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Wk: 5 Day: 2

Sept. 8, 1999

Well, I think we finally did it! I am 10 days late for my period due 8/29. I plan to test in the morning on 9/9 to be positive but I am already pretty sure I am pregnant. I have never been this late in the last year even when I was very stressed. I am also experiencing all the typical symptoms of early pregnancy like breast tenderness, nausea, backache, sensitivity to smells & fatigue. I am excited, but also sad because Richard is in Los Angeles, ca on a contracting position we hope will go perm in another week or at least by 9/30. Then I get to pack & move our junk across country alone w/ the furry babies. Oh well, we'll see what happens by 9/30. I do not plan to stress over anything for a long time. More to come tomorrow..........

Wk: 5 Day: 3

Sept. 9, 1999

I tested at 6:30am today and the result was positive! My suspicions have been confirmed. Now I have to call the doctor to have the blood test. I shared the news with as few people as possible, hoping not to jinx myself. Richard says he is very excited and happy. I need to send him a package today with his fatherhood book and some other stuff. I just ate lunch. Good thing, because I’m starting to feel nauseous. I have been going pee constantly this morning - what a pain!!! More to come later.........

Wk: 6 Day: 1

Sept. 14, 1999

2pm - pregnancy confirmed by doctor!!! I wanted to have concrete proof for Richard, so I faxed the confirmation sheet with my expected due date - 05/10/00 - to him at work. I also wanted something in writing for my attendance records at Intermedia. This way all my appointments will be considered related & will not result in occurrances. Although, I don't really have to worry about that now that I know Richard got the permanent job offer at aames home loan. I can give my notice this week and leave for California at the end of the month. I'm so excited & everyone was very nice & congratulated me - especially Michelle Davis. She has been so supportive and kind to me in the year i've known her. She is such a great person to be friends with. I hope I can repay her kindness some day. More to come.........

Wk: 7 Day: 2

Sept. 22, 1999

went the doctor today for my 1st exam. Everything went fine, no problems, & I got to see the baby on sonogram. The nurse practitioner was not very skilled at locating the baby & I didn't get a very clear picture of it. That's ok, though. I just wanted it done before I left Florida. They said they would contact me if there were any problems with the results. Next week I leave so I hope they call before then. More to come........

Wk: 8 Day: 5

Oct. 2, 1999

9am - everything I could fit into the truck & trailer is packed & ready to go. I am leaving Florida today bound for California. I am excited about the trip. I hope everything goes smoothly. I don't need to have morning sickness while trying to drive & sleep in the truck. I've been feeling fine lately so I hope my good luck lasts a few more days. The animals are all set with what they need in the cab of the truck with me. They will be good company for me while I drive. I am so grateful to Ron Atkins & Jeff Phipps for helping me pack the truck & trailer. My next entry will be when I arrive in California at our new home. Bye for now.......

Wk: 9 Day: 1

Oct. 5, 1999

1pm - I finally made it to California!!! After 3.5 days driving at least 12 hours/day, we have finally arrived in Los Angeles! I am so tired, stinky & sore from being in that truck so long. I can't wait to take a shower & sleep stretched out in a real bed. Richard came home from work & was very happy & relieved to see us all arrive safely. I was lucky during the trip across country. There were no scary incidents at the rest areas at night & I only felt sick one day. I figured out it had to do with being overheated. I had tried to not use the a/c so much because I got cold easily, so I was alternating between the vents & the a/c. I guess after eating at McDonald’s & driving into the sun most of the day, the heat caught up with me. Even my foolproof remedy for nausea - seltzer water - wasn't working. Other than that one day, I was fine. No real pains or cramps. Just achiness from being cramped up at night in the truck. Now we've got a new addition to the family I forgot to mention earlier. His name is Xenos & he is a male stray cat I adopted before I left Florida. He was pretty good on the road with Shalee & brandy except he tried to escape the truck every chance he got! He also likes to "talk" at night and try to escape out the windows. I had to put him in the truck bed the last night on the road because he was driving me crazy! Anyway, Richard & I unpacked the trailer & truck bed, had lunch & then we returned the trailer to a local u-haul dealer. I was finally able to take a shower & let Richard get acquainted with Xenos. Shalee & brandy were very happy to see their daddy, too. Richard & I went to dinner at the restaurant in the Raddison hotel he had been staying at during Sept.. The food was good but the service was slow because they only had 1 server on duty. How dumb is that?! I am very picky about my dining experiences & expect the best at all times. But I was so tired, I let it slide this time. More to come..........

Wk: 9 Day: 2

Oct. 6, 1999

michelle Davis emailed Richard yesterday asking if I had arrived safely, etc. We were so busy we didn't have time to reply, so we emailed her today to say hello & assure everyone at Intermedia that I was fine. Everyone at Intermedia was so nice to me before I left. They were all very supportive of my pregnancy, if not a little paranoid about my driving across country in that condition. They gave me a nice going away/congratulations party on my last day there. I will miss Michelle, holly, Treasa, Ron, & Jeff very much. I hope they stay in touch with me by email. More to come...........

Wk: 10 Day: 0

Oct. 11, 1999

i got sick for the first time tonight!!! My dinner was pork chops, broccoli, & rice w/ biscuits. Then later I had an apple & then I got sick. I was feeling fine until I ate the apple so I guess that was the problem. Then my head was pounding and I couldn't keep my eyes open. Richard was very helpful with the laundry tonight. He walked downstairs with me & helped to fold it. Then cleaned the kitchen after I made dinner. I am so tired, but I feel guilty for making him do chores when he gets home from work. I'll start looking for a job this week - maybe. I'm not in any rush. Aames my have openings in their collections dept, but I really don't want to do that if I can avoid it. More to come.........

Wk: 11 Day: 4

Oct. 22, 1999

first food craving - pizza! Until now, I only really craved certain tastes, like sour or tangy foods. But today I had a true craving for something in particular. Nothing really noteworthy has happened lately. I am having slight morning sickness in the mornings & late evenings. It can be avoided if I eat something all the time! I have to avoid my stomach being empty. I can't gorge myself, either. I have to take small bites & eat very slowly or else I feel nauseous. More to come......

Wk: 13 Day: 0

Nov. 1, 1999

9am - first appt with new ob, dr. Lloyd Grieg. Dr. Grieg was highly recommended by one of Richard’s co-workers, Rena. She said he was very nice & very much a "mother's doctor". She was right. He made me feel very comfortable & was very funny & sweet. I was nervous about seeing a male doctor & wasn't sure if it would work for me. But he put me at ease immediately & I had a wonderful time at my appointment. His staff is very courteous & I didn't have to wait long at all to be seen. I think I will enjoy having him as my doctor. I got to hear the heartbeat & he confirmed that I am about 13 weeks along. The heartbeat sounds far away so the baby is probably on the back wall of my uterus. It is also very fast & sounds like galloping horse hooves. I asked him if I could have an ultrasound now & he said he usually likes to wait until 5 months so that the baby is more developed. I was disappointed but understood. Richard could not come with me today but he will attend the next Dr visit. More to come..........

Wk: 13 Day: 3

Nov. 4, 1999

today begins my 2nd trimester.

Wk: 16 Day: 3

Nov. 25, 1999

thanksgiving! I plan to cook a big meal for Richard & me. Last year we were in Florida & went to his sister's house with the rest of their family. This is the first time I get to cook a holiday meal for Richard. I hope everything comes out ok. I'm planning a turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, vegetables, bread, pie & sparkling cider to toast our good fortune.

Wk: 17 Day: 1

Nov. 30, 1999

9 am - ob Dr visit #2. Richard was able to attend this Dr visit with me. He got to meet dr. Greig & hear the baby's heartbeat. This is the first time Richard has heard the heartbeat because he has been away each time I have heard it before. Dr. Greig said we seem to have a slight case of pregnancy :) and are progressing very well. He also told Richard he was "in charge" & we all laughed at that! Richard likes dr. Greig just as much as I do, which is good. We made our next visit for 12/27/99. More to come........

Wk: 18 Day: 2

Dec. 8, 1999

2 pm - unexpected Dr appt. I was having severe abdominal cramping & pain in the front of my belly since Sunday, 12/5. I couldn't stand it anymore so I went to the Dr & he took vaginal culture & urine sample to send to the lab. I may have a urinary tract infection, which feels different when you're pregnant than when you are not. But I am not urinating frequently & there has not been any pain when I do, so I don't think it's that. Dr. Greig also had me go to the ultrasound Dr immediately to have the fetus checked for possible miscarriage. So I went and got my first ultrasound done. The Dr & technician said the baby is in perfect shape & is not in distress. It's the right size for it's age and everything looked normal. I did not find out the sex because I wanted Richard to be with me since he really wants to know. They printed me a picture but it was very fuzzy. They said the next one at 20 weeks would be clearer & I can bring a VCR tape to record the entire visit. Afterwards I spoke with dr. Greig & he said I should take the pain medication whenever I need it & I could go back to work the next day. The lab results would take a few days to come back & the office would call me if there were any problems. More to come........

Wk: 18 Day: 6

Dec. 12, 1999

it's been about 1 week since I had abdominal pain & cramping which sent me flying to the dr. Now I feel fine - like it never happened. The lab results were negative so I guess it was just my ligaments stretching or my fibroid. God that hurt! I was expecting a small amount of discomfort when I coughed or laughed but nothing constant over 5 days! I should really start exercising soon to get my body ready for labor. I can imagine how pitiful I will be when I have to endure real pain for hours non-stop! Yuk! More to come.........

Wk: 19 Day: 2

Dec. 15, 1999

i think I felt the baby move for 1st time! It felt like a little flutter against the inside of my belly. Almost like a tickle or a gas bubble. Very weird sensation! I told Richard about it but he couldn't feel anything. I guess it'll take a while before he will feel it move from the outside of my belly. I hope it's not too long. More to come.....

Wk: 20 Day: 4

Dec. 24, 1999

christmas eve! Today we did some last minute shopping for each other. Richard got me some maternity clothes at J.C. Penney. I really like them. They are so much more comfortable than squeezing into my regular clothes. I was able to get all Richard’s presents at J.C. Penney’s too. I hope he likes them all. More to come....

Wk: 20 Day: 5

Dec. 25, 1999

christmas day! We have been invited to Sean & Christina’s house for Christmas dinner. They are comic artist friends of Richard’s who live in Placentia, ca (orange county-1hr south). I am wearing one of the outfits I got for Christmas so I can be comfortable while eating. Richard is wearing some of the new clothes I got him, too. More to come.......

Wk: 20 Day: 6

Dec. 26, 1999

richard felt the baby move for first time! I was laying on my back on the couch relaxing when I started to feel the baby move. So I lifted my shirt up to see if I could see my stomach move on the outside when the baby moved. I could, so I called Richard over to try & feel it too. He put his head on my belly & a few minutes later he said he felt the baby! I am so happy he could feel the baby move now. More to come.....

Wk: 21 Day: 4

Dec. 31, 1999

new year's eve! We have reservations at the expensive Arnie Morton’s of Chicago restaurant at 5pm. Then we are going home to play board games until 12 midnight. Hopefully the world will not end at that time! :) we have some sparkling apple cider to toast the new millenium, too. More to come.......

Wk: 21 Day: 5

Jan. 1, 2000

happy new millenium! The world did not end - how nice for all of us! :) Richard & I slept in late today after staying up until midnight to toast the new year. He had to go into work for a few hours to make sure all the systems still work. The rest of the day we lounged around the house playing board games, eating, watching TV & playing with the animals. I didn't have too much energy to do anything other than straighten up the house a little. I plan to tackle the laundry tomorrow. We'll see how it goes. More to come......

Wk: 21 Day: 6

Jan. 2, 2000

today was another quiet holiday weekend day. Richard & I planned to go grocery shopping, then to the mall to get me a new pillow & some books. He got an email from Sean asking for his help inking some pages he's behind on, so he decided to go down there this afternoon around 3pm. We decided to go to the mall today & I will go grocery shopping tomorrow during the day sometime. I got my pillow at bed, bath & beyond & then we browsed the store for a little while. We then went to find a bookstore & decided to eat lunch in the food court first. At the bookstore we decided on some fantasy, sci-fi books & a new dictionary. (Richard’s dictionary was 30 years old!) Richard thinks maybe these books will give him ideas for his writing. After Richard left for Sean’s house, I decided to update my pregnancy journal & email my new friend Estee from San Diego. We met on the babycenter bulletin boards for may 2000 mommies. She is due 5/5/00 but doesn't know the gender of her baby yet. I think she wants a boy first then a girl. She seems very nice & wants to get together sometime to visit. I am very happy to have made a new friend out here, even though she's in San Diego - 3 hrs away. I want to make plans with her but I am not sure how realistic that is. I'm sure neither of us want to travel that far just for shopping or a prenatal class & then have to drive back home again. Maybe I will suggest we do a couples thing so our husbands can do the driving! Hahahahaa! Yeah, that's better! Richard came back from Sean’s around 11:30pm & we talked about his day there. He seems happy with helping them out & they asked him to come back Monday night to help some more. I told him that was fine just not to stay as long as he did today. He said he would leave by 9pm the latest. He plans to leave work early, if everything is running smoothly there, at about 1:30pm. This way he will miss the traffic rush. I hope this leads to some real work for Richard. More to come......

Wk: 22 Day: 0

Jan. 3, 2000

today I need to do grocery shopping & laundry. I really have to do them today. Richard plans to leave work around 1:30pm today to go back to Sean’s again, so I need to at least have the grocery shopping done before I pick him up. I already responded to Estee's latest email. So I just need to get moving around the house now. I really don't feel like it though. More to come............

Wk: 23 Day: 5

Jan. 15, 2000

we did a little window shopping for Logan today to get an idea of prices for baby furniture. Some brands are very expensive! I think we'll probably just get an inexpensive crib and spend more on his furniture. Our friends & families better send us some good useful stuff. Not much else happening lately.

Wk: 24 Day: 6

Jan. 23, 2000

i went shopping while Richard watched football again today. I am so sick of football by now! I'll be glad when the superbowl comes & goes. I bought myself some more maternity clothes. I got a gray skirt & jacket/top that match & an orchid shell in case I go back to work or need a dressy outfit. It was all on sale very cheap. I also got some hair bands since I’m letting my hair grow out. I almost got some shoes but I held back the urge.

Wk: 25 Day: 1

Jan. 25, 2000

i had to take Richard to work today & then take the car in for service - again. Those mechanics at ugly duckling are so useless. I went shopping in the mall across the street while he worked on the car & got some casual maternity clothes. I bought 3 pairs of pants & 6 short-sleeved tops. I got it all at sears since it was all on sale. Next time I go I may get some shorts since I almost do not fit in mine anymore. They had a great selection of dressy & casual stuff. They even had a large selection of underwear & bras. I'll go back there when I need more stuff.

Wk: 25 Day: 3

Jan. 27, 2000

had a ob dr. Appt today. Everything is great. I had to get tested for diabetes and drink that orange glucose drink before I went in. The Dr assured me that he delivers 98% of all his patients and he doesn't plan to be out of town the week of my delivery. I feel better knowing that he doesn't rotate schedules with other DR’s. I have gained 20lbs since I conceived and 8lbs of that was within the last month! I feel very full of baby Logan now. We received our first present for the baby today. Tamara, who works with Richard, gave us a pair of fuzzy blue baby slippers. More to come..

Wk: 28 Day: 0

Feb. 14, 2000

valentine's day...Richard wrote a very nice love letter to me. I created a card for him & left it for him to find in the morning before he left for work. My dad called me today to chat. He said he bought me the stroller/car seat system from the J.C. penny's catalogue & had it shipped on Saturday. It should come by ups within 3 days. He also sent out 2 boxes of clothes & accessories today that Belinda had promised me. At least I can relax now that I’ve got some stuff coming from them. I can't wait to see what else they sent for the baby. Dad said it was some old & some new stuff. We'll see......

Wk: 29 Day: 0

Feb. 21, 2000

we received some packages from my family in mass today. My dad has sent a car seat/stroller system & infant seat. Belinda collected some clothes & accessories together like the breast pump & monitor. They still plan to visit in June sometime if they can secure a time-share unit. At present, there is nothing available during June in southern ca. Richard & I bought the crib & bedding set, too. Now all we need is a bureau/changing table & some decorations & we'll be done with his room. Then we'll just have to get all the daily stuff he needs.

Wk: 29 Day: 2

Feb. 23, 2000

my dad emailed to say he sent us a new high chair & it should be arriving at the end of this week. I don't think I’ll need it right away, but it's nice to know I don't have to buy it later. I have a headcold this week & I’m miserable. I haven't been sleeping very well lately because I have to go potty every 2 hrs! Richard is starting to get sick too. I'm starting to get nervous about the delivery & being a good mother to Logan. I hope the furry babies adjust well to his arrival. I am at 29 weeks now - just 11 more to go! Our next doctor appt is on Monday, 2/28. I think I will need to start seeing the Dr every 2 weeks after this one. We'll see what he says.

Wk: 29 Day: 3

Feb. 24, 2000

today my dad called to chat & he let me know the shipment of the high chair was delayed because J.C. Penney’s screwed up the order. They ordered & held it at the store for pickup instead of shipping it to me in ca. So now it probably won't get here until the end of next week. That's fine since I don't need it right away. They also collected another two boxes of baby stuff & the automatic swing to send us next week. Not much else happening now.

Wk: 29 Day: 5

Feb. 26, 2000

today I woke up with some cramps/contractions low in my belly. They made me feel kinda sickly all day. But it's the first sunny day in a week so I’m going to leave the house! Richard & I took a drive down to long beach just to get out of the house for a few hours. The beach there is pretty with a very nice shopping area on the pier. It's much nicer than the Santa Monica pier. The weather was kinda chilly & we didn't bring our jackets but it was nice to be outside all the same. I'm sure we'll come back for one of the harbor cruises or something like that soon. More to come.....

Wk: 30 Day: 0

Feb. 28, 2000

9am - today we had a ob Dr appt. Dr. Greig says everything is still perfect. I only gained 1.5 lbs. since last month's appt! I couldn't believe it! My blood pressure is normal, too. I don't have any swelling in my ankles, feet or hands. I do have more backaches & I’m starting to feel slight cramps/contractions. He said those were normal for this time through the end of the pregnancy. He asked if I pre-registered at the hospital yet & we confirmed that we did. I just need to decide this week if I want to attend childbirth class or just buy a video. The video is much cheaper of course - but dr. Greig says it doesn't tell you that much. I think the video will be fine for us. It's not like I’m clueless on the subject. Dr. Greig also said after my 3/29 appt he will start seeing me every two weeks. It's all going by so fast! Only 10 weeks to go!!! More to come....

Wk: 32 Day: 1

Mar. 14, 2000

nothing much exciting happening recently. I received some hand-me-down clothes from my family this weekend. I've started feeling more tired & achey lately. My hands sometimes get puffy and tight after working on the PC for a while. I found a pregnancy support group to meet new friends & am in the process of helping to organize activities for us. I've chatted with a few of our 10 members and everyone seems very nice. Richard's happy that I’m finally getting to meet some people that I’ll have something in common with. It's very hard to meet people in la. That's what all the ladies in the group say. More to come........

Wk: 32 Day: 3

Mar. 16, 2000

i met some of the ladies in our mommy support group tonight. Kelly, Mindy, heather, Anne & myself met in studio city at Jerry’s famous deli for dinner. We had a great time getting to know each other & comparing experiences. We agreed to have baby showers for all the group members & I plan to circulate a list of activities we can all sign up for so the rest of the group can meet soon. Hopefully we can all find some time in our schedules to do at least one activity together per month. Not much else happening....more to come.......

Wk: 32 Day: 5

Mar. 18, 2000

happy 30th birthday to me! Richard plans to take me out to dinner tonight to celebrate. I also got a new hair cut & some new maternity clothes for summer this week. We're not splurging too much because we want to conserve cash for baby Logan. Not much else going on now....more to come....

Wk: 33 Day: 3

Mar. 23, 2000

Today I went out shopping with Kelly from the Mommy Support Group. We had a great time visiting together. I got to meet her sister-in-laws, Anna & Freida, both very nice girls. While we were shopping I picked up a new body-size pillow to help me get more comfortable in bed. I hope it works. Not much else happening right now. More to come later....

Wk: 33 Day: 4

Mar. 24, 2000

Today I've been feeling very tired and achey. I woke up with a headache, sore shoulders & neck, and my hands & feet feel swollen. I think all the walking at the mall yesterday has worn me out. But I hate to just sit around all day, so I vacuumed the furniture & carpets to remove the excessive pet hair. All the animals are shedding at once so there is quite a bit more hair covering everything than normal. After that I rested on the couch for a couple hours until Richard came home from work. We've started watching some of the childbirth class video I bought. It's very informative without being boring. It recommends that we expect Logan's arrival within a 10-day window of the due date. That means it's possible for him to come between 4/28 through 5/18. Since I am in week 34 now, we just want him to stay inside for another 3 weeks (until 4/17) to be sure his lungs are fully developed. After that, he can arrive whenever he wants to! more to come......

Wk: 34 Day: 2

Mar. 29, 2000

Went to the doctor today. My blood pressure and my weight gain (25 lbs) is fine so far. I am going to get an ultrasound next week to determine the exact size of the baby. I am also going to start seeing the doctor every week from now on. We need to start looking for the pediatrician soon. I will ask my OB doctor if he can recommend someone. We need to take a tour of Cedar Sinai Hospital soon, as well. Went grocery shopping today, too. I took Richard with me to push the cart. Now that I am larger, I have very little energy to shop alone. More to come...........

Wk: 35 Day: 2

Apr. 5, 2000

We had our 36 week DR appt today & got another ultrasound to see what size Logan is now. The U/S technician said he is approximately 6 lb. now and all his parts are perfect size for his gestational age. My OB, Dr. Greig, says he doubts I will gain much weight in the next 4 weeks. So he's guessing Logan will be around 7 lb. at birth. He has dropped down into my pelvis (head first) and I have LOST 1/2 lb since last week's appt. Dr. Greig checked my cervix for dilation and there wasn't any yet. He told me that me Strep cultures were negative, too. He also said I can wait to go to the hospital until my contractions are 5 minutes apart, but if my water breaks I need to go to the hospital immediately. Now my total weight gain is 20 lb. for the pregnancy & that's really good they're telling me. MORE TO COME NEXT WEEK......

Wk: 35 Day: 3

Apr. 6, 2000

Today I woke up with slight menstrual-like cramps in my lower abdomen & a backache in my lower back. My legs are achy, too. When I went to the bathroom, I found that I had a bloody show! After having been to the doctor yesterday and him examining me to report that there is no dilation yet, this was a very surprising development! Since I don't want to be accused of panicking, I decided not to tell Richard right away about the bloody show. Instead, I chose to research the event in my pregnancy books. My books indicate that the bloody show is an indication of Pre-Labor, which can occur 1-4 weeks before actual labor starts or it could be coming within an hour of the bloody show! So, now that I'm done researching the bloody show phenomenon, I feel secure in telling Richard about it when he comes home for lunch today. I also need to contact my friend, Kelly Berkowitz, since she is my second support person for Labor & Delivery. I want to make sure she'll be around this weekend in case I actually do go into real labor! I still don't feel really prepared for Logan to be here so early. I haven't had my Baby Shower yet, so I haven't bought any of the little daily supplies we'll need. At least I have a place for him to sleep & I'll be breast-feeding so I don't have to buy formula & bottles - so expensive! I've gotta get some diapers, shampoo, etc. Well, no sense fretting about it right now. Logan's probably just gonna bounce around inside me for another week or two anyway. I never expected to have preterm labor at 36 weeks! I thought for sure I'd go past my due date. Kelly thinks I should call the doctor just to let them know what's happening. I will if it doesn't let up by tomorrow. More to come......

Wk: 35 Day: 4

Apr. 7, 2000

Today I woke up around 7am hungry enough that I had to eat rather than go back to sleep. So I got up and had a bowl of cereal, then went back to bed to sleep until 11am. I am obviously not sleeping very well at night. I still have a bloody show, some slight cramping, and achiness in my legs, but my backache has gone away. Although that has been replaced with general fatigue in my entire body. I feel like I could go back to sleep again and I just got up! I need to call the doctor today to advise them of my status. I'd like to pack my suitcase for the hospital stay but I think I still need most of that stuff on a daily basis. I guess we should probably install the car seat in the car this weekend just in case Logan comes unexpectedly early. Richard keeps telling Logan to stay in the belly until after 4/29 when we have our shower at Kelly's. That way we'll have more stuff for him when he arrives. More to come.........

Wk: 36 Day: 2

Apr.12, 2000

Today we had another doctor appointment with Dr. Greig & an ultrasound with Dr. Bochnar. Both went very well. We found out from Dr. Bochnar that our amniotic fluid level is perfect, it's not too high as the resident in the hospital had told us on Friday. He said everything is fine and to forget what she said because she was wrong. he also said if I go into labor at this point, everything will be fine with Logan. When we went to see Dr. Greig, he said my cervix is still closed, but that can change in a matter of hours. It is possible for me to go into labor at any time now. I was joking with him about letting me get induced or get a cesarean section this weekend because I'm so uncomfortable, and he laughed and asked when I was due. I told him May 8th & he said that's when we can get induced. I told him I had to ask - just in case he said ok. He laughed at that. He said if Logan stays inside until May then he'll probably be around 7 lbs when he's born. I've noticed that I'm very irritable lately because I'm so uncomfortable. My hands & feet are really swollen & tight and my wrists and ankles are starting to hurt. No position is good except laying on my side. But even that starts to hurt my hips. So sleeping is hard because I can't lay on either side, my back or stomach of course, for very long. I am really ready for Logan to come out. Friday Kelly will be coming to visit with me & we'll get the baby clothes out of layaway at Kids R Us then have lunch together. More to come.......

Wk: 37 Day: 2

Apr.19, 2000

We had a OB doctor appt today with Dr. Greig. I thought I felt a trickle before I got out of bed this morning so I was hopeful that maybe my bag of waters had ruptured. I was also feeling flu-like symptoms all over. When we got to the doctor he checked and the amniotic sac was still intact and my cervix was still closed. Figures - that would've been too convenient. Dr. Greig still says I can go at any time, so for us to be patient because I could start dilating & contracting later today. There's just no way to predict when it will happen. After the appt I dropped Richard off at work and went to the bank, picked up syringes for Shalee, and went to the mall to get out of the house for a while. I decided to eat lunch then get my eyebrows waxed & my hair done. More to come.........

Wk: 38 Day: 0

Apr.24, 2000

Today we had an OB appointment with Dr. Greig. I am still not dilated but I am thinning out a little. Everything is fine with Logan & me. Dr. Greig still says we can go any time. We have an appointment to take the Maternity Tour at Cedars this Thursday night. Dr. Greig told us he will be out of town unexpectedly for the next two weeks - he leaves on Wednesday. Figures! He was here throughout my entire uneventful pregnancy and now when I'm almost done, he has to leave me two weeks before I'm due! I can't believe it! So my next two appointments will be with his on-call replacement. Dr. Greig will return on 5/11 - 3 days after Logan is due. So now I guess I'm hoping Logan will wait for Dr. Greig to come back. But then I wonder - what for? It's not like he'll be there throughout my entire labor. He's only going to be there at the end to take Logan out, sew me up & do Logan's circumcision. I still need to call the pediatrician that Dr. Greig has recommended - Dr. Miller. Richard wants to interview him before we decide to use him. Our shower is this Saturday at Kelly's in Encino. I hope we get a good turnout. More to come.......

Wk: 39 Day: 1

May 2, 2000

Today I had an OB appt with a on-call doctor while Dr. Greig was out of town. I was not impressed at all. He was too rough with my internal exam & rushed through the visit. I'll be glad when Dr. Greig is back in town. I only have to wait until the 10th to see him again. I hope Logan can wait that long now that I've been trying to get him out for so long. We'll see what happens. I have yet to have any kind of contractions. I just keep swelling more in my extremities & my blood pressure is getting a little elevated recently. More to come.......

Wk: 40 Day: 1

May 9, 2000

Today I went to interview the pediatrician that Dr. Greig has recommended for Logan. His name is Dr. Richard E. Miller. His practice is located in the Cedar Medical Bldg. on the 8th floor. There's one other doctor in the practice with him. Dr. Miller seems nice and easy to talk to. He's been practicing for 5 years and is board certified through Cedar Sinai Hospital.

Wk: 40 Day: 2

May 10, 2000

Today we had an appt with Dr. Greig. I am still not dilated but my blood pressure is still rising and my edema is worse. Dr. Greig has asked that I get another ultrasound tomorrow to check on the baby & the amniotic fluid levels. He also told me I have to be on bed rest until the baby comes. He doesn't even want me to sit up in bed - I have to be lying on my side all the time. That's not going to be very comfortable. He also said that within a week we should have the baby. I'm not sure if that means he will induce me within seven days or if he will just wait to see what happens naturally. I vote for an inducement this Friday or Saturday. A quick, scheduled C-section would be nice, too. The least amount of pain & suffering for me, the better. I guess I’ll find out more tomorrow after the ultrasound & stress tests. More to come......

Wk: 40 Day: 3

May 11, 2000

Today we went to see Dr. Bochnar for an ultrasound. He said everything was fine with the baby & that's he's probably between 7.5 - 8 lbs. There is nothing wrong with my fluid level. Since my blood pressure was still elevated today & I had a headache & nausea, he sent me to the hospital to have my blood pressure monitored. We got to the hospital at 2pm and went into the Triage room to get settled. They took a urine sample and thought it had protein in it so then they had to catheterize me to be sure before they took any blood work to possibly admit me for an induction. Turns out that I didn't have protein in the urine and my blood pressure returned to normal, so they discharged me at 5pm. If I'm still pregnant on Monday, 5/15, I need to go back to see Dr. Bochnar for another ultrasound. Dr. Greig said I don't have to come to his office before next week. I had not eaten or drank anything since 11:30am, so I was starved by the time we left. I had to eat a sandwich as soon as I got home while waiting for dinner to cook. Another wasted day running to hospital for nothing. Very frustrating.

Wk: 40 Day: 5

May 13, 2000

I think today will be Logan's Birthday. I woke up at 12 noon with somewhat regular cramping and consistent back pain. After visiting the bathroom & finding a bloody show, I am pretty convinced this is the day I've been looking forward to for so long. I plan to do some last minute cleaning and organizing around the house so I'll be ready when I bring Logan home. I definitely need to work on my Birth Plan for the hospital staff, as well as finish packing my bag for my hospital stay. I need to call Kelly to advise her of what's happening. I hope I don't forget anything important. Richard is being very supportive and protective of me. He wants to take an active role in Logan's birth, but I know he's anxious about my well being, too. I'm sure he will be a solid support for Logan and me in the coming days. I have every confidence in his ability to take care of us. More to come after the birth...

Wk: 40 Day: 6

May 14, 2000

We arrived at Cedar Sinai Medical Center at 12:05AM. I have been in labor for approximately 12 hours. My contractions are approximately 5-6 minutes apart and I cannot speak through them anymore. I am using a rolled pair of socks as a stress relief and as a substitute for gripping Richard's hand. (I am REALLY squeezing the socks hard!) I am implementing the breathing exercises I learned on the Childbirth Preparation video, although I don't think they really do much for coping with my pain at 3cm dilation. The nurses were directed by Dr. Greig to catheterize me & start Pitocin to expedite my labor. This is in response to finding protein in my urine, which is a sign of Preclampsia. He didn't want me to labor naturally for an extended period of time due to the possible risk to Logan & me. Dr. Greig also advised he wanted me to have my epidural by the time I reached 4cm dilation. At 3cm I had to ask for the epidural because the IV pain relief wasn't working anymore. Ahhh... blissful numbness! Dr. Greig came in to check on me between 9:30-10:30am and determined that I was not progressing past 5cm dilation and the placenta was tearing away from the uterine wall, which put me & Logan at risk. He advised we do a Cesarean section immediately to avoid any potential harm to Logan & me. I enthusiastically agreed...it's what I always wanted! So off to the operating room I went around 10:30am. Richard got into his scrubs and followed us in. He was so reassuring and calm for me. I wasn't nervous or afraid, just relieved that I wouldn't have to labor for many more painful hours. When the anesthesiologists gave my medicine, I was so numb & disoriented that I could barely focus properly. I never felt them working on me at all - not even any pressure. I didn't know Logan was out of me until I heard him crying. He was born at 11:13AM, weighing 8 lb. 5 oz & is 21 inches long. When Richard brought him to me I was scared I would drop him because I was so shaky & disoriented so I told Richard to take him back because of how I felt. Then he & the nurse took Logan off to the nursery for his bath and tests to be done. By 12 noon I got sewed up and brought to the recovery room where I spent the next 3 hours sleeping off the anesthesia. I felt bad because Kelly was waiting all that time and nobody came out to tell her what was happening. She came down to be with me for support and didn't even get to see or do anything. She is a wonderful friend to cancel her plans with her mom on Mother's Day to be with me. I was so happy to have her there with us for Logan's birth. Richard came to see me in Recovery just as I was getting prepared to be moved to Maternity. When I arrived at my private room on Maternity around 4pm, Kelly was allowed to see me. Then a nurse brought Logan in to be with us. He's so perfect...already a good baby...no crying at all. I'm so happy he's finally here with us. I fed him a formula bottle because he had a lot of trouble latching onto the breast and he got frustrated because he was hungry & didn't want to wait. Around 5pm Richard left to go home and care for the animals, but he'll be back to spend the night with us. More to come tomorrow....

Wk: 1 Day: 1

May 15, 2000

Today will be my first full day with Logan. He's eating very well from the bottle but not the breast. I think I will pump my breast milk & give it to him by bottle. That way Richard can share in the feedings, too. They are so cute together. Richard is so in love with Logan and who can blame him...he's perfect. Logan really looks a lot like his Daddy, too. All he got from my family is big feet & hands, full lips and a pug nose. He got blue eyes, red hair and pale skin from his Daddy's family. All of that is fine because he is so beautiful to us ... and everyone else if all the attention from the nurses and doctors are any indication. My IV & catheter were removed around 12am so I can get out of bed now. They'll want me to walk the halls later, too. My pain medication is going to be Percecet every 3-4 hrs. I'm sure I'll be using that as soon as all that anesthesia wears off. More to come...

Wk: 1 Day: 2

May 16, 2000

Logan gets his circumcision done this morning by Dr. Greig. He assured us that he will use some anesthetic on his penis so he will not be pain. Logan's pediatrician, Dr. Lipin, came in to meet me after examining Logan in the nursery. He explained that Logan has a slight heart murmur due to a commonly found hole between two chambers in the heart, which was used to transport oxygen to the lungs, while he was in utero. This hole will most likely close on it's own within a few days and the murmur with disappear completely. I asked Dr. Greig about this when I saw him later and he confirmed what Dr. Lipin had said. I have complete faith that Logan's heart is fine and I'm not concerned about this. Dr. Lipin will check on Logan every day and give me updates on his condition. Dr. Lipin has advised us to make an appt for Logan for two weeks from his birth date. He also told me to continue taking my prenatal vitamins while I am breastfeeding. More to come...

Wk: 1 Day: 3

May 17, 2000

Today is my 3rd day in the hospital recovering from Logan's birth. We're doing great together. I decided to keep him with me overnight so I can get used to his feeding schedule. He's really not demanding or fussy. He likes his formula and eats well every time. I know I'm lucky he's so sweet. My recovery from surgery seems fine. Everyone is always surprised that I had C-section because I'm up & about already. I'm sure the pain meds are helping more than I realize at this time. We'll see how good I feel when I get home. Dr. Greig said I can go home today but I asked if I could stay until tomorrow & he said OK. Dr. Lipin authorized Logan to be discharged whenever I am. His condition is fine & as expected, the murmur is fading fast. He said he could barely hear it today. I'm glad to hear that. Richard has been taking care of the animals and running errands in order to get ready for us coming home tomorrow. He's so wonderful to us. I don't know what I would do if he weren’t as good to us as he is. More to come...

Wk: 1 Day: 4

May 18, 2000

Today Logan & I were discharged from the hospital around 12 noon. I decided to rent a breast pump from the Lactation Service after a consultant came in and advised that my milk was in, but Logan would have trouble latching on - which I already knew. She agreed that I should just pump into a bottle every 2 hrs and feed him that way. Logan slept the entire ride home in the car and while he was inspected by the animals. I was exhausted by the time we got into the apartment. That was more walking than I'd done in a week. Richard & I ate lunch then I took some medicine & a nap with Logan. Home... at last.

Wk: 1 Day: 6

May 20, 2000

Today we gave Logan a sponge bath and washed his hair. He was very cooperative and didn't cry too much. It went better than I expected at least. I think about the days to come with me & Logan at home alone with Richard and I wonder what I was so worried about. He's got a simple routine that should be easy to work around in order to get other stuff done around the house. I'm sure I'll be fine. I think Richard will have trouble leaving us to go back to work, though. I know I would have a hard time leaving Logan to return to work. I'm relieved that I don't have to. We've decided not to take him out in public or receive any visitors before his 2 week check-up with Dr. Lipin - just in case.