Weekend Update

After our excitement on Friday night, the rest of the weekend was spent at home relaxing. I am obeying doctor's orders and staying off my feet. Actually, I didn't even leave the house on Saturday. I couldn't even tell you what the weather was like! I did manage to make a German chocolate cake for Jason's birthday (from a mix, but hey, it tasted great!). I just threw the remains away because I found myself enjoying it for every meal! We were thinking we would go to a movie or something to celebrate his 33rd...but we ended up staying home and watching the Cubs get killed by the Sox. A few weeks ago he picked out a four-person tent as his birthday present. Who knows if we will get to use it this year, but we look forward to a few fishing/camping vacations next year! I wonder if Brady will be able to hold his own fishing pole by then. I have a feeling he'll be more interested in eating the worms.

Sunday we went out to church but came home early as my ankles and feet were visibly starting to swell. After a nap and a few hours in the recliner they looked much better. Today I am catching up on some missed work and I have another doctor's appointment at 2:15. I can't help but worry with every trip to the doctor that I'll land myself in the hospital again. I finally unpacked my overnight bag this morning - I hope it wasn't wishful thinking!

Over the weekend and later part of last week, I have managed to complete quite a few items on the "Before Brady Checklist" - since most of them are sitting down jobs. Here is our progress, in red ink along with my commentary...(hopefully it's not too hard to read!)

• Put all photos from this past year including our wedding photos (!) in albums. This is why I don't scrapbook, people! *I am ran out of album space but it is almost finished!

• Write long overdue thank you notes for shower gifts. (in my defense, it's hard to write with painful hands!) *I have a system in place and ready to get going on this, especially since my hands feel much better now!

• Wash all baby clothes and put away in a beautiful and organized fashion. *DONE!

• Obtain parenting license (aka attend birthing class). *Not going to happen and will be removed from list!

• CLEAN THIS PLACE. *getting there!

• Pack hospital bag (me and Brady) *Brady's is packed - mine is packed pending the arrival of a few packages from UPS!

• Gather list of phone numbers and people to call from the hospital. *DONE! Although additions/changes are made daily!

• Panic about being a mother. *Daily occurrence
  

• Learn how to get to the hospital. *so far I've been in panic mode during our past trips to the hospital and have missed the valuable teaching opportunity!

• Teach Jason how to administer an epidural so he can give me an extra dose when the midwife isn't looking. *working on this...
• Get lawyer on retainer for Jason. *working on this...

• Learn how to put carseat in car and learn how to remove carseat from car. *Jason's job

• Freeze a few meals (sounds like a job for my mom!) *You'd better get here, Mom!
  

• Finish our will (which seems kind of creepy) *We have the forms, we just need to complete them.

• Get term life insurance policies finalized (again...creepy) *DONE! We are both officially worth more dead than alive.
  

• Continue to apologize in advance to delivery room attendants for my behavior (soooo sorry, Jason, Mom, and Linda!). *DONE, although and ongoing project!

• Sleep. *What's this?

• Pray, Pray, Pray! *Daily Occurrence

Thanks again for your prayers!
Love,
Jason, Angie, and Baby Brady

(I had some issues with the color coding of this post - if you caught it earlier, it should be fixed now! Sorry!)

This kid is giving us a run for our money...

...in fact Jason is researching military schools online right now. We think we can send Brady as young as 6 weeks old.

I'M KIDDING! We love our little troublemaker. We just wish he would play nice.

Today I had a doctor's appointment and a non-stress test to follow up on my blood pressure issues. My bp was fine - still not great, but not too high. During the non-stress test they noticed that Brady wasn't very active and wanted to check it more carefully. They immediately gave me another ultrasound (I've lost count at this point, we have had so many!) and during the ultrasound Brady had 30 minutes to accomplish a few tasks...some kicks or punches, rolling over, and practicing "breathing" by using his diaphragm. He scored a 6 out of 10 which is just not good enough (He's already a "D" student!). They told us we needed to come back and do another non-stress test in the morning at the hospital. In the meantime I needed to count Brady's kicks or fetal movements and call the doctor if the movements were drastically reduced.

All afternoon I barely felt a thing. I tried not to panic but when I came to the point that I hadn't felt even a quiver for almost 2 hours, I decided to call the doctor. They said, "Come in. Now." Then I panicked. Jason was the picture of calm but I know he was sweating it too. We got to the hospital and the nurse immediately hooked me up to the fetal heart rate monitor and right away we heard the wonderful "waw-waw-waw-waw" of his heartbeat. Praise the Lord! We still needed to feel movement, so they hooked me up to the other monitors and we just waited. After about 30 minutes Mr. Sleepyhead came out of dreamland and began punching and kicking with all of his might. It was the best feeling. The doctor stopped by after about an hour of monitoring and said that Brady looked GREAT and I didn't even have to come back in the next day.

So it was a complete false alarm! I kind of felt like an idiot for calling in at all, but the medical staff assured me we did the right thing, and I think it was worth it just for our peace of mind. Now I can sleep soundly tonight. I am still feeling those kicks right now and I've never been more thankful!

Between the high blood pressure, placenta previa, and now the decreased fetal movement...I'm not sure how much else we can handle! We both choose to trust the Lord with this little child and will continue to lift him up in prayer. I'm sure Brady has a few more tricks up his sleeve - he's got six more weeks to mess with us, after all!

Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all your encouraging support and prayers! I can't tell you what it means to have so many people praying for us.

And now, one more thing...Happy Birthday to my husband, who turns 33 tomorrow (the 28th)!!!

There's no place like home!

I was just released from the hospital and soon plan to indulge in a nice long shower followed by a nice long nap.

I am on partial bedrest, or "house arrest" is what the doctor called it. I basically have to take it easy...no heavy cleaning, lifting, long shopping trips, staying away from home for too long, etc. I can cook dinner, do light housework, still work for Emmaus, (since I don't have to leave the comforts of home for that - what a blessing!), float in the pool, etc....basically I get to be lazy (which I am very good at!). We have an appointment on Friday to check out the blood pressure again and they are also giving me a non-stress test. They gave us a few symptoms to watch for which will land me in the hospital again if they appear.

Jason could probably use your prayers, as the bulk of everything around here will fall on him! Thanks, friends!

Is it Wednesday yet?

I am stuck here one more day...hopefully just one more day! My blood pressure has been much lower - to quote the nurse, "Your blood pressure is better than mine!" The reason for staying one more day is to finish off a 24 hour test (I will spare you the details) and also to get stuck with a needle full of 'roids (call me Barry Bonds) tonight around 10:30. They also will keep checking my blood pressure. The doctor that stopped by today said it was likely I would be sent home tomorrow afternoon. Brady is doing great, we had an ultrasound this morning to check on him and I've been listening to his little heartbeat all day. The downside is that it's likely I'll be on bedrest for the remainder of the pregnancy. We will find out more details about that tomorrow.

So, as long as my bp stays low it looks like I'll get outta here tomorrow! We would appreciate prayers for the bp and also that I am NOT restricted to bedrest. I would also appreciate prayer for a good night's sleep, as I didn't sleep well last night.

Jason has been a trooper...he's kept me supplied with Doritos, Oreos, Starbucks, (yep, no dietary restrictions for me!) movies, anything I might want...the sky is the limit. He's done everything but paint my toenails. He does get to escape me during the day by heading to work since he wouldn't be missing anything here! It's SNORESVILLE keeping your blood pressure down...I am bored!

Doctor Doctor give me the news

Well after my doctor's appointment today, I ended up being admitted to the hospital overnight because of my high blood pressure. The doctor is concerned that we went from having a big baby at the 90th percentile (remember Brady the Monster?) to a little baby at the 40th percentile (now we have Brady the Peanut). He thinks my blood pressure is affecting the baby's growth and wants me monitored for 24 hours. Since we didn't get here and all settled in until 7 PM, I may end up staying until Wednesday morning. They are checking my bp every 1/2 hour and tomorrow we will get back the results of my labs which will tell them how to proceed. I am also receiving a steroid to encourage the growth of Brady's lungs in case we have to deliver early.

Praise - my blood pressure has steadily gone down since we arrived! Also, Jason's back is doing much better after a trip to the chiropractor today. And a big huge praise for wireless internet at the hospital.

So...we are not panicking at this point. The Doctor feels that everything will be fine; if anything, we will deliver around 36 weeks instead of going full term. We'd appreciate your prayers that the Lord would protect little Brady the peanut and he would continue to grow and thrive! :)

P.S. On a lighter note, we have decided to relieve Brady of our expectations that he either be a linebacker or a baseball player...we've now decided he will probably end up being a jockey and may someday win horse-racing's triple crown... :)

P.P.S. I really wish one of my girlfriends would come and paint my toenails...they look just awful...

Weekend Update....aka...The Hubbards and their health problems.

On Friday my ultrasound and midwife appointment left me a bit discouraged. The ultrasound revealed that I am close to having "placenta previa" which could mean a c-section delivery if the placenta doesn't migrate higher. (Click here for more info on placenta previa). I have about 1/2 centimeter of clearance before it is considered previa. Since my first ultrasound, they noticed that the placenta was low so they have checked it ever since. It has moved 1 centimeter lower since my last ultrasound. At 36 weeks I will have another ultrasound and they will make a decision about delivery - whether I will be allowed to have Brady naturally or with a c-section. I would prefer not to have a c-section.

They also were concerned about my blood pressure, it was 140/90 which is a bit too high. They told me to get as much rest as I could over the weekend and I have to go back in tomorrow to have them check my blood pressure. (They also sent me home with a few other instructions...none of which you are interested in...but just let me say...UGH...not fun!) We canceled our childbirthing class and have been camping out at home.

Then came this morning...Jason was helping me put away some dishes in a low drawer in the dining room cabinet when his back suddenly went out. He was in so much pain, he could barely walk! We tried ice, ibuprofen, Ben Gay, you name it, but an hour or so later I convinced him we needed to go to the urgent care clinic. So off we went. It only took Jason about 15 minutes to walk to the car but who's counting :)...we saw a nice doctor there who thought it was probably a muscle strain. My dear stubborn husband refuses to take any narcotics, so he is on a steroid, muscle relaxers, and steady doses of ibuprofen. He also got an anti-inflammatory shot while at the clinic. He is still in a considerable amount of pain. He also has a very impressive waddle when he walks. The people in the clinic probably had a good laugh at the sight of an 8 month pregnant woman helping her husband walk! According to him, the moral of the story is...don't help your wife in the kitchen.

We'd appreciate your prayers in the next few weeks...particularly for a lower blood pressure for me, that the baby's placenta will move higher, and for Jason's speedy recovery!

Thanks, friends.

P.S. Forgot to mention that Brady now weighs 4lb 9 oz and has chubby cheeks and lots of hair! :)

Before Brady Checklist

• Put all photos from this past year including our wedding photos (!) in albums. This is why I don't scrapbook, people!
• Write long overdue thank you notes for shower gifts. (in my defense, it's hard to write with painful hands!)
• Wash all baby clothes and put away in a beautiful and organized fashion.
  
• Obtain parenting license (aka attend birthing class).
• CLEAN THIS PLACE.
  
• Pack hospital bag.
• Gather list of phone numbers and people to call from the hospital.
  
• Panic about being a mother.
• Learn how to get to the hospital.
• Teach Jason how to administer an epidural so he can give me an extra dose when the midwife isn't looking.
• Get lawyer on retainer for Jason.
• Learn how to put carseat in car and learn how to remove carseat from car.
• Freeze a few meals - sounds like a job for my mom!
  
• Finish our will (which seems kind of creepy)
  
• Continue to apologize in advance to delivery room attendants for my behavior (soooo sorry, Jason, Mom, and Linda!).
• Sleep.
  
• Pray, pray, pray!
• Accomplish all of the above in 52 DAYS?
  

Anything I am missing?

Lazy Weekend Update

*Warning*
Pregnant Woman Whining Directly Ahead. Read at Your Own Risk.

First off, I apologize to anyone who has attempted to make contact with me for the past few days. I am still alive and your phone calls, emails, texts, etc were not purposely ignored! As I mentioned in last week's update, I've been struggling with carpal tunnel syndrome which has gradually gotten worse since I first felt the symptoms. Friday was the culmination of pain and lack of sleep - I can't remember the last time I had such an awful day, to be truthful. Saturday I finally felt like I was on the mend, and definitely have experienced relief today (thank you, chiropractor!). Talking on the phone, texting, emailing, putting on makeup, driving, eating with utensils, you name it...it hurt! Imagine a thousand tiny needles poking your fingers, hands, and wrists the ENTIRE DAY AND NIGHT. I gave up trying to be a human being and instead turned into a whiny, crying, over-emotional, over-tired, growling, pregnant psycho. Add to that some very attractive wrist braces and the smell of Ben-Gay, not to mention no makeup, and you have one hot mama!

*Whining over*

Needless to say...my husband is a SAINT...a very patient, caring, loving, wonderful man!

You might guess that our weekend update is quite lame...we really flew under the radar, just taking it easy and doing minimal housework. Jason did a few loads of laundry (remember, he's a SAINT) and we did go to the dollar theater just to get out of the house. We've also taken nightly trips to the pool because the water gives me some relief from my ankle and foot swelling - you can actually see a bit of ankle bone after I get out of the pool! Jason also spent quite a bit of time working on the Bible class that he is teaching at the Haven of Rest.

Today is Jason's first Father's Day, and his gift was a classic one...a brand new fishing pole! We even managed to do a little bit of fishing this evening. When I say "we," I guess I mean "he" because I just relaxed in the chair with my book. My dad will recall years of taking me fishing when he could barely cast a line because I wouldn't touch the worms or the fish that I caught, plus I had a knack for casting my line into the trees. I decided to spare Jason the work and enjoyed relaxing in the sun. I even took a nice walk until I decided I had quite enough duck poop stuck in my Tevas, thankyouverymuch. I'm sure our Father's Day celebrations will have a different tone in the years to come!

Backing up a bit...we didn't forget about our one-year anniversary, which fell on Monday (June 9). Since my parents were here, we celebrated with them (after all, they did pay for the wedding!) by grilling steaks for dinner and then going to see "Kung Fu Panda" which we all enjoyed. (Me more than the others, I think!) I thought it was adorable how the big fat panda had to continually hike up his pants...since occasionally the big fat pregnant woman has to do the same thing!

Here are a few pictures of our completed projects and all of Brady's "stuff"...spoiled, spoiled child! We decided to take him down a few notches by setting him up in the closet. Yes, I warned you previously that we might make our son spend the first few months of his life in the closet. In our defense, it is a walk-in closet that is in between our bedroom and the master bathroom. It is dark and quiet and complete with an air vent so we think he will be quite cozy. The reason we did not put him in our 2nd bedroom is because I still need that area for my office. I didn't want him sleeping next to the fax machine, printer, laptop, and phone - just doesn't seem ideal for a baby! We now officially have "house fever" which we will try to keep under control until our lease is up in November.

Would you have ever thought in a million years that we would decorate our son's room with baseball propaganda???

My parent bought us the Pack n' Play, we found the sign at Target, and the baseball stuff at Babies R' Us. I ordered Brady's letters at the Alphabet Boutique website.
(Thanks Grandma and Grandpa DeArment!)
StuffMore stuff. Although I do love the organization in this cabinet. It needs to be straightened a little, since nothing has been washed yet and is haphazardly put away. And I'm not quite sure what to do with the container sitting on the floor. But my sterlite container, post-it note, scotch tape, and sharpie system is super easy and cheap! There is more baby stuff - somewhere. Yes, I said more. But this is all you get to see for now.Jason's mom and stepdad bought us this great stroller. It is easy to collapse and lightweight, but still super durable and tough. I'm pretty sure I'm in love with it. I tried to get Jason to crawl in and model just how durable it is, but he wouldn't do it.
(Thanks Grandma and Grandpa Baker!)

And here we are, enjoying an Indians game this past week.That's it! See ya next week!
We have Childbirthing Class next weekend, which should make for a pretty interesting update!

Sweethearts

Cousin Brady will be the thorn among these roses!
We miss our nieces!
(Addie - 4 1/2 yrs, Reese 3 1/2 yrs, Gracie 4 months)

Spoiled. (Weekend Update)

Brady is spoiled. Completely spoiled.

We were showered twice this weekend. On top of getting several cute (and essential) items, we made a few runs to Babies R Us and Target to complete the "Brady Arrival Checklist." According to my calculations, Brady can arrive at any time and we should have all the "stuff" we need.

However, I am reminded that we can have all the "stuff" in the world and still not be ready for his arrival. Now this baby needs to be showered with prayer, and his parents as well!

My parents arrived on Thursday evening. Friday we took them on a tour of the Haven of Rest, and then the staff ladies threw us a luncheon shower. Everyone was so generous; we received several cute items, including our swing! My mom surprised me by presenting me with Brady's quilt. I was shocked that she had time to finish it since just a few weeks ago it was still in pieces! I think it turned out beautifully!

The Cake Table

Me with Mary Jordan, one of our blog checkers!

The Swing

Mom and I with the quiltMe with the kitchen ladies - they are all so sweet!Jason shows up to check out the presentsAnd to sample the cake!

After the shower, mom and I ran to a fabric shop to pick out the backing for the quilt. On the way home, we debated whether Dad and Jason would be playing Scrabble or taking a nap. Instead, they were...
laboring over the swing! I will spare you the details of putting this thing together...let's just say it was quite the job!

Saturday we took my parents to the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton. I couldn't resist posing in front of this display...

We thought it was funny that football players used to wear onesies...

Jason giving a pep talk...

Our shower at church took place after Sunday morning services. We have a small group but we always enjoy sweet fellowship! We received more adorable outfits (our Brady will be a sharp-dressed man), several packs of diapers (yeah!) and also our infant carrier/carseat. (Needless to say, I am thrilled about that!)

On our way to church on Sunday morning

Lunch at our shower

A diaper cake

Favors

Our carseat from Teutonia - a brand I had never heard of before. But after some internet research and checking this site, we learned it is quite the up and coming brand and is just starting to sell in the United States! And I love that it is brown - which is Brady's signature color! :) We received it from John and Karen Mizener. John works at Graco and knows all the ins and outs of the carseat business!

The cool base with kickstand - we aren't sure what the kickstand is for yet, but John is going to install it for us and teach all about it!

I have a few more pics but they will have to wait - we almost have Brady's "little room" ready so as soon as that is done, I will post pics of the room (you will see why it is called a "little room"!) and I'll also post a few other gifts we received from my parents and Jason's mom and stepdad.

We feel so fortunate to have such generous friends and are thankful for the many blessings we have received from our family and friends!

P.S. Please pray for me as Brady has decided to inflict me with carpal tunnel syndrome. The pain in my fingers, hands, and arms is crazy right now and especially affects me at night, as I can hardly get any sleep. That means Jason can't get any sleep, because if I am going to be miserable than someone has to join me. (It also makes blogging a painful experience!) The pain has gotten significantly worse over this past week. The good thing is that pregnant women with this condition usually experience relief soon after the baby is born, but I'm not sure I can take two more months of it! Thanks for your prayers - and any treatment ideas are welcome!