A rash......of course!!

So....over the weekend I developed a slight rash.....just on my ever growing belly. It is just tiny red bumps that itch every now and then. I called the doctor yesterday and they were not too concerned. Most likely it is from being so nervous. I have been slathering on Benadryl cream and taking oatmeal bathes......let me tell you, I smell wonderful!!! They said that it shouldn't postpone the c-section tomorrow, unless it becomes worse, so in the meantime I will continue to lube my belly with cream and pray that it goes away!!

HOLY COW!!

Ok, so the reality has started to set in. I am officially scared!! I can't sleep anymore and all I think about is the c-section. Not necessarily the c-section, but the surgery part. I am really excited to meet her, so I am not worried about the c-section, however, I have never had surgery before (knock on wood) so the part about being cut wide open freaks me out. Joe assures me I will be fine and that he will be there for me. He assures me that he will double check before they sew me back up that they have put all my important parts back in me, and he assures me that he will not leave me behind on the table. But.....there is going to be a part before the surgery where they take me into the OR and get me all prepared where he is not there with me and that is the part that make me scared and nervous.

I had Spring Break last week and got to spend the whole week at home with him (when he was not out working). To my surprise we had a great week and enjoyed watching The Baby Story 4 times a day! He even enjoyed it. But it made the whole thing more real to both of us. I lay awake at night and just think about the walk to the OR, my tossing and turning then wakes him up and so we have late night chats. But no matter how much he tries to calm me down I am still freaking out quietly inside.

Another worry I have: Buster. I am not worried that he will not be taken care of, I know that Tommy will do a great job house/dog sitting. But I worry that Buster will think that we have abandoned him. I know, I know: He is just a dog. But for 3 years now he has been my son...a VERY spoiled son, but my only child. He is used to getting all my attention and love. I just worry how he is going to feel when we come home after 3-4 day with a baby!!

I know everything will be fine and Buster will be fine....I just wanted/needed to vent.....only 2 more days!

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,or listened to rain slapping the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight,or gazed at the sun fading into the night?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last.

Do you run through each day on the fly, when you ask "How are you?", do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed, with the next hundred chores running through your head?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last.

Ever told your child, we'll do it tomorrow, and in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a friendship die, 'cause you never had time to call and say hi?

You better slow down, don't dance so fast, time is short, the music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere, you miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day, it's like an unopened gift thrown away.

Life isn't a race, so take it slower, hear the music before your song is over.

http://www.davidlweatherford.com/slowdance.html
By, David L. Weatherford

Nashville Star Update...

Yesterday was a LONG day. Joe, Tommy and I got to the hotel in DC around 10 for their 12 noon callback time. To make a long story short, we got home around 8pm!! We were supposed to only expect to stay for 2 hours.....but 10 hours later, Joe and Tommy were sent home with no "yes" or "no". After sitting around all day they went in and auditioned again. They sang two songs and answered a bunch of questions. The judges said that they were great and that they would hear back in a few weeks (3-4 weeks). So, after a long day we got home with no definite answer. But, either way I am REALLY proud of them. They followed their dream and tried their best. I hope that in a few weeks we will have some great news to pass along!

Suprise Shower

So, on Thursday I was teaching my afternoon class with Alice (the Social Studies teacher) and the kids asked me to leave the room. I was a bit surprised, but I did it anyways. So they were in my classroom with Alice planning something. Well yesterday afternoon they had a surprise shower for me!! They planned it all with Alice's help. They each brought in a dollar for Alice to order Pizza and soda, some brought in cookies, brownies, chips, cakes. Some even brought me gifts!! It was the sweetest thing ever. We ate, opened gifts, then had a limbo contest. (I did not participate in that!!) One of my students, Ara, wrote me a rap and performed it. It was all about Baby Riley and how she has pushed my belly button out to look like a bottle top!! Here are some photos from the shower!!

Making it in the BIG time....

So as many people know, Joe and I love country music. Well, have you heard of Nashville Star?!?! It is the Country version of American Idol and will be on NBC this summer/fall. Last Sunday Joe and his brother Tommy went to the WMZQ try outs (just a local try out) and out of about 150 make it to the top ten. Then they got to sing another 30 seconds to try to make it to the top 5. Neither of them made it, but were both told to return yesterday and try out again. But that they should try out as a duo. So.......that is exactly what they did. Yesterday were the Regional try outs. They said that a few thousand people showed up to try out, people from everywhere: Ohio, Jersey, New York, etc. So.....they made it to the call backs today! We are getting ready to go and I am excited to go this time to support them. Last week I did not go, since it was in a smoky bar, and yesterday I had to work. So today, I will be their support system. I am really excited and proud of them.

They are both following their dreams and even if they don't make it today they have already made it really far!! However.....if they do make it, they have to go to Nashville in a few months. Which is great, but that will leave Riley and I alone for a few weeks. It will be tough, but we will deal with that when it happens. I will update later today with details of how things go in DC at the call backs.

Rileys Birthday.....

Well.....we have been scheduled for a c-section!! It will be at 11am on March 26th. We are really excited that we now know when she will be here. It will be about a week early, which is perfectly safe. I feel great about knowing when we will finally meet her! Stay tuned for more info....

Not moving....

We just got home from the hospital. We had the Version procedure done (where they manually try to flip her). It was not successful. She handled it really well, but just did not want to move. Dr. Hodges got all ready to go, had her on the ultrasound machine, my belly was all nasty with gel, and he got a call that he had to run and deliver a baby! So, 30 minutes later he returned and we proceeded.

It hurt pretty badly, I am not going to lie. There was a lot of pressure, pushing and shoving. Riley handled it well, but mom and dad did not. Joe stood at my feet and held them. He hated to see me in pain, but he was a huge help and great support for me.

So....now that she did not flip we need to set up a time for a c-section. We are looking at the 26th. I have the rest of this week of school, spring break the following week, then I would go to work on that Monday (just to get things together for the sub) and take Tuesday off......her birth on Wednesday. That is how I have it all planned in my head!! But I am sure it will not work out that way at all! So.....stay tuned as to when we schedule her birth!! There is still a small change she will flip on her own. However, the longer she waits the less room there is for her. Here are a few photos from the delivery room today. It was a trial run for the real thing!!

Version update...

We had our doctors appointment today for 36 weeks, and just as we suspected, Riley has not flipped. So....our doctor is in the middle of scheduling us for a version for sometime next week. We have our regular 37 week appointment next Monday and then we will have to version after that. Dr. Zaita said that only about 2% of babies don't flip, so of course that is us!! But the good news is that Dr. Zaita thinks that Riley is still pretty small, so she has room to flip. I will update more when we know the date of the version, or if she flips on her own.

Joe and I are going on Thursday to have the car seat bases put into our cars. We just have to go to the local police station and they will do all the important work for us. Which will make me feel much better, since I have NO idea how to do it!!

I am having more and more Braxton Hicks and they are not fun, since she is on top of my ribs. I couldn't imagine having regular contractions while she is on my ribs. I sure hopes she flips or moves before that happens!!

I am starting to have a lot of swelling at the end of each day. My toes are looking like little sausages when I go to bed. But I guess I should be thankful that I only have swelling and no stretch marks (knock on wood!!).

Anyways, I am going to waddle up to bed and put my little sausage feet to sleep!!

Ready to pop....

Well, I feel like I am ready to pop. Joe is betting that I don't make it to the full time. I just feel HUGE!! We head to the doctors tomorrow for our 36 week check up. We will find out if she has flipped (which she has not!) and we will find out more about the version. I will post more tomorrow.