girltalk Blog
2007 at 2:55 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Well, baby Tori’s head has dropped which means it can’t get any bigger (phew!) and we’re one step closer to her arrival into this world. Other than that piece of news, there’s not a whole lot to tell. Although my husband receives hourly, and sometimes minute-by-minute reports on every little ache and pain. He’s such a patient man.
This is a good time to let you know that Janelle will be returning my favor and “live-blogging” Tori’s delivery. Even if it begins in the middle of the night or on the weekend, she’ll post a “Tori Alert” and then provide updates periodically and pictures of the baby once she’s born. I hope you’ll check in as I would be truly grateful for your prayers.
As the day grows closer and I feel more tired and uncomfortable (and emotional!) I am more aware of my need for God. A friend recently gave me the following verse and quote by Charles Spurgeon. I plan on putting it in my hospital bag (which, by the way, I still need to pack!). I hope it encourages you today—whatever help you may need.
“I will help you, says the Lord.” Isaiah 41:14
“This morning listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus speak, ‘I will help you. It is a small thing for me, your God, to help you. COnsider what I have already done. What! Not help you! I bought you with My blood. What! Not help you! I died for you. Since I have done the greater, will I not do less? Your requests are nothing compared with what I am willing to give. You need much, but it is nothing for me to grant your needs. Help you? Fear not! I will help you.’"
2007 at 11:50 am | by Nicole Whitacre
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Yesterday morning, I dug out Jack’s birth records in preparation for my doctor’s appointment. My little guy did not—and still does not—have such a little head. According to the birth information, he was 7lb 13 oz and 21 inches long and his head circumference was a whopping 14 inches! I don’t remember thinking my baby was all head when he was born. I thought he was perfect—as only a mother does.
My reason for checking on this was to be able to tell my doctor (who did not deliver Jack) what size head I was incapable of delivering naturally. He laughed when I told him the size of Jack’s cranium. “You know they say a big head means a big brain,” he said. I know, all too well. My son already has a better memory than I do.
After examining me, he said that my little girl’s head isn’t so small either. I guess I’ll be outnumbered in the memory department shortly. The doctor is not prepared to make a decision about whether I will have a natural delivery or a c-section. But he has plenty of time, as nothing much seems to be happening at the moment.
As he left the examining room, he said, “I’ll see you next week, unless you surprise me.” So, I’ll update you all next week too—unless Tori surprises me.
2007 at 4:54 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
I have reached the point in my pregnancy where I’m counting the weeks until the due date instead of the weeks that I’ve been pregnant. Only four to go!
With the delivery drawing near, I want to humbly request your prayers. As I’ve shared before on this blog, my delivery with Jack was followed by serious complications. We were reviewing the events last night at dinner with my family….
On Friday morning, February 21, 2003 I was induced. By mid-afternoon, my labor was regressing instead of progressing. Jack’s head was stuck and the doctor determined he was experiencing some distress. So, she performed a cesarean section. By God’s grace, he was a healthy little boy.
My recovery appeared to be going so well, they actually discharged me from the hospital on Sunday morning. On Monday afternoon, however, I stood up from the couch and felt a horrible pain in my abdomen.
The next three days were a blur. If I sat still for an hour or more, I could almost feel normal. But to move at all was excruciating. Between a one and a ten, something close to ten. Steve, and Janelle (who’d come to help because Mom had to stay with a sick Chad) cared for Jack and me heroically. It was assumed that I was, well—there’s no way to put this delicately—constipated, and that things would soon right themselves. But the pain only got worse.
Finally, on Wednesday I was admitted to the hospital for observation. Thursday morning, after the second CAT scan showed my condition deteriorating, emergency surgery was performed.
When I woke up, Steve told me that my colon had ruptured and subsequently been repaired, and that my appendix was inflamed and had been removed. I had an infection. In many ways this was only the beginning of the trial. The recovery was long and arduous—I won’t bore you with all the details. It included many days in the hospital, loads of antibiotics, and numerous complications. After being discharged from the hospital, Steve, Jack and I lived with my parents for several months. My mom nursed me full-time and she and Janelle took turns getting up with Jack in the night. Finally, in June a second surgery was required to complete the repairs and I began to mend.
We still don’t know for sure what happened. There are half a dozen plausible theories. My current favorite is something called “Ogilvie Syndrome” which can occur following various types of surgery, including cesarean section.
The good news is that there are treatments (both medicinal and procedural) to prevent my colon from rupturing a second time. The much better news is that my health and my life are in God’s hands.
The plan for this upcoming delivery still has not been finalized. I hope to know more after my doctor’s appointment next week. If Tori’s head is not too big, the doctor would like to try to deliver the baby naturally. But a cesarean may once again be necessary.
Recently, I was speaking with my dear Aunt Betsy, and she told me that she was praying that my delivery would be extraordinary for it’s ordinariness. I liked the sound of that. So that is my prayer request—for my physical body anyway. Most of all, please pray that, “the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in [me] and in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:12.
Thank you, my friends.
2007 at 3:20 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Naming a child is a subjective process. A lot of factors come into play: the sound and meaning of a name, the name of the bully in second grade, the middle name of great-aunt-so-and-so, name likes and dislikes held since childhood, places we’ve lived, favorite colors or flowers or foods….
It’s a great responsibility, giving a human life a name—one that will stick with her, for better or for worse, for her entire life.
That’s why Steve and I took the process of naming our little girl—due at the end of March—very seriously. We picked it up in line at a game booth at our church’s annual Harvest Carnival in October. Yep. I was there with Jack (a.k.a. Thomas the Train) when I noticed the nametag of the little girl in front of me. I knew her and her family and had always loved her name—or more precisely, the shortened version of her name, which she goes by.
Steve liked it too, and after “test-driving” it for a couple of weeks, we’ve settled on…are you ready….
Tori
Actually, the full name is Victoria Carolyn but we’ll call her Tori.
“Victoria” we chose mainly because we liked the nickname. However, it also shares the same meaning as my name which is “Victory”—so that’s kind of fun.
“Carolyn” is after Mom of course. If I had ten girls (which I wont!) I would probably give all of them her name somehow or another. If you don’t understand why, read here.
So, there you have it. Tori Whitacre is due to arrive sometime in late March. We’ll keep you posted as the day draws near.
2006 at 6:39 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Baby Bradshaw is going to hold out for as long as possible! I went for my weekly doctor’s visit this afternoon and heard an identical report as last time - 2 cm. dilated and almost 80% effaced. My doctor still thinks I could go any day, but mommy isn’t holding her breath. If I don’t go on my own this weekend they will induce me on Monday morning at 9 a.m. It was funny leaving the doctor’s office today and not making an appointment for next week. Girly only has four more days to make up her little mind to come on her own accord.
Thank you to all those who have sent me such encouraging e-mails. I have been so blessed by your care and prayers. Pray that baby decides to join us sometime before Monday’s hospital visit. We will keep you updated…
2006 at 10:36 am | by Nicole Whitacre
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
No, no, nothing to report as of last night. We just wanted to inform you that whenever Janelle goes into labor we will be "live-blogging" the event. Don’t worry, no graphic details! However, should she go into labor over the weekend or even in the middle of the night we’ll begin posting regular updates on her progress. If this little one comes in the early hours of the morning Eastern Standard Time, many of our international friends will be the first to know!
So keep checking back for updates. Baby Bradshaw should be arriving soon!
2006 at 11:30 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Yeah!! Little girl made more progress this week. Today’s doctor visit found me at 2 centimeters and almost 80% effaced. My doctor is pretty convinced that I will not make it to my due date (which is the 20th). This report gave me fresh faith for walking, and I dragged Mike on a walk around the block right before dinner, despite the fact that it felt like 30 below outside (Thanks, Babe, you are the bestest!). This evening has definitely found me in the worst pain yet, and my faith for baby to come SOON is increasing! I will keep y’all updated.
2006 at 3:53 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Baby girl decided to take a vacation over this last week. We didn’t lose any ground, but we certainly didn’t gain any either. Still 1 cm dilated, head down, and 60%-70% effaced. I guess my run/walk with all the nephews yesterday didn’t really do anything. I’ll have to work on some other ideas. The doctors are really pleased with everything, and though they are always commenting that she’s small (4th percentile), they say that she’s right on track and there are no concerns. The doc that I saw today said that she may even top out around 7 pounds. I, on the other hand, feel as though I’m in the 200th percentile and can’t wait to return to “normal” (whatever that feels like). The countdown continues!
2006 at 6:34 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Good news from today’s doctor visit! My little girl’s head is way
down (doc told me that they usually don’t see the baby’s head this low
until actual labor), I’m 1 centimeter dilated, and 60%-70% effaced.
She’s been a busy girl over the last week. They did a last minute
sonogram which showed her still small (good girl!), weighing in
somewhere around 5.5 pounds. Doc doesn’t think she’ll exceed 6.5
pounds but you never know. I realize that you can go for weeks in this
state; but I certainly enjoyed this report over last week’s report of
"nothing happening." The doctor told me to stay active, so I’m
coooking up potential plans to keep me moving around.
Until next week…
2006 at 7:51 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Well, week 35 hasn’t seen much action. Although my trip to the doctor this morning confirmed that her head was still down, it also showed that everything else was status quo. I think she’s a happy little camper. Lots of food, warmth, and sleep. Why would she even want to think of leaving all that for the real world?
I’m finally creeping up on that “ready to get the baby out” stage that I’ve heard so much about. There is this one special muscle in my back that, no matter how much I twist and turn, has decided to stay constantly tight. The tiredness level is increasing. This morning I fell asleep sitting up while talking to my mom; I even started dreaming. I’m also growing out of my maternity clothes and my socks are too tight. Fun times!
But, you know, I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything. Each one of these funny little inconveniences is leading up to the arrival of my little girl. Let the aches and pains continue! It’s all worth it. Five more weeks to go…
2006 at 3:43 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Merry Christmas to me…I mean to my daughter. This past Christmas came with a present from my parents which has become my favorite baby girl item.
Aren’t they adorable?? I’m thinking about buying myself an adult pair so that we can match. Might be a fun way to leave the hospital together.
Went to the doctor today. All is well. I’m measuring right on track and baby is small (thank you, Lord!). Her heartbeat is strong and her head is down. I’ll keep you posted.
2006 at 6:55 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Week 33 has arrived and all is well. At my last doctor’s appointment they told me that I was measuring a little on the small side. This was actually a relief as my dear mother-in-law gave birth to three boys weighing in at 10, 9, and 8 pounds respectively. The fact that my husband was the 9-pounder has always left me a little afraid that I might have a really big baby. In my mind “big baby” has always equaled “more pain”. While we are on the subject of pain, my time for giving birth to this girly is fast approaching. I have had many people ask me if I’m going to “go natural”. Hmmm…if you remember, one of my recent posts described how I have only just recently been able to have my blood taken without panicking. I have also reached the place where I can sit in the waiting room at the doctor’s office without feeling faint. Now, I ask you, does this sound like a woman with enough bravery to “go natural”? No, I will be heading to the hospital at the first hint of labor with a sign around my neck labeled “epidural” in large letters. I figure this should keep anyone from being confused. (Please, no e-mails trying to convince me otherwise. It ain’t gonna happen.) I have nothing but the deepest respect for my mom and those of my friends who have gone through labor without anything for the pain, but I’m content to admire them from afar.
One comforting thing my mom’s always told me is that all of the pain becomes worth it the moment that little baby is placed in your arms. My “moment” moves closer to me with each passing day and I can’t wait! Until next week, 7 more weeks to go…
2005 at 6:10 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
Filed under
Fun Stuff Baby Watch
Lemons have assumed a rather prominent place in my life of late. No, I don’t just eat them by themselves; they have to be squeezed into a glass of water with lots of ice. The little girl living inside of me who has learned to love Cherry Coke has recently been subjected to glass after glass of ice water with lemon. I used to drink hot tea upon waking up in the morning. Not anymore. The first thing I want is, you guessed it, a giant glass of lemon water! Last weekend, I ran out of lemons. It was horrible. I checked my mom’s fridge. Nope, I had already eaten all of her lemons. I decided to see if my aunt had any. No, she only had lemon juice and that wouldn’t cut it. It has to be the real thing. For two long days, I didn’t have any lemons. I tried many substitutes, but my body wouldn’t be fooled. Enough was enough. I finally drove to the grocery store and bought three huge lemons.
If you are a dentist, just skip over the next paragraph, but aside from drinking the lemon water I have to chew ice (a habit most appreciated by my sister, Nicole). Who craves ice? I thought it was supposed to be pickles and ice cream. Anyways, I assumed that this strange craving was a phase, but I found out otherwise. My Doctor recently informed me that I have an iron deficiency and proceeded to put me on about 75 iron pills a day. I was telling another pregnant friend of mine about this deficiency and she proceeded to ask me if I was chewing ice. When I told her that ice was about all that I was consuming these days (along with lemons) she explained that she had just learned that a craving for ice has been linked to a lack of iron. Sure enough, I looked it up online and she was right. The website also said that some people crave other non-food items such as paper and clay. Scary, I know. I’m hoping to stick with ice.
There has been much to laugh at and enjoy over the last seven months! I will keep you updated as our countdown continues. Nine more weeks to go…
2005 at 5:43 pm | by Nicole Whitacre
Filed under
Fun Stuff Baby Watch
While everyone else is counting down the days until Christmas, we in the “Mahaney” clan are counting down the weeks until the first female grandchild, the future of GirlTalk, is born. We thought we’d invite you to join in our anticipation. So every week, until the baby comes, Janelle will be giving an update on her road to delivery. We’ll even keep you posted on the up-to-the-hour details when she goes into labor.
So, without further ado, here’s Janelle:
Week thirty has arrived and I’m still alive. Yes, I made it through the “hanging over the toilet” phase and moved right into the “rapid growth” phase, now to find myself right in the middle of the “slightly uncomfortable” phase.
I think I have mastered the doctor visit “routine”—arrive a couple minutes early; take a seat in the waiting room and pretend to look at a magazine; have your name called so that the nurse can weigh you and record it on some secret chart; head to the examination room and don the doctor’s outfit of choice for patients—a large paper napkin; wait in the examination room while studying all of the sharp-looking instruments lining the counter; do some more waiting while contemplating what a little redecorating might do for the surroundings; wait still longer trying not to watch the second hand on the clock; jolting awake as the doctor flies into the room, pushes on your belly, listens to your baby’s heart beat with her special radar device, and disappears as quickly as she came; then stumble back out to the waiting room and wait for the receptionist as she eagerly books your next “visit.” Yeah!
I have finally overcome my fear of needles (a result of a bad experience when I was 12) and you all would be proud to see me offering my arm to the nurse without flinching and even watching as they drain half of my blood supply into little plastic tubes.
I have learned that you shouldn’t consume candy on your way to the doctor as they (just like your mother) “know these things”. It can be a little humbling to admit, when asked about the results of your glucose test, that you just finished a box of grape and strawberry Nerds (strawberry being mine and my girlies favorite flavor). I felt a little like I should be back at the pediatrician’s office.
While pregnancy brings much laughter, it also causes me to marvel. The feeling of my baby kicking my stomach, the detail found in the sonogram picture hanging on my refrigerator, the sound of another heart beating inside of me, and the joy I experience when Mike gets close to my belly to have a “talk” with his little girl—all leave me amazed. Every little ache, pain, and slight inconvenience point to a miracle. Ten weeks will come and go in the blink of an eye and I want to savor every minute. February 20’th is just around the corner.
2005 at 5:09 pm | by Janelle Bradshaw
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Fun Stuff Baby Watch
I have never been a big fan of the month of February. I know, how can I like one month and not another? But stick with me here. February is just one of those months that seemed to somehow sneak into the line-up. I mean, we have September through November and the leaves are turning and you get to drink apple cider. In December and January we get holidays and days off school and work. March begins to give us hope for spring which arrives with April and May. June, July, and August are full of heat and vacations. What about poor little February? It’s just stuck in between January and March. Someone probably put Valentines Day in there in hopes of helping it along.
A couple of weeks ago, February took on new life for me. February is exactly nine months away. Lord willing, February will be the month in which my first child is born.
I know, I know, time for all of the girlie details. Well, a couple weeks back, I was getting a little suspicious so I decided to go to the grocery store and get one of those pregnancy tests. Of course, at the store, I kept seeing people that I knew so I grabbed a bag of Doritos and hid the test behind the bag so that no one would see. I got home and stared in amazement as the little test had two lines. What an incredible combination of excitement and panic all mixed into one. (You see, the panic comes from many years of being present as my Mom, my aunts, and now my sisters, sit around and reminisce about all of their labor and delivery stories—not helpful for one that faints upon seeing a doctor’s office.) Back to my story. After my Mom reminded me that there was "no way out but through," I began to plot how I wanted to tell my husband, Mike. This was a Thursday night and Father’s Day was only two days away. It just couldn’t have been more perfect. I decided that after he fell asleep on Saturday night, I would sneak out and decorate his car so that when he left for church on Sunday morning he would be totally surprised. Sure enough, from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday night/Sunday morning, I could be seen blowing up what seemed like a million balloons, hanging bibs from mirrors, and writing on all of the windows with soap. So I didn’t sleep much that night, but it was worth it. The next morning, Mike headed out the door to church (he goes in pretty early cuz he works at the church) and before I could even pull up the blinds to watch, he ran back in, shocked and totally excited. (You see, he didn’t have any of the panic cuz there is no hospital with needles awaiting him.) It was such a memorable Father’s Day for us both. Mike drove around for days with our decorated car until the rain washed all of the soap off.
I, meanwhile, feel as if I am living a different life. I’m pretending that my belly fat is already the baby showing. I can take naps whenever I want and people just smile at me. I eat everything that the baby wants and I am fervently praying that I don’t get sick!
Each day is an opportunity for me to thank the Lord for the way that He has so richly blessed me, and to acknowledge His sovereign hold upon the little life that is growing inside of me.
I can’t wait for February!
Here are some shots of Mikey and the car…
