Black Cats

So the pregnancy insomnia has begun!  I have been waking up between 5 and 6 every morning and can't fall back asleep.  I usually don't get up until 7 so this is rather frustrating.  Therefore, I have been taking advantage of the extra hour to get paperwork done.  I also get a lot of inspiration from my blog during the early morning hours.

I have reached a point in my pregnancy where I'm feeling a little bit more comfortable that everything will be ok.  Random people on the street are asking me when I'm due which means I'm finally starting to show.  I do feel bigger earlier on during this pregnancy.  I have also started to feel the baby move around which is very reassuring.  It was probably a month later into the pregnancy before I finally felt Lorena move, which is typical for a first pregnancy.  I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant with Baby girl.

18 weeks

I'm a rather superstitious person.  If I see a penny heads up, I have to pick it up.  If I go in one door of a house, I like exiting out of the same door.  I don't like having umbrellas open in the house and I always throw salt over my shoulder if I happen to spill it.  I've broken a lot of mirrors in my 29 years and don't want to break anymore.  Apparently my Grandma Seely was like this.  Mom told me that if Grandma (she died when I was 1 so I never had the chance to meet her) put her panty hose or undergarments on inside out, she would wear them like that all day because it was bad luck to turn them right side in.  Sometimes I feel like if something has happened in the past, it will happen again if I follow the same sequence of activities leading up to the event.  Dan thinks I'm nuts.  I have done a few things in this pregnancy that I thought I would have a hard time during this time around.  First, I went into Motherhood Maternity a few weeks ago and second I bought a maternity dress this week.  I went into Motherhood Maternity when I was 26 weeks pregnant with Lorena and bought the cutest maternity dresses.  Everyone knows what happened just a week after that.  I had to take the dresses back to the store after I had her because obviously I wouldn't need them anymore.  I'm not saying that just because I went into a certain store and bought a dress, I will go into labor.  But the thought did cross my mind.

 As Christians I know we are supposed to give our worries up to God in the form of prayer.  Worry does nothing but bring us down.  I also know that in reality superstitions aren't real.  Why is this so hard for me?  Does anybody else struggle with this?  Perhaps this is why God put me with Dan.  He doesn't have a bone in his body that would ever worry about anything.  Dan does reassure me that everything will be ok, no matter what happens in the future.  He also is good about reminding me to be positive.  He also does think I'm crazy, but I'm using hormones as the current excuse for my behavior.

I have also seen a lot of black cats recently, and a few have even crossed in front of my car as I'm driving (this is a huge red flag for us superstitious people!).  Everything is still fine though so I'm hoping this is just God's way of telling me that all of these superstitions are nuts and that I just need to finally trust him.

Our Snow Day Tradition

Saturday night we had our first real snow of the year.  It continued through Sunday afternoon but tapered off by nightfall.  I would estimate we had 3 or 4 inches. 

This was the good kind of snow.  It didn't mess up our daily lives too much.  Daily chores moved a little bit slower due to the snow but no one really seemed to mind.  In North Central Kansas, we take all the moisture we can get!  Other than Harvestore (the big silo where we keep some of our cattle feed) malfunctions, tractors needing extra TLC to start, and pond water needing broken to get cows water, things worked like clockwork.

Watching Daddy clean off the porch after church

I know on snowy days like this I won't see Dan all day.  He reserves these days for "shop days" to work on his many projects.  He is currently taking a part his new to him 4-wheeler.  He always has to modify every peice of equipment to "make it work better."  He gets this from his dad Ernie...there is always room for improvement in their eyes.

I'm on the road a lot for work during the week, so on weekends I don't like going anywhere if I don't have to.  Since I knew Dan would be MIA all day, Lorena and I had a lazy day inside cooking and watching movies.

She doesn't look as happy as I do

We don't have a ton of traditions like some couples but we do have one special tradition we started the first winter we were married.  The winter of 2009-2010 was such a snowy winter.  In the middle of November 2009 we had a horrible ice and snow storm that literally snapped most of the power lines in the county.  We were without power for almost a week.  Luckily we had a wood stove to stay warm and a generator to run our appliances.  That winter I made Dan homemade chocolate cookies every time it snowed.  This contributed to my weight gain our first year of marriage (like I said it snowed a lot that winter!).  So now Dan has decided that every time we have a measurable snow, he must have homemade chocolate chip cookies.  I always use the recipe on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip bag...it can't be beat!

Lorena helping me in the kitchen

The finished product.

Exciting News about Hiesterbaby

It's been way too long since I blogged last.  We finally finished harvest on November 16.  It was a pretty average year overall.  Soybeans and corn were about average and grain sorghum was above average.  Our biggest problem this year was getting the crop out of the field, especially the grain sorghum.  The crops stayed wet due to the fall moisture which we are very thankful for.  I've been in Kansas for 5 years and this is the first year in my memory that we have used the dryer on the grain bin.  We usually take our crops to the elevator in town but this year due to the high moisture we decided to dry the crop with our dryer and put it in our bin.  Also the corn and grain sorghum price is in the tank right now so we decided to store some on the farm until the price increases (which probably won't happen). 

 

Like I mentioned earlier, I have been a Kansas resident for almost 5 years.  I moved here in December 2008 the day after I got my Masters Degree from Purdue University.  I can't say that all the days have been easy.  I do miss my Illinois family and friends.  I do like it in Kansas though.  I'm glad Dan is from Washington County and made me move here!  Everyone has been so nice and welcoming over the past few years...it's meant a lot to me.

 

Lorena has been getting into everything recently.  We had Halloween and she was a bee. 

 

 

 

She also helped with harvest.  She loved riding in the grain truck.  She is a true farmgirl.

Had to get a picture of my hubby driving the grain truck.  I know I'm weird, but I think he is hot!

Lorena has done a few new things the past month.  She had her first hospital stay a few weeks ago.  She has had several ear infections and came down with bronchitis.  She was hospitalized for about 24 hours to be under a mist tent and get breathing treatments every 3 hours.  We came home with the mist tent and are still running vaporizers in her room, but she is back to her normal self.  She also started walking on her own in Mid-November.  She started with just a few steps, but now she can almost walk down the hallway by herself.  She also switched away from a bottle and uses a modified sippy cup now.  I hate to admit but I had been really worred about her not walking and using a bottle for a few months now.  I guess I just needed to let her do things on her own!  Preemies do things when they want and on their own schedule.  She loves to climb on chairs and on the shelves of the refrigerator.  We also had a fun visit with Auntie Maria over Thanksgiving.

 

 

We had an ultrasound today. I'm approximately 16 1/2 weeks and so far so good.  Hiesterbaby is a girl!  Dan was preparing for another girl (he had predicted Lorena was a girl too) so he wasn't too surprised when they said it's a girl.  He just said, "I knew it."  We just pray for a healthy full term baby.  Dan is going to be way outnumbered. :-)

 

Exciting News :-)

Lorena is going to be a big sister!  I'm currently just over 10 weeks along with Hiesterbaby.  We have been blessed to see baby's heartbeat at 6 weeks gestation, hear it again at 8 weeks, and see baby bouncing around just a few days ago at 10 weeks.  Baby waved at me at our last visit.  Can you believe we have technology to see God's miracle in a mother's womb this early?  Such an amazing sight to see baby waving at me when it is is barely an inch long and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce.  

Hiesterbaby shown at 10 weeks gestation

We are excited and happy but scared knowing my history of miscarriage and pre-term birth.  Some people suggest waiting until after the first trimester to announce a pregnancy.  Supposedly you are good to go after 12 weeks!  I have friends that have suffered miscarriages in first and second trimesters, and our nephew was taken to heaven when he was four.  And after having a preemie of our own, I have realized there really is no "safe zone."  We are just excited and ready to tell our news in hopes that people will pray for the pregnancy. With Lorena being born 12 weeks early, we are taking every precaution possible.  We did plan this pregnancy and visited the same doctor in Omaha who helped us get pregnant with Lorena.  She recommended me to a High Risk Ob/Gyn also in Omaha for my pregnancy. My first appointment with this doctor is in a few weeks

Prayers are welcomed and appreciated for this pregnancy.  A previous preterm birth is one of the biggest risk factors for having another premature baby.  In my case, the doctors didn't really know why I started pre-term labor but assumed it was due to some sort of infection.  Every pregnancy is different so we are hoping that this baby stays in full-term.  I have to admit that having another preemie is one of my biggest fears...and keeps me awake at night.  All I can do is pray and have faith in God that this time around things will be different.  

Meanwhile, things have started to get a bit busier with work.  I have thoroughly enjoyed several afternoon naps because Lorena and Hiesterbaby have been making me very tired.  Here are some pics of Lorena while I was attempting to write this blog.  She is into everything and has started climbing. 

Harvest, Update on Lorena, etc

It's been a slow few weeks in the crop insurance world in Central Kansas...and I am very thankful!  Things will pick up once harvest is complete but for now I have had some days to relax, get the house organized, catch up on book work, and hang out with Lorena.  It's been a good September and October so far.

Harvest is always a busy time for farmers and this year is no different.  We are done with soybean harvest but still have milo and corn to go.  Dan drills the wheat for his family.  We had 2 1/2 inches of rain several weeks ago which slowed down planting progress, but Dan finally finished up Sunday night.  Monday we had more rain which gave the farmers a much needed break.  Lorena and I had been spending lots of time together in the evenings so it was nice to have Dan in the house at 7:30 last night.  He had been out past 9 for weeks so I think he needed some rest too.  Dan enjoys farming so I try not to complain about the hours.  Harvest is only temporary.  But then again, I know I will never have a husband that comes in the house at 5 pm and expects supper by 5:30.  I don't think I would like to have a husband like that anyway.  Dan loves to tinker in the machine shop on rainy days and during the winter and I'm glad he can do it.  I also like my alone time and enjoy watching my tv shows (Dan likes to hog the remote control).  But the time we spend together is extra special when it happens.

Lorena is still growing up so fast and doing well!  She has four bottom teeth and three top teeth.  She has more hair and is getting blonder by the day.  She leaves a path of destruction wherever she goes.  Some of her favorite hobbies include playing in the dishwasher when I'm loading/unloading it, pulling the stuffing out of my couch cushions, chewing on my couch upholstery, pulling clothes out of the dryer, etc.  She is getting ready to walk by herself but still needs to hold onto a table or chair as she goes.  She just started clapping her hands when I say "clap Lorena" and she will wave bye to people when I tell her to wave.  We still are using a bottle.  She doesn't like a sippy cup.  I've tried all the different transition cups and she seems to hate all of them.  She refuses to be fed with a spoon so she self feeds at every meal.  She still loves cheese, crackers, bananas, noodles, graham crackers, and puffers.

Being adventurous

At the pumpkin patch

My pretty girl in purple

No more Chipotle for me!

I used to love Chipotle but then I saw their new ad campaign that demonizes American farmers and our way of life.  I actually had a burrito just a few weeks ago and I highly regret spending a dime at that restaurant.  If you haven't seen the video, please take a few minutes and watch it below.




I have shared some thoughts on facebook threads but thought I would reiterate my feelings in my blog.  Also, please read my sister's blog at http://www.cox-farm.com/dear-chipotle-i-am-the-face-of-the-industrial-producer/.  Her blog's goal is to put a face to the industrial producer that is condemned in the video.  I thought she communicated her thoughts perfectly!

The video made me want to throw up because it is full of inaccuracies and scare tactics.  The most infuriating part of it for me was seeing the "sad cows" raised in factories.  As a rancher's wife, I know how hard my husband works to keep our cows happy.  Sometimes it feels like he spends more time with them than he does with Lorena and me!  They are fed a healthy ration of corn, hay, and other crops harvested from our fields.  They graze on lush pastures 6 months of the year.  During the winter, the cows getting ready to have babies are our top priority.  The calves born each spring are our paycheck for the year.  Therefore, we do everything in our power to keep the momma cows safe and make sure each calf is born healthy.  Yes, these calves may be given some hormones to help them grow strong, and yes, they may be given antibiotics and medicine to stay healthy.  But the consumer has to realize that everything we do is to keep the cattle healthy and "happy."  Unhealthy cows = unhappy cows = unprofitable ranchers = unhappy ranchers.  Makes sense right?

The video suggests that cattle are grown in factories.  The only time cattle are taken to a factory is for processing.  The media has turned the word "processed" into a dirty word. Yes, there are some types of meat that probably shouldn't be eaten.  Some chicken cuts are turned into nuggets and hot dogs are made from such a hodgepodge of different types of animals that I tend to steer clear of them.  This commercial suggests that all meat is made into these processed products. ALL animals must be "processed" before they hit the store and reach the consumers plate. Processed means humanely slaughtered, cut into the different cuts that people enjoy, and safely packaged and either frozen or refrigerated and taken to the store. This "process" is not evil. Even our own farm raised beef calves have to be processed. We load the calf into a trailer, and take it to the processing plant an hour away where it is slaughtered, cut the way we like it, and ready for pick up in about a week. We are very fortunate since we know exactly where our meat comes from.  I think it is important for consumers to know where food comes from, but these ridiculous ad campaigns from companies like Chipotle couldn't be further from the truth.

My only hope is that American consumers are smart enough to realize the lies in this campaign. If you have any questions please ask a real farmer or rancher and we will try our best to answer your questions. Farmers care most about raising their animals the right way and take great pride in the "process" of knowing quality meat will end up on someone's dinner plate. I just can't see how this advertisement does anything but condemn American Farmers who provide food for the world. 




Sad Cows

Oh my, processed beef! 

Evil factory farmers



1st Birthday

Lorena's first birthday has come and gone.  It just doesn't seem real that she can be 1 year old.  We had a big party at the house for her several weekends ago.  She got way too many presents and got to have her first cupcake!  My favorite is chocolate so that is what I decided she should try...

Excited for her party!

 

cake made by me with guidance from the ladies of Our Daily Bread

Dwayne and Uncle Danny frying fish

with Aunt Addie



Passed out after the party with Aunt Maria

 

hanging with her Illinois cousins Henry and Max

Lorena continues to reach her milestones.  We had our one year NICU follow up visit on September 10.  They were very impressed with her progress.  The doctor said he wished all preemies turned out as well as Lorena.  The nurse then chimed in and said that babies like her are the reason they don't get depressed coming to work everyday.  We have been so blessed with Lorena's progress.  I realize that all preemies have struggles and that it isn't right to compare them.  It almost makes me feel guilty that she has done well but I know I just need to be thankful for what God has given us.  She weighed 23.8 pounds and was 28 3/4 inches long.  She is in 18 month clothes.  We also got to see some of the doctors and nurses that cared for her.  They were amazed at her weight, big blue eyes, blonde hair, and tan complexion.  I'm weird, but I really enjoy these return trips to the NICU.  I'm just glad I can take Lorena with me when we leave.

 

Lorena is going to be very stubborn like her Daddy!  She refuses to eat baby food.  She has to pick up food with her fingers and hold her bottle by herself.  She really likes puffers, yogurt bites, oranges, applesauce, cheese, crackers, and graham crackers.  The NICU doc also suggested switching her to whole milk.  We tried this for a week but I just didn't think she had been acting like herself.  She has been fussy, spitting up milk (I can count on one hand how many times she spit up as an infant so this is very out of the ordinary), diaper rash, pimples on her face, rash on her face, cold, and cough.  The doctor found she had an ear infection and thinks she is allergic to cows milk.  This could be genetic, as Dan had to drink goat's milk as a baby since he was so allergic to dairy.  We aren't getting a goat anytime soon so hopefully soymilk does the trick.

 



Where did July go?

July has been over for seven days now and I really am still trying to figure out where it went.  This summer has seemed so crazy for us.  I have been busy with wheat claims all summer.  We were very fortunate to have wonderful wheat in our area.  However, farmers west of us had average to below average yields due to drought stress and freeze damage from the spring.  I have been spending a lot of time in Phillipsburg and Osborne this year which leads to some very long days for me.  Dan is usually pretty good to pick up the slack while I'm gone, and we have awesome help from Aunt Laura and cousin Heather.

We finished wheat harvested July 5.  Here are some pictures from 2013 harvest.

We got a Subaru Outback in March.  I love it. 

With Grandpa Ernie

with Uncle John

Proud to be a Hiesterman! :-)

Happy 4th of July.  Lorena spent her day in the wheat field with her family.

Playing on the bale

My fave

Having fun with Daddy

Moving to our last field

with Cousin Jordan

Charity's first wheat harvest

Wonderful wheat!  So blessed with a bountiful crop.

Red combine hard at work

 We were in Kansas the first two weekends of July but had parties and a lake trip.  We love going to the lake and got in one full day of boating and two nights of camping.  Lorena even stayed with us one night in our camper.  She's a trooper...we basically take her around wherever we go and she always seems to have a good time!  We traveled to Illinois July 18-21 for a friend's wedding.  Jennifer Wolf (better known as Wolfie) and Jaysen Delpiere were married July 20.  It was a wonderful day for them and we all had a great time helping them celebrate.

Also got to see our cousins and ride the Gator

Mom and Dad watched Lorena so we could stay out later at the wedding.

 Lorena has been a busy bee in July.  She figured out how to crawl and pull up on furniture in July.  Wow my floor is dusty.  Oh well, we live on a farm and there's lots of dust.  Please refer back to my post about dirt from several months ago.

Hanging out before I head off to work

Lorena also outgrew her size 12 month clothes in July (she pretty much stayed in this size for about a month and a half).  She is still on formula and has been eating so much recently.  She loves sweet potatoes, meat, applesauce, peaches, and peas.  I even made some homemade chicken baby food from some chicken breasts.  She really seems to like that.  We recently introduced some table foods like mashed potatoes, cut up bananas, pork ribs (thanks Uncle Kevin!), and ice cream in very small quantities.  She also loves Gerber puffers! She is now wearing mostly 18 month clothes.  Not sure how that happened either but she must have had a major growth spurt.  Lorena now loves to stand up and can balance herself against a toy or crib.  I can see her Dad's ornery streak in her already.

Lorena is doing great.  We go back for a 1 year NICU checkup in September.  I am so anxious for all the doctors and nurses to see her progress.  She amazes us everyday.  As always, we are very proud to be her parents. ~ Lydia