No Bed Sores-- just soreness. (Day 55)

Hi everyone. Not a lot to report medically. Let's see, I'm still here, having periodic contractions and contractions every time I get up to go to the bathroom. Dr. Lovelace confirmed what I already knew-- Spartacus is looking pretty good lately. He's getting bigger and so there is more movement on the monitoring. As I've mentioned before, with my lack of amniotic fluid for cushioning-- I can really feel every time he moves or kicks. Oy.
Dr. Lovelace and I had quite the conversation this morning about the Mafia-- his experiences in Colorado-- and then mine of growing up in Vegas and then covering those crazy guys when I was a squeaky, young reporter.
My mom is leaving town today. She's flying to Las Vegas this afternoon to re-charge her batteries and spend some time with my dad. Once again, my friends are stepping in to cover her well-deserved break. Thank you!
I also had a fast Wednesday. My friend Susanne (who owns White Water Pizza) brought up TONS of food for lunch, then Mary K and her mother came by, then Korri (Byron's little sister from Utah) and her two girls stopped in, then my neighbor Tina and her children arrived, then the hospital's Relaxation Therapist, then my mother and finally, Byron. Whew!
Byron and I feasted on the food, talked a ton and went over names--- I hate to admit we are nowhere, yuck. This coming up with a boy name is awfully hard. But I did get a good back rub out of the evening. I'll check in tomorrow.

Another day, another dollar (I wish, I'd be rich) Day 54

I'm hunkering down and getting back into my "I can do this" mode. Now that I made my 32 week goal-- I've set my sites on another 2 to 3 weeks in here. I'm having about two contractions an hour. Dr. Lovelace said that's probably less than a woman having a normal pregnancy at this stage. He talked to me for quite a while this morning about different scenarios of what will happen when it's "my time". If I can have a normal delivery (still a pretty good option-- at least today), Spartacus, being so small will likely come quite fast. If it's a c-section, it will likely be an emergency one and I will be put completely under- ick. I'm fine with whatever it takes at this point. I'll just roll with it. Dr. Lovelace wants to try and do another ultrasound this week to see how he's growing. Once again, that will determine a lot.
My mom brought the girls up yesterday. I've now decided to refer to them as "the locusts". They hardly say hello before they have gone through my refrigerator and every snack in my room. I don't ever have to worry about food spoiling in here. You'd think they've been starved for the entire time I've been away. Holland even went through my hospital menu and decided what "we" needed to order for dinner: spaghetti and meatballs, a side salad with Ranch and a piece of chocolate cake. When I tried to order something else, she said no, that doesn't sound good. All I can say is it's a good thing I don't have much of an appetite in here (who would with all the laying around I do).
One of the nurse assistants came in to meet the girls-- how brave of her. They decided to perform for her and sang their hilarious song: The cannibal king with the big nose ring....
You gotta picture Reese with her favorite blue dress on (she's worn it every single time she's visited me in the hospital except for twice) and her sparkly yellow high heeled Minnie Mouse shoes with the red and white polka dot bows on them. Karen, the nurse assistant took them out into what I call the real world (the hallway beyond my door) and had them perform for the nurses. Evidently, they enjoyed the adulation so much, they sang several songs. So now my girls are famous on the 2nd floor of St. Luke's.
My mom and I stayed in the safety and quiet of my room!!
The visit was great until it came time for them to go. When it was Reese's turn to kiss me goodbye-- listen to this-- she said "Mommy, I miss you so much. Can you come over to my house?" Okay, just stab me in the heart. By the time I get out of here, I'll be a visitor in my own home.

More of what I missed... Greer's 6th Birthday

The day before I made my "fateful" trip to St. Luke's, Greer turned 6. I'm finally getting around to posting some pictures. (This was on May 27th). Greer is 3rd from the left, Holland is 2nd from the right and Reese is, of course, front and center. Since I was leashed to the couch, Grandpa Bodily had taken pity on our family and offered Greer the chance to have a swimming party. Thankfully, she said yes.

After swimming and lunch, it was pinata time. Did you know that you absolutely cannot have a 6 year old's birthday party unless you have a Princess pinata? Here's Greer taking a swing. She takes after her mother when it comes to athleticism. My brothers used to tell me I had mosquito legs. She looks just like me as a kid-- poor child.

Reese's turn to vent her frustrations.

Present time! I love this picture because this is so common. Byron's on the couch helping Greer. But notice Sophia in the front right corner. This is typical of our lives. Whenever we are praying, having a family discussion or anything--- one of our girls is doing a headstand, somersault or what I call donkey kicks. Remember the old saying ants in the pants??? I know if you are a parent you can totally relate.

Byron is lighting "the" cake. The week leading up to Greer's birthday, we had gone on line and found pictures of the perfect birthday cake. She wanted a Tinkerbell cake. So we went to two stores until we found the ideal Tinkerbell doll to use as the base and then bought a special pan and just the right colors to make frosting. I had planned to make one of those cakes with the big skirt and the doll sticking out from the waist up. That was all foiled by my bed arrest. So the day before the party, I was frantically calling around to our local bakery. When the baker told me he could make the cake but I'd have to give him more notice-- I burst into tears. Poor guy, he kept saying "don't cry lady, we'll make something work"! He sounded hugely relieved when he found out that Byron would be coming to pick up the cake and not me.

Greer seemed just fine with the finished cake. It had all these rings on it, in the shape of flowers. She was thrilled and hopefully too young to be embarrassed by her mother's little emotional outburst.

What I've Missed... Greer's Kindergarten Graduation

Playing off the theme-- the summer that never was-- here are two pictures from Greer's Kindergarten graduation. She is on the third row up, second from the left (in the blue headband).
I guess the Kindergartners sang several songs and put on quite the show. This took place two days before I came into the hospital-- but I was already on bed rest at home.




Meet Mrs. Karr-- Greer's Kindergarten teacher! She is so cute. She's been periodically emailing notes to her students throughout the summer. Greer absolutely adores her!

I made it to 32 weeks!!! (Day 53)

First off, I have to say, your comments continually remind me what wonderful, treasured friends I have. Thank you, thank you, thank you-- they are such a boost.
Grandpa Bodily (our neighbor we love so much) called to check on me this morning. He told me the night of the big birthday campout-- it was pretty late and he could hear that the girls were still up. So he started howling like a wolf!!! This picture was taken that night-- after the girls had to run down to his house so Reese could pet the wolf. They are all holding up glow in the dark bracelets.
As for me, I'm doing better today. I am only having one or two contractions an hour-- so much, much better than yesterday. Today marks week 32 for the baby. When Byron and I rushed to the hospital nearly 8 weeks ago, I was only 24 1/2 weeks pregnant. Who would have ever thought we'd make it this far. All along this has been my big, nearly impossible (but I felt deep down, I'd make it) goal. Remember, this is about the time Dr. Lovelace says a baby under severe stress (like mine) will oftentimes develop his lungs. So I am thrilled to be here. Really. Okay, part of me is and part of me is soooo tired of this experience. But, once again, it's better to be here than visiting a baby in NICU. So I'll keep on keeping on.
Tuesdays are also "weigh in" days. And I'm happy to report the conspiracy by many of you to get some fat on me and Spartacus is working. (Thanks for the monster milkshake and fries last night-- Elly and Ron)-- I have gained again!!! This time 2 pounds. I actually am starting to look pregnant.
Dr. Lovelace says I have (if all continues to go well), another 2 to 3 weeks in here max. Whooo... (that's me exhaling a very big breath). I realized yesterday that if I make that, I will be getting out just before Holland starts 3rd grade and Greer starts 1st. How surreal. I came in here before school got out for the summer. Byron says this will be my summer that never was...
My mom is flying home for a few days (to deal with some paperwork and house stuff-- but I really think to recharge her batteries that have been sucked dry by three girls). Let's hope nothing happens while she is gone.

Happy Birthday To Reese, Happy Birthday To Reese...

Byron and my mom did an amazing job helping Reese have a perfect birthday. Remember, all she wanted was to go camping, swimming and have a pink coconut cake. So here's camping out on the upper lawn Friday night. Her birthday was actually a birth-weekend.The gang stayed up until well after midnight. It could be the sugar infusion: S'mores before bed. Notice Reese's finger placement. For some reason, that totally cracks me up.

The "big" girls-- Holland and Greer got to sleep in their own tent. Byron promises those lumps in the picture are actually the girls.

This picture of Reese is from Saturday night. My brother, Doug and his family came over for a birthday BBQ, pink coconut cake and swimming. My mom took some snaps of the girls in the garden. Reese, as the birthday girl wore the flower in her hair all night.

The girls looking clean and cute!

How the girls really look most of the time (when there's no camera around). By the way, LOOK at our corn behind them. When I came into the hospital-- our garden was dirt!!!

After camping all night, Byron made breakfast on the grill, they ate outside, opened presents and then they all went swimming at Grandpa Bodily's (our neighbor who has become part of the family). After an afternoon nap, they went swimming again in the evening with my brother's family. Here's Reese doing her "kick and paddle".

Voila: A Pink Coconut Cake