Busy Times

It's been a while since the last post, and that just means we have been REALLY BUSY.

Everything is going great with Michele and Gabe right now, we couldn't have asked for a better report on Monday.  We finally asked the dr. a goal for the delivery date....and she responded with "as long as everything was on track she hoped to get to 37 weeks."  This will will put us sometime during the week of May 23rd (which is our last week of school).  They will be doing an amniocentesis sometime before to check lung development and go from there.  The weeks are really starting to go quickly now.  In case you've lost count, we will hit the 30 week mark on Monday.  At 31 weeks we will be traveling back for our next appointment and a growth check ultrasound.  Here's hoping for a BIG BABY.  I'm really excited to see how much he's grown in the past month, because I know Michele has grown a lot, hahaha.

Michele 29 weeks 4 days

This week we made another step in the right direction, we brought the nursery furniture home.  For any future purchasers of furniture, here's a word of advice "Have them bring ALL boxes out before loading them".  WOW!  Big mistake on my part.  As they brought out each piece I loaded it into the truck hurriedly and strapped it down.  The part I didn't think about until I started driving was the biggest piece was in the back and catching all the wind causing it to move around.  I just knew I was going to be on the interstate picking up pieces of a broken crib.  So, I drove ever so slowly to a backroad and pulled off.  I unloaded ALL pieces and put them back appropriately.  Needless to say I have felt the effects for several days.

After patiently waiting one whole day....my brother in-law and I put the nursery furniture together (THANKS LEE) and it looks great!!  It actually looks better in his room than it did in the store.  We will try to post pictures shortly, hopefully with some decor added to the room.  It's still hard to believe we are getting the room ready and bringing our baby HOME.

BIG WEEKEND plans.  Saturday is the baby shower.  So much to do!  Loving every minute of all the hard work that is going into all of this.  We will also be having a shower given by some wonderful coworkers next week.  So sometime in between decorating, going to the shower, and watching the CATS in the final four...we have to make room for baby stuff.  Our house is definitely getting a makeover.

So Thankful for what the Lord has done for us and looking forward to all the wonderful things that are in our future.

Continued Prayers
Ronn

Uncharted Territory

What a wonderful feeling it is to be at this point.  Yesterday was yet another dr. appointment and ultrasound.  We've reached 27 weeks!  One more week and we are in a much more "safe zone" as the dr. has put it.  We aren't even thinking, "Just one more week"....we are planning for much longer.  We had an outstanding report from the dr.  BP was very good, protein was negative, and measuring slightly ahead of schedule.  The contractions haven't happened since mid-week and they look to be under control with no meds needed.
We got to see our little boy again and he has grown so much in 7 weeks.  He isn't showing any signs of restricted growth, again that would be a sign of pre-e starting.  Praise God he is up to 2lbs8oz.  He is over double of Gunner's birth weight of 1lb3oz.  I know Gabe's big brother is rooting him on and doesn't want him to stop now.  KEEP GROWING, GET STRONGER, and STAY LOTS LONGER in there.
The doctors were so pleased and the ob mentioned that she would chalk it up to a success story of baby aspirin....but we know that there is more to it than that.  The Lord is carrying us through and our prayers are being answered each day that he stays put and Michele stays healthy!
Lots to do: nursery to get ready, baby showers, and baby proofing the house.  A lot of work, but loving every minute of it.  Excitement is at an all-time high!

Continued prayers for strength, health, and guidance!
Ronn

Gabriel 27 week ultrasound

Update: 26 weeks

Today marks yet another milestone, 26 weeks.  26 weeks was something that the doctors had hoped to hold Michele off to with Gunner.  We weren't just hoping to reach this goal, but we expect to far surpass it.

We made our trip to UK to get a little update from the dr.   She came in smiling saying, "I hear that you had a little fun last week."   I wouldn't call it fun, but it was definitely some excitement.  She wasn't overly concerned with the contractions, but was glad that we went in when we did due to past history.  The usual bp and urine checks were good today.  She also took Michele off the meds for the contractions and wants us to return in a week to see how she does without the meds.  She also scheduled us for a growth check ultrasound for the next time.  This was a little bit of a surprise since we weren't supposed to have it to 30 weeks.  This will just get us a chance to sneak a peak at our little guy, which definitely is a good thing.  We're so curious as to how big he is and how he has changed in the last couple of months.  The doctor also performed another procedure that I'm not sure what the name was, but it was to help detect the chance that pre-term labor would occur in the next two weeks.  No phone call afterwards=good news!!

After the appointment we ventured our way to 4 different stores in search of the nursery furniture.  The clock is ticking that we need to get started putting the nursery together so we aren't so rushed for time.  We found plenty that we like, but the SO EXPENSIVE.  We have put ourself on a deadline of next week for a final decision.

Michele searching for the perfect crib

It's been a long day!  Well Worth It.

Thanks to all for the many prayers.  Please continue to pray for strength, guidance, and health!

Ronn

Gabe: Excitement already starting

With the anxiety of the time period of the pregnancy we have all been a little on edge this past week looking for signs that pre-e maybe popping up.  Michele had complained of some discomfort in her side around her rib area.  The discomfort would move from side to side and not really settle down all week.  We couldn't remember exactly how she felt when she first starting getting sick last time, so she was worried.  Thursday after school she told me that the pain was more localized to her right side, and to ease her mind we decided to call UK.  Within 15 minutes the nurse called back and Michele informed her of the symptoms, and with checking with the dr. and her history thought it was best to go to the local hospital to get some blood work or come down to Lexington.  GEESSHHH.....everything couldn't be happening all over again could it????
So we call our ever so trusty aunt Brenda who works on the women's health floor and she assured us she would be waiting and have everyone ready to help check Michele out.  We walk in to the same place that we faced that dreadful night that she was so sick, bringing back all sorts of memories.  To further add to it I even had on the same shirt that I did the night she got sick, lol.  We walk in and see the same doctor and some of the same nurses...all remembering Michele from the last time.
She is immediately hooked on the fetal monitor, blood pressure cuff, and blood taken.  After just a few moments the reading are printing out and in walks the dr. and nurse.  "Well we're going to have to get those stopped, you're having contractions", the dr. said.  I think I about fell out of the floor and the look on Michele's face was so heartbreaking.  We couldn't believe it!  So with that in mind they gave her a med called brethine to stop the contractions.  The meds really worked fast to stop the contractions with the side effects of pulse increasing and made her a little jittery.
After that was under control blood work and urinalysis came back very good.  No signs of pre-e or HELLP starting.....what a relief that was to hear.  If she was going to have some problems this was a much better alternative to have because they can give meds to control this where as they can't do anything to stop the other.
After about a 3 hour hospital stay we were sent home with meds to take to help control any future contractions forming.  So far, so good.  We go on Monday to her regular OB appointment and will hopefully know more of a long term plan.  So today we focused on REST!!!  We can handle this!  We know that lots of prayers are going up for us and we know that we will be taken care of.  We can face anything with God in control!

Michele and Gabe being monitored

Gabe isn't even here yet and he's already keeping us on our toes!  We are looking so forward to meeting him....but he needs to wait a little while longer.

Continued prayers for health, patience, and peace of mind!
Ronn