I Need Your Opinions...

My favorite pastime (besides hanging out with Jeffrey and Jacey) is reading and I feel like I've read everything I can think of. And several times! So I just wanted to know what books there were out there that perhaps I haven't read yet, that anyone would recommend. I can't name all the books I've already read, but just so that I don't get recommended a lot of the same books I have read, here are a few. The Twilight series..in fact I just started again for lack of anything else to read. I've read the Harry Potter series, and I've read many church novels and church series like The Work & The Glory, Children of the Promise, Hearts of the Children etc . I also have read many many Mary Higgens Clark books. So besides those, I would love to get some opinions on other good reads out there! It's the perfect hobby for when there is no housework to get done and Jacey is napping. And also for when Jacey goes down to bed at night and Jeffrey is on the computer for long periods of time. If I have something to read, then we don't fight about him spending time on the computer, but if I have nothing to do, I nag him until he gets off and spends time with me. So books are a win/win situation for us! :) Anyway, I hope that someone out there can help me! Looking forward to getting some feedback!

How stinking lovable is that face??

Today was the LONGEST day ever! Jeffrey and I had a consultation with a pediatric surgeon at the Children's Hospital to go over possibilities of treatment for our baby when she's born. It was over an hour and half and she just FILLED our brains with so much info. She even had a couple of textbooks of anatomy and surgery for babies that she went through with us. We went over every possible scenario and route that our baby could take and what all the different results would or could be and what our options were for treatment. I've got to admit, it scared me a bit. We have been feeling pretty good about our situation lately, her cysts have remained the same size, meaning that as she's growing and her body's getting bigger, her cysts that aren't growing, are actually seemingly getting smaller in her lungs. But from the meeting today, and the things she told us that could happen after birth, even in our case, I'm a little more worried again. But maybe I'm just supposed to be continuing to exercise a little more faith than I have been. And that's okay. This surgeon said that of all the babies she's treated with this problem, she's only lost one...and it wasn't during surgery or anything, it was the family's decision to take her off of support. So that was encouraging. I'm actually not worried that we're going to lose her, just concerned about the condition that she'll be in. And worried about whether it will affect her long term or not. Anyway, there was so much information floating around, that it's too much to share, and in fact, I'm not quite sure if I've kept it all in my head. But after that really really long consultation, in a small, poorly lit, warm room (which Jeffrey almost dozed off in a few times...you know, the eye crossing doze) we had an ultrasound. But that took much longer than normal because the tech couldn't get a good picture of the lungs. So she tried for a while, unsuccessfully and then we waited forever for the doctor to come in and do it herself. She finally found an okay shot, wasn't the best, but she was at least able to make a measurement of the cysts. Which is what we needed. Apparantly, her spine was casting a shadow over the lower part of her lung, which was exactly where we needed to be looking. Silly girl. It's actually been really fun to have so many ultrasounds (besides the actual reason why we need them). Because we get to see her growing and developing so much more. She is always sticking her tongue out, or licking her hands, and she yawns all the time. It's so fun to watch her!! But ultrasounds are really hard for me. I have wicked bad SI joint pain and laying on my back for an hour or more really really hurts. So I've been limping around all afternoon with sharp shooting pains up and down my leg and back. It's lovely! :) At least I'm not using canes like my sister eventually had to. :) I hope it never gets that bad. Well, that was my long day of appointments. I usually only have one at a time, but today they were lumped together. I feel so pampered though. I've met so many people and doctors and they each seem to take our case very seriously and personally. I know that they'll be doing and have been doing all that they can to make sure our little girl is okay! It's a nice feeling!

At Last!!

We have finally gotten a new computer and I can blog again!! Ours broke way back in the fall and I've had to only blog when I was at someone else's house. Which was so annoying! And I couldn't load any pictures...and now I can! Happy day!

Nothing too exciting has happened lately. We bought Jacey one of those little kids plush chairs. It's Lightning McQueen from Cars. He LOVES it. He has figured out a method to sit in it, he steps up with one foot, sits on it, then turns around and kicks his feet out. It's so fun to watch him. He is getting so big and talking so much. We understand practically nothing, but there are some definite phrases that are different and regular. One day we'll get it. Pretty much we understand "what's that" and that's about it. He says that all the time and to everything. Over and over again. And over again. He's very curious!


So the other night, Jeffrey was taking the garbage that had collected over the week from outside the back door and he was going to bring it through our house, upstairs and to the front lawn where it would be collected the next morning. And as soon as he got it in the back door, he kind of jumped, made some kind of noise (I would say screamed, but he'd be embarrassed) and dropped the bags. I thought it was a spider and since I'm not afraid of those, I went over to kill it. But when I went around to see what it was, a lovely, little brown mouse scurried from the bags and ran under our microwave (yes, we have a microwave on the floor in our living room..still no kitchen). Well, I AM afraid of mice, so I screamed and grabbed Jacey and jumped up on the couch. For the next 20 minutes or so, we watched the mouse run from the microwave to behind our TV stand. We were trying to figure out how to trap it so that Jeffrey could kill it. (We're not about "saving" the little critters and putting them back outside..they'd just find their way back in again). Anyway, we somehow didn't notice that the mouse was no longer under the microwave or the TV stand. But it soon ran out from behind the fridge across the room and into the bottom of our computer desk. From there it ran into Jacey's room under his crib!! Don't ask me why we didn't block the other rooms off before this, we were really dumb!! Anyway, Michael and Melinda got home then and Michael and Jeffrey took most of everything out of Jacey's room and then we locked them in and blocked the floor under the door with a towel and said that they couldn't come out until the mouse was dead. So Melinda, Jacey and I were safely videoing the event from outside the room. Wow, I just realized that normally, they would be regular doors that you can't see through, so we would have missed it all, but they're glass, french doors, so we got to see them freak out everytime the mouse took a run for it! It took a while, but finally the boys set up a trap for the mouse and it worked and a big wooden board fell on the mouse and it died. And thank goodness there was no blood. I was prepared for that, and I would have been happier with a bloody mess to clean up than a mouse in our house. But luckily, there wasn't any. We have some video footage of the mouse after it died, but I probably won't post it, that would be mean. It was sad that he had to die, but he chose the wrong house to come into. I was so grateful that they killed him though, cause if they hadn't, I was not going to be sleeping there until it was gone. I got used to a lot of bugs and gross things on my mission, but since we lived in the third story of a house, mice weren't something that I came across at all. At least inside. Give me spiders, cockroaches, geckos..I can handle those, but not mice! Anyway, glad that's all over with!


Here are a few pictures of Jacey. It's been a long time since I've posted recent pictures of him. He's getting so tall, but is still so skinny. He's walking like crazy and climbing up on things too. He has so much energy and it's exhausting for me to chase him around. I don't know how I'm going to handle 2 babies at the same time! I may regret it. Just kidding, not really, but it will be hard. My hat goes off to those of you that already are doing it, and especially to Crystal with her twins! :) Can't imagine!

Jacey and his beloved Jean-Jacques. He always manages to get into this basket somehow. I wanted to have Jeffrey photoshop this picture before he went to work, but he didn't have time, so I attempted to do it. Jeffrey helped me over the phone, but I totally made Jacey's feet look fake and fuzzy. I tried! Sorry to disgrace the art Jeffrey. :)

Now here's the real deal...Jeffrey did this one. I love that little man Jacey and his tongue!! Whenever he grows a new tooth, he plays with it with his tongue. So cute!

Update

It's been a while since I've blogged anything important.  Our computer (or the one we're borrowing from Brett) was not working forever, and now that it is, we can't get the internet to work.  So I'm doing this quickly on Kandice's laptop and don't have any pictures to post.  Sorry.  I don't even know what to say.  I don't feel like anything overly exciting has happened lately.  But even as I typed that, I had 3 or 4 things come to mind that actually are exciting, so I lied.  

Firstly, our unborn baby girl is doing really good, considering. The cysts are still there and haven't shown signs of regressing, but they're not growing either..so that's good. And since she's growing, her lungs are getting bigger and the cysts are no longer taking up all the space in them, so by the time she's born, they may not affect her breathing.  That's what we're praying for.  Because if that's the case, they won't have to do surgery on her and they can just watch the cysts for a while and take action later on, when she's bigger and stronger.  So yay!!  Good news for us and her!!  It's been tiring going to all the ultrasounds and extra appointments for her, but obviously, I would do anything to make sure she is healthy, so it's all worth it.  I had and MRI which was a little scary.  I'm kind of claustrophobic, so I had to close my eyes and pray and focus on Jacey and Jeffrey to keep my mind occupied.  I made it through though, obviously, and they got some good pictures of the baby.  So it was all worth it.  We have a meeting with the neo natal doctor and pediatric surgeon next week to discuss all the birth plans/possibilities.  I'm excited for that just so I know what to expect.  

Secondly, our kitchen is FINALLY being worked on!!!  We have a contractor working on it everyday, and we got a really good deal with him.  It's slow going, but it's going and that's all that matters.  :)  I still can't believe that I'm actually going to have a kitchen, so I'll be really happy when it does happens, but for now, it's fun to think about!!  

Thirdly, hmm...I forget what was third.  Oh I guess Christmas and everything that happened then.  It was so fun to have Heather & Gannon and their two kids home for almost an entire month!!  It's so fun to hang out with them and be with them again.  We can't wait till they actually live here again!!  Soon!!  I loved playing with their kids...as always, but Nixon this time was more interactive with me than he's ever been.  He's gotten more used to us from all his visits and I'm happy to say he would actually snuggle me and want to play with me.  He also gave me my second nickname in the Palmer family.  It's Elimy.  He learned to say my name and I loved hearing him yell it out when he would see me.  Madi gave me my first one when she was learning to say my name.  It's Em-errrly.  It was also so fun for Jacey to have his cousins around to play with.  Nixon inspired him to walk and he loved following him around.  Except for when Nixon wanted to "play" with him and ended up making him cry instead.  Nixon plays with Madi normally and has learned a few rougher games than a one year old would enjoy.  Jacey will have to grow a year or two and then "play" with Nixon.  Pay back time!  For the actual Christmas Eve and Day, we split the time as evenly as we could between the Drapers and the Palmers.  We had some yummy food and some entertaining nativity pageants.  Christmas morning we started out at my mom and dad's, we had slept over the night before.  Jacey woke up with a pretty high fever.  He was energetic enough to enjoy opening a few gifts, but he pretty much slept that whole day and the next.  Poor guy.  We got some really nice stuff.  One of the best, most meaningful gifts I've ever received was the one my parents gave us.  It was a copy of my Grandma Wood's journal. She has faithfully kept a journal since 1978 (maybe 1977, I forget right now).  There are 10 volumes.  And she was one faithful lady!!  Already she has changed my attitude in moments when I was completely unhappy during the day and she has just been so inspirational.  Plus, I just love reading her words and feeling close to her again!  She was and is the best grandma and I love her so much and I miss her incredibly.  Anyway, it was a wonderful gift.  Other wonderful gifts, not in the same genre, just to name a few: a BEAUTIFUL winter coat that Jeffrey picked out all by himself, he has the best taste..always has; a video baby monitor from Cyndi and Kevin.  It already has become too good to be true and I can't imagine ever not having it, nor will I ever go back to only audio; a carpet spot cleaning machine, it sounds like a weird gift, but I did request it and I am very excited to have it!!  Not having had a kitchen and from eating in the living room with a one year old, I'm tired of being on my hands and knees scrubbing spills and stains, so I'm happy about it; Jacey got lots of toys and clothes, he loves them all, he's a spoiled little boy!  His favorite was a drum set with little instruments in it.  He walks around our house with his drumstick and hits everything he possibly can.  It's cute, but slightly annoying.  Especially when he decides to whack my head with it.  It actually really hurts; we got lots more, but I can't remember anything specific, but we were treated well, that's for sure!  

Fourthly, Jacey must have made a New Year's Resolution to not crawl anymore, because January 1st, he just took off walking.  Which I credit to Nixon.  He was doing it every once in a while, but not very confidently.  He would just resort back to crawling, but from January 1st on, he's only been walking and very well.  He's fast now too.  Especially when he's headed towards something he shouldn't be and we're trying to stop him.  He practically runs for it!  It's fun, but SOO much more work for us.  Especially me, it feels, because I'm geting more and more pregnant and my hips and back are losing it.  So it's hard on my physically to chase him and keep him safe.  But he's so adorable and I love seeing him progress and learn.  He's had such a bad month for his health.  He was sick on his birthday, then sick on Christmas Day and for about 3-4 days after that.  Then he had 3 teeth come in at once and 2 more try.  Now he's been dehydrated and has had zero appetite.  Poor guy.  His sleeping habits have gone out the window and I'm trying to let him cry himself to sleep again, so that he learns to sleep through the night again.  It's hard and my heart hurts to hear him cry, but it's so much more worth it once he learns!  

Fifthly, Ryan & Jessica Salmon and their little baby girl, Madeleine have moved to Calgary from Utah.  They are Jeffrey's cousins.  The Salmons used to live here many years ago, some of you may remember them.  I don't, but I would have been TOO little.  They are renting out Michael & Melinda's condo and it is so fun having them here!  We always hang out at Palmers with them and we have loved it!  Madeleine is a DOLL.  She is the most delicate, precious little baby.  She seriously looks like a porcelein (sp?) doll.  Beautiful!  And she's so smiley and good.  

Sixthly, (and by the way, these are not in order of importance, but in order of occurance) Crystal and Jonathan are moving back to Calgary!!!!  I can officially say it now that Crystal's blogged it herself.  I am ecstatic to have her back in Calgary.  We haven't lived in the same city since 2003, so it's time!!  It will be so fun to hang out with their family.  Especially for me and Crystal, cause we will get to do things with our kids during the day!  I can't wait!!  They're moving in about a week and half, and I couldn't be happier about all of the wonderful circumstances regarding their return home!  :)    

Well, that is all that I can think of right now.  I'm sure more things have happened, and I apologize if I forgot something significant.  It wasn't on purpose.  Life is good overall.  I can't wait to have my baby so that I can actually lie down in bed and not be paralyzed from the pain.  It seems so far away.  Anyway, hope everyone's settled down in the New Year routine again.  Sad that the holidays are a year away.  :(  That's the worst part of Christmas..the end.  Well, I better go.  We're trying to play a game, and I'm being a bum and hiding behind the computer.  Ta ta!!

I just had to do this because I thoroughly enjoyed Alysha's!!!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car)-

Suzy Venture

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)-

Chocolate Peanut Butter

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)-

E Pal

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)- 

Green Dog

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)- 

Clarice Calgary

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first)-

Palem

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink)- 

The Brown Root Beer

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers)- 

Leland Lloyd

9.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names )- 

Gaye Leroy 

10. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter)- 

Beddoes Boston

11. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower)- 

Summer Daisy

12. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”)- 

Banana Pantsy

13. HIPPY NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree)- 

Yogurt Mango

14. YOUR ROCKSTAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”)-

The Reading Rain Tour

Best Buds

First thing I want to say is HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACEY!! He turned ONE on Thursday. It's crazy how fast that year went. But when I think about the first 4 months, it seemed really slow. So just the last half of the year I guess. We had a little birthday party for him that night with cake and ice cream and a few gifts. We had Michael & MeIinda and Mark & Emily over. We are having family parties next week, there are a few birthdays in the family on both sides this week. Jacey was so fun to watch play with his gifts and it was even more fun to watch him enjoy us singing Happy Birthday to him. He smiled at each one of us in turn, it was so cute!! Sad thing about that day was how sick he was. He had a burning fever all that night and hardly slept. We took him to the doctor on Friday for his one year checkup, and he seemed to be better. Now he just has a really runny nose and doesn't sleep. Fun!

Well, I figure I better make a quick update on the latest news in our life. Last Friday, I was going to a regular checkup of our unborn child, and was quite shocked to find out that they had been desperately trying to get ahold of us for a few weeks with some news about something they found in the ultrasound. They couldn't reach us though because I dropped my phone in apple juice and it died. Coordinated, I know. Anyway, they found that our baby's right lung is filled with cysts, both large and small. The doctor said she had never come across a case like this, however statistics show that 70% of these babies will live when they're born. So Jeffrey and I have been to the Maternal Fetal Medicine clinic to meet with more doctors and have more ultrasounds and tests. They confirmed the cysts in the lung, and found that the heart has some extra fluid around it and has been slightly tilted to the left. If the cysts grow, it could in time shift the heart more and squish the left lung, causing the only healthy lung to not work when the baby is born. That hasn't happened yet, but we will have frequent ultrasounds to make sure the heart and left lung stay okay. We have an ECHO (?) which is a detailed ultrasound of the heart to make sure there are no signs of heart failure and also we will have an MRI to get a clearer picture of the lungs. After we have all this info, we will meet with a neo-natal (spelling?) surgeon and a pediatric surgeon to come up with a birth plan for the baby and discuss all of the options for probable complications. They say that sometimes these cysts will go away on their own, either before or after birth, but if not, they will have to do surgery of some sort, I'm not sure. Of all the doctors we've talked to so far, not one has ever dealt with this condition personally, so it's new to them all. Not the most reasurring thing ever, but we know that we are blessed to live in a time when there are lots of things that the medical world can offer. We're doing pretty good now with all of this news. After the initial shock and worry, we are feeling pretty calm and good about everything. Obviously whatever happens will be what the Lord has in store. The reason I'm blogging this is to just ask that those who feel so inclined, if they might keep our little baby girl in their prayers. The power of prayer is real, and we know that miracles happen all the time, which is what we're hoping for. :) Hope everyone's having fun getting ready for Christmas and enjoying the festive spirit that is so apparant this time of year!

The Boy is Walking!!!!

He's done it!!! Jacey took his first official walk this evening while Melinda & Michael were babysitting him! We had Jeffrey's work Christmas party tonight (which was a rather risqué Stage West production...but good food) and M & M graciously watched Jacey for us. Apparantly, (if I've got the story right) out of nowhere, he walked towards the TV from the couch, turned the TV off and turned around. Then when M squared started clapping for him, he joined in and clapped too!! They were so kind as to grab their camera and get a few clips of him walking for us! We were so excited to hear about and see it! They were a little hesitant to tell us about it at first, not sure if we'd be sad we missed the first time, but we were just excited! And happy that they got to witness it for us! Seriously, we were just so happy!! I wanted to cry! We were joking about it, and we said it was like Jacey had been practicing walking behind our backs while in bed or something and was waiting to give "it" to us for Christmas and he was just showing Michael & Melinda his surprise for us in advance! Well, he forgot to tell them to keep it a secret, because we know now! :) Well, here are a few clips of the best walking they got. One of them is sideways for a bit, but be patient, it flips back around again. He's so cute and we couldn't be prouder of him!! We can't wait for tomorrow morning to get him up and make him show us his new trick. I hope he remembers how to do it! Ah!! He's so cute!!! Enjoy this...we sure did!!

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