All in Due Time!

So here we are...a week off bed rest and no Little Bean yet! But I have gotten so many things done in just a week! I've cleaned up landscaping things, deep cleaned the living room and kitchen...packed lol of the bags, AND gone back to work! 

I went back on Monday and it feels great to be back...I'm only working 4 hours a day but it feels wonderful! I'm hoping that being up and around more will help this babe decide to make his/her grand entrance into this world! We are all getting very anxious about this. Kenzi has been fairly insistent that she is going to be a big sister on Friday, so hopefully she's right! I've been trying to go for walks to try and build up some more endurance, which went out the window with this bed rest...and hoping it'll start some labor! 

I keep reminding myself to just be patient, but it does put the thought into my head that I spent all this time keeping this baby in and now he/she won't come out! I know that every day of bed rest was important and necessary but it still feels odd...and makes me wonder if that strict of bed rest and staying down for everything except my dr appt and church was really needed....oh well! It has gotten us to full-term and a (hopefully!) healthy baby! 

And I need to remember to simply have faith and know that God has the best timing yet...and I need to let go of the fact that I may miss Kenzi's dance recital and we may miss the wedding we're both hoping and praying we get to go to, but God knows the perfect time...not us! And I need to simply trust...as I have this entire pregnancy, from start to finish. 

Please pray for a fast, easy delivery and that I go on a day that Dr. McNamara is there and on call. It would feel wrong to have him put forth so much time and effort, words of encouragement, and at times, a lot of hand-holding, to keep this kiddo in to not get the prize of bringing this babe into the world! 

Until next time...and hopefully it's an update with a baby! 

ALMOST in the clear!!!

 

We are so close to being in the clear, I can smell it!! In less than 36 hours, we avoid an automatic admission to the NICU!! What a HUGE relief!!! I've always told Dr. McNamara that I am NOT taking that baby to the NICU if we don't have to...and unless something else crazy happens, not related to his/her gestational age!

 

I had another great appointment today. Little bean is weighing in at 5 lbs 13 oz *gasp* our biggest baby yet!! I'm actually surprised that this baby weighs that much already. Kenzi must really have that petite great-grandma Conrad gene in her...even from the start! I'm anxious to see how much this baby actually does weigh! Only a few more weeks to go until this baby's arrival!

When we began this journey, it began on a solid foundation of faith. Simple faith. And that is what has gotten me this far. Having pure faith is never always easy. You want to intervene with your own plan. Intervene with worry, intervene with anxiety. But I couldn't do that. I know that this baby has been fully wrapped in God's tender hand from the very beginning and before. This was a perfect quote to be reminded of...my faith tells me that NO MATTER WHAT lies ahead of me, whether that was the tears at the beginning, praying to not miscarry, tears when I got my cerclage, days turned into weeks which turned into months of sitting on our couch, days filled with prayer for a healthy baby, God is already there. And He always will be! That's what having faith is all about. It's not about showing up in church, how many bible verses you can say, it's about the faith in your heart that God is always there for you, always by your side and would do you no harm. Church and bible verses strengthen your faith, but it's not everything. You have to have the faith in the first place.

 

It has been a long 10 weeks and we are so close!! Jon is heading to Denison with the kids this weekend for our niece, Kirslyn's, baptism. It is so hard to miss it, but I know that driving 3 1/2 hours away isn't the best idea...even if I am going to be 36 weeks. I am sending all of my hugs, kisses and love with our kids and I know that they will deliver them all! They are crazy about Kirslyn and have been counting down the days, even when they just saw her last weekend!

 

And my last piece of exciting news is that I was offered a position as the Lead RN at our clinic! I had special permission to go and interview last week and am THRILLED to move into this roll! They are going to patiently wait for me, which I am very thankful for! So please pray for a smooth transition through all of the changes coming in our life! Who knows...the next update may be with our little bean safely and lovingly in our arms!!!

 

Gender Predictions

Everyone asks me what I think this baby is and I have no gut feeling one way or the other. So I thought I'd put together one of those gender predictions things together and see if it is right!

Heart Rate: It has almost ALWAYS been around 140-150. Girl

Cravings: It's been consistently sweets...mainly ice cream and candy bars! Girl

Baby Bump: Really hard to say! I'm pretty short waisted so don't really have much room for where a baby can go. They say if it is low, it's a boy. If it's high, it's a girl. I've looked at pictures from Jack's pregnancy and Kenzi's pregnancy and they all look pretty similar! Not sure

Chinese Birth Calendar: Mine says girl.

Wedding Ring test: Mine did a circle. Girl (although some of the stuff online says circle is boy, but most of them I found said a circle is girl)

 

Morning sickness: It started before I found out I was pregnant and lasted until about 26 weeks....same with Kenzi. Girl

 

Hair Growth: They say that extra hair growth on your legs is caused by elevated testosterone. I haven't had that this time around. Girl

 

Husband's family: More brothers than sisters. Old wives' tale says boy for this.

 

Feet: My feet have been on fire! My whole body seems hot! They say that's a girl.

 

Snacking: If I am going for a snack, I typically go for Colby jack cheese before I head for an apple. Boy

 

Chest size: A lot bigger. It's ridiculous. That says boy.

 

So those are the few quizzes that I've found and how it pans out. That makes it look a lot more like a girl than a boy! So I guess we will see...about the only thing that makes me lean more one way than another was one of the techs getting really quiet and when I asked what she was scanning and looking at she said the leg and she was hoping I hadn't noticed, as the baby wasn't being very secretive...which makes me think boy, but I didn't pay attention, so have no idea!

 

And an update...things have been going well. I'm now 35 weeks, which is AMAZING!!! I only have two more weeks to be at 37 weeks and really feel in the clearing for no NICU! Thank you again for all of the prayers! I have another growth ultrasound and doctor's appointment on Thursday, so hopefully our last set of good pictures and some good weight gain for baby! Until then...