The scary part is over. What we've really been up to around here.

What does this picture have to do with the "scary" mention in the title above? Well, nothing.  But it says cheerful to me and that's all the reason I need to post it. 

We've been up to a lot around here friends.  Hmm...where to start. Well, Betsy Grace turned six months old last week and although I knew she was little, I didn't know just how little until then. At her check-up we saw she was only 12.2 pounds. The same weight as her 2-month appointment.  This scary news made my heart drop.  We are blessed with the most wonderful doctor and he very calmly gave me an action plan of sorts to try with her, to get her to take formula (she was previously nursing exclusively)

So, fast-forward.  We tried two different bottles, a straw, syringe, and sippy cup and still weren't getting much in her.  She was so fussy (a.k.a. hungry) that Tuesday I took her back in, just to see what else could be wrong.  At that point we were told to try again, but that if she didn't take something within 24 hours she'd need to be admitted to the hospital. Once there they would insert a tube into her nose, to run to her stomach.  The tube would stay there 'till __________. 

I panicked over this. I cried. It broke my heart to think of my girl being so hungry she was fussy (and for how long had she been like this?), and to think of her getting a tube in her nose. :( And then I prayed.

That night Betsy Grace took the same bottle we'd already tried and drank 3 ounces.  My miracle.  I don't know if I caught a breath the whole time she drank.  Watching her tiny little mouth fit around that big bottle and drink 'till she was full was heavenly.  Heavenly.

I quickly wrote a small group of close friends/family that night asking for prayer..and since then our girl has been eating like a champ!  She's doing so well with the bottle and drinking so much. And, her personality is like a different baby. She's MISS Personality all of a sudden. 

I don't know how we managed to let her slip through the cracks for this long.  But praise Jesus He has protected her when our shortcomings have left her tummy hungry. 

I have hesitated to share for selfish reasons....

In mom circles it's "best" to breastfeed, and lose weight. 

Here I am, using formula happily after gaining 8 or 9 pounds myself on purpose the last few months, 

trying to keep up with nursing my gal. 

I just didn't know if I could hear what was supposed to be right,

when weight gain and the cons of formula were so, so low on my priority list. 

Getting my gal fed-that was my only priority. 

So, I've kept this to myself.  But, if you haven't heard from me, or it seems I've ignored your e-mails I haven't! I've just been in Betsy Grace survival mode.  And will continue until I know she's a happy, healthy gal. I can't wait to share pictures of her growth soon! 

I'm thankful for: a God who listens and actively cares, miracles, angels watching over us, Dr. Ball, my momma to encourage me, a small group of friends to cry tears of joy with me and care so, so much about my gal, Brett for being super dad without me even having to ask, 

and mostly that Betsy's tummy is filled up :)