I really cannot believe that a year ago today we were on the final leg of our adoption journey, our flights home. We had been gone since December 3, 68 days, what felt like forever. We were so excited to introduce Rance to his new home and family, and he was full of excitement as well.
It truly is hard to believe its been a year since we arrived home with Rance. His transition into English, a new home, new family, everything, has been amazingly smooth. Time has went by so quickly!
The changes in Rance, from the day we first met him, to the little boy he is today, are outstanding. I am truly in awe of how love has transformed a little boy.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
32 Weeks!
Part of me can't believe I am already at 32 weeks while the other part of me can't believe we're not at 38 weeks yet! I am definitely getting anxious to meet Baby C!
This pregnancy continues to go rather smoothly. I am still on modified bed rest, which is okay with me. I typically have 2 or 3 really busy days and spend the other days laying around a lot, which I typically don't mind as I am tired anyways! At my appointment this past week, Baby C weighed an estimated 4 pounds 8 ounces, so he's still measuring big! Well, really, just his head and femur are measuring in the 90th percentile, the rest of him is in the 60th. This just means he will be long and lean, as Cavin was. I will stop my medications at 34 weeks, the cerclage will come out at 36 weeks, and then we'll just see what my body does! We could have a baby the day they take out my cerclage, or knowing my luck, a couple weeks later!
Rance. One year ago today we were picking up his Ukrainian passport. This meant we could get his US Visa, our last step before being able to finally come home! On January 31, Rance's Gotcha Day, we had a party at a local Italian restaurant with some family and close friends. I was beyond disappointed that I didn't get to go due to being super sick with the flu. He had a blast though, and it was fun to remember where we were a year ago compared to today. Its hard to believe its already been a year while at the same time it seems like we have had Rance for so much longer.
Rance continues to do well in school, although his silly personality sometime gets him in typical boy trouble at school. He continues to really like school and has began to develop some close friends at school. He has been to several birthday parties of friends and has had fun seeing how birthday's are celebrated! He has all kinds of plans for his birthday in April!
Cavin is ornery as ever. I absolutely love watching his personality emerge. He is all boy and still into any and all balls. He likes going to "school" with me on the 2 days a week I help. He is learning a lot. Lately he has learned his shapes and can recognize at least the letter's o, i, c, x, and n. He has also began to trace rather well for a 2 year old, he does better than some of the 4 year olds in our class! He has also really began to enjoy singing and asks to sing quite a bit. He is learning all of the words to several different songs. His favorites seem to be: Take me Out to the Ballgame, Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Are You Sleeping.
I realize this update is rather scattered, but that seems to be the state of my pregnant brain! At least its an update!
This pregnancy continues to go rather smoothly. I am still on modified bed rest, which is okay with me. I typically have 2 or 3 really busy days and spend the other days laying around a lot, which I typically don't mind as I am tired anyways! At my appointment this past week, Baby C weighed an estimated 4 pounds 8 ounces, so he's still measuring big! Well, really, just his head and femur are measuring in the 90th percentile, the rest of him is in the 60th. This just means he will be long and lean, as Cavin was. I will stop my medications at 34 weeks, the cerclage will come out at 36 weeks, and then we'll just see what my body does! We could have a baby the day they take out my cerclage, or knowing my luck, a couple weeks later!
Rance. One year ago today we were picking up his Ukrainian passport. This meant we could get his US Visa, our last step before being able to finally come home! On January 31, Rance's Gotcha Day, we had a party at a local Italian restaurant with some family and close friends. I was beyond disappointed that I didn't get to go due to being super sick with the flu. He had a blast though, and it was fun to remember where we were a year ago compared to today. Its hard to believe its already been a year while at the same time it seems like we have had Rance for so much longer.
Rance continues to do well in school, although his silly personality sometime gets him in typical boy trouble at school. He continues to really like school and has began to develop some close friends at school. He has been to several birthday parties of friends and has had fun seeing how birthday's are celebrated! He has all kinds of plans for his birthday in April!
Cavin is ornery as ever. I absolutely love watching his personality emerge. He is all boy and still into any and all balls. He likes going to "school" with me on the 2 days a week I help. He is learning a lot. Lately he has learned his shapes and can recognize at least the letter's o, i, c, x, and n. He has also began to trace rather well for a 2 year old, he does better than some of the 4 year olds in our class! He has also really began to enjoy singing and asks to sing quite a bit. He is learning all of the words to several different songs. His favorites seem to be: Take me Out to the Ballgame, Jesus Loves Me, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Are You Sleeping.
I realize this update is rather scattered, but that seems to be the state of my pregnant brain! At least its an update!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
29 Weeks and Bedrest!
It has been a while since I last posted, but we have been beyond busy with the holiday's and supposedly moving. We enjoyed a lot of time with family and friends over the Christmas season and the boys loved opening their presents. We found out we weren't moving, the contract we had to sell our house fell through, which was extremely disappointing for us. We love our home now, its just too small for our growing family.
So we've been trying to creatively decide where Baby C will go. Not so much him, but his clothes and all of the things needed to care for a baby! We still haven't completely decided on a solution, but we've come up with a few different ideas.
I am now on modified bed rest. Talk about another disappointing day. I went for a check up the Friday before Christmas and got a great report. I have been consistently measuring around 5cm the whole time, and Dr. T was sure I wouldn't have that appointment where I got disappointing news.
Well, New Year weekend I began to notice some things and began having some concerns. I finally called in Sunday morning, January 1 and was disappointed Dr. T wasn't taking his own calls. It is extremely rare for him to not take his own calls. But I spoke with another doctor in the practice who was great, although he sent me in to the hospital to get some tests ran. So I left all my boys at church and went in.
The house doctor that was there was horrible. Did not like her at all. I don't think she heard a word I said and she did way more than the tests needed. I am still livid with her! But what we thought the problem was, checked out okay and I was sent back home to rest. I actually spent the afternoon and evening resting at my grandparents for our last family Christmas.
Well, when Dr. T got a phone call from my hospital nurse Sunday afternoon, he was NOT happy with how things went down. He checked on me Monday and Tuesday, and finally on Wednesday he said he just wanted me to come in and get checked out so he would feel better, as his concerns were not the same as the doctor I spoke with on Sunday.
So I went in on Thursday late morning by myself, and got the dreaded news. My cervix was giving out, and was in fact, already in the danger zone. It was Dr. T's surgery day, but my ultrasound tech, whom I love, tracked him down in a surgery, had a nurse hold the phone up to is ear and explained the situation. I pretty well knew what he would say, and when she came back her news confirmed my fears, I was on bed rest.
I laid the rest of Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and finally went back to be checked again on Tuesday. I was dreading getting bad news again, but was so thankful to receive good news! My cervix had improved almost a centimeter! So after a long conversation with Dr. T, we decided to try a modified bed rest. Basically, I am on bed rest as much as I can be, but am allowed up for things I consider necessary.
I will go back tomorrow to get checked again, and am praying for things to continue to improve, or at least hold steady. I do not want to do strict bed rest with this pregnancy!
Regardless of what happens, I am thankful to be in a much better place with this pregnancy, to have a doctor I totally and completely trust and love, and to have a sweet active baby boy who will have a great chance at survival if born from here on out. I would just prefer for me to hold him when he is born, not a NICU so I continue to pray that we make it full term!
So we've been trying to creatively decide where Baby C will go. Not so much him, but his clothes and all of the things needed to care for a baby! We still haven't completely decided on a solution, but we've come up with a few different ideas.
I am now on modified bed rest. Talk about another disappointing day. I went for a check up the Friday before Christmas and got a great report. I have been consistently measuring around 5cm the whole time, and Dr. T was sure I wouldn't have that appointment where I got disappointing news.
Well, New Year weekend I began to notice some things and began having some concerns. I finally called in Sunday morning, January 1 and was disappointed Dr. T wasn't taking his own calls. It is extremely rare for him to not take his own calls. But I spoke with another doctor in the practice who was great, although he sent me in to the hospital to get some tests ran. So I left all my boys at church and went in.
The house doctor that was there was horrible. Did not like her at all. I don't think she heard a word I said and she did way more than the tests needed. I am still livid with her! But what we thought the problem was, checked out okay and I was sent back home to rest. I actually spent the afternoon and evening resting at my grandparents for our last family Christmas.
Well, when Dr. T got a phone call from my hospital nurse Sunday afternoon, he was NOT happy with how things went down. He checked on me Monday and Tuesday, and finally on Wednesday he said he just wanted me to come in and get checked out so he would feel better, as his concerns were not the same as the doctor I spoke with on Sunday.
So I went in on Thursday late morning by myself, and got the dreaded news. My cervix was giving out, and was in fact, already in the danger zone. It was Dr. T's surgery day, but my ultrasound tech, whom I love, tracked him down in a surgery, had a nurse hold the phone up to is ear and explained the situation. I pretty well knew what he would say, and when she came back her news confirmed my fears, I was on bed rest.
I laid the rest of Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and finally went back to be checked again on Tuesday. I was dreading getting bad news again, but was so thankful to receive good news! My cervix had improved almost a centimeter! So after a long conversation with Dr. T, we decided to try a modified bed rest. Basically, I am on bed rest as much as I can be, but am allowed up for things I consider necessary.
I will go back tomorrow to get checked again, and am praying for things to continue to improve, or at least hold steady. I do not want to do strict bed rest with this pregnancy!
Regardless of what happens, I am thankful to be in a much better place with this pregnancy, to have a doctor I totally and completely trust and love, and to have a sweet active baby boy who will have a great chance at survival if born from here on out. I would just prefer for me to hold him when he is born, not a NICU so I continue to pray that we make it full term!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
November!!
I can't believe it is November already, but I am really excited that it is! I am most definitely looking forward to the holiday's this year, as we missed out on everything last year being in Ukraine. I am excited to spend time with family and friends, I am excited to bake and for all of the yummy food, and I am so excited for Rance to experience the holiday's for the very first time!
I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. My cervix looked fabulous! I was 18 weeks and 3 days, and with Cavin, at this point, my cervix was already doing its thing and I was put on bed rest by 20 weeks. So we are so thankful to see my cervix still behaving! Baby C looked great, although was sleeping! We did get the sex confirmed, 110% with a second ultrasound after seeing the doc. Will be sharing the big news soon.
I will be 19 weeks on Friday, only 5 weeks until our first big goal which is 24 weeks!! That is when Baby C will be viable, to have a chance at surviving outside of the womb! With as well as my cervix is doing, we aren't really worried about reaching this mark, but I will still feel much better when we do!
I should post pictures of Halloween, the boys had so much fun. They both went as Spiderman, as that is the only costume we have for Rance that fits, and well, Cavin of course had to be just like Rance! We went to our church's trunk or treat on Sunday, and then trick or treating with friends Monday night. It was so fun to watch all of Rance's excitement, and surprisingly fun to see how much Cavin got into it!
I had a doctor's appointment yesterday. My cervix looked fabulous! I was 18 weeks and 3 days, and with Cavin, at this point, my cervix was already doing its thing and I was put on bed rest by 20 weeks. So we are so thankful to see my cervix still behaving! Baby C looked great, although was sleeping! We did get the sex confirmed, 110% with a second ultrasound after seeing the doc. Will be sharing the big news soon.
I will be 19 weeks on Friday, only 5 weeks until our first big goal which is 24 weeks!! That is when Baby C will be viable, to have a chance at surviving outside of the womb! With as well as my cervix is doing, we aren't really worried about reaching this mark, but I will still feel much better when we do!
I should post pictures of Halloween, the boys had so much fun. They both went as Spiderman, as that is the only costume we have for Rance that fits, and well, Cavin of course had to be just like Rance! We went to our church's trunk or treat on Sunday, and then trick or treating with friends Monday night. It was so fun to watch all of Rance's excitement, and surprisingly fun to see how much Cavin got into it!
Baby C, 18 Weeks, 3 Days
Thursday, October 20, 2011
A Day at Home
Life has been extremely busy lately, and I feel like I can't catch up! Today I get to be home all day! Rance has school and Matt work, but they will be home all evening, thanks to the weather being to cold for Rance's soccer practice.
I am planning on putting a big pot of chili on the stove to simmer and baking some pumpkin bread and pumpkin seeds! I also have a lot of things I need to get done around the house that have been put off far to long. I have a small list of things I want to accomplish today, so we'll see how it goes. It will be hard to get out of bed when I am still feeling so tired and Cavin has been so snugly lately!
Baby C Update
Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks! I am going to the doctor every other week for right now, because my cervix has been looking great! This week it shortened a bit, but nothing to be concerned about. This appointment and the one two weeks before, our sonographer has tried to tell us the sex of Baby C, but so far we still have question marks at the end, although she is pretty sure. I am hoping our next ultrasound will provide confirmation complete with exclamation points!! I have been put on a very light rest regimen due to some cramping last week that still comes and goes, but has been much better. I am still allowed to do life, just to take it easy when I can, especially if I am having any cramping. Baby C is growing like a weed, crazy how quickly they grow and change!
Rance is currently in his first full week of school! We were definitely blessed with a local private school that is just a few miles from our church, in which Rance attends. With him being in school we have definitely been reminded of how short of a time we have had him! He has adjusted so well it is easy for us to forget we have only had him just over 8 months. Although it was a really hard decision to make to put him in school, we knew that is what he needed most. So far he has loved it! We have been busy trying to learn all of the ins and outs of the school and how they do things. Its kind of weird to be parents of a second grader already!
Cavin also goes to school, and will bug us about it from the time we drop Rance off until the time we get to his school! He will constantly ask about his school and seeing his teacher! I help a teacher at the preschool at our church 2 days a week, so Cavin hangs out with our class as well. Although he is only 2, he will sit and color as long, if not longer, than our 4 year olds! Between learning at school and me working with him at home, he has learned his colors (big thanks to Fruit Loops and his obsession with them!), he can count and is beginning to recognize his numbers and letters. He also knows all of his shapes. He is growing up so fast and changes everyday!
Well, if I am going to get my small list accomplished along with resting, I had better get started!
I am planning on putting a big pot of chili on the stove to simmer and baking some pumpkin bread and pumpkin seeds! I also have a lot of things I need to get done around the house that have been put off far to long. I have a small list of things I want to accomplish today, so we'll see how it goes. It will be hard to get out of bed when I am still feeling so tired and Cavin has been so snugly lately!
Baby C Update
Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks! I am going to the doctor every other week for right now, because my cervix has been looking great! This week it shortened a bit, but nothing to be concerned about. This appointment and the one two weeks before, our sonographer has tried to tell us the sex of Baby C, but so far we still have question marks at the end, although she is pretty sure. I am hoping our next ultrasound will provide confirmation complete with exclamation points!! I have been put on a very light rest regimen due to some cramping last week that still comes and goes, but has been much better. I am still allowed to do life, just to take it easy when I can, especially if I am having any cramping. Baby C is growing like a weed, crazy how quickly they grow and change!
Rance is currently in his first full week of school! We were definitely blessed with a local private school that is just a few miles from our church, in which Rance attends. With him being in school we have definitely been reminded of how short of a time we have had him! He has adjusted so well it is easy for us to forget we have only had him just over 8 months. Although it was a really hard decision to make to put him in school, we knew that is what he needed most. So far he has loved it! We have been busy trying to learn all of the ins and outs of the school and how they do things. Its kind of weird to be parents of a second grader already!
Cavin also goes to school, and will bug us about it from the time we drop Rance off until the time we get to his school! He will constantly ask about his school and seeing his teacher! I help a teacher at the preschool at our church 2 days a week, so Cavin hangs out with our class as well. Although he is only 2, he will sit and color as long, if not longer, than our 4 year olds! Between learning at school and me working with him at home, he has learned his colors (big thanks to Fruit Loops and his obsession with them!), he can count and is beginning to recognize his numbers and letters. He also knows all of his shapes. He is growing up so fast and changes everyday!
Well, if I am going to get my small list accomplished along with resting, I had better get started!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Good News!!
So a couple of things...
First, we have decided to call this baby, Baby C! Although we find out the sex, we keep the name a secret until the baby is born. However, I don't like calling the baby "it" or just he or she all of the time. So we try to come up with a fun name for the baby during pregnancy. Cavin was Baby Red after his Aunt Redner. Baby C is named such because this is my third pregnancy (third letter of the alphabet), and whether it is a boy or a girl, there will be a "C" somewhere in its name!
So, today was my first appointment since the surgery. My cervix checked out great, measuring at 4.4! Baby C was super active, we even got to see him/her moving its mouth! Baby C is growing perfectly, he/she actually measured 2 days ahead!
Everything looked so great, Dr. T said instead of coming in every week like he was thinking, I was able to make BI-WEEKLY appointments for the rest of the year! Definitely exciting!
We also found out what we were having today, but since it is still so early in the pregnancy, we're going to wait until after my next ultrasound in two weeks to share the big news!
We are so thankful this pregnancy is off to such a great start, and we continue to pray that God will keep Baby C safe in my tummy until I am full term!
First, we have decided to call this baby, Baby C! Although we find out the sex, we keep the name a secret until the baby is born. However, I don't like calling the baby "it" or just he or she all of the time. So we try to come up with a fun name for the baby during pregnancy. Cavin was Baby Red after his Aunt Redner. Baby C is named such because this is my third pregnancy (third letter of the alphabet), and whether it is a boy or a girl, there will be a "C" somewhere in its name!
So, today was my first appointment since the surgery. My cervix checked out great, measuring at 4.4! Baby C was super active, we even got to see him/her moving its mouth! Baby C is growing perfectly, he/she actually measured 2 days ahead!
Everything looked so great, Dr. T said instead of coming in every week like he was thinking, I was able to make BI-WEEKLY appointments for the rest of the year! Definitely exciting!
We also found out what we were having today, but since it is still so early in the pregnancy, we're going to wait until after my next ultrasound in two weeks to share the big news!
We are so thankful this pregnancy is off to such a great start, and we continue to pray that God will keep Baby C safe in my tummy until I am full term!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tired and Thankful
I am already tired of bed rest, and its been 2 and 1/2 days, and I've been able to sit up, fix my own food, and meet my parents for dinner to pick up my sweet boys. Trying to figure out how on earth I laid flat for well over 3 months, not sitting up, with a 10 step allowance for walking at a time, a 5 minute shower allowance that I fought for, and Matt fixing my food for me each day before leaving for work.
I have no idea how I did it, but I am so thankful that we were able to do the cerclage this go around, and praying it will keep me from strict bed rest!
I am feeling great. My lower back is still a little sore from the spinal, and my lower tummy is sore when I bend or move around a lot, but both of those should continue to gradually fade away. I wasn't sure what I expected to feel like afterwards, but I know I didn't expect to feel this good!
So today should be my last day of rest, then tomorrow I will be allowed to start slowly exploring the limits of what my body can handle. Still, there will be things I am not allowed to do, the hardest being not allowed to pick up Cavin. While I will be sure to find other ways to get my snuggles, it will be hard for him to understand why I can't pick him up.
Last but not least, I am also thankful to have the most giving husband in the world. Typically being pregnant requires a lot of sacrifice on the mom's part and little on the husband's. However, in our situation, it requires as much, if not more sacrifice for Matt. I am hoping this go around won't be as much as the last, but I know whatever it takes, Matt will do without complaining. He is already stepping up to help out with the things I am no longer able to do, and I am so thankful for his willing and giving spirit.
A prayer request outside of this pregnancy, Matt and I are really thinking about and praying about putting Rance in school. While he is excelling with home schooling, we feel he really, really needs to social aspect of school and being around kids his age. Matt is much more at ease with putting him in school, but his protective mom is having a hard time letting go! So we continue to pray and seek out what will be best for Rance.
We also are praying to close on our home at the end of October, and in the meantime that God leads us to the perfect home for us in Wentzville.
Lots going on in our family, but I will try to do better updating our blog in the midst of the craziness!
I have no idea how I did it, but I am so thankful that we were able to do the cerclage this go around, and praying it will keep me from strict bed rest!
I am feeling great. My lower back is still a little sore from the spinal, and my lower tummy is sore when I bend or move around a lot, but both of those should continue to gradually fade away. I wasn't sure what I expected to feel like afterwards, but I know I didn't expect to feel this good!
So today should be my last day of rest, then tomorrow I will be allowed to start slowly exploring the limits of what my body can handle. Still, there will be things I am not allowed to do, the hardest being not allowed to pick up Cavin. While I will be sure to find other ways to get my snuggles, it will be hard for him to understand why I can't pick him up.
Last but not least, I am also thankful to have the most giving husband in the world. Typically being pregnant requires a lot of sacrifice on the mom's part and little on the husband's. However, in our situation, it requires as much, if not more sacrifice for Matt. I am hoping this go around won't be as much as the last, but I know whatever it takes, Matt will do without complaining. He is already stepping up to help out with the things I am no longer able to do, and I am so thankful for his willing and giving spirit.
A prayer request outside of this pregnancy, Matt and I are really thinking about and praying about putting Rance in school. While he is excelling with home schooling, we feel he really, really needs to social aspect of school and being around kids his age. Matt is much more at ease with putting him in school, but his protective mom is having a hard time letting go! So we continue to pray and seek out what will be best for Rance.
We also are praying to close on our home at the end of October, and in the meantime that God leads us to the perfect home for us in Wentzville.
Lots going on in our family, but I will try to do better updating our blog in the midst of the craziness!
Monday, September 26, 2011
As Perfect as Can Be
I am writing this post from my hospital room, but I will be going home tonight!!
Our morning started early, 4am, giving me time to get showered and ready, drive the 45 minutes to the hospital and have time to stop and get Matt his morning Coke and breakfast!
We got here and the process got started right away. I got me some lovely green hospital gowns and the coolest booties! The only part I was really nervous about was that they had me down for going under general anesthesia, and I wasn't sure how I felt about going all the way under. I was praying that they would let me do a spinal with local anesthesia. All of the nurses with the beginning stuff commented on how much they too love my doc, which I completely agreed with!
After all of the preliminaries were taken care of we were taken back to another room where we met and talked with my doc about every detail of the procedure. I talked with him about not wanting to do general anesthesia, which he understood, and said I was lucky, because I had the best anesthesiologist there. He said if anyone would be willing to do the spinal, it would be him! I love answered prayer!
Right after we finished talking with Dr. T, the anesthesiologist, Dr. B, came in, who was super sweet with his accent, and after introductions, his first words were: "I would like to do a spinal rather than general, because I feel that is safest for the baby...." I didn't even have to ask! I love how God loves and takes care of us!
So once Dr. B got the iv started we were off to the operating room. A nurse was there from labor and delivery to listen to the baby's heartbeat. She really never found it, and the longer it went, the more nervous I got. She just wasn't used to finding heartbeats on baby's so small. I just continued to pray, and in walked Dr. T. He took one look at my face, gently took the dopplar, immediately found the baby's heartbeat, then looked at me and winked. I love how he knows and understands my fears, without even asking.
Next up was the spinal, which wasn't bad at all, Dr. B was awesome. The first time Dr. T asked me how I was doing, after I said good, he said, well, I'm already about half way done! It only took him about 15 minutes to put the stitches in. Got to hear the baby's heartbeat again, and then I was taken to recovery for an hour, and finally a room upstairs in the "nesting ward." One of the nurses looked at me and said you look familiar, have you been here before? I just laughed and said yes, several times with my last pregnancy.
It took a while for the numbness to wear off, and the dizziness finally went away once they let me eat! Since then I have been feeling great! Little to no cramping, absolutely no contractions, and little to no bleeding. We couldn't have asked for things to be going better! Now we are waiting for Dr. T to come after office hours to give me my do's and don'ts list before discharging me!
Thank you all for praying, and praise God for graciously answering!
Our morning started early, 4am, giving me time to get showered and ready, drive the 45 minutes to the hospital and have time to stop and get Matt his morning Coke and breakfast!
We got here and the process got started right away. I got me some lovely green hospital gowns and the coolest booties! The only part I was really nervous about was that they had me down for going under general anesthesia, and I wasn't sure how I felt about going all the way under. I was praying that they would let me do a spinal with local anesthesia. All of the nurses with the beginning stuff commented on how much they too love my doc, which I completely agreed with!
After all of the preliminaries were taken care of we were taken back to another room where we met and talked with my doc about every detail of the procedure. I talked with him about not wanting to do general anesthesia, which he understood, and said I was lucky, because I had the best anesthesiologist there. He said if anyone would be willing to do the spinal, it would be him! I love answered prayer!
Right after we finished talking with Dr. T, the anesthesiologist, Dr. B, came in, who was super sweet with his accent, and after introductions, his first words were: "I would like to do a spinal rather than general, because I feel that is safest for the baby...." I didn't even have to ask! I love how God loves and takes care of us!
So once Dr. B got the iv started we were off to the operating room. A nurse was there from labor and delivery to listen to the baby's heartbeat. She really never found it, and the longer it went, the more nervous I got. She just wasn't used to finding heartbeats on baby's so small. I just continued to pray, and in walked Dr. T. He took one look at my face, gently took the dopplar, immediately found the baby's heartbeat, then looked at me and winked. I love how he knows and understands my fears, without even asking.
Next up was the spinal, which wasn't bad at all, Dr. B was awesome. The first time Dr. T asked me how I was doing, after I said good, he said, well, I'm already about half way done! It only took him about 15 minutes to put the stitches in. Got to hear the baby's heartbeat again, and then I was taken to recovery for an hour, and finally a room upstairs in the "nesting ward." One of the nurses looked at me and said you look familiar, have you been here before? I just laughed and said yes, several times with my last pregnancy.
It took a while for the numbness to wear off, and the dizziness finally went away once they let me eat! Since then I have been feeling great! Little to no cramping, absolutely no contractions, and little to no bleeding. We couldn't have asked for things to be going better! Now we are waiting for Dr. T to come after office hours to give me my do's and don'ts list before discharging me!
Thank you all for praying, and praise God for graciously answering!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
So Begins...
A new, yet the same, journey for us. We are expecting Baby Richards number 6, due March 30th!! I took the home test while Matt was away at church camp at the end of July, and boy, was it hard to wait for him to get home and share the news Friday night!!
We are all very excited. Cavin loves babies, and loves to look at the ultrasound pictures of his baby! Rance's first questions were, 1: How does the baby come out of mommy's tummy" and 2: What does it eat? The joys of having a seven year old who has questions about everything!!
I am currently just over 13 weeks, and am still feeling exhausted, but thankful to be over the nausea for the most part. I began to show rather early, definitely was showing by 10 weeks. I expected it, with it being my third pregnancy, but it still caught me off guard when I looked down and discovered a hard baby bump!
Tomorrow is a big day for me, I will be having a cerclage, in which they will stitch my cervix shut. It is a rather easy procedure, but could stir up contractions and will cause bleeding so I will most likely be in the hospital until Tuesday to be monitored. I am a little nervous about the procedure, but trying to lay my nerves at His feet and rest in the peace of His good and perfect plan for this pregnancy, whatever that may be.
The goal of having the cerclage is to keep me off of bed rest and out of the hospital! Definitely goals I want to achieve having 2 active boys at home to keep up with! Not wanting to repeat the almost 4 months of bed rest, flat on my back, like I got to have with Cavin along with the multiple scares that he would come early.
I am so thankful for my doctor. I love that he does things just to reassure my nerves, that he realizes not only is it crucial to get my baby to full term, but to do so with a mommy who is not anxious and nervous the entire time. But most of all, I love that I can trust him completely. I love that I know he will tell me the truth, and not try to sugar coat it. I love that when I showed up to my first prenatal appointment he had already spent time coming up with a plan to give me the best possible pregnancy he could. I also love that he will most likely bring me donuts tomorrow because I made a joke about it being cruel not to let a pregnant woman eat for so long!
So, we would love your prayers tomorrow morning, for a completely safe surgery, and that my body will easily adjust to the stitches. I will update after the surgery while I am in the hospital, I am sure, as I will be stuck in bed and missing my boys, who will be busy helping Papa with the cows and not missing me at all!
We are all very excited. Cavin loves babies, and loves to look at the ultrasound pictures of his baby! Rance's first questions were, 1: How does the baby come out of mommy's tummy" and 2: What does it eat? The joys of having a seven year old who has questions about everything!!
I am currently just over 13 weeks, and am still feeling exhausted, but thankful to be over the nausea for the most part. I began to show rather early, definitely was showing by 10 weeks. I expected it, with it being my third pregnancy, but it still caught me off guard when I looked down and discovered a hard baby bump!
Tomorrow is a big day for me, I will be having a cerclage, in which they will stitch my cervix shut. It is a rather easy procedure, but could stir up contractions and will cause bleeding so I will most likely be in the hospital until Tuesday to be monitored. I am a little nervous about the procedure, but trying to lay my nerves at His feet and rest in the peace of His good and perfect plan for this pregnancy, whatever that may be.
The goal of having the cerclage is to keep me off of bed rest and out of the hospital! Definitely goals I want to achieve having 2 active boys at home to keep up with! Not wanting to repeat the almost 4 months of bed rest, flat on my back, like I got to have with Cavin along with the multiple scares that he would come early.
I am so thankful for my doctor. I love that he does things just to reassure my nerves, that he realizes not only is it crucial to get my baby to full term, but to do so with a mommy who is not anxious and nervous the entire time. But most of all, I love that I can trust him completely. I love that I know he will tell me the truth, and not try to sugar coat it. I love that when I showed up to my first prenatal appointment he had already spent time coming up with a plan to give me the best possible pregnancy he could. I also love that he will most likely bring me donuts tomorrow because I made a joke about it being cruel not to let a pregnant woman eat for so long!
So, we would love your prayers tomorrow morning, for a completely safe surgery, and that my body will easily adjust to the stitches. I will update after the surgery while I am in the hospital, I am sure, as I will be stuck in bed and missing my boys, who will be busy helping Papa with the cows and not missing me at all!
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