Update #1: Amniocentesis

So, I have been responding to the medication fairly well. My blood is clotting and levels are fairly stable...until last Monday. Then, my levels began to rise a little, the itchiness returned, and the only time Scottland would move during the Non-stress test was when I would have a Braxton Hicks contraction. However, his heartbeat was very strong.

Needless to say, both the doctor and I were concerned! He scheduled an amniocentesis for Tuesday and if the markers are in the fluid that Scottland's lungs are developed, then the OB will induce me next week. I was 36 weeks yesterday (and delivered Kimball at 37), so I don't know if I should be excited or worried...

...I am frazzled! I thought I would have 3 more weeks to get ready!!! My plan was to always go to our storage unit and get the baby's stuff the day after Thanksgiving. Now, I only have a few days to wash and unpack it!!! At least I have all of my Christmas shopping done! The long term planner in me is having a hard time coping, but I know that it will be better if Scottland comes sooner than later...not only to stop my itching and all of the health risks, but later in life his birthday won't be so close to Christmas!

We are still alive...for now!

Hey everybody! Sorry I have taken such a long sabbatical from blogging. I was just diagnosed with ICP...basically my liver isn't functioning as it should and I have a build up of bile salts in my bloodstream. It makes me extremely ITCHY and gives me severe fatigue.

When we first moved to AZ, Kimball and I caught the flu from the people we stayed with along the way. So, I thought my fatigue was related to that. I attributed the itching to the drier weather and soft water at my in-law's house...then, I thought it might be the detergent on the sheets...I finally decided it was bed bugs or something! However, there were no bites or rashes...no swelling on my feet or hands...just the claw marks from my nails digging into my skin! I would scratch so much that I would bleed.

In addition, I feel like I have five down blankets on me all the time! I can only drive about 2 miles and then my arms start to loose their muscle tone...I can't really describe it. I can only stand for about 10 minutes and then I need to sit down. It is a blessing that we are here with my Mother-in-law because she is more than willing to take Kimball to the park or on adventures for me!

In desperation (and waiting to get into an OBGYN), I turned to the internet for answers and oatmeal baths for relief. I found the condition of ICP and printed out journal articles from actual medical journals and their recommendations for treatment. It is pretty rare, only 1 in 3,000 pregnancies, and is usually not diagnosed. But, it made sense to me since I had to have my gall bladder removed after Kimball was born...so there isn't something there to regulate my bile.

Armed with my journal articles, I finally visited my OB...much to the mocking of Dusty (he thought I was just freaking myself out!). It turns out, I was right! I listed the symptoms I was having and Doctor actually suggested that I have ICP...what a relief that he knew what it was and the tests to give me. What a blessing!

Anyway, I am now on medication to regulate my bile salts. I have to go in for a 2 blood tests every week and the baby has to have a stress test to make sure he is okay. I am still super tired and itching, but hope the medication will help. They plan on letting me go for as long as they can...until 37 weeks. According to the research after 38 weeks, the stress is too much for the baby and they are still born. In addition, the mother usually hemorrages. After the baby is born, they will still have to monitor my liver and the baby will probably have jaundice. But, we are full of faith that we both will be okay! Please add your prayers to ours, as we know that faith will take us through this whatever the outcome!

We are Moving!

Sorry for the blogging absence! We are moving back to Mesa, Arizona the Monday after General Conference. So, we have been packing and organizing and cleaning out and....I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, so I probably won't be blogging again until we are in Arizona. I will have a lot to post!

Disco Bowling!

So, what do you do in Seattle when you drive all the way to Daddy's work to have a picnic in the park on a Friday night and the sky starts spitting at you? You go Bowling!Dusty usually works in Bellevue on Wednesdays and I am in Young Womens, so we do the Kimball hand off. However due to all the doctor's appointments, Dusty was there on a Friday! So, we were going to play at an awesome park...we were at the park near our house with play group for 3 hours enjoying a "no temperature" day with a cool breeze. But, during Kimball's nap things turned cloudy!
Kimball LOVED the change of plans! He was adorable at the bowling alley. He would cheer for his ball jumping up and down shouting, "Go! Go! Go!" as it teetered down the lane at about 4 mph. I did pretty well! I had two spares and a strike...and a ball that got away from and flew backwards! Pretty good for the prego lady!

"Kimball Doggy!"

Kimball likes to pretend he is a doggy! He will crawl on the floor and bark. He tries to itch his ears with his foot (unsuccessfully). He likes to cuddle with me and have me scratch his back like a dog. I can coax him to come to me when I call, "Come here, Kimball doggy!" I love his little imagination!
However, I always catch him trying to get away with drinking from the dog's water bowl and this is where I draw the line! I now have to put bowls of water on the floor and give him special "dog food" (cereal)...is there such a thing as buying into your child's pretend world a little too much? Hmmm...

Shark Towel

Let the nesting begin! After cleaning my house top to bottom, I started to clean out the laundry room and found the supplies for this project I have been wanting to create for awhile. I saw one of these in a magazine and have wanted to make one ever since. I found a great tutorial for a bear hooded towel at: http://makeitandloveit.blogspot.com/2009/07/bear-hooded-towel.html
I used it as a "pattern" modifying it as I went. I am pretty happy with the results! I am amazed that I actually could complete this on my own. I am glad that I made the inside of the mouth red to keep the unfinished edge hidden. I'm not sure how the lady who created the tutorial dealt with that problem. Of course being 2, Kimball refuses to pose in his new towel!

My Ball Quilt

Okay bloggers, I need input!!! So, this is the lay out I am thinking of going with for Kimball's ball quilt. Do you think I should move any of the squares around? (The squares at the top have (L-R) baseballs, soccer balls, and football helmets). Do you think I need cornerstone pieces for the quilt? I would use these small blue squares.Which Border should I use? Blue, Yellow, BlueOr Yellow, Blue, Blue? Should I use the light blue with the dark blue circles or the checkered blue with balls on it for the border? I used the checkered blue for the cornerstone pieces, or would that be too busy? Can you tell how excited Kimball is for this to be done? He calls it, "My Kilt!" and I could hardly keep him off of it to take these pictures!

12 Egg Omelet

We went to Beth's Cafe in Seattle with Bryce, Kristina and their girls. On the show, "Man vs. Food" the host eats the famous 12 egg omelet served on a bed of hash browns and two pieces of toast... so our men decided they would try and eat it too! Here they are before they began to eat...And this is how they did!I was amazed at how much Dusty ate! His omelet was stuffed with chili, salsa, and cheese. Yumm-o!I must say I had Dusty's left overs for breakfast the next day (about 10 bites) and it was mighty tasty!

Thanks for the support!

We have had a scary past few weeks. Dusty suddenly went unconscious at work and was taken by the paramedics to the ER. I frantically tried to find someone to watch Kimball, so I could go and be with him. Kelly, thank you so much for taking him all day at the last minute! We were at the ER from 9 am until 3 pm. They did all kinds of tests on Dusty...EKG, Cat scan, Spinal Tap...It felt a little like being a patient on the show, "House." They could not figure out what was wrong with him. He was sent home on bed rest for the next few days. The next week, Dusty followed up with a neurologist....nothing...and finally a cardiologist...who told him he needs to reduce his stress! That is going to take a little working out!

Thanks for all of the prayers and offers of help in the past little while! I don't know what we would have done without our "ward family!" The above picture is what my sweet husband brought home with him to thank me for all of the treks up and down the stairs to ensure he was pumped with food and fluids...I wish I could send one to each of you in thanks too!

My Boys

So, Dusty decided it was time to shave his head and "match" Kimball. What do you think?I still cannot believe he actually let Kimball use the clippers on his head! Here is the difference in their hair colors!I married such a handsome man, but I will miss his curls!

Kimball's first Baseball Game!

We went to the Mariner's vs. Yankees Game at Safeco Field (The D-Backs came while we were at Jessie's wedding). Kimball was entranced with watching real life baseball. He entertained everyone around us. They were amused at all of his comments and yelling (I guess he takes after me and my Mom!). I guess it is unusual for a 2 year old to be that into a game! Kimball loves all of the baseball cards he received at the game. He loved singing his rendtion of "Take me out to the Ball Game!" and of course the ballpark hot dog!
We have been watching baseball non-stop ever since! Kimball has loved the Little League World Series on ESPN...at least there is a lot of action and it isn't a pitching dual like in the major leagues. I think he already has the superstition of a lucky shirt...because he hasn't let me take it off him for 3 days straight! Here is a little peek at all the entertaining he was doing!

It's a...

BOY!!!

Dusty is greatly relieved that the ultrasound today revealed "boy parts." He isn't worried about having a little girl wrap him around her little finger...he is worried about having a teenage daughter. Although I am still hoping to have a daughter one day, I am glad that Kimball will have a little brother to play ball with one day. They can camp in the backyard together and share the bunk beds that currently occupy Kimball's room. I am also excited because Holly (my sister) is having a boy in September and these two little boys will only be 2 months apart. Dallas' little boy will also be sandwiched between two boy cousins. So, I think we are pretty excited for another little boy!

Jesse and Brittany's Wedding

I can't believe my little brother is married! I still remember him as a little boy climbing into bed with me because he had a nightmare. I remember him practicing jazz squares at three in the arcadia door as I cleaned it. I loved watching him play catcher on his baseball team and cheering him on in lacrosse. He did it! He married "The One!"The wedding was beautiful! Kimball loved running around and dancing with his cousins...his partners in crime! Kimball loved to hold Jesse's arm (see top picture)! My sister Holly is due in October and we compared prego bellies. Next to her, I just look fat! It was an outdoor reception and we were graced with a "cool" August night. I guess 90 is cool in Arizona! I was still dying of heat! It was fun to see so many of the adults that made such a big difference and my life and it was sad to think that this is my family's last wedding...so I may not see many of them again! For those of you who want a glimpse of the professional pictures, paste this into your browser (there is an adorable one of Kimball!) http://madsenphoto.blogspot.com/2009/08/jesse-and-brittney-married.html

Arizona in August

The first week in August, we went home to Arizona for my little brother's wedding. Of course, we lived in the pool the whole time we were there!Kimball loved getting into his "mailbox" at Grandma's house!We went to one of the high school pools and got in for only $2.50 for both of us! Kimball had a blast with Grandpa in the lazy river.He also loved Grandma or Kylie catching him at the bottom of the slide. The whirlpool with all of the cousins was a highlight. Thanks for inviting us Katie!Kimball loved singing happy birthday to Corbin (and blowing out his candles for him!).But the highlight was sword fighting with his cousin and swimming together in Grandma's pool!We are so excited for Jesse's wedding this weekend.

Rachel's Birthday

Rachel is one of Kimball's favorite friends! She just turned 3! Kimball calls her princess Rachel and any time he sees one of the Disney princesses he says her name! I think Kimball thinks that she is Sleeping Beauty because he always asks to go over to her house...and I always tell him she is sleeping. He was so excited when we pulled up to her house! He started shouting, "Rachel, wake-up! Rachel, wake-up!" The above picture was taken at mutual. Since Rachel's Mom, Kristina, is in the Young Women's Presidency with me, they both often end up at mutual on Wednesday nights. I am so glad that they play so well together. Even though it was the hottest day of the year, Rachel had a great party! The kids played with the parachute and slid on the slip and slide. The kids had a blast playing outside, while the adults tried to stay in the shade! The cars were a favorite!Rachel's smart Mommy made pudding cups instead of cupcakes so she didn't have to turn on the oven. Kimball has been begging for pudding ever since!!! Thanks for being such a great friend Rachel!