Monday, April 5, 2010
Quick Item Of Praise
One challenge in now complete. I got the taxes filed. Unfortunately we owed about $600 due to the Obama administration changing the withholding tables but not the tax liability tables; but they are complete no the less. I will take it.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
What a Week
For those of you who don't know, I spent most of the last week in the hospital. Here is the basics of the entire thing.
Since Decemeber, I have been in pain in my upper abdomen and left side and left side of my back. It continues to get worse as my pregnancy progresses (baby gets bigger pain gets worse, I guess). My OBs all say the baby is fine; which is great because I don't have to that worry on top of my pain. However, I am not OK. So, the OBs turned me over to a Gastro (I have a history of IBS-C which everyone thought was out of control with pregnancy hormones).
In January, I was hospitalized with pain and a fever. The Gastro did a colonoscopy. They ran all the tests you can run with a colonoscopy, and they all came back clear. My colon spasmed through the entire test, so Dr. N (the gastro) put me on anti-spasm medicine. With that medicine, some Miralax and fiber, we have been limping along. BUT, things kept getting worse. So, at the beginning of March, Dr. N. did an endoscopy. This came back clear except for a medium sized hiatal hernia, which Dr. N. said was small enough that most people wouldn't even know they had it. So we added some daily heartburn medicine and tried to limp on (which didn't really do anything other than prevent the occassional heartburn that I was having).
As a side note, my condition seems to be better in the morning and get progressively worse throughout the day. I manage to take care of myself and work, but by about 2:30 or 3:00, I find myself counting down every minute to quiting time (which isn't usually the case because at my office the floor is quietest at this time and I used to get a bunch of work done then). By 4:30, I drag myself to the car. When I get to Erik's school, I can barely get out of the car. When I get him home, I colapse on the bed or couch and Erik plays until Todd gets home. I hurt all night long, but the morning shower seems to loosen things up and I am usually feeling a little better by the time I arrive at work.
After the endoscopy, my condition got worse faster. Last Friday was worse than normal. I found myself watching the clock at 1:30 instead of 2:30, and when I made it to Erik's school I seriously thought of asking the director to go get him for me (I would have but she wasn't in her office). I ended up in tears trying to get Erik in the car. We got home, and I crawled in bed. We ended up going to Arby's for dinner, and I ate a plain jr. roast beef sandwich and couldn't even drink my sweet tea. I went to bed immediately after we got home, and by the time 10:00 came I was in so much pain that I was panicking (crying and panic make stomach pain worse). So, I called the dr. in the morning fearing that I had an intestinal blockage or something.
Saturday morning we went to the doctor. Dr. H (the on call OB) decided to admit me to the hospital for IV fluids and a gastro consult because I had lost so much weight over the last month and a half. (Funny little side note - Dr. H and Dr. N both go to church with some of my coworkers)
Saturday's gastro consult didn't go well because Dr. N's on-call person (Dr. M) probably hadn't seen a pregnant person in years. So his initial decision was to continue my regular medicines for 48 hours. He did order a stool sample to check for bacteria.
Needless to say we were not pleased, and neither was Dr. H (the OB). So, Sunday morning, Dr. H came in the room with me when Dr. M came in. Dr. M was much more thorough. He really felt like my condition was not digestive but muscular or skeletal, but wanted to wait 24 hrs to have Dr. N see me (and the stool sample labs were not back yet). He added another medicine to try to see if coating my stomach with a soothing medicine would help (it didn't).
Dr. N. saw me on Monday and ordered some blood work and consulted more with the OB's. We spent the day trying to stay hydrated and waiting on all the lab results. By Tuesday all the tests came back clear. So, Dr. N ordered a CT scan (which requires drinking a bunch of banana flavored smoothy stuff laced with barium - not the most fun for a nauseated person but comparatively not too bad - I am still thankful for that). The CT scan showed nothing unusual, so we were back to square one. So one Wednesday they gave me an enema to make sure that everything was cleared out (which my colon was already empty, I would have been mad, but I felt like it helped flush out any barium that might have been in my system).
So on Thursday, Dr. N decided to start testing for some more rare conditions. I would tell you what they are, but I don't remember. I do know one was vasculitis and another is a metabolic disorder. So Thursday was spent with blood work, a 24 hour test, and trying to keep my fever gone, and trying to figure a way to get me comfortable enough to go home for the Easter weekend.
I was discharched on Good Friday with a bunch of prescriptions, a follow up appointment for Dr. N., instructions to make a follow up appointment with my OB, a present from some ladies who make encouragement presents for mom's on bed rest, and a misdelivered pink balloon which Erik happily adopted. I was also given words from Dr. N. that he thinks my condition is not digestive as they have seen pretty much all of my digestive system (I don't think they have seen my small intestine due to the baby). I am not out of the woods yet. And, he hopes to know more by my follow up appointment. He does already know that one of the rarer blood tests for inflamation is off the charts.
I had a good day Friday and ate well. However, around 10:00 Friday night the pain started again, and I got a horrible case of the chills. Todd had to hold me still I was shaking so much. The chills and pain continued most of the night and I ended up with a fever. I fought the fever all day yesterday (Saturday) so I didn't eat well at all.
Today I am feeling a little better. I don't think I have had a fever and I have already eated better (I ate breakfast!). Todd and Erik are gone to church. I am starting to feel tired again, but I guess that is to be expected.
So, here is a run down of the tests I have had:
A colonoscopy
An endoscopy
A gallbladder sononogram
A CT scan
A host of blood work
A 24 hour urine test
A stool sample for C-Diff
A sonogram of the baby and my ovaries (the baby looks great and is measuring a week bigger than his due date, and we are quite sure he is boy)
An enema (half treatment - half test)
A run down of results:
The baby looks great and kicks nurses and is head down
My digestive system is fairly normal except for what appears to be run of the mill IBS (I got to keep the protonix for heartburn so I can eat salsa again)
I don't appear to have gallstones or pancreatis or liver function problems
All my regular blood tests, stool sample, and other normal tests have been normal.
The 2 blood tests that might indiciate a more rare disorder: 1 came back slightly elevated but in the normal range for a pregnant woman, and 1 came back so high it is off the charts
A List of Challenges
Dealing with pain
Dealing with guilt for not being able to take better care of my family - Todd is doing a great job and Erik has been well behaved - I just long to have a more active mom role including doing some fun activities
Desiring to get back to work some - there are several things I need to do before my maternity leave - I know I can't do these things without help
Rebuilding strength - spending the week in the hospital and taking pain meds at night drops your blood pressure and zaps your energy - I currently don't feel able to drive, stand for about more time than it takes to have a shower, or to be left alone with Erik
Anemia
Eating - I am so nauseated and in pain that I don't really want to eat. It is a real struggle and it leads to dehydration. I also need to gain weight for the baby. I need to be able to eat well for the health of the baby and for my anemia. Additionally, eating often causes stomach spasms during a meal.
Getting ready for baby and packing a hospital bag
I need summer/spring maternity clothes
Figuring out a plan of what drugs will not upset my IBS when I deliver and having that plan in hand before delivery
Knowing what to do or who to call if my follow up with Dr. N leaves no plan of action (he has already said he doesn't know what to do since this does not appear digestive)
Pain from being in bed too long
Controling fever and dealing with the discomfort of having a fever (I get really nauseated and iritable)
Chills (due to both pain and fever)
Hoping my body progresses to labor very quickly and that the baby would be ready. Todd and I are going to talk to the OBs about inducing as soon as it seems things are ready (as close to 37 weeks as possible). However, we will have to know that the baby is physically ready and that my cervix is thinned. I have high hopes for this since I dialeted early with Erik.
I need to get my energy back enough to pay the bills and do our takes. This is an ASAP item.
I know there are more but my foggy mind can't recall them.
I will spend more time telling about the special things that happened at the hospital (visitors, the photo baby lady, Nurse Sharon, being able to see Todd again after not being able to for a couple of days) later.
In the mean time, Todd is a great Easter Bunny. Last night he brought me beautiful yellow roses which make me smile every time I see them. He put 11 of them in a vase on my vanity so I can see them in bed, and one in a bud vase so I can have it close to me on my bedside table. And he fixed Easter baskets for each of us. We all got candy and a snack size bag of chips. Erik also got Easter shaped sidewalk chalk. My Easter basket had extra bags of chips (Lays Original) because the salty light flavor tastes really good to me even when nothing else does. And, he bought ginger
ale (which tastes really good to me- but I have to be careful with I don't need to introduce too much gas into my already sensitive system).
Todd is great!!!!!!
I think I need a nap.
Since Decemeber, I have been in pain in my upper abdomen and left side and left side of my back. It continues to get worse as my pregnancy progresses (baby gets bigger pain gets worse, I guess). My OBs all say the baby is fine; which is great because I don't have to that worry on top of my pain. However, I am not OK. So, the OBs turned me over to a Gastro (I have a history of IBS-C which everyone thought was out of control with pregnancy hormones).
In January, I was hospitalized with pain and a fever. The Gastro did a colonoscopy. They ran all the tests you can run with a colonoscopy, and they all came back clear. My colon spasmed through the entire test, so Dr. N (the gastro) put me on anti-spasm medicine. With that medicine, some Miralax and fiber, we have been limping along. BUT, things kept getting worse. So, at the beginning of March, Dr. N. did an endoscopy. This came back clear except for a medium sized hiatal hernia, which Dr. N. said was small enough that most people wouldn't even know they had it. So we added some daily heartburn medicine and tried to limp on (which didn't really do anything other than prevent the occassional heartburn that I was having).
As a side note, my condition seems to be better in the morning and get progressively worse throughout the day. I manage to take care of myself and work, but by about 2:30 or 3:00, I find myself counting down every minute to quiting time (which isn't usually the case because at my office the floor is quietest at this time and I used to get a bunch of work done then). By 4:30, I drag myself to the car. When I get to Erik's school, I can barely get out of the car. When I get him home, I colapse on the bed or couch and Erik plays until Todd gets home. I hurt all night long, but the morning shower seems to loosen things up and I am usually feeling a little better by the time I arrive at work.
After the endoscopy, my condition got worse faster. Last Friday was worse than normal. I found myself watching the clock at 1:30 instead of 2:30, and when I made it to Erik's school I seriously thought of asking the director to go get him for me (I would have but she wasn't in her office). I ended up in tears trying to get Erik in the car. We got home, and I crawled in bed. We ended up going to Arby's for dinner, and I ate a plain jr. roast beef sandwich and couldn't even drink my sweet tea. I went to bed immediately after we got home, and by the time 10:00 came I was in so much pain that I was panicking (crying and panic make stomach pain worse). So, I called the dr. in the morning fearing that I had an intestinal blockage or something.
Saturday morning we went to the doctor. Dr. H (the on call OB) decided to admit me to the hospital for IV fluids and a gastro consult because I had lost so much weight over the last month and a half. (Funny little side note - Dr. H and Dr. N both go to church with some of my coworkers)
Saturday's gastro consult didn't go well because Dr. N's on-call person (Dr. M) probably hadn't seen a pregnant person in years. So his initial decision was to continue my regular medicines for 48 hours. He did order a stool sample to check for bacteria.
Needless to say we were not pleased, and neither was Dr. H (the OB). So, Sunday morning, Dr. H came in the room with me when Dr. M came in. Dr. M was much more thorough. He really felt like my condition was not digestive but muscular or skeletal, but wanted to wait 24 hrs to have Dr. N see me (and the stool sample labs were not back yet). He added another medicine to try to see if coating my stomach with a soothing medicine would help (it didn't).
Dr. N. saw me on Monday and ordered some blood work and consulted more with the OB's. We spent the day trying to stay hydrated and waiting on all the lab results. By Tuesday all the tests came back clear. So, Dr. N ordered a CT scan (which requires drinking a bunch of banana flavored smoothy stuff laced with barium - not the most fun for a nauseated person but comparatively not too bad - I am still thankful for that). The CT scan showed nothing unusual, so we were back to square one. So one Wednesday they gave me an enema to make sure that everything was cleared out (which my colon was already empty, I would have been mad, but I felt like it helped flush out any barium that might have been in my system).
So on Thursday, Dr. N decided to start testing for some more rare conditions. I would tell you what they are, but I don't remember. I do know one was vasculitis and another is a metabolic disorder. So Thursday was spent with blood work, a 24 hour test, and trying to keep my fever gone, and trying to figure a way to get me comfortable enough to go home for the Easter weekend.
I was discharched on Good Friday with a bunch of prescriptions, a follow up appointment for Dr. N., instructions to make a follow up appointment with my OB, a present from some ladies who make encouragement presents for mom's on bed rest, and a misdelivered pink balloon which Erik happily adopted. I was also given words from Dr. N. that he thinks my condition is not digestive as they have seen pretty much all of my digestive system (I don't think they have seen my small intestine due to the baby). I am not out of the woods yet. And, he hopes to know more by my follow up appointment. He does already know that one of the rarer blood tests for inflamation is off the charts.
I had a good day Friday and ate well. However, around 10:00 Friday night the pain started again, and I got a horrible case of the chills. Todd had to hold me still I was shaking so much. The chills and pain continued most of the night and I ended up with a fever. I fought the fever all day yesterday (Saturday) so I didn't eat well at all.
Today I am feeling a little better. I don't think I have had a fever and I have already eated better (I ate breakfast!). Todd and Erik are gone to church. I am starting to feel tired again, but I guess that is to be expected.
So, here is a run down of the tests I have had:
A colonoscopy
An endoscopy
A gallbladder sononogram
A CT scan
A host of blood work
A 24 hour urine test
A stool sample for C-Diff
A sonogram of the baby and my ovaries (the baby looks great and is measuring a week bigger than his due date, and we are quite sure he is boy)
An enema (half treatment - half test)
A run down of results:
The baby looks great and kicks nurses and is head down
My digestive system is fairly normal except for what appears to be run of the mill IBS (I got to keep the protonix for heartburn so I can eat salsa again)
I don't appear to have gallstones or pancreatis or liver function problems
All my regular blood tests, stool sample, and other normal tests have been normal.
The 2 blood tests that might indiciate a more rare disorder: 1 came back slightly elevated but in the normal range for a pregnant woman, and 1 came back so high it is off the charts
A List of Challenges
Dealing with pain
Dealing with guilt for not being able to take better care of my family - Todd is doing a great job and Erik has been well behaved - I just long to have a more active mom role including doing some fun activities
Desiring to get back to work some - there are several things I need to do before my maternity leave - I know I can't do these things without help
Rebuilding strength - spending the week in the hospital and taking pain meds at night drops your blood pressure and zaps your energy - I currently don't feel able to drive, stand for about more time than it takes to have a shower, or to be left alone with Erik
Anemia
Eating - I am so nauseated and in pain that I don't really want to eat. It is a real struggle and it leads to dehydration. I also need to gain weight for the baby. I need to be able to eat well for the health of the baby and for my anemia. Additionally, eating often causes stomach spasms during a meal.
Getting ready for baby and packing a hospital bag
I need summer/spring maternity clothes
Figuring out a plan of what drugs will not upset my IBS when I deliver and having that plan in hand before delivery
Knowing what to do or who to call if my follow up with Dr. N leaves no plan of action (he has already said he doesn't know what to do since this does not appear digestive)
Pain from being in bed too long
Controling fever and dealing with the discomfort of having a fever (I get really nauseated and iritable)
Chills (due to both pain and fever)
Hoping my body progresses to labor very quickly and that the baby would be ready. Todd and I are going to talk to the OBs about inducing as soon as it seems things are ready (as close to 37 weeks as possible). However, we will have to know that the baby is physically ready and that my cervix is thinned. I have high hopes for this since I dialeted early with Erik.
I need to get my energy back enough to pay the bills and do our takes. This is an ASAP item.
I know there are more but my foggy mind can't recall them.
I will spend more time telling about the special things that happened at the hospital (visitors, the photo baby lady, Nurse Sharon, being able to see Todd again after not being able to for a couple of days) later.
In the mean time, Todd is a great Easter Bunny. Last night he brought me beautiful yellow roses which make me smile every time I see them. He put 11 of them in a vase on my vanity so I can see them in bed, and one in a bud vase so I can have it close to me on my bedside table. And he fixed Easter baskets for each of us. We all got candy and a snack size bag of chips. Erik also got Easter shaped sidewalk chalk. My Easter basket had extra bags of chips (Lays Original) because the salty light flavor tastes really good to me even when nothing else does. And, he bought ginger
ale (which tastes really good to me- but I have to be careful with I don't need to introduce too much gas into my already sensitive system).
Todd is great!!!!!!
I think I need a nap.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Random Thoughts
I don't normally follow men's ice skating, but I love the Olympics so I have followed it since the Olympics started. I think the Russian silver medal winner is being horribly unsportsman-like. I watched the short program. I didn't really pay that much attention (I was too busy being shocked by the costumes), but the Russian skater, the Chinese skater and Evan Lysacek all did very well. Their jumps were polished, their footwork looked difficult yet effortless, and their artistry was good. I paid more attention when I watched the free skate (aka long program) because I knew so much was on the line. The Chinese skater fell on one of his jumps, and his artistry was not as good as the Russian and Evan. Then Evan skated. His artistry was great (he is tall so his artistry really shows when it is done well or done with half effort), and he had a lot of difficult footwork. All of his jumps were landed perfectly. There was no wobbling, flailing body parts, etc. It was like the ice was rising up to meet him. He didn't do a quad jump. But he did a lot of triples and many of them were at the end of the program (showing more control, strength, and endurance - thus bonus points for jumps occurring after the 2:15 point in the program). The Russian did do a quad jump - but barely. All of his jumps were barely landed - doubles, triples, and the quad. He wobbled, waved his arms, nearly touched the ice, etc. just to stay on his feet in all but one double jump. AND, all his jumps occured at the beginning of the program (he had no jumps at all in the last full minute of the program), so they should have been a lot better. His artistry was half-efforted. I thought he looked like he was "phoning it in." His footwork was fine, but I didn't notice it to be outstanding. So basically, the Russian is a sore loser. He may have more ability than Evan (I don't know), but he does not have the same control and consistency as Evan. Ability doesn't win completions, performance do. Consistent and appropriate training make performances (practice makes perfect).
Which brings me to another point... what is the deal with the current culture that men dress so femininely. I don't think guys have to wear baggy or un-stylish clothing. I love the look of a smartly dressed guy. But, skinny jeans and sequins (the ice skating connection here), is just wrong. If you are a guy and want to wear a tight shirt or sweater, fine. But at least wear it with regular pants or a good pair of Levi's 501's. It is so weird to me to see couples walking around, and the guy's skinny jeans are showing off more figure than his nicely dressed girl friend.
I read on someone's blog that they missed being pregnant because everything tasted so good when they were pregnant. Well, I have not had that experience! Not with either pregnancy. I love sweets, for example. They do not taste all that good to me. Lactose free ice cream is still really good, but a lot of other sweets just taste sugary - like the other flavors that make it good (vanilla, cinnamon, etc.) aren't there. Spicy things are hotter to me when I am pregnant. Salads are flavorless. Vinegary things (other than pickles and olives) like balsamic vinaigrette's taste too strong. With my last pregnancy I craved avocados (a local restaurant had the best grilled chicken and avocado sandwich). I haven't really even had avocados with this pregnancy. I should get some. They are so healthy, and I bet they would taste great. The mild salsa at Hacienda (a little restaurant by my office) tastes great, though!
For Valentine's we got to use some gift cards and ate at J. Alexander's. It was delightful. Normally J. Alexander's is out of our budget, but we had quite a lot in gift cards (thanks Counter Dimensions) so we were able to order peel and eat shrimp for an appetizer and we both had steaks. My steak was perfect. And, the baked potato was excellent. I don't know how they did it but it was fluffy inside. I am so used to baked potatoes at restaurants being underdone. This one was perfect. I must figure out how they cook them.
I also got flowers for Valentine's this year. I haven't gotten flowers in a long time. Todd usually likes to spend the money we have budgeted on more gift rather than less gift and flowers. I certainly appreciate this sentiment (in fact I will rarely spend money on greeting cards for birthdays for this same reason), but there is something so feminine about receiving flowers or jewelry for Valentine's. It just makes you feel like the love of your spouses life.
We are trying to decide whether to put the new baby in the same room as Erik or put the new baby in the office. I don't mind putting both boys in one room, but we will lose the guest space (right now guests stay in Erik's room). However, we keep the office space (which will have to be redone because that room ends up being a dump for clutter and it makes me crazy). If we put the new baby in the office, Erik's room will be his room/guest space (Erik will sleep in the baby's room when there are guests)/ play room (this will get the toys out of the living room). I think we would put the desk in the living room (I have a beautiful antique desk that my parents gave us that needs to have the finish completed), but this will require some significant technology changes and figuring out what to do with all of our books and games (I am thinking of built in shelves in the dining room). The problem is we have a small house (which I am content with), but with a small house storage solutions and appropriate furniture become very important. Affording such storage and furniture is a bit of a problem for us. So we will see. I do have some cute ideas in mind for both situations, and I am looking forward to doing some big boy room stuff for Erik. The new baby's theme will be safari/monkey (it will be a much needed change for me from the trains/trucks of Erik and I really think Erik will like the monkey theme for his little bro since he is a huge Curious George fan).
I am working on a baby registry for the new baby right now. We basically registered at Target last night, but I already think there are some changes that I want to make to it. For starters, I put a double stroller on it (the kind where the baby goes in front and the older child can sit/stand on the back). Todd really thinks Erik has about out-grown the stroller (we currently have a nice single stroller). However, I always use the stroller when Todd is not with us. I know I can't carry two kids around stores on my own (I can't really carry Erik around stores now - he weighs around 30 lbs). So, I am leaning towards the stroller. However, I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a stroller that won't get used that long, and I already hate how much room the stroller takes up in the back of my vehicle. So, I am not sure what to do. I remember how Heather loved her double stroller when her kids were little; however, I know she hasn't used it that much with the last of her 4.
I had an interesting impromptu visit to the doctor the other day. I thought I was at the start of a bladder infection, and I called the doctor. They were not sure sure (I wasn't totally sure) so they wanted me to come in and check for signs of premature labor (I was pretty sure that wasn't the case - but either way I was hurting so I came right in). My labs showed that I didn't have a UTI, so they checked my cervix. That was just like it was supposed to be, but the doctor said the baby was sitting very low and she could feel his head or bottom sitting right on it. So, the pain was caused by the baby putting pressure on the ligaments at the base of my abdomen and my bladder. I went home and stayed in bed for a while. Fortunately he has moved some and the pain stopped. I may have to get one of those maternity support belts later on, but hopefully not (that seems like it would be hot to wear here in the South).
I am now 6 months pregnant and starting to feel pressure to get the house ready to have a new family member. I know most of May will be spent with end of the year work activities and generally feeling huge. So, I am hoping to do most of the work (including Spring cleaning) before then. We will see how it goes.
I am so looking forward to warmer weather.
I hope to post some pictures later in the week. We had snow last Friday. For the last 3 years in a row, we have gotten a picture of Erik and I standing in the snow together facing the same direction in our front yard. I think the pics are so cool.
Erik loved Valentine's day. He got to spend the night with Nana and Pawpaw so Todd and I got to go on a date. As far as Erik is concerned, he had more of a treat then we did. Nana and Pawpaw's house is one of his favorite places to be. He loves to read the big train picture book with Nana, play with Pawpaw and Uncle David, and Nana lets him drink the Clear America soda's that Wal-mart makes (Erik calls them strawberry Sprite's). Nana got him a Thomas the Train movie for Valentine's, and we got him a Matchbox police car and some chocolates for Valentine's. Erik declared, "I love Valentine's!"
Erik's birthday is coming up. I am not the picture of energy right now, so I would love to do a party some place that is not in our home. However, I called Pump it Up - their parties are $165 plus food, and Chick-fil-A is $150 including food, but no cake included. That is way out of our birthday price range. So, I think the party will be here, but I may call in favors from Aunt LeeLee and Nana to pull off the party.
My birthday is coming up on Tuesday. It doesn't even seem like it is going to be possible with so much going on. Work has missions conference, ladies' luncheon that day at work, my mom has jury duty, I have work, house work, so much going on. I imagine that the date will just fly right by me almost unnoticed. That is a bit sad to me. I have always been one of those people who want to have fun for a couple days around birthdays. I think it comes from growing up with a winter birthday. I always had to go to school on my birthday which basically means the day is a non event and then you would have your party on the weekend. So, my parents kind of made every day between the birthday and the party a little fun (maybe just watching an old movie but still fun). So, now I want to have fun all week long. I guess I am just a girl looking for a party. LOL!
I am starting to worry about going into labor. My labor was induced with Erik 6 days before his due date. Another doctor in the practice scheduled me for it; he didn't really think I would even make it to the date. I did (however, I came in with mild contractions that weren't hurting and dilated 4 centimeters, completely effaced - so I think the induction changed Erik's birth time by a matter of hours). Now, however, medical thought is that inducing before a due date is in general not a great practice, and my personal doctor is not that big in interventions unless there is a lot of indication (which is part of why I like her - agressive when needed but pretty laid back). They worry for me is that because I have painful gastrological flare ups- that involves muscle cramps/spasms - that I won't know I am in labor (rather than a flare up) until it is quite progressed. I delivered Erik very quickly (about 5 hours from start to finish with only pushing 3 or 4 times), and I worry that perhaps I won't make it to the hospital in time. This is probably a stupid fear, but it is bouncing around in my mind none the less.
I am also worried about the epidural this time, too. I am a fan of the epidural and plan to get it. However, St. Vincent's policy is to give patients who get any anesthesia dose of Raglan (a very strong anti acid). Anti acids constipate me a lot. Last time, I didn't go to the bathroom for 5 days after having Erik - this combined with an episiotomy - meant that the week after having Erik was pretty excruciating. When I had my throat surgery, they backed it down for me from Raglan to Pepcid, but I still had problems (and I was on a liquid diet). You see, anti acids are in general constipating, anesthesia is in general constipating, and the hormones involved in labor and delivery generally shut your digestive system down for a couple of days. At least, they know that I have IBS and chronic constipation so they can be mindful of it, but I don't want a huge problem. Hopefully I won't have to have an episitomy this time which will help.
Well, I think that is all for now. I hope to post pictures later.
Which brings me to another point... what is the deal with the current culture that men dress so femininely. I don't think guys have to wear baggy or un-stylish clothing. I love the look of a smartly dressed guy. But, skinny jeans and sequins (the ice skating connection here), is just wrong. If you are a guy and want to wear a tight shirt or sweater, fine. But at least wear it with regular pants or a good pair of Levi's 501's. It is so weird to me to see couples walking around, and the guy's skinny jeans are showing off more figure than his nicely dressed girl friend.
I read on someone's blog that they missed being pregnant because everything tasted so good when they were pregnant. Well, I have not had that experience! Not with either pregnancy. I love sweets, for example. They do not taste all that good to me. Lactose free ice cream is still really good, but a lot of other sweets just taste sugary - like the other flavors that make it good (vanilla, cinnamon, etc.) aren't there. Spicy things are hotter to me when I am pregnant. Salads are flavorless. Vinegary things (other than pickles and olives) like balsamic vinaigrette's taste too strong. With my last pregnancy I craved avocados (a local restaurant had the best grilled chicken and avocado sandwich). I haven't really even had avocados with this pregnancy. I should get some. They are so healthy, and I bet they would taste great. The mild salsa at Hacienda (a little restaurant by my office) tastes great, though!
For Valentine's we got to use some gift cards and ate at J. Alexander's. It was delightful. Normally J. Alexander's is out of our budget, but we had quite a lot in gift cards (thanks Counter Dimensions) so we were able to order peel and eat shrimp for an appetizer and we both had steaks. My steak was perfect. And, the baked potato was excellent. I don't know how they did it but it was fluffy inside. I am so used to baked potatoes at restaurants being underdone. This one was perfect. I must figure out how they cook them.
I also got flowers for Valentine's this year. I haven't gotten flowers in a long time. Todd usually likes to spend the money we have budgeted on more gift rather than less gift and flowers. I certainly appreciate this sentiment (in fact I will rarely spend money on greeting cards for birthdays for this same reason), but there is something so feminine about receiving flowers or jewelry for Valentine's. It just makes you feel like the love of your spouses life.
We are trying to decide whether to put the new baby in the same room as Erik or put the new baby in the office. I don't mind putting both boys in one room, but we will lose the guest space (right now guests stay in Erik's room). However, we keep the office space (which will have to be redone because that room ends up being a dump for clutter and it makes me crazy). If we put the new baby in the office, Erik's room will be his room/guest space (Erik will sleep in the baby's room when there are guests)/ play room (this will get the toys out of the living room). I think we would put the desk in the living room (I have a beautiful antique desk that my parents gave us that needs to have the finish completed), but this will require some significant technology changes and figuring out what to do with all of our books and games (I am thinking of built in shelves in the dining room). The problem is we have a small house (which I am content with), but with a small house storage solutions and appropriate furniture become very important. Affording such storage and furniture is a bit of a problem for us. So we will see. I do have some cute ideas in mind for both situations, and I am looking forward to doing some big boy room stuff for Erik. The new baby's theme will be safari/monkey (it will be a much needed change for me from the trains/trucks of Erik and I really think Erik will like the monkey theme for his little bro since he is a huge Curious George fan).
I am working on a baby registry for the new baby right now. We basically registered at Target last night, but I already think there are some changes that I want to make to it. For starters, I put a double stroller on it (the kind where the baby goes in front and the older child can sit/stand on the back). Todd really thinks Erik has about out-grown the stroller (we currently have a nice single stroller). However, I always use the stroller when Todd is not with us. I know I can't carry two kids around stores on my own (I can't really carry Erik around stores now - he weighs around 30 lbs). So, I am leaning towards the stroller. However, I don't want to spend a bunch of money on a stroller that won't get used that long, and I already hate how much room the stroller takes up in the back of my vehicle. So, I am not sure what to do. I remember how Heather loved her double stroller when her kids were little; however, I know she hasn't used it that much with the last of her 4.
I had an interesting impromptu visit to the doctor the other day. I thought I was at the start of a bladder infection, and I called the doctor. They were not sure sure (I wasn't totally sure) so they wanted me to come in and check for signs of premature labor (I was pretty sure that wasn't the case - but either way I was hurting so I came right in). My labs showed that I didn't have a UTI, so they checked my cervix. That was just like it was supposed to be, but the doctor said the baby was sitting very low and she could feel his head or bottom sitting right on it. So, the pain was caused by the baby putting pressure on the ligaments at the base of my abdomen and my bladder. I went home and stayed in bed for a while. Fortunately he has moved some and the pain stopped. I may have to get one of those maternity support belts later on, but hopefully not (that seems like it would be hot to wear here in the South).
I am now 6 months pregnant and starting to feel pressure to get the house ready to have a new family member. I know most of May will be spent with end of the year work activities and generally feeling huge. So, I am hoping to do most of the work (including Spring cleaning) before then. We will see how it goes.
I am so looking forward to warmer weather.
I hope to post some pictures later in the week. We had snow last Friday. For the last 3 years in a row, we have gotten a picture of Erik and I standing in the snow together facing the same direction in our front yard. I think the pics are so cool.
Erik loved Valentine's day. He got to spend the night with Nana and Pawpaw so Todd and I got to go on a date. As far as Erik is concerned, he had more of a treat then we did. Nana and Pawpaw's house is one of his favorite places to be. He loves to read the big train picture book with Nana, play with Pawpaw and Uncle David, and Nana lets him drink the Clear America soda's that Wal-mart makes (Erik calls them strawberry Sprite's). Nana got him a Thomas the Train movie for Valentine's, and we got him a Matchbox police car and some chocolates for Valentine's. Erik declared, "I love Valentine's!"
Erik's birthday is coming up. I am not the picture of energy right now, so I would love to do a party some place that is not in our home. However, I called Pump it Up - their parties are $165 plus food, and Chick-fil-A is $150 including food, but no cake included. That is way out of our birthday price range. So, I think the party will be here, but I may call in favors from Aunt LeeLee and Nana to pull off the party.
My birthday is coming up on Tuesday. It doesn't even seem like it is going to be possible with so much going on. Work has missions conference, ladies' luncheon that day at work, my mom has jury duty, I have work, house work, so much going on. I imagine that the date will just fly right by me almost unnoticed. That is a bit sad to me. I have always been one of those people who want to have fun for a couple days around birthdays. I think it comes from growing up with a winter birthday. I always had to go to school on my birthday which basically means the day is a non event and then you would have your party on the weekend. So, my parents kind of made every day between the birthday and the party a little fun (maybe just watching an old movie but still fun). So, now I want to have fun all week long. I guess I am just a girl looking for a party. LOL!
I am starting to worry about going into labor. My labor was induced with Erik 6 days before his due date. Another doctor in the practice scheduled me for it; he didn't really think I would even make it to the date. I did (however, I came in with mild contractions that weren't hurting and dilated 4 centimeters, completely effaced - so I think the induction changed Erik's birth time by a matter of hours). Now, however, medical thought is that inducing before a due date is in general not a great practice, and my personal doctor is not that big in interventions unless there is a lot of indication (which is part of why I like her - agressive when needed but pretty laid back). They worry for me is that because I have painful gastrological flare ups- that involves muscle cramps/spasms - that I won't know I am in labor (rather than a flare up) until it is quite progressed. I delivered Erik very quickly (about 5 hours from start to finish with only pushing 3 or 4 times), and I worry that perhaps I won't make it to the hospital in time. This is probably a stupid fear, but it is bouncing around in my mind none the less.
I am also worried about the epidural this time, too. I am a fan of the epidural and plan to get it. However, St. Vincent's policy is to give patients who get any anesthesia dose of Raglan (a very strong anti acid). Anti acids constipate me a lot. Last time, I didn't go to the bathroom for 5 days after having Erik - this combined with an episiotomy - meant that the week after having Erik was pretty excruciating. When I had my throat surgery, they backed it down for me from Raglan to Pepcid, but I still had problems (and I was on a liquid diet). You see, anti acids are in general constipating, anesthesia is in general constipating, and the hormones involved in labor and delivery generally shut your digestive system down for a couple of days. At least, they know that I have IBS and chronic constipation so they can be mindful of it, but I don't want a huge problem. Hopefully I won't have to have an episitomy this time which will help.
Well, I think that is all for now. I hope to post pictures later.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Grace Made Evident
One of my friends from college has a photography business. I totally didn't know this until now when I saw that she is doing a print giveaway that ends today. I am so excited for her. The pictures are fabulous.
If you get a chance, check out her blog at: http://gracemadeevident.blogspot.com/.
If you see this today, sign up for the drawing (although I secretly hope you don't to increase my chances of winning... heehee...just kidding). The drawing link is: http://gracemadeevident.blogspot.com/2010/02/giveaway-win-one-of-my-prints.html
Very cool - check it out.
If you get a chance, check out her blog at: http://gracemadeevident.blogspot.com/.
If you see this today, sign up for the drawing (although I secretly hope you don't to increase my chances of winning... heehee...just kidding). The drawing link is: http://gracemadeevident.blogspot.com/2010/02/giveaway-win-one-of-my-prints.html
Very cool - check it out.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Potty Training Mayhem, Etc.
I am 22 weeks pregnant. 18 more weeks to go. Tired of having my stomach hurt. I have a pregnancy check up on Tuesday. I am looking forward to hearing the heartbeat again.
I am at this moment craving a Popsicle. That is kind of funny because I haven't crave sweets much, and the idea of eating a Popsicle when it is so cold outside seems weird.
OK here is the potty training deal. When Erik is at school he pretty much goes potty without accident. He even poops in the potty most of the time (not all the time - but most of the time). At home he will not go potty on his own. We have to tell him to go. He resists going and has accidents. He goes potty of his own initiative at restaurants, church, and other places. Just not at home.
This makes momma crazy. Today we let him wear big boy underwear at home in hopes that it would keep him from having an accident. All morning he did great. He never identified for himself when he needed to go potty. But, he stayed dry and went potty each time I prompted him without argument and too much playing (although one time he did come out of the bathroom with his Thomas the Tank Engine potty seat on his head - momma didn't find this funny). Then after lunch, I told him to go potty and try to pee pee and poop before nap time. He went in there again without much fight. He told me he went pee pee but didn't have to poop (he said this while making a pooping/pushing face). He flushed and came out of the bathroom.
Then we took like two minutes to watch the garbage truck (a highlight for every little boy), and the garbage man even honked the horn at Erik as he often does. We went to Erik's room to read stories for nap time. When we got in his room, I discovered Erik had pooped in his underwear.
Pregnant mothers, with a very active gag reflex, who just told their son to go poop, don't handle this situation well. I am one of those mothers. There was a spanking, I threw up, Erik cried. It was not the most pleasant scene.
I feel really divided on how to deal with the potty training stuff. I think he gets the sensation of having to go (especially pee - poop I am a little less sure of). I don't want to be an uptight mom who flips out every time their kid has an accident and causes them to develop a complex and chronic constipation and bladder infections because they are so afraid to go to the bathroom. But on the other hand, I want him to understand that while there are rewards for going potty, there are consequences for not going potty when you needed to. I hope he figures this out soon. I don't like the second guessing myself. I definitely don't like the gagging.
I am at this moment craving a Popsicle. That is kind of funny because I haven't crave sweets much, and the idea of eating a Popsicle when it is so cold outside seems weird.
OK here is the potty training deal. When Erik is at school he pretty much goes potty without accident. He even poops in the potty most of the time (not all the time - but most of the time). At home he will not go potty on his own. We have to tell him to go. He resists going and has accidents. He goes potty of his own initiative at restaurants, church, and other places. Just not at home.
This makes momma crazy. Today we let him wear big boy underwear at home in hopes that it would keep him from having an accident. All morning he did great. He never identified for himself when he needed to go potty. But, he stayed dry and went potty each time I prompted him without argument and too much playing (although one time he did come out of the bathroom with his Thomas the Tank Engine potty seat on his head - momma didn't find this funny). Then after lunch, I told him to go potty and try to pee pee and poop before nap time. He went in there again without much fight. He told me he went pee pee but didn't have to poop (he said this while making a pooping/pushing face). He flushed and came out of the bathroom.
Then we took like two minutes to watch the garbage truck (a highlight for every little boy), and the garbage man even honked the horn at Erik as he often does. We went to Erik's room to read stories for nap time. When we got in his room, I discovered Erik had pooped in his underwear.
Pregnant mothers, with a very active gag reflex, who just told their son to go poop, don't handle this situation well. I am one of those mothers. There was a spanking, I threw up, Erik cried. It was not the most pleasant scene.
I feel really divided on how to deal with the potty training stuff. I think he gets the sensation of having to go (especially pee - poop I am a little less sure of). I don't want to be an uptight mom who flips out every time their kid has an accident and causes them to develop a complex and chronic constipation and bladder infections because they are so afraid to go to the bathroom. But on the other hand, I want him to understand that while there are rewards for going potty, there are consequences for not going potty when you needed to. I hope he figures this out soon. I don't like the second guessing myself. I definitely don't like the gagging.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Sesame Street Bandaid Drama
So, for the longest time Erik absolutely refused to wear a bandaid. He was cry and cry and pull and pull on the bandaid until it came off - like it frightened him or something. So, I introduced Erik to Sesame Street bandaids in hopes that if there were a real need to wear a bandaid we could do so civilally.
Well, I accomplished the mission of being able to wear a bandaid and in the process created a bandaid monster. Erik skinned his finger last week, and he has insisted on wearing a bandaid at all times as his finger has been healing (we managed to 16 hours without a bandaid once in the past week and a half). However, since the incident, there have been a number of incidents where he has stood there and cried and cried because a certain Sesame Street friend (usually cookie monster) was out or not available in the size needed. We have also had a number of incidents where he also stood there and cried and cried because he doesn't want to wash the hand with a bandaid (I am sure his school teachers are loving me for that). He will obey you to the point of putting soap on it, but he won't rinse it. So you must grab his hand, force it under the water, and rinse off the soap. Then through sobs you must dry the hand to show him that the bandaid has not, in fact, been washed off.
Good Grief, Charlie Brown!
He is still the cutest boy ever.
Well, I accomplished the mission of being able to wear a bandaid and in the process created a bandaid monster. Erik skinned his finger last week, and he has insisted on wearing a bandaid at all times as his finger has been healing (we managed to 16 hours without a bandaid once in the past week and a half). However, since the incident, there have been a number of incidents where he has stood there and cried and cried because a certain Sesame Street friend (usually cookie monster) was out or not available in the size needed. We have also had a number of incidents where he also stood there and cried and cried because he doesn't want to wash the hand with a bandaid (I am sure his school teachers are loving me for that). He will obey you to the point of putting soap on it, but he won't rinse it. So you must grab his hand, force it under the water, and rinse off the soap. Then through sobs you must dry the hand to show him that the bandaid has not, in fact, been washed off.
Good Grief, Charlie Brown!
He is still the cutest boy ever.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Pregnancy Update - What a Crazy Ride
My goodness, things have been crazy.
My pregnancy was progressing along fairly uneventfully through the fall. I always felt tender right around my bellybutton, but didn't really think anything of it.
Then Christmas rolled around, and there were a number of family members that came to stay with us pre-Christmas, Todd's grandfather passed away from pancreatic cancer, and Todd's family all came for Christmas (fortunately Lori was hosting instead of me). On Christmas Eve, I kept getting shooting pains in my stomach, again right around and above my belly button. I knew it wasn't the baby, so I wasn't too worried. By midnight Christmas Eve (when we got back from Huntsville), I was so nauseated and in so much pain.
Things backed off again, and I was able to open presents with the family, but by noon, I was back in bed again. I missed the big family Christmas dinner (Todd was the hero and stepped in and cooked everything I was supposed to).
This "getting a little better" and the "having a really bad day(s)" cycle continued on. I saw my OB, and she told me to get a consult with my gastro. He was out of town a good bit of the beginning of January, but squeezed me in on 1/4/10. He told me he wanted an ultrasound of my gall bladder. My ultrasound was on the 6th, and by then I was in so much pain I could hardly walk. I managed through my appointment (I think the tech thought I was going to die - she kept asking "Are you sure you are supposed to go home after this?"), and drove home. The tech felt sure there were no gallstones but couldn't tell me little else. She sent the films over to my gastro (who was out of town until the 12th) and told me to wait for his direction. She also said that she thought I had colitis or some other inflamation of the bowel (she said intestines don't normally show up on that kind of sonogram, but mine was so inflamed that it had pushed up into the screen).
By the afternoon of the 6th, I was vomitting and running a fever. My gastro's partner didn't really want to do too much with me (not that she was being ugly; she didn't want to ruin any progress I had made with him), and she told me to call my OB about the fever and perhaps some nausea medicine. My OB became concerned about the fever and sent me to the ER (she thought perhaps I had appendicitis or pancreatitis). So, Nana and Aunt LeeLee (Lori) came to Erik's rescue, and Todd and I went to the ER.
The ER decided it wasn't appendicitis or a bladder infection. They were concerned about my pulse which was high (probably due to dehydration and pain). They ran 2 IV bags of fluids at full speed (talk about getting chills). Then they admitted me on the OB floor. The fever came and went for most of the night and broke early in the morning. The cause of the fever is still unknown.
The OB unit gave me lots more fluids by IV and got me on clear liquids in hopes to settle down my stomach. They checked the baby, who seemed completely unaware of the drama. Yeah! I was in a lot of pain (no pain meds when you are pregnant), but I really enjoyed getting to hear the babies heartbeats a couple of times while I was there.
My OB called my gastro's partner for a consult when I was in the hospital. The gastro partner rechecked the sonogram (again the intestine finding is unusual) and she ended up doing a colonoscopy to investigate the cause of the inflamation. I had the colonoscopy and was sent home around 4. The colonoscopy was "unprepared" which means I got to avoid drinking the pretest junk; however, the stuff they did to me during the colonoscopy so they could see put me in terrible (worse) pain for about 3 days.
On the 11th, my gastro called me with the results of all the tests they ran (lots of blood work and lab tests from the colonoscopy) while I was in the hospital. He said that all of the labs (that were in) showed nothing unusual (no thyroid problems, no colitis, no infection, no diverticulits), etc. He said that the colonoscopy showed that my intestines were cramping (spasming) during the entire procedure. He said this constant spasming in addition to IBS has caused all the pain, and since it had been going on unchecked at least since Christmas Eve, it would be sometime before my colon would heal.
So, now I am on a probiotic pill, a perscriptioin laxative (for the IBS & to balance the effects of the antispasm med), fiber pills (for the IBS), and an antispasm medicine that makes me sleepy. I still feel a lot of pressure and bloating in my abdomen and intermittant cramping, but I am making progress. I may have one or two evenings a week when I feel in pain and end up in bed (rather than days and nights). I still don't sleep well, though (laying down on my side seems to make the spasms worse).
We also had our mid-pregnancy sonogram on the 12th. The new baby will be a boy. We are excited. Erik was mad at first (he said he wanted a sister), but once we explained that he would be the big brother and the baby would be the little brother, he was quite happy.
We are now exploring baby names. I would love to name the baby after my grandfather somehow, but we can't really find a name we like that is either one of his names or a take-off of one of his names. I am hoping something comes to me. We have another name currently on the table that incorporates names from my mom's family and Todd's family. So, we'll see.
I hope to be able to post more frequently as things move along. Pray that I stay feeling well enough to function. I have Erik, Todd, a house, a job, and preparing for a new baby to attend too.
I can't wait until spring.
~Chelle
My pregnancy was progressing along fairly uneventfully through the fall. I always felt tender right around my bellybutton, but didn't really think anything of it.
Then Christmas rolled around, and there were a number of family members that came to stay with us pre-Christmas, Todd's grandfather passed away from pancreatic cancer, and Todd's family all came for Christmas (fortunately Lori was hosting instead of me). On Christmas Eve, I kept getting shooting pains in my stomach, again right around and above my belly button. I knew it wasn't the baby, so I wasn't too worried. By midnight Christmas Eve (when we got back from Huntsville), I was so nauseated and in so much pain.
Things backed off again, and I was able to open presents with the family, but by noon, I was back in bed again. I missed the big family Christmas dinner (Todd was the hero and stepped in and cooked everything I was supposed to).
This "getting a little better" and the "having a really bad day(s)" cycle continued on. I saw my OB, and she told me to get a consult with my gastro. He was out of town a good bit of the beginning of January, but squeezed me in on 1/4/10. He told me he wanted an ultrasound of my gall bladder. My ultrasound was on the 6th, and by then I was in so much pain I could hardly walk. I managed through my appointment (I think the tech thought I was going to die - she kept asking "Are you sure you are supposed to go home after this?"), and drove home. The tech felt sure there were no gallstones but couldn't tell me little else. She sent the films over to my gastro (who was out of town until the 12th) and told me to wait for his direction. She also said that she thought I had colitis or some other inflamation of the bowel (she said intestines don't normally show up on that kind of sonogram, but mine was so inflamed that it had pushed up into the screen).
By the afternoon of the 6th, I was vomitting and running a fever. My gastro's partner didn't really want to do too much with me (not that she was being ugly; she didn't want to ruin any progress I had made with him), and she told me to call my OB about the fever and perhaps some nausea medicine. My OB became concerned about the fever and sent me to the ER (she thought perhaps I had appendicitis or pancreatitis). So, Nana and Aunt LeeLee (Lori) came to Erik's rescue, and Todd and I went to the ER.
The ER decided it wasn't appendicitis or a bladder infection. They were concerned about my pulse which was high (probably due to dehydration and pain). They ran 2 IV bags of fluids at full speed (talk about getting chills). Then they admitted me on the OB floor. The fever came and went for most of the night and broke early in the morning. The cause of the fever is still unknown.
The OB unit gave me lots more fluids by IV and got me on clear liquids in hopes to settle down my stomach. They checked the baby, who seemed completely unaware of the drama. Yeah! I was in a lot of pain (no pain meds when you are pregnant), but I really enjoyed getting to hear the babies heartbeats a couple of times while I was there.
My OB called my gastro's partner for a consult when I was in the hospital. The gastro partner rechecked the sonogram (again the intestine finding is unusual) and she ended up doing a colonoscopy to investigate the cause of the inflamation. I had the colonoscopy and was sent home around 4. The colonoscopy was "unprepared" which means I got to avoid drinking the pretest junk; however, the stuff they did to me during the colonoscopy so they could see put me in terrible (worse) pain for about 3 days.
On the 11th, my gastro called me with the results of all the tests they ran (lots of blood work and lab tests from the colonoscopy) while I was in the hospital. He said that all of the labs (that were in) showed nothing unusual (no thyroid problems, no colitis, no infection, no diverticulits), etc. He said that the colonoscopy showed that my intestines were cramping (spasming) during the entire procedure. He said this constant spasming in addition to IBS has caused all the pain, and since it had been going on unchecked at least since Christmas Eve, it would be sometime before my colon would heal.
So, now I am on a probiotic pill, a perscriptioin laxative (for the IBS & to balance the effects of the antispasm med), fiber pills (for the IBS), and an antispasm medicine that makes me sleepy. I still feel a lot of pressure and bloating in my abdomen and intermittant cramping, but I am making progress. I may have one or two evenings a week when I feel in pain and end up in bed (rather than days and nights). I still don't sleep well, though (laying down on my side seems to make the spasms worse).
We also had our mid-pregnancy sonogram on the 12th. The new baby will be a boy. We are excited. Erik was mad at first (he said he wanted a sister), but once we explained that he would be the big brother and the baby would be the little brother, he was quite happy.
We are now exploring baby names. I would love to name the baby after my grandfather somehow, but we can't really find a name we like that is either one of his names or a take-off of one of his names. I am hoping something comes to me. We have another name currently on the table that incorporates names from my mom's family and Todd's family. So, we'll see.
I hope to be able to post more frequently as things move along. Pray that I stay feeling well enough to function. I have Erik, Todd, a house, a job, and preparing for a new baby to attend too.
I can't wait until spring.
~Chelle
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