Amelia Lynn is Here!

She is PERFECT! Amelia arrived December 6th, 2007 at 8:02 in the morning. She is 6 pounds and 10 ounces and 18.25 inches long (I was 6 pounds and 4 oz and 18.25). She does indeed have long legs!! She has a FULL head of brown hair (thank GOD since I made all those bows), beautiful blue eyes like her dad, and my coloring so we'll see what happens with that hair! She scored a 9 on the Apgar test and aced her hearing test today... She has the most adoring 2 sets of grandparents who cannot put her down and an Aunt Rinny who is very in love with her.

I am TOTALLY in love with her and so is her father. He is SO cute with her. She is a wonderful self soother and all the Happiest Baby on the Block concepts are working perfectly with her... Right now she is just laying here staring at me. Even her cries are sweet... they end in a meow like sound that sounds like "he he he"... it's adorable!

The hardest part has been recovering from the c-section... it is NOT an easy operation! The surgery itself was really scary to me (my first surgery ever) and the recovery has been painful. The first two days were a blur, today has been MUCH better thanks to the nurse adding motrin to my vicodin... it really worked!

I sent Roger home to sleep after the first night (the nurses would not leave us alone and it was pretty miserable) and Amelia and I have enjoyed spending the evenings together and then she goes to the nursery until her next feeding. She is a WONDERFUL cuddler!!!

Here is the link to view her hospital pictures... the password is fort http://www.webnursery.com/webnursery/parent/Registration.aspx?registrationcode=752hlee

You will also find pictures at http://www.amelialynn.shutterfly.com/action/

Today We Meet Amelia...

Forgive me if any of this rambles... it's 2:50 am and I just couldn't force myself to lay in bed any longer. I slept pretty well from 10:45 to 2am... but since then I've just been laying there thinking about the unbelievable joy this day brings.

We have to be at the hospital at 6am to check-in for surgery. Other than having my wisdom teeth out, I've never had surgery and I've never spent any time in a hospital. I'm nervous, but I know that c-sections are the most common surgery in the United States and I trust my doctor completely. The operating room is booked for 7:30am, so by the time most people are headed into work tomorrow, my job of a lifetime will have begun... I will finally be a mom!

Surreal does not even begin to describe how I feel about what lies ahead... I'm in utter disbelief of how much I can love someone that I've never met! Utter disbelief of how much my life can change in a matter of minutes... utter disbelif that I can give my heart and dedicate my life to someone before ever holding them in my arms. Yes, my life will truly change tomorrow... but I've always believed that the purpose of life is contributing to the next generation and that the best way I can do that is to raise an incredible kid or two.

In a few hours, that journey begins!

On a lighter note... We had the pleasure this evening of having my parents, Roger's parents and my sister over for some pizza and distraction. It was so wonderful to see the two families together both so excited about this little girl, she is surrounded by love.

There were lots of comments about the possibility of twins being in my stomach, I've gained 6 pounds in the last week and I am so short that I just look like a beach ball is stuffed under my shirt... here is my final belly pic.



Stay tuned for pictures of Miss Amelia Lynn Fort!

We Have a Delivery Date!!!

Tis the season for everyone's blood pressure to rise, so I guess when you have pre-eclampsia it's even worse! My blood pressure had stayed in the managable range, swelling in my feet had stayed down and I was feeling pretty good until last Friday. My blood pressure slowly started to rise and by Sunday it was in the "scary" zone... 160s/100s. My feet began to swell again and Monday morning I called the doctor's office.

I was sent to Labor & Delivery for a NST (non-stress test) for Amelia and some blood work and BP monitoring for me. Last time I was at Labor & Delivery I was in the triage area the whole time, kept my street clothes on and felt sure I was going home... I went in prepared for the same experience, but my expectations were quickly changed. I was put in a L&D room, put in a gown and told not to eat or drink anything else until further notice. I was scared! I called Roger and asked him to leave work and come sit with me... my worst fear is that they would decide to do a c-section and he wouldn't have time to get there.

So Roger came and sat by my side and we started mentally getting ready for our little girl to be here. After 4 hours of monitoring and bad tv, I was released to go home and told to see my doctor today for my regularly scheduled appointment.

The prognosis is that even though my blood pressure is high, my body and Amelia are handling it just fine. Well enough to wait until next week to deliver....

So Miss Amelia Lynn's birthdate will be Thursday, December 6, 2007!!

My doctor told me to get lots of rest from now until then and continue to monitor my blood pressure, but unless something drastic changes, she will see me in the OR next Thursday.

My c-section is scheduled for 7:30 am and hopefully if everything goes well we'll be accepting visitors Thursday evening/Friday morning. Roger will send an email out with the details after she is here.

The baby is coming!!! The baby is coming!!!

Here is my 36 week picture... we took it a day early...

35 week apt

Ok first of all internals suck! It wasn't so bad while I was there, but I spent the rest of the day having contractions and feeling icky... ended up going to bed for 3 hours. Yuck!

My blood pressure is high, but stable. Amelia looks good (they only do her weight ever other week). She was breathing and kicking and had a finger sticking in the air... she's so cute.

My doctor is calling the hospital to schedule my induction for the week of the 5th. She is also letting me choose if I want a scheduled c-section. She says that as of now my cervix is very high and closed and that it's not likely to change before 37 weeks, this will make induction VERY hard and labor VERY long and I could end up having an emergency c-section in the end...

Roger and I have talked and I think we are leaning towards the scheduled c-section route. The recovery from a scheduled c-section vs. an emergency c-section is much easier and this way we'll know a set date for everyone to head to town. I will probably need more help during the first few days home while recovering from surgery, but I think in the end it'll be worth it.

As soon as I have the date I will let everyone know. I'm going to call the dr's office tomorrow and let them know my decision.

I can't believe we only have 2 more weeks!

Amelia's Nursery

We finally finished Amelia's nursery... Here are some pics of her zoo themed room.

Door to her room with zoo mommies and babies...


View from door...


Changing table, diaper champ, growth chart & shelves...


Crib & more shelves...


All her treasures...


Closet door mural & letters...


Close-up of mural...


Bow holders...

34 Weeks

Here is my 34 week pic & progression pic.

34 week apt

Dr.'s appt went REALLY well... I got to see my doctor instead of someone in the practice and that made such a difference, I'm just more comfortable asking her things...

SO the news is that my blood pressure is continuing to increase (as we all know), but I've gotten Amelia through the scary time...


She is 4lb, 12oz and will be 34 weeks tomorrow which is their first goal. (According to Babycenter.com "babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.") She is meeting all of her measurement points (legs still measuring ahead) and her fluid levels and placenta look good.

At this point if my blood pressure increases again, they will deliver me (to 160/95 or higher). No sitting in a hospital bed for weeks, just time to deliver. :)

I asked if there is any possibility of me going past 37 weeks and she said no, we will be inducing the first week of December if she is not already here, so no Christmas baby for me (I'm kind of relieved).

I'll have my 34 week belly pic up tomorrow. Here is some more interesting info on premature births. Let's get Amelia to 37 weeks!!!

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1157.asp

Amelia's Latest Pic

Here is the ultrasound pic from last week...

33 week apt

Well today I met with the last doctor in the practice... they want me to meet with everyone, just incase I go into labor in the middle of the night and my doctor is not on call. This doctor was the "Happy Go Lucky" doctor of the group... usually this would be fine, but when you are dealing with a serious condition, it can be a little scary to have someone so upbeat.

The ultrasound went great, I ate some dark chocolate before the appointment and Amelia was super active! She danced around in my stomach and put on a little show. Her fluid levels still look good and she's growing like a weed.

I am continuing on bed rest, but we are a week closer to our goal of 37 weeks! Hang in there little Amelia!

Week 32 Doc Apt

Amelia looks great, she is weighing in at a whopping 4 pounds 3 ounces!!! She's measuring 32 weeks and I think her legs measured 33. Her amniotic fluid levels look good, she's head down but facing sideways... I thought that was her butt I was feeling in my left rib!

My blood pressure was high... ugh! It was 139/94 the first time and 143/87 the second... I got a big lecture about taking bed rest seriously and had to literally beg my way out of being put on hospital bed rest. I promised to do better and reassured the doctor that I thought I could do it on my own... I'm not ready to give up internet, tivo and Callie and Maggie just yet!

I got my 2nd steroid shot, which was MUCH better than the first, but the side effects have been awful! My cheeks are flushed and I'm jittery... I don't know how professional athletes torture themselves with this stuff!

So I'm off the hook until Tuesday, my next appointment.

32 weeks!

Well these weeks now become bigger milestones than ever huh? Today was my nurse visit and 1st steroid shot, it was AWFUL! The shot was very painful and I ended up having to lay down afterwards because I was so woozy... the good news is they said that my allergies will most likely clear up for the next 90 days after the two shots... especially good news for Roger who is tortured by my snoring!

Tomorrow is my ultrasound & doctor's appointment... wish me luck!

32 weeks


Progression - I know it's tiny...you can see a larger version of it here.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleerodman/1812453696/


Halloween Card


Painted tummy

Keeping Everyone Updated...

Today I got my results back from my 24 hour urine collection (I can't even tell you how much fun that was!) The test checks to see how much protein is in your urine, which is an indicator of kidney function.

Normal protein findings are 0 to 150...

Preeclampsia is diagnosed at 300...

Mine was 231...

So I am still in the "mild" pre-eclampsia stage and still on bed rest until delivery.

I had the opportunity to talk to my doctor (she called me with my results). It was SO nice to talk to her and not a nurse!

Her advice was that at this point I could deliver any day. She is concerned enough about this to go ahead and give me the steroid shots for Amelia's lungs. I will go in for one shot on Wednesday and one shot on Thursday. I will also have another ultrasound/dr's apt on Thursday. These steroids will help develop her lungs. http://www.webmd.com/news/20060608/preterm-birth-steroids

She told me that I need to be ready to be transfered to the hospital after any one of my appointments, but that her goal will be to get me to 37 weeks. I was reading earlier that for every day I can keep her in the womb equals 3 days in the NICU!

I guess that is it... I just need to take care of little Amelia and lots of thoughts and prayers are of course appreciated.

Ultrasound

My ultrasound went well, they only checked 2 things... the baby's movement & her amniotic fluid levels (they'll check her growth next week). Both were good... she has turned and is in the right position for delivery, although she's still pretty high. She was breathing and she looked great... although I feel a little spoiled by the 3d/4d machine... you just can't tell as much on the 2d.

Hopefully I'll find out on Monday what my protein levels were with my 24 urine collection & get some questions answered.

I'll admit that since I had my cousin with me, we went to Target to pick a few things up for me afterwards...

Well by the time we got home, my blood pressure had skyrocketed. I rested & it's back down, but I just needed to establish what my limits were... Unfortunately, it looks like those limits are pretty LOW! I promise I'm learning my lesson... no lectures please!

The news...

I had my 31 week appointment yesterday. Total weight gain for the pregnancy is 11 pounds, I am measuring 31 weeks, and her heartbeat was great...

Now for the bad news... My blood pressure was still too high and I have been placed on bed rest until delivery!! My only exceptions are to attend my parenting classes, doctor's appointments, interview pediatricians, and attend my baby shower.

I am now considered a "high risk" pregnancy and have been diagnosed with pre-eclampsia.

Tomorrow I go in for an ultrasound to see how Amelia is doing under the stress of my high blood pressure and then I will start having weekly ultrasound/doctor's appointments until she is here.
Lots of prayers are needed!!! Pre-eclampsia can stabilize and I could go full term or it could quickly get worse and we could have her here much too soon. My personal goal is to get her to 37 weeks (considered full term) which is December 5th.

Until then, I will be cooped up at the house, feel free to send funny stories and keep me entertained and pat Roger on the back for doing such a good job taking care of me!

Grrrr...

Bedrest continues... my foot swelling went down, but some of my blood pressure readings were still too high.... I know bedrest sounds like fun, but it's really not. How exactly are you suppose to fix lunch if you can't get up and no one is here? I'm SO bored!

I will be on bedrest until my doctor's appointment on Wednesday... the good news is, a cold front came in and I'm LOVING the cool weather!

1st trip to Labor & Delivery

I had rather hoped to not see the inside of HEB Harris Methodist until it was all done up for Christmas... something about garland and Christmas trees seem to take the scare out of hospitals in my brain... alas that was not in the cards.

For about 2 months I have had some localized swelling on my left ankle & foot. This swelling started after falling off the curb coming out of one of my many trips to Babies R Us after being startled by a car that was not intending to stop for an obviously pregnant woman... my doctor has seen the swelling and the ankle and said that sometimes when you injure yourself during pregnancy, you don't heal as easily. Your body is concentrating on other things and decides an ankle isn't worth it's time.

Slowly the other foot has begun to puff up as well and I haven't had my wedding rings on in weeks, all of which my doctor was aware of.

On Wednesday my ankle & foot had gotten so large that I jokingly took a picture of it and posted it to some of my pregnant & new mommy friends. They freaked. They assured me this is not normal pregnant swelling and then when I told them my blood pressure was 147/89, we all decided it was time for me to call the doctor.





After a 10 minute phone conversation with my doctor's RN yesterday, she said 1) she didn't forsee me actually finishing out my last two weeks of work and 2) that she was sure the doctor would want to see me that day.

I cannot explain the surprise when I heard back 20 minutes later and was told to head to Labor and Delivery!!! I calmly explained to my doctor's RN with tears running down my face that I didn't even know where Labor and Delivery was, which she assured me that they will direct me as soon as they see my 30 week pregnant belly.

The hospital experience was not so bad, I actually feel MUCH more comfortable about delivering there now that I've met some of the nurses and seen the way the L&D floor flows.

I was hooked up to a doppler belt that monitored Amelia's heartbeat and movement (crazy to listen to hiccups on a doppler like that, they are SO loud) & I was hooked up to a blood pressure monitor that recorded my blood pressure every ten minutes. I had some bloodwork done and after 3 hours of being monitored I was sent home.

Diagnosis: Gestational Hypertension (probably caused by dealing with a jerk boss the entire pregnancy) & edema (swelling).

Treatment: Complete bedrest with bathroom privledges through Monday to see if swelling reduces. Lowering sodium intake & any stressors.

Bedrest is horrible! I'm not good at staying still for long periods of time and everytime I think I have myself settled in for a little while I either need to pee, the dog needs to pee or I realize I need carmex.

The good news is I have 3 fresh netflix dvds, 3 episodes of Gossip Girl to watch & a nifty hospital bracelet.

I promise to update everyone next week. Until then, I'll be the lump on the couch!

30 WEEKS!

I am SO amazed that Amelia will be here in the next 6 to 10 weeks... That's right folks, Christmas is a mere 10 weeks away! Time to start shopping! So now what use to seem SO far away is now incredibly just around the corner!

My doctor's appointments are now every two weeks and last week's was COMPLETELY uneventful. I had gained 1 pound, blood pressure was fine and Amelia's growth was right on track. Next week I get to start meeting the other doctors in the practice, just in case my doctor is not around when I deliver. I'm looking forward to meeting them (all women) and seeing some different OB styles. As much as I love my doctor, I don't feel I can be as candid with her as I'd like to be.

2 1/2 more weeks of work!




(to see a bigger version of this picture - http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w170/afort/progressiontworow30.jpg )

Let the Third Trimester Begin!

The third trimester always seemed SO far away & now here it is! I'm 28 weeks today and I will admit I am hitting the "uncomfortable" part of pregnancy. Amelia kicks all day long (I have bruising on my diaphram) and sleeping has become a major adventure.

We went to see Momix on Saturday night (a dance performance) and it was the loudest music little Amelia has been exposed to... she JAMMED out the entire time... I truly think she was dancing in there!

Yesterday I gave my 1 month notice at work. My last day will be November 2nd. :) I want to start my stay at home mommyhood a little early so I can get some rest before she gets here and not be stuck in rainy/icy traffic for an hour each day while 8 1/2 months pregnant. Not that I think rain and ice are EVER going to get here at this rate... it's still 90 degrees outside everyday!!

Here are my 28 week pics...

3d Ultrasound

I received the best early birthday present yesterday (almost a month early, but hey who cares)!! Roger & I went to www.windowinthewomb.com and had a 3d/4d ultrasound done of Amelia. We wanted the reassurance that she really was a girl and to see how she is developing.

She's beautiful! There are a lot of 3d pictures that I look at and say, I can't tell anything about that baby, but I can look at these pictures and see what she is going to look like. I can see her smile and her nose and her little rolls of fat on her arms... it's amazing!

She is definitely girl!!! The ultrasound tech was able to point out specific parts of the female anatomy that you almost don't want to think about your daughter having... but I now feel much better about all the pink we've bought her.

It also looks like she has the Fort long legs... so I guess I better get use to the idea of my daughter being taller than me.

For me this was more than just pictures and a dvd, this was a bonding experience. I feel SO much closer to her now that I've seen her smile and I can't wait to meet her in 3 months!

The photos are even better when they are larger so here is a link to my flickr account. If you hit "slide show" you can really enjoy the details that the 3d images produce.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ashleerodman/sets/72157602200903474/

In 6 days I'll be in my 3rd trimester!!!

Just wanted to post a quick update...

Last weekend I went home to Corpus for my dad's birthday. It was a great weekend, lots of resting and pleasant family conversations, my sister came in town as well and it was the first time we had seen eachother in almost 2 years!

We had the opportunity to take my dad's mother out for lunch on Saturday, she's so tiny we really want to know how she carried 5 children! She doesn't think she has any pictures.







I had a doctor's appointment on Monday and had to do my glucose test to see if I have gestational diabetes (yes the drink is gross), luckily I do not have diabetes! I am however anemic and they are putting me on iron supplements. No wonder I've been feeling so tired lately! I now start going to the doctor every 2 weeks... this REALLY makes me feel like baby Amelia is coming soon!

Roger has dental surgery tomorrow and I am taking the day off to play nurse... then Saturday we have our 3d/4d ultrasound... I can't WAIT to see Amelia again. Keep your eyes on the blog for 3d ultrasound pics, they should be up sometime Saturday or Sunday.

26 weeks!

Today I am 26 weeks... WOW do I feel pregnant!

Amelia spends about 1/2 the day now kicking, flipping & punching me... I'm sorta ready for her to get bigger so she doesn't have as much room to wreak havoc. After weeks of playing possum with her dad (she would stop kicking the minute his hand touched my stomach), Roger is finally getting to feel her incredible strength! We can see my belly move when she kicks and a few of the kicks have become painful. Although I don't feel her often kicking my ribs, my ribs are now sore to the touch, I believe because of bruising.

I feel as though I am constantly whining these days (back pain, hip pain, rib pain, heartburn, and other fun ailments), but I am also completely aware of the miracle going on inside my body.

The pregnancy books say she is now 13 inches long and I am convinced she is going to have the Fort long legs. I now firmly believe that the women who have 15 kids are crazy, 2 will be fine for me thanks.

The coming weeks will be eventful... I am headed to Corpus this weekend for my dad's birthday, my last trip home before the baby comes. Monday I have my glucose test to see if I have gestational diabetes, next Friday Roger has dental surgery and that Saturday we have our 3d/4d ultrasound. Expect lots of pictures to be posted after that.

For now, here are my 26 week pictures...

24 weeks!

Today I'm 24 weeks... this is a HUGE milestone for us... the odds for a 24 week infant surviving if delivered after 24 weeks is 80%! http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/fetaldevelopment/24weeks/ We of course want to keep little Amelia tucked away in there for a few more months, but I'm definitely still breathing a sigh of relief!

As for changes in the last two weeks, Amelia is now kicking HARD... to the point that you can see my belly move when she kicks!!! I'm definitely rounding out (as seen in the picture below) and SO excited to be sporting some fall clothes. I took some time off around Labor Day and got some much needed rest and retail therapy!!!


My tooth is doing better, although it set my wallet back $350 for a night gaurd. :( My last doctor's appointment was completely uneventful... Blood pressure was great (even though my ankle has been swelling into a cankle lately), I've only gained 7 pounds the entire pregnancy (the doctor is very pleased), but had gained 4 since the last appointment... 2nd trimester is when you are suppose to gain the most weight so bring on the food!

My cravings have intensified!!! Lately it's been cheesecake, caramel, pistachios, rice krispie treats, & shrimp dip. I'm REALLY ready to go eat my way through the State Fair of Texas in a few weeks.

Roger's parents came to visit and it was SO nice to have them here. We got to do a little shopping at Babies R Us and they purchased our Pack & Play and Travel System for Amelia. Both had to be special ordered and arrived today via UPS to Roger's work... I can't wait to see them!

Roger has been already showing his SUPER DAD skills setting up the crib & dresser, installing a ceiling fan and dimmer switch in her room (turned out to be ALOT of work), putting in blinds and installing her valance. Her room is REALLY coming together. I painted letters for her wall as well.

Can you believe it?

I can't believe my due date is only 4 months away! When Roger's dad Newman mentioned it this weekend I was stunned... I think Roger was too... 4 months seems like nothing!

I've spent so much energy dreading summer and August (and rightfully so) that I was also shocked to discover that there are only 4 more days left in August!!! I know September will still be warm, but cool weather will be here before we know it!!!

I'm so looking forward to football season, fall tv shows, Christmas decorations going up in the stores & the first cold front... YIPEE!

22 weeks

Here is my 22 week picture...


and my progression picture...


Life is good... I am SO excited that there are only 9 days left in August! :) Fall weather and football are around the corner!

I'm finally having that burst of 2nd trimester energy everyone talks about & Amelia is starting to kick and somersault in my tummy on a consistent basis. Oh, and my appetite is back with a vengeance!

I had a little tooth scare this week... it looks like I'm grinding my teeth in my sleep & I've inflamed a tooth (a tooth I once cracked grinding it so hard). The dentist felt like a bite gaurd could solve the issue, so now I get to spend money on that! Oh well, better than finding out I need a root canal without pain medication... OUCH!

We are excited that Roger's parents are coming to see us this weekend! This is the first time we've seen them since we found out we are going to be parents. :)

Baby Registry

Amelia's registry is now complete! For some reason I have found registering for her stuff MUCH more fun than a wedding registry... maybe it's how cute & tiny all of the things are! Somedays it takes all the willpower in the world not to just start buying everything on her registry myself... I'd go broke quickly, but there is something totally comforting about buying her stuff and about seeing her room quickly become "her room". For now I stick to the clearance aisles... if it's on sale, it's likely going home. :)

We have registered for her stuff at Babies R Us http://www.toysrus.com/registry/index.jsp & good ole Target http://www.target.com/gp/browse.html/ref=nav_registries/601-2948169-3090534?ie=UTF8&node=306498011. Due to boredom at work, I believe it is the most comprehensive baby registry I've EVER seen (forgive me), here are some of the highlights...

I am in love with our pack & play and travel system material... it is so feminine and classy! She will sleep in the pack & play in our room for the first few weeks (or months).



For my techie friends, I think this is the funniest, yet useful mommy gadget I've ever seen...

It's called an "Itzbeen"... it helps you keep track of how long it's been since you changed the baby's diaper, fed the baby, slept, etc... specially designed for the sleep deprived mom!

The Cadillac of Exersaucers... this thing has SO many bells and whistles (literally)... You should have seen Roger playing with these at Babies R Us!


Anyone remember the episode of Sex & the City where the neighbor brought over the vibrating chair to soothe Brady... Gosh I hope it'll work!


The only swing on the market that comes with a "glide" setting... I absolutely love to glide... I wish they made one my size!


I think this one speaks for itself... I figure anything that might help deserves a place in the arsenal!


I have been in LOVE with this rocking elephant since the day I found out I was pregnant... I still can't believe I haven't bought him!


The three must haves according to every mom I know...

The Boppy


The Bumbo


The SwaddleMe Baby Wrap


Try not to go blind looking at the registries, I know we've gone a little overboard. Just wanted to share all the cute stuff we've found for her. Leia has graciously offered to plan a baby shower for Amelia in October/November for all of our Dallas friends... Yippee!