We've Made Progress

The good news is that we made it to 34 weeks! That was the BIG goal the Dr. set for us after we had to go to the hospital a few weeks ago! He said that if they gave us the steroids, they would have the maximum effect by 34 weeks. So, the steroids have done their work! And, by the feel of these kicks, I believe it! haha Our next goal was to make it to next Friday for our next Dr.'s Appointment! However, Malachi seemed to have some different ideas.

Yesterday morning around 3:30 I woke up with more bleeding. I hollered at Thomas and told him it was time to go again. We called the Dr. and the parentals to let them know what was going on and it was off to BSA we went. We were put into triage room 1 by 4:15 and immediately placed on the monitors again. Of course, Malachi's heartbeat sounded perfect, as it always has, and his little hiccups sounded adorable!! However, around 5:00, I began experiencing contractions. After about 30 minutes of little ones, they started to get bigger and bigger. The nurses came in, put me on an IV to make sure that I wasn't contracting because I was dehydrated and told us that if I was in labor, they probably weren't going to do anything to stop it. On one hand, we were a little nervous because we know it's still early. However, we knew that Malachi would be OK if he were born, so we actually started to get our hopes up that it might be the day we would meet our son. They finally checked my cervix around 10:00, after several good hours of contractions and said that I had dilated to a 3 and was 60% effaced. Then, around 11:00, they came in and decided to try to stop my labor. I got ANOTHER shot of Tributylene and it seemed to slow things down a little. Finally, around 1:30, they said that the big contractions had pretty much stopped, so they sent me home.

It was really hard to go through the anticipation that we might get to meet our son and then have it stopped so abruptly. We're glad that he's still in there, but we got really down last night because we didn't expect to leave the hospital pregnant. However, Thomas got up and put Malachi's new stroller and swing together that Mimi, Doffy and Taffy got us and that was a LOT of fun! The swing has already found a home in the living room and we have even packed the new diaper bag that we got for the hospital. We've been given some really cute preemie clothes from a friend (hopefully we won't have to use them) and Lolli and Pop bought Malachi his "going home outfit" last week! We have our mum made, our special t-shirts are here, the bags are packed, the carseat is ready to go and we are only waiting on the big day! The Dr. told us that at 5 centimeters he would break my water, and we're already at a 3, so we don't think it'll be TOO much longer.

We're so ready to meet our little boy! Just keep praying that God will keep His protective hand over us and Malachi!

Malachi's Hospital Mum

We've Reached ONE Goal!!

Today marks 33 1/2 weeks!! Last Wednesday we set the goal of getting to this Wednesday and we MADE IT!!! We went back to the Dr. today and he said the baby is measuring right where he should and his sweet little heartbeat was right on target! Dr. Hopkins is estimating that Malachi weighs right around 4.5 pounds which, if we made it to term, would mean he would be right at 8 pounds!! That would make Daddy VERY happy...haha! We're pleased with his development and we KNOW that God knows what He's doing!

Last Monday was kinda scary...Starting at about 5:15 I started having contractions and had pretty decent contractions until about 8:15, and then they just STOPPED. We were a little scared, but once they stopped, it was a BIG relief.

Malachi has also started an interesting habit. Everyday he gets the hiccups AT LEAST 3 or 4 times a day. In fact, today he had them 3 times between 4 and 7pm. It's absolutely hilarious to watch my tummy jump around like I ate Mexican jumping beans for lunch! But, it's very reassuring to feel them because he usually gets mad and starts REALLY moving around when he's had them for a few minutes! My little nephew, Karter, (who is 3, and really isn't my nephew, but for all intensive purposes, is...) put his hand on my tummy the other day and got to feel them and he thought it was hilarious!

Well, I guess that's all we have to update y'all on for now. Thomas is doing a GREAT job taking care of me and I am VERY thankful for him and all that he is to me and Malachi! He's been running back and forth from my job getting me projects and running me to the Dr. and running me here and there and working and keeping the laundry going and keeping the house cleaned up...he's incredible!!

Our next Dr.'s appointment is Friday, May 2nd and we'll be ALMOST 35 weeks by then, so that's our NEXT goal! Just pray that we make it that far and then we'll set another goal!

Our love to you all!

P.S. Enjoy the newest slideshow. It's pictures of my mom working on Malachi's mum for his hospital door...and then we'll hang it in his room since it matches!

Dr.'s Appointment!

We went to the Dr. today and got what WE consider to be really good news! They officially checked the position of the placenta one more time and we are OUT OF THE WOODS!!! The placenta is plenty high enough so as not to prevent a regular delivery, so that is GREAT! My cervix is obviously a little thin, but we knew that. The Dr. said he thinks I'll at least make it until 34 weeks (another week and a half) but if I can make it to 35 or 36 weeks, he'll be thrilled! So, for right now, we are setting short-term goals for ourselves. If I can make it to next Wednesday, our next Dr.'s appointment, I'll be 33 1/2 weeks. Then, we'll set another goal from there!!

We had a shower scheduled for next Sunday at church, but that's been changed to a "table shower" where everyone will bring gifts and leave them on a specially designated table for us. And, it looks like we'll have to wait on my big family shower until AFTER Malachi gets here. But, that's not the first time a baby has attended his/her own shower and it'll just give everyone more to say AWWWW about, I guess. It's a little disappointing that we're not able to have the "typical" experience of showers and stuff like that, but it's funny how your perspective changes when it comes to the well-being of your child!! Each day he stays in is less time he'll have to spend in the NICU so the longer we make it, the happier we'll ALL be!! We just feel blessed to have made it THIS far!

Back to BSAsics

Yesterday meant April 13th to most people. For the Allen family, it meant yet another trip to BSA. We're getting to be regulars around there! Saturday was pretty active in the life of Malachi's womb, and mommy and daddy felt like a trip to the hospital was imminent. Saturday night, between bathroom trips, hiccups (Malachi, not mom) and tossing and turning due to hot flashes, neither Mommy nor Daddy got much sleep. Sunday morning, Mommy got up and took a bath, did her makeup, styled her hair and Daddy got up and got ready to help Pop and Uncle Logan mow. Mommy went to Lolli's house so she wasn't at home alone, and it's a good thing. Around 1:00 contractions started coming and the family was back at the hospital by 2:00. After 1 shot didn't work, they gave Mommy ANOTHER shot, which not only helped to stop the contractions, but made Mommy feel like she was on Crack! Finally, around 5:30, we got to go home with strict instructions that if contractions started again, or any other problems arose to head right back up to the hospital. Thankfully, Mommy hasn't dilated anymore, so it looks like the contractions she's been having haven't been working!

Thanks to everyone for the prayers and calls! Just keep praying that Malachi stays in for a while!!

Bedrest Sucks!

We officially made it through our first full day of bedrest yesterday! YEA US! Poor dad is running himself ragged trying to keep everything going around here. He got up yesterday morning, took care of me, cleaned up a little around the house after our hasty getaway on Monday, ran to work for a few hours yesterday afternoon, bought groceries, came home last night, set up my wireless internet router and DIED around 9:30. Please be praying that God will continue to give him energy and keep his spirits up during this time! It can't be easy waiting on me hand and foot constantly (I should know, I've done it for 25 years! haha) He's doing great though!

My parents brought dinner over last night, and my mom helped do a little laundry, dishes and helped me organize the baby's clothes in the armoire! Actually, she did it while I sat there watching. She brought over dinner for tonight already. I think Thomas' mom is making us "something Italian" this weekend. And no, that doesn't mean she's making us something Italian. That's actually what the dish is called. So, needless to say, Little Malachi isn't going to be going hungry! haha

As far as things go with him, I haven't had any major contractions (maybe 2 or 3 all day yesterday!) And...relatively speaking, those weren't even REAL contractions. They're just annoying. He's moving all over the place, so much so that it kept me awake last night for a while, but that's a good feeling! We have our next Dr.'s appointment next Wednesday at 9:00 and we're hoping that I won't have dilated any further by then. So, just keep praying that God will keep our precious son in the womb for at LEAST another 3 weeks. The longer he stays in, the better off we'll ALL be!

Love to you all

Greetings from Contraction Land!!!

Hey guys...

The blog is likely to be updated a little more often for a while!! I have officially been put on bedrest, and right now I am at Baptist St. Anthony's hospital watching the contraction monitor go up and up and up, and then coming back down...a little...and then going back up and up again!!! Thomas and my mom are busy watching the monitor and telling me what's going on!! Oh well...what else are they gonna do???

For those of you who don't know, I was admitted to the hospital Monday morning at 4:07am with more bleeding and contractions. They have been working, working, working at getting my contractions stopped. First it was shots of Tributylene, but those have ceased working. Now, we're taking the pill form. The pill form is supposed to last somewhere around 4 hours...and I just took my first, so we'll see!!! You know, I know there are women hitting the 100s in labor right now, but that still doesn 't seem to be helping me deal with the every 30 second 40s and 50s I'm getting!! Oh well!! Right now I'm just more annoyed than hurting!!

I'll keep everyone posted and we'll post some pictures of our new home REAL soon!!

Love y'all
Thomas, Jamie and Malachi!!!

More Updates!

We spoke to the Dr. yesterday and he seems to think that everything is still okay. Without getting into the details (since most of y'all don't really want to know THAT much,) the farther along I get, the more my body will shift and the more Malachi will start to move down into "locked and loaded" position. Since the placenta is kinda low, it sometimes causes it to tear a little and this can cause bleeding. As long as the bleeding stops, and there are no other signs of labor, my Dr. said everything should be fine. The good news is that we are out of the "danger zone" as far as Malachi is concerned. He should be somewhere around 4 lbs by now and around 16 inches long. Although this is still little, and he needs to stay in and "bake" a little while longer, he would definitely be able to make it after a stay in the NICU. So, even though we REALLY want him to stay in at LEAST another 6 weeks or so, it's a relief to know he would make it should something terrible happen (God Forbid)!!! We go in for a sonogram in another 2 weeks and I should be right around 32 weeks! ONLY 10 WEEKS TO GO!!!!

Updates

If we had written this post yesterday or last night, it might have been drastically different. We went to the Dr. again on Monday and they measured us and checked Malachi's heartbeat! We didn't get to actually see the Dr. (he had a delivery...and one day that will be us) but his head nurse told us everything looked great and sounded great. They scheduled us for a Dr.'s appointment on April 16th for a sonogram to make sure everything's still going well. So, off we went for the next 2 days, thinking everything was great! However, last night around midnight, I woke up bleeding. We were very scared, but the bleeding stopped as soon as it started, and I haven't had any contractions/pain/discomfort. Malachi's moving as we speak. So, I've called the Dr. to get in to see him TODAY just to MAKE sure that everything is okay. Please be praying that everything with Malachi is okay.

Thomas did get to "pack my bag" last night, which was kinda fun...haha. So, we've figured out exactly what else we need to get to pack. As soon as we get done at the Dr. today we'll be picking up some necessities for my bag.

In the meantime, we had a GREAT Easter. The pictures on here are courtesy of Jordan and Jennie and we thank them for sending them to us! Saturday night before Easter at the Amarillo Club was a BLAST!! Me and Malachi even got to dance with Dad, so that was VERY special!! Easter Sunday, even though it was cold and dreary, was special and we all ATE AND ATE AND ATE!!! So, after Dinner Saturday and lunch Sunday, Malachi must have put on about 10 pounds...haha, I wish!

Well, as soon as we get news about what's going on, we'll let everyone know - Just PRAY...it's TOOO EARLY!!