My Model...

Callie's first modeling gig!!  Yep, that's right!  Callie's a model!  One of Phillip's friends that he went to college with owns a couture baby shop in Chicago.  When I posted a photo of Callie that ended up on his facebook, she wanted Callie on her website!  So... without further adieu... here's Callie's big debut! (Steve... please ignore my lame attempt at watermarking...)

Happily Ever Pink

http://happilyeverpink.com

Modeling a Petti-Romper

http://happilyeverpink.com/category_29/Petti-Rompers.htm

You'll find her photo twice on the website... one as the featured model... and second, showing what a Petti-Romper looks like on a baby... I'm so proud (Clearly)!

We are planning to have family photos taken today by saramacphotography.com (she specializes in wheat field and family photography! <-- perfect for us!) so we'll let you know how those turn out (just hoping the wind cooperates!).

Love and kisses to all!

Follow up...

I thought I would post a follow up to my most recent post... all is well, with us.  Unfortunately, as the story unfolded, one of our neighbors took his own life using household chemicals.  He and his young wife have a 9 month old baby girl (breaks my heart for the little girl).  He has teen aged children from a previous marriage that occasionally live at the house.  Also living with them was her sister, and her 2 year old twins.  No one else was in the home or hurt on that day, but a special Hazardous Materials team was called in from Wichita, Kansas to help dispose of all of the chemicals.  It truly is sad... because now the young wife gets nothing, no life insurance or anything... what a terrible burden.  Their house is now up for sale... and I'm wondering how well it will sell, because surely everyone in town knows what happened in the home, and anyone moving to town would find out.  So, what a crazy day to start Harvest on...needless to say, our home was locked up like Fort Knox.

Yes, that's right, on May 24th, 2012... farmers started cutting wheat in Salina, the earliest farmers are saying in 60 years (thank you Tina Post :)... so the best part about this... is that Phillip might be finished with Harvest by his birthday!!

Here's a few photos we snapped from the weekend before harvest hit (our first weekend home without a major event happening in over a month!)... at the local splash park!  We had intended just to go for a walk... but Callie wanted to explore more!

Enjoy!

A little bit cautious in the beginning...

My two cuties!

Now her thought her was a little thirsty!!!  

She really started playing in it and was SOAKING wet! 

Perhaps we'll wear a bathing suit next time!



I love watching these two together!  She's sharing a snack with "Buh-duh"...

Look at my little Bratty-o-Baby... she's so much fun! (she's peeking on Buh-duh after we let him outside to use the restroom... she yells at him through the window... it's SOOO cute!)



Slightly terrified...

So at about 11:45 am this morning... I received a phone call from my fabulous neighbor Mandi... her words "what's going on in our neighborhood!!"  Which then led me to opening my front door and seeing a sea of fire trucks, ambulances, HazMat vehicles, the American Red Cross truck and crime scene police tape all blocking the entrance to our neighborhood.  What on EARTH is going on?!?

After several phone calls... we still don't truly know exactly what is happening... Callie, Sneebie and I have not yet been evacuated from our home... so we're hoping that law enforcement thinks that it's ok for us to remain in our home.  We may go out for the afternoon with a few bags packed.  Here's what the Salina Journal has to say about what's going on... I'll update as soon as I know more...

Just keep us (and the person responsible for all of this) in your prayers please!

Salina Journal - Homes Evacuated 5/24/12

Why not?

So it's the middle of the night for most people... but for me (the night-shifter)... having just gotten off work, I've decided to look through my mother's computer hard drive for photos that I simply don't have on my computer.

This post is just a modge podge of photos and ideas... so please don't judge my writing skills based on this post alone.

Oh my baby looks so ornery here!!!!  I just LOVE her in overalls!

(at Auntie Stefi's birthday party in Manhattan)

I can just hear Poppa Urso saying "see Poodey... that's KU..." and her listening to every word!

(looking out the window of the hotel room onto the campus of KU)

Mommy and Bitty... waiting on "the hill" to watch Auntie Dani graduate from college... such an amazing experience and something I always wanted...

Maybe someday she'll live out her mothers dream... until then... she's too sleepy :)

No time for snuggling with Daddy... gotta keep an eye out for Auntie Dani!

Changing her bow out for a hat... I wouldn't want my little fair-skinned baby to get burned!

"Auntie Nano... will you teach me the KU fight song someday?"

I LOVE this photo of Callie and her Great Gremom Cornelson...

A photo from Easter, Callie in her Easter bonnet (this was after church and one of the last photos... so she was nearly finished here).

Four Generations:

Juanita Pauline Elliott/Cornelson

Tamara Lee Cornelson/Meyer/Urso

Kristin Nicole Meyer/Van Court

Caroline Faith Van Court

Choosing our "Build-a-weenie" at Build-a-bear :)

Ok... my frozen pizza is eaten (I chose to spend my lunchbreak with Crystal, Darrick and Rilynn instead of eating... they're all doing so well! Anyhow, I was starving when I got home!)... and my eyes are getting heavy... so perhaps it's off to bed for a while...

Oh yes... and, of course, Happy 3rd Anniversary to the love of my life... Phillip David... I'd marry you all over again, in a heartbeat... You're the best partner I could ever ask for.  I love you!



Me... God's helper...

Thursday morning... at about 10 am... I received a text message, from one of my best friends, Crystal Ivey-Steinkirchner.  Some of you may remember her for being the nurse that assisted in my labor and delivery of Callie.  I was able to be in her wedding last year, and with her throughout her pregnancy.  Crystal called me on Friday, April 27th, the day before Callie's first birthday, when her water broke at just 31 weeks gestation (pregnancies should go until 37-40 weeks).  She went to the hospital, and, by the grace of God, remained pregnant until this Thursday, May 17th when I received her simple text message stating "what are your plans for today".  I knew, in an instant, that this was it.  She wouldn't have sent that to me, being an hour and a half away, if she didn't have a gut feeling that, this was it... her labor had begun. 

She was 33 weeks and 5 days into her pregnancy... it was a miracle that she had been able to stay pregnant for that long, staying on strict bed rest, of course.  So I did what any nurse would do... I got ready, and put my scrubs on.  Crystal had told me that she only thought it was early labor and wanted me there for the actual birth, so she asked me not to come just yet and that she would let me know when she was ready... so I waited... and waited... and waited, all day, until I got that call at 8 pm.  I got to Wichita in just over an hour and by the time I arrived, she had already received her epidural.  Being labor and delivery nurses we knew all to well that if an emergency arises and you do not already have the epidural, then you are put to sleep, where you miss the entire birthing process.  So she got the block and was finally comfortable when I arrived.  Unfortunately... the baby, little Miss Rilynn Paige, was not comfortable.  Crystal, Dr. Kauffman, Dr. Cooper-Morphew (a resident assisting Dr. Kauffman), Kelly Hansard (the charge nurse and good friends of Crystal and I) must have sat there watching the fetal heart monitor for hours, each with our stomach's churning, waiting for Crystal to dilate.  Through our intense training of reading fetal heart tones, we knew Rilynn was not deprived of oxygen or blood flow, but what we did know, was that her cord was wrapped around her body somewhere and was having intense compression with every contraction.  This would cause Rilynn's heart rate to drop from the normal 135 beats per minute to a hard to watch 60 beats per minute... with EVERY contraction.  I was to be relieved for a "lunch-break" prior to Crystal's delivery... but Kelly and I both agreed that we simply couldn't eat.  Crystal wanted the opportunity for a natural (or vaginal) delivery... but everything was pointing to her having a cesarean section.  Dr. Kauffman, the best physician, by far, in Wichita... was sweating.  He was nervous... torn between wanting to give Crystal the experience she wanted... and doing what was medically appropriate.  So he called the c-section.  at 2:45 am... he called it... and as we rushed Crystal back to the operating room (we arrived at 2:48 am, in the OR... record time)... our hearts sank.  Then just before we prepped Crystal for surgery, Dr. Kauffman checked Crystal again... completely dilated... but the baby was still pretty high in the birth canal... it would take a miracle for her to push out the baby, being that he couldn't assist her due to the baby's gestational age.  But she did just that.  She pushed harder than anyone I've ever seen.  I'll never forget the look in her eyes when I told her she had to push with all of her being... or else she would be "cut" (have the surgery)... and she did it.

At 3:28am, on Friday, May 18th, Rilynn Paige Steinkirchner was delivered, and she came out screaming (the best sound any of us could have heard at that exact moment), and Crystal quickly stole a first snuggle with her on her chest before Rilynn was whisked away by the NICU team.  Crystal did it.  Even Dr. Kauffman was in shock.  Crystal beat the odds, and it was only by a miracle from God that she did it and Rilynn couldn't have been more perfect.  Even after being in the NICU, Rilynn never needed any breathing tubes or support... and as of today, she is a step-down unit called the Special Care Nursery.

I'm so blessed... what a wonderful job I have... getting to assist the greatest Physician of all, God, as I help bring His miracles into the world.  I don't often cry at deliveries, but Crystal, Kelly and I were a blubbering mess... it was an intense night for all of us.  I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to do what I do... and being there for the birth of someone you love is the greatest honor.

Crystal is a fighter... and so is little Rilynn... they are both doing great (so is daddy Darrick)...

A quick photo snapped just after delivery

(and yes I did get her a pretty pink delivery gown & matching pillow case!)

Getting to see her again, for the first time, after she'd been whisked away...

CONGRATULATIONS TO DARRICK AND CRYSTAL STEINKIRCHNER!

Rilynn Paige Steinkirchner

Born: May 18th, 2012 (due date June 30th, 2012) at 3:28 am (it would be on night shift!)

5 pounds 3 ounces (a good sized premature baby!)

and 18 inches tall (Callie was 20 inches tall at birth! So that makes Rilynn at pretty tall baby!)



That Little Girl of Mine...

My Grandmother Barbara Meyer called me the other day to share a poem with me that was written for her by her mother, my great-grandmother, Rita Grady Galloway.  She wanted me to pass it on to Callie, and I will stow it away in Callie's little baby book, for her to share with generations to come.  It's a beautiful poem that makes me think that the love Rita shared for Barbara is what I feel (and probably what most mothers feel) for their sweet babies.  So... without further adieu:

That Little Girl of Mine

How dear to my heart

Is that little girl of mine

From Morn till night

She fills my soul

With love and joy divine

She's just a dimpled darling

She knows not care nor harm

And my heart is filled with rapture

As twining around my neck

Go her chubby little arms

I breathe a prayer each morning

to God in Heaven above

That I should always

Guide those pattering little feet

Along God's road of Love.

Written by Rita Grady Galloway

March 23rd 1932

for Barbara Jean Grady Meyer

It's so beautiful it brings tears to my eyes...  I'm so happy I got to share this with you all too...

I am especially trying to soak in every moment of her teeny tiny arms clutched around my neck... it's the most wonderful feeling in the world.

Callie Faith and her Great-Grandmother Meyer

I am again reminded of how incredibly Blessed I am to have so much love in such a fabulous family...

Love to all...

May oh May!!!

What a wild and crazy month this May has been so far!  We started off May with a weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska celebrating Auntie Emily's graduation with her Master's in Architecture degree.  It was a whirlwind of a weekend that was complete with Daddy (FINALLY) finishing up his two week jury duty (UGHHHH!!!), playing with cousin Maverick and the Ovrebo's and spending time with Grammie and Grampa Van Court.

Auntie Em's graduation Party (Callie is in the middle of saying "Bird")

While in Lincoln, we all went to the local children's museum (which was probably more fun for us than the little people!) and Erin and I even got to go shopping for a couple of hours (which included SUPER yummy cookies from a cookie shop and STARBUCKS! <-- just what these mommies needed!), and of course, partying with Auntie Em at her place.

Daddy Daycare!!  Headed to the Children's Museum!

Climbing and playing with Daddy is SO FUN!

Playing hospital with Mommy is fun too!

Astronaut Caroline Van Court!

(Her isn't so sure about Space!)

A family photo... we don't get these often!  Thanks photographer Erin!

Having Grammie and Grampa Van Court around for an ENTIRE week was AH-MAZE-ING!  We got so much done around the house (pruning of our overgrown landscaping, help setting up Callie's new toys, and we got rid of a couch!).  Plus, we had some of Louise's delicious meatloaf (I know, I've never liked meatloaf before in my life... but I really like hers!).

Our Delicious, much needed, and well deserved cookies :)

Silly Cousin Mavy!

Grammie and Grampa Van Court and their favorite two littlest people :)

The only bad thing that happened during their stay is that Callie had to have her one year shots, and blood drawn for a CBC and to test for lead poisoning (I guess they do this for all babies at a year?).  It was TERRIBLY traumatic, for all of us, and usually Daddy goes with us for "shot" visits, but due to jury duty, Grammie Lou went for support (mostly for mommy...).  The phlebotomists (I'm sure they're generally quite wonderful, without a labor and delivery nurse critiquing their every move) dug around in poor little Callie's arm looking for a vein to draw from, for, what seemed like an eternity, before Mommy finally couldn't take it for one more second and said "ok, that's enough... I don't see ANY flashback, let's restick, you obviously don't have it..."  Louise claims I was very tactful about how I said it, but I was irritated beyond belief.  I NEVER use a phlebotomist in my line of work (simply because it takes too long to get them to come to our unit to draw blood... so we have learned to do it ourselves)... and I NEVER dig in ANYONES arm.  No body likes it, it hurts, and it shows a total lack of experience. UGH, it still makes me angry.  So poor Callie is laying there on the table, hysterical, as you might imagine, and I'm doing everything I can to hold it together, when the lab lady asks "is there a song you could sing to her to calm her down?" NO LADY!!!  NO SONG IN THE WORLD WOULD CALM ANYONE DOWN... after having their arm dug around in!!!! 

Ugh... I'm sorry, I'm venting, however, second stick, another phlebotomist, (more digging.... GRRRR) and they got the blood they needed.  Of course all of her lab results came back completely normal (why wouldn't they?  We don't live in a house from 1950 where they used lead paint everywhere).  Had I known better, I probably would've declined the testing.

But... we survived (my mother is reading this, thinking I'm a total drama queen and know too much about medicine... I'll hear about it later, I'm sure {love you mama!}).  And after a few cranky days, she was back to her old self.  Next check up is at 15 months.

Oh yes, and her stats are: 19 pounds, 3 ounces which places her in the 10th percentile for weight (meaning 90% of babies her age weigh more than her and 10% of babies her age weigh less... her just tiny!) and she measured 29 inches tall, placing her in the 25th percentile.  The doctor isn't concerned about her weight (they don't become concerned until they're under the 3rd percentile apparently) and as long as she's eating, sleeping and pooping well... they're quite pleased with her!

Needless to say... she's obtained a new nickname... "Tiny"... she just is... petite.

This most recent past weekend, we spent in Lawrence, watching Danielle live my dream of walking down the Campanile Hill on the campus of KU, and graduating.  It was so much fun and I was so proud!  I'm proud of all my siblings, really.  I've got a pretty incredible family!  Then we partied all day Sunday, complete with a delicious BBQ and too much food to eat... When we finally left to drive home, Callie could hardly stay awake... and was "sleep hungover" all night and all day yesterday.  She's still catching up from our craziness of May!

Our next big event is Harvest!  It will be right around the corner, Phillip thinking it will start the first week of June, so our Memorial Day will be spent at home.

Thanks for reading through our super long blog!  I hope to update again soon!

Love, Kisses and Licks!