I had my weekly appointment with Dr. Sam this morning. Good news-my cervix has closed and is no longer dilated. Bad news-I am now 70% effaced instead of 50% from last Wednesday. He said everything looks good, and the bed rest/medication combination seems to be working. I'm still on strict bed rest (the same conditions as before) but we are thankful that there is improvement. He does not expect me to deliver in the next few weeks!! We are still praying for 36 weeks (7 more to go!)

Bed Rest Week 1

Here are all the locations where I've been enjoying bed rest for the past week. Bailey is my ever faithful companion.

Laying on the couch

Laying in the recliner

Laying on the couch with an ice pack-one of the few things that helps the headaches

Using the laptop in the recliner

Laying in bed with Bailey

I have an appointment with Dr. Sam on Tuesday morning to see how Annive Maura and I are doing. I'm looking forward to my big outing since this is the one place I get to go each week. I am still having contractions but they are not as frequent or as hard. The "stop contractions" medication has some side effects (racing heart, high pulse, and migraines) but it has all stayed under control so far. We continue to pray for 36 weeks. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Contractions 2

I am still in the hospital for at least one more night but will hopefully go home tomorrow morning. The doctor said once I am home I am on bedrest. Basically I am allowed to take a shower, go to the bathroom, and eat at the table. He said absolutely NO cooking, cleaning, driving, shopping, laundry, working, walking...let everyone wait on me. I get to be the queen!

The contractions are much better. I'm still having some but they are much farther apart and not as strong. I will have to continue "stop contraction" medication once I get home and go in for weekly visits to the OB.

Dr. Sam said that ultimately he is trying to get me to 36 weeks (8 more weeks). The second goal is to get to 30 weeks (2 weeks) and every 2 weeks after that is much better for Annive. At 30 weeks she has a 90% chance of not having permanent damage or neurological conditions. So our prayer is "36 weeks."

Thank you for your continued prayers, support, love, and encouragement. We know God is very much in control...even in this.

Contractions

So our exciting news of the day...I am currently in the hospital with pre-term contractions, dilated to 1 cm (I should not be dilated this early) and 50% effaced. They are on "stop contraction" (my term) medicine number 3 which is working better, although I am still having some smaller contractions. Annive is doing great. She's in a position to deliver, her heart rate is normal, and they have given her steroid shots to help develop her lungs in case we do deliver early. We are concerned because she is 12 weeks early right now but we know that God is in control. I will be in the hospital on bed rest (I can only get up to go to the bathroom, which I'm grateful for) until at least late tomorrow afternoon. Depending on how things go, I will possibly need to stay longer and will be on bed rest once I get home. Scott and I are thankful for your prayers, concern, love, and support.

6 1/2 Months

Here are the latest pictures of my baby bump at 6 1/2 months.

In other news, my thyroid continues to be in the normal range although still jumping around within that range. I think the new medications have stabilized my blood pressure as I'm not blacking out or having dizzy spells anymore. Scott finished painting the walls and baseboards in the nursery this weekend. Bailey, our dog, "helped" Scott paint by sticking his head in the paint. New floors will be finished by Friday, and then Ann, my talented friend, is going to paint murals on the walls to go along with the bedding my talented sister, Annive, is making.

6 Months

I had an ultrasound and doctor appointment on Tuesday to check on Annive Maura. The ultrasound went great. The technician (I've had the same lady all 3 times) remembered me and my photogenic baby. As soon as she saw me she exclaimed, "Oh, you're the lady with the baby that poses for pictures!" Yes, that would be my daughter. :) She was able to get all of the pictures they needed of her spine and kidneys and weighs 1 pound 6 ounces (plus or minus 3 ounces). I saw her yawning, sucking her thumb, moving her eyes, and kicking the ultrasound probe with both legs/feet when it was placed over her. As a tribute to 2 of the namesakes, my sister, Annive, and Maura, she was moving her mouth. It looked just like she was singing.

The doctor appointment was fine as well, although not as much fun as the ultrasound. All of the ultrasound pictures showed no abnormalities, and Dr. Sam was very pleased about that. He put me on 2 new medications: one that helps develop Annive Maura's eyes and brain as well as lowers my blood pressure and one that lowers my blood pressure. Really, it doesn't need to be lower since I already have extremely low blood pressure but it needs to be stabilized. I have had some issues with my blood pressure suddenly plummeting which causes dizziness and black outs. So hopefully these new medications will help keep things on an even level. So far the medicine has side effects of making me feel dizzy and tired. Everything else looks great! He commented that I am small for being 6 months pregnant but that she is measuring exactly where she should be. Actually, he said she is measuring perfectly to the day of where I am in my pregnancy. He was quite impressed that she's so accurate.

Picture Update

Harville family picture

Relaxing in the glider

The baby monitor

Mom and me at the registry desk

Baby quilt fabric