Grace is HERE!!!

Our sweet, precious Gracie girl is here!!

Grace Kathryn Lawhorn

Friday, March 13, 2015

9:27 am

3 pounds, 15 ounces

17 3/4 inches long

Day 15 - Week 32!!

(I'm now doing these updates 3 months later... So I will be using mostly my facebook/instagram update information to fill in the all the details. :))

"Celebrating getting to 32 weeks by watching my all time favorite movie, You've Got Mail!" 

(And can we talk about how OBSESSED I am with the chocolate covered pomegranates??) 

Still love my Starbucks! (Last one before Baby Grace!)

"Well, this is quite possibly my last pregnancy picture with Miss Grace! She passed her lung maturity test with flying colors this morning, so we are moving forward with the first stages of inducing labor! We could get to meet our little miracle tonight or tomorrow!!"

"Can't believe the power of prayer plus an amazing medical team, kept Grace inside for 2 full weeks after my water broke. The Lord has been holding Gracie Kate in His hand from the very beginning and we couldn't be more excited to meet her. She's a fighter and she's gonna need your prayers even more in the coming weeks, as she will certainly spend time in the NICU."

(*WARNING* - this is the somewhat gritty details of the WORST PAIN OF MY LIFE... so be forewarned.)

We decided to induce labor with cervadil at 6pm on Thursday. At some point during the evening, I was using the bathroom and it came out. Well it is SUPPOSED to stay in for 12 hours, but it had only been 5 hours. If I had dilated to a certain point, then they didn't need to put it back in, but if I hadn't, then they would need to insert a new one. 

Let me just start by saying that being "checked" is LIT-TRALLY the worst thing ever. This was worse. So so so soooooooooooo much worse than all other times before. 

The first nurse tried and failed to find my cervix. 

I sobbed. 

The second nurse tried and failed to find my cervix. 

I sobbed and screamed, and begged for something to make me calm down. 

Then a doctor came and was convinced she was going to actually get the job done and wouldn't stop until she did - THE. WORST. PAIN. OF. MY. LIIIIIIIIIFE. But she was able to see that I was 3-4 cm dilated. 

They wanted to go ahead and start the pitocin, but after calling Dr. McLelland she suggested I get a night of rest in before all of that. They UNHOOKED me from everything (hallelujah!!!) and I was able to sleep for like 5 hours straight! Woo!!

the L&D room

Day 14 and a Room Tour

They tried to throw off my routine this morning. ;) I got put on the NST monitor around 7:30/8, then breakfast came, and usually they have been doing my ultrasound around 8 or so, sometimes a little earlier than that. 8 came, 9 came, 10 came, and finally at 11 they came and got me! CRAZY!

Luckily it didn't mess up my visitor time! Lindsay came by to hang out, and she brought these ADORABLE burp cloths and towel set! Eek!!

Then I went for my ultrasound (a couple of fluid pockets, one 1.9 pocket, still good), we discussed the upcoming fetal lung testing (which will be tomorrow), and I got the ever so wonderful "Your baby looks great!" comments. 

Then headed back to my room and my sweet friend Katie McKenna brought me lunch from Purple Daisy! I haven't seen Katie in several years, so it was great to catch up on what's going on with her.

Then Katie Edgemon stopped by (she works here) and it was great to talk with her too! I told her that Cara was bringing me Typhoon for dinner, and we shared our love for that glorious place. (And they have broccoli in their veggies now AND they give fortune cookies?! I don't deal well with change!!) 

Then Cara came and brought dinner, cookies, and a HUGE bag of gifts for Gracie girl. YOU SPOIL US, CARA!!! 

Jason got here with the boys and we all hung out and ate dinner together. Then we went out to the courtyard area and let the boys RUUUUUUUUN some energy out. 

Okay, I promised a room tour! Here we go!

I told you the other day that I've been hoarding salt and sugar. It's worse than that.

 Here's the top of my fridge, which is basically my pantry.

And here is where I store ALL my soy milks! :) I really do drink them, they just give me so many every day!  

And here's my little art gallery with pictures from Jack and Miller, and the purple painting is from sweet Bryan Ballard.

Then here's my little girly section, with the AMAZING butterfly canvas my mom painted for Grace's room (SWOON!!!), flowers from friends and family, movies, and the adorable balloon door hanger that Emily Geyer made for Gracie girl!

Here's my bed and "blogging station". 

Computer and monitors where they record Grace's heart rate. When doctors come in to check on me, (my OB or others from her practice, the high risk docs/residents, etc.) they always look at the paper that's coming out of the printer, see her most recent NST and say "Well, your baby looks beautiful!" It cracks me up because they are looking at a wavy line when they make that statement. I'm like, I know she's beautiful, and her heart rate looks good too! :)

My little sink area with my diffuser running, of course. 

I had Lavender & Lime going today. Mmmmm... Other favorites to diffuse have been Thieves & Orange, Gentle Baby, and RC. 

And my "bedside table" complete with chapstick, ALL my oils, tissues, tums, hand sanitizer...

And a panoramic shot from the bed. THIS is my view all day. :)

Jason and I got a quick tour of the NICU tonight, where Grace will be spending a lot of time in the coming weeks/months. I had been under the impression that she might get to go home as early as 35 weeks (at 3 weeks old), but the NICU nurse we talked to gently encouraged me to think more towards her due date, which is May 7th. It's hard to face the reality that she may be here for several months, and hard to know what my day to day life will be, juggling being at home with the boys and spending lots of time with Grace. 

Please pray for the testing we'll do tomorrow, that will determine what happens over the next week. Also pray that I would cast my cares on the Lord, take each day one at a time, and TRY not to stress over the unknowns of tomorrow. Thank you all for your love and support as we have walked this road! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Day 13

I had a lot of sweet visitors today! My Uncle Steve and Aunt Laquada stopped by this morning and it was great to catch up with them. Then Debra came by WITH Baby Kate!!! Eeeek!

She is just too precious. Grace kept kicking her. :)

Then Allison and Tina brought me Firehouse (yum!) and my mom came. It was great to sit and chit chat and dream about the very near future when Piper and Grace will be here!

Then Mom and I got to have some great time alone together! We found the 3rd floor courtyard, and then wandered around the gift shop (sans kiddos!). It was nice to just hang out with her and get full sentences in! Haha!

Then, despite the construction that is happening LITERALLY above my head... I was able to get a quick nap in, and then my other Uncle Steve and Aunt Holly came by! We talked for a bit and then Miss Trish from church came with a bag of sweet gifts for me. THEN Jason came with the boys, and Vanessa stopped by soon after that! Lots of friends today!!

Me and my boys went down to have some Chick Fil A for dinner.

(Boys were not drinking coffee. Coffee cups are holding water.)

Then it was time for some silly face selfies.

I got to show the boys the 3rd floor courtyard area but it was a little drizzly and I just knew that one of them would fall and bust, but luckily they didn't. But you can tell from this picture that they were going going gone running around in this place.

Every day is one day closer to meeting our Gracie girl! 

Day 12

I had my first REALLY rough night of sleep in a while. I was wide awake at 3:30 with a headache. :( Luckily my nurse came to "bug me" for vitals at 4 so I got some Tylenol and was able to rest a little more. 

Dr. McLelland came in early around 7:30 or so, and talked through our game plan for the week. I'm feeling more at ease with actually having Grace this week, but still not hanging all my hopes on it. At this point the plan is to check for her lung development on Thursday and if it is high enough, we will move forward with inducing. If I am not dilated at all on Thursday, they will give me Cervidil Thursday and pitocin on Friday (eek!). And of course if her lungs are not ready, then we will wait another week and check again.

They called for my ultrasound while Dr. M was still here, so she said a quick goodbye and I headed over. Dr. Adair found a 2x2 pocket of fluid, which apparently is a really big deal for pPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes), so that was great news! He wheeled me back over to my room and told me I needed to work on my "Ironside skills", which I had no idea what that even meant. He told me I'd have to look it up and blog about it. Haha! (It's true that I have ZERO wheelchair skills even after almost 2 weeks of being here...)

Then my mom came by and straightened stuff up for me - my fridge area is getting OUT OF CONTROL. Every day I'm getting 2-3 Silk single milks, a snack of banana, crackers, and peanut butter, and 1-2 Carnation Instant Breakfasts. I am not consuming this stuff nearly fast enough but I won't throw any of it away, so I've got quite the collection (along with my saved up salt and sugar). I'll have to take a picture of that tomorrow.  :-p

Then my SWEET WONDERFUL AMAZING friends FaceTimed me for MOPS!!!!! I was so excited to get to be a part of it today because I had asked Karen Alexander-Doyel to come speak to our group way back in August, and I never dreamed that I wouldn't be able to make this early March meeting (when I was due in MAY). Anyway, the joys of technology, I was able to watch the whole meeting! 

Then Vanessa came over to eat lunch with me and we went on a brief field trip to get me some Starbucks and CFA (are you noticing a theme of my favorite things to have while I'm here?!) and then came back and talked. It's so nice to have a buddy here at the hospital that can come hang out when I need a friend! (Love you Ness!)

Oooooh, and my beautiful flowers I completely forgot to take a picture of the other day when I got them! They are from my cousin Matt and his beautiful bride Natalie. Thank you guys so much!!

Jason came by after work and brought Taziki's for dinner... Yummmmm...

And we snuggled up and watched TV, FaceTimed our sweet boys, and now I'm waiting to be monitored at 11 so I can HOPEFULLY get a good nights sleep.

Another boring and uneventful good day!

Day 11

This morning at my daily ultrasound, I was joking with the tech, saying that it's too bad I get daily ultrasounds but Grace's head is too low to see a good profile or anything! Just about all I've learned each day is "Yup - there's her bladder. It's full." :)

There was another tech that she was teaching, so they spent like 15 minutes getting all these pictures of Gracie girl! This one is of her profile looking up, and she had her little hand above her mouth. She kept sucking on her fingers and sticking her tongue out! It was SO FUN to see her! It's the most I've seen her face in months. It made it that much more real that she's going to be here soon!

They were also able to find a large pocket of fluid this morning! The pockets they have found this week have been either 1.2 or 1.8 which 1.2 is the lowest level while still being okay, and 1.8 was a great number. The pocket they found today was 3.1!! That was really good news to the doctor that I seem to be retaining a little more fluid.

After my ultrasound, I ate breakfast, grabbed a quick shower and then watched church online. Technology is so amazing that even though I'm stuck here, I'm able to connect with my church family. :)

Then the boys came by! Sweet little stinkers. 

We went for a looooning stroll all over the hospital. I love this picture. When I look back at this season before Grace, I think this picture is one I will cherish.

Cruisin'.

We went outside for a few minutes and it was GORGEOUS!! It had been like 5 days since I'd been outside. Maybe longer.

Then Hunter, Liz, and John Luke came by! These little cousins are silly gooses. 

Hugs!!

And oh, Timehop. Reminding me that 2 years ago, I took my first solo trip to CFA with both the boys, and oh my word look how tiny Miller man was!!

Alright so here are some specific things you guys can be praying for. I will be 32 weeks on Thursday and they will be checking to see if her lungs are developed. If they are, they will go ahead and induce and we will be having a baby THIS WEEK! If they are not mature, they will wait another week and test again. I don't know if I hope she comes this week or if I hope she gets to bake for one more week. I just pray that whatever the Lord has for Grace, that He would make it completely clear to us. 

We are going to try to get a tour of the NICU either tomorrow or Tuesday, so that we're a little more familiar with the next phase of our hospital time. The Lord has been so faithful to give us peace at every stage so far in this pregnancy, and I know that He will carry us through the ones to come. 

Thank you for your prayers!!