3 weeks to go!

Hi everyone! Just a quick update on how things are progressing with us...

1) Bedrest Update

I went to see Dr. Neal last week and, without going into too much detail, he says everything is great! The bedrest did what it was supposed to and he doesn't expect to see Lila before my scheduled C-Section on June 23. I am still having some pain and contractions, but unfortunately that falls into the "annoying but perfectly normal" section of pregnancy complaints. I can resume life as normal, I just am supposed to avoid overdoing it, get lots of rest, stay hydrated, etc. A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who brought meals, sent cards, visited, and checked in on me throughout the last couple of weeks. I appreciate it so much! The biggest thanks to my Mom for putting her life on hold to fly down here to help out. I don't know what I would have done without her!

2) Lila Update

As I mentioned before, unless something unexpected happens, Lila will be here in 3 weeks. Her movements have slowed down quite a bit (she's pretty cramped in there, after all) but she still makes her presence known. She migrates up and down in my stomach throughout the day...so I alternate from not being able to breath to being in the bathroom every 45 minutes! I am guessing she is going to be longer than Maddie, and between 8-8.5 lbs. Dr. Neal won't give me his guess so we will see on the 23rd!

3) Maddie Update

Holy smokes, Maddie is turning into a big girl before my eyes. She is speaking in sentences now, some of her favorites being:

"I'm a GOOD girl!"
"I made a mess!"
"Let me see!"

Last week was the last day of Mom's Day Out until Summer Session begins on June 22. She really likes school now and doesn't want to leave until she kisses her teachers, friends, and favorite toys goodbye. She loves to kiss and hug, but unfortunately is into a hitting/smacking/biting stage when she gets frustrated. Any tips on dealing with that would be GREATLY appreciated!

Maddie and GiGi at Cheesecake Factory

Art time on my new picnic table

Mmmm....cupcakes!

Maddie's in here somewhere...she had to have all her "babies" with her!

Wearing Daddy's Shoes and a silly face!

We had a Memorial Day cookout this weekend, so hopefully I will be able to do a post about that before Labor Day! Hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend!

All of this and Bed Rest, too!

Ever heard the saying: "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it?" I distinctly remember a time when I was pregnant with my first child, and hadn't any responsibilities outside of my "until the baby is born" job and the shared running of the house. I used to laugh and say, "Oh, I hope they put me on bed rest so I can just lay around all day and watch TV, nap, and eat!" THEN I had a baby and realized being a stay-at-home mom is the hardest job I have ever had. THEN I got pregnant again, and realized being on bed rest 900 miles away from the closest family member would be a disaster of epic proportions. "I have a toddler! There's no daycare, no grandma's to dump her at, and Andy has to work! Puh-leeeeeze God, let me make through this pregnancy with no issues!"

Well, one little issue has presented itself. Now, I'm an optimist and I truly believe I'm going to get through this just fine. I have had an issue in the last 24 hours with some bleeding and cramps, and a trip to the doctor that I really thought was unecessary turned into a hospital visit and a pretty concerned OB. Two cute Labor and Delivery bracelets, one steroid shot, and some reassuring smiles later I am officially on bed rest for a few days with instructions to not go into labor (seriously! He said that!) The doc says if I have no more bleeding I can resume the bare minimum activities on Monday or Tuesday. He calls it "just survive" bedrest: do what I can to take care of myself and Maddie and no more. Good news: my mom is flying down tomorrow morning and staying until Tuesday night. Better news: Lila is 100% healthy and really impressed Dr. Neal with how active and strong she is. She is practicing her fetal breathing, has a strong heart, a healthy and well-placed placenta nearby, and is in constant movement. So thank God for healthy babies!

But I need lots of prayers because I know they work! If you can take the time to pray for our family, please ask that everything resolves itself by the time Gigi leaves and that I have no more bleeding and contractions. If you could go ahead and add that this baby makes it to at LEAST 37 weeks gestation (and then has a happy healthy birth), and that Maddie realizes Mommy needs to try and relax for a few more weeks that would be amazing too! I know all my friends and family are people of faith and the fervent prayers of a righteous person will avail much!

Since this has been such a Stephanie and Lila focused post I will try to post again in a day or two with some updates and new pictures/video of Maddie. Go ahead and add some prayers to that list that either the Princess calms down a little or I learn how to deal with her! She is a mess right now!

Love y'all! Thanks for your thoughts and prayers!