Baby Time!

I am way behind at updating this blog, but I am happy to announce that I am still pregnant.

I got discharged from the hospital 2 weeks go, December 17th, and was able to spend the holidays at home with my family. It was absolutely wonderful!

Bed rest at home is way better than at the hospital. I have loved being at home with my family and spending the last 2 weeks with Emory. We played lots of dollhouse, board games, and watched tons of movies. It was perfect. 

Did I mention the food upgrade? I hope to never eat hospital food ever again. It makes me sick just thinking about it!

Believe it or not,  but today is the big day. My c-section is scheduled for 3:30 pm, a little less than 3 hours from now. I am very ready to meet this little guy and be done with bed rest. I am not so ready for the c-section. Not really sure why, but I am so nervous!!

I can't believe I actually survived 12 weeks on bed rest...

We are hoping for an uneventful surgery and a big baby!

Wish me luck!

65 Days NICU Free!

I know I have mentioned this before, but my daughter Emory was born at 24 weeks. She spent 96 days in the NICU. She came home on oxygen and remained on it for 10 months.

Everyday I spend on bed rest, and remain pregnant, I know I am preventing our baby boy from spending that day in the NICU. I have now been on bed rest for 65 days. To me that means, 65 days NICU free for baby boy Oakey. Although I have felt plenty of guilt with this pregnancy, I always feel better knowing that my bed rest efforts are keeping my boy from a long and unpleasant stay in the NICU. This idea makes my hospital stay SO much more doable.

On Wednesday I turned 33 weeks. My belly is getting nice and big!

Unfortunately I have been experiencing nightly contractions again. They are only about 10 minutes apart and are not super painful, but they keep me quite uncomfortable.

My hospital diet has been a little painful. After eduring the food for the last 9 weeks, I can only stand to eat salads now. I eat the same salad twice a day. Today my friend Megan brought me these delicious cookies from Trader Joes. I may have eaten half the box already!

Zack leaves tomorrow morning and won't be back until next Wednesday. I get super bummed when he leaves. Thankfully it will be the last trip until after the holidays. As for the positive,  I am trying to focus on that fact that I get discharged on Monday...how awesome is that?

7 Days...

In 7 days, on December 17th, I am getting discharged from the hospital and finishing off my bed rest at home. In order to make that happen, a few things need to stay stable.

First, my water needs to stay in tact. If it breaks, then delivery is in the near future and no going home for me. Second, no more dilation. Last time I was checked, I was still 4 cm. I think I will request to be checked before I leave just to help avoid being discharged and then needing to be re-admitted shortly after. Lastly, no regular contractions. My contractions have really slowed down and they are only coming randomly now.

As long as I can stay stable, I am going home! I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much, but I am so looking forward to spending the holidays in the comfort of my own home. By then, it will be almost 10 weeks since I have been home, driven in a car, or slept in my own bed. I am so ready.

Last Friday Em returned from Idaho. Zack's parents were kind enough to take her for 10 whole days while he interviewed for residency in Baltimore, Albany, and two places in Chicago. 10 days was a long time and I missed her so much.

We reunited with lots of kisses, cuddles, and even made bracelets together. I can't wait until I can take care of her again, I just hate the feeling of being helpless.

Zack arrived back from his interviews late Saturday night and surprised me by showing up at my hospital room with a poinsettia and cinnamon bread in hand. It was so sweet, I almost cried.

We spent Sunday afternoon just the three of us. Pretty sure Em missed having us around. At one point all three of us were snuggled in my hospital bed and took an afternoon nap. It was squishy, but she didn't want to miss out on the fun.

On Saturday Zack will have his last Opthalmology interview. Thank goodness.

4 lbs 6 ounces!

Yesterday I had an ultrasound to check on the growth of baby boy.

They estimated that he weighs 4 pounds 6 ounces!

I can't believe how big he is already.

Pretty sure if I went to 40 weeks, I would have a 9 pound baby.

Since I have to deliver via c-section at 36 weeks (cause of my previous classical c-section), I am thrilled that he is a big boy.

Hopefully I can make it to 36 weeks and baby boy can skip the NICU and come straight home with me.

What a dream that would be.

Yesterday one of the ladies that organizes our Wednesday bed rest lunch-ins, hooked me up with this awesome t-shirt!

When the bed rest ladies and I get rolled down to Starbucks to chat, we get plenty of people staring and multiple people have even asked to take our pictures!

Can you imagine the attention we will draw in our new shirts?

Should be fun.

32 Weeks!

Baby boy Oakey did it, he stayed put until 32 weeks!

8 weeks ago 28 weeks seemed unlikely and 32 weeks seemed like a dream.

Besides the aggressive kicking I feel from my belly, it's hard to believe that I am actually 32 weeks pregnant. I guess bed rest is working!

Yesterday I got checked and I am still 4cm dilated. My contractions have really calmed down and my headaches are slowly going away. I feel so lucky.

My doctor came in this morning and discussed the possibility of continuing bed rest at home until 36 weeks. I am torn. Although I want nothing more than to go home,  I also want to do what is best for baby boy. After hours of contemplating this option, I have decided to stay until 34 weeks, which is December 19th.

Tonight I just might order myself a pizza to celebrate 32 weeks...fancy!

The Great Escape

Since Zack and Em have been gone for the past 4 days, my alone time has become plentiful. One of the other bed rest moms suggested that we break out of our rooms together and sit at Starbucks and chat. I thought it was such a great idea.

At 8:00 pm on Friday night the nurses rolled us downstairs, out the front doors to see the Christmas lights, and then parked us at Starbucks. It was raining outside and felt amazing.

We were already in our jammies, but we didn't care, it was just so nice to get out of our rooms.

Today after church we met up again at Starbucks. We were able to recruit another bed rest mom too, and we all had a blast chatting away for about an hour.

I didn't realize how much I depend on Zack when he is around. I have missed him terribly since he left. He is the best at bringing me food, doing and putting away my laundry, rubbing my achy legs, cleaning my room, and playing games with me. He gets home at around 5:00 pm today and I can't wait. He really is the bomb.

Since I have had a lot of extra time on my hands, and an unfortunate constant headache, I've made an endless amount of baby hats.

I have really enjoyed making them but I think it is time to move on. Maybe I will try out a scarf or some dish clothes? Those always make great Christmas gifts.

Em comes back on Wednesday and I can't wait to kiss her face off. I also have another ultrasound this week to check on baby boys growth, all good things to look forward to.

I'm feeling much better about my bed rest situation now, I guess week 7 was just a tough one. From now on, only positive thoughts!

Day 52

Tomorrow is December 1st. It's funny to think that I did not leave the hospital grounds for the whole month of November. I wonder if I will miss this place when I leave here? Let's be honest, I doubt it.

My belly is growing nice and big. I know this is the case considering my nurses reactions after not seeing me for a couple of days. They always comment on my growth, which is a great thing around these parts.

 I am finally getting to experience some of the lovely side effects that accompany the third trimester. Some of those include: heartburn, itchy stretching skin, my belly button beginning to pop, using the bathroom 8(x) a night, reflux, and painful baby movements. Since my pregnancy with Emory ended so early, I never really got to feel her move much. It has been so fun to sit and watch my belly jump up and down. This little boy sure likes to move and I don't think that feeling will ever get old.

Emory is in Idaho right now and I miss her so much. I don't think any other visitor could make me as happy as she does.

She is very content to spend a couple hours a day in my hospital room, and fully understands that I will not be coming home until the baby comes. She constantly amazes me with her independence and her ability to adjust to the situation like it is no-big-deal.

  

My nights now include a whole bunch of contractions. It's getting really old. They usually start after dinner and continue on until midnight. They are not super painful but definitely make me uncomfortable and very nervous! Add a pounding headache to the mix and it's a party!

Megan & Max came to visit today. They are the best little visitors. Max is totally cool with just hanging out in my hospital room, he makes himself right at home by immediately taking off his shoes. It is the cutest.

Megan saved me today and bought me some more yarn. Since I've been spending way less time on the computer due to headaches, crocheting is my new best friend.

This week I figured out how to make a hat with ear flaps. I have made 4 hats in the last couple of days. Crocheting makes me feel productive because I always have something to show for it, and it is a mindless activity that gives my head a break.

I am slowly starting to hit my breaking point with this whole hospital bed rest gig. I think I've done pretty well making it to 7 weeks without going crazy, but I am definitely feeling ready to be done. I'm starting to get frustrated, grumpy, and just straight up annoyed. I potentially have 5 more weeks left, so I better get over these feelings real quick, because another 5 weeks is no walk in the park. 

I just want to be done.