Elvis at 10 weeks, 5 days

As promised, here's the latest ultrasound pictures. HUGE difference in two weeks. It's amazing how quickly the baby grows and changes. The top picture is the one that Austin said the head looks like Elvis. Crack.me.up. I can actually "see" it. The little wave of "hair" at the top over the nose. I guess the baby has a new nickname. I'll freak out though if the baby is born with sideburns and a curled lip! Maybe I should start searching for a sequined jumpsuit complete with cape and gold sunglasses. "Elvis has left the hospital!"

Answered Prayers

Ok so the update? Everything looks GREAT. Baby has arms and legs and they move! LOL! Its amazing the difference in images from 8.5 weeks and 10.5 weeks! The baby looks like a baby and not a blob. DS Austin (10) says the baby's head looks like Elvis. Nice! "Thank you, thankyouverymuch!"

Heartbeat is nice and strong. They did notice a bit of "fluid" in my uterus. Couldn't tell if it was blood or not. It's not very much and the dr's not too worried about it. But they did schedule another u/s in 2 weeks to check on it and then I'll have a Level 1 u/s 2 wks after that! Basically every visit I'll get an u/s. I'll have enough u/s photos by the end of this pregnancy to do an entire album! They did tell me that as I get close to the 16-17 wk mark (when I lost Ian) that I could have an u/s anytime I wanted just for piece of mind. Heck I can even come in every day to have an u/s. Now that's what I call a great bedside manner.

Other than that, not too much to report. Things are good around here and I'm so relieved and thankful for everyone who has been praying for us and thinking about us. I'll post the ultrasound pics later on. Gotta charge my batteries on my digital camera. Would be so much easier if I had a scanner, but I don't so I'll just have to make do!

Spotting

Wanted to document the bit of "excitement" I had on Tuesday and Wednesday. I had posted this on Scrapshare.com and am just copying and pasting here.

(1/16/07- 2:45 pm) I just started spotting with this pregnancy. I can't go through another loss. Please pray that the spotting is "nothing" and that the baby will be okay. I had spotting throughout both Riley and Ian's pregnancies. Had placental abruptions with both. Obviously Ian didn't survive because of it. I can't lose this baby. Oh my God, I can't! I'm so scared. The doctors office said not to panic but I'm already beyond that. I'm freaking out. The spotting was light pink and I'm not cramping or anything but I'm to call back if things get worse. Please please please pray for me and this baby!!!

UPDATE: (1/17/07 - 10:31 am) Well I was cramping a bit throughout the night. Woke up with light brown spotting. Not much, only when I'd wipe. I called the drs office just to let them know. They said again just to take it easy, relax and try to stay calm. The fact that its light brown is better than being bright red. I have an appointment on Monday and they'll check things out thoroughly then. I'm doing much better mentally today. I could feel your prayers and it really helped calm me down. Things WILL be okay. I just have to continue to have faith.Thanks again for the prayers. I'll update you on anything new.

Today is Thursday and I am not spotting currently. No cramping either. Hopefully that is the last of it. Ultrasound is in a few more days. I'll be a bit nervous until then, but overall I'm doing okay. I can bleed and still have a healthy baby at the end. My beautiful 6 year old daughter is living proof of that. I WILL have a beautiful healthy baby at the end of this pregnancy too! I have faith that the Lord will deliver!

More Toilet Paper

Went to the bathroom this morning and while I was in there I thought, hey, I should measure again. Today at 9 weeks and 2 days I'm measuring 9 1/2 toilet paper squares! Up half a square in just 10 days. Not too shabby. I really can't wait until these clothes are just too uncomfortable to wear and I can move on to the maternity clothes. Holly brought over a computer-box full of clothes on Sunday afternoon. Holy mackeral did she have a lot of clothes!

Belly Changes -- 9 Weeks

8 Weeks
9 Weeks


Notice any changes??

The Most Beautiful Sight

Yesterday, January 9th, I had my first ultrasound with this baby. I was so nervous all day before the appointment. Especially once I laid down on the table and the ultrasound tech poured the jelly on my stomach. The last time I had an ultrasound was the day that we found out that Ian's heart had stopped beating and that he was no longer with us. I prayed fervently as the tech moved the probe around. Please God let this baby have a heartbeat. Please please please. I can't handle another loss. Please.
And then I saw it. The most beautiful thing I've seen -- a teeny tiny little heart and it was pumping. Pumping hard and fast, doing everything its supposed to do! 172 bpm. My baby is alive and is thriving! Is there anything greater? I don't think so. I can't really ask for anything more right now.

The rest of the appointment went well. The baby is measuring just about 9 weeks, so I'm keeping my original due date as August 15th unless the doctor says otherwise. The doctor said that I've made it through my first hurdle, and that was getting through the first 8 weeks since I've already had a loss. Next hurdle of course is 17 weeks which is when we lost Ian. They're going to be keeping good tabs on this baby and my pregnancy. I'll have lots of ultrasounds and testing and after about 24 or 26 weeks they'll be watching the baby's growth and checking fluid levels. I'm at risk for Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR) as well as pre-eclampsia, pre-term labor and placental abruption. Hopefully I won't have to worry about any of these complications. I have full faith in God that He will protect me and this baby.

Oh and next ultrasound is scheduled for Monday January 22nd!

His perfect timing

They always say that God's timing is the best and is always perfect. I believe it but during the five years of trying to conceive this baby I was constantly frustrated that God's timing wasn't anywhere close to my timing. Until now. Now, it all fits, and it's all perfect. And it's fitting some of my timing "criteria" so to speak.

For example, for the past two and a half years, Jason and I haven't had health insurance. We finally got it and coverage began on November 1. I'm thinking I conceived right around Thanksgiving Day. I don't know what we would have done had we gotten pregnant without the health insurance, especially with my history. I'd have been ecstatic of course, and it wasn't stopping us from actively trying, but still. It would have made for a very stressful and scary pregnancy. Thankfully I am covered now and so I don't have to worry about that part.

A couple of years ago, Jason and I kind of gave ourselves a timeline ultimatum of sorts. We said that if we weren't pregnant or didn't have a baby by the time Riley began first grade then we were done and we would just accept our family of four. Lo and behold, here I am. This baby is probably due in the beginning of August 2007. When does Riley start first grade? The last week of August!

I got pregnant with Ian when Riley was only 5 months old. The two of them were supposed to be 14 months apart. After he passed away, each month that went by that I wasn't pregnant again, felt like a huge loss. I kept giving myself dates on when I wanted to be pregnant by. His due date, the first anniversary of his death, and so on and so on. The last date I gave myself was the date of what should have been his fifth birthday. That date is January 15, less than 2 weeks away. And it finally happened! And I should be having this miracle baby right around the anniversary of his death -- August 7th. It's just amazing how this has all worked out!

For most women, 30 isn't considered "old" to be having a baby. But since I had Austin at the age of 20, I feel much older than 30. I never wanted to have a teenager and then start over with a new baby. Thankfully this baby will be born before Austin turns 11. The age differences between the kids (almost 11 and almost 7 when the baby comes) is a bit more than I would have originally wanted, but now I'm thinking it's going to be just perfect. Austin and Riley are older and more independent. They'll be able to help me out with this baby. They'll understand why I may have to spend more time taking care of this baby than with being with them. I think it's just going to be a lot easier this time around.

Baby Belly -- Week 8 (maybe!)

Figured I'd might as well take a pic and post it. I have hardly any pictures of my pregnancies with Austin or Riley. In fact I can think of ONE picture from each of them. Sad, isn't it? Well this baby is gonna be the subject of plenty of pictures, even before its born. I had to do a self portrait because no one is home right now. I'm kinda proud of this little belly of mine. You can actually SEE it! It took forever it seems for me to start showing with any of the my other three pregnancies. This time things are moving much more quickly.

Oh my sister-in-law Holly (Jake and Summer's mom) called me yesterday and offered me all of her maternity clothes! I'm so excited. She always dresses so nicely (she's a manager at NY & Co) so the clothes are gonna be awesome. I can't wait to get them. She says she'll probably stop by next week with them. Won't be long before I'm gonna be out of my regular clothes and onto the maternity wear. It's funny just how excited about this that I am. I'm sure a lot of people are begrudging wearing them, but not this chick. I.can't.wait!

Family Ties

We have used family names as middle names for our kids, and plan on doing the same for this baby as well.

Austin Jeffery (Jeffery is my dad's name)
Riley Elizabeth (Elizabeth is after Jason's aunt, Elizabeth and my aunt Beth)
Ian Douglas (Douglas is Jason's dad)

With this one we're thinking of the first names of Rachel and Daniel. But I'm having a hard time coming up with family middle names that I like. One name we're considering for Rachel is Rachel Kay. Kay is my mom's maiden name and my sister's middle name. Other girl family names that are in the running: Eileen, Catherine, Mary, Grace, Lillian.

For Daniel, well I have no clue. Some of the family names I like are William, John, Harrison, Stephen, Kai (pronouced KYE, the original spelling of my mom's maiden name when her gr.grandfather came to the US from Norway). I also like Christian, which isn't exactly a family name but I see Christ and Ian, and it reminds me that my baby boy is in heaven with Jesus and it would pay tribute to Ian that way.

Who knows? I'll probably change my mind a million times between now and August, but its something to think about now as I'm patiently waiting. One thing that won't change is the name if this is a girl. Rachel is it. Has been for 6 years, will be forever.

Bassinets, and Bouncy Seats, and Strollers... Oh MY!

I went to Target today by myself. Went in there specifically for cat food and to buy a Starbucks' Caramel Frappuccino (bad, I know, but I was really craving one!). Spent a good portion of the time that I was there just looking at all the baby stuff. Holy mackeral there's a huge selection of new equipment and must-haves that just didn't exist when I had my last baby. And she's only 6!

It's almost overwhelming how much stuff is out there, and yet at the same time, it's so exciting. The baby swings look so much more comfy than the vinyl seat, wind-up one that Austin had 10 years ago. There's fish and music and batteries. There's dangly mobiles above them, and little mirrors, and tiny toys. They even have a swing out there that is like a papasan chair! Who'd have thunk it! Looks comfortable enough for me to crawl in and fall asleep in.

And the Pack-n-plays? Bassinet attachments, changing tables, a place to store diapers and toys and extra blankets. Car seats that are huge and comfortable, with lots of fun patterns. Some even recline with the push of a button. Lots of bouncy seats that vibrate (which Riley loved as an infant -- we used to place the seat in her crib and let her sleep in the seat when she was newborn 'cause she loved the vibrations). Oh and the Exersaucers? Much more interactive than the first one I bought when Austin was a baby. They had just come out with the E-saucer back then and believe me, it was exciting at the time. Now? Oh man they're so interactive and makes Austin's old one look ancient and boring. Today's highchairs have trays that can be thrown in the dishwasher to be cleaned. Why didn't they have that back when I was scouring the tray trying to get the spaghetti-orange stains out of it?

I can't wait to start shopping for this baby! 'Course in a few years I'll look at all the new baby stuff out there and wish they had it when I had this baby.

Toilet Paper

I read on some pregnancy forum somewhere on the net today that some women track their belly growth using toilet paper. Interesting concept. I've got toilet paper, I can do this! Figured it'd be an easy way to gauge how much my belly is growing. So I went into the bathroom today and grabbed the toilet paper, wrapped it around my midsection, making sure it went over my belly button (is that how I'm supposed to measure it?? I have no clue! But that's the way I'm gonna do it). Tore off the paper where it met the other end and counted the squares. Today, at 7 weeks and 6 days (maybe!) I'm 9 squares around.

Funny thing is I found out that one of my best friends, whose identity is being protected so she's not mortified that I'm sharing how big she is, is 10 squares around. Yet she's saying she's HUGE. So I'm thinking if I'm 9 squares and she's 10 squares and yet she's at least a month ahead of me and she's considering herself HUGE, then different toilet paper companies must be using different sizes for their squares. You'd think there'd be a standard toilet paper square size, but I'm thinking not. Unless I'm really big for my dates or that un-named knocked-up friend isn't as big as she thinks she is.

Good thing is that I always buy the same toilet paper so I'll at least have a constant on the toilet paper square size. Maybe said friend should buy my kind of TP and then she'd feel smaller. It's the cheap, hard, plain white stuff -- Scott! Go pick up a few rolls Sherri...err... I mean unnamed friend!

It's a New Year

Post number one. Happy New Year! 2007 - hopefully to be the best year ever! After more 5 years of trying to get pregnant and losing two babies in that time I am FINALLY pregnant. And so far, so good!

The only problem I have right now is the fact that I have no idea just how far along I am. How crazy is that?? I've had two very weird abnormal and messed up cycles. I could be almost 8 weeks along or I could be as much as 11 or 13 weeks along! The good thing is that I'll be finding out for sure on the 9th when I have a consult and ultrasound with Dr. Hole at MFM. I'm looking forward to that appointment because I'll get to see this baby for real and I'll know whether or not I'll be having this baby in August or in July!

Everyone seems to be pretty excited for us. Which is good. I was afraid there'd be more negativity than happiness. But maybe they're all expressing that behind closed doors. Who knows, and as long as I don't have to hear about it, it's all good! LOL! I know that my family is worried about me and my health because of all the bad things I've gone through during my past pregnancies, but I feel very good about this pregnancy. I have faith that God will protect me and this baby. I have faith that He will not take this child away from me afterI've dealt with 5 years of secondary infertility and the death of two babies. He has prepared me to have this child and He will deliver that promise to me!

Now I just have to be patient and wait for this miracle of mine to grow and be ready!