I love Vox...it helped me start blogging way back in 06. But I'm tired of the crap I get from them, tired of people adding me who are nothing but pervs and such. So, I have my own blog now. I'm in the process of moving my old blog posts from here to the new site and have a few new posts there as well.
I would love some comments and some followers, so please follow me to The Four Pates and bookmark it! :) Also, feel free to "share" the site with other blog readers who you think will get a kick out of my posts!
Thank you for the love I've gotten here. I will still read and comment on my 'hood, so you haven't gotten rid of me!
Yesterday, my friend Traci told me about something they're doing at the Day Spa where she gets her hair done. Spray on tanning. I'm going to be the guinea pig. Ridiculous isn't it?
But, it's like this. Brown fat looks better than white fat and since I burn to a peeling crisp rather than tan, there is really nothing to lose. Apparently it's not all that expensive. About $45 dollars for your entire body. Hopefully, my knees, ankles and elbows won't look like terminal rust has set in. And, never having seen anyone who has had this done I'm going way out on a limb here; so not me. However, after the unbelievably painful sunburn I got two summers ago, building the wall around the swimming pool, anything is worth a try.
It stands to reason that if one has something coating one's skin - the sun won't be able to turn said skin into pork rind. Right? And, I don't actually need my entire body sprayed - who sees anything but my arms and legs anyway?
"Camp Mimi" will open here as soon as we get back from our D.A.V. Convention and I am thrilled to have all five grandkids coming to stay in their usual shifts for most of the summer. But, it also means all day, almost every day, out at or in the pool. Hence my interest in not suffering third degree burns. The kids, bless them, do fine with sun screen as each and every one of them simply tans right through it with nary a burn. I wonder where that gene came from?
The only downside to this summer idyll of sun and family is all of the driving involved shuffling said grandkids back and forth since it's over eight hundred miles one way. It's a pity they can't bottle instant transportation.
Dora turned 2 in December, and I think yesterday she made up her very first language joke.
We were taking Sean back to his pickup after he drove his sprayer to the barn, and he and Dora were talking about the cows we were passing. She goes with him to check the cows a time or two a week, usually, so they have their own vernacular for this type of thing. They were talking about the mama cows and the baby cows, and then Dora said something about the daddy cows, and Sean told her "There's no daddy cows out there, you're making that up!" She said "No, daddy, I making that DOWN."
I couldn't be prouder.
My due date...wow, today I was due with Jaylon. Instead I have a 4 week old newborn who is getting chubbier by the day and who's cheeks are so squishy puffy I can't get enough of them. A newborn who sleeps pretty well at night but has gas and tummy issues during the day; who loves to be held and cuddled but also loves his "alone" time and time in the car. A newborn who rocks my world every day and who totally fits with our family already.
You just might get it!
Everyone has heard this old cliche, and like all old wives' tales and other hackneyed phrases there is a grain of truth at the core.
I love rain and as we've suffered from drought here in Alabama for the last three years I swore that I wouldn't fuss if it rained for a straight month. Well, it has. Even though we are thrilled to be officially above the needed rain levels, I'd not stopped to think what all of that rain would mean in real terms.
Example. I have grass up to my knees that I can not mow because it's too wet to take the big mover (a D.R. Field and Brush cutter) out to it. Due to it's weight, that mower will bog down in the mud with me up to my ankles behind it. How do I know? Because I tried it. Not too bright on my part I'll admit but we've worked so hard I don't want to lose ground - no pun intended - in the clean up/clear brush department.
Additionally, grass that was seeded either side of the new sidewalk to the front porch and covered with pine straw is thriving...........in the gravel drive. Before the seed had time to germinate, there was a huge rain storm with tons of wind. Apparently, the rain washed the pine straw from around the sidewalk into the gravel of the drive taking the microscopic grass seed with it. We now have a lovely lawn springing up in the middle of the driveway.
Lastly, poor Dennis has cleaned the pool and adjusted the chemical balance on three different occasions with the end result being immediate torrential rains nullifying the entire exercise.
The good news, my pansies have bloomed since February because the rain has kept it cool enough for them to continue to thrive! I guess mowing can wait.
I had the usual doctor’s appt that Tuesday. I had the NST like always too. While hooked to the monitor Jay wasn’t all that active so they had to wake him up. After using the little vibrating thing he was awake and doing great. I had mentioned to my doc that my discharge had changed; I told him I probably just pee myself and that’s what it was. He laughed and agreed but decided to check anyway. I was right, just pee. While the doc was there he checked me and I was not dilated and only 25% effaced.
Things changed when my blood pressure was taken. I had been flirting with pre-eclampsia the entire pregnancy and unfortunately my pressures that day were too high to be ignored. 139/93 was the highest they’ve ever been and my doc didn’t feel comfortable just letting me go on my merry way. So, he sent me to the hospital for a 24-hr urine collection and a liver enzyme workup to rule out the pre-e.
I called Sean, which I never do after an appt, so he knew something was up. I explained that I was just headed to the hospital for observation for 24-hrs or so and to just take Kenna to softball practice like normal. I called my mom and explained to her what was going on and that the doc said that we wouldn’t have a baby today; depending on how the tests came back it may be Thursday though. I asked her to call my sis because I was just getting to the hospital and needed to go to triage and get checked in and such.
When I got to triage my blood pressure was wonderful. But since my doc sent me they had to keep me anyway. I was sent to put on a gown and get on the monitor in the little triage curtained area until a room opened on the maternity ward. This is where my time gets off a tad, so please forgive me. After a while on the monitor a doc came in and asked if I was feeling the contractions that were showing up on the strip. I explained that I was and they were pretty painful. I could talk through them though so I didn’t think much about them. The doc went ahead and did an u/s to see how Jay was laying then she checked me to see if the contractions were doing anything, and they were. I was now 1cm and 50% effaced. Not a huge change but enough to warrant some wondering if something was going to happen. My doc then came in, so now it was after 5, so I had been there for about 1 hr. He asked about the contractions but we both shrugged them off since they weren’t too painful. He said again that I was just there to pee in the hat for 24 hrs and check my liver functions, and off he went to another patient.
The contractions kept coming every 2 minutes and started to hurt pretty badly. It wasn’t the contractions themselves; it was the burning between the contractions that got me. Finally at 7:30-ish (I say this because shift change had happened) a new intern and resident came in to check on me. I explained to them that I was now in pain and having to breathe through the contractions…having to stop talking to them during the contractions they were hurting so badly now. They decided to check me again to see if they were changing me anymore. Yip…now I was 2cm and 50%. Then I started hearing the resident call the anesthesiologist telling him that there’s a repeat c-section in curtain 3 that is in labor…wait I was in curtain 3. How did I go from no baby just peeing in a bucket to repeat c-section at 36wks in a matter of a few hours? The intern and resident came back into my curtain and explained that the contractions were causing cervical changes so we were going to do the section that night, so I wouldn’t labor with my history. I told them that my husband was about 30-45 minutes away and he needed to find a sitter, so if we could hold off until he got there that would be awesome. They agreed and called my doc to explain the changes and what was happening. The c-section was all set for 9:30 or 10pm. I called Sean at 7:45-ish when Kenna’s practice was over and told him that I was in labor and we were going to have this baby tonight. He kind of freaked out a little, although I can’t blame him. Part of me was freaking too…this wasn’t how it was supposed to happen…it wasn’t Monday the 27th yet and I wasn’t full term yet. But the burning between contractions sucked and I was quite happy to get rid of the pain.
I called mom, sis and dad to explain to them the goings on and what had changed. Meanwhile, Sean called some co-workers to see if they’d come up to the hospital to watch Kenna so he could be in the OR with me.
Sean finally got there at 8:30 or so (again, times may be off a little). As soon as he walked into my curtained area I felt a gush. I thought my water had broken so I asked him to tell the nurse/intern/resident of what I felt. Then the flurry of activity started. In this little tiny “room” there was me in a huge bed, Sean, nurse, resident, intern and the u/s machine. The bed was broken down to do a sterile exam to see if it was my water and the nurse started another IV. The intern sucked…she was so rough that I swear she checked my cervix with her entire arm, she was so forceful that she shoved me upwards on the bed when she rammed her hand up there…OUCH! All I heard was that there “was 2cc”. I thought she was talking about amniotic fluid. The resident ran out to call my doc and the intern did the u/s to check on Jay again. That’s when I saw what a placental abruption looks like on an u/s. I knew what I had seen and knew what it meant. I could hear the resident, whose name btw was Melani, tell my doc that I was abrupting again and we needed to have the section done quickly. The resident, Melani, came back in and explained that my doc was almost there. Suddenly the anesthesiologist was there explaining spinals and what to expect. I signed forms Ok’ing a transfusion, a form about not having an advance directive, signed forms for Jay to get medical help, etc. I asked if Kenna could come back so I could give her a hug and kiss, since she was under 14 she wasn’t “allowed” back there but they said sure. She looked a little freaked seeing all the flurry of activity around me, but I tried to be calm and told her that Jaylon was coming tonight. She was excited by that thought, and then off she went back to the waiting room. Then poof, there was my doc. He laughed and said he was shocked but “let’s have a baby”. Then off I was wheeled.
The spinal was given and I was laid down on the horribly uncomfy bed. That’s when I realized how much blood I had lost, we moved the pad underneath me and there was quite a bit on it. One nurse joked that I wanted attention, but I didn’t laugh…after losing 2 kids and abrupting once I didn’t want to laugh. I think she got the idea. The shaking began and an oxygen mask was placed on my face. Then my doc walked in, I hardly recognized him with a mask on. But he patted my head and told me that it’d be OK. I believed him. I was wheeled into the OR at 9:04, spinal at 9:07 and section started at 9:20. I remember hearing the times being called out. The anesthesiologists (I had two) kept asking how I was. I told them fine but “where was my husband”. They finally brought him in and he was there for just a few minutes when Jay came out. I never heard “it’s a boy” or “here he is”, I just remember feeling a “lightening” and knew he was out. Then after a few seconds heard the most pitiful cry ever. Jay never needed oxygen, never needed help breathing or never went to the NICU, he was just fine. Jaylon Reid was born at 9:33pm, 6lbs. 8.8oz and 19 ½ inches long. Apgars were 8 and 9. I got to see him for what seemed like a few seconds then off he and Sean went. I got my blue band and smiled happily. I was given the versed (I don’t give a shit shot) so I was tired and kept dozing a little. I remember my doc telling me afterwards that they could only find one tube, so they tied it. The other was so “mixed in” with the scar tissue from the c-section with Jackson that they couldn’t find it. So, in 5 wks I will have to make an appt to have another procedure done to close up that tube, since we’re not doing this whole pregnancy thing again!
After the section I was wheeled into L&D and monitored. I was awake most of the time and kept trying to make my legs move. I had to be able to move my legs and hold my butt off the bed before I could be moved to the floor. Sean came in and told me how Jay was doing and gave me his stats. He told me that he was taking Kenna home since it was after 11 now. I was wheeled into my own room at mid-night-ish. I still hadn’t seen Jay but for a few seconds. Finally at 4am the nursery brought me my son, who I got to finally hold and love on. He was perfect, tiny and perfect.
Visiting hours began at 10am and by 10:30 Sean, Kenna, Mom and Chris were at the hospital ready to meet Sweet Baby Jay. Kenna was smitten. She just had this smile on her face that I hope I’ll never forget. Mom, although moving slowly after her 2wk stay in the hospital after a botched heart cath, looked so happy and relieved.
We were released on Thursday (yes, that’s less than 2 days after having a c-section). My sis and dad decided to join the fun early too and they came in early Friday morning, upping their trip by a few days, since Jaylon upped his arrival!
At his one week appt Jay was already up to 6lbs 13 oz and 20 inches long. He’s such a quiet content baby, which is nothing like his big sister was. He’s sleeping 3-4 hr chunks at night and right now still sleeps quite a bit during the day. I’ve been doing good too. It’s nothing like the last c-section I tell ya.
I’m so thankful that my doc sent me to the hospital that day. Someone (God, Avery, Jackson or all three!) was watching out for us because it could have been nasty if I were at home and started abrupting. I think it all happened for a reason. I’m also thankful to have a healthy son who, although technically a preemie, hasn’t had any breathing problems, no problems with his sugars or anything. Just a smidge of jaundice but what baby doesn’t have that a little?! And I'm so thankful for my daughter, who won't stop petting her baby brother!
Our family finally feels complete, just the four of us, and it's amazing!
Almost a month late, per usual.
It looks to me like Ike is thinking: "Any o' you blokes so much as look as my sister, I'll punch your lights out! You hear?!"
Today my friend Kim, who has a nursery/greenhouse, gave me the 'sister' to the Lady Bank rose with which she presented me two years ago. I was absolutely thrilled. So, to go with it I bought two red cannas, and English ivy - a very unique variety, the leaves have soft yellow edges and a bright green center. Then, my friend Traci gave me yellow cannas from her backyard. But, the bonus of the day was finding a bright pink-almost-red azalea growing wild, apparently abandoned down by the road in the very corner of our property.
I have no idea where it came from, but I'm darn sure going to dig it up and move it to the guest house. Right beside the porch stairs will be a perfect place since there it will get the filtered light they so love. As an added precaution, I'm going to have my Pal plant it. The irony here is; this is a man who can't tell the difference between a pansy and a petunia, but grew enormous healthy azaleas in the back yard of his house on Norris Circle in Tuscaloosa. He says he just stuck them in the ground. The phrase "dumb luck" springs to mind - we'll see if he can do it again.
Spring fever has a strangle hold on me and I find myself trying to locate the best deer-proof areas in which to plant all of the things I missed so much during my exile out west. I still haven't found a white wisteria locally, but I did find a nursery on-line that sells them.
Kim has hydrangeas at her nursery, they are Nikko Blue which were my first love. However, this time I want Masja (they're red!) but I don't like to ask Kim to order things in specially for me. Because Hydrangeas are my very favorite flower, even more than white roses, I probably won't be too picky if it comes down to a situation of 'to have or to have not'. I've missed growing them so much, I'll take 'have'. In fact, the last time I was successfully able to grow Hydrangea was when I lived here (in Alabama) twenty years ago.
Now, if I can only find a local source for red Double Knock-out roses there will be enough digging and planting to keep me busy until the middle of next month!
