Stable For Now

We just got back from our appt with Dr. S and as of right now we are stable.  My cervix is still funneling but it is long and closed.  Still measuring over 3 cm.  I will continue to take the headache pills (I call them that because they make my head throb like crazy) as needed to keep contractions at bay and I will see Dr. S twice a week for the next two weeks at least.  Once we hit 24 weeks Sawyer has a 50% chance of survival, and an 80% at 26 weeks.  Knowing we are only a couple of weeks away from that, we want to do everything we can to keep him where he needs to be for now.  After 24 weeks we may cut down to once a week check ups.  I am not on strict bed rest but have been told to take it easy. No exercise, no lifting, basically I can go to work and sit at my desk and do the bare minimum at home.  Poor Skeet!!  We will just play it by ear.  I can't believe how quickly things can change!  I go from thinking we are in the clear to this in less than 24 hours!!  I am staying positive though.  I will do whatever it takes to keep Sawyer safe until he is ready to meet us face to face.  I appreciate all the concern and prayers. It means so much to us that so many out there love Sawyer so much!!  Thank you!!

Spoke too Soon!

Well after my good news post this morning I developed a back ache.  One that turned into a doctor visit.  That turned into an ultrasound, which showed my cervix funneling. Not good at 22 weeks.  Dr. S put me on medication to stop contractions.  I have to take these pills (can't remember the name and too lazy to get up and look) every 6 hours until I see him again tomorrow. He also said that if the pain got worse, I should go to labor and delivery.  I am trying to stay positive.  I am also on bedrest so I have been lying around all day.  Just recently my head began to ache too and now I am miserable!! I think the back pains are starting to ease up, so that's good. Hoping for good news tomorrow cause Sawyer needs to stay put for another 3 or 4 months!!

22 Weeks

How far along: 22 Weeks!!





Size of baby: At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.





Weight gain: 11 pounds! I was so surprised when I stepped on the scale yesterday and had only gained a pound in the last two weeks!  I have been eating everything in sight!!




Maternity clothes: Definitely! I was spoiled this Christmas with a bunch of new maternity clothes! (Thanks Mom & Skeet!) So I am feeling very stylish now!




Gender: BOY!! Little Sawyer!




Movement: I cannot believe how active this little guy is!!  My mom and I were watching my stomach the other night and we saw it move twice with his kicks!! He's very strong!  I have a feeling his kicks might start getting painful in the near future!




Sleep: Sleep is getting harder to come by with the body aches and the heartburn. I could probably sleep all day if it weren't for those little issues!





Symptoms: Round ligament pains, heartburn, and constantly hungry!! I am starting to develop some sciatic pain as well... in my butt... not fun! My back aches and I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions too but nothing to worry about.





Cravings: I have been eating everything and loving it!!  I started to get really bad heartburn but started taking Protonix and it has helped so much!! Now I eat what I want, when I want and if I do get some mild heartburn, Tums take care of it!!  Probably not a good thing though... I should really cut down on my eating!



Best moment this week: Christmas was great!  We were able to spend time with family and we all got spoiled.  Sawyer has been more and more active which made it so much more fun!  Also, at my appointment yesterday, Dr. S said that my cervix looked great!  The "pocket" is still there but hasn't changed since our last appointment.  He even told me that I could start walking for exercise, if my body tolerates it.  I am pretty excited to get moving again.  I know I have to take it slow, and easy, but it will be nice to use my muscles!  I go back to see Dr. S in two weeks for another check. 



What I am looking forward to: 2011!! It's going to be an amazing year!  Also, next week we get to go for a 3D ultrasound to see our little monkey's face!  I can't wait to see him again!

21 Weeks!!

How far along: 21 weeks  - Holy cow! Can you believe it?? I can't!





Size of baby:  My baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long - the length of a carrot.  Sometimes it feels like he's practicing martial arts because his  initial fluttering movements have turned into full-fledged kicks and nudges. In other developments, my baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.



Weight gain: 10 pounds! Wow I am catching up fast! I think the weight gain needs to slow down a bit, but it doesn't help that I am on restricted activity still.




Maternity clothes: Definitely! Except for a few shirts. I still look like I am trying to wear a tent when I put on maternity shirts. I am sure I will be growing into them soon.




Gender: BOY!!  We've decided, for now, that his name is Sawyer.




Movement: I feel more and more every day. He is really active. Skeet tried to feel him move the other day but it seems that whenever we try to feel him, he stops moving.  Avery never moved this much and I know I took for granted when she did but I know she was in pain. It is such a huge relief to feel him move all the time!  Just a reminder that this little boy is healthy!



Sleep: Sleep is getting harder to come by with the body aches and the heartburn.  I could probably sleep all day if it weren't for those little issues!




Symptoms: Round ligament pains, heartburn, and constantly hungry!! I am starting to develop some sciatic pain as well... in my butt... not fun!  My back aches and I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions too but nothing to worry about.



Cravings: Everything! I normally love this time of year anyway but I am enjoying it too much this year!!  No wonder the heartburn has been so awful! I eat everything in sight!  Oh and how I love holiday parties... with all the different kinds of food and snacks!!  Maybe that is why the weight is coming on so fast!




Best moment this week: Hearing from Dr. S that my cervix looks long and closed and the pesky fluid pocket has shrunk.  I hope by next week it is gone!!




What I am looking forward to: Christmas!!  I love spending time with family and I haven't felt this happy in years! It is going to be a great year!  I can't wait until next year when we have a little boy to spoil!!

Whew!!

So just a little update!  I have had 2 doctor's appointments this week and both went really well.  The "pocket", "cyst" whatever the heck you want to call it, has gotten smaller.  It moves around a lot which seems really strange but when I saw it on the screen today I let out a huge sigh of relief!  It looks as small as it did the first time we saw it!  My cervix was closed and measured 5 cm today!!  Very good news!  The Dr. down south said he didn't see a need for us to continue making the trip and Dr. S agreed.  He will still be monitoring me closely but he is letting me go 2 weeks between appointments for now.  Yay!!  I am sooo happy!  I really hope that it goes away completely and I can get back to just enjoying every second of this pregnancy. 
Sawyer is looking good and measuring big still!  He is very active which makes his mommy very happy!  We didnt' get to see much of him this week but just hearing that he is growing well is enough for me!  Hopefully we will get to do a 3D ultrasound soon.  It will probably be a couple of weeks but that's okay... the more time he has to fatten up the better!!  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!! I am pretty sure that we will!!

20 Weeks - Halfway There!!!

How far along: 20 weeks 





Size of baby:Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (Avery was 13 inches... he's catching up fast!)




Weight gain: Probably around 5 or 6 pounds... not sure exactly!






Maternity clothes: Definitely!  Except for a few shirts.  Skeet even asked me yesterday if I was deliberately pushing my stomach out as I was walking across the living room... the gut must be getting bigger because I wasn't pushing it out!! 




Gender: BOY!!





Movement: I feel more and more every day. He is really active. I can't wait until Skeet can feel him move too!




Sleep: Sleep is getting more difficult but I am tired enough to sleep all day. I toss and turn a lot and can't seem to stay on my left side.



Symptoms: Round ligament pains, heartburn, and constantly hungry!! I am starting to develop some sciatic pain as well... not fun!




Cravings: Everything! I am hungry all the time!  This week it has been chocolate and Texas BBQ... which we don't have around here! I could sure go for some juicy smoked turkey!




Best moment this week: This is nothing to do with baby boy, but we got our new laminate wood floors finished this week and they look amazing!  Callie hates them cause she slides all over the place and I know our little guy won't appreciate them much when he's learning to crawl, walk or run, but I am sure somehow he'll manage!!




What I am looking forward to: Seeing our baby boy tomorrow and trying to get my two Dr.s and I on the same page. 

Belly Post

15 weeks

18 weeks

19 weeks.

Here are my latest belly pics.. I did do one and 16 weeks but I think I deleted it from my camera.  I don't look as big in the pictures as I feel.  I am posting these cause I have had some complaints so there you go (Kenzie)!!!

Update

I had an appointment with Dr. S today to check my cervix.  I am a little bit frustrated because I see two different things at each Dr.'s office.  When Dr. S does the ultrasound we see the "pocket" (Dr. S doesn't think it is a cyst) very clearly and are able to measure it easily.  It looks long and closer to the baby than the outer part of the cervix.  When Dr. E did the ultrasound he could barely get measurements of the "pocket", it was a different shape, and it looked closer to the outer part of the cervix than near the baby.  Dr S is more concerned. With the measurements today it almost looks like my cervix is almost as much open as it is closed.  However the opening is still just in the middle part.  Both the inner and outer parts look nice and closed.  He still thinks a cerclage would be extreme for me right now and agrees that we should continue weekly monitoring.  So I will see Dr. E next Wednesday and then check in again with Dr. S on Friday.  We didn't really look at our little monkey boy but I saw him moving around in there and could feel him throughout the ultrasound so I wasn't too upset.  Dr. S agreed to do some better pictures and even some 3D but he wants to wait until our little guy bulks up a little bit.  We will probably do it in a couple of weeks.  I can't wait!! 

19 Weeks

Wow! I can't believe we are 19 weeks already!  We were in our 19th week with Avery when we found out that she had a form of Skeletal Dysplasia, most likely lethal.  I am so grateful that our baby boy looks healthy.  I still miss Avery every day and wish that she could be here planning for her brother's arrival but I know she is watching over us and is happy to see her brother finally joining our family!  I have finally been able to imagine what it is going to be like to have a baby in our home.  To smell his soft skin and enjoy every second with him.  Honestly, I am a little scared, not to be a mom but to finally have this baby and then have to watch him grow up so fast!  I know that it will be amazing and I will love every second of it, but I also know how fast it goes and even with 21 weeks left in this pregnancy, I just want to stop time already!  I am loving being pregnant too.  I don't know if all women feel this way or just those of us that have struggled for so long to finally get pregnant but it's a bittersweet thing to count down the weeks.  As much as I want to meet this little boy, I can't help but wish that I could stay pregnant just a little bit longer.  That all might change once I start getting really big and uncomfortable.  But for now I am just content with marveling at my ever growing stomach and the little kicks that remind me that one of the most important people in my life is growing and living inside me.  I love this little boy so much.  I love every kick and can't get enough of just looking at my stomach.  Skeet is even getting better at making an effort to touch my stomach (pregnant stomachs have always freaked him out).  I can't wait for him to feel his son kick and move.  The change I have seen in him over the last couple of weeks is incredible and honestly I don't think that he and I have ever been happier.  This baby has been such a huge blessing to us already!  I don't feel like I deserve to be so happy!  Here is our latest update....


How far along: 19 weeks




Size of baby: Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on his skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.




Weight gain: Will find out tomorrow.  I am thinking 4 pounds.



Maternity clothes: Yep!!  Still trying to use most of my normal shirts that I can still fit in though.



Gender: BOY!!



Movement: I feel more and more every day. He is really active. I can't wait until Skeet can feel him move too!



Sleep: Sleep is getting more difficult but I am tired enough to sleep all day.  I toss and turn a lot and can't seem to stay on my left side.



Symptoms: Round ligament pains, heartburn, and constantly hungry!!  I am starting to develop some sciatic pain as well... not fun!



Cravings: Everything!  I am hungry all the time!


Best moment this week: Hearing from the specialist that our baby boy doesn't look like he has skeletal dysplasia.  And of course, being taken off of bed rest! 


What I am looking forward to: Seeing Peanut again tomorrow.

In Case Anyone Needed Proof

There is a baby in there and he is for sure, a boy!!

DR. E

We just got back from our appointment with the Peri, Dr. E.  He was great!  Our little boy looks healthy, no sign of skeletal dysplasia.  He is measuring a few days ahead at 18 weeks 5 days.  Dr. E thinks that our baby looks fine but he wants to check again in a month and make sure that he is still growing like he should.  As far as my cervix is concerned, Dr. E believes that the pocket of fluid is actually a cyst.  Which is good, it means that my cervix is probably not opening so we are happy about that.  However, he does want to keep a very close eye on it, to make sure it stays thick and closed.  I will be getting weekly ultrasounds, trading off between him and Dr. S, for the next few weeks to make sure that there are no changes.  I am off of bedrest but I am supposed to take it easy.  No exercise, no heavy lifting, etc.  I can go back to work for now but if I start cramping again or contracting a lot he wants me to go back on bedrest.  So I will be returning to work tomorrow and just paying close attention to my body.  If my cervix ever gets thinner than 2 cm they will most likely do the cerclage.  They will probably also start me on weekly progesterone injections, just as a precaution to try to prevent pre-term labor.

We are so very happy that our little "Mr." looks healthy. I am so excited to start planning for him!!  I know we still have a while before he makes an appearance (fingers crossed) but Skeet and I both are so excited to get his room together and finally decide on a name.  We want to thank everyone for your thoughts and prayers! We know this little boy is already so loved!!  Thank you!!!

In answer to Kenzie's question, no we didn't buy Avery a crib. I couldn't bring myself to buy her much because I didn't want to have to face it all later on.