Back in room 5

These are some recent pics from the last couple days: visiting, marching to the hospital, eating apples, packing to go to Provo.

Last night Nicki's bleeding picked up again. Yes, it happened again at night--we're beginning to see a trend with the night time. So, they moved us back into L&D to be observed. This is our fifth move back to L&D and our second time in room 5. It's fitting, I guess, that we would be in room 5 on Sunday because there is a plaque on the outside of this room's door which reads that this room was donated/sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Just in time for Sunday! It's our own little Church--and also we get to spend our 24th of July here. Good stuff.

After getting to the room last night the doctor--Dr. Chin (a partner with Dr. Branch, Silver, and Draper) came in and did a check-up, to include an ultrasound. They have been talking to us about delivery methods--if that were to be necessary at this point. Up until now the baby has been breech, and with a breech baby at this gestational age they like to still try and deliver vaginally. However, if the baby gets above 700ish grams then the risk becomes too great on the baby's head for a vaginal delivery and they recommend C-Section. So, Dr. Chin did the ultrasound at about 11pm and we found out some good things. The baby looks great and there seems to be enough water surrounding her. She weighs in right now at about 730 grams, so the vaginal delivery (if she were to come in the near future) is out of the picture. We got to see the little girl's face and she looks feisty--sort of like our other girs she seems to have a mind and will of her own. I suppose this is a testament that even pre-born babies have agency. So, after the ultrasound we settled in for another sleep in L&D. Poor Nicki has had to sleep way too many times on these L&D beds! One good thing is they are not administering the magnesium this time. They are just waiting to see if the bleeding slows and then they'll send us back to our home base, room 2309 in the Ante Partem department. So, we now wait to see when that will be.

This has been an interesting emotional roller coaster for us with so many emotional tugs in different directions. On one hand we want the baby girl to stay in as long as possible. On the other, we want to go home and regain some semblance of a normal life again. On yet another (I know, most of us only have two hands but just go with me...) we think constantly about our four other kids and their feelings/emotions through this all (although we are pretty convinced we think about them a whole lot more than they think of us, especially when they are with their cousins!!), and wonder if we should be doing something different with them through all of this--of course we are tugged by the need to be their parents even while doing this hospital dance! It's all very challenging. Through it all, though, we feel the Lord's presence and protection. He is watching over all of these happenings and has given us amazing families who are helping us so much through all of this. One specific blessing has been the way Ruby has opened to others and slept so well. She has been taking great naps and sleeping through the night for over 12-13 hours a shot. She has also allowed others to hold and help her. Plus, she has discovered the joy of Zeus--Greg's dog :) in Provo. So, we are all being held in Heavenly Father's love at this time, and for that we are grateful.