Well, here I am at 39 weeks pregnant with our second child. I can't believe the time that has passed and the time that is creeping by slowly. Anison will soon be here, I will be induced Tuesday night. After much begging and proof of an ultrasound to show how big she is, the doctor finally is going to listen and let me go early. I feel beyond miserable, and never felt like this with my previous pregnancy, although I have never been 39 weeks pregnant either. I am trying not to freak out about all the little things I would usually loose it over and place my trust in God's provision. I know life is getting ready to change drastically and I am nervous, but mainly for Joselyn. No one ever told me that just 16 months after giving birth that I would not even remember what to do with a newborn, not to mention how I am suppose to take care of a toddler. Obviously God saw it fit to bless us with these two little girls so close in age, and I am forever grateful for what a blessing each of them are in their own way. I think back on when we were trying to conceive to begin with, Joselyn came at such the perfect time, I was completely desperate and broken hearted after five years of not being able to have and hold my very own child, that the whole time I was pregnant with her I would not let myself believe she would live. Then the moment they layed the little lizard on my stomach, my faith in God grew by leaps and bounds. I had a difficult recovery after my pregnancy and like most women wondered if it would ever even be a smart choice to get pregnant again, after six months I was starting to feel better, and the issues where starting to subside. When Joselyn was nine months old we found out to our shock that I was pregnant, naturally. My first reaction of course was laughter followed by tears of every emotion known to man. Doctors had told us even after Joselyn was born that there was hope we would one day conceive again with fertility treatment, but I would not conceive naturally. I couldn't believe for months that I was even pregnant, and when it finally sunk in we where in the midst of moving and getting settled in our new home. I got pushed into a new doctor that let's just say I am growing less and less found of. Now to think that in just a little over 24 hours I will be checked into a hospital awaiting the arrival of our second little girl, the emotions are starting to show a little more and more. Joselyn is beginning to act very different, and she knows something is about to happen, Chris is very busy at work, and I feel like doing nothing, so the house is not clean, laundry is not done, all the things I wanted to do before Anison's arrival to make sure the girls are treated the same has not taken place. I truly believe God is teaching me that this place in life I have never been to before and the only way to make it through is to realize he has not set something before me that he won't take care of. I am aware life is going to change, but I will not listen to others negative comments about how horrible it is all going to be, but instead I will try to focus my attention on the Grace given to me and realize I am suffering nothing that is not meant for God's Glory!!!
The last two weeks have been eventful as usual. We are trying to get out as much as possible before this next little Funkhouser arrives. At my 35 week appointment I was ordered to have an ultrasound to check on the baby's size, and to see how much longer my cervix was going to hold up. She weighed in at 7 pound, 7 ounces, and her head is in proportion to her body, meaning she is as large as a baby who is 38 weeks along. My cervix is shorter than it should be, but not at a dangerous level yet. I was dilated 1-2 cm and 50% effaced.
At my 36 week appointment we talked about the baby's size and then during the exam the resident said she could not tell where I was dilated at all, so I got in to see the doctor and she discovered the baby is very posterior, but cervix was completely effaced. This explains all the back pain I have been having. My doctor promised me she would not let me go over my due date, because of the baby's size.
37 weeks started with a Doctor's appointment, followed by a trip to the hospital. My doctor once again during the exam could not get to my cervix because of the baby's positioning, and did a quick ultrasound in her office to find that the baby's head is under my hip bone, the baby is not moving the same as she was due to her positioning. I was sent to the hospital for a non stress test and a more advanced ultrasound. They monitored the baby for a few hours and she looks good and healthy! I had some irregularity in my monitoring though, so at this point we are hoping the pattern is that of pre-labor. It could be an infection, but I have no other symptoms of an infection. They sent us home, which was very depressing walking out of the hospital with out a newborn in my arms. But she is healthy and better off inside until she is ready to come out. I have been doing my best to induce labor naturally this week, but nothing is working. The baby's position now explains why. There is hope that once active labor commences she will descend like she should, but I have a rather large fear of having an unpleasant labor followed by a csection. I am pretty sure that a csection and a 16 month-old don't mesh well, but I have to put my faith in the Lord and fervently pray to go into labor very soon. Whatever God's will may be for this child he has created inside of me, and for my own health, his plans are greater than my own!
Joselyn is so loving towards her little sister already!
Me in all my glory, I feel like I am going to explode already!
This week at the Dr. I was 1.5 to 2 cm dilated, let's just say this exam was a little painful, so she couldn't get a good estimate, 60% effaced and -1 station. I have to take the contraction medicine for one more week and then we get to see what will happen. She scheduled an ultrasound for Thursday to check my cervical length, and the size of the baby. I have an infection of some sort, but they are not certain where it is coming from, so they are going to do more lab work on it. I am starting to slow down a lot, I feel like a helpless person, and Chris is having to tack on more of the household stuff to his already insane schedule of working. Joselyn has been coping well, no pacifier for over a week now and she is doing great. I still don't have bows made for Anison's lack of hair when she is born, the car seat is not even in the car, and no one's bag is fully packed. I feel like there is a ton to do, but some how I am finding peace in getting nothing accomplished. I know God in his sovereignty is completely in control, and look forward to this blessing even more as the days grow closer.
Yeah we get to swim
Are you sure we all fit?
Obviously the pool is made for little children.
Gage teaching Joselyn some new dance moves, I have to say this was pretty funny, they both dance like Chris!!!
Wrestle time.........
Let's play house
Joselyn pretty much sat on Gage while he was trying to play Wii
I fully intend on posting new pictures, but for some reason the computer does not want to upload the pictures currently. As soon as I can get them loaded I will post them.
Gage is in town for a few days, and the kids have been very busy playing! Gage can get Joselyn to laugh or squeal at anything, there has not been a quiet moment since he has been here. I have also realized how very thankful I am for my girls, boys are just plain dirty. Even when I know he is clean, or at least sanitized he is still filthy! They have had a blast, He arrived Tuesday night, and Blaina came over to play on Wednesday. And through God's strength I have had more energy the last two days then I think I have had in two years, another way I find God completely amazing! Check back for pictures, I am not very good with electronics, my husband believes I have technological malfunctions inside my body.
My doctor's appointments are every week now, and as of Thursday I am 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. I was a little shocked when she told me this, I did not think you dilated so early after your first child. I have had increasing issues that have talked about in previous blogs, so I have been put on more medicine and am sporting some new support garments. Everything went well at the appointment, the baby is BIG already and head down ready to meet everyone. My Doctor and I discussed many things, bed rest and how I should be on it, but she realizes that I have a fifteen month old so she did not push the issue. She did an ultrasound to get a good idea of how the baby is laying. She told me no more traveling over an hour away from Carbondale. We also discussed a plan for these contractions I have been having, and she said to continue taking the meds for two more weeks, and then she thinks once I am off them the baby will come very quickly. I am to go to the hospital anytime the contractions make a pattern no matter how far apart they are. I have been told by my mother-in-law that she will not be very happy if I have this baby this week because she will be out of town, so I am going to try to behave on her behalf.
I have been experiencing a vast array of emotions lately, and am still in a state of shock that this baby might be here in two weeks. I am not ready, I know I would never fully be ready anyway, but it is all going to my head a little these days. I have started to pack everyones hospital bags, but nothing is finished and there is still a lot to be done, I am trying to listen to my husbands advice and remember she is coming whether I have the room painted or hospital bags packed. The second child definitely gets less of an organized parent out of me that is for sure. I am getting more and more nervous about labor and delivery, my biggest fear is that in the end she will be to big and I will have to have a c-section, or as always that we won't make it to the hospital. At the same time I am over being pregnant, not one of my finer moments, and can't wait to meet her and see how Joselyn will react to being a big sister. I am dying to loose this baby weight and am waiting to pull that new double stroller out and rack up the miles. We hooked the Wii up last night and I got on it for the first time in 115 days, lets just say my Mii character is now 29 pounds heavier and has no balance.
This part of the journey is getting ready to change our lives once again, and I am consistently confronted with God's Glory and Grace through it all! I pray that our family might seek to Glorify and honor him in all that we do!
