We had a busy Memorial Day weekend. I survived a road trip 6 1/2 months pregnant! Friday morning we drove up to North Carolina to stay with Dave's brother, Shaun, and his wife, Heather, and two boys Seth and Brady. The ride wasn't bad at all. We stopped about every two hours so I could walk around, stretch, and of course - go to the bathroom :)
Dave's mom came down to spend the day with us on Saturday. We went into town and ate lunch and walked around the amazing historic district. They had a primitive store and we bought a couple of little lambs for Ryan's room. Then everyone but Ryan and I got ice cream...we were more in the mood for a petit four, so we walked down to a bakery and got our favorite treat. Grandma brought some very sweet gifts for baby, and we showed her the 4D ultrasound DVD before she had to head over the river and through the woods.
Some cute sheep we got for Ryan's room at a primitive store when we went into town
Sunday morning, we all piled in Shaun's Suburban and drove 2 hours to Dave's dad's house for a Family Reunion and baby shower for Ryan. There were lots of people there that I hadn't met or haven't seen in a long time. We started the shower first. There were so many gifts that I had Dave help to open them. I had some yummy punch made for me and an amazing diaper cake, hand made by Nini. Ryan got some cute clothes and other things she will need, and daddy got a new DeWalt drill. Then I had my favorite cake, red velvet. Yum!
We had a cook out for the reunion...Ryan says Grandpa makes AMAZING barbecued chicken. We played yard golf and I got to snap some pictures of Dave with his siblings. We were all exhausted when we got back to Shaun and Heather's house!!
Monday, Dave and his brother worked on building the fence in the backyard while Heather and I played with Seth, Brady, and their super cute dog, Indiana. Some friends joined us for dinner - the guys grilled some steaks for everyone. Then we got up on Tuesday morning and hit the road to come back home. I was very tired the whole way home, nodding in and out pretty much the entire trip.
When we got home, we got cleaned up and headed straight back out the door to head to a Labor & Delivery class. I enjoyed it, but I think it may have been a little "To Much Information" for daddy. We were the only people in the class expecting a girl. It is a 2-part class, so we are going back next Tuesday for round 2.
Wednesday night, Ryan was doing a Triathlon as I was trying to go to sleep. She was just swimming around as hard as she could, and kicking her little legs like she was running....and I think I even felt her riding a tiny little bicycle around in there. It doesn't hurt, it's just funny.
Thursday, I had my first 2 week doctor visit (my appointments were every 4 weeks, now they are down to every 2 weeks). This was the first appointment I have went to by myself. Dave had to work and mom was sick.
I haven't gained any weight since my last visit, probably due to the fact that my stomach is being squished by a baby and can't hold a lot at one time...however, my sis-in-law was force feeding us all ice cream all weekend so I thought I would have gained SOMETHING (just kidding Heather! haha)
Ryan is doing good. I took her 3D ultrasound picture in for everyone to see, and of course they oohed and aahed all over her. I read that around this point in a pregnancy, your belly measurement should coincide with how many weeks along you are. My belly measured right on par at 27 cm. Ryan's heart rate was 154, but she was hopped up on sugar...I had to do my gestational diabetes testing which means I had to drink about 8 ounces of pure sugar. It wasn't that bad...I was expecting Barium or battery acid, but it tasted like strawberry soda. I gulped it down as fast as I could just to get it over with. Then I had to wait an hour, then get my blood drawn.
When my hour was up, I walked back to the lab to get poked. I told the nurse how grossed out I am by needles, requested the baby needle, and told her to please be gentle with me. She tied up my arm and inspected my veins, then she told me that my vein was "too good" for the baby needle, and she would have to use a bigger gauge needle, but that it was still small...I replied "please just tell me it is the baby needle and get on with it"...so she did. She stuck me and it was not bad at all. Didn't hurt a bit. But then......
All of a sudden I felt like there wasn't any more blood in my body for the taking. I tried to focus on a chair that was near me, thinking in my head "that chair has wheels...those wheels roll..." but my words weren't making any sense and I was just slurring gibberish in my head. I started seeing stars and the room was going white and spinning. The nurse asked if I was okay, and as best as I could, I gave a very quiet, sleepy, puzzled and slurred "I think I am going to pass out..." I lowered my head and closed my eyes to try to shake it off. I started dreaming but I can't remember what about, all I remember is thinking "these are good thoughts, I will have to remember them". Then I heard someone say "I need an ice pack" and I woke up with people all around me. The nurse was patting my head with an ice pack, my doctor was kneeling next to me taking my pulse, another nurse was holding her wrist watch out for the doctor to use as she took my pulse, and the other nurse was watching the whole thing with a concerned look on her face. I was DRENCHED in sweat, and hotter than I think I have ever been in my life.
Still out of it, I asked "did I pass out??!?!?" Then I asked if the nurse was able to get enough blood (I didn't want to do it again...for obvious reasons). They answered yes to both questions, and asked if I could stand up to get in a wheel chair. They had me sit in a room for about a half hour before I could drive. I had some water and a granola bar with me, so I had some of both to try to get my strength back up. One of the nurses sat with me the whole time and talked with me, which was comforting. Just another reason I love my doctors office! She told me that my color was starting to come back...I asked if I went white, and she said that I was GREY! It's funny how the ONE TIME no one goes with me, I end up passing out. But in the end, I was just fine and able to drive home. However, I have a feeling that they are not going to let me live this down :(
I came home, grabbed the boys, and headed to my parents' house to sit on the couch with my sick mom all day (she has a bad sinus infection...nothing contagious, or I would not go over there!). My head was a little cloudy all day, so I just took it easy and tried to relax. I asked the doctor if it meant that I had gestational diabetes since I passed out, but she said no and that sometimes people just pass out. Still, I have always hated getting stuck, but NEVER have I actually passed out! She said that pregnancy makes you have some vascular changes, and when you add in all of the anxiety I was feeling about the whole process, it was hopefully a one time thing. By the way...the baby made it through the Great Blackout just fine, which after all, is the most important thing :)
Here we are at 27 weeks!
Here is Ryan's special book I started for her, and mom and I made a sleeve for it so it wouldn't get dirty :) It is a place to write all of the shower gifts she receives, and in the future, everyone can write her little notes on her birthday each year.
A huge box of clothes that people have given us. I am waiting to get her furniture in June before I wash it all and put it all away. She has WAY too many clothes already!
So this was a very long post, and I am sorry if I have bored you, but a lot went on this week! :)
Have a great week!
Love, the Sullivans
Enjoyed the post...and isn't it about time for some ice cream?
ReplyDelete