Enjoying AZ!

While I'm on bedrest Weston is enjoying time with Omie and Grandpa. We
will be here until Wednesday being spoiled :)

Bed rest again :(

Sweet baby face

Tiny hands

So I'm on complete bedrest for the next two weeks! I went to my specialist today and he discovered that the umbilical cord has only two blood vessels when it should have three. This is a rare problem- about 1 in 100. ( It's called SUA) This opens up the door for lots of different complications- growth restriction being one of the main ones. About 1 in 5 babies develop some sort of abnormality either chromosomal ( like downs syndrome) or in the heart, lungs and other internal organs etc. The good news is that the Dr. looked at all baby #2's parts and they seem just fine! The only thing is that his abdomen is measuring smaller than it should right now. So that is why the bedrest for the next two weeks, in hopes that increased blood flow will bump back up the growth.

Please pray for us and the little guy- that he would grow as he should and that bedrest would not be needed the rest of my pregnancy. We have a lot to figure out as far as help with Weston during the day if I should need to be on bedrest longer- but God knows what we need and He always is so faithful!

Guess who's here?!

Baby Ryder has come to visit us all the way in California! My sister has been staying in AZ with my parents during her maternity leave, so Leah and my mom took a long drive with baby out to see us and to attend a friends wedding this weekend. Leah has had fun showing off her precious bundle and we have enjoyed spending more time with him. I have not taken nearly enough pics- so that will be tomorrow's activity!

Weston loves his cousin- I think Weston thinks Ryder is a cute little animal though :) He makes the same sound when he sees Ryder as he does when he sees a dog- ha ha!

Proud Uncle!

Hot Weather Dinner Idea

Tangy Apple Pecan Spinach Salad & Egg Salad Sliders

In our house, our kitchen happens to not be air conditioned which makes turning on the oven less than desireable during the summer :) So I have been trying to be creative and make dinners that require as little heat as possible and also meals that can be mostly made during the morning ( since it's cooler). This one was simple and yummy and a hit with both my guys!

Egg Salad Sliders:

-mini hamburger buns or rolls (Trader Joes)

-your fav egg salad recipe

-tomato slices ( I an used heirloom from our organic farm box delivery- yum!)

Make the egg salad in the morning and assemble at dinner time

Apple Pecan Salad

- 1 Granny Smith apple thinly sliced

- 1 bunch green grapes, halved

- 1/2 cup praline pecans ( homemade or I used some pre-made from Trader Joes)

- 2 cups organic baby spinach

- 1/4 cup blush wine vinaigrette ( I LOVE "Brianne's" ! It is so yummy on any salad with fruit)

- fresh cracked pepper

This makes about four small salads. I think adding some crumbled goat cheese and sliced red onion would make this salad perfect! ( my hubby doesn't like either of those ingredients so I left them out)

Enjoy!

Bees!

So I was out in the backyard watering our trees and this is what I found hanging out in our fig tree~ Hundreds of bees!

Now I would be tempted to let them stay and make us some honey if I wasn't allergic to bee stings. (not the deadly allergy, but I get an infection everytime and the body part stung swells to the size of a oozing purple splotchy grapefruit! Lovely) So our handy neighbor took care of the problem by smoking them out and they have not returned, but thought I would document their visit.

Homecoming Anniversary

We have decided to celebrate July 13th around here for one special reason- it was the day that we were able to bring Weston home for the first time! For anyone who has had a child in NICU knows what a trying and emotional time it is. No matter if it is for one day or one year, you will remember it forever. The NICU is a special place where so much happens everyday and seeing many little ones fighting for their life is just breathtaking. We were so lucky to probably have the healthiest baby in the NICU at the time, but every moment counted that he was there! The pic above is of the last bed that Weston was in- an "open crib". When you see a NICU baby in one of these, it most likely means that their time there is drawing to a close. But sometimes babies go back and forth between this and an incubator for weeks. The open crib is a test to see if the baby can be ok on his or her own with out oxygen support, heat, IV etc.

I think for a mom especially, having your baby in NICU is particularly hard. Being separated from your newborn and having him/her taken care of by someone else goes against every God-given instinct He blessed us with- no matter the reason and rationale behind it. Each day that Weston was not with us, I had to remind myself that he was being taken care of in the best way possible, that he needed to be there, that even though I am his mom I can't take care of him in every way he needs right now and that's ok, that the doctors and nurses are NOT cruel people withholding my baby from me for the fun of it, and that he was not going to suffocate in the plastic box they put him in :) I know some of those thoughts sound crazy ( hormones had a part I'm sure!) but they were real and something I had to give to God everyday. It has been a year since then, but it feels like yesterday and I will NEVER forget the joy of driving home with our bundle who was now all to ourselves!

21 weeks- halfway :)

Another belly shot and making some progress! I am definitely much bigger at this point than I was with Weston! ( see below) But feeling great and getting my restful two hours a day which has been an actual blessing. I look forward to my quiet time and use it for devotions or a nap...and maybe some online shopping...he he (great new diaper bag came on Friday!)

Anyway, just reflecting this weekend on how fast time is really flying and before we know it there will be another Gutierrez in the world, Lord willing!

Life is really fleeting and to enjoy each day as a gift from the Lord is becoming more important to me. We don't know the number of days that we each have, but we do have now- and we will be held accountable for the time that we have been given. It's so easy for me to get bogged down in the mundane Mondays of life, filled with laundry and bathrooms to clean, etc. But what a blessing to have another day and another opportunity to live for God!

Sundays are so wonderful and a refreshing reminder of what all of this is really about, but most often when Monday comes around, I forget the transcendent truths I heard from the day before and drag myself out of bed without a thanks or praise on my lips. I deeply desire to try harder to live each moment as unto the Lord, to please Him only, even if it is doing the laundry and cleaning the bathroom :)

Thanks for reading the reflections of an emotional pregnant lady!

20 weeks with Weston

1st Birthday Bash

Saturday the 3rd turned out to be a beautifully perfect day for a party at the park! We had so much fun celebrating with a few friends and family members. There is this great park right up the road from our house, so I reserved the spot. We had a simple, classic American meal of grilled hotdogs, potato salad, coke in real coke bottles, etc. Weston had fun being outside with everyone but wasn't so sure about his cake at first! Someone suggested giving him a cupcake

( more his size) and he attacked it :)! Thanks to Jon and Jenny for getting these great pics and for capturing our special day!

Rice crispy treat favors - a personal favorite!

Our niece Joy, sampling the cupcakes

having his birthday dinner

Not so sure about this cake thing!

...but he demolished the cupcake!

Those who held strong to the end :)

Love the matching face expressions in both these pics

Auntie Marci, niece Ava and Great Aunt Sharon

The Dolieslagers

Grandpa, Cousin Lisa and Great Uncle Carmine- playing tic-tac-toe

Angela

The Matthews

Omie with Mr. Cade

Demonstrating that the Dodgers have swept the Giants!

The end!

Sleeping peanut

Here is a 4d side view of #2 still hiding his little face from us.
But he sure has a cute ear! Hopefully we will get a good view soon as
I will be going back every 4 weeks to the specialist who got these
shots- I have been prescribed baby aspirin and two hours rest on my
left side every day for the next 13 weeks! There is a "notch" in one
of the arteries supplying blood to the baby, making the blood flow
less than it should be. This puts me at a higher risk for having
another baby with growth restriction like Weston. So for now I'll be
taking a mandatory nap everyday- not too bad :) and I will be seeing
Dr. Frields and the specialist every month which means lots of sneak
peeks of the little guy!

Baby bones!

This is a back view of our growing peanut- so neat! Love seeing his
little hand and everything!

Happy Birthday Weston! - Then and now

This was the birthday boy this morning, waiting for his breakfast. We had a fun day getting ready for his little party this Saturday. Can't wait to celebrate our pint sized blessing some more!

2 months

3 months

4 months

5 months

6 months

8 months

9 months

10 months

11 months