Where did the last year go?

We'v come along way since the last post. We're blessed to have our HEALTHY baby girl Jenna. Both of  our kids have birthdays coming up. Kody will be 4 and Jenna 1. Its almost like having Christmas before Christmas. Their birthdays are 2 weeks apart.

Kody TIDBITS
When asked some questions he replied.
Kodys favorite movie is LIGHTNING MCQUEEN and Looney Tunes
Favorite TV Show is How Its Made, Jake and the NeverLand Pirates, Wow Wow Wubzy
Most amazing thing about you? Eating
Which of your friends do you like the most? Our Neighbor Boys
 How much money do you have? 45 bucks How do you want to spend it? on a motorbike
Whats your favorite toy? take apart loader and farm toys
 HE LOVES "HIS BABY" sister. He knows his birthday, Can count to 20, Can sing his ABC's, Wants to know how everything works and why. He loves riding in the combine with his uncle Mitch during harvest, playing and riding bikes with our many neighbor kids, Loves spending time with Grandparents and being outside. Still has to have Chocolate Milk before bed. Goes to bed about 10 and sleeps until 7 or 8. His favorite person to be with is Daddy and he wants to be just like him.

Jenna TIDBITS
We feel very blessed to be able to hold and raise our little girl. Despite the struggle getting her here she was only 1 month early. We did have a minor set back with a 1 week stay in the hospital when she was 2 months old due to RSV. We have many blessings to count with Jenna.
Jenna is now  army crawling and starting to pull herself up on things. She goes to bed at 8 or 9, gets up once or twice in the night and usually sleeps until 8. She has 7 teeth and is a BIG eater for being so petite. Despite being under average on the growth chart she has her share of baby rolls. Some common names for her are Nenners, Nenna baby, Jenni, and Brat. She is very opinionated and will let you know how she feels. She has started to babble words like cracker, Copper, Dog, ma ma, da da, brother, bye bye and will try to say many others. She blows kisses, plays peek a boo, signs more, clicks her tongue, and watch-out she spits. Also She screeeches when Kody gets in her bubble.

We moved from Ririe into a rental house. We lived their just 2 months before we bought a home close to Rigby. We love our new house and wished it was on 20 acres. Don't get me wrong we have GREAT neighbors but for a couple of country kids it has been an adjustment. Jake is still teaching school but has given up the duty of football coach. I am still working PT for Dr. Lowder the orthodontist. I love my job. My aunt Marla watches my kids and my cousins while we work. They love her and I love that she cares for them like her own. Until next time hugs to all.

Kody happy 3rd combine present video

Almost 34 weeks and Birthdays?

Almost 34 weeks.This has been the LONGEST pregnancy ever!!!.....except not. I have had an ultrasound once a week since I've been admitted last. The baby is measured every other week and has been growing well. She's approximately 5lbs. Each week the results of ultrasound have been pretty stable and the same. However, today things seem to be progressing. I have some blood work and exams today but it may not be much longer. All along i've been joking that Kody and her will have the same birthday, which is tomorrow, October 26th. That's probably whats going to happen lol. My mom planned a small birthday party for Kody on Saturday and he came to the hospital to open presents and have cake and ice cream. Jake grabbed some pizza and I was so glad to be a part of the celebration. Poor kid having a hospital party....I'll make it up to him next year!! Tomorrow Jake and his family are planning to celebrate for Kody's Happy 3rd Birthday. They might come here for another party.....unless I'm in labor:) It is possible for me to go until a scheduled c-section. That would be in about 3-4 weeks. I've done 12 weeks of strict bed rest and have spent 9 of the weeks in the hospital so what's a few more weeks right?

He loved all of his presents that included: farm equipment, a nerf gun, color changing car, and money. When he was asked what he wanted his reply was always, " a combine". He was thinking of the one that could actually be driven. We told him we could only get it if we could live in it. His "Granny", my mom, got him this combine and it was truely "priceless". I'm going to try uploading the video.

Back to Hospital

On September 13th I came to EIRMC for ultrasound with Salt Lake specialist, Dr. Belfort. My sweet father-in-law dropped me off at the appointment. My cervix had thinned more and was "opening" in and under stitch....maybe I was going to start dilating? I had gone from 1.7cm of cervix to 1.3cm in 4 days. So i was admitted.During this week Dr. Huggins started me on a med to stop contractions. I take this every 8 hours now. Before it I was having back pain and pressure and now I hardly ever have this. I think this medication (Niphedipine) has mad a BIG difference.

Yesterday, September 20th, I had another ultrasound and things had improved. I went from 1.3cm of cervix to 2cm. (Normal people have 3-4cm). Today i was also started on a shot that is given once a day to prevent blood clots, since I've been on bedrest nearly 7 weeks. I feel I am taking so many medications but I'm having full trust in my doctors. I take niphedipine pill every 8 hours, the shot for blood clots everyday, progesterone shot once a week, after 30 weeks another steroid shot for baby, colace for constipation, and the usual prenatal vitamins.

Dr. Huggins says I will be here until delivery and guesses that I may have somewhere around 4 more weeks. That's good. It would put me somewhere in the 32 week range. A long way from the 22 week range i started this mess at. I have break down days more often now....I just cry for awhile them I'm good to go.

We also sold our house to Jake's sister and because I'm unable to house hunt we moved with my in-laws. We hope to find something that fits our needs a move out during Thanksgiving break but we'll get through this life chapter first. Leaving our house was very hard and emotional on the three of us. We'd lived there 7 years and all at once things were packed up and moved and we didn't have a part in it. It was done when Jake was too busy to help and of course I couldn't even pack boxes. Doing ok with this part now but all of us are a little anxious to get a place of our own to call home.

I love to see this smiley face and am lucky enough I get to see him every day.

My room board. It's the same room I was in before.....i think I own it now ha ha. Did you know the rooms are like 900 a night? Where's my 5 star hotel??

Baby and contraction monitoring done 2x's or more a day. Top heart rate, lower contrations.

Baby Names and updates

We've been trying to name our little girl, which is something we struggle with since Kody was 5 days old before he had a name. Some names we like are Jocelyn, Oaklee, Kenzie, Jenna, Jamie, Reese, Lyndee, Hannah, and Ellie. Hannah was recently vetoed by Jake due to Hannah Montana. We like Oaklee because we have a Kody, a wild west name and Jake's middle name is Lee. Funny story behind Ellie. Before we knew we were having a girl Kody insisted that it was a boy and his name was Eli. When I discussed with him that we needed to pick a girl name and suggested maybe Ellie instead of Eli his reply was, " Like Ellie-gator?" ha ha love the things kids come up with. As for the other names we thought we would mix our middle names for her middle name ....LeeAnn.

Kody has been busy with grandma n grandpa, Cassie n Austin, and mornings have been hard. Some mornings he tells me he wants to stay home with me but for the most part he's doing well. I'm greatful to have family taking care of him.

Jake has started school and has football after that. His Ag shop will not be done for another month. He's a little overwhelmed with that and the stress of taking care of Kody, a wife, a house, and meals. We love him and all he does for us.

My ultrasound looked a little worse yesterday. My cervix has thinned more but realistically look how far we've come. I've been on bed rest 5 wks, had steroid and progesterone shots, hospitalized 2 1/2 weeks at 22 wks, and surgery at 23 weeks. I think we've made some accomplishments and hope to hold her in until at least 30 weeks. I feel terrible today though but I had a long day of appts yesterday....might have overdid it.

Hoping September flies by

Friday's appointment w Dr. Huggins went well. Everything looked normal and I got my progesterone shot. I was so brave and didn't even flinch. The weekend I didn't feel the best. I've been having lower dull back pain. Not alot of pain just annoying feelings that I DON'T like.

Yesterday's ultrasound with the specialist looked good again. Before the specialist comes in to the appointments the ultrasound tech does the ultrasound and takes photos. I need to not watch these before the specialist has a chance to speak because I had worked myself up that it looked worse. .....That's why people have training and degrees :) I thought for sure things looked worse than they had been and had even convinced myself that they would probably keep me at the hospital. The specialist ended up telling us that things looked the same and to continue what i've been doing. Afterward I went to see my friends at Labor and Delivery...I know almost all the nurses now and their life stories. They hooked me up for monitoring of the baby and contractions. I'm happy to report that baby looks great and she weighs about 2 lbs now. Grow baby grow. My goal is to make it at least through September by then I will be 30 weeks and feel a little more comfortable about things.

I see Dr. Huggins on friday and I have to do that Yucky glucose test...NOT excited. With Kody I ended up sick. My next ultrasound is Thursday the 9th.

Kody and Jake have been hanging in there also. Mostly they just try to stay busy. This is good for me cuz I am able to really rest. Kody spends alot of time with Grandma Shelley and loves to play with cousin Austin. Jake is getting ready to start school which he is not really thrilled about especially because his new Ag building won't be done in time. The kids will have to continue being bused to the old Ag shop until it's fininshed. Completion is scheduled for the end of September. Things will get tricky once school starts with appointments and football in full swing. The first football game is this friday and its at West Side. I'm a little nervous about Jake being so far away but good luck boys. They're a good team.  Hope the month of September flies by.

25 Weeks!!!

I got my 3rd Hunger Games Book!!! It was mailed to my mom's house and when I asked if it had arrived she told me no. Then my brother surprised me last night and brought it. Mockingjay- I haven't started it yet but am sure once I do I won't put it down until finished. I've been working from home on my laptop. Dr. Lowder offered to pay me to keep up on Aspen Orthodontics Facebook Page, Blog, and quarterly newsletters. What a great boss I have!! I might add he's an excellent orthodontist if anyone is looking.

Jake is busy working today with his dad and Kody went to daycare w Cassie and Austin until later this afternoon. Kody's been such a good boy. He's been able to stay at home with me for a few hours at a time. Jake's sister Alex is a Sugical tech at EIRMC and her shift gets done at three so she's close if I need her. Kody's napped and helped me get things. Jake sets him up with a juice cup in the fridge and some snacks that he can help himself to. It's nice that he's potty trained and is able to take care of potty things by himself.  Kind of sad for me that he's so grown-up and he'll be 3 October 26th.  At nights when Jake is at football practice Kody is usually at Grandma and Grandpa Landon's and plays with Austin. They bring me dinner every night and get Kody bathed and ready for bed. Jake picks up Kody after football and brings him home to bed. It will be sad when school starts and I'll have to send Kody to a sitter everyday. I think it's probably harder for me than him but he doesn't quite understand why he can't just stay home.

As for my health, I had really bad cramping last night and debated going back to the hospital. I decided they weren't contractions and have been resting more today and seem to be better. Baby Girl  (no name) has been really active also and is definately getting bigger. Tomorrow is my appointment with Dr. Huggins for the usual check-up things and my shot. Hope the drive to Idaho Falls goes better.