Update 2

Well, after a number of hours on some drug that starts with a "p" Chels is not showing much progression. She's being moved along to some other drug that starts with a "c" to see if that doesn't gets things moving a little bit more. Then tomorrow morning they will start her back on the p drug around 6 or 7 in the morning. Sorry for all the technical jargon :p


Taylor Cotter
Disc Jockey

Save This Dance
480.652.0888 | www.savethisdance@me.com
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Thursday or Friday?

Well after getting a call at about 7:30 this morning to inform us that our check in time for the hospital has been delayed, we are now here! We got checked in at about 4:30 this afternoon and she started giving her some sort of drug to get the baby out at about 5:30. The question now? Thursday or Friday? I'm thinkin Friday is my bet. I'm sure we are in for a looooong night ahead of us. We are also lucky enough to have Chelsea's mom with us as well to keep us entertained and so that I won't be the only one getting yelled at once the real fun begins. I'll be tryin to give updates as we go along. For now, Chels has got American Idol goin, Lark is chillin on her iPad, and I've got a few episodes of Walking Dead to watch; nothin quite like zombies while waiting for your son to be born!



Taylor Cotter
Disc Jockey

Save This Dance
480.652.0888 | www.savethisdance@me.com
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Location:Banner Gateway Hospital

Thursday at 9am!

Woot Woot! Thursday is the day! I'm scheduled to be induced at 9am! I haven't decided if I am more excited to have my baby boy or just to not be pregnant anymore. I'm sure the baby will win out in the end! The Dr. told me yesterday that I could easily have him on my own before Thursday, but I'm trying to hold out since my mom will be here on Wednesday night! I'm so glad she's coming because A. every daughter needs her mom B. Taylor will probably pass out if he sees any blood and C. I have no idea what I'm doing.   All good reasons right?    

The Dr. did mention that I have about a 50/50 chance of having to have a c-section, because he thinks the baby will be 8.5 to 9 pounds.  I have a pretty good family history so I'm hoping I can do it, but if not as long as the baby is okay I'm okay with what has to happen.  

I'm going to try to get Taylor to do blog updates as things progress. 

Baby Update

I went to the OB on Thursday. The nurse told me my blood pressure was about 20 digits higher than normal, which she didn't like. When the Dr. came in, he checked me and said nothing was happening down there yet.  He looked at my feet... they were huge. He asked if I'd been nauseous or had headaches, I said yes to both.  He ordered blood labs and a urine sample.  It was determined that I needed to stay off my feet that weekend until I could come back on Monday, to have my blood pressure checked again.

The weekend was kinda boring, staying down.  Especially since I have a full blown case of nesting and want everything cleaned out and perfect.  

Monday came and my blood pressure was the same.  They had me lay on my left side for 10 minutes and took it again.  It went waaaay down. GOOD NEWS! And my feet looked so much better too.  So I thought I would be good to get up on my feet again. Nope. The Dr. asked me to continue to stay off my feet since when I'm down my blood pressure is down.  He also measured me and told me my belly is still huge and ordered an ultrasound. So the ultrasound is tomorrow.  Followed by an appointment with the Dr. once again.  We're becoming great friends lately.  

So I'm working from home and getting pretty bored. Better safe then sorry though.  

Sleep isn't really happening and I'm huge.

Until tomorrow then!

Close to Baby Time

Time is really moving fast these days. Maybe not fast enough for my swollen feet, but we're only about 5 weeks away from baby boys debut.  I couldn't be more excited and ready to meet my sweet boy, but that total panic feeling has set in regarding getting everything ready.  For the most part we're ready.  It's just the small things to shop for and finish, plus the overwhelming desire to clean out my entire condo.  I'm grateful for my very helpful hubby.

Yesterday we visited with the doctor.  After measuring me and feeling my belly he estimates he weighs between 6 and 6.5 pounds; I'm 34 weeks.  I failed my initial one hour diabetes test, but thankfully passed the 3 hour test.  Mothers with gestational diabetes generally have larger babies, I was borderline.  I have a big husband and he has quite the family history of big babies (good thing I didn't know this until after we were married).  For all of these reason, he's ordered an ultrasound at 38 weeks (around Feb 9) to see how large babe is.  If he is as big as he's thinking, I'll be scheduled to be induced at 39 weeks (around Feb 16).  It's hospital policy to not induce before 39 weeks, unless their is a medical reason and big baby is not included in that.

Wednesday we welcomed a new Cotter nephew from Cameron and Lyndsay.  Baby Henry is as cute as they come and makes me long for mine.  He was 21" and weighed in at 9lb 10oz, remember that family history thing?  Taylor is sure they've been BFF's up in heaven, getting ready to come down.  Only a few weeks until they'll be reunited again.

Sleep has become an issue for me, because it's not happening very well.  My hip has been messed up since my Old Navy days and the pain has only become exacerbated since pregnancy began.  That combined with the extra weight, swollen feet and that all too familiar "I gotta go" feeling has left me uncomfortable and fatigued. I hate to sound like a complainer, I know it will be worth it. Lack of sleep is just preparing me for what is to come!  Taylor has put me on a rather strict sleep time schedule. It was so cute he sent me the schedule with pictures at work the other day.  It's just like him to want to fix it and it has been helping.

At 8pm I take a bath for 30 minutes
At 8:30 I watch TV in bed and he will give me a ten minute back/neck/shoulder rub
At 9:30 sleepy time

More sleep leads to me being less crazy as well. My emotions and worrying have gotten the best of me.  Last night I had crazy dream.

I went into labor and could tell he was coming really fast.  We got to the hospital, but they wouldn't let us in until we had paid in full. We pulled out our flex card and ran it and they said we still owed more, so we paid and they finally let us in.  The doctor realized the baby was coming fast, but said he was too big and ordered a c-section.  They open me and look at the baby and say, "We're sorry he's just not ready" and sew me back up.  They tell me to come back in 2 weeks, that he'll be ready by then and send me home.

It was awful.  I told Taylor and he said it's all my worries manifested in one giant dream. HAHA I really need to stop worrying.  Only a few weeks and I will be worrying if the baby's breathing while he sleeping. Oh well, what else is a mother to do?

Christmas

Christmas was on Sunday and we had 9am church! The kids got to open a couple presents before church.  Earnest tradition picture here! You're not allowed to walk out to see what Santa brought until everyone is up, (including Dad, whom always took forever!) and then you had to line up by age for a picture. My parents have a picture like this of us for every single year.

Brooke and Joe's kids all lined up!

After Church the Pj's went back on!

Charlie and John looking at what Santa brought

Reading letters that Santa left for all the kids

All 5 of the boys

Taylor did such a great job and got be a Leopard snuggie! Among other great things!

We ended the day at my Aunt and Uncle's house for dinner.  Brooke busted out cupcakes she makes at her cupcake shoppe in CA.

They were delicious!

Thanks to everyone we shared the Holiday's with, we had such a good time!

Christmas Eve

We had Christmas Eve dinner at my brother, Chris' house.  We had an awesome pasta bar to eat and yummy breads. 

Brooke and Mom getting a pasta sauce right. 

These boy's behaving so well until they got down and dirty!

And the wrestling began!

then we tried to calm then down... tried...

and told them they had a present to open.

What else can you get on Christmas Eve other then new PJ's?

Then we came home and Taylor read them all the Night Before Christmas 

And cookies were left for santa 

Harry wrote a letter to santa, he even included Taylor in his note.

All was calm, until the next morning!

Swimming and Skating in OR

We spent Christmas in Madras, with my parents.  My sister, Brooke, and her family from California came too! One of Madras' fun things to do, is go the aquatic center.  It's really nice for the kids, because it's indoors. And there's a waterside, rope swing, and lazy river.

John's the only one I could capture

 My brother Chris live in Redmond...it's about a 30 minute drive from Madras. We were up there a lot so cousins could play together. One day they went to the outdoor ice skating rink downtown.  The kids had a lot of fun! Taylor was pretty excited to go himself and showed off some mad skating skills. For realz.

studly

The best thing about Harry is he is always excited about everything! Especially ice skating!

sick!

Helping out John, in his awesome darth vader sweatshirt.

Brooke skated, but I opted to stay off the ice this year...

Work Christmas Party

Last weekend we went to the Rocket Media employee Christmas party.  First we went to "White Christmas" at ASU Gammage. Pretty sure I was mesmerized the entire time, not so sure Taylor was feeling the same way.

Then we went on to this awesome restaurant called Rustler's Rooste. For all you locals, you better go!  It is a way fun cowboy restaurant.  Before we even walked in we found a giant bull with the word "dinner" around its neck! I knew this would be my kind of place!  The restaurant is 2 stories.  To get to the bottom story there is a giant slide, which Taylor took, I opted out for obvious reasons.  Our appetizers were fried rattle snake, it actually was pretty good (I guess you can fry anything and it will taste good.) Dinner followed with giant steaks, sweet potatoes, salad basically anything that cowboys would love! We had a great time.

"dinner"

some of the Rocket Media team
(ps I might wear that dress everyday from now on, don't even look pregnant thanks to those panels) 

The "Judge" 24 oz Filet Mignon