We've been everywhere

Yes, I know it's been a long time.  Sigh. I have a whole list of excuses, but basically, life is crazy and Gideon doesn't let me have the computer to myself. 

This boy is busy.  He's discovered he can push chairs around and use them to climb. 

Playing with the pictures on the refrigerator

 I turned my back for a second and this: 

um. um. yikes!!!

hehehe

Pretty much if I though anything was still safe in this house, it is no longer.

One day Gideon was playing quietly... I have learned that playing quietly is not a good thing around this house... 

his diaper pail in the hallway, diapers and wipes on the floor... sigh 

We celebrated Easter with Nathan's family.

Happy Easter :) 

:)

The Braker's have sheep. And, they had six new lambs! 

This was the cutest little black lamb

Gideon had so much fun :)

Ed and Gladys hosted the meal. Gideon got an Easter basket from the aunts.

grandma helped him open his stash 

 We had a semi-quiet week following. 

Gideon in his little fort.

My mom brought Jack over one day to help clean.   Gideon was not impressed that Jack got the vacuum. 

hehe little helpers

the king on his throne

And after trying and trying to get this kid to take a pacifier ....he suddenly thinks it's hilarious to have one. 

 And then on the 5th we took off!  We flew down to Florida for a week.  

on the plane

 Gideon loved the flight. He would stand up and look over the seats in front and insist that the very kind and patient girls ahead of us would look out the window too. And, then he would look behind us and insist that those kind ladies would also look out the window.   He charmed a pringle off the man next to us.  

reading a new book

:)

We stayed with Nathan's aunt's who live in Sarasota. They are actually moving back to Illinois this summer, so we took a load of their stuff back in their van then at the end of the week.  We arrived at Elda and Vera's rather late but that didn't stop Gideon from running around like a wild child. 

I don't usually have this view in the morning :)

Gideon loved being able to run around outside. 

Friday, late morning, we headed out to Siesta Beach.  It was a beautiful day.  We ate a picnic lunch and stayed until Gideon's nap time.

very happy

Gideon did not know what to think of the sand. It was quite hilarious. 

he wouldn't put his feet down.

 He eventually warmed up to the sand and then he was off.  Running. Running all over. 

down to the water

:) my two boys.

I spent the afternoon by the pool while Gideon napped.  Vera took us out for supper that evening.

Saturday, we packed up and drove down to the Keys.  We drove through the Everglades in hopes of seeing an alligator along the road, but sadly we saw none.  

We arrived at our Airbnb place in Key Largo mid afternoon. We stayed there two nights. It was an interesting place. Great price for a great location but a little on the shady side.

it had a beautiful view though

out our front door

living room

  

bedroom...it was clean but yah....

The deck. hehe. It definitely needs a bit of work. 

The apartment is owned by a boat rental place just below. Gideon loved sitting on the deck, watching the boats go by and looking for birdies. 

this crane was the source of great excitement

   We ate supper at Senor Frijoles, which was wonderful. Gideon got his own taco. He was pretty proud of it. 

:) 

After supper we headed to a little public beach.  It was nice and quiet and perfect for Gideon to run around. 

Freedom!

always on a mission

Tuesday,  we packed lunches and headed to Marathon Key.  Marathon has the best beaches, so in retrospect I would try to stay there.   we stopped at Cocoplum beach (I'd highly recommend) but ended up going to Sombrero beach (a little more kid friendly).  It was beautiful. 

It's a drive. But, boy is the drive worth it. Clear blue water on both sides. Nathan and I kept exclaiming "it's so blue!"

blue blue water

Sombrero beach

little beach boy

 We had supper at the Fish House.  It was a "must" according to reviewers online. I wasn't that impressed.   It was good but a bit pricey and crowded. 

shrimp

lobster bisque and smoked fish :)

Monday, we drove  all the way to Key West.  Again, a long drive but worth it just for the views along the way.   7 mile bridge is amazing.  We however, got stuck in traffic, due to an accident, on the bridge for an hour. It was actually pretty cool. Everyone was out of their cars looking around. 

7 mile bridge 

the old 7 mile bridge

traffic jam

Gideon got to sit up front while we waited.

 Key West is also a little overrated in my opinion. I don't like touristy places, shoppy shops, etc. And Key West is basically that. I'm sure there would be cool stuff to see if you had a ton of time.  But we were already behind schedule and it was crowded and hot.  So, we went to the "farthest point south" marker and headed to the beach. 

Key west has wild roosters. Gideon didn't know what to do. He was cock-a-doodle-doo-ing his little heart out. hehe.  And, then the trams going around looked like trains...he could barely contain himself. 

I found this funny

a wild rooster

Smathers Beach on Key West

 Gideon spent his time at the beach valiantly trying to catch a seagull.

I will catch you

hehe

We went from Key West to our second place on the Key Largo.  It was really cute. 

We cleaned up and went out for supper at the Shipwreck bar and grill. It was outside eating right on the water. Which was pretty cool until the mosquitoes came out. 

loaded chili dog :)

And because we had to...key lime pie

Tuesday, we packed up and headed to Sombrero beach again. We spent the day there, cleaned up in the beach showers, and then headed for Sarasota. 

:)

We attempted to take Gideon's 18 month pictures. They didn't go so well. hehe. 

:) probably the best one...

look anywhere but the camera

that back drop though

"ok, I'm done"

I mean seriously...this is the life

beautiful shallow little cove

the water was so clear

A little bit of rocky shore. :)

If you are wanting my travel advice- Sombrero beach gets a 10/10. 

On the way back up the Keys, we stopped for ice cream. Because ice cream is a must. 

mocha chip and Gideon's vanilla

And that was the end of our trip. :( We got back to Sarasota late Tuesday. Packed up Wednesday and headed home. We drove the Aunt's van back for them. 

We got back mid-afternoon Thursday. 

Saturday, We packed up and headed to Chicago/Elgin with the Bible Class on the bus. 

Gideon loved the bus.

nap time while the kids played

supper at Giordano's

PIZZA!

Sunday, we went to Elgin for the ACYF day. Ellie was there with the Belvidere group. We got to catch up, which was so nice.  We had a great weekend but I was so glad to get home. 


Monday, Gideon came down with a fever.  It lasted all week. So, we had a doctors visit and lots of pampering. 

coco, in a mug, with a straw, on the counter.

spoiled little boy.

I got my bee suit! :) 

I plan to help my dad with his bee keeping this summer. :)

And we got another look at baby! :)

Everything is looking great with the baby. My leg is feeling better, but still not 100%. The doctor isn't very optimistic that I'll ever get back to normal. Which is a downer.  And, being on blood thinner complicates things when it comes to delivery. So, we've got a lot to work through and come to terms with on that front. 

Whew. hehe. I think that's all.

In Christ

~Michelle

Uncle Jakey Got Married

There have been slight improvements daily with my leg.   Last week I was able to drop Gideon off with Lori and went out to Peoria by myself!  I made a quick run in to target and  then stopped at a medical supply store to buy some less obvious support stockings.    They were ridiculously priced ($75 for a pair!) but with wedding pictures coming up I needed them. 

Gideon and Nathan both enjoyed my purchase :)

Jenny and the girlies came one day to entertain Gideon and I. :) It was  quite fun.  Jenny brought lunch and cleaned my floors.  It was needed.  All this time at home with a crazy child and I can't clean.  It's been feeling pretty gross around here.

playing in Gideon's pink teepee

"peetee"

And then we had to start packing for the big weekend.  Gideon did not make the packing easy.

He insisted on carrying Nathan's shoes around the house.

and then he discovered the plunger. It is now his favorite toy. 

He is so strange :)  Thankfully, I don't think we've ever used it. 

odd little duck :)

Friday, we loaded up after work.  Gideon snuck out the door and was running around the yard.

It's getting rather scary. I can't run after him right now.  One day he was running down the middle of the road and I was hobbling my fastest after him.  He thought it was a fun game, but I was getting rather nervous. 

We stopped at Chick Fil A for supper.  Gideon loves chicken nuggets.

:)

We stayed with Brooke and Kory for the weekend. 

They have an awesome toy room

Saturday morning, we got up early to get ready for pictures. 

hair combed and teeth brushed.

as dapper as can be :)

We took pictures at a really cool old library. Sigh, they just don't build things like they used to.

:) they're so cute!!!

the attempt at a niece and nephew picture. 

Jenny and Matt had to hide behind their children to keep them in place...

hehehe

Grandpa and Gideon way up high

Ned and I :)

We were discussing the merits of the couch

After pictures, we changed clothes and went back to lunch at the Wagenbach's.  After lunch, we went back to  Brooke and Kory's and napped. 

Naps were followed shortly by the Rehearsal Dinner.  A family from church does the dinners. They basically run a business. It was really nice, super fancy, and the food was wonderful.

Yum!!!

best meat ever. Prime filet mignon... :P so good.

and a wonderful dessert.

We made it to the singing late, but we made it.  

Sunday, was the wedding day! :)

In the morning, Nathan's sister Emily came and she sat with me and helped with Gideon. 

In the afternoon, some young girls watched Gideon, Cadence, and Jack.  So, I got to go in to the wedding and not worry about a crazy noisy child.  It was a nice service.  I choked up a few times, blame it on hormones. 

The reception was nice. Nathan and I did the guest book for the first shift. Which was actually nice. I got to put my foot up and just sit and still got to see most everyone. 

the cake

the car :) credit goes to Jenny and Matt :)

Gideon slept through nearly the whole thing. 

pretty decor

Gideon was sure he needed the bird.

And they are off!

So, they're married. Rachel will be a wonderful addition to the family. 

We went home and crashed. 

Monday morning I went in for another scan of my leg.  Good news! the clot has shrunk. It's now only down to my knee. :) yay for progress. 

I'm realizing that as my leg gets better, I'm forgetting to take care of it.  The weekend went fairly well, but Monday my leg was really sore.  It's hard to remember to take it easy when I'm so excited about being able to move again. 

Monday evening, David and Avery came to visit while Jessica was nearby at a shower. 

 :)

 Gideon...he's something. Since I've been feeling slightly better, we've been spending more time home alone.  I'm still not as present as he'd like me to be. Which means much orneriness.
For example, his new favorite toy is the plunger...

what and odd child.

and that WAS folded laundry.

I'm hoping spring brings warmer weather and a healthier me.  I'll be out of the 1st trimester tomorrow!

In Christ
~Michelle

A rough start

Well. Where to begin...

Player #4 coming late September.

Yup, I'm pregnant.  And, it has been a really rough start.

Gideon's pregnancy was a breeze. Light nausea and tiredness during the first trimester and then I felt great for the rest. 

This. This one is going to have some explaining to do. 

Nausea hit almost immediately. As well as exhaustion to the extreme.  By 7 weeks, I had already told my mom because I couldn't cope.  I pretty much slept from the moment Nathan got home from work, until he left for work the next morning.

At 8 weeks, I went in for my first sono.  They found a subchorionic hemorrhage (part of the placenta had pulled away and a clot of blood was forming behind it)  during the sono. They aren't really a huge deal but they do increase your chance of miscarriage.  Having had a miscarriage prior to Gideon, my anxiety went through the roof.  And, despite my misery, I was certain I wouldn't announce until after the 13 week mark. 

Due to the hemorrhage, I was put on pelvic rest- no heavy lifting, no core exercise etc- basically a very mild bedrest. I was told to lift Gideon only when necessary. 

Fast forward a week and suddenly my hip and leg were in massive pain.  Shooting, tingling pain, down my leg into my foot. I could barely move. I contacted my Midwife who said it sounded like sciatic nerve pain. At 9 weeks, it was really early to already be experiencing that.  She suggested a chiropractor, so I scheduled an appointment as soon as possible.  One adjustment, and I felt immediate relief. By the next Wednesday, I was pain free.

But, then in the continuing saga,  I woke up from a nap later that day with strange back pain.  The pain continued to worsen into the evening and moved into my leg. By the next morning, My leg was swollen to twice the size, red and purple, and in excruciating pain.   After a phone call to my doctor and a consult with the family nurse, my mom rushed me off to the ER.

Here are some rather yucky pictures:

It doesn't really help that I'm so pale that the healthy leg looks dead...

But, yah a pretty good visual of how big it got.

It's like a dead person's leg next to mine...

It turns out, I had a massive blot clot.  It was/is the entire length of my leg. 

Oh the ER.  I waited 2 hours before finally being taken back. There were a lot of people there and none of them really seemed to be in as much pain as me.  There were a lot of older people sitting around chatting in their wheelchairs and some younger people texting and watching TV.   There was an older man who had come in for chest pain who was way to chatty.   And then there was me, I was moaning, grimacing, and trying not to cry while my leg felt like it was giving birth. (Having given birth with no epidural, it's still not an exaggeration.) 

There was however, a bit of humor. There was one woman who was very vocal. Between shouting how much she hated certain people, how she felt like an orphan, and lots of profanity, she would complain that she was in so much pain but would rather just go home.  I was of course put in the room right next to hers and got to hear this continue for another hour or so.  She was not pleased about a needle stick and got in a very heated argument with a nurse.  The nurse in my room just rolled her eyes.

Because of the concern that the clot might break away and go to my heart or lungs, I was hooked up on a monitor.  When it came time to give me my first injection of blood thinner (note: I'm terrified of needles),  the heart monitor went nuts.  Which cause me to laugh so hard I started crying.  The nurse said that was a first for her. 

 I got to spend Thursday, Thursday night, and Friday in the hospital. I got visited by every kind of doctor, PA, nurse under the sun and have a ridiculous amount of follow up appointments and blood draws. 

The doctors can't quite figure out how I (a relatively healthy person) got a blood clot so big.   Pregnancy is a risk factor and I was laying on the couch for about 5 weeks straight, but they still want to do genetic testing and all sorts of other things. 

I get to wear these cute socks now... bleh.

Nathan spent the night in the hospital with me, so Gideon got to spend his first night away from home with grandpa and grandma. He was a little trooper, but was very glad to have me back. 

I also was able to finally wean him! 17 months strong :)

And, since you can't really cover up a pregnancy when you are in the hospital for a pregnancy related issue and I would be needing lots of help in the weeks to come, Nathan and I decided to announce at 10 weeks along. Sigh.  

My leg didn't get miraculously better either. It's been and is going to be a long road to recovery.  The first week I spent nearly every day all day laying on my back with my leg in the air. Walking is difficult and painful.  There has been slow improvement though, less pain, better movement, slower swelling, and my leg is down from 4 inches larger to only 1 inch larger than the normal leg. 

There is still concern (a 50% chance) that I'll develop post thrombotic syndrome which includes a fun list of symptoms. 

I also get to give myself two shots of blood thinner a day in my stomach from now until 6 weeks postpartum. Joy of joys.

Thankfully, sonos at the hospital and a visit to the midwife showed that baby is still doing well and growing (no update on the hemorrhage, though).

As much as Nathan would like to stay home with me, I'm sure,  we really have to save his measly vacation days for when the baby comes.  Last week, my mom spent days with Gideon and I, because I really couldn't take care of him on my own. And, she ran me to my ridiculous amount of appointments.  Nathan's mom came for a day and my sisters-in-law came on Friday.  So, I've been very well taken care of. 

Gideon with his cousins

Poor Gideon.  He has been a champ.  However, his orneriness has increased as he is lacking attention from me. :( 

what a mess

silly boy refused clothes.

Amazingly through this all, I've felt very at peace. I know there were, and are still, so many people praying for me and the baby. I can feel it.  It's also been a very stretching experience.  I don't usually like asking for help and often feel like I am an inconvenience to people. So, having people come and help and bring meals has been incredibly humbling.  I'm so thankful for my mom and dad who've been available whenever I need them and for Nathan whose been pretty much taking care of me and Gideon single handedly and making us suppers for the last few weeks. And for all of you who've offered help and have been praying, I am so thankful for you. 

Anyway, I am now 12 weeks along.  My leg is improving daily.  (Sadly, no improvement on the nausea end.) And, as my dear brother pointed out, we've already met our deductible for the year. :P ha. 

Oh, and another thing,  despite the rough start we are very excited. :)

In Christ

~Michelle