Poor baby

Grace has had fevers since Wednesday, but they were 101 and 102... nothing to be really worried about. Then tonight while I was at work Austin called and said "it's 105, and climbing." I rushed home and rushed her to Good Night Pediatrics, an overnight urgent care just for kids. They got her in right away because of her high fever, and she was such a trooper. It helped that I brought along my iPod which had "Horton Hears a Who" loaded on it, and she just watched a movie during all her waiting and testing. The strep and flu tests came back negative, but the doctor was just going to write us a prescription for antibiotics and send us home. I said I wanted a chest x-ray because of the severity and frequency of her cough, so he ordered one and guess what? "Mom called it!" as the doctor said. Of course, mom's are always right; children everywhere, memorize that... tattoo it to your brain. Mom's are always right.

So Grace has pneumonia for the second time in her life. The first time she was just 18 months old, and it was combined with RSV. She was in the hospital for a week that time. For tonight we just brought home the antibiotics and cough medicine with codeine, and she'll recover in no time. She got a lollipop for being such a good girl, and she's still watching mom's iPod while waiting for her medicine. Grace is such a vibrant and active little girl, so it's strange to see her sitting so still. I hope she recovers soon, but maybe I'll take this opportunity to clean up after all her "adventures" before all her energy and curiosity comes back...

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday to my Father-in-Law, Milton Lawlor! I have been friends with Austin since we were 13 years old, so I've known my 2nd Dad for 20 years now. I have always admired his family, but I learned so much more about him after Austin and I got married.


I've always thought that if Austin turned out to be anything like his father, as a husband and as a dad, then I was one lucky woman. Milton is one of the most patient, generous, unselfish, spiritual men that I know. Austin grew up with a great example in his home and he strives to be as much like his father as he can every single day. Milton taught Austin what it meant to hold the Priesthood of God, to govern a family in righteousness, and to teach by precept and by example.


Dad & Mom had seven children, and that has grown to include their spouses and 15 grandchildren. Dad continues to set a good example to his ever growing posterity.


For a short time last fall we were afraid we were going to lose Dad so much earlier than we had planned because of the sudden onset of pancreatitis. Thankfully the Lord protected him, healed him, and prolonged his life. He was an example to us even then, sharing his faith and his testimony and how he was strengthened by priesthood blessings. He exemplifies the phrase "endure to the end."


I feel so lucky to have a father-in-law that I can call "Dad." I love you Dad, and I hope you had a great birthday!

My Firstborn (and then some)

I filled out a questionnaire about my firstborn child on Facebook, and I had a lot of fun reminiscing. I figured I'd share a little bit here too, since not all my blog followers have facebook accounts. Each of my children are so unique, and so precious to me. My experiences during pregnancy was different for each of them. This post is a little long, but it takes a little while to reminisce about three pregnancies.

Ember:

1. Was this pregnancy planned? Yes, but it took us almost a year of trying. We began wondering if something was wrong. Boy, were we relieved!

2. How old were you? 24 ½

3. Who did you tell first? Austin… he earned it.

4. Due date? June 24, 2000

5. Morning sickness? Oh boy yes. 2:00 AM like clockwork, every single morning for 3 months. I could set my watch by it.

6. What did you crave? Olive Garden

7. Who/what irritated you the most? Strangers touching me, like somehow if your belly button extends a certain number of inches past your body then it becomes public property.

8. Did you have any complications? None

9. Where did you give birth? Mesa General Hospital

10. How many hours were you in labor? About 13

11. Who drove you to the hospital? Austin

12. Who was there when you gave birth? Austin, my two sisters, my two moms, the doctor, some nurses, maybe a medical student… I lost count.

13. Natural or C-section? Natural

14. Pain medication? Heck yeah. I was born in the right century, bring on the drugs!

15. When was your child actually born? July 7, 2000…. Two weeks overdue!

16. What did you name him/her? Ember Lea (Ember after a waitress who served us at Denny’s when I was 5 months pregnant, and Lea after her Grandma Lawlor)

17. How old is this child today? 8 going on 17.

Ben:

1. Was this pregnancy planned? Yes

2. How old were you? 26 ½

3. Who did you tell first? Austin

4. Due date? July 18, 2002

5. Morning sickness? No… all day nausea, no throwing up. I wish I could have thrown up, maybe then I would’ve felt better.

6. What did you crave? Corn Dogs

7. Who/what irritated you the most? Everything

8. Did you have any complications? Nope

9. Where did you give birth? Mesa General Hospital

10. How many hours were you in labor? 5 or 6, I don’t remember exactly.

11. Who drove you to the hospital? Austin

12. Who was there when you gave birth? Austin, my two moms, the doctor & nurses

13. Natural or C-section? Natural (although they couldn’t believe I did it… he was one HUGE boy. 9 lb. 13 ½ oz, and the nurses called people from down the hall to come see how thick the umbilical cord was).

14. Pain medication? Could I have delivered a 10 pound baby without it? I think not.

15. When was your child actually born? July 19, 2002

16. What did you name him/her? Benjamin Dean (Benjamin was Austin’s pick, and I loved it. Dean is after his Great-Grandpa Lee Dean Jennings).

17. How old is this child today? Super Six

Big sister giving her new baby brother a welcome home hug.

Grace:

1. Was this pregnancy planned? Sort of (we’d had a miscarriage the previous year and knew we wanted another child, but the EXACT timing wasn’t planned).

2. How old were you? 29

3. Who did you tell first? Austin

4. Due date? June 8, 2005

5. Morning sickness? Just once… I didn’t know I was pregnant for a few months, I assumed I was late because of stress. Once I figured it out I was almost out of my first trimester, but I had to throw up at least once before I could move on.

6. What did you crave? Bread, especially those soft pretzels from the mall.

7. Who/what irritated you the most? Everything. I was really struggling with being off my meds for depression this time, it hit me harder than before.

8. Did you have any complications? Nope

9. Where did you give birth? Banner Mesa Medical Center

10. How many hours were you in labor? 4

11. Who drove you to the hospital? Austin; twice. We got there, they sent me home, 30 minutes later he was driving me back and my water broke about 40 seconds after they got me in a bed.

12. Who was there when you gave birth? Austin, my two moms, doctor & nurses

13. Natural or C-section? Natural

14. Pain medication? I am a huge fan of modern medicine, including pain meds.

15. When was your child actually born? June 7, 2005

16. What did you name him/her? Grace Valetta (Grace because she felt like my saving grace after a miscarriage, and Valetta after her Great-Grandma Meacham)

17. How old is this child today? 3, almost 4!

After the 3rd child my doctors diagnosed me with Crohn's disease and reccomended that I not have any more children. So we are complete, the Lawlor Five. I love each of my kids for all of the things that make them unique. Intelligence, imagination, spirituality, generosity, temper, strong wills, beauty, creativity, selfish and selflessness, and so many more.