Missy's Moments

Was not liking the weeds invading my yard and then Lilah sweetly pointed out all the beautiful wish flowers. #perspectiveiseverything

On 3/22/20 at 12:02pm Lynkin Marshall entered the world and after 7 weeks this Grandma couldn’t distance any longer 💙 I was so excited to finally be able to meet this little one and enjoy some much needed and overdue snuggle time.

  Jack on June 5th, 2012 just over 5 months Jack today almost a year later What is that commercial with the pigs that go weeee weeee weee all the way home?

 

4 reasons I love being a Grandma in honor of Jack’s 4 month birthday. 1. Pictures- I get to be that lady that says “oh oh oh do you want to see my grandson” I patiently wait for an answer and now I have an “accordion book” A Grandma’s dream- it folds up nice and neat and then WALA falls open to make people ohhhh and awwww til I say “I know they’re great huh!?” Must give a plug- Midwest LifeShots did them- yes they are WONderful! 2. I love my Jack time- I love his snuggles, his raspberries, his smile, his expressions (oh his expressions are endless). I love sitting in my recliner and dozing off while he naps in my arms. His cooing and jibber jabber memorizing me and well not a whole lot gets accomplished when Jack’s in the house. I’m ok with that. 3. I read to Jack. He likes his stories and loves pictures of baby faces and it’s all part of my masterplan to help him with his already advanced self 4. And last but not least I’m thinking that it’s ok that I haven’t...

PICC line out- check Clothes on- check Room packed up- check cute pose in car seat leaving (added bonus wave)- check

Sunday was a pretty low-key day for little man- He ate Pedilyte, it stayed down, he ate Pedilyte mixed with soy formula (stopping milk based just to make sure), it stayed down, ate some more it stayed down. Around 5 he ate 2 1/2 ounces of formula….. we held our breath….. it stayed down. Around 9:00 he ate again- around 10 it all came back up His expression says it all- His PICC line was capped later this afternoon, It’s still in but not hooked up to anything. My guess is the docs will want to make sure he’s keeping enough down to maintain his weight and stay hydrated. Home tomorrow? We’d like nothing more, but only when the time is right. It’s progress

I got some extra snuggle time with Jack during the wee hours of the morning today. Kayla slept and slept and slept while I had Jack duty. I tell ya you really have to twist my arm “where are my heated blankets?!” Wonder how Kayla is going to come up with heated blankets on demand once they are home… Last night (Friday) they tried to give little man some formula to which his tummy said “no thank you” in a pukey kind of way. So back to Pedilyte. Pedilyte stayed put about an ounce at a time all day on Saturday. He did great at 30ml and at 45ml but when they moved him to 60ml (2oz) His tummy again “ummmm NO”. In fact Grandma caught that one in my short 1/2 visit tonight. Not sure where they go from there. When I left the nurse was going to call the doc. Speaking of nurses- WOW – the nurses Jack has had have been wonderful and kind. There has really only been one that seemed to know it all want to intervene when things didn’t look by the book. For example – we sleep with Jack i...

Jack Jack Attack Our sweet friend Marquia has called Jack “Jack Jack Attack” since about the day Kayla and Travis knew he was going to be a Jack. Well attacked I’m sure poor Jack has felt this week but God willing over the weekend Jack will start to wow those around him by his stunning charm (I think he gets that from me) and his strong little body turning this thing around. I’m not one that believes in “jinxing” things so I will brag up the fact that he’s had a WHOLE OUNCE of Pedilyte in him now for 3 hours. I’m quite sure that is a record- the best part about that is even if it does end in a puke session the longer it’s in his tummy the more that can move through- even if it’s a tiny amount, it’s still more than nothing. Jack has even more monitors on him today as they have started a new medicine and if it has no adverse side affects (irregular heart beats- you know just that ) he’ll be on this medicine for 4-6 weeks to get that stubborn Pyloric Stenosis to heal. I guess thi...

In case you missed the post about why Jack is had surgery click HERE first: Jack did great in surgery- it was a long, emotional morning but everyone was so sweet and helpful and so very understanding. Kayla and I in true to who we are cried one minute and then laughed the next. My favorite line in pre-op was this one “ and I was worried about a cold” … Kayla Poor girl! She has done a great job keeping it together and knowing Jack needs her right now. I am so proud of her for putting aside her fears of unknowns and just stepping into a role that no Mom wants to step into. This is how it’s gone down since Monday: Monday afternoon- got up to room out of surgery around 1:00- Jack did great and there was no reason to expect problems. 4:00 first feed 15ml (1/2 oz) 7:00 feed 15 ml (both successful) 10:00 feed 30 ml (1oz) 1:00am feed 45 ml (1 1/2 oz) both successful) 4:00 feed 60 ml (2oz) seemed to be going alright until I heard what I thought was someone throwing a bucket of wat...

Little man’s study results came back and there is nothing glaring- his esophagus looks normal- there was no reflux that showed. Basically Jack’s stomach isn’t emptying as fast as it should- in fact it sounded like it’s not even close to how fast it should empty. The Pyloric muscle is opening and passing the food through that is getting there so that means the procedure did what it should. In really professional medical terms his stomach is “pissed off”. Jack went back to the OR around 3:30 to have a PICC line placed. The benefits to this is he will start getting TPN feedings to give his body what it needs nutritionally. The feedings are administered with less risk in a PICC line.There will be no more pokes as everything then need can be accessed right there. We’ll even be able to put clothes on him as he’ll have less “stuff” on him. At 5:45 he just came back to the room. The procedure went well. When we got up there the Doc came in to introduce himself and I knew him. I’ve had one o...

well let me just start at what we believe to be the beginning…. Jack is a pretty easy going baby. Seems as if the only thing Kayla’s little man has struggled with is eating. All seemed well with the world and just like any child in our family Jack figured out eating is a good thing and once that happened he seemed to do great for Kayla- 3-4oz every 3 to 3 1/2 hours this last week. Last Tuesday he weighed in 9lbs and concerns about weight gain were part of his not so distant past. On Wed and especially Thursday Jack was really fussy for Kayla- we figured it was because of change in his formula from Enfamil to Similac. She switched him because of WIC. Anyhoo after a call to his ped on Friday it was decided he should go to the Similac Sensitive and things seemed to be going better. He’s spitting up seemed to increase a bit but then Friday night he slept well and feed well. Saturday his spitting up seemed to increase a bit more and at one point Kayla even mentioned being a bit concern...

  Walking through Kayla’s pregnancy with her has been by far one of my greatest journeys filled with great joy, great unknowns, great anxiety and fear, unbelievable excitement, a journey of trust … in deed bringing 2011 to an end by welcoming Jack is a gift to be treasured. Holy moly you say- women have babies everyday- this is not some great mystery or weird medical condition- why all the emotion- why all the mushy blah blah blah…. does grandma missy need to get a grib…. well maybe, maybe not. I’m OK with mush so here goes it- the story. **if you’re a guy who gets weirded out by TMI then STOP here - considered yourself warned- it’s a birth story. (back story) On August 4th when Kayla was just under 20 weeks pregnant. Well into the 2nd trimester I received a call from Kayla- she was sobbing and bleeding. The kind of bleeding they tell you isn’t good. I left work frantic, scared for my girl. No parent can imagine the pain of losing a child but on my way to pick her up I be...