McCarthy 2012 Christmas Wrap

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, it is sad to think it is all over for another year.

We love celebrating Christmas and we're so blessed to have been able to spend time with all of our family this year over the course of a few days. Hubby's family arrived Sunday evening and stayed through to Christmas Day evening and my family arrived Christmas Day lunch and stayed until Boxing Day evening. We all had lunch together and the extra time either side with each family was a great opportunity to catch up with everyone.

I was just so thankful that I was able to stay out of hospital and spend the time at home :-)

Once everyone left I confess I have been rather exhausted mentally and emotionally, finding that I am getting very teary and upset easily. So I have been catching up on sleep and just pottering along cleaning and preparing for bub. 

I have finally bought a car seat and pram online (yesterday) as well as picked up the bassinet from my mum's house (today), fortunately God has been so faithful and our little boy has stayed put for so much longer than expected. 

Next Monday we hit another milestone and if I go into labour the Dr's won't do anything to stop it and the good news is that I can deliver here in Orange, provided bub has no complications we can stay here as Orange Hospital has a special care unit that can take babies from 34 weeks gestation.

It has been quite a journey and an eventful year for us. I doubt I will be back prior to the New Year so I wish you all the best! 

See you in 2013!

xx

32 Weeks Pregnant

I am so excited to have made it this far in the pregnancy. I am still feeling great (probably as a result of all of the bed rest) and I'm sleeping well, I have no discomfort and I'm not huge yet. The great thing about having a big belly is it makes my thighs and arms look smaller ;-)

We had a little set back last week when I went for my routine ultrasound and discovered that my cervix length had reduced from 20mm to 14mm. I was sent straight up to the maternity ward to consult with the Doctors. At one stage it didn't look like I was going back home, it sounded like the only decision to be made was whether I would need to be sent back to Sydney or whether I would be admitted to the hospital here in Orange. I was rather disappointed to hear that :-(

Having a incompetent cervix is rather scary as you don't feel anything happening, the cervix can shorten and dilate without you having any knowledge of it so it makes it very hard to monitor how you are doing, there is often no warning signs reminding you to take it easy and given that I feel so well, bed rest can be very frustrating.

Anyway, while I was kicking back in the hospital bed yet again, the Doctors decided that I would be given steroid shots and they would run some tests. One test that they did was similar to a pap smear and the sample taken indicates whether or not you are likely to go into labour in the next week. The result only takes 10 minutes and fortunately for me it came back negative :-)

In the end I was allowed to come back home with instructions to put my feet up and move even less. I just need to make it another 2 weeks and then bub can be delivered in Orange and I won't need to go to Sydney. 

I had the first steroid shot on Thursday before I left and then went back 24 hours later for the second one. They are not overly pleasant but who administers it and how makes a big difference.

So I tried very hard to behave and move as little as possible over the weekend and this morning when I went in for my ultrasound I had the best news, my cervix length had increased to 21mm :-)

I am so thrilled, bub is doing well too. I didn't get a growth scan done today but they checked his vitals as well as fluid levels. Next week we'll check how big he is getting .

The good news is that with my need to stay put more I finally finished another 2 of my cross stitch kits and hung them on the tree. It is nice to accomplish something and when we get them out each year we can remember this stage of our lives and I'll probably be wishing that I was back on bed rest.

I hope you all a wonderful week and I hope you are enjoying the festive season, we looooove Christmas and even though this year is so much quieter for me than normal I am still enjoying it and one big bonus is that I have none of the stress that can often come with the business of the season :-)

PS. Thank you for all of the wonderful support for my shop, it has been lovely to see sales pick up and nice to be moving some stock so I can have a shopping spree in the New Year xx

Last minute Christmas Buys

I have some gorgeous new goodies in store for some last minute Christmas Shopping.

You can find them all here.

I also have 30% off store wide right up until Christmas Eve.

31 Weeks Pregnant

The last week has flown past since I have been home, yes that's right just in case you didn't know I am home :-) Yay!!!!!!

My last ultrasound in hospital was Wednesday week ago and the Professor came in to see how it was all going and gave me permission to head home. 

Bub and I are both doing really well and I have had another ultrasound here at Orange hospital last Thursday, confirming that the stitch is still holding up well and that bub is growing well. Last approximate weight was 1.85kgs or just over 4 pounds with big feet and long legs (measuring in the 95th percentile). 

 31 weeks

It's not not just big feet over here, my belly is pretty big too. It expanded quite rapidly and noticeably, thanks to all of those people who mentioned it ;-) Unfortunately with all the bed rest my belly isn't the only thing that has expanded so looks like I will have to hit the pavement once bub arrives, to not only get back my fitness back but to fit into my normal clothes again.

30 +3 weeks

My first week back home was fantastic, hubby had already decorated the house for Christmas but when we had news that I was coming home he set the tree up but waited till we were all together to decorate it. we've had carols playing all week and I am feeling super organised with all the presents wrapped and already under the tree. Hospital bed rest does give one lots of time to shop on line and it is so convenient to have it all shipped straight to your house. 

Speaking of online shopping, just in case you missed it I have a big 30% off store wide sale happening over at my store - 

McCarthy Designs & Occasions

grab a cuppa or a glass of wine (have one for me too) then sit back and finish off your Christmas shopping, my couriers are fantastic and they will get your goodies to you asap, unfortunately they're not miracle workers so don't leave it to the last minute ;-)

Hope you are all having a great festive season, I confess this year is the quietest lead up to Christmas ever for us but I am enjoying it and I am sure we will make up for it next year.

xx

30% Off Store wide @ McCarthy Designs & Occasions