Annabelle Kathryn Martin

Finally, I am now getting around to writing about our sweet new addition. Ms. Annabelle... Alot of people have asked what are we going to call her and I have to admit she has many different names. Tommy and I call her Annabelle, Gracie calls her Bella and Thomas will either call her Bella or he has started to say Annie. So this little lady has many different names... This deliver was amazing. I was not to thrilled with having to be induced  because all I could think about was how my induction went with Gracie and I was dreading it all over again. Gracie it took alittle over 12 hours but this time around it really only took 3 1/2 hours. I went in at 11:00am on Friday started oxytocin around 12:15pm, and contractions started about 1:00pm. By 3:00pm I could take the contractions anymore so asked for my epidural. By this time I was 7-8 cm and by 4:30pm she was here.. Quick quick quick... Annabelle has been a dream.. She is such a good baby. She sleeps great, eats wonderfully and  doesn't even flinch at all the noise her brother and sister make around her. The past two nights she has eaten around 8:30pm and slept till 2-2:30 then after eating goes right back to sleep and I don't she her again till 5:30am. I love it.. Well enough with the talking I have pictures and lots of them.. Enjoy :)

Hospital Pictures

http://www.bellababyphotography.com/

password: karv0722martin

It's a Girl

I will update with pictures and more about labor and deliver later.

Annabelle Kathryn Martin
7lbs 12oz
19 3/4 in.
And she has the same beautiful red hair as her big sister :)

Happy Birthday Thomas!

Happy Birthday to our little monkey..

He is his Father's child.. I let him pick out his birthday present and of all things he picked out he picked a leaf blower and a fishing rod. He loves to watch Tommy blow off the driveway and loves to look at fish and fish with his daddy. So to me those presents were perfect :)

It is Time!

Well, after going to the doctor today and doing a non-stress test and ultrasound the doctors have decided that I will be induced tomorrow. To make a long story short there was a little mix up on my actual due date so I am further along then six days past what I was last told was my due date. The baby is fine and heart rate is good it is just time for the baby to come out. I will be going in tomorrow at 11:00am and hopefully all will go fast and smooth.

P.S. Tomorrow is Thomas 2nd Birthday. How many kids can say they got a real live baby doll on their birthday. HaHa not as if he had any choice...

Seriously....

Seriously, sweet little peanut Mommy is very very past very ready for you to make your appearance. I was officially due with baby #3 five days ago but this little one has a very different plan I guess. I went to the doctor on Monday and nothing has changed in four weeks despite the fact I have been having random contractions. So needless to say that my doctor was really pushing for me to be induced this Friday if the baby had not already come. Well, as much as I would love to have a baby on Friday without being induced it is also Thomas 2nd birthday. What are the odds of that happening. So I have decided that I will go in for my non-stress test tomorrow and then go in for another one Monday morning then if this precious little peanut still has not arrived I will be induced on Wednesday. Please pray that this very comfortable where it is at baby comes really soon :)

Gracie Update

First of all we want to thank God for His grace and promises that get us though each day. We also want to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, emails, phone calls, text messages and meals. It is so comforting to know how much support we have. The last six days have been some of the longest and hardest days of our lives.  Our sweet little girl was showing much improvement yesterday.  It was so encouraging and heart warming to see her smile and laugh and know that during that moment she was in no pain and was happy.  She is nearing the end of the steroids, her does was cut in half Sunday night.  Tonight will be the first night we will not have to wake her up at 1:00 am and give her a dose and that is very exciting.  She still has a long way to go cognitively and developmentally, but we are heading in the right direction. We have to be at the hospital tomorrow morning at 6:30am for her MRI and possible treatment of her jugular vein.  Please pray that Gods peace that surpasses all understanding would be upon all of us, especially her.  We will have decisions to make tomorrow after the MRI, pray that we would have wisdom way beyond our years and a confidence in the decisions that are made.  Pray for a good MRI report, that the swelling is going away and there is no permanent damage.  Katie had a check up today, we are so thankful that she is not showing any signs of progression toward labor.  Continue to pray that the baby can sit tight till 40 weeks.

Ms. Gracie

Gracie had her fourth embolization treatment this past Wednesday.  This treatment has not been as smooth as the others.  The neurosurgeon embolized six veins this time.  When she woke up in PACU, she wasn't fussing like the other times and was just laying with her eyes open, very calm.  We were thinking she was handling the procedure better this time.  We then were put in our room where we would stay over night so that she could be monitored.  We began to notice she was having eye spasms and going cross eyed, along with no emotion, no speech, and vomiting.  This went on for a couple hours (which felt like an eternity) before the doctor was able to check on her.  The doctor suspected that her brain was swelling and started her on a heavy dose of steroid.  She continued to get sick for a couple hours, but was starting to talk and show some emotion.  Funny enough, one of the first things she said was "wheres Evie" after Evie's mom came to visit.  After a long night of little sleep and a lot of emotions, things were looking a little better Thursday morning.  The doctor came back and explained that it could take a few days for the swelling to go down.  He gave us the option to do a MRI to confirm his suspicion of the swelling or see if she may have had a mild stroke.  He also explained that no matter the outcome, he was going to treat it the same way (steroids for the swelling).  In order to do an MRI she would have had to go under anesthesia again.  As much as we wanted a definitive answer, it was going to be at her expense, so we opted to take her home and give it some time.  We are now home and eyes have shown much improvement.  She is still not herself and this is very difficult for us to see.  She is saying things backwards, uncontrollably repeating things over and over, and not acting as maturely as she was before.  The doctor increased her dose of steroids and feels that this is all apart of the swelling and side effects of the medication.  After consulting more with the doctor, we have scheduled an MRI for Wednesday of next week.  After the MRI, we are going to view the results and leave the option open to have a balloon placed in her jugular to open it up and relieve more pressure.  With all this being said, WE NEED YOUR PRAYERS.  We are praying that the steroids will take away the swelling, that she has a complete recovery and no side effects, that she can rest, and that Gods peace would fill her.  Also, we only have two more weeks until Katie's due date.  Pray that the baby does not come in the next week.  Pray for strength, faith that moves mountains, peace, wisdom, and confidence in the decisions we make. Thank you all for all your prayers and support thus far.