On the move!

Bear has done it!

He is army crawling forward!

He figured out backwards crawling a while ago, but with his tone and associated movement forwards just wasn’t happening.  He can get up on all fours, wiggle a little, and just not understand.

Last Thursday (not yesterday) at therapy he army crawled about a food on a mat for a  toy.  He did the same thing a few days later at home on the carpet.

Today, he has been all over the living room getting every toy (and off-limits thing) he wants!

It’s amazing!  We (PT, Physiatrist, Neurology, Hubs and me) all thought crawling just wouldn’t happen.  It takes a lot of work to coordinate all 4 limbs, while fighting gravity and there isn’t any equipment to assist him (like a gait trainer assists walking-more on that in the next post).

But my little boy is proving us all wrong!

Oh happy day!

The third piece….

 

So as we left off (1st piece, 2nd piece) I had my blood drawn.  After a gruesome wait that ended up being 4 weeks instead of 2, we received a phone call as we were about to drive 7 hours to a wedding without Bear.

I am a carrier of this rare genetic mutation. 

I only have a 50% chance of making healthy babies.  Add to that my rare genetic bone disorder (which is autosomal dominant and a 50/50 chance) I basically have 0% chance of making healthy babies.

We’re so grateful we are pregnant because had we not been and received all this information we would never have another child.  This baby is a gift from God.  He had plans for our family.

With that said, this is our last baby.  I cannot do this gamble again. 

I’m angry.  I’m sad.  I feel like a disappointment to my husband.  I was never ready to be done at 2.  I’m destroyed that this family planning choice has been taken away from me. 

Most likely international adoption is out because mine and Bear’s disabilities.  I don’t think we can afford domestic adoption.  We’re left with foster to adopt.  I don’t know if I’m strong enough to do it.  To get attached and fall in love and possibly have to give them back.

This is a hard time for our family.  Hence the lack of blog posts. 

I’m struggling with morning sickness, afternoon sickness, evening sickness (call it whatever you want, it stinks) exhaustion, a Bear that doesn’t sleep, and caring for a special needs toddler.

I’m tired.

Menu Plan Monday

I plan on buying a turkey for $0.69/lb to put in the freezer and we’re doing a full pantry challenge!

We need to get the freezer emptied for when Baby #2 comes so that we can start restocking it. For now, it’s pretty full.  I won’t specify a veggie in these lists because we have tons of canned or frozen corn, peas, green beans, pumpkin and squash.  I’ll let Hubs pick which he wants that day

This weeks meals

Monday:

Salisbury Steak/Hamburgers, White Rice, Easy Béarnaise Sauce, and a veggie.  My Easy Béarnaise sauce is not super frugal (or low calorie) but it’s a great treat and much cheaper than going to a restaurant.  Because of the calorie factor we only have it a few times a year.

Tuesday:

Roasted Chicken with refrigerated mashed potatoes (I bought these to test them out for when Baby #2 comes because my frozen ones were awful.  Then I realized they can’t be frozen so we just have to eat them.  Oops), carrots and veggie.  I will turn the chicken into broth for soup or pot pie later.

Wednesday:

Bratwurst with collard greens and onions. I saw this recipe in Everyday Food and we have a LOT of Bratwurst I found on sale for $1.50/lb.  It sounded interesting and collard greens are really affordable so I’m excited to try it.  It would be nice to have something other than just brats and French fries for dinner.

Thursday:

Hot Dogs and Ore Ida frozen French fries.  Hey, I need a night off every now and then.

Friday:

Hebrew National Knockwurst (I scored on sale for $0.69) and sauerkraut and potatoes.  I’m craving sauerkraut so I will spend the $0.99 and purchase this.

Saturday:

Chili.  I scored canned beans for about $0.29/can during our local stock up sales and I have a LOT to use.  I’ll probably make my homemade cornbread too.  Yum!

 

Not the most creative, I know Hot Dogs, Brats and Knockwurst, but I’m pregnant and caring for a special needs toddler all day.  Some days I need a break.  Also, I’m suffering major food aversion so whatever sounds good is what I eat.

The second piece…

September 29, 2011

2 days after my birthday, 1 day after my pregnancy test.

It’s about 2PM and I’m getting Bear up from his nap and we’re playing.  Around 3 I check my phone to make sure Hubs hasn’t called to say he’s leaving.  I have a voicemail and a missed call from an area code where all of Bear’s specialists are. 

I listen to my message and it’s the geneticist.  She was apologizing for not getting back to us sooner and was just all about rambling.  I was getting really annoyed.  We had called her about 2 weeks prior because Bear keeps getting fevers about every 2 weeks and she never called us back.  When all of sudden, she ends the voicemail that they have the test results and are pretty sure they have a diagnosis.

WHAT?! A DIAGNOSIS? YES, A DIAGNOSIS!

I call Hubs.  Yes, I’m crazy.  I had to call and tell him about the voicemail BEFORE I called the geneticist to tell him what the geneticist said.  Then I had to hang up and call the geneticist and ask her what is going on.

He has a mutation on his X-Chromosome.  This is called an X-Linked Intellectual Disability.  My son will be mentally retarded, have hypertonia, microcephaly and is at risk for seizures, vision loss and hearing loss.  I call Hubs and relay the message, he calls the geneticist too.  Now the question is, is it hereditary?  We got an order for my blood work and we went right up to a satellite branch and had my blood taken.

I am now looking at my beautiful son with his X-chromosome issues while holding my belly praying that I’m not a carrier and we don’t have the same worry for Baby #2.

This isn’t the end of the story, just wait for the third piece.

The first piece…

 

September 28, 2011

The day after my 27th birthday.

I got a faint positive on a dollar store pregnancy test.  Which followed by Bear and me running to the local store and buying 2 boxes of pregnancy tests.  I really was convinced they would all be as difficult to interpret.

The first two were blaringly positive.

Yes, positive.  No, we weren’t exactly trying.  I’m almost 10 weeks now and it still hasn’t settled in that I’m pregnant again.  You would think the abdominal pressure, morning sickness, vomiting, food aversion and cravings would be enough to convince me, but until I see that heartbeat on our first ultrasound (TOMORROW!) I won’t be convinced.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m petrified.

Absolutely, completely petrified.

Stay tuned for the second installment…