Joy!

Okay....these pregnant women are WAY too HAPPY to be really pregnant....they must be faking!

However, today I went to see Dr. L.  And, he is taking me off full pelvic rest.  Now I can return to some of my normal activities! YAY! 

Also, if I go into labor...wait for it....HE WON'T STOP ME!!!!!!!!!!!! (Insert evil laugh here) 

Now, just to be clear:  I will not stoop to doing something stupid like taking castor oil or something equally ridiculous.  But...that won't stop me from walking and walking and walking.  (Kind of reminds me of a primary song that I used to sing "Pregnant women sang as they walked and walked"....I mean "Pioneer Children Sang as they walked and walked"). 

I still am off of work though...Dr. L's orders...for another week :). 

Okay...now the first item of business now that I have fewer restrictions???? Clean my house.  I know....I'm such a rebel. 

Ps.  I'm still at a 1 and 70% effaced.

Different Day--Same Story

I'm still here...and still very pregnant!  At least Beau gets some more growing time!

I keep having contractions like crazy...and as much as I hate the Terbutaline pills...I take them when it gets real bad to try and give Beau a few more days and avoid another hospital trip. 

So, what else is going on here? 

I took 2...YES 2...trips out of my house yesterday!

I feel like a shut-in.  So, I took a trip to the bank drive through to deposit some checks I've been procrastinating.  I'm still allowed to drive, but not allowed to shop...or basically anything...so drive throughs are one of my only options. 

The second trip was to ride with Jereld to pick up a pizza we ordered from our favorite place...and it was DELICIOUS! I wish it was as cheap as Dominos or Little Caesars or a place like that, but I guess you get what you pay for! 

In other interesting things I want to record:

Either Beau LOVES or HATES baths...I haven't figured out which one yet.  I take a lot of baths these days...it relaxes me...and gives me something to do.

Anyways.......when I take baths he MOVES LIKE CRAZY! It's like my whole stomach is doing the WAVE! It's entertaining to watch.

Okay...enough about my boring life...update your blogs people so I'll have something to do while I'm stuck doing NOTHING!

Thank Heavens it's Thursday!

I am officially 35 weeks pregnant today! YAY! 

But...I'm somewhat bored out of my mind.  All I can really do right now is read or watch TV and movies.  I have been by myself for 3 days now (so fun!) since Jereld works Tues, Wed, and Thurs.  I'm glad he only works 3 days a week right now and not 5.  He may work 12 hour shifts, but it's nice to have him around for 4 days in a row!!!!!

So, what's new with me? Well...I had another trip to the hospital early Wednesday morning (3am).  After my last hospital stay, I was under the impression that my Dr. was not going to try to stop my labor anymore.  I was wrong.  When I called him, he asked me how far along I was again.  I told him 34 weeks 6 days.

His reply, "So, not 35 weeks yet then, huh?"

And, when I got to the hospital they gave me 3 shots of Terbutaline again (my favorite...NOT!).

So, after that, I'm not so sure at what point my Dr. won't stop labor. 

In ways I am glad that he is stopping my labor.  Beau will be more mature and less likely to need to go to the NICU. 

But, there is the other side of me that is ready to be done getting medicated...done being pregnant...done being miserable...and ready to meet Beau!  I'm not very fond of the side effects the medicine has on me...it's yucky! I also feel like that maybe since my body is trying SO HARD to have this baby, that it might be time to just let my body do its thing. 

Ugh...then again...if Beau has complications due to being born early, I don't want to feel guilty for it!

What to do...what to do...

Our Staycation?????

WARNING: LONG! But for my memories--so bear with me!

Let me tell you a little bit about our "staycation!" 

Everyone was SOOOO hospitable (pun intended). 

We've heard of friends and neighbors going to local get-away spots to recharge their batteries.  Well, let me tell you...we only choose the most expensive of locations (gag).

Yep, that's right! We went to the hospital again...this time for a sleepover (which was slightly like the ones as a kid...we got very little sleep--only difference? it wasn't fun).  (Sidenote: if you're checking my punctuation and grammar...don't...it won't happen...you'll be lucky if this post is coherent). 

I'll try to sum up the story as best as possible (Jereld may have to fill in the details as the medicine I was on tends to make you forget things and not think straight--In fact, the nurse said that women who are on this medicine that go into labor forget a lot of the details of their experience.)

Friday--Regular check-up with my OB.  Or so I thought.  He checked me (skip the next few lines if you're concerned about reading TMI).

I was starting to dialate and efface (I was at a 1 and 70% effaced). Not good at all.  The doc was worried that I was going into labor much too soon.  Told me to stay on pelvic rest and continue my meds.  He also said to call if things got worse. 

That day--instead of taking 1 or 2 pills (my previous daily average), I took SIX.  That's right SIX.  My contractions didn't completely stop, but slowed quite a bit and after a call to the Doctor on Call (not my Dr.  My Dr. is Dr. L******  this was Dr. T********--by the way, this will be censored for names and locations for added safety), I went to bed.


Saturday--Woke up.  Had some contractions--nothing too serious just the usual.  Jereld was making me take it extra easy because of the previous day.  Planned a fun night with our friends Tyler and Emily that included me sitting in a chair at the table to play games.  An hour and a half before our double date, we had to cancel.  I told Jereld I wasn't feeling well and that I probably needed to just lay down because the contractions were getting more frequent.  Took 2 pills...an hour later my contractions were STILL not stopping, called the Dr (happened to be Dr. T still).  Dr. T told us to go in.  So, we went to the hospital.  Once they got me hooked up to the monitor, they immediately saw 2 contractions within 5 minutes (yup...that close) and gave me a shot of Terbutaline.  Stopped the contractions, but my uterus was still "quivering" which is fine according to Labor & Delivery Triage and Dr. T.   Dr. T sends me home with 2 Ambien to take right before bed which are supposed to knock me out.  Before bed, I start contracting again.  Since it had been 4 hours, I took another pill and my 2 Ambien and try to sleep.  It took me 1.5 hours to fall asleep (made me so mad). 

Sunday--Woke up.  Jereld made me stay in bed (except for a bathroom trip) to eat breakfast.  Then he made me stay because I started contractions again . Took 2 more pills...not even close to stopping my contractions an hour later.  Called the on call Doc (Sorry Dr. T...you're the lucky winner of a fun weekend with me) who had us go in.  When we got there, we got the results of the FfN (go to the link for WAY too much information) test that was done the day before...it was positive (which means I have about a 50/50 or something chance of delivering within the next 7 to 10 days.  Because of the result, the Dr. T decided to do a "Mag (Magnesium) Wash" (the link explains the preterm labor bit on the bottom...if you're interested). Dr. T also decided to do 2 steroid shots to develop the babies lungs faster in case he does come early (and MAN those shots sting!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I was admitted to the hospital because you have to have constant monitoring while on Magnesium Sulfate because in rare cases you can stop breathing and die (but it is RARE--and they watch you like crazy). 

Hospital did blood work--Potassium was real low...got a potassium drip as well.  Lovely.  Especially since I drink quite a bit of Gatorade.

Night nurse was a CRAB.  Had to go pee about every 30 to 45 minutes because of IV and Magnesium makes you really warm--and very thirsty I might add which contributes to the problem .

Jereld helped me go to the bathroom and unhook all of my monitors 50 billion times (he's a trooper). 

When I wasn't going to the bathroom, the nurses were constantly coming in and checking my lungs and reflexes and blood pressure...and pulse...and ....and ....and 

One time, I almost got angry with a nurse who came in.  Here's our conversation:

Let me set the scene:  I was finally able to fall asleep for a little bit.  Nurse comes in loudly and wakes me up. 

Nurse: (After seeing me wake up confused) Were you aware that you were having contractions?
Me: No.  I was asleep.
Nurse: Were they painful?
Me: Probably not.  I was sleeping through them. 
Nurse: Okay.  Well get some rest.

ARE YOU KIDDING?!?!?!??!

I got less than 2 hours of sleep last night....and yes I'm still going.

Monday: New nurse.  We like this one. Very sweet.  Dr. L comes in for a check-up probably before heading to the office. 

Dr. L lets me know that there are side effects to continually stopping my labor.  The steroid shots will be in full force at 12:45 tomorrow.  In weighing my health while trying to remain pregnant and the possible health of the baby if he were born, he feels that it is not a good idea to keep trying to stop my labor.  He wants me to still go as long as possible on my own and at least until the steroids are in full effect, but basically told me that I don't need to come in unless I'm having painful (as in: stop me in my tracks) contractions every 5 minutes for about an hour.  He ordered an ultrasound just to make sure the baby wasn't too small to make it on his own. AND---guess what.  I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule (Beau is BIG)--A WHOPPING 6 LBS 12 OZ...at more than 5 weeks early. Yikes!

Dr. L also mentioned that it's possible the baby is ready to come. At that weight...he might be right. 

So...they discharged me with instructions to remain on pelvic rest, but unless I go into labor I don't need to go to the hospital.  I can also take my pills if it makes me feel more comfortable. 



Are you still with me?????

Thank you for reading this post...I know it took a while!

Some more stuff!

Ok...so before I get to my sewing projects I have to add this. 

I was just sitting at the computer and Jereld just asked me what this plastic bag was as he opened the sack and took a very close look.  I almost died at his reaction.  His face puckered up, and he looked like he was going to die!  Then, I remembered. I had cooked a pound of hamburger on Wednesday...today is Saturday.  Usually, I just put the wrapper in a sack and have Jereld take it right to our garbage bin outside (that way it doesn't stink up my house.  It's generally tied up.  Well, I tied it up in the sack...and then my pregnancy brain forgot to tell him to take it out to the trash.  OOOOPS! Sorry Jereld!

Now, I'm smelling a plethera of air freshner.  A whole plethera...ha ha.

Okay to the pictures of my projects.

Tiny little baby shoes! This was my first pair...the next ones will be better and easier!

Curtains for my living room! This is one of my dining room windows, because Jereld hasn't bought more curtain rods for me yet.  They will go up in the living room sometime.  They were initially just brown, but they looked to plain and boring...so I added the ribbon and yoyos.  PS--Yoyos are SO EASY to make with yoyo makers! Oh and the yoyos and ribbon match the pillows I made.

The infamous monkey! I tried to explain this monkey to my sister...she couldn't follow.  So here are some pictures! I did this applique monkey quite a few months ago.  I just added the border and the back and finished it recently. Now, it's a blanket! Yay! Not just a piece of fabric with a monkey sewn on it! 

Here you can see the fabric on the back:

Okay...so this isn't a project, but it's still funny.  The dogs sleep in their doggie playpen, but they used to have a bed. In fact, they have had about 4 beds recently.  They just destroy every one we give them.  So, to conserve money, we've decided that they don't need a bed if they're just going to tear it up!

Can you tell which dog is a spoiled little brat?????? HA HA! We laugh at her all the time! She does this every night!  There are even times that we catch her trying to "fluff" the other dogs to make them more comfortable.  Maybe the poor babies will quit destroying dog beds eventually...but probably not. 

Pictures of my Productivity

2 Little Church Outfits (the vest is reversible...so one vest two outfits)

3 Ties (Jereld's Favorite is the fish one)

A Pair of Camo Pants...Jereld loves them.

5 Pillow Covers for our living room couches...they are removable so they can be washed (my favorite).

Oh...and yes they do have mountain lions on them (once again...Jereld loves them).

2 More Crib Sheets just like the orange one I made a while back.

A "Don't Touch my Baby" Carseat cover...in Camo and Orange (Jereld says this is the baby's hunting blind...if you don't know what that means, ask a hunter)

Pelvic Rest

Not being able to do anything...or go anywhere sucks! I have watched so much Food Network in the past couple days (because Jereld works Tuesday-Thursday).  I'm hoping to be a little less bored during the weekend because Jereld will be home.

In the meantime, I've been sewing and sewing and sewing.

In just the past few days, I've sewed the following:

-A "don't touch my baby" carseat cover.

-2 pairs of little baby pants.  One is camo (Jereld's favorite) and one matches this little church vest I made for Beau).

-2 crib sheets.  One matches the quilt and diaper bag my mom made me.  One is brown and black plaid (I got the fabric for like $1 a yard...cheap!)

-5 pillow covers for the pillows on my living room couches.  I already had 2 off white pillows that needed covered, and then (thanks to my friend Brooke) 3 pillows that needed covered (one fuzzy green, one fuzzy pink, and one with a design on it that matched the other 2).  BONUS: The covers are just pillow cases that come off and wash easily. 


Good thing I got a serger for Christmas! Thanks Jereld...I mean Santa.  I will have to post pictures once Jereld gets home...if I remember.