The Makings of a Smoothie

Yum - Yum - Yum

Braden decided this morning that a fruit smoothie would hit the spot and so I thought I'd practice some fun photography while he was busy...
Ah, to be a child again...living in the moment...so fun to capture it on camera! Just click on the collage to see it a little bigger if you'd like :)

Last but not least :)

Justin at five months

Braden and his pet - haha :)

Justin again :)

Some family fun at the beach (Palm Beach - Rockingham)

A few more pictures

King's Park at dusk

Mom and Shayna, Mom and Elyssa

Braden waving bye to the girls as they leave for school :)

Here are some pictures I'll share...

Elyssa and Shayna in their summer uniforms:

Mom and I (as taken by Elyssa) overlooking Perth:

The girls in King's Park:

Australia!!!

So, it's been a long time I feel since I've updated this blog. In some ways I'd love to say that not much has changed but that would be very untrue :) We've moved now, a new post code, a new city, a new country...even a new continent!

King's Park

Here we are, in Australia, starting to feel settled after a few months. It's been quite an adventure for our family. We moved out of our house in Lynden at the end of July and were finally in our own home in Australia mid-October. That's a long time for a family of six to be "displaced". However, during that time we were able to enjoy the hospitality of our parents and friends and were very blessed to have had those wonderful experiences. We spent 5 weeks based out of my parents house in Langley and during that time crossed the border MANY times :) Boy, we were kind of glad to be done with that for a while! We had a great summer, enjoying the Pacific Northwest and Beautiful British Columbia and even a little of the Oregon Coast.

Exploring Oregon

We made the trip over to Australia on August 27th and after a fairly uneventful 23ish hours we arrived in Perth, Western Australia. I would say that Brad and I were both thankful at that time that we didn't have to make the trip back for a while with all of us :) We spent the next few weeks house hunting and car shopping and generally getting settled here in W.A. We joined the Baldivis Free Reformed Church and the kids started school at Rockingham John Calvin School. It has been a very busy few months and now I think we can say that we are started to feel like life is becoming "normal" again. A new normal takes lots of work it seems but we're getting there.

Ready for School!

And here are a few shots of our new home:

We enjoyed a visit from my mom already in October. She was able to spend a couple of weeks helping us out and we also enjoyed a few touristy things together with her. We went to Penguin Island to see the sand penguins, we went to King's Park in Perth and we spent some time at a few different beaches. In March my parents are planning a trip together here and hopefully we'll be able to explore some more of W.A. before and during that time. It's a beautiful part of the world!

June 22, 2009

Today = Due Date

Officially, this is Justin's due date and he is almost one month old. He is doing very well. Growing all the time which means he is eating all the time :)

We are all thouroughly enjoying having a new little one in the family. Justin gets lots of cuddles, hugs and kisses from all of us. He is the kind of baby (so far) that seems to love being held and cuddled which works out well!

We had baptism last sunday. It was a lovely day and a real blessing to be able to bring him to recieve the sign and seal and for us as parents to make our promises before our family, friends and congregation.

Here are a few photos:

Day 13 (Justin)

Well, we came home on day 11, Sunday afternoon! What a blessing. Justin was slowly weaned off his oxygen and his feeding tube and was moved from his isolette to a "big boy bed" and did very well, gaining weight and keeping his temperature up and so after about 48 hours the doctor discharged him.

We are so thankful to be home with all our kiddies and enjoying our family being together. Hopefully soon we'll be able to post some pictures of a big, chubby baby!! For now, Justin is sleeping and eating for the most part. The kids keep wondering when he is going to open his eyes. :)

The girls are done school this friday at noon and I am looking forward to having them home and the lack of routine :) I figure it might be easier for me to sleep a little later in the morning for a couple of weeks without having to make lunches and breakfast right away. Good thing I have such good helpers that like to take care of their little brothers!!

Day 9 (Justin)

It's been nine days since our little guy made his appearance here. We are still in the hospital in the Special Care Nursery and Justin has been improving with baby steps (fitting, I suppose). It's definately an emotional rollercoaster for me with all the ups and downs expected of a new mom :) and also with the added stress and pressure of watching your little baby being poked and prodded and having to spend most of his time in an isolette with breathing tubes and feeding tubes. However, we are so thankful that this is all short term in order to get him to a place where he can nurse and breathe and keep warm all at the same time and then will be well enough and strong enough to come home where our family can be together.

I have missed the other kiddies quite a bit and have seen them a few times but just for a short while as the hospital and nursery are certainly not designed to keep three kids entertained for long :)

Brad is taking Shayna and Braden home today and they will come visit here for a while this afternoon and hopefully we'll be able to go out for a bite to eat as well. Elyssa is coming home tomorrow and is hoping she'll also have a chance to see her little brother again this weekend somtime as well.

We continue to find our hope and comfort in the Lord, who gives and sustains life. We are so thankful to Him that He continues to sustain Justin in these first few days of his life.

Announcing...

Our newest arrival...Justin Brody Kuik.

Well, after 36 weeks and a few days (the longest of all my pregnancies) we are so thankful to annouce the birth of our new son.

Justin arrived on Wednesday, May 27th at 6:10pm weighing in at 7lbs5oz.

As you may know I had finished taking all my pre-term labor medications and so it was a matter of wait and see for the last week or so. I had been having lots of contractions and such for weeks and weeks but on wednesday they started to increase and get stronger throughout the day. By the afternoon they were about 6-7 minutes apart so I called the doctor who told me to go to Labor & Delivery to be checked. By the time we arrived around 4:30 the nurse noticed on the contraction monitor that I was actually contracting every 2 - 4 minutes. She called the doctor and he said to prep the OR and he would be over shortly. It all happened rather quickly and our little guy was born just a short while later just after 6pm.

He is doing well, but has been in the nursery since his birth. He has needed a bit of help breathing and keeping his blood sugar levels up. The pediatrician noticed a bit of an infection in one of his lungs she thought after viewing an x-ray shortly after his birth and so he is on IV antibiotics at this time. Today they have been decreasing his oxygen in his little tent and he has been staying stable. When he is on room air (21% oxygen) and staying stable then I will be able to try nursing. I think this will be wonderful for both Justin and his Mom :) It is hard to have a little newborn and not be able to hold and cuddle and nurse right away although Brad and I have both had a chance to hold him a couple of times while we hold the oxygen tube to his face. So sweet to hold our little boy.

We have been so blessed, especially with the birth now of our fourth child (who big brother Braden is very excited about) and also for all the prayers and help we have been recieving so graciously these past months. It is such a blessing from the Lord to have such support around us all the time. Thank you for what you have done for our family!!

35 weeks and counting :)

I didn't think I'd be so blessed to be able to post at 35 weeks with this pregnancy but we have indeed been incredibly blessed. With much, much prayer and patience we are facing almost turning 36 weeks this sunday. This is the furthest I have carried any pregnancy even though my wonderful doctor did not expect me to carry much past 33 weeks.

It's so fun to feel this baby grow and move. I am measuring about 38 weeks now and the doctor and I agree that this baby won't be tiny ;) and of course the further I carry the bigger he/she is getting!! So, I suppose now I am finally at peace with having a c-section ;)

Everything seems great with baby. Heartbeat is going strong every week. We've been to the hospital in the last week to be monitored and my contractions are holding at about 4 - 6 an hour and as long as they don't get much closer together the doctor is ok with me being at home and waiting for things to change. I am still on the nifedepine and should be for another 5ish days or so. This week I am done with the progesterone shots (hooray) and so now we are starting to await (some days more patiently than others) the arrival of this little one.

Thanks for continuing to check up on us and keeping us in your prayers!!

xoxoxo

ALMOST 34 weeks!!

Yay! I guess officially it's monday that I'll be 34 weeks along. This has been a big goal for us and now it's almost here. I am feeling quite pregnant :) and loving it! There isn't much to say but more of the same.

The medication that I'm on isn't working as well as before so there are definately more episodes of frequent contractions but I told my doctor this past wednesday that my goal each week is to stay out of the hospital! So far so good :) I have been doing lots of resting especially in the afternoons and evenings. Of course, I am also getting a bit anxious and this makes the laying down and relaxing not always so "relaxing" :\ I feel like getting up and being busy but well, the nesting will have to wait a bit I guess!

Of course, as great as 34 weeks is I am hoping for another couple of weeks to make sure this babe is healthy and happy when he/she is born. The best thing about the 34 week mark is that I can deliver the baby in B'ham instead of Seattle. It will be so much nicer for us and the kids if I am close to home and they can share in all the fun and excitement of meeting their new little brother or sister sooner than later!

I'll will try to keep you posted in the next few weeks yet :)

32 weeks.

Here I am...happy to be at 32 weeks! :)

I've had a bit of an up and down week this week so far. Monday afternoon I had lots of contractions and as a result ended up taking my medication early that day to avoid (if I could) having to head to the hospital again. It took a couple of hours but the contractions settled down from every 3-4 minutes to the usually 10-15 minutes. I was happy to not go into the hospital but know that if it keeps happening then that may be what happens.

I saw my doctor today and he told me it would be fine to take 120mg/day of the nifedepine seeing as my body is getting "too" used to the medication. He's hoping this will help having too many spells like monday. His advice is to also take it really easy again for the next couple of weeks. I have to be at least 34 weeks along to deliver in B'ham and of course he would love to see me get even a week or two past that. After 35 weeks they won't try to stop the labor but let the labor take it's course. At that point, he would do the c-section. I'm not sure if I mentioned this in an earlier post but I am having a c-section this time around (like the last) because the baby is unfortunately in breech position and is in no mood to flip around I guess :) Too bad, this is not what I was hoping for and of course the recovery isn't great (just what I don't need after all this) :( But hey, a healthy baby is the goal and I am thankful that I have been blessed so far and know that this also is in the Lord's hands.

For now, baby is still very active and keeps reminding me that he/she is doing great still :) I am measuring 2 weeks ahead which the doctor figures will mean another good size baby for his/her gestation. Good news for us...even if babies are born early...the bigger they are usually means the better they do.

I am also happy to be at a point where the question of steroids for baby's development can be avoided. Don't get me wrong, if I need to do this because delivery is imminent in the next week or two then that's what we'll do BUT, if I can avoid delivering that early then the effects of the steroids don't do much anymore for the baby and it is of course best to avoid anything as unnatural as a very large dose of steroids to a tiny baby if we can. (spoken from someone who has been taking medication for over half the pregnancy) :]

Well, a wonderful friend of mine reminded me the other day that "The Lord allready has a birthday picked out for this little baby" and it IS wonderful to think of that and that He knows what is best for all of us. Not a hair will fall from our heads without His will and that is a great reminder and comfort while we've wrestled through weeks of uncertainty and medical help during this pregnancy. God is good!

31 weeks

Things have stayed relatively quiet the last week. I have been in to see the doctor each week and now we're just taking things day by day. I have had quite a few contractions and more cramping but as long as I'm still hanging in here it's all good!

The doctor has advised me to stay on the higher dose of the nifedepine for now, it seems to keep things down to a dull roar and even though I've maybe had times when I should go back to the hospital to be monitored I've managed to control things at home well enough. Lots of rest, warm baths and some medication and we're taking things day by day.

The doctor mentioned again yesterday that if I am back at the hospital, contracting more than 7 - 8 times an hour then he'll administer the steroid shots right away if I am before 33/34 weeks and if they cannot calm the contractions down he'll send me to Seattle. We are very prayerful about getting to the 34/35 week mark where we can have the baby in Bellingham. At 35 weeks and past they will not try to stop the labor but go ahead with a c-section (as baby is still breech).

Well, we're getting there :) and that is exciting. Hopefully the next few weeks go by quickly!

30 weeks!

Wow - 30 weeks! I am so thrilled to be this far along. I know the next month or two won't be that easy but hey we're getting there. It's a bit surreal almost to think of a new baby in the house. We are all getting very excited about this fact :)

Last week we had spring break with the kids and although busy with everyone home it was a great week. Lovely weather, the bathing suits came out a couple of days and the sprinkler was on! We also took a family trip to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. I know what you're thinking...should Kristi really be doing all the walking but DON"T worry...Brad was oh so happy and eager to push me in a wheelchair all day! What a hoot! Ah well, it was worth it. The kids loved the zoo, it's so well done with lots of animals. The weather had cooled down a bit by Friday but there was no rain so we were happy.

On the way back from Seattle we made a little stop at Babies 'R Us and bought a new pack 'n play for the new little babe. The kids were super eager to set it up and for the last week now it has been used as a doll bed! Shayna is busy practicing with the attached change table and the baby bassinet. How fun!

On sunday we had both our parents over for Easter dinner. They did most of the preparing and clean-up which was lovely. However, even so, I started having lots of contractions...which so you know, have been increasing for the last week because of the new medication I strated that doesn't seem to work as well as the motrin. The contractions were coming every 5 min or so and so I layed down for a while and drank some water to stay hydrated. They did slow down and I just went to bed early that night. I did not sleep that well, lots of cramping and so the next morning I called the on call doctor. He said to go to Labor & Delivery to be monitored. We headed over there just after lunch and had a lovely afternoon hooked up to the baby monitors and even had an ultrasound :) I was contracting every 10 min but with an extra dose of meds they were able to slow them down quite a bit. I went home a few hours later and am now supposed to double my dose of nifedipine at night to 60mg and still 30mg in the morning. It seems to be working the last few days so we will continue to pray for another month or six weeks of relative uneventfullness in this pregnancy.

As much as I love the nurses and doctors at St.Jo's we do prefer to spend our quality time together at home doing other things :) Hopefully that's where were able to be for the next while yet.

Thanks for your prayers, and all your care and concern!

Extra Information

Here is some information I found helpful to clarify what the steroid drugs do if administered at the right time in a pregnancy that is at risk for premature delivery. This information came from the March of Dimes website:

Steroids (such as betamethasone and dexamethasone) speed the growth of the baby's lungs and organs. These drugs reduce infant deaths by about 30 percent. They also reduce the two most serious complications of premature birth, respiratory distress syndrome (by about 50 percent) and bleeding in the brain (by about 70 percent).



And here is some information on the two drugs I am taking during this pregnancy to reduce PTL symptoms. The first one, nifedipine, is what I will start taking next week at 29 weeks after going off of the motrin (which is a NSAID [non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug] like indomethacin).

Calcium channel blockers
(nifedipine)
Possible side effects for the mother: Redness of the skin, headache, dizziness, nausea, low blood pressure
Possible side effects for the baby: None noted as yet

Prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors
(indomethacin, ketorolac, sulindac)
Possible side effects for the mother: Nausea, heartburn
Possible side effects for the baby: Tightening of the blood vessel through which the baby's blood flows from one major blood vessel to another (ductus arteriosus), high blood pressure in the lungs, decrease in kidney function, bleeding within the brain or heart, jaundice (yellowish color of the skin and eyes), decreased blood flow to the bowel resulting in infection (necrotizing enterocolitis)

(: ǝʇɐpdn ʇuǝɯʇuıoddɐ (28 weeks)

Okay - no joking ;)

Happy April 1st!!

I saw the doctor today and he is a little concerned about the fact that the contractions and cramping have increased and that the motrin isn't working as well as it has during the last month. He gave me a few different options for what to do at this point and what we decided is to continue with the motrin for one more week (the max he'll allow me to stay on it) as long as things are relatively under control. Next week I'll start a new medication called nifedipine (spelling?) which in his opinion isn't usually as effective but there are too many risks to staying on the motrin at this point. The doctor would also like to do a course of steroids for lung development in the next couple of weeks depending how things are going. We'll discuss this and also discuss if and when my doctor would like for me to go to Seattle to see a perinatologist for a second opinion.
We'll be praying for an uneventful week for now...(the kids have spring break next week and it would be nice if things stay stable so we can enjoy the time off together).

Woohoo...3rd Trimester!

Another milestone date...28 weeks!
I am happy and excited to be at this point and going into the third trimester. Things have been quite stable the last two weeks. I have gone in to have my shot each week and am continuing with my other medication 3x's a day to keep everything settled :)
I will see the doctor again tomorrow and I'm not sure yet if he is wanting to schedule another follow-up ultrasound to check the fluid levels but I FEEL like I am still big and growing bigger so that's a good sign. I now have some maternity shirts that I CAN'T wear anymore because they are getting too short. I guess that means the belly is growing. I should take some pic's today and add them to this post...if not, I'll do it shortly :)
What a blessing to be at the point where we can start planning for baby...looking through baby clothes and buying some diapers and that sort of stuff. Brad is just happy we didn't find out what we're having because I might be too tempted to be shopping online all day for cute little outfits :0 But hey, we'll know soon enough!
We are still working out the names...can't seem to come up with a boy name that we both love so maybe that means it's a girl...who knows! It's still fun to come up with ideas and I'm sure we'll narrow it down soon enough so the poor little one doesn't go home as "baby K". If we leave it up to our lovely son at home though he would love to name a little brother, Pablo :0 because apparently he says, "no one in our family has that name" haha!!
So for now, that's all...if there is anything new from the doctor I'll update soon!!

26 weeks

Look at this...another post...I am getting kind of consistent here...not bad!

I had a follow-up ultrasound today to check the amniotic fluid around the baby and then an appt. with my OB doctor. The doctor wanted to check the fluid levels because the medication that I am on to control the contractions and cramping can sometimes lead to decreased fluid. All is well though, my levels are on the high end of normal!! Yay! What great news! They also checked out the cervical length and it was great, even better than a month ago...wow. I am so thankful that the ultrasound appt went so well. The doctor was also very pleased! He said that as long as things are stable then "keep doing what you're doing" and he won't worry about a consult in Seattle with the perinatologist or having steroid shots just yet. He was even brave enough to say that I don't need to come see him for two weeks. (we'll see how that goes...haha) I'll be in the office anyways to have my shots on thursdays so he knows he'll probably see me then anyways while I am in to see the nurse! :)

I am so very thankful to our wonderful God for answering so many prayers for a sustained and healthy pregnancy at this point. He is great!! There are so many worries and I really try not to worry about what hasn't happened yet but with my frail human mind it is sometimes hard to keep only today's worries for today. I think that because of our previous loss of our little Emily at 24 weeks and our other subsequent difficult pregnancies and early deliveries it takes a lot of the naivety out of a pregnancy for me. I am however, constantly amazed that through faithful prayer, God gives me (and Brad) the strength to face every day with hope and excitement!!

By the way, the ultrasound technician today took some fun 3D shots of the baby and those are the pictures I'm posting here (one of a leg - with a foot tucked under it and one of the profile) :

25 weeks

Well, here we are a week later! Yay!

I saw the good doctor today and here's a little update. He wants me to stay on the motrin (600 mg every 6-8 hours) for the next week. It seems to work fairly well, doesn't take away the contractions alltogether but does lessen them as well as decreases the cramping. I should be laying down as much as I can. (easier said than done of course but Brad is acting as the bedrest police) :)

Next Tuesday I will have an ultrasound to check the fluid levels because the nsaid's (non-steroidal anti-infamalory drugs) like motrin can affect the baby's fluid and if it has decreased then I will need to switch medications. So far the doctor seems to think that there is enough fluid yet, I measure about 2 weeks bigger than I am at. Great news, another big Kuik baby :)

The doctor also discussed the benefits of starting a course of steroid shots (2 shots administered 24 hours apart) sometime in the next weeks. He may send me for an consult appt. in Seattle with a perinatologist (high-risk OB doctor) before doing that or switching medications. The benefits of the steroid shots (which I have had with the last two pregnancies) are quicker lung development for the baby. They do nothing for PTL (pre-term labor) or for the mother but are just to benefit the baby. The thing is they have the most effect when used within two weeks of delivery. They still have some effect after that but not as significant and they can only (should only) be given once in the pregnancy. So it's always a bit of a debate to decide when is a good time to administer. The doctor of course would like to see me stay pregnant for another 8+ weeks, as would I but also neither of us want to lose that window of opportunity to administer the steroids.

So, he'll see me again in one week, right after the ultrasound to decide on some of those things, providing that I behave this week and things are still going fairly well.

Thanks for keeping our family and our little one in your prayers!

hugs,
Kristi

24 weeks

Wow...can't believe it's been a month since I posted...I must've been so busy! (haha) I guess things have been moving along nicely for the most part. The first month after starting my 17p shots went really well. I noticed a difference that seemed to improve each week. For some reason the day before I was due for my fifth shot I started having some mild cramping and some more contractions. I figured it was because I was due for another shot but even after having that shot the next day the following week I felt about the same. Mild cramping, quite a few contractions and a general feeling of tightness, especially at night. So rest seems to help and it has been hard. Life seems to keep getting in the way :) but I am so excited to be at this point and that time hasn't been standing still like I thought it might!!

I saw the doctor this past thursday and he told me what to watch for and when to come in or call. So I will keep taking it easy (which is a little easier during the week when the girlies are at school) and hope for another good month. I feel like it might be here before I know it. (28 weeks...woohoo - can't wait). Plus, the doctor made me promise not to have the baby in the next month so I guess I won't :)

I told Brad the other day that so much of my thoughts / time is spent on trying to stay pregnant that I sometimes forget or lose sight of the fact that in few months we'll have a little baby sleeping in our room and cuddling with us! WOW! It's kind of surreal. Maybe also because until I am at this point in the pregnancy I always wonder if I'll even make it this far. Well, here I am! Hopefully another month or so and we can really start planning and buying a few things. Can't wait!

HALFWAY :)

Well, I guess monday, being 20 weeks, makes it the halfway point. Okay...no laughing, I allready know I am more than halfway. I keep telling people that it would be funny if I made it to full term this time and they had to induce me or something! DH (dear husband) just laughed and said he'd bet a hundred mil against that. Maybe I should take him up on it...well, only if he has a that kind of cash under the mattress that I don't know about LOL!!! :)

So, it does feel nice to be at this point in my pregnancy. I remember wishing I was this far (kind of the first mini goal). Now I can't wait to be at 25 weeks ;)

Surprisingly, the last four weeks have gone quite well. They have not been without the ups and downs that we are used to but I have kept quite busy and time has been moving along at a nice pace. It doesn't seem that long ago that I quit teaching and had to lay down but with much prayer for patience things have been going well. Between online scrapbooking, email, good books, visiting with great friends and surfing (the web that is) :) I have stayed relatively entertained. Our spirits in the family are generally good and everyone is helpful when they need to be and willing to pitch in with the extra work that I am not able to do.

Medically, I have had two weeks of 17P shots and they seem to follow a bit of a pattern where they peak for a few days and then some of the cramping and contractions and tightness come back. When I need to I am taking 600mg of ibuprofin (Motrin) as per doctors orders and that seems to settle things down again after a couple of hours. My OB thinks that because the shots seem to be helping a bit that over the next few weeks because it is a long lasting hormone, I should see less of a peak and more of a leveling off. But, he says, we'll wait and see because nothing is for sure and everyone's body reacts differently. At this, I thank God that He is in control and knows all things and works them together for our good! If it were up to us and the world of medicine to figure it all out we would be totally helpless.

I had my "halfway" ultrasound this past monday and the babe was moving and kicking and was growing at just the right pace!!! Yay!! Sooo cute! I love having those ultrasounds and seeing that new little life just so perfect, floating around inside. It's neat to see the feet kick and then see it on the screen! AND, NO I did NOT find out if it's a girl or a boy!! It was a hard decision but between my mom and my kids who all did not want to find out, I decided it would be easier to not know and be part of the guessing game with them. Way to much pressure for me to know and not "blow it" and spoil the surprise for them! :)

Well, that's it I think, I'll add more if there is anything else new and exciting I remember that I wanted to share but thanks for reading so far :)

Almost 18 weeks...

Yah...monday will make it 18 weeks. Not necessarily a great milestone week but I love counting down the weeks. This week has been relatively uneventful and yet there is some news. Last week I had more cramping and contractions than this week but as a result and because they are so early in the pregnancy the doctor decided to start me on 17P shots. I start next week on these shots and they are once a week for the rest of the pregnancy (or until 36/37 weeks). 17P is Alpha Hydroxyprogesterone Caproate which is the naturally occuring hormone progesterone that a women normally has and so it shouldn't have too many side effects on me or the baby. For some reason, which doctors don't even really understand, this hormone seems to calm PTL (pre-term lanor) and prolong a pregnancy in about 40% of the cases in which it is used to treat these symptoms. I have done lots of research on it and have prayed about this decision and feel that it is the right thing to do. My doctor has suggested that if I continue to have PTL symptoms he will likely put me on hospital bedrest after about 24 weeks and so if I can avoid that and stay at home with bedrest then almost anything is worth a try. It may not help at all or it might be just the thing I need. Here's to hoping this might do the trick for me!! :)

For the rest, as long as I take it very easy, which is not being up and around for more than 1 1/2 - 2 hours at a time and laying down for the rest then things seem great. Sometimes (not so surprisingly) I push it a little because I feel good and then I remember why I should be laying down :) Oh well, I guess little reminders are good.

So for me, I have decided that things like grocery shopping and shopping in general :( are quite off limits. Walking seems to be what aggrevates me the worst. I avoid lifting and try not to do too many light chores in a row. If I've been up for an hour or two then generally I lay down for the rest of the morning...afternoon or evening depending on what time of day it is. I try to drink lots of water because dehydration can also be a cause of PTL. Obviously our lifestyle at home has changed a bit...but it also makes for a generally more relaxed environment...doesn't seem to be much rushing around and busyiness so that's kind of a nice change. I am very thankful this time around to have a laptop and wireless internet...what did I ever do without it ?!?! :) I can still shop from the couch...catch up with friends and organize photos. I sometimes have days where I feel like I've accomplished more than just incubating but hey, even if I don't do much more...I feel I've done a pretty good job at what I should be doing ;) As I said to DH (dear husband)..."There is no way you could do my job right now!" haha...lol! He agreed with me 100%.

Speaking of 100%...my Dear Aunt reminded me as she has in the past that I am doing a very important job right now and we like to remember the book about Horton the Elephant (who I generally feel like when I am quite pregnant) :) ....An Elephant is faithful 100%...read the book sometime...it's a great reminder for me why I am doing what I am doing !!

A Little Bedrest...

Well, the time has come ((allready)) to start a little modified bedrest. I had my cerclage surgery three weeks ago and after a few days of bedrest I was up and around a bit more. Things were going quite well but after a busier weekend and starting back at school this weeks that changed. I was experiencing more cramping and contractions and since I am only 16 weeks this is definately not what I was expecting. I was hoping to keep teaching for a while still but I have learnt many times over that our plans are not always His plans. So now, as of yesterday I quit teaching and am now resting on the couch. Things are better today I would say...my body feels more relaxed which is the result I was hoping for. I would love to avoid having a trip to the doctor or L & D at St. Jo's this weekend. I have also been surrounded by wonderful friends and family that have been very willing to lend a hand where it's needed. I appreciate all the help...takes some added stress from the situation and keeps our spirits up at home!

I will miss teaching the rest of the year! I enjoyed my classes and my wonderful students. It's not a nice feeling to leave them halfway through the year but the school has also been blessed with a substitute on short notice. She is fluent in spanish, though not a teacher, and is willing to give it a go for a few weeks and see how she likes it. I plan on having a little bit of continued involvement with her to help the transition go smoothly.

So for now, I am on the couch, resting, typing, facebooking and all those important things. Hopefully I will start with some digital scrapbooking soon and then I should be feeling a bit productive during this time of incubating :) I remember organizing all my photos during one of my pregnancies ( I think it was with Braden) and so it's been a few years and time for a little attention there anyways!

Please keep our little one in your prayers...and our family as well that we will be blessed with patience.