Christmas without baby

Well....we had our last Christmas without kids.

It definitely hasn't been the greatest Christmas but I'm thankful for things like family. Friday, before Christmas (which was on Wednesday) I couldn't get my blood pressure down..it was up in the crazy numbers again (151/101 etc). Ended up at the hospital but all my labs came back fine. They upped my blood pressure medicine and sent me on my merry way.

By Monday, I'd developed this crazy cold (which I still have now) but my blood pressure was still giving me crazy readings..I was put on bed rest and told it may take a few days for the new dosage of medicine to regulate.

I did still visit family for Christmas even though I was supposed to be on bed rest. I figured there couldn't be much difference in being on my couch or my aunts. I hadn't seen mom in months because all her spare time has been spent in Atlanta with Camryn (He's still not fully emerged from his coma but has been discharged and is home now until he does emerge so we're still praying that soon he'll come out of it.). So I really enjoyed getting to see Mom and see her excited about the baby now that I'm actually looking pregnant. She wanted to feel it kick so bad but had no luck.

We also spent Christmas morning at Justin's parents to watch his nephew open his presents..it was so fun with this being his 2nd Christmas (and birthday) he was really into it. I've never seen a kid so excited about getting socks..haha. He also loved his big toys, a ride-on Thomas the train & ride-on John Deere tractor. It was too cold for him to really get to enjoy the tractor but he loved it and it was so cute. It's so fun to think that next year we'll be doing Christmas morning with our LO who will be coming up on a year old by then.

We didn't decorate at all for Christmas this year since I've been feeling so bad and I don't regret it since I'm on bed rest but I'm so excited for next year. I told Justin there was no skipping or skimping on it next year!! I want a real tree & all.

I went back to the doctor yesterday for scheduled appointments and my blood pressure was still crazy so they upped my dosage again. I'm now taking twice the amount I was on during the 1st and 2nd trimesters...but today it is finally looking tons better!! They said my amniotic fluid level is at 30cm now so that's up 3cm since December 11th. I am also measuring full term at 32 wks due to the extra fluid. I've been very uncomfortable in the last week and I'm starting to think at this rate of fluid building, that I won't make it to induction at 39 wks. I am at 39% chance of going into preterm labor just due to baby's defect causing the extra fluid. That's not considering my obesity status or blood pressure problems.

I'm taking it one week at a time as a success. Mom made it to 34 wks with me so as long as I go 2 more weeks, I will be happy with anything past that! If I could pull through at 34 wks, I have faith my baby could too. They were able to do surgery on me the next day.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas with lots of love and family. Gifts are nice, but it isn't everything.  I'm just so happy this year that I have supportive family and that despite everything, this baby is still cooking away in my belly and even the issues present are fixable.