Hospital and Hiccups

Hospital:
Over the past few weeks we have gotten our fill of Boys Town Hospital.  Last weekend we took Emma to get checked for a UTI (negative), and then we had to take her for a high fever just yesterday, and their verdict was a virus, probably a stomach virus with the stomach pain and vomiting.  Needless to say, Emma isn't feeling terribly loving towards the doctor's office right now!  It seems like before she got tubes in her ears, everything eventually lead to an ear infection, but that's not the case now, and for that I'm grateful.  However, it just is aggrivating when you spend your time and money and they say that there isn't anything they can do for her and just to keep her hydrated and giving her medicine to control the fever.  It almost makes me wonder why I took her in the first place if I knew in the back of my mind what they were going to say.  (I do know why I took her.....but still it's aggrivating!) 

The lastest incident started up yesterday morning with a fever of 102.2, which continued to rise throughout the day, and wasn't being helped by medicine.  When it reached 105 after her nap, we decided enough messing around, and took her to the Urgent Care at the hospital.  They did a strep test (negative), and then gave us the schpiel of it being a stomach virus, and blah blah blah.  Now, mind you, the nurse was very thorough and checked for meningitis, appendicitus, etc....but still.....a virus...something that can't be treated and has to run it's course?!  Again!  I hate that diagnosis.  So anyways, after waking up with a very high fever in the night, we decided to keep her home today.  She woke up with a fever in the morning of 103.5, and it continued to creep up until she could have her next dose of medicine.  Then this afternoon after waking up from her nap (burning hot, I might add), she proceeds to throw up in bed :(  Thus she got her second bath of the day, this one, not nearly as loved as the first!  So now, we will be together at home again tomorrow, and as much as I hate missing work and miss my other babies there, I know that the only way she's going to get better is if she's in her own home and is able to rest as much as she needs.

Hiccups:
I remember when I was pregnant with Emma, she seemed to have the hiccups every evening, for multiple times!  Up until the past two weeks this go-around, I hadn't noticed our soon-to-be newest addition having them.  Then a few nights ago, I could feel the tell-tale little "bump-bump-bump" of them.....and in fact, I think she has them right now!  Only 6 more weeks until my/her due date!  Yikes!!!!  I suddenly feel the pressing urge to shave my legs ;)

Getting Excited!!!

Getting Excited:
We are but 2 months, or so, away from meeting our newest little baby girl!!!!!  It's hard to believe that this time 3 years ago, we were just a few months out from meeting Emma Rae!  She was such a hard baby, in part because she had milk and soy allergies and we struggled to find the right formula, but is the most wonderful little thing in the whole world!  I know, I know.....every mom says that their baby is the greatest, but unless Emma's your child, then I would have to agree to disagree :)  She has really become an independent (i.e. strong willed) little lady at times, but it's just helping me grow in my patience, which is exactly what I need with baby # 2 on the way! 

We now have the new baby's crib set up in our room, and are in the process of rearranging a little so that we can get the glider chair in there as well for those late-night, and middle-of-the-night feedings.  So, every time we go upstairs Emma likes to look in our bedroom at the baby's bed and talk all about it!  My mom laid her in it the last time they were down, and Emma took up the whole travel crib!  Hard to believe that she was a mere 6 pounds when she was born, and now she's around 26 pounds!  I am growing more and more excited about this pregnancy, not only to meet the new baby, but because of how excited Emma gets when she sees babies and talks about ours.  Just hard to wrap my head around the idea that, even though Emma will always be my baby girl, she'll no longer be my littlest girl!  Bittersweet....

Fe

Fe=Iron:
A few weeks ago when I went for my 28 week appointment, they did a glucose tolerance test, as well as checking my hemoglobin levels.  I was thankful to lean that I passed the glucose tolerance test (unlike when I was pregnant with Emma), however, my hemoglobin levels were at an 8 (12 being normal), which is considered very anemic.  Therefore, the doctor put me on Iron pills 2X/day to try and bring my levels up, and this Thursday, we will see if I've made any progress. 

I remember being anemic when I was younger and they never made me take iron pills for it, but I guess it's different when you're pregnant since you need the extra blood for the baby.  I have been researching to see what may be done if my levels haven't come up, and am not sure if they would give me a shot, a blood transfusion (very doubtful....thankfully!), or have me just continue the pills.  I do think that my low levels can be blamed (in part) for my exhaustion every night.  It seems like 3 or 4 nights out of the week I fall asleep on the couch before 10 p.m., and the other 3 or 4 I'm fighting to stay awake until 10:30 so that Nick doesn't feel like I don't want to spend any time with him!  With any luck, maybe I will be feeling better soon!  Guess we'll see in a few days :)