Merry Christmas!!!!

So, we told everyone we know that our ultrasound is the week after Christmas, however, we decided it would be fun to surprise our parents for Christmas with the baby's gender. So we had our ultrasound on the 22nd and we're having a little boy!

Everything on the ultrasound looked great. He looks perfectly healthy and the tech says he weighs about 10 oz right now. They weren't able to get a very good view of his heart, so the next time I have an appointment, they are gonna do another quick ultrasound to make sure that looks good too.

I'm almost halfway to my due date, and have finally started to feel him move. It's so funny, sometimes it surprises me when I'm doing stuff and I feel a tickle in my belly. =)

I suppose thats really all. Just wanted to share the good news!

OB appointment

Had my 1st OB appointment today. It was so hard to wait a whole month and not know anything. Wondering if everything was ok in there. I stopped my horomone medication completely about a week ago and was a little worried if that was going to have any affect on the baby, or if I had already lost the baby that would be why I didn't know. This whole pregnancy is a giant trusting God test. Sometimes I pass, and sometimes I fail. In fact, I imagine that from now on my life with my child is going to be one giant trusting God test.

So my appointment went well. The doctor was very nice (Thanks Crystal!) and even let us hear the heartbeat on the doppler before my exam cause Joel had to get to work as soon as he could. I decided, however, that someone in the office doesnt know how to count, or at least read my date wrong. The doctor said that so-and-so estimated I was about 7 weeks and would be due the middle of June... even if they calculated from LMP instead of fertilization date like they do with most pregnancies that would put me 12 weeks today instead of tomorrow. But he decided despite the fact that I told him my ultrasound in the beginning of October put me due 5/19 and that my physical exam showed that I was probably around there that he wanted an ultrasound as soon as they could fit me in to pinpoint the due date.

So I ended up getting an ultrasound this afternoon. HOLY COW! the baby is so much bigger in a little less than a month! Before it was just a big white area. Now I could see hands, feet, nose, cute little tummy! I am in love =) She had me cough a bit to see if it would move for me. I kind of bounced it around, but it was just content to lay there. No crazy stuff like I saw on one ultrasound where the baby would kick itself up and slide back down. But thats ok, I still think it was the cutest thing ive ever seen.

Keep praying for the baby, but thank God so far its doing great!

Happy Baby!

This is the 1st time since my egg retrieval that I really feel like I can just relax and try to enjoy being pregnant. (Although knowing me I'll find something else to worry about =D)

We went for our follow up ultrasound this morning after all that hullaballoo last week. Even after the ultrasound last Wednesday showed a good picture of the baby and it's heartbeat, I still worried about the bleeding and the fact that the baby was 2 days behind in development. I know 2 days doesnt seem like a lot, but when you're only 7 weeks old, that could be significant.

So the ultrasound today was wonderful. The baby's heart rate was in the 170's (which is good for those who don't know) and it's measuring 7weeks 5days so it's caught up a day. =) The doctor said it was time to graduate us, meaning I'm gonna spend part of today looking at OBs to go to. I think I want to deliver at Banner Gateway cause thats where Crystal delivered Austin and it seemed really nice when we were there. So at least that will narrow down my choices.

As far as how I'm feeling, I'm actually quite well. I've been lucky that my morning sickness has so far been nothing but small bouts of mild nausea. Most of what I have is constant hunger - I feel starving 2-3 hours after I've eaten. (this is definitely joels child) and food aversion. The 2 don't go well together. Sometimes I'll cook something thinking it'll be fine and then as soon as the smell hits me, I want to barf. The only craving i really have is for dark meat chicken. The white meat actually is one of the things I don't really enjoy right now. Wierd.

It's still hard to believe that I have a little person growing inside. It's crazy and amazing (and a little creepy when you think about it). I thank God every day for giving us our miracle. Thank you all who have been praying for us and asking how we are doing. It has been such a help and a blessing.

pretty big bump in the road

So yesterday morning I had some slight bleeding and was of course concerned so I called my doctor. She said it was probably just from the medication I was taking so she told me to stop taking the aspirin and call if i had any heavier bleeding or cramping.

When I woke up this morning early to use the bathroom there was a fair amount more of blood so I called again and they scheduled me to come in for my ultrasound today instead of tomorrow.

I went in at 1030 and she said there was no active bleeding and she couldn't necessarily tell why I would have been. They looked at the baby. There was 1 gestational sac. (essentially what the baby is carried in) meaning only 1 of the embryos implanted. It took her a while to see the yolk sac (baby's nutrition before the circulatory system forms) and we saw what she thought could be and I thought was a heartbeat. But, there wasnt specifically a fetal pole (essentially the baby itself) so she couldn't confirm that it was really a heartbeat. Possibility it was just ultrasound movement or something, although i thought it looked too rhythmic to be not a heartbeat.

So. My baby needs lots of prayer. As much as you can muster. I go in next tuesday the 6th for a follow up ultrasound and things should have changed enough to know whether this is a viable pregnancy. I'll be devistated if we lose this baby. and I'm not sure how easy it would be (or financially feasible) to go through this again.

God Is Good!!!!!

This last week has been about as nervewracking as the time that I took my nursing license exam. But God is faithful and we found out yesterday that I'm pregnant! My lovely best friend Amy spent the day with me, which is good because otherwise I would've probably ended up clinging to the ceiling fan or something. I had my blood drawn at 830 and they told me that they would call later that day and if it wasnt before 430 to call them. Well, 430 rolled around and no news so I called and was told that the docs were running late, and I was on the list to call, but it probably wouldn't be until 5 or 530. So my doctor finally called at 520 with the good news.

I have to go get another HCG level (aka pregnancy test) on friday and they expect by then that the level will double. And I'm guessing in about 2 weeks I'll go in for an ultrasound and they'll see how many embryos there are. =)

I'm not sure that this has actually sunk in yet. Im sure it might still be another few weeks. Thank you all for all your prayers. This baby(ies) is our miracle from God. We're obviously still early in the pregnancy so we still have a long way to go, but God has brought us this far and we believe he's got some great plans for our kiddos. Keep praying for a good pregnancy/healthy baby(ies)!

Waiting

Well from here it's just a waiting game. We will find out hopefully on Wednesday if I'm pregnant or not. They did the implantation on Monday and everything went smoothly. They gave us pictures of the ones they implanted. =) Its pretty amazing.

Ive had a few people ask me if Ive had any pregnancy symptoms yet. I dont think i really have. What I have felt thats different could be I suppose, or it could be attributed to the meds or the procedure itself. No morning sickness though, which seeing how a woman wouldn't be at the point of taking a pregnancy test yet if this was all done naturally, is probably not to be expected.

Who knows? Ive been overanalyzing the last few days. Been at home pretty much since Monday, so I'm going stir crazy and really looking forward to going to work the next couple days to get my mind off of things.

I guess that's it for now. Just keep waiting and praying. I would ask though that on Wednesday I don't get a bajillion people calling/writing, etc as to whether its positive or not. I have no idea what time I'll find out, and if it's not good news, I dont know how up to talking I'll be.

Egg retrieval

Not a long update but a pretty important one. Our egg retrieval went wonderfully! I had no problem with the surgery.  And I think the doctors were pretty impressed. They got a total of 13-16 eggs (depending on whether you ask Joel or the nurse) and we were told 8 of them were mature (meaning that they are ready to be fertilized) and that they would let us know today how many were fertilized.  Soooo, I got a call at work this afternoon and found out that there were actually 12 mature eggs and 11 of them fertilized!!! Of course they still have a few days to watch them and just because they are fertilized doesnt mean that they will all survive the next few days, but I'm praying for my 11 babies (I know it's a completely rediculous idea) that God would protect them and help them to grow well. Obviously i dont want to have 11 children but having 11 fertilized means there should be a good number that develop well in the next few days. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers!