We're having a....

Yeah, I don't know. Doug and Donna know. Anyone wanna take bets on how long that will last? I am actually enjoying it so far. It's only been 6 hours, but still. I know Doug will slip up. My cervix looked long and closed. Here's a tip for any of you trying to increase your cervical length for an ultrasound. Have a full bladder. For some reason, it adds length, albeit fake length, to your cervical length. It measured 4 cm. I'm not sure my cervix has ever been that long, which is why I believe the bladder thing. So far no bedrest, so for that I am grateful. I really like my perinatologist, so if somehow he wants to be my OB, that would work. Ha, I know. The baby looked healthy, which is always a huge sigh of relief. I wish any of my doctors would ever have the same answers to my questions. I get to have another ultrasound in a few weeks when we reach viability!

Merry Christmas

This was one of the first snows of the season. The kids loved it. They played out there for a good half hour, just running around. Now there's much more (though nothing compared to Spokane, I know) so it's harder to run around. Though Ben does love to put his boots on and tromp around until his hands get too cold from all the snow eating.

Ben is big into legos lately, plus I just think this is a funny picture. He will play all by himself, something Charlotte just started doing as well. Charlotte loves to get dressed up in her ballet outfit (a church dress and tap shoes) and take her baby to the store. She enjoys changing her clothes multiple times a day. Here she is with her baby, one of the many.

Doug and the kids love to go sledding in the backyard. I'm not technically on bedrest yet (it helps that my dr hasn't checked anything since the cerclage was put in) but I figure that sledding is one of those no nos anyway. My ultrasound got postponed cuz of stupid insurance. I will be having a drs appt on Tuesday and my ultrasound on Wednesday. I have an appt with a different doctor but I could not get in til the middle of January so we will see.

So forgive the picture of a picture but I thought it was worth showing. We went and waited for a half hour to meet Santa but I'm cheap. I wasn't going to pay 20 bucks for a single picture. Ben had smashed his head into the corner of the chest of drawers and it started gushing blood. The first bandaid I could find was blue and he would not let me take it off. So off to see Santa we went. One of Santa's elves tried to get me to buy a picture to commemorate the bandaid, but I still wouldn't do it. So she gave it to me for free so that I could scrapbook it. I didn' t have the heart to tell her I don't scrapbook. Blogging is scrapbooking, right?


Christmas was great this year because Charlotte really understood what was going on. We spent much of our time going from house to house. It's weird to have so much family around. Charlotte and Ben sure love having so many people to love them. We got to have dinner with my father, then dinner with my grandparents and Mom's family, then dinner with Doug's family and then breakfast with my family. Bob and Donna (Doug's parents) were here for a few days and the kids just love them. We did not spoil our kids too much this year, but my family did.


This isn't the best picture, but we had a Burke family pig out and Grandma Donna got Hannah Montana costumes for the girls and pirate costumes for the boys. The girls loved singing Christmas sons for the crowd. I was still working out the red eye on the camera and all the kids have blue eyes. We sure enjoyed seeing so much of our family lately. I hope you all enjoyed this Holiday season, even if you did have too much snow.

Here's a picture of the whole Burke Family pig out. I've got my pregnant fat face stated, I know, I shouldn't whine...... Aunt Debbie in the middle is also pregnant after many struggles. I honestly could not be happier for them. It helps that we are only six weeks apart so my baby has a close cousin. But still, we are so excited!!!

BYU game

We got tickets to a BYU game that was at 5 pm so we were finally able to bring our kids. Most times the games are at 8, and tired kids at a basketball game don't equal fun to me. We got to go up to the Energy Solutions Arena. The kids were really good. It helped that we kept giving them food. What's a game without popcorn? Afterwards we went and saw the lights at Temple Square. I believe we all would have enjoyed them more if it had been warmer.
We went to try and find Santa at a mall but were unsuccessful. But the mall was great fun. It had poppy water and a huge Christmas tree. I believe the highlight of the night was when I fell heading up the stairs at the game. I swear 100 people saw me. Luckily I didn't get hurt.



Here is a picture of our beautiful tree. We have already lost 3 ornaments...




Here is Doug's belated Halloween Costume. He was, of course, the Hulk.


The kids love the snow, though luckily this is the most we've had so far. I don't think our luck is going to last much longer.

I have my ultrasound on Tuesday. I'm trying not to find out what we're having. I'm not sure I can stick to my guns about it. Hopefully all is well. They should also be measuring cervical length, so we'll see how it goes.

Help wanted

So I've been trying to decide what to get the kids for Christmas. They don't really need any new toys, I know that. I don't want to buy them something just to buy it. Anyone have any great ideas for toys that I'm not thinking of? I'm going to go to the dollar store and get lots of little things. Will that be enough for a 3 and 1 year old? Charlotte is really excited about Christmas this year.....Do I have to buy them big things? Any comments appreciated

Halloween

I know, I know it's late. But at least it's here at all. Our camera has died and so I have had to rely on the kindness of others' cameras. They gave me these weeks and weeks ago. I am just a slacker.


Marla was still figuring out how to use her new camera phone. Charlotte went with her friend Nicole. Charlotte was Tigger and her friend Nicole was a cat. We went over to Cedar Hills and trick or treated with them. Charlotte didn't complain the whole time. We brought a stroller for Ben which proved handy. Ben was a Bee. When you asked him what he was he'd say "bug"




here is my last minute costume from Marla. Doesn't she look great as an angel?


The kids had a great time. Charlotte and I also went to a UVSC Halloween party with Erin and Peyton but I'm still trying to figure out how to get those. Patience. I might get there.

Cerclage

I had my cerclage placed this morning. I was going to have it under conscious sedation (I would feel some pain but I would not remember it afterwards) but after I threw up at the hospital, they decided that was bad. I guess if I threw up while sedated I could get it stuck in my lungs. So I had to choose between a spinal and general anestesia. I chose general. I like waking up and having it all done. I was out of the hospital in 3 hours. Now start all the fun restrictions. No laundry, no picking up Ben, no baths, etc. I am 15 weeks now and hoping that the morning sickness will stop soon.

Man, Time Flies

Well, it really flies when you sit in bed all day. Yes, it's that time again, that wonderful morning sickness. We've had some great friends who have taken my kids in the morning so I can throw up in peace. Now that I'm feeling better my kids are begging me to go back to the Hams and the Cowdells. My house just isn't cool enough. I'm 13 weeks now and I can't believe how spoiled I was with my old OB. My good friend Shiela recommended Dr Richards years ago and he was wonderful through losing Evelyn and making sure Ben and Charlotte got here safe. I don't think I'll ever feel as safe with another doctor. I keep getting conflicting information from the drs I have seen down here, which worries me. We are going in for a detailed ultrasound on the 11th of November and then assuming all looks well, we'll schedule my cerclage. Doug has been amazing. He comes home from work and takes the kids right away to give me a break. In other news, Doug is done with math in school, which I'm so grateful for. Me being his tutor has proven a good test for our marriage. Halloween post to follow!