Miserable Monday....

So I had a bad day! It started off by waking up to a dark bedroom with the sound of rain hitting the roof…..my favorite sound EVER! Too bad it was MONDAY and I had to get up and get ready for work. I wanted to sleep in like never before. Anyway, I unwillingly got up and started to get ready for work when I realized, Ella is STILL laying funny somehow on my sciatic nerve which is sending sharp pains down the right side of my back, through my rear and down my right leg. Awesome Ella! So after going in for an hour and walking around like a chicken it was time to go to the Dr.

As we are walking down the hallway with the nurse to our room, after the other fun things…..”Hop on the scale” (ha! What a joke!), “leave us a sample” (aka…pee in a cup), “lets check that blood pressure”, yada-yada……Dr. Cousins sees my gimping down the hallway and boy did she say the WRONG thing!!!! She asked, “What’s wrong with you”. The nurse replied, “She has a bad case of sciatica going on”. Dr Cousins then says, “HAHA, That babies already getting on your nerves!!” I think to myself, “Clever.” Then she busts out with, “And the funny thing is, there is NOTHING we can do for it!!!!” Oh no, that did not sit well with me. I felt my chin start quivering like a 2 year old and then came the tears. I burst into tears uncontrollably. As the nurse is listening to the baby’s heartbeat I am laying there with tears streaming into my ears. I don’t think it was really what she said but more that the timing was just REALLY bad. I have been in so much pain since Friday with this that the thought of 9 more weeks of it is almost unbearable. She came in and totally apologized saying that she didn’t know I was going to get so emotional. Hell, I didn’t either. But I surely did!

Anyway, Dr. Cousins wants to see me every week starting now so we can really pay attention to my sugar counts. I am close to where I need to be but not quite. I think with paying a little more attention to what I am eating it will be fine. I am having to stick my finger 4 times a day but if I have good numbers over the next week I go down to twice a day. After crying like a baby in there I went over my weekly list of questions and number one on there was, “Can I get an ultrasound soon?” Her response was, “mid-thirties”. I assumed that meant thirty five weeks but when she handed me my chart she said “See you next week for sugar check and then the next for your ultrasound”. I guess crying got me what I wanted…something I am sure Ella will have no problem with!

I have so much more to add to my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day but it is 6:30 and Drew is at home waiting on me for dinner. I worked late partly because it was the last day of the month and also to get my desk cleared to start training the girl that will be taking my place tomorrow. Yep, the word is out. Everyone here knows that I am not coming back (right away) after the baby is born. Tom (my boss) sent out a really sweet email to everyone today explaining that I am leaving as staff but plan on returning as an agent in the future. “Near future” if you ask Drew! Right babe?!

Love to all,
Laine

7 Months / 29 weeks

I know I have been slacking here lately but we have been pretty busy. Here are some picture updates for ya. The bedding I had made for the crib came in, we have been stocking up on diapers, the shelves are coming together and her closet is getting more and more colorful. :) We have put together all of the stuff from my first shower and are really looking forward to our showers coming up!!

Drew's grandfather passed away last week. They had a really nice service and memorial for him that was put together by Drew's dad and aunt. It was nice to get to see some of Drew's extended family that we do not get to see often. Although Bill Jake will be missed, we all take comfort in knowing that he is at peace now.

Daddy is taking it one day at a time back on chemo and radiation. We all agree that he will keep on keeping on until it is too much to take and then he should just stop. As someone once told my grandmother, "Chemo is like pouring anti-freeze into your blood stream". Damn. That doesn't sound too fun! For now, he is on both and still has a great attitude! Since he reads my blog now.....Daddy, you rock! I love you and can't wait for you to teach Ella to hunt, fish, waterski and most importantly, make scout supper!

We are off to Asheville this weekend to celebrate my sisters 30th birthday. She is freaking out about being 30 but I say you are only as old as you feel. She sure doesn't act her age so I am sure she doesn't feel it! Happy Birthday Sister! Love you!

We had a pretty good Dr.'s appointment the other day. Dr. Cous said I looked great, heartbeat was great, I was measuring right on, good blood pressure, etc. Appointments are every two weeks now and I don't have to see any other Dr's because she is going to deliver Ella! Wooohooo! The only downer was that I failed the gestational diabetes test. My theory is that the piece of cake, 3 cookies and a plate full of fruit I had the evening before at the funeral reception might have had a tad bit to do with it. UGHHH....I am such an idiot sometimes. I was totally not even thinking about the fact that I had a SUGAR test in the morning. Oh well, we will see if I actually have it this Tuesday. I'll keep you posted.

11 Weeks to go!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! WE CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drew and I just stare at eachother when we are going to sleep and talk about how close it is getting and how excited we are. We start Birth & Baby class on Sept. 1st. That's pretty exciting. The end is getting near! I just hope it keeps going by as fast as it has!

Love to all,
Laine

It's official....

Our baby girl has a name!!!!!!!! After months of asking each other, "What in the world are we naming this baby?" we have finally decided. She is no longer "Nuggs", "Baby Girl", "Lil Bit", "Cindy Rendy" or any of the other 800 names she has acquired while in the womb! She is......

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Ella James Rendleman

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Ella was my favorite from the very start and its fitting I went back to it. I always do that. You would think that I would learn to go with my gut but it wouldn't be like me if I were able to make a decision easily. I can't even decide what I want for dinner! Much less, naming a person! This has been the biggest decision of my life! Good thing I had all these months to make it. It helps that Drew likes it a lot. He wasn't sold on the "James" as the middle name at first because it is so masculine but the more we talked about it the more it grew on him. Plus, it has special meaning. SO, there ya have it! Ella James!

6 1/2 months.....

We went to the Dr last Wednesday and everything is still progressing right along track. I am getting bigger and continue to have swelling but what else can you expect being 6 1/2 months pregnant in August!? Her heart rate was 145, my blood pressure was good and I am measuring right on. Well I am actually measuring a centimeter big and I have my own thoughts on that....ready?....here they go....my due date is wrong!!!! How in the world do I tell my Dr that she is wrong though? Either way you work it, by last period date or conception date, (sorry if this is TMI) it is off. I should be due the 6th or 7th of November. It is not physically possible, if ya know what I mean, that I am due on the 11th. If my due date were the 6th or 7th I would be measuring right on!! Anyway, I don't really know how to be like, "Hey Doc, you are WRONG!" Oh well. It's not that big of a deal until I am a week late by her due date which would really mean I am 2 weeks late.....then I end up having to have a c-section. I guess I am going to try and explain to her at our next appointment that I think she/the ultrasound tech are a few days off.

I had my fist baby shower this past weekend. It was the one my mom, with the help of Drew's mom, threw. It was mostly family with a few of my bestest girlfriends who might as well be family. I got wonderful gifts for the baby/nursery and even my jogging stroller!!!! :) I have already washed and put away the clothes, sheets and other laundry and put together the things that needed it. (except the stroller which Drew will be doing this weekend, little does he know) I do not have pictures yet because they are on moms camera but I will share with you when I do! Thank you Mommy and E for such a nice shower. I love and appreciate my family and friends so much.

My Daddy has been taken off his chemo for the time being. They obviously gave him way too much for him to handle because it pretty much rocked his world. He is going to try to get back on it when he gets better but at a much lower dosage and slower rate. He is still receiving his radiation treatments 5 times a week for now but that is also messing him up pretty bad. So we will see how that goes. He has started back at work some and still wants to continue his treatments if at all possible. He just needs to recover from that first go-round and they need to figure out an easier treatment. All the while he continues to have an amazing attitude!

I go back to the Dr the 18th for my gestational diabetes test and hopefully a due date adjustment. :) Then following that starts my rotation visits with the other Dr's in the office. I am not looking forward to that and remind Dr. Cousins each time I am in her office that SHE better be the one delivering this baby girl. I think I will be laying it on even thicker letting her know again that she "slipped" so for that she owes me big.....like so big she has to come in especially for me even if she isn't on call. She said last time we were in there that she would do everything possible to be there but if she won the lottery between now and then that she could promise us that she wouldn't be there! Drew asked if he could go with her where ever she goes when she whens the lottery and she then turned to me and said, "Well, it looks like if I when the lottery you are going to be having this baby solo"!!

Here are some more of our beach pictures.....enjoy!

Much Love,

Laine