Names

Setting: Thanksgiving dinner at our house with the Sister missionaries and Nick& Linnea Hall (friends).

For about the hundredth time today we were asked if we had a name picked out for our baby boy. Although we had Andrew's at four months we sadly haven't picked one for Jr. yet. We showed our list on the fridge that is slowly widdling down, then we started making up fun names to go with Walker.

Luke Sky Walker (of course)
Hall Walker
Jay Walker
Moon Walker (that got a good laugh)
Jungle Walker (which could also be shorted to the initial J again)

Then Nicholas says we need a middle name to go with Jungle. I instantly think of jungle gyms and share. We were all rolling around the table, and then they all laughed harder when they saw me crying (I don't get good hard laughs like that often anymore). After recovering it was decided that Jungle Jim Walker is the best.

MY SIDE! MY SIDE!

I haven't had too many "pregnancy moments" but this takes the cake so far. It might even go down in our family history...

The other night Ian and I were driving home in my car from a baby-prep class. We were stopping at the gas station for gas, Ian was driving. Both our cars are opposite for gas pump sides, so we have to think about which side it is when we pull into a station. So, we're driving in and I say "My side." (of course I know what I'm talking about, right?) So he keeps pulling toward the pump on the right side, so I keep repeating "My side! My side!" Then I start slapping him on the shoulder. (LOL) About the time the bumper is even with the pump I realize what I'm saying wrong. "My side when I'M driving!" (LOL-9 out of 10 times that's where I'm sitting when I pull into a gas station) Then I start laughing, alone, 'cause Ian's NOT laughing as he pulls around to the correct side on a different pump.

I laughed the entire time he was out pumping the gas. He was just starting to recognize the humor of the situation when he got back in the car. He said it would have been more so if he hadn't been getting hit on the shoulder...he thinks it's pretty funny now.

Even now as I'm writing this I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.
He got his revenge this morning. I've been wanting to cut my hair before Jr. arrives, and once I've got it in my head I want it done. I asked Ian if he thought he could do it and he said sure. I told him to cut it even with my armpits and gave a little instruction. He got started and about 5 minutes into it he says "Oops." I started laughing, that's the ONE thing you never say when you're cutting someone's hair! We laughed through the entire process as my hair got shorter and shorter in his attempt to even it out. "Well," says I, "you are the one that likes long hair so you'll be the one saddened by the results."

He actually did a really good job and it wasn't much shorter than I'd expected. Now I've just got to adjust to it. Thanks honey!

Darn

Well, shoot. The hip pain is back. After the last blog I was having braxton hicks contractions almost every 10 minutes for hours. I missed a day of work to get off my feet and rest them away. I don't like being unable to walk without limping/wobbling or even roll over in bed! But, I don't think I dare go back to the chiropractor...

I've been very pleased with this cocoa butter lotion. It's lasting halfway through the day before I start itching again. I certainly can't complain about that.

For those of you who are wondering what my belly looks like with all the shots...
Aren't you jealous? If I do them above my belly button I usually don't bruise, but I stayed in that area so long that my skin toughened and I couldn't get the needle in. So, now I'm back down in bruising territory again. Some of those spots are because some mornings it takes my 3-4 tries before I can find a place that doesn't hurt so bad I want to cry. Today (the picture's a couple days old) that bruise looked like a fish to me, but Ian thinks it looks like an anteater! :)
I send thoughts to Jr every morning not to move because that makes the process even more painful. I was remarking to some friends tonight that I look forward to NOT having to get up at 7am every morning to do these shots, but wait...by that time I'll have a baby and won't even be sleeping through the night anymore! SO, no more sleep-ins for Bonnie.

A couple of my students asked me about this so I showed them some of my spots. The one male student in the room regretted paying attention at that moment. It was hilarious, he looked away and moaned like he'd seen something he'd NEVER wanted to see. We still laugh about it.

Update

For those of you who have asked why they can't just give me the steroid shot instead of the amniocentisis, I have the answer. They don't give the shot after 32 weeks, which I was when they made the size/fluid discoveries. Apparently it doesn't do much good at that point, according to studies. It's always nice to have answers to questions.

I also asked the Dr. how accurate the ultrasound assessment of Jr's size is. He said that the farther the estimate is from normal the more accurate it is. And also the further along he is the more accurate. So, since it was over a pound bigger than normal they trust it to be accurate.

Last Friday our night custodian gave me a baby gift. I could tell it was heavy, but I didn't open it until I got home (stupid me). Once I got home and opened it, Ian and I discovered that he had bought us over $100 worth of baby boy things from safety kits to adorable outfits. Ian almost cried. Wow, my custodian did that! And Friday was his last day! I'm now on the search in the district to find his contact information so I can thank him properly!
One of the things in his gift is an adorable, soft, newborn size fleece pajama outfit. We still can't even imagine what it will be like to have a little boy inside it to snuggle with. That will be neat.

For the last week my hips have been 'OH, so painful' and this week my back started, too. I read about this in the pregnancy book but didn't expect it this soon. I've been figuring it's part of pregnancy and I'll be waddle-limping for the next month or so. I finally went back to my chiropractor today (it's been almost a month) and guess what? I didn't waddle or limp my way out of his office! What a blessing to know I don't have to live with that pain for the next month. My back still hurts, but my hips don't!

So, passerby's are starting to tell me I'm looking huge. I know I'm getting bigger and can hardly tie my shoes now, but when I think of big I think of my friend who's over a week overdue. She sticks out several more inches than I do. I do think I'm carrying Jr more inside than outside since he was almost full term size two weeks ago and I don't look full term. It'll be interesting to see how all this comes out.

No stretch marks, yet! Itching like crazy. Thanks Jamie for the cocoa butter lotion, I want to eat myself! And it actually stops the itching for an hour or two. I think I might actually be moving from 'adhesive allergy itching' to 'stretching itching.'

1st gifts

We have started receiving baby gifts and I wanted to show some of the cute stuff. Last spring we received a ton of things from generous people in our wards. They were incredible. One of my students bought us a Pooh baby blanket.
The very first baby gift we've gotten this fall came from J&J&L Loehrman, whom we went to adoption classes with last spring and are finalizing their adoption this month. Yeah! I thought the words were perfect. (worth the wait...)
This week we received a package from my mom's oldest-best friend. She handmade a blanket, sweater, hat and booties. They are so cute and soft. I look forward to sending her a picture with our little guy in them.

Amniocentesis?

Ian and I went and toured the hospital Tuesday night, then I found out the next day we were the last tour. They have shut down all tours because of H1N1. We're really grateful we got to see the place ahead of time and get oriented.

I went in for my 32 week follow-up ultrasound on Jr's kidney problem with the paranatologist yesterday. The ultrasound tech was hilarious and had a blast getting pictures of my insides. She found out that he has hair already! Yeah, I like hair! However, she thinks that he has hair from ear to ear like an old man! We have some funny pictures of when she tried to do 3D pictures. Beware! The Hand! Detached and blobby!

It looks like Jr grew 2 ureters out of his bladder during development to form a weird kidney with 2 compartments, and one of the ureters is likely kinked since it's not draining properly. It's not a life/death condition, but we are meeting with a pediatric urinologist before and after he's born to keep an eye on it and see if anything needs to be done.

Apparently Jr's body is too big for his gestation and that has them concerned. They said his abdomen is the size of a 38 week gestation and his head is the size of a 36 week gestation baby. He's apparently about 5 lbs 10 oz when he should be closer to 4 lbs. They normally see this with gestational diabetes, but since I don't have that they don't know what is causing it. Add to that that I have too much amniotic fluid and you somehow get a recipe for still birth, not to mention too-big-to-birth-naturally.

So here's what we get to do about it:
I had to start twice a week fetal monitoring stress tests in Sacramento today. Their latest time is 3:30 which means I have to leave work before school is out. I will have to do this the rest of the time I'm pregnant.

At 37 weeks they will do another ultrasound, then an amniocentesis to see if his lungs are developed enough to come out. If they are; it looks like they plan to induce me within 48 hours. Wow, things can change really fast! I am NOT excited for them to stick a huge needle in my stomach. I've always planned to avoid such situations if possible! Isn't it bad enough that I have to stick myself every morning?

We are discouraged to be having problems yet again, but I have all confidence in the paranatologists and what they recommend. They are the ones that found my bloodclotting problem, and they are super nice. Dr. Mentakis gave me a hug before I left yesterday.