he doesn't really like Denver, but Jack would still look for Denver....and Tony, he just hid so we barely saw him), and "snuggling" with baby Jacob. We helped the Kliewer's start a blog so hopefully I'll get the okay that it's done and there will be a link (in the blog that we follow) to their family blog. Here are some pictures of the boys together.

These buttons are cool! (Denver)

Hey cousin! I think I like you!

While we were in Omaha Denver learned 2 new words; "kitty" and "cheese". Denver loved roaming around their house and this past week he's gotten pretty fast and falls less and less everyday.

We continue to work on getting lots of high calorie foods in Denver to help him grow better. Some days he does great and other days he doesn't eat as well, but I think that's pretty typical for any child. I wish we had a scale that was accurate with the clinics so we could know how much he weighs. Maybe the holidays will help "fatten" him up like it seems to add pounds to all of us adults.

Here's our pizza and pudding boy!

Denver did great at his 1st dentist appointment. Our dentist said that it should be fine and not cause problems done the road for him and we don't have to go back until he's 3!

I worked this past weekend and the boys had lots of fun together. Denver loves to play baseball, but that doesn't work so well when Mommy is at work as someone has to pitch and someone has to help Denver hit. When I get the video downloaded of us playing baseball with him I'll put it on here as it's super cute; he gets SO excited.

I think that's pretty much it for updates in our household. Hope everyone is staying warm in this cold weather!

A few updates...

After I posted my last blog I realized I never told everyone that Evan got a deer a little over a week ago. He says it looked a lot bigger in the scope, but he was just happy he got one since it was his last chance to go out there this year.

Also, I had another doctor appointment today for baby #2. Everything checked out good which was a bit of a relief as I have had some icky days lately and was beginning to wonder at times if something more was going on, but all is good. Baby's heart rate was in the upper 160's to lower 170's, but I'm not letting that sway me one way or the other on it being a girl or a boy as it didn't ring true with Denver. Denver went with me to my doctor appointment today and he was a champ! I got to see (and show Denver off) some of my girlfriends that I used to work with in the NICU that have switched over to the clinic so that was fun. They also helped entertain Denver as we had a long day out of the house today over his nap times so it was a bit of a tiring day for both of us, but we was super! I had new tired put on my vehicle that left us with a hour and a half of killing time at the tire store. Denver loved running around and looking at all the tires and things and playing peek through the holes of the tires. Better yet...Daddy was super excited to drive Mommy's vehicle tonight and actually love the drive. When your child is enjoying the vibrations from the bad tires you know it's time to get new ones. On more than one occasion when we've been driving down the highway or interstate "rumbling" away you could hear Denver in the backseat going "uhhhhhhh".

Denver and I are going to visit Baby Jacob and his Mommy and Daddy tomorrow for a couple days so maybe next week we'll have some new cousin pictures to share.

And the "Seconds" begin...

We can hardly believe that most of the "firsts" are over and the "seconds" are beginning. As you can tell from my previous post Denver enjoyed his SECOND Thanksgiving. He continues to be a busy, busy boy which in my opinion is a big reason of why he's so little. The boy never stops! Denver gets faster at walking every day and it won't be long and he'll be running. I was in his bedroom yesterday calling for him to come back so I could get him dressed and all of a sudden I heard fast pitter-patters of little feet running across the floor and before I knew it he was right in front of me. Tooth #6 is on it's way in and he's really been tolerating it well! It has been working on coming in since before his little cousin was born and even with being out of his environment he was very happy and has continued to be at home too. I never posted about the "arrival" of tooth #5 because I didn't realize it was there until last week and I think it's been there for at least a week before I found it. The reason we didn't notice it right away was because it is turned 90 degrees from how its supposed to be. I called the dentist and he wasn't concerned about it, but wanted to take a peek at it so Denver will have his first dentist appointment at the end of the week. I'm wondering how he will be for the dentist! Denver found a love for lemons this past week. We were out to eat one night and I had an iced tea with a lemon. Evan wanted to see Denver's reaction to one so we let him taste it and his first face was pretty funny, but then he wanted it and pretty much ate the whole thing. Here are some pictures of him enjoying his lemon!

Last week we had a "nicer" day...it was about 42 degrees or so I think and I decided it was warm enough to venture out in some extra clothing so that Denver could go for a ride in his new wagon that he got for his birthday. He has had several rides in it before with Grandma Verni, but Mommy and Daddy haven't wanted to go out in the cold. Denver can talk his Grandma Verni into doing whatever he wants (or so I think).

(Time is ticking to vote for Denver's baby sister or baby brother)

A Thankful Thanksgiving

What a wonderful Thanksgiving our family had, although it was not a normal Thanksgiving by any means (no traditional meal and not the typical family gathering). The day before Thanksgiving we got the phone call we've been waiting for....our titles are finally here...Aunt Mindy, Uncle Evan, and Cousin Denver! Jacob Alexander was welcomed into this world by his wonderful parents Kimberly (my sister) and Jeffrey (and of course all the rest of Jacob's family!) on November 26, 2008 at 11:35a.m. Labor went well and baby is beautiful with a full head of dark hair. For those of you who know, this day has been long awaited for and I'm guessing my sister had the best birthday of her life and the best Thanksgiving of her life too. Our family has been praying for this day for quite some time and we could not have asked for a better miracle than little Jacob. A family friend of ours who also blogs has within her "title" the verse "For this child I prayed" 1 Samuel 1:27. I don't think this verse could be anymore true for our family. We have prayed and prayed for little Jacob to bless Kim and Jeff and the rest of our family and God is good! Welcome to the world baby Jacob Alexander!

Jacob Alexander 6lbs. 13oz 19 inches

Grandma and her boys! (Grandma never got her 2 sons...but now she has 2 grandsons!) COUSINS!

The Proud Grandparents! The Kliewer Family

SISTERS AND COUSINS

When we first walked into the room to meet Baby Jacob we immediately saw his Daddy in him. Why is it that the Mommy's do all the work and the Daddy's get all the credit? :) The funny thing about this though is...on the way home I was looking through the pictures we captured during our time with the Kliewer's and when I was scanning through them I came to 1 and said to myself "oh, and there's Denver", but then I quickly realized it couldn't be because my memory card was empty when we arrived to meet this little man and this was a picture of a baby. It was Baby Jacob! Even though these baby's look like their Daddy's, they still must have some of their Mommy's shining through because if you look at the following pictures they look very similar.

Baby Denver

Baby Jacob

Denver had a good 2nd Thanksgiving. Which brings me to another thing we are thankful for...which is our baby boy Denver. We have been blessed with such a wonderful year with Denver and have loved almost every minute of it! :) God has filled our lives with so much love and has given us a wonderful, healthy, happy son whom we love so very much. Denver loved on his new baby cousin Jacob. He was sooo good with Jacob. He would kiss him and snuggle his head into him, and pet him. It was so cute and made me so very happy (and makes me feel a little better about him welcoming a sibling into the world in 6 months). Denver's vocabulary continues to grow. He continues with his animal sounds and you can now ask him "What does a cow, pig, or kitty say?" and get an answer after each question and the lamb/sheep is coming, he just needs a little reminder of what it says and some coaxing into saying it. He has also added "that" (as he points to what he wants and says "that") and "no". I also think I got "hi" out of him once or twice today, but we're still working on that. Here are some fun pictures of Denver and playing with his Daddy today. He's getting to be quite the imitator and he was imitating Dad before he picked him up; it was very cute.

We are so thankful for Denver's Grandma's for stepping up to the plate and helping us take care of Denver when both of us have to be at work. I couldn't imagine having to leave my baby with a stranger. If only all parents could experience the ease of leaving their child to go to work everyday that we experience! Thank you Grandma's for taking such good care of Denver. We are also very thankful for the new little blessing that God will be adding to our family in May. This past month I have been overfilled with joy about this unexpected blessing and couldn't be more excited. I never thought I wanted my kids too close in age, but I'm so excited that they will be close in age and what good friends they will be some day. Also, knowing how much purpose Denver has given us makes us so excited about how much more purpose will be given to our lives with this new baby. Even though I haven't felt well during this pregnancy God has still shined through it and made it possible to see our baby moving around during 2 ultrasounds and a couple weeks ago I started feeling him or her move around inside me which makes it all so much more real. There are countless things that we are thankful for, but these are at the top of our list this year. We have such an amazing God and can't wait for the next holiday to celebrate the birth of His own Son! We hope each and everyone of you had a great, thankful, and, happy Thanksgiving. (You have 3 days left to vote for Denver's baby sister or baby brother! Please help make this fun for us and vote for which you think it will be...thanks!)