Check out my new bed...now I can talk to my friends that are here with me in the NICU during the day since I'm not caged in anymore!















I can't wait to get home to play with my big sister...she is SOOOOO much bigger than me!

Last night Nolan spent his last night in his incubator (hopefully for good)! Starting today he's moved into a crib!! (Well...they call it a crib but it's not as cozy as his crib will be at home!!) He is starting to regulate his own body temperature which is what was making him stay in the incubator. He continues to have a nasal cannula with a small amount of oxygen. Last night Derek and I left around 11 pm. At that point they were going to try to not have any cannula in and see how he could do on room air. He did well for about four hours but started to get really tired...breathing is really hard work for out little guy! So they gave him a break today and put the cannula back in. As of last night they also thought that he would need the phototherapy done today for his jaundice. Nope...his levels dropped overnight so no sunglasses for our little Nolan! Hopefully this level continues to decrease so we are in the clear of him being jaundice. He's been a really sleepy peanut these last 24 hours so eating out of his bottle has been difficult for him. He did take his 6:30 bottle tonight when we went to visit. Tessa loved spending time with him for about 4 minutes and once mommy and daddy started to hold him, she was out of there! We can't wait for him to come home so we can all transition into our new life together. When Nolan comes home our family is going to hibernate for the winter and flu season!

Snuggle time!!

Nolan had a really good 24 hours. I know that things could always regress but with how he's doing I can't help but be extremely optimistic! Derek went in last night to spend some time with him alone...boy time! He held Nolan the entire time he was there. He fed him his bottle, snuggled with him, probably talked a few football plays or throwing techniques, and even got to change his poopy diaper! He has the littlest, cutest, tiniest butt... Last night when Derek left, Nolan was still on the high flow with his oxygen machine hooked up but no extra oxygen was being given, just some added pressure. Today when I went in I knew something was different. Oh yeah...that big pole with all of the machines on it is gone!! He now has a nasal cannula that hooks right into the wall. They are giving him a very small amount of support...a little pressure and a very small amount of oxygen. The nurse commented several times how well his breathing is compared to where he started. She saw him one week ago and can't believe how far he's come. His bilirubin levels are on the rise. They are giving him until tomorrow to lower them himself and if that doesn't work, under the lights he goes with his sunglasses on.

To think back one week ago and how far he's come...I wonder when he'll come home? I wish we had an answer. I can't wait to get an answer to this mystery question! He is slowly gaining some of his weight back. This morning he weighed 4 lbs 11 oz. He is still eating 40 mLs of milk. Today I was so excited to feed him his 12:30 bottle but the little guy wouldn't wake up. Darn...maybe next time! So instead I fed him his lunch through the syringe. We are heading back in tonight and will be there for his 9:30 feeding. I'd love to see him eat out of his bottle! Can't wait to see what the next few minutes, hours, days will bring for out little guy.

My little brother...

From Tessa...

Did you know that I have a little brother named Nolan? My mommy and daddy talk about him all of the time to me but he isn't able to come home quite yet. He needs a little more medicine to make him better. Today I got to go see him for the second time. Before we went to the hospital we went to the zoo. I was kind of disappointed that there weren't any giraffes or hippos there but I giggled and smiled at all of the other animals that we looked at. My mommy and daddy wanted to stay at the zoo a little longer but I was getting tired and wanted to go see Nolan. I kept asking, "Go see Nolan?" until finally they said yes. I've told my mommy and daddy how much I love Nolan several times over the course of this past week. Mommy almost cries every time I say it...not sure why?

Mommy and Daddy told me before we went to the hospital today that Nolan was going to have his sunglasses back on but when we got there he didn't have them on. It was kind of nice for me because it wasn't as bright in there as it was last time. I wished last time that I had my sunglasses too! Mommy and daddy kept saying how happy they were that he wasn't under the lights because this morning when Mommy talked to Nolan's nurse she thought he would be back under them. I love tickling his toes. His toes are so little and cute and today I even tickled his cheek. He smiled at me a few times too. He was in a deep, comfortable sleep. I love talking about Nolan and get excited to go visit him but as soon as Mommy or Daddy say anything about him coming home with us, I pretend not to hear them. :) He's cute and I love him...but does he really have to come home with us? I'm still getting used to mommy being back at home and now they want to bring this little guy home to?

I do love having mommy back home but it's still kind of strange. I often look at her and say "Mommy, you home? You here with me?". Another one of those things that she starts to cry over...again, not sure why? Daddy has been the best daddy in the world. I can just tell how much he's helping mommy out with everything and still spends time to snuggle with me. Even though he is the best daddy, I'm sure glad mommy is back home to do my hair. My crazy hair needed mommy! Another bummer is that daddy and I can't wear our crocs around the house anymore...we enjoyed it while it lasted! Daddy's having a more difficult time adjusting to it than I am.

Gotta go take a nap! Maybe I'll try to wiggle my way out of it this afternoon. I'm too excited about baby Nolan.

Love, Tessa

Pajama time!

Nolan has had a really good 24 hours. He's had a few ups and downs but overall has had a very stable 24 hours. Last night we were told that he may no longer need the CPAP but after arriving there this morning they told me he did need a break throughout the night so was given the CPAP for three hours. He was so relaxed today and seemed so calm. He had the high flow the entire time I was in there. I love it when he has this because he is definitely much more comfortable. When they put the CPAP on him he is starting to try to push it off of his face. I was in the hospital for about four hours and just watched him sleep. He kept smiling and smiling. I'd like to think that he was smiling because he knew I was sitting there staring at him rubbing his belly and was smiling at me, but I'm sure it was the sleepy smiles. Either way, seeing a smile on his face brings tears to my eyes. With everything that he has going on and all of the pricks, pokes, tubes, and wires...he still finds time to smile in his happy dreams.

When I arrived today, he was dressed!! He had the cutest little dragon jammies on. It was so cute seeing him in clothes. He no longer has any lines in his belly since he is now intaking 40 mLs of milk...YEAH Nolan!! We hope that he continues to increase this amount so he doesn't need an IV put in for more hydration. I'm very anxious to see how he takes a bottle. We have to wait a bit longer until his breathing rate stabilizes. So many fun milestones to look forward to before he comes home! I can't wait to see and be there for each one of them!

Five days old!!

Mr. Nolan is sure being a trooper! We arrived to the hospital this morning to see that they had placed him back on his CPAP. He was starting to get very tired with just the high flow so they were going to give him a three hour break and put him back on the CPAP. His CPAP level was at 24% all day so he's really doing well. He is still working very hard to breath so he does have a ways to go. They've started giving him more food and he seems to be taking that really well also. He was awake for a while today again which is always so fun. His bilirubin came back with a good number so for now he doesn't need the phototherapy. Lucky guy gets to take off his sunglasses and look around! I'm heading back in tonight and there is a possibility that he'll be on the high flow so I'll be able to see his gorgeous face. We are also hoping that he'll start eating more and more! When he gets to eating a certain amount they will be able to take out his last line that he has in his umbilical cord. Slowly but surely he's getting there! It's so much fun watching him get stronger and stronger!

Yesterday when Derek and I arrived to the hospital little man didn't have his CPAP on. What a sight to see...you can actually see his cute face!! They were giving him a break from the CPAP and were trying to see how the nasal high flow cannula would work. They told us yesterday that they will slowly wean him off of the CPAP by having him do the high flow for 1-3 hours, 3 times per day. Last night when we called to check in on how his afternoon went they said that they were going to try to just stick to the high flow and only go back to the CPAP if needed. Just checked in this morning and he is still on the high flow and his oxygen levels have dropped a bit!! GO NOLAN!!! What a special treat this morning to hear this. We know that he could very easily go back to the CPAP but it sure seems that things are improving. He is also still under the photo therapy lights as his bilirubin levels haven't dropped to the level they need to be quite yet. It looks like he's lying in a tanning bed with his sunglasses on!! :)















Yesterday we also spent over an hour with him while he was awake. Here is picture of him when they were giving him a break from the lights and CPAP. This little break only lasts for a short while but the poor guy needs a break from all of that stuff on his face! I can't wait to stare at his face all of the time without the wires and tubes! He's so precious.

We got to hold him!

Talk about making my heart melt...we got to hold Nolan last night for the first time since he's been in the NICU. It's up to the nurse that is working with him if they are comfortable taking him out of his isolette. We hadn't had a nurse yet offer this to us. Many prefer not to take him out with all of the lines and tubes that he currently has. But last night was our lucky night!! The hardest part was letting him go. I suppose it wasn't that bad since I only handed him over to Derek to hold but watching him get put back into the isolette was crushing. It's where he needs to be but I hope and pray that we will be holding him at home soon. He handled the holding like a pro so maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to do it again soon! He's such a tiny peanut but a tiny peanut that is so strong. We know he's going to get through this little detour before coming home.

His numbers stayed stable all through the night on Monday and all day yesterday. He wasn't showing much for signs of improvement but being stable is a great sign. He was given some real food for the first time yesterday...not a steak and potato yet...but the good stuff he needs for his immunity and weight to build up!! He has a feeding tube in his nose and they use this little syringe to feed him the milk. Because his CPAP takes up a majority of his face they aren't going to use a bottle yet. Last night Derek gave him his third feeding of the day. Hopefully he continues to take the food and show that he's digesting it. So far, so good! Derek and I are heading in there this morning to spend the day with him while Tessa goes to play with her friends at daycare. Everytime we go to the hospital we never really know what we are going to get. We just pray for him to be stable but pray even harder that he's improved.

Tessa meets her little brother!!

This morning Derek, Tessa, and I got up early and spent a few hours with just the three of us. After a short while (very short while) the anxiety of not being at the hospital hit! The three of us headed to the hospital this morning so Tessa could meet her little brother. She's at the perfect age where the tubes, wires, and everything else that comes along with Nolan getting better doesn't really phase her. Her response to him was so cute. She couldn't stop smiling and wanted to get closer and closer to him. He is still in his isolette so we can't get nearly as close as we would like to. We opened up the little side window where we can stick our hands in and she reached right in to tickle his cute, little toes. At one point she turned around to us with a smile on her face and said "I love him". My heart melted! She's going to be a great big sister. Now all we need is for baby Nolan to come home!!

We made it early enough to the hospital that I was able to sit in for Nolan's rounds. All of the doctors and nurses are so nice and really do make the situation of being there much more comfortable. Overall, Nolan had a good night and good morning today. He hadn't had any apnea spells since midnight (YEAH!!) and his O2 level was lowered to 32 (we want it to get to 21 and yesterday it was as high as 57). They seemed optimistic that he is starting to produce his own surfactant which is all we've been praying for these last few days. When his body starts to produce this his lungs and breathing should improve and sometimes it can improve very quickly. They also did an x-ray of his lungs this morning and the results showed an improvement!! That is what we have been hoping for! His bilirubin levels still show a small bit of jaundice so he'll be hanging out with his sunglasses on for at least 24 more hours. He is also going to get some food today for the first time. He'll be getting this through a feeding tube rather than through a bottle. They would like his breathing to be a bit more consistent before trying the bottle. Poor guy is hungry! He's been getting nutrients through an IV but today he'll get the good stuff! We've also been told that when he starts to eat that he may become less and less jaundice. We keep praying that things will keep improving for our little guy. He's lost 9% of his birth weight but hopefully after he begins eating he'll grow and grow and grow. Derek and I are going back in tonight. We are really anxious to hear how his first feedings went today.

Many people have asked about posting or sending photos. We are going to wait just a bit longer before posting any. With everything that he currently has on his face you can't really see him. So we'll wait until his CPAP is removed so you can see how cute he really is (I suppose that I could be a bit bias...). Him having his CPAP removed will be a huge step in the right direction! I can't wait for that time to come!

Spending time with Tessa...

Derek and I came home last night to an empty house. It was strange enough coming home again but even stranger to come home to Tessa staying over with my mom and dad and Nolan still in the hospital. We discharged after only one night since I was feeling so good and was definitely ready to move out after being there for almost one month! Leaving yesterday made it possible for us to spend more time with Nolan today at the hospital. Tessa was at daycare all day today but tonight she finally came home to mommy being home! I was soooo excited for her to come home and she was rather surprised to see mommy home. It's great to be at home while at the same time a huge part of my heart is still in the hospital in the NICU. We keep praying that Nolan will continue to be strong so our family of four can finally begin. The three of us will be traveling to the hospital tomorrow morning for Tessa to meet her little brother.

Pretty much the same news with Nolan. He still needs assistance breathing and the nurses are still saying he is doing well. Today when we arrived at the hospital Nolan was under lights to avoid jaundice. He had a cloth over his eyes to protect them with sunglasses printed on them. It was pretty cute to say the least. His glasses also matched Daddy's sunglasses so we took a few pictures. They are both pretty darn cute!

The nurses also informed us that it usually takes a premature baby 3-4 days to produce surfactant, a chemical needed for breathing. Hopefully in the next few days we will see some improvement in this regard and we can hold the little munchkin. I am saving up my snuggles and charging interest. At this rate we will snuggle until Christmas!

I'm moving out!!

Twenty-five days later I'm moving out! It's been a pretty crazy ride but worth every minute of being here. I'm so happy that we made it as far as we did into the pregnancy. Today when we were getting updates on Nolan they mentioned quite a few things that he doesn't have to have done because he is 34 weeks gestational age. Things would be quite different if he would have been born when we first arrived to the hospital. Nice job being patient Nolan!!! He did so great throughout our entire time here while we were waiting for week 34 and we hope and pray that he continues fighting just as hard!

Not much is new today compared to last night. He still is on the CPAP and probably will be for at least a little while. During the night he had five apnea spells, which meant the oxygen level in his little bubble was increased. The air we breathe is 21% oxygen. At one point last night he was receiving 51% oxygen, or 2 1/2 times as much oxygen as we are accustom to breathing. When Derek and I went to bed last night his level was at 38%, so it had increased quite a bit. Because of both the apnea and oxygen levels changing a bit, he recieved a dose of surfactant directly to his lungs. When I first arrived to the hospital I received the two steroid shots to help his lungs develop. This is the same things that was given to him last night.

The nurses said that he has shown improvement and do not seemed too concerned. They are all sweet-hearts and we feel very comfortable where Nolan is staying, although we would obviously like him to be snuggling with us at home. Derek is already coming up with exercises for him to do to increase his arm strength as a quarterback. When he started talking about Camp Randall I stopped listening.

We are planning to go see him in the morning and will call the NICU tonight to get an update. Hopefully things keep improving.

He's here!

Nolan Michael Pertzborn was born on Saturday, September 19 at 5:52am. He weighed 4 pounds 14 ounces and is 18 1/2 inches long.

Nolan came into the world with a mighty scream, which was a relief because this meant his lungs were functioning. Emily held Nolan for about five minutes before he was swished away to the NICU. Since then Nolan's lungs have shown signs of prematurity and he has needed assistance in breathing. He currently has a CPAP that provides extra pressure in his lungs to keep the aveola open. Doctor's are still very optimistic and we are as well. No idea what is next.

Emily and I are doing well. We would really appreciate a day of rest with no visitors. We appreciate everyone's prayers and support, but Emily slept none last night and I slept one hour. We will need to rest to be ready for a little hell-raiser named Tessa on Monday.

Love,
Emily, Derek, Tessa, and Nolan

Tomorrow here we come!!

The big day is only one day away...crazy! I'm hoping and praying that tomorrow will bring the time that we can get off of this rollercoaster ride that we've been on for too long. I can't wait to meet our baby and have answers to all of the questions that we can't get answers to right now. My doctor is so great and this morning she continued to be very optimistic about everything. She makes me feel so at ease with everything that is going on and everything that is coming our way. The nerves are definitely starting to gear up which I'm sure is natural. Derek will be coming in tonight and staying for the weekend. We are hoping for the next three nights on the air mattress to be the last three nights I'll be in the hospital. Tessa will be coming in with Derek for a short visit. I always wondered when my due date came closer what I would want to do with Tessa that would be a special treat for her before having baby #2. The possibilities here aren't quite what I was picturing but we'll make it work. I'm sure we will go on one last stroller ride. :)

We may not post again until after having the baby. That could be tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow night, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Saturday night, Sunday...God lets hope not! I don't care how long it takes, I just want to hold our baby in my arms and watch him or her sleep!

Once again, thank you to everyone for your support throughout my time at the hospital. It's been very difficult just sitting here thinking of how many of you stepped up to help out to relieve some of our stress. We are lucky to have each of you in our lives. I hope that someday we'll be able to show you how thankful we are.

Only two more days and we'll be a family of four!

Nothing new to report here. The only thing that has changed is that the nerves and excitement are starting to kick in. It is very hard to believe that I've been here for three weeks! I'm so happy that we've made it this far. It really is still unbelievable that I haven't had the baby yet. The day after tomorrow is going to change our lives! I can't wait!

What is in the sky today that is blocking the sun from shining in my room? My room seems so dark! Jess, Mason, and Marah came to visit this morning so I was able to get outside. Brrrrr...is it supposed to snow today? Okay, I guess it isn't that cold but not the summer weather that I was hoping to enjoy when we get discharged from the hospital at some point next week (hopefully Sunday!!). I'm sure that fall will hit at full force next week when I actually leave. Having it cloudy today makes me extra thankful for the last three weeks straight of sunshine. That has definitley helped to keep my spirits high throughout my time here.

Thanks to everyone who continue to send their thoughts and prayers our way. Please take an extra minute to send a prayer to our cousin, baby Haley, who I'm sure would love any extra prayers she can get today. I'm sure she'll come out of her surgery with flying colors and your extra prayers can just be icing on the cake!!! Can't stop thinking about you Haley (and of course your mommy and daddy too)!!

Happy Wednesday everyone.

Friday is coming up quickly!!

I'm still hanging out today watching movies, getting a few things done (of course things that can get done while I'm sitting in my room), and just trying to pass the time by. Derek stayed last night and all was good until about 3:00 this morning. Everything really has been pretty stable but early this morning was the first time that I started to see bright red blood. Sorry if that is too much info for you...that is the risk with reading the blog!! I was immediately freaked out like I am each time anything changes. There wasn't much blood but even the smallest bit scares me when I'm pregnant. Just like with all of these other signs of my body changing, no one seemed too concerned. It happened again this morning but again no one seems too worked up about it (except me!!). It just happened twice so hopefully that's it! I'm still holding out for Friday! Three more days.............YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Four more days...

Now that the time is finally in sight I feel like this week is going to go very slowly. I hate to wish time away but boy I'm anxious for Friday afternoon. My visits with the doctors and residents each day are starting to get shorter and shorter...I think that they were in my room this morning for about 30 seconds. There really hasn't been anything new to report and everything still seems to be the same with my vitals. One of the highlights of my day is when I'm hooked up to the monitors and can listen to the baby for 30-45 minutes. It's always such a great sound to hear.

Let's keep hoping and praying for an uneventful week! I hope that Friday is here before we know it! Have a good week and keep enjoying all of the sunshine.

Now the countdown begins...

Once again there is not a whole lot new here in my "apartment". Starting at about 4:00 this morning I started to have some contractions that were actually painful which I haven't had yet. They continued until about 5:45 and went away...thank God! They were starting to make me a bit nervous and I just kept praying that they would go away. My body is definitely getting ready to deliver this little one but we are keeping our fingers crossed that we can make it until Friday. Today has been very uneventful since that happened this morning. I love when things are uneventful.

Derek stayed last night and mom is coming back tonight for another round on the mattress. Tessa and Derek are coming back in this afternoon to visit again for a little while. I really look forward to her coming! The last two times that she has been in to visit she has responded really well to me and everything that is going on around me. I think she's adjusting to mommy being in the hospital and now the big adjustment will be when mommy comes home. I can't wait for the adjustment of when the baby comes home! As much as it will temporarily rock Tessa's world, bringing the baby home will be the best feeling in the world!

Have another great week and keep enjoying this summer weather. Here's to another five days of the Pertzborn's hanging out in the hospital patiently waiting for Friday afternoon!

33 Weeks Pregnant!!

Congratulations Chad and Kristy!! You've brought a beautiful baby girl into this world and I can't wait to meet her! Haley is going to be spoiled with all of the love that is being sent her way!!

Congratulations on your big wedding day Leah and Kevin!! We sure wish we could be there celebrating with you...can't wait to hear the stories and see the pictures!!

I'm loving how the time is ticking away. I feel like it's been a year since I've been home or have driven a car but at the same time it seems to be going by so quickly. A week from now our lives will be changed forever as we go from a family of three to a family of four. Can't wait to meet this little one who is so anxious to join our family. We still are so very thankful for the extra time that we have gotten. We are hoping for six more days for the little one to keep growing and growing and growing and growing!!

Have a great weekend. This weather is starting to get a little out of control...is it ever going to be cloudy or rainy again?? Bry - I feel like we are living in San Diego with this weather!! :) Soon enough I'll be able to enjoy the weather before fall comes our way. Perfect weather today for the Badger game...have a good one!!

Almost 33 Weeks Pregnant...

My time here has really gone quickly and now the time is starting to wind down already. I keep looking at the clock wondering what will be going one week from now?!?! I'm still really holding onto hope that we can make it to next Friday. Every night from now until then will be a count down. Today is my last Friday night before having the baby! It really gives me the chills thinking about it.

A few days ago my big news was that I got to open my window. Now today two maintenance workers came in to replace the blind on my other window that has been broken since we got here (it didn't open so it made my kitchen (the shelf that my food is on) pretty dark). Not only do I get to have sunlight from two windows but I can also get the fresh breeze blowing in both of them. Now if that isn't good luck I'm not sure what is!! :) Tomorrow I'll be able to smell the yummy food from the grills before the Badger game and Sunday I'll be able to smell the stale beer from all of the parties that will follow the Badger game. I know you're jealous...I would be too!!

Derek and Tessa came in last night which was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO fun. She was in a super good mood and acted like nothing has changed. Rather than riding with mommy the whole time in the "stroller" she was more intrigued to help daddy push mommy. It was the best visit yet. I can't wait to scoop her up and have her snuggle on my shoulder. She really is handling this like a trooper. Mom came to pick Tessa up and then Derek stayed overnight before heading out early to work.

Lucky Derek will be crashing on the air mattress for the next two nights as well while Tessa goes to Grandma and Grandpa's while the party there continues. Well, there might not be much of a party tonight. The crew there will have to take it a bit easy for Jess' headache, swollen eye, cut on her eyebrow and black and blue face to calm down. The plan this morning was for Mom to bring Tessa back in to visit and have a picnic. On the way they were going to stop at Hilldale to get her a new pair of shoes (poor girl needed new tennies really badly!). Jess, Mason, and Marah decided to join in on the fun. It sounds like everything went great at the mall and that Tessa got a super cute pair of shoes but then the day took a turn. They were all done at the mall and loading the kiddos to come to the hospital for a picnic. The girls were in their seats and Jess was standing in the back of the van. As Jess was shutting the back door on the van mom pushed the button for the door to automatically shut. So this turned into the door flinging back open, hitting Jess in the face, sending her flying backwards and landing in the parking lot. So...rather than a picnic at the hospital where I am they ventured over to Urgent Care and had a picnic there while Jess got checked out (well not checked out...but checked on). All is good, no stitches could be given because of the location of the cut. Rumor has it she's currently getting a second opinion so maybe stitches will be needed. Tessa - help Aunt JeJe hold that frozen bag of peas on her face tonight!!

On that note, I hope that everyone else is having a good start to their weekend. Tomorrow while you are tailgating for the Badger game, be careful opening the tailgate of your mini! It might send you flying!

32 Weeks and 5 Days Pregnant!!!

I feel like I say the same thing every day...and I LOVE it! Nothing new again today!! It's been very uneventful with no changes at all. The baby continues to do jumping jacks in my belly which is always great to feel, the baby's heart rate continues to look great on the monitor, and my vitals continue to look as they should. Hopefully we stay nice and stable like this until next Friday. One week from tomorrow...I get the chills thinking about how excited and anxious I am.

Tessa and Derek are coming in tonight after school before my mom comes to get her so Derek can stay overnight. Now that he is feeling better he's able to come stay again. I hope that we can go on a stroller ride and hopefully daddy will push us really fast!! :) I haven't seen Tessa since last Wednesday and I really can't wait to see her. She has to be wondering why mommy still hasn't come home but soon enough I'll be home. My time here is going very quickly and we hope that the next week flies by!

Two Weeks Later...

Wow Tessa, you sure are a good writer for just turning two! I knew that you have changed a lot since mommy has been in the hospital but boy, you sure have gotten quite the vocabulary. Did daddy really let you stay up until 10:30 when you made a new post on the blog last night? He sure is spoiling you! Pretty soon I will be home to help take care of daddy. :) If you and daddy still aren't feeling well enough tonight to come in, I'll see you in the computer before bedtime.

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Nothing new here in my lovely "apartment". Well, actually there is. I got to open my window today!! For the first few days we were in my room the nurses said to keep the windows shut. Today my nurse walked right in and opened the window. It feels so great to have a fresh, cool breeze blowing in the window. It really is refreshing. My doctor stopped in this morning during her rounds. I didn't have much of anything to report to her which is always good. She told me that she has set a date for an induction if I do not go into labor before then. We are really holding onto high hopes that we will make it to that point where I need to be induced. I'm scheduled for next Friday, Sept 18 around noon. That will be the day before I am 34 weeks. I'm hoping this munchkin keeps growing and growing before that day. We are so excited to meet our new addition. It is very exciting to think that is just over one week away (and hopefully not a day sooner!).

Mom had so much fun here last night that she'll be having another slumber party tonight. I can't believe what troopers everyone is being about staying overnight. Really I could handle a night alone. A few nights ago my nurse kind of told us a horror story about something that could happen because my membranes are already ruptured and now I've been told definitely no overnights alone. It was quite the story right before bed. I'm hoping Derek and Tessa are feeling better today to come in. It has been recommended that they are symptom free of any sort of sickness so we'll see how Tessa's day went at daycare. If she still is holding on to that runny nose they won't be coming in. It's already been a week since I've seen her (besides on Skype). Oh she is going to get tickled when I see her!

It's hard to believe I've been here for two weeks. We can't emphasize enough to everyone how much your support and friendship is helping to get us through this.

From Tessa

Hi Everyone,

First of all, I would like to thank everyone for being so nice to my mommy because she is a nice lady and a great mommy. I miss her snuggles and especially miss mommy putting in my pony tail. Daddy always pulls my hair when he puts in a pony. Plus, it just looks like crap and I'm not going to be strutting around not looking my cutest. I pretend I don't hear him when he mentions any animal followed by the word tail. I know that his pig-tails hurt and his pony-tails hurt. I am not going to take my chances on a cow-tail or sheep-tail (although I don't actually know if sheep have tails).

Daddy and I have just been hanging out watching Dora, drawing pictures, reading books, singing songs, eating stuff mommy doesn't let us, and wearing our Crocs together because mommy doesn't let us wear shoes in the house and Daddy says if I don't tell he won't either. I will have to admit it is getting tiring picking up after Daddy and I am excited for Mommy to come home to help me keep him organized. This morning he forgot my baby and blanky when he dropped me off at Grandma's. What kind of daddy forgets that? Next thing you know is I'll be giving myself a bath and changing my own diapers! I might as well move out.

Mommy started doing this neat trick last night where she gets inside our computer and talks to Daddy and me. I like to see Mommy, but sometimes she does it right in the middle of Dora and it's hard to decide if I want to see Mommy in the computer or watch Dora. If Einsteins were on it would be an easy decision...but Dora?! Plus Mommy always wants me to give the computer a hug and a kiss. It was fun to try at first because I got to stand on the desk, but now it's getting a little weird and she's going a little overboard. I am trying to get Daddy to get me an I-Phone so I can kiss Mommy on that screen. We are in the midst of negotiations.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

Love,
Tessa

32 Weeks and 3 Days Pregnant...

Another night and day have come and gone. Yippee!! We are sneaking closer and closer to the 34 week mark. The time that I have left here before having the baby is more than half over. That is really exiting. In less than two weeks (unless of course something changes with the doctor's plans) we will be a family of four.

Once again we can't thank you enough for your support to help us get through this. The occupational therapist from the hospital has come in about four times since I've been here. She makes sure that everything is emotionally, mentally, and physically stable with me while I'm here. She always says the same thing...it seems like my spirits haven't changed since day 1. That is because we have the best family and friends in the world. The short visits that so many people have done with me really break up the day and make the time go by more quickly. So many people sit alone in the hospital with friends and family too far away to visit. That would make this situation very stressful. We are very lucky to have such great people in our lives and to be so close to home.

Mom is up again for round 4 or 5 on the air mattress tonight. Jess crashed here last night before heading out early this morning to work. She left before she had a chance to push me around in the "stroller". She really missed out. :) A pretty quiet morning today. The monitoring went really well and no contractions during that time! Thanks to Brenda, Lisa, all of the kiddos, and Mary who stopped by today. It means a lot that you took the time to come here to visit. Dad stopped in later this afternoon t0 visit for a while too. Since Jess missed out on taking me outside, Dad was the lucky one tonight. Beautiful weather again today. It always feels so great to get outside.

Hope that I'll continue to have the same to report tomorrow!

Happy Labor Day!!

Quite a few people have asked about posting comments on here. Sorry it's been so confusing! I played around last night with a few of the settings of the blog and finally figured out how to change the comment setting. Before you had be a registered user of blogger.com to post a comment but now anyone should be able to. The only reason I'm mentioning it is because so many people have mentioned that they have tried to post comments and it wasn't working. :)

I'm still hanging out in my apartment on this lovely Labor Day. Labor Day it is...but not for me...and I hope it stays that way for the rest of the day! From the beginning of our hospital stay, doctors sure made it sound like me going into labor was going to be sooner than later but their frame of mind seems to be changing a bit. My doctor this morning seemed really optimistic that I'll make it until 34 weeks which is just under two weeks away. Of course this can change in a matter of a second but for now nothing is leading them to believe that the baby is ready to come. They made it sound like I will be induced right on the 34 week mark (Sept. 19) or possibly the day before (Sept. 18). Heather - our kiddos may possibly be sharing a birthday! It's kind of strange to have an end date in mind while at the same time very exciting! My stay here is just over half over before we have the baby. I hope that the next 11-12 days go just as quickly as the last 12. It will be a very strange feeling to walk out of this building after we have the baby.

Mom got her turn on the air mattress last night. She was the lucky one to then push me for one of my daily wheelchair rides outside. Wow, it's nice out today! I think that the weather has been perfect everyday that I've been in here. That makes it nice that I can get outside for the few minutes rather than if it was raining. I wouldn't be able to get out at all then. Derek was going to stay tonight but we had to change the plans a bit. Lucky Jessie will be taking over night duty tonight while Derek stays home with Tessa. Derek and Tessa spent about four hours at urgent care last night because Tessa had a fever for over 24 hours that seemed to get higher and higher regardless of her taking medicine. After the four hours they learned she just has a virus. No ear infection and no strep throat. Hope the virus goes away so she can come in to visit again soon. Boy I miss that munchkin. Derek now has the bug too. We keep hoping that it is short lived! I guess if they are going to get sick that now is a better time than any. We won't have time to be sick after we have the baby!

Happy Labor Day! Good luck with last minute preparations Leah! We wish so badly that we could be there next weekend to help you celebrate your wedding! Can't wait to see the pictures and hear the stories...I'm sure funny stories are guaranteed from your day! Wish we could be there!

32 Weeks and 1 Day Pregnant!!

I feel like I am saying the same thing over and over and over...which is a good thing for us! Everything still seems to be pretty much the same. Once again a few changes (that you don't want to know about:)). Around noon today I was monitored again for contractions and the baby's heart rate. The heart rate looked perfect which is always great to see. I did have a few small contractions within a rather short period of time but they kind of disappeared again like we want to see. Once the real deal starts there won't be anything that can be done to stop them. Right when I see myself living in my new "apartment" for two more weeks (until week 34 when I would be induced) something changes and is a wake up call that any minute labor could start. I keep hoping for a bit more time but I suppose one of these times I'll be sounding greedy. We are already very thankful for the eleven extra days we have gotten!

Poor Tessaroo has some sort of bug! She was possibly going to come in today to visit but that isn't going to happen. We did get the webcam set up so we were able to talk to her using Skype (thanks a ton Meg and Jennifer!!). Oh how badly I wanted to reach through the screen and grab her! I love being with her when she is sick to take care of her. Luckily, she was with my mom and dad (and Jess and Beau's family too) so I know that they are taking great care of her. Derek stayed last night with me but went home this morning to take Tessa home. Let's hope that it's a bug that goes away very quickly and doesn't spread to others!

Hope to have the same to report later and tomorrow! Stay healthy, enjoy the weather, and enjoy the long weekend.

32 Weeks Pregnant!!!

We've officially made it to 32 weeks. Our goal is two more weeks but I'm still very excited about the ten days that I've been here. To think how much the baby has grown and developed in the past ten days is encouraging. The monitors were hooked up this morning again to monitor the baby's heart rate and contractions and it all still looks great. The baby moves all over the place when I get monitored. I feel like the baby is doing jumping jacks! I've had a few other changes with a few things...but I'm sure you don't want the specifics!! :) Nothing that makes us think that the baby is coming sooner than later which is good!

Jess was the lucky one last night to stay over. She arrived later yesterday and left about noon today. We ventured outside for a "stroller" ride this morning but the grills haven't been lit up quite yet around here. With the Badger game tonight, I'm sure that there will be quite a bit of action a few blocks away. We'll be listening to it online since we don't have the Big Ten Network here in our apartment. Go Badgers! Tessa was going to come in this morning with Derek but she seems like she is coming down with a cold. As much as I miss her and want to snuggle with her, it's best to not be exposed to any cold germs if we can help it. Now we just have to concentrate on all being super healthy for when this little one with a mind of its own decides to join our family!

Happy Saturday! Enjoy the weather again today! I feel like I've said that every day that I've been in the hospital. Soon enough I'll be able to enjoy this weather too. I hope it stays around for two weeks so I can enjoy it after we have the baby! :)

Almost 32 Weeks...

Once again, nothing new to report from my "apartment" (aka hospital room). At least it is starting to feel like my new apartment as I have everything here from home that I need to be comfortable. Well of course except Derek and Tessa. They would make it feel a bit more like home. I've been sleeping relatively well during the nights except for last night. I swear the nurses were having a party from about 1am until 3am. I know students have just moved back to campus but I didn't realize that they partied up on the 2nd floor of the hospital. If only I would have known in college...we could have ventured to the hospital!!

It seems like my life has come to a complete standstill and it definitely takes me a few minutes to remember that life is going on like normal outside these walls. The first week of school for my students is almost over, Tessa loved her first week of daycare, Mitchell is almost done with his first week of kindergarten, and such exciting news for our friends (can't wait to meet baby Cameron and congrats to Jilly and Clint!!). It's crazy to think that I've been sitting in the same bed while all of these exciting things have taken place. But once again, because we have such great family and friends the time here has gone very quickly. Trevor - maybe next time you come visit Tessa will be here to play with you and your trucks!! She's going to love her bubbles too...thank you!

Enjoy Labor Day weekend. I keep saying that I hope it being Labor Day weekend doesn't change anything about our situation...no labor for us!! :) I hope to be sitting in the same spot when the long weekend is over.

Enjoy the beautiful temps outside today and over the long weekend!

31 Weeks and 5 Days Pregnant!!

I thought before now that I was obsessed about knowing exactly how far along I was with my pregnancy. Now I wish I had it down to the hour so I knew exactly when it turns into the next full day! But here we are creeping up on 32 weeks. I'm still very surprised I've made it this far while part of me thinks that they'll be inducing me at 34 weeks. I suppose part of me thinks that because that is exactly what I want to happen! Every day that goes by gets us closer to that 34 week mark!

Everything really continues to be the same here with me and the baby. Over the past week I've been having a few dizzy spells. They kind of come on at random times. The nurses think that it's probably just because of being on best rest. My bloodflow really doesn't have any equilibrium since all I do is sit and not move around to get the blood flowing...I'm so lazy. :) They did test me this morning for anemia but my count came back in the normal range. That's exciting because at this point we don't need anything more to worry about. I've really been feeling well all day and really don't feel like the baby is coming anytime soon...although we all know how quickly that feeling can change and contractions can start. Everytime I talk to my doctor I try to ask her when she thinks the baby will come. I try to reword it a little each time...she always has the same answer...she doesn't know. Regardless of when the baby decides to come, everyone seems to continue being really optimistic about the situation. The reassurance is definitely helping to make my time here a bit less stressful.

You'd think that it could be quite boring being on bedrest in the hospital but I haven't had time to be bored yet. Because of our great family and friends I really haven't spent much time here alone. Mom was treated to pushing me for a "stroller" ride after getting "the best night of sleep than she's gotten in a while". And yes, that is a direct quote. These hospital overnights can get quite cozy in my room. Thanks to Mandy, Nanc, and Sherry for making time in your day today to stop by for a visit. I'm always up for a good laugh!! :)

The movie critic will be staying again with me tonight so I'm sure we'll all get another movie rating by tomorrow. :) I hope that we continue to just sit around and watch movies while everything else stays this uneventful.

Movie Review

Beware...Derek again.

Well, I visited Emily again tonight and ran about three miles chasing Tessa around. That is actually quite impressive when you consider that Emily's room is only about 12x12. Tessa sure does like all of the equipment in Emily's room and "accidentally" turned off one of the machines yesterday. She's pretty quick with those little fingers and apparently has a knack for pushing the most destructive button. Emily said the the nurses were a little confused why the machine didn't work right away today...our little secret.

I watched "Something's Gotta Give" a few nights ago on Megan's recommendation. I would give it an 8.5 out of 10. I really did like the movie and am questioning my masculinity a little bit because I watched a chick-flick by myself. If I start wearing make-up and shaving my legs please have me admitted to the hospital. On the bright side, the psychiatric department is on the same floor as Emily and you could visit us both in just one stop (bring beer!)! I will have to watch a much more "manly" movie next to keep myself balanced and also grow a Grizzly Adam's beard just to remind myself how manly and tough I really am.

Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers and your support. It is great to have such supportive family and friends. It means a lot to all of us.

Here's to another three weeks.

One week later...31 weeks and 4 days pregnant

It is very hard to believe that we've been here at the hospital for one week. Hopefully the next two weeks will go just as smoothly and quickly. I enjoyed another wheelchair ride with Derek and Tessa last night. Tessa was excited to ride in mommy's big "stroller" again. It's so fun having her snuggle up on my lap. She and Derek spent a few hours here before heading home. Tessa is still very intrigued by all of the buttons in the room and mommy's tube in her arm (IV). She'll be coming in tonight with Derek again for a short visit while Uncle Kevin and Aunt Abby come in too. Today was her first day of daycare with our new provider so hopefully she'll have a lot of stories for me from the day. I know that she'll have so much fun playing with the other kiddos there and will love her provider.

Everything seems to be the same here. Today will be the last day of my antibiotics. Originally they told me I'd be taking them until I had the baby but I only need to take them for seven days. Honestly, I think that everyone is still surprised to see me sitting here. I was told yesterday that 90% of people that have their water break will deliver within seven days. Today is day seven...I'm aiming to be in the 10%! I've still been feeling pretty well and am constantly feeling the baby move around. The feeling of the baby moving around feels kind of different since my amniotic levels are so low. But boy it's a great feeling to feel that movement! When my doctor stopped in today we chatted about the weight of the baby. I wasn't sure how fast the baby would gain weight. She said that on average at this point that a baby will gain about 1/2 pound every week. So that means that the baby may already be a 1/2 pound heavier than when we came in to the hospital. And to think that if I'm here for two more weeks that the baby could be 1 pound heavier. They would be so exciting!

Hopefully it stays just as uneventful for the rest of the day as it is right now. Mom crashed on the air mattress last night and can't wait to do it again tonight! :) My room is actually starting to feel quite cozy but it could be because I have so much stuff here that the nurses have to move things around every time they come in. I guess if I'm going to be here for one month that I need it to feel like home as much as possible.

Enjoy the beautiful weather today.

September 1...First Day of School!

September here we come! Nothing new to report this morning!! Derek stayed the night last night before getting up early to head to his first day of school. Luckily for him, he only has freshman today so his first day is a bit more low key. His co-workers have also rearranged duties a bit to give him some time to work in his room today, which I know he needs, appreciates, and is really looking forward to. Thank you to those of you that assisted in doing that to relieve our stress/nerves that much more. Hopefully having him get back into the routine of things will continue to make the time go quickly. We're really bummed that he won't be coaching football this year because of everything else that is going on but there is always next year. It would have been a bit too much to have him involved in all of the practices and games right now.

Hopefully today continues like the last six! I've been here for six nights already and hoping for at least six more. Tessa girl stayed at Grandma and Grandpa's again last night, her home away from home, and she'll be coming in this evening with Derek to snuggle with me. That's always something fun to look forward to. Today will be my first day here alone. It's amazing how busy you can be just sitting in a bed and I have plenty to do today because of everyone generously offering their games, movies, and books! My mom jumped at the opportunity to sleep on the mattress again so she'll be staying with me again tonight. Derek will be home with Tessa tonight getting ready for her first day at day care. :)

Happy September! I'm glad that we've made it to a new month!