Twas the Night Before Induction..

So as of today, I am 38 weeks, 2 days pregnant with Peanut Turner. It's been a long, bumpy road but it seems that it's about to come to an end as we prepare to meet our little guy. Because of several health issues affecting Mama (Peanut is still looking great), we have planned to start an induction in the morning. This means that our little guy will be in our arms as early as this upcoming weekend. We are exhausted from all of the hospital visits, observations, and admissions but are equally as excited to count Peanut's fingers and toes, and marvel at his long-awaited chunky baby legs. Hopefully our next post will be introducing the little guy.

Over the last week, Mom's health has rapidly declined. Up until now, I've kept most health-related updates to a minimum but throughout this pregnancy, I've been labeled "high-risk". It began because we were blessed with Peanut on the heels of a miscarriage but as the weeks wore on, different issues arose. We dealt with food poisoning at 19-20 weeks, a gestational diabetes diagnosis at 26 weeks, and a pregnancy-induced hypertension diagnosis at 36 weeks. The hypertension was classified as severe this afternoon, and paired with a low platelet count and severe swelling, we are headed down the pre-eclampsia road to boot. I am truly exhausted by all of it. I had hopes of an uneventful, boring pregnancy where my biggest issue would be maintaining a reasonable weight gain, and things have gotten so far from that, I only learned today what my total weight gain has been (and hell no, I am not sharing). Through the weeks and months, I've gotten more and more sedentary as bed rest requires, and have watched my tiny stretch marks and vericose veins grow into red, blue and purple zig-zags that cover my belly, breasts, sides and now legs. I was very sad about seeing them for the first time, but now I look at them as a badge of honor and a reminder of the difficulties we endured through the last 9 months. Honestly, I hope they fade, but if they don't, they will be my little reminders of our adventure with Peanut in 2008. It's hard to believe that I began the year running 30 miles per week and feeling fantastic, and here I sit in a hospital bed, with multiple diagnoses and a big round belly full of baby human.

That being said, I would do it all again for Peanut. I already love him more than the sun, moon and stars, and about as much as I love Lilly Bean. I think about him all day, every day and wonder who he will look like, which blanket will be his favorite, what kind of personality will he have. The wonder and excitement that has consumed this 40 week countdown is all coming to a head this weekend and that really hit home when the doctor proclaimed - "You are not leaving here without a newborn in your arms".

We started this journey with a conversation in late October 2007 about starting a family. When it was first brought up, Dad needed to process what he was hearing because it was such a shock and nothing we'd ever discussed before. Mom pitched the idea and let him get used to it for awhile before he agreed to give it a shot. The bottom line was, November was the first month we actively tried to bring Peanut to life. Now here we are, on November 1st, waiting to meet the son we've wanted for over a year. We have been so lucky to bring this idea to life in a little 8 pound boy in a year's time. And with everything we've been through during that year, his arrival will just be that much sweeter. So it's official - the Turners are going to become parents this weekend if all goes as planned, and we are exhausted, nervous, queasy, elated, and incredibly anxious to hold this little creature and kiss 10 baby fingers and 10 baby toes. It's been 40 weeks and counting since we knew you, Peanut, but we've loved you long before that. Can't wait to tell you face-to-smooshy baby face.

3rd Trimester - A summary

OK so I haven't been fantastic at updating this thing, I admit, but I'll try to summarize the last 12 weeks now.  

The end of the 2nd trimester was uneventful, as I wrapped up working in late August and started my "Gestation Vacation", as my friend, Brian puts it.  Peanut and I began a several-week stint of catching up on soaps and crocheting a series of blankets for various purposes.  In early September, at just over 30 weeks, Mi-mi and Poo-Poo (the Turner Grandparents) and Auntie Madison came for a visit and got to see Peanut on film at a 3D/4D ultrasound.  We got over 60 shots of him, as well as a movie and the whole experience was really cool.  Here is a sample of our movie star fetus:

He is pretty cute.

The next few weeks were pretty uneventful for Team Turner, but while Peanut was cooking, his two friends were born - Levi Christopher on September 14th and Jack Oliver on September 27th!  Both boys are incredible and have made Mom pretty impatient about meeting her own little man.

Everything has continued to go really well at doctor's visits.  Peanut was in a breech position until about 34 weeks, where he turned to head-down, and we're hoping he is still in that position today.  A checkup/ultrasound (yes, our 12th ultrasound) will confirm his position and measure him to see if it will be possible for him to be born the old-fashioned way.  This past Monday, our doctor guesstimated Peanut's weight to be around 6 pounds, which will make him quite manageable for a normal delivery.  We'll see how accurate she is next week!  He is still measuring two weeks ahead because of Mom's diabetes most likely, but no complications have come up as a result.  We're still healthy, happy, and ready for delivery!  Technically, our due date is still in mid-November, but Peanut is considered full term tomorrow.  This means if labor starts between now and November 16th, the doctors will let it progress.  With mom's size, this is great news - it's getting harder and harder to carry this little (big) guy around. Check out THIS belly progression:

Yes, I'm sure it's not twins, yes, he still has 3 more weeks to grow, and yes, I HAVE been eating healthy (thanks, diabetes diet).  I've spared you of the full-sized version of these shots for obvious reasons.  Needless to say, I can't wait to see my feet again!

Other notable happenings in the last 12 weeks:  We traveled to Atlanta in September for my oldest friend, Danielle's baby shower and it was a very nice visit.  Peanut definitely enjoyed all the food and activity - and behaved himself during the 6 hours we spent in the car.  We got some fantastic pictures that are scrapbook-worthy for sure.  I'm hoping to dig up a picture of Danielle and I from when we were 5, and place it next to the picture of us, 8 and 9 months pregnant.  In a few years, It'll be fun to add to that with a picture of Jack and Peanut at 5 years old.

Peanut and I also voted again.  We voted in the primaries in May, and have been keeping on top of this political season pretty closely (we watch MSNBC during commercial breaks from ABC soaps).  We voted again on the first day of early voting (October 16th) and waited in line for about 30 minutes.  After our submission, the polling volunteer gave me two "I voted" stickers - one for me and one for Peanut.  I'm keeping it with the two Obama stickers we got at the Apple Festival, and the two Hillary stickers we got when we visited her in Hendersonville.  More scrapbook material!  Peanut got to participate in the voting process for the first time.  Next opportunity: 2026!

We finished up Peanut's nursery and have all necessary items (except diapers, oddly enough) so we're ready to go there.  I'll post a separate entry about that whole process.  We also have had two more baby showers where we got a TON more Peanut stuff, all set up and ready for use.  Last weekend, we secured his car seat in the back of the Xterra and got it checked out with the fire department, and Mom FINALLY packed her hospital bag for the big stay!  All that's left to do now is Peanut's birth - let's hope it happens sooner, rather than later!