Choat Family Blog

5 to 8 Months!

2010-11-11T12:39:00.001-08:00

I actually started this post when Allie and Luke turned 5 months and then I never finished it. So when the babies were 5 months old, Luke weighed about 15 lbs and Allie was around 14 lbs. They were both rolling over back to front and sleeping til about 6am, finally! Allie was grabbing everything and was about to start sitting. Luke is not too far behind. I can't fly by the seat of my pants so I have them on a schedule so the day goes pretty smoothly.

Now for present day........Allie sat up soon after 5 months and started crawling and pulling up at 7 months. She is everywhere. I have to close doors and watch her all the time. This is my first experience with stuff like that because Cale didn't even crawl or scoot until almost 11 months so she is putting me to work! She is really happy and just content crawling around investigating everything. She loves to follow Cale around and be where he is. Luke also sat up at around 5 months and just started crawling about 3 weeks after Allie. He doesn't move around too much and only crawls when he really wants something. Luke is pretty laid back and doesn't have too many expressions except for crying when he isn't happy. He is very stoic. He also loves to watch Cale and laugh at him. I can't believe they slept until 6am. Right after 5 months, Luke started waking up every two hours wanting his paci. He did that for a couple of weeks until I let him cry it out. That worked well for about a week, then he got sick and it has been downhill ever since. They were all sick over Christmas and all three ended up with tubes and Cale with his adnoids out at the begining of January.

Sleeping all night is still something I dream about!! Luke has started to sleep until almost 4am and then I feed him and he then sleeps til about 6:30am. Not great. But, last night I loaded their night bottles with cereal and Luke slept until 5am and Allie slept until 6:30. Not bad, just hoping it gets better. I think we were spoiled with Cale because he was such a great sleeper and napper!

I will say...........twins is no joke. Waaaayy harder then just one. I look back and laugh because I remember Chris and I would always tell each other how hard we thought having a baby was, and that was one! I should have soaked it all in, because 3 is craziness!!!

Cale is doing well. He gets evaluated in March for the Mabank PPCD program. We also are applying for the Head Start program so hopefully he will get into that and be pulled out during the day for whatever therapies he qualifies for. He will also start back when he turns 3 to private speech and will probably continue that for his whole elementary career. I still go through so many up and down emotions with him. During the highs I think that he is doing great and he is pretty much on track with other 2 1/2 year olds and will only have some learning disablities. Then the lows are me realizing that he is going to need way more help than that and the biggest thing I worry about is his social skills. I know kids will like him, but will he get invited to sleepovers? Will he have girls like him and call him and write him notes? Will he be able to drive a car? Will he be able to live on his own and have a good job and support himself? From what I have read and seen first hand of FX kids the answer to these questions is no. And that really gets me down, but then I try to think that Cale will be the exception and that some miracle drug is in his future. I know things with Cale are just going to get harder. Making sure he is getting the services he needs, making sure he is learning everything he needs to in school, developing his social skills, taking him to all his therapies, potty training (that's a whole other post). It's a lot to deal with!!!

But, with all that going on it is still a wild ride here at the Choat house. Never a dull moment. I know it will just keep getting better and more fun as the kids get older. I will try not to wait too long between posts next time!

She does everything he does, it is pretty cute:

Who doesn't love baby butts! Allie's is the chunkier one!This pretty much sums up thier relationship, Allie taking toys from Luke:

Christmas.....babies are 6 months:
Babies are 5 months:

We might have an A-Rod on our hands....

2010-10-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

We have been working with Cale on stuff that crosses his midline. Like touching elbow to opposite knee and crossing over his body. So swinging a bat was one of these things and he would always just do the 'ol chopping wood swing. But, as I should know with Cale, he does things when he is ready. So this is him finally hitting the ball off the tee! Yes, he swings both ways when he misses, but we can work on that.

Fall, Fair & Four Months!

2010-10-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Soooo fall is here. Thank goodness! Loving the cooler weather. On the baby front everything is going well. Luke is 13.9 and Allie is 12.8. I started them on cereal. Luke is still up once a night to eat so I wake Allie up too. Luke is waking up anywhere between 3:30 and 4:30 every night, then again at 7am on the dot. Hoping the cereal will help him last longer. I know they are only 4 months, but I am ready for a solid nights sleep that's for sure!!! Luke is pretty much the same. He is the crier, needs to be held, basically a mama's boy or lap baby as Chris would call him. But, I am happy to accommodate. He has trouble calming himself and I usually give in and rock him. But, I ended that last night. He is in sleep boot camp this week. Allie is still a little slice of heaven. She is so happy, puts herself to sleep and just plays on the floor with her toys. They are both cooing up a storm and smiling and laughing which is really fun.

Cale is doing well. He is back on his nap schedule and only going to pre-school half days. He still does OT once a week and speech once a week. He has started saying 3 and 4 words together. He repeats everything. He's like a parrot. He also loves to show us things he is doing. He finally learned to jump off a step. It's a tiny step, only about 3 inches high, but he finally did it with two feet at the same time! He loves to climb everything and jump on the trampoline. Cale is pretty much just a happy kid. He still has his anxiety with some things and his sensory issues with his mouth are full force. He constantly has his hands in his mouth. We have to give him a little brush to chew on or rub his mouth with so he can get that fulfillment. He still stuffs his mouth when he eats, but is using his spoon or fork a lot more. I think school is helping with that. Cale knows most of his shapes and colors. He can count to 10 with a little assistance and knows ABC song, Twinkle Twinkle and Jesus Loves Me. He tries to sing them, but mostly will fill in the blanks when we sing with him. Oh, and the cutest new thing he started doing is praying. He wants to pray all the time. He tells us "pray" and we all have to put our hands together and close our eyes and he says, "Thank you Jesus...Amen". It is really cute! I think he is pretty much ready to potty train, but I just can't pull the trigger on that yet. I don't have the energy. Maybe Christmas Break???

Allie and Luke got dedicated at church:

Wen to the Fair. Cale loved the airplane ride and kept saying, "go fast"!

He loves wearing his sunglasses and chowed down on a corn dog.

Cale loves his cousin Morgan or sometimes he calls her Mo-mo

Yes! Finally the year is here that he didn't cry getting near or on a pumpkin! He actually smiled and laughed!

3 Months

2010-09-09T19:49:00.000-07:00

Pretty soon my blog titles are going to need to get more creative. Right now, I just can't muster it. 3 months. Allie is about 10.7 and Luke is about 11.7. They are waking up once still, but it keeps getting later and later. They go down about 8 and wake up at around 4 to eat then again at about 8. Allie is a great baby. She doesn't cry, she plays, smiles, coos, loves tummy time. I mean I hit it big with this one. On the other hand. Mr. Luke is total opposite. He hates tummy time and cries quite a bit. He does make up for it with his extreme cuteness. Well, since there is two of them I am just counting my blessings that one is easy!

I am taking Cale to pre-school at 7:30 so I can get back to the house to feed the babies at 8. Then I have been picking Cale up at 2:30 which has been awesome, but all that is coming to a bitter end. He will not, will not take a nap at school. And this has trickled into his off days and weekends. Basically, he has not taken a nap here at home in 3 weeks! I can't take it. This is madness. Cale needs work in a lot of areas, but sleeping was never one of them. He has always been a great napper and sleeper. And now he cries for the entire 2 hours he is in his crib. And it started when he started trying to nap at school. So I guess I gotta retrain him.

And on a personal note....I don't know if it is because it was my second pregnancy or because it was a twin pregnancy, but my stomach is disgusting! Not just the loosey, goosey skin, but my muscles are just mush. I don't see this getting better. So a minimizing tank just became my best friend.

Funnsies:

Dot overload:

Anyone order a Luke sandwhich?

She's so pretty!

Two Months!

2010-08-08T20:19:00.001-07:00

Month 2 has flown by. I am sad that Chris will be going back to work next week and I will be doing this by myself! I'm a little nervous about it. So far the babies are great! They really are good babies. It is crazy because now that I have normal developing babies it makes me realize how incredibly tough Cale was as a baby. I just thought that is how babies were, but I think most of his difficulties stemmed from his Fragile X. It is very interesting to compare different things about them. Don't get me wrong, Cale was a little gem, but that first year. Whoa.

Anyway........Allie sleeps ALOT. Luke loves to be held. They are starting to smile and coo. At their two month appointment Allie weighed 9.13 and Luke was 10.7. Allie is going to have to wear a band (helmet). But, it is not as devastating because Cale wore one. She gets her scan in late September. Maybe she will only have to wear it a couple of months?? Both babies are waking up at night only twice now to eat. Usually about midnight and 4am. Hopefully in the next month they will drop that midnight feeding. Cale has a lot of energy and it is so dang hot outside it is hard for us to get all that energy out of him. He started pre-school and will be going half days Monday, Wednesday, Friday. This will be great for him. He can socialize and I can get a break. He is talking up a storm and repeating everything! His 6 month evaluation for ECI is coming up and he has accomplished all his goals. We are so proud! He eats with a spoon (it is VERY messy), pulls his pants off, washes his hands (still working on drying them), walks up and down stairs with no help and finally can jump!!

Dad is Cale's new barber:

1 Month Down, 215 to Go

2010-07-06T18:50:00.000-07:00

The first month has seemed to fly by. As I was posting pictures I realized that I really haven't taken any great ones of both Allie and Luke together. I'll try to improve that in month two. Anyway, it hasn't been too bad (knock on wood). Actually, the challenging part is Cale. He requires more of our energy and we don't sleep a great deal so it is exhausting try to keep up with him. The babies are still eating every 3 hours. Chris does the midnight feeding and I do the 3am feeding. Then he gets up and does the 6am feeding. I am pumping so I pretty much have to get up anyway to do that, but I figure it is just a small blip in the radar of thier childhood so it hasn't bothered me too much to do that. Luke is the crier. He screams everytime getting his diaper changed and he is always the one that wakes up wanting to eat. Allie pretty much opens her eyes for about 1 hour a day. She loves to sleep, but we have to wake her up to eat when Luke does so they will be on the same schedule. Cale loves his brother and sister. He is always saying, hi Allie and hi Luke. He gives them kisses all the time, wants to hold the bottle while they eat and pats them on the back to help burp. Cale started school today. He will be going this summer 3 days a week, half days. And then when school starts he will probably go 2 full days. He seemed to have a good time today. Allie and Luke had thier 1 month appointment today. Allie weighs 8.5 and Luke is 8.4. Now, for some pictures......

They started out on opposite ends. This cracks me up. Exactly how Chris sleeps, drool and all.

The new additions have arrived!!!

2010-06-04T14:21:00.001-07:00

The story......

I was scheduled for my c-section Thursday, June 3 at 11:30. Wednesday afternoon about 2 I started having contractions. I finally called the doctor at 5:30 and was told to come in. We got there about 9 and was put on monitors. I was dialated 4cm and was 70% effaced so we decided to go ahead with the c-section. Allie Grace was born at 12:46 am and Luke Daniel was born at 12:47 am on June 3rd!

Last picture. 36 weeks and 4 days:
On the monitors waiting to go in the operating room:

Waiting to get the party started:

Luke:

Miss Allie:

Chris is beside himself:

I am in shock:

Family of 5. Wow. I am still in shock:

Pregnancy Update..............

2010-05-15T16:31:00.000-07:00

I am starting to hurt and sooooo ready to deliver these babies! I am still hoping to make it three more weeks. The back pain is really, really bothering me, and my hips, oh the hips. I guess those are my major complaints right now. I finally finished the nursery. Now we wait. The last 4 weeks haven't been easy. I feel a lot of guilt because I am not able to really hang and do my normal stuff with Cale. I feel like we are losing our bond. It is so weird thinking he is going to be a big brother!

Well, here is a comparison belly shot. The first one is 37 weeks with Cale, just 10 days before I delivered. And then 34 weeks with the twins. I know the belly doesn't look too huge, but it is very uncomfortable. I have gained the same amount of weight in each picture......45 pounds! Geesh, and I still have 3 weeks to go! At my last appointment I was measuring 40 weeks. Also, I here is a video of Allie that I found. Hopefully, this means she will be a good paci sucker, because Cale wouldn't have anything to do with one and it was torcher!

He's Two!!!

2010-04-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

Wow I can't believe Cale is 2! He is doing really well. He is still always the smallest kid when we go anywhere, but I am sure he will hit a growth spurt soon? He is saying around 50 words and this has just exploded in the last month. He is starting to repeat the last word he hears and he is starting to imitate. Chris was sweeping the kitchen and put the broom away and Cale walked over, got the broom and started trying to sweep. When I type it it doesn't sound to exciting, but for Cale it was big. He is not a big initiator. I still haven't had to baby proof anything because he just isn't one of those kids that gets into anything. We are still working on walking up stairs by himself, eating with a spoon or fork, jumping, and following two step directions! I have learned with Cale that if I just keep working on stuff with him and give him time, he eventually gets it! I am doing sooooo much better not comparing him to other kids. It took a while, but I finally realized that he is not going to be like everyone else. He has his own way of learning and doing things and his way suits him and us just fine!

As far as the pregnancy goes, I am getting miserable. I am 32 weeks this Sunday and measuring 40 weeks. Sleeping is starting to not be fun. I was in the hospital over night at 29 weeks because I was dilated 1.25 and was having bad cramps so my Dr. put me on modified bedrest. It has really helped with the cramps. That and drinking tons of water all day long. Hopefully I can make it to 36 weeks. That is my goal and anything after that would be even better. We have a tentative c-section for June 10 which will be 37 1/2 weeks.

I think Cale is going to love having 2 babies around. He is just so sweet and has such a sweet demeanor, I am hoping that it won't be a problem at all. We have a baby that he puts "nigh nigh" and swings in the swing.

Didn't do too much for the big two. He didn't know it was his b-day. But he loved the balloons.
We had to do the 70's pose on the bear skin rug. Every morning I go in to get him he points at the rug and says bear. More like "ber".Easter with Uncle Jason. Just a cute picture. He loves rocking in the glider. And fine, here it is. 30 weeks belly shot. See, not really much to look at. But, it has gotten a bit bigger. Those ligaments are really pulling!!

Spring is Here!

2010-04-05T18:54:00.001-07:00

So glad the weather is getting nicer. Cale loves, loves, loves being outside. So far this spring we have gone to the zoo, arboretum and made a trip to Oklahoma and purchased a minivan! I'm not proud of it, but it had to be done. Picking Cale up is getting a littler harder and it is so nice for him to be able to climb in the minivan and then climb up in his carseat. As far as his progress, he is doing really well. He is trying to say everything. He said his first 2 syllable word, apple. As far as 2 syllable words he also says diaper, mama, dada and uh-oh. We are so excited!! We are now working on 2 words together. He is getting to where he won't sign anymore, but tries to say what he wants. Of course, Chris and I are probably the only ones that can understand him! His gross motor skills are also improving. He is starting to climb on everything and loves to run. He tries so hard to get his fingers to do the number two. He will stare at his hand when we ask, "how old are you?" and concentrates, but nothing yet! Ummm, let's see what else? Oh, he started telling us "no". And we have to try not to laugh because it is so cute. He says it in almost a french accent.

The twins are growing. I would post a belly shot, but it really isn't that exciting yet. I am only measuring about 4 weeks ahead. I'll post a picture towards the end when it gets ugly! We have decided on names.......Luke Daniel and Allie Grace. I am still nervous about having two newborns and a two year old, but we will have plenty of help the whole month of June.

These pictures are in total random order:

Cale and Brooke at the Arboretum. Cale is blowing a kiss:

Cale's first horse ride at the zoo. He loved it! No crying or anxiety at all!!

Cale and his cousin Morgan. They are watching YouTube videos......

Cale and Cooper!

R-word.org - Change the conversation...

2010-02-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

R-word.org - Change the conversation...

I love reading stuff like this!!!!

2010-02-03T13:40:00.001-08:00

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35185356/ns/health-mental_health/

Christmas and Such.....

2010-01-20T14:49:00.000-08:00

Wow. Yes, another month has gone by. I feel bad for the 3 people that actually read my blog. I am seriously going to try harder. Well, Christmas has come and gone. We were out of town for 6 days! It was fun, but exhausting. Cale was off his schedule so he woke up really early and wouldn't take naps, etc. But, he had fun. He is just so sweet. I don't think he has a mean bone in his body. He finally said his first word. "Ball". And I am counting it as the first word because he actually says it without us asking him. If he sees a ball, he points (still not with one finger, the whole hand) and says "ball". He also points and says other words, but he signs them. He signs 13 words now. And is starting to sign two words together pretty consistently. Oh, I just can't wait for the day when he calls me "mama". Yes, I'm still waiting on that one!! There were a lot of firsts over the last month....................

Cale's first snow:

Not a first, but cute picture:

Cale's first haircut. This was in Gun Barrel so there were no booster seats. Chris had to wear this crazy contraption. I thought it was pretty funny. Also, the lady cut Cale's ear so we got it for free!:

First time opening the cabinet and pulling out all the pots and pans then he crawled in! We were so proud:

First time at a big boy table. He eats his snack there, plays with Potato Head and Magna Doodle and can get in the chair by himself!! He also loves putting this plastic box on his head. He runs around the house everyday with this on his head:First time keeping a hat on. He actually likes them now!! Even though it is an OSU hat. We will let that slide!Also, as many of you know, we are expecting twins the first week of June!! A boy and a girl!! We are very excited. I am almost 18 weeks right now. I haven't posted about it before because we just wanted to make sure everything was ok. But, so far so good. I am past the horrible sickness phase and feel well. I will wait to post the later belly pictures when it really gets good and ugly. Right now I am just barely showing so it's not too exciting. As for names, we are really liking Luke Daniel and Harper Belle. Those are the leads right now unless something better comes along!!

18 and 19 Months!

2009-12-15T16:59:00.001-08:00

It's has almost been a month since I posted. Sorry, I just couldn't muster the energy. Cale is doing great! He is so cute. He is getting so easy to handle and is starting to understand everything. Cale got re-tested at speech and tested at the 15th month level for expressive (up from 10 month level) and 21 month level for receptive (up from 15 month level)! Yea! Speech is working. He now signs the words more, eat, all done, again, please and shoes. He is trying to start two word signs like "more please". Cale loves to run. He runs everywhere. He falls a lot, but his balance is getting better. He loves to hug, play ring around the rosy, dance and tickle dada. We are really excited that he is doing well. We are trying to work on him not stuffing his mouth to capacity (sensory thing) when he eats, pointing with one finger and using a fork or spoon.

He is getting less and less anxiety. I am not sure if the Zoloft is a miracle drug or he is just getting older and more mature?? He did scream bloody murder with Santa. Yet, he goes over to the tree and points to Santa about 100 times per day?? Oh and I forgot the most exciting thing! Cale is clapping!! Yes, clapping. It's like 12 months of pent up non-clapping is finally released. He is now an avid clapper.

Ok, I'm taking you back to October. He was a clown for Halloween. Cameron and Connor actually wore this costume back in the early 90's:

His second costume was a farmer. This was at the GBC church festival. He was enthralled with the juggler. Cale watched him for about 15 minutes straight.Cale loves, loves, loves music. He especially likes watching the guitar. Cameron always has to pull it out when we go over there. You should see him at Little Gym. The teacher plays a couple of songs on the guitar and Cale is all up in his chili. I mean like 2 inches away. All the other kids are nicely sitting in their moms laps. The guy has to like not make eye contact with Cale so he can focus on teaching the class. It's pretty funny.Oklahoma trip. Cale with his uncles Jarod and Jay. He loved riding in the golf cart.And the Santa pic. This Santa isn't near as good as last year. This guy is like 35. He just didn't pull it off and I think Cale knew it that's why he is upset.

Aww... So Cute!

2009-11-17T17:04:00.000-08:00

FALL = FUN!

2009-10-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

We have been having some good times down here in GBC. We went to our second FX function. A Fall Festival. Here we are with the best picture we could get: Cale's cousin's, Morgan and Shelby came down from Oklahoma. I don't think Cale likes pumpkins very much or maybe it's being forced to sit on them and take pictures. Here is the best of all the pictures we took:

I did a little comparison. Last year pretty much looks the same as this year. Chris said he looks like Benjamin Button in the Fall 09 picture. Oh, did we get a chuckle out of that one. And it's true:

Cale's second trip to the Fair. Last year I remember it was so hot and he had his helmet so it made it even hotter. He rode his first ride:

Petting Zoo at the Fair. He wasn't too keen on the bigger animals:

New Jammies:

Cale LOVES the "Elmo Song". So when he hears the tune.......he cracks up!

This is Cale's version of a flip:

17 Months!

2009-09-30T11:28:00.000-07:00

Yikes, it has been a while since I posted. We have been super busy with all of Cale's therapy. He is now in speech twice a week. They are trying to teach him to communicate using words, sign and pictures. For example....if he wants a drink, I have him go to his picture board, pull off the picture of the drink and hand it to me while I say and sign "drink". It is called total communication. We start off doing that to see whether he prefers sign or pictures all the while always saying the word and trying to get him to say it. Also, a lot of face massaging since he has low muscle tone in his jaw and lips. Pretty much I wish I would have majored in speech therapy or special ed instead of dumb computers. But, who knew? Anyway, the Zoloft is awesome. I would like to up the dose so I will probably be asking the doctor about that. He is just not as clingy and is sooo much better in new situations. What a difference.

He has had lots of "boo boos" since starting to walk. He also got attacked by mosquitoes so his forehead looked like the elephant man for a couple of days.

He is loving Little Gym and starting to leave me and go explore. He actually climbed up a few stairs (with my urging). He loves the balls and bubbles. He is picking stuff up without actually going down on his hands. He is starting to point with one finger, but not at stuff that he can't touch. He can point to his toes, tummy, head, ears and your nose. Occasionally he will stick his tongue out if you ask him. He understands so much more than he can communicate. He actually lifted his hand up toward the fan the other night. Like he wanted us to look at the fan, but he didn't quite know how his arms and hands worked? But, he is starting to discover his hands, opening and closing them. His flapping is getting less except when he is really excited, like when he sees the dogs.

Basically, everything is going smoothly right now. I am just really focusing on his communication which, I think, will be the thing that gives him and us the most trouble.

And lastly, we are back on the IVF train. Our retrieval of the eggs is this weekend and then 5 days after that they will hopefully be able to transfer 2 embryos. I will then take a pregnancy test 2 weeks after that probably around October 24th ish. I am so nervous! Wish us luck and please pray for a pregnancy!!

A couple of weekends ago we attended our first Fragile X function. Texas has a Fragile X organization based in Irving. So it was nice to get to meet other parents dealing with the same things. Cale's friend Kolton and his family came all the way from San Antonio! It was really nice talking to Kolton's mom, Deanna, and getting some great advice and pretty much just venting to someone who knows exactly what you are going through. I wish they lived closer!

Another football game. I thought it was cute that Beau and Cale were watching the players warm up. I guess they will be out there in about 15 years?
Our family from Michigan came in town and Cale loved hanging out with his cousin Annie!He loves to pick up sticks.
Nene's 80th birthday party. Pretty much Cale pulls all my shirts down and stretches them out. Even the one time a year I try to wear something nice.
Cale hanging with Grandma.
And......he is ready to go.
He LOVES the vacuum. I can't even vacuum at all if he is in the room because he wants to lay on top of it. I can't figure out if he likes the noise or the vibration.
I got this lawn mower for Cale way before he started walking thinking it would help him because he could push it. Well, I didn't realize that the handle was floppy and didn't support him so he never used it. Yesterday I was in the living room and he just walked right in the playroom and got his mower and started mowing around the house! Yes! Excuse the bad lighting and the horrible mess of a living room. I call that the Calenado. Like tornado, but caused by Cale. No? Ok, bad. Here's the footage.

Back from Cali!

2009-09-07T19:12:00.001-07:00

The trip was awesome! We learned so much. I am so excited. Cale did great. They did an IQ test, developmental test and blood draw. I was so glad to have Aunt Misty and Nanny come with me to help with Cale. Thanks so much!! They took him to the zoo and park and everywhere else while I was in doing my testing stuff. They did some tests on me because they are doing a lot of research on "carriers" of Fragile X. Anyway, back to Cale.

Right now his IQ is 69, which is in the "mild retardation" range. I am not too phased by this because I know it can improve. Also, he scored lower because his speech and language are really delayed right now. He starts speech therapy twice a week this week! His fine and gross motor skills along with his visual perception were at the 14 month level, which was good, and then his expressive and receptive language were at the 9 and 10 month level, which was not good. But, again, he will be starting speech, so I expect that to come up in the next few months once he learns how to communicate better. He did test negative for Autism, but they said that could still develop before he turns 3. Right now, because he has high anxiety, the doctor put him on Zoloft. Just a teeny, tiny bit each day. This is going to ease his anxiety, boost his language and hopefully prevent Autism from developing because if his anxiety is eased he will be more social! I can't wait to see the results.

The blood draw is going to test his methylation status which is basically how much FMR1 protein his gene is producing. The high percentage being produced the higher functioning he will be. But, I am not even going to concern myself with the number because I finally accepted that Cale has Fragile X and that is a part of who he is. It doesn't define him, it is just something he has. Like a large mole. Ok, not like that, but you know what I mean. This past week I realized that I love him the way he is and I wouldn't change him one bit, Fragile X and all. Fragile X kids have a lot of common characteristics. They are really sweet, people pleasers, honest, easy to forgive, and have a great sense of humor. So........if I had to choose, would I rather have a really smart kid that has a high IQ or a kid with all of those great qualities?? Exactly.

They also talked about a new drug that has been tested on mice with Fragile X. The drug has actually repaired the synopsis in the brain that have been damaged or not working from Fragile X. They are starting the human trials for it and when Cale is 3 1/2 he will be old enough to engage in that study! It is so exciting to be involved in this research that will one day hold a cure for Fragile X. I mean, it tears me up just thinking about it and all the great kids out there that will benefit!

And..........................................it's official. He is a walker. I am calling it at 16 months. He did not crawl one time this weekend!!

Monday morning when Cale woke up he threw up about 6 times! I guess he got the stomach bug that had been going around. So this was him in the car on the way to the airport. Good thing I did this because he threw up again in the car, but after that he was fine. He did really well on the flight.

Aunt Misty and Cale at the Sacramento Zoo:

Just looking cute in his converse:

This is where all the "magic" happened:

We went down to Old Sacramento on Thursday night and walked around looking at the trains:
G-Paw and Cale taking a stroll after church:

Scout and Brooke came to play with Cale today. Brooke and Cale already know how to share:

16 Months!

2009-08-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

I just can't believe my little Cale Bale is 16 months old. He is really getting to where he is curious about everything and wants to move, move, move! He finally opens up and pulls stuff out of the kitchen cabinets, he is starting to play with his toys like putting stuff in and out of containers, pushing buttons (with one finger!!), and getting his blocks out. Walking is not here yet, but he is so close. He wants to walk and tries all the time. He is still falling....a lot! Right now, the little pooper is sick. He has croup, two ear infections and conjunctivitis in his eyes. Hopefully he will be good to go on Monday because we are leaving for the MIND Institute in Sacramento. I am so excited to have him seen by people who specialize in Fragile X. I have a TON of questions!

This month our goal is to make walking his number one mode of transportation. I think he can achieve that one! We are also working on clapping, picking things up with his pincer grasp, pointing with one finger (he still uses four) and stacking blocks. Also, tomorrow will be his first football game. I am a little nervous because I don't know how he will react to the loud noises of the crowd and band. And it doesn't help that the game starts at 7:30. But, I am going to remain positive and hope for the best.

Letter From Dada.....

2009-08-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

Chris gave me permission to post this letter he wrote. To no one in particular, just getting his thoughts out on paper:

My name is Chris and this is where I stand mentally a few months after finding out my son was diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome. When I first heard of Fragile X, I was scared to death. I could not get over the fact that the words "mentally retarded" were tagged to the syndrome. The more study I did the more I began to realize this is not the case in all children with Fragile X. I am very sad to say that this is the point when I became much closer to God because I began asking him for assistance in making sure Cale was not touched by this in a severe way. I ask forgiveness each day for the fact that it took this event to get me talking to God like I should on a daily basis. Anyway, day after day I could not get out of my mind that Cale may never play sports, he may never have a girlfriend, hang out with other kids, go to college. In a general way, he may never have the same experiences I had. Those thoughts made me cry a lot when I would be driving by myself. I have since transformed my way of thinking. When I began looking at my experiences, I ask myself what impact did I really have on this world? What have I done that has helped people and made a difference? I regret to say that I could not think of any answer other than a standard generic answer. I begin to realize that Cale has a chance to make much more of an impact on this world than I ever could. Christy and I, well right now, Christy, is giving him the best chance possible to be a normal kid. Even with that, he may not accomplish those goals I had in mind for him, but he could do much more. As a coach, I don't have a quit attitude. I will not quit on Cale. I assure you that he will defy the odds associated with this syndrome. Christy and I have searched thousands of sites, papers, etc. looking for success stories. They are hard to come by. My goal now for Cale is for him to grown up and be a success story. 15-20 years from now when parents of Fragile X children are desperate and confused looking for answers, Cale will be the answer they can turn to. The odds can be defied! A child can overcome the symptoms and can do great things. When Cale accomplishes this, I would say that he will have had a greater impact on this world than I could have ever imagined. If you really think about the impact Cale could have on other people and what he can offer this world, well, I would say he has by far exceeded those goals I had for him the first day I laid eyes on him.

Welcome to Holland

2009-08-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

This is a poem that is around the Fragile X community. I like it. It hits the nail on the head.

c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It’s like this…… When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It’s all very exciting. After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.” “Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.” But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It’s just a different place. So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It’s just a different place. It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts. But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.” And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.

I am still trying to accept "Holland". Not completely there yet, but I'm getting close. And I still cry when I read the poem. Especially at the end.

I don't want to toot his horn, but that is what this blog is for, so I will. Cale stood up....on his own.....in the middle of the floor. 3 times! It started out him squatting and playing with his Mozart Cube (this is the toy we have to take to daycare and church because it calms him), anyway it is about 6 inches tall. While he is playing with it I tell him to stand up and it is so funny watching him want to stand, but not quite knowing how. But, he kept trying and was straight legged, but hands on cube. Then he kind of swayed back and forth and let his hands go and stood up! So, we did that about 4 times. Then, I took him to the middle of the living room with nothing and told him to stand up and he had one knee on the floor and one knee up and was trying to hoist himself up by swinging his arms. It was pretty funny. He finally realized he had to get in the squat position and then all fours. And he balanced and stood up then walked about 5 steps. I was pumped!!! I will have to get it on video this weekend.

New Look

2009-08-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

Well, not really, but I am so consumed with Fragile X right now that I had to change my sidebar. It is funny that 1 in 250 women are carriers for the Fragile X gene and 1 in 3600 boys have the full mutation, yet no one knows what it is. Nobody. So I bought ten Fragile X Awareness bracelets. I'm excited about them. Let me know if you want one. Also, don't be afraid to get the word out there about it. Now about Cale......

Some very exciting news, Cale walked from our coffee table to the entertainment center. We were pumped. But, he has only done it once and since then has only taken about 6 steps at a time. And that is all I have gotten on film so far. Today he did take some steps, then squatted, then stood back up by himself!!! Then fell, but the point is the squat. He has not been able to squat without help. So we are hoping he will be a full fledge walker by the time the first football game comes around which is about another 3 weeks or so???

Also, we are heading to Sacramento to the UC Davis MIND Institute to see Dr. Randi Hagerman. They are going to be doing some testing on both me and Cale. We are very excited!!! We leave August 31st and will be gone that whole week!

Lastly, Cale's cousin, Gavin, came down last Saturday for a visit. He is 5 and also has Fragile X. He was really fun and we all had a great time. Gavin kept calling Cale "baby". And it was so funny because Gavin LOVED Jason (my brother). They played and played.

Cale and Gavin: The love affair begins with dunking: It's so hard to say goodbye: Momma and Cale. I feel like my forehead looks like Dylan McKay from 90210: Just two 'ol pals hanging at the water table:And the main event...........

P.S. My brother will be leaving to go to Thailand for mission work next week for 6 months! Please keep him in your prayers!! Also, he is single and how cute is he? Just throwing that out there.

15 Months!

2009-08-04T08:11:00.000-07:00

Cale turned 15 months this past week. He is still average in height and head, but for some reason can't seem to keep the weight on. He was 10% in weight. The dr. looked back and he has gained only 9 ounces since his 9 month appointment. I don't know what the deal is because he looks chunky and he eats like a horse? Maybe it is the low muscle tone? The peditrician we go to is great and we love her, but Cale is her first Fragile X patient. So she is doing a lot of learning as she goes. Everything else was good. We have to go back in 4 weeks to make sure he is gaining weight. If he would just follow my diet for a week it would be no problem.

Cale's week is pretty packed. He goes to Little Gym in Dallas on Monday mornings. We went yesterday and he did ok. He did not really participate in anything he just sat in my lap. But he didn't cry so I considered it a good visit. On Tuesdays and Thursdays he goes to "school" (daycare) from 8-12. I dropped him off this morning for his first day and I cried like a baby. I just hope he is not freaking out as I type this. But, we have to socialize him and get him used to being around loud noises, different and new places and people for him to be successful when he goes to kindergarten. On Wednesdays the therapist comes to our house for his occupational therapy. A lot of reflex stuff and working on a ball. So that is our week.

Just going to little gym made it more clear to me just how far behind other kids he really is. His fine motor skills are not good. I know gross motor will catch up, but if he doesn't get his fine motor skills tuned up he will have trouble throwing and catching or riding a bike, stuff like that.

It almost makes me stressed to get him doing stuff because if we don't work with him as much as possible all the time then it hurts him in the future. I just feel overwhelmed. I don't want to look back and say I wish I would have done that stretch more with him, or massaged his hands longer or something like that.

He is still the light of our lives and is so fun to be around. It is still hard for me to look at him and think that there is anything wrong, but I know that will fade in time as he gets older. I just feel blessed that Chris and I were chosen to raise Cale and I know we aren't going to let this syndrome keep him from doing anything that he wants to.

I just keep thinking of Jeremiah 29:11....."For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

It is sad that it takes something tragic in your life for your faith to become stronger. And we know that God has great things planned for our little baby Cale and I can't wait to see what they are!!

Will Ride 4 Wheeler for Goldfish:

Genetics 101

2009-07-17T16:53:00.000-07:00

First, I want to say thank you to everyone for your comments, texts, and e-mails. We know we have a great support system in our family and friends and appreciate all the prayers!

We met with the doctor yesterday to discuss Cale's test results. His number was 230. They count the number of repeats of the DNA on that gene. Under 60 repeats is a normal gene, 60 -200 is a carrier gene (me) and anything over 200 is full mutation FX. So Cale is close to the border. Another good thing was that the gene was partially methylated. Basically, there is a FMR1 gene located on the X chromosome. It produces the FMRP protein which is used for brain function. Everyone has the gene. In people with FX the gene is turned off which also means that it is not making that protein, which then is the cause of the mental retardation. Well, in Cale's case it is partially turned off. So some of that protein is being made, but they couldn't tell us how much. I have read that kids with full mutation, partially unmethylated can have IQ's up to 88 and just have some learning disabilities. So that was some more good news. I know 88 is still below normal, but I feel like it is more low normal than abnormal.

I guess what I am saying that there is the chance that Cale can have a normal IQ with some learning disabilities and won't be labeled MR. But, he could also be MR and have problems. We just don't know. We were just hopeful that she said there was a chance. You just want your child to have all the opportunities. We want him to have the chance to be able to play tee ball, have sleep overs, play an instrument, get his license, graduate from high school, go to college, get married, have kids, etc.... if he wants to do any of that stuff.

The next thing that we are praying about is our decision about another child. Right now, I have a 50/50 chance of having a child with FX. That means they could have it, they could be a carrier, or they could not have it at all. Girls are less likely to have the full mutation. We could test my eggs for FX before they fertilize, but that is an extra $10,000 on top of the $10,000 for the IVF cycle. Basically, we are just praying for guidance on what to do. We have an appointment next week with our fertility Dr. so I am sure he can give us an better idea of what our options are.

Oh, and since I am a carrier and I have a low ovarian reserve (one of the side effects) that means I will probably hit menopause before I am 40 (another side effect of being a carrier). So when all you ladies get to menopause when your 55 I will be able to give you the scoop!

Our next step is to meet with ECI next week and get him set up with Occupational and Speech Therapy once a week and he will be going to school (with regular kids) 3 half days a week starting in September. And of course I will be working with him at home. So that is our plan.

I'll leave you with this.....

Spelling Love with an X.....

2009-07-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

It's a cheesy title, but gets to the point. There is a reason Cale hasn't been able to walk yet. He was diagnosed on Monday with Fragile X Syndrome. It is the most common form of inherited mental impairment. I am a carrier. This explains my infertility since being a carrier can cause low ovarian reserve. I have a 50/50 chance of passing the mutation on to my kids and Cale got the full mutation. We don't know what this means for his future. We are just praying that God help us through this and we know He gave us Cale for a reason. We are still in shock and have a ton of questions which will hopefully be answered tomorrow at our appointment with the genetic pediatrician. They will also test me to see what my numbers are and give us an idea of what, if any, are chances are of having another child with the disorder. I finally went today without crying so hopefully that means I am moving toward acceptance.

This all came about because I just kept thinking that Cale was behind. He just didn't do stuff that other kids I kept reading about on every one's blogs were doing. So I scheduled an appointment with his doctor at 13 months. Right before the appointment I found out that my cousin's son has Fragile X. I have never heard of it, but I looked it up and some of the symptoms Cale had, but I didn't think anything about it. Well, when I told the doctor this she had me call ECI (early childhood intervention) and meet with a genetic pediatrician just to rule stuff out. Well, ECI evaluated him and said he had low muscle tone (symptom of FX) and was a little behind on motor skills, but everything else was on track with a 14 month old. So she gave us some exercises to strengthen his legs and we thought that was it. On Monday we got the call from genetics. She did say Cale's number of repeats was 230 which is low. Anything over 200 is the full mutation of the disorder, 55-200 is a carrier, under 55 you don't have it.

All we know right now is that we love Cale so much and we are going to do everything we can to get him the best help possible so he can have the best chance possible to have a normal childhood and life with no limitations. Please pray for our family and I will be updating as soon as we hear more from the doctor tomorrow!

14 Months!

2009-07-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

Time is flying! Already 14 months. Cale is still not walking. And everyone tells me......when he starts walking you will wish he didn't. Really? I think I would rather him be able to walk than me have to tote around a 25lb baby. I don't know, maybe that is just me? He will walk pushing his toy, walk around things and kind of walk with you holding his hand. His problem is that he can't stand on his own. He did this weekend for about 15 seconds then once he realizes he is doing it he goes down. He hasn't started saying anymore words, but understands a lot. He can hiss like a snake if you ask him, "what does a snake say?", he loves to pet the dogs and loves to swim (well, be in the water)! His all time favorite is still books and puzzles. He likes to put the puzzle pieces on and turn pages in a book. He can point out a baby, dog, cat, horse and ball. Still no clapping??? I am still investigating that one. For the 4th we went to Oklahoma and it made me realize even more that I have a Stage 5 Clinger on my hands!! Man, put this kid in a new situation and watch the clinginess ensue. It is driving me nuts. I will be ready when this stage is over. Ugh!

Practicing:

About to watch his first fireworks:
A little too close to the sparkler:

Cale kicks his feet in the water and then when we lift him up he keeps kicking:
J

Just casually reading a book on the way home back to the great state of Texas:

Summa, Summa, Summa, Tiiiiime.......

2009-06-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Heading down to swim in the lake! Cale's first zoo trip to the Tyler Zoo. It was hot!

R.I.P. Sippy Cup:

Since he is not a walker the petting zoo wasn't fun for me. Cale kept wanting to lay on his stomach and flop (which is what he does when he is excited, most kids just clap, but he likes to be different) and I wouldn't let him because it was dirty and poopy:

He's pumped.......

Water park in Canton. I am paranoid of him getting a sunburn so he always looks like he is on Safari somewhere:

Cousins taking a bath. Not an uncommon sight down here in Gun Barrel: Ba-dum ching!

Happy Father's Day!

The Cates/Choat Gang:

13 Months!

2009-06-07T15:58:00.000-07:00

Time is flying. Since the big 1 Cale has started to walk! Just kidding. Not even close. I have started preparing myself that I may be carrying him to the Eustace football games in August. Let's hope not, but knowing Cale, it just might happen! Anyway, we have been back on the lake, to Six Flags with family, and just hanging in the back yard pool.

Our first family picture of the summer:
Six Flags, we were the first ones there:He LOVED the carousel. It was so funny because he would not look at the camera. He just kept smiling looking at the horse and touching the mane, then looking up at me in awe like "what is this magnificent thing I am on?":Traditional family picture by the Indian:Choat's from Oklahoma. Morgan, Shelby and Chad: Mims and Cale:

GBC backyard crew, Jadie, Drew, Cale and Beau:

Cale and his girlfriend, Brooke:

Spring Time Fun!

2009-05-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

Not much to do in Gun Barrel so the crew drove to Tyler to the Discovery Science Place. It wasn't as much fun for Cale since he can't walk and he didn't have a morning nap. It pretty much consisted of me carrying him around all the exhibits, but by the time we go out there again he will be good to go!

I don't know what this is called, but you put balls in it and they spin? Jadie, Beau and Cale are checking it out: Uncle Connor and Cale:

Cale took his first boat trip with Lucien and his family. He loved it!! It was a father/son activity and it was so funny watching Cale after he got home because he was on top of the world. Just strutting his stuff letting everyone know he just went on a boat with his Dad:

Multi-tasking:

We also went to Lucien's birthday party and I set Cale in the grass. The next time I look over at him he was swarmed by all the cute girls. What can I say....the ladies love him:

Cale is the runt of the pack so you can pretty much see how it goes down when 3 boys try to play with the same toy. Cale gets sat on and his hat gets twisted:

It seems like he is learning something new everyday. He is cruising around and walking while he pushes his toys. He says mama and dada, but mostly dada. We are working on waving and clapping. I think he has his own version of clapping which is just moving his arms up and down when he gets excited. It is the Gun Barrel clap. Not really good, but gets the job done. He is really, really laid back. He just sits in the floor and plays quietly with a toy. He really likes to spin wheels and feel different textures and could watch me spin that dang top toy for an hour. He also loves books and to be read to. If he is in the kitchen, I can be in the living room and show him a book he will speed crawl over and plop down on his stomach waiting to look at it. And if he is crying just put a book in front of him and his mood instantly changes. He does not, repeat does not like to hear the "moo" sound. Always makes him cry. It is so bad that we pretty much do it as a party trick to show people.

UNO!

2009-04-28T15:28:00.001-07:00

Happy first birthday!! We celebrated by having about 15 kids and 35 adults come down to good 'ol Gun Barrel City. It was a packed house and Cale did well even though he refused to take a morning nap and he got tons of awesome stuff! We visited the doctor today for his one year check. He weighs 21.9 and is 30 inches long. Just your average guy! He did get 3 shots and a finger prick which he did not like. Also, my pedi said that they are now recommending that kids stay rear facing until two!! Two!?!?! So, I would like to know what everyone else's doctor says about that because I don't know if I can switch back!

Eating his cake. He devoured it and when I had a piece the next day he stood at my feet and cried until I gave him some.
Sandbox from Grammie and G-Pa:

Birthday kiss from Pete:

4 Wheeler from Mims and Papa:

Car from Nanny:

Water table from mom and dad:And I still hadn't picked up 2 days later:

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T06:25:00.000-07:00

I forgot to put the memory card in the camera so I have no Easter pictures so here's a couple of videos. Cale gets so excited when he hears the water running for his bath that we started undressing him in the living room and letting him make his own way to bathtime fun......

11 Months and Other Stuff...

2009-03-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

Of course I am going to say I can't believe he is 11 months! Not too much has changed since 10 months. At 10 months we faced him forward in the car and it is heaven. We are officially off bottles. He has had only sippy cups for 2 days now so I am calling it. No more bottles! He could drink apple juice all day long and still loves his baths! Could his butt and thighs be any chunkier?

Play date with Cale's New Mexican Amigo, Pratt:

We love visits from the Everett's! Cale and Brooke are feeling each other out:

And by the end, holding hands....

Best Picture So Far.....

2009-03-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

When I put Cale down for a nap he immediately sits up and just hangs out for awhile or sometimes cries until he falls asleep and then I go in a put a blanket on him or make sure he is for sure down so I can do my "yes! time to myself" dance. Anyway, I went back in to put the blanket on and this is how I found him. Obviously he just fell asleep sitting up with his hand on the rail. Man, it was cute! He got this new toy and loves to try to stand. He just thinks he is so big. Every time he stands I sing in my head the Elton John song, "I'm still standing". It has been in my head for a good 72 hours.

Also, this weekend Cale had his first fever. We are going to the doctor tomorrow. It is low grade, but has had one for 3 days straight. Hopefully it is nothing big. But, when he was at the doctor a couple of weeks ago for another ear infection I told the doctor we wouldn't be back until his one year appointment. Dang it.

Mover and a Shaker!

2009-03-04T05:51:00.000-08:00

We went to the therapist on Monday. She evaluated Cale and he turned out to be on the same level as other 10 month olds in balance and stability, but in terms of locomotion he was comparable to a 7 month old. Which, I know I am his mom, but he moves better than a 7 month old. He can move forward, but she just didn't see that when we were there. Anyway..... she gave him some tiny spandex pants called "Hip Helpers" they keep his knees together so he will put both knees on the floor. I call them Mer-Pants because he looks like a chubby little merman with them on. He has to wear them one hour in the morning and one hour at night. Well, one day of wearing those and he started to crawl. It ain't pretty, but it is good enough for me!!

Also, 10 months. Wow. I can't believe it. It took me 2 years to get used to the idea I was actually married and now I have a 10 month old baby. Crazy. I still can't wrap my mind around it.

Crawling with a little hitch in his giddy-up:

Mer-Pants:

He got so upset when I wouldn't let him bang on the keyboard, so I took a picture:Fell asleep during dinner with a piece of cheese in his mouth:

Cale and Beau playing:

Overly stuffed catfish = FUN!

Updates.....

2009-02-23T07:22:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since I posted about Cale. I totally forgot about his 9 month check up. But, he's chunky, people. Still not crawling or pulling up on anything. I thought this was odd, but kept chalking it up to him being a rolly-polly or just taking his time. Well, finally I went with my gut and took him back to the therapist. I mean at almost 10 months he should be going from his stomach to sitting up and at least putting a hand down to brace his fall. When he falls from sitting he literally goes straight down head smacking on the floor. Anyway, the therapist said that he did have some "funky" things going on. He is not symmetrical. His left side is really tight, which could be due to the torticollis and his muscles developing from that. She gave me a couple of things to work on and he is now going from stomach to sitting, but only from the right side. We go back tomorrow and she is going to evaluate him to see how he compares to other 10 month olds. Hopefully we can get him moving forward before too long. I mean, I don't even care about walking. I just want him to be able to move forward towards a toy or something. I would be happy with a scoot or an army crawl at this point. Man, it has been a tough year with this little guy.

I think I got a little too excited in the video.

Sad News.

2009-02-10T13:33:00.000-08:00

I hate writing this entry, but I since I already told the world I was pregnant I now have to tell the world that I am not. I had a regular sonogram today and appointment with my doctor. He couldn't find the heartbeat with the Doppler which is common at 9 weeks 2 days so he sent me for a sonogram. There was no heartbeat there either. The baby was measuring right on schedule at 9 weeks and 2 days so they think the heart just stopped beating today. She then did a vaginal sonogram just to make sure and was able to see some bubbles on the back of the baby's neck. She said they looked like fibroids which is a chromosomal abnormality. It was just sad because you could see the head, face, arms and legs so clearly. Anyway, I have a D&C on Thursday and then we have to wait 3 months before we start trying again. We will probably try on our own for a few months then go back to IVF. For some reason in the back of my head I felt like this was too easy. Well, that's it.

He Can't Crawl......

2009-01-29T15:36:00.001-08:00

but he sure does like to lay back with his eyes closed and enjoy a good bottle!

Fun Times

2009-01-26T09:37:00.000-08:00

I'm Still in Shock!

2009-01-22T06:19:00.000-08:00

I seriously can't believe I got pregnant on my own. I think it just shows how awesome God is and that He has a plan! The IVF we were scheduled for in February was going to cost about $12,000 and we were going to have to put it on a credit card and pay monthly payments which would have really hurt us financially and been a big strain, but thank goodness that didn't have to happen!! We had the first sonogram and saw the heartbeat and everything looks great! The due date is September 12th, right in the middle of football season, so that will be tough, but I am sure worth it. Right now it is pretty much tired and feeling like crap. It is so funny that the second pregnancy is not near as exciting. I haven't gone onto Baby Center or looked up any information or searched "cool Hollywood baby names". Anyway, now for some Cale pictures. The word for the month with Cale is "forward". He scoots only backward. He gets up and rocks on all fours, but has no desire to propel forward, so we will see what happens the 9th month!

Cale's favorite time. It is so funny because as soon as he hears the water running he starts kicking those chubby little legs trying to jump out of my arms into the water. He is already a Lake Rat:

Ummm, can I help you?

Cale and Lucien checking each other out:

Christmas and 8 Months

2008-12-29T17:51:00.000-08:00

Christmas was fun. Traveling for 4 days with a baby is not, but we survived. Cale turned 8 months and is pretty much just heavier. He does get on all fours and rock back and forth, but I think he figures I am going to carry him around so why waste his energy trying to move on his own? It makes sense.

Fresh and clean:
Family pic in Eufaula, it was 12 degrees:

Cousins:

New friend:

Bow on head. Had to do it:

SANNNTAA! And other stuff.

2008-12-15T07:08:00.000-08:00

I was going for Will Ferrell yelling SANTA in ELF?? Here is our Santa picture. You got a free 4X6 at Bass Pro Shop and then you could go online to order more. I was too cheap to buy anything so here is the copied picture from the website that I did not buy, hence, the huge "Proof" over it. But, you get the idea. Also, Franny and Zooey came to visit and some random shots.

Brooke, Cale, Franny and Zooey (I hope that is right):

Scout is added to the mix and Cale is doing his Stevie Wonder impression:

Bath time! Finally got rid of the "ring", but still have to put a towel down because we have the cheapy fabricated tub so it is slippery. I miss real tubs with tile on the walls.

Crunching paper. I just put a magazine in front of him and I get at least 10 minutes of free time:I bought Cale some Vans and they are so cute. They are the soft kind and I love them:

December So Far..

2008-12-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

December has been fun. Decorating for Christmas and shopping for presents. Cale and I went to the Canton Christmas Tree Farm. It was cold. He also got dedicated at church. It is a commitment from us to raise and nurture Cale in a christian home. We walked across the stage and Cale received a verse from the pastor, 1 John 3:1 (How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!).

Cale looks really chubby here:

First time all bundled up:

Pre-Dedication. His outfit was so cute and he looked like a little boy:

Dedication:

Dad and Cale:

Mom and Cale:

Snow and Cale:

7 Months!

2008-12-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

Cale turned 7 months last week. This last month he was sick with bronchiolitis and 2 ear infections. He is still on antibiotics for his right ear, but feels much better. Plus, I think more teeth are coming in so he is, what I like to call, a crankpot. He weighs in at 20 lbs. He enjoys wadding up paper, touching Christmas Trees and for people to hold him. Cale hopes to someday crawl and be able to drink out of a sippy cup on his own. His dislikes are taking naps and me wiping his face or picking a booger out of his nose.

Happy 4th Anniversary-Nov. 27th

2008-11-30T17:24:00.001-08:00

We Have Sitage!!

2008-11-12T16:22:00.001-08:00

Our boy has finally done it. Sure, it is only for very short periods of time, but he can sit. I was pretty excited. Especially since his helmet dr. said he needs to stay in his helmet 2 more weeks or until he can sit on his own. But, we are going to ride out the helmet for another week and a half. After that, the helmet will be too small and he is for sure out of it. November 24th is the date I am looking forward to. We were down to only one therapist appointment per week for his Torticollis, but had to move that up to two because he regressed a little. (Side note: I hate Torticollis. If it lived next door to me I would put a sack of flaming poop on its porch and ring the doorbell). I am told, or I was lectured that he should not be using the Johnny Jumperoo. That's right, my awesome purchase on Craigslist is no longer usable until he is able to crawl. And, she said he shouldn't try to stand. It makes him try to balance himself by tilting his head to his tort side. So she said no standing for 4 weeks. I don't know if the doctors are right or not, but I guess I don't want to take a chance. Most of the time his neck looks good, but he still does have a tilt and I don't want kids calling him Tilt-a-Cale or something like that when he is in school. Also, about a week ago he got his two bottom teeth. He looks so cute when he smiles.

Proof:

Hanging with Pete (notice the tilt to the right):

Visits from Scout and Brooke (last time in jumperoo..tear):

Two naked babies:

I have a new blog background, I don't know if I like it. Does it look too 90's?? I was trying to go for Lodgey?

Mom Accomplishments

2008-11-06T06:33:00.000-08:00

When I was a teacher my sense of accomplishment might have come from kids doing well on a test or my principal telling me I am doing a great job, but since I have been staying at home, I don't get that. So, I have come up with a few things that happen to me on occasion that result in giving myself an internal high five. These are in no particular order:

1. Put a bra on before 10am.
2. Fill the bottle with water to the perfect amount of ounces without having to pour out or add to.
3. Going through the check out line and realizing that you DON'T have poop in your thumb cuticle.
4. Using three or less wipes when changing a poop.
5. Getting Cale down for a nap with no crying (not winning that battle this morning).
6. Go somewhere with my hair not in a ponytail.
7. Going on a walk with Cale and both dogs and not wonder why in the world we have 2 dogs and trying to come up with a plan of getting rid of one or both dogs without Chris knowing.
8. Having dinner ready when Chris gets home.
9. Getting that last cup of coffee from my 10 cup coffee maker so that I won't have to make another batch.
10. Actually exercising on the treadmill or elliptical that we bought so I would exercise during Cale's naps.

I am sure there are more out there so comment your mom accomplishments.

Halloween

2008-11-01T11:26:00.000-07:00

This was the crew. We couldn't go trick or treating on Halloween because of football so Mabank had booths set up in the pavilion where you just walked around and they gave you candy. This is the best picture I got. I didn't realize how hard it is to wrangle up 2-three year olds, 2-two year olds, a 9 month old and a 6 month old. Ok, Cale and Beau were pretty easy.

Left to right: Lady Bug, Snow White, Monkey, OSU Football Player, Pumpkin, and Little Bo Peep

Cale just looks funny here:

It was a little odd walking around and me having to ask for candy since Cale can neither talk or walk so I put the bag around his wrist to make it seem like he was doing his fair share: A pumpkin and a monkey walk into a bar??.......This is Cale's "John Travolta" pumpkin look:

Happy pumpkin:

6 Months.....

2008-10-30T07:50:00.000-07:00

Cale turned 6 months this week. We went to the helmet doctor on Monday and he has to wear Mr. Helmie 2 more weeks. We go back Nov. 10th. I think his head looks perfectly round, but I guess that is why they get paid the big bucks. Did I mention that this kid is an insurance companies worst nightmare. Anyway, his check up went well. He weighs 18lbs 7oz. I was shocked because I thought he weighed at least 20lbs! He is short and chunky. As far as development he is doing ok. He is trying to sit up. His record is 7 seconds. I think the helmet is hindering him. Without it, he would totally be walking by now, right?

The 'ol attempt at a fall picture. I have a feeling this is what pictures with Santa will be like:

Cale and Dad watching ESPN together:

Cale and I at my cousin's wedding. He really looked so cute in his button up and khakis, but of course, I could never get a good picture without his hand in his mouth:

I can never think of good titles...

2008-10-24T06:30:00.000-07:00

Home grown....like literally....in a petri dish for 5 days. No? Not funny? A little invetro humor?

Cale watching the Baby Channel:

The Latest.....

2008-10-14T09:17:00.001-07:00

Nothing much has been going on except a lot of Mr. Helmie wearing. You would be surprised about how many people come up to me and tell me that their "so and so" wore a helmet, or just little kids asking about it. He goes in tomorrow for measurements. I am hoping that she tells us he only has to wear it 2 more weeks because his head looks perfectly round! The helmet works people! The only bad thing about it is that it smells soooooooooooo bad. I mean bad! Pretty much like dirty, wet socks. Or, like an arm or leg that has been in a cast for 6 weeks. No matter how much we wash it, it never stops smelling.

This is my first Craig's List purchase. It is a Jumperoo, but Cale hasn't really figure that out yet, he pretty much just sits in it and sucks on his hands:
This romper from Allison says, "Shhh....I'm hunting Cowgirls", but he wouldn't move his hands. And.............. it is size 12 months:

Onsie from Nanny: Family Pics at the Fair:

Pictures

2008-10-03T18:05:00.001-07:00

This is the only way he can stay sitting up. I call it......"the reverse boppie".

Seriously, don't interrupt us when we are playing. Sporty Spice

One of my favorite pictures of Cale. The stomach, the lean back, the one arm up on the side, all greatness. This is how he fell asleep this morning in the swing.

Cale Meets Mr. Helmie

2008-09-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

We are calling it Mr. Helmie. Ok, I am calling it Mr. Helmie. Yes, he got his helmet yesterday. I am kind of sad about it. His face seems so scrunched in there. Hopefully it will only take me a couple of days to get used to it because it doesn't seem to bother him so far. He has to wear it for 23 hours a day for a minimum of 6 weeks depending on how the flatness fills out. If you find out I got in a fight at a Eustace football game you can can probably guess why. Also, Cale will be 5 months on Saturday. 5 months!! I am still trying the grasp the fact that I actually was pregnant and birthed a baby. It does go by fast, but I am sure looking forward to him sitting up on his own and all the other stuff he will soon do. He probably weighs around 16.5 pounds and is eating baby food now. He loves bananas, peas, squash and sweet potatoes. Who doesn't? Here are some pre-Mr. Helmie pictures: I happened to look out the back window and found Pete lying like this. I first thought maybe something was wrong with him, but it wasn't like I was going to actually go outside and check so I just snapped this picture through the window. He looks sort of like a male gymnast. Large on top and small legs. And his toes are pointed and parallel with the ground.

We're Back.

2008-09-16T14:18:00.000-07:00

We had fun in Oklahoma. Cale did well on the plane. Not too much crying. It is exhausting traveling with a baby. I was pretty tired when we got back. But, Cale got to see Mamaw, Nanny, Aunt Jolisa, Aunt Misty, Uncle Chad, Cousin Shelby and Cousin Morgan.

Morgan reading to Cale: Olan Mills Moment:

Nanny and Cale:

Misty and Morgan feeding Cale:

Have Baby Will Travel

2008-09-06T18:15:00.000-07:00

Cale and I will be leaving tomorrow for Okie land to see the family. We will be flying. I used to be the person that would want parents to keep their kids quiet on flights and now I will probably be on the receiving end of those thoughts. Wish us luck! And pictures to come when we return.

Cale still doesn't really do too much, but one thing he excels in is chewing on his hands. The boy will chew his hands 75% of the day. If hand chewing were an Olympic sport he would win the gold. Basically, he is the Michael Phelps of hand chewing. Cale and Mama (note the hands):

Storytime (hands about to be approaching mouth):

The Cates men trying to entertain Cale:

The result of the Cates men trying to entertain Cale:

Uncle Jason and Cale being silly:

4 Months

2008-08-29T15:47:00.001-07:00

4 months has gone by fast and yet slow at the same time. Cale had his first "sickness" and threw up and had diarrhea for 7 days. Not fun. We found out he will have to wear a helmet which he will be getting in the next couple of weeks and he attended his first of many football games. His 4 month check up went well. Cale got his shots and weighed 15lbs, 10 oz. and was 25 1/2 inches long. He eats 8 oz of formula every 4 hours and goes to bed at 8 and wakes up around 7:30. He is starting cereal so I am excited about that. He pretty much just pushes it out so we will just try a little everyday until he gets the hang of it.

First Cereal:Sick Baby (and we finally found a paci he will keep in!):
First Game (we are not afraid to jam 'em all in there):

Fun With Friends

2008-08-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

There is not a lot to do in Gun Barrel so Cale goes to the pavillion on most days and hangs with the guys.

Cale, Drew & Beau:
Beau & Cale:

This was the "Hat Party". Drew wanted everyone to wear a hat and then served cake which was actually books from his room. Cale can't seem to keep that tongue in his mouth. He sometimes reminds me of Emmitt. And getting all 3 of them to actually look at the camera was a challenge. Beau and Cale look like, "This is my brother Darrell and this is my other brother Darrell" you know from the t.v. show Newhart? Am I right?

Videos

2008-08-26T19:18:00.000-07:00

These videos are kind of boring. He pretty much stops doing stuff when I turn the camera on so this is all I get. But, the grandparents will like it. And I pretty much sound like I live in Gun Barrel City.

Random Pictures

2008-08-20T15:10:00.000-07:00

There's a lot going on in this exersaucer so I had to scale back in the next picture. Much better. We don't want to overstimulate!

On his way to church.Close up of the awesome shoes.

Last Week.........

2008-08-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

The Everett girls paid Cale a visit this past weekend. We laughed, we cried, we had tea parties.

Scout and Cale: And as you might have read from Aurora's blog, this is Cale's new girlfriend, Brooke. He was dating Zooey, but she moved to Austin and he just can't do the long distance thing. But don't worry Cale and Zooey are still friends.

We also went last week to get Cale's head scanned to see "how far off" it was from normal and to see if he might need a helmet. He is right on the edge of normal and she thought that if we continue working with him at home by doing the stretches and not letting him lay on the flat part of his head that he probably won't need one. Yea!! We go back in 4 weeks to get another scan to see if there is improvement. This is the cap he had to wear during the scan. He is representing Compton and Long Beach.

Ride 'Em Cowboy

2008-08-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

Cale hung with his fur bro and sis the other day. All he needed was a tiny saddle. He got lots of slobber on him which he didn't seem to mind.

3 Months!!

2008-07-27T18:35:00.000-07:00

Cale is 3 months today. We survived the newborn stage! He is eating more and sleeping longer. He is more fun because he is more interactive and is starting to eat, sleep, poop, and nap the same time everyday which is nice because I like predictability. The last 3 nights he has slept from 8pm until 4:30am without a peep. Of course, I have the monitor as low as it will go so unless he all out cries, I don't hear it. So I will just keep telling myself he is sleeping straight through.

Straight Up Gansta:

Cale and Beau:

Lake Rats, Cale and Lucien (they were not happy):

And of course....the Bumbo shot:

Is this is why they say to supervise tummy time?

2008-07-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

I guess I could have helped him, but it was funnier watching him grunt and scooch his way over the boppy, face down on the floor and then fall over on his back.

What Up Boyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?

2008-07-18T07:21:00.001-07:00

He likes to Rock.....He likes to Rock hard.

2008-07-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

I'll see you in Houston, if I ever get out that way.....

2008-07-17T13:01:00.001-07:00

It's a song, but we didn't go to Houston we went to Conroe to visit Uncle Jason:

I know this is bad, but I figured out a way to keep the paci in when he is in his swing. It requires his pj's strategically tucked on the side of his head. The nose is not covered to allow ample breathing:

On our way to jog in the jog stroller. Ok, let's be honest, we just walked. I thought since I can't fit into any of my clothes and all I do is eat and not exercise that a slow non-sweat walk would really make the weight come off.

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin......

2008-07-13T11:00:00.000-07:00

Fine...He looks like Chris.

2008-07-09T12:44:00.001-07:00

Chris at 2 months:

Summer Fun

2008-07-09T11:36:00.000-07:00

July has been good so far. We just got back from Oklahoma and had a good time. Cale got to hang out with his grandparents, cousins, uncles and aunt. He is starting to coo and talk a lot. It is so fun to talk to him and he makes noises back. For the past 5 days he has been on a 4 hour eating schedule during the day which has been awesome, but he is still only sleeping about 6 hours straight at night. I wish it was like 8, but I will take what I can get. It helps a lot that Chris gets up at his 5am feeding and feeds him and puts him back down so I end up getting to sleep til 8:30 when Cale gets up for the day.

Also, at his 2 month checkup we asked about the slight flatness on the left side of his head and were told to go to a physical therapist because he has Torticollis. Well, we went yesterday and he has to continue the therapy twice a week for a month to see if it improves. Basically the right side of his neck is tight which causes him to turn to the left when he sleeps, which, in turn, causes the left side of his head to be flat. So, if it doesn't improve in 2 months he might have to wear a helmet. Which is devastating. I pretty much cried all night thinking of all the worst possible scenarios. I couldn't help it. I really don't want him to have to wear a helmet. And he would have to wear it any where from 2 to 6 months and for 23 hours a day! I will keep you updated on the therapy. Here are some pictures.

Future Career??

Swimming with Dad:

Walking with Mom:

Me and My Gang

2008-06-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

Franny, Cale, Zooey and Sam:

The boys are ready to party and the girls are asleep:

Buds 4 Eva:

Can't wait until the Hofackets move back to Dallas!

2 Months!

2008-06-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

Cale had his two month check up on Friday. He weighed 12.5 lbs and 22 3/4 inches long. That is a 3 pound weight gain in 4 weeks. He also got his first round of shots. The toughie hardly cried at all. He is still rolling over and sometimes smiling. He holds his head up pretty good and is starting to sleep longer stretches at night. Last night he slept from 9pm to 4am. But, of course, tonight will be totally different. There still isn't too much consistency, but I am sure that will come with time. Right now we are just so glad the first month is over and it is actually starting to be fun and we can enjoy him. Man....looking back, that first month, correct that, first 6 weeks, is pretty rough. I finally feel like I am a little experienced and getting the hang of things. Like I know what he needs when he is crying. Not all the time, but it is getting much better!! Here is a picture of Cale on his way to a business meeting with the people at Pampers:

June....

2008-06-26T20:09:00.001-07:00

I love how his ankles are crossed:
Shopping with Franny and Zooey:

Cale and his buddy Landon:

The "over the shoulder" shot:

Check his left tricep, he's been lifting:

An attempt at summer footwear:

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-16T10:57:00.001-07:00

Father and Son decked out for National White Trash Day. Notice the single wide in the picture.

Nothing Much

2008-06-13T13:27:00.000-07:00

I haven't really been doing much except feeding and diapering. Cale can roll over now from stomach to back, but he smiles only when he is either asleep or gassy. Hopefully a real smile will be here soon. He still eats every 3 hours during the day. Like clockwork...when 3 hours is up he is screaming bloody murder for some food. At night he is down to only getting up 2 times. So, for example, we will put him down around 8pm-ish and he gets up to eat at 1am-ish, then goes back down and gets back up at 5am-ish to eat again, then will go back down and get up at 6:30am or 7am. Now, these are all estimates and every night is not like that. That is a good night! Other than, that we pretty much just laugh at him a lot. Here are some pictures.......

Asleep with Dad:

With uncles' Cameron and Connor:

Obviously doesn't like hats:

On the way to the first day at church:

One Month!

2008-05-27T17:03:00.000-07:00

Wow. I can't believe Cale is 1 month old already. Time flies when you get less than 4 hours of sleep a night, right? Who's with me? Anyway, he had his 4 week appointment today and he weighs in at 9lbs, 12 oz. He has gained almost 2 pounds in 2 weeks! He is still average and his little peanut head is only in the 20th percentile. We are starting to get the hang of this thing even though I still daydream about sleeping and can't wait for the magical time of sleeping 5 or 6 hours straight. Have I talked about sleeping enough. Well, I am sorry it is something that I really miss. Like...a...lot.

Hanging with the Ladies......

2008-05-21T10:55:00.000-07:00

Zooey, Franny, Cooper and Cale:

Picture Time!

2008-05-20T17:00:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from this week. I can't believe he will be a month on Sunday!!

Representing his dad's alma mater:

Mother's Day:

2 Week Check Up

2008-05-15T10:53:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday Cale had his 2 week check up. Everything went well. He had to get his heel pricked again, but other than that it was painless. He weighed 8 lbs and was 20 3/4 inches long. So he is growing!!

I finally got my Baby Whisperer book in and have been trying to follow it. Cale is swaddled and taking a nap in his crib as I type this, yeah! Thanks to Lani, Laura and Kamie for all the breastfeeding tips!

I was driving myself crazy feeding him so often and so long. I asked the Pedi about it and he said 10 minutes on each side and that is it. Then follow up with formula if I need to. We have been doing that and the feedings take only about 30 minutes compared to the hour or more they were taking with me trying to wake him up in the middle of breastfeeding.

He still only fits in newborn clothes. He's just a little guy. I always thought I would have a huge, fat baby. I guess I will give him a couple of months to fill out.

I miss the hospital....

2008-05-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do. You were waiting on hand and foot, served 3 hot meals a day and didn't have to get out of bed. I thought of this because Chancy, Ryann and Melissa are all still in the hospital from giving birth and it reminded me how I kind of miss it. And congrats to them!

Anyway, I am still in shock that I am mom. Tried to go to a couple of stores today and had to leave in a rush because Cale started crying. I know babies cry, but I am still getting used to it. It is getting better though. Last night he was up from 4pm until 2am, but then he slept until 8am?? Crazy. But, I am dealing a little better with the nights. My hormones are running crazy because I cry at the drop of a hat and I pretty much get really sad when it starts getting to be nighttime.

The breastfeeding is finally going well. He sucks it down. The only bad thing is that he wants to eat every 2 hours. I don't know if it just digests fast or what, but hopefully he will go a little longer between feedings soon!

And lastly, I might have gone into this motherhood a little naive. This is not an easy job. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for the world, but it is hard. So...I give major kudos to all the moms out there because this ain't no cake walk!

Now for some pictures:

"The Look"

2008-05-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

Jaundice Levels Down!

2008-05-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's appointment revealed that his levels are dropping so we are in the clear!!! And they say that jaundice makes babies more sleepy and we found that out the last 2 nights because I am going on 4 hours of sleep in the last 48. Yeah, don't let these pictures fool you, he does not want to sleep at night. He just fusses like he is hungry so I breastfeed him for like an hour and he acts like he is still hungry so we give him a bottle and he sucks it down like nobody's business. Anyway, just venting......I guess I am a little frustrated because I am the person that needs specific instructions to follow and you pretty much can't do that with a baby. At least he is cute as a button!

Updates

2008-05-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

Went back to the dr. yesterday and his jondus levels are up so we go back for another blood test tomorrow morning. Hopefully by then they will level off, but if not we will have to do in-home light therapy. They said just to make sure he is eating as much as possible. Which is kind of hard when you are trying to breastfeed. But, I am pumping and just not worrying about it right now.

In the first picture we ended up taking the sides off of that thingy because he looked squished, but....how cute is he?

Cale Michael Choat Born April 27th, 2008

2008-04-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

He's here......7lbs 15 oz. 19 1/2 inches long:

First night was pretty much no sleep. The breastfeeding is very challenging!! So we have to supplement with formula because he is a little jondus and I am pumping so it makes for long feeding intervals. We go back to the dr. to check his levels tomorrow!!

The actual delivery was brutal. My epidural wore off so I felt the whole thing, but out of the 18 hours I was in labor only about 3 of it was excruciating. But, of course, it was worth it!

More pictures to come........I have to go take a nap.

37 Weeks....

2008-04-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

I had my 37 week appointment today. I was a little more than 50% effaced and a finger tip dilated. Boo. I was hoping for more. He did say that he wanted to induce at 39 weeks if I didn't go into labor before then, so we have a date of April 30th for induction!!!! That is 2 weeks away. Sleeping on my stomach here I come! And I can't wait to see what Cale looks like. Hair or no hair? That is pretty much it. I go back next Tuesday and my last day of work is that Wednesday, April 23rd.

Shower over here, Shower over there....

2008-03-31T11:58:00.000-07:00

The middle school threw Chris and I a shower last week and there was a money tree!!! Oh, yeah. Pedicures here I come. I'm yoking....maybe. But, we also got a cool fishing themed diaper cake and a "survival kit" my friend Dottie made.

I also had my family shower on Saturday. The Okie clan came down and we had a good time. My awesome friend Holly hosted with her mom and sister. They did an awesome job. They had real plates people, real plates. But, also we had cucumber sandwiches, jalapeno sandwiches on cinnamon bread, meatballs, and the cutest petifores with the letter "C" on each one. We got our stroller and car seat which was the biggie, but lots of other awesome stuff, too. Here are some pictures from that shower and of the weekend.

And I don't know why I have to throw in the belly shots all the time, but this is the 35 week'r.....

Tomorrow we are going for my 36 week appointment. I am getting a sonogram so hopefully they can tell us how big he is. I am really hoping for only 2-3 more weeks of pregnancy because I am really getting tired of being pregnant, but knowing my luck I will go all the way. But, 4 weeks and counting!

Lots

2008-03-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted so I am just going to put it all out there. Went in for my 32 week check-up. Everything looked great and is on schedule. I did hit the 200 mark. I knew it was coming, but I guess I tiny part of me didn't want to face reality. I feel pretty good except for 2 things, heartburn and hip pain. Man, this heartburn is cramping my style, I got some Zantac last night so hopefully that will help. And the hips, oh the hips. Mostly my left, but it is sharp, stabbing pain. I feel like a 90 year old woman getting up from a chair. I have to limp for a while before I get back to normal. Other than that, things are going great. I am for sure ready to have this baby and I have 8 more weeks!!!!!!

We did finish the nursery. So below is my 32 week belly shot and pics of the nursery:

Inspiration

2008-02-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

As most of you know Lisa is very creative. She made totally rad invations for my very first baby shower and does the whole scrapbooking thing. Well, she made me 3 onsies and they were soooo cute I decided to take a chance and do some on my own. I think they turned out pretty good.

Cale's fur brother & sister:

Represent the U-Dub Front:

And Back:

I have some more coming because, let's face it, there's not a lot to do around here so if you have any cool ideas let me know.

Updates

2008-02-15T15:58:00.000-08:00

I will start off by saying last Saturday I had my first shower and it...was...awesome! The ladies came through. I had the best time and I didn't want it to end. Got a lot of great stuff.

Also, had my 28 week appointment yesterday and everything looks great. We didn't get any good pictures because Cale was not cooperating. He was head down, face down. I did gain 9 lbs. this month so combined with last month that is 19 lbs. in 2 months!!! Wow. I do not play when it comes to food. I am on the every 2 week rotation which means I am getting closer!

Here are some pictures of the shower:

And, how glorious is this chest hand painted by Rich??

Not A Lot.

2008-01-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

There is really not a lot going on right now. I had my 6 month appointment last Tuesday and everything looked good and seemed to be right on schedule. We are excited for our 28 week appointment in 3 weeks because there will be another sonogram.

A friend at work had a boy in October and gave me 2 bags of onesies. This one, of course, caught my eye:

And here is a 24 week shot of me. I always cut off my head for some reason:

And lastly some updates on Cale's room. It is not finished yet, but since I have nothing else to post.......

This is the far wall next to the crib. Now that I have it on camera I realize the L might be too high? I was trying to do the uneven letter thing. You really can't see, but there is a fish hanging out of the basket.

This is the wall above the changing table. I am still looking for a little something to go between the shelves. These pics are dark, sorry. But, that clock is a boat. And Chris hand made these shelves. The brackets are fish that he traced and cut out. Here's a close-up:

Here is the closet door with the hat rack and notice the cute light switchplate:

Here are the baskets I found for the changing table at Walmart. Watch out for the snake..... Ok, that was dumb.

And finally, a shot of the bear skin rug and huge catfish swimming up from behind the crib:

I don't know how long this rug will last seeing as I keep tripping over the gigantic head when I walk in, but it is cute. Sure I might be going a little overboard with the theme, but I can't help it. It really doesn't look as crowded in real life as it does in the pictures.

The Holidays and Then Some

2008-01-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

Christmas came and went so fast. We went to Oklahoma for 4 days, Mesquite for 2 days and then before I knew it I was in bed at 10:30 on New Year's Eve! But, that second week of break Chris and I started on the baby room. We got the paint done and the chair rail up and then the fam came over today to help with the border and crib. I still need to decorate the walls, but here are some "so far" pictures:

Crib with bedding

Close up of the wall with the border and chair rail. Chris measured, cut, painted, and used his new finishing nail gun to put up the railing. He was excited!

View from the closet to changing table. We are thinking a rocker by the window??

And the dresser. I hope it doesn't look too "adult" and not baby enough, but I guess he can grow into it. I guess I will throw some stuffed animals in there somewhere and hope that takes it down a notch.

33rd.....Who De Whooooo!

2007-12-19T14:26:00.000-08:00

It is my 33rd birthday today and I have made a decision that this is the year I start lying about my age. I have never felt I needed to before, but when people ask me how old I am I will say 29 for about the next 3 years. Last night we met at Chuy's and had a good time. I forgot what it is called, but it is a deep fried stuffed avacado and it was awesome! Thanks to my peeps for helping me celebrate.

And also I am 20 weeks today. Half way there baby!! My appointment went great, everything looks good. Now, I do have what I like to call "adult diaper rash". I had to ask the dr. about it because it was bothering me. I was embarrassed, but thankfully he said it is common even though I have yet to find one person that has had it. But, I got a perscription cream so I should be good to go. I think maybe my butt is just getting bigger and it is a tight squeeze down there..... not a lot of "air" if you know what I mean. Here's the 20 week belly shot you know you have been waiting for:

I Love Lamp.

2007-12-07T14:53:00.000-08:00

This is the first of a couple of purchases I made at Canton last week for Cale's fishing/cabin/lodge themed room. It is pretty cool. The light bulb goes inside and yes I am putting it up high on a dresser so he can't get to it.

I don't know what I am going to do with this, but I thought it was cool.

Soon to be friends: Mr. Catfish, Ms. Squirrel and Mr. Moose

Pictures

2007-11-29T18:48:00.000-08:00

Here are pics from our last sonogram. Chris made post the second one, seriously.

Informache.....

2007-11-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Had my 16 week appointment last Tuesday and found out we are having a BOY! I was pretty shocked. I just assumed it was a girl the whole time, but we are excited! The sonographer was 100% sure and we could even see the little twig and berries on the screen. Weird. Over the holidays we got our baby furniture, so now I guess the decorating begins even though I have no idea where to start. Everything else was good. He is 5 inches long and weighs about 5 ounces. I don't have another sonogram for 3 months. Until then it is just heartbeat checks. I would post a picture, but the sonographer was out of paper so she gave us a DVD. We are naming him Cale. I don't think that will change, but you never know.

In other news, we got a new car. We traded in the Element for something bigger and I wanted a third row, don't ask me why I just did. But, I absolutely love our used (new to us) Jeep Commander. Here a picture:

I feel pretty cool driving this baby around Gun Barrel!

Things that suck about pregnancy

2007-11-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

I have only been pregnant 3 and 1/2 months, but already I have a mental list of what I don't like (in no particular order):

1. You don't show until like 4 or 5 months so up until then you can't fit into your regular clothes and you just look dumb and/or fat in maternity clothes. (talking about me only)

2. No deli meat? Seriously? I remember when Aurora got pregnant and she told me this little doozy and I could not believe it! I mean, I thought, how can you go 9 months without a nice cold turkey sandwich. Now, I know, everything is ok in moderation, but do I look like I am the type of person that moderates eating? No. And they want you to heat it up? Yuk. I am still flabbergasted on this one.

3. My boobs are the same size. I am still in the same bra. Where are my porn style boobs?

4. Zits. I have always had them, but lately when I look in the mirror and I look like I have aged about 10 years and on top of that I have zits everywhere.

5. Not being able to exercise. I know I can exercise, but when I say not being able to, I mean that I am physically so out of shape that I get winded when I try. I stopped jogging when we started the IVF (doctor's orders) and that was back in July. Then, I was so paranoid about having a miscarriage that I didn't want to jolt anything in there. But, now I feel so unhealthy and blah and out of shape and fat.

6. The broken blood vessels. I was putting lotion on the other day and witnessed the "Bridge to Tarabethia" on my calves, thighs, and sides of my stomach. I have always had a couple of broken blood vessels/varicose veins on my legs, but they are worse and are everywhere.

7. Hair growth. Yes, I am growing my hair out again people. I want long luxurious locks and I want a pony tail, but when I say hair growth I am not talking about my head. The hair on my head has hardly budged. But, the hair on my legs and pits are out of control. I am usually a once a weeks shaver, there I said it. But, if I don't shave every other day, my legs and pits look like Nena, the singer of "99 Red Love Balloons". Anyone? Anyone?

8. Boogers. I know this might be gross, but imagine every hour have to clean out some enormous boogers. I guess it is the whole mucus membrane thing, but man I have never had nose issues like this. It is constant.

9. All the exciting stuff is almost over. Pretty much the most exciting things that I was looking forward to about being pregnant (besides the baby at the end) were:
The name: And we have finalized those, Kendal Jo (girl) or Cale Michael (boy)
The sex: We find out in 2 weeks
Nursery Theme: Already have that
So pretty much after I find out the sex it is just a brutal waiting game. But, at least I can decorate the nursery. Oh, I forgot about baby showers, now I am for sure looking forward to that. I love baby shower food. I hope I get cucumber sandwiches at mine!

Yogi Updates....

2007-10-30T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, I will call it Yogi until we have a sex. The sonographer tried her hardest to look between the legs, but Yogi was sitting on it's feet so she couldn't get underneath. We go back on November 20th to find out the sex. If it is any consolation my mother-in-law did the "pencil string test" and it was a girl and Dr. Griffith said he thinks it will be a girl so we will see. Other than that everything is on track and looking good. Yogi is measuring about 3 days ahead of schedule and coming in at a whoping 3 inches. I told Dr. Griffith that I did not want to have an almost 11 pounder like someone I know. He thought that was funny. So that is about it, I feel fine, my energy is back I am just waiting to find out the sex so we can get this thing moving. Pregnancy takes a long time, even longer when you are impatient like me.

Don't Think I'm Crazy.......

2007-10-25T10:41:00.000-07:00

but after trying to get pregnant for two years, spending roughly 20 thousand dollars and doing procedure after procedure that didn't work, you tend to worry about your pregnancy. I am always worrying that there won't be a heartbeat or that something is going to go wrong. I think I will feel better when I can feel the baby move. Well, saying all of that, I might as well admit that I rented a baby Doppler for one month. I am a little embarrassed, but I just need that reassurance once or twice a week. So there, judge me if you will, I don't care.

Birdie's Verdict.......GUILTY!

2007-10-24T16:50:00.000-07:00

This is our little angel Birdie. Don't let her fool you she is a whiney baby. It is my fault because when we got her I treated her like a human baby. I held her all the time and talked baby talk, etc. Well, now that she is an adult, but she still acts like a big 'ol baby.

She has been known to "chew everything in sight". I thought she out grew this, but when I got home on Tuesday I found her getting after one of my plants. Here's the evidence:

The pot is destroyed. I guess she ate the plant?

She almost seems proud of her wrong doings.

Latest Pictures

2007-10-20T07:52:00.001-07:00

I really need to get a scanner, but here they are..........

In the top one it looks like a little bear.

Bad News/Good News

2007-10-16T07:44:00.000-07:00

I had my appointment yesterday and the bad news is that Baby B didn't make it. It measured at only 7 weeks 5 days so they said the heart probably stopped beating a couple of days after our last appointment. We were sad. I was actually getting used to the idea of two babies!

The good news is that Baby A is doing great! It is measuring one day ahead and about 1.5 inches long. The sonogram showed it's little arms and legs moving around. I will post a picture later this week.

I go back in two weeks for another sonogram to make sure everything is OK and then right before Thanksgiving to find out the sex of the baby! I guess the good thing is that I keep getting all the sonograms to see the baby moving and shaking so that makes me feel better.

As Baby A grows it should just dissolve Baby B or he said I could "pass" the sac Baby B is in which would be like a big clot. I am really hoping for the dissolving thing because I really don't want to pass "a big clot". But other than that everything is great! I have 2 more weeks of this trimester. I also get to stop my suppositories in two weeks. Did I tell you he put me on those? He didn't want me to stop progesterone cold turkey so I am on progesterone suppositories in the morning and evening. I guess you do whatcha gotta do.

Yes, I Checked

2007-10-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have to make cookies for a luncheon tomorrow and you know what that means......Cookie Dough. I heard you are not supposed to eat it while pregnant, or at all for that matter, but I found this online:

"It's fine if it's the Pillsbury or Nestle types...they use pasteurized raw eggs that pose no threat. But steer clear of the kind that is made in specialty shops, sold in catalogs,etc. that may have unpasteurized raw eggs."

Yeah! I am in the clear. Nestle cut and bake here I come!!!