Bed Rest

No pictures for this one either! Who is writing this blog? I'll see if Russ can take a shot of Blessing and I today (we are at 34 weeks!!!!), and I'll post them later... But for now, here's my scoop:

I have been quite sick this past week. I’ve been in bed for much of the week coughing etc. During that time, I really felt that Blessing had changed positions and headed a little south. This was confirmed at my midwife appointment this Wednesday. Although it was lovely to hear that I am in tune with my unborn child, my midwife was not too pleased. Apparently, with my history, with second (third, etc) children, and my very bad cold, I am now in a risk category of having a preterm baby. It appears that second (etc) children indicate their arrival by engaging. For a first born to engage early is okay, for others, it is more serious. Blessing is not “fully engaged,” but is aprox. ½ engaged in my pelvis. So, my midwife has put me on a moderate bed-rest schedule. As of today, I am 34 weeks pregnant. My midwife would like for me to keep the baby on the inside until 37 weeks at minimum. I would like to keep Blessing inside for even longer than that – like into December…

Robynn is going to become a handful and very good at reciting all of the Disney movies my Mom has purchased! Thankfully, we still have her enrolled in preschool/daycare twice per week, and Russ takes Mondays off to bring her to Wee College. But the poor girl is so in need of a good, all-out run! Playdates are still possible - give me a shout so we can arrange something for my stimulus deprived child.

Your prayers and well wishes, as always, are most welcome.

Pumpkins and Cutie Pies

In typical Reid fashion, we were making dinner, putting on Robynn's costume, and carving pumpkins only minutes before our first trick-or-treater rang our doorbell.

Fortunately for us the cuties that rang were the very same friends Robynn was trick-or-treating with!

I'm sure I've said it before, but I'll say it again: we live in such a great community! Robynn started the evening with Ella and Lynn, but at the first house picked up her friends Sebastien and William, followed shortly thereafter by Sophie! We let all the parents tag along as well.




Fun was had by all! Even though the parents kept checking to see if correct manners were used. Ella's Daddy, Blair, didn't get a "Thank You" from Robynn, but said that "Wow, it's Mr. Blair!" worked for him! Isn't it neat to know so many of your neighbours!

Robynn hauled in a lot of loot, and our neighbour, Ali, gave me a great idea. She lets her boys choose a predetermined amount of their candy, then they have to hand the rest over in return for a toy. Russ and I made this proposal to Robynn and she was all for it! So, Robynn choose five pieces of candy and exchanged the rest for Disney's Pocahontas. Robynn has been waiting to see this movie for a very long time (to a four-year-old that is!).

M-Dolla

The Material Girl was here in Vancouver!!!!!! And Jess and I had floor seats. We were VERY CLOSE to the stage, and it was awesome. Okay, waiting TWO HOURS for Miss Madge to show was a little tedious, but overall it was worth it.

Madonna is an icon, one that I've followed since my own material days in the eighties! I'm pretty sure I still have the album, yes album, of Like a Virgin - can you believe our parents let us buy something titled Like a Virgin!!! I'll have to remember that later when Robynn asks for something outrageous. Or not!

The concert was good. My favourite songs were the rocker version of Borderline and the deconstructing of her old selves in She's Not Me. As one reviewer put it - it was Madge-ic.

Pneumonia

After a long wait for the doctor this afternoon - 2 hours - our doctor diagnosed Robynn with the early stages of pneumonia. (One of the clinic doctors was absent today, so the others had extra people to see). Actually, Robynn fell asleep in my arms in the waiting room. It was kind of nice, even though we weren't at home. She's on antibiotics now, and we are hopeful that she will recover quickly.

Actually, I have had A LOT of cuddles today. When she wasn't sleeping, she insisted I watch movies with her. I was, fortunately, able to read a book while she curled up to my big belly. I turned my bedroom into a comfortable space for her - I even brought up the little 15 inch TV we keep in the closet! Rubbing Vics Vapo-Rub on her chest brought back memories of when I was sick and my Mom would take care of me. Robynn was full of smiles when I explained this little tradition. Being a mother is pretty cool - even in the sick times.

My Baby is Sick

So sick. It just kills me to watch her in pain. Robynn has had a runny nose for a bit now, and we honestly thought she was kicking whatever it was that she had, but yesterday she was running a bit of a fever, and last night developed a nasty cough.

I tend to get up quite a bit in the night: a 33 week baby bouncing on your bladder will do that... As well, leg cramps are NOTHING to sneeze at! But last night, after going to bet tooooo late, going to the bathroom a couple of times, getting out of bed to try and get rid of the leg cramp from you know where, my Robynn came coughing and crying into our bed. Russ got her some Tylenol, and she was eventually able to fall asleep. Her sleep was so wracked with pain, coughing, and fever that, although she slept until almost 10, it really wasn't a restful sleep.

This morning we headed to the pharmacy - where I discovered that my daughter is no longer an infant (as far as Tylenol is concerned), and now she is a "children." After one dose of "Children's Tylenol" she passed out on my bed. We have Dr. appointment this afternoon. I'm sure she's just got a virus, but I'm her Mum, and I worry.

Russ has asthma, and with the wheezing that she's been doing for the last 12 hours or so, I'm on hyper alert for any signs of asthma in her. So, prayers for my Baby, that she would get better, that this is only a virus, that she be in less pain... would be so very appreciated.

Pumpkin Patch '08

This year, I decided to get together a group of friends go head to the Pumpkin Patch BEFORE it got too yucky to have fun (okay, really I do it for the pictures). It was such a beautiful sunshiny day! Robynn and I were joined by Miss Tammy and Kai, Miss Joanne and Sophie, Miss Leah, Matthew and Michael, and Miss Jude & Mr. Rob and Anna and Chloe. Miss Jude & Mr. Rob even brought MORE friends that we were so excited to see: Joelle and Nate!

The kids had a lot of fun: playing in the play-garden/farm, watching the emu (but not too close - he bites!), running races around the tractor circle, riding the circle, going into the TeePees, maze, and fantasy forest - and of course picking out pumpkins! I hope you enjoy these pictures at least half as much as we enjoyed our day.

Playdates

Playdates keep make the world a happy place. At least they make my world very happy! Robynn has had such a busy month and scheduled time with her buddies just make her... well... HAPPY!

On October 8, we met our great friends Miss Lynda, Joelle, and Baby Susanna Kate at McDonalds in Coquiltam. The girls got to run and jump and scream - but mostly they played Family, taking turns deciding which baby was going to "spit up" - too funny! I guess that's what happens to your play time when you are influenced by a real baby in your home.

The next day, Robynn and I had Kai and Miss Tammy over for lunch. The girls had a lot of fun, and we even got to go for a scooter/bike ride and walk to the Fraser.

You know, one of the best things about playdates: I get to sit and chat with awesome people while my daughter plays with her bestest friends!

So, who's up for a playdate?