Decisions

I usually don't have a hard time making decisions and once I set my mind to something I am pretty set. However, having a child is a little different. I can make decisions fairly easy..... wow a cookie for me! BUT I HATE CHANGE. My birth plan changed a month ago when we were booted out of our house, moved in a few days and my blood pressure went up. Yesterday I was at my doctors office for 3 hours on the monitor and talking with him about my situation. I can be induced safely at 38 weeks, with no huge concern for the baby's lungs being underdeveloped and so on. He is measuring very small, in the 9% rate for his gestational age and the ultrasound shows he hasn't been gaining weight. So basically he is okay, not struggling but not growing either. I am sort of a walking incubator. If we continue to wait (STAY PREGNANT!) I will have to continue non-stress tests a couple times a week, do blood work, monitor my blood pressure and stay on bed rest until A) something goes wrong and they have to induce right away or B) I magically go into labor on my own. A and B are both unknown and if A or B happens, there are just as many and more risks than being induced under a controlled environment in which I am not completely freaked out. Because my ultrasound shows Keldon is size wise right now, about 34 weeks instead of almost 38 and isn't gaining, we don't know if my placenta will be sufficient enough to get him through delivery, or why he is even small in the first place.....ladeeee da. There are too many unknowns and it freaks me out. SO.... I think I will just try to be induced Friday so I know what is coming and can try to be more relaxed and he can grow when he comes out. Some babies do better on the outside I guess. I am just frustrated because they can't really tell me why I have a uterine growth restricted baby, aren't even really worried about it and its safe to have him at 38 weeks. Chris thinks I should wait it out and just see how my blood pressure is and so on but I feel more comfortable having him now and not waiting to SEE if something goes wrong, or trust that my body will start on its own. Especially since he is small, you'd think my body would try to hold on to him longer. After talking to 10 or 12 different people yesterday, I have decided to try it Friday. I am 75% effaced right now and 1/2 centimeter dilated. The dilation is the tricky part with inductions because if your body isn't dilated the induction is longer and harder on you. They have medicine to help ripen your cervix and help you dilate. We are going to try that and if I am dilated enough, he may be able to strip my membranes. We will go to that point and try.... If it works than awesome, If it doesn't I can wait a while and try later I suppose. My sisters and my mom usually have their babies in less than 8 hours so I praying for the good genetics.

37 Weeks

These top 2 pictures are for you Sherri! HA hA, Fat Cheeks and my big round Belly!

I love my Sweetheart Husband

Chris has been so sweet. He is a little grumpy but he has been working sooooo hard lately and when he gets home, he has to hear me complain about all the mommy stuff and the house needs this stuff etc. I freaked out on Tuesday because of the heat wave that struck Tri-Cities and literally thought I might die. I was crying and having somewhat of a panic attack that my kid was going to cook inside my womb if I didn't get air conditioning. Chris was so cute, telling me to calm down and that we would go look at ac's when he got home from work. We shopped around a little and found the best prices at Lowes. He went back yesterday and got the AC then went to walmart and returned the dresser that we got that he broke as he was putting it together. There was a broken piece to begin with, but as he was putting it together he got frustrated because it wouldn't fit together and tore it all apart. He put all the pieces in a random box from the house and brought it back to the store like that. I was so embarrassed but hey, he wasn't and we got all our money back. Yesterday I had my ultrasound which showed my amniotic fluid level was okay but Keldon is measuring at 34 weeks and around 5.7lbs (Give or take a pound, you know hot that goes, not always accurate). I will be 37 tomorrow so I am not sure what is going on. I had a non-stress test at KGH today, with my blood pressure the normal semi-high around 140/90. The nurse talked to the Doctor and I am suppose to continue moderate bed rest and take it easy until Monday's appointment, but watch for any red flags over the weekend. His goal was to get me to 37 weeks so Monday I am going to ask him about setting a date for an induction and talk about why the baby isn't growing. He will have the ultrasound results back by then as well as my blood work so we will go from there. I have all my baby stuff ready, his and my bag packed and my house closer to looking like a house. Can't wait till he gets here.... I just want to snuggle him.

High Blood Pressure- Bed Rest and Frustration

I AM SO BORED. I don't know how people can handle being home all day. I miss working and being able to feel normal and do normal things. I am on bed rest for high blood pressure and I swear it stresses me out more. My house still has unpacked boxes from moving, baby clothes all over without a dresser to go in and I don't have any air conditioning. I went in to KGH on Sunday after church because my BP was 150 over 104 and my feet and hands were a swollen mess. When I got there of course it was lower so after a while they sent me home. Yesterday I took it easy and slept a little better last night. ( More then the 3-4 hours I have been getting) Today... I told myself I wouldn't do anything, just get up to go to the bathroom and snack. Bad idea! Now I have one of those, I haven't done anything and slept too long headaches and I am still all swollen and miserable. I hope he can come soon. They are most likely going to induce me before next week but my DR. wants me to try and get to 37 weeks, which is Friday. He doesn't think I will get to 38 weeks. Tomorrow morning I go in for an ultrasound to confirm the baby's growth. The doctor thinks he is at the most 5 1/2 pounds and wants to check to see how my amniotic fluid level is. I have a stress test scheduled on Thursday at the hospital to monitor everything. When we get the blood tests and ultrasound results back we will know more. I am suppose to go back in to Dr.Salisbury on Monday morning, so if nothing changes before then, that is the plan.

35 WEEKS 5 DAYS

My sister Kim loves to take pictures so yesterday we experimented. I do not like taking pictures but wanted to have some so I wouldn't regret not taking them later on.... 3 kids and 5 million stretch marks later. We pulled it off with the help of photo shop. Not bad for using a black piece of material draped over a mattress for a backdrop in the front room eh? Kim was trying hard not to cry the whole time. She was taking pictures with a broken collarbone and 4 kids at home. Here's our favorites!

Baby will be here soon!

So I am officially starting to panic. Dr. Salisbury said I won't make it to 40 weeks. I will be lucky to get to 37 with my blood pressure and am probably looking at an induction. Nice eh? I am 50% effaced but not dilated yet. He said to take it easy and monitor the headaches and swelling. Did I mention I hit the 40 pounds gained mark!!!! 40 stinkin pounds OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If my diastolic blood pressure is up to 100 in the next week then we are looking at an induction. Otherwise, if it is consistently high for the next two weeks, then we will try to get to 37 before we induce to be safe. I am really glad I am having my shower this week, so I can go get the rest of my stuff before he comes. Maybe all my boxes will be unpacked by then huh? At least I have a new cozy recliner to be lazy in and couch for my awesome sister/fill-in mom to sleep on. I miss my mommy today :(

35 weeks and 1 day- Me on the way to a massage and pedicure for a
stress free Saturday! YIPPEE
The baby has definitely dropped this week with all the stress.
I am too tired to update all the drama in our lives right now, but
I am sure he is coming early. I have another stress test tomorrow and will
see if I am dilating at all. My blood pressure has been consistently high
since last week and my feet and hands are swollen and are on fire! Not
to mention the lovely headaches and dizziness. Pray to make it to 37 weeks....
I can handle having him at 37 I think.

Moving

I took two days off work this week to move and didn't really get it done. My awesome sisters came over while Sherri was in town and helped moved a lot of stuff on Tuesday. Wednesday I did a little here and there putting things away and then got stuck at Walmart buying groceries and new house stuff. Even though it is in a ghetto mobile home park I would have to say it is at least 2 or 3 times better than the old place. I am excited to have a nicer kitchen and actually be able to leave my blinds open without tenants knocking on my door and peeking in my windows. Keldon's furniture is all unpacked but we still have a days worth of putting stuff together. Hopefully by Monday I can go to work relaxed. We have conference this weekend so that will give us more time to organize. I got little bins and baskets at the store yesterday. It is so nice to have a place for everything instead of just being shoved in here and there. I didn't know how much food I actually had in my old house until we started packing it. I have a little pantry thing at the new place and I can actually see where things are. GLORIOUS! My back is killing me, I have had a headache for 3 days and I get to go to work in a couple of hours and give 4 massages, how? I don't know!