4 weeks

I can't believe that it has been 4 weeks since our lives were forever changed and made so much better! It has been a whirlwind of excitement and craziness. Dad and Grandma came to visit and it was great to get to see them and spend some time with them. Aunt Gigi and Uncle Larry came down to pick up Grandma and I haven't seen them since 2004 and this was a wonderful quick visit. We hope to get up to Medford to visit them a lot in the future. After Dad left, Mom came in the next day and it was great to have her here. She helped with the boyz, cleaned the house, did laundry, and was supportive when I felt like pulling out my hair. Mom gave me time to sleep and get rested before everyone left and Brent went back to work. We went to the Exploratorium in San Fran with mom and Dylan loved it. It is a hands on science museum and we all had fun playing. We didn't do as much sight seeing this visit...as you can guess why. It was just really relaxing for me and I really appriciated it! Mom left and Brent had to go back to work. The good news is that he is back in X-ray. He seems a lot happier and is getting home at a better time in the evening. The baby is doing great. He had lost weight after going home. He was down to 5lbs 4oz and then 5lbs 9oz a week after going home. At his 2 week check up he was up to 6lbs 6oz! We were so happy! The doctor said that she couldn't find anything wrong with him...he is healthy and strong. We don't go back until 2 months old. We did hit a small snag the past week. Brent and I got the stomach flu and unfortunately the baby got sick also. He has had a tummy ache all week and is finally getting to the end of it I think. I was scared that we had another Colic baby...but I think he just had a bug. Dylan is still loving being the big brother. He is so helpful and loving. He has had a few problems listening at home...but we are working thru it all. It is an adjustment for all of us and we expected that he would need some extra time and attention...and we are trying our best. Dylan is really doing pretty great considering everything. As far as I am concerned...things are going good. I had another CT done and the tumor hasn't changed. My doctor has scheduled the surgery for part of my kidney and the tumor to be removed on Nov 2nd. I am anxious to have it over and done with. My sister Charice will be getting here on Oct 11th and staying for about a month on her way to Nebraska. I am glad she will be here when I have my surgery. Cindy, Presley, Kaci, and Katelynn will be here around the first or second week of Nov also. Things are going to be crazy around here for awhile again. I will try to blog more often and keep pictures coming of the boyz as much as I can. I hope to go back to work on the 14th of October and work until I have my surgery. I am really missing work...but it is going to be SOOOOO hard to leave my little man. Pray that he continues to grow and be healthy, that Dylan will continue to love his new role and his life, and that Brent and I continue to be so blessed by the greatest family in the world! Love to you all! Enjoy the pictures

Jonathan is HERE!

Per last blog, we saw the perinatalogist on Monday. She was quite surprised to see us. I guess it was just assumed that we were going to be induced on Monday morning. The specialist did the ultrasound and said that the baby was small, but he looked healthy. She still recommended that we went ahead in the next day or so to be induced. She thought that it would be safer for the baby and for myself. She was concerned that I was on blood thinners and wanted a more controlled delivery. Brent and I agreed and went back to the base to be induced. We hung out in L&D for awhile and then they sent us home until my blood thinner was out of my system. We returned to L&D at about 5:30pm and they started the IV and drew labs. Dylan went to a friend's house for the evening and we started this wonderful journey. At 8pm they started the Pitocin. I was not looking forward to that part...but it wasn't too bad...at first. I talked to anesthesia about getting an epidural and they told me that I had to wait and earn it. I was up for the challenge. Every half hour the nurse turned the Pitocin up. By 11pm, I was having contractions every 1-2min and I was hurting pretty bad. I was afraid that I was being a wimp and that it was too early to ask for an epidural...but I did it. The nurse went and got anesthesia and she checked me. I was really disappointed when she said I was only at about 4cm. Anesthesia started an epidural that was in a vascular space and had to take it back out. They started another one and it worked everywhere except in a small circle on the right. It was now 12midnight. Anesthesia told me to roll onto my right side to try to bask the nerve to try to cover the area. I rolled onto my side and my water broke. I was so glad that they weren't going to have to do it. Brent went and told the nurse...she checked and confirmed. She told me to call her if I felt any pressure. Five minutes later I sent Brent to tell her that I had pressure. The nurse came in rolling her eyes. She checked me and told me not to push...I was crowning. She ran and got the doctor. I pushed a few times and Jonathan was born at 1230am. He is perfect. He had some slight problems with low blood sugar, but he is fine now. We know that all of the prayers have showered this little man and kept him in God's hands. Jonathan was 5lbs 12oz and 18inches long. He is so tiny as you can see by the pics. Dylan is the proudest BIG Brother that has ever lived. He was telling the nurses how to hold his brother. They took Jonathan to the nursery to do an assessment and hearing test and Dylan was pacing in the room. Brent asked him what was wrong and he said, "it just isn't right, one of us should be with my brother...have you even SEEN the room where they took him?" When Brent took Dylan home for the night, Dylan said, "it is just not right not having Jonathan with us here...we need him with us". He is starting to wonder if Brent and I know what we are doing. I assured him that we have done this once before and we think we did an OK job. Ha ha. Well, all of the tests they have run so far have come back good. He is doing wonderful. I am feeling OK. Jonathan has his days and nights confused...so I am super tired...but we will figure it out. We got to come home this evening and we are so happy. We go tomorrow to pick up my dad and grandma....then they leave on Monday and my mom gets in on Tues. We are going to have company for the next few months. We are thanking God for a wonderfully healthy, beautiful little man. If you are wondering...I will be calling now and trying to get my surgery scheduled for about 2 months from now. I have my silver lining to this story already...but please keep the prayers coming...you have all gotten us this far. Well, I am getting my shift for sleep. I will try to post more often since I will be home for the next few weeks. Thank you again for all of your prayers and gifts. I will be getting the thank you notes out soon. Our love and prayers go out to all of you also. We pray that God blesses you as much as he has blessed us. Love, Crystal, Brent, Dylan, Jonathan, and Shadow