Because baby's fluid levels were low and at the 34 week ultrasound they thought baby was small, we continued to have ultrasounds every Tuesday with an NST and an NST every Friday. Baby Boy performed very well at each visit- tossing, turning, playing, and even getting too wild with his umbilical cord causing his heart rate to make drastic decreases- only to spike right back up to normal. He looked fabulous during each visit.
My fluid levels didn't change much over the few weeks- I basically maintained fluid levels within the 5th percentile. All that mattered was that it was still safe for me to be pregnant. Whoo hoo! All I wanted was to be pregnant for as long as possible- and we were pushing to make it to 37 weeks.
On February 5th the hospital called to schedule my c-section for 37 weeks. February 14 was exactly 37 weeks, but my doctor was out that day- I couldn't have been happier to NOT deliver on Valentine's Day. So we scheduled for the next day, Friday, February 15 @ 12:00. It was exciting and scary to think in 2 weeks I would be under going this [scary] procedure and meet this precious baby we had been anticipating for almost 10 months!
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Pregnancy #2 in a Nutshell!
As I mentioned in a previous post, this pregnancy has been so different. I actually LOVE being pregnant this time around. Maybe it's that I haven't been sick much, or I'm not huge during the sweltering heat of summer? Either way, I'll take it. Pregnancy is the most wonderful, unbelievable, greatest thing to be able to experience and I LOVE it!
Rewind to week 20- October 17th to be exact- the ultrasound every pregnant woman anticipates. You get to see baby for the first time and [possibly] learn the sex of the baby! Our ultrasound tech could tell right away there was something between the legs- boy! Exciting.
As the ultrasound techs do their job, I always wonder what they are thinking. I know they aren't allowed to say anything technical- good or bad. They just point out things like the heart, stomach, placenta, etc. Anyway, after the ultrasound we saw our doctor- only to hear those dreaded words, "I have good news AND bad news!" Ugh- my heart sank.
The good news- your baby is healthy. The bad news- you have what we call "placenta previa". Instead of going into details, look it up. What it came down to was I would have another ultrasound around 28 weeks to see if my placenta had moved- if it hadn't, I would need to schedule a C-Section for week 36-37. Doing the c-section early would hopefully keep me from going into labor- which is a huge NO if you're diagnosed with placenta previa. So at week 28- sure enough- no movement of the placenta- still planning a c-section. At that point, my doctor said we would have another ultrasound at week 34 to check 'just in case' the placenta had moved. This is right after she told me the chances of it moving are slim to none. Not only would this last ultrasound give me a piece of mind, but it also allowed me to hang on to a string of hope! I haven't been exactly thrilled about a c-section. In fact, I've been terrified!
So, on 1/22/13 I had my 34 week appointment. I was excited for my appointment for a couple of reasons. I would learn if my placenta had moved to where it should be and if it hadn't, I would schedule the birthday of my sweet baby boy! After a 45 minute ultrasound by an 'un'personable ultrasound tech, I didn't receive the news I anticipated. When the doctor came in I heard those dreaded words again, "There were some problems with your ultrasound." Yep, heart sank again and I got sick to my stomach.
The good news is, my baby is 'fine'. The bad news, the amniotic fluid around him is low and he isn't growing quite like he has been. (Keep in mind this is my 4th ultrasound- so we have been able to watch him grow pretty precisely). Of course I am wondering- well, where did the amniotic fluid go?? There are a couple of possibilities- or many! There is a chance my water had broke already or my placenta wasn't doing it's job. The ultrasound tech had checked the blood flow from the umbilical cord and to placenta and both was fine. So we aren't exactly sure what the problem is. I, of course, am very impatient and couldn't wait for the following Tuesday for more information about what my baby was doing. So I scheduled my own appointment for the next day to see if my water had been ruptured- just for a peace of mind! Good news, no rupture!
Now I get to go back to the doctor every Tuesday and Friday for NonStress Tests, ultrasounds, and doctor visits. Their goal is to monitor him to make sure everything is great and hopefully hold him off to week 37 [February 14th] before delivering him. I have received 2 steroid shots to ensure his little lungs are ready for the world when he comes.
Either way, this baby will be early- ready or not!
Rewind to week 20- October 17th to be exact- the ultrasound every pregnant woman anticipates. You get to see baby for the first time and [possibly] learn the sex of the baby! Our ultrasound tech could tell right away there was something between the legs- boy! Exciting.
As the ultrasound techs do their job, I always wonder what they are thinking. I know they aren't allowed to say anything technical- good or bad. They just point out things like the heart, stomach, placenta, etc. Anyway, after the ultrasound we saw our doctor- only to hear those dreaded words, "I have good news AND bad news!" Ugh- my heart sank.
The good news- your baby is healthy. The bad news- you have what we call "placenta previa". Instead of going into details, look it up. What it came down to was I would have another ultrasound around 28 weeks to see if my placenta had moved- if it hadn't, I would need to schedule a C-Section for week 36-37. Doing the c-section early would hopefully keep me from going into labor- which is a huge NO if you're diagnosed with placenta previa. So at week 28- sure enough- no movement of the placenta- still planning a c-section. At that point, my doctor said we would have another ultrasound at week 34 to check 'just in case' the placenta had moved. This is right after she told me the chances of it moving are slim to none. Not only would this last ultrasound give me a piece of mind, but it also allowed me to hang on to a string of hope! I haven't been exactly thrilled about a c-section. In fact, I've been terrified!
So, on 1/22/13 I had my 34 week appointment. I was excited for my appointment for a couple of reasons. I would learn if my placenta had moved to where it should be and if it hadn't, I would schedule the birthday of my sweet baby boy! After a 45 minute ultrasound by an 'un'personable ultrasound tech, I didn't receive the news I anticipated. When the doctor came in I heard those dreaded words again, "There were some problems with your ultrasound." Yep, heart sank again and I got sick to my stomach.
The good news is, my baby is 'fine'. The bad news, the amniotic fluid around him is low and he isn't growing quite like he has been. (Keep in mind this is my 4th ultrasound- so we have been able to watch him grow pretty precisely). Of course I am wondering- well, where did the amniotic fluid go?? There are a couple of possibilities- or many! There is a chance my water had broke already or my placenta wasn't doing it's job. The ultrasound tech had checked the blood flow from the umbilical cord and to placenta and both was fine. So we aren't exactly sure what the problem is. I, of course, am very impatient and couldn't wait for the following Tuesday for more information about what my baby was doing. So I scheduled my own appointment for the next day to see if my water had been ruptured- just for a peace of mind! Good news, no rupture!
Now I get to go back to the doctor every Tuesday and Friday for NonStress Tests, ultrasounds, and doctor visits. Their goal is to monitor him to make sure everything is great and hopefully hold him off to week 37 [February 14th] before delivering him. I have received 2 steroid shots to ensure his little lungs are ready for the world when he comes.
Either way, this baby will be early- ready or not!
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Baby #2
Yes! Another Foster baby! I am already 20 weeks along- 1/2 way! A huge milestone! This pregnancy has been so much easier than the first. I often find myself wondering if I am doing okay, if the little 'thing' inside me is still dancing. For the first 4-5 months of my first pregnancy, I was throwing up and could hardly leave my bed. Ugh. I haven't missed those days- not one bit!
The news...
I took a pregnancy test this summer, July 5th (Happy Birthday Ficken!) anticipating some good news. It was positive- I didn't believe it- it was too early to tell. I didn't even tell Adam I took one- he happened to find it and was thrilled! I waited a few days- took another one- positive again! YES!!! At this point, I was only about 5-6 weeks along. I contacted the Dr. Office and went in for blood work at week 7- positive again! Whoop Whoop!
We had our first 12 week ultrasound on August 23rd. We were anticipating meeting our doctor, hearing the heartbeat and being on our way. When my doctor checked me she thought I seemed a bit 'small,' so she sent us in for an ultrasound to determine our due date. It was so refreshing and amazing to see the little peanut so early on in my pregnancy. I didn't get a glimpse of E until 20 weeks. His/Her little heartbeat was 152 (I believe E's was around 160ish the first couple times). He/She wouldn't move at first, but after a bit of prodding by the ultrasound-tech, the little peanut started tossing. He/She had it's little butt in the air and had it's arms/legs tucked under- it was the sweetest thing I have ever seen. The ultrasound tech determined our due date to be March 2nd- (We had thought around March 7th). Everything looked perfect!
This little peanut has the opportunity to steal someone's birthday. My brother, Zac's is March 3rd and my grandma's is March 5th. There should be a pool starting any day now!
A Different Pregnancy...
As I mentioned, I feel a ton different this pregnancy. Literally, the day after I took the 2nd pregnancy test, I was feeling nauseated- for about 3 weeks (Week 5-8/9). I was constantly nibbling on crackers and trying not to make any fast moves. That part was easy- I never threw up, just felt like I could A LOT. I tried the accu-pressure bracelets this time. I don't know if it was because of the bands, or if I just got lucky this time! Because it was summer break, it allowed me to lie around on the couch daily. Fortune for me, not so fortunate for Braydon and Elise who were bored with me!
I started showing around 10 weeks. Suddenly, I was chubby! I didn't start showing with E until 16 weeks or so. I instantly thought I was pregnant with twins. I still think how crazy and fun that would be!
I remember being kind of tired with my first pregnancy, this one I have been MEGA tired! Until week 19, I was in bed every night before 8, some nights were before 7- and I could sleep until my alarm went off at 6:15 the next morning. It has felt good this last week to stay up til 9-10 at night. Adam feels good about having someone to hang out with, too!
I think Elise and Braydon are pretty excited for baby. Elise knows I have a baby in my belly and always wants to see my belly. She ends up poking my belly button (gross) and rubbing my belly. Sweet? Yes! If you ask her who has a baby in the belly she will say, "Elise baby in the belly" and lift up her shirt. She told her teachers at school that her mommy had a baby in her belly a couple of weeks ago. She also walked by the fridge where the ultrasound pictures are hanging and said, "Hi Baby!" My heart melted. I hope she loves baby as much in March. Braydon is a man of few words when it comes to the new baby- but him and E are both rooting for a BOY! I will be thrilled with either, and I can't wait to find out in 4 days on October 17th!
I have been pretty good about taking pictures of my belly this time around, but I didn't start until 16 weeks or so- will post soon!
The news...
I took a pregnancy test this summer, July 5th (Happy Birthday Ficken!) anticipating some good news. It was positive- I didn't believe it- it was too early to tell. I didn't even tell Adam I took one- he happened to find it and was thrilled! I waited a few days- took another one- positive again! YES!!! At this point, I was only about 5-6 weeks along. I contacted the Dr. Office and went in for blood work at week 7- positive again! Whoop Whoop!
We had our first 12 week ultrasound on August 23rd. We were anticipating meeting our doctor, hearing the heartbeat and being on our way. When my doctor checked me she thought I seemed a bit 'small,' so she sent us in for an ultrasound to determine our due date. It was so refreshing and amazing to see the little peanut so early on in my pregnancy. I didn't get a glimpse of E until 20 weeks. His/Her little heartbeat was 152 (I believe E's was around 160ish the first couple times). He/She wouldn't move at first, but after a bit of prodding by the ultrasound-tech, the little peanut started tossing. He/She had it's little butt in the air and had it's arms/legs tucked under- it was the sweetest thing I have ever seen. The ultrasound tech determined our due date to be March 2nd- (We had thought around March 7th). Everything looked perfect!
This little peanut has the opportunity to steal someone's birthday. My brother, Zac's is March 3rd and my grandma's is March 5th. There should be a pool starting any day now!
A Different Pregnancy...
As I mentioned, I feel a ton different this pregnancy. Literally, the day after I took the 2nd pregnancy test, I was feeling nauseated- for about 3 weeks (Week 5-8/9). I was constantly nibbling on crackers and trying not to make any fast moves. That part was easy- I never threw up, just felt like I could A LOT. I tried the accu-pressure bracelets this time. I don't know if it was because of the bands, or if I just got lucky this time! Because it was summer break, it allowed me to lie around on the couch daily. Fortune for me, not so fortunate for Braydon and Elise who were bored with me!
I started showing around 10 weeks. Suddenly, I was chubby! I didn't start showing with E until 16 weeks or so. I instantly thought I was pregnant with twins. I still think how crazy and fun that would be!
I remember being kind of tired with my first pregnancy, this one I have been MEGA tired! Until week 19, I was in bed every night before 8, some nights were before 7- and I could sleep until my alarm went off at 6:15 the next morning. It has felt good this last week to stay up til 9-10 at night. Adam feels good about having someone to hang out with, too!
I think Elise and Braydon are pretty excited for baby. Elise knows I have a baby in my belly and always wants to see my belly. She ends up poking my belly button (gross) and rubbing my belly. Sweet? Yes! If you ask her who has a baby in the belly she will say, "Elise baby in the belly" and lift up her shirt. She told her teachers at school that her mommy had a baby in her belly a couple of weeks ago. She also walked by the fridge where the ultrasound pictures are hanging and said, "Hi Baby!" My heart melted. I hope she loves baby as much in March. Braydon is a man of few words when it comes to the new baby- but him and E are both rooting for a BOY! I will be thrilled with either, and I can't wait to find out in 4 days on October 17th!
I have been pretty good about taking pictures of my belly this time around, but I didn't start until 16 weeks or so- will post soon!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Pork Days
You know those small town carnivals? The ones that attract anyone and everyone within the radius of your small town (only). Ok, well CP's small town carnival is called Pork Days. They have rides for the kids, games, food, a typical carnival- carneys and all! This was the first year we were in town to participate- I felt good about supporting our local economy. We also go to watch some of my students participate in TaeKwondo- they had a little performance uptown. Braydon and Elise had a blast!
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| They loved riding the lady bug. Sadly, it lasted for barely 25 seconds. |
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| Ready! |
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| Set! |
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| Go! |
Iowa Children's Museum
Again, on another brutally, hot summer day. We ventured to Iowa City to visit the Iowa Children's Museum and beat the heat! Elise had a great time playing with the different things- mostly the babies and the trains. She is obsessed with babies- loves to put them 'ni-night,' sleep with them, 'rock a bye-baby' them, and wrap them up in her blankies. It is the sweetest thing-ever!
We had a great time at the museum. As I was uploading pictures, it dawned on me that it looks like Braydon never goes anywhere with us! Ha! He is with us daily- and I do have pictures of him to come- it just seems the last two events he wasn't with us. Poor guy!
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| This picture has nothing to do with the museum, but she's too cute anyway! |
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| Not everything she learns from her big brother is good :) |
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| On the way to IC |
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| 2 passenger plane |
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| Trying to figure out how the ball works |
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| Whoa! Wind! |
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| Baby Heaven! |
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| Putting her baby to sleep! |
We had a great time at the museum. As I was uploading pictures, it dawned on me that it looks like Braydon never goes anywhere with us! Ha! He is with us daily- and I do have pictures of him to come- it just seems the last two events he wasn't with us. Poor guy!
4th of July
It was kind of weird having 4th of July in the middle of the week this year. In years past, I have spent my 4th of Julys celebrating in Okoboji near the water with friends! Because it was smack in the middle of the week (and WAY TOO HOT to do much), we didn't do anything too exciting- except dress E in a really cute red, white and blue dress!
After nap time we headed over to our friends' house- Phil and DeEtta Andersen. They live in town and usually have a dinner with friends/family on the 4th of July with fireworks. We stayed for a couple of hours and enjoyed their company- we didn't make it to the fireworks.
Bed time>fire works!
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| We went to Target and E insisted that she hold my hand on the way there :) |
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| E played in the sprinklers before bed time. |
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