Welcome Ethan Patrick!

Ethan was born on June 16th.  Visit his blog at http://www.ethanpatricksmamma.blogspot.com

I promise to post more when I can!

Baby Baby Gilliland

So I am not intentionally trying to keep anyone out of the loop with the baby.  I really didn't think it would generate so much speculation or concern to be honest!  I do in fact have to deliver early and I am ECSTATIC about that news.  I know most pregnant women are happy to deliver early, but I am especially happy because it means the end to being itchy and miserable.  Of course I want the baby to be healthy, but even if I delivered today at 35 weeks, the chances of the baby having serious complications are pretty small.  So I'll explain the condition and then you'll all be informed and not feel out of the loop. :)

Intrahepatic Cholestatis of Pregnancy (Obstetric Cholestatis):  a rare liver condition that is brought on by pregnancy.  Yes, I had it with Benjamin, but it was diagnosed super late and I was allowed to carry him to term (plus two days to be exact).  The risks are somewhat nonexistent for me, but the risk for the baby could be fatal.  This is obviously the reason why the doctors deliver as soon as the risk for respiratory distress diminishes, which is usually 37 weeks.  If they suspect any other distress from the baby, they deliver immediately regardless of number of weeks gestation.  The classic symptoms are severe itching of the palms and soles of the feet.  It eventually spreads to itching all over and can be quite debilitating for some people.  It was once believed that removing the gallbladder reduced the risk of recurrence with subsequent pregnancies, but this has obviously been debunked in my situation.  (Although I would have had the surgery anyway because gallstones are horrible.)

This time around has been a little easier for me.  Becoming a human pin cushion has not been fun, but that is the only way they can see how your liver is functioning.  My liver enzymes are about ten times greater than normal and the bile salts are above normal, but under the limit in which distress from babies has been noted.  I was prescribed medication that lowers or stunts bile acid accumulation (which is what makes you itch!), and my level is now considered non-emergent.  They still want to deliver early because the bile acid level can triple in a matter of days.  The condition is actually so rare that only two labs in the country are equipped to test the blood and it takes about three days to obtain results. 

Okay, so that's it.  The baby will be okay and I should be fine a couple of days after delivery.  It will be odd having such a small baby though. :)

even more official

So I saw a high risk OB doctor and I am delivering around 36 to 37 weeks.  Sheesh!  I had a feeling this would happen.  The doctor said that I was too calm to have received such bad news.  I suppose sitting around the fretting about it would make it better?  lol... anyway, so I'm going to be a busy bee here for the next couple of weeks.  No, wait, make that months. :) 

And we are still uncertain about names, but we're working on it. 

Round two

So it's back.  Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.  There are a few websites, but the best one is www.itchymoms.com.  I had some blood work done on Wednesday and the doctor called yesterday and advised me to go to the hospital to get more testing.  Awesome.  I was so miserable the last six weeks when I was pregnant with Benjamin that it is a relief this time to actually have a doctor listen to me and know that I'm not going crazy.  I must admit that I feel a bit robbed of the pleasures of pregnancy and childbirth because of what happened with Benjamin.  Hopefully this time will be better- if nothing else, I will be more prepared for the disappointment than I was last time.  Of course, nothing can be worse than having to labor 31 hours and still end up with a c-section... thousands of miles from home.  So I'm going in this morning to see what they have to say...

card making

Ninety degrees outside yesterday.  Sheesh, that is hot for this big old belly.  The bigger I get, the more my body tells me to ssssssssssssssssslow down, which is actually quite difficult for me to do, but I am trying.  My thoughts of doing more work during the day was rather counter-productive when I was absolutely miserable by 5pm, so I'm learning to take it easier.  So on this hot, hot day, Benjamin and I took a trip over to Michael's and bought some card making supplies and made some cards together.  He pretty much just sat there and played with the glue stick, but hey, he was content and was very cute trying to smell the fake flowers.  I've never made cards before and found that it was much like scrapbooking... which I've never done before either.  Main reason for that is time constraint and the fact that we seldom print out pictures.  I thought that they all turned out adorable, but this craft is definitely not a cheap alternative to buying cards.  Actually, I find that most crafts aren't cheaper than purchasing the item, but I like to pretend that I can craft.  I pretty much can half-do any craft out there.  Not near good enough to sell, but good enough to make me happy while doing it. 


They all follow the same theme because it was just easier for me since it was my first batch of them.  And besides, they are all going to different people and I doubt these people are going to have a little party comparing my thank you cards to each other. :)

You're going to do great things, I already know.

So it's 3am and I'm awake. Pregnant people are frequently awake in the middle of the night towards the end.  I think it's God's way to preparing of us for the inevitable sleep deprivation that will incur in the weeks (aka years) after the baby is born.  I was laying in bed and I looked at the clock and it was 3:02 and I thought of the song "The Words I Would Say" by Sidewalk Prophets.  And yes, I totally had to google the band name.  I've never been great with remembering band names.  This song isn't intended to be a song to your unborn child, but when you're pregnant, everything is about your unborn child or your children.  That's just the way it works with all the crazy hormones going on in your body.  I got weepy over a dead baby bird in the backyard just two days ago.  (It really was sad though.)  So here are some the lyrics: 

Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

I think my favorite verse is "you're going to do great things, I already know".  Totally true.  You never really know how much you can love an individual until you have your own children.  The same can be said about how much you were loved yourselves until you have your own children. 

Baby-Baby Gilliland

So this not knowing business is getting a bit old.  Warren says it's the most exciting thing he's ever been though (which I think is just adorable), but it is making me a little bit nervous.  Anxious maybe.  Nervous is a bit too strong.  Maybe if we could just come up with a name for a girl and a name for a boy I'd be more content.  Actually, I can narrow that down even further- just ONE name for either a girl or a boy would be great.  Having to come up with two names at once is proving to be too hard.  My mind starts to wander here and there when I start to sit and think about it.  I've looked at books.  I laughed at people who looked at baby name books when I was pregnant with Benjamin.  I kept thinking don't people just know what they want to name their child?  I mean really.  And now I am one of them.  Oh well, I'll keep reading.  Surely we can agree on a name before I have to be sedated.  Thaddeus is starting to sound good these days.