bedrest beauties and updates

I'm not sure I would be able to survive bedrest without this little peanut to keep me company! I'm so blessed to be her mama and sooooo blessed that she seems to adore me and wants to just snuggle on this makeshift bed in the living room! She keeps me entertained, and I'm learning that being forced to slow down is probably what I needed with her. We've spent a lot of time on this bed, reading books, watching cartoons, taking care of her babies, eating snacks. She's a trooper! 

I had an ultrasound and appointment with my midwives this morning. During the ultrasound, they basically said that things are not any worse (how's that for helpful!?). It was weird because technically the ultrasound showed that my cervix was looking "better" (longer/thicker and not funneled). But, the technician also said that the views they get from week to week are fairly subjective (depending on a variety of factors....pressure on the cervix like a fuller bladder, or a contraction or whatever it may be). Essentially, my cervix has not gotten longer or the funneling has not closed back up, it was just the view they happened to get today. The fact of the matter is that my cervix was indeed less than 1 cm thick last week with significant funneling, and so  they will go off of that. This week's pictures basically just helped everyone see that things aren't any worse (which is good!)

They said that the baby is growing right on track and that everything else looks good. I'm still on strict bedrest and still taking Nifedipine every 6 hours. Bedrest has been interesting, to say the least. So far, it hasn't been TERRIBLE, but it's just been weird. It's weird not being able to get up to grab whatever I need. It's weird watching Justin do EVERYTHING -- cooking, cleaning, taking care of Gracie, laundry, making the bed, picking up. He has been so good to just pick up where I left off. I feel guilty at times that he has this burden to add to his already full schedule with school and work, but he has not complained. In fact, he has made sure that I stay laying down. I feel so grateful for a husband who loves me and our baby so much to take on all of these extra responsibilities!

We have also been so blessed with the help and support of family and friends close by. Aunt Casie is taking Gracie Monday afternoons. Mom has her Tuesday afternoons, Heidi Payne has offered to take her Thursday afternoons and the inbetween days have filled up with other friends from the ward who have offered to help with her to make things easier on me and Justin. I'm not going to lie though -- "farming" her out to other people's houses has probably been one of the hardest things for me! Going from having her with me everyday to not having her with me everyday has been quite the transition! It's amazing how much I love her and miss her during the day when she is gone!

Other than that, things are good. I've probably spent more than my fair share time on Pinterest pinning all sorts of things (especially food that is making me wish I could get up and try some new recipes!). I started a new book series that Justin has been raving about called "The Great and the Terrible" by Chris Stewart (which is awesome!). People have come over to visit. Casie and I started the second season of Downton Abbey (looking forward to finishing it with her!)....I've got a good list of things that I need to get done via computer before this baby comes, so hopefully I can just take advantage of this time and get it all done!

My next ultrasound appointment is next Monday, so hopefully we'll have good news then as well! I will technically be 32 weeks at that appointment which is how far along I was when I started labor with Gracie. A little nerve-racking, but I have faith that this medication is working at keeping my contractions at bay and this baby will stay put longer than Gracie girl did!