What a Day!

Daniel had his first appointment with the cardiologists at Primary Children’s today (not counting right after he was born).  Lucky us, it was at 8 AM!!  We hopped into the Suburban by 6 AM and were on our way.  (Thanks to Mindi for giving up her ENTIRE day to take care of our kiddos!!)  I was lucky enough to be functioning on 4 1/2 hours of sleep – I can sort of sympathize with Jared now!  Sort of.  OK – so one day doesn’t really count.  But let’s just pretend…it’s more fun that way!

Daniel had an echocardiogram scheduled first, then we were supposed to meet with the doc. at 8:30.  Haha!!  I should know by now that EVERYTHING in the medical field takes longer than expected.  By the time we met with the doctor it was 10:00!!  She said the PDA (large hole, basically) was mostly closed and there was no blood flow through it.  YEAH!!!!  That is good news!  And the AV canal looks the same as it did last week, and the time before, and the time before…another YEAH!!!  So, the plan is to stick with the plan – surgery in 4-6 months, and Daniel needs to eat and grow until then.  Simple enough!

In all the excitement, Daniel just slept.  And slept.  And squeaked a little.  Until they pulled the stickers for the EKG off.  The first set – there were 3 of them – had been on for over an hour.  He really started wailing when they came off!  That was the most and loudest I have heard him cry.  He beat that record hands down when they pulled the next set of stickers off – all 13 of them!  Yeah, I think I’d be screaming too.  The poor little guy has marks all over from the darn things!

By the time we walked out of the hospital, it was around 11 AM.  We ran a quick errand, and were then on our way into downtown to get gas and a bite of lunch and then head home.  I guess we just shouldn’t make plans because life has a way of destroying them.

We were on 3rd West between 7th and 8th South when we ran out of gas!!  (Hehe…I wasn’t the one driving.  Now I can give Jared a hard time about it for a while!!  He still teases me about the 2 times he’s rescued me when I’ve run out of gas.)  We didn’t heed the warning soon enough, and we paid for it.  We were able to coast a couple more blocks and get pulled off to the side of the road, but there was no gas station in sight.  So we called my mom to come rescue us.  Thanks mom!!  I’m so glad we weren’t on the freeway when it happened.  So that little episode ended up taking an hour!

I fully expected to be home by noonish, one o’clock at the latest.  Uh huh.  Plans.  Life.  Do they really mix well??  We Ripplingers really know how to make life exciting!

And now you need a picture.  I don’t have one from today, but I do have a few from our Easter celebrations (Saturday).

I love the look on Rachel’s face in this one!

I asked Josh to show me his cast…???

And just because I love this one (from Stacie) of the three of us after Daniel was born.  Such handsome boys!!!

Rachel is 4!!

How can it be that 4 years have passed already??  Holy cow – time is slipping away from me!

Rachel had her 4th birthday yesterday – on Easter – and she loved every minute!

Rachel’s life started out on the rocky side, and it’s only gotten better and better!  She is such a smartie, and quite tender-hearted.  She can always make you feel better if you’re down, and she loves to tell you how much she loves you.  She’s just full of warm fuzzies!

She’s also full of spunk, and can get quite upset if things don’t go her way.  I think it’s the red hair!

She loves to color and can spend lots of time working on tiny little details in a picture.  She also loves to read and look at books.  Often times she will sit quietly and look at books while the rest of us are reading scriptures.  She loves her High 5 magazine, especially the hidden pictures.  It is such a joy to see her so involved and concentrate so hard!

Rachel LOVES to sing, and knows the words to so many songs.  I frequently hear her singing “I love to see the temple” and “I am a child of God” as she goes about her day.  She seems to have a song running through her head all the time.

She is excited to be 4 and start preschool in the fall.  She is such a great big sister to her younger brothers and is already quite the mother.

We love you Rachel!  You add such a zest to life and we love you to pieces!

Our Children Will Save Us

We got “the phone call” from the geneticist on Friday, confirming what we already knew – that Daniel indeed has Down Syndrome.  Actually hearing those words as a definitive diagnosis hit me harder than I expected.  I think my mind suddenly rushed forward in time, trying to figure it all out and deal with everything – baby, toddler, child, teenager, adult – all at once.  Slightly overwhelming!  Back to today I come.  Living what is here and now – enjoying every precious moment with my sweet little boy.

I thought I would share something I blogged about a few months ago, but never hit the “publish” button.  It was the beginning of February.  I had started to feel OK with everything we knew.

We had Stake Conference a few months ago (November, I think), and I attended the adult session by myself (which is usual, since Jared goes to the Priesthood leadership session). To be honest, I don't remember a whole lot about the meeting - I'm not a very good note-taker.

But I do remember a statement by our Stake President. He said, "Our children will save us." I don't recall the context, but that statement really stood out to me, and it caused me to think about my own children and the relationship I have with them. I think he was trying to teach us that the things we learn as parents have the potential to change us, to bring us closer to Christ. And that when we're parenting in partnership with the Savior, our children will be better and stronger than anything we could ever do or hope for on our own. And our strength and goodness will grow in part because of theirs. They can’t make it without us, and we can't make it without each of them.

Over the past few weeks, I have pondered this statement frequently. It is one of the first things that came to my mind after we had our ultrasound in December, when we found out that our baby may have Down syndrome.

In all honesty, I felt pretty devastated about the prospect of Down syndrome. I feared for this baby - how he'd be treated, how his health would be impacted. I feared for our family - how we'd deal with this, how we may never be empty-nesters. I feared for myself - how I could ever parent a child with special needs when I feel so inadequate at parenting "typical" children.

But my mind has continually been brought back to what our Stake President said: "Our children will save us." This baby needs us - whether he has 46 chromosomes or 47. He needs us to love and care for him, to teach him and protect him.

But even more than he needs us, we need him. We need him to save us, and I know he will. He will help to change our hearts. He will help us learn things we never thought possible. He will help unite our family. He will save us.

As I sit here beside my precious Daniel, on this beautiful Easter morning, I am so thankful for the Savior and the wonderful gifts of the atonement and resurrection that He has given each of us.  I am so thankful that He has made it possible for each of us to be perfected – not just physically, but spiritually.  I know that He will make our greatest struggles into our greatest joys.  He already has!

Love Me Some of This

A SMILE!!!!  Seriously – he smiled at me!  The boy’s got skills.

We washed Daniel’s hair today – long story…I might tell it some time.  His hair completely came alive.  We’re talking lion’s mane!

You just can’t resist those eyes, though, can ya?!?! 

Cutest Prince Charming EVER!!  Told ya he’d put William and Harry to shame!

Updates…We’re Home!

We were lucky enough to get to come home last night (about 60 hours after birth).  My shortest stay for a c-section!  Here are a few updates about Daniel:

No NICU stay at all!!  That made for happy parents!  He had to stay in the nursery for most of his first day so they could re-check his heart.  His heart looks just like they thought it would, so that is good.  The nursery people were also concerned that he wasn’t keeping his oxygen saturation high enough (above 90%).  The cardiologists said he only needs to keep it above 80%, and he passed that hurdle with flying colors.  By the evening of his birth day he was with me the entire time, with the exception of occasional trips to the nursery for assessments.

He was able to maintain his temperature without a warmer, and he maintained 95% of his birth weight, which means he is eating well.  He has been awesome at nursing!  We usually have to wake him up to eat (every 3 hours), but I’ll take that over tube feedings or trekking to the NICU any day!

His bilirubin levels were slightly elevated, but not high enough to require treatment.  (Another sign that he’s eating well.)  We get to follow up on that with our own pedi. later this week.

His muscle tone is very good for a baby who has Down syndrome.  A huge help for eating!

He has just been such a joy.  He sleeps well and hardly ever cries.  And his cries are more like a yelp – so cute!

The other kids got to come visit at the hospital yesterday before we came home.  They love him to pieces and are so fascinated by every little thing he does.

A Little Something Extra

What seems like forever ago (December to be exact) we had our “routine” growth ultrasound with Daniel.  That is a day that will live forever in my mind.

That was the day we found out that Daniel has a pretty serious heart defect.  It was also the day we found out that this particular heart defect, as well as a few other things found on the ultrasound, led the doctor to believe that this little boy may have Down syndrome.

We made the decision to forgo amniocentesis and just wait until this little guy was born to know anything for certain.  Those were the longest 4+ months of my life.  But they were so important.  They gave us time to prepare and to find peace with the possibility of having a child with “special needs.”

I knew as soon as I saw Daniel that he indeed has Down syndrome.  And I also knew as soon as I saw him that he is perfect.  He is just the way he is supposed to be.  He came with a set of totally cool “designer genes” that give us a little more to love.  A little more to appreciate.  A little more to cherish.  And that is just what we will do!

Daniel’s Birth Story

On Sunday, April 17, at 5:12 a.m., we welcomed Daniel Keith Ripplinger into the world.  The story goes something like this…

My c-section was scheduled for April 21.  If you read my previous posts, you know that I was very happy with this day.  Tax season was over, it wasn’t too close to my due date…just a perfect day.

Well, Daniel had other plans.  I started having contractions on Saturday afternoon, around 2 p.m.  I had been having contractions on and off over the past week, so it wasn’t anything surprising or concerning.  I figured they would follow the same pattern as they had all week – contract here and there, or even somewhat consistently for a couple hours, and then stop.  After a couple of hours, the contractions were still going, and they were getting closer, and they were getting stronger.  Hmmm…I’m sure they’re going to stop.  I did this for weeks before Caleb was born, and the contractions always stopped, and they never caused any progress toward birth.  I’m sure this is what’s happening.

I tried to just chill out, which happened to work quite nicely.  Jared was supposed to be at work, but was home because there was nothing more he could do at work, since the server was down.  (tender mercy for sure!)  He was planning on going back in during the evening after the server came back up.  We ran to get dinner and a few groceries around 5 p.m., at which point I was starting to feel sort of miserable.  I didn’t eat any dinner – I didn’t feel like eating, and I knew that if I was going to need a c-section, I couldn’t have any food.  Jared wouldn’t let me go in for groceries – he’s such a good, wise man!  When we got home, we sent the kids down to watch a movie, I got serious timing contractions, and Jared ran around gathering things for the hospital…just in case.

Jared got the kids put to bed around 8 p.m., and then wondered if I was OK enough for him to run to work for an hour.  I wasn’t sure, but thought it would be OK, since he was so close, and it was only an hour.  I changed my mind after he’d been there for 15 minutes!  So Stacie came and sat with the kids, and we ran up to the hospital, just to check. 

I was only at 1 cm, so the plan was to fill me up with fluids over 2 hours and see if that would get rid of the contractions and keep me from progressing.  If so, I would go home.  If not, I would be on my way to SLC in the helicopter!  YIKES!!  That part didn’t sound so fun.  After 2 hours, I had progressed another cm, so my doctor said I was on my way to SLC, but in an ambulance instead of the helicopter. (another tender mercy)  That was THE BUMPIEST ride I’ve ever had in my life!

We got to the Univ. of Utah around 3 a.m., and Jared got there just before 4 a.m.  The doctor(s) decided that they would just deliver me.  So I headed into surgery around 4:30 a.m.  It just so happened that one of my docs was on call, so was in charge of delivering the baby.  But I really don’t think he did anything besides stand in the room and supervise the residents.

At 5:12 a.m., Daniel Keith was born.  He weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz., and was 19.25 inches long.  He was taken to the regular pediatric nursery, not even the NICU!  They let me have a little snuggle time before they took him away though.

I look a little weird, but I was so thrilled to see this boy here safe and sound.  It was love at first sight!  Actually, it was love at first sound, since I could only hear him crying for the first several minutes before I got to see him.

Welcome to the world little man!  We love you!

This is how WE do it!

Just a little fun at our house this morning.  I know – we’re kinda weird.  But people seem to still love us, even with the weirdness!

We Have a Date!!

I went to another appt. with my doctor in Ogden yesterday.  They did the usual non-stress test, pee in a cup, take my blood pressure, weigh me, check amniotic fluid levels, yada yada.  I do all of this with a nurse, so it’s pretty uneventful.  But uneventful is good.

I was ready to cry, though, when the nurse said, “OK, we have you on the schedule for April 28th (3 days before my due date).”  Then she went to get the doctor to come chat with me.

The doctor came in – and I was happy to see that it was the OTHER one, who was originally OK with me delivering a bit earlier than 39 weeks.  She asked if I was planning on a vaginal delivery, to which I laughed and said, “Uh, I’d love one, but I didn’t think anyone would let me?!?”  She explained that my c-section had actually been scheduled as a labor induction (as in, hook me up to Pitocin to evict the baby)!  Haha!!  {Um, doesn’t anyone read charts anymore???  You know, the part that says I’ve had 3 c-sections already?!?! } And she was just a wee bit concerned about waiting so long to do it.  HALLELUJAH!!  Finally someone can see the light besides me!

So, she said she had no problems with delivering me a couple days before the 39 week mark!

Unless this baby tries to evict himself prior to the scheduled date, we will get to meet him on…..

APRIL 21

The only downside is that neither of the 2 doctors that I know can deliver me!!  WAAAAA!!!  But I guess it’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.

So Much For THAT Idea…

Can you hear the screaming?  That’s me.  I’m ready to throw something at the doctor.  The man won’t budge – not even by a day – on delivering this baby before 39 weeks!!  Why is the other doctor OK with a few days before 39 weeks and this one won’t budge an inch?!?!  GRRRR!!  I am NOT happy…NOT happy! {His reasoning is that the cardiologists would have him around the neck.  Whatever!}

As if I wasn’t worried enough about just getting to Salt Lake to deliver this baby, now I have to push it that much longer and worry even more!

Of course if I go into labor they’ll just deliver.  Now wouldn’t THAT be fun – driving 90 minutes in a rush to get to the hospital, wondering if the next contraction will be the last one, keeping track of mile markers along the way in case we have to call an ambulance.  Can’t you just see it now?

I am NOT happy…NOT happy at all!

I Need to Blog More

I really should make more of an effort to blog more often.  But I feel like I never have anything to say.  {OK – I have plenty to say,  but this probably isn’t the place for it!}  And I’ve been horrible (as in – I don’t know when the last time was that I took one!) about taking pictures, so I never have anything to show.  And I haven’t even been scrapbooking (besides a couple of pages) since I’ve been pregnant.  Humph!  What’s a girl to do?  Maybe I should just start making things up!  Now that would be exciting!

We did have some excitement this week – that I didn’t even have to make up - but alas, I have not taken any pictures.

Josh broke the radius in his left arm while at school on Tuesday.  That happened to be the craziest day of the week and adding a trip to Instacare made it that much crazier.  But we survived.  And he’s now sporting a hard cast the color of the Incredible Hulk.  And he gets to wear it for 6 whole weeks!

Emily got to spend Tuesday evening as Emily Dickinson at the 5th grade biography fair.  And she was lucky enough to have Jared there too.  We had a last minute rush on Monday trying to come up with a costume, but we figured it all out.  Jared said she did a great job.

I wasn’t at the biography fair because I was at mutual having a values scavenger hunt at the mall.  One of my young women asked me in quite a stern voice why I wasn’t at the biography fair with Emily.  I don’t think it’s because she was concerned about me or Emily.  You can interpret from this – all the other YW leaders are her “sisters” and I am her “cousin.”  And that’s all I’ll say.

It was so nice to have Jared home ALL. DAY. LONG. today.  I love Conference!  All the talks were so good – the first half of the morning session yesterday was definitely just for me.  Loved it.  Just what my spiritual batteries needed.

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast this morning.  I like to make something a little extra special for Sunday’s conference.  I have a recipe for rolls that take one hour – from start to delicious finish – so I can easily whip them out in plenty of time.  Sooo worth it!

So now I’ve blogged.  And life is better.