Quick note and Pics :)

Today we are snowed in, we have had some other large snow falls this winter but this one tops them all.  It started Monday and covered the ground with about 3 inches of snow, then took a little break until starting back up again Tuesday (yesterday) early afternoon and finally stopped late this morning.  I don't know what the official snow fall amount is but it is over 12 inches.  And the main issue is all the drifting snow, many roads are closed along with most businesses and schools.  Paul and I are enjoying the snow day together and had a list of things we wanted to get done, painting trim and putting together Emily's crib along with some other little things around the house but we have done none of those things and instead are all cozy on the couch watching TV/movies on netflix together!  I am glad that we have a warm home and still have power, many others that were hit by the same storm do not have power and it is VERY cold out. 

Emily and I continue to enjoy most everyday together and recently we made Valentines one day and tried to take some pics to put with her card, they are cute but not what I envisioned...  We tried rice cereal for the first time (and has had it once since), which Emily really likes.  I have had more photography clients and have been lucky to be able to schedule them so Paul went late to work or came home early or on the weekend.  But my sister is available if needed :) 

All these pics are from the last few weeks, Emily is 3-4 months in them.  She is growing so much, and really starting to show her personality over the last few weeks.  My sister calls her a little diva, and as much as I don't want to admit it - I think maybe she is.  I just say she is opinionated :)  Just this morning though I started to change my mind...wondering can she already be manipulating me??  She was laying on our bed, I was sitting and watching the news.  She was playing with a rattle in her hand and would try to get my attention back only on her every once in awhile, while playing she hit herself in the head - not hard she is only 4 months.  She was fine, I don't even know if she realized exactly what she did.  But I said to her "oh no, you are ok"  in a calm way, just to reassure her that it was fine because she was looking at me with a puzzled look on her face.  Once she realized that she did in fact do something that bottom lip came out (about 30-45 sec. after the incident) so far and her face got all sad looking and she looked like she was going to scream, i picked her right up and we avoided any tears because she was all giggles and smiles as soon as I picked her up...What a diva - it really did cross my mind that since she got some reaction, she knew how to get a bigger one and was going for it :) 

Reading with Daddy

Still loving bath time

 Fun in the jumperoo

Rice cereal for the first time :)

Making our Valentines Day cards...and using finger paint for the first time - what fun we had :)

Trying to get a cuteValentines pic to send with our cards...my vision was just not happening but still cute and fun!



Our Project

As some of you know Paul and I have been doing some remodeling in our home.  This project was much needed, so though it may seem like I am complaining, I am very grateful for the remodel and very very very grateful for those of you who helped make it happen (Mom, Dad, Brandon). 

Almost exactly one year ago, Paul and I found out we were expecting our first child.  Now we needed make a safe place for baby in our home.  A little background for those who have never seen our house.  Nobody really knows how old our home is, records do not date back that far.  The first recording of homes (in our area) started in 1900, so that is the date on our homes legal documents.  We have been told that the original part of our home dates back the the 1860's, needless to say many changes have been made to the home over the years, but its last face lift was in the 70's.  Our home still has a huge lump of coal in the basement, from an old heating system.  I think its cool, so it will remain part of the house.  And when we were tearing out plaster and some wood work it was all done with square nails!  But back to the remodel, after talking about what needed to be done to have a safe environment for baby, 11 months ago (almost to the day) Paul started in on the project while I was away at a scrapbooking retreat with some friends.  To make a long story short after realizing what was all involved in remodeling a really old house and all the surprises that are found along the way our project got scaled back and we hired some help. 

Today while Emily took a nap (a way too short nap) I continued to paint.  We spent all last weekend painting and now I have almost all the roller painting done, some small area remains and then we just have to go back and get all the edges, corners, around doors/windows, and small spaces with a brush...that's the time consuming tedious work that I am not a fan of.  But it's so nice to have the end in sight of a very long project.  This Friday we are having the flooring installed, so our goal is to have all the painting done by then.  We just have to finish up the walls and then paint the trim in the bed rooms, entry, and bathroom.  After all is done, we will have new electrical in the entire area, drywall in Emily's room (plaster was all removed), sound barrier and drywall on all ceilings (over existing plaster), new trim, new flooring, new front door, new light fixtures, and all new bathroom fixtures. 

I am looking forward to the day that it is all done, and we can sit back and relax for a short period until we clean it all up (yay no more construction dust all over) and get it all set up and decorated.  I will have to admit I was hoping things would have moved along more quickly - mainly because you cant paint when you are pregnant :) 

Other news, Emily is now 4 months old!  I can not believe how quickly time has gone.  I have really tired to enjoy every second with her knowing that little ones grow up way to fast.  Emily had a good check up, she is now 11 lbs. 9 oz. (12%) and 24 inches long (just over 50%), she is growing well.  She did not like her vaccines though!  She had a little fever for about a day but was so fussy and just not herself for 1-2 days and decided sleep was totally optional those days and she just wanted mommy snuggle time.  I have decided that though I miss sleep and will welcome it back with open arms one day, i need to cherish every moment of snuggle time because it will come to and end at some point!  At 4 months Emily is talking more and more every day, and has started to make some more coo sounds, and squeal and laugh more.  She has not rolled over any more except the one day almost a month ago.  She sits pretty well with some support, she is reaching and grasping toys and holding onto them better and starting to shake a rattle.  She still loves bath time, books, her pacifier, and to be swaddled.  She has not really gained anymore "skills" since about a month ago, just getting better at her existing skills.  She has been going through a growth spurt, or something, for the last 2-3 weeks.  She has been waking to eat an extra 1-2 times at night and eating every 1-2 hours during the day.  It will be nice to have some extra time to get things done, but I am glad that I am at home the majority of the time to give her what she needs. 

I have started to schedule my first clients for my photography business, I am very excited to be starting this new adventure.  I still have lots to learn, but feel that I am ready to get started and will continue to learn along the way.  My first client was suppose to be this past weekend but due to a sick child they had to re schedule, so my first client is now this Thursday morning! 

I wanted to post some recent pictures, but my camera is in the other room and I'm writing this blog with a sleeping child in my arms so I am not going to get up and fetch it.  I will post some pictures later. 

Blessed

Well I started this post about a week ago, I am sorry it has taken so long to finish up and publish.

Many of you already know, but I wanted to post an update about little Emily.  All her tests that were done as a follow up after her recent UTI came back normal!!  I feel so very blessed!  On the 29th (of Dec.) we took Emily to Mercy Hospital here in town and she had a renal ultrasound done to look at her kidneys and bladder and make sure everything was formed normal.  She then had a VCUG (Voiding Cystourethrogram) to look for urine refluxing out of the bladder up to the kidneys.  Everything was normal.  Emily did a great job, she was such a big girl and cooperated for the doctor.  He was able to get a good look at everything, and was very impressed by her!  The most difficult part of the day was when I was told I could not accompany Emily during the VCUG, only one parent could be in the room and they recommended Paul go back with her.  It was VERY hard to be waiting in the hall not knowing what was going on and I could hear her crying.  Paul said that she was a trooper for the test and did not mind it at all, she was crying after it was over because they were not letting her sit up right away (Emily thinks she is bigger than she really is sometimes).  So for now we do not know what caused the UTI, and just have to hope it was a fluke and she does not get another one.  After talking to her pediatrician she said we would just have to wait and see, if Emily did for some reason get another UTI she would most likely start Emily on a daily antibiotic to prevent any other infections (the treatment for urinary reflux) to be one the safe side and then repeat the test in a year.  Usually the reflux is something kids out grow at some point anyways.  She also said that if a child has the reflux it is something that is always present, so it would have shown up on the VCUG.  I felt much better after talking to her.  I am sure this is something we can put past us, it bothers me that I don't know what caused the infection, but I am glad that everything is normal and working as it should.  Afterall the most important thing is that Emily is healthy and her kidneys are working as they should. 

On a brighter note we had a wonderful holiday season filled with lots of family.  Some family got to meet Emily for the first time.  We really enjoyed seeing everyone and catching up with family we have not seen in some time.  Emily was an excellent traveler.  It was very nice to celebrate Emily's first Christmas! 

Emily celebrated her three month birthday recently as well.  At three months she is talking all the time.  I love to listen to her talk.  When I am running errands she will just sit in the back and talk to herself, it is such a sweet sound.    She just laughed for the first time a few days ago.  You really have to work to get a laugh from her still, but I'm sure they will become more frequent.  Emily rolled from tummy to back for the first time yesterday.  She did it about 6 times in a row!  She is starting to play with toys alot too, she will reach out and grasp onto toys and everything goes to the mouth.  She has a few crinkle toys, stuffed animals/dolls, and some rattles that are her favorite.  She still is a fan of her swing - though we need it less and less to keep us happy.  She still must be swaddled tight at night.  I need to get a video of her coming out of the swaddle in the morning it is so cute how she throws her arms up in the air after they are free.  She sill loves bath time, music, books, and pacifiers (if no paci then she will use her fingers). 

We are loving every second of being parents, and I can't believe it has been three months already.  Emily is our little princess and she is figuring that out already :)  She finds ways to get all the attention back on her if someone dares to direct attention away from her.  It is amazing watching her little personality develop.  Oh I love her :)

Fun in the hotel pool :) 

Some pictures from the last few weeks. 

  

First time in the snow, we had about 8inches that fell on Christmas Eve.  This was taken the day after Christmas.  Emily made her first snow angel with some help from her Daddy :)

Some more pictures from the hospital

Bath Time

A long week

First an update on Emily, as some of you know already Emily had been very ill last week.  She is feeling much better now, thanks to some antibiotics.  To fill everyone in on what has been going on with us, on Dec. 9th Emily woke in the middle of the night as usual but this time was very fussy and just not herself, she felt very warm and had a temp of almost 101.  She started with some cold symptoms later the next day and I just figured it was all related.  Well the cold symptoms cleared up after a few days and the Fever even broke for part of a day, but then returned.  After a few trips to the doctor and having her blood taken twice, the doctor needed to find the source of the fevers.  Emily was now on her 7th day of fever.  At that point the doctor checked a urine sample.  It looked like Emily had a UTI (urinary tract infection) this was confirmed a few days later after a final culture was back.  Emily was started on an antibiotic to fight the infection and since has been feeling much much better, her fever broke for good in the early afternoon on Dec. 16th (almost exactly 24 hrs. after starting the antibiotic). 

Due to the concern for any underlying cause of the UTI some additional tests need to be done though.  Next week we will go into Mercy Hospital for these tests.  They are to check to make sure kidneys and ureters are functioning normal and no urine is refluxing up the ureters from the bladder to the kidneys.  This urinary reflux can cause the infections sometimes, and with someone so young it is abnormal to get an UTI and we just have to make sure nothing else is going on.  If this reflux is found it means a daily antibiotic for a year to help prevent infection and then the tests are done again at that point to see if the condition still exists.  Most of the time kids have grown out of it after a year. 

I am glad that Emily is feeling better, and we found the source of the fevers and were able to treat it.  I am concerned about her though, and just hope that everything checks out ok next week.  We have had our fair share of "issues" with our little girl, and I really hope we get a break on this...I would not change anything though, everything we have gone through has made us a stronger family and has made us love our little girl that much more and it really makes you realize how special little ones are.  Truly a gift.

Emily is now 12 weeks old and changing every day.  Emily is talking more and more, and has started to squeal a few times I think she may start to laugh any day now.  She loves to read books, and gets very excited when we read together.  She still loves music and also get excited when we sing to her.  She is starting to reach out and grab onto things and will hold onto a toy for awhile.  A few times she has even brought objects up to her mouth to suck on, and will put her pacifier back in her mouth when it slips out.  She always has to have something in her mouth to suck on, you will usually find her with a pacifier, fingers, or blanket in her mouth.  She knows who her mom and dad are, she is better about letting others hold her now but keeps her eyes on us at all times.  She lights up every evening when Paul comes home and give him a big smile and tells him all about her day when he comes home.  Paul has these little games that he plays with her and she loves them!  Emily has always enjoyed bath time, but the last few times she has had a blast in the tub, she kicks and splashes and really gets moving in the tub! 

We are looking forward to our first Christmas with Emily, and celebrated Christmas with the Jorgensen family this past weekend.  Emily got to meet some family for the first time and had fun with her cousins.  We will celebrate on Christmas Eve with my parents and immediate family and then plan to travel to visit Paul's family after Christmas.  We are looking forward to visiting with everyone and feel blessed to have the best gift of all - our Emily. 

Some pictures from the last week or two.  Emily is about 10 pounds now by the way. 

Sleeping, during the day she will nap like this but still has to be swaddled tight at night to sleep.

 Bath Time!

Emily also loves getting changed and dressed, here we are getting dressed after a bath.

 All ready for Christmas at Grandpa and Grandma Greats house! 

 Putting the paci back in.

You know you are special when Noah gives you crusty :) 

 Noah playing with Emily.  He is so sweet with her, he was tickling her in the top picture and singing to her in the bottom picture. 

 Emily and Eli.  Eli loves Emily a little too much sometimes, but I can't wait until they are a little older they will have so much fun together.

Holding onto our book.

Ok, and now to try to upload a video again.  I have another of her talking and one of bath time.  I hope it works this time. 



All Snuggled Up

That pretty much describes what Emily and I have been doing all day.  Today marks the day that I should have returned to work after maternity leave, so I'm enjoying the fact I am home with my snugly little girl.

Emily has been sick all weekend with cold symptoms (cough, nasal drainage/congestion) and fever, I took her to the doctor this morning and everything checked out ok.  Emily did have to have a blood test done to make sure everything looked viral, since she had a fever for so long just to make sure we were not missing anything.  Everything looked good and we were sent home to continue doing what we have been and watch for a few more days.  This afternoon Emily has really turned a corner and is doing much better.  She still has all the cold symptoms but her temperature is 99-100 without any Tylenol (we were doing Tylenol every 4 hrs. over the weekend and it would only get down to 100.2 with Tylenol).  Her fever broke a few hours ago and I think that has really made her feel better, she is much more happy and acting more like herself, but still needing some extra loving and protests whenever I put her down. 

I have been trying to learn Photoshop with the help of my dad.  I have been working on some photos today that I took last week and hope to have them done soon.  It is taking me much longer than I expected to work on them and it really gives me an appreciation for the time intensive end products that I always took for granted from my dad.  I need to get a finished product so that I can finish up my website with some images that I did.  Once I get more familiar with Photoshop that will help speed things up some. 

The last few weeks Paul and I have been trying SO hard to get a video of Emily "talking" to us, she has such a sweet little voice and will be cooing up a storm and then we pull the camera out and she either stops or starts to fuss at us.  She seems almost startled by the camera at times and other times just stares at it, very quiet and still, trying to figure out what that thing is.  Today I got her talking and then pulled out the camera (that I had ready and waiting at my side) and started the video.  I think I got it!  You can't see her the well in the beginning since its from the side and I could not really see what I was doing, but you can hear her and then I got her face some at the end.  Please excuse the crusty nose from nasal drainage :)  I will post some pictures from the last week too. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jxzSf9JNGQ

I was not able to upload the video to my blog for some reason.  Please use the link above to view.

Family News and My Perspectives Photography :)

I am excited to announce (for those who don't already know) I have quit my job as a pediatric nurse.  This decision came after alot of thought, discussion, and prayers.  I never thought twice about returning to work before Emily came along, I was going to have her, stay home for 12 weeks and return to work.  Once Emily joined us everything changed - for the better.  I now could not sleep and night knowing that I was going to have to go back to work and leave her for almost 10 hrs. every day.  My sister was going to be watching her and that made it sit better with me, I knew that family was going to be with her all day and even though she had to be away from me it was my sister - her aunt - watching her who I trust completely and I knew she would be very well cared for and truly loved.  As the weeks ticked by it just got harder and harder knowing the time was coming all too soon where I would have to be away from my little girl.  I shed many tears over knowing I was going to have to leave her...I would have done anything to be able to stay home with her and love her all day, but we have bills to pay. 

Paul and I started talking and we had decided for me to go back part time, I was going to try and have 2 days off a week - but be flexible.  My job previously had let many many other nurses work part time and change schedules to be more family friendly, so I never anticipated it to be an issue.  I had gone as far as telling some family and friends that I would be going back part time (3-4 days a week) before it was even official.  When I tried to work it out with my employer it was not possible.  Due to the current staffing demands they really needed a full time nurse, so the next week after much more discussion and debate I turned in my resignation letter.

While deciding to go back to work part time, I had decided to start a photography business to supplement the income.  I sat down one day and though about what I really enjoy doing and what makes me happy (besides holding Emily all day).  I immediately knew taking pictures was the answer.  For as long as I can remember I have been interested in photography.  Some of my favorite memories growing up are helping my dad in the darkroom in our house on 8th Ave.  And helping or playing in the darkroom at his office.  If I wrote them all out this blog would be too long and you would all get so bored.  In high school photography was offered as an elective, I signed up for every class I could.  It was so relaxing for me to go out and just take pictures.  I just had so much fun (and was so happy) during the whole process.

Over the last few years I have looked at nice cameras and just wished I could get back into photography again.  Well now I am, so my idea for little supplemental income is now turning into a full time business.  I have decided to become a Photographer.  This will allow me to set my own work hours, and stay at home more.  I want to specialize in maternity through childhood portraits.  Paul and I had been remodeling part of our house which I had been annoyed that we were taking so long to finish - poor Emily needs a room.  It has worked out perfect though, now we will be able to have part of the job finished as I want for a photography studio.  It is not a huge area, but it will work perfect for portraits and it has an outside door so clients can come and go and not have to be in our main house.  I can get the area set up just how I want to!  I will also plan on going to clients homes to do portraits and have come up with some fun ideas that I hope will help get my business started.  I know it will be slow going at first and things will be tight around the Braem home financially but Emily is worth every sacrifice.  I keep telling myself something my dad said to us when we told them I was going to work part time and start doing photography.  He said (based on much experience) that you will never regret the sacrifices you make now, to improve things for your child.  It is so true, and I feel blessed that I am able to make this change to spend more time with Emily.   I also have been so blessed that my dad has sat down with me and spent many hours looking at camera reviews, helping me pick out a professional camera to get started and has given me many tips and pointers along with hand me down supplies.  And I look forward to many lessons to come :)

I just look at Emily now and instead of tears that I have to leave her all day I have tears of joy that I am so blessed and lucky to have an amazing husband that has been so supportive and while I was going back and forth with the issue he just flat out said to me "you are not going back".  And supportive parents that I still look to for advice who have listened to me, and my dad especially who has helped me VERY much with the photography end of things.  And my sister, she is a mom too and has been very understanding and supportive.  I really felt bad backing out on her as daycare is her job and income for the family.

I have started my website so you will have to check it out.  Nothing much up yet but everything needs to start somewhere.  Eventually I will post all my client photos after a job to the "galleries" area and then clients will be able to order prints right on the website.  I am very excited!
http://www.myperspectivesphotography.com/