An Unexpected Delivery! Part 2

Emily was admitted into the NICU around 9:00pm on Sunday September 28th. Aside from having a little fluid in her lungs, and being a little premature, she was in perfect health. We finally were able to visit her again (after my spinal wore off) at around 4:00am on Monday.

She was hooked up to 3 monitors (heart rate, oxygen, and breathing) and an IV bag of dextrose. Later on she developed a little jaundice, which is very common in babies, even I had it at birth. Giving her formula and whatever colostrum I could make was the best way to help flush it out of her system, along with laying under the UV light (with these adorable "sunglasses" I might add).

Eventually she started to look much better and her jaundice wasn't as bad. She even started waking up more often and looking around at everything in the NICU. Daddy was able to get this amazing picture of her!

On her 5th day in the NICU they did her car seat challenge, which is when they put her in her car seat and leave her on the monitors to watch how she responds. She passed with flying colors. After the challenge we got the results back from her last bilirubin test and she was all clear of jaundice.

At that point we were able to get her discharged from the hospital! The funniest thing about that, though, was after she was changed out into her going home outfit we had a major poopy diaper episode. I was changing her diaper, and in the middle of me doing that she pooped again ALL over our hands and the bed, and then to top it off, she peed and it got all over her outfit! We were so ready to take her home and in the middle of all the excitement we were trying to clean her up haha, and eventually had to change her into a whole new outfit. Thankfully I brought two!! When we were finally able to get her hooked up into her car seat I was put in a wheelchair with her on my lap and wheeled out to our car.

She was in complete awe of the outside world and we had a very uneventful ride home. I couldn't believe that we were actually bringing her home, after everything we've been through, it was finally happening. She came home weighing in at my birth weight of 5 lbs. 9 oz. but she will gain it all back soon :).

She is now a week old and breastfeeding like a champ every 2-4 hours. She sleeps so well but Daddy and I have come to realize that we are not safe during diaper changes hehe! on more than one occasion, in the hospital and at home, she has rocketed poopy at us. On our hands, on my chest, on Dylan's shorts, but somehow she's still cute even when we're all covered in poop haha.

I am beyond happy that after all of our struggles, the ups and downs and scares throughout my pregnancy and delivery, that we are lucky enough to bring this special little girl home. I love her with all of my heart and every minute, to me, is a miracle.

37 Weeks and an Unexpected Delivery! Part 1

These are my very last weekly belly photos. 

The day before they were taken I began having what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions that were about 20-25 minutes apart. They felt pretty uncomfortable and some even took the breath out of me, but because they were so far apart I decided to just keep track of them and see if I could make it until my next non-stress test on Monday. Well, on Sunday at 37 weeks exactly my contractions were still coming and getting closer together.

This is what my belly looked like during the contractions:

I tried to keep my mind off of them throughout the day but I timed them in the morning at around 13-18 minutes apart. Silly me I decided if that was going to be the day I went into labor that I HAD to make sure my kitchen was clean first haha! I got on a small stool and scrubbed the microwave, scrubbed the stove, wiped all of the counters, did the dishes, vacuumed and mopped the floor. By the time I was done my contractions were coming about every 6 minutes. I drank lots of water thinking it would slow them down if I was dehydrated but I didn't eat anything after 12:00pm just in case I needed to go into the hospital.

My husband and I were getting ready to meet up with my mother in law for her birthday dinner. By the time we were about to leave the house, they were every 4 minutes and I couldn't talk through them very well, and that's when I said, "We have to go!!" So I called my mom to have her meet us at the hospital with my bag and medical records, and Dylan called his mom and told her we wouldn't be able to make it to dinner because we might be having a baby haha.

When we got to the Labor and Delivery unit of the hospital at around 3:00pm the contractions were about every 2-3 minutes, and starting to really hurt. I was admitted to triage, hooked up to some monitors and given an IV with fluids.

The doctors there checked me to see if I was dilated, which I wasn't but I was 50% effaced. After that they gave me 4 pills of Procardia to help relax my uterus, 2 pills at a time over the course of 2 hours. They didn't help! In fact the contractions got even stronger, peeking on the chart at 110, and oh boy did they hurt!! Here is an example of what the chart looks like:

After they tried the pills the doctors consulted my OB and they decided that it was time to prep for my c-section. Dylan and I were so nervous and excited!! At this point I had been in the hospital for about 4 hours. They hooked me up to more IV's and got me cleaned up to go to the O.R. and Dylan got changed into his scrubs.

They brought us back to the O.R. and gave me my spinal while Dylan waited out in the hall for a few minutes.

Then they called him in and began my c-section. I was a nervous wreck! Dylan was right by my side the entire time. When they opened me up and were about to pull Emily out, he stood up and got his camera ready. The doctors gave him a funny look, expecting him to be horribly grossed out by what he was seeing, but he was so proud and had already seen me go through a c-section before that he wasn't bothered at all. I heard over the curtain, "Okay, lots of pressure!" and they pressed on my belly, and just like that at 8:08pm Emily was out and crying!

The most shocking part about her birth, though, was when the doctors discovered a few scary things. One, my previous c-section scar was very thin. The delivering doctor kept saying over and over, "I am SO glad you came in when you did!" If I had waited any longer I could have ruptured, my biggest fear this whole pregnancy. The other scary thing they found was Emily had a true knot in her cord, and it was slightly wrapped around her neck. The knot itself could have become life-threatening for her if it were tighter... but thankfully she was 100% unaffected by this!

They took her to the side of me to get cleaned up and have Dad cut her cord. He was in absolute awe of our sweet girl. I was able to kind of see what they were doing over my shoulder. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 5 oz. and 19 inches long, and had an APGAR score of 8 which is great.

Once she was all cleaned up they wrapped her in a blanket and brought her to my face so I could give her lots and lots of kisses. Then they whisked her and Daddy away to the nursery to finish cleaning her up.

The doctors finished sewing me up and brought me back to the triage room to wait to see my baby. Not long after I got there Dylan came back in with Emily and put her skin-to-skin to my chest. She was so, so, SO beautiful!! I attempted to breastfeed but she was a sleepy baby and just laid with me, which was okay :).

Since she was still premature even at 37 weeks, and a c-section baby, she had a little trouble with getting the fluid out of her lungs so she had to be admitted into the NICU. That was emotional for me but I was relaxed knowing she would be in the best hands possible.

Stay tuned for part 2!

9 MONTHS!

Holy moly I am actually 9 whole months pregnant. That statement is amazing to me!

This week I've been given my "tiger stripes". I have to laugh a little about this because up until now I've gone 35-36 weeks without a single mark, and then within a matter of days they've appeared around my belly. I'm happy with them though because Daddy calls them "Emily marks" :).

Last Thursday was my very last progesterone shot, and then Friday I was given the official date for my c-section. October 16th bright and early at 7:30am. That puts me at about 39 weeks and 4 days, but 39+2 in my medical records, so further along than I would like but like I've said before I will be very well monitored all the way up until then. I won't even hold my breath on that date being the actual day either, because I know that anything can happen and she can come at any time, but if she does come right on target it's a bit crazy to me that I will know her exact birth day and birth time.

In just 3 days my cerclage will be coming out, now THAT is going to be a big deal! Once it's gone, it's completely up to my body and Emily what happens next. Just about 3 weeks at most until our sweet girl is here <3.

Quick Update -- Practice Breathing!!

I've been watching Emily practice "breathing" (which is pretty much just pulling her fluid in and out of her lungs) on ultrasounds for the last few visits. A few days ago I was curious if anyone could actually see their babies "breathing" in their belly, so I looked around online and found that some women, usually petite, can actually see it. I wasn't even thinking about it, but just now as I was sitting I looked down and I caught my belly moving! I gently held my breath and actually caught on video her practicing!

She is doing all of the movements on my belly and I'm just keeping my breath very low. I'm pretty shocked that I was able to see it :)!! Oh, and the still shot of my belly looks VERY creepy and weird but it looks normal when you play it haha.

35 Weeks -- T-minus 30 days!

I'm completely amazed that I've come this far. As of now there are less than 30 days until I should be having my c-section, and realistically she could try to come on her own at any time between now and then. I'm so nervous and excited, wow, this really is the "home stretch"!

This week I've been feeling VERY, very tired. It is getting harder each day to find the strength to get off the couch or out of bed. That's probably due to her growing so fast and my weight gain going up more than ever. I've put on now 34 pounds and most of that has been in the last 4-8 weeks or so. My heartburn lately has been at an all time high, too. Throughout the night I'm being woken up even more frequently by not only her BIG stretching movements and having to use the bathroom every 2 hours, but also my dinner/bed time snack wreaking havoc on my chest. That is one symptom I will not miss!

She was great during my non-stress test today aside from being too active to get a good baseline heartbeat, which we eventually got after some extra time on the monitor. On the ultrasound she was very awake, opening both of her eyes WIDE and looking around, we could clearly see her pupils moving up and down and side to side :)! She also practically had her whole hand in her mouth and we could see her sucking on her fingers. And that hair, oh boy it looks longer every time they catch it!

Next week, 9 months!!

Last Growth Ultrasound and Estimated Weight

Yesterday was the very last ultrasound I'll be having to check on her growth. She is as cute as ever, with little to no room in Mommy to spare hehe, and very, VERY active. During the scan I got to see her stick her tongue out a few times, yawn, and suck on her bottom lip. It was the sweetest sight!

She is estimated to weigh 5 pounds and 5 ounces right now! My husband and I had a little bet on the weight, whoever was closest would win $5. He guessed 6 pounds (over-reaching there!) and I guessed 5 pounds 4 ounces, so I won! But, silly him, we have a jar that we put our extra money in that has a sealed top and he put my winnings in there! Oh well, next time I should specify whoever wins gets the money in-hand ;).

My specialist is very happy with how she is growing and how well-managed my blood sugar numbers are right now. Both of them have been right on target and at this point I'm back down to 1.5 pills before lunch and dinner, which is great because I would rather not need much medication. And even though he recommended me to be delivered at 37 weeks, I am going to be monitored so much at this point that we both feel much more safe as I get closer to delivering. If anything starts to feel out of the ordinary though I will be sent right in to have my c-section at this point.

My next big milestone is two weeks from now I will be having my cerclage stitch removed! I'm a little nervous about it being painful, but he assured me that it will be a little uncomfortable but it won't be as bad as I work it up to be in my head. He really understands my level of anxiety for every little thing we've had to do and I'm very grateful that he knows how to defuse my worries. The removal will also coincide with my monitoring so I will be looked after for a little bit after it's done, just in case I start to dilate or have any contractions (which I shouldn't, but you never know).

I'm so excited and nervous all at the same time! If I'm delivered on the 14th that is only 32 days away, wow!! Where has all of the time gone?

34 Weeks

Trying to see my feet while standing up has been a lost cause lately!

I'm closer than ever yet it all feels so far away. 34 weeks this week and I'm beginning to feel uncomfortable. 

It's nothing to really complain about, but I can barely breathe now (depending on how I'm sitting/laying) and I'm very slow and sluggish. All of this weight gain has started to take it's toll on me, and even though it's only 31.5 pounds (as of today) it is very hard to find the energy to get around. Aside from all of that I've discovered the world of heartburn hiccups, and even more sciatica. At least the finish line is near!

On Monday I had another ultrasound with my non-stress test, and to my surprise the tech was able to catch a BEAUTIFUL little face on a 3D ultrasound!

It was in "color" on the screen and we got to see her squiggle and move, but I was so fascinated by seeing her perfect little face that I almost cried. This is the first time I've ever really seen what she looked like, aside from profile shots and quick glimpses through the shadows of the 2D ultrasounds, and I'm so happy we got to see this. She definitely has her Daddy's nose and lips. We'll see very soon what other characteristics she's stolen from us :).

My OB told me last Thursday that he is aiming to have me delivered around October 14th or 15th, which would put me at technically 39 weeks and 2 or 3 days (but on their paperwork it would be 39 weeks and 0 or 1 days), so I'm a little worried about getting that far along. I'm happy, though, that my specialist is having me do these non-stress tests twice a week and on top of that I will be seeing my OB every week soon, so I know that if any signs of labor start to show I will be very well monitored. I won't hold my breath on that date either because I know it's really all up to her when she decides to arrive, all we can do is just try and get to her before she does hehe.

In just a few days I'll have another growth ultrasound and I'll get to see how much weight she's gained in the last 5 weeks. I'm so excited to know!

33 Weeks

Another week closer!

I've started to have heartburn again and it's been one of the things keeping me up all night now, the others being Emily kicking and stretching like crazy (especially the inside of my hip bones and ribs), having to get up every hour or so to use the bathroom, and then there are the achy hips when I lay on one side too long from the weight gain. It's not too bad though :). I did have a very rough bout of low blood sugar yesterday and it took me three separate snacks to get it back up again, it was pretty scary feeling so shaky and unusual, but I'll be talking with my dietitian this week to see if maybe I need to change the dose of my medicine.

Last night before bed my husband felt the need to snuggle my belly. He dedicated a song to her, so he pulled it up on his phone and played it against my belly and sang the words. The song is "Too Late to Turn Back Now" by Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose. It brought a few tears to my eyes hearing the words and seeing the love he has for our baby <3.

"My Mama told me

She said, Son, please beware

There's this thing called love

And it's everywhere

She told me, It can break your heart

And leave you in misery

Since I met this little woman

I feel it's happened to me

And I'm tellin' you

It's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm fallin' in love

Oh, it's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm falling in love

I found myself wanting her

At least ten times a day

You know, it's so unusual for me

To carry on this way

I'm tellin' you

I can't sleep at night

Wanting to hold her tight

I've tried so hard to convince myself

That this feeling just can't be right

And I'm tellin' you

It's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm fallin' in love

It's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe I believe

I'm falling in love

It's too late to turn back now

Ooooh, baby

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm falling in love

It's too late, baby (to turn back now)

I tell ya

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm falling in love

I wouldn't mind it

If I knew she really loved me too

But I hate to think that I'm in love alone

And nothing that I can do

Whoa, oh

It's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm fallin' in love

It's too late, baby (to turn back now)

I tell ya

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm falling in love

It's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm fallin' in love

Oooooh, baby

I tell ya

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm falling in love

It's too late to turn back now

I believe, I believe, I believe

I'm fallin' in love"

Non-stress Tests

A few weeks ago I was told that I wouldn't need to do the twice a week monitoring (non-stress tests) until around 35 weeks, but now that my medication has been increasing my specialist decided to put me on them now and they will continue all the way until I'm delivered. I'm happy to go because twice a week I will get to hear Emily's heartbeat and watch for any contractions for 30 minutes, and then I'll get to see her on ultrasound while they check her fluid levels, heart, practice breathing and movements :). If for any reason I'm having real contractions they will catch them on the monitor and send me right away to the hospital for either further monitoring, stopping the labor, or delivery depending on how far along I am. They've seen a few contractions already but they are just Braxton Hicks (practice) and watching myself on the monitor helped me tell the difference between her "balled-up" movements and the contractions, so now I'm not as confused between the two.

This first one was taken on Monday. She definitely has her Daddy's lips!

And this one was taken yesterday, we caught a huge yawn! She must be so comfortable in there.

During my last ultrasound I also got to see that our girl already has hair! It's hard to tell on the picture that I was given, but you could see teeny tiny white lines coming off of her head on the screen. I wonder how much she'll have after she's born?

8 Months!!

I'm in the final stretch now, 8 months (32 weeks) and going strong!

I'm convinced at this point that Emily is really just all elbows and knees in there, because that's pretty much what I'm feeling the majority of the time now. Aside from those bony bits I can actually feel her entire body/butt/head when it presses against my tummy, and those parts feel so big that I need two hands to cradle them. I'm grateful that even though I've grown so much these last few weeks that I don't have many aches or pains at the moment. The most frustrating thing is trying to sleep right now. From all of the extra weight in my midsection whatever hip I lay on eventually hurts bad enough that I have to turn over to the other side in order to continue sleeping, and that is VERY hard to do right now hehe.

One thing that is driving me crazy at the moment is the conflicting opinions between my two doctors. I went to see my regular OB on Thursday and he said that I will be delivered at 39 weeks. I didn't even try to argue that with him this time, instead I called my specialist afterwards (the one who recommended 37 weeks) and asked if there was any way they could get on the same page. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure Emily is delivered healthy but I do ask every single visit about when I'll be delivered, I don't want to annoy anyone. His nurse told me though that it is ultimately up to my OB to make the final call, but my specialist will put in the suggestion again. I see my OB again in about 2 weeks and I will have a definitive c-section date then, if it's still set for 39 weeks I will try and have a long discussion about why and if there is any way we could maybe compromise. I certainly don't want to push my body too far and have complications especially when I've been told many times by different doctors that I would not be going that far.

In the mean time... I'm going to try not to worry myself about the delivery date. I did pack a hospital bag just in case and that is ready to go, which eases my mind a bit. My blood sugars have been doing so well and I'm only bumped up to 4 Glyburide pills a day (3 before lunch, 1 before dinner), and on top of all of that at my last appointment Emily was right on target with our belly measurement and her heart rate was in the 130's, as usual. Every day is another day closer to meeting our princess, but I will have to keep reminding myself that every day should be enjoyed and not rushed :).

31 Weeks

We're getting close now!

My belly button is really sticking out at this point and I'm starting to have the "pregnant walk". This week I've been feeling Emily having hiccups and I've been in awe at her every move. Daddy can now feel her kicking him when I give him hugs, too. I've also been doing my kick counts for the last week or so and so far, during her active times, she gives me 10 good movements usually in under 3 minutes. I am so proud of all of the growing that she is doing.

Her nursery is finally "complete". All that is left now is to get the last few things that we'll need, remove all of the price tags from her clothes and send them through the wash. Since there is not much I can do now in her room my nesting has taken me down the path of crafting anything I can think of. One of the things I wanted but isn't an absolute necessity is a Boppy pillow, so instead of buying one I made one! We could use the $40 on something we really need :). Who knows what I'll end up making next in my crafting frenzy haha. So far this pregnancy I have made:

- A crocheted baby blanket, hat, and capri pants set
- 3 Window valences
- A diaper stacker
- A clothes hamper (that wasn't really a "craft")
- A funky owl pillow
- A shadow box with Emily spelled out
- 4 Couch pillow cases (the pillows have long strings on the edges that are not safe for a baby, so they needed to be covered up!)
- Baby clothes separators/labels
- 3 Pairs of washable nursing pads
- 2 Nursing tank tops
- A crib skirt
- This Boppy pillow

At this point now I should have about 6 weeks to go before we are delivered. If I'm delivered exactly at 37 weeks (I don't know the exact date just yet) that is only 42 days away! The clock is ticking!

30 Weeks, Baby Shower and Nesting

I'm literally amazed that we are now into the 30th week of pregnancy, two more weeks and I will be 8 months along!

My belly button is officially an "outie" now, and Emily is extremely active. Last night, as I was trying to sleep, I was kept awake by what felt like a couple of gerbils running laps around my belly hehehe. Even Daddy talks about how strong her kicks are. I'm at the point now where I can use my belly as a mini table for cups and small plates, too.

On Saturday we had our baby shower and it was wonderful! I never got to have our shower when I was pregnant with Evelyn, she was delivered about two months before we were planning on having ours, so even though it was emotional for me to have this one I wanted to make it extra special. We rented a banquet room at a local hotel and invited some friends and family. There were some fun games (the belly string game, "Think Like Mom!", baby word scramble/find, etc.) and I made sure to give out LOTS of candy. The way I saw it was if I couldn't have any, everyone else needs to enjoy it for me hehe. I did get to eat my ONE special cake pop, with my dietitian's approval, and it was delicious!

We got a lot of wonderful things for Emily and I'm so thankful for everyone's gifts. I know she is going to love everything! Our nursery is about 95% completed now, this is what it looked like after I unpacked her gifts:

And since my nesting has kicked in so strongly, I honestly can't keep myself still. I'm constantly going into her room and fixing little things or decorating here and there. My latest additions are these cute (and very inexpensive) colorful letters and butterflies stickers. I put some over her crib and some near the rocking chair where I have all of her books and will be reading to her.

We're both getting so excited about meeting our baby girl soon, she will be here before we know it. All I can do now is continue to be positive that we will make it through these next few weeks with good health and at the end of all of this we will have a beautiful gift to cherish.

29+4 Weeks Growth Ultasound

Little Emily is getting bigger and bigger every day. She now weighs approximately 3 pounds and 2 ounces, right on track! I got a good look at her nose and lips (which I can tell she must get from her Daddy) on the ultrasound, and she even opened her eye! She was also practicing breathing which was amazing to see.

It might be hard to see but she has her head tilted to the right of the picture, and her eyes are hidden by the placenta, so all you can see here is the tip of her nose and her lips :). I also learned that my belly is literally all baby now, her feet and legs are right under my ribs already and she is head down.

After the growth ultrasound the nurse taught our family friend how to give me my Progesterone shots because they can no longer have them sent to the office, so instead of paying the $25 copay every week to have them done in office we will just do them at home.

The non-stress test went very well, too, no contractions and her heart rate was perfect. She was kicking up a storm and stretching out my belly button, as usual. Afterwards my specialist came in to talk to me. My blood sugar numbers are running a little high but he isn't worried about them right now because they are still within a decent range, all I need to do is increase my medication when they tell me to and follow my meal plan (no deviating!). I'm now on two pills before lunch and so far they're helping. He then said that because my non-stress test and ultrasound looked so good that I don't need to be monitored twice a week until I'm around 34 weeks, so I can relax a bit there.

The best news of all? He wants me to be delivered at 37 weeks! That's just over 7 weeks away, and now I'm very excited! He is the best with helping me keep my head cool and reassured me that I'm doing great and I don't need to focus on my numbers so much because they will be watching over me. And, even if 7 weeks feels like it's right around the corner, he told me to just enjoy this pregnancy and focus on my baby. I will only get this kind of time with her once so I don't need to taint it with numbers and worries, and he is so right. I'm so happy that I have the care that I do with this doctor.

My next appointment and growth ultrasound will be in 5 weeks, so I will be 34+4 weeks then, and I think I will have twice a week non-stress tests from then until I deliver. At 36+4 weeks the stitch will be removed and I will be getting an amniocentesis (needle in the belly) to check on Emily's lung development, and holy moly after that it will only be days until I will be getting my c-section! Now onto my regular OB's appointment tomorrow!

29 Weeks

I'm 29 weeks this week and I'm beyond excited that next week I'll be in the 30's. It's all going by so fast, so I'm feeling the pressure of impending delivery within the next two months. Oh boy there is still so much to do! Keeping myself busy preparing the house and all of her things will probably make the time go by even faster (I hope!).

My belly button is really starting to stick out now, enough for me to see through some of the shirts that I wear. Emily seems to enjoy pushing it out with her foot, too. The other day I was sitting down and all of a sudden I felt my belly button pop out really far. I pulled my shirt up and I could see she had her foot right there, so I tickled her foot (or possibly another small body part) with my fingers and she played back, pushing against my fingers. It was amazing to see and feel <3.

I'm now on pill medication to help with my blood sugar numbers (only one pill before lunch) and so far I've been okay. I've learned that I really can't eat too many carbs for dinner, even though my meal plan says I should have at least 45. When I stay a little bit under 40 and eat as much meats as I can stomach my numbers are great. Hopefully this will be all I need to do to manage it for now. My OB was out of office last week due to an emergency delivery so I will see him on Friday this week, and I'll be asking him about my delivery plan (and whether or not my diabetes will make me deliver earlier). I'm excited to have a more exact time-frame, but if I still have to wait to know I'm sure we'll discuss it soon!

7 Months!

I can't believe we're already 28 weeks. It blows my mind every day, it feels like just yesterday I was reaching 24 weeks, but here we are :).

This was taken at 27+4 weeks right before going to the specialist for my shot and to have another meeting with the dietitian:

And this was taken on Sunday morning at 28 weeks:

I swear she must be gaining a good amount of weight because my belly is getting bigger each day and gaining some attention. One guy said to me on the way into the store last week, "Woooow, how many??" and pointed to my belly. Um. I'm pretty sure I don't look THAT big yet haha but it was the first time anyone's ever said that to me. And I still have at least 10 weeks to go before delivery!

As far as my blood sugars go, this week has been not so good. I'm following my meal plan as best as I can and it keeps going up and up after each meal. The highest I've caught it was 171, and it almost never goes below 120 now, which is where they want me to be. My dietitian told me, though, that each week it will be a little harder to control the diabetes because of the baby's placenta getting bigger. If it keeps staying high after meals I may have to go on insulin injections or some kind of medication (which does NOT sound fun!).

I was also told that around 32 weeks I will be going in twice a week for fetal monitoring (checking amniotic fluid levels, contractions, I'm assuming baby's growth and how she's doing as well). The one thing that surprised me was she said I should have a bag packed by then and stashed in my car, just in case there is anything that shows up on the monitoring that will send me into the delivery room right from the office. So WOW it could happen that fast! I'm keeping my fingers crossed TIGHT that we have no problems and I can make it to at least 36 weeks (when my cerclage comes out) and best case scenario 37-38 weeks.

In other news, nesting is in full force and I'm having a hard time stopping myself from moving and organizing everything in the house hehe. I'm going to really try to keep myself out of the nursery until after our baby shower because honestly I don't know what else there is to do in there, but I'll end up finding something to fix! It can stay put for a little while :).

27 Weeks

This week I've been feeling much more movement than ever. It's amazing to me that in the last 8 weeks I've gone from feeling tiny little thumps through my belly to full-on karate chops. Seriously, I think she has a black belt!

I'm just a few days away from my next "milestone" now, 28 weeks. Then I will be 7 months and Emily will be about 14 inches long and roughly 2.5 pounds. If for any reason she were to be born at 28 weeks her survival rate would be greater than 90% with NICU assistance. She's getting stronger and bigger every day and at this rate I'm very hopeful that we will be able to make it to full-term :).

This week we got our crib delivered and Daddy put it all together himself. He did a wonderful job. I have to admit I shed a tear seeing her nursery. I still can't believe that we have come this far.. Her room is nearly ready for her arrival, and I can't wait for the moment when I get to lay her down in her crib. I also chose her pediatrician on Monday! My to-do list is getting smaller but the anticipation of her birth continues to grow!

My New Monitor

I met with my dietitian this morning and had a lengthy chat about what we need to do to keep my blood sugar in check. My diet is pretty much unlimited meats/proteins, cheeses and non-starchy veggies, and I have to count my carbohydrates for each meal to make sure I'm having not too much and not too little as well as have limited fruits and milk. That's pretty much what I've been following this week but now I have a set meal plan specifically for my diet needs so that will help a lot. It's not too bad though. I can have up to 15 grams of carbs for breakfast, 45 grams for lunch, and 60 grams for dinner, with 3 snacks that each have 15 grams. Oh, and I'm allowed to splurge on a small piece of cake at my baby shower haha.

While we were going over everything we got on the subject of taking my blood to check my sugars (which I have to do 4 times a day, plus 3 extra times a week right after bedtime snack) and because I ate breakfast an hour before meeting with the dietitian I got to demonstrate how to use the monitor. This morning's reading was 115 mg/dL. Just now I took my post-lunch reading and it was up to 144 mg/dL. The limit they want me at is <120 mg/dL after one hour.

So... It's high. But with trial and error we can hopefully get my sugars worked out so that I don't need insulin! I also have to check my ketones every morning for a while. Sounds fun hehe.

It was a bit of a relief, though, when she explained to me that I didn't cause the diabetes from eating poorly. My body was already reacting this way and I may have been craving more sweets because of that. A little less stress from guilt is nice! I meet with her again next Thursday to go over more information that I need and from then on I will be emailing her photos of my testing log every Tuesday.

It won't be too long before I can go back to eating the foods that I love, but I just might continue follow a healthier diet after Emily is born anyway because it is best for her and me :).

Third Trimester!

This is my 26th week and I am beyond grateful that we've finally made it into the third trimester. I've never been this far along so this week I am learning about the things that come along with my growing belly.

I'm amazed at the flips, twists, kicks and punches Emily does now. At times it almost scares me to feel so much power behind the movements and to actually be able to see my belly shape-shift all day long, not to mention it can be a little painful hehe. She is most active now in the late mornings and most of the afternoon, with long breaks until late evening when she picks back up. She is constantly favoring the right side of my belly and now I can even feel kicks up near my ribs (but not quiet that high yet). And to top all of that off, Monday morning I woke up to a popped-out belly button, and Daddy thought that was the greatest thing haha! She also responds a lot to his voice :).

My change in diet is going well so far, I still have two more days until I meet with the nutritionist. I'm dying to have some chocolate but I'm eating much healthier so it's for the best. I've noticed that I feel a bit "cleaner" eating this way. The only downside is I've been getting really grumpy without having any of my precious sweets and when I go a little too long without eating I think my blood sugar gets a little low, especially now that I'm not eating big meals like I was. We'll see soon though what else I'll need to do. Hopefully it won't be too much!

T-minus 10 weeks until my cerclage gets removed!

Gestational Diabetes

Yep... My test came back just over the limit for a positive result. I'm actually not too surprised because I've been craving and giving in to much more sweets these last two months. Carrot cake, brownies, cookies, chocolate chips, donuts... I'm pretty much at fault here hehe considering all of this has probably contributed to my 23 pounds of weight gain (not like I look very different). So right now my specialist has me on a restricted diet until I see their nutritionist next Thursday for a real game plan. No sugars, limit the pastas and breads (NOOOO!), and I'm going to try and eat lots of lean proteins and veggies (and small portions of fruit). We'll see if that helps! He's pretty confident that I will be able to manage everything very well with a little change in diet. A few months of clean eating is a small price to pay for a healthy body and baby!

Speaking of which, our ultrasound went very well! Emily is a little piggy now weighing in at 1 pound 11 ounces and about 13 inches long. She is head down and loving my right side. All of her bits and pieces look great :). And very cute little feet too!

I will have another growth ultrasound in 4 weeks and this time I will have a monitor to watch for contractions. He said that if I were to for any reason go into labor or have more than a few contractions in an hour (that don't go away with rest/water) before 35 weeks to go right to the hospital and they will give me medication to stop the labor. BUT, if I were to have this happen after 35 weeks, it will be delivery time! The same goes for if I'm having ANY painful pinching/pulling/tearing pains around my scar, I will have to go in and be checked for labor signs or thinning scar tissue. I'm very happy that I'm in good hands with these doctors, because if I wasn't I'd be a complete worried mess!

Also their average length of time from cerclage removal to labor is 17 days. So I'm going to especially be on the lookout then! I'm counting down now 11 weeks until the stitch is removed so in my mind I have to get moving on getting everything ready at home :). I'd rather get ready little by little than all at once near the end, no need to send myself into labor that way!

Next week, third trimester!

25 Weeks -- Nursery Paint and Glucose Test

I have a lot to share today :).

This week has been very nice. Emily is kicking and making my belly jump like crazy, especially in the early morning/afternoon hours. I can easily tell when she is in a new position now. When she is down low and in a ball it's very hard to walk normally, but when she moves up high I can feel her pressing on my stomach and I get full much quicker. It's amazing how in just a few months she has gone from a little pink line on a test to being roughly the size of a small eggplant.

On the 4th of July my husband and I decided to paint the nursery early. He had a wonderful 4 day weekend and took it upon himself to get some work done while he had the time to do it. The color we both picked out looks so awesome and it really goes well with the color scheme we're planning on doing. I nearly cried when it was all finished.

After the room was painted we noticed that someone was shooting off fireworks nearby and we could actually see them very well from her window. So we decided to sit on the floor in the dark and watch them together for a while, it was a very bittersweet moment. The fireworks were going off as a small storm cloud nearby had lightning lighting up some of the sky. I thought it really symbolized how we felt at that moment. A little bit of chaos mingled with the beauty. Our joyous moments will always have a little bit of fear underneath them.

I've also finally finished the baby blanket that I started right after my test was positive. It's been in the works for literally about 20 weeks, and it took me so long because silly me thought it would be a great idea to crochet a blanket with a single crochet stitch, which is the smallest one and takes the longest haha. I didn't anticipate it taking SO long to finish but thankfully I'm DONE! Dylan also suggested that I make some matching things to go along with the blanket, so I whipped up a hat and a really cute pair of capri pants (my first ones ever!).

My last little update is about my first time doing the glucose test today for gestational diabetes. I've heard lots of stories about how icky the drink is and no one ever seems to enjoy the experience hehe so I was prepared for a long, gross morning. I fasted from 10:00pm last night and went in at 8:00am this morning. They took my blood first, then gave me a drink that was lime flavor (it tasted like REALLY flat, warm 7UP). I had another blood draw an hour later, and then a third draw an hour after that. All on the same arm too so I was covered in cotton balls and tape when I came home :P. Needless to say after fasting for 12+ hours I ate like a horse the minute I walked in the door! At least Emily liked the sugar drink, she was moving around so much that I was able to watch my belly tossing and turning as I waited.

Only 3 more days until our growth ultrasound!

6 Months - Viability!

I had my worries that I would not reach this day, but here we are. Today is a bit emotional for me as I'm passing the stage that I had Evelyn. It's hard to describe. I'm so, so happy that Emily is doing so well and there are no signs of labor at this point, so our chances are looking good for making it to full term. But, I am sad that Evelyn didn't get to have this same chance. All I can really do is do my absolute best to make sure that we make every day special, because every day Emily is growing safely inside her comfy home is a day to celebrate. I know her big sister is watching over us <3.

I'm feeling really good this week, and aside from being a little uncomfortable when she is in a curled up position down low there is not much to complain about. Emily has been making my belly move and squirm now to the point where her Daddy and I can both watch her snuggle up. On Friday night she actually did a flip (like turning over onto her side or something) and shook my right side of my belly. Daddy was able to see it through my clothes and across the couch. It was a nice sight to see!

The only symptoms that I really don't like dealing with is this heartburn. To avoid being up all night I've been eating dinner much earlier before bed and avoiding eating anything that will trigger it after mid-afternoon (like tomato sauce and greasy foods). Thankfully it only really happens at night (for now!).

Another fun aspect is dealing with the Las Vegas heat that is getting more unruly by the day haha. We're coming into July now and it is no surprise for us to reach 110+ degrees outside, and right now we've been around 100-105 and so far it's been just so tiring to go anywhere outdoors. I'm making sure though that I'm toting around a LOT of water wherever I go!

At this point in my pregnancy I'm starting to work on her nursery and figuring out a baby shower. I cleaned out my sewing room and moved everything into our bedroom so that she will have her own room and in about 2-3 weeks we'll be painting the nursery a pretty color purple and giving it some time to dry before putting anymore furniture in there. I have a twin bed that has been in that room though for guests but that bed will now be for me when I'm up at night with her. I know a lot of people say to keep her in our bedroom, but with the manual labor that my husband does I don't feel right keeping him up as much as I'll be awake at night, only to send him to work to use heavy machinery. He can certainly stay awake if he'd like to but if he needs his uninterrupted sleep that will be best for his safety and I'm happy to give him that :).

The baby shower has been interesting to figure out. I originally had the idea of going to one of our favorite restaurants and renting their party room, but as it turns out they JUST had a small fire in there this weekend and they won't have it fixed in time for when we asked for it. What kind of timing is that?? It's okay though, we'll find a nice place (with air conditioning!) to get everyone together! I'm hoping to have it when I'm around 28-30 weeks so we have enough time to get the nursery and house ready for her arrival.

It's all happening so fast!