My what is irritable??

So at the perinatologist appointment on Wednesday, I was very relieved to hear that my cervix had not gotten any shorter, and the level of excess fluid had not gotten any higher. But then she tells me that it seems that I have an irritable uterus.

Um, ok.

She said that the excess fluid is causing it to flair up, causing the more than normal Braxton Hicks I have been having, but not really affecting my cervix. I thought that sounded hilarious, and had to turn to the Googles to figure out exactly what she meant. After reading some things about it, it totally makes sense. Why I can't walk from my classroom to the gym without having contractions, or bend over, why it hurts my "uterus" to sneeze, why I thought I was in full blown labor and made an emergency visit to the OB last week, even why I thought I was experiencing a resurgence of morning sickness. There's also no definitive research as to if it's a causative factor of pre-term labor; some go past their due date and some deliver early. Well ok then, I guess I'll just chalk it up to another weird medical thing I have and move on.

On Thursday I actually felt pretty darn good all day. Granted I didn't get out of my chair much, but just before I left school I was thinking hmm I had a good day (physically) today. On my way out of the building I stopped to talk to another teacher, and while doing that I felt a gush of fluid. Like way more than the incident in September. Enough that I knew my pants were wet. I threw down my stuff and waddled as fast as I could to the bathroom down the hall. What I saw alarmed me, and I called for my preggo friend Chelsea to come see. So glad that I work with some of my closest friends who wouldn't think twice to look at my skivvies when I think something is wrong. That's love right there.

She too thought it was not right, and she and Deanna convinced me to call the doctor. Even though I knew they would think again that I peed myself. The nurse told me to go on in, especially since I have all the extra fluid because it does put me at a bit higher risk of preterm labor.

When I got to L&D the nurse(who didn't impress me much from the get go) quickly determined that once again, it was not amniotic fluid, which I honestly wasn't surprised about. But then she told me that I was dilated to 1 1/2. Say what?? Because 24 hours ago my cervix was completely closed on the sono, and the week before I wasn't dilated either when my OB checked. Between that and the fact that I was having a spell of contractions every 2-3 min, I was taken aback. She said they might do another sono to see what my cervix looked like, then went to call in to my OB to see what he wanted to do.

So needless to say when she came back in about 5 minutes and said ok he says you can go home, I was more than surprised. And for once a bit speechless. Mom was surprised too, and when she questioned the nurse about the contractions and being dilated, the nurse said my OB was less than impressed that I was dilated, due to it being my second pregnancy. When I did voice my concern, Nurse Rude said "well you can stay here as long as you want to, but I'm not checking your cervix again." Thanks for easing my mind so pleasantly.

I guess I'm just at a loss here. None of these things happening sound in the realm of normal, and although I didn't go to med school, I'm not a freaking idiot. Nor do they sound normal to any friends around me, and my mom can't believe they haven't at least put me on bedrest. But what do you do when your doctor is "less than impressed" by any abnormal symptoms you have, regardless of the fact that I'm only following his own directions on when to call your doctor. I feel like I'm being treated like a moron that's just panicking over little things. I'm seriously kicking myself for not going with a midwife, and have thought about contacting the one my friend at work sees, because I really doubt a midwife would blow off my instincts about my own body. I've pretty much decided that I'm not calling another doctor or visiting L&D again until I'm hurting so bad I can't talk or someone has to mop up my amniotic fluid.

Meanwhile, I've got the baby's bag all packed, and I've started my hunt for my hospital pajamas. Which is kinda hard to do when you can only go to a couple of stores before needing a nap. I really should start using the motorized carts. :)



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New Name!

Well I finally came up with a new blog name.  And good grief, if you know us at all, you know how fitting it is! 

Since it wouldn't be fair to Delaney if the blog was named after her brother, I have been racking my unclever brain to come up with some cutesy name to change it to, possibly something involving our last name. But alas, nothing ever came to me.....until the last couple of weeks when I finally resided myself to the fact that maybe our lives would never be "normal."  Not normal in the sense that most young families know, at least.  My life has always been a bit chaotic, but it was always just me, I never really dragged anyone else into it. And through every stage of mine and Christiaan's relationship I keep thinking.....well when he moves here....when we get engaged....when we get married.....when we get our own house.....

But by now we have reached each of those stages except getting a house, and it seems like each step brings its own version of crazy, or sometimes steps it up a notch.  My mom has always told Christiaan that one day he would see what normal looked like in our family, but I think we have yet to find that again.  Its actually one of the big reasons that my dad was so fond of Christiaan, because of the fact that he walked into this relationship without a second thought of what all he was being asked to take on at the time.  That and the fact that he knew just how passive a man it would take to corral me and my, ahem, flair for the dramatics....

Just to give you an idea of what I mean by crazy, here's a short run-down of events of the last 3 years....
-found out I was pregnant with Carter (and a whole slew of crazy that went along with that)
-Dad was diagnosed with leukemia, the same week mom found out she needed a hysterectomy
-my uncle almost died from pneumonia, the same week mom had surgery
-Carter was born
-the day we were released from the hospital, Grandpa was admitted and almost died the next day
-Christiaan got mono
-Christiaan moved here
-my Nannie broke her hip
-Dad relapsed, thus beginning 11 months of one horrible event after another
-Carter had surgery for ear tubes
-we got engaged
-Christiaan's Nanny died
-Aunt Karen's GiGi died
-we got married
-Dad died
-all the stuff with Mom's house being renovated, and we all had to move out, right after Christiaan had given up the lease on his apartment
-we had our official wedding
-got pregnant with Delaney, and since about week 25 she has been stirring up trouble herself

So there you go. And that's just the major events, thrown in the mix were multiple bouts of illnesses with all three of us, and other regular life struggles.  I know everyone has their problems, but I dare you to tell me that we haven't been through the ringer these last couple of years.

Maybe one day our lives will be normal, but then we will probably be bored. 

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the crazy.  But you know what??? Through a crazy amount of prayer and some leaps of faith, I'm still breathing, we have made it through each event, and are better because of or in spite of them. 

Today

One year ago today.....



I put on this little white dress....




And took my Daddy's big, strong hand, while my Momma pushed his wheelchair and the nurses pushed his IV poles....




And this man waited anxiously in the courtyard at Medical City Dallas....




And these people (and some random others inside the building) watched us repeat our vows to each other....




And we were married in the eyes of our God.

 In three short years both of our lives have changed incredibly.  If you don't believe in the hand of God being in charge of your life, come listen to our story.  A little over three years ago we were both wondering through life alone, waiting for that moment to happen when you realize your life is about to change.  Our paths had never crossed, we lived in two different cities.  And then one day.....

And just like that our lives came together. 

Even just reflecting back on what we have been through in the last year alone, I am amazed at what we have been through.  One year into our marriage and we are getting ever closer to meeting our baby girl, adding another piece to our little family.

My sweet guy, I cannot be grateful enough for you. I don't know how you tolerate me and my crazy parade, but I'm so glad you do! I am proud to be on this journey with you, and love the life we have started together, even if it means living in a one bedroom apartment atop a barn with two kids under two and two psycho dogs. All the more stories we will tell our grandchildren!  I can't wait to see where the next year takes us. I love you to the moon and back!

(Here's the story of how that day came to be, if you missed it!)

So about that 1%

Umm. Yeah.

Well that was Wednesday's news.

Polyhydramnios. Too much amniotic fluid. Who the hell?? Oh yeah, one percent. Me.

At this point it's a mild case, thank goodness, but it apparently justifies being monitored more closely. It seems to be the reason behind the frequent Braxton hicks(or what I thought were just BH), which could be the cause of the other news from yesterday...my cervix got shorter since they checked it two weeks ago. It's just over the normal length range, but the fact that it got so much shorter in two weeks is more reason to be monitored.

My main concern, obviously, is for The Diva's well-being, and as the doctor explained, most all mild cases are unexplained and have no effect on the baby. But possible reasons could be due to a large baby which she is not, mother having diabetes which I won't even go there again, and genetic disorders. I pretty much checked out after she said those two words, despite her saying out of four sonos they have done, she shows no indications of any. but as a mom, it's the holy crap moment you pray to never experience.

There are also a whole host of possible complications, most of which lead to pre-term labor and/or emergency c-section, but I'm choosing not to think about those since she said its considered mild as of now.

So I will go back in two more weeks for another sono to check on both of these issues, with the stern instructions to sit and rest as much as possible in the meantime and don't underestimate any small change in any symptoms I've been having. Any changes could lead to bed rest, and no part of my life has time for that nonsense. It's looking more and more like I'll be lucky to get to 38 weeks, but who knows. She's my child after all, she could very well give us all these fits and be two weeks late!

I do totally feel justified in feeling so swollen and distended, and it explains why my belly is so much bigger than with Carter. And again, the sono tech did a 3d one and actually got a shot of a smile before she replaced her hand dramatically across her face!

Thank God for technology. And sorry it is sideways.