Nerve-wracking 48 hours

For the past 48 hours I have been having contractions. I woke up to them Sunday night. Although I didn’t realize what I was feeling were contractions, they were coming quickly. After they slowed, I was able to go back to sleep. Monday morning I called my doctor’s office. The nurse sent me to Labor and Delivery where I spent 4 hours while they monitored me.

My GREAT friend Crysty took me since Ryan was in Tyler, TX (2 hours away). As Ryan was heading back to DFW, Crysty sat with me and kept me company. She really made the time pass quickly. They let me go & told me that I could go back to work as long the contractions didn’t come quickly. Since I had two contractions at the hospital on the way to the car, I felt it was best to not go to work but to go home and rest. So, I spent the night resting on the couch. My contractions lessened to once an hour or so and have stayed that way or lessened even more at times.

I went to the doctor today. He gave me the “all clear”…well, sort of. I can continue working with no bedrest. Thank goodness! AND I can go to Paducah this weekend. He wasn’t jumping up and down for our trip, but said that he didn’t think strongly enough about it to tell me to stay here. So, I’m allowed to work. I am not allowed to exercise or do any activities beyond working. Basically I have to take it easy when I’m at home & keep my feet up. That I can do! That is so much better than full-time bed rest!

Since this has happened, I will be heading to the doctor once a week so they can keep a closer eye on me. He said that we will take it week-to-week. That is ok, too. I know that I have to watch what I do & really take care of myself for Sydney’s sake. And, I will do all in my power to keep her safe.

Please keep the two of us in your prayers. Pray that she will come once it is time & she is ready. Also pray for wisdom for me to know when to stop & not do anymore.

I hope this blog finds you all doing very well & having a great week!! J

Ryan's blog

Ryan finally had a moment to update his blog. Check it out! :-)

Paducah & Pics

In two more weeks we'll be headin' to Paducah!! I am very excited to see all of our family! We will only get the long weekend in, but anything is better than nothing!! I just hope that we will be able to spend some quality time with everyone while trying to balance our schedule. It is so hard to go in and come home feeling like you didn't really get to visit with everyone OR that some felt that they did not get enough time! We always try to do our best when we go in to make sure everyone has equal time, but sometimes equal time just isn't enough. BUT...as my momma always says, "Beggers can't be choosers." Since we're all ready for this time, I guess we can't complain about it being a short amount of time or that we aren't with everyone the whole time. We will just have to be thankful that we get any time at all!

I've added some recent pictures of me. I'm 30 weeks today! Time sure has flown! I hope you all enjoy the pics!

My growing belly...again 

My growing belly 

Me at 30 weeks...only 10 to go! 

News 'bout Nathan

Congratulations, Nathan!!!

I found out last night that Nathan got a job & is moving to Nashville. When?! Monday!!! He starts his new job in 3 days! How crazy is that?! That even beats our record for quick moves. I’m happy for him though. That’s pretty exciting to get a job that quickly & to be moving to Nashville--of all places! We would LOVE to move to there…hmm…If we could only move my job to Nashville & find Ryan a job…;-) Anyway, I’m happy he’ll still be close to home & will have a steady job.

Love ya, Bud!!

Another GREAT appointment & GREAT friends

OK, I promise not to update you on every appointment from here on out! That would get quite redundant! But, I'm pretty excited about this one. At my last appointment I had gained quite a bit! I think I even shocked the nurse a little bit. But at this appointment I only gained one pound. Whoohoo!! Now, for all those concerned I ate healthy & enough to feed 2 adults! So, please don't worry that I am dieting. I just watched the nutrition side of what I was eating...probably what I should have done 6 months ago!

The rest of the appointment went well, too. Sydney is growing right on track! All looks to be going exactly the way it should!

There's no real news besides Sydney. We ran errands & Ryan worked on school work last weekend. We did get to go to the Morris' house last night for dinner & to hang out with them, the Parkers, and the Kimberlins. I LOVE hanging out with all of them. We are so fortunate to have them as friends. It is rare that you have one couple that you can hang out with much less 3! I am also thankful that they will be present when Sydney is born! Since it will be very difficult for family to be here, they will be our family at that moment. Rarely can you get people that would even attempt to fill that void! Most would bail out and not be there when you need them, but not these friends! They are awesome! God has blessed us. We have prayed and prayed to be closer to family. Although those chances have not come through, He has provided godly people in our lives to be our family when blood relatives are far away. Don't get me wrong...I still desperately miss my family!!! But, our friends come in a close second!! Thank you!!! I love you all!

That last paragraph came from a conversation that I had with Summer, Crysty, and Trica yesterday. They asked if they could come to the hospital when I'm having Sydney. They asked if they could come! I thought I would have to ask if they would come! No, not because I thought less of them, but because I wanted to make sure they were there. I was so excited! I told Ryan on the way home and he said, "Did you think they wouldn't want to be there?!" Yeah, he knew their awesomeness much more than I did. So, that is why I am gushing & so thankful for them. They are the best friends a gal could ask for!

Hopefully clearer pic of Sydney 

Sydney's face 

Pic of our baby girl's face 

Sonogram Day

Today we went to get the 3-D sonogram done. She gave us quite a scare because she was spine up. No, that isn't scary for her health, but it was quite scary that we had paid this money & wouldn't really get any pictures from it. We got there & I had followed all the directions. My bladder was full & I had drunk OJ. After several minutes & seeing that Sydney was not in the mood to move around, the lady suggested that I drink some apple juice. When that didn't work, she suggested that instead of driving back to Ft. Worth from Dallas on another day that we go to Target & walk around. She also suggested that I get a snack to eat. So we did. We got back & nothing. She had not moved at all! The sonographer then suggested that I try emptying my bladder. I did that as well as some exercise moves that my nurse had told me when Sydney was pressing on my syatic nerve. It worked!! She moved and we got some pretty cool pictures. Thank goodness!

While all of this was going on, the sonographer made the comment that she was quite ornery! Imagine that...my daughter being ornery. Ahh...it has already begun! ;-) Hopefully this will be a temporary thing & she will come and be like Ryan...laid back & happy with the world. My mom always says that "you pay for your raisin'". After thinking about that comment, in a way it doesn't make sense. Anyway, mom is quite ready for Sydney to give back to me everything that I gave to her. I expect that I won't get much sympathy from her. Oh well. From what I've been told, I can't blame her.

All in all, it was a wonderful day! It took a while for Sydney to cooperate, but she finally did. That's all that matters, right?! Hope you all enjoy the pictures.

28 weeks!!

Wow!! I can't believe I am already 28 weeks! I have 12 weeks left!! It is just amazing me how fast the time is flying. When you think 9 months, it really sounds like a long time. And...during the first trimester--when I was completely exhausted--I felt like it was going to take forever. Now that I've gotten my energy back (for the most part), the time is going faster than I can keep up. It is quite easy to start getting overwhelmed...like, what am I going to do with her when I go back to work?! I haven't found anyone or any daycares yet. I really need to get on the ball with that. Anyway, it is very easy to begin getting worried & anxious. BUT then I put it out of my mind (when there's nothing I can do about it) and just enjoy this time.

At the beginning of my pregnancy I felt weird because so many women would tell me that it is the most magical, memorable, wonderful time. I didn't see it. Sure, I thought it was neat that I was pregnant, but I really hadn't connected with the thought I guess. Recently she has begun to really move! My belly at times looks like a rodent is loose & trying to get out! Ok...don't ever tell my daughter that I compared her to a rodent! It is neat. It is neat to feel her move and to begin to feel body parts press against my skin. Tonight Ryan even got to feel her little toosh or head. One or the other was definitely pushing against my belly. He thought I was nuts when I said it was one or the other until he felt it. I think that's one of the coolest things. When he feels her his face just lights up. There aren't really words to describe the face he makes, but it is the most wonderful thing I've seen. He's going to make an awesome dad! Sydney is lucky to have him!

So, we have 2 days until we go back to see the 3-D pictures of her. These pictures should show us a little better of what she looks like...not that it matters really. But I'm excited to get a peak at her. Watch this blog in 2 days to see pics of our girl!!! Can ya tell I'm a proud momma already?!

Update on our little one

I had a doctor's appointment today. They did a diabetes test on me. FUN!! It really wasn't as bad as everyone made it out to be. They said I would have to drink some nasty stuff, wait an hour and have my blood taken. I did have my blood taken, but the stuff I drank wasn't really that nasty. It compared to the fruit drinks that my mom use to get when I was little. Do you remember the drinks that came in a plasic container shaped like a barrel? That's what it tasted like. I described it to Ryan as a watered down Hawaiian Punch. Could have been better, but definitely not horrible. Anyway, I will find out the results in a few days but am fairly confident that all will go well. I did all of the rest of the normal stuff: weighing, blood pressure, seeing the baby's heart rate. It was 149, so completely normal. It is SO relieving to get a positive result. We have been blessed to have her be healthy. I just pray it stays this way. It is really hard when it is completely out of your control. Well, I guess some things are in my control...like how much weight I gain. Oops...this time was a little too much!! Oh well. I'll just watch it from now on. It's hard though when you have both sets of parents come in the same month. We ate out A LOT!! That was definitely my downfall!! But, no more fast food for me! I am horrible about dieting or exercising, so I don't want to put too much on. I will hate trying to get it off. From what I hear, it is not that easy to get off in the first place. Anyway, the doctor didn't say anything, but I definitely knew that I had gained more than I really needed to gain.

All in all it was a great appointment! We got a positive result on our little one! She is healthy and developing right on schedule!! That's my girl! I'll start going every 2 weeks now. I can't believe that time is already here. Time flies!

We go next Tuesday for the 3-D sonogram. I can't wait!!! It will be a lot of fun to see what she's starting to look like. Only 13 more weeks and I'll see her in person!! Wow! I remember when I was counting down when Ryan came home from Kuwait. By the time we got to 13 weeks the rest of the time flew by!

We have plane tickets and will be in Paducah for Labor Day weekend. I'm really looking forward to seeing our family. It looks like everyone will be in except for Jon. We'll miss not seeing him!! I'm thankful everyone else will be able to be in then though. I can't wait to see them!