Baby Hope Update - STILL HOME

Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 - 35 weeks & 3 days pregnant
(10:03pm)

Hello Family & Friends,

Well, the good news is Hope is still doing GREAT hanging out inside her lil hot tub-and we're ok! Things are still the same. I've been having the same intense time able contractions every night since Wednesday, but no further progress (no worse/no better). We went to our scheduled doc appointment today at 3pm. We were fully prepared with bags in car (for all of us), picked up Hayes from school to come with us, had Grandma ChaCha meet us at Hillcrest-ALL just in case the baby and my body were "ready" for show time! As it turns out, I'm partly effaced and the cervix is soft....but not dilated...and not enough progress to push for delivery. Since Hope is doing so well, the doc would like to see her stay inside of me until either a) she comes on her own, or b) we do the induction next week.

The induction is scheduled for Tuesday eve....and delivery should be some time on Wednesday, December 1st! There is a cervical gel they use to accelerate the process-which needs to be on for 12 hours. Post the gel-they will then introduce the pitocin-which is the medication that induces labor. The doc said I may or may not need the pitocin...but delivery is most likely to happen Wednesday morning. We will be delivering Hope at a hospital that's a little hike, and if we make it to the induction-it will be such a blessing to not have to drive all that way with hard core contractions (poor Bob.....5xs with Robby....Faith....and then Hayes of course-NOT a pretty 45 minute drive under those circumstances-ha!). If Hope comes on the planned induction delivery date.....I will be 36 weeks & 3 days pregnant-how INCREDIBLE!

Overall, we are just so amazed and beyond grateful that we've made it this far with Hope. The doctor (us included) NEVER imagined we'd make it to this point in gestation. We have been so thankful for each and every day Hope has been with us, growing, thriving, and staying inside of me! It's an absolute miracle, and all your prayers have worked-God was listening-THANK YOU SO MUCH! I love being pregnant...and at the age of 41....I've done the best I could to savor every moment-and truly appreciate every bit of it.

When you go through the experience we have.....losing two babies....delivering them...seeing them......holding them......loving them.....and then to have to hand them over to the nurse...as you leave the hospital in the wheel chair with empty arms....you can't imagine what this journey of the subsequent pregnancy has been like. Robby was our subsequent baby....he was the one that should have lived. But, he didn't. So as you can imagine.....we NEVER once-nor do we now take Baby Hope for granted. We also don't assume everything will be ok.......we can't. This pregnancy has been a difficult journey to say the least, and we really will not be able to take any sort of deep breaths until she is in our arms....alive...healthy...and ok. Even after that...even once we get home...there will be challenges in our walk of grief....guilt...and pain that will rein act for Faith & Robby. This is all part of the grief cycle for parents who have lost a baby......and part of what we have to face. So while we are beyond happy and excited for Hope's arrival...there is also struggle, and it's not as simple as Meme & Bob getting their new little miracle. Hope can't replace Faith & Robby, but we will find a new way in life....and with this part of the journey....we will "hope" to start the healing process in a different way now.......little by little.

Thank you again for ALL your prayers and good thoughts......we don't know what we would have done with out the people in our lives that have cared so much these past few months...and past three years for that matter. Thank you to those of you that wanted to participate and be present in our lives. God has amazed me...and where there have been gaps and deficits in life...he has provided people out of the blue to make up for some of the missing pieces. It's Baby Faith's 3rd Birthday on December 9th......how interesting that God has planned for Baby Hope to come in-between Baby Robby and Baby Faith's birthdays. The last 4 fall/winter holiday seasons have been extremely difficult for our family-yet now we have something positive to celebrate in moving forward.

We'll try to send an email, text, and FB update after she's born with a picture! Thank you again! Waiting to Exhale...............

Love-Bob & Meme