First Trimester Stories

First, let me share how we told our families about baby DiMartino #2 (if anyone wants an idea), and then I'll tell a story.

Olivers: We told them on Easter Sunday. At the dinner table, Ricky nonchalantly said, "We thought that since Aolani has two cousins, (pause briefly) it was only fair for Kylie (our niece) to have two cousins, too!"

DiMartinos: We told them on Mother's Day, while we were visiting so that it was in-person. We were at a restaurant and had made "the news" our gift. We wanted to give the gift as a family before we even ordered. We had printed out that same sign that Aolani held for the blog announcement that read I am a big sister. I held her on my lap (at the front of the table so everyone could see), and Ricky flipped over the sign on her lap.

Story: Okay. So, one morning when I was around 6-7 weeks along, I woke up and ate breakfast. Then, a little bit later, I vomited big time. Well, I was expecting morning sickness/vomiting to show up any day. I thought that this was the day and quickly gathered all my barf buckets to be ready. But, then it hit again. I had to go to the restroom and felt horrible. We laid me on the bed and kept giving me liquids and food. I couldn't keep anything down -- must be a stomach virus (I had Chinese food the night before!). Anyway, I knew soon enough that this was not from being pregnant! It went on all day and into the night. I was soon dehydrated. Aolani was fussy because I wasn't producing enough milk for her. We were concerned for the womb-baby. I was on the verge of passing out; so, we went to the ER to get some IV fluids into me. I told them, repeatedly, what was the problem. But, because they heard the word pregnant and since I was vomiting, they completely ignored everything I was saying and the facts. They "knew best" and wanted the quick and easy answer, even if it was wrong. I was very frustrated. Let's just say that the stomach virus lasted less than 24 hours, and I have not thrown up since :)

People and Parties, All Year!

• All week it has been one social thing after another! We prepared dinner for a missionary family, played with five kids (that even put all the toys back before leaving!), went swimming with another family, and hosted a missionary. It was a lot of attention for Aolani, who ate it up!

• The question I get the most often: Doesn't Aolani walking make things more difficult? No, it is actually easier! Mainly because once she could crawl, all she would do is wiggle and squirm on my lap, sometimes very forcefully, bringing stress. She is so active and wanted to go off on her own; I just held her back. We were both miserable, wrestling all the time. I was just counting down the days until she could walk! Oh, and now I can go to the restroom when I want -- SCORE. Yes, she does get into trouble, but we are still happier :)
• I am over 16 weeks pregnant, and we hope to find out the sex in the next few weeks. The doctor has moved my due date forward a whole day to Dec. 12 -- I just say mid-December or whenever baby is ready!
• During my first trimester, Ricky would make toast (cinnamon-raisin) every morning and feed us girls in bed! Alas, this time has come to an end, and Aolani is devastated that her breakfast-appetizer tradition is no more :(
• Our niece, Kylie, calls Grandma (my mom) -- Moggle ;) We'll say G-G-Grandma. She'll say G-G-Moggle! It's classic.

• Aolani's newest antics: She shakes her head no when you offer her the wrong thing, stacks her stacking rings and blocks, copies my laugh by throwing her head back and gasping, carries purses and bags around and especially to the door so that she can turn and wave, says bye-bye to us from inside her crib when we leave the room, and loves to take her diaper off (I am not a fan of this skill).
• Verse to memorize this week: Matthew 22:36-9 ~ “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"

Destroy and Transform

"Because if fire has the power to change all things into itself and, having first destroyed in them all that is contrary to its nature, to transmute them into its own form and perfection, how much more will the consuming fire of God destroy every impurity in our souls and transform them into His likeness?" ~ Richard Wurmbrand

What I Do Around Here

I thought I'd write about what I am able to do to contribute to the running of our household.

[Insider info: Most people do not have any understanding of my disease, Friedreich's Ataxia, nor do I expect them to! They see a normal-looking girl in a wheelchair and classify me as such -- a girl in a wheelchair. Therefore, I just do things from a sitting position; if they can do it sitting down, then so could I, right? Well, this is where assumptions are most likely going to be wrong. You see, I have to juggle minimal trunk balance, spasticity, bad dexterity, holding myself upright (thus, one hand to hold the wheelchair and one hand to use when I lean or bend), keeping my feet in place, focusing my eyes, extreme fatigue, and not-dropping-everything-I-finally-get-my-hands-on. Yeah, don't recruit Butter-Fingers here to be on your flag football team. Anyway, so things are a little trickier for me than say the paraplegic in a car accident (not to diminish their unique struggles that I do not experience). Anyway, this blurb was not meant to complain, just to provide some insight.]

I'll just make a list:

• laundry (we have a washer/dryer-in-one that is front-loading)


• make most of the household/hygiene products we use


• balance the budget and pay bills


• purchase any and all household goods (online shopping)


• make menu plans


• grocery shopping (I order items online from Harris Teeter and then Ricky just has to drive up for the workers to load)


• keep our calendar/schedule (appointments and such)


• all miscellaneous paperwork and filing and computer/online stuff


• cleaning and pick-up that is not too overwhelming or too tough


• overall, I have a zillion lists everywhere


• oh yeah, and take care of myself and the toddler

I try to do whatever does not require walking or accessibility (since our condo is not accessible). Basically, I am the brains and Ricky is the brawn ;) Yeah, right!

Peeking Around the Corner

• We babysat the cousin, Kylie, at our place for the first time over the weekend. The two girls were a hoot together! Kylie is amidst potty-training, so that added to the fun!

The minefield

• Aolani has been pooping three times a day -- what is up with that?? Well, she does eat like a horse! All I smell is poop, all the time.
• I went out with some girls last week, and Ricky and Aolani passed out tracts downtown -- too cute!
• We had a low-key Father's Day at the Olivers' place.
• As some of you know, we do not have cable or even a TV (by choice), but Ricky has a huge HD computer monitor screen, from Craigslist, that we have now christened with two Redbox movies :)
• BIG NEWS:

She loved it; every time the ball fell out, she would come running with it to Ricky to put it back in ;)

• Verse to memorize this week: Psalm 27:14 ~ Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

Conforming is Comforting

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ~ Romans 8:28-9

The first part of these two verse has got to be one of the most oft-quoted verses of the Bible, along with Jeremiah 29:11. It's the great comfort verse. While there are many things one can note, I just have to mention one point.

While it is obvious, especially through experience (aka life), that when God works for our good, Paul is talking about our ultimate and eternal good, NOT our preferential or temporal good. Meaning = all things do not work out how we want when we want. Anyway, my point... Christians are always comforting another person going through a hard time by talking about the good that will result. What good? No one mentions that. So, I think people are left to their own interpretation of what good means, which can be dangerous and wrong. But the next verse, verse 29, does provide this information. The good God is bringing about is this: He is at work conforming us into the image of Jesus!

Now, that is good and that is good news! In God's hands, trials do have their benefit -- Christlikeness. Randy Alcorn mentions this here.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds... ~ James 1:2

Ultrasounds from 13 Weeks

... of baby DiMartino #2:

Profile view (so cute!)

Sucking that tasty thumb

Yawning -- tired from all that activity!

Groaning and Grunting

• Good news is that we got tons of ultrasound pictures, but I do not know when I can get them ready for show. The baby was moving up a storm, sucking its thumb, and yawning -- precious! I am 14 weeks along, and the baby is the size of a fist. I am definitely showing ;)
• We had a busy weekend, here are some pictures:

Aolani really enjoyed the swimming pool and splashing (and shooting bball hoops).

• Just like her daddy, Aolani has now taken up grunting every time she bends over or down. She sounds like an old woman with arthritis. You can see her "grunty" face here as she tries to get her dilapidated self off the floor ;)

• We constantly find her sitting on the floor pillows reading a book, sipping her water, or just resting from her hard and active life.

• Verse to memorize this week: Mark 4:19 ~ ...but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Desire and Ability Both

...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

~ Philippians 2:12-3

I just love these verses; they hold so much mystery for me! There are two big things tucked in here I want to mention.

1. Notice that the word work is in here twice, but the working is by different subjects - me and God. Now, we know that our working can do nothing to attain salvation. Only Jesus can do that and did that on the cross. But, once we accept Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf and receive salvation, we are to work it out. To me that means how does His grace affect this area of my life? Yet, we only work because He is at work in us! The great mystery of us and Him working together!


2. God working in me -- this is what I really love. He is giving me, through the Holy Spirit, the will and helping me act on it. Not only does He walk me through something, giving me the strength and ability to do it, but He is busy at work changing my heart, giving me the desire to do it! This is oftentimes what I really need -- motivation. But, He works on me there, too. Thank You, LORD! Get to work on me ;)

Mailwoman

• I am currently 13 weeks pregnant with the second trimester beginning in a few days -- yay! I get the first ultrasound for this little one tomorrow. [I'm getting it done for free via a connection, so I am not sure if there will be pictures to bring home.]


• I hope to get a little tour of our new(ish) condo taken and posted this month, but we'll see. I have not forgotten!


• Aolani is so sweet, but occasionally a little mischief comes about. Anyway, this past week she has learned to unlock the dishwasher, open the door, and pull out the trays. Oh, and the oven, too. My current goal is to block off the fireplace before she discovers that.


• She loves to hide things. A shoe will be in the pantry. Alarm clock with the socks. Sippy cup in the bookshelf pouch. For awhile, we've been missing her diaper cream; lo and behold, it was in the drawer below the stove!


• Aolani loves to get the mail with Daddy during lunch and show Mommy the "treasure."

• Aolani is taking her turn with cousin Kylie in the rock-rock while hanging out with the Olivers over the weekend.

• Aolani is constantly shouting and pointing whoa! or wow! all the time, everywhere we go (church, restaurants, all around the house)...




• Verse to memorize this week: Psalm 19:14 ~ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Nearer and Closer

I really want to write, but I must lay down and rest!

"We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God.

He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts."

-- A.W. Tozer

The Case Against Abortion

I really like this video on the case against abortion put out by abort73 --

Swings, Smoothies, and Smiles

• We got to hear our precious womb-baby's heartbeat yesterday -- clocking in at 166 bpm! I also learned that Aolani has gained about a pound in a couple weeks, and I am about 10 pounds lighter than I thought/feel ;)
• Here is Aolani swinging on the back porch with her smoothie:

• Aolani has somewhat begun to obey us when we ask her to carry things to the other person or throw something in the trash! We're still flabbergasted over this. She has also found her belly button :)
• This is what our kitchen looks like after every meal:

• For Memorial Day we went on a Wike ride (I held Aolani on my lap). It was hot, so she wore only a diaper, and we brought a spray/fan bottle to keep us cool (and her entertained). Some man stopped us on our trip and offered to pump up Ricky's back tire because it was almost flat -- what a God-send!

• The first time Kylie, our niece, got to see Aolani walking...

• I just cannot get over how BIG she looks here! Bye, bye to baby Aolani.

• Verse to memorize this week: Isaiah 26:3-4 ~ You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.