Last night I had a dream that I went into labor. It was pretty crazy, as most of my dreams usually are, but in this particular dream I was at the hospital, without Danny or my hospital bag. Never fear though...Bama was there with me! What is that all about??? That is an analysis for another day. Let's get back to the main dilemma in my dream...no Danny and no hospital bag. Danny was missing because he was running around trying to pack my hospital bag while I was in labor. It was truly a stressful event for everyone because he was missing the main event that we have been waiting for all these months. AND, to top it all off, he didn't bring anything that I needed when he finally arrived. Poor Danny! ;)
Needless to say, when I woke up this morning, packing the hospital bag was moved to the top of my to do list for the day. For some reason I have been procrastinating on packing the hospital bag. I'm not exactly sure why...but I think it has something to do with the fact that I am still in denial that labor and delivery is actually going to happen. No, I am not crazy. I realize that I am pregnant and I know there is a baby in my tummy that has to come out, but it just feels like it is never going to happen. I seriously feel like I have been pregnant for 10 years. Waiting for Everly's arrival has been the absolute hardest thing I have ever had to do in my whole entire life. Right now I can't think about anything but her. I often find myself sitting around and daydreaming about what she will look like and what our days will be like after she arrives. Nothing else seems to matter except her.
Maybe that dream was my subconscious telling me that she is coming sooner than I think. Wishful thinking? Maybe. Either way, I am not going to be caught off guard. I am off to pack.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Baby Girl's Room
As most of you know we currently live in a 1 BR apartment, which is not exactly the ideal living space when starting a family. Although our place is pretty large for a 1 BR (about 1200 square feet) and has tons of 1920's art deco character, I was pretty bummed out when I realized that we were still going to be living here when Everly arrived (our current lease is not up until January).
Even though we have planned from the very beginning to have Everly sleep in a bassinet in our bedroom for the first couple of months, my nesting instincts took over this summer and I was determined to make a unique space that belonged to her before she arrived. I decided to get creative and turn our dining room into her nursery. Of course hand painted murals on the walls and clouds on the ceiling would have been my first choice, but since that was not an option, I made the best of what I had to work with here. After months of research into nursery decor and countless hours of shopping, I am proud to unveil Miss Everly's room.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Guess Who Is Anxiously Awaiting Everly's Arrival?
Every time I walk into Everly's nursery I find Bama lounging on her rug. Now granted the rug is really soft and super comfy, but she has really taken a strong interest in all of the baby gear sitting around the house. She also likes to be close to my belly these days. She sniffs it, kisses it, and rests her head on it all the time. Everly kicks every now and then and catches Bama completely off guard. It is so cute! I just know that these two are going to be the best of friends.
Belly Pics
I have been slacking BIG time with the belly pics. Here are a few more recent ones to document my ever expanding belly:
31 Weeks
33 Weeks
34 Weeks
*The last two photos are a sneak peek from the maternity photo shoot Danny and I did last weekend. More photos coming soon!!! :)
29 Weeks
31 Weeks
33 Weeks
34 Weeks
*The last two photos are a sneak peek from the maternity photo shoot Danny and I did last weekend. More photos coming soon!!! :)
She is a wild one and a whopper!
So we went to the doctor this week and received some interesting news. It appears that our sweet little Everly is growing and developing ahead of schedule. The doctor decided to do an ultrasound because she said I just "looked big" to her in the stomach. Even though my stomach only measured 35 cm (you are supposed to measure 1 cm for every week you are pregnant), the ultrasound showed that Everly's head and stomach are both measuring at 36 weeks. Her little legs are right on target for 34 weeks. Here's the scary part though...according to the doctor's estimate she already weighs 6 pounds and one ounce! Yowsa! This is a tad bit alarming to me because babies supposedly gain about a pound a week during the last 6 weeks in the womb. Yes, you calculated correctly...that means if Everly continues to grow at the same rate then she could technically be a 12 pound baby if she decides to wait until her due date to arrive. I cannot even imagine giving birth to a 12 pound baby! OUCH!
Of course our doctor could see the panic in my eyes as soon as she told us her weight. She immediately assured us that she would keep a close watch on it over the next 4-6 weeks to ensure that it did not get out of hand. She said that if Everly continued to gain weight at the current rate then she would have no problem getting her out early. Phew! What a relief!
We already have a 3-D ultrasound scheduled for the first week of September so we can get an accurate measurement and update on her weight at 38 weeks. I figure this is a win win situation either way. If she comes early then we don't have to wait any longer to meet her. If we have to wait until she decides to come on her own at least we will get a 3-D sonogram picture that will hopefully give us a glimpse into what she is going to look like. :)
Everly continues to be a very active little girl in my belly. The doctor even called her a "wild one" during the ultrasound because as soon as she put the device on my belly Everly punched and kicked as hard as she could. She continued to wiggle and squirm the entire time making it very difficult to get measurements. Luckily, our doctor is SUPER patient so she waited it out and finally got the data she needed. Bless her little heart...I know that her space is getting pretty tight in my tummy because I can feel every twitch and turn she makes. Hang in there little watermelon baby! You don't have too much longer.
Of course our doctor could see the panic in my eyes as soon as she told us her weight. She immediately assured us that she would keep a close watch on it over the next 4-6 weeks to ensure that it did not get out of hand. She said that if Everly continued to gain weight at the current rate then she would have no problem getting her out early. Phew! What a relief!
We already have a 3-D ultrasound scheduled for the first week of September so we can get an accurate measurement and update on her weight at 38 weeks. I figure this is a win win situation either way. If she comes early then we don't have to wait any longer to meet her. If we have to wait until she decides to come on her own at least we will get a 3-D sonogram picture that will hopefully give us a glimpse into what she is going to look like. :)
Everly continues to be a very active little girl in my belly. The doctor even called her a "wild one" during the ultrasound because as soon as she put the device on my belly Everly punched and kicked as hard as she could. She continued to wiggle and squirm the entire time making it very difficult to get measurements. Luckily, our doctor is SUPER patient so she waited it out and finally got the data she needed. Bless her little heart...I know that her space is getting pretty tight in my tummy because I can feel every twitch and turn she makes. Hang in there little watermelon baby! You don't have too much longer.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Latest Cravings
Throughout my pregnancy I haven't had too many weird or odd cravings. As a matter of fact I have had a really hard time getting in touch with food all together. Nothing has really sounded good, except salad with Ranch dressing and bacon bits, Kashi Go Lean cereal, fruit, and the occasional dessert after we finish with dinner at a restaurant. And for those of you who know me...salads and veggies are not how I normally roll. Danny and I joke all the time that Everly is going to be a little health nut and lecture us about our junk food habits.
Since about mid-way through the 2nd trimester I have been suffering from fierce heartburn and an upset stomach any time I eat something greasy. While I roll around in misery and run to the bathroom every 10 minutes, Danny always laughs and says that this is Everly's way of kicking all the trash out of her condo.
In the last few weeks a new trend has started with my cravings though. They are gross and I know they are not the best options, but dammit it is hard to deny a pregnant woman's cravings. I am trying to practice moderation but if I said that I didn't think about the two items below every time we talk about food then I would be lying. Are you ready...
1. A chili cheese dog, with mustard, in a pretzel bun from Wienerschnitzel. OMG! I swear it is the most delicious thing I have eaten throughout this entire pregnancy. And guess what? I don't think Everly minds it either because it is one of the only unhealthy choices I have made that she doesn't beat me up from the inside out when I eat it.
2. A Slurpee from 7-11. Usually these drinks are way too sweet for me but for some reason I have been craving crushed ice the last couple of weeks. And since I have not been able to find one restaurant in this town with respectable crushed ice I have to get my crushed ice fix by freezing a Slurpee. After about 2 hours it turns into the yummiest crushed ice treat EVER!
Ok...so there you have it...my latest guilty pleasures. All of this talk about food is making me hungry. I bet you can't guess what I am going to eat for dinner?!!?
Before I go though I want to list the top foods that Everly hates so I can bribe her with this information when she gets older and does not want to eat her vegetables. I already have my speech down, "Oh no, young lady, you can't have the french fries with your Happy Meal. You must get the apple slices instead. I seem to recall a time in my life when you punished me any time I ate something yummy like french fries so I am sure you really want the apple slices." Ha Ha! Who am I kidding? :)
1. Movie Theater Popcorn - This used to be my all time favorite treat until I got pregnant. I tried to eat some when we went to see the Hangover 2 on my birthday and I ended up having to run out of the theater during the last scene! Grrrr!
2. Pizza - Before I got pregnant I could eat pizza every day! Now it makes me so sick I can hardly stand it. :(
3. French Fries - Hot french fries used to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures! These days I would much rather have a baked potato.
Since about mid-way through the 2nd trimester I have been suffering from fierce heartburn and an upset stomach any time I eat something greasy. While I roll around in misery and run to the bathroom every 10 minutes, Danny always laughs and says that this is Everly's way of kicking all the trash out of her condo.
In the last few weeks a new trend has started with my cravings though. They are gross and I know they are not the best options, but dammit it is hard to deny a pregnant woman's cravings. I am trying to practice moderation but if I said that I didn't think about the two items below every time we talk about food then I would be lying. Are you ready...
1. A chili cheese dog, with mustard, in a pretzel bun from Wienerschnitzel. OMG! I swear it is the most delicious thing I have eaten throughout this entire pregnancy. And guess what? I don't think Everly minds it either because it is one of the only unhealthy choices I have made that she doesn't beat me up from the inside out when I eat it.
2. A Slurpee from 7-11. Usually these drinks are way too sweet for me but for some reason I have been craving crushed ice the last couple of weeks. And since I have not been able to find one restaurant in this town with respectable crushed ice I have to get my crushed ice fix by freezing a Slurpee. After about 2 hours it turns into the yummiest crushed ice treat EVER!
Ok...so there you have it...my latest guilty pleasures. All of this talk about food is making me hungry. I bet you can't guess what I am going to eat for dinner?!!?
Before I go though I want to list the top foods that Everly hates so I can bribe her with this information when she gets older and does not want to eat her vegetables. I already have my speech down, "Oh no, young lady, you can't have the french fries with your Happy Meal. You must get the apple slices instead. I seem to recall a time in my life when you punished me any time I ate something yummy like french fries so I am sure you really want the apple slices." Ha Ha! Who am I kidding? :)
1. Movie Theater Popcorn - This used to be my all time favorite treat until I got pregnant. I tried to eat some when we went to see the Hangover 2 on my birthday and I ended up having to run out of the theater during the last scene! Grrrr!
2. Pizza - Before I got pregnant I could eat pizza every day! Now it makes me so sick I can hardly stand it. :(
3. French Fries - Hot french fries used to be one of my favorite guilty pleasures! These days I would much rather have a baked potato.
Living in a Snow Globe
Funny of the Week: Danny said that my stomach reminds him of a snow globe. He said that every time he looks at my stomach he can just picture Everly inside of it floating around in all the fluid and moving every time I change positions! He is so funny!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Hear Ye...Hear Ye...Join us for a High Tea Fit for a Princess!
The Royal California "Aunties" hosted a high tea to honor our little princess last weekend and it was simply fabulous! Every detail of the event related to a tea party theme...from the guests' attire to the food that was served. It was so much fun to see all of the guests sport their finest hats or fascinators. I truly felt like we belonged at a royal event! Tables were set up outside in the backyard with tea cups and china at every place setting. The menu included a delicious salad with strawberries, scrumptious scones (cheese, rasberry, and plain) served with whipped cream, yummy mini chicken salad and cucumber sandwiches, deviled eggs, and of course tea. Oh and let's not forget the cake...it was in the shape of a tea pot and tea cup! How adorable, right?
The day was magical. We ate, played games, and laughed with one another. I remember looking around at one point and feeling so overwhelmed with emotion that I could hardly hold back my tears. I felt so loved and blessed by the outpouring of love and support from this wonderful group of strong, caring, and amazing women. Their support throughout this entire pregnancy has given me more strength and confidence than they will ever know. From the pep talks to the pampering to the funny stories and the words of wisdom...I feel like they have all been front seat passengers on this roller coaster ride I call pregnancy. Being pregnant and living so far away from family and friends in the South and in Las Vegas has been really tough and scary at times. I honestly don't know what I would do without the ladies in my life here. They are all going to play such a special role in Everly's life and I cannot wait for her to meet them. :)
Of course they all showered Miss Everly with gifts too! The entire faculty in my department, and a few of my buddies in the COE, all chipped in and bought her car seat, the car seat accessories, the Itzbeen nanny timer, the GloEgg, clothes, socks, hair accessories, a bottle draining rack, and a Baby Einstein DVD & CD. As if all of the items above weren't enough...each guest also brought a pack of diapers to the party! Can you say SPOILED??? :) I'm telling you...we could bring her home tomorrow if we had to (Don't get any ideas Everly! We need at least a few more weeks to get everything washed and ready).
A few snapshots from the day are posted below. The girls are making a book for me so there are several more photos to come. :) Enjoy!!!
The day was magical. We ate, played games, and laughed with one another. I remember looking around at one point and feeling so overwhelmed with emotion that I could hardly hold back my tears. I felt so loved and blessed by the outpouring of love and support from this wonderful group of strong, caring, and amazing women. Their support throughout this entire pregnancy has given me more strength and confidence than they will ever know. From the pep talks to the pampering to the funny stories and the words of wisdom...I feel like they have all been front seat passengers on this roller coaster ride I call pregnancy. Being pregnant and living so far away from family and friends in the South and in Las Vegas has been really tough and scary at times. I honestly don't know what I would do without the ladies in my life here. They are all going to play such a special role in Everly's life and I cannot wait for her to meet them. :)
Of course they all showered Miss Everly with gifts too! The entire faculty in my department, and a few of my buddies in the COE, all chipped in and bought her car seat, the car seat accessories, the Itzbeen nanny timer, the GloEgg, clothes, socks, hair accessories, a bottle draining rack, and a Baby Einstein DVD & CD. As if all of the items above weren't enough...each guest also brought a pack of diapers to the party! Can you say SPOILED??? :) I'm telling you...we could bring her home tomorrow if we had to (Don't get any ideas Everly! We need at least a few more weeks to get everything washed and ready).
A few snapshots from the day are posted below. The girls are making a book for me so there are several more photos to come. :) Enjoy!!!
*Notice the clothesline behind the tables with the adorable baby clothes hanging from it. Everly is going to be the best dressed baby in town! :)
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Gestational Diabetes, Blood Clots, and Pains...Oh MY!
According to the U.S. Census Bureau the world population totals approximately 6,949,657,930 people. If you think about it all of these people are living on this Earth because someone gave birth to them. After going through the last 30 weeks of pregnancy I seriously have mad respect and admiration for every woman out there who has given birth. I knew pregnancy was going to be hard...but I had no idea it would be THIS hard! In addition to finding a comfortable sleep position because of my ever expanding belly, the bathroom breaks every hour or two in the middle of the night, and the excruciating hip pain, I have also managed to spend a night in the hospital and fail my glucose tolerance test all in the last two weeks. Good times!
Let's see...where shall I begin? Two weeks ago I had to go in for the routine glucose tolerance test that screens for gestational diabetes. I was a little anxious about drinking the orange concoction that my doctor sent home with me at my previous visit, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that drinking it wasn't as bad as everyone had made it out to be. Hell, I've done shots worse than the glucose drink so I was rather proud of myself when I finished it off in 2 minutes and 30 seconds flat! :) In my opinion it tasted like an orange soda with an extra kick. Since sweets have been my weakness throughout this pregnancy I didn't have any trouble guzzling it down. After having my blood drawn I was feeling a little cocky after making it through the test with flying colors. Unfortunately, my bubble was burst the following day when the nurse called to tell me that I had failed the test. What??? How could this be? What does this mean? The nurse told me that the results from the first test did not mean that I had gestational diabetes, it only meant that I needed to come in the following week for the three hour fasting glucose test to get more accurate results. The real bomb was dropped when I asked her what happened if I failed the next test...a prescriptive diet that limits sugar and sweets. Now I know that I should probably be watching what I eat anyway, but let's face it people, pregnancy is hard work and every now and then I take comfort in a sweet treat and I am not ashamed to admit it. I would also like to state for the record that I have been totally fine with giving up the Diet Coke, booze, and lunch meat from the beginning...but giving up the sweets...now that is just plain cruel at this stage of the game.
Needless to say I went in the following week for the 3 hour fasting test and made it through this test like a champ too! I won't lie...it was hard to fast for 12 hours and then sit in the waiting room at the doctor's office for an additional 3 hours having my blood drawn every hour while watching patients come in and out with their morning coffee and treats. I actually almost lost it when one girl and her husband came in with Starbucks and a bag of pastries. I know they saw me give them the stink eye and huff as soon as they sat down. Eventually I had to walk outside because I was so hungry that I was afraid of what might happen if I had to watch the girl shove one more bite of that delicious doughnut into her mouth. Let's just say that as soon as the test was over I hightailed it over to McDonald's and ordered a cheeseburger and a LARGE chocolate milkshake. Don't judge...I figured that I had suffered enough for the morning and if I did in fact have gestational diabetes I was going to go out with a bang before the dietary restrictions could be put into place. Luckily for me (and everyone around me) the test results came back normal and I could not be happier to report that I DO NOT have gestational diabetes. Can I get a woo-hoo??
Now...you might think that the medical drama ends here. Nope! That would be too easy. A few days ago I noticed that my left leg was swelling, but my right leg looked completely normal. I know swelling is common during pregnancy so I tried to just chalk it up to another weird side effect of pregnancy. The next morning when I woke up everything was back to normal so I really didn't give it a second thought...until my left leg swelled up like an elephant's leg after a busy afternoon/evening of nursery shopping and dinner out with Danny. While standing in line at CVS I happened to look down at my legs under the bright fluorescent lights and I almost had a heart attack. I promise you my left leg was double the size of my right leg. We went straight home after this new revelation and I immediately started "Googling" my symptoms. I know...I know...you should never Google your medical symptoms because the worst case scenario always pops up and scares you to death...but in this case I was desperate. Every single result that popped up said to contact your health care provider immediately if you were pregnant with swelling in only one leg. Great! Here it was 9:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night and I was in a panic. I didn't want to go to the emergency room because we all know how awful that can be so I decided to call the answering service for my doctor and leave her a message. I figured if it was anything life threatening then she would call me back and tell me what to do. Much to my surprise, the doctor called me back in less than 5 minutes. She said that she didn't want to scare me but my symptoms were indicative of a blood clot. What??? She also told me to go to the hospital immediately and they would admit me to labor and delivery for a full leg scan for blood clots (which apparently are common during pregnancy and can be life threatening). What??? This could not be happening, right? Wrong! By the time I hung up with the doctor I was in full blown hyperventilation. The last thing I wanted to do was go to the hospital. Thank God Danny was here to calm me down and get me in the car.
Within a few minutes we arrived at Cedars Sinai Emergency Room and as soon as I told the lady behind the desk why I was there a wheelchair arrived and I was whisked away to the labor and delivery floor. Now that is what I call service! We seriously did not wait for more than 30 seconds. As soon as we arrived they checked us in and put us in a private room. The nurse and doctor on call came in immediately and checked me out. The nurse gave me a gown and rolled a cot in for Danny. The doctor told us to get comfortable because it could be a while before the ultrasound technician could get to us because they were backed up. While I appreciated their quick service with a smile and the nice private room with a comfy bed and TV, I was a little amped up by the thought of waiting hours before having my legs scanned. The urgency in the doctor's voice when I was on the phone with her earlier made me think that I was going to kill over any second if I didn't get to the hospital and get a scan. Of course I didn't sleep a wink the entire night and just like the doctor promised the ultrasound technician rolled into our room at 5:30 a.m. to complete the scan. After learning more about veins and arteries than I could have ever imagined, we were delighted to hear that I did not have any blood clots in my legs. Hallelujah! I am sure you are wondering what exactly was causing the swelling if there were no blockages? Well, apparently the position of my uterus and the weight of Miss Everly are squashing the main artery that runs down the left side of my body and restricting the blood flow to my left leg. As a result my left leg is swelling. Luckily it is not life threatening, but the only way to prevent it is to stay off my feet and lie on my left side as much as possible. That should be easy, right? I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor on Tuesday so she will review the results then and tell me how to proceed from here. If she says bed rest I think I will crumble.
On the bright side of it all, Danny and I decided that our overnight stay at Cedars was a great practice run for the big day. We now know where to park, what to expect when checking in at the ER, and how to get to the labor and delivery floor. Experiencing all of the action on the labor and delivery floor was a reality check that Everly is really coming and that her arrival is not too far away. We are so excited for her to get here we can hardly stand it. 9 more weeks and counting!!!
Let's see...where shall I begin? Two weeks ago I had to go in for the routine glucose tolerance test that screens for gestational diabetes. I was a little anxious about drinking the orange concoction that my doctor sent home with me at my previous visit, but was pleasantly surprised to discover that drinking it wasn't as bad as everyone had made it out to be. Hell, I've done shots worse than the glucose drink so I was rather proud of myself when I finished it off in 2 minutes and 30 seconds flat! :) In my opinion it tasted like an orange soda with an extra kick. Since sweets have been my weakness throughout this pregnancy I didn't have any trouble guzzling it down. After having my blood drawn I was feeling a little cocky after making it through the test with flying colors. Unfortunately, my bubble was burst the following day when the nurse called to tell me that I had failed the test. What??? How could this be? What does this mean? The nurse told me that the results from the first test did not mean that I had gestational diabetes, it only meant that I needed to come in the following week for the three hour fasting glucose test to get more accurate results. The real bomb was dropped when I asked her what happened if I failed the next test...a prescriptive diet that limits sugar and sweets. Now I know that I should probably be watching what I eat anyway, but let's face it people, pregnancy is hard work and every now and then I take comfort in a sweet treat and I am not ashamed to admit it. I would also like to state for the record that I have been totally fine with giving up the Diet Coke, booze, and lunch meat from the beginning...but giving up the sweets...now that is just plain cruel at this stage of the game.
Needless to say I went in the following week for the 3 hour fasting test and made it through this test like a champ too! I won't lie...it was hard to fast for 12 hours and then sit in the waiting room at the doctor's office for an additional 3 hours having my blood drawn every hour while watching patients come in and out with their morning coffee and treats. I actually almost lost it when one girl and her husband came in with Starbucks and a bag of pastries. I know they saw me give them the stink eye and huff as soon as they sat down. Eventually I had to walk outside because I was so hungry that I was afraid of what might happen if I had to watch the girl shove one more bite of that delicious doughnut into her mouth. Let's just say that as soon as the test was over I hightailed it over to McDonald's and ordered a cheeseburger and a LARGE chocolate milkshake. Don't judge...I figured that I had suffered enough for the morning and if I did in fact have gestational diabetes I was going to go out with a bang before the dietary restrictions could be put into place. Luckily for me (and everyone around me) the test results came back normal and I could not be happier to report that I DO NOT have gestational diabetes. Can I get a woo-hoo??
Now...you might think that the medical drama ends here. Nope! That would be too easy. A few days ago I noticed that my left leg was swelling, but my right leg looked completely normal. I know swelling is common during pregnancy so I tried to just chalk it up to another weird side effect of pregnancy. The next morning when I woke up everything was back to normal so I really didn't give it a second thought...until my left leg swelled up like an elephant's leg after a busy afternoon/evening of nursery shopping and dinner out with Danny. While standing in line at CVS I happened to look down at my legs under the bright fluorescent lights and I almost had a heart attack. I promise you my left leg was double the size of my right leg. We went straight home after this new revelation and I immediately started "Googling" my symptoms. I know...I know...you should never Google your medical symptoms because the worst case scenario always pops up and scares you to death...but in this case I was desperate. Every single result that popped up said to contact your health care provider immediately if you were pregnant with swelling in only one leg. Great! Here it was 9:30 p.m. on a Wednesday night and I was in a panic. I didn't want to go to the emergency room because we all know how awful that can be so I decided to call the answering service for my doctor and leave her a message. I figured if it was anything life threatening then she would call me back and tell me what to do. Much to my surprise, the doctor called me back in less than 5 minutes. She said that she didn't want to scare me but my symptoms were indicative of a blood clot. What??? She also told me to go to the hospital immediately and they would admit me to labor and delivery for a full leg scan for blood clots (which apparently are common during pregnancy and can be life threatening). What??? This could not be happening, right? Wrong! By the time I hung up with the doctor I was in full blown hyperventilation. The last thing I wanted to do was go to the hospital. Thank God Danny was here to calm me down and get me in the car.
Within a few minutes we arrived at Cedars Sinai Emergency Room and as soon as I told the lady behind the desk why I was there a wheelchair arrived and I was whisked away to the labor and delivery floor. Now that is what I call service! We seriously did not wait for more than 30 seconds. As soon as we arrived they checked us in and put us in a private room. The nurse and doctor on call came in immediately and checked me out. The nurse gave me a gown and rolled a cot in for Danny. The doctor told us to get comfortable because it could be a while before the ultrasound technician could get to us because they were backed up. While I appreciated their quick service with a smile and the nice private room with a comfy bed and TV, I was a little amped up by the thought of waiting hours before having my legs scanned. The urgency in the doctor's voice when I was on the phone with her earlier made me think that I was going to kill over any second if I didn't get to the hospital and get a scan. Of course I didn't sleep a wink the entire night and just like the doctor promised the ultrasound technician rolled into our room at 5:30 a.m. to complete the scan. After learning more about veins and arteries than I could have ever imagined, we were delighted to hear that I did not have any blood clots in my legs. Hallelujah! I am sure you are wondering what exactly was causing the swelling if there were no blockages? Well, apparently the position of my uterus and the weight of Miss Everly are squashing the main artery that runs down the left side of my body and restricting the blood flow to my left leg. As a result my left leg is swelling. Luckily it is not life threatening, but the only way to prevent it is to stay off my feet and lie on my left side as much as possible. That should be easy, right? I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor on Tuesday so she will review the results then and tell me how to proceed from here. If she says bed rest I think I will crumble.
On the bright side of it all, Danny and I decided that our overnight stay at Cedars was a great practice run for the big day. We now know where to park, what to expect when checking in at the ER, and how to get to the labor and delivery floor. Experiencing all of the action on the labor and delivery floor was a reality check that Everly is really coming and that her arrival is not too far away. We are so excited for her to get here we can hardly stand it. 9 more weeks and counting!!!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Go On and Shake Your Tail Feather
True story...the other night I was lying in bed searching for songs to add to my labor play list when Miss Everly thought she would weigh in on my music selections. According to my baby books she can hear sounds through my belly now so I thought it would be funny to see if I could get a reaction out of her by playing different songs. While listening to Pandora on my iPad, I decided to lay the speaker up against my belly so she could hear the tunes loud and clear. Funny enough...a few songs like "Feels like Today" by Rascal Flatts & "Sunrise" by Norah Jones caused her to wiggle around in my belly, but nothing like the moving and grooving that took place when "Sweet Home Alabama" came on the radio! I swear as soon as the opening notes blasted through the speakers she started flipping and rolling around like never before. I immediately thought, "Yep, that's my girl!" I couldn't do anything but smile and picture her wearing an Alabama jersey one day in the future chanting, "Roll Tide Roll" during the chorus and leading the crowd in a "Rammer Jammer, Yellow Hammer, Give 'Em Hell, Alabama!" cheer. Like mother, like daughter!
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