Day 10!!!

"Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday."
- Dale Carnegie

Day 10 almost down! Keeping up with my daily plan of activities and so far keeping my sanity. I do enjoy coming back to this blog daily and sharing my day and archiving the memories I am making with some good friends.

I'll start with a new friend - Ty, the 3 year old Cockapoo paid me a visit today. We had a personal moment. :) I just love these furry visitors - they really make my day and they are so calm and sweet! I hope Bernie doesn't think I"m cheating on him with these other dogs..... I miss my Bernie so very much!

snuggle session with Ty

Another highlight of my day was my good friend Allie's visit. I always look forward to visitors. She came with a surprise bag and it was actually a gift from Allie and 2 of my dear co-workers and friends, Kelly and Kim! What a surprise it was, too - it was a Shellac manicure set!!!! I was so surprised to get this and couldn't wait to get started on my old tired nails!

I wish Kim and Kelly could have taken part in this momentous occasion!

We ate lunch, snacked on treats and shellac'd our tired nails throughout the afternoon. It was "sensationail" and such a sweet gift.

After exploring music today, I came back to my favorite artist, Ingrid Michaelson. I love her folksy tone and can't get enough of her songs! I stumbled across a similar artists who actually sings along with Ingrid. Her name is Allie Moss. I enjoyed one of her songs today called, "Corner" and I thought I would share her lovely voice with the rest of you. She's not necessarily a "band" but I enjoyed exploring her work today!





Looking forward to seeing Kyle tonight and just to hang out with him. It's been an eventful week but the positive part is that it has gone by so fast! 29 weeks next Tuesday! I think the further we go, the more likely we are to make it to 36 weeks, God willing.
Until tomorrow...

Day 9

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” 
― Dr. Seuss

Happy Valentine's Day! I need to start out by bragging on my husband for getting me the most beautiful bouquet of roses I have ever seen. Needless to say I got a lot of, "oohs and ahhs" from the staff around here. What a lucky girl I am!                                                                                                                     I am bummed because I did not take pictures with my last 3 visitors. I even have a note on my board to remind me to do this! It's very important to me to remember each and every person to come through these doors and see me. I won't forget them without a picture but it is very fun to have an archive. :)    

My sweet friend Athanasia and her husband Matt came by last night and brought dinner for me and Kyle. Even being 10 months pregnant, she made pork tenderloin, roasted potatoes and a delicious salad! Impressive :) She also brought me a bedrest survival gift as well as a little something for Mr. Stacey, which included my favorite swaddling blankets - ever....they are made of bamboo and super soft! The gifts came in the cutest basket I have ever seen.  We had a little hospital room double date - very romantic :)

Little outfit, swaddlers, butt balm, and a bag for wet things :) Perfect gift!

 Today was also full of fun things, from glucose tolerance tests to shots of Rhogam in the butt to more visits from supportive people. I will snap a picture with them next time they all come so beware!
Gretchen came and brought me some yummy healthy snacks as well as the complete season of the West Wing! I have not seen it and I am really excited to start this one.

Me having a personal moment with the West Wing Series

  After my glucose test, I was starving! Thank goodness my friend Nancy was to the rescue! She made some home made tomato soup as well as brought me a sandwich from one of my favorite places, Barriques! I may or may not have eaten a LOT of food.  After that delicious lunch, I had to lie down and make some room. With this growing tummy, not a whole lot of food fits in at once....sooo worth is, though.

Another day went by quickly and another day filled with sweet, supportive friends.  Mr. Stacey is so loved :)                                                                    

American Family Children's Hospital: Remarkable

I love this. The man at the very end is  Mr. Stacey's Surgeon and his cardiologist is in this video, too! SO thankful to live in Madison WI.

CHD awareness week!!

One of my friends brought to my attention that this week is congenital heart disease week.  I had no idea how common it is in newborns until I began my own research...

A few facts from the Children's Heart Foundation:

• Congenital heart defects are America’s and every country’s #1 birth defect. 
• Nearly one of every 100 babies is born with a CHD.
• Congenital heart defects are the #1 cause of birth defect related deaths.
• Congenital heart defects are the leading cause of all infant deaths in the United States.
• Each year approximately 40,000 babies are born in the United States with a congenital heart defect. Thousands of them will not reach their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.
• Each year over 1,000,000 babies are born worldwide with a congenital heart defect. 100,000 of them will not live to see their first birthday and thousands more die before they reach adulthood.
• More than 50% of all children born with congenital heart defect will require at least one invasive surgery in their lifetime.
• There are more than 40 different types of congenital heart defects. Little is known about the cause of most of them. There is no known prevention or cure for any of them.
• In the United States, twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is five times higher than funding for CHD.

This campaign has obviously become very near and dear to my heart. If you are interested in donating or would like to learn more about how to help this important research, please visit: 

http://www.tchin.org/aware/

I know I will! :)

Day 8: A new band, a growth scan, a baby shower, and lessons learned

"Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." - Mark Twain

I'm still here and Mr. Stacey is still in my belly. It's a good day :)  It's funny that even while on bedrest, so many great things can happen in a day. Last night, some dear friends from work came to throw me a true "Southern Lady" baby shower. My parents brought the unwrapped gifts from my Arkansas Shower and we took pictures and watched me open the gifts.

 You all may know that I missed my baby shower that was to be in Arkansas last weekend and I was quite sad about it. The Wisconsin ladies thought it appropriate to wear Southern Hats, pearls, and eat BBQ in the spirit of what they thought may be what we Southern ladies do at a shower! Ha! It was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. Such good friends I have!

The ladies :)

I also had a visit from my friend Kelly. She brought me a knitting loom and some sweet treats :)  Perfect gift!

Although my friends and family from far away couldn't be here to celebrate with me, I felt their kindness. Lindsay, one of my best friends, was one of the hostesses of the baby shower I did not get to attend.. She made an awesome diaper wreath that I can't wait to hang up in the nursery and also spoiled Mr. Stacey with a huge basket full of gifts! Among Lindsays gifts were countless others from friends and family; including, gifts from my cousins Angel and Sabrina who were also part of the team to put on my baby shower. Ugh, gotta admit I am sad I missed that shower!!!!

Today I had my 28 week growth scan. I don't get nervous with scans or ultrasounds anymore, which is a good thing. I accept that whatever they find will be out of my control.  Luckily today was in my favor. Mr. Stacey weighed in at a healthy 2 pounds, 5 ounces! He had plenty of fluid surrounding him and was happy as a little clam in there. He yawned and waved and showed off a little for me today. I couldn't stop staring at his sweet face....

The hard part of my day was seeing my parents off (until next month) to Arkansas.
Their visit made me realize that, holy cow, I'm about to be a parent! I saw this week how selfless we are toward our children and we really will do anything for them. My Mom showed me her unconditional love and I will never forget this time I spent with her. She was here for me during the most difficult time of my life and will continue to be supportive.
 I couldn't be happier to have such a sweet Mom. I learn lessons from her every day and hope to be the strong and encouraging Mother that she has been for me.

One of the goals I have set myself to pass the time is to listen to a new band at least every other day.

Kyle recommended a couple of blogs for me to explore. One being: www.myoldkentuckyblog.com to get me started on this endeavor. I have had some good luck so far! The band I explored today is called HAIM. It is a group composed of 3 sisters who have been working hard for their band since 2005. The song I couldn't stop listening to was called: "Falling". It was inspirational, uplifting, and I like the beat....not to mention it is an all girl band - which I Like :)
 The song "falling" reminded me to never give up. Here is a link to the blog to listen to it.
http://www.myoldkentuckyblog.com/?p=38530
I do have this song now on my itunes, however, I haven't quite figured out how to get it on the blog. For now, follow the link. I will put "how to put itunes songs on blog" on my "to do" for tomorrow :)

See you tomorrow!

Day 7!! Furry Friends and 28 weeks!

Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.   Emerson, Ralph Waldo


Yep, a new milestone today. Each day is a gift and today marks my 28th week of pregnancy and my 1st week down in this hospital!

Mr. Stacey is hard at work growing

Those of you who know me are quite aware of my love for dogs. They have a nice service dog program here and I have had the opportunity to have 2 furry friends visit!

Sweet Carson. He's an old man. 8 years old! Made my day :)

I was so excited to meet Raider. Looks like I'm about to choke the poor dog.

Good day. More to come.
Tomorrow will be a day where I explore a new band. I will let you know what I find. One day at a time.

A note on friends and family....

“When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” 
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey

When I think of the overwhelming support I have gotten from family and friends, the toxic levels of progesterone in my body begin to bring big tears to my eyes! From fragrant flowers, to home cooked meals, to activities to pass the time, to visitors and phone calls - the list goes on and on....

 I am so thankful to have the sweetest, most supportive group of friends and family a girl can ask for. This is the hardest test of my life and I couldn't make it through without everyone near and far. 

 I can't begin to thank everyone enough and I don't know how I'll ever repay each of them. I will find a way, though. :)

Sweet Kristin and her delicious pot pie :)

Ann and I. She brought some great DVDs to pass the time

Cookies from Cecily....YUM!