Christmas Morning

Daddy and Henry set up the new GeoTrax train.

Mitch loves his new spinning top toy.

Brothers!

Can this baby be any cuter?!

The Stockings Were Hung By the Chimney with Care...

We had a great time decorating our house this year. We spent Christmas in Texas, away from Pennsylvania, for the first time.

Road to Recovery

It is truly amazing how quickly babies/kids heal and bounce back to normal. Mitch is doing so well. You would never know he had an organ removed less than a week ago! He is no longer on pain meds, and he is back to his normal, happy, smiley self (save the two incisions that are still healing). He is still not able to take a full-on soak in the tub, but he'll be able to do that in a couple of days.

We go for our post-op follow-up on 12/22. He'll have labs drawn that day, so we're hoping everything checks out as normal. Then, in a couple of months he'll have his first of many renal ultrasounds. The hope is that the left kidney remains normal looking and does not develop any issues.

Henry is over his bout with Pneumonia. What a week we had last week! He is gearing up for Christmas, and has asked Santa for a new train. He is busy with his Advent calendar and is really getting into the season. It's a lot of fun to have a 3 year old at Christmas!

In other news, I have been offered a full-time faculty position with Argosy University. I began teaching for them as an adjunct last term, and the Dean contacted me about going full-time after the first of the year. I interviewed and was offered the position. I am really excited about the opportunity. I'll still be teaching online, but I will also be doing some curriculum work and mentoring of other staff. It is a perfect fit for me!

Some Hospital Pictures

Here is Mitch one day post surgery at TCH. He is still in a Morphine coma here. Here we are in the holding area before Mitch's surgery. He was happy even though he was starving and tired!

Monday morning Update

Mitch had a much better night last night. He began nursing well (YAY!), and he slept in longer chunks. He is totally off the Morphine and is on oral pain meds. We saw some urology folks this morning, and Mitch will go home today. He still needs to have labs done before we go, so we know it'll be another day of being at TCH because it'll take awhile to get out of here. At least we'll be home tonight!

Thursday Night Update

We think Mitch is starting to turn the corner a bit. He has nursed a little bit, and has been able to have oral pain meds. His sodium is low, but that is likely because he is on IV fluids and he has not eaten much. We're hoping that he eats more as the night wears on. He'll have more labs drawn tomorrow.

We were able to see Dr. G today. He said that Mitch will be released tomorrow. In terms of follow-up, there will be a lot. Mitch will see both his Urologist and Nephrologist on Dec.22. He'll have labs done that day to assess his chemistry and his creatinine level. He'll begin having ultrasounds of his left kidney in about two months. Our hope is that the left kidney will continue to be healthy and will not develop any type of reflux. The usual issue with kids who have had PUV (Posterior Urethral Valves) is related to bladder pressure and function. As we've known all along, Mitch will be closely followed and will likely have some bladder issues. Our hope is that they are minor and, most importantly, that his kidney remains healthy.

Thursday Afternoon Update

Mitch is starting to be a bit more responsive. He is still not eating much at all, but the nurses say that is normal. I have been pumping for him at the NICU, and it's nice to have those kinds of resources here. Last night was pretty rough, mostly because our nurse was not great. I don't think she gave us good direction on how to manage his pain, and she was pretty condescending. I finally gave her a piece of my mind at about 4 am when I couldn't take it anymore. Luckily, our nurse today is fabulous. Mitch's catheter was removed and he is peeing well, which is important. he is still on I.V. fluids, but he's now getting his pain meds by mouth. He is also being given a medication to help with the bladder spasms he has from the surgery, which are quite painful. We're hoping those spasms don't last as long for him since there was not much directly involving his bladder with the surgery. We're hoping to see Dr. G this afternoon; although, the Fellow and a Resident have stopped by. We will definitely be in the hospital tonight, and we'll likely go home tomorrow.

Wednesday Night Update

We are finally in our room in the West Tower at TCH. Mitch's surgery went well--no surprises. He has two incisions, one on his back and one on his lower belly. The doctor said that the right kidney was very blown out, and that his urethra looked clear, which means the first surgeries worked. Mitch has mostly been sleeping, but he does wake up to eat a little. He's had some Pedialyte and some breastmilk, so that is good. His urine output is also good, which is very important when one has kidney surgery. The hardest part of this is seeing him in pain. He's on Morphine, so that works for a short while. We're hoping the night is mainly uneventful. Thanks for all your prayers and well-wishes.

Pre-Op

We had our pre-op appointment today with Dr. G. We learned that Mitch's surgery is at 11:30 CST tomorrow (Wednesday, 12/9) morning, and it should take about 1.5 hours. He'll have two incisions--one on the back and a low one on the front. We thought we'd only be hospitalized overnight, but Dr. G changed his mind and we'll be in for two nights, and we should be discharged after rounds early Friday morning. We are anxious to get this surgery behind us. The troubling part of this whole issue is that we do not know the state of Mitch's bladder function. We are hoping that his bladder will empty normally and not start refluxing up into his healthy left kidney. Mitch will be followed very closely, with ultrasounds every 4 months or so to assess his kidney size and to note if there is any dilitation.

We'll update tomorrow after the surgery.

Big Week Ahead

It's been a busy month, and this week is a big week in our house. Mitch will have his right kidney removed on Wednesday, December 9th. While we are anxious, we are ready to just have the surgery behind us. My parents fly in tomorrow, and they'll be on hand to be with Henry. We have our pre-op appointment on Tuesday, so we'll learn more then, but we do know we'll be in the hospital on Wednesday night for sure, and, hopefully, if Mitch is doing well, we can go home on Thursday.

Mitch had an appointment with his Nephrologist last week, and it went well. Like she says, he'll be followed closely, but we're hoping for lots of boring Renal visits. His labs came back normal, and his Bicarbonate level was good. On the high side of normal, but still normal, which means the medicine is working. He's on a relatively low dose of Bicitra. We don't know if his doctor will decrease the dose, but it's not likely because he'll need more as he grows.

Please keep Mitch and his doctors in your prayers. We appreciate it!

Catching Up

With birthdays, a wedding, a baptism, and visitors, October really flew by. Let's start with our big boy, Henry. He had his 3-year check-up and looks great. He's in the 90th and 95th percentile for weight and height, respectively. Not that we are surprised--he is a big boy! He did a great job as ring bearer in Uncle Dan and Aunt Jamie's wedding in Indianapolis. He made it down and the aisle and watched the ceremony. We were so proud of him! Henry also had a great Halloween. He went as Clifford the Big Red Dog, and he loved trick or treating. Halloween is extra fun now that we have a child who is into it!

Mitchell has also had a good month. He is growing and thriving!

We started him on solids because of his reflux and have had good success. So far, he's showing signs of being like his brother by eating everything! He had a few busy appointments at Texas Children's. The big news is that he will have his right kidney removed on December 9th. According to his Urologist, he should only have to be in the hospital overnight, which is amazing. While the thought of surgery is scary, we know this is the best decision. The right kidney is essentially doing nothing but holding onto a lot of urine, making it more problematic than helpful. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as we approach the surgery.

Mitchell was baptized on All Saints' Day at Emmanuel Episcopal Church here in Houston. Our dear friends, Eddie and Risha, flew in from Chicago and are Mitch's Godparents.

Uncle Pete served as our family representative from D.C. It was a great weekend.

We also had a visit from my best friend, Lyndsie. You'll see in the pictures below that Lyndsie's number one fan is Kirby. He has loved her since she babysat for him as a little puppy, and, apparently, Kirby still thinks he's the size of a puppy when he attempts to sit on Lyndsie's lap. :)

Guitar Hero

Henry is gearing up to be a rock star like his dad.

Happy Birthday, Henry!

Henry turned three yesterday! He celebrated by bringing cupcakes to school, and he was excited about the gold crown his teacher gave him to wear. Unlike last year, when he was scared of his flaming Elmo cake, he LOVED his Cars cake, adorned with Lightening McQueen and Mater. We shared it with Juju, who is visiting from PA, and Filo, our cleaning lady. Andy is out of town until Friday, so we'll have another celebration then. I'll post some pics soon!

Henry is very verbal, and he talks like a regular person now, which cracks us up. He'll come up to us and say "C'mon, guys, let's go play this game!" He also remembers EVERYTHING, which is, of course, a blessing and a curse. He has many of his books memorized, and he loves to fill in the story when we pause. He continues to enjoy school and swim lessons. He was promoted to the Dolphin class a few weeks ago. (You didn't think his swimmer parents would let him slip up on that front, did you?) He's learning front crawl, and he can retrieve rings from the bottom of the pool.

Recently, Henry has dropped his usual three hour afternoon nap. I still try, but it's becoming increasingly clear that it's not happening. He has some quiet time in his room, and that's about it. He is pretty tired in the afternoon, so we put him to bed early at 7 or so. I was dreading the dropping of the nap, but, now that I have Mitch's naps to worry about, I am sort of relieved that I don't need to worry about getting Henry down.

We go to his three year well check next week, so I'll update his stats then. He's in 4T clothes, so I am guessing he's pretty high up there on the percentile for height!

Happy Birthday, sweet Henry!

The Next Step

Today we had a full day at TCH. Mitch started his morning with a blood draw, isotope injection and DMSA renal scan. Finally, we got an idea of what the division of labor is between his kidneys. Not too surprisingly, the left kidney is doing most of the work (91%) and the right is only doing 9%. He then had another VCUG to check to see if the Posterior Urethral Valves were gone. The VCUG also shows us the reflux of urine back into his right kidney. After having our tests, we met with Dr. G. He is pleased with how well the left kidney is doing, and believes it can sustain Mitch. (You only need one good kidney, after all). The problem, however, is the reflux of urine that shoots back up into his right kidney everytime he "voids" (that's urologist-speak for "going pee"). In essence, his bladder is never fully emptying. This is bad for a few reasons. First, full bladders that don't fully empty are prone to UTIs and bladder infections. Second, his bladder is having to work extra hard to empty,which can have long term negative consequences (like losing the urge to go). We'll meet with the urologist and nephrologist together to discuss, but, right now it looks like Mitchell will have surgery to remove the right kidney. We don't know when--not until he's 6 months at least--but likely soon after. We'd rather just get it over with. Because his problem developed as a result of an issue that began in utero, his bladder and right kidney are sort of "trained" this way. He had never had reflux on the left side.

Obviously, the thought of facing a surgery that involves something as invasive as removing an organ is overwhelming. But, we know that the risk of it is outweighed by the long term reward for his overall urinary tract health. If all goes well, we should only be in the hospital overnight.
We meet with the nephrologist in two weeks, so we'll know more then. Thank you for all of your prayers.

Predictions and Prognosis

I have never been one to buy into the phrase "everything happens for a reason." I mean, good and bad things happen to people. But, when I think about the fact that I am living in Houston, a place I never thought I'd be, and I have a baby who has kidney issues, I have to think there was some guiding hand that helped us end up here. Texas Children's Hospital is ranked #1 for Kidney disorders. We're in good hands. We had our appointment with the Nephrologist today. We loved her. She confirmed that Mitch has Renal Tubular Acidosis, so we'll be working to get his pH sorted out through a medication he takes three times a day. The tough part about today was just the reminder that there are a lot of unknowns with his health. She explained that his right kidney took the brunt of the damage, and his left looks a bit enlarged, still much better than the right. What is hard to know is what the future will be for that left kidney and whether it will continue to have enough function as he grows. There is no solid prognosis that we've been given, because there are many variables and things change. Right now, we're happy that his Creatinine is good and that he's gaining weight. Mitch goes back for a blood draw in a couple of weeks to ensure the dose of Bicitra is good. So the story is the same: Mitch will be followed closely for a long while. I think we've answered our question about whether we'll stay in Houston. We're in the best possible place for this to be happening, and we're lucky to have access to the best doctors around.

Heading to Nephrology

After talking to Dr. Gonzales yesterday, we're made an appointment to see Dr. Brewer in the Nephrology department. She'll manage Mitch's kidney issues from her end. Mitch is now on Bicitra, an antacid he takes 3 times a day. I have to mix it in an ounce of water and give it to him in a bottle. This means he's up to three meds a day: Bicitra, Bactrim (his antibiotic to prevent infection), and Zantac (for his GERd). We're becoming fast friends with the local CVS. (Actually, I am going to switch pharmacies. Note to Katyites: the CVS on Westheimer screws up our prescriptions too often and their service is poor.)

We have our visit with Dr. Brewer tomorrow. I am anxious to hear what she has to say. Mitch will have another blood test tomorrow to see if the Bicitra is working and to ensure his dose is accurate.

He really is such a trooper! He is all smiles!

Mixed Results

Mitch had some mixed results after his blood work on Monday. The good, and most important news, is that his Creatinine level is .24, an improvement from .35 after the first surgery. (The normal range is .2-.4). This number is very important because it tells us how well his kidneys are functioning. We are thrilled that this number continues to improve.

We did learn, however, that his Bicarbonate level is too low. This is problematic because it means his pH is off, which could be caused by Renal Tubular Acidosis, a condition not all that uncommon in boys who had PUV (Posterior Urethral Valves) like Mitch did. Of course, we found all this out at 5 o'clock on a Friday, so we are operating on little information. We do know that if he does have this condition, it is treatable with medicine. We are, of course, trying to understand what this means for Mitch and for us, and we'll know more once we sit down with Dr. Gonzales. For now, we are celebrating the great Creatinine number. If anything, we're reminded that PUV results in a lot of unknowns, so we're facing each challenge as it comes.

Mitch is such a happy, smiley baby. We know he'll be fine, but we sure would appreciate your positive thoughts and prayers.

Tux Fitting

Here's Henry trying on his tux for Uncle Dan and Aunt Jamie's wedding next month!

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Just So I Remember...

In my three years of being a parent, I have learned that there is a sort of "irony of time" that exists. In one moment, I can be cursing a stage my children are in, desperate for it to pass, while, at the same time, lamenting how quickly time seems to be slipping away. Like every well-intentioned parent, I purchased baby books, keep a mommy journal and write this blog as a way to keep track of life. And, actually, I have been pretty good about recording events, moments, firsts. I even try to take note of the seemingly mundane, a typical day here, a funny story there, as an attempt to capture our daily adventures. What I have found, however, is that I didn't record things I thought I did, so now, with baby #2 here, I am challenging myself to remember what Henry did when.

Like most parents of newborns, sleep is our issue. I am a huge proponent of fostering healthy sleep habits in kids. I strongly believe that behavior is very much related to sleep (or lack of), so I am pretty strict about sleep schedules around here. We worked hard to get Henry to be a good sleeper. He goes to bed early, sleeps until 7 am, and naps well. (Now that he is almost three, naps are a bit more unpredictable, but we still put him down for a nap each day.) We're almost at the 4 month mark with Mitch. I feel the need to write this post, if only so I remember what we did when, in case we decide to have another child.

Starting at 3 months, we began letting Mitch fuss a bit before he fell asleep. At around 3.5 months, we let him cry in 5 minute intervals in order to fall asleep at naps/night. He caught on quickly.

But now we've hit a plateau. At his last well-visit, our ped. said he could go longer between feeds at night. I know this is true, but it's hard because he still needs to eat a couple of times, and it's challenging to determine when that is. I do know that some of the times he's waking, it's because he's not next to me. I would bring him to bed around 3 am; any nursing mother knows that it's likely I'll fall asleep nursing anyway, so I'd rather be in my bed. But, it does have the potential of creating a co-sleeping habit. I am not against co-sleeping in general, but, personally, I don't want to have a co-sleeper.

Anywho, so back to the plateau...Mitch is soooo restless beginning around 3 or 4 a.m. and it's exhausting. I know, eventually, his brain will develop more and he'll sleep better at that time, but, right now it's tough. And so I am in that weird irony of time. I long for nights of uninterrupted sleep, but I know it'll mean that Mitch is growing up. Cliches exist for a reason, and the one about how quickly the time of raising children goes is true. So, maybe this post is more than a memo of "what my baby did at 4 months" and, instead, is a reminder that I need to enjoy the stage, rather than being ready to move onto the next big thing.

Aimee and Andy's Wedding

It was a beautiful day in Erie for Aimee and Andy's big day. We loved escaping the Houston July heat. Here is one shot of the beautiful bride and her 'maids. One thing I really miss here in Houston is how green everything is. It was a wet summer in Erie, so everything was so lush.

Congrats, Aimee and Andy!

MLZ at Three Months

First Day of Pre-School!

Henry started preschool last week. He is going Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9:15-noon. Last Tuesday, we went to "Meet the Teacher." I, of course, loved every minute of it, being the school dork that I am. So far, Henry loves school. Here are some shots from Henry's first day:

Henry and Daddy in front of the house

Henry and mommy

Our big boy all ready to go!

In front of the Learning Center bus

(No, he didn't take the bus to school. We snapped this once we arrived!)

Pictures from Emma: Prof. pics

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Here is the picture we used for Mitch's birth anouncement. We purchased the digital image from the photographer.

Another Surgery Down!

We are happy to report that we are home from Mitch's surgery, and it went well. Dr. Gonzales said that there was still some membrane left that they removed, which is what was causing Mitch's urethra to still be dilated. We reported to Texas Children's this morning at 6 am with a hungry, grumpy baby. (Mitch hadn't eaten since 3:30 am, which was the last possible time I was allowed to nurse him.) The surgery was in a different location from the first time, so we got to hang out in a new area of the hospital. After the procedure, we went to see Mitch in the recovery room. He was a bit more upset this time, and he didn't nurse. I think his throat was irritated from the breathing tube and congestion. He finally ate about an hour after we got home. He's resting now, and we're hoping that this is the last surgery he'll have to have and that he'll grow out of any other problems. It'll be a long road. Like the Fellow we met today said, "You'll be seeing a lot of Dr. Gonzales." Kids who have Posterior Urethral Valves need to be followed closely, since there are lots of potential issues that can come up. For now, we are happy to have made it through this surgery. Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers.

Surgery Countdown

We've been in Erie for the past week, enjoying cooler weather and seeing family and friends. We return to Texas tomorrow with my mom in tow. Mitchell's surgery is scheduled for 7:30 am on Monday morning. We'd appreciate prayers. Specifically, we hope that he doesn't have an infection and can have the surgery, and we also pray that this procedure is the last one he'll have to have!

Mitchell Update

We got some bad news today at our appointment with Dr. Gonzales. He is not seeing the result he wanted from the surgery and he'll be repeating the procedure. Of course, this is not what we wanted to hear. It's overwhelming to think that the problem is not corrected. The surgery will be after our trip to Pennsylvania, most likely the first week of August. This time, it should be an outpatient surgery, which means we won't have to stay over in the hospital. Please keep Mitchell in your prayers. It is so hard to see such a wee one dealing with these issues.

All Smiles

Mitch has been showing off his smile lately. It's hard to believe he's 2 months old today!

Bubble Boy

Fauxfection

After fretting about Mitchell's infection, we were delighted to learn that his urine culture came back clear! Apparently, there can be false positives. They have decreased his antibiotic to 2x/day and we are all set for the repeat VCUG on Tuesday!

Follow-Up at TCH

Yesterday we trekked to Texas Children's for Mitchell's post-op appointment. We had two tests scheduled: an ultrasound of his kidneys/bladder and a VCUG. We had the ultrasound done, but, unfortunately, an infection in his urine precluded us from having the VCUG done. This was a disappointment, as it is a test that shows whether the surgery was successful and how much reflux is still present.

Dr. Gonzales changed Mitchell's antibiotic and upped his dose. We'll go back to TCH on Tuesday, 7/21, to have the test done.

We did see the ultrasound, and the right kidney is a bit smaller and the left looks "good" according to the doctor. It is a bit disconcerting to know that the reflux of urine into the kidneys resolves in 50% of the patients. We're trying to stay postive and pray that we're in that 50%.

Mitch is such a sweet baby. Despite all he's gone through, he's a smiley, happy boy. He's hit the social stage, which is a joy, but this means he's harder to get down to sleep. It's a stage--we know--but it's a bit frustrating.

We're looking forward to our visit to Erie next week. We're ready to escape the Houston heat and to have some help.

I will update after our visit next week.

Happy Anniversary...Times Two

This week marks two anniversaries: 1 year of living in Texas and 6 years of marriage for Andy and me. I had a lot of ideas on that wedding day, six years ago, of where my life was headed. Some were spot-on and some, well, not so much. If you had told me that I'd been living in Texas on my sixth wedding anniversary, I wouldn't have believed it. But, here we are, six years later, living in the Lone Star State!

Our first year in Texas has had its ups and downs, so I thought I'd share some highlights (and lowlights, I suppose):

--We moved here in July, which is, quite possibly the worst time to move to Texas thanks to the HEAT! I seriously thought one of the guys moving us in was going to die. I have never seen someone sweat so much. I have also never seen someone A) with so few teeth and B) so happy about a tip.

--We lucked out with our next door neighbors, Brad and Kim--four kids, Midwesterners, dog lovers, and quick to crack open a Modelo or glass of pinot while watching the kids in the cul-de-sac. Coincidentally enough, they are from Kansas City and know my best friend's father because Kim's mom works in his Pediatric practice.

--Being picked up at Lifetime by Cayce. We went swimming and met Cayce and Nick and their two boys. Thank goodness Cayce will talk to anyone, including us, when it became clear we both have first born Henrys. We love people who eat good food, drink wine and beer, watch football and make off-color jokes. You guys fit the bill!

--Hurrican Ike. I would like to make a few things clear. Yes, we stayed home during the hurricane. Yes, it was scary and we eventually spent part of the night in the closet. No, Mitch is NOT an Ike baby. I don't know why people think that having a restless two-year-old and no air conditioning would put us in the mood to procreate. We did, however, find out I was pregnant during the week post-Ike.

--The election. Nothing made me happier than seeing all the Suburbans with their McCain-Palin stickers after the election. I also loved parading Henry around in his "I want mo 'bama" shirt and having people uncomfortably giggle at him. Yes, all you Republicans in Katy--there actually are white, middle class, Christian women who didn't vote for McCain!

--Speaking of politics, I met one of my closest friends here, Tricia, through my mom's group; although, we bonded once we learned that we were both Obama supporters. We talk on the phone during naptime (with one of us usually lamenting that our kid won't sleep) and dream up playdates and outings with our goofy toddlers. Tricia's husband, Peter, is one cool dude--and a lot like Andy. They have two adorable girls, Myrtle and Eloise. Good people.

--Thanksgiving with the Zones. We hosted a big group for Thankgiving and it was great--deep fried turkey (along with a traditional roasted one), golf weather, smores in the chimmenea. Good stuff.

--Janurary-April. Once I got my "white Christmas" fix in Erie, I was over the sleet and snow. The rest of the winter was not winter at all, in spite of the native Texans donning puffy coats, scarves, and North Face jackets. One of my favorite sights was bundled up kids at the bus stop when the weather was in the 50s in the morning. Of course, these same kids stumbled off the bus in the afternoon, red and dehydrated thanks to the spike in afternoon temps. Love that.

--The meat department at HEB. Enough said. (HEB is the grocery store.)

--Tomato season in May.

--And, finally, giving birth to a Texan. Now that I have a son "from"here, I suppose Texas now holds a special place in my heart.

Overall, we've enjoyed our adventure down here so far. We miss Chicago, of course, but, most of all, we miss our dear friends. We would love visitors anytime. So, if you have a hankering for a heat index of 108 degrees and brisket, head on down. Everything's bigger in Texas, including our house compared to our Chicago place, so we have plenty of room!

6 Week Check-Up

Our pediatrician likes to see her newborn patients at 1.5 months, 3.5 months, etc. rather than the usual 2, 4, etc. because recent studies show that the earlier kids can be vaccinated for Pertussis (Whopping Cough), the better. This is fine with us because we are traveling at the end of the month, and we wanted Mitchell to have his first round of vacs out of the way.

So, we had our 1.5 month appointment yesterday. Mitch weighs 10 pounds, 1 ounce (25th-50 percentile) and is 22.5 inches long (75th percentile). He is growing well, and has no obvious issues from his surgery last month. We go to Texas Children's on July 14th for our post-op appointment. At that appointment, Mitch will have a few tests done. One will be another VCUG, which is a test that works by showing where his urine goes when he voids. Prior to the surgery, urine was refluxing back into his right kidney. We are hoping that the surgery has corrected the reflux. We'll also have another ultrasound done to look at the size of his kidneys. Our hope is that the right kidney is considerably smaller than the last ultrasound. Finally, he'll meet with the urologist after all the tests to determine what our next step is. The condition that Mitch had, "posterior urethral valves" (PUV) can result in a lot of different conclusions. We're hoping that he's had no lasting kidney damage, and that the only thing we need to do (if anything at all) is continue giving him Amoxicillian once a day as a preventative measure. We are trying to avoid any type of infection that could affect his kidney, which could cause lasting damage.

Mitch was also diagnosed with acid reflux issues, so he's on Zantac. Henry also had reflux, so we are not getting a break on the spit-up this go around. The meds do not affect the actual amount he spits up, but, instead, make his tummy less acidic. We're hoping this helps him, as it's clear from his crying/fussing after he eats that he's not very comfortable. In fact, that is really the only time he cries.

We are gearing up for our first Texas-style 4th of July (Texans really, really love America-- oh, and crafts and Jesus. Not that I have anything against America, crafts, and Jesus, but that's a post for another day). Last year, we were taking in our last few days in the Windy City, and now here we are, almost a year later in the Lone Star State. We're fixin' to do it up big!

Bath Time!

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Mitch is a water-loving babe like his bro! Check out those eyes! He's getting so alert, and we're bracing ourselves for the 6 week fussies.

Water baby

Most people can't believe it when we tell them that Henry is two and a half. They say, "How old is he? Four?"

This picture not only shows off his size, but also his impressive whiteness.

Pool Time

Henry and daddy make waves at one of the pools here in Cinco Ranch!

Life at Home

We've been settling in as a family of four. When we returned from the hospital stay, my mom and Andy's mom were both with us. My mom left a couple of days later and Mary Lou (Mitch's namesake, by the way) stayed on for another week. The help was much needed. Why did I ever think having only one child was hard?!

Lucky for us, Mitch is a great baby. He rarely cries, and, when he does, there is usually a reason and way to calm him. Henry has been an absolute champ. Prior to Mitch's birth, we were a bit nervous as Henry hit the full-on defiance that comes with being two and a half. But, the stage was short lived (not that "no" has left his vocabulary, but he is a bit easier to reason with), and he is a totally adorable helper who loves his little brother. When I ask him to do something, he replies with a resounding, "OHH-kay!"

Mitch will be four weeks old tomorrow. He is nursing every 2-3 hours still; although, I do get one four-hour stretch from him at night. For the life of me, I can't remember what Henry was doing at this point. I thought I wrote it all down, but I think I was so sleep-deprived in the beginning that I just considered the first few months a total wash. There is a sort of pattern emerging with Mitch's sleep and wake times, but I'm not too focused on it yet. There will be plenty of time devoted to sleep training later, so right now I am just enjoying the flexibility of a newborn.

Henry still takes one long nap each day. Over the past 6 months, he has hit a few stages where he tries to boycott it, but I am not letting him give it up easily. He needs it! He goes to bed around 7:30 or 8 at night and sleeps until 7 am.

We are managing to get out in the mornings, so that helps. It's so bloody hot here already, though. I am seriously considering going to Erie for a chunk of time in summer next year. Houston in the summer is pretty brutal.

More pictures to come. Andy's taken over picture duty on the new Mac, and I am writing from my laptop, so I have to make an effort to share some shots of our boys. And, so far, it's what I expected: Andy and Henry cracking up whenever Mitch poops or passes gas. Some things never change.

On our way home....

We are waiting to be discharged from Texas Children's today. We met with the doctor this morning, and now we're waiting for a prescription order that needs corrected. Mitch did great overnight. He had no bleeding and is not in any pain. He's eating great and seems to be more alert. We cannot wait to get home to Henry and to start getting into a more predictable routine. Let's hope our next few blog entries will be filled with only happy news.

Out of Surgery!

Mitchell had his surgery this morning. He was originally scheduled for later in the afternoon, but there was a break in the schedule and he was able to go in at 11:15. This was good news for us because he was not able to eat before surgery. According to the Urologist, Mitch did great. He'll have some follow-up testing in 4-6 weeks. The hope is that the dilation that is on the right kidney will decrease and that it will have some function.

As long as Mitch doesn't develop a fever overnight and he's peeing ok, we'll be able to go home tomorrow.

Sunday Update

For those of you who don't know, we were admitted to Texas Children's Hospital on Friday. We came in for a test in the morning, expecting to go home, but we learned that Mitchell has a condition called "Posterior Urethral Valves" which is causing his right kidney to be enlarged. This condition requires a minor surgery on Monday where the valve is opened so urine can freely flow out of the bladder and not back up into the kidneys. We were admitted so Mitchell could start IV antibiotics as a precaution to ensure he is infection-free on Monday. It was a shock to be admitted, especially since I was not able to return home to get anything. The procedure is scheduled for Monday afternoon, and we'll likely be in the hospital until Tuesday so Mitch can be observed.

Thank you to all of you who have been sending encouraging notes and emails; it means a lot to us. Words can't express how difficult it is to see one's newborn in the hospital. We know we are in good hands.

Please keep Mitchell in your prayers.

A Few Pictures...

It's a Boy!

Mitchell Louis arrived 2 weeks ahead of his due date at 10:34 pm on May 19, 2009! He weighed 7 pounds, 9.8 oz and was 20 inches long. Mitch has dark hair, unlike his big brother and is darker complected as well. My water broke when we were out fishing with Henry at around 2:30 and later that evening our baby boy arrived. He is named after Mary Louise (ML) , Andy's mom. I love being the queen in my house of blue!

His renal scan at birth showed his right kidney to be severely enlarged, which was not a surprise. We are cleared to go home as planned since Mitchell is doing well. He will be on a daily antibiotic to prevent a kidney infection. We will go to Texas Children's on June 1 to begin other testing. Please continue to keep him in your prayers; we would love for this to resolve on its own.

Monday Update Part 2

I spoke to my OB today, who has given me the good news that I can still deliver at the Katy hospital as planned. I was nervous to think of going somewhere else, but it looks like I won't need to. I also found out that the baby will be evicted on May 28th if he or she doesn't arrive sooner. That would put me at just over 39 weeks. I am hoping things get moving on their own before then.

Monday Update

I went this morning for the Level 2 ultrasound. We learned that the right kidney is severely enlarged. The MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) doctor says that she believes it is a result of an obstruction, but the best way to know if that is the case is after the baby is born when he or she can have an ultrasound of the kidneys. Now we are just trying to figure out if we will deliver at the hospital close to us, or if we'll go to a different branch. If I don't have the baby this week, I'll likely be induced early next week, as there is no advantage to keeping the baby in longer at this point. Henry was born at 38 weeks, so maybe this little one will show up this week.

Catching Up

Blogging has taken a back seat to a busy month of visitors and baby-prepping. We had my mom, Andy's parents, and my sister visit us in the last month. It has been nice to have family in town. Henry also battled Hand-Foot-Mouth for the second time. Apparently, it is something one can get more than once. This time was really bad; he didn't eat solid food for 5 days, which is pretty unreal for our big boy who normally starts his day with a two-egg omelette, cereal bar, and milk. Forget Swine Flu, we were busy dealing with HFM for nearly a week. Henry is back to his normal self.

The weather here in Katy is already toasty. It's been in the 80's, and last week was in the 90's. As I near the end of this pregnancy, I am thankful that I won't be pregnant during the hot summer.

As far as baby news, we are very excited to meet our new little one. I am already 1 cm dilated, so we know that labor could happen at any time. Henry arrived at 38.5 weeks, so our babies like to be a bit early. My mom arrives on the 24th, so I'd be happy to hold out until then, just to make it easier with Henry.

We did find out last week that the baby has bilateral hydronephrosis, which means his/her kidneys are enlarged. I am going for a Level 2 ultrasound on Monday, and we're hoping that the problem clears on its own. The kidneys looked normal when I had my Level 2 ultrasound at 20 weeks, so this is something that has manifested later. We're trying not to worry, but, as with any issue related to the health of one's children, it is difficult not to be concerned. Luckily, we are in Houston, home of Texas Children's Hospital, which is one of the premier hospital systems in the world, so we are in good hands. We'd certainly appreciate postitive thoughts and prayers.

Momtourage

As evidenced by the start date of my blog, you all know that I had a lot of time to prepare for our move to Texas. When we were living in limbo, I found comfort in doing as much research as possible on our new home. Whether it was scouring real estate sites for new homes or figuring out how to get my Texas teacher credential, I formed a close relationship with Google. Last Spring, I learned about Meetup.com and decided to check it out. I am sure most of you are familiar with Meetup, but, in case you are not, Meetup.com is a networking site for every imaginable hobby, lifestyle and interest area. You can type in your ZIP code and "moms" or "dalmations" or "running" and find others in your area who are interested in the same thing. It was through Meetup that I found what is now affectionately known as my Momtourage. The group I joined was for moms new to the Katy area who were looking to meet other moms to hang out with, plan playdates for the kids with, and have social time with. I cannot tell you how incredibly lucky I am to have found this group.

A week after we moved, I attended my first meetup, which happened to be a mom's night out at a Mexican restaurant. Since then, we've had all sorts of events, and many of these moms are women I now consider to be my good friends. I can't imagine what my transition here would have been like without these resourceful, fun, energetic women. So, here's a shout out to all of you Momtourage girls--thank you for making my transition to TX living that much better!

Big Boy Bed

Since I posted about the nursery, I only felt it was right to also post some shots of Henry in his big boy dog-themed bed. We made the transition in January, in order to give ample transition time before the baby arrives. Henry loves his bed!

Roping a Steer

I Live in Texas

I still have these moments that creep up at odd times as I go about my daily life where I stop and remember that I live in Texas. A statement of the obvious, yes, but one that is still sort of hard for me to believe. Andy left for a short trip to Chicago today, which has me thinking about what he's seeing and doing or, rather, what I am not seeing and doing. Unlike me, he can go back, unfazed. He doesn't spend a lot of time thinking about the oddities of visiting a place where he used to live. I, on the other hand, can't get past the way the city exists both changing and unchanged, in spite of my absence. Most of the time, I am happy here. We're making friends and finding our way. But, I still don't feel like this is home. I am not sure I want it to feel like home, if that makes sense. Although, it sure would be easier if I just let it. Maybe I am a bit homesick. Maybe all this nesting I have been doing, this attempt to create a home for this new baby, highlights how I have not made the jump to calling this "house" my "home." And while I love having the space and the ease of lifestyle that living here affords me, I miss the City of Big Shoulders, the promise of Spring after a long winter, and the 1600 square feet of home I left back on Racine.

Nursery Time

Nesting has hit me full-force, and Baby Zone's nursery is just about done. It's hard to imagine we'll meet our new little one in a couple of months!

Finger Painting Fun

It's been beautiful here, so I decided to let Henry have at it with some backyard finger painting!

Bass Master

Andy is determined to make Henry a Bass Master. Luckily, we live mere blocks from a great catch and release pond. Here is Henry showing off his first Bass with Daddy!

February in Houston

Andy and I have to keep reminding ourselves that it is February! It feels like Spring. We've had a few outdoor playdates lately. Here are a couple of pics of our fun!

Shaggy McGoo

Henry's hair was getting pretty shaggy, so we recently went for a haircut. He are a couple of pre-cut shots of our Shaggy McGoo!

From the Mouths of Babes...

So, I guess my fear of living "in the Red" down here in Texas is unwarranted. Here is a recent conversation I had with Henry:

Mommy: "What's your name?"

Henry: "Henry!"

Mommy: "'Henry' what?"

Henry: "Henry Ohhhh-BAMA!"

Grin.

Our White Christmas

We had a great Christmas in the Great White North of Erie, PA thanks to lots of beautiful snow and fun times with family and friends. Here are some highlight pics: