Boring.

Well. after so many months of shall I say "excitement", I feel I am rather boring now. I wait for an infant to go to sleep, need changing or feeding. I wait to go pick up Sarah after school, or for Hogan to either go to sleep or wake up! I am driving now and that has gotten me out of the house each day. Monday was basically a catch up day. After not having any activity for almost 3 weeks, I literally stayed out all day! We finished up soccer practice and I brought the kids home, bathed them, then we all piled up in my bed and began to go over Sarah's school work while we waited on daddy to some home from Jiu-Jitsu. One of the last things I remember was Sarah asking me how I could see her work with my eyes closed while she tried to pry the open! I mumbled something about looking at the words before I closed them. Fortunately we were on the last page! I vaguely remember Hogan talking and talking and seeing Sarah next to me already asleep too. Then the kids were in their bed and Steve was talking to me. Apparently I never fully woke up and don't remember anything anyone said! I guess you could say I over did it that day!

Tuesday was better. Jana came in and we worked once again on Plastag and went to see an Atty for mom's estate. And of course we had lunch! We did unplug Plastag's fax machine which was a big step in my opinion. I feel we are finally closed. We are still cleaning up accounts with statements and all but hey, collecting is more fun! It just amazes me how much work it takes. Mom always said no one really understood how much work she did and people think because you work at home it must be easier or something. Well I really appreciate that statement now. It has taken Jana and myself and about 3 other companies to do what mom did day in and day out for 30 years! She was amazing!!!!

Today, Hogan and I stayed home with the baby. I have found a new passion. I am trying to organize myself. I feel I run helter skelter all the time. I have no routines (or very few) and stuff just flies around me. Kinda like the kid on Peanuts, I think his name is Pigpen! He always had a cloud around him - that's me! So, I have signed up with FLYlady and study her numerous emails and website daily to figure out how to fix me. I have some really good ideas already and am working on those. I have not really started her program as far as the house goes yet, but that is to come when I am stronger. (I still have a very good excuse and I am using it!) I am shining my sink though.

Josiah is awake more each day. He will just lay there and quietly look around. He is such a good baby! I hope we will have more pictures to post soon. Sarah and Hogan are still crazy about the baby and are so good with him. Hogan is still a little rough but is learning to be more gentle. He calls the baby, "bubba", "bubby", "tiggy-wiggy", and "bear"! He has nicknames for everything and loves rhymes! Sarah is just great with the baby all the way around!

For a little entertainment check out my link to Potter Place and watch the short video. The artist is amazing!

Parenting Conference

We spent all day today sitting in on a very informative parenting conference. It was titled "Grace Based Parenting". The speaker was funny, well spoken, and I agreed with so much of what he said. Steve and I talked about what he presented and pinpointed some areas that needed work with our own parenting skills. We talked about how to remedy these little problem areas and thought we were onto something grand. Well, however much we learned, someone, it seems, has forgotten to explain all the rules to our kids! We are still having the nighttime battle. They have been in bed for over an hour now and they have gotten up multiple times already. Our new system for giving our strong willed children more choices and control seems to be failing already! Steve has had to go in and determine where the scary purple light was coming from and now is off to determine where the scary green and red lights are coming from! How they come up with this stuff I will never know! Fortunately for them they have a daddy that is great at riding the world of scary lights! (Apparently, a best friend and favorite cousin have told them there are purple lights and fires in the bathroom! I'll have to make sure I thank their mom.)

Just hanging out.

Well, we seem to be getting in a more routine sleep pattern. Josiah still sleeps a lot during the day, but we are doing better at night as a whole. He just really likes to wait until I drift off to start fussing. I keep telling him, if he would not wait until I go to sleep I would be a lot more coherent and quicker on the draw! I wake up confused still sometimes. I guess I am adjusting to having another kiddo!

Hopefully I will be able to drive next week. I am anxious to be able to get around, but still have enjoyed being forced to stay at home and rest most of the day. Last night I spent about 2 hours at mom's cleaning up files and stuff from Plastag. I actually threw out more than I kept! Almost 3 times as much! I know Anna will be glad when she sees it! It is sitting in her dinning room and they are almost ready to move in! Jana will be coming down to finish helping me this week. I hope we can get to some of the stuff in storage as well.

Sarah began her first day of 1st grade yesterday. She likes her teacher and says there are not any mean kids in her class this year. (We had some problems last year.) She has not found a good friend yet, but she is on the look out! The class is almost half and half as far as girl to boy ratios go. Last year was mostly boys! I think I will find out more as the week goes on. You know they never talk when asked direct questions! I waited all day to hear about her day and all I got was "I don't know"! Drives me crazy. Now I will just have to wait for the details to come out when they are ready. Part of a parents life I suppose.

Hogan will not start school until after Labor Day. He will be going 3 half days a week. He will be in the older class this year. He loves school and is doing very well. I think if we had more time this summer to spend with him we could have had him reading. That is one of my goals this fall. He loves words, rhymes, and books! I think he even loves letters!

Steve is staying very busy at work and at home. He looks tired to me and I hate not being able to help him out more than I do right now. He has been such a blessing over the last year. He works tirelessly and never complains (well, almost never anyway - way less than I complain!) We are hoping for a little vacation time when Josiah and I are ready to travel. I can't wait!

IT IS 4:30AM I AM TIRED AND BORED!!!!!!

IT is now 4:30am......obviously I am tired.....also bored. We just looked up this guys other videos on you tube, and they are kinda cute. Maybe 'cause I can relate....maybe 'cause I am tired......maybe 'cause it is 4:30AM!!!! Nevertheless, enjoy.

-Steve

Sleepless in Seattle.....no....Dallas.....no....Man we are home aren't we.....darn!!!!!

Well it is 4am, and Angie showed me this video on her friends blog. I am sure Sheryl is going to think that we plagerize her site constantly, however, considering the time we are putting it up anyway because it is SOOOOOO appropiate. Considering the war over bedtime last night, and the fact that I am sure the rumble (notice I did not say pitter-patter) of little feet from the other side of the house will begin very soon just as this one decides the sun is up so he can sleep.

-Steve

PS: You might pause Angie's music so you can listen.

Reality hits home!!!

Sarah and Hogan came home today. They are so excited to be home. They have talked non-stop and been very happy. That is until it was bedtime! The fact that Josiah gets to sleep in mommy and daddy's room did not go unnoticed. The tears, crying and even some screaming started the moment we said go get in bed. They were suddenly terrified of their room! They refused to stay in bed and came to our room repeatedly. It took Steve going in and staying with them until they fell asleep to get them settled down. I think tomorrow night we will have a bunking party in our room to help ease the unfairness of life!

Josiah is doing well. He has gained 7 ounces since we have been home. His coloring is so much better and last night he actually slept better. He has kept me up until 3 AM and 5 AM! I hope we started a new trend last night. He slept for 3 hours at a stretch and was only up for 2 1/2 hours in the middle. Which I will take over the all nighter!

I seem to be getting stronger as well. I can walk at a little more normal pace! If you ever want to see just how slowly a person can walk go to the postpartum unit and watch! I think they put up speed limit signs or something! But I still am very protective of my stomach. Apparently they had to really push on my belly to get Josiah out. I had a lot of scar tissue from previous c-sections and this caused a little bit of a problem. Steve said there was a very large girl (taller than him and by far heavier) coming up off her feet pushing on me! With all our technology, this is what really happens! To say the least my right side is very tender still.

Anyway, they still won't let me drive and this is driving me crazy. I never stay home all day and now it is day after day. I did go out yesterday and today and I think I might be a little glad I am housebound though. Just riding in the car is uncomfortable in itself. (And no, I did not drive.)

Anna and Brian have just about finished all their remodeling of mom's for now. They are planning on moving some stuff in this weekend. I am not sure when they plan the big move, but I am sure they could use some help if anyone is available and feels called to help! I think they are getting pretty tired at this point and school starts Monday.

Well, that's all for now. I need to take advantage of Josiah's sleep!

Settling in at home.

Josiah and I have spent some wonderful quality time together over the past 2 days. We both love to sleep in! Of course he is still sleeping a lot at this point and I join him on occasion. We went yesterday evening to have the bili levels retested and he is still on the rise but just slightly. We are to take him back to the pediatrician tomorrow for a re-check. He still looks very yellow to me. He has also slept more today than yesterday (higher levels of bilirubin cause them to be sleepy). He is nursing good (we are setting alarms to wake him up and feed him every 2-3 hours.) He has a hard time getting started feeding but does well once started. He is also meeting the output requirements. All these things are important in decreasing bili levels. I have also been setting him in the indirect sunlight during the day. Please pray that we will not have to go back under the lights. It is not a big deal-he just lays under a blue light with a mask on, but it breaks my heart to not be able to hold him. He loves to be swaddled and held close and lying in the incubator all stretched out just does not set well with him. He fidgets, jerks, jumps, and fusses all the time. Steve spent so much time just standing in front of the incubator holding his little hand or stroking his head through the little port holes. I know he got tired, but he never complained.

I will let you know what the verdict is tomorrow after we see the doc!

Welcome home Josiah!

We finally dot to come home this evening! They checked Josiah's bili level again this afternoon and it had only increased slightly so they cut us loose! We are so glad to be here! It seems too quiet without the kids running around. Steve and I both had a hard time letting them go this weekend. I was really feeling bad about coming home and them missing the big event when we were suddenly told we could not go home! Then I was really glad that Sarah and Hogan were not at the house anticipating our arrival. They would have been terribly disappointed. Hopefully, I will be much stronger when they come home later this week!

Happy birthday mom!

So far so good.

Josiah's bili level dropped to 12 this morning. They have let us keep him out of the lights for now. He at Steve are very comfortable together on the couch as snuggled up together. They will keep him until this afternoon when they will redraw his lab and if it has not gone up too high we will get to go home. If it is higher than they would like we will go back under the lights. He is eating well now so we are hopeful that we will get to go home!

Boy oh Boy!!!!

What a week! Wednesday morning we got up very early and headed to the hospital. When we arrived they were not expecting us! Someone had scheduled the c-section and then taken us off the schedule! They scrambled around and got us a room, preped me and had the OR ready by our original time of 0730! Fortunately, we were on the doc's schedule and he was not rattled at all by the mixup! I on the other hand was very nervous. I hate c-sections! I had rather do natural labor than have and epidural! (My sisters have decided that I am crazy!) When they wheeled me back to the OR they made Steve wait outside until they had placed the epidural. I really wished he had been in there with me. They got everything going and I was frantically looking around for him. They then went and got him! I relaxed a bit. The doc came in happy and ready to go. He also made me feel more at ease. He talked to me throughout the whole procedure which was nice as well. Before he started he asked me to guess the baby's weight and I said 6 1/2 pounds. He said he thought I was very close to what he guessed. Well, I will spare you the grusome details (actually I don't know them because they drape you where you can't watch your our surgery for some reason!) but the doc said he was crying before they even pulled him out! They had to use forceps due to scar tissue from my previous sections so he has some bruising on his face. After the doc delivered him he showed him to me and said "that is no 6 1/2 pound baby!" When they finally weighed him he weighed in at 8 pounds and 1 ounce. He was 20 1/2 inches long. His hair is a very light brown or dark blond with a reddish tint so far. His eyes are of course a dark blue. He has a round head and face thanks to the section. And we are in love! His name is Josiah Jonathan. Sarah and Hogan are also in love. Hogan will hold Josiah and say "I love Josiah/bubba! " They have been very excited to come see him each day.

The hospital stay was uneventful until we were packed up and about ready to leave. They had discharged me and we were waiting on the discharge orders for Josiah. Then the nurse came in and said he had to stay because his bilirubin levels were critical and they needed to put him under the bili lights. So they put us in a "rooming in" room down the hall and he is in his incubator with his little mask on and we are watching him like you would an aquarium! Steve is sitting next to the box and has his hand inside one of the portholes holding Josiah's hand. This seems to calm him down a lot. So as our new little baby sleeps under his blue lights we just sit and watch. We are praying that we will be able to take him home tomorrow.

It's a Boy!!!

Well the Titus household was blessed with an 8lb 20.5 in bouncing baby boy Wednesday. Angie and Josiah are doing great, and we will all go home this weekend. I am not going to take a lot of time to post as I need to get to my fatherly duties because Sarah and Hogan have come to visit. I am sure that Angie will be prolific with the blog as she is home bound for a cople of weeks.

I did however want to get some pictures up because I know you are all dying to see. So here it goes.....

Baby's birthday is set!

Today we scheduled the c-section. I think I have been frowning every since. I think Steve and the rest of our family is more comfortable with the section. We will welcome the baby to the family on August 8th around 7:30 AM! I do look forward to being able to lie on my back and soon stomach. My hips and shoulders are so worn out I can hardly stand it anymore. I can't even lean back in a chair now, it just all but stops my breath! I figure we will spend about 3 days at Baptist and be home sometime during the weekend. It will almost be nice to be confined to the bed/house for a few days. If only the baby will sleep all night! Neither of the other two did for a couple of years! But I can always hope! At least for another few days anyway!

When we were at the hospital last we did not have Internet access available on the floors. I am hoping they have changed this but am doubtful. I will post and answer e-mails when I can talk Steve into running to the lobby to download everything. :-) I will keep you updated as best as I can.

Nesting or pure panic?

Today we got A LOT done! After church (which was VERY GOOD by the way!), we began our errands. The most important was buying an infant car seat. We were beginning to think we would have to have a friend with a newborn come pick us up at the hospital and drive us home! They won't let you leave the hospital if you don't have an appropriate car seat. Which is a great rule, but we have been so busy. Well, after a $350 trip to Target, problem solved! Simple huh?

When we finally got home and unloaded the last stuff we got from mom's, I laid down with Hogan to help him fall asleep. I began having contractions they were 5 minutes apart for 30 minutes. So, I got up and began moving around to see if they would stop. I began laundry and helping unpack some. They continued and began to get stronger. So what did I do? Work harder and faster! I began to look around and see how unprepared we were! With Sarah I had my bag packed at 7 months and repacked it every week or so, you know, just to make sure. Now, I have a few things in my bag for this little one!

After about 3 or 4 hours the contractions slowed to a crawl. But we have made a great head way on the house. It is actually beginning to look like people could live here. (Except for the kids room, which looks like a bomb went off in the toy box!). So now my low back is still hurting and we will see. My luck I will go until they do a c-section! I really have wanted the natural delivery I was never able to complete with Sarah. I am praying that if God will grant me that desire it will happen before the scheduled date. Which we are leaning heavily toward a section later this week. I really like my OB and Steve remembers how scary it was in the last few minutes with Sarah's delivery and also my heart rate concerns us a little. At any rate, panic gets a lot done!!!!

More Boxes!

Today we brought some of the remaining things from mom's. We are down to what we will store for a few months and all get together and decide who's closet they will inhibit. There are lots of family photo albums and pictures to go through. Some remaining dishes/china type pieces and that wraps it up! In the meantime, Anna has hit the house like a mad woman with a mission. They are really changing the looks of the place. I think she may be delirious from all the primer and paint she has been inhaling! Brian has been busy as well changing light fixtures, door knobs, ceiling fans, and riping out dark wood to be replaced with lighter more modern trim! They are having to rewire some things as well. They have also removed the old gutter lighting (what a dust trap!) So, we are all anxious to see how things turn out. They are leaving the kitchen and mom's room as is for now, so maybe we will still recognize the place!

I think I am slowly killing Steve with moving boxes and furniture. He looked so tired today hauling more of our junk around. I am of very little use these days. At least I have enough kitchen stuff now to cook diner for the family. Sarah goes next door to our cousins house and picks fresh tomatoes for us and loves to help me prepare diner. Unfortunately, she is not always crazy about eating what she helps create! Hogan on the other hand will eat! That is unless he is to busy playing to eat. We are without a table right now so they eat at the coffee table in the living room. This lends itself to more play than eating some nights. Especially when mom and dad are too tired to fight the battle! :-)

I do have some friends who are planning on coming over to help me get things arranged and ready for the baby. It will be such a huge help! One of the ladies is expecting soon herself. God has really provided some true blessings in our lives.

Welcome to our new family blog!!!!!

Well, this has been an eventful week for my family. We have all been pretty sick around our house for about 3 weeks now. We have weathered strep, pneumonia/bronchitis, a virus and are now hoping the strep is not returning! I have had a terrible cough for a couple of weeks, took two antibiotic shots, an oral antibiotic. Then discovered my heart rate was too high and that I had a heart murmur. This all landed me in the cardiology office late Monday afternoon! They ran a few test and decided everything was okay but I about scared Steve to death! He apparently does not like getting calls from his 36 week pregnant wife stating they are sending her straight to the cardiologist!

Next came my visit with the OB on Wednesday. He told me he would be gone the week we were thinking he would be doing a c-section! Great! So, we are now trying to decide on whether to have the baby next week!!!!! or wait and see if I go into labor or hold off until he returns! It panicked me! I was hoping to have a VBAC but always felt comfortable that he would be around just in case! Now we are trying to figure out what to do. We have until Monday or Tuesday to make the decision. The baby is small for us, he is guessing 7-71/2 pounds by term! After Hogan at 10.2 this sounds very small, although we realize it is a good, normal size baby! Either way we will be welcoming a new little one into the family very soon! I still can't believe God has blessed us with three children! Who am I to raise three of His precious angels!

Meanwhile, we are trying to get settled in our new house. We are unpacking boxes nightly and trying to squirrel away all our treasures! Steve seems to be shredding more things than squirreling! He has worn the kids out with shredder duty! I heard them shredding one day and asked (like any concerned mom) whether or not it was safe for their little fingers. He said yeah, I tested it out before giving them the chore! I immediately had visions of him trying to cram a one of THEIR fingers in to see if it would go or not! He reassured me he unplugged it before checking the size!!!! :-) Anyway, now when you say this needs to be shredded the kids run and hide!

They do seem to like being out in the country. Hogan loves digging in the dirt and I guess it is just better dirt here! He will go out back and dig forever! I keep expecting to see Chinese people coming to the door any day but so far just Hogan comes in! Sarah is making plans for her barn! She is picking out what color she wants it to be! I think blue is winning today. I'm thinking natural wood color so we don't have to repaint! Maybe I need to get her thinking about her bedroom walls instead. They are obviously less stressed and happier than they have been in months. They are beginning to talk about missing MorMor though. We try to get them to tell a happy, funny or favorite memory when this subject comes up. I want to encourage them to remember the pre-cancer MorMor.

Well that's about all for now. I will keep you updated on the baby as we get closer to time! I have just a few days to remember how to post a picture!