HARLEY GIRL......

Uncle Chris's Harley Davidson...

LOOK HOW BIG I AM!!!

UMBILICAL HERNIA....

We took Miss Marley into the doctor today for the umbilical hernia we noticed just days ago. Doubling its size overnight was very disturbing to us. The doctor measured it and said it was 1 1/2 centimeters wide which is good as long as its under 3. It is a true umbilical hernia, which could heal itself on its own - but could take 4-5 years. If it worsens or seems to be bothering her they might surgically remove it at the age of two. Berkley underwent surgery for this same hernia at the age of two. Its just a day surgery but I can still remember how hard it was on all of us. Hopefully it will close on its own.

On to better news, Miss Marley weighs 8 lbs 15 oz.............................................

Berkley & Marley

1 MONTH OLD!

Marley was 1 month old yesterday. YEAH!!! She had her second doctor's appointment today and checked out perfect. She weighs 7 lbs. 7 oz. She's growing so fast. I can't believe she's already gained over two pounds. All though she does eat like a champ.

Sorry no more pics have been posted, I will get to that soon, hopefully. I find that when she's sleeping that's exactly what I want to do. Soon I will pry myself away from our, oh so soft and comfy couch, and post some more pictures. Until then.....................

SWEET CHILD

TINKERBELL -

Every year Berkley's school has a Party In The Patch - She looks forward to this day all year. She loves to see all the characters and take pictures with them. Such a fun day!

Berkley's BEST FRIEND Lexi!!!

They have been in the same class the past two years.

PUMPKIN PATCH.....

Miss Berkley & Uncle Clay

(HOW SILLY)

Her favorite thing was to roll all the pumpkins!

1st Doctor Appointment !

The whole crew took Miss Marley to her first official doctors appointment on Monday. What can I say, "SHE"S GROWING LIKE A WEED." She's already up to 6 lbs. 11 oz, and measuring 19" long. We never imagined she would get so big so quick. We're absolutely thrilled!!!!! What a difference a week makes. She makes the cutest noises, cooing all the time. The most beautiful sounds I've ever heard. We're all so glad that are "ANGEL CHILD," is home with us, it's exactly where she belongs.


Also Daddy and Berkley had to get their flu shots. Clint had been working all weekend on telling Berkley they were going to get a shot together, and actually she was excited saying she was going to hold daddy's hand. Well when it got down to it the nurse asked who wanted to go first and Berkley quickly said, "DADDY." She didn't think it was bad until she saw the blood and her eyes got really big. As soon as the nurse told Berkley it was her turn, she started crying, loudly. The nurse was really good with her and said let's play a game, let's say our ABC's. So Berkley started singing her ABC's as well as Mommy and Daddy. Before she even got to C the shot was done, and Berkley was laughing. She said, "THAT TICKLED." And that was that......

OUR NEW ARRIVAL !!!

"The Angel Child"

Jennifer is currently on Injured Reserve so I will be filling in for this ONE and ONLY post...so get ready!

Well, she's finally here. I don't guess I should say finally since she was actually 6 weeks early. Little Miss Marley just couldn't wait and had to be delivered at 9:29AM on October 11, 2008 and yes that WAS my birthday too, but not anymore.

It's a long story, but I've finally got a little time to tell it so everyone over 50, get your glasses and coffee ready. Oh yeah and the disclaimer, it may become a little graphic, but if I can handle writing it, you can handle reading it.

Within minutes after I arrived home from work, I found Jennifer in our bathroom crying and on the phone with her doctor because about 10 minutes earlier, she had some heavy bleeding. With it being tough to diagnose someone over the phone and Jennifer being approx. 33 weeks pregnant, the doctor told her to come to the hospital for admission. Initially, I figured we'd probably just be spending a couple of hours at the hospital before we would be able to head home. However, after further inspection, the doctor realized it was much more bleeding than she expected and told us we would be there for at least 48 hours so they could give Jennifer 2 steroid shots (24 hours apart) to help Marley's lungs develop in case they did have to deliver her.

The next morning, we had a "formal" ultrasound scheduled and that showed an "abruption" of the placenta approximately 9 centimeters long...big according to the doctors. Obviously, that had to be why she was bleeding and they decided it was going to be a longer stay than we initially thought. Jennifer was dreading the possibility of having to stay on bed rest for days or even possibly weeks. The only problem was, the bleeding slowed dramatically, but she began having pains in her lower abdomen. The doctors monitored her and debated the two possible outcomes...an early, but controlled delivery or an emergency C-section down the road. In the end, they decided on a C-section the next morning because of her continued pain in the abdomen and the slight bleeding that was still happening. That decision quite possibly saved Marley's life!

As they began Operation Remove Marley, it became apparent to the doctor that the bleeding was not caused by the abruption in the placenta, but from Jennifer's scar tissue on her uterus beginning to tear from her C-section with Berkley. Initially, none of us realized the potential complications this can cause, but the next day when the doctor came to visit she explained them in great detail.

Basically, she said this doesn't happen often and she has not heard of a case locally where it ever happened this early. She said the majority of the time when the scar tissue begins to tear, it's because the mother has gone into labor and this causes stress on the uterus and typically ends in a "still born." She said that Angels must have been watching over Jennifer and the baby due to the fact that she began bleeding so early and that we decided to immediately go to the hospital. She said that she and the other doctors had begun calling her "The Angel Child."

Marley Ridge Auttonberry weighed 5lbs 3.6oz and was 17 inches long. Initially, everything appeared good with her lungs as they immediately began monitoring her oxygen levels as they moved her to the Level II NICU, that's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for everyone that doesn't watch ER, Gray's Anatomy or is not Aunt Tina. However, after a few hours they determined she needed to have help with her oxygen so they put what looks similar to a gold fish bowl over her head. This helped for the first night, but her oxygen need was rising and she needed more help than they thought to breathe. They moved her to the Level III NICU where 1 nurse basically monitors just 2 babies each. After about 3-4 days, her lungs began to mature and her breathing ability expanded.

Then comes the next set of news about Patent Ductus Arteriosis (PDA), which is actually fairly common to premature babies. She basically had a valve by her heart that did not close and was just funneling blood from the heart to the lungs and nowhere else in the body. Luckily the medicine appears to have worked and the valve constricted so surgery was averted.

Currently she is completely breathing on her own, drinking milk (but still on IV for calories and nutrition) and has been moved back to the Level II NICU. The only thing left that they are watching is her low iron levels, which may cause her to need a blood transfusion. Hopefully that will not be the case, but either way it got me to donate blood for the first time and I will be going back every 8 weeks for as long as I can continue to donate...what can I say, I'm a sucker for chocolate chip cookies and Gatorade.

We have no idea when Marley will come home, it's been over 12 days now, but we're happy she has great people watching over her. We thank God everyday for blessing us with this opportunity to raise another child and we look forward to making the most of each and every day.

My beautiful wife will post some pictures tomorrow.

I LOVE BATHTIME

Berkley loves her bathtime, she can sit in it for ever if we let her. She has to drag out all her toys which she plays with all of two seconds.

She's getting so big she even washes her own hair.

LITTLE MISS PRISS...

33 WEEKS TODAY!!!!

Had an appointment today and every things right on track. The baby's measuring big by 1-2 weeks, but we expected that with Berkley weighing in at 9 lbs. Keeping my bile on close watch, they take my blood at every appointment from now on. That's due to the itching of my belly. Berkley was delivered 2 weeks early due to my bile being backed up. So they are watching it closely figuring they will probably have to take this one around the same time...

As for now my C-Section is scheduled for November 17, 2008 unless I of course go into labor earlier or if they have to take her due to my bile. Will keep you posted, I go back in two weeks.

As for me I'm plain MISERABLE.................................................
Can't wait for Miss Marley to get out of there.

HOTEL GIRL!!!!

Berkley loved staying in all the different hotels on our trip to Mississippi & Tennessee!
She took everything in and HAD A BLAST!

She thought it was the funniest thing when mommy had something funny on her head. She couldn't wait till I was done so she could have it. It's so funny seeing the things that make her smile and laugh.

She mentioned, "I LOVE HOTELS." "I WANT TO LIVE HERE.

JUNIOR

Berkley and Daddy found a friend outside our house. Berkley was scared at first even to touch him, but that changed quickly. She loved him and even game him a name, "JUNIOR." The next morning when she woke up she looked through the blinds and said. "where's JUNIOR this morning." She thought she was a really BIG GIRL!!!

HURRICANE IKE.......

We were out of power since the hurricane hit early Saturday morning. Power can on yesterday sometime. What a mess this has brought our family and millions more. We were expecting no house to come back too, being so close to Galveston Bay with the surge estimated coming in at 23 feet. If that were to of happen we would have been under water completely. It's still hard to say but we were one of the lucky ones.

We lost our fence on all sides. Our roof had alot of damage: Chingles missing everywhere and pieces of our chimney got ripped off causing a water leak into the main living room around the fireplace. Wall damage as well as ceiling damage and water on the carpet in the living areas. Talk about smelly just after 48+ hours. The air vent on the roof got blown off - and with the hard rain that came the next morning after IKE, all the rain went straight into the attic. Don't know how much damage was done in there with insulation and wood.

Filed a claim with insurance, just waiting on an adjustor to come look at everything. Will keep you posted..

MY LITTLE CHOCOLATE CHIP....

On The "NATCHEZ TRACE"

We went on a trip, "JUST THE THREE OF US," and went all over. We started with Natchez, MS and rode on the trace. Stopping to see the Emerald Mound, which is an Indian burial mound, to a little waterfall and stream of water. Berkley loved putting her feet in the water and walking around. We saw a mommy deer and her two babies standing in the open. The neatest thing ever was seeing an alligator crossing the road, it was only about three feet long but it was an experience. At first we didn't know what it was because of the way it walked only noticing it when we came upon it. It ran so fast off into the woods. We turned around to see if we could get a picture but it was long gone. Berkley started crying when we told her we were going to get out to take a picture saying, It will Bite You." She was really scared. On to Jackson, MS, only stopping for lunch at the Haute Pig. Then we headed straight towards Memphis, TN to visit Aunt Beth and Uncle Clay. In Memphis we went to Rendezvous for BBQ that night. Next morning we got up and drove to Nashville, TN (Uncle Clay came with us) so Clint could meet his buddies for the FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT. Berkley and I were alone in a big city, sure enough we found a big mall and that kept us busy all night. Berkley loved swimming in the indoor pool at nighttime. She loved the hotel room and didn't want to leave. She said, "She wanted to live there." The next morning we drove back to Memphis, TN spending the day with Clay and Beth. We went to The Peabody Hotel to see the ducks walk and took Berkley to Jullian's to play some games. I think Daddy and Uncle Clay had a little too much fun. That night we went to Big Foot for dinner and Berkley had a blast. They had Smores to make at your table. She loved roasting the marshmallows, they had to bring her more. Next morning we headed back to Jackson, MS to do a little shopping. What a great day, we came home with lots of surprises. Some McCarty, The good Earth Pottery, some copper and some other pieces. We ate at Cock Of The Walk for some fried catfish. YUM-YUM.... Next morning was the drive home.

We totaled almost 2,000 miles on this trip.....

I'm A Naked JayBird

JUST PLAYING AT THE BEACH!!!

Lara and Dave's Wedding was this past weekend which was absolutely BEAUTIFUL.... The Saturday before we all went to the beach and had a great time. Berkley met a friend there and they loved playing in the sand together. His name was Joaquin and he was soo adorable.


To Lara and Dave:
We wanted to thank you both for everything this past week. We had a ball! We are soo happy for the two of you and wish you guys only the best. We're a phone call away if you ever need anything. We love you both....

To MOM and DAD:
Thank you both for EVERYTHING.... The girls day was a blast, thank you for the nails and the lunch. And thanks for all the meals and the hotel stay and money for girls night. I can't THANK YOU BOTH ENOUGH! We appreciate all you do for us.
XOXO

BROWN-EYED GIRL

MY GOGGLES

Berkley has been swimming like a fish all summer long. SHE LOVES IT!!!! She loves when we go to Mimi and Pop-Pop's house so we can swim. I just love these pictures of her with her goggles on.