Week 39! It's Time!... (Maybe not)

Dear Sweet Baby Kay!

The time has finally come!  It is time for us to meet face to face! I simply cannot believe the time has finally come.  Gramma and Grandpa came over from Alabama so spend the weekend with us before your arrival.  We packed the rest of our bags and got ready for the day that would change all of our lives forever.  We headed to the hospital on Sunday October 21, 2012 for a hopeful due date of October 22, 2012.  We cleaned the house and made sure everything was "just so" for your arrival home.  Grandpa took some pictures for us so we will always be able to remember this adventure.

We have a mini nursery set up for you in the sitting area of our bedroom.  This little alcove is perfect for this purpose.  We will also be bringing up a mini fridge to put in the corner by the rocker when you start to drink from bottles.  This will keep us from going up and down stairs in the middle of the night for your bottles.  Across from what you see in this picture is your changing table area underneath the bay window that overlooks our back yard. 

We put the final touches on your nursery!  All that we have left to add is you, my Sweet Baby Kay.  Grandpa snapped a picture of me very pregnant with you.  As you can see, I am holding a large water jug.  I did not let this water jug leave my hand after my little dehydration episode!

Gramma and I took a couple of pictures together by the day bed which is across from your crib.  We think this will come in handy if we have to spend the night in the room with you at times when you don't feel well.  You can see the maternity pictures we took as well as the gender reveal photos framed and hanging from your wall.

Grandpa captured the smallest details of your room too.  This is a pillow your Aunt Elizabeth gave to us at one of your showers.

It was go time!  Daddy and I took a picture together outside of the house as we were packing up to leave to head to the hospital to meet you.

Wow!  I am REALLY pregnant.  You can see from these pictures how much you have dropped.  That means you are ready to be born!

  Of course I had to grab one picture with your Grandpa before we headed off to the hospital.

We met your Nana and Papa (with Gramma and Grandpa) at McAllisters for an early dinner.  The doctor wanted me to make sure I ate something before I came to the hospital, because it could be awhile before I was going to be able to eat anything else once being admitted to the hospital.

Grandpa snapped some pictures of me and Daddy walking into the hospital.

Here I am all cuddled up in the bed at Lexington Medical Center, Room number 12.  The nurses were so kind to us.

 Grandpa took pictures of your heart beating and the contraction monitor.

I snapped a picture of your REALLY excited Daddy!

I was really nervous the whole time we were at the hospital.  Daddy and I said bye to your grandparents and settled in for what turned out to be a long night.  The nurses read the orders that Dr. Morton left for my care.  They gave me Cervidil overnight to help me to dilate.  I had mini contractions all night and simply could not get comfortable.  I was hooked up to many wires and monitors and if I shifted too much, the nurses would have to come wake me up to readjust the monitors.

The morning finally arrived.  We were greeted with an ear to ear grinning Dr. Morton.  She did a cervical check, which was easily one of the most painful things I have ever experienced.  This was because of your position in my tummy.  I had not dilated at all.  Not at all.  The Cervidil did not do what it was supposed to do.  Dr. Morton gave orders to give me another medication called "Siditic" or something similar in hopes it would also make me dilate.  Dr. Morton also gave orders to start the IV Pitocin, which would speed up and increase the intensity of my contractions.  I labored all.day.long.  I walked, and I rolled and I changed positions I don't know how many times all to find I still had not dilated.  We had a Douala with us, Dianne Pound, provided by the hospital.  She was wonderful keeping me calm and feeding me popsicles as I could not eat anything.

At the end of the long day of labor and painful contractions, Dr. Morton came back in to give us "the news".  She said we had a couple of options.  We could stay another night, try the Cervidil again that night in hopes that I would dilate to I could give a natural birth.  She said they may have to put a weight of some sort on your head to help pull you out.  She said if this did not work, they would need to do a C-section.  The other option would be to go home, and wait.

What did mommy do?  I cried.  You were not ready to come and you were making that point very clear to me.  I was not going to do anything to risk your health, so Daddy and I pack our bags and we went home.  I cried the entire way home.  I realized how incredibly much I love you and how I don't ever want to do anything to harm you.  I cried because this was the first of many decisions I will have to make as your Mommy, putting your best interest before mine.  You will come when you are ready.  We will wait for you, my love.

Dr. Morton wrote me out of work for the rest of my pregnancy.  I stayed at home and spent a lot of time walking, thinking about you, praying for you and reflecting on what kind of Mommy I want to be.  Like I was saying earlier, I was nervous the entire time of your induction.  Something just didn't feel right.  This was my first "mommy instinct" situation, and I should have listened to it.

Your due date came, and we still were waiting.  I wished you a happy due date, darling daughter and thanked God that We made it to 40 healthy weeks together. We love you so much and are ready when you are. Your due date, October 29, 2013 was a full moon. Was the old wives tale true for you??

I cannot wait to meet you, but not until you are ready.  I love you more than words could ever describe.

Until your arrival,

xoxo,

Mom

38 Weeks - All's "Fair" in Pregnancy and Delivery

My Dear, Sweet Baby Kay,

38 weeks has flown by so quickly!  I can only imagine how quickly time will fly once you are here in my arms.

You have really plumped up this week and weigh about 6.8 pounds are over 19 1/2 inches long, about the size of a leek. You have a firm grasp, which I'll soon be able to test when I HOLD YOUR HAND FOR THE FIRST TIME!  *Squeals of delight!!*  Your organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.  It is almost time precious one!  Can you believe it?!

This week at my 38 week appointment, we discovered I am 80-90% effaced and about 1 cm dilated.  Dr. Morton is so excited to meet you as am I.  We talked about different options for your delivery.  She said you will not go past November 2 as a due date because the fluid in my tummy will have decreased too much by then.  She said you are ready to go, so we scheduled an induction for Monday, 10/22 with Dr. Morton so she can be the one to deliver you (and so your birthday won't be so close to Halloween.  Only one more week! I am feeling really good, and excited.  You are still moving around quite a bit and seem to enjoy kicking your feet into my right side ribs!  I wonder if you will be a kicking type of baby when you arrive.

We spend this week packing my hospital bag and picking out outfits for you to wear at the hospital.  Your big brother Bo was enjoying helping Mommy pick out things for your bag.  I love this little doggie so much.  He is my very first "baby".  I hope you will love him as much as I do.

Rosie came in to join in the fun  She will probably treat you like you are her puppy.  She is a sweet baby too.

And then there is sweet Tanner.  He loves to take naps on my belly like this.  I wonder if he knows you are in there?  Sometimes when he is lying on my belly, you will roll or kick and he will look at my tummy wondering what is going on in there.  I know without a doubt you will love him and he will love you too.  You will be coming home to a house full of puppy love!

This week, Daddy and I also went on an date.  Every year we make it to the South Carolina State Fair.  I was limited in my activities this year because I am pregnant, but it did not stop us from having fun.  We enjoyed an elephant ear, and walked around looking at all of the lights and rides.  I have a feeling you will love to come to the fair with us.  We did ride one ride, the sky buckets that overlook the entire fair.

You will be here when the fair comes next year.  We cannot wait to take you and make you a part of our annual tradition!

Oh my little girl!  I will get to hold you in one short week!  The anticipation is building!  Life will never be the same, and we welcome the change.

See you next week!  The long wait will finally be over!

I love you more ever nanosecond,

xoxo

Mom

Showered With Love, One More Time

My Dear Sweet Baby Kay,

You are so incredibly loved, you have no idea!  This week (37), we were able to celebrate your anticipated arrival one more time with family and friends from your Daddy's hometown, Greenville, South Carolina.

Weren't the invitations precious!?

This fourth and final baby shower was hosted by your Great Aunt Cyndee and your Daddy's sweet friend from his youth, Amy.  The shower was held in Amy's home.  She was so gracious to open her home for your celebration!

This shower was attended by mainly the ladies on your Daddy's side of the family as well as your Nana's closest friends from church, school and social groups.  You did have one wonderful surprise guest from Mommy's old home in Gainesville, Georgia.  I had a very close friend in college, Stephen, who passed away from a rare illness called Aplastic Anemia.  During his decline in health, I became close with his parents.  Stephen's mother, Alice, was so kind to drive to be a part of this special time in our lives.  She knew the long struggle we had to have you. She prayed fervently for you as did her parents and their church.  Little one, many, many hours of prayers have gone before you.  I will always appreciate those prayers.  One day, I hope to be able to express in words, what those prayers mean to me and what your life means as a result. 

Amy's husband, BJ, was at the shower taking pictures of the excitement.  I love this overhead shot he took capturing the majority of the guests who were present.... and speaking of presents.... Look at all of the pink!

You were certainly showered with some beautiful and thoughtful presents.

Your Aunt Elizabeth got you this beautiful frame.  My Sherbert Grandmother loved to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to all of her grandchildren, and you better believe this will be a song that will sweetly be sung to you frequently.

Your Nana gave you a beautiful church outfit with tender smockings and dainty ribbons.  Gramma bought you a beautiful Vera Bradley diaper bag and a matching clutch for Mommy.  The pattern she picked was the annual breast cancer pattern.  Gramma wrote you a beautiful and very personal note about our family's struggles with this horrible disease and her prayer that the generational cycle has stopped with her.  Oh, no worries, I have saved this note and all of your other notes and cards for you to be able to look back on and read one day.  These words of love are treasures. 

We had a delicious spread of food to enjoy!

Yummy, yummy!

Pictured below is a good portion of the ladies on your Papa's side of the family; cousins Riley, Kaitlyn, Sally and Laurie, Great Aunt Gloria and Aunt Elizabeth.

Pictured here is Cousin Laurin and Great Aunt Cyndee with Ms.  Moreno.

Amy was pregnant with her fourth child in this picture and we didn't even know it at the time!

Your Grandparents love you so much that they drove from Alabama to make sure to attend all of your celebrations.  It was certainly a labor of love and a large effort for them to come.  I am so happy that they did.

It was important to take a picture with me, you and both of your grandmothers.

It was nice to get one with Aunt Elizabeth too.

Your Daddy and Grandpa drove up at the end of the shower so Gramma and Grandpa could leave to head home straight from the shower.  Because they did, we were able to get some nice family pictures with them before they headed home.

This week you are about the size of a bunch of swiss chard.  Hummm.... we will have to add that to our list of veggies to try!  I had my weekly appointment with Dr. Morton this week.  Next week we will be able to see how far along the pre-labor is or is not going.  

I am feeling much better this week than I was last week.  I am taking it easy to make sure you stay safe and comfortable.  We are getting down to the wire baby girl!  We only have a few more short weeks before we finally will meet face to face.

Showering you with all of my love,

xoxo

Mom

Mr. Grape Turned Mr. Raisin

Sweet Baby Kay,

What a rollercoaster of a week we had this week (week of 10/1/2013)!  I have been tired, but that is to be expected towards the end of pregnancy.  It is getting harder and harder to sleep comfortably at night and my morning sickness has really come back with a vengeance!  I have to roll a couple of inches, pause, roll a couple more inches, pause and repeat until I am able to roll over to get out of bed!

I have been keeping up the pace at work, but it really has taken a toll on me.  The other day at work, I started to not feel very well.

I attended my slew of meetings that I have first thing in the morning and began to do my daily case reviews.  Around lunch time, I began feeling really poor.  I was super tired, nauseated, I had a terrible headache and over all felt very achey.  Lucky for us, my doctor is right next door to the hospital where I work, so I called to the doctors office to let them know how I was feeling.  They wanted to see me immediately.  I called Daddy to let him know what was going on and he met me at the doctor's office.  We met with Dr. Lambert that day, and she was so wonderful and understanding with me.

She too was concerned about my symptoms, so she opted to have me sent to the hospital for further evaluation, where I ended up being admitted.  We rolled on over to the hospital to find that I was severely dehydrated and basically needed to take it easy, easy, easy so you can continue to grow in a comfortable and relaxing environment.  Dr. Lambert offered to write me out of work for the rest of my pregnancy, but I thought I would be ok if I just took the rest of the week off, so I did. I am so happy she let me go home so I did not have to stay overnight at the hospital.  Dr. Lambert was so kind to come to the hospital to check on me way past her 5:00 end of the day.  I am very pleased with the type of care we have received thus far.

I thought this picture was funny.  I was kind of like the grape turned raisin!

This week you are about the size of a crenshaw melon, whatever that is!  Maybe one day when you are older, we can go to where ever crenshaw melons are grown and see and taste them for ourselves.

Baby girl, I love you more than you will ever know.  I am sorry if I caused you any stress this week, but I promise to take it easy for the rest of my pregnancy to make sure you are well taken care of.

With all my love... and hydration.

Mom

Honey"dew" I Ever Love You!

Dear Sweet Baby Kay,

35 weeks was a wonderful week!  It was one of the last weeks I felt my best.  I enjoyed all of my pregnancy with you, but there were times that I felt better than others.  This week you didn't have much room to maneuver because you were over 18 inches long and tipped the scale at around 5 1/4 pounds. Because it was so snug in my tummy, you were no longer doing somersaults, but you DID NOT stopped you rib kicking!  I could feel you get right up under my rib so high that it felt like you were in my throat! Your kidneys became fully developed this week, and your liver began to process some waste products. Most of your basic physical development  completed this week.  The remaining weeks you used to pack on some weight!

This week I had a wonderful shower given to you by the ladies at my office.  

You got some very cute clothes and other items off of your registry as well as gift cards!  One of the nicest gifts was from my team and upper management.  You got your plug in swing which turned out to be a critical item for you in your first weeks.

Isn't this cup-cake cake adorable!?  I have saved the little baby and the four cupcakes underneath.  They are in the freezer and we will bring it out when you turn one!

Marion and Stacey, some of my sweet Social Worker friends at work.

The gift table

Lisa and Therese, some more Social Worker friends

 Opening some adorable polka dot pants!

One of the Social Work Interns got this cute coat for you.  It had little kitten ears that stick up on the top of the head.

Opening some more gifts.

Such adorable pink outfits!

Some more co-workers celebrating your anticipated arrival.

I do have to show you how much you have grown.  Isn't it amazing to look at you at 35 weeks compared to you at 13 weeks.  What a miracle you are.  

You are clearly loved by so many already with the continued shower of support, presents and celebration you have had.  Sweet Baby Kay, my love for you grows every day.  We saw the doctor this week and everything is continue to progress perfectly.  

Forever your...

Mommy

xoxo