Elliott Stephen

I got an app on my phone that lets me download pictures from my phone directly into my blog.  I can't seem to figure out how to make the pictures go in order though.  The OCD in me is going crazy but I really wanted to share some pictures.

Elliott Stephen was born on December 16, 2011 at 35 weeks 2 days gestation.  He was a whopping 6 pounds 13 ounces.  I'm very impressed as he is 4.5 weeks early.  He was 19 inches.  The official time was 4:35 pm.  I did it without an epidural which is not something I would personally recommend or ever do again, but more on that later.  His apgar scores were a 9 at 1 minute and a 9 at 5 minutes.  He never needed oxygen, did not have to go to the NICU and was released from the "care" of the regular nursery within 18 hours (they had been checking on us in our room every 3 hours since birth).  He latched really well and nursed really well until midnight when he became Sleepy Sleeperson, the mayor of Sleepy Town, and didn't want to wake up for anything. 

We are due to be officially released on Sunday morning. I am debating going to Hobby Lobby before going home to buy Elliott a "My 1st Christmas" ornament, but that might be a little too crazy.

Once we are home tomorrow I hope to be blogging more.  I laugh as I say that because I now have 2 children and 0 time available.

Brothers

Elliott was about 2 hours old.

About 1 hour old

 

This morning (Saturday) at about 10 am

 

Right after birth

 

Another shot at about an hour old

Major Development

The perinatologist, Dr. B, came to see me around 8 pm  tonight.  He checked me (I hadn't been checked since 4 am on Wednesday the 7th) and I was still dilated to 8 cm.  I was 90% effaced (I was 80% before) and at a 0 station (I was 1 before) (a 4 station would be very high and a -4 is when a baby is crowning.  So Elliot is "engaged" in the pelvis).

I have been fighting an internal battle between wanting to keep Elliott inside as long as possible and really wanting to be home for Christmas.  I think this is the worst time of year for this hospitalized bed rest to be happening.  I feel like if it were in any other month I would have no qualms at all about just staying put.  But for the last 5 days I have been swinging back and forth with- a)  I can do it and b) I don't want to do it because I want to be at home with my family for Christmas.

I felt like a jerk of a mother for even thinking it, but I was going to propose my plan to Dr. B:  I stay for 1 more week and then if nothing happens during that time I agree to be delivered on the 22nd at 36 weeks 1 day. That would be 2 days longer than my pregnancy with Spencer. 

I never even got to bring up my plan.  After Dr. B checked me he launched into his plan.  He is concerned about the risk of infection, because I have been in advanced dilation for 11 days.  He said that at this point the complications arising from infection far outweigh the risk of prematurity.  Even though my amniotic sac is intact he said that bacteria can still eat through it without breaking it or causing it to leak.  And I am at high risk since my uterus has been open to the world for 11 days.  There are many conditions/complications that an infection could cause, the most serious being cerebral palsy and paralysis.

At this point (35 + weeks) the risks of prematurity are breathing problems, issues with regulating temperature, feeding issues and jaundice. The most serious of those problems are breathing issues.  Everything else is pretty minor in comparison to the breathing, which is still less of a concern than an infection.

He proposed that we do an amniocentesis, wait for the results and if Elliott's lungs show signs of maturity we break my sac and deliver tomorrow- Dec. 16th.

So, at about 10 pm he did the amniocentesis in my room, with the help of a concurrent ultrasound.  It was freaky and slightly painful but not too bad.  I did not watch (I closed my eyes and covered them with my hands) because the needle is about 12 inches long.

The fluid has to be taken to a different hospital where it will be tested for lung maturity and signs of infection.  These are the 4 possible scenarios tomorrow:

1) His lungs are mature and there are signs of infection. They break my water and deliver.

2)  His lungs are mature and there are no signs of infection.

They break my water and deliver.

3) His lungs are immature and there are signs of infection.

They break my water and deliver.

4) His lungs are immature and there are no signs of infection.

We wait a few days and repeat the amnio.

I will be 35 weeks 2 days tomorrow.  That is 4 days before when Spencer was born.  I had those 2 steroid shots last week.  He was taking practice breaths during the ultasound last week and tonight.  I think the most likely scenario is that his lungs are mature.  I was also encouraged when Dr. B said that neither of us have shown any of the early signs of an infection (me: fever and high blood pressure, Elliott: lowered heart rate, reduced movement).  

So.  Now we wait again.  But this waiting feels different.  It feels like this is my last night to be pregnant.  It feels like 12/16/11 could be Elliott's birthday.  It feels like tomorow will be anything but routine.  It feels like I won't be able to sleep a wink tonight.  

My beloved childhood basset hound, Bunny, was born on 12/16/91.  

I like it.

The results won't be in until around noon, so nothing should happen in the morning.  But after that.......who knows!

M, T, W & Th

Monday, December 12th

This is why I should have written all this stuff sooner.  All of the days are running together. 

 

Michael took all of last week off, as we were expecting a baby to come at any minute.  When it became apparent that I might be here for a while he went back to work.  The first week he had been getting up early, coming and helping me to get ready (showering was tricky with the IV) and then going home in time for Spencer to get up.  That makes it sound like he left Spencer alone, but my mom has been there the whole time except for 1 night my friend Monica was there and 2 nights Michael's parents were there.

So, Monday was my first solo getting ready. Since Monday this is my routine:

I am awoken by nutrition services at precisely 7 am when they knock on my door, ask if it is OK to come in as they come in without waiting for an answer and simultaneously turn on all the lights.  They deliver my breakfast, turn off the lights and leave. I try to go back to sleep or do go back to sleep for an hour.

 

I get up at 8 and take a shower.  Then I sit down and eat breakfast.  Then I do my hair.  Then I rest in the chair. Then I do my make-up.  Then I rest in the chair.  I try to minimize how much time I spend standing, so I take breaks while I get ready.  Since I am dialated to 8 cm I try not to stand for too long, ever (side note: it's been over a week since I was last checked. I could be 9 or 10). 

The rest of the day is spent taking and making phone calls, watching TV, visiting with the nurses (we are all becoming friends and some of my nurses visit even when I am not their patient that day), chatting with the doctor for a few minutes, having visitors, watching movies, interneting and reading.  I was taking a nap every day, but I am finally getting enough sleep at night that I don't have to any more.  I also have to be monitored (for contractions and Elliott's heart rate) and have vitals taken every 8 hours.

On Monday, Dr. I was on-call.  We chatted and I mentioned that Dr. M had not been happy about my refusing the IV.  Dr. I rolled her eyes and said that Dr. M is never happy about anything and I shouldn't worry about her.  It was so unprofessional and gossipy and I just loved her for doing/saying that.  It really made my day.  I gossiped about it with my nurses and it made me feel almost human again.

Dr. I also wrote orders saying that I be allowed wheel chair rides but I needed to be checked for dilation before I was allowed to have one.  I decided I did not want to risk anything until the results of the Group B strep test came back.

Tuesday, December 13th

Karen came to visit and brought me starbucks and home-baked treats.  We had a lovely chat.  The charge nurse came in to check on supplies and said she had been here the day I was admitted and that nobody could believe I was still here- undelivered.  She called me a medical marvel. My preliminary results came back for the Group B strep test.  They were negative. Nothing else was incredibly noteworthy.

Wednesday, December 14th

 

My final results came back.  No Group B strep.  I was so, so, so glad that they don't have to put an IV in my ankle or my scalp to start a new IV. Dr. E was on today.  He came in with my chart, sat down and spent a long time with me.  I mentioned that I had been looking for research on women in preterm labor that were in advanced dilation and then didn't deliver for days and days.  I told him I had checked several medical journals.  He told me that I could stop looking because there were no other cases.  He said he had been practicing for 25 years and had never seen or heard of a case like mine.  Then he said I was a medical phenomena.  Then he sat in my room and read my People Magazine article about the Bachelorette.  It was slightly awkward.  Then he amended my wheel chair ride orders to say I didn't need to be checked, but I did need to have a nurse go with me.

The best part of the day was that an anonymous friend (he or she didn't want credit) coordinated with my first wheel chair ride so that we could take maternity pictures in the hospital "garden".  I never had any tummy shots with Spencer and I'm glad that I got some this time. I hope I can share them soon.

It was literally my first time out of the room in 11 days and also my first breath of outside air in 11 days.   On the way back from the garden Michael and I took a tour of the NICU. It was very sad and overwhelming and every day I have more hope that Elliott will not end up there.

 

Thursday, December 15th

Dr. M was back on today.  She was friendlier than she had been on Sunday.  I also mentioned to her that I had been trying to read anything I could on my situtation to just get more information about what to expect.  She said there is no information because there is nobody else.  I know everybody keeps saying this, but I have a hard time accepting that this has never happened to anybody else.  I told her I would love to know what it wrong with my uterus and cervix that I can't seem to go full term when the rest of pregnancy is so easy for me.  She said it might be helpful for me to think in terms of a slight irritation might have triggered labor, but my body is so incredible that it stepped in and managed to stop a labor that no other body could have stopped.  She also wrote orders for me to have a consult with Dr. B, the perinatologist.  I haven't seen him since the first night I was here.  I just want to ask him some questions and get his opinion of some things.  Once I see him I can elaborate.  

 

Right now, 6 pm, I am waiting for Michael and Spencer.  They have been visiting Santa at Bass Pro Shop.  The best news is that they are bringing Ginger and I am using my wheel chair ride today to visit with her in the garden.  I haven't seen her in 11 days and it is killing me.

Days 6-7

I HATE that I can't load pictures into the blog right now.  It's so boring to just have text.  It's very stream of consciousness writing, which I am not a big fan of.  I have been doing all of my facebooking on my phone and my blogging on the TV internet in my room.  I hope to be setting up a laptop soon, though, so pictures may be forthcoming.  It might just be pictures of my room, so don't get too excited.

I wanted to write an update on everything since my last update.  Somehow, amazingly, I have been trying to write this post since Monday and have RUN OUT OF TIME on 3 separate days.  How does someone on hospital bed rest run out of time?

Saturday, Dec 10th

My dad's birthday.  It would have been a nice day for Elliott to join us.  He did not.

I mentioned before that I have a really hard time with IV's. I am a "hard stick" and have more than one horror story with getting an IV started.  I'd rather them take blood every hour than to do one IV.

I had an IV started in my left hand by the anethesiologist on Monday when I first got to triage.  That one expired on Thursday so the anesthesiologist started a new one in my right hand.  After Wednesday the only thing I needed the IV for was antibiotics.

We will sidetrack for a moment to talk about current childbirth practices in the U.S. because it is relevant to the rest of the story.

In a normal pregnancy the expectant mother is tested for Group B strep at around 36-37 weeks.  Group B strep is a normal bacteria that grows in the digestive track of every person on the planet.  It is not harmful.  Sometimes, because of going potty (you know what I mean), the bacteria can be transferred to the birth canal where it can colonize.  Even if that happens it is not harmful to an adult.  A woman can be colonized her whole life and suffer no ill effects from it.  If a baby happens to pass through a Group B strep colonized birth canal, however, it can be disastrous.  If the baby gets the bacteria in their system it can cause infection, meningitis, sepsis and a host of other problems.

If a woman tests positive for Group B strep she is treated immediately so that the baby can be born safely.  If she is negative she is not tested again.  If she has not been tested before labor begins she is automatically treated with 2 separate infusions of antibiotics before delivery.  That's what happened with Spencer.  I delivered before being tested, so I was automatically treated.

Which brings us to now.  Since I was 33 weeks 5 days when I came to the hospital, I had not yet been tested. Everyone assumed I would deliver that day (and within a day or two if not that day) so I was started on antibiotics immediately and was continued on them every 4 hours because I could have delivered at any minute.  After I was removed from the magnesium and saline drips on Wednesday, my IV was flushed with saline, I was given a half hour penicillin drip and then it was flushed with saline again.  Every 4 hours.  24 hours a day.

On Saturday evening my 48 hour old IV started leaking.  The correct medical terminology is that it infiltrated, but basically the fluids were leaking into me (out of my vein) and also out of me (my hand was getting wet).  My nurse tightened the IV, retaped it and hoped for the best.  During my next dose I leaked all over, inside and out.  It really hurt.  The nurse took that IV out and said she would have to start a new one.  I told her that anethesiology had been starting my IV's.  She went to check with them and reported back that they told her she needed to try first.  All of my nurses have been wonderful and I have really had no issues, so I would like to believe she was telling the truth.

I debated back and forth just refusing to let her even try.  She was adamant though that she was just going to look for a good vein and wouldn't even try a stick if she didn't find a good vein.  Thank goodness she was actually good and was able to find a vein and got it started with one, not so terrible stick.  The gross part is that now my IV was in the top part of my left arm. 

I had my antibiotics and then went to sleep.

Sunday, December 11th

At 4 am I was due for my next dose.  She came in, flushed it and started the drip.  It was immediately painful.  Like really, really, really painful. I turned on the lights and saw that a huge, hard lump had started forming under my arm.  And it was growing larger and more painful by the second.  So I burst out in tears and pushed the call button.  When my nurse came in I was crying so hard I couldn't talk.  She had to guess what was wrong.  By the time she saw my arm I had a baseball size, really hard bump under my skin.  She immediately stopped the drip and within minutes had removed the IV.

I spent the next 4 hours alternating between crying and sleeping.  I decided I was going to refuse a new IV and more antibiotics and demand I be tested for the Group B strep (which in hindsite I should have done earlier).  I also made up my mind that I just would not have Elliott until I knew the results of the test (which typically takes 24 to 48 hours).

I have a different doctor from my practice each day, depending who is on call.  Dr. M was  here on Sunday and she was not pleased with me, but I stood my ground.  If my job is to sit here and be relaxed and not go into labor then forcing an IV on me is not the way to do it.  I was so stressed out about it that I would have for sure delivered if it had continued.

The other important thing about Sunday was that I was finally released from 24 hour a day monitoring and placed on every 8 hour monitoring.  That has been HUGE. I can finally move around without being bothered all day and night.  I even started sleeping more than 45 minutes at a time.

Stay tuned.  I have a 20 minute date with the monitor and then I hope to be back with days 8 to 11.  There are some humorous stories about these days, so maybe you won't be bored to tears while reading.

Some, um, revisions

My wonderful friend Megan called me in the hospital after I posted my last two blog entries and said, "what the hell, no mention of me whatsoever?"  Turns out being on toxic drugs and under a great deal of physical and emotional stress for 48 hours will cause a bit of memory loss.  I need to clarify some events now that I am a bit more level-headed.

I had actually been trying to figure out how my mom got up here from Tucson so fast the day I came to the hospital. I remembered Michael calling her and I remembered Spencer not being at the hospital all afternoon, so I (wrongly) assumed my mom got here right away and picked him up.  Turns out that is not true.  Megan is the one that dropped everything and scurried over here.  She took Spencer to her house to play and out to dinner and brought him back to our house and waited until my mom arrived at bed time.  I had completely forgotten these events when I wrote my last post.

Megan also pointed out (in the nicest way possible) that when I was finally given permission to eat she was the one that not only got my food for me, but called Paradise Bakery and asked them to stay open so she could get my preferred sandwich and then also went to McDonald's to get me a milkshake.

Megan did not tell me that I needed to clarify these things on the blog.  She was just joking with me that I could neglect mentioning such extreme helpfulness.

Yesterday Megan came over and picked up Spencer and took him to her house for the day.  They played, baked cookies and made me cards/arts and crafts projects.  She wrote a blog post about it.

Since I can no longer write blogs about fun days with cute pictures, you should read about it here.

I am lucky to have a friend as good as Megan that will care for my son and love him like her own.  It's just one of the reasons that, whenever Elliott does finally decide to make his appearance, Megan will be his godmother.  If she'll accept the offer.

I know she will do a beautiful job of helping to shape Elliott into the type of person we want him to be- caring, generous, selfless and brave.  

Just like Megan.

The Last 5 Days- Part 2

Tuesday Dec. 6th

So, as I said before, the magnesium had been turned down to a 2.5 because I was having so many side effects. I was still on the catheter and still being monitored constantly.  It was a rough day, emotionally and physically.  Everyone was prepared for me to deliver at any minute. 

One of the things I have been looking forward to most for this baby is having an easier time nursing.  Spencer was 4 weeks early and the early days of nursing were ROUGH.  I've been thinking about how geat it will be to pick up a baby and just nurse because I have all of the knowledge about how to do it.   All day Tuesday I worried about nursing. I have been told over and over that Elliott will be physically fine and I believe that, but I want to nurse and I want it to not be hard.

On Tuesday afternoon I had a great consult with the lactation consultant.  I felt so much better after.  She assured me that nursing is possible and we talked a lot about what to do in the first hours, days, weeks and months to make it possible.  It still could be difficult, but prematurity does not make it imposible or even guarantee it will be difficult.

This whole time on Tuesday I was absolutely bed ridden.  The magnesium nearly paralysed me so I literally did not sit up or get up for 48 hours.

At 3:45 on Tuesday I was given a second shot of steroids for Elliott's lungs.  I was told that his chances for breathing and just general health would be vastly improved if the 2nd shot had 24 hours to take effect.  That afternoon the magnesium was turned down to a 2.  That made everything so much more tolerable.  I no longer felt like I was dying.

Tuesday night I was also given permission to eat.  I had been restricted up until this point because they didn't want a big meal in my stomach irritating my uterus.  But after the 2nd shot of steroids, and with me making no more progress, the rules were relaxed.  I was pretty dang hungry after 20 hours of no food.

Tuesday night I rolled over in bed around 2 am and felt a GREAT deal of pressure.  I was positive Elliott was just going to fall out at any second.  I had another panic attack.  At about 4 am I was checked again.  I was 7-8 cm dilated.  

The whole time I was told by many people (doctors, nurses) that it is possible to be incredibly dilated and not deliver.  They told me of a woman who has been here for 2 months dilated to 6.  But nobody really believed this would happen to me.

Wednesday Dec. 7th

I had it in my mind that this would be Elliott's birthday.  I was scheduled to be taken off the magnesium at 3:45.  Everyone, myself included, thought my water would break and I would deliver within hours.  At 3:45 they turned off the magnesium.  They disconnected me from the IV and took out my catheter.  By 4:30 I was in the shower (oh it was sweet!) and by 5:30 I was in bed, hair and make-up done, waiting to go into labor.

And then, nothing.

I spent the evening watching TV, having visitors, and waiting.  I peed all over myself.  Apparently bladder control is difficult after being on a catheter for 48 hours.

Wednesday night was nice because the doctor gave me a break from the constant monitoring.  It was heaven being off the IV, off the catheter, off the magnesium and only having vitals and monitoring every 4 hours.  I even slept a litle (like a 1 hour stretch and then a 2 hour stretch).

Thursday Dec. 8th

Everybody was shocked that I was still here.  I was shocked.  I got up, took a shower, got ready and waited.  And waited and waited.

Nothing really note-worthy happened all day.  At one point I sent my mom to Carter's to buy some preemie clothes, but that may have been on Wednesday.  She got some really cute stuff, and at least Elliott will have some clothes that fit.

Friday Dec. 9th

That brings us up to today.  People cannot believe that not only am I still here but that nothing really has happened.

I have settled into a little routine.  I get up, eat, take a shower, get ready, get back into bed and wait.  I took a little nap this morning.  I am back on constant monitoring, which is a pain, but I am free to go to the bathroom as I need to.

I had a ultrasound this afternoon.  My fluid levels are normal.  Elliott is around 5 pounds 8 ounces.  He was doing practice breaths, which means his lung are functioning.  They couldn't see my cervix because he is so low his head is blocking it.

At this point it is all a waiting game.  I am past the point of dilation that I could be sent home so I am here until I deliver.  Once something/anything happens I will go fast.  I only have to dilate 2 more cm and then I can push.  Michael missed work all this week to be with me, but if I am still here next week he needs to go back to work.  We just can't have him using all his time before we even have a baby.  The concern is that if he is at home when something happens he can be here in 5 minutes.  If he is at work it is 30 minutes (no traffic) to 1 hour (traffic).  I am most stressed about keeping Spencer's life relatively normal.  We have a plan until Sunday morning and then we'll have to just go day by day.

There are so many unknowns that we are facing now: How long will I be here?  When will Elliott be born?  What will Elliot's health be like?  How long will he have to stay in the hospital? Every night I seem to sense that I will have him soon.  During the day I feel like we could be here for a long time.  It's just a big old waiting game.

I have access to the internet through my TV in my room so I will try to write more posts as things change.  I can't upload pictures, but there is not much to upload anyway.

I am bored, though, so call me, email me, facebook me, text me, leave comments, come to visit me, etc.

The Last 5 Days- Part 1

Those of you that I know in "real life" already know about this.  Those of you that follow my blog (thank you!) but don't know me are finding out about this for the first time. 

I am in the hospital. I have been here since Monday.  I want to blog about this so that I don't forget the details as time goes on.  This will be a loooooong post with no pictures (i.e. potentially boring) but it's as much for my own memories as anything.

Saturday Dec. 3rd

I woke up and felt like I had a touch of a cold- sore throat, congestion.  Nothing too bad.  I had a doctor's appointment Saturday morning.  Everything was normal.  We went over the signs of preterm labor.  I had had none of them.  I made my next appointment for Dec. 16th.

Saturday night Michael, Spencer and I went to a parade and tree lighting event.  It was very cold and rainy.  Spencer and I sat on the curb while we watched the parade.  We took lots of pictures and I was going to do a blog post about the whole thing, but alas, the whole hospital thing happened.  Later that night I got out of bed because I didn't feel good.  I sat on the couch and watched some TV.  I thought I felt bad because of sitting on the curb.  Then I realized I had had a real contraction.  I downloaded a contraction tracker app on my phone and kept track.  I had 3 contractions- all 3 lasted about a minute and they were 25 minutes apart.  They were tight but not painful.  I drank 2 glasses of water, laid on my left side and the contractions went away. I went to bed and had no more contractions.

Sunday Dec. 4th

We stayed home all day.  I felt normal all day.  Megan and Scott came over and took our family Christmas picture.  I ordered our Christmas cards.  We made a big deal about NOT having had a baby in 2011.

Monday Dec. 5th

Spencer had a nightmare during the night so he ended up in our bed.  Michael went to work and Spencer and I slept in.  We got up around 9, ate breakfast, played and then went to CVS and Sprouts.  We didn't have time to go home for lunch so we stopped at a deli for sandwiches.  While there I had about a 10 second back spasm.  It was about a 2 on the pain scale.  Then I felt some pressure.  That was it.

I took Spencer to school.  My plan was to go Christmas and grocery shopping.  Instead, out of an abundance of caution, I went to the hospital.  My doctor had told me on Saturday that I could go and be hooked to the monitors whenever I needed to if I was worried.  I went through triage and told them my symptoms- 3 contractions on Saturday, a 10 second back spasm and some pressure.  I got some looks like I was crazy, but they put me in a gown, took a urine sample and took me into an exam area.  Then they checked me.  I was dilated to 5 and 80% effaced.  Then things really started moving.

Anesthesiology came and got an IV started (I am very hard to start an IV on), they gave me a shot of terbutaline, started a catheter and moved me to a recovery room.  I had already texted Michael to tell him to go get Spencer at school.  During this time I called him sobbing.  I was crying so hard I couldn't even talk.  That put Michael on high alert.  They showed up right as I was moved to the recovery room.  Then I was checked again.  And I was dilated to 6 cm.  Then things really moved fast.

I was started on a huge bolus of magnesium (at a rate of 6) and then they rushed me into a labor and delivery room.  I was told I would probably deliver within hours.  They gave me a shot of steroids to get Elliott's lungs functioning.  I knew it was serious when I had about 6 people in the room and none of them left.  They just stood there.  Waiting.  Presumably to catch a baby.

The bolus of magnesium took about 45 minutes to go in.  Then the drip was reduced to a 3.  Magnesium is highly toxic and has a large number of side effects. I was immediately hot and flushed and my mind was hazy.  Somehow we worked out that my mom would come immediately to take Spencer.

The next couple of hours are a blur.  My mom showed up and took Spencer.  Then I talked to the neonatologist.  He assured me that babies at 34 weeks do quite well.  The mortality rate is the same as full term babies.  As long as there are no other health problems, the long term prognosis is excellent. 

I stayed on the magnesium at a rate of 3 all night.  I was being constantly monitored- pulse, temp, contractions, IV, breathing.  I slept maybe 30 minutes.  The perinatologist came to check on me around 1:30.  He checked me again and I was dilated 7.  I had a panic attack right then.  In the morning the magnesium was turned down to a 2.5 because I was having some of the toxic side effects- blurry vision, double vision, difficulty thinking, muscle weakness.  It can also cause kidney failure, but my kidneys were rock stars according to the nurses.

All this time- the first 18 hours or so- I was a MESS.  Crying all the time, couldn't think, couldn't talk.  Just a mess.

Part 2, and possibly 3 and more, coming soon.

Trees

Waaaay back during the holiday season of 2001 Michael and I were engaged and (gasp) living together.  We lived together for 4 months out of wedlock and our marriage has now lasted almost 10 years, so I think I am safe in saying that we were not "shacking up".

At that time I was working at the Senate and Michael was going to school.  He also worked part-time at Michael's Arts and Crafts as a framer.  The biggest benefit of that job was that he got a pretty sweet employee discount.

Using that discount we bought our first Christmas tree.  A cute little 4 footer.  We were so proud of it.

Our first tree last us through three apartments (in two states) and five Christmases.  In 2006 we moved into our first house and my parents bought us a 7 footer.

That year, we'll refer to it as "the last year before pets or children", I decorated both trees, the seven footer and the four footer.  I put all of our ornaments on the big tree and I bought a whole bunch of incredibly discounted balls to put on the little tree. 

I loved having two trees.  The big one was in the formal living room and the little one was in the family room.  It was holiday wherever you went.

Three months later we adopted Ginger and nine months later Spencer was born.  And thus, 2006 was the first and only year of having two trees. Every year we open the box containing the little tree, discover what is inside and then close it up and put it back on the shelf.  Then I look longingly at the box full of balls, sigh, and say, maybe next year. 

 Moving on. We decorated the house for Christmas before Thanksgiving this year.  Don't judge.  I had helpers (my mom and dad) and I wasn't go to let them go without helping.  And by helping I mean doing everything. 

Last Christmas we didn't have this little table in the entry way . We got all the decorations done and then I realized I didn't have anything holidayish to put on here.  I vowed I would be OK with it.

That lasted 2 days.  Then Spencer and I went to Kohls with Kohls cash to spend.  And we found this little tabletop 2 footer.  And before I knew what happened we had bought it, put it on the table and decorated it with all the fancy balls.

I love it.

It's the first thing you see when you walk in the front door. 

I want to sit on the couch and stare at it all day.

Now that I have this little guy I decided I can get rid of our 4 footer that hasn't been out of the box in 5 years.  I'm bringing it to work tomorrow where our maintenance guy has assured me he will find a good home for it, either in a classroom or with a family.  I feel good about it.

Additionally, I'm also looking forward to using these Target dollar section purchases.

Santa countdown #1

Santa countdown #2.

One more thing and then I'll say good night.

I saw this dress at The Limited a few weeks ago.  I want it.  I'd pair it with a little black shrug cardigan and wear it to a holiday party.

Alas, this is what my belly looks like and it's not meant to be.

The FEMA sponsored gingerbread house

Last year we made a gingerbread train with Spencer on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

We all had a lot of fun doing it and although we ended up tossing the whole thing into the garbage in January we still thought it would be fun to make it a tradition.

We went with the house this year.

We finished right around the time that Spencer got bored with the activity.

He asked me to take pictures of him leaving the room.

Michael and I were just starting to congratulate each other on a job well done when the roof started separating and all the candy on top fell in. 

Then it really became a disaster.  So disastrous that there are no pictures because I don't have that many hands.

After the roof separated, the walls caved in.   So basically we had 6 pieces of fully decorated house that were dripping with thick slabs of icing, and nothing holding them together. 

Spencer came back (no doubt our screams and yelps peaked his interest) and started licking the icing from all of the candy that was falling off.

We rallied all of our resources (resources being our hands, the bag of icing and a bunch of bowls) and managed to put the house back together.  Then we let it sit, propped up (and with a large pot to keep the bowls from sliding), for about an hour while the icing dried.

Then we used more icing and some powdered sugar to cover the damage.

The whole experience was much more exasperating and much more hilarious than I have portrayed here.

This gingerbread house is covered in Spencer's saliva and general hand bacteria.  It, like the train, will be going straight in to the trash come December 26th. 

And then, an entire year will go by and we'll forget what a pain in the a** it was and we'll build another one.  And Elliott will help!  And hopefully not get a mouth full of icing!

Thanksgiving

This year was the first year in a loooooong time that we did not have Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt and uncle's house in Casa Grande.  They moved to Florida this past year, so that family tradition is over.

We started a new tradition with dinner at Lois and Jerry's house.  Here is a little family lesson.  My dad's brother is Terry.  Terry is married to Karen.  Karen's brother is Jerry.  Got it?  Jerry and Lois are like my aunt and uncle, only they're really not.

They have a beautiful home and backyard overlooking a golf course.

Spencer and my grandma.  The day after Thanksgiving was her 94th birthday.

 

 Michael's dad, my brother Nick and my dad

My mom and Aunt Karen

The official 2011 family photo.

Next year Elliott will have a cute outfit (I'm sure) and make it that much more difficult to get a good picture.

Spencer had goldfish for an appetizer.

My grandma got a birthday sundae.

After dinner Spencer played "garbage truck in danger".  All of his vehicles always seem to find themselves falling off of cliffs.

Then we had some unexpected visitors in the backyard: a mom and baby bobcats.  I know you only see 1 bobcat in each picture but I promise there were actually 2 of them.

Flashback Time

2007

 2008

2009

2010

2011

I am not writing this from home so I had to go through my blog archives to find and copy the previous Thanksgiving pictures.  That's why they are blurry.  Sorry.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  Christmas is now less that a month away.