The Final Countdown

These last few weeks have been a blur. I guess mostly because life consisted of craziness at school, doctor appointments, and complete exhaustion. I was constantly on edge about going into labor at any moment, especially since the Diva was rolling around in my belly in every position but head down. A lot of research, effort, and several copays to the chiropractor were put into attempts to get her to flip, including one involving the ironing board and me being in a position you shouldn't be at 9 months pregnant, but in the end none worked.

The perinatologist started talking about the high possibility of needing a c section, and my brain went nuts. I was worried that my OB wouldn't be willing to work with me, and attempt to flip her before wanting to just do a c section. It was also concerning that if she did flip head down, that she may or may not stay that way, due to the extra fluid. I began to mentally prepare myself for having a c section, and all that that would entail. Talk about high anxiety!

In the end, even though I had been frustrated with my OB, he ended up being very open to discussing a our options. At my 36 week appointment we talked about my concern that we were running out of time, since my water broke with Carter at a few days past 38 weeks. Basically if my water did break, he told me I needed to get to the hospital pretty quickly to have a c section, since there was a high chance of cord prolapse with her not being in a correct position. But he also told us that he thought I was a good candidate for an external cephalic version to flip her, and that I may be also able to avoid having an epidural to do that since there was extra fluid. Once it was successful, he could go ahead and break my water before she flipped back. That seemed to us like our best option, even though it meant essentially choosing her birthdate, which I fundamentally have a problem with. He told me to discuss all this with the perinatologist the next day at my appointment.

So the next day I did so, except oddly enough with a doctor I never had seen in all my trips to that office. He told me he thought Delaney would be fine to do this procedure at 38 weeks, and even made a call to my OB while I was there to let him know.

The following Tuesday at my 37 week appointment, after confirming that she was indeed still breech, we started talking dates to schedule the version. Christiaan and I were hoping that he would go for doing it Friday, since it was only one day from 38 weeks, because the next option was the following wednesday, the day after Christmas. Unfortunately, he said he couldn't do it before I was officially 38 weeks, or he would get in trouble. So the 26th it was. This made me nervous, mainly because I was worried that my water would break before then, but also because she was getting bigger by the day and I wasn't sure what effect that would have on the version. But we didn't have a choice. I just turned it over to God as to what happened.

Little did we know what on earth our fiesty little girl had in mind... :)

Fall activities

I'm going to interrupt the string of pregnancy related news for a photo update.  Let me just say that things/Blogger/BlogPress app are not making it very easy to post pictures these days. A) My computer has been rendered completely useless by a virus it caught at my school, which I cannot afford to get fixed because, you know, ridiculous amounts of medical bills; B) Blogger keeps flipping pictures sideways randomly, and I only just this morning figured out how to remedy this; and C) My BlogPress app refuses to upload pictures. Useless. Completely useless.

Anywho, here are some things we have been up to this fall, via iPhone pictures emailed to myself and uploaded from a computer....



Carter helped Daddy carve a pumpkin.  Well Carter helped him clean it out, then watched from afar as he carved it.



The final product! Carter was so proud of it! Sidenote: He had been recovering from round 3 of the stomach bug that day, and after getting him down from the counter I discovered that he had had a small blowout, and left some on the counter.  Enter massive scrubbing/Lysol wiping/hot bleach water to sufficiently sanitize.

Buzz Lightyear at Trunk or Treat, prior to hitting up the games for candy. I had to make sure I was photographing my own child, as there were several Buzzes walking around

Sweet mercy.  His eyes basically looked like that under the glasses too.

Carter got to go to Baylor's homecoming game with us. I have never seen a 2 year so into a game! Screaming Touchdown! Fumble! Interception! Sic em bears! GO GO GO GO RUN FAST!! He was quite entertaining! Well until halftime, when, reminiscent of homecoming 2 years ago, th stands were cleared due to approaching severe storms. This time we did not hang out with 15,000 fans under the bleachers, but chose to wait it out in the truck.  Which by the way, was parked VERY close to the stadium since Mom loaned us the handicapped tag! Shhhh.....

The boys found ways to entertain themselves

And when the storm passed(which wasn't severe at all) we went back in and finished out the game.  And on the way out of the stadium, Carter was asking for more football.....

Making his Christmas wish list for Nana

Practicing how to hold a baby with cousin Jaden

The last belly pic of me and Chels taken the day before she was induced

And Miss Thang, AKA Leighton the next day! I literally cried when i met her! So precious, and made me so ready to have our own sweet girl in my arms!

Aaaannnnddd......round 3 of the stomach virus.  The night before my baby shower he came down with it. And this time he was totally miserable until Sunday night.  This may very well be the saddest face ever. 

But this was his face Sunday night, as he was on the mend!

He thinks he is big stuff wearing a Baylor hoodie like Daddy

On our annual visit to Ice at the Gaylord, we decided to take the boys this year. The theme was Madagascar, or Afro circus as Carter calls it, so we thought it would be a hit, and it was!

Carter, Raygen, and Brycen

Sweet picture of the kiddos, then the big boys decided to replicate it.....

We had Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Carter was pretty impressive helping Miranda make the "bana" pudding. Check out the tongue stuck out in concentration!

We took a ton of pictures in the front yard, and I stole this one from Devin.

Mom had the guys get all her Christmas stuff down, and they finally found this guy in the attic! She has been dying to let Carter have at it, since it was a staple toy when we were kids! Of course he loves it....

We took Carter to see Santa at Bass Pro.  He was stoked to see him, even practicing his cheese smile while we were in line!And he had been talking about what he was going to ask Santa to bring him. But walking up to him the nerves kicked in, and I had to coax/drag him near Santa. He refused to sit on his lap, but Santa offered to let him stand on the footstool, which Carter was ok with.  He wouldn't speak or look the poor man in the face, but when told to smile, this is what we got....what a ham! He was so proud of himself and kept saying "I did it! I say cheese! But Carter no sit on Santa lap..."

Well, that's about all I have on my phone! If anyone would like to donate free computer fixing services so that mine can actually function again, that would be awesome.....

I give up

Uncle. Mercy. Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

I don't do 9 months pregnant very well. Why on earth women would voluntarily do this over and over again is beyond me. Yeah, yeah, you get a sweet blessing from God, it's only temporary, and all that jazz, but seriously Michelle Duggar, what crack are you smoking?? I'm a huge Duggar fan, but 19 pregnancies?? Beyond nuts.

I hate feeling helpless and not being able to jump up and handle things. I hate asking for help. I hate not being able to do laundry or take out the trash because we live on the second floor and it's all I can do to go up and down the stairs. I hate that my 2 year old has watched movies so much in the last couple of months.

But everything I do makes me have contractions. Bending over, carrying anything, standing upright too much, even laying a weird way in bed at night. I hurt most all the time, for one reason or another. Going to church this morning and lunch afterwards absolutely wore me out.

It's super frustrating.

I've got things to do, lists to cross off, lessons to plan. And I can't seem to get any of it done.

I didn't feel this way with carter until the last week or so that I was pregnant. Obviously this pregnancy is a bit different and there are some added stressors that are making it a smidge complicated, and I'm older too. So where on one hand I really really want Delaney to stay put for a few more weeks so that A)her little body is better developed, and B) she has time to flip out of a breech position, and C) I can get paid for Christmas break, I'm also ready to not be pregnant and ready to hold my girl.

The perinatologist reduced my work hours starting last week and is also having me come in weekly for non-stress tests. Basically they monitor her heart rate for a half hour to make sure there are no signs of stress from the round the clock contractions and extra fluid. My OB's response was he thought it was overkill....it took every ounce of inner strength not to serve him a knuckle sandwich for dinner. Who says crap like that to a nervous, hormonal pregnant woman??

Then there are the nightmares. Oh good geez, pregnancy dreams make a bad acid trip look like a walk in the park. Not that I know what that's like. Some of them involve actually things I am nervous about, mostly in regards to labor and delivery, but the rest are just totally whack.

So hopefully my reduced work hours will help give my worn out body the rest it needs to keep the Diva put for at least 3 more weeks. I'm so grateful that she has held off this long, despite all the times I thought she was coming early. I can't possibly imagine having to leave my baby in the hospital after I was released. Which has been the subject of a couple of my nightmares. Carter has been asking lately about baby Laney coming out of mommy's tummy...wish I had an answer for ya dude!!


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