Movie Star!

Had to share Kase in his FIREMAN get-up!  More to come!

20 Days Old

Busy week with school starting at Garfield.  Overall, I thought the week went well considering we have been under construction since May!  Part of the MEASURE "A" bond money gave Garfield a nice facelift and an expanded library. 

I went by Jenna's Monday night and got to feed Kase.  What a treat!  I'm on the "books" to babysit a couple of times in October and I can't wait!



Friday night came and Mitch and I got to spend the night at Kases' house.  Trenton got called in to work so Mimi & Pompa packed their bags and moved into the extra bedroom.  I got to take care of  Kase during his fussy time - 8-11 pm and then Mitch got to take care of him at the 4am feeding! 

 

Today (Sunday) we had a wonderful day celebrating "Grammy's" 75th birthday.  We thought the best gift we could give her was a day with her grandkids.  Matt & Jackie's kids came, Mark came with the boys, and Jenna and Kase came.  Auntie Frances and Steve came along with my dad & Lyn.  It was a perfect afternoon.

 

Carole has been a wonderful grandmother.  She has taken her job as "Grammy" very seriously.  When my kids were young, she worked in ALL FOUR of their classrooms once a week.  My kids thought this was normal.  She has been a great role model for me and I can only hope and pray that I have the same kind of impact on my grandkids that she has on hers.



Grammy with Ella Ribera

(Matt & Jackie's daughter)

Jenna, Grammy & Ella

Grammy with Jackson, Delane, Owen, Ella,

& Eden (Matt's kids)

Grammy with Jenna & her

1st Great Grandson, Kase

Sammy, Ellis (Mark & Tara's boys) with Grammy

Kase & "Gigi" this is Carole's name to her

Great Grandkids!

Carol with her boys, Mitch & Mark

 

It was nice to have my dad and Lyn over!  They have been gone most of the summer and we haven't seen them very much! 

 

 

It's hard to believe Kase will be 3 weeks old tomorrow.  He is such a huge blessing in our lives!

Settling In

Oh, how I remember how hard it was to bring a newborn home for the 1st time and somehow, try to get some normalcy going in your life.  The baby sleeps all day and is up all night.  The difficulty of breast feeding that only those that have gone before understand!  The normal that you once knew is now gone forever! 

 

Our dear friend Jenny Johanson set up meals for the kids Monday through Thursdays for 4 weeks.  What a blessings!  This is something I remember well......friends bringing love through meals. 

 

My mom came up and stayed with Jenna for a few days because Trenton went back to work and is gone several days at a time with his job.  That was a huge help to Jenna. 

 

Mitch and I have visited each night (or almost every night).  Right after work, I let my office know that I have to go kiss my baby!

 

 

Something we can all be praying about is Jordan's girlfriend, Jennie.  As you know she is due with our 2nd grandchild November 6 (they are keeping the sex of the baby a secret).  Her pregnancy has been difficult and she was recently diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome.  May–Thurner syndrome is a rare condition in which compression of the common venous outflow tract of the left lower extremity may cause discomfort, swelling, or blood clots, called deep venous thrombosis (DVT), in the iliofemoral vein. The specific problem is compression of the left common iliac vein by the overlying right common iliac artery.  This leads to pooling or stasis of blood, predisposing the individual to the formation of blood clots. May–Thurner syndrome is therefore more common in the left leg as the artery acutely overlaps the left iliac vein. In the 21st century the May–Thurner syndrome definition has been expanded to a broader disease profile known as nonthrombotic iliac vein lesions (NIVL) which can involve both the right and left iliac veins as well as multiple other named venous segments. This syndrome frequently manifests as pain when the limb is dependent and/or significant swelling of the whole limb.

 

Jennie has been hospitalized and we are waiting to see what kind of treatment she can be given 6 months into her pregnancy.  She is in a lot of pain and basically on bed-rest. 

Please pray for Jordan and Jennie as they journey through these difficult waters.  We are trusting God with a healthy baby & mom.  I'll give updates as they come.

Day 2: Kase has visitors

Day 2 at the hospital was very busy (probably way too busy) with friends and family coming to see our angel!  Something you might not know is that Trenton's mom, Tonya Nef McGill and I went to high school together at Bullard High and she sat right in front of me in Danny Robinson's typing class.  I just think that is SO cool.......we graduated together and we now share a grandson!

Mitch is going to be the most wonderful grandfather.  First of all, he's the BEST father in the world....I can only imagine what kind of influence he will have on his grandkids.  I'm sure he will be a lot like his brother, Mike.  He set the bar high with Ella and Emme! 

                                        Uncle  Jonah and Kase

                                   Mimi is in HEAVEN!

                                     Uncle Jordan stops by!

Soon to be dad (Jordan) (November) with new dad (Trenton)

                               Kase saying his prayers!

Great Grandmas: Barbara (Trenton's dad's mom) & Grammy (Mitch's mom)

                                              Grammy & Kase

                                              3 Generations

     

Sissy:  Mike & Frances' daughter and Jenna's cousin

Sammy (shares Kase's birthday) Mark & Tara's oldest son

                                      Flowers for Mama Jenna

Ellis Earl:  Mark & Tara's youngest son (shares the EARL with Jonah).
                     Great  Auntie Tara:  Mark's wife

                          Great Gran Suka (my mom)

Great Aunt Heidi:  My brother Jason's wife

The infamous Uncle Jason (my brother) and Aunt Heidi

Love this pic....me, my mom, Jason, Jenna, & Kase

        My brother, Jason, me & Kase

What a day!  Tomorrow, it's back to work for me...Boo Hoo!  Jenna, Trenton, and Kase will go home and try to figure out days and nights.  What a wonderful life!

 

Birthday...August 5, 2013

Well, today finally came!  Jenna was supposed to be at the hospital by 8:00 am  ready to be induced.  Wonderfully, she started having contractions on her own at about 4:00 in the morning.  Mitch and I were there for the day.....

we weren't excited or anything!

I remember being induced with 2 of my four kids and one of the things that's a positive about a scheduled induction is knowing WHEN you are going to have the baby, so you can get a decent night's sleep and be fresh and ready for the long day ahead.......and it was a LONG day!

It's amazing how things have changed since I had a baby 19 1/2 years ago.  Now they make darling birthing clothes with holes, snaps, and ties in all the right places.  Jenna looked like a million bucks and she was ready for Kase to enter the world.

The day went along smoothly after the Pitocin was started and she had a few visitors in the beginning of her labor.  At first, it was just Trenton, Mitch and I.  Then Jonah came up for a while and so did Jeremy Pratt (he happened to be in town).

There's a special room for the dad's to get snacks when they get hungry.  Again, how things have changed!!

At about 2:30, all the smiles were gone and labor had progressed to an uncomfortable state.  Jenna had decided early on that she was not going to be a "hero" and go without any drugs.  I'm glad!  My 1st three kids were done with no drugs because by the time I wanted some, it was too late!  Now (another new change) you can have an epidural all the way to 10 centimeters dilated.  She was  looking much better in the picture below, AFTER the epidural!

Trenton did a really great job being there for Jenna and I was REALLY proud of him!  As I said, the day was LONG and he was calm cool and collected UNTIL Kase was born.  At that moment, we both cried!  I have to say it was one of the most amazing things I've ever been a part of. 

What a miracle....it's just UNBELIEVABLE! 

Psalm 139:13-16
¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Jenna did a GREAT job!  He was born at 10:47 pm after an hour and 20 minutes of pushing!  He was 7 lbs. 2 oz. and 20 1/2 inches long.  And as you can see from the pictures above, he was a screamer!  Already has his dad's intense personality!

 

I just love the way hospital's encourage the skin to skin contact for the 1st  2 hours after birth.  I remember the nurse whisking my children away and taking them to the nursery.  They only brought me my babies when they were ready to nurse.  This way is so much better!  Jenna and Trenton REALLY got to bond with Kase!

                                             The next generation!

                       Skin to skin time with mom & dad!

After about 45 minutes, Kase had his 1st

visitors .........Nana (Trenton's mom) and Victor (special name to be determined) (Trenton's Dad), and Auntie Frances.  This was such a special time, the 8 of us just praising the LORD for such a blessed gift!  Before we all left, we stood in a circle around Jenna's bed and Frances prayed a blessing over Kase's life.  It was such a tender moment! 

 Ephesians 2:10
¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.  This Scripture reminds us that GOD has a plan and purpose for Kase that he's known from the beginning of time! 

Before they moved Jenna into her regular room (about 1:15 am), Mimi got to hold him for the very first time.  It's hard to believe I am a grandmother.  I don't feel "old" and that's what you are when you have grandchildren!!  This had to be one of the BEST days of my life (along with Jenna's wedding day).  What a privilege to love my daughter's son a be a part of his life.  God has blessed me beyond measure and I can't wait for tomorrow!