Tonight seems so weird to me. I keep thinking back to this day last year-- the last day I taught school before going on bedrest! The picture above is from 1 year ago today and then today. In case you’re interested, here’s my blog from one year ago tonight (the rest of my current blog continues after this:
We had our 32 week appt scheduled for today after our ultrasound, but we never made it- I was admitted first! We had the biophysical profile and it looks like Emily is tipping the scales at about 4lbs 3oz, give or take some. We got the 4D u/s and got two semi-decent pics of her face, but nothing really great. She's awfully smashed in there! Then we did an u/s to check my cervix, and that's when things got interesting.
It seems during the past week I have lost 1.5 cm of cervical length and I'm now down to 6mm (yes, millimeters) left. The maternal fetal medicine doc was called in to interpret the u/s and started talking about me being admitted to lay upside down in the hospital from now until Emily is born. At one point in the conversation I finally stopped her and said, "So when are you talking that she might come out- are you thinking like, tonight?!" And she said it was a possibility because I had such little cervix left. She insisted I be driven across the parking lot to the hospital and I had to ride in a wheelchair up to the L&D floor...which is looking like it will be my new home while Emily cooks a little longer. If we can make it to 34 weeks they think that is another major hurdle, although personally I'd like to get her to 35 or even 36.
When I was admitted tonight they hooked me up to the contraction (ctx) monitor again and apparently I've been having little weenie ctx (I haven't felt them) that have been as detrimental to my cervical length as the bigger ones I do feel. I am on magnesium sulfate to try and stop them- they'll do this with me for the next 2 days and then they'll quit. At that point, the ctx will either stay stopped or they will start again. If they start again I guess I'll just be monitored for dilation and we'll think about delivering her if I get started dilating.
The good news with all this is that she's already gotten the steroid shots for her lung development and also she's a girl, which I didn't know but apparently girls have an easier time with being early than boys do. It's totally scary to me to think that she could be here in days or weeks....months I guess are totally out of the question.
Tomorrow's my birthday and it looks like I'll be spending it right here, in home sweet hospital. Funny how life throws curves, huh? It definitely looks like I will NOT be returning to work before she is born- they don't even want me "serving my time" (bedrest) at home, b/c they don't think I'll be compliant enough. Truthfully, as terrible as it's going to be locked up in the hospital, it would be very difficult to completely rest-- there's just too many temptations. This is honestly the best place for me, even if it's hard to deal with.
Keep our girl in your prayers- we really need some more time to cook and hopefully we won't meet her until the last week in September or early October.And there you have it. Had we had a crystal ball, we would have known that Emily wouldn’t come until 38 weeks, 3 days....when I was induced to have her! It’s so crazy for me to believe that she is 11 days away from being 11 months old....simply incredible. I remember all the times we were SO scared last year, waiting for her to be born (or NOT be born, as the case was many many times!) Now we are scared because she is wild, uncontrollable, and into everything! :) It’s been a while since I updated (school is keeping me incredibly busy- just ask my poor neglected husband and baby!!) so I’ll update you on her new “tricks”.
1.She can cruise! Emmy is now taking very small steps around her toys and Miss Jamey’s couch. This is a precursor to walking but I would be JUST FINE if she held off on the walking for a little while! :)
2.She is teething, again! Now the top 2 teeth are trying to come in (see photo above). Poor little thing has been up every night this week crying. I hate to see her suffer like this. Teething bites!
3.She gives “high 5’s!” If you put out your hand she will tap it lightly with hers and then just grin and grin. So funny! She is still very, very particular about who she will give a good bye wave to-- she won’t wave to me or Paul but will wave to the kids at Jamey’s.
4.She is almost 100% on “people food”. She really, really dislikes baby food and so she is almost completely eating people food. We will be beginning the transition to cow’s milk instead of formula starting at 11 months...Paul and I are so excited to not have to buy formula anymore! Now we just have to teach her to drink liquids that aren’t warm...she is definitely very picky about this!
5.She can unlock the dog crates. Enough said. This is HIGHLY inconvenient, especially since we mostly lock them up so she has a place to play!
6.We are planning her 1st birthday party! Mark your calendars- it’s set for Saturday October 25. Be there or be square! :)
OK...so that’s about it. Paul is on call tonight so I’m hitting the hay early. Tomorrow is my birthday and hopefully I can leave school in time for a celebratory dinner...if not, tomorrow is “Friday Eve” (this is a fave phrase with the teachers at my school!) so I know the weekend is right around the corner! :)
