New blog for Antonio....

Ok so I finally had some downtime over a couple days to create a new blog for Antonio. Here is the address: http://antonio-thomas.blogspot.com/; you may have to actually copy and paste the address. Please bookmark as you have with this one!

He is finally here! (possibly "to much info" included)

As most of you know Baby R, better known now as Antonio made his arrival 13 days ago. He is so amazing! The birth went well, a bit different than we wanted but all went well. Of course my last work day prior to my maternity leave was that Friday, the day it all began. We were not ready; we thought we had a week or at least the weekend to finish getting ready. Oh well.

Thursday night we went to bed as usual and I felt normal. However, I woke up in the middle of the night (around 3 am)needing to use the bathroom (nothing unusual about that either) and I noticed an unusually full bladder. I got back into bed and felt a bit of cramping but didn't think much about it, just thought maybe I moved funny. Sure enough I had to get up again about 5 am to pee again and again a very full bladder and now noticed mucusy, bloody discharge as well. I thought it was a bit odd but in my very sleepy state didn't think much about it. Then got back into bed and felt more cramping but a bit stronger so my mind started wondering. Then about 10- 15 min later another. My alarm was due to go off at 6 so it was only about a half hour until 6. So I laid there wondering what was going on. I wondered "is this what I think it is?". I concluded the mucusy discharge was my mucus plug. My alarm went off and Albert woke up. I told him what was happening and was instantly awake. I told him it was just the beginning and it could still be a long while before anything really happens.

I called into work and told them not to expect me since I concluded I was having actual contractions. I started noting the time and pain level between 1 and 10 of each contraction. They were pretty irregular. I knew not to even think about going in until they were 5 min apart for an hour. I wasn't even close so I sent Albert to work knowing he was only about 10 min away if I needed him. Well he was only gone for about 2.5 hours before I called him to come get me and take me in. We went in and got admitted to the triage about noon. Sure enough I was in labor and dilated 5 cm! Wow! They got a room ready for me and had the epidural waiting for me! : ) Once I got that life was good; I really didn't feel contractions after that. I had called my parents prior to calling Albert so they were already in route and met us at the hospital.

The doctor came in and checked me and yes, 5 cm! I couldn't believe it! A few hours later he came in again, only 6 cm. Then he came in about 6 and checked 7 cm but the contractions were good and strong so he thought that by the end of the night Baby R wold greet us. Well he had a different idea. About 10 the dr came in and I was only 8 cm, then he came in about midnight and I was 8.5 and he said he'd give me an hour or so to see if I would progress. The dr. came in about 2 and sure enough I was still only about 8.5 cm. I was not dilating like I should. So he wondered if I'd be up to having a c-section. At that point I just wanted him out so I said sure. I asked how soon baby would be out and he thought about an hour. WOW!!! So off I went to get prepped in the OR and about an hour later out he came. It was amazing, Albert got to see them actually pull him out of me and he was able to cut the cord. Shortly after weighing/measuring and cleaning him up Albert brought him over to me.....what an amazing moment!

They then took me to the recovery room with Albert and baby Anotnio where the gave me drugs to help with the VERY, VERY strong pain. At the time I swore I was dying, I was in so much pain. Finally the pain started subsiding and they took me to my new room where my mom was resting and waiting for us to arrive. Albert introduced her to her new grandson where of course a few happy tears were shed. : ) I had lost a lot of blood during the operation which made me anemic. Of course that then made/has made recovery a lot slower. We stayed at the hospital for 4 days because of it.

Monday morning the nurse noticed Antonio was still breathing a bit fast and had a pediatrician check him out. She felt it would be a good idea to take him downstairs to the NICU which of course freaked an already emotional me out. Albert went down with Antonio to the NICU which was hard. Turns out his breathing is fine but they found a little infection and gave him antibiotics to get rid of it. However, because they did they had to keep him for 48 hours. That made it so we were discharged the day before Antonio could be. Tuesday was a hard day. We were discharged around 3 but went down and stayed with him until about 9. It was the hardest thing I've had to do, leaving my new baby at the hospital. The next morning Albert went to get him and bring him home. I was to weak to go. About noon they got home and it was a very happy reunion.

My mom stayed with us for about a week to help with EVERYTHING thankfully. Without her we would have had a lot of trouble adjusting. I am still in some pain and have trouble getting around. I still cannot pick Antonio up and carry him around, which is so frustrating. Basically, I can't do anything that would use my stomach muscles, let me tell you...we use those muscles to do just about everything! It's been rough. I know I will feel better once I can pick him up and carry him around. I can't drive for awhile either so Antonio and I are pretty much tied to the couch; I am getting a bit of cabin fever too! : ( I will be starting a new blog for Antonio and once I do I will send out an email and put a link here too. So check back in a few days! Until then we could use some "get well" vibes sent our way.

3 cm!

So today I had a Dr. appt today and all seemed well. He asked if I wanted him to "check me out" and I said sure. He told me that first time mom's typically don't dilate until at least a week before since they typically deliver late. He didn't want me to get my hopes up. So come to find out I am 3cm! He was very impressed with the "progress". Here comes the "to much information" part. While he was down there he said he was trying to "stretch" my cervix and as he is doing this he tells me that it can trigger labor. Great... He said he would be surprised if I make it to my next appointment, which is next Thursday the 16th. SO.......any day now!!

Any day now.....

As most of you know I am officially full term now; in fact only 11 more days! Most first time moms go past their due date but my cousin was almost 2 weeks early so you never know! Albert and I are getting very excited to meet our baby boy. We are anxious to see him, whose eyes will he have? Whose nose and mouth? Will he have hair? Will he have a big head? Ok, so I am more curious about that than Albert for obvious reasons. : ) I have been lucky enough to have TWO baby showers where our baby boy got very spoiled. Everyone who attended were very generous. This baby will be the best dressed boy in town! We have been very lucky; THANK YOU!

A couple weeks ago I took a group b strep test to see if I had it. It is a bacteria that 1 in 3 women in general have but is benign to them. However, it can pose serious and potentially life threatening consequences to baby during birth. If tests came back positive they give mom antibiotics through IV during labor for baby. Luckily my test came back negative so no need to worry about it. Just one more test I "passed"! Hooray!

Last weekend, 4th of July, it was very warm here and to be honest, I was miserable! It was in the high 80's and no AC. Ugh. One day I just laid on the couch in shorts and my sleep bra and slept; if a human being could actually wilt, I did. It was rough. Now we are back to cool weather and I am so happy. The forecast looks to be more "normal" (mid 70's) through my due date which is so good to see! I start my maternity leave on the 13th and am so glad I decided to start it early. I was planning to work up to labor but in the past 2-3 weeks I have become very, very uncomfortable and tired. I've just been feeling so lazy and extremely sick of being pregnant. I just can't get comfortable doing anything except for sitting in my new rocker chair and putting my feet up but even then I am not 100% comfortable. Getting into bed and getting comfortable has even become a struggle. I seriously feel like I am 90 yrs old. It is sad and embarrassing. :( Luckily Albert has been very understanding and helpful.

Enough complaining for now. I will try to do one more post before baby R is born, depending on when he decides to show up. I plan to also blog once he has arrived and I may create a whole new blog for that. I will let you know know if I do! Please keep Albert, baby R and I in your thoughts and prayers that we make it through labor, delivery and the first few days of his arrival ok! Stay tuned, the next couple weeks should be exciting!

6 more weeks!

This morning was our last ultrasound before baby! Of course the u/s tech doesn't say anything regarding the reason we are there but it was so amazing to see Baby R! His head was down and ready for the "slip n slide". The tech did say that once baby's head is down it pretty much doesn't move until delivery. Amazing. We got to hear the heartbeat again which is always so amazing! Baby R had a foot right up at his head so there wasn't much of an opportunity for a good pic. It is amazing how flexible they are! The tech tried to move him so she could try to get a 3-D one for us but of course our wonderfully baby boy wouldn't move the foot! : ( She did get us a side view of the face and it is just so precious! I just cannot wait to meet him! They say 37-40 weeks is full term so anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks from now! Crazy.

Week 33

Just had my last "monthly" doctors appointment yesterday and all went well. From here I go every other week then every week in July! Crazy! I asked the doctor about the size of baby R because I feel enormous. He measured me, my belly, and said don't worry, you are about average, not big but average. Man, if I were "big" I really would be like a beached whale! Baby R's heartbeat sounded great, nice and strong! I go in for one last ultrasound next Tuesday to check on baby R's kidneys. Last ultrasound, about 20 weeks, it showed them a bit on the larger side of things so he just wants to make sure all is fine and that they are to big. He stressed it is nothing to worry about because they were just on the larger side of average.

However, I am thrilled to see baby R again! He will look so much bigger this time and of course I will get pictures and post them here. So check back Wednesday and hopefully I will have them up! My blood pressure and weight gain seems to be good. From here on out I've read that I will gain about a pound a week, which baby takes about half that. So if that is true I will gain about 7 more pounds give or take wait, who am I kidding, it will be more like 7 plus! : ) He has been moving like crazy! Not so much "kicking" as he is just moving around. It is so amazing how much he moves! I am doing well, considering. For those of you not in the Puget Sound area, it has been warm here, well HOT. So for being 7.5 moths pregnant, temps in the 80's and fighting of a bad cough and cold I am wonderful! : P

It's been rough lately.....

It's official, I am in the 3rd trimester and feeling it! I am actually 30 weeks 6 days (or 2 months 3 days until the EDD (estimated due date))!!! EEK!! I am so excited to meet him. My mom came over Mother's day and we painted and put up border in the baby R's room and it looks so cute! It is all coming together so cute. We finally ordered the dresser and then it will complete the room. I am so excited!

Baby R is moving, as he always has been, and I am surely feeling and "seeing" it more! It is amazing. I took my glucose test a few weeks back and passed with flying colors, however my iron levels were pretty low so I am taking an iron supplement. It isn't to bad except it does make me a bit nausea! Apparently it can make me constipated as well. Oh joy. One of the things "they" say happens in the 3rd trimester is constipation. I have been lucky enough to not have to deal with it but now it is like a double whammy! So far no problems, so cross your fingers for me! : ) A couple weeks ago I noticed my wedding ring was really tight and then one day I realized I couldn't take it off, it was stuck but it finally came off! The fingers are swelling as are the feet and ankles. "They" also say carpal tunnel is common in pregnant woman but goes away after the birth. I hope they are right because I am pretty sure I have it. The fingers, except for my pinky and thumb, are constantly numb and tender. Ugh....it sucks! I bought a brace to use while sleeping and hopefully it will help!

I have been so emotional too; it is wonderful! It is almost like a state of depression when I should be so happy. Don't get me wrong, I am so, so happy and cannot wait to meet baby R but yet "depressed". I am ready for all the hormone overload stuff is over as is my husband. : ) We took the childbirth prep class and I hoped it would ease some of the anxiety I have been having about childbirth. Unfortunately it didn't help much; I just now know more about what it going to happen which didn't exactly help! Hopefully Albert and I will remember what to do! So almost 7 months down and two to go! Hopefully we will be ready!

Thankful!

Baby R is moving a lot and there have not been any "down" days since the last one! Albert and I just found out that one of our friends is having twins and then a lady came into my work today and is having triplets! Wow!! Thank goodness there is just one here! I could NOT imagine having twins let alone triplets! They are the first for both our friend and this customer, which I suppose isn't so bad considering you don't know how much "easier" it would be with just one. The gal with triplets is having all girls; could you imagine 3 girls?!? Think about the prom's, wedding's and just plain clothes, shoes and purses!! This lady lady and her husband had to buy a new vehicle just to fit three car-seats in! Crazy! I tell you, it makes me very thankful for the one boy we are having! Phew!

On another note, as some of you know I took my glucose test Wednesday afternoon and have yet to hear from the doctor. I am hoping that is a good thing. I think my cousin said she heard the next day that she had failed it and had to do it again (a three hour test that showed she did NOT have gestational diabetes). So cross your fingers that I passed and don't have to do that one too!

Hello...anyone in there?!

Baby R, that is his name until we battle it out and pick one, is definitely making it known he is there! He is moving pretty regularly and offers up some good punches/kicks! I seem to notice him a lot right after eating so after dinner Wednesday night when I didn't feel much activity I started to take notice and wonder. I made notice of every little movement the rest of the evening and throughout the next day and there wasn't much. So before leaving work Thursday I called my doctor to see if my stressing about it was legit. Everything I see/read seems to say that if the baby stops moving to call the doctor right away. I talked to the nurse and she reassured me that since I had felt movement that all should be ok. She suggested I go home drink a glass of surgary juice or eat something with lots of sugar in it and lay down and monitor the baby's movement, big or small. She said to count every little movement. She said that if baby moved less that 5 times in an hour to go in to the triage unit at the hospital (basically a walk-in clinic for pregnant women open 24/7 at the hospital where I will have baby R). So I hurried home, got myself a glass of yummy, sugary juice and laid in bed (remember it was doctors orders to consume a bunch of sugar then lay down in bed!). Sure enough he started to move and within 10 min he had moved 6 times. Phew! : ) He continued to move the rest of the night and even woke me up a couple times with some good moves! : ) Of course I watched it today and he was back to his old self again plus some. He has been making up for yesterday today I think! The nurse had told me that some days the baby may not move as much or as she also called it, "they may have a lazy day here and there" just like adults. As long the baby doesn't stop moving all is fine! Double phew! He isn't even here yet and is already making me stress! Good times ahead!

Pregnancy has set in....

I am 6 months and 1 week pregnant and I feel it more than ever. At first it was the horrible morning sickness that took over my life for 3.5 months and now it's the hip pain when I wake up, the leg cramps and the need to pee throughout the night. I have been using a pillow between my legs at night and some nights it works well and others not so much. I also use a smaller pillow under my belly for support which does help! With all the pillows I use at night it seems like our queen size bed has shrunk to just a full. : ( During the day, I find myself moving a little slower, squatting down to pick something up instead of just bending over, using the bathroom more and just lacking being comfortable. It is not so much painful but just uncomfortable. However, overall, I am still feeling good!

The baby is moving a lot more and I feel him all the time; it is such an amazing feeling! Some kicks are pretty good ones! Albert has felt him a couple times and I have seen him move. My belly actually moves every once in awhile when he gives some good movement. I have been reading him a book by Dr. Seuess that is to be read in utero and I think (or maybe it's just coincidental) he is starting to recognize it. It is your usual Dr. Suess book with the rhyming and they say that the rhyming is what they (the babies) recognize! Amazing!

We have registered for some classes through the hospital that will hopefully help some of the anxiety that is starting to set in. Our first one is just a tour of the hospital on the 23rd of April then we have our first real class; Childbirth Preparation at the beginning of May. That should be interesting and informative!

Officially 6 months!

As of today, I am 6 months along and feeling it! I am feeling what I would call huge but unfortunately I still have 3 months to go!! I am felling baby move a lot now and Albert even felt him move a couple times. It is such a hit and miss type of thing that if Albert's timing is right he gets to feel him! Overall I am feeling great; every once in awhile I get a random "spell" where I get nauseous, hot flashes and a bit dizzy but usually as fast as it comes on it is gone. That's only happened a couple times in the past few months and from what I hear that is pretty normal. The bending over is definitely harder now; I can still do it but it's difficult. Sleeping is still good but I wake up at least 2-3 times a night however I fall right back to sleep! My parents bought us the crib and we got rid of the bed that was in the baby's room so now we can officially start getting it together. It is so exciting! I feel like we have so far to go still but in reality there's only about 15 weeks left! EEK!!!! I have my 6 month Dr. appointment tomorrow and expect all to be good. I will also have Albert take a couple pictures of my current belly as post them soon! Check back soon.....

5 months, half way there!

So it has been a week filled with, ummm, excitement. Last Friday, February 27th, I was on my way to the bank for my work and someone T-boned me. Trust me, it sounds worse that it really was. I am fine as is baby boy Rodriguez. I was driving down a side road when some "dork" (I had better choice words for him but I won't share them here) pulled out of his place of employment without stopping and slammed into me. Luckily he hit my passenger side and not my side otherwise it could have been worse! He was driving an older red geo metro and his bumper fell off! (serves him right!) Regardless, it was completely his fault which he admitted by saying, "I didn't even see you until I hit you!" AHHHH......... So long story short he finally called "back" his insurance today (a week later) and they of course are taking liability! So my poor banged up car will be fixed at the expense of the "dork"! YAY!

On to happier things, I think I have felt the baby move a few times. I am not 100% sure since I am not sure what it is supposed to feel like. A couple times it has felt like there was a big worm inside me moving; gross I know. Another time it was like having "gas bubbles" without the discomfort. So from what others have said that is/was the baby moving! Crazy! Last time we went to get an ultrasound they weren't able to take pictures of the heart they way they needed to. So today my mom came over and we went back. My mom was so excited since she hadn't actually seen the baby yet. It was neat to see him again with his little heart beating; it makes it all so much more real! : ) He was a bit more active today and they were able to get the pictures they needed! I see my actual doctor on Monday and he will go over it all with me then but the Tech gal said all looked fine! Yay again!

We are at the half way mark! I can't believe how fast it is going! I feel like just yesterday I was wishing I were pregnant! : ) I am sure once I hit the 3rd trimester it will feel like an eternity! I am feeling so much better than I did a month ago. Sleeping is starting to get harder while I am having trouble getting and staying comfortable through the night but I am sleeping! I am for surely showing now. I have never felt so proud about showing off my belly to the world. No, I am not lifting my shirt and showing people but I am not trying to hide it and let me tell you, this is the first time ever in my life I have felt that way! It is fantastic! ; ) Tomorrow, my cousin Suzanne and I are going to try to tackle Babies R Us for some "infant care" registry stuff. I figure that is the one area I am lost at how much to buy and which kinds are better! The rest Albert and I will hopefully be able to tackle on our own! I have received some excellent advice from some friends about what baby things we will need right away. It has decreased the stress level dramatically! Thank you to those of you who helped me out!

Here are a couple pictures from today!

So this one is a little hard to "see" but if you tilt your head to the right a bit you can make out the eyes, chin and mouth. Where the mouth is, it is more shaded gray that white! He was even looking at the camera for us!!

Here are his little feet! Who can resist little baby feet! :) So cute!

It's a boy!!

So today was the big day and we found out a couple things;  1. it's a boy and 2. he's lazy or as the ultrasound tech said "cozy" (he never moved the whole time we were there!).  Regardless, it's a boy and we are so happy to finally know.  It all seems more real new too!  Albert, of course, is thrilled!!  I was a bit disappointed at first to be honest then realized we wouldn't have to pay for a wedding (not the best "positive" but it was all I had at the moment!)!  I really was hoping for a girl, I mean I had a few names already picked out, a favorite bedding for the crib we haven't even thought about yet and even thought about all the pink I would get to buy.  Well all that changed today and now I look forward to blue!  

After digesting it and talking about it with Albert and co-workers at work a boy is a god thing. My cousin, Suzanne's son Shaun, just turned 1 last week and they live really close so he will have a playmate for life. One of my best friends, Erin who lives in Oregon, just had a boy in November as well!  So there are lots of new baby boys he will be around and new moms that can give me advice in this boy thing. The best part is that he is a "he" and not an "it" anymore. So now the fun comes, all the picking out of things in boy colors!  : ) 

I cannot believe we are having a baby and not just any baby but a baby boy!  Wow!  What a little miracle!  Our next doctor's appointment is March 9th but I don't expect any actual news to come from it but be sure to check back frequently!

Here is a side profile of baby boy Rodriguez from today.  His head is on the left with his body on the right and a hand sticking up in the middle!  The dark spot on his head is an eye socket and at the bottom of the body you can kind of see the spine and another arm and hand.  The white parts are bones!  It's hard to believe that this little human is living and growing inside of my belly! AMAZING!!!

Week 18

I am half through week 18 and officially showing! A customer of mine actually asked if I was pregnant.  I have the feeling some haven't said anything in fear I was just gaining weight.  I have been finally feeling somewhat normal for about 2 weeks now, finally!  I was so very sick for the first 3 and half months.  It was a rough going; it is a good thing I have such awesome, understanding co-workers.  They not only took good care of me but also helped keep my secret until I was full ready to share it with the world. 

Friday Albert and I get to possibly find out the sex; I cannot wait!  I know there is a good chance we may not find out then but at the same time if we don't I will be so disappointed!  So hopefully our baby is not as stubborn as we are! Of course I am very much hoping for a girl as well as my mom and good friend Rita.  However, Albert, his whole family and all the guys at work and very much hoping for a boy.  I will for surely let you all know when we find out! (Keep your fingers crossed we are able to!)

I will try to post something weekly to share what's happening with the baby and how I am feeling.  In the meantime thank you for all your support in this exciting path Albert and I are on.