12 Days or LESS!!

I called D yesterday morning. I had to leave a message, no one picked up. Not unusual in any way. I asked that she start thinking about what they want to do at the hospital, when she wants us there before the c-section. A "think about it and we'll talk later" kind of message. The evening came and I was a little bummed that I hadn't heard from her.

Things have been very rough at work. My group has been covering these conference calls that last 12 hours a day. I'm the lucky victim on-call this week. It's been pretty stressful and I am having a hard time concentrating! Imagine that! I have three people in my group, including myself. One is currently at the hospital because his wife was admitted Monday afternoon with a yet unknown cause. She is still there, possibly having surgery right now. My other co-worker is leaving town tomorrow night to take her kids to camp for the next 4 days. I am the lone cheese, standing all alone. I wasn't supposed to be on-call this weekend, but it very well might turn out that way.

D called me this morning. She said she didn't have a chance to call me yesterday because she has been in the hospital! She has actually been to the labor and delivery ward twice in the last 2 days!! She was having significant pains and G took her in because she was not doing well at all. The doctors checked her out, she is not dilating, they do not believe she is in labor, and they sent her back home. They think she is having pain because there is just no more room to give to the baby.

She said the baby is bruising her ribs pretty badly and she is "hibernating" at home, trying not to do anything but rest. So I guess I better make sure all the stuff is packed in case we end up leaving earlier than expected.

By the way, I will remind everyone that Bill predicted Little Roo to arrive on the 27th. He's still sticking to it!

14 Days!

Things are getting a bit nasty at work and my group is being asked to sit on a conference call for 11 hours a day, 7 days a week. One of my co-workers just left the office because his wife might need emergency surgery on her appendix and one is on vacation. That leaves me and one person to absorb the extra work and it's not going well.

This weekend was good and bad. I got a lot of things done, which is good. For the bad, I've been worrying A LOT that D and G are going to change their minds about the adoption. I just don't have a crystal ball to know exactly how this is going to turn out. They have never given me any indication of waivering on their decision, but as time ticks down, my mind is playing tricks on me. Stinks. I'm putting up a good front, but on the inside, I'm terribly nervous. It helps to know that everyone is thinking good thoughts for Little Roo and whatever way it turns out, it will be for the best. I hope it's in our favor. If we don't bring her home, she wasn't ours to begin with.

On the good side of having a lot of nervous energy, I packed up the baby bag. One, to see if all the stuff was going to really fit in the bag we have and two, we could get the call to travel any time now. (At the doctor's appointment on Friday, D is not dialated at all, so probably no baby at least in the next few days!) I would really hate to forget something while running out of the house in a hurry.

The baby bag currently contains:
3 side snap baby t-shirts
2 long gowns (in case staying overnight somewhere after release)
2 pairs socks
2 sets of baby legs (in case legs and feet are cold)
3 bibs
2 sets of mittens
2 hats
1 pink embroidered coming home outfit (from Grammy Andi)
1 matching bonnet (from Grammy Andi)
1 set of pink and white booties (from Grammy Paula)
extra outfit (in case our trip home takes 2 days!)
1 brush
1 comb
1 bulb aspirator
1 tiny nail clipper
1 tube diaper cream
1 Mustela moisture stick
1 bottle of Little Tummys gas relief drops
4 newborn disposable diapers
newborn baby wipes
changing pad
2 burp cloths
2 receiving blankets - the big size ones
3 different kinds of pacifiers
roll of plastic bags
hand sanitizer
2 Dr. Browns 4 oz bottles
1 Playtex 4 oz bottle with drop-in liners
a bunch of extra bottle parts

The 40 extra diapers are going to be in the trunk of the car! LOL

17 Days!

Got the official word from D .... c-section is scheduled for Monday, August 6th at noon!

37 Weeks!

Full term!!

We have some time left to go... I can't see waiting until the 10th or 13th. I will explode long before that!!

Anyway, in a desperate attempt to keep myself busy, I'll share my latest sewing completions.

The new mei tais.... the pink one in the top left is all mine!!! I bought that fabric special for me. The others are gifts for friends.



I made some matching accessories for a mei tai that I made for someone - a changing pad and a diapers/wipes case.



Finished a handful of blankets... haven't exactly determined which ones I'm parting with yet, but I think I'm definitely keeping the dog one on the left (it's flannel on one side, light blue microfleece on the other) and the yellow one towards the right (cozy flannel on both sides). They are all the same size, but I guess I folded them all different.



I made some changing pads... not very exciting. The dog one is normal diaper bag sized.



I made 2 of these to keep in the trunk of each vehicle as part of the emergency stash. Both are super padded and over-sized in case we need to use the car as a changing station. I guess they could be used for other purposes as well.



I felt like D's stack-o-gifts was missing something... so I made her a little pillow. I should probably add an extra pillow case just in case, but at least the first one is done and ready. I love it - I think she will too!


I ordered some new patterns to make little dresses that are coming in the mail. I'm also going to start making some hair bows because Bill doesn't like those "brain squeezers". What else can I do???

Beautiful!

How fantastic would it be to get these flowers???? Wow!!!

I'd really like to get these for D in the hospital.... I wonder how much lead time the florist needs.... is this over the top??

More than 40 hot pink, lavender, light pink and medium pink roses – plus light pink and lavender spray roses – are delivered in a cylindrical clear glass vase lined with ti leaves.

We know she loves purple! When we met the first time we gave her 6 purple roses and she said how did you know my favorite color is purple? I didn't!! Guess I got lucky!

Some News!

Little Roo's birth date is narrowed down to August 8th, 9th, 10th, or 13th.

Her doctor is going to let her go as close to her due date as possible. Of course, if she goes into labor earlier, that's all out the window but we'll take it! I just got off the phone with D and she said that when she is at the doctor's office and they are discussing specific times, she will call me so I can give my input. What?? LOL! I said, please don't worry about us, we will be there regardless of day or time!

Their car is completely broken down and in the shop. Transmission issues. It's one thing after another for them. D said it just really affirms to them that they are doing the right thing with the adoption. I wonder if we will have to take them to the hospital on the day of the c-section! I do know what hospital now, so we're all good there!

Who Needs Details?

No birth date yet!

I did a lot of sewing over the weekend - I figure this might be one of my last chances for a while until we get a good schedule going once Little Roo is home. I finished 4 mei tai carriers - only one is mine! I finished some blankets that will also be gifts for some of our pregnant friends. I made a big changing pad that we are going to keep in my truck for emergency diaper changes, along with an emergency stash of sposies and wipes and onesies and ....

I talked to the social worker this morning asking some things about what should we bring on the trip with us that I might forget? Meaning paper work or something that we will need and would not even think of. Looks like I have everything covered so far.

Then the social worker asked me if I knew what hospital D was going to deliver at. OMG I don't know! Seems like a good thing to have figured out in the next few weeks! The next time I talk to D, I need to remember to ask her that. I'm sure I won't forget!

So far our packing list is getting pretty long. I'm pretty sure that we will almost pack every baby item we own for the trip although the social worker said we need "a car seat and a baby outfit for discharge". Seems like responsible parents would have more than that on hand!

So will 40 diapers last us the 4 hour trip home???

No News Yet!

D hasn't called back... she probably doesn't have a date yet. If her doctor has to coordinate with the hospital, he will have to contact her with options at the beginning of the week or so. Or maybe he doesn't want to schedule anything yet. Who knows?? I don't!

I just didn't want to leave anyone hanging!!! I will post news when we have it!

Happy dance!!! I sold one of my baby carriers!!! $$$$ :)

36 Weeks!

D called this morning to say they were on their way to the doctor this morning and she was thinking of me. She said "I'm asking for a date!!" so hopefully this afternoon we will know when Little Roo's birthday is!

I am so excited - I am bouncing off the walls!

According to the pregnancy calendar....

Week Thirty-Six

• Your baby is almost ready and most likely, so are you! The only organ still to mature is the lungs. While certainly you are both growing anxious to meet, remember that each day (up to 42 weeks), that your little one stays within your womb will multiply his chances to breathe on his own.
• Fat is dimpling your baby's elbows and knees, and forming creases in the neck and wrists.
• His skin is growing smooth and, shall we say it, "baby" soft.
• His gums are very rigid. It won't be many months before you'll see his teeth.
• She has a fully developed pair of kidneys and her liver has begun processing some waste products.
• Your child's average size is now 18.66 inches (47.4cm) and 5.78 pounds (2622 g). Between now and birth she will gain about an ounce a day!

So When Is The Birth Date??

I wish I knew!! This is the closest that I'm going to get to "haven't you had that baby yet??" so I'm not complaining. Everyone is just so excited and sharing in our joy!

I've talked to D a few times this week. She said she has a doctor's appointment on the 15th, but that is Sunday! I'm thinking it's on Friday or maybe on Monday. She pretty much has decided that they will be staying up north for the delivery. It just seems like the right thing to do at this point in time. She is almost 36 weeks (technically full term next Friday!) and she loves her current doctor. I'm hoping he will seriously discuss a c-section date so she will know how much time she has left.

D's mom is going up this weekend and she is recommending that they stay where they are right now. It's too big of a risk to try to move when she is almost 38 weeks or more! D misses being here more than anything and they really want to get away from G's stepmom, but this is just the way it has worked out. I want her to be with the doctor that she is most comfortable with and I can envision that if she were to deliver here, any doctor that was free would do her surgery. That would be way too traumatic for D. In a good way, this might be a very clear division of events and they can come back here to start completely "fresh", the birth being long behind them.

D and G are still very upset about the whole situation with G's dad and stepmother. The stepmom has been planning for some time to raise the baby herself, she just didn't have anyone else on board! She's been trying to stir up a lot of trouble by calling G's employer and all sorts of crazy things. D and G have been very concerned about her trying to interfere with the birth and adoption. D has talked to her social worker quite extensively about it and they have been reassured that this is their decision and no one else will be able to change their wishes. I have also talked to her about the security that the hospital has available and they don't even have to disclose that D has been admitted. They won't be allowed near her or the baby unless she gives special permission to the staff to do so. This is still going to bother her until it is all over and she knows we are home safely.

We are preparing for the 4 hour drive. It's going to be a grand adventure! Not sure how long we are going to be there - until Little Roo is released at least. 3 days - no idea? I need to start making a list of stuff we need to take with us and this is crazy because I have no idea what I'm doing! I'll have to install the car seat so we don't leave it behind! LOL Which vehicle do we take? Such problems, I know! :) Luckily my parents live about halfway between our home and where D is right now, so we will have a good stopping (and resting) place. Bill's parents are going to be taking care of Biscuit dog for us - what a lifesaver!

To add a little more spin to everything, D's social worker told both of us this week that she is going to be out of town for the last part of July. We're both pretty bummed, as we wanted her there with all of us. Someone else is going to have to do the adoption consents and I hope that is not too hard on D. However, she said she was pretty disappointed but then commented that she's not part of the vital team - we are! So we'll hope that the delivery is after her vacation and she's going to have a 4 hour trip as well, or it's just not part of the big plan.

I've been thinking so much lately about this whole process. When we were first matched with D and G, she was only 17 weeks along. Now she's sooooo close to 37 weeks! It seems like it has been a long time in some aspects but the time has gone by pretty quickly too. This is really the home stretch! All our gifts are ready to go but I still need to finish writing the letters. I'm still not sure how I'm going to convey how grateful we are to someone that completely changed our lives with an amazing, selfless decision.

To do tonight: wrap all the boxes, start the packing list, sew more baby carriers!

Happy Birthday G!!

Nursery Pictures!

I'm happy to say that the nursery is almost 100% ready!

My mom is finishing the velcro tabs that hold the bumpers on to the crib. She decided to make more when she brought the bedding over and we set it up. The pattern was to have one set in the middle of each long side, but we think it is more secure to have two sets on each long side. Sewing the flower tabs on is the last thing we have to do!



Here's the "inside" of the crib.... I'm in love!!



Mom made this organizer for the side of the bed, and later when we have the bed set up for a toddler, it hangs in the inside and can hold little toys. I have all my burp pads and tiny socks in the pockets.



Originally the crib came with this slide out drawer for storage, but it was not made very well, very flimsy, it definitely was not going to last very long. My amazing brother made a new drawer and put it on wheels so it slides out easy! Look how pretty the bed skirt turned out!



Of course, I had to get the new drawer ready and loaded! Blankets, extra sheets, and the Bum Genius diaper stash!



My mom put the same flowers from the bumper tabs on the organizer above and the hanging diaper stacker! It has disposables in it... we decided that in the first week to get through the meconium poo's, we're going to use throw away. It also looks like we have a high probability of traveling for the delivery and I'm not toting dirty cloth diapers back home! I took half out of the package and they are so darn tiny!



We are ready with our "real" newborn diapers.... these are Kissaluv fitteds in size zero. This picture just makes me smile...



You really can't tell from this picture, but the changing pad is pink with tiny polka dots on it. Mom made the cover like a pillow case so we can take it off and wash it.



I'm still toying with the idea of setting up a changing station on top of our washing machine in the laundry room. Easy access to the washer! LOL

Here's my baby carrier stash... and it is still growing! I have quite a few Hotslings, one Peanut Shell, and one Lucky Baby pouch. Down in the bottom is one Angel Pack MT, one Kozy MT, and several Ball Baby Overalls. I have learned how to make the BBO's, so I have 3 or so in progress right now at my sewing machine. I have 2 wraps, a Moby and a Gypsy Mama. I'm convinced you can't have enough of these around!



Bill asked me the other day "So how many clothes does such a tiny person need?". I told him "Please don't look in Little Roo's closet!".



Actually it looks like a lot but I have 4-5 things in each size and I have bought everything on sale so far! Things I have bought at a really good price right now while the fall clothes are coming out are in sizes for her to wear next summer. I'm trying not to go too heavy on the pink!!

As promised long ago, here are the Amby bed pictures. We have this set up in our room.



Bill wants to know if these make these for big people....



Here's a peek at the inside. Those white things are the positioners for small babies so they feel all snug and cozy. I think this is the toy that we are going to take Little Roo's picture with periodically so we can watch her grow. He is watching over the bed until it is occupied!

New Drama!

Just as I was starting to get very concerned that I had not heard from D in a few days and actually wrote that in my journal, the phone rang. It was D!

She started off by saying "I'm fine but... " and I knew something was wrong. They are still in the north part of the state. They are going to be there for another 2 weeks.

D and G are no longer staying with his dad. Once they announced that they were moving back to Tampa, things took a quick and unpredictable turn. The people that had been so welcoming and supportive suddenly started saying "very mean things" to D. I think they were hoping that D would have the baby there and then they were going to try to get her to change her mind to keep the baby. Or maybe they felt that they could take the baby away from her? D feels very manipulated and lied to. I can only imagine.

They are staying in an efficiency apartment that rents by the week. They are safe and away from the situation. They are looking forward to coming back here and D told me again that she has every intention of delivering Little Roo here. I hope that is the case, otherwise we'll be traveling. She has so much more support here. It is apparent that they need to get away now more than ever.

I am concerned about the stress this is putting on her. She sounded in good spirits and was trying to tell me everything that had happened in the last few days very quickly. She just said it had been a very rough weekend! I think that is an understatement!! D's mom is going to visit them and she believes that D should stay up there to have the baby, with the doctor that she likes. I told her whatever she decides, we will support her 100%. If she stays up there, then we are coming to her when she needs us. We want her to be healthy.

She said thank you for being on my side. D, you are in our prayers.