What A Week!

Lots going on here in the Bradshaw house this week. I feel like the days are flying by and things are going on, especially with little Liam, that I haven't been able to document. Here's the latest:

Poor Nora has been sick for over a week now. Two Wednesdays ago, I noticed that Nora felt warm, so we took her temperature and it was 102! This took us by surprise because she wasn't acting sick at all. This high fever continued for a few days with no symptoms except a lack of appetite and being fussy. We just assumed it was a virus she had picked up somewhere and left it at that. By the weekend, we thought she was fine and even went to church. Well, Tuesday afternoon, she woke up with some diarrhea, and when I took her temperature, it was 101. She continued with a fever into the next morning, so I decided to go ahead and take her in to see the doctor in case the sickness from the previous week wasn't a virus but some sort of infection that was lingering. Wednesday morning we headed to the doctor, but she checked out fine. No ear trouble, throat was fine, so Dr. G said it was most likely a virus and to continue doing what we had been. Well, today is Sunday, and things have been about the same. She has hardly any appetite at all. Nora has been living off of crackers, cheerios, jello, banana, and this morning, Cocoa Puffs! She's thrown up a few times over the past several days, but I think that is mostly my fault. There have been several times when we thought she was feeling better, so when she asked for her milk, we'd give it to her. Big Mistake! Milk doesn't sit well in her stomach still, so she pukes up whatever she has managed to keep down. This happened twice at IHOP yesterday morning while we were eating breakfast with my dad who is in town visiting. She is still extremely fussy and moody, but I do notice that Tylenol and Advil really make a difference in how she acts, so I give her that as needed. Also, we are doing our best to keep her as hydrated as possible so she's had lots of apple juice, Capri Suns, popsicles, and water. It's so funny...she walks around holding our Camelback water bottle and sips out of it throughout the day. It's so sad! I miss my happy little girl. All she wants to do is be held and watch TV.

I am so ready for this virus to get out of her system so we can move on and enjoy all that's been going on. My mom and sister were in town visiting during the first week of sickness, and my dad is here this weekend while she's still sick. I hate that she's not herself because she's not able to enjoy them as much as she would if healthy.

In Liam's world, there have been lots of changes going on. First of all, I must say that my son is huge! I swear, he looks like a 3 or 4 month old to me, not an 8 week old. We go to the doctor this coming Friday for his two month visit, so we'll see then just how big he is. He eats like crazy. We are still on a 2.5 to 3 hour feeding schedule, but there are feedings where I have to supplement with formula or breastmilk bottles because he isn't satisfied after draining all he can out of me. One day this week, I had to supplement at every daytime feeding because he was acting famished! What's a momma to do with such a hungry boy!?

In sleep world, things are doing okay. Inconsistency seems to be the theme these days. Most nights he does atleast a 3.5-4 hour stretch at first, followed by a three hour stretch. For example, last night I nursed him at 10:15 and he woke at 2:30 to eat. He woke up again at 6:15, and then we all woke around 8:30 to start the day. However, we did have one huge stretch earlier this week. Liam went 6.5 hours between feedings. I nursed him at 10:30 and he didn't wake up until around 5:00 am! I was thrilled....seriously, that is the most sleep I have gotten in months! But, he hasn't done it again since then.

Liam has started smiling a lot lately. It is the sweetest thing in the whole world! He really is a happy baby and is such a flirt! I think he is really close to laughing out loud, but it hasn't fully happened just yet. I've been trying to capture his smile on camera, but naturally that never works out. I'll get it soon though and will post some more pics of my precious boy.

Big things are happening for Jonathan these days, too! His official last day as a resident is this coming Tuesday. As of Wednesday morning, Jonathan will become an associate for the University General Dentists practice and will also be assisting with the Residency program, training the new residents coming in. Jonathan has been blessed with some great friendships with his fellow residents this year! It's sad that everyone will be going their separate ways, but we trust that God has lots in store for everyone! We are mostly going to miss our good friends, Dalyn and Jessica Webb! They are heading to Washington, NC, for the next three years and we will miss them terribly.

There's not too much to report from me. My mom and sister came in last week (as I mentioned above) for a few days. My baby sister, Hillary, got to meet Liam for the first time and got to see me in the throes of motherhood. Let's just say, it wasn't exactly the most fun and exciting adventure with a fussy infant and sick toddler on hand. This weekend, my dad is visiting us and seeing Liam! My dad met Liam for the first time on Friday since a busy work schedule has kept him from getting up here sooner. We are enjoying some quality time with him! I love my Daddy! He is such a trooper and is so funny to be around.

Anywho, that's the latest! I have been taking a good bit of pictures lately, so I will try my hardest to post some soon. I need to document the growth of my piranha-esque boy! Please keep Nora in your prayers that she would be healed quickly!

We'll See What Happens...

Just for the record, let me say, I am not ready to attempt potty training at 22 month old while having a seven week old. I may be crazy, but not THAT crazy. The way I see it is that when the time is right, both Nora and I will know it. And that day is not today. I don't think.

Anyway, the point of this post is to tell you that Nora may be ready to potty train before her Momma. For a while now (a few months maybe?), when Nora has to pee or poo, she'll just tell us. She'll point to her diaper and say "Pee pee," and even though she announces she has to poop, there's no missing that. She'll let you know what's happening!

Lately, however, she's going even further than the obvious things. A few times over the past week, she'll say, "I have to poo poo" and then she walks directly into the bathroom and takes care of her business (in her diaper). Jonathan even watched her lean up with her back against the toilet one time. So, we've decided that maybe we should get her a potty or potty seat and just let things happen naturally. Like I said, I've only got two hands and one brain...I'm not ready to take on that feat just yet.

Last night at Target, Jonathan put a cute Sesame Street potty seat in the buggy and we brought it home. Nora was quite interested in the pictures of Elmo and Abby and Zoe, but didn't seem too keen on actually using it as intended. I don't know if this seat is the best option or if we should go for the little separate kiddie potty. As a friend pointed out, she decided against the kiddie potty because she didn't want to have to clean the pee and poop out of it everytime her daughter used it. I can totally understand that, but I think the kiddie potty is a great invention and probably works quite well. What to do? What to do?

So, what do you guys suggest? The actually kiddie potty? Or the cute little kiddie seat that sits in the bigger toilet seat? I haven't the first clue about potty training, so I am looking for all of the advice I can get. Is there a book? A movie? A book for Nora? We're not rushing into this by any means, but I'd love to hear what you guys think. In the meantime, I'll let you know what happens between Nora and her Sesame Street seat, if anything.

Be Still My Heart

Growth Spurt!

Liam has been quite fussy the past few days. My little laid back boy started changing on me, and I was really starting to wonder if I had accidentally flipped a switch or something. I mean, how could this sweet, calm, quiet little man suddenly turn into....well....just like Nora was at this age? (Just for the record, Nora was fussy for the first 8 weeks of her life.....inconsolable every day from about 4 pm until 11 pm. It was rough.)

However, I think I may have figured this man out...atleast for today. He's growing! He has been eating every TWO hours all day. Not to mention, at his last feeding, he ate as much as he possibly could from me AND had two ounces of pumped breastmilk in a bottle. He turned 5 weeks on Monday, and if my memory serves me correctly, there is a growth spurt somewhere around 6 weeks, so our little man is definitely in the midst of that! Whew, my body is tired. We'll just leave it at that.

In other news, I have officially begun the postpartum hair loss. You know, the handfulls of hair that come out in the shower and when you are brushing your hair? Yeah, it's not pretty. But, I am getting my hair cut tomorrow (cue the Alleluia chorus), so I'll hopefully be feeling much better about the situation.
Here are a few pictures of my boy captured on Jonathan's cell phone:

Encouragement from Charles Spurgeon

"It is true that our sanctification is a long and continued process, and we shall not be perfected till we lay aside our bodies and enter within the veil; but nevertheless, had the Lord so willed it, He might have changed us from imperfection to perfection, and have taken us to heaven at once. Why then are we here? Would God keep His children out of paradise a single moment longer than was necessary? [. . .] The answer is--[we] are here that [we] may 'live unto the Lord,' and may bring others to know His love. We remain on earth as sowers to scatter good seed; as ploughmen to break up the fallow ground; as heralds publishing salvation. We are here as the 'salt of the earth,' to be a blessing to the world. We are here as workers for Him, and as 'workers together with Him.' Let us see that our life answer its end."

I read this quote just a bit ago and was very encouraged for my current season of life! I am called right now to life my life, live every day "unto the Lord." According to Spurgeon and the Gospel, I am here to glorify God in everything I do. Right now, that is changing diapers, disciplining my almost two-year-old, waking in the early hours of the morning to feed my baby boy, and all else that comes with learning to be a mother to two. I am to sow seeds into the lives of these two precious gifts. With the power of the Holy Spirit, I am helping to break up fallow ground in their hearts. What a task! It helps to be reminded of the bigger picture and to keep my mind on the eternal goals, instead of the daily ones. As a good friend of mine says....it's for tomorrow, not today!

Yuck!

Here is a reenactment of a recent conversation with Nora:

Nora, walking into the kitchen with her hands extended: "Momma, hands!"
Me, bending down and touching her hands to see what the fuss is about: "Nora, why are your hands wet?"
Nora: "Hands."
Me: "Nora, how did your hands get wet? Can you show me where you found water?"
...I follow Nora, jabbering away, into--you guessed it--the bathroom.
Nora, walking to the toilet: "Water, Momma."

Yes, I apparently needed to assess the situation and learn two things:
1. Casey, you need to watch your almost two-year-old more closely.
2. Casey, you need to put the toilet seat down in the bathroom.

Did I apply this wisdom? Nope. The same situation happened again the next day.
Needless to say, Jonathan and I are now on the lookout for hand washing in the toilet. And we are striving to remember to put the seat down! Yucko!

My Little Man

Thanks to Suzanne, I have two pictures of Liam at one month old! She took these the other night while we were visiting their home. Thanks, Suz, for saving me on this one! I hope to get capture him with my camera in the near future and will then post more.

One Month Wonder

So, I'll come out up front and tell you that I don't have pictures to accompany this post. Yes, my newborn is now one month old, and I am definitely lacking in the picture taking department. I'm a slacker. Deal with it.

However, where I have been lacking in taking pictures, I am making up for it in feeding my monstrous child! Okay, he's not a monster, but compared to his big sister, Nora, Liam is quite a big boy! We went to the doctor today for his one month visit and here are my sweet boy's stats:

Weight: 9 lbs, 14 oz. (75th percentile)
Height: 22 1/4 inches (85th percentile)
Head Circumference: 75th percentile (I never know what the measurement is).

Dr. G said that Liam looks great! He also said that he doesn't really look like a one month old....seems like a big ole boy!

Finally, Liam gave me an early birthday present this morning: He smiled at his momma for the first time! It was the sweetest and the first of many more. Can't wait!

What I've Been Learning...

Tomorrow, my baby boy will be one month old. One month! Whew, the past four weeks have really gone by very quickly. Long days, quick weeks, one month already gone. I have had a lot on my mind and heart lately, and I want to record it mostly for myself. I want to be able to look back at this season and be reminded of what God is showing me now. Also, if there are other kiddos in our future, I know it will be helpful to look back at what's been happening in these early days.

Weeks one and two of Liam's life went much more smoothly than I anticipated. I think it was the adrenaline. I must have had lots of adrenaline coming out of delivery. I mean lots. I physically felt much better this go round than last time. I knew what to expect for my body's recovery, the milk coming in, etc. Nora did great those first two weeks (for the most part), and really things went really well. I found myself thinking, "Wow, this isn't so bad. It's not nearly as hard as I thought it would be." (Can't you just hear the lightning cracking in the background, doom pending?) We were so blessed to have my mom, my sister, and Jonathan's family here for help. Just having the company helped keep me motivated and encouraged and moving along. I was a bit nervous about how my first day alone with both kiddos would go, but you know, when it actually happened, it went great. I didn't even really realize that I had had my first day alone with them until that evening, and it was a night when Jonathan had to work late and didn't get home until after Nora was in bed.

The first two weeks, I feel like I was aware of God's sustaining power in me. As I would drift off for brief periods of sleep, I found myself talking to Him, asking for restful sleep no matter how brief it would be. Our mealtime prayers were reminders for me to ask for the Lord's help in getting through the day. I prayed for patience and joy for both Nora and myself, and God provided both of those things. Now, things were by NO means perfect or totally wondrous. I totally had my moments and a meltdown or two. However, weeks one and two weren't halfbad.

Then came week three. I reached the abyss last week. Thankfully, I am out of the abyss at the moment, but I truly feel that I needed to reach the abyss in order to humble me. The adrenaline wore off during week three. I remember Johanna telling me that weeks three and four are really hard because that's when the exhaustion really hits, and she was right. My patience bottomed out, my temper flared, and my mommy-guilt really kicked in. Last Friday, in particular, was pretty rough. There were lots of tears and hormones and tears. Thankfully, we had Care Group that night where our leader, Jason, really drew us out about how things were going on the homefront. Boy, did he open a can of worms! We were able to pour out our hearts to our Care Group family about our struggles about lack of sleep, lack of consistency with disciplining Nora, and a dozen other things. Most importantly, we were able to receive prayer from them. I have never felt so cared for! I feel like the Lord brought me (us) into the abyss so that we were humbled enough to ask for prayer from our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We are now in the midst of week four and things are looking up. The sleep situation hasn't changed all that much (although we've had a 4.5 hour stretch the past two nights). All I can say is that God is getting me though moment by moment. I do find that every day is getting a little easier. I know there will be rough days ahead and there will be easier days ahead. I also know that my two babies are growing faster than I want them to.

The most important thing--period--concerning my children is that they come to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This thought usually strikes me as we are saying prayers with Nora before bedtime. It's in that moment that I realize that all of the things I have been stressing over all day--- the feeding schedule, Nora's attitude, getting the house in order, writing thank you notes--- aren't really all that important. I am so thankful that the Lord reminds me of this. I pray that He brings it to my mind more often, during the day, in the heat of a meltdown. I pray that my job as Momma is driven by this ultimate goal: that my children see in my a love for God and they ultimately come to love Him for themselves.

Finally, I know I am going to mess up. A lot. I do it about 100 times a day. I pray, though, that God will continue to keep me humble. Humble enough to repent and ask for forgiveness, ultimately for sinning against Him. But, I pray that I can ask forgiveness of my children. I had to do that with Nora the other day. I doubt she understood what I was doing, but she snuggled with me and hugged me anyway.

Ok, enough rambling. Life is good. We are blessed and are so much better off than we deserve. This season is flying by and I am so thankful for how the Lord has provided. We have the best family ever! We have the best Care Group ever! We have the best friends ever! We have the best Savior ever!