Remembering Summer

Ahh!!! Can't wait for the heat to begin!

Blabbing...

I'm blabbing today instead of blogging. Buys day here so I'm not sure why I'm wasting my time doing this! Becky is down and Dan is on his way to pick her up at his parents because silly Scott left with Blake's car seat...easily done. :o) My grandparents from Chatham are coming to visit this afternoon-they are visiting Taun this morning. Sometime in all of this business I have to get some blood work done. Becky is making us a roast for supper! Well before I continue to bore you all to tears I will sign off...

Warming Up!!

Ahh! The weather is getting warm! We went for a walk yesterday and stopped at the park on our way home. What a gorgeous day! It's supposed to get cold this weekend though.

Wisdom & Encouragement for Parenting

Here's a link with some advice on nurturing children that my Mom sent me. With all of the things that eat away at my time I need a reminder like this very often...it is so easy to get carried away with things that don't really matter and forget about the gifts that are right in front of me! Maybe I use the mundane things in life to distract me from the more challenging task of nurturing my children?!

http://www.doorposts.net/free_resources/building_relationships.pdf

Esmé Update

Esmé had an ECG today and the cardiologist was very happy with the results. Dr. Pepelassis said "I don't see anything going wrong in the futures" with his lovely accent. She will be seen by him in 3 months time. She weighed 9 lb 1 oz.

F.Y.I

Esmé will be baptised Sunday March 18 during our afternoon service (5:00pm).

My 'Tantes' Visit Esmé

Let me tell you, if you don't have any Tante's you have got to get yourself some! My aunts and Bep from Dundas visited this morning. They came loaded with baked goods and gifts for Esmé. Thank you so much for coming-next time give Tante Joyce a break and someone else do the driving! Guess it's our turn to come visit you guys now eh? We'll have to see if Caleb and Tiana's car seats fit in my van! Thanks so much for all the presents and food!

Tante Joyce and Tante Liz
Tante Con holding Esmé

My cousin Sean made a beautiful hat for Esmé at school. He is my Tante Con's son. The colors are perfect Sean!-Thank you! :o)

A great place to eat cookies.

Wilayna! You are the silliest girl ever! Hope you had fun playing with Caleb and the girls.

Fun times.

NO FAIR!

Ksena is crying because she wasn't allowed to help Daddy upstairs. Such a Daddy's girl!

Laundry Helper

Work in progress...
Finished!!

Dust if you must, but there's not much time, with rivers to swim and mountains to climb, music to hear and books to read, friends to cherish and life to lead.

I'm not sure who penned this quote but it's a quote that my Mom emailed me...so I took it literally and got my kid to do the work while I frittered away my time. Kidding!

As I watched Mia fold the laundry I was reminded that my Bep used to let me fold cloths. I was so eager to do it until it became my job. Then I whined until it was probably easier for my Bep to do it herself but she stood her ground and trained me to work. My Mom also let me bake at a very early age which I imagine would have been easier for her to do herself considering the outcome of some of the first tries. Now I'm the trainer and once my fingers have lost the itch to take over the task it is wonderful to watch my little helper and be proud of her accomplishment.

BEDANKT!

A Dress From Holland!

What a pleasant surprise!! Esmé got a present in the mail from Brian and Rebekka! What a sweet dress. There's nothing like cloths from 'the motherland'! :0) Thanks Brian and Rebekka!

Birth Board @ Talbot Creek Midwives

Today Esmé had her '3 week' appointment with the midwives. I took a picture of the birth board where the midwives write the name, weight and birth date of the babies they deliver. Too bad Emily's name wasn't on there yet! I'll have to take another picture because it would be neat to have one with both of their names on it! There are two on the board with 'no name'!

Esmé weighed 8lb 1oz today.

SABOTAGE!

My dear husband decided to nap one evening. Apparently the girls didn't think he needed rest and tried to sabotage his nap. He is somewhere under all those pillows-believe it or not he actually did get rest...I think that's the difference between men and women.

ECG Report

Well, Esmé had her echo cardiogram today. The doctor says that the blood that was regurgitating in her abnormal valve has become less and the pressure going into the lungs has also reduced. She will be seen by the cardiologist again in three weeks for the same exam. Basically it appears to be a waiting game for her heart to function properly and Esmé will be monitored until things are normal. Her weight today was 7.10. Please continue to pray that God will make all things well.

Seeing the ECG is quite amazing. It is incredible to view such a tiny heart at work. It really displays the handiwork of the Creator. What an awesome God! Who can deny His power!?

Psalm 33:13-15

The Lord looks from heaven;

He sees all the sons of men.

From the place of His dwelling He looks

on all the inhabitants of the earth;

He fashions their hearts individually;

He considers all their works.

A Glimpse of the Week

Proud Cousins Come for a Visit
Just Lovin Her Daddy

Esmé Being Weighed on Monday

She's Home!!!

Esmé came home Sunday morning. She is doing very well. The midwife came today and weighed her. She is 7.5-her take home weight was 7.3. She is nursing very well -for the Mom's who need to know. :0) Her heart murmur is harder to hear so that is a wonderful improvement. We will let you know how her appointment goes on Friday.

In home nurses

Hospital bath

Sleeping peacefully at the hospital unwired.

Psalm 34:1-3

I will bless the Lord at all times;

His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;

the humble shall hear of it and be glad.

Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

And let us exalt His name together.

Another Blue Baby :0)

Yummy soft jumbo crayola crayons!

She's OFF!!

Yesterday at 3:00 the doctors started weaning Esmé off of her oxygen. By 7:00 she was completely on her own with her saturation levels doing excellent. Praise to God for this progress!!! She is also off of IV. The blood culture came back negative but antibiotics are still being administered orally just as a precaution...I think she will be done them tomorrow. Esmé will still be in hospital for at least 4 days (likely longer when you're dealing with 'hospital time'). Before she can come home I will have to stay at the hospital (not as a patient) for 24 hours with her so that she can be monitored in my care. Please continue to pray-we covet your prayers!

SHADOWS

Day 4 (Feb 6)

Esmé is making small improvements. Last evening she nursed for 3 mins which was very exciting. Generally she is too tired to nurse but the more she is fed through her tube the stronger she'll get and then she will have more desire/ability to nurse. We have an appointment with the cardiologist in London on the 16th so we will know more then. She is still on antibiotics as the results from the blood culture have not come in yet. Today when the midwife came, I got to listen to her heart. It sounds swishy instead of 'lub-dub'.

Update

(I see my sister has been posting information for us on her blog. How nice!)

Esmé is doing quite well today. I was able to attempt nursing her. Yesterday afternoon the doctor was quite concerned because her breathing had become very labored throughout the day. They put her on an antibiotic through IV and are doing a blood culture to make sure there is no infection. So far the blood culture is not 'growing' anything so that is a good sign. The pediatrician this morning could barely hear the heart murmur which means it is improving. Esmé is beginning to be weaned off of the oxygen. Her condition changes quite rapidly. For example, yesterday I was supposed to be able to try nursing but then within hours we were not even allowed to hold her because of her breathing. Then in the morning the report was great. Please continue to remember us in prayer-it is so comforting to know that we are being prayed for!!!...especially when we leave her for the night.

Day 1

Day 2- Sisters get to see her all decked out in hospital gowns.

Keeping a close eye on the nurse.

Day 3-showing some temper...she is quite feisty and the night nurses are generally not impressed with her from about 11:00-3:00. This also corresponds with the time of her activity in utero! Hopefully this pattern changes by the time she comes home. :0)

He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom. Isaiah 40:11a This verse is so comforting when Esmé is left for the night. We know that God is with her and carrying her in 'His bosom' like a gentle shepherd.

In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul! Psalm 94:19

Esmé Margaret Elizabeth Van Dyk

Esmé (Esmay) meaning 'Esteemed or Loved'

Approx 10hrs old

First Ride to London and back again.

Finally get to hold her

oops didn't rotate pic but don't want to restart posting.

Esmé is in St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital being monitored. She has an abnormal valve and it is causing old blood to mix with new blood. Also the 'new' blood in not oxygenated enough and in turn causes blueness and discoloration when she is active. So for now she is on oxygen and is tube feed. Time will tell if the valve will begin to function better, the prediction for that is hopeful.

For those wondering how to get the accent on the é, you have to press 'ctrl' + 'apostrophe', then let go and press 'e'.

It’s a Girl!
Esme´ Margaret Elizabeth
Was born at 4:08am this morning
Weight: 7lbs.12oz.

Esmé has a heart murmur, so she is being admitted to London Hospital for further testing (since St. Thomas has limited equipment) Mel will not be admitted to London, but her and Dan will be able to visit Esmé in London.

“For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well” - Psalm 139: 13-14

Hmmm...Something to Think About

This is a quote my Mom emailed me. How relevant for everyone but especially for mother's of young children.

"The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's "own" or "real" life. The truth is, of course, that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life ~ the life God is sending one day by day; what one calls one's "real" life is a phantom of one's own imagination. This is at least what I see at moments of insight, but it's hard to remember it all the time." (The letters of C.S. Lewis to Arthur Greeves ~ 20th December 1943)