Hubbafly

Sunday, July 1, 2012

The Month of May...

I can't believe how terrible of a blogger I've been these past few months! Life just seems to be getting more and more busy for us but that should be more reason why I need to keep up with with it. I'm just going to do a quick little update on what's been going on for the months of May tonight and June tomorrow just so I feel a bit better about the fact that I've been a total slacker with keeping up with the old bloggity blog.

The month of May:

Jackson graduated preschool and to celebrate he jumped off the little platform he had to stand on right after he received his diploma! He was so excited that day to say the least. He was so proud of himself and is super excited to start full day Kindergarten in August. I don't know, I may be even more excited than he is at this point:).

Jackson with his teacher Mrs. Pierce...

Jake and Jackson headed out to the Fathers and Sons camp out that very evening which meant that Stella, Briggs and I got to chill at home for the evening (nothing out of the ordinary for us:). Jackson was so excited and kept telling Stella and I that it was only going to be him and Daddy on the camp out and no one else! Stella really wanted to go and ended up crying herself to sleep on the couch after they left. She hates missing out and loves being involved in everything that is going on. I was planning on letting her stay up with me, paint our nails, watch a movie and eat yummy food together but since she had fallen asleep our night was cut short so I just put her to bed along with Briggs.

Right before the camp out...

We've been really busy with trying to figure out what is going on with Mr. Briggs over here. We are still have feeding difficulties and have made very little progress, on the feeding side. He still has issues with his reflux, despite the fact that he's had surgeries that were supposed to take care of the problem, and his doctors are still trying to get to the bottom of what is really going on with him. Because of these issues, Briggs is still receiving all of his feedings through his feeding tube and eats every 3 hours 5 times a day, each feeding lasting 1 hour and 15 minutes long. He has made so much progress from where he started at but his feeding and gastric issues are still holding him back physically. Briggs has weekly occupational, physical and speech therapy appointments and all therapists are working on trying to get him to where he needs to be but are still limited in what they can do due to what's going on with him internally. Despite all of the discomfort he goes through on a daily basis this is one of the most happiest babies I have ever seen! He melts my heart every time he smiles.

Briggs during one of his "feedings". 3 times a day we work with him, let him play with food, give him tastes (if he lets us) and just really try to make feeding time a positive experience for him...

Near the end of May, we caught the flu bug over here at our house and it was nasty! Jake had to travel down to Panama for a week and that week is when it hit the kids. First Stella had it, then 3 days later Jackson got it and then it hit the rest of us. Poor Briggs had it for about 5 days and after 3 doctors visits, and almost needing to be admitted into the hospital, he got over it thankfully! After 2 long weeks the flu finally left our house and I was so glad that everyone was healthy and well again.

Jackson's turn with the flu bug...

And Stella's just happy that she's over it!

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Fathers Day...

I know I have been a little MIA lately. Life just seems to be getting busier by the minute for us around here. Anyways, I have LOTS to update on but for now I want to talk about the 3 most special men that are dear and near to our hearts!

My Husband. I know I'm biased but no words can ever express how great of a father and husband he is! This has been such an amazing and trying year and a half for us and he has been our little family's rock through it all. Whenever I have felt overwhelmed and inadequate he, along with the Savior, is the one who I confide in. He is the absolute best man out there. My sweet mother sent me a text the other day and it just touched my heart. She said that Jake was a "prince of a guy" and I truly feel this statement best explains the kind of person he is. How lucky I am to be able to be married and have children with such a man. Jackson, Stella and Briggs just adore their daddy. I admit, they most definitely prefer him over me (it probably doesn't help that I'm with them all day:). For example, Jake gave me a break last weekend and allowed me to fly out to go visit my mom and sisters. I got back home late Sunday night and when the kids awoke Monday morning, and realized that their daddy was off to work for the day, they immediately started crying for him. Haha, after feeling bad for a couple of moments I realized that maybe that break wasn't long enough for any of us and I kind of wanted to cry too! My kids are so blessed to have such a father and I am the luckiest girl in the world to have such a husband.

Jake's Dad, Mark. I know that Jake is the husband and father he is today because of this man. Mark is such and amazing father, father-in-law and grandpa and I feel so lucky to be part of such an amazing family. Mark is such a true example of what a father should be. He relishes every moment he is able to spend with all of his children and grandchildren. Mark always cherishes and takes full advantage of our family times together. Like Jake, there are so many things that I admire about Mark but one thing that has always stood out to me is that he is such a simple, easy to please man. For example, when it comes to his birthdays or any holidays he loves just about anything... minus ties:). He really appreciates the little things in life and I just love that about him. I often get caught up in life and easily forget to just sit back and enjoy each moment. Mark does just that and I really have already, and continue to, learned a lot from him. Jackson, Stella and Briggs love going to Grandpa and Grandma Hubbard's house! The last time we were out there Grandpa built a swing for all of the grandkids to play on. This is just one example of the sweet, tender-hearted man that Mark is and we are just so blessed to have him as our father, father-in-law and grandpa.

My Dad, Mark. Today has been a very tender day for me personally being this is the very first Father's Day without my Dad being here on this earth. Ever since he passed away I have had many many ups and downs spiritually and emotionally. Death is never easy but it is a part of life. It's the separation that hurts the most but through all that I have gained a much greater understanding and testimony of the importance of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that families can be together forever. Through this whole experience I have learned that life doesn't end after we die. I've always been taught that but now I truly can testify of it. My Dad is the most perfect example to me of Christ-like living. Everyone he came in contact with he treated with such love, dignity and respect. He looked at everyone as the Savior would and it is because of his love for others why so many people, family, friends, neighbors, clients, came to be by his side during those very last precious moments of his life here on this earth. One of the greatest gifts my Dad left my dear mother, siblings and I was being able to stroke his hair, kiss his sweet cheeks, and tell him how much we loved him as he passed through the veil. The Spirit was so undeniably strong and it testified to each one of us that we are an eternal family and that everything my parents have taught us our whole lives about the gospel is true. Since then I have felt my Dad's presence and his love many times and I never knew just how thin the veil was until he was on the other side. No words can express the amount of love and gratitude that I have for this man. Dad I love and miss you so much. Happy Father's Day!

Friday, May 25, 2012

The Epi Episode...

The reason why I haven't posted for so long is because we have had quite the eventful month around here! Remember my last post? And this...

picture? Well, the very next day we had a VERY frightening episode. Around 5:15pm Jake called me from work and told me that he had just gotten done working out and that he had spots all over his face and that he was feeling very weak. I immediately thought he was having an allergic reaction and had mentioned that he had Chinese food for lunch. He was planning on staying late to get some studying for school in but as we talked he said he will see how he felt and if he got any worse then he would come home. After I got off the phone with him I immediately felt worried and said a little prayer for him.

After about 30 minutes I got another phone call from him and he said he was feeling worse and was going to take the next train home which was leaving at 6:15. In order to make the train he had to book it and so our conversation was really short. The whole entire time I was worried. I called him a couple of times while he was on the train and as he was getting closer to his stop he was progressively getting worse and his tongue and throat started to swell. I was panicking! He then could hardly talk and mutter the word "no" to me as he was walking off the train. I immediately threw the kids in the car (Briggs was the only one buckled in a car seat) and took off. I didn't even have enough time to grab shoes for any of us! I then called 911 as I was high tailing it to the train station and they were able to send 4 police officers over to search for him. The 911 operator asked me if I knew which slot he parked in and I told her no. She then asked for his cell number so the officers could locate him that way. She kept talking me through and said that the paramedics were on their way as well. The whole entire time I was muttering, "This is not happening. This is not happening. I'm not going to allow this to happen!" I truly wasn't sure what was going to happen but I knew that Jake's life was in danger and I couldn't have gotten to the train station any faster!

When I pulled up to his car there were 2 officers standing next to him as he sat in the front seat. He looked awful! He was so pale, spots everywhere, his face and neck were swollen, he could barely breathe and was starting to go into shock... I had never seen him like that before. 30 seconds later the paramedics showed up and immediately took him into their truck, gave him the Epi shot, hooked him up to IV's and put an oxygen mask on him. One of the police officers came over and tried to calm me down. He told me that Jake was going to be fine and that they were going to take him to the hospital and everything. I then called my friend and I met her back at my house so she could watch my kids while I met Jake at the hospital. We ended up spending 4 hours in the ER before he was discharged. They loaded him up with lots of Benadryl and prednisone and his swelling went down a bit. The ER doc told us that he had an acute anaphylaxis shock and that he would need to see a specialist.

After going to the allergist Jake found out he was just slightly allergic to shellfish. The doctor said that he had a rare issue called exercise induced anaphylaxis shock. He told Jake that the reaction that he had to the shellfish was so small and would not normally cause an issue but that it was the mixture of both the shellfish and working out. He told Jake that he should have no problems eating any shellfish but that the next time he does to try it at home and to NEVER work out afterwards and to ALWAYS carry an EpiPen everywhere... just in case.

This whole experience really has affected our family! I was so close to losing my husband and that car ride to the train station was the most terrifying experience I have ever had and that no words can describe. I am so grateful for the Lord's sweet tender mercies because I know He was watching over Jake and our family. Life can just change in an instant and we just feel so blessed with each day that we get to spend here on this earth with one another.

Monday, April 23, 2012

8 Years and Counting...

Happy Anniversary to Us!!!!!

Celebrating by putting the kids down to bed, ordering some Chinese take-out and catching up on all of our DVR'd shows... my kind of night:).

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Blessing Day...

We had the wonderful opportunity to bless precious little Briggs on Easter Sunday a couple of weeks ago. Jake's parents and his youngest brother Aaron made the long trek out just to be here and share this special day with us. The weekend went by way too fast but it was so much fun, as always, having them here. We have been so blessed with such an amazing and supportive ward family and friends that we just really wanted and felt that it was only appropriate to have him blessed in our own ward, even if it meant waiting an entire year until we could start taking him to church. Another reason why it was so special is that we were able to bless our sweet Jackson on Easter Sunday, as well, when he was 6 months old 5 whole years ago. Both of my sweet little boys came into this world early and had to fight for their lives from the start. They have had to overcome many many challenges from the very beginning but they have taught me that life is worth living and every moment is so precious. Being given the opportunity to have both of my boys blessed on Easter Sunday reminds me of the importance of this very sacred day. The Savior died and was resurrected so that we may all live and be able to return home to our Father in Heaven. This year has been such an overwhelming and amazing year for our little family and I have truly felt the Lord's hand every step of the way. We have so much to be thankful for and are so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing people. We love every single one of you so much!

Our attempt at a family picture (this was the ONLY one the kiddos weren't crying in... the torture we put them through just to get one picture:)...

Briggs with Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle Aaron!

Friday, April 20, 2012

Look Who's 1...

So I am totally back dating this post because I have to admit, I've been a HUGE slacker when it comes to blogging! Anyways, Briggs turned 1 years old and I just can't believe what an incredible year this has been. I have to be honest, on little Briggsy's birthday I was extremely emotional. All of the emotions of what we had just been through in that year came flooding back to me and I pretty much spent the whole entire day in tears over all of the love, sacrifice and pain that we/I had experienced.

About 3 weeks before Briggs was born (I was 24 weeks along) the perinatologist informed me that the blood flow to my baby was restricted and that they were going to have to deliver my baby early, it was just a matter of when. They immediately sent me over to labor and delivery and gave me steroid shots to help with the development of Briggs's lungs. My doctor at the time wasn't sure if I was even going to make it through to the weekend. As he was telling me all of this I started to cry. He then grabbed my hand and began preparing me for what was to come, letting me know that our sweet little baby may not make it and, if he did, he would be at risk of all sorts of complications. I really have a place in my heart for that one particular doctor, Dr. Taylor, especially since my maiden name is Taylor:). I knew we had a special bond... we must be related somewhere down the line! I immediately had to start giving myself Lovenox shots twice a day, Ensure drinks twice a day (to help get in as many calories as I could) and began going into the neonatologist every other day from that point on to make sure the blood flow wasn't getting any worse. Our goal was for me to make it to 27 weeks. Since Briggs was an IUGR baby he was measuring especially small so 27 weeks was cutting it close. If he would have come any sooner than that the likelihood of him making it was extremely slim.

Jake and I were so nervous about everything but we knew that this situation was out of our hands. I was so nervous with each appointment because I never knew what was going to happen. On Wednesday, April 20th, I went into my appointment and that is when the doc told me the news I was hoping not to hear for a while. He told me that the blood flow was extremely restricted and that the baby was experiencing reverse diastolic flow and that they were going to deliver my baby that day. He told me that I needed to get over to labor and deliver immediately. I immediately called Jake (who was at work downtown) and he was going to take the next train in. I then called my dear friend JaNae and she met me at the hospital to pick both Jackson and Stella up for me (I took them to most of my appointments with me). Even though I had been preparing for this day for the past 3 weeks I still wasn't ready. While waiting for JaNae to pick up the kids (it was only about 5 minutes after I had left the office) I got a call from labor and delivery wondering where I was at and that I needed to get down there. I was shocked that they were calling me so soon since I had just left the office.

As soon as the kids were picked up I went into labor and delivery and then 4 hours later our sweet baby Briggs was born weighing 1 lb 6 oz and 10.5 inches long...

When they first brought him over to me I remember I could not believe how tiny he was and that the only babies I had seen that were that small were the ones whose mother's were drug addicts. Is that bad? Seriously that was my first reaction! They immediately whisked him away to the NICU and after the plastic surgeon (yes, I was lucky enough to have a plastic surgeon help my OB doc out that day) finished sewing my c-section up I went into the recovery room. The neonatologist then came and gave us an update and she said that she was shocked when she saw my placenta because it was so small on only half of what she was expecting.

We were on egg shells the first couple of days and weeks. Everyday that went by gave us more and more hope and we really learned to put all of our trust and faith in the Lord because we knew that it was all out of our control. It's amazing to think that we are here and that our sweet little Briggs is 1 years old already. This year has taught us a lot! Looking back I can't help but think how Heavenly Father prepared us for all of the opportunities we have had to go through. Briggsy's birthday was pure joy and I realize what a blessing it was to be able to go through, and continue to go through, all of the things that we have and will. My Dad was always such a support and rock for me during this past year. Even though he never had the chance to hold or physically see him he just loved Briggs with all of his heart!

We are so grateful for our little miracle baby! Briggs is now topping the scales at 19 lbs 8 oz, can't believe it. He's still receiving 100% of his feedings through his feeding tube, and receives weekly therapies from occupational, physical and speech therapists. He has made enormous progress from where he began and we couldn't feel anymore blessed!

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Back Up...

Oh my goodness!!!! Where did March go???? I can't believe I let a whole entire month go by without blogging. I feel like I have so much to catch up on. Anyways, March was a very super busy month for us- Jake studying and taking his finals, increasing Briggs's speech, occupational and physical therapy appointments to every week instead of every other week, trying to keep the peace between Jackson and Stella, dealing with 2 sick kids, doctor's appointments... I feel like the list could go on and on but such is the life of being a mom.

The highlight of our month was being able to take a week long hiatus from our normal day to day stuff and take a trip to see Jake's family out in Pennsylvania. It seriously was the best trip and it was so nice to take a break from the usual daily grind. I was too busy taking a break that I didn't think to take as many pictures as I should have. My mother-in-law Lisa and sister-in-law Jill (along with Jill's little girl Lilia) watched Jackson, Stella and Briggs while Jake and I went to Philadelphia for 2 days. It was such a wonderful getaway and, I have to admit, it was the first getaway we had where I wasn't worried or even wondered how the kids were doing. I don't know if that meant that I was truly in need of a break or if it was the fact that I knew they were being well taken cared of- or both? It was so amazing. We went to the King of Prussia mall, Nordstrom's Rack, walked around pretty much all of Philly, ate sushi right next to Andre Iguodala from the 76ers (I had no clue who he was until Jake told me. I don't know, I think it would have been much cooler if it was Mitt Romney or someone in the political sphere... I'm kind of a geek in that way), slept in, checked out the Reading Terminal Market (which was very cool) and we were able to actually have a conversation without constantly getting interrupted by one of our screaming, squealing kids... so wonderful. I truly am so grateful for Lisa and Jill and for them watching the kids for us. I am so blessed to have such amazing in-laws whom I just love and look up to each one of them so much!

While we were there Jake's Dad built a swing for all of the grandkids to play on. They all loved it but I have to say that Stella probably enjoyed it the most:). She'd swing all day and night if she could! Here are a few pics of the finished product:

Jackson trying to help Uncle Nate push Charlie...

Making sure it's stable...

Sweet Lilia and Stella...

Aunt Jill, Lilia, Stella, Jackson and G-Pa!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Still Here...

I promise we haven't gone anywhere! We took a little hiatus and went and visited G-Ma and G-Pa Hubbard in Pennsylvania. It was a blast! We have more pictures to come and more catching up to do...

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Play Date...

A few weeks ago Briggs had a little play date with lil' miss Averi! Briggs and Averi were NICU buddies and are only 10 days apart. I actually was in the NICU visiting Briggs when the doctors and nurses wheeled Averi in right after she was born. Ever since, Averi's mom Jasmine and I became good friends and I am so glad we still keep in touch and get our sweet, once teeny-tiny, babies together for little play dates. It's amazing to think that our babies were in the NICU for months together and I miss all of the conversations that we would have there while rocking and holding our sweet little ones. If you looked at our babies now, you would never know they started off as only weighing 1 and 2 pounds. They both are so happy, healthy and very smiley babies and I can't believe that they are only a couple months away from turning 1 year old already!

From visiting our babies in the NICU...

To having play dates 8 months later...

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day...

I bet you never knew that the "cutest kid" on this card was actually Jake, did you? Yes, when Jake and I were dating, almost engaged, I went out to meet and visit his family out in Ohio and his Grandma Pat actually gave me this card that she had been saving all these years. I thought it was pretty awesome and still do! I mean who else can say they were a model on a Valentine's Day card as a child??? What is even more ironic is that February 14th is not only Valentine's Day but it is also Jake's birthday as well.

When we first started dating I wondered how the whole birthday/Valentine's Day combo was going to work out but I have to say I absolutely LOVE it!!!! The first year that we celebrated his birthday/Valentine's Day together we were just newly engaged and I actually think we took our engagement pictures that day...

When we were done with pictures we went back to my parent's house and had a party with my family. I had bought an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen and had them scan the picture from this card his grandma gave me onto the cake... it was awesome and I think it embarrassed him a little:).

That night I was so excited to give him his birthday present... tickets to the Metallica (his favorite band of all time) concert. He was so excited and shocked when he opened my gift, and might I add it really was one of the most amazing concerts I've been to... next to Garth Brooks of course!

I am so grateful that I was able to meet the "cutest kid in the class" years later and and be able to always share and celebrate this very special day with him! I am truly so lucky and blessed to be married to such an amazing man who, not only is my best friend, but the love of my life (sorry for the sappiness... but it's true).