Milestones!

Hydrangeas from our garden

32.5 week baby bump

Craig and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary on Tuesday! Craig brought dinner from Saltgrass up to the hospital. It was wonderful. He also got me beautiful earrings from James Avery and brought me gorgeous hydrangeas fresh from our garden. He is so sweet!!! I know this was not the most ideal way to celebrate, but we have a very big gift coming soon!

I am currently at 32.5 weeks. I haven't had a bleed in 2 weeks!!! I've started having some mild braxton hick contractions, but luckily they haven't been strong enough to cause any bleeding and they have been very sporatic. I had a sonogram this morning and Carlee looked great. The doctor will take measurements next week, so I am anxious to see how much she weighs. I'm hoping for 3.5lbs. I would aim for 4lbs, but don't want to be disappointed. It will be 5 weeks, tomorrow, since I first got here. I can't believe that I will have been here in the month of April, the entire month of May and next week will be June. This will definitely be a good story for Carlee's baby book.

Tomorrow (May 28th) is my wonderful mom's birthday. So, of course, I want to wish her a very Happy Birthday!!! Your gift is also coming very soon...her name is Carlee! Mom has been back in College Station all week and I have missed hanging out with her every day, but she and Dad will be up here this weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing them!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week so far.

With love, Susan

It looks like a Nursery!!!!

Top of the changing table

Inside the crib with all Carlee's stuffed animals

The beautiful crib and bedding.

Just some of Carlee's clothes

More of Carlee's clothes...I think she has more than me!

There is still more to be done, but Mom did a FABULOUS job! The nursery is really starting to come together. We still need to hang the curtains, get a bookshelf for all the books and stuffed animals and finish decorating, but we (or really mom) is off to a great start. I can't wait to see it in person and even more so I can't wait to bring our beautiful baby girl home and enjoy the nursery and all the hard work that has been put into Carlee's arrival.

Chaos in Nursery

Mom decided to tackle the nursery this weekend. She definitely had a big project. These are the before pictures.

32 weeks!!!

Carlee and I are just hanging in there. When I first got to the hospital at 27.5 weeks and was bleeding every 48 hours I wasn't sure if we would make it this far, but thankfully we have! I can't believe I have been here over 4 weeks, but bedrest is working. It has been 1 week and 2 days since my last bleed. We still have a week and a half before we get Carlee's measurements and weight again, but based on the size of my belly, she seems to be growing. She is still a very active little baby, which is good. The doctor said that if I continue doing as well as I have been, we would most likely schedule the c-section around 36 or 37 weeks. By that time, I will be able to recite every episode of NCIS and Law & Order: SVU. Well that is about it for now. All your thoughts and prayers are keeping us in good spirits and great health. Thanks!!!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Memorial Day!

Love, Susan

More Baby Shower Pictures

The wonderful hostesses with my mother-in-law in the middle. Thank you so much!!!!

Baby Shower in Cleburne

There was a baby shower planned in Craig's hometown this past weekend and since I couldn't attend, Craig was a good sport and went in my place. He opened all the gifts and even ohhhhed and ahhhhhhed. I was extremely disappointed that I couldn't be there. Everything just looked beautiful and we got some fabulous gifts. Many thanks to the wonderful hostesses and all the guests!!!! Craig called me after the shower and said, "Do you think that you should have registered for some things that aren't pink." And of course I said no - I love pink. And he said, "Good, because EVERYTHING is pink." I can't wait to go home and look at all the cute outfits, stuff animals, books, and goodies. Miss Carlee is very spoiled already!

My Entertainment...Needlepoint

This is my new project.

Here is the finished project. The wheels are a little crooked, but I will fix that before we frame it.

It's been 3 weeks!

I can't believe I've been at the hospital for 3 weeks now! Luckily, it has gone fairly quickly and hopefully, I have several more weeks to go. I had a sonogram yesterday morning and Carlee looks great. She weighs 2 lbs 14 oz. I was hoping for over 3lbs, but that is pretty close. My high risk pregnancy doctor put in his report that if I made it 1 more week with no bleeds (it had been 13 days) that he would consider the possibility of letting me go home on complete bed rest, but he must have jinxed me, because I had my 5th bleed yesterday afternoon. It was the worst bleed so far, mainly because it didn't stop immediately, like it did the other 4 times, and then I started having contractions. By now, I'm used to the bleeds, but the contractions worried me, especially because Carlee is still so small and not ready to enter this world yet. They gave me a shot which thankfully stopped the contractions almost instantly. I stayed on the monitors for almost 3 hours and once again Carlee was oblivious and just as happy as she could be. Everything finally calmed down around 8pm. Mom and Craig went and got us dinner from Luna de Noche. It hit the spot, especially the tortillas and queso. After dinner mom and Craig left for the evening and I went to bed. I was exhausted.

I haven't seen the doctor yet today, but things seem to be under control for the time being. I finished my needlepoint project. It looks great. I will have to take a picture and post it. Mom got me a new one. The colors match the one I just finished, so they will look great together in the nursery. Well I better get started on it. I hope to finish it before Miss Carlee arrives.

Love, Susan

Synergy comes to visit

A group from our Sunday school class, Synergy, came to visit this past Saturday. It was great seeing everyone! What a cute picture!

Kelly & Margaux come to visit

Who is that in my bed....it's Margaux!!!

Me, mom and Margaux. Margaux was much more interested in the stuffed animals than taking pictures.

Me and Kelly

Kelly, me and Margaux

Me and Margaux. Margaux wanted to play with Carlee, but she is going to have to wait a little longer.

The Big 3-0 and a very Happy Mother's Day!

My friend, Kelly (who lives in DC) came to visit me on Thursday with her 7 month old, Marguax and her mom, Shelia aka Honey. They even brought me Shipley's donuts, which were fabulous, as always!!! They got to the hospital around 11:30am and stayed until a little after 4pm. It was great having them here for so long. Margaux is absolutely precious. She sat on my bed and we played for a long time. She and Carlee are going to be great friends! It has also been 1 week since I've had a bleed! The doctor was very happy about that because I have been able to re-gain some of the bleed cells that I lost in the 4 bleeds. Bed rest is working!!

Friday morning, I ate more Shipley's for breakfast. When they hooked me up to monitor Carlee's heartbeat was a little higher than normal and she was very active (more than usual) . Her heartbeat is usually in the 147-167 range, but this morning she was in the 180's. The nurse wrote in my chart, "mom ate donuts, hyper baby." haha So mom cut me off all sweets for the rest of the day. They were selling homemade fudge down on the first floor and Dad wanted to go buy my some fudge, but mom said, "NO! Carlee has had enough sugar for the day." She's a tuffy! Brynn came to visit after work and hung out with me and Craig ~ She is always great company!

Saturday - I hit 30 weeks!! A huge milestone! A group from our sunday school class came to visit. We had a Campisi's pizza party in my room and had a great time. Lance and Katharine also came to visit. Craig and I really enjoyed everyone's company. The rest of the day was pretty calm. Craig and I hung out and watched a very exciting Maverick's basketball game until the last second when they lost by 1 point. Boooooo! Then Mom and Dad brought us Spaghetti Warehouse for dinner!!!

Sunday - Happy Mother's Day! Luckily, I had already bought mom a gift before being admitted to the hospital. Sometimes it helps to be overly organized. I got her a bunny statue. Not that she really needs any more bunnies, but this guy was a cutie. Words cannot describe how appreciative I am for everything my mom has done for me. I would not have been able to stay so upbeat these past 2.5 weeks without her here by my side the entire time!! I hope that I can be even half the mother to Carlee as my mom has been to me. THANK YOU! My brother was also supposed to come up and visit, but he wasn't feeling well and is right in the middle of finals, so he will be here on Friday. Craig's parents and sister also came to visit. We had a nice family day. Craig and I also got to tour the NICU (neonatal ICU) floor. I was very impressed. All the babies either have their own private or semi-private room, depending on the number of babies being cared for in the NICU. Each room has a personal nurse attending to the babies, so they are in very good care. Hopefully, we won't have to be there long or even at all, but I feel confident that we are in great hands.

That's my weekend wrap-up. Wednesday, I get a sonogram and the doctor will take new measurements. Keep your fingers crossed that Carlee weighs well into the 3 lb range. My new goal is to make it to this Thursday - 2 weeks and no bleeds. I think I can!

Happy Rainy Monday ~ a great day to be in bed!

Love, Susan

Lucky 13...

I've been here 13 days now and we are still doing great. I haven't had a bleed since last Thursday. A new record! I will be 30 weeks on Saturday and the doctors said they will all have a huge sigh of relief once I get into the 30's. I had a sonogram this morning and Carlee looked great. The doctor said that she was a limber little thing. She had one foot over her head and the other by her butt. She was practicing her yoga techniques. She definitely did not get that from me! He didn't take measurements today, but he will next week. Hopefully, she is over 3 lbs now! She is definitely a wiggle worm!

Other than that, mom and I have just been hanging out and doing a lot of needlepoint. I finished the border last night and have started on the grass/floor. It's really coming along. It has been so nice having my mom here with me. She is great company!!

Thank you for all your continued thoughts and prayers. They are definitely being uplifted and keeping us healthy.

Love, Susan

Pictures at the Hospital

Brynn's sweet grandmother, Mimi, made me this beautiful baby quilt with Carlee's name monogrammed on it. What a special gift!

This is the needlepoint project that mom got for me. I am almost finished with the entire green border. It is going to look great once completed.

Me, mom, Jackie and "Patty" (Carlee's First Teddy). Jackie gave me Patty thinking that I could use it before Miss Carlee was born. It hasn't left my hospital bed yet.

Here is just some of the loot that the Fellowship Group got for me. I had fun opening all the gifts!

The blanket that goes with the nursery bedding. It turned out great. I love it and can't wait to see the nursery all decorated.

Gifts Galore and Bleed #4

I've made it one week and one day here at Medical City!!! I will be 29 weeks tomorrow! Honestly, this whole bed rest thing hasn't been that bad at all. I have been blessed with lots of company and phone calls. Yesterday, my friend, Chelsey, came by to visit and she took me on my 30 minute wheelchair ride, while mom was talking with a client. We had a good time and she even let me stand up for 2 minutes to see the newborns (shhhhhhh, don't tell anyone). I only saw 2 of them, but they were both so cute. Then, my friend, Staci, came and brought us dinner from Johnny Carino's. It was so good! I love the bread and the olive oil with "garlic chips" to dip it in. After dinner, we had even more excitement. My parents belong to a "Fellowship Group" and they are all my honorary Aunts and Uncles. Since they couldn't be here, they sent their representative, Jackie Savell, to deliver all the gifts, gifts and more gifts. It was like Christmas times ten. They wheeled me down to the entrance where Jackie was parked and when she opened the back of her SUV gifts started falling out. The big ones, like the car seat, base and stroller frame for the car seat, we left in the car, but mom, Staci, Chelsey and Jackie carried all the rest up to my room and I un-wrapped gifts for a good hour. I got some great and much needed stuff (diaper champ/pail, boppy bouncer, booster seat, baby monitor, pack-n-play sheets and changing pad covers, hooded towels, bibs and bottles and much more). I felt blessed and honored. They definitely went above and beyond and spoiled me to the extreme!!! I guess I got a little too excited because pretty soon after I finished opening all the gifts I had my 4th bleed. It wasn't quite as bad as the other 3, but still another bleed. It's beginning to be a 48 hour pattern. I made it 72 hours one time, but all the others have come in 48 hour increments. But again, everything looked good. So after that, it was time to wind down and call it a day. Everyone left and I went to bed.

Today is Friday!!! Not that what day it is really matters to me. haha My friend, Emily, came and brought mom and I lunch from La Madeleine. Yummy! She even brought me a lemon tart!! Carlee enjoyed it just as much as I did. It was fun having her visit. She brought me my 7 month gift, a cute preemie onesie, and told me that she had already bought me my 8 month gift, but that I had to make it to 8 months to get it. It sounded like a good threat to me. Well that is it so far for today. My Dad will be here later this afternoon and he is bringing the nursery bedding! I can't wait to see it!!!! Don't worry; Craig won't be in charge of getting the nursery all set up while I'm here. Mom will go decorate it at some point. The nurse just brought us some homemade brownies, so I better go eat them!!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

Love, Susan