I can't believe it!!! We won the stroller I posted about a week ago! Scroll down and you'll see the picture we entered for the contest at http://www.triple-take.blogspot.com/ . If you follow the link to Stefanie's (the contest hostess) blog, you'll see the Chicco Trevi Twin Stroller Extreme. Nice, right?
Thank you so much Stefanie! It seems the contest didn't end up playing out the way originally planned; there wasn't a vote, but a random drawing instead. And we really appreciate being able to participate!!
Can't wait to try it out!!!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
July 25th, 1978
It's the 30th birthday of the world's first baby conceived by in vitro fertilization, Louise Brown, born in Oldham, England (1978).
Her parents had been trying to conceive for nine years. A doctor told Lesley Brown, the future mother of Louise, that she had a blocked fallopian tube and referred her to Dr. Patrick Steptoe, who had been conducting research on fertilization for many years. The Browns decided that they would have Dr. Steptoe harvest an egg from Lesley's ovary, which would then be fertilized with her husband's sperm in a laboratory. Dr. Edwards would perform this fertilization in vitro (from Latin, literally "in glass" — coined in reference to the test tube in which experiments were performed). A few days later, Dr. Steptoe would transfer the newly formed embryo back into the uterus of Lesley Brown.
The research leading up to successful human in vitro fertilization spanned many decades. In the late 1800s, a research doctor had extracted embryos from an Angora rabbit and placed them in the uterus of an already pregnant Belgian rabbit. The litter this pregnant Belgian rabbit produced consisted of four Belgians and two Angoras. Through this, the doctor proved that it was possible to take embryos at a certain early stage and put them into a gestational carrier — in other words, a biological surrogate mother — and that these transplanted embryos would develop normally.
Scientists began to study eggs and embryos widely in the laboratory. It took researchers two years to figure out correctly the timing of human egg maturation.
In 1959, Dr. M.C. Chang, a reproductive biologist, performed an in vitro fertilization that resulted in the first successful live birth. He took eggs from a black rabbit, fertilized them in the lab with sperm from another black rabbit, and transferred the resulting embryos to a white rabbit, which gave birth to a litter of young black rabbits. His experiment formed the basis for the first successful human in vitro fertilization.
The procedure done by Dr. Steptoe and Dr. Edwards was successful. Louise Brown was delivered on this day in 1978 at 11:47 p.m. by Caesarean section. She weighed 5 pounds 12 ounces. When she was four years old, her parents told her about the manner of her conception and showed her the famous video of her birth.
She has a younger sister, also conceived by IVF. In December of 2006, Louise Brown gave birth to a son, conceived without any fertility treatment. For many years she earned a living taking care of children at a nursery. Today, she is a postal worker near Bristol, a job that leads to puns about "deliveries," according to sources. Today, there are over a million children that have been conceived by in vitro fertilization, and the birth rate of IVF conceptions is now near 1 percent.
Thank you Drs. Chang and Steptoe for leading the way, and to our IVF doctors at DVIF&G for making our baby dreams possible!!!!!
Her parents had been trying to conceive for nine years. A doctor told Lesley Brown, the future mother of Louise, that she had a blocked fallopian tube and referred her to Dr. Patrick Steptoe, who had been conducting research on fertilization for many years. The Browns decided that they would have Dr. Steptoe harvest an egg from Lesley's ovary, which would then be fertilized with her husband's sperm in a laboratory. Dr. Edwards would perform this fertilization in vitro (from Latin, literally "in glass" — coined in reference to the test tube in which experiments were performed). A few days later, Dr. Steptoe would transfer the newly formed embryo back into the uterus of Lesley Brown.
The research leading up to successful human in vitro fertilization spanned many decades. In the late 1800s, a research doctor had extracted embryos from an Angora rabbit and placed them in the uterus of an already pregnant Belgian rabbit. The litter this pregnant Belgian rabbit produced consisted of four Belgians and two Angoras. Through this, the doctor proved that it was possible to take embryos at a certain early stage and put them into a gestational carrier — in other words, a biological surrogate mother — and that these transplanted embryos would develop normally.
Scientists began to study eggs and embryos widely in the laboratory. It took researchers two years to figure out correctly the timing of human egg maturation.
In 1959, Dr. M.C. Chang, a reproductive biologist, performed an in vitro fertilization that resulted in the first successful live birth. He took eggs from a black rabbit, fertilized them in the lab with sperm from another black rabbit, and transferred the resulting embryos to a white rabbit, which gave birth to a litter of young black rabbits. His experiment formed the basis for the first successful human in vitro fertilization.
The procedure done by Dr. Steptoe and Dr. Edwards was successful. Louise Brown was delivered on this day in 1978 at 11:47 p.m. by Caesarean section. She weighed 5 pounds 12 ounces. When she was four years old, her parents told her about the manner of her conception and showed her the famous video of her birth.
She has a younger sister, also conceived by IVF. In December of 2006, Louise Brown gave birth to a son, conceived without any fertility treatment. For many years she earned a living taking care of children at a nursery. Today, she is a postal worker near Bristol, a job that leads to puns about "deliveries," according to sources. Today, there are over a million children that have been conceived by in vitro fertilization, and the birth rate of IVF conceptions is now near 1 percent.
Thank you Drs. Chang and Steptoe for leading the way, and to our IVF doctors at DVIF&G for making our baby dreams possible!!!!!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Trying to Win a Stroller!!!
Stefanie at http://www.triple-take.blogspot.com/ is having a photo contest for a Chicco Double Stroller. It's the new model and it looks awesome!!!
I have to submit a picture for the contest using at least one kid (no problem!) and the word Chicco somehow in the picture.
Well, it just so happens we have a Chicco single stroller, so I took this pic of all the babies trying to get a ride! It says Chicco on the seatbelt strap, but it's hard to see.
I have to submit a picture for the contest using at least one kid (no problem!) and the word Chicco somehow in the picture.
Well, it just so happens we have a Chicco single stroller, so I took this pic of all the babies trying to get a ride! It says Chicco on the seatbelt strap, but it's hard to see.
"Is it my turn now, Mommy?"
Wish us luck!!
There's going to be a vote for the winner, so I'll let you know if we make the final cut!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Road Trip to Maine
*****WARNING - There are ALOT of pictures!!!!*****
Here we are at our first official pitstop in at a Connecticut rest stop/gas station. The grassy area was right near in front of the parking spots and we just set up all our stuff and took a break!
Our first unofficial stop was way back in NJ, when Carter threw up about 20 minutes into the trip and needed to be changed!!!!
Brenna and Carter didn't want to keep these hats on, but I got the pic!
So proud - Brenna is walking with the walker now!
We found out Carter is very allergic to EGGS at out Father's Day picnic. Poor guy. Benadryl cleared it right up!
We're starting to see Emily's smile more often!
Who had more fun with sparklers, Meme or Drew??
Unlike the unity candle on our wedding day (ah, memories) these lit up easily! :)
Ready for our road trip to Camden. Hey wait, FOUR babies!?!?!!
That's our cousin Sierra (on the left)!!!!!!!!
Stopping to see the beach in Belfast
Skipping rocks with Pepe
Maine lobster
The weather wasn't quite hot enough to really want to get in the pool. 75 degrees was enough to get Drew and Meme in. And Brenna and Carter took a quick dip too.
Hanging out at the house
Trying to get some of Meme's snack :)
Sierra, Sierra, Sierra!!! We're so happy to finally meet you in person!!
We took Drew over to the park where I took him when we visited two years ago.
Unity Pond
Helping Meme with the laundry
On the way home - we stopped at an IHOP in Mass. (where we bumped into a mom with 8 year gbb triplets!!!) and took a long break.
It was a long trip, but the kiddos were really very good considering. Did I mention that Drew threw up once too, and Carter threw up twice on the way home? Ugggh.
Other than that, they travelled well and we made it home safe and sound. And very tired.
Love you Meme and Pepe, and Aunt Nicole, Uncle Joe and Sierra!
Now please move back to NJ!!!!! ;)
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Independence Day
Well, yesterday was the fourth of July, and we were "freed" from CHOP yesterday morning. Emily is doing well and we are both very happy to be home with the family. Thank you for all of your comments, good wishes, happy thoughts, and prayers. It really means so much to me!
We took everyone out to the park for the festivities yesterday evening. Then we came home to put the babies to bed, and Drew and I went back out to see the fireworks!
Pictures coming soon . . .
We took everyone out to the park for the festivities yesterday evening. Then we came home to put the babies to bed, and Drew and I went back out to see the fireworks!
Pictures coming soon . . .
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Still at the Hospital
I thought for sure we'd be heading home Monday. Then I thought the same thing on Tuesday, and Wednesday, you get the picture.
So, it is Thursday night and until an hour ago (it is 10pm), I actually thought we might be able to go home tonight. That's not the case.
She has been doing great with her oxygen levels, but started having drops in her heart rate either Monday or Tuesday (the days are blending together). The doctors weren't sure why and wanted to consult with neurology to rule out seizures as a cause, and also to consult endocrinology to rule out a hormone issue.
So we had a long EEG today - no heart rate drops have been observed.
Then endocrine came and they don't think it's hormone related.
BUT -
yesterday they started checking her blood sugars and twice they were very low. So then they were concerned about that. She had to skip a feed this afternoon, so they could do hourly blood sugar draws. And they put some cotton balls in her diaper to do some kind of urine test.
Well, her sugars were all OK, and here we still sit with the cotton balls still in her diaper (because "they need to be good and wet")!
We just can't get out of this place!!!!!! We'd better be leaving tomorrow. I've had enough.
So, it is Thursday night and until an hour ago (it is 10pm), I actually thought we might be able to go home tonight. That's not the case.
She has been doing great with her oxygen levels, but started having drops in her heart rate either Monday or Tuesday (the days are blending together). The doctors weren't sure why and wanted to consult with neurology to rule out seizures as a cause, and also to consult endocrinology to rule out a hormone issue.
So we had a long EEG today - no heart rate drops have been observed.
Then endocrine came and they don't think it's hormone related.
BUT -
yesterday they started checking her blood sugars and twice they were very low. So then they were concerned about that. She had to skip a feed this afternoon, so they could do hourly blood sugar draws. And they put some cotton balls in her diaper to do some kind of urine test.
Well, her sugars were all OK, and here we still sit with the cotton balls still in her diaper (because "they need to be good and wet")!
We just can't get out of this place!!!!!! We'd better be leaving tomorrow. I've had enough.
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