This time last year...

The last week or so has been very reflective. Its strange to think about what was going on just a year ago. This time last year I was on my way to Mary Birch to get checked out after our unexpected ultrasound results. Little did we know that visit would park me in a hospital for 9 days and on bedrest for nearly 10 weeks.

When you go through something like that, you don't really have any other choice but to steel yourself and deal with it. That's not to say there weren't some hard days, but what does feeling sorry for yourself accomplish? In my experience, it generally just makes things worse, so its better to roll with the punches and make the best of the situation.

What I didn't expect was how traumatic looking back on it all would be. The scariest day, well night really, was the night I was admitted into the hospital. We obviously didn't know exactly what was going to happen, but they had made it seem like I was going to be monitored overnight and would be on bestrest the rest of the pregnancy. Since it was Thanksgiving weekend, there were a ton of people there (trying to deliver before the weekend...how that works, I have no idea ;) and no spare partner sleeping chairs. We thought that since I was just in for monitoring and Brad had no place to sleep, it would be fine if he slept at home. Unfortunately, it didn't really play out like we expected. I ended up undergoing a series of very scary tests, was given an IV for the first time (which almost put me over the edge), and had a very intensive ultrasound by the perinatologist. This was also when I realized I might not be going home anytime soon. I remember willing myself not to cry, wishing that Brad was with me, and feeling very, very alone.

I also look back on my bedrest with absolute amazement. I don't know how I did it. There was a point, I didn't leave the house for two weeks! And its not like I had full use of our house either. But except for a couple particularly hard days, there wasn't anything to do but make the best of it. When I think about the idea of laying down for 9+ weeks, I actually get a bit claustrophobic now. But I didn't feel that way at the time. I guess a lot of it was just being so thankful I was still pregnant. Plus, I had a very important job to do.

However, I would be remiss if I didn't fully acknowledge that it was only possible because of the help of others. We got through it because of so much thoughtfulness and downright elbow grease...after all it wasn't exactly like we were ready for a baby anytime soon...and our place was pretty much trashed.

So in honor of this Thanksgiving Holiday, we are saying 'thanks' to everyone who made that time bearable, passable, manageable, and tolerable. And 'thanks' to everyone who helped us this year as we brought Elliott home, became parents and began our life as a family. We couldn't have done this without you either!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!