Keep Going Until Monday the 4th

Well, it's Tuesday December 29. 29th right?? I keep a calendar near but I haven't looked at it today. At least I know what day of the week it is. I guess when you're counting down you can't forget the week day.

I'm enjoying my free time to sleep in (although I am awakened at 6:30 to put the baby on the monitor), read, eat quietly, watch movies, play Rush Hour, play guitar, work on the blogs, and geez what else? That makes for a full day! I've learned to enjoy my hobbies and interests while I'm here since obviously I don't have control over going home or running the house. It has been hard to not be in control of those things and I really miss being with my family. I'm so glad Zachary is and will continue to be in good hands over the next couple of months.

I've not contracted except for those normal braxton hicks. If my test comes back negative next Monday I can go home to bed rest. I am allowed to sit up, stretch, shower, all that. So I do plan to have meals at the table with my family again, fold laundry sitting on the couch, do crafts with Zachary, play music, and enjoy being at home without being a crazy Mommy as I was turning into before entering the hospital.

I just had too much on the schedule for both Zachary and I. Not that I didn't enjoy the schedule. I was loving it. But I will definitely enjoy the time at home relaxing. Whomever is with Zachary will still have to help him do his baking projects, pick him up for anything he needs, help him go potty, take him to gymnastics and such. Mom's day out will still happen two days a week so they can have a break.

On another positive note, my glucose test came back fine so I don't have gestational diabetes and I got the rogam shot because of my negative blood type. So I'm getting things accomplished while being here. Might as well while I'm lying around!

Christmas Eve!

I didn't picture myself having such a fun time at the hospital on Christmas Eve. Having the family here for food and presents made the evening very exciting. The nurses were very accomodating, loaning us a cart to bring things inside the room. There's not a lot of patients on antepartum and they allowed them to stay as long as they wanted. It is still a memorable Christmas Eve celebrating family, love and life.

Christmas Eve at the Hospital

It's Christmas Eve and today was a very peaceful and relaxing day. Acceptance really makes all the difference in the world. I took my time eating/listening to music, praying and getting myself ready for the day. I did yoga and relaxed with a good book and was plenty entertained until lunch arrived. It's nice also knowing how to take myself on and off the monitor. I enjoyed my guitar for a couple of hours this afternoon. I'm going to make a lot of progress if I keep practicing this much. Something I've not made time for between my home duties and work. There were some carolers who came by today too. It was nice to hear the cheerful sounds of "Hark the Harold" in the hallway which is one of my favorite Christmas carols.

I was grateful that my dad's plane from Lafayette/Houston made it in this afternoon. There was some rainy weather and a delayed plane coming in to take him. But even though the flight was late he made it to the hospital by 5:15 or so. He arrived safe and sound without many problems and he got to spend time with his family there. Mom, Scott, Zachary and Marilyn made it here about 6:30 and we had a wonderful meal that they brought and opened our presents while listening to Christmas music. The atmosphere was beautiful and the nurse loaned us a cart to help bring things in. I didn't know I would enjoy my Christmas Eve this much at the hospital.

My nursing staff has been wonderful to me and I'm thankful for their positive spirits each day, especially on Christmas Eve.

The Best Gift to Adelyn

I'm reading the book "Day's In Waiting" by Mary Ann Mccann. This is an excellent resource for anyone who is on bedrest. She offers her story, questions, things to consider, emotional support, exercises and more. A great friend loaned it to me.

It brings up a point that a good friend of the family, Trisha (a tertiary nurse) and a nurse practictioner from the nicu told me too.

Every day you buy your baby one more day. Right now you are doing all of the development work for the baby. If she is born she will have to learn to do it herself. Every day in the womb is a gift to our baby and every day I need to do everything I can to keep her growing in there.

It puts into perspective that nothing else is a priority. My son and my husband are important but I have family at home to help love and care for them too.

Coming to Acceptance Every Day

Every day here at the hospital presents challenges but also has moments of me being okay and finding many positive things.

I've created a schedule for myself. Wake up when they put the baby on the monitor at about my usual home wake up time. Wait until they take her off while I pray and think. Listen to music while eating breakfast. Shower, yoga, read, project for the day, parents visit with Zachary, lunch, read, etc. I played my guitar after dinner tonight for two hours. It's good practice and I was entertained. I need to watch my sign language dvds too while I'm here. Husband visits at night currently to fit his work schedule. It gives us time to ourselves too even though I love Zachary with all my heart and want to be with him all the time.

Some moments I think the next two weeks will be very long and I just wish my doctor would tell me she's changing her mind. But it's okay. I have a lot to do here and I have wireless, wow! That's amazing to me and I feel so much more connected to everyone with my phone and computer.

I also have access to the daily readings to prepare myself for Christmas and thinking about a real meaning of the season. I remember that Mary didn't have the comfortable Inn she probably wanted to give birth in. She made it work (not that I'm giving birth but you know, being in this place I don't want to be in). I think of the attitude she would take.

Today's readings were helpful to me also. Hannah presented her son Samuel to the Lord after the Lord gave him to her. I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request.
Now I, in turn, give him to the LORD;
as long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the LORD.”
I hope to be grateful to the Lord that I am here, healthy, with a healthy baby girl still in my womb. He gave her to me when I so wanted a child.

I want to teach my children the symbols of advent- hope, peace, joy, and love just as the Lord is those things and gives me those things.

The magnificat is also in the reading of today's Gospel. And at the end it says that Mary remained with Elizabeth for three months. This reminds me again of myself today. I have three months left to remain and wait for our baby Adelyn Sophia. A perfect fit for the season of advent when we are waiting for Jesus and I must learn to wait.

I know now when they happened

I'm in the hospital now for pre term labor. I'm dialated 2.5 cm. My fetal fiber nectan test came back negative which means I'm not delivering in the next two weeks. I've had no contractions. I've been pondering here for the past 5 days how I contracted and what it felt like and I tied it to one event.

I've just discovered that I'm wrong. I remember now. I had the stomach bug the first weekend of December. I threw up 6 times and was feeling very dehydrated telling Scott that maybe I needed to go to urgent care. I started holding down the fluids and we didn't go. I was so sore afterward and I noticed in the bathtub. That was it. I know it was.

For now, I'm suppose to be here during Christmas for two more weeks. My doctor wants the very best for me. And she's made her decision. But maybe this piece of info can change things. I don't want to hurt the baby and I want a full term baby. But I know that was it....I can't believe I put it out of my mind.

Stay in there Baby Adelyn Sophia. I'm excited about you but we want a full term baby. Can't wait to meet you outside the womb in March.