So Blessed...

First off, I happily updated my previous "Milestones" blog below, scroll down and review for details.

Secondly, I am sooo overjoyed to be able to write that I have successfully made it to 24 weeks, the point at which the medical field considers a baby "viable" meaning they would do all things necessary to try to help a baby born this early. Prior to this time, usually not much is offered as the survival rate is so low. Of course we are hoping for a solid 16 more weeks, but I am still somehow reassured by this medical tidbit. Also, things are looking very much downhill from my perspective at this point - my bedrest will be halfway over next week (at 25 weeks), and every week from here on out holds a milestone or something else to look forward to greatly, in addition to the knowledge that this little baby is safe and secure in my belly and getting closer every day to the healthy transition to my arms.

Third, I am ecstatic that I received news from some family members that, God willing and all things working out well, I will be getting some visitors sometime in the next three months! My older sister, Angela and her baby boy Waylon are planning a visit sometime this spring; and there is a chance they may be joined by my younger sister, Tenae and/or my sister in law Tera!!  Congratulations to me and our baby, I have a wonderful family!

Fourth, speaking of family, ours is growing in more ways than just our little one. Jason's brother Brian and his wife, Naoko, gave us news of their pregnancy just this past weekend. We are delighted that after nine months of working with some stubborn ovaries they can finally look forward to new things beyond the "getting pregnant" part of making a family. In addition, I am excited that our baby will have a cousin so close in age and proximity. Being near cousins was a huge part of my childhood, and I am beyond glad our children will have that as well.  They are due in October, 2011.

Finally, the pregnancy updates. As I've written before, contractions started for me around the 16 week mark, came and went, then came and stayed since around the 19 week mark.  There have never been more than four per hour, but recently some have been more intense. In the past few weeks, there also has developed what I call "uterine background noise" like little mini contractions that feel more like pressure without lasting for too long or without my uterus getting too hard. Up until now, I haven't really counted them. Well, after the more intense ones started this past weekend I called the doc (they know me by my first name by now) and they wanted to have me come in for monitoring. I was at the hospital for several hours, and my uterus did it's thing. An ultrasound done the next day demonstrated no change in my cervical length (whew!!).

Apparently my "background noise" is actually uterine irritability. Most of these "mini" contractions don't last longer than 30 seconds or so, but after reviewing with my doctor, he wants for me to count ALL of them when I have them. He agrees it's a bit on the aggressive side, but given that I only have half the usual amount of cervix to work with (2cm instead of 4cm), he wants to know right away if there is any chance that it could be decreasing even more.  It sounds more stressful, and admittedly has led to more clock-watching on my part, but I am reassured that he takes it so seriously. I find it very helpful to know he has now "seen" what my uterus does instead of just trying to deduce what's going on from my descriptions. All that said, he did not want to start any tocolytics (medications that would stop contractions) at this point - he strongly conveyed that he thinks all will be well.  He did add that this incessant contraction counting should only have to last up until 32 weeks - after that, if I went into labor and it were to late for medications to stop it, the baby would be ready enough to be born.  (After some reading I found that many OBs don't start anti-contractions medications after 32 or 34 weeks, because the baby is so close to being term.)  So it's only about 8 more weeks of counting and clock-watching.  I find that "do-able". But I guess whether I find it "do-able" or not, that's just how it is.