In order to make sure Walter is OK, there are a series of tests that you can go through to see what your chances are that somethings is wrong. The first was the NT scan - which is the ultrasound where they look at the level of fluid behind baby's neck. It needs to be under 3mm. Our little one's was 1.3mm. (Just to give you perspective, with Peanut, they wouldn't even tell me the number - that's how scary hers was!). So - that one was PASSED!
Then you get a blood screen and they take those results, combine them with your age, and the NT measurement and come up with what your chances are that your baby has Down's or another Trisomy. All women, depending on their age, have a "number" that follows them until they get this blood test - although most don't know it. I think mine was originally 1:300 chance of Down's or another genetic disorder. After the blood test, they went to 1:10,000. PASSED!
Then, between 15 and 20 weeks, they do another blood test called the AFP. AFP is a substance that is made by the baby's liver and is in the mom's blood. They test the level - if too high, it could be an indicator of Turner's (what Peanut had), neural tube defects, abdominal wall defects, placental complications, anencephaly (where the baby has a partially formed brain or spinal cord), omphalocele (where the baby's intestines stick outside of the abdominal wall) - all scary things. If the number is too low, it could indicate Down's Syndrome. Just got our results and they were Normal! PASSED!!!
We never made it to the AFP test with Peanut. And we have never passed ANY of these tests until little Walter came into our lives.
Next test - the 20 week anatomy scan. Still waiting to be scheduling, but hoping it will be right after Labor day.
So, there is your lesson for the day kids. And this little mommy is going to go thank the Lord for all these good results, and pray for even more as we keep going through this pregnancy!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Dear Little Bunny Foo Foo -
You poor child - you will never know your real name. For the most part, mommy and daddy are calling you Walter. We aren't really sure why or how - but there it is. Lately, when I am home alone working, I find myself singing the Little Bunny Foo Foo song, for whatever reason. And so now, I have been calling you that in my head. You will know once you are here that we don't really call anyone by their real name, at least not on Daddy's side. Let me decipher for you:
If you here these names, this is who we are talking about:
Moomoo, Booboo, Puppy, Luppy, Dove, Baby = your daddy calling me, or vice versa
Lala = Aunt Lisa
Papa = Grandpa (daddy's dad)
Gigi = Grandma (daddy's mom)
Bobo = Your cousin Emily
Chichi, Chey Chey, Wizzle, Wiz Kid, Nubs McGee = Your Doggy Cheyenne
B-Boy = Your Uncle Brent
And I am sure there are many more names that will come, including what you will call my parent's. Yes, we are nuts! But hopefully you will love it. And I know someday it will embarass you, but that's what we are here for. :)
I wanted to tell you a little about your history, mostly so Mommy remembers in her ever aging brain.
We found out about you on May 20th. We are sorry we didn't look extremely excited from the outside. Trust us, we were. And we cried happy tears. But then of course, the immense fear set in. We couldn't lose you too!! We are sorry we let our fear take over that day. But we promise we will make it up to you. We saw your heart beating when you were only 6 weeks old. And we got to see you three more times between then and 12 weeks. My how you grew! And how you gave us lots of scares. But that's OK. We will just remember that when we are calling you silly names in front of your first boyfriend/girlfriend. :) We got good news about you each time we saw you, which was really surreal. Mommy rented a fetal doppler so I can listen to your heartbeat anytime I want. At your 12 week appt, you looked so great. Daddy wasn't there, but your grandma was and she was so excited to see you! I felt you kicking me when you were only 15 weeks old (exactly). At first I wasn't sure what it was - it felt like a fishy swimming in me or someone blowing bubbles. But after a few days of that, I was pretty sure it was you. Now I feel you every other day or so. I cannot wait till I can feel you every day.
Mommy and Daddy did a gender prediction kit (twice) - and both times it said boy. I know it isn't 100% accurate, so we aren't completely betting on that... but we will find out for sure in a few weeks! And we can't wait!
We already have your crib and room set picked out. We have a bunch of paint samples hanging in your room. We cannot wait for you to get here!
So, for now, you keep growing big and strong. We will do the rest OK?! We love you so very much. And we cannot wait to hold you in our arms!!!
Love, Mommy (or whatever cooky name you come up with for me!)
You poor child - you will never know your real name. For the most part, mommy and daddy are calling you Walter. We aren't really sure why or how - but there it is. Lately, when I am home alone working, I find myself singing the Little Bunny Foo Foo song, for whatever reason. And so now, I have been calling you that in my head. You will know once you are here that we don't really call anyone by their real name, at least not on Daddy's side. Let me decipher for you:
If you here these names, this is who we are talking about:
Moomoo, Booboo, Puppy, Luppy, Dove, Baby = your daddy calling me, or vice versa
Lala = Aunt Lisa
Papa = Grandpa (daddy's dad)
Gigi = Grandma (daddy's mom)
Bobo = Your cousin Emily
Chichi, Chey Chey, Wizzle, Wiz Kid, Nubs McGee = Your Doggy Cheyenne
B-Boy = Your Uncle Brent
And I am sure there are many more names that will come, including what you will call my parent's. Yes, we are nuts! But hopefully you will love it. And I know someday it will embarass you, but that's what we are here for. :)
I wanted to tell you a little about your history, mostly so Mommy remembers in her ever aging brain.
We found out about you on May 20th. We are sorry we didn't look extremely excited from the outside. Trust us, we were. And we cried happy tears. But then of course, the immense fear set in. We couldn't lose you too!! We are sorry we let our fear take over that day. But we promise we will make it up to you. We saw your heart beating when you were only 6 weeks old. And we got to see you three more times between then and 12 weeks. My how you grew! And how you gave us lots of scares. But that's OK. We will just remember that when we are calling you silly names in front of your first boyfriend/girlfriend. :) We got good news about you each time we saw you, which was really surreal. Mommy rented a fetal doppler so I can listen to your heartbeat anytime I want. At your 12 week appt, you looked so great. Daddy wasn't there, but your grandma was and she was so excited to see you! I felt you kicking me when you were only 15 weeks old (exactly). At first I wasn't sure what it was - it felt like a fishy swimming in me or someone blowing bubbles. But after a few days of that, I was pretty sure it was you. Now I feel you every other day or so. I cannot wait till I can feel you every day.
Mommy and Daddy did a gender prediction kit (twice) - and both times it said boy. I know it isn't 100% accurate, so we aren't completely betting on that... but we will find out for sure in a few weeks! And we can't wait!
We already have your crib and room set picked out. We have a bunch of paint samples hanging in your room. We cannot wait for you to get here!
So, for now, you keep growing big and strong. We will do the rest OK?! We love you so very much. And we cannot wait to hold you in our arms!!!
Love, Mommy (or whatever cooky name you come up with for me!)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Unchartered Territory
I haven't ever been here before. I haven't ever been 16 weeks pregnant. But I am today. And I am so very thankful for that. But I also feel weird about it too, and I have been having a lot of flashbacks of last summer. I feel cheated - I am not sure that is the right word - but that't the one going through my head. I feel like I should know what this feels like, instead of asking people who are farther ahead in pregnancy then me. I feel like I have been in a perpetual state of pregnancy since March 2009, and in some ways I have. But yet, I have never gotten to this point. I have been pregnant for a total of 38 weeks in the last year, yet, I don't know what week 16 feels like. Or any of the weeks after that.
I think for some people it is hard to understand that these thoughts to through my head - they treat this like our first pregnancy (even though they know it isn't). They ignore the fact that while we are ecstatic about our little Walter and how s/he seems to be doing well so far that there are so many things that are different this time around. The fact that I have to add "so far" to all of my sentences is just one of them. The fact that I still don't feel guaranteed that come January/February, there will be a baby in my arms. I go there sometimes - yesterday I was picturing it in my head. But it is hard. It is scary. Because we are still grieving our two angels. Just because we are pregnant again and things are going well (so far), that doesn't mean that we are "over" the last year of tragedy.
Don't get me wrong, most people are really and truly wonderful with us, and get it. But there are others, that I would think SHOULD get it, that don't. But such is life I guess. And I will just continue to focus on, and be thankful for those that support us through the good and the bad.
And for now, we move on into unchartered territory. With all of my research on pregnancy, trying to conceive, etc - I have never researched week 16 and on. So, time to break out the books again and see what the rest of this pregnancy thing is all about, because, while I am petrified that something will go wrong, I also have hope that we will get to buy that furniture that we have had picked out since last April, and we will get to use those little outfits that are sitting in the cedar chest, and we will get to be like so many others with their "normal" pregnancies. (Even though we will never have a normal pregnancy.)
And today - I am going to sit here and work and smile at this little orange that is floating around in my belly blowing bubbles at me. It took me a few days, and with some advice from my best friend, to figure out that it was in fact baby Walter in there, kicking mommy. Keep kicking me baby!!! I love it! (Just don't do it when you are bigger then me OK?)
I think for some people it is hard to understand that these thoughts to through my head - they treat this like our first pregnancy (even though they know it isn't). They ignore the fact that while we are ecstatic about our little Walter and how s/he seems to be doing well so far that there are so many things that are different this time around. The fact that I have to add "so far" to all of my sentences is just one of them. The fact that I still don't feel guaranteed that come January/February, there will be a baby in my arms. I go there sometimes - yesterday I was picturing it in my head. But it is hard. It is scary. Because we are still grieving our two angels. Just because we are pregnant again and things are going well (so far), that doesn't mean that we are "over" the last year of tragedy.
Don't get me wrong, most people are really and truly wonderful with us, and get it. But there are others, that I would think SHOULD get it, that don't. But such is life I guess. And I will just continue to focus on, and be thankful for those that support us through the good and the bad.
And for now, we move on into unchartered territory. With all of my research on pregnancy, trying to conceive, etc - I have never researched week 16 and on. So, time to break out the books again and see what the rest of this pregnancy thing is all about, because, while I am petrified that something will go wrong, I also have hope that we will get to buy that furniture that we have had picked out since last April, and we will get to use those little outfits that are sitting in the cedar chest, and we will get to be like so many others with their "normal" pregnancies. (Even though we will never have a normal pregnancy.)
And today - I am going to sit here and work and smile at this little orange that is floating around in my belly blowing bubbles at me. It took me a few days, and with some advice from my best friend, to figure out that it was in fact baby Walter in there, kicking mommy. Keep kicking me baby!!! I love it! (Just don't do it when you are bigger then me OK?)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Another Great Weekend!
We had another great weekend.
Friday - Matt had his first day of "big boy" work, so he was pretty exhausted and passed out at 9. But before that, we went out to dinner and then looked around the commisary and the base exchange.
Saturday - We ended up waking up early and went out to Panera. Then headed to a city nearby for their farmer's market - which was awesome this time. We got a bunch of stuff. And then we drove a little farther out to a vintage truck show and found a vintage truck that we really want to buy. (But probably won't for a long time.) It was fun to explore this area - we found a Christmas tree place, and a dairy farm, and all sorts of neat things. I love exploring! We came home and had lunch and cleaned the house. Then in the afternoon, we met our friends at the base pool - which was really nice. And then we had them over for dinner afterwards.
Sunday - We got up late and missed church, but decided to go explore some more. We went to this awesome market that a friend told us about and got a bunch to eat and went to a park and had a little picnic. It was so nice! We did some more shopping and came home. And had a pretty low key afternoon/evening.
It was such a nice weekend.
On the pregnancy front - all is going really well (knock on wood) so far! On Friday I think I may have felt little Walter moving about, but I am not quite sure. We were too busy running around this weekend for me to concentrate of figuring it out - so that is one of my goals this week. :) Even if it wasn't, I can pretend and it makes me super happy! I still love my doppler and anytime my anxiety starts to creep up, I just turn it on and listen to that thump thump thump. Greatest sound ever! I go back to the doctor at 18 weeks, unless I can get in at the new doctor earlier then that. Which I am sure I will... just need to fill out the new insurance paperwork. We went to Lowe's yesterday and picked up some paint samples to see what color we want to paint the room. We are waiting until we find out boy/girl, but at least we can narrow down a few that we don't want for now. I really have no gut feelings either way as to whether it is a boy or girl - it flips one week and then I think differently the next.
What do you think? Boy or girl?
To me - it doesn't really matter... just as long as I hear that one magical word - "Healthy!"
Friday - Matt had his first day of "big boy" work, so he was pretty exhausted and passed out at 9. But before that, we went out to dinner and then looked around the commisary and the base exchange.
Saturday - We ended up waking up early and went out to Panera. Then headed to a city nearby for their farmer's market - which was awesome this time. We got a bunch of stuff. And then we drove a little farther out to a vintage truck show and found a vintage truck that we really want to buy. (But probably won't for a long time.) It was fun to explore this area - we found a Christmas tree place, and a dairy farm, and all sorts of neat things. I love exploring! We came home and had lunch and cleaned the house. Then in the afternoon, we met our friends at the base pool - which was really nice. And then we had them over for dinner afterwards.
Sunday - We got up late and missed church, but decided to go explore some more. We went to this awesome market that a friend told us about and got a bunch to eat and went to a park and had a little picnic. It was so nice! We did some more shopping and came home. And had a pretty low key afternoon/evening.
It was such a nice weekend.
On the pregnancy front - all is going really well (knock on wood) so far! On Friday I think I may have felt little Walter moving about, but I am not quite sure. We were too busy running around this weekend for me to concentrate of figuring it out - so that is one of my goals this week. :) Even if it wasn't, I can pretend and it makes me super happy! I still love my doppler and anytime my anxiety starts to creep up, I just turn it on and listen to that thump thump thump. Greatest sound ever! I go back to the doctor at 18 weeks, unless I can get in at the new doctor earlier then that. Which I am sure I will... just need to fill out the new insurance paperwork. We went to Lowe's yesterday and picked up some paint samples to see what color we want to paint the room. We are waiting until we find out boy/girl, but at least we can narrow down a few that we don't want for now. I really have no gut feelings either way as to whether it is a boy or girl - it flips one week and then I think differently the next.
What do you think? Boy or girl?
To me - it doesn't really matter... just as long as I hear that one magical word - "Healthy!"
Monday, August 2, 2010
He's Home! And Hello 2nd Trimester!
He's Home!!! I went down to Alabama last Tuesday and got to see Matt for a whopping 1.5 hours at 10:00 at night! But- I got to see him!! On Wednesday, his sister got in to surprise him and we got to see him for a tiny bit longer. Then on Thursday, we will pretty much on base all day as there was an orientation meeting in the morning, then we got to have lunch with him and his buddy, and the graduation ceremony. Friday was really cool because they did their big graduation parade which they had been practicing for the last 5 weeks. It was awesome! And then I got to bring him home with me.
The first stop on Saturday, after sleeping in and breakfast - was of course to Babies R Us. Back in our naive days, we would spend hours there when we were first pregnant with Peanut. Even with Pickle we did a little. But with this baby - we hadn't stepped in the door at all. It's too hard. But now that I am in the second trimester, I am feeling a little more confident. Although, every other day or so, fear creeps in. As of this Friday - I will be the most pregnant that I have ever been. It is a weird thought. 15 weeks has always been a rough number - it was when we said goodbye to our Peanut. So, to be in the 15th week, will, I am sure, be somewhat hard.
I go to the doctor today so they can check out my bleeding - which I haven't had since my last appt. Thank goodness! And then I will promptly be switching doctors some time this week. I already called to figure out what I need to do, now I just have to do it. The new place (which is on the base) sounds super nice! Not all full of attitude like my current place. Hopefully I will have more faith in these doctors/nurses than I do my current ones. I definitely got spoiled with my last doctor. If only she could move with me everywhere we go! Is that really too much to ask?! ;)
I am feeling good - every night I get the stretching pains. Which, I love! It means the little Walter is growing and pushing things around in there. I am still just as tired, but it could be due to my lack of naps lately. And lately I have been super hungry all the time. I am kind of showing, but the outside world probably wouldn't notice.
And every minute of every day, I am saying a praying that this is our turn. We aren't in the clear yet (are you ever really?). So, if you think of it, we can continue to use your prayers. And there are so many women out there that could as well. Some that have had to say goodbye all too soon to their precious babies, some that are trying desperately to get pregnant... they are all amazing women. So, say a prayer for them too if you think of it.
Happy Monday! Hope it is a great week for all!
The first stop on Saturday, after sleeping in and breakfast - was of course to Babies R Us. Back in our naive days, we would spend hours there when we were first pregnant with Peanut. Even with Pickle we did a little. But with this baby - we hadn't stepped in the door at all. It's too hard. But now that I am in the second trimester, I am feeling a little more confident. Although, every other day or so, fear creeps in. As of this Friday - I will be the most pregnant that I have ever been. It is a weird thought. 15 weeks has always been a rough number - it was when we said goodbye to our Peanut. So, to be in the 15th week, will, I am sure, be somewhat hard.
I go to the doctor today so they can check out my bleeding - which I haven't had since my last appt. Thank goodness! And then I will promptly be switching doctors some time this week. I already called to figure out what I need to do, now I just have to do it. The new place (which is on the base) sounds super nice! Not all full of attitude like my current place. Hopefully I will have more faith in these doctors/nurses than I do my current ones. I definitely got spoiled with my last doctor. If only she could move with me everywhere we go! Is that really too much to ask?! ;)
I am feeling good - every night I get the stretching pains. Which, I love! It means the little Walter is growing and pushing things around in there. I am still just as tired, but it could be due to my lack of naps lately. And lately I have been super hungry all the time. I am kind of showing, but the outside world probably wouldn't notice.
And every minute of every day, I am saying a praying that this is our turn. We aren't in the clear yet (are you ever really?). So, if you think of it, we can continue to use your prayers. And there are so many women out there that could as well. Some that have had to say goodbye all too soon to their precious babies, some that are trying desperately to get pregnant... they are all amazing women. So, say a prayer for them too if you think of it.
Happy Monday! Hope it is a great week for all!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)