Wisdom from my walk

well my appt went well today.  I had to wait a while which was frustrating but overall it wasnt horrible.   My bp was slightly up still; but not as bad as last week.   Baby # 3’s heartbeat was around 150 as it was on Tuesday at L&D.   I was relieved to see I hadnt gained any more weight and in fact had lost 2 lbs since last week!   that was nice to find out!   Just had to stop making and eating all of those christmas cookies!   Was told to continue to take things easy but that she didnt expect me to stay in bed, just that if I noticed more contractions or pain to lay down and drink some water; if that doesnt help then to call the ob’s office.   It’s great to see under risks on your chart, preterm labor.   I’m afraid in the weeks to come more will be under that note on my chart, I got the order to get my next diabetes check done.   It would be a miracle if I pass it.   At least only a few more months to go, it’s not like I’ll have to cut out sugar forever, I hope!   my c-section date is 3 months from this Saturday if nothing else happens before then.  sometimes 3 months sounds like  alot but lately it’s more of  a relief to know that at this point I’ve completed more of my pregnancy than what is left to complete so that’s nice.

There was a woman w/ her 13 month old who was due with #2 in February.  Another woman who had what looked to be a baby no older than 6 months was coming in for her first prenatal visit for baby # 2 as well.    I wonder if this is a new thing, women getting pregnant so close together or just something I never paid attention to before it happened to us.  If I had known that getting pregnant so soon would put me at risk for preterm labor I might have waited at least a few more months before not being so careless.   now it’s too late and that big warning label is on my chart and the words take it easy are actually orders I am going to do my best to follow.  Dean was a preemie and I’ve seen the pics of him so small and I dont want to have to deal with that with one of our own children.  So I’m not saying I’ll stop living life or being the obsessive compulsive house cleaner I am but I know I will continue to do things a lot less often and if I start to feel bad lay down.   Which is now.  I cant seem to get enough energy today, probably because I’ve done nothing but lay around for days, ok not really, amidst hours of resting yesterday I managed to get 4 loads of laundry done.  not too bad, it’s all about timing and planning rest.   Bo is napping and Dean is heading into work so I”m going to try to avoid looking at how messy he left the house while I was gone and catch some rest before it’s time to get Caleb.

Oh yeah, speaking of getting Caleb.  so yesterday Dean asked the next door neighbor if they could bring Caleb home from school when they get their daughter.   they agreed and Dean told the teacher and left a note saying so.   So about 15 minutes after dismissal time his teacher calls saying no one picked him up, luckily Bo was at the dr w/ Dean so I could easily drive up to get him but I was so angry.   So we wont ask them to help again.  I’mjust glad it worked out that I could go and not have to lift Bo.  But today it’s back to my having to get him and take Bo so we’ll see how that pans out.    dean and Bo went to have lunch with Caleb today while I was at the dr, sounds like they all enjoyed it, even Bo.  I”m glad he did that, it’s good for Caleb to have special times like that.    well I really need some rest….hope everyone is having a good week!

I’m glad I stuck with my motherly instinct and made Dean take Bo to the dr today.  he’s got double ear infections and pink eye.  He didnt really have symptoms of the ear thing but has been tugging at his ears now and then, and this morning it was worse.  I knew something was up when he napped for 2 hours today, he hasnt been napping well at all.   I’m suprised he slept all night with the ear infection but maybe thats because he didnt feel well and needed the sleep.   So he’ll get meds starting today so not sure anyone will want to babysit him since he’ll be contagious til he’s been on it for 24 hours.  I guess I’ll either take him to the dr w/ me or convince Dean to stay home so no one else gets sick.   I know I’m not feeling good now w/ a sore throat and runny nose and Dean’s been saying he doesnt feel good.    The timing on all of this sucks big time.  but I’m glad at least Bo will get meds and be better before it got really bad.  I only hope his ears hadnt been bad for long, but really we had no way to know other than him occassionally pulling on his ear, which is what Caleb did as a baby when he was tired so I tend to overlook it.    Why does it always all have to happen at once? what a way to ring in the new year!   the first week of the new year; guess it could be worse.

i should have known things wouldnt be easy.   so far this morning Bo slept but when he woke up he had a gooey red eye.  He’s had a clear runny nose for days but looks like things are getting worse.  Called the friend who was scheduled to help out today and let her know, so her baby doesnt get whatever it is that Bo has.   so flying solo til we can figure out what to do.  And of course I had to get bo out of his crib and changed this morning and today has to be the dayhe wants to be held.  I tried to put him down after changing him and he screamed, so not like him. he’s usually Mr Independent, dont hold me unless I climb into your lap.  So i guess it is going to be a lot harder than I thought.   My back pain is easing some but that’s after lying around for hours on end and not doing anything w/ the kids all day yesterday so maybe there is something to this resting thing.  just how to do it w/ a 13 month old.   hoping we can get Bo to the dr today for meds so we wont contaminate anyone else this week….

Well going with how things are different in each pregnancy this is another one of those things.  so the pain yesterday got worse and I wasnt able to sleep at all last night.  I ended up on the recliner in the living room with the heating pad but still couldnt get comfy.   this morning I told Dean I couldnt take care of Bo and he stayed home reluctantly.   I didnt know which dr to call, the ob or my pcp.   So I called the ob,since my appt was for this afternoon.  I told them I wanted to come in earlier she said they were booked and on the verge of tears I told her I didnt want to wait to be seen because of how severe the pain was.  She left a message and the nurse called back and told me to go to the ER.   I was frustrated at how busy they were but was then impressed with at the words pregnant, 25 weeks, stomach cramps and low back pain I was immediately given a wheelchair and almost before Dean arrived from parking was wheeled to Labor and Delivery.   great service, although I wasnt thrilled with the thought of why I was being whisked off so quickly.

I was contracting as I suspected, but only about 2 times an hour and their limit for doing anything is 4 contrax an hour.    I can almost bet I was contracting more through the night and yesterday than I was there, but then again that was 2 contrax an hour while laying there for about 2 hours, so I knew if I was up and about that things would probably be different.  Luckily my labwork was normal and my blood pressure was ok, but again the whole resting the whole time probably helped that.   The baby was very active and seemed oblivious except when he kept kicking while the nurse tried to monitor his heartrate.    So the drs orders were continue tylenol, up the dose, use heating pad and the kicker, rest and no lifting more than 5 lbs until my next appt when they reevaluate.   So of course that will be easier said than done.   she did say of course more contrax. would make the back pain worse as would lifting.  so to call if it got worse.    So my next appt is now for this upcoming Thursday and until then I need to figure out how not to take care of kids and still let Dean go to work.   I’ve got so many freaking weeks left for this to start already.   I would be more than willing to follow drs orders if I knew it would help.  Dean’s been home and for the last 2 days I’ve done my best to not lift Bo because it hurt too bad as is so rest has not helped.     so in my first pregnancy I didnt know what a contraction was until I was in labor after being induced at the hospital and even  then it took a lot for them to get my body contracting.  with Bo’s pregnancy I noticed contractions earlier and I vaguely remember them saying something about pre term labor but that was at least well into my third trimester, and days before my c-section I was even dilating and contracting fairly frequently.  So this time is different and it’s a little scary.  I wonder if it’s becuase the  pregnancies are so close together or something.  all I know is that this pain is horrible and at least now I know part of it from contractions the other part they think is just a muscle thing but neither the ob or the pcp is sure and of course they wont give me pain meds or any other tests to find out exactly what it is.   so it’s been a fun day!   we’re not sure how things will work out if this needing to rest and not take care of bo thing keeps up past this week but I know I dont want this kid to come anytime soon, yeah before 40 weeks is good but not before the third trimester!   so I better at least try to rest some so that doesnt happen.   well off to bed for me and hopefully some sleep finally.  Dean and the boys are heading to the mva to get the tags now that the van finally passed inspection yesterday.  so maybe one good thing will come out of him having the day off!

the only thing I ever need to be content on New Years is that at midnight I be in the arms of my loving hubby, and like the 8 years past I had the pleasure of kissing the man of my dreams at midnight!   Nothing could make me happier than celebrating the new years with my hubby.  We headed to Kohls earlier this evening after dinner so Dean could use his gift card to get a belgian waffle maker, yes that was what he decided to get, strange but after watching Alton Brown talk about waffles he was sold!   So I got a new bed set, complete w/ comforter, sheets, bedskirt, shams and whatever else comes with bed sets from Kohls and Dean a waffle maker!   Then we headed to a friends house to play games again. (after stopping to get a bottle of champagne per my request, it was good stuff too, much better than I’d been dreaming of for a few days)  the kids did a great job again, aside from wanting to snack non stop all night they did great letting us play.   Bo even went to bed in a pack and play without too much fuss.     We came home about 15 minutes before the new year and got the kids settled into bed and watched the fireworks on tv.   it was a nice mostly quiet evening.

one of the big highlights for me was going through a baby name book with my friend.  I’ve never been around for her pregnancies, we met them shortly after they had their youngest who is now 3+.   So it’s great to be pregnant and to get to share in this special time with her, as we’re both expecting our third child.    it’s early in her pregnancy so they dont know the sex yet so it was fun to be able to toss around girl names since we know we wont ever get to use a girl name ourselves.  so after a relaxing evening I feel a little more refreshed, but unfortunately still in pain.  well time to finish up a few things before I head to bed. just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year while I was up and the house is quiet!

Ugh….as if I wasnt already stressed about finances.   Today in the mail we got the notice saying that every 3 years properties are assessed and the value changes, thus changing what you pay in property taxes.  we already pay an ungodly amt as we live in the city, one freakin block over they get to pay much lower county taxes.    So, the appraisal said the value of our property went up about  $80,000.  Great if we want to sell I guess but not if we want to stick around.  theres no way we are going to be able to wing a higher mortgage payment to afford the new higher taxes based on the new property value.  Looks like we might consider going to Ohio sooner than later…..that or weeks after having baby #3 I will desperately start seeking work, yeah and how in the heck will I afford daycare for 3 kids so I can work.   Life just isnt looking up these days.

The sad part is that Dean makes a lot more money than anyone in our immediate families so it would seem we should not be struggling so, but I guess maybe it’s just living in the city that is screwing us, higher car insurance rates, higher property taxes, higher everything.   This really isnt helping my down mood today.   Dean’s still not home and doesnt have an ETA, and it’s already mid afternoon, he left at 8 am.  I put Bo down for nap around 11 and made the mistake of falling asleep on the sofa while Caleb watched tv for 2 hours.  When I woke I figured it had only been a brief time but I guess Bo was tired, he slept for 2 1/2 hours.  Caleb was fine but I feel like a horrible mom.    I needed the nap but now feel worse than I did before.   I want my hubby home and things to be easier but i know it’s actually going to get worse, esp at this rate if he’s going to have to keep a second job to make ends meet.    I dont know how people get by on minimum wage, like I said he makes decent money and we’ve cut everything non essential we can but it’s not helping.    stupid medical costs and car stuff.    next to go of course is our second vehicle…..what a freaking way to spend your new year, stressing over how in the world you’re going to afford the next week let alone year with another kid and new (to us) car expenses.    I just want to crawl back into bed and forget about it all…..