October 5, 2008 - Finally, and update!

[Nathan] Ok, yeah, I know, I know. We are bad at updating our blog. I just joined facebook, and it reminded me to check here. It has been almost 2 months now since we updated! So here we go. This may be a long one. Let me start by updating you on stuff I wrote in the last post. September 9th Mary had another OB appointment, where they wound up taking her blood pressure twice, and both times it was high, in the 140s over 90s. So not terribly high, but not just borderline either. So she got to do some lab work that week to find out if she was developing preeclampsia. She also had to drink that "yummy" stuff (I guess, she drank it, not me...) for the gestational diabetes test. Then later that week we had another appointment with Dr. Varner (The perinatologist from the University of Utah). The ultrasound at that appointment gave good news. Again, the cyst is still there, but it hasn't grown, and maybe has shrunk just a little bit. Proportionally speaking, it is much smaller, because it hasn't grown, but our daughter has. We also told Dr. Varner about the Mary having high blood pressure earlier that week. He told us that if there aren't any other problems than the cyst, that we should be fine to deliver here in Pocatello if Dr. Jones (Mary's OB) and the pediatricians are OK with it. But he said if Mary was to develop into preeclampsia at 1-2 months prior to her due date, we could still be looking at needing to deliver in a big city like Salt Lake or Denver. Mary had a follow-up visit scheduled with Dr. Jones on Tuesday the 16th, where we found out that the gestational diabetes test was negative, along with the lab work for preeclampsia, and her blood pressure was back down to normal. So we breathed a collective sigh of relief. Our little girl is kicking to the point where Mary feels pain anymore, and her hips have been hurting. Oh the joys of pregnancy. This is why I know women were the ones chosen to carry babies from conception to birth, because although men may talk tough, I highly doubt we could deal with it! I'm very proud of Mary for how well she is dealing with it, although she may claim she isn't dealing so well as I may claim. We are now less than 2 months from the due date of November 25, and dear old dad is finding just about anything that reminds me of my soon-to-be daughter brings tears to my eyes! For example, I was watching The RM on my iPod coming home from work this last week, and at the very end, Kirby Heyborne's character hugs his mom, who is holding their new baby boy. You hear him kind-of squeak since he gets a little smooshed in the process. I had to fight not to start tearing up! Yeah, I'm a sap, and I'll need a loading dock in the delivery room so they can deliver the crates of tissue I'll probably need! Now we are waiting for this Tuesday, October 7th, for the next OB appointment.

We bought what we hope is the last of our major pre-birth purchases for baby this weekend, including a Diaper Genie (Diaper Genie II Elite, I guess), baby monitors, a 1 second ear thermometer, and a Boppy pillow so Mary can nurse a little easier. We have also been working on converting the second bedroom in our townhome from an office to a nursery. Last time I updated this blog, the computer I'm typing was in the office/nursery. Now it is crammed in our bedroom! (We made it work somehow...) Yesterday I puttied in holes from thumbtacks in the walls and we painted over them. Mary has been wanting to hang the decorated wooden letters that spell N-A-T-A-L-I-E up in the bedroom. (I think we're pretty set on Natalie Joy, unless she doesn't look like a Natalie. Then Mary gets to do a whole new set of letters!) Mary has also been able to keep busy a little with putting away all the great gifts we got at her baby shower. Note, to all of you who were there, THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the gifts! It will go a long way! We hope to send out announcements when our little girl shows up. Mary's baby shower was an interesting concept too, since her sister organized and conducted it, who herself found out she is pregnant just recently. She is due May 10, 2009. I think we are all hoping they get their first boy, especially 3 little girls who would love a brother. She has been fighting the morning sickness too I understand. Mary has also been feeling a little nauseated here and there, but not anywhere near like what is was back in April! (Thank goodness!)

Just a quick note, on August 24, I left the ranks of the "younger" full-fledged adults and became just a full-fledged adult by turning 30! Yikes! Where did my 20s go?!?! I know all of you who are older are just saying, "Oh, poor baby!" (sarcasm pools underneath as it not just drips off but runs off in great streams...) but I can't believe I'm that old! I still feel like a kid, wanting to have fun with video games, etc.! I don't know if I'll ever grow up in some ways! (I hear some of you saying, "Yep, you're right...") Oh well, onward, and well, is it upwards or downwards? Hopefully up!

Labor Day weekend we spent at Reunion Flats campground with all of my mom's sisters and family as we have for several years now. Grandma Farmer was a party pooper and didn't come this year, but I'll give her a break since she will turn 81 here in a couple weeks. We missed you Grandma! All was great until Sunday afternoon. It had rained some on us Saturday night, but it dried up Sunday morning, and was fairly pleasant, until the clouds opened up on us that afternoon! We wound up trying to beat a hasty retreat and pack camp up in the rain that evening. I don't remember being so wet in regular clothes for quite a long time! It was enjoyable though, especially when we realized that Mary's sister Rebecca and their family was just up the road from us at Treasure Mountain Boy Scout Camp for a huge family reunion of their own (Jared's (Rebecca's husband) great grandpa's kids and posterity). So we went up to visit them for awhile, and they graciously came down to visit us in the wet later. I was surprised that they did, they had said they would, but I didn't think they needed to once it started pouring down! All in all though, it was fun.

Well, Mary just told me that no one is going to read an entry this long, so if you have, congratulations. I can't really think of much else huge or exciting to say here either, so I'll end here. Hope all is going well for all of you and we'll see you again soon! Stay on my case so we post again before another 1-2 months goes by!