Another Pamper Pouch

I'm super jazzed to debut here on the blog my niece (who we will call Tiny).  Here she is all snuggled up in a pamper pouch original.  My sister is a star.  Her daughter was born at 34.5 weeks via necessary c section due to vasa previa.  Let me just say, after seeing the difficulties that my sister and I have endured during pregnancy, while I hightly respect anyone who desires a home birth, I would just say that ONE ultrasound before delivery would easily rule out these hidden and life threatening complications before birth.  Had my sister not known about her form of previa ahead of time, Tiny would have been lost within 2-3 min of the onset of labor.  There is no harm in one scan that could save a life.  My sister bravely and joyfully endured 7 weeks in the hospital and Tiny spent nearly 2 weeks in the NICU, but it was all worth it and they are enjoying their babymoon now.  I'm proud.  Here she is, all snuggled next to mommy's heart.  Where she belongs.  :)

Squishy update

So, after visiting the OB on Monday, we got some news that we weren't really expecting.  While we were indeed hopeful that the doctor would have clear answers for us, we weren't anticipating the answers that we got.  My doctor has an ultrasound machine right in his office, so we were able to do a scan and have the doctor access it right at the same time.  The first thing I noticed about the office (it was my first visit) was how dark it was in there.  The office is inside a larger building, so there are no windows that let in any natural light.  I was thinking about how I think I would go crazy working in there without a window to the outside world to look out of.  I also thought the waiting room could use a re-style.  Or background music.  Or a TV... or anything to pass the hour long wait.  But I digress.  Here is my ultrasound picture:

So here is the diagnosis.  As you can see in the photo, there is a dark area towards the bottom.  On the right is my placenta, and you can see as it comes down to the left, it separates from the uterine wall.  About 30% of it has separated.  Under that portion, you can see the blood pooling from when it came off.  The doctor says I can expect to bleed that out yet.  I've been spotting a bit since then, and I expect that that's what is to blame for it.  For the time being, Squishy is fine.  "Perfectly fine" as the doctor said.  The goal now is to keep the remainder of the placenta from detaching.  My official diagnosis is that I have a "partial placental abruption".  So here are the FAQs

The baby can survive on as little as 1/7 of the placenta, so there is no immediate danger to Squishy.  However, the risk of further separation is possible.  This could lead to early delivery and a low weight baby.  On the other hand, there has been the rare reported case of the abruption healing.  Now, I know my God can do miracles, so I am praying that He intervenes and allows that to be my case. 

I am on modified bed rest at home for now.  This means that I'm able to sit up, eat at the table, and shower as often as I like.  I'm hoping that I'm able to do the remainder of my bedrest time at home as opposed to needing to be in the hospital for any length of time.  Ballerina and Hipster are being troopers, but they really need me at home with them. 

Speaking of Hipster... it's been a bit hard for me as my days wearing him and nursing him have come to a swift end.  To prevent further detachment, I can't allow anything that would cause the uterus to contract.... ie... nursing.  The chances that this would make a difference are small, but I'm not willing to take any of those chances.  Hipster is three now, so I think he won't be too adversely affected by weaning.  I've told him that we have to save the num nums for the baby.  He understands.  He tells me that he is 'mad', but then he moves on.  Today is the second day that we've gone the entire day without nursing at all, and he has yet to get too upset over it.  We were winding down anyway.  But it's still an abrupt ending to an era with him.  By the time i'm off bedrest, I'll have a new baby and he'll be 3.5, so the days of wearing him are pretty much done as well.  Sigh.  He's getting too big, too fast. 

So for now, we wait.  We pray.  We praise the Lord for each day we have.  And we look forward to the day that we can hold Squishy in our arms and bring him/her home.  Please join us in prayer for the following:

That the abruption would heal.

That if it does not, that I would be able to carry this baby to term

That the Lord would sustain our family through the difficulty of my being on bedrest. 

That my children would be easy going and wouldn't feel lost in the shuffle of this chaotic time in our lives.

That Hipster would continue to be relatively unbothered by his weaning and that it wouldn't take long for him to move on.

That the Lord would show me His purpose in this time, that I would have peace and direction and a sound mind while stuck in bed for the next 6 months. 

That the abruption would not get worse throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

And that's about it for now folks.  Life around here will be a bit different for a while, but I invite you to follow me in my journey on here.  I go back for a follow up on the 14th of August, so I will update ya'll after that.  Stay tuned and stay in prayer! 

Thanks so much. 

~From my couch to your home~

A Scare and a Prayer

I want to start this post off immediately by stating that I am still pregnant and our baby is healthy. 

We did, however, have a big scare this past weekend.  On Saturday, I started to feel a bit off during the day. I had discomfort low in my pelvis and lower back.  I thought initially that I may have had a UTI coming on.  I was at a birthday party about two hours from home, so I decided to head home a bit early in hopes that I could get home before I started to feel worse.  As I was driving, the slight discomfort grew quickly into a rather intense cramping feeling.  The intensity would come and go and at it's worst, it would cause my breath to catch.  I began to feel certain that I would bleed.... as if it would somehow release the pressure I was feeling.  I was praying and trying to stay calm as I drove the rest of the way home.  When I was just a few freeway exits from my exit to get home, I felt what I had been dreading.  I didn't know how bad it was.  When I got home, I discovered that it was indeed quite heavy.  Had I been in the car much longer, the seat would have been ruined.  I thought it was over at that point.  I was devastated and afraid.  I didn't know how big the baby would be of if I would pass it on my own.  At 12 weeks, we're looking at potentially a decent size baby... ya know?  (About plum size).  My mom suggested that I go in and have a doctor assess the situation.  We agreed that this was a wise choice and went in to our local ER.  This is where I'll cut out all the boring details about sitting in a waiting room from ten pm until three am.  

While we were waiting, I was thinking about how I would explain things to Ballerina.  I wondered how much Hipster would understand.  (Not much, I'm sure.)  I thought about how our God is sovereign and in control.  I thought about my grandma, who is daily slipping closer to Jesus due to cancer, holding our baby before we did.  I thought about how glad I am for the promise of Heaven and what it means for us in times that we face death.  I knew that it would be painful and difficult, but that the Lord would carry me through.  Just like He was faithful to do twice before.  I felt angry at the unfairness in this world, and yet, I knew that pain in the world exists because we are a fallen and sinful people, not because we have a mean God. 

 I was roused from these thoughts by the nurse calling me back to do an ultrasound.  When she told me our baby had a good strong heartbeat and was wiggling around so much she was struggling to measure him or her, I was shocked.  And thrilled beyond belief.  Throughout the entire night, after multiple tests, they were unable to determine the cause of the bleeding.  I'm really hoping and praying that when I go in for my follow up on Monday and an actual OB looks at my tests, that his highly trained eye will be able to determine the cause.  So, for now, I am on bed-rest.  Since going on it, the bleeding has stopped.  The cramping comes and goes, but it's not like it was at all.  I'm cautiously optimistic at this point.  Our baby is indeed measuring right around 12 weeks in size.  He or she looks like this at the moment:

The doctor told me that any time there is unexplained bleeding, there is a present risk of miscarriage.  They call this a "Threatened Miscarriage"

So, I'm going to do everything I can to keep this baby snuggled safely in my womb, but in the end, it's truly in the Lord's hands.  I have to rest in His love for me and trust that He will always work in my best interest.  Please pray for our family.  Pray that we will remain hopeful and optimistic and not be burdened by fear and doubt.  Pray that we will stay surrendered to His will.  Pray that our baby will stay healthy and be born at term.  Pray for my precious husband.  He has truly stepped up to the plate.  He is taking great care of me as well as working his full time job and trying to keep up on all the other little crazy things going on in our life.  (Read about them here.)  Pray that the Lord would direct us in how to proceed with our adoption through this hectic time.  Please pray that the faith of our children will be strengthened during this trial.  As we were leaving for the hospital, Ballerina said to me, "I know it doesn't seem very likely, but I'm gonna pray for a miracle.  I'm praying that Squishy is ok."  Imagine my joy when I was able to share with her the news that the Lord said yes to that prayer.  

So now, I start my bed-rest journey.  I hate feeling like a useless lazy bum invalid, sitting on my tush while my husband takes care of everything, but if in January I get to hold this baby in my arms, it will all be worth it.  And we have a great church family that has offered to help us during this process.

Hey... maybe now I'll finally master knitting.  ;)

~From my couch to your home~
><>Regi<><

"Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out." Ruth 3:18 

First World Problems

Have you seen this website?

http://first-world-problems.com/

Or have you seen this book?

http://www.amazon.com/First-World-Problems-Ben-Nesvig/dp/1468104624

Lately, I feel like I could have penned that book.  My life is good.  I am blessed.  The Lord is doing great things.  So why am I so tense and stressed these days?  I'll tell ya.... it's a million and one LITTLE annoyances.  Our car won't pass smog.  Our washing machine won't stop leaking.  Our dishwasher soap dispenser won't open all the way.  We can't keep the rats of the world from wanting to eat the chicken feed in our garage.  We buy a new harness for the dog and ten min after putting it on her, she chews a hole in it.  I can't get a leg up on this stinkin' cold.  Wendy's gave me tea instead of strawberry lemonade, I can't eat pizza, or donuts, or burritos, or cookies, or anything made with wheat or soy anymore....  All these things are perfect examples of "First World Problems".  Now, society offers me an excuse.... I'm pregnant and hormonal, therefore, it's acceptable for me to be a selfish ugly beast.  Or is it?  I say no!  It's never ok.  Let's not make excuses ok?  I'm being a selfish beast because I'm a wretched sinner.  Jesus suffered and died on a cross so that I don't have to be a slave to my sin anymore.  It is wasteful for me to continue in those ways and allow myself excuses.  So, this is my pledge to enjoy growing a baby rather than acting like one.

Not the end of the world:

I'm choosing to focus on the good.  Who's with me?

And if you need a smile today, here you go.  

Be blessed my friends!

Hipster turns three!

I can't believe how quickly time goes by.  My "baby" is three years old!  We had a super duper low key get together at the park by our house to celebrate with other little kids.  I wanted it to be at a park so that I wouldn't have to think of ways to entertain small kids.  It was perfect.  We had a "Popsicle Park Party".    Little man had a blast.  I didn't get too many photos due to my dead camera battery, but here is a glimpse of the day.....

Some of my friends have more pictures and some video on their cameras, so once I get those from them, I'll show more!  

Hope ya'll have a blessed week and 4th of July.