Seriously?
i hadn’t realized it had been so incredibly long since i’ve blogged. over a month! have i ever been that horribly long in between posts after just having a baby? of course this time i have four boys to care for, and that’s no easy task! lol. fun, yes, rewarding, yes, tiring, yes. easy - NO!
after three weeks of living in sort of a dream world of babymooning, things are finally getting to be more “normal” if that’s possible. jerry had three whole weeks off (from both jobs) to spend with us so jace and i spent the time getting to know each other and nurse as much as possible. meanwhile jerry was taking care of the big three, the house, etc. so it’s been quite the culture shock to return to everything. thankfully he’s not freaking out requiring perfection out of me immediately. i plan to get more organized and take care of my home though.
jeremiah is doing so great with his letters. he is sounding out different words, wanting to write. i’m really proud of him. i can’t wait until i have more undivided time for him and his schoolwork. he is still loving drawing - he and josiah draw multiple pictures a day. they both want to turn their pictures into stories. it’s adorable! as for being the biggest brother, he just adores baby jace. he really is a fabulous big brother with him. the other times (with josiah and jamin) he really didn’t seem to care too much…but with jace, he is so loving, caring and helpful - it’s wonderful. he keeps asking me when he can hold him while standing up. ummmm not yet! lol. jace still cries when he holds him sitting down anyway, lol.
josiah is back to being gluten-free, as of this week. his behavior at the beginning of the week was the last straw for me and i put my foot down. it’s hard, expensive, and a pain to do gluten-free with him, but the trade-off is worth it for a more attentive, happier, healthier little boy. he’s not perfect by any means, but i can totally see the difference. it could also be from the different discepline strategies we’ve been using, but more on that in a sec. josiah loves drawing and “writing”. he will draw pictures and write letters (mostly backwards) all over the paper and say “read this mama!” of course i have no idea what it’s supposed to say, so he gets really mad at me! it’s cute though. joe adores jace and aside from not being careful around him is so sweet and gentle with him. he is very loving to him.
we have implemented supernanny’s “naughty spot” idea this week as well. we’re calling it the “discipline step”. while we are not opposed to spanking, it just hasn’t been working for our guys for every offense. i hate spanking the boys, even though i know it’s necessary sometimes. and i know it still is necessary sometimes, but not an all the time thing like it has been lately. josiah’s acting out has been insane and the amount of spankings was just as out of control. now if the discipline step doesn’t work at first, OR if a misbehavior resulted in someone being hurt, one swat is the discipline, PLUS the minute per year on the discipline step. as i said, this is only the first week, so we’ll see how it works when we are consistent with it.
jamin is still so cute and fun and adorable. everyone just loves him so! his sweet, quiet yet bubbly personality is always a favorite. he’s talking a lot more lately, though his words are kinda murky. he loves reading books, building with blocks, and playing with cars and dinosaurs and trains. he also likes following the big boys around and doing whatever they are doing at first then going off to do his own thing. the boys don’t usually let him, so it’s just the fact that he wants to be with them i think. he seems to be proud of being a big brother, but still hasn’t wanted to hold jace, and still doesn’t want to kiss him often. the poor boy has been sick since jace was born, so he really hasn’t had the chance to interact with him as much as i’d like!
i have been keeping updates on facebook about jace’s progress. he has always had a lot of spitups, but he started projectile vomiting a few weeks ago and i started to get concerned. he acted like he was in pain - screaming and crying, etc. he had a test run for pyloric stenosis and it came back negative. so the dr assumes it’s GER or GERD. he is now on axid for it. so far it’s been helping his pain because he isn’t crying as much when he spits up. he isn’t spitting up as much either, and when he does, it’s more rare for it to be projectile vomiting. he is so precious and so adorable and sweet!! on oct 28 when he turned 1 month old, he had a weight check at the WIC office. he was 7lbs 14oz. i wasn’t happy - considering he was born at 7lbs 10oz. but she reminded me that they count weight gain from the lowest weight, and his was 6lbs 11oz i think. so that’s over a pound in less than a month, so she was happy. he is also up 1/4 an inch in length. lol. so he’s 20 3/4 inches.
since i’ve been doing a good job with facebook updates, i’m going to copy them over here for you. i’m starting the day i went into labor. 
and i plan to update the blog at least once a week. feel free to yell at me if i don’t! 
Jenn Case Gigowski is ready to sing this morning! Please be praying that I do ok and that Jace isn’t too rough during the song!
September 27 at 8:27am
Jenn Case Gigowski It went alright! Pray that Jace will come soon now. 
I’m sooooo ready!!!
September 27 at 3:05pm
Jenn Case Gigowski is going into the hospital to get checked. I’ve been having fairly consistent contractions (for almost 4 hours). Pray this is it - I don’t want to go through this much longer, and I can’t imagine being sent home again (with each boy they sent me home at least once!!!!!!!)
Jenn Case Gigowski be praying ! Jenn is at the hospital, getting her strep B drip, the dr is in the hospital and will be seeing her soon, probably to break her water– still waiting for someone to come be with the boys so I, gramma, can go to the hospital to be with her! This is It!!!
Jenn Case Gigowski well, Jace is here born at 2:41 am 9/28/2009 7 # 10 oz, 20 1/2 inches long , perfect, looks a lot like jeremiah~ more from jenn later !!!!! thanks for prayers! she did it without Any meds! Praise the Lord! the afterpains are hard, so please pray for her! thanks!
Jenn Case Gigowski We are HOME!!!!!!!!! I’m going to nap but wanted to update that all is well!!! Thanks for all the prayers and well-wishes!!
Jenn Case Gigowski is trying to keep the three sick big boys away from Jace. 
Some tummy bug is really hanging on and hitting them hard.
Jenn Case Gigowski – happy 1 week birthday to Jace!!!!
Jenn Case Gigowski ….is there anyone close-by who can loan me a good, strong electric pump?? Only the hospital grade seems to work for me. Thanks in advance!
Jenn Case Gigowski happy due date to Jace! please pray that i can get his weight up. i’m supposed to supplement.
Jenn Case Gigowski …happiness is listening to your husband read a chapter book and your boys saying, “one more chapter, please, papa!”
Jenn Case Gigowski happy 2 week birthday to my Jacey-Bear!!!
Jenn Case Gigowski The amazing Amanda Haynie (http://ahayniephotography.com) came to our house to do the pics. Jace was rather grumpy, but she still managed to get some good ones!
A Few More Pics
the boys came over today to meet their baby brother!! jeremiah has been thrilled beyond belief for him to come. it’s so funny, because at church, we prayed that jace would wait until after i sang to come, so jeremiah assumed that as soon as i was done singing, jace should arrive. so all sunday afternoon, he was demanding to know why jace wasn’t born yet. “i want my baby jace! when is he coming?!” i took a nap and came downstairs and asked where jace was. i told him he was still in my belly, and he said “i thought you were going to the hospital to bring him home!” LOL. so he was thrilled to meet him.
here are some pics of the big boys holding him: http://www.life-scrappers.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=426
jamin, though he’s been talking a big game about jace for a few weeks, didn’t really want to get involved today. he didn’t want to touch jace, and did a bit of whining. but he stayed pretty close to me most of the time when i was holding jace. i made sure to have jerry hold jace so i could hold jamin for a bit. i think it will be a hard transition for him!
jace is going through that extra sleepy, not wanting to nurse phase. please pray that he gets over it soon! i am really needing to nurse the stinker!!
thanks again for all the prayers. i appreciate them so much. i still can’t believe that he came pretty much when i wanted him to. kind of crazy!!
God bless!!!!
-a very blessed mama
A Few Pics of Jace
it is very hard to upload here…so i’m only posting three pics. more will come later, i PROMISE!
he is absolutely beautiful. he is very busy and very feisty. i’m calling him lil tiger.
i do not have AMY C’S phone number - i am calling your mom’s number to get ahold of you.
if anyone else wants to stop by, please let me know! we love hospital visitors!
i am healing. i am so happy and so blessed! i’m very tired lol. i can’t believe he’s here… :)
He’s Here!
At 2:41am Jace Isaiah Paul Gigowski arrived. We have been blessed with a 7 lb 10 oz baby boy. He is healthy and beautiful. Updates coming soon. Thank you all for your prayers and best wishes.
P.S.
Jenn did an amazing job. No medicine. No pitocin. No epideral. We came in at 8:05pm and she delivered him nearly 7 hours later. She is doing very well and is a very happy and proud mother
I’m Really in Labor
at the hospital, and can’t post to facebook. they have a block on it, as well as on twitter.
i am about 7, 100% and having very real contractions. killer. he broke my water already, and i’m almost done with the strep b iv. they found some meconium, so please pray he doesn’t breathe that in. i also really really wanted skin to skin immediately, and if he can’t breathe when he’s born, they will whisk him to the warmer.
that’s all for now. please be praying!!
I’m Going in…
dr update
i had a dr’s appt. today. since i’ve been having contractions off and on, he checked me. i’m dilated to 2 and -1 (what does that mean???) and my cervix is soft and ready and anterior. he said he gives him a week! so, we’ll see!!!
37 weeks, 1 day!!!
i know little jace will be coming soon. i had at least 3 contractions in the middle of the night, i had a tiny bit of mucus plug/bloody show last night, i had a few more contractions today so far. jerry is praying that he doesn’t come yet. his manager is being a pain about it - he actually said “she’d better not have the baby the week of the 21st!” because he’d given several other people those days off already, and jerry is the best worker there, so that would totally mess the line up. i mean, he’d HAVE to let him off, but when he got back, who knows what grief would await him. he already isn’t too fond of this manager to begin with. i am kind of wanting him to hold off his arrival myself (i know, you don’t believe it! LOL) because i’m supposed to sing at church next sunday. i have missed singing so much these past months!!!
the truth of the matter is, josiah came 12 days early, and jamin came 15 days early (which comparatively to now, would be this friday!!! 37 weeks, 6 days). so i really don’t know when this little baby will feel he’s fully cooked! i am hoping for my water to break on its own this time. it would be so nice not to have to have it broken for me. i feel like that would really speed the process up. with the big boys, i had to use pitocin, but not with jamin, and i am so praying to not to with jace either!!!
jerry painted the living room and dining room and also jamin and jace’s room. the decorating isn’t done yet, so that’s why i haven’t posted pics yet.
i’m supposed to do maternity pics tomorrow after my dr’s appointment. i’m excited about that.
jamin has been talking so much lately. you can’t understand it all, but it’s so cute! i love how he says ‘elephant’ and ‘crocodile’. i’ll have to see if i can record him while we’re reading his favorite book at the moment when the elephant walks.
the boys are all really excited for jace to come. even jamin seems to be getting it. he wants to play with baby dolls, and fathers them, and he actually picked out the book welcome our new baby for story time last night!
i’ve watched three pretty neat movies the past few weeks (we got the free trial for netflix, and ordered the cheapest package, which is cheaper than getting movies a dollar a movie at redbox and not returning them in time. :P). they are flywheel, penelope and august rush. have you seen them? it’s funny, august rush kind of reminded me of dickens’ oliver. but just the background basics, not the full story line. if you’ve seen one or all, i’d love to know what you thought of them, and if you know of similar movies. i love watching movies that are heartfelt and fun and sweet.
ok just for fun, tell me THREE THINGS that i MUST take to the hospital. i need to get a bag packed.
August 24….
a big day. josiah’s due date. jamin’s due date. and what i assumed would be janoah’s due date. even though we still assume there was no baby in the sac….my heart still mourns for that pregnancy. the baby i thought was there. just in case we were wrong, and there was a baby….i still want to remember her. to let her know i love her still. happy due date, precious one.
ok i’m 33 weeks now, and am finally at my pre-pregnancy weight. is that a little odd to anyone else? i tell you what, after jace is born, i’m really going to work hard to be at a healthy weight. i can hardly wait for my body to be “normal” again - i’m in so much pain all over that just walking is torture. i hope my body heals quickly so i can exercise some.
i am sooooo ready to meet jace!! he is a little monkey, like his brother josiah, i think. i can already tell by his personality inside he’ll give joe a run for his money. LOL. look out world, here he comes!
any guesses on when he’ll arrive? his due date is october 10, but josiah was 12 days early and jamin was 15 days early. my guess is sept. 29.
i have a dr’s appointment today. i need to ask him if it is safe to up my anti-depressants. i have had some real doozies of mood swings lately. plus i haven’t been wanting to eat unless it’s something i’m REALLY craving. there have been a few days that i hardly ate anything at all because nothing sounded good. i’m pretty sure that’s a symptom of my depression.
please continue to pray for our family! love you guys!
Josiah is FOUR!!!! and a few other things
that little baby with chubby cheeks is now a big four year old boy with chubby cheeks! that ornery little monkey is now a bigger ornery monkey!
josiah, you are such an amazing little guy. i doubt there’s ever been another child anything like you in the history of the world. you can have us angry one minute and laughing the next. you can have us teary-eyed because you’re so adorable and sweet. you are just a wonderful little package and we love you so much! every day is an adventure with you as a son.
happy birthday, sweet monkey boy! we love you sooo much!
i had my appt. on monday and things looked ok. i was a bit annoyed with the dr, because i had to ask him about the gestational diabetes test. “oh you haven’t had that yet?” um nooooo. and i had to remind him that i had GD with josiah but not jamin. so i went right over to get the test taken. i decided to go to toys-r-us to see if there was a cute blue shirt for jamin (we were going to picture people after i was done) and i had to sit down four to five times so as not to pass out. i’m hoping that doesn’t mean i have it. i called the office this morning to see if they got the results in yet, but so far i haven’t gotten a call.
jamin was kind of ornery at his photoshoot, but we still ended up with great pics. it’s always hard to pick the free one, and as usual i had to get an extra one. thankfully i had a 20% off coupon. you can check out his photos here and let me know what you think. the slideshow is the best way to view it.
i have really overdone it the past few days! i am so tired and have been feeling absolutely spent! my body feels like i’m at least 75 years old. i got a charlie horse in the morning while in bed on monday, and it STILL HURTS! it was the strangest one i’ve ever had - i could see the muscles twitching. it looked just like my belly when jace is kicking and rolling, only it was in my calf. the strangest thing! and it hurt like crazy. why does it still hurt? what caused that?
going to go get a carseat today, go for birthday icecream (thank you cold stone creamery for birthday coupons!), go pick out toys at toys-r-us (thanks for the 3 dollar card toys-r-us and the money, aunt olga!) and hopefully make it to church tonight!
love to all!!!
UPDATE! i just got a call from my ob’s office: i do NOT have gestational diabetes!!!!!!!!!! thank You, Lord!!!!!
