Introducing....

...our newest addition to our family - our sweet baby girl, "Rose". She was born last Friday in the morning via c-section. Our house has exploded in PINK again after the last two were boys.  Here's her birth stats....

birthday:  November 9th
time:  9:48am
weight:  6 pounds 15.8 ounces
height: 19 inches
proud siblings:  

"Fone"

 

"Mario"

"Melody"

"Ariel"

 

"Max"

 

"Pookey"

I had shared my prayer request earlier last week so that I could count on all of you to lift me up in prayer during the c-section, since it was going to be my 7th.  Thank you all who prayed for us!  

The first half of my c-section went very smooth.  From the first cut until dr reached baby was maybe 15-20 minutes.  Her apgars were very good - a 7 and an 8.  They did all of the first tests, weight, footprints, etc... in the operating room just off to the side, so that I was able to see it all.  After that they gave her to Neil to hold to sit next to me for the remainder of the section.  But...  the second half was a little unexpected and something that had never happened to me before.  My spinal had started to wear off and I had a lot of feeling and was in a LOT of pain.  I truly don't know how the doctors continued with me laying there, "ouch, ouch, I can feel that.  owww...", but they did.  They put their "game face" on and continued amazingly.  My anesthesiologist was working extra hard filing my IV one after another of narcotics to take the edge off. It was unbelievably scary and painful, but all the "Haily Mary's" got me through plus I was able to remain calm and my heart rate and BP stayed in normal limits.  Poor Neil had started feeling lousy seeing me in so much pain that he had to hand off his little "Rose" and was escorted out of the OR to get better himself and so that he didn't have to continue watching me be in so much pain.  Near the end, with the last couple linings to sew back together, the bleeding wouldn't stop.  Whenever a suture was made to put things back together, I kept bleeding.  And, because of this I have developed a hematoma (a blood sac).  Right now, it looks like a nasty bruise - the entire width of my scar and it goes up about 3-4 inches on my belly.  It will either be absorbed or will leak out my scar.  So far, there has been no leaking.  The spreading out of the bruised area shows my body is trying to absorb the blood which is good. 

As with all babies that we have brought home, there is definitely a transition time....  some more smooth than others.  This one has had a few bumps and we are still dealing with them. So, please pray for us...  "Rose" is having some nursing issues with being a preemie and having a poor suck, my hematoma (blood sac) is still a concern, and I now have developed high blood pressures that the doctors are keeping a close eye on.  Thanks in advance for your prayers!!  

Thank you God for our sweet little "Rose"!

Almost there!!!

34 weeks pregnant with my 7 favorite little people

 
It truly seems like yesterday that we were announcing this pregnancy, and here we are now in just the last few days of it all.  It has been a pregnancy with many ups and downs, new things and normal things - gestational diabetes for the first time ever and I also dealt with some preterm scare around 19 and 20 weeks caused by kidney stones.  But, my doctor has been amazingly supportive (thank you, God!!) and has been very cautious with this being my 7th c-section.  So, although my actual due date is December 9th, delivery is scheduled for one month early to lessen the risks and scare of the last month since my uterus is already stretched to its max.  Our Pookey was definitely a little miracle and we know that this sweet girl will be as well, as the doctors are already assuming my uterus is already open and ruptured. It's so humbling to be chosen once again to live and share my faith, even though this is a very scary time.  I wouldn't want to have it any other way though.... like I've said MANY times, "what is the point of faith if you aren't going to have faith?". 

So, I'm coming to all you to ask for your prayers for these last few days of pregnancy and then the big arrival as well.  Of course, I will be updating as soon as I can!  Thanks so much for your support and prayers!! 

All Saints Day 2012

Getting caught up on posts is working out tonight with another hour of sleep - yippee!!  :)

We decided to stay home tonight and celebrate with our own Young crew the Feast of All Saints.  Of course, we went to Mass on Thursday last week on the actual feast and sang lots of saints litanies throughout the day, including our own litany of our patron saints and favorite saints. 

Here are our two favorite YouTube videos for All Saints Day....

This one is very beautifully sung by Matt Maher (one of our favorite musicians) and includes lovely icons.

The is the funny one where over 100 saints are named. 

The kids each chose their own saint to dress up as this year for our celebration here at home.  Here's our line-up....

Max as St. Patrick

 Pookey as St. George

 Ariel as St. Lucy

Mario as St. Frances of Paola

Melody as St. Elizabeth of Hungary

Fone as St. Isidore

We played Saints BINGO (printable can be found here at Catholic Mom)....

The kids colored their name Saints from our Faith Keepers Holy Card Maker software cd....

(Our newest Young one, who isn't even born yet, had a little help coloring hers from her big brother, Fone)

Like last year, we had a wonderful Saints feast as well....

**I forgot a few things with our meal...  1) to snap a quick picture of St Therese's roses, 2) cut the fingers for our stigmata sandwhiches, and 3) I messed up my grocery list and had the wrong kind of cookie written down so we didn't get to make and eat St Cecilia's musical notes (piano).  Guess I can blame it on my pregnancy brain still, right?? 

 **The printable tags can be found here at Catholic Icing.

And, we finished the night off by getting in jammies, brushing teeth and laying around watching a CCC Saint DVD and part of a Don Bosco movie that we had on our DVR from EWTN.  

Happy All Saints Day!!

May the Saints always be an inspiration to lead 

you ever close to Our Lord, Jesus!!  <><

Halloween 2012

It's so hard to believe it's the beginning of November!  We have had a super busy past week - a trilogy of celebrating 3 special days - Halloween (All Hallow's Eve), All Saints Day, and All Souls Day. 

Last week, the kids trick-or-treated in their character costumes both at the nursing home - where my Grandma lives - and then on the actual night of Halloween - to some neighbors, grandparents and aunts/uncles. 

Here are pictures of the fun celebrations....

Nursing Home Visit

Our 2012 cast of trick-or-treaters...  "The Shadow" (Mario), Ninja (Max), Princess Leia - the NEWEST Disney princess (Melody), The Mad Catter (Ariel), Baby Frankie (Pookey), and Fone as himself (thinks he's is too old to trick-or-treat these days)

 My Grandma and I

 My sister and her oldest and youngest (I wasn't able to catch her middle son without a big blur)

2 of my nephews and 2 of my nieces

Neil and crew making his way through the halls over to Grandma and I

Continuing on down the hall to other residents

 My grandma with a whole crowd of great-grandchildren....  my 3 sisters and I were there with our children and I think I also counted 4 other cousins who brought their children.  

My Grandma is sure blessed to have so many little visitors! 

Halloween Night

And, just to add a little history on the trilogy of these days of celebration, here are a few links worth reading....

Catholic Culture's-  History of All Hallow's Eve

Catholic Sista's- Of Ghosts, Goblins and Birthdays

Catholic Exchange- All Saints Day article