Bed Rest

So its official...I am on bedrest.

This post is more for my pure entertainment and keep me occupied than for anything else so sorry if its long and boring.


I guess I have to start last Friday. I woke up friday morning and something just felt off. I didn't feel good. I felt nausous.(first time in 9 months!) I went on in to work where I continued to not feel good. Then the braxton hicks contractions started. I've been having them periodically since before Christmas, but they have never hurt before. Well on Friday, they started to hurt. I decided it would be best to just go home for the day. I wasn't quite sure what to think of the contractions so I called the Dr. He wanted me to come on it just to check. It was here that we discovered the high blood pressure. He was rather impressed with my swollen legs. Its not just my feet and ankles, but my shins, calves, and knees too. He even called in a nurse to see. There was no protein in my urine so this meant that it wasn't preeclampsia. He sent me home to rest for the weekend and wanted to see me back on Monday morning.

So I went home to rest and take a nap. When I woke up from my nap, I still felt really bad. I felt feverish. I took my temp and it was 99.8. I called the Dr back and he just told me that was actually normal. I took some tylenol and slept some more and felt lots better. The rest of the weekend, I felt perfectly fine. I felt sure that everything would be back to normal Monday morning.

On Monday morning, I went back into the Dr before I headed back to work. Sadly, my blood pressure was still borderline high (the bottom number was 90) and now there was "trace amounts" of protein in my urine. Still not enough to diagnose preeclampsia. He let me go back to work under the provision that the nurse at school take my blood pressure several times a day and that I take it as easy as possible at work. He told me he did not want the bottom number to get any higher than 90 as if it gets up to 110 they have to deliver.

I was determined to work as long as possible. So I left the Dr's office and headed back to work. Nurse Rachel was very concered as everytime she took my blood pressure it was high(140 100). I was still in denial that this could be happening. I went ahead and stayed all day.

When I got home, my mom called and said she was bringing over her blood pressure machine so that I could watch it at home and during the night. I sat down as soon as I got home and only got up to go to the bathroom. When she got there with blood pressure machine, my blood pressure was 150 over 107. I was still in denial. I made my parents take thier blood pressure just to make sure the machine was working right. I kept taking mine every few minutes and it was consistanly between 100-110.

After my parents left, I decided that I wouldn't be able to sleep if I didn't call Dr. Wyatt. I called him and he was very concerned. He wanted me to go to the hospital right away to be admitted for monitoring and to have blood work done to make sure my blood pressure wasn't effecting Bryce or any of my internal organs. I. freaked. out. Scott did too, even if he doesn't admit it. So much for having a hospital bag packed right?

Once I got to St. Vincent they took me to my room and hooked me right up a fetal monitoring thingy. I could hear Bryce's heart beat loud and clear. Everytime he rolled and kicked it would make this loud sound on the amplifier. Thankfully, Bryce was fine, handling it like a champ.They set the blood pressure machine up to take my blood pressure every 10 minutes so they could get an accurate idea of what was going on. The nurse, whose name was also Kathryn Marie, came in and took about 15 viles of blood. Now we just had to wait on the lab results to know if we could go home or if I would be spending the night at the hospital. 3.5 hours later, the nurse came in and said Dr. Wyatt said I could go home but I was on bedrest.



So the lights in my hospital room where really bright and I couldnt sleep. We couldn't find the light switch anywhere! So I put on my sunglasses and Scott put the breakfast menu on my head as a shade. I think I might have actually been asleep in this picture.

I go back for my 37 week appointment on Thursday. I have no idea what to expect. Dr. Wyatt alluded to possibly being induced depending on how things go. Its just all up in the air right now and we dont really know anything. All I know, is the carseat isn't being deliverd until Friday so I can't have a baby until then.

Before and After

Well Scott and I have been hard at work on our to -do list! After our baby showers, we have had alot of organizing to do! This is what the nursery looked like after we hauled in our loot!

 I've cleaned out the chair and most of the stuff is off the floor. This baby is already so spoiled and loved. Major shout out to all my friends and family who have made us feel so blessed! There is a pile of diapers and wipes in the corner that you can't see. When we get the dresser (hopefully next weekend) we can put the finishing touches on the nursery! Im getting so excited!

Well I have been in nesting mode BAD. I keep cataloging all these small projects around the house that just NEED to be done before the baby gets here, even though I know that it can wait. For example, here is my bare dinning room. I did have a large frame that said "family" with a collage of pictures around it hanging on the wall. Unfortunaty, in a crafting freenzie over Christmas Break, I knocked it clear off the wall and and it shattered into peices.

 So this was my solution. I've been buying/collecting interesting plates from Scott and mine's weekend trips to flee markets and antique malls. I plan on adding more plates as time goes by. Oh and the reason the table is pushed up against the wall is because we got a lovely note from the apartment complex that they will be tearing down our balcony and reconstructing it. So we had to clean out our storage closet on the balcony. I wasn't about to unload it back into the nursery, so we pilled it up in the corner in the dinning room.

On one of me and mom's excursions for a dresser, I found this lamp for 5 dollars. I just liked the shape of the base, not so much the color. I bought the plain white shade seprately at Target. I thought it would be the perfect size for the nursery. I plan to put it on top of the dresser with the changing pad and some other little decorations.

So I spray painted the base blue and hand painted the shade with the same orange paint I bought to make the "Bryce" name decoration hanging above the crib. I didn't use painters tape so its not perfect! Dont judege! I wanted to make a chevron pattern but after about 30 seconds of trying to draw/tape that off I gave up. Simple stripes would be easiest when working with a round slightly coned shaped surface. I dont think I've sold Scott on it yet. I think it will be the perfect pop of color to the room!

Scott has been a great husband this weekend doing all the things I have asked him. I think he even memorized my social security number too! Now he just needs to read his homework in What To Expect When You're Expecting. Hint Hint, I know you're reading this ;)

The only major thing I didn't get completed this weekend that I really wanted to check off my list was packing a hospital bag. I did however make a list of things to pack! I want to buy a new pair of sweat pants to wear home from the hospital. I can't decide on what to put Bryce in for his coming home outfit. I want it to be perfect!  I think I need to pack a newborn sized outfit and a 0-3 month sized outfit just incase we have a little linebacker on board (which is what it feels like at this point).

Can't believe my due date is just 25 days away!

T-Minus 1 month!

Today marks 1 month until my due date!


Things I look forward to post-pregnancy:

1) Sleeping on my belly
2) Being able to see my ankle bone
3) Not having to worry about my blood sugar
4) Having all my shoes fit again.
5) Having my wrists not hurt anymore (no carpel tunnel)
6) Being able to wear my wedding ring again
7) Not having to pee 37 times a day
8) Not peeing on myself
9) Being able to give a proper hug
10) Not feeling hot/sweaty ALL day

While shopping, Scott told me "Don't knock over anything with your belly". I scoffed. Then a minute later a lady in the store took one look at me and asked "Are you due any day now?" Sadly, I told her I still had 4 weeks left. Bryce could put on 1/2 a week; where in the world is he gonna go? He has already bought up property under my ribs and directly on top of my bladder. I'm really feeling really pregnant now. I barely could put my shoes on this morning, I can't reach my purse in the floorboard of the car, and I most certainly can't shut the car door once I'm already sitting down. Even though I feel really pregnant these days, I don't think reality has set in yet. In just a few weeks I'll have a baby! How terrifying!

I constantly think about Bryce. I wonder what he will look like. How much hair will he have? How dark will it be? Maybe it will be curly like my dads. Will he have cleft chin like his daddy? I wonder if his eyes will stay blue like Cody's or be green like mine? Will he be happy and smile all the time? Will he be a fussy baby that never stops crying? What will his cry sound like? Will he look more like me or more like Scott or a perfect blend of both? Will I cry uncontrollably when I see him for the first time? Yes pretty sure!

34 Weeks: The List

So the countdown has really started!

I had my first baby shower yesterday! It was Dr. Seuss themed and so cute! Everyone brought a Dr. Seuss book along with a lot of other gifts. I felt so incredibly spoiled. Or should I say, Bryce feels spoiled! The food and company was amazing. I personally didn't take any pics at the shower, but I'm excited to see the ones Melissa took. When I got home, I spread the loot all over the nursery floor. I haven't started to organize it yet as I'm still hoping we can find a dresser.

I think I'm starting to panic! My due due date is about 5 1/2 weeks away and everything is not near being done in the nursery. Even more bothersome is I'm not sure I'm ready. I keep thinking of the hundreds of things I need to do before he arrives and then I get to panicking about the fact that I have no idea how to take care of a baby. In the shower this morning, I thought "how am I going to shower with a baby in the house? Of course he will start crying while I'm in the shower." What do I do if he wont stop crying?  How do I know if its just gas or if he is really sick?  And a hundred other worries.

So now I'm doing the only thing I know to do when I'm in a panic. MAKE A LIST.

*find a dresser, paint if needed
*make/buy curtains for nursery
*finish decorating nursery
*organize clothes by months
*organize the book shelf
*put away the left over Christmas stuff
*wash/vacuum the car
*install car seat
*pack hospital bag
*make list of things to go in the hospital bag
*make a master grocery list
*invest in some thank you notes
*Buy some Dreft
*stock up on toilet paper, dishwasher soap, laundry soap, etc.
*stay on top of house cleaning
*pre-register at St. Vincents
*make sure Scott knows how to get to Labor and Delivery at St. Vincents
*locate supplemental insurance papers
*file federal and state tax returns
*make sure camera and phone stays charged at all times
*make sure car has at least 1/2 tank of gas at all times
*make Scott reads the Labor and Delivery chapter in What to Expect When You're Expecting
*make sure Scott memorizes my Social Security number, age, birthday, etc because I swear if he asks me what it is while I'm in labor I might bash him over the head with some forceps.

33 Weeks



33 Weeks

 Just look at that belly hanging out there! Not. Cute. I went from the cute bump club, to beached whale club this weekend. And if I really wanted to convince you, I would show you a pic of my ankles. They've only gotten worse, if that was even possible to begin with.

Speaking of being swollen, clearly my brain is swollen to the point of defect. In my last blog I tallied up how much my Arkansas basket project cost me. I said that 2+.50+5+6=11.50. This is false! I wont even bother listing off all the other dumb stuff I've done in the past 8 months. I really hope I get my brain power back! I dont like being so scatter-brained.













 I really wish I had more time to work on this project. I kinda felt rushed to finish it. I would have made alot more fabric flowers and probably added some mesh or ribbon, but I needed to finish it before Valentine's Day and in time to cross it off my "before the baby comes" list. I hope I still have time for projects like this once the baby is here.


My first baby shower is coming up this weekend, and I am really excited! Of course, Im excited about the gifts, but I think Im most excited about bringing the stuff home and setting up the nursery. Things are starting to feel for real! I try not to panic at the thought that the baby is due in 6 weeks. It will be here in the blink of an eye. And if this little monster desides to show up early, it will be even sooner than that.



First time making fabric flowers. Really easy actually, kinda messy with the glue.



I really wanna go on a "baby moon". I feel kinda guilty on spending the money on it this close to the baby coming. Maybe I can finish our taxes this week and get it back in time to take a small little trip. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just one last hoorah before the next 18 consecutive years of weekends spent at soccer games and birthday parties. Im not sure either of us are really prepared for this life change, but then again, who is?


This thing was original intented for a flower arrangement, but I just liked the look of it. The heart at the top has a little clamp on it to hold a card.

Home is Where the Heart Is

So recently I was at Goodwill just looking around and I saw this Arkansas shaped basket that send my heart a fluttering, I HAD to have it! It was only a bonus that it cost $2.00! I immediately had a project in mind for it. I want to make it say "Home is where the heart is" with a little heart over Little Rock. Well as the project progressed, I made a few small changes here and there and this is what I came up with!

So the wood backing was kinda cheap looking and had some marks on it, so I knew I would have to cover it.

I was going to paint it, but I just Modge Podged some scrapbook paper down for .50

I spent around 5 dollars on 2 packs of "Thickers" letters. Loved the font!

After looking at hundreds of hearts at Hobby Lobby I came up with this idea that I would instead use a map of Arkansas and cut out a heart shape.

I took a pencil and drew several hearts over the center of Little Rock until I got it just right. Then I just Modge Podged it down. This was the most costly part of my project since the map was $6.00 at Walmart.

So there you have it! I spent around $11.50 (not including the Modge Podge since I already had a bottle). Im also working on a Valentines wreath .Hopefully, I'll have it finished this weekend and maybe I can make another crafting post soon!

watching baby move!

32 Weeks

Things I've gotten really good at:
*sleeping on my side
*waddling everywhere
*leaving stuff on the floor (not worth bending over)
*falling asleep around 8pm
*checking things off the to-do list. Having a Due Date suddenly feels like D-Day.

Everything at the latest Dr's appointment went well. I asked if he could tell if he was head down. He felt around on my belly (not a very pleasant feeling) and said he could feel his head down low. I hope he stays that way!

Havn't made any progress in the nursery. We're waiting until after the showers to kinda see what we have and what decorating will be left to do.

Im planning to go to the Duck Duck Goose consignment sale in Jacksonville with my mom on Saturday. Im mostly going to look at furnature. I want to buy a dresser for the nursery that can double as changing table. We will also be hitting up the Rhea Lana's consignment in March.

One night this week I was lights out by 7. Then I woke up at 11 wide awake. So what did I do? Video taped my belly moving! Scott was playing Madden on the X-box so you can just tune that out. You can FF to 1:12. Then you start to see some major movement!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbln5xThIF8&feature=g-upl&context=G2442a2bAUAAAAAAAAAA


So Im seriously blog challenged and couldnt' get my video to upload so there is the link to Youtube