Friday, August 16, 2013

Hollywood Deaths

http://www.tmz.com/2013/08/15/that-70s-show-star-lisa-robin-kelly-dead-at-43/

http://tv.yahoo.com/blogs/tv-news/-that--70s-show--star-lisa-robin-kelly-dead-at-43-194434270.html?cache=clear


Have you read these articles yet?   I've seen them on facebook a bit.  Some of the comments have been...  well, they inspired this post.  Some people proclaim that she couldn't handle being a celebrity.  Others blame drugs in Hollywood.  Others just pass it off as another someone who died because of their own mistakes.  But here's the deal - she lost a baby, and she never recovered from it.

That's right.  It's not highly publicized.  It's not in every article you read.  It's not on Wikipedia (yet).  I can't seem to find out how far along she was because she apparently didn't talk about it much.  I wouldn't be surprised to find out that she didn't feel like she could talk about it.  Take a look at THIS article, for example.  They say that she had lost a baby and mockingly say "Aw, poor Lisa." as though it was no big deal and shouldn't have led to her downfall. 

It really is sad that people who endure miscarriages and stillbirths don't feel like they have the resources available to them to get through.  This is why I'm so open about my miscarriage and stillbirth.  This is why I work so hard to make clothing for those tiny babies to wear and pass on information about Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep and the amazing photography they do for these parents and their stillborn children.  Women are almost made to feel like they need to "get over it" and "move on" quickly, get "back to normal" after losing a child.  It's not that easy!  Being in the public eye, I'm sure the pressure to get "back to normal" is even more real.  Everyone moves on before you're ready for them to.  Everyone else forgets your child leaving only you to remember that your child ever existed.  If I didn't have my faith to rely on, I'm sure I could have done some serious damage.  As it was, I didn't eat for about two weeks where I dropped about a pound a day.  After that, I continued to lose...  about 35 lbs in 5 months total.  There were so many days that I wanted to drink or buy cigarettes (I haven't had a single drink or smoke in 10 years now).  I wanted to hide away and never come out.  I wanted to sit in the tub and slit my wrists.  I didn't, but following miscarriage/stillbirth, some mothers DO.  Some sink into such a deep depression that they need to be watched for YEARS.  I read an article once (can't seem to find it anywhere) that following the loss of a pregnancy/child, mothers die at an increased rate for 2 years - and not all suicides.  Such as, they get into car wrecks and die at an increased rate.  My guess is that they get injured and feel like they'd rather pass on and go see the children they carried but never met than stick around fighting for their lives.  And yes, you read that right... this increase in maternal death is for TWO YEARS!  (It's only been a year since Seth was stillborn.)

I can't even imagine this woman, struggling to "deal with" the loss of her child for years with no one she felt like she could really talk to about it.  Instead, drinking herself into a stupor, becoming violent with those around her, wanting to be better (she checked herself into rehab) but never feeling supported enough to recover.  All the while, people unaware of her struggles were belittling her in an industry where the opinions of others seems to matter a great deal.

Anyway, so my point is - please, talk about your losses, help others as they endure their losses, don't ever expect anyone to just "get over it."  I read on facebook often that people still remember their sibling, their parent, their grandparent who died and how much they miss them.  Don't you think it's just as valid to miss your CHILD for years after they die?

I feel pretty lucky.  I've had pretty good support.  There have been a few comments that made me want to punch someone in the face, but overall, I've had an incredible support system.  Not everyone is so lucky.  Please, reach out to people.  Try to remember important dates.  Say their children's names.  Don't be afraid to say something because it might make them sad, they're already sad and thinking of their lost child (I assure you) and someone remembering their child might make them cry, but more likely out of joy that someone actually remembers their lost child.

Guess I've rambled enough.  Just remember to support each other, and to never stop supporting each other.  Grief isn't something you "get over" but live with for the rest of your life, in varying degrees each day.  LOVE AND SUPPORT! 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

9 years

Today, we celebrate 9 married years together!

A friend had posted a pretty neat breakdown of their married life together on her anniversary, and it got me thinking about what all we've accomplished, endured, and enjoyed throughout our 9 years together...


Year One (2004-2005)
Moved Ben from Utah to Missouri
 Went to Nauvoo/Carthage, IL (temple trip)
I got my bachelor's in finance
We moved together back to Utah
We got pregnant with our first sweet baby

Year Two (2005-2006) 

Moved from a one bedroom apartment to a two bedroom
Ben got a good job
I stopped working
Front row seats at my first Jazz game
Baby Keith was born
Went to MO to see my sister graduate high school

Year Three (2006-2007)
Went to MO for Christmas
Lost pregnancy #2 at around 5-7 weeks

Year Four (2007-2008)
 

Year Five (2008-2009)
Went to MO for Christmas
Baby Mitchell was born at home
Bought and moved into our first house
Ben finished his bachelor's in computer science/software engineering

Year Six (2009-2010)
I drove to MO alone with two boys while pregnant to throw a baby shower for my sister

Year Seven (2010-2011) 
Baby Kiersten was born at home
Bought our first vehicle together
Went to MO for my cousin's wedding

Year Eight (2011-2012)
Ben started a different job
Ben gone for a month for job training
Lost pregnancy #5 (Taylor) at 13-14 weeks
I took the 3 kids on a trip to Oregon

Year Nine (2012-2013)
Lost pregnancy #6 (Seth) at 16-19 weeks
Started another new job
Started yet another new job

We are now starting Year Ten expecting baby "Vash" in November!

Over the last 9 years, we've lived in 2 states, 3 cities, 4 homes (3 apartments/1 house), been a part of 3 wards, had 6 jobs, 7 pregnancies, 3 children join our home, went camping at least 5 times, visited Missouri at least 4 times, sold one car to buy a minivan, had 7 church callings (2 were shared/joint callings), painted 4 rooms, 2 ER visits, a couple dozen doctors, a few thousand pictures, 9 amazing holiday seasons, 23 mice caught in traps, traveled through 10 states, 10 LDS Temples attended, watched 14 semi-annual General Conference's together, created 1 awesome budgeting website, and still counting our blessings instead of sheep!


Sunday, June 30, 2013

YOU have helped make these donations possible

FEBRUARY -  31 SETS
8 crocheted sets (5 girl, 3 boy)
23 sewn sets (8 girl, 14 boy, 8 neutral)


31total sewn gowns
41 total sewn diapers pairs
8 total crocheted Teeny Tears diaper sets
1 boy bracelet set
6 blankets
4 pillows



 MARCH - 14 SETS
Medium (17-19 weeks gestation)
Large (20-22 weeks gestation)
 

6 boy (5 lg, 1 med)
6 girl (2 lg, 4 med)
2 neutral (both med)

 

MAY - 26 SETS

Stacey
11 sets (8 crocheted (3 boy, 4 girl, 1 neutral), 3 sewn (1 boy, 1 girl, 1 neutral))
6 extra sewn gowns
3 blankets

Christine
15 sets (11 crocheted (6 girl, 2 boy, 3 neutral), 4 sewn (all girl))
10 extra sewn gowns, 1 extra set diapers



JUNE - 15 SETS

15 gowns (4 boy, 10 girl, 1 neutral) (1 - 26 week, 6 - 20 week, 8 - 18 week)

7 crocheted diaper sets, 3 pre-sewn diaper sets

1 baby girl 20 week blanket


FOR FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY


2 SETS

So far, over the last 6 months, I have crocheted 47 sets.
With help from friends and family, we've done 30 sets, plus various random gowns and diapers.

We have made 77 gown/diaper sets in the last 6 months!!
I don't know about you, but I think this is absolutely AMAZING!  I've had several people help by either tracing patterns, cutting, sewing, ironing, doing finish work, or helping with my kids so I could work.  THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HELP!!!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

20ish weeks

We went in for the 20 week anatomy scan/gender reveal ultrasound today.  It's the same place that I went to when I found out Taylor had died, and the same appointment at the same place as when I had the kids all surrounding me as I found out that Seth had died.  As I went into the room, I tried to get in before the rest of the family and quickly told the ultrasound tech that, after my past two experiences there, please let me know if I need to excuse the kids. 

With Seth, they started by looking at the cervix and placenta, then didn't get to the baby until about 5 minutes in.  Knowing my background, she started with finding the heart beating away!  Not like she had to do much searching for proof of life - the little bugger was kicking and twisting all over the place! 

After some bouncing around and lots of oooh's and aaaaah's, she asked if we wanted to know a gender.  With the cord between the legs, it took a while and we had to go back a couple times for confirmation, but we found out! 

It was really wonderful to have such a great experience today!  We followed up the happy appointment by going to the mall to buy a new maternity shirt (they have very slim pickings right now at a descent price) and then out to lunch.  RED LOBSTER!  (When Seth died, I met up with someone from a support group at the Temple.  Her parents came, too.  Her mom ended up going to Seth's funeral and read a poem - which I'm really glad she did because she was the only one with anything prepared.  Anyway, so this incredibly wonderful woman sent us gift cards for Red Lobster to celebrate 20 weeks, since it's been a while since we've made it this far.  Isn't that just incredible?!)  Next, we went to Scheel's where the boys all rode the Ferris Wheel and then we got some yummy fudge! 

Just SUCH a great day!

Oh, YOU wanted to know the gender, too?

"VASH" Kaylee Harvey

Anyone have names to suggest to replace Vash?

Sunday, June 2, 2013

16+ weeks!

Friday:  I have officially passed where I was in pregnancy when Taylor and when Seth each died.  I had been mostly calm and comforted this week.  Then last night I started freaking out!  It was on days of prenatals that I found out each had passed.  Today, I went in for a prenatal.  Knowing my other 3 were going with me, I checked yesterday morning, again last night, and again this morning to make sure it was "safe" to take the kids with me.  I don't need any surprises as I'm surrounded by my children again.  In about 3 weeks we'll have the big "gender reveal" ultrasound, and I'm likely to get a little freaked out again, especially going yet again to the same place where I was with both my angels.  But, things are looking up!

Oh, and with my midwife's VERY low-tech, low-quality-image ultrasound machine (it's no stronger than a doppler, very poor quality pictures - hence why I am sent out elsewhere for the anatomy scan, to get high quality images to make sure everything has developed in its proper location, etc) - she made a gender guess!!  MY guess is girl because my face looks HORRIBLE!  I mean, I've got some seriously horrid skin going on!  Keith is guessing girl because he thinks we need equal numbers of boys and girls.  Mitchell says "boy.  No, girl.  Yeah, a girl.  No, a boy.  I don't know, either a boy or a girl."  Hahahahha!  Yeah, I know it's one or the other honey!  Sweet little boy!  Ben doesn't really make guesses for gender.  My midwife is guessing girl!  HOWEVER.... even with the super awesome high-quality imaging ultrasound last time around, they had told me DEFINITELY girl (so we picked out the name Isabelle and got tiny girl clothing for her) but birth proved the tech to be wrong as I had a Seth who was very, VERY much a boy!  This baby is only 4 days older than when they mis-labeled Seth as a girl.  So, it's not conclusive yet, but it's the strongest guess.

Any girl name ideas?  Middle name Kaylee, so no "ee" sounding names because as beautiful as the name is, Brittany Kaylee Harvey just is TOO "ee" for me!  Post some ideas!!!

We couldn't get a very good picture of little "Vash" Kaylee.  She kept moving around.  But my midwife wanted to send me home with SOMETHING to show her Daddy.  So here it is:

She's facing down, spine across the top, head at left.  Still a skinny little thing, but that's likely to change pretty quickly now that I'm nearly 17 weeks along!  (oh, and I know I'm in that awful stage where random onlookers think "oh, she's pleasantly plump" but when I look in the mirror I think "woah!, I'm getting HUGELY pregnant!" because I know what I usually look like)  <<<  point being, to ME, I'm happily SHOWING!! 

Saturday:  We went out today and FINALLY found me some maternity pants!  It took forever!  But the 4th store we went to finally had some.  I really needed them.  I started this pregnancy slightly heavier than I did with Keith (though, labeled sizes have changed since then) and quite a bit lighter than I did with Mitchell or Kiersten.  So my maternity clothes are all not-quite-right.  Glad I have pants to wear now!

Saturday, May 18, 2013

A few outfits...


 
 
 

Sewn Gown Patters are found HERE and Sewn Diaper Patterns are found HERE
I put the extra small gown with small diapers and a 10-15" square blanket (12" most popular),
and the small gown with the large diaper and a 16-22" square blanket (18" most popular).
No-Sew Hats Pattern can be found HERE.


Crochet Patterns, including those for gowns, diapers, buntings, bonnets, hats, and blankets, can ALL be found HERE. Feel free to mix and match the crochet patterns with the sewn patterns!  If you're a knitter (unlike me) let me know and I can post some knit patterns, too!






This set is being given to Brittany in memory of her recently lost 16 week son, Brighton.
Love and hugs, aching mama...




The sewn items need a thank you to Lynnette, Brittany, Anna, and Rachel.  THANK YOU for cutting and sewing!  The hats were a donation from a neighbor, THANK YOU Kelly!  And I did the crocheted gowns/dresses, diapers, and blankets.  I still have more to take pictures of, but I thought I should show you a little more of what I've been up to.  (not pictured but important to note - Tricia donated several spools of serger thread, very necessary stuff when you're trying to sew!)  All but one of these are headed to Sew Much To Share for their Mother's Day Supply Drive - yes, I realize it's late, but Kiersten got pink eye so I didn't go up that week, then I thought preschool ended at graduation but I mis-read the paper so I didn't make it up this week, so I'm going to try to get them up there next week.  I'll just keep on making more stuff until I get there!  If you have anything you'd like to donate (yarn, flannel fabric, thread, outfits, etc), PLEASE contact me ASAP so I can deliver it!  Also, I take yarn donations, too!  Caron Simply Soft and Bernat Baby are my favorites for making these angel items!

Again, THANK YOU to all of you who have helped!  Lynnette, Brittany, Anna, Rachel, and Tricia, I am certain you will be blessed for your generous help!  And (other) Brittany, I am so very sorry for your loss.  Breckin and Brighton - angels to remember.

And as always, much love to my angels, Taylor & Seth.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Angel Blanket Crochet Pattern

Ch 52
(to increase size, the formula is a multiple of 12 +3, then add a ch 1 to turn)
Approx. 20+ week gestation size

White - sc across, ch 1, turn

Color A (pink):
row 1 - *sc 3, hdc 2, dc 5, hdc 2* across (ending with sc 3), ch 1, turn
row 2 - sc across, ch 1, turn
row 3 - repeat row 1, (should have sc on top of sc, hdc on top of hdc, and dc on top of dc), ch 1, turn

White - sc across, ch 3, turn

Color B (blue):
row 1 - *dc 3, hdc 2, sc 5, hdc 2* across (ending with dc 3) ch 1, turn
row 2 - sc across, ch 3, turn
row 3 - repeat row 1, ch 1 turn

I started with a chain of white, then sc all the way across.
Then I took color B and did only rows 1 and 2, followed by the white sc row.
At the end, after a white sc row, I did color A's row 1 and 2 only.
Skipping the color A row 3, I did the white sc row and then did the border.

Does all this make sense?

By the way, this pattern was adapted from an awesome hat pattern