Congrats From The Cardiologist!

Victoria had her 6-month checkup with Dr. Mayer today. He listened to her heart and said that he heard a slight murmur, but mentioned that was normal with the type of surgery that Victoria had. He said she sounds great!

After Dr. Mayer examined her, we were sent to the "heart echo room." The technician did a quick echo. We watched the screen during the echo and boy did we see a lot more in Victoria's heart than we had seen before! There were 4 chambers and we could see both valves moving blood through the heart. It was amazing to see all that Dr. Knott-Craig (the surgeon) had created in a heart full of fatal defects! Dr. Mayer came in to talk to us after he reviewed the echo. He said, "Remember when I told you that I'd see you a lot during Victoria's first year of life?" We said, "Yes." He said, "Well, Victoria looks so good that I don't need to see her again for a year!" Basically, from here on out, Victoria will visit him yearly for a quick check-up!

Hallelujah! What another reminder of what a miracle that God has done in Victoria's life!

We're All Ears!

Today Elyssa and Natalie had to have their adenoids removed and tubes put in their ears. Natalie had tubes put in her ears last April but they came out. Elyssa has never had tubes, but had at least 11 documented ear infections this past year.

We were told to arrive at the surgery center at 6:30am. The girls were still sleeping soundly so we grabbed them up from a dead sleep and put them into the car. They, of course, woke up but were okay with being awakened early.

We had reminded them that Dr. Bryars was going to fix their ears today. We encouraged them by letting them know that they would feel much better after Dr. Bryars put tubes in. We explained that they would get to smell funny air and it would make them feel sleepy. We wanted to prepare them as much as we could for everything.

Elyssa was so brave and volunteered to go first. Natalie was hanging onto Mark and me for dear life, so I didn't think she would want to go unless taken from our arms by force. We bragged on Elyssa and her bravery! She did wonderfully! She never cried at all! She even told us that she had been so brave after it was all over with. She reminded us that she didn't even cry. It was cute. Natalie, on the other hand, screamed bloody murder which is what we expected from her. In the end, she went to sleep just fine and that was all that was needed.

Elyssa's tubes went in just fine. Natalie's were more of a challenge. She had a LOT of puss that Dr. Bryars had to suck out. He said her ears were really bad.

They were kind enough to put Elyssa and Natalie beside each other. Elyssa rolled out in her bed and Natalie was screaming so they put her directly into her daddy's arms. She quickly calmed down once Mark was holding her. I've already told Mark that I think she is going to be a "daddy's girl." Natalie did get sick twice while Mark was holding her and they eventually gave her some medication to calm her tummy. Thank goodness, that did the trick!

We were released to go home around 12:30pm. The nurses came to take out the girl's IVs. Elyssa didn't even cry and Natalie, of course, screamed. It was over quickly, though. Both girls were still very sleepy, so they slept some of the way home. We immediately put them into the bed once we arrived at the house. They had long naps and woke up hungry! They seemed to do okay on ice cream, juices and such. Already they seem to almost be their "normal" energetic selves! I'm sure tomorrow will be an interesting day since I'll have all three girls to myself! I'm sure things will get back to full swing and that will be just fine. I might gain a few more grey hairs, but I'll just be glad to see my little girls playing again!

PS - Keep Victoria in your prayers! Dr. Bryars, the ENT, says that her ear canals are the size of a pencil lead. He is dumbfounded each time he tries to look in her ears. He has to try to look with his microscope and can only see a small part of her eardrum. He told me that he has never had a child with such small ear canals. Victoria still has an ear infection, but her ear canal is not big enough for an ear tube to fit into it. At this point, she will be treated with more antibiotics. This may be a regular thing for her until her ears grow enough for a tube to be inserted into it.

PSS - Here is a video of Elyssa after her surgery. She said she "didn't even cry."

The Candy Crisis

Today started out like any other Sunday. I was busy getting the girls dressed for church and making sure that we all arrived on time. We had a great day and after the service was over, Mark had to be in a meeting for about 20-30 minutes right after church. I rounded up all three girls and Natalie and Elyssa made their usual run to Mark's office to get their favorite thing in the whole world ... a pack of Smarties candy.

Someone helped me put them all of the girls in the van so we could go grab something quick for lunch while we waited on Mark to finish his meeting. Elyssa and Natalie always like to eat their Smarties right when they get into the van, which doesn't seem to affect their appetite for lunch, thank goodness! They both did their usual unrolling of their little round candies and began to eat them. I had started pulling the van out of the church parking lot and was in the exit lane at this point. I could see Natalie sitting in the back seat of the van through my rear-view-mirror. I was talking to both girls when I noticed, all of the sudden, that Natalie was not eating a piece of her candy. No! She was stuffing it into the opening of her nose! It all seemed to happen in slow motion. If you can imagine me screaming louder and louder ... "No, no, no, no, no ...!" I felt like I said "no" a million times, but to no avail. She proceeded to take her pointing finger on her right hand and continue to stuff the Smartie the rest of the way up her right nostril. I was horrified! I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I thought to myself, "What child in their right mind would stuff something up their nose???" Then, of course, I remembered that kids do this kind of thing all the time. I have no idea why, but they do.

My traffic light had turned green at this point, and I had to go since there were cars behind me. I pulled right into the Shell station that was next to the church exit. I quickly unbuckled my seat belt and made my way to the back of the van. Natalie's right eye had begun to water profusely and she was sneezing over and over again now. I finally reached her and looked up her right nostril. I could see the Smartie sitting vertically at the back of her nose, but there was no way I could reach it. I wasn't even sure that I could reach it if I had tweezers. I called Mark in a panic and thankfully, his meeting had not started yet. He couldn't believe what I was telling him, but had to keep his calm for the next 20 minutes to get through his presentation. He did ask me if Natalie could breathe and if she was acting okay. I told him that she was. He told me to go ahead and get the girls something to eat and then he would be done with his meeting quickly to help.

We rode to McDonald's to get hamburgers through the drive-through and then headed back to the church. I was still in a panic and couldn't stand the thought of Natalie having candy stuck in her nose!! I kept telling her to not touch her nose anymore. I didn't want her to shove it up her nose any further.

When we arrived back at the church, I tried to have her blow her nose. She did blow her nose and some orange mucus came out, but no candy. It had already begun dissolving. I could still see the candy when she began blowing, but then after she blew her nose, she took a deep breath in and sucked the candy on up into her sinus cavity. It was no longer visible and I was really grossed out then! Now, she had the crazy candy stuck IN HER FACE!!! How horrible was that??

Mark finally came out of his meeting and I told him everything that had happened. He, of course, couldn't see the candy either. He sat in the back of the van by Natalie on the way home to try to comfort her in this terribly weird situation. I had put a call into the pediatrician's office and they let me know to put saline drops into her nose. They said the candy would eventually dissolve and she should be okay. They told me to look out for her running a fever or anything unusual in her behavior.

We assume at this point that the candy has dissolved. Natalie never developed a fever and she has acted fine. I told Mark that at least while the candy was stuck in her face that she probably had a nice orange flavor constantly dripping into her throat. I guess you have to find the positives in situations like this, huh?

Here is a funny video that I took of Natalie the day she shoved the Smartie in her nose.

Does It Ever Get Any Easier?

I asked myself and the Lord this question today as I sobbed while taking a shower at 1:30pm. That was the earliest I could get myself cleaned up since Mark was at Upward Basketball all day (he is in charge of it at our church) and all three girls were at home with me today. By 1:30pm today, I was emotionally worn out from trying to keep my kids from tearing the house apart. Times can be so challenging with three small girls, although I'm very thankful for my family.

Victoria is the least of my worries these days. She is coming out in her personality and is so pleasant to be around. The only thing she does that stresses me out is that she spits at me when I try to feed her spoonfuls of food. That gets quite aggravating. I just do the best I can and pray that she gets what she needs from nursing and her juices. Other than that, she is a joy!

Oh, Elyssa and Natalie! They are a challenge at every turn it seems. They play really well together at times, but then they fight quite a bit other times. That grates on my nerves, as you can imagine. There are a few too many hormones in our house and I'm starting to really tell it now! They both have very different personalities but when they behave, it's fun to see what cute little girls they are becoming.

Elyssa is really starting to become more emotional and sensitive. I've tried not to laugh when she gets so upset about the silliest things. I guess I was that way once before (I probably still am!). There is quite the dramatic flare to this little girl. I believe she could be a good actress one day!

Natalie has such a funny personality. However, she is now in her "terrible 2's" and she has begun to rebel against authority some. I've had to be more assertive with her when she disobeys or starts to throw a tantrum. She is a little quicker to straighten up than Elyssa, so I'm thankful for that. I think Natalie will be the "ham" of the family. She is a jokester, for sure. She is always singing and acting funny. I think her middle name will really describe her as she grows! Her middle name is "Joy."

After reviewing how thankful I am, I'm left with a string of questions. Do you ever feel tired of disciplining? Tired of being stern all day long so your kids behave in your home? I feel so many times that I never get to just be "me." I can't just let my guard down and enjoy my surroundings. If I do let my guard down, my surroundings get pounced upon by my two oldest kids!

I find myself yearning for a few years down the road when my kids are older. I'm praying by that point, they will have calmed down and started behaving better. I would love to have a much less dramatic home and just enjoy being around each other instead of my constantly having to yell, "No ma'am!" or "Stop it!" or "Put that down!" or "Get off of that couch arm!" ... and the list goes on!

I guess that is my life right now. Drama and more drama. Sickness and more sickness. Laughs and more laughs. I do love my life and my family. Sometimes, I just need to take a LONG bubble bath and say, "Calgon, take me away!"

Potty Day!

All day today Natalie kept asking to go to the potty. She didn't want to sit on the training potty. No! She wanted to sit on the BIG potty! For those of you who don't know her, she has only gone "potty" on the training potty a few times. So, she is still in diapers and I have been hoping that she would be ready to be out of them soon. Today when she kept asking to go potty, I thought ... "This could be it! Maybe we are close to having her out of diapers!" Well, I kinda think she was playing more than anything else, unfortunately. I never saw her "do" anything in the potty. She would sit on it for a minute, get up, close the lid, then open the lid and sit back down. However, I think for her to want to be on it is good. Maybe soon we will be able to have another child out of diapers! Wouldn't that be bliss!!

Here is a funny video from our bathroom time today! Natalie is quite the character, so I laughed at her more than once while I was in there with her waiting on a "job" that never came!

Recording Fun

In the midst of having a kidney stone to deal with last week, there was some sunshine in my week. Our church started recording its second CD with Integrity Music and I was blessed to be able to sing on it. After my kidney stone attack on Wednesday morning, I recuperated enough to attend the recording session held at our church that night from 6-10pm. We had a huge mass choir that night and the recording went very well.

I prayed that the rest of the week I would be able to attend the ensemble recording sessions that I had been asked to be a part of. Thankfully, my body cooperated! So, I was busy recording Thursday night, Friday night and some of Saturday. While I was at Integrity on Saturday, we decided to also record my solo on a song called "We Cry Out." That went very well and I'm excited to hear the final product.

Make sure that you go to your stores in May and buy a copy of the CD!!! It will be titled God Hears. I think it will be an awesome album and you'll be glad you invested in it. There will also be companion products available for churches that wish to purchase them. We are praying that many will be brought into God's presence through this special recording!

Here is a funny video that I took while we were in the studio. I thought you might get a laugh from it as I did!



PS - If you would like to purchase a copy of our church's first CD with Integrity Music, contact our church directly at http://www.northmobile.org/. The name of the CD is called Believe. I sing a solo on the title cut and was also blessed to sing background vocals on that CD, as well.

Rolling Stones

Well, for those of you wondering ... my stone has NOT passed yet. I had another "attack" yesterday morning. I was miserable and had to take a pain pill. It took about an hour for me to have any relief at all. I just laid on the bed and moaned while Mark tried to keep all the girls from bothering me. Elyssa was at school so she didn't have to hear her momma in such pain. Natalie probably wondered what in the world was wrong with me, but she didn't seem too worried about my condition. Mark came in and checked on me every few minutes. He would try to make jokes to lighten the mood, but I wasn't a very good audience.

I got in to see a Urologist yesterday afternoon and he let me know that my stone was still very close to entering my bladder. It is just a matter of time. He also informed me that I have another kidney stone in my left kidney. PLUS, I have a few in my right kidney. Oh, Lordy! I'm going to have to go through this multiple times? So, thankfully, they are all very small. No surgery will be needed, but unfortunately, I just have to wait these suckers out. In the meantime, I covet your prayers on the passage of my current stone.

May it's passage be quick and painless!

PS - For those of you wondering ... kidney stones are as painful to me as labor. However, with labor, you at least have a few minutes to recover in-between contractions. My experience with kidney stones has been that of constant, stabbing pain around my left kidney. It is a terrible pain I wouldn't wish on anyone!

Sunday Morning LIVE!!!

Yesterday started out as the typical Sunday. Everyone was getting up, eating breakfast and trying to quickly get dressed for church. I did my usual "packing of the bags" for all the girls to make sure I had all the necessary diapers, juices and such for whoever needed it. Somewhere in the midst of all the hullabaloo, I noticed that my left side (toward the back) started to hurt. It was a constant pain and continued to build into more of a sharp pain. I was scheduled to sing a solo in church and was thinking through whether I thought I could sing or not with this type of pain. I told Mark that I was hurting but thought I would try to see if I could deal with it. As we drove to church, the pain worsened and brought me to the point of moaning and tears. With all three girls in the car, me scheduled to sing and Mark being one of the pastors of our church ... we bypassed the church exit and headed straight for the nearest hospital. It just happens to be the hospital that I delivered two of my girls at and have visited the emergency room recently when I had an allergic reaction to a medication last year.

Mark let me out at the emergency room door while he stayed in the van with the girls. We had called my parents to meet us there. Thankfully, they were not in church yet and could head to the hospital to meet us. I went in to register myself and the dreadful waiting began. When you are in pain, the waiting seems forever, even though it might only be 10 minutes. Mark came in soon after I signed-in and he sat with me in the waiting area. As I sat in the waiting area, I could only keep my eyes closed to breathe and deal with the pain. Finally, my name was called and we went back to the registration area where they ask you a bunch of medical questions and inquire about your current condition. At that point, I really began hurting. I hated to moan out loud around people, but I couldn't help it. I did the best I could to control myself, but it was terribly hard. After I finished answering questions (with which Mark had to help me with some), we were told to go back out into the waiting area. I had started feeling nauseous by this time and didn't want to return to the same "general public" waiting area. We found a bathroom near the waiting area and went in there. Sweet Mark stood by my side while I hovered over the toilet in case I threw up. I never did, but wanted to be close by just in case. We finally went back out into the hall where I sat in a chair waiting for my name to be called. My name was called a few moments later and I couldn't have been more relieved.

I was taken back to a small room where I had to change my clothes and put on one of those embarrassing gowns that tie in the back. Honestly, after having three babies these past three years, I don't really care who sees what when I go into a hospital! So, I wasn't too concerned about the gown. I was just hurting and wanted relief. I was asked a few more questions and then a nurse came in to start an IV. That is always "fun" for me because I am a hard stick, I've been told. After a few tries, she finally got a vein. The vein lasted long enough for her to give me several different drugs to relieve my pain. I began to feel much better. After a few moments, I actually didn't feel any pain. I could just lay and rest, even though I still knew what was going on. They got a urine sample and took me for a CT scan.

Turns out that I have a small kidney stone on the verge of entering my bladder. My urine sample came back negative, so thankfully there was no infection there. When the doctor came in, she told me that they would send me home with some pain medication and also a medication that will help me pass the stone a little easier. We were allowed to leave, after I put on my "normal" clothes again and headed home.

At this point, I don't think I've passed the stone yet. I've been using the "strainer" but haven't seen anything yet. We are praying that this "passing" is a quick process. I've not taken any pain medication yet and don't plan to unless I start having terrible pain again.

Please join me in thanks for my wonderful husband who took charge of the situation and rushed me to the hospital, which was where I really needed to be. And, join us in prayer that this stone will "let go" and "get out!"

Fun Videos

Here are a few fun videos I wanted to upload for your viewing pleasure! Hope you enjoy them and maybe they will bring a little smile to your day!

This video is from Christmas morning. We have decided that Natalie may just be a physical or occupational therapist one day. She is always handing Victoria toys and trying to help her during her "play" time.


Mark's sister, Karen, got the girls some water flutes to play with in the tub. Here they are playing some songs during a recent bath time.


Here is a video of Natalie and Elyssa singing to Victoria!


Sometimes I get so cracked up watching Natalie and Elyssa playing pretend together. It is absolutely wonderful to see them playing so well together now!


Elyssa reminds me so much of my sister in this video. I remember an old movie of my sister, Shana, reading to us kids and none of us payed much attention to her. And, Natalie cracks me up grabbing Victoria's phone rattle and pretending to talk on it!

Happy New Year!

Well, it appears that 2008 is now just a memory and 2009 has rushed in suddenly. It's hard to believe that so much has happened in the Messick household in a year!

A year ago today I was celebrating Mark's 36th birthday, planning Natalie's 1st birthday party and nervously awaiting the arrival of Victoria Jayne into our lives. Little did I know that when March of 2008 arrived (when Victoria was born), my life would forever be changed. I had no idea that I would experience so many emotions within the span of a year. From joy, to fear, to grief ... I would say that I had 'em all! But, because the Lord was with me through it all, I survived. And, I would also say that I'm a much better person because of the roller coaster of experiences that came along my path.

Victoria is such a joy to me. All the fears and worries I have about raising a Down Syndrome child seem to melt away each day I see her smiling face. Every time I hold her in my arms, I feel such peace that I was blessed to have her as my daughter. I feel a special plan was laid out for our family and we will experience things that most families will not. We will experience the sheer joy of a child who seems to have unending smiles. We will experience abounding hugs from a girl that just loves being a part of our family. And, when her sisters act like crazy goofballs, I have a feeling that Victoria will be the one who says, "Just behave and be happy!" I think she will continue to add such a wonderful dimension to our lives and I'm forever grateful to the Lord for all He has done in our family this year.

I've included some video of Victoria. I think when you see her, you will see the same things I see ... the blessings and grace of the Lord.

This video is of Mark loving on Victoria. She loves back with all that she is!

In this video, you will see how Victoria is such a tactile baby. She loves touching my fingers. She is, also, constantly rubbing on different materials close to her surroundings. I love that she is so "touchy! It's very sweet!

In this last video, Victoria is getting some "air!" The girl can bounce her legs so high in her bed that the rest of her body probably becomes airborne for a second!