Abigail Jean

We are doing well and are enjoying this new little girl. I'll post our story later when I get a few spare moments!

OB Appointment #13

December 19, 2005 - 2:20 p.m. - Phillip Agrusa, MD
40 Weeks - 3 Days

Weight: -2 ½ lb. / + 13 ½ lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 120/70
Baby's Heartrate: good
Height of Fundus: good

I saw Dr. Agrusa because the nurse practitioner I had the appointment with was out sick. Dr Agrusa was my doctor during my last pregnancy. I like him better than the nurse so that was fine with me.

I had the non-stress test (NST). It was very uncomfortable. First of all I realized that they were going to have me lie on my back. That boggles my mind. You are told NOT to lie on your back past a certain point of pregancy because of the pressure it puts on major blood vessels and the discomfort it then causes. I asked the nurse how long I was expected to be in that position. She said about 20 minutes. I told her that there was no way I could tolerate that. I end up with major back pain and really bad nausea. Could I lie on my side? She said yes. She then strapped onto my belly the two monitors. One to monitor the baby's heartrate and one to monitor my contractions. I had with me a big ol' thick novel that I thought I would read during this time but that didn't work out so well.

It turns out that laying on my side wasn't satisfactory either. They are really not set up for doing this test properly. They need a bigger bed, not just an exam table. They need a bunch of pillows to prop up all the parts a pregnant woman needs propped up. I ended up using my book under my head for a while as a pillow. Later I used it between my knees because my hips were killing me. I just laid there wondering when it would end. I just about said 'forget it' and took the monitors off myself and called it quits. Dr. Agrusa came in and looked at the paper record of the baby's heart rate and said, "You have a perfect baby. Looks good." I really don't think I need this test. Why would they assume there is a problem in the first place? There is no sign or hint of a problem so it irks me that they proceed with that assumption. I hope I have this baby before Friday(12/23) because I'm scheduled for another NST then. Here's hoping.


BTW, I seem to have a mental block against absorbing the rules on how to use the lay/lie verbs. I just don't get it. I am convinced that I am in error where that is concerned in this post. I admit it. I know it's probably wrong, though hopefully, not every time!!

OB Appointment #12

Posting this late. Sorry!

December 13, 2005 - 3:50 p.m. - Julie Stevens, CRNP
39 Weeks - 4 Days

Weight: +3 lb. / + 16 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 104/58
Baby's Heartrate: good
Height of Fundus: good

When she came into the exam room, Julie asked if I was going to hang on to this baby forever. I replied that I probably would at least until the due date. Sheesh! It wasn't even my due date yet at that point. What is her big hurry!?!?!?!???! She also tried scaring me to death by saying that between 40-42 weeks the placenta starts breaking down and becomes less efficient and that the rate of stillbirth increases after 40 weeks. Brother! Like the due date is some magical date that "they" know the baby should be born by. Hello?!? It's an estimated due date. Estimated based on my WACKY cycle. So, who knows, the baby may not even be technically due yet. I say, when the baby is born, THAT was the due date.

She said that I need to come in twice a week now for a non-stress test. They want to be sure the baby is tolerating its environment. She wanted me to come in in 3 days (on Friday, which was my due date) for the first of these tests. Was I agreeable to that, she asked. I was taken by surprise and wasn't ready to argue so I just agreed. However, by the time I had walked out and gone to the scheduling desk, I had changed my mind and decided to make the appointment for the following Monday. At least Monday would be after my due date (still no need to assume there are problems tho').

Stress. Brother. The baby is fine but they are stressing ME out!!

Nothing Yet

There's no baby yet. I did go to the chiropractor today so maybe she stirred something up!! :-)

No Three Things Thursday. I just didn't feel up to it.

The cutest thing I've seen in a while

Let's see if I can adequately describe this scene.

A couple of nights ago I was snuggling with Adam on the couch and I was kissing his curly little head...

Adam: Kiss my head?
Me: Yes, I'm kissing your head.
Adam: Kiss all over?
Me: Yep, I'm kissing it all over.
Adam: My kiss it.

Then he proceeded to cock his head to the right and left, tilting it slightly upward, smacking the air and tried for quite a while to kiss his own head. It was totally hilarious!

Halloween 2005 Flashback

I never posted a picture of what I wore for Halloween. (Oops! I mean the church Harvest Party!) So here ya go:

Still going....

I was able to do all 3 things on my Thursday list. Yeah!

Narnia was GREAT with only a handful of things I didn't like. Overall it was excellent. Highly recommended!

The birthday party was fun (mainly for the kids...I wasn't too thrilled with the noise and chaos. 9 cousins age 10 and under...together! Whew!)

My kids' chimes concert went very well and I was so happy to be able to see them perform. A very Christmas-y event that I'm glad not to have missed.

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 13

I know it's almost Friday, but I AM getting this in just under the wire. I'll blame my pregnant state...

3 Plans I've made with a open mind.... (meaning the baby may come and alter my plans!)

1.) We have tickets to see Narnia tomorrow 4:45 p.m (matinee is cheaper!) I only hope I'll be able to go. Two years ago the final Lord of the Rings movie opened in the theatres the same day I delivered BonusBoy. I didn't get to go. And although we have the 4 hour director's cut DVD, I still have not watched it!!!! Jim has threated to go to the Narnia movie anyway even if I have to go to the hospital I 'kindly' informed him that that wasn't going to happen! grrrrr!

2.) We have a Saturday birthday party to go to for a nephew of Jim's. I hope we can make that as well.

3.) The two big kids have their chimes and bells Christmas concert this coming Sunday afternoon. I hope I will be able to attend that as well. This will be Padawan's first performance ever and I'd hate to miss it. PonyGirl has been doing it for two years now but this is Padawan's first and I have yet to see him at work! PonyGirl reports that he's doing very well. She seems proud of him. (Warms my heart!)

Against my better judgement

Jaymarie wanted a current picture of me since she can't be here this time. So here it is. Such as it is. *Sigh*

OB Appointment #11

December 7, 2005 - 3:50 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder
38 Weeks - 5 Days

Weight: +1 lb. / + 13 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 120/70
Baby's Heartrate: "acceptable" in the words of the Dr.
Height of Fundus: ?

She said my cervix was open "this much" and held up her forefinger and thumb just barely apart. So not too much development there. I was kind of expecting to hear 1-2 cm. because of all the contractions I'd been having. I felt really lousy when I was in the dr. office. I'd been contracting constantly for about 3 hours had a backache (which I still have) and felt nauseated and freezing cold. I was starting to wonder if "something" was happening. Apparently not. Not much anyway. I did get my prescription for Ambien the other day so I've been able to sleep fairly well. That is a blessing!

I'll be back to the doctor next Tuesday unless I see her before then.

Today I get to go for a one hour massage and then a chiropractic adjustment. Woo-hoo, I can't wait!!

Come out, come out, wherever you are

The numbers on my site meter continue to slowly increase but I don't know who is visiting. I know who some of you visitors are because you leave comments but there are more of you that don't. If you visit here very often at all would you mind saying, "Hi, I was here." You don't need to leave a comment per se, just let me know you were here, and maybe how you found me. I'm a curious sort! :-)

I'll leave this post on the top for a while so you may need to scroll down to see newer posts.

For MrsFish et al

A little while back MrsFish (whom I don't even know, I've just come across her through my sister, Jaymarie) mentioned that she was in need of more laughter. I was going to leave this link on her site but I decided to post it here for everyone's enjoyment.

So.. Here's to you Mrs Fish!

Washington Mutual Commercial

OB Appointment #10

For those of you who are interested in these stats, sorry for the late post!

November 30, 2005 (last Wednesday)- 4:10 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder
37 Weeks - 5 Days

Weight: +4 ½ lbs. / + 12 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 110/68
Baby's Heartrate: No clue. The doctor, my doula, and I were chatting and I didn't get the number. Must have been fine.
Height of Fundus: Again...chatting! (Go figure. Me, chatting!)

The doctor did an external exam of my abdomen and determined that the baby is head down. (good). She also did an internal check of my cervix and confirmed the baby's position and said that I haven't started dilating yet. That's fine. I wasn't checked until 39 ½ weeks with BonusBoy and I was at 1 cm. then. I go back in a week. This coming Wednesday.

Today I'm asking for a prescription for Ambien. I'm not sleeping very well at all. I'm not uncomfortable but I just keep waking up about every 40 minutes! Arrrgh! Saturday night I took the last of 6 leftover pills from when I was pregnant with BonusBoy. I love that stuff and I need more!!! I get some REALLY good sleep when I take it. I do pretty good if I take one every other night. Hopefully this Dr. ( a different one from last time) will not have any problems letting me have a prescription.

What's in YOUR wallet?

Don'tcha just love it when your credit card's minumum payment is LESS than the finance charge for that month? Yeah, sure. I'd love to be owing them forever. Not me. Try someone else. Sheesh!

Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 12

1.) I love the sound of a train going through town. I think I've always lived where I can hear the train at least from a distance. I only usually notice it when I'm in bed but it never disturbs my sleep. Whenever I hear it, I just smile and am thankful I am hearing it. I don't know why. I just do.

2.) I love the sound of an orchestra warming up. The dissonant sounds yielding the promise of good things to come. Makes me feel happy.

3.) I love the sound of a rip-roaring, crackling fire. Makes me feel warm even if it's not yet.

December 1, 2005

When I got into the shower this morning PonyGirl and BonusBoy were still asleep and Padawan was snuggled up on the couch with a blanket. When I got out of the shower I couldn't find any of my kids! After a brief search, I finally found them...





out in this overnight arrival...








(Click on the picture to get a larger view)

You can't see them very well because I took the picture from pretty far back. I still had a wet head and didn't want to venture out from the patio in my slippers!! :-)

BTW, PonyGirl got BonusBoy all dressed in a long-sleeved onesie, long-john type pajama bottoms, jeans, sweatshirt, socks, shoes, coat, gloves, and hat. He had a ball. Looks like she pretty much has it handled. Maybe I'll go back to bed!! ;-) (oh, I better go check about the diaper... I didn't ask about that!!)