Staying Positive

A couple weeks ago, we had an appointment to get Jude's sleep study results from the latest study done since the tonsillectomy.  I'm just posting about it now for one main reason...


I didn't want to write an emotionally puffed up blog post.


That being said, I guess you are figuring out that the sleep study didn't go all that well.  Jude's obstructive sleep apnea had not improved not one little bit.  He is still obstructing his airway around 70-75 times a night.  However, he was still keeping his oxygen levels up at 97% throughout the entire night which is pretty encouraging. 


So with this being said, our options are as follows.


1.  Have some sort of reconstructive surgery
2.  Wear a CPap to sleep at night
3.  Don't do anything at all and just let it be.


I felt a peace and a courage as we talked to Dr. Thomas about the options (WONDERFUL MAN, by the way), and I very directly asked what my rights were as his parent.  Can I make this choice myself without being reprimanded by the his medical team?  Do I have the right to say, Thanks but No Thanks?


The doctor encouraged me by saying he completely supported my decisions and would allow me to make them without influence.


So we decided to just let it be.


I explained to the doctor that we would try to get Jude used to a CPap mask, but if he fought it too hard, I wasn't going to force the issue.  I'd be more worried about him strangling on a tube or cord than a negative consequence of the apnea.


I also said that there was NO WAY I'd put Jude through some super invasive, high risk, appearance altering reconstructive surgery for a chance that it may help his apnea.  The risks just out weigh the benefits.


I also told Dr. T that my ultimate goal with Jude is to give him the happiest healthiest childhood possible for Jude.


When I finished, Dr. Thomas said that if he was Jude's parent, he would have made that same decision.


So where are we now?


Well I have an order for a mask that I will be picking up soon.  We will only get the CPap machine if Jude does well with the mask.  Please just pray for God's will in this!!  I'm not sure how to pray any other way!


Then next week we have an appointment with a craniofacial cosmetic specialist.  We are only consulting to see if there is anything lower risk we can do for Jude such as repair a possible deviated septum or maybe as great as a minor rhinoplasty... So prayers for that as well!


In the meantime, we have been so excited to gather up school supplies, back packs, nap rolls, and uniforms.  I can't believe my baby is about to start preschool.  Now I know he went to LSU for a few semesters, but that was two 3 hour sessions a week... this will be full days!! I'm very excited for him, though.  He just loves his teachers and going to school.  


That's all for now..


A new friend of mine who has sweet little twin boys recently posted this scripture in Instagram (LOVE INSTAGRAM!!) and it was a nice reminder that all this is just one. huge. blessing. 


"To whom much is given, much is required."
                         Luke 12:48

She. Is. One.

Aubrey Lane, you are ONE!

You have officially transitioned from a baby to a toddler.  Although, you will always be my sweet baby.  I was telling you just the other night that you will always be my baby, and you shook your little head no at me... in front of your daddy and grandparents.  And they thought it was hilarious.


I am a mean mommy... I took you to the doctor for your 12 month shots and check up on your birthday, but you only cried for about 5 seconds.  You weighed 19.5 pounds and were 28.5 inches long.  That put you around the 25th percentile for weight and around 50th percentile for height.

After your doctor's appointment, I brought you to a little water park where we had a great little time.  You just loved splashing, sliding, and floating around.  Once we finished up, got home and had lunch, you passed out and took a four hour nap.  I didn't get any pictures from the water park because I was too busy playing and splashing with you.


At one, you aren't walking yet, but you push a walking toy everywhere and have taken a couple steps here and there, so I doubt it will be much longer before you are walking.  

Aubrey Lane, at 12 months old, you are on table food which you can handle well because you have TEN TEETH!  I started giving you whole milk in your straw sippy cup and you love it.  I still nurse you a few times a day, but I'm not sure how much longer that will last.


You are such a big girl, Aubrey Lane.  You mimic all sorts of words and phrases.  You are even trying to say "Thank You" now, which is so important because every little southern belle must be taught some manners early on ;-)


You can also play along with singing "If You're Happy and You Know It" by clapping your hands and stomping your feet during the appropriate times.


You are very strong willed and you want what you want when you want it.  We've started discussing appropriate methods of disciplining you because right now when we tell you "NO" you just shake your little head at us.  It's very cute, but... well you know.


You had such a sweet little first birthday party.  It was a pink lemonade stand theme.  I'll do a post for that soon!




Bath time photos... 


newborn

6 months

12 months

You are growing so fast sweet girl, and every stage has been so fun!!  I know the toddler stage you are entering will be so fun as well.  




newborn

one month

two months

 three months

four months

five months

six months

seven months

eight months

nin months

ten months

eleven months

Thank you, sweet girl, for such a fun and surprisingly easy year.  I can't wait to see what's in store for this next year!!

Happy 1st Birthday, Aubrey Lane!!

I can't believe it's already here, Sweet Pea!

Exactly one year ago at 8:26 am, this beautiful perfect baby girl came into our lives.  And we will never be the same again.

I have lots of pictures to post, and your little monthly biography as well, but they can wait for another day.  

TODAY is your special day, so I want to spend it with you!  

Happy First Birthday, Aubrey Lane!  I just love you so very much!

She is my Nineveh

I read a very sweet, encouraging, and endearing blog called Pearls and Grace.  It is written by a lovely Christian woman that has a unique gift of making you feel important and loved.  Her name is Sibi. You should hop on over there and check her out... and know that she is completely to blame for this post.


I originally logged onto the blog tonight to post some medical updates on both Jude and Aubrey Lane... but one of the first things I do is check my blog roll to see what's new in all my beloved blogs.  A blog post [Pearls and Grace] titled "What is Your Nineveh?" quickly whisked me back to a couple years ago during a time of hurting in my heart.


Before Aubrey Lane was born, the desire for another child was so great yet the prospect of one was so out of reach.  The longing turned into an obsession and intense pain.  


I prayed constantly... Lord, please give me a child or take this desire from my heart!


But the desire never left.  It only grew stronger.


I always felt prompted that stepping out in faith and trying to conceive a baby would be a crucial act of obedience on my part, but I just couldn't do it.  


It nagged at me.  It tormented me.  The desire for another baby was always there in everything I did every part of the day.  So I specifically remember that during the Priscilla Shirer Bible study of the book of Jonah, I could relate with refusing to go to Nineveh.


There I stood, with a desire so strong that it completely consumed me, a prompting from the Holy Spirit to be obedient and try for this baby, and a fear so powerful that it prevented me from doing so and receiving the blessing the Lord had in store for me.


I even shared this with my bible study group at the time.


But His mercy and grace...


Then came my whale... two unplanned little pink lines.  And off to Nineveh I went.  Right during my study of Jonah....


I spent the next 9 months begging for health, pleading for life.  And asking for one more thing... although I know I didn't deserve it because this pregnancy was not a result of my obedience but one of provision.. 


BUT, Lord, you know I am pleading for a healthy baby, but may I be so bold as to ask for one more thing... one of the most delicate things on the face of the earth... a daughter?


And here she is... a healthy, beautiful, perfect, little daughter, just one day shy of being one year old.


THANK YOU, LORD, FOR YOUR NINEVEHS!!!




I often regret not naming her Jesse like we originally intended to.  The name means "gift".

Because I don't ever want to forget...

I can't believe that Aubrey Lane will be ONE in only a week.  


I have been so busy working on decorations and plans for her birthday party.  But today... I got a little nostalgic.  I started looking at her baby book and all her baby pictures. 


Then I started looking at all the little videos of my Sweet Pea.  Then I watched the video montage of her birth photos.  


All the emotions, the joy, the thankfulness, the praise, the love... they came flooding right on back.    


Y'all remember the video, huh?  Well just in case...



Hello, Aubrey Lane! from The Mustard Seed on Vimeo.



I'm so thankful we had the privilege of having a photographer in the delivery room to capture all of those precious, precious moments.


Because I don't ever want to forget..

Happy Birthday America!!!

**I apologize in advance for this post and these pictures. They were taken with my phone and I'm blogging from my phone- so warning: they are all out of order.**


I just love Independence Day!

Really, I love any holiday. And I love holiday traditions. And this holiday does not disappoint.

We kicked off this Sunday with our church's 3rd Annual Freedom Sunday. We had Russ Taff come and sing for us and with us (Lane and I both sing- I mean make a joyful noise- in the choir) I just love Freedom Sunday and all the fellowship it provides. But I have a secret to tell you... I had no idea who Russ Taff was until Sunday! 😳 In fact until a few years ago, I had no idea all that the word "Gaither" entailed. And another confession. This might be sin to say and I just might get kicked out of the Southern Baptist Convention, or whatever we are now, but I'm not a huge fan of Gaither music, BUT I really enjoyed hearing Russ Taff!

That afternoon we headed to the church wide picnic. It was on a lake and they had all kind of super fun activities going on. However, Aubrey Lane started running a 104 FEVER so we rushed her to After Hours. (she's much better now though)

Then today, on the Fourth, Lane had to work, so we missed out on the traditional family gathering, but we did get to participate in what's become a new tradition in the past five years. We joined our best friends, Darren and Nicolette and their daughter, down in Plaquemine for the local festivities and fireworks. The kids just loved the music and fireworks. It was fun as always.

Today, I got caught in a little moment realizing all the luxuries we are freely given. Because someone gave their life to preserve my freedom, I can buy whatever I want, read whatever I want, go wherever I want, and live the way I choose.

America, Land of the Free, Because of the Brave!!

But it isn't just soldiers that have died for my freedom. True freedom is not found in the country you live in, but in Christ. That's why this country is free. It was founded on Christian principles, and it stands for the freedom we have in Jesus.

One Nation Under God!

Eleven Months

It is so bittersweet to say... 


Aubrey Lane, you are eleven months old!

It is so bittersweet to say because this is your last official month as a baby.  In a few weeks we will celebrate your first birthday and it will make you a TODDLER!!  


I could cry saying that.


You have a couple of new things this month.  The first is that you have started pointing to things you see that you like or things that you want.  This is so exciting for us to watch.


You have also become a very, very... VERY busy little girl.  You are constantly on the go and never stop moving.  Changing your diaper is still a nightmare because you can't stand to lay down and you fight me the whole time.  And you are into everything.  


You are cruising around furniture very good, but not really interested in walking that much.  You are a climber.  I've caught you climbing on top of a riding toy to get to something.  You scare the daylights out of me.  I can't turn my eye one second from you.  If I do, I catch you doing a big NO NO like playing in a toilet or eating soap.


Speaking of eating, you have really gotten the hang of it.  You are mainly on table food.  You love spaghetti, peas and carrots, shepherd's pie, and vegetable soup.  You have learned to drink from a straw and that has made life so much easier.  You are still nursing 4-5 times a day as well.  I'm very proud of how longs that's lasted for the both of us.


You are still about the same size as you were last month- wearing clothes from 9-18 months depending of the brand.   And your foot is still tiny.


Your sleeping patterns have gotten better.  You are back to sleeping through the night.  You have the funniest little sleeping position.  I put you in your crib, and you immediately get on your stomach and tuck your knees under you.  It's so cute.  You are only taking one good 2 hour nap a day now.


Of course you are still a pretty and happy baby. Although you are teething right now and that's kinda making you miserable at times.


I have started making the arrangements for your FIRST BIRTHDAY PARTY!  I'm so excited.  It's a Pink Lemonade theme and your daddy and paw paw actually made you a miniature lemonade stand.  I'll share all about that later.  


That's really it kiddo.  I'm gonna get off the computer and enjoy what little time I have left with you as a baby. 


I love you,
Mommy