The WAITING Game

On Thursday, December 20th, Tyson and I walked into Dr. Bohman's office. We had been waiting for this day...forever! We were there to get my stitches and cerclage removed after 12 weeks of bed rest. I was 36 weeks pregnant and "full term," therefore Laila was free to come! The procedure was only a few minutes and was a little painful, but nothing I feel like I should complain about. I was so happy that it worked! The stitches had kept her inside and safe! Without them, she would have been born at 24 weeks with a lot of complications, if she made it at all. 

My mom was scheduled to arrive at midnight on Christmas Day, so I put myself on strict bed rest for the week. Luckily, I had done all of my Christmas shopping, so I was able to just hang low for a few days. I did NOT want to go into labor without my mom being here. On Christmas morning I woke up with my first contractions that I have ever felt. I wasn't actually sure if it was just the baby in a weird position or if they were true contractions at first. They started coming and going pretty frequently, so much actually, that I realized that they were indeed contractions and not just the baby moving. Tyson and I got so excited, thinking she was going to come any second! 

Since then, my contractions have been very spontaneous and not consistent. I went in for my weekly monitoring on Thursday, and that is where I was able to actually SEE my first contraction. It was so crazy to feel it and to see it on the monitor too. My mom was with me and was SO excited about every contraction. After seeing the doctor, he let us know because they were not consistent, that that was not the day. They were about 5-10 minutes apart and he told me to just keep a close watch on them. 

I have been contracting DAILY. They come and go. Tyson's aunt said she contracted for 2 whole weeks before she went into labor, so I am trying to tell myself to not get TOO excited. Tyson wants her to come every day. I am so excited to see him become a dad. He is going to seriously be the BEST! He has been so patient the past few years and has always had so much faith for our little family. I know the day she comes will probably be the best day of his life. He always talks to Laila and tells her that its okay to come out now! But we are pretty sure she is comfortable in there and since we worked so hard to get her to stay in there, she is just obeying us and staying in there FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!

We are so excited! I can NOT believe this is actually happening. The contractions are real and this baby  inside of me is going to be here before we know it! I want her to stay in there as long as possible so she can be healthy, but at the same time we want her out so we can hold her and kiss her big lips! Whenever we get anxious, I like to sit back and think about the past few years. It took us a long time to make her, we almost lost her two times within the past few months, I had to have an emergency surgery to keep her locked in there, I was on bed rest for several months and now we want her to come RIGHT NOW. I feel like if I have learned anything from any of this, it is that everything happens when it is supposed to. We got pregnant on the Lords time and now our sweet miracle we have dreamed and hoped for will come on the Lords time. 

I told the doctor we had a poll of when she is coming, Tyson thinks New Years Eve which is tomorrow, my guess was New Years Day which is only 2 days away and the doctor guessed January 5th, which is only 6 days away! We will keep you all updated on our special girl. We worked so hard keeping her in there and now she won't come out! I am thinking at this point she isn't coming until February 1st. :) Either way... miracles happen and prayers are answered! A lot of times it is not on our time table, but it is always in Heavenly Father's... which is perfect! 

“Patience means staying with something until the end. It means delaying immediate gratification for future blessings. It means reining in anger and holding back the unkind word. It means resisting evil, even when it appears to be making others rich. Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith. It means being “willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon [us], even as a child doth submit to his father.” Dieter F. Uchtdorf

36 WEEKS - We made it!

Have you ever dreamed of something... and you picture it being a specific way... and then that dream finally becomes a reality... and it doesn't go the way you had always pictured it... BUT actually ended up being better than you could have even ever imagined? That is where I stand today. I am 36 weeks pregnant, "FULL TERM"... 9 whole months pregnant. Technically I still have 4 weeks until my due date, but hitting this mile stone is the most incredible feeling...EVER. 

For many who have been following my blog, you already know how my journey began. For those of you who do not, you can read our story here: http://tysanddani.blogspot.com/2012/01/start-of-something-new.html . This blog has been a way for me to journal my thoughts as I have had a roller coaster journey on becoming pregnant and STAYING pregnant. I write to help me get my thoughts out on paper and I also write to give others hope through infertility and trials in general. We all go through different trials and I am grateful that we can all learn from each other's experiences. 

I had always dreamed of being pregnant and becoming a mom. I dreamed that I would have a perfect marriage, where Tyson and I would be able to have as many kids as we wanted, that we would get pregnant every other year so all of our children could be friends and close in age. I dreamed that I would have a flawless pregnancy and I would only gain 20 pounds and would have the perfect baby bump. I dreamed that I would work all the way up to my due date and have the nursery 100% completed by the time our baby would arrive. Well, let me tell you... the dream of becoming pregnant came true, but it did NOT go any way I had imagined it. 

Soon after we got married, Tyson and I learned that becoming pregnant was not going to be an easy thing for us like we imagined. We probably wont be able to have as many kids as we want and we definitely wont be getting pregnant every other year so all of our children can be close in age. I did not have a flawless pregnancy and I have gained a whole lot more weight than 20 pounds. I have been out of work for three months due to bedrest and the nursery is not even fully completed like I would like, as I am unable to run errands like I imagined. All of these things are COMPLETELY opposite of what I imagined...but I wouldn't have traded ONE thing along this journey for anything. We have learned so much from these experiences and this dream of mine has become the best reality in the world!

At 24 weeks I went into pre-term labor and had a cerclage put in to lock our baby girl inside! I will have my stitches removed tomorrow at 9am. WE ARE SO EXCITED! Most patients last about 2 weeks after the stitches are removed before they go into labor, so I am planning on her coming around New Years. I think New Years Eve would be SO fun... It would be the best end of the year gift in the whole world! I also think it would be fun to be like the movie NYE and have Laila be the first baby born in Las Vegas in 2013! :) The chances of this happening are very very slim, but it is fun to think about! The doctor said only once in his whole career has he removed stitches and the baby's FOOT popped out, so he had to re-stitch her up and do a C-Section that moment. He and I both HIGHLY doubt that will happen. Originally I was thinking she would be here around Christmas, but I am putting myself on STRICT bed rest until the day after Christmas so she doesn't come until after! My mom will be here on the 26th and then Laila can make her appearance any time after that! :) I am going to DIE if after all of this, she doesn't come until her due date which is January 17th. THAT will be crazy! But anything can happen with this girl... we have all learned that throughout the past 9 months. 

I am so excited to be a mom. I love our sweet Laila so much. She is a miracle and blesses us every day. She has already brought us more happiness than I can describe. I will be sure to keep everyone updated on our progress! Thank you all for your love and support the past few months. Your prayers have truly been felt and answered.  Next time I blog... I could be a MOM! So weird... :)

“I feel to invite women everywhere to rise to the great potential within you. I do not ask that you reach beyond your capacity. I hope you will not nag yourselves with thoughts of failure. I hope you will not try to set goals far beyond your capacity to achieve. I hope you will simply do what you can do in the best way you know. If you do so, you will witness miracles come to pass.” 
― Gordon B. Hinckley