Almost 30 Weeks ...

Sssssoooooo, things have been eventful around these parts and I'm just now able to update the blog.  As always, it's not just negligence on my part, I have an excuse!  This time it's a pretty good one; here's the story:  Last Tuesday I went in to take my glucose test (to see if I had gestational diabetes) and while I was there, they took my blood pressure.  It was high (I don't remember the exact number, it was one forty-something over ninety-something), and everyone kind of freaked out.  Now, I have always had kind of high blood pressure, and even went through a time about 5 or 6 years ago where I was on medication for it (it was during 2006 when I was graduating from law school, looking for a job, studying for the bar exam, and planning a wedding - I had a lot going on, so I think the high blood pressure was understandable, but that's just me), but I recognize that I'm pregnant so the rules are different.  Dr. Leflar put me on bed rest for Wednesday and Thursday, and I was told to come back in on Friday, they'd check it, assuming it was fine we would all go on and write off Tuesday as an anomoly.  You can guess what happened on Friday.  I get there and, of course, it's high.  Dr. Leflar starts talking about the risks in pregnancy with high blood pressure and then throws out the idea of hospitalization.  Then he takes my blood pressure again.  Needless to say, with all of that on the table, my blood pressure was only getting higher.  So I got to spend 24 hours in St. Mary's Hospital with a catheter (I will refrain from elaborating on that ... just ... no) and having my blood pressure taken periodically.  They put me on a low dose medication and bed rest until Wednesday and the good news is that seems to have worked - blood pressure is down to a good level with the medication, and they've restricted my work schedule to half days four days a week and bed rest the rest of the time, which is manageable.  The better news is that Baby Boy Ward is doing well and wasn't disturbed by any of this at all, at least not that anybody noticed - his heartbeat and movement remained strong and regular throughout all of this, so he's a trooper.  Anyway, now that you know all of that, how about an update and the promised pictures (everybody say, "Yay, Jill, for putting batteries in the camera!")

4-D Ultrasound - do you think he looks like anyone in particular?  I think he looks like Alan ... Alan thinks he looks like a baby :o)!



29 weeks and 5 days - see how much I love maternity jeans!

Pregnancy Update

How far along? 29 weeks, 5 days

Total weight gain:  Unknown, but I'm pretty sure it's around 15 pounds.  I lost a little bit of weight in the hospital (hospital food:  not a fan).

 

Maternity clothes? Love my maternity jeans, love that they make it obvious that I'm gestating and not just letting myself go.

 

Sleep:  Must have a Breathe Right strip to sleep well.

 

Best moment this week: Getting out of the hospital, getting back to normal on Wednesday (or as normal as possible at this point).

 

Movement: Stronger and more frequent - he's having a good time in his little home!

 

Gender:  Boy ... he's a boy in search of a name ...

Labor Signs: None, thankfully.

Belly Button in or out? In, but getting more shallow. 

 

Cravings: None to speak of, really ... as I type this, I'm enjoying a strawberry Crush, which I have never had before, but just sounded good, so maybe that qualifies as a craving.

 

Symptoms:  Snoring, my hands/fingers are swelling (I refer to them as my "sausage fingers") and I have self-diagnosed myself with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (which, in all fairness, What to Expect When You're Expecting lists as a legitimate symptom of pregnancy). 

What I miss: Being able to sit comfortably for a long period of time ... I really noticed this on Thursday when I went to a CLE seminar ... by the end of it, my back was hurting and I was really needing to stretch out.

Weekly Wisdom:    Doctors know best.

Milestones: Alan got to feel him move!

I'm also including pics of the spoiled labradors, who stayed home with me while I was on bed rest - my little guardians!  They are so sweet ... I think animals definitely have a sixth sense and know when you are sick and know to be careful around you and extra sweet to you.  They were as sweet as they are capable of being, since they are so spoiled.  You should particularly enjoy the pic of Layla - I got up to go to the bathroom and she leapt up on the couch onto the nest I had made for myself ... she really go into it, reclined herself, really got comfortable.  Layla in particular has been extra snuggly and affectionate with me lately.  She's always sweet, but she's usually a little stand-offish, she doesn't need to be petted or need constant attention the way Augie does, but nowadays she always wants to be sitting by me or putting her head on me while she's laying by me.  It's so sweet.

Layla, kicked back, relaxed, and actin' all cool ... in Mommy's resting spot ...

I am feeling sleepy ... very, very sleepy ...

 Also, as you are probably aware, we got a lot of snow during the last week.  It's all gone due to the past several days of high temps, but enjoy these pics of the spoiled labradors tearing it up in the yard.  They love playing in the snow, but I don't know that they fully grasp what it is (Alan conjectured that Layla wouldn't have anything to do with snow if she knew it was just water in a different form).

They are rounding first!  Frolicking in the snow!

Frolicking!



Frolicking!

This weekend we are going to begin working on the nursery - we are working on the furniture first, so there will be a lot of sanding going on at the Ward household, and then some painting.  It's hard to believe he'll be here in 2 months.  Hopefully everything will come together before then.