Merry Christmas from the Jennings

Wow what a differance

The last couple of days have been a eye opener for both of us, sleep has become something that's needed not wanted and to have a little life totally counting on you is something I would have thought we could never do but I guess it just comes to you.
Tess has been great, she is not very fussy unless she wants to eat and we got it made there, she sleeps like 4 hours at a time and then is up for like 45min and then back to sleep.
So far its a hole new ball game and she's running the team.
Christmas will be a good test for us as we have my family in the morning and then her family in the afternoon. I think all will go well if we just take it in stride.
So I hope all of you have a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

What a Friday

WOW, What a day, Tess had one more test today to see if see would have to come home on a monitor, she passed with flying colors.
After we sat with her and waited to talk to the doc to see how everything was going when the nurse came over and said "are we ready to go home" WOW we had a good idea we were going home today but not at 12:00pm in the afternoon.
Well by the time we did all the paper work and got all her stuff packed up it was like 3:00pm, but we were going home.
As I type this Tess is sleeping right next to me and I looked over and thought wow I'm really a Dad now.
Its so awesome to finally have her home. Tomorrow will be a full day, we have a nurse coming to the house to check on Tess at 1:00pm (a hospital rule) and we will have family and friends stopping by all day to see her.
Well better go and get some rest when I still can.
See Yaaaaaaaaaaaa....................

Happy Holidays.
Not much to update right now but big things to come, will let you know.
While you wait check this out, even know its from them

Slow on the posts

Sorry so slow(on the post and bike) but its all about the little one,had dinner Rob and Candy on Sat. after taking them to see Tess.
Sun. had dinner at Bubba's before seeing Tess.
So as you can see.................
Its all about her.
See Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Daddy's little girl

http://tessaslifeinpictures.blogspot.com/
I put her in the links also

Erica's home and Tess is geeting better

Erica came home today and is doing very well, it was hard to leave Tess in the NICU
and not
bring her home with us, I guess when we started out doing this we never figured we would be home without her but we both know its all for the best.
Tess's feedings are going great and as of tonight she gets double the amount of milk and this will keep going up if she can handle it.
She came off one of the breathing machines today and got smaller tubes in her nose, just like the one adults get(just smaller) she is much happier,they also took her IV out of her hand and put it into her foot, this frees up her hands to move around and she loves this because she can now touch her face and she has found her mouth.
Erica and I would like to thank all of our family and friend for all their words of love and strength
it was because of all of you that the last week has gone so smooth.
Thanks to our Moms and Dads for being there when we need them and giving us a shoulder to cry on when we need it.
Thanks to our brothers and sisters for the support and understanding in our time of need.
And a BIG thanks to all out friends:
Rob and Candy for all the help with the house and the pets
John and Lynn for help in the hospital
and all the rest of you guys for the visits in the hospital, the words of encouragement.
Thanks to you all

Tess's new pics and a little more

Well she has been doing great for the last two days, they took the o2 tube out of her mouth last night and she got it moved to her nose, and was she happy about that.

The best part was when they took her tube out and said we could hold her and that was like nothing I have ever felt before. That made it more real then I could have ever thought.

We also went to see her in the afternoon and was surprised Tess was sleeping on her belly, the nurse said its good for her if she can handle it and it looks like she loves it.

Got to do some diaper changes today and that was cool, a little weird and it felt like I was going to break her but all in all it was great to be able to touch her and hear her.

Erica is doing well, she got up this morning and got her self ready to go, she really has impressed me on how she is doing and handling all of this, I guess that's why I love her so much.

I return to work tomorrow and I think it will be a little hard not to wake up and just see Erica and be able to walk down the hall and see Tess, but I'll just such it up.

Well got to go post more tomorrow.

See yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Baby time @ 11:59pm Sunday

Wow, what a surprise, went home to get some sleep and to get stuff done and got a call to get back to the hospital. Tess's heart rate was not changing much, just sitting around 130/135 and the doc. really didn't like that so she called it and away we went to an emergency c-section. Baby came though it fine and she was even breathing on her own but because of her size we were off to the NICU.

I got to spend some time with her well Mom got all fixed up and got some good drugs. As I waited they gave me her weight, 3lbs 14.60z and 16.75 inch's long. She got some test for how she was doing and coming around and at first it was low but within 5 min she was a 8 and that's really good for her size.

So around 2:30am Erica my parents, her parents and I got to go in and see her and she looked great, she was fusing and all. It was kind of hard because we could not hold her and that was the hard part for both of us. The nurses said the would most likely give her a breathing tube to help with her breathing but they would hold off to she if she would hold out.

So off to bed we went, up this morning to the nurses waking Erica up for Bp and pain meds and I must say she is a lot stronger then me, by 9:30am she was ready to go and see the baby and she wanted out off the bed, So back to the NICU to find out the had to put in a breathing tube to help Tess but by the time we got there she wanted no part of it and we were told if all the blood work came out good they would most likely take the tube out tonight or tomorrow morning.

Well as I type Erica is sleeping and I just came back from the NICU and Tess's blood work came out over the top and they are going to try to take her off the tube tonight, I can't wait and Erica is so excited to hold her, as Erica said "It just dose not seem real because I can't hold her".

Well I really got go I will update more tonight

Day four of baby update

Not to much, still sitting in the room, Erica is doing a little better, she got her second steroid shot today and spent two hours on the monitor and she had her first contraction. She did not feel it but the monitor picked it up. She spent most of the day in bed and she's not having much fun with it, her mom came to see her today so that was a bright spot in her day.Talked with the Doc. on call and she in turn talked to our Doc. and everything is in a holding pattern, we will deliver if something changes but otherwise it will be Monday before we hear anything.
Its been long days but its all for the best.
See Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Randy

New baby pic

New 4D ultra sound

of Tessa Claire Jennings

count down to baby time

Well sorry for the slow updates but things have been a little tough the last couple of days.
Tuesday we had a Doc. check up and it didn't go well, her tests showed she was high in protein, now for racers that works well but in a pregnant woman that not good.
So we were off to St. Joe's for some tests because we would not have got them back quick enough from the lab. So off we go, we thought we would be there for a few hours, a few hours turned into a few days a few days now will be until the baby is born.
We thought we were going to have her tomorrow but their going to leave her in mommy a little longer. Her BP is up and she is in the first stages of pre-aclampcia(Yes that's spelled wrong) so today the doc. started steroids to help the lungs and brains grow faster.
We got a really cool 4D scan of the baby and got to see her face, I will scan a picture later, that was so cool to see her before shes born.
So things are up in the air for now and we are living day to day in her room and just waiting for the baby to come.
I'll try to get another post out in the next couple of days for a update.

see yaaaaaaaaaaa
Randy

3rd Shift

It sucks need I say more
SEE YAAAA
RANDY

New Bike and a UPDATE

New ride for the BMX thing.
I can't believe the comments made it all the way to 42.
Got to the track in elkhorn tonight and the wife even made the trip. Had a good time with Jay,Danny and Fast girl Sam. Made a few good runs and I think I'm getting the gate thing down.
See yaaaaaaaaa

See I was thin at one time

See I have been able to see my feet

Man is that really me, I look like I need a meal

Update=No Update

Well not much happening around here, had a blast at the night race last fri. and it was good to see such a good turn out. Will make the long trip to point next weekend for the Wors stuff and will end up coming right back the same night, I really don't see the need to spend the night as its just a wasted day for Sun. and as the wife is getting bigger everyday I really don't want to be gone over night.
Mommy is in her 27th week and it seems to be flying by, we just got our doctors visits moved from once every 4 weeks to every 2 weeks. That makes it sink in that its getting closer everyday.

Tomarrow is a day of sadness as Candy's Dad died Sunday and tomarrow is the wake, as a kid I lived half a block away from Candy and her family and remember small bits from the past and her Dad. It will be a sad day but to know he had a great life and has many people who knew him and loved him makes things easier for eveyone. Knowing Candy's family you can see all the love they have for him and I will know his memories will be carried on for ever.

See yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Randy

Its came and went like the wind

Number 12 is here and the summer went so fast, not a good season for me this year but I had a lot of fun and you just can't beat all the friendships you make thoughout the season.
Just read the Wors board and I guess the track is dry and fast, I guess I'll leave the XR's on for now and see how they run. I made up my mind last weekend I'll run the 18t as the trail got my legs last weekend with the 17t, I think it will be ok, better is the small back to back up hills like roots of all evil and more spin in the tight single in the pines.
I will try to get out of here around 12:00 or so but that's up to the wife, the kid has been really active as of late and she hasn't been feeling very will, not sick just tired so she going to stay home today but she will be there tomorrow.
Don't forget about the cookout after the race, all are welcome, the only rule is bring some type of food to pass.
See yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Randy

Cross practice

Had a good time, and only stacked it up once.It was cool.
Pat made some practice barriers and we all had a good time.
DON'T forget the ride this weekend at Evergreen Park ~ Sheboygan, WI
@ 2:00pm Saturday the 30th

www.cheqfattire.com

What a great weekend, started with the long drive, got to Bubba's around 5:45am with Mark and we ran over to pick up Rick and off we were, after the long ride we got to the resort and got set up in the house and it was awesome, right off the lake and it even had it's own lagoon. It was so great it had four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, two kitchens and two living rooms. We had enough room for all 12 of us and still had a ton of space.

So we meet Greg and were off to meet Jay and the Hayes clan to do a little riding at Telemark. We get to the condo and were off, well kinda, it was a asskicker of a trail and my back was killing me so I was on and off the bike all day. Got done and we were off to dinner, we went to this corner bar and had dinner and had a great time hassling the bartender and goofing around.

Friday I got to sleep in a little, ate some good food and worked on the bikes for a little. A bunch of us thought it would be a good idea to go ride a short section of the course and then we had to hit a local bike shop to get Bubba a water bottle cage. When I rode the trail I had a hard time trying to figure out what gear to run, it was either the 17t or the18t, it was like I just couldn't make up my mind, after a lot of back and forth I went with the 18t and as I would find out I was glad I did.

Friday night we just sat around, had a great dinner made by Jim and Bubba and got all set up for the next morning, before the end of the night we loaded up all the bikes into Bubba's, Greg's and my car so we could get our bikes right up front at the start line and then it was off to bed to try to get a good night sleep.

Saturday it was up early to finish getting everything ready, we left around 8am to get up close to the starting line and we were glad we did as they changed some stuff and told us we had to be at our bikes by 9:20 and if we weren't they were going to pull our bikes out of the gates(ya right you could barely get in there). So we sat around for awhile and shot the shit and then it was time to go, by then the stomach was in knots and the cannon goes off and away we go.

A short burst of speed and it all came to a stop and then start again. We went down the road ,well should I say they went down the road, I felt like I was going backwards. At about a mile in some guy right in front of me blows a tire and the tube shot right out I thought it was all over but the guy saved it and rode it to the curb, another mile in and there was a huge crash, as we go by I see like 5 bikes in the rode and a girl down in the middle, come to find out Zeke
was in the middle off the thing and ended up breaking his arm all because (in he words) "who in the hell reaches for a bottle at 30 mph?". Off to rosies field and it was like people never rode a bike, at one point I was holding onto some other guys barend when he rides right into me in the middle of the field like I was never there. Though the field and into the rollers, up,down,up,down and up again.
As I'm climbing I look up and Mark is standing on the side of the trail I pull over and he says he got a flat so I stay with him till he was done, as we were ready to get back on Candy rides by and asked if we were ok , we say ya and were off again. Mark is pissed because we were so far back but I figured its a long race and we can pick off a lot of riders if we just keep riding at a good pace.
We get going and I can't believe how many people are out there, we pass Candy and ask how she's doing and were off, Mark led in the flats and I tried to pull up the hills, we were HAULIN and passing people left and right and feeling good.

We hit OO in 1:33 and keep cranking passing more people and trying to make up somemore time. Hit the flat road around mile 23 and into Martel's pothole, we get stopped and have to walk around the pothole cause someguy took a huge digger and had to be carted off on a back board, off we are again and to the fire road, time to refuel and spin out the legs. We run into Rick looking for Bubba, he thought he was behind him but we never saw him so Rick was off to try to catch him. Mark and I stay in sight of each other and most of the ride side buy side.

We hit the next water station and I had to refill and Mark was starting to get back cramps so we get what we need and Mark does some stretches and were off, some good fire roads and were still passing people and we are keeping some good speed. We got to "Fire Tower Hill " and I look up and think well this isn't that bad, well I didn't know there were three tiers, and I was off and walking. Mark started to pull away and I was trying to catch up, we got to the top and I see Mark, we grab some food and off we go.We ride together till around mile six when the ski trails start and Mark pulls away and I just can't push any harder on the hills so I let him go in hopes I can make up more time on the down hills.

Those last six miles are killers, it was like ride as hard as you can down the hill and then I would try to get up the next as far as I could, then get off and walk as fast to the next. I finally get to a huge down hill road and suck some guys wheel that was crankin it and just sit in, the legs still felt good but not great so I wanted to save a little for the end. I get to the last rest stop grab a banana and kept going I round the corner and some lady says 2 miles togo, I'm think, I'm going to do this, I can't believe I'm going to do this. The next corner some guy tells me there are only two big hills left, Thanks Buddy. I grunt the last two hills and I see 1/2 mile togo, time to use the last amount off gas I have. I see the finish gate and I give it my all, passing people and trying not to blow up in the last 1/4 mile and then I hear some guy announcing my name and where I'm from, that was so cool and then I was done. 3:54:44 I broke the four hour mark and that's what I was going for . I still can't believe I finished that race. See Yaa

Wednesday sting at the ridge

Shit,Shit,Shit those were the words that came out of my mouth as Coop and I were racing at the ridge,
so off the bike, kill the bee but the f'in stinger was still in my arm, so I pull out the stinger and away I go for about 2 miles. Up craters and the arm feels a little like pins and needles. By the time I hit the top the arm is total numb and starting to swell, So off the course I go and back to the van were the wife is sitting and the look on her face was like what the hell. I have her grab the first-aid kit and use some sting stuff and hit it with a cold pack, yank the wedding ring off as the hand is swelling and sit and try to calm down.
Now I have only been stung once before and never had act like this. The arm was still a little sore today but better. I swear what else could happen.
I am looking forward to the 40 next week as it will be my first one,I'm still trying to figure out what gear I will use but I guess I'll bring a few along with some different tires. Looks like we will be leaving early on Thursday morning to try to hit some of the local trails for some fun and then some rest on Friday before we race on Saturday. I hope I don't make a fool out of myself out there.
Well got to go and get some stuff done around here