I know... it's been a LONG time!

So, I've been horrible about posting blogs. I have sat down and tried a few times, but the way our home computers are configured, photos are on one computer and it's difficult to do any "work" on that computer (the computer screen is our 50" television and cordless keyboard and mouse) and the upstairs computer has no photos. I will try to post pictures of Jake SOON, so many fun things have been happening since Christmas time. He is growing up so quickly and becoming a little boy. But I will have some time on my hands over the next few weeks because I will be on strict bed rest ... here is what is going on:

At 20 weeks I was diagnosed with Full Placenta Previa, which means the placenta is completely covering my cervix which makes it impossible to deliver naturally. There is a potential of bleeding and baby would have to be delivered early because the doctor does not want me to dilate (baby's head would be pushing down on the placenta and cause bleeding). I dilated 4 weeks early with Jake (although he was a week late ... but checked into the hospital at 4.5 cm). So, since 20 weeks I have been careful not to lift Jacob, my mom hired maids to come in and clean my bathrooms and vacuum my stairs. Nate has been going grocery shopping with me, helping me with carrying laundry, etc.

Yesterday, I was at my 26 week checkup and was giving a sample for the doctor and noticed a small amount of blood. I told the nurse and she told me to wait and she would come get me soon. But while in the waiting room, it continued to worsen. They asked me for another sample, but when I used the restroom, there was just too much blood and I yelled for help (more to the story, but I won't gross you out). They ended up calling an ambulance and I was transported to our hospital to hopefully get the bleeding under control.

Unfortunately, Nathan was at a work retreat at Lake Chelan for the night, so I called him and he made his way back home (6 hour drive due to construction and traffic). But good friends were able to take Jake to their home for the evening so my mom could meet me at the hospital. The bleeding did stop after a few hours and baby was monitored well with heartbeat and ultrasounds. Ultrasound concluded I still have FULL Placenta Previa and there is a small tear in the placenta which caused the massive amount of bleeding.

Good News: Baby is FINE
Bad News: The bleeding will most likely happen again and when it does, baby WILL HAVE to be delivered via c-section as soon as possible.

So, I am in the hospital until Wednesday (as long as there is no bleeding or spotting or contractions). I will be meeting with a neighboring hospital's surgeon and NeoNatal Specialist in the upcoming days to get aquainted with them and they will discuss proceedures if it becomes necessary. The hospital I am currently in (where I delivered Jacob) is not equipped for babies under 34 weeks. I have been receiving steriod shots to helps develop baby boy's lungs if he needs to come out early.

Here are the scenarios:

1. If I start to bleed again, I will be rushed over to another hospital for emergency c-section.
2. No bleeding or contractions and on Wednesday, I get released to go home but on STICT bed rest. Only in bed or bathroom for me. I have a fantastic mom's group that is rallying around me and will be doing shifts with Jake, not to mention my fabulous mom, supportive husband, and friends & family from Oregon.
3. If I start to bleed from home, 911 will be called and I will go in for c-section. I am not allowed to be alone at home due to the potential of too much blood loss.
4. No bleeding AT ALL throughout the rest of my pregnancy and I get to go ALMOST to full term. I will have a c-section at 36 weeks regardless. So, we will have a early baby either way.

But all is well, I am feeling good and being monitored frequently. Jake has been coming to visit me a lot and is handling mama being in bed very well. I will keep you all updated as well as get caught up on a few pictures of Jake and our adventures... like his new BIG BOY BED!! He loves it and is sleeping fantastic in it ... I was worried for nothing! :)

Thank you all for your support. All your messages, phone calls, texts, visits and flowers have been so appreciated.

With all our love,

The Connaway Family

PS. Still looking for a name for this new little bundle of joy. HELP PLEASE! Send me emails or leave comments if you have any suggestions.

So far our list consists of (and they aren't ones we are FOR SURE about)
1. Lucas Charles Connaway (Luke)
2. Colin Christopher Connaway
3. Ethan Charles Connaway

Merry Christmas!

 

Jacob opening his last day of the Advent Calendar…. he was sad to see it go, getting a chocolate everyday for a month isn’t too bad!

        

On Christmas Eve with daddy and grandma

Leaving Santa cookies & milk and carrots for the reindeer.

         

Coming downstairs Christmas morning (slept in until 9am)!

Hugging “DOOF” which is all snowmen in 2 year old language.

         

I guess Jacob was on Santa’s “nice” list because he got what he asked for, a foo-foo (choo-choo).

         

Opening our stockings from Santa at grandma’s house

          

Giving mommy and daddy gifts that HE picked out for us.   

 

Jacob had SO many presents for Christmas, he had a ton of fun opening all of them.  He had to take off the bows, ribbon and name tag before he carefully opened each gift. 

We set up his train set during his nap, he was so surprised when he came downstairs. 

Jacob has become a PRO at this puzzle, he puts it together in about a minute (and does it 30 times a day).   He is so proud everytime he finishes it, it’s so adorable to watch his mind work. 

Holiday Season Events

We went down to Astoria for Thanksgiving and had a great time visiting with family and friends.  Jake’s twin cousins, Whitney and Kennedy are getting so big – they will be 2 in February!  Maggie and Jerrod are doing well, they are living at the house in the country and Jerrod has been hard at work fixing it up.  Maggie is going to back school to get her transfer degree.  Chris is doing well, he is close to becoming a long shoreman, so we will be seeing more of him while he works the Ports in Tacoma and Seattle.  He will be traveling to New Zealand next year as well.

         

 

We took Jake to a Santa Breakfast again this year, he had a great time, LOVES Santa!  He will go right up to him and say hi and asks for a “foo-foo” (choo-choo).  Above Jake and I are in line to get breakfast, below is a picture of Mrs. Claus passing out candy canes.  There were several craft stations for the kids, face painting, dance floor and pictures with Santa (I need to scan in his Santa pictures soon).  

This is Jake’s 3rd year of picking out a Christmas tree, the last 2 years it has been snowing but this year it was just COLD!  We had a great time and had a wonderful visit from my best friend, Aunt Melissa.

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Jake’s face when he came downstairs after his nap and the tree was decorated.  He continues to call it “the pretty” every time we turn on the tree lights.

 

       

 

 

         

       

At Snowflake Lane in Bellevue with the Kilborn Family

         

Some of our holiday crafts!

Making sugar cookies with mom, he was such a great helper!

Decorating the cookies with sprinkles

Lots of sprinkles = Lots of love!

Mmmm… I did a good job!  Santa will be happy.

We took a 3 day trip down to Eugene, Oregon to visit family and friends.  Jacob did AWESOME, he of course loved all the attention but we had such a great time at everyone’s home for the holidays. Thank you, I wish we had more time to see people and to see you all longer.  Above is a picture of a “foo-foo” by Great-Grandma Abby for Jacob. 

Cracking up at Grandma and Great-Great Aunt Dottie

Jacob got a TON of gifts from everyone in Oregon, he is spoiled! Jake opened fun matchbox car stuff from Great-Uncle Mark.

 

Giving Abby some hugs and kisses.  Jake LOVES both of his glow in the dark etcha-sketches, he plays with them all the time!  And we turn on the animal nightlight each evening, he has so much fun watching all the animals go by.   Thank you Eugene Family!

 

 

           

         

Jake loves his bouncy ball, his cool car and ambulance and cuddles with his homemade blanket from Great-Grandma Jane each morning.  Thank you CG family!