30? How did that happen??

30 weeks!

This morning I got the best 30-week present EVER! The perinatologist reported that little Elfie is cured of his arrhythmia!! I am over the moon that my guy is healthy and that this "hiccup" has resolved itself (at least for now!!!).

To make my life even more fantastic, the doctor gave me some INCREDIBLE 3D pictures of our handsome little boy! This was such an unexpected, added bonus that I bawled like a baby right then and there as I saw my son's face for the first time. I got to watch him opening and closing his mouth and covering his face with this hands. Unbelievable! He looks just like his daddy!!!!!

How is it that this pregnancy is three-quarters complete? Where has the time gone? I cannot believe that in a few short months I will be what I've dreamt about my entire life: a mommy. It's simply unreal.

Here's his profile:



And a straight-on face shot with his mouth open:



And one of the 3-D shots (he has his hand over one of his eyes):

It's a.....

BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Our appointment went better than I could have ever dreamt! Not only did our little Elfie reveal the goods, but they were THE FIRST THING WE SAW when Dr. D turned on the monitor! M and I both had guessed that it was a boy (I had two very vivid dreams about boys and their "parts!"), so we were excited to both be correct! (heeheehee...I LOVE being right!!!).

I have gained 6 lbs. in the past 5 weeks, which is a little over a pound a week. Doc was pleased about that (as was I, though shocked that it wasn't more!). This puts my weight gain at 9 lbs since my 10 week appointment, which is when I started keeping track. Overall, not too shabby. Baby's weight is estimated to be about 3/4 of a pound. Way to pack it on, little man!

Elfie looked absolutely fantastic on the screen. He was moving around a lot and practicing his dance moves for us. We got a big kick out of seeing his wiggles and watching the doc measure everything. Our quad screen came back normal, so it was explained to us that our chances for genetic abnormality have now decreased to about 1.5%. I was completely emotional seeing my SON wave and move, especially knowing that he is healthy and growing appropriately. Overall, a very moving experience. Quite a momentous event.

After the appointment M and I stopped at Babies R Us and parked in the Expectant Mother's spot. Wow. What a feeling. For the first time in my life, I didn't feel like an impostor walking into that store! We picked out two adorable outfits for our little man..our first gifts to baby boy. I can't wait to see them on him!!! Here are some pics from our day....

Tomorrow!

19w3d

Well, it's finally come! When I look back to my last OB appt, I thought 5 weeks was AN ETERNITY to wait! But then I compare it to the 2 years we've been waiting, longing for, crying about, and praying for this miracle of life, and it seems like such a blip on the radar. And it truly has gone by pretty fast.

I have been feeling my little elfin baby moving around quite a bit in there. It started about a week and a half ago, and since it is so subtle and not consistent, it took me a while to really identify it as the baby. Now I know for sure, and LOVE the feeling. He/she moves most when I am lying down or sitting still, so I try to do that as much as possible.

I have so much excited anticipation regarding tomorrow's appointment. I am just a tad bit nervous about the scan, and am hoping that Elfie is measuring appropriately, is healthy, and doesn't reveal any major problems. In the back of my mind I know it will be fine, but the worry thoughts do creep in from time to time, and I can't help but be anxious. Mostly though, I am excited to fall deeper in love with my baby tomorrow.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY....

I really hope our little Elfie is not stubborn like his/her momma and decides to show us the goods!!! If we are lucky and do get to see those beautiful genitals, M and I are planning to spend the day together telling friends and family. I will post here tomorrow night after we've let our IRL peeps know!!

And then....LET THE SHOPPING BEGIN!! I have not bought a single thing for this baby yet, and I am excited to pick out a really special outfit for him or her. I can't wait to get started on the nursery!!

Today's the last day to vote...let us know what you think!

17 weeks!

Thanks for the advice about the heartburn. I bought some Tums and they've been working wonders. Phew!

I had a scary moment yesterday at work. I was in the middle of teaching a lesson when all of a sudden I felt as though I'd pass out. I walked over to my desk where there was a lovely muffin waiting for me and promptly stuffed it in my mouth. I told the kids I'd have to sit down for the rest of the lesson. They were very sweet and understanding! I was truly scared, as I've never experienced this before. I called my mom at lunch and she said it used to happen to her when she was pregnant, and that it's just my low blood pressure/low blood sugar. So now I know that I should keep food IN MY POCKET for emergencies such as this!

So..the weeks are moving right along, and I'm certainly comforted by my expanding belly. Of course I am counting the days til our BIG ultrasound because once we know the gender, the REAL planning can begin. I haven't even really seriously planned the nursery yet, and of course need to start getting serious about names, etc.

Hope everyone is enjoying Spring so far!

Graduation Day

[Cue Pomp and Circumstance]


Well, the day has finally arrived that we say goodbye to our dear, beloved RE and NP and hello to a new OB! It is bittersweet to me as I feel that they have taken such good care of me over the past 8 months...I couldn't have asked for a better team of people to help me through the hardest thing I've ever faced. I am truly grateful.

That being said... WOO-HOO that I won't be needing them again for quite some time!! It's still so surreal to me that this might actually be happening. I can't quite wrap my brain around it yet. I think it's so hard to accept that after so many failures (when I thought everything was right, perfectly timed, and planed to the T), it actually can happen for me. My body can produce and sustain life. Wow.

Baby is again measuring 2 days ahead at 9w5d. Doctor said everything is looking great. He pointed out the placenta, the umbilical cord, and then of course baby's head, torso, jaw, leg buds, and arm buds. We were just in total and complete awe of the miracle of creation. Baby waved a few times and showed us some of his/her dance moves (the cutest wiggles I've EVER seen), and we just couldn't get enough of it. M was especially taken aback with the amount of movement we saw.

I have my first real OB appointment on the 10th. Can't wait to feel like a "normal" pregnant patient like the rest of 'em. Actually, I don't think I will ever feel that this pregnancy is "normal," as I think back to the heartache that got us here. I know that those experiences make us stand out from the crowd, and I'm glad for that.

And here's a pic for posterity:

The day in which the world stopped...and started again.

At 4 pm today I started spotting. Being the irrational, emotional, hormonal person that I am lately, this sent me into a tailspin. Tears came immediately, as I KNEW in my heart that this must be the end (because, apparently I'm a doctor now).

I called the RE and she told me to come in so I could see the heartbeat and be assured that the spotting was caused by prolonged use of the suppositories. I was a wreck. M drove us there, and I was a crying zombie the entire ride there.

Once we were in the room, I said a few prayers (ha, they were desperate pleas!) to God, and shortly thereafter was given the best news I have received since this pregnancy started.

Baby not only continues to have a strong (151 bpm) heartbeat, we got to HEAR it today. He/she has doubled in size and is measuring 2 days ahead of schedule at 8w5d. I attribute this to the high probability that this poor child has inherited his or her father's head...which is famously over-sized. The kicker in this whole crazy day was that we got to see baby MOVE! It was twitching! Talk about the craziest thing I've ever seen!!!!!

So...what could have been the worst day in my 30 years turned out to be a day with a bonus u/s with tears of happiness and relief in the end. I know we are not cleared yet. We never will be! But for this small victory, I am most appreciative. Thank you, God.

Wonderful Day

M and I laid eyes on our future child for the first time today. We saw the cute little blob on the screen, and for the 2 seconds between that and seeing the flickering heartbeat, I forgot to breathe. It was the most amazing, moving sight.

And the tears came. And came...I didn't hear a word anyone else said the rest of the time because I just couldn't get over the feeling of seeing a living thing in my body.

We will go back in two weeks and hopefully hear the heartbeat.

This is so surreal. Pinch me, it feels like I'm dreaming.