Halfway There!!!!

I’m 20 weeks today!!!! Yipee!!!!!!!!!

Quick update:

*Off bedrest

*20 weeks pregnant

*Baby Boy weighs about 15 oz.

*Still out of work until I reach 24 weeks (viability)

*Getting my energy/strength back – very tired (hence limited posting…)

*Still have Bill the Bleed and he is not much smaller – no change in two weeks.

*Had a scare about my heart (found out I now have two valves leaking and my right ventrical is a bit enlarged). But all is well and these are likely pregnancy-related things that should go away. Unfortunately I have to deal with the side effects (fatigue and bad palpatations).

*Very glad to be out of the house!!!!

*Great ultrasound this week with Baby Boy sucking his thumb!!!

*Overall – VERY HAPPY and SO in love!!!!!!!!

Here are some pics! Thanks for checking!

20 week belly shot!

19 weeks 4 days ultrasound – all snuggled up!

19 weeks 4 days ultrasound – about to suck his thumb…

And the thumb goes in the mouth!!!! So cute!!!! Another 20 week belly shot pic!

Kind of Off Bedrest (Sort of)!

We had a pretty good appointment on Wednesday and I’m officially allowed to start re-integrating into society. LOL. Well, sort of. I have to take it really easy and not do too much. I have to sit down a lot and can only do a few things each day.  On Wednesday, we went to Wegmans after our appointment to have lunch and get some groceries. You cannot even imagine how excited I was to do that. First of all Wegmans is my favorite place on earth (right up there with the State Fair and petting zoos). Second, I got to actually walk around – no wheelchairs, no motorized scooters, but WALK! And it nearly killed me. I had to sit down twice, my heart was pounding and racing in my chest and I started cramping. So, it wasn’t fantastic, but I did it! And boy did I pay for it that evening when I was so sore and tired!

The next day I made my maiden voyage out of the house on my own. I had some clothes that needed to be returned to the maternity store before the end of the week (per their 30 day return policy). So, for the first time in two months, I drove my car! I felt like I was 16 and had just received my driver’s license. I was nervous! I had to drive 45 minutes each way to the store and was very anxious about being on my own. Besides being alone in my house, I haven’t been alone in two months. I don’t go to the doctor alone. I don’t drive alone (or at all, actually). It was scary to be alone. I kept thinking, “what if something happens to me?” “what if I have to go to the hospital?” “I’m in the wrong city – this is not where my hospital is.” “What if I get sick?” “what if I start bleeding?” “What if I feel like I might pass out?” It really was nerve-wracking! But, all in all, I did okay. I got to the store to return my clothes and exchanged them for a few new digs. I made it home just as it was getting dark. I didn’t pass out. I didn’t need to go to the hospital. And I was okay. Nervous, but okay.

Friday my goal was to visit my colleagues at work. I have missed seeing them! My office is 2 miles from my home so I drove down there and paid a visit for a little while. I got to see many of my colleagues and it was great! So  nice to visit with them. They were super sweet as always and I even got to meet the two new staff members. Man – I’ve been out long enough that we have new staff members?! I stayed for a while until they needed to work and I got weary. I went to the grocery store after that which was a bit too much for me, but I pushed through. I pushed the cart and leaned on it a lot – it was pretty rough actually. But, again, I made it through and got all the fixings to make dinner!!! After resting for about 3 hours after my journey to the grocery store, I got up and made my husband dinner. Something I’ve wanted to do for two months!!! It wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever made, but it was good enough for Ross to get seconds and thirds.

Saturday, I went for a walk! And that was a big mistake I think. LOL. It just about did me in. All I did was walk to the stop sign, but I felt like death when we got home. I was out of breath, weak, faint, and my heart was pounding. So…I’m going to hold off on doing that again for a while! It was nice and fun, but my body isn’t ready for it. Besides my walk, I dusted the TV and stand and did a little work in the nursery (sitting most of the time sorting through things). The nursery has been used as a guest room and craft room for two years – I’m in the process of getting all the craft stuff OUT so we can get all of Baby Boy’s things IN! That wore me out pretty good and I was soooo ready for bed last night.

Today I’m trying to go to Walmart. I’m a bit tired and weak, but I really want to go. I ordered a booster seat for Baby Boy that came in and I want to pick it up. Plus, I want to get some photos developed and so it seems like a good excuse to go. It’ll probably be a lot though and I’m a bit nervous about going…I know everyone says it’s hard to ease back into things after bedrest, but it’s more than hard. It’s unexpectedly difficult – and I was prepared for it to be hard. It’s amazing how you can walk up the stairs and be out of breath. Or try and do laundry and realize that one load takes 3 days. Or decide to dust and realize you can dust one item of furniture. I know it’s going to take time and I’m okay with that - it’s just the physical parts that I’m having trouble with. The feeling like crud when you try to do something. The having to sit down in the shower b/c your heart won’t stop racing. I know it’ll come. I’m so thrilled to be allowed out of my house on my own terms and I don’t care how long it takes. I’m pretty content doing two or three things a day and calling it quits. It’s still a bit boring, but not as bad as bedrest. And I know that I can’t push it or I will end up back on bedrest!

I didn’t mention my appointment really – we had our anatomy scan this past week! Baby Boy has fingers, toes, a stomach, a 4-chambered heart with appropriate blood flow, a diaphram, a bladder, boy parts, and an adorable little face that I could just smother with kisses!! As of Wednesday, he weighed 9.5 oz. What a big boy! He’s measuring ahead of schedule. Me on the other hand – I’m not. I’m having trouble gaining weight. I’ve noticed it for about 4 weeks now, but finally decided to say something to the doctor. I’m 18 weeks and have only gained 4 pounds. Not horrible. Not great. Not as much as they would like. I should gain 25-35 pounds total and should be gaining about a pound a week. In the last two and a half weeks, I’ve gained zero. The doctor had us meet with the nutritionist about how to gain more weight. We went over my history with regards to morning sickness, bedrest, etc. She said that most people on bedrest gain weight. I’m having trouble eating quantity though – I’m just not that hungry! She gave me some tips on how to make every bit count with regards to calories. If I’m eating a cucumber (one of my favs), I need to dip it in ranch dressing or put cheese on it. I need to find calorie-rich foods that aren’t super filling so that I can tolerate them better. So I spent the next four days stuffing my face full of cheese and cupcakes and candy and anything else I could stomach. And guess what. I STILL didn’t gain one ounce. I weighed myself four days later (as I’ve been doing at home periodically) and was the exact same weight as I was the morning of my appointment. Sigh. So I’ll keep gorging myself and see if I can gain! What a funny and weird issue to have…

My other weird issue is these near-fainting spells I’ve had. I think I may have mentioned them in an earlier post – where I get shaky, weak, faint, toes/fingers go numb, heart starts pounding, etc. I mentioned them to the doctor and they think it’s because of my Mitral Valve prolapse (with regurgitation). My blood flows backwards through  my mitral valve. It’s not serious, but can get worse in pregnancy. The doctor thinks that’s what’s making me feel weak and giving me heart palpitations. So I’m off to the cardiologist tomorrow to get a maternal echocardiogram (echo). Just to make sure the regurgitation isn’t worse. I’m supposed to get echos every few years, but haven’t had one in maybe 4 years or so. I’m sure it’ll turn out the same as my previous echos – maybe a little worse, but not bad. I think I’ll probably just have to deal with the side effects of the MVP with regurg. The great news is I can still attempt a natural delivery! I was wondering if it would put too much strain on my  heart, but the doctor said it’s totally fine to have a natural birth (just so long as they give me antibiotics of course).

We got some good pictures at the ultrasound – here they are!

 Baby Boys’ feet! My favorite picture!!! So cute!

Baby Boy’s face – 18 weeks

Baby Boy’s profile – 18 weeks

Baby Boy’s right arm – 18 weeks

Thanks for reading to the bottom!

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day

Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day. Please take a moment to remember the many babies who only had a short time with their Mommys and Daddys. Please say a prayer or light a candle to remember them and to remember that these children were loved before they were even conceived and wanted more than words can say. And that their beauty and spirit will live on in all children and in the eyes of their Mommys and Daddys.

Hodge Podge Post

Is hodge podge even a phrase? Maybe I made it up. Cut me some slack. I haven’t had exposure to the outside world for more than a few moments in 49 days. Yikes! That’s a long time!

So things are doing fine here. I haven’t had any bleeding for almost 3 weeks! yahoo!!!! After bleeding heavily for a month, this is a great feeling. I’m starting to calm down about it, too. Before I was so sketchy about it – checking the bleeding 100 times a day. Now, I don’t even turn the light on when I use the potty at night. Of course I try to use the moon light to check things, but you know, baby steps!

I’ve been really enjoying knowing that our baby is a boy. I haven’t gone too crazy with shopping yet – although I look online frequently (I have a LOT of time on my hands)! I’m struggling to keep his name a secret when I talk about him to my friends and family. I call him by his name at home and have to stop myself from using his name when I talk or write about him. I think he likes his name – it suits him for sure! We are still up in the air on middle names – we like 3 different names and just can’t decide. I’d like to figure it out soon – the planner in me coming out!

I pretty much finished my registry at Babies R Us. I know it’s still a bit early, but again, I have so much time on my hands. I’m going to buy a few things on my own when I’m able to go to the store again – there are a few things that I’d like to actually see/touch before I buy. I tried pretty hard to be economical about my choices and not go overboard on things. The one thing that I did got a bit crazy on was the monitor – well monitorS. I really would like the AngelCare Movement monitor that senses if the baby is moving/breathing – if not, it will alarm. That comes with a sound monitor. But, I also registered for a video monitor. I know I don’t really need both and I would rather have the movement/sound monitor, but I guess I’d like both. We’ll see – I guess that’s still up in the air! The breast pump is another thing that’s a little pricey, but it gets great reviews and I’m committed to breast feeding for 6 months and since I’m going back to work right away, I need a reliable pump.

Switching topics….

So the other day was really awesome. I was looking so forward to going with a good friend of mine to a jewelry party in the evening – I counted down the hours all day until the party at 7. I didn’t do anything but sit there, but I was with a bunch of gals and it was a wonderful break! And while I was waiting/counting down, I got a wonderful, no AMAZING care package in the mail!! My friends R & K sent this awesome care package that had the coolest stuff in it. And everything was labeled. It was so great! It had food, magazines, little toys, Mardi gras beads, Aveda body products, books, CDs, and more! It was the best gift EVER!!!! R & K have been such supportive friends. Our families will be forever close – I just wish we LIVED closer!!! Here’s a pic of the goodies they sent me!

In other news, we go to the doctor for our weekly appointment tomorrow and have our anatomy scan! It’s not as dramatic since we already know it’s a boy, but it’ll still be fun! We’ll get to see his arms, legs, fingers, and toes and get some great pictures (hopefully!). I have a few concerns to talk to the doctor about as well though so that will be interesting. I’ve been having some weird issues this past week that are a bit concerning. I had two days where I got really weak/faint. My heart would start pounding, my toes and fingers felt numb and I go really shaky. It was quite scary. My heart has been pounding a lot lately without the other symptoms as well. That’s more annoying than anything, but I just want to make sure everything is okay. I suppose it could just be from not moving around a lot. So tomorrow will be interesting. It’s always something with this pregnancy!

Baby boy has been kicking me so much lately which is awesome. But, the funny thing is, if I put my hand over my belly, he stops!!! I think he likes my hand (or Ross’s hand) on my belly because he just relaxes and doesn’t kick at all. It’s cute, but I want to feel those kicks!!! I have to catch him kicking! I am feeling it a lot, but Ross hasn’t been able to yet! I hope soon, but it’s hard with baby boy playing games! hehe!!!

And finally – I told you this was a hodge podge post – Although I’ve been on bedrest, there is nothing that can stop me from preparing for Halloween. Riley dresses up each year. He has been Spider Man, a pumpkin, and a bumble bee. This year, he’s dressing up as a lobster! I ordered it online and it came a few weeks ago. I just have to share this picture of my adorable little boy. And yes, I do have plans already for next year. Both boys will be pumpkins – it’ll be a pumpkin patch! I can’t WAIT to take photos!!! LOL!!! So here’s my Riley. Happy Early Halloween!!!

Priceless

One month of fertility drugs = $5,000

One box of pregnancy tests (a 3 pack, of course) = $17.99

Co-pay per visit to the Perinatologist = $20

Laying in bed with your husband and puppy dog, feeling your little baby boy kick you = PRICELESS

I’ve been feeling the baby move for a while now, but I can finally feel kicks! And last night, for the first time, I felt it on my hand! Baby Boy kicked and I felt it in  my belly and then put my hand over him and bam! He kicked again and I felt that little twinge on my hand. Amazing!!!!

*Disclaimer: Prices are estimates. I don’t really know exactly how much my drugs cost each month – $5,000 is a rough estimate*

It’s A…

…..Boy!!!!! Yep! Our little baby is really a baby BOY! I could not be more thrilled! We found out quite early (at 15 weeks, 4 days), but he was really showing the goods and there is NO question!

We aren’t scheduled for our anatomy scan for another week and a half, but I asked the u/s tech to see if she could try and find out early for us. She happily obliged. At first, he wasn’t in a good position. His legs were crossed and not showing anything. Well, either he moved, or she got a better angle, because there it was….all the boy parts! So our little baby is now a little boy.

I guess I had always wanted a boy. It’s almost hard to explain why I was so overjoyed. I would have been happy with a girl, too, but the fact that it was a boy was just over-the-top excitement! It all feels so much more real now. I don’t think I had ever smiled so big in my whole life….my face hurt from smiling!

We also had a really great OB appointment. Bill the Bleed is about 25% smaller than he had been. He’s finally healing!!!! In fact, it’s been 10 days since I’ve had any bleeding! After bleeing for 5 weeks, that’s a welcome relief, let me tell you! I’m still on bedrest (day 38) until further notice. My best guess is another 4 weeks or so. But, that is subject to change.

Okay, back to the good stuff! I had such a blast telling my friends and family! First, I called my parents. I promised Ross that I would wait until after we were done with the entire appointment. Had my Mom had text message (hint, hint), I would have probably caved and texted her…but, alas, she doesn’t (YET)! At first my Mom didn’t pick up…I tried to stay calm (lol – I was freaking out!) and luckily she called right back. I cut her off from her explaining why she didn’t hear the phone and told her It’s a Boy!!!! hehe!!! I’m giddy just writing about it! So we talked quickly about how we found out so early and about how Bill the Bleed was doing, etc. But, then I just had to call my Dad. My Dad really wanted a boy. Yes, of course, he would be happy with a girl, but let’s be honest…he really REALLY wanted a boy. When he was at the ultrasound last week with us he “swore” he saw a little we-we. He didn’t really (you couldn’t see much detail on that one), but it was just funny because he really wanted a grandson!

So, my Dad was my next call…he was at work with all his cronies (he works with a fun crew) when I got to tell him and he was thrilled. He announced it to his office out loud and was really psyched. He said, “see? I told you I saw a we-we.” It was really awesome.

I called some friends to announce the news and everyone was excited for us! But, here’s the best part: telling my grandma. The back story on my grandma (for the purposes of why this is so important to me) is this: I’m really close with my Grammy. I don’t get to see her all that often, but it doesn’t matter – we are very, very close. We think a lot alike and can talk about anything. She’s amazing and such a role model. At my wedding, she got really sick with a heart condition (yes, actually AT my wedding) and was close to meeting the big guy. Fortunately, one of our friends saved her life (yes, literally) and took her by ambulance to the hospital. She has since made a full recovery. But, it was scary. So fast forward a little bit: I get pregnant the first time. She is THRILLED! My sister can’t have kids so this is a big deal. Then it’s gone. And we all know how that story goes so I won’t repeat it. One of the things that really bothered me was the fear that Grammy might not be around to actually see my baby. And (now this is stupid but it was bothering me), I was worried that I might not ever get baby blankets and outfits from her, yet my friends have. She loves to crochet and she makes tons of adorable things. And I had this fear that I wouldn’t be able to make a baby and that she would be gone, etc. etc. It really scared me.

Well, this baby looks like it’s going to be here for the long haul. And I’m so thrilled that I will be able to share that with Grammy. She even sent a baby blanket with my parents the last time they came up – my dream come true! My Grammy made a baby blanket for me! Not my friends, not my cousins, but me! I wasn’t sure that would ever happen. Wow. Okay I’m crying…moving on to the point…

Grammy has been telling me that she has both blue and pink yarn ready to go as soon as we told her if it was a boy or a girl. I called her on my way home from the doctor and told her that I know what color yarn she can use. At first she was confused (b/c I had woken her up from a nap!). I said, I know the gender! She goes “OOOOHHHH!!! Is it a boy?!” YEP!!!!! And I could just tell, from so many miles away that she had the absolute biggest grin on her face ever. A little boy. A dream come true. A dream that none of us knew might ever come true. And it’s a boy. Her first great-grandson. We have a LOT of girls in our family and a boy is just such a treat. And that just melted my heart. To hear how happy she was and to just be able to tell that over the phone was perfect. Really, the best day ever.

And to top off the day, we broke the bedrest rules and Ross pushed me around Babies R Us in a wheelchair so we could pick out a few important things that I did not want to pick out online. We picked out a crib, dresser/changing table, stroller, swing, and gilder. Then, we went to Olive Garden for lunch! Perfect!

And today? Today I woke up to my Baby Boy kicking me!!! Life really is good!

Oh – and yes, we have a name picked out, but we are not sharing! Sorry! You’ll just have to wait until March 18, 2010 to learn his name. For now, if anyone asks, it’s Cleatuss Kooter.

And some photos! There are none of the “boy parts” so I wouldn’t waste your time looking! LOL that was for his Mommy and Daddy’s eyes only!

He is waving to his Mommy and Daddy in this picture! You could actually see him waving during the ultrasound and teh tech tried to catch it in a photo!

 

And my 16 week belly shot. Starting to get chubby!!!

Day 28

Yes indeedy, I have been on bedrest now for 28 days. That’s four weeks. One month. 672 hours. 40,320 minutes. 2,419,200 seconds. Yep. I really have nothing better to do than calculate how long I’ve been on couch arrest. Today there is a Law & Order: SVU marathon on TV though – so I’ve got that going for me!

We had a nice appointment yesterday at the high risk doctor. We took the whole entourage – me, Ross, my Mom, and my Dad. They took me back alone at first to check for domestic abuse (standard practice at each appt) and after that I asked the nurse very nicely if I could get a quick ultrasound so that my Dad could see the baby. After all we’ve been through and the fact that I’m the only producer of grandchildren in my family, the nurse happily obliged. She’s wonderful – have I mentioned that? They have two types of ultrasounds at my doctor – the real diagnostic ones (like the ones I get to check on Bill the Bleed) and the “feel good” ultrasounds that the RN’s give you to check the heartbeat. We got a quick “feel good” ultrasound with both of my parents watching. It was AMAZING. What a wonderful and awesome experience to share with my parents. I’m guessing it’ll be my dad’s only chance at seeing it since they live so far and he can’t take much time off of work so it was really special. I think he even teared up a bit. And the RN spent a lot of time with us – she let us watch the little one for quite a while. Baby was moving all around and even clenched it’s fist for us and wiggled all over the place! So unbelievably cool. I was so thrilled that my parents could experience that. My Mom had been to an ultrasound with us before, but for my Dad it was a likely one-time thing. And the RN even made sure to print a lot of extra photos for my parents and then congratulated the grandparents. Totally awesome! (Sorry – that was some solid 80’s speak). No need to share photos as they look almost identical to the last ones. The “feel good” ultrasound machines are not as high-tech as the diagnostic ones so the pictures aren’t as great. But, we still got some good ones to give to Gramps and Nana. Did I mention that’s what they will be called? Well, it is! Gramps is after my maternal grandfather – a beautiful tribute if you ask me. And Nana is cute and fun and not too “old lady like” which is what my Mom was trying to avoid. My dog, Riley, has been calling them Gramps and Nana for some time now so it’s not really a “new” thing. Didn’t you know? My dog is really smart and can actually say “Gramps” and “Nana.” Amazing.

I have been a bit anxious lately (I’m sure you all find that incredibly hard to believe). Bill the Bleed is not healing very well – hardly at all, in fact. And while I’m beyond the point of having a miscarriage, I’m still not out of the woods. And I’m just worried that this bleed won’t heal and it’ll somehow hurt the baby as the baby continues to grow. And I think this is the part that scares me more than anything: If I end up in the hospital at this point, I think they’ll put me on the L&D floor. I’m not positive about this, but I’m pretty sure. That’s freaky. I don’t want that to happen obviously, but it’s just scary to think that I’m that far…but I’m that far. Oh well. One day at a time as my Mom tells me. Today I’ve made it to 14 weeks 5 days. In two days I’ll be 15 weeks. And I have a baby that’s fluttering around in my belly.

Right – I didn’t mention that yet. I can feel the baby! I’ve been feeling it for a little over a week, but I didn’t know/realize what it was. It kinda feels like bubbles popping in my belly – very weird. I feel it more at night when I lay down in bed, but I can feel it during the day if I sit still and concentrate on it. The other night, Riley barked and it startled me enough that I jumped and the baby went crazy!!! It was moving all around like a little jumping bean. It was very cool. It does make me feel reassured. I just worry for the future. I know I’m fine right now, but what about tomorrow and the next day and the next week, etc? I guess the next big milestone will be viability. Well, with another small milestone in there – on October 14 we find out if it’s a boy or a girl!!!! Yes, we are finding out and I can’t wait! I really feel like it’s a boy, but who knows?! I keep calling it a “he,” but I think that’s just because I don’t like to call it and “it.” I’ll be happy either way – a healthy baby is all I am looking for. I will say though, I don’t have a clue what to do with a girl. It was only recently that I even learned the colors of the rainbow. Roy-G-Biv….A five-year old friend had to teach me (not without her own editorial comment “how do you NOT know the colors of the rainbow?!”).

Alright. That’s all I’ve got for now. My head hurts and Law & Order is calling my name. I’ll end with a fun photo of the signature I use on my message boards. One of the graphics girls made it for me and I absolutely LOVE it. Of course, I can’t keep it to myself!!! Cheers!

Confessions of a Couch-Ridden Woman

I am so awful at updating my blog! Which is funny since all I do each day is sit on the couch allllllll day. Perhaps I just don’t feel like I have much to say. Plus, I think I’m getting dumber by the day. Is that possible? I’m pretty sure it’s happening. For every week on bedrest, I feel like I’m losing a year of education. So as of now I’m mentally back in high school – seriously not a good place to be. You know those old 80’s ads about drugs: This is your brain; This is your brain on drugs? That’s how I feel. This is your brain: This is your brain on bedrest. Not pretty. Today is day 26 of my incarceration. It doesn’t look like I’ll be paroled any time soon. I had an ultrasound last Monday which showed Bill the Bleed is smaller but not by much – like a millimeter smaller. It’s going to be a long haul to hopefully get back on my feet (literally!). Oh well. I can do anything for the baby for sure. It’s just not a lot of fun.

Photo from: www.ttsmag.com/2008/07/16/drugfree-america/

In other news: A very big congratulations to one of my SK friends, Kari. She just had her quads (yes, you read that correctly) the other day. The babies are just adorable!!! And Kari did such an amazing job making it to 33 weeks with those four! Such a great story!

I’ve started actually picking out things for the baby. I had done a little browsing, but now I’m full-out making lists and picking out fun things. I even purchased some sleepers and onsies the other day online. Ross got my box of baby things out of the basement. I haven’t gone through that box since we lost our first (other than to grab a sleeper for my very good friend, M, when she got pregnant a few months ago). It was a pretty big step. I also was able to open a gift my mom sent me that arrived the same day as my D&C for my first loss – unfortunately timing. My Mom and I are BIG into scrapbooking and she had put together a great gift of scrapbooking paper and embellishments for the baby’s book. It was a great gift made even better since she and my Dad made a surprise trip up to visit this weekend. It was due to a very sad event – my Mom’s Uncle (with whom she was quite close) passed away last week. We know it’s for the better and he was tired and in pain, but it’s still quite sad of course. So my Mom and Dad made the trip up to attend the services and gatherings and are staying at our house. It’s quite a treat and a bit of a silver lining to have them here. And unfortunately, due to bedrest, I have been unable to attend any of the funeral events. I’m missing seeing my family. As soon as I’m off bedrest, I will go to the cemetary and visit my Uncle who will rest next to my Grandfather.

I get to go to the doctor again tomorrow (once a week!). My Mom and Dad are coming with us so they can hear the baby’s heartbeat. My mom has had that opportunity, but my Dad hasn’t and probably won’t get to be up again during another appointment. It’ll be really great. I’m going to see if they’ll do a quick ultrasound so he can see the baby as well. I guess it’s kinda weird that I’ll be going to the doctor with my Mom, Dad, AND husband, but you know, whatever! And the icing on the cake is that we get to go to the Oliver Garden for lunch after!!! Yum-O!!!! I’m so excited about that! Soup, salad, and breadsticks! From there, my parents will go to the funeral and Ross will take me home. I wish my parents could stay longer. I pouted, but it didn’t work – Dad has to go back to work. Hopefully, they’ll come back soon!

Oh – I did have an ultrasound last week – here is a pic for your viewing pleasure

Something I’m looking forward to in the coming weeks: New primetime TV!!! Not that I don’t watch enough TV or anything, but I’m looking forward to the new seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Desperate Housewives! Oh, AND Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Making the Team – I love that show!!!

 Okay that’s all I’ve got for now – back to cross stitching, yelling at the TV, and spending endless amounts of time on the sofa….sigh!

To all my blogger friends…

If you have a Blogspot blog, I am having technical difficulties posting comments. I’ve been trying and my computer won’t let me and all I get are error messages. So, I’m totally NOT ignoring your blogs! I’m trying to respond, but it won’t work! Sorry!

A New Milestone!

Today is a day of celebration!!!!!

My little baby has made it to 13 weeks!!!!!!!

Today has been a great day of excitement and joy. I never really thought I’d be able to make it to this point. And it feels amazing! For those of you who don’t know, my longest pregnancy before this was 12w6d – we lost our first at that time. But, this one has made it through! I did wake up with a feeling of anxiety. I went to the bathroom at 6am and kept saying “please let me still be pregnant, please let me still be pregnant.” And sure enough – all was well! The bleeding is constant, but expected as a result of the sub-chorionic hemorage. I’m still queasy and having weird dreams. I’m still pregnant. wahoo!!!! And, yes, I’m still on bedrest – but that’s okay – I can do anything if it means I can have a healthy baby! I’m including a handful of pictures that I finally was able to get onto my computer.

This first one is my 10w5d ultrasound:

This next one is my 11w4d ultrasound:

And here are some 13 week belly shots.

Here is my 11w4d ultrasound with the sub-chorionic bleed pointed out (pink arrow bottom left):