April Showers bring Lots of Time with Lorena

Where did April go???  I know you are thinking the same thing but I really can't believe this month flew by so quickly.  It seems like the older I get, the faster time flies.  I have heard my Mom and Dad say this numerous times but I think I'm finally starting to get it.  I still can't believe I'm 29 and I'm pretty sure Dan is having a really hard time believing he is the big 3-0.  

Work has been slow most of April due to slow planting progress (from lots of rain and cold temperatures), so I have been blessed to have extra time with Lorena this spring.  Dan's sister Laura has been watching Lorena when I work and I am so thankful to have her.  She is truly the best caregiver of children.  Lorena has already rolled over (her first time was for Laura on April 12) because Laura works diligently to strengthen her muscles.  Lorena was diagnosed with slight torticollis which is tightening of her neck muscles.  We saw a specialist in KC who thinks she will be fine with physical therapy and stretches.  Lorena went for one physical therapy session but is improving so much that we don't have to go back for anymore.  Thanks to Laura's help, Lorena has gotten so much stronger that her neck isn't even an issue anymore and that the flat spot on her head is almost gone!  

working on her tummy time

Lorena also spent a night with Kevin and Laura so I could spend some time with my friend Sara and attend a Bar Golf fundraiser event in the area.  Lorena was always asleep when Kevin was ready to play with her so he thought her visit was rather boring.  :-)  She did wake up in the middle of the night for them, which she hasn't done in a long time.  Thanks again for watching Lorena Uncle Kevin and Aunt Laura.

How could this girl be boring? :-)

The second weekend of April was the March of Dimes walk for babies in Manhattan.  Laura went with me and we got to see my friend Racheal and her precious baby boy Thein.   On a side note, it is just so good to be going out and about with Lorena.  I know germs still exist but I'm not deathly afraid of them like I was just a few short months ago.   

Blurry pic...will get a better one next time

That Sunday we celebrated the baptism of Lillian Leigh Olson, our god daughter and niece. Lillian was born 5 weeks early and spent a few weeks in the NICU but is home and doing great.  We had a fun day at Kate's house with the family.

Family pic at Lillian's baptism

The next weekend Dan went to the sand dunes to ride his 3 wheeler and dirt bike.  Someday Lorena and I will go and camp with all of our friends there, but we decided Lorena was a bit young to go this time.  Yes...he still rides a dirt bike and probably will forever.  He is just a big kid at heart and I do love that about him.  He wears a helmet and supposedly "took it easy" on the dunes.  He didn't come back with any broken bones so I am thankful for that.  Lorena and I went to Illinois that weekend.  It is always good to go home and see everyone.

I love pics of my dad and Lorena

I have been working on getting fit for a few months now.  I can run 2 miles on the treadmill and do this about 4 times a week.  I haven't lost any weight but I feel better when I exercise.  Lorena and I did our first 5k the last weekend of April.  I pushed Lorena in her jogging stroller and made it in 38:01.  I didn't run the whole way but probably ran at least half of it.  It was so windy that day and harder than I thought it would be to push the stroller, but I was proud of my time.  I can see more 5ks in our future.  

After one of our workouts

 Lorena amazes us everyday.  She is in 9 month clothes now and has moved into size 3 diapers.  She still doesn't have much hair.  She has been fussier this month because she is teething.  She has been sleeping pretty well.  She goes to bed about 10:30 and will get up about 7 or 7:30.  When I was away in Topeka for training, she did have one rough night for Dan.  When I called home the next morning, Dan proclaimed that it was the "worst night of his life."  He was being a bit dramatic but I guess she was up 3 times for him.  She has been less fussy the past few days though.  She still has big blue eyes which we still find hard to believe.  She will grab at toys, put things in her mouth, likes playing in her activity chair, and recently found her feet.  She will roll over and can almost sit up by herself.  She squeals like a pig now, will laugh a lot, and grins when you tickle her.  Like I said, she amazes us everyday.

  

Our baby doll Lorena

Sharing some wisdom

Isn't it interesting how our experiences give us a whole new perspective on life?  When we have suffered through difficult times it brings us to a whole new level of understanding.  My mother-in-law Cindy has been through a lot with her life and she holds a lot of "wisdom" which she likes to share with all of us!  I have to admit that some things go in one ear and out the other during our conversations, but occasionally she says things that make my ears perk up.  A few months ago we were talking and she said, "ya know Lydia, you and I are a lot alike!."  Have I been hanging around with my mother-in-law too much?  :-) Anyway, I plan on sharing some wisdom with you and you can either read it or ignore it, but I just can't be silent anymore. 

My heart aches for anyone who is going through infertility or miscarriages.  Dan and I didn't really try very long (just a few years in total, but just about 6 months using intervention).  We didn't really tell anyone what we were going through because it is rather embarrassing not to be able to get pregnant.  Now that we have "overcome infertility" (I really don't think you ever get over it!) and have Lorena, I think it is rather sad that I feel like I can talk about it now.  I wish that I could have blogged about my feelings during those rough years.  There are a lot of people out there suffering and it is still painful to think back on those days.  I know we will have to go through the same process next time too.  Perhaps my blog could have helped me (and you, whoever you are) work through those painful moments when it seemed like everyone was getting pregnant but us. 

Having a preemie really changes perspective too.  Just this past month, I have let myself kiss my daughter.  I was convinced that if I kissed Lorena (even on her cheek or forehead), she would get sick and have to be hospitalized.  It feels good to let my guard down and kiss her chubby cheeks now.  Looking back, I was terrified to let anyone hold her up until March.  I had created this world in my head that she would get RSV and be on a ventilator immediately if someone touched her.  I have finally relaxed.  We have started going back to church and being around more people.  We did the Palmer Easter Egg hunt with cousins and then we did Easter dinners with family.  It is finally starting to feel normal.

I have always been pro-life, but having a preemie definitely has strengthened my views on life.  We saw Lorena's heartbeat when she was 6 1/2 weeks gestation.  She was a fully formed baby, flailing her arms and legs around, during our 10 week ultrasound.  I felt my precious baby move at 20 weeks and found out she was a girl at 22 weeks.  And gave birth to her unexpectedly at 28 weeks.  I'm so thankful for the NICU doctors and nurses who fought for Lorena's life.  Without them and the grace of God, she would not be here today, celebrating her 7 month birthday! 

Birthday   2 pounds 7.9 ounces

 

7 months - over 16 1/2 pounds

I'm not trying to offend anyone with my comments, nor am I condemning any person who has experienced abortion, I'm just merely sharing my thoughts.  I know I have many family and friends that have different opinions on this subject.  I have been rather lucky.  I never had to deal with an unplanned or teen pregnancy, or gone through trauma of rape, when abortion feels like the best option.  I just think that something is wrong in our society.  How can lawmakers and organizations with power and money tell us that these babies are just a clump of cells?  I have mourned a first trimester miscarriage, and cried with moms who have experienced second trimester miscarriages.  We treat these as valid losses but what about the babies who have been aborted at these stages?   Through our experience, we have learned that even babies born at 22-23 weeks gestation can thrive if given proper NICU care. Babies have been aborted at this age and even into the third trimester!   With NICU care and God's healing power, these babies could have survived. Our NICU doctors and nurses fought hard to keep Lorena alive. With all the medical advances in neonatal care, it just doesn't make sense to me that some babies have been aborted and thrown away like trash at viable stages.  Once again, I am not blaming the moms.  I blame our society which accepts killing babies.  I believe that life begins at conception and that each of us has the right to life.  I am the first to admit that this is a very complicated issue and that I don't have all the answers.  I just know that having adoption resources, access to care for teens and women with unplanned pregnancies, more education, and after care for families who have experienced abortion may help.  I just know that the culture of life needs to change somehow because innocent babies are dying everyday.  I also believe that those of us that are pro-life and are afraid to offend someone, shouldn't be silent anymore.