Barrett James - his Birthday

I recognize I'm about 2-weeks late in posting the story, but cut me some slack...I now have a newborn :)

Our anniversary is November 10th...we went out for a nice dinner, but I'd been battling what I thought was heartburn all day...the pain started just to the left of my sternum and just never really went away. By Thursday evening (the 12th) I was more convinced it was actually a pinched nerve...the pain now began under my left rib cage, traveled up my sternum and over my shoulder to the bottom of my shoulder blade. Initially it hurt to move, or take a deep breath...at dinner that evening Danielle was suggesting a massage was in order, which I made a note to call and schedule the next day when I was at work.

Around 11:30, after I'd been asleep for about 2 hours, I woke up in such pain, I almost couldn't stand it. It was hard to get comfortable lying down or sitting up, so I attempted to sleep in the chair - no success - and then tried the couch - success for about 2 hours.

When I woke up at 1:30, I hurt so bad I was in tears (literally) and managed to get myself upstairs to wake Demetri up - who promptly sat up when I said "I need you to take me to the ER!"...then I quickly clarified that it wasn't because I was having contractions, but rather I was in some serious pain. After calming me down, we decided the more sensible thing to do would be to call the OB and explain what was going on. Well, as soon as you describe any kind of pain that you're having in your chest, you get moved to the front of the line...so at 2:00 in the morning, we found ourselves on our way to the hospital to get checked out. When we left the house, in the back of my mind, I was thinking how funny it would be if we actually had a baby that night, one week before our scheduled C-section (the 20th) and two weeks before the baby's due date (the 26th)...but convinced myself that wouldn't happen, because I wasn't having contractions.

After we arrived at the hospital, I had some blood drawn and was attached to a baby monitor, just in case. The doctor checks my shoulder out and is in the process of concurring with my self-diagnosis of a pinched nerve when babe's heartbeat drops from 140 to 80. The doctor called for oxygen and before I knew it, I was swarmed by 6 nurses and was being rolled from side to side (PAINFULL!) to get babe to cooperate. Doc says "if that happens again, we're having a birthday party today." Sure enough, babe does it again, so Doc says "we're having a baby tonight." I say "Seriously?!" Demetri says "Do you think we should call your parents?" I say "um, yes"

about 30 minutes later, I was on the OR table with a FABULOUS epidural, hearing Demetri say through his OR mask "Stinker, it's a boy!!!!"

November 13, 2009 at 3:36 am
7lbs, 11oz, 20.4 inches long.

From Baby_Facebook

Stubborn like Dad

or, at least I'm attributing this characteristic to Dad :)

Our weekly appointments began yesterday. I'm down about a half a pound (i KNEW it was fluid!) and measuring at 38 weeks (week 37 isn't until Thursday). As she was wrapping up the exam, I asked if she could tell what part of baby I was feeling underneath my right rib cage...it gets REALLY firm (and actually quite painful) and I wasn't sure if it was baby head or baby butt. She felt around and couldn't tell either, so she wheeled in the ole ultrasound machine and sure enough, it's baby head. At week 36/37, baby head should be down, not up...

so, we have two options - External Cephalic Version (basically, manually trying to flip baby by manipulating mom's belly). Risks include contractions, early labor, breaking water and/or emergency c-section. and, apparently, it hurts.

Option two is a scheduled c-section at 39 weeks, since odds of baby flipping this late in the game aren't good.

After much deliberation (and advice from several folks), we opted for the scheduled c-section. Not exactly glamorous and sort of eliminates the possibility of the middle of the night hospital run, but the scheduler in me has relaxed :) Don't have the date yet, and we may keep that a surprise, but that's our 36/37 week update :)

More things I can't do anymore

I know the baby blogging has been a little slack lately, but give me a break - 35 weeks preggo can take it out of you!

I will take a moment, however, and update you on the "list of things I cannot do anymore"

~wear any shoes other than Crocs

~see my ankle bones

~tie shoelaces (my hiking boots also fit, but require Demetri's help to tie them)

~sit without propping my feet up

~walk for an extended period of time (i.e. 5 minutes) without using the "hand hammock" (hands clasped underneath the belly for a little extra support)

It should also be noted that I haven't been able to wear my own wedding band since week 15 or so...since then, I've outgrown two other rings and am now on one that used to belong to my Grandpa...

In other news - we're down to weekly appointments (usually on Monday mornings)...on 10/26 we had no "action" down there, which I'm okay with because at 35 1/2 weeks, there shouldn't be any action...I also learned that I gained 6 lbs over the previous two weeks, but it's most likely due to the water retention...my calves sort of vomited all over my feet, which is why crocs are the only things that fit. So with the addition of this 6lbs, my grand total since week 1 is about 39 lbs...not super excited about that, but Danielle promises to "help" me take the weight off. Something about seeing your weight on a scale begin with a 2 is both a motivator and a de-motivator all at the same time.

30 Weeks

about a week and a half over due, but here are the pictures from our last ultrasound (last in that it was our most recent and last in that we don't have anymore scheduled). My parents were in town, so they were able to come back with us and see the baby in "real life"

From Baby

From Baby

Belly full of baby

I'm in Motherhood Maternity Sunday afternoon and the following takes place:

 

Sales Lady:  Hi, can I help you?

 

Me: Yes, do you all sell nursing bras?

 

Sales  Lady: Yes, we do...when are you due?

 

Me: End of November - Thanksgiving

 

Sales Lady stops walking, turns around and looks at me and says: Are you having twins?

 

Me: No

 

Sales Lady: Wow, cause you are all belly!

 

Me: Um, thanks...

26 Weeks

A fun surprise today at the doctor - 4D shots!!!  They were too cool not to share!
 
baby weighs about 2.3 lbs - which is on par for 27 weeks - which I'll be on Thursday, so babe is a little big, but maybe that means he/she can come early.  Kidneys are still a bit bigger than they'd like (but no bigger than last time) and there seems to be a bit of urine reflux hanging out around the kidneys...this normally heals itself either in the womb or shortly after birth, but there's no "anatomical" blockage down there, so the doctor wasn't too concerned...just means we get to go back in a month :)
 
Oh, and so you know, the doctor also relayed that more and more people are opting not to find out what the sex is...in his words "there aren't enough pleasant surprises in life" :)  So - all you pregnant ladies - STAY STRONG!  don't give into the pressure to find out :)

Things I cannot do anymore

This is in no way meant to be a complaint, rather an interesting take on what actually happens during pregnancy that no one really tells you

~ see my toes

~ bend over to touch my toes - ok, well actually it's more like bending over to touch my ankles, cause who am I kidding...I don't remember the last time I could touch my toes

~ laugh without "leaking"

~ sit or stand for more than 2 hours at a time

~ lift a small child

~ stain a deck (long story)

~ sit straight up from a lying position - this now resembles some sort of roll move and a sideways push-up

~ sleep through the night

~ deal with stress

~ take a nap...you'd think this would be a no brainer, but somehow, the mid-afternoon nap eludes me