Happy Birthday Fishtankonia!

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Bedrest at 37 weeks

During my weekly prenatal visits in the last month of my pregnancy my blood pressure has been consistently high, high enough for her to put me on bedrest as of last Friday. I was already restricted to work part time a couple of weeks ago to avoid any preterm labor.

On Friday morning I took my blood pressure when I woke and it was too high. I called my Ob/Gyn nurse and she told me to come in to see the doctor. Chad and I brought our overnight bags, including the Dude's diaper bag incase we were going to have the baby.

When we arrived to the doctor's office my blood pressure was still high. She checked my cervix and told us I have dilated 1.5 cm. She decided to admit me to the hospital's "Testing-Room" to run blood work and be monitored by a nurse, similar to the time I was admitted to the labor & delivery at 27 weeks, but this area is catered to less severe pregnancy issues. The attending nurse we were given was so sweet and motherly, possibly a bit too motherly. She gave us great pediatrician advice, but she wasn't too happy that I had several tattoos. In the end, she wished us good luck and would try to visit us when the Dude is born.

All of my blood work came back negative and blood pressure finally was at a normal rate. However, I did have two contractions, but were very far apart to not worry. My Ob/Gyn came to visit me (at the end of the day) and that is when she told me to not go back to work and stay on bedrest until my due date, Nov. 1st. I have to admit I was so nervous and scared being at the hospital waiting for answers. But I am okay now enjoying the bedrest at home all weekend and the rest of this week.

I did rent some movies last night... Alpha Dog, Transformers, & 1408.

We are ready!

The Dude's room
Originally uploaded by solcookie.

A mini reunion....

Laura's graduation day at Mac Arthur High 1988
Originally uploaded by solcookie.

My dear friend from high school, Laura and her family were in town from Florida. They were able to join us for Chad's birthday dinner. Laura's husband, Conrad is in the miltary so we don't see them very often and when we do, it is always a fun filled visit with memories we share from the past and present. Its as if we start our friendship right where we left it. Chad and I were thrilled they were able to meet the wonderful circle of friends we have in our lives now... Good times.

Happy Birthday Babe!

Today is Chad's 35th birthday.

Saturday we began celebrating his birthday with friends at Maria Selma & Hans Bier Haus bar. Sunday we worked on the baby's room - setting up the bassinet, that belonged to Chad when he was a baby. Today we both got to see the Dude by ultrasound, most likely our last scheduled one until he is born.

Trick or Treat

A TREAT!

9 months pregnant on Halloween...

On my favorite holiday of the year I will be ready to have a baby. Yep, my due date is November 1st.

"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

I come home one day to see this on my TiVo list.
Dude, it is crazy funny.
Ryan let us borrow the 1st/2nd DVD season.
As soon as I have some free solcookie-TV time

before the Dude is born I plan to watch all episodes!
Check your FX channel for local listings... Seriously!

The Baby Shower

Rebecca, Tony, & Maya hosted a baby shower for us, including our immediate family, at their house. It was an awesome time had by all. Chad and I can't wait to enjoy all the gifts with our little Dude real soon.

Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris Tour

As I am writing this entry... Chad and Timmay are in Austin watching the USC vs Nebraska game at a bar down the street from La Zona Rosa where Queens of the Stone Age will be playing later this evening. Yea. I am jealous of those two @%^&*, but thrilled they will be enjoying a rockin' show.

I will have to catch them on their next Texas tour. Some might say I am a little obsessed. Here are shows I've been in the past.

Here is Mexicola LIVE from their first record.
I love the bass on this track.

James "Mic" Mitchell
RIP
1959 - 2007

An artist.
A musician.
A free spirit.
He will truly be missed. Mic your soul will live forever.

Priceless.... We Want The Funk

Fiesta - A WEEN instrumental break

Friday, August 24…. Check in @8am. Check out @7:45pm

Just when I thought everything was going really well with the pregnancy. I was admitted to the Labor & Delivery ER Friday morning because of severe heartburn, which turned out to be contractions.

Early in the morning at around 3am I woke up with heartburn so I took the recommend dose pain reliever, TUMS. I moved to the sofa to sleep in an upright position, but it didn’t help. I watched some early morning news and then decided to get up to get ready for work. Before I got into the shower I take more TUMS. I took a hot shower and started to get dressed, which was very painful. As I was leaving out the door I was thinking to myself that hopefully this pain will get better. As I start to drive off to only reach to the end of my street I stopped to realize I can not drive myself into work. I made a u-turn and came back home. By this time I was in so much pain I started to cry. I franticly woke up Chad to tell him what was going on. He immediately got out of bed to get dressed and told me to call the doctor. I called the emergency hotline since my doctor’s office doesn’t open until 9am. The hotline took all of my information and told me they will page my doctor and call me back within ten minutes. They did. They told me to come into the hospital right away.

As were heading to the hospital I could only think of the worse because I didn’t feel my baby move as much as he normally does, but he did surprise me and moved a little bit. And it could have been that I was in so much pain I couldn’t feel him move. As we checked into the hospital they already had a room ready for me. The admitting nurse told me to get in my gown and wait for the RN nurse. She came in and hooked me up to monitors that were attached to my belly. She then checked on all of my vital signs… my temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, etc… An hour goes by…. She gave me some Mylanta and that is when she told me I was having contractions. I said, “CONTRACTIONS?!?” Of course I started to cry. I am only 28 weeks/4days I’ve got 2 months to go; it is too early for him to be born!! The nurse assured me that everything is going to be fine because I was not having many contractions timed to close together. They decided to give a shot every 15 minutes of Terbutaline to stop the contractions. I only needed two shots. Thank goodness! I believe my last contraction was at noon. The nurse then took a cervix swap test to determine if I would go into labor within a week. As well as blood work to check if I have any infections and this could also help to determine why I was having contractions. All of my tests came back NEGATIVE. The nurse then gave me a Pepcid AC to relive the heartburn. The next test was to do an ultrasound to measure the baby and make sure he is doing well. I was happy to hear of the ultrasound so I could see him on the monitor. Well, he now has chubby checks and is growing so big. The Tech told me he weighs 2.5 lbs and is growing at a normal rate, but that my belly seems a bit small for him right now. Poor baby!

We finally got to see my doctor at around 7pm. She told us that unfortunately she could not determine if the heartburn caused the contractions or the contractions caused the heartburn, since I was having the contractions when I was admitted into the hospital. She told me I can start taking Pepcid every morning and night. I will not need to be on bed rest since all of my tests came back negative. Yay!! However, I do need to take it easy and call if I experience any unbearable pain. I WILL. And then she released me. Chad and I were so ready to go home to such a long day. Right before we left we went to visit the nursery and see some newborns. They were so adorable. I can’t wait until we have our little Dude and I can hold him in my arms for the first time.

28 weeks

I love this photo chad took of me in our backyard.

Alberto Frias' Transport - Illuminated sleeping pod!

I want to sleep like this... I'll try anything at this point and it looks cool. Anyone?
I've been having trouble sleeping in comfort lately. I've tried the pillow between the legs, sleeping on the sofa, even sleeping in the guest bed. Any preggo-women have any advice? (via ThisOne)

My evening with Ween in Austin

I didn't stay for the entire show. I tried my best. It's WEEN for crying out loud. I needed to be at the show. I didn't care if I was 6 months pregnant. But being pregnant, outdoors in the heat with a crowd of people, drinking water to keep hydrated (while being jealous of everyone else drinking beer), and taking a zillion potty breaks was just way too uncomfortable for me. I had to leave. I still enjoyed the show for the hour or so I was there and I don't regret at least trying.

GOD - WEEN - SATAN! ALL HAIL THE BOOGNISH!

PHOTO SET HERE

AUSTIN DAMN-HOT SET LIST 8/10/07

• She Wanted To Leave
• Marble Tulip Juicy Tree (tweaked w/1 verse Up On The Hill)
• Now I'm Freakin Out
• Bananas & Blow
• Take Me Away
• Mr Richard Smoker
• The Grobe
• Mister Would You Please Help My Pony
• Hammer Down
• Roses Are Free
  
• Buckingham Green
  
• Happy Colored Marbles
• Nan
• Pork Roll Egg and Cheese
• Gabrielle
• Dr Rock
• Pandy Fackler (Glen went OUT & DEEP)
• ------------------
  
• Acoustic Set
• Chocolate Town
• Bday Boys
• Mutilated Lips
• Joppa Road
• Help Me Scrape The Mucus off my brain
  
• I Don't Want It (Gene electric solo)
• -----------------
  
• Electric
• Flies On My Dick (w/Dickie Moist)
• Tick
• You Fucked Up
• Fat Lenny
• ----------------
  
• ENCORE
• Springtheme
• Don't Get 2 Close to My Fantasy
• Don't Squeal on The Pusher
• FLUFFY!!!

26 weeks - ALREADY!

At 26 weeks I am to take the required gestational diabetes test. You know the one where you have to drink pure sugar within five minutes, wait an hour to have 5 tubes of blood taken from you. Oh, and did I mention you have to fast the night before. I did pretty good considering the blood tech thought she only needed to take one tube of blood. When she removed the needle and put a Garfield band-aid on my arm she said, "Okay, sweetie you can go now." I said, "Are you sure?" She then apologized for not reading the paper work properly. OUCH!!! I was told I will get the results by next week.
After my blood work I went for my routine prenatal visit. All of my vital signs are good. I am still gaining the normal pregnancy weight. The dude was kicking really hard while we heard his strong heart beating. My next visit is scheduled for the beginning of September. I finally agree this pregnancy is going by really fast.

Let them eat.....CAKE!

The cake queen...
Rebecca made my birthday cake. I requested a red velvet cake. While everyone was enjoying their frozen screwdrivers, jack/coke, st arnold's devine right in front of me (you beeyatches)! I was enjoying my shirley temple on the rocks with an extra cherry!

Thanks to everyone for my gifts and spending time with me!!

The Babcock's... childhood friends.

Chad and I had dinner with the Babcock family Friday night... Amber, Jason, Brook - 4 years, and Brett - 2 1/2 years. It was the first time to visit their beautiful home in Kingwood, Texas.

Amber and I have been friends since elementary school. Jason, I believe some years later, but we all grew up and lived in the same neighborhood. It was fun sharing stories of our childhood... walking barefoot to 7-eleven and buying a big gulp of our favorite soft drink. Or the times when we would ride 3wheelers on Greens bayou. Oh, and the memory of Amber getting her drivers license. Good times. Good times.

Chad and I were sharing the story of how Amber formerly introduced me and Chad back in high school. Chad was a freshman and I was a sophomore. I can remember Chad having drum sticks in his hands when we were introduced. But it wasn't until after we graduated that Chad and I started dating seriously.

Well, we had a great time and hopefully next time we will be able to visit longer.... Check out more photos we took HERE as a set.

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