38 weeks

Phew! We are at 38 weeks, a place we never actually expected to reach. But we figure the extra incubation time is probably good for the baby anyway. Hopefully (fingers crossed) this is the last weekly picture update though! Cause we know you all would rather see pictures of the baby anyway. :)

36 weeks

Well, here we are! 36 weeks! Today we hit our very last milestone before our baby could be born. We now get to join the "any day now" club! This week my doctor removed the cerclage. It hurt like crazy but at least it didn't take her very long. She showed us the surgical string they used to stitch the cervix shut which was kind of interesting. It looks sort of like a thick, bright blue, dental floss. Anyway, after she removed the stitches she examined me and said I was dilated 1 cm and 80% effaced. Bummer. We were sort of hoping I would be at least 2 or 3 cm. Oh well, I guess this just means that our baby has a bit longer to fatten up before we meet her. The really good thing now is that I have been released from bed rest! Malone and I have been going for walks, and it feels so nice to be independent again. But we are so excited for our little girl to come. Of course, being excited and nervous and anxious just makes it feel like time is going by slower.

35 weeks

Well, this week I have been sick, sick, SICK. I managed to catch a cold and I just can't seem to shake it. It makes all the pregnancy symptoms extra uncomfortable. Good thing we're almost at the end right? Anyway, here's a picture. Please ignore my puffy puffy face, my stretchy pants, and red nose.

34 weeks

Here we are at 34 weeks! Hooray! This week I had an appointment with my doctor. I had a non-stress test and an "unofficial" ultrasound to measure the levels of amniotic fluid surrounding the baby. Everything looked great!

My next appointment is next week. I will be having another non-stress test, an ultrasound to measure the baby's growth, and an appointment with the doctor. I didn't think we were going to have any more ultrasounds, but I guess the doctor proved me a liar. She also allowed us to go ahead and schedule the cerclage removal. That will happen the next week. And then I guess we'll see where things go from there! The doctor says I could go into labor immediately but it's also possible that it can take a few days or so. All I know is, we are so SO excited to finally get to hold our miracle baby in our arms!!!

33 weeks

This week has been a fairly busy one in our neck of the woods. We had a doctor's appointment and the baby measured at 4 lbs 11 oz. YAY! She's right on target and weighs almost as much as my baby brothers weighed COMBINED when they were born 21-ish years ago. My blood glucose levels have been so so. For the most part I've been able to keep my after meal levels all within the target range established by my dietician. The fasting glucose levels have been a bit trickier though and there just isn't much to do for that but go on medication. So this week I started on the lowest dosage of the medicine they prescribe to gestational diabetics and so far it seems to be doing a pretty good job of helping me keep things within the right ranges.

From here on out, I will be seeing my doctor every week. Because of the medication I am on, they will be keeping a little bit closer eye on the baby. So, when I go in for my appointments I will have to be hooked up to the non-stress test for about 20 minutes before I see the doctor. But we don't have to have any more ultrasounds! Hooray! And hopefully this week I'll be able to convince the doctor to schedule the removal of my cerclage. I guess we'll just have to see if she will be ameniable to that idea.

This week we've also been having family visit from England. It's been really fun and crazy to have them here! My sister-in-law threw me a baby shower yesterday which turned out great! For those who were able to come, thank you so much for making the day so special for me.

32 weeks

Now this is cause for celebration! I am now 32 weeks along in this pregnancy. This means that the baby will be able to be born and cared for at our local hospital. Hooray!!! We can't believe that we only have 4 weeks until they take out the cerclage and we will finally get to be parents. We know that we have only been able to get this far by the grace of Heavenly Father. We are so thankful to Him and to all of you for your ceaseless prayers on our behalf.

31 weeks

Today I am 31 weeks along, and it's my birthday! It's been a great day. And now we're only 1 week away from what we like to call "magic week" in our house. It's magic because if I can make it to 32 weeks before I deliver then I can deliver at my local hospital with my regular OB as the "catcher."

This week the baby seems to be having quite the growth spurt! She is now big enough to really get some good kicks in to my ribs, and when she moves it looks like she's making my belly do the wave. We are having so much fun together! And as you can see, I really look like I've exploded. Apparently my goofy brothers think they're pregnant too, because they really wanted to get a picture of their bellies in the mix.

We are currently working on getting everything ready for the baby. I can't believe we're only 5 weeks away from the cerclage coming out! The doctor did advise us this week that there is a VERY small chance that once the cerclage comes out my cervix will stay shut because it's been trained to do so. However, this is highly unlikely, so we're really looking forward to the prospect of bringing our precious baby girl home in about 5 1/2 weeks. We picked out a going home outfit for her which we think is pretty adorable. What do you all think?

30 weeks

Today we are 30 weeks into this pregnancy! It feels so good to be out of the 20's! Now she is getting big enough that I'm really beginning to feel uncomfortable. My back has been hurting more, I'm barely getting any sleep at night, and the heartburn is barely tolerable with an enormous amount of Tums. But, it's also been really fun to feel her kicking bigger and doing flip-flops in my belly. Malone has even been able to play with her a bit. When he pokes my belly she pokes back. But one of my favorite things to do is to watch how his voice calms her. For example, every once in a while when she's kicking up a storm Malone will lean over and start talking to her or singing to her. It puts her right to sleep. It's so endearing to see how much she already loves her Daddy.

I'm on steroids!

So this morning was my first steroid injection. First of all I had to go to the Labor and Delivery floor of the hospital to have it administered by a nurse. I was under the impression that they would just hit me with the shot and I'd be on my way. Boy was I wrong.

I actually had to be admitted to the hospital, given my own room, and then the baby had to be monitored for two hours. She wasn't really happy about that. She kept kicking the monitor and then moving away from it. So poor Malone had to sit there the entire time chasing her with the monitor while the nurse filled out all the paperwork.

After laying propped on my side for two hours they finally gave me the injection. Holy Hades it hurt! But I survived. Tomorrow I go in for the second injection. The nurse reassured me that it shouldn't be such a complicated process this time. Wednesday I go in for the 3 hour glucose tolerance test. I can already tell you that I'm going to be very tired of being poked and prodded by the time this week is over. This little girl is so worth it though!!! As my dad so eloquently put it, "Well, she might come out looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but she should be ok and that's what matters."

Week 29

Hello all! Today I am 29 weeks along! YAY! This week I feel like the baby must have had a growth spurt because I am HUGE. Seriously, I feel sort of like I'm exploding in slow motion. And she has been so active! Today I sat and watched my belly shift around for a solid 5 minutes or so. Next time I'll have to record it because Malone was pretty bummed that he missed it. It's so surreal but it could probably keep me entertained for hours! Anyway, here's today's picture.
Please forgive the jammies and the lazy hair.

I have the best husband EVER

First things first. My doctor's office called this morning. They got the results back from my blood tests that were taken on Tuesday. (I love how efficient they are! They originally thought it would take a week to hear back!) Unfortunately the results weren't great. My glucose test came back high. So, now I go into the hospital for the even suckier glucose test. No fun. But I guess given my family's history of diabetes, I can't be too shocked. The test result that did surprise me was my iron. Apparently my iron levels are low. Hmmm... that's never happened before. I'm taking a prenatal vitamin every day. But they aren't super low, just a little bit. So they said just to take a daily iron suppliment.

So last night Malone and I attended our 3rd birthing class. Don't worry, it was allowed. I took it really easy and the class was at the hospital.

At this class we took a "tour" (some areas we just got to look through windows because of germs) of the hospital's NICU, the Labor and Delivery floor, and the floor where they keep the moms and new babies. It was really reassuring to be able to see how well-equipped the NICU is. Right now the NICU is staffed to care for newborns as early as 32 weeks. However, they have the equipment and facilities to care for newborns even earlier. They just have to hire the staff to do it. So, according to our birth instructor the hospital is currently working on hiring said staff after which the NICU will be considered a Level III. (I know, that doesn't make sense to a lot of you, but that's ok. Just know that it's a very good thing.) What does that mean for us? Well, I know some of you have been asking if we'll ever consider having another biological child. Truthfully, we don't know yet. But, it is good to know that if we do decide to get pregnant again and we're still in this area, chances are good that this hospital will be well-prepared for me and my faulty cervix.

Anyway, that's probably pretty boring to most of you, so let me get to the good part. While we were taking our tour our birthing instructor had all the dads take a turn wearing a "sympathy belly." It weighs about 30 pounds and is supposed to give the wearer an idea of what it's like to carry around all that excess weight. Well, if you know my husband, you know that he's kind of a quiet, reserved man. Especially around people he doesn't know very well. I knew this was exactly the type of situation he avoids like the plague. But he was such a good sport! He took it all in stride and strapped on the belly and the "boobs." He was even the first man to take a turn.
Want to hear something even better? I happened to have my camera on me!!! This picture really puts a smile on my face. I just love this man!!!

By a Thread

Well, the news today from the doctor wasn't exactly great, but it wasn't really unexpected either. To put it simply, my cervix is hanging on by a thread. Literally.

At the first ultrasound, my cervix measured 5 cm thick, at the 2nd it was at about 4 cm. Today it is almost completely non-existant up to the stitch. Interpretation: the only thing keeping me out of the delivery room is the 36 stitch cerclage.

The jury is still out about whether or not I am to be ordered on full-time bedrest. Apparently there seems to be some debate as to whether or not increasing the bedrest would actually do any good. The jury is also out about the gestational diabetes test. Results for that should be in in about a week.

The good news? Our baby girl is right on target as far as development. In fact, she's actually measuring 1 day ahead of schedule. The ultrasound technician estimates that she is currently weighing in at about 2 lbs 8 oz. Also, on the ultrasound the cerclage is looking really good. Apparently it's "in a really good place and holding strong." (Ultrasound lady's words, not mine.)

So, the question that I keep getting is, "what now?" Well, from now on I will be having ultrasounds every 2 weeks to make sure my cervix isn't about to tear itself away from the stitches. (Can we say OUCH?) We are also directed to be kick counting and on the lookout for any signs of pre-term labor or signs of the aforementioned cervix tearing.

I also have an appointment on Monday to get a shot of steroids. 24 hours after that, I will go in for a second hit. The hope is that the steroids will accelerate the baby's lung and organ development. These two doses of steroids can be beneficial up to 4 weeks after administration. This is a "just in case" precaution. You know, like, just in case my body decides to go crazy and defy the cerclage. I keep telling my uterus to remember how bad it was last time it pulled one of its fits. Hopefully if I keep repeating "magnesium sulfate" (the torture medication the doctor uses to stop or slow preterm labor) often enough, I should scare my body into obedience.

My doctor has set the new goal for 32 weeks. If I can make it to 32 weeks, then my local hospital's NICU will be equipped to take care of the baby. However, if I go into unstoppable labor prior to that mark, then my doctor will send me by ambulance to a hospital about an hour from here. I'm nervous about that possibility, but at least I know someone who works in respiratory therapy at that hospital, so that helps.

So long story short... keep your fingers crossed for us at least the next 3 1/2 weeks.

Also, I've had several people ask about our baby registry. I pretty much finished it, so for those of you who are interested in it, you can find it HERE. Thank you all for your prayers and support. We really do appreciate it and we know it's making a difference.

TWENTY-EIGHT!!!

When I was in the hospital in labor with Gavin we were told by a neonatologist that babies born at 28 weeks are "easy." (Compared to 24 weekers anyway.) So, from then on 28 weeks became one of those "milestones" in our minds. Well, here we are! 28 weeks! The next milestone in this pregnancy is the 36 week mark when the doctor will remove the cerclage. That's only 8 weeks away! We are so excited.

This coming Tuesday is my next doctor's appointment. I'll have an ultrasound to examine my cervix, take the glucose tolerance test, and then have a consultation with the doctor. It will be interesting to see if my cervix has thinned any more. At my last ultrasound appointment it had thinned by about a centimeter. I am extremely lucky not to have been put on full-time bedrest so far. So here's keeping our fingers crossed that my luck holds out!!!

YAY for 27!!!

Today I am 27 weeks along. My third trimester officially starts this week. How weird is that? Even better, I now only have 9 weeks left until the doctor removes my cerclage. And chances are very good that this little girl will be born as soon as those stitches are out.

WHOA.

We are starting to allow ourselves to really feel the excitement. This past Wednesday we attended our first of four birthing classes. It was really nice of the instructor to teach Malone how to give me massages. Totally worth the fee just for that! But when we practiced the meditation technique she showed us, the baby started kicking and I had a hard time not giggling. Oops! Next week we "get" to watch the terrifying birthing videos. And the 3rd week we take a tour of the new Women and Newborns section of the hospital.

This coming week our project at home is to go through all the baby items we have and start getting the nursery ready. That means I have to face my minor dilemma. We aren't allowed to paint the walls because we're renting. They have to stay white. So how should I decorate? Any suggestions?

26

Happy 2010 everyone! We are excited to ring in this new year and be done with all the drama of 2009. We are so looking forward to what this year has to bring. And I want you all to take notice: According to our countdown in our right side bar, we now have less than 100 days until my due date! And now that I'm 26 weeks that means we only have 10 more weeks until my cerclage is removed. Wahoo!

So much to celebrate

Merry Christmas everyone! Today Malone and I have so much to be thankful for. On the 17th of this month we celebrated our fourth anniversary. Our marriage is the greatest blessing we have been given. No matter how hard things get, we always have each other. For our anniversary, we did lots of fun things. Malone took me out to eat, we did some temple work, and then we went and looked at the beautiful lights at Temple Square. I've been there so many times, but I'm always in awe of how gorgeous it is at Christmas. My favorite feature of their Christmas decorations is the Nativity on the reflecting pond. They have floating lights surrounding statues of Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus right in front of the temple. Every time I see it, I am reminded of how thankful I am that God gave His son to us so that I can return to Him with my family.

Today we are also marking the 25th week of this pregnancy. I can hardly type that without crying. Clear back in August when we first found out that I was pregnant I kept telling Malone, "I will be so ecstatic if I am still pregnant on Christmas day." Well, here we are. And I was right. I am so ecstatic. And you know what? I'm still going strong.

Of course, I know who has given me these amazing blessings. My Heavenly Father and His Son. I am so grateful, especially today, for the knowledge I have of their love for me.

Anyhow, the following are pictures from our anniversary, me and Malone at 25 weeks, and a picture of the baby's first stuffed bear. It was special for Malone and I to go to Build A Bear to be able to buy this for her. We did the same for Gavin, and we've decided to make it a little tradition.

The big 2-4!

Today is an exciting milestone in this pregnancy. Today I am 24 weeks along. When I was pregnant with Gavin I made it to exactly 24 weeks before my body just couldn't hold back anymore. So, every day from here on out is uncharted territory. I feel like every day from now on I am getting to experience something new. And I LOVE it.

Well Hello 23!

Today I am feeling... excited but extremely anxious. Today I am 23 weeks along in my pregnancy. In 3 days I will be as far along as I was with Gavin when they discovered that my cervix had failed. I can't wait to be past the next week. Next Friday I will be at 24 weeks, which is the point at which Gavin was born. I didn't realize how scary it would be for me right now. Sometimes it feels like I'm just a ticking time bomb. Some nights I have nightmares that are more like flashbacks to being in the hospital while they tried to stop the labor. But every morning when I wake up, I thank Heavenly Father that I'm still pregnant and I remember just how blessed we are to be anticipating this precious baby girl, and how blessed we are to have medical care this time to help me make it to the end.

The Good News

OK, I'm glad we have that bad news behind us. Now we can focus on the good stuff.

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment and an ultrasound. It feels like magic every single time I get to hear my little one's heartbeat, and in those moments I'm reminded yet again just how blessed Malone and I are to be expecting this miracle baby.

Anyhow, we are discovering that this little one of ours already has quite the personality. After the ultrasound lady slathered my belly in FREEZING cold gel, we were greeted with the cutest picture of our baby's legs- crossed at the ankles AGAIN. At this point I'm thinking, "SERIOUSLY?!? Are we really going to have to wait to find out until my next ultrasound?" The lady just laughed, jabbed my belly all over with the ultrasound wand for a while, and commented what a shy child we have. After some more uncomfortable jabs to the pelvis, and a lot of refocusing, she was finally able to get a clear shot. And guess what? We are so excited to find out that we are having a GIRL! We really couldn't be more thrilled! We're going to celebrate tonight by going out and buying her first outfit.

Unfortunately we couldn't get a clear shot of her face because she had her face buried in my back. The ultrasound lady said it was like she was embarrassed to show us her little bum. But we will try to get it at the next ultrasound.

Other than that, we found out that my cervix has shortened a little bit. Don't be alarmed though, because we were reassured that right now that's nothing to worry about. And let's face it, we all knew it was coming sooner or later, right? I also had high blood pressure (that has NEVER happened in my entire life!), but that's probably due to my anxiety level over the weekend. I'm sure that by the next appointment it will return to normal.

We are reassured after all this that my doctor feels very confident that I will AT LEAST make it to 26 weeks, and so far there is nothing to indicate that I will deliver before 36 weeks. My next appointment is in about 3 weeks. From now on, we'll be visiting the doctor more frequently and will have ultrasounds every 3 weeks or so.

29 and 22

Day 293 Waiting for our miracle babies

Finally it's FRIDAY!!! Thank goodness! It has been a super long week. Today our birthmom, J, is at 29 weeks, and I am at 22 weeks. We are SO excited that this is J's last week in the 20's! She only has 8 more weeks until she's considered "full-term." That's right, only about 2 more months! I can't tell you how excited and anxious Malone and I are getting. As soon as Christmas is over we will be packing all the decorations and putting the boxes into the storage unit. Then we'll pull out all the boxes of baby stuff and get the nursery ready. I can't WAIT! Some of the things in those boxes have been waiting for a very very long time to be used. It's hard to believe that our little girl is really almost here.

As for me, I have been feeling anxious lately. Soon I will be 23 weeks along. When I was pregnant with Gavin, it was at 23 weeks 3 days that I went into the hospital and the doctor discovered that my cervix had failed. Getting close to that point is making me incredibly nervous. I am so excited to have made it this far however. Every time I feel the baby kicking I just want to cry because I never thought I would get to experience that feeling again. And I am super excited to go to my ultrasound appointment on Tuesday! Hopefully this time the baby will cooperate and let us see if we need to plan for a boy or a girl!