Wowzer...did we have a blizzard last night in Spokane!! The news had been reporting about how badly Western WA and N. Idaho were going to get hit but they were saying Spokane should only get 1-4 inches which is really no big deal here. We've had 3 snow storms where we have accumulated over 12" in one night and it was still drivable the next day so we really weren't worried about 1-4".
Imagine my surprise when Matt and I were caught in blizzard like conditions last night as we drove a friend's car to the airport! It may be my very scariest driving experience ever. The roads were not bad but the wind and snow were creating white out conditions and I could not see very far in front of my car, not to mention that many of the roads are not lit very well so I couldn't tell where the sides of the roads were. I went about 20mph the entire way to the airport...I'm sure I annoyed a few people but I really don't care :) because we made it there safely.
On the way home, we got caught behind a snow plow which sounds great because they would be clearing the road. Well...when you are directly behind a snow plow, they end up just kicking up all of the snow they are plowing right into your view so we were in white out conditions leaving the airport too. Fortunately the plow driver had enough sense to pull off when he could and let all of the cars by. It took us about an hour to get home but we made it and had a good laugh about it when we got home. I'm so thankful that my amazing husband was with me to calm me down and drive me home! Man...what an adventure! I don't have enough of those these days so it was nice to have my adrenaline pumping and get out of my cozy, comfortable house and live a little (I can say that because we made it home safely). LOL
On a separate note, we had our second birthing class last night. Everything went well. The instructor was having some technical difficulties so we began class about 40 minutes late and once she got the presentation up, none of the videos were working so she just described them to us. We basically went over more natural laboring techniques and positions. I'll admit that I felt a bit silly practicing these positions and breathing techniques but most of them included that my partner (Matt) massage my back or belly while we did them so that made it all worth it (since it is normally like pulling teeth to get a back massage from him). I think I might tell him that I need to practice every night and get a nightly back massage :) hee hee!
Stay safe out there if you are experiencing crazy weather like we are!
I'm off to the Big Apple tomorrow!!! WOOHOO!!! I'm sure I will have a ton to write about on Monday when I return! Have a great weekend!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Oh what a night!
Have you ever had those nights that seem endless because you cannot get more than 30 minutes of consecutive sleep?? I had one of those nights last night.
To begin with, I'm used to being up about 1x every other hour to use the restroom these days...that is nothing new but last night added some additional fun interruptions. Here is how the night went:
10:00pm - Ally & Matt go to sleep
11:30pm - Ally wakes up to use the restroom
12:45am - Surprise - Ally wakes up to use the restroom
1:30am - Matt knocks over a glass of water on his nightstand and Ally decides since she is up, she should use the restroom while Matt cleans up the mess
2:45am - The shower in our master bathroom lets out a big amount of water (which has never happened before) and then continues to make a loud dripping sound throughout the rest of the night. Ally's mind begins to wander and she starts thinking the basement is flooding and cannot seem to get back to sleep.
3:00am - Coach decides to get sick and Matt jerks out of bed to make sure he gets a towel underneath her so she doesn't vomit on the carpet. Oh - and Ally is up so she uses the restroom again.
4:30am - Matt's driver for work begins to text Matt about the mountain pass conditions since he was scheduled to drive to Auburn.
5:00am - Matt finally texts him back and they continue to correspond for the next 30 minutes. Oh...and Matt's phone makes a beep with every key that is pressed so Ally is up and goes to the restroom yet again.
5:30am - Matt gets up early and goes into work to figure out the driving situation and just as he leaves, Coach begins to heave again so I rush her onto the tile in the bathroom and then clean up that mess.
6:00am - Ally begins work
Oh what a night...
I guess this is God preparing me for what is to come when our little one gets here. I have to say that the selfish part of me is not looking forward to this kind of thing night after night...yuck! I like my sleep too much! I'm sure it will be all worth it when Stella is here but my goodness, last night was rough.
I hope your night was better than mine!
To begin with, I'm used to being up about 1x every other hour to use the restroom these days...that is nothing new but last night added some additional fun interruptions. Here is how the night went:
10:00pm - Ally & Matt go to sleep
11:30pm - Ally wakes up to use the restroom
12:45am - Surprise - Ally wakes up to use the restroom
1:30am - Matt knocks over a glass of water on his nightstand and Ally decides since she is up, she should use the restroom while Matt cleans up the mess
2:45am - The shower in our master bathroom lets out a big amount of water (which has never happened before) and then continues to make a loud dripping sound throughout the rest of the night. Ally's mind begins to wander and she starts thinking the basement is flooding and cannot seem to get back to sleep.
3:00am - Coach decides to get sick and Matt jerks out of bed to make sure he gets a towel underneath her so she doesn't vomit on the carpet. Oh - and Ally is up so she uses the restroom again.
4:30am - Matt's driver for work begins to text Matt about the mountain pass conditions since he was scheduled to drive to Auburn.
5:00am - Matt finally texts him back and they continue to correspond for the next 30 minutes. Oh...and Matt's phone makes a beep with every key that is pressed so Ally is up and goes to the restroom yet again.
5:30am - Matt gets up early and goes into work to figure out the driving situation and just as he leaves, Coach begins to heave again so I rush her onto the tile in the bathroom and then clean up that mess.
6:00am - Ally begins work
Oh what a night...
I guess this is God preparing me for what is to come when our little one gets here. I have to say that the selfish part of me is not looking forward to this kind of thing night after night...yuck! I like my sleep too much! I'm sure it will be all worth it when Stella is here but my goodness, last night was rough.
I hope your night was better than mine!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Test Results
I just got a call from my doctor and my glucose screening came back normal!! YAY!!! BUT...I am anemic so I will need to add a daily iron supplement to my routine. I've been extremely fatigued lately which I had attributed to the third trimester but maybe the anemia was also a factor. I'm hoping that I will perk up a bit by adding the iron supplement.
Have a great weekend!
And to my friends in Hawaii...I hope you are having the time of your lives...HAVE A MAI TAI (OR 10) FOR ME!!!!
Have a great weekend!
And to my friends in Hawaii...I hope you are having the time of your lives...HAVE A MAI TAI (OR 10) FOR ME!!!!
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Third Trimester Begins! 12 Weeks To Go...
Hi Everyone! It is now official...I am in the third trimester. I hit 28 weeks on Wednesday, 2/16. Here is a quick run down of the latest events in our lives:
First a quick update on my appointments. Now that I have officially entered the third trimester, I see the doctor every 2 weeks for the next 8 weeks and then once a week after that until Stella arrives. My last appointment was on 2/15 and the big event at this appointment was the glucose test to check for gestational diabetes. They had given me a small 10 oz bottle of what appeared to be orange soda and it was creatively named "Glucola" hahaha! Well...appearances can be deceiving because it tasted nothing like orange soda! Think back to when you were a kid (or for some of you, last summer) and you ate those Mr. Freeze pops during the hot season. Now imagine drinking 10 oz of thawed orange Mr. Freeze...not so yummy! I managed to keep it down and they drew my blood exactly 1 hour after drinking the Glucola. I have been told that I will only receive a call if the results come back abnormal and if I don't hear anything by Tuesday of next week, I should be in the clear. Here's hoping everything comes back within normal range because my awesome husband bought me an ice cream cake for Valentine's Day and I really want to continue to eat it! They also did a fundal measurement for the first time and I was measuring 29 cm which is right on track with where I should be.
Next, a glimpse into our first experience with birthing class...
Our first (of four) "Prepared Childbirth" class was last night. I was pretty eager/anxious to see what it was like and Matt seemed a bit apprehensive but supportive. As we walked into the class, Matt mentioned that I was the smallest belly bump by far. It turns out that I was the youngest gestationally by a few weeks so that explains why everyone else had a larger bump. Apparently most people don't feel the need to take the class until they are ready to pop! That surprised me but maybe that is just evidence of my type A, must have a plan for everything, personality :) One gal said she was due in 2 weeks!! The class lasts 4 weeks - what was she thinking?!?! Anyway...the teacher was great and very thorough. She was obviously a strong advocate for natural childbirth and the first session was all about positions and breathing techniques to help the mother get through the intensity (she told us not to use the word pain because of negative connotations) of the contractions during labor. We had the opportunity to practice some deep breathing techniques during the end of class and Matt's nervous energy and humor appeared. She told us to focus on something calming and I made the mistake of looking at Matt. He looked back and gave me the goofiest smile ever! I almost started busting up laughing but everyone else was taking this very seriously so I refrained and held it back and decided to just close my eyes for the remainder of the breathing practice. Overall, the class was very informative and I'm definitely glad we signed up. It will be interesting to see how the next 3 classes go and how Matt holds up. He has been such a trooper through it all and I'm so thankful for such a supportive partner during this process!
And lastly, what would life be if there weren't a little negative stress involved?? Our home in Bonney Lake is still currently being rented by a wonderful family and they nicely let us know in advance that they are closing on a home at the end of their lease (end of May) and will not be continuing to live there once they close. BUMMER!!! This means that I will have to get the house cleaned and back up and listed as a rental while having a brand new 2 week old. I'm slightly overwhelmed just thinking about it but I'm trusting that it will all work out and trying not to get too ahead of myself, as I tend to do. So if you know of anyone in need of a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bathroom rental home in Bonney Lake, let me know :)
And that wraps up the latest events in the Cole household!
I hope this post finds you all doing well!
First a quick update on my appointments. Now that I have officially entered the third trimester, I see the doctor every 2 weeks for the next 8 weeks and then once a week after that until Stella arrives. My last appointment was on 2/15 and the big event at this appointment was the glucose test to check for gestational diabetes. They had given me a small 10 oz bottle of what appeared to be orange soda and it was creatively named "Glucola" hahaha! Well...appearances can be deceiving because it tasted nothing like orange soda! Think back to when you were a kid (or for some of you, last summer) and you ate those Mr. Freeze pops during the hot season. Now imagine drinking 10 oz of thawed orange Mr. Freeze...not so yummy! I managed to keep it down and they drew my blood exactly 1 hour after drinking the Glucola. I have been told that I will only receive a call if the results come back abnormal and if I don't hear anything by Tuesday of next week, I should be in the clear. Here's hoping everything comes back within normal range because my awesome husband bought me an ice cream cake for Valentine's Day and I really want to continue to eat it! They also did a fundal measurement for the first time and I was measuring 29 cm which is right on track with where I should be.
Next, a glimpse into our first experience with birthing class...
Our first (of four) "Prepared Childbirth" class was last night. I was pretty eager/anxious to see what it was like and Matt seemed a bit apprehensive but supportive. As we walked into the class, Matt mentioned that I was the smallest belly bump by far. It turns out that I was the youngest gestationally by a few weeks so that explains why everyone else had a larger bump. Apparently most people don't feel the need to take the class until they are ready to pop! That surprised me but maybe that is just evidence of my type A, must have a plan for everything, personality :) One gal said she was due in 2 weeks!! The class lasts 4 weeks - what was she thinking?!?! Anyway...the teacher was great and very thorough. She was obviously a strong advocate for natural childbirth and the first session was all about positions and breathing techniques to help the mother get through the intensity (she told us not to use the word pain because of negative connotations) of the contractions during labor. We had the opportunity to practice some deep breathing techniques during the end of class and Matt's nervous energy and humor appeared. She told us to focus on something calming and I made the mistake of looking at Matt. He looked back and gave me the goofiest smile ever! I almost started busting up laughing but everyone else was taking this very seriously so I refrained and held it back and decided to just close my eyes for the remainder of the breathing practice. Overall, the class was very informative and I'm definitely glad we signed up. It will be interesting to see how the next 3 classes go and how Matt holds up. He has been such a trooper through it all and I'm so thankful for such a supportive partner during this process!
And lastly, what would life be if there weren't a little negative stress involved?? Our home in Bonney Lake is still currently being rented by a wonderful family and they nicely let us know in advance that they are closing on a home at the end of their lease (end of May) and will not be continuing to live there once they close. BUMMER!!! This means that I will have to get the house cleaned and back up and listed as a rental while having a brand new 2 week old. I'm slightly overwhelmed just thinking about it but I'm trusting that it will all work out and trying not to get too ahead of myself, as I tend to do. So if you know of anyone in need of a 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bathroom rental home in Bonney Lake, let me know :)
And that wraps up the latest events in the Cole household!
I hope this post finds you all doing well!
Monday, February 7, 2011
Belly bump - 26 weeks and 4 days
Hey everyone! I know not everyone gets to see me all of the time or my growing belly so here is a picture that mom took just before leaving for the airport on Sunday. My hair and makeup weren't lookin that good so I just cropped to the important part - the bump! My fingers are the number 6 because I am 6 months along. Only 3 months to go...
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Appointment Update
So...I have good news, good news and semi-good news :)
Good news #1 - My placenta has traveled upward to where it should be so all restrictions have been lifted! I feel like a new woman!
Good news #2 - Little Stella is measuring right on track. Right now she is 1lb and 13oz and has a strong heart rate of 156. She is also head down which is great but it is still early and she could continue to flip around as much as she likes. The ultrasound tech also brought our attention to a little fuzzy blur and told us that was her hair and that it is pretty unusual to see that much hair at 26 weeks. Looks like she will come out with a full head of hair - color yet to be determined :-)
Semi-good news - I didn't have to do the glucose test today!!! WOOHOO!!! The reason it is only semi good news?? I have to do it in 2 weeks - booooooo!\
Here are some pics from the ultrasound:
Another profile pic -
Here is her little foot - isn't that the cutest??
And this one is kind of creepy, in my opinion, but it her looking straight at you:
Thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts you all sent my way...IT WORKED!
So now I am at the point where I will have check ups every 2 weeks for the next 10 weeks and then 1 every week after that until she comes into the world! I can't believe we are only 14 weeks away from Stella's arrival!
Good news #1 - My placenta has traveled upward to where it should be so all restrictions have been lifted! I feel like a new woman!
Good news #2 - Little Stella is measuring right on track. Right now she is 1lb and 13oz and has a strong heart rate of 156. She is also head down which is great but it is still early and she could continue to flip around as much as she likes. The ultrasound tech also brought our attention to a little fuzzy blur and told us that was her hair and that it is pretty unusual to see that much hair at 26 weeks. Looks like she will come out with a full head of hair - color yet to be determined :-)
Semi-good news - I didn't have to do the glucose test today!!! WOOHOO!!! The reason it is only semi good news?? I have to do it in 2 weeks - booooooo!\
Here are some pics from the ultrasound:
Another profile pic -
Here is her little foot - isn't that the cutest??
And this one is kind of creepy, in my opinion, but it her looking straight at you:
Thank you for all of the prayers and good thoughts you all sent my way...IT WORKED!
So now I am at the point where I will have check ups every 2 weeks for the next 10 weeks and then 1 every week after that until she comes into the world! I can't believe we are only 14 weeks away from Stella's arrival!
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