You, my dear, are grounded!

So yesterday I felt AWFUL. Super fatigued, beyond exhausted, monstrous headache, you get the idea. I called my doctor's office and they said it may be the low blood count and to lay down and go into the hospital if I felt worse later in the day. Since the hospital can process blood work faster than my doctor's office who need to send it out for results. I did end up going into the hospital and my DH once hearing that I was going to go in with the kids in tow left work to come home and be with them. This was 3:30pm.

By 5pm I was having regular contractions, feeling worse, admitted, with an IV for fluids and a bunch of tests being run on my blood and "other" things to determine what that hell was going on. I'm only 26 weeks pregnant, labor is REALLY not an option right now. My mom offered to come pick up the kids from Ben at home so that he could join me at the hospital and he was there by 6pm.

One of the tests I had done was a Fetal Fibronectin (fFN): A Test for Premature Delivery (google it, I had never heard of it and its kind of neat scientifically speaking). After an hour or so we learned that it was positive. Not so good.

More monitoring, more tests, an ultrasound, and an exam showed I was 1 cent dialated. I was then given labor-suppressing (tocolytic) medication through my IV and the contractions came to a halt. They kept me there for three more hours to make sure they didn't return and then let me go home. On the strict stipulation that if ANY contractions start again to come directly back so they can try to stop them. If they can't I get an ambulance ride to Woman & Infants because Memorial Hospital doesn't have a NICU and that is what the baby would need if I delivered this early.

My mother and Megan were in constant communication with me via cell phone, which was nice to know they were there for me, always good to have some strong females in your team. Megan offered a bunch of times to come down, if I was getting worse I would have had her come but things seemed to be slowing down and I was in the best place I could be. The weirdest part of this entire thing for me was I went in because I wasn't feeling good...NOT because I was having contractions. Those started AFTER I was already admitted for fatigue and being considered for a blood transfusion.

On a happy note I got to see nurses Barbara, Kim, and Corliss who all helped in my labor and delivery for Savannah last August. I love those women and I loved that they remembered me even more. They even remembered details of my 19 hours with them last year, they brought things up I had even forgotten until they mentioned them and we all had a good laugh. I was touched. I love Memorial Hospital, the personal care is one of the things I feel sets them apart from W&I in Providence.

So, end result; Lots of rest (yeah right, even as I type this I got up this morning with the kids, got Aidan ready for school, made breakfast and lunch for him and am about to drive him there) and baby girl number two is GROUNDED....for at least another 10 weeks I don't want to see her beautiful little face!

An Oath of sorts..to my family

I want and claim the right for my children to feel appreciated and valued by me and by everyone in our family. I do not want them to ever feel alone or doubt their place in a loving committed family. I want my kids to know and feel that they are loved for who they are, that I am proud of them and that I will always be there for them. I may not endorse everything they do, but I will not ever reject them. If any member of my family feels like their contributions are not being recognized or acknowledged by others in the family, that's not okay....not now, not ever. I believe that children live what they learn and I want to teach them by example that relationships in our family are sacred, to be honored and to be cherished. I know that family life has its ups and downs, its arguments, problems, conflicts and differences of opinion. And that there has NEVER been a family free of rough spots. But I want our family relationships to be so strong that they transend the inevitable daily strife of family living. I want everyone in my famiy to be true to themselves, loving themselves, feeling fulfilled and living with peace and joy.

I do not think this is an impossible thing to accomplish. It just requires dedication and focus. I love you Ben, Aidan, Savvy, and baby yet to be named.

Always.

My favorite things

As I sit here watching Sesame Street with my almost 5 year old and now 1 year old daughter, as we do every morning at 10am, I am so amazed that these little beautiful kids are mine. I know I complain as most moms do, about the laundry and the thanklessness of being a housewife (one who also works outside the house in this case). But in reality, things are pretty awesome with my kids now.

Aidan has gotten his "extreme temperament" under AMAZING control. We talk. We laugh. We genuinely enjoy each others company. No more yelling, no more crying, no more kicking and hitting. Just Aidan. My adorable little man has returned and I am SO beyond blessed to be part of his world.

Savannah turned one five days ago and I still can not believe it. She is babbling away now and pulls herself up on EVERYTHING. She's a little explorer and still the happiest easiest baby I've ever known. The only thing I would change is Daddy still insists she sleeps in our room, most of the time in our bed. I love her, but I also love my alone time and my bedroom should be a sanctuary. Children can sleep in our bed with us occasionally but nightly is a completely different story. I digress, Sav is perfection. She is a smiling princess piglet of perfection. I can not imagine what the next baby girl will have in store since I idolize Savs so much.

The next baby girl, whom shall remain nameless until her birthday since we can not decide on a name to save our lives, is active nightly and is still the best little pregnancy ever. THIS is how I can almost see the "I didn't know I was pregnant" shows can happen. If I was heavier I would never know I was pregnant. My belly isn't hard, its squishy, I have no other symptoms besides fatigue which can easily be chalked up to my schedule. If every pregnancy was like this I would have a dozen!

Ok off to clean the house, get a new tire for the car and do laundry...it never ends...but I love it.