You are my sunshine

YAY!!! We made it one more week!!!! Hunter is now 27 weeks old. Thank you, Lord.
Doctor said that baby looks well. Heart has been fine and no severe contractions. He was glad to see that. He said for me to stay lying down. Thanks, I could have guessed you were going to say that?! (FYI, earlier I had said Hunter had had a few heart arrhythmias, but that wasn't true. He had "variables" - which meant that his heart rate dropped a few times that day when he was being monitored. This indicated that he kept laying on his cord. They monitored additional times that day and the next, but he turned out to be just fine.) I could feel the baby really, really low today, like I thought I'd actually see a little foot or something. (kidding, Mom, don't worry) ...So I actually did spend most of the day on my back to relieve some of the discomfort.

A dietitian also visited me today. I'd guess that's routine. She wanted to check on my appetite - which is more than hearty these days! Actually, I've had more of an appetite this week than ever, it seems. She said I needed to gain more weight. According to my height and pre-prego weight, she wants me to gain 35-45 lbs (I've gained 8 lbs so far, as of last week). Well sister, do not fret. I can promise you that I'll gain 90 lbs at the rate I'm going - oh, and have I mentioned that I am just LAYING here?? Doing nothing?? The only physical activity I get is shoving food into my mouth. So, get this, she asked me to increase the caloric intake and gave me "tips" - i.e. adding cheese to broccoli, adding peanut butter to bananas, drinking 2% milk instead of skim, eating ice cream every night... So I need to stuff my face now... and block out all of the nightmares I'm going to have about working extra hard to lose it after the baby comes. Oy. I'll just wish for a miracle on that weight-loss thing. It's for the birds.

So just as I was relishing in the fact that together, Hunter and I, have made it ONE MORE WEEK! ...I also realized that being here is getting REALLY old. Already. Now, I have so much to keep me preoccupied, I really do. Projects, research, reading, movies, corresponding. But all within these four small walls, which ironically remind me of my college dorm room. Grey walls, grey ceiling, grey floor, same twin bed size...except no roommate and no occasional adult beverage in sight.

Anyhow, I digress - just as I was getting a bit of cabin fever, what shows up but two things that BRIGHTEN my day!

THANK YOU!!

Thank you, the Muschalik family, the Tucker family, The Witten family, The Miller Family, The Carter family, The Talbot family, and Dirusha and Paul! The Huge "Cookie Bouquet" packaged in such an exquisite presentation! Love this gift...flowers...yet you can EAT them! You all are amazing friends to us.


Thank you for everything I received in my first handful of hospital mail! I was so excited (if you know me, I LOVE getting my mail each day...probably only to look out for catalogs, People or US magazines, though...) to get my mail here! Thank you for the cards from Aunt Chris, Sarah, and my close friend Anna Juby's step mom, Barbara Jacks. It meant so much you would write such inspirational messages. Thank you to a few moms who have kids in my mom's preschool class in Oregon. They sent lovely cards - and even a couple from the students to me and one to Madison. It touched my heart. Thank you for the journal, note cards, crossword puzzles and books! Elaine sent me a Willow Tree statue of a pregnant woman that I've always thought was so beautiful.

You all certainly brightened my day...