Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Bed rest...

Well, we've had an interesting last few weeks with this pregnancy... Interesting, to say the least! On Friday, April 29, we went to the BBQ cook-off and then to Patrick's to get a burger for dinner and were planning on coming home to prepare for the garage sale the next morning. We were having a great time. During dinner, I noticed some Braxton Hicks - which is fairly common for me. However, once we got home, I realized they were still coming, so I decided to time them. To our surprise, they were coming every 4-6 minutes and getting more and more uncomfortable. Plus, I was only 33 weeks 6 days.

So, after nearly 2 hours of regular contractions, we decided to call Dr. Pharr (my best friend, Jenn). She said that we should go on into Willow Creek and just let them check me. It's 9:15 on a Friday night, Katie's asleep upstairs, and we have to leave for the hospital. So, we call my parents. My little sister was having a sleepover, so my dad came on over to sit at the house with our sleeping angel.

When he arrived, we left straight for Willow Creek. I fully expected the contractions to stop on the drive there, but they didn't. We got to WC, checked into triage, and were told to go to bed #2. I got dressed, left my urine sample, and laid down. The nurse came in to hook me up to the monitors and sure enough there were those contractions I'd been feeling for the last 2.5 hours.

After talking to the ER doctor, they decided to start an IV. Let me just tell you. The IV is the WORST part about having a baby!! So, of course, I start freaking out inside because I shouldn't have to get an IV unless I'm actually having a baby. Well, the sweet nurse did a wonderful job, and I barely felt the needle going in. She said that they were hoping that with a couple bags of IV fluids that my contractions would stop. At this point, she checks me, and I'm only a fingertip dilated and about 30-40 percent effaced. After 2 bags, they weren't slowing down or stopping. So, they decided to do something else.

She checked me again, and I was now 1.5 cm. dilated and 50 percent effaced. They decide to "sedate" me to see if that will help. So, they give me two different medications - Demerol and Phenagrin. That Demerol was some crazy stuff. The room was spinning, and I felt awful.

Well, that didn't work either. So, they gave me a shot of Brethine. The Brethine slowed the contractions down but made Anna's heart rate and mine go WAY above normal. So, at this point, my contractions were now 10-12 minutes apart, but my heart rate was 140-150 and Anna's was in the 180s. Not good...

Our heart rates ended up going down to a more normal range, and they discharged us at 5:15 a.m with pretty clear instructions of bed rest and pelvic rest. So, we drove home, I laid down on the couch while Matt and my dad got the rest of the stuff ready for the garage sale.

Matt ended up doing the garage sale, and we made quite a bit of extra money! My parents ended up taking K after the garage sale and keeping her, so we could sleep. We slept so good!

So, that was Friday/Saturday... Sunday morning, around 9:00, the contractions started up again. We went to Willow Creek around 10:15 with contractions coming every 2-3 minutes. This time, I just knew I was in actual labor and was expecting to have a baby. I got to the hospital, got hooked up and those painful contractions I was feeling were barely even registering. I was so frustrated.

However, they checked my cervix, and I was now 3 cm. dilated, 60 percent effaced, and Anna was in the -2 station. So, they wouldn't let me leave. They did the exact same procedures as last time, hooked me up to ANOTHER IV, gave me Demerol and Phenagrin, gave me two shots of Brethine, and waited for our heart rates to go down.

Well, I am now 36 weeks 3 days pregnant, so I've made it nearly 3 more weeks being pregnant!!! However, I've been on bed rest which gets very lonely and boring.

Matt has taken over all household chores and taking care of Katie. Our church and my parents have provided meals for us about 3 nights a week - which is such a huge help.

While I'm very glad that Anna is staying put for the time being, I'm SO done with bed rest. I literally can't stand up without having contractions and am feeling very bad for everything everyone is doing for us. So....

Sweet Anna Claire,

Mommy knows that you tried to come out a few weeks ago, but we weren't quite ready for you then. You have now been in Mommy's tummy for longer than your sister was. So, feel free to make your appearance anytime, littlest princess! I love you so much and am VERY ready to meet you!

Love,
Mommy

Friday, May 6, 2011

Puerta Vallarta, Mexico!!






I decided to participate in Kelly's SUYL - Favorite Vacation Spots today!! I love reading these and rarely participate, but I just couldn't resist talking about my favorite vacation..



Matt and I went to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico while I was 23 weeks pregnant with Katie! It was a "Congratulations, Matt for finishing Law School and taking the BAR," "Congratulations, Cori for finishing your first year of teaching," and a babymoon! We had the best time...


This picture was taken on our balcony...
A few beach sunset pictures... One of our favorite parts of each day was walking along the beach at sunset. Beautiful!


The Palace Resorts have some amazing food! This was taken at Mo-Mo-No-Ha-Na, an oriental restaurant in the resort. Matt was eating Tuna tar tar...


One of the days, we decided to take a tour around the city. This is Los Arcos.. A few famous spot for snorkeling, but we didn't do that because of how pregnant I was.

All in all, it was the best trip we have ever been on together, and we can't wait to go back!


Here's a link to the resort's website: http://www.palaceresorts.com/resorts/vallartapalace


We went to the Moon Palace Spa and Golf Resort for our honeymoon and then the Vallarta Palace for this trip.. We plan on going back next summer but haven't decided on which resort or location to go to next.. We were thinking Cozumel!

Monday, May 2, 2011

Easter 2011 (a little late)

We had a great Easter this year even if it was pouring down rain the entire Easter weekend... We started the weekend out by going to Mike and Judi's house for a birthday/Easter celebration. Sarah's 21st birthday was the weekend before, so we celebrated this weekend instead. The Crowders got Katie a little Easter basket full of goodies. VERY thoughtful of them! Katie is very lucky to have such wonderful people in her life that love her so very much. After the birthday festivities, we dyed Easter eggs. Last year, Katie was too small to dye eggs. So, she got to enjoy it for the first time this year, and BOY was it fun!

She loved throwing the eggs in the dye and watching the dye splash everywhere.

She also LOVED putting her hands in the dye and pulling the eggs out instead of waiting on Mommy to get them for her!

All in all, we had a great pre-Easter celebration at Judi's house...

One of my favorite parts about being a parent is getting Easter baskets and stockings ready for the next morning. This year, Katie was definitely visited by the Easter bunny! I guess she'd been a good girl :o) She got a duck stuffed animal, bath markers, sidewalk chalk, Elmo crayons, and a mini Magna-doodle...

Because it was raining this year, we didn't get any good family pictures outside.. So, here is my princess in her beautiful Easter dress that Daddy picked out!
After church, we drove to Greenwood to have Easter with Matt's family. We drove in some pretty crazy weather... However, once we got to Greenwood, the weather was ok. The kids hid eggs for Katie to find, and she found them! It was funny! On the way home, we hit some REALLY bad weather and had to pull over at a Sonic and wait for it to pass. We weren't able to wait for it to pass because it wasn't supposed to stop or get any better for hours, and we both had to be at work the next morning. So, we toughed it out and drove home in the torrential downpour. We decided that we will not travel in that kind of weather again... Not worth it!

We had a great Easter this year and can't wait until next year when we will have a 2.5 year old and 10 month old!!!