Thursday, November 26, 2009

All that anxiety...

Worked up into a big ball of crazy last night. I was at work and started feeling tight and uncomfortable in my belly...then the s*%^ hit the fan. Not literally.

Sharp pains and some intense cramping that started putting me into a panic when they didn't go away and were more intense and seemed to be spaced out to where I could time them. It felt like i had ran a 5 hour marathon and had to double over due to side cramps I called the Doctor and he wanted me into labor and delivery right away to get checked out.

So, I drove in rush hour thanksgiving weekend traffic and didn't get to the hospital until almost an hour later (my work is 25 minutes from the hospital and 45 from my house). By the time I got there, the cramping had decreased but I was getting uterine cramping and short sharp cramps inbetween on my side. They hooked me up to a fetal monitor, did a cervix check and a full term test. Four hours of monitoring and they released me with the lecture "drink more water, rest more, do less".

They apparently had four of us with a march due date and similar complaints at the same time. I had the only girl and both nurses kept commenting on how strong and active the baby was, they were impressed. She didn't stop kicking the fetal monitor the entire time. I was grateful for the reassurance but it made me wonder about the other ladies in my situation on the same floor, I hope they all were sent home with a slap on the hand and not bad news.

This morning she was a little less active, but my morning violent nausea and headache told me she was clearly okay.

As my friend keep saying, I am baking a drama queen.


-- Post From My iPhone

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

The showering

No, not the naked kind.

The kind of shower that fills a room with the things you may need for a baby. Having hit 6months today, I am starting to freak out about stuff I don't have yet for Madelyn. I am a planner and a shopper of clearance items that has been stopped dead in my tracks, told to no longer buy things till after people have had an opportunity to give us the small things.

But, here's the dilemma....

We are coming into the holidays, so no showers are being planned. After Christmas, everyone will be spent and I have a feeling there will be no shower in the works and I will be 8 months along...leaving me to freak out even more that I don't have the things we need for the baby in case she comes early. I am paranoid this kid is coming early. We still don't have a carseat, bedding, a bassinet/playard thing and bottles. The things list I don't have is longer then the list of things I do have.

My friend has mentioned wanting to throw one, my mom is throwing a mini one the day after Christmas for out of town guests, and my coworkers have also mentioned maybe doing one.... But nothing is set in stone. This would to a normal person would be fine enough, but I am crazy right now. Usually I am the one throwing the shower so my planning instinct is coming to rear it's ugly head.

Argh.



-- Post From My iPhone

Monday, November 23, 2009

Pumpkin pie is almost here


I can't wait for thanksgiving. All of the food sounds amazing. I have to eat smaller amounts now more often, I think my stomach is being squished. I even requested a cheesecake from my chef uncle (they are amazing and I really want one!) so I hope he comes through!

We may have a soccer girl on our hands. She is kicking away and even slightly grossed out ash by kicking his hand so hard he jumped. Imagine if he were in my shoes! Madelyn (officially her name now) is awake most of time... Especially when I am not working and moving around. He would have a hard time dealing with all of the karate kid action I feel. He also was able to hear a faint thumping when he put his ear to my stomach. Everyday this baby becomes more real to him.

-- Post From My iPhone

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

And let of sighs of relief begin...

We got up exceptionally early to make our doctor appt at 8 am. The new ultrasound tech did a much better job this time around at keeping us in the loop on what was going on and what she was looking at. To ease our minds before she dived deep into the organ snapshots, she got us the money shot.

The old wives tales are untrue. All of the mother intuition and cravings, not to mention the missing silky smooth hair and glowing skin, are wrong. Ash and I had to verify she was sure this little babe was a she. The darling father's face didn't go all white, but you could see the football and soccer aspirations go down the drain in his eyes. And oh god, I am about to be drowned out in pepto bismo pink. Super.

The genetic counselor was amazing and really put us at ease. She walked us through the possibilities and told us that as far as she's concerned, everything is ok. They see this alot and most the time it's absolutely nothing. In our case, it's a 1 in 5000 chance that anything else is wrong using information they have. No tripsome 18 or downs and very little chance of stillborn.

We get to move on and enjoy this pregnancy as best we can without more stress. Now to drown ourselves in baby pink.

-- Post From My iPhone

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Two days

Our big appt is Tuesday. Two more days until we know for sure that the baby is a okay. Two more days until we know if this baby is a Desmond or a Madilyn....unless of course we change our minds about these names.

I have been Mia in the blogging, there isn't much to talk about lately. Just us waiting for better or more news. Kid's kickin strong, Belly is expanding, and i am still getting a variety of strange and unusual symptoms that are irriatating and lovely at the same time.

I went to a bachelorette party this weekend, man o man I cannot wait to have a glass of wine or a lemon drop when this is all over. I think I may throw my own post partum party just for the excuse to get together and have a few drinks with friends. I am not a super crazy person about drinking, but when you can't do it is when it sounds like the best thing ever.

-- Post From My iPhone

Monday, November 9, 2009

The banning of dr google


Been put on restriction from researching anything baby related that has to do with health issues. The anxiety and stress was killing me.

The baby is moving and kicking, a constant reminder that things are supposed to be okay. We are moving on the positive bandwagon and have another shopping trip planned for tomorrow. Ikea! Yah!

I think my ever popping belly is starting to get ash to think baby, which is good. Sometimes it was easy to forget we were having a baby when I wasn't showing, at least for him. Now, it's super obviously in your face, except those lovely naysayers who comment on how I don't even look pregnant. It's all those beerbongs I apparently have been downing.

We have decided that at the big ultrasound, we are going to go ahead and learn the sex (I may have already mentioned this). Maybe calling the baby by their name will help us, plus it makes my decor craziness a little easier.

-- Post From My iPhone

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Threat level: orange

As we went about our day yesterday, full of love, baby joys, and planning we had no idea that we were about to hit a shit storm when we walked into our followup doctors appt. Seriously, we ordered the crib hours before and were in one of those giggly naming moods. We were given the results of our ultrasound, the one we were told was "just fine" by the tech, and was hit in the face with some new details.

Our baby, the one moving inside me as I speak, has a two vessel cord. This is a one in hundred deal that has a potential of stillborn and a multipitude of medical complications that can affect the babys health and wellbeing. Oh yeah, but it might be nothing too. We were floored. We went from low risk to high risk in a matter of seconds. With a referal to a specialist neonatal physician in hand for a level 2 ultrasound, we were sent on our way to stir in our own doubts and fears until I can get an appt scheduled.

Google has been both my friend and my enemy today and last night. Countless women delivered normal healthy babies.... While countless others woke up one morning to deliver a baby that was no longer living. I don't know what to think. I want to stay positive, I know the baby has very little likelihood for the medical deformaties that is on one side of this...everything appeared within normal range in the organs (easiest indication of a problem) but the issue of possible stillborn makes me want to throwup I am so worried. I may be overreacting, but I have nothing else to go on. My mom and mother in law are both nurses, and when this news scares them, it makes me want to curl up in a ball with a Doppler and not reemerge unless I have a healthy infant in my arms.

The only things I can do is not stress (great, now you tell me) and be careful to not over do it. Bye bye coffee shop job, I can't fathom working one day a week just cause for 8 dollars an hour and risk my babys life. I am going to buy one of those retail Dopplers, stay off my feet more, and really stick to the rules on food, weight limits, and break schedules.

I am Jacks stressed out mama.

-- Post From My iPhone

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

A little help required....

I am a defunct color picking momma.

With the paint colors up on the wall, I need to get these wall stickers ordered asap to start being able to fully put the room together. The wall colors are bright, as in a blue/aqua and orange chair rail shown in the picture below. The fabric for the crib quilt and maybe a pillow or two is in primary colors and is ridiculously hard to locate but I think I found a source. As you can see, there are alot of colors to work with. But mainly....I need help deciding on the wall graphic colors.

The large giraffe/turtle graphic I am leaning towards a primary blue color and lime green (kinda like shown). We are also going to have a lion (primary red?), grass (lime?) and a sign pointing to the jungle (yellow?) that both will be on top of the blue/aqua color. I could also introduce a brown if necessary as the furniture is espresso (and the only thing brown in the room at the moment)....

We did just order the crib, after changing from the original option (didn't convert into a full size). The bedding will most likely be all white minky dot material with the only pattern on the blanket itself.

So....what do you all think?

Ultrasound Videos and Pictures

Let's see if this works. The video is of our little bug smacking himself in the head with his foot.



Here he/she in a plain ol' profile shot. I think the babe was moving so much that the picture is slightly blurry, kind of looks like he has two faces!


I am also making comments accessible to everyone, not just registered users, as my family and friends are following along and may not have accounts set up!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Kicking it

Seriously being kicked in the groin over and over again. Felt the first all out punch from the outside just a few minutes ago...although ash has been feeling little punches for a week or two. I also finally hit the 140 mark, I've gained 7 pounds so far.

We had a Halloween party at the house, I am still recovering from the lack of sleep, but overall it went well. A lot more toned down then last year! Next year we'll be back to the crazy costume drunken party we annually will throw till the end of our days.

For Halloween, I dressed up as Wayne from waynes world for work...still too small to wear something that screamed pregnant, so beer gut was an appropriate second.

Anyhow. I did realize the ultrasound tech didn't tell us the baby size or weight so hopefully my Dr will know. For some reason not knowing this makes me crazy.


-- Post From My iPhone