Enough about me....

I used to think it was funny to say, "Enough talking about me, let's talk about you...what do YOU think about me?"....Cute, huh? Well these past few nights have been rough...my man apparently believes that growth spurts should be a night only issue...so we have been waking for full feedings every two hours at night...sometimes during the day...but mostly at night he is trying to increase the flow...nice huh?

So I decided after weeks of reading through my fellow blogger's blogs....what can I do for you? Well, I can pray. So there it is. I am up 3-4 times a night and trust me, there isn't a lot to watch in the early a.m. I will admit, I will watch Scrubs, Murphy Brown, Family Matters, but could I be doing something better with my time? Sure - I could pray. Why don't I do some growing of my own while I am up breastfeeding my little dude.

So please, post a comment and let me know how I can pray for you over the next few weeks. I know some might be personal, so feel free to e-mail me instead at beckifrancy@aol.com I don't have to know you. And I assure you I will keep your request confidential if you wish. I am a lawyer, I can keep secrets like no one's business! More importantly - I commit to praying specifically for your need until Jan. 1, 2009. And then I will check in with you. If you are not a believer, I will still pray for you, all you have to do is ask....

Silence....it says so much....

My sister Molly and I often get tickled at eachother. Molly decided to build her family through adoption, so she enjoys often snickering at her sisters as we struggle with the fun things about pregnancy. It isn't mean or nasty and usually puts me in a good mood and helps me laugh at myself. So this story is for Molly...

SOOOO..this morning I get up feeling extra thin. I mean I put on a lot less weight with Greyson than I did with Ragon. I went to the doctor yesterday and weighed in at less than I did after Ragon was over two months old...so I am skinny right? I go in my closet and get out my "Fat Girl" jeans....surely these will fit....So I pull on my awesome granny panties with the double pads to cover my c-section incision and well you know where the other one goes....and I pull them up...The go all the way up, I smile at my husband slyly....yes babe...I am sexy...I am thinking to myself! The problem, they in NO WAY are going to button or zip around my saggy belly....My husband being sweet, says, "honey, why don't you put on my jeans"...Now generally I might be offended, but come on, I just had a baby...so I thought...Good Idea...I jump in the shower and ask him to grab my "Fat Girl" jeans and measure them to his and get some that are bigger....as I shower I notice something....complete silence....not a word coming from him, and he was gone a while....finally he pokes his head in the shower and says, "Are you sure you want to wear jeans today?" I about fell down laughing....I interpret this to mean there aren't any jeans that are bigger than my fat girl jeans....I laughed because I wondered how long he stood there thinking of what to say as to not bring a stream of tears....but I have a sense of humor...however, I did picture my sister Molly laying on the ground laughing so hard she almost wet her pants!

I go in the closet determined that even after giving birth I could wear his jeans....I was right...they fit, I don't know which part he was measuring, but I am wearing them...and guess what girls, I look HOT! Okay - maybe not hot, but they aren't maternity!

Two Weeks Old....

I can't believe that Greyson is two weeks old today. Ironically, today is the day that he was "supposed" to be born. But he had other plans. Anyway - here are some hospital pics that I couldn't ever get to show online. Also there is a pic of our current status of regression. Ragon is sitting in his carseat in front of the tv with her bunny and Greyson's bunny. It was pretty funny, I was doing my hair and she got real quite. It you have a toddler, you are concerned the most when they aren't making noise. I came around the corner and this is what I saw.....Also - I found a way to help Grey sleep. I take off my tank top at the end of the day and put it on his sleep positioner.....he thinks I am holding him all the time....and he sleeps like a dream! Enjoy the pics....some new, some old! Also included is a picture of Ragon that I think is gorgeous....it is of the day we came to the hospital...we literally brought her in pj's and threw a bow in her hair. Here is a pic of her in a stroller, my mother-in-law's sweatshirt and no bow....and she still looks pretty!

Woohoo...and stuff....

I love this picture, my mom took it in the hospital. I promise - more pics later!

Quick update. Greyson had his two week check up today (okay - so he isn't quite two weeks). But two prayers were answered:

1. With Ragon I had such a hard time breast feeding her, and she didn't ever really gain weight until we supplemented her. Not the same with Mr. Man. He was born weighing 7 lbs. 2 oz, and went home 6 lbs. 9 oz. On week one, he weighed in at 6 lbs 13 oz. Today.....7 lbs 7 oz....WOOOOHOOOO....

2. If you are familiar with Max - my sister Laura's son, he has a rare condition called Diabetes Insipidus. Anyway - it is carried by the Mama's in our family and passed on mostly to our son's. So we had Greyson tested. They do a blood test and test the boy's sodium levels. We did one test in the hospital and it came out good, so we tested again today. And his sodium levels are perfect. In addition to the weight gains and good appetite, it does not appear that Greyson has DI. We will continue to keep watch on it, but for now, we are in the clear. Yeah!!!

Ragon is getting used to Greyson and I think has begun to realize that he is not leaving. So she has accepted it....more like embraced it. She now wakes up and asks for Bubba and wants to hold him and point to all his body parts. We haven't shown her the MAIN difference between the two of them yet. We were thinking by the time she was about 16....is that too late?

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Just to make you laugh....I was breastfeeding Greyson at my parents house today. It was just us girls....and the kiddos. My nephew Owen, who is not familiar with the whole breastfeeding thing, came over and stood by me. He looked at me very intently for a few minutes....and then sweetly asked..."Is he chewing?"

Breaking All The Rules....

Okay - I am sure you are shocked that this Type A Momma has rules. Yep...we are all about schedules, teaching ourselves to sleep, etc. BUT....for the first few weeks of their tiny lives...we break all the rules. For Example, Greyson went through his first growth spurt the last two nights (you remember the 7-10 day one)....he wanted to eat every two hours, that is from the start of the feedings...not two hours in between. I was half tempted to have my husband take a picture of me this morning, I was so tickled at how bad I looked. I looked like I had been out all night partying...and was just coming home. I woke up this morning, to my husband with a little panicked look on his face, "Where is Greyson?", I simply pulled back the sheets and revealed his little man hooked to a breast.....yeah...I did that. I am not the kind of mom that sleeps with her kids (not that I am opposed to this, it just doesn't work for me). But as of 5:00 a.m. this morning, I would have shaved my head to get just two hours of straight sleep.

Other updates....The Baby Blues, seem to be drifting away....so that is good news. Bad news - we only had our house on the market for 45 days and it didn't sell. Which is a total stinker, but we are not done! We are going to try again in the spring. Long story short, three days after we listed the house, the owner of the land parallel to our house petitioned to have the area rezoned to commercial and multi family and then the interest rates shot up two percent. So that was awesome in helping us sell. Hopefully the economy will be a little more stable in the spring and we can finally build our house in Trinity Creek.

Kim - I am a freak, my mom and I drove over yesterday so I could show her where we were planning to build. All of the sudden I became a stalker and stopped looking at houses and wondered if I would see you out with Ty or picking Ella up from school. If you see a semi-fat blond woman hop out of a car, hobbling and start chasing you....it's just me!

Here are the pics. Aunt Molly has been disappointed in our posting of pics. I am feeling a lot better and have batteries in my camera....so I will hopefully do a lot more pic posting!

Gods Hand....

I know I did a kind of depressing post yesterday, but I SOOO appreciate you women/amazing friends/family and your comments. So I wanted to do a more upbeat post. Because I feel a little more upbeat.

During my fast delivery and scary c-section...some amazing things happen to remind me that my God is every constant, faithful and with me....here they are...

1) When I went into labor at my house, I literally RAN out the door with David. I didn't have a thing packed. I had meant to go by Mardels after finding out I was going to have a c-section. So I could buy a clinging cross. I thought I had more time. To make this short - my sister in law had one. So I had my mom call her, but by the time she got a hold of her she was already on her way to the hospital. SO - I told her not to say anything. I knew she would feel the need to turn around and go get it. She showed up a short time later...she looked at me and whispered..."have we prayed yet?" She knew I was scared, I replied no...not yet....so slipped something into my hand....it was her clinging cross. How in the world did she know? I had never mentioned it to her...but God moved her that morning. And she did as he directed her heart....

2) My girlfriend - Karissa (AKA Dorita) Is a NICU nurse at St. Francis. She has been there for both Laura's and my children's birth. I so wanted her there. I called her on the way to the hospital, she was doing everything she could to make it. I knew she would make it in time to catch Greyson. I kept pleading with her, "Karissa, be honest, if something is wrong - just tell me". Anyway - they took me to the OR, I was all by myself (and my cross) they delayed the procedure because another woman began to deliver before me...I sat their alone...rubbing my cross - with complete strangers...I kept praying...Come on God...Keep me calm, I need you..I need to see you...The spinal block took FOUR tries...but I kept my cool...they laid me down, on my way down, I saw them...the eyes of my life long friend poking over the surgical scrubs....God was reminding me....he was still there....

Just a reminder to look for the things that GOD does do in our lives, even when we are so scared, take a deep breath and look for him...and then listen...above is a picture of the clinging cross....and the poem attached...

When my mind is fuzzy

And my eyes are dim with tears,

I need to feel Your presence, Lord,

And know that You are near.

When my heart is racing

And my thoughts have such a sting,

I tightly grasp this little cross

And prayerfully I cling.

It's not a magic piece -

This cross Your father planned,

But when I cling to it

I feel Your nail-scarred hand.

Keeping it Real....

A friend on mine has a blog...she mentioned she was keeping it real...in that spirit so will I. I always pride myself on being honest with things, because as Christians we should be honest with our struggles, that is how others grow...and heck, it just makes everyone realize they and YOU are normal. So...here we go...last night it came back. What you ask? The Baby Blues. If you aren't familiar with this....it is like the mini me version of Post Partum Depression. I don't get it horribly bad, but I get it. I got it with Ragon, and was hoping to avoid it with Greyson. But whatever I was hoping, here it is. If you have had it - pray for me. If you have not, just know it could happen to you. The reason this is important? Because it can freak you out. I sat here this morning and wait for it....I was crying because I was crying. Yep - I felt bad for feeling bad. Today I have felt: 1) like a crappy mom because i can't pick up my 20 month old or get down and play with her well. 2) Like a crappy wife - my husband does everything and I mean everything and there isn't anything I can do for him. 3)nauseated: I feel sick to my stomach during this time so I am forcing down food to keep up my breast milk 4) ridiculous - why am I crying, my children are healthy and alive, i have a wonderful husband, etc. So there it is folks - the down and dirty on me.

All this to say, pray for me and my family. I hate this part of the process. But I am praying and relying on God to take this from me.

Finally, and a random thought. If you want to think I am weird go ahead, I am used to it. My sister adopted her three children. I learned on her blog that some (adoptive) moms decide to nurse their children. To do this, many use this awesome contraption and other mother's breast milk to get their milk to come in. This round my breast milk is some good stuff. I am talking half and half people. With Ragon it was skim milk. Anyway - all that to say - if you know someone who is adopting and planning on trying to breastfeed, these women have to track down the breast milk. Let me know. Leave a comment, your e-mail, phone or something. But I would love to pump and save up for some mom....Breastfeeding your children is so fun and bonding, and not everyone CAN do it....so if you CAN and you want to.....let me know! And no it isn't for sale, it is a gift....and no I don't need to know them. I learned from a good friend Kim, you don't have to know someone to have an amazing impact on their life.....