More pics of the cutest girl in the world...

Sweetest baby girl on earth. It's my niece Emery Kate. She's doing fabulous. She's the tinest baby in the NICU at UK Med. Ctr., but the one with the least amt. of tubes hanging out of her. She's such a cutie patootie! I can't wait until I can post a pic of Aunt Heather holding Emery. That'll still be awhile. Luke and I are going to make a trip up to see Aunt Brooke and Uncle Michael soon. We'll be driving though. Ya'll remember what he did in his diaper 20 seconds before boarding on our last flight from KY. No going through that again. Anywho...just thought I'd share some lovely pic's of mommy and daddy holding Emery. See how tiny she is. Like a little baby doll.

Emery....Banana Nut Bread...Joke

In awesome Emery news Brooke got to hold Emery for an hour yest. The NICU nurses said that she and Michael can now hold Emery for one hour a day. It is so cute that put her down inside Brooke shirt so she'd stay warm. I'm so glad Brooke got to hold her daughter and kiss and love on her for the first time. We were thinking that it would be months before she would even be able to hold her.

In other news...I'm so mad at myself. I baked a huge batch of banana nut bread last night (10 loaves) and it wasn't this morning when I tasted it that I realized that I put 2 TABLESPOONS of salt INSTEAD of 2 TEASPOONS. Needless to say, the bread is going in the trash. It was so salty it was inedible. Ugh! Guess I have to go buy another bag of walnuts and start from square one.

Here's a funny little joke I saw somewhere yest. and thought I'd share it. It goes:

I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with "Guess" on it, So I said "Implants?" She hit me.


Later yall,
Heather

Awesome Emery News...

It looks like my little (and I do mean little) niece Emery is doing excellent in the NICU. They've slated her to stay 9 wks. in the NICU. Of course, all will depend on how well she is doing at the end of 9 wks. They did a brain scan to see if all is well in her noggin and that scan came back perfect. We knew it would. She has no brain hemorraging (which is sometimes the case with preemies). She's doing fantastic. Keep praying for her to get bigger so she can go home with mommy and daddy. I can't wait until we can hold her and kiss her. For now, here's a picture from yesterday. Oh, I almost forgot she's on no breathing apparatus's at all. Breathing on her own 100% and has been since day 2 of her life on the outside world. I'm so thankful that the Lord is hearing and answering everyone's prayers on Emery's behalf. Please keep em' coming.

Aunt Heather

Newest Hobby....Couch "Diving"...Ain't it fun!

Emery Kate update...

All is well with my sweet little niece. She's breathing on her own and is thriving in the NICU. No setbacks whatsoever. Thank you for all of you who have stopped by my blog within the last week checking in on the latest with sweet pea Emery. Brooke is scheduled to be released tomorrow. She'll be going home for a couple days to recoup there and then head back to Lexington. Evidently, the Lord has provided a nurse at UK Med Ctr. who has offered Brooke a room at her house to stay the nights for the next 3 mos. if she'd like. She said she'd just give her a key and she could come and go as she pleases. Isn't that just so sweet. I think her and Michael will be taking her up on the offer so they can be close to Emery. For those of you who don't know they live over an hour away from the hospital Emery is at. It would be a long drive every day, plus Brooke has to supply them with milk daily for little pumpkin. We're thankful for the nurse who offered her home. Angels are just around them everywhere. I think I told you that Brooke got to change Em's diaper yesterday for the first time. She said, she's so small she doesn't really even have a little butt crack yet. Can you imagine....Keep everyone in your prayers as Brooke is recovering from a c-section and Emery is growing every day. Lots of love and thanks for your prayers.

Aunt Heather

I'm an Aunt!!!! Emery Kate is here....

My little niece Emery Kathryn Stone was born Sept 22, 2006. She weighs a whopping 1 lb. 9 oz. and is 12.5 inches long. She is 3 mos. premature, born at 28 wks-- so she is in the NICU at UK Medical Center in Lexington, KY. She's a little peanut, but a fighter none the less. Thank you for everyone's prayers. Please keep them coming Miss Emery has a bit of growing to do. Mom and baby are doing fantastic! Miss Emery is 100% breathing on her own, no oxygen needed. That's a miracle too. Everything about Emery is a miracle. Thank you Jesus for bringing her to us safely. Of course she'll be in the hospital for a little while until she gets a wee bit older. For now, she's thriving in the NICU. No setbacks whatsoever. We're so excited for Brooke and Michael. Congrat's Mommy and Daddy. Isn't Emery a little cutie patootie! I think she's just perfect. She's got charming good looks, just like her Aunt Heather. (wink)

Emery coming in the next couple days...

Latest news....Brooke's been moved (via ambulance) to UK Medical Center where they deliver babies 30 wks and under. Dr's. seem to think that they'll have to deliver Emery within the next couple days. Her heartbeat dipped during the night and they're concerned about that and all the other things that are going on. Please keep them in your prayers. Mom and I are flying out this afternoon to KY. Pray also that the pilot lands on the right runway in Lexington. I'll keep you posted.

Heather

Believing for a miracle....Please Pray for Brooke

Hello Friends and family. Here's the latest on Brooke and Emery Kate. Brooke will be 28 wks pregnant tomorrow. The Dr. told her today that keeping Emery in utero is what they are wishing for and that he will be back tomorrow, Mon. to further evaluate the situation. Meanwhile, the pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure) remains, protein in Brooke's urine which means Emery is not getting the nutrients she needs, she is measuring on the small side for her gestational age and she's moving less than she was, also Brooke's liver counts are still up because of the pre-eclampsia. I believe she said the amniotic fluid is looking better. Either way, they're taking it day by day, hour by hour. Monitoring the baby 6 times a day. Giving Brooke steroid shots to mature Emery's lungs and also giving Brooke a high protein diet. Needless to say, the situation is critical. The hospital she is currently at does not deliver babies 30 wks and under which would mean they'd transfer Brooke to UK hospital and she'd get a whole new set of Dr's. which is something she's not looking forward to because she's got awesome rapport with her current high risk Dr's. It's quite possible that my niece might be born some time this week at 28 wks. gestation. If you could please pray that the Lord give my sister and Michael comfort as the week ahead and the next few months ahead will be life-changing. Please pray that Brooke gets good Dr's. if she has to be transferred to UK Hospital. It's more of a teaching hospital so there could be a lot of medical students "studying" her case. Which technically means she's a guinea pig, or at least that's what she feels like. Pray for Emery to be ok and that she will not have any complications. She would be extremely premature but her Dr's feel like she will survive. She'll just be in the NICU for a couple months. Either way, both of them are where they need to be, it's just hard to imagine getting to go home before your baby does. This is definitely not the way her and Michael saw this whole thing playing out. She'll know more tomorrow, so until then we're in a holding pattern. I might be flying to KY mid week if things progess to the point of Brooke having to give birth. We all appreciate your prayers for safety, health and peace of mind. Love to all. Aunt Heather

28 weeks and holding....

Please pray for my sister Brooke. She is 28 weeks pregnant. Which means technically she still has her 3rd trimester to go. Due Dec 11. She was hospitalized today with pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure), liver counts are up because of the high blood pressure, protein in her urine, and low amniotic fluid. Her high risk Dr. just wants her to make it to 32 weeks gestation. If you could lift her up in your prayers, I know she'd appreciate it. Emery Kate needs a little more time to cook in the Brooke oven before she discovers America. Thank you kindly...

Aunt Heather

Happy 9 Year Anniversary....

HAPPY 9 YR. ANNIVERSARY JASON!!! I LOVE YOU

Nine years...how could the time have gone so fast. As I reflect on the last decade (that's how long we've been together) it's amazing to think of all the things we've enjoyed together. Even during times when life has handed us a few lemons we've always managed to make lemonade. I guess that mean's we're good cooks together.

I cannot think of anyone else who I would have wanted to spend the last 9 years married to. God has truly blessed me with a wonderful husband in you. You are strong, courageous, funny, talented, smart, CLEAN/TIDY (Lord knows that's right!) and most of all you have a heart that is turned towards God. I'm thankful that you allow HIM to lead your life and that you listen to HIS direction.

As I said before, we've had our share of lemons handed to us just to name a few: lost jobs, ER visits, broken bones, hospitalizations, deaths of loved one's, a long pregnancy, 600+ Lovenox injections, lots of moves, too many car's to mention (although none of them were truly lemons-except maybe the Jeep) not so smart decisions--we've made a few of them in our day....etc.

None have been too big for God and us to handle together. If we did not have the foundation of God in our marriage I do not know how we would have managed to make it through it all. You have been by my side in times of joy and sadness. We've experienced the greatest experience in life together--the birth of Luke. You are a great father to our son. He loves you so much, as do I.

I look to the future and am excited about what the next 10+ years hold for us. You are my best friend, biggest fan and confidante. No one knows me like you do and accepts me anyway. Your love is unconditional and that makes me very secure. What a blessing it is to be able to say I'm your wife. I love you with all of my heart and then some baby.

Full day with buddies....one BIG mishap

As you can see I had a blast with my buddies Hud and Shep today.


Their mommy went to get her hair done and my mommy watched us all. We had so much fun eating popcorn, watching the Wiggles and playing
on my new big boy bed. We even tried to all nap together, but that didn't work too well.
So mommy separated us into diff. rooms for nap time.

As you can see the blanket bull game was a hit!!!! Aunt Heather came up with that one...very creative I might add.


Out of all of today's activites none of us got hurt. Well almost no one.



Actually, mommy was in a rush to run some errands and she cleaned her contacts and popped one in her eye. As it began to burn she noticed that she had not washed her contact with saline solution but rather NASAL SPRAY. The bottles looked similiar. Needless to say her one eye has been burning ever since, but it's wide open and seeing well. Anywho....gotta run...Later taters.

Officially overcommitted....need to be committed

Ok, I'm officially overcommitted. And I may need to be committed...to an insane asylum that is. Here's what I have on my plate for the rest of this week. Clean my house as I'm hosting Pokeno at my house tomorrow night for 14+ people, go to store and buy snacks for Pokeno, stop by thrift store as they now have Halloween costumes out (The Purple Bldg. one), List about 5 items on Ebay, watch friends kids in the morning, iron clothes and tag clothes for consignment show to be dropped off Wed., take friends kid to Mother's Day out, tag items for neighborhood garage sale Sat., Poker party at Jason's bosses Sat. night, stop and get anniversary card at Hallmark, Wed. is my 9 year anniversary so we're going out for anniversary dinner. Whew.....lots going on. So many things to do...so little sedatives on the market. Thank you honey for folding all the clothes tonight and for bathing and reading to Lukey.

I'm now going to bed. Oh, one last thing. Please pray for my sister as her ob/gyn put her on bedrest for the remainder of her pregnancy...high blood pressure is the cause. She's due on Dec 11 probably will be a c-section. Should be fun sitting around eating bon bon's till then...(just kidding sis). I love you and am praying for you and Emery.

To the rest of ya'll...later taters.

Bobba....

Ok...Luke is infatuated with Bob the Builder. He loves everything Bob...Only he calls him "Bobba".

Don't ask me why. I'm thinking he might be Bob for Halloween this year. We'll see.

It's just too funny how he carries on about his Bobba book. It's kind of a Colorforms book (remember those). You can put these removable vinyl/stickers all over the book then take them off and put them somewhere new.

Anywho.....we're watching the UT/Ohio State game tonight.....Hook Em' Horns!!!

Later taters,

Heather

The finished product...Better day...

I'm happy to report a much better day today. No 2 year old meltdowns and a smile on Lukey's face pretty much all day. He LOVES his new big boy bed. I think the canopy makes him feel safe inside his own little cave. Tomorrow I'll post pic's of his new armoire too. It's just adorable. Well....it's off to bed for Lukey with mommy and daddy following behind shortly.

Big Boy Bed update....

Big news....the boy is still sleeping in his big boy bed. He never once got up during the night or anything. Praise Jesus. He's sleeping sans crib like a seasoned pro. No hard transition at all. Maybe the fact that all went smoothly with his new sleeping arrangement is God's way of saying, "I'm paying you back for having to put up with Luke's maniacal behavior yest." No, I know God doesn't work that way. But if he did that's the message I'd be getting I'm sure of it.

Heather

Big Boy Bed...Trying 2 yr old...No "iggles book"...

Well...it's official Luke got his big boy bed today at IKEA. It's so cute and he looks so little in it. Much like he did in his old crib the day we brought him home from the hospital.

He seems to like it...and no he's not sleeping in the living room tonight. I just assembled it in there while he was napping today. Tonight daddy took apart the old furniture and moved it out of his room. (We're selling it on Ebay tomorrow when the auction ends)

We moved the new bed and night stand in with a matching armoire to be put together this weekend. So far, he's been in there for 10 minutes and hasn't come walking out of the room. Please keep your fingers crossed.

Jason and I are worn out. Today has been a VERY TRYING day with a 2 year old. It started with the meltdown at IKEA because we left his "iggles book" (wiggles book) in the car. You would have thought someone had told him he could never watch Elmo again. I ended up having to spank him in the store to get him to be quiet. If I hear "iggles book" one more time I'm going to hang myself.

From there we melted down about the fact that I wouldn't let HIM push the flat bed cart with all the furniture pieces on it. Mind you... I was pushing HIM in a regular cart AND pushing a flat bed cart with a bed, foundation slats, mattress, night stand, armoire and several sheet sets for his new bed. How the heck I did all that is beyond me. I guess my Super Mommy powers kicked in around 10am. They ran out very quickly. To say the least my patience was running thin with all the drama. I should have waited until Jason got home to go with me to do all this. Lesson learned...the hard way.

Then tonight Jason and I both were having to deal with "Mr. Whiny" which had us both at our wits end. It's night night time for us too...I'm sorry honey for being impatient. I have no excuse. I hope tomorrow I wake up refreshed and don't have a 2 year old standing beside my bed looking me in the eye at 5am.

We love our sweet boy dearly, but some days are just hard. Terrible 2's is NOT just a myth....it's REAL and it's a nightmare! Sharon, Heather, Jenny--I'm sure you'll vouch for me on this. What was I thinking hoping that maybe...just maybe Luke would bypass this stage with little to no drama....huh, yeah right!

That's about all I can handle for one day! Later

Latest and greatest in Rice-a-roni-ville...

We had a nice long Labor Day weekend. Spent family time and just had a relaxing time. We got to eat lunch with Granna, play in the rain, read books with family, play with our cuzzin, watch the Wiggles. Luke even got caught jumpin on mommy and daddy's bed. Bad boy....no more monkey's jumping on the bed.
We got lots of rain, which we needed desperately. Everything is green now and much cooler. It's starting to feel like Fall. Oh, I almost forgot "Aunt" Brenda (mom's old Nestle' boss) came to visit. She brought me the coolest puzzle's from Pottery Barn. One has animals on it that make noise when I put the puzzle pieces in their slot. So cool! Mom's been Ebay'ing...her favorite pasttime these days. She does pretty good at it though. My crib is now up on Ebay, we're hoping we sell it so I can get a new bedroom suite. Well..that's about it....I've not seen buddies (Hud, Shep & Greyson) lately...I'm missing them. We'll have to play this week some time. Later taters.

Sad News...

I just heard from my sister who talked to my Aunt Ennie tonight (Dad's brother's wife) and my first cousin, Robert Ty Stredwick died on Tues. He was 37. He was mentally challenged and was in a nursing home. He had aggressive stomach cancer but evidently he died from a blood clot. He said he was ready to go see Grandpa (who died in 1991).

So sad, as my Aunt has so much on her plate. She barely has time to grieve. I cannot imagine losing my son. She's basically been the primary caretaker for my cousin all 37 years of his life as my uncle is an alcoholic and incapable of being there for his family physically, mentally and emotionally. My Aunt ALSO takes care of her mother who is also in a nursing home AND a sister who has been sick most of her adult life. It's really sad.

I do not believe that my Aunt knows the Lord. I am praying that HE will draw him to her through this situation. My other cousin Tanner, Ty's younger brother is following in his dad's footsteps of drinking too much. I pray that the Lord will reach him as well so that he can be a support to my Aunt.

If you could please pray for that side of my family as they are wandering in the wilderness pretty much. I know the Lord can do great things in their lives and bring healing where hurt and brokenness now resides.

Farewell Ty, dance with the Angels and say Hi to my Daddy for me.

Thanks for your prayers. Heather

Here is Ty's Obituary

ROBERT TY STREDWICK
After a courageous battle with cancer, the Lord chose to peacefully carry away our special angel, Ty, on Aug. 29, 2006. Although Ty was born with Prader-Willi Syndrome, he was in no way discouraged by his limitations. He was born on July 30, 1967, in Bozeman, the son of Robert "Stretch" and Lorene "Ennie" (Gates) Stredwick.
Ty faithfully attended and graduated from Bozeman Senior High School in 1986. Throughout his entire life, Ty exerted a great passion for those around him and everything he accomplished.
Ty lived the dream childhood of any avid outdoorsman with acres of farm fields and trout-filled streams. Ty's main love, beyond his love for animals, was going fishing. Right up to his last few weeks, he was still catching fish out of his favorite fishing hole.
He in time had the gift of a younger brother who grew to be his greatest companion. With the same enthusiasm he showed for fishing, he also displayed in his work ethic. Ty's attention to detail utterly amazed his bosses and coworkers. He worked several jobs throughout his life including: Montana State Highway, Cindy Owens Design, MSU Ag Department, and his favorite -- West Paw Designs. He was absolutely adored by everyone around him.
The Bobcat football and basketball teams lost their biggest fan. Win or lose, Ty defended their honor to the end. Faced with challenges we could never comprehend, Ty showed the rest of us that problems in our "everyday" world were only as big as we allowed them to be.
For the past year-and-a-half, Ty resided at Milky Way Group Home in Livingston. A great big "thank you" to some very special people at Milky Way: Billie, Bev, April, Gloria, Daryl and Rick. Ty loved you all! God bless you!
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Dan and Veronica Stredwick; uncle, Marlan Stredwick; and his buddy, who he is with today, Grandpa George Gates.
Ty is survived by his proud parents, Bob "Stretch" and Lorene "Ennie" Stredwick of Bozeman; his loving brother, Tanner (JoAnn), cousins, Emmet, Tanya, Ashley, Karlee, James David "J.D"; and Tawyna Kent, all of Bozeman. He is also survived by his uncle, Skip (Marriane) Kent and his dear, caring aunt, Angela Kent of Bozeman; his maternal grandmother, Lorraine Gates; and his cousins, Brooke and Heather.
Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 1, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Bozeman.
Memorials may be made to the Milky Way Group Home, c/o Counterpoint, Inc., 116 E. Lewis, Livingston, MT 59047