A little embarrassing (and a 32 week update).

The camera on my computer does not seem to have a timer on it so I tried really hard to take a few pics but it was a little difficult to press the button and pose at the same time so I caved and made a short video of myself.  so much fun.  I haven't recorded my growing belly at all this pregnancy partly because I look hideous most days, rarely shower and don't bother to put on a decent outfit because I am strapped to my bed.  Today was a doctors visit day which equals real clothes and a shower!

The Update:  I am 32 weeks and 2 days!

• Only 2 more weeks of bed rest!  At 34 weeks I am free to do as I wish.  The goal being that she stays in until at least 37 weeks though.  I plan on starting to be active but watching my body and resting when I can.  I will stay on my meds until 36 weeks.
• I am done seeing the specialist - the perinatologist which I can never spell or say right.  Starting in 2 weeks, I go see the midwives at the practice I go to.  There are 9 total and whoever is on call when I go to the hospital will be the one to deliver the baby.
• I am still planning a VBAC at this point.  I can only go a week past my due date and ideally I go into labor on my own.  There is a chance if I am late (which would be crazy after all of this) that I would just have my water broken to get things going.  
• My weight jumped up a bit this week which is not surprising and maybe good.   For whatever reason, my weight has not changed dramatically since being on bed rest.  I have had a few days in the past couple weeks where I feel hungry ever hour or so so I am not surprised a gained a bit.
• Baby looks good and is head down now.  I think she is probably there to stay.  She is super active and her jabs have even been painful a few times.  
• I feel so shallow but the FIRST thing I want to do when I am off of bed rest is drive!, maybe get starbucks and go to a store; maybe Target or a kids consignment store.  I just can't wait to be out.
• The SECOND thing I want to do is take out our Christmas decorations and go with the fam to Portland Zoo Lights which I have been looking forward to going to for 5 years!  I am still a bit disappointed that the animals are not dressed in lights but I think it will still be a good time.

Made it to 30 weeks!

Yesterday I turned 30 weeks which is exciting.  It feels like the home stretch at this point.  It's a bit of a weird place for us to be right now because realistically my body is showing signs of labor so the baby could very well be here in 6 or 7 weeks which feels like no time or it could be another 2.5 months as our due date is January, 6th.  It is just a guessing game.

The official update:  I am finished with having ultrasounds to check my cervical length.  At this point, it is normal for any pregnant woman to have a cervix that slowly shortens so checking for just length is not as important. I had my second to last perinatal visit today.  I will see the perinatologist at 32 weeks and then at 34 weeks I go back to exclusively seeing the midwives as they will be who will deliver the baby.  Most everything looked good today.  I am dilated to a 1 at this point which means I need to stop bedrest cheating.  I may or may not of been getting up more recently and picking Ariy up.

I have four more weeks of bedrest.  I am so anxious and excited to reach that marker.  I have actually been feeling a bit better lately which makes bedrest that much more difficult.  I have to stop cheating for another few weeks to ensure that she doesn't come before 34 weeks but the doctor is more than confident I will make it that far.

I also had to go through VBAC counseling with the perinatologist.  They just explain the requirements to be able to be a candidate, the liklihood of success, the process and risks.  I am a very good candidate based on my labor and surgery with Ariy but the fact that Ariy never descended during pushing does lessen the likelihood of success.  What would improve it would be to have a smaller baby.  Ariy was 8lb 8oz so a bit on the larger size :)  In the end, the doctor said this could work out to my advantage.  She said the ideal week would be 37 weeks because she would be full term, most likely have no NICU time, normal hospital stay time and a smaller baby!  So for now, that is the prayer that I go into labor a bit earlier.  A pre-christmas baby.  But really, who knows.  Some women in my shoes will go full term and even late, it is just a major guessing game.  If I do go past my due date and don't go into labor on my own, there is a chance I could just have my water broken like I did with Ariy or I would have an elective repeat c-section.

Ariy is really into dragging around the largest and heaviest item he possibly can.  This day it was luggage. 

He loves to drive in the grocery store cars when he goes shopping with Grandma.

His "buddies" or giraffes go everywhere with him these days.  He sleeps with them, snuggles with them, feeds them, gives them drinks and even blows his nose on them.  True  love.

Practicing for baby sister.

Drinking healthy smoothies with Grandma.  Loves it!

Ariy lately...

Half way there!

Today I am 28 weeks and I have been on bedrest for just over 6 week with 6 weeks left to go!  I am very excited to be at this point and have less weeks in front of me.  I think it will help make time go by faster.  To celebrate I thought I would share all the things I have and have NOT done in the last 6 weeks of my bedrest life.

This may be a little too much information for some.

• I have not gone to a store in 6 weeks.  No grocery shopping or anything.
• I have not cooked a real meal - heating up food doesn't really count.
• I have worn the same 5 items of clothing.  They have been washed a few times along the way.
• I have showered maybe 6 or 7 times.  I apologize - this is probably the grossest.
• I have lost all muscle mass.
• I sadly have only finished one book and am still in the middle of 2.  You would think I would be more productive but not so much.
• I have had 5 doctors appointments and 4 ultrasounds.
• I have not drive a car in 6 weeks.
• I have had dessert more than I ever have in my life.  I feel a little guilty about this one.
• I have watched almost 4 seasons of a highly popular but controversial show.  I might be too embarrassed to share the name.
• I have received one awesome care package, 4 hand delivered chais or lattes, 5 homemade meals and 7 awesome visitors. 

28 Week Update

Today I am 27 weeks and 5 days.  I will be 28 weeks on Sunday.  Meeting this goal is exciting because 90% of babies born at 28 weeks or close after will survive and 90% will survive AND be healthy.  The next big goal is 34 weeks when it jumps up to 99%.  At that point, they will not try and stop labor if I were to go into pre-term labor but we are all hopeful and very optimistic that I will make it to 34 weeks.

This was the first appointment where my cervix actually stayed the same. It was not any shorter and even creeped back up to a 2 (two weeks ago the highest was a 1.8 I believe) at times during the measurement process.  I have also really started to gauge my threshold for getting up and moving around and know when it is effecting my cervix and uterus.   My threshold is basically doing nothing - nothing at all including meals.  I have gone down to just going to the bathroom; the basics.  It seems to be working so we will keep at it for another 6 weeks.

Currently I am doing my "normal" appointments with my midwife as well as seeing the perinatologist.  I generally have an appointment every week between the two but sometimes I will randomly have a week off.  I will most likely see the peri 3 more times until I reach 34 weeks and then my care goes completely back to the midwives until we have the baby since after 34 weeks they will be the ones to deliver in the hospital with me (as opposed to the peri). 

I also get to stop with all the ultrasounds - woo hoo!  I have actually really enjoyed watching her growth and having so many pictures of her (see below) before she is even out of the womb but it also makes for long appointments (about 2 hours) and too much stimulus around a sensitive cervix is not awesome from this point forward.  

I am really torn about how I feel about time right now.   I really want it to go by quickly so I can be off bed rest and checking things off my pre-baby to-do list but I also don't think I am quite ready to jump into having 2 babies and potentially that is what will happen.  I get off bed rest and a week or two later I have 2 babies.  That just sounds a little overwhelming.

Here is the latest picture of our baby girl. 

Summer Camping

In August Ariy and I took a short vacation to Long Beach, WA where the McNeal family hosts an annual camping trip.  We had fun but we missed Dada every day.  To our surprise Dada decided to take a day off work and surprise us.   We spent the second half of our vacation at Twin Rocks Friends Camp on the Oregon Coast.  Rick was helping with the worship at Surfside, the week long teen camp that runs every summer.  Ariy LOVED his two week vacation on the coast.  He spent every day and all day outside and slept very hard every night.

Ariy wants a CarCar

Ariy LOVES being outside and has especially loved being in the garden with Dodgie.  His special treat has been the carrots (carcars) that he gets to pick and eat himself.  These pics are from earlier this summer.