Almost There

There's finally a light at the end of this long tunnel I've been stuck in for too long! I will be 36 weeks pregnant on Thursday and will be getting my cerclage out and will be proclaimed a "normal pregnant woman." Dr's words, not mine. I don't think there's anything normal about pregnancies and the more I talk to people, the more I wonder how many people actually have a routine pregnancy! 

Here is my great self portrait taken last Friday at 35 weeks before my dr appt. (probably the only reason  I'm wearing real clothes.)

At my appointment they did an ultra sound to do a baby growth check. I have those every 3 weeks to make sure he's making gains since he measures small. They're guessing he weighs about 5 lbs right now (24th percentile), his abdomen measures small, but his head is right on. He's a little too cramped to get an idea of length, but all looked good. I have an ultra sound every week so they can check my fluid and to make sure all his vitals look good. It's fun for me to see him so often! I was dilated to a 1 but there was not pressure on the cerclage and the dr said that wasn't anything to worry about at this point.

As you can imagine, after getting my cerclage put in about 22 weeks ago and being on strict, flat out  bed rest for about 12 of those weeks, I have been making a list of all the things I want to do before the baby comes. (I'm hoping he'll give me a few weeks!) 

*I want to walk a mall! (And shop for baby stuff)

*Make it at least one more time to Busch Gardens with Lila

*Finish cleaning out my garage (the little my mom didn't get to finish for me!)

*Take a bath (you aren't allowed to swim or soak with a cerclage in.)

*Go to a movie

*Go out to dinner

*Finish the nursery

*Lift Lila (poor girl's been over my lifting limit since the cerclage)

*Grocery shop...it's the little things, not to mention I spend less than Chris!

*Do a little Christmas shopping

*Try to repay some of the service that's been given to me 

*Just not think about being careful all the time

There's more, mostly having to do with shopping, errands, and cleaning but you get the idea. I'm a little worried that either I'm going to be so excited to do so much that I overdo it and have the baby earlier than I want to or that I will want to do so much but since I've basically been a sloth for so long, I'm not going to have the energy or muscle mass to carry out many of my plans!

Enough of all that, here's my cute Lila! Tara sent me a lot of these cute pictures.

Watching cows with the twins Tara watches

Playing with chalk. Apparently she didn't try to eat any of it this time, so I guess she's growing up!

Blurry ones I took outside with Chris pushing her on the swing.

Finally cool weather for pants and long sleeves!

Her new favorite way to enjoy the swings:

Home At Last

I haven't been very good at updating lately but for a while there wasn't much to say. My days in the hospital were roughly the same monotonous routine of being monitored morning and evening, nurses, techs, doctors, housekeeping and dietary coming in and out all day while I played online, read, watched tv or talked on the phone. I was to be checked at 32 weeks to see how the baby and my cervix was doing and to possibly be sent home. Chris and I disagreed on me going home, him wanting to be more conservative and have me stay 2 more weeks and me so ready to go home it wasn't even funny. Last Friday I had a long ultra sound and the baby looked great even though his abdomen was still measuring small and my cervix had actually gained a little bit of length. 

Chris got to the hospital just as the ultra sound ended but in time to talk to the doctor about what the plan would be. The doctor pretty much laid it out that my insurance was not going to cover my hospital stay any longer since there were no indicators that I needed to be there. He also told us that even if I went home and had a problem, they probably wouldn't try too hard to keep me from having the baby since I was at a safer point. Knowing we'd have to pay a large insurance bill if I stayed and that I wouldn't be readmitted for another round of bed rest at the hospital, Chris finally gave in! My mom was flying in the next day so we decided to just wait and have me come home Saturday evening after Chris and Lila picked her up. Saturday night was the best in a long time! My mom, Chris and Lila got there and got me all packed up (no small feat) and after 52 days, I got to go home!!!

It has been fabulous to sleep in my own bed, see Lila and Chris every morning and evening, have my mom baby me, and eat real food! Lila still goes to Tara's during the week while my mom asks where I want things and has been getting my house organized and ready for baby boy (we really need to pick a name...) My mom has been working non stop and I'm a little worried she's not going to want to visit me ever again since I seem to put her to work every time she comes! I have loved watching how Lila and Chris have grown even closer than they used to be while I was away. She's a lucky girl to have such an attentive and fun dad. Her little world is going to be rocked pretty soon when the baby comes but it will be good for her! It has been crazy to see how she has grown up in just the 2 months I missed. She plays with her babies and fake kitchen food more correctly now (read not just slamming them around the house.) She is saying a lot more words now too!

I had my first check up yesterday since being home. I was a little nervous and kept chanting, "no bad news, no bad news" over and over again in my head. Luckily it all went great. I am over 33 weeks now and feel so blessed to have made it to this point. I feel good and confident that I'll have this baby pretty close to full term. My next count down is to the 36 week mark when I can finally get the cerclage out and officially be off bed rest!! That will be a great day. I'm a little worried I will have no energy or strength to do much that's productive since I have been laying for so long but hopefully it will come back quickly.  

So, things are good and we are happy! Any perfect baby boy names??? We have a couple ideas but can't agree on anything!