Ninth Doctor Visit - 4 a.m.! - Missouri Baptist Hospital

I was admitted into the hospital yesterday around 11:45 a.m.  I was having a terrible side cramp on my right side that would not quit.  I was in a lot of pain, so I called my doctor's office, and they said to get to Labor and Delivery.

I was having a few contractions once they hooked me up to the monitor, and they wanted to test me for appendicitis.  Sam was doing fine, they monitored his heart beat...and he kept kicking at the monitor pads!  The house doctor was stumped because I wasn't running a fever or doubled over with pain and cramps, vomitting etc.  So they took my blood and my white blood count was elevated, so they wanted me to spend the night to see if my symptoms worsened and looked more like appendicitis or something else.  They gave me some pain killers, and I couldn't eat any solids only a clear liquid diet!  I scarfed down jello, chicken broth and ensure to try to fill the void in my grumbling tummy.

Dr. Gearhart came in at 4 a.m. to check on me, she had a delivery.  She said they'd check my white blood counts in the morning and see what they looked like.  It's 10 a.m., and I'm still waiting for the results.  They didn't come in until almost 9 a.m. to draw my blood because they didn't receive the proper paperwork.  Hopefully all is fine and I can go on home.  I may have just gotten some ligament pain or some fluky pregnancy pain?!  All I know is I need FOOD!

Everything's fine?!

Well, I was released about 10:45 a.m.  My blood results came back and my white blood count had went down.  It's a mystery, but at least I was able to get FOOD!  We went to O'Charley's and I indulged in their yummy club sandwich with awesome honey mustard and seasoned fries.

My side isn't hurting anymore, so I may have just had some ligament pain, the baby could have been sitting wrong and pinched a nerve?  But at least he wasn't ready to come yet!  He'll do much better in my belly for a few more weeks anyhow.

Eighth Doctor Visit -

This was the quickest one yet.  I didn't have to have an ultrasound, so I just weighed in, had my vitals taken and was out of there.  Sam's heart rate was around 140 bpm.

Weight was 174 pounds - I gained two pounds in the last two weeks!

Measurement of my belly was 31 cm.  The visit two weeks ago was 26 cm, so either Sam was laying differently or was packing on a lot of girth!

I go back in two weeks - 5/24/2007

7th Doctor Visit

This was our FOURTH ultrasound!  Sam was at the 51% for growth on 03/01, then at our last ultrasound on 03/29, he was only in the 14th percentile for growth.  So, we had another ultrasound to confirm the growth rate.  He increased to the 20%.  They say Sam could just be a small baby.  Will was just large!  We only had two ultrasounds with Will, so it's hard to know what his growth pattern was.  I do know each time they measured my belly, they could tell I was going to have around a 9 lb baby with Will.  We'll have to see how Sam measures out in the next weeks.  We also confirmed again that the baby is definitely a boy...we saw the scrotum!

Since the last Doctor visit, I had to do the 3 hour glucose tolerance test.  I "failed" the initial one with blood sugars of 141 when the normal is 130.  Thankfully I passed the 3 hour test and don't have to be careful of gestational diabetes.

This visit showed my amniotic fluid was on the lower side...this means I need to make sure I drink enough fluids and stay off my feet as much as possible.  Although we don't have to go back for another ultrasound, I do start going every two weeks now.  It's hard to believe how fast this pregnancy has gone by.  I just wish it was with less "complications."  They haven't been too serious, but worrisome none-the-less.

Sam's heart rate was at 156 beats/minute

Mom weighed in at 172 pounds...Dad thought I would be 185!!!  That's cause for more foot rubs!

Next Doctor Visit = 05/10/07

Big Cousin -

Will went to Grandma and Grandpa Scooby's for the weekend and got to help with his new cousin, Gavin.  He was able to help feed him and watch Mickey Mouse on the floor with him!

He's going to make a great Big Brother!  This has been perfect practice.  I asked Will if he was going to be a big brother...he said, yeah.  Then I asked him what his little brother's name is and he said, Saam.

Will's a Big Boy Overnight!

Will had been going potty at school pretty regularly.  One day we'd even taken him in with change of clothes and big boy underwear.  He made it the entire day until I picked him up, and he had an accident.  After that Friday, I went out of town the next week and Daddy didn't have the patience to continue with the big boy underwear!

We'd been ready "Potty Time" to learn how to go potty.  It says, "I don't like to be dirty or wet, so I use the toilet."

Will had an accident on the couch while wearing big boy underwear.  He was really upset about it and after that refused to wear big boy underwear and only diapers.  He'd say, "I don't like to be dirty or wet, wear diapers."  We'd been telling him that when we were out of diapers, he'd have to wear big boy underwear.  Thursday, March 29th was the day, well night.  He took his bath and we had no more diapers at the changing table.  He was mortified.  He cried and refused to put the big boy underwear on, so I told him we would wear the big boy underwear tonight and if he didn't like it, we could go get more diapers...he finally agreed.

Thus began the potty training boot camp.  This morning at about 2:00 a.m., he woke up with an accident (he usually slept all night and was dry in the morning).  Again, he was mortified and crying.  I told him it'd be okay and part of being a big boy is that he'd have accidents from time to time, but we could clean them up.  We put another pair of underwear on, and he calmed down and wanted to sleep on the couch again.

Then every ten minutes he was coming into our room, "Mommy, I have to go potty."  This continued until about 4:30 a.m. when we both collapsed in the recliner and fell asleep until my alarm went off at 5:00 a.m.!  I left him in the chair and snoozed for another hour in my own bed.

It is now April 3rd and he is still diaper free.  We've had some accidents, but the diapers have been out of sight and out of mind.  He picks his big boy underwear from the drawer whenever he has an accident and he goes to the potty completely unassisted now...even at school.  We're all amazed. 

Next challege...going poopey on the potty...he has yet to do this!  We'll keep you posted!!

6th Doctor Visit -

IT's A BOY!! 

We're having another boy, we confirmed with the ultrasound!  She pointed out the "turtle head!"

Although I'm always skeptical until we actually deliver, I feel confident of the tech's findings.  At least I can start getting out Will's old clothes now and getting the room ready for

Samuel Mathias Ottiger!! 

My placenta is no longer low lying, but the doctor is concerned the baby, Sam, seems a little smaller than he should be.  So, we'll have another ultrasound done at the next visit.  The tech confirmed that everything still looks good development wise, so we'll say some prayers that little Sam beefs up a bit and go back for our next visit, 04/26/07.  I also have to do the glucose screening for gestational diabetes.  Orange stuff down the hatch!

Sam's heart rate was 158 bpm

Mom weighed in at 164 lbs.!

St. Louis Zoo -

I took a half day to meet up with Leanne and Aubri - old college roommates - at the zoo.  Unfortunately Leanne got sick the night before and couldn't meet us.  I had been telling Will about the zoo since Monday, so we couldn't not go.  Everytime I picked him up from school, he'd ask, "ready to go to the zoo?"

Aubri and I met up with her two boys Caleb and Charlie (almost 2 years/2 months).  We had a great time.  The weather was beautiful...it was like June in March!

After Aubri left, we, of course, had to ride the train...Will's favorite.  He was so happy to be riding the train...he clutched the tickets as we went around and handed them to the conductor at each stop...every stop he'd say, "I don't want to get off the train."  Finally, our last stop ended, and he had to get off.  I told him because it was a busy day, he had to share the train with the other boys and girls.  He was nice and got off.

AUNT LIBBY's HOME!!!

That night we went to see Aunt Libby's new apartment, she moved back from Topeka, KS today and is back in St. Louis.  We were all ecstatic!