Today…

1. Chance will no longer be an only child.
2. I’ll find out how it feels to love more than one kid with all my heart.
3. I will be very aware someone important to me is missing.
4. My sister, Renee, and her husband, Jason, is coming into town.
5. I’ll cry because my heart will never be the same.
6. All my organs will shift around inside of me.
7. I will cry over feelings words could never express.
8. I will most likely not get to eat.
9. My weight will drop at least 15 pounds.
10. The world, as I know it, will be changed forever.

• 9am – Drop Chance off at school (he’s gonna hang out with his friend after school)
• 11am – Check into St. Vincent’s Hospital
• 1pm – C-Section (unless an emergency surpasses us)
• 3pm – Baby in arms???  There’s always an hour (at least) of recovery for C-Sections before we can be with the baby.

We’d like to ask everyone who wants to visit to come by St. Vincent’s from Friday through Sunday.  You can come up to the Maternity floor and ask for us, but please just give us Thursday to settle in and bond with Paxton.

We’d also like to ask to be left alone the first week we’re home so we can get the family situated.  Feel free to call or email, but please don’t feel offended if we don’t pick up, return your call or email.

Thank you SO much!!!

That’s how many more days of “bedrest” I have before the C-Section.

Bad news:  I’ve been sentenced to partial bedrest… whatever that means.

Today was the third day in a row that I wasn’t feeling “quite right” so I called the OB advice nurse.  After asking me all the normal questions and then some, she decided to have me come into the office immediately (not the hospital) to have a quick check by the doctor.

Once I saw the doctor on call, she decided I was more effaced than I needed to be at this point AND contracting a bit strong for her liking.  So off to the hospital I went (which was 2 blocks away).

I checked in and was immediately put on monitors.  I am DEFINITELY contracting… which is not the greatest thing since I had a C-Section scar from Chance.  Imagine putting pressure on a balloon that has tape over an open gash for an extended amount of time.  RIGHT!

They tried to stop the contractions by making me drink a lot of water… which only made me have to pee a lot.  Then, then gave me an IV (which sent blood dripping down my arm… I wish I took a picture)… which only made me pee even MORE.  Then, I got a lot of juice.  More bathroom breaks.

Nothing worked… in fact, my “irritable” uterus (as they called it) only acted out more.

Brian and Chance came to visit around 6pm.  First thing out of Chance’s mouth is:  “I wanna get outta here!”  Yeah… me too, Chancey!  After 30 minutes or so, I sent the boys away to go get some dinner.  Chance was like, “Come on, Mommy… let’s go!  But leave THAT here!” – referring to my IV plug.  I was jealous they were going to get to eat… but I sent them off anyway.

8:30pm rolls around.  Mind you, I went to the doctors office at 3:20pm… I’m starving at this point.  The doctor there tells me he’d like to keep me overnight to monitor my contractions.

My first question:  “Can I eat?”

He says:  “Yes.”

So I tell him I’d prefer to go home and call if I feel any more contractions.  He gives me the “I’m-not-sure-I-like-that-idea” look but as soon as I told him I live less than 10 minutes away, he reluctantly says “ok”… but only if I agreed to be on partial bedrest.

That means, I can go out and have dinner or walk from point A to point B in my house… but I need to be sitting or laying down for at least 75% of the day.  That means NO SHOPPING or VACUUMING THE CAR or CLEANING THE HOUSE.

Good thing I went to Costco EARLIER that day instead of putting it off

I didn’t tell him I was leading worship at the MOMS leadership retreat tomorrow or leading worship on Sunday morning.  I just smiled.

No worries… I promise to take it easy and just pay attention to my belly.  It’s not too difficult… it’s the largest part of my body right now.

I’m wiped out.  Time for bed!!!

Chance is feeling WAY better.  Other than him being a little bit warm this morning (only 99 degrees), his fever is totally gone.

He’s still a bit whiney, but that’s to be expected since he’s not 100% yet.  It’s amazing he’s recovered so quickly.

I, on the other hand, feel like poopy.

I’m wondering if I’m in labor.  My belly is tight, I’ve got pressure down under (ew), I keep breaking out into a cold OR hot sweat every few minutes and I’m just not feeling “quite right”.  Brian’s keeping a close eye on me… whatever that means.

With Chance, I went through prodromal labor the month prior to his birth.  I can’t exactly remember what that felt like since all I can remember is the 38 hours of ACTUAL labor after being induced a week late in the hospital, including transition.  I do vaguely remember the couple weeks prior being “kinda uncomfortable” in comparison.  Kinda like now.

After dinner, we came home and I packed our hospital bag right away (just in case)… so now we’re ready for anything.  I even cleaned our toilets.  

Why not?

1. Have all of November’s Worship Sets (LiveWorship Presentations & Cue Sheets) completed by the first week of November.  DONE!
2. Finalize the worship team schedule for November/December.  DONE!
3. Put the crib together in Chance’s room (well… Brian needs to do this).  DONE!
4. Purchase a shoe rack for the entryway closet. DONE!
5. Prep a months worth of freezable meals for after Paxton’s birth. DONE! Well… half done but I keep adding to it, so might as well say “Done”.
6. Mail my “Thank You” Cards that have been sitting by my front door for longer than I’d like to admit.  DONE!
7. Make room in our room for the cradle. DONE!
8. Write a devotional for December’s Church Newsletter (this will be a nice break from the other things).
9. Figure out music for Christmas Eve Service and chart it out.
10. Get Brian out for a golf day or spa day before Paxton arrives. DONE! Weekend with the boys last weekend counts!
11. Prep the email announcement for the hospital – make it easier for Brian to send out  DONE!
12. Find my birth plan from Chance’s delivery and create an updated one for Paxton’s. DONE!
13. Vacuum out my car (Brian again) DONE!  I just decided to do it.