The Eternal Fever...

I feel like we can't catch a break lately! It seems like when it rains it pours at our house and that has been frustrating.

Charlie woke up last night with 103 degree fever again so we gave him some meds and a drink and then Mark ended up sleeping with him downstairs so he could keep an eye on him. This morning he still had a fever so Mark took him in to get a chest x-ray to see if he still had fluid in his lungs. The x-ray looked clean which is great, but now we don't know why he is still having fevers all the time. His antibiotics for the bronchitis are done tomorrow so he should be feeling better by now. Charlie's doctor suggested we do some blood work to see if we can get to the bottom of this; we are waiting to hear back from her on how to move forward with that.

Please pray for healing for Charlie and patience for us (Mark especially since he is being Mr. Mom right now). I feel so bad that Charlie has felt sick for so long and we need to figure out what is going on.

Update: Charlie had his blood drawn this afternoon and if there is something wrong the doctor is going to call us yet tonight. Hopefully it is nothing serious, but a problem that can be fixed. I really want my little buddy to feel like himself again...poor little guy!

Home Sweet Home

I am home! The contractions didn't stop completely, but after a couple rounds of different meds they did slow down so the doctor agreed to let me wait things out at home. All the contractions are exhausting, but it is worth putting up with them for a little while yet so this baby can be as healthy as possible. I was very excited to be going home. I took a shower right away and I swapped the hospital gown for my own sweatpants...much better :)

Charlie is still not himself, but he seems to be on the road to recovery. I think two more days of strong antibiotics will do the trick.

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Monday Morning

I am still at the hospital, but things seem to have calmed down a bit. Last night the doctor took me off the magnesium sulfate to see what my body would do and so far the contractions have stayed pretty calm. For awhile in the evening they were coming every 10-12 min, but he is okay with that as long as they don't get closer together.

I took ambien again and I slept really well so I am feeling more like myself this morning. They have the baby on the monitor now so if my contractions stay calmer this morning then I will hopefully get to go home around noon. If things start to pick up again, then decisions will have to be made about more meds or hospital stays. I am praying we don't have to go down that road. I would much rather be on bed rest at my house than in the hospital.

So far the baby looks great; all this extra activity doesn't seem to phase her at all! We are so excited to meet her, but hoping we can hold things off for another week and a half or so.

Thanks for your prayers! We appreciate everyone's support. Please keep praying for Charlie too; his fever was still at 102 last night and he is feeling pretty miserable. I am having a hard time not being able to be there to cuddle him. I really hope he bounces back soon.

A Crazy Sunday at the TenHakens

Yesterday was an eventful day at our house...

First, Charlie woke up from his nap with a fever. He has been battling cold symptoms for a few weeks. I brought him to the pediatrician about 3 weeks ago and they just thought the cold had to run its course. Then last weekend he did have fever for a day and he threw up a couple of times, but I thought it was an unrelated bug he had caught. All last week he still had a runny nose, but that was really it so I didn't think I should bring him in for that. Then, yesterday, he woke up from his nap with another fever so I decided to take him to prime care instead of waiting any longer to get meds in him. I am glad I took him in b/c the poor kiddo has bronchitis! I would not have guessed that, but I know he has been feeling off for awhile. I should have trusted my mommy instincts and brought him in sooner. He has been sooo crabby lately and I was worried that we were going through a new terrible two phase, but the bronchitis explains it. My poor little guy! Hopefully with the strong antibiotics he will be feeling back to himself soon.



After we went to prime care, got his prescription, got home and got Charlie into bed, I realized I was having a lot of contractions so I laid on the couch for awhile to watch them. From 8-11pm they were coming anywhere from 2-7 min apart and they were a little more intense then they have been. So, finally I called the doc and he said I had to go in and get checked. They caught contractions on the monitor and they checked me and I was dilated to 1.5 cm and 70% thinned out. So they gave me IV fluids and an injection (can't remember the name of the med) which stopped the contractions for about 45 min. When they started again they gave me another injection (same med) and ambien so I could sleep. I slept from 2- 6am and when I woke up I was having more contractions so then they put me on a 24 hr IV of magnesium sulfate. This has to run until tomorrow morning. If it doesn't work, then we will probably let nature take it's course b/c there is not much else they will do at this point. If I am still contracting in the am they may transfer me to Spectrum or Holland b/c Zeeland doesn't keep babies born at 34 weeks.

So-- for now I will just hang out in the hospital and see what the next 24 hours will bring. Hopefully the contractions stop and I will be able to go home in the morning. Please pray for a very healthy, strong baby girl.

Last Weekend- Rehearsal

Last weekend, my brother Kyle, married his high school sweetheart, Annika Soule. The whole weekend went so well and we were thrilled to add Annika to our family. I couldn't ask for a better sister-in-law!

Friday night was the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. The kids were in the wedding so we wanted them to practice walking down the aisle. Charlie was sick all weekend, so I was a little worried about how he would do, but he hung in there and did okay for most of it.

Here are a few photos from Friday night and later I will post some wedding photos.

Charlie and his cousin Arabella watching "Curious George" while they wait to practice walking down the aisle. I know the portable DVD player is a little pathetic, but we will do what it takes to have Charlie sit still for a few minute :) especially when I am not in a position to be able to run after him.

My brothers, Kyle (the groom on the right) and Kris (the left) and all the groomsmen played and sang a song for Annika before she walked down the aisle.

Ruby was a trooper!

The rehearsal dinner was at Holland State Park on Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful night and we enjoyed a grilled picnic meal and beach volleyball with lots of friends and family. I was bummed I was not able to play or be more involved but I was very thankful that I could be there.
The kids enjoyed playing on the dunes, although by this time Charlie and Ruby had already gone home with Emily (our babysitter). Charlie needed to get to bed because we wanted him to feel well for the wedding the next day.

Mark had a great time playing some crazy games of beach volleyball.

Me with my cousin Melissa and my sister Kari. I am 34 weeks pregnant, Melissa just had a baby 4 weeks ago and Kari is about 21 weeks pregnant here. So, even though I had to sit most of the night, I had great company :)

Hard to believe my little brother is a groom!

Kyle walking Annika's mom down the aisle at rehearsal

Kyle walking my Mom down the aisle.

Mark and Charlie hanging out before the rehearsal starts.


It was a great night! More wedding photos to come...

8 Years

It was 8 years ago today that I walked down the aisle to marry Mark. On that day I had no idea what a wild ride the next 8 years would be, I just knew that God had brought us to together and that He would be by our side every step of the way. Looking back, I am so thankful God brought Mark into my life and that He has allowed us to walk this road together. Mark always makes me laugh and he has been an incredibly faithful and loyal husband and dad. I am so grateful for all the sacrifices he makes for his family.

Thanks for 8 great years Mark! I love you and I pray God blesses us with many more years together.

33 Weeks

I am 33 weeks today! I am so glad we have made it this far and I am hoping we can make it at least 3 or 4 more weeks. I am bored and tired, but other than that I am doing pretty well. Mark continues to have his hands full, but we know this is temporary so he is hanging in there. Thanks for all your work Mark!

This is from last week--32 weeks pregnant