HI.

My name is 

Aylen John . 

My birthday is June 21, 2010.

My weight at birth: 7lbs. 13oz.
My length at birth:  20 3/4 in.

My mom has been learning how to be a mom lately, hence the late post of my arrival.  She plans to write out her birth story and share with everyone really soon.  Please feel free to come say hi-maybe give Mom or Dad a call first.  

But I really look forward to meeting all my family, and getting to know my Mom & Dad's friends.  


Life is good.
-Aylen

Ladies & Gents!

We have a new DUE DATE!  We are super excited!  So everyone hold onto your hats....WE ARE NOW OFFICIALLY DUE JULY 2nd:)-- Looks like we will be having a July 4th Baby:)

Love,
The Fruvellhoffs

Deller's Bird!

Deller painted the bird onto the wall of the nursery:) Love it!

Early is on-time. On-time is late. And late is unacceptable!

This was the mantra that Red Robin made sure that every employee knew to encourage timeliness.  Russ used to laugh at it, and I often thought that it made complete sense.  That explains a lot about Russell and I:)

I feel like I might be overwhelming folks with comments on facebooks, chats on google, emails, texts, phone calls etc.  I sometimes feel like I'm completely focused on me & this baby (Ohhh who am I kidding-it is all i can focus on).  But I CAN'T HELP IT.  You put any first time pregnant mother in a room & tell her to stay put & REST & wait until the baby comes & see how well she does.  So I do have to say-I appreciate all the encouraging words, ideas for things to do, puzzles (ELLEN!), & texts/calls.  It does make my days go faster.  

I've tried most of the home induction techniques.  Russ again, thinks all that is bogus.  But it's almost impossible to explain to a male (you know what. no-i'm not going to lump all men into this category).  It's almost impossible to explain to Russ this concept of gaining some type of control over the situation.  And for the record- most of the induction techniques sound pretty darn good to me (pregnant or not).  I'll spare the details.  So-I'm going to keep trying some of them, no matter if my husband thinks its bogus.  

****MIDWIFE update*******
I went in yesterday & was immediately hooked up to the NST.  My midwife came in and explained why we haven't induced me yet.  She stated that I was 4x more likely to end up with a c-section if we induced.  She knows i want to do this all naturale if possible.  And that is what she wants too....However, as she explained we are walking a tight rope due to my creeping blood pressure.  

So anyways--i get hooked up to the NST and the baby is doing great.  Very reactive, which means things are working & baby is pretty happy in there....She stated that she would be the one to take my blood pressure after I sat for 15 minutes & relaxed.  So in she comes & right away I've become trained to FREAK OUT anytime I see that darn blood pressure cuff.  GRRRrrrr....But she takes it & it is 140/80.  Not what she considers high, close, but not high.  So the plan from here is to continue to take it easy--I will go to the hospital on Saturday and do another NST + blood pressure check.  If blood pressure is still good, I go home.  If blood pressure is not-most likely we will induce.

So today & tomorrow I'm going to take it easy.  My midwife says that we are just buying time.  Baby is low, baby is reactive, shoot baby is ready to rock & roll. 

in the meantime I'm going to be like my friend Katie & say this waiting game is kinda fun (ahhh its almost hard to type this Katie!).  And we'll just see when the little one wants to come out and play!!!!

-meg

and i have to put in the quote that russ said on facebook.  i really think that it is perfect...."A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."-Gandalf

Bedresting Again....

Hello World.

Well, yesterday afternoon was quite the adventure in the Fruvellhoff family.  At the midwife appointment, I once again had high blood pressure.  Sweet.  This time I couldn't blame it on the heat.  I was cool in both types of ways:)  Anyways-the nurse makes the ergh sound after checking my blood pressure--which leads to me get hooked up on the Non-stress Stress again-which leads them to have my urine checked for protein-which leads them to send me to Labor & Delivery @ St. E's to be monitored.  

It was weird, because as I was checking in at the L & D unit I thought to myself--"I really imagined this scene to be a bit different.  Like me in pain?...Instead here I am joking with the receptionist." 

So after 2 hours of monitoring me and the baby--my blood pressure has come down low enough they were willing to let me go.  No induction tonight.  However, I was told that I needed TO REST, because this baby will be coming soon & I'd rather do this naturally.

I have struggled with the bedrest thing-as many of you know.  It's not that I want to put me or the baby in jeopardy-it's just that I'm not meant to sit all day.  I don't think anyone is....well I suppose very pregnant women with high blood pressure & don't want to be induced are...  Russ gets it.  So that is helpful.  My aunt Lisa reminded me to Surrender to the process.  That is helpful too.  I have great family & friends.  That is really helpful.  I also have a job that luckily gave me something to work on yesterday that could be done from home.  Helpful again.

So tomorrow I go to the midwife again--check on things, define bedrest for me, and anything else it should bring.  I feel like I'm going to have to really work on my relaxation techniques on the ride over, because I swear if I have high blood pressure after chilling out that is just not fair.

I'll let you all know how it's going.  BUt I Have to tell you LIL ROCK is doing wonderful!  I'm not a fan of this bedrest & high blood pressure stuff-but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE getting to hear the baby's heartbeat.  

Love,
Momma on Bedrest

Yes, I'm still pregnant. And yes, you'll know when we have the baby:)

It's all good...I love how excited people are about the baby coming.  Trust me, I know.  We are too.  I just want people to have faith that you will know when this baby is here...My MIL and my brother told me the other day--"I hope I know when you have the baby."  Seriously, y'all.  We WILL contact you.  No worries.  Have faith:)  

Russ has resorted to not really calling anybody because of the answer on the other end "She in labor", "You have the baby?"  


Hopefully, he doesn't have to wait too long to talk to people:)
-Big Momma

Surrender Lesson#2- A Series of Unfortunate Events

So there I was yesterday at work.....doing what I love-helping people.  It appears that the AC wasn't working very good at the j-0-b, which in any other point in my life is no PROBLEM.  However, in my current state-not so much.  I left work headed to my weekly midwife appointment sweating like a pig, and attempted to cool off in the car with the AC on high!  That's when it all began....

I got to the midwife appointment-they took my blood pressure, and it was 140/90.  Pretty darn high for me...so there goes my brain---crap high blood pressure=not good for me=worried midwife=induction=pitocin=lot of pain=pain meds=worse case c-section.  AND THEN I STOP myself...Megan chill out.  Just wait, they will retest it again.

In comes the midwife--"let's listen to the baby first and then we'll check your blood pressure again".  She finds baby and the baby's heart beat is 118.  She looks at me and says, "What has the baby's heart beat been at lately?" (She knows that I keep TRACK of everything in my head).  I say 130 last week, 120 the week before.  AND THERE GOES MY BRAIN AGAIN....high blood pressure=low heart beat from baby=baby is in distress=oh no baby's IN DISTRESS=OH NOT BABY'S NOT GOOD=MUST GET BABY OUT....And then I stop myself again.  The baby knew because right away he/she gave the midwife a PERFECT acceleration to 150.  This means a lot of good things-- baby is responsive, placenta is still working, etc.


Now midwife feels perfectly fine about baby, but wants to keep her eye on me.  She says she'll be right back...and then I look at Russ.  (Big mistake).  He knew I had been worried, and I knew he knew I had been worried...so after looking at him I just start BAWLING.  Sweet.  I'm that pregnant girl, in that office, doing that....The midwife comes in and is instantly "Whats up?"...To which I tell her I was worried for a second but now am ok, but since I haven't had sleep I'm just crying now I guess.  She said, "baby is doing great".  She asked if I wanted to have the baby monitored with a Non Stress Test.  I told her that I was fine, but she said why don't we just try for a bit since your blood pressure was high.

There I am being hooked up for a NST....which by the way I would love to have one of those at home, but I'm pretty sure I would have no life.  It was extremely addicting to watch and listen to the baby.  As I'm hooked up my midwife tells me that I'm being put on duhn duhn duhn MODIFIED BEDREST. To which she says, "You're still working? Take the rest of the week off and REST".  Maybe it's because I'm a Hoffman by blood, or that German & Irish piece of me, or perhaps the Taurus--but bedrest and this girl DO NOT GO WELL TOGETHER.  


We stop that conversation so the midwife can check the printout from the NST.  Baby looks great--there are accelerations, I had a contraction that they were able to see how the baby responded, etc.  Then they take my blood pressure----112/70.  Perfect.  So I bring up this Modified Bedrest concept and ask if that could mean--working part-time this week.  Since the baby was doing just great, and my blood pressure was down (considering the appointment I just had) she was willing to okay the part time piece. 


To those that will respond with I need to take care of myself and the baby, and if that means some type of bedrest then that is what that means.  I KNOW.  Trust me. Again, I reiterate that this is my blog to write down my feelings about things.  And ultimately, WE are doing just great.  This is where I work on my surrendering piece again.  I really didn't grasp the concept that the Surrender portion of Pregnancy would happen even before the labor part.  

I will work part-time the rest of this week.  I will leave work if I'm tired (this is for Russ & Delle).  And overall I'll avoid training for any half marathon right now.  Pregnancy is an experience!  That is for sure:)


AND All because I hadn't slept and was hot.  Hence the series of unfortunate events:)  


Love,
Meg

Alright-who put June 21st? We need to have a talk.

Dream-laboring, Cat-sense, Golf, Mother Nature

So. Life has been good, great actually lately.

Interesting fun facts (assuming Meg didn't already record them):

2 nights in the past week I have awoken in the night to Meg moaning and groaning, seemingly in her sleep. She's been sleep-dream-laboring!
One such night:
After waking suddenly, slowly gaining more consciousness and realizing the potential of what I'm hearing.....
"Meg, Meg! Are you ok?"
"groan... mmm... ugh...." (while faintly writhing)
"Meg, talk to me!"
"Huh? Wha? What's going on?"
"You were moaning, are you having contractions? I think you were dreaming haha!"

Oh, another random fact that is peculiar also happened twice in the past week (on different nights than Meg dream-laboring). I have an amazing ability to wake up when I hear things that could potentially require my attention, yet can sleep through noises that have no impact on family or home security. Perhaps my time in the Army helped me develop this ability. I like it. Now where was I...Oh right the Cat Story!

"mrowww?" (notably different from "me-ow")
Waking suddenly from my slumber, instantly recognizing the cat-phrase and knowing that sound is one that probably needs my attention, if I hear it again. I strain my ears slightly as I'm half-asleep, hoping I don't hear it again so I can safely go back to sleep. I don't hear it yet, so sleepy, back to sleep then...

"Mroww? Mrowwwuh Mrowwwuh?"

'Damn cat. Probably needs food, or he knows one of his cat-brothers is stuck in a closet somewhere'...quickly yet quietly jumping out of bed so as not to wake Meg I exit the bed and TRIP over Dublin and let loose an expletive as I nearly fall on my face! So much for quiet...Meg wakes up and I tell her 'go back to sleep'...
I find Gizmo sitting at the base of the door to the baby room, looking inquisitively up at me...I open the door for him thinking a cat may be stuck inside or there may be a mouse or something that he can sense.... So Gizmo waltzes in and starts rubbing up and scratching his face on the car seat while looking at me. 'Huh, weird' I think. Then I kick him out of there and head back to bed.

This series of events happened two nights in a week's time. So, did the cat sense some sort of energy? spirit? knowledge of future? Fascinating.

In addition to my amazing sleep-noises filter, I also have the ability to identify, decipher, and translate certain animal noises as this story illustrates. As such, I think I have a head start on this parenting-an-infant thing! I mean how different can a meowing kitty be from a wailing baby? right?


We've been keeping our schedule open for obvious reasons (I voted June 12th, by the way), and a nice side effect of this is that we can actually take it easy and go things we want to do. It is such a weird feeling! Oh, some day we'll be able to dictate our life schedule this easily again...I keep promising myself that I can take up some hobbies again after I finish this darn MBA. One such hobby is golf. I love to golf. Sure, there are times when my clubs are lucky to make it home intact and unbent. But then sometimes there is that
One AWESOME SHOT that actually went where you wanted it to go, or that
One Great hole start to finish from tee box to the green with which you earned a Par or better!

In other news, Meg is ready to have this baby ANY day now. Mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc etc etc. Ready in all ways, just waiting on the good Mother Nature's unseen schedule.

That's all, bye.

"Is this gonna be like this forever"-david

To quote David Goes To the Dentist.....I'm having one of those days.  Della assured me that I will not be pregnant forever.  This type of reassurance is necessary at times.

Maybe it's because I went pee 4 times last night in the middle of the night.

Maybe it's because my lower parts hurt.

Maybe it's because I can't turn over in bed and am thinking that Russ may need to install bars that I can grab onto.

Maybe it's because I want to see this baby so bad:)

Maybe it's because I almost fell off my exercise ball tonight because I couldn't balance.

Maybe it's because today I can't really take a joke very well (ask Russ).  

It is quite amazing the Good and Bad days.  Honestly, my days aren't too bad--but It all relates back to sleep.  No sleep=cranky Megan.  I'm hanging in there...I really am.  But nevertheless I get to struggle every now and than...As Russ would say if I didn't have bad days I wouldn't really appreciate the good days.

:) Meg

The 37 1/2 almost 38 week Report!

My appointment for the midwife was yesterday--so that meant that it hasn't been exactly a week since my last appointment.  But whatever....The fun news about this visit was that I lost 1 lb.  I can't even tell you the last time that I actually did not gain 2-5 lbs from visit to visit.  Honestly, since last August!  Lordy!  Not that I'm freaking out about weight, but it just made me laugh:)  (Also, this is very normal at the end to plateau on weight or even lose a little bit).  I'm measuring even smaller this week--which verifies that the baby is definitely continuing to drop.  Honestly, I don't know how much more it can drop before we have a baby on the floor:)........

The baby's heartrate was in the upper 130's and after getting pushed around a bit by the midwife jumped to the 150's.  I let my midwife know about all the fun things going on including 45 minutes of 4 minute contractions this past weekend.  She stated, "Oh it's getting close:)"  She stated--I bet one more week.  That is what I'm thinking too....I will get through this weekend--and then sometime next week!  We'll see--my Pa comes in on the 12th.  

In other news, I have officially been blessed with a cold:(  My throat has been a bit scratchy--and I think today I can say that it is in fact a cold.  So if anyone has good tips let me know....I have 2 things of OJ that I am happily consuming, I will drink at least 2 liters of water by the time I leave work, and I'm going nap when I can.  Because I have the feeling I'm going to have the workout of my life coming up here.....

Love to all,
Megan

SCRAPBOOK COMPLETED!!! Well as much as it can be.....