False Alarm

Well, after 5 hours in labor and delivery, no progress was made. They offered to start me on pitocin or to break my water to get things moving, but I opted against both at this time. So, we're heading home! My contractions have really slowed and aren't picking up in strength at all. We may only be home for a few hours before heading back, but at least we'll be at home and not at the hospital. Since I'm already 4cm and 70% they said to come back when the contractions are regularly 8-10 minutes apart. Unfortunately this means my doctor probably won't deliver Stella, but that's alright. I'd rather have Stella delivered naturally from a different doctor then have her delivered by C-Section by my doctor because we tried to rush a delivery that just wasn't quite ready. Thanks to everyone for all your prayers! I'm so excited to go see my Little Buddy for a few minutes before he goes to bed. :). Praying for a good night of sleep and then trying again tomorrow!

Admitted :)

We are officially admitted to labor and delivery. I'm currently 4cm dilated and 70% effaced. I just finished my first 45 minutes of walking and am now on the monitors for 30 minutes. I'm not totally in "active labor" yet, but since my doctor isn't on call this weekend I had to be admitted before the office closed to be able to have her deliver me. I was given my first dose of antibiotics through IV since I was positive for group b strep. They need the meds to be in my system for 4 hours to take optimum effect before I deliver. The first dose was given at 4:15 so my doc is going to go home and be back at 8:15 (unless we need her before) to see how much progress has been made. All the nurses are great, and have had a good laugh about how I speed walk down the halls. I guess they aren't used to seeing that! Well, that's all for now. Keep praying for us! Can't wait to see Little Buddy and introduce him to Stella once she arrives. I already miss him!!

No Stella Yet

Last night I was able to catch up on some rest.  I took a warm bath and a tylenol before bed and actually slept from 10:30pm-6:30am without waking up at all!  I did wake up with one contraction after that and have had a few this morning.  I'm thankful for the uninterrupted sleep!  Our doctor/midwife is not on call this weekend, so if we don't have any serious labor signs by this afternoon, I'll be putting myself on bed rest this weekend to try and hold out for Monday morning!  :)  I am scheduled to go in for the induction Monday night to start the actual induction on Tuesday morning.

This morning I'm getting ready to go spend time with Jason on post.  We have a Ranger Memorial this morning to honor the fallen from the previous deployment and then a lunch following that.  As much as I wanted to already be in labor by this point, I'm glad that I'll get to be there for the ceremony this morning.  

A Long Night

Last night I woke up around 1:50am having pretty strong contractions.  After an hour of them not going away I started timing them and they were between 6-10 minutes apart.  They lasted until 4am but then went away.  If you'd have asked me at 3am, I would have sworn that I was in real labor and would have been heading to Labor and Delivery this morning.  Stella sure is being tricky!  I'm thankful that the contractions are bringing on progress at least.  I am having more contractions this morning, though they are still irregular.  My doctor and midwife are not on call this weekend, so I'm praying that real labor begins in the next 24 hours or so!   There may be a nap in my future today to catch up on my lost sleep from last night!

Baby Update :)

Wanted to give everyone a little baby update - things are progressing!  I had an appointment this afternoon and I am now 3cm dilated and 60% effaced.  My midwife said it could be anytime now!  Last night Jason and I went to the gym and I walked 3 miles.  After that I had contractions for about four hours and was really crampy.  Today I've slowly been losing my mucus plug and having irregular contractions, all positive signs that my body is preparing and delivery is NEAR!

We're not planning to put any info on Facebook until after she's been delivered and we are heading home from the hospital.  Please direct any comments or questions to our private blog or email, not Facebook.  We will do our best to keep this blog updated as much as we can, I'm pretty sure our hospital room will have Wi-fi!  :)

Can't wait to share the news that Stella has arrived.  We ask for your prayers in this time: that Stella is a healthy baby girl, that Gavin quickly adjusts to the big changes coming, and that labor and delivery go as quickly and smoothly as possible.  Thanks!

38 Weeks

This morning we had our 38 week doctors appointment.  Since it was a holiday, Jason was able to join!  He hadn't been to an appointment with me since my initial appointment at 8 weeks along, so it was nice to have him there to hear Stella's heartbeat again.  I'd gained 1 pound, bringing my weight gain to 35 pounds this pregnancy.  I can't complain, since I'd gained 46 pounds at this point with Gavin!  My blood pressure was good too.  Stella's heart rate was in the 150's and she measured right at 38 weeks.  I was checked and was 1 1/2 cm dilated and am 50% effaced.  We're making progress!  The midwife did strip my membranes and made me an appointment to come back Wednesday to do it again.  She gave me a few tips to try this week to go into labor on my own before the induction, I'll be trying a few of them!  If all else fails, I have an induction scheduled for early next week.  I've had some mild cramps today so I'm hoping to see more progress at my appointment Wednesday.  

Starla/Gammy has arrived as well, so we now have our official helper here!  Gavin has enjoyed the special attention today!!  He's REALLY excited that she brought Chex Mix!!

Jason and I were able to spend all afternoon just the two of us, it was a real treat.  We got several errands done after my appointment that we've been putting off for awhile now.  We took his truck to the dealership to have some work done, spent a good amount of time at Verizon upgrading his phone (He's now the proud owner of the Droid X and is super excited about it), mailed all our home refinancing papers off to the bank, and then we walked several stores together.  We'd forgotten what it was like to do things together without a child!  Even if it was just running errands, it was nice to do them together and get to have some adult conversation!

An added treat - tonight I even got to meet a friend for a mani/pedi and catch up with her.  It was nice having an hour of girl time while we got pampered.  Thanks for meeting me, Neelee!

Well, it's off to bed.  Tomorrow I plan to do some major walking to bring on Little Miss Stella, so I better get some rest.  Night!

Gavin Day

We knew that this could be possibly the last weekend with Gavin as the "only child" so we wanted to make it extra special for him.  Saturday morning we all woke up and had a nice family breakfast together.  Jason made our favorite granola pancakes, and made tiny "Buddy" ones just for Gavin.  A little later we all got ready and headed to the aquatic center for a morning of swimming and then lunch.  We'd planned on coming home for nap and then going back out to Monkey Joe's, but right after swimming Gavin came down with a runny nose, mild fever, pink cheeks, and just seemed to not feel well.  We came home and gave him some meds, then he quickly fell asleep with Jason on the couch.  He ended up napping away most of the day and we opted to save Monkey Joe's for another day.  We aren't sure if he has a cold or if he's just teething (he still doesn't have any sign of his 2 year molars).  He sure enjoyed his morning though and Jason and I enjoyed getting to relax all afternoon while Buddy napped!

Here is a video from breakfast and some pictures from our morning:

Hockey Night: Georgia Tech vs. Florida State University

On Friday, the 14th, we attended the 2nd game of the 2011 Savannah Tire Hockey Classic.  There wasn't a huge turn out so we were able to get front row seats on the upper level of the Civic Center.  Gavin really enjoyed his close up seating and having plenty of room to run!  He wore his Capitols jersey and kept yelling "Go Caps!" - We couldn't believe how much he remembered from his first hockey game in DC to see the Capitols!  We had dinner at the game, which consisted of lots of junk food!  It was a nice treat though.  In the middle of the game, one of the police officers walked by and gave Gavin a real hockey puck.  This made his night!  We're glad Gavin had such a great evening at the game.

What's for Dinner?

Needing dinner ideas?  Here are some meals we've had around here lately (you may notice that I've been on a cilantro kick):

Homemade pizza... Start with a whole wheat crust (heat in oven for about 5 minutes before putting anything on the pizza).  Once the crust is warmed, add a small amount of ranch dressing, mozzerella cheese, assorted veggies (we used chopped onion and red pepper), cooked grilled chicken, and fresh cilantro.  Put it in the oven on 350 until cheese is melted.  ENJOY!  (We put it on broil for a few minutes at the end).
Jason and I agreed that this was probably the best pizza we've ever had!

Chicken Pot Pie
Thanks for the recipe, Erica - it was delicious and too easy!
Find the recipe  HERE
**For the record, we didn't eat the WHOLE pie ourselves, Jason had another  ranger over for dinner that night!**

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchilada's (Recipe - Campbell's Kitchen)
To save time, I used 2 cans of canned chicken instead of cooking my own.  I also added about a 1/2 a chopped onion to the recipe.  Instead of topping them with green onions, we used chopped cilantro and some shredded cheese.  Refried beans made a great side dish!

And a super easy dinner... Ziti, spaghetti, and fruit salad

So... What are YOU having for dinner tonight?

Play-Doh Creations

Gavin received a box in the mail today from his GGPa - he immediately wanted to open up the "project" to get started.  We've had a blast playing with the Bend 'n Build Sticks.  The video is pretty long (nearly 8 minutes), but this is a glimpse into a typical project with Gavin... they always revolve around baseball!  You can tell he loves his books, as he quotes from "Going on a Bear Hunt" and "ABC Animal Orchestra".

Decisions, decisions...

Today has been a day full of information and decision making!  I started the day by dropping Gavin off at work with Jason so that I could go to my OB appt.  I took Gavin with me last week but he had several questions when they started checking me, so I thought it'd be best if he didn't go with me to the rest of the appointments.  (He asked the nurse what she was putting in my "booty" - it was funny, but I wasn't too sure how to answer!)  So, this week I went alone and it was a good thing because I had a bit of a wait and then ended up talking to the doctor for awhile.  For the first time, I'd actually lost a 1/2 a pound.  That was nice!  I've gained just over 33 pounds this pregnancy.  My BP was 104/67.  Stella's heart rate was 137 and she still measured right at 36 weeks (we're actually 37 weeks, 1 day).  I'm hoping this means she'll be a little smaller then Gavin was.  He always measured so big!  When I finally got back to see the doctor she checked me and said I'm still right at 1cm dilated but that the cervix is softening.  She did say I could go in labor at any time, but it didn't look like it would be in the next few days.

I talked to her awhile about the upcoming move we are getting ready to do to Ft. Benning.  She made it clear that it was not at all in the best interest of Stella or I to travel before Stella is 6 weeks old, but that she could approve of it once Stella is 4 weeks old since we're only going 4 hours away.  I knew this would probably happen, but it was hard to hear knowing that Jason had orders saying to move February 10th.  She explained all the dangers to me of going through the stress of moving a newborn too early.   She did say that there are many options to get me to deliver fast once I reach 38 weeks.  At my next appt she is going to strip my membranes if the conditions are favorable to speed up the process.  She also suggested we think about setting up an induction for January 24/25th once I've reached 39 weeks.  I left the appointment with each option running through my head knowing Jason and I had a lot to talk about.

After the appt I went back to Jason's work and talked to him for awhile about it all.  He didn't have long, so I really only got to present all the options to him.  We ultimately know we need to listen to the doctor and keep Stella and I here for the full 4 weeks after delivery.  We would never want to risk the health of our baby or my getting over stressed and having issues with breast feeding or postpartum depression.

We decided to go ahead and schedule the induction, knowing that it would guarantee Stella being born on the 25th or sooner, making her 4 weeks old on February 22nd.  That gives us a timeframe to work around with movers, etc.  We obviously hope to go in labor before the induction date so there will be lots of walking going on around here!  Jason is going to do what he can to get our movers scheduled to be here the week of Feb 22-25th and then us drive to Benning sometime right after that.  Jason may have to report to Benning before us, but at least we can get our household goods sent later when we are ready.  Our next fear is that no housing will be available, so please say some prayers that a house will come available for us as soon as possible on post!  We're so thankful to have so many friends in both Savannah and Benning that are already offering to help with meals, Gavin, giving Jason a place to crash in Benning until we arrive, etc.  With all the craziness that will go on from delivery to move time, it will all be so much appreciated!  So, in advance, I say thanks to all of you!

Its so special knowing that no matter what, Stella should be in our arms in the next 2 weeks!  The reality has really set in and we are so excited.

Starla is getting her bags packed to be ready to come on down next week.  Gavin is really looking forward to having an extra person to play with and be spoiled by!

Jason and I decided tonight to let this Saturday be "Gavin Day" - we're going to spend the whole day doing all Gavin's favorite things and making the day all about him.  He's so excited, he's decided so far that he wants to go to Monkey Joe's, have lunch at McDonald's (chocolate milk and chicken nuggets), and then he wants to go to the baseball field.  We're looking forward to showering him with attention and love all day - he so deserves it!  We've been reading books each night about being a big brother, he really gets into them and I think he's starting to understand that Stella is coming out of mommy's belly soon to join our family.  He's pretty excited to add a new member to his baseball team!

Another big decision we made today was to refinance our home mortgage.  We've been thinking about it for awhile now and researching, but today we finally went through with it.  We're so glad we made the decision, as we're going to save $243 a month.  We were able to lower our interest rate by 2.125%.  For anyone with a VA loan - I'd suggest you look at this website!  It's where we started learning about our refinancing options - http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/irrrl.asp

At the end of last week we also refinanced our auto loan.  Our payment is going down $128 a month!  Between the home and auto loan, our monthly payments are going down over $371 a month.  What a savings, just in time for our growing family!

So, it's been a big day of decisions, but now that the day is done and all decisions are made, we're pretty content and satisfied with how everything is going.  Now, if only we could find a renter for our home!  We have another showing tomorrow at noon!

36/37 Week Update

This morning I had another OB appt.  I'm 36 weeks, 4 days along.  My BP was 95/58  and I'd gained quite a bit more then I would have liked (nearly 4 pounds!)  I can tell I'm starting to swell a bit, as my wedding rings no longer fit.  I'm so glad we're nearing the end of this pregnancy and are almost at the point we can meet Stella face to face!  

Her heart rate was 148 and she measured right at 36 weeks.  

I was measured and am officially 1 cm dilated!  It's always exciting to know that the process has started and things are moving along.  My cervix was still thick and high, so she didn't think anything big would be happening before my next appointment.

I also found out that I tested positive for Group B Strep, so I will have to be put on antibiotics during my labor and delivery.  I was negative with Gavin, so this is a whole new experience for me.  The midwife wasn't in anyway concerned about it, so I won't be either!

I go back for another appointment next week and am hoping for more progress.  We're ready for you, Stella!

Below are some pictures of Stella and I at 36 1/2 weeks along.  

*In the last one you can also see my new hair do!  I got about 4 inches cut off and had it colored back to my natural color.  I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back to the salon, so at least now I won't have to worry about roots!

Getting the diaper bag packed for the hospital - warm blankets, a few diapers, her baby book, and a couple cute outfits!

After my appt today - officially 1 cm dilated!

Poop... for breakfast?

This morning I kept Max and Ace for a couple hours so that Neelee could go get her hair cut and colored.  She kept Gavin for me on Monday while I had a hair appointment, so it was nice to return the favor.  Neelee had made breakfast for Max at home and packed it in a baggie to bring over for him to eat here.  I put it on a plate and sat Gavin and Max down at the table to eat.  Gavin looks up and asks me "Max eating poop for breakfast, mom?".  I was confused for a moment, but then realized that Gavin had never before really seen sausage links, and apparently he was rather confused!  I had a good laugh, and then made sure to explain what it was that Max was eating!  Maybe we need to expose our son to a few more food items!

Hilton Head with Sandy and Clark

Sunday morning we woke up and had breakfast with the Maki's.  We had biscuits, gravy, fruit, and yogurt.  Yumm!  After eating, they packed up and headed back north to Ft. Bragg so that we could get ready and go spend our day in Hilton Head with family.  Jason's Great Aunt Sandy and Clark were in town so we loved having a good excuse to get up to Hilton Head!  We started out at Jarvis Creek Park, where we had a picnic lunch, played at the park, looked for alligators, admired one of the largest trees we've ever seen, and kicked the soccer ball around.  After that we went back to the condo to get their dog, Sadie, and walked out to the beach.  It was super chilly and starting to rain, so we didn't stay out long!  We came back to the room so that we could warm up and have Sandy give Gavin a professional haircut!  Jason and I didn't do the best job cutting it on our own recently, so it was nice to have someone that knew what they were doing fix our cut!!  (Aunt Sandy was the first person to ever cut Jason's hair!!!)  Gavin did great for the most part, staying occupied looking at sea shells, sand dollars, and star fish.  He also liked looking at himself in the mirror to make sure she was giving him a good "Babe Ruth haircut".  When it was time for the electric trimmer he did freak out, but thankfully that part was quick!  We headed home around dark and Gavin napped the whole way home!  We decided to have a low key dinner of PBJ's at home and then relax before another busy week.

Jan 1: Bowl Games and Playtime

We started 2011 out with a relaxing day at home... spent mostly in our pajamas!  First Jason made a big breakfast - pancakes for the kids and the veggie/sausage/egg skillets for the adults.  By noon, Jason and Kyle had the SIX Bowl Games mapped out for the day and spent much of the day in front of the tv getting their football fix.  Jason made hot wings, Melody made home made salsa, and I put together a veggie tray with ranch dip.  We snacked away!  The kids got in lots of play time, using their imaginations and having a good time.  They played outside: chalk, baseball, the slide, etc.  They played inside: playdoh, book reading, memory cards, etc.  All three kids even managed to take great naps all at the same time!  For dinner, we had burgers and fries and all called it a night pretty early.  It was a nice way to spend the first day of 2011.

Riding on his "roller coaster"

The Maki girls

Playdoh time

The kids enjoyed many books over the weekend - a big favorite was "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" - They almost have the book memorized.  I had to get a video!