Vacation

It's been nearly 3 yrs since we have gone on a vacation. We went to our usual place at Siesta Key, FL, but my daughter was so difficult then, we tapped out. We spent most of our time at my mother-in-laws instead. Then I got pregnant with triplets, travel was OUT of the question. Then we lost the triplets and I couldn't bear to go anywhere without them. Now we stand, nearly 2 yrs after our loss, and really, really needing a vacation. Anthony and I were fighting every day. Our families were driving us crazy with their unnecessary opinions on how we were raising out children (that could be a blog in and of itself!), my daughter was very emotional and needing more individualized attention, and mommy and daddy needed to not worry about the everyday stresses of life. We scheduled our trip before Dominic was even born, and boy was the timing absolutely perfect. Packing was chaotic, and the vacation was not like they once were when they were "childless", but the look on my daughters face every morning going to the beach, the fun memories created, and the beautiful traditions we want to uphold, all worth the sleepless nights and days that we endured.

I procrastinated in packing which made it a bit more stressful, but I work better under pressure, so there's that plus. The morning we were leaving I text my friend "Is it weird that I want to pack my children's urns with me?!" Only a very few people could I say that to and not seem creepy or weird. She is one of them. I wish they could have experienced the Gulf with us as a family, but they are one better now, chillin' with the One who made that ocean. That thought was the most comforting on the entire trip every time I was feeling guilty for enjoying the moments with my family that is here on this earth. Weird place to be. Awkward. Living life here without some of my children. Missing them, but enjoying the ones I am blessed with here.

Anyways, the trip down was smooth, unless you count the fact that we missed our boarding call and were the LAST ones to get on the plane, and there were no 2 seats together. Finally, finding 2 seats together, it was me, my almost 3 yr old at the time, and my infant son. My husband was behind me after someone finally decided to take pity on us, and my mother sat 5 rows up. That was fun. Can't wait to do that again. No one lost it on the plane, tantrum or digestive wise. Dominic had an explosive diaper, all over me and him. Que naked baby on the plane. Claire pooped (thankfully we had put her in a diaper just in case), and so Anthony had to change her standing up. In and airplane bathroom. Bumping both their heads on any and everything. Camera's should follow us. They really should. I'd tune in to watch! It's comical now. Then, I think I developed an ulcer right there on that 2 1/2 hr flight.

We had a whirlwind stay at my mother-in-laws and celebrated Claire's birthday in a BIG way. My mother-in-law was beaming ear to ear. She doesn't get to spend many birthdays with the kids being so far away. The first night both kids screamed bloody murder and wouldn't go to bed. At around 10pm they were finally both passed out, and so was mom and dad. For like an hour. That first night was ROUGH. Then we left for our condo on Siesta Key Beach. That night was just as rough. Dominic was up every hour one night. Every 20 minutes the next. NO lie. I saw 3am, 3:20am, 3:40am, and so on. But we mustered up the energy to play at the beach and pool every day. Claire saw the white sandy beach for the first time (Siesta Key beach is the #2 beach in America, known for it's white, powder like sand), and she shouted "SNOW!" Yup, we are from NY folks. Anything white and covering the ground is assumed snow. She loved to get buried in the sand, and play in the tide pools, and just run all over the beach. I don't think she stopped giggling for 3 days! It was so wonderful seeing her so happy, and getting to celebrate who she is and the miracle that is her. We got mani's and Pedi's one day. She absolutely loved that.

Our trip home was better in that we all got to sit together on the plane ride home, and no one puked or pooped. Hooray! We got home close to 10pm and everyone was whooped! Anthony, Claire, and Dominic literally slept ALL day Sunday. They are both pretty much back to their routines as well, which really helps in the "mommy needs her sleep" department.

There are more pictures than the average person would care to view on here, so you can check them out on my facebook if you like, just look for me @ heathermarie if you aren't on there already. I'll leave you with a few of my favs though:

 just chillin at the beach

 

 us girls getting our mani's and Pedi's

 

 my brave girl catching some sun (in the shade)

 

 one of her fav things to do on the beach

 

 just her size palm tree

 

 my beach bum

 

 our footprints...just missing a few pairs

 

 another day, another bury

 

 so excited to be going to the beach!

 

 dipping his toes in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time

 

"we are going to the beach again!? hooray!!!"

Mother's Day Musings

"I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart;

I will tell of all your wonders.

I will be glad and rejoice in you;

I will sing praise to your name,

O Most High.

Psalm 9:1-2

 

 

My children on Mother's Day 2013

Me with my children

The cutest piggies in all the world!

 

 

 

Mother's Day was bittersweet. You read anyone's blog who has lost a child or more than one child, but have a child or more than one child on this earth, and they will resonate the same thing. I am thankful for Claire and Dominic. Beyond blessed by God allowing them in my life, as my children. I still miss my other children greatly though. And since Dominic has been born, it's way different. Mothering after a loss is different, but mothering after a loss and then having another child after the loss is sometimes more than my heart can handle. I feel inadequate. I feel overwhelmed. I cry at a lot (and I thought before I cried at a lot!!!). I feel unworthy.

 

I know that I know that I know that satan has been working overtime to get to my heart these past few months. The fear, the anxiety, the overwhelming feelings, none of them are from God. I read a blog that put exactly what I repeat to myself over and over again, or should I say satan screams it at me over and over again, this morning. I forget how I stumbled upon it, but I copy and pasted it thankfully, because it was filled with scriptures reminding me that the lies are just that, lies. God is truth. God is love. God is. And I need to remind myself that throughout the day. Satan lies. All the time. He is the Father of Lies. And I have been buying into them.

 

 

To this lie: "He took them because you wouldn't have been a good mom to them. You wouldn't be able to handle it. You have a very busy toddler, and now look, with Dominic, you can barely handle those 2! Let alone 3 more that are the same age and barely 2!"

 

I will believe:
Nathan, Malia and Anthony Jr's brief lives have brought God so much glory.  They had to leave for grand, eternal, cosmic reasons that my finite mind can't understand until one gloriously enlightening day.  It has nothing to do with my skills as a mother. God doesn't "punish" His  children for human inadequacies, because His strength is made perfect in my weakness.

 

 

To this lie:"He'll do this again you know.  Hurt you, take things from you."

I will say:

Job 2:10 - Shall we only accept good from God and not adversity?

Job 1:20 - The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be His name.

Psalm 34:18 - The Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves those with a contrite spirit.

 

 

To this lie: "You're so different now.  Your husband doesn't know you or love you anymore."

I will say:

God allowed this into my life for a reason - I know it will make me into the vessel He want me to be.  I need to allow losing Nathan, Malia, and Anthony Jr to refine me and not define me and everything will be ok.

To this lie: "You can't have children on your own because God doesn't think you should be a mom."

I will say:

I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Deliver my life from the wicked ... from the men whose portion is in this life ... they are satisfied with children ... as for me, I will see your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.  Psalm 17:13-15

Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things; sufficient for the day is its own trouble.  Matthew 6:34


To this lie: "Heaven is so far away.  You're clinging to hope that's so distant.  Where is the comfort in that?"

I will say:

Blessed is the man who endures trials; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.  James 1:12

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, if working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  2 Corinthians 4:17

I would have lost heart if I had not believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Psalm 27:13


To this lie: "You're a good person.  He gives bad mothers, abusive mothers, neglectful mothers, teenage mothers who can't provide for children armfuls of children.  Where is the justice?"

I will say:
 But we are all like an unclean thing, all our righteousness' are like filthy rags.  Isaiah 64:6

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

But God demonstrates His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Romans 5:8


To this lie: "Do you still believe in the power of prayer?  Do you remember what God did with your requests for healthy babies?"

I will say:

God make all things work together for the good of His kingdom.

1 John 1:5 - God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 

Romans 8:1 - There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.  

2 Corinthians 3:17 - Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty ... enlightenment ... deliverance ... privilege ... 

 

In these things, I hope to find the peace and freedom that is in Christ. Because this burden or lies that has entangled themselves around my neck is drowning me. And I have a family to enjoy. I have a Lord to lift up and glorify.

 

I'm trying.

 

I feel like I'm being tested

Life as I knew it has once again changed. Not for the worse, not for the better, but a change none the less. My son is allergic to soy and dairy. Reacts to all juices we've tried, and has been on and since taken off reflux meds. He can't poop. He will try, and try, and try, turn beat red, push, grunt, struggle, pass gass. Have a bowel movement, he does not. Not without the help of a suppository, or the probing of a qtip or thermometer. Even then, he usually only moves either a foamy green mess, or less than a tablespoon of dry, thick, sludge. For the most part, he's a happy boy. He is all smiles, even in his discomfort. We've moved from formula to formula to formula. He's now on neocate. It's predigested. It's amino acids are broken down into single amino acids, no strands for his body to break down. Yet still, constipated. I've stopped the meds that supposidely constipate him, and he's still constipated. I've tried prune juice, and pear juice, and he's screamed for hours after ingesting them. Today, I'm venturing to apple juice, though trying another juice scares me. Dominic is so sensitive, he can be clear skinned one moment, and we walk outside, or to the car, or at daycare, and the next second he is covered in a rash from the top of his head to the bottom of his torso. His skin is cracked and bleeding. He keeps his hands in such tight fists, I noticed the other day that the creases where his fingers meet his palm are cracked, bleeding, and the skin is peeling away. My son is a hot mess, and no appointments to the dr have brought any resolve. Our GI appointment is so far away I want to scream! I know things could be worse, way worse, but my son, at 10 1/2 weeks of age has known nothing but discomfort and I absolutely hate it.

With that said, I sometimes find myself angry again with God. Why does my son have to suffer to prove a point to me!? (Now, I know God is not proving a point and making my son suffer to do this, but I'm stating my feelings. Don't think I"m all "losing my faith" and nonsense). I sometimes feel like God didn't allow me to raise my triplets because He thought I wouldn't be able to handle it. That I would fail, or put them in harms way, or suck big time. I sometimes would feel like God thinks I didn't do a good enough job with Claire, so He wouldn't give me another child. Then, when we got pregnant with Dominic and had complication after complication, I thought that God was saying watch yourself, because at anytime I can take him right out from under you! We prayed and prayed and prayed, for health, safety, etc. You name it, we prayed it over Dominic. Now that he's here, and struggling with different "health" issues, I feel like God is saying, "I'm giving you another chance. Are you truly grateful for any child, or just the ones that are easy?" I feel like I can't possibly complain about how hard it is to have a son who is constantly reacting to something in the environment, or his food, or not having a bowel movement, up most of the night struggling to poop and losing sleep, therefore, causing me to get little to no sleep most nights. I don't want to complain. I am very conscious that at the blink of an eye this could all change, and I would be begging to have those sleepless nights again, or begging to have such "minor" issues. So I don't complain. I look into my son's eyes and I see his siblings. All of them. He falls asleep with his mouth open and I have to turn away because it's like looking into Anthony Jr's face all over again. Reminding me what death looks like. I hurt because my son hurts. I want his pain and discomfort to stop. I want to know that this is a phase and nothing is seriously wrong. I want answers, but I don't want to seem like I'm complaining. I'm tired. I'm broken. I want answers. I want to be taken seriously. I want to be with my children and not at work. I would camp out at the dr's if it meant I would be able to give my son relief now. I hate that this just may be his lot for a while. I will never resent having these issues. I will never wish Dominic was different. I would never wish this time away. I just don't want him in pain or discomfort anymore. And I would really like to stop feeling like my every thought and action is being put to the test. It's draining.

Siblings

I'm so glad my daughter has a sibling on this earth she can love on. She is so enamored with her brother it brings me to tears every time. She is always asking to hold him. She kisses and hugs him constantly. This morning I left Dominic home with daddy and Claire came to school with me. She gave him a kiss and a hug (multiple times, it's always "one more! just one more! no, five more!") Then she said, "love you dom-nic, have good day!" and marched out the door. She still kisses my necklace every chance she gets, and talks about Nathan, Malia and Anthony being with Jesus and going to see them some day. It breaks my heart that she can't give them the love and affection she gives to her brother. she is the best big sister. The other day, I was making dinner. Dominic was sitting in his little seat on the counter in the kitchen with me. He started to fuss, and Claire ran to get his nuk for him. Then she ran back to the living room and brought him his blanket. She tucked it around him and said "here you go. don't fuss. it's ok." Seriously. This kid isn't even 3 yet. She has the biggest heart I've ever seen in a kid. She's always been a sensitive little spirit, and I am so very thankful for her heart and the person God is shaping her into being. Dominic is just as enamored by Claire as she is by him. He lights up when she walks into the room. He is all smiles for her all the time. If she's around he is focused on her, watching her run, twirl, dance, sing. He is so in love with her. I've told him about his siblings in heaven, and can't wait to tell him more. I have not showed him the picture album just yet. I don't think I can without shaking and crying. I've been missing the triplets terribly lately, and going over how Dominic will never know them on this earth just breaks my heart even more. Someday. Hopefully soon.  Here are some pictures of them loving eachother:

 always kissing him!

 

 talking to him, and he's talking back.

 

 more kisses!

 

 he's kissing her back!

 

 they love eachother!

 

 tired from all the kissing

 

 my sweet boy

 

 she's so silly, always trying to get you to laugh

 

 works on him!

 

oh how i love her sweetness!

 

Back to the Grind

I went back to work this week. Overall, it was a successful week. Broken down, I was a hot mess. Monday I must have cried at least 10 times. Wait til you hear the silly part! THEY ARE 500yds from me, 5 stairs up in the center that I am Program Director at! I know....I have it much better than most, but it's still not home with the ability to snuggle them ALL DAY LONG! Tuesday went fantastic. Both kids did great in their respective daycare classes. I got lots of work done, in fact pretty much caught up on my 7 weeks of being away. Wednesday was rough. I was up all night with Dominic and he was refusing to eat more than 1/2oz at a time every few hours. I took him to the dr, and by the afternoon he was doing really well. Thursday they were only in daycare 1/2 a day and daddy picked them up and they finished out the week at home. Friday I got a frantic phone call that Dominic wouldn't eat anything (he was up again all night, and didn't eat more than 3 oz in the 12 hr night), and he had projectile vomited 3 times. I was a puddle of tears. How was I supposed to be away from my baby for so long when something was wrong. I finally got home and he was all smiles. I fed him an ounce and he projectile vomited all over. I tried again a little while later and he did it again, twice. My son had not eaten more than 10 ounces in 26 hours. I was so worried. My husband convinced me to wait to go to the dr until the morning, and I reluctantly agreed. He slept until 2am, hadn't eaten a thing since his 7pm drinking/vomiting sesh. He guzzled 4 ounces, pooped, and laid in my arms smiling. We prayed, and by 3:30 he was sleeping again. He didn't wake until 6am where he guzzled another 4 ounces, and another 2 after that, and then laid in bed with me all smiles. How do I take this smiling, seemingly healthy baby to the dr today!? Is this just him? Every once in a while he'll boycott eating? (Believe me, he's not lacking on the gaining weight department!) I am at a loss. Did he have a stomach bug? Was his acid reflux just so bad he couldn't hold anything down? Is there something more serious and hidden going on inside his tiny little body (I use tiny loosely here!)? It's so hard to work knowing my son is at home, or my daughter is at home wanting mommy. Someday, I'll be able to stay home with them.

It's Saturday now though. Daddy and Claire are grocery shopping. Mommy and Dominic are trying to work out if we're going to the dr this morning, or will wait it out. I've collected poopy diapers just in case though. I'm not fooling around if I do go, I want answers. Even if the answer is "he's fine". WHY oh WHY didn't I go to school to become a dr? Oh yeah, cause while my son was vomiting all over me last night, I was gagging.

5 weeks

It's been a long 5 weeks.

First, I can't believe it's been 5 weeks already!

Second, it's only been 5 weeks!?

My son had a fantastic 1st week of life. He was happy, slept so well, pooped every single feeding, and some in between.

Weeks 2 - 5 have been a living hell.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change having him here with me than not for anything. However, 20 hours of crying, no make that SCREAMING a day, it will ware on anyone. We tried everything. $20 colic meds, $10 colic meds, finally we tried acid reflux meds, then had to add a second acid reflux med. He was turning into the exact same baby as his sister was. His sister was hard. Really hard. Like rethinking if you were cut out to be a parent hard. After all this, he broke out into a red blotchy rash EVERY.SINGLE.TIME he ate. Whether on me, or the formula we were given by dr to try (supplemental). He screamed every time he ate, pulling his head off of me and screaming a high pitched, heart breaking cry. Then he'd start screaming a silent cry as he was crying so hard he wasn't breathing so no noise was coming out. Mommy was crying. Why? Why again? Why my son? Why us? I would plead and yell at God to heal my son, to give him relief, to help him feel better. He was starting to struggle to have a bowel movement, ofter for hours. We needed to test his poopy diapers for allergy to dairy, but his but was raw and the tests wouldn't show true positive....I was tired of waiting. I broke down, and walking through Target in tears, bought a $36 dollar formula (RIDICULOUS!!!). Dairy free, made for those with cow milk allergy, made for those who scream all day long and don't sleep....I carried it to the checkout, crying. I paid for it and went to my car, crying. I sat in my car for at least 10 minutes debating on whether or not to return it, crying. I finally drove home, you guessed it....crying. The remainder of the afternoon/evening he ate bottle of this formula. He wouldn't sleep, he'd fall asleep for 10-15 minutes and wake up screaming. He was spitting up a ton, like 3 spit rags full every feeding....I was at my wits end. So was my husband. My poor daughter just wanted our attention and we were so focused on our son. I was ready to pack him up and go to the ER. I thought for sure, it was something way more serious than we had anticipated. He finally fell asleep around 11pm, waking every 2 hours to eat another bottle.

This morning, he's hungry. Eating almost every hour for a while, but now, he's been sleeping since noon. It's 1:30. His rash is WAY better, he's pooped twice today with little effort. He's only cried when he's wanted more to eat. He actually smiled, a real smile. I think we figured it out. I think he's allergic to dairy, and possibly a few other things. I have a lot of food allergies. I also have celiac. My diet is so restricted it's ridiculous. If I had to cut out dairy (the only thing I really eat), I think my milk will be useless to him as I wouldn't get half the vitamins I need let alone give them to my son. I can't have any of the replacements for dairy as I'm allergic to all but the coconut, and that's been iffy from the last time I went non dairy with my first daughter.

I cried about having to give up nursing. I am so upset over it. I had to stop nursing Claire at 6 months as we started fertility drugs again. I obviously couldn't nurser the triplets, and I was so looking forward to nursing Dominic. And now, after 5 short, long weeks, I have to give up nursing him. God is humbling me more than I care to be right now. In the long run, he will be fine. So will I. But already, I'm missing the bonding we had at our many nursing sessions. Even when they seemed to be so painful for him. I'm glad he's got relief now. And I'm glad he's getting the best stuff even if I had to sell my kidney to afford it.

Sleeping...finally...peacefully.

3 weeks

my son is 3 weeks old. i can't even believe it! well, at 11:39pm tonight he will be 3 weeks old! if we are up, we shall celebrate with a little nursing bonanza and commencing of the diaper changes for the next few hours. 

my daughter has adjusted well. she wants to know where he's at at all times. she asks to hold him a million times a day, and he mostly complies. he's taken by her as well. she kisses him all over many times a day. 

he eats every 2 - 3 hours, sometimes every hour in the evening. he's colicky, but mostly in the evenings and in the wee hours of the morning. it's gas related. we've done everything natural and not, nothing gives the poor guy relief. hopefully, in a few months he'll outgrow it. until then, i just pray over him and hope that he gets some relief in his poor little belly. 

he sleeps about 3 hours at a time at night. a few nights he's surprised me and slept 4 hours, but it's the exception, not the rule. i don't mind though. i've had enough energy to get through the day. i don't have time to nap, and not sure i could anyways, but the days are flying by. too fast. there is always something to clean, laundry to be done, meals to be made.....it seems like just as quickly as the day begins, it's over. and my children are one day older. 

well, i'm in the middle of making my first homemade chicken pot pie from scratch. so i should probably go check on it. i'll leave you with a few beautiful pics of my little man, and his big sister...