Nellie Rose – School Photos: July 2010

Date: 2010.07.18 | Category: Nellie Rose | Response: 0

Childtime Learning Center - Beginning Steps Class

Nellie Rose - 15 Months; July 2010

Nellie Rose - 15 Months

Nellie and Lucy – New photos

Date: 2010.07.11 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

Nellie Rose – 15 month photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624472088888/

Happy 4th of July!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624347455339/

Lucy Frances – random shots during her first month:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624472097180/

Nellie Rose – 14 Months

Date: 2010.06.23 | Category: Nellie Rose | Response: 0

Nellie is growing by leaps and bounds and we are just busy trying to keep up with her. She is walking, definitely showing her personality and is adjusting well to being a new big sister.

New photos of her at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624204087403/

Happy 1 Week Lucy Frances!

Date: 2010.06.23 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Response: 0

In keeping with the tradition that we established with Nellie, we had a 1 week birthday party for Lucy on Monday (6/21) – I mean, we need an excuse to bake a cake afterall

Check out photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624204055779/

More to come later, but we wanted to get these photos up and out and to let you know that despite the sleep deprivation, we are all doing well…..

Thanks you all for the notes, calls, visits and encouragement

Day 3 – Lucy Frances

Date: 2010.06.16 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Response: 0

The past 50 hours have been radically different this time around than when we had Nellie. We are much more calm and seemingly collected, but at the same time, we jump at the slightest sound and still feel nervous about it all….I guess that even though you get more comfortable with feeding, burping, diapering, etc., the parenting senses will be forever piqued from this point forward Overall, we are all doing well and appreciate all of the notes of support, inquiries and the well wishes.

By way of an update, we were scheduled to go home today but Lucy decided that she was not done basking in the Jersey sunshine In all seriousness, her bilirubin level was too high and we need to stay at the hospital for a little while longer.  If you are wondering about bilirubin, it is a brownish yellow substance found in bile. It is produced when the liver breaks down old red blood cells and bilirubin is formed when the body recycles old or damaged red blood cells.  Because Lucy’s  liver is not mature enough to metabolize the bilirubin, it builds up in the blood and jaundice occurs – yep, she has a nice coloring that is akin to yellow highlighter.

So to treat her, Lucy has been  placed under a special ultra-violet light for photo-therapy. This light allows the bilirubin to be broken down to a form that can be excreted by Lucy’s  kidneys. Increasing Lucy’s feeding frequency will cause more bowel movements and more bilirubin to be excreted in the stool.

This is a very common thing and Lucy has spent the day with her little sunglasses on inside an infant incubator while she gets her photo-therapy. She will stay under the lights until 5am tomorrow morning and then they will turn off the light, do a blood test, wait 6 hours and then do another blood test to see where her bilirubin level is……

Assuming that all is ok, we should be leaving Jersey tomorrow around lunch time. If the levels are not where they need to be, Lucy may have to go back into the “oven” to “cook” just a little while longer

Here is a photo of Lucy basking with her shades on:

Basking to reduce Bilirubin

Welcome to the world Lucy Frances Chung – “Jersey Girl”!

Date: 2010.06.15 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Response: 1

It has been said that when man and woman make a plan, God laughs. Nothing could have been more true this past weekend leading up to the joyful occasion of the birth of Lucy Frances Chung. Lucy came into the world at Southern Ocean County Hospital (SOCH) in Manahawkin, NJ at 12:24 pm on Flag Day (June 14) and weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 21 inches long despite being born 4 weeks early. Why was she born at the New Jersey shore you ask? Ok, here is the story….

Erin, a beach bum at heart, wanted to make sure that she was able to get “down the shore” – as they say in Jersey – at least one time this summer. Our weekends have been packed since mid-April and this past weekend was really the first available opportunity that she had to go and bask in the sun this season and to enjoy time with her Jersey girlfriends Laura, Ruthanne, and Sherry. After getting clearance from her obstetrician on Friday and being advised to stay out of the sun, wear lots of sun block, and hydrate well, Erin was off to enjoy the shore on Saturday morning. With mom gone for her last girl’s weekend before being a mother of two, Daddy and Nellie decided to go see Grandmother in North Jersey as well and made the trip up on Saturday afternoon. The game plan for both Erin and David was to travel back on Monday morning to Maryland….

On Saturday afternoon, David got a text message from Erin which said that she had underestimated the power of the sun under overcast conditions and that her legs (shins and thighs) got really sunburned while she was on the beach (Erin’ note: This was a text  I debated on sending because I had gotten so much flack about getting burnt but thought I should own up to it.  The girls and I went to dinner and then back to the room so I could put my legs up).  Saturday turned into Sunday and Erin spent the day in bed after having bathed in aloe vera and Solarcane. (As the girls lounged by the pool, I spent the time laying in bed, legs throbbing with the incredible side pain flaring up). Afterall, this was no ordinary sunburn…..imagery reference  = steamed lobster.
Photos of burned legs at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/4701523986/in/set-72157624155183555/

The rosy red, hot-to-the-touch legs were one thing, but additionally, Erin was having a sharp pain on her left side and a call to the doctor yielded a course of treatment of consuming foods with high fiber content and drinking more water. Translation – the doctor thought Erin needed to use the bathroom.  The Grandmothership and I were honestly frantic with worry and were sad that there was nothing that we could do immediately to help Erin. Hate the feeling of helplessness when one that you love is hurting…..

As the day went on and after having consulted again with her doctor in Maryland, Erin went to SOCH just to make sure that everything was all right with Lucy. Turns out that all was ok with the baby but they thought she might be having an issue with her kidney and did an ultrasound. 4 hours later & without a diagnosis for the pain in her side, Erin and her weekend nursemaid and chauffeur Ruthanne,  hobbled out on her sunburned legs with some pain killers looking forward to popping a couple of the pills and hopefully having a restful night’s sleep before leaving to drive home early Monday morning……

Given the situation with Erin, rather than drive home Monday, David decided to leave and drive home after dinner Sunday evening. With a full belly and a sleepy Nellie comfortable in her car seat,  they set out and got home to Maryland around 2 am.

(Erin’s note:  4am, I awoke to a feeling which was either my water breaking or my wetting the bed.   Since I had never been through this part before and since I was laying next to Laura and thought it only fair that I let her know she could possibly be getting wet, I woke her up.  Since neither one of us was sure, we looked to the wise one, Ruthanne, to let us know if this was really my water breaking.  After determining that none of could make a certain determination, I called the doctor and with that Sherry popped up from her slumber and said “What’s going on??” My doctor back in Maryland  said I should get checked and that I might be able to make it back to MD in time. Knowing David may never speak to me again if he missed the birth of his second daughter, we jumped into action and cleared out of the motel in 15 minutes and sped to the local hospital at the shore).

4:15 am – the phone rings at home. David, thinking that he was in the middle of a dream manages to answer and hear words coming from the other end that would have made most men leap from bed. However, only being 2 hours into his sleep sequence, David responded to “Honey, this is Erin…..I think my water just broke” with a confused, fatigued acknowledgment and an inquiry as to what to do now…

Another trip to SOCH for Erin and again……after speaking with our doctor in Maryland and on advice of the medical professionals at SOCH, Erin was admitted at approximately 5:30 am. Meanwhile in Maryland, David is running around in circles, throwing clothes into bags, going into the storage closet to try to find the infant car seat, and placing calls to Erin’s Mom, her brother Matt and his wife Brandy, and Meghan Wrathall. 30 more minutes pass…..David brews coffee, grabs a quick shower, and Matt and Brandy arrive at our house – Brandy was staying to watch Nellie and to await the arrival of the Grandmothership in MD while David and Matt hit 270 south bound en route to 95 North at 85 miles per hour.  (Erin’s note:  I was admitted into the hospital with Ruthanne and Laura by my side.  I had been calm up until this point -delegating tasks out to those around me, making arrangements for Nellie, and staying focused on the task.  Once in the hospital…..that is when I broke down.  I cried at the thought of David not being here by my side for one of the most important days of our lives.  There was no way I was going to do this without him.  My friends by my side comforted me and told me “have faith, he will make it”).

All things started to settle down after I arrived at SOCH around 9:30 am and Erin and I were glad that I made it in time. (Erin’s note:  David, Matt, Laura, Ruthanne, Sherry and I sat in the hospital room talking and laughing about the events that had brought us all to NJ to have Lucy and chatted about the nerves of having a baby at 36 weeks, away from MD, missing Nellie, and just how unprepared we were for this.)

Erin got her epidural as the contractions began to intensify – not only a smart move for the labor, but this also was a lifesaver because it totally numbed all feeling associated with the sunburn as well. Just 2 hours and 45 minutes after I arrived in Jersey, the doctor did his examination and asked Erin, “Are you ready to push?” She and I just looked at each other with surprise and in disbelief – could this really be happening!?! (Erin’s note:  I answered the doctor with a firm “NO” to his inquiry and told him I needed a minute to get it together and to come back.   He came back in about 5 minutes and 4 minutes  and 5 pushes later, Lucy Frances let out a cry as she entered the world and as we gave thanks to God, we looked at our little girl then at each other and felt once again, the instant unconditional love for a child.)

While the trip down the shore could have gone more smoothly in so many respects, it could not have been a better experience. (Erin’s note:  the girls weekend at the beach certainly did not turn out as planned but as the time went by this weekend, the respect and admiration Ihave had for these women deepened.  They were understanding, sympathetic -at least to my face - and unselfishly supportive. From sunburn, to acute side pain to amniotic fluid in bed, to contractions, and finally to the many tears shed this weekend, I am forever grateful for my own set of Jersey Girls).

So, as I stated before……we plan and God laughs….I am sure that God had a good laugh this weekend….

Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624155183555/

Nellie Rose – 13 months (May 2010)

Date: 2010.06.08 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

May 2010 (month 13) has been an active month for little Ms. Nellie Rose – activities included celebrating her 2nd official Mother’s Day by going to  her first circus, enjoying a new “car” named Lady Love, her first Memorial Day parade, and the completion of her new “big girl” room – whew….this little lady is a mover and a shaker!

Photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624235306832/

Big girl room photos at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157624235299424/

Week 35 – Lucy Frances

Date: 2010.06.08 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Response: 0

Yes, you are reading this correctly folks – we are just 5 weeks away from welcoming Lucy Frances into the world; where has the time gone!?!? We are just 2 weeks away from being “full term” and overall, we are celebrating good news since medically, there’s an excellent chance that Lucy will have no complications if born at 35 weeks or later. She’s approximately 5 pounds now and is nearly 18 inches. Her skull is still fairly soft and isn’t yet completely fused so she can squeeze through the birth canal.

Erin and I are doing well – we are experiencing the same feelings of being nervous, scared, and excited all at the same time and we are mentally trying to prepare ourselves for life with two little ones. We recently completed Nellie’s “Big Girl” bedroom and are only making slight modifications to the nursery to personalize it for Lucy – sticking with the black and white polka dot theme for Lucy and Erin did a fantastic job with a pink/white/teapot them for Nellie’s new room.

We will certainly keep you all posted and appreciate your thoughts and prayers – almost game day!

Lots of love,

Family L.E.N.D.

Week 33 – Lucy Frances

Date: 2010.05.25 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Response: 0

We officially hit the 33 week mark yesterday and are happy to report that everything is going well with the pregnancy. Erin had a check up with the doctor on Friday and everything seems to be going along just fine – her blood pressure is good, weight gain is within the range, and Lucy’s heartbeat is strong and just fluttering away.  Week 34 visit is next Thursday and then once we hit week 36, we will be going in weekly up until the big day.

If you are wondering about where things are with Lucy’s development, she is about 3 1/2 pounds and is gaining as much as eight ounces a week.  She continues to sprout like a reed, her arms and legs perfectly proportioned to the rest of her body. She measures between 15 and 16 inches and has little room to wiggle, but she’s still quite active, even if it means she has to squirm around most of the time.

Hope all is well with you all out there and we thank you again for your thoughts and prayers!

Lucy Frances Chung – 30 weeks

Date: 2010.05.19 | Category: Fungbaby 2 | Response: 0

We are officially at week 32 this week, but two weeks ago we went for our checkup and had a 3-D ultrasound done – the technology is absolutely amazing. It is hard to believe that we are just 8 weeks away from welcoming our second little bundle of joy, Lucy Frances, into the world.

Week 30 photos at: – make sure you look to find the one where she has her eye open!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlchung/sets/72157623098416604/