Thankful, Thankful, Thankful

Please excuse the awkwardness of this photo (35 weeks)

If I haven't mentioned it yet, I probably should.

Deciding to have a baby, completely remodel a house, raise a toddler, and take care of two dogs is borderline crazy.  I keep reminding myself that while life feels a little (a lot) nutty right now and a bit (completely) disorganized, that all of the things we are working on are things we are blessed to have on our plates.

Who am I kidding?

• A (mostly) healthy pregnancy with a bouncing baby we cannot wait to meet? Oh, don't mind if I do!
• A practically brand-new house in the heart of a city we adore? Yes please!
• Days and days with a little girl we could not possibly be more in love with? I'll take a million, thank you!
• Two canine creatures we cherish and who can't get enough of their Sissy Piercy? Gracias.

A few treats that arrived from Santa today

The other part that I occasionally (often) remind myself is how much more difficult I imagine this being with more than just one child in tow.  And, honestly, I cannot fathom not having had this incredibly sweet time living with my just-turned 85 year old grandmother, Joye "Angel" Flanagan, for whom Piercy Joye is named. It has been a valuable experience for me and my family to glean a bit of her incredible wisdom, and spend a lot of quality time with her. I don't think she'll miss the raucousness when we do finally move back in to our own house, however. Okay, maybe she will.  Just a tiny bit...

Piercy Joye, ecstatic about her new and improved princess-colored room

Clawfooted beaut

....

Yesterday amid the chaos that is: baby's arrival, completion of our home renovation, Christmastime, the usual day-to-day, we had a very important appointment at my Obstetrician/Gynecologist's office.  The pre-eclampsia diagnosis I received at 28 weeks gestation was scary, and after a concrete decrease in my over-the-top activity level that comes with the territory (listed in bullet form above), I have had two consecutive 24 hour urinalysis labs come back showing my proteins in the "normal" range. 

Holy heck.

The doctors and physician's assistant at the office have called my case an anomaly. It simply doesn't happen.  The PA mentioned she's seen it happen once, but that after two weeks, the symptoms (and proteins) returned, and it was on to pre-term induction for mommy and baby.

Well, friends, I'll tell you what is the real anomaly:  The support my little family has seen in the last 10 weeks.  Not only have our families done their darndest to pitch in along the way, but perhaps more amazing has been the love we have received from my mommy friends.  Two of my dearest friends who I've known only a year, and whose daughters each have a birthday within a week of my sweet P's, worked to set up a Care Calendar for us.  With their help, and the help of many, many of my other mommy friends from playgroup and Mom 2 Mom (a program I attend at a local church on Wednesdays), and one very dear Arizona swimming sister who now lives here in Austin, I was able to actually rest and take care of myself. I literally have cooked dinner maybe twice since my diagnosis.

Scenes from nesting-land: Making Roman Shades for the kiddos' rooms at the same table that my cousins and I learned to sew.

For those of you who have had toddler(s), you know how challenging getting a meal together during the late afternoon hours can be.  It often involves holding a heavy child in one arm while stirring a hot pan in the other, consoling frustrated cries, negotiating time-outs, or keeping little people from climbing into a fireplace while chopping celery.  You know what a huge physical relief it is to not have to prepare a meal. 

Most of you who have toddlers and are reading this, probably know what it's like to cook dinner for your family AND mine at the same time.  You are superwomen. I absolutely, positively know that this is the reason my health has improved so drastically. Thank you, sweet friends.  I owe you the world.

Piercy's Big Girl Room curtain fabric

I was told back in October that I would definietely (no questions asked) be delivering Baby Dos on Friday, December 14.  Last week, I collected my urine for the last time prior to what was to be my induction date: this Friday.  On Monday we would review the results, get measurements of Baby Dos in utero to estimate current weight and health, and schedule a game plan for a 37 week induction and delivery at the end of this week.

Serendipitously enough, the lab mistakenly tested my urine with the wrong tests (frankly I'm not sure how this happened as they have run this specific test on me 4 times in the last 2 months).  I don't know how much, if any protein my kidneys are spilling.  My blood work, however, came back normal, my headaches have decreased drastically, I have little if any edema, and my blood pressure is currently better than anyone else's in my family.  Due to all of this fantastic news, I've been cleared to go into labor on my own, whenever that should happen!

Wow.

Precious P and Handsome GB in the waiting room at the OB/GYN's office

This was so much an answer to many, many prayers, and I am so thankful to have the opportunity for an induction-less birth.  I know that I owe my friends so much for my health, and I'm glad so many of them have new babies cooking in their ovens so that I can pay it forward in a few months when I have my feet on the ground again post move-in/infant transition.

"I just want my body back." -A familiar lament

So here we are: 36 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  I have to tell you I think I'm more like 37 weeks 4 days or 38 weeks today.  Since the day I tested positive for pregnancy (very early), I have thought my dates were wrong. I think we're truly at "any day now" status, and I can't possibly be more excited.  The best part: I don't care that we very likely won't be bringing baby home to our new and improved house.  My early pre-e diagnosis cleared me of these concerns, and I'm just anxious to meet this little person.

Oh, and by the way... here is Littlest Browne...

Measuring in the eighty-fifth percentile at 7 pounds, 4 ounces on Monday, and looking certainly related to Big Sissy P (who only weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces upon delivery)! Who are you, little baby? We can't wait to meet you (and name you)!