Meeting Emilee soon? :-)

On Thursday we went in for a routine ultrasound appointment, and they found that my amniotic fluid was measuring pretty low. This can sometimes be risky to the baby because there's just not as much "cushion" around her and the umbilical cord. Even though she seemed to be very strong and doing well, they sent us over to the hospital for some monitoring and hydration, in hopes that the fluid level would go back up to normal. On Friday morning (after a MINIMAL amount of sleep), the doctor measured my fluid level and it went back up. Yay! So they sent us home. Emilee's heart rate and movement stayed very, very good the whole time which is an excellent sign!

They scheduled us again this morning to get a non-stress test done to make sure the baby was still doing well. They also measured my fluid level again. My fluid level was similar to what it was on Friday. Normal, but on the lower end of normal. Emilee did well during the NST. But because my fluid was not excellent, they sent us into the hospital again today. On my way out of the doctor's office before we left to the hospital, I checked in with him to see when my next appointment should be. He told me that the doctor from the ultrasound place originally suggested that they induce me this Thursday (when I turn 37 weeks pregnant) if my fluid continued to stay low or questionable. (What?!) He told me he was going to call her and check in again on that recommendation...

So, we went over to the hospital and they monitored Emilee for a few hours. They also wanted to see how she behaved under the stress of contractions. We tried to get a few contractions going on my own, but it wasn't very successful, so they put me on a low dose of pitocin. Usually it's used to induce labor but in this case, they gave me a very small dose just to bring on a couple of contractions. I had about 3 - 5 contractions - very small and not painful at all. Emilee did WONDERFUL again. YAYYY! The doctor came to the hospital near the end of that test and checked out the paperwork himself. Everything looked good. He told us that he is going to go ahead and go with the recommendation of inducing me this Thursday. THIS THURSDAY - SEPT 29th!!! I'm not due until Oct 21st, but I will be about 37 weeks along by then which is in the "safe zone". :) I am excited to meet her, but nervous, too - mostly just completely caught off guard and kind of unprepared. Okay, maybe almost completely unprepared!!! But I know this is the right thing to do and that everything is going to be ok.

The downside to inducing is that it might end up taking FOREVER. He also checked me today and I'm not dilated or effaced AT ALL so I'm kind of starting from ground zero. Hopefully that pitocin will just kick in on Thursday and things will move along quickly. But it might end up being a very long, sleepless process. I'm a little worried about my energy level and I'll probably wear out a little faster than the average person because of my lyme-related fatigue symptoms. But we will see. I know everything will be ok, but there's a lot to think about! I don't imagine she'll get here til AFTER the 29th, just because I suspect it'll take at least 24 hours. But who knows.

Thank you everyone for all of your prayers, support, and FOOD! :) I have the most amazing friends and family. Continue to pray for us and especially for Emilee's safety! She's been doing great so far, so let's hope she'll continue to do wonderful! I can't wait to see her little face (and hands and feet and tummy and all of her CUTENESS)!!!!!!!!!



PS - i just have to say that Ryan is the most wonderful husband and already a GREAT DADDY!!! :)

Baby Shower

Lynae (with the help of some wonderful friends) threw me and Emilee an AMAZING baby shower last weekend!!! It was so beautifully decorated and well thought out. It was a really special blessing. A bunch of special ladies were able to come and they really did shower (DOWNPOUR) me in love and gifts. I got all sorts of things from my registry and cute little clothes and accessories. I really didn't expect to get pretty much everything I had hoped for. I know that means that people spent generously on the individual gifts AND group gifts. I just feel overwhelmingly BLESSED by my friends and family.

I was missing Carrisa a lot that day, just because if she were still here she would've been a huge part of the party & planning. I just missed her a lot that day. When I saw how Lynae went all out on making the party and decorations so perfect, it made it almost feel like Carrisa was a part of it. Carrisa's sister Danae showed up early (by accident, actually) and was able to put her own special touch on everything, too. Carrisa's family sent me some gifts since they weren't in the area. I also got a few dresses that belonged to Norah (including her totally CUTE pink princess dress), and a special quilt from Meghan that had pieces of fabric from different things, some that Carrisa has picked out for other projects. It was just nice that she wasn't forgotten by others that day, because she was definitely on my mind!

Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!

Not for long, cutie-pie! ;-) (wink!)


Afterwards, the ladies from my family stayed and the men joined us and we celebrated my mom's 50th birthday together. It was so nice of her to let me "steal" her birthday weekend away. I felt so appreciative that day for the wonderful mommies I have in my life that have been wonderful examples to me - my mom, my sister, Ryan's mom Tammy, and my grandma Audrey too. I hope I can be a great mommy to Emilee. I can't wait to meet her. LESS THAN 6 WEEKS LEFT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!