Trip to the ER

Can I just say - BLAHHHH

I started feeling, not like my usual self Tuesday, but I still worked and functioned.

By Tuesday evening I was feeling weaker, but still went to my studio to get some work done.

I woke up Wednesday morning, did our morning - get Alyssa off to school routine - and wasn't feeling like myself.  As soon as she left I hit the couch, instead of the studio.  I felt very weak and tired, so I went to bed.  After a 2 hour nap I woke up hoping to feel better, but was not.  It was lunch time and I grabbed a couple crackers just to eat something. 

It got worse and worse as time went on.  I took a shower about 2pm, thinking that would help, and instead it just made me more weak.  I made it to the school to pick up Alyssa and thought I was going to melt into a pool of goo I was so weak.

But I got her, and thankfully we only live a block from the school.  I hit the bed as soon as we walked in, only to have to jump right back up to puke my guts out.

That's when things started getting bad.  The chills, the aches and pains.

I couldn't eat or drink.

My dad came and got Alyssa about 5pm.  At 5:30pm the contractions started.

I finally gave in and took some Tylenol for my fever hoping that would help make me feel better from the horrible body aches.  Of course it doesn't kick in right away and the contractions continued.

I pulled up the contractions app on my phone to track them... 

oh crap.

They were 3-4 min apart.

 

 And they weren't stopping...

Hubby got home at about 6:30 from work, jumped in the shower, and off to the hospital we went.

Having the flu, I had to wear a mask the entire time, which was honestly HORRIBLE.  It was like being under covers for hours without fresh air.  It kept going up into my eyes.  I understand it was very necessary, but it was also very uncomfortable, when I was already sick and dealing with contractions.

They wheeled me up to the the family birth place.  I had a wonderful nurse who was with me most of the time and I felt very cared for and understood.

They checked me and thank goodness my cervix was closed and high.  They did say, baby is head down now though.  They hooked me up to the fetal monitor and contraction monitor, and sure enough the contractions were showing up every 3-4 min.

They got me an IV, which they had to give me in my wrist b/c my veins were so tiny.  That HURT.

 They also took blood.

It wasn't long before test results came back.  Not good...

I was the "most dehydrated a person could be" they said.  My protein came back very very low, which made me upset.  And they were very concerned.

They started me on fluids, which turned into 3 bags of fluid because I was so dehydrated.  They also gave me some Zofran for my nausea.  They brought in water for me to sip and a Sprite to try.

When the contractions didn't look like they were stopping, they started talking about keeping me overnight.  They had slowed down, but they were still there and did cause me pain.  We were both kind of on edge, hoping that the fluids would do the trick.

By 11pm they gave me some Tylenol and I was exhausted.  They turned out the lights so I could rest and by midnight and a after a nap, the contractions had finally stopped.

Time to go home

We got home about 1am and I fell right to sleep.

What a crazy day and what a worrisome day we had.  Today, I'm already starting to feel better.  I still have no appetite, but I'm drinking my gatorade like they told me to.  I don't want to go back there for dehydration again!!!

All the while, baby Carter looked good on the monitor.  They did say I needed to gain more weight or this could be a very tiny baby when born. More protein in my diet is what they are calling for, so that's what I'm going to do - just as soon as I'm over this flu.

Uncomfortable

My title is the word of the week for me.

I'm not comfortable, at all, ever.

Sleeping, sitting, standing, lounging.

All I want to do is sleep on my stomach at this point.  It's the most comfortable I can remember being.

It's hard to work and it's hard to relax.

My ticker says 74 more days, and at this point, I can't imagine 74 more days of just getting more and more uncomfortable.  It is a hard pill to swallow right now.

I'm a smaller person, and I think the added weight (as little as it might be) and it all being out FRONT, has taken it's toll on me already.  I don't remember this happening so early on with my daughter.

But I will hang in there being thankful for my health and for Carter's health.  I know every day and every week that goes by is better and better for him.

I can do this...

Nursery Update

 We worked on the nursery this weekend!!!

I'm so excited, it really is starting to come together now.

I made this subway art

well... hubby cut and painted the wood, I designed and attached the vinyl wording.  So group effort there.

I found a "Keep Calm" generator and made this framed art...

Hubby installed the bead board and molding behind the crib.

I added the navy blue breathable bumper.

We bought white picture frames to match the molding and printed off vintage hockey equipment photos (black and white) to go with the navy blue "C" I painted over the crib

Still on the "TO DO" list:
Crib skirt

Under Bed Boxes (I've bought 2 different kinds now and both were too tall to fit under, ugh)

White wall shelf

And I need to buy/find white paper lanters

The next photos will be of a COMPLETED nursery!

Can't wait for it to be totally done <3

I'm really going to miss SLEEP

I was able to SLEEP IN for the first time in quiet awhile today.

It was nice to wake up at my normal time, roll over, and go back to sleep.

All I keep thinking about is how much I'm going to miss sleep when this baby comes.  I told hubby in the car last night that he needs to enjoy the "nice me" while he can because those sleepless nights are going to make me a not so nice person.

I won't lie, I'm good at sleeping and I'm not pretty when I don't get it.

I know this baby is worth every sleepless moment, and I'm trying to prepare myself for that.  But in all honestly, I know it's not going to be fun.

We are pretty lucky right now in having a 6 year old that has a bedtime routine and rarely wakes up in the middle of the night.  She actually gets crabby herself if she doesn't get enough sleep.  She also stays with Gramma and Papa at least 2 Friday's a month and that allows me to be able to sleep in on those Saturday mornings.

Even days that she is home and doesn't have school, she gets herself up, knows how to work the TV/Kindle Fire, gets herself a drink, and lets Mommy rest in bed a little while longer if need be.

We are now down the final countdown of 10 weeks and 6 days before Baby Carter arrives (give or take a few days/weeks), and I'm going to enjoy my sleep every chance I get till then!

Big Sister's Room / Nursery

We've also just about have big sister's side of the room completed.

It was important to me that with a nursery being moved into her space, that she also have a special space of her own too.

Alyssa is a horse crazy girl.  She learned how to ride English last year, and has a real passion for horses.  It was only fitting that her room get a makeover that fits in with that love.

I bought this shelf at Hobby Lobby and painted it white.

Once painted we hung it over her bed.  The farm house window I've had for awhile, waiting for the perfect place for it.  We thought it would be cute to hang over the shelf with the horse decals hung behind it - like you are looking out the window at the horses.

The show ribbons over her headboard have photos of her in the center with her horse and one with her in her show gear/helmet.

Special horses from her collection are sitting on the wall shelf, along with a photo of her and the bride in the wedding she was in last summer (she was the flower girl).

I also painted the "C" above Carter's crib a navy blue.  I love how it turned out.

The 4 canvases I had hanging on the sides were a flop DIY project.  I was trying to transfer black and white images onto the canvases for a more vintage look - it didn't work out.

Now I'm on the hunt for white picture frames to finish this project.

28/29 Weeks

I'm actually 29 weeks TODAY!  Yay!

But I wanted to catch up and update my 28th week.

And there it is... a true baby bump.

What a difference 3 weeks makes.  All I can say is, SLOW DOWN Carter!  You still have 11 weeks to go here little dude.  He must have had a good growth spurt in that short time.  Doctor said I'm measuring a little small though, so that is odd.

BABY at 29 Weeks:

His head is getting larger now to make room for his growing brain.  I can't believe he weighs aprox. 3 lbs now!  

 

Little baby boy, we love you so much.  Your big sister hugs you all the time and tells you good night before bed.  We are working on getting your clothes organized and nursery ready for you to come home to.  It won't be too much longer now!

Car Seat is Ready!

I wasn't a big fan of the inside pattern of our car seat.  It was mainly bought because it was compatible with our stroller, not for it's looks.

So I took the body support part out of the inside of the car seat (it is removable) and bought this new JJ Cole super soft snugly replacement.

I also bought the matching strap covers.  Both things are reversible.  But for a newborn, the soft microfiber side is what we are going with for now.  The other side is a gray print, which matches our car seat perfectly.

So now that we have 2 bases and fixed the body support inside part, our baby boy can now have a safe and comfortable ride home from the hospital.  I'm sure we will wait a few more weeks to install the car seat yet.