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Emmy's 4-month update

Emersyn is by far easier than Grace as a baby, and Grace was a great baby, so we are blessed. The only difference seems to be sleep schedule. Emmy got used to being awakened every three hours and although she can sleep for longer stretches, she tends to do that whenever she wants, rather than whenever mommy wants.
She's 15 lbs 2 oz and 25 1/2 inches long at 4 months. She's rolling from tummy to back and almost from back to tummy. She has amazing head control and had her first ear infection this week. She LOVES the swing, and Grace wasn't a huge fan. She tried rice cereal for the first time this week, and we'll have to spend a good amount of time getting used to it but she didn't reject it entirely.
Here's a little bit of her talking with her hands....in her mouth!

Emersyn's Arrival

When I was pregnant with Gracie 5 years ago plus, I started having high blood pressure and increased liver enzymes ( a sure sign of preeclampsia) at week 20 - 4 1/2 months and 1/2 way through the pregnancy. Not good. I was monitored very carefully, put on modified and then strict bedrest, and she was delivered by C-Section on the first day of week 37. 7 lbs. 8 oz, 19 1/2 inches long.
We tried for many years, finally resulting in this current pregnancy. I have been issue free (mainly) for the first 32 weeks. Awesome. Thought I might avoid preeclampsia this time. It can happen. Oh no. This little sassy girl not only contracts pre-e, but gets a severe case called HELLP, which stands for high blood pressure, increased liver enzymes and low platelets. So when I had a dr. appt last wednesday scheduled but knew my dr was concerned that I'd get pre-ec again, I moved the appt to Monday. That resulted in near daily tests, lab work and monitoring. I really don't mind because I would recommend my dr to any and everyone (Sielaff if you ever need one) and I know he'll take great care of me. He delivered Grace, cured my mom's cancer and saved my life this very week.
So this Monday, I had another dr appt, a day shy of 34 weeks, and went into the appt, prepared to be monitored afterward - book, water, in hand. I hadn't been feeling well, and the drs (Sielaff and Carroll - who is my distant relative - and my primary physician) consulted and decided to put me on aldomet, a high blood pressure medication. Once I started on that med, I began having some palpatations and racing of the heart, but not the pulse, and shortness of breath. I recorded it all and told him of my struggles Monday, so up to Monitorland again I go.
Then he ran lab results and the second time the girls asked me what, if anything, I had eaten that day, I knew I was going to have surgery.He came in and explained that although he wanted to get to 36 weeks, Emersyn and I were in danger. I had come down with HELLP syndrome and it appeared to be caught early, which if isn't results in a seizure in the mother that can kill both mother and child. She had to be delivered today.We weren't concerned about her size as she was measuring at least two weeks ahead of schedule, but her lungs....
He knew the best chance of my daughter's lungs doing well was to be at St. John's so he sent me there via ambulance, but wanted to do the C himself. This doesn't happen very often - that a doctor takes over the operating room of another hospital and that a hospital lets him for a patient, but that happened for Emersyn and her family. We were transferred to St. John's via ambulance (we were the second/third patients in it ever - it still had the "new car" smell - weird, eh?). Upon arrival, the EMT noticed some palpatations, so we got an EKG (Emersyn's initials mixed up) when we arrived, then prepped for the OR. Ryan quickly packed a bag and brought it to Springfield. Gracie stayed with my parents and the Keiths made a mad dash from Pincknveyville, yet again. Last time - we promise!
So by 11:30 p.m. (appt started at 4:15, remember) we were in OR, and had a horrible anesthesiologist (long story short, I was polite but shouldn't have been when I stopped counting pricks at 40), and after 30 minutes, he finally let someone else try, who got the spinal in my back in one try (thanks, Nick!) and away we went. Emersyn came into the world groggy because of the anti-seizure medication, but mostly healthy - just needs time for her lungs to develop.
Cardiologists came in today to ask if we planned on having more children. I said, "I don't know, can we?" He said, "No. It's only going to increase in severity and then you'll have two girls without a mother." End of discussion.
So my two beautiful girls, their awesome daddy, and the two pups and I will ride off into the sunset of Campus View Drive just as soon as we can get Emersyn home.
I've been to see her in NICU and sobbed. She is by far the biggest kid in there, but she's still so fragile. She's mainly breathing on her own and the dr. says she should be off vent within 24 hours. Then she can eat whatever mommy is providing so I better start eating great protein.
In the meantime, we watch my family members love on this little blessing. (Little is a relative term in the NICU - she's the bully of the group at almost 7 lbs. :)).
There's the story so far....Glad to be here, glad to have my girl, can't wait to meet her face to face.
Love you! :)

Always in my heart

Transition is a rough thing. I keep thinking about how things are going to change with this new baby. I wonder if this is the last time I'll do certain mommy and me things with only one child. It's been me and Grace for over 5 years, and now there will be another precious thing. So I'm trying to remember the things she says now, since I assume with kindergarten and newborn in the fall, I'll have my hands full.

Today's was precious, as is she.



Ryan was playing the Wii and wasn't doing well, so he made some noise, that prompted Grace to go check on Daddy. By then, "Tiger Woods" Keith had recovered and was doing better, so he said, "I think Mommy's crying. Go check on her." She came running and told me that "Daddy said you were crying." I said, "No, I wasn't crying, but I did miss you." She responded, "Mom, that's silly. Don't cry. I'll always be in your heart."

Of course, then, her mommy was crying, a sobbing crying mess. It's been a struggle to explain to her all the things that are changing, why she can't climb on mommy's lap as easily as she used to or as roughly, why she'll probably get a new bedroom (although bigger, she wants to keep the smaller one), etc. but mommy's rollercoaster of emotion has been the worst. She's pretty sensitive so many times, she just cries with me.

As we approach the halfway point of this pregnancy, the fatigue is easing a bit, although I'm looking forward to April when I don't have to be at the school doing rehearsal, but I also plan on taking advantage of a great Master's opportunity and pursue my Master's in Educational Technology online starting then, so we'll see. If I don't, I'll kick myself for not trying.

The emotions, on the other hand, are kicking up. And the thought of my baby having to be under to have her tonsils removed puts me over the edge. I need to stay away from the internet....too many times I catch a story about one going wrong....trust in Him, trust in Him.

Dancin in the Streets

We in the Keith family have a lot to be grateful for. Our little girl is such a gift, and so very smart - almost too smart. She's doing well in her dance class too.




We are due at the end of July with baby #2, whom we've been praying and trying for for over 3 years. We hope to find out next month what we are receiving, but healthy is by far the only request.



We have stable jobs in an unstable market and unstable environments where our friends don't, we have more than enough to eat and a roof over our head. We have a Lord who loves us and forgives our humanness, even if our peers don't.

God is so very good.

My little singer

Gracie's take on iCarly

So one of our household's favorite tv shows on Nickelodeon is iCarly - I think for the most part that it is clever, funny and educational in an entertaining way. It does have some namecalling and bullying in it, but it is intended for an audience older than 4. My 4-year-old, however, LOVES this show.

Here's her take on the characters: