Saturday and Sunday

Saturday and Sunday are somewhat a blur. We had a whirl wind of visitors, phone calls, and texts. People have been so kind....sending flowers, gifts, and prayers. Our little Samuel is growing stronger each day because of all the love that surrounds him.

The First Time I Saw An Angel

At around 10:30 am March 6th, I saw the sweetest thing ever....my little baby boy. He truly was a Little Bitty Levin. Here are the pictures that were taken on my first visit to the NICU.

The first time I saw my baby, I wanted to call him a cetain name. The name just felt right. It was a name that Nick and I had talked about before we got pregnant. When we got back to my room, Nick and I decided to name our sweet baby boy..........

Samuel Nicolas Levin.
Nicolas is of course after Nick. Samuel is after Nick's Dad's father and my Great-great-great grandfather Samuel Willett...founder of the catholic settlement in Western Kentucky. Samuel means name of God and Nicolas means people of victory. Later Friday night, I went back to the NICU to tell Samuel his name. :)

What a Week!

Okay, it's been a couple of days since I posted, because I had the baby!!!! On Wednesday night(March 4) I lost my mucus plug and started cramping. First thing Thursday morning (March 5) I called into my doctor. I was advised to go to the hospital. While getting ready, I threw up several times in the shower. I stopped by school quickly to make sure I had plans and copies ready for a substitute. I left school and headed to the hospital at 7:30am. At the hospital, I was placed in a triage room and hooked up to a monitor. When they checked my cervix, it was 1 cm dilated. The nurses and doctor on call were not worried, but they were concerned that the baby's heart rate dropped each time I contracted. They administered 3 doses of tribultaline to me over the course of the next hour and started an IV. The baby's heart rate stabilized, but I continued to contract. They were not painful contractions at this point....they just felt like cramps. At noon that day, I was admitted to a labor and delivery room and taken off the monitor. I was told they would continue to monitor me throughout the rest of the day and that more than likely I would be spending the night. I was confused, because they weren't highly concerned about the contractions and I was probably spending the night. Anyway, they brought me lunch and I just rested for the remainder of the afternoon. After I ate dinner, I started cramping again and they were stronger this time. The nurses put me back on the monitor and gave me a clicker to mark when I felt cramps. After an hour, they took me off the monitor and said the contractions were not regular. Nick came and saw me around 7 pm. He had been at the Agricenter all day setting up for the Home Show. He had not been feeling good all week, so at around 8 pm I told him to go home. That way he could check on the dogs and get some rest. I specifically remember telling him, "It's not like I'm having the baby or anything." I also was joking with him that this was a great test run for our real delivery day. So Nick leaves and I tell him I will call him if anything changes. My friend Laine came by and saw me and we visited for about an hour. I ended up asking her to leave because I needed to use the restroom. I was starting to have a lot of pressure. At 10 pm, things started intensifying. I was put back on the monitor and given a shot of Staydol. Earlier this medication had eased the pain a bit but was doing nothing for me now. The nurse checked my cervix at 11:30pm and I was 2 cm dilated. The contractions were very painful at this time and I was having to get up and go to the bathroom every 2 minutes to relieve the pressure I was feeling. Still, the contractions were not coming up on the monitor at regular intervals. I was having them at regular intervals and they just weren't coming up the way I was feeling them. I told he nurse she had to do something because I couldn't take much more. Around midnight, they administered magnesium through my iv. Just before 1pm, my nurse checked my cervix and I was 5 cm dilated. It only took an hour and half to increase from 2cm-5cm. I called Nick and told him to get here soon and I thought I might be having the baby. While I was still on the phone with him, another nurse came him to check me. I went from 5cm-9cm in about 2-3 minutes. I got off the phone with Nick and called my mom and dad and told them to hurry up and get to the hospital. The doctor rushed in and lots of nurses. I really started to loose it at this point. I asked if I was fixing to push this baby out. They did an ultrasound and confirmed that the baby was still breach. I was rushed into the operating room and was being prepared for surgery. Nick was still not there. I remember looking down and seeing a lot of blood. The last thing I remember was grabbing the doctor's hand and squeezing really hard. They stretched my arms out and placed a mask on my face. I was knocked completely out. Nick and my parents had made it but could not come back to the OR. I delivered my baby on Friday (March 6) at 1:45am. Everything is kinda of fuzzy after the delivery. I woke up in recovery with warm blankets all over me. I remember being mad and asking to see someone I knew. Finally, around 3pm they brought me back to my room. Nick and my parents were just staring at me with looks like I have never seen. I thought something was wrong with the baby, but I later found out they were just concerned because I was so mad. At around 3:30am, the NICU doctor came in to fill us in on the baby. I vaguely remember this. Then a NICU nurse came in and told Nick he could come see the baby. I was told I would not be able to see the baby until 12 hours after delivery. Nick and my parents went to the NICU to see the baby. They brought back the following pictures to show me.

My first reaction to these pictures: He's small, but not as small as I thought he would be. I was dying to see him myself. I asked my nurse why I had to wait so long. She said I had to be able to get up and walk to the bathroom and then to a whel chair before seeing my baby. I told her to bring on the wheel chair. At 9:30am, I got up and walked to bathroom and then to the wheel chair that would take me to my baby.

30 Weeks Today

It is hard to believe I am 7 1/2 months along today. Wow!!! My appointment went well yesterday. My doctor did a test to see if I would be going into labor within the next week to 2 weeks. It came back negative...thank goodness. There was no change in my cervix. I had an ultrasound done, because since all the contractions have started, our Little Bitty Levin has not been quite as active. He looked great and is getting big. He weighs 3lbs. 6oz. That puts him in the 56%...completely average sized. If he keeps this up and I make it to my due date, he should be a little over 8 lbs at birth. He is breech. He is sitting bottom down on my cervix. His legs are up against his chest with one arm wrapped behind his knees. The other hand was in his mouth. It was the cutest thing ever. The picture above is very fuzzy, but it shows exactly how the baby was positioned yesterday....top picture in the middle. It called frank breech. He looks SO uncomfortable, but the doctor said he has plenty of room to move if he was uncomfortable. I forgot my ultrasound pics at home. I'll post those tomorrow. They were not the best pictures. I wish she had gotten better ones for all of you to see. Oh well, we will all see him soon enough. :) The doctor said he still has plenty of time to turn head down. If he hasn't turned in 4 weeks, we will start talking about having him turned. I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks and she will perform the pre-term labor test again.

Snow Day in March!

As you can see, we had a great time playing in the snow! :) I was very careful not to slip and fall on any ice patches. We got about 12-13 inches of snow fall. I haven't seen that much snow in our area since I was very little girl. We did have school today because all the roads were clear this morning. -------------------------------
I am about to leave school for my 7 1/2 month check-up. I'll post those details tomorrow.

Week 29

Only a few more days left of week 29 and then I will enter my 30's weeks! Holy cow! I am in my third trimester and we will have a baby in about 2 months. That amount of time goes by so fast. It's been more than 2 months since Christmas and that seems unbelievable. I'm am carrying this little man way out front. He lays right across my belly horizontally. I have still been having painless contractions. I go to the doctor on Monday for a check-up. I am hoping she will do an ultrasound. I'm thinking she will since I have been contracting like a crazy woman. We'll see. I'll post another picture of my growing belly next week. I feel really big (even though people say I look great). I can't tell if they are just being nice or what. I don't care if they're lying though. I am what I am...I'd rather hear I look good than the opposite. :) Nick continues to be the best husband ever. He will rub my tired feet at the end of the day and my back in the morning. I have been very uncomfortable at night. I either can't sleep or can't get situated. I am sleeping with lots of pillows. Poor Nick....my pillows take up a lot of space. Oh, I have been snoring too...according to Nick. He said he had a dream about a saw the other night and then woke up to me sawing logs. HA! It's because of the change in weather here. My sinuses just can't take it. I'm ready for spring weather but dreading the pollen and allergies that come along with it. I can't believe it is almost March. That month will be very busy for us...we have lots of showers planned. I can't wait to see what people pick out for our Little Bitty. :) This has all been so exciting. Nick and I are still trying to wrap our brains around that fact that we are parents and our life is about to change so much. We know there will be ups and downs......we can't wait!

Bedding and Mattress

Over the weekend, Gary and Priscilla (Nana and Pop) visited us. We had a nice visit. They bought our Little Bitty his bedding and mattress. It looks FABULOUS!!! I took some pictures, but I am not ready to post them yet. I need to wash the bedding and iron it first. I can't wait for you all to see it. I have included a picture of what the bedding looks like.

What a Week!

Okay, it's been a while since I last posted. Last week was a little crazy. We made a trip to the hospital last Tuesday. When I got home from school that day, I was having one contraction after another. They were painless, but extremely uncomfortable. I called the nurse on call to be cautious and was told to head to the hospital. I was shocked and so was Nick. When we were timing them, they were 3-4 minutes apart and were lasting as long a s 1 1/2 minutes!
Long Story Short: (anyone who wants details...call me)
I was having mild contractions, but they were not changing my cervix. I took Thursday and Friday off with my doctor's orders. I am still having the contractions. My doctor will re-evaluate me in a week. I am pushing my fluids to make sure that I am not dehydrating myself. My doc said some people just contract more than others. Our Little Bitty is still kicking up a storm and seems to be growing more and more each day. I feel huge! :)

28 Weeks/7 months Today

Nick and I had a great weekend. He surprised me Saturday morning with a big bouquet of red roses and a singing card. It brought tears to me eyes....which isn't too hard to do these days! :) I surprised him at work later that day with a sweet frozen treat from Starbucks. That night we enjoyed a meal at Mezcal...our favorite Mexican restaurant in town. After dinner, we rented some $1 movies for the night. All in all, it was a perfect day with my sweet valentine.

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Yesterday I went to the doctor for my 3 hour glucose screening. Long story short---I PASSED!!!! I do not have gestational diabetes. :) I described the tightening feelings that I have been experiencing over the past week to the nurse. She confirmed that I have been having contractions. Nothing to worry about though. They are not painful or regular at this time. If they become painful and/or regular, that's when I need to call the doctor.

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Today is Yankee and Georgia's 4th birthday.....28th if you are counting dog years. They were lazy bones all weekend and did not want to wake up this morning at all. When they finally got up, I sang them all the way to the door to go potty. They didn't know what to think. :) Nick is buying them Pedipaws for their birthday....a pet manicure set, so you file their nails instead of clipping them. We may go to Sheridan's Custard to pick them up a doggie cone later tonight. We'll see if they are being good and deserve it. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

My hormones are definitely flowing with force here lately. This morning I was crying on the way to work because I was listening to "God Bless the Broken Road." It just got me. I called Nick to tell him how much I love him. He's the best husband in the world! He will be a great daddy.

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I have been so good today as far as valentine treats go. I gave a dozen chocolate covered strawberries away to my favorite teachers. I passed on all the treats that kids brought to my door...brownies, cupcakes, donuts. I even bagged up all the candy my kids gave me as valentines to give away...one was a tin of Ghirideli (sp?) chocolates! My favorite gift was a relax and unwind cd from a student. I have been playing it throughout the day. The kids love it. *******************

Tonight, Nick and I are going to our friend's (Laine and Robert) house for a valentine's dinner. Laine is an hard core follower of my blog. She's the one who comments all the time. :) Nick used to work with Robert when they were both selling cars. Yuck!

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I have to wake up bright and early tomorrow morning for Saturday school. I retake my gestational diabetes test on Monday. I have to fast from midnight on Sunday until my testing is over. Say prayers for me, because I am a bear when I wake up...ready for my breakfast.

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I hope you all enjoy this weekend of love. Hopefully you experience love all year round like me! :)