Back It Up

I know it's time for me to have some posts here about our newest addition, but before I get into that I'll have to back up a little to the week before she joined our family.  It's definitely a part of her "story", so I don't want to forget it.  Long story, lots of details, so settle in.

Sunday evening (before Natalie was born on Friday) we swam at the Mitchell's & were a little concerned about Hannah - she had a super runny nose & we hoped she wasn't about to run fever/get sick.  Well, we got home & David realized he wasn't feeling so great.  Turns out HE was the one running a fever.  Also, he decided it was time to tell me he had been having a pain in his chest for the last few hours.  Said it felt like  a belt tightening around his chest.  Super.

We went to bed hoping it'd be gone in the morning.  Not so much.  He woke me up at 4am feeling a LOT worse & I was pretty sure it wasn't good.

I woke up the next morning realizing this was something we couldn't mess with.  Hypothetically at 30 & in good shape heart issues shouldn't be a problem, but....what if?  I had planned to have a sitter all day that day to have my last day of freedom - getting a pedicure, etc.  But, I canceled & to the minor emergency we headed.  I knew we had to get this thing nipped before the week went on & it was time to have a baby!

poor guy

At the clinic they did chest x-rays, did blood work & came back with a bronchitis diagnosis.  I wasn't so sure, as the dr. didn't seem like he was sure either - but mostly just seemed like he didn't know what else to call it.  But, 3 prescriptions later I was hoping he was on his way to being well again.

Tuesday was great.  David was back to work & even felt good enough to have a little work out (against my advice...ahem!).  We were able to go out for our date night that we had planned that evening.  Wednesday he went to work again - took it easy by mostly doing office work.  My parents arrived on Wednesday night & by the time they got here David was spending half an hour in the shower because he was chilled.  Super.

I got him to bed, took his temperature & was SHOCKED to see that it was back up to having a fever.  A 103 DEGREE fever.  Um, remember that I'm having a baby in less than 48 hours???  After barely sleeping that night for both of us, we got up first thing & headed to the dr.  Again, test after test & this time it ended with a call that we needed to go ahead and go to the ER.  Yep, it's now Thursday afternoon, I'm having a baby in less than 24 hours and I've just received a call that my husband (WHO I REFUSE TO GO INTO THE DELIVERY ROOM WITHOUT) needs to go to the ER because his kidneys function is "off" and there appears to be blood in his urine.  Super.  David was pretty sure that the dr. was on something - convinced she slurred her words & bumped oddly into things.  While I do think she was a little odd, I did feel like she was at least trying to find out what was wrong with him.

So, after a quick pedicure with my mom while David slept a little longer (priorities people!), we headed to the ER to let them check things out.  The Bergmans came up to hang out with us for a bit while we waited which made things much better.  After 2 hours in the waiting room, we headed back where again the tests began.  At one point I turned around & saw this...

oops!

Ha!  EKGs, breathing treatments, morphine doses & much more.  (Did I mention at this point it's 7pm, and we'll be back in 12 hours for a c-section? Yep, it's true!)

But finally, I felt like we were getting quality care.  The dr was a friend of a friend, so he took great care of us - running necessary tests.  Explaining that his kidney function was more than fine for a man his size, that there was not blood in his urine & that they had checked him for all contagious diseases & was clear to come to the birth of our baby.

So, no, we still aren't totally sure what it was he had, but we know a lot of things he didn't have.  It was a crazy experience - not at all the relaxing week I had planned for the week before a birth - but all that mattered was David being healthy & ever since we walked out of the ER he has felt much better.  We stopped for a little last minute dinner date, because who doesn't want Mexican food at 9:30 after being in the ER all night??

All a good reminder of things I am thankful for - that my parents were here to watch the girls in all the drama, that we have good care, and that David is well & was able to be there for our baby girl's birth.  More on that to come!

New Updates

More new updates coming your way!  I only have a week left to get this thing caught up before baby news will take over - so check back often!

Bethany's Graduation

Kate's Haircut - round 2

A Day at the Zoo

Double Date

Attack of the Ants

Baby Update

Even though I'm not through catching up from March, (though I am DETERMINED to do it in the next 2 weeks!), I thought I'd give a little pregnancy update since I haven't done that in FOREVER.


As of this past Friday, we have 3 weeks left! Crazy, crazy.  I think with 2 other little kids running around it's pretty typical that this pregnancy has flown by.   It's been really great too - barely any heartburn, no contractions (well, maybe a couple when I had to rescue Hannah from almost falling in a creek & a bed of ants - but those are other posts.  Running at full speed at 36 weeks will do that to ya!)  But really, so far my easiest.  In fact, as I neared the last month, people began asking me if I was ready to be done, and my honest answer was that I felt fine, and really I knew how hard the other side was so I was content to be pregnant for awhile longer.  Well, somewhere in the last 2 weeks, there's a shift.  Although this is still pretty easy as far as pregnancies go, I'm not sleeping much anymore & I'm generally uncomfortable, so I think I'll definitely be ready!

This past Wednesday my OB started checking me for progress & I have none which really is best for me since I'd like to make it to my planned c-section - which is scheduled for June 1st at 9:30!

She doesn't guess baby weights like some Dr.s do, but I told her David thought that this one would be 10lb 6oz and she was shocked.  She didn't think it would be that big, but in her words, "You always hide your babies well.  I never think you'll have a big one, and then out come these 9 lb babies."  I think I'll take that as a compliment, thankyouverymuch!

A few other baby tidbits - she is breech.  This isn't a big deal since I am going to have a c-section anyway.  Supposedly it's supposed to be more comfortable to carry this way.  I'm not convinced!  Her hands are all up under my ribs & her feet push my hips out often.  I'm pretty sure when you're 37 weeks pregnant with a baby that is likely 8lbs already there's not a real comfortable way to carry it.  :-)

I also found out this week that I am anemic.  I had blood work done on Wednesday & they called me right away and told me I needed to get a prescription filled for an iron supplement.  I asked if I could just up my over the counter dose (my levels were on the "low" side earlier in pregnancy, but not in the anemic range), and she assured me that it wasn't enough.  I haven't talked to my doctor yet (I go again on Wednesday), but hopefully we can get everything all regulated before I go into surgery.  This does explain why I feel like I've just been running all the time & why I'm often dizzy.  Also, makes me feel validated for eating cup after cup of ice everyday!


If you've made it through my rambling, I think that makes you thoroughly caught up on where I am as far as pregnancy goes. :-)  I haven't even gotten a single baby thing down from the attic, but that's what the last 3 weeks are for anyway - right?!?

Bethany's Graduation

I knew traveling at 37 weeks pregnant was probably not the greatest idea, but we couldn't miss Bethany's graduation!  

It was a great weekend.  Our hotel room was a suite, so we were able to separate the kids while sleeping and actually managed to get some sleep ourselves.  Now, not too much since Kate fell asleep talking at 11:00pm & woke up talking at 7:00 am the first night, but who more can you expect when there are cousins & fun times all around??

Friday we spent the day visiting with family & getting ready to head to graduation.  My mom & dad saved us BIG time by coming up to CS for the day to keep the girls while we went to the ceremony.  

The ceremony was LOOOOOONG and miserable as usual.  These were ours seats...

Yes.  Behind the curtain!  We got there before the ceremony started, with some time to spare, but there were NO SEATS!  We were able to move after they started calling names though & see Bethany walk the stage.  

Sitting for 3 hours in tiny seats was not the most comfortable thing, but I made it & am so proud of Bethany.  

Bethany - c/o '11
David - c/o '04
WHOOOP!!

Friday night David's parents hosted a dinner to celebrate & it was really nice too.  My mom & dad came to celebrate with us & then gave us a great gift of taking the girls back to go to bed while we spent more time with family.

So proud of you Bethany - for finishing, for working hard, and especially for doing it at THE BEST university!  

A Day at the Zoo

I've had mentioned to David recently that I had been thinking about a family zoo trip, but it hadn't seemed to work out.  Well turns out when he needs to pick up a mailbox that was delivered to Tyler it suddenly fit our schedule! ha!  just kidding!

We had a GREAT time.  Kate was so into it.  The whole time she would say, "Ok, wet's(let's) keep wooking (looking)!" and move us along to the next animal.  While walking she'd ask me, "Mommy, what do you think we'll see next?" and we'd guess and try to figure out what was ahead.

Hannah (the wild child!) LOVED being free.  I pushed an empty stroller most of the time because she just loved getting to run free.  I'm not sure she even noticed there were animals.  (I seem to remember that being true for another little girl around this age!)

After a yummy lunch at Chuy's - because you know we can't pass it up! - and finally getting the dumb mailbox, we headed home for naptime.

I loved the chance to soak up my little family & can't believe we'll have another munchkin in tow next time!

Kate's Haircut - round 2

Kate HATES having her hair brushed.  Most time it involves tears & warnings of what will happen if she doesn't stand still.  So, you can imagine that taking her to get her haircut (by a stranger - also not one of her favorites) is not high on my list of to-dos.  

Well, I needed a haircut & she has needed one for quite some time, so we decided to make it a group outing!  I had planned for Hannah to go to a friend's, but she got sick, so I brought the stroller and hoped for the best!

Last time I got Kate's haircut, I brought my mom, the iPad, candy & all sorts of things to get her not to throw a fit.  WELL.  This little girl begged for her turn, climbed in the chair and sat still the whole time!

she LOVED seeing herself in the mirror

a shot of how much they were cutting off.  Ended up with another inch or two off this!

The only shot I got of her after...a little blurry

It's so fun to watch her grow up.  Even evidenced in going to get a haircut, my first baby is such a big girl!

Attack of the Ants

I had one of those horrible mommy moments.  We had some friends over & the big kids (Kate & her friend) had gone outside to play in the back yard.  They had let Hannah out with them, which Kate does often.

I had just said to my friend (we were sitting inside & visiting) that I realized Hannah didn't have any shoes on & I should probably go get some when Kate & Andrew came RUNNING telling us that Hannah had ants.

Oh my word.  36 weeks pregnant - turns out I can still run.  Poor baby was standing in the back corner of the yard with feet, legs & hands covered in ants - screaming!  We immediately threw her in a cool bath to get the ants off & hopefully take some of the sting out.  I called the pediatrician to get instructions on what to do & sat there feeling horrible.

She of course has handled it like a champ.  We did a couple rounds of Benadryl & Ibuprophen, but she never had any symptoms of allergy, and she didn't even scratch ONCE!  That was my biggest fear, that she would scratch them and they'd end up infected, but she was great.

So, even though I know I didn't do anything "wrong", I just felt horrible for her. I never got a final count, but I do know that just on her TINY LITTLE PINKY TOE there were 20 bites.  Little girl went shoeless for a few days & healed up so much faster than I expected.  No doubt though - someone wears shoes ALWAYS in the backyard!