Gentlemen, cart your Injuns

It's morning.... and I don't know what to do.
I am allowed to get up.... but what then?
This is new. At this point I am still within the confines of my longtime prison bed.
The MOG is in the living room... there's an 85% chance he's praying and a 15 he's looking at a studio catalog. No chance whatsoever that there is breakfast going on in there.
The kid is sleeping. I know this because I can hear him breathing from anywhere in the house....
And you, my esteemed friends, are usually about your business till after 9.

BUT WAIT AND FORSOOTH! I FORGOT IT'S WEDNESDAY! MEN OF THE WORLD UNITE!

How about this topic: what was your favorite present and why? And if you didn't get it because it cost $10,000, why would it have been the perfect present?
What.... does a man really need?


yup

I was right.... he's just hanging in there by a barely. Dr Reed said if
I start having contractions every 10 minutes get to the hospital
ASAP....
Dilated between 3-4 and he is at +1....

WOOHOOO! Now watch him copy Isaac and stay in another 6 weeks.

the Joker

I have a doctor's appointment today... I'm actually looking forward to
hearing what's going on in there. I am not sure--- you see, this guy
Tobias is a character. For over 4 months now, he keeps saying, "RED
ALERT! IT'S TODAY! OH HOLY COW CALL THE PRAYER LINE!" and then he just
settles in sweetly for weeks while Mommy pulls out her hair....
Then, again "OH NOOOOOO GET OUT THE MAGNESIUM IV AND THE LIQUID DIET
BECAUSE SHE'S CONTRACTING EVERY 2 MINUTES (hee hee hee, he says)!!"
then nothing.
"STICK A TERBUTALINE PUMP IN HER LEG THAT MAKES HER SHAKE AND THINK
CRAZY BECAUSE I WILL COME OUT RIGHT NOW IF YOU DON'T!"

and so forth. So despite the fact that it feels like he is only still
in there because he's hanging by his foot from my rib, I'm not buying
it.
We shall see...
but I do suspect some drama and comedy going on in there. Him and the
Big Guy in the sky just yukkin it up.

34 weeks! PARTYTOBYGANZA 2005!

34 weeks!

Your baby acts completely like a newborn, with his eyes opened when awake and closed when sleeping. You may also find him settling into more of a routine for sleeping & awake times.

He has learned to blink. He can also see more clearly when there is a bright light on your stomach and probably has the outline of all your organs memorized!

Antibodies from your blood are being tranferred to him. These immunities continue to build until birth. Then breastmilk will add even more protection against disease.

Your baby may have already turned to a head-down position in preparation for birth. If he is your first baby, he may be settling into the pelvis with his head pressing against your cervix.

Fingernails have reached the end of the fingertips now. He may scratch her face even before she is born!

Your little one's length is 17.7 inches (45cm) and weight is 4.7 pounds (2146 g).


Now, again... we know that Toby is bigger than this!! Today's the day I quit bedresting! Hooray! (I already snuck out and saw Narnia on Friday..... hee hee hee)
So I don't know what I'll do. I've never been at the part where it's ok to go into labor before... a little nervous about what do I do now....
But I'm very excited! YAY 34 weeks!

Sleepwalking

I am sleepwalking
I'm hoping that maybe
if I tiptoe softly enough
then you will come
And not just be another
sweet dream faded too soon

Maybe if I don't wake up
You will come
and be the substance
of this hope

Maybe if I don't want you too much... maybe if I close my eyes... maybe
if I sleep
Then you can come and fill my arms
and I can be at peace

UPDATE

My appointment was good... cervix is still dilated to 3 so the plan is
chill for this week and then next week I should be a freebird! WOOHOO!

And Crystal and Isaac are doing great... relatively painless delivery +
epidural...

33 weeks! TOBYBLANZAGANZA and is Isaac Diaz here yet??

Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during your pregnancy.

Your baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.

Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your baby's brain will give him the skills he needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, he may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.

While most of his bones are hardening, his skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.

Your baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since he gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages his lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).

Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).

Now, actually Toby was this big last week... so he's probably a little closer to 4 and a half pounds now!

Got a call last night Crystal was headed to the hospital... not sure of today's update yet
I have been feeling bummed about missing the Christmas season... I have decorations at home but it's just different not being out in it... buying presents and hearing the music everywhere.... I was so sad to have to stay home from the Christmas banquet, I cried.
BUT last night the Christmas banquet came to me! The whole choir and the video--- and the water glass Carolers.... the whole show! It was so awesome and so fun... Pam and John Crouse are the greatest... I feel like I got to have some Christmas season right here in my house.

Dr's appointment today. Pray that I don't get re-hospitalized for my final week of bedrest!

Day 1

Well, I would have had a very comfy sleep. But this terbutaline pump
I'm hooked up to ran out of medicine at 5 am or so and started
beeping.... and the powers that be have still not granted me refills.
So I had to take the oral terbutaline which makes me miserable and
shaky. So maybe I can catch up on sleep later.

Congrats Julie on 32 weeks and Crystal on 39 __ holy cow!

WE'RE GOING HOME!

Wahoo! Jess and I felt this morning that we've had enough. She's been having no contractions for 4 or so days, and living here hasn't been that great. So she asked the doctor, the doctor checked her cervix and it was the same, at 3 cm. So were packing up awaiting discharge for the Hospital. Yahoooooo! Thanks for all your prayers...

Day 8

I think this is day 8 of my hospital confinement, with a break Saturday
afternoon and night.
I feel the same. I have occasional contractions, nothing new.
I am tired of being in this bed. I need a dose of gratefulness.
This has been such a long pregnancy and I know that in the end it will
all be so worth it. I just feel a little tired and emotional today.
Pray for grace for me to finish this race... I want to go home on
Christmas Eve still pregnant.

Jessica

The view

Here is a little pictorial of our hospital journey...

Great news! From the ultrasound, Toby is over 4 pounds! HOORAY!!

miserable and wretched on magnesium

finally got my boy back!

at the shower

animals are our friends
life is sweet

R2's sleeping quarters

Daddy and Richy do some work

mornin, all

No real update here... I am waiting for some medication.... the home
health nurses and the hospital nurses are at war and I appear to be in
the crossfire... oh, and Dr Reed has been stomping around threatening
people.
In the meantime, here I lay or lie.
12 days to my escape.

My ultrasound was good. Besides the painfully full bladder part...
Toby looks very happy and cute and slightly chubby.... YAY
R2 has now joined us at the hospital and is very noisily eating chips.
All is well, still in a holding pattern.

32 weeks TOBY EXTRAVANZABLOWSOMEHORNSGANZA!

32 weeks is a huge milestone. From here on out, Toby basically just gains weight. Everybody up here at the hospital is relieved to be here.... in 2 weeks they would probably not stop labor if it started again.
I am feeling very hopeful. If I delivered him today, any complications or delays would be unlikely. However, he would have to stay here at the hospital until he got big enough to come home. So we're contending for a post-Christmas baby.

Week Thirty-Two

Your baby is up to 3.75 pounds (1702gm) now and is 16.7 inches (42.4cm) long.

You might notice he's not moving around as much now. Don't worry! He is fine -- just running short on room. He still has plenty of growing to do though, believe it or not!

All five senses are working. Your little one is fascinated and practicing testing these out as much as possible!

Toenails are completely formed

Hair on your infant's head continues to grow in.

Brain scans have shown that babies have periods of dream sleep (REM) starting around the eight month. What do you suppose your son is dreaming about?

Thanks everyone for praying. Please continue to pray for us- we need patience and peace as we wait for this blessing.
Jess

Jailbreak and reconfinement

Last night when we got back to the hospital .... we got sent home.
There was some wackiness about insurance re-admitting us and blah blah
blah.
So rather than risk the hospital billing us directly, Dr Reed told us
to just go home and call her this morning. This was very happy because
I got to look at all my beautiful baby presents and read your cards.
I had a rough evening, drugged myself to sleep and have felt pretty
good today but still having sporadic contractions and feeling like Toby
may be lower...
So Dr R is readmitting us to watch me. I feel like I will probably stay
for the duration.
I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow.... that's kind of a magic number for
preemies...

so we had one night in our sweet little house... it was a nice break.
Will update as events warrant. Unless they drug me severely. Then Richy
will update.

much much love and appreciation for everyone.
Jess

about to bust out for the big day

Well, howdy! This is Jess posting on Terbutaline. It's kinda like
mainlining caffeine.
My hands, they shake
My head, I can't finish sentences
etc

BUT TODAY IS MY BABY SHOWER AND I AM SO EXCITED!

condition update: I had few or no contractions overnight... I am now on
a terbutaline pump that attaches to my leg and dispenses medicine
continuously. As far as we know my cervix is unchanged and I am pretty
stable.
If some of your worst fears are that I will go into labor at the
shower, well, it's possible. But it's a risk we and our doctor feel
fine about taking.
I passed one test (fetal fibronectin) that says I should not go into
real labor for at least 2 weeks... we'll see how accurate that is but
today I feel confident that Jesus wants me to go to my party!

We're in the process of figuring out how to get out of here... Dr Reed
wrote a pass but the hospital supervisor doesn't do passes anymore so
we may have to get discharged and then come back tonight and be
readmitted.
Or maybe we'll just break out of here in my hospital gown, fanny to the
wind and to HECK with the consequences.... just kidding. It's all just
legal mumbo jumbo at this point. See you there!

Star date 78340

It's 10:23pm Thursday, Jess is looking good. She has had very few contractions in the last few hours. And is in good spirits! We are very hopeful about the shower saturday.
I however had a hard time. I locked R2 in the car at McDonalds, with the car running. The humorous part was that I could not get him to open the lock, many strangers came by with a fresh additude of convincing him that he could open the lock. (as people have always been, in dealing with his special needs) I also locked my cell phone in the car, which has roadside assitance. As you know, it is freezing out side, and I was not dressed for it. (flip flops and swim shorts,.... not really, I would just would have prefered a few more layers of clothing) I had to ask someone to borrow their cell phone. After about 15 min I was able to get a hold of Jessica who sent her mom, and a lock smith toward me. After about 30 min, I figured they must have the wrong McDonalds. I strongly convinced a McDonalds employee that I needed to use HIS cell phone, and not the pay phone which was on the other side of the store, because my kid was locked the car without the heat on, (I turned out to be a good temperature inside the car..in case you're worried) I then called Linda, and sure enough they were at the wrong McDonalds! About this time, all my stranger "helper" people left, knowing I was going to get help. I then knelt on the pavement facing r2, it was then that he starting crying very sad. I hated not being able to do anything for him. Finally, Linda, and then the locksmith guy showed up, and got the car open. It was not cold at all inside the car. And R2 was feeling better, and laughing when I showed him how to open the lock. (He did it twice on his own, once I was in the car) When I got to the hospital here, I suddenly felt a huge emotional weight. (Girls will like this conversation) I've had to cry, and had to write about it. I didn't think it was a big deal, besides the fact that I have no meat between my skin and bones, so I got very very cold. But it was really all the feelings of being unable to help r2 through all of his struggles. Seeing my twins struggle and not able to help them, and now in this scenerio with Tobias. Ultimatley I understand we cannot claim control over anything, for "By Him all things are held together, and by Him all things consist:" However, sometimes I find my self wanting so bad to protect my children. May our hope remain in the Lord who holds all things together. Thank you all for your prayers and love. We all need people.

Richy

Update from the Camp

Finally saw a doctor at 2pm ish... Jessica's cervix looks the same. 3cm. (that's good) The doctor is happy, and optimistic that we could go a few days to longer. ( I prefer longer ) She is still having contractions, now about one every 15 min. But it appears they are not strongly effecting her cervix. They are going to try to put her on a different medicine in the morning, Turbutaline w/ a pump. She did mention the possiblity of a hospital pass for Saturday assuming everything is going well.
So we are doing well, hoping to stay were we are for a few weeks. Keep praying! Thank you to everyone! We'll let you know here, if there is an update. Otherwise, we are just waiting. Blessings, Richy

from the confines of hospital labor camp

Hello all, this is Richy typing for Jess, I mean, not right now, this is me. In a moment it will be Jessica.

Jessica says:
"Yesterday I went to a routine doctors appointment and found out that I was dilated to 3 cm. I also got a 3D ultra-sound which I will post later. Then off we went to the hospital. I hate it here. Pray for patience. "

So folks, that all Jessica has to say.
Last night around 5 pm she was having contractions at 2 min apart! By 11:30 pm they had basically stopped. I think perhaps more prayer than medicine. However, things are looking better. We haven't talked to a doctor yet. We still won't till the after noon. They will check her cervix, and we will be able to post. Being the computer genius that I am, we now have internet access on my laptop in the L&D room. We are praying that she stabilizes enough to go to her baby shower this Saturday. The doctor told us yesterday that they may make an exception for us. Jess and I both don't like being here. But we are praying for patience. She doesn't want visitors right now because she feels so bad (from the drugs) , and talking causes contractions. I will be checking the blog if anyone has any questions. Joy! and thanks for all your many prayers and intercessions. My faith is going UP! - Richy

31 weeks! and Happy B-day Julie- BLANZA!

Week Thirty-One

The rate of physical growth slows down just a bit, but even though he doesn't get much longer, he will gain a lot of weight the rest of the pregnancy.

Fat continues accumulating. This layer of fat turns his skin from red to the rosy pink he will have as a newborn.

Calcium, phosphorus and iron are being stored and his bones are growing and hardening.

Your baby is 16.2 inches (41.1cm) long and weighs 3.3 pounds (1502gm)

His brain enters another period of rapid growth, producing hundreds of billions of new nerve cells! Amazing!

He may move to the rhythm of music. Studies with heart rates show that he also prefers some types of music to others -- already!

Lungs are the only major organ left to complete development. Remember, that while you may be anxious to meet your little one that these last few weeks can be vital - with each day increasing your baby's ability to breathe on his own.

So how do I feel? Elated at passing this milestone... giddy about my baby shower THIS weekend... emotional and a little disbelieving that he's real... In shock that I'll be 8 months next week.
Physically I feel miserable. I think that's par for the course here. Everything hurts and I cry when I drop things...
It's starting to sink in, though. I don't know if people can understand what I'm talking about. Richy and I will be driving and tell each other... we're going to have a baby. He will ride right here in this car. And it still seems imaginary.
We put up the tree last night. Very exciting! I'll post a picture when we make an upstairs.



Julie, Andy, and Sharon and Nathan Schluter!