BED REST- I am not kidding...

So today starts bed rest. Apparently my test results were not as good as i thought and the Doctor got in touch with me today to say extreme bed rest (the only activity this allows is getting up for the restroom). So at 34 weeks and 4 days- I am stuck in bed! Honestly besides looking up preeclampsia (which it turns out they know very little about) i am stuck doing nothing. I am going to try and do work as well- but until some things come in later next week even that is slow.

Such a hard spot to be in since I feel 100% (last night i joined a gym so that i could do swimming) yet i know i should listen to the doctors and of coarse i want what is best for Liam- but me standing just does not feel like it is bad for him. Of coarse though i will lay here happily if it means a healthy baby in a few weeks (if they are putting me on bed rest they will also likely be inducing me at 37 or 38 weeks).

Expect a lot more blogs as i sit around and search for things to write about...

Week 34

Only 6 weeks until the due date!! Little Liam should be almost 5 pounds now and is moving quite a bit. This past week they did have me do some extra testing since I have been swelling up like a crazy blob and my blood pressure has gone up (i started with really low bp- so fortunately with it going up 30 points i am still in the normal range) but they have some fear that if it continues to rise we might have to induce a little early. That of coarse sent me into a tailspin of all the things we need to do! 6 weeks allows for a lot more procrastination than 3! So over the weekend we finally got closet doors and stained them etc (Jonathan even polyed the ones for Liam's room) and they are being installed this week. I also hit up babies r us- because i could just envision being put on bed rest and sending jonathan to get the remaining items we needed and i just did not see that going well (Liam would have the new playstation yet no diaper wipes)... Not to mention that being a first time mom- i am super picky- so even if he followed my list- there would have been no way to satisfy me...

Also, last week I went to one of those baby church sale things with my Mom, Melissa, and Jennifer. The deals were not as great as garage sales but it was a lot less hit or miss- and of coarse i was happy to buy up lots of stuff (thanks Mom for splitting it with me)! I was really glad to know about it though since it will be a great way to get rid of some of this baby stuff when that time comes. Of coarse this was the night before i went to the doctor and that long night on my feet (by the end my feet, hands, and face were double there normal size) might be the only reason for the added bp.

The nice thing about the extra testing (collecting my pee for 24 hours and sitting in the hospital sunday for baby monitoring and blood draws) is i now do not mind waking up 3 times a night to pee since it was so much worse when i had to pee in a jug and then take it downstairs to put it on ice. Nice huh!?! Plus now they are monitoring me closer and in truth that is really nice. It is so scary to have him inside me where i cannot really check on him- so the added doctor attention lets me relax a little. It is such a mix of feelings at this point- part of me wants him out as early as possible (37 weeks would be ideal) since at least on the outside i can watch and monitor him- but in my mind i know it is better for him to 'cook' as long as possible... Strange to think how much i already care about this little guy and i have never even seen him.

Frustration

So everything with little Liam is wonderful- however, i am spending my time going crazy for the future i see us (as Americans) setting up for him. As most everyone knows i care about politics. Currently this health care thing is scaring me. Last night Liam went to his second rally type thing in utero- crazy considering a year ago i had never even been to one! It is a sinking feeling to be welcoming a child into a world that you see going down hill. We have already signed up for enough debt that the next generation is screwed and there seems to be no end in sight to the spending... that all bothers me but the healthcare is just scary. he is coming into a world where very few people seem to feel the responsibility for themselves anymore and that is not the value i want instilled in my child (or the world i think he should have to deal with).

from the town hall last night my favorite line (that is of coarse not being covered in the main stream media) was by Hank Johnson (the congressman)- when someone expressed concerns over the cost of the plan- he stated that 99% of people would pay nothing for it- when the crowd jeered and asked how would it be paid for- he said TAXES! as if we are not the ones paying the taxes! honestly that was his responce. scary huh! i understand there is a need to fix some issues in regards to health care- but having a government run system (since they run everything else so well) is insane. oh the other bothersome thing about the rally was that a police officer was telling my Dad that it was stagged- the officer had seated all the supporters before we were even allowed in the door (disgused as Dekalb county employees were given priority seating)- therefore the room was full and the rest of us were put in a seperate over flow room...

okay i have vented enough...

so on the liam and family front everything is going well. he is now 33 weeks- which means 7 to go! the nice thing is we get to start preparing more in the next couple weeks by getting the car seats installed and packing for the hospital- so all that will be fun. of coarse we are hoping he stays his full time inside- but just in case it will be nice to be prepared (and of coarse i am now anxious so it is good to have something to do with my time baby related). i am getting a little more anxious about the whole birthing process- and honestly i think the needle in my spine is scaring me most since right now in the way back of my mind i am thinking about going natural. of coarse i fully expect that first contraction to send me running to the hospital begging for the spine needle!

The room

Jonathan and I hung the shelf and my mom and sister came buy to decorate it- check out the photos!!

31 week 4D ultrasound

Very quick post but we did one of the fancy ultrasounds again Saturday (31 weeks and 6 days) and Liam is coming along wonderfully. They had a difficult time getting photos since he is so big now and his face is stuck up against my insides. But we did get to see his face some. Plus he is in the heads down position so so hopefully he will maintain that!

Also, over the weekend we had our friends Robyn and Davids wedding which was beautiful! It was really nice to see everyone (have to love inter-pius weddings). Very strange to think that for the next wedding we go to we will have to have a sitter!

Okay more later this week- today we are hanging the shelf in Liam's room and doing general house stuff so i should get back to helping...