THURSDAY Dec 3 2009

Jo, Kristi and Alivia are home! They were so excited to be home. Both grandmothers were there as well as the new aunt and uncle and cousins. The kids were very happy to have them home since they had not been allowed at the hospital to see them. We had dinner with them and left them to have their first night at home as a new family.

We love you!


Here a few pics of them at home:

David Katie and their new niece Alivia

Mommy and Alivia

Nana Cathy and Alivia

New Auntie Katie...she was so excited to hold baby Alivia

Cousin Emily, Alivia and Auntie Katie looking on

New Grandpa David with Alivia

Uncle David

I asked, "do you like her...just a little?"

He said, "No. I love her."

Katie, David, Kristi and Alivia

More Baby Pics

Mom and Alivia

Alivia in her GT cap

 Daddy changing dirty diapers

Mom...Dad...Alivia...still in recovery room

Mommy and baby Alivia

Prayer for mom, dad and baby...

Dear Lord...please watch over them. Keep Kristi safe from seizures and just give her the wisdom, endurance and strength through these new beginnings. Help Jo to help Kristi and Alivia and give them all rest. Let them all rest in You. Help them all see that they need You.

amen

MONDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2009

ALIVIA IS HERE!

6lbs 9oz
18"

She's a beautiful baby

Kristi and baby are doing good, a little pain from the c-sect but good. They will be in the hospital till Thurs. Alivia has the sweetest little cry, which we heard only because the nurse had to stick her foot last night. She was awake and looking all around for the first couple of hours and then once she went to sleep...that's all she wanted to do. When I left the hosptial at 11pm, she still had not wanted to eat. Hopefully that worked itself out during the night.

Jo is doing good too...he did really well during the delivery. I was surprised given how much he hates needles and blood and such. He was watching everything over the top of the screen and managed to take pictures as Alivia was pulled out and he stayed with her the entire time. There will be lots of pictures when we get all the camera's together. Jenny got some good ones too.

Ok...gotta go for now...got to get some coffee and head back to hospital.

MONDAY Nov 30, 2009

Kristi has been checked by the maternal/fetal specialist this morning. They did an ultrasound on her and there is no cyst on the left side. The one on the right that gave her problems 2 weeks ago has grown another cm...now up to 9cm...that's nearly 4 inches! The baby is NOT in position as was told last night...she is breach at this point but the dr said she can still turn. They did an amnio on Kristi to see if Alivia's lungs were ok. We should know about lunchtime today. If they are properly developed, they may attempt to turn Alivia, induce Kristi or possible have c-sect. Again...we are in wait and see mode. Will post more when we have more news.

UPDATE: From Jo about 11am
The maternal/fetal specialist came back...he's talked to ob/gyn and they are in agreement that with the size of the cyst and potential to rupture, they will not attempt to turn Alivia. There are just too many variables right now and none are good. If they induce and she doesn't turn, you're looking at an emergency c-sect. If they try to turn her, may rupture cysts and have another emergency situation to deal with. If we wait and do nothing, wait for labor to begin on own, no guarantee that she will turn and it could end up being a c-sect. Is it worth it to wait and end up an emergency or should you decide to go for the c-sect so it's not in an emergency environment and there is a little more control on the part of the doc's?

No results yet on the amnio.

Decisions...decisions...


UPDATE #2...12:45
A c-sect is being scheduled. No time set yet.


OH...
Kristi's cousin Keyla had her baby Saturday evening. She's a month early and weighed 4lbs, 10oz and 17 inches long. She's beautiful. Here's a pic.

This is NOT Kristi's baby...it's her cousins new baby!

Congrats Keyla and Cory on your beautiful baby girl.

SUNDAY Nov 29, 2009

37 WEEKS!

Kristi went back to hospital with pain in her left side. Since there was a cyst early in her pregnancy on that side, very small and was determined not to be a problem, it was left alone...removing only the big one from the right ovary. As the day wore on, before going to hospital, the pain was getting worse and had stretched across her entire lower abdomen. Rather than wait for the pain to be at an 8 (on a scale of 1-10) they decided to go ahead and go in and have it checked. They admitted her. They said there were no contractions. They checked her cervix and said it was 50% effaced and that she was 1 cm dialated. They said the baby was head down, they could feel the head. Kristi had not been drinking fluids much during the day and they had problems getting an IV started. Finally after 3 sticks, they got one. She's back on morphine and feeling a little better but she can feel the contractions now. Before me and Cathy left, they were about 3 minutes apart for 20 minutes or so then spread back out. Lights out...Kristi and Alivia are getting rest.

THURSDAY Nov 26, 2009... THANKSGIVING DAY

Kristi and Jo hosted Thanksgiving for their parents, siblings, niece and nephew. Jo cooked the turkey and yes, he did remove the all additional parts that most of us did not on our first turkey...darn it...though he wasn't happy when Cathy (his mom) and I (Kristi's mom) were giggling about the possibility that something was still inside that shouldn't be.

Dinner was great! Jo fixed the turkey and as David says, his "famous macaroni and cheese." I think Jo makes him say it...just kidding Jo. Cathy brought all of their leftovers from their earlier turkey day feast for the family. Since Kristi's on bedrest, Jo thought that they should not be trying to go to several family members and that it would be better to just bring everything to them. It was a wonderful day but I don't think Kristi appreciated that she had to wait until 6pm to eat. That hardly seems fair, especially when you're pregnant. I think Kristi and Jo really enjoyed hosting their parents for their first time. I'd post a picture but we forgot to take any feast pictures.

Kristi behaved for the most part. She stayed off her feet most of the time but Jo thought she was going to laugh herself into labor when us adults were watching Home Alone. You just can't help but feel their pain.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends.

WEDNESDAY Nov 25

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving...
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all!

So much to be thankful for this year. What started as a pregnancy filled with uncertainty...Kristi and Alivia have made it pretty much full term. I'm not sure when they call it full term officially, but 36 weeks is awesome. Kristi found out that she was pregnant 7 months ago when she went to the emergency room with severe pain in her lower abdomen. The doctor in the ER came in and asked if she wanted Jo to be in there when he gave her the diagnosis. She said of course, he's my husband. The doc said, "you're pregnant" and walked out the door, leaving Jo and Kristi stunned at the news.  At that time, they also had to address the pain diagnosis...an 11-12cm cyst on one side and another smaller one on the opposite side. They decided it was in the best interest of the baby to try to wait as long as possible before removing it. I can't remember how many days later they ended up in the ER and then again after that...when the cyst had to be removed.

Now the cysts have returned, they are bleeding but not ruptured and we're just trying to get to another milestone. They will have to be addressed but everyone agrees that it is better to get closer to that due date. If we can get Alivia here first then go for removing the cysts...that would be the ideal situation.

Alivia has been on many prayer list since and here we are...at 36 weeks...ready for baby Alivia to come into this world. We are so thankful that Kristi has carried Alivia to term, thankful that our newest family member will be here very soon. And we are thankful to God.