Pins and Needles

It's 8:49 am and I'm sitting at the doctors office. The 3 hour glucose test day is here. Oh joy! I've already had my first blood drawn and I drank the drink. I chose fruit punch this time. It tasted more like poop punch but I drank it pretty fast because I AM STARVING. No water or food allowed until the test is over. I'm already planning out my food options when I leave here. I think the drink has reached Madelyn. Bring on the jumbo kicks. 

I had to do this test with Lilly too, and I'm praying that I pass this time as well. When I was pregnant with Lilly I had no idea what a glucose test was. When I failed the one hour test I cried, mostly because I had no idea what that meant. But this time I was more prepared and knowledgable so it wasn't a big shock when I didn't pass the first one, although I am being a big baby this morning. My right arm is still all kinds of jacked up and I was up from 2-5 last night dealing with the pain so I wasn't in the best mood this morning. The third trimester has hit me hard! I went from feeling pretty good to feeling not so great overnight. I don't know how my stomach can get any bigger or how Madelyn can be any more in love with my right side. So now I wait an hour until I get my blood drawn again. 

9:30 am... I could literally drink a whole gallon of milk. Straight from the jug. This needs to happen ASAP.

9:45 am... Stick #2 is done... Only two more to go. After texting and complaining with my friends and Mike I'm feeling better. And there are a lot of cute kids in the waiting room so that helps... And a lot of miserable looking pregnant ladies like me. I wonder how long it will take for me to get the test results. I can't remember if it was immediate or if they call you a few days later. 

Ok I just saw an itty bitty newborn. My hormonal self almost cried. Just 10(ish) more weeks. I can do this. 

Newborn is now sitting beside me. She's 4 weeks old. Trying not to lean over and kiss her. This is a great distraction from the grumbling sounds coming from my tummy right now. 

The lady on the other side of her is now holding the baby while the mommy gets her bottle ready. The baby's name is Ivy. She has a head full of beautiful dark hair. Im extremely jealous of this lady. Come to think of it, her head is starting to look like a giant cheeseburger... Maybe I should move seats.

10:51 am... Stick #3 is finished! Just one more to go! She said it can take up to 10 days to get the results back. So that means I'm totally getting a milk shake after this. And maybe everyday until they call me...

8:30am Friday morning... Well, I made it... But this is where the story turns crazy. After my test was over I grabbed some food and went to my grandparents house. My grandmother had just been to the grocery store and offered me tons of food (fried chicken, cookies, strawberries). I love her. I laid on their couch for an hour before I went to Lilly's school party. I was not feeling well at all. My tummy was hurting and I had some... ugh... Diarrhea... I was drinking water though and just thought it was from my glucose test. 

I went to Lilly's party but we didn't stay too long. By that time my tummy was really hurting and I just wanted to get home. I had more tummy issues at home and the absolute worst stomach pain ever. It wouldn't go away no matter what I did. My mom came home and by that point the pain was moving into my back. We called the hospital and they wanted me to come in. That's when I started to feel very worried. I knew something was wrong. Mike got home just as mom and I were leaving and he took Lilly. The whole way there I prayed that it was just a stomach virus. 

When I got in a room the nurse hooked me up to monitor the baby. Her heartbeat sounded good (music to my ears) but she wasn't saying much else. A few minutes later she gave me a shot to calm down my uterus. She said I was having major contractions. She left the room to go get my IV stuff and she was going to check my cervix when she got back in. 

I lost it. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. I was not ready to meet this baby. I'm only 29 weeks pregnant. I had no idea what was going on. Mike dropped Lilly off at my brothers house and came up there. When the nurse came back in she checked my cervix and it was completely closed. That was best news anybody had ever told me. So the problem now was that I was extremely dehydrated due to my glucose test and the stomach bug, and that was making me have these contractions. 

The next part flat out sucked. Since I was so dehydrated my veins were basically non existent. The nurse stuck me twice with no luck. Another nurse came in and stuck me twice with no luck. Then they got the expert in there. He had an ultrasound machine for my veins. He used it to find a good one. He stuck me 4 more times before he had any luck. By this point there was blood on my hands and arms, pillow and sheets. Between that and my glucose test I had been stuck 12 times total. I would be totally fine if I never saw another needle as long as I live. 

Once they got my IV going and the shot kicked in things slowed down a lot (except for Madelyn.. She was moving around like crazy). I still had bad stomach pain but the contractions were not anything like they were when I got there. I started to calm down and feel better. They reassured me over and over that I was not having preterm labor since my cervix was still closed. Once my body caught up with the liquids they said the contractions should go away. My Aunt Judy and Liz came up to see me along with my daddy. I was still in some intense pain at that point. By midnight I was on my last IV bag. Based on my contractions they said we could go home. I was nervous about going home, but once again the sweet nurse assured me that I was ok and everything I was feeling was normal. She said it would take a while for my body to catch back up and for the pain to completely go away. 

So here I sit this morning trying to take it all in. I'm still having pain but I'm hoping I feel better by this afternoon. I have my huge bottle of water that I'm gulping down. Lilly's birthday party is tomorrow but I've been given strict orders by Mike to not worry about anything. I'm going to stay in the bed and keep hydrated. I hope that I have no more hospital visits for at least 10 more weeks. I'm so glad that this didn't turn into anything more serious. I do feel like I'm on pins and needles now but maybe that's a sign that I need to take it easy this last little bit. I go back to the doctor on Wednesday and I'm praying for a good checkup! You still have some cooking to do Maddie Lou! 

Three's Company

Ahh, spring break is here. We are on our way to the beach for some R&R and it couldn't have come at a better time. This past week was, well... not that fun. 

Last Friday night I woke up to major pain in my right arm. It kept me up the rest of the night. When I got up Saturday it went away. It came back Saturday night when I went to bed. I wanted to saw my arm off. I didn't sleep. Sunday it went away. Sunday night it came back... See a pattern here? I went to the chiropractor after work on Monday. I'd never been to one and I was nervous. He told me that something was out of place and explained it but I wasn't really listening because I knew he was about to do something crazy to me. He cracked my neck both ways after that and it was the most horrible sound I had ever heard... But it didn't hurt! He told me to ice my arm and neck. Monday-Thursday night I still woke up with pain in my arm but it kept getting later and later during the night. Last night it didn't start hurting until about 5am. Maybe it won't hurt at all tonight!! 

Mike got into a minor car accident Monday morning on his way to Durham. A car ran into the side of him on the highway. This is the 2nd bump up he's had on the way to Durham. Que the anxiety. 

Tuesday morning Mike's tire blew out on the way to work. He got 4 new tires. Que more anxiety. 

Wednesday morning I failed my 1 hour glucose test. I failed this test will Lilly also. Last time I cried.. This time I laughed. *sigh* Everything else was very healthy with baby. Except that she hated that nasty drink and let me know it with kicks to the ribs all day. I started the third trimester this week (say whaaat) and I start going to the doctor every other week. She is completely in love with the right side of my tummy. I'm completely in love with her. 

I have to go take the 3 hour test next week during my spring break. I don't really care about them drawing my blood 3,000 times but I'm dreading the no eating part. Serenity now. 

Since things tend to happen in three's, I'm hoping our bad luck is over for the time being. And speaking of things happening in three's, we have our third closing date on our house. The first couple that made an offer on our house backed out because the guy quit his job during the whole process. This was back in January. Then another couple wanted to buy our house. They made a cash offer and everything was super rushed. They backed out a few hours before we were leaving to go pack up the house. So, here's hoping that the third times a charm and we really will be handing those keys over to the new owner. 

But the biggest news of all is that Lilly will be THREE YEARS OLD next Saturday! She is super excited about her Easter egg hunt party. Mommys in disbelief that she will have a three year old. 

But now it's time to enjoy our mini beach vacay and forget the world for a few days. No laundry, no alarm clocks, but lots of laughs! And hopefully crab legs. :) 

Snow Days and Snacks

It's 8:30 am and Lilly is still sound asleep. All of our snow days have really thrown her (and mommy) off schedule! It was so nice to have some time away from work and spend some time with my Lilly Bug, especially since our time together is getting shorter and shorter with just 16ish weeks left until we meet Maddie Lou. 

At my 24 week doctors appointment on Wednesday, Lilly sat on my legs and the midwife let her find Maddie Lou's heartbeat. Everything checked out great and I am so thankful for a healthy report each time I go. I did realize that I am only 9 lbs away from my max weight that I was with Lilly. I haven't been tracking my weight AT ALL with this baby because I just don't care this time around. I guess it's the "been there, done that" type of attitude I have about it. And I'm sure the snow day snacking didn't help... Snow cream, cookies, brownies... I couldn't resist! But the midwife didn't say anything about my weight gain. I've gained about 20 lbs so far. I've felt bigger (everywhere) with this baby so I'm curious to see if she will be bigger than her itty bitty sister. 

I haven't had any heartburn or headaches, just the regular teenage boy appetite and extra gassy (and itchy) tummy. I feel so stretched out, but no stretch marks yet. I didn't get those on my belly with Lilly so maybe Madelyn will be just as kind. No swelling yet but I think that's coming up with spring and summer. And guess what has already popped out!... My belly button... Lilly pushes it like it's a doorbell or something. The waddle is making it's appearance too. Isn't pregnancy beautiful!? 

Yes, yes it is. I'm just trying to enjoy every kick and belly kiss from Lilly. This pregnancy has already flown by and I know I will miss it. It's a good thing I have a lot of friends that will probably be having babies of their own real soon. 

I saw this quote the other day and it is so true. So thankful for my two little girls.

"A baby makes love stronger, the days shorter, the nights longer, savings smaller, and a home happier."

21 Questions

What is something mommy always says to you? Books

How old are you? 2

How old is mommy? 5

How old is daddy? 6

What makes you happy? Daddy and you

What makes you sad? I go to school and I cry for momma. 

What is your favorite movie? Tangled

Who is your best friend? Sophie, Emma 

What do you want to be when you grow up? I don't want to get big, I want to get little. 

What is your favorite color? Pink

What do you like to wear? A dress

What is your favorite food and drink? Chips and milk

Where does daddy work? He works at his thing and he builds it.

Where does mommy work? You work at school. 

Why is mommy's belly so big? Cause it's Maddie Lou

What do you want to teach your baby sister? I want to teach her how to walk and slide and say momma and daddy and that's all I says

What is your baby sisters name? Maddie Lou 

What do you like to sing? Cinderella 

What is your favorite animal? Umm gariffe 

Where is your favorite place to go? To the zoo and to church

What is love? Love is when you have fun today and love is very nice 

I plan on asking Lilly (and Madelyn when she's old enough) these questions every now and then. I have a binder for Lilly that has all of my blogs in it so I can give it to her one day. I'll have to make one for my Maddie Lou too. Her answers are so precious. We had her parent/teacher conference at daycare yesterday and she has excelled in everything. I'm so proud of her and the little person that she is. 

In mommy news, I finally got my van that I've been wanting!! I absolutely love it. I wrote a blog almost 2 years ago about wanting a van and filling it up with kids. Now I just need my "baby on board" sticker and I'll be set. :) Madelyn's kicks are getting stronger everyday. She is now the size of a spaghetti squash and weighs 1 lb. I am 22 weeks already! That blows my mind. Lilly enjoys kissing and rubbing my belly and telling me how big it is. I can't wait for her to rub and kiss her in person. What a great big sister she will be. 

Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice

"Sugar and spice

and everything nice

that's what little girls are made of

Sunshine and rainbows

and ribbons for hair bows

that's what little girls are made of

Tea parties, laces

and baby doll faces

that's what little girls are made of"

I am so excited for this new little miracle to join our family and I am so excited for Lilly to have a sister to play with. I feel like we are giving her a life long friend and my heart, once again, is so full. 

I wanted to find out the gender of this baby with Lilly so we got the ultrasound lady to put the results in an envelope for us. We had to wait about an hour and a half after we got the envelope and we were both about to go crazy! Lilly was more interested in tearing up the envelope but it was a precious moment for our family. We had decided on a name already if we were having a girl so that part was easy! Picking out girl names was very easy for us both times. It literally felt perfect when we said it and I knew she was my Madelyn Louise the moment I found out. 

I'm 20 weeks now, half way there, and I feel more and more kicks and movement everyday. The placenta is in the front this time (which is ok) but it can muffle some of the movements. I feel her the most when I am still or lying down. Mike has felt her too. It is my absolute favorite part of pregnancy, besides the big belly. Her ultrasound was perfect and everything is healthy and she is growing right on schedule. This is the biggest blessing of all. I'm feeling pretty good and just overall happy and peaceful. 

In Lilly news, she is growing so fast! I can't believe she will be 3 years old in just three more months. I'm already thinking about all of the matching outfits they can wear (oh yes, it's going to happen) and how to decorate their bedrooms and girly bathroom (when we get our own place). Madelyn will be able to wear Lilly's baby clothes too since they will be in season so that is another huge plus! AHHHHHH I'm just so thrilled to do this all over again. Lilly loves her baby cousin Margaret and wants to touch and kiss all over her so I hope she loves her sister just as much! I can just see her trying to pick her up and put her in a baby stroller... Oh it's going to be a fun summer! 

When Life Gives You Lemons

"When life gives you lemons, squirt someone in the eye" 

"When life gives you lemons, throw them right back" 

"When life gives you lemons, make a margarita"

These are just a few variations, but the one I prefer is "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade". We can learn a lot from the lemons we receive sometimes in life, and hopefully, if you're optimistic, you can grow and become a stronger person. 

I don't think we realized how different it would be to move with a toddler and a dog into my parents house. We were too excited and overwhelmed about our new beginning, but somewhere along the line that excitement faded and now my brain feels like scrambled eggs sometimes. I miss our bed. I miss our bed soooooooo much. I hate that Lilly doesn't have her own little girl room with purple walls and prissy curtains. Every kid should have that! I worry about bringing a new baby into this house if we are still here and where we will put all of the new baby things. Those are the top three stressors that sometimes keep me up at night. And also not really having a definite plan about where we will go when we do sell our house. Lots of stuff to think about. 

But, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Yes, all of the things above do worry me, but I know that this part of our journey isn't forever, and I am excited about so many other things in our future that make those other three stressors seem silly. Like the fact that we have a new realtor! She sent us a huge list of things to do to the house (very small things thank goodness) so my wonderful husband went up there this past weekend and knocked them all out. He said he threw away so much stuff in our attic (thank goodness!!!!!) and everything looks more "staged". Hubby up!!! I'm excited that we have her and I'm excited to sell this house! 

In baby news, he or she is now the size of... You guessed it... A lemon!! I went to the dr last Wednesday and the heartbeat was almost 170! Lilly's heartbeat was always in the 140/150 range. We will find out at the end of January if Lilly will have a little brother or sister. I am so glad to be in the 2nd trimester! No more morning sickness!! But I'm still very tired. That's probably because I have an active two year old. A very active two year old! 

Lilly has become miss prissy pants. Everyday when we get home from school she takes all of her clothes off at the door, runs upstairs and puts on her "pingo" dress (it has flamingos on it) or her Christmas dress, complete with her ruby red shoes. She would wear these two dresses everyday if she could. And it's probably all she will wear over Christmas break. But Santa is bringing her some new dresses too so she will have more options! And holy moly, I don't think we have ever been so excited for Christmas!!!! It's the most wonderful time of the year! 

So, all in all, life is still good. It's not perfect. We are missing several pieces of the puzzle, but it is still good. I'm going to continue to drink my lemonade, and maybe a margarita in about 6 more months. 

I Love You

I love you when you hold my hand and beg to pick you up, I love you when you forget your manners and demand I fill your cup.

I love you when you kiss my cheek and sweetly say "I love you", I love you when you throw a fit, it's ok, remember you're only two.

I love you when you say I'm pretty and try to comb my hair, I love you when you misplace your shoe and can't find the other pair.

I love you when you sing your songs for everyone to hear, I love you when you scream and cry those alligator tears.

I love you when we go outside and you show me how you run, I love you on those grumpy days that don't seem like too much fun. 

I love you when you dance around in your princess dress, I love you when spill your drink and make a great big mess.

I love you when you act so cute, my heart strings you so tug, I love you no matter what, because you're my Lilly Bug.

And

I'll love you when the new baby is here and everything is new, I'll love you when you're not so sure, I promise mommys heart is big enough for two. 

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