Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Mason, Tanner, and Karter!






Aren't these 3 little guys the cutest! For whatever reason I cannot rotate the picture of Tanner and Mason (just turn your head sideways!). Ally's little guy Karter is in the first picture. According to Ally Karter is pretty much a perfect baby. Her only complaint...he sleeps to much! I could think of worse things. I am so happy for you Ally. I can hardly wait for my shower so I can meet Karter and we can take a picture of the 3 boys together.

Only Mason's third trip to someone else's house and he went to meet his buddy Tanner. Tanner is Ashley's baby and is 4 weeks younger than Mason. Look at the size difference. They were both perfect babies and enjoyed laying next to each other. It has been great watching both of my best friends and my sister being mom's. They are doing such a great job and I hope I can do as well as all of them! Each one of them are experiencing very different newborns.

Third Trimester---28 weeks




Well, we are on the home stretch! Only 10 weeks left at the latest, until we get to meet Owen James! Matt and I can hardly believe how fast our pregnancy has gone. Just a few weeks ago we were counting the weeks away to find out the babies gender. Now, we are quickly trying to prepare the house for our little man. I have been busy organizing our room, while Matt has been prepping the babies room. He has spent the last few days putting up wainscoting, which I have to say turned out great! Good job Dad! Here are a few pictures of the completed, but empty nursery.







Owen weighs just over 2 pounds now and is about 14 inches long! He is a very active guy and according to his dad...he is a cowboy! Matt says that because when he goes to work in the morning he always asks me if Owen is awake. Most days he is, so, Matt figures he must get up early like cowboys do. Great...I have news for him...cowgirls like to sleep in until 7:00.

I have to say other than being diagnosed with cholestasis, my pregnancy has been pretty good. All of that changed last Thursday when I was working at Carol's school. I had this horrible pain in my upper chest, which was all to familiar to me. Yes, you guessed it...STONES! I prayed the pain would go away and that I was just mistaking it for something else (heartburn, indigestion), but I was wrong. I called Matt at lunch crying, which quite honestly I NEVER do. I went home rested during lunch and returned to work. When I got off work, I came home and called the doctor. I went in shortly after, received blood work and a prescription for vicodin. My doctor recommended that I follow up with my gastroenterologist. I called as soon as I walked out the door and the doctor almost immediately called me back. He also knows, just like me, what the pain is that I was describing. I was able to get an appointment to see him the following day, which is pretty fast considering he usually schedules you at least 2 weeks out.

Let's just say I had no problem taking Friday off to make my appointment. By the time dinner rolled around I was starving and the pain had subsided. I choose to take Tylenol versus vicodin. I couldn't stand the thought of my baby getting any, unless it was absolutely necessary. Doctors report Friday: "Oh my god Ashley...it sounds like you have sludge to me." For those of you who do not know what sludge is let me tell you. It is bile, which has began to thicken (muddy like consistency), but passes through the bile duct before forming a stone. Very common during pregnancy do to increased hormone levels. Doctors advice to me, "Ashley you are just one of those patients who produces a lot of bile. If the pain persists call me, but if it passes, just keep moving along." So I guess this is what I have to look forward to the rest of my life...great. Good thing it only comes once in a while!

Next Wednesday we go to our 29 week check up, so I will let you know what the doctor says regarding early delivery. I am hoping he will do an ultrasound and we can get a new 3D of Owen. I can't wait to see how much he has grown! Mom and Dad are getting very anxious to meet him!

Monday, February 7, 2011

Week 25---Cholestasis!

Well, there is an end in sight to all of this itching! Now I know I am not losing my mind, even though I feel like I am. I was diagnosed last week with a condition called Cholestasis. Basically what it is, is a condition in which the bile from the liver is blocked. This is a very uncommon liver disease and usually appears in the third trimester. Only 1 out of 1,000 pregnancies result in this condition and guess who got it...ME! Good news is, we caught it early and now I am being treated with medication. According to my doctor this condition now classifies our pregnancy as high risk. Not to worry, we will be monitored very closely and should have no problems having a safe delivery. Another bright side to this is, we will get to meet Owen somewhere around 37 weeks! Which means more time for me to stay home with him. In the meantime, I am lacking sleep since my itching seems worse at night. I am hoping the medication will soon help to relieve some of the itchiness!

By the way did I mention Matt and I chose a name...Owen James Mahoney!

Babies, Babies, & More Babies

Wow, February sure got started off with a bang. Early Thursday morning I received several texts from my best friend Ashley. It was confirmed...she was in labor. You would not have believed the excitement I felt for her and her husband as they prepared for a long day ahead of them. Tanner James Reed was born on the 3rd! He is a sweet little boy who I can't wait to spend more time with. Ashley and Kevin are great parents and naturals!

One best friends pregnancy down, one more left...but, not for long.

So on Thursday I decided I better spend some time on the phone with Ally, since I never get one of my last sessions in with Ashley. Ally just couldn't understand why her baby wouldn't drop and how Ashley beat her due date by 2 weeks. Frustrated, Ally set out to walk this baby down. To her surprise...she was successful! On Friday morning she was admitted to the hospital and gave birth to Karter Bradley at 12:01 am on Saturday! Yay Ally! Unfortunately, I haven't had the chance to meet the little guy, but I have seen pictures and he is adorable! Ally and Kris...I am sure you are doing a wonderful job!

Happy healing to my best friends!

Next up...Kristy Tognazzini! Good luck Kristy and Chris! We can't wait to meet your bundle of joy!