Adventure Time: The Big Snip and The Big Plunge

18 weeks today. Woot!

I had every intention updating the entire world about Spencer's circumcision as soon as we got home Friday morning (and I'd just like to note that before most people had even gotten up, my sister and I had an entire DAY). But I wanted to focus all of my attention of the little patient. It was an intense day for both of us but he was far braver than I!

We got to Rainbow Babies hospital at 6:00am to check-in and then went up to Pediatric Surgery. The waiting room was already filled with little ones and their families but Spencer was the smallest of all. A lady couldn't believe how much hair he had and said he looked like a Gerber baby. Cute. It was good to have my sister for emotional back-up (I think if Todd REALLY knew how intense it was, he would've been there but they made it seem like a breeze) because it was a lot more involved than I thought.

Spencer was pretty much a sweetie pie until his name was called, even though he was getting fussy from fasting. When they called us back, I got him in his tiny hospital gown and the nurse, whom he flirted with, took his vitals. The Anesthesiologist explained that they would use gas first to make him fall asleep, and an IV would KEEP him asleep (they taped his eyes shut...frown), a tube would be placed down his throat to control breathing, and a caudal block would go in his back to help control his pain afterwards. This flooded me with guilt and anxiety. It's an elective procedure. He could've lived without it. This was my doing. I was to blame.

I met his surgeon who was friendly and really put me at ease. Then the next thing I knew, a resident was carrying Spencer and his robot pal off to surgery. I was given a pager in case there was an emergency and Sherry and I headed to the cafeteria for a snack and then back to the waiting room. Before I knew it, his doctor came out and announced to the entire waiting room, "The weiner is straight!". Imagine me blushing wildly here.

Here is a tidbit to maybe make you blush or squeal in your seat. Spencer's foreskin was so tight that it was impossible since birth to ever get a good look at what was going on under the hood. It could've been totally crooked or blue for all we knew. During the circumcision was the first time anyone had actually seen his business. And business was good! He does have a condition (the name escapes me) that basically means the hole of his penis the teeeeeniest bit low. He could've done surgery to correct it but it would've been a 3 hours procedure and a week in a catheter. He made the executive decision to veto that and I agree. He said no one would EVER notice and some doctors would argue that he doesn't even HAVE that condition. So who cares? Why am I even telling you?

We got to go back to recovery and there was my sobbing fella. He sounded different, probably from the tube they had pulled out, and was flushed. I held him and gave him his very 1st juice bottle. He eventually calmed down and chugged it...and then threw up all over my hands from a combination of anesthesia and drinking too fast. Poor guy! But it was OVER and I got to take my stoned little dude home.

He was awake and babbling slowly the entire ride home. I laid him on his floor blanket in order to change his diaper and he rolled right over and got down to playing! They aren't kidding about kids bouncing back quickly. I wouldn't have much get-up-and-go if I had stitches in my nether regions! So I changed the diaper and got the 1st look at the goods. No more "noodle penis" as Aunt Phoebe so affectionately called it. The stitches were scary but he was officially circumsized! After a few minutes, he let me know he needed some mommy time and we snuggle up in the bed for a good post-surgery nap!

  

He has plenty of visitors that night and was his old self the next day! CASE CLOSED!

Yesterday, he was my date to the wedding shower of my rad friend Erin and her hubby-to-be, Josh. I never realize how much I miss and adore my friends until I'm around them again. Being a pregnant mom to an infant makes it harder for me to get out and about as much as I'd like. But they're a good bunch for sure. I can't wait for this June wedding...and not just because they're having a taco bar! They're an awesome couple and she deserves all the happiness in the world. And they deserved a cotton candy machine, so that's what I got them (and a sno-cone maker and mini-donut press...I always try to go off registry).

Affectionately flirtin with Aunt Carol.

The lovely couple.

Putting the moves on Aunt Karen.

Trying to cop a feel off Aunt Erin.

So it was a busy weekend leading me into HELL WEEK (and Hell Week has begun with a pregnancy side affect I'm not even going to tell you about here)! More appointments than I can shake a stick at, whatever that means. I think once I get through Wednesday and know if he has to start Occupational Therapy (I hope not, I hope not, I hope not) and if the specialist is going to be a biiiiitch and make me sob uncontrollably in the parking garage again...I think I'll be OK. The rest of the week, while busy, is fun stuff. We get to see Baby Sullivan again and get some new snapshots! Always exciting.

So wish me luck and plan on seeing a lot of blathering this week!

GOOD MORNING!

Blather: A Little Whine To Go With My Cheese

Let me kick this off by saying that I am 100% thankful and thrilled not to feel as crummy as I had at the beginning of this pregnancy. Life is so much easier to manage without a Zofran pump, infected puncture sites, an IV stuck in my hand, no appetite, no energy, and no will to participate in life. I am so very grateful that disaster has passed and I'd take pretty much anything over that mess.

BUT...I am going to bitch-n-moan anyway!

I hurt. A lot. My back, from neck to tailbone, and my hips. Yesterday it was so bad that I was laying on the floor with my can in the air (like a cat when it stretches), and I had great difficulty getting up. Spencer was zero help. He just smiled at me in my agony. The pain and discomfort is currently radiating around to my ribs which makes breathing sort of lame. This whole cocktail of nastiness makes it a major pain to sit, stand, sleep, and hula hoop, I'm assuming. I know it'll pass as I went through the same this with Spencer, but I'm spending more hours of my day trying to NOT hurt that I am doing anything else.

Todd has tried to be comforting, asking what he can do, but there really isn't much. I could probably go get a pre-natal massage but I have always been anti-massage. The idea of some stranger tenderizing your meat is creepy. No thank you. I've been sleeping on my left size with a pillow between my knees but maybe it's time to bust out the body pillow. It didn't really work wonders last time...but I also don't think I needed it then like I do now.

Every time I rotate, it's like someone's popping bubble wrap. Gross.

And feeling physically lousy makes you feel mentally lousy. Spencer is eligible for secondary health insurance because he has a medical handicap (the Leukemia garbage). This would cover our co-pays and anything NOT covered by our primary health insurance. Getting all that stuff squared away is a nightmare full of paperwork, photocopies, phone calls, and stress. And dealing with the SSI nonsense? It's enough to bring me to tears. And I'm already crying about my rickety BONES! GRRRR!

Next week, from Wednesday to Monday, Spencer has 4 appointments, I have 2, and we have a family function and home projects. I've already dubbed it HELL WEEK because that's a LOT on a little boy and his pregnant mama. You will probably get to see my stress slathered all over this blog DAILY next week. So be prepared for...anything and everything, I guess.

But no matter how crummy I'm feeling, this face can cheer me up. Every. Time.

Time to for my hourly "walk it off" session.

Just The Facts: A Little Bit Of This and A Little Bit Of That

And now, this blog presents A CURRENT LIST OF FACTS:

-My pregnancy boobs have arrived. Welcome back, old pals. You rule.

-My pregnancy hair seems to be semi-"back". It's shiny and bouncy, just not as thick as it was. I lost a LOT of hair after Spencer (which I didn't know actually goes hand-in-hand with pregnancy and was NOT prepared for). And while I don't typically pimp products, may I suggest Pantene Aqua Light shampoo and conditioner? Heaven.

-I am addicted to Solitaire again, just like I was when I was preggo with Spencer.

-Also like when I was preggo with Spencer, Dr. Nightmare cozies up to the bump (if you can call it that) every night. She is once again the Protector Of The Bump. I thought she would despise Spencer when he arrived because she's so skittish, but she's very sweet with him. Maybe she's getting soft in her old age.

-I know I said I didn't pimp products, but Baby Lips lip balm by Maybelline is my new favorite thing. My lips are plump and can get dry. This stuff said it would give me a healthier pout in 4 weeks and it didn't lie. It's a product I can no longer live without.

-My sister offered to go with me to Spencer's circumcision on Friday and I'm taking her up on it. No matter how routine they say it is, I'm still going to be a wreck knowing my best pal is under anesthesia.

-Speaking of my best pal, I'm not sure why but from Thursday onward he started doing BOATLOADS of new things: babbling new sounds (mama and baba!!), leaving his chest on the floor but standing up on his legs, using his legs to propel himself forward, inching himself in complete circles on the floor, looking to where mommy and daddy are when asked, rolling several times in a row, rolling to chest, then back to belly, then back to chest, spending more time independently entertaining himself...just so many new things. It was really incredible and made me a proud mama, indeed.

-At his monthly visit from his nurse, she said she would like to clone me due to all the effort I put in (awwww shucks) and that the effort is truly paying off. Any time they said that we MIGHT start seeing some delays, Spencer blew right through them. She assured me that he is not behind in any area and said he has made consistent progress since birth. She also noted that he is REALLY motivated both to communicate and get on the move. I love that kid. He's amazing.

-Speaking of being on the move, I can officially feel Sullivan. This boy is a night owl for sure. Every time I wake up during the night, my little maniac is doing his gymnastics!

-I wish my pregnancy dreams would stop. Not because of content. I just want unbroken sleep.

-I can't stop watching the show "I'm Pregnant and...". So far, I've watched I'm Pregnant and...a little person, a stripper, have OCD, have an eating disorder, might be having a dwarf, am 55 years old, am homeless, a truck driver. It's a fascinating show.

-Our anatomy scan is next week. We already know it's a boy but it'll be great to see him again on the big screen. Our office offers the 3D ultrasounds so that's totally exciting. At his last 3D scan, he looked like a Gummi Bear.

-"The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" was a combination of a waaaaaaaay too drawn out movie and a porno. I need to stick a brush in my ear and clean my brain. "We Bought a Zoo" was far more acceptable.

-The basement remodel is ALLLLLMOST done (and it's really going to be RAD) and will be followed by the half bath and then Aiden's room. I've decided to get rid of my art desk. It was a tough decision but I can make art anywhere. Todd wishes I was doing more projects and I'll eventually get a smaller desk that makes more sense. Point is, we're moving along. I'm 17 weeks now and since I'm not going the full distance, I'll be half way next week. Lots to do...little time.

-At 17 weeks, Sullivan is about the size of an apple, is beginning to hear sounds, and his organs are now well-developed. His kidneys are creating urine. Hooray for urine!

-I officially have Pregnancy Brain. I keep putting non-food items in the fridge.

AND...that's all for now, folks.

Blood Clots: The Fun Never Stops Over Here

If you're a regular reader, you know that I've been spotting ever since out CVS produre on March 22nd. That's a lot of days to be bleeding when you shouldn't be (though Phoebe holds the record on that one). Spencer has his 1st official cold, poor guy, so I ducked out of work early to scoop him up. I figured since I was leaving early, I'd give my OB/GYN a call and see if I should be concerned about how long I've been spotting.

I figured she'd say it's really nothing but as it turns out, she was a little uncomfortable with how long the bleeding had been going on (let me stress that the spotting is VERY light but it is happening daily). She wrote an order for an ultrasound and I was off to the hospital immediately. Todd left work and met Spencer and I there.

Seeing and hearing the baby's heartbeat was a welcome start to the appointment. The heart rate was slower than last time (from 163 beats to 148) but the nurse said that was still perfectly normal, and Todd said he could've been snoozing. They did both an external and internal ultrasound...my first go with one of those, so fun...and I got to see my little man, who is about 4.1 inches now, swimming about. He turned toward us so we got some new pics of his face. His currently creepy-cute monster face.

Overall, everything is good with Sullivan. He's away from the cervix which I guess is what they want. However, it seems that I have a blood clot right above said cervix. I had one when they did the CVS but I'm guessing this is a new one. He said he wouldn't be too worried about it as it will probably pass or absorb in a few weeks (the same thing I was told about the 1st blood clot which is why I think this is a new bastard...it's in a new location and the old one should be long gone). I have an anatomy scan scheduled for Sullivan in 2 weeks so they'll check it out again them to make sure everything is A-OK.

PRESCRIPTION: Rest and no heavy lifting, per usual.

So hopefully that pesky sucker will be gone by the next scan. As long as my baby boy, who I think I've felt move 2 more times, is doing alright in there, then everything is gravy. And hopefully my Spence Baby will shake this cold thing. He's been sweet as pie but just hasn't totally been himself. His eyes are all glazed and he does this half smile thing...looks like he's been watching too many Cheech and Chong movies. It's going to be beautiful today so maybe some time outside with his buddy's at the babysitter's will do him good!



The Date Is Set: A Little Procedure For Spencer, A Lot of Stress For Mommy

As I mentioned yesterday, Spencer went to the Pediatric Urologist for a pre-circumcision check-up. The date has been set. I'll be taking my little fella downtown next Friday, the 27th for the big show. He's supposed to have a re-evaluation with Occupational Therapy that day but they were kind enough to reschedule. So many appointments for such a small guy. He has SIX next month.

He's a trooper, indeed.

People have a lot of opinions on circumcision and that is fine.Life would be boring if everyone thought alike. We had planned to have the procedure done on Day 2 of Life, when most baby boys have it done, but a wrench was thrown in the works. Since we always intended for him to have the procedure, we're following through with it. But my stomach is still in knots that he has to go under General.

But Todd really liked the doctor so that helps ease my brain. He was very comfortable with him and couldn't say enough nice things...so I feel comfortable. He kept stressing that it's JUST skin, and that's true. It's not like he's having a kidney transplant or something. The doc said that yes, he has to go under General but it really isn't that big of a deal. The entire shebang will take 30 minutes and he will be healed up and ready to rock in 2 days.

"All healed up and ready to hit the town. Look out ladies" - Aunt Wendy

Even my friend Natalie, who just finished her OB rotation in nursing school, said that she had previously been 100% anti-circumcision. But after seeing about 1,000 recently, she knows it's truly no big thing. Still, when your child is going to be in pain...even a tiny amount...HORRIFIC. I'll be glad when it's over and done with.

And I'll be even HAPPIER if both the hospital he was born at and the NICU he stayed at would take "CIRCUMCISION" off my bills from August 2011, seeing as he hasn't even had the procedure yet!

Dummies.

16 Weeks: Chilling With Sully and a Circumcision For Spencer

I am 16 weeks along with little Sullivan today. I'm enjoying a nice, boring stretch of pregnancy. I'm not tossing my cookies, I have a little bit of energy during the day, and the spotting SEEMS to be coming to an end. I'm having a lot of pregnancy dreams and I'm far thirstier than usual but overall, I'm enjoying things being a little on the dull side as we approach mid-pregnancy (since my pregnancy will only last 38 or 39 weeks)

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Nice beige bra, I know. My cans have blown up so my options are limited.

Today, my baby boy is going with his Dad to the Pediatric Urologist for a pre-circumcision check-up. We had planned on having this done after he was born but unfortunately, some of his health issues caused a set back. With his platelets being so low and his infection-fighting white blood cells being pretty much non-existent, it had to be postponed. Now that all the numbers are in his favor, he should be able to get snipped. I COULD put it off but I want to do it know when I know he won't remember because...who would want to remember THAT?? The thing that keeps eating away at me is that he'll have to go under general anesthesia. I despise the thought of that. Poor boogieman.

On Friday, Todd and I took the little guy to the aquarium. The place left a lot to be desired, especially for the price (but we did get a free family photo!). It seems like it was just thrown together in order to open, though the Touch Tank and shark exhibit WERE AMAZING. But I loved every second of it because Spencer was SO INTO IT. It blew my mind.

I really thought it was more that Todd and I were going and Spencer would just be there, cruising along with us in his stroller. Well, I don't know if it was the lights or the water or the movement of things swimming by but he followed every fish, focused on every creature, was transfixed on every glimmer of light. It was incredible. And even more incredible was that you could tell what things he was REALLY interested in (stingrays and eels). I don't know what I was expecting, exactly, out of an 8 month old but it was fantastic to be a part of and makes me even more excited for summer activities with him.

And for posterity, let me note that I THINK I felt Sullivan move this weekend. It felt like the little flutter I remember from Spencer but it happened once and so quickly that I can't be sure. It would really put my mind at ease if he would start rocking out!

Let's Freak Out: Worrying Is What I'm Good At

I randomly Googled "Should I be concerned that I'm not showing yet?" and a bazillion articles about Mitt Romney saying, "I'm not concerned about the very poor" came up. If you were running for President, why would you say something stupid like that out loud and TO THE PRESS? Even if you meant it, that's probably something you should bury deep inside until the election is over. It makes you seem like one of those cartoony guys who blows his nose in $100 bills.

Of course, I didn't read the whole article. It wasn't what I was looking for.

I was looking at the blog I kept while I was preggo with Spencer and took note that I felt him move around 16 weeks which is where I am right now. Then, from pictures, I saw the noticeable belly I had at 16 weeks...and even at 14 weeks. I know you can't compare one pregnancy to the next but it really did get the wheels in my skull moving (not the same as "Wheels In the Sky", my most hated Journey song):

1. I am not showing at all. I know this can have a lot to do with how much weight I lost from the Hyperemesis but even the tiny belly I DO have is all squish. There's no firmness or shape to it at all. It's like I had a few donuts or something. When I lay in bed at night, I feel like there's more gut but I don't know. Even my mom said she doesn't believe there's anything in there. Maybe I should be happy to be small??? And I haven't felt him move. I really shouldn't flip about that. I'm just making a mental note.

2. I am STILL spotting. Delicious, no? I don't mean to be graphic but this is part of it all. I had the CVS procedure on 3/22, spotted for 2 days, and then it stopped just as I was told it would/should. On 3/28, the spotting started again and HASN'T stopped. I saw my doctor that day and Baby Sully's heartbeat was good and strong. But a lot of days have passed since then. I figured that if I were miscarrying at this point, there would really be something to see (or feel). There's very minimal spotting and it's definitely old blood...but it's there. Every day. Freaking me out.

3. Besides getting really, really, painfully tired in the evening, I don't feel pregnant. When I was experiencing the Hyperemesis, I KNEW I was pregnant. Holy cow. Now...nothing really. I feel like I always feel...except around 6:00, I feel like I was run over by an 18 wheeler and I do get up once during the night to empty my tank. I'm in the 2nd trimester so that could all just be part of the Honeymoon period, but it concerns me. I'm super on the lookout.

I'm probably making mountains out of mole hills (moles freak me out, by the way...so creepy) but I just don't want anything to go wrong with the pregnancy. Getting the thumbs-up after the CVS took so much stress off my rickety shoulders, but there are plenty of other things that could go wrong. And a very BASIC thing would be that the test itself caused a miscarriage. I doubt that it did and the bleeding is probably from the blood clot they saw.

I'm just freaking out. This is the place where I'm free to do that.

Making Progress: Spencer's Therapy Rundown

Yesterday, Spencer went to both Speech and Physical Therapy. It kills me to not go to these appointments with him because I want to know what I can do to help him be the best he can be. Todd fills me in on what goes on but I never really feel like I get all of the information. Not as much as I would if I were there myself. Honestly, I just feel lousy not being at every appointment he has...and that kid has a lot of appointments, I'll tell you what.

Speech was first and according to Todd, his therapist was very happy with what she saw. His Listening & Understanding is in the 6-9 month range, his Demonstrating & Anticipating Play is in the 6-9 month range, and his Expressive Speech is in the 6-7 month range. This is the only category he's slightly lagging in and I STRESS slightly because he JUST turned 8 months. They came to this conclusion based on the fact that Spencer doesn't really imitate sounds like when you play Peek-a-Boo, he just laughs. So we'll work on getting him to mimic sounds. I already know he likes imitation games.

Physical was kind of a bust because he was burnt out and grumpy. However, and I have to admit I'm a little surprised by this, he did pretty well with the sitting up. I guess whatever he was doing was making progress. He's still fairly loose and bends right in half without support but if the therapist was happy, I'm happy. I'm determined to have him sitting (I should stress that this is sitting completely unassisted) by his next appointment. I don't care how hard I have to work. He wants to sit up and I'm going to make sure he does, dammit!

Since he's always such a Grumpy-Puss by the time Physical Therapy gets rolling, his appointments are now going to be much earlier in the day. He'll be fed, rested, and ready to go! I hate that he has to go to therapy but the ST is preventative and with the PT, again, I should be thankful because he only has to go once a month. He could be in FAR worse shape. He's doing great. He's doing awesome.

He does have his next evaluation with Occupational Therapy (everyone makes jokes about how he's too young to have a job, har har) at the end of the month. I'm REALLY hoping that he doesn't need to start going yet. The things he said he'd be looking for, Spencer is doing. He changes toys from each hand, holds a toy in one hand while reaching for another, tries to use thumb and forefinger for grabbing (though that needs work, it's new), etc. So I'm hoping. He really doesn't need another appointment.

But if he does, he does. Again, the goal is to help him be the best he can be. He's met all his milestones on time so far so I have nothing to complain about. I've worked very hard with him and HE has worked very hard for himself. He has no clue about how hard he's worked. For him, like all babies, it's just natural.

"Time to hold my head up? OK. Time to roll over? OK. Time to sit in my high chair? OK".

Happy Birthday and Easter, Baby: Today You Are 8 Months Old

This month, I am not going to go on and on about how it's impossible for Spencer to be 8 months old because he was just born (like how I slipped it in there?). I'm just going to say Happy 2/3 Birthday to the love of my life. Spencer's Aunt Bizzle decided that 2/3 sounded less old than 8 months. Spencer is just BURSTING with personality and I can't get enough of him. And I have to say, this month's "birthday" photos are my favorite yet, thanks to his Yeti pajamas and slippers. What a riot. I wish I could've caught his sweet smile but they little dude had just woken up. Can't blame him for being dazed.

What do we know about 8 month old Spencer?

-He is ALL about waving. He has 2 different waves and waves alllllll the time. At people, at things, at himself, at no one. So he's got the hang of HOW to wave, we just have to get him to know WHEN to wave. Because if he waves at me again while simultaneously crying...I don't think my heart can take the combination of adorable and sad.

-He's an inch longer and a pound heavier. That's pretty awesome for a month!

-He's really started to reach out for us (when we reach for him, first). I love it, it drives me nutty. He does initiate the reach but only when he's getting his diaper changed and I clearly can't pick him up. Goofball.

-He's created a fake cough. I'm not sure why he does it but my sister said my nephew did it, too, and I guess my step-son also had a fake cough. I'm hoping this is a short phase.

-He's super into his feet. Always grabbing them, trying to bite them, rubbing them together. Sometimes I call him "my little walnut" because he's all curled up, holding his footies.

-He is in a super tactile stage, always softly rubbing people's faces. And not-so-softly touching everything else. If his nails aren't trimmed when you're feeding him, look out because your paw will be destroyed. He mostly likes to feel skin or blankets/sheets.

Besides turning 8 months, it's also Spencer's 1st Easter! It's not a holiday that Todd and I are super into but it was great to experience it with Spencer. I loved dying eggs with him and making his basket. He didn't really know what was going on but he was smiley and sweet all day. He truly is a loved little boy so I feel very lucky. Not sure why he hated the Easter egg he "found" so much but he LOVED swinging outside. Took a nice Easter snooze on me which was MY favorite part of the day.



Tomorrow, I'll be 15 weeks preggo. Things have really smoothed out so I'm cherishing every minute that I don't feel like death warmed over (another saying I never understood but will use anyway). The 2nd trimester is just as awesome now as it was with Spencer. I just found out that one of the one billion pregnant people I know has the same due date I have. Bananas. But I'm trucking along and I can't wait to feel little Sullivan start moving.

Sullivan. It's official. We actually came up with that name in a hot tub at Kalahari on our 2 year wedding anniversary. I'm not even sure how the baby name conversaion came up seeing as our newborn was only 6 weeks old! I said I liked Sully, he suggested Sullivan, Sully for short (which I was thinking all along) and BOOM, it was done. We had a name and just needed a baby, which didn't take too long! Now we just need a middle name.

Spence and Sully. Super cool detective agency, am I right?

Happy Easter, everybody!



Three Cheers: A Day Full of Good News and Optimism For All

Let me kick off this post by saying a big, CONGRATULATIONS to Phoebe who got her MRI results a day early and they were GREAT! No progression of the stupid Cancer, and no residual nastiness left behind. She is officially Cancer Free, which is the way to be! Cancer will always be a part of her life but I truly believe that this is the last she'll see of those pesky cells. Now she can move forward with a bit of the weight lifted from her shoulders. I couldn't have asked for a better gift in my (metaphorical) Easter basket.

And high hopes for Little Jen and her family who have their own junk going on due to that nasty bastard, Cancer. It seems like the Cancer Center of America (I think that was it) has a better plan than the current doctor. I will keep everything I can cross crossed until you get good news of your own!

Moving on to Spencer's Oncology clinic appointment.

My boy was a waving fool at his appointment yesterday. While his vitals were taken, while he was examined, while he gave blood...he waved at all the ladies. And sometimes at no one. Adorable. He is up a pound and an inch from his last appointment, his blood pressure was good, and he had a normal temp.

He was examined by a Fellow and an Attending (his usual docs were on service in the hospital and giving a lecture, respectively) and they both said he looked great. His liver and spleen are the right size, no rashes or bruising, getting nice and strong. His usual Fellow peeked her head in before the lecture to say that if his blood work came back good, we could stretch out the visits. That is the goal. The less I have to see my baby give blood, the better. I don't care how quickly he bounces back.

They were able to get his blood on the second try from one of his feet. The good arm was a lost cause this time. And even though it was fairly easy breezy, Spencer was "traumatized", according to the nurse. He couldn't quite catch his breath and he was just so upset. It killed me. And it REALLY killed me that he waved at me the whole time he was crying. *insert heart shattering noise here*

But once we left the hospital, he was smiling and giggling and his old, super self.

The Fellow called later in the day to tell me that everything looked good. His hemoglobin, infection fighting WBC, and platelets were all up. One of his numbers was at the low end of normal but it's always sort of hungout there. We won't get the "smear" results (which would show any abnormal cells) until today I don't suspect anything fishy.

The doc must not either because she stretched our visits to every 2 months!!!!!

This was such great news. She also said she's going to call Spencer's Pediatrician, update her on the progress, and let her know that there really isn't much left to look at/be worried about. It's all just check-ups from now on! Awesome! Like Phoebe, Spencer will always be at risk for Cancer to come back (in his case, Acute Leukemia), but I'm not going to worry about it. That's out of my hands. And I have to believe that he's due for a break after all he's been through in 8 months.

Yeah, 8 months on Easter. Sigh...

And on the Sam-I-Am front, I'm still spotting from the CVS. It's been 2 weeks as of today. I'm not really worried about it since I saw my OB last week and the baby's heartbeat was super strong and my urine sample was A-OK. I just wish it would stop. It's scary to see when you're not supposed to be seeing it. Can't anything I do just be nice and boring???

Aunt Bizzle: A Visit From a Broad That's Been Abroad

Phoebe is back from her Italian adventure and while that is super awesome, her daily travel blog kept me entertained and a void has been left in my life since she has returned. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled to have her back where she belongs, but man...I would hit that refresh button over and over in the evening until her account of the day's activities appeared. Since she took almost 4,000 pictures, I suspect I have maaaaaaaanys days of entertainment ahead.

On Sunday, Phoebe came to visit Spencer (and me...bonus). I still find it amusing when Phoebe interacts with my child as she's never been what you'd call a child/baby person. You'd never know it the way she is with Spence. She's an old pro and he's a big fan (and not just cause she buys him stuff). He even tried to steal a kiss. It's something new and semi-gross he's been trying out.

We talked and talked about everything and nothing. Her upcoming MRI (it's today at 9:30 so say a little prayer or do whatever you do in situations where you hope someone cool doesn't have Cancer in their lady parts anymore), our recent genetic testings, and plenty of far less heavy shtuff. And Spencer scored some pretty nifty Italian swag, including a Rosary blessed by the Popa himself! We had to look up how to say the Rosary and it was more complicated than I remember from grade school.

On the day of our testing, Phoebe was in Florence (I think) and she and her mum lit some candles and whatnot for Baby Sam-I-Am. Since Italy is far closer to God than Cleveland (I mean, HELLO, Vatican City?), I'll credit them big time for helping us get good news! Yes, I know the outcome was decided at conception but I'm still going to go with the Italian church candle-lighting business. It's very movie-like.

It was good to be around her as it had been awhile. Our lives right now are quite different then when we lived/worked/played together.  2012 seems to be working out for us thus far. We went for burgers and shakes (FINALLY got my Chocolate Banana Marshmallow and it was everything my unborn child has been convincing me I needed) and it was just a good day all around. What I needed.

Yesterday Spencer got postcards from Rome, Vatican City, Florence, and Venice. Score!

Life right now is pretty good, for us personally. I'm starting to feel a tiny surge of the goodness the 2nd trimester brings. Besides feeling exhausted in the early evenings, I have my appetite back, I'm able to take in fluids better, I've been more productive at home, and I'm able to relax a little bit. I'm DEFINITELY starting to feel more preggo. I started to sleep with a pillow between my knees last night, as I did with Spencer, to stop myself from trying to sleep on my stomach. There is for SURE a bump now and I don't want to squash it.

The bump is collecting some swag of his own!

We're starting to get a plan in place for when I'm in the hospital, all the necessary home projects are in motion, and things are just...good (just need a middle name for this baby!!!). I'm not taking it for granted one bit. I know that recently, a lot of people I care about are taking hits. I need to appreciate the boring times, says my mom, because I could be the one with life drama, not that I'd wish it on anyone else just to avoid having it. I hope everyone, all these people having rough times, can find a miracle. If I ever figure out this Rosary business, I'll try and help out.

Hematology/Oncology clinic for us tomorrow. Stay tuned.