Diabetes Walk 2012

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The big brub!

Garrett is 4 1/2 and tells me almost daily about when his next birthday is and how he is going to be five. When we were counting down the days until Sadie turned one, he said to me, "Can we talk about January now when it is going to be my birthday!" Garrett is sure the little smarty pants and is learning a lot this summer doing preschool practice! He is excited to be in the 4 year old class and is ready to be back with his friends! It has been fun having him home all day so we can have fun doing things together this summer, but I think we are both ready for the school year to start! He is a great big brother and loves to be close to his sister. That might mean hugs, kisses, crawling with her on the floor, tickling her, trying to pick her up, or holding her hand. It can get a little much at times for both the mom and the sister, but we know that he adores her! It is cute to hear his encouraging words when she is doing something well like standing or saying a word. He loves to share his food with her and is good at making her happy when she is sad. Garrett's favorite things to do are play on his swing set, ride his new bike, watch movies, dig holes, go swimming, play with his friends and cousins, go camping, and eat treats! We love you brub!

The lil' sis!

Blessed

 My heart is feeling full today. I was able to attend the temple today for a family in our ward that was being sealed. It was special to be there and I was overcome with emotion as the children walked in the room all dressed in white and the family knelt down together around the alter. Families are Forever! I am grateful that I chose to marry Colin in the temple for time and all eternity and that our family can be together forever because of that choice! I still have a hard time believing that I am a mom of TWO beautiful children. I look at my children often and think how lucky I am to be a mom. I recently heard a story of a man who when he was asked how he was doing he always replied, "blessed". No matter what, that was always his response. I feel the same way, but don't express it enough. Sometimes it is easier to think of the things that are hard, or the things that are going wrong. So, I want to try a little harder to focus on the positive and to enjoy these precious moments that I have with my family!

Here are a few family pictures from our summer!

Valentines

(Gotta love the blank stare and crazy hair from the sis!)

Oh you two! How I love you! The way you talk about each other...

Daddy: "Oh gorgeous!" "Oh princess!" " Oh Sahweets!" "You are soooo cute to me!" "Oh Sissamiss!"

Sadie: "DADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADADA!"

These conversations happen none stop ALL DAY LONG!!! Daddy's part is only heard when he gets home from work, but I KNOW he is saying it in his head all day long even while he is at work!

Colin even swears she said the other day, "HI DAD!" :)


It is hard to know if this girl knows just how much her daddy gushes over her every day! I think she is trying her best to let her daddy know...there is NO question what this girls first word is! :) I think it is safe to say she is a daddy's girl! Cutest thing ever!

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We hope everyone's holidays are merry and BRIGHT!!! :)

Garrett Update

Garrett is a funny kid! I can't believe in just a few months he will be four! He certainly is a big boy and doesn't forget to tell us everyday when he is using the bathroom by himself, putting his clothes on by himself, or anything else he insists on doing independently. Regardless of what he says, he certainly has been going through a phase lately of "I can't!" whenever we ask him to do anything! Colin has gotten so tired of hearing that phrase that he threatens to put him in timeout every time he hears those words uttered from the precious mouth of our favorite three year old! I need to remember that as much as I want him to be a big boy, he is still little and I most definitely don't want him to grow up any faster than he already is.

Major bed head! We finally got it cut so that I would stop hearing the screaming when I needed to comb it for school!


Garrett LOVES animals! His favorite show right now is Go, Diego Go! He impresses us with the facts he remembers as we play one of his favorite games in the car, "I'm thinking of an animal..."and gives us clues to guess what it is.


Garrett is loving preschool and went on his first field trip to the fire station! He loved it!



This kid ADORES his sister! He cannot stop kissing, hugging, squeezing, tickling...anything to be close to his baby sister! Before Sadie was born I knew that he would be a great big brother, but I had no idea how much he would truly love her! It is so sweet to see him with her. Sadie sure is lucky to have such a great big brother to love and protect her!



This is Garrett's "ARRRGH" face! What a silly pirate!
Watch out! He is ready to take anyone on!

Sadie update

So it is time for some updates on our family! We have been having a great Fall so far and we were sad to see the snow come this morning. We are definitely excited for the holidays, but want to hold on just a little longer before the cold sets in! I can't believe how much our lives have changed in the last four months.

We will start with the little sis......Sadie is such a little cutie! We love her smiles, her giggles, her bubbles, her singing, and can't forget her HAIR!!! She is getting so big and brings so much happiness and love to our home!

3 month pink puppy picture 9/23/11


White out from the flash = crazy looking face!

Someone loves her big girl chair! :)


4 month pink puppy picture 10/23/11
She is looking at and "reaching" for her binky!

Cutest lil' punkin ever!

Our sweet strawberry!

When it rains, it POURS!!!

I know everyone has heard the phrase....When it rains, it pours. With all the crazy weather lately it certainly has been true. We were in the storm a few nights ago and we grateful that we could take cover and wait until it stopped to get to our car in safety. This summer I have watched the lightning storms in awe, let Garrett jump in puddles, laughed at Colin as he screamed while running through a downpour, tried to buckle in kids in the car while getting soaked and tried sharing an umbrella with a three year old.

Well, it has certainly rained at our house this summer....and I am not talking about water. These last few weeks have been a TORRENTIAL downpour of doctor's appointments. From Sadie's well-child checkups and Garrett's broken arm, to my diabetes doctor, and Garrett's new adventure with strep throat today! I am so tired of the doctor I could SCREAM!!!! I think I have paid enough co-pays over the last three months to equal a trip to Disneyland! I don't think I have had more than one week off since June that I haven't been to the doctor for myself or one of my children.WE have also felt an out POURING of LOVE from the "BIG BOY BROTHER" to the littlest sister. Garrett is constantly kissing, hugging, touching, squeezing, laying, cuddling...doing anything to be close to his sister ALL DAY LONG!!! There is no doubt that this kid loves and adores his little sister. We have had to talk to him about giving her some space to which he replies, "Sadie doesn't need space, she likes to be squished!" AHHHHHHH then the MOM needs some space and she DOES NOT like to be squished! :) She doesn't always have such a grimace on her face when her brother gets close to her...but she definitely knows she has to brace herself for the attack of SMOTHER the BROTHER! :)We have felt FLOODED with emotion for the love from our Heavenly Father and how he has blessed our family. We have definitely had our share of trying times these past few months, but what we have been through together has made us stronger. It's amazing to look back on all that has happened and I have the CRAZY thought in my mind, "it wasn't that bad!" Oh wait... it was, but the Lord doesn't give us anything that we can't handle...right?! :) A friend posted something today on facebook that said, "Things don't happen to you, they happen for you!" I loved it! So true! I am grateful for an all knowing Heavenly Father who knows me and knows what I need...and it is not always what I want!
Life has sure seemed like a HURRICANE lately with keeping up with two kids, the doctor's appointments, trying to "rest" so I can "heal", and wanting the house to be clean but having so little energy to clean it!

So, to quote one of my favorite country singers, "Tomorrow's another day, and I'm thirsty anyway, so BRING ON THE RAIN!!!!

Time flies...

My baby girl is two months old!

My big boy had his Preschool Orientation today!


More to come soon on the adventures of "BIG BOY BROTHER" and the Little Sis

Our little angel!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks to say the least. Our little angel decided to join our family on June 23 a few days ahead of our already scheduled c-section. WE feel so blessed that she came when she did and have constantly felt the love of the our Savior for our little family since she arrived. Without going into great detail of the whole ordeal, we would still like to share the story. I have had a few requests from those of you who don't do facebook to update the blog so you can see pictures of our little one too.

Sadie Lucille Lewis
June 23, 2011
11 lbs 1 oz. 22 in.
4:53 p.m.

I came in for a non-stress test that morning. After the nurse checked my blood pressure 5 times and it kept getting higher, they sent me down to labor and delivery for some additional testing. After some blood work it was determined that my liver was not doing well and that it was critical that I deliver that day. I was a little upset because we had our date already set for five days later and there was still so much to be done before she was to come. I asked the nurse how many 9 month pregnant ladies come in and want to go home...she replied "about 1 in a bazillion!" I said, "I am that ONE...send me home!" After talking to the Dr. I knew that it was important to have her come and little did I know that this was the beginning to a whole new set of surprises ahead.

Just a few short minutes after Sadie's arrival, it was determined that her oxygen levels and blood sugar were low and that she needed to go to the NICU. I was heart broken. I didn't want my girl to be away from me. I was assured that these things were "minor" but that she could be in there for possibly 48 hours. The nurses brought her over to me and I got to kiss her toes before she left for the NICU.

All those cords and plugs and lights on my baby...so sad!


Over 12 LONG hours later I finally got to hold my baby. The nurse was worried about me going to see her in my post-surgery condition, but I was determined! WE made it and it was such a sweet reuniting in the calm, peaceful hours of the early morning!

Just a few short hours later, we were anticipating the arrival of big brother, Garrett to meet his new baby sister. Because Sadie was in the NICU, there were restrictions on visitors. After a few panicked moments, phone calls, and the strong-will of a mother, Garrett was able to come and meet his new baby sister. All I can say is that it was LOVE at first sight!!!! This is one proud big brother!

On Friday afternoon we got some news from the doctors in the NICU. They said they heard a heart murmur and wanted to order a fetal EKG for Sadie. The emotional roller coaster started again with the thought of our sweetie having problems with her heart. We were thrilled to hear later that evening that it was determined that everything looked okay and that the murmur that they heard was "normal" and shouldn't be an issue.

Just when we were getting excited for Sadie because of her progress, the doctors had some bad news for me. My incision from my c-section was not healing properly and they needed to send me back to the O.R.! I was devastated. I didn't want to go back for more surgery...just when I was starting to feel better. I don't know what was harder at that point though...having surgery again or being denied my first ordered meal of "real food" because of the rules for surgery!!!! ha ha ha Everything went well during the surgery. It is going to be a slow and long road to recovery, but we are hopeful that everything will eventually heal the right way.

Sadie must of known how stressed her mama was because she decided she was going the show the doctors and nurses how strong she really was! Everytime we went to see her there was one less cord. The nurses kept telling us how awesome she was doing with her feedings and how much she was improving. Thanks to our awesome nurse, Patty who really made the difference. She knew how much we wanted her with us, and she helped make it happen so much sooner than we thought. At about 3 pm on Sunday our angel got to "come home to us!" Home was in room 311 upstairs and we couldn't have been happier to have her close to us.


It was sure hard being away from my Garrett for five days! He was such a good boy at his grandparents' houses. We feel really blessed to have both of our families close. It was nice to have visits from them and feel their love and support with everything that we had been through. From the flowers, and thoughtful gifts, and phone calls, to the priesthood blessings and special prayers said, we LOVE you so much! Thank you!

The next day our dreams came true when the doctor said, "YOU CAN GO HOME TODAY!" We were first worried with Sadie in the NICU and then my 2nd surgery that we would have had to stay a few extra days. It is nice to be "taken care of" in the hospital, but there is NO PLACE like HOME!!!


We have been home now for almost two weeks and they have definitely been a blur! From home health nurses coming everyday to our house, being readmitted to the hospital for 24 hours for an infection, multiple doctor's appointments, an almost third readmitting to the hospital (FOR ME, not Sadie) little sleep, I feel lucky to be alive! :) When I think of all that our tiny family has been through, I know I couldn't have done it without Colin. He has been the most supportive, helpful, unselfish, strong, caring, and giving person. He has definitely gone above and beyond the call of husband and daddy these last few weeks. I definitely feel closer to him now more than ever and am so blessed that he is mine! I love you honey! Just when I think I can't do it anymore, I look at my sweet children and adoring husband and think how truly blessed that I am!


It hasn't been easy, but it has been worth it!

We love you, Sadie Lu!