Diva!

I'm not sure you've heard but I'm in the hospital for 100 years! Oh, you have heard? Great!

Here's the thing sitting around all day and demanding water and juice from your nurses could really go to some girls heads. Not this girl, I'm really grounded and very grateful to all the wonderful women that have been serving me here at Utah Valley. However I do like my water with tiny crushed ice and I do like it to be filled and refilled in a timely manner :) (kidding of course) 

Today my Aunt came into my hospital room and may have created the ultimate DIVA experience.  She cut and colored my hair right in my hospital room!! Can you believe that?  Man a girl could get used to this (almost).  

I feel refreshed and renewed and also a little more famous! 

I mean you have to be famous for hair dressers to come to you right? Yeah! I'm famous! Or at least I am loved by some really amazing people.  I can't believe all the wonderful gifts and service I have received from so many incredible people.  I FEEL FAMOUS and incredibly loved.

Wanna see the new color?  Ok fine here you go!

OH hey famous lady! 

YOU WIN!

Back when all the ladies got a kiss on the MOUTH from the host! TOO MUCH!

Yesterday I started watching GSN for those of you not in the loop that stands for The Game Show Network! That's right people I'm watching the seniors channel.  It's amazing how pompous you become when your not the actual person who is on the show and is answering the questions, spinning the wheel or dating the weirdo.  I'll answer the question and then shake my head at the answer given by the true competitor, thinking WOW that person if stupid of course the answer is BATHROOM.....but.....guess what the answer wasn't bathroom, not even close. It doesn't matter of course I wasn't really playing for the money but my pride take a tiny little hit every time I can't answer a pretty easy question.  Sometimes I just pretend I was right.  I'll say in my head or out loud "Um, no I'm pretty sure the answer is Bathroom but whatever." This amount of delusion is difficult to maintain but well worth the time.
Please keep this is mind if you too decide to take up a GSN addiction. Also I'm not sure it's a good idea to take up a GSN addiction unless you have a lot of free time like at least 23 hours of free time, otherwise people might say your a loser or really really old! Just saying!

Date Night

Tuesday night Jake and I planned a "date night."  Jake dropped the kids off and brought over a movie and cafe rio.  My handsome husband arrived at the hospital to find me, his wife, dressed to kill. Of course by "to kill"  I mean in a giraffe print MuMU! That's right ladies and gentlemen, I'm rocking the MumU now and I don't care who knows it! These giant tents of fabric as just about the most comfortable thing you've ever hung off your bones! I'm trying to justify more times and places in my life when this fabric sack would be appropriate or even times I can just get away with it.

These are my "bedroom" eyes! 

I had taken time to put on makeup and I curled my hair before he came which was a huge difference from my bed head hair.  

Jake grabbed a wheelchair and we were on our way.  Wait, did I forget to mention that I'm only allowed to leave my room for 1/2 hour a day and I must be in a wheelchair!! That's right.   The first time we ventured out I felt like everyone was staring at me.  How weird is it to see a person in a wheelchair in a hospital? That shouldn't be a huge surprise but it was really throwing some people off.  This particular night I was getting a whole new set of stares.  I mean come on I was wear a large animal print tent had makeup all over my face and curly hair while riding in my wheelchair.  I was looking better then those girls on Toddler in Tiaras! Regardless of how many stares I decided it was worth it to see Jakes face.  To watch him look and me and think Wow she looks amazing.  We enjoyed our cafe rio and then wheeled up to my prison (room) and sat next to each other holding hands and watching Nacho Libre.

This date night was just what the doctor ordered (even though he didn't order it.) I felt revived and had a new touch of fight to complete these next four weeks.  

Just so you all know the kiss goodnight was one of the best! I miss that man so much and want to sleep in our bed next to him so much.  I can't wait for us to go on a date night somewhere amazing and have this all be a distant memory.

It's sad really!

Disappointment is something we all deal with over and over throughout our lives.  Remember the anticipation of the perfect birthday present that ended up being bathroom towels or your very first date that ended up being a great hang out with a good friend, (not even a kiss goodnight.)  I know there has been substantial moments of disappointment in my life. Some of those moments I'm sure were life changing.  The ones where you never approach your life in quite the same way because you are hoping to avoid ever having to feel like that again.  Right now for me while I'm lying in the hospital and waiting for the arrival of my sweet baby I am hopelessly disappointed in DAYTIME TELEVISION.  
So I get it, it's no denial to the college of your dreams or loosing the big game but come on people I'l being held hostage in a hospital room 24 hours a day and NO ONE has some decent television?  The basic channels are nothing but news the cable channels are full of rift raff and garbage TV.  I'm telling you people this TV is in serious need of a revamp.
I potentially have 4 more weeks in here and I'm gonna go bat crazy if i have to watch one more hour containing wedding dresses, house renovation or crime shows about crazy murders (however those shows have educated me on how to get away with murder!)
Thank fully I have my blog to update and some smutty magazines sent to me by angels.  I'll just flip that TV off and indulge in those gifts for now.

Facebook again?

Do you know what bored looks like?  I do! Bored is when you wait with anticipation for taking a shower. Bored is choosing bizarre items off the room service menu just so it spices up your afternoon.  Bored is when you enjoy calling room service cause it means you get to talk to a real human for a few seconds. Bored is when you finish an entire cross words puzzle book....and feel accomplished (yikes). Bored is me right now in  this hospital bed watching all the cars driving on the rode outside wondering where they are going in such a hurry.  I have found TIME something we all feel is so out of our reach.  I have time, LOTS of time and know what it sorta SUCK lol.  I'm blessed to have modern medicine and also hours and hours of technology at my fingertips.  P.S. I am 29 weeks and 4 days.  Baby Louie looks amazing on all the NST (non-stress tests) they do and so this momma gets to sit here and continue to be bored, which of course is a blessing, (just a really boring blessing)

Hotel Hospital

Today is my 12th day in the hospital.  Jake brought the kids to see me.  They always lighten my mood and make me smile.  I feel complete with them here but it makes my heart long to be with them in our home.  When it was time to leave Addy cried and held out her arms for me to hold her.  Part of me spirit slumped knowing she was sad and part of it lifted knowing she missed me.  I have prayed and hoped that my beautiful children will survive this time apart.  Survive and thrive through it and yet I long for them to need me.  I miss them so much while I sit here alone.  I think about what they are eating for lunch or hope they are getting their naps.  Hoping things are getting done for them that only I know about them, like how Addy loved oranges and could eat them all day or how Frank with take a nap if you lay down with him and play with his hair.  These are the mommy moments I'm sitting here longing for. Wishing I could snuggle them whenever I want.  I am blessed that I have family.  Family that are supportive and capable.  They fill in the holes I'm sure I've left.  They love my children and I know that while I'm away their arms are open and loving.  Their homes are welcoming and loving.  I am now 29 weeks and 3 days so we are making progress and each day with us together is one less day I will have to spend away from my precious baby while he stays in the NICU so for now I'll take the terrible T.V. then poor excuse for food and the loneliness I feel to know that my baby is safe and growing.
I am thankful for the prayers I feel and the support we have received.

28 Weeks

My water broke 2 days ago.  I was laying in bed and suddenly knew I had peed my little pants, I hadn't of course, it was my water breaking.  Eventually I thought it was a good idea to just get checked out and see if everything was ok.  I headed to Orem Community Hospital and they confirmed that it has broken and I was heading to UVRMC because they have an amazing NICU which I would be needing. 
I have been so overwhelmed.  Not quite sure how to take in all the information I have received over the last couple days.  the deal is I'm having this baby sooner then I want sooner then I should which means he will be spending time in the Neonatal ICU or NICU.  I'm only 28 weeks so this little guy is about 2 pounds right now and if he were born now he would not be able to suck, so he will be on a feeding tube.  He will have problems breathing on his own so he will be on oxygen and I'm sure a few other machines. 

This is a baby at 28 weeks old

Luckily I haven't been contracting and so the doctors feel like he can stay inside my body and cook for as long as possible.  They will deliver no matter what at 34 weeks because by then the risk of infection is greater then the risks to the baby being outside my body. I'm praying everyday my body can keep this baby safe and he will stay where he needs to be.  Right now there is no infection for either of us and even though he is swimming in VERY little fluid babies can replenish their amniotic fluid that he can maintain enough for him to breath in.  I can feel him moving so that is a constant comfort.
I am terrified if I'm being honest. Not knowing what is going to happen is lonely.  Jake is amazing but his body isn't doing this mine is. What if my body decides to become infected and won't hold my little baby inside anymore.  I will lay in this terrible hospital bed for all 6 weeks if he will have me.  Franklin was born at 41 weeks and was 8 lbs 15 oz. and Adelaide was 39 weeks and weighted 7 lbs 12 oz. this is not what I am used to at all.  My sisters have both had preemie babies so I have some understanding about what my future will be like at the hospital which makes me so grateful.
I am eternally thankful for my testimony in eternal families, my loving Heavenly Father, my incredible earthly family, friends who have stepped up to help and the movement I feel in my belly.
I know I am in a hospital that I have seen do amazing things with the tiniest babies.  My prayers are strong enough they are passionate enough but it is gods will.  I will do all I can and then give it to him.  
I love you baby Louie! I have been waiting for you and I have been just as impatient to meet you as it seems you are to meet me.  Please stay strong and continue to grow.  Feel free to have a dance party all day so I can know you are there.  
Julie Jean