April Showers Bring...Another Baby?

Another exciting week for us.  Last weekend my family came over for a BBQ after my mom and sister took her kids to the circus.  Took a walk after dinner and played at our neighborhood park.  Riley seemed to like the swing a little better this time.  Tuesday Pam's family came over for a BBQ as well.  Pam's brother, John, is home from Korea for a few weeks so they wanted to come hang out.  It was good to see him - he hadn't seen Riley since last September, she has grown a little since then!

Thursday was a busy day.  Started out with a doctors appointment for me - found out I will indeed need surgery on my knees.  Going under the knife on May 7th to get torn cartilage fixed in my right knee, and an inflamed plica band removed from my left knee.  I was hoping to avoid surgery, but at least this will hopefully end 10+ years of knee pain. 

Wednesday was Riley's upper GI, so after my appointment on Thursday we headed over to Dr. Nichols to get the results.  They couldn't see anything unusual, but at the same time Riley wasn't being too cooperative with drinking the Barium.  They had to feed her while taking the x-ray, so Pam couldn't be in there to help (since she is pregnant).  They said she drank enough for them to get a decent look.  So either there isn't a problem, or there could have been and she outgrew it (which is likely with a hiatal hernia).  She has been eating a lot better and spitting up less so that is possible.  Still would like to see her gaining more weight - she's currently at about 14lb 5oz.  Even though she is eating more now, she is also more active so is burning more calories.

Thursday afternoon we went to Pam's first OB appointment for baby #2.  Dr. Depew was a little shocked to see us again so soon!  Was able to hear the baby's heartbeat and see it on their mini-sonogram for the first time.  Baby was 0.80cm long, measured about 6 1/2 weeks he said.  Heartrate was at 127bpm, a little slower than Riley's first one (she was at 154bpm, but was also 7 1/2 weeks).  At this point, they are guessing the due date around December 4th.  Have sonogram pictures, but the scanner isn't hooked up right now so I'll have to post them later.  Dr. Depew said at this point he wasn't going to restrict us from doing anything and doesn't plan on it since we really don't know what caused the premature rupture with Riley.  Guess we'll just watch everything closely and play it by ear.

Spent this weekend working outside, got some yardwork done, finished my lattice-work under the deck, and cleaned out the garage.  Went to dinner at Pam's mom's house tonight.  Hope to get to see John a few more times before he leaves at the end of the month.  Next weekend we are headed to Manhattan to spend a few days with my sister's family, go to the K-State Spring Football game, and celebrate Makena and Landon's birthdays.

A few photos from the past two weeks (more are in the "Spring" album, click on the link to the right):

Oops! Here we go again...

Well folks, I guess the cat is finally out of the big.  After dropping some major hints around, I guess I should just announce it to the world - Riley is going to be a big sister!  Found out last week Pam is due with #2 around the end of November.  Pam had planned on telling me after her doctor's appointment on Thursday (April 1st), but I stumbled across something on the computer that I thought was an April Fools Joke (see Riley's shirt below).  Turns out it wasn't a joke!  Was quite the shocker to us both, as it certainly wasn't something we were planning or trying for - but we are very excited!  Assuming this one goes full term, the two kids will be 18 months apart - so we are going to have our hands full.  We surprised our parents on Sunday by hiding the shirt Pam made under a jacket and had them take the jacket off to stumble upon Riley's secret.  Needless to say, everyone was very surprised and excited. 

After all that we went through with Riley, we are expecting some extra restrictions and precautions during this pregnancy.  Not sure exactly what, but I would assume she'll be put on some physical limitations as time goes on, and probably more sonograms than normal to watch for the placenta previa (which we are pretty sure caused the amniotic rupture with Riley).  We go see the OB/GYN on April 15th, the same day as Riley's GI follow-up, and my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon about my knees - going to be a busy day!  Will post details after that with any news we get.

March Madness

Sorry for such a long delay, we've actually had a pretty busy month so lots to tell but haven't had the time to get on here.  Kind of ironic after my last post commented on how boring things were around here.  Spring break was a busy week for the whole family.  I got the opportunity to go to the opening rounds of the NCAA tournament in Oklahoma City, and while I was gone Riley got to have a few more "firsts."  First, Pam took her to the indoor pool at the YMCA with my mom, sister, and niece/nephew.  They had a blast, but Riley didn't enjoy it that much.  It was pretty crowded and VERY loud.  Now she seems to have developed a fear of water.  But I have no doubt that this summer she'll turn into a fish just like her cousins.  The next day they all went to the Sedgwick County Zoo.  This was the first time she got to sit upright in her stroller (rather than in the car-seat), and seemed to enjoy being able to look around.  She was pretty indifferent to all the animals, and at the petting zoo she actually passed out pretty quickly.  We'll have to make a regular thing of this, as I know by her love of dogs she'll really enjoy seeing all the bigger animals.

This past week was a little rougher on her.  We hit a few birthday parties last weekend, and as it turns out there were about 4 sick kids total we encountered.  Not sure who started it all, but we all had to endure the aftermath.  Riley came down with a high fever late Monday night and wouldn't sleep or eat for a few days.  Went to Dr. Nichols (pediatrician), and he said it was "just a cold" and she would get over it in a few days.  Fever was persistent but with lots of Tylenol and Motrin she was over it by Thursday.  Wednesday was my birthday, so Pam's mom came over to watch her while we went to dinner and a movie.  Unfortunately, I didn't get the present I was hoping for - as that was the day we were to hear back from Dr. Riva on the night-time oxygen.  We got the call, but she said we've got to go another 6-8 weeks with the oxygen at night.  She said during the sleep-study we did, her saturation dropped a few times down into the 70's, so she wasn't comfortable taking her all the way off yet.  Let's just hope she gets rid of it by her 1st birthday!

This weekend has been fun - celebrated Easter today with both sides of the family.  Didn't do a whole lot, but Riley got to wear her pretty Easter dress.  Took her to my parents' church for the first time and got to show her off to lots of people.  After dinner at Pam's mom's house we took a walk and played at their park a little bit.  She didn't really like the swings but smiled a little more on the slide.  Guess we'll have to try that again when she gets a little older.

She's starting to roll over more, and likes to rotate in circles while she is on the floor.  Does a lot of "grunting" which I guess is her form of talking.  She smiles up a storm and is starting to hold her arms out when you approach her so you'll pick her up.  There have been many times lately too where she has that attachment to mommy and daddy and cries for anyone else.  Always sucks when it is a close family member, but I know she'll grow out of it.  She still isn't a great eater, but does have her moments where she will suck the bottle down.  Isn't spitting up as much as before, seems like the reflux medicine and mylanta do the trick.  We are getting an upper GI done in a few weeks just to make sure she doesn't have a hiatal hernia.  It is something that has ran in my family (me, my dad, my uncle, my cousin...) so there is a chance that could be contributing to her problem.  Other than that she is developing very normally and has been a very happy baby.

I posted a lot more pictures in the "Spring" photo album to the right, but here are a few of the highlights: