Jude and Luke 2 Months

I can't believe my boys are officially 2 months old as of yesterday. This is probably a phrase I will repeat 1,000 more times as they get older and just replace their new age in there, but its true. When they were born, I could have seriously cried thinking about them growing up... it may or may not have been the hormones b/c I pretty much could have cried at anything! For example, that dumb old spice commercial about turning her boy into a man... got me every.stinking.time.... and its a really dumb commercial. 

My tiny new borns are like real babies now. They are awake and alert more often and they no longer feel so tiny that they might break. And I'm loving it. I'm loving the long stretches of sleep through the night, the way they track us with their eyes and best of all the sweet intentional smiles. However I may or may not be bitter that my granny gets more from them than we do. They love her.

Also, my tiny babies are no longer tiny and are finally higher than a 3% on the charts. They are fattening up thanks to Dr. Williams and Dr. Feliz at LeBonheur for fixing their tummies.

Here are some pictures from our doctor's visit yesterday for their 2 month check up.

Jude weighed 10lbs 2oz

Luke weighed 9lbs 8oz

2 month check up also meant shots. :( I tried to prepare myself for it. I mean both of my babies have had surgery so I've watched them get IV's and get rolled away to be cut open, but still when they cry in pain I just can't help but cry too. I know its good for them. I know its necessary. I wouldn't opt for not having immunizations but still it hurts my heart. They did great though and I tried. They of course screamed as our sweet nurse Brandy gave them the shots but as soon as we picked them up they were fine.

Before:

During:

Gah! It hurts me again just looking at these pictures!

After:

At 2 months they have....

-gone to a couple of Memphis basketball games

-gone on outings to friends and family homes, to a few restaurants and to a sunday night service at church

-had a gazillion pics taken of them

-they love this thing

-been working on tummy time

-gotten carried by my double decker carrying method countless times

-they are on their last leg of sleeping in our room. Here are their beds we use in here. We have loved these rock and plays. At night we alternate, one is on my side and the other is on D's. So we each have a baby. This man to man defense we've got going on works beautifully! Then when he leaves for work he brings the other to my side like this and I'm back to my own zone defense. 

-The boys received the sweetest gift in the mail last week. However we don't know who sent it. And sadly Luke's name is spelled wrong. I love these overalls and they're mud pie so I know they weren't cheap. There was no card or note and the return address is a corporation in Glennville, GA. If you sent them or know who did please let me know b/c I'd love to get Luke's name fixed and send a thank you card!

Also, if I can't find out who sent them, is it possible to fix his name without ruining the overalls?

-Sneak peek of a photo shoot we had yesterday before the dr with Momma Goose Photogrpahy. I snapped this with my phone. I can't wait to see the finished products.

-preparing for disney! I figured they needed practice sleeping in their pack in play so when they have to at disney it will make for smooth sleep filled nights.

Those things on their chests are called "Freddie the Frog." LeBonheur uses them to help babies sleep. They are filled with what feels like sand so it applies a tad bit of pressure to make them feel good and secure. Our boys love them! And we do too because it does help them sleep and it holds their pacis in place. Thank you once again LeBonheur! 

Happy 2 months Jude and Luke!

(You're welcome for all the pics BeBe, Grammy, and Mrs. Melinda :))

2 for 2

At the beginning of the week, we began seeing something all too familiar... spewing. It was Jude this time. We thought it was a fluke, but he did it the next 2 days as well. He did not spew after every feeding but to go from never doing this to doing it 3 days in a row, we knew something was up because this was exactly how Luke's P.S. (pyloric stenosis) started as well.

Our dr. did not even need to see us. He just sent us straight to Baptist for an ultrasound.

The ultrasound tech thought everything looked great so she showed the radiologist the images as we began to pack up Jude to go home. We were relieved it was not the same thing. As we were preparing to leave, the tech came back in our room and said the radiologist does in fact think Jude has P.S. 

We were confused. 

She had just told us he was fine and yet the radiologist is telling us other wise. While talking to the tech, our dr.'s office calls with the results and advises us to go to LeBonheur for a more detailed ultrasound. Come to find out the reason the radiologist thought he most likely had P.S. was because after measuring the pylorus muscle it was borderline positive. This most likely meant that he had the beginning stages. It was so borderline the radiologist at Lebonheur came in and did the ultrasound himself because one minute the pylorus would allow liquids through and then the next it would not. It was not definitive like Luke's was. After getting good measurements and pictures, the radiologist spoke with the surgeon and they agreed Jude was in the early stages of P.S. His condition would only get worse so surgery was our answer. He was such a trooper.

After being at Lebonheur for 8 hours, we were finally given a room to spend the night. Surgery would be the next morning. We were told that they had a lot of surgeries scheduled so it could be mid day before they got to him. Thankfully, he ended up getting scheduled first so at 6:30a.m. Saturday morning, the surgery team came and spoke to us about what to expect and soon we found ourselves once again in pre-op with one of our babies. I wouldn't say it was easy this time but it was easier. I knew what to expact. I knew the surgery was short. I knew I'd get to see him soon. I knew he was in good hands. Still when they wheeled him away I cried. Not sobs, but still tears that my baby was going to surgery. We rounded the corner to get on the elevator to go back to our room. All of a sudden the elevator doors opened and there was Dr. Owen, the boys dr.  He was on call that day and making rounds. He gave me a big hug and agreed that surgery is always harder on us as parents than on our sweet babies... He had been there too.

In what seemed like no time at all, we got the call that Jude was doing great and out of surgery. We could go down and see him. And what a relief it was to get my hands on my baby again.

Soon he was released from recovery. They encouraged me to get in his bed and hold him for the ride up which I of course I did not mind one bit. In fact, it was quite fun.

I was fearful that because he was just in the beginning stages of P.S. that he'd be coherent enough to realize he was hungry and unable to eat for the allotted time which would mean he would just cry. Our boy did great though. He was just as sweet as ever.

Here are some pictures documenting our P.S. adventure. Luke is on top and Jude is on the bottom. Poor Luke's p.s. had progressed much further as you can tell. He was pitiful. And then my chubby Jude doesn't even look like he's sick. Again... so thankful we caught it early so he didn't have to go through all of what Luke did.

So we are now 2 for 2 for pyloric stenosis. I tweeted yesterday, "Pyloric Stenosis: 2 Jerkins Boys: 0." Yes, they had P.S. but thankfully its been fixed and so now... 

Jerkins Boys: 2 

Pyloric Stenosis: 0

A Heart Like His

While on bed rest, a sweet friend gave me this book to read by Beth Moore. I love Beth and the life of David so I knew it would be a great read. Unfortunately it has gotten put down and then picked back up many times and I've yet to finish it. Recently though, I have picked it back up determined to see it completed!

The life of David has so many lessons to teach us. The chapter I read today focused on David's battles. Like David, we too have our own battles. Regardless of the cause, He sees us where we are. I love this reminder from Psalm 10:

14 "But you, God, see the trouble of the afflicted;
    you consider their grief and take it in hand.
The victims commit themselves to you;
    you are the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break the arm of the wicked man;
    call the evildoer to account for his wickedness
    that would not otherwise be found out.

16 The Lord is King for ever and ever;
    the nations will perish from his land.
17 You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted;
    you encourage them, and you listen to their cry,
18 defending the fatherless and the oppressed,
    so that mere earthly mortals
    will never again strike terror."

Beth reminds us too "God has not forgotten. He has seen your battles. He has gathered your tears and blotted your brow. He knows those who have treated you unfairly. He knows when you're almost ready to give up or give in. Keep telling Him. Stay in his word. Keep claiming his promises."

We Will Remember

One of the greatest blessings I'v experienced while on bed rest and while being home on Sundays with our babies, is the the gift of technology. I can still be apart of church services while taking care of my newborns. Yes, I miss being "in church" terribly but I love that I can sit on the bed with our boys and still worship.

This morning I was watching Bellevue's service live on the ipad. They sang this song and I seriously get chills every time I hear it.

We Will Remember

We will remember, we will remember

We will remember the works of Your hands

We will stop and give you praise

For great is Thy faithfulness

You're our creator, our life sustainer

Deliverer, our comfort, our joy

Throughout the ages You've been our shelter

Our peace in the midst of the storm

With signs and wonders You've shown Your power

With precious blood You showed us Your grace

You've been our helper, our liberator

The giver of life with no end

[Chorus]

When we walk through life's darkest valleys

We will look back at all You have done

And we will shout, our God is good

And He is the faithful One

Bridge

Hallelujah, hallelujah

To the one from whom all blessings flow

Hallelujah, hallelujah

To the one whose glory has been shown

[Chorus]

I still remember the day You saved me

The day I heard You call out my name

You said You loved me and would never leave me

And I've never been the same

[Chorus]

Here's a version I found on youtube. 

http://youtu.be/IkpLN4RAK7M

As I sit here thinking about how good God has been to us, I can't help but be grateful. No life has not always been perfect and easy. In fact, we've walked some hard roads, but even those hard times God used them for our good and His glory. Because of this, even through the darkest of times we can say that God was/is still good even if the outcome wasn't what we would have chosen for ourselves. 

So we will remember and.... " we will shout, our God is good and He is the faithful one."