The Dudley Bunch: July 2010

Jul 31, 2010

No News

No News is good news...nothing going on here. Still negotiating with my OB about how long we can draw this out. He wants to induce Monday or Tuesday, but I think I managed to beg for a few more days. I am a little petrified of the whole pitocin thing, so hopefully I can get over that before it happens. I also really want to get to 34 weeks ,at that juncture though the medical literature doesn't really support keeping me pregnant beyond that point, so we'll see what happens. I definitely don't want to wait so long that the baby or I contract some creepo infection that could put either of us at risk, but I am hoping my body has a plan and that this baby will come on it's own, and be ready to come soon. In the meantime I am watching a lot of tv, reading magazines, and eating constantly...still hoping for a freakishly large and healthy baby. I am very tired, which seems contradictory, but I don't think laying in bed all day instills great amounts of energy. Neither does having constant monitoring round the clock every 4 hours...ugh. But I am in a relatively positive good frame of mind...for now!

Jul 29, 2010

A bit of a change in plans

The lung assessments weren't quite up to par. Baby looks just shy of full lung development. I am not contracting, dilating, or showing any danger signs of infection. Consequently I have moved in to the antepartum unit. I will be here until I either go into labor, or until I hit 34 weeks, which ever comes first. We're hoping to get to August 10...that would be the 34 week mark. That would be a great milestone, and isn't automatic NICU, so we are keeping our fingers, toes, and legs crossed!

Jul 28, 2010

The Scoop

I am still waiting. The good news is that I got the second (final) steroid shot today, and hopefully this will significantly improve baby's lung function. No contractions of substance yet. I spoke with the N.I.C.U. today, and they explained what will most likely occur. The big things are making sure baby can breathe independently, learn to suck, swallow, and breathe concurrently, and of course gain weight. I guess the baby will be started on an IV for food immediately, and we will "practice" nursing, until baby figures it out. I will have to pump for baby, and we will get to hold him/her a lot, and so will the kids too, so that's good news. The estimated time in NICU is anywhere from 3 weeks on. I am praying for a little overachiever and 2 weeks in...but only time will tell. As for me, the Doctor and I are in negotiations over things like: how long I should be on the monitor during the day, and how long I get to sit here not having contractions. He is basically of the opinion that I will be having this baby before Friday morning, and I am statistically probably going to, but I am keeping my options open, and hoping for more time for the baby to grow. That's my story today....

Jul 27, 2010

Oh crap...

Well, i woke up and my water broke this morning. Ummm, not good. I am only 32 weeks preggers and this little baby is gonna be small. I am currently sitting in my hospital room, waiting.

Waiting for what? Apparently waiting to go into labor, which most women spontaneously do within 72 hours. I had a huge steroid shot this morning and hopefully one more tomorrow morning to help this baby develop his/her lungs a bit more. I am tired. I am trying not to stress. I am anxious about N.I.C.U. which is a given at this early stage. I am missing my kiddos at home, and hoping this isn't totally stressful for them.

The doctor that did my c-section with Cooper, graciously took me back, and is very encouraging. The baby should be fully developed, but will have to have some help until he/she can eat on their own, suckle, gain weight, etc. (Hopefully this baby will be freakishly big and healthy like Cooper was) Anyhow, the pressure is on, and we don't even have names picked out yet...aye aye aye. We'll keep ya posted.

Jul 3, 2010

Results and Sunsets

One of our favorite thing about our new house, is the views. We have been enjoying the sunsets, especially the ones that coincide with the summer thunder storms...they are gorgeous.

Here are the results of the first swim meet: Tatym, 2 firsts, 2 seconds, 2 thirds

Josh, 3 firsts and one second Piper, 1 third and a fourth...pretty exciting!

Our Story...the short version

Tim and I met in 1994, after his mission while I was in University in Lethbridge. After breaking and entering the Prince of Wales hotel that was under construction in the middle of February, we started spending a lot of time together. ( If you need more info about our meeting/breaking and entering...call me). Tim left that summer to go to Kansas City to take some science classes for Chiropractic school. While he was gone, he managed to get another girlfriend. Needless to say, we went our separate ways...and I was a little bitter. I guess he liked me best though, because for the next two years, he called me anytime he was home on semester break. Eventually he wormed his way back into my heart, and the rest is history. We married in October of 1996, and have been blissfully happy ever since. He is truly one of the best men I have ever known, and a great husband and father. That isn't to say he never drives me nuts...I am only human after all.

Family Vacations

There is nothing better than a family vacation. We have made it a huge priority to take vacations as a family. Not all of them are extravagant. In fact, some of our favorite memories are our trips to Alberta, or to the mountains a couple hours away. But one of our family's favorite destinations is Cancun, Mexico. What's not to love...the beach, ocean, food, and company is always outstanding. We went again last fall and had a blast. The kids were all at ages where we hope they will remember it. We had so much fun playing in the sand, and just hanging out together. The kids all got to swim with dolphins, and I was happy to be the photographer...in fact I may have gone overboard with my 500+ pictures. Here are a few of our favorites. Happy Memories.

Sisters

I have been blessed with 2 sisters. I didn't always think that was such a treat, but as I have gotten older and hopefully wiser, I have come to realize that sisters make the best friends. There isn't anything...(and I mean anything), I won't talk about with my sisters. A couple of years ago, we started having our "girls weekends", and let me tell you...that is fun. Undoubtedly someone is always nursing or pregnant, but it is still a blast. I was even lucky enough last year to be part of Kami and Tonya's births. I have always wanted to be on the other side of labor, if you will, and just be there as a support. Kami gave birth to Kiyomi in February, and Tonya to Walker in July, and I was there! They were both so amazing, and it was so cool to be part of it, and I am grateful I was in a position to go. Anyway...I love my sisters! Blood and all the others I have adopted to my heart over the years.

Family

Not only are Tim and I lucky to have our sweet kids, but we are blessed with great parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews. It is funny to see how big both families are getting. There are soon to be 24 grandkids on Tim's side, and soon to be 13 on mine. It is so much fun to get together with them whenever we can, and our kids have such fun when they are with Grandparents or cousins. It is a real blessing to have so many people who love you, love your kids, and are involved in helping them become the great people you want them to be. I don't think there is any way we can overestimate the value of such support. I am especially grateful that family is always there in the tough times, even more than when it is all fun. Just want you all to know how much we love and appreciate you all, even if we are too dumb to say it very often. There you go...a full serving of cheese. But I really do mean it all!

The Dudley Bunch