An Update with Pictures

I haven't posted any pictures of the kids in awhile. Mainly because this is how we have spent the last 6-8 weeks:





Have you ever seen anything more pitiful?! It started the week after Jacob started preschool and I was sure it was the beginning of the end. After all, he spends three days a week running around with 14 other 3 and 4 year olds and we all know what germ magnets toddlers are. I guess that is what happens when kids start school. Fortunately, this first illness (above) was the worst. Jacob was vomiting, but only 3 times in two hours and then he was done. Grace was lethargic and seemed sick, but after 3 hours of lying on the couch both kids were bouncing off the walls. Since then we have seemed to get cold after cold, but as of right now everyone is healthy and we hope it stays that way.

Last month, during one of our one or two days of health, we took a trip down to the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI. Our library has museum and zoo passes so we checked one out and headed down for the day. It was a balmy 75 degrees, but overcast so we didn't need any sunblock at all! It was a perfect day for the zoo! Grace talked about the elephants all week leading up to our trip so we were happy to see they were out and the kids had a blast.







In between all of this rain, we have managed to get the kids out in the yard for some playtime. They are loving all their new backyard toys and hopefully the warm weather is right around the corner and we can break out their water table, beach ball sprinkler and kiddie pool!







In pregnancy news, I have officially hit 27 weeks and my third trimester! It is so nice to make it here for a second time and is definitely cause for celebration, but we still have a long way to go. My last appointment with the MFM is this Wednesday and then I am being released back to my OB. I am seen bi-weekly by her for the remainder of the pregnancy and go in weekly for my progesterone shot with the nurse. There is some concern surrounding my incision/baby/c-section date. We were originally tossing around 36w3d which is when we delivered Grace (and also happens to be 7/22 which is her birthday!), but there is some concern that:

a. This baby is a boy and boys tend to be less mature at birth than girls. Since Grace was a girl, and needed no intervention, they want to make sure they don't attempt to take him too soon and have him end up in the special care nursery due to underdeveloped lungs. Most likely, I will be having another amnio this time around which is disappointing since we delivered Grace regardless of the results (immature) and she was fine. The whole amnio procedure makes me nervous!

b. My classical incision is still a rupture risk so we don't want to wait too long to deliver because

c. Boys tend to be larger than girls at birth and Grace was 7.7 lbs at 36w3d and thisclose to busting out of my uterus. My uterus was "paper thin" at her delivery, translucent and dangerously close to rupture. It was repaired by my OB at that delivery and stitched thicker to hold up to a future pregnancy, but we need to be careful.

All things considered, my OB is going to consult with the MFM and they will make a decision together. Obviously, we want the baby born safe and healthy, but I have to say that I will gladly take 36w and a few days in the nursery, if need be, over a 24w micro-preemie any day.