Monday, March 26, 2012

40 weeks...and 4 days

Here I sit. On the couch. On March 26. FOUR days past my due date. With no signs of having a baby. Any time soon.

Don't get me wrong...all is well. I feel fine, healthy, and in the mornings I have lots of energy and get good stuff done. Today was my first day home with Lincoln. I stopped working on Friday. I figured that since I'd made it to my due date that I deserved to spend a little time at home with my sweet Lincoln...while he's still an only child. It might also give me some time to do a few more things around the house. Like this morning by 8:30 I had already cleaned and scrubbed the entire kitchen counter and sink! I mean, like Mom would clean it. I actually took everything off of it and scrubbed underneath, cleaned the stuff, and put it all back! Seriously, before 8:30am. I accomplished this while Lincoln was home and happy watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and playing with the train we got him for Christmas. 

Today is exactly one week from Lincoln's birthday. I had really hoped Sweet Girl would be here before now. I thought we might have a little bit more space between birthdays. We certainly didn't plan to have another March baby...when you have trouble getting pregnant you just take what you get, when you get it! (Remember Lincoln's due date was March 28, but waited till April 2, 5 days late!) So here we are. 

 Kaleb and I are exactly two years and one week apart. And forever we had "together" birthdays. He would have his stupid camo cake and decorations with all his snotty friends over...and I would have my Rainbow Bright cake and colorful decorations and my cute friends...all at the same time. Disaster! I would have to include little brothers and sisters of his guests, even if I didn't invite them! So you see....I was really hoping we wouldn't have to deal with that. But it seems that this is our plight. 

I did go to the doctor on Thursday, my due date. I was still only 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. No change now for 4 weeks. She recommended a scheduled induction a week past my due date, so this Thursday. However, if I choose not to be  induced and let nature take its course they will let me go up to two weeks past my due date. I'll just have to go into the office for more testing. So I officially have appointments for Thursday, March 29. I'll have a non-stress test to check on the baby, an ultrasound to check fluid levels and that my placenta is still functioning properly. I'll also have an appointment with Dr. Montes to talk about what's next. I pray every night that "today" will be the day. Nothing yet. 

I know she'll come when she's ready. And I feel strongly that we shouldn't interfere. I do not want to be induced unless it's medically necessary. And right now I'm fine, she's fine and we're all healthy. There's no reason to mess with anything, other than the fact that I'm ready to not be pregnant anymore. My shirts don't come down far enough, and my pants don't come up far enough. I'm glad I'm not at work anymore.. I was wearing the same old stuff every week...just in a different rotation because that's all that fit and was decent enough to wear to work. 

I'm beginning to get in a funk. I feel like I've been pregnant for a thousand years. I'd like to be able to sit and stand without so much difficulty. I'm really ready for shirts that cover all of me. I'm thankful it's been so warm for so long so I could wear my flip flops and sandals. Anthony says I've been a little extra spicy lately. I don't mean to be...I'm just disappointed that she's not here yet. So everything is just not right. 

Otherwise, Lincoln is fabulous. Anthony is great, and Lile is feeling good with her spring hair cut. I'm slowing down and don't want to cook dinner, so we're eating out alot. Fabulous, I know... 

All I can say....Baby Girl has to come in March. I need Anna to be able to come...and I'm only guaranteed to get Anna for the month of March! If Lincoln was 5 days late...tomorrow could be the day! Like brother like sister?! Just pray for us that it goes quickly and easily. I don't think it would hurt if you threw in there that any time soon would be great!

Friday, March 16, 2012

39 weeks...and holding

Come on already!

Yesterday marked 39 weeks for Sweet Girl. And I must admit I'm ready! I love being pregnant, don't get me wrong..but as you come to the end and everything is big and heavy and holy cow it's 85 degrees?! Talk about exhausted! This weather is crazy! Who needs temps that high in the middle of March?! Not this pregnant lady, that's who!  

According to the doctor on Tuesday there is still no change. I'm still 1 cm dilated and 50% thinned out. Even though I've had and continue to have Braxton Hicks contractions for weeks! I have them about every day. Some days I have them for pretty long stretches at a time. But I guess they're not doing anything. I was so hoping they were! 

I know I shouldn't rush it, I know she's healthy and happy where she is. I know when she gets here it will be crazier and more hectic than I could ever imagine...with two!! Gasp! But there are days like yesterday when I just can't be Super Woman anymore. Full time job, full time mom, full time wife, full time homemaker...and I'm just tired. Today, March 16, is the day I predicted she would come. Oh well.. Erin picked tomorrow, of course because it's St. Patrick's Day. And Anna and Anthony both picked Monday the 19th. Maybe they'll be right again! They picked Lincoln's date correctly!!!!!

Anthony is doing great. Working, riding his bike regularly, and feeling super. In fact, he had a clearance test this week where they checked a 24 hour urine and some of each exchange and his numbers were perfect! Even his hemoglobin is back to a normal level. The nurses said the numbers were better than they even expected. No wonder he's been so feisty...he really does feel good! He's decided to send the terrible dialysis machine back. He hates it, it's noisy, he doesn't sleep when he's using it, and he can't get up freely to help with the babies. Every time he uses it he gets frustrated, aggrivated and then doesn't sleep because it doesn't work correctly. This clearance test was after only doing the manual, gravity fed dialysis. So evidently that is working perfectly for him. He enjoys it more anyway. It's nice to feel more free and be disconnected at night time. 

Hopefully the next time I blog it will be about our new arrival!! Here's praying the doctor's aren't right about another prolonged and induced delivery. We're praying she comes quickly and easily...no like her brother!
Playing in the ball pit at a big Birthday Bash for our April 2s!

Our sweet, precious Baby Friends. I must say I LOVE these girls and their toddlers! They have surely been there for Lincoln and me no matter what! I know I could call any of them at any time and they'd help in an instant! This was the birthday party for Carter, Sarah, and Micah...our February babies.

Lincoln LOVED the karaoke Elmo! He sang all the songs he knew! Precious.

Oh my. This just melts my heart.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Disappointed

I must admit that I'm a little disappointed. I had my weekly doctor's appointment yesterday. Since the last two appointments showed some progress with thinning out. My dilation hadn't changed. At all. Dr. Faruque said that since it looked like there was no change again that she thought this delivery might go the way of Lincoln's. Meaning she thinks I might not dilate by myself this time, either. So she said I'd probably need pitocin again to get it going. Oh my. I really thought that all these contractions might also be doing something!   I guess not. See...disappointed.
But I kept thinking that with the full moon tonight, March 8...Mom's birthday, that something might happen. My kids at school have been CRAZY! But no baby. 
I'm just to the point where I'm ready. My patience is gone, making every day at work with 7-8 year olds extremely challenging. I seem to be in a pretty constant state of irritation, just from being uncomfortable and tired. I don't have any idea how big this baby is, but she sure gets heavy! My back is hurting and I'm seriously waddling. My feet are swelling...no, they're always swollen. From the minute I get out of bed, to the minute I lay back down. If I continue on this path, and Sweetness continues to not make an appearance, I may go ahead and have the doctor write me out. I'm tired, aggravated, and uncomfortable. Being home for a little while, even just a day or two, before she comes will only help! I got several days at home before Lincoln came to rest and finish "nesting." I think that was fabulous...so maybe that's what will happen again. Unless of course the full moon decides to kick in!! :)

Otherwise...Lincoln counted to 8 all by himself at dinner tonight! It was so cute! He usually stops at 5 but he kept going. I gave him a high five and he promptly started counting again! He's also able to identify a large majority of the letters of the alphabet. What's even cuter is that the LeapFrog Fridge Phonics that he has sings the ABC song. He just started singing with it and he now makes all the right sounds at the right time. His favorite is W X Y ZEEEEE! So sweet! We got most of it on video the other day. It's a lot of fun.
His favorite songs are The Wheels on the Bus, Bringing Home a Baby Bumblebee, Zaccheus, She'll be Coming Round the Mountain, Pop goes the Weasel, and Itsy Bitsy Spider. He knows most of the words, or at least the sounds and when to make them. He also has very strong opinions as to when he wants to sing/play/listen to each one! We haven't been to the doctor any time lately, but he's weighing in at about 27 pounds and he's 2 feet 10 inches tall..according to the giraffe chart on the back of his door!

Anthony is having a great week. He rode his bike again today...it feels good to get back in his routines. The Christians are a fabulous couple and have been his riding partners for years. He's registered for his favorite ride this summer: Blood, Sweat & Gears in June. He's definitely enjoying the manual exchanges. We're not having to sleep with the machine, so we're both getting better sleep. Plus, with Baby Girl coming soon he'll be able to get up at night any time with the manual. He's "full" all night long, but not hooked up to anything so he's free to move around and do whatever he needs to. He's just supposed to get 4-5 exchanges a day. He fills before work, drains and fills at lunch, drains and fills when he gets home, drains and fills around dinner time, then drains one last time before filling for the night before bed. Then he starts all over again in the morning.  If he rides his bike, he just drains at lunch and doesn't fill up. That way he's good and empty and feels more like himself. 

Overall, we're making kidney failure and dialysis fit our schedule and our routines...instead of the other way around. We're probably not actually looking at a transplant for several years. Even if there is a friend/family member who is a match Anthony can choose when to have the transplant. He said there is no way he'd go through with a transplant...something that would render him helpless and very needy for a prolonged period of time...with such a small baby in the house. Not to mention that his immune system will be non-existant. If we've got the sniffles or anything he wouldn't be able to be here, or we'd have to move in with Mom and Dad until it's over. That can't be happy for anyone. So he's for sure not thinking transplant for a while. Not to mention he hasn't even been evaluated, tested, or filled out any paperwork. We're still looking at and dealing with hospitals and insurance. It's a huge blessing that his insurance company will pay 100% if we choose their two hospitals of excellence. But the fact that they're both at least 3 hours from home makes it seem almost unmanageable. How does he get to UNC-CH or Duke 3-4 times a WEEK for check ups and blood work and doctor's visits. He's trying to get them to accept a contract with Baptist Hospital since it's so much closer. That 1 hour drive is a lot more manageable. Not to mention, Jeromy and Anna live very close so there would always be somewhere to crash or someone to see. We still aren't sure what will come of that or how or when Medicare will be necessary or helpful. But all is well.