Things Have Been Crazy

I know it's been a while since I blogged, I have good reasons though and much to talk about.

Friday I had a regular OB check up. I also had my vbac counseling during this appointment. My blood pressure was a bit high before my appointment when the nurse took my vitals, so the dr had her retake it after my appointment and it was even higher. So he then directed me to go to the lab for a blood draw and urine sample and also that I was to pick up a 24 hour urine catch kit. Then I was to go right up to Labor and Delivery for them to monitor me for a little bit.

So I did all of the above. Two and half hours later I was allowed to leave. My blood pressure went down, there was trace protein in my urine sample and the dr up there said I am anemic. Which explains the ice chewing I want to constantly do.

I had to do the 24 hour urine catch Sunday...of all days. The day our team played in the Super Bowl and we were having a house full of company. Thank goodness we have two bathrooms and the jug I had to keep the urine in wasn't clear. And no one really went in the fridge, as the urine had to be kept refridgerated. I had it pushed way in the back anyway so it was out of sight.

Monday morning I went back up to the hospital to return my 24 hour urine catch to the lab and then I had to go back up to Labor and Delivery for a blood pressure check and for them to monitor the baby a bit. My blood pressure was actually very good, the highest it got was 115/70 I believe. Which is excellent, the nurse had said all 3 checks were lower than hers were that day! But then my results came in from the 24 hour catch and the doctor came in to discuss things.

Apparently, my protein level was extremely high in the 24 hour catch. Also I've had some other things going on that I experience but they come and go on their own. The dr said I was being diagnosed with mild pre-eclampsia and I was now going to have a whole mess of appointments and that I was being induced in two weeks at 37 weeks pregnant. Two weeks. I then had to have blood drawn, he scheduled all of the appointments I was going to be having the rest of this week and for next week and then he scheduled my induction. Now instead of having 5 weeks left, we only had 2 to finish preparing. He also did an exam to check if I had any progress going on inside. He said I was a fingertip (1 cm) on the outer part and barely open on the inner part so they were calling it closed overall. My cervix was high and I was 70% effaced (which seems like a lot for being only 35 weeks). He also said he didn't feel baby's head so she's not down in my pelvis just yet.


The appointments I was going to be having in the next two weeks were 2 NST's (non-stress test) this week and next week, a lab stop next week for blood draw, a high risk ob appt next week and also fluid checks after my NST's, which those are done via ultrasound.

So the next day, Tuesday, I had my first NST. My blood pressure was down, which is great. The baby was fine. They did a quick ultrasound after to check fluids and my levels were perfect. I got to see her hair and also see her practicing breathing. My next NST is tomorrow (Friday) and I also have a fetal growth ultrasound afterwards to check her size. Then next week, another two NST's, lab work and my ob appointment.

My induction date is February 21st, 2011. Ironically that is also our 5 year wedding anniversary! I have to call between 5:30-6 am to find out what time to come in to get things started.

I had asked the dr about the induction process since I am doing a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). He said they will use pitocin along with the foley bulb, which is a catheter that is inserted and blown up (like a little balloon) and it basically manually dialates you to 3-4 cm. He said if I am not dialated at all they would use pitocin until I am enough to get the foley bulb in, but hopefully I am dialated a little bit so both can be used from the start.

It's been a whirlwind since finding out all of this stuff on Monday. I haven't even had time to let it sink in and get excited that she'll be here in 11 days from today. There's many things to finish doing and buying that we thought we had much longer to get it all done in. Plus getting things in place for having care for Dillon too while I am giving birth. I am hoping things go smoothly and quickly and that my VBAC is successful and we can both come home 24 hours after she's born.

I won't lie, I am getting nervous and having a lot of anxiety the more I think about it all. I am sure we will both be fine and things will go well. But I am nervous of her lung development since she will be born 3 weeks early. If I will be able to have a successful VBAC or not. If she will be of a good weight and be able to regulate her own body temperature. Just so many things. Also...the thought of my VBAC itself is giving me anxiety. I haven't had a vaginal birth before, I don't know what that is like. Frankly, the unknown is a bit scary in this situation!

But I am trying to remain positive. I am trying to get things done but also get the rest that the dr said I needed to be getting. It's been hectic since the news, but hopefully things will work out fine in the end.

Opened Up Shop and An Update

After much debate, I took the plunge. I started a shop, small business...whatever you want to call it.

Here is a link to the page, if anyone is interested. You can buy instantly. So feel free to "like" my business page and spread the word. I just started out and already have filled two orders. I am very excited!

Made With Love

Dillon is doing very well in school. There is a little girl in his class, who is just the cutest thing I've ever seen by the way. The other day when I picked him up, he kept pointing at her and saying "freh" (friend). Then the next morning I asked if he was going to see Raven (her name) and he replied "Rayen" so he tried saying her name. Then as we walked up to the bench where his class meets, he saw her getting off the bus and smiled big and got very excited! It was absolutely adorable!! He still has a cough and runny nose, poor thing. I hope he is over this cold soon. The cough sounds a little deep and it's got to be from the post nasal drip due to his congestion. I hate when he's sick...makes me feel so bad for him. Poor thing has been sick the majority of the time since he started school. Oh, those germy little kids.

I am just about 35 1/2 weeks. Time feels like it's dragging so slowly. I have so much to get done and it feels like I will never get it all completed before she comes. I have to wash baby clothes, hang them. Put away her non-clothing items...buy the swing and bouncer once we get our tax return. We are splitting the remaining money after we put most of it into savings. So I will use my portion to buy the last of the baby stuff I want to get. I just wish I had that nesting energy I had when I was pregnant with Dillon. I've heard that most don't get it with subsequent children...but I am holding onto that little bit of chance that it will come. I'm just so tired and my left hand is always numb and my right hand is always stiff/sore. I had a contraction yesterday, which I am sure was just braxton hicks. I've been crampy down low on and off for a few days and then yesterday my belly felt really tight and like I couldn't breathe. I figured she was just pushing outward like she does from time to time. But when I went to push back to make her stop like usual, my belly felt like a rock under the skin and I didn't feel her move. So it was definitely a contraction, whether it was braxton hicks or otherwise I won't ever know I suppose. 

I have a check up tomorrow, I'll be recieving my VBAC counseling. I am very anxious. I will be sure to post about what was discussed. I am concerned the dr will suggest scheduling a RCS (repeat c-section) for incase I do not go into labor on my own by a certain date. If the dr tries to do this I plan to lay down the law and refuse. If anything is to be scheduled incase I do not labor naturally...it will be an induction. So, we shall see how it all goes.

Other than that, just waiting for my due date to get here. I'm officially due next month, so that is exciting to say. The SuperBowl is this Sunday, hopefully our team wins! Go Steelers!!!

Hello Weekend

It has been longer than I would prefer, since I last blogged. I have just been too exhausted from...well, everything.

I'm not sleeping well at all during the night anymore from my hands. I either wake up constantly from a numb left hand or a very painful right hand and nothing soothes the pain. The wrist splints I used to have no longer work and Tylenol PM doesn't do anything for my hand pain for some reason. It's quite exhausting to say in the least.

I have been making clippies and I'm so pleased with how they are turning out! I found a new way to decorate them so that has been exciting. Here is a photo of all the clips I've made for Maliya. I have also made 5 as gifts, but they are not pictured below. I made the photo extra large so you can see the detail on them.

Dillon has been doing great in school. He was out Wednesday because he wasn't feeling good, Thursday I had to pick him up early because he had the runs that afternoon from the popsicles he ate Wednesday morning. He only missed nap time though. Yesterday he woke up at 5:30 am and then at school they had the Nickel Fair as well as water play for his class. So it was a very active day and he ended up falling asleep for about an hour and a half on the couch. Poor kid was drained!

This afternoon I'm taking him to get a haircut. His appointment is at 4, he really needs his hair did it's just been so wild looking! Then after that he is hanging out with Daddy at home and I am off to get my brows done as well as a pedi :) Mr said to go have some 'me' time so I am going to. I surely deserve it and need it. 

Other than that I am just ready to have this baby. I want her out now. I'm absolutely miserable and I don't want to suffer these remaining weeks or make Mr and Dillon suffer either. I've been snapping much more at both of them and I really don't mean to. I feel awful but they would never understand what I am going through. I actually cried this morning because I was just in a terrible mood from not getting much sleep last night (my hands and Dillon woke up at 5 am this morning) and I felt really bad for losing my patience with both of them so quickly. Not to mention I am tired of the itching. Everything itches and very badly. I have mini cuts on my legs from scratching them raw and I have blood bruises under my faded stretch marks on my biceps. I can't help it though, saying not to scratch is easier said than done. And I use oatmeal body wash and lotion but they don't work anymore. Apparently it's from the swelling. My ankles are gone and my feet look like balloons.

Tomorrow Mr is going to the NFL Pro Bowl. I'm jealous, I would love to go. But we have no sitter, I'm almost 35 weeks pregnant and they will be tailgating all morning before the game. I hope they have fun though! He's going to get some souvineers, I hope there's one for me in there!!! I know he'll really enjoy it, he doesn't get out and do much...especially with friends. I am really happy he is going, he is going to have a great time and he deserves some fun with the guys.

What A Wednesday

Last night Boog felt warm when I checked him after he had fallen asleep. He was fine all afternoon and evening until just before bed, when I was getting him ready. So around 11, before I was falling asleep, I wanted to check him one more time. He felt very hot and woke up. He was whining and laying there looking miserable. So I gave him some Advil, held him for a minute and then layed him back down and he went to sleep.

He woke up fine this morning, but I had a feeling he would get warm again around the time he starts getting ready for school. I was right, his temperature was only 99.5 but he was refusing to drink anything and just snuggled all morning. He also kept yawning and had very dark circles under his eyes. So I talked to Mr and we decided to keep him home from school today. Today was early release anyway and we felt he needed rest more than going to school for a few hours.

So he layed around all morning, snuggling me. He ate 4 icy-pops, took two sips of his drink and then started falling asleep while leaning on me around 11:30 ish (I think). So I let Mr hold him and snuggle while I got the Advil and gave him a dose since he had been warm all morning and I was holding off until nap time. Then Mr took him up to bed and tucked him in for a nap, he was out like a light.

Mr and I watched Friday Night Lights all morning and then he just went to nap himself. Dillon just woke up a little bit ago so after I post this I have to go open his door up for him. I am hoping he is feeling much better. I am wondering if the few strawberries he ate after dinner didn't agree with him, from last night. He had been absolutely fine up until right before bed.

After Mr wakes up, we're going to all go to the store to get some things. Mr needs to pick up stuff for this weekend. He and a bunch of guys he works with are going to the NFL Pro Bowl on the 30th. And I am making my lasagna for him and two of his buddies he works with tomorrow night, for their dinner.

I might make a few clips this afternoon if Dillon is feeling better. I made a couple last night, one is my absolute favorite and always will be. It's an Autism Awareness hair clip. I made it so Maliya can show her love and support for her big brother :) I also had someone ask me how much my clips were because she's interested in buying some! That makes me feel really good, I can't even begin to tell you. I made something that someone is wanting to actually pay me for. Just too cool.

Here is the photo of the Autism Awareness clippie I made. I've made 7 clips total, but this is the best one.

Sleepy Sunday

Goodness, I didn't realize it's been almost a week since I last blogged. Time sure got away from me!

I ended up going back to SDEC on Thursday morning after I dropped Boog off at school. My ear had been hurting really badly all night. The doctor thinks it is more of an ENT issue, so she put in a referral to see them and she also said she would put in a prescription for a Z-Pak but it would be my choice to take it or not. She didn't think it would really do much since she's certain I don't have a sinus infection, so I didn't pick it up because I agree. She thinks it's likely the viral infection Dillon had the week before and is still getting over. I concur. I've just got the congestion, which of course is exhausting and not fun at all. The coughing and constantly blowing my nose.

Dillon hasn't been feeding himself at school with a fork for some reason. His teacher wrote a two page letter, basically lecturing me about how I am keeping him from being independent. I replied with a two page letter stating every thing he does that is independent...in detail. Then Friday when I picked him up at school she said apparently he will eat with a fork but only if it is something he likes. He eats perfectly fine at home with a fork. She also said he looks confused at the soap when he's washing his hands at school. Funny...because here he surely knows what to do with soap and washing his hands. He washed them 3 times yesterday on his own. I honestly think there is just too much going on at school for him to focus. He is not shining with his skills at school like he does at home and the pace of school versus home is the only thing that is different. His teacher has said a couple of times that Dillon has an extremely short attention span...which we've known. He has always been that way. So of course it will be a little harder for him to focus at school with kids around and things constantly happening compared to home where it is just him as the only child and the pace is much more slow and calm. I hope time can fix this issue because she really isn't seeing him act to his full capabilities like he does at home. He hasn't been going to school long so we'll see if time can get him situated.

I am 34 weeks pregnant tomorrow. Time is really dragging these final weeks. I am ready to be done. I'm tired. Tired of being sick. Sick of having pains everywhere. But there is still so much to get done. I have to still buy the swing and bouncer, hopefully once we get our tax money back. I need to wash all of her clothes in the coming weeks and hang them or put them away. I need to buy some more diapers and wipes to stock up a little bit. I have to go through the non-clothing things we have for her and put it away. It just feels like so much. Not to mention hang up her name letters above her crib, that I painted. And buy a stand for her name plaque I made. I also want to get a wooden frame to paint and put the butterfly from her valance in it, since we won't ever use the valance that came with the bedding set. I remember nesting by this point with Dillon, but it feels like I will never get that energy this time around. Of course being sick doesn't help at all or the fact I've been sick every single month, for weeks at a time, since I got pregnant.

Today are the championship games for football. The winners of these go to the SuperBowl. I kind of want the Steelers to win, as they are our team. But at the same time I have my reasons that I kind of don't want them to win. We shall see I guess. It's anyone's game today.

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend :)

What A Day

It has been quite a day, to say in the least.

I had an awful morning. To make a long story short, I wasted an hour and a half waiting at the SDEC (same day emergency clinic) to be seen then left because I needed to eat and get Dillon shortly after. I was told 15 minutes by the trolley guy who was supposed to come get me and take me to my car since it was parked about 3/4 a mile away...all uphill, well over 100 steps. Let me tell you what, that 15 minutes turned into over 30 minutes and I gave up and made the hike to my car. The entire time I was climbing the stairs, I watched for the trolley van and it never drove by. It took me about 15-20 minutes to go from the entrance of the hospital to my car. Once I got there I sat down and cried my eyes out.

The afternoon was much better. I got a 52 minute nap before picking Dillon up from school. He was good all afternoon/evening and despite having two final papers to write and post for my classes...it wasn't so bad. I managed to get through them and got them up in time. Now I can have two weeks homework free before my next two courses start.

I am going to go back to the SDEC tomorrow morning after I drop Dillon off at school and hopefully I can be seen rather quickly. I guess it depends on how I feel when I wake up, if I am feeling any better then I won't waste the time going. I'm not sure it's just a sinus infection anymore because I had a low-grade fever last night. I've been sick every single month since getting pregnant, for 2-3 weeks at a time.

Have you ever felt that although the end was near, it would never come? That is how I am feeling with this pregnancy. Earlier this evening, Mr gave me a hug and I just started crying. I have become so miserable in the past couple of weeks and it's only getting worse. How much more can my body take of the strain and pain? Will I ever get the energy that I need to get the organizing done in preparation of the baby's arrival? I have so much that I want to do, but I just cannot bring myself to do it physically. Between the pain and constantly being sick...I feel so unprepared even though we have everything we need.

I hope once this Tylenol PM kicks in, I can go to sleep and get some rest. I woke up too many times last night between my fever and having to go pee. Here's to hoping the morning brings a better day for me.

Photo Frenzy

I thought I'd post some photos of the crafts I've been working on and have completed.

Here is the baby's afgan

Dillon's name plaque

Maliya's name plaque

My first hair bow