I'm still here...

I know I haven't updated in a while. I kept meaning to, and then I start doing something else, or my thoughts get interrupted, and I just never get through an entire post without scraping it. I can't believe Eden would be going on 5 months already. Time goes by so incredibly fast. They said it goes by faster as you age, but I guess I never believed it when I was a kid.

Quick Update

My most recent donation - 238 ounces.

Just a quick update on us. Things have been pretty uneventful these past few weeks. I've continued pumping and donating my milk in Eden's name, and it's really healing to be able to do so. I've donated 1318.5 ounces of milk so far. I've been drinking Organic Mother's Milk tea, and I think it really helps - my supply has picked up to about 30-40 ounces pumped a day now, in addition to nursing Brooklyn. She's still nursing like a newborn when it's just me and her at home - I don't even bother trying to make her lunches anymore, because it just sits on the table untouched, but she's been eating breakfast at her Grammy and Grandpa's house each morning, so I can get my morning pump in (and so I can sleep later than 5am every morning, which I think helps my supply more than anything!), and she picks at her dinner when James gets home. Despite her "new" nursing habits, she's gained at least a pound since I gave birth, so I'm definitely not worried.

What's Missing From Folic Acid Awareness Week

As I got on Facebook yesterday and scrolled down my newsfeed, something caught my attention. Somebody posted that Folic Acid Awareness Week is January 6-12 this year. They posted some information from the National Counsel on Folic Acid. I went onto the NCFA website and started reading some things, and the site talked about supplementing folic acid, and eating folic acid fortified foods (like cereal, pasta, bread, etc.) to get enough folic acid and prevent neural tube defects. It seems like a great website, and a great cause. And I mean, it sort of is, don't get me wrong - the research clearly shows that supplementing folic acid has reduced neutral tube defects by a significant percentage... but at the same time, I took the recommended 800mcg of folic acid my entire adult life religiously, every. single. night. I ate TONS of "fortified" cereal, bread, and pasta from the time I was a small child, into adulthood (and unfortunately, I'm sure it's part of what helped me pack on the pounds I'm fighting to lose now). I should have had plenty of folic acid in my system, and that would mean that I should never have had a child with a neural tube defect...right? Except I have a gene mutation, a compound, heterozygous MTHFR (aka, Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase) gene mutation to be exact. I could take hours to try to explain all that I've learned about what this means in regards to your health, pregnancies, etc., but I will try to keep it simple and to the point - this post is about MTHFR and folic acid.

An Update

I know I haven't said much lately. I should, but time's just gotten away from me. It's hard to believe it's almost 2013. This month has been busy and full of distraction, but when things slow down each day, I still cry for my daughter.

Daddy's Perspective

I was at work when Virginia text me that she was having labor pains. That moment I got excited, but Virginia told me not to get too excited yet. I mind was on her the entire day, and I started making plans in my head of how I was going to hurry home and get her to the hospital. At about 4 pm, Virginia text me that I needed to get home so we could get ready to head to the hospital. I told my boss I needed to go, and he let me off a few minutes early. I logged out of my computer, but learned later I’d forgotten to log out of the phone system. I accidentally left my phone on the “back to desk” setting. Oops.

Missing Eden

We miss Eden so much... I can't believe that she would have already been 2 weeks old  tomorrow. Time goes by so fast, and already details from her birth and short time with us are getting fuzzy. I cry daily, more so at night than during the day. I guess I keep busy enough during the day to stay distracted, but things slow down in the evening and my mind is filled with thoughts and memories of our little girl.

Eden's Memorial

Saturday we opened up our home to friends and family that were able to come and celebrate Eden's life with us. My dad made a really beautiful picture video that we played all day long on the television, and people filled our living room and kitchen. We told people anytime after 10, and most of everyone who came arrived just after 10 - at one point we had over 30 people in the house at once!