Bean's Birth Story

Dear Baby Bean-

Well, as you can tell by the title, you are here and you are perfect!  We officially welcomed you, Luke Casmir Terry, on Friday June 21st at 6:35 PM weighing in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and 21 inches long.  It was quite the eventful birth and I want to tell you all about it.  This post is probably more for me than you at this point, but I don't want to forget how you came into this world because every time I think back to that day I still get tears of happiness knowing that you are healthy and safe.  That's what I prayed for EVERY SINGLE NIGHT of your pregnancy and now here you are, taking a nap by our bed with your sister napping in the other room and I just keep thinking about how lucky I am to be your mom.  Here is how your "birthday" happened...

The last time I wrote to you was Father's Day, one day after you were due.  We spent the entire week waiting for you to arrive.  We thought you were coming on Tuesday when I went to see Bernie and she said I was 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  I was contracting all day that day and she was just sure that I would be in to have you later that evening. Grandma Cindy came into town that night and we, along with Daddy and Grandma Carol, timed my contractions for the whole evening.  I finally went to bed around 11 and...nothing happened.  The rest of the week was full of fun things like picking up Uncle Brandon from the airport, BBQs, playing at the park, and taking your sister to the St. Thomas More festival.  Finally on Friday, things started to change.

I woke up on Friday feeling the same as I had for the past few days.  Grandma Cindy and Uncle Brandon stayed with Teney while Daddy and I headed to the hospital for a nonstress test to make sure you were still doing OK.  The Labor and Delivery floor was super busy, but Bernie just happened to be rounding up there so she got us all hooked up and offered to check me to see if I had progressed any in the past few days.  When she checked me, she said I was 4 cm and still at 80%.  You passed the nonstress test with flying colors and I only had one small contraction, so we left the hospital to wait some more.  While we were waiting for the elevator, we saw Dr. Losure and he was surprised that we hadn't delivered yet.  He wished us luck and we were on our way.

When we got home, we headed out to El Salto to get some lunch before Grandma Cindy and Uncle Brandon had to leave.  While we were at lunch, I had a couple of uncomfortable contractions but they weren't any different than what I had been feeling on Tuesday.  After we got home from lunch, Uncle Brandon and Grandma Cindy left for Grandma Cindy's house so that she could get things around for Relay for Life.  Their plan was to attend Relay over the weekend and then come back to hang out with us until Uncle Brandon had to fly out on Tuesday.  Little did we know that we would be seeing them again much sooner!

After they left, Grandma Carol came over and I went back to put Tenley down for a nap.  While I was waiting for her to fall asleep, I had another contraction that was a bit more painful.  Once she was asleep, I decided to go try to lay down and see if the contractions would get worse or settle down.  They weren't bad for awhile, but once they started to get more painful I started timing them.  They seemed to be coming pretty regularly at 11 minutes apart, then 10, then 9.  Once they hit 9 minutes apart they really started getting painful- painful enough that I would have to get out of bed halfway through them and lean over until it was over.  At that point I went out to the living room and put Grandma Carol in charge of the contraction timer.  She and Daddy were convinced that I was in labor, but I still wasn't sure.  I imagined contractions being so much worse than what I was feeling and figured it was just another false alarm.  They kept wanting me to call Grandma Cindy to turn around, but I was too stubborn because I didn't want her to come all the way back for a false alarm.

We timed the contractions for another 30 minutes or so and they jumped to about 6 minutes apart. They were pretty painful and I finally called Bernie's office to see if we should come in.  She wasn't readily available so we waited for a callback.  As we were waiting, Grandma Carol called Aunt Julie to come and take care of Tenley.  At about the same time, I felt what I thought was my water breaking and knew we probably needed to get to the hospital, regardless of whether or not we had talked to Bernie.  After some last-minute packing and a lot of running around, we left Aunt Julie and Tenley and jumped in the car to get to the hospital.

The drive to the hospital is anywhere between 30 and 40 minutes and we were a bit nervous because it was 4:45 on a Friday evening.  Daddy and Grandma argued a little about which way he should take and ultimately Daddy just drove as fast as he could down Indianapolis Blvd.  My contractions were coming around every 5 minutes and we still hadn't heard from Bernie.  Finally, when we were by Lake Central High School, we got a phone call from Bernie.  Grandma Carol had to answer my phone because I was having a contraction.  When I finally talked to Bernie, she sounded a little concerned about my water breaking and my contractions being close together.  She asked us where we were and she sounded relieved that we were over halfway there.  She told us to get to the hospital and, if I could walk, to come straight up to Labor and Delivery.  Later on she told me that if she had called us back and we were at home, she would have told us to just go to Community Hospital.  I am so thankful we were already on our way!

We got to the hospital and I got out of the car as fast as I could.  I was hoping to make it up to the 7th floor before having another contraction but that didn't happen.  We were almost to the elevator when I felt another one coming on.  Daddy urged me to just hurry up and keep walking, but he had no idea the type of pain that I was in and there was NO WAY I could have walked another step.  There I was, that lady in the middle of the hospital hallway doubled over my suitcase during a contraction while people steered clear of me and looked at me like I was dying.  We finally made it on the elevator and after an agonizing stop on the second floor to pick up three people that reeked of cigarette smoke (and then drop them off on the third floor) we finally arrived at Labor and Delivery.  As soon as the door opened, Bernie was waiting for us.  She ushered us through the double doors and straight into room 710 where she proceeded to hurry me out of my clothes and into the hospital gown so she could check my progress.  When she did that, I could just hear her say "OK."  I asked her if I had progressed any from the 4 cm that morning and she looked at me with her eyebrows raised and said, "Um, you're at 9 cm, you're going to be pushing soon." I could not believe that everything was happening so fast.  My birth plan was to try to deliver you without an epidural or any medication but I hadn't made up my mind as to whether or not I was going to be able to do it.  This ended up being the best case scenario because there was absolutely no time to get an epidural.  As I was having back to back contractions, a tech came in to insert an IV.  Bernie said that she was going to try to push a bag of fluids into me before I started to push and that this would take about 40 minutes.  Kathy, our delivery nurse (who was TOTALLY awesome), asked Bernie if she should fill the tub so I could labor in there and I heard Bernie say that the tub would take 30 minutes to fill and that I would probably have a baby by then.  I think that's when it hit me that I would be having you VERY soon, that Grandma Cindy wasn't going to make it back, and that it was going to be a totally unmedicated birth. YIKES!

After a few more very painful contractions, Kathy asked me if I felt like I could push.  They say that your body just "knows" when to push and I would say this is true to an extent.  It wasn't until you were truly making your entrance that I felt like I knew what to do and when.  I never thought I would scream during labor but I know that I did.  Kathy finally told me, "Stop screaming and use that energy to get the baby out" and (I think) that's what I did.  Bernie had promised me that I would only push for 20 minutes and I'm pretty sure she was good on her word.  After a bunch of pushes (and me wondering if you were really going to come out) you were born at 6:35 PM.  I believe we got to the hospital at around 5:15, so it was a good thing we made it when we did.  Your Daddy was there to see you born as well as Grandma Carol.  Grandma Cindy was supposed to be there too but because your Mommy is so stubborn, she wasn't able to turn around fast enough.  Before you were born, Grandma Carol was talking to Grandma Cindy on the phone.  Bernie asked Grandma Carol who was on the phone and when she heard it was Grandma Cindy trying to make it back for the birth she said, "Tell her not to break any speed limits, she's not going to make it."  It was so sad, but just knowing that she was coming and that she would be there soon made it easier for me to get you out.

Before I go any further, I just have to tell you how truly wonderful Bernie is.  I am so, SO happy that fate (for lack of a better or less cheesy way to say it) brought me to her 2 years ago and I felt so well cared for both during my pregnancy and during labor.  Your Daddy and I discussed switching up our insurance plans in case we have another baby so that we could be at Community Hospital again.  Not because we don't like St. Anthony's, but because I ended up having to make so many trips to Crown Point over the last few months and it really being hard to get out there.  After your birth and our phenomenal care in the hospital, there is NO WAY I am leaving Bernie or the St. Anthony network...all that driving was totally worth the experiences we had.  Everyone has asked me how my stay at the hospital was and I never hesitate to tell them that there was not ONE person that I ran into that is affiliated with St. Anthony's that I wouldn't recommend to someone.  NOT ONE.  And I saw a lot of people.  So, all that to say, you and I were in great hands and I could not be more grateful to Bernie, Kathy, Dr. Losure, Dr. Kalchbrenner, and all of the people at the hospital that helped you come into the world safe and sound.

Once you were delivered, there was a lot of happy activity.  Bernie let me see your placenta and umbilical cord and it was indeed inserted at the very edge.  I felt like finally seeing that with my own eyes made the experience come full circle.  I just had to see for myself what we had been so stinkin' worried about that whole time.  I was never so glad to get rid of something in my life but am very thankful to those two parts that held up and kept you going for 40 weeks and 6 days.  I was able to hold you skin-to-skin for a good hour and, while doing so, Grandpa Jeff and Uncle Pete were able to come into the room.  We were able to FaceTime with Tenley and that was the most precious thing ever- she was so tickled to see you and that is a memory that we will have forever.  I finally had to part with you so others could hold you including Daddy, Grandma Carol, Grandpa Jeff, and Uncle Pete.  While I was in the bathroom getting cleaned up, Grandma Cindy arrived and was able to hold you too.  Finally, after two hours, our nurse Nicole said that you needed to be weighed and taken to the nursery for your evaluations.  When she put you on the scale, I could not BELIEVE that it read over 9 pounds.  When we had the growth scans with Dr. Losure, you were always "smaller" in the 33rd percentile.  I feel sorry for those moms who deliver babies in the 100th percentile- holy cow!  After weighing in and being measured, you were whisked away to the nursery and I was taken to my postpartum room.

 Our first picture together

Daddy loves you!

Grandpa Jeff

Grandma Carol

Grandma Cindy

I love my Baby Lukey

This is when things got a bit scary.  I was eating dinner while you were being evaluated and Daddy, Grandma Carol, Grandpa Jeff, and Uncle Pete were watching you through the nursery window.  Grandma Carol came in and told me not to be alarmed, but they were going to take you to the NICU because you had a low body temperature amongst other symptoms that pointed to a possible infection. I ran over to the NICU where we talked to Nicole (our awesome NICU nurse) and Dr. Chandra who said that they were going to take a culture and it would return in 48 hours to tell us if you had any infections.  In the meantime, they were going to keep you in the NICU and give you antibiotics to treat you as if you had an infection so that if the culture came back positive, there was already something being done.  I was a little heartbroken because this meant that I couldn't nurse you right away again (I had already tried right after you were born), you wouldn't be spending any time in our hospital room with us, and we couldn't hold you whenever we wanted.  And, of course, there was the threat of something being really wrong with you which was terrifying.  We wanted to take every precaution there was, so being in the NICU was absolutely the best place for you.

Over the next few days, we had lots of visitors and the hospital was so nice about letting everyone come and see you.  Cam, Ethan, Uncle Pete, and Aunt Carrie were some of the first to visit followed by Grandpa Rand and Uncle Brandon, Aunt Julie, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Walter, Uncle Bernard and Aunt Lou, Becky, Betty, and Amber.  It was so nice of everyone to come and see us and it made the time in the hospital pass by quickly.  We visited you a lot in the NICU and you kept getting stronger every day.  By Monday, we were pretty sure you were going to be able to go home.  Your last culture came back clear and we were able to get you ready to hit the road.  Nicole was our day nurse that day, but she had to leave early so Ali took over.  She was really sweet and got your footprints and your picture taken.  Around 5:30, we were ready to leave the hospital and take you home.  The only problem was that a huge storm had blown up, so once we were in the car, we took one lap around the parking lot and turned right back around and went into the hospital.  We waited out the storm and then headed home.  It's a good thing we did because Munster was a MESS- trees were down everywhere.  Aunt Julie didn't even have power!  We made it home safely and had a wonderful evening eating pizza with family.  It was so good to have you home!

Uncle Brandon, Grandma Cindy, and Grandpa Rand

Meeting Tenley for the first time!

Great Grandpa and Great Grandma Walter

Uncle Bernard and Aunt Lou

Well, that's the story Luke!  We've had you with us now for 18 days and we are pretty sure we will keep you!  Tenley loves you and is VERY protective over you.  We've already spent a week at Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand's house and you've had two doctor's appointments which have deemed you on track and healthy.  We are so very happy that you are here safe and sound.  We never did really come to understand why your body temperature and blood sugar was so low, but the pediatrician said that the nurses were saying that because the labor and delivery were so fast you may not have transitioned well.  This makes sense to me and, as of right now, that's the explanation I am going with.

Tenley is in love with you :)

Besides posting a bunch of pictures, this is probably going to be the end of my blog to you.  Now I can just talk to you because you are right here, sleeping on my chest.  I love you so much lil' buddy and I can't wait to be your Mommy for the rest of my life!

So happy to be home!

Cute little owl :)

Great Grandpa

Great Grandma

Sleeping through the Cedar Lake Flotilla

Father's Day...and No Bean in Sight

Dear Baby Bean-

OK, mister.  Where are you?  You are now officially 1 full day OVER your due date and we were really hoping you might decide to join us today.  It was Father's Day and Daddy was all geared up to say, "Luke, I am our faaather" but he hasn't had the opportunity because, well, you are still in my tummy.  We are all so anxious to meet you and we were sure that you were just hanging out an extra day so that Daddy would have the best Father's Day present ever, but it looks like you have some other plans.

We had a really nice day today while we were waiting for you to come out.  Daddy, Tenley, and I got up a little late because your sister had some sleeping issues last night.  Daddy really wanted to eat lunch at Cavalier Inn but once we got there, they were closed.  As we were driving around trying to find a place to eat, Grandma Carol texted me to ask what we were up to and we decided to meet in Whiting for pizza.  It was so much fun!  After pizza we decided to take a quick trip to the Hammond Marina to see the boats.  That quick trip turned into being there for a couple of hours while we walked and your sister played in the water.  We had so much fun that we have decided to try to go back tomorrow and visit the beach...unless you decide to put me into labor tonight...which would be A-OK by me!

You are so lucky to have such a wonderful Daddy, Bean.  He can't wait for you to get out here to be with us and we had a lot of fun celebrating him and your Grandpa Jeff today. If only Grandpa Rand could have been here, the day would have been complete.  Here are a couple of pictures from today and I really hope that I don't have to write another blog post until AFTER you are here...but we'll see.

Watching the boats at the Marina

A family picture- we can't wait to take pictures with you on the OUTSIDE!

Tenley got a little wetter than we anticipated- but she loved it!

40 weeks, 1 day- come on out, Bean!

It's Almost Time...Isn't It??

Dear Baby Bean-

Hi there lil' buddy!  I have to laugh when I write that because it is what your sister calls you.  Every morning she comes up to me, makes me lift my shirt up, rubs my tummy, and says, "Good morning Baby Lukey lil' buddy!"  I think it's absolutely adorable and I hope she keeps calling you that once you are on the outside.  And, in case you didn't catch it, you do indeed have a name.  We are preparing to welcome Luke Casmir Terry into the world any second now and we CAN'T WAIT to meet you!

I haven't written for awhile because we've been really busy and there hasn't been much to report.  Right now it is the Thursday night before your due date on Saturday and we are patiently (and sometimes impatiently) awaiting your arrival.  All of our doctor's appointments and biophysical profiles have been excellent and now all the doctors are just saying the same thing- we need to wait for you to arrive. I really haven't been feeling any signs of labor at this point and I am very thankful that you have really allowed me to feel quite excellent here at the end.  I hit a bit of a wall yesterday and was very tired and achey, but we had a huge thunderstorm and maybe that was the problem. Or maybe it's just because I'm almost 40 weeks pregnant.  As I lie in bed and type this blog entry, I notice that my feet hurt and my back hurts but otherwise I feel pretty good!  I don't know if this is good or bad- I feel like I should feel worse if it's time for you to be here.

Since this may be the last time I write to you before you come, I just want to let you know how excited I am to be your Mommy.  I can't wait to see how you and your sister interact, I can't wait to see your little face for the first time and know once and for all that you are safe.  I can't wait to see if you are going to be a sleeper, a crier, a snuggler, or all of the above.  I can't wait to see if you enjoy the same things Tenley does, how your tastes develop, and how your personality comes through.  I can't wait to watch you grow, get involved in activities, and maybe play basketball for your Daddy.  Your little life is so full of promise and you aren't even here yet!

I know that I wrote this a lot in Tenley's baby blog but feel like I haven't done it much here.  The thing is, Bean, that you are being born into an AMAZING family.  Your grandparents are some of the best people I have ever met.  Grandma Carol and Grandpa Jeff are always here for us and Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand are amazing.  Your aunts and uncles are so much fun and always around to help.  I can't wait for you to meet them all and for you to grow big enough to play with all of your cousins.  We are so lucky to have this family and they sure can't wait to meet you!

I have to go now but I am hoping that the next time I talk to you it will be face to face.  Please be safe on your journey out of my tummy- it's going to be weird and scary at first but Daddy and I will be right there to hold you when you pop out.  I love you so much!

Here are a couple of pictures from the last week- as you can see, there's not a whole lot more room for you in there so you might as well just come on out.

This pictures was taken last Saturday at 39 weeks at Cammie, Jo, and Alice's recital. We are so excited for your arrival, but also for the arrival of Meredith and Joel's baby girl, Matilda!  Meredith is due just two weeks after we are :)

Daddy took this picture of Tenley, you, and me when we were on our walk at the Hammond Marina.  We can't wait to go on many walks with you, too!

37.5 Weeks- Such a Busy Time!

Dear Baby Bean-

I'm so sorry I haven't had the chance to write!  The past week has been very busy and I just feel like there's been no time to slow down.  At this pace, you will be here before I can blink my eyes.  You are now estimated to be a little over 6 pounds which is fantastic- if you end up staying in a couple of more weeks you may end up being as big as your sister!  For my sake, I hope you're a bit smaller but all that matters is that you are healthy.

This past weekend was Memorial Day weekend and it was a busy one.  We spent all day Saturday getting ready for Baby Hoyle's sprinkle and then we went to the sprinkle on Sunday.  It was so much fun!  You and Baby Boy Hoyle are going to be great friends...your due dates are only three weeks apart!  Finn and Tenley are already good friends and I think you guys will all have fun playing together in the years to come.  Tenley was very excited because she got to come to Betty's house and play with "Baby Clark"...I think she was especially excited because she got to play with Baby Clark's toys. :)  It was a great afternoon and we had a really nice time.  Here is this week's belly pic- it's of me, you, Becky, Baby Hoyle, and Betty:

As you can see, Mommy is looking like she's about at the end of her rope.  Some days I'm not sure that my stomach can stretch any further but it has to find a way- we still have 2.5 weeks left!

Monday was really fun- we went over to Auntie Carrie's house to play with her, Cammie and Ethan.  Auntie's friend Michelle came over and brought her son, Owen, and we all went to Tyler's Tenders for lunch.  You will LOVE Tyler's Tenders- it's all about trains!  We ate lunch and then Tenley played with Owen, Cammie and Ethan and rode the choo choo train.  It was such a fun time and we were very tired when we got home.  We took a nap and spent the rest of the evening with Daddy.

Tuesday we had a biophysical profile with Dr. K.  He says that everything is looking good with you except for the fact that you were very sleepy and took forever to get your movement points.  He wasn't concerned because he said you're breathing like a champ- just wouldn't move.  I still feel you moving all the time so I knew you were OK.  Our next appointments with Dr. Losure and Bernie are Friday, so we will see if we've made any progress towards you getting out of my tummy!

Today was another really fun day.  We got up and met Becky, Finn, Gus, and V at the park for a long play date.  After we were done there, it was time to come home, shower, and eat lunch.  After lunch, we drove out to Western Springs to go to a place called Little Monkey Bizness with Amber and Amethyst.  Tenley and Amethyst had a blast playing in all the playhouses, going down the slides, and climbing all around.  The two hours we spent there went so fast and before we knew it, it was time to come home and eat dinner.  We finished off the day with a visit from Grandma Carol and Grandpa Jeff who brought Tenley a delicious ice cream cone.  It was a great day!

Mommy is super, duper tired now.  I am so happy you are getting bigger and ready to come out, but it really leaves Mommy exhausted at the end of the day.  If I could just get your sister to go to sleep, then maybe I could do the same.  I love you so much, Bean, and am SO EXCITED to meet you in just a couple of short weeks!

A Very Brave Mommy

Dear Baby Bean-

About a week ago, a woman named Heather emailed me after reading this blog.  She thought that this blog would be a good way to help share her story and raise awareness about a type of cancer called Mesothelioma.  After hearing her story and viewing her video, I want to do whatever I can to help share her message.  She is a very brave Mommy and her story is amazing- for anyone reading this blog, I encourage you to visit her website below and see her journey:

http://www.mesothelioma.com/heather/

Bean, cancer is a scary thing.  This hits very close to home since Grandma Cindy has been dealing with Multiple Myeloma for about 7 years now.  Heather's attitude towards her cancer and treatment reminds me a lot of your Grandma Cindy and how brave she is.  Mommy loves Grandma Cindy so much and it is so important for people to know that if you feel like you are having any issues, TELL YOUR DOCTOR. Early detection is key when it comes to this terrible disease and all of its various types.

I only hope that the people who read this blog (whether it's 2 or 200) will take a little time to visit this link and then pass it on.  Heather and her beautiful family are proof that this disease can be defeated!

36 Weeks- Another Busy Weekend

Dear Baby Bean-

I am so happy that our little talk seems to have helped your situation in there.  Our last two appointments have had nothing but good news and now that we are at 36 weeks, we can all breathe a little easier.  We saw Dr. Losure on Friday for a growth ultrasound as well as a biophysical profile.  In his words, everything looks "perfect" and, after consulting with Bernie, he even said we could stop doing the non-stress tests unless something random pops up.  That is so great because it eliminates two extra appointments a week!  According to your latest ultrasound, you weigh in at 5 pounds 12 ounces which is still the 33rd percentile.  Dr. Losure did not have me schedule another growth ultrasound since the next one would be at 39 weeks, but we will continue to see him twice a week for biophysical profiles.  With all that good news, we were satisfied that we could travel to Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand's house for one last weekend before you are born.

We arrived at their house on Friday night around 6:15 and had a nice evening out to eat.  We then went over to Adam and Lindsay's house to drop Daddy's car off so Adam can fix it.  Adam can fix anything and we are so grateful that he's going to take a look at Daddy's car for us.  We loved visiting with them for a little bit and got home just in time to go to bed.

Saturday was a busy day.  We had a baby shower for Tiffany and her baby boy at Tiffany's in Topeka and it was so much fun.  Your sister was a bit of a pistol during the party, but we had a great time catching up with everyone.  It has been so nice seeing these friends over the past couple of weeks and we really want to try to get together in September so that all of us can catch up and meet the new babies- how exciting!  After the shower, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's and spent some time down by the lake.  We then went out for dinner with Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard and then Daddy and I went to see Star Trek.  We haven't been to a movie in forever and it was great to get out and have some time together.

Sunday was a perfect day.  We went to church and then went to McDonald's with our family.  We then spent the entire day and evening down by the lake.  It was a beautiful day and Tenley even spent the day in her swimsuit.  Uncle Bernard put the pontoon in the water so we were able to have our first popcorn party on the pontoon followed by a dinner of hamburgers and hotdogs under the new pavilion.  The icing in the cake was going to Happiness is Ice Cream in Howe for the first time and getting ice cream cones.  Mommy was sad to leave Grandma and Grandpa's but is so excited that the next time we go there, you will be with us!

I can't believe how far we've come, Bean.  We are 36 weeks 2 days today and have a biophysical profile and a non-stress test tomorrow.  You have been kicking away and I am so thankful for that.  For the first time, I am really starting to feel uncomfortable.  My feet and ankles are swelling and I think it's a combination of the warmer weather and you getting bigger.  Today was an especially uncomfortable day, but knowing that there's only a few weeks left helps.  Just keep yourself healthy in there and I will do what I can to stay feeling great on the outside.  I love you, Bean!

Here are some pictures from the weekend:

 Here's a picture of what happens during our non-stress tests.  The nurses in the hospital hook my tummy up to monitors that measure your heartbeat and any contractions I am having.  Mommy has to lay like this for a half hour to make sure that everything is OK with you!

Here's our belly picture for the week!  I look massive compared to everyone else :)

Here's Tenley in Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard's new pavilion, posing next to her footprints

First popcorn party of the summer on the pontoon!

35 Weeks: Mother's Day Weekend

Dear Baby Bean-

Hello there little mister!  We have had a big week and an even bigger weekend and I'm happy to be telling you all about it.  It seems that my little talk to you from Tuesday worked because our appointments on Friday went much better and we were even cleared to travel to Grandma and Grandpa's for the weekend.  I am getting ahead of myself, though, so let's start with the most important information first...your appointments on Friday.

We had such a fun start to the weekend because Uncle Brandon decided to fly in for Mother's Day!  I've known about it for a long time but couldn't write to you about it because it was a surprise for Grandma Cindy and I know that she reads this...we couldn't give it away.  I picked Uncle Brandon up from the airport on Thursday night and he was with us all day Friday to go to our appointments.  We started by going to see Bernie.  She was pretty concerned with Dr. Losure's report from Tuesday and told me that on top of twice weekly ultrasounds, she also wants us to have weekly (and possibly twice weekly) non-stress tests.  According to Bernie, we will be hooked up to a monitor for an hour so that the nurses in the hospital can monitor your heartbeat to make sure you are doing OK.  At this point, we have weekly midwife appointments, twice weekly ultrasounds, and weekly or twice weekly non-stress tests.  We are going to be seeing and hearing a lot of you in the next five weeks!  Aside from that, the appointment with Bernie ran smoothly and she even said that at this point, if I go into labor, she wouldn't try to stop it...you would just be born!  That is so exciting but I would rather you stay in there for a couple of more weeks so you can get a little bigger and a lot stronger.

After our visit with Bernie, we headed over to Dr. Losure's office for our biophysical profile.  He was extremely pleased with you and he was able to give you all 8 of your points within 5 minutes.  He was so surprised!   He said my fluid levels went from a 6 to a 13 which is excellent.  He's a little puzzled as to why they were so low on Tuesday but says that he wants to keep monitoring you twice a week just to be positive everything is OK.  Because of all the good news, we were able to head to Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand's house without any hesitation.  We are looking forward to next Friday's ultrasound because it is one that will measure your growth- I'm anxious to see that you have hit at least the 5 pound mark.  Keep up the good work, Bean.

When we arrived at Grandma and Grandpa's house, they were so surprised that Uncle Brandon was there!  They had no idea and we pulled it off perfectly.  We headed to Grossman's to eat dinner and they went to visit Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Walter. It was a perfect night and we had a lot of fun.

Saturday was a day spent around Grandma and Grandpa's house.  I went to get my hair done in the morning and Daddy, Uncle Brandon, and Grandpa Rand went fishing.  We spent the afternoon and evening together and it was nice to not to have to go anywhere.

Today was Mother's Day and it was so nice.  We went to church and then headed to dinner with the whole Walter family at Iannarelli's in Howe.  It was so fun to see everyone and we even got to go out to Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard's afterwards for dessert.  We had such a nice time and it was sad when we had to go home.  The nice thing was that we were able to bring Uncle Brandon back with us because he doesn't have to fly back to Atlanta until tomorrow.  When we got back into town, Daddy indulged one last Mother's Day wish and took us all to Dairy Belle for ice cream.  It was the perfect end to a nice weekend.

I can't believe it is Mother's Day and I have one beautiful baby girl and another beautiful baby on the way.  We are so excited to meet you, Bean, and only have to wait a few short weeks before we can see you.  I love you so much and can't wait to hold you in my arms in a few weeks!

Tenley and Mommy- Mother's Day 2013

Tenley and Uncle Brandon having a play date in Grandma and Grandpa's living room 

Here we are- a belly picture at 35 weeks!

Tenley thoroughly enjoyed her Mother's Day treat from Dairy Belle

You Are Making Mommy NERVOUS!

Dear Baby Bean-

I have tried not to let my concern about you show too much over these past 34 weeks but I think it is time that you and I have a little talk.  I went to see Dr. Losure today for your second biophysical profile and, instead of things running smoothly, he has yet ANOTHER concern.  Apparently your amniotic fluid levels are low which is ANOTHER reason to worry.  He said that your levels went from 14 two weeks ago to just over 6 today.  Because of this, he sent me to the hospital to make sure that said fluid is not leaking out.  Everything ended up being OK, but this new development means that he wants to do biophysical profiles TWICE a week instead of once.  You are giving me a heart attack, Bean.

Please, please, PLEASE just keep yourself healthy in there.  I know you probably don't have that much control over it, but we really need you to create some more fluid (in Tenley's terms, Baby Bean needs to go pee pee) so that you can stay in.  I'm afraid that if you don't, you are going to have to come out early and you could really use another few weeks to develop in my tummy.  I have tried to stay calm about all of this but you are really scaring me!

We will go and see Bernie tomorrow and visit Dr. Losure again on Friday.  As long as everything is still ok, we will be traveling to Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand's house this weekend for Mother's Day.  Nothing would make this Mommy happier than you being healthy!  I love you so much, Bean- just hang in there for a little longer...please!

34 Weeks- A Big Weekend

Dear Baby Bean-

Hello there little guy!  How are you doing in there?  From the feel of it, you are having a grand old time stretching and flexing whatever is next to my ribs.  I am so happy to feel you move so often and I hope you keep it up for the next 6 weeks or so.  You are now 34 weeks and, if you were born now, you would be very likely to be just as happy and healthy as a full term baby (according to the "experts").  Don't go getting any ideas, though- I would much rather have you stay put for the next 6 weeks so that you are nice and ripe when you come out.

We had a very nice weekend at Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand's house plus it was your Daddy's birthday!  We left for Howe after Daddy's school day on Friday night and got there just in time to go eat pizza with Grandma and Grandpa.  When we were done eating, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house where Tenley played and danced and sang for our entertainment.  It was a fun night and although your sister didn't sleep very well, we were still happy to be there.

Saturday started nice and early because we had a very special baby shower to go to.  We woke up and wished Daddy a very happy birthday and then got ready to head to Fort Wayne for the day.  It was the day of our good friend Katherine's baby shower and it was so much fun to catch up with everyone.  The shower was beautiful and we are so excited for Baby Squadroni to get here in August.  We don't know yet whether Baby S is a boy or a girl, so that will be a fun surprise at the end of the summer.  I once again do not have a normal belly picture from this weekend, but we have something even better- pictures of Katherine (and Baby S), Tiffany (and Baby Boy Nichols), and Mommy (with Baby Bean) all standing together.  We will be having Tiffany's shower in two weeks where we will get similar pictures- it will be so fun to see how our bellies progress in the next 14 days. :)  Here are some pictures from the fun day:

Mommy (34 weeks), Katherine (24 weeks), and Tiffany (30 weeks)

Baby Bumps!

Top Row:  Mommy, Stephanie, and Tiffany
Bottom Row:  Christine, Jen, Jen, and Katherine

This group of girls is so special to Mommy.  We danced together for YEARS and were the best of friends growing up.  We spent many weekends at dance competitions together and took all of our family vacations as a group.  I am so excited that we get to see them all again in just two short weeks!

After the shower, it was time to celebrate Daddy's birthday.  We headed over to Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard's where we ate a yummy dinner, watched the Kentucky Derby, and ate cake and ice cream.  We spent the rest of the evening talking and watching your sister dance.  It was perfect.

Sunday was another great day.  We went to church and then to McDonald's with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard, Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand, and Uncle Terry.  After we ate some yummy food, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's and spent the afternoon by the lake.  Tenley had fun fishing with Grandpa Rand and Daddy and then spent lots of time running around outside with Aunt Lou.  We ate a great dinner with Grandma and Grandpa and then had to leave.  It is always hard to leave Howe, but we are excited to know that we will be going back again for next weekend.

Daddy, Tenley, and Grandpa Rand fishing

I think Daddy will be excited if you are a little more enthused about fishing than your sister was!

Well, Bean, it is getting late and your sister needs to go to bed.  We have your biophysical profile appointment with Dr. Losure tomorrow and a midwife appointment with Bernie on Wednesday.  Hopefully both appointments will be great and we will be all set for another week.  I will try to fill you in on everything in a couple of days, but in the meantime please keep kicking in there and I can't wait to meet you soon!

33 Weeks and Another Ultrasound

Dear Baby Bean-

Hi there little one!  As promised we had a very busy weekend and it is now Tuesday which means that I have a lot to fill you in on.  I'm going to have to do an abbreviated version because it is now Tuesday night and it's been a long day.

This weekend was full of fun stuff for us to attend.  On Saturday morning we went to your soon-to-be cousin Matilda's baby shower which was super fun. Matilda is due to arrive two weeks after you are due and we are going to have so much fun getting together with her over the holidays and at birthday parties.  The shower was very nice and Matilda got a lot of nice things.  After the shower, we headed over to Clark's first birthday party which was awesome!  It was a "Little Gentleman" theme and everything was so cute.  Clark got a BUNCH of awesome toys and clothes and had a good time eating his smash cake.  Your sister had a great time at both parties and came home exhausted.

Unfortunately, Sunday didn't start off too well.  I woke up with some terrible pains in my stomach that had been there the day before but got worse overnight.  I was really worried that something may be wrong with you, so Daddy took me to the hospital to be monitored.  Everything turned out to be OK, I just have an infection that I now have medicine for and hopefully I will start to feel a little better in a couple of days.  The rest of Sunday was spent relaxing- Daddy took Tenley to a party and I caught up on some sleep.

Yesterday was a very nice day.  The weather is finally starting to warm up, so Tenley and I met Becky, Finn, Gus, and Genevieve at the park to play.  Your sister LOVES the park and I know she can't wait to have a playmate there with her.  You will be big enough to go to the park before we know it!  After the park, we ran to Target then it was home for lunch and a nap.  Once Tenley woke up, Daddy came home and took us all to a Cubs game!  It was so much fun and it was your first official time at Wrigley Field :)  Expect many more times to come in the future!

Today was another nice weather day.  Tenley and I met Becky, Finn, Gus, and Genevieve at Wicker Park and we played for a good long time.  Afterwards, we ran to Mommy's school to visit our friends there and drop off a gift.  We were there for quite a while, so when we were done we came home and had a picnic lunch outside.  After lunch, Tenley went down for a nap and Grandma Carol came over to watch her so that I could go to the doctor and see you!

Today was your first biophysical profile which is an ultrasound that measures the amniotic fluid around you, your movement, your "practice breathing," and one other thing that I can't remember.  Each of the four categories is scored by 2 points, so you have to have a total of 8 to pass.  The tech said that you passed today although he had to wake you up with some noise to get you to move.  We will get to see you again at our next profile next Tuesday.  I am so happy that you are being monitored closely and it surprised me that you weren't moving- you ALWAYS move around like crazy.  The tech said you were, "very obviously in the middle of a sleep cycle" so I'm sorry we had to disturb your precious sleep.  You just keep growing and moving in there- I love feeling every kick!

I love you so much Bean- I will definitely talk to you soon :)

Another Ultrasound

Dear Baby Bean-

Hello there little one!  I don't have time to write much but I wanted to let you know that we got to see you again today!  Daddy took the day off of work so that he could come with me to Dr. Losure's office in order to meet him, watch Tenley, and see you.  The appointment went pretty well and it's really amazing to think of how soon you will be here.

Dr. Losure seemed pretty satisfied with what he saw.  The worries we had about my placenta moving are no longer there which is excellent.  The only worry Dr. Losure had was that the test they use to measure your breathing was higher than last time and it's actually supposed to be lower.  He said that everything is in the "normal" range, but he would like to monitor you even closer until you decide to come.  Because of this, I will visit his office once a week for what is called a "biophysical profile" which will check your heart rate and breathing among other things.   We will go back to him already on Tuesday, so I will have more to report about your well being at that point.

That's all I have for now, Bean.  Just keep on moving in there because Dr. Losure said it's going to be very important for me to make sure that you are moving just as much as you always do. Please don't give me any more reason to worry- your dear old Mom may not be able to take it. :)  I love you and will try to fill you in on our busy, busy weekend ahead on Sunday night!

32 Week Checkup

Dear Baby Bean-

Hello mister!  I'm sorry it's been a bit since I have written but things have just been really busy.  Your sister's second birthday was Sunday and the past week was spent getting ready for her party and preparing for that milestone.  The party was with the Terry family and boy, was it a good time!  Here are some pictures from the big party:

Tenley in her pretty birthday outfit

Your sister FINALLY got her "Rocket" party

Grandpa Jeff was trying to get a picture of Tenley hugging her huge Minnie balloon

Grandma Carol, Laney, Clara, Ethan, and Sam

Tenley and her Rocket cake :)

Tenley and her new baby bed

Amidst all the birthday excitement we also celebrated the fact that you are 32 weeks along now.  Grandpa Jeff told me that, according to his calendar, there are only 53 days left or something like that.  That's not very long!  I can't believe that in just 8 short weeks (give or take) you will be here to join our family.  It already feels like you are here in a way because we talk about you constantly and your sister acts like you are already here :)  According to the "experts," you should be around 16 inches long and weigh between 3.75 and 4 pounds.  Every week you are in there you are growing bigger and stronger.

Today we had an appointment with Bernie and she says that you seem to be doing well.  You are pointed in the right direction to enter the world and your heartbeat is nice and strong.  Bernie talked to me a lot about what would happen during labor and it made me feel more comfortable about where to go, what would happen, and who could be there.  She said that she would not talk about inducing me until you are 10 days overdue, so although I don't want you to come too early I would also appreciate it if you would not take your sweet time any time after June 15th.  

We are looking so forward to your arrival, Bean, and since that is still a ways away I am REALLY looking forward to your next ultrasound on Friday.  Daddy is going to go with us for the first time so he can meet the doctors and ask any questions that he might have.  And knowing your Daddy, he will probably have a lot.  We just want to make sure that you are still growing in there since your apartment space is getting tighter and tighter.  Bernie says it's nothing that we should even be concerned with anymore, but I'm happy we do have these ultrasounds to keep you in check.

I better get going now.  Your sister has been in her "big girl room" with her door closed for about 10 minutes and I need to make sure she hasn't torn down the shades or drawn on her bed.  I know that we have been horrible at getting belly pictures lately, but Clara took a picture of me at Tenley's party so it will have to take the place of a belly picture this week.  I love you, Bean, and will talk to you soon!

31 Weeks...We Just Keep Chuggin' Along

Dear Baby Bean-

Hi there little guy!  It is Monday night and Mommy is very tired, but I wanted to take a quick minute to write and let you know that I love you.  We had a very busy weekend but you reaching the 31 week mark did not go unnoticed.  I am so happy that we have made it this far and hope that the next 9 weeks run smoothly and without incident.

We had a wonderful weekend visiting Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand for Tenley's Walter/Miller Family Birthday Party.  We got to Grandma and Grandpa's Thursday afternoon and had a nice evening eating dinner and relaxing.  Friday was so much fun- we got to spend some time with Aunt Lou and Uncle Bernard.  Mommy was supposed to get up and frost Tenley's birthday cookies, but I realized that I had forgotten my black food coloring (which is essential when making Minnie Mouse cookies) and had to go to Sturgis.  I called Aunt Lou to see if she and Uncle Bernard wanted to go have lunch with us and they said yes!  We ran to Wal-Mart quick and then went to McDonald's where your sister had a Happy Meal and played in the play place.  It was a lot of fun and Tenley fell asleep before we even left the parking lot.  When we got back to Grandma and Grandpa's, Tenley slept and I finished her cookies.  By then it was time for Grandma and Grandpa to get home from work and we went shopping and to dinner.

Saturday was a day of preparation for the big party.  Grandma, Tenley, and I (and you!) went to Shipshewana to pick up the burgers for the party and then went to The Mercantile to have JoJo's pretzels and Tenley rode the carousel.  I can't wait until you are big enough to do this, too.  Your sister LOVED it and here are some pictures from the fun afternoon:

Once we returned home we spent some time cleaning and decorating for the party.  Once things were under control, we went to eat pizza with Grandma Cindy, Grandpa Rand, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Walter.  It was nice spending time with them and it was a great evening.

Sunday was Tenley's big party and it was fantastic.  So many people came to help celebrate and she had a blast.  Here are a few pictures from the afternoon:

Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Rand got Tenley an awesome new book which Tenley loves

Tenley loved that Sarah could come to her party!

Yummy....hot dogs and chips!

Mommy and Tenley :)

Tenley and her Minnie Mouse cake

Well baby, it's time for Mommy to get your sister to sleep.  I love you so much and have really been enjoying each kick and roll I feel.  You have been especially active today and I wish you would be this way every day.  You've been a little calm for my liking lately, but maybe that's because I've been so busy and active.  Our upcoming week is a little more low key, just preparations for Tenley's birthday on Sunday.  I love you so much- sleep tight!