AAAH!

Ryan has now been awake for 13 hours with no nap! Hopefully he will fall asleep soon. We are going to Humboldt tomorrow with Mike and Sandy, and I don't want to be a zombie.

Ryan's Morning Out

Yesterday was only Ryan's third trip out of our house. He had an appointment with Dr. Chandramouli, the cardiologist at 9:30 am. Ryan woke me up at 6:30, and it took until 8:45 am to get him fed, changed, bathed, dressed, and packed up. (You can tell this is only the third time I have done this.). It got Todd up, we threw on some clothes, and were off. We even arrived in time. Interestingly, Dr. Chandramouli's office is right next to the perinatoligist's and I had walked by it every time I had a NST or ultrasound and had never noticed it.

Ryan took the appoinment like a champ and charmed everyone. First he had an EKG and a chest x-ray, and he never made a peep! He has grown to 21 3/4 inches and 9 lbs 13 oz. Then we went to an exam room to wait for the doctor. We gave him a bottle while we were waiting. Them the doctor came and listened to his heart while Ryan kept guzzling his formula. The doctor could still hear the murmur, so he ordered an ultrasound. The technician put him on a pillow on my lap and he basically laid totally still and dozed a little through the ultrasound. The techinician was thrilled! She said it would be the easiest one all she did all day. The results came back and the doctor said that the first hole has closed enough that we don't need to worry about it at all, and the second hole is still there, but not to worry. We should take him home and enjoy him, and come back in 6 months. Then he gave him a little kiss :) Our reaction: This is great news, but yikes! we didn't know he had two holes in his heart, we thought he only had one.

Then we put him in the car and he slept while we returned the breast pump, ran to the courthouse to renew the license on the Vitara, ate lunch, and got gas. Then he slept some more. Not good. He was fussy all afternoon and night. Ugh. And Todd got stuck in Newton because of the weather. Oh well.

Sleeping Issues

Things were better, but now they have regressed again. I only manage to get Ryan to sleep in his crib about every 3 days. He either sleeps in his car seat, the swing, or if I hold him. Ugh. I have tried every tip given to me, with no luck. I did get his constipation issue worked out (sorry for the pun). I followed the instructions in the binder from the pedatrician (who says baby's don't come with users manuals?) and gave him several ounces of water. It worked.

Thanksgiving was ok. I spent all day cooking and cleaning up for Todd to eat less than one plate of food. He did eat a lot of cake though, and I made turkey and noodles at 11 pm, which he gobbled up. I guess if I wanted him to eat I should have served the meal at 4 am since he is on bar time. I did enjoy cooking though.

My mom is coming tomorrow. I am excited. It will be nice to have someone to talk to.

I'm Back

Hi everyone! I am finally back. Ryan sleeps best from 8 am - noon, and I should be sleeping, but unfortunately that is when I am most awake. To catch you all up...

I won't bore you with the all the details of my birth story, but it can only be described nothing went how I planned or dreamed it would. Who knew an epidural could feel so good yet nearly do you in? Or that Ryan would be one of the 2 of 100 babies that gets Group B Strep from his mother? Or that his heart rate could go so low? It was very, very scary for both Ryan and me, and very terrifying for Todd. And the four days that he was still at the hospital while I was home were horrible. Unfortunately very few people have acutally seen him since he was so sick, but we are starting to have visitors now. It is frustrating too that Todd has to take me to appointments because I can lift the baby, and I can lift the car seat, but I can't lift the baby and the car seat together. Can't vacuum either.

BUT.... THE GOOD NEWS IS I am feeling good (except for back spasms) and Ryan is doing fantastic. We are very thankful that everything turned out well, and we are very greatful for the Mercy NICU, and extremely grateful that my mom took such good care of us during this whole mess. Ryan is growing, growing, growing, and you can't even tell he was sick. All of his bruising and scabs from were the IV's were (belly button, foot, hand, forhead) are finally gone. He smiles and he rolled over from his stomach to his back last Saturday. We have an appointment with the cardiologist on Nov 30 to check on the hole in his heart, but the dr. is expecting it to close on its own without treatment.

Todd has been working a lot because one of his employee's baby has been in the hospital, so he feels like he is missing a lot, but he is a good daddy. We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving at home, just the 3 of us. Of course, that means I am cooking, but what the heck!

Leaving for Hospital in 58 minutes.

We are leaving for the hospital in 58 minutes. I have two bills to pay, and I am going to vacuum and then it will be time to go. Hopefully when I get there I will stop worrying about the damn walk-in cooler at Stein's (which died again and is costing a freakin' fortune) and all the bills to pay on Tuesday. Other than that, I am ready to go. They said I could eat tonight, but I am having a hard time doing it. Must be anxiety. Hopefully 2.0 has a small noggin'. I (or Todd) will be calling most of you tomorrow night.

This Thursday

Had my NST and OB appointment on Friday. They made me an appointment to be admitted Wednesday night at 9 pm at Mercy. Apparently 2.0 is too big and needs to come out. They are going to try and dilate me Wednesday night and induce me at 6 am on Thursday. I also tested positive for Group B strep, so I am up to 3 bags on my IV stand so far - antibiotic, insulin, and pitocin. I wish I could say that this news made me happy and excited, but it caught me a little off guard and involved several hours of hysteria. I had calmed down by Friday night though, and my parents came down for the weekend and helped me do some last minute things around the house and go grocery shopping. I am going to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday because there is nothing else for me to do at home. I cleaned again today (can you say ODD?), and I am packed so I will just drive myself crazy at home. I still have to go in Tuesday for my ultrasound and NST though.

Update

He measured at 7 lbs 15 oz. Not sure what that means for a timeline - will have to find out what doctor says on Friday.

The lady next to me in the non-stress room just couldn't believe that I have 1 ultrasound and 2 non-stress tests a week. Then they came in and read her test and said now she has to have 2 ultrasounds and 2 non-stress tests a week. HA!!!

Ok, it's 5 am and I'm wide awake.

Still awake. I changed my blog template to make it more generic and removed my picture and profile. I have watched too many Dateline episodes about pregnant women getting hacked open and their babies stolen. Maybe my paranoia is from lack of sleep. Must be getting delierious. Now, I will try to sleep again.

It's 4 am and I am wide awake.

It's 4 am, and I am wide awake. I had a nap in the recliner (where else?) from 11 pm - 2:30 am, but am up now.

I ended up taking Todd supper in Newton. I always feel uncomfortable being pregnant and in a bar, but it was slow and not very smoky, so I ended up staying and playing trivia and eating pizza with Todd. After I left he was doing inventory, payroll, and the books, then coming home. He looks soooo tired, and super skinny. I estimate he has now dropped at least 30 pounds since Stein's opened.

I would have gone earlier to watch the Browns game, but it started at noon and I knew Todd would be sleeping until 6 pm (shift change). Oh well, they lost anyway. Didn't even make a touchdown. While I was there, one of his customers that is an electrician wired up his sign and we had a little lighting ceremony. It looks awesome! I also think it's cool that the electrician was a woman.

Todd is taking Monday and Tuesday off :) I stocked the snack drawer for him so he won't be able to complain that there is nothing to eat.

Think I will go try to sleep now. I don't have to work tomorrow, and I am glad to get away from the rumor/drama mill for a day.

Have a good week everyone.

PS. I think this Saturday would be an interesting night to be at Stein's. He has booked Monster Arm Wrestling! I think it would be cool to people watch that night.

Am I Nesting?

Am I nesting, or am I just bored? Todd's manager quit last week, so he has been working lots and lots of hours this week and sleeping very little. Thus, I am home alone with nada to do and not much $$ to spend. So, I have been occupying myself cleaning. Yesterday I did 3 loads of laundry, reorganized the drawers in the baby's room, put the sheets on the crib, took everything out from beneath the kitchen sink - then scrubbed it out - then put in shelf paper - then put everything back, then I pulled out the stove - scrubbed the sides - mopped under it - pushed it back, then mopped the kitchen floor twice, then decluttered the living room, then washed all the kitchen rugs, sorted through some old magazines, filled out my birth plan, went and bought my lottery tickets, got all the copies of Melissa's scrapbook ready to mail, and had a nap. I can't believe how much I did and how good I felt considering how bad I felt all week. Maybe this is nesting, maybe not. I do not know. I have this vision that 2.0 is in there having fun messing with me, making me think that I am nesting and the time is near, only to stay in there another 3 weeks.

Today I am going to vacuum the area rug upstairs, scrub the bathroom, vacuum, and make meatlof and ham salad for Todd 1.0 since he is coming home tonight at about 4 am and will be hungry. Hopefully then I will get myself to relax this afternoon and I can do some scrapbooking tomorrow while Todd is sleeping. I also need to schedule the pedicure mom got me for my birthday ASAP before 2.0 arrives.

Another Friday, 2 More Dr. Appointments

Whew! I have been back and forth to work and the doctor all day. Went to work at 8 am, left for OB at 9:30. Got back to work at 11:00, left for non-stress test at 2:30. Got back to work at 4:00, worked il 5:30.

OB says my cervix is ripening (I sound like a piece of fruit) and all depends on how big 2.0 measures on Tuesday. 2.0 was very cooperative at his non-stress test this afternoon. I think the secret is to eat right before the test so that he is perky.

I have Monday off, so I have 3 long days at home. I am sure I will find some more cleaning to do. I just may get those spices organized yet before 2.0 arrives. It's so important that it gets done. Not!

Good luck to H this weekend. They are moving. Uck.

No news to report

No news to report. Todd took Monday night and all day Tuesday off so we spent some time together. I had another ultrasound and non-stress test, called in numbers to dietician, etc., but no new developments. Everyone I see keeps asking me if the doctor has scheduled me yet to have the baby early. I must look miserable, or huge, or both. They are starting to annoy me.

The Week in Review / Still Extremely Uncomfortable

Well, another week is almost over, and we are still here. Todd came home Monday at 5 am and was home until 11 am Wednesday. Monday he got to sleep in his own bed while I was at work, then we went to Red Lobster (thanks Mom and Dad) for our anniversary. I didn't have to work Tuesday, so we both slept in and then we went for my weekly ultrasound and my Tuesday non-stress test. The baby was very cooperative so it didn't take long. Then Todd mowed the lawn, cleaned the gutters, and did my laundry. I told him I would make him a home-cooked meal for supper, and he chose to have mac-n-cheese from a box with pork and beans. He was absolutely thrilled!! Only my husband.... The next big excitement was that the sewer backed up into our shower in the basement, so we spent the rest of the night having our sewer line snaked out. Joy.

Todd came home Thursday night too, so that was nice. Yesterday 2.0 was very uncooperative at his non-stress test. He was totally chilled out, so there was no increase in his heartbeat for the first 40 minutes. They finally got out the buzzer and buzzed him til he perked up. It ended up taking the full 60 minutes for the test. Stubborn, stubborn. Did I mention that he is at a weird angle, so I had to push down on the monitor with 2 fingers (as usual) for 60 minutes? The lady next to me had to hold hers too, and she was whining about her fingers hurting after 5 minutes. Get used to it lady.

I am going to try to do my dusting and vacuuming today and take care of a few odds and ends. That's about all I am capable of. I just can not get comfortable at all in bed, so I am catching as many catnaps in the recliner as I can. I am still carrying 2.0 really, really high. Whoever said you carry boys low is full of it. 2.0 must be really long, because his head is fairly low, but the rest of him is still up under my ribs. Maybe he will be like my dad, who is really tall, but has short legs and a long torso. I already think he looks like my sister, so maybe 2.0 will be Ronnie Jr. #2. Heather will always be the original Ronnie Jr. (which means curly hair and bright blue eyes).

That's it for now. 28 days to go!

Not Much New

I guess I can't complain about anyone not updating their blogs, when I haven't updated my own blog... however, there isn't much new. Work, try to sleep, wake up in severe hip pain, repeat.

Saturday I spent the day in Newton doing the books for Todd. Things are improving all the time, but for those of you who dream of owning your own business, beat yourself over the head with a hammer, and move on :)

Anyway, today I actually went to church. I'm pretty sure it is the first time in almost two years. It did rain, but I was not struck down by lightening. Ha! I actually was happy to be back although at a different church. It felt like home. Of course, it is World Communion Sunday so I got to take communion, and Mary Farlow was in the choir loft and spotted me in the communion line, so after the service she got me a vistor's gift bag and introduced me to all the pastors. It was nice to see a friendly face. I also did some cleaning today and of course napped. That's about it. I am looking forward to Todd's days off this week and I guess tomorrow is our 7th anniversary so that will be nice too. Have a good week everyone.

Todd Finally Gets a Day Off

It has finally happened. Todd got to take a day off. It was his first day off since Aug 2. He was home from 6 am Tuesday morning until 11 am today (Wednesday morning). We will have to see how bad things are screwed up when he gets back to STEIN's.

Of course his day off involved spending 90 minutes at the doctor with me (they are always behind) and his extremely stubborn son who would not move at all for the ultrasound technician, and he has to move a certain number of times or he fails the wellness test. The more she poked and pushed the more he became like a statue. Stubborn. Stubborn. He finally did it, but just enough to pass.

It also involved a trip to Sam's, bill paying, and dealing with a car accident in front of our house (all while I was at work). Mrs. Larew (from behind us) hit an oncoming car on the curve. It was bound to happen sometime. Luckily no one was hurt, but the cops didn't come very fast, so after an hour Todd called Rhett, the cop next door, and he came by and took care of it.

Well, I am finally off to work. I think 2.0 dropped a little last night (shooting crotch pain - book says sign of baby dropping) and suddenly I was starving for the first time in a month, and oddly the more I ate, the lower my blood sugar got. It was low this morning too, so I stayed home til it straightened out.

Glad to have the rain, but I hope it rains on the weekend, all weekend. Bad weather = increased bar sales.

Good Baby

Today I learned that when your child actually behaves the nonstress test only takes 20 minutes versus the 45 minutes for a crabby, stubborn baby. My main agenda for this weekend is nap, nap, and nap some more.

Tuesday Apptmnt

Today's appointment went well. Todd came home after close last night so he slept at home, went to the doctor with me, and took me out for lunch.

2.0 is still perfectly healthy. They didn't measure him since he was just measured Friday. Got another 12 pictures! He was being stubborn on the non-stress test and kept moving around but they were able to get what they needed. Next appt is Friday.

Not much else new, I am prepping at home and Todd is prepping at work for the employees to run the place without him. I am spending a lot of time in the recliner.

Ok, that was scary!

Friday was a long scary day. I went in for my OB appointment and my first non-stress test. The test monitors his heartbeat and whether I am having any contractions. The test is 30 minutes long. Of course, 2.0 is stubborn and kept moving, so it was difficult. I noticed that several times the heartbeat dropped from 140 down to 65 or 72. The nurse didn't act like it was a big deal. However, the dr was concerned - she said she couldn't tell if the 65 was 2.0's heartbeat or mine, so I could either go to the Perinatal Center or the hospital to repeat the test and do a BPP ultrasound. I chose the Perinatal Center (that's where I do all my ultrasounds) and was shocked to find out that they could get me in for the test in an hour. (Side note - I later found out that they didn't get me in so fast because it was an emergency - they just happened to have an opening then.)

Of course this freaked me out, so I started calling Newton. It further freaked me out when the manger at Subway (I had to eat) came over to my table and asked if I was ok. Well, it took about 30 phone calls before Todd finally woke up. He threw on clothes and rushed to Des Moines. By the time he got there they were just finishing the ultrasound, but they had a student doing it over just for practice, so he got to see 2.0. It was a relief to have him there with me. Then they hooked me up to the non-stress machine again for 30 minutes.

The results: the baby can get up to 8 points on the BPP ultrasound, which measures how healthy the baby is. There are 2 points each for fluid, movement, tone, and breathing. Our baby got a perfect 8. 2.0 must have figured out I was worried, because during the second non-stress test he did not move around too much and his heartbeat didn't show any problems. Apparently, the first test was just a fluke or the first machine wasn't working properly. From now on, all my tests will be at the Perinatal Center and I will be having weekly ultrasounds and non-stress tests twice a week. It was a relief to find out that nothing was wrong. I was terrified that I would be having a c-section Friday afternoon.

Oh, one more thing. 2.0 is not going to be small. With 7-8 weeks to go, he is already 5 pounds, 2 ounces!

Dead Brain Cells

In addition to not sleeping, heartburn, etc., I have discovered that 2.0 is killing my brain cells.
I lost my ATM card and had to cancel it, and I keep redoing the same !@#$ numbers at work.

So Much for a "Real Meal"

Well, my home-cooked meal didn't work out. I rushed home last night and discovered the only thing I could make for Todd was a box of mac n' cheese or scrambled eggs. So, he took me to Red Lobster instead! We had a great time, and his steak was cooked perfectly. That is so weird that the only place in Des Moines that can cook a steak is a seafood place. I also showed him all my shower gifts and he was shocked at how many there were! It was great to see him. Things in Newton are going well (knock on wood) so he will be home more now.

My shower on Saturday went really well. A lot of people came, and Kathy and Heather did a good job of planning it. Sandy's cupcakes and mints were a hit as well. It was very enjoyable. When we got home with my gifts, it was an unpleasant surprise to find I was locked out of my house. 45 hot, sweaty minutes later, the locksmith finally came and unlocked my car so I could use the garage opener to get in the house. I was very proud of myself because I did not get upset. Apparently our house and even my 11-yr-old car are more secure than Fort Knox.

After that, Mom took Heather and me to Joe's Crab Shack for supper, which was very nice. It is always fun when the Schweitzer women hang out. 2.0 moved off my stomach for a few hours, so I cleaned my plate and was the first one done, which never ever happens. I am always poking along.

Sunday Mom and I went to see The Constant Gardener, and later she planted my Goatsbeard and geraniums (they had been on back-order and just came in the mail) and moved my strawberries because they were getting too big. I hate requiring help, but I can't really bend over.

I am now 33 weeks, and I have gained only 14 pounds. I have been lucky to have a very pleasant, uneventful pregnancy. I have just now started to feel miserable when I walk and when I try to sleep. Supposedly you carry boys low, but this one is right under my rib cage which makes it hard to sleep and breathe. I think he must be really long because he can kick me in the ribs and in the crotch simultaneously. I can't believe that I only have 7 weeks to go. I figured it up, and that means 1,302 shots down and only 294 shots left to go! Whoo-hoo!

Today I bought some Dreft and a package of diapers, so it is time to start washing things and packing for the hospital. I want everything ready to go by October 1. Then what will I do?