{Happy Birthday, Luke Ethan!!}

After two amnios (one at 37 weeks and one at 38 weeks), we were given the go ahead and were scheduled for a 3pm surgery on Friday, March 13th. We were taken in right away and given a bed in the sugery prep/recovery area. By 1:00pm, the nurses had my fluid drip started and the wait began. Interestingly enough, I began having contractions and by the time 3pm approached, they were regular and becoming painful. At about 3:15, the nurse came for me and we walked down the hall to the operating room. I was given a spinal and was prepped for surgery. Just as they began, a nurse brought my husband in to sit by my side. It took about an hour for my hernia surgeon and my obgyn to get through to my uterus and Luke Ethan was born at 4:02pm. (Ironically, all of his older siblings were all born between 2 and 4 in the afternoon, so all of my babies have been afternoon babies!) Daddy got to hold him for quite a while and then they both were off to the baby nursery for a check over. My hernia surgeon got to work and an hour later I was back off to the surgery recovery area. Another two hours (7pm) and I was moved into my room on the maternity floor. Luke weighed in at 10 lbs 15.7 ounces (just shy of his big brother Cole's 11lbs) and was 21 inches long. After some inital breathing issues (common with C/S babies) and then some blood sugar issues, we were finally reunited. The nurses continued to monitor his blood sugar problem but he finally started to have consistantly good levels. We had no more issues thankfully, and Monday morning discharge was a happy time for Mom, Dad, and baby. Big sister Lauren is in love with her baby brother and is momma's big helper. A big thank you to everyone who kept us in your prayers!

{Baby day coming soon!!}

I've not posted any update in a while- I apologize for being a bad blogger! I've had a few more ultrasounds to track the progression of my polyhydramnios. It's much worse this time than it was with my last pregnancy. Baby is now head down and far into my pelvis. I have a large incisional hernia and it has been quite sore/protruding the last few weeks and I'm thinking that just may be why...up until now he's been transverse. Baby seems to be doing just fine despite all the amniotic fluid, but they estimated his weight to be 9lbs 11oz. Both the tech and the head Dr. admitted weight estimates at this point are not always accurate but the technician said she feels confident that he is at least 9lbs. His amniotic fluid levels have been high since 24 weeks but they've skyrocketed to an estimated 39cm (5cm is considered low-25cm is considered high). They asked that I do a 3 hour GTT just to make sure I don't have GD that the 1 hr test didn't catch. I did that last Wednesday and passed with flying colors, thank goodness. It's normal for me to have "big" babies and I've never failed the 1hr tests they've given me, but I was a bit worried. They are recommending early delivery to avoid complications with my incision scar and my hernia (I've had two previous C/S) and have scheduled me for an amnio with intent to deliver at 37 weeks. I'm a bit nervous about having a baby in less than one week's time(and three weeks early), but it looks as though they feel that is what's best this time. Prayers for a safe amnio next Tuesday with good lung maturity results as well as an uncomplicated C/S and hernia repair and healthy baby on Wednesday would be *very* much appreciated!!

{It's a.....}

I have a baby update! I went last Monday for my 24 week appt and was suddenly measuring ahead at about 32. I had polyhydramnios with my daughter, so I was sent for an ultrasound on Friday to see if I had developed it again this pregnancy. I do have a bit of excess fluid (not sure how much as they didn't give me a #) and baby is measuring large..2lbs already at only 24 weeks 3 days. The Drs at the Maternal/Fetal Center didn't seem to concerned. They seem to think this is just how I grow them- big and with extra fluid. (My oldest was 11lbs and my youngest was 10lbs 4oz.) I'm hopeful that my Obgyn will agree with them and doesn't start any restrictions yet (with my daughter I had to do NST's 2x every week from the time I was diagnosed) but anyway I just wanted to share our BIG news.....Daddy was sure we were having a girl; my oldest son kept saying it was a boy and no one listened. I guess he really did know what he was talking about because baby totally surprised us all and is a BOY!!!!!!!!!

{Happy Thanksgiving}

One more week and the holiday season will be upon us. I always love this time of year.. The coming of Thanksgiving for us always means my dear daughter's birthday and then the approaching Christmas month of December. In celebration of this time, my newest page kit SweetNSpooky will be on sale through out the rest of the month and I have a little free "sweet" for you to download. Enjoy this Thanksgiving card- stick in your favorite fall photo, email it to family and friends, or print it out to give to your Thanksgiving day guests. Check out the bonus downloads section at Digitals for this latest freebie OR you can download it right here. Please give me some feedback after you download, I'd appreciate hearing from you! {Side note: If you would like to share this quickpage with your friends, please send them to my blog to download it for themselves. THANK YOU, Ladies!!} I hope you all have a blessed Holiday with your family and friends.

{Digital Scrapbook Day}

{SweetNSpooky!}

October finds me at almost half way through my pregnancy with my newest little one and with finally enough energy to do some scrapping! My youngest son is adjusting to preschool and my oldest is enjoying life as a Kindergartner. I can't believe how much the temperature outside has dropped in the last few weeks.. Autumn has made her presence known! I have put together my latest page kit just in time for scrapping all those fun Halloween photos that you'll be taking soon. It's called SweetNSpooky and it's available now in the Digitalscrapbookpages store. As you can probably tell by the name, it's not really your typical Halloween kit. but it's lots of fun so go check it out!

{Creative Team Call for the Digitals Store!}

Want to work with a variety of fabulous designers, earning free kits and making gorgeous layouts for an established site? We have the job for you! We need 4-5 more members to join our Creative Team at Digitals. Each CT member will work with a designer for one month at a time, making at least 2 layouts with each kit provided and posting them in our gallery, DST, and a minimum of 2 other galleries of your choice Emailing LOs through Yahoo groups, writing reviews in the store, and submitting to magazines are big pluses. You will be given a minimum of 2 kits per month (4 layouts total) for free, but you have the opportunity to do more if you and the designer wish. CT members will rotate to a new designer each month. Please be willing to make a minimum 3 month committment and sign a confidentiality agreement.
Email Stacey at stacey@digitalscrapbookpages.com with a paragraph explaining why you want to be on the team, links to the galleries where you are most active, your other involvement in the digital scrapbooking community (moderator, teams, etc.,) your username at our site, and a little about yourself. This call will remain open until we find people that fit our team. We look forward to your applications!

Digitals: http://www.digitalscrapbookpages.com/digitals/