Weekend Update and Lily’s Arrival

Last Sunday night, I was unloading the groceries and realized that I didn’t make it home with my trail mix bars. I paid for them, but they were never put back in my grocery cart. I knew then that there must be a whole bag of groceries missing and I wouldn’t notice it until I decided to cook something and didn’t have all the ingredients. That occurred Friday night. Allison came into town for the weekend. She got here around 8:30pm and since my sodium diet restricts basically all restaurant food, we decided to make potato soup and broccoli cheddar cornbread. Unfortunately, the missing grocery bag held the potatoes and the Jiffy cornbread mix. Needless to say, we didn’t have potato soup and cornbread for dinner. It would be one thing to be missing the cream of onion for the soup or the cheese for the cornbread. It’s quite difficult to make potato soup without potatoes or cornbread without cornbread mix. Instead, we ordered Steak Out and didn’t eat dinner that night until 10pm!

Saturday, Ashley and Brian came up and they, along with Brent and Allison, worked in the nursery all day–washing clothes, hanging pictures, organizing closets, sanitizing bottles, etc. It was such a blessing to have their help! The nursery is completely ready for Lily, minus the bedding and curtains (which Santa Claus is bringing this week–I put in an early arrival request once I went on bedrest). Saturday night, Brent and Allison went to the Christmas tree farm and cut down a tree. I had decided I would be ok without a Christmas tree this year (which is SO unlike me, but I figured it would be easier on everyone) but Brent insisted. So, they came home with the largest tree I’ve ever had in my house…getting close to the size of Uncle LaDaryl’s tree (and that’s really large…the circumference of the bottom of the tree is usually greater than the height). Brent had to cut off a foot from the top of the tree to get it to fit in the den. I’m thankful that we still do not own a tree topper, because it would not be on the tree this year. Brent and Allison claimed that it didn’t seem that big on the farm. Well, of course not, because the sky is the limit out there! After buying 300 more lights, they decorated the tree while I laid on the couch and kindly gave orders. And of course, Elvis serenaded us with beautiful Christmas music. Although the tree is large, it’s definitely my most favorite tree ever. I could stare at it all day long. It’s colossal size just adds to the many memories that will be made this Christmas season. And, I must add, Elvis brought my BP down that night (104/59). That’s the lowest it’s been, so I guess Elvis will need to come with us to the hospital.

I went to the doctor today. Heard some good news: my doctor no longer thinks I have preeclampsia, just PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension). PIH can still be a serious issue, just not as serious as preeclampsia. My BP was high again (160/80) but it’s never been near that high at home. I showed her my BP readings for the past week, and there were only a few that were high (140s/80s). It’s always after a shower or eating a meal that my BP goes up. Sadly, that’s the most activity I get these days. I’ve lost more of the water weight that I gained! My stomach measured 39 cm, so Lily is quickly running out of room. The doc hooked me up to the fetal monitor again and said we have one happy baby 🙂 I go back this Thursday for my 36 week ultrasound, again next Monday for one final check-up…then, Monday, December 28th, at 8:30am I will be in the OR having a c-section!!! So 2 more weeks of bedrest, one more run with the orange jug (yes, I have to do a third urine test!), a crazy Christmas, and Lily will be here!