Yup, you got it right, Bevan's going to be a big brother! Which means, I'm pregnant! Ugh! How does that happen? :) I'm due October 2nd, which makes me about 13 1/2 weeks along as of today.
It's already been a very long few months. I realized that I was pregnant the day before Doug got laid off- that lead to not telling him in a very good way, but that's a whole different story... Anyway, after him and I not talking about it for a few weeks, we finally decided that it's hard enough for me to get pregnant so if I was pregnant then it was meant to be. (I still hadn't taken a test, I didn't want to waste the $$ on it.) I started out with the normal tiredness and sickness I always get. We went to the Dr. had an ultrasound and everything looked good and normal. A week or so later I ended up in the emergency room with what felt like a kidney stone. They said they didn't think it was a kidney stone but a kidney infection. Because it's hard to treat while pregnant and I was throwing up they wanted to admit me to the hospital. But I cried and told them I wanted to go home so they sent me home making me promise I would see my OB and come back to the hospital if I had anymore problems. I talked to the OB the next day and they sent me for an ultrasound on my kidney. They found a large kidney stone still in my kidney. Finally, I decided I better start telling people I was pregnant- it was getting too confusing! More than a week went by and I was still really sick (couldn't hold down my drugs) and I was still in lots of pain. So, I was back at the ER. This time I was admitted into the hospital for a few days so I could have IV antibiotics, pain meds, and anti-nausea meds. A couple of days in the hospital and I was feeling a little bit better. They sent me home with 30 days of anti-biotics and told me the kidney stone was still there (by this time we'd had 5 ultra sounds, being able to see the little "cinnamon bear" on almost all them it was kind of fun to see growth from week to week). The hope is that the kidney stone stays in place until the pregnancy is over because it's so large that if it starts to move it will get stuck and there really isn't a safe way to get it out while I am pregnant. The only problem is that the stone makes me more susceptible to kidney infections. Thank goodness for Alesa (who only a few weeks after having her own baby) mopped my kitchen floor and helped with my kids, and for my mom who came running over twice while we went to the ER and spent much other time feeding and taking care of us!
Anyway, that's the long story, I'm doing better now, I still have kidney pain and probably will for a long time and I've got the normal barfing and tiredness that comes! Doug is so wonderful, he takes care of me and the kids and even cleans up when I don't make it to the toilet! (More than any husband should be expected to do!!!) In some ways I think it's been a blessing that he's not been working this last month or so, but it is probably time he goes back to work... The kids are so excited! When Katie found out she hopped around the room and Maddie asks everyday to feel the baby. Sorry, kid, ya' gotta' wait a little longer. When someone asks, Bevan says he's excited, but he really doesn't know or care. As a matter of fact I think it's gonna' be a shock when the kid comes!
The NICU is a long, emotional experience. We seem to take 2 steps forward and 1 step back. This picture is after 2 intubations and before the cpap had to go back on, he just has a full pressure cannula. At least we were able to hold him for a little while. Until the cpap comes off we won't be able to hold him again.