In parenting, I think it is really important to keep your sense of humor, so I will have to say I could not stop laughing at some of these, and some of these are just sooo wrong.
Enjoy!
http://www.c00lstuff.com/1133/Do_s_and_don_ts_with_babies/
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Prayers for the Burgess's
Only four months into being a father, the impact of this weekends tragic event hit hard with me. My prayers and thoughts are with the Burgess's and all families who have experienced the unexplainable loss of a child.
After I found out I sat thinking for quite some time what would I do, would I be strong, would I be strong in my faith, would I ever be able to forgive myself. You hope your answers to those questions is yes, but when it is your child things just become different. You always knew that things would be different when you had your own, but no one could ever prepare you for the level that it affects you. We will never understand the kind of love our God has for us, but the love we have for our children has to be the closest thing to understanding how much God loves us. And seeing the pain and sorrow families go through during loss, gives us a small glimpse of the pain and sorrow that our Father has when he loses one of us, when we turn our back on him. It really does make you evaluate where am I right now.
My heart literally aches for their family, the loss they are experiencing I cannot imagine nor do I ever want to imagine it. I know through everything His Glory is revealed, and I hope that Rick and Sherri found some comfort in that.
I am not the best with words or thoughts in situations like this, but bottom line is people want to ask why, but it is not for us to ask why, it is for us to follow him with blind faith, like the faith of a child. And there is great victory is knowing that Bronner followed Jesus on Saturday night and joined our Father and his son our savior, Jesus Christ, in Heavan.
Bronner Burgess Memorial Donation Site
After I found out I sat thinking for quite some time what would I do, would I be strong, would I be strong in my faith, would I ever be able to forgive myself. You hope your answers to those questions is yes, but when it is your child things just become different. You always knew that things would be different when you had your own, but no one could ever prepare you for the level that it affects you. We will never understand the kind of love our God has for us, but the love we have for our children has to be the closest thing to understanding how much God loves us. And seeing the pain and sorrow families go through during loss, gives us a small glimpse of the pain and sorrow that our Father has when he loses one of us, when we turn our back on him. It really does make you evaluate where am I right now.
My heart literally aches for their family, the loss they are experiencing I cannot imagine nor do I ever want to imagine it. I know through everything His Glory is revealed, and I hope that Rick and Sherri found some comfort in that.
I am not the best with words or thoughts in situations like this, but bottom line is people want to ask why, but it is not for us to ask why, it is for us to follow him with blind faith, like the faith of a child. And there is great victory is knowing that Bronner followed Jesus on Saturday night and joined our Father and his son our savior, Jesus Christ, in Heavan.
Bronner Burgess Memorial Donation Site
The Room
Not many guys ever get to experience the day their wife comes to them and says I want a TV for the upstairs...what you didnt realize in your dazed and confused state is she also said I want new furniture and a new rug as well.
So this Christmas Allyson and I both did not do gifts instead we spent a lot more money than we would have getting gifts and completely redid the upstairs living room. Which included a tv, new couches and a new rug. Since the girls set up (swings, seats, play mat, food source) is all upstairs, it really did make a lot of sense, not to mention the current furniture we had made the room really really small.
So under the guise of the girls we now have a more functional upstairs room, that we now use more often than our downstairs room. All and all it really is a good decision, and we really have enjoyed it.
Then there was this weekend. We are sitting down and settling in for winter storm 2008 :), when the tv just goes off...Great. On any usual day this would be fine, we would just use the other tv till this one got fixed. But this is "The Room" now, and we cannot be denied. So after finding out it would be a min of 10 days to get the tv fixed, i called Wal-mart where I found out they have a 90 day return policy. So the girls loving grandfather at 8:30 at night got up and came over and helped me take the tv off the wall return it and remount the new one. What a granddad!!!!!!! To add guilt to it the next day he got sick...most likely due to standing out in the cold getting that tv packed and unpacked.
While not a big story about the girls..it is a good story about their granddad and how much he loves them and us, plus like we said the room is all about the girls ;).
So this Christmas Allyson and I both did not do gifts instead we spent a lot more money than we would have getting gifts and completely redid the upstairs living room. Which included a tv, new couches and a new rug. Since the girls set up (swings, seats, play mat, food source) is all upstairs, it really did make a lot of sense, not to mention the current furniture we had made the room really really small.
So under the guise of the girls we now have a more functional upstairs room, that we now use more often than our downstairs room. All and all it really is a good decision, and we really have enjoyed it.
Then there was this weekend. We are sitting down and settling in for winter storm 2008 :), when the tv just goes off...Great. On any usual day this would be fine, we would just use the other tv till this one got fixed. But this is "The Room" now, and we cannot be denied. So after finding out it would be a min of 10 days to get the tv fixed, i called Wal-mart where I found out they have a 90 day return policy. So the girls loving grandfather at 8:30 at night got up and came over and helped me take the tv off the wall return it and remount the new one. What a granddad!!!!!!! To add guilt to it the next day he got sick...most likely due to standing out in the cold getting that tv packed and unpacked.
While not a big story about the girls..it is a good story about their granddad and how much he loves them and us, plus like we said the room is all about the girls ;).
Friday, January 18, 2008
I have heard of babies being chick magnets, but...
Short story. We (Allyson, me, Laura and the girls) went out to eat at Olive Garden on Thursday night, as usual we experienced the usual spectacle of having twins. Ah are they twins, boy and a girl (WHAT!!!!! Yes I dress my little boy in pink and put him in a pink carrier!!!!), all the usual comments and uninvited touching of our children. We sat down and had a pretty good meal. Our waiter was around my age, 25-26, was a very good waiter, very attentive and very conversational. We really did not think much of it, but we got up to start leaving, the waiter looked like he was just waiting on us to leave so he could clear the table, but as we walked out he slipped Laura his number, we all got a kick out of it. As the title states, I have heard of babies being a chick magnet but a guy magnet :), I guess Laura might of had something to do with it.
She learned to press the button!
Allyson had to be at work early this morning, so after Hannah woke up we put her in the bed with us, until Leah wakes up. Leah decided to sleep a little later, so I took Hannah and held her in bed until Leah woke up around 5:30. Most of the time at this point we kind of wait till they are really up, because they tend to make noise for quite some time while they wake up. At about 5:40 i hear the music go on from her noise maker in her crib. This is not a new thing, she has been known to push the button when she stretches or kicks her feet. Then the music went off! Great batteries must be dead! Then the music came on again. Then off again, then on again, then off again, then on again. At this point you start to hear a couple koos and what we have defined as her laugh right now. It finally occured to me she has learned to press the button. Now I dont read the books about where they should be developmentally, but this was awesome to me, and heck tonight she might and most likely will forget what the big blue button does, but for a 15 minute period she learned to press the button. As a daddy I could not have been more proud, I wish her mom would have been there to hear it.
Then all that fuzzy good moment ended when she started to scream....it was time to feed!
Then all that fuzzy good moment ended when she started to scream....it was time to feed!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Our future son-in-law
Well our future son-in-law was born late friday afternoon to Ben and Sara Wyrosdick. We are so excited for their new addition! Matt and I figured that baby Isaac would be one of our girls type about 20 years from now. :)
Weighing in at 7lbs, 10oz, he is still a tiny little thing! I guess my girls just seem big now! But he could not be cuter! Everything went well with the delivery and they are now enjoying the first night at home.
Good luck to you both! It is a blast! Love you all!
Weighing in at 7lbs, 10oz, he is still a tiny little thing! I guess my girls just seem big now! But he could not be cuter! Everything went well with the delivery and they are now enjoying the first night at home.
Good luck to you both! It is a blast! Love you all!
Friday, January 11, 2008
My funny addition to the Christmas update.
Since Allyson is showing me up, I figured i needed to post, especially since she missed one of the funniest moments of the holidays...well at least for us it was.
Starting on the Saturday before Christmas, we basically drug the kids all over town, ripping them out of the routine the are used to, i dont use schedule because we are not quite there yet...so we will say routine. They really did great, were troopers the entire time, but on Christmas Eve night, both had officially had enough, especially little Ms. Hannah. We started to pack up the car to leave the Sizemore's and head home, Laura was riding with us since we would all be returning there the next morning. Basically we got them in the car, all is well, the minute the car started to move, the engines revved up, and I am not talking about the car. Hannah was crying at the top of her lungs with basically only breaks to take a deep breath and start all over again. Attempts at the pacifier failed, music failed...so alas you basically have to let her sit there and scream, unless you wanted to pull a Britney Spears or something. From the Sizemore's to our door is about 20 minutes...trust me it felt like at least 60. So we trudged on driving to the house, basically turning the music up trying to drown out the crying, all that did was serve to make my headache worse. No body talked, no singing of Christmas carols, just sat there trying not to pull out our hair, when from the back the only words of the night were spoken by Laura...
"This has to be the longest 20 minutes of my life!"
For some reason this struck us all hilarious and we could not stop laughing. In the stress of that drive, no one talked, no one sang, no one slept...but just one single sentence was said.
It might not sound that funny...but I guess you had to be there, and i am sure most parents can sympathize.
Starting on the Saturday before Christmas, we basically drug the kids all over town, ripping them out of the routine the are used to, i dont use schedule because we are not quite there yet...so we will say routine. They really did great, were troopers the entire time, but on Christmas Eve night, both had officially had enough, especially little Ms. Hannah. We started to pack up the car to leave the Sizemore's and head home, Laura was riding with us since we would all be returning there the next morning. Basically we got them in the car, all is well, the minute the car started to move, the engines revved up, and I am not talking about the car. Hannah was crying at the top of her lungs with basically only breaks to take a deep breath and start all over again. Attempts at the pacifier failed, music failed...so alas you basically have to let her sit there and scream, unless you wanted to pull a Britney Spears or something. From the Sizemore's to our door is about 20 minutes...trust me it felt like at least 60. So we trudged on driving to the house, basically turning the music up trying to drown out the crying, all that did was serve to make my headache worse. No body talked, no singing of Christmas carols, just sat there trying not to pull out our hair, when from the back the only words of the night were spoken by Laura...
"This has to be the longest 20 minutes of my life!"
For some reason this struck us all hilarious and we could not stop laughing. In the stress of that drive, no one talked, no one sang, no one slept...but just one single sentence was said.
It might not sound that funny...but I guess you had to be there, and i am sure most parents can sympathize.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Bless her heart
I have come to realize that having kids changes my perspective on many things. Today I went to work to do an aortic valve at 9am. Of course, after a rough morning and getting to work at 7:45 my case changed to a heart transplant scheduled to start at 11. This is typical. I was excited to be off relatively early today because I was tired and really wanted to come home to nap with my girls. Anyway, we ended up not starting the case until 2:15 so no naptime for me today! Back on the subject, the transplant was for a 5 year old, and she is absolutely beautiful. I have done many heart transplants on children before, but this was my first case on a child since I have been back.
Many emotions went through my head today. I have always been sensitive to the families of these kids. But never have I understood. Of course I saw this little girl before we started and she was very scared. I knew it would all be ok, but I ached so bad for her poor parents. Not the perspective I used to think from. They even had shirts made out for her. I can only relate to how I felt the two short days my Leah was in the NICU with her broken arm. So not a comparison. I cant imagine having to go through that, not only as the patient, but as her family.
The worst thing is that the reason this child needed a new heart is unknown. Its called Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy, meaning the heart gives out and no one knows why. Ive seen it a lot in kids, and even postpartum patients get something similar. Such a scary thing! This is where working in my field is bad - you see and know too much. So today as I did my case I thought of these parents sitting in the waiting room and what they must have been going through as their child went through surgery. A child who not too long ago was a healthy little girl! I thought about it a lot more than I used to.
On top of that, I had to also think of the fact that this heart that we were giving her came from another child out there and that just killed me as well. Those poor parents made it through the new year and then their kid dies. Its horrible. These situations are always bittersweet. A new heart for one baby, and a loss of another.
I am still a bit hormonal, and sorry for the depressing post, but today was a rather difficult day for me. I am happy to say that Dr Kirklin did an amazing job and my patient did wonderfully, as I anticipated. Please pray for the speedy recovery of my patient, whose name I cannot enclose, her famiuly, and for the family who just lost their child. Im just glad everything turned out well, but it is strange how different I think now!
I'm off tomorrow, so I get lots of snuggle/ play time with my girls! I am so looking forward to it!
Many emotions went through my head today. I have always been sensitive to the families of these kids. But never have I understood. Of course I saw this little girl before we started and she was very scared. I knew it would all be ok, but I ached so bad for her poor parents. Not the perspective I used to think from. They even had shirts made out for her. I can only relate to how I felt the two short days my Leah was in the NICU with her broken arm. So not a comparison. I cant imagine having to go through that, not only as the patient, but as her family.
The worst thing is that the reason this child needed a new heart is unknown. Its called Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy, meaning the heart gives out and no one knows why. Ive seen it a lot in kids, and even postpartum patients get something similar. Such a scary thing! This is where working in my field is bad - you see and know too much. So today as I did my case I thought of these parents sitting in the waiting room and what they must have been going through as their child went through surgery. A child who not too long ago was a healthy little girl! I thought about it a lot more than I used to.
On top of that, I had to also think of the fact that this heart that we were giving her came from another child out there and that just killed me as well. Those poor parents made it through the new year and then their kid dies. Its horrible. These situations are always bittersweet. A new heart for one baby, and a loss of another.
I am still a bit hormonal, and sorry for the depressing post, but today was a rather difficult day for me. I am happy to say that Dr Kirklin did an amazing job and my patient did wonderfully, as I anticipated. Please pray for the speedy recovery of my patient, whose name I cannot enclose, her famiuly, and for the family who just lost their child. Im just glad everything turned out well, but it is strange how different I think now!
I'm off tomorrow, so I get lots of snuggle/ play time with my girls! I am so looking forward to it!
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Feeling Thankful
Today was a great day for me. I was supposed to go to work but a case cancelled and that meant I got to be off - since I am on call tonight. Now that Laura is the girls nanny, I actually was able to get a couple things done! I haven't been able to clean house and do laundry without having to worry about the next feeding coming up or who was crying since they have been born and it was really nice. I even took my comforter to the dry cleaners! I know these are small things, but how great is it that we have someone living with us who loves the girls so much and is available to help monday through friday? Of course with me being home today, she didnt have to do anything until 10 am (I had to get ready to go to work, even though I ended up staying home) and I had snuggle time/nap time with both girls at 4 so she basically was done then. Its just a great feeling knowing she is so capable with them so I don't have to worry. What am I going to do when she goes back to school and I have to take my babies to daycare? I guess I will cross that bridge when I get there. So thank you, Laura, for being so great!
I also feel so blessed that I have a husband who is such a huge help. He is working on a contracting job so he is occupied a lot at night for a little while longer, but he always feels so guilty about it - though he shouldnt. We have our bedtime routine and it works perfectly. I give baths and get the girls ready while he has his nightly "duties" : make enough formula for about 10 bottles and get them ready, unload/load dishwasher, make sure there is nothing in the wash, refill the girls humidifier and restock diapers and wipes, lay out the girls pajamas, get their bibs and burp cloths, feed the dogs, and then we both settle in for the last feeding and they go to bed. Kinda seems like he got the short stick huh? Anyway, it works. He is not one of those husbands who wont change a diaper or help out with a middle of the night feeding. He is a little nervous to take care of both girls without any help but luckily he hasnt had to do that much. So thank you, Matt! I love you!
I am starting to remember why I like my job again, but I still would be much happier at home. I guess that is normal. But at least I have this awesome support system! We are very lucky. Going to bed now. I have to do a 9am aortic valve and hopefully it will go a little smoother than the last two cases I have done! Maybe the girls will sleep through this storm until I have to get up at 6. Goodnight!
I also feel so blessed that I have a husband who is such a huge help. He is working on a contracting job so he is occupied a lot at night for a little while longer, but he always feels so guilty about it - though he shouldnt. We have our bedtime routine and it works perfectly. I give baths and get the girls ready while he has his nightly "duties" : make enough formula for about 10 bottles and get them ready, unload/load dishwasher, make sure there is nothing in the wash, refill the girls humidifier and restock diapers and wipes, lay out the girls pajamas, get their bibs and burp cloths, feed the dogs, and then we both settle in for the last feeding and they go to bed. Kinda seems like he got the short stick huh? Anyway, it works. He is not one of those husbands who wont change a diaper or help out with a middle of the night feeding. He is a little nervous to take care of both girls without any help but luckily he hasnt had to do that much. So thank you, Matt! I love you!
I am starting to remember why I like my job again, but I still would be much happier at home. I guess that is normal. But at least I have this awesome support system! We are very lucky. Going to bed now. I have to do a 9am aortic valve and hopefully it will go a little smoother than the last two cases I have done! Maybe the girls will sleep through this storm until I have to get up at 6. Goodnight!
Monday, January 7, 2008
Leah had had enough of the day!
Mom and dad came over last night to play Wii, have some dinner, and visit the girls. Hannah and Leah had been good all day, and of course when they came in, Hannah had a mini meltdown. Mom handed Hannah over to me which in turn forced poor Matt to make dinner.
If you have never played Wii before, it is very entertaining, and Matt and Laura boxing each other is quite hysterical to watch. In any case, everyone had a lot to look at last night and my little Leah always takes it all in.
We try to give baths around 8:30 and their last bottle around 9 so they go to bed around 10. (around being the key word). They eat every 3 hours during the day - like clockwork and will always let you know when they are getting hungry - pretty much on the hour.
So last night Hannah got her bath first. She likes to take her baths with Mommy and really loves stretching out in the water and kicking her feet. She was enjoying her bath and Leah decided she was going to freak out. I mean FREAK OUT. Leah is my laid back baby. Laura has so nicely named her Low maintenance Leah (and High maintenance Hannah). But not last night. I think Hannah was in there going - "girl, what is your problem???" I have never heard a child cry this way. It was a complete temper tantrum. Mom and dad were still here at the time and their perfect "dots" as they call the girls "never cry". Well they heard it for themselves last night! Hannah's bath was shortened, Leah got a very quick one and both bottles were in their mouths within 10 minutes. Needless to say, my parents bolted. A little bit of overstimulation i suppose!
So they both ate well and Leah went down at 10 and slept until 7:45 this morning. Hannah woke up at 4:30 and got to lay in bed with me for a little while. I thought Leah would be waking up shortly after Hannah. Oh well. My little girl had decided that her day was over and it was time for bed. Who would think that they would be able to tell time so well?
A little gross PS: Leah loves the nose sucker. I mean, seriously? She thinks it is hilarious. And I hate to say it, but if anything gets in her mouth or on her lips she could not be more elated. ick. guess it makes that awful task a little better. (I just thought I would gross everyone else out as much as me, since I deal with it every day).
If you have never played Wii before, it is very entertaining, and Matt and Laura boxing each other is quite hysterical to watch. In any case, everyone had a lot to look at last night and my little Leah always takes it all in.
We try to give baths around 8:30 and their last bottle around 9 so they go to bed around 10. (around being the key word). They eat every 3 hours during the day - like clockwork and will always let you know when they are getting hungry - pretty much on the hour.
So last night Hannah got her bath first. She likes to take her baths with Mommy and really loves stretching out in the water and kicking her feet. She was enjoying her bath and Leah decided she was going to freak out. I mean FREAK OUT. Leah is my laid back baby. Laura has so nicely named her Low maintenance Leah (and High maintenance Hannah). But not last night. I think Hannah was in there going - "girl, what is your problem???" I have never heard a child cry this way. It was a complete temper tantrum. Mom and dad were still here at the time and their perfect "dots" as they call the girls "never cry". Well they heard it for themselves last night! Hannah's bath was shortened, Leah got a very quick one and both bottles were in their mouths within 10 minutes. Needless to say, my parents bolted. A little bit of overstimulation i suppose!
So they both ate well and Leah went down at 10 and slept until 7:45 this morning. Hannah woke up at 4:30 and got to lay in bed with me for a little while. I thought Leah would be waking up shortly after Hannah. Oh well. My little girl had decided that her day was over and it was time for bed. Who would think that they would be able to tell time so well?
A little gross PS: Leah loves the nose sucker. I mean, seriously? She thinks it is hilarious. And I hate to say it, but if anything gets in her mouth or on her lips she could not be more elated. ick. guess it makes that awful task a little better. (I just thought I would gross everyone else out as much as me, since I deal with it every day).
Sunday, January 6, 2008
We made it through the holidays!
It has definitely been busy around the McCay household. I know it has been a while since either of us has posted, but there just is not a lot of time that I can sit in front of the computer! I may get better about it though now that I have started work and my sister is our "employee". :) But more on that in a minute.
December was crazy. Thats the best word to describe it. Somehow we did manage to get our Christmas tree up and some other decorations, though we never got around to putting one light up outside. (We were the scrooge house on the street I guess). We did all our Christmas shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond or online. I realized how hard shopping was going to be when Laura and I went to Belk and I put some undershirts in the stroller while I looked at something else and walked right out of the store with them. (Yes I went back and paid for them but we didnt realize it until we walked about 7 stores down).
The girls were especially enamored with the lights on the tree. I was sad to take it down! Santa did not really come for the girls this year. They got a cabbage patch doll since Matt and I took a nice trip to Helen Ga, thanks to my in laws for keeping the girls! But their grandparents were especially generous and we now realize we will have to make the office a playroom sooner than later.
To tell you the truth I did not want Christmas to come because I knew that one week later I would then return to work, so the entire month of December ended up being one big doomsday countdown. I did not think I would have such a hard time with it, since I have always been very career oriented and love my job. Come tuesday, Jan 1st though, the night before my dreaded return, I was bawling because I so did not want to leave my precious angels. On top of that, I was very nervous about actually doing my job after being gone for 4 months!
I started off with a really hard case, and made it through, so i felt a little better. I was definitely rusty but it somehow managed to come back to me. Laura got her first full day of watching the girls. They all did fine, not that I thought there would be a problem since she is a pro at this point.
For the latest news, given the fact that I am always upstairs with the girls, we decided to put a tv above the fireplace and got new furniture for our living room. This is my new room and I am very excited about it. We did end up with a hole in our ceiling from where the audio video wiring guy stepped through it, but it is patched now and soon will be sanded and painted. Other than that the room looks great and the girls have ample room to play and watch Baby Einstein (which they LOVE).
I will try to be more up to date in my postings now since I may have time at work every now and then. Maybe that way I can add more daily stories that are humerous to us. Hard to believe the girls are 3 months old!!! They are growing so fast!
Ok, Hannah is crying now - she is our more needy child. Til next time!
December was crazy. Thats the best word to describe it. Somehow we did manage to get our Christmas tree up and some other decorations, though we never got around to putting one light up outside. (We were the scrooge house on the street I guess). We did all our Christmas shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond or online. I realized how hard shopping was going to be when Laura and I went to Belk and I put some undershirts in the stroller while I looked at something else and walked right out of the store with them. (Yes I went back and paid for them but we didnt realize it until we walked about 7 stores down).
The girls were especially enamored with the lights on the tree. I was sad to take it down! Santa did not really come for the girls this year. They got a cabbage patch doll since Matt and I took a nice trip to Helen Ga, thanks to my in laws for keeping the girls! But their grandparents were especially generous and we now realize we will have to make the office a playroom sooner than later.
To tell you the truth I did not want Christmas to come because I knew that one week later I would then return to work, so the entire month of December ended up being one big doomsday countdown. I did not think I would have such a hard time with it, since I have always been very career oriented and love my job. Come tuesday, Jan 1st though, the night before my dreaded return, I was bawling because I so did not want to leave my precious angels. On top of that, I was very nervous about actually doing my job after being gone for 4 months!
I started off with a really hard case, and made it through, so i felt a little better. I was definitely rusty but it somehow managed to come back to me. Laura got her first full day of watching the girls. They all did fine, not that I thought there would be a problem since she is a pro at this point.
For the latest news, given the fact that I am always upstairs with the girls, we decided to put a tv above the fireplace and got new furniture for our living room. This is my new room and I am very excited about it. We did end up with a hole in our ceiling from where the audio video wiring guy stepped through it, but it is patched now and soon will be sanded and painted. Other than that the room looks great and the girls have ample room to play and watch Baby Einstein (which they LOVE).
I will try to be more up to date in my postings now since I may have time at work every now and then. Maybe that way I can add more daily stories that are humerous to us. Hard to believe the girls are 3 months old!!! They are growing so fast!
Ok, Hannah is crying now - she is our more needy child. Til next time!
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