A Not So Traditional Thanksgiving

Bursting at the Seams
Growing up we were one of those families that had strong traditions. Thanksgiving was always spent at Auntie and Shari's. Their home has never been large but it has always been full...not just with people but filled with joy because they love to have all their "kids" home. I knew when I found out that I was pregnant, that no matter how well my pregnancy was going, that I would still be too far along to travel home for the holidays. To ensure that we had family to celebrate with, my mom planned a trip out to be with us and honestly it could not have come at a better time.

The pressure that this season has placed on Jeremey as he juggles two jobs, being Gabe's primary caregiver in the mornings and evenings, managing my condition both at home and going to appointments, plus all of the housework has been more than I think I can even imagine. My mom has taken over much of the extra work which is allowing Jeremey to actually nap this afternoon!

Gourmet Fixings
Yesterday, since I was restricted from being with a large group of people, we decided to make the most of our tiny Thanksgiving and buy some amazing meat. Yep, the turkey got the axe (well not literally...just didn't make our menu). Instead, we went with filet mignon and fresh scallops. One of our dear friends, Amy, made all of our sides, including dessert, which allowed us to have the most incredible spread you could imagine.

Waiting for Baby to Move
We did have to wait a while for dinner as the morning started out on a challenging note. I woke up early because I had not felt the baby move since the night before. I decided to have some breakfast as she usually is quite active after I eat. I waited for about an hour...nothing. I decided a glass of juice might do the trick...still nothing. By this time, I was getting concerned, as she was well outside of her normal pattern. I drank a glass of cold water but only had three movements from her all morning which I knew just wasn't her pattern. We decided after all of our efforts to call Labor and Delivery for instructions, they had us come in for testing.

For those of you not familiar with my family story, my mom lost my brother in the 39th week of pregnancy. My mom had called the on-call OB to let him know that the baby was not moving in his typical pattern, but her concerns were dismissed and she was asked to wait until her appointment a couple of days later. By the time she arrived for that appointment, my brother had died. Knowing this story, along with Dr. Lagrew's strict instructions to be vigiliant of her movements had us all a bit on edge.

Does Anyone Know a Good Therapist?
Once I was hooked up to the machine, it was a relief to hear her heart beating and of course she began to move around shortly after we arrived. The nurse that was assigned to us made it her mission to "educate" us on everything from "how to know when our baby is moving" to "anxiety" (even suggesting at one point that I see a therapist because apparently I looked tired and stressed). Needless to say her dismissive attitude toward our concerns was triggering me beyond words.

One of my favorite scenes of the morning takes place just after Dr. Tracy walks into our room, the Nurse (cue condecending voice that sounds like it might be questioning your sanity) says, "now has Dr. Lagrew given you ANYTHING to worry about?" Dr. Tracy is standing behind the nurse, Jeremey flashes the doctor the "get this nurse out of here before we lose it look" and within moments they both leave. When the nurse returns, we can only assume that she has a new understanding, provided by Dr. Tracy, of just how complex our case has been because she has little to say and simply does her job.

Before being discharged, we were sent to ultrasound for a biophysical profile of the baby. She looked great including good movements and "practice breaths."

Lovin' his Trike
It was good to come home with peace of mind that she was doing well. In addition to eating our Thanksgiving feast, we decided to celebrate Gabe's birthday a bit early so he could open his trike and enjoy it before daddy has to go back to work. He has now been walking around for two days with his bike helmet on...insisting that it be worn for watching movies, playing soccer, drinking chocolate milk...just glad he took it off before laying down for his afternoon snooze.

We hope you all enjoyed your celebrations!

Hugs,

The Kings