Merry Christmas!

Matt and I are spending Christmas alone this year.  No family because I really couldn't travel and our parents both made other plans.  So, I sit here thinking that this is the last time it will just be the two of us for Christmas.  Even if we aren't with our parents, we will have Baby with us.  Next year at this time Baby will be about 6 months old.  I will also be able to call Baby by a name and not just "Baby."  I'm hoping that in less than a month we will have an even better idea for a name.  Our anatomy scan (aka gender-find-out-day) is scheduled for January 18th.  We also have a cervical check on the 3rd, so that might be an ultrasound where we can get a peak.
I've been focusing on boy names just because they are so difficult for me and I had a feeling this was a boy from the beginning.  The other night I had a dream Baby is a girl, though, so now I don't know.  My dreams tend to be right, so this one might be a girl.  Either way I will be happy--I just want to know!
So, Merry Christmas!  Here's to the last year as a couple!

All Stitched Up

Week 14 started with a pre-op appointment for the cerclage.  I was hoping for an ultrasound and a chance to look at Baby again, but no such luck.  It was just a discussion with the nurse about the procedure followed by the doctor looking at the outside of my cervix, which really hurt.  I haven't been that uncomfortable with an examination since I was about 21.  I'm thinking it is because of the increased blood flow in my body. I'm just a little more sensitive right now.
Tuesday brought us surgery day.  We had to be at Good Samaritan Hospital at 11am for the 1pm surgery.  We weren't sure exactly where to go, so we arrived about 15 minutes early.  I got set up in Labor & Delivery with all the fun stuff--the cute gown, the bed, then all the really fun stuff--the IV.  Once again, it really stung going in.  I hate getting IVs, but usually they don't hurt that much.  Before surgery, they take blood to check red and white cell counts and when the lab guy took blood, that hurt, too.  He and Matt both said it was very clean, but it still stung. :(

When 1pm finally rolled around, both Matt and I were ready to get it done.  They didn't move me over to the OR until about 1:10pm and it seems the doctors weren't ready to go yet.  The anesthesiologist was a pro and helped walk me through the spinal.  I think of all the parts of the surgery, the spinal scared me the most.  I hate needles and after the spinal I had for the cerclage with the twins where the doctor missed about 7 times, I'm not too keen on having it done.  Luckily it went easily enough and only took one poke.  My butt went numb almost immediately.

In about 15 minutes they had me all stitched up and ready to go back to recovery.  I couldn't believe how easy and fast it went.  I was so happy it was over, but found out that the worst was yet to come...

Upon arrival back to the L&D room, Matt was smiling and waiting for me.  I had told them that I was feeling a bit nauseated, so they wanted to check my blood pressure right away.  It had dropped down to about 80/40, so it was no wonder I wasn't feeling well.  I had little color in my face and would probably have thrown up if I had anything in my stomach.  They kept a close watch on me for about an hour, but soon enough my blood pressure went back up to 102/65, so I had color back in my face.  At 3pm they let me order lunch (yay for hospital food!).  When it arrived at 4pm, I ate it so fast that I made myself sick to my stomach.  It wasn't the best grilled cheese sandwich (Matt makes those), but it was a welcome relief after not having eaten for almost 24 hours.

I was numb from the waist down and had to wait for the feeling to come back.  They don't let you leave the hospital before you can empty your bladder, so we had a bit of a wait to go.  At 5pm, the nurse tried to help me to the bathroom, but my legs were still like clubs, so it was a no-go (literally).  It was getting a little boring for both Matt and I after so many hours.  We had a TV in the room, but afternoon TV isn't that great.  I wasn't in the mood for reading, so even though I had my Kindle, I didn't use it. 

When 6:30pm rolled around the nurse helped me up again.  This time it worked!  My legs carried me all the way to the bathroom!  I don't think I have ever been so grateful to empty my bladder. Then we got to go home!

My legs were a little unsteady the rest of the night, but by the next morning I felt fine.  I was still a little tired, but no pain and very little spotting.  Just a little pink, but nothing to concern me.  I had far worse with the twins early on.

So, my cervix is all stitched up and Baby can't just open the door to get out.  How sad that I have baby-proofed my uterus!  I'm doing whatever I can to help this little one stay in as long as possible.  Matt is making sure I don't do ANYTHING that might hurt the baby, either.  Matt gets after me for everything--I'm not allowed to pick much of anything up, which should make me happy because I don't have to do laundry, but I still have to do laundry, just without being able to do it all by myself.  Oh, well...in about 6 months I will be so busy that I will be happy to have had a little break.

My Favorite Thing

My favorite thing to do every day is listen to Baby's heartbeat.  Baby isn't a huge fan of the doppler, but I can usually find him/her fairly quickly and I listen for about 15-30 seconds and then I'm done.  I am happy and smiling.

Baby has been moving a lot lately.  It is kind of difficult to describe, but most times it feels like a weird vibration low in my belly.  Baby moves a lot after I have had dinner or had something sugary to eat or drink.  I absolutely love knowing that there is a little person inside of me, but it is also the strangest feeling.  I'm sharing my body with another person!  How crazy is that?

I'm finally starting to feel like this baby is going to come home.  We are going to have another member to our family.  I am going to have to get up in the middle of the night to feed the baby.  We are going to be inundated with dirty diapers.  It is just crazy to think that it could be real.  I can barely wait until next summer!

13w5d

December Prenatal Appointment

Yesterday was the 2nd prenatal appointment for us.  We were just at the peri last week and now back to the OB this week.  It wasn't much of an appointment, really.  I was weighed--the scale showed a 2.5 lb weight gain, but I promise I haven't gained anything.  The appointment was a 4pm and my first was was at 9am, so I attribute it to daily weight fluctuation. 

Results from yesterday are as follows:

• Urine tested normal - no sugar or protein
• 112/80 blood pressue
• Baby's heartbeat was 150-160
• 2.5 lb weight gain

Dr. Wong brought out the doppler to find the baby.  I was secretly hoping she wouldn't find him so she would have to do an ultrasound, but she found him.  Hiding and running from the doppler and faint, but there nonetheless.  It made me feel better that she had a little trouble since I had trouble quite a bit, too.

My next appointment is set up for January 12th.  I have more doctor's appointments in the next 6 weeks than I care to think about.  I'll either be at the peri or with Dr. Wong just about every week.  At least I know I am being well cared for. This baby is going to have wonderful care in utero.

12 weeks!

This week has been another eventful week.  One Tuesday we finally had the appointment with the perinatologist.  I had already decided in my head that if all went well I didn't care who found out I was pregnant.  So, I was hoping for a good day just to be able to let the news out.

First off was the ultrasound to check on my cervix and the baby.  The ultrasound tech went for the baby first and this time as a trans-abdominal ultrasound.  Baby popped up on the screen right away!  It was so exciting to see Baby waving and kicking and sucking his (or her) thumb.  What a little sweetie!  We got plenty of pictures and Baby cooperated perfectly.

I had gotten so nervous before the appointment because I hadn't seen or heard the baby in over a week and it seems that early on I just get more and more nervous hoping everything is okay, but not knowing for sure.

Seeing Baby was such a relief and I feel like a huge weight lifting off of my shoulders.  I just know that all is going to be well after seeing the little one doing so well and having a nice strong heartbeat.

After the tech finished checking out the baby (and taking measurements for the NT scan that we didn't care to have), she went to find the doctor.  Dr. Gaffaney came in and proceeded to measure my cervix.  She said all looked as it should at 12 weeks, but we still needed to sit down and talk with her to go over my history so we could make a decision moving forward.

We went into her office and went over my entire medical history it seemed.  We talked about my prior pregnancies and my PCOS, etc.  After about 30 minutes we finally started to discuss the loss of the twins.  I explained to her that Dr. Lyell, the perinatologist who treated me in the hospital with the twins, told us that for any subsequent pregnancy I needed to avoid multiples and get a cerclage.  When she heard that, she was convinced that putting in a cerclage was our best option.  Otherwise they would do weekly cervical checks, but with the twins my cervix went from good to bad in less than one week.  Matt and I both agreed that we wanted a cerclage put in place.

So, we scheduled it for the 21st--right before Christmas.  I'll be able to take the whole week and relax, so it was good timing.
After we left the office, I finally felt like things were moving forward and I could relax.
The next day at work I decided to let the news out.  I told Shelley and then the whole group at work (with just added Karen & Bill since both Chris & Dolores already knew), so I figured that I needed to tell all the other people I wanted to tell instead of them finding out through the grapevine.  Everyone has been so happy for us!  It has been wonderful to have such great support from all of our friends.

In addition to telling people, I found that I really am starting to show.  One co-worker, Dennis, hadn't seen me in about a month or so.  He looked at my belly funny and then said I looked like I lost weight.  I laughed and said I looked more like I have gained 15 lbs.  Just as I started to say that I was pregnant, he asked, "Are you pregnant?"  I was surprised, but it also makes me feel good to know that I am not just looking fat anymore.  I really am starting to look like I am carrying a baby.

On top of all that, yesterday I pulled out the doppler again in hopes of being able to find the baby's heartbeat.  And I did find it!  The doppler registered the nice strong 150-160 bpm heart rate.  It jumped around a bit, but it was obvious that I had finally found it!  Then again this morning I decided to try again.  This time I put the wand down in the right area and immediately heart the whomping of the heart.  What a wonderful sound!  Our baby is doing so well and I couldn't be happier.  I am so looking forward to the next 6 months and then finally getting to meet our little one face to face.

Oh, and in just over a month we will get confirmation of gender!  January 18th, 2011 is the day!  I am so excited that I can barely wait.  I'm hoping that we will have at least one more ultrasound at the perinatologist and we might get a glimpse of the gender a little early.  No guarantees just yet, but it would be nice to have a hint. :)

Couldn't Wait!

Last week I decided to let Nadia in on my secret.  I thought for sure she was suspicious, but she acted like she had no idea!  Obviously it was all in MY head. :)

Since I told Nadia, I needed to tell Malia since they would be spending the weekend together at work.  Malia is out of town, so I had to email her.  She emailed back in HUGE font with SQUEE!  She is very excited.  Nadia texted me the next day saying how glad she was that I told Malia since she was about to pop with the news.  Since I like being the one letting it out, I knew I needed to tell Malia before Nadia spilled it accidentally. :)

I know I should tell Shelley soon, but she will tell everyone, so I am not telling her until after my peri appointment on Tuesday!  After that I will feel a lot better.  We are getting another ultrasound, so Baby gets another picture!