Tales from my life as a mom of 2 sons and 2 daughters

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Cheli On Friday, December 30, 2005

Sorry I never got around to posting yesterday :) I was tired and then we went to see some of Doug's old friends and ended up staying there for 3 hours :) Here's the update

Had the 3 hour today.. guess they will call me with the results.. my arm looks wonderful LOL I bruise so easy :)
Finished with the test early so wandered over to the U/s section of the hospital and they took me back early. River is wonderful :) His fluid levels are good. W got a couple pictures of his face and as soon as we can make it to Wal-Mart to get them scanned I'll post them :) River isn't as big as we were afraid (which is good) they estimated his weight at 5 lbs 4 oz.
Then I got home and checked mail and I had gotten some of the diapers that I ordered :) OMG these are SO cute. YAY!!!
And I got a confirmation call today from the Childbirth Educator confirming me for the class on Jan 3rd (happy Birthday to me :)) I can't wait
Cheli On Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Well this appt was much more informative :) First the good stuff. ...My BP is 111/63. I've gained the 1 lb I was told yesterday. I'm measuring 35 weeks not 36. River's HB was 136. They gave me an Rx for a glucometer which we got filled (but now have to go back to Wal-mart because they didn't give me the lancets as well). I met with a dietitian briefly. And they want me to come back for a 3 hour just be certain tomorrow morning. I have to be there at 8:30... it's 45 minutes away with out rush hour traffic.. should be fun ;) But I also have an ultrasound tomorrow too WOO HOOO. I have to start NSTs next Thursday because of Ciena's birth.. and then after the 3 hour I'll be doing it twice a week plus my weekly appointment.
Now the not so good news... they did a pap on me the last time I was there and it came back abnormal. She explained what the pap is done for and how there are 200 different types of viruses that the pap screens for.. from basically low risk to high risk.. I tested for one of the high risk. So they want to schedule a (I can't even remember what she called it) but basically it's a biopsy to see if that's truly what it is.. if that comes back positive then I'll be diagnosed with cervical cancer. Oh the fun..
I will update tomorrow after my ultrasound and 3 hour. Do they give results immediately from the 3 hour or are those sent off as well?
Cheli On Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Hey All,

Well I THOUGHT we were almost ready diaper wise for River.. now I'm not so sure.. I mean we have a good start but we need almost double of what we have... We have 16 fitteds (which are basically the inside of the diaper) everyone says that a newborn goes through about 10 of them a day.. which mean I'd have to do laundry every day.. I'm going for every other day so they don't wear out as fast.. which means if I have 2 days of dirty I need to have at least half a day of clean.. so I need to have about 25 fitteds.. 9 to go...

Then it says we need to have 2-3 covers for every 6 fitteds.. so 8 to 12 covers.. we have 9. So a few more covers and we should be good.

We got a couple of AIO's which are All In Ones.. basically just like disposables only you don't throw them away when they are dirty.. these are supposed to be really good at night.. if they are really good we'll buy more of these..

Everything I've bought is supposed to go up to 15 lbs.. everyon says that even if says 15 lbs it usually fits to almost 20. That would be good....

In other news.. we are switching doctors.. again. There is a doctor that is closer then where I'm going now and he specializes in high risk/ gestational diabetic pregnancies and he is willing to take me this far in pregnancy. I have an appointment with him next Tuesday. It means I wont' be delivering at the hospital I thought I was but I don't think the hospital I am going to be delivering at is a bad one..

I'm 33 weeks.. 7 weeks go or less.. YAY!!!!!!! Come on little man bake faster!!!!!!

Cheli On Tuesday, December 20, 2005

OK So I had to post some pictures of what is supposed to be coming our way... I will take another pic when they all get here :)

Cheli On Monday, December 19, 2005

Hey Everyone,

Doug has an interview tomorrow afternoon with Comcast.. we are really hoping he gets it. It's good pay, good perks... hell it's pay. I know he really wants AOL but I am beginning to wonder if they are ever going to call back. We went up there last week to find out why they never called him or anything and they said that they had requested his file from the home office and that the wrong file had been sent so they are waiting on his file to be sent and then someone will contact him. He is stressing about not working.. and I'm stressing a little bit too but I don't blame him for anything going on. He and I are both doing everything we can at this point (unfortunately there isn't much I can do). So if everyone could keep fingers crossed for him tomorrow would be greatly appreciated.

The pregnancy is going well.. as far as I know. I'll be 33 weeks Tuesday/Wednesday (depends on which due date you go by). I got a call from the doctor on Friday.. they got my second glucose one hour screen back and surprise surprise it came back that i have gestational diabetes *rolls eyes* My level was 153 which is ALOT better than the 208 I got in TN but still not great.. especially considering that River continues to grow every day. They are going to start monitoring me weekly but not until after the holiday. I have my next appointment on the 28th at 11am to talk about the diabetes and how we're going to manage it and how this going to effect the birth plans and the such like and then I have an ultrasound on the 29th at 12:30 to measure the baby's size and weight and the fluid around him. I'll be 34 weeks then.. the doctor already said she wants me to make it to at least 37 weeks but hopefully 38. Somewhere around then they are thinking about inducing. That is 5 weeks away... OMG

As for the cloth diapers.. so we decided not to do the prefolds and covers thing.. we decided to go with fitteds and covers.. much much easier. I think I just about have everything we need on the way here.. which works. I mean we need more but we have a good start with what's coming. I know we are really prepared as far as what we need for him overall but I still have this feeling that we're just not ready.. that we've forgotten something.

I spoke to my mom a few days ago. She finally caved in and asked me the sex of the baby. And then I got cussed at when I told her it was a boy. She wanted a boy and got two girls. ROFL. She ranted for a few minutes about how it was yet another thing that my father couldn't do right. I have a feeling that she'll be a little more involved now that she knows she's gonna have a grandson. i think she was full out expecting a little girl. *grin*

Spoke to my grandmother and got lectured.. *rolls eyes again* She asked if I was going to be lighting candles for Hanukkah.. I said that I didn't have a menorah and she acted like I had commited the worst criminal act known to man. She said she was going to keep my Jewish heritage in me and keep me Jewish even if no one else would. I didn't have the heart or the energy to tell her (again) that I'm Pagan. I just said yes Grandma and then she went on to a different topic. I love her but sometimes the woman drives me nuts. So I've been talking with a friend of mine who still practices Judism and she started talking about having bagel, cream cheese, lox, and onions.. so now I want them.. and I'm not allowed

I didnt' crave much the entire pregnancy up until now.. yesterday I craved Chinese food, french fries, and ice cream. LOL not together but basically I wanted them all. Doug indulged me.. I love him. Today i wanted pasta and chocolate.. we don't have either. oh well.

Anyway.. enough rambling. Good night all...

Cheli

Cheli On Friday, December 16, 2005

Hey Everyone!

What have I gotten myself into???

So we were gone all day and when we got home tonight I got distracted with checking my 200 pieces of mail. Well when I finished I remembered that the prefolds we ordered were supposed to be here today so I pull up the tracking on UPS and sure enough they were delivered today.. which set Doug and I off on a package hunt of the house. After checking just about everywhere else.. we spot it.. NEXT TO OUR BEDROOM DOOR ROFL.. so we bring it in the bedroom and open it. Now I'm lost. The idea of prefolds look SO simple.. actually folding them.. yeah that's a different story.. we're practicing on bears. We are trying the newspaper fold. I think I've got it right. I think.. I have NO idea. Now I understand why people use just fitteds. LOL We are ordering fitteds too. I am trying really hard not to chicken out of the prefolds but dang it it seems like alot of work and I don't know if I'm doing it right. I wish I knew someone in the area that used CDs so I could have them show me. I wish I knew if I was doing it right. They seem so tiny! And these are supposed to be the infant size. Ahhhhhhhhhhh

Cheli On

32 weeks pregnant.. Don't I look thrilled LOL

Cheli On Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Hey all,

I took the NET exam yesterday.. according to the admissions rep I blew it out of the water. I got a 73 on one section and a 90 on the second section.. you needed 45 to make the list. I have a financial aid appointment on Wednesday to try and figure out how to pay for the class. If we can figure it out, I have a really really good chance of getting in this semester :)

I have a doctors appointment this morning at 9:45... finally. I hope that I get some direction as to what is going to happen with the baby (ie are they going to induce me early, c-section scheduled, or let me go to term) because of the gestational diabetes. I am also hoping that they will tell me I don't need medication and that I am doing okay enough on the reduced diet but I don't know. Hmmm wonder if I'll get to see munchkin man.. I wonder how big he is now? 32 weeks tomorrow.. Have I mentioned that I'm scared? I feel like I have to be all strong and brave for Doug because I KNOW he's nervous/scared about it.. but OMG.. I barely sleep at night thinking about everything (well that and it's just damn uncomfortable to sleep anymore).

Ughhh wonderful 4 hours of sleep I managed to get last night too... finally fell asleep around 2am and woke up about 6 because of the strangest dream... I went into labor (don't know how far along I was) and gave birth.. but I didn't remember any of it in my dream and afterward when I "woke up" Doug had a video of the birth to show me.. and that's when I found out.. River was A GIRL! NO idea where that dream came from.. so then they bring her in and she is just beautiful.. it's really weird.. she looked SO Much like Ciena but not.. she was beautiful.. and healthy.. and a GIRL. Isn't it a little late for gender dreams? especially the wrong gender?
OK off to go shower and such.. will update when we get back
Cheli On Sunday, December 11, 2005

I am nervous.. I have the NET exam tomorrow afternoon.. if I pass it with a really good score it is quite possible that the end of March I will be starting nursing school. I want this so bad. For me, for Doug, for River. It would be so good for us. And Doug will be starting a computer technician program in the fall that takes 8 months so we will finish about the same time. We will both be able to get good paying jobs. We will both be able to support us. We will make a good life for us and our son. I can't wait. I hope this works out. *crosses fingers* Even if I test well tomorrow I still ahve to wait until February to find out if I made it in. I HATE waiting for important things like that. Grrrrrrrr

I will be 32 weeks pregnant on Wednesday. OMG.. I have a doctors appointment on Tuesday (finally). I am guessing we will have more of an idea of when I'm actually going to have River by then. He is a big boy.. I am hoping he doesn't get TOO big. I am scared to death of what's coming but SO excited too. I can't wait for him to be here (and to be done being pregnant). We picked out his coming home outfits (we picked 2 because we don't know what the weather is going to be like come the big day). I have started packing the hospital bag. Everything is coming together.. I am scared to death.

Ok we have running around to do.. will talk later.

Cheli On Tuesday, December 6, 2005

Hey Everyone,

It's 4am and I still haven't slept.. The alarm is going to go off in about 4 hours so I probably won't sleep. Oh well. I have officially reached the point in pregnancy where I am uncomfortable no matter what I do.. but I am almost there!

For those who don't know.. Doug and I moved to Florida last week. Doug lost his job back in October and I quit about 2 weeks before then.. We had paid ahead in our bills to the end of the lease so we were able to stay there for a while in hopes of finding a job but apparently no one in Knoxville was hiring right now that would pay anything that we would be able to survive on. So we talked about it and tried to figure out some way to do it but we just couldn't come up with one that sounded even remotely like it would be a good idea. So Doug called his mother and asked if we could come stay here for a little while to get everything situated. We were going to stay to finish out the semester but after talking with our professors and what not we discovered we really didn't need to for various reasons and the extra time would give us time to try and get things straight here.. and being as far as I am in the pregnancy.. extra time is a good thing.

So we packed up the apartment and drove down here last Monday. It took us forever because we had to stop twice so I could sleep.. but we made it safe.

Since we've been here we've been running all over the place trying to get things done. I am trying to get seen by a doctor but most won't take me because I am high risk. We founda a clinic that is attached to a major hospital here that has a wonderful high risk staff and a Level 3 NICU incase something goes wrong and I will hopefully be seeing someone there really soon. We had to go to the ER today because I was in pain and had alot of pressure. They hooked me up the machines, tested my blood, and did an ultrasound. My blood work came back good, sugar was really good... 89.. the doctor was not happy when I told her the midwife didn't do a 3 hour on me but she said that she does think I have GD so she's treating me as such. She said that the monitors picked up 4 or 5 contractions in the hour she was monitoring me but that they were mild.. she checked my cervix and it's still closed and thick which is good. The ultrasound went great.. River is BIG. She measured his head, abdomen, and femur and he is measuring about 32.4 weeks and he weighs 1962 grams or 4.3 lbs (the average size of a 33 week baby).. I will be 31 weeks on Wednesday.

I have an interview this afternoon with a director of a nursing program at the university.. if it goes well I might be able to start the program in March and have my LPN license by June 07. We looked into getting Doug into this 8 month Computer Systems Technician program but it's 11,000 dollars.. and even with all the finiancial aid we can get it still leaves us with almost 3000 dollars out of pocket. I really want him in that program. It looks like he'll have to take a few classes at the community college this semester and then the program in the fall when the Pell Grant gets reissued.

4:40am and I can't sleep.. still have contractions and pressure.. And am having nightmares anyway.. this sucks