Boys Room.

The boys are going to be combined in the same room starting this weekend.  I still have some finishing touches to do before I can do a big reveal. Besides I forgot to take a before picture...oh well.  I stink at details.  Anyhoo.. their verse for the room is Psalm 133:1-  "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity." 

So I have copied some pics in black and white that I am planning on hanging up under their verse. Take a peek: 

Heavy heart.

Recovery time for Jorge until the diabetes went away: 3 weeks. 

Recovery time for Alex until the diabetes went away: 6 weeks.  

"Rachel, after one of these pregnancies your going to end up keeping this illness.  And there is a high chance it will be insulin dependent too.  Not to mention what it is doing to your body, that we don't know about yet, while pregnant." -quote from my endocrinologist. 

Then there is research like this that shows that:

"The 8-year postpartum diabetes risk was 52.7% (130 diabetic cases of 302)" and sadly, " Risk was increased in women with autoantibodies to GAD and/or insulinoma antigen-2 (adjusted hazard ratio 4.1; P < style="font-weight:bold;">women who required insulin during pregnancy (4.7; P <>30 kg/m2 (1.5; P = 0.04), and women with more than two prior pregnancies (2.5; P = 0.02). Women without these risk factors had a postpartum diabetes risk of 14% by 8 years, and risk rose incrementally to 96% by 8 years in autoantibody-positive women."

So that pretty much sums up..me!  The risk is great.  So whats the big deal about having diabetes with insulin dependence for the rest of your adult life?  Well, there are lot's of risks to having diabetes : such as blindness, heart disease, nerve disease and kidney disease.  

My point in all this is to say that I want to be here for my children.  I want to be healthy and alive for as long as possible.  And with each pregnancy I take the risk of increasing my chances of keeping diabetes.  Not only that, but I can not take the risk of keeping the diabetes and then getting pregnant again.  There are more risks associated with that decision than would be worth the risk to my body.  

All this has led Jorge and I to decide that Eva will be our last "natural" child.  Through lots of prayer we have decided that I am going to get a tubal ligation.  Well, actually Jorge feels that he would rather get "tied" because he isn't so sure about the hormonal risks associated with a tubal.  Im convinced that I would rather be the one to get the surgery.  Anyway, this is a painful decision for me to make.  But not one that I feel guilty about.  I know what it's like to grow up without a mom because of medical issues that took her to early (she too was told not to have anymore children..then got preggers with me.  11 years later she died).  And I do not want to even travel remotely close to that road.  I know the Lord is in control of the number of days I have.  I just want to make the best decision for ME and for the circumstances.  

Who knows why I am sharing this on the world wide web.  I guess because I just wanted to vent.  Its a sad thought.  No more birth.  But I can't wait, should the Lord allow, for us to bless another little baby into our family that would otherwise not have one (through adoption).  Just because I may not birth them doesn't mean I can't still get our soccer team!  lol. 

So I would ask for you to pray specifically that God would see fit to keep me from postpartum diabetes.  That my numbers would return to normal quicker than they had with the boys.  God's will be done for sure, but if possible that that cup would pass from me.  

 

Doctor, still sick and new baby!

New look for the blog.  I hope you like it and its easy on the eyes.  I found out about the site that offers the free templets from Rachel C.  And she also helped me walk through how to change alot of the things I was clueless about.  So thanks again girl.  

I had yet another dr's appt today for Eva.  She's still doing great.  Lower heartrate today (120's) but still normal.  I talked to Dr. Ross about my numbers and trying to deliver at 38 weeks and he said that sounded like it was a good idea, based on all the diabetes "stuff."  He is good with my "natural" approach to inducing the labor before we go to pitocin.  So that's GREAT!  So people.. August 25th is the day I turn 38 weeks and that is the day that I am pulling all the stops to see what herb, wives tale, you name it.. will work getting my uterus going.  So feel free to leave a wives tale you have heard (that's worked before on you or someone you know) and I will consider it.. I'd do a contest to see which one worked but if I'm trying a bunch on the same day then there isn't a way to see which one worked. 

Jorgito threw up again at 1 a.m this morning.  And has already had diarrhea twice.  I really covet your prayers for him.  The doc called in a reflux med to see that will help with the throwing up in the middle of the night.  So we'll try that tonight.  God is giving me strength to function with three hours of sleep or six (combined) for the last two nights.  No complaints there. I just hate to see my little man continue to deal with this "thing" whatever it is.  

Also, for those of you who know Jim and Shelley Walls.. they just called and they delivered a beautiful baby girl about two hours ago: Naomi "Hope."  I will put up a pic as soon as i get one.  Its on my phone but I can't transfer it on my computer.  Yeah!! Jim and Shelley!  

Life looks different...

my world looks a little different thinking that I may have a baby in four weeks.  Yes, I will only be 38 weeks, but all the diabetes signs point to an early delivery.  Granted, I will try to avoid pitocin by doing some more "natural" things to get things going on that joyous week.  My friend Lori sent me an email with some fun things to do, that she says, work like a charm.  They include: 

-Black Cohosh.  Don't even ask me.  I still have to ask what Im supposed to do with that! 

-Clary sage oil. Im supposed to rub this on my belly and it will stimulate the uterus to contract. 

-primrose oil (which I can do now, the other stuff has to wait until week 38) it works as a cervix ripener.  cool. 

-eat eggplant, pinapple

-sex (hehe)

-walk stairs

She said the key to starting the labor is doing them all at once (well in the same day rather, lol).  Im excited to try.  I will have a dr's appt tomorrow so i will talk to dr. R about all of it and see if he is on board.  I know he is about delivery at 38 weeks and stripping my membranes.. but i have to make sure he's okay with black cohosh and clary sage oil too.  ;-)

But wild to think I could only have four more weeks before meeting this precious little girl.  fun times.  makes the hot days not seem as difficult with that perspective!

When does it end?

I am very thankful that Eva is safe in my womb and far away from this never ending virus that has settled in our home. 

Today started our third week.  The week was welcomed with Jorge (who I thought was over it and had had regular stools yesterday) throwing up at 4 a.m.  Alex was crying off and on thru the night but when i would check on him there was no throw up.  Although this morning when I went to get him out of his bed he had a hideous diarrhea diaper.  I praise the Lord that it didn't tear his bottom up since I have no clue how long he had it.

This thing started on the 14th!  A monday.  I've come to dread mondays.  That week Jorge had fifth's disease.  Then we all got some sort of symptom from it.  The next week Jorge, I believe, picked up a different virus that had him having diarrhea six times in an hour and throwing up once.  And just when I thought that one was done (yesterday) Monday reminds me to think again.  

I don't mind taking care of sick children.  I just feel so bad for them.  Especially Jorge.  He looks so skinny and puny.  He acts fine, but I guess in my head i know he hasn't eaten much.  And then there is the "no going anywhere" part of the equation.  But there are times where i just get in the car and drive somewhere just to get the kids out of the house.  

anyway, please pray that this virus leaves our family.  And if you see us out anywhere.. just run in the other direction.  that is unless i give the all clear.  ;-)

adios. 

Just take a guess...

My husband likes watches. Now when I say this (hey babe.. if you are reading this..its all true and you know it) I mean, he really enjoys watches. Wearing them, looking at them, researching them, bidding on them (ebay).. its all a part of the thrill of the hunt for him. This terrible (my words not his) fascination was started when he worked with a certain man, who will remain nameless but does have a bounty on his head should I ever run into him again, who would buy really nice watches and "teach" Jorge all about them. Of course, we have not been in a position to buy lots of these "nice" watches but I did make a promise to Jorge that when he met his goal of a certain income level that he could buy a really nice watch without a word of protest from me. Now people.. we never really discussed the price of this really nice watch that he would get at this income.. he just mentioned name brands. Im clueless to name brands.. I think he played that on me ;-P.

Anyways..the goal has arrived. And now the search, for THE watch, is on. Whenever Big Jorge is on the computer it is a guarantee that he is looking at watches. So last night I was sitting on the couch next to him,  as he was perusing the Net to find his soul mate (watch). He starts showing me some of the ones he likes and of course I just can't get over the price. I mean if you are going to pay that kind of money for a watch then it should look like it costs "that kind of money." Which leads me to the statement: Honey, I mean really, a watch priced like that should have intricacies and look expensive, ya know. Well, that leads him to say: "Babe, the watch I would love to have we could never afford but it does have it's intricacies. Here let me show you." So onto the website for Pateke Phillipe we go. Now people, I know I have heard of some pricey watches but this was unreal. On the website, he showed me a watch called "Sky Moon Tourbillon." However, the site did not show the price for it. Jorge just said, "it's alot." Well that means nothing to me so I asked him to google "how much is the sky moon tourbillon." But before I tell you I want you to take a guess at how much you think this watch costs:

There it is.  The face and back of the watch in all its glory. How much? I will add that we found out that this watch is the most expensive watch sold at an auction, in the world. Get that? The most expensive watch in the WORLD. A WATCH. To tell you what time, day and month you are now living in. A thousand? Half a million? Guess....keep that number in your head and then I want you to leave me what you thought in a comment on this post.

The price tag for this watch: $1,240,400. Yes you read that right. One million two hundred forty thousand four hundred US dollars. You can read about the sale here.

Well obviously this is not the watch he will be getting..

Random Photos

Jorge on the bus at Briarwood.. this lady was nice enough to take us on a ride around the church.  Jorge was a little unsure about getting his picture made. 

this is how my son "plays" at chickfila.. he is inside the little spaceship bubble or whatever it is. 

Got on camera: Alex doing the classic- "if my eyes are closed, I can't hear you mommy."

The boys with daddy inside a firetruck.. just a visit to the firehouse.  no worries. 

They both loved seeing the trucks up close.

Alex actually tried for about 2 minutes to lift that ball.  the kind that weighs as much as he does. 

Jorge riding "his" motorcycle at Alabama Adventure.  

Alex trying to eat his shoelaces while watching Daddy and big brother on a ride. 

Danger, Poison Control and too much fifth's.

I love this picture. Big Jorge took it on his phone while out at the park with the boys. Of course mommy was nowhere around, why else would Jorgito be standing on the SIDE of the slide where it is very DANGEROUS. Only a daddy would allow that. ;-)

Been very busy lately which is why I haven't blogged. Big and preggers, making a very hard effort to not complain although I will point out that this will hopefully be my last September baby! Ha!

Yesterday I got the lovely opportunity to call Poison Control. Jorge got a hold of my nasal spray (not the saline only kind). The toxicity level is 7 ml and the bottle has 30 ml and I had no idea how much he had gotten. The pc lady on the phone was very concerned and suggested that I take him to the ER immediately. I wasn't sure that he had much of it (not a teaspoon and a half, anyway) so I told her I wasn't sure I was going to take him right away. She was less than thrilled especially since i had mentioned that I had a sleeping baby in the other room (Alex- and he's really a toddler now since he will turn two in September). Her concern, as was mine, was that he could have a seizure at the house since the spray has a very rapid absorbtion rate. But I asked the question: how is a possible seizure going to be any different here at home versus in the waiting room while I'm filling out paperwork at the ER?

Anyway, I decided to wait it out at home. After having talked to my husband I might add. And he turned out fine. I know it could have gone the other way, but I really felt sure that he didn't get much in his mouth since I was out of the room for all of two minutes. Gamble I know, oh well. He's fine.

Oh other than the fifth's disease that we had last week. That's apparently what all of us got. Jorgito is still dealing with the GI issues of that and has the rash on his body when we go out in the sun. Which is the only way I knew it was fifths disease: the rash.

Well Im going to take a nap now. Here are some other pics for your amusement.

Making my daddy proud.

Today I had an opportunity to do something that would make my daddy proud.  This is probably the fourth time I have actually done this "act" since my daddy died and each time it makes me laugh.  

I had just pulled into the church parking lot to drop off books at the library.  I got the kids out of the car, Alex in his stroller and Jorge standing beside him.  A lady was in her car, next to ours, and was trying to start her car.  It was trying to "turn over" but to no avail.   I knocked on her window, as she was about to make a phone call on her cell phone, and asked if she still had power inside.  She rolled down her electronic window, which answered my question.  And here's how the conversation went from there (as it has gone with the others this has happened with):

Me: well, you still have power so its not your battery and the car is trying to "catch" which means its not the alternator, otherwise you would have just a clicking sound or nothing...so I believe the problem is with your starter.  

Her: (she laughs) oh okay.

Me: Can I try something?  I've done it before and it's no trouble.

Her: Sure (chuckling again).  This will be interesting.  Pregnant woman with two small children working on my car, but go right ahead. 

Me:  Do you have a crowbar?  Like with your spare tire?

Her: I don't think so.

Me: well mine is really hard to get to in the van, so pop your trunk and I will take a look.  

(she really didn't have a crowbar with her Jack so I grabbed the golf putter that was lying in the trunk.. i just need something long and made of metal).  

Her:  this is my husbands car so those are his clubs. 

Me: well I assure you this won't hurt.. the putter.  ;-)

I then walk over to her engine, locate the starter (hers was under her battery, literally..hadn't seen that before) and then bang on starter with the putter a few times and ask her to try to start the car.  Before she does she says "now if this works, my husband and my three sons are going to want to meet you!"  

It didn't work.  I did it again, this time much harder and.... cranked right up.  

Of course she was in shock and just kept laughing about how funny it looked to have a pregnant woman with two kids start her car in the parking lot, but I gave her my classic line, "ma'am, my daddy had three daughters and he was determined that we would know something about cars."  

The last time I helped someone with the same issue was a forty something year old man in a Wal-mart parking lot and I was in my early twenties.  He was fidiling around under his hood and I walk up and say "what's the problem?"  He was less than amused and thought I was a waste of his time since he needed to get back to "fixin' his car."  I have to say, he was probably the funniest reaction to the ordeal that I have had.  He wanted to call my dad right then and there.  It was too funny.  

Anyway, when I walked back into the church today as that lady drove off I got teary eyed thinking about how proud my daddy would be.  Although, he would probably say I need to start charging these people.  lol.

Run AWAY!

This morning seemed like an ordinary day.  Although my Jorgito didn't eat much for breakfast and whined a good bit.  But by 9:45 we headed off to the library to rent some movies for the boys.  We were there for four minutes when Jorge said he needed to go pee-pee.  But he was still very whinny.  He set his movies down on a chair and started to hold "himself."  I asked him to hold on a sec so I could put on Alex's shoes, but as I bent down to put on his shoes Jorge started to wail.  I looked at him and said, "you gotta go NOW?"  He said yes.  So I picked up Alex and off we ran for the bathroom. We got into a stall and I sat Alex down right as Jorge starts to throw up all over himself and the floor.  

I guess I was a little shocked because I didn't pick him up and hold him over the toilet, I just focused on keeping Alex, who was still barefoot, from stepping in it.  All the while telling Jorge "your okay baby."  I think the last "thrust" I did get him over the toilet while I grabbed some paper towels to wipe him down.  

I came out of the bathroom, with the boys, throw up still on the floor in the bathroom and had Jorge sit down in front of the counter.  Why?  Because I knew that if we were going to be at home all day then I needed to still check out those movies.  How sad is that?  Two minutes later we were in the car and headed home.  I made the mistake of caving in when he asked for water (20 minutes after the first event) so he threw that up too.   

So stay away, far away.  Hopefully this only lasts today and doesn't migrate to very, very pregnant women who can not imagine throwing up while carrying a massive belly (baby).  

that's all folks. 

Big Praise the LORD!

I hadn't mentioned anything yet but it's official now.  Big Jorge finished and passed his training for the RNFA (Registered Nurse First Assistant) program.  This is a higher position in the OR and includes a sizeable jump in income for us.  It has taken a year and he still has more homework and so many hours that he has to build up in the next year to finalize the licensing.  Its confusing, even for me.  But the bottom line is that he gets paid for the title w/ responsibility, NOW.  We are blown away by the provision of the Lord and the reward for Jorge's sacrifice over the last year to get this done.  

On a different note we get the boys bunk beds tomorrow.  Although we are going to keep Alex in a crib for as long as we can, Jorge is going to use a big boy bed.  I am so excited.  In fact, in preparation for all the stuff we are doing to the boys' room I decided to take them to our church MDO drop-in today so that I could shop.  Can I just tell you that I actually went to about 6 stores in a three hour period.  I mean, got to go in, go out, look for what I needed and run back to the van, jump in and hop to the next store in search for what it was I couldn't fine.  No loading and unloading the stroller, or the boys.  Not to mention the ease of just shopping.  I could get used to that.. lol. 

Success or not in the stores I visited, I got a lot done in that short amount of time.

-Dropped the boys off at 8:45

-Hit Michael's for the big letters to go on the wall (ALEX, JORGE) and the acrylic paint to paint them

-JcPenny- looking for two twin solid blue comforters for the beds.  NO LUCK. 

-Sears- still no luck

-Linen's and Things- No luck.

-Trusty Wal-mart.  Found them.  Plus a matching blue valance for the window.  

-Home Depot- bought paint for the room.  Stonington Beige.  Basic Neutral color to match whatever sheets we decide to use throughout our time in this house. 

-Subway- sandwich to go that Eva was craving. ;-P

-Little Ceasars- for the boys. 

-11:40- picked up the boys from the church and headed home for naps. 

I am so excited to get their room set up.  Granted, Alex is not going to be sleeping in there for another two weeks.  I need all the time I can get, or sleep I can get, before I make that big jump.  Then it will be on to Eva's room for set up.  Although we aren't painting anything.  I'll be sure to take before and after pictures of both rooms.  ;-P

Fun times.. nesting is so much fun... only when I get to cross it off the list! 

Toddler speak.

Big Jorge was fixing his shoes while we were in the van.  He had bought some special glue for the sole of his shoe and decided to fix them while in the van on the way to the galleria.  The smell was quite overwhelming and so I was giving him a hard time about being so task oriented, to the detriment of the others in the car (we had to suffer the smell).  Anyway.. we were jesting back and forth when he said something obnoxious (or silly/funny) and I said, "That's not funny."

then the following happened:

Big Jorge:  Jorgito is daddy funny?

Jorgito:  No. 

Big Jorge: Why not? 

Jorgito: You say 'Yes ma'am" to mommy.  

Awesome!  He was tired of hearing daddy "argue" with mommy and was telling him he was supposed to just say "yes ma'am." 

Love it!  We laughed for quite a while after that one. 

4th de Julio!

Some of you may know that my dear husband proposed to me on July 4th 2002. So every year we return to the same spot but this year was different. We actually decided to bring both the kids. Last year, Alex and Jorge both stayed home with their Nana. And even though the fireworks don't start until 9 p.m.. both the boys did great this year! Even Alex. ;-)

Alex pointing at the fireworks.. He really liked them. 
Mia and Jorge and their flags. 


Jorge was starting to get tired. 
Nice ride home. 
We had a great time.  Next year should be interesting. Jorge will be 4, Alex almost 3 and our little Eva will be almost 1.  Fun times.  ;-)

So far this morning..

Before 9 am my three year old has...

-Gotten into one of the kitchen drawers, took out two packets (taco bell FIRE sauce and a ketchup pack) and rubbed it all in his little brothers hair.  (Alex got a bath btw)

-Taken a bottle of syrup off the kitchen counter (that was very far back on the counter I might add) and poured 1/4 of its contents onto my ottoman in the office (where he was supposed to be watching Veggie Tales).  

This day is already been a joy!