it's a ....

GIRL!

 

We are so thrilled about this little bundle of joy.

 

Of course, we didn't care either way - we are just thrilled to be having a baby after our long wait.

I can't wait to dress her up.  And I know Chris will be smitten completely.
 

 

More details to follow.

cast your vote

Friday night, we are having a small party with family and close friends

to reveal the gender of our sweet little babe. 

 

We had an early ultrasound today, so that we can reveal while my brother is home for the holidays.

 

We are so excited and can't wait!!!

 

 

 

What do you think baby will be ... a little man or a little miss?

seventeen weeks

Taken this morning as I was walking out the door.  Pardon the sleepy eyes.

Pregnancy Highlights
 

Size of baby:  Onion (average size 5.1 inches and 5.9 ounces)  At 17 weeks, baby’s working on getting stronger.  His/Her rubbery cartilage is now turning to bone.  And he/she is growing some meat on those bones -- putting on some fat.  He/She is growing a stronger, thicker umbilical cord, too. {info found on The Bump}

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not sure.  Had a horrible stomach virus this week and lost weight.  Will find out definite number at next doctor appointment in January.
 

Cravings: Not really anything consistent. I am eating a lot of fruit ... mainly oranges and some apples. Occasionally, I have a craving for something specific - but it's just a one-time craving.
 

Symptoms: Nothing really - felt great this week; except for the two days I was sick with stomach virus.
 

Sleep: I am still sleeping okay - except for trips to the bathroom and changing positions often. And I miss sleeping on my belly.
 

Movement:  I had "thought" I might have felt movement earlier, but only felt it once, so I wasn't sure. But, early Saturday morning, December 22nd at approximately 5:45am, I rolled over to my right side and when I did, I felt not one, but two quick jabs.  I felt the first one; then felt the second one and I knew exactly what it was. 
 

Gender: Finding out this week!
 

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing mostly stretch-fabric or unbuttoning the top button. Not really ready for maternity clothes.  I have tried on a few maternity skirts for comfort - but my regular shirts aren't long enough to hide the panel and my belly isn't big enough for maternity shirts.  Finding something to wear is beginning to be frustrating!
 

What I miss:  Nothing really.  I'm feeling good, starting to get super-excited and a little nervous.
 

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out the gender and our gender reveal party.
 

Best Moment this week:  Feeling the baby move.  Celebrating Christmas as a "mom and dad."  Receiving sweet gifts for baby.  And hearing all the buzz at family Christmas gatherings about the excitement of another one added to the family next year.  (this will make 91 in my mother's side of the family ... from 4 generations down including in-laws)

Merry Christmas

Christmas always makes us think of the things most important in life. 

First and foremost, we celebrate Christ’s birth and the precious gift given to all who believe and receive.  We are reminded that our family and friends are some of our greatest gifts as well. 

 

I hope you all had a Merry Christmas filled with love, joy, and peace.  And I pray those hurting, grieving, suffering with sickness, discouraged, or lonely felt His presence near in an extra-special way.

smiles

Receiving Christmas cards addressed as these brings a big smile to my face.

 

 

 

and next year, for sure, there will be a sweet little name for everyone to add. 

sixteen weeks

Wow!  Baby has definitely grown in 2 weeks.

Pregnancy Highlights

Size of baby: Avocado (average size 4.6 inches and 3.5 ounces)  Baby is starting to be able to hear my voice, thanks to tiny bones forming in his/her ears.  At my next appointment, the doctor should be able to find heartbeat with Doppler.  And pretty soon, I should feel unmistakable movement.  He/She is growing hair, lashes and eyebrows, and he/she's forming taste buds. {info found on The Bump}

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Not sure.  Haven't stepped on home scales since last doctor appointment.  I'll find out for sure next week at doctor's appointment.
 

Cravings: Not really anything consistent.  I am eating a lot of fruit ... mainly oranges.  Occasionally, I have a craving for something specific like Sour Patch Kids candy, corn on the cob, Japanese food - but it's just a one-time craving.
 

Symptoms: Nausea has subsided - although I did get sick once this week, but I feel like it was because I waited to long to eat between meals.  I am still sleeping a lot and lacking energy. 
 

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay - except for trips to the bathroom and changing positions often. And I miss sleeping on my belly.
 

Movement: Not yet.
 

Gender: Can't wait to find out December 28th.
 

Maternity Clothes: Still wearing mostly stretch-fabric or unbuttoning the top button.  Not really ready for maternity clothes.
 

What I miss: Energy.
 

What I'm looking forward to: Finding out the gender.
 

Best Moment this week:  Seeing extended family and friends - knowing they share in our excitement and joy.  My Papa calls me "Little Mama" every time he sees me.  And it thrills me when Chris talks to the baby and randomly refers to baby in general conversation.  For example, last week, I asked him to get something from the guest room and he corrected me stating it was the NURSERY!  :)

oh, what love

In the passing of my aunt, I've had the song below on my mind over the past few days.
Circumstances of life are difficult to understand sometimes.
We can't comprehend the mind of God and His ways.
But, I can be assured that His eyes see me, His ears hear me, and His hands will help me.
Oh what love that a great big God cares about insignificant me and my life.

The Eyes Of Jesus
(couldn't confirm author - emphasis mine)

Sometimes it seems God's a million miles away
Too busy for a creature such as I
And then I think of how He sees each sparrow fall
I call on Him and find that He is nigh

The eyes of Jesus are upon each footstep that I take
His ears are always open when I pray
His hands are always there to help me lift my heavy load
His heart is broken every time I stray.

In valleys low I look to mountains high
And praise the Lord that caused this world to be.
That God so great holds me safe within His arms
What love that He should ever care for me.

"When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?" Psalm 8:3&4

Really, who am I?

And then I think of this season we are in - Christmas ... the great price paid to send God's only son.  A King chose his birth as a baby - knowing His end would be the cross.  He could've come to this Earth in many other manners; but He chose to come as a little babe, because He knew we'd understand a baby's cry and we wouldn't be afraid to come to Him.  Then, He walked this earth, knowing the pain and hurt we face.  And ultimately gave His precious life to provide us with redemption.  Oh, what an amazing plan!!

And He did this all just for me! (and you)
And no matter where I am or what I am going through ... His eyes see me, His ears hear me, and His hands will help me.
Oh, what love that a great big God cares about me.

fourteen weeks

I'm a little late in posting.  These past several days have been busy. 

(the person taking the picture cut off my head.  any guesses who that person might be?)

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 14 weeks
 

Size of baby: Lemon (average size 3.4 inches and 1.5 ounces) He/She has almost doubled in weight since last week and keeps on growing at a super speed.  He/She is probably sucking his/her thumb and wiggling his/her toes in there!  His/Her kidneys are making urine, and his/her liver and spleen are doing their jobs, too.  And he/she is growing lanugo, a thin, peach-fuzz-like hair, all over his/her body -- it will help him/her keep warm! {info found on The Bump}

Total Weight Gain/Loss: As of my doctor's appointment last Wednesday, I am still down 8 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. 
 

Cravings: Fruit, chocolate milk, and one night this week I wanted a steak!
 

Symptoms: Nausea has subsided.  Still sleeping a lot and lacking energy.  Doctor prescribed antiobiotics for the terrible sinus infection I had.
 

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay - except for trips to the bathroom and changing positions often.  And I miss sleeping on my belly.
 

Movement: Not yet, but I am looking forward to it
 

Gender: Can't wait to find out December 28th.
 

Maternity Clothes: Elastic and stretch-fabric are my saving grace now! Not ready for maternity clothes; but regular clothes with defined waists are uncomfortable.  I tried the rubberband trick this week; so that I could wear my skirt un-buttoned.  :)
 

What I miss: Energy - I guess my body is really working hard on baby-making.
 

What I'm looking forward to:  Finding out the gender.
 

Best Moment this week:  A lot of good things happened this week.  I've entered the 2nd trimester!  Monday we bought the crib for the nursery.  Wednesday, I had my first OBGYN appointment and they did another ultrasound - baby was so cute, everything is measuring on track, and heartbeat is still in the 160's.  The picture isn't the best ... I wish it had shown face profile, but this is all the doctor gave me and here he was getting the crown to rump measurement.

 

happy birthday, love

You make me laugh.

Your hugs are the best.

And you care about me. 

 

I'm so blessed that when we were just teenagers, well, older teenagers --- you knew first, then my Daddy knew, and I finally figured it out - we were meant to be! 

 

15 years later, the best part of every day is sharing it with YOU! 

There's no one else I'd rather do this life with than you.

 

Happy Birthday to the most special person in my world.
I love you, MORE!



a fantastic Friday

A few months ago, I won Gaither concert tickets in a contest on a local radio station.

These weren't just any tickets, but 2nd row tickets!!  SCORE!

The day of the concert arrived, Friday, November 16th.
That morning as I was preparing for work, Chris said, "Honey, if the day gets stressful, just think about seeing David Phelps tonight."  My husband knows me well!  :)
 

Chris and I left early that afternoon, enjoyed the trip down (1.5 hours away).
Snacked on boiled peanuts from our favorite stand,

shopped a little at the outlets,
and ate dinner at Sonic  (thanks to a friend who sent us a "congratulatory" gift card). 
We got a tad bit lost, because of our directions ... not actually lost - we just didn't drive far enough.  And then we arrived, only to realize the concert started at 7PM - not 7:30PM (pregnancy brain to blame).  So we took off "running" across the parking lot in the chilly night air, zooming in and out of all the old folks, or as Bill Gaither would say, "old friends."  Once inside, we discovered other peoples in our seat!!! -- so we had an usher politely inform them (we didn't want to be part of "knock-down-drag-out")
Of course, once we were in and seated, we thoroughly enjoyed the concert. 
The seats were PERFECT. 
And the church was a great venue for a concert ... slanted floor and comfy, roomy seats.
Baby can't "hear" yet ... but I'm sure he/she "felt" his/her first Gaither concert from the 2nd row seats.

The man behind it all, Bill Gaither, himself.

The Sisters -- awesome family harmony.

The Isaacs -- more tight family harmony and bluegrass.

The Martins -- more of the good, family harmonies!  (You just can't beat it)

And then my favorite appeared ....

None other than David Phelps ... "One Voice" with Gaither Vocal Band.

"Hold my hand all the way, every hour, every day, from here to the great unkown.
Take my hand, let me stand, where no one stands alone"

"Nessum Dorma" .... blows the crowd away every time.

"Child, when life don't seem worth livin'
Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms."

Mark Lowry getting preachy before singing "Mary, Did You Know"

"He's Alive!  He's Alive!"

The grand finale with all the singers.


"I'll see the lights of Glory and I'll know He lives!"

 

It was an incredible experience - a superb concert, to say the least.  I'm thankful that my husband enjoys, not just bluegrass or blues, but Gaither-style music as well.  (and I enjoy bluegrass; as well .... we're both pretty eclectic when it come to musical tastes)

thankful, thankful, thankful

Thanksgiving 2012 wasn't the usual, rush-rush, dinner here-dinner there.  With the unknown of the situation with my aunt, we didn't make many plans and my mother's side of the family cancelled Thanksgiving plans.  I also didn't take too many pictures, but here is an attempt to document this year's Thanksgiving.

 

Thursday morning, Chris and I slept in a little.  Since I had no cooking obligations, we got up and got busy tackling projects, taking advantage of the time off.  Chris worked on his list and I worked on mine - cleaning the stove top, stove hood filter, oven, oven door glass, and under the refrigerator.  At lunch time, we headed to my grandparents, two miles away, for Thanksgiving lunch.  What a  delicious spread of turkey, dressing, cranberry salad, turnip greens, butterbeans, macaroni & cheese, sweet potato pies, banana pudding, and apple crisp.  We thoroughly enjoyed time with family - laughing together, talking about our baby, and telling stories on each other, etc.  Chris and I headed home just in time for a late afternoon nap.  After the refreshing nap, we tackled a few more projects on the to do lists, including making multiple trips in the attic - storing summer stuff and bringing down Christmas decor and a few baby items we had saved away.  Then we called it a day and ate junk food for dinner.

 

Friday, while Chris worked, I finished cleaning out the guest room to begin preparing baby's nursery and did the usual house cleaning.  That afternoon, our friends' little boys came to stay the night with us, so mom and dad could get-away for the weekend.  It was fun and definitely interesting to have little, energetic boys in the house ... they played and played with toys, we went out for Mexican for dinner, played some more, ate ice cream & cookies, and headed to bed.  I didn't sleep well ... restless, listening and checking on the boys, up and down, and wide away from 2-3am.

Saturday, I cooked a breakfast and we devoured eggs, grits, bacon, sausage, biscuits/toast, gravy, and pancakes.  After breakfast, after only being out of bed two hours, I asked Chris if he could watch the boys while I took a nap ... he obliged, only later to wish he hadn't when both boys had to use the restroom and needless to say, Chris got in some practice.  ;)  After my nap, we went to the park and McDonald's, then the boys went to stay with other friends.  Saturday afternoon, we grocery-shopped and then the Meadows family came over for the evening.

 

Sunday, after church, we had  another Thanksgiving lunch with Chris' immediate family - complete with turkey, dressing, green beans, rolls, sweet potato souffle, fruit salad, cheesecake, lemon pies, and butter pecan cake.   Needless to say, after a meal like that, we crashed for a long Sunday afternoon nap.  And after our Sunday evening church service, we enjoyed supper with the Meadows family again.

 

Although it wasn't a typical Thanksgiving holiday, we were thankful to spend time with our nearest and dearest, enjoy wonderful home-cooking, relax together, catch-up on much-needed projects, and reflect on all the blessings of our life, both big and small ... and being most grateful for the precious God-given blessing of our baby that we will be holding in our arms next Thanksgiving.

thirteen weeks

*the ruffles are a nice disquise :)

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along: 13 weeks
 

Size of baby: Peach (average size 2.9 inches and .81 ounce) Proportion-wise -- his/her head is now about 1/3 the size of his/her body.  Baby has vocal cords, teeth and even fingerprints (wow!).  His/her intestines are moving from the umbilical cord to their more permanent place, in the tummy.  {info found on The Bump}
 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: it appears that I've now gained 2 pounds -- probably Thanksgiving meals.  I will know exact weight/gain loss at doctor appointment this week.
 

Cravings: fruit salad, ham and cheese sandwiches, punch made with pineapple juice
 

Symptons: I continue to have some bouts of "feeling nauseous," but not really sick.  I did get sick twice this week while swallowing Tylenol for a cold.  I have been fighting a cold for over a week now.   Also, I am still loving sleep.  I took a nap this past Saturday morning after only being out of bed for 2 hours.
 

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay - except for trips to the bathroom and changing positions often.
 

Movement: Not yet, but I am looking forward to it
 

Gender: Can't wait to find out December 28th.
 

Maternity Clothes:   Elastic and stretch-fabric are my saving grace now!  Not ready for maternity clothes; but regular clothes with defined waists are uncomfortable.

 

What I miss:   Energy - I guess my body is really working hard on baby-making.

 

What I'm looking forward to:  OBGYN appointment this Wednesday
 

Best Moment this week:  Hearing family talk about the baby at Thanksgiving dinners.  Excitement is building!

sad hearts

My family is sad.  Our hearts are broken.  We are unsure how the holidays will unfold.
My aunt, my mom's eldest sister, is near the close life's journey.

Although we know this is an inevitable part of life and Heaven's joys awaits, it doesn't make it easier,
particularly for my Granny, who is losing a second child in less than two years.

We are thankful for peace, grateful to know that she will not suffer any more,
and happy to know that her battle against cancer will soon be won.
Please keep our family in your prayers over the next several days.

twelve weeks

(not really showing yet -- I just look like I've eaten one too many cookies or cheeseburgers, but I wanted to document the progress and see my belly grow)

 

Pregnancy Highlights

 

How Far Along: 12 weeks

 

Size of baby:  Plum (average size 2.1 inches and .49 ounce) -- Baby’s almost done developing his/her body’s important systems and parts, which means, it’s mostly about getting bigger and more mature from here on out.  Most of the critical systems are fully formed!  He/She is about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which her organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly. He/She's now developing her reflexes -- if you poke her body, he/she will likely move. He/She's opening and closing her fingers and curling her toes, too.  The brain is developing fast! {info found on The Bump}

 

Total Weight Gain/Loss: actually lost weight since pre-pregnancy weight

 

Cravings: Strawberries with whip cream, KFC potatoes and gravy, Ritz crackers with cheese, sausage and cheese rolls, and fruit salad

 

Symptons: I "feel" nauseous often, but this week, I've been actually "sick" only once - which is great!  I have some cramps and muscle pain, but nothing too bad. And I like to sleep a lot ... napping when I can, going to bed early, and going back to bed after I see Chris off each morning (he leaves at 6:15AM - I do not leave until 8:00AM or later).

 

Sleep: I'm sleeping okay - except for trips to the bathroom and changing positions often.

 

Movement: Not yet, but I am looking forward to it

 

Gender: Can't wait to find out December 28th.

 

Maternity Clothes: Not necessary yet; although my tummy is changing and some days I'm bloated - so any clothing that is slightly tight is uncomfortable. I should confess I did wear a maternity skirt one day. I had gotten it at a consignment sale and washed it  ... I tried it on and it was so comfortable that I decided to wear it!! But that has only been the one time and it wasn't "needed."

 

What I miss:  Energy - I guess my body is really working hard on baby-making.

 

What I'm looking forward to:  First appointment with OBGYN, November 28th

 

Best Moment this week:  Baby attending his/her first Gaither Homecoming concert.  Just wish he/she could've heard it - though, I'm sure he/she felt it from the 2nd row.  :)

randoms & confessions

I have a lot of random thoughts.  And these days, I'm doing some crazy things that are worth a laugh.

-Monday morning, on my way to work, I stopped for a drink and a pack of crackers.  As I was leaving the store, I realized all I had in hand was my phone, cash, drink, and pack of crackers -- yep, I had locked my keys in my car.  After a long ordeal of getting Chris' keys, I stepped out to get into my car and dropped my drink and it spilled all over the sidewalk.  Needless to say, my Monday didn't get off to a good start.

-My mom made me think when she said, "What if your baby had been in the car?"  (can you tell - this is not the first time I've had this happen?)  And I'm not an advocate of leaving babies in the car, but I had pulled right to the door of the store and was only grabbing a drink and crackers.  So, I made a note reminding myself to lock the door with the remote so that I know my keys are always in my hand when exiting the vehicle.

-Monday night we were in bed and most likely asleep by 9:00 PM.  What can I say, rough Mondays call for early bedtimes.

-This week I sold my first item on one of the Facebook used item sale group pages.

-I got these Dr. Brown bottles at a steal from several friends (all 25 bottles for less than $30).  I've already put them in the kitchen cabinet.  It's beginning to look like a baby is coming to live at our house.  :)

-Prior to becoming pregnant, I thought a lot of people too often used pregnancy as an excuse just to have an excuse.  Boy, was I wrong.  I am finding that a lot of those excuses are in fact legitimate.  "Pregnancy brain" is a real problem and your body does indeed feel totally different and energy is a thing of the past.

-I think Thumpy is catching on that big changes are ahead.  Over the past two weeks, we have transitioned her out of our bed.  Since I've dubbed Chris the "mean guy" and he is enforcing the new rule, her dog bed and blanket is placed on his side of the bed.  Tuesday morning, I woke up, and she had pulled her blanket to my side of the bed and was sleeping on my side.  She is quite the spoiled fur-baby.  This picture is the typical evening routine when Chris gets home from work.

-Every few weeks our ice maker "floods" and the water runs out of the fridge.  Anyone ever have this problem?

-I was going through a stack of paperwork and mail - found a bank envelope with $40 inside. What a nice surprise!

-I am already over cold weather.  I needed to go to Wal-Mart Tuesday night, but opted to wait simply because I didn't want to get out in the cold ... I'm ready for June for more reasons than just warm weather.  ;)

"graduation" appointment

October 26th, we had our last appointment with the fertility specialist.

The office calls it a "graduation" appointment; releasing me to my regular OBGYN.

We had a another ultrasound - 8 weeks, 5 days.

We could see a distinct body image with head and body and little arm and leg buds.

It was amazing to see how much our little baby had grown in just 2 weeks.

Baby's heart beat was 180BPM.

Everything still looks great and is measuring on track.

At one point, our doctor stopped moving the wand and said, "that's not me moving - that's your baby moving." - already a wiggle worm!!

We received a little packet and a onsie.

And of course, they took a "graduation" picture.  :)

We are two happy people!! (I didn't even have to bribe Chris to smile)  haha!
This appointment was early in the morning, which meant we had been up since 5:30AM, hence, the tired eyes.

brother's visit

 Because of Hurricane Sandy's mess in NYC, Kevin's office was closed last week for renovations.

So since he would be working from home anyway, Kevin flew in Tuesday morning and worked from mom's last week.

Mom, Chris, I picked him up in Charlotte.  (due to rain, Chris had the day off)

As always, Kevin wants to eat all his favorite meals of mom's and other "southern" spots, so our first stop was lunch at Zaxby's.  We also stopped in Gaffney briefly for a little shopping.

After arriving home, Chris and I went to vote - waited in line an hour!

Then we headed to mom's for another favorite meal - spaghetti and sweet potato pies.

Kevin's dog, Ava, who currently resides with mom was so happy to have Kevin there.

[sorry for the poor quality photos - I used my phone all weekend)

 

Wednesday we all had to work.  Kevin did come have lunch at my office with me and Heather.

Then there was church and supper at Los Amigos.

We love to tease mom that she only eats there when Kevin is in town.  (Mexican is not her favorite)

 

Thursday and Friday, Kevin spent time with friends in Clemson for Homecoming.

 

Saturday night, we ordered pizza and hung out at mom's ... but all ended crashing early after a long day.  Oh, and it should be noted this day, that my mom is now an owner of a smart phone - an Iphone!  It's quite entertaining to watch her learn the ropes.

 

Sunday was church.  My cousin, Leigh, and her family joined us for lunch at mom's.  Leigh's girls, L and A, absolutely love Kevin --- when he is in town, it's all about him.  They want to sit with him during church,  they want to ride in the car with him, and they fight over who gets to sit beside him.  I take the backseat when he is around.  LOL

For lunch, had a "Thanksgiving menu" (since Kevin will not be home Thanksgiving):  turkey, dressing, gravy, pintos, macaroni & cheese, yams, deviled eggs, rolls, fruit salad, tin roof brownies, sweet potato cobbler, and orange dreamsicle cake.  After lunch, we were all quite stuffed - it was scrumptious.  Sunday night, after church, we all came back for leftover turkey sandwiches and more laughs and fun.  And then it was time to say "Goodbye."  However, Christmas will soon be here!  YAY!  And then, of course, June will be a mandatory visit as well.  ;)

for the record

Just a little timeline with dates, numbers, and milestones from the beginning

 

Thursday, September 20th:  negative home pregnancy test (obviously tested too early)

 

Saturday, September 22nd:  "Thought" negative home pregnancy test @ 6:00 AM

 

Monday, September 24th:   Chris insisted that I test again at 5:45 AM -- POSITIVE!  Then, I dug the one from Saturday out of the garbage to discover an actual faint second line -  so it was actually positive! On Saturday, I had been half-asleep or didn't have my glasses on or didn't wait long enough for the 2nd line to appear or something. 
Called the doctor - scheduled blood draw for Tuesday.

 

Tuesday, September 25th:  Tested again - you know just to be sure -- positive!

Blood draw at 6:30 AM - thanks to an awesome, local phlebotomist.  I have always struggled with having blood drawn.  This sweet, patient lady allows me to lie down and talks with me, relaxing and calming my nerves.

 

Wednesday, September 26th:  Results from blood draw - Progesterone: 34 (which should be at least 20 or greater) and HCG Level:  282 (which should be at least 25 or greater)

Shared with our parents and siblings.

 

Thursday, September 27th:  Another blood draw (just to be sure HCG level is increasing) and I went alone!

Quick mini-photo shoot with Miranda.

 

Friday, September 28th:  Results from blood draw - HCG Level:  774.  (and I'll be honest, with the HCG number so high and over-doubling, nurses and friends' comments, and reading online, I got a little excited about the possibility of twins)

Sunday, September 30th:  5 weeks!
 

Thursday, October 4th:  Another blood draw (again just to be sure HCG level is increasing)

 

Friday, October 5th:  Results from blood draw:  HCG over 5,000.  I sort of panicked waiting on these results, because the doctor's office closed at noon and they didn't call me until 12:45 PM.  I thought I would be waiting all weekend until Monday to get the results. 

Sunday, October 7th:  6 weeks!
 

Friday, October 12th:  First ultrasound - one baby!  Doctor said everything looked great.  Measuring on track - 6 weeks, 5 days.  Heard the heartbeat - 120 BPM.  Received first "pictures" of our baby.

Sunday, October 14th:  7 weeks!  (Was sick for the first time this past week and three days straight.  Thankfully not sick all day, but I do "feel" nauseous and I don't have much of an appetite - purchased Sea Bands which really seemed to help with nausea)

Sunday, October 21st:  8 weeks!  Still only sick a few times.
 

Friday, October 26th:  Second ultrasound.  Everything still measuring on track and looked wonderful!  Heartbeat - 180 BPM.  Saw arms and legs - and our little one is a wiggle worm.  Released from fertility specialist to regular OBGYN.

Sunday, October 28th:  9 weeks!  Still only sick a few times.  Scheduled appointment with OBGYN.

Wednesday, October 31st:  Found out that pregnancy and delivery will be covered on insurance when Chris is eligible in December. I was concerned that this would be considered "pre-existing," but it is not. (PTL!)  Also, got a call from a dear friend - she is also expecting her first and is due just two weeks after me! Our babies will be playmates!  :)  I enjoy talking to her and sharing this experience together as "first-timers." 

Sunday, November 4th:  10 weeks!  (1/4 of the way through)  Wasn't sick at all this week; hopefully this is a good sign that this will be ending with the first trimester.

love at first sight

On October 12th, we had our first ultrasound at 6 weeks, 5 days.

What a beautiful sight to behold, even though I had to be explained all that was in the picture and baby doesn't really "look" like a baby just yet.

Everything measured great and looked just like it should.

Baby's heartbeat was 120bpm.

Chris and I are not very public with our emotions, but had the doctor and nurse not been in that room, I'm sure we would have cried many happy tears.  Tears actually came into my eyes; but I didn't boo-hoo like I could have.

We could have watched and listened to the heartbeat for hours and hours.

What an amazing moment - definitely love at first sight.  ;)

 

announcement photos

On complete spur of the moment, I asked my cousin, Miranda, who is also an awesome photographer, to meet us for a few minutes and grab a few snapshots. We used these photos to tell our close friends and family that weekend. We used the photo and a note similar to the post dated 10/25/12. Miranda did a great job and we will treasure these photos always. 

 

special birthday

I failed to post on "the" day, because I wasn't back in the regular habit of blogging (and I will be back-dating to keep in order)

 

Of course, I didn't fail to personally wish the most special lady a "Happy Birthday."  My mom's birthday was October 27th.  We didn't get to do any celebrating, because she was sick all weekend with a yucky virus.  BUT ... because of Hurricane Sandy and NYC still in recovery mode, my brother is catching a deal-of-a-flight home tomorrow and I'm sure we will be celebrating, celebrating!  :)

 

(thanks, Randa, for the picture)

 

My mom is such a strong, courageous, hard-working, amazing lady!
(and I know she will be a super-duper grandma) 

I admire her for so many reasons!

And I love her a whole bunch!

sharing with our close family

We absolutely could not wait to tell our news!  It was so hard keeping it quiet for just a few days.  After the first blood draw and results, we decided to go ahead and tell our parents and our siblings.  I've always day-dreamed of creative ways to make our announcement. I just didn't feel like a phone call would do the joyful announcement justice. Originally, I wanted a dinner with our close friends and family ... but wasn't sure what "reason" I could use to pull it off, so we changed our plans. We received the phone call with blood test results on Wednesday, September 26th, so after church that night we decided to wait no more.  We stopped at Wal-Mart bought a dress for our dog and I painted the words "Big Sister" on it in the car on the way home.  We grabbed the dog and headed to my mom's. 

 

I called mom and told her that we were in the area and I wanted to show her the pictures of the curtains I wanted her to sew for my living room.  (that was our excuse for stopping in at 9 PM, but I couldn't think of anything better)  I think she was a little supicious of something.  We walked in and I told her that Thumpy had something she wanted to "share."  She was quite surprised, because just the Saturday prior I had told her that I had a "negative" pregnancy test and was pretty depressed about it.  We told her all the details, she grinned from ear to ear, and gave her congratulations.

Next we headed to Chris' parents.  On the way, Chris called to let them know we were on our way to "tell them something."  Needless to say, by the time we arrived, his mom had become frantic about what we had to share face-to-face at 10PM.  (I think she thought one of us was sick, or lost a job, or worse)  Chris told them Thumpy had something to "share."  His mom insisted we share what was so important to merit the visit.  Chris told her to "read the shirt."  She said, "I did, now what do you have to tell me."  By this time, Chris' dad had caught on and said, "her shirt says "she is a big sister!""  Then the tears of joy flowed, we shared the details, and congratulations were given.

We then sent text messages of Thumpy to my brother and Chris' sister.
Sharing the news made it so real and all the more exciting.

our miracle

"For this child I prayed; ..."  I Samuel 1:27

 

After six, long painful years, thousands of dollars, and a gazillion prayers, it is with great joy that we announce our lil' blessing is due to arrive June 2013.

 

"Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psalm 37:4

 

Earlier this year, after a possible adoption option was presented to us (which fell through obviously), we fervently prayed for direction in our infertility journey.  We did not want to seek adoption or more medical advice, wasting time and resources, if that wasn't God's plan.  At the beginning of August, we felt led to pursue more medical assistance and met with one of the top five reproductive endocrinologists in the nation.  From the very first appointment, Chris and I felt God leading, affirming each step ... sprinkling little signs along the way.  One of our appointments was on September 6th, our 15th dating anniversary.  We endured more tests and procedures   Even with a few "bumps in the road" (that some might find disheartening), our treatment worked the FIRST time; which is not usually the case.  Due to the sometimes conflicting opinions surrounding infertility treatments, we have decided not to discuss the details of our treatment at this time.

 

"He hath made every thing beautiful in His time ..." Ecclesiastes 3:11

 

We are both beyond excited and so thrilled. 

In the past 5 weeks, we have smiled, cried, and laughed.

We waited so long for this and sometimes we can hardly believe it is really true.

Over the past few weeks, we have shared the news with friends and family - which has been so fun!
At just 5 weeks, after the first two blood tests, we decided to share with our close family and friends. It was a difficult decision to share early, but since we had waited so long and were bursting at the seams, we wanted others to share in the wonderful joy even at the possiblity of sharing in grief should something happen later. We waited to share on Facebook until after the ultrasound and hearing the heartbeat.

 

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."  Matthew 21:22

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your prayers during this long journey.

There were difficult days that I couldn't have made it through without the prayers and words of encouragement.

 

 

return to the blog

I can't believe it has been almost an entire year since I last blogged.  I never really meant to stay away so long.  It just happened.  We've had a lot going on in life, so I don't really regret the break.  I always want to be true about our journey (never fake) and I was fearful of being "too real" on the world-wide-web for all to see and read.  In order to keep those things private that aren't meant for all to know, I retreated and skipped out completely.  I kept a hand-written journal instead.

In the last year, infertility has taken us on a wild, crazy ride ... making our marriage tough, wreaking havoc on our emotions, causing difficulty in our friends/family relationships, straining our wallet, and deepening, yet questioning, our Faith.  But thanks be unto God, we have survived and survived well.  All praise belongs to Him.  God is so good.  And He never, ever fails. 

I want to continue blogging to chronicle our journey and to keep family/friends both far and near informed.  It is sometimes needful and enjoyable to look back and remember the path life has taken us on.  Thankfully, now many of those tough, rough miles are just a memory.