Friday...

I've decided I really need to update the blog & write more. Carter does something cute, and sometimes not so cute, every day and I want to document it. 
Today was a MUCH better day than yesterday. Carter threw a small tantrum today and it was quickly resolved when I sat on the floor and hugged him. Sounds crazy, but I know he's acting out b/c of Eli/Sam not around much.  And he actually put himself in the time out chair today...it was unbelieveable to me.  He kept throwing food down to the dogs from his high chair, so I told him he was through. He got down and ran to the chair and sat for about 15 seconds. A milestone. Things could be dramatically different tomorrow, but for now, I'm holding onto that little bit of hope. A dear friend gave me some toddler advice, and it worked great today. I sent him to his room when he wasn't minding to cool off and it calmed him down and took him away from the problem.  Granted, he knows how to turn the lock on his bedroom door, so I had to find the key, but that's for another day.  This sounds like so much, but it really wasn't that bad when compared to yesterday...oh my. 
And then there's Eli. Sweet Eli who just sleeps & poops now. I'm thinking he's going through a growthspurt b/c he is eating constantly!
Carson's birthday is tomorrow, so we met the family at Roadhouse for dinner. It was great to see everybody. Sam has a game in Carthage, so hoping they win!

shutterfly cards...so cute!! check them out!

Falling Hearts Valentine's Day Card

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Lots of updates!

So my last post was January 2nd.  Who would have known two days later I'd be admitted into L&D at exactly 37 weeks to have our little guy?!  Needless to say, I've been a little busy since then.  Not exactly sure if all 5 people that read my blog care about my labor story, but writing here is great therapy, so I'm going to anyway.

I had another appointment on Monday, January 4th at 2 p.m. with Dr. Harris to do another biophysical/stress test and exam.  I'd had the sonograms every week for a few weeks, so I was pretty used to the whole routine.  Sam, thank God, was able to come with me. We get to the offices and begin our waiting game.  First, we begin with the stress test. Then we wait.  Dr. Harris comes in and does an internal which completely changed my mind about going drug free during labor.  I had never felt pain like that.  She actually laughed and said, "That's a taste of labor".  I told her to sign me up for the epi.  
We then move on to a regular sonogram (the black and white kind...not sure what the technical name is?).  She tells us she wants to make sure the blood flow is ok so she says she wants to do the big 3D sonogram. She says we need to look at it and figure out our 'game plan'.  And we wait.  Finally, we have the big sonogram. Dr. Harris looks at it she tells us to she wants to talk with us. We wait some more.
Finally we're back in an examination room.  I'll never forget the moment when she comes in and says, "Y'all ready to have this baby?"  This panic creeps over me. NOW? She explains that Carter has IUGR, or Intrauterine growth restriction.  Basically, he's not growing like he should be.  We knew that he was small and in the 30th percentile, but now he was in the 10th.  She was guessing he'd weigh about 4 pounds.  She said we could either, and yes, I quote, "have him now or wait a week and there might not be a heartbeat".  She says she's admitting us to L&D and we need to walk over to admitting (the offices are attached to the hospital by a skywalk).  They'd start Cervadil that evening and Pitocin at 6 am. 
So, we begin our walk over to admitting.  A million thoughts are racing through my head. First, I'm terrified that Carter won't be healthy. Second, I'm thankful I washed my hair that morning. Third, that I had given the house a serious cleaning the day before.
I call all the important people to let them know what's going on, we get checked in and into the room and begin waiting some more.   Around 6 pm Dr Harris comes in and puts the Cervadil in. Again, holy hell and I make sure they know I'm all for the epidural.
Amy's now on her way to the house, Mom comes up, Sam heads to the house to get our bags, Sarah and Charlie come to visit and we continue waiting....
Thankfully, the nurses gave me an Ambien to sleep b/c I know I wouldn't have otherwise.  5 am comes pretty quickly and they take the Cervadil out. I'm now dialated to a 2. In-laws show up at 5:20. IV and Pitocin begin at 6. Family shows up around 6.
I had really hoped to not be induced or on Pitocin for my labor, but now I'm just praying for a healthy baby.
 The rest of the day was kinda a blur.  My water broke on it's own somewhere around 11 I think.  I can't remember the exact time I got the epidural, maybe around 1?  But, I dialated pretty quickly throughout the day.  Around 3 something I told the nurse that I felt a lot of pressure down there. She checked me and said his head was right there. She called Dr. Harris and in minutes the room was converted into a delivery room.  It took 4 contractions, 3 pushes with each one and he was born! Dr. Harris had to cut the cord and he was immediately handed over to the pediatrician.  Once we heard his little scream we knew he was ok.  He actually weighed 5 pounds 5 ounces and was perfect. 

  

sucking on his little fingers

 

proud Dad

Bless his heart...

Sam is pretty with it and knowledgeable about what's going on with the pregnancy.  He asks all the right questions, says the right things (most of the time), and keeps up.  So I was telling him how I had to go in to the hospital on New Year's Day to get the Non-Stress Test done b/c my dr's office was closed.  He said he'd go with and then asked me how much we were going to have to pay for it.  I told him I wasn't sure, but my insurance has us pay 25% on lab work, but this wasn't really lab work.  He then said, "Well those tests are very expensive, like $800!"  I'm confused by this point because I've had about 3 or 4 of them so far and I don't think we've paid for them.  So he says, "Yes, you're doing the stress test that they make the heart patients do, right? Where they put you on the treadmill and increase the speed?". 

Wow. Just wow.  I couldn't stop laughing. Me on a treadmill as they increase the speed. 
Bless his heart.

Maam have you been drinking?

So, last night was New Year's Eve.  We rang in 2009 by staying home and Sam was asleep by 10:30.  I remember lying in bed listening to the fireworks thinking that this year would be a wonderful year.  I was hoping to be pregnant in 2009. Well, we are and we are very blessed. 

I was hoping 2010 would be a little more lively.  I know I'm on bedrest and I didn't think we'd go out or anything, but there is an annual party that some family friends throw.  Carson & my parents were going so we decided to head on over.  It's always a good time.  I figured we'd stay for a little bit, visit with friends and that head home early.  Well, Sam's been working so much for my dad lately and apparently put on his party panties when I wasn't looking.  He had a little too much scotch .  I was thoroughly annoyed come midnight b/c he was refilling his drink instead of kissing me.  I decided I'd better take my drunker-than-Cooder-Brown husband home, especially since we had an appointment at 10 a.m. at the hospital for a stress test.

Fast forward to this morning......I wake up and start getting ready. Sam rolls out of bed looking like hell.  He gets ready. At 9:45, we're off to ETMC.  I don't know if it's just my super sensitive nose, but as soon as we get in the car, I can just smell the scotch seeping out of his pores.  It doesn't help that everytime he talks fumes are just coming out. 

We get to L&D, I'm in the bed, about to get hooked up and a nurse walks in and says to me, "Oh you smell so good".  At this point I'm thinking she's being sarcastic and is about to head out and call Social Servies b/c this nine month pregnant mom has been hitting the bottle.  I tell her thanks and get a little anxious.  Even more paranoid when they ask Sam to help them get the blood pressure cuff cord attatched to the machine.  Is this a test? Are they trying to see who smells like the devil water? 

Well, they end up getting a new machine, the authorities weren't called, and all is well with Baby Brandt.

Merry Christmas!

Today was a great day! Sam went to his grandparent's in Longview without me this year.  Would have been too much with the driving and stress.  I stayed at my parent's until he got back.  Everybody showed up around 3.  Dad made gumbo again this year. I didn't think I'd want to eat it, but it was pretty good.  Then we opened presents. All in all, it was a wonderfully relaxing day.

I can't believe this time next year Carter will almost be a year old! WOW.

Holy Mother of God...

I'm just going to go out on a limb here and assume I've 'dropped'.  Here are my reasons:

1) I haven't had heartburn lately.
2) I can eat and don't feel like every bite is going to come up.
3) I am going potty every 30 minutes.
4) My tummy is kinda pointed down now, not so much sticking out. Weird.
5) And last but not least: OMG THE PRESSURE DOWN BELOW IS IMMENSE. I feel like there is a bowling ball between my legs.

So, I'm not sure exactly what this means in terms of how much longer we have.  2 weeks? 4 weeks? Dear Lord please not more than that....