Cross Country Skiing

 This past weekend we got a bunch of snow and so on Sunday afternoon we decided to take Heidi on her first cross country ski trip we skied around a lake near where we lived and she seemed to enjoy the trip. She ended up falling asleep on Jonathan's back about half way through the trip and slept the rest of the way. She love the out of doors and seems to like going on adventures with us.

Three months

Our little girl is three months old. She is quite the little mover. She loves to smile and coo and babble to people of the phone. It she is fussy and I ask her if she want to call someone of the phone she usually smiles. She has discovered her hands and they seem to spend lots of time in her mouth. Heidi loves people and her little face just lights up when she sees someone she recognizes. 

At three months Heidi can

• roll over well
• push up with her hands 
• kick and wiggle
• stand when supported
• sit when supported
• laugh, smile, and coo
• get food off my plate
• and she loves water

Standing in her crib!

10 Weeks Old

Our little girl is 10 weeks old now. It is hard to believe how fast she is growing up. She is doing new things everyday it seems.
Heidi is a very happy baby which is such a blessing. She likes people and trying new things.
At 10 weeks Heidi is

• Smiling a whole lot
• Cooing and giggling
• Holding her head up well
• Liking to stand when supported
• Trying really hard to sit up
• "Talking" on the phone (she while coo and make noises when someone is on the phone with her)
• Lifting her head when on her tummy
• And likes to go on swings at the park.

She is really trying to talk. So far we have heard her say "hi",  "mama", and "I love you". It was so cute   last night Jonathan was talking to her and was saying I love you to Heidi when she asked back I love you. I would not have believed it but both Jonathan and I heard her say it as clear as could be. She is a little sweetheart and we are so happy to get to watch her learn and grow.

Heidi's First Camping Trip

This past weekend we took Heidi on her very first camping trip. We went to White Swan Provincial Park. It is located in the mountains of Southeastern British Columbia. We were wanting to take her camping before winter set in and even thought the weather was cold we had a really good trip.

Heidi really liked the trip and didn't mind the cold or being bundled up. She slept quite well in the tent and woke up both mornings of the trip just giggling, smiling, and cooing. She was quite the little trooper and seemed to take the whole camping experience in. She really liked the hot springs and seemed to be quite the attention grabber there.

All Bundled Up

Heidi mesmerised by the fire. 

Beautiful Scenery

At the natural hot springs.

Early Morning View from our campsite.

6 weeks old

Heidi is doing really well. We are really enjoy out little girl. At 6 weeks old she is still spending a lot of time eating and sleeping but is also starting to explore her world.

• She is quite the smiler.
• She likes to try to "talk" to people.
• She loves looking around at people and has a fascination with lights.
• She likes to scoot herself around pushing her feet against things.
• She can rollover.
• She has good head control.
• She is sleeping 4-6 hour stretches most nights.
• She can hold her head up and look around when on her tummy.
• She is wearing 3-6 month cloths, but the 3 month ones are getting small.
• She loves water the more the better.

At her six week check-up the doctor commented about how strong she is and told me to really watch her as she is hitting her developmental milestones early so she is at a higher risk of injury. She is weighing 10 lbs. 12 oz. and is 58 cm long.

Heidi's Birth Story

So campmeeting came and went and still no baby. 

Her due date came and went and still no baby. 

My doctor decided to have me start taking Non-stress test every other day and then set and induction date if she still had not come. So in the matter of a little over a weeks I had nine different medical appointments. On every test things looked good and she was still in no hurry to come. So August 1 we got up early and headed to the hospital for a 6:30 am induction. We checked in and they ran more test and everything was still looking good and so they gave me the medicine to try and start my labor. My doctor encouraged me to walk to help the medicine work better so we started to walk around the hospital and up and down the stairwells. My contractions started and by the time my doctor came to check me at noon he told me to try and get some rest and to not over do it on the walking. So I tried to rest. Then since I was still not dilating they gave me a second dose of the labor inducing medicine. By this point it hurt like crazy to have to lay still all hooked up to the monitor.

More hours past contractions were getting longer and harder but my body was still refusing to dilate. I was really wanting as natural of a birth as possible so I was trying to avoid taking pain meds so I started to take hot showers to try and manage the pain. Finally at about 10pm them checked me again and I had dilated from one cm to six cm. At this point the broke my water and decided to move me to a labour and delivery room. It was nice because I now had a shower in my room and didn't have to go all the way down the hall to take a shower. I pretty much stayed in the shower for the next several hours but then my body started pushing but the problem was I was still only six cm dilated. I tried to fight my body so that I would not tear my cervix but it was not working. Finally at 2:30am the doctor told me I had a choice to either take an epidural or I was headed for a C-section and operation room if my cervix tore. Jonathan had a talk with the doctor and he felt that it was best to do the epidural and I was ready for the epidural because I  was totally wiped out.  They got the epidural in and going and it totally numbed my one side and the pain was less but still there on the other side. I was able to get some rest and the epidural was able to calm my body enough to stop the pushing and start dilating again. By 7am I was 10 cm dilated, but because of the epidural I was not able to feel enough to push. So they turned the epidural way down and at 8am I started pushing. Then at 10:01am a little head emerged and our precious little girl was born.

Heidi Jean
7lb. 13oz.
21 3/4 inches

But as her head emerged the doctor had the nurses call the NICU team in because our little girls cord was around her neck and there was a knot in her cord. She was looked over carefully by the NICU team and they got her breathing. Our little girl was here safe and sound.

In the hospital

Family Pictures

Little One

I am still waiting for our little one to decide to come. I found out from my ultrasound that I have something called polyhydramnois. This pretty much means that there in quite a bit extra amniotic fluid. I started researching what causes this and other information about it and found some scary things. I am trying to trust God that everything will be fine with our baby but it is hard to not worry. I am still measuring really big and am ready to meet this little person.  After having a lot of false labor the last two weeks of June, I have gotten a break for the last week and the little one seems to be taking her sweet time.
Jonathan is gone for the weeks up to worker's meetings and then we have camp meeting for ten days. I was really hoping to have our baby before camp meeting but now that Jonathan is gone I hope she waits a bit longer to come.

Waiting

Last week Jonathan was teasing me that it would be nice if we had a Father's day baby. I have a lot of people telling me that there is no way this baby is going to make its due date. I just tell them that it will come when it is suppose to come and we will see when that is.

Well Sunday night I started having Braxton Hicks contractions but didn't think much of it as I have been having them on and off for the last couple weeks. I was able to sleep a bit but then they started getting harder and closer together to the point that I was not able to sleep. Finally at 4:30 I woke Jonathan up and he started timing them they were coming about every four minutes and lasting almost a minute a piece. From then till about 7pm they kept coming about every 2-5 minutes and lasting 30-60+ seconds. Then they started coming about every minute and lasting for a minute. Jonathan thought we should probably head to the hospital but I really didn't want to go and then get turned away so I told him to let me sleep a bit if I could and then we would go. Well the contraction slowed through the night and then by morning had stopped. Thankfully my water hadn't broken and so we will just wait and see how much longer the baby waits. I want the baby to be health and am hoping to avoid having the little one spend time in the NICU so I am happy that they can get a little bigger before joining the outside world.

Tuesday I had an appointment with my Doctor. He told us that this is not a normal text book pregnancy and I may be requiring the help of a specialist. My numbers are not making sense. I am measuring 41 weeks but am only at 35 weeks. The baby likes to be transverse or breech, but yet is putting so much pressure on my tail bone. Also the baby's heart beat is doing some interesting things, the doctor said it sound health just not normal. We are doing more test to try and hopefully get some answers. The test that have come back so far have ruled out many common problems. It doesn't look like diabetes or preclampsia so that is good. Hoping for some answers but trusting that God knows what is best. I have my own guess as to what is going on and when I asked the doctor he told me that he has been wondering the same thing. It my guess is right we will know this Friday. But I was realizing this morning that really it should not come as a surprise that I am a medical anomaly once again as it seems that I have been one my whole life.

Also I heard from my dad and he is back from Belize. The family that was attacked is doing better still not 100% but it looks like they are going to make it. Praise God.

Crazy Day

So after much doctor hunting I finally found a doctor who was willing to take me as a patient.  So today was my first appointment with the doctor. We have been working on getting insurance since moving up here at the end of April. So we applied and still had not heard anything back so I called them and found out that they were back logged and had not got out paperwork yet and they advised me to reapply at the local registry so we did that and were told that we should get our insurance cards in about a week. So this morning I called to see if we could at least get out insurance numbers since I had an appointment and our card still had not come. They look and told me that we didn't have an account as they still had not received our application. I explained what had happened and the lady told me to call the local registry as they should have already processed us. I called and the lady took my name and number and told me she would find out what was happening. The lady from the local registry called me back about thirty minutes later to tell me that the central registry did have our paperwork and would process it today so we could call and get our numbers tomorrow. Well I thanked her and decided I would try to call the central registry before I left for my appointment one last time. I called and they had just finished our paperwork and were able to give me my number 5 minutes before I left for my appointment. Praise God.

The doctor said that everything looks good with the baby. He wanted to run some test and get an ultrasound done. I am 33 weeks but measuring at 38 weeks so it will be interesting to see what they find out.

Then this evening I got a sad phone call that the family who care takes my parents place in Belize were attacked at 4am Sunday morning. The father is dead and the mother and son are in critical condition. Please pray with me that God's had will be with this family and that the injured ones will make it.

Camping

Moose we saw.

 This weekend for Jonathan's birthday we went camping up in the mountains. We were able to see quite a bit of wildlife, canoe, hike, and Jonathan even got to go explore a cave.

Jonathan Birthday Breakfast.

Jonathan wanted hot apple sauce and toast and smoothies for his birthday breakfast. I was able to do the apple sauce and toast but he had to wait till we got home to have the smoothies. He was really surprised  when I pulled out candles.

 On Sabbath we hiked up to some waterfalls. The trail was washed out and we were not sure if we could make it to the falls but we did some scrambling and made it to the falls.

Another falls we hiked to.

Some of the beautiful scenery where we spent the weekend. It was a bit chilly but a lot of fun to get up in the mountains.

Pregnant Pictures

Here are some pictures of me and the baby.

                                                                     At 30 weeks.

                                                                   At 22.5 weeks

Changes

• "S" aged out of foster care and left.
• Jonathan was offered a new job.
• He accepted the new job and so began packing.
• We move up to Canada at the end of April.
• Once I found out where we were moving I started looking for a midwife.
• Found out that they were all full most through December 2012.
• Started looking for a Doctor and so far no one is taking anyone with July due dates.
• I was advised to just go to the ER went I go into labor, not what I wanted to hear so I am still trying to find a Doctor. Pray that God will work a miracle and someone will be willing to take me as a patient. Interesting that it was easier to get medical care in a town of 500 then in a city of 85,000.
• Baby is at 30 weeks and really likes to move around. 
• I pray that God will continue to guide and direct us on our journey of life.

Popcorn!!

I feel like there is popcorn popping inside me. 

This in one active little person. I can't wait to meet this little one.

We went in to visit the mid-wife today. But I and the baby are doing really well. 

The baby is definitely an active baby. The midwife told me that I have one on the most active baby's she has seen in a long time. 

More Tests!!

A little over a week ago I went in to have some blood work done concerning my pregnancy. I got the results back this week and I am going to be in for a bunch more test. I am just praying that everything will work out. I am kind of nervous but am trusting that God will work everything out according to his plan.

Also if anyone has really good ideas of how to up my dietary iron with a vegan diet let me know.

On the happy side the baby is currently doing well and the midwife comments every time I am in about how I have a super active baby.  This baby loves to move and does a lot of it. I started feeling in move at only 10 weeks and it is continuing to get more and more active.

Busy Week!!

This week has been very busy and full. Sunday night our foster son was taken to the hospital by ambulance  as he was having a bad allergic reaction to something and because to have difficulty breathing. Thankfully the medic were able to stabilize his quite quickly.  The doctor talked to him about how to avoid having a repeat reaction. The doctor mentioned to him that smoking, caffeine, and other drugs could excite his reaction and advised him to avoid these substances.

Monday morning we had to in town early for "S" to take his GED test. We were hurrying to get out the door on time and when we got in the car he asked if I would take him to get a coffee. I reminded him that he needed to get to his test and about what the doctor had told him the night before. He would not let up about needing coffee and I told him that I was not going to take him to get any. This made him quite upset but I stood to my decision and refused to argue with him about it. He got to his test and then took the first one. He then called his social worker and told her he didn't feel like taking his other two test and she let him off. By this time I was at work so there was not informed about him not taking his last two test until the test were already over.

Tuesday he had a job helping a lady unpack her moving truck in the morning. And then had two doctors appointment scheduled for the afternoon. He seemed to like helping the lady with her unloading but decided to cancel one of his doctors appointments with let me or my husband know. He the scheduled it for Thursday a day that I do not normally going to town. (Town is about 45 minutes from our house.) I struggle with how to deal with his deciding to change or skip appointment and other things that are schedule without thinking about how his actions are affecting other people. It is really hard for me to have to totally rearrange my schedule just because he won't do the things he is suppose to do, when he is suppose to do them.

Wednesday was busy but had no major bumps. Some friend from church invited us up to their place for supper and then afterward some were able to do some sledding and snowboarding on their very long driveway. We got home late but it was nice to spend some time with friends.

Today I took "S" to his doctors appointment and reminded him to check with us before rescheduling as it  not only affects him what time his appointments are.  He seemed to have at least heard me because he asked he when would work good when the doctor wanted to schedule a follow up appointment. It probably helped that I was sitting right there, but it was still appreciated. He is now working for some neighbors doing some snow shoveling.

Happy News!!

This week we were able to hear our babies heart beat. It is so exciting feeling this little one growing inside of me.

Struggling

I want to be able to help our foster son. It is so hard when you want someone to make good choices and take advantage of the opportunities that are being given them and they don't care.
I am asking for prayers that God will give me patience. wisdom, and endurance to deal with the situations that are arising. I was reduced to tears today but a total lack of responsibility and respect. He want to be treated 17, but seems to operate and about the emotion age of 5 or 6. It is really rough dealing with the lying it just seems to eat at me.
Please pray.
Thanks

Better Days

Well we have had a few better days. After taking to "S" last Tuesday night about some of our concerns with his behavior. He seemed to listen better this time around and we have had several days that went really well. He is taking more personal responsibility and being helpful without giving us a huge attitude. He has also started some medicines that seem to be making him very sleepy but if they can help him have an overall better out look on life maybe they are good for him in the long run.

This morning he spent some time talking to me about college and options for after he ages out of the foster care system. He seems to want to make better choices and make something of him life. He has been going to church with us and also participating in some of the youth group activities in our town.

We just pray that we can be vessels through which Christ can work in these kids lives.

Time

We have been staying quite busy with our latest foster placement. We have to be constantly reminding ourselves that we have to teach basic life skills before we expect him to do them. For example it was getting on my nerves when he was spitting on the ground towards people as we were going for a walk yesterday. Jonathan had to remind me that he may not understand that it is rude to do.

Also, it seems impossible to get this guy to understand the concept of time and being on time to things. He thinks that it is crazy that we want to know where he is and when he will be back. From what we have gathered his previous FP allowed him quite a bit of freedom to do exactly as he pleased and he had not had practice at being accountable for where he is and what he is doing. I am sure that this has contributed to some of the trouble that he has gotten himself into.

When he first moved in with us we make it quite clear that we need to know where he is, who he is with (if it is not a structured activity), and when he will be back. He doesn't seem to respect us on this and has taken off without telling us where he is going and when he will be back. Like today, I dropped him off for an appointment on my way to work and told him that his IL would be picking him up. When she got there to pick him up he wasn't there. I get a frantic call from Jonathan asking if I still have him, which I didn't. They did find him. But to me it seem very reasonable for him to call if things change and let someone know what is going on. Are we expecting to much? He is 17 and will be transitioning into an independent living situation in about 3 months. Any ideas of how to help him understand why this is important and get his to take some initiative.

There are so many things that this guy need to learn, but this one is the one that is bothering me the most. I was taught to ask for permission not tell what I was going to do. And I think that at least letting us know what he is up to is a reasonable request.

Little One on the Way

We are going to be having a little one join our family this summer. 
I am so excited. 
I can't wait to meet this little person.

Another Placement

Yesterday, Jonathan went to a large city a couple hours away for a court case and ended up bringing a teenage boy home with us. This guy has a lot of potential and I hope that he will make good choices. When we got the call we knew he had been in some trouble but we decided to accept the placement. Since the call came we have been praying that God would open or close door according to his will and if we were the right place for this guy that everything would work out.
I just ask for prayers that we can not only be a safe place, but that we can open "S" eyes up to another way of life. I just pray that we can be the hand and feet of Christ in his life and most importantly that we can introduce his to a life long friend that will never leave him.