FirstGiving - Your fundraising
Hello!
Our family taking part in the 3rd Annual HopeWalk- 5K Family Walkathon to raise money for Hope Kids.
Hope Kids is near and dear to our heart! Through Hope Kids we are able to attend fun, family oriented events that allow us to let loose and forget about the stresses of all Bree's medical needs. The fact that we get to laugh, smile and have a good time is priceless to us, and I know it is to all the other families who are a part of Hope Kids. The smiles on the faces of the kids shows us that they are forgetting about all the needle pokes they have endured, the countless treatments, and the surgeries that have filled their lives. They are living in the moment, and that moment is fun and exhilarating.
The fundraising allows Hope Kids to put on these family friendly events. Without the money to put on these events free of cost to the families, they would not be happening. There would be no movies, birthday parties, baseball games, hockey games and so many more activities. Hope Kids helps families with medically challenged children. These families benefit so much from the little slivers of sunshine that Hope Kids offer.
Please search your heart and donate if you are able. Please know that you will be helping to bring smiles and joy to the hearts of those children who truly deserve it and need it. Please make a donation by visiting my FirstGiving page: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/goncefam/2011?fge=ask
You can donate online with a credit card. All donations are secure and sent directly to HOPEKIDS INC by FirstGiving, who will email you a printable record of your donation.
Please send our page on to anyone who might like to donate!
Team Bumble Bree
Adam, Tasha, Riley, Bree and Derrick Gonce
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Dora Dora Dora the explorer!
Bree and I are going to see a live play of Dora the pirate tonight with Anneke, Felix and Grace. Thank you to Hope kids for putting this on. This will bring such a smile to Bree's face. I can't wait.
Friday, September 30, 2011
First haircut
My baby boy is growing up too fast. He now can get up on his hands and knees and rock back and forth. He says 'da da', 'da dee', 'ba ba', and on a rare occasion he will throw 'ma ma' in there. He blows raspberries with his mouth and can sit up unassisted if placed in that position.
He can add another notch of accomplishment to his baby belt. He had his first hair cut today given to him by his Uncle Jason. In case you didn't know, Derrick's middle name is Jason and he is named after his uncle. The fact that Uncle Jason was able to give him his first hair cut is very special (at least to me, being the sentimental person that I am).
He can add another notch of accomplishment to his baby belt. He had his first hair cut today given to him by his Uncle Jason. In case you didn't know, Derrick's middle name is Jason and he is named after his uncle. The fact that Uncle Jason was able to give him his first hair cut is very special (at least to me, being the sentimental person that I am).
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Check ups
We had a super fun 3 kid check up today. The best mother in law in the world went with me knowing that all three kids were going to need shots.
Riley is at 61% for her weight, which is 36.31 lbs. She is at 84% for her height which is 41.5'' tall. She definitely takes after her Daddy. She will be our little sports girl. She is super smart and ahead of her peers cognitively.
Bree is finally on the charts! She is at 6% for her weight (26 pounds) and 34% for her height (36.5'')...hooray! I also heard the most beautiful words out of our pediatrician's mouth: "Cognitively, she is doing everything I would expect a three year old to be doing." I think I heard the heavens open up and the angels sing.When Johanna asked Bree one of the questions: "Bree, are you a little boy or a little girl?", Bree stared at her for a few seconds then said "BIG girl." (She said it with an attitude of "duh lady").
Derrick is 20 lbs and 8 ounces, which is at 74% for his age. He is 28 inches long, which is at 91%. She checked his ears and found that he still has fluid built up behind his ear but that his ear looks the best it has since July. We are to continue to keep him on benadryl to dry out his ear and to finish up the last three days of his antibiotic.
When it came time for shots, Riley was hysterical. Even before the shots she was not wanting them. As soon as our pediatrician walked in the room for the visit Riley tapped her on the shoulder and said "Hey...did you know that kids don't need shots anymore?" I love the things that she comes up with! It was a very valiant effort to avoid shots. If I can get a video up here on the blog I will post her hysterical crying pre shots. It is so ridiculous it is funny.
Bree took her shots like a champ, and whined just a bit. She had a few tears. Derrick also is a big boy with his shots and didn't cry either.
When it came time to leave, Riley insisted that she was unable to walk and she was pitiful enough that Grandma carried her to the car. I will send the picture to the blog when I finish up on here. That is a very good Grandma, and Riley greatly appreciated it.
The girls got to go pick out some special treats for being such brave girls!
Riley is at 61% for her weight, which is 36.31 lbs. She is at 84% for her height which is 41.5'' tall. She definitely takes after her Daddy. She will be our little sports girl. She is super smart and ahead of her peers cognitively.
Bree is finally on the charts! She is at 6% for her weight (26 pounds) and 34% for her height (36.5'')...hooray! I also heard the most beautiful words out of our pediatrician's mouth: "Cognitively, she is doing everything I would expect a three year old to be doing." I think I heard the heavens open up and the angels sing.When Johanna asked Bree one of the questions: "Bree, are you a little boy or a little girl?", Bree stared at her for a few seconds then said "BIG girl." (She said it with an attitude of "duh lady").
Derrick is 20 lbs and 8 ounces, which is at 74% for his age. He is 28 inches long, which is at 91%. She checked his ears and found that he still has fluid built up behind his ear but that his ear looks the best it has since July. We are to continue to keep him on benadryl to dry out his ear and to finish up the last three days of his antibiotic.
When it came time for shots, Riley was hysterical. Even before the shots she was not wanting them. As soon as our pediatrician walked in the room for the visit Riley tapped her on the shoulder and said "Hey...did you know that kids don't need shots anymore?" I love the things that she comes up with! It was a very valiant effort to avoid shots. If I can get a video up here on the blog I will post her hysterical crying pre shots. It is so ridiculous it is funny.
Bree took her shots like a champ, and whined just a bit. She had a few tears. Derrick also is a big boy with his shots and didn't cry either.
When it came time to leave, Riley insisted that she was unable to walk and she was pitiful enough that Grandma carried her to the car. I will send the picture to the blog when I finish up on here. That is a very good Grandma, and Riley greatly appreciated it.
The girls got to go pick out some special treats for being such brave girls!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
We suck at blogging.
Okay, so I suck at blogging. Life just gets busy. And the blog is the first thing to go. So, sorry for the lack of communication...I will try to be a little more "chatty". (Did you ever think I would be accused of not talking?)
So, in a nutshell....Bree had super enlarged tonsils for about 2 months before she got them out a month ago. We have seen much better improvements with speed of swallowing, and articulation of speech. She is still doing feeding therapy, but we had to drop down to one time a week because we maxed out our credit cards paying for the gas of driving 1 hour each way three times a week for 3 plus months. We are just trying to do the best that we can.
Derrick is on the never ending ear infection. We have discovered that he is allergic to penicillin, and one other antibiotic (it starts with an O?) so the only antibiotic he can use is zithromax, which really does not do much for him. It keeps the infection from getting worse, but does not really clear it up. He has had his current one since the beginning of August/end of July. We are waiting on his ENT consult to get tubes put in. We have an appt on October 10th.
Riley has started seeing a therapist because she acts out with her behavior. She is very angry towards Bree and when she gets into trouble she screams, hits, and throws things. We do still give consequences because of her behavior but we do not see much results. Hopefully, the therapist can help us as a family and her as an individual.
I am going through some allergy craziness. I have discovered that I am not a picky eater as I thought....I am actually allergic to the stuff I do not like. However, my body is a medical mystery that likes to keep everyone guessing. The first time I was allergy tested I ended up needing an epi pen and had a bad reaction. Ended up in the ER and was on some heavy duty meds. Last week I had another skin allergy test with a different doctor and even though the skin prick part showed negative on everything, my throat still started to swell. Off the ER I went. Once again I am on prednisone (devil drug) and needing benadryl to help keep my throat swelling feeling and chest pain at bay. I have to lay low and not do very much...which is kinda hard to do with 3 kids, especially when it is your oldest's birthday.
Adam made Staff Sergeant last month and I could not be more proud of him! He finally applied himself and studied his booty off and he made it! This is wonderful news. He also received orders last month that informed him that he will be leaving in April to go serve a one year remote tour in South Korea. We will miss him, but we know that it is necessary for his job. Even military members (and families) who are not serving actively in the war must make sacrifices.
I will keep up as well as I can. Hope you all are doing well!
So, in a nutshell....Bree had super enlarged tonsils for about 2 months before she got them out a month ago. We have seen much better improvements with speed of swallowing, and articulation of speech. She is still doing feeding therapy, but we had to drop down to one time a week because we maxed out our credit cards paying for the gas of driving 1 hour each way three times a week for 3 plus months. We are just trying to do the best that we can.
Derrick is on the never ending ear infection. We have discovered that he is allergic to penicillin, and one other antibiotic (it starts with an O?) so the only antibiotic he can use is zithromax, which really does not do much for him. It keeps the infection from getting worse, but does not really clear it up. He has had his current one since the beginning of August/end of July. We are waiting on his ENT consult to get tubes put in. We have an appt on October 10th.
Riley has started seeing a therapist because she acts out with her behavior. She is very angry towards Bree and when she gets into trouble she screams, hits, and throws things. We do still give consequences because of her behavior but we do not see much results. Hopefully, the therapist can help us as a family and her as an individual.
I am going through some allergy craziness. I have discovered that I am not a picky eater as I thought....I am actually allergic to the stuff I do not like. However, my body is a medical mystery that likes to keep everyone guessing. The first time I was allergy tested I ended up needing an epi pen and had a bad reaction. Ended up in the ER and was on some heavy duty meds. Last week I had another skin allergy test with a different doctor and even though the skin prick part showed negative on everything, my throat still started to swell. Off the ER I went. Once again I am on prednisone (devil drug) and needing benadryl to help keep my throat swelling feeling and chest pain at bay. I have to lay low and not do very much...which is kinda hard to do with 3 kids, especially when it is your oldest's birthday.
Adam made Staff Sergeant last month and I could not be more proud of him! He finally applied himself and studied his booty off and he made it! This is wonderful news. He also received orders last month that informed him that he will be leaving in April to go serve a one year remote tour in South Korea. We will miss him, but we know that it is necessary for his job. Even military members (and families) who are not serving actively in the war must make sacrifices.
I will keep up as well as I can. Hope you all are doing well!
Happy 4th!
My Riley Kay is 4 years old today. It seems like just yesterday I had her and could hear her screaming as I was on the operating table. She has far exceeded our expectations and she amazes us on a daily basis. She is very witty and comes up with the craziest things to say. She also seems wise beyond her years and knows things that she shouldn't. I cannot believe how you have grown my sweet girl and I look forward to watching you grow some more in the coming years....
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
A few weeks ago we had Derrick's allergy appointment. To make a long story short, we tried the scratch test but his body didn't respond to it. That just means his immune system isn't quite up to par yet so we are going to repeat the scratch test around eight months old (October). For now I am to continue to avoid dairy, soy, eggs, and peanuts. I am supposed to start trying to work wheat back into my diet to see if it will bother him or not. I am learning lots of new recipes and combinations of food that I can have. One good thing is that a lot of my food has to be fresh, not processed food. This is making me eat healthier and there is nothing wrong with that!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Celebrations
I would like to take a minute from our blog to celebrate our friend Ella. Ella is a four year old sweetheart who has been battling cancer for the past three years. She is the most polite, funny, and cutest little girl you will ever meet (well, besides my two girls).
Little Miss Ella has the most supportive parents that a kid could ever ask for. They have done everything in their power to get Ella the best care that there is to offer, and I have never seen a more devoted mother than Celine. Ella has a little sister named Maya, and there is no doubt that they love each other. Just today I watched them playing in the pool during a playdate and out of no where they both gave each other a big hug and then continued playing. So sweet.
Ella got word recently that for now it seems as though her cancer battle is over. She has completed all of her recommended chemo, and nothing can be seen on any of the scans they have taken!
We are so excited for her! Let's have three cheers for Miss Ella Rose...
Hip hip HOORAY!
Hip hip HOORAY!!
Hip hip HOOOOORRRRAAAAYYYY!
Here is a link to their blog post if you would like to read it: Ella Rose Vidrine (click here to be taken to her blog)
Little Miss Ella has the most supportive parents that a kid could ever ask for. They have done everything in their power to get Ella the best care that there is to offer, and I have never seen a more devoted mother than Celine. Ella has a little sister named Maya, and there is no doubt that they love each other. Just today I watched them playing in the pool during a playdate and out of no where they both gave each other a big hug and then continued playing. So sweet.
Ella got word recently that for now it seems as though her cancer battle is over. She has completed all of her recommended chemo, and nothing can be seen on any of the scans they have taken!
We are so excited for her! Let's have three cheers for Miss Ella Rose...
Hip hip HOORAY!
Hip hip HOORAY!!
Hip hip HOOOOORRRRAAAAYYYY!
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Blogging mobile
I just enable the mobile blogging with my phone so hopefully this blog will see an annoying onslaught of daily photos of my kids. :)
In other news, despite not eating dairy, egg, soy or peanuts Derrick continues to have a rash and is crying in pain during the day. I caved and gave him tylenol this morning and he is blissfully sleeping in his swing right now. I am now going to add wheat to the "no eating" list and we'll see what happens. Not sure what I will be eating now...but there has got to be something!
Bree is talking up a storm and does a lot of two word phrases. We are working on three word phrases, and hope that she continues to make this amazing progress.
Riley is her usual self. She is funny, and too smart for her own good. Just last night she kept telling me "Daddy and I are going to a movie....do you want to come Mommy?" When I asked Adam about it, he said he had no clue what she was talking about. Ha!
In other news, despite not eating dairy, egg, soy or peanuts Derrick continues to have a rash and is crying in pain during the day. I caved and gave him tylenol this morning and he is blissfully sleeping in his swing right now. I am now going to add wheat to the "no eating" list and we'll see what happens. Not sure what I will be eating now...but there has got to be something!
Bree is talking up a storm and does a lot of two word phrases. We are working on three word phrases, and hope that she continues to make this amazing progress.
Riley is her usual self. She is funny, and too smart for her own good. Just last night she kept telling me "Daddy and I are going to a movie....do you want to come Mommy?" When I asked Adam about it, he said he had no clue what she was talking about. Ha!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Food allergies
Since Derrick has been born, we have had a suspicion that something just wasn't right. He had rashes constantly, was extremely fussy and in my mommy gut I just had a feeling. We have slowly learned that he has food allergies.
Now nothing is definitive until we see the food allergist on the 15th, but through trial and error (poor boy) we have learned that he cannot have dairy, soy, and possibly peanuts and eggs. This means that I also have to limit my diet to exclude things that he cannot have since I am nursing him. To say it is a challenge would be an understatement.
Thankfully an amazing friend (Aleasha Bram!) has a son with similar food allergies so she has been my go to gal when it come to all things food related. She gives me the dish on what foods to buy where and what to look for.
Because of his food allergies, we are unable to find a formula that will work for Derrick so that means that I will not be student teaching this fall. My family comes first, plain and simple. As much as I would love to finally complete my student teaching, I would rather have a healthy and happy family. In order to have that, I need to continue nursing Derrick and remain vigilant in our efforts to keep everyone happy and healthy.
There are days where I feel discouraged and frustrated with myself when it comes to these allergies. Just yesterday it dawned on me to check the bread I have been eating, and I discovered that there is milk in it. I felt (and still do feel) horrible. No wonder he has been so fussy.
I just hope that we can get this figured out as soon as possible, and can start moving forward with a plan to get both Derrick and I on a healthy eating/nursing plan.
Now nothing is definitive until we see the food allergist on the 15th, but through trial and error (poor boy) we have learned that he cannot have dairy, soy, and possibly peanuts and eggs. This means that I also have to limit my diet to exclude things that he cannot have since I am nursing him. To say it is a challenge would be an understatement.
Thankfully an amazing friend (Aleasha Bram!) has a son with similar food allergies so she has been my go to gal when it come to all things food related. She gives me the dish on what foods to buy where and what to look for.
Because of his food allergies, we are unable to find a formula that will work for Derrick so that means that I will not be student teaching this fall. My family comes first, plain and simple. As much as I would love to finally complete my student teaching, I would rather have a healthy and happy family. In order to have that, I need to continue nursing Derrick and remain vigilant in our efforts to keep everyone happy and healthy.
There are days where I feel discouraged and frustrated with myself when it comes to these allergies. Just yesterday it dawned on me to check the bread I have been eating, and I discovered that there is milk in it. I felt (and still do feel) horrible. No wonder he has been so fussy.
I just hope that we can get this figured out as soon as possible, and can start moving forward with a plan to get both Derrick and I on a healthy eating/nursing plan.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Drafts
I have about 3 or 4 drafts written that are unfinished. Between my preschooler, my toddler, and my 3 month old...life is busy. With just that it would be busy! Here is what our schedule looks like:
Monday: Riley to school. Bree to PCH (intensive feeding therapy) at 2.
Tuesday: All kids home
Wednesday: Riley to school. Bree has speech at home with Mr. Brian Eyre at 9 and PCH at 2.
Thursday: All kids home. Bree has OT with Kim Grant at home at 2.
Friday: Riley to school. Bree has early intervention with Kyla Rock at 730 and PCH at 10.
I am not sure if you noticed, but Bree no longer goes to preschool. For now, we decided to pull her out. It was too many people going in too many directions and being too busy. Sometimes it is important to have a day where you have absolutely nothing to do, and I find that to be very true with kids. Sometimes they just need to have some time to play in their rooms or outside. Lose themselves in their imagination.
Feeding therapy is going okay. It is not the quick fix that I was hoping for (who doesn't hope for that?) but it seems as though they are taking the time to address all of Bree's issues and helping her work through them. This is so that she does not regress when she does finally start eating. On Mondays we can a co-visit with her feeding therapist and occupational therapist. Her feeding therapist is Marnie Madden. We love her. She listens to Bree, and makes it fun for her, but also knows what is best for her. Bree always wants to go play with Miss Marnie.
When we are going to and from therapy we end up parking in the parking garage. In order to park in there you have to park on level 2 or above, which means that we have use the elevator. Every time I ask Bree to push the buttons, she gets very excited and runs forward yelling "Oh boy!". It brings a huge smile to my face every time.
Bree knows her numbers pretty well so using the elevators gives a great opportunity to practice them.
When we started feeding therapy she weighed 22.8, two weeks later she was 22.7 (she had a puke bug the week before), and then she was 23.6 today!! When we started she was 87 cm tall (34.3 inches) and she was the same two weeks later, and then she was 88 cm tall (34.6 inches) today.
Here's to hoping that I do not have drafts...but actual posts more consistently.
Monday: Riley to school. Bree to PCH (intensive feeding therapy) at 2.
Tuesday: All kids home
Wednesday: Riley to school. Bree has speech at home with Mr. Brian Eyre at 9 and PCH at 2.
Thursday: All kids home. Bree has OT with Kim Grant at home at 2.
Friday: Riley to school. Bree has early intervention with Kyla Rock at 730 and PCH at 10.
I am not sure if you noticed, but Bree no longer goes to preschool. For now, we decided to pull her out. It was too many people going in too many directions and being too busy. Sometimes it is important to have a day where you have absolutely nothing to do, and I find that to be very true with kids. Sometimes they just need to have some time to play in their rooms or outside. Lose themselves in their imagination.
Feeding therapy is going okay. It is not the quick fix that I was hoping for (who doesn't hope for that?) but it seems as though they are taking the time to address all of Bree's issues and helping her work through them. This is so that she does not regress when she does finally start eating. On Mondays we can a co-visit with her feeding therapist and occupational therapist. Her feeding therapist is Marnie Madden. We love her. She listens to Bree, and makes it fun for her, but also knows what is best for her. Bree always wants to go play with Miss Marnie.
When we are going to and from therapy we end up parking in the parking garage. In order to park in there you have to park on level 2 or above, which means that we have use the elevator. Every time I ask Bree to push the buttons, she gets very excited and runs forward yelling "Oh boy!". It brings a huge smile to my face every time.
Bree knows her numbers pretty well so using the elevators gives a great opportunity to practice them.
When we started feeding therapy she weighed 22.8, two weeks later she was 22.7 (she had a puke bug the week before), and then she was 23.6 today!! When we started she was 87 cm tall (34.3 inches) and she was the same two weeks later, and then she was 88 cm tall (34.6 inches) today.
Here's to hoping that I do not have drafts...but actual posts more consistently.
Friday, April 8, 2011
At a loss for words
Well, not really since it takes words to write a blog post, but you know what I am trying to convey.
We just received a check for $500. It is to be used to pay for Bree's feeding therapy gas fund. A friend of my Grandma gave it to her to pass onto us. I do not know which one of her friends it is, but we will be sending a very thankful letter their way here soon.
I feel so humbled and blessed. Wow. Thank you does not seem enough, yet I do not know what else to say.
Thank you to whoever you are. This money means more to us than we can express. It not only means that we do not have to worry about gas money, or wrack up credit cards trying to get to and from her appts; it means that there are people out there who care, and who love our Bree just as much as we do. In today's world, that is priceless.
Thank you.
We just received a check for $500. It is to be used to pay for Bree's feeding therapy gas fund. A friend of my Grandma gave it to her to pass onto us. I do not know which one of her friends it is, but we will be sending a very thankful letter their way here soon.
I feel so humbled and blessed. Wow. Thank you does not seem enough, yet I do not know what else to say.
Thank you to whoever you are. This money means more to us than we can express. It not only means that we do not have to worry about gas money, or wrack up credit cards trying to get to and from her appts; it means that there are people out there who care, and who love our Bree just as much as we do. In today's world, that is priceless.
Thank you.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Mr. Sensitivity
We got off pretty easy with Bree when it came to allergies and sensitive skin. She does have some reactions to certain brands of medical tape, and sunburns really easily. However, that is the extent of her being sensitive.
Mr. Derrick is a different story. Here is what we have learned about our littlest man so far:
- He is allergic to laundry soap and fabric softener that is not "free and clear".
- He is allergic to the antibiotic ointment they gave us for his eye.
- He has reflux. Which is something we are very aware of because of Bree. Right now, his is being managed by adding rice cereal into the breast milk that I pump for him. His coughing has almost stopped completely since we started this.
We are still learning things about our little guy, but we are also learning how to adapt and help him to feel better. Hopefully this is all that he is going to be sensitive with, but only time will tell.
Mr. Derrick is a different story. Here is what we have learned about our littlest man so far:
- He is allergic to laundry soap and fabric softener that is not "free and clear".
- He is allergic to the antibiotic ointment they gave us for his eye.
- He has reflux. Which is something we are very aware of because of Bree. Right now, his is being managed by adding rice cereal into the breast milk that I pump for him. His coughing has almost stopped completely since we started this.
We are still learning things about our little guy, but we are also learning how to adapt and help him to feel better. Hopefully this is all that he is going to be sensitive with, but only time will tell.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Ready...set...EAT!
We got word this week that Bree will be starting her intensive feeding therapy program on April 18th. She will go three times a week (Monday and Wednesdays at 2 and Fridays at 10) for eight weeks. We will be logging lots of miles on our van here soon. Also, the skyrocketing gas prices will be wonderful as well. However, nothing will compare to how wonderful it will be to see our youngest girl learning to eat!
She has been making progess lately and wanting to 'try' our foods, but we are no where near where she should be. This therapy is much needed and we cautiously have our hopes up.
She has been making progess lately and wanting to 'try' our foods, but we are no where near where she should be. This therapy is much needed and we cautiously have our hopes up.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Long time, no type
Life is a little hectic around here. Since my last update we have had a bit of excitement. Bree ended up getting pneumonia, and that prolonged our seperation parenting technique. After a dose of steroids she is back on the mend and we hope that this is for good this time! She is getting so big so fast...it is crazy.
Riley is still having a hard time adjusting to the level of attention she is getting (or lack there of) and has been acting out. We just got a new discipline book to read and try applying with her that was recommended to us: Positive Discipline for Preschoolers. Fingers crossed that it has some help in there for us. From what I grasp of the little bit I have browsed through the book, it is going to change up our parenting techniques a good bit. Which is needed.
Derrick is doing well and growing like a little weed. He is eating about every 2.5 to 3 hours and is staying awake for longer periods. In the past few days he has started to smile more when awake, and we have even heard a few noises like he is trying to talk.
I am tired all the time, and so is Adam. However, it is to be expected. Today is my first day home alone with them all by myself and we are doing okay. The girls are in their room right now supposed to be napping, but they are actually both on Riley's bed playing the tambourine and singing songs. Derrick is in his swing sleeping away and is due to wake up around 1 to eat.
Hopefully it is not almost another month until I get to update!
Riley is still having a hard time adjusting to the level of attention she is getting (or lack there of) and has been acting out. We just got a new discipline book to read and try applying with her that was recommended to us: Positive Discipline for Preschoolers. Fingers crossed that it has some help in there for us. From what I grasp of the little bit I have browsed through the book, it is going to change up our parenting techniques a good bit. Which is needed.
Derrick is doing well and growing like a little weed. He is eating about every 2.5 to 3 hours and is staying awake for longer periods. In the past few days he has started to smile more when awake, and we have even heard a few noises like he is trying to talk.
I am tired all the time, and so is Adam. However, it is to be expected. Today is my first day home alone with them all by myself and we are doing okay. The girls are in their room right now supposed to be napping, but they are actually both on Riley's bed playing the tambourine and singing songs. Derrick is in his swing sleeping away and is due to wake up around 1 to eat.
Hopefully it is not almost another month until I get to update!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Catch up
Wow! Life has been crazy the last week and a half. Here's a quick rundown (because my little man is due to wake up any moment to eat).
About two days after bringing Derrick home, Miss Bree started up with her cough again and relapsed with her RSV. Because of that, Derrick is basically living in our bedroom when Bree is up and only I am allowed to touch him and take care of him. Adam takes care of Bree, and helps out with Riley too. My mom is here this week (she leaves tomorrow morning) and it has been such a blessing having her here. She is able to give Riley the special attention that she needs. With a new baby in the house, a sick sister, and a recovering Mama...Riley hadn't been getting a lot of attention.
On Tuesday I went to the doctor to have my staples from my c section removed (all 34 of them!!) and as they were taking out the staples in the middle my incision started to open again. They immediately called the surgeon specialist and he fit me in right away. It concerned me how concerned they were, and how quickly I was fit in. To make a long story short, my incision didn't heal correctly and there were pockets of fluid that had formed behind my incision so when the staples were taken out it popped right open. The open portion is about 3 inches across and being left open right now and the bigger pocket has to be packed with gauze strips and changed every day to allow it to heal from the inside out. I go back in next Tuesday to have it looked at. Hopefully it will be healing correctly and I can get back on the track to healing.
With all that has been going on, my Mom has been great to have here. Adam doesn't do well with blood or anything "yucky" so my Mom has been changing my packing. She has been helping with dishes, food and keeping the kiddos entertained and happy. I have promised my Mom that the next time she comes out it will be a little more fun. :)
About two days after bringing Derrick home, Miss Bree started up with her cough again and relapsed with her RSV. Because of that, Derrick is basically living in our bedroom when Bree is up and only I am allowed to touch him and take care of him. Adam takes care of Bree, and helps out with Riley too. My mom is here this week (she leaves tomorrow morning) and it has been such a blessing having her here. She is able to give Riley the special attention that she needs. With a new baby in the house, a sick sister, and a recovering Mama...Riley hadn't been getting a lot of attention.
On Tuesday I went to the doctor to have my staples from my c section removed (all 34 of them!!) and as they were taking out the staples in the middle my incision started to open again. They immediately called the surgeon specialist and he fit me in right away. It concerned me how concerned they were, and how quickly I was fit in. To make a long story short, my incision didn't heal correctly and there were pockets of fluid that had formed behind my incision so when the staples were taken out it popped right open. The open portion is about 3 inches across and being left open right now and the bigger pocket has to be packed with gauze strips and changed every day to allow it to heal from the inside out. I go back in next Tuesday to have it looked at. Hopefully it will be healing correctly and I can get back on the track to healing.
With all that has been going on, my Mom has been great to have here. Adam doesn't do well with blood or anything "yucky" so my Mom has been changing my packing. She has been helping with dishes, food and keeping the kiddos entertained and happy. I have promised my Mom that the next time she comes out it will be a little more fun. :)
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Our little man
Derrick Jason Gonce was born on February 15, 2011 at 9:53 am. He came out screaming and crying, which was the best sound in the world. Nothing else would have sounded better to me. He weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19.5 inches long.
He could not be more perfect. He is the spitting image of his Daddy when he was a baby. Derrick is a great nurser and there is nothing wrong with him. He's perfect in every way.
We could not be more happy.
He could not be more perfect. He is the spitting image of his Daddy when he was a baby. Derrick is a great nurser and there is nothing wrong with him. He's perfect in every way.
We could not be more happy.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
So close, yet so far away
5 days.
Never has 5 days seemed so close, yet so far away at the same time.
In 5 days we will be able to hold our baby boy in our arms, kiss his little cheeks, and count his tiny toes.
I had my last doctor appt today and it went well. I'm not dilated or effaced at all so he will hopefully stay put until Tuesday. I will have one last ultrasound on Monday at 330 just to double check that he is still a happy and healthy little dude.
I am grateful that Adam's parents will be in town and are letting us go out for one last night on the town on Valentines Day. We are getting a couples massage in the morning. Then I have my ultrasound that afternoon, and then we are headed to dinner and a hockey game! It will be great to have something to keep my mind off of the excitement of the next day.
This weekend we are going to hit up the zoo (not sure which day yet), and on Saturday night I have a girls dinner with my bestie Anneke. It will be great to relax and fit some laughs in!
5 days people....5 days. :)
Never has 5 days seemed so close, yet so far away at the same time.
In 5 days we will be able to hold our baby boy in our arms, kiss his little cheeks, and count his tiny toes.
I had my last doctor appt today and it went well. I'm not dilated or effaced at all so he will hopefully stay put until Tuesday. I will have one last ultrasound on Monday at 330 just to double check that he is still a happy and healthy little dude.
I am grateful that Adam's parents will be in town and are letting us go out for one last night on the town on Valentines Day. We are getting a couples massage in the morning. Then I have my ultrasound that afternoon, and then we are headed to dinner and a hockey game! It will be great to have something to keep my mind off of the excitement of the next day.
This weekend we are going to hit up the zoo (not sure which day yet), and on Saturday night I have a girls dinner with my bestie Anneke. It will be great to relax and fit some laughs in!
5 days people....5 days. :)
Monday, February 7, 2011
Feeding Tube Awareness Week
I was not aware that there was a feeding tube awareness week. However, I am so glad that there is! We have some people in our lives that accept the feeding tube, and others that question what we are doing. They ask, "Well have you tried this? How about this? or what about that?" when talking about her eating by mouth. While I understand that it is well intentioned, it does frustrate me. We have therapists who dedicate their lives work to helping kids like Bree, and they see her on a weekly basis. We are trying our best to help her, and encourage her to eat with her mouth. For now, the g tube is a part of our lives.
I am so thankful that there is such thing as a feeding tube. Without it, Bree would not be here. She is not able to eat enough food or drink enough liquids by mouth in order to sustain life. So yes, she does get her nutrition differently than other children. Yes, it does take more time. Yes, I do wish that she didn't have to have a g tube...but she does. So we accept and we do our best with what we have.
I can guarantee she is much better fed than most children her age because we control exactly what goes into her, how many calories, and ounces of fluid/food she has a day. For me, that is a comfort. She is getting the best nutrition that she possibly can be, which is allowing for the best brain and body growth for her. When she is sick, we can still give her food and fluids as long as her little stomach will hold it in. She gets all of her medicine through her tube, and I don't have to worry about how much she spit out.
We love our tubie.
Spectacular Bree
I just talked with Bree's speech therapist and he said that if she continues to progress at the rate that she is...she will NOT qualify for the developmental preschool program. This is GREAT news! In our state, kids from birth to three who need therapies have their therapies either come to their house, or they go somewhere. Once they are three, they are put into the state developmental preschool program and receive their therapies that way. He said that she may still need some speech therapy at least once a week, but she won't need it enough to have to go to the developmental preschool. His exact words were that she is "borderline" for needing the developmental preschool. He suggested keeping her in the preschool that we have her in now in order to keep her progressing along with her peers since she responds really well to that. Just knowing Bree and her tendencies to imitate what she sees around her, he worries that by going into the developmental preschool she would regress and adapt to what her special needs peers are doing. Since she is borderline for even needing to go, she would probably be one of the higher functioning kids there. He would hate to see her regress when we have the ability to keep her in a preschool where her peers are functioning at a normal level and she would strive to copy them and be like them. My heart is so happy to hear that news!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Bree is home!
Our little fighter is home! She is still pretty sick, but we can do everything we need to from the comfort of our own home. Nothing is like being able to snuggle with Bree, and watch some good old Dora. :)
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
2-2-2011
Little Miss Bree is doing better, but not well enough to come home yet. The doctor tried a trial run of turning the oxygen off for a bit and it didn't go well. She sits right at 90%, which is right on the border. They would like her to be above 90%. So she is requiring about 0.4 liters of oxygen support right now.
Last night she tolerated a night drip of pedialyte at 40 ml's an hour, which is the rate we feed her at home on her pump. Since she tolerated that they did stop the iv fluids, but have left the iv in just in case they may need it.
She also started taking some pediasure today. She had a bolus feed of 8 ounces fed to her slowly over an hour, but needed to be suctioned right at the end of it. The nose suction gagged her, and it all came back up. So the afternoon feed was put on the pump and was just pedialyte in order to make sure she is getting her fluids. Adam did mention that she has gotten 4 ounces of pediasure this evening and he is going to wait a little bit, and try to give her 4 more ounces. They will then start another night drip of pedialyte to keep her hydrated, and we will try again tomorrow to get her up to full feeds (full feeds for us is three 8 ounce feeds of pedialyte).
She cannot come home until she is off the oxygen. They need her to go a full night of being off of oxygen before she can come home. So for now, we wait.
Thank you for all your love and prayers! Keep 'em coming! :)
Last night she tolerated a night drip of pedialyte at 40 ml's an hour, which is the rate we feed her at home on her pump. Since she tolerated that they did stop the iv fluids, but have left the iv in just in case they may need it.
She also started taking some pediasure today. She had a bolus feed of 8 ounces fed to her slowly over an hour, but needed to be suctioned right at the end of it. The nose suction gagged her, and it all came back up. So the afternoon feed was put on the pump and was just pedialyte in order to make sure she is getting her fluids. Adam did mention that she has gotten 4 ounces of pediasure this evening and he is going to wait a little bit, and try to give her 4 more ounces. They will then start another night drip of pedialyte to keep her hydrated, and we will try again tomorrow to get her up to full feeds (full feeds for us is three 8 ounce feeds of pedialyte).
She cannot come home until she is off the oxygen. They need her to go a full night of being off of oxygen before she can come home. So for now, we wait.
Thank you for all your love and prayers! Keep 'em coming! :)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sick Bree
On Friday, Bree woke up with a small cough and was sneezing here and there. We ended up canceling a play date that we had planned because we didn't want to risk getting our friends sick. Saturday found her to be worse so I started breathing treatments and broke up her feeds so that she was getting smaller volumes more often because I know with her she tends to throw up really easily, and when you are coughing that hard...it is easy to lose your lunch (or breakfast or dinner).
Sunday found her to be even more worse. She couldn't keep down pediasure and when she was unable to keep down Gatorade Adam ended up taking her into Arrowhead Hospital in the afternoon. The doctor at Arrowhead told Adam in an indirect way that Bree has RSV, and that she will be fine because "when she was a baby we were worried about inflammation and swelling in her throat and airway because she was so small. Now it's just like she has a sore throat." He gave Adam a prescription for cough syrup and sent them home. Needless to say, I was not pleased and was going to take Bree straight to the pediatrician in the morning.
We never got that far. When they got home we gave Bree the cough medicine and 2 ounces of Gatorade and then put her in a hot bath with cold vapor stuff in it. We steamed up the bathroom to help her lungs open up and after her bath she got a breathing treatment and was put to bed. An hour later we heard her coughing and rushed in to get her. She was not able to cough anything up, but could not catch her breath. She ended up going pale/gray and completely limp and unresponsive in my arms. We called an ambulance, and just as they were showing up she started to regain her color and within ten minutes she was high five-ing the paramedics and playing with their equipment. We decided to have them transport her to Phoenix Children's Hospital just to be safe.
Once Adam and Bree got to PCH, she became very sleepy and was hard to wake up. That's how she still is. They have started an IV, and she is on oxygen. Her oxygen saturations (aka sats) are still lower than they would like with oxygen (she's around 91%), but they are trying a few different things to help her.
Adam is staying at the hospital with Bree for right now to try and reduce the exposure that I have to all the sick kiddos there. The last thing we need is for me to get sick and end up with complications or something.
Please keep her in your prayers, well wishes, or send healing vibes her way! She's in the best place that she needs to be right now and is receiving excellent care. Now we just wait for her little body to start to heal itself.
Sunday found her to be even more worse. She couldn't keep down pediasure and when she was unable to keep down Gatorade Adam ended up taking her into Arrowhead Hospital in the afternoon. The doctor at Arrowhead told Adam in an indirect way that Bree has RSV, and that she will be fine because "when she was a baby we were worried about inflammation and swelling in her throat and airway because she was so small. Now it's just like she has a sore throat." He gave Adam a prescription for cough syrup and sent them home. Needless to say, I was not pleased and was going to take Bree straight to the pediatrician in the morning.
We never got that far. When they got home we gave Bree the cough medicine and 2 ounces of Gatorade and then put her in a hot bath with cold vapor stuff in it. We steamed up the bathroom to help her lungs open up and after her bath she got a breathing treatment and was put to bed. An hour later we heard her coughing and rushed in to get her. She was not able to cough anything up, but could not catch her breath. She ended up going pale/gray and completely limp and unresponsive in my arms. We called an ambulance, and just as they were showing up she started to regain her color and within ten minutes she was high five-ing the paramedics and playing with their equipment. We decided to have them transport her to Phoenix Children's Hospital just to be safe.
Once Adam and Bree got to PCH, she became very sleepy and was hard to wake up. That's how she still is. They have started an IV, and she is on oxygen. Her oxygen saturations (aka sats) are still lower than they would like with oxygen (she's around 91%), but they are trying a few different things to help her.
Adam is staying at the hospital with Bree for right now to try and reduce the exposure that I have to all the sick kiddos there. The last thing we need is for me to get sick and end up with complications or something.
Please keep her in your prayers, well wishes, or send healing vibes her way! She's in the best place that she needs to be right now and is receiving excellent care. Now we just wait for her little body to start to heal itself.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Grow baby grow!
Yesterday morning I had my usual ultrasound on Mr. Derrick. However, the tech decided to do a quick check on Derrick's growth and see where he was at weight wise. Please refer back to this post (click here!) to see what all the measurements mean and to compare to his measurements three weeks ago. When the ultrasound was done I was 34 weeks, 4 days along.
BPD (Biparietal diameter) : 8.65 cm which is the size of an average 34 week, 6 day fetus
HC (Head Circumference): 31.60 cm which is the size of an average 35 week, 3 day fetus.
AC (Abdominal Circumference): 29.58 cm which is the size of an average 33 week, 4 day fetus
FL (Femur Length): 6.89 cm which is the size of an average 35 week, 3 day fetus.
This puts Derrick at 5 pounds, 5 ounces! He is in the 40th percentile (42% to be exact) for his overall development.
This means that if you were to take 100 fetuses that were at 34 weeks, 4 days along and line them all up according to size Derrick would be number 42. So it's not necessarily a bad thing or means that he is behind. It just gives an idea of where he is compared to others.
Taking his weight from 3 weeks ago (3 lbs, 15 oz) and comparing it to now shows that he is right on track. Babies at this point are supposed to gain about a 1/2 a pound a week. So as long as he continues along this trend he will be between 6.5 and 7 pounds when he is born.
What is your guess on his weight and length at birth?
My official guess is 6 pounds, 9 ounces and 20.5 inches long!
BPD (Biparietal diameter) : 8.65 cm which is the size of an average 34 week, 6 day fetus
HC (Head Circumference): 31.60 cm which is the size of an average 35 week, 3 day fetus.
AC (Abdominal Circumference): 29.58 cm which is the size of an average 33 week, 4 day fetus
FL (Femur Length): 6.89 cm which is the size of an average 35 week, 3 day fetus.
This puts Derrick at 5 pounds, 5 ounces! He is in the 40th percentile (42% to be exact) for his overall development.
This means that if you were to take 100 fetuses that were at 34 weeks, 4 days along and line them all up according to size Derrick would be number 42. So it's not necessarily a bad thing or means that he is behind. It just gives an idea of where he is compared to others.
Taking his weight from 3 weeks ago (3 lbs, 15 oz) and comparing it to now shows that he is right on track. Babies at this point are supposed to gain about a 1/2 a pound a week. So as long as he continues along this trend he will be between 6.5 and 7 pounds when he is born.
What is your guess on his weight and length at birth?
My official guess is 6 pounds, 9 ounces and 20.5 inches long!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Maternity photo previews
Head on over to Carrie Fay Photography's blog to see my maternity photo previews:
Click here!
We took these last Saturday morning, and had a great time! I am sooo pleased with the photos, and they mean more to me that I can express. The fact that I am still growing Derrick inside me is wonderful, and the photos will be cherished forever.
I recommend that any pregnant woman take the time to make sure to take maternity photos. Whether it be with your own camera or having a professional photographer take them, it is a time in your life that you will want to remember and you will never be able to get that time back once the baby is born. Every pregnancy is different and beautiful in it's own way.
With Riley's pregnancy I had a much further out belly, and I had a distinct line running down the front of my belly:
With Bree's pregnancy we all know I didn't get very far, so I never had the chance to have Carrie Fay take maternity pictures. This is the last picture we have of her pregnancy...it was taken on September 1st, and she was born 9 days later.
I feel so blessed to have made it this far into Derrick's pregnancy. I have appreciated (and still are!) every ache, pain, throw up, and feeling this time around. Pregnancy may not be the most comfortable thing in the world, but nothing compares to holding your child in your arms and knowing that you created them.
I got a little off track with this post...but back to the meaning of it. Carrie Fay is an amazing photographer, and I highly recommend her to anyone needing photos taken of any kind. Whether it be family shoots, maternity, or just for fun shots...she will take the time to make your photo shoot unique and about you.
Click here!
We took these last Saturday morning, and had a great time! I am sooo pleased with the photos, and they mean more to me that I can express. The fact that I am still growing Derrick inside me is wonderful, and the photos will be cherished forever.
I recommend that any pregnant woman take the time to make sure to take maternity photos. Whether it be with your own camera or having a professional photographer take them, it is a time in your life that you will want to remember and you will never be able to get that time back once the baby is born. Every pregnancy is different and beautiful in it's own way.
With Riley's pregnancy I had a much further out belly, and I had a distinct line running down the front of my belly:
With Bree's pregnancy we all know I didn't get very far, so I never had the chance to have Carrie Fay take maternity pictures. This is the last picture we have of her pregnancy...it was taken on September 1st, and she was born 9 days later.
I feel so blessed to have made it this far into Derrick's pregnancy. I have appreciated (and still are!) every ache, pain, throw up, and feeling this time around. Pregnancy may not be the most comfortable thing in the world, but nothing compares to holding your child in your arms and knowing that you created them.
I got a little off track with this post...but back to the meaning of it. Carrie Fay is an amazing photographer, and I highly recommend her to anyone needing photos taken of any kind. Whether it be family shoots, maternity, or just for fun shots...she will take the time to make your photo shoot unique and about you.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
February 15
21 days.
504 hours.
30,240 minutes.
1,814,400 seconds.
That's how long we have until our little man enters the world. My c section is set for February 15th at 9:30 in the morning. We will need to be there 2 hours early so we will be checking in at 7:30 am. That gives us enough time to drop the girls at daycare, and make it in time to check in and get ready to have a baby!
Adam's parents will be coming into town on the 14th, so they will get to be with us during the big event.
I can't believe how close it is. I am very excited to hold our little boy in my arms, to kiss his little head, and to show him off to the world.
504 hours.
30,240 minutes.
1,814,400 seconds.
That's how long we have until our little man enters the world. My c section is set for February 15th at 9:30 in the morning. We will need to be there 2 hours early so we will be checking in at 7:30 am. That gives us enough time to drop the girls at daycare, and make it in time to check in and get ready to have a baby!
Adam's parents will be coming into town on the 14th, so they will get to be with us during the big event.
I can't believe how close it is. I am very excited to hold our little boy in my arms, to kiss his little head, and to show him off to the world.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Proud
I am so proud of our Bree. I am sitting here a blubbering, crying mess of pride. Just thinking about how far we have come with her is such an amazing thing. I can't even put it into words or make my brain think how to put it together to convey all of my feelings. I don't think that I can.
She started out as this tiny tiny baby in a box that couldn't breathe on her own, couldn't eat on her own, and couldn't be moved or touched or stimulated too much or she would stop breathing and drop her heart rate. She received EXCELLENT care from all the nurses and doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital (and still does!) and was able to join our family at home in time for Christmas.
Fast forward two and a half years and you have this:
That's right. Bree is a model for Phoenix Children's Hospital! I can't believe it. We had a photo shoot during one of her doctor appointments a few months ago and I signed waivers and all that, but they weren't able to say if they were going to use her or not. Our friend Anneke took her kiddo to their GI appt today and she said that Bree's picture is up everywhere!
I am sure I will be able to write a much more put together and thought out post one of these days about this...but I wanted to share it with you all. Thank you for all your prayers, well wishes, positive thoughts and support you have sent our way during this journey with Bree. We have only just begun to see how amazing of a person she is going to be. :)
She started out as this tiny tiny baby in a box that couldn't breathe on her own, couldn't eat on her own, and couldn't be moved or touched or stimulated too much or she would stop breathing and drop her heart rate. She received EXCELLENT care from all the nurses and doctors at Phoenix Children's Hospital (and still does!) and was able to join our family at home in time for Christmas.
Fast forward two and a half years and you have this:
That's right. Bree is a model for Phoenix Children's Hospital! I can't believe it. We had a photo shoot during one of her doctor appointments a few months ago and I signed waivers and all that, but they weren't able to say if they were going to use her or not. Our friend Anneke took her kiddo to their GI appt today and she said that Bree's picture is up everywhere!
I am sure I will be able to write a much more put together and thought out post one of these days about this...but I wanted to share it with you all. Thank you for all your prayers, well wishes, positive thoughts and support you have sent our way during this journey with Bree. We have only just begun to see how amazing of a person she is going to be. :)
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Gonce Family: 2010
A big thank you to Carrie Fay Photography for taking fabulous photos of our family! We had a fun time, felt relaxed...and the pictures show how our family truly is. Hope you enjoy!
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