One year ago.

I was just about halfway through my pregnancy with Aidan.  In fact, on May 18th 2011 we found out we were having a boy.  We couldn't have been happier!  I had honestly thought that we were having a boy, but, I must admit, I cried when the tech told us it was a boy.  And from that point on, all I cared about was that he was healthy, and I hoped, hoped, hoped he would have red hair. 

The rest of the summer flew by.  We went on a 'babymoon' in July.  My mom came to stay with us starting in August.  I had a couple of scares with preterm labor, and was placed on modified bed rest from about 32/33 weeks until 36 weeks.  Once we made it to 36 weeks, it was up to Aidan when he wanted to come.  But, showing his stubborn side before he was even born, he decided to stay put.  I was induced on the 11th of October, and had him at 0dark30 on the 12th. 

It's been a roller coaster ever since.  I love my boy, and my family with all my heart, and would not trade anything.  I would add to our family in a heartbeat, and can't wait to do so.  My mom has been here for a couple months now staying with us, and helping with Aidan while she and I get Rhody Mama Designs up and running.  With Nick's hectic schedule heading into Air Show and their big inspection, I couldn't have done these last few weeks without her, that's for sure!

One year ago, I couldn't imagine what my life would be like once Aidan was born.  Now I can't remember what it was like without him.  He's a beautiful, smart, happy baby. 

At 7 months he can:

Say Mama and Dada (and look at Mama or Dada while doing it)
Say Baba when he wants his bottle
He's starting to "ask" for his bottle: Mama bababa, and then once you bring it to him, he lights up with his heart breaker grin
He can sit up all by himself
Takes baths in his "big boy" tun (a Lightning McQueen blow up tub from a friend of ours)
Loves to pet his kitty cats, and is trying to say kitty cat (comes out kinda like kikicaaa)
Wants to feed himself.  When ever you're feeding him, at lease once per meal, he steals the spoon with the food on it, and puts it in his mouth all by himself.
Has 2 teeth, and 3 more on the way
Sleeps in his crib
And the best...he is starting to give drooly kisses.  You give him a kiss, then he puts his open mouth on your cheek and kinda licks you.  It's the cutest thing ever!!


So, yeah...it's been quite the year!!

P.S.  Thank you to all of our new followers!  Over 170 new followers in just a couple weeks!  I hope y'all stick around.  We're working on alot of special projects coming up this summer!!

Until then!

Mommy Intuituion Pt. 2

Well, when I left you hanging on Mommy Intuition Pt. 1, Aidan was getting better health wise.  He continues to get better every day.  He's eating like a champ, both formula and solids.  At last check he was 17.5 pounds, although that was a few weeks ago, and I'm pretty sure he's well over 18 pounds now, but we'll find out for sure tomorrow.

So, here's the rest of the story.  Once we got everything figured out, and found out how expensive the new formula is, I reached out on Facebook for suggestions.  The consensus was that I should call our insurance company, and see if they would cover the formula. 

Even though we are a military family, we are a Guard family, not Active Duty, so we don't have Tricare.  We couldn't even if we wanted to, as Nick is a DoD employee.  We have a federal employee version of BCBS.  I was really hoping that all I would have to do is call them up, provide them with a prescription, and they would provide/reimburse for the formula.  I guess I was too optimistic.

I called the first time, and was told that it would be covered 70/30 (our part was the 30%), as long as we got it from a durable medical supplier.  No problem, right?  I called around to a few local suppliers, and everyone said no.  They said that BCBS wouldn't reimburse them enough for them to even be able break even, let alone make anything on the formula. 

At this point, mama bear mode is kicking in a little.  I continue to speak to other people at BCBS.  I finally get a 'supervisor' who swore up and down that she would take care of it, no problem.  SO I ordered a case of formula and waited.  I went to pick it up, and was told that the billing was not set up.  Fortunately, since it's a small mom and pop store, they let me take the formula until we got the billing situated.  So I waited, and waited, and waited.  I needed another case of formula, which they gave me.  All the while, I was calling the supervisor trying to get it settled.  After about 3 weeks, a few thinly veiled threats to go to the media, and a couple melt downs, I finally got the formula covered.  The only thing that was left, was to make sure that he was getting enough.  His prescription was written for 40 oz. a day.  That's 280 oz. a week.  At first they were only giving me 192 oz. a week.  There was no way I was going to let that slide.  So, again, I called the supervisor.  At this point, I think she's afraid of me, lol.  She very quickly told me that I could have as much as his prescription stated.  She said she'd call the pharmacy and work it out immediately.  The next morning, I called the pharmacy, to find that I can now get 6 cases of formula a month (each case has 6 premixed 32 oz. bottles in it).  That's enough to last him the whole month.  I also discovered that there was already a case of formula waiting there for me (Thank God, cause I was down to 1 bottle). 

So, this is our story on having a child with health challenges, and how to fight back.  Don't let ANYONE tell you that they CAN'T help you take care of your child.  The old adage 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease.' is totally true.  I kept at it until I got what I needed for my child.  It can be fun.  It's not easy, and it can make you look like a problem parent to the insurance company, but in the end, your child's health is worth it!!

And now, I have a beautiful, healthy, thriving baby boy!

Design by Busy Brandi (Team Mommies Review)

The creators of Team Mommies PR have been looking for someone that could create our logo and banners for Team Mommies PR. Glenda some months ago entered a contest where Brandi was giving away a blog makeover, so we decided to contact busy brandi design to collaborate in having her design our logo and banners.

The design she came up with is just beautiful!  Be sure to check out the button she made for us right over there on the right of my page.

We are pleased that she took on our request and appreciate her quick creativity and work as she completed in record time. If you need any of the many services she offers from banners, blog makeovers, WordPress transfers are FREE with the purchase of a design Package! Her website it busy brandi design

Baby Sun Hat Review From S.O.S. Mom

I know this post is entitled Baby Sun Hat Review, but my mind was set on doing a shop review for a lovely lady called Brenda Vermunt. This woman is genuinely amazing and remarkably talented. I first came into contact with Brenda last December when I was desperately searching for Christmas pyjamas. My family was hosting a Christmas party where the dress code was Holiday pj's only. I desperately searched every possible store for some. It's Christmas so you'd think that Christmas sleeping garments would be everywhere right?! Nope! Nothing. Very disappointing to say the least. So I had to turn to my favorite store in the world, the one that never lets me down... the web! And being the Etsy fan that I am, I surfed with determination their site. Which lead me to Brenda's shop called AuntBsBonnets. She mainly sells items for children. Depending on the season, it varies from sun hats, to onesies, dresses, pyjamas, blankets, sleepbags, and the list goes on. First thing that struck me was the originality of her fabrics and their cuteness. I went on to notice that she had these Christmas children PJs and asked her if she had them for adults. She didn't but, without hesitation, offered to custom-make some for me and my boyfriend. Not only was she very helpful and friendly, but her service was fast and extremely professional. One of the sweetest, most reliable person I have met in my whole internet shopping life! And you're probably wondering how the pyjamas turned out to be in this whole crazy story... one word: Awesome! Great quality fabric, gorgeous patterns, perfectly tailored and ideal fitting. They were just perfect!

What Woman Want Giveaway!

In just 2 days, I'll be celebrating my very first Mother's Day.  I can't explain to you what an amazing feeling that is!  Me...a Mama!!  And what a beautiful way to celebrate...by bringing y'all an awesome giveaway!   As promised, here is the What Woman Want Giveaway!

A new season of fashion and beauty if quickly approaching. Butler Bag, Karren's Avon (creator/writer for Oh! My Heartsie) and Mom to Bed by 8 (the Iowa-Mom) want to offer one lucky reader a prize package that is sure to tickle your fancy and bring joy to your wardrobe and skin all at the same time.

Butler Bag, "The World's Most Organized Handbag"
The Butler Bag Everyday Tote is a perfectly versatile back. Offered in three colors and create from genuine Nana leather. This bag offers two zippered pockets outside and a compartmentalized interior with zippered "privacy pocket" inside. This is a true organizer's purse dream come true.

Karren's Avon is generously providing a bath and body package plus a few accessories extras to make you smile.
Odyssey Cologne Spray, Odyssey Roll-On Anti-Perspirant Deodorant and Odyssey Perfumed Skin Softener
RARE DIAMONDS Body Lotion, RARE DIAMONDS Shower Gel and RARE DIAMONDS Eau de Parfum Spray
SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Moisturizing Shower Gel, SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Gelled Body Oil and SKIN SO SOFT Signature Silk Replenishing Hand Cream
Florence Gift Set
Leading Love 2-Piece Gift Set
Silver Coin Purse and Black Wallet

Finally Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom wants you to enjoy your stylish night out and is bringing a $50 Visa Gift Card to the What A Woman Wants party for you to do just that.

Giveaway starts on May 11 at 12:01AM and ends May 25 at 11:59PM. Open to the US residents only; must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

Enter to win the What Women Want Giveaway below!

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Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment.   

Happy Friday!

In honor of Friday, and the up coming launch of Team Mommies, 

We have 2 sets of What to Expect When You're Expecting 4th Edition and What to Expect The Toddler Years to give away!

This is going to be an easy giveaway!  Open to US residents (APO & FPO included).  Use the Rafflecopter below to enter!  We will be taking entries until 18May2012.  Be sure to pass this contest on to all your friends and family!  

What Women Want Free Blogger Event!!

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Mama intuition (part 1)

Disclaimer!!

*there may be some baby poop TMI in this post* *reader discretion is advised*

The last couple months have been stressful in the Brown household.  On March 13th, Aidan started to have a little diarrhea.  Just a couple times, and I really thought nothing of it.  There had been a bug going around.  He was still drinking a large amount of formula, and was mostly himself.  That was Tuesday.  Wednesday, he had more diarrhea.  I had called the on-call pediatrician, and we were in agreement that since he had no fever, and was still eating and acting ok, I would call our regular pediatrician the next morning.  

Around 10 that night, I was on the phone with Nick (he was on shift that day).  I took Aidan in to change his diaper, and as soon as I opened it, I knew something was wrong.  I told Nick I needed him to come home.  He asked, 'now?'.  I said, 'yes, right now.  There's blood in Aidan's diaper.'  He told me to call the on call doc back, and see what to do, he was on his way.  I again called the on call doctor, and was told to take him to our local ER.  As soon as Nick walked in the house, I had Aidan bundled up and ready to go.  He was SCREAMING.  A scream that I had never heard before.  I had heard his 'I have gas' scream and his 'I'm hungry' scream.  This was neither of those.  This was a 'something's not right, and it HURTS' scream.  I'm not gonna lie.  I was terrified.  I was trying to stay calm for him and myself, but I was on the verge of tears.  Nick hugged me and kissed my forehead, and told me everything would be fine.  Then we loaded Aidan up and made the 10 minute drive to the ER. 

Once we got there, they got us checked in, and into a room.  We explained what had been going on.  Of course by now, Aidan wasn't screaming anymore, he was for the most part asleep.  They decided to watch him for a little bit, and to xray his little belly, to rule out a telescoping of his intestines.  The doctor in the ER told us that after we had the xray done, as long as it looked good (which he suspected it would) we would be sent home, with instructions to call our Ped in the morning.  Nick went with Aidan to have his xray done.  When it was over, I could hear Aidan's blood curdling scream before the even made it back into the ER.  We're talking the shriek of the devil coming out of my beautiful little boy.  Back arching, face red, writhing all over shrieking.  


A few minutes later the ER doc came in, and asked about the 'crying' he had heard.  I told him that that was what Aidan had been doing all day/night.  It was at that point (before the xrays had come back) that the doc said to us that he wanted to send him to Hasbro Children's hospital, about an hour away.  He said that even though he didn't have alot of symptoms that point to any one thing, everything combined with the exorcist type screaming, concerned him enough to send him.  He said if it was his child, he would take him.  We agreed.  He told us he was going to get everything ready, and discharge us, and we would then drive Aidan to Hasbro.  {Keep in mind, Nick's a fire fighter/EMT}  About 5 minutes later, the nurse comes in, and tells us that Westerly Ambulance will be there in about 10 minutes to pick us up and take us to Hasbro.  We were confused, and asked to talk to the doc again.  He said that when he called Hasbro, the insisted that Aidan be transferred by ambulance.  Ok, fine.  Inside my head, I'm panicking...what is wrong with my baby...and what about the symptoms made Hasbro decide and ambulance was needed??  After we discussed it, we decided that I would ride with Aidan, and Nick would follow us in his truck.  


At this point, Aidan was still screaming from the xray.  The poor kid was exhausted, obviously in pain, probably hungry, and just over all annoyed.  My heart was breaking.  As the ambulance crew got there to package him, he pooped again.  ALOT, and there was a decent scarey amount of blood in it.  We got the doc and showed him, and he just said, yeah that's why he's going to Hasbro.  (I didn't think anything of this at the time, although later, I wondered why he didn't take the diaper and to a stool culture, even though we were being transferred.)  We got Aidan packaged, and said goodbye to Nick.  Aidan was still screaming.  I was trying to sing to him, rub his fore head, give him a bottle...anything I could do to calm him down.  It was hard since I had to be bucked up, and he was strapped to the stretcher in his car seat.  I was on the verge of tears.  My heart was broken into a million little pieces all over that ambulance floor.  My baby was in pain, and miserable, and there was nothing I could do about it.  Finally, Thank The LORD, he fell asleep about 3/4 of the way to Hasbro.


The ride to Hasbro was uneventful, once Aidan fell asleep.  We got there, and they carried him in in his car seat.  They had me go to the desk to start giving them information.  I could see him in the triage room, and saw that he was starting to wake up.  They took him out of his seat, and laid him flat on his back.  Not a good idea.  I hadn't been close enough to tell them not to do that, because he would scream.  Something about being flat hurt his belly, and he let you know it.  After they let him scream for a couple minutes, they finally told me that I could go into the room where he was.  They said they didn't know what happened, or why he was crying so hard.  I explained to them that it was because they had put him on his back.  They handed him to me, and I put him up on my shoulder, and he started to calm down.  They got all his vitals and everything, and then sent us to register.  Once we got registered, we got to a room, where they had us undress him down to his diaper.  Which of course involved laying him down again.  My heart was breaking having to do this over and over to my poor baby.  The doc and a nurse came in and looked at him, and asked if he had been eating.  I told them that he really hadn't eaten anything since about 7pm (it was now about 2am).  They got us some Pedialyte, and we tried to give him that.  He had a couple mouthfuls, and decided he was done.  They took him back for another xray (Nick went with him again to hold him down).  When that came back, they said his left side was full of poop, and his right side was very full of gas.  They decided on an ultrasound.  Nick and I decided that since Nick had held him down for both is xray's I'd go for the ultrasound.  That was the most heartbreaking, soul crushing thing I have ever had to do to my child.  I had to hold his legs down, and eventually I had to hold his arms down, too.  He was screaming so much that he started to loose his voice.  He was pushing at the ultrasound tech, trying to get her to stop touching his belly.  I was talking to him, singing to him, rubbing his head, holding his hands.  Anything I could do in hopes of getting him to calm down.  To no avail.  after about 3 hours 30 minutes, he just gave up.  He stopped screaming and was just kind of whimpering and was half asleep.  A few minutes later the ultrasound was over, and we were being wheeled back to his little cubby.  I sat down in the rocking chair with him, tried to give him some more pedialyte, and he finally fell asleep.  (Somewhere in there they had also given him a glycerin suppository...before the ultrasound I think).  


About 30 minutes later the doc came in and said that there was no sign of telescoping, but there was alot of gas and poop.  We already knew that.  He asked if he had pooped yet (which he hadn't) and then decided to watch him for 15 more minutes.  After the 15 minutes, he came back and again asked if he had pooped.  Again, he had not, but he was finally sleeping peacefully.  They decided to send us home, with instructions to follow up with our ped in the morning.  We got him dressed, and bundled, and in his seat, ready to go.  Signed all the paperwork, and we were on our way.  In passing the doc said something about a milk protein allergy, but pretty much dismissed it as a cause.  (It stuck in my head after that though.)  By the time we got home, it was 645am.  We left Aidan in his car seat, so as to night wake him up, and Nick and I fell into bed, and slept until Aidan woke up around 9:30.


The next day we took him in to see one of the pediatricians in our office (not his ped, as she had the day off.)  We went through everything from the night before, and we showed her one of his 'red' diapers.  They tested it to make sure the blood was in the stool and not coming from somewhere else.  It was indeed in his stool.  They weighed him (he had lost about 6 ounces) and we then started discussing what was going on.  The ped decided she thought he was having a problem with the generic formula that we were using, and advised us to go back on the Similac Advance.  She also mentioned the milk protein allergy, but also brushed it off.  She told us that it could take 2-3 weeks for the blood to clear up, but as long as he was drinking and peeing and pooping, he was fine.  She advised us to stop giving him solids for a few days, to give his tummy a rest.  And we were on our way.


Long story short, we were back a our regular pediatrician a week later, only to discover that Aidan is allergic to milk protein.  Our poor child had been put through the ringer just to find that the one thing that both the ER doc and the ped in our office had both brushed off, was indeed the problem.  He was immediately put on Similac Allimentum formula, and within 24 hours, there was no more blood, he was eating 40+ ounces of formula a day, and his poop was solid again.  It was amazing (and discouraging all at the same time) how quickly he went back to normal.  


I'll finish up the rest of this in Part 2, coming in a couple days!