Scheduling Time!

The time is ever so quickly creeping up on us.  Dr. appointment yesterday was fabulous, starting with all good reports for bp, protein, baby heartbeat, and all the other usual checks.  As the doctor entered the room is so nice to see a smile on her face and hear, "So, are you ready to make some plans."  Without hesitation we answered, "Oh Yeah!"  So a little bit of a breakdown of the schedule is that we go back in two weeks for another growth check ultrasound and ob appointment.  Then in another two weeks comes the biggie.  We will meet with dr. after her regular appointments are over on the 23rd for the amniocentesis to check the lung development.  After that is complete, Michele and Gabe will be monitored for 2 hours as we wait for the results and to make sure nothing out of the ordinary happens.  If everything comes back as expected, we will leave for the evening and wait for the following day.  The plans are for an early morning appointment on the 24th at the hospital for DELIVERY.  That wasn't a typo, we are officially 4 weeks away from meeting our little boy!

So with that in mind we need to start packing bags for Michele, Gabe, and I.  We also need to have the car seat installed and checked.  Very surreal moments happening at the Varney household.

Continued prayers!

Ronn

Showers, Dr. Appointment, and BabyProofing

Wow, what a busy and crazy couple of weeks we have had.  So much to share, but just not enough time lately for posting more frequently (I guess that's why it's midnight and I am finally blogging).  I'll start with the most recent and work myself backwards on the last few events.

Dr. Appointment

I couldn't help but start with this first, because after all this is what our minds are on the most.  Everything else wouldn't mean anything if we didn't get a good report.  We went this past Monday to our 31 week check-up...YES I DID SAY 31 WEEKS!!!  I can't believe we have already reached this point.  Time is really flying by now.  We started off the day with the ultrasound for a growth check and he is growing very good.  Gabe is weighing in at whopping 4lb. 7oz.  He is in the 67 percentile and measuring roughly a week ahead of schedule.  They were able to also check the amniotic fluid, kidney functions, heart rate, blood flow....everything checking out great.  

After a bit of a wait we went to the ob appointment and continued with great results.  Dr. said that we would continue our every two week visits since everything continues to look so good and hopefully get another ultrasound around 35 weeks.  The plan is still to hold off until 37 weeks and do an amniocentesis and deliver the following day if lung function is mature enough.  There's nothing better to hear than the dr. saying, "I know it's pretty boring, but I don't have much to say.  Keep up whatever you are doing."  We plan to do exactly that:  let Michele rest as much as possible, keep a cautious eye on any change, and PRAY!!!

The cursor is pointing at the hair on his head!!

I tried to label the parts that they showed us during the ultrasound to help identify and show off our little boy.

 Shower Time
We have definitely been showered with gifts, love, support, and prayer.  We started off with a shower for family and friends on April 2nd.  With the help of so many we turned a school cafeteria into a wonderful gathering hall.  The event was definitely blessed with great food, fellowship, and lots of things for Gabe.  Words can't express the gratitude we have for all those that attended, sent gifts, and continue being the prayer warriors for Gabe, Michele, and I.

Here is a glance at the day.

Michele and Ronn

Registry table that had big brother Gunner ribbon

BABY DECOR!

Diaper Cake

Gabe's Clothes 

Cake by Grandmom

Our Pastor's wife gave a wonderful devotion that will be engraved in our hearts forever.  Only God could have gave her such wonderful words of love, advice, and encouragement.

 Only a few days later we were again given a shower by coworkers at school.  We are blessed to be surrounded with such support to work with.  They have become not only coworkers, but wonderful friends.  As we usually do...we again had great food!  After the shower we decided that Gabe was definitely going to be one sharp dressed little boy.

Here's a small glance at this day

30 wks 4 days

Enjoy a few baby products

Beautiful Day!

So with spring break the next couple of days, hopefully we can get more of the nursery ready and we can get pics up!  Exciting time in the Varney house.

Praying for health, guidance, and strength
Ronn

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

Milestone

We've now reached a milestone that we had often thought of...25 weeks.  25 weeks was the point that Michele had to deliver Gunner.  With so little known about HELLP syndrome, the doctors weren't sure if it would show it's ugly head earlier, same point, later, or not at all.  With putting our faith in the Lord we have made it this far with about as much anxiety as expected, but have a sense of peace that surrounds us.  Whatever we face in the upcoming weeks/months ahead we can handle it.  When looking at Gunner's pictures it's really hard to believe that a baby that size, probably bigger is inside Michele.  We have 3 more weeks to go to we reach the doctor's "safe zone".  She's advised us that at 28 weeks she would feel much more comfortable delivering if necessary, but we aren't looking to much in to that...we're going further.  We going into each day with hope and confidence that we will bring this little boy home.  As far as Michele's health is concerned we do our unofficial checks at home daily:  bp check, swelling check, overall feeling.  Those checks help guide us and get us through while we wait for the next 2 weeks to pass by for the official check.
I hadn't had a chance to post since the last dr. visit so here's a little run down.  Her blood pressure was very good, no protein, heartbeat was strong, and her gestational diabetes check was normal.  Also, the most important thing was the doctor said that she looked very good and that she just had "a good feelin'" about everything.  I know that's not very scientific, but it was nice to hear.
Another first that we had while we were gone to Lexington was we actually looked at baby stuff.  Last time we picked a crib out, but never really looked at much else other than online.  It was nice to actually go another step forward with anticipation of getting our house baby ready!  The only problem that we are having is we aren't picky enough when trying to decide on things.  All of it sounds nice and we would be happy with anything.  As Michele said when looking at cribs, "it doesn't really matter, I just want a baby in it."  Nevertheless we were able to begin picking out things and have set a date and place for the baby shower.  We are going to have the shower April 2 at school.  Also, some lovely co-workers are going to have a shower from the faculty for us a little later.  We are constantly reminded of the love and prayers that surround us.  I thank the Lord that he surrounds us with such caring family and friends.
One more note:
We have decided on the name Gabriel, calling him Gabe.  Not really sure about a middle name yet, but it'll come in time.
I'll try to give updates a little more frequently, but as I have told some "no news is good news".  As we face another week ahead I am looking forward to the great things in store for us.

Continued prayers for health, strength and guidance!
Ronn