4D Ultrasound & a great appointment

I had a great doctor appointment today! In the last couple weeks I had been throwing a lot of protein in my urine which I always do a little (because of my kidney disease) but it had more than usual lately. I was SO relieved to find out at today's appointment that I had NO protein in my urine, not even a trace. Also, my blood pressure was great and my weight is the same as it was last time- up 5 pounds from pre pregnancy. Although that's quite a bit less than what women normally gain at this point in pregnancy (the normal is about 20-30 lbs) Dr. Dan doesnt seem to be concerned so if he's not, Im not! The ultrasound went so well! They did an ultrasound to check and see if my placenta had become 'placenta previa'..they found that I had a low lying placenta at my last ultrasound at 20 weeks. But, thank God it DID NOT become placenta previa- it moved away from my cervix and not over it. If I did have it you have risk of preterm labor and vaginal delivery is out of the question, so they have to do a scheduled c-section...I know a c-section isnt the worst thing in the world, I still wanted to give a vaginal delivery my best shot...so that being said, Im relieved my placenta moved away and now it's not a risk anymore. They took a vile of blood to test my glucose, I should be getting a call with in the next day or so to let me know if I need to see a nutritionist for gestation diabetes, we will see! Im obviously praying I dont have it but if I do- I know it's manageable and obviously Des is growing just how he should be so no worries there. From here on out I will be seen by my doctor every two weeks instead of every six weeks, and then once I hit 36 weeks I will be seen every week. I cant believe how close we are getting! This pregnancy is just FLYING by!

We got to see Desmond on ultrasound a lot and all of it was SO amazing! His face was pretty hidden- a majority of the time he was covering his face with his hands and feet! He did not want to be seen. The tech looked at the heart, head, liver, stomach, arteries etc. Everything checked out perfect. He is weighs 3 pounds 2 oz right now which is right where he should be, only three days ahead of my estimated due date which means by his measurements my due date is actually July 29th! By the end of the ultrasound he finally moved his hands and we were able to get a few 4D pictures of his face. He is SOOO beautiful! Maybe I am biased because he is my son but I just think he has the most precious face! He has definitely put on some fat since the last time we saw him at twenty weeks. His cheeks are full and the tech said he even has little dimples! He has the most beautiful lips too :) I just love his sweet face!

Im so thankful that today went well... Thank you to my family and friends who have been praying, your prayers are definitely heard. Here are the pictures from today...

First OB appointment

I'm happy to say that after my first OB appointment yesterday, both the baby and I are healthy! I am so relieved...my blood pressure was good, and the baby looked exactly how a 9 week old baby should look on the ultrasound :) Because it was an ultrasound done on my stomach (not the internal one like last time..yikes!) it is a little harder to see the baby, so it isn't the best picture, it kind of looks like just a blob...haha... but just know, that is a baby the size of a walnut!...with a head ( a very big head right now! ) little arms, legs, feet, hands, and even finger and toes! It amazing our baby so well formed already! I am very thankful that we even got an ultrasound, I wasn't expecting to get one...in fact both my sisters (who had the same doctor deliver their babies) didn't think I would get one. You don't get two in the same month! We were very blessed to have that. But what was especially amazing about the ultrasound was that we got to see the heart beating! It looked like a little swishing motion, it was SO amazing! Just knowing that Tony and I created that...that is such a surreal feeling.

I also got to ask the doctor all my questions... so yes, I can eat tuna up to 4 times a week, pineapple isn't a problem, I can eat all the lunch meat I want, caffeine is fine (up to 3 cups a coffee a day! who drinks that much!? I rarely had one before I was pregnant), the only real physical activity I can do is walking, biking or treadmill...no power walking or aerobics and I can take tylenol for my migraines! Doctor Thomlinson is pretty lax on all the stuff that baby books freak out about (like caffeine and lunch meat) but the fact of it is, He's been doing this for a very long time, He's delivered over 5,000 babies! So yeah, I trust his knowledge on pretty much everything :) I also had an exam, peed in a cup and had a LOT of blood work done... So all that was blast! lol. I will be getting a call from the clinic letting me know how my blood work came back, so I am praying that everything looks normal. But so far everything looks that way and I am so happy about that. I'm praising God that the baby looks healthy too. I was a bit afraid for this appointment since I have kidney disease and high blood pressure sometimes. I thought for sure I would be considered high risk from the get go. But so far Doctor Thomlinson feels that I am healthy and the pregnancy is going smoothly...knowing that took a huge burden off my shoulders. Of course we will see what the blood work says, but just knowing my blood pressure isn't high (like it was) REALLY makes me feel a whole lot lighter. Tony and I have been praying fervently for our child so it's very reassuring that everything in my pregnancy is looking healthy and normal so far.

{baby moses basket and gund lamb}

This Christmas was exciting because Tony and I got our first gifts for our baby :) It made Christmas even better. Tony's side of the family got us an adorable outfit, blanket, burp cloths, and really cute monkey. Our friends Ty & Kim got us our first baby toy a few weeks back which was an adorable Gund giraffe. And our other friends, Bella & Ryan got us a beautiful Precious Moments figurine that about made me cry when I opened it, it is SO sweet. My parents got us this little wind up Gund lamb that I absolutely fell in love with when I saw it at Scheffel's toy store in Jacksonville, I just knew I had to have it for the baby. It's one of those little toys that you know will always be special to him or her, even as an adult. I have some stuffed toys like that and I thinks it's important for every child to have that... A toy that reminds them of their childhood when they hold it. There is something very special about that. So my parents surprised me with it on Christmas and I was SO excited. And last but not least, Tony's sister, Krissee, got us the most gorgeous baby moses basket. It's totally my color and style...and yes its pink :) well, the basket itself isn't pink, but the material it is lined with is. So if this baby is a boy then my mom is going to sow in material that is appropriate for a boy. Krissee had asked me before Christmas if I would still want it even though it's pink, she apparently got a great deal since the store was going out of business. So of course I said yes because I never pass up a deal, plus my mom is an amazing seamstress :) but man is it gorgeous! I love it so much. So thank you to all of our friends and family who really blessed us and our baby this Christmas! You made the holiday's an even more exciting time for us by including our little baby!

1st Ultrasound!

Today something wonderful and life changing happened....we got to see our baby & hear it's heartbeat for the first time! I cannot tell you how relieved I am. It is interesting that just yesterday I posted a blog about trusting God, and what did he do but totally bless us by a surprise ultrasound appointment almost 3 weeks before my original appointment at the end of the month. My doctor's nurse called at about 11:20 asking for me to come in for a viability ultrasound this afternoon. Tony was able to leave school right away and we got in at 12:45. I didn't end up seeing Doctor Thomlinson today, a nurse did the ultrasound, I will still be seeing him on December 28th for my follow up appointment. When I saw the little tiny baby on the screen I felt incredibly relieved and then SO full of joy! Next we got to hear the heartbeat...that was probably the most memorable moment of my life. It sounded so strong and healthy, and to think that heartbeat just started last week! This was such an amazing day, I'm praising God for all of it.

Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. -Psalms 36:5