New year, new things!

I thought it'd be nice to update the blog background and etc for a fresh start to the New Year. On our agenda lately we've been trying to do some decorating to the house. We've been here 2 years and haven't done much since we've been a little busy. So, we've done some painting and moving things around. And, we've been doing a lot of organizing- which I love so much- I'm being serious about that too! It's a good feeling to know that everything has a place, and it makes keeping a straight house so much easier. I think I could make a career out of organizing as I enjoy it that much. I want to start taking pictures of the before and after to mainly see the finished rooms, so maybe I’ll start to post those. We’ve finally finished the 1st room in the house, and it’s Austin’s room. It would be good to have pictures of his nursery one day when the room is different and he is grown.


We’ve all been fighting a cold this week, and after another long sleepless night Wed. night we took the boys to the doctor. Bradley an ear and sinus infection and was put on oral antibiotics. Austin had a bad double ear and sinus infection. His doctor decided to give him 2 shots of Rocephin, a script for oral antibiotics, and refer him to the ENT for tubes. She said the ENT may decide to remove his adenoids too. We go see the ENT on February 8th. Bradley had tube at 10 months, and it was an easy outpatient procedure. We weren’t concerned at all, but Austin is a different story due to his medical history. So, please pray that his lung issues don’t complicate things and we don’t wind up in the PICU again overnight. In the next month Austin has several big appointments coming up in addition to the ENT. He’ll have an ECHO done to see if his PFO has closed. Patent Foramen Ovale is an opening in the heart that should close at birth, but Austin’s didn’t due to his prematurity. He had it last checked at 6 months old. He has an ophthalmology appointment scheduled, follow up from summer, to see how his eyes are doing since he had ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). We’ll have his last Synagis shot, of the season, for RSV. And, in addition to his weekly physical therapy and biweekly early intervention appointment the speech therapist will come out to see why he hasn’t improved with his feeding issues. Speech therapy not only follows speech problems, but any oral issues such as feeding. Austin is talking more and more everyday, so his speech isn’t a problem at all. His vocabulary is up to about 15 words now; it’s just amazing!

Bradley’s soccer season will be starting up in the next couple of weeks. Chris is helping coach again, and there are a lot of the same players on the team as this past fall. Bradley is excited. Practice will start week after next, and the 1st game is on Valentine’s Day. His jersey is white with black, the opposite of last season. And, we’re celebrating Bradley’s birthday early this year to make sure he has a party before Cameron is born. So, that is the 13th and he is super excited about it as he says. He wants a Diego party, because he saw a Diego cake with a compass . . . and that is the whole reason for that theme! Ha ha He also has named off tons of things he wants for his birthday; it’s a little ridiculous considering how much stuff he just got for Christmas.

Every thing continues to go well with Cameron and the pregnancy. My weekly appointments start this Thursday; every Thursday afternoon will be spent that the doctor’s office until Cameron arrives. Still on insulin and doing well with it; slowly having to go up on the dose but that is expected as she and the placenta grow. The kick counts are going well too. I have a ‘Big E’ antibody in my blood, so my titers are drawn once a month to make sure that Cameron doesn’t need a transfusion while in utero. I acquired this by carrying Chris’ child during one of my previous pregnancies; it could have been a live birth or a miscarriage. The titer starts out at 1:1 (it doubles, such as right now it’s 1:2 but next time it could be 1:4) and if it gets to 1:16 you have to have the transfusion or deliver the baby. When I received my transfusions when delivering the triplets they not only had to make sure that I was getting A + blood but it has to have the big ‘E’ too. So, it’s low right now and that is a blessing. We’ve already found out I’m Group B positive, but that hopefully won’t be an issue to due a planned c-section. I’m still taking my weekly progesterone shots (given by Chris in my hip and I swear doctors DO NOT give the best shots! ha ha) to help avoid preterm labor and keep my uterus calm. So, all in all things are definitely going well. I measured 35 weeks, at the appointment this week, so that is 4 weeks ahead since I was only 31 weeks. I’ll be 32 weeks Monday! YAY!!! Bradley continues to talk to Cameron, kiss my belly, and loves to feel and watch her move. He is an awesome big brother! We’ve received Cameron’s bedding, pictures for her wall, her rocking chair, and curtains. We’re waiting for the lamp we ordered and are ordering letters for her room as well. We love the way the room is turning out; it’s bright and cheery!

We’re hoping for some winter weather this weekend. We are going to stay home, snuggle up, and try to all get better! It’s a new year, and it’s going to be great as we add a new addition to our family. We pray the boys continue to grow and thrive. We will assume that our family is complete (unless God leads us in a different direction down the road); we can just sit back and enjoy life, and find our new normal. We even scheduled our 1st family vacation since Bradley was a baby for this summer in Hilton Head. We’re looking forward to picnics, trips to the park and zoo, and the everyday fun of life that we’ve been missing. I want to find a new hobby too, because my current hobby of baby birthing is probably over. Anyone have any ideas? I’m interested in learning to sew, continuing to organize things, love to cook and bake, and open to any suggestions. And, of course we’re anxious to get back to church and hoping that Austin’s restrictions will start to ease up this spring. I want my children to grow up active in all the church activities as I did too. So, stay tuned to the whereabouts of the Wickers!