Since I don't really keep a journal I had decided like a year ago to blog because you can print these off and turn them into these cool books. I guess I should do better so it is a decent looking book!
So I guess I will try to sum up the last 5 months in a nutshell: insane!
I am five and a half months pregnant so there is one glaring answer for why I have been such a slacker.
I had truly horrible morning sickness that lasted all fall and just when we were hopeful it would go away it got worse. It turns out I have a condition called Hyperemesis Gravidarum that causes extreme and persistent nausea, vomiting, and malnutrition throughout an entire pregnancy. It affects about 1-2% of pregnant women and lucky me it is genetic and runs in our family. I spent almost 2 months on a PICC line that ran from above my elbow, up my arm and into the Vena Cava at my heart.
It hurt going in but was way better than having the nurse come to my house and insert IV's everyday. After a week of tenderness I hardly noticed it. If you have ever been really dehydrated and had an IV placed you know those suckers hurt especially if they have to keep sticking you. So, I was glad not to be stuck constantly.
I had a nurse that came out a couple of times a week to check on everything and bring supplies. But my favorite nurse was my very sweet and handsome husband! They taught him how to do everything for me if I was too sick to do it myself and he took it very seriously. At least he looks serious in the picture but I think he was enjoying himself. Since he studies Bio-mechanics he was fascinated by everything.
I ran IV bags about 8 hours a day with vitamins and various anti nausea meds to keep me from continuing losing weight and it did help a lot. Unfortunately, right before Christmas my line became infected and the doctors caught it just in time before anything truly scary or serious could happen to me or the baby. So from here on out I am taking special meds around the clock and if I get too dehydrated I go to labor and delivery for hydration. It is too risky to put another line in me as I still have some residual infection in my heart.
In fantastic news though, the baby is measuring on track and weighs almost a pound and despite my weight loss (I weigh less 5.5 months pregnant than I did before getting pregnant!) they are feeling really good about his size and growth and he doesn't seem to have suffered from this condition. I am eternally grateful for that.
Did you catch that?! It's another BOY!!! We are absolutely thrilled. Keegan is so excited to have a little brother. Every night he kisses my tummy and says "Night, night baby!"
Needless to say, school has been shelved for the time being and we are just focusing on Craig getting through these last couple of semesters before we figure out where he is going to go for Graduate school and I will finish my degree at whatever fine institution that turns out to be.
Speaking of my awesome husband, he has been absolutely amazing through all of this and has been juggling so much. I am so proud of him and thankful for his hard work and sacrifice. 2011 was full of the most difficult challenges we have ever faced but we got through it and continue to face them side by side and as full of love as ever.
Keegan is a huge ray of light in our lives and it was wonderful seeing him understand Christmas this year. He loved the lights, the music, the lessons at church, and thought giving and receiving presents was the greatest thing ever. Thanks to many kind and loving angels he received everything he had asked for.
Things have been tight with only one income coming in right now since I have been ill and we were concerned how we would pay our bills and still be able to get anything for Keegan let alone ourselves for Christmas. Well, all I can say is that there are angels in our lives. So many family members from all over were extremely generous to us this Christmas as well as some who chose to be anonymous and rang our doorbell at night leaving money and treats behind. I was so overwhelmed by the spirit of giving that we received. It makes me choke up every time I think about it. If you were one of those people and you are reading this, know that we hold so much love and gratitude towards you for lifting a burden and making ours and our little boy's Christmas truly magical.
We look forward to this New Year, a fresh start, a brand new child to welcome into our family, and many more adventures. I promise I will try my best to be better about this blog!
To end with, here are a few photos from our special Christmas.
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| With Sophie the Miniature horse at a free holiday party |
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| St. Alphonsus Festival of Trees- this was my favorite based on Van Gogh |
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| He was so nervous about meeting Santa he kicked off his shoes! |
I'm a bigger slacker and I don't have a pregnancy to blame on! It's fun reading each other's blog and I look forward to more posts from you. :)
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