Insufficient

I'm BAAAAAAAAA-aaaaaaack.....

WARNING: This post might contain a little TMI for the average reader. It's about pregnancy, K?

It's amazing what can happen literally overnight. :) So.... I have an insufficient cervix. Now I know.

Today I am just overwhelmed that as I sit here I can still feel the babies moving quietly and that they are safe. Last week Kevin and I had quite the scare. I went in for my routine OB check and for my 20 week ultrasound appointment and they were shocked to discover that my cervix was thinning quickly and that my babies were in trouble. Not that THEY would have known it. They were just as feisty as ever on the ultrasound. :) But had we not been watched over (by Heavenly Father) and taken care of very quickly by my wonderful OB and some amazing Perinatology specialists in Omaha, my sweet babies would have certainly found themselves coming too soon (possibly over last weekend) and not because they were ready. We almost lost them. The thought still chills me and I know that I was guided to my appointment that day for a reason.

For some reason Noah spiked a fever of 104 degrees the night before. Kevin had taken the day off of work so that he could come with me to my appointment. He hadn't been able to "see" the little ones since our initial ultrasound at 6 weeks when they just looked like little kidney beans. So I talked about just rescheduling for another time so that he could still come with me, but he was very adamant about me going and he stayed home with our sick little boy. I still get chills when I think about if I'd rescheduled.... So I went to my appointment by myself, feeling pretty good. After the ultrasound, I waited in the exam room to see my doctor and when she walked in I knew how serious it was just by the look on her face. I ended up in Omaha pretty quickly and they admitted me to the hospital right away. Yeah... I was in preterm labor and I didn't even know it!!! I was very dehydrated (we'd just gone through that awful heat index warning for the last month here in Nebraska) and my uterus was very irritable. They put me on meds to calm everything down, tipped my hospital bed back so that my head was lower than my feet, and there I stayed for 2 days, all the while praying that the babies were okay.

On the second day the doctors did a cervical cerclage and we all crossed our fingers that Baby Boy's bag of waters didn't break over the next few days, which according to doctor would not have surprised him given the state of things. NOT what a 21 week pregnant lady wants to hear. They gently informed Kevin and me of the ramifications if that were to happen and if my body went into labor. Basically, the babies are too little and they would not be able to intervene to help them. But as I listened to them and took in everything they were saying, I just felt calm. Almost like I knew that wouldn't happen. It was surreal. Kevin had given me a priesthood blessing before we went to Omaha and it was AMAZING. I know that the babies are here for a reason. Two failed IVF attempts testify to me that these two little spirits are meant to be here at this time and for a purpose. They are strong and thriving, despite what my weak body tried to do. And I just have this feeling that they have a lot to accomplish in this life. I know that, for whatever reason, they are being watched over constantly. Needless to say, we were very shaken and very prayerful as we left the hospital the next day after my procedure. AND, my eyes were full of popped blood vessels because of the position of my hospital bed. Not fun, but very worth it. :)

So I'm officially on BED REST..... Whoo-Hoo!!!!!!! It's been quite an adjustment for me. I'm not one to sit and take everything in while others work around me. I've been yelled at by Kevin, my mother (who hopped on a plane and got in just before midnight after I was discharged from the hospital... LOVE you, Mom.), and by my Noah. "Mommy! Get on the couch! The babies need you to rest." The next 7 weeks are very critical and we're taking it "baby steps" at a time. My follow up appointment with my doctor in Omaha went well this week. He says that I'm "still a woman to be worried about..." but that he's encouraged by the way things look right now. I wish he would just tell me that everything will be okay and that I will carry the babies to 34 weeks, no problem. And I know that he wishes he could tell me that, too! But for now my next big milestone is 24 weeks. I'll get steroid shots "just in case..." But again, I'm feeling very calm and VERY watched over from above... as well as from all corners of this house. Depending on where everyone is at the moment. :)

I'll leave you with these little treasures. First, some pictures of my little pirate.

And second, my little boy LOVES Primary and he's been learning to sing the hymn "Praise to the Man." Enjoy!

Love,

Someone who is may actually catch up on her SCRAPBOOKING this year....
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BLUE and PINK!!!!

We found out a little early!!!!! I went to my doctor's appointment last Tuesday, and since my Mom was in town she came with me. So fun to have her there! I wanted her to meet my super awesome amazing doctor before all the craziness happens in a few months. :) When my doctor looked for the heartbeats with the doppler, for some reason she couldn't find Baby B. K, I'm paranoid ANYWAY at this point because I'm not sure if I've felt them move or not and I wonder every second just how they are doing and if they are OK. But she wasn't concerned and sent us down to ultrasound just to check on the babies. SOOOOO..... I asked if, since they were taking a look ANYWAY.... could we find out the genders? Of course! The only problem was that I wanted Kevin to be there or to find out right when I did. So the ultrasound tech told me when to look away from the screen and she printed some pictures that told us the WHOLE story (if you know what I'm sayin'....) and sealed them in an envelope for us. My MOM, however, was grinning from ear to ear because she watched the whole thing and I'm so glad. :) She's never been to one of her grandbaby's ultrasounds before and it was really special. The whole ride home she held the envelope. And Kevin, Noes, and I opened it the second we got home.

Baby A is a BOY and Baby B is a GIRL!!!!!! So if you guessed one of each, you were absolutely right. Well done! The poll is closed... It was a lot of fun to see what you all thought. And I love that more than one of you (including Dad Smith) voted for the "puppies wagging their tails." Awesome.

Here's the proof!

Little Brother:


Little Sister:


I was so hoping that I would get to use Noah's baby things again since they are so special. And we get to buy a little pink, too. So happy. :)

Here's the crazy thing... Noah was absolutely right on! He always insisted that Baby A was a boy and Baby B he wasn't quite sure. He was right. Just knew somehow.

Sorry that we're sharing this news a week later. What I HAVEN'T told you is that we bought a house, have been moving in this last week, and just now got our computer up and running. That's why Kev wasn't with me at the doctor's appointment. He and my dad were supervising the movers at the same time that morning. It was crazy. But I promise that I will post some pictures of the house soon... AND my belly.... Stop yelling at me, Poppets! Just as soon as I can find my camera. :)

I'm 19 weeks on Friday... Half way there!

Love to all,
Someone who's finding it very difficult to paint her toenails these days
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Reason #568...

....why Daddy is so super cool. He teaches Noah fun FUN games.

Like this:




I've been trying to upload this video for a few days now, but I kept encountering problems. So hope you enjoyed the noofy craziness going on daily here at our home. :) I know that I do!

Love,
Nicole

Happy Father's Day!

".... A DADDY is someone who keeps pictures where his money used to be."


Noah celebrated Father's Day this year with his daddy by going on a super AWESOME "Daddy Date" on Friday.... Meaning that I got an afternoon to myself, too! Score.


Kevin took little dude to see Kung Fu Panda 2 in 3D and then to Red Robin for dinner. Talk about some quality father-son time! And some super cool 3D glasses that were JUST Noah's size. :)


So Happy Father's Day to all you special DADS out there... Including my own! The world would not be the same without you and your awesomeness.

Thanks for all you do for us, Kev. Little Boy is still your biggest fan. :)

What do YOU think?

It's amazing. I blink and I find that I haven't blogged again in two or three weeks! BUT at least THIS time I left you all with Aerosmith, not Richard Simmons. :) Hope that was a good thing for most of you...

I'm 15 weeks tomorrow. Holy Cow! And I'm feeling much MUCH better. Still don't want anything to do with ground beef though. My poor boys want hamburgers and I'd rather NOT. :) I'm hoping to post the full story of how this amazingness came to be very soon! Thanks for your patience and for not sending threats until it gets done... 'Preciate ya.

But for now I've added a little survey to the right -------------------------------->

We find out in just about a month what we're having and I'm curious what you all are thinking! Noah swears that Baby A is a boy and he's "just not sure" about Baby B. We will see. I kind of feel like they're both boys, but like we care one way or the other!!!!! I would GLADLY buy some pink. :)

OH!!!!! And we are now officially off of the LDSFS adoption website. So if you were kind enough to help us spread the word by posting one of our little adoption buttons, feel free to take it down now. It looks like this:


And we thank you and LOVE you for doing that. :)

K, now I'm leaving you with a few pix of the babies at about 10 weeks. I think they have Kevin's eyes. Ha! .... No, really. I do. :)

Baby A:


Baby B:


(Happy Sigh).... I love them SO much. Just can't wait.

Now I'm off to play with my big boy while it rains outside. We were going to go to the pool, but maybe this weekend! Then Daddy can come too. That's even better. :)

Have a good one,

Nicole
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