Work Baby Shower

I work at a preschool and the kids (well, really my co-workers and the parents) gave me a surprise party on Friday. It was so cute. The kids prepared for it all week. Every time I would walk by the older kids classroom they would say "No, no. There's no surprises going on in here." Friday they called me into their classroom. I walked in and the kids were all sitting on the carpet with bibs on that they had made for me. They started singing a variation of Happy Birthday that went something like this "Happy baby to you, happy baby to you..." It was so stinking cute! They made me nachos with salsa and guacamole (one of my favorites) and baked me a cake. They all brought me presents and were so excited to see me open them. It was a really fun day...and despite the fact that I HATE attention, I had a really good time. My mother in-law is throwing me a shower next Sunday so I have to make it through one more day of attention. Hope I can handle it without turning red. :)

All the gifts I got plus $200 in gift card!The parents and my co-workers were so nice to do this for me!

I thought this was cute. It's a note from a little girl I watch named Caroline. She is 6 now, but I first met her when she was 3 and she was the first person I met named Caroline--it's just such a cute name!

One of the parents made these cute bottle cookies as favors for my party. Adorable!

Baby Caroline

I don't have any new pictures... nor do I have anything to blog about except my pregnancy. This baby pretty much takes up all my thoughts and energy. Hope I don't bore anyone by so many pregnancy posts... but hey, I'm sure at least my family in NM would like to know my life since I don't get to call much. 

I went to the doctor last week. My amniotic fluid level went back up... though not as high as before. The normal range is between 10-20 cm and you usually want to be right in the middle around 15 cm. The first time the doctor told me it was too high I was at 26 cm (30 usually sends you into labor). The next appointment I was at only 18 cm and this time I was at 21 cm. I did the Non Stress Test (NST) and everything seemed to be just dandy. In fact they said I was doing good for 30 weeks. I had a few contractions during the test, but I didn't even feel them. I go back next week to get an ultrasound and do the NST again. I'm actually happy to go to the Dr. all the time, I would probably be out of my mind worrying if I only went once a month. So glad I have insurance! 

Another problem, which maybe won't even be a problem, is that Caroline is still breech... in the transverse lie (across the womb) position. My Dr. seems a little concerned by this. Although many babies don't turn head down until later, he said that she needs to be in that position by 34 weeks... so 3 more weeks to go. I have been doing the breech tilt (I'm not smart enough to add links on here, so look it up) twice a day. Hopefully that works, though so far no luck. At my 34 wk appointment if she hasn't turned he is going to schedule me for the external version at around 36 wks (that's where they try to turn the baby for you). Hopefully she turns on her own because according to my Dr.  (whom I trust since he is a highly experienced high risk Dr. and head of the department at the hospital) I have a posterior placenta. This will make it less likely that he will be able to turn the baby through external version. If  he can't turn her, I will have to have a c-section THAT SAME DAY... and I DO NOT WANT A C-SECTION!!! I already have one scar and I don't like the idea of getting cut open twice within a year... although the last time was probably far more traumatic and less rewarding than this will be. I know it is possible to have a vaginal birth after a cesarean, but it's more risky, and the more times you get cut open the less children Dr.'s seem to think you should have. Those of you who know me well know I want lots of kids (I have gone down from wanting 10 to 6 though : P ). 

Getting to be pregnant for one month less may sound nice to some of you... but not me. I just want her to be strong and have as much time to grow in there as possible. Most Dr.'s will wait until 38 wks to try to turn the baby, but because of my high levels of amniotic fluid he does not want to take the risk of me going into  labor on my own with a  breech baby. Makes sense I guess.  

Well, that's the gist of it. Pregnancy is so complicated (for me at least), but I know it's worth it because I will be getting the GREATEST gift ever in the end! 

Finished!

I finished the baby room! Well, almost...I still need the baby, and I am going to get some vinyl lettering for above the changing table. What do you think? ...oh, and PS: I put everything together myself!!

The crib and glider


Close up of the crib and bedding...we got some AwSoMe deals...I LoVe deals!


Changing table...someone at BuyBuy Baby is in trouble because it is missing a pretty significant piece...it's supposed to go where the basket is so hopefully soon we will have it!


The whole shabang!

Good Baby!

So everything went great today! The amniotic fluid measured at 18.6 cm....down from 26 cm. Great news! 

I also don't have diabetes or any infection that might be harmful to the baby...in fact, it's apparently a good thing that I have been watching kids for so many years because I am actually immune to almost every infection that could hurt her. So I guess it was #4...just a fluke! A scary one though. 

She is still breech, but I still  have plenty of time for her to turn...and let's hope she does because I do not want a c-section!!! Although my surgery in August was different (they didn't cut through my uterus) I still do not want to go through the whole recovery of being cut open while trying to take care of a newborn. 

Only 82 more days!!!

Thanks for all your support everyone! 

Pregnancy Update

Well, I am now in the 3rd trimester (as of tomorrow morning). April 30th I went to the doctor and found out I have hydramnios (too much amniotic fluid). I was told that there are several reasons why this could happen to me. 

1. I may have diabetes. Hydramnios usually happens to about 10% of diabetic women and usually is diagnosed in the 3rd trimester. I was tested for it 4 weeks ago and didn't have it, but who knows, maybe now I do. I am being tested again on Thursday. 

2. Caroline could have some sort of birth defect. Sometimes the baby will have a problem that causes her to stop swallowing fluid while her kidneys continue to produce more urine from the fluid she's already swallowed....this means she could have plyoric stenosis, a cleft lip or palate, or some kind of blockage in the gestational tract. Also, some neurological problems can keep her from swallowing. She may also have some sort of bladder of kidney problem. Obviously we are hoping that this is not the case with our sweet Caroline. 

3. She could also have severe anemia caused by an infection. I did some tests and this is pretty much ruled out...but who knows? 

4. This whole thing could just be a fluke and the amniotic levels will eventually go back to "normal". 

Obviously, we are hoping for #4! I go to the doctor Thursday morning for an ultrasound to find out what the amniotic fluid level is. Also, I will be doing the diabetes test. We are just hoping for the best! I honestly feel like she is just fine. I feel her kicking all the time which makes me so happy! I feel blessed to have this little girl no matter what!

One of the risks with Hydramnios is preterm labor. My levels were at 26. According to my doctor if the level gets to 30 my water could break. So, if the level is still the same on Thursday, I will have to be tested weekly. If they have gone down, I am pretty much in the clear. But, if they have gone up I will need to have some amniotic fluid removed through a process just like amniocentesis. 

Pray for the best! 

The latest picture of Caroline. She is very flexible...notice the foot by her head.


me at 27 weeks

Weekend Upstate

I'm getting bad at updating this...maybe when I am home with baby Caroline I will have more time. 

Anyway, last weekend Tom and I went to upstate NY to his Uncle and Aunts cabin with our friends Dave and Julie. We drove up Friday night, spent most of Saturday in Cooperstown, NY which is where the Baseball Hall of Fame is. Tom and Dave really enjoyed that...and it was fun for Julie and I too. Saturday night and Sunday we spent enjoying the cabin. It was a GREAT weekend! 

Tom and I outside the Hall of Fame


Dave and Tom walking the streets of Cooperstown


Go Yankees!!


The great Hall of Fame!


Julie and I make Babe Ruth look good ;)


Babe Ruth


Dave and Tom




Tom and Dave rode the ATV's while Julie and I watched

It's a Miracle!!!!

So I came home from a wonderful day, and my day got even more wonderful!! MY INTERNET IS BACK! It's been a while, so you're going to have to scroll down to see all my posts! 

Sagamore Hill

Today was a gorgeous 75 degree day here on Long Island! Tom and I decided that since we only live 5 min. away from Theodore Roosevelts house, we should go see it!

His home...

Beautiful tree in the front of the house.

Tom and I 

Some beautiful wildflowers

There was a little path you could take down to the water. It felt so hot out I wanted to go for a swim...but the water was freeeeezing! 

Tom has a hidden talent that I never knew about...he is very good at skipping rocks. Check out the video :)

Can't leave out Caroline!

Baby Caroline is doing great and so is mom! She is now about 1.2 lbs and about 8.4 inches from crown to rump. I love being pregnant! She moves around and kicks me all the time and I love it!!! I can't wait to have her here!

Caroline's room...

22 wks...the most recent picture I have that I can stand to look at :) 

2-d image at 23 wks

3-d image at 23 wks

Christopher's Birthday

Our cute little nephew, Christopher, just celebrated his 2nd birthday!

Christopher

Nicholas (our nephew also)

me and my adorable nephew!

Some Photos from NEW MEXICO!

I'm a tad bit late on this (Feb 2009)...but what the heck! 

Muah in Old  Town

Me and 2 of my favorites from NM! Danielle, & Laura!

Laura and her new hubby Bryan

Me and Grandma Haggard

Me with 2 of my sisters! 

Carolines Room **UPDATED**

So my internet at home is STILL not working. So I emailed this picture to myself from my phone. The picture isn't that great...but here is a little preview until we get our internet up.

Pray for Brooke

Tom and I learned this morning that our friend, Frankie Toner, was killed while serving our country in Afghanistan. He and his wife Brooke were married around the same time as Tom and I. We all met here in NY in the singles ward. We are so sad for Brooke and hope that you can all join us in praying for her and her family. I can't even imagine how difficult this must be for her--it just breaks my heart. Frankie was a great man. He and Brooke share a great love that could easily be seen when you were with them. We are so grateful that we had a chance to know and be friends with such a great person and such an amazing couple.

Here is Frankie and Brooke when we went out to dinner right before he left for Afghanistan in Oct. 2008.


Afghan soldier kills two coalition troops, U.S. says

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- An Afghan soldier reportedly shot and killed two coalition service members in northern Afghanistan on Friday, U.S. forces in Afghanistan said.

The military, which calls the incident the first of its type "in recent memory," said the shooter also wounded another service member and then killed himself. A fourth service member appeared to be unharmed but was taken to a medical facility for evaluation.

The military passed along comments from Afghan Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak, who expressed his condolences for the service members killed and wounded. He said that he was "saddened and deeply regretful this tragedy occurred" and that the incident was under full investigation.

Wardak said that "it is too early to speculate, but the investigation will bear out the truth" and that "full corrective action will be taken."

20 Weeks

Yay! I'm half way done!!!!!!

Week 20


Baby:
The fetus measures about 5.6 (14.2cm) to 6.4 inches (16.3cm) from crown to rump and weighs about 9 ounces (255g). Your baby can hear sounds by now -- your voice, heart and your stomach growling, as well as sounds outside your body. It will cover its ears with its hands if a loud sound is made near you, and it may even become startled and "jump." The baby is moving often, too -- twisting, turning, wiggling, punching and kicking.

Mom-to-be:
Congratulations! You're at about the midpoint of your pregnancy. Your uterus is just about even with your navel. Your waistline has pretty much disappeared, but only temporarily! The risk of bladder infections increases because the smooth muscles in the urinary tract relax. Your breathing will become deeper and you may perspire more than usual from a more active thyroid gland.

Tip for the week:
To alleviate backaches, maintain good posture. Sit with a footstool or use an ergonomic chair at the office, avoid standing for too long, sleep with a small pillow under your side at the waist, and lift things with your legs instead of your back.

Names

A lot of people have asked us about names. We were deciding between Caroline, Olivia, and Madison...all with the middle name Ruth after my grandma. We decided to go with Caroline Ruth (so if you don't like it, keep it to yourself ;). Tom and I have loved that name for so long and love jamming to Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond...so Caroline it is!

18 wks

It's a.....

For those of you who voted BOY...you are wrong! I can officially say that I was not wrong because a week ago I changed my vote to girl. I decided I should change it to what I wanted it to be and not what I thought it was.
"It" can now be referred to as a "she". We went this morning and she wasn't shy at all, she just opened her legs right up so we could see. I was in shock because I have been telling myself for so long that it has to be a boy!
Tom and I are both overjoyed. Thank you to everyone for your enthusiasm and caring words! We greatly appreciate it! I'm overjoyed not only because we are having a healthy baby girl, but also because I get to buy dresses and bows! Yay! Any advice from mothers of girls, baby girls, would be greatly appreciated and accepted!

Prego Picture

My internet decided to be nice to me tonight and work. Tom wants to use the computer so I only have time for one picture...my trip to NM will have to wait. Hopefully you will hear from me tomorrow about the sex of the baby. If not, check facebook since I can access that on my phone.

Here I am at 17 wks

18 wks and counting...

2 more days until we find out the sex! We are super excited! My internet hasn't worked for wks...except on my phone so I can't upload pictures of my big fat belly:( I will let you all know as soon as we find out though.

14 Wks and Counting...and a New Dwelling

Tom and I have been home sick for the past 4 days so I figure there are no excuses for not updating my blog.  I am now 14 wks! We had our 14 wk. appointment on Thursday and everything is still GREAT! It was so exciting to see the baby. He (I'm convinced it's a boy) was sucking his thumb and kicking and moving around! It finally felt so real to us. We find out on March 5th if it is really a boy so cast your vote on the side. Don't let me thinking it's a boy effect your answer ;) I am sad to say I am often WRONG! 

I am heading down to New Mexico this week to attend one of my best friends of all time, Laura Browns, wedding reception! I am sooo excited! I need to get out of here every now and then! I fit in MUCH better in New Mexico then I do here.

14 wks 2 days


me on Friday...don't mind the big screen on the piano. We had nowhere else to put it! 


 

Oh yah, and for those of you who don't know...we moved! I never said anything because lately Tom and I have become EXPERT movers. Things just didn't work out with our last apartment...mixing family and business just isn't the best choice. I think I have finally convinced Tom of this!! Anyway, we got a cute  little 2 bedroom and I am so happy we will actually have room for a baby! Plus, I am 10 min. from work instead of 1 hour! We LOVE it here. I FINALLY have the apartment cleaned and decorated...it took so long because of being sick, but I feel like I'm home now. Here are some pictures. 

Living Room


Kitchen


I hate that TV...it's just too big...but Tom HAD to have it ; )


Master Bedroom...a little small, but we don't spend much time in it so we figured we would save the bigger room for the baby/office. :) 


Bathroom...it actually has a tub...whoohoo! Oh, and thanks for the shower curtain Cathie!


Can you tell we like lighthouses?