Growth Spurt!

Joseph & I have both had huge growth spurts in the last two weeks!

I have gained 4 lbs in the last two weeks and he is now measuring in at around 7 lbs 4 oz.

He is measuring like a full term baby and I am still not dilated. I think there is a connection to taking the progesterone as recommended from Dr. H and then dilating later in pregnancy. Not sure, but that is my theory. My cervix is still high and closed.

I know that last time I talked about how all of the sudden, pain and discomfort entered the picture for me as I am trying to gracefully let this baby grow, but the pain I discussed before shifted to a new series of issues. Primarly is one of tremendous sensitivity around my belly button and all of the tenderness there. The feelings for that were strong for about 3 days and then it has become more tolerable. Something I have never experienced before when getting out of bed was feeling like gravity was pulling my belly down - like a parachute. It hurts to walk for a few minutes, but if I take it slow, it gets better with time.

There have been so many ups and downs this past week! Let me try to remember them all!
Monday - find out that J is measuring around 6 lbs 13 oz. The peri says not to travel out of town for Thanksgiving. Asks me if I have everything ready for J, not really! He told me to enjoy my shower and get things ready because J may be here as early as the next two weeks, but he is hoping for 3-4 weeks. I knew he was coming, so why am I so shocked? Could it be because I am not ready, oh well! If he is - I will be ready to be his mom! By the way, felt perfectly fine all day! My bp was perfect that day, even though J's hb was only 120 when it is normal 150 or so! I have to admit the lower end of the hb had me concerned.
Tuesday - when the pain from the scar tissue made it difficult to sleep, walk, or get up and down (mainly that night even though there was some pain that presented itself at Hobby Lobby. High point was visiting with some great friends and my mom that day!

Wednesday - really bad pain, worked the whole day though. At times it would ease up and make me think that it was completely gone, for which I would sing praises.

Thursday - had the day off, planned to stay home all day. The house was clean and I just wanted to see if very little activity would reduce the pain. What, is that spots on the kitchen floor and we have people coming over tonight? I clean the floor, fold a load of baby clothes and put them away. Uh-oh the pain returned, although it eased up after sitting for awhile. I call the doctor just so they can tell me it is scar tissue and that all is well. They are likely to return my call after 5 pm. I call at 1:00 pm. The nurse calls me back at 1:40 to tell me that they would be more comfortable sending me to the hospital for monitoring to make sure that all is well and that no contrations have started. I am thinking to myself that I am fine, I would know what contrations feel like, etc. I so want to be disobedient, but good sense kicks in and I make my way to the hospital all by myself. The drive is about 4o min. I tell myself the whole time, I can't be that bad if I am driving myself to the hospital. By the time I make it to the hospital, I can barely walk in the doors. The pain returned from the bumpy, stowed up ride. I get admitted to the hospital and they monitored Joseph for a few hours for fetal hb and movements. They monitor my bp and oxygen levels in blood. As much as I did not want to go to the hospital or seem to acquire more drama - I am so glad I did. Listening to his perfect hb was the best gift! For several hours, I just felt so peaceful KNOWING he was thriving!
Same day - get released from the hospital because all looks good. No dilation or contrations yet, which is supposed to be good but I would like to see this show get on the road. Once I get home, my mil is using our home to host game night for the ladies we meet with once a month. To my great suprise, they bring gifts for J! Lots and lots of amazing, generous gifts! So much gratitude was swimming around in my heart! It turned out to be a fun night, the pain still continued but I knew J was ok, so I was more peaceful.

Friday - crazy, long day at work. The pain was milder and easier to tolerate even with lots of movement. Praise God! We got to go eat dinner with some special friends and their daughter then stopped off at Target to get's J's first Christmas stocking! Jessy had already bought J's first Christmas present a few months ago and it is waiting in his bassinet for him. By the way, when Jessy first came up with that idea, I was smitten all over again :)

Saturday - the baby shower for baby J! Unbeleivable perfect! My friends and family were all so generous, not with just the baby items, but with their time, talent, and treasure! I was overcome with emotion before, during, and even after the celebration! I will be doing a picture post of the day soon! I can't wait to share those with you all! On my way there, I was overcome with emotion. I was early so I had time to pray two rosaries and go to the adoration chapel where I spent so many hours praying for a family! It was a thrill to go to Jesus in such a state of joy and thanksgiving on that day! I kept thinking to myself, I used to cry at others baby showers (before, sometimes during, and after, too) and I am still doing it for my own!!! Now that is grace in action!

We go to visit my mom at the hospital after the shower and have a great visit! Then we head home, completely exhausted. Jessy tells me he is not feeling well. Turns out he is really sick. A elevated fever and showing signs of a 24 hr bug. Yet, he is determined to put together the baby items we received and bring in all the gifts and look at them for the first time! Falling in love with your husband still everyday because of the joy you see in his eyes even when he is sick has to be one of the greatest gifts from God I have ever received! I rejoiced in seeing him be blown away at the generousity of others and feeling so showered in love by their willingness to help us prepare for baby J! By the way, it was today that the pain on the left side eased enough for me to enjoy the day, thank God!

Sunday - stay home, did not even get to go to mass as I was trying to tend to Jessy. Around 3 he begins to feel better and we make a quick trip to visit his brother's family for an early Thanksgiving dinner.

Monday - barely slept the night before because of terrible headache. Fight headache despite busy morning at work and u/s at 11:30. The biophysical u/s went well. There is still a good amount of fluid, the placenta is functioning well, J's movements are good with breathing movements, his hb is at 145 bpm. They tell me he is measuring about 7 lbs 4 oz, which is about a 2 lb gain in the last two weeks. Holey Moley! They are saying I am at 35 weeks and I just know that I am at 36 weeks. I have to go back at 4 pm for the appt with the doctor.
The 4 pm appt does not go so good. When I got there I was miserable. Felt like I was having a cold sweat. I kept praying I did not get what Jessy had over the weekend. Turns out that my bp is not good. My urine from earlier in the day was not good, so I now have to do the 24 urine test and bring it to the lab at 630 am on Wednesday so they can know how to treat me and J before the Thanksgiving holidays kick in! Great. Feeling completely out of sorts, being scared of the possible outcomes of pre-eclampsia, etc. The doctor shows great concern over these issues which she is disturbing because she is normally extremely laid back. She kept trying to exemplify being laid back, but that plan just did not work. I knew that she doesn't want to take any chances with J and I and she clearly told me that she will do all she can to keep us both healthy because she knows just what I have gone through to get to this point! First of all pregnant at all and second of all - a successful, nearly full term pregnancy! I was blown away at her sincerity because she is not normally so direct in a concerned way. She is normally very easy going and this was almost sending up a red flag for me a few weeks ago. So glad the switch happened, even though I don't like the real reason for the extensive concern. I noticed on the day of the shower, it looked like I had no ankles and I have had a decrease in bathroom runs so I can feel so fluid retention, even though I am still trying to drink lots of water to flush out my system. Finally got to come home and rest. I soon felt better, but headed to bed really early, next thing I know, Jessy is tucking me in the covers, grabbing my prayer book out of my hands because I fell asleep during my prayers and turning out the light. I could barely talk clearly, I was so tired.

Today - feeling better. Just recently felt the need to clean the master bathroom. I am going to wrap the christmas presents soon, Jessy just has a few gift cards to pick up for some others and then we are done with the Christmas shopping. I am going to pack my hospital bag today, too. My doctor said yesterday, that if the urine test has a certain outcome, I could possibly be put in the hospital until delivery. If it has a different (less threatening result, I could be put on bedrest. I was still planning to work Wednesday and Monday. Oh welll. J does come before work. I am trying to do as much as I can today. I feel like I am running out of time to get everyting ready. I don't want my sweet husband to have to do everything on his own although I know he willingly would.