She's Here!

Miss Elizabeth Grace Ringenberg is here!  She was forced out because of Mama's health--apparently my body was DONE being pregnant! 

On Friday, Jan. 25, I had a dr. appt at 4 pm.  I was planning to talk to her about not inducing me the following week and to just let me go on my own, in spite of being overdue.  Well, when the nurse took my blood pressure it was 165/90 (or something close to that).  I had been feeling a little anxious about the baby's NST and heart rate being a bit lower than I'd seen at other appointments.  Dr. Kerlin reassured me that her heart rate was beautiful and that she was a happy, healthy baby.  However, when they retook my BP, it was still too high, so she said she had to send me over to Labor and Delivery to be monitored.  If it stayed high she would have to induce me that night.  I was in shock--how had my appointment taken such a different turn than I'd expected?  My BP had never been high, either with my other pregnancies or with this one!  I called Ryan and figured it was just some fluke and that I'd be at Labor and Delivery for an hour and then sent home to attend the Chinese Festival at Jack's school with my parents, kids, and husband. Unfortunately, my pressures did not lower, and when she checked my liver enzymes, they were slightly elevated as well, which can indicate preeclampsia and a higher risk for seizures. 

Of course--why would I get an uneventful end when this pregnancy has been so eventful?

They told me I'd be staying and hooked me up to an IV, wheeled me to my room, and let me walk around before they started me on the Magnesium Sulfate to lower my BP and liver enzymes.  Ryan and my dad came before too long (my parents needed the van to take the kids to the Chinese Fest), and after my dad left we got the induction started.  At one point I had four bags hooked up to the IV pole: magnesium, penicillin, fluids, and pitocin.  We tried to induce with just breaking my water, but the magnesium slowed down the labor, so we needed the pitocin.  At that point (5 cm), I opted to try the epidural.  It hadn't worked with Jack, but I was in so much pain and unable to get out of bed because of the magnesium that I was willing to give it another chance.  What pushed me over the edge was Ryan saying, "I remember you saying after Caroline that you weren't sure you'd want to do natural childbirth again."

Can I just say I get the whole I-love-epidurals thing now?

Seriously, it worked and was great.  I got it at 10:45 pm and was ready to push at midnight.  She was born after 3-4 pushes at 12:17am.  She had a lot of dark hair and was so much smaller weight-wise than I'd expected (only 7 lb. 7 oz.) and was 21 inches with LONG fingers and feet!  She just looked long!  I remember hearing about my birth and the doctor asking my parents who the piano player was in the family because my fingers were so long. That's how I felt about Elizabeth--long, thin fingers.

It was just so sweet to finally have her and hold her and see her. 

Recovery was not too bad, but I had to stay hooked up to the magnesium IV for 24 hours after labor, which was really annoying because I HATE IVs!  My liver enzymes went down, and my BP was not as scary high so they let me leave.  We had to wait a bit longer to got home than we had wanted because Elizabeth didn't urinate for 30 hours or something.  They had to catheterize her in the NICU, but once they did that she was a peeing machine!  Poor little thing!  I guess she wanted her own drama!

A few pics:

the room, me, and my IV pole filled with bags, bags, and more bags

the obligatory post-delivery picture where I look awful, Ryan looks great, and baby looks zoned

Jack made this "blanket" for Elizabeth out of felt.  I love how he spelled baby. :)

Happy 5th birthday, Grant!

 My dear, sweet Grant! 

Happy 5th birthday!  I have always considered FIVE to be a big birthday--sort of a step out of little kid-ness and into elementary school.  You have continued to develop into your own unique person, very different than your big brother.  Your interest in trains has waned a bit, but you can still be persuaded to play with them or watch a DVD about them.  You love cars and have taken a huge interest in building things with legos.  We are amazed by how you are able to visualize symmetrical structures (airplanes, buildings, robot transformers) and then build them with the Duplo legos.  It awesome to see how your mind works!  At the same time you still love to sit down and look at books, always with your legs straight out in front of you and sucking your thumb as you did when you were a toddler.  I love seeing those hints of babyhood still in you! 

 

School has been crazy this year with three different teachers rotating through your class.  You, however, don't seem too fazed by it.  If I ever ask you what is happening in your class you either ignore me or stick your thumb in your mouth to avoid answering the question.  I trust that you will eventually enjoy school, but I have a feeling it may not be your favorite thing--a scary prospect for this teacher-mama!  There is just too much sitting and listening and not enough activity, but maybe that will change as you get older.

This year I am praying that God would work in your heart and that you would come to know Jesus as your Savior.  Your interest in spiritual things doesn't seem too high on the list of priorities for you, but I am praying that God would reveal Himself to you and open your eyes to see your need for Him.  I am also praying that you would make friends with boys who would be good influences on you and that you would be able to make good choices as you enter kindergarten next year.  It is hard for me to think about sending you on to a whole new school when I still see you as so young and vulnerable.  I am trusting God with my fears.  I am also praying 1 Cor. 16:13-14 for you: "Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage, be strong.  Do everything in love."

I love you very much, my sweet, adventurous, sensitive boy.  Happy birthday!

 

Happy 7th birthday, Jack!

 

Dear Jack,
You are now 7!  Crazy how the time flies!  I probably write/think that every year on your birthday.  In spite of your seven-year-old body and mind, I still see glimpses of the two-year-old toddler you were.  You love attention and are still full of energy!  I'm thankful that you do so well at school and at Awana/church.  Your teachers are always so impressed with your behavior, and I am thankful that I never have to worry about your behavior report each day.  You are learning to read and are slowly learning to enjoy it.  I think you just have so much energy that you need to get it out--who needs reading?

Your current interest is Batman.  You love to watch the old episodes from the '60s in all their campy glory!  We're thankful that we can find them on YouTube so you can watch them during Sunday afternoon football games.  Daddy is hopeful that at some point you will begin to enjoy football, but at this point you just see it as a distraction from Daddy's attention!  If you do watch a game, you cheer against the Colts, much to your father's chagrin!

Your memory is as sharp as ever, and you constantly amaze us with the facts and verses you are able to easily recall.  You still like to perform songs for us, and it's usually VBS songs from the past two summers.  We are so thankful that you love these songs and energetically shout/sing, "I'm counting on God!"  May that always be the case!

Your favorite subject in school is Mandarin Chinese (last year it was Spanish), and you want to be a bus driver or gym teacher when you grow up.  I am not exactly sure why you are thinking you would like to be a gym teacher, but the bus driver idea comes from your love of Mr. Hardy, your bus driver last year.  With your interest and ability in languages I'm wondering if you'll use those skills in your future profession.

I pray that this year you will grow in maturity in your faith and in your relationships with others.  I pray that you will make some good friends who are positive influences in your life.  I pray that you will let your light shine and that you will develop your leadership skills in a way that can encourage others.  We love you VERY much!