merry, merry

Merry wee babe #1:

Merry wee babe #2:


This week I went in for a two hour appointment for genetic counseling and a very -- very -- thorough ultrasound. I had an amniocentesis with both of my other children and it was extremely painful. So, I decided I did not want to have one this time. However, after the incredibly thorough ultrasound, the doctor found a "white spot" (calcium deposit) in baby #1's heart which CAN, but not always, be a symptom of downs syndrome. So...thank heavens my hubby went to the appt. with me and he encouraged me to get an amnio so that we wouldn't worry the entire rest of the pregnancy.

Yes, it was very, very painful. Not once, but twice did that huge needle go into my belly. Double the pain. Good times. But...I am very happy I had it done because I know I would be very worried about it since my sister has a mentally retarded child and it is definitely something I have always been concerned about (which is why I chose to have an amnio with my first two babes -- not to mention I have had all three pregnancies after the age of 35).

So...the doctor said I might have some cramping within the next 24 hours and to take it easy. I felt ok after the appt. -- with a little pain, but nothing too horrible. Then a few hours passed. Oh man, the pain set in. I mean serious pain. My lil boy came down with a fever of 102º. My lil girl would not stop crying since she had skipped her nap three days in a row and was extremely tired. I am so very grateful my hubby was home to get them to bed because I couldn't handle the crying. I get very irritable and impatient when I am in pain. I had to lie down so I decided just to go to bed at 7pm. I could hardly move I had so much pain and cramping in my abdomen.

I lay in bed for a few hours but the pain would not go away and I could hardly turn to change positions. I finally went to sit at my computer just to try something new and get my mind off my worry about my wee babes. There is always a risk of miscarriage after an amnio and I have a friend who lost her baby after hers. I was VERY worried. It's amazing the attachment a mother can have to lil babes she hasn't even met. I would be absolutely devastated if I lost one of these precious wee lil ones.

Anyway, long story short, while I was at the computer, I tried to print out my Christmas card and it simply would NOT print out so I was completely distracted -- and very frustrated -- and finally gave up and went to bed at 1am. The distraction helped because the cramping had subsided a little bit. It still took me a while to get to sleep, but I finally did. Only to be awakened at 4:30am by my sick boy. It was a long night.

I still had presents to wrap, a house to clean, packing to do for our trip to Wisconsin, kidlings to take care of while the hubby went to work, Christmas preparations and doings to be done.... What the heck was I going to do if I had to stay in bed the next few very busy days?? Yes, I was just a wee bit stressed.

But, Christmas magic was in the air and it all worked out. I lay in bed with my boy until 8:30am, took it easy that morning and the horrible pain and cramping was completely gone. I felt great. My boy felt much better too. Mr. Incredible came home early from work. I completed all the wrapping. I was able to get a house cleaner to clean my home so that it wasn't a mess when I returned from WI (I hate coming home to a messy home...) and I felt so, so very much better. I mean MUCH better. I was extremely relieved, to say the least.

So now I am all caught up on my Christmas doings and am about to decorate our Christmas tree (my family always decorated on Christmas eve...thank heavens because the tree has already fallen over three times and I am very grateful there were no ornaments on it when it fell!!).

I have so many, many reasons to be merry and I hope there is much merriness in homes everywhere this Christmastime. We're off to Jim's dad's house for the next week for some serious r&r (since there is not much to do in a very small farming town in Wisconsin).


MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!