36 weeks

Today marks the end of 36 weeks of pregnancy, and I don't think my belly can get any bigger! Next Wednesday, Jan. 7 will be 37 weeks, which is technically considered a full-term pregnancy. Therefore, it could really be any day between now and Feb. 11 that we meet our daughter. We'll be ready for her at home after this weekend, but I still have a few things to wrap up for the team at work, so my preference is for her to wait until at least Jan. 16. We start our weekly doctor appointments Friday, and we'll start checking progress toward labor.

36 weeks

Can it get any bigger?

A Presbyterian Vacation: Round 2

I never wrote about my October "vacation" at Presbyterian hospital, so I'll do a quick summary before I recap round two... I was very sick for a little over a week in October before we found a doctor who realized that my symptoms were not normal to pregnancy when he found a 6-centimeter mass in my abdomen that ended up being a very dangerous situation for both the baby and me. I was immediately admitted into the hospital on a Friday, had surgery to remove it the next morning and spent the entire next week battling fever and an elevated white count in the high-risk pregnancy ward at Presbyterian of Dallas. The care at the hospital and from home was incredible. My mom spent the entire time in Dallas taking care of both me and Robin by spending time at the hospital when Robin needed a break. When she wasn't at the hospital, she cleaned our house and cooked and packaged meals for our freezer that we have since thoroughly enjoyed and will continue to enjoy after the baby arrives.

I slowly regained my strength (not the energy or focus - it has continued to elude me) and was doing fairly well until Monday, December 22 when I started to feel sick to my stomach again. Convinced that the feeling would go away, I didn't call the doctor until Wednesday, which happened to be Christmas Eve. My doctor's office was closed and the nurse suggested I either go into labor and delivery triage or wait until the office was open on Friday. Since we're still digging our way out of the mountain of my October medical expenses, I opted to save on the emergency fees that we would have assumed in the triage unit and waited until Friday.

Christmas Eve and day were spent relaxing at home -- something that Robin and I both needed.

On Friday, I went into the doctor's office and because of my prior history, my symptoms were not dismissed as "normal pregnancy symptoms." The perinatal offices were closed for the holiday, so we couldn't get in for a sonogram to see what was going on, so Dr. Thurston sent us to the lab to have blood drawn to check my white count. He ordered the results stat so we would be assured of having them back that afternoon.

Robin and I had been cooped up for two days and were feeling a little restless and thought maybe a walk around NorthPark Center would be good for me. We were there a little while when I realized that I had a gift certificate to the Tiffany store that I really should spend. While in the store, I realized I had missed a call and had a message. Thinking it might be my results, I quickly retrieved the message. It was Dr. Thurston calling to let me know that my white count was elevated at 18K (normal is 5K - 10K) and that I needed to be admitted into the hospital that afternoon. Being the emotional pregnant person that I am and not wanting to revisit my experience in October, I immediately started crying -- in the corner of the Tiffany store. At that moment, a security guard walked up and handed me his freshly pressed handkerchief -- a random act of kindness that was perfect for the Christmas season, and a gesture that I will always remember.

After I gained my composure, we hustled home to pack a bag and then checked into the hospital for the night, where I was put on IV antibiotics and then ordered NPO (nothing by mouth) at midnight in case I had to have surgery on Saturday.

Saturday afternoon, I had an MRI to detect if a mass had reformed. I had trouble getting through all of the tests, so the techs were very kind to let Robin in the room with me so he could hold my hand and fan my face. The results came back clear, which let us know we caught the issue before it escalated.

The doctors kept me in the hospital on IV antibiotics through Monday afternoon, still unsure of why I am having problems, but comfortable enough with my reduced (but not yet normal) white count to let me go home with oral medicine.

While I am not feeling great, I am feeling better and we are so glad that the baby seems to be unaffected by my complications. Because I am pregnant, the doctors haven't been able to do any diagnostic testing on me, but I have been assured I will go through plenty of testing about six weeks after delivery to determine next steps.

As for my next Presbyterian vacation... I hope to come home with a nice snugly baby girl as a souvenir!

the lilac room: painting the walls

A video of a daddy's love for his daughter...

the lilac room: progress

The base coat on the nursery walls are finished, but there is still much painting to be done before it is ready! I'll always claim that I can easily visualize concepts, but Robin doesn't believe me (neither does my mom!), so he created a sketch of the nursery concept for me. After a few tweaks and modifications, we came to a mutual agreement with a fun, whimsical theme that we both adore.

final concept drawing for the lilac room
(click on the picture to enlarge)

Robin is taking the next two weeks off for the holidays and started working on his daughter's "daddy-do" list last night. First task: turn the concept into reality with a little help from TI's DLP Technology.

The tree still needs a second coat and he has 3 1/2 walls to go, but he plans to finish painting this weekend. We'll post more pictures once the room is put back together.

a baby shower

This weekend brought a whirlwind of excitement as my mom, dad, sister, aunts and cousins traveled to Dallas to attend a baby shower that our sweet and good friends Beth and Dachelle threw in honor of our soon-to-be newest family member. Since we are so spread out geographically, we don't get to see each other as often as we would like, so it made the shower extra special to have so much of my family there.

It was a small and intimate shower, and Beth, knowing me well, created the perfect opportunity for me to visit with friends that I don't get to see as often as I should. Everybody was so generous and we opened practical, fun and nostalgic gifts, which we just can't wait to use ... it won't be long before she is here!

I don't have pictures of everybody, but a few pictures from the shower are below...

Thank you, Beth for being such a great friend and hostess! I am so lucky to have you, Brandon, Jack and Dachelle as part of my "family!"

Odette (honorary hostess and Dachelle's mother), Pam (my mom), Summer (my sister), Beth (fabulous friend and hostess), Crystalyn, Marsha (my aunt), Kendra (my cousin), Debbie (my aunt) and Kayla (my cousin)


Robin's mom, ever the creative soul, sent a bouquet of washcloths and tiny socks.

Over the years, I've watched my mother lovingly crochet blankets for the special babies in her life, and I am so excited to finally have one!

Dachelle sent Robin a daddy diaper kit that included gloves, tongs, goggles, a nose clip and diaper changing decision dice. I've promised to post pictures of its use.

I had a napping quilt similar to this Mother Goose quilt when I was little (though mine was Raggedy Anne and Summer's was Mother Goose) and my mom had enough fabric left over and tucked away to make one for my first child and for Summer's first child (which probably won't be far behind!) What a special, nostalgic gift!

I was completely overwhelmed with emotion when my friend Adrienne (who lives in Houston) walked in with her daughter, Reese. Adrienne and I were the closest of friends in college and we just don't see each other or talk as much as we should (though I've recently been able to feel more in touch by keeping up with her family's blog.) It was so special for her to come and for me to finally meet her daughter, Reese, who will be exactly one year older than our blessing.


I met Eileen at her wedding soon after Robin and I started dating and she and her husband, Michael, have been great friends ever since. Eileen took most of the pictures during the shower. I think she's hooked on the digital SLR and Robin and I think Michael should get her one for Christmas or another special occasion!


Kalina is my best friend from college and she is like a sister to me. We've lived far from each other since she graduated, but she and her husband, Beto, and daughter, Akassia moved to Plano about a year and a half ago and Robin and I have both enjoyed having them so close. Beto has a great job opportunity in Dubai, so he, Kalina, Akassia and their new daughter, Iliana, are moving this spring. I'm devastated to see them go and hope they will be back in the US soon (preferably close to me!)

My friend, Jessica, works at United Way. We became good friends when she worked on TI's 2006 campaign.

When people ask how I met Leah and Amber, we always have to think and I'm not sure we remember exactly when/where we met, but Amber and I had a funny night on St. Patrick's Day 2002 when we donned green feather boas and set out down Greenville Ave. as the "pinching patrol." This idea, of course, was contrived as we were running the obligatory pre-parade 5K.

Summer and Tonya became great friends in college, and Tonya has since been adopted as a part of our extended family.

I just love this picture... I think Jack has a crush on Akassia