At least our dry-run went well...

I had my (almost) 35 week checkup yesterday and my doc said not much had changed. I had noticed decreased movements from the baby so she hooked me back up to monitor him and also watch the contractions (I really didn't think I was having that many). Apparently I was wrong. I have been so used to feeling all my contractions in my back as cramps that I wasn't recognizing the typical uterine contractions (felt in front). Doc said that the baby's activity and heart beat looked good and she wasn't concerned. She made no mention of my contractions and their frequency though. She even said that if I wanted to try for modified bed rest that would be fine. Tyler was still quite skeptical so we decided we weren't going to let up on the bed rest until at least the weekend.

I did do a little more activity yesterday than I had in over a week and around 6 or so I noticed that the contractions and back cramps were becoming more prominent. I didn't think too much of them until around 10:30 when I had a doozy of a contraction. And then another. And then another and another. At 11 o'clock we started timing them. They were coming every 4-6 minutes — more than 10 in an hour. We hesitated for almost 2 hours if we should call the on-call doctor or not. We even tried to close our eyes and relax. When the contractions brought tears to my eyes I knew we had to call.

We still weren't sure if this was the real thing or not but we also knew there wasn't anything else that we could do. Tyler's mom came over around 1am and we headed to the hospital. The contractions were still coming hard and fast and I was now dilated to 3 1/2 cm.

Apparently week 35 of pregnancy is the grey zone. The doc at the hospital was more of the opinion to let me go through with the contractions and possibly have the baby. The on-call doc at my OBGYN office said to try medicine to get my contractions to stop. Had I been 34 weeks they would've both agreed to use the meds. Had I been 36 weeks they would've both agreed to admit me. I was only 35 weeks. Just my luck.

The meds eventually slowed down my contractions and we were on our way back home around 4am. They gave me Ambien to help me sleep (because the meds to stop my contractions make your heart race and you fell all edgy and jittery). Within 10 minutes I felt like I was drunk!

I went home and slept like a (drunk) baby. Tyler on the other hand couldn't fall asleep and then when he did he soon had to get up with Amelia when she did at 6:15. I swear, my husband is super-human sometimes. I couldn't make it one day without him. I am constantly asking myself how I got so lucky. There aren't many husbands who would do what he has done. I love you Tyler.

Now it's back to strict bed rest for 6 days. Although at least this time I have the medicine at home so that if the contractions start like that again I can hopefully stop them.

I also owe a special thank you to Darcy who came over on Saturday and helped me pack my hospital bags (amongst many other helpful things!) Thank you Darcy! You're always there for me! I'm blessed to have you in my life.

Hopefully the next story like this will end with a healthy, beautiful baby boy.

when it rains, it pours

It never fails — crappy things in life always happen in 3's ... and hopefully no more than that! Tyler's car needed repaired, again. Another $1000. I practically go into labor with full out contractions and I'm dilated — at 33 weeks and I'm put on bed rest. Then we find out that our God bless-ed water line on our fridge has been leaking for God only knows how long and has soaked through our ever-so-lovely peel and stick vinyl flooring all the way to the basement. Tyler moved the fridge out and I could all-to-easily lift all the flooring right up. The sub-flooring was already soaked through. We're f#$%ed. I give up. I'm going to bed.

Bed rest it is....

After my sweet encounter at Target I picked Tyler up and we headed over to my appointment. My doctor said I had progressed to 2cm dilated and 70% effaced. I told her I was pretty sure my contractions were coming a lot more frequently and with a lot more intensity .... they hooked me up to the monitor again and they were in fact doing just that ... my contractions were coming 2-3 minutes apart. They gave me an injection and within 10 minutes the contractions stopped. It was crazy. Apparently my activity levels were still too much so she put me on full time bed rest. 

And that's where we stand (or lie) now. So, I'm working from my bedroom now on a laptop. I've got a decent setup so it's not all that bad ... it's just that my butt and hips hurt from sitting and lying down so much! Oh well. I know it could be worse so I'm not going to complain anymore.

My renewed faith in human kindness

So not only have we been dealing with me being on partial bed rest but Tyler's car had to be worked on again...after we'd already spent $1100 on it in January, nonetheless! Friday his car wouldn't shift out of first gear... apparently it went into fail-safe mode because the sensor was bad. Needless to say, we were down to one car for 6 days. So on Tuesday we took Amelia to school, I dropped Tyler off at work and decided I would stop at Target to get a few items that we needed before I went back to pick Tyler up so he could go to my doctor's appointment with me.

I looked around for a motorized cart at Target (I'm not supposed to be doing "active" things) and didn't see one so I attempted to walk through the store. I only had 2 items in my cart and I started sweating and having contractions. Being the stubborn person that I am I insisted on finishing my shopping so I headed to the front of the store and asked if they had a motorized cart that I could use. The lady offered to get one and bring it to me. In the meantime the other store clerk asked if  I was okay and if I'd like a water. As she walked away I apparently looked quite pathetic and this absolute sweetheart of a woman that was in line to checkout nearby asked if I needed help doing my shopping. She said she had nothing to do on Tuesday's but kill time while her husband was at the hospital.

I told her she was so sweet for offering and then she insisted on helping me. I figured I could probably use the help and the company seemed nice too. Her name was Heather. She walked all throughout the store with me reading the prices of the items to me and grabbing the stuff off the shelves and putting them into the little cart for me. She was an angel. She runs a small daycare in Yellow Springs ... too bad she wasn't much closer, I'd pass my kids off to her in a heartbeat! At this point I wanted Heather as my new friend. She was awesome. 

As we were nearing the end of my shopping list (I was looking for hair dye...I can't stand my hair anymore) I remembered earlier she had said something about her husband being at the hospital on Tuesdays so I asked her where he was a doctor. He wasn't a doctor at all. He was having chemo therapy like he does every Tuesday. She said it's been going on for so long that she just couldn't take sitting in the hospital anymore so she tries to save all of her shopping for her Tuesday trips to Columbus. I felt like a worthless person worrying about my hair color as we carried on this conversation. I asked what his prognosis was and she said they don't ask. They never have. They just want to be able to live each day without that knowledge in the back of their mind. I guess his cancer had spread to all sorts of organs over the past 2 years. And prior to this he had no health issues.

Heather didn't have any kids of her own but loved them all like they were hers. You could tell she had a lot of love to give. She even helped me pick out sunglasses for Amelia (I had been promising Amelia a new pair for about 4 months now). Heather checked out in front of me, then help me with my stuff and walked out to the parking lot with me. As we were walking out I said to her, "See that red Jeep Cherokee over there?" She said, "Yes, that's my car. I'm guessing you're right next to me?" We both smiled and laughed and knew we were meant to meet each other that day. She put all the stuff in my car for me and we both reached out to give each other a hug at the same time.

I know most all of you reading this are laughing right now and thinking "typical Galen story." But seriously there aren't many people who would stop and help a perfect stranger like Heather did. The kindness she showed me only makes me want to be a better person. I hope I have the pleasure of running into Heather again. I might try Target on Tuesdays just for that chance. 

Big sister room...

My Dad and Karen were able to make it down the other weekend and REALLY help us get things put together. And Amelia was a BIG help for Grandma....she helped Daddy and Grandma clean (watch the video below), helped fix her door and helped Grandpa hang up all of the shelves. When Grandpa needed a certain tool he asked Amelia for it and she handed it right to him...she really knows her tools!

So she's officially in her big sister room and LOVING it! She has done such a great job too. Again, this was another case where mom and dad were more nervous than she was. She was just simply excited to have the BIG room and not the little one anymore! Typical girl. She slept great her first night in her new room. For her first nap in her new room she didn't even want me to read her stories she wanted Grandma too!

Dacia and Ellie came down later in the afternoon and brought all of Ian's clothes and some baby stuff. She washed everything for us. We're almost completely ready (yeah, right)...we especially need to get the bassinet and crib bedding washed and put on though. I should probably pack my hospital bag!!!

I love this photo...it looks like Ellie is punching Amelia.

I think they look like sisters here. Amelia told me later that night that she had fun playing with Ellie. Anytime Ellie cried Amelia would hug her and tell her "everything's ok." She's going to be a wonderful big sister!

Baby boy might be here sooner than later......

I had my 33 week check-up today and surprisingly I was already 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced (which means my cervix is thinning). They hooked me up to monitor my contractions for about 20 minutes and the contractions I did have I knew I was having....they wanted to see if there were more contractions that I was unaware of. My doctor said she is not overly concerned at the moment but put me on partial bedrest and I was told to cut out most all of my activities. I go back on Tuesday for another checkup. If I am dilated more she'll most likely put me on bed rest.

Our goal now is to get to 36 weeks (same time Amelia was born). This news could be much worse or I could not be as far along as I am — then I'd be really nervous. But even if I can make it to 35 weeks I will feel much better about everything and his lungs will most likely be completely formed and ready for breathing on his own.

I'll keep you all updated. Wish us luck.

Ooops...

Tyler just informed me that I was sorely mistaken when I said he was rapping Arrested Development...it was Tribe Called Quest. Please forgive me honey! :-)

Saying goodbye...

is apparently easy to do when you're 2!

Amelia's teacher Chris (the brunette) is moving on to another school and today was her last day...it was more tragic for me, I think. Thankfully she will still have Miss Niki (the blonde)...whom she LOVES very much!!!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

We did nothing exciting except wear green...at least it was a nice day outside!