Meet Dylan John…

Mini Coop is no longer known as Mini Coop – For those of you who are following me on here but not through Facebook, you are not aware of our new son or have seen the couple dozen pictures that I have posted.

Dylan John arrived on May 29^th and just turned a month old on June 26^th (sorry for not posting on here right away; I can not believe it was over a month)  He arrived 2 weeks early which was a shock for us but awesome news as well.  I ended up having an emergency c-section after pushing for almost an hour and a half, but he came out very healthy and with a little bit of jaundice that was discovered after we were recovering during the week (Mommy had some health problems too which put her in the hospital a week later also, so we are on the road to recovery and finally having some free time at home).  He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and was 21 ½ inches long.  I think if I would have gone full term he would have been around 9 ½ pounds.  Either way, I am glad he is finally here and we could not be happier.  We have had so many laughs and tears.  Our breaths are taken away everyday watching him and seeing what is changing. Even though he is not too happy in the picture above, he still brings happiness to our hearts whether he is crying or just taking in his new surroundings as he learns new things.

We have spent a lot of time indoors and bonding even more because of the heat here.  Today we walked to get the mail which was about 2 blocks total and that was enough time outside.  The humidity was terrible and it just took the wind out of both of us.  Good thing we have the air and fans on in the house so that we are staying comfy.  He is growing well and will have a two month check up at the end of the month to make sure everything is still on track. 

The final count down...

It is hard to believe that tomorrow we have reached the 37 week mark!  As I look back in the last 8 months I realize how fast the time has gone.  I am thankful for no complications or problems throughout this whole pregnancy.  I am emotional about the whole pregnancy coming to an end because it has been so enjoyable and John has been such an amazing support system and will be such an amazing daddy.  He reminds me everyday of the end result and we both know what a miracle this is for us.  We can not thank our friends and family for all of their love and support (and random gifts also) throughout this whole journey.  Our child is going to have such a big fan club (and dresser of clothes until he is at least 4) that we can not wait for him to meet everyone!  Even though there can be a couple of more weeks left, we are ready at anytime.  At our appointment last week, I was dilated at 1cm, 50% effaced and measuring at 37 weeks.  Tomorrow we will find out the measurements again and if measuring ahead again, we will have an ultrasound scheduled just to see how big he is and make sure everything is still OK.
THANK YOU again for all of your love, support and prayers for John and I.  The next blog will more than likely be introducing you to our little boy.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Wow!  Has it really been almost a month since my last update?  Time is flying and I am not just talking with Mini Coop growing, but with Spring finally here and projects galore taking place.  The last month has been very busy for John and I.  We have both turned in our time off to our employers for when he arrives, completed the classes needed in preparing for our little one, car seat safety and a couple of others which fell on Tuesday and Thursday of the same week.  I felt like my middle name was "Run" because I was never home except to shower and sleep.  Another thing to check off of the 'to do' list along with a few finishing touches to everything left, but all and all I believe I can say that we are READY! 
This past weekend was a couples shower in honor of Mini Coop and all I can say is AMAZING!  People questioned the fact that men were coming to it, but I felt there was a reason there is a child on the way and all of our friends have spouses or other friends that we know so why not have them all together to gab and have a beverage too.  We had such a blast and can not wait to tell our little guy about all of the friends and family that came, the laughs we had there (believe it or not, no tears) and on the way home.  Between all of the decorations, food, gifts, friendships and everything else, we are very blessed by such an awesome support group and can not wait to introduce our new arrival to all. A big shout out to our friends Amie & Andy, Jessica & Pat and Sally & Galen for all of the hard work and time in making it such a success. We can not THANK YOU enough. 
Short but sweet today, but I have some other little projects to get through and I believe my nesting is in full swing...this must mean we are coming into the final weeks. :)

'T' is for Thankful..

This heading could be used in every blog I have written so far, and any going forward.  There is not a day that goes by where I have not said extra prayers for everything we have been blessed with in the past year and even before that.  It was a struggle prior but we have learned that everything does not go as planned and patience goes a long way.

This week was a very rough week for me and with everything going on I was really concerned on how Mini Coop was feeling at the same time. Last Friday we had our normal 28 week appointment which consisted of arriving 15 minutes early and drinking the sugar solution and checking for gestational diabetes and hour later.  Everything appeared to be fine but I mentioned to my doctor that I had an ear infection.  She took a peek inside and saw that it was red and a little swollen so she put me on amoxicillin which I thought would do the trick.  Little did I know that over the weekend it would only get worse.  Monday morning I ended up missing work and heading to Urgent Care right at 8:00.  I have never been so excited for a place to open and to be seen.  My ear was giving me so much pain and irritation that it hurt to talk; I couldn’t sleep and was up all hours of the night trying to bring the inflammation down by taking Tylenol PM in between the amoxicillin pill.  I got called in and the doctor went to look inside and could not even get the ear tool in there because the swelling was so bad and because even the touch hurt.  He had to put a ‘stint’ (basically a hard rectangular cotton piece) in there to allow drops to absorb even further, which in turn would bring the swelling down and the canal to reopen.  When the swelling came down the stint came out on Wednesday which was nice but there was still major build up. I had a follow up appointment on Thursday to make sure everything was healing properly.

While leaving the clinic on Monday I received a call from my doctor stating that I failed my sugar test and my iron was low so they called in pills for the iron but I had to take the 3 hour sugar test again and within the week.  Well that required me missing work again and heading in Wednesday morning at 7:30 and fasting 12 hours prior.  The fasting went well and the first blood draw was fine before taking the glass of juice.  After drinking the sugar solution this time and within a half hour of waiting, my body got really hot and I felt like I was going to pass out.  I had to sit in one of the chairs in lab with a fan on me to cool off for about 20 minutes and was good to go again.  I was nervous and scared because I was by myself and worried that our little dude was feeling the effects too.  He was a trooper as always and I felt him kick about a ½ later which was reassuring and treated him to Subway for lunch and a pedicure afterward.  I was tired and weak but got the news later in the day that we PASSED the test which made my day.  Going through the rest of the pregnancy I am focusing on the healthier route so it is not something I have to worry about at the end when it is time to finally meet him.   

On a side note, my ear recheck went well too but I learned that I need to keep them away from water because it will only spark them going forward again due to having past swimmers ear and having infection 1-2 times a year. 

On the Home Stretch...

 

Today started the final countdown of the pregnancy ~ Week 28 which is the beginning of the 3rd trimester as well. I have had a very fun and worry free pregnancy and hope that the final 10-12 weeks are with ease also.  I have my appointment on Friday for the gestational diabetes and am hoping that everything goes well.  I have had sugar cravings but nothing crazy to the point where I feel I need to have it on a regular basis.  I have also put on plenty of weight (the chins are back) but not as much as I thought I would and also hoping that these last couple of months it does not pile on.  I already have a work out plan in order with no excuses because it will be summer time when he arrives.

This week we also started a busy schedule for the next couple of months.  My planning once again got the best of me and am thankful for having that problem at times and this is one of them.  Preparing for a newborn is every Monday for 4 weeks and being there while I am not uncomfortable is the best.  I can take everything in and not feel like I am beat with everything I am doing.  Last night was the baptism class and in a couple of weeks we have two classes during the week that we have to fit in.  Daddy has been such a trooper with scheduling and being there at everything we have had going on.  His excitement brings me tears and I know he is going to be the best!

I have also been doing a lot of little things from baptism card ideas (which we can not order until after he is born because we are not revealing the name) to cute little cards personalized from us, but am sure there is something forgotten about but no stress here.  I feel great and am ahead of everything so far.  Cheers to the next 12 weeks or less.

'H' is for Heart...

The past couple of weeks have been busy for John and I.  From our little boy starting to kick, to having an unplanned ultrasound get thrown into our schedules today, we have been on our toes.   

Mini Coop started moving around last Wednesday night and it has only been amazing from that point.  Everyday I get to feel some type of movement which to me feels like a little heartbeat in the stomach. Some of the movements are light while others catch me off guard.  John has been able to put his hand and ear on the stomach and have that connection of the feeling him as well. 

Today we had an ultrasound at LCM again.  I received a call from the clinic last week but no voice mail was showing on my phone.  Saturday it finally came through and had me worried because it was the doctor stating on Thurday that she needed a couple more views of the heart because last time he was moving so much she did not get to see all views.  Either way, she stated she was confident but of course I needed to see it as well for that extra reassurance.  The technician at LCM said that I had nothing to worry about during the appointment which was a great relief and she even tried to do a 3d picture but guess what…he was moving again and would not sit still.  He is already picking up on my traits because I always have something moving whether it is my feet or legs bouncing.  Today he was sitting breech with his head on my right side, his butt at the bottom of the stomach and the legs are facing upward on the left side.  I think of it as a 'U' shape or the way that a baby would be held.  I only hope that by delivery day he has his head where it needs to be because John was born breech almost 37 years ago. At the end of the appointment she stated that he was around 1 pound and 13 oz and the due date was showing around June 11^th which is 2 days ahead of time.  I hope if not on the due date I go in ahead of time and not after the date.  I am so anxious to meet this little heart breaker!

‘B’ is for Baby Registry…

This past week was just the start of what is yet to come in the next couple of months!  John and I had a busy week and weekend which sometimes does not give us a chance to stop and think about how fast this pregnancy is going.  One thing I was looking forward to with knowing the gender of our baby was registering.  We were now able to pick out things for a boy rather than keeping everything neutral because of not knowing the gender and of course with me being a planner it is that much easier.  We registered at Wal-Mart and Target because they both have the biggest selection of baby things.  John and I had a lot of fun conversing while scanning and asking do you want the alligator one or the puppy, blue or green, etc.  One thing we did agree on is that in the beginning we will not have a theme for our little boy only because we want him to decide what he likes as he grows.  The nursery is just a neutral color with blue, yellow and dark brown vinyl dots.  They can be removed at anytime and the room can be repainted and decorated to what ever he likes down the road. 

Either way, John and I enjoyed our day off together and had a fun time with picking and choosing what we feel/think he will like.  This is once again one day closer to meeting our little guy.

Time is flying...

Looking back in October the phrase was always, “Once we get past the first appointment time will be flying by.”  Wow are those words to quote at this point…I can not believe how fast everything is moving along.  Just a couple of months ago I was chatting with my friend and checking in on her because she was due on February 2^nd.  Now a week later, she had her baby boy on Tuesday and we went and met him on Wednesday.  It was so amazing getting to meet him and knowing that in less than 4 months we will be meeting our little guy.  Is there anything I would change at this point?  My response is no because I feel that I have been keeping up on almost everything (weekly pictures, reading week the 'What to Expect when You’re Expecting book', my pregnancy journal, etc).  What I am concerned about is after the arrival and keeping up on everything and not missing those important things in our child’s life. There are so many little lists I have going in my mind but know once he is here all that will matter is our family and the time and cuddling we will have.  We can worry about that stuff down the road but for now our focus is just making sure that the remaining 18 weeks are very calm and breathtaking just like they have been so far.

Oh Boy...

Almost ready to start kicking Mommy

Last Monday was the ultrasound appointment that John and I were looking forward to the most besides meeting Mini Coop in person.  We had our appointment at LCM where the technician takes all sorts of pictures of the little one for the doctors to review and make sure everything is ok.
At the beginning of the appointment she did ask us if we wanted to know gender if it was available to peek at.  Of course she did not even finish the question and we both were saying absolutely.  After lots of pictures and anticipation she made it very clear that we were having a BOY!  Of the three pictures that she took of that particular area, all three times it was very obvious that our little boy was very proud of himself and wanted to make sure that we were 100% on the gender.  By the middle of the appointment she was stating 'he' and 'his' which was awesome! Of course he is already acting like us because when she was trying to focus on certain images he would just move the opposite way and wiggled like crazy until the end of the appointment in which the technician stated that maybe she had worn him out from moving so much. :) To know that we are going to have a little Johnny running around was the easiest part.  The hardest part now is his name but John and I have had daily chats and believe we have narrowed it down to about three names and will decide down the road.  Now I can have morning and nightly chats with the little man making sure that he knows I am already telling him how much we love him and that my upper left thigh is really in some pain from my sciatic nerve having pressure on it.  I am always asking him to move just a little so that the pinch goes away and I feel even better than what I already do.  Love you Little Guy! :)

Keeping Busy...

 

This weekend was spent with Family & Friends ~  Friday night we had dinner at Buster's and then took in the sounds of Arch Allies who do a tribute to Styx, Journey & REO Speedwagon.  We stayed almost the whole night and had lots of conversations throughout the evening while singing along.  I was able to chat with a classmate for a while who is expecting her 2nd child two weeks after us.  It was nice to hear some of the "what to expect" statements even though the experience may be different for us.  Saturday I had to work in the morning and then went to a Baby Shower for a friend of mine in the afternoon.  She is having a boy in a couple of weeks and still is not sharing the name. :)  John and I plan on doing the same thing but gender is something we want to know ahead of time so that will not be kept a secret.  Sunday morning was spent having Caribou & conversation with my friend Heidi.  We sat for an hour and a half just catching up and enjoying our favorite drink - mine in decaf of course.  It is crazy how busy our lives can get in just a couple of months of not seeing each other and we know it is only going to get busier once Mini Coop is here.  Sunday night was spent at John's mom's house.  She turned 75 and we all wanted to surprise her with dinner and chatter.  She and her guy friend along with two of the siblings went dancing during the day and planned to be to the house by 5:45.  Well a little after 7:00 she pulled in with lights out and all of us hiding in the living room.  She found different clues that made her think someone was there (fresh footprints, table arranged, etc) but that did not stop the excitement.  We left a note on the table that we 'missed our mommy' and were hanging out in the living room.  The light turned on and the tears started flowing.  She could not get over how we pulled it off but we had lots of giggles the rest of the time.  John and I headed out around 9 and we both were beat.  I don't think we were in the house 15 minutes and the dreaming began.
This is just a little bit of how chaotic things can be in our household, but that will never change the LOVE that we have and will be sharing someday with our child.  

Never Give Up Hope...

Well it is time for a new blog spot for friends and family to follow...
First we would like to introduce you to "Mini Coop" above and will have this site as a way for everyone to keep up to date with our family to be.
We have experienced a lot of things together as a couple and have had a lot of wonderful things come about as well.
I went to the doctor at the beginning of 2011 for some follow up with birth control and what our options were. (For many of you that may not be aware, John and I had problems conceiving for almost 4 years and decided that adoption was our best option to have a family.) I had lost weight by working out and was hoping I was on the right track to having a child of our own even with the adoption year plus wait that we had already been doing. His explanation was that I need to keep losing weight and that I would never be able to have a child because of my metabolism. His explanation consisted of some women being made like Mercedes and some like Volkswagens. I was the Volkswagen because I was a basic make and did not have all of the fancy options available like the Mercedes. I was so heartbroken and had called John immediately after leaving the clinic and then started seeing a new doctor. At my first appointment I gave the same information and was told to quit the pills and if anything abnormal started again, to be in contact.
For four months in a row, I had the same cycle on the same day, which for some of you to read you may think...yea so what is your point? Well for me this was a milestone because I never had this happen without being on some type of medication. Long story short it did not arrive in October, I talked with a friend and church and wa-la we took a test and here we are today. There are more details but not for everyone to hear about. We had our first ultrasound November 25th, a second appointment thereafter and will now be going back on January 20th to learn if our baby is a boy or girl.
Our whole thought process on this has been overwhelming and unbelievable but we do know that God put us through many obstacles to make sure we were able to handle them all and put us where we are today. John and I both agree that this is completely backward, but we would not change it for anything. As for the adoption, we had to put it on hold for a while and can decide down the road if we want to pick up where we left off, but for now we know we have a miracle in the making and are just letting our hearts sink in everything. <3
We are very thankful for such a wondering and caring group of friends & family who have been there for us through our ups and downs and have watched over us throughout this whole journey. ~* We THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts *~