...Any Day Now...
6AM in the morning... There's no way I'm going back to bed. My mind and body are on high alert. I think maybe this has a lot to do with (...Well, pregnancy of course. "Everything is because of pregnancy when you're pregnant.") the fact that we've been watching a lot of cop shows: The Mentalist, Criminal Minds, and Elementary (which is Sherlock Holmes), and also that I may have been "nesting" for the past two or so months, but I've been so gigantic that I'm and have been basically helpless, so much so that I can't do anything I want(ed) to do. Well yesterday we did just that stuff. My list. The major things are done. The house is prepared for Mila. So now, hey, my mind has started a new list...
Let me rewind and start with the dream and thoughts that woke me.
It began with a dream where it was raining outside, so for some reason we decide to eat out (I don't know where Luke is) with mom and her "boyfriend"/"friend", Jeff, and ride in my car together. Aldo takes out Luke's seat and the car seat so we can fit in the back. We go out and come back. When we get back and I walk in our house, I start walking around and see boxes everywhere. Empty boxes. And random messes. When I get to the kitchen there's shredded chicken all over like someone missed the pan, but I also see it hanging from the kitchen lamp. I flip a lid! I go off. What in the world happened so that chicken was hanging from our ceiling??? I'm yelling at Aldo and maybe throw some boxes (not at him though) that I can lift. And then I look at the time.
Ok... Wait wait wait... I forgot a part. It took more than that to rile me up. Before we walk in the house, maybe on the way home, I find out my car is for sale for the church. I guess that Aldo and PT had been talking and PT somehow claimed the car for the church, and decided to sell it to buy something else. At first, I'm like - That's dandy. Less insurance. But then it hits me, Wait a minute, that's my car. And I need it for Mila. And for Luke. Is Aldo taking it away because he wants me home? I'm confused here. Wait a minute... Why does PT think he can sell my car? I get to the bottom of it and ask Aldo what's up. Apparently they had a conversation where he said that the car wasn't very good. (Interesting because in reality, when I first bought it, he had nothing against it. AND it's a 2007, way newer than his 1995 Chevy Blazer that has rattled since Day 1, and it's never had a replacement part yet except for when my tire went flat from the glass at the end of our street, whereas his won't even start sometimes and the engine light goes on randomly, the a/c barely works and the gas indicator is wrong.) I was thrown off because my car is totally reliable. Even so, in the conversation with PT the car either got sold or given to the church. What?! So... On the way in the house I'm trying to make sense of the car situation and say that there's no way we are selling it and we need to talk to PT about boundaries, and that's when I walk into the house full of box mess and chicken.
After that I remember ripping up paper and crying on the floor. I wipe my eyes and look at the time on the stove. 10:59AM. OH MY... ARE YOU SERIOUS? I was supposed to be at that dumb Nebraska Furniture Mart health screening at 10:30. This is so that we could have insurance. Missing it means I don't have insurance. Missing it means we won't be able to pay for delivery, medical bills, etc. All of this was taken care of. It was an easy thing to do. How in the world did we miss the screening? Aldo was going to take me. Aldo!!!! And going out to eat with my mother.... Where did that idea even come from? Why today? I freak out again. Aldo isn't even in his manager attire so I have to wait more. It was bad. It was just a bad, bad dream. I've never been so mad at Aldo. When I woke up I was like...... Where's the clock in our room? Where's my phone? I'm totally not missing this health thing. But on the other hand I wondered, is this something pent up inside me? Something God is revealing to me that I need to deal with? Poor Aldo. I feel so bad about going off on Aldo and blaming him for everything, even though it was partly his fault in the dream. The car situation anyway. Who knows what the boxes were for, and why there was food everywhere, and I could have easily watched the time myself and drove myself to NFM. (He'll probably laugh when he reads this, but I really felt bad waking up and still do sort of.)
In reflection, let me tell you where some of these might come from. We just did the list, right? Yesterday I moved all the diaper boxes to the closet. I recycled empty ones that were from baby gifts. There are only two left out (bassinet and swing/bouncer), and we need to save those, and I know exactly where I'm putting them. Yesterday I made chicken and hominy in the crock pot. Aldo did dishes and wiped the counter. No messes were really left there. But had you looked earlier in the week there was sugar all over the stove. And as for the car, mine is ok. Just needs a good wash. Aldo not long ago got something fixed, like a hose or something, but the engine light came on the other day and he wanted to get someone to get out the reader and find out why, maybe it needed an oil change. And last, I really do have an NFM health screening today at 10:30. It's also my mom's birthday. A lot of hidden things on my mind...
That's not all. I may have fallen back asleep because I had another dream. A man got in our house and it was me and Luke alone. Luke was sleeping in his room. The man came through the front door and had a gun. Being pregnant somehow I ran through the craft room to the garage, and went in two scenarios: I either went to the meadow in back because the pond was an obvious choice or I went to the neighbors (yes, in my underwear) and down their drive which is blocked by the tree line to Jerad's. After I realized, I left Luke in the house. I'm a terrible mother!!!!! So I go through it again and this time when he comes in I go low and swipe his legs from under him. Grab his gun, which if it goes off only goes off at the ceiling. Tape his hands together and him to a chair and call 911. When the police get there my prints are all over the gun, but we're all alive. Yay.
I wake up.
Now my mind is racing. Heart thumping. I start thinking of Luke. How could I forget him? He needs karate lessons. I need to tell him about keeping his privates to himself at school and on the bus. They don't wear seat belts on the bus. What if there's a wreck? What if it snows? On his first day will he make friends on the bus, behave, get in trouble? Should I just drive him to school the first day? He's got to keep track of his book bag and that other bag of Kleenex and junk. Will he find his classroom ok? If he poops at school, will he be able to wipe himself. Will he use too much toilet paper? Will I find streaks in his underwear? They don't have wet wipes in the restroom for kids I don't think. Hopefully he's a shy pooper like his dad and just waits to get home. I need to sign him up for sports. Soccer sounds good. School is $100-something a month for full day. Soccer shouldn't be too bad, but I might have to bring a snack and juice to practice or a game or something. We can still do that. Oh my gosh, and Aldo wants to buy/look for a house. Hopefully he gets that raise.
Lord, only you can take care of us. I feel bad thinking this, but after all that camp and all that stress, is now the time of blessings?
And when it came down to it - ok, it's time to get out of bed. I need some prayer time and some devotion, and some journaling to get this off my mind. And remember it too, for when I have a third child and wake up frantic about how we're going to make it. Sheesh. Emotions. Life. It's messy. And especially tough when you're an organized soul.
Baby soon. School soon. Next entry, I'm sure of it.
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Monday, July 20, 2015
Near the End
About 38 Weeks
Almost there....! I'm having weekly appointments now so I just wanted to update on how I'm feeling near the end and what's to be expected. I weigh 230 lbs. (I was paying attention today.) I thought I weighed like 250 or something, and was reeeeeally overweight - terrible, yet delicious chocolate that tastes so good... - but I don't! Yay! I was fully planning on breastfeeding and wrapping (whatever that is) and exercising. I'll still workout and breastfeed but now I don't have to go all crazy.
My blood pressure is awesome.
I'm dilated to .5 cm. Same as last week. Doc expected I'd be further along than that this week, but I'm not. She was going to plan with me a date to induce, but my cervix just isn't ready. For the sake of health, I told her let's wait until next Monday and check again. Maybe I'll go before then, maybe I won't. Monday is the 27th of July and that was my estimate... Either way, plans are to go in for my appointment on Monday. She may decide to induce on Thursday, July 30th if I'm further along. If not, then the latest she'll let me go is August 10th, four days past my due date.
Again this pregnancy is totally crazy different from Luke. With him I was walking around at 4 cm for like two weeks. Went in to be induced in the morning, everything was so smooth, got an epidural at 5 or 6 cm I think, and had a baby by 4pm. This time around... my bag isn't even packed yet. I'm finishing that today. I'm waiting on the car seat cover to come in the mail. Washed Mila's clothes and bassinet bedding, but it still needs to be assembled and her area secure. Maybe it's a good thing she isn't ready to come yet.
Just to be clear, nothing I've said so far is "bad news", but if there was "good news" this would be it - I'm feeling pretty good. I'm not swelling, not having painful contractions, not having horrible cramps, not having locked knees, not badly constipated, etc. Not stressed either, thank goodness. The other day (it was the morning after my dad took me on a shopping spree) I was getting cereal and looked over at the rocker/bouncer. I imagined Luke would be at school and it was lunchtime so I was putting a baby girl gently down for a nap so I could cook and wash dishes. Total daydream... I hate washing dishes. But afterward I was so relaxed and felt completely comfortable and ready to have a baby. This is the second time I've felt "ready". So I'm not stressed right now... I know I can do it. We all can do it. We have a plan in place. Luke asks daily if Mila is coming today. It's the sweetest.
So it's a patient yet anxious waiting game. The not knowing is kind of fun. Is my water going to break? Will I go from a .5 to measuring 7 in an hour? Will we be running around to pack toothbrushes and the rest off our checklist? Will Luke have to ride to the hospital with us or will someone be around to take him? Will she fit in the clothes I picked out for her picture? Will she only be 6 lbs.? It's exciting. And it's less than 2 weeks away!
So for this week or so I must endure the waiting. I must endure the inability to bend over like a pretzel. (I can, however, still shave my legs which I am extremely proud of.) I must endure rolling over in bed to switch sides so my arms don't hurt in the morning. I'll get through the stomach and insides being cramped and causing acid reflux because of the Tums sitting next to my bed. I actually enjoy the random naps I'm taking during the day and falling asleep around 10:30pm, shortly after we start a TV episode, although Aldo might not enjoy it. I'll endure the inability to zip up my pants. And I'll endure the waddling (if there is any... Because I can't tell). To me, two weeks seems like two days. The next post will either be a Monday doctor update or a birth announcement. I'm over the moon right now. <3
Almost there....! I'm having weekly appointments now so I just wanted to update on how I'm feeling near the end and what's to be expected. I weigh 230 lbs. (I was paying attention today.) I thought I weighed like 250 or something, and was reeeeeally overweight - terrible, yet delicious chocolate that tastes so good... - but I don't! Yay! I was fully planning on breastfeeding and wrapping (whatever that is) and exercising. I'll still workout and breastfeed but now I don't have to go all crazy.
My blood pressure is awesome.
I'm dilated to .5 cm. Same as last week. Doc expected I'd be further along than that this week, but I'm not. She was going to plan with me a date to induce, but my cervix just isn't ready. For the sake of health, I told her let's wait until next Monday and check again. Maybe I'll go before then, maybe I won't. Monday is the 27th of July and that was my estimate... Either way, plans are to go in for my appointment on Monday. She may decide to induce on Thursday, July 30th if I'm further along. If not, then the latest she'll let me go is August 10th, four days past my due date.
Again this pregnancy is totally crazy different from Luke. With him I was walking around at 4 cm for like two weeks. Went in to be induced in the morning, everything was so smooth, got an epidural at 5 or 6 cm I think, and had a baby by 4pm. This time around... my bag isn't even packed yet. I'm finishing that today. I'm waiting on the car seat cover to come in the mail. Washed Mila's clothes and bassinet bedding, but it still needs to be assembled and her area secure. Maybe it's a good thing she isn't ready to come yet.
Just to be clear, nothing I've said so far is "bad news", but if there was "good news" this would be it - I'm feeling pretty good. I'm not swelling, not having painful contractions, not having horrible cramps, not having locked knees, not badly constipated, etc. Not stressed either, thank goodness. The other day (it was the morning after my dad took me on a shopping spree) I was getting cereal and looked over at the rocker/bouncer. I imagined Luke would be at school and it was lunchtime so I was putting a baby girl gently down for a nap so I could cook and wash dishes. Total daydream... I hate washing dishes. But afterward I was so relaxed and felt completely comfortable and ready to have a baby. This is the second time I've felt "ready". So I'm not stressed right now... I know I can do it. We all can do it. We have a plan in place. Luke asks daily if Mila is coming today. It's the sweetest.
So it's a patient yet anxious waiting game. The not knowing is kind of fun. Is my water going to break? Will I go from a .5 to measuring 7 in an hour? Will we be running around to pack toothbrushes and the rest off our checklist? Will Luke have to ride to the hospital with us or will someone be around to take him? Will she fit in the clothes I picked out for her picture? Will she only be 6 lbs.? It's exciting. And it's less than 2 weeks away!
So for this week or so I must endure the waiting. I must endure the inability to bend over like a pretzel. (I can, however, still shave my legs which I am extremely proud of.) I must endure rolling over in bed to switch sides so my arms don't hurt in the morning. I'll get through the stomach and insides being cramped and causing acid reflux because of the Tums sitting next to my bed. I actually enjoy the random naps I'm taking during the day and falling asleep around 10:30pm, shortly after we start a TV episode, although Aldo might not enjoy it. I'll endure the inability to zip up my pants. And I'll endure the waddling (if there is any... Because I can't tell). To me, two weeks seems like two days. The next post will either be a Monday doctor update or a birth announcement. I'm over the moon right now. <3
Monday, July 13, 2015
Double Baby Shower
Maecy and I had our "Double Baby Shower" yesterday. Wore me out! But, hey, it was a success.
Decorations were supposed to be mint and peach, but it kind of switched to mint/lime/aqua/greens and peach/oranges/pinks. There was an 80th birthday party at the church the day before, and they left up their decorations, so we kept them. Pink and lime hanging puffy balls with tulle-covered balloons - so cute. And it was a huge help because I did not want to hang all those puffy balls we made. We used ours on the present table instead. Mom made these cute letters for Mila and Mateo in our colors that also went on the present table.
Decorations were supposed to be mint and peach, but it kind of switched to mint/lime/aqua/greens and peach/oranges/pinks. There was an 80th birthday party at the church the day before, and they left up their decorations, so we kept them. Pink and lime hanging puffy balls with tulle-covered balloons - so cute. And it was a huge help because I did not want to hang all those puffy balls we made. We used ours on the present table instead. Mom made these cute letters for Mila and Mateo in our colors that also went on the present table.
Mila & Mateo's Gift Table
Decorations Achieved :)
All the circular tables were covered with green or pink table cloths and had a diaper centerpiece I made. Surprisingly those weren't difficult to make. It was the puff balls I didn't enjoy doing. Anyway, the centerpieces had hand-picked fabric on them (by yours truly) tied into bows. And on top were bath time animals that I let Maecy keep afterward. Mom put down Easter grass. (Could've done without, but it was still ok.) And we also put M&Ms in mason jars with curled ribbon and candles Mom had bought. Sometimes she goes above and beyond.
I absolutely loved the food table though. Both our colors mixed on each side. Fruit tray, veggie tray, cupcakes by Erica, and meatballs by Ruby (which I didn't get to try). For drinks we had mint-colored sherbet punch and lime/grapefruit infused water.
Seriously the Best Cupcakes Ever!
We started off with Maecy's party. She had more guests than I expected. Quite a few people from church, some of Juan's family, our family, friends, etc. She wanted an Alphabet Book that guests would choose a letter and draw in, so that took up some of the beginning portion. Then Maecy went right to presents. I really wanted to buy her a rocker or bouncer for the baby OR a pack-n-play, both being really expensive. But Dad ended up going in half with us, so we bought her the pack-n-play that she really wanted. After she opened presents (and during) more people showed up for both of us or for just me… that was the weird part. So we switched to breaking out the food and playing games.
I planned out two games - "Mateo's First Portrait" where guests draw their best impression of baby on a plate that is on their head and Maecy chooses the winner. The other was supposed to be a version of "Name That Tune" but it didn't work out. So last minute we had switched it to a "Nursery Rhyme Fill-in-the-Blank". Honestly I thought the library ladies would win that one, but they didn't. Miss C's table did, which had all younger girls and Kari. I'm impressed. Prizes I picked out were swaddle blankets (the good kind) and nursery rhyme books. I know… clever, right?
Baby Shower Fun & Games
I heard that the guys were elated because they had never been invited to a baby shower before.
Glad they could join in the honored celebration.
After games, it was my turn to open gifts. I was tired by then, so honestly I just tried to get it over with and get people home as fast as I could. Got a ton of clothes, some that probably won't even fit her. The cutest story was that Ember picked out an outfit just for Mila all by herself. When I pulled it out, it looked like doll clothes, they were so small! After looking at the tag, she had picked premie. But she was deadset on the outfit. Kari said that they couldn't find it in any other size.
I let Luke open his big brother gift in the middle because he looked like he was slowing down a little. He had been such a big help delivering presents over to Maecy and then to me, and getting the other kids in on it too… Mr. Bossy. I picked out a swimming pool, some animal water shooters, and water balloons for him. I thought it was a good idea for these hot months, and something to get him away from the TV and also, something active. Not just wrestlers. He also got a big brother present from the library. How sweet are they?! Minion glasses and a Jurassic World book.
It was fun while we had it, but I was glad when it was over.
Pros - I wasn't the entire center of attention.
Cons - It felt like everything lasted too long.
Next time, I'm not throwing the baby shower while pregnant. #notetoself
So, Mila… Mateo… We're ready for you now!!!
The "Must Take" Picture
Way to Go, Mama (Can you say "pregnancy brain"?)
Take #2
<3 My Fave <3
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Like Never Before
36 Weeks
Well, we're back from camp. Haven't found a groove yet, but I don't think we will. Ever since we took look to Jurassic World we've all been staying up till 11:00 or 12:00 at night, waking up late (except Aldo when he works), and myself taking 5-minute naps randomly throughout the day. My body is exhausted. And a few days ago, my mind was panicking - we're in the last month (THE LAST STRETCH) and the house isn't ready... We don't have a bed, we don't have diapers, we don't have a "legal" car seat, we don't even have a wardrobe.... We are so not prepared.
Maybe it's "nesting", I'm not sure, but since then I've slowly been cleaning the house. There's not much I can do - it's difficult to bend down with the belly in the way. And also the fact that my shared baby shower with my sister is coming up this Sunday has calmed me down a bit. Yesterday Aldo put the bassinet together - now I just need to make space. I went through our hope chest last night and grabbed a lot of baby things to pass on to Maecy. Today I am cleaning out the changing table which is full of crib sheets and blankets to also pass on, I'll find the rest of the baby stuff I need (that I might already have around the house somewhere), put the changing table back together, and hopefully Get some baby shower stuff done.
This has not been the most relaxing pregnancy. Let's just review for a second: we didn't think we were going to have any more and I was getting infections from trying, a Christmas reveal, sickness sickness sickness/nausea all day, camp thinking, cyst surgery, Luke has pneumonia, camp itself (oh, and it was stressful... So much attack internally, I don't think we still can understand what happened), sickness again, baby shower.... Baby is here. Can you believe that working 9-5 was less stressful than being at home? So much more consistent.
Anyway, I really just wanted to update on some funny/not-so-funny changes that my body's been having lately. And it comes back to - I never experienced this before... Well, that's why they say every pregnancy is different right? This first one is actually a no-brainer. The second day on the Mountain for camp, I woke up to my feet and ankles so swollen. I hadn't even walked anywhere yet, let alone up the mountain. I assumed it must have been all the walking the day before, but for the rest of the time, they never went down. Freakishly fat feet! (Side note: baptism felt great! I could've stayed in that pool forever just for the weightlessness and lack of pressure, but I got hungry.) Second, sometimes I think she has dropped a little, even as I walk. I'll go to the bathroom, and then do something (usually I'm walking through Walmart) and all of a sudden it's like her head dropped on my bladder and I'm waddling and feel like I have to go to the bathroom again! Three is the emotions, but we already know those are out of whack. Anxiety is at an all time high. Four, acid reflux. Aldo said with Luke I had heart burn, but I don't remember it. I remember asking the doctor about something and the old midwives' tale was that my baby had hair. Happened to come out true. But it wasn't to the point that I had to take Tums and was waking up at 3am almost puking. (Second side note: PREGNANCY IS SO WEIRD!!!) Last, and most recent, my knees lock up in the middle of the night, sometimes morning. Today it was painful and hard to get it to go away. It's a given that it's associated with pregnancy, so I looked it up. Because I'm carrying all this weight, and from hormones making my ligaments stretchy, my joints are likely to hurt.
Pregnant people don't ever catch a break do they? I feel like we have every symptom under the sun. No wonder people think we're hypochondriacs and liars and whiners and emotional and pansies. How about I beat up your body for 9 months straight, inside and out, and let's see how you feel...
You're welcome for the rant.
And so, I'll end with this - Aldo bought me a new phone for my "push present". It's amazing. I can't wait to take a zillion pictures of baby girl noses and feet, milk mustaches and hair bows, sleepy eyes and sideways smiles in her sleep. You can count on it. AND, I finally got my mom to take the pictures I wanted. Didn't turn out as I thought, but I'm happy with them.
Well, we're back from camp. Haven't found a groove yet, but I don't think we will. Ever since we took look to Jurassic World we've all been staying up till 11:00 or 12:00 at night, waking up late (except Aldo when he works), and myself taking 5-minute naps randomly throughout the day. My body is exhausted. And a few days ago, my mind was panicking - we're in the last month (THE LAST STRETCH) and the house isn't ready... We don't have a bed, we don't have diapers, we don't have a "legal" car seat, we don't even have a wardrobe.... We are so not prepared.
Maybe it's "nesting", I'm not sure, but since then I've slowly been cleaning the house. There's not much I can do - it's difficult to bend down with the belly in the way. And also the fact that my shared baby shower with my sister is coming up this Sunday has calmed me down a bit. Yesterday Aldo put the bassinet together - now I just need to make space. I went through our hope chest last night and grabbed a lot of baby things to pass on to Maecy. Today I am cleaning out the changing table which is full of crib sheets and blankets to also pass on, I'll find the rest of the baby stuff I need (that I might already have around the house somewhere), put the changing table back together, and hopefully Get some baby shower stuff done.
This has not been the most relaxing pregnancy. Let's just review for a second: we didn't think we were going to have any more and I was getting infections from trying, a Christmas reveal, sickness sickness sickness/nausea all day, camp thinking, cyst surgery, Luke has pneumonia, camp itself (oh, and it was stressful... So much attack internally, I don't think we still can understand what happened), sickness again, baby shower.... Baby is here. Can you believe that working 9-5 was less stressful than being at home? So much more consistent.
Anyway, I really just wanted to update on some funny/not-so-funny changes that my body's been having lately. And it comes back to - I never experienced this before... Well, that's why they say every pregnancy is different right? This first one is actually a no-brainer. The second day on the Mountain for camp, I woke up to my feet and ankles so swollen. I hadn't even walked anywhere yet, let alone up the mountain. I assumed it must have been all the walking the day before, but for the rest of the time, they never went down. Freakishly fat feet! (Side note: baptism felt great! I could've stayed in that pool forever just for the weightlessness and lack of pressure, but I got hungry.) Second, sometimes I think she has dropped a little, even as I walk. I'll go to the bathroom, and then do something (usually I'm walking through Walmart) and all of a sudden it's like her head dropped on my bladder and I'm waddling and feel like I have to go to the bathroom again! Three is the emotions, but we already know those are out of whack. Anxiety is at an all time high. Four, acid reflux. Aldo said with Luke I had heart burn, but I don't remember it. I remember asking the doctor about something and the old midwives' tale was that my baby had hair. Happened to come out true. But it wasn't to the point that I had to take Tums and was waking up at 3am almost puking. (Second side note: PREGNANCY IS SO WEIRD!!!) Last, and most recent, my knees lock up in the middle of the night, sometimes morning. Today it was painful and hard to get it to go away. It's a given that it's associated with pregnancy, so I looked it up. Because I'm carrying all this weight, and from hormones making my ligaments stretchy, my joints are likely to hurt.
Pregnant people don't ever catch a break do they? I feel like we have every symptom under the sun. No wonder people think we're hypochondriacs and liars and whiners and emotional and pansies. How about I beat up your body for 9 months straight, inside and out, and let's see how you feel...
You're welcome for the rant.
And so, I'll end with this - Aldo bought me a new phone for my "push present". It's amazing. I can't wait to take a zillion pictures of baby girl noses and feet, milk mustaches and hair bows, sleepy eyes and sideways smiles in her sleep. You can count on it. AND, I finally got my mom to take the pictures I wanted. Didn't turn out as I thought, but I'm happy with them.
My Favorite
It's a Girl!
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Why Do They Make Childbirth Classes So Exhausting?
33 Weeks
Last weekend I went with Maecy to the Newborn class that I've been wanting to take at Shawnee Mission. I couldn't remember how to swaddle (and it was never my gift either - I always made Aldo do it with Luke). Since I'm stay-at-home now, I thought a refresher course wouldn't hurt. I'll be the one with baby girl all day. I better know what to expect. Time to get out the books! Here's some notes I took:
Today we went to an all day Childbirth class (lunch provided), but it didn't even go to noon. So Maecy and I were both disappointed when we didn't get free lunch. Maecy was the one who found out about the class through her breastfeeding meeting with WIC. It was free so we decided to go. As we looked on the website (www.uzazivillage.com) to register, it looked like it was going to be "ghetto" and we would be the only white girls there. Today, when we were searching the block for the building, Maecy was like - Is it in a garage? Eventually we did find it, but parking took us a while - we passed by about 10 times to find a spot for the car or turn the correct way on all the one-way streets. (White, country girls…)
Surprisingly it wasn't ghetto. It was a really nice class. And I would go back again. The instructor was super informative and personal. There was only one other girl in the class with her doula (I had to Google it - a doula is a non-medical person who helps women before, during and after birth - they help with birth plans, positions, breathing, massage, and can visit you at home after baby is born).
I kind of remember getting on the ground in different positions with Aldo when we took the Childbirth class for Luke. She didn't do that. We covered other things like - how you got pregnant and how baby grows, what happens to your body during labor, pain relief, and breastfeeding. Still good info though. Here are some of my notes:
We didn't do much today, but I was and am still exhausted. Thursday we took Luke to book club with us at T-Rex and then at 10pm saw the new Jurassic World movie. I felt like the irresponsible parent - the one who took their 4-yr-old to a graphic movie and kept him out way past his bedtime. The next morning I had to go to a camp meeting. BUT, my wonderful husband had his alarm going off at six in the morning and didn't shut it off. He just kept hitting snooze every 5-8 minutes. Some day this week I woke up at 3:30am and couldn't stop thinking about the merchandise table at camp and how to run it. Then today I had to get up early to meet Maecy at this class. I'm so tired. My brain can't think. It just wants to shut down.
Some news -
Me: I've already caught up on what's happening to my body - that sore spot I get sometimes on my belly and acid reflux in the early mornings. Still working on camp things. Taking Luke to appointments, getting him ready for school enrollment. And random things here and there like ancestry, baby shower planning (which will be the next big thing after camp), and house searching.
Luke: His birthday is this Wednesday. He's turning 5! He wants a wrestling ring and hermit crabs. Odd combination. Haha! Jurassic World was part of that, but on his birthday I think we're going to pick out his crabs, maybe swim (depending on weather - it's been rainy this past month), and have cake with the Gutierrez fam. Then on Friday, we'll celebrate with his cousins and possibly Maecy and her nephews at Chuckie Cheese. I hate not being able to have a big party or at least one that has some sort of theme.
1st Birthday - Sprinkler Party
2nd Birthday - Elmo
3rd Birthday - Trex
4th Birthday - Mario
5th Birthday - Trex again, Crabs, Swimming, Chuckie Cheese (all random)
Aldo: ?? Who knows ?? Camp mode.
Maecy: She's having a boy. Her names so far are Sebastian or Andres (pronounced "ON-Dre"). So all that knitting of girlie things (even the weird elf-shaped booties, berry hat, and purple cocoon that mom made) are going to Mila. Knitting overload!
Almost time for Aldo to come home. I'm going to relax for a little bit and let this back of mine "let go".
Last weekend I went with Maecy to the Newborn class that I've been wanting to take at Shawnee Mission. I couldn't remember how to swaddle (and it was never my gift either - I always made Aldo do it with Luke). Since I'm stay-at-home now, I thought a refresher course wouldn't hurt. I'll be the one with baby girl all day. I better know what to expect. Time to get out the books! Here's some notes I took:
Baby girls may have small bleeding in their diapers for 1-2 days because of the hormones from Mommy.
Babies don't need bathed every day - more like every 2 to 3 days. But you can wipe down their neck (where the milk gets in the folds) and around their ears every day. Use non-fragrant soap. Don't use lotions or oils. Diaper rash cream is alright, but make sure it has zinc oxide in it and of course airing out will help it too.
Only swaddle your baby in a blanket when you will be in the room. If you're going to be out of the room, the only SIDs approved garment is the Halo sleep sack (which I think SMMC is going to give me).
Don't have a binky? Or it's too early to introduce? Use your finger. But put the fingernail against their tongue so you don't hurt the roof of their mouth. Pacifiers and bottles shouldn't be introduced until at least 3-4 weeks of age. They don't get food or water until at least 6 months of age.
Baby sleeps in the same room as you until she's about 6 months.
I need to see if our car seat is expired by calling the manufacturer. And as far as car seat safety - the best place for it to go is in the middle, rear facing. Fire stations will inspect them for you to make sure their installed right, but you may have to make an appointment.
I need to pick a new pediatrician (don't care for this one in Leavenworth anyway) that is off of the SMMC list and in our network.
Babies don't need much to eat. Their stomachs are marble-sized at birth. That's why they wake up every 2-3 hours to eat (eating about 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period).
Don't use tap water in formula. You need to use fluoride free water.
When feeding burp half-way and then switch sides. Same even if you aren't breastfeeding, that way their neck muscles etc. develop correctly and your arms don't hurt as much either.
A trick for siblings - anything that can fit through a toilet paper roll is not a safe toy to give a baby.
Today we went to an all day Childbirth class (lunch provided), but it didn't even go to noon. So Maecy and I were both disappointed when we didn't get free lunch. Maecy was the one who found out about the class through her breastfeeding meeting with WIC. It was free so we decided to go. As we looked on the website (www.uzazivillage.com) to register, it looked like it was going to be "ghetto" and we would be the only white girls there. Today, when we were searching the block for the building, Maecy was like - Is it in a garage? Eventually we did find it, but parking took us a while - we passed by about 10 times to find a spot for the car or turn the correct way on all the one-way streets. (White, country girls…)
Surprisingly it wasn't ghetto. It was a really nice class. And I would go back again. The instructor was super informative and personal. There was only one other girl in the class with her doula (I had to Google it - a doula is a non-medical person who helps women before, during and after birth - they help with birth plans, positions, breathing, massage, and can visit you at home after baby is born).
I kind of remember getting on the ground in different positions with Aldo when we took the Childbirth class for Luke. She didn't do that. We covered other things like - how you got pregnant and how baby grows, what happens to your body during labor, pain relief, and breastfeeding. Still good info though. Here are some of my notes:
You should be taking prenatal vitamins with "methylated" folic acid in it. Also, if the vitamin doesn't dissolve in water after an hour, then your body isn't absorbing anything. If your pee is super yellow, all the vitamins and minerals you're taking are going right through you. (Flintstones chewables clearly aren't a good vitamin.)
On packaged foods, you want to eat things with low sodium (salt). But also low sugar (less than 4g). If it's low in salt, it'll be high in sugar to make up for the flavor.
You should be drinking half your weight in water. More so when pregnant. And more so when it's hot outside. Right now, for me, I should be drinking 120-150+ oz. of water a day. If you drink soda, then you need to drink the same amount of water to balance the soda out. *So let's say you drank 100 oz. of water one day, then a 20 oz. soda. You still need to drink 20 oz. of water to make up for the soda AND another 20 oz. of water to hit your 120 oz. of water goal for the day.
Get a prenatal yoga video.
Having acid reflux? Take four papaya enzymes.
Practice breathing with phone apps. So you are ready for the day and you don't forget how when you are pushing.
Make a birth plan. Take it to your doctor to get it checked over. Plan for if you can't have an epidural. (The things that help me deal with pain are - dim lighting, Tye Tribbet's "I Can Make It" song, having my head rubbed, my hand held, a rice bag, water, and plenty of blankets and maybe a pillow to squeeze. How other people can help me - with the above, affirmation, DO NOT be on your phone and ignore the entire thing, DO NOT be playing games or cards and again ignore the whole thing.)
Braxton Hicks is when your body is hard in ONE spot. It is preparing your body. (So yes, that pain that I'm feeling on the upper, right square-ish portion of my belly is Braxton Hicks.) In active labor, you cannot talk; you cannot walk; and it changes your cervix.
Medicines - With IV drugs, you won't be able to walk. They go straight to baby's blood, so you'll have a drowsy baby. With an epidural, you can only push laying on your back. No other positions. So basically before you get it, ask What are the effects? Will it make me nauseous? How long will it last?
Ask about late cord clamping. You don't want it cut until after the cord stops pulsating. Baby is getting very good blood, oxygen, etc. from the cord at that time, so wait a few.
Everyone has "baby blues". Postpartum is when it is still going on after 2 weeks.
Some Breastfeeding 101 - Don't lean forward. Get in a comfortable position first. Bring baby to you, baby must be up and down or side to side in a straight line. Make sure you have support for your arms.
We didn't do much today, but I was and am still exhausted. Thursday we took Luke to book club with us at T-Rex and then at 10pm saw the new Jurassic World movie. I felt like the irresponsible parent - the one who took their 4-yr-old to a graphic movie and kept him out way past his bedtime. The next morning I had to go to a camp meeting. BUT, my wonderful husband had his alarm going off at six in the morning and didn't shut it off. He just kept hitting snooze every 5-8 minutes. Some day this week I woke up at 3:30am and couldn't stop thinking about the merchandise table at camp and how to run it. Then today I had to get up early to meet Maecy at this class. I'm so tired. My brain can't think. It just wants to shut down.
Some news -
Me: I've already caught up on what's happening to my body - that sore spot I get sometimes on my belly and acid reflux in the early mornings. Still working on camp things. Taking Luke to appointments, getting him ready for school enrollment. And random things here and there like ancestry, baby shower planning (which will be the next big thing after camp), and house searching.
Luke: His birthday is this Wednesday. He's turning 5! He wants a wrestling ring and hermit crabs. Odd combination. Haha! Jurassic World was part of that, but on his birthday I think we're going to pick out his crabs, maybe swim (depending on weather - it's been rainy this past month), and have cake with the Gutierrez fam. Then on Friday, we'll celebrate with his cousins and possibly Maecy and her nephews at Chuckie Cheese. I hate not being able to have a big party or at least one that has some sort of theme.
1st Birthday - Sprinkler Party
2nd Birthday - Elmo
3rd Birthday - Trex
4th Birthday - Mario
5th Birthday - Trex again, Crabs, Swimming, Chuckie Cheese (all random)
Aldo: ?? Who knows ?? Camp mode.
Maecy: She's having a boy. Her names so far are Sebastian or Andres (pronounced "ON-Dre"). So all that knitting of girlie things (even the weird elf-shaped booties, berry hat, and purple cocoon that mom made) are going to Mila. Knitting overload!
Almost time for Aldo to come home. I'm going to relax for a little bit and let this back of mine "let go".
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Crazy Days of Summer - Part 2
30 Weeks
So, more recent -
Maecy finds out June 1st if she's having a boy or a girl. We decided that we're going to have a shared baby shower. I'll start it off for a short time, then we'll crossover so family and familiar friends can come to both, and then she'll end it. It works because we both like the peach color. And I can't wait for the next few days because we can start the planning!
We also scheduled to take our Childbirth and Newborn Care classes together. Both are at the beginning of June. The Childbirth one she heard about, it's free and in Missouri (we might be the only white girls there…). The Newborn Care class Aldo and I took at Shawnee Mission about 5 years ago. So it'll be a good refresher for me. I'm nervous because I don't remember what I did with Luke except take pictures of him sleeping. And I had all that trouble breastfeeding. And I can't remember how to swaddle. Better just to take it again. And Maecy will have someone to go with too.
I'm also getting Luke prepped for school. He has his physical and medical history that needs to be taken care of, and the school also said he might need glasses. Awww… sorry about passing on the blind genes. You look cute in glasses anyway.
Other than that Luke and I have been home, but we've all been busy because we have youth camp at the end of the month. I have a new role this year, "make-it-happen" lady. And I'm in charge of a lot of paperwork. Speaking of which, I should probably get off here and start baking for the bake sale tomorrow…
Before I go though I want to tell you about a few dreams I had this past week. None are good. And I haven't been watching anything scary either. I will mention beforehand though, that getting a new house has been on our mind since Aldo's mom and sister are approved and looking to move before the end of the year. So curiosity says - Why can't we afford to get a house?
"Can't Live with My Mom a Moment Longer"
In the dream, we were living downstairs (like in real life) and I had just bought a whole bunch of stuff - can't remember exactly, I think it was chocolates. So mom had a friend come over and she needed a present for her, and she wanted to take my stuff. Without paying me for it. Without replacing it. I had just bought it and I wanted it, it was my purchase for myself, my blow money.. I told her no. She got basically irate and went off on me. I was like, I can't live in this house with my mom. Not anymore. Not if she's going to be like that, and take my stuff or get onto me about how I spend my money or just assume she has access to everything because it's her house. I was sooo angry when I woke up. Of course, it was all fake and not real at all. But it did make me think, maybe we should start looking at homes just to be safe…
"Luke's Big Fall"
The next dream, we lived in kind of a bad, inner-city neighborhood and we were broke. It was winter and I had to walk Luke to school. So we're walking along the sidewalk, snow crunching underneath our feet and I kept telling him to stay close and not get so far ahead. There were people behind us, probably also walking to the school or to a store nearby or something. As we were walking along the sidewalk, we were getting close to the school. Before you get there, on the right is a rock pillar to metal another rock pillar to metal fence. It blocked like a overhang over a asphalted city square below. Luke climbed on the bottom and walked sideways between the bars, trying to get to the other side. I was ok with it, he wasn't being dangerous. I was in the middle and he was almost to the end, when all of a sudden he decided to climb up further. I started to yell at him and tell him not to climb up on it so he wouldn't fall, when he fell. I saw his body fall… body spread out, flipping in the air. He looked so small. And instant panic hit me and I prayed as fast as I could, Lord, don't let him break anything. Let it be a miracle. It was faster than a second that went through my mind. I started to run toward the stairs, backtracking.. and I saw that by some serious miracle he had grabbed a street lamp and was hanging on. The man that had been behind us slid down the stairs before I could get to them and was under Luke ready to catch him. Luke ended up hanging on until I was below also. We told him he could let go and we would catch him. And we did. (From after he slipped over onward is where I was aware I was dreaming, and so I think I made it to where it had a happier ending.) But waking up, I didn't know what to think. How scary. What if that did happen? How would I act afterward? I would rock him in my arms forever and never want to let go. And I would be super protective too. He wouldn't be able to go anywhere with anyone or do anything. I'd get onto him about sharp edges and heights, any hazardous area.
"No-name"
When I went back to sleep again, I had another dream about a fight that I had with mom. I don't remember what it was. I just remember having that same feeling like - hmmm… not a bad idea to start looking at homes and figuring out our budget.
"Secret Passages"
I was at a private school or something with Maecy and a group of kids. It was a very strict place and our class had to report to someone in charge for being bad. So this boy was the leader, and I followed him, Maecy behind me, then the rest of the line. We weren't sure whether to go through this brown door or not, so we went to the passage on the right. It led us around and through hallways. I kept following him. He ended up going up a flight of stairs, into a room that had a hole in the wall. It was a secret passage I guess. Instead of whatever wall is made of, it was rock and muddish. It led to this room below. Originally I followed him in, and saw that there were chains all around the room and weird things. It turned into something like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with cannibals. Then I backtracked, and was able to stop in the tunnel before going into the circle room. He went all the way in. I looked back and saw that Maecy and the rest of the group hadn't followed us all the way, and they had ended up where they were supposed to be. Why didn't they stop us? But I looked down and heard the sounds of him screaming. Still a bad dream.
I also forgot to talk about Mila!
She's moving around a lot! I feel like pushes her elbows across my stomach and stretches out a lot. She's a strong one. The last couple of days I've been having pain to the upper right of my belly button. It can be sharp, but it's mostly hard. And feels like muscle stretching too far. I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. Ah, the joys of bearing children. I suspect it's one of the following: constipation, round ligaments (googled it), or Mila's butt.
Welp, hopefully I'll get some pregnancy photos on here soon. I have a long list of To-Do's. I'll try my best!
So, more recent -
Maecy finds out June 1st if she's having a boy or a girl. We decided that we're going to have a shared baby shower. I'll start it off for a short time, then we'll crossover so family and familiar friends can come to both, and then she'll end it. It works because we both like the peach color. And I can't wait for the next few days because we can start the planning!
We also scheduled to take our Childbirth and Newborn Care classes together. Both are at the beginning of June. The Childbirth one she heard about, it's free and in Missouri (we might be the only white girls there…). The Newborn Care class Aldo and I took at Shawnee Mission about 5 years ago. So it'll be a good refresher for me. I'm nervous because I don't remember what I did with Luke except take pictures of him sleeping. And I had all that trouble breastfeeding. And I can't remember how to swaddle. Better just to take it again. And Maecy will have someone to go with too.
I'm also getting Luke prepped for school. He has his physical and medical history that needs to be taken care of, and the school also said he might need glasses. Awww… sorry about passing on the blind genes. You look cute in glasses anyway.
Other than that Luke and I have been home, but we've all been busy because we have youth camp at the end of the month. I have a new role this year, "make-it-happen" lady. And I'm in charge of a lot of paperwork. Speaking of which, I should probably get off here and start baking for the bake sale tomorrow…
Before I go though I want to tell you about a few dreams I had this past week. None are good. And I haven't been watching anything scary either. I will mention beforehand though, that getting a new house has been on our mind since Aldo's mom and sister are approved and looking to move before the end of the year. So curiosity says - Why can't we afford to get a house?
"Can't Live with My Mom a Moment Longer"
In the dream, we were living downstairs (like in real life) and I had just bought a whole bunch of stuff - can't remember exactly, I think it was chocolates. So mom had a friend come over and she needed a present for her, and she wanted to take my stuff. Without paying me for it. Without replacing it. I had just bought it and I wanted it, it was my purchase for myself, my blow money.. I told her no. She got basically irate and went off on me. I was like, I can't live in this house with my mom. Not anymore. Not if she's going to be like that, and take my stuff or get onto me about how I spend my money or just assume she has access to everything because it's her house. I was sooo angry when I woke up. Of course, it was all fake and not real at all. But it did make me think, maybe we should start looking at homes just to be safe…
"Luke's Big Fall"
The next dream, we lived in kind of a bad, inner-city neighborhood and we were broke. It was winter and I had to walk Luke to school. So we're walking along the sidewalk, snow crunching underneath our feet and I kept telling him to stay close and not get so far ahead. There were people behind us, probably also walking to the school or to a store nearby or something. As we were walking along the sidewalk, we were getting close to the school. Before you get there, on the right is a rock pillar to metal another rock pillar to metal fence. It blocked like a overhang over a asphalted city square below. Luke climbed on the bottom and walked sideways between the bars, trying to get to the other side. I was ok with it, he wasn't being dangerous. I was in the middle and he was almost to the end, when all of a sudden he decided to climb up further. I started to yell at him and tell him not to climb up on it so he wouldn't fall, when he fell. I saw his body fall… body spread out, flipping in the air. He looked so small. And instant panic hit me and I prayed as fast as I could, Lord, don't let him break anything. Let it be a miracle. It was faster than a second that went through my mind. I started to run toward the stairs, backtracking.. and I saw that by some serious miracle he had grabbed a street lamp and was hanging on. The man that had been behind us slid down the stairs before I could get to them and was under Luke ready to catch him. Luke ended up hanging on until I was below also. We told him he could let go and we would catch him. And we did. (From after he slipped over onward is where I was aware I was dreaming, and so I think I made it to where it had a happier ending.) But waking up, I didn't know what to think. How scary. What if that did happen? How would I act afterward? I would rock him in my arms forever and never want to let go. And I would be super protective too. He wouldn't be able to go anywhere with anyone or do anything. I'd get onto him about sharp edges and heights, any hazardous area.
"No-name"
When I went back to sleep again, I had another dream about a fight that I had with mom. I don't remember what it was. I just remember having that same feeling like - hmmm… not a bad idea to start looking at homes and figuring out our budget.
"Secret Passages"
I was at a private school or something with Maecy and a group of kids. It was a very strict place and our class had to report to someone in charge for being bad. So this boy was the leader, and I followed him, Maecy behind me, then the rest of the line. We weren't sure whether to go through this brown door or not, so we went to the passage on the right. It led us around and through hallways. I kept following him. He ended up going up a flight of stairs, into a room that had a hole in the wall. It was a secret passage I guess. Instead of whatever wall is made of, it was rock and muddish. It led to this room below. Originally I followed him in, and saw that there were chains all around the room and weird things. It turned into something like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with cannibals. Then I backtracked, and was able to stop in the tunnel before going into the circle room. He went all the way in. I looked back and saw that Maecy and the rest of the group hadn't followed us all the way, and they had ended up where they were supposed to be. Why didn't they stop us? But I looked down and heard the sounds of him screaming. Still a bad dream.
I also forgot to talk about Mila!
She's moving around a lot! I feel like pushes her elbows across my stomach and stretches out a lot. She's a strong one. The last couple of days I've been having pain to the upper right of my belly button. It can be sharp, but it's mostly hard. And feels like muscle stretching too far. I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. Ah, the joys of bearing children. I suspect it's one of the following: constipation, round ligaments (googled it), or Mila's butt.
Welp, hopefully I'll get some pregnancy photos on here soon. I have a long list of To-Do's. I'll try my best!
Crazy Days of Summer - Part 1
30 Weeks
So… update on my surgery: It wasn't as expected.
We went to the surgery facility (same building where my OB is) that morning. I had pre-registered online and everything, all we had to do was sign some paperwork and pay the downpayment fee. During this time, as I looked around there were signs everywhere that said to notify front desk or notify your nurse, etc. if you are pregnant (because there is radiation in use). I did at the sign-in. I did with my nurse that took me back to the - it wasn't a room, it was more of an enclosed space in the wall. And I did again with the other person that came there. The anesthesiologist knew already. So they get me prepped (nothing but robe, IV in, pressure cuff on, the whole shebang), and the anesthesiologist says he's going to meet with the doctors one last time to discuss what they're going to do. The safest thing they can do is give me something to make me sleep and put a tube down my throat.
They come back saying, ummm…. we can't perform surgery here, you're pregnant. What? It's in their policy. What? The strange thing is, I set this up by pre-registering and they knew I was pregnant from the beginning. All well, what now? They were sending me to a different facility across the parking lot, I could keep my IV in, they'll send me with the filled out paperwork, of course no charge, and were very apologetic. A few minutes later someone comes in and says we can't have the IV stay in because they don't know if I do drugs. Then the director of the building comes in and asks if I know why the IV can't stay in. Because you don't know if I'll do drugs??? They'll fine me over $2000 for an ambulance ride I didn't take. Oh brother, take the IV out and let's get on with this…
Made it to the other place. Got me prepped again, no waiting. Not too much paperwork. Everything seemed rushed though. And I felt like, maybe this should be slowed down a bit… I want everyone familiar with the plan before something goes wrong. And they referred to me as "the pregnant lady". It did slow down - the doc took another patient, so everyone wasn't in a rush anymore. We went over my history again, etc etc. The stinking IV had to go in the same vein because the others just weren't working = most painful part of the whole surgery. And, they changed the plan. Instead of being completely out, they'd give me a spinal tap (stronger than an epidural) where I can't feel my lower half. Wouldn't need a tube (Yay!), but I'd be wide awake.
Finally, I'm taken into a surgery room. It was a wide, open space with a super skinny bed in the middle. All the hoses and computers were around it and there were three circular lights above it. They helped me move over to the bed, which I thought was kind of silly, but then the nurses had to give me the spinal tap as I was sitting sideways and my legs hung over. It was weird because I thought I could lay back down by myself, but they insisted on helping me… it's a good thing that they did… I got one leg on and by the second I couldn't feel or control my legs anymore! They did a prick test on me and I could still feel near my stomach, so they put the bed on an incline, head down. Which made me nauseous. The surgery is kind of a blur now (and I don't want to go into too much detail), but I remember that I kept wondering when they were going to get started. I was about ready to ask, but then I saw them swing my legs into stirrups and that answered my question. (I couldn't feel a thing.)
Mila moved the entire time during surgery. I felt her. And I just prayed she wasn't stressed out or anything. There was a point, also, where I saw EVERYTHING in the reflection of one of the lights. I told the nurse and she adjusted it. Then later they brought in a tv screen, which I also asked to be moved so I couldn't see. The surgery was 45 minutes long, and they said that I was the ideal patient. Afterward all I wanted was food. The next few days, I didn't hurt much which was surprising. But I did limit my movements. (I was afraid to take large strides and cough, etc) After two weeks, I was approved of all activities.
Because of the surgery and other issues, Miss Pat decided school should just be over. What's one week and one letter sound difference anyway? So Luke had a simple and quick graduation from Future Visions Academy. I'm no longer his teacher. <sad face> Now I'm just his mom. <relief> I liked helping out at the pre-school, but it's definitely not my age group. I only had two kids, and one of them was mine!! Also, I think the emotions and limitations of pregnancy made teaching the age group more difficult.
Oh, and another surprise.. with youth camp coming up, for some reason I had the need to go out and get donations. The only day I saw fit was the second day after surgery when Aldo was off work. So we went all over Legends and other places for almost 12 hours asking for help. And we got it too! I think people felt sorry for me. Half way through I could't walk much anymore. It was one of those things… you get stuck in a hospital bed one day, and everyone tells you to recover the next day - you just want to be useful. (Aldo says we set the bar high for next year. I just kept thinking - and I still do - that nothing is going to keep me from camp.
So… update on my surgery: It wasn't as expected.
We went to the surgery facility (same building where my OB is) that morning. I had pre-registered online and everything, all we had to do was sign some paperwork and pay the downpayment fee. During this time, as I looked around there were signs everywhere that said to notify front desk or notify your nurse, etc. if you are pregnant (because there is radiation in use). I did at the sign-in. I did with my nurse that took me back to the - it wasn't a room, it was more of an enclosed space in the wall. And I did again with the other person that came there. The anesthesiologist knew already. So they get me prepped (nothing but robe, IV in, pressure cuff on, the whole shebang), and the anesthesiologist says he's going to meet with the doctors one last time to discuss what they're going to do. The safest thing they can do is give me something to make me sleep and put a tube down my throat.
They come back saying, ummm…. we can't perform surgery here, you're pregnant. What? It's in their policy. What? The strange thing is, I set this up by pre-registering and they knew I was pregnant from the beginning. All well, what now? They were sending me to a different facility across the parking lot, I could keep my IV in, they'll send me with the filled out paperwork, of course no charge, and were very apologetic. A few minutes later someone comes in and says we can't have the IV stay in because they don't know if I do drugs. Then the director of the building comes in and asks if I know why the IV can't stay in. Because you don't know if I'll do drugs??? They'll fine me over $2000 for an ambulance ride I didn't take. Oh brother, take the IV out and let's get on with this…
Made it to the other place. Got me prepped again, no waiting. Not too much paperwork. Everything seemed rushed though. And I felt like, maybe this should be slowed down a bit… I want everyone familiar with the plan before something goes wrong. And they referred to me as "the pregnant lady". It did slow down - the doc took another patient, so everyone wasn't in a rush anymore. We went over my history again, etc etc. The stinking IV had to go in the same vein because the others just weren't working = most painful part of the whole surgery. And, they changed the plan. Instead of being completely out, they'd give me a spinal tap (stronger than an epidural) where I can't feel my lower half. Wouldn't need a tube (Yay!), but I'd be wide awake.
Finally, I'm taken into a surgery room. It was a wide, open space with a super skinny bed in the middle. All the hoses and computers were around it and there were three circular lights above it. They helped me move over to the bed, which I thought was kind of silly, but then the nurses had to give me the spinal tap as I was sitting sideways and my legs hung over. It was weird because I thought I could lay back down by myself, but they insisted on helping me… it's a good thing that they did… I got one leg on and by the second I couldn't feel or control my legs anymore! They did a prick test on me and I could still feel near my stomach, so they put the bed on an incline, head down. Which made me nauseous. The surgery is kind of a blur now (and I don't want to go into too much detail), but I remember that I kept wondering when they were going to get started. I was about ready to ask, but then I saw them swing my legs into stirrups and that answered my question. (I couldn't feel a thing.)
Mila moved the entire time during surgery. I felt her. And I just prayed she wasn't stressed out or anything. There was a point, also, where I saw EVERYTHING in the reflection of one of the lights. I told the nurse and she adjusted it. Then later they brought in a tv screen, which I also asked to be moved so I couldn't see. The surgery was 45 minutes long, and they said that I was the ideal patient. Afterward all I wanted was food. The next few days, I didn't hurt much which was surprising. But I did limit my movements. (I was afraid to take large strides and cough, etc) After two weeks, I was approved of all activities.
Because of the surgery and other issues, Miss Pat decided school should just be over. What's one week and one letter sound difference anyway? So Luke had a simple and quick graduation from Future Visions Academy. I'm no longer his teacher. <sad face> Now I'm just his mom. <relief> I liked helping out at the pre-school, but it's definitely not my age group. I only had two kids, and one of them was mine!! Also, I think the emotions and limitations of pregnancy made teaching the age group more difficult.
Oh, and another surprise.. with youth camp coming up, for some reason I had the need to go out and get donations. The only day I saw fit was the second day after surgery when Aldo was off work. So we went all over Legends and other places for almost 12 hours asking for help. And we got it too! I think people felt sorry for me. Half way through I could't walk much anymore. It was one of those things… you get stuck in a hospital bed one day, and everyone tells you to recover the next day - you just want to be useful. (Aldo says we set the bar high for next year. I just kept thinking - and I still do - that nothing is going to keep me from camp.
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