Baby come out!!

No Grayson yet. I guess you all really prayed when I asked for him to stay in. Thanks, but you can all start to pray for him to come out and play now. I am miserable. Huge, uncomfortable and so ready to meet our little guy.
Troy is doing better each day, although he doesn't see it. His incision line and other suture sites are healing great. His pouch still seems to be working well and he is really ready to get the external bag off. He made an appointment last week to see the Dr. at Cleveland for this coming Wed. We were hoping that Grayson would be here by this weekend but clearly that is not happening so Troy is going to have to cancel that appointment and move it to sometime next week. I feel bad that it means another week of misery for Troy dealing with the external equipment. I go back to see my midwife on Tues. so we'll see if he is any closer to making his debut. In the mean time Troy is eating a little more everyday. His biggest struggle now is the severe pain he is feeling deep inside his pelvis. All of the muscle of the bases of his pelvis along with his abdomen were cut during surgery and as those muscles start to heal they pull on the hundred of sutures inside. He is still taking his pain medicine but there really isn't a great solution to how uncomfortable he is feeling and will feel for the next several months. I feel so bad for him. As this new deep pain has developed he has returned to the recliner to sleep. He simply can't lay back as far as the bed requires, even with a bunch of pillows. Please pray for encouragement for Troy, he doesn't see how great is really is doing, and pray for pain relief.
Until Grayson comes I will keep going to work ( I went back last Mon.). It is really tough working all day and coming home to a busy Gavin but thanks to our Moms were are really doing pretty well. My mom helps out during the day if Gav. isn't at daycare and Troy's mom and Dick come over in the evenings. I feel bad that they all spending so much of their free time helping us out. I know, I know, they want to do it. But I still feel bad. Thanks so much to each of you!!
Hopefully we'll be updating with baby news soon. Gosh, I hope so.
Love you all.
Alicia

3 Pieces of Pizza and a Real Bed

Friday night pizza was brought to our house for dinner and Troy ate 3 pieces! This is awesome. He slept in our bed for the first time Sat. night and has been there every night since. It is great to not sleep on the couch for me and he is sleeping better in a comfortable bed, although getting in and out is pretty tough and he needs about three pillows behind his head and back so he doesn't lay too flat (pulls on all the stitches and incisions).
We were hoping to go to church Sun. morning but Troy still can't sit upright in a chair without a lot of pain so maybe in another week.
I went back to work on Mon. since Grayson just loves hanging out inside. I know I wanted him to stay in a for a while for Troy to heal but I'm am totally done now. He needs to come out now! I was measuring two weeks big last week and I just went to the doctor today and somehow gained zero pounds but grew 3 more cm in my belly. I am now measuring like I'm 42 weeks but I'm only 38 1/2. My midwife thinks the baby is really long. I hope thats true and I don't have a big butterball to deliver. sigh....... At least Troy seemed to do okay alone on Mon. He is very eager to get back to Cleveland wrap up his procedure and have a functional pouch. He is tentatively scheduled for 2/3 in Cleveland. This is if Grayson comes by the weekend. If not then he will move it to the following week. This will be a bummer for everyone because I know he wants to get on with his healing and I want Grayson out!
Keep praying for healing, patience and the health of our entire household (including the abnormally large and unborn).
Talk to you later.
Alicia

Daddy is playing with Gavin

Yesterday was a rough day for me. I didn't feel well, being the size of a blimp and all. Troy did amazing. He helped wrangled Gavin as best he could and even went down to the basement with Juanita (Troy's grandma) to play with Gavin while I took a rest. Troy's incision looks really good and is healing nicely. He got all 31 staples out of his belly yesterday. He till has two other incisions/punctures that are slowly closing besides his stoma (fancy word for the place the small intestine comes out of the abdomen). His stoma still looks great and is functioning properly.
After I wrote the blog Wed. Troy had enough strength to go to work and visit his friends. This was great for Troy's spirits and it was nice to say "hi" to all the friends that have supported him so much through all of this. Troy then came with me to pick Gavin up from daycare. It was so cute! Gavin was sitting at the table eating his snack when we walked in. He didn't really care that I was there but when he saw his daddy he squealed, yelled "Daddy" and had the biggest smile on his face. This made Troy's day and all the effort totally worth it. Gavin crawled up onto Troy's walker and out we went. So cute.......
We have had wonderful meals delivered to us from friends of the church and our small group literally stocked our freezer. I don't think I can fit a single item more into our chest freezer. We are so blessed.
Hopefully we can get Troy out and about today and maybe a little this weekend.
God Bless,
Alicia