Baby Timeline - Final Countdown, Weeks 37 & 38

April 19th: Thirty-seven weeks!

April 20th: Antenatal testing.  Happy baby with lots of heart beat accelerations!

April 22nd: OB appointment and I gained back the weight that I lost, plus 0.2 lbs!

We also had a check up to do a "final assessment" of Babe's kidneys.  The doctors saw basically the same thing that they saw last time, meaning that the problem is stable for now and not getting any worse.  Babe is weighing in at about 6 1/2 pounds, and he is back in the 50th percentile for size.  At our last kidney check, he was in the 70th, and the one before that he was in the 50th - my guess is that he was measured wrong when he measured in the 70th because that is a weird jump up and back down.  Those measurements can be difficult in the womb.  Anyway, he is measuring just fine and I can't wait to meet this little guy!!

I hung up the wooden alphabet letters this afternoon and they look so great!

We also had our 5th of 6 birth class.  We have been learning a lot!  And watching a lot of graphic birth videos.  (Poor Ben.)

April 23rd: Antenatal testing - looking fabulous!

I am the bottom screen - 5511E - the top line is Baby's heartbeat.  They always tell me that it looks "textbook perfect" - lots of action and accelerations, which means he is moving around.  The bottom line is uterine activity . . I sure hope its getting my body ready!

I finished the nursery today!

These are the letters we painted at my baby shower here in LA.  They turned out so darn cute, I can hardly stand it!

The letters are centered over the pack-n-play and the little white organizer with essentials.

This is the corner with everything baby!  

I do love this dresser.  Ben built it, bless him.  I love the big stuffed basketball, the little lamb, and the sweet elephant.

This is a panoramic picture of our little corner nursery.  It ends with the stroller and then the rest of the room is Ben's bike and his desk where he studies.  It's not much, but I did the best I could with the space and I love, love, love it.  We are so blessed.

April 24th: I was contacted again by the PR lady for UCLA Health.  The local CBS News channel wants to do a story on Hyperemesis Gravidarum and they want me to be a part of it.  When the news company called me to schedule, I told them that I was free all day on Monday except for my antenatal testing and they jumped all over that . . so we'll be filming at the hospital on Monday.  Kind of fun, kind of awkward, kind of cool!

April 25th: Breast feeding class!

April 26th: Thirty-eight weeks pregnant!  I'm starting to feel that end-of-pregnancy discomfort . . swollen fingers and toes, fatigue, and just BIG!

April 27th: Today was the filming for CBS News.  I met Marlena Fejzo, the main HG researcher; the UCLA PR lady; and the reporter and camera man at the hospital.  They interviewed me for about 15 minutes and then filmed part of my antenatal testing - the Non-Stress Test and the AFI ultrasound.  Then they interviewed Marlena.  And it was on the 5 o'clock CBS Channel 2 News here in Los Angeles!

Here is the link to the piece:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/TVEyesMediaCenter/UserContent/298102/4791755.8754/KCBS_04-27-2015_17.31.23.mp4

Baby looked great in the testing and I had a lot of amniotic fluid, which is new.

April 29th: OB appointment at 38 weeks - very routine, and everything is looking good as we get closer to meeting our little man!!

April 30th: Antenatal testing and Baby looks great!  I still had high levels of amniotic fluid, but not too high.  On the ultrasound, we could see Baby moving around a lot antd even playing with his toes!  Tell me that's not cute.

May 2nd: Our "final hurrah as a party of two" dinner at Plan Check!  So fun!  Little did we know that this dinner basically gave permission for Baby to come . . .

Baby Timeline - Final Countdown, Weeks 35 & 36

April 6th: Antenatal testing.  Baby is a champ.  Great amniotic fluid, great heartbeat tracing.  I love getting to see him twice each week!

April 8th: OB appointment at 35 weeks 4 days, and I gained 3.7 lbs in the last 2 weeks and my fundal height is measuring 37 cm!  I am definitely making up for lost time!  Everything is looking good - just starting to discuss plans for the upcoming weeks and preparation for delivery.

We are half-way through our birthing classes!

April 9th: Antenatal testing and everything looks great!

April 10th: I wake up in the middle of the night sick, sick, sick!  We call L&D and they have me come in for fluids and monitoring.  I got a new anti-nausea med and they let me go when I was able to keep down fluids.  Then I slept almost every single hour for the next two days.

We are due in one month!

April 12th: I reach 36 weeks!

April 13th: Antenatal testing.  Looking fab!  Which is reassuring because I am still feeling way, way sick.  No more "gory details" but I am so weak and tired and shakey and light-headed and nauseas.  This stomach bug has really knocked me out.  :/

April 15th: OB appointment at 36 weeks 4 days, and I lost 2.7 lbs this week from being so sick!  No good!  But things are looking great besides that.  Now I have OB appointments weekly.

Birthing class #4.

April 16th: Antenatal testing.  Fluid is good - I'm so grateful because I have been so dehydrated from being sick.  I was on the heartbeat & uterine activity monitors for an hour, though, instead of the normal 20 minutes.  Baby needs to have 4 heartbeat accelerations to pass the test and he decided to take a nap!  Then, he woke up and was really active so we had to wait for him to calm down!  Cute boy.  I think my body is getting ready for labor, though, because my uterine activity was non-stop, and I could feel it!

April 17th: Ben & I met with the Pediatric Urologist for a consultation today.  I was hoping for more of an idea of what will happen in the future (to help us plan our summer locations and summer health insurance), but it truly is a wait-and-see game.

Right after birth, as in while we're still in the hospital, Baby will have an ultrasound to determine, more exactly, where the problem lies.

He will also have a procedure right after birth called a VCUG (voiding cystourethrogram) where a catheter is entered and a radiocontrast agent is used to look at anatomy and activity in the bladder in real-time x-ray.

About 6 weeks after birth, Baby will have one of two procedures, whichever the doctor decides is best.  1) A MAG 3 Lasix Renal Scan, where a radiocontrast agent is used again, but is inserted through an IV, and pictures are taken to look for kidney function, size, shape, position, and blockage of urinary flow.  2) A CT Urogram, where a radiocontrast agent is again inserted through an IV and through x-ray the kidneys, ureters, and bladder are examined.

It's all very confusing.  It was confirmed today that both kidneys have moderate dilation and the right ureter is dilated.  Based on the amount of dilation (Baby is pretty low on the "problem" scale), there is a small chance that he will need surgery, and that would happen about 6 months after birth.  If no surgery is needed, Baby will need an ultrasound every 3 months for at least the first year.  Then we will just see how it is going.

It makes me sad that our tiny, sweet baby will need to have these procedures done.  But, I am so grateful for Medi-Cal and good medical care!  This little boy sure is loved!!

I have one more kidney-specific ultrasound for a final assessment before birth next week.


Also today, Ben & I went to Costco and did some major stocking up and nesting!  I do believe that we have enough toilet paper and paper towels and Lysol wipes and dishwasher soap to last us a lonnng time.  We also stocked up on freezer meals for the next few weeks when I am really tired and for after birth!

April 18th: Lots of nesting going on here!  Getting cleaned up and organized . . yet my to-do list keeps growing?  We are surely getting excited!

If you think I've had a lot of appointments, take a look at our April calendar.  Almost every thing on here is some sort of appointment, whether it's antenatal testing, OB, primary care doctor, kidney visit, birth class . . It helps the time pass quickly to be busy like this so I don't mind.

Baby Timeline - Final Countdown, Weeks 33 & 34

March 20th: Mom hosted a sweet luncheon for me and some ladies in the ward I grew up in.

March 25th: OB appointment at 33 weeks 3 days - I gained 4.2 lbs in the last 2 weeks.  Wowza!  My blood pressure was high, but fundal height was measuring ahead at 35 cm and Baby's heartbeat sounded great!  Because of the kidney pyelectasis, the doctor is having me start antenatal testing twice a week from now until I deliver this sweet child.  That means that twice each week I'll go to the Fetal Diagnostics Unit at the hospital and do a Non-Stress Test (NST) and an Amniotic Fluid Index (AFI).  I start Monday.

Ben & I had our first, in a series of six, birth class.  We are taking classes at Bini Birth in Sherman Oaks and I think they will be great and super helpful - good information and knowledge plus learning and practicing coping mechanisms.

March 28th: My visiting teacher hosted the cutest baby shower for me and Babe!  The theme was the alphabet and we painted wood letters to hang in Baby's room - pictures to follow because they are so cute!  We also had a waffle bar with little waffles, syrup, peanut butter, Nutella, chocolate chips, strawberries, powdered sugar, and whipped cream.  Orange juice and water to drink.  And little bags of alphabet crackers from Trader Joe's as parting gifts!  Joanna & Natalie both made the effort to come from farther away and that was really special.

I can't believe I only got one picture!  Natalie & I with one of the letters I painted.  Baby J.  :)

Also, Ben's sister Ashley created the invitations and I love them!

March 29th: I am 34 weeks pregnant and totally exhausted.  Too exhausted to stop at the temple and take a bump picture after Church!

March 30th: First antenatal testing: amniotic fluid looks great (I was 13.something and normal is between 8 and 25.) and heart beat looks great!  I had a Braxton Hick while I was on the monitor and it was kind of cool to watch the line go up and come back down.  I hope I'll be singing the same tune in a few weeks.  :)

March 31st: To IKEA to buy Baby a dresser - we've got to get things in order now!

April 1st: Growth & Pyelectasis Follow-up scan at the Fetal Diagnostics Unit in the hospital.  Baby is looking good - I am so proud of him.  His growth is back up to about the 72nd percentile and his estimated weight is about 5.7 pounds.  The doctor could also tell that he has hair!  So cute.  The kidneys didn't look terribly worse, but they didn't look any better.  What was really interesting was that the doctor seemed to be able to see where the problem might be and it looks to be between the ureter and the bladder on one side.  Typically Pyelectasis will resolve on its own as the child grows up because the problem is due to immaturity of the kidney system, but it appears that we have an actual problem here, so that will not be the case.  Most likely some sort of intervention will be needed.  But, we won't really know anything more until we meet with the pediatric urologist on the 17th.  I'm so grateful for good medical care and the reassurance that Babe will receive the care and attention that he needs now and after birth!  What a blessing!

April 2nd: Antenatal testing.  Looking good!

April 4th & 5th: General Conference.  For some reason, maybe because families are talked about so much during conference, I have always counted conferences not being pregnant.  "Oh, another General Conference and I'm not pregnant.  Surely by next conference . . "  Well, last conference, I was pregnant, but I was totally out of it.  That was the day Alere came to get me all set up and I was connected to the Zofran pump and home IVs.  And this conference, I turned 35 weeks pregnant!  During conference one year ago I was saying "surely by next conference . ." and one year later, I am 5 weeks away from my due date.  I have always been blessed, but the blessings I have received in the past year seem to me like miracles.

Spring Break in Merced

It was so nice for Ben to have a break from school in between quarters, to get away from LA for a little while, and spend some time with my family in Merced.

Mom hosted a lovely little luncheon for some ladies in the ward, Baby, and me.

Ben competed in the Pacheco Triathlon and won the whole thing!  But . . the race was a fundraiser for a high school's swim & water polo teams so they were trying to save money and gave out the unclaimed trophies from last year.  Ben was the overall champion . . and his trophy says "Second Place."  Classic!

I love this picture.  I never have pictures of me at Ben's races, but Scott took this of me cheering for Ben at the start - I totally love cheering him on.

High five!

The very exciting "finish line."

And then Ben looked up at Scott & me and said "Did I win?"  Yes!

Ben, Dad, & Tom all have March birthdays so we celebrated with some yummy cake & ice cream.

After the birthday boys sang themselves a lovely rendition of "Happy Birthday" . . 

And blew out their candles.  So cute, guys.

On Dad's actual birthday, Team RM Cycling went for a ride.

While we were in Merced I got to spend some really beautiful time with Grandma & Grandpa Rowan.  I grew up about a mile from them and they are such a big part of my life.

And, I just thought this rose and this sunset were particularly pretty.  Thanks, Merced!

Baby Timeline, Part 4

February 16th: Presidents' Day beach day!

I have totally been asked if I'm pregnant when wearing this cover-up before.  Glad to make it official.

February 18th: Hospital Birthplace Tour!  I think I left with more questions about birth than I had coming in.  Uh-oh.

February 25th: OB appointment at 29w4d and I gained 2.8 pounds since my last appointment!  Basic appointment . . questions/concerns/update on medications (I'm only taking Zofran as I need it now!), listen to Baby's heartbeat, blood draw to check Iron levels.  I still didn't have the ultrasound I've been expecting, but they scheduled it!  Instead of having it at the OB clinic, I'm going to have it at the Fetal Diagnostics Unit in the hospital next week.  I also met with the dietitian and basically I'm doing fine!  Also I'm a carrier of Group B Strep, so I'm curious to find out how that will work during labor and delivery.

February 28th: Cleaned out and cleaned up, getting Ben's study room ready to be half-nursery, half-study, and I built the crib!

March 1st: 30 weeks pregnant!

March 5th: I had my appointment at the Fetal Diagnostics Unit today for a partial anatomy re-scan.  The calcium spot (EIF) on Baby's heart is gone!  The doctor said his heart is beautiful.  :)  His growth is in the 50th percentile.  Baby's kidneys are still dilated (filled with fluid) more than what is considered normal.  This means that somewhere in the kidney system there is a blockage or something else wrong.  I go back in a month for a follow-up of the pyelectasis and Baby's growth.  In the meantime, the doctor suggested that we meet with a pediatric nephrologist to get an idea of what to expect should the pyelectasis not resolve before birth.

March 7th: Beach day with some of the other LDS MBA students and families.
Being pregnant is a totally legit time to wear a bikini, just if you're wondering what I'm thinking!  ;)

 

March 11th: OB appointment at 31 week 3 days.  Things are looking just fine!  I gained a couple more pounds and my fundal height is measuring right on!  We discussed all of my questions/concerns: what to do about being GBS positive, pains I've been having, the cervical polyps they found on an ultrasound, and the Braxton Hicks which have now made themselves very present in my life!  All in all, things are progressing just as they should be!

March 15th: I reached the 32 week mark!  Things are starting to get real.  Eight weeks left until my due date.  We are pretty decided on a name.  Mostly I just really, really, really love this little boy growing inside of me.  :)

Ben's 28th Discount Birthday

Ben turned 28!  Woot woot!  This year's birthday theme was "free" and/or "discount."  Ben did his research and found out what you can get for free on your birthday . . 

We started the day at Denny's where you can get a free Grand Slam on your birthday - all you have to do is show them your ID.  Since I was along for the ride on all of these adventures, I needed something too.  So, we added extra scrambled eggs to the free Grand Slam for $1.29, I got the bacon from Ben's meal, and with tax and tip we paid a total of $3.00.

Our next stop was IHOP, where you can get a free short stack on your birthday (I think you have to sign up for their birthday club by email for this one).  But, it happened to be National Pancake Day, as well as Ben's birthday, so with a donation of any amount to the Children's Miracle Network it was free short stacks all around!  Baby appreciated that.  ;)  We made a donation of $5.00 so that was our grand total there.

After breakfast(s), I came home for a nap and Ben took off on a three-hour 50-mile bike ride.  So that was free, obviously.

Then I met Ben at Jamba Juice in Manhattan Beach where he had just picked up his free birthday 16 oz. Jamba!  (Sign up via email for that one.)  We hung out at the beach for a while (parking: $3.75) but it was honestly just a little too chilly for me!  So we headed to a triathlon shop that Ben has been wanting to check out for a while and meandered around there for a while.

Then, Cafe Rio!  This was Ben's choice for dinner no matter the price, but can you believe it - it was $5.00 Tuesday!  Haha!  All of their entrees were $5, plus $1 for an enchilada style burrito, so our total there was $11.99.  Cracked us up.

After dinner we headed home, and stopped at Baskin Robbins for Ben's free birthday scoop (sign up via email).  It was dollar night there, so my ice cream was cheap, but I paid with a gift card so our grand total was $0.00!  Such a funny day.

With other coupons that are good for more than just your actual birthday, Ben still has a free sandwich and drink from Jersey Mike's, a free burger from Red Robin, and a BOGO from Coldstone (that's the one I'm most excited about)!  He cracks me up!

Then we opened presents.  I bought Ben a new waffle iron . . with a gift card - haha!

~*~*~*~

In other news, Ben has been working SO hard at school and at networking/recruiting these first two quarters and has secured himself an awesome internship for the summer!  I am so proud of him.

As soon as he finishes third quarter finals in June, we are off to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a marketing internship with General Mills!

Baby Timeline, Part 3

January 5th: I have my very own baby shower with wonderful friends in Walnut Creek!

January 7th: We buy a baby glider from a family in our apartment complex!  Jamin & Anne sent us this sweet, sweet blanket!

January 12th: I begin being see for my OB care at a new office under our Medi-Cal coverage.  It's not going to be Dr. Murphy, but they have a lot of resources, and I had to file a special medical exemption to be seen here!  It is the Medi-Cal clinic run by UCLA so each appointment will begin with being seen by an OB resident at UCLA and will end with being seen by whichever UCLA OBGYN is the attending physician at the clinic that day.  At my intake appointment, I register for the hospital, I'm set up with a dietitian and a social worker, I have the option to attend a class on proper car seat installation and usage, and I'm given access to lots of materials and a website to take classes on childbirth, breastfeeding, and other relevant topics.  I will have my first medical check-up later in the month.

January 18th: Twenty-four weeks pregnant.

January 20th: Baby loves the Giants!

January 21st: I have my appointment with the dietitian and we check my weight . . at 24 weeks 3 days pregnant, I have finally reached my pre-pregnancy weight!  Now it's time to gain, gain, gain!  The dietitian wants me to eat spinach, salmon, and beans, but I'd prefer that Ben & Jerry's!  I'll compromise and do both.  ;)

January 28th: I had my first OB appointment at the Medi-Cal clinic.  (A week later and I hadn't gained a single pound!)  I am going to a clinic that is run by UCLA and that will allow me to still give birth at the UCLA hospital, which I am so grateful for.  But, being seen at a clinic is very different.  I'll see a different OB resident and physician for each appointment and this is hard because this pregnancy hasn't exactly been ordinary.  Every time I go (and every time I call with a question) I have to explain my entire pregnancy to whomever I talk to.  The doctor that I saw for this first appointment was fine, but it was very frustrating to me that she wanted to switch up my entire medicine routine and I left with 5 new prescriptions.  I was just like "I'm 25 weeks pregnant now.  I tried every medicine available within the first 10 weeks.  I've got my routine.  Please let me keep it!  Let's not rock the boat."

January 29th: I have my first appointment with a new Primary Care Physician.  She actually came to me recommended by Dr. Murphy last quarter and she works at a UCLA Family clinic that takes Medi-Cal - what a blessing!  She was wonderful and I'm so grateful for this added care that can be more consistent.  She spent almost a full hour with me discussing all of my concerns and really learning about me and my situation.  Awesome.

January 30th: Glucose Tolerance Test!  I drank 75 mg of "orange" flavored pure sugar in 3 minutes and had my blood drawn 3 times.  Not my idea of a great morning, but I passed with flying colors!

February 7th-8th: Ugh!  What a long night!  And nothing was even wrong!  I was having some pretty intense chest pains Saturday night, intense enough that I couldn't focus on the latest episode of Downton Abbey we were trying to watch.  The pain was in my chest, shoulders, upper back, and jaw . . so we called Labor & Delivery and they directed me to come in to the ER right away.  So we did.  That was around 10 PM . . and we didn't leave until 11 AM the next day!  No sleep!  We were delirious!  The doctors ran lots of tests - blood work, EKG, leg ultrasounds to check for blood clots, chest X-Rays to check my heart size, and a VQ scan of my lungs to check for blood clots there.  They didn't find anything, which means they ruled out anything dangerous, and the pain was probably some weird pregnancy thing.  I probably just ate too much!  Ahh, me.  It was definitely a night to remember . . my favorite part being somewhere around 6 AM and offering half of my tiny little cot to Ben so we could try to sleep.  We didn't fit facing forward, so we tried to spoon, and that just turned into a hilarious fit of hysterical giggles.  And then the doctor came back in.  It was a long night with lots of waiting in between every test, but we are grateful that everything checked out just fine!  An OB nurse came down as well to do a non-stress test on the babe and his heartbeat was textbook perfect!  What a champ.  The monitor picked up some tiny contractions on me, but nothing too serious, and probably just from dehydration.  We are grateful for good medical care!  And a comfy bed at home.  :)

February 11th: I had another OB appointment today at 27 weeks 4 days pregnant.  It looks like I'm on an every-other-week schedule now.  Since my last appointment, I've gained 0.2 pounds.  Are you joking me?!  I feel like I eat so much!  So I'm basically going in to my 3rd trimester this weekend at my pre-pregnancy weight.  Crazy.  The appointment went well . . my fundal height is actually measuring right on (1/2 a centimeter ahead!) so the doctor wasn't too concerned about Baby's growth, and his heartbeat was great!  She prescribed yet another new medication to hopefully give me more help with some of the less comfortable side effects of Zofran.  At my next appointment we will *probably* do an ultrasound.  Dr. Murphy had put in my charts to do an anatomy re-scan around 30 weeks to check on Baby's renal pyelectasis (dilated kidneys) and EIF (calcium spot on heart).  I'm very curious to see if they have resolved themselves.  She said that she would also do a growth scan to check Babe's growth because I am so small.  Back again in 2 weeks!

February 13th: Oh wait, we liked being at the hospital last weekend?  Let's go back.  I was feeling cramps all day long so I finally decided to call Labor & Delivery at 9 PM (Ben's favorite time!).  Luckily we were only there for about 2 hours this time.  Going to L&D is so much nicer than going to the ER.  They did actually pick up small contractions, but it wasn't like preterm labor or anything.  I need to be sure to hydrate and keep my bladder empty (ahhh, the never ending cycle) and maybe take it a little easier.  They also checked Baby (looking great) and ran several other tests on me which I will hear back about in the next few days if there was anything off.  We are hoping to not make a visit to the hospital a weekly tradition.  :)

February 14th: After our Valentine's dinner date Ben suggested that we check out Old Navy for maternity clothes - it's starting to be a necessity!  I didn't have much luck last time I went, but I suppose that's because I never actually found the teeny tiny maternity section.  We scored big this time and wow! what a difference real maternity clothing makes!

February 15th: I am 28 weeks pregnant and the 3rd trimester begins!