I suppose I should start with an apology. I know I haven't been around. Honestly, all I have to say is that the holidays really do throw me off. I think I need the entire month of January to recuperate. So, on to the update:
Our Christmas was wonderful. We went home to NM to see my family and spent an entire week away from work. I love Christmas with my family because traditions are kept alive, we enjoy each other and there's just no beating Christmas at home. I also really enjoyed being able to finally celebrate my pregnancy in person with them. The first thing my Mom did was rub my developing belly...and I didn't mind at all. It was a wonderful week that went by much too fast!
New Years Eve we spent the night at Love's sister's house. It was fun, we played games and just enjoyed each other's company until as midnight approached and brought in the new year with sparkling cider and kisses from our spouses. Not long after midnight, three pregnant women and their husbands went to bed.
Since the holiday, we have been trying to wind down. Re-organize. Catch up. We were gaining on it...even went to the gym on Monday this week...until the accident.
Monday night, after working out, we decided to go get some food (as we haven't been grocery shopping in a while). On our way home, we were headed South as we approached an intersection. We noticed a car inching forward to head West. I remember Love saying, "Don't you dare go!" Next thing I know, we've collided head-on...forty miles an hour each with force I've never before experienced. Once I came too and realized the airbag had deployed and my chest felt like I'd just had the wind knocked out of me by a bus, I started crying hysterically. Not thinking much about myself or Love, all I could think of was my baby. The little person I was supposed to care for and protect. Luckily, and officer was behind the other vehicle and saw the whole thing. He was knocking on our door before we'd had time to react. I sobbed that I was pregnant and worried about the baby and he immediately called an ambulance. After prying my door open so I could get out of our mangled car, the officer let me sit in his warm car until the ambulance came. Shortly after, the ambulance arrived and the EMT managed to calm me down stating that the baby was still very tiny, low in my pelvis and surrounded by fluid and a big uterus...that the baby had probably only felt something similar to a water bed moving. She told me I needed to calm down since my stress and anxiety would affect the baby more than anything. That silenced me quickly. I agreed to an examination in the back of the ambulance to check my vitals. I didn't feel any pain in my lower abdomen...only a tightness and pain in my chest from the seat belt and airbag impact. After pronouncing my vitals to be normal and not feeling any further worry over the baby, they let me go. Turns out, the driver of the other vehicle had been drinking. We were involved in a DUI. I watched the man be handcuffed and taken away to jail as Love stood in the snow waiting for the tow truck. Finally, we found ourselves home, waiting for the on-call OB to return my call. Once I spoke to him, I felt better. He stated something similar to what the EMT said about the baby and said as long as I didn't have cramping or bleeding I'd be fine to just go to my OB the next morning. So, yesterday morning we went to the Ob's nurse (since he's in the O.R. on Tuesdays) and after a painstakingly long search, we finally found a strong, quick heartbeat. I cried with relief. In the end, Love and I came out of it with minor injuries only. I have some bruising on my chest from the seat belt, along with some cuts and scrapes and some pain in my left arm...an old injury awakened. Love has a bump on his head, some air-bag burns, and we both have a sore neck and back. Our car is likely totaled, which really would be a small blessing given the fact that we owe more than it's worth and we have GAP insurance. We are so glad to have come out of this accident in one piece with a healthy baby in tow and we just hope that we won't suffer financially or physically because of it. We are fine, and feeling very blessed to be so.
You'll forgive me if, after such a long post, I don't give a long update on the baby. He/She is 15 weeks today. Four more weeks until we find out the sex! (As long as the baby cooperates.)
I am truly hoping to be better about writing in here this year. I promise to work on being more consistent.