Okay, So Maybe This Is Real

The crib we ordered arrived today, so the reality of it all is settling in. Kind of funny that it takes a crib for reality to start to hit, since I have been having an ultrasound every month and have been kicked for about a month with my bladder being the "kickball" of choice. Thank goodness he is moving up so the trips to the bathroom are less frequent (for now).

Now if I can just get my husband to quite encouraging Tre to kick or give a "high 5" as I am trying to go to sleep. But that is okay, I will get the last laugh! When Tre is crying at 3:00 am, I will remind my hubby of all the times he thought it was so cute that Tre recognized his voice in utero. Consequently, he will be the one who will need to get up in the middle of the night, because he recognizes "daddy". LOL

Despite it all, it is definitely a new adventure every day that I know has just begun.

Happy Birthday, Tina!

Happiest of birthdays to one of the greatest people in my life!

Who would have thought that so many years ago living across the hall from one another and trying to survive our "dormmates" would lead us down such a path? You have truly been one of my greatest friends and supporters through some of the hardest and happiest days of my life! I am so glad that we re-connected. I don't know what I would have done without you these past 5 years! I just wish we lived closer. I hope you have the greatest of days and will be forever grateful for you being in my life! You are the best!

Hmmmmm . . . . Someday . . . . .

The Young Women in my ward just got back from Girls' Camp this week. Since I was not able to go for obvious reasons, I have to say I have been dying for dutch oven chicken, potatoes, and scones. YUUUUUUUUUUUM! It is one of the saving graces of camping for me. I soooooo love that type of food and Jim has never had it. Hopefully, next summer we will be able to remedy this on our own by at least putting our own pit in our backyard. It's on the list of "One of These Days" plans, so one of these days . . . . . .

Tre, the Giant?

Since every time we have had an ultrasound (especially this last one) the sonographer has repeatedly stated that Tre is a "big baby", I have never really thought much about it. However, this time I decided to look up what was "normal" for this stage of pregnancy vs. what we were experiencing. HOLY COW!! He is about 2 weeks ahead of "normal" growth. Since I have only gained 1 pound in the past month, how is this child growing so quickly?!

When I looked at the different ultrasound pictures, he has been increasing the gap between where he should be and where he is every month. Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh! I am predicting that he will be coming a little earlier than his due date and maybe even be C-Section. My husband's family is extremely nervous if they ever hear anything about concerns of a baby possibly not being able to fit through the birth canal due to my sister-in-law having this complication. In her case, the doctor did not take the appropriate precautions and consequently, has a daughter that is severely disabled for life due to the doctor forcing Jessica to have the baby "normally".

All I want to know is where is this coming from? I am only 5' 3" and Jim is 5' 8", so we are not giants. I have visions of being like my paternal grandmother who was 4'11" and ended up with a 6' 3" son (my father). YIKES!

It's A . . . . . . . .

TRE!

Ladies and Gentlemen . . . .

May we introduce to you

JAMES VANCE SEAMANS, III

(AKA "Tre" since he is the third.)

We got a DVD of the ultrasound, but I am unable to download it. He was such a wiggle-worm during it that the still pictures are blurry.

However, placenta previa is gone. There were no markers for Down's Syndrome. (The quad test was positive for Down's). Everything measured appropriately. He is now 13 oz. and 8 in. long.

I am officially off bedrest, unless there is bleeding, and was even cleared to begin exercising again (unless there is bleeding). I even had my doctor agree to deliver even if she is on her day off and is in town vs. one of her partners. (Some of them are scary!) I just love my doc! She is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S! It's so reassuring when you go in to various medical specialists and they ask who your doctor is and when you tell them, they just rave about your doctor and say she is the "OB of all OBs". Did I mention that I think she's wonderful?! Dr. Carrie Merrill at Rosemark, in case you live in my neck of the woods and need a good doc.

Since he is the first and probably only grandson on the Seamans' family side, the grandparents, especially Jim Seamans, Sr., are extremely excited! This child will probably have a golf cart before he can walk, and will probably never want for clothes.

Anywhoo . . . I guess I can now start buying things since I have bought nothing. (Didn't and couldn't until after this appointment was over and we knew what we were dealing with.) I'm thinking blues (duh!), tans, with some green accents. Also thinking about teddy bears but haven't found anything that I really like, so who knows. The "jean bears" that I used to awe over when my friends would have babies are no longer around, so who knows what we will do. We do know there are a couple of onsies that we will be buying since they pertain to golf and grandpas. (Papa Doc is a HUGE golf fanatic!)

So that is the story . . . .

The Power of Humor In Healing

Picture from patchadams.org

Today on the USA channel they have been showing movies all morning .. . . YEAH, something to do! Currently, they are showing one of my all time favorites: Patch Adams. Although I know that the movie is not an entirely true account, I still love the thought and ideas that Patch has put forward regarding health care and putting the "humanness" back into treatment. It was something that I, at times, found myself losing when doing counseling. Just going through the motions to get through the day, rather than realize that each person has that need for the personal touch.

If you think about it, how much better would we all feel about going to the doctor if we knew that we would treated like a real person vs. a patient. Even the power of humor can be truly healing and calm even the toughest of situations. For this I am grateful to my husband. He has been there through all of the testing, medications, and procedures and was able to help me keep my sense of humor through it. We even got the doctor laughing so hard during the IUI procedure that she asked us to stop so she could concentrate, but it definitely made it easier to deal with such a sterile and, at times, embarrassing process. Just wait until the labor and delivery process . . . if I can't find some type of humor in it all, then just knock me out and wake me when it is over. It helps make the hospital visit more pleasant, and most hospital personnel want to be more attentive. I mean, seriously, who want to deal with a grouchy patient!

Anywhoo. . . . I checked out the Gesundheit Institutes's website and was excited to find out that they have volunteer opportunities on the property to help maintain the land and the building in exchange to experience Patch's unique form of the healing arts and actually getting to meet Patch, Dr. John Glick, and other founders of the institute. What a fabulous idea and opportunity! This is definitely going on the "bucket list"!

A Sign?

My husband went to the post office to mail off his information to graduate school and the cost was $6.66. The postman asked him what he was going to be studying. When he told him nuclear engineering, the postman laughed and told him he thought the cost was appropriate. We got a good laugh.