THANK YOU!

I know Martha has kept her blog updated with Ben's progress and everyone has been reading that but I thought I could post tonight. I had to wait until I had good news before I could post anything.

As far as new info goes since Martha's last update Ben is still doing well without the ventilator. He still has an oxygen tube in his nose. They did increase the size of that tube because it seemed he was working a little hard to breathe. But he is very stable. I guess he thought he knew more than the drs and decided it was time for him to be without a ventilator. He has been alert several times which was one of the happiest things I could see - my little guy looking at mommy. He was very lethargic all day Saturday & even somewhat on Friday so I hadn't seen him this alert in days. His grandparents even got to come and in and see him awake which made their day. He still cannot eat because they want to make sure that he will for sure be okay without the breathing tube. He currently doesn't have a feeding tube. When they decide he can have milk they will then determine if he needs a feeding tube or if I can nurse him.

Thank yous go out to so many - Number 1 on the list would of course be God. I've never prayed so hard in my life. Thanks to all of you who helped by praying also. Thank you to Riley's. Riley's is a wonderful place. God forbid anyone have to be here but the nurses and drs are great. Our parents have been wonderful support. And thank you sis for taking care of my other baby. I know she is probably having more fun with her cousins than she would at home so I haven't had to worry about her at all. Ava loves her Aunt Martha and Uncle Jeff. Thanks so much everyone for your prayers, thoughts, and calls. We can't use our cell phones in ICU but we got your messages. Please keep praying for a speedy recovery.

LIfe with 2 kids

Well I am going to have to admit - life with 2 kids is a little harder than I had imagined. We are starting to get into a pretty good routine though and it is going good. That first week I had a major lack of sleep. Ben is starting to sleep for 3 hour stretches in his bed which had made things significantly easier. He also sleeps a big part of the day & I am now able to lay him down for a most of that time which is now allowing me to spend more time with Ava. The first few days he wanted held alot. Which of course I would love to do but isn't possible with a 2 year old. Here are a few pics from Ben's first week.

Big cousin Alli is very good with Ben.

Our nieces - Hannah & Kirsten - came up to meet their new cousin on Saturday.

Ben's 1st real bath. Big sister thought this would be a good way for her to help.

Snoozing away.

Ava loves nothing more than changing her clothes a 100 times a day or better yet not having pants on. Here she thought she should wear her jacket and crocs - no pants.

Before Ben

Here are several pictures that I had taken on Good Friday and Saturday before Ben was born on Sunday. Of course, they got a little overlooked due to Ben's birth on Easter but I thought I should post them now.

Jeff built the kids a swing set the week before Easter. It turned out really nice. Ava loves it of course. Thank you to Jeff Kirts, Matt Ochs, and Poppy (Jeff's dad) for your help.

This is quite a site. Now we just need to add another double stroller so Ben can go along.

Ava & Alli looking out from the fort.

Landon and Ava at Ste Marie's Easter Egg hunt. Ava didn't pick up any eggs. We even practiced at home. Landon got 2.

Enjoying the nice weather.

Coloring Easter eggs with Nana. Ava thought she needed to wear this goofy bunny hat. Had it been a cute hat I wanted her to wear with an outfit that would have never happened.

Benjamin Martin Patchett

Benjamin "Ben" Martin Patchett
April 12, 2009
4:34 a.m.
8lbs 5 oz 19 inches long

Saturday night I woke up at 2:20 with mild contractions. I wasn't sure if it was the real deal or not so I laid in bed for a little while then got up to finish packing my hospital bag. I woke Jeff up at 3:00 a.m. and told him we better get going. I think we got to CMH by 3:30. On the way there I thought my contractions were getting pretty strong and close together but I was only dilated to 4 cm when we got there. I requested an epidural right away well that didn't quite happen. By a little after 4 I was feeling like I needed to push and sure enough I was at 10 cm. They were making me wait for the doctor to get there but I really didn't want to. I had decided on the last contraction I was having this baby doctor or not. He walked in just in time to deliver him.

The Easter Bunny was very good to us this year.

Big sister is adjusting. She is very loving to him and a little jealous at times.

I know... by the time you have the 2nd child the 1st one shoudn't have a pacifier.

PF Photography

Check out the PF Photography blog from my blog list. Jeff's cousin, Amy took lots of pictures of Ava, Alli and Landon, and some of my ever growing belly. They turned out cute. Alli is such a little model that her pics couldn't help but be adorable. Thanks again Amy. I really appreciate you coming up and doing the pictures. You did a great job. I look forward to seeing the CD of the other pics. We will definitely have to do some newborn pictures when Baby Boy Patchett arrives.

Big Girl!

With the new baby coming Ava is already starting to be a big girl. I know it will seem like she will grow up very fast in the next few weeks.

We have not really been working on potty training but she does like to sit on her potty. She has only pottied in it 2 times but that is a start. The other day she thought it would be a better idea for her dolly to sit on it and Ava to sit in the baby stroller.
This past weekend we moved her to a big girl bed. She is keeping the same room she had but the spare bed is now hers. We haven't redone her room yet because her bedding is on backorder. I was worried sick about taking her out of her baby bed but she has done great. She has always been a really good sleeper and I was worried this would change things.
Ava's old furniture is now in the baby room. As you can see we painted it tan with a blue and green stripe around it. I was really pleased with how it turned out. Jeff was not excited about painting that stripe but he did a great job. The bedding is a sports theme. We still have some other stuff to move into the room but it is definitely ready for the baby when he comes.

Any Day!

I had a doctor appointment yesterday and he said it could be anyday now that I have the baby. I am only dilated to 1 1/2 cm but I am 80% thinned. He really encourages "stripping the membranes" to speed things along and wanted to do that yesterday but I said to wait until next week. He said if we did that I would for sure have the baby by tomorrow. He wanted me to because he doesn't want to have to come in over Easter weekend to deliver the baby. I prefer for the baby to wait until Monday also but I don't think the baby lets me decide. Tuesday is my next doctor appointment so if I make it that long I will let him do the "stripping" and we should have a baby by the middle of next week. I am pretty nervous about the stripping of the membranes. I have heard a lot of stories about it being more painful that labor. Let me know what you think - or maybe you shouldn't if it is that painful. Ha ha.