32 weeks

Whew! We have successfully made it to 32 weeks.  There have been several moments in the past two weeks when I questioned whether or not we would.  I have spent several days and nights in the hospital hooked up to monitors and getting all kinds of shots and medicine in an attempt to stop pre-term labor and to keep our baby from getting here too soon. Everything is looking OK right now and baby boy looks just as healthy as can be.  He is even measuring a little big and boy oh boy is he a mover.  I'm just trying to be so careful and take it easy so we can at least make it 34 weeks. I have contractions all day every day but it's so worth it because I know at the end of this I get a beautiful little boy.  After 34 weeks they won't stop labor so I suppose we could potentially have our baby here much sooner than we thought.  We are starting to wrap our brains around that and we are getting so excited to meet this little person that I've been cooking for so long.  We feel so blessed to be this little boys parents.

The past two weeks have been some of the longest and probably the most stressful of my life.  I simply would not have made it through without the help and support of so many. I feel so grateful right now for all the love that Blake and I received through this all.  

I am so thankful for my husband who almost never left my side for a good six days.  He stayed home with me and made all our meals. He rubbed my back when it would ache and I would have contractions.  He would hold heat pads on my back and then ice if that felt better.  He watched hours of TV with me and would tell me everything would be OK when I started stressing that I wasn't doing enough.  He worked tirelessly on school even though he couldn't go.  He comforted me every time I got to stressed or sad and he made me laugh so much.  His birthday was November 9th and I couldn't do one thing for it and he didn't care.  We just sat together and hung out and he lied and told me it was a great birthday and I believed him because I was so tired but now I know it was the worst birthday ever.  He was so strong when I wasn't.  When I had to go back in the hospital for a few nights he spent every night right next to my bed holding my hand.  He didn't sleep much but he never complained and would get up early every day to go back to school.  He has been my greatest support through this whole ordeal.  

I am so grateful for my sister Nina who, even though she has four kids, dropped everything several times to do stuff for us.  She sat in the hospital with us for hours on end even though I know she was exhausted.  She brought Blake funfetti cupcakes on his birthday cause I couldn't make a cake.  She brought us movies and TV shows to watch to help pass the time.  She was there every time I had a concern or a panic and she would talk to me about it and tell me it was normal and OK.  

I am grateful for my brother Dan who drove down on Tuesday to sit in the hospital with me and made me feel secure that should that baby come that day he would still be OK.  He made me laugh and feel calm.  I know Dan was tired because he had been out of town and had flown in late the night before but still he came and it meant so much to me.

I am grateful for my parents.  They were in Europe but they still called every couple of hours to make sure things were OK.  I am sure they spent hundreds of dollars making those phone calls but they didn't care.  Then, the minute my mom got home she came down and stocked our kitchen full of food, cleaned our house, washed all our towels and sheets, and just sat with me so that Blake could go to school.  It meant so much to me because she knew what I needed without me asking.  When I went back in to the hospital Wednesday she was down here in a matter of hours and she sat with me all day long and got me everything I needed because I couldn't move.  Blake and I really would not have been able to get through it without her.  

I am so grateful for my sweet in-laws who were willing to drop everything to fly out and be here with Blake and I if we needed it.  They were always calling and were so concerned.  Blake and I were supposed to fly to San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with them but now we can't and they have been so sweet and understanding about it.  My mother in law even bought tickets to come stay with us for a few days after Thanksgiving to help us out.  They are so supportive and we felt their love every day all the way from California.

I am so grateful for our wonderful friends who called frequently to make sure we were OK and to see if we needed anything.  Our sweet friends Marshall and Lisa even brought us stuff for Blake's birthday and brought me beautiful flowers. They also came and visited us every night in the hospital and helped raise my spirits and brought some new life to our boring hospital room.  All of our friends are busy and they didn't have to do one thing for us but they were so kind and made such an effort and it meant the world to both Blake and I.  We would sit and talk about how blessed we are to be surrounded by such good people.

I am so grateful for my doctor.  The day I went in was the first time I had ever met him because they do a rotating system at my office.  He delivered my sisters last two babies and he is the greatest guy.  He was so on the ball and checked on me at the hospital several times then called me later in the night.  When I went back he dealt with me again and he has seen me every time I've gone to the office since.  He is so funny and makes me feel like everything is going to be OK.  He even got me a handicap parking pass so that I didn't have to walk so much at school and suggested I get a jazzy and a padded helmet to go with it. HA! On that same note we had the best nurses who were so sweet and helpful and helped us feel relaxed in the midst of a stressful situation. 

This list could go on and on.  I'm grateful for my brother Brandt who called and texted every few hours from California to see if I was OK.  For Blake's siblings who called and came and visited and would sit with us and make us laugh.  For all the people who brought us treats and sent us nice texts and messages.  For all my teachers for being understanding and allowing me to make up tests and missed points.  Really we have been blessed in every way imaginable the past few days. 

So while the past week hasn't been easy and it has been scary I wouldn't undo it because it has shown me just how blessed I am.  When it comes time to go around the dinner table this Thanksgiving and say what we're thankful for I will have a long, long list.  I have so much to be grateful for.  

And now just for the sake of recording it here are the belly pictures for the past while! I'm getting enormous.  

27 weeks.  I loathe this picture.  I'm actually carrying the baby in my cheeks here. 

28 Weeks

29 weeks                                                                             30 weeks

31 weeks

And finally 32 weeks

We're getting so close!!

Also, we're going private so please post your e-mail address if you'd like an invite!