Sunday, June 30, 2013

Wait...what?!

So...Dan has hand, foot, and mouth disease.  Yes, baby girl is coming in, at most, 10 days and we've got a nasty childhood disease hanging around.  If she came today, Daddy wouldn't even be able to be in the delivery room or hold her!

I'm about 99% convinced that Evelyn is who gave it to him, but that she presented a much milder case.  It explains her poor appetite, fever, and sores on her bottom from earlier this week (so, Amber, take heart...you and I have already been exposed!).  I'm fairly certain that she probably had sores in her mouth, but I never suspected HFMD so I never looked.  She was really fussy during teeth brushing time (well, yeah, my Mom was shoving a plastic brush in my mouth) and didn't have the best appetite for a few days.  From what I understand, it's one of those "fun" viruses where you are contagious for up to a week before you start showing symptoms.  So this thing has been hanging around our house for at least a week.  Lovely.  (Amber...don't freak out - it's spread through direct contact - so they only way you could have gotten it is from E, and you should be showing symptoms by now if that's the case!)  Apparently most adults have built up an immunity because they likely had at least some strain of it in childhood.  I'm praying that's the case with me, because apparently a mother having it during delivery can create some complications (illness, organ problems, stillbirth...all things a mama in her last few weeks loves to hear about).  I have an appointment tomorrow, so I'll definitely ask to learn more.

It's a virus, so the only thing you can do are treat the symptoms (pain and itch relief for the sores) and let your immune system tackle it.  You can pray that...

1.  It's done spreading in our house!!!
2.  That Dan's immune system kicks this quickly - he starts his new job tomorrow :-(.
3.  That I will find the energy to clean and disinfect everything in the house once his sores are healed.  It's not like I can open windows to air the place out...it's 110+ degrees here every day!
4.  That Little Miss doesn't decide to come until all of the above have happened.

The doctor told Dan that the sores usually last 3-5 days, and they pretty much popped up overnight between Friday and  Saturday.  So hopefully they are headed out in the next day or two!  I feel really bad for him, they look owie, and he is acting like he feels pretty miserable.

Germs, in the Name of Jesus, be gone!!!  
By His stripes, I claim healing and health over this household! (Isaiah 53:4)

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Happy NBA Draft Day!

The day of the NBA Draft is pretty much a holiday in our house.  Dan looks forward to it every year, and I enjoy reminding him (every year) that it's the anniversary of our first fight ever.  *grin*

The year that Evelyn was born, I started taking pictures of her with a basketball to show how she's grown over the years. 
Here she is at 1 month (left) and 1 year (right)
And at 2 years tonight...
It's amazing to me how she still seems so little to us (especially when you put her up next to other 2 year olds!), but she has grown so much since last year!

Some other pictures from the basketball shoot today...
 So #2 doesn't feel left out...here she is at T-minus 12 days
(good grief my belly is huge!)
 Evelyn and baby sister with the basketball

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

37 Weeks and Ready

We're finally here...37 weeks...and I am so done with being pregnant.  Let's face it, I've been done this time around since about 30 weeks.  My gestational diabetes has been more difficult to control this time around, but over the last few weeks my numbers have been more normal.  I've been pretty diligent about my diet, and have been exercising just about every day of the week.  Walks have also helped to keep some of the swelling down (this south Texas heat is for the birds, by the way).  I also have a prenatal workout DVD that I do once or twice a week.
Evelyn likes to exercise with me :-)
So, two weeks ago, when I went in for my weekly BPP and check up, I was really encouraged that things were going well.  She seemed to have slowed her growth, and my glucose readings were staying pretty steady.  Then came yesterday's appointment at 37 weeks.  Talk about the walls crashing in, the wind being blown out of your sails, and feeling completely overwhelmed all at one time.  According to the ultrasound, she was measuring 39 weeks (1 week further than the last measurement two weeks ago) and 9 pounds, 2 ounces - ummm...2 pounds, 2 ounces more than the last measurement two weeks ago.  Yes, you read that right - 2 pounds in 2 weeks.  Jeepers, girl!  The ultrasound tech that I had measured slightly differently than the others I have had, and I really think that played into part of it.  She was also really not my favorite - when you are working with pregnant women, you should know not to comment on how big that baby is and "do you know you still have 3 weeks to go, this baby is going to be huge."  Gee, thank you, ultrasound lady, can I wipe the gel off my belly and go crawl in a closet now?

I sat in the waiting room to see my OB for about 30 minutes fighting tears the whole time.  I was expecting her to be around the 8 pound range and was completely deflated.  The hormones aren't helping much either.  Enter my OB, who I love.  I started crying in front of her (actually having to talk makes it harder to fight tears!), and she made me feel normal for feeling overwhelmed.  We talked for a while about my delivery with Evelyn and she looked at my chart with her.  At this time, Evelyn was measuring bigger in the head and stomach, but smaller in the leg - so Dr. Nowitzky thinks that this baby's weight is more from her height than her girth like Evelyn.  (Remember, tiny little E was 8 1/2 pounds when she was born!).  Dan says maybe we'll have a point guard-center sister duo.  She looked at my delivery notes with Evelyn and saw that I delivered her pretty easily, especially given that she was my first.  Once I was fully dilated, she was out in less than 20 minutes and 3 pushes.  Evelyn also was measuring 9 1/2 pounds via an ultrasound at 37 weeks (a week before she was born).  So...she is open to letting me still try to avoid the cesarean - I am thankful that she has one of the lowest cesarean rates in Corpus.  At this point, the plan is to induce at 39 weeks (when we can without having to prove medical necessity with the new ObamaCare crap) - which will be July 9th.  Of course, she may come on her own before then - but at most, I'm 14 days out.  Let the countdown begin!  I go in again next Monday and if something looks off or my glucose numbers go crazy again, they would induce next week.  July 9th works better for both Dan (who is starting a new job next Monday) and my Mom (who is coming to take care of Evelyn) - so I suppose July 9th can work....so long as I don't have to have a cesarean! :-)  14 days...

And for anyone wondering...after I deliver I can't wait to eat these things again (in no particular order):
1.  Scotcharoos (thankfully, I have a pan frozen in deep freeze that may or may not be packed to take to the hospital)
2.  A chocolate milkshake from Sonic
3.  Pasta
4.  Chocolate chip cookies - homemade ones
5.  Donuts - a plain sugar donut, a chocolate frosted glazed donut, and a cinnamon twist from Shipleys.
6.  A Caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks - decaf since I'll be nursing :-)

Can you say sweet tooth?  
I'll give myself a couple of weeks to indulge...then it'll be back to a better diet!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Picnic at the Beach

With Little Miss #2 on her way any day, and one of my classes not making this summer, we're a little tight on cash right now, so we've been looking for cheap things to do! On Saturday night, we decided to head out to the beach and have a picnic.  We are terrible beach-living parents...the only time Evelyn has been to the beach is when we went to Hawaii last year.  Seriously.  We have got to get out there more often because she LOVES it!  Here are some pictures of our fun!
When we got out of the car, she immediately ran for the water (oh dear!)
She has been on a big sunglasses kick - so she wants to wear these all the time
Mixed with the beach shoes from Grammie...I can't handle the cuteness!
(nevermind the white whale legs in the background!)
She hasn't quite figured out that this isn't the baby pool - and the waves will knock her down if she's not holding onto one of us!
Daddy and Evelyn catching some waves
She kept saying, "Look at that!"
These next several are my favorites...the sheer joy on her face as the waves came in is priceless!



Then we played in the sand for a while (or...Daddy and Evelyn did while Mommy sat on the cooler because getting down onto sand-level meant having to get back up and that's just too much energy right now...)



Daddy taught her how to make butterflies in the sand with her toys

Admiring her work
Dan is thrilled to finally have someone to play with when we go to the beach.  I'm a 'sit in my chair and read' kind of beach girl...so he always gets bored with me.

All-in-all a great night!  Waiting until later in the afternoon/evening made it not so hot as well, so that helped!  Hooray for family picnics on the beach!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Biophysical Profile #3

I had this week's BPP today and all still looks good!  This week isn't a measure week, so I don't have any updates on how much bigger she's gotten.  She scored an 8/8 again on the profile, though, so she is still doing just fine in there!  I'll go back next week - back to my Monday appointments since my OB will be back.  It will be a measure week, too, so hopefully she'll still in the 7 pound range.  That will keep her on track to stay under the 9 pound limit my OB would like to see in order to let me deliver with no cesarean.

I'm planning for a July 2nd eviction notice (although Grammie is hoping for closer to the 9th so it's easier for her to leave the lumber yard to be here).  I will be 38 weeks that day.  Dan starts his new position at A&M-Kingsville on July 1st, so that will get him in to get all of the HR stuff done, but not quite be bombarded with work while he's out for a week on paternity leave.  We'll see what the little one decides to do!

I'm ready.  It's stinkin' hot.  We've officially entered the 'how many days in a row can we have temps over 100* time'.  Good times...

Sunday, June 16, 2013

NOLA and Father's Day

I had to fly to New Orleans for 3 days for my main professional conference.  Our nanny was away at youth camp (her husband is a youth pastor), so Dan took two sick days and played Daddy Day Care.  He had some packed days planned for them, and took lots of pictures so Mommy wouldn't miss them (yeah, right!).  The funny thing is, I was away in the Big Easy and I took zero pictures!  It was good to reconnect with some friends from both Purdue and Northern Colorado, and my presentations went well.  But I missed being home with Evelyn and Dan!  Here are some pictures from their adventures...
On Thursday, they went to see "Cloudy, with a Chance of Meatballs" at the dollar theatre.
Evelyn pretty much loved it - especially the popcorn!
Thursday afternoon they went to the aquarium.  Since we are members, we can go to the "big sandbox" and the splash park for free - which is always nice!
She loves this turtle...and drinking from it like a drinking fountain (sick.)
 The turtle bucked her off, but she kept going...you can see her shiner coming through on this video
She also loves all of the spray fountains
I love this picture that he got!
He sent me this text that night...it might be my favorite text ever...
 Friday morning they got ready to go to Brinca! (the indoor bounce house here)
This bead maze is always an attention grabber for her!
 She's gotten to the point of going down the slides by herself...so big!
Some more yee haw-ing
(I can take zero responsibility for her hair this day...nice and crazy!)
Then they went to get ice cream
(good timing, since Mommy can't have it right now!)
Mmmmmmm......
Is there something on my face?
He also caught this prayer on video...proud Mommy moment to hear her praying for me and the Broncos :-)
 I was greeted at the airport by this sweet face - ahhh...missed her so much
(and her Daddy)
The three days that I was gone were the three leading up to Father's Day...and Dan pretty much did all of his favorite things to do with Evelyn in those three days.  So we didn't have any big plans for Father's Day on Sunday.
I told him he could choose whatever restaurant he wanted to go to, and we'd at least have a nice dinner!
Instead, he chose going to a Hooks game (our minor league baseball team).  It ended up being a great idea because the breeze off the bay cooled it down quite a bit.
Evelyn got her first foul ball!
(the short stop from the opposing team handed it to her...she sat like this for a while trying to figure it out, then was saying, "thank you much!"...it was cute!)
Taking in the sights at the game
(she was dancing to all of the songs, but shortly after this, the usher made us move her)
Not our best family picture...but hey, it's Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day, Dan...we love you and are thankful to get to call you ours! 

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Biophysical Profile #2

We had our second weekly test today, and she is still doing well.  She has slowed down her growing a little, which is good news that likely means my gestational diabetes is being better controlled (I go into my endocrinologist again on Monday).  This week she scored 8/8 again on the biophysical profile, so she's doing great! It was also a measuring week.  For those of you keeping track (because I'm sure you all are), here's where she's at now/over the past month:

At 31 weeks - measured 35.5 weeks, 5 pounds, 8 ounces
At 33 weeks - measured 37 weeks, 6 pounds, 5 ounces
At 35 weeks today - measured 38 weeks, 7 pounds

According to the baby books, she should be around 6 to 6.5 pounds right now, so this was good news to my not wanting to have a cesarean heart!

We'll be back next week for another biophysical profile, and they will measure again in 2 weeks.  My OB is on vacation until June 24th, so baby girl needs to stay nice and cozy until then.  I fly to New Orleans to present at a conference tomorrow (P, one of these years we need to coordinate a reunion of the Triple ASP Board and get you there, too...Julie and Megan will be there this week!).  I'm a little bit nervous, but I think a lot of it is not wanting to be away from Evelyn for 3 days so close to D-day.  My goal has been to have everything ready before this trip, so I could just relax for a couple of weeks...I think we're about there!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Biophysical Profile #1

I had my first weekly test/check-up today.  Fortunately baby was in a good mood and wasn't sleeping, so the ultrasound part went fairly quickly.  Our littlest princess scored 8/8 on her first test!  My OB only does the nonstress test if you fail one of the first four markers (each worth 2 points), so we didn't have to do anything more.  We didn't measure this week, but will next week - so we'll see how much she's grown in those two weeks.  I think if she can stay underneath a pound over two week periods, I should be able to still deliver vaginally, so we'll see!  The best part of these tests is getting to see her every week!
She looks pretty cozy (and perfect) to me!
My glucose readings have been much better in the past 2 weeks since I started the Glyburide.  I also learned that the Glyburide isn't a synthetic insulin, it is a drug that helps your pancreas produce more insulin naturally.  As with any synthetic insulin treatment, there is a risk for the baby to be hypoglycemic at birth, but we are declaring perfect health and no ill-side effects for me or the baby!

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear

Evelyn has a book that has the "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear" rhyme in it (Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, touch your nose...toes...up the stairs, etc.).  She's recently started doing this all the time: