Fun stuff going on...

You know when you have waited too long to do something, you kept putting it off and putting it off and putting it off, then all of a sudden you realize that you REALLY have to do that something and you sit down to do it and realize it's going to take a while and you are so overwhelmed you don't even know where to start...that's me now, thinking about writing a VERY overdue update! 

I will try to be brief in areas where I can be:
Current Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Bought a house or Renting? Renting, a very reasonable rate from my parents!
Intending to move out: Some day, Hoping Mayla can have her own room by the time she is one and not have her crib and our bed one step apart much longer! We have to take the cons with the pros
Job: Mother of a VERY active and energetic almost 8 month old
Married: Still to the best Man who I love deeply (almost 5 years)
What have we been up to: Well here's where it gets long.....not much but at the same time SOOO much. Mayla, she's the so much part! I adore her, we adore her and fall more in love with her each day but she is the most unique child I have ever met and requires us to be on our toes all day every day. I know, she's not even one yet and I'm already thinking I need therapy:) What does she do or not do? Well, she pees, good..i know right, she is suppose to do that.....almost EVERY time you take her diaper off, she gets this look in her eyes, then goes, then smiles. If you are off your game ONE bit and try to change her fast, you will end up changing not only the diaper, but the changing pad cover, and her clothes. Speaking of diapers, we are trying to make the switch to cloth diapers to save money, but we can't get anything past her. The first night I put them on her she reached down, grabbed it and looked at me with this perplexed look. She then cried and cried and cried and cried when I laid her down for bed, it was like she had 3 'normal' diapers on and she noticed a difference. I was all excited to see how it 'held' up in the morning and was I surprised when I opened it up and saw poop ALL over that thing....she was showing her disapproval and I was questioning myself if I REALLY wanted to go this route. We tried again tonight, and before I even laid her down for bed she pooped in it again all while staring at me so I would notice what she was doing! Out of the diaper she came and back in a disposable one she went (she knows I have limited quantity).

What doesn't she do, but yet also do...eats! If you have followed our story, feeding/eating has always been on the top of our prayer list with her, and it continues to be. She doesn't eat when she is suppose to (during the day) but likes to eat when she shouldn't (in the middle of the night). I tried and tried and tried to 'tank' her up during the day, but we have an amazingly strong willed child and she would NOT eat. I would spend an hour trying to get any amount of milk down her and after that time would usually end up with 2 ounces. It has been very draining on me and frustrating at the same time. On top of the milk issue, she will not eat solid food, we have been trying for over 2 months now with breaks here and there, she REFUSES food! I have tried store bought purées, home made purées, whole pieces of fruits, veggies and nothing. She even made herself throw up one time she was gagging so much....on a purée.  The pediatrician says breast milk is all that is really needed until they are a year, and not to stress! But I was. To add to the 'pressure' I was already feeling, two weeks ago Mayla went on a nursing strike. I had been happily breast feeding for 7 months and one week when one night at 3:30 in the morning she refused to drink from me. It's been two weeks now and she still refuses. Her 'rejecting' me was not something I was ready for and it hit me hard. The 'rejection' was draining and had me on my knees. The Lord reminded me that some times I act the same way. He offers me something that's good for me, I see it, and turn my head the other way, thinking I know better or seeking something different. This lesson broke my heart but I was so thankful that he used Mayla to show me. It's been two hard weeks of trying everything the internet tells you to try, and nothing. It's not what I had planned, but I submit to it being what The Lord had planned and look forward to seeing how he can use it. I'm still pumping and praising God that she is not rejecting my milk, and also praising The Lord that I can still produce, another miracle in itself.  When I look back to where we started, feeding tubes and stress of different people feeding Mayla and the constant confusion from breast to bottle when she did start, it's a wonderful gift that I had the privilege to bond with her that way for those 7 wonderful months. Thank you Jesus. With all that said, we ARE getting some where. I have been decreasing her feedings at night in hopes that she will eat more during the day and it's taking a while, but we are getting there. Last night was the first time EVER that she has made it from 10:45pm to 6:30am without a feeding. I was celebrating today!

We had her first cardiology appointment since being back last monday and the doctors words, 'her heart is perfect' are still resounding in my head.

Cuddle time with daddy during a stressful cardio appointment.

Once again THANK YOU JESUS! The doctor heard nothing or saw nothing of any concern and okayed us for an appointment 6 months from now. He even mentioned that if someone were to walk in blindfolded and listen to her heart they would have no idea of everything she has been through and think it was a 'normal' infant heart beat.He also mentioned that they did a great job in Switzerland. Of this we were already aware:) God had us RIGHT where we needed to be for Mayla to be born. The children's hospital here is amazing; new, fun, and modern, but we did miss walking the halls of the kinderspital where we had so many memories and seeing familiar faces. It was hard, but yet exciting to meet new people and start a new chapter.

The thing taking up a lot of time and energy right now is Mayla's survival swim lessons. We have completed three weeks now and are beginning the 4th. It has been a big commitment and one we were not certain at first was a good one, but are now realizing it is. It has been so stressful to be honest.

Typical Mayla pose after swim lessons.

Watching helplessly as your daughter screams day after day for 10 minutes just feet away from you and you just watch. When she does 'great', it's easy, but we are noticing that Mayla likes to do things the hard way, i.e kick non stop the whole time someone is trying to teach her how to float, which causes water in her face which then causes her to spaz and kick more forcing her whole face under water and then her getting too much water in, on top of all the water she has in her from all the crying, which then causes her to puke when she gets out of the pool. Yes I will be excited when she completes the course, which we really have no idea how much longer will be. Her whole day has to be scheduled just right so that she gets her naps in and eating in at just the right time, there is not much room for flexibility which can be tough some days! I also have to chart her diapers/eating/sleeping each day. I have to keep reminding myself that we signed her up for this, but when I see the instructor put her sideways under water and her come up on her own and float, I know we made the right decision.

Floating on her own, so exciting.

Mayla is full on crawling and is pulling herself up to anything and everything she gets her hands on. It's adorable to see, but also comes with a tough price, bumps and bruises and her hearing a lot more often, 'No touch Mayla.' 

Will has been busy working on the car and is making great progress. It's actually 'looking' like a car. I"m very proud of him and I still have NO idea how he knows what to do next.  He keeps telling me, "it's simple, I don't". A man of very many talents. He has also been busy getting things planned and organized for the business venture we have begun, selling Sanger waterski and wakeboard/surf boats to dealers in the eastern U.S. Which, by the way, if you are on Facebook and haven't liked Southeast Sanger yet, shame on you, throw us a bone, LOL. He will write an update on that in the coming week, but for now we are ready and waiting, and super excited, and sometimes a little scared. Yet in all of it, we continue to trust, as you will see below (help us Lord not to doubt).

Spring/summer has finally arrived and it's only been a couple of days, but we have already spent the majority of that time outside, we are lovin' it! 

"Trust" continues to be the word for us. There has been a lot lately that has had me a little frazzled and The Lord continues to remind us that if he cares about the birds and lilies, he for sure cares about the details of our lives. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:25-34. 

Mayla's first surfing lesson..

She brightens our every day

Mayla desperately wanting to get outside. 

A VISITOR! Kathryn all the way from Zürich. YIPEE!

Have I mentioned we adore her and are thankful she is ours?

Someone's 7 months old.

hi. it's Mayla or some call me M&M, i'm 7 months old, well actually i was yesterday, but we were so busy having fun mommy forgot to take my picture, and she actually had the dates all messed up too, my mommy is so silly! i'm getting so big, and can do so many new things, like crawl, get into things i shouldn't, and i'm slowly starting to pull myself up to things. this getting bigger stuff is so so so much fun! i'm excited too because it's getting so nice and warm, even though i'm wearing warm clothes for my picture. i can't wait for the warm air to come, daddy says he is going to take me skiing! wish i could see everyone that looks at this picture, i like to smile for people and would love to play with you too!