Roller Coaster

Think of Goliath at Magic Mountain... Do you have that image? Yep, pretty much been riding that for the last few days. My last post was that I was home and labs were being waited for, Tuesday night. Wednesday morning I woke up and had some very high blood pressure readings, which had me call my doctor she said that I was to head directly to the hospital. Upon my arrival a headache started to form in my right eye, which came on abruptly and became overwhelming. Another twenty four hour urine was started at noon to check for my protein levels. That night my doctor and I discussed that if the protein did indeed come back over the previously discussed benchmark that delivery would most likely take place. One o'clock on Thursday, marking the end of my urine collection and thirty one weeks gestation - my doctor made the call that we would process with an induction and early delivery. At six o'clock last night I was moved from one room to another and was given a cervix dilating pill. The pill placement would take place every four hours. After the first pill I began contracting every ten to fifteen minutes. After the second pill the intensity grew and the time variation was lessened to every ten to five minutes. At seven o'clock in the morning this morning, contraction were coming every two to ten minutes. My cervix went from long and closed to soft and thin, but no opening. At eleven this morning a doctor from another clinic, not in my doctor's practice comes into my room and threw a wrench like no other... Put a hold on everything. Well the truth is, he put a hold on induction but not the fact that I was on three IV drip bags, a catheter, or the continual contractions. He explained that he would like to hold all proceedings with the induction until he could more closely look at my chart and order some new labs. He informed Michael and I that he would need a few hours and that he would get back to us. Meanwhile, I am still in the same state I was in at seven in the morning, contractions and all. The hours start rolling on... Nothing. No phone call, no response, no change... Frustration and emotions begin escalating. At four in the afternoon the nurse comes in to my room and informs me that the doctor is really busy and just told her to undo my IV and he will get back with us when he can. By this time, my exhaustion catches up with my frustration and emotions and the water works begin. After trying to hash things out with the nurses and trying to get some answers the conclusion that no answers will be gotten without the doctor, we are left. Michael left to pick up our boys that were being watched by our friends for now twenty four hours and here I sit, mind you water works are still flowing and contractions are still coming. The poor night nurse is walking into my room asking what she can do and I simply ask for some ice chips. Ice chips will make it all better right? So now I sit here munching on ice chips, hunching over every few minutes to wait out a contraction, wondering what else is going to come my way. My poor husband feeling the same frustrations as me, simply said as he was leaving..."Come March we will have a baby." yes, that is true, this baby is going to come out some time, the condition of my body and mental standing is what is in question. Back to the night nurse, she seeing the obvious emotional status of me says that she will put a call in to get the catheter removed, see about getting mess to stop the contractions and even see if maybe I could just go home and wait everything out with my family.
So that is the update... Now you understand the roller coaster picture I asked you to visualize!

Update

Well the best update that I think there is, is that I am still able to be home. I had an ultrasound yesterday at the hospital and baby looks great. He is having his own little pool party totally unaware of the havoc he is bringing to my body. This morning I went in for an appointment with my doctor at which my blood was drawn and should hear back on this either early evening or tomorrow morning. My blood pressure was okay for the appointment. One thing that the doctor and I discussed is the reality of having hit three hundred in the protein bracket. She said that the likely hood of me being over that bench mark is high but at this point if my other labs are okay than we will hold off and not rush in to delivery. I expressed my desire to not have to stay at the hospital again until I go in to have him and she agreed with me, saying that seemed fair and reasonable. So where it stands, is we are on a daily watch, one thing could change and cause the need to deliver, at this point I have an appointment on Thursday and again on Monday. The doctor said that at this point she is not going to plan any further out than that. So basically the prayers are working... Baby is still baking and I am at home resting with my family.

Best Present Ever

Not to minimize the wonderful iPad that Michael bought me for Christmas, but the doctor on call just gave me one of the best presents ever... A Christmas furlough. Yes, you read that right! I get to go home for Christmas. I will check back in on Tuesday with my doctor but I get to go home for a few days. I get to spend Today through Monday in the comfort of my own house with my family. I can not even begin to tell you how happy I am. I am currently on baby monitor right now and then I will begin packing up my stuff for a trip back home. Merry Christmas!

Productive morning...

Well as productive as I am allowed that is. I slept in until seven this morning, yes that is sleeping in... A tried waking up earlier but the motivation was just not there. I made my bed with new sheets, which is something that the nurses usually do but they got busy yesterday with babies and never made it to do. Then I took a nice hot shower and got dressed in some real clothes today. Yep, pretty sad that that is my idea of a productive day now. Amazing how things change in a matter of two weeks. Now I lay here in bed feeling slightly winded from my adventures of the morning and feeling like, when is this going to end!
Yesterday my mom got a little taste of my daily life with my two boys. Michael headed off to work in the morning and mom got the boys dressed and took them to one of our parks. After playing there they headed to Chick Fil A for some lunch and more play in the structure. Then a little visit here with me then home again home again jiggity jig for naps and then the night time routines. Mom called me a few times to share some hiillarious story which warmed my heart and made me laugh out loud. I am so glad that my mom was able to come out here even if it is for just a few days, I know the boys have enjoyed it!
Well today is Christmas Eve... It doesn't feel like it at all, I think the biggest reason is because of the obvious, I am here in a hospital bed. The weekend before I wound up here we went to grandma and grandpa's place and cut down what Zeke was calling the perfect tree, but that was as far as we got... Cutting it down. Well Michael did bring it is the house and he put it in the stand and put water in it... To which Zeke is confused that the tree is not growing. He keeps telling me that there is water in the tree but it is just not growing. Last night Michael had mentioned putting lights on the tree but I told him why, at this point just take it down, clean up the floor and be done with it. Not sure what will happen with it. Kind of sad that we cut a tree down and it simply stood in the living room window unadorned, oh well, life got in the way.
Yesterday I was blessed by a friend that come to visit me. She is one of those ladies that quietly sits to the side and you notice her, but the thing that you most notice about her is her sweet demeanor. Well, yesterday she and her daughter came to visit me for a little while and blessed me with a lotiony foot massage and just some conversation that was not surrounded around my four walls here. I was utterly blessed by her kind gesture and the fact that her teen daughter wanted to come and join as well. Blessings from those around me I don't think will ever cease to amaze me! They only seem to solidify the fact that our family is right where we are supposed to be, that is one of the best feelings ever!
Merry Christmas to you and your family and truly for the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank you for your prayers, love and support as our family walks this unfamiliar territory, not alone but with the love of all of you! Blessings!

The state of limbo

That is where I currently sit, is the state of limbo. If one or more of the things on the scale changes then we will be in go mode. My blood pressure is behaving with the bed rest that I have been placed on, if it does change and reach 150/100 then we are go. My protien levels are 297 and the cut off is 300, splitting hairs it might be, but those three points might be the difference between a day or so more of baking which each day is better for baby. No blood will be drawn today, but tomorrow morning labs will be drawn, if there's a change for the worse in those then we are go. Although an end date or time would be beneficial like I said this morning each lab result is the line between baby baking or baby coming. As information becomes known by me and Michael I will be sure to pass it on.

Pep talk revamped...

So Monday my peep talk to myself was one day at a time. That since has had to change! Monday there was a quick scare that we were going to be delivering within the day. There was some question to to the health of my liver and with a headache on board, they were thinking that they were going to call it quits. After another round of blood tests that idea was put on the back burner and the main priority became managing the pain that I was experiencing due to the headache. Two days down with a horrible headache and now I sit here unsure of what is next. I feel like any time the door opens it could be news of delivery or of holding on longer. With the pain that I was experiencing the last two days my "medical and professional" opinion was to yank everything out... Uterus, baby, ovary, and the tie up any loose ends so there would be no chance of another pregnancy. The doctor yesterday didn't share in my opinion nor did she find it funny. I guess it was too early in the morning and I was on pain med hangover. Whatever the case is and was, here I sit... No new news and not sure what the latest lab results were. Hoping that my normal doctor is on call today so I can chat with her and get the straight story and see what the plan is going forward. Today I am twenty nine weeks and six days. Baby number three is an active little bugger, he gives the nurses a hard time when they try to getq him on the fetal monitors, which is entertaining for me and honestly a good thing for him, we know that he is a Kulow through and through! I will update as I know more, but until then enjoy the days before Christmas where ever you might be! Appreciation and love from our family to yours!

One day at a time

Today the realization that I have to take my lovely stay here to the Swedish one day at a time hit me hard this morning. Every day presents itself with something new. Today marks one week since my admittance and therefore, one day at a time will get me through the remaining stay. No matter how much I try to sleep in... That does not happen. I fall sleep around nine thirty and wake before six. I am sleeping soundly with the help of a chamomile pill, so I know my body is getting what it needs as far as quality but a longer time frame I think sometimes may help the days pass a little easier. Being the schedule person that I am I still ask the nurse every morning if there is anything on my schedule for the day, yesterday was blood draw so I think today is an "off" day where I don't have anything. I find myself looking forward to any chance of getting out of the room or having new news about baby or myself, not that it will really change the outlook of my stay here, but it is something to think about other than the long days. When it was confirmed that I would become a long term patient I was move from close to the nurse station to the other side of the hall, a nicer room most definitely and quieter and I appreciated it for the first few days, however there are times during the day that a little nurse chattering might be welcome.
Today Michael is going to try and work a full day and our neighbor is going to watch the boys. I am glad for Michael that he will be able to get out of the house and get some of his work done, I think his not working has really been weighing on him. I know that he has enjoyed being home with the boys but I think his need to do something else for a few days has been there since last Thursday. Michael has truly been a super hero during this time. Last night he called me as he was cleaning up the house and doing laundry, granted they have to get done, but he is doing it all and I have not heard any complaints... Well other than to say that the boys have too many clothes - to which I simply chuckled and said, there are weeks we go through a good portion of them. This stay, in just this week has given me such an appreciation for Michael! I am a blessed woman, there is no question in my mind. He truly is pulling all the weight of the family and holding it all together like a super hero... My super hero.

Great Day

Thankfully today was a great day! I got to visit with my boys for a long time today. The boys were not able to come and visit me yesterday as they were headed here for a visit Michael noticed that Zeke was looking a little pale and was not quite himself. Honestly we were thinking that it was a little bug, now today we are thinking that it was the stress of life finally catching up with him. A day of snuggling on the couch made things all better.
The boys got here at eleven and we played in my room for a while, watched a movie and then headed to the cafeteria for my one wheel chair ride a day. After lunch we came back to my room and Michael anticipated a quick fall asleep for Ki which turned into a screaming fight. Thankfully some friends showed up and the pace changed for Ki and he fell asleep right away while Zeke played with our visitors. Our friends left around three and then the boys and I napped in my bed and Michael played with my iPad. A good nap was had by me as I snuggled with Zeke and Ki.
Ah, truly a great day!

Reconnected

I guess one of the benefits of being on bed rest is that my blog posts will be more often... You may not all see that as a good thing. This girl can write. I never really thought of myself as a social person, that is until this past week. Being cut off from facebook and blogger was feeling like a life sentence. After a most generous gift from my husband of an iPad I am now reconnected with the world and feel somewhat liberated from the four walls of my new home for the coming twenty five days. Yep, desperation hit last night for us and we got out the calendar and started counting days.
Twenty five days... Let me just say that number is a scary one for our family. In the mere five days that I have been here I have faced one very dark day but also in that same day the blessings of my family overflowed. I am aware that there are going to be rough days, there are going to be days that I won't want to even open my eyes as it would be a reminder that I am here and not at home. There will be days that are good... Where things are going fine and I get to see more than these four walls. The next twenty five days are not a life sentence but a season. Maybe a season that our family of four grows and becomes closer to each other and to our Lord-I don't know if it could be anything less!
I have had many people encourage me to look at not the mass amount of days in a whole but as one day at a time. I understand the concept but when each day my three boys come and visit and I see the change that has taken place in them it is hard. The longest I have evert been away from my babies was two days and that was in August. Each day I see them they look more and more grown up. Zeke's language development is taking leaps and bounds with Michael's help. Even little Ki has started saying words. On Thursday, my dark day this week, the boys surprised me with a visit earlier than Michael had first told me. They came bearing gifts... A cleanly washed blanket from home still warm from the dryer, my pillow, and an iPad. Then we got to sneak down to the cafeteria for lunch. Zeke was full of stories and honestly Ki wanted nothing WTO do with me, he just wanted daddy. After lunch Ki had fulfilled his visit time and was done. We returned to my room Ki grabbed his jacket and then waved and said "bye,bye" for the first time. As you can imagine the tears came flowing. For many reasons... My baby Ki is talking and I am not there to witness it first, Zeke is growing up and is really being a big boy and helping Michael, and my husband has put on his Superman cape and it being the best and most supportive daddy and husband - I truly am a blessed woman!
So now for a little update on the reason why I am sitting here for the next twenty five days. Wednesday night I was put on strict bed rest and given some fabulously hideous leg massagers that I have to wear as I am to lay down all day long. Whenever I sit up my blood pressures soar. So here I lay. I am allowed to get up for the bathroom and allowed one wheelchair ride a day. Yes, my chart has that specific written in it... One wheel chair ride a day. Every two days my blood is drawn to check my labs. I am on an in and out fluid watch for kidney failures. Two times a week I have an ultrasound to check baby's growth and blood flow. Yesterday little guy had a few heart rate decelerations but thankfully for my peace of mind my ultrasound was right after those and I got to see him and he was doing fine. He even took a few fetal breaths which earned him an A+ from the doctor yesterday.
Yesterday morning my doctor came to check on me and I tried buttering her up before asking her what are my chances of going home and then returning for delivery. Needless to say she thought I was a comedian. I figured it was worth a try. I even thought maybe just maybe they would allow me a day out for Christmas but that was laughed off too. Oh well can't blame me for trying!

Thurday Dec. 16th Update

Here it is now Thursday morning in the wee hours and my mind is running...
I was informed that as of Monday, December 13 - Swedish Hospital will be my home for the coming weeks.  I have been put on strict bed rest with daily observation on baby number three.  Today, Thursday, December 16th I am currently 29 weeks pregnant.  Unless something drastic changes in my health or baby's health before January 6th I will be "resting" here.  My doctor has said that 32 weeks is our current goal for gestation and baring any major health changes we are set.
Please pray for my sanity!  Sitting in one place, indoors for the next three weeks is feeling like an insurmountable task. As of yesterday morning around 7am I was starting to go stir crazy so I found myself sitting in the rocking chair for a change of scenery!  Last night I was informed that sitting in the rocking chair is no longer allowed... laying on my back or side is the extent of my approved movements (and getting up to go to the bathroom).
Pray for our family during the Christmas season... we have decided that we will skip Christmas being that our boys are still young enough to maybe let it slide.  I think my husband is having a hard time swallowing not having me home for Christmas (which is something I have only begun to think about!).
Pray for this little one... (no name chosen yet).  Pray that the next three weeks of baking does him a lot of good and that his body can handle what lay ahead for him in the next month or two!  Last night I got a chance to tour the NICU which helped to elevate some of my stresses but the next three months will be a rough road for our little family.
Thank you for your prayers and concerns!

Staying at the Hotel Swedish

Guest post by Michael Kulow

Andrea is having tech/computer issues at Swedish Hospital and is not able to log in to post updates on the blog - and boy does she have some (news and updates that is).

Doctor this morning is going to recommend that Andrea stay in the hospital until delivery.  That's right - an all inclusive stay at the luxurious Swedish.  Got the room upgrade this morning and is having the tech crew come up to see about better internet service.  Room service for every meal, and the mono TV package rounds out this prize.

Since Andrea has been scaling the BP octaves like a Verdi opera and protein levels are not leveling, but rising; the powers that be are thinking a stay at the hospital is a good move.  That February birthday is looking like a long shot and a January baby isn't inspiring the odds makers in Vegas.

We will try and have more news posted as it becomes available.

News - well sorta

Well my hope last week was that I would be sending you a post informing you that my doctor's appointment went well and that everything was peachy keen!  Sunday thing started to take a turn for me - I got a headache that was really painful and was experiencing some considerable Braxton Hick's contractions.  Monday morning the pain just didn't seem to subside.  I took Zeke to his OT appointment in the morning and then on our way home started feeling more and more sick from the headache.  We stopped at the park so the boys could run - my thought was have them burn some energy and we will all lay down for a nap that afternoon.  Run they did as well as feed the ducks.  We got home and I fixed them lunch and then started monitoring my blood pressure and laying on my left side.  After about two hours of high bps I called my doctor.  I was seen in the office and then sent to the hospital where I currently am sitting!

I checked into the hospital yesterday afternoon around three and was given some percocet to try and help with the headache.  I was put on IVs for fluids and had blood drawn.  Yesterday was a very long day of battling the worst headache I have ever had and after another IV medicine I found some relieve around ten last night.  The doctor had a CT scan run on my head to make sure there was nothing funky going on and this morning at seven she informed me that the CT was clear.

The talk this morning with my doctor at seven was that I would finish my 24 hour stay today and would be on my way home with some meds for the headache.  She had a call into a neurologist to see what headache meds would be appropriate for the situation... pregnant and high blood pressure.  She told me that I would hear from her this afternoon after my results from the 24 hour urnine collection, upon discharge.

This is where things begin to change... I went to see the perinatal doctor (high risk) and have another ultrasound to check on baby, placenta and fluids.  While in the ultrasound the good news was that baby is putting on some fat, he had three little fat rolls on his tummy and one at the base of his neck!  My fluids were down a little from last week (Wednesday) and the blood flow to him was spotty.  The amount of flow ranged from normal to slightly restricted, meaning that out of the few readings there were some were the blood flow paused between his heart and the placenta.  The cause of this is partially due to my higher blood pressure.  The recommendation from the perinatologist is that I remain in the hospital for another 24 hour watch, more labs be drawn and evaluate from the labs drawn upon my admittance yesterday.  My levels of red blood, my liver counts were both slightly elevated from last Wednesday.

So that is where your prayers come in!  Please be praying for my body, for the baby, for our family and whatever lies ahead for the five of us in the coming days and weeks!

Anxious Heart and Mind

I think that the exhaustion of Wednesday has worn off and now I am left with the anxiety of what the coming days and weeks hold.  Wednesday and Thursday night I slept like a baby, now waking or stirring... tonight is another story.  I woke up at a quarter to one and here I sit an hour later and my mind will not stop racing.  I know that it is not healthy for me or for the baby, which then only gets the guilty conscience playing in my mind even more.
I think the biggest thing that I am thinking about right now is the logistical aspect of everything... When will my body be done carrying this little one?  Will it have been enough time?  If it is not enough time, what does that mean for him?  Will our lives be turned upside down with daily visits to the hospital to visit him in the NICU?  How big will he be?  Will I need to purchase premmie clothes?  Is it too soon to wash all the clothes and bedding here for him?  Do I need to purchase something for him specifically for him for the car seat or will he be okay in what we have... size and all?  As I am going through the clothes that I have from my two other babies what will his seasons be like - if he is born premmie will I be off on sizes for him?  At this stage in gestation, if he weighed two pounds and thirteen ounces on Wednesday what kind of weight gain will take place in the days and weeks ahead?  If I start eating more foods that are higher in fat, will be benefit or will I just blow up like a balloon? 
As you can see, it would be hard to sleep with all these questions bouncing around in your head!  Hoping that "airing" them will help me now find some sleep as the rest of my house slumbers peacefully.

Thought from the Chaos

Now that things have calmed down a little I thought I would share some of my crazy thoughts from the chaos of yesterday!

I was so glad that I took a shower... not only a shower but I took the time to shave and groom!

Crap - we better come up with a name for #3 soon.

I guess I better get all the baby clothes washed and ready sooner than I thought.

Maybe this year we skip Christmas... having to drag everything out just is not sounding so fun.

I guess there is a bigger reason for us not going to San Diego for Christmas - sure am glad that we didn't purchase tickets already!

I am feeling more and more confident about our choice to be done having babies... my body is just not able to do it any more.

Some more questions that I had were answered today too:

There is nothing I can do to change the protein in my urine... Michael thought that maybe if I cut protein out of my diet that might help - no such luck.

Delivering early does not mean that I have to have a C-section.  It is all situational... there is a good chance that I will still be able to deliver regularly.

Follow-up Appointment

As I had mentioned last night I would be returning to the hospital today for my follow-up appointment at which I would receive another two shots, blood work, fetal monitoring and blood pressure check.  I checked into the hospital at 2:20 and got everything taken care of really quickly.  Being that I am who I am all my labs are done stat!  So my blood pressure was actually down among the normally acceptable range (138/88).  Baby number three sounded great, heart beats were regular and steady.  Only had two contractions in the two hours of being hooked to the machine.  Got my two shots in my hinney and took them like a pro, however my left check is a little sore!  Got my blood drawn and didn't cry or faint!  The only problem arose when my 24 urine collection results came back.  I was getting ready to walk out of the room, the nurse had given me my discharge papers and then told me to go sit back down.  A call was made to my doctor.  Here I was again in limbo - I was heading home and now told to sit back down!  Apparently the threshold for protein in urine through the dip stick and actual lab results is different.  I was told yesterday that if my protein level rose to +2 that delivery would be immediate.  Now with the lab results I guess the protein threshold is 300 and I am 260 - close but not there yet.  My doctor said that I could go home.  So now I am home and my appointment is scheduled for next Tuesday and I guess I will know more then!  Each day is better and each week is awesome!

And yet again... Never Dull!

 Again the title fits this post to the “T”.  I had previously mentioned that I would be going in to the doctor for my 28 week check up.  I had a list of things that have been presenting themselves as a slight concern to me and was sure that after my appointment I would have some answers or at least peace of mind.  Peace of mind was not what I walked away from my appointment with…

I checked into my appointment on time and did the regular routine stuff, urine collection, weight and then blood pressure – and that was when things started to turn!  My blood pressure was a little high (143/92 – nothing I haven’t surpassed before!) and I started to explain some of my medical concerns, headache, swelling of hands, feet and face and the continuous Braxton hicks.  I was escorted to an examination room and told to lie on my left side and that the doctor would be with me shortly.  My doctor entered the room and she began questioning me further on some of my concerns, which led to another BP check, and then I was taking to the fetal monitoring room.  I was hooked up to fetal monitors and then informed that I was going to be admitted to the hospital.  WHAT?  I just was coming in for my regular appointment; I can’t be admitted into the hospital. 

After some talking through what was going on in her head she informed me that there was trace amounts of protein in my urine and she was concerned for mine and the baby’s well being and wanting to have me admitted for 24 hours fetal watch.  She explained that delivery could be a matter of days away but would like to hold off until 32 weeks if possible.  My doctor told me to go home get a bag packed and then head to the hospital where I would be given a steroid shot for the development of baby’s lungs for early delivery.

As you can imagine at this point my head is spinning and I am sure my blood pressure was sky high!  I made a call to Michael, who was at home with Ki waiting for the plumbers to return to our house and finish our lovely sewer issues.  Michael being the kind of person he is – said, “You are just trying to get out of being pregnant… we can’t have this baby at least until January!”  That would be the logical thinking – no duh!  So I went home - made a few calls, packed my bag and then we went and picked up Zeke from preschool. 

At noon I was admitted into the hospital.  Was told that I needed to gown up and everything would begin.  Being that the crud has been in our house Michael and I decided that it would be best for him to take the boys home and get then fed and napped and I would just update him as I got updates.  I was hooked up to fetal monitors – to which little boy’s heart sounds great!  I had blood drawn.  I was hooked up to the blood pressure machine to take my BP every thirty minutes.  I was told that urine would be kept and monitored for protein… anything more that +2 would indicate immediate delivery. 

At two I was taken to the perinatal department for consultation.  The team of doctors gave me an ultrasound, watched as I had a few contractions and then continued on with more testing.  After forty five minutes of being in limbo as to whether little number three was going to be delivered within the next few days… peace came!  The high risk doctor and team assured me that baby looks fine, his heart rate, development, and my internal body can sustain a few more weeks.  Phew… to the biggest danger of meeting number three in the coming week!  So our little peanut weighing in at 2 pounds 13 ounces will get to stay warm and cozy and continue his baking weeks hopefully!

Now here I sit waiting for my blood tests and a call from my doctor to see if by chance I might be able to go home tonight and just continue the urine collection on my own at home with a return tomorrow afternoon to drop off the sample, blood pressure check, another steroid shot and fetal monitoring…. While I was typing my doctor came into my room and informed me that I can go home tonight!  Yeah – although with sick little ones I know sleep will be less than optimum however being home will allow some good sleep – period. 

So the plan is weekly appointments with my doctor to check my blood pressure and baby through fetal monitoring and ultrasound.  If at any point my labs or BP are too elevated (above 150/95) delivery will become emanate.  My doctor’s orders are to take it easy and spend a lot of time just relaxing (I guess that goes back to my post about slowing down). 

The Title Fits... Never Dull

Where to begin???  Yesterday morning I went down to the basement to get some laundry and as I was coming up the stairs I looked at my water heater and saw something that just wasn't right.  Not that examining my water heater is a normal task of mine, but a smell drew me to look down.  To my surprise I saw toilet paper in the water heater tray... not the usual place for toilet paper and murky water.  I called Michael down from his office and he confirmed what I thought... sewer water.  A call to our property managers informed them of the problem.  A call to a plumber was made by them.  At 1:30 yesterday afternoon the plumber showed up, spent two hours snaking the lines and then left with not much of a word to us.  Not ten minutes after he left I get a call from our property manager asking if 8:30 worked for me for a camera.  I had no idea what he was talking about and agreed. 
This morning began a "Never Dull" moment that seems to often come to our family!  A plumber came with a camera to view all the lines to find out that all the settling that has been happening in our house has caused the foundation to fall on our outgoing sewer line.  After a few phone calls, hand shakes, and passing along of information... our house was going to be come a construction zone.  The remedy is to dig a hole in the front yard to be able to get to the depth of the break from the outside.  Support the house foundation with jacks.  Drill a ten inch hole in the foundation.  Replace ten feet of sewer line feeding it through the ten inch hole to make sure that this problem never happens again.
So after nap time today our house became a place for boys.  Zeke and Ki perched themselves in front of our bay windows and watched as the backhoe did it's magic.  Those two boys sat there for a good almost two hours (free entertainment) and watched as a crew dug down to the basement level. 

The crew that was here today for four hours left... a huge hole in the front yard and will be back tomorrow morning.  The work to be done tomorrow will be the stuff that is all inside the house in the basement. 
While the agreements were taking place this morning between the plumber, our property manager and our landlord in regards to the work needing to be done our landlord was talking with me.  It looks like for our troubles of having to deal with this I might get new carpet in the basement and my house carpets cleaned - yeah! 

Random Ramblings

There has been a lot on my mind lately and I have not taken the time to sit down and process it all... being that the crud has once again caught our house I spent yesterday thinking and again this morning.  Not everything will flow, so excuse me for that... this is more a means of me processing everything "out loud".
I am so sick of being sick or having my family sick.  No matter how much I clean my house and make sure that things are taken care of they still get sick.  I realize that most of the germs that we get are from going to school, church, MOPS, the pool, the park, the grocery store... the list could go on and on.  I wish there was some way to make it so that my family does not have to ever get sick!  But I guess I would be in the same boat with just about every other mom.
Michael has been working like a crazy lately.  I feel so bad for him, because not only is he working long hours but he too has been battling the crud.  I know that once the weather changes that he will be home more.  I think there is a part of him that can't wait for some snow so that he can take it easy a little.
As you remember a few months ago I went back and forth as to what Michael and I were supposed to do for Zeke and his schooling so that he would be able to receive speech therapy.  Now here we are three months out from our decision and I am questioning if we did the right thing.  We moved Zeke to a local public preschool where he was to receive speech therapy... I have not seen many improvements in this area.  When I ask the therapist about what we need to do at home or what is being done at the school, I feel like I am being appeased with the answer of, "He is doing fine, he is interacting well."  Interactions was not what we were concerned about... the kid will talk anyone's ear off - but him being understood is another story.  Please pray for Michael and I as we are considering moving him back to Foothills at the semester change and then trying to pay for private therapy so that the services are more purposeful and direct.
On the same note of speech therapy... Ki is doing great!  I am so impressed with him.  Ki has been receiving in home speech therapy services for four sessions now and he is making huge improvements.  He is now babbling of which he never has done before.  It is almost as if the whole world has been opened to him anew.  He is more social in his interactions, he is saying "Hi" to complete strangers of which he used to shy away from.  It is so neat to see the power of words has had on him.
As you can see I changed my background for my blog.  I loved my blue and green but decided that I needed a little change... I was getting bored with the same old.
Zeke has been talking about a dog a lot lately.  He tells be every day what his dog is going to look like and do.  I feel bad because I know how badly he wants a dog... we just can't have one in our rental.  That brings me to the even deeper desire to have our own house.  Michael says that for us to have a dog he wants to have at least three acres - to which I agree!  So our house requirements continues to grow the longer we live in our current house.  This week I had to drop off our rent check and the property manager asked me when we would be looking for a house to buy - a glance at my belly, he said, "Soon I assume!"  To which I said probably fall of next year - I hope!
So that brings me to our house requirements...
Four bedroom / Three Bath
Two Car Garage
Full, Open, Walk-out Basement
Three + Acres
Preferably not a tri-level house... I am not a fan of all the stairs, from a walking up and down them and a heating the house aspect.
This week I have two baby appointments... On Monday one of our friends is going to let me come into her office and get 3D ultrasound pictures taken and then on Wednesday I have my 28 week check up.  I have to say I am a little nervous about my appointment from the aspect that I have been experiencing some unsettling symptoms.  Within the last week I have had some considerable swelling in my hands and feet as well as I have had a headache that will not go away.  These are preeclampsia symptoms and since I had it with Zeke I am a little more aware of them now.  I am hoping that at my appointment they will over rule my concerns!
I think that just about covers all that I have had on my mind!  Now to spend the rest of the day picking up the house and then laying around with my boys.

Slow Down?

Just this week Michael asked me, "Honey, do you ever slow down?  Even when you sleep you breath heavy and you twitch all over the place."  To his what seemed like an innocent question I answered very simply, "No."  I laughed it off and that got me thinking... do I ever slow down?  I know that my body shuts down or hits a wall around nine or ten at night but do I actually slow down when that happens... no!  Even my dreams are fast paced and sporadic.  Tonight is one of those nights where sleep eluded me for some time and once it did find me it did not knock me out but just came in the form of a four hour power nap and now here I sit.  All the boys in the house are sound asleep and here I am tapping away on the computer.  Sure I would like to be sleeping warm and snug in my bed but after forty five minutes of tossing and turning trying to find sleep again I realized that I was fighting a loosing battle, the more I moved the more things I started thinking about, the more things I started thinking about the less I thought about sleeping and the more I thought about just getting up and starting my day.  Geesh! 
Michael's question has rumbled around in my head for the last few days and his solution was visualization.  He said that he can slow his heart rate down and thus decreasing this breathing and allowing himself to shut down parts of his body and mind.  My thought is... maybe that is a guy thing?  I have never been able to slow down, I just go and go until I hit a wall of exhaustion and I get the sleep that I need and then I am back up and doing it all over again the next day... same stuff just a different day.  I am not sure if I have only been like this since becoming a wife and mom, as that season seems to have taken over all of my existence at times, or if I have just always been this way? 
So here is to December 2nd at 3:30am!  I minds as well start it out now rather than lay in bed in frustration.

Christmas Wish List 2010

So last year I wrote up my Christmas Wish List and I got all but one thing on the list... granted not for Christmas but in this past year.  Maybe writing up a wish list isn't all that silly after all!  For my birthday last year I found myself a Boba, which in my opinion is better than an Ergo because it is made here in Colorado.  Then for my anniversary/birthday this year Michael bought me a Kitchen Aid.  So the only thing missing is the camera.  I am partially hoping that Santa brings my sister Alycia a new camera so that her old one can be passed on!  Hehehehe.
I have been asked by a few people what it is that I am wanting for my birthday and Christmas.  To their question I have not had an answer.  The only thing that comes to mind is not really a particular item as more just time...
I would love to have my best friend Sarah come out and visit me.  We have not seen each other since she got married, that was three years ago this summer.  So from Sarah, a good long visit which would include us sitting and chatting over a cup of tea would be the most glorious gift of all! 
From my husband, I would love to have a weekend (and a whole weekend is not even required, maybe just a whole day) where he and I can get away and just be the two of us.  Away from the house chores, away from the boy chaos and just spend some time talking, or just being quiet holding hands or snuggling. 
From my parents I would love a visit with the two of them, here or there in San Diego.  I would love for them to be able to tag team play with the boys and I could sit back and enjoy them, enjoying my two characters - thing one and thing two.
From my Grandma Betty, I would love to extract from her a portion of her sewing ability... yeah I know that one is a hard one!  When we girls were younger she tried to teach us, bless her patience!  I always found it much easier to give her the sewing project and watch her fingers quickly work their magic rather than spend hours myself trying to do what she could whip out in an hour! 
To everyone else... Grandpa Dion and Grandma Patti, Brian and the Hedrick family, Great Grandma Talone, Grandma Cawne, Sheila, Mike and Christina, Uncle Greggy, Missi, my sisters, and anyone else... to see your smiling face in my house and give you a big hug.  Now that wish I know is far fetched but why not wish for the stars?
As far as purchasable items... there really is not anything.  I feel totally blessed with everything that I have!  The one thing that does come to mind is my desire to stretch my creative fingers that have been laying dormant for the last few years.  I asked my mom if she could find the sewing machine that has been long packed away and the quilting tools and send them my way so that when I get a chance I could do that.  Those are things that I have but are just packed away.  Whenever I enter Hobby Lobby (the craft store) I feel like I could spend hours in there - that has become my sanctuary!  I will go there and walk the aisles and not buy anything but just dream of all the projects that I could do.  So I guess anything that would allow me to be creative... I don't know how to do much but just feeling like I need to do something with my desires!