Hey Good Lookin'! Keep on Cookin'!

Today started out with another biophysical profile. My perfect babe scored 8 out of 8! After much searching, the tech was able to find a lonely pocket of fluid. This tech was a little more talkative and didn't seem to mind all the questions unlike the lady yesterday. So as far as I gathered, the baby gets scored in 4 areas (2 pts each). Tone/movement, heartrate/placenta, fluid and breathing. They want baby to at least be 6/8. If we drop to 4/8 we will look at getting baby out soon and anything less means baby needs to come out NOW. So hopefully we will remain at 6 or above. If we are at 6 tomorrow, it would likely be the fluid level and my Dr. said he isn't worried about that aspect. His or her head is still down, so that is great because I want to avoid a c-section unless absolutely necessary.

We passed both non-stress tests today, though they left me on awhile this morning because I was having quite a few contractions. They never got into a regular pattern but were picking up there for awhile. I was starting to think it might be baby time! While they do not want me having the baby yet, they will not stop labor that starts on its own. Currently the plan is to do a growth scan on Monday and then likely induce Tuesday when I will be 34 weeks even. That is less than a week! But with how crampy I've been feeling and with how many contractions I had today, my intuition is that we will have a baby before then.

In the meantime, I am going to enjoy napping when I want, visiting with friends and family, eating all the yummy foods I am being brought (which is NOT the hospital food if you were wondering!) and just thinking about the little person we will be meeting soon!

Last Call for 32 weekers!

Tomorrow is a brand new day. I will be 33 weeks tomorrow! Everyday is a big milestone in the baby-baking department, and I am quite surprised we have made it this far. I got the ok to wear whatever clothes I wanted and I got my IV out. They will leave it out until I go into labor! So I have NO lines, tubes or straps on me except for when I get my blood pressure taken every 4 hours. Brad and I got to tour the NICU today. It is SO nice. Each baby has its own 'pod' or room with a door that closes and a curtain you can pull closed if you are nursing or doing kangaroo care (skin to skin time). There are beautiful murals on the wall and everything is state of the art. We are very blessed to be where we are.

The biophysical profile scan showed a couple of small fluid pockets around the baby and we saw the baby 'practice' breathing. We will do one of these each morning and check on the tiny person. My doctor told me the goal is to get to next Tuesday when I will be 34 weeks. They will do a growth scan and then we will 'talk' about induction.

I am feeling well now but had an odd afternoon of feeling pretty poorly. I told my mom I felt 'drained' to which she replied 'Well, you have been drained!' Ha ha, mom. I felt better after a nap then had another episode of feeling quite depleted and then flushed. I remember feeling the same way before I went to the hospital to have Will. I was having contractions with him but not feeling them. So not sure if this means things are about to pick up in the labor department, but I guess time will tell!

Brad is at home with Will again tonight. I could tell he felt torn leaving me because he knew I wasn't doing well at the moment. I assured him I would call him if it looked like baby time! Now back to the waiting game...

Guess What!

Not only did I make my mommy smile by playing with me feet like I was a little baby again, but she has some exciting news! No, my baby brother or sister isn't here yet. We're still waiting around. Not quite sure what the big deal is because I am SO cute, you'd think they'd be perfectly content with JUST me! Anyway, mommy's doctor came by yesterday and let her get unhooked from all those funny machines. My mommy tells me one of them is called an IV pump, but I call it a 'mump'. Close enough, I think! So mommy can get up and walk to the bathroom all by herself. This makes her happy. She told me they are going to take some more pictures of the baby today and see how things are going inside her belly. She's pretty excited about seeing this little person again and just hopes the technician is as good as the ones at Dr. Gnam's office about hiding certain parts from her view. We don't want any beans spilled! My daddy spent a lot of time with me yesterday and I even got to go sleep in my own crib last night. The doctor says mommy may be here for 2 more weeks before the baby comes! But I like coming to see her and pushing the rollie stool around the room and hiding in the big cabinet by the sink, so that is ok with me! Bye bye for now! - Will

Making Lemonade

You know the saying... "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade". I am trying to do just that. It is so tough being in this hospital bed, with various tubes and straps in or on me. I am quite a control freak. I enjoy my independence. I have strong opinions and I am strong willed. That pretty much goes out the window when you're in the hospital and on bedrest.

Lemon: I am 32 weeks, 5 days pregnant. My baby's due date is just under 2 months from now. My water broke 2 days ago and now it looks like we will have a preemie and I will be discharged home empty handed, leaving my tiny babe with strangers.
Lemonade: I recognized quickly what was happening and sought care right away. We are almost 4 hours from our goal time of 48 hours since the first dose of steroids and my contractions are still sparce off the magnesium, so the baby looks to have even more time to get ready for life outside the womb.

Lemon: I am unable to get up and sit in a chair, much less take care of Will.
Lemonade: We are surrounded by friends and family who CAN take care of him. We are blessed to live so close to our parents and close to the hospital so he can visit.

Lemon: I had so many things to get ready still. I hadn't washed any baby clothes or blankets. We have no newborn diapers. The crib still isn't put together. Will still hasn't been moved to his new room.
Lemonade: There is time for all that, just not before the baby comes. Since the baby will likely spend close to 2 weeks or more in the NICU, I can go home and do a few things like washing while directing the set up of Will's room and how I want the nursery set up. And since I am stuck in bed, I can do a couple of crafty things like make a door plaque for the baby. I have not impressed myself by any means. I probably should have enlisted the talents of someone like Megan, but we do have some pink and blue stickers we can put the baby's name and birth info on and coordinating ribbon to hang on my postpartum room then eventually his or her door.

(don't worry. the cake in this picture will NOT be here in a little while).

I have a few more lemons to deal with, but my favorite little pint sized person just walked into my room, so I think I will visit with him and my mom.

Still Pregnant!

32 weeks 4 days

I am still pregnant and we are trying to keep me that way for 25 more hours. I have been off the magnesium since noon and am having some contractions but not too many or too regular. So I got the go ahead to have a shower! I had a time limit that I could be off the monitor and out of bed so we took a couple of quick shots before I got hooked back up. No time for makeup or hair drying! I am hooked back up now and plan to primp from my bed and have just been given the ok to have some lunch! I sent Brad out for McAlisters. If the contractions pick back up, I have to go back on the magnesium but I have really felt well on it which has surprised me.

I did get some rest last night thanks to some phenergan and stadol. They gave me a tiny dose of it and it knocked me out for 4 hours but not before I started getting giggly! The nurses told me I am a cheap drunk. I have had both steroid shots so we want to give them time to work their magic on baby's tiny lungs. Brad got to tour the NICU today and he said it is very nice. It just opened up 2 months ago and has private rooms.

So hopefully I don't have to do the magnesium again but if I do, its only until tomorrow afternoon. After that, baby can come whenever! I had thought my Dr. said they would just do it through today but this morning he said tomorrow for sure. We could be meeting our little boy or girl in a day or two! I will be happy as long as he or she wants to stay with me, though.

I have to say that my Dr. totally rocks. He put me on clear liquids and toward morning I asked my nurse if I could have a frappe from Starbucks and she said no. Then I asked him and he said yes! Then he offered me a donut from the dozen he brought the nurses. He had given me his cell # at the start of this pregnancy and I never used it until today. I sent him a thank you text for allowing the shower, frappe and donut. He could have been extra cautious and told me no but he allowed my small requests. Well, that on top of taking care of me on his weekend off. And praying for me and the baby before he left us last night. Such a wonderful man.

So enjoy my ugly gown, no makeup, towel headed pics! Will update when we have more news!

Weekend Forecast: rainey with a chance of baby

View from my bed:

Feeling decent on magnesium

Our last picture as a family of 3? Will isn't looking to pleased about being a big brother!

I was the late nurse today which meant I didn't have to be at work until 9. I got to sleep in except for a couple of leg cramps waking me early. I had some breakfast, got Will to his grandparents and went to work. I did try to stop by Seattle Drip for a white chocolate mocha but they were too busy and it would make me late. So I got to work and decided it was going to be a great day! The surgery schedule was looking decent and everybody seemed to be in good spirits. I took care of a couple of sweet patients and while I was talking to one of them around 11, I felt a couple of trickles of fluid. I thought hmmm, that probably isn't good! So I called my docs office and they told me to be there at 1. I finished my paperwork and went home.

Then my sweet dad showed up and told me he would do whatever I needed, so I had him drive me to the appointment. Brad was in Louisiana working and I told him not to come until we knew more. The good doctor confirmed what I was fearing. I was not peeing on myself. My water had broken at 32 weeks and 3 days. They did an ultrasound and I still had plenty of fluid and the baby looked good at an estimated 5lb 5oz. I was hoping they would send me home on bedrest but he sent me to the hospital. An IV, some tests, some antibiotics and steroids and several gushes later, I was having contractions 3 minutes apart. So they decided to start some magnesium to stop the contractions and now they have dwindled down to nearly nothing. The baby is doing well and the hope is to be able to do the next dose of steroids at 4 am and keep me on mag until tomorrow afternoon. After they take me off that, it is likely I will go back into labor and we will have a baby!

I had been having dreams and a feeling this baby would be earlier than term, but was hoping I was just hormonal and silly. But I guess sometimes a mommy's instinct is correct! I know that I am in good hands and my sweet doctor is on standby for me for the whole weekend even though he is not on call. I know the other doc is great but I just love Dr. Gnam and am thankful for his generosity.

So the plan for now is to keep me pregnant as long as possible. I will not be able to leave this hospital bed until the baby is born. My original plans for the weekend were to try and get Will moved to his new room and set up this baby's nursery. And maybe take my little guy to the pumpkin patch if the rain broke for long enough. My how things change quickly!

Brad is trying to get settled on his cot and I am getting sleepy, so maybe things will keep quiet tonight and we can rest because the next day and days ahead are going to be interesting! Oh and one very cool thing is that the women's group from my church were going to a Beth Moore conference today, so I have all these women joined together in prayer along with many other friends, family members and brothers and sisters in Christ. We are truly blessed!

Things That Keep Life Interesting

There are plenty of interesting things that happen at the Sharp house now that a toddler lives here. Two of the most recent discoveries:

Curlers in the dog food bin.

And in the junk drawer.

(By the way, I tried to convince Brad that most households have a junk drawer and he didn't believe me! He tried, obviously unsuccessfully, to get rid of it at one point, but I think you just need a place to throw random stuff!)