Major Updates!

OK, so I realize I probably win the award for longest go at not updating a blog, but life is crazy and that's the beautiful part of it!

So here's my bulleted updates!

Late July 2011 - The Bean fought an ear infection for about six weeks. We went through three strands of antibiotics and "tube talk". Luckily the last strand of meds (powerful enough to burn nose hairs) cleared it up.

August 2011 - I went back to school and enrolled the Bean back into the same daycare we were in last Spring. So far it's proven to be a good choice and I really like all the new teachers! Stella still loves the older lady who cared for her in the infant room and it warms my heart when Michael calls to say she went right to her and snuggled. Stella got moved to the Orange Room (mobile infants) early September.

Late August 2011 - Michael and I went on our first overnight-out of town trip away from Stella. My mom (MaaMaw) came up to stay with her. I called when we arrived in Chicago and MaaMaw informed me they were at McDonald's eating apples and chicken nuggets... Mike was a little upset by this, but I thought, hey what are grandmas for? Though I did have one deep crying spell the first night, we survived.

September 10, 2011 - Stella is a beautiful flower girl in our very wonderful friend's wedding, Justin and Jaime! She was a perfect little lady in the wagon pulled down the aisle. Jaime got her the cutest little head band.

Mid September 2011 - Stella finally starts crawling... I showed up to daycare one day and she turned and just crawled right over to me like it was no thing.... Been on the move ever since! --Orange room teacher moves Stella to one nap in the afternoon only, Stella's not really ready, which leads to early nights, 5pm bed times (daddy doesn't like this!)

Nine Month Check up - 97% in everything! Still proportionate, still big! (This is when we received the last strand of antibiotics and the ear infection finally got cleared up.)

October 2011 - MaaMaw came down and met us at a pumpkin patch! Dressed Stella in her finest orange and black and went on a hayride! Didn't make it to Halloween Trick or Treating, didn't even get a costume on her, was going to bed about 5:00-5:30.

November 2011- Had Thanksgiving with MaaMaw and then with Papa Martin.

December 2011- Christmas with Daddy's side of the family on 12/17. Then with MaaMaw -- Stella got a table and chairs, and fun knick-knacks. Papa got Stella legos, and a talking teddy bear. Daddy got Stella a princess couch!

One Year Check Up - Made it to over 100%, in everything! Again still proportionate, still big! Dr. called her cautious, smart, very loving. =)

January 2012 - New Years Eve Michael and I went out while MaaMaw stayed in with Stella. She is starting to get the hang of an afternoon nap... She is teething really badly, currently. I think I counted at least four different teeth trying to break through, this causes her to wake up from naps screaming and crying, she seems inconsolable. A little Advil will do the trick and if you can get the Ora-gel in there she calms down. She does great with eating. She loves fresh veggies and fruit, which is great!! I don't enjoy giving her over processed crap food, so I will honor her requests gladly, and probably learn from them as well. She started walking (not too confidently) but she goes sideways, because her right foot turns out slightly... I'm not going to worry too much about it, and mention something at her next Dr. appointment if it's still that way. She stays up until 6:00 now, Daddy loves the longer times in the evening he can play with her. She loves to drink water! Officially got rid of formula this month. Still takes a bottle to go to bed at night, Michael thinks that might end soon.

Ear, teeth, lungs, cranky-pants!

Well you would think a mother who has all summer off with her gorgeous baby would write more often about the wonderful trips we are taking, the long hours spent in the library, the daily trips to the pool, etc. Or you may think that’s one crazy and busy momma, we’ll hear about all the fun at the end of the summer… That’s my hope.

Michael and I have used the phrase “we just can’t get ahead” quite often in our life together. Most of the time this has referred to him getting laid off at inopportune times (when is it opportune?). Just when we think things will work out, we can finally get a bill paid off, something snaps and we are back to square one. I guess you could say this is how my summer started off.

I was all set to walk a group of my students down for graduation the Sunday of my first summer off and woke with a horrible pain in my “lower left abdomen”. A quick trip to the ER, blood work, and a CT scan later I had appendicitis. Surgery the next day and sent home with lifting restriction of 20lbs for 15 days. Thanks to my perfect DNA combine with Michael’s, also perfect, DNA we made a huge baby and yes at 7month she weighed just that, 20lbs!

"Just can’t get ahead" – We are still paying off Michael’s appendectomy from 2009!

So the first week my mom and Michael do what they do best and cared for me and the Bean. The second week Stella and I took an impromptued visit to my mom’s and stayed the week with friends and lifting assistance, it’s easy when your babies cute!

The third week things started to get back on track. I figured out Stella preferred a grand schedule that alternated solids, and bottle feedings, and naps almost to a T. I was thrilled. Things were going well. We made a stop by the library, the pool, play-dates with other babies…

But alas “We Just can’t get ahead”

Stella developed a bad ear infection (her first, and God willing her last) over the weekend. This gave her breathing problems and a low-grade fever. She’s been on Albuteral treatments and antibiotics since Saturday; another scare and glitch in the system life. Her breathing seems to be better, and then worst, so I can’t figure out if we’re ever on the upswing with that. The infection and pain in her ear seems to be subsiding, but the antibiotics are giving her diarrhea and bad diaper rash. She doesn’t have an appetite, therefore she only want a bottle (this doesn’t help the diarrhea) so I’m slipping rice into her bottles.

She started teething again. I hope this time is for real and we actually see some results. I think I feel bumps and I think this is another cause of her low appetite. Needless to say she's uncomfortable, sleepy, and just plan cranky.

Hopefully things thin out this week and we just get ahead!

Photo of my "Sick Bean" taken by her Auntie Michele

Weekly Stats . . .

November 29, 2010 (daddy's birthday)
"you're a little further along" Dr. M
2cm
75% effeced
"I'm going to try to help you along" crampping pains.... owee!
We'll see.

Weekly Stats...

November 1st:
1 cm dilated
50% effaced

Bulleted Update

Well it’s been more than a while; all do to good things, like starting new jobs and getting back on the success band-wagon! Just to keep it clear I figure the best way to do this is a list, bare with me…
1. I started my new job in early august and have been going nonstop. I had to keep the pregnancy on the down-low for a while, but then broke the news to my principal and the rest of the staff about two weeks into the school year, all of which are very happy for me.

2. Michael and I painted the nursery “peacock”. I was going for an enchanted forest look, all Michael saw was that his baby girls rooms was being painted blue, no need to explain he’s color blind.

3. We hung a 6 foot tree decal (thanks Papa) and butterfly decals in the room one weekend.

4. Bought a crib, yes a crib, off Craigslist. It was brand new, still in the bubble wrap; all for only $70!

5. Found a rocker glider and ottoman on Craigslist as well for $40, purchased for us by MeMaw.

6. Last purchase, again on Craigslist, a changing table/dresser for $50!

7. MeMaw (my mom) sewed together curtains, cover for said glider and ottoman, bed skirt, bed bumper, and table cloth for night stand fabric cost of $65

8. Total coast of nursery $265, including paint and decals –you can’t get a crib at Babies R Us for that cheap! Kudos to the Bildner’s and their thriftiness!!

9. Moved all the furniture into the room. Then moved the guest bed into the upstairs loft. Papa (my dad) is painting a frame for a mirror to hang over the changing table.

10. I’m a cheat and watch our registration all the time and get excited when I see something has been bought for us. I call or email Michael at work to let him know!

11. We started kick counts last week. I have to record how long it takes her to get to 10 counts. We can usually get there in 3 minutes after chocolate milk!

12. She got hiccups for the first time I could feel on Monday, loved. Still love feeling her move.

13. She’s a night owl like her daddy. Sleeps in during the morning hours and gets up about 9:00, goes crazy about 3:00 and again in the evening!

14. Giggled to myself the other day about meeting her soon, I can’t wait.

15. Started birthing classes last week. Every Tuesday for four weeks. Michael got disgusted last night with the episiotomy slides . . . um, we have a lot to work on between now and then.

16. Attempting with all my power to go natural –wish me luck!

Well that’s about three months of stuff in a nutshell!

You don’t know true fear until you’re a parent.

I had mentioned in an earlier entry that the baby has a Choroid Plexus Cyst (CPC) and that we were going back to get things checked out. I thought now that I’m 100% more relaxed and educated about the situation I would comment on it and let everyone know what is going on.

When Michael and I had our 19 week Ultra Sound (US) the tech just merely suggested to us that they will order another US because she wasn’t able to get a good read of the baby’s brain and this is something they like to have.

So the following Thursday I went in for a normal doctor’s appointment and thankfully I took my mom. The doctor checked the growth of my uterus, my weight, blood pressure, and the heart beat. Everything seemed fine and she asked me about the US. I told her it was fun to see the baby and that it was a girl.

My doctor was looking down at the papers and said “everything looks fine except” . . . . my heart sank, my emotions hit the floor and I couldn’t focus on much. I looked at her and was ready for her to finish. She explained to me that they saw a CPC, which is a cyst on the glad that makes spinal cord fluid in the US and that is why they were issuing another US. She told me the CPC has a slight association to chromosomal disorders like Downs and Trisomy 18. “But everything else looks just fine, Aubrey” I remember the doctor saying. She also told me she hadn’t personally seen the CPC have a negative outcome for any of the babies she’d delivered.

When we were checking out, the doctor told the receptionist to schedule a Level II US and that date was set for July 29. She also told me I should have blood work done. My mom met and old friend on the way out and it helped to clear my head a bit. When we stepped onto the elevator my mom said “you handled that a lot better that I thought you would have” I lost it. Cried the whole way down and out of the building and my mom had to drive me home.

The thoughts I was feeling were all conflicting and confused, I was mad at myself, concerned, scared, tired, worried. Things you can’t even imagine. And I realized at that point I had never really known true fear in my life. I hadn’t even held her in my arms and I felt for her.

The blood work, I had the following day and had to wait three days, but it came back fine. The US we are having this Thursday is to double check things. And like I said I feel better about it 100% better in fact. Though, I am still saying little prayers that she will be fine. I have faith in God and really at this point that’s all I can have. I will update everyone on Thursday – seems to be the day associated with this pregnancy far more than an email update. I wouldn’t be surprise if she comes on a Thursday (say Thanksgiving) :-)

Motherly Instincts – Mommy 0 - Baby .9

Well yesterday was the big day. My mom came into town and to kill time before the 2:45 deadline, we let Michael take us to lunch at Breskeez to watch the Dutch beat Uruguay in the semi finals of the FIFA World Cup. We were only about 10 minutes from the ultrasound place so about 2:30 headed that way. After extensive paper work and the Tyra show we were called back.

The tech was very accommodating to Michael, my mom, and me and we got started with warm goo squirted all over my belly. We saw the obvious outline of the body and the bones, like the ribs, spinal cord and all were very obvious and this made me happy to see. The heart was also obviously beating and again very happy.

The baby was lying side to side with its back against mine, but facing us, in a way. So the tech wasn’t able to get a good picture of either end, the babies rump and the brain. After much coercing the baby still didn’t move and every time the tech tried to see the little privates, the baby would cross their legs, and one time the cord was even in the way. But after much ado, the tech announces “I’m about 90% sure it’s a girl”. Well there went my first test at motherly instincts! But we're happy nonetheless!

My lesson – don’t tell people what you might think it is, because if/when you end up being wrong they replay “I told you so” like they had better comprehension as to what was going on in my uterus then I did!

My thinking – well yes I’m going to defend myself! Michael wanted a girl from day one, I didn’t want to disappoint daddy, so I talked myself (and Michael) into it possibly being a boy so there was no disappointment.

Granted there was NO disappointment what-so-ever! I’m more please all her vitals are working fine than the fact my instincts were a little off. We will have to go back in three or so weeks so they’re able to get a better picture of the brain and can confirm the other 10% for us!

Life is grande!

Like I said, she wasn't the most cooperative, but apparently this is her little
girliness. :-)

Thursday and a Dr Visit!

So today was a double good Thursday! I got my email updates which the big thing this week is reflexes and the little person is about the size of a plum, 2 inches long head to rump.

But the best part of today was my doctor’s visit. I have been trying to get in and see my doctor since last Tuesday for my first official appointment. There have been numerous babies born and that has kept me from getting in to see her. I wasn’t complaining, I would want her there for my birth. So luckily I had taken today and tomorrow off and they were able to get me in.
I did as a good patient should and drank a glass of water on the way there so my bladder would be full for my urine sample. I checked in, peed in the cup, and found a good People magazine to read. When Nurse Dawn called for me we did my blood pressure, a solid 128/80 and my weight (I’ve managed to lose 8.5lbs) I explained I wasn't keeping much down.

A little more waiting and then the doctor came in. She asked how I was and told me I no longer needed to take the progesterone, which might help with the nausea, and if I don’t have any luck in the next week to call and she will give me medication for that (this week has been a rough week with the vomiting).

Then came the fun stuff, the Doppler. I lowered my draws and she slathered my belly up and started searching for that little guy/gal. She didn’t find anything off the bat and told me that was normal this early in the game. She could hear movement and a slight heartbeat but wanted to double check me on the ultrasound! Oh excitement, I hadn’t been expecting to see it again so soon!

So into the US room with more goo on my belly and a big computer screen staring me in the face. Again had to do a little searching, I have a tilted uterus…. And pop there he/she was again, and this time it totally looked like a human. He/she was still sitting rather low in my pelvis which is why it was hard to find the heartbeat. The best part was every time the doctor would find him/her it would jump, literally! We were laughing so hard, I had to turn my head so I wouldn’t laugh so she could get a good reading.

A great end to a tough week!



The scan doesn’t look like much, but the baby's little head is bottom mid-right and it's belly is just to the left of that, there is a small arm/hand just above the belly.