I'M DONE

I'm DONE!!
I'm allowed to do almost anything I want. Except massage and long walks. I still have to wait until Tuesday for that. I'm allowed to go on short walks and be up now! Thank you God! We made it!!

Wow! Three days left till the home stretch. I'm off bed rest on Tuesday. With Alyssa's help we have baby's clothes washed and sorted. I think we'll have enough. I pulled out the unisex colored clothes from Lucas. I didn't realize how many yellow clothes he had!
I'm going to Sabbath School and church today. Everyone stayed home with me last week. My spirits are better this week. I "feel" like being more social today.
My midwife will be here today to check me. I'm curious as to whether anything has changed or not. I haven't seen her in 2 weeks. I hope that I've progressed some. I'm so ready to be done with being pregnant.
As scary as labor and delivery can be... my attitude at this point is "BRING IT ON!". My mom has always told me that God does that on purpose. If we pregnant women were comfortable at the end of pregnancy we wouldn't have the courage to have our babies. I really believe that.
We're planning on going to a friends birthday party tonight. Its going to be nice to be out twice in the same day.
Strangely as the date appr0aches for me to be off bed rest, my contractions are fewer and farther between. I also can do a lot more before my uterus starts contracting. I may just make my due date 24 days from now.
I'm vain. I'm nervous about going to church looking and feeling like a beached whale. Rick tells me this is only temporary and that I look nice today. Boy, I hope he's right! I couldn't find but one of my three dress shirts today. Oh well... Blue shirt with a black skirt isn't the end of the world, right???
That's enough of my ramblings. I may post again if there has been any changes to my cervix.

Helping Mom with the Blog

Here I am "helping" mom update our blog. I love to sit on her lap and cuddle. Though, come to think of it... She really doesn't have much of a lap for me to sit on now. Hopefully that will be changing within the next few weeks.

What's on my head?

Aunt Alyssa was being

silly putting pants on

my head. Then she even

took pictures of it. Mom

thinks its pretty cute.

Don't you agree?

35 and a half week pictures

Week 35

Good Morning Family and Friends,
I reached 35 weeks yesterday. Supposedly baby is about 5.5 lbs and 20 inches long by now. I have 14 days of bed rest left. Praise God! The end is in sight for both of us!
I haven't had any time able contractions since Sabbath. That's good. This whole preterm labor thing seems to ebb and flow. I'm be fine for a number of days and then have contractions start for seemingly no reason. My midwife is very positive about making the first of April before delivering. Just to be on the safe side she is coming to my house for the rest of my appointments.
Rick started a temporary job in Tri-Cities yesterday. I think he like the work just fine but is hating the hour drive over and back each day. Driving has always been torturous for him:-(
Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Giggles with friends

My friend Tara brought her daughter over for awhile this week. Lucas was so thrilled. He's been missing being able to play with his friends. Tara took pictures of us in my round chair and then of the kids climbing in the stroller. They played together so nicely.

Week 34

Good Morning Family,

Well, I've reached 34 weeks 1 day. I have 20 days left to my target date of April 1st. Time seems to be moving faster now that I've adjusted to what I'm "allowed" to do. Still no massages or walks. I can do a little bit around the house. Changing diapers, folding laundry, bathing, and dressing Lucas.
I'm definitely catching up on my reading and "vegging" time. My sister Alyssa is helping me declutter and dejunk my house. I'm trying to be ruthless as we're probably moving within the next 2 months.
Rick has 4 dept. at the Naval Base in China Lake that are interested in him. He is flying down there on the 23rd for interviews. He'll be returning on the 25th. I suppose that's the time I need to be extra careful. I'll be the only licensed driver in my home. Rick's brother Reggie is moving out either the end of this week or the beginning of next. That back bedroom is the next area to tackle in organizing and dejunking.
I need to get the things that Jenilyn is storing together so she can pick them up next time she visits. I think that will be within the next few weeks.
We had a Realtor here to appraise our house yesterday and tell us what needs to be repaired before we list and hopefully sell our house. The main thing that needs to happen is to touch up the paint where its peeling.
Rick has been working really hard cleaning up the yard and carport in preparation for selling our house.
Anyway... Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

Love,

Rachel

Peek A Boo I see you

Peek a Boo! The Coat Closet is a Great Place to Hide!

Quick update week 33

Hello Again,

I saw my midwife today. She thinks that my cervix has stayed the same since I was admitted to the hospital a week and a half ago. No more progression. That's good. I'm still on bed rest but not quite so limited. I'm allowed to be up and about but am supposed to take frequent breaks. Thanks to mom, I'll be watching I Love Lucy for those breaks.
My midwife thinks I'll probably still have my baby early but maybe not until April. I guess time will tell.

Thanks for keeping us in your thought and prayers.

Love,

Rachel

My New Stroller

Grandpa and Grandma Drake gave me some money for Christmas. Daddy found this really neat double jog stroller on the Internet. Here I am both inside of it and underneath in the carry compartment. I really like this new stroller!

















Here I'm waving at Mommy.




















This gives you a better idea of where I was sitting in my stroller.

Week 33 update

Good Morning Everyone,
Yesterday I made an appointment to see a midwife friend of mine here in town. She checked my cervix and did another fetal fibronectin test. The test is supposed to 99% accurate as to whether or not you will give birth within the next two weeks.
Mine was negative and she didn't think that my cervix had changed based upon how the previous nurse had described its dilation. Thank you GOD! I still have to take it easy but am allowed to do more than I was doing. I can be a wife and mommy in a limited sense! Tomorrow I'll be seeing my regular midwife and will see what she thinks or if she agrees with my midwife friends.
Thanks for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. My target date is April 1st- 28 days- to keep Abriahna inside.
Love,

Rachel

Slept through the night

Hurrah!!
Lucas slept all the way through the night last night for the first time!
Some parents are blessed with babies who do that from the get go. Not me! He's 21 1/2 months old. It's the FIRST TIME! I thought something was wrong. It wasn't. In fact he crawled into our bed and is still sleeping. It's almost 8:00 AM.

Important pregnancy update

Hello All,

Some of you have probably heard this news- others maybe not. While in California last week with Lucas, I wound up in Doctors Hospital in Modesto with contractions 1-2 minutes apart. After several shots and three hours of observation the nurse was able to get them stopped.
Due to a negative fetal fibronectin test, I was allowed to come home to Washington the following day.
My mom and dad sent Alyssa with me. What a Godsend! I thought I'd just have to take it easy when I got home. But that wasn't the case. With my midwife's permission, I did a massage the following day while seated. I had contractions 2 minutes apart for over 6 hours. That happened even while taking medication to stop them. Finally by doubling the doses, taking an epsom salt bath and sipping some wine they stopped.
I'm on bed rest. My target date is April 1st. I only have 32 days left. If Abriahnna were born now, she'd more than likely be okay. But she'd have to spend a month in NICU.
I'm spending my days reading, croqueting, watching DVD's etc.
If any of you have the time I'd love to have you call just to visit. You wouldn't believe how boring being "queen bee" can be!
Any prayers for our little girl would be greatly appreciated. Every day she stay inside is one day we won't have to be in NICU in Spokane.

31 Weeks

Group Bath

Jadon helped me get clean. He soaped me down from head to toe!

Getting My Back Scrubbed

My Other Cousins joined in the scrubbing fun!

It sure was fun being the center of attention!

Footprints in ths Salt

I like to play with salt shakers. I learned about this at Pizza Hut. I was at my friend Alison's birthday party. There were cheese, salt, and pepper shakers. It's a lot of fun to shake it out.

I found the salt shaker at home. I completely emptied it on the table and on the chair.

Doctor office Modeling

This picture was taken about a year ago. I've modeled for Coffey Communications twice. This has just been published.