A little downtown drama...

Ray calls me a little after 11 am today and says "I assume you've heard the news, I just wanted to call you and let you know I'm okay. I'm in level A." Glad he's okay... but what news? Apparently the Aero Med chopper crashed into the top of Spectrum Butterworth today. The pilot and passenger survived with only minor injuries (no patients, it was a training mission) but the top few floors of the hospital were evacuated. Traffic was re-routed, the emergency department was closed, and non-emergency surgeries were canceled. Check out some details HERE. Ray isn't usually at Spectrum Butterworth, but had to install a server today. Lucky him. The thing that gets me most right now is the fact that they were wheeling maternity patients and laboring mothers down to the Ford Fieldhouse at GR Community College and prepping a room for delivery there. There's something for the baby book. Yikes! Glad I'm not delivering today! So hospital staff had to move patients from the evacuated floors to an empty floor, and Ray ended up going down after work to help hang TVs for the patients on the peds unit from the 9th floor, moved to 5 south(now that all the biomedical equipment has been placed). He said the patients and their families were very appreciative (perhaps not so much the clinial staff, whose minds were most certainly focused elsewhere!). With the intermittent power losses, it was hot and sticky in the rooms. So he just got home at 9pm... nothing like a good 14 hour day. He's such a good guy.

Dr's Visit

Had a brief visit with OB this morning. Everything still looking good. BP is 116/72, weight up 16 lbs, baby's heartbeat in the 150s, and fundal height is at 31 cm/weeks while I'm actually at 29 weeks. All of these things are within normal range, so we're on track and I'm pleased. As is doc. Starting Lamaze classes tonight... we'll see how it goes!

29 Weeks...

Memorial Day weekend, and the weather is gradually warming. We had a fairly relaxed weekend. Saturday wasn't terribly productive, because my sciatic-type back pain returned and I was struggling a bit with the pain. Hadn't had that for several months (I didn't miss it!). Sunday I spent a few hours at work (I really needed a quiet morning to get some backlogged stuff caught up, and it saves me having to take some PTO). Then we had the Pools and my folks over for an evening barbecue. Weather was great, and so we finally got the opportunity to throw the ball around in the back yard. Kath & my mom also got a chance to feel baby kick after dinner. Today, Ray and I caught a matinee of the new Indiana Jones movie, and although this one required even more suspension of disbelief than the previous ones (they always do) - we found it thoroughly entertaining.

12 Weeks to go (maybe...)

I'm now in the 3rd trimester and looking about about 12 weeks until my due date. Time is really starting to fly now!

Last weekend, Ray and I drove out to see the family in New York, and Effie and Tara threw a spectacular baby shower. Lots of family came in from Massena too, and we all had a great weekend. It was so great to connect with everyone again (since we're going to miss our yearly camping trip to Massena, and Tara & Dave's Labor Day party this year).

I spent a little time with some of my friends from Capital Care Pediatrics on Friday. Ray went to the Rusty Nail for wings on Saturday, during the shower, ended up with a huge group of friends and family, and had a great time. The guys also went out to watch the races at Lebanon Valley in the evening, while most of the women went to the Racino in Saratoga. Tara and I spent the evening with the kids, and packing up all the generous gifts for baby after the shower. Tara ended up shipping them for us (so we wouldn't get inspected at the border) and it took 8 boxes! See how loved this baby is already, and no one has even met her!

On Mothers Day, we had breakfast with half the family, and then Ray & I packed up and checked out of the hotel (thanks again to Effie for that generous gift!). We spent the afternoon at Tara & Dave's, relaxing, playing ping pong and chatting. Baby was busy, and Tara got to feel a couple of good kicks. It was such a beautiful day! Mama's Pizza for lunch rounded out the gastronomic tour for Ray. We hit the road about 5:30 in the evening, destined for a stay at the Days Inn in Brantford, Ontario - where we've stayed many times since it's conveniently located at almost exactly halfway through the trip.

After about 6.5 hours of sleep (a bit less for me - I discovered many itchy mosquito bites as I tried to relax. Didn't even see those around the day before!) we hit the road again at about 7:30 and made it home before 1 pm, with a bit of a wait at the border (their computer systems had been down most of the weekend), and a stop for a second breakfast at Bob Evans (banana bread and hot chocolate for me! MmMmMM!).

Back to work on Tuesday! By Thursday all 8 boxes of gifts arrived (whew!) and I got two of them emptied last night, and a good start on the thank you notes. The baby's room really needs a dresser, and maybe some shelves, so we can start putting things away. Most of it is just going in the closet drawers for now, which is just fine. What fun to see a closet full of clothes!

Tomorrow, Ray and I are participating in the Stomp Out Stigma: Walk for Mental Health Awareness, representing my employer, Forest View Hospital. Should be great!

Ray's turn.

Ray first felt baby move one morning a week or two ago. I keep telling him he needs to be patient, and she's most active after I've eaten. So one morning, while Ray is in the shower, I run up and grab myself some chocolate milk and a banana, and crawl back in bed after those are gone. Baby wakes up and starts moving. When Ray comes to say goodbye before he heads off to work (as he does every morning, to me and baby - it's so cute!), he puts his cold hands on my belly and... *punch * punch* she gets him. Finally! He hadn't felt her since... but the night before we are to head off to our trip to New York, my mind is racing, and baby responds to my anxiety by moving a LOT. I'm feeling punches and kicks on both sides of my abdomen. Ray gets one of his best chances to feel her (repeatedly!) moving.