Our last weekend with just the two of us.

Our last Sunday Funday with just the two of us!

Go Bears! Yes, our little princess will be a Bears fan!

38 Weeks

First I want to start by congratulating my sister Jill, brother-in-law Ryan and niece Ella Jean for their big news of having baby #2 on the way! We are so excited for them and can't wait to meet our new niece or nephew come March 3rd 2010! Baby K will only be 7 months older than her cousin so it will be fun to watch them grow up together.

This picture is how I found out they were expecting, read Ella's shirt!

Baby Sunderbruch taken yesterday at 13 weeks!

So I am 38 weeks, so hard to believe all my hard work has gotten me this far! I actually had a pretty bad day yesterday because things keep changing and I haven't been feeling very well. I have had some time to process it and am feeling better today. First, I found out the baby still looks great from the ultrasound and monitoring I had done on Wednesday. She has been super active this week and has had some pretty powerful kicks to my ribs.

Last Thursday I was told by my OB that this baby was coming and she was coming soon and then on Sunday evening I lost my plug. So since then Scott and I have been on stand-by just waiting for her arrival. Now here we are a week later and I am still dilated to a 1 but the OB said my cervix has softened considerably since last week. My blood sugars have been pretty bad the last two weeks so my diabetic doctor upped my insulin to 4 shots a day. Also since being off bed rest I have started swelling quite a bit. My OB thinks it would be a good idea with everything that I have going on to get things moving and to not have me go to 40 weeks. She still thinks that the baby could very well come on her own in the next few days but feels assisting with the "ripening" of my cervix due to the scar tissue from my LEEP last year would be a good idea.

So if the baby doesn't come on her own before Tuesday/Wednesday next week, I will be going to the hospital to have some gel put on my cervix to help it dilate. This gel will usually put you into labor with in 6 to 12 hours but may require a 2nd dosage the next day. The gel is a more natural way of inducing labor than actually being induced with the drug pitocin. I am really hoping that she comes on her own before next week because I am just more comfortable with that.

So I guess no matter how this little princess enters this world she will be in our arms by the end of next week!

4th Wedding Anniversary

Seven years ago this past Sunday (8/16) Scott and I had our first kiss and started dating. Four years ago today Scott and I exchanged our wedding vows and had the most magical day as we started our life together. One year ago today Scott and I walked into the fertility specialist after 1 1/2 years of trying to get pregnant with little hope but striving for a miracle. Little did we know where the past seven years together would bring us but our love for each other has stayed strong. Today we anxiously await the arrival of our precious little girl to make our twosome a family of three and triple our love.

Yesterday I had my weekly BPP and NST and the baby looks great. We actually found out that this little princess has hair which came as a shock to me since I was bald until I was two. The ultrasound tech showed me her hair as it was flowing in her fluid. Today I met with my OB and found out that I am a full 1 cm dilated. My OB informed me that because of the LEEP procedure I had 7 months before I got pregnant I probably wouldn't dilate any more until I was actually in labor. The scar tissue takes a little more time to dilate but when it starts it opens quite quickly. I told my OB that I was having quite a bit of hip and tailbone pain along with sharp pains in my cervix and cramping that feels menstrual in my lower abdomen and lower back. She said that this little baby was coming really soon because of all of this! So now we just wait! Scott and I think that she is going to come Saturday but only she knows.

Today is the day the doctors wanted me to get when they put me on bed rest so I am excited not only to celebrate my anniversary tonight but also all the work I did to keep her in as long as possible. Today I start my 37th week and know that if she were to come now she will have no problems related to being premature. Today also marks the day that I am able to get off bed rest which gives me a little more freedom and hopes that gravity will take place and she will come this week.

Almost there!

I have now been on bed rest for 39 days and it has really paid off. At 31 weeks I was so worried that I was going to have a premature baby and now I am 3 days away from where the doctor wanted me to get, a full 36 weeks! I found out last Monday that I have started dilating so it shouldn't be much longer. Scott predicts this Saturday and I am thinking Friday, either way it is super inconvenient for my family because it is my cousins wedding in Chicago this weekend and it would be just like this little drama queen to come on her terms!

We were in Labor and Delivery on Saturday for most of the day because there had been a big decrease in fetal movement and they wanted me to go in to be monitored. I was hooked up to the monitor for 2 hours and it took some time to get her moving but we did and they were happy so they sent us home.

I have another ultrasound and NST on Wednesday and meet with the OB on Thursday for another cervix check. I am hoping I have continued to dilate and that things are progressing and that this little lady will soon be in my arms!

The start of 35 weeks!

Ok, I have a pretty long blog entry today but it is filled with cute pictures! Most importantly I had my doc visit yesterday and was given pretty good news. If you follow this blog you will notice every week I am given completely different information. The reason for this is that I belong to a big practice and because I go so often I don't get to see my OB every time and every doctor is different I am finding out. Yesterday I met with my favorite of the OB's and he was very positive about me, the baby and the pregnancy. What I found out is that my cervix is shortening which it is supposed to do but it isn't as short as the doctor last week reported. My OB yesterday said he was very happy with the length and hopes that it keeps shortening every week. He told me that I am 40-50% effaced and he was happy with that too and hoped that each week I would continue to efface. The doctor also told me it is ok to move around a little more than I have been. He said I am still on bed rest but he wants gravity to take place with the baby so moving around is good for natural labor. He even said I can go on walks and be up an hour at a time. Unfortunately he said I can't go back to work which sucks but I guess he knows best. The baby also looks great and for the most part I am feeling pretty good. He even said that I am turning into a pretty normal patient!

Baby Ketcher had another friend born this summer and her name is Madeleine Elizabeth and she was born on June 13th. She is the 2nd daughter of our good friends Elizabeth and Chris Allen. I just know that our baby and little Maddie will be great friends as they grow up with each other just like their mommy's!

Madeleine Elizabeth Allen
Mommy Elizabeth and Maddie

I had three beautiful showers this summer to celebrate my pregnancy and our little princess to be. The first of the showers was in Naperville on June 27th and thrown by my mom, sister Jill, sister Cara and niece Ella. The food was great and the house was filled with family and family friends that were generous to baby K. The second of the showers was moved to the party room where I live because of the bed rest situation. This shower was on July 18th and thrown by my girl friends that I met while working at Billy's, Elizabeth, Katie and Nicole. My mom was even able to come up for the shower which was great! It was funny how things have changed so much with these girl friends because just three years ago at one of our baby showers we drank all day and were out until 2am (not the mommy of course). My shower was filled with babies and the wine wasn't even finished. I guess we are all getting old! The third of my showers was moved to my apartment July 25th again because of me. This shower was thrown by Scott's mom and sister, Bonnie and Jesse. They threw a couples shower so that Scott could be a part of it too. It was so fun to have all of Scott's family over to our place because we haven't had an opportunity to have them all over before. We were all entertained by baby K's cousin Claire who was 3 months then and talked babies all night because two of Scott's cousins are also pregnant, Bethanie and Gina. Below are pictures from all three showers.

Chicago Shower: Ami & mom

Grandma Hepler and Ami

St Mary's girlfriends Sheila and Frannie

Hepler cousins

Schumacher girls: Jill, Ella, Ami, Cara and mom

Childhood friend Kim and her daughter Keira Noelle born May 13.

Aunt Ami and Ella

Girl friend shower: Katie, Nicole, Ami, Elizabeth and baby Maddie.

Ami and Nicole showing off our baby bumps. Nicole is due 3 weeks after me.

Ami and mom

All the Billy's girls from the shower.

St Mary's girl friends Kelly with baby Avery and Laura with baby Finley.

Scott's family shower: Ami and baby Claire (Scott's cousins baby)

My favorite outfit for the baby from Grandma Bonnie.

Bonnie, Ami and Jesse

Scott and Ami

Last week I was having a bad week feeling pretty lonely and sad. Thursday I was sitting on the couch watching TV again and my door bell rang. And there before my eyes was my sister Cara! She said surprise I am here for a week! I instantly burst into tears because she will never know how much I needed her. While here she worked like a dog by cleaning my house and getting all the baby stuff organized, washed and put away. She took care of so much that needed to be done I will forever be grateful! She left this morning which was sad but I feel so good about everything that was done.

I haven't taken a profile picture since the one my aunt took of me at 29 weeks so Cara took one of me next to the baby's bed. (Pictures of the nursery are still to come as soon it is finished.)

Ami @ a full 34 weeks!

33 Full Weeks

Yesterday I had my NST and BPP (see previous blog for what these stand for) and the baby looks great. She still has a strong heart beat and her heart looks good. She is also very active and doing great with her practice breathing. All wonderful things which makes everything that I am going through worth while.

Today I met with the OB and found out everything that I was told last week was wrong. I told the OB today how the bed rest is working because my cervix had lengthened. Today's OB told me that the cervix doesn't do that and that it was just a bad measurement. He said that the medical profession has not all come together on how to measure the cervix and that there is lots of research being done now to fix this. He checked it himself and said that the top knuckle of his finger is 2cm and that my cervix is showing 1.8cm. He said one thing he knows is that woman that have measurements less than 1.5cm go into labor within 7 days. So with the rate my cervix is shortening this baby is coming sooner than we would like. He said ideally they would like me to get to a 36 full weeks which is our 4 year Anniversary Aug 20th.

I asked the doctor after he measured my belly how big he thought the baby was and he wouldn't answer me. I asked if she was 3 lbs and he said getting there, I asked if she was 3 1/2 lbs and he said getting there. He said that we are all caught up on size with babies and that it is the gestational weeks that is important, especially with someone with gestational diabetes. He said that the baby could be at good size but the lungs not be developed so the longer she can stay in the better.

So not the greatest news today but I am still positive and believe that every day I don't go into labor is a good thing. She is coming whether we are ready for her or not and we will take whatever comes our way. God blessed us with this baby and I know He will take care of her.

Finally some good news at the doctor!

I had my weekly appointments on Monday that consisted of the NST (non-stress test) where they monitor the baby and my contractions, the BPP (bio physical profile) which is an ultrasound that they measure the amniotic fluid, baby's movement and breathing and score it out of 8 points, and then review everything along with a cervix check with the OB.

I was lucky enough to have my mom in town this past weekend and she came along to the appointments. The NST was good because the baby had a strong heart beat along with a lot of movements. Going into the ultrasound I told the tech that my mom had never been to one before and she went above and beyond to show my mom every angle of her newest grandchild. Baby Ketcher was so cooperative because she looked and smiled at us the whole time, it was a great ultrasound and she passed with 8 out of 8. The OB gave my mom and I so much time and answered every question we had. We found out that my cervix lengthened and the OB was very happy about that because it means the bed rest is working. The OB wasn't super game about letting me get off bed rest at 36 weeks because they don't necessarily want me to deliver at 36 weeks. He said we will see how I progress over the next 3 weeks before he makes any decisions.

I am still having contractions and the baby's head is still resting on my cervix and pushing down so bed rest is still crucial. After hearing the doctor tell me that the bed rest is working it makes everything that I am doing worth while. It makes the fact that I am not working or making any money totally worth while. Hearing that the baby is doing perfect makes everything worth while. This doctor's appointment helped relieve so much stress because I know Scott and I are going to get through all of this and have the most beautiful, healthy baby girl in a few short weeks.

32 Weeks

This little foot is why Scott and I tried for two years to get pregnant and under went numerous fertility treatments. This little foot is why I kept going after losing three babies. This little foot made it worth every time I threw up for the first 15 weeks of being pregnant. This little foot gives me the drive to check my blood four times a day. Keeping this little foot growing is why I give myself two shots a day of insulin a day. Dreaming about kissing this little foot makes being on bed rest for five weeks worth it! Even though we haven't touched this little foot or seen it in person Scott and I love it along with its five little toes more than words could ever explain.

Scott and I met with the OB yesterday to review everything that happened in Labor and Delivery on Friday. The OB agreed with the Labor and Delivery doctor and wants to keep me on bed rest for at least another month and she wants me on even more restrictions than I have been on; she said I can only be up for 15 minutes at a time and only if I have to. Being that I am only 32 weeks they want to get me to 36 weeks because her organs still have some developing to do. I am still contracting quite a bit and my cervix is short. The problem is her head is resting on my cervix and pushing her way out. Being on bed rest and getting her off my cervix will help keep her inside me as long as possible. So I will be hanging on the couch for a while but know when I get to hold my sweet baby girl in my arms all of this will be worth it!

BED REST!

I had a pretty interesting Friday by spending most of the day in Labor & Delivery, this is how it all started...

I woke up as normal to go to work Friday morning when I began experiencing contractions (what I thought were contractions). One thing the doctor told me was if you experience 5-6 contractions in an hour to be sure to call them. Being that I have never been pregnant before I wasn't 100% sure what contractions were. I called the nurse at my clinic and explained to her what I was feeling. I was having tightening in my lower abdomen with my belly getting as hard as a rock and with that I was also having cramping. The nurse confirmed that it was contractions that I was having. Being that I was already on my way to work she asked that I go home and lay down on my left side for an hour and count the contractions. After an hour she called me back and I told her that I didn't have any of the tightening contractions but had 5 of the cramping ones. She asked how long the cramping ones were lasting and I told her only about 2 seconds at a time. She confirmed with me that those were not contractions that if they were they would last 20, 30 or 60 seconds and that I was free to go about my normal routine for the day. I got off my couch and had a contraction instantly, I walked to the bathroom and had another one. Over the course of the next 15 minutes I had three of the cramping contractions that lasted a minute each. I knew that all of these contractions were not good so I called the nurse back. She said that I need to head for the hospital and that she would let them know I was coming.

Scott picked me up and we headed for Labor and Delivery. They hooked me up to the monitor (for the whole day) to watch my contractions and the baby. The baby looked great, had a strong heartbeat and was moving around a bunch. I was however having pretty frequent contractions and was showing what the nurse called an "irritable uterus". The doctor came in because she wanted to check the length of my cervix and run some tests. When your body is getting ready for labor it releases a protein two weeks before. The doctor did a test to check to see if my body released this protein and it hadn't. This was a really good thing meaning that this baby shouldn't hopefully come with in the next two weeks. The doctor also said that my cervix was closed which is also a good thing. She did find out that my cervix is running a little short and called for an ultrasound to measure it exactly.

After the ultrasound the doctor came to report her findings. She said that my cervix was measuring 2.4 cm at 31 weeks and at 19 weeks it was 3.5 cm. She said it was normal for the cervix to get smaller and I was at a fairly normal length. Her concern was what all these contractions I was having was going to do to the cervix so she put me on bed rest. I was planning on working up until the end so cutting my paychecks 9 weeks early is a pretty stressful thing.

I have an appointment with my OB on Wednesday (7/15) for another ultrasound, to monitor the baby and my contractions again and to check how my cervix is doing after all of these contractions. I am assuming he is not going to take me off bed rest but I am taking everything day by day.

Me, Katie and Elizabeth at Candice's wedding.

Scott and I at Candice's wedding.

My first bed rest visitors, Finley (6 months) and Avery (3 months) along with their moms Laura and Kelly and Finley's big brother Donovan. Pretty soon we will have a picture with Fletcher and the two little girls!

Annoyed

I love being pregnant! It took so long to conceive that I truly appreciate all aspects of being pregnant. I have had a lot of pregnancy ailments throughout but never wanted to come across as complaining when I talked about them. Today I am 31 weeks pregnant and need a day to vent! I am going to vent about what is bothering me and then be done because I know I am blessed to be pregnant and to be carrying a healthy baby.

I think it all caught up with me today and am just upset because nothing about this pregnancy seems to be easy or drama free. Every time I go to the doctor they give me bad news and today was no different. I had a diabetic appointment and I know since starting the insulin my fasting and breakfast blood was still showing high glucose levels so I was expecting what they told me. The Endocrinologist increased my insulin dosage before bed and gave me another type of insulin to take with breakfast. So if you do the math, I have to poke myself with a needle 6 times a day; 2 shots of insulin and 4 blood glucose checks. Not to mention the carb counting and watching everything I eat. All I want is a big bowl of ice cream and some sour patch kids!

I also found out on Monday how serious this GD is for the baby's health. My doctor cut my hours at work to 6 hours a day and said it will probably go to 4, 2 then nothing. I want to try and work at the 6 hours a day as long as possible because I am not getting paid over my maternity leave. I also have high blood pressure which I haven't had at all through out my pregnancy and quite a bit of swelling in my ankles, legs and hands. I started the new schedule this week and am working 9am-12pm and then coming home for a nap for 2 hours and going back to work from 2pm-5pm. Unfortunately my work load hasn't changed so I am working just as hard but trying to get everything done in 6 hours instead of 8. I also set up all my doctor appointments through August and have to go to the doctor twice a week, once to the diabetic clinic for an hour and the second to the OB for an ultrasound, non-stress test to monitor the baby and an OB check for 2 1/2 hours at a time. I know this will all be worth it come the beginning of September and I want nothing but the best for my baby, but I can't help but complain today. Sorry for the downer of a blog but I had to get it all out of my system.

30 Weeks!

I can't believe it has been 5 weeks since I have updated this blog. I have a few excuses, one being that I am so exhausted all the time and two is that we have had a very busy June, so this will be a long one. I hit 30 weeks yesterday, so hard to believe that this baby is coming in 10 weeks!

Two weeks ago I found out that I have gestational diabetes. I was so upset because I thought it was something that I did but soon found out it wasn't. I now meet with the Pregnancy and Diabetic clinic every week because they have me on a strict diet and checking my blood four times a day. After one week of reporting on my blood and what I eat the diabetic nurse and Endocrinologist gave me the blow that I will also have to start taking insulin. The reason being is that after following a perfect diet, my glucose levels were still high. They told me that diet isn't an issue for me that it is my pregnancy hormones not reacting well with the placenta. Now they consider me high risk because of the insulin and will be putting me on a heart monitor for the baby 1-2 times a week, performing an ultrasound once a week and have me meeting with the diabetic clinic and my OB once a week along with still checking my blood and following their diet. So I have a lot of appointments ahead of me in the next 10 weeks! Somewhere in there I need to still find time to work 9am-6pm and get ready for this baby's arrival. Can you say stress!

Along with the GD drama I have also noticed the baby not moving as frequently as she once had. This put a big scare into Scott and I and had me in Labor and Delivery twice this week. What I found out is that my placenta is in the front and as the baby gets bigger so does the placenta. The placenta is acting as a pillow for her little movements keeping me from feeling them unless I am lying down so that I can feel them on the sides. The nurses said that going in to get monitored is the right thing to do because lack of fetal movement is a really big deal and woman with placenta in the front have to go in much more often. In the end baby Fletch looks great, her heart rate, movements, amniotic fluid and her growth which is all reassuring to hear!


My sister Cara got engaged to Jake Rebus at the end of May. Cara is in charge of the talent show at the elementary school she teaches at. Jake set up at the end of the talent show to get on stage and propose in front of all the kids, teachers and parents. I wasn't able to see it in person but caught the video and still cry every time I watch it! They have a wedding date set for June 26 2010 which is now under a year! They also asked baby Fletcher to be a flower girl with Ella. It should be quite a sight to see! Congrats Auntie Rara and Uncle Jake! (This picture was taken right after the proposal and Cara had just performed the Super Bowl Shuffle with her fellow teachers and was a little sweaty but she still looks beautiful to me!)


June 10th-14th the Schumacher clan headed to Lake Delton, WI to celebrate my parents 40th wedding anniversary. My sisters and I gave the lake home to them as a gift but it was actually a gift for us all. We had a great time grilling, swimming, boating and just chilling and lucky for us the weather was perfect! We also celebrated Ella's 2nd birthday! She was definitely the entertainment for all of us. Ella understands that there is a baby growing in my stomach and loves to look and my big pregnant belly. I can't wait to baby Fletcher is here to play with her cousin Ella!

June 26-28th I went home to Naperville, IL for my last trip until the baby comes. Part of my trip was a big baby shower my mom and sisters threw for me. The shower was so overwhelming because of the generosity of everyone and celebrating such a wonderful thing after so many years of tears. I will post pictures from the shower on a later blog.

Below is a picture my aunt Sharon took of me. She had never done pregnancy pictures before and I was very willing to be her guinea pig. I think she did an amazing job and just really love sharing it. This is such a special pregnancy to me and to have something like this, I will forever cherish. (I was 29 weeks pregnant in this picture.)

25 Weeks

Memorial Day Weekend

24 Weeks

That's right, 15 weeks left! It is so hard to believe how fast this is all going, I enjoy being pregnant so much that I am not ready for it to end. I have had a really great 2nd trimester but have started experiencing some pregnancy ailments (heartburn, groin pain and pressure, swollen ankles and OMG heartburn) but nothing I can't handle.

We had an ultrasound at 24 weeks, a follow up to our 19 week ultrasound so they could get a better view of her heart. The doctor told us she was perfect! I am seriously not kidding, she really said that. She said that she grew exactly what she should have in the 5 weeks since the last ultrasound and her heart looked perfect along with her heart rate of 144. Lucky for us we already knew she was perfect!

24 Weeks

Fletcher had two more friends born since my last posting, with one actually being related. Claire Elizabeth was born on April 25 to Scott's cousin Josh and his wife Whitney and Mila James was born May 13 to our friends Katie and Corey. We have been on quite the baby tour lately but I think all the practice we can get is helpful especially with all of these little girls!

Claire Elizabeth

Mila James

23 Weeks

Jill sent Fletcher this headband but I couldn't resist putting it on Minnie. I hope Fletch likes it a little better than Minnie.

Scott rocking it at Art-A-Whirl - Baby Fletcher's first show hearing her daddy play.

Baby Avery Jean born April 22nd - One of Baby Fletcher's BFF's.

Scott getting his practice holding a baby girl. Doesn't he look like a natural!

I am having the best 2nd trimester and hope it continues! Baby Fletcher is moving around quite a bit these days and I have started to notice a pattern of her activity. Also this morning I felt her move from the outside, she gave two big kicks but by the time I got Scott to feel she didn't want to move any more. Hopefully he will get to feel her soon!

Last weekend Scott and I visited my friends Kelly and Karl who had little Avery Jean on April 22 (3 weeks early). Kelly battled infertility like me so it was just a miracle to see Avery and her cute little face in person, it just brought tears to my eyes. Avery along with Finley Murphy posted earlier are going to be fast friends with little Fletcher because their moms are the best of friends and would have it no other way!

Yesterday Scott's band Fiero played their first show in 8 months marking it Fletcher's first show seeing her daddy play. She stayed pretty quiet which I am guessing means she didn't mind the noise. Fiero sounded and looked great!