Exhausted

I am absolutely exhausted! This taking care of a baby thing is great, but it is completely draining.

By the way, yesterday was Hadley's two week check-up at the doctor and everything looks good. He has gained weight like he is supposed to and is now at 7 lbs 6 ounces. I don't think they measured his length correctly so I won't even bother to include it on here. The doctor said everything looks good and he is doing everything he is supposed to be doing.

Getting ready to go for a ride in the car into town.

At the dr office..."this place is different, I wonder what's going on here."

I've Been Tagged

I was "tagged" by my friend Erin with an interesting selection of questions to answer...
TYPE ONLY ONE WORD FOR EACH ANSWER. IT'S HARDER THAN YOU THINK!!!

1. Where is your cell phone? table
2. Your significant other? Eric
3. Your hair? disheveled
4. Your mother? hard-working
5. Your siblings? fun
6. Your favorite thing? laughter
7. Your dream last night? nada
8. Your favorite drink? Diet Coke
9. Your dream/goal? happiness
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your fear? unknown
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? rested
15. Muffins/donuts? donuts
16. One of your wish list items? camera
17. Where you grew up? Abilene
18. The last thing you did? lay Hadley down
19. What are you wearing? pj's
20. Your TV? TLC
21. Your pet? barking
22. Your computer? Compaq
23. Your life? blessed
24. Your mood? content
25. Missing someone? yes
26. Favorite pastime? sleeping
27. Something you're not wearing? jewelery
28. Favorite Store? Target
29. Your summer? long-ago
30. Your favorite color? green
31. When is the last time you laughed? last night
32. Last time you cried? 30 minutes ago
33. Who will/would re-post this? friends :)
34. Four places I go over and over: WalMart, changing table, bathroom, kitchen
35. Four people who e-mail me? Mom, Eric, Carole, What to Expect
36. Four of my favorite foods? grapes, chips/dip, tacos, McDonald's
37. Four places I would like to be right now: sleeping, holding Hadley, couch next to Eric, sleeping
38. Four people I tag? Jennifer, Melissa, Ronnie, Robin

New People

This shirt is special because it was the one mommy gave daddy when she told him about me.

Meeting my cousin Emma.

Meeting my cousin Bailey.

Cousins - Emma, Bailey, & Hadley

Aunt Dina lovin' on me.

Supper time - yum!

This is the life!

Daddy giving me a sponge bath - not my favorite thing right now.

My Aunt Karah came to see me! (See my doggy in the window - he barks a lot!)

Eating again - and wide awake

My Heart

The title of this post is two-fold. First, and foremost, my heart now belongs to a little man named Hadley Max Lewis. He has completely stolen every bit of it and filled it with the most amazing feelings of love and happiness and contentment I could ever know. I never knew before that it was possible to feel so completely infatuated with someone so little and so new. I could spend hours just looking at him and holding him and cuddling him. I am amazed every time I look at him by the fact that we did this...Eric and I...we did this. Wow! He is part me and part Eric. What an amazing thing. And then God gave us this perfect little being to love and cherish and take care of. It just makes me wonder what I ever did to be worthy of such an amazing gift. My heart is overflowing.

The second meaning of the title actually has to do with my physical heart. Some of you know about the goings on of the past week and some of you don't, so I will try to give a brief summary of them. Last weekend I begin to feel like I was getting a chest cold. I got a cough and was having a little trouble breathing and my chest felt congested, so I began taking some cough medicine. By Sunday I was really struggling to catch my breath and at times struggling to just take a breath. So Eric finally convinced me to go to the emergency room. Luckily, my sister was here and stayed with Hadley while we went for what we thought might be a couple hours. That couple hours turned into three days spent in the hospital. After doing breathing treatments, an EKG, a CT scan, multiple blood tests, and who knows what else, they discovered that I was experiencing congestive heart failure due to the massive amounts of fluid in my body (see earlier posts regarding swelling), my greatly elevated blood pressure, and fluid filling up my lungs. So Sunday night I was admitted in the ICU where I stayed until Tuesday afternoon. During that time I had lots more blood work, lots of medicine, an echo-cardiogram, and had about 15 pounds of fluid drained out of my body. Needless to say, it was not the best way to spend a couple days. On Tuesday afternoon I finally got moved into a regular hospital room and was able to see Hadley for the first time since Sunday. Not seeing him was probably the hardest part of this entire ordeal for me! Late Wednesday afternoon I was finally released from the hospital and came home where I have not spent much time away from my little man since. (I had to make up for the days spent away from him!)

On Thanksgiving Day we had a house full of people from both Eric's family and mine, and we had a great time together. This Thanksgiving we definitely have a lot to be thankful for.

Pictures

We have obviously been taking lots of pictures (can you blame us?!?) so I am sharing more. Mostly I am posting lots so Nanny and Papo can see their grandson because I know how anxious they are to come love on him!

More Hadley pictures

Here are more pictures since we've been home.

Hadley Max Lewis

I am a mommy! Hadley Max Lew was born Tuesday November 18 at 3:51 pm. He weighed 6 pounds 7.9 ounces and was 18.5 inches long. He is absolutely beautiful and perfect. More later, but for now here are some pictures.

Dr. Appointment

Well, yesterday was yet another doctors appointment. But this one definitely topped any previous appointment! Here are the basic stats:

Weight: don't even want to mention but...+6 pounds
Blood Pressure: 130/78 (a bit high...keep reading)
Baby's Heart Rate: around 130 (same as usual)
Dilation: a little over 1 cm
Baby's Head: still down and touchable upon dr. exam

That all sounds pretty good, and right on par with previous visits. However, there were a couple other issues yesterday. The main one was the protein that was in my urine test. Based on a combination of that, my blood pressure being slightly elevated, and the enormous amount of water I am lugging around in my swollen legs (a.k.a. tree trunks!), the doctor was worried about the possibility of preeclampsia. So, he sent me to the hospital to be hooked up to a monitor for the baby and to have a bunch of blood work done. At first I didn't think much of the fact that he was sending me, but when I arrived (alone, I should add...Eric didn't go with me to the appointment this time assuming it would just be a routine visit), the nurse had me in a L&D room, put on a hospital gown, and climb into bed. Yikes! At this point I was beginning to freak out just a little bit! So there I was, for about two hours, hooked up to a monitor, listening and watching Baby Lew's heart, feeling every single contraction (yes, there were quite a few), having many viles of blood drawn, and feeling just a little bit alone and scared! I wasn't so much worried about the baby (who, according to the nurse and the monitors is doing absolutely wonderful!), I was just thinking, "this was not supposed to happen today...I was just supposed to go to the doctor's and then go home...what is going on???" Well, eventually my lab results came back and everything looked okay. So the doctor released me and just said to try and take things easy until this baby comes. I go back to the doctors office on Monday and at that point he said we might talk about induction sometime next week. So, that is where we are right now. It looks like my body is about ready to say "that's enough...I'm ready to get this baby out!" and that is totally fine with me! So the next week or so should be pretty interesting. Stay tuned...

38 Weeks

I go back to the doctor again today so I will have that update later, but here is the latest picture of the belly. Only a couple weeks to go. Any guesses how long I'll make it?

Labor and Delivery

Here's my latest confession...I am working towards being completely terrified about having this baby! This weekend I read the "Labor and Delivery" chapter in my "What to Expect When You're Expecting" book, and I've got to say...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? That does not sound like something I want to do!! I know, I know...there will be a great reward at the end of it all. But right now, all I can think about are those frightening words I read!! To all my current pregnant friends, I do not suggest you read ahead in the book. And to all my friends who are moms...seriously?!?

The one thing I did find humorous as I read were the many times, in speaking to the "coach", it made references like "don't worry if your partner seems annoyed by you" or "don't get upset if your partner seems irritated by this." It was as if they were specifically warning Eric since I tend to get "annoyed" and "irritated" by so many things these days! I was sure to point out to him that even the book said that was okay and normal. (He didn't find it quite as funny as I did!)

Marshmallows

...and not the yummy kind you toast over a campfire!

This is what my feet and legs look like at the end of the day. Isn't that a lovely site?!?

Another Dr. Appointment

The doctors appointments are happening weekly now, so that seems to be my main updating right now. Here are today's stats:

Weight: +5 pounds (ridiculous!)
Blood Pressure: 112/78
Baby's Heart Rate: 128-130
Baby's Head: Still down

Today was a fairly uneventful visit - nothing really exciting to report from the doctor. We talked about contractions (which made me think about them more today and then actually have some - ouch!). The swelling in my feet and ankles is absolutely ridiculous, and I blame the recent weight gain(s) on all the water I am toting around with me. I honestly think that each foot weights about 10 pounds...that's what it feels like anyway! Other than that, I just feel really, really pregnant! Fun stuff!

Dr. Appointment

I had another doctors appointment today so here are the stats:

Weight: +6 pounds (holy macaroni!!)
Blood Pressure: 124/78
Baby's Heart Rate: 135-140
Dilated: 1 cm
Baby's Head: still down and touchable upon examination
Swelling: unrecognizable feet and ankles!
Comfort Level: pretty much non-existent

Everything still looks good. As far as the enormous weight gain, I really shouldn't be that surprised. When I think back just two weeks I can tell a difference in how big my tummy has gotten. It's almost like I just woke up one day and BAM! there was this great big thing! So I blame it all on Baby Lew (oh, and maybe a little bit on my nightly Little Debbie donut stick snack!). I had the test today for Strep B, so I guess I'll find out those results next week. (Not really a big deal - just have to see if I am a carrier.) They also examined my cervix for dilation and I am at about 1cm. She did say the baby's head is right there (she felt it) but there should be no worries about anything happening for a little while still. My feet and ankles have started to just stay puffed up like marshmallows all the time now (which again, she said was normal and nothing to be that concerned about because all my tests each week show that there is no high blood pressure issue or high glucose or protein issues). Mostly it is just really annoying and a little painful. I have had to buy new shoes a couple sizes bigger just so I can stuff my gigantic feet into them (real attractive!). Sleeping has become a challenge, and I spend the majority of most nights in the recliner instead of bed because it is a little more bearable. I guess that is just preparing me for what is to come. So overall, I just look and feel really pregnant. But that is okay...only a month left and it will be completely worth it!

36 Weeks

I am now 36 weeks pregnant...that means only a month to go! Wow! Here is a picture from today so you can see how Baby Lew (and Momma Lew) are growing.

Long Overdue Update

Apparently I have been really bad about updating this lately. I won't try to make up an excuse, except to say...this working full time thing again is taking up all my time and energy! When I was last working full time I was three months less pregnant than I am now, and I can really tell a difference! I am absolutely pooped at the end of the days! But, I really like my new job and I think it was worth the wait and worry of finding something here.

So...a run down of the past several weeks...I'll start with the most current and work my way back...

Right now Eric is somewhere in Oklahoma at a pig show and sale. To be honest I'm not exactly sure what town, I just know it's a big show with somewhere around 900 hogs. Doesn't that sound like a ton of fun?!? And I am at home and Eric's parents are here as well. They are in the process of putting together Baby Lew's dresser/changing table while I am sitting here not helping and doing mostly nothing. Moral support...that is what I am providing.

A couple weekends ago Eric was in the panhandle area (Amarillo, Sunray, Panhandle, Canadian, Lubbock, etc.) all weekend doing the same thing he is doing now...looking at hogs and going to sales. Unfortunately, that weekend involved a lot of cold rainy weather, a lot of time in the pickup, and not much luck with the purchasing of hogs. It made for a long, wet, cold, and mostly unproductive weekend for them. (Glad I was not along for all of that!)

The week before that (which was also my last week on "vacation") Eric had to go to the State Fair because he had some kids showing heifers, so I went with him one day. I had actually never been to the State Fair of Texas before, so now I can say I've been. Besides going to the heifer show and hanging out in the barn area, we did walk around some. However, it was warm and I am not really interested in walking much these days so I know we didn't get the whole "fair" experience. It was enough for me, though!

And going back even farther...the week before that my mom (aka Nanny) came and visited for the week. We did a lot of shopping (or rather "looking") and had a really nice visit for the week.

Okay...so maybe that will get me a little more caught up. Everything with Baby Lew is going well...he seems to be growing a lot these days. I can tell a pretty big difference in my stomach size in the past couple weeks (nothing fits anymore!). And I can also tell a difference in my own "comfort" level...which is pretty much non-existent. I'm not really sleeping much (or very well) these days, and spend most nights in the recliner instead of the bed, but I guess that is just good preparation for the sleepless days and nights to come! Baby Lew is moving all the time, which is quite entertaining to watch, and it makes me think he is getting anxious about getting out of that cramped little space. I am getting excited to meet him and see who he looks like and what his little personality will be like. How exciting!

Dr. Appointment

I had yet another doctors appointment yesterday so here are the latest stats:

Weight: +3 pounds (I seem to be gaining all the weight here at the end!)
Blood Pressure: 124/80
Baby's Heart Rate: around 140 (same as it has been all along)
Baby Lew's twisting/turning/flipping/kicking/rolling/etc.: All the time!!! (hilariously entertaining!)
Baby's Weight: probably between 4-5 pounds (approx. by the doctor)

The doctor said everything looks good and I am right on track. At my next visit in two weeks I get to have a Strep B test (?) just to see if I am a carrier, so that is something to look forward to (note the sarcasm here!). After the next visit I will have to start going in every week - that means it is getting really close!

Everything else is going well - just busy right now with the new job and trying to get in a routine. I will try to update soon about it all.

Gainfully Employed!

Yippee!! I finally got a job! And only 7 weeks before Baby Lew is due! (Nice timing, huh?) But, regardless, I can at least get started and learn as much as I can before he comes. So, where is this great new job you may be wondering...I will be working at North Central Texas College in Gainesville as the Institutional Advancement Accounts Coordinator. Basically I will be doing all the accounting for the NCTC Foundation scholarship program, as well as the Ex-Students Association. It should be a really interesting and time-consuming job (which is actually good for me...I like to stay really busy at work). My first day will be this coming Monday, so my "vacation" time is quickly coming to an end. I guess I will try to take as much advantage of these last few days as possible!

Dr. Appointment

Here are the stats from today's doctor's appointment:

Weight: +2 pounds
Blood Pressure: 136/78
Baby's Heart Rate: 140's
Baby's Head: Still down!

I am measuring right on track at 32 weeks and everything looks good. My blood pressure was a little higher today than it has been so I have to monitor it every day for the next two weeks to make sure it doesn't go up more, but other than that everything is okay. Sometime soon (as soon as possible according to the nurse) I need to go do all the pre-admission paperwork at the hospital so I guess that is on the agenda for sometime in the next week or so.

31 Weeks

Here is the latest "pregnant" picture from today. I am 31 weeks and counting...

Mrs. Lewis - Substitute

My first day of subbing yesterday went okay. In the morning I was in Physics and Engineering classes, and in the afternoon I was in computer classes. Some of the kids knew or figured out who I was (aka Mr. Lewis' wife) and some didn't have any idea. I actually had a couple kids twice because of being in two different teacher's classes, and some I saw even more than that because I hung out in the Ag building during my lunch and conference period. Overall it was an okay day and hopefully I will get called to sub again soon.

Dr Appointment Update

Today was another doctor's appointment. Here are the stats:

Weight: +4 pounds
Blood Pressure: 122/72
Baby's Heart Rate: 130's
Baby's Head: Down!

Everything looked and sounded good today. My blood counts and glucose test from last time all came back right on track so that is good. I'll go back in two weeks for my next visit.

In other news...tomorrow I am subbing at Callisburg HS. That should be fun!

Babies

Baby kittens that is...

So, a couple weeks ago Eric's parents brought us two cats - a momma cat and one of her boy kittens (a few months old). We got them to hopefully chase away (or kill) the critters outside. Eric had mentioned a couple times in the past week that the momma cat looked like she might be having more kittens, but we didn't know that for sure. Well, tonight when we went out to play with them and feed them he said her tummy didn't look as big as it had last night. (I, on the other hand, would have never even noticed that!) So, we went exploring and sure enough, there in the shed where they sleep were three tiny little black kittens. Unbelievable! So, we are now the proud parents of not two but five cats! Fun stuff!

26 Weeks

This picture a few weeks past due since I am about 29 weeks now, but it's the latest "pregnant" picture I have right now. I will try to remember to get Eric to take another picture sometime in the next week.

Baby Shower

I'm finally getting around to posting pictures from the baby shower at my job in Abilene. The wonderful people I worked with were sweet enough to have the shower for me before we moved.

Cute

I found these pictures on our camera the other day and remembered I wanted to post them on here. This is my sweet friend April's little girl Marcella. She and Eric made fast friends...although I think there might have been some specific reason she was drawn to him! :-)

"Look at my new hat, momma!"

Here you go, Eric, you can have it back now.

Dr. Appointment

Yesterday was my doctor's appointment and sonogram, and everything is still looking good. Here are the current stats:

Weight: +1 pound
Blood Pressure: 108/62
Baby's heart rate: 150
Baby's weight: 2 lbs. 8 oz.

I had the lucky fortune of getting a big shot yesterday (Rhogam because my blood type is A-) and getting to drink some yummy orange drink and then having my blood drawn for the glucose screening. Sounds like fun, huh! I go back in two weeks (yep...I'm already at the point where I get to go every two weeks) and hopefully will find out that the glucose test came back okay. Baby Lew was not quite as active for this sonogram as we was the last, but he is still just at cute (or at least I think so!). He was sound asleep this time and was hiding his face with both his hands and his feet. But they said he looked great, and everything (stomach, kidneys, brain, heart, etc.) appeared to be in proper working order.

In other news...today I had a job interview at a bank in Gainesville for a teller position. I think it went okay, so now I will just wait and see. If that doesn't work out I am just going to substitute teach in Callisburg for now. We will see...

First Day of School

Today is the day...Eric's first day back to teaching. I think I was more nervous and anxious about today than he was (but then, that's pretty normal!). I will be very curious to hear all about it when he gets home this evening.

I know there are a lot of you out there who had their "first day" today so I hope everyone's went well and you are looking forward to the rest of the year. The start of school always makes me kind of wish I were still teaching...there's just something about all the school supplies, setting up your classroom, getting an empty new grade book, and starting fresh with a whole new group of kids that makes me think about going back to teaching. (Keep that in mind in the coming months and year!)

Dr. Appointment update

Today I had my first appointment with my new doctor. Actually, I only saw the nurse practitioner today, but I will see the dr next time. Here are the stats:

Weight: gained ?? (maybe 4...not sure...didn't have number from last time to compare)
Blood Pressure: 128/74
Baby's Heart rate: 150's
Belly measurements: Right on track

Today was a fairly short visit (just the normal stuff) but I go back in two weeks where they will do my sugar test (for gestational diabetes), lots of other blood work tests, and another sonogram. Even though I had a sonogram at 20 weeks, this doctor does one between 26 and 28 weeks to get all the babies measurements and info, so I am not complaining. I will just get to see Baby Lew again!

Finally...an update!

All I can say, is thank goodness for the internet! We finally got hooked up at the new house and I couldn't be happier! Talk about feeling out of touch.

So...a quick update on things here in the big city...

Eric started work last week (you know...in-service, new teacher to the district orientation which is pretty much useless, etc.). That left me at home to get everything unpacked and settled. I think we are just about there! We still have a few strangling boxes sitting around, but mostly it's just the useless stuff that we don't really need or use that will just get placed in a closet or cabinet so that it is ready and waiting the next time we move.

I am most excited about getting the baby's room fixed up! We picked out the fabric for the bedding a couple weeks ago, and Eric's mom is going to make all of that. We are waiting for the crib to come in so that we can get it put together. I decided yesterday that I am going to try my hand at sewing a blanket for Baby Lew, so that should be interesting. We already have a lot of blankets, but I decided he needed one that his mommy made. I have a couple other projects I am working on for him as well...stuff to keep me busy for now.

No job yet for me (hence all the "projects" I am trying to find to keep myself busy!). I have applied for quite a few, have had several interviews, but just haven't had anything that came through yet. I am trying to be patient and just enjoy the "time off" but it's getting a little old! Something will come along soon, hopefully!

I have my first doctor's appointment next week with a new doctor. I am hopeful that I will like this guy and that everything with insurance stuff (what a hassle!) will all work out. As far as the baby, he is movin' and groovin'! In fact, he is doing somersaults in my tummy as I type this. It is so cool to feel him moving around all the time. Eric has felt him a few times when he was practicing his soccer kick, but usually when I try to let him feel it Baby Lew wises up and stops moving.

Oh...the Olympics are back on so it's time to go park myself on the couch for the night. (Don't you just love the Olympics!!)