Yes, I am the worst blogger, quite possibly ever... I have a pretty valid excuse (trying to get stuff ready for baby!... no? Not a valid excuse?!), but I won't use it... I won't pull that card out...
Oh wait, I just did.
Well, it's true anyways. Nesting has hit the Wilkenson household in the last week and something (if not multiple somethings...) get's organized or redone or cleaned or polished or shined or dusted everyday... and then usually again the next day. Thank you, my furbabies, for making it nigh impossible to keep something clean for more than 12 hours.
All of my baby clothes are organized into sizes in bags. And the room is painted. That's about it. 8 weeks till due date and I am in panic mode to get everything we need, until I realize that 8 weeks is 2 months, then I am okay again.
As a side note, a little rant about baby bedding: WHY must all crib bedding be ridiculously hideous?? Who's idea was it to put fish and sharks on a bright blue and yellow quilt?? Gross. Not only that, but why must the only cute set be 250 buckaroos... for four pieces?? I really MUST learn how to sew.
I am officially 'plump.' A random 20 year old man at my church told me this, and then proceeded to ask me if I was going to be able to fit any more baby in there. Silly man, at least double the baby will be in my uterus come birthday time. It's hilarious what people say to pregnant women!
Loving. Every. Minute. I am 8 months and 3 days pregnant and I am pretty dang uncomfortable, things like bending over, putting pants on, getting out of bed, and wrestling with my 77 pound fur baby are hard to do, I randomly puke every once in a while, and I'm still am far from ready for this to be over... something about having this baby all to myself for these 8 months, knowing he's perfectly protected and safe and I can shelter him from anything I want is very comforting... it's also very selfish and unhealthy, so, I should probably get over that. But, I also feel a little bit like I have a present for everyone in this little human being waiting to be born, and that keeping him to myself would just be mean. So, this too must end.
On the other hand, I am totally ready to actually see this kid's face... I decided to skip the 3D ultrasound where you basically see exactly what they look like. What fun is it to see your kid's face for the first time on ultrasound?! Much more fun to be able to touch it and kiss it :)
The weight thing has been a bit of a struggle these last few months, but basically the opposite of what I thought would be happening. I thought I was going to blow up like a balloon when I got pregnant. But, between puking the first 16 weeks, food aversions until just recently and taking my dog for mandatory walks twice a day, I've struggled to GAIN weight. At almost 33 weeks I've gained a whopping 11 pounds, and while somebody right now is going to shoot me for being concerned about that, losing 3 pounds in a week in your third trimester is VERY CONCERNING when you don't have anything to lose. You're worried your baby is getting no nutrition at that point, which, as you can obviously assume, is no fun. I did well with the weight gain for 6 weeks, and then randomly started losing... there is no rhyme or reason, so at this point, as long as I'm feeling Jack move in a consistent pattern and I don't continue to lose that much weight, we just roll with it.
Stretch marks #1, 2, 3, and 4 have appeared and are having fun hanging out. Totally expected that way before now, so I am one happy camper I made it this far without them gracing me with their unwanted presence. :)
I am like a celebrity in Walmart whenever I go... I have to allow extra time because most old ladies like to play 20 questions with me. I however, am not complaining... I actually think it's sweet. I hear it only gets worse after the baby comes, too.
About Jack! He weighs about 4 1/2 pounds now (my pelvic floor will vouch for that), and is about 19 inches long. He is literally in constant motion... there's about an hour total throughout the day that I don't feel him doing his little rolls in there. He has quite the personality and likes to show his butt... if I poke him or move him out of a position that is uncomfortable for me, he pushes back harder. Oh yes, he doesn't move like normal in utero babies do... he stays put and gets more stubborn. He IS his mother's child.
He is also his father's child... I can feel him sucking my brain cells away. I cannot remember almost anything for more than 15 seconds anymore. He will be a genius.
I told Dan he would probably think I'm weird and creepy, but I feel like I already know Jack, and I'm pretty sure I feel what he feels... I can feel when he's sad, happy, worried.... right now your eyes are going bug-eyed and you really think I'm some weird emo person, but I don't really care, it's true :) They say babies feel what Mamma feels, I think the reverse is true too.
Also, he goes crazy whenever he hears his Daddy, and that is by far the cutest thing I have ever felt.
We just love this little boy and now we are single digits away from meeting him. :) 53 days away from due date. I can't believe he will be here so soon.
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
6 months, and the 6-pack is gone...
In case you were wondering, I am referring to a 6-pack of ABS, not beer. Just thought I'd clear that up. Although, the 6 packs of beer are definitely gone, too...
There are few things more fun to lose your flat abs to than skittles, homemade bread, Reese's ice cream...
Or a baby bump!
There's 24 weeks of baby Jack inside me right now, putting me at 6 months pregnant.
I seriously do not know how that happened. I feel like I have slept through the last two months of my life. And I most definitely have not. How can I keep myself from 'sleeping' through the last 3 months? I really need to know, because currently I have a crib, a few onesies, some socks, and a painting for the room...
And not a single diaper.
And not a single drop of paint on the walls.
And no carseat...
Since this baby is already trying to make an appearance, I better get this show on the road.
Here's some baby stats for the statisticians among us. Basically meaning any woman that has any interest in babies at all.
* Jack is about 9 inches long (crown to rump) and about 1.7 pounds.
* He is most active between 11 AM - 2 PM and 10:30 PM - 2 AM
* He has hair, and if you had a little in utero camera, you could tell what color it is.
* He can open his eyes now! No more fused eyelids.
* My uterus is the size of a soccer ball.
* I have gained! 3 POUNDS! Woot!!!
Baby Jack seems to want to grace the world with his presence early. I have contractions every night from 10 to 2 AM. Some are Braxton Hicks, some are full blown contractions. It happens no matter how much water I drink, how much rest/activity I had that day, if I'm laying on my left side, no matter what I eat... and well, it wouldn't be that big of a deal if they weren't engaging my cervix (aka, making me dilate). So, I'm off to make sure I don't have a UTI and to hopefully NOT be put on bedrest!
Monday was Happy Viability-Day to me and Jack! Thank goodness for modern medicine making us mommies-to-be feel way less nervous!
I am definitely experiencing the more uncomfortable side of pregnancy now, but I'm on such a high about the fact that I AM pregnant all the time I don't ever take any Tylenol. I start crying every time I imagine having the baby, so I can't imagine what it'll be like when I actually DO have the baby...
Basically, yep, still in love with being pregnant.
3 months to go, people... 3 months. Can't wait to see that little face.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
~ Pure ~
There's no way to describe how purely awesome having this tiny life inside of me is, but if I were to try, it's...
Pure awe when I feel your tiny feet and little hands kicking and punching, and I wonder if you'll be awake this much when you get here.
Pure expectation when I poke you, and you kick exactly where I pushed.
Pure anticipation when I see the baby swing in the corner of my living room and I imagine what you'll look like all curled up in it.
Pure love when I look forward and imagine what I'll feel when I hold you for the first time.
Pure emotion every time I think about watching Daddy hold you for the first time.
Pure joy when I think about watching Daddy teach you how to throw a ball in the backyard.
Pure wonder when I ask how I could be so blessed whilst puking for the fourth time that day.
Pure reverence when I think of the miracle it took to get you inside of me and of the God who put you there.
Pure thankfulness when I remember that I have been blessed with you when I don't deserve any child, especially you.
Pure delight when I see you squirming on the ultrasound screen and wonder what you're thinking.
Pure gratefulness (and to be honest, pure terror) when I think of the responsibility we have been given to raise you for Him, and not for us.
Pure happiness when I feel you punching to the beat of the tune I'm humming, and know you already have rhythm from within the womb!
Pure awesome, ALL the time.
Oh, how I love this little baby.
Pure awe when I feel your tiny feet and little hands kicking and punching, and I wonder if you'll be awake this much when you get here.
Pure expectation when I poke you, and you kick exactly where I pushed.
Pure anticipation when I see the baby swing in the corner of my living room and I imagine what you'll look like all curled up in it.
Pure love when I look forward and imagine what I'll feel when I hold you for the first time.
Pure emotion every time I think about watching Daddy hold you for the first time.
Pure joy when I think about watching Daddy teach you how to throw a ball in the backyard.
Pure wonder when I ask how I could be so blessed whilst puking for the fourth time that day.
Pure reverence when I think of the miracle it took to get you inside of me and of the God who put you there.
Pure thankfulness when I remember that I have been blessed with you when I don't deserve any child, especially you.
Pure delight when I see you squirming on the ultrasound screen and wonder what you're thinking.
Pure gratefulness (and to be honest, pure terror) when I think of the responsibility we have been given to raise you for Him, and not for us.
Pure happiness when I feel you punching to the beat of the tune I'm humming, and know you already have rhythm from within the womb!
Pure awesome, ALL the time.
Oh, how I love this little baby.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Big One
This post title could refer to many things...
The size of my ever growing belly...
The 'big' ultrasound that is scheduled for tomorrow...
Baby Jack, since he's now the size of a mango...
And, it's basically all of those and none of those. I just couldn't come up with a better blog title. I am waxing ineloquent in my pregnant state, which falls under the category of "pregnancy brain," of which I have about 17 episodes/day. I seriously love being pregnant, it keeps me on my toes!
I read somewhere that the babies 'home,' also known as my uterus, grows the most between weeks 18-20. I am currently 19 weeks, and I believe it. This belly has come out of nowhere... I woke up one morning and it was just as big as when I went to bed the night before. I participate in a silly game on my pregnancy forum... it is truly pure silliness but it's so fun and I haven't the slightest idea why. Each week, we measure our belly with toilet paper and see how many squares it takes to go all the way around. At 17 weeks it was 8 1/2 squares. At 18 weeks it was 10 squares, and at 19 weeks.... it was 12 squares. Let's not take that thought process any further or I will be the size of a football stadium by the time Jack decides to make his appearance!
Tomorrow is the big anatomy scan! I am secretly petrified that they will tell me I am ACTUALLY having a girl, even though that should be the least of my worries. They're going to be measuring every part of his little body to make sure it all looks healthy. Normally (if we hadn't cheated), we'd be finding out the sex tomorrow too, BUT, we are impatient people :) I can't wait to see if he has daddy's legs! Doc says between me feeling the baby as a first time mom at around 14 weeks, my brother AND my husband both breaking their waters with kicks (Hubby was a month early, brother was 2 weeks early!), baby probably has some pretty strong legs. And well, if you look at Daddy's legs, you'd wonder if there was a possibility of Jack not having strong legs.
Can I just say again how awesome it is to be pregnant? I mean, I'm running out of ways to describe the awesome-itude. I puked everyday for 3 months and I still think it was fun. Now that I can feel baby super well, I sit back in my papasan chair everyday and just feel him, and then when I feel him I can't help but pray for him. It's my favorite part of the day. I am starting to be able to feel him when I'm up and around too! It's so surreal to know that one time, this not-so-little-anymore baby was the size of a poppy seed. I can't believe I look at his ultrasound pictures everyday and I remember what a miracle baby he is. I know God has something special in mind for him.
Also, can I just say how incredible it is to love someone you've never even seen as much as I love this baby?
Goal #1: Never forget how God worked a miracle. Goal #2: Enjoy EVERY second of this pregnancy, and then his life.
Oh boy. I need prayers. :)
The size of my ever growing belly...
The 'big' ultrasound that is scheduled for tomorrow...
Baby Jack, since he's now the size of a mango...
And, it's basically all of those and none of those. I just couldn't come up with a better blog title. I am waxing ineloquent in my pregnant state, which falls under the category of "pregnancy brain," of which I have about 17 episodes/day. I seriously love being pregnant, it keeps me on my toes!
I read somewhere that the babies 'home,' also known as my uterus, grows the most between weeks 18-20. I am currently 19 weeks, and I believe it. This belly has come out of nowhere... I woke up one morning and it was just as big as when I went to bed the night before. I participate in a silly game on my pregnancy forum... it is truly pure silliness but it's so fun and I haven't the slightest idea why. Each week, we measure our belly with toilet paper and see how many squares it takes to go all the way around. At 17 weeks it was 8 1/2 squares. At 18 weeks it was 10 squares, and at 19 weeks.... it was 12 squares. Let's not take that thought process any further or I will be the size of a football stadium by the time Jack decides to make his appearance!
Tomorrow is the big anatomy scan! I am secretly petrified that they will tell me I am ACTUALLY having a girl, even though that should be the least of my worries. They're going to be measuring every part of his little body to make sure it all looks healthy. Normally (if we hadn't cheated), we'd be finding out the sex tomorrow too, BUT, we are impatient people :) I can't wait to see if he has daddy's legs! Doc says between me feeling the baby as a first time mom at around 14 weeks, my brother AND my husband both breaking their waters with kicks (Hubby was a month early, brother was 2 weeks early!), baby probably has some pretty strong legs. And well, if you look at Daddy's legs, you'd wonder if there was a possibility of Jack not having strong legs.
Can I just say again how awesome it is to be pregnant? I mean, I'm running out of ways to describe the awesome-itude. I puked everyday for 3 months and I still think it was fun. Now that I can feel baby super well, I sit back in my papasan chair everyday and just feel him, and then when I feel him I can't help but pray for him. It's my favorite part of the day. I am starting to be able to feel him when I'm up and around too! It's so surreal to know that one time, this not-so-little-anymore baby was the size of a poppy seed. I can't believe I look at his ultrasound pictures everyday and I remember what a miracle baby he is. I know God has something special in mind for him.
Also, can I just say how incredible it is to love someone you've never even seen as much as I love this baby?
Goal #1: Never forget how God worked a miracle. Goal #2: Enjoy EVERY second of this pregnancy, and then his life.
Oh boy. I need prayers. :)
Friday, April 13, 2012
4 1/2 Months Pregnant???
I'm not entirely sure how this happened, but yes, on Monday I will be 18 weeks pregnant. I think yesterday I was 12 weeks.
And right about now is when I start getting a little panicky that the only baby things we have in this house are a crib, a bouncy seat, some shoes, and a few onesies. Did I mention my house is a mess and every corner needs organized???
Ahem. So, about the delay between blog posts these days... sorry about that. Between either puking, chasing after a 50 pound 4 month old puppy or having a busy schedule, blogging has been pushed back to the "I really should do that soon, but the 14 other things on my list come first" category. Let's just say time management has been a skill I'm pretty sure God is trying to teach me these last few weeks.
So, on to the good stuff! SO. So. Sooooooo much has happened since I last wrote. I will do my best to do at least bi-weekly updates from here on out. But for now, we will play catch up.
I think around 11 weeks I started to feel the flutters of baby Dashlee. Pretty much everyone tells me that's impossible, especially for a first time mom, but, I mean really, if I can feel ovulation, pretty sure I can feel something the size of a peach moving around inside me. I am basically enthralled with baby. I take my prenatal and other vitamins with orange juice at night, right before bed, so whenever I lay down I can feel baby going CRAZY. Daddy still can't feel it from the outside yet, which to be honest is a little weird to me, since it's so clearly the baby moving to me.
FINALLY, after 3 months straight of Zofran everyday and still feeling nauseous with major food aversions, at 16 weeks baby Dashlee let me stop puking. I have never appreciated what it is to enjoy food and not feel like utter poop as I do now. Oh, also, thanks for the boost of energy, kid! I have enough to do my daily duties AND still do a little bit extra. This is huge progress.
At the end of 16 weeks, we scheduled a 3d/4d ultrasound to see little baby Dashlee's gender! Let me tell you, I am convinced at this point I'm having a girl. All my dreams are about girls, I have all the girl symptoms I've heard, I just 'feel' like it's a girl... NOPE! Baby Dashlee is a BOY! During the ultrasound I was literally staring at boy parts and I was still expecting her to type 'girl' on the screen. That's how delusionally convinced I was. Dan got a video of my reaction and it's pretty hilarious, I've never seen myself look so shocked. But, no matter how much I thought it was a girl, I am PSYCHED for my little boy! I always wanted a boy first, because I ALWAYS wanted an older brother growing up. I've got more practice with boys. I always wanted a little cuddly Mama's boy... and he'll be here in September! And yep, we have a name... Jack David Wilkenson.
He will be a MAN-CHILD!!! ;-)
Some days I still don't feel pregnant. I know I am, I can feel my uterus being the size of a cantelope these days, I feel Jack moving all around in there, I feel hungry all. the. time. But, it also feels too good to be true most of the time. I am SO blessed already, and now I have this cute little baby bundle on the way... who is, by the way, a miracle of epic proportions. I feel like it's impossible to thank God enough for answering all our prayers. Sometimes, I get all apathetic and just quit saying thank you (hey, just being honest and open here) because I know I can't say it enough times. And then I get convicted (Thank you Jesus for the Holy Spirit), and start all over again.
I also told Dan I think I want to be pregnant for the rest of my life (with different babies. Don't freak out.). I quite enjoy this feeling and I'm 100% positive I want more kids. Could something be more amazing than a little tiny poppy seed sized cell growing into a big sweet potato sized baby (Jack's that big already??) right inside of me???
I think that's enough for one blog post! Oh wait, maybe some pictures ;)
And right about now is when I start getting a little panicky that the only baby things we have in this house are a crib, a bouncy seat, some shoes, and a few onesies. Did I mention my house is a mess and every corner needs organized???
Ahem. So, about the delay between blog posts these days... sorry about that. Between either puking, chasing after a 50 pound 4 month old puppy or having a busy schedule, blogging has been pushed back to the "I really should do that soon, but the 14 other things on my list come first" category. Let's just say time management has been a skill I'm pretty sure God is trying to teach me these last few weeks.
So, on to the good stuff! SO. So. Sooooooo much has happened since I last wrote. I will do my best to do at least bi-weekly updates from here on out. But for now, we will play catch up.
I think around 11 weeks I started to feel the flutters of baby Dashlee. Pretty much everyone tells me that's impossible, especially for a first time mom, but, I mean really, if I can feel ovulation, pretty sure I can feel something the size of a peach moving around inside me. I am basically enthralled with baby. I take my prenatal and other vitamins with orange juice at night, right before bed, so whenever I lay down I can feel baby going CRAZY. Daddy still can't feel it from the outside yet, which to be honest is a little weird to me, since it's so clearly the baby moving to me.
FINALLY, after 3 months straight of Zofran everyday and still feeling nauseous with major food aversions, at 16 weeks baby Dashlee let me stop puking. I have never appreciated what it is to enjoy food and not feel like utter poop as I do now. Oh, also, thanks for the boost of energy, kid! I have enough to do my daily duties AND still do a little bit extra. This is huge progress.
At the end of 16 weeks, we scheduled a 3d/4d ultrasound to see little baby Dashlee's gender! Let me tell you, I am convinced at this point I'm having a girl. All my dreams are about girls, I have all the girl symptoms I've heard, I just 'feel' like it's a girl... NOPE! Baby Dashlee is a BOY! During the ultrasound I was literally staring at boy parts and I was still expecting her to type 'girl' on the screen. That's how delusionally convinced I was. Dan got a video of my reaction and it's pretty hilarious, I've never seen myself look so shocked. But, no matter how much I thought it was a girl, I am PSYCHED for my little boy! I always wanted a boy first, because I ALWAYS wanted an older brother growing up. I've got more practice with boys. I always wanted a little cuddly Mama's boy... and he'll be here in September! And yep, we have a name... Jack David Wilkenson.
He will be a MAN-CHILD!!! ;-)
Some days I still don't feel pregnant. I know I am, I can feel my uterus being the size of a cantelope these days, I feel Jack moving all around in there, I feel hungry all. the. time. But, it also feels too good to be true most of the time. I am SO blessed already, and now I have this cute little baby bundle on the way... who is, by the way, a miracle of epic proportions. I feel like it's impossible to thank God enough for answering all our prayers. Sometimes, I get all apathetic and just quit saying thank you (hey, just being honest and open here) because I know I can't say it enough times. And then I get convicted (Thank you Jesus for the Holy Spirit), and start all over again.
I also told Dan I think I want to be pregnant for the rest of my life (with different babies. Don't freak out.). I quite enjoy this feeling and I'm 100% positive I want more kids. Could something be more amazing than a little tiny poppy seed sized cell growing into a big sweet potato sized baby (Jack's that big already??) right inside of me???
I think that's enough for one blog post! Oh wait, maybe some pictures ;)
Sweet Baby Jack! Cute already!
17 Weeks of cute baby bump!
And last but not least, my prep for Jack. Boy is he a pain, but he sure is cute!
P.S. I know you all are still praying, and THANK YOU. Dan and I have been overwhelmed by your generosity already in just praying, and now we're being showered with gifts and free things and hugs. It's all amazing. Having people be excited with you is 5,000 times more fun than going it alone. :)
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Fetal Anatomy 101
For lack of a better way to do a post on fetal anatomy, I am breaking down this series by trimesters. This post will be on weeks 1-13! I will have the other two trimesters on my blog at a later date, chroniclesofthedashlees@blogspot.com!
Since I can't see a reason to add another extremely long paragraph to this blog post, I'm skipping the description of what goes on in the first two weeks of the embryo's life because, well.... there is no embryo. There are two weeks in the life of an egg that occur before fertilization that are quite important and vital to the health of the embryo, but this blog post will already be incredibly long and heaven forbid I lose your attention. SO. Let's begin.
Fertilization: Sperm meets egg, they make baby. This occurs in the mother's Fallopian tube (usually). As soon as one sperm penetrates the inner layer of the egg, no other sperm will be able to get past the egg's outer shell. The fertilized egg (now called an Oocyte) will travel down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it will shed it's outer protective shell and implant itself into the endometrial lining, thusly, beginning week 4 of it's development.
Weeks 4-8 are the most vital to the embryos health, development, and overall growth. By this time, the first cells that started dividing 2 weeks ago are now organized into a reptilian-resembling shape, forming a functional circulatory system and a working brain, neural tube, and nerves. Some say this is the point where the embyro begins to feel nudges and vibrations, though he won't respond to them until later, when the muscles and the bones are more stable and intact to allow movement. At week 5, the heart will beat steadily. The four chambers of the heart are developed and fully functional, and there's even an elementary form of blood flowing through the veins and arteries. Arm and leg buds appear as little stumps in the middle of the fetal pole. The lungs, kidneys, and brain develop at a rapid rate. At week 6, the eyes start to develop rapidly. The lenses are formed, and though they are not functional yet, all the groundwork is laid out for the little one to start sensing light changes at around 15 weeks. The embryo begins to look less reptilian and more human every day, as even a little nose bud begins to form, nostrils and all. The main focus of growth this week: the pancreas and intestines. By week 7, elbows, fingers, and toes are in the works. An ultrasound at this point would show movement of the arms and legs, and, if he's active, he may even move his little butt around. The muscles and ligaments are getting stronger by the minute, and allow for more precise and controlled movements. Inside the umbilical cord, intestines are forming. Yes, I said inside the umbilical cord. There's really no room in that skinny little belly for them right now, with the heart taking up 1/4 the room available. Teeth begin to form under the gums in the mouth. As week 8 approaches, the head to torso ratio begins to even out, and on an ultrasound you would see a little baby, not a weird-looking-alien-parasite-thing. In the blueprints this week; eyes, cartilage, bone, tongue, and general size. This week is a huge growth spurt for baby. Generally, any life-threatening chromosomal abnormalities will have caused a miscarriage by this point. Baby will go from the size of a blueberry at week 7, to the size of a raspberry by week 8. And well, that's a lot of growing when you're less than an inch long.
Since I can't see a reason to add another extremely long paragraph to this blog post, I'm skipping the description of what goes on in the first two weeks of the embryo's life because, well.... there is no embryo. There are two weeks in the life of an egg that occur before fertilization that are quite important and vital to the health of the embryo, but this blog post will already be incredibly long and heaven forbid I lose your attention. SO. Let's begin.
Fertilization: Sperm meets egg, they make baby. This occurs in the mother's Fallopian tube (usually). As soon as one sperm penetrates the inner layer of the egg, no other sperm will be able to get past the egg's outer shell. The fertilized egg (now called an Oocyte) will travel down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it will shed it's outer protective shell and implant itself into the endometrial lining, thusly, beginning week 4 of it's development.
An embryo at week 4, about the time a woman finds out she is pregnant. Clearly seen, are the heart, rudimentary circulatory system, and brain.
An embryo at week 7. Eyes, nose, mouth and ears are evident, along with limbs and elbows.
A fetus at 9 weeks old. Looking like a baby!
Weeks 9 and 10 are momentous for baby in more ways than one. First, the little tyke has graduated... from an embryo to a fetus! As far as organs and tissues, everything is present and accounted for, though yet some remain unfunctional for another few weeks. Reflexes are fully developed, and most researchers will agree that at this point the baby will feel everything that happens to it - nudges, shifts, and vibrations. The baby will curl it's hand around anything it finds, and may start thumb sucking. Fingerprints are already starting to form! By week ten, Mom can start to relax, because the most crucial period of development for the fetus is over. Now, the head and the body have equal proportions, as that brain needs plenty of space to grow. Eye color is determined at this point, and the eyelids are fused shut to allow for development of the irises. The placenta now takes over most of the nutritional and oxygen needs of the baby as the yolk sac that has been feeding the baby until now gets used up. At 9 weeks, the baby is .9 inches long... by 10 weeks he will be a full 1 1/2 inches long! Growing like a weed.
By week 11, almost all of the organs are formed and beginning to function. The kidneys begin to work hard and amniotic fluid starts to build up. Baby girl or baby boy? Time will soon tell as the genitals begin to take on proper form and function. Hair and nails are starting to grow at this point. Intestinal walls will begin to contract and practice for digestion, and fingers and toes are perfect! Starting at week 12, the liver and the pancreas start to perform their bodily functions of cleansing the blood and regulating blood sugar. Baby now has vocal cords! Ears are moving to their rightful place on the side of the head and the eyes start to move closer together. Baby is now 2 to 2 1/2 inches long, crown to cute little rump, of course.
Thus, the end of the 12th week means the end of the first trimester! First trimester takes the cake for growth and development. Now, for the rest of the pregnancy, baby will focus on fine tuning and gaining weight. And, hopefully, mom starts to focus on other things than the toilet and her pillow.
Baby at 12 weeks, surrounded by placenta and fluid.
By week 11, almost all of the organs are formed and beginning to function. The kidneys begin to work hard and amniotic fluid starts to build up. Baby girl or baby boy? Time will soon tell as the genitals begin to take on proper form and function. Hair and nails are starting to grow at this point. Intestinal walls will begin to contract and practice for digestion, and fingers and toes are perfect! Starting at week 12, the liver and the pancreas start to perform their bodily functions of cleansing the blood and regulating blood sugar. Baby now has vocal cords! Ears are moving to their rightful place on the side of the head and the eyes start to move closer together. Baby is now 2 to 2 1/2 inches long, crown to cute little rump, of course.
Thus, the end of the 12th week means the end of the first trimester! First trimester takes the cake for growth and development. Now, for the rest of the pregnancy, baby will focus on fine tuning and gaining weight. And, hopefully, mom starts to focus on other things than the toilet and her pillow.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Hugest Update Ever. The Mothership Has Landed.
It's been a good two months since I posted, and here's why.
I had been fervently praying that IF it was in God's Will, I would be able to announce a pregnancy at Christmas-time. December 14th I definitely learned that was not going to happen. If I said I wasn't crushed I would be epically lying through my teeth. If I said I didn't want to have a huge crisis of faith, I would be epically lying through my teeth. And if I said I didn't actually have a minor crisis of faith, I would be EPICally lying through my teeth.
But, it brought me to the end of myself. And the end of my doctor's selves. And the end of any manmade hope. We had decided we weren't going to go any further than the treatment we were already doing, so when for the 6th time Clomid didn't work, and the 2nd time Comid and hCG shot didn't work, I was ready to move on to the next treatment because OBVIOUSLY this wasn't working.
However... I was still willing to try the same thing again rather than do nothing. In my horrible state of emotionality trumps all, I was letting my fears get to me. "I don't ovulate at all on my own. I'm going to be in limbo for years until I ovulate next if we don't do something. I don't want to wait years..." So I called Dan and told him that I wasn't pregnant and that I was going to call Doc and see if we could do another round.
BUT, God didn't want me to do another round. I didn't have peace as I was calling Doc, but I called him anyway. We had planned a trip to Colorado for the holidays, and our flight left the 20th of December. We wouldn't get back until the 31st of December. I told this info to Doc and asked if it was going to be possible to start another round before we left. He said no, because he didn't want me going in for ultrasounds in Colorado over the holidays to measure my follicles. So, we decided we'd wait until I got back and start then, and he said to call him the morning after I got back to Florida.
Fair enough, I thought. However, I continued to have a lack of peace in my heart. I finally told Dan two days before we left for Colorado and after a weeks worth of struggling with myself, and with God, that I didn't feel peace about continuing treatment. I really WANTED to feel peace about continuing treatment. But I didn't, and I couldn't ignore it. Not to mention every message at church was about trusting God alone, letting go of fears, stepping out in faith. It was pretty obvious I was being rather forcefully warned that I needed to let go. And so, I purposed that I would. Sometimes you just have to decide you're going to do what you need to. This was one of those moments. It went against everything I was feeling at the moment, except for that nagging lack of peace.... but that nagging lack of peace is what I decided to follow.
I went to Colorado and as I was packing, I purposely left all "trying to conceive" stuff at home. My thermometer, my ovulation predictor strips, my pregnancy tests. I made myself ignore the apps on my phone, and the groups on facebook I was a part of. I just enjoyed my Christmas NOT thinking about getting pregnant, to be honest. Almost as soon as I started, I wanted to continue forcing myself to not think about it. It was the hugest relief, and just in time for the Christmas season (which, by the way, is my favorite holiday EVER). I was having a total blast in Colorado, and my mind was free to focus on other things for the first time in 18 months.
Christmas Day, we headed up to my parent's place from Dan's mom's house in Colorado Springs. We celebrated Christmas with the whole family and not even once did I struggle with sadness that I didn't have a kid, either with me or in my belly, that being the first time I could say that since my miscarriage in June '10. I was ecstatic.
On the 29th I took pictures of my friend's baby, Caden. He was so darn cute I could barely stand myself, and for the first time in 18 months I could honestly be okay that someone else had a baby and I didn't. And then, later that day at lunch with my Mother-In-Law as she headed up to Nebraska, I noticed I started feeling like I had ovulated. I quickly passed it off as just weird wacky hormones, being that I was off the Clomid now and my body was adjusting. But, the next day, it was like ALL of my ovulation symptoms hit me with vengeance. I tried to still deny it, thinking "There's no way I've ovulated on my own, let alone on day 14. Get over it." But after we got home and I still felt all of the symptoms, I started to wonder if I had.
I noticed most of my symptoms were exaggerated. For example, I normally get a little more agitated when I get PMS, but this was a bit more than usual. I was pretty emo. I couldn't read people's statuses on Facebook without getting upset. I thought "This hasn't happened to me since I was 16 with raging hormones." I knew I ovulated stronger on my own than I ever had with Clomid, so I passed it off as simply having more progesterone in my system than I had when ovulating on the Clomid. I asked myself "Why would God have me to ovulate on my own for the first time in.... SO long, and not work some magic with that little eggy?" Then "Well, God works in mysterious ways. He's probably planning on teaching you something through it. Trust, trust, trust." I said that to myself at least 17 times a day.
I started to calculate the date I knew I should start, and going by my past cycles where I'd ovulated on my own I knew I should start on January 10th. So, closer and closer to that day I started wondering. My body was doing some straaaaaannnngggeeee things. Again, I said "No way, Ashlee. It's just all the extra progesterone." And I truly believed the little voice in my head that said it. Until I was late.
Never once in my entire life have I had a luteal phase (phase from ovulation to period) longer than 14 days unless I had taken the hCG shot, in which case it was 16 days. I said to myself on the 11th, "Well, your body probably just got used to the 16 day luteal phase. You'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow came but the period didn't. Then, I said, "Well, if I don't start by tomorrow I'll take a test. There's no way. But, I'll take a test. Just in case something weird is happening and I need to stop drinking caffeine."
Let me tell you, I had never had so much caffeine in my life as I had in the last month. I got a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato nearly everyday. I got a sweet tea with my lunch from Chick-fil-a nearly everyday. I did everything a trying-to-have-a-baby person should not do. I ran two miles three times a week. I cleaned 2 houses a day with toxic chemicals. I ate a bunch of crap with almost no nutritional value. I stretched in weird ways and was in awkward positions cleaning baseboards most of the day. And, it was FUN.
That night I got super crampy and just 'knew' the end to this horrendous cycle was coming the next day. So, I got up the next day and did not take a test like I said I would. To be honest, it was mostly because I forgot, since I was running late for work that day. Lindsey, my boss, picked me up and we headed to the first house. It took all of about four seconds for her to notice I wasn't my normal self. I was quite hyped up, everytime I checked facebook I would burst out into some loud, obnoxious rant about how just utterly ridiculous someone's post was. And then, I posted my own status. It said something to the effect of "If you're pregnant, stop whining about it. After all, there is a little miracle in your belly." Pretty sure it was less direct than that, but you get the point.
Well, being that it was Friday night, I was exhausted. Wiped out. So, I went to bed early. I fell asleep watching a show with the hubby. I woke up the next morning and realized my dear friend who had so faithfully visited me for the last 17 months was not here... and had a minor freak out in my bed. It was like 7:30 on a Saturday morning and I was wide awake wondering why I was here at 18 days post ovulation with no Aunt Flow. I was actually upset. I said, "Now, WHY would my body do this to me. This is just cruel. But, I better take a test, so I don't go get that Starbucks I desperately want right now if it so happens to be positive. Ha. Ha." I actually laughed at myself, and even as I was unwrapping the test I was asking myself why, just why, was I planning on wasting the $6 this test cost me.
So, I peed. And I looked at my phone. And it was 7:37 AM, January 14th. And the test said to wait 5 minutes before reading. So, I played scrambling with friends games until 7:42 AM on January 14th. Then, I said a quick little prayer telling God that no matter what that dang test said I still loved Him and I would accept with gladness whatever the result was. And after a quick little glance I pretty much lost it.
There were two lines. I never thought I could spontaneously combust and live through it, but that's a little what it felt like. My heart was beating out of my chest, I was crying and snotting all over myself, grabbing my towel and wiping the tears away so I could see the test again, crying some more when I realized I was holding a stick with two lines on it. My legs were numb probably because I had been sitting on the toilet for like 20 minutes at this point. I was a hot mess. But I was a very, very, very grateful hot mess. I sat there praying and crying for a few more minutes. Then I went and told Dan.
See, I always wanted to do it cute. But, the thing is, when you can barely feel your legs, you've been expelling all sorts of fluids out of your body for the last 20 minutes and you're shaking, you can't really hide it. And I couldn't really stay in the bathroom much longer without Dan starting to wonder if the toilet ate me. So I walked out in literal emotional shock and just said "Daaaaaannnn....." and showed him the test. That's literally all I could muster.
He promptly jumped out of bed and said "Are you pregnant??" I just nodded my head and he grabbed my hands and started jumping up and down. Those of you who know Dan.... this is the hugest reaction ever. Then, he stopped and looked at me and said "You're pregnant!!!"
Haha, I didn't believe him. I didn't believe the test either, frankly! Just too much to take in all at once when something you've wanted so badly for so long has finally happened by a MIRACLE.
Well, we pretty much told all close friends and family by that night. I wanted prayer. With my history and now knowing my mutation that causes miscarriages, I was a bit mortally petrified. Especially the next morning when I started spotting. And when I say spotting I mean you probably wouldn't have noticed it unless you were mortally petrified. So, I called Doc.
He says "You got pregnant? By yourself?" I said "well, I had a little help from my Friend Upstairs. But yes, I'm pregnant." He was stunned. Like, really people, this was not supposed to be medically possible. So, after a long story of what was going on, he calls in some bloodwork and says if that looks good we'll do an ultrasound.
Long story short: My levels on Monday morning were 338. Very nice. My levels Wednesday morning were 618.5. Also, very nice. They scheduled an ultrasound for the 26th of January, since I should be 6 weeks at that point. It was the most nervwracking thing I've ever done, that first ultrasound is crucial for people like me with concerning history. Is it in the right place? Are all the elements of a healthy pregnancy there? Will it be the right dates? Will there be more than one? Will there be a heartbeat?
This is what we saw in the first ultrasound. Doesn't look like much, does it? What you're looking at is the yolk sac, the sac that holds all the nutrients for the baby to eat until it can form the placenta and get nutrition from me. On the left side of the circle it's a little more pronounced, and if you weren't there for the ultrasound you probably won't be able to tell, but that's the 'fetal pole.' Basically, the beginings of baby Dashlee. Directly above the white circle in a black circle, you see a darker slash that runs horizontally to the baby. That's a pocket of blood. He said that's probably why I was spotting. He dated this ultrasound at 4.5 - 5 weeks which needless to say made me nervous, since I was supposed to be at least 6 weeks by my dates. I promptly google diagnosed myself and found that it wasn't really a concern.
Well, one ultrasound down. They scheduled me to come back and hear the heartbeat in two weeks. So, February 9th rolls around, and I'm fine and I'm SICK. I have never been so happy to be bowing to the porcelain gods three times a day in my life. It hit me promptly at 7 weeks and hasn't stopped since, so thank the Good Lord for zophran, or I would be one miserable sick lady who would be in the hospital since all she can do at home is puke up water. I feel normal and awesome on the Zophran, and the only thing I really struggle with is the food aversions (is it possible to be aversed to everything except Chipotle and Buffalo Wild Wings?).
Anyway, back to the next ultrasound. I totally did not understand the difference two weeks makes at this stage in pregnancy until I saw this ultrasound pic. Baby Dashlee looks like a reptile and is way bigger than the little yolk sac, which you see in the left of the picture. The baby is the c-shaped thing right there next to it. in the curve of the backwards 'C' there are two white dots, that's the heart. So, Doc says absolutely nothing at this ultrasound. Until he plays the heartbeat. Stunned would be a good word to describe Dan and I's reaction. Dan was so excited he actually got up out of his chair. I was shocked and expecting something to be wrong since he had been so silent. And, it was beautiful. It's majorly surreal to realize there's something inside of you with a different heartbeat than yours. And this is the one part of my blog where I really wish I was a better writer so that you could understand how amazing it was to hear that swoosh-swoosh. And um, did I mention it was LOUD? The kid's got a strong ticker.
There's the big update of my life. This kid's a true miracle. And I am so grateful. I guess God wanted all the credit for FBD and boy did He ever get it. I would attempt to thank all of you for praying, but that would just be useless on a blog post. The kind of prayer that produces this result is something to be thanked personally. Even though I want to barf at the thought of rottiserie chicken and I puke every now and then even on anti-nausea meds, I've had 2 ultrasounds, 2 blood draws, and have missed my period two months in a row, it's still hard to believe sometimes. I feel SO blessed. I also don't deserve this, but the Lord is merciful and gracious and has seen fit to grow me through this. And, did I mention I'm grateful?
As of now, being 9 - 9.5 weeks, I have another ultrasound scheduled for the 21st at 8:30. This is the mother of all ultrasounds. The Big Kicker. The Motherload. If baby is still doing well, I get released to an OB/GYN to figure out if I'm high risk or not. And, well, that's pretty huge when you've never made it past 5 weeks before.
Also, did I mention the baby will actually look like a baby then?
Love, Ash, Dan, and, yes..... BD. Baby Dashlee. Who is no longer future.
I had been fervently praying that IF it was in God's Will, I would be able to announce a pregnancy at Christmas-time. December 14th I definitely learned that was not going to happen. If I said I wasn't crushed I would be epically lying through my teeth. If I said I didn't want to have a huge crisis of faith, I would be epically lying through my teeth. And if I said I didn't actually have a minor crisis of faith, I would be EPICally lying through my teeth.
But, it brought me to the end of myself. And the end of my doctor's selves. And the end of any manmade hope. We had decided we weren't going to go any further than the treatment we were already doing, so when for the 6th time Clomid didn't work, and the 2nd time Comid and hCG shot didn't work, I was ready to move on to the next treatment because OBVIOUSLY this wasn't working.
However... I was still willing to try the same thing again rather than do nothing. In my horrible state of emotionality trumps all, I was letting my fears get to me. "I don't ovulate at all on my own. I'm going to be in limbo for years until I ovulate next if we don't do something. I don't want to wait years..." So I called Dan and told him that I wasn't pregnant and that I was going to call Doc and see if we could do another round.
BUT, God didn't want me to do another round. I didn't have peace as I was calling Doc, but I called him anyway. We had planned a trip to Colorado for the holidays, and our flight left the 20th of December. We wouldn't get back until the 31st of December. I told this info to Doc and asked if it was going to be possible to start another round before we left. He said no, because he didn't want me going in for ultrasounds in Colorado over the holidays to measure my follicles. So, we decided we'd wait until I got back and start then, and he said to call him the morning after I got back to Florida.
Fair enough, I thought. However, I continued to have a lack of peace in my heart. I finally told Dan two days before we left for Colorado and after a weeks worth of struggling with myself, and with God, that I didn't feel peace about continuing treatment. I really WANTED to feel peace about continuing treatment. But I didn't, and I couldn't ignore it. Not to mention every message at church was about trusting God alone, letting go of fears, stepping out in faith. It was pretty obvious I was being rather forcefully warned that I needed to let go. And so, I purposed that I would. Sometimes you just have to decide you're going to do what you need to. This was one of those moments. It went against everything I was feeling at the moment, except for that nagging lack of peace.... but that nagging lack of peace is what I decided to follow.
I went to Colorado and as I was packing, I purposely left all "trying to conceive" stuff at home. My thermometer, my ovulation predictor strips, my pregnancy tests. I made myself ignore the apps on my phone, and the groups on facebook I was a part of. I just enjoyed my Christmas NOT thinking about getting pregnant, to be honest. Almost as soon as I started, I wanted to continue forcing myself to not think about it. It was the hugest relief, and just in time for the Christmas season (which, by the way, is my favorite holiday EVER). I was having a total blast in Colorado, and my mind was free to focus on other things for the first time in 18 months.
Christmas Day, we headed up to my parent's place from Dan's mom's house in Colorado Springs. We celebrated Christmas with the whole family and not even once did I struggle with sadness that I didn't have a kid, either with me or in my belly, that being the first time I could say that since my miscarriage in June '10. I was ecstatic.
On the 29th I took pictures of my friend's baby, Caden. He was so darn cute I could barely stand myself, and for the first time in 18 months I could honestly be okay that someone else had a baby and I didn't. And then, later that day at lunch with my Mother-In-Law as she headed up to Nebraska, I noticed I started feeling like I had ovulated. I quickly passed it off as just weird wacky hormones, being that I was off the Clomid now and my body was adjusting. But, the next day, it was like ALL of my ovulation symptoms hit me with vengeance. I tried to still deny it, thinking "There's no way I've ovulated on my own, let alone on day 14. Get over it." But after we got home and I still felt all of the symptoms, I started to wonder if I had.
I noticed most of my symptoms were exaggerated. For example, I normally get a little more agitated when I get PMS, but this was a bit more than usual. I was pretty emo. I couldn't read people's statuses on Facebook without getting upset. I thought "This hasn't happened to me since I was 16 with raging hormones." I knew I ovulated stronger on my own than I ever had with Clomid, so I passed it off as simply having more progesterone in my system than I had when ovulating on the Clomid. I asked myself "Why would God have me to ovulate on my own for the first time in.... SO long, and not work some magic with that little eggy?" Then "Well, God works in mysterious ways. He's probably planning on teaching you something through it. Trust, trust, trust." I said that to myself at least 17 times a day.
I started to calculate the date I knew I should start, and going by my past cycles where I'd ovulated on my own I knew I should start on January 10th. So, closer and closer to that day I started wondering. My body was doing some straaaaaannnngggeeee things. Again, I said "No way, Ashlee. It's just all the extra progesterone." And I truly believed the little voice in my head that said it. Until I was late.
Never once in my entire life have I had a luteal phase (phase from ovulation to period) longer than 14 days unless I had taken the hCG shot, in which case it was 16 days. I said to myself on the 11th, "Well, your body probably just got used to the 16 day luteal phase. You'll start tomorrow." Tomorrow came but the period didn't. Then, I said, "Well, if I don't start by tomorrow I'll take a test. There's no way. But, I'll take a test. Just in case something weird is happening and I need to stop drinking caffeine."
Let me tell you, I had never had so much caffeine in my life as I had in the last month. I got a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato nearly everyday. I got a sweet tea with my lunch from Chick-fil-a nearly everyday. I did everything a trying-to-have-a-baby person should not do. I ran two miles three times a week. I cleaned 2 houses a day with toxic chemicals. I ate a bunch of crap with almost no nutritional value. I stretched in weird ways and was in awkward positions cleaning baseboards most of the day. And, it was FUN.
That night I got super crampy and just 'knew' the end to this horrendous cycle was coming the next day. So, I got up the next day and did not take a test like I said I would. To be honest, it was mostly because I forgot, since I was running late for work that day. Lindsey, my boss, picked me up and we headed to the first house. It took all of about four seconds for her to notice I wasn't my normal self. I was quite hyped up, everytime I checked facebook I would burst out into some loud, obnoxious rant about how just utterly ridiculous someone's post was. And then, I posted my own status. It said something to the effect of "If you're pregnant, stop whining about it. After all, there is a little miracle in your belly." Pretty sure it was less direct than that, but you get the point.
Well, being that it was Friday night, I was exhausted. Wiped out. So, I went to bed early. I fell asleep watching a show with the hubby. I woke up the next morning and realized my dear friend who had so faithfully visited me for the last 17 months was not here... and had a minor freak out in my bed. It was like 7:30 on a Saturday morning and I was wide awake wondering why I was here at 18 days post ovulation with no Aunt Flow. I was actually upset. I said, "Now, WHY would my body do this to me. This is just cruel. But, I better take a test, so I don't go get that Starbucks I desperately want right now if it so happens to be positive. Ha. Ha." I actually laughed at myself, and even as I was unwrapping the test I was asking myself why, just why, was I planning on wasting the $6 this test cost me.
So, I peed. And I looked at my phone. And it was 7:37 AM, January 14th. And the test said to wait 5 minutes before reading. So, I played scrambling with friends games until 7:42 AM on January 14th. Then, I said a quick little prayer telling God that no matter what that dang test said I still loved Him and I would accept with gladness whatever the result was. And after a quick little glance I pretty much lost it.
There were two lines. I never thought I could spontaneously combust and live through it, but that's a little what it felt like. My heart was beating out of my chest, I was crying and snotting all over myself, grabbing my towel and wiping the tears away so I could see the test again, crying some more when I realized I was holding a stick with two lines on it. My legs were numb probably because I had been sitting on the toilet for like 20 minutes at this point. I was a hot mess. But I was a very, very, very grateful hot mess. I sat there praying and crying for a few more minutes. Then I went and told Dan.See, I always wanted to do it cute. But, the thing is, when you can barely feel your legs, you've been expelling all sorts of fluids out of your body for the last 20 minutes and you're shaking, you can't really hide it. And I couldn't really stay in the bathroom much longer without Dan starting to wonder if the toilet ate me. So I walked out in literal emotional shock and just said "Daaaaaannnn....." and showed him the test. That's literally all I could muster.
He promptly jumped out of bed and said "Are you pregnant??" I just nodded my head and he grabbed my hands and started jumping up and down. Those of you who know Dan.... this is the hugest reaction ever. Then, he stopped and looked at me and said "You're pregnant!!!"
Haha, I didn't believe him. I didn't believe the test either, frankly! Just too much to take in all at once when something you've wanted so badly for so long has finally happened by a MIRACLE.
Well, we pretty much told all close friends and family by that night. I wanted prayer. With my history and now knowing my mutation that causes miscarriages, I was a bit mortally petrified. Especially the next morning when I started spotting. And when I say spotting I mean you probably wouldn't have noticed it unless you were mortally petrified. So, I called Doc.
He says "You got pregnant? By yourself?" I said "well, I had a little help from my Friend Upstairs. But yes, I'm pregnant." He was stunned. Like, really people, this was not supposed to be medically possible. So, after a long story of what was going on, he calls in some bloodwork and says if that looks good we'll do an ultrasound.
Long story short: My levels on Monday morning were 338. Very nice. My levels Wednesday morning were 618.5. Also, very nice. They scheduled an ultrasound for the 26th of January, since I should be 6 weeks at that point. It was the most nervwracking thing I've ever done, that first ultrasound is crucial for people like me with concerning history. Is it in the right place? Are all the elements of a healthy pregnancy there? Will it be the right dates? Will there be more than one? Will there be a heartbeat?
This is what we saw in the first ultrasound. Doesn't look like much, does it? What you're looking at is the yolk sac, the sac that holds all the nutrients for the baby to eat until it can form the placenta and get nutrition from me. On the left side of the circle it's a little more pronounced, and if you weren't there for the ultrasound you probably won't be able to tell, but that's the 'fetal pole.' Basically, the beginings of baby Dashlee. Directly above the white circle in a black circle, you see a darker slash that runs horizontally to the baby. That's a pocket of blood. He said that's probably why I was spotting. He dated this ultrasound at 4.5 - 5 weeks which needless to say made me nervous, since I was supposed to be at least 6 weeks by my dates. I promptly google diagnosed myself and found that it wasn't really a concern.
Well, one ultrasound down. They scheduled me to come back and hear the heartbeat in two weeks. So, February 9th rolls around, and I'm fine and I'm SICK. I have never been so happy to be bowing to the porcelain gods three times a day in my life. It hit me promptly at 7 weeks and hasn't stopped since, so thank the Good Lord for zophran, or I would be one miserable sick lady who would be in the hospital since all she can do at home is puke up water. I feel normal and awesome on the Zophran, and the only thing I really struggle with is the food aversions (is it possible to be aversed to everything except Chipotle and Buffalo Wild Wings?).
There's the big update of my life. This kid's a true miracle. And I am so grateful. I guess God wanted all the credit for FBD and boy did He ever get it. I would attempt to thank all of you for praying, but that would just be useless on a blog post. The kind of prayer that produces this result is something to be thanked personally. Even though I want to barf at the thought of rottiserie chicken and I puke every now and then even on anti-nausea meds, I've had 2 ultrasounds, 2 blood draws, and have missed my period two months in a row, it's still hard to believe sometimes. I feel SO blessed. I also don't deserve this, but the Lord is merciful and gracious and has seen fit to grow me through this. And, did I mention I'm grateful?
As of now, being 9 - 9.5 weeks, I have another ultrasound scheduled for the 21st at 8:30. This is the mother of all ultrasounds. The Big Kicker. The Motherload. If baby is still doing well, I get released to an OB/GYN to figure out if I'm high risk or not. And, well, that's pretty huge when you've never made it past 5 weeks before.
Also, did I mention the baby will actually look like a baby then?
Love, Ash, Dan, and, yes..... BD. Baby Dashlee. Who is no longer future.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)