So baby Wesley has had some problems with his little kidneys being a little dilated so I've had to go in and get some extra ultrasounds done to see if there has been any change. All the measurements were "ambiguous" (which was the doctors favorite word every time we went in there) meaning they didn't say either way if it was above normal or if it was in fact getting better, so I went back for three ultrasounds to keep checking. On the last one because I am so close to my due date and the measurements were still "ambiguous", they are going to have little Wesley come in a little while after he is born to see what's happening. Here is some information about Pyelectasis if you'd like to learn more about it, if not skip down to the ultrasound pictures.


Fetal Pyelectasis (Pelviectasis)

Enlargement of the part of the kidney that collects urine (the renal pelvis) from 4 to 10 millimeters in diameter is called fetal pyelectasis or “renal pelvic dilatation”. Dilation of the renal pelvis to greater than 10 mm is called severe pyelectasis or hydronephrosis. The illustration at right shows a normal kidney compared to a kidney with pyelectasis.

Normal Pyelectasis
Pyelectasis is detected in 1 per 100 babies before birth, and is seen more commonly in male fetuses [14]. About 1 in 500 cases develops significant disease. Most mild cases resolve before birth or within a few months after delivery [1,2].
A fetus with severe pyelectasis or hydronephrosis is at increased risk of developing problems such as low amniotic fluid and kidney disease. In addition pyelectasis has a weak association with chromosome abnormalities, in particular Down syndrome [3,4]. The severity of isolated pyelectasis does not appear to increase the risk for chromosome abnormality [5].

What Causes It?

The most common causes of severe pyelectasis or hydronephrosis are a blockage of the ureter (the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder) where it joins the kidney and backward flow of urine from the bladder (vesicoureteric reflux) [6]. Less common causes of hydronephrosis include posterior urethral valves, urethral atresia, ectopic ureteroceles, duplication of the collecting system, megacystis-microcolon-intestinal-hypoperistalsis syndrome, prune belly syndrome, and cloacal malformation.

Does Pyelectasis Need Treatment?

Pylectasis involving only one kidney does not need intervention, but requires followed up ultrasound evaluation after 28 weeks for possible worsening of the condition. Severe hydronephrosis involving both kidneys is associated with increased risk of poor outcome, and is monitored for the development of low amniotic fluid [11].

An ultrasound is usually done 5 to 7 days after birth to reevaluate the infant’s kidneys. Most cases of mild pyelectasis where the renal pelvis measures less than 8 mm and involves only one kidney tend to resolve spontaneously either in utero or within a few months after delivery. Pyelectasis greater than 8 mm is more likely to need surgical correction during childhood [7-10].


What are the Chances of Having Pyelectasis Again in a Future Pregnancy?

In a study of 64 women with the finding of pyelectasis in their fetuses, 43 (67%) had a recurrence of this finding in their next pregnancy [15].


What is the Risk of Down Syndrome in a Fetus with Pyelectasis?

Presently genetic testing of the fetus (amniocentesis) is offered if the risk of Down syndrome in the fetus is 1 in 190 or greater. For a 34 year old woman the isolated finding of pyelectasis at midtrimester increases the risk of Down syndrome from 1 in 365 to 1 in 192.

For a woman 34 years of age or less with a normal triple marker screen for Down syndrome the risk benefit ratio does not favor amniocentesis when the only ultrasound finding is pyelectasis [12,13].

These are some really cute profile pics. I love the one of him sucking his thumb.




Here are a couple shots of the kidneys. The two black areas in the middle of the white circle are his kidneys.


On Thursday night of this week I started having some Braxton Hicks contractions around 3:30 and although usually annoying and little painful after about an hour or so they got much worse and I started to wonder if they weren't Braxton Hicks anymore. I was doubled over and doing the contraction waltz while I made dinner. They lasted for two hours. Well luckily on Friday I had a doctors appointment so I told her about the contractions and along with some other info like I'd lost a pound and the uterus was measuring small at 33 1/2 cm instead of the 36 that I should be, she had a non stress test done on little Wes to see if he was doing ok. So in the twenty minutes that they monitor him he was kicking and rolling around and his heart rate was excellent and went up when he moved like it should, so he is doing just fine. I am a little anxious though that he might come early, although I'm totally ok with him staying in there as long as he wants to.

Here are a few cute pictures as of late.

Addie and Papa taking a Sunday nap together.


The other day we told Addie that we were going for a walk and so she went to get the essential, her backpack, her hat and her soft soft of course. She loves to wear her backpack just like papa does.



More Backpack fun!


Papa and Addie enjoying a restful afternoon on the deck eating some cold Popsicles.

So I've been in a really big nesting mood lately and have gotten a lot of projects done or at least have tackled a few again because some projects seem like they are never ending i.e. scrapbooks. Today I totally cleaned out the kitchen and reorganized all the cupboards. I recently got about 20 free books of wallpaper from craigslist for free and decided to cover some journals that I had laying around that were a little passe. They turned out great but the four that I made didn't even make a dent in my paper collection.

I also found a little tykes picnic table on the side of the road that was in pretty haggard shape, but the week before I had found a pretty solid shelf unit that I wasn't exactly sure if I was going to keep or not. Well when I saw the condition of the picnic table top and seats I knew that the shelves would work perfectly for new seats and table. So I cut up the shelves, dismantled the table ( which took a borrowed saw from Sarah & Ben Ekstrom from our ward to get the rusty bolts out of it)then put it all together again and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Addie seemed to like it too when I showed it to her, now maybe we could do some crafts outside!





Like I mentioned I've also tackled Mitch and I's engagement book that I started before we were married to use as a Guest book at our receptions. Well there are still tons of pictures that need to be scrapbooked and put into album, so slowly but surely the picture pile is becoming smaller and the book is getting fatter. I'm really grateful that all of our pictures are on the computer now and I can just do all this on the computer, it's much easier and takes a lot less time.

Now to some sad news. I was working on a big jean quilt the other night when as I was sewing along, my machine all of a sudden just stopped. I checked the cord connections tried the treadle again and nothing happened, I floored it all the way to the floor and nothing. I tried this over the next couple of days just to make sure it wasn't just a fluke, but finally took it into Bernina to see what the deal is. So my sewing machine is temporarily out of commission and I was 3 feet away from finishing the jean quilt top!! Doesn't that just frost ya? UGGGHH. So all the other sewing projects I had lined up are on the back burner as it were for at least two weeks until the technician at Bernina "gets to it", but it leaves room for me to do some other projects so I guess it's an o.k. trade off.

It was a busy holiday week for us around here. Mitch had the week of the 4th off from school so we planned some fun things to do together. Monday we celebrated Independence Day by going to the Wauwatosa street parade in the morning and then hurried off to our ward BBQ to get things set up for that. It was a great turn out and I think everyone had a good time, the kids especially loved the water balloons and pool.
On Tuesday Mitch, Addie and I went to swimming lessons then quickly came home and packed up to go to Point Beach State park to camp with some of our friends. Kristina and Nick Harker put it all together for us and it ended up being a lot of fun. The Schuyler and Marianne Sessions family, Dalin and Christin Ricks family and Landon and Erica Rencher family were also there with us and it was quite a crew. We took a lot of walks and played at the beach and around the campsite for two days. There was also a lighthouse there, which I was a little disappointed in because it looked more like a water tower than a lighthouse, but the history of it was cool I guess. We spent a lot of the time warding off mosquitoes because we were camped next to a swamp, but it did make for a good frog story. The second morning we woke up after a stormy night in which our tent leaked a little bit and there were frogs hopping all over the grassy patch where we had pitched out tent. We pointed them out to Addie and she followed them around for awhile until one stopped right in front of her. So I said, "Addie, be careful not to step on the frog." Through a small misinterpretation she must have though I said to "step on the frog" so she raised her little booted foot and squished the poor guy. It's kind of a haunting image to have your two year old do that to something that was living, of course she didn't understand that it was dead and although we told her it had a big ouie but she kept saying that is was still a "nice frog".
Down at the beach we played in the sand and built a big volcano and subsequent hole that the water could run into. The hole ended up being a burying pit for several of our company, although they all managed to get out of their sandy tomb without any harm, but perhaps a few extra grains of sand in places they hadn't expected them. Schuyler, Brycen, Macey, Thomas and Rylan all were buried and had a great time popping out of the sand. It was really foggy that morning and the fog turned into a light drizzle and then into rain, but at least the rain kind of kept the mosquitoes at bay. We had a lot of fun during our little vacation even if we did get lots of bug bites.

Mitch was a lifeguard at the Snow College Activity Center for a few years and has a firm belief in starting kids out as early as possible to get them used to the water. Addie (whom has always loved baths) had no trouble acclimating to the bigger pool of the swimming lessons we enrolled her in this summer. The class is every Tuesday and Thursday morning and sadly is ending next week, but we've all had fun during the 4 week stint.
Last Tuesday Mitch happened to be out of school for the 4th of July holiday which coincided perfectly with the only visitor day they have during the session. So we packed up Buggie and her swimming suit and Papa got to do all the fun things with her while I took pictures from the viewing balcony above.
The class always starts off by getting used to the water temperature by putting water all over their bodies usually with a fun story like making popcorn, or a snack. This Tuesday just happened to start off with a bang of fireworks to get them all wet, well there were no real fireworks in the pool, but the grand finale was all the kids and parents kicking their legs in the water to make big fireworks! Mitch hopped in followed quickly by Adders and then it was time for the "BIG SONG SINGING CIRCLE" (yes that's the real name). They sang the "Wheels on the Bus", "Old McDonald had a Pool" and for lack of a better title, the shark song, do do da do! Addie loved the shark song which was one we hadn't sung before and she's asked for us to sing it a lot since then, but Momma can only have so many shark attacks in a day before exhaustion comes on.
After singing the kiddos always practice their "reach and pull" to try to get them to move their arms as if they were swimming. Tuesday they just happened to be going after colorful balls that floated on top of the water. Mitch motored Addie around the pool as she reached for the balls she wanted and even got her to float with him on her back which seems to always make her a little uneasy. They also blew some bubbles while holding onto the edge of the pool.Mitch did motorboat with her and I though her head was going to fly off her shoulders he went so fast, but he said she had a smile on her face the whole time.
They didn't have them go under the water on Tuesday but the week before they had us blow into their faces really hard so that their eyes closed, then dunk them under the water really quickly. I thought Addie wouldn't like it, but after doing it she asked to do it again. After the second time she was done, but I was sure proud of her for even doing it without so much as a peep from her out of fear or surprise.
I think Addie has enjoyed her swimming lessons this year and hopefully as per Papa's wishes has gotten a used to the water a little bit more.Some of the pictures are blurry, but what can you do when the lighting is horrible and everything is moving around?