The results are in.....

Imagine my surprise when we got a call from the doctor telling us that Darren has sleep apnea! They recommended that we meet with a ear, nose & throat doctor and having his tonsils removed. I have that appointment this Friday morning.

He has arrived

Justin Thomas was born on July 16th at 3:15 pm. He weighed 9 pounds and 1.9 ounces. He also had a lot of hair, and looks very similar to what Nathan looked like when he was a baby. We also left the hospital after twenty-four hours, much to many peoples' shock. I just figured that if Mom watched the boys another night, I would probably get more sleep/rest at home.

So far, he has been a great baby. I feed him about 10:00 and he sleeps until 3'ish when I feed him again and then again around 7:00. Sometimes I have to let him cry on purpose so that I can hear what he sounds like as he hasn't cried too much yet (knock on wood).

My blogs are going to be fewer and farther in between since I don't have a computer at home, but I will try to post anything important.

40 weeks and 1 day

I had my final doctors appointment this afternoon. The plan at this time is to bring my in tomorrow evening (Wednesday the 15th) and induce me. He said that the birthing center is busy right now and if several people go into labor that they may move the induction date back. But since I am overdue, I do get a little higher priority.

Everything looked normal; weight, blood pressure and the heartbeat of the baby. When he did my pelvic exam he told me that I was 1 cm dilated already. I was excited to hear that. I know that it doesn't really mean much, but to me I am hoping that I won't be in labor as long. With the other two boys, I went in with no dilation. Still no contractions that I can feel, and he never mentioned if I was having any.

Today is my last day of work, and I plan on staying home tomorrow and cleaning. I will now be cleaning things vigorously hoping to move things along even more. I was told by a family member that I have to have this baby Thursday morning so she can see it before she goes away for the weekend. I have my orders and I hope I can accommodate her!

Ready for a new baby?

I have been asked by colleagues, friends and family if I am ready for this baby yet. Apparently no one knows me very well. In typical Lisa fashion, I am leaving everything until the last minute. I did wash up the 4 or 6 oz bottles I have yesterday in the dishwasher, so those are ready. I did go thru the sleepers and clothes and picked out what I want washed up and those clothes are sitting in a clothes basket in the basement. If I do go into labor today, I can always have Bruce start the laundry for me. Although knowing Bruce, he would just go to Wal-Mart and pick up some new sleepers instead of washing up the ones in the basement. Sometime in the near future, I have to go out to Mom & Dad's to pick up the bassinet.

With each kid, I become a little more lax about getting things ready for the baby. As I am getting things out, Darren will point to it and say baby. I will agree that the item is for his baby brother. I don't think it has sunk in that he is having a brother, but he does understand that there will be a baby in the house.

Darren will definitely be jealous. He was sitting on my lap Saturday night and Nathan asked to sit on my lap. I told him that he had to ask Darren. Of course Darren says no when Nathan asks him. After watching/listening to Nathan pout and whine, I told him to just get on my lap. Of course that makes Darren mad, so he gets off my lap and throws a buck. Eventually they both calm down and they are both sitting on my lap.

Life's realities

I had heard yesterday that one of my friends father had passed away Saturday evening. That is the second friend whose father has passed away in the past eight months. Granted the first friends father was probably the oldest father among the group, and he had health problems, doesn't make it any less of a harsh reality. The father who passed away this past weekend was only in his early 60's, but he had a lot of health problems. It hits too close to home that we are at the age where, unfortunately, this is going to start happening more often.

I had a mini freak-out when I learned that I was my Mom's in-case-of-emergency contact outside of the house. I know the day will come when I have to take care of my parents, but I am still used to the idea of them taking care of me.

Today's the day

Today is the day that I am supposed to be due, but I don't see me going into labor anytime in the near future on my own. Although I feel gigantic, everyone says that I do not look like a nine-month pregnant lady. My friend Janelle has a sister-in-law who is due in September and Janelle claims her sister-in-law is bigger than me. (I am sure that it has nothing to do with the fact that she is having her fifth kid). We attended a pool party yesterday and everyone was impressed that I was there and still wearing my rings. I think people are finally starting to believe me when I say that I am all baby. At the pool party yesterday, and last weekend at Liberty Days, everyone was shocked that I was still out and about. The only reason that I was able to attend Liberty Days was because it was so cool out, so it wasn't too uncomfortable for me. I went to the pool party simply because I wanted to get out and see everyone one. I am paying for going to the pool party today as my legs are fried! They all kept teasing me that my legs are going to hurt when they put them in the stirrups, but I told them that I plan on getting my epidural so everything should be okay!

Darren's sleep study

Darren had his sleep study done last night. They confirmed what we already knew; that he has sleep apnea. I hate the fact that insurance had to pay $1,000, or whatever it cost, to confirm what we knew but I guess doctors have to go this route to CYA (cover your ass). Bruce went with Darren and so I am getting the information relayed from Bruce, but they said that he does have sleep apnea. I guess I will have to wait a few days so the sleep doctor can analyze his results and then I guess I need to call his doctor to see if they are forwarding the results to an ear, nose and throat doctor or if I need to get the results and forward it to them. If they told Bruce how many times Darren stops breathing in the night, he did not tell me.

It sounds like the little I talked to Bruce this morning that the test is different from what I had with Nathan. He had to sleep in a recliner next to Darren's bed and he said that the sleep monitor/technician had to come in the room almost every time Darren moved because his monitors would fall off or move to an incorrect spot. Bruce said he may have gotten about three hours of sleep, and none of it was straight thru. With Nathan I had a twin bed next to Nathan's hospital bed and I don't think that the technician came in the room at all other than to hook him up at the beginning of the night and in the morning to unhook him.

Hit or miss...

We have been working in Darren potty trained so that I don't have two kids in diapers, but we have not had much success. Usually the only way he will use the bathroom at home is if he is promised a reward of candy. Not sure how they get him to use the toilet at daycare, but he does go occasionally. He will tell us at home and daycare that it hurts, but that is when he makes himself go and he only does a few dribbles. The other day I seen him go to a corner and it sure as heck looked like he was pooping, but when I asked he denied it and went somewhere else to hide. Of course he had a full load once he "reappeared."

On Sunday night we were sitting outside at Mom & Dad's so that Nathan could walk his fair pigs. Before we left we decided to put Darren's p.j.'s on. While he was in his diaper, I had asked him if he had to go potty. Before I could think about it, he took off his diaper and peed right in that spot in the grass. He didn't hold himself so when he was done, he had to wipe his legs. I can only assume that he got a little splatter on them.

Then on Monday at daycare, they took him to the bathroom and tried to get him to go. He apparently dribbled a little bit, but on the way back to his room, he soaked his shorts as he was walking back without his diaper.

I did buy him some underwear, so I may put that on him occasionally just to see how he handles it. Although I will ask if he wants to wear a diaper or underwear and he always chooses a diaper. I just hope that the underwear is beg enough for him as the smallest size I seen at Wal-Mart was 2T. Mom may have to put darts in his underwear!!

38 week checkup

On Tuesday I had my 38 week checkup. Blood pressure looked good, blah, blah, blah. It is the same thing every time I go. I had a stress test or a non-stress test done (not sure what they call it for sure) and everything looked fine. Since my doctor is out of town next week I asked him if I need to see the doctor on call since I am so close. He said that if I wanted, he would send me to the hospital next week so I could have a stress/non-stress test done if I wanted - it was completely up to me. Since the results of the test looked normal, and I have not being having any problems other than the normal aches and pains, and the fact this is my third child, I decided to wait until he is back for my next checkup. He cautioned that if I feel any decrease in movement, or my water breaks or anything else, that I get myself to the hospital. He tells all his patients that, but I am sure it was just a reminder.

I also asserted myself a little bit and asked if I could be induced the week of the 13th if I haven't already delivered. I preached my case. a) we know that this is a big baby already and b) Nathan is showing pigs at the fair on the 27th and I would like to be out of the hospital for more than a week so I can watch him. He agreed with me. I have a feeling that since I am such an easy-going patient and he knows my history that he was probably going to suggest the same thing when I see him in two weeks; if I haven't already delivered which I told him that was highly doubtful.

As it stands right now, I see him on Tuesday the 14th and then he will send me to the hospital on Wednesday evening (the 15th) to be induced. That means that boy number three will more than likely have a July 16th birthday.

Labor repeat?

Most everyone I know, knows the story of how I went into labor with Darren. I rescued Nathan from crossing the street when I was a few days overdue, and fell on top of Nathan. On Tuesday night we were at the neighbor's across the street (the same house that Bruce was at when Nathan tried to cross the street to see him two plus years ago). We were getting ready to head back to our house when Darren darts out into the street. He is probably two or three feet off the curb when I grab him by the back of the shirt and pull him back. As soon as he is on the sidewalk, I let go and try to calm myself. My heart is in my throat and it is beating at 200 beats a minute and my stomach is clenching. I was half afraid that the fear of him running into street would cause me to go into labor, but it doesn't appear that will happen.

Sharing a bed

It has been five nights of the boys sharing a bed and I would call it a success. We are still having issues with Nathan sleeping in his bed, but I didn't figure that he would magically sleep in his own bed once he started sharing a bed. Here are the results so far....

Saturday night (1st night) - Bruce goes out Saturday evening and gets home about 1:30 am. As we are laying in bed, and I am listening to Bruce talk, I hear some rustling noises on my side of the bed. Apparently Darren snuck into our room. I try to put him back in bed but he is having none of it. Not too long after that, Nathan comes in our room and takes his normal spot next to our bed. Darren claims a random spot on our floor and falls asleep. I go into the bathroom and get out a towel to cover Darren with (the blankets were to far way in the living room).

Sunday night - Nathan willingly goes into his own bed when Bruce and I go to bed. About 11:00 Darren wanders in and Bruce carries him back to his room and puts him in his crib. We spend the rest of the night without any visitors.

Monday night - Nathan falls asleep by our bed and Bruce carries him to bed. About 6:00 am Darren wakes up and wanders into our room asking to eat. I lay him down in our bed to see if he will go back to sleep. About 6:30 I give up and get him a Pop-Tart. When he is finishes he lays on the couch and is sleeping within minutes.

Tuesday night - Nathan sleeps by our bed all night and Darren comes in our room about 6:30.

Wednesday night - Nathan sleeps by our bed again and I have to go into the boys room to get Darren up and ready for daycare!

If we could only convince Nathan that there is nothing to be scared of, he will start to sleep in his own bed. This is also the kid who will not go to into another room by himself when the house is dark (except when everyone is sleeping of course).

Busy at work

I have several entries that I want to make, but I have not had a chance to. I usually take ten minutes from my lunch and make my entries, but the lunches I have been taken are just long enough to eat. Lynette (who took my parts job) is on vacation this week so I am trying to fill in for her, cross-train Zack on some of her duties and teach my duties to several people to do while I am on maternity leave. While I sound like I am such a hard worker that it takes several people to replace me, actually my duties are being split among several people. I have been so busy that I barely have time to go to the bathroom.

This is my third maternity leave with this company, but this is the only time that I felt that no one is prepared to fill-in for me. Maybe because while I have specific assigned duties, I fill in where ever there is a need. I guess with Nathan, Kris started training a month in advance. With Darren, they had hired Lynette to assist me a few months before I announced that I was pregnant so she easily stepped into the role. I have less than two weeks to go, and no one knows my job duties. There are things that I do in our computer program that only I know how to do. I am sure that someone could figure it out after playing with it a while, but there are just things that I do without anyone thinking about it.

Just remember; job security!