Maternity Photos

(my brother's photography website if you're interested!! www.underthesunphotography.net )

Saturday my wonderful brother, Michael, and his wonderful wife, Heather, came into town from Austin to see me! It was so sweet of them to make the trip for a short 4 hour visit but it was definitely worth it to me =) Mike has been doing photography as a hobby for a long time now and is trying to get his business going so he can do it part time. He took some maternity pics while they visited and I love them - Thanks Mike!!! Here are a few to preview. I'm fixing them up on photo shop so it's taking me a long time to get them all done. I will post a link to shutterfly with all of them once I get them edited and uploaded. Hope you enjoy them and don't mind seeing a prego belly!

(I still need to smooth out this background but wanted to post it anyway!)

Doctor's Appointment

We had a Dr.'s appointment today (33 weeks) and got a good report. My dilation and effacement has not changed even though I am still having contractions. She said that I will stop taking my medication at 35 weeks but will still have to be on bed-rest until 37 weeks.

She will be doing the fetal fibronectin test at my next appointment which will let us know if we are in the clear for the following two more weeks.

Thank you for your support and prayers - as well as a big thank you for those who have brought us meals and have watched Claire in the past week. If you are ever in the neighborhood - stop by!

Home and Halloween pics

I'm really not supposed to be sitting up much at all so this will have to be quick! Neil is working on getting a wireless router so I can use his work laptop during the day - He has been WONDERFUL and taking such good care of me and especially Claire!

I got home around 5:30 or so yesterday and it is great to be here (not to mention much less expensive)! My doctor said since nothing had changed that she didn't see why I couldn't be on bed rest at home as long as I'm good!! She said I can get up to go to the bathroom and take a shower. I can't drive or really shouldn't be in the car as a passenger yet. She sent me home taking the procardia just the same to continue subsiding the contractions. I really only get them if I'm not laying down so I guess I know why she wants me to stay on my side. Let me tell you, it's tough! At the hospital I didn't need to do anything but here I could do dishes, scrapbook, laundry, pickup things, etc. and so I have to really make myself stay laying down. I have an appointment on Monday so she'll give me an update then. She wants me to make it to 35 weeks safely so I'm thinking bed rest at least until then.

I think that's really it on how things are going. Claire stayed with her Aunt Shannon today and I know she had a blast. Thank you Shannon! SO many have asked to help out and I'm working on getting plans for Claire the next 3 weeks so I probably will be taking you up on it. Here are pics from Claire's Halloween afternoon at my mom's work and some from our stay at the hospital. Claire was always wanting to help out =)

My kitty cat outside the hospital (where my mom works). She kind of got to trick or treat there which is good because she didn't get to go to the trunk or treat at church Friday night =(

What a good grandma! She gave Claire yummy pretzels in halloweeny shapes

Claire and Grandma waiting for the cafeteria to open for lunch!

Hanging out in Labor Delivery Friday night

What a sexy gown!

Claire holding Eden's heart monitor on my tummy - the sweetest nurse I had!
The only way we could get Claire to take a pic on Sunday was to do silly faces but then she warmed up and we got the sweetest picture together
I LOVE this picture - me and my angel

Going home on bed rest!!

I'm trying to pack things up but wanted to let so many of you know that I'm going home!! I will write details later but I will be on bed rest at home which will be challenging but much less expensive! I'll be in touch tonight

Good News!

Before I start, have you all seen "The Big Bang Theory" on Monday nights? It's a sitcom that Neil and I think is hilarious and I'm watching it right now! If you haven't, check it out =) It's highly entertaining!

OK now on to the important things! Well, just the fact that Eden isn't here yet is good news but we got some good indications today that she is going to wait a bit longer which is even better news! I was given a test for Fetal Fibronectin today which is used to test for preterm labor and it came back negative! Here's something I found on the internet to help me understand it:

"The presence of fFN in symptomatic women during weeks 24 through 34 of gestation (5 1/2 to 8 1/2 months) indicates an increased risk of preterm delivery. However, the absence of fFN is a much more reliable predictor, indicating that the pregnancy is likely to continue for at least another two weeks."

Dr. Gallagher said it's not a guarantee but they feel much better sending patients home if the test is negative. I think she is considering sending me home earlier than she thought and just keeping me on bed rest at home and continuing my procardia. She of course looked at me with a skeptical eye when she asked if I'd be able to comply to bed rest at home with a toddler. I told her it wasn't worth the risk and that I'd do whatever it takes to keep this baby girl in! She said that maybe after 35 weeks I will be able to do a little more (3 more weeks from now) so it looks like that's our goal and the longer the better! She will check if I'm more dilated or effaced tomorrow and hopefully give me a better idea of when I will go home.

Once again thank you to everyone for your emails, phone calls, blog messages, offers to help - it's times like these that make you so grateful for everyone! I never want to take family or friends for granted =) You all are such a blessing!

Update

Well, I'm still here and wanted to write before bed - I'm not on an ambien tonight so hopefully this post will be better composed than my last!

I got to see my doctor, Dr. Shannon Gallagher, this morning and she let me know that I'm going to be here for at least a week. Hopefully that means no longer than Friday. My contractions are still happening about 2-4 times an hour but they are not strong at all. If I were just having the contractions I could probably go home but the effacement is the big concern. They want to continue my medication, procardia, to control the contrations and after taking me off sometime this week, they want to observe how my body will react without it.

I was moved to the antepartum unit today which means I'm not as critical and that's a good sign. I also got my IV taken out and I'm not constantly on the fetal and contraction monitors. They put me on the monitors every shift for about an hour and check Eden's heartbeat about every 4 hours. She has been a happy little girl in there with her normal kicking and dancing along with a strong heartbeat. She hasn't shown any distress which is great!! I'm only allowed to get up to use the bathroom and sit up when I'm eating so it's tough to be lying down on my side the rest of the time. I have leg compressors on to prevent blood clots and I actually like them =) It's like little calf massages! Fortunately, I was given the a-ok to take a quick shower sitting down so I felt a little more human today.

I must say I have been spoiled today! Neil brought me Chinese for dinner so I didn't have to endure hospital food again and my mom and brother brought me a decaf pumpkin spice latte - thank you so much! The highlight of my day was of course my time with Claire. Neil's parent's brought her up today - the hardest thing being here is not being with her. I miss her terribly and I swear she looked older today! She is the sweetest and showed her nurturing ways even with me. She says "Mama, I wanna take care of you" with the most empathetic look on her face. It melts my heart! She played doctor for about 20 minutes today with us pretending to put tape on us, squirt gel on us and ask us if it hurt. What a sweetheart... Thank you Gene and Elaine for bringing her up today!

Neil and I have been overwhelmed by everyone's generosity. So many have graciously offered their help and we thank you with all of our hearts. It's amazing how people can uplift you just by simply saying we love you and are praying for you! If we need help with anything I promise to take you up on it. God has been so good to us and has blessed us with such a wonderful family and friends.

I will try to be on everyday since I have plenty of time to kill. Continue praying for Eden to take her time!

Prayer request for Eden and Kathryn

Well, it's a prayer request for all of us! This is going to be a short post because I just took some ambien and it's kicking in. I had to come to the hospital on Friday around 5 pm for some vaginal bleeding. I was contracting when hooked up to a monitor and am already 2 cm dilated and 75% effaced. I'm on a medication that wasn't working well but they doubled the dose and my contractions have really slowed down the past 6 hours. I'm on complete bed rest at Meth. hospital labor and delivery but hope to get moved to post partum soon. That means I'm getting even better! I will be here until at least Monday and will have a better idea after talking to my dr. tomorrow. Right now I can't even take a shower so we'll see what bed rest at home looks like.

I know there are so many wonderful prayer warriors praying for us and THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I can completely feel the spirit giving me peace and comforting us. Please continue to pray for Eden to wait on her arrival but that if she comes, she will be as strong as possible and the doctor's will be wise and lead by God's hand.

I have a lot more detail to document for myself and will do that tomorrow. I'm about to pass out!! Claire is being taken care of by the grandparents and dad is home with her tonight. She has MDO Monday and Elaine, Neil's mom, is off work on Tuesday - praise God!

Before passing out, a HUGE THANK YOU to my parents who took care of Claire last night and today for us. She was such a sweetie up at the hospital. I'll save that for my long post. Also a HUGE THANK YOU to my wonderful husband who is taking care of me and taking care of Claire. I don't know where I'd be without him and I thank God He is mine. Please also lift him up as he is try to stay positive and trust that God will take care of us.

Love you ALL!