Sienna at 4 Months!

Sienna had her Four-Month Check Up this week. Here are her growth stats:

Length: 23 1/2 inches (22.5 %tile)
Weight: 12 pounds 12 oz. (31 %tile)Head: 16 inches (41 %tile)
The Doctor says she's right on track. She's smaller than Gracie was at this age.

Goodness! I love this girl. She gives us the BEST smiles! She is fascinated with her hands. About one month ago, she decided the pacifier wasn't such a bad idea. (Yay) Sienna sleeps a 4 or 5 hour stretch at night usually. We are still up in between the 3:00 and 5:00 a.m. hours every morning. She's a burper. A loud burper. Her hair has lightened up so much from the dark hair she had when she was a newborn. The poor thing has struggled with acid reflux, and we are still trying to get that under control. I'm nursing her, which is great. Those first few weeks are always really difficult for me, but sharing that time with her is priceless. And there is a certain scent that will forever "smell" like Sienna to me.

When I was in labor in the hospital, Jody rubbed my feet with Bath and Body Works Lemon Vanilla Lotion. When the nurse walked in to check me, she asked, "Is someone eating Froot Loops in here?" I love the scent of this lotion. And now every time I wear it, I will think of my sweet baby!

This one makes me giggle.
Maybe she was trying for an Elvis Impersonation...

Motherhood 101

These are some of the things I learned this week about being a Mom:

** Being thrown up on, moments after stepping out of the shower...just adds character.

** Bald Spots can be downright adorable.

** Sleep must be overrated, because I'm not getting any!

** Using the bathroom requires an audience. (If I even try to shut the door for some privacy - here comes the wailing and the little fingers under the door...)

** I got shoved into our pantry by my 3-year-old. (Pathetic right?) Hmmmm...didn't even care. It's dark, It's quiet...Some alone time with an endless supply of food...I'll take it.

** It's possible (Not Comfortable) to fit a mom, 3-year-old and baby on a toddler mattress for "Night Night".

** This is probably the first of MANY pictures taken in this Princess Tent!

** Hearing, "I Love You Mom" NEVER gets old.

** And the big realization I had: Our Children Save Us.

Let me elaborate. Earlier this week, I was having a conversation with a neighbor about the removal of my tumor. She told me I was "too young" to have something like this happen to me. I responded by telling her how grateful I am to an attentive OB/GYN doctor who actually listened to my symptoms and took them seriously. After seeing three different family practice doctors who told me my symptoms were simply 'no big deal' - it was my Obstetrician who really stressed that I needed to have a colonoscopy. And So I Did.

My sweet neighbor, with tears in her eyes, then said while pointing to Sienna:

"It looks like this little one was sent here to save you."
She's right.

My symptoms were so much worse when I was pregnant. And it was because they were extreme that I spoke to my OB doctor, who scheduled us with a GI doctor. Given the doctor's timeline of how the dysplasia in the tumor was just months away from budding through the walls of my colon - if I hadn't been pregnant, I don't think we would have thought to have the procedure done. And then by the time we discovered my situation...it could have been a very different and sad outcome.

I believe Heavenly Father sent Sienna as my 'Saving Hope'. I am overwhelmed with gratitude. And I know that our children do save us. It's the late nights, the spit-up in your hair, the genuine and devoted prayers in behalf of our children that save us from focusing so much on ourselves. Raising children is hard. You hurt when they hurt, you cry when they cry...and then once they are peacefully tucked in bed - You pray so intensely for them.

It's exhausting.

And yet - that love brings you one step closer to our Savior Jesus Christ, and reminds us that life isn't about US...it's about selfless giving.

A Season of Miracles...

We have come to the end of another magnificent Holiday Season. It always passes much too quickly.
This year was beautiful.

We found the perfect Christmas Tree...

We made dozens of Sugar Cookies...

We drank Egg Nog and wore Bad Festive Sweaters...

We chatted with Santa...

And along the way, we experienced some miracles.

I was hoping to get a colonoscopy before 2010 came to a close. I've had some symptoms that started shortly before I became pregnant with Gracie. With Sienna's pregnancy - the symptoms only worsened. We didn't want to do the procedure during my pregnancy - due to the harmful effects of anesthesia on the baby...so it was a race against time to get the procedure scheduled before the end of the year. Since the age bracket for recommended colonoscopies is around 50 plus...few doctors entertained the idea of looking into what might be causing my symptoms. But finally after getting a screening appointment with a doctor on our insurance plan - the nurse looked in her computer calendar to see the next available date for a colonoscopy....

She crinkled her nose, shook her head and said,

"I'm amazed. We've had one cancellation. Will December 17th work for you?

All of our other appointments are well into the new year."

I gladly took the date.

Our first miracle.

Call it a small random turn of events - a Coincidence.
But I know there is no such thing as a Coincidence. All things happen for a reason.

During the Colonoscopy, the Doctor found a large tumor, the size of a silver dollar, in the lower part of my colon - the doctor thinks it was there for about 5 years. After biopsying the tumor, they found it contained areas of high-grade dysplasia and Villous Adenoma was present. Of course, when the doctor told me this - All I heard were words. Blurred Words.

"The Translation Brittany" he explained, "You don't have cancer - but most likely you were only months away from the irregular cells budding into colon cancer."

Another Miracle.

High-Grade Dysplasia is the last step on the ladder before pre-cancer becomes real cancer. The doctor says if I had waited a year from now to have the procedure - the outcome would be very different; most likely resulting in the removal of part of my colon and treatment for cancer.

That is part I can't get out of my head.

I am so lucky. I know so many others don't receive such favorable results from tests like these.

So this Christmas I had my own Ebenezer Scrooge realization {minus the part of being really old and grouchy...okay my husband might disagree with the grouchy part - but that's only for a short time in the morning. :) }

A Commitment to Living Life to the Fullest and loving each and every moment. And if it's not a moment to love (because those exist...potty training a toddler comes to mind) then enduring those moments with charm and a smile. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father for my life - the joyful parts and the challenging parts too.

So Cheers to 2011! Cheers to seeing more gummy grins from my 3-month old baby girl. Cheers to hearing Gracie sing 'Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer' ALL year long.

Cheers to all my blessings.

(Our camera ran out of juice for Gracie's Big Finish. I assure you; it was great!)