Monday, June 27, 2011

39 Weeks

We're almost there!  Nothing much has changed since last week, other than my feet and ankles have returned because I've been on bed rest.  [Who knew the doctor's actually knew what they were talking about?! haha]  One thing I did forget to mention last week though is that my 2-mile daily walks with Timber have ended. [Insert VERY SAD face here] Obviously I can't take him for a walk because of being on bed rest now, but I had stopped about three days before the doc told me to stop because the swelling was so bad that my feet would go numb by the time I was done walking.  Both him and I really miss the walks - it was our bonding time together.  Luckily, Michael's Dad will be home from the European cruise shortly and Timber will be able to get some exercise again.  I feel so bad for the poor puppy... he just lays around and pouts now, but I guess it's also good training for him for when the baby comes because he won't be the center of attention anymore.

My doctor's appointment today had good and not-so-good news.  The good news - my blood pressure has dropped to 136/84 (yay!) so Dr. Brown was pleased even though it's still a bit on the high side.  And I'm just about 1cm dilated.  The bad news - I'm ONLY 1 cm dilated, the baby hasn't dropped and because of my high blood pressure, Dr. Brown wants to induce me next week.  The plan goes as follows if I don't happen to go into labor before next Tuesday:  On Tuesday, I'll go in to have my blood pressure and cervix checked again and the doctor will insert laminaria sticks (aka dried seaweed) into my cervix to hopefully 'ripen' it and speed up the onset of labor.  The following day I'll be admitted into the hospital and will be induced and our little one will make his/her appearance shortly thereafter (hopefully!).

Like I had mentioned in my previous post, I would prefer to go into labor naturally.  However, because my blood pressure is already high I don't really plan on fighting the doctor to let me wait it out.  I would rather ensure both my baby and myself are safe and if that means being induced, then so be it.  And it's not like I have anything else to really compare labor and delivery to.  I have seen a natural birth before without any medication (my gorgeous little niece, Allison) so being induced can't be much worse, right?!  Who knows!  I just want us all to be safe and sound!!

On a random side note - Michael woke up from a dead sleep in the middle of the night last night because he had a bad dream.  His dream included losing me in the delivery of our child.  He was so freaked out about it that I had to calm him down.  I reassured him that everything will go smoothly because I have some awesome doctors who are looking out for me and he was able to go back to sleep.  But seriously...I thought only us pregnant women were the ones allowed to have crazy dreams?!



I know this pic isn't technically correct since part of my face and arm is blown out by the sun, but I like the shadows.  And well, it was just too darn hot to wait around for the sun to move. I wanted to get it over and done with! haha 

Friday, June 24, 2011

Saying Goodbye....

Michael and I picked up our new car this afternoon!  We traded in my 2004 Toyota Corolla (aka Sydney) for a used 2011 Hyundai Sonata.  We originally had planned on keeping Sydney and driving it into the ground because she was such a reliable car and we really had no need to buy a new car.  But once I had the carseat installed, we realized it was a little too small for our liking.  I felt super cramped while driving because I had to move the seat closer to the wheel so it wasn't touching the car seat.  And the backseat was virtually non-existent now because the carseat took up a lot of space so we would never be able to take anyone else with us in the car.  So we had started talking about trading in Sydney (so sad!) for something a bit bigger, but nothing too extravagant.  Well, we went out on Tuesday afternoon after my doctor's appointment to look at cars and we ended up coming home having purchased one!  It was a bit of a surprise to us, but they gave us such a good deal on the Sonata and and my beloved Sydney as a trade-in, that we couldn't pass it up.  It was definitely tough saying goodbye to my beloved Sydney, but I made sure to take a picture with her before we parted ways!

My love, Sydney
Our new ride, the Sonata

Oh, and I must mention that we are now a family of silver cars.  Sydney at least used to switch it up a little bit because she was blue (indigo ink pearl, to be exact), but we now have three silver cars - the 4Runner, the Civic and now the Sonata.  I used to poke fun at Michael's parents because all three of their cars are the exact same color, maroon - but I guess I can't do that anymore.  Sad.  :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

38 Weeks

**Disclaimer - this entry is going to be quite lengthy**

This past week has been quite interesting.  The swelling in my feet and ankles has gotten to the point that by the end of the day my feet look like balloons.  I've narrowed down the swelling in my hands to only happen when I'm lying on my right side or when I'm talking on the phone and holding it up to my ear (strange, I know!).  And my lower back hurts the most when I'm trying to do dishes because of how far I need to lean over the sink to do them since my huge baby belly gets in the way.  But other than those few minor things - I'm feeling great!  Baby Sevigny has been VERY active and I can finally feel him/her on the left side of my belly.  

Regarding my doctor's appointment yesterday, I went in for my routine weekly check-up.  They had me pee in a cup, weighed me and then took my blood pressure.  Well, the second the nurse took my blood pressure she said to me 'I don't like that at all.  Nope. Not one bit.'  So of course, I ask what my BP was and she said 144/100.  I think to myself  'oh crap - that's not good at all' and the nurse tells me I'll most likely get a lot of attention - way more than I'll want - and then leaves the room and has me wait for the doctor.  Dr. Welch comes in shortly thereafter and having already reviewed my chart, let's me know that since this is the third time my blood pressure has been elevated in recent weeks, she's going to have me stay for an observation period.  She also wants the nurses to perform a nonstress test on the baby, have me get blood work done and give a 24-hour urine sample to check for protein, which would be the deciding factor if I was to have preeclampsia.

So after having gone through all of this with me, she then checks the baby's heartbeat which was hovering around 160.  And next, she checked my cervix to see if I have started to dilate, which I definitely have not.  (I think Baby Sevigny likes it in my belly and wants to hang out there for a little bit longer!!)  Dr. Welch then sent me up to the labor and delivery unit to be admitted for observation.  I filled out all the necessary paperwork, got my hospital bracelet and got situated in a bed.  I laid in a bed hooked up to the machines for about an hour to an hour and a half and had my blood pressure monitored, the baby's heartbeat monitored and a lab tech came in to draw my blood.  Once all of those tests were said and done, the nurse and Dr. Welch came in to tell me everything looked good - my blood pressure had lowered and was normal, the nonstress test showed the little one's heartbeat and movements were perfect, and my blood work came back normal.  The only thing left was to collect the 24-hour urine sample, bring it in for testing and then meet with Dr. Brown the next day for the results.

Oh and Dr. Welch informed me that if protein was found in my urine there would be a possibility of me being induced.  Ummm... excuse me, what?!  I'm not ready to be induced and neither is my child.  I haven't even started to dilate yet, nor have I packed my bag for the hospital.  So guess what I did when I got home that afternoon?  Yup.. packed mine and had Michael pack his bag for the hospital.  I must admit though - during all of this I was pretty calm.  Even when I was laying in the hospital bed, it didn't scare me that a baby is coming in the next couple of weeks and I wasn't panicking at all, which I guess is a good thing!  :)  The only thing that got me a little worked up was that I could potentially be induced.  I'm pretty laid back about the whole birthing process and doing whatever it takes to make sure the baby enters this world safely.  But a possible induction when I hadn't even started to dilate yet scared me because I knew that would lead to a long, long labor.  But if the baby was in trouble, I didn't really have a choice so I just had to accept the fact and come to terms with it, which both Michael and my family helped me out with.

So today rolls around and I bring my urine sample to the lab for testing in the morning.  Michael and I then head to the hospital for our 3pm appointment to meet up with Dr. Brown.  I go through the whole process of peeing in a cup (didn't they already get enough of my urine?!), getting weighed, having my BP taken (140/90) and then waiting for Dr. Brown.  He comes in and informs us that there was no protein in my urine (YES!!!) and that even though my BP is a little high, it's within the normal limits for the third trimester so I won't be induced today.  Phew, what a relief!  But he did talk to us about putting me on bed rest and making sure I am relaxing and keeping my feet elevated for the rest of the pregnancy.  He also discussed the fact that I'll probably be induced right when I hit 40 weeks if I don't go into labor before then because of the risk to the baby with my high BP.  But for now, I need to take it easy and have Michael wait on me (yes, those words did come out of his mouth! He even offered to write it down on a prescription pad so I could take it home and put it on our refrigerator! haha) and he'll see me in a week.

So... until next Monday... I'll be on bed rest and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little one!


Notice the hospital bracelet?!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Maternity Pictures

For once in the life of a Kocon, mother nature actually cooperated for us!  We had a gorgeous day (a little less humidity would have been nice, if I do say so myself) and we ended up staying right here in town for the pictures.  Actually, we stayed right on our road!  While I was walking Timber earlier in the week I had noticed the backside of a barn right down the road from our house that would be the perfect background for our maternity shoot.  So we started there, then headed down to my cousin Marc and Jen's house and finally ended up at the Mukluk Sprague Land Reserve.  It was very convenient for clothing changes and for keeping Timber happy while we were away!  

**I would post all of the pictures, but that would take up way too much space so I'll just post my favorites from the session.  The remainder of them can be seen on my facebook page.**

















A very special thanks goes out to Kimmy for shooting our session.  She did an absolutely amazing job and we couldn't have asked for better images.  We will treasure them for years to come.  Thanks sis! We love you! :)

Baby Sevigny's Nursery

The long awaited nursery pictures have finally arrived!  I wish I would have taken a picture of what the room looked like before to show the awesome transformation, but I completely forgot to do that!  EPIC fail Melissa!!  Either way though, Michael and his Dad did an awesome job of getting the room ready - the spackling of all the holes in the walls left from the previous owners, the two-tone painting, the chair rail, the wallpaper border (I helped with this!) and everything else!  It looks fantastic guys - thank you so much! :)

I knew I wanted to do something different in the room other than just plain yellow or green since our little one is a surprise - so when I found this bedding set online, I was ecstatic!  And luckily for me, when I showed it to Michael he really liked it too! (Phew.. what a relief!)  The theme is 'Down Under' and it definitely brings me back to my study abroad days in Australia.  And what could be better than kangaroos, koalas and crocodiles?!  Michael and I figure if we raise our child to love Australia, hopefully he/she will want to study abroad like his/her mommy did and we'll have a reason to go visit the beautiful country!!  Nothing like trying to brainwash our kid during infancy!  haha ;)









I must give props to my sister, Kimberly and my momma, Kathleen for finding us the glider and changing table on craigslist for super cheap!  They are both bargain hunters and found us those two great deals! Thanks ladies!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Celebrating Michael's Birthday

Michael's actual birthday was yesterday, but he ended up having to work late and I had to teach dance class so we decided to celebrate tonight instead!!


You're how old. honey?!  33!

Michael and his yummy ice cream cake with extra frosting!

Allie hanging out before cake with her bagel

Katie tried to help Uncle Mikey blow out the candles, but she was sitting a little too far away!

"Look Cioci, I have a blue tongue!!"

Dad feeding Allie ice cream...don't tell Mommy!

Ice cream is yummy in Allie's tummy!

"Look Katie, I have a blue tongue too!"

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Playing with Katie

Wednesdays are usually the day Kimmy takes my weekly picture for the blog.  We head over to my mom's house and while Allie is sleeping, Katie usually comes outside with us and Kimmy takes my picture.  Well, today Katie wanted to play in the sandbox while we were busy with the camera.  Here are a few images from the day...

Katie looking down at all of her toys in the sandbox

"No Cioci - don't take my picture!!"

Kimmy holding Katie because she was scared of the spider in the sandbox

Piggies in the sandbox!

37 Weeks

In about three weeks time I'm going to be a momma!  I still can't believe it... it doesn't seem real - even with all the kicks I feel on a daily basis, the nursery being finished (blog entry to be posted soon), the car seat installed and everything else baby related in our house.  But soon enough, Michael and I will be holding our little bundle of joy and those sleepless nights will make it feel VERY real.  I will admit - and you can call me crazy if you want - but I'm looking forward to those sleepless nights with our peanut because it means he/she has arrived and is a healthy baby! :)

At my appointment this week I met with Dr. Briggs.  I never thought I would feel comfortable with a male OB doctor, but his bedside manner and personality made me feel so at ease with him.  He was very easy to talk to and he gave me a quick ultrasound peek at our peanut!  I definitely wouldn't mind having him deliver our little one!  In health news though, my blood pressure was perfect this week! YAY!  I talked to Dr. Briggs about how the swelling doesn't seem to be getting any better and that it's actually happening in my hands now at nighttime (along with some numbness), but he is not at all concerned since I don't have any of the other warning signs for preeclampsia (protein in my urine, swelling in my face, headaches, etc.).  He told me to keep an eye on everything, but that it's very normal for all of this to be happening at this stage in pregnancy.

While Dr. Briggs was measuring my uterus and feeling around for the position of the baby, he said the baby was definitely head down.  But then while we were listening with the doppler, he was trying to locate the position of the heart, which happened to be 2.5-3 inches below my left breast.  Dr. Briggs thought that was a little high considering our peanut is supposedly head down so he pulled in the ultrasound machine and started it up.  While we were waiting for it to warm up he started to go over the options if the baby was breech, but like two seconds later the ultrasound picture was up on the screen and there was our baby's ginormous (it's gonna hurt!!) head facing down.  So Dr. Briggs said 'nevermind!' and he proceeded to tell me the baby is not transverse and he/she has a perfectly symmetrical head.  Now, if you know me, you know that made me smile - I love symmetry! :)  He tried to show me the face, which is the freeze frame picture below, but our peanut did not want to stay in one position for too long so it's kind of hard to see the details.  And if you're like Michael, you will just call it 'a blob'!  Silly daddy!!

If you tilt your head to the left, you can see the outline of the head.  Then you'll see the forehead, left eye and nose.






Saturday, June 11, 2011

Our Birthday BBQ

For the past three years, Michael and I have been throwing a joint birthday BBQ/picnic since our birthdays are only three weeks apart (mine is 5/25 and his is 6/15).  This year we didn't have the beautiful sunny weather like we've had in the past, but that didn't stop us from celebrating and having a good time with friends and family!

Yummy cake!

Dad and Allie-Cat

Dan and Chris

Colin and Michael playing some ladder ball/golf..whatever it's called!

Mom #2 and Cioci Sue

Gram and Uncle Steve

Dad #2, the chef for the day and Dan

Kimmy, Matt and Stacey (aka Monkey) playing a game


Laurie and I

Conner (apparently not happy at what he is watching), Cameron, Lilly and Katie-Bug

Cousin pic!

The Birthday Kids :)

The Brewery Tour gang - Matt, Lauren, me and Michael