This week we will be PARENTS!

Hmmm .. where to even start. I went to my second appointment on Thursday, which lead me a direct ticket to the L&D floor to be admitted AGAIN. This time they were going to keep me for 36 hours to monitor my blood pressure, do a 24 hour urine and check my labs. To make a long story short, my blood pressure is high and is staying high - even when I rest. My labs look good, except my platelets are continually dropping. Both signs of preclampsia, which led me to be stuck for observation for a second night.

Thursday evening I started having contractions - starting off tolerable and then getting harder and closer together. They checked me and I was 50% effaced and 1 1/2 cm dilated. They started fluids because the contractions were as close as 1 minute apart. At one point, I had them less than 1 minute apart for 15 minutes. I guess I was just getting a little taste of what I better start preparing for! :) Once the fluids were started, my contractions slowed down, decreased in strength, and finally went away. Since then I have been having contractions here and there, but nothing that could be counted or concerned about.

That leads us to today, Saturday. I was hoping he was going to tell me I could go home, however, he has decided that I need to stay in the hospital until Baby Smith is born. My platelets are 131,000 and trending down. They do not like them any lower than 150,000 and if they continue to drop, I cannot get an epidural if they are 100,000 or below. YIKES! My blood pressure is staying up, even when I am lying in bed doing nothing. So he has officially diagnosed me with mild preclampia. At this point, we are just playing the waiting game. Tomorrow I am 37 weeks - the magical week I needed to reach. When I asked him how long I would be in here, he stated that we would be having a baby this week ... that is the plan! So I will be stuck in here for another few days, have the baby, stay in for recovery, and then go home.

I cannot explain how depressing and boring this whole process is. Thank God my husband brought me my computer! I know that I love my husband, but I cannot even describe how much I miss him. He has been going home to sleep and taking care of our doggies (whom I want to see sooooo bad too)! Every time he leaves I want to cry, but there is no reason for him to be here all the time - doing nothing. He has been great and extremely understanding! I cannot wait until I can see him holding his son and playing the role of daddy!

I will keep everyone updated, as usual. Right now, we have no set date - but we will be parents before the end of the week! I feel a little selfish for being upset about being on bedrest, but I just want my life back - being with my husband and dogs, holding my lil' man in my arms, and adjusting to all of this like a normal person. Having way too much time to think is a very bad thing for a pregnant lady!!!! :) Please keep us in your prayers this week ...