Our Newest Addition.... Part 2 of the story : )

So.... after the shock subsided just a tiny bit, I proceeded to call my ARNP here at home and she set up blood work for early the next morning.  I had the blood work done and hours later (after some confusion in the lab), it was confirmed that I was indeed pregnant with a HCG level of 2,164.  Now... being the worrywart that I am, I began to worry that maybe it wasn't a pregnancy but instead ovarian cancer.  Let me explain... my aunt had fought ovarian cancer the year before and a big sign of hers was that she registered as being 3 months pregnant when she knew she couldn't be.  My great grandmother had also had ovarian cancer and after all the hormones I had been on for the past year (+) I was nervous that maybe that was it.  But... God is good.  He wasn't giving me cancer to battle... He was giving me the desires of my heart.... another child WITHOUT any medical intervention this time! 

My levels continued to grow.  On August 2, I had more blood work which showed that my levels were 5,000+, but yet again with this pregnancy my progesterone was low registering at 9.5.  The good news was that this time the progesterone suppositories 2 times a day worked and I didn't have to do the twice a day shots.  I was really nervous because the pills hadn't worked when I was trying to get pregnant with Zoey but my ARNP at my OB office assured me that she felt they would work this time since this was a natural pregnancy.  On August 9, my levels came back at 28,000 and my progesterone was up to 16.  I was so thankful that everything was going well.

On August 16, I went to the OB for the first time and we saw our baby and heard his heartbeat for the first time.  It was 152 bpm.  This reassured me that there was a baby in there and not cancer! Such a blessing this was!

Since then....

Month 1-6:  I was EXHAUSTED to say the least!  It could be that I have a 1 year old little girl to chase around and that I work full time and try to keep our home together as well.

Month 1: tired
Month 2:  tired
Month 3: tired, some heartburn
Month 4: tired, heartburn, sinus issues begin
Month 5:  oh the sinuses, some sleep issues, some contractions
Month 6:  EXHAUSTION (diagnosed with anemia and borderline Gestational Diabetes which I am having to monitor 4 times daily and control), sinus issues, some heartburn, having to pee ALL THE TIME, contractions have began along with some pressure down low at times (doctor has said to take it easy and not over do it .. hopefully our lil man will bake longer than his sis did), some sleeping issues but it seems easier this time because I have Zoey to hug up to!  haha

I have been blessed with a healthy pregnancy this time so far aside from my previous issues,the anemia, and the gestational diabetes.  I'm not gonna lie, the contractions and pressure scare me and therefore we have not traveled and will not be traveling (Lord willing) out of town away until our baby is here.  The doctor felt like this was a good idea as well because I really don't want to deliver at a random hospital.  It is normal to have Braxton-Hicks contractions but my fear is that these are more than that.  My ARNP said that if I have 4-6 in even a day to let them know because it could mean premature labor.  My first two fetal fibronectin tests have come back negative meaning that I won't go into labor within the next 2 weeks, however, it did with Zoey as well and I went into labor before the 2 weeks were up.  I'm just a little cautious which I guess is a good thing in this situation. 

On October 18, we found out that Zoey would be joined by a baby brother.  I was shocked.  My hubby, mom and I thought the baby was another girl.  We felt blessed either way but how neat it will be to have a little boy so that we can enjoy the best of both worlds!  It was an interesting day to say the least as I had gotten my first speeding ticket in Anderson Co. and I wasn't even rushing!  I was going downhill and not paying attention!  (Grrr...but after DVD traffic school that is all taken care of!)  Needless to say, my blood pressure was up at the doctor's office and they were worried about it so I had to have a MIST test completed to make sure everything was ok.  It came back well and I told them I knew it was from the ticket.  I later got my flu shot that evening.

More to come...

The Story of Baby # 2! (Part 1)

So … I have not updated or told the story of baby number 2 yet. I am very behind (as I am sure I will be for the next few years). My problem is that I want to journal every little thing for me, more than anyone, to have to look back on. I have a written version so I may have to work on shortening my online version. Either way, here’s the story of baby number 2!

On July 19th I went to my ARNP to FINALLY have my thyroid checked. I was suppose to do this about 3 months after I had Zoey and instead I had waited 5 months longer. A few days later I went back for the results and found out that my thyroid was really, really out of whack. My ARNP asked me how I had any energy and I just shook my head. I guess I had just gotten use to being tired. She sent me straight to have an ultrasound on my thyroid to check the nodules that were found a few years before. I was scared too death and the tech wouldn’t really tell me anything (even though sometimes she does). That worried me.

I was all worried about finding out the results so I called off and on for a few days to see if they had came back. I then got caught up in some things and got my mind off of it. On July 29 (Thursday), I had an appointment with Zoey and was looking forward to the next day being void of anything to do so that I could swim and enjoy our last Friday off from school with my girl. However, I received a phone call from my boss stating that I needed to attend a meeting for training in the PEP program for PE at our school.

The next day was filled with tons of workouts and ways we could teach certain workouts to our students. We worked hard and we all left very tired. I, myself, was exhausted. I just thought it was from my thyroid problems so I went to pick up my Zoey from my mom’s and ended up napping with her on the couch for a bit. When I got up, I just couldn’t shake the tiredness. My mom told me that I really should take a test because I was about a week late (I thought anyway) and my beloved friend Misty had been telling me the same thing for a few days but I had been blowing it off. I got up to go to the bathroom and notice one of the cheap cassette pregnancy tests that my mom had had left over. (FYI… when my aunt tested positive for ovarian cancer, she also tested positive for pregnancy … so before my mom had the 2nd half of her hysterectomy this past May, she checked with a pregnancy test to see if anything was showing up that may mean something. ) Anyway, I decided to take the test for the heck of it because I had done that a few times over the past couple of months and it was always negative. I took the test and then went to get up from the toilet. Much to my surprise… IT WAS POSITIVE!

Now yes, I had seen a positive test before but NEVER before I knew I was pregnant. I always wondered what it would be like to just be late and then take a test and find out at home. Now I was getting that chance. God knew that I had always desired that and He was giving me that to cherish. I screamed, “MOM” and she knew as soon as she heard me scream what it was. She, of course, told my mamaw who she was on the phone with. My dad was holding Zoey and my brother was in the living room with them and they started questioning… “She’s pregnant?” Zoey got so excited because everyone else was excited that she started banging my dad in the head with her toy phone.

I called my husband at work (Richmond at the time) and he said "I knew it... you were grouchy."  Lol.  Too funny! 

Talk about crazy!  I was so in shock that you could have knocked me over with a feather!  More details to come ....

Zoey @ 9 Months

ZOEY MEASUREMENTS:
AS OF 7-29-10
HT. 25 3/4 INCHES
WT 16 LBS
HEAD 17 1/4 INCHES
 Zoey’s 9th month began with some time with both sets of grandparents. We spent the morning running errands with my mom and then seeing my dad and brother and then we headed to Louisville afterwards to spend time with our family down there. Zoey and I spent a lot of that evening with cousin Lea and her silly bands. Zoey is amused by her and had a great time. We got to see everyone else as they all began to roll in. We celebrated the birthdays of my hubby and I and were sent home with tons of stuff. Zoey, of course, came home with some new clothes and baby food… courtesy of Aunt FeFe who loves to buy her new clothes and food. We spent Sunday playing with an Elmo toy that had been Lea’s, attending church at Victory Baptist, and hanging out with the family until late evening. We headed home and got home around 10. I was exhausted and so was Zoey. After getting ready for the following week, we drifted off to sleep.

Zoey and I spent the next few days like usual, me working and her hanging out at mom’s house. On Wednesday, Zoey went out to town with her mamaw and papaw to a doctor’s appointment that went really well. Saturday, we headed to Pigeon Forge, Tn for some Labor Day weekend shopping. We had a great time. I’d been planning this for weeks and it was a great day for it. Zoey got a few new dresses and outfits and I bought a few things at the maternity store. We got home at around 8pm that evening. We headed to church the next day, then to Wal-Mart, and then home to rest for the evening and straighten up the house a bit. I really needed the rest that evening. I still had two more busy days off ahead before plunging into the next work week. We had our planned yard sale the following day at my house. It was pretty dead so it looks like I’ll have to try again sometime soon. Dad stopped by and while they were watching the sale, I went out back to vacuum the pool. It had gotten really hot and I really got myself too hot. I had to stop and cool off. We then put up the sale and went to KFC to grab something to eat. I came home, rested a bit, finished the pool, and then got Zoey and I ready for the next day. We spent the following day going to see the doctor again to check on baby BG2. My ARNP did a quick ultrasound herself to make sure the baby was still growing and doing ok. We saw the baby, looking like a turtle much like Zoey did at that size, and saw the flicker of it’s heartbeat. It measured at 10 weeks 1 day but my due date stayed the same just because they are making sure all the ultrasounds are consistent. After leaving, we decided to grab something to eat. I called Zoey’s doctor that is in the same town to reschedule her September 20th appointment and they couldn’t do so. The doctor happened to be in though the office was closed. She told us to come on in at 1:15 and so we did. She ended up saying Zoey was doing well with her motor skills and that we needed to continue the splints and her foot exercises. She said that Zoey had a very expressive face and I totally agreed with her. She is the most expressive child I have ever met haha : )

The next day we took a looong nap at mom’s before going home to see daddy. Zoey ate 3 and half jars of baby food that day. She’s eating more and more. We are actually almost out! She also kicked her splints off on the way home and when I looked back through the mirror, all I could see was her and a white sock hanging from her mouth like she was a little dog. So funny! I found her again this way the next morning while driving to work. That evening, Zoey and I took another long nap before heading home. What a small habit we are creating! HAHA

Zoey spent the next few days with mamaw  while I was at work, eating her socks at random times, and taking long naps with me in the evenings.  The weekend of September 11^th, Zoey and I went shopping with mamaw and papaw and on Sunday we went to our annual family reunion.  Zoey got to meet a lot of her family that she had never met.  She also got to swing with cousin Jessica.  We then went to church that night after resting at mamaw and papaw's house first.

  I was sick the next few days with a major sinus headache so I went through in a blur.  Zoey was wonderful at cheering me up.  On the 16^th, I had ball game duty at work.  I was blessed and ended up only having to work 1 game and was back to my girl by 7.  Though I had had a rough week, I spent that Friday evening at my old high school attending Zoey’s first football game.  Mom went with us and we sat with my friend Kim and her family.  Zoey and Kim’s son 5 year old son Lucas had a good time.  He thought she was interesting and she did him, too.  ZoeyDonie Ann, even though she slept through that meeting. 

The next day mom, Zoey, and I ran out into my town to grab a few things and then back home to rest before meeting daddy in Corbin to look at furniture.  Afterwards, we had dinner at King’s Chinese before heading home.  I was reminded of why I don’t eat there that often…. I am not that fond of it because I usually feel ill afterwards.  I was pretty exhausted so I went home to lay around and rest.  It had been a long week and I woke up Sunday morning not feeling the greatest, so I stayed home from church that morning with Zoey but attended that night and was privileged to hear Phil Cross sing.  Zoey loved the music and was jumping around in my lap the entire time.  It was so sweet.  I’m glad my baby enjoys Christian music that well. 

It was back to work on Monday.  Wednesday brought about Zoey’s 9 month photo shoot at 4:30 and she did so wonderfully!  I loved them!  On Thursday we spent the evening with mom until 9:30pm because both my dad and hubby were working late.  I am a chicken and mom likes the company so it worked out for all of us.  Zoey is content at either place.  I picked up Zoey’s pictures on Friday and Michael ordered our couch finally! 

On Saturday Zoey and I went to Middlesboro with mom to shop a bit and then, as tired as we were, went on to the Chicken Festival with dad because he wanted to go and had gotten off work late.  We all weren’t that impressed but Zoey loved it.  She enjoyed seeing all the people and things going on.  We spent Sunday morning in church and Sunday evening at home as we were not feeling up to par. 

Monday was a rainy work day for teachers.  I felt bad still and just pushed myself to be there.  We got out at 1:30pm and I headed to mom’s to see her and Zoey.  We took naps and then woke up later to head home.  Late that night, I felt Zoey’s sibling move for the first time.  It was really neat because I was pretty far along with Zoey before I felt her move.  What a great way to end out Zoey’s 9^th month!  Ps.  Zoey also was introduced to Candy Apples during this month.  Her daddy fed her the red sauce on the inside of the apple.  I think she enjoyed teething on it more than anything.