Thursday, June 21, 2007

false alarms

Today, during my doctor visit, I was told that there was a conflict with the OB's calendar and my "scheduled" delivery for next Tuesday will have to be rescheduled.

It's got to be a sign.

I've been really apprehensive about the whole scheduled c-section, so now, I'm back to "let's wait and see what happens."

Everyone is so overjoyed with my decision to forgo scheduling the delivery, I can't even begin to put in to words the happiness.

As for me, it's feels like there has been a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Although, that is only figuratively speaking because in the weight department - I weighed more today by two pounds than I did on Monday.

It's all in my toes.

The doctor said that he could reschedule my delivery for Wednesday, June 27 ... but the soonest they could get me in is 4 PM. That means I can't have anything to eat past midnight and no fluids for six hours before.

ME? Going 16 hours without food?!

Charlie, being the swell chap that he is (and extremely anxious for me to deliver this baby via c-section) said that if I couldn't eat or drink, he wouldn't either. Although, that kind of sounded like the way he promised me at the beginning of my pregnancy that if I couldn't drink wine, he wouldn't drink wine. Which lasted until we had filet mignon for dinner and he cracked like an egg ... and then inhaled half a bottle of Cabernet.

Currently, everyone in the house - spare my mother - are sick with a cold. I'm thinking that even if I did go the c-section route, it would be better to be over this bout of bronchitis first, because if there is one thing that will not compliment an abdominal incision ... it's got to be a cough that is strong enough to dislodge a lung.

Although mom is anxious for me to deliver the baby ... I think she was a tiny bit relieved that she may have a few extra days to get the children potty trained.

It's turning out to be a bit harder than she anticipated.

We've tried all kinds of tactics, including pumping the kids full of fluids and then letting them run around in cotton underwear.

Once they tired of drinking water out of their itty bitty tea set, we let them drink lemonade out of plastic champagne glasses. The end result was a lot of wet underwear and not so much as a tinkle in the pot. Although, they do like sitting on the potty AFTER they go.

Yesterday, we called in a recent graduate of potty training - with the hopes that she could communicate in toddler speak, to our trio, what we are trying to get them to do.

My friend Lorie and her little girl, Shayna came to visit. Shayna is two weeks younger than our trio and has been potty trained since her second birthday. Every time Shayna ventured off to the bathroom ... she was followed by our entourage of potty-trainees. Whenever Shayna did her thing - all three of our kids would clap enthusiastically and shout "Yay Shayna!!"

And of course, every time Shayna jumped off the potty, our entourage of potty-trainees had to climb on the potty and see if they too, could go.

They couldn't.

But they were really good at tearing off pieces of toilet paper and flushing the commode.

During the time that Lorie was visiting, a new rule went in to effect. When the kids are in the house, they MUST be in diapers.

Otherwise, it is a given possible that we will be stripping the covers off the couch and washing them everyday.

While we're on "baby watch" and "poo-poo watch" I'm enjoying pedicures and pondering how a diet that consists mainly of watermelon can result in a body weight of 225. Especially when that body belongs to someone who is running after numerous toddlers and hoisting them on to a toilet several times a day.

13 comments:

  1. I think that the trio will be potty trained in no time! My vote who's going to be the first, is for William, who knows how to expel gas on the toilet very well, I might add! When he asked the girls for, "Privacy Please," I figured he knew what he was doing!

    Please go with Henry Samuel! Like I said...it's just so presidential!

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  2. i LOVe the photos :)

    Yay Shayna--overachiever. LOL

    just kidding. i LOVE the photo of the kids cheering her on!

    p.s. the pedicure is sooooo sweet.

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  3. I dread potty training! Bless you for working on 3 little ones at ONCE and while 9 months preggo.

    Good luck with your continued indecion about the csection or vbac. I don't know what I would do if I were in your shoes.

    We will pray for a easy and uncompliated delivery which ever you choose.

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  4. It's not a sign, it's a schedule conflict. Book the c-section for Wednesday. Indecision in this case is decision, since not making one is choosing the VBAC. You may not like me after this, but I say it's time for Charlie to assert his share of the decision-making regarding his desires for this child, too. It's not ALL your call. If I were him, I'd book the appointment for you then throw you in the car myself. I'm tired of reading about babies who don't make it home to their loving families. My heart is positively aching these days from it.
    -Debbie

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  5. here's my 2 cents on potty training...rewards CAN work but it is a slippery slope...i wouldn't do candy, we started with 3 m and m's and I think we have finally worked through that. my friend had a great idea...go to the dollar store and get a bunch of cheapo treats and put them in the potty basket, they get to pick one out when they go. like i said, it can be a slippery slope but it might accelerate the process a little.

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  6. switch from watermelon to pineapple - it's supposed to contain an enzyme that softens and dilates...:)

    trust your gut/heart/intuition. your body knows - as long as you are not having a fever/infection or blood pressure problems, waiting is not going to hurt a thing, whereas bringing a baby before it may be ready can cause other problems after birth. and that's my two cents worth. (i read up on lots of facts and medical info recently in my desire not to be induced pre-term...)

    Aside from your sad feet - edema is my least favorite thing in the world - you look great!

    And waiting for the cough to subside before giving birth - excellent idea. Stitches, shrinking uterus and a hacking cough do NOT mix - at least not without feeling the need for an afterbirth epidural. :)

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  7. love the pictures.

    Personally I have never had a child potty train before age 3, and my kids are...well geniuses! so there you go.

    Good luck with the little guy, I have my fingers crossed for you.

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  8. Kids will potty train when they are ready.....fluids or not, etc. It will save you TONS of grief if you just let it go and either 1)let your Mom handle it all including the messes or (better yet) 2) go with diapers and see how ready they are post-partum 6wks.

    You really need to de-stress and give yourself a break. You are a GREAT Mom and potty-training along with how you deliver this little miracle are not relevant. Taking CARE of yourself is the most relevant issue. Think positive -- you will have a new bundle of boy by the end of next week not matter what :)

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  9. Good luck with the potty training! We used the shameful bribery method-a "potty box" of little stickers and toys. It worked well-and fast though.

    I'm glad you are not scheduling the c-section. Sign or not, surgery carries risks that are far too often overlooked. I'll be praying that you go into labor on your own and have a wonderful VBAC!

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  10. jen-
    give it time. ALL of your worries.
    the trips will p-train when they are ready. all of a sudden they will get it, and they will be trained. dont force it. encouragement is good, and i think you've showed them what you want them do to as much as you can. now you have to wait for them to do it.
    same with the baby. if your bp is good, and no infections, and you feel like you can stand it longer, wait for it. it will happen when it is time for it to happen. remember, things will work themselves out. it's the nature of LIFE. Just take care of yourself and your family, and God will do the rest.

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  11. Seems a big weight being lifted off your shoulders is definitely a sign. I say go for that VBAC! Studies show that the "dangers" of VBAC are much less than people are led to believe, and there are many risks involved in a C-section. I'm not sure if that continues to be true for the HELLP syndrome, have you had it with this pregnancy? Vaginal birth is an incredible experience, and easier on your body recovery-wise. And with three toddlers, I'd figure you want to be back to normal sooner. Anyhow, I say listen to your own feelings, and pray about it. Always do what feels right for you and your baby, no one else should make that decision for you. Good luck.

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  12. OMG! Jen you are freaking me out here with anxiety. I have to imagine you are being TOTALLY FACETIOUS when you say that everyone is THRILLED you don't have your csection scheduled. I didn't have Austin until 5:43pm. I ate. I vomited for the next 24 hours. Don't eat. Trust me. They aren't lying. GO HAVE THE BABY! Just DON'T EAT!

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  13. Your belly is sooo amazing! Wishing you the all the best for your next delivery.
    xoxo
    ansley

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