A cause for celebration?

It is my one month anniversary of bed rest.... I'll take any reason to celebrate at this point! We are off for another ultrasound soon, can not wait to see our little lady!

36 Weeks!!

WE MADE IT ANOTHER WEEK!!!!

I am beyond thrilled, we are one week from Nyla being to term, and every day that she is able to stay in my stomach makes me feel more confident she is strong enough to come out of it!! I count every day now as a blessing, and I really have to say I appreciate how hard all my doctors are working with me to help me keep her cooking until she is ready!

We are officially in month nine!!! Nyla is my little watermelon, little not being the correct adjective, but I am using it none-the-less. She is finalizing her lungs and brain, and all her bones are solid, sturdy and ready for the big game! She is practicing blinking, breathing and sucking and is depositing fat at this point, so our little chunky monkey may come out full of adorable little dimples.

I think this is the happiest I have been in a really long time. Below is possibly the last update of Nyla as produce, I can not believe we are almost at the end!

Another Week, Another Hospital Visit....

The title of this post says it all, only this time they think the elevated blood pressure was just an anxiety attack. I was supposed to go to the Dr. at 6:30 to discuss when we were going to be inducing me... apparently it got to me. At 2:00 I started feeling funny, and it just got worse. Finally I checked my blood pressure:

I called, went into the office, by the time I was sent to the hospital it was 160/102. I got to the hospital, started to relax, Mike came a gave me a big hug and told me that trip #3 was going to be uneventful and that the only way we were going to go home and not have a baby was if I calmed down. Here is Mike trying to make me laugh about trip #3:

We watched comedy central and while they ran my labs my BP dropped back down to normal. The doctor called them "Beautiful Levels"

This made me very happy.

As soon as we started talking to the doctor, however, about how this can not happen again because next time I am going to have a baby, it shot back up to 138/100.... this is when she said it was definitely stress related and told me to go home, relax, and sleep.

We have a follow up on Monday morning at 8:15, and we are taking it from there. The doctor is also going to try to jump-start things naturally, and told us ways that we can try to naturally create progress so that I can work towards my other goal, NOT having a c-section. So much for addressing one thing at at time. Regardless, I am so happy that I was able to wait it out another week,

now lets see if I can make it to 37 ;-)

Acceptance

So now that I have had a chance to process I am trying to see the positive of Nyla coming this week.

1- It is the best thing to do for both of us healthwise

2- Chinese New Year starts at the end of January leaves me a whole month that China will not be emailing me and so I can focus on adjusting to being a mom.

3- The pro-bowl is this weekend, who cares about the pro bowl anyways!?!?!

4- I will finally get to hold her.

5- I will be able to see my toes again.

6- I am able to take awesome BP meds as of this afternoon because they are no longer concerned about them masking Pre-E, so I am going to start to physically feel a little better.

7- I can have some say/control in the situation, and anyone who knows me knows i love to plan EVERYTHING.

8- They initially told me I would be lucky to make it to 32 weeks, I made it to 36, take that doctors!!!!

9- No matter what happens I have an amazing support system of family and friends who will be there for me to help me through whatever the future holds.

I think I am ok with this.

Maybe Baby....

I just got back from an appointment with my specialist, and she told me what I already knew she was going to say. Her professional recommendation is to have Nyla delivered by the end of the week.

I am still processing....

HOLY CRAP

The ticker is in the last box. Holy Crap.

35 week Ultrasound

This week we did not get a growth ultrasound (boo) but we did get a doppler and Biophysical Profile and some pictures (yay)

It was so cool, we got to watch Nyla practice breathing, and her lungs were really strong, which makes me feel so much better in the even that she does come sooner than I would like. Apparently she looked perfect, and with the help of some food, grape soda and ice water we were able to get her to move her feet and one of her hands out of her face!

We had the same awesome tech as last time, and she really put the effort in to get us a good shot! We also found out she has a house in Midway 5 blocks from us, so she said we are going to have to come by and let her see what Nyla looks like on the outside!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeere's baby chubby cheeks!!!!

YAY!!

MIKE PUT TOGETHER THE BABY SWING!!!

I love it! I ended up buying it myself as a treat last week when I was feeling sort of bummed out... I am so happy right now, and I can not wait to put her in it!!!

35 weeks!!

Woooo Hoooo!

We made it to 35 weeks, the last week in month 8!!! Considering that just 2 weeks ago we were having concerns that Nyla would be here by now, I am so happy to say that she is still staying put!

We went to the doctors appointment yesterday, and Nyla still looks absolutely perfect on the monitors. Me... eh... my BP was a little high (170/90) so they had me hang for a few hours and let me go home and back to bedrest when it hit 138/90.

I had a major happy day though, I reached a GREAT compromise with my doctors! They wanted to induce me next week (January 27th) and I had a lot of concerns about her still being pre-term. The doctors and I came to the agreement that unless my BP jumps up to a point where it is high and sustained (not just a random emotional spike) I can sit and bake this baby until AT LEAST 38 weeks!!!

Now don't get me wrong, I am over bedrest, being uncomfortable, all that, but to know that she can stay in there until she is ready seems to make it all better!!!

Tomorrow we have another ultrasound, and a follow up with the doctors to check my bloodwork and BP levels. Basically from now on I am living part time in bed and part time at my doctors office.

PS...... the produce this week is still a honeydew, just a fatter one...

OFFICIAL BABY SHOWER ANNOUNCEMENT

Unfortunately, because of my bedrest we are officially going to have to postpone my baby shower. I kind of bummed, but excited because we are going to have a "meet the baby" shower :)

I am going to try getting ahold of everyone via email and I thought it could not hurt to post it here as well. We will be sending out info on the new date once Nyla makes her debut :)

Last Night

So now that the fun ultrasound pictures are uploaded (the best part of the day) I can bitch about last night/this morning (the worst part of the day) For no apparent reason yesterday, my blood pressure spiked up again, and we were off to the hospital. When I checked in I was at a lovely 158/106. I was not pleased. After a few hours, it gradually came back down, and I was told the same as before, BEDREST BEDREST BEDREST. The doctor also told me that she wants Nyla to make her debut January 27th. I might have a January baby, and January is almost over... I am nervous for her to come out so soon, but so excited to finally get to hold her! I just hope these trips to the hospital do not become a weekly thing...

Below are some pics documenting trip #2 to the hospital....

Me getting settled in the uncomfortable hospital bed:

Mike trying to figure out what the heck the monitor means:

AAnnndddd it's midnight:

Me waiting to go home (it was after 1am in this picture, I was ready to leave):

34 Week Ultrasound

Well, she is a confirmed fatty! Nyla is a whopping 5 lbs 14 oz already! We got to see her chubby little fingers and toes in 3D, but as usual she had her hands in her face the whole time. She did, however, change it up a little and bring her foot into the mix. We also saw on the ultrasound that she already has a bunch of hair! Looks like she is going to come out with a head full of it!!! Here is a shot of her hands and foot:

Here is her cute little ear:

And another of her cute chubby fingers:

34 Weeks!

Week 34, we are getting down to the wire now.... all that keeps running through my head is that terrible song by Europe The Final Countdown...

with my blood pressure/bed rest issues, it is terrifying to think that according to the doctor at an point from now on she could be coming.... at this point we are getting to the end of the 8th month, all Nya's vital organs are in tact and finalizing, and she is getting squished because she is getting FAT. We have an ultrasound tomorrow so we will see just how much weight she has gained in the last 2 weeks :) According to Baby Center and the Bump she is a large cantaloupe, average is 4.5 lbs, but we know she has already cruised past that milestone, so the picture below is purely for the sake of a picture.

No Change

After the big outing to the doctors office, no change... Nyla still looks perfect, I am still on bedrest... we have an ultrasound on Thursday at the hospital to see how big she has gotten, lets hope she has not gained too much weight!!!!

almost there

A pleasant surprise!!!!

I was feeling a little down in the dumps yesterday about the whole bedrest thing and having a minor pity party because I am missing out on some things that Mike and I were planning on doing "before the baby gets here" Well my mom and nick stopped by and gave me a great surprise! Just in case the baby shower becomes a "meet the baby" shower because of the bedrest they gave me a mini-shower :) It was a great afternoon. (forgive me bedridden appearance and the fact I kept crying) Mom got all the stuff I was stressing over because we really needed to get before baby, but I was stuck in bed! I feel so much more prepared.... I think we can have a baby now.

33 weeks!

Well, 33 weeks is bittersweet for me. I am excited to get through another week, but this morning I discovered that I have, in fact, developed quite a few stretch marks... That was the one thing that I really still had going for me, I was proud of my flawless (be it hairy) belly, and it is no more. They seriously showed up out of NOWHERE! I guess all the cocoa butter and stretch oil in the world can not trump genetics.

This week the baby is the size of a pineapple, though according to all the websites she should only be a little over 4lbs, and we know that aint the case with this one :) She is approximately 17 inches long, and gaining about 1/2 lb a week going forward!

STROLLER!

Mookie put the stroller together and figured out how the carseat hooks in... YAY!!!!

CARSEAT!!

I broke the rules, I got out of bed, I could not help it! The carseat/carrier and stroller came today, I had to open it. LOVE it, but definitely not fitting in the back of the mini cooper....

I am back on bed now, and my BP is fine...

50 Days

I have 50 days left, and in honor of that I thought I would post a picture of how we celebrated 50 days at SBU. My how things have changed.....

Smile Sweetheart, You Are NOT Having a Baby Today!

We made our 1st trip to labor & delivery yesterday, luckily we came home empty handed. I went in for my follow up appointment and while all my labs came back fine, my BP was still spiking so they sent me over to the hospital. I have to say it was kind of strange being in the room, seeing all the equipment and it freaked me out a little (no wonder the BP would not go down)

They monitored me, took more samples, and about 5 hours later sent me on my merry way. The nurse could tell I was getting anxious (i had not had anything to eat or drink since 9pm the night before and it was after 5pm at this point) and she just looked at me and said, "Smile sweetheart, you are not having a baby today!" So true. I want her to come, but not this soon!

Anyways, I am now on bedrest for the week, we will see what happens at my appointment on Monday. The great news- Nyla is doing wonderfully and everything with her is perfect, it is just me that is the problem!!!!

a few more pics from the cell phone....

mookie patiently waiting watching re-runs of law & order, the monitor, and what mike refers to as the super baby-heater-upper

bedrest

What a way to ring in the new year.

today started great, we had an ultrasound, and Chris came with us, which was awesome. Unfortunately no good pictures came out,

she is too big to get a good shot now!

We found out that my little chubster is already 4lbs 15oz, a full pound above average! She is measuring 33 weeks 5 days, and the doctor even mentioned that she may be a Valentines baby! Her heartrate was 144, and everything looked good. Then I went to the normal doctors appointment and it went downhill.

My blood pressure is elevating, and there were traces of protein in my urine :( Also my swelling is a little bit of a concern, and my uterus is measuring at 36 weeks (I am only 32) anyways, I am being transfered from my midwife to a "real" OB, and I am on bedrest until my appointment Monday am. I am monitoring my bp, and basically if it spikes I have to go directly to Labor & Delivery for a C-section. Looks like Nyla may be joining us sooner than we thought. I am just going to stay in bed and hope that nothing has elevated on Monday.