38 Week Check Up

I went to the doctor today for my 38 week check up. My blood pressure is staying down pretty good. I'm trying my best to stay off my feet as much as I can. My doctor said he could tell I had been up more this week because I had more swelling in my legs and feet than last week.  Everything was good with my doctor visit and he sent me over to the hospital to do my Pre-Op for the c-section. So...unless I go into labor between now and next Tuesday, Miss Alexis will be here next Tuesday, January 6th. My c-section is schedule for 10:25 am, however I don't know when her actual birth time will be. But the count down is on...I have 7 days until she arrives. Everything is packed, car seats are ready, the nursery is ready, and every one is just waiting and ready to go if she comes earlier than next Tuesday, if not then we are still ready.  Even though things have been busy with Christmas, since I got out of school time seems to have stopped and is standing still. I think this will be the longest 7 days. But I am ready for next week for many of reasons: I'm ready to meet our baby girl, ready to start getting to the "new normal", ready to start wearing my regular clothes again :0) (I've been wearing Kevin's pj pants and t-shirts because mine don't fit; however all he has is Gamecock stuff), I'm ready to be off bed rest and to be back at my normal pace of things. It was nice for awhile to be able to take it easy and have things done for me, but after awhile, I get to where I just want to do it myself. I haven't driven a car since I came home the day school got out. And I won't drive a car for at least another month. I'm tired of telling Madalyn, Mommy can't do that because she has to rest or doesn't feel good. Kevin and family are all excited and I know Kevin's just as ready as I am for the "pregnant" part of this journey to be over.  So let's start at 7.........and count down!

Bella's Emergency

Since I got out of school on Thursday, December 18th, it has been a crazy and busy time. For someone who is on bed rest due to high blood pressure, I can't handle any kind of excitement, stress, or anxiety or my blood pressure really goes up it hasn't been that calm around our house.

One of the "exciting" things that has happened over the past week, was Friday morning I let Bella in the house like normal. She ate her breakfast and we were going about our normal day. Madalyn came into the den and was holding Bella. When she put her on the floor she started making this meowing sound ( it really sounded like she was talking to us) that I had not heard before. She did it three times and the next thing I know, she starts throwing up. And she threw up and threw up. I was trying to get her to the kitchen floor or get her outside on the porch, but she kept slipping through my hands and she would run back to that same spot and throw up. I was finally able to get her to the porch when I noticed she had thrown up something besides food. (Now, I normally handle things like this with no problem, but that morning I was gagging myself. So I called Kevin's mom-who was coming over anyway to help take down my Christmas tree and house decorations to come over and help clean up Bella's mess.)  She picked up the thing that Bella threw up and it was about 3-4 inches long and it was a pink ribbon that Madalyn uses to play with.  7 Hours later Bella started throwing up again, but no ribbon this time. I realized that since she was throwing up again, something was wrong. She wasn't able to keep her food down, so I thought she might have some kind of blockage. Well, being Friday afternoon at 4:30 no vet is open around here so I called the emergency vet in Augusta, GA to get their opinion. When Kevin got home at 5:00, he got Bella and took off to Augusta.  She threw up again in his truck on the way over there and again in the waiting room.  They did an X-ray, and Kevin said you could see something in her stomach and something in her intestines. So early Friday morning they did emergency surgery on her (they also went ahead and spayed her at our request because we had not gotten that done yet and she had already been in heat 4 times. We didn't want her to have kittens.) They finished the surgery around 3:00 am, but we didn't know anything until I called Saturday morning to check on her. (Kevin had gotten home at midnight).  They removed about 3-4 inches of ribbon from her stomach and a foot of ribbon from her intestines. She had eaten about 2 feet of ribbon. If it had not been surgically removed, she would have died. This wasn't anything that she could have passed because it was wrapped around her intestines. Since I was 5 years old, I've had a cat and I have never had one eat ribbon or string before, a dog, yes. But the vet acted like it was a fairly common thing. Needless to say, no more ribbon, string, or anything that Bella can swallow for her to play with. I didn't see her eat the string, so I don't know if it happened Friday morning or if it had been in her system longer than that. Kevin picked her up Sunday at lunch and she seems to be doing good. She's very happy to be home.  She has staples that will have to be removed next week and I have several medications to give her for the next several days. I am just thankful to Kevin for taking her. What Daddy's are willing to do to keep their little girls happy. :0)

We laugh and say that Bella has one of the most expensive pieces of jewelry in the house...her necklace or collar really. She has to wear this until the staples are removed so she doesn't try to get the staples out herself.

Her incision. She has 12 staples I think. I feel her pain..I've been there and will be there again in 8 days or less.

The Culprit: Pink Cowgirl Ribbon

This was what they took out of her. And remember she threw up about 3-4 inches on her own.

Merry Christmas!

We had a lot of excited this morning with Santa coming. However, at 7:30am, Kevin woke Madalyn up. We both had been up since 5:00am and she normally is up by 7:30; we couldn't wait any longer :). After everything was open, Madalyn said that Santa comes when everyone is a sleep, so let's go back to sleep. I had to explain that Santa only comes once a year.  We had a great day and Madalyn has enjoyed playing with all her new things.  Every time Madalyn would open something she would say "I love it." And in her own words, "This was the best Christmas ever!"

Santa liked the gingerbread men cookies we made and he drank all the milk.

Madalyn's presents from Santa. 

Which one did she go to first? The one we knew she would go for first...the Soccer Ball.

Santa even left a stocking for Kevin and Me.

And he left treats for Wingo and Bella.

Madalyn with her remote control Sofia and Minimus. They walk and talk. She will probably need new batteries in this toy by tomorrow.

Madalyn and her doll and horse.

She got several outfits for her doll: PJ's, dress, and a ballerina outfit.

She got a new puzzle. She's put it together twice.

Sparkle Play Doh and some new Play Doh cutters and shapes.

Madalyn got this camper, jeep, and dog from Nana and G-Dad over the weekend that go with her doll.

Meme and Pop came over and brought lunch for us. After eating, they all went outside for a quick soccer game.

This evening, Madalyn was in the kitchen playing with Sofia and Minimus. I looked at what she was doing and she had set up a barrel course for them using her Play Doh. My creative child. :0)

Room Reveal

This weekend we were able to put the finishing touches on the nursery and Madalyn's "big" girl room. My parents helped me get both of the rooms finished since I am doing my best to stay off my feet.  (Some of the wall coloring and coloring of the bedding in both rooms may differ a little than they actually are; just due to lighting.)

Nursery Reveal

I am so pleased with how the nursery turned out. :o)

My color scheme was lavender and aqua blue.

We did some rearranging in this room and now I have so much more space.

The crib is the same one we had with Madalyn.

I love my bedding!

This was my bed from home and I have been using it as my guest bed. We kept it up so my parents have a bed when they come down.

The changing table/dresser was the same one Madalyn had.

This dresser belonged to my great aunt Ann. It was in my nursery, and Madalyn's nursery and now it's in Alexis' nursery.

This picture was made for my nursery and it also hung in Madalyn's nursery.

Madalyn's "Big" Girl Room

We also did some rearranging in Madalyn's room and I also love out her room turned out. She too seems to have so much more space now.

This dresser was in my old room and then it has been in the guest room. When we moved the changing table/dresser out, we replaced it with this dresser.

Madalyn's Christmas Program

Saturday was Madalyn's preschool Christmas program. I didn't get to go, but Kevin, my mom and dad went. So they took a video and pictures for me. Madalyn did a great job this year.

They made their shirts at school.

Madalyn's Class

Saturday night we did Christmas with my parents.

Nana and Madalyn

Sunday was my dad's birthday. We also had Christmas lunch with Kevin's grandmas and family, but I stayed home and rested.

Olive Garden and School Baby Gift

I am late posting this, but Sunday, December 7th, my Mother-in-law and my sister-in-laws took me out to eat lunch at the Olive Garden for a girl's lunch and shower. We ate at the Olive Garden in Columbia and my mom came down to meet us along with my cousin. There were 12 of us in all: Mrs. Katie, (my mother-in-law), my 3 sister-in-laws, Tori (and her daughter Lily Kate), Heather (and her daughter Kayla), and Katelyn (who was pregnant as well), My mom and my cousin Beth, Kevin's aunt Wanda, Katelyn's mother-in-law, Mrs. Renea-who is also Madalyn's preschool teacher, and Katelyn's sister-in-law, Crystal (who also is pregnant and she's due in March.) It was a very nice lunch and I had a great time. I wish I had felt better, because that day I was not feeling good at all. I really appreciate them doing that for me.

At school with second babies or more, they don't do a shower for you, but they will take up money and give a gift. So Tuesday at our school Christmas party, I got a stroller and a very generous gift card. So I was able to get my bouncy seat and a few other items that I would need right away with the baby that I had not gotten yet. Both gifts were very nice and I greatly appreciate it.

So, I think I now have all that I need for baby Alexis. Her bag is packed for the hospital, Madalyn's bag is packed, and my bag is almost packed along with Kevin's. So, whenever God's timing is for her, we are as ready as we can be I guess. :0)

36 Week Check Up

Wednesday, I went for my 36 week check up. All was good with the baby. My feet was the biggest they had been yet. So my doctor told me that he wanted me to keep my feet up for a 24 hour period to see if the swelling would go down. If it didn't , then next week on Tuesday, they would do some blood work and test me for preeclampsia.  I got out of school on Thursday; so Yea! I'm on Christmas break.  Thursday night, I wasn't feeling that great, so I took my blood pressure and it was up. I started taking it each hour and it would go up and then go down some, but not back to normal. Friday I woke up and took it and it was up. So I called the doctor's office. After waiting for an hour, I called back and after 30 more minutes, Kevin and I headed to Augusta. We had an hour drive to get to my doctor's office and I was sure that he would want to see me. (My blood pressure went up the day I went into labor with Madalyn. So we were trying to see what was going on here.)  My doctor said that my blood pressure was border line, but since I had the swelling (however since Wednesday, just keeping my feet up,  I had lost 3 pounds of fluid-which is a good thing.) he wanted to go ahead and test me and check things out before sending me home. So we went over the the hospital and they did blood work on me, and monitored the baby for any labor activity, and monitored my blood pressure. I was there for about 2 1/2 hours. All my blood work came back normal and my blood pressure was getting closer to the normal range. So my doctor told me to go home and I'm on bed rest. I will go back to the doctor on Tuesday for my 37 week check up and we will go from there. Hopefully, things will only improve and this baby girl will be able to stay in and not have to come yet.

Kinsley Kate Delk

Monday, my sister-in-law, Katelyn, had her baby girl. She was born at 38 weeks. She was 6 lbs. 3 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long. My sister-in-law had to be induced early due to her fluid was low. All was good with the baby and her.

Kinsley Kate

She's being held by Kevin.

Madalyn and Kinsley

Madalyn has been getting some practice in at being a "Big" sister.

It's Christmas Time

Here's some pictures of Madalyn in her Christmas outfit and Christmas pj's.

Wednesday after we went to the doctor; we took Madalyn to the mall to see Santa. She was so excited about going to the North Pole and seeing Santa's reindeer. She wanted to pet them. However, when she was face to face with Santa, she wouldn't talk to him or smile. But she did sit in his lap, which was a huge step up from last year. She cried and wouldn't have anything to do with him last year. She is still concerned about his reindeer and wants to see them at the North Pole. 

Maternity Pictures

This evening, my sister-in-law, Tori, took a few maternity pictures of us. I had been meaning to get these done for a few weeks now, but it seemed that each weekend it was raining or cold, and I didn't feel good. So, we finally had a pretty day with good weather. So I was glad to get these done because if we kept waiting, she might be here before we got pictures made. :0)