Thursday, May 26, 2011

Whipple Family Update

Compiling thoughts is not something that comes easy to me at 38 weeks pregnant. My mind has turned to mush and I can't seem to make full sentences when even speaking. I am exhausted and starving all the time... and mostly just think about food - and all the chores left to do around the house. I hate housework so I thought I could become busy for a few minutes and update my blog.

Daniel has been working at Wal-Mart for about two years now. As of Day 1 at Wal-Mart he let his superiors know that he would love to transfer to ANY department that offered more hours and a higher pay. As of last week he now works in Red Bluff at the Walmart Distribution Center! Working only 3 days a week (30 hours a week total), but making TWICE the pay! God always provides for us!

This pay increase came just in time because two weeks we moved into our own (rental) home. A quaint little three bedroom one bath house. We now have a garage, front yard, backyard and laundry room! The garage will not home our vehicles, but will allow a place to play on rainy days. Our new home is also a home for an army of BUGS! Every kind of spider, an array of flying insects, and those nasty earwigs. Our Landlady told us we will have some buggy visitors because we are "out in the country", but I never thought I would be squishing and spraying so many spiders all the day long. I hate spiders too, well I don't really know of anyone who actually likes spiders... but I have a horrible irrational fear of them. I wake myself up at night with nightmares of spiders... it is so dumb!

Our new home is lovely despite the freeloading insects. Elijah has his own room to play in. Anamaries room is all set up and very pink! Our room is quiet... and to be able to sleep in my own bed has bee nice! The moving process was not as bad as I thought it would be. Moving at 36 weeks pregnant is not something new to me. We moved when I was that pregnant with Elijah... I wish we could have planned it better, but God had a different plan. My family is just amazing! They worked so hard to move all our furniture and boxes... and then unpacked everything! I am so thankful for them! Such a blessing to have them in our lives!

Elijah transitioned really well for being just two years old and moving yet again. The first two days were a bit of "end of his world total drama melt down every two minutes" kinds of days... but after that he has been all smiles, giggles and belly laughs. He is a different kid! We loved living with my Aunite M, but I didn't realize how Elijah not having his own place to play affected him. I was constantly trying to keep him quiet and out of everyone’s rooms, and out of the fridge and inside the house. Now he just buzzes around from his room to the living room... running nonstop... busy busy busy! We love it!

Doctor Williams scheduled my C-Section for June 9th. We were hoping and praying for sooner because Daniel’s Mom and Sister will be in town (They are actually flying over RIGHT NOW as I am typing this)… but will be back home by the 9th. I am not sure if I will even make it to the 9th. Ana is now sitting so low, but can’t engage because my bones are too narrow for her head. So she is just sitting there… pushing on bones… causing massive pain. What a stinker! Last week (week 37), she was measuring over 8 pounds and I was measuring at 40 weeks… I didn’t even ask what the measurements were yesterday when I went in for this week’s appointment. Williams switched me to Heperin from Lovenox. Heperin has a 12 hour life, where as Lovenox was 24 hours. That way if I go into labor, they don’t have to stop it and they don’t have to put me out for the C-Section. Daniel has been doing the injections for me. He was VERY hesitant to do them… not wanting to hurt me, but having him inject is less painful than when I would do it… AND the bruising hasn’t been as bad either.

I am excited for Daniel’s family to be visiting the next few weeks! Excited that they get to share (hopefully) the first moments of Anamarie’s life with us! Every time I think about Tina being there when Ana is born, makes me get all teary. Elijah has never met his Aunt Jennifur or his cousins… he gets to this week! They are going to have a blast!

I am ending this with prayers that MASSIVE contractions start tonight and I get to meet my Ana before the morning!

Saturday, May 7, 2011

A Shower of Love





The shower was a garden theme with lots of purple and greens. Ashley made some fantastic food and there was a never ending supply of sweets, candy and cupcakes. I have been sitting at the computer for about an hour, thinking of how to express how I feel now compared to how I felt last year at this time (when we were announcing our last pregnancy and the a few days later mourning our loss). I don't know if I am just so exhausted I can't think straight, or in my heart I feel God knows how thankful I am and I just need to leave it at that.
I just feel so incredibly blessed today. God has put some amazing women in my life... in Anamaries life! To know that so many people care for her already makes my heart happy! She is a very lucky girl!Amy (Clarkson) Charles came all the way from Fresno to celebrate with us! Love this woman! Love that she is still in my life. Love that every person that came to celebrate with me has been in my life for many years! I know that not everyone could be there today and I want them all to know how thankful I am for them. Daniel's family all lives out of town and I know they would have loved to come. I know that my baby girl has some strong, confident, intelligent and beautiful women to look up to and I am thankful you are in our life!



"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another" John 1:16






Wednesday, May 4, 2011

35 Weeks Pregnant



A typical baby at 35 weeks gestation is about 12-17 inches long and can weigh 4- 5 1/2 pounds, the size of a pineapple... Today's ultrasound shows we have a chunky baby girl measuring 37 weeks! When I was pregnant with Elijah I was induced at 37 weeks... having a c-section at 38 weeks - and he was over 9 pounds!

The ultrasound today showed Anamarie is breach, well kind of folded herself into a 'V' shape. With her head and feet under my ribs and her little bum down past my belly button. Her heartbeat is great, her measurements are great (other than being big), she is beautiful!


Last night increased pelvic pain brought us to the hospital... I knew it wasn't real contractions, I was more worried about having developed a cyst... it is what it felt like to me. Turns out things are just moving a stretching, making more room for our growing girl. A few weeks ago my OB told me that my pubic bone was separating (Pubic Symphysis Diastasis), the pain that brought us to the hospital last night was just MORE separating. I never had that with Elijah... don't really need it this pregnancy either with having a repeat cesarean.

I had a leg Doppler done today to make sure the clots in my legs are not getting bigger and that no new clots have developed. I have developed some awful varicose veins in my left leg, it looks awful! I was sure that there had to be a clot, but nope! Which is good, but means that I just have icky veins, no reason for it. Dr. Williams lowered my Lovenox injection back down to 80 mg once daily, hoping to stop the black golf ball like bruises. He thinks he might switch me to Heparin instead of Lovenox... we will see. I am so thankful that this is the most boring, uneventful pregnancy I have had! Despite the countless Doctor visits and horrible injections, it has been rather droll... Dr. Williams said the other week, "this is such a blessed pregnancy." It made me cry! Thank you Jesus!

We are moving next week into our new home! I am so so SO ready to get settled... to get my babies rooms put together! Elijah is needing his own space and I need a place to put him when he gets incorrigible. I want to put Ana's dresses in her closet and be able to lounge on my couch and just think about her squishy cuteness.

I am so excited for Ana's baby shower... just a few more days! YEA!