What GERD looks like

So reflux is common among babies. They spit up. All babies spit up.

But GERD? Oh. My. Word. It's just another story all together. There are no "spit ups" in our house. Only explosions. I honestly change Porter's clothes 3-4 times a day. Every day. It is crazy! He can soak an outfit with one spit. It doesn't matter the position he is in, how well he burps, or even if it's been two hours since his last feeding. He can soak himself completely when a flare-up hits. (He is taking iron supplements for anemia which is why there is such discoloration of his outfit in this picture.)

Over the weekend, our friends the Kinseys went with us to my mom's house. From Saturday at 1:30 p.m. until Monday at lunch time, Porter went through all NINE outfits that I had packed for him. Nine outfits in less than 48 hours. I have witnesses if anyone doubts me!

Poor little fella, GERD hurts. :( He is well above the maximum dosage for his "gestational age" of 2 weeks. But, since Porter is actually 9 weeks old, he is on the maximum dosage the GI doctor would put him on. Not that I am a fan of putting any drugs into his system, but sometimes we just do what we have to do.

This is a 6-9 month bib. I like these big bibs because they cover most of his outfits. If they do their job well, we can sometimes salvage an outfit for two feedings.

I have gotten very strange and curious looks when we've been out in public and people see Porter with a bib on. I forget sometimes how tiny he looks to everyone else, and their faces scream, "Why in the world does that mama have a bib on her newborn?" If they only knew how a bib can hold off a wardrobe change while the rest of his laundry is being washed!

And burp cloths? Boy do I ever use them! And wash them just as often as I was Porter's clothes. This burp cloth is from ONE "spit up" - and it's from the the same one that soaked his bib pictured above. Is it any wonder why this tiny fella wants to nurse all of the time? He stays hungry because he's rarely satisfied.

Those pitiful cries are somewhat constant these last few days. We really thought the increase in meds would help to manage the pain, but unfortunately they haven't yet. Maybe soon, though. We hope!

She lost her first tooth!

At 5 and 3/4 ;), Ella Beth lost her first tooth. She is so proud of the new hole in her mouth!

We were at my mom's for Memorial Weekend. Her tooth had been loose for a while, but just in the last week it became really loose. We were eating an apple and I jokingly said, "If you bite that apple just right your tooth may pop out." She was taking bites from the side of her mouth but finally took a bite with her front teeth. She said it hurt, so I never mentioned it or really even thought about it again.

Then she left the room.

And she came back with that tooth in her hand!!! I could not believe that she pulled it. And neither Scott nor I were with her when she did it. She just went into the bathroom and pulled that sucker right out. We were so proud of her!

She smiles this BIG at everyone now to make sure they can see her missing tooth. :)

Of course, the Tooth Fairy had to make an appearance. That was fun! Now, if *I* were the Tooth Fairy I would have made a little envelope with a Tooth Fairy seal and left it under sweet girl's pillow.

(Not that it matters at all...but her hair has never - I mean never - looked like this before. Man, the Tooth Fairy must have had to work hard for that tooth!)

Just another milestone for this sweet girl. And her mama.

Time sure does fly by......

Multitudes on Monday

1074. long weekends at the lake

1075. time spent with really great friends

1076. really great friends who have really great kids

1077. hearing kiddos squeal with delightful laughter on tube rides

1078. "faster! faster! faster!!!"

1079. sun hats

1080. an adaptable 9 week old little boy

1081. a sweet 9 week old little boy

1082. continuing to show Porter off to extended family and friends who prayed fervently for him

1083. a washing machine that can tackle the enormous amount of laundry brought about from a long weekend at the lake

1084. warm evenings to hang clothes out in the sunshine to dry

1085. a great hubby who likes to have fun with kids

1086. a boat ride before supper

1087. coming from way behind to beat everyone at cards

1088. a little girl who lost her first tooth

Psalm 118:19 "Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD."

Life in the trenches

I have often heard that being a mother to young children is like "being in the trenches." I totally get it. Man, some days are just hard.

Some days the once easy baby just starts crying and fussing and just. won't. stop. And I can't figure out why.

Some days the oldest is sassy and pushes my buttons just because she knows how.

Some days the middle is whiny and mumbles all throughout the day and I have no idea what he's saying.

Some days the hardwood floors have milk spots all over them from the reflux baby who shoots milk everywhere, and I just have to look at them over and over and over again while I'm pacing the floor over and over and over again.

Some days the oldest and the middle just want Mommy to play with them, but as soon as we get started the baby is fussing crying screaming. Again.

Some days I just want to exercise because it makes me feel better. But that is the last thing on my list of never-ending things. I could exercise at 5 a.m. if I was more dedicated, I suppose. However, after getting up at least twice a night for the last 9 straight weeks - I am not that dedicated.

Some days it's just so stinkin' hot that even going outside for some fresh air backfires.

Some days the baby just wants to nurse every two hours, and I just don't have it in me. Literally.

Some days I just want to lock myself in the bathroom and cry. Or just catch my breath. But, I know if I did that I'd see how dirty the floors are and I'd for sure lose it.


Some days I wonder what in the world He was thinking giving me three children, because some days are hard.

Those are some days.

But every day, every day I look at three precious little people that God has entrusted to me and I am thankful.

8 weeks

At 8 weeks, this boy is pure sweetness. Is it any wonder that I have a hard time putting him down?

He weighs 7 lbs even, and he is 20 in long.

He nurses 7-8 times a day, and takes Prevacid twice a day for GERD.

He cries when he has a dirty diaper, a reflux flare-up, or when he is overly tired. Other than that he is the sweetest and most content little fella.

He has to be swaddled at night, but during the day he will sleep for an hour or two all sprawled out.

He has captured so many hearts already - from his siblings, his Daddy, his grandparents, nurses, dear friends, and his Mama. I have to remind myself daily that Jesus loves him even more than I do.

Porter is so loved, and his place in our family is just perfect.

Multitudes on Monday

1059. a good GI specialist appointment with Porter this morning

1060. a growing baby boy

1061. another fun photo shoot at home with my sweet, naked baby boy

1062. one-on-one time with Landon

1063. playing Operation

1064. fun file folders to organize never-ending papers

1065. medical insurance

1066. good prescriptions to help sore throats and coughs

1067. evening walks

1068. thunderstorms that aren't severe, but rather relaxing and calming

1069. working on a child's heart - it is not easy, but I know it is worth it

1070. being in a book club with other lovely women

1071. comparing baby pictures of all three kiddos

1072. time-out...for everyone in the family so that we can re-group and regain our composure when it's needed

1073. extending grace

Psalm 35:18 "I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you."

Home Decor: DaySpring Review

One of my favorite sounds after the kiddos run to the mailbox is, "Mama! You got a package in the mail!"

Who wouldn't love those words?

And opening a package to find beautiful artwork to hang on the wall? Even better!

I love how this simple artwork made from metal reminds me of how my Heavenly Father calls me to Himself.

Abide: (verb) To remain, continue, dwell; last 

My deepest desire is to remain, to dwell, and to last in Him - to be a permanent resident in the presence of my Savior.

There are times when we Abide in Him simply because we have no where else to go, nothing else to do. All three of my children have now spent time in the hospital for different, but all very serious reasons. It was easy to Abide in Him during those many dark hours and days. But what about the rest of my days? What about the good days? The loud and messy - and will my house ever be clean again - days?

This art reminds me that nothing is more valuable than time spent with Him as often as possible. To schedule my quiet times, to express my thankfulness, to worship Him with my heart, words, and actions. To fully dwell in His presence. Oh, how I pray that my acts of Abiding in Him will be evident to my children. That they will grow, watching me dwell in His presence so that they, too, will Abide in Him. 

And, oh...how I dearly desire for the Lord to Bless This Home. For Him to dwell here with us, in our home. For Him to be spoken of often, trusted in deeply, and prayed to without ceasing. I truly believe that when we invite Him in - when we simply ask Him - that He is present. That He delights in blessing our homes; our lives. 

Blessings don't always come in the exact ways that we expect them to, but if we ask the Lord to Bless This Home - He will.

Full Disclosure: I was provided this artwork to review by DaySpring. I was not compensated in any other way for the review, and all opinions expressed in this post are fully my own. This beautiful artwork is on sale during the month of May here.

Multitudes on Monday

1042. being a mother

1043. being a mother to Scott's children

1044. learning how my Heavenly Father loves me by watching Scott love our children

1045. a funny, dancing Mother's Day card from my 3 babies that Landon plays over and over

1046. beautiful blue hydrangeas

1047. the tiny baby stage that God has allowed me to enjoy so long because it's my favorite and this will be the last time

1048. a good doctor appointment

1049. Porter breaking the 6 lb mark at 7 weeks old

1050. generous friends who lend preemie, and now newborn, clothes so that I can go (maybe!) 2 days without doing Porter's laundry

1051. getting caught up on everyone else's laundry ;)

1052. studying my children closely so that I can enjoy them to the fullest

1053. hearing my children laugh hysterically

1054. finally learning to let the house go a little so that I can spend more fun time with my kiddos

1055. but appreciating a clean house when it does get cleaned ;)

1056. down time

1057. sleep - when I can get it

1058. long hair that I can pull up when I can't get a shower - or even when I can, but don't get around to drying it!

Revelation 7:12  “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

A swing, two boys & a little random

So having three kiddos is more work than I kinda expected. Foolish of me, I know. It's not necessarily hard, it's just constant. And, it never fails that all three kiddos get hungry at the same time - so I will admit that breakfast and lunch can be a little tricky around here. I rarely have a moment to pick up anything other than my phone to snap a quick picture, but the other day the two older kiddos were out for the afternoon and I did remember to take a few pictures of Porter. Mostly sleeping since that's what he mostly does. He's 7 weeks old TODAY, but he still sleeps most of the time. Hard to believe he was officially due just two days ago. We are still trying to figure out his exact "adjusted age" - he's not doing everything a 7 week old should, but he's close on most things so it's not like he acts like a two-day-old baby. Make sense? If not, just smile, nod, and Bless My Heart b/c Porter still gets up during the night like a two-day-old. :)

Sweet Porter has GERD (gastro-esophogal reflux disease), and unfortunately it's bad. He is either in his swing, car seat, or held in my arms all. day. long. It's not his fault, and I am honestly not trying to spoil him rotten - but when I see his sweet little face all bunched up in pain and he's screaming an ear-piercing scream that you don't want to hear from any little baby, I don't mind giving him all the comfort that he needs. It just makes it difficult to do much of anything else. If he's in the swing, I am tending to the needs of my other two babies. Needless to say, once Porter goes down for the night, so does Mama!

This is the first time I've been on the computer since Monday, and even now Porter is sleeping in my arms and Ella Beth is hanging out next to me while Landon is outside with Scott. Ahhhh, life of a mother with three small children. I wouldn't change a thing!

I don't know what on earth we would do without this swing. It's great for holding multiple burp cloths (a fresh one and one that needed a little drying out), and of course it's great for holding a sweet, tiny, reflux baby. ;)

Porter is wearing one of Landon's preemie outfits. It's still a tad big, but he's so snuggley in it. :) 

Porter will take a bottle if he has to. I don't exactly want him to, but since he hasn't gained weight as quickly as our pediatrician would like we give him one bottle of Alumentium formula every couple of days. It's supposed to help with reflux, it's NON-milk based (have I mentioned that Porter also has a severe milk-protein allergy???), and it is supposed to have a few more calories than breast milk to plump him up a bit. Scott gets to feed Porter his bottles, so that makes it sweet for him. And that's a 4 oz bottle that's as big (bigger?) than Porter's head. ;)

Tired, probably un-showered, but I still want a picture or two with my baby. But black-and-white, of course, to help hide the many imperfections of sleep-deprivation after baby #3. 

Have I mentioned that Porter sleeps mostly in his swing?

And, not to be outshined by his baby brother, Landon decided to get a shiner of his own. Did you catch that? Landon and Scott were playing, and Landon didn't stop running when Scott told him to. Landon slipped and landed on the corner of our side table in the living room with the corner of his eye. Instant black eye, screams, and praises to God that he didn't hit any further to the right or there could have been serious damage. Poor fella.

Back to the swing. But this just makes me chuckle. His head doesn't even fit in the head rest, and he looks like he's swimming in there...but it's where he's most comfortable. So when I put him down, that's where he goes. :)

Other than that, things are quiet around here. Not quiet as in noise level (hello THREE kiddos!), but quiet as in there's not much more going on. I really need to take more pictures, apparently of Ella Beth. I'll work on that!

Multitudes on Monday

1029. kiddos who play together nicely

1030. a weekend getaway for Landon to Mimi's house

1031. hearing how much Ella Beth missed Landon while he was away

1032. baby toes

1033. baby fingers

1034. beginning to (finally!) feel better after my c-section

1035. exercising for the first time in months - though it's not yet on the same level as I'm used to

1036. nursing Porter in the middle of the night and praying for our family during those sweet, quiet times

1037. rearranging the school room...again

1038. finding dairy free recipes

1039. going to church for the first time with Porter

1040. ordering portraits of Porter to don our walls with his big brother and sister

1041. visiting friends who don't care that I haven't showered in...a while ;)

Romans 7:25, "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Vanity

Lately the Lord has really been working on my personal struggle with vanity. I have struggled (as many girls/women have) for years with how I view myself. I am a perfectionist in every way, so I have always been hard on myself. Especially when it comes to my appearance.

But, the Lord has been using something - or should I say someone - to really bring my vanity front and center in my life.

My daughter.

Ouch, huh?

Like most mamas, when I found out I was pregnant with a little girl I went out and bought everything girly in every shade of pink to be found. Flowers on her crib bedding? Well, duh. A soft pallet to paint her room? Well, yeah. Dresses and hair bows and tights and frilly shoes? Of course! It was like playing dress up with a real live baby doll. I remember changing her clothes multiple times a day due to her dreadful reflux and thinking, "Oh, good. Now she can wear this today, too!"

But my little girl isn't growing up to be the frilly little Miss Priss that I thought she would. Now, she does like to wear a dress to church or to somewhere special, however, at any other time she wants to wear her "mud clothes." Mud? As in wet, nasty, smelly dirt? Yes. And oh. my. word. at how my Birdie-girl hates having her hair brushed or fixed.

And it pains me. It truly does. But why?

Here is where God's tender love allows His Holy Spirit to begin to work in me. Here is where God brings front and center my own struggle with vanity. I care what my daughter looks like because I think she is a reflection of me. If she looks pretty, then that somehow makes me look prettier. If her outfit is super cute and her hair bow and shoes coordinate perfectly, then somehow that makes me look better.

But Birdie was not created to be a reflection of me. Birdie was created to be a reflection of Him.

I have heard of women who dress their daughters to the nines in silly, frilly outfits to go to preschool. Outfits that are so uncomfortable that their daughters can't concentrate on their work or can't play outside on the playground with their friends; that they need to change half way through their 4 hour stay into the dreaded "extra change of clothes."  And come on, we all know that those extra clothes are something most moms just throw together hoping will never be worn. If Birdie went to public school, I am sure that I would have been guilty of this.

Lucky for both of us, God has really brought into view my vanity. How I can get so caught up in finding my own worth in appearances that I bring my daughter into the fold as well. And that is not where I want her to be. Her great worth comes from simply being a daughter of her heavenly Father.


My focus needs to be on Birdie's heart. My mission as a mother needs to be how to touch her heart for eternity. How I value her as a person will greatly influence how she values herself. And how she values herself will greatly influence how she feels God values her.

Christy Nockels has a new CD out, and one of her songs is "For Your Splendor" -

“I’m so concerned with what I look like from the outside.
Will I blossom into what You hope I’ll be.
Yet You’re so patient just to help me see.
The blooms come from a deeper seed that You planted in me.

And I’ll grow up strong and beautiful, all for Your splendor, Lord.
So with my arms stretched out, I’m swaying to Your heartbeat.
I’m growing with the sound of Your voice calling.
You’re bringing out the beauty that You have put in me.
For Your joy and for Your glory falling.”

 My deepest prayer is that Birdie will grow up for His splendor. 

Vanity

Lately the Lord has really been working on my personal struggle with vanity. I have struggled (as many girls/women have) for years with how I view myself. I am a perfectionist in every way, so I have always been hard on myself. Especially when it comes to my appearance.

But, the Lord has been using something - or should I say someone - to really bring my vanity front and center in my life.

My daughter.

Ouch, huh?

Like most mamas, when I found out I was pregnant with a little girl I went out and bought everything girly in every shade of pink to be found. Flowers on her crib bedding? Well, duh. A soft pallet to paint her room? Well, yeah. Dresses and hair bows and tights and frilly shoes? Of course! It was like playing dress up with a real live baby doll. I remember changing her clothes multiple times a day due to her dreadful reflux and thinking, "Oh, good. Now she can wear this today, too!"

But my little girl isn't growing up to be the frilly little Miss Priss that I thought she would. Now, she does like to wear a dress to church or to somewhere special, however, at any other time she wants to wear her "mud clothes." Mud? As in wet, nasty, smelly dirt? Yes. And oh. my. word. at how Ella Beth hates having her hair brushed or fixed.

And it pains me. It truly does. But why?

Here is where God's tender love allows His Holy Spirit to begin to work in me. Here is where God brings front and center my own struggle with vanity. I care what my daughter looks like because I think she is a reflection of me. If she looks pretty, then that somehow makes me look prettier. If her outfit is super cute and her hair bow and shoes coordinate perfectly, then somehow that makes me look better.

But Ella Beth was not created to be a reflection of me. Ella Beth was created to be a reflection of Him.

I have heard of women who dress their daughters to the nines in silly, frilly outfits to go to preschool. Outfits that are so uncomfortable that their daughters can't concentrate on their work or can't play outside on the playground with their friends; that they need to change half way through their 4 hour stay into the dreaded "extra change of clothes."  And come on, we all know that those extra clothes are something most moms just throw together hoping will never be worn. If Ella Beth went to public school, I am sure that I would have been guilty of this.

Lucky for both of us, God has really brought into view my vanity. How I can get so caught up in finding my own worth in appearances that I bring my daughter into the fold as well. And that is not where I want her to be. Her great worth comes from simply being a daughter of her heavenly Father.


My focus needs to be on Ella Beth's heart. My mission as a mother needs to be how to touch her heart for eternity. How I value her as a person will greatly influence how she values herself. And how she values herself will greatly influence how she feels God values her.

Christy Nockels has a new CD out, and one of her songs is "For Your Splendor" -

“I’m so concerned with what I look like from the outside.
Will I blossom into what You hope I’ll be.
Yet You’re so patient just to help me see.
The blooms come from a deeper seed that You planted in me.

And I’ll grow up strong and beautiful, all for Your splendor, Lord.
So with my arms stretched out, I’m swaying to Your heartbeat.
I’m growing with the sound of Your voice calling.
You’re bringing out the beauty that You have put in me.
For Your joy and for Your glory falling.”

 My deepest prayer is that Ella Beth will grow up for His splendor.