Cord Blood Stem Cells

As many of you know, Casey and I decided it would be a great investment to bank the stem cells from Brooke’s umbilical cord.  In the future, the stem cells can be used (if needed) by Brooke, Casey or myself and possibly other members in our family.  These stem cells can be extremely valuable in the event that we have to use them.  For example, many people who are severely disabled due to MS have been “cured” with stem cell treatment.  If we didn’t save them they just get thrown away! 

 

There are two different ways to extract the stem cells – by gravity or syringe.  Gravity is done sort of like the way you give blood.  They hook up a bag and let gravity work its magic.  Using a syringe to extract the stem cells is more effective since the doctor can really pull the cells out.  Most doctors use the gravity method since it is easier.  Thankfully, my doctor used the syringe method.  On average about 350,000 stem cells are extracted although the cord blood bank likes to have around 100,000.  My doctor was able to extract….are you ready for this????  1,329,640,000 stem cells!!!!  Over a BILLION!  Thank you Dr. Kirshon!  And thank you to all those who have contributed towards this cause!  Thank you Lord for giving us the ability to bank these stem cells!

Thankful

This year for Thanksgiving, Casey and I were trying to think of what we were going to start doing for our family tradition.  We decided to write down some things we are thankful for and why on an index card.  After that we would share what we wrote down and put it in a keepsake box so we could go back and read them every once in a while.  When Brooke gets older we will write her card for her until she can do it herself.  We really want to make sure that we don’t get caught up in all the food that we don’t acknowledge all that we have to be thankful for. 

 

So, one thing that I wrote on my card is that I’m so thankful for my daughter.  I absolutely loved being pregnant knowing that a miracle was inside me and could hear both Casey and I when we talked to her.  I will never forget being in the hospital and getting to meet her for the first time.  This definitely has been an eventful year all centered around Brooke.  From finding out we were going to have her in January to playing with her this morning and watching her beautiful smile light up her face - it has been amazing!  I’m thankful that the pregnancy went so smooth and the delivery was easier than I thought it was going to be.  I’m thankful that we had such a great nurse that stayed in our room the whole time and a great doctor that was able to extract so many stem cells (more on that later).  I’m thankful that Brooke is such a healthy baby that has brought so much joy to everyone, especially Casey and me.  This is just a small list of the things I’m thankful for about Brooke.  Casey and I have so much more that we are thankful for.  We are truly blessed!

Bragging on Our Daughter

I keep saying how Brooke is such a good baby and she is!  Our tough little cookie had to get her 2 month shots (almost two weeks ago now).  The nurse came in with three shots.  I didn’t think I would be able to handle it.  The nurse gave her the first one, then the next and finally the last.  Brooke was screaming her head off!  After she got some band-aids and I picked her up, she stopped crying.  She did great the rest of the day too!  I ended up giving her a dose of Tylenol because she was a little fussy, but I was just so proud that she did so good! 

Time for Teeth?

Lately Brooke has been sucking on her hand (she doesn’t like her thumb), sucking on our shoulders when we hold her, and sucking on whatever else she can.  She also has been drooling and getting a little fussy.  I know it’s early for her to get some teeth, but it seems like all the signs are there.  The other night Casey started feeling around and I think she’s getting her two front teeth!  It still might be a while until they actually come in, but they’re there! 

 

She’s growing up just so fast!!!

Our Little Fish!

Brooke LOVES bath time!  Lately we have been putting her in the tub with a few inches of water.  We lay her down on a towel and she starts kicking her feet!  Last night she even started moving her body around a lot like she was swimming.  She will lay in there for a long time just happy as can be.  J 

 

Just like her daddy…lovin’ the water…

Brooke is...

Sleeping through the night now!!!  Well, at least it has been that way for the past two nights!  We put her to sleep around 11:30pm and she has been waking up around 7:00am.  She’s such a good baby!!!  I can’t believe she’s going to be 11 weeks tomorrow! 

 

Following in daddy's footsteps...