A few months ago I had told my girls to pick a date that they thought the baby would come and mark the calendar. I picked the 18th...for the reason that my due date was the same as Julia's (23rd), but she arrived on the 18th. So I just picked it again...little did I know I'd be right!! The week up to D day I had contractions all the time. It was very frustrating thinking "this is the day" EVERY day and then nothing. On the night of the 17th, nearing midnight I was having contractions yet again, they were about 8 mins apart average, so I was convinced it would happen soon. Andrew went to bed and I decided to stay downstairs and keep timing contractions which were still not very regular. I was able to fall asleep and started timing again around 6:30am and they were about 6 mins average but not too strong yet. I woke up Andrew around 8:30am because I had a little bleeding and the contractions were getting closer together under 5 mins. So I said it's time to go! Rudy came over to watch the girls and I texted my mom in San Diego to come up. We left the house at 9am and checked in the front at Rancho Springs Medical Center to do some paperwork. I was then sent to the hallway in front of Labor and Delivery when I was done and they told me to wait in the hallway till I was called. I think it was about 10am when nurse Debbie came out to inform me that they were still waiting on a LDR room for me. So I would be checked out in a postpartum room for now. I got changed and hooked up and they said I was 4cm, 70% effaced and -2 (baby lingo). I was surprised I only dilated 1cm since my appt on Monday. So Debbie said she would call my dr and see if he wanted to check me and decide if I would stay or not. My contractions were still under 5 mins and pretty strong. So I stayed there until Dr. Andersen came in around 11:45 when he checked me again and I was still at 4cm. He broke my water which was a surprise to me, but boy did that speed up the process. With each contraction it felt like a gallon of water was coming out, and yes it did get on the floor! In 45 mins I was at 7cms with contractions 2 mins apart and very painful! So it was around 12:50pm when Debbie came and checked me and said, ok, you are 9, we need to get you in the room for your epidural. Everything started happening very fast! They wheeled me out and I had to move onto a different table, then I had to sit up and hold VERY still for that huge needle in my back which was very scary, but I actually only had 1 contraction towards the very end. I was numb in just a few mins and they said I was ready to start pushing-it was 1:04pm. After about 3 sets of pushes, Joy Jaelle was born at 1:12pm! Labor sure does happen quickly the more kids you have. Jasmine was 8 hrs, Julia was 5, Jukie was 4 and Joy was an hour and half! She was 7.7lbs, 19inches long and perfect.

They cleaned up and gave me a tray of food. Asked if they could take Joy to clean her up and do vitals while I ate and rested. At about 5pm they came to move us to a postpartum room 133. I did have to share a room but they left 2 hrs later and that evening another pair came it. I didn't like the fact that Andrew couldn't stay since it wasn't a private room. So he left and I spent the night there with Joy. The new roomy's baby cried the entire time. haha. But it's not like you can get much sleep when every 1-2 hours a nurse comes in to check vitals and make us pee. The pediatrician on call came in at 8am and looked at Joy, said she looked great! I had breakfast and hung out.

Here's where the story gets crazy. At 11am after feeding Joy I noticed a few red dots on my stomach...I knew right away they were chicken pox! I informed my nurse and she called the pediatrician and my dr. They both said they would wait on what the other would say and that ended up taking ALL day for a result! But in the meantime, Nurse Lupe moved us to a private room which I enjoyed. Around 7pm Dr. Andersen came in and looked but couldn't for sure say if it was chicken pox and said to wait for the pediatrician. At 10pm I get a phone call from the pediatrician and she made me cry when she said she talked to the Infectious Disease Dr (Lee) and recommended that Joy be taken to the nursery away from me since I am presumed contagious. Ugh it was so hard to have my baby taken from me!! Then after 2 hours of waiting around for someone to come, they finally come in and tell me that they are trying to figure out where to put Joy since she can't go to the regular nursery with the other babies. They also tell me that I had to be moved to a negative pressure room/isolation so I don't infect other patients! A little while later they came in and said they are considering leaving baby in this room but didn't have staff to stay with her. Nurse Debbie asked if Andrew could stay with her. I was happy about that. So she left to ask and I got ready to be moved. She came back and said, "good news, bad news. Good news, daddy can go with mommy, but baby has to be moved to another hospital with a negative pressure nursery". They didn't even know where the nearest one was! I was emotionally drained so I didn't even cry. I just told Andrew to keep me posted. So via cell phone, he told me later that they weren't moving her and he was able to stay in the room with her! Thank GOD! So he had a unique experience being the only dad in a postpartum room! He even got food! haha.

So the morning of Monday, Dr. Lee came to finally diagnose me. And yes I had the chicken pox. The timing couldn't have been more difficult for what to do. If I got the rash a month ago, they would just say Joy would get some immunities but because I got it a day after delivery, it is the most dangerous time to get them for her sake. Dr Lee said they have a drug they could give Joy but they had to find it. It's called VZIG and the company that manufactures it stopped doing so. Later I get a text from Andrew and they said they found a different one called Vari-zig which can be administered up to 96 hrs after exposure and it had only been 48. I also got medication to help make the pox less severe (Valtrex), since in adults it can be dangerous. And Joy got the shot. It stays in her system for up to 3 weeks and helps prevent the pox from forming or making them less severe if they do. Otherwise 30% of babies die if nothing is done! I researched and know just how dangerous this situation can be. We are on watch over Joy now for a pox that does form. So we are praying and ask for prayers that she is spared.

So at 1pm, Monday the 20th we were able to leave together and go home. Unfortunately I was told I had to stay away from the baby till I was pox free, which is about a week. So Andrew has been doing it all, with the help of my mom too. I am so THANKFUL for my wonderful husband! He has been such a rock during this time. Not only is my postpartum well-being an issue, but the stress of it all doesn't help my recovery. But Andrew lets me sleep through the night and get as much rest as I can while I heal from the pox and delivery. He is the best dad and I am just so thankful God blessed us with him!!

I always see the lesson in things that happen and the only one I have come up with so far is that the new Maternity wing across the street from the hospital NEEDS to be opened. It's been delayed 7 months now and I pray it will open soon. All that drama with the negative pressure nursery, and they have one in the new wing! They also have an NICU and private rooms for postpartum which would've helped in my case by possibly avoiding infecting my other 2 roommates unknowingly.

As of now, the pox are starting to crust over and I'm starting to be less contagious. At one point we counted about 250 pox. It's still an average number, but they didn't seem as bad as I have read. I'm thinking the Valtrex has helped. With each day that goes by, it brings me that much closer to being able to hold my newborn again! It's a week of her and my life that I can't get back but I will make up for it. There was a point when I said I needed to have another baby to make up for it...how crazy I was!!

PS. I want to thank everyone for your well wishes, congratulations, sympathy, offers, hugs, texts, emails, FB messages! They truly touched us and meant a lot to just "read" from you!! God bless you all and take care!! Love you!!

So this past week I've had tons of contractions. Mostly at night but never regular. Each time I think "this is it!" But here I am still prego haha. They usually go away while I sleep, so I know if I can't sleep I'm ready.
Anyways, with each passing day I was getting frustrated. It was compounded with the feeling of helplessness at not being freely able to walk around my own home without pain! So I sit and watch all the baby tv shows and trauma shows till its time to go to bed. I still have major pain sleeping and esp getting out if bed to use the restroom in the middle of the night.
On Thu my mom took the girls for 2 days to the SD Fair and beach and came home day of 4th of July. On Fri I got some alone time with AV, went to Ihop which was a welcomed yet painful outing. Then decided to walk around Walmart in hopes of starting labor. But nothing except exhausted feet! So the plan was to go to the park to watch fireworks. Up till we left I really didn't want to go. But about an hour before showtime we went. Thank God for parking! He is looking out for me! But that walk to where everyone was made me cry once I got there! So I sat in my captains chair. With my pillow and was there till we left at 1030. I was glad I went cuz I missed everyone and adult interaction.
So today was my dr appt. I woke up with major leg pain. First thing I did was took Tylenol and then went downstairs. I was at my wits end feeling depressed about my whole imobility situation. Wanting to do chores instead of sit. But then after a few hrs and a few prayers my day turned around! My leg pain was barely there, just uncomfortable from baby weight. So I was able to clean the kitchen. Haha and that really made me happy! I felt a renewed spirit and outlook. And I have to credit God for that! Always looking out for me and giving me hope! So I went to my weekly dr appt in a cheerful mood. Walking ok. Hoping I dilated but dr said still at 1cm and baby still high up. But it didn't make me feel bad. I am on such a positive high its great! I am able to get around more but I know when to rest. Plus watching Trauma in ER makes me thankful for my situation. God won't give me more than I can handle! I am going to take it day by day and enjoy it and stop trying to rush which is what's making me anxious.
Oh, quick note...Andrew has shingles! yay for me! Now I have to worry about chickenpox and my and the baby's health. I need to call the dr tomorrow...will keep posting! Until next time...

Last Monday, June 22, I was walking around my kitchen/dining room and slipped on a placemat that was on the floor and basically did the splits and felt this stabbing pain in my groin area...have you ever slipped on ice and tried to keep your legs together? I did that snowboarding once, but it didn't hurt THIS bad! It's because I already have pelvic pains due to the pregnancy and so that didn't help. Just when I was starting to feel much better too!! So for the past week I have put myself on "bed rest", it's actually "couch rest" since I spend most of my day downstairs. The first night I was unable to even go up the stairs to my bedroom, so I spent the night on the couch and that was very uncomfortable! My back hurt, my pelvis hurt, my leg fell asleep, but I didn't! I think I finally sat up at 6:30am after enduring it for about 5-6 hours. So the next few days I was walking to and from the bathroom using my kitchen step stool as a walker. It helped me get around but then my palms started getting sore from the stool handles. I have been using my maternity belt around my hips to kinda hold them in place. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Soon I will wear out the velcro on it cuz I have to take it off when I sit or it just compresses everything down "there". I wanted to get as much rest that week since that following Saturday was the girls' piano recital and our friend's children's birthday party. By then I was no longer using the step stool but still in a lot of pain walking. Tylenol has become a staple in my diet, next to fruits and veggies. Saturday came and I was feeling just ok. I got dressed as soon as I woke up so I won't have to go back upstairs and off we went. That day just happened to be the warmest day of the whole month of June so far! Luckily we were able to get front row parking at the Library where the recital was being held. I made it to the room and immediately sat down. Once the recital started I noticed I was starting to get hot flashes...I get those frequently now out of the blue. I started fanning myself. As the recital continued I was starting to get increasingly hotter and irritated and my butt was hurting from the hard seats. I started getting teary eyed at being so uncomfortable but had to just tough it out till all was done. It was about an hour long. Come to find out the A/C was not working!! Everyone was allowed to walk around and start getting their plates of food afterwards. I just kept telling Andrew I'm hot and couldn't move. I started feeling light headed and dizzy. Andrew and my mom started fanning me. I was able to drink some cold punch and that seemed to help. Again I was teary-eyed at how uncomfortable I was feeling. Finally I started feeling better. I put some food in my stomach and after a little while we left. We went straight home and there I was back on my favorite couch to relax. I stayed there the rest of the day and evening. We never made it to the park for our friend's party, but then again it was about 97 degrees outside. Sunday I skipped church and just relaxed.
Today, Mon June 29 (which is our 15 year anniversary of when we first met), I went to my 36.4 week check up this morning. Oh my gosh was that a PAIN...literally...For some reason, my hip/pelvic/groin pain seemed to be a lot worse today. I got the girls up and dressed so they can go to their uncle's house. And was teary eyed yet again just getting into the van driver seat! UGH! How painful it was to gas and break! So I didn't even get out of the van when I dropped them off. I let them out and had them run to the front door themselves and off to the dr I went. Of course the only parking was the last row the farthest away from the entrance! I limped, hobbled, wobbled my up as quickly as possible so I could go and sit down. They checked my blood pressure, which didn't raise flags but I am sure it was elevated at this point. They took my weight, which darn it, I gained another 4 lbs in 3 weeks! So I hit the 29 lb mark...still good but it should be slowing down now. I went to the room and got prepared for the internal exam. heh heh. Not fun. So I mentioned to the dr that I slipped and he pretty much ignored me! So I'm left to grin and bear it till the baby is born. Hopefully it'll be back to normal afterwards, but from what I read it can take month and in severe cases, years to be pain free! So the dr checked and I'm only 1cm. Nothing changed. He said he felt the baby's head but that it's still pretty high. Meaning she's not making her way down yet. All this week I have been playing the "guess that bump" game to figure out if she was head down or not. If she wasn't (and was breech till labor) I would have to have a cesearan and I really don't want that. Talk about prolonged healing. I have enough problems in that department! So now I have another appointment for the following week to be checked again. To help make labor start we are supposed to walk...HAHA. How funny and ironic huh? So now I am not even sure if she will be as early as my last (which was 10 days), since I can't do much to help labor along. So all I can do it pray!
Alright, time to eat and then go back to my favorite couch again. This computer chair is hurting my bum!! Until next time...

I'm at week 34! I had my dr's appt on Monday. I gained 3 lbs in the past 3 weeks. Which is normal. I've already gained 25lb. Normal is 25-35 so I'm right on track! I'm happy. Obviously if I gain too much I'll have that much more to lose later. I'm so excited to meet this baby! She has been kicking up a storm lately! It's stretching my skin that's the worse part. I told the dr about the pelvic pain I've been feeling. It's been kinda bad lately, making it difficult to walk, climb stairs and even to drive cuz it requires me to lift my leg. He told me it's normal relaxing of the ligaments in preparation for the baby. I should keep my feet up, take hot baths at the end of the day and take extra strength tylenol. Oh and to wear sneakers!? Sneakers?! I can barely see my feet let alone put on and tie sneakers! lol. I've just been wearing flip flops and that's what I'm sticking with. haha. (sorry doc). He scheduled me for 3 weeks at which time he'll check internally and see if I'm dilating. Then every week after that till delivery! yikes! It's all coming up so fast! But I can't wait! I already washed the baby clothes, she's got tons! If you now how small newborn clothes are, just imagine filling a regular washing maching just about full, that's how much I had to wash. That did include the baby swing cover, the bouncer cover and any swaddling blankets. I vacuumed the baby's room and organized it. It's ready for my baby shower gifts from this upcoming Sunday. I can't wait to sit and visit with everyone. Oh and this is the last week of school. Only 2 more half days after today and that's it! I'm happy cuz like I said driving just hurts. Plus I can sleep in and put the girls to WORK to keep the house clean! So I'm hoping to update this every week until delivery. I'm estimating 5 weeks left to go! Let the countdown begin!

Be careful what you wish for...I was re-reading what I wrote and said I hope the baby gets in a head down position and stays there...blah blah blah...and now quite a few people have said it looks like the baby's dropped and I have been feeling a lot of uncomfortable pain "down there" when I walk. So maybe she has dropped and now I'm wishing she hadn't yet. Haha. I've been ready that it usually doesn't happen till further along, so I'm wondering if this is an indication of an early delivery? As long as God's in control He can do whatever He likes haha.

On another note...I have been thinking about enrolling Jukie in preschool...I was really all set to enroll her and started asking around for pricing info. It's not cheap. And although we'd have help from both grandparents, I did stumble upon a website listing whether preschool was even necessary. So now I'm looking into NOT enrolling her and just teaching her at home. I just get afraid that, especially when the baby comes, that I won't be able to "handle" it as consistently. But then again, I would've only enrolled her 2 days a week...so besides the social part, I probably COULD handle that! Haha. It's also because her 2 sisters had been enrolled and even had their pre-k graduation ceremonies etc...but if I don't enroll Jukie, then I won't enroll the baby too and they can both be equal with that. haha. It's all about equality! Yeah, the thought of paying $458 a month for only 2 days a week is kinda ridiculous. Especially in this economy. I read that if it's a social thing I'm looking for, that I can always find a drop in class or even just play dates with other stay at home moms. Jukie already has class exposure every Sunday at church and Wed. at her Awana class. And that is the difference from her sisters. Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcomed! I'm going online to see if there's a curriculum I could follow at home. Now I'm getting excited! haha

Oh man, it's been WAY too long since I updated this thing. I really hope our "baby J" doesn't get mad that I have no prego journal of her...but it's all good I'll try to update right here. So I can't believe I'm in my last trimester already. Over the past 2 weeks I've started to feel "really" pregnant. It's hard to get comfortable at night. My favorite position is on my green couch with a pillow behind my back and my feet up. It's even more comfy than my bed upstairs! I just may have to start sleeping upright or downstairs in the last few weeks...ah the "last few weeks"...it's hard to imagine this is it. Like when my friend Cheryl was saying that her 14 month old baby is growing too fast, I really want to let it all sink in as this pregnancy comes to an end. This may very well be the last time to experience creating and growing life inside my body!! What an amazing gift it's been to have this opportunity. And I do have to admit that it took a few weeks for it to sink in and to accept it. But now, I wouldn't change it for anything! I'm overjoyed at the thought of meeting this new little person in my stomach...I just pray pray pray to God that I am the best mom I can be for her and my other 3 girls...I'm also praying that I have a place to deliver her. As of right now, the new hospital isn't opened yet. I am looking forward to the new labor and delivery rooms they boast about at Rancho Spring Medical Center. So I pray that they open up in time for me to have her. Plus they will have a NICU just in case...but I won't dwell on that.
So anyways, I have already gained 22 lbs this pregnancy. I'm actually happy with how my body is coping with this pregnancy. I just hope it bounces back afterwards! lol. I gained about 30 with my last pregnancies too. I did start off heavier this pregnancy than with my other ones and before I had kids I was about 20 lbs lighter. So over the ten years of having kids, I have KEPT 20 of the baby weight lbs. Watching The Biggest Loser on tv is motivating!!

Oh man, i'm having a Braxton Hicks contraction as I type this...ugh! They are getting more frequent and more uncomfortable. They just take your breath away! So...oh last month I took my 1 hour glucose test. I had to fast for at least 8 hours and have my blood drawn. Then I had to drink this orange soda stuff and wait for an hour and then have my blood drawn again. The 2nd time the nurse/dr/person tried to draw it from the same vein (so as not to have too many holes in my arms...)and OUCH!! Not good. She ended up doing it on my other arm anyways. Results came back good, no gestational diabetes. Thank God! I got a list of what to pack for my hospital bag and started it last week. I'm still not done cuz I know I'll have time on D-Day to pack the rest. Packing is so exciting! haha. I have started to feel a lot hotter lately. The weather has been nice, about upper 70's to 80's. But I do remember coming home and the house feeling like an oven and snapping Andrew's head off about it! Poor guy. I hope it's a mild summer this year!

So far the baby has been VERY active! I can't tell if she's head down yet. I hope she gets and stays that way soon. I really want a vaginal birth again. It's just such an amazing experience. Even with all the pain and the tireness and waiting and epidurals, the labor is my favorite part because it all comes to a head...literally...haha...when we meet our baby for the first time. It just makes all the pain and suffering worth it! It completes the whole pregnancy experience ya know? Last time I almost didn't get an epidural so this time I am hoping that I make it to the hospital with enough time that they don't have to scare me by saying, "i don't think you'll get one in time". UGH! I can do anything with an epidural!! Anywho, my next dr's appt is June 8, about a week from now. Until now, I have been seen every 5 weeks. And now he bumped it up to 3 weeks. I'm thinking at the next appt he'll move it to every 2 weeks...ahh!! I think it'll go by fast. So yeah, I need to keep savoring each moment. Like the next 2 weeks are the last days of school!! I'm very happy with the timing of everything with this pregnancy. 2 more weeks is probably all I can handle with driving and getting up and driving. So then I get a month off to just relax until baby comes. And to get things ready. My baby shower is in 2 weeks. After that I can really start nesting. Although I have the crib and carseat ready. I will need to wash some clothes and get the baby room set up. Setting up and organizing can be so much fun! I have a crib for the master bedroom and a Pack and Play for downstairs. I brought out a box of newborn stuff. I really think I have all I need! They are SO TINY!! I can't believe my other 3 girls were ever that small!!

Oh yeah, one final note. We picked a baby name! It's very simple for a first name. It does start with a J. The middle name is not Disney, but it's from the bible (which has more meaning) AND it does end in "elle" like her sisters. I'm glad that Andrew and I are in agreement with it. We only know of 1 person who has this first name and they are not close to us or our family, so still our baby J will have a somewhat uncommon name. I think the way I came up with the first name is seeing this J person and thinking what a cute J name! haha. As for the middle name. I had considered it because of the meaning and then Andrew's dad kinda brought it up and that's when we decided to get creative with it and use it as a middle name. So it all fits and works out nicely. We hope she will love her name as much as we love it! Can't wait to meet you baby J!!

Ok, So I'm a bit of a tv junkie. Do you blame me? There are just way too many cool shows out there! I just wanted to list all of my current DV-R'd favorites and see if anyone is paying attention. I'm getting upset because some of my shows are overlapping and this hasn't happened before!! And of course these shows aren't being shown online. So I have to actually CHOOSE between them. It's terrible! Well at least I don't watch SOAPS anymore!! WHEW! If you happen to watch any of these, let me know so we can chat about it on Facebook, my link is above...

1. Smallville -(after a few seasons hiatus, I think I came back at a great time!)
   
2. Heroes
3. Fringe
4. LOST
   
5. CSI-Las Vegas - (final season, I miss Gil, Sara & Warrick)
   
6. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (can't wait for Terminator:Salvation)
   
7. Battlestar Galactica - (final season, so sad)
8. ER - (final season, too many finales!)
9. The Office
10. Survivor:Tocantins
11. The Mentalist
12. Hell's Kitchen
13. Ghost Whisperer
14. Medium
15. The Bachelor (Jason Mesnick)
16. America's Next Top Model
17. The Amazing Race
    
18. Top Chef
19. The Biggest Loser: Couples (my first season, I'm hooked...which isn't hard to do)
20. American Idol (I hate starting this!)
21. America's Best Dance Crew
22. So You Think You Can Dance (Still the best talent contest out there!)
23. Tool Academy (why!?)
24. The Hills
25. The City (Whitney Port, Mtv)
26. Project Runway
27. Real Housewives of O.C.
28. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (I cry all the time)
29. True Beauty