March 17, 2009

Today is my favorite non-major holiday.

Well...it will soon become a major holiday for our family.

...and what a perfect present for mama on St. Patrick's Day...

Two little leprechauns will meet us today!!!

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers and follow my twitter-ings if you wanna know up-to-date info from the hospital!

Will it be this week?

[Photography by my amazingly talented sister!]

36 weeks today!

Who would have guessed we would make it this far?

All the praise and glory of these two little miracles staying put goes to God above. Thank you all for your prayers and support through this pregnancy (with all of its ups and downs) as well as during this difficult time of loosing the first man I ever loved.

1 month

It has been 1 month without my Dad.

My father met his Heavenly Father on February 5, 2009 at 8:00PM and every day since has been hard. Very hard. I miss him so much. Dad was so young, appeared so healthy. It is hard to believe in a matter of a few short weeks one can become so sick. I have so many questions. I replay so many of the events in my mind. What could have been done differently? However, I know my father is in a glorious place and I have started to find a peace in knowing that it was just time. God has a purpose for Dad...a new task...not an earthly one but a heavenly one...I have to focus on that.

Dad was an amazing man. A wonderful provider for his family and a strong Christian. There was nothing on this earth he loved more than "his girls" (my mother, sister, niece, & me). As a child I can remember he would stay home on Saturday mornings to watch The Smurfs with us and spend hours playing with Matchbox cars. I have so many precious memories of Dad: laughing so hard while telling a joke that he couldn't make it to the punch line, twirling and dancing (something I never thought he would do) with my at my wedding, bringing me "treats" (ice cream, dinner, anything!) to the hospital when I was on call, his mantra "If I can't fix it, it isn't broken" (he really could fix ANYTHING) - all of these memories and so many others dance through my head daily.

There wasn't anything my Dad did not do for me or our family. We used to always laugh when he had his "moments" - times when for no reason he would just start crying at dinner, during a movie or driving down the road. It was during these "moments" he would say he just felt so blessed with all that the Lord had given him - mostly meaning us girls. One cannot even watch my high school valedictorian speech...the camera was too shaky and all you can hear was my Dad...my Dad the videographer boo-hooing through the entire thing because he was so proud. He loved being proud of his girls and I loved to make him proud. He would swell with pride each time he saw me wearing my white coat. He loved that and I did too.

I miss him deeply. It hurts everyday.

I am still pregnant...will be 36 weeks this Sunday. I'm back to work and taking it day by day. Amazing, huh? As my due date approaches I find myself with a mix of happiness and extreme sadness. There is nothing in this world that my father wanted more than to hold my babies. He was so proud. My son was to be his first grandson...the first boy in our family. He had such big plans for the two of them. My heart aches that my two children will not physically know this amazing man. However, I plan to make sure they know as much as possible about their Poppy so that his amazing spirit can live on in them. And on that joyous day when Baby A and Baby B make their entrance to this world, I know my father will be there in spirit. He will hold those babies. Dad always was persistent in saying he would be there to hear their first cries as he was for my sisters daughter (the way the delivery room there was set up was perfect...family could see the baby without having to see the delivery) despite my persistent nagging that there was no way that could happen in our hospital with the set up we have...I didn't want him seeing that stuff!

Well, Dad...there is nothing to keep you out now. And I really hope you will be there to meet my babies & hear their first cries. Nothing would make me happier.

[Thank you to all who have noticed my absence and emailed to check on me. It is so touching to know that you care.]

Don't you love it when...

...you have had a really long day taking an exam (yes, I had to sit for 8 hours and take a standardized test in all my pregnant glory - hence my absence this week due to studying - ANYWAY...) and you come home to a big Priority Mail box stuffed with goodies like this????

Needless to say, I was more than excited. It was like Christmas in January at my house this evening!

Fellow pregnant blogger Stefanie of Artsy Momma sent me this care package full of goodies. She is 38 weeks this week yet found the time to put together this package for me! She is just too sweet! I cannot wait to get started with all of this stuff. I already have lots of projects lined out in my mind.

Wanna hear more about the goodies in my box from Stefanie???

ADORABLE his and her matching hat and booties sets and some super cute iron ons...I can't wait to put this on some little onesies. It will make an adorable complete outfit for each of them!

Yarn! Yarn! Yarn! All super soft! Can't wait to use it all! Also included in the box but not pictured are a couple skeins of Cotton Ease in a lovely taupe and blue...those are already being wound on the yarn winder...I didn't even wait long enough to take a picture of them before I started using them!

All supplies necessary for hand embroidery! 72 colors of embroidery thread, oh my! I'm in heaven. DH is going to have to wash some onesies because this super cute pattern will make some adorable baby clothes!

Also, I have been meaning to photograph and share my other bed rest gift from bloggy friend Jennifer of JCasa Handmade (if you haven't seen her blog...you must go check out her handy work. Bee-u-tee-ful!). She sent me this skein of lovely 100% merino wool vesper sock yarn and a pattern for footies she has recently made/posted on her blog.

Since seeing her footies I have been obsessed with wanting to knit socks. I have purchased 2 books on knitting socks as well as 2 general knitting books. I have been practicing and practicing with my ultimate goal being to gain the skills necessary to knit these socks! I cannot wait to use this yarn...I'm getting a lot closer to feeling confident enough to give it a try!

I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. Since my announcement about my bed rest (which was posted while I was actually an inpatient at the hospital- thank goodness for wireless patient internet!) I have received nothing but well wishes and support from all of you, my blog-y friends. I never realized how much starting this blog would enrich my life...I know it sounds corny...but you all are awesome. You have become my "friends" though we have never met...your comments make my day and I have appreciated all of your kind thoughts and prayers throughout all of this. I cannot say thank you enough!

Happy, Happy 28 weeks!

28 weeks!!!

Yesterday was a huge milestone! Babies born after 28 weeks do much better than those born before 28 weeks (95% intact survival rate at our hospital over the last 7 years). The perinatologist at our hospital always says the month of 24 weeks - 28 weeks is the biggest month in a babies life. My babies made that mark! Now, we have our eyes set on the next prize milestone - 34 weeks here we come!

Both babies are doing very well. We had a growth ultrasound this morning and both babies are measuring appropriately. Baby Girl is now weighing in at 2 lbs. 8 oz. and Baby Boy is 2 lbs. 11 oz! They are so beautiful (we have some nice 4D images of their cute little faces!) and we are so excited about them.

I finished my first ever knitted project - a washcloth! This one will be added to the stack for the babies since it is kinda small. I used only knit stitches in this project for practice...now I'm ready to purl! I have plenty more 100% cotton yarn for more washcloths but mama really wants a scarf for herself. I need to practice reading a knitting pattern because I am dying to make some of these socks with the beautiful yarn that JCasa (she has posted some beautiful socks lately!)sent to me...I must take a picture of that yarn to share with you all (add to the to-do list)!

My first full day of bed rest at home

Well, it is officially over...my first full day at home on bed rest. I have the best husband in the world (REALLY!) and an awesome family and I wouldn't be able to do this without them.

My day was spent in my bed (of course) with a couple hours here and there in the recliner in the living room (for change of scenery and to interact with others). DH brought down a little set of plastic organizer bins from our office to sit near my bed so I could neatly arrange my projects and to-do's. My sister Leap and niece So came to visit and brought some plastic bed table / lap trays they picked up at Michaels along with stickers and rub-ons to decorate them. We spent a couple hours this afternoon decorating our bed tables and Leap took them home to put a clear coating on top to protect our sticker work. I can't wait to get my table back now :) So also brought a calendar for me to mark off the days (to prove to myself I am making progress daily and working toward the best goal of all - healthy babies!) which they picked up at Michaels. It has a space where every month you can draw your own picture for the month and she made an awesome little picture with some stickers for January. Every time I look at it it makes me smile. I loved being able to spend time with the both of them this afternoon.

My parents stopped by for a visit too...that has been the best part so far of all this bed rest stuff...I love seeing my family and normally with my work schedule it is hard to do that.

I'm so in the Christmas movie mode. Watched Home Alone (a favorite) this afternoon while loom knitting and then watched Fred Claus this evening (it was so-so). Saving the best movie of all time (National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, of course!) for Christmas Day!

DH is still trying to find the software for my camera so I can install it on the laptop to be able to add some pictures to posts. Maybe tomorrow.

Best of all...I'm 25 weeks! Whoo-hoo!!!

More bed rest...

First of all...thank you all for your well wishes, thoughts, prayers and encouraging comments in my last post. You all are truly awesome!!! I can't express what your comments mean to me.


Unfortunately though I'm back in the bed. This past week I did take it easy but I was still working my 14 hour night shifts. The first half of the week went very well...slow and steady. However, the past two nights it all broke loose. We were slammed. So after I finished my third c-section in a row last night (one of which was an emergency) I noticed my back was hurting more than the typical being on my feet all night aches. Then there was the pelvic pressure. I can honestly say I did contemplate going back to the call room and lying down and assuring myself it would all be okay (doctors truly are the WORST patients). However, I knew something was wrong and I knew I had two little babes to look after. So, I marched myself over to triage and told the nurses they had a new patient - me. The outcome - I was contracting every 2 minutes. So now it's back to bed for me with tocolytics to stop contractions and steroids for my babes to help mature their lungs. Needless to say, 24 1/2 weeks is still way to early...so we need your prayers more than ever. We want to buy as much time as possible before their birth!


Since I will be in bed (thank goodness for wireless internet) a lot in the future, I will be able to blog more (keep on the sunny side, right?). However, unless DH will help (as I am sure he will) most of my posts may be kinda pictureless. Sorry. This little blog may take a little turn also during this time. Since I, The Stitching Surgeon, will temorarily just be a baby incubator there will be no stitching and no surgery unless something drastic changes. Since I can't climb the stairs to my sewing studio my sewing projects will be on hold (unless they can be sewn by hand). I do have some knitting up my sleeve, plan to read some books and perhaps I will even search the web for some other kind of new craft I can teach myself while I am in bed (true knitting with knitting needles and not a loom like I do or something like that...) Anyone have any ideas???

This is what bed rest will do to ya...

Sorry for the absence. My doctor had me stay on bed rest this past weekend after a test which can help predict preterm labor came back positive. All is well now though...except my husband says I didn't get a "Get out of jail free" card with the recent good news that I in fact do not have to remain on bed rest. So, I am heeding the advice I often (daily) give patients and I am learning how to take it easy. No more trips to the mall before my 14 hour night shift or cleaning the entire house top to bottom during the weekend for me. Nope. Now, I am confined to the couch or bed on my hours/days off work. And let me tell ya...after only having to be on bed rest for a weekend (3 days) it is no easy job. It is serious hard work. I now have an enormous amount of respect for those patients that I have seen spend 6 - 8 or more weeks on bed rest! Again, this is why I am taking it easy now...so I don't have to do that!

So what is a girl to do during all that time on the couch/bed...knit. Knifty Knit to be exact. I've made this cowl you see above, baby hats, a baby blanket for baby boy (I'm working on baby girl's), washcloths and I still have plans for many other things to make. I will take more pictures soon and show you all those projects. I have big plans to make a hat to match this cowl. I can't wait. I love this Knifty Knitting stuff.

This past Sunday we celebrated "Happy Viability Day!" with some ice cream cake. 24 weeks! Whoo-hoo! Sorry about the bad picture...taken with the BlackBerry...I was at work when DH brought the cake so we could celebrate and I never have a good camera there!

Please remember to keep me and my babes in your prayers and thoughts! We always need 'em!
Have a great day everyone!

Congratuations! It's A....

First off...Baby A wanted to just say hello to everyone out there in blog land!

Now for the big news I'm sure you have all been waiting for...

Cute little profile of Baby A at 18 weeks.

Baby A is a GIRL!!!

Cute little profile of Baby B at 18 weeks.

Baby B is a BOY!!!

We feel so blessed to have two special little babies on the way. We are so excited to be having one of each...the blessings just keep getting better and better.

3D image of Baby A hiding her face.

Please continue to keep my babies and me in your thoughts and prayers though.

We really do need and appreciate them!

Meet me halfway...

20 weeks today!

My Bernina and I are friends again

I'm sure my Bernina was wondering what happened to me. Over the summer, my sewing mojo was...well...non-existent. Cooler weather thankfully has brought it back. I spent most of the weekend working on sewing projects so I should have plenty to share this week.

First off is my FIRST EVER completed quilt. I've made quilt tops in the past but they never made it to the long arm quilter, much less to the binding stage. So, I was thrilled that I finally finished this Yellow Brick Road pattern baby quilt. I am so proud of the binding. This is something I never thought I could do. But thankfully, one of the nurses at work showed me how to hand sew on the binding in just a couple of minutes between patients and it turned out better than I could have ever imagined (mitered corners!). I owe her one! I picked out this awesome varigated brown-pink thread for the quilting work...love it.

Everyone who has seen it has asked if it is for one of my babes. Well, if "A" or "B" ends up being a girl this quilt is all ready for her! We still don't know what we are having yet though. I purchased the fabric long for this very project long before I found out I was pregnant. Could that be a sign? If I end up having 2 boys...well, the next lucky friend to have a girl will probably get it.

[Front view]

[Back view - chocolate brown with pink polka dots]

Isn't my DH just the best model???

The verdict on the pattern: LOVE IT! Easy to understand, easy to come together. Will definately make this quilt again (especially if we are having one - or two - boys).

Little hats for little heads.

I purchased a very nice natural colored baby alpaca yarn over a year ago with no particular project in mind at the time. For some reason I thought of this yarn today while drying my hair getting ready for work. I thought it would make the perfect little warm, snuggly, gender neutral hats for my little ones. I threw it in my bag along with my Knifty Knitter hat loom (yeah, I can't knit with needles...too hard). I was able to whip up both of these soft little cuties in no time flat. I even had yarn left over so I made a 3rd hat for one of the nurses who is expecting soon. I will put it with some burpies and maybe a appliqued onesie and call it a day. :)

I am also very excited about my new BlackBerry Curve. I must say...what did I do before you??? I was able to snap this photo, send it to my computer and make this post happen...all from my phone! Love it!

Mmmm...good.

Dear Husband,

Stop reading my blog now. You don't want to read this post. Trust me.

Love,
Your Wife

Everyone else,

This is what pregnancy can do to you.

You are hungry (ravenous) and working the night shift. Any other night shift (non-pregnant) when you get hungry you pop a lean cuisine or smart ones meal in the microwave, grab a turkey sandwich and some baked lays or eat an apple. But when you are PREGNANT on a night shift you decide a nice, hot cafeteria meal would be a good idea at 12:30am (blame it on the hormones). So you wonder downstairs and hit the jackpot. Breakfast food at midnight.

Yeah...not my normal meal AT ALL. But, gosh, it was sooooo gooooood. Apples, potatoes, biscuits and gravy. I know this picture looks pretty gross (blame it on the blackberry - not the best quality photo, right???) but our cafeteria is actually pretty good. DH says that it is just because I am used to all of this cafeteria food...but hey, they make a mean midnight breakfast.

Oh, and husband (because I know you are still reading)...I promise I don't eat like this every night. :)

Big News in the New Header

...that's right! I'm pregnant! And I'm having Twins!!!

[Twins A & B at 6 weeks]

I have been bursting to tell you all! DH & I (and all the family) are so excited! We were also shocked...when the grainy ultrasound image first appeared on the screen my heart was beating so hard in my chest because I knew from the first glimpse that there were two (it is my job after all). I was in complete shock. What a blessing and what a suprise!

[Twin A at 12 weeks]

[Twin B at 12 weeks]

Hence, my recent absence. But now that the first trimester is under my belt and the nausea and constant fatigue is starting to subside...I'm back...plus two.