Dear Friends and Family,
A few weeks ago, just before we had our little scare, a friend of mine sent a message that his wife went into the hospital at 24 weeks with pre-eclampsia.
The doctor sent her home after a week to stay on strict bed rest, hoping to keep the baby in there for another month. This was about a week ago.
Today, she gave birth to a baby boy, at 1lb 6oz. His name is Joseph, and he is in critical condition.
Please, please pray for him. I know how effective all your prayers have been, and I know this little guy could sure benefit from your prayers just as much.
The parents' names are Jason and Kristen, and again, the little baby's name is Joseph.
The fear we had last week only is just one iota of a fraction of what this little family must be going through. Please pray!!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Pregnancy = Invitation to Be Rude
One thing I have noticed is that people seem to treat pregnant ladies with a certain bluntness, that I can say, is not always appreciated.
Among the more minor offenses is the perceived open invitation to touch my stomach anytime. This really doesn't both me all that much, but no one knows that as they go in for the reach. Aside from the "safe zones" of people's arms and shoulders...there are not many parts of the body that are just open for strangers to come up and touch. Yet, no one remembers that when there is a pregnant belly in sight: "I must touch it!! I cannot help myself!" People seemed to think to themselves.
But if this were the only thing, I really wouldn't care.
It's the other things I hear that are leading me to believe that people can say anything to a pregnant lady they could never say to anyone else, just because she is pregnant.
In the first trimester it was, "Kim...you look terrible!" Yes. Thank you, that was the look I was going for.
Since then, once the belly started to really show, here are a few winners:
"You look so big!"
"You get bigger and bigger every day!"
"That shirt makes you look huge!"
"When were you due? I would guess...like, yesterday!"
I try to have a good sense of humor about it, and maybe that's why I'm an easy target, because people can guess that...but in the end, it really is a guess on their part that I'm not super self-conscious about my increasing size. If it is a close friend, it really doesn't phase me, because they know those sorts of statements don't bother me (although, now they are adding up, they are getting a little annoying). But if they are not a close a friend, part of me wonders what they are thinking when they say these things! What woman really wants to be called "big" all the time?
The polite people say, "Oh, you're belly is so cute!" Not that I'm saying I have a cute belly, but if you want to make some exclamatory comment that cannot be taken rudely..people should say that. I know what they are saying..they are trying to say "you're getting big" and they are remarking on the increased size of the baby, but they are doing it in such a way that is tactful. I'll take "cute" anyday over "big."
Even to say, "The baby is growing!" is much better than to say "Kim you are getting so big." I know they are essentially the same thing, but one is not rude because it's commenting on a developing baby, and one is finding a loophole in the steadfast rule: Never call a woman big.
The one that takes the cake though, is the insistence of one of the people with whom I deal at work who insists that the early contractions have been brought on because I didn't listen to her and did too much work. "It's your fault this is happening" she kept saying. Meanwhile, me trying to keep my sense of humor, play it off like she's crazy, and that's nonsense, until I get in the car and the sense of anger at the inflammatory accusation sinks in.
Yes. I intentionally worked too hard so that I would go into early labor and thus endanger my own child. That was it. You caught me. Never mind that my own physiology clearly has something to do with it...it was just all my fault, I should have listened to you everytime you badgered me into not moving a glass full of water because it was too heavy and I would hurt the baby.
What kind of person says that this is all my fault?! Anxiety caused by comments like that does far worse for the baby than anything I may have lifted or moved.
Anyway, this ranting is probably no longer good for me...but I've just bombarded with an onslaught of these comments today...and it's kind of getting annoying.
Sorry for the bad mood blog....I love you guys!!
Among the more minor offenses is the perceived open invitation to touch my stomach anytime. This really doesn't both me all that much, but no one knows that as they go in for the reach. Aside from the "safe zones" of people's arms and shoulders...there are not many parts of the body that are just open for strangers to come up and touch. Yet, no one remembers that when there is a pregnant belly in sight: "I must touch it!! I cannot help myself!" People seemed to think to themselves.
But if this were the only thing, I really wouldn't care.
It's the other things I hear that are leading me to believe that people can say anything to a pregnant lady they could never say to anyone else, just because she is pregnant.
In the first trimester it was, "Kim...you look terrible!" Yes. Thank you, that was the look I was going for.
Since then, once the belly started to really show, here are a few winners:
"You look so big!"
"You get bigger and bigger every day!"
"That shirt makes you look huge!"
"When were you due? I would guess...like, yesterday!"
I try to have a good sense of humor about it, and maybe that's why I'm an easy target, because people can guess that...but in the end, it really is a guess on their part that I'm not super self-conscious about my increasing size. If it is a close friend, it really doesn't phase me, because they know those sorts of statements don't bother me (although, now they are adding up, they are getting a little annoying). But if they are not a close a friend, part of me wonders what they are thinking when they say these things! What woman really wants to be called "big" all the time?
My usual response is "Well, that's what happens!" or "it would be weird if the baby got smaller, wouldn't it?" or something that doesn't make them think I'm having an emotional pregnant moment...but enough to also communicate, "I have no response to that." After all, what am I supposed to say after someone says how big I am getting...."Thanks"?
The polite people say, "Oh, you're belly is so cute!" Not that I'm saying I have a cute belly, but if you want to make some exclamatory comment that cannot be taken rudely..people should say that. I know what they are saying..they are trying to say "you're getting big" and they are remarking on the increased size of the baby, but they are doing it in such a way that is tactful. I'll take "cute" anyday over "big."
Even to say, "The baby is growing!" is much better than to say "Kim you are getting so big." I know they are essentially the same thing, but one is not rude because it's commenting on a developing baby, and one is finding a loophole in the steadfast rule: Never call a woman big.
The one that takes the cake though, is the insistence of one of the people with whom I deal at work who insists that the early contractions have been brought on because I didn't listen to her and did too much work. "It's your fault this is happening" she kept saying. Meanwhile, me trying to keep my sense of humor, play it off like she's crazy, and that's nonsense, until I get in the car and the sense of anger at the inflammatory accusation sinks in.
Yes. I intentionally worked too hard so that I would go into early labor and thus endanger my own child. That was it. You caught me. Never mind that my own physiology clearly has something to do with it...it was just all my fault, I should have listened to you everytime you badgered me into not moving a glass full of water because it was too heavy and I would hurt the baby.
What kind of person says that this is all my fault?! Anxiety caused by comments like that does far worse for the baby than anything I may have lifted or moved.
Anyway, this ranting is probably no longer good for me...but I've just bombarded with an onslaught of these comments today...and it's kind of getting annoying.
Sorry for the bad mood blog....I love you guys!!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Third Trimester!
Well, today, April 10th, marks the three-month point from Baby Michael's due date. While we are all a little suspicious as to whether he'll actually wait until July 10th, I am at least relieved that we are one week closer than when those worries started last Thursday.
This week has been pretty good, and I've been doing my best to take it easy and get some rest. Michael has been taking really good care of me (us) and helping to relieve some of the back pain I've been having with some nice back rubs before bed.
We've also been working overtime to prepare for labor and delivery, which, hopefully not, but may come sooner than later. We picked up some books on a particular method of childbirth and have signed up for classes at the hospital. These books have us do mental exercises to learn to relax and mentally prepare for childbirth. There are also some stretches and exercises I have been doing to prepare my body, and ease some of the aches that come along with the third trimester.
Some of the exercises are kind of weird, but it is something that we are doing together to get ready for the baby and increase our chances of having a natural childbirth, so I don't mind them.
Baby Michael seems to be doing very well. He's is continuing to be very active and is squirming around a lot. A LOT. He seems like such an active baby that sometimes I forget that he is still so little and fragile and needs a lot more time to grow in there. But he already seems to have so much personality, it seems like he is more ready to come out than he actually is.
He hates it when I take medicine if I have contractions. He goes insane...it's like a little cyclone in there. I don't even know what he could possibly be up to that creates the type of feeling I get...but he just goes nuts on that medicine. I can tell it speeds up my heartrate, and so it must do the same for him, but imagining that he is stuck in there with no way to burn off his increased energy...he goes so crazy. I feel so bad when I have to take that medicine, but it's better than letting my contractions continue. It just seems like he is so uncomfortable when I do that to him.
Normally, though, the baby is happy and moving around like the busy little boy that he will probably be. This morning, Michael was talking to me while he was getting ready for work, and as soon as Baby Michael heard Daddy's voice, he woke up and started kicking and moving around. I bet he can't wait to meet that funny man who is always making mommy laugh.
Baby Michael also seems to prefer me to sleep on my right side these days, because he frequently will kick and squirm incessantly if I am on my left side. Maybe that is a day by day thing, but he just would not settle down last night until I rolled over to the other side, then he quieted down right away.
Thank you for your continued prayers! We are on the last leg of the race, and are grateful for another healthy week!
This week has been pretty good, and I've been doing my best to take it easy and get some rest. Michael has been taking really good care of me (us) and helping to relieve some of the back pain I've been having with some nice back rubs before bed.
We've also been working overtime to prepare for labor and delivery, which, hopefully not, but may come sooner than later. We picked up some books on a particular method of childbirth and have signed up for classes at the hospital. These books have us do mental exercises to learn to relax and mentally prepare for childbirth. There are also some stretches and exercises I have been doing to prepare my body, and ease some of the aches that come along with the third trimester.
Some of the exercises are kind of weird, but it is something that we are doing together to get ready for the baby and increase our chances of having a natural childbirth, so I don't mind them.
Baby Michael seems to be doing very well. He's is continuing to be very active and is squirming around a lot. A LOT. He seems like such an active baby that sometimes I forget that he is still so little and fragile and needs a lot more time to grow in there. But he already seems to have so much personality, it seems like he is more ready to come out than he actually is.
He hates it when I take medicine if I have contractions. He goes insane...it's like a little cyclone in there. I don't even know what he could possibly be up to that creates the type of feeling I get...but he just goes nuts on that medicine. I can tell it speeds up my heartrate, and so it must do the same for him, but imagining that he is stuck in there with no way to burn off his increased energy...he goes so crazy. I feel so bad when I have to take that medicine, but it's better than letting my contractions continue. It just seems like he is so uncomfortable when I do that to him.
Normally, though, the baby is happy and moving around like the busy little boy that he will probably be. This morning, Michael was talking to me while he was getting ready for work, and as soon as Baby Michael heard Daddy's voice, he woke up and started kicking and moving around. I bet he can't wait to meet that funny man who is always making mommy laugh.
Baby Michael also seems to prefer me to sleep on my right side these days, because he frequently will kick and squirm incessantly if I am on my left side. Maybe that is a day by day thing, but he just would not settle down last night until I rolled over to the other side, then he quieted down right away.
Thank you for your continued prayers! We are on the last leg of the race, and are grateful for another healthy week!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
A Crazy Week
Well, a week that started out as normal sure ended up wacky. I'm hoping last night/early this morning was the end of the wackiness for a while.
Monday began with a great doctor's visit and nothing to worry about. I had experienced some mild cramping the week before which the doctor told me to keep an eye on, but nothing too bad.
On Tuesday and Wednesday night, and Thursday during the day, I experienced more cramping, but wasn't too alarmed, so I dutifully called the doctor and let him know.
I thought he was going to have me just take it easy and "see how I feel." But I was shocked at his instructions to go to the hospital and have it checked out. So, I left my meeting and went to the hospital, thinking they would just strap me to a contraction monitoring machine and I would be on my way in about an hour.
Not so.
I arrived there and they had put me in a labor room, they had me get into a hospital gown and they strapped me up to the machine. I was having contractions.
They performed a series of....well..I just say "invasive" tests. One which determined that I was beginning to dilate slightly (as my birthing book described it: the door was starting to open so the baby could come out). Fortunately, it wasn't open too much, but at this early stage in pregnancy, it shouldn't be open at all or even "unlocked." That caused some concern.
They also performed a test which is supposed to be able to anticipate if the baby is going to be coming in the next two weeks. Basically, if there are any fetal cells where they shouldn't be, then this kid is coming early.
After 2.5 hours of waiting for the results of that test, I am happy to say that it came back negative, but still had the contractions and the dilation as a concern in the forefront of my mind. They gave me a shot for the contractions and just told me to go to my doctor in the morning for him to check.
Now, this medicine for the contractions relaxes my muscle, but makes my heart and the baby's heart feel like we drank about 5 cups of coffee. It's a very uncomfortable feeling. The poor baby just does summersaults inside me. My stomach at one time looks like someone was shaking it with a massager because it was going back and forth so fast. The poor kid didn't know what to make of it.
So, the next day I went to the doctor and he checked me out and didn't seem to concerned. But he did recommend one solution that might help with the dilation: my old friend, progesterone. After sending me down to the labs, to test me levels, I went back up to the doctor for a shot. Apparently, shots at the beginning, and then we might see about getting pills.
I relaxed all day, drank plenty of water, and relaxed all night. Michael came home, we watched a movie until late, but everything seemed to be fine.
I got up and used the restroom, washed my hands, and while I was washing my hands, I got another scare, but this one was a doozy.
I felt water leaking all over me. It started as a drip and increased to a trickle until I ended up calling Michael in a panic because, for a person who never had her water break, I swear my water broke. I mean, what else could it be? I just went to the bathroom...and this didn't feel like anything I've ever felt before.
So we are rushing around the apartment, hurrying to get out, call the doctor, call family, and make it to the hospital. We were trying not to freak out, and praying definitely helped us stay calm, but needless to say, it was pretty worrisome.
After a few hours in the hospital, more tests, and inspecting what that liquid might possibly have been, it was determined....and I'm embarrassed to say, that it was probably nothing other than having had too much water to drink, and the baby probably gave me a kick in a spot where it was impossible to control what was coming out.
This is what the nurses said...and I trust them, but cannot reconcile how I would have mistaken a normal body function that I've gotten quite good at mastering (going to the bathroom) with something as unusual as what I experienced. I mean, I'm glad it wasn't my water breaking, but I still can't possibly remember at any point thinking to myself that this was a familiar sensation. It was not. But, I'll take being wrong, and, dare I say, being dubbed "incontinent" any day over an early delivery.
I actually like Michael's mom's explanation much better: it was just a miracle....something did go wrong, but with all the prayers everyone was praying, He made it ok. I will definitely take that because I know Michael's parents and sisters and my parents (I didn't call the Campbells because I didn't want to send them into a panic with their little ones...especially if it turned out to be nothing) were praying and we were praying intensely.
That explanation is a little easier on my ego too. :)
They kept me in the hospital for a while because I was having more contractions, but gave me another shot, and sent Michael and I home for the night.
I feel relieved, but I also feel bad. My parents had gotten up, showered, packed and were ready to head out the door, and Michael's parents had driven down. We were released and walked into the lobby in just enough time to see them come in. Of course, everyone was just relieved it was ok, but I feel bad throwing everyone into a panic for that.
So, today I am resting and hoping next week is a little less eventful. Thank you for your prayers!!
Love,
Kim, Michael, and Baby Michael (who we want to meet, but not right now!)
Monday began with a great doctor's visit and nothing to worry about. I had experienced some mild cramping the week before which the doctor told me to keep an eye on, but nothing too bad.
On Tuesday and Wednesday night, and Thursday during the day, I experienced more cramping, but wasn't too alarmed, so I dutifully called the doctor and let him know.
I thought he was going to have me just take it easy and "see how I feel." But I was shocked at his instructions to go to the hospital and have it checked out. So, I left my meeting and went to the hospital, thinking they would just strap me to a contraction monitoring machine and I would be on my way in about an hour.
Not so.
I arrived there and they had put me in a labor room, they had me get into a hospital gown and they strapped me up to the machine. I was having contractions.
They performed a series of....well..I just say "invasive" tests. One which determined that I was beginning to dilate slightly (as my birthing book described it: the door was starting to open so the baby could come out). Fortunately, it wasn't open too much, but at this early stage in pregnancy, it shouldn't be open at all or even "unlocked." That caused some concern.
They also performed a test which is supposed to be able to anticipate if the baby is going to be coming in the next two weeks. Basically, if there are any fetal cells where they shouldn't be, then this kid is coming early.
After 2.5 hours of waiting for the results of that test, I am happy to say that it came back negative, but still had the contractions and the dilation as a concern in the forefront of my mind. They gave me a shot for the contractions and just told me to go to my doctor in the morning for him to check.
Now, this medicine for the contractions relaxes my muscle, but makes my heart and the baby's heart feel like we drank about 5 cups of coffee. It's a very uncomfortable feeling. The poor baby just does summersaults inside me. My stomach at one time looks like someone was shaking it with a massager because it was going back and forth so fast. The poor kid didn't know what to make of it.
So, the next day I went to the doctor and he checked me out and didn't seem to concerned. But he did recommend one solution that might help with the dilation: my old friend, progesterone. After sending me down to the labs, to test me levels, I went back up to the doctor for a shot. Apparently, shots at the beginning, and then we might see about getting pills.
I relaxed all day, drank plenty of water, and relaxed all night. Michael came home, we watched a movie until late, but everything seemed to be fine.
I got up and used the restroom, washed my hands, and while I was washing my hands, I got another scare, but this one was a doozy.
I felt water leaking all over me. It started as a drip and increased to a trickle until I ended up calling Michael in a panic because, for a person who never had her water break, I swear my water broke. I mean, what else could it be? I just went to the bathroom...and this didn't feel like anything I've ever felt before.
So we are rushing around the apartment, hurrying to get out, call the doctor, call family, and make it to the hospital. We were trying not to freak out, and praying definitely helped us stay calm, but needless to say, it was pretty worrisome.
After a few hours in the hospital, more tests, and inspecting what that liquid might possibly have been, it was determined....and I'm embarrassed to say, that it was probably nothing other than having had too much water to drink, and the baby probably gave me a kick in a spot where it was impossible to control what was coming out.
This is what the nurses said...and I trust them, but cannot reconcile how I would have mistaken a normal body function that I've gotten quite good at mastering (going to the bathroom) with something as unusual as what I experienced. I mean, I'm glad it wasn't my water breaking, but I still can't possibly remember at any point thinking to myself that this was a familiar sensation. It was not. But, I'll take being wrong, and, dare I say, being dubbed "incontinent" any day over an early delivery.
I actually like Michael's mom's explanation much better: it was just a miracle....something did go wrong, but with all the prayers everyone was praying, He made it ok. I will definitely take that because I know Michael's parents and sisters and my parents (I didn't call the Campbells because I didn't want to send them into a panic with their little ones...especially if it turned out to be nothing) were praying and we were praying intensely.
That explanation is a little easier on my ego too. :)
They kept me in the hospital for a while because I was having more contractions, but gave me another shot, and sent Michael and I home for the night.
I feel relieved, but I also feel bad. My parents had gotten up, showered, packed and were ready to head out the door, and Michael's parents had driven down. We were released and walked into the lobby in just enough time to see them come in. Of course, everyone was just relieved it was ok, but I feel bad throwing everyone into a panic for that.
So, today I am resting and hoping next week is a little less eventful. Thank you for your prayers!!
Love,
Kim, Michael, and Baby Michael (who we want to meet, but not right now!)
Friday, March 28, 2008
Turkey Dinner, Take 2
Since baby Michael had kept me from enjoying Thanksgiving dinner last year, I kept promising myself that I would give it another go, just to make up for it.
Tonight, Michael took me out to dinner at Mimi's and I ordered their turkey dinner and it was SO delicious! Probably not as good as what I would have eaten at the Campbells or the Barbers (well, I did get a little bit at each place but I was just in a better place this time around to eat it).
Everything is going well for us down here. I am feeling good, but just feeling a bit heavier, and Michael is working away diligently as ever. Baby Michael is spending more of the day active and busy and seems to take a liking to pushing up against my abdomen wall so there is a constant hard spot for a few minutes at a time. I don't know what body part he is using to do that. Sometimes I envision it is his feet pushing, or...to be honest, I don't really know what he is doing in there. But when he does it, I try to push back a little and talk to him, just to get some interaction. Sometimes he responds by moving away, sometimes he'll give me a few jabs in that spot.
I have noticed he spends a lot of his time during the day with some body part or another, again, I'm assuming a foot, up in my rib cage area. It feels like he is wedging his foot underneath the last two ribs on my right side. Whether that's what he is really doing, I'm not sure. But I'm not a huge fan of that little habit. I try and press my hand up there and get him to move whatever he's got up there away. He usually does pretty promptly, but not without giving me a few jabs in protest immediately afterward.
All in all, he seems to be a very good baby...he doesn't give mom too much trouble at night and he hasn't been causing too many aches or pains for me either.
Michael and I are agreed for sure on one thing: we cannot wait to meet this little man!!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Our Budding Academic
It seems that Baby Michael is already taking after his daddy: staying up late to work on papers!
Michael, the baby and I had an all-night vigil on Thursday-Friday for Michael's paper. Michael took care of the hard stuff of writing the paper, while I tweaked the Bibliography and made us nachos.
I was expecting the baby to fall asleep while I typed. I wasn't moving around, I was sitting in the chair, but I guess he wanted it to be a family affair and stay up with the rest of us because that baby did not sleep at all!!
He had been awake much of the day, and he usually sleeps at night when I sleep (thankfully!) but last Thursday, was not the case. He was up the whole time!
Finally, when I got around to getting to bed, after many hours of the poor kid being sleep deprived, he went to sleep. What I perceive to be his sleep schedule has been a little off since then. He still sleeps at night but it takes him a bit longer to settle down, and he seems to be much more quiet during the day than before. Normally, I could count on him to be doing something every hour, but now it seems more common that I could go multiple hours without him moving, and then, usually after I eat, he'll stir around.
It was both fun to have him up with us in one sense (he was in solidarity) but after a while, it got kind of distracting. He wasn't just moving in there, he was doing all sorts of acrobatics. It almost seemed like he was bugged with me and was trying to get me to get out of the sitting position so he could sleep. I actually started feeling sorry for the poor kid and that was a primary motivation for leaving when I did. It wasn't just that I was tired, but I felt like i needed to let this poor baby sleep!
Our silly little boy!
Michael, the baby and I had an all-night vigil on Thursday-Friday for Michael's paper. Michael took care of the hard stuff of writing the paper, while I tweaked the Bibliography and made us nachos.
I was expecting the baby to fall asleep while I typed. I wasn't moving around, I was sitting in the chair, but I guess he wanted it to be a family affair and stay up with the rest of us because that baby did not sleep at all!!
He had been awake much of the day, and he usually sleeps at night when I sleep (thankfully!) but last Thursday, was not the case. He was up the whole time!
Finally, when I got around to getting to bed, after many hours of the poor kid being sleep deprived, he went to sleep. What I perceive to be his sleep schedule has been a little off since then. He still sleeps at night but it takes him a bit longer to settle down, and he seems to be much more quiet during the day than before. Normally, I could count on him to be doing something every hour, but now it seems more common that I could go multiple hours without him moving, and then, usually after I eat, he'll stir around.
It was both fun to have him up with us in one sense (he was in solidarity) but after a while, it got kind of distracting. He wasn't just moving in there, he was doing all sorts of acrobatics. It almost seemed like he was bugged with me and was trying to get me to get out of the sitting position so he could sleep. I actually started feeling sorry for the poor kid and that was a primary motivation for leaving when I did. It wasn't just that I was tired, but I felt like i needed to let this poor baby sleep!
Our silly little boy!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The Registry
So, just as I am done organizing and putting stuff away from the wedding registry, it's time to make a new one...where am I going to fit all this stuff?
I went to Babies 'R' Us to set up a registry and found it even more overwhelming than Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It was so hard for me to figure out what to put on there. Partly because there is so much stuff, partly because most of it is not just about our tastes, but finding stuff for this other person who I have spent 6 months with but don't know what he'll like or dislike, and partly because it's not just about cost, taste or style, but also about safety for this little guy, it's hard to know what to choose.
I definitely walked away from Babies 'R' Us with a desire to subscribe to Consumer Reports and dig up some safety facts on Car Seats, Play Pens, Strollers, High Chairs, etc.
And once the safety issue is addressed, what about convenience and Mom and Dad approval rating? In high chairs alone, there is such a wide variety of people rating these chairs anywhere from love it to hate it...who do I believe? I want a chair that is nice and not junky, but also one that is easy to clean and comfortable...I want a stroller that is light enough to easily collapse into a car, but durable enough to provide a safe, comfortable ride for the baby, and last for whatever other children God may bless us with.
This is much harder than just choosing what lamp I like best, or china patterns we like!!
On top of it all, many things to register for I know can be found much cheaper at other stores like Costco or Target. Why register for Baby Wipes or diapers at Babies R Us when more could be bought for much much less?
I guess the parenting stuff starts now in putting in the leg work to find the safest stuff for Baby Michael!
One thing I must say being around all that baby stuff is...I can't wait for him to come!!!!
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