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.