My First Mother's Day! (Well technically 2nd)

Happy 1st Mother's Day to me and all the new mommies out there!  I feel so blessed to be able to hold my precious baby girl in my arms this Mother's Day and feel the joy that she brings into my life!  There is nothing like her and I can't remember what I did before her.  The picture above is our tradition.  Zoey and I have shared Eskimo kisses since she was in the NICU and they are so special to me.  It's hard to keep her still long enough to get a few now but I still manage to : )  Some of our best times are those when we are just hanging around the house. We have the best time playing, reading books, watching Care Bears, etc.  She is the sweetest child ever : )

I spent my first Mother's day in church last year as a newly pregnant gal.  No Zoey wasn't born but yes I was still a mother.  I had waited for that day for years and it was finally a reality.  I didn't go up with the rest of the mothers in church because still a lot of people didn't really know and I figured I'd wait until I had Zoey to take up with me this year.  This year was my first actual Mother's Day with Zoey in my arms!  It was great!  She looked so pretty.

We got up and got ready for church that morning.  Daddy took a couple of pictures and we were on our way.  At church we had to walk up front with all the other mom's (including my momma) and receive a book about being a Christian mother.  It was such a sweet gift from our church.  Zoey then got a bit restless because she was so sleepy but she is so nosey that she wanted to look around to see what was going on in church.  I ended up taking her out for about 15 minutes into a dark Sunday school room to get her to sleep and then we went back in so I could hear the sermon.

As we were leaving church, a middle-aged couple behind us were telling us how pretty Zoey is.  The lady said, "My husband said that she is so pretty that she looks like she's been bought in the toys at Toys' R' Us.  She looks like a Cabbage Patch doll or something.  I wish our son would have us a grandbaby and that it would look just like her!"  It was so sweet!  Later the next day my cousin made a similar comment and hadn't even heard the story of what these folks had said.  We took the Cabbage Patch thing as a compliment because I loved my CPK dolls when I was a kid and it's cool to think I have a live one!  HAHA

We went to Ryan's steakhouse after church and enjoyed dinner.  It was SOOO crowded and of course it would be because of Mother's day.  Zoey tried some mashed potatoes and gravy and a taste or two of chocolate ice cream.  She likes food.  So far all she's had a taste of is mashed potatoes, chocolate/vanilla ice cream, fudgesicle, sherbert, and pizza sauce.  lol  That last one is my idea.  Not a really spice sauce I promise!  But she has enjoyed it all and only had just barely a few little, tiny tastes of each.

Anyway... after dinner we came home with every intention of going back to church that night.  We didn't make it because she and I fell asleep and slept all evening.  It was very relaxing though.  I seem to be dragging a whole lot now that it's the end of the school year.  I just stay so tired from being on the go so much.

I sat here and looked at her and was just amazed that she is my baby.  She came from my body.  She has my family and my husband's family in her.  I remember everything about her growing inside and I remember what it felt like to have her and to hold her the first time.  I am not crazy.  Obviously I have known the whole time that she is my baby but it's like it hit me again that she is my little baby.  The little baby that I have wanted for so long!  And I felt even more blessed all over again.

I also feel very blessed that God has given me such an awesome mom myself.  I have learned all my tricks from her.  She is the best mom in the world and if I can just be half the Christian mom that she has been, I will feel like I'm doing ok.  She is STILL there for me when I need anything.  She loves my girl and me so much.  I wish I'd have gotten a picture of us all 3 on Mother's day but it got so busy that I didn't but we are having some done in a few weeks so I'll post those when we get them.  Praise God for my precious momma and Praise God for my precious daughter!

Also on my mind that day was my dear friends who are still going through infertility.  I want each of you to know that I Pray for you and think of you often.  I know that God answers Prayer and I am still holding on to those Prayers for you.  Keep holding on even though it is so hard all the time!  I will never forget that longing nor will I forget the walk! 

Zoey and I waiting in the well-baby room at the doctor before her 4 month shots : (

Zoey and momma hanging out at home on our bed.

Zoey with her fav person... her bff Mamaw!

My girl asleep under one of her "I love Mommy!" blankets!

Ps.  I forgot to mention my gifts from my family.  My mom wanted to order my something special and she did so in this locket!  It is beautiful!  It has Zoey's birthstone, Zoey's full name, a place for her pictures, and it's in the beautiful key shape (which I love)! 

My mother's day gift from my wonderful mom! 

My mother's day gift from my hubby!  He actually used his Clayton Bucks on it for me!  I have the red with a spiffy camera bag, extra memory card, mini tripod and software.  I had broken my previous camera and could never find another on HSN. 

Zoey @ 1 Month

Zoey @ 1 Month:

 

At one month Miss Zoey has been a sight!  She is still sleeping a lot and drinking about 2 ounces at each feeding.  This is good because my milk supply is just at 2 ounces.  Zoey spent most of her 1st month in the NICU at UT Medical Center.  Her hobbies have included sleeping, pooping, and in the last 2 weeks of her first month, eating.  My poor baby went 10 days of her newborn life not being able to eat because of a bowel disease.  I promise to post about our NICU experience soon and give you the details of this.  She got to come home on her 3 week birthday after being in the hospital 21 days.  We were so glad!   

Zoey has been able to lift her head from day 1.  In the NICU, Zoey would raise her head up in her isolette.  The nurses thought it was funny because even though she was a preemie (and the definition of preemie isn't based on a baby's weight) she was still big and she barely fit in the isolette after awhile : )  She also responded to sounds early on and would try to focus on your face, though she couldn't see up close.  I had read about that in the baby book.  She weighed 5lbs 8oz at birth dropping down to 4lbs 15oz when she had the NEC.  At her first doctor's appointment (12-23-09), Zoey weighed 7lbs.  She was 18 inches long.  She was almost a month old at that appointment.  

My baby girl spent the last couple of weeks of her first month learning to eat.  She was born during the time she would have been learning to suck, swallow, and breathe at the same time.  She had to learn to do this.  I can't count the number of times that she scared us too death in Room 1 of Dragonfly Cove by getting strangled on her milk.  Zoey started out on 1 teaspoon of milk at each feeding.  She then worked her way up to about 50mls.  This was our goal for her after the NEC.  After hitting that mark and doing well with digesting it, we were allowed to spend the night and room in at the hospital with her the day before we came home.  

Zoey had many cords and wires during this first month.  She had a PIC line as well.  It broke my heart to know that they were putting the PIC line in her but I couldn't be back there when they did.  I was told by nurses that it took 3 hours.  I think she fought them quite a bit.  It hurt me to think she was scared but I knew it was what she needed so she wouldn't have to have her IV redone again and again and risk infection.  More details about our NICU experience to come.  

So in a nutshell....... my Zoey came home and I was just thrilled to be the mother to this beautiful, little girl! 

Other things I've thought of since I posted this:  Zoey loves to make a "horsey" sound when she is stretching or going to the bathroom.  We said she sounds like my dad who sounds that way when clearing his throat or that it is from my time teaching with my dear friend Ms. Harbin who loves her horses so well!  Zoey goes to the bathroom, as in poopy diapers, after each feeding.  This is from the breast milk and is totally normal.  It has been new to me  because I never realized that breast fed babies go so much.  But everytime that she goes, I feel so blessed.  I am blessed because after the bowel disease she had in the NICU (NEC), we were told that she could have an obstruction that would require surgery just depending on how much damage the disease did.  Praise God there is none thus far!

Vote For Zoey Danielle!

VOTE FOR ZOEY FOR KENTUCKY'S CUTEST BABY CONTEST. LEAVE A COMMENT SO THAT I CAN PRINT THEM FOR HER BABY BOOK! 


Click here or click the link with the picture on the sidebar of this blog!

Zoey Arrives ... Part 1

So, when I went to my 32.5 week appointment things were a little different. This was the week before Thanksgiving and I had been so tired. When I went in for the nurses to check me in, I noticed that the nurse looked strangely at my blood pressure. She then retook it. I asked if something was wrong and she said that it was borderline, which is much higher than my blood pressure ever is. I told her it could be from rushing through traffic to get there. The second time she checked, it was some better but still up. I knew that the BP would be an issue and it was. When my ARNP walked in that was the first thing she brought up. She wanted me to sit, not talk or move alot, and just relax. Then she rechecked my BP and it was much better. We also talked about the ultrasound that we had had done. Apparently, there was a lower amount of fluid around the baby and they were worried it would drop lower. She and my doctor debated whether or not to put me off work to rest and decided that they would see me again in one week to see if things had improved. If not, then I would be put off work until the fluid looked better or until the baby made it here safely. I was told to take it easy at work and at home. That was a little hard to do because I had to walk constantly up and down the long hallways at work... there was just no getting around it.

God helped me, as He always does, to make it until the next week. It was the Wed. before Thanksgiving and I was off work. My mom and I headed to the doctor for my 7:30 am appointment. I was scanned and my fluid had increased from a 7 to a 9. Still not the greatest, but improving. I was glad because I definitely didn't want any complications for Zoey, but I was really hoping to be put off work at that point because I had really struggled in those last few days. I honestly felt so bad. The pressure was getting worse by the day (because of my uterus). I didn't mention that though because I knew I needed to stick it out as long as possible and my Ffn had come back negative the week before. I told my doctors "Happy Thanksgiving" and headed out of the office.

My mom, brother and I drove to London and met with my Aunt Sandy and my grandmother. We ate at Golden Corral and spent time together for Thanksgiving since everyone would be at their own place on the actual holiday. We also stopped by Kmart before eating and I could barely stand while waiting on everyone to finish picking out cashmere sweaters. I felt so bad. I had made my rounds in the baby section and gotten a womb bear. By the time I finished that, I was ready to go and sit somewhere. I truly was physically miserable.

We headed to my mom's house because I was staying with her from the night before until that Friday night. My husband had missed both holidays with his family the year before as we went through our fertility treatments and I really didn't want to make him miss seeing everyone again. I told him to go on and that if anything happened, I'd call. I, obviously, couldn't be any further away from my doctor than I already was.

That night, after an evening nap, mom and I sterilized bottles and watched "My Sister's Keeper." The next morning we had Thanksgiving dinner... me in my PJ's just like old times. It's always low key at my mom and dad's for holidays and I love it. No expectations... no dressing up if ... just family and food. We ate and then sat around waiting until later to head to the movies and watch "New Moon." I had been dying to see it and we had decided to do so that evening. I spent the time waiting and helping my brother with some computer homework. Then I took a nap before getting ready to leave. We went to watch the movie... I had nachos (Harlan theater!) and Zoey loved them!

We decided that night that we would shop some on Black Friday and maybe hit Knoxville early, early. I didn't really want to be out amongst the germs but I figured the crowds would be spread out in Knoxville more so than in our 2-3 stores in my area. At 2am we decided to just go up in the morning and forget the crowds. I couldn't sleep again. I had had a hard time sleeping for the past few nights at my mom's house because of heartburn and just feeling miserable. I ended up getting up and getting online. I was shopping Walmart.com for Black Friday bargains by 4am. I got the video camera I was after and I went through the hallway announcing it. My parents were laughing at me. But it was something productive I could do instead of just laying there miserable.

So we got up (correction they all got up... I was already up) at around 7am and were on the road by 8am. We headed to Knoxville. I was so tired and emotional. We stopped for gas and had breakfast in Middlesboro and then headed on. We ended up at East Towne Mall and were shopping in JCPenneys shortly thereafter. I went to the bathroom to pee (as always) and noticed that I was passing more mucus. I knew something was brewing. We began to look around. I had found a coat that I couldn't decide on and I teared up over the decision. Silly I know. But wow... pregnancy hormones. That's all I can say. We shopped (and I did end up buying the coat... actually my mom did as a Christmas present for me) and then ate at Applebees. That's when I started noticing how weird I felt. I kept feeling Zoey's butt (or so I thought) and then these strange feelings. After eating, I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom so I went. I assumed that's all that it was. Though I did notice that there was more mucus. We went to Target and Bed, Bath, & Beyond next. It didn't do much good... I was feeling too bad to be up that much.

So we headed home. We got to mom's and I was so tired that I decided to go in for a few and rest before finishing packing up to head home. I was so jittery and tired... I dropped my laptop on the hardwood while trying to pack it up. It bent and cracked the battery box. I cried and worried that the battery liquid would leak out and after a call to Dell... I was even more worried. The computer worked and my dad checked it out and said that it was just the outer shell and not the actual battery. I finally stopped worrying so much and headed home.

Michael was already here and came out to help me in with my stuff. We then started carrying stuff in from the SUV. His family had sent the baby furniture, tons of clothes, and tons of other baby things. I carried the really light stuff and he got the rest. We got it all inside and I began to try to push myself to go through everything. Before long, I had went through almost every bag and even began to wash up the new clothes. I soon felt so tired and bad that I decided to lay down.... then the fun began.......

To Be Continued...

Welcome Zoey Danielle

I am so sorry that I haven't updated you guys in almost 2 months! I have been a little bit busy with lil Miss Zoey Danielle who arrived on November 28, 2009 at 7:27pm. She weighed 5lbs and almost 8 oz and was 17.75 inches long. Zoey has only been home for almost 2 weeks now as she has been through quite a bit as a preemie but that story is soon to follow as is the story of my labor, the time leading up to it and her birth. But for now, here is Zoey:



THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER FOR THIS AMAZING GIFT! I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT SHE IS HERE AND THAT I GOT TO EXPERIENCE THIS WONDERFUL MIRACLE OF LIFE. I AM SO HUMBLED AND OVERJOYED AND I PRAISE YOU FOR THIS ENTIRE EXPERIENCE. WE PRAISE YOU AND WORSHIP AT YOUR FEET!

Baby Shower and Update 26.5 weeks

So... I know most of my blogger friends live states and states away.... but I still wanted to extend an invite to my Baby Shower this coming Monday at 3:30pm at my school. If any of you are in the neighborhood and want to stop by just let me know and I can give you more details! I am excited and nervous. I know it's crazy but I hate having all the attention focused on me.... can you believe that? haha But I am excited to get all kinds of baby stuff and to get to start working on Zoey's nursery again the coming weeks.

In other news... WE HAVE MOVED! WOW! Let me just say that I am completely exhausted and I had forgotten just how much work it is to move. I have to collect a few more cleaning supplies from my apartment ( we overhauled it on Tuesday evening so that it would be nice when we moved out) and then I will turn in our keys tomorrow or Saturday morning. It is bittersweet to me. I loved my apartment. It was very nice and very big (like 1,400 square feet). We have had a lot of good memories there including coming home from work as a newly pregnant woman who was completely in shock. haha : ) But, we have outgrown our apartment and we definitely are loving our new home and all the extra square footage plus the garage and the huge yard we have. I will be loving the pool this summer as well : ) God has truly blessed us!

I haven't posted in almost a month! I usually try to update at least every 2 weeks so you can tell I've been busy. My doctor's appointment at 24.5 weeks consisted of a cervical length check (3.5cm) and a Fetal fibronectin test. This test detects fetal fibronectin, which is a glue like substance that begins to be discharged when you are within weeks of going into labor. If you get a positive reading, this means you could go into labor in the next 2 weeks. If you get a negative reading, there is a 99% chance that you will not go into labor in the next 2 weeks. The negative test is much more reliable than the positive. My test that week came back negative. That was great news because I wanted baby Zoey to keep growing and I wanted to continue to stay off bed rest so that I could enjoy my baby shower in the coming weeks. I didn't get to see Zoey at that appointment and I was disappointed but I was told I'd see her every time after that. I did have my second glucose screening and it actually came back better than the first. My level was 115 which was well within normal range. I was so glad! My thyroid came back fine as well.

Yesterday was my 26.5 week appointment. I again had the fetal fibronectin test and it came back negative again. Thank the Lord! My cervix measured 3.34 which is a bit shorter than before but I did have a different ultrasound tech (my favorite one is moving back to her hometown :( ) and they weren't concerned as long as it stays about 3 we are in good shape. I did get to see Zoey and I have 2 pictures of her (her spine mainly because she wouldn't roll over for good pictures. She now weighs 2lbs and was sleeping on her belly with one foot all the way up to her butt. So cute! Her heartbeat was 138 yesterday and I think 142 last time.

At 26.5 weeks she is moving around a lot. She as been for about 5 weeks or so now. I love feeling her. I also love just listening to her heartbeat. I even went out to the car during my planning period the other day to listen to her because I hadn't heard her heart in a few days due to all the moving and unpacking. She apparently still doesn't like the doppler and loves to kick it when I start trying to listen. It's quite funny. You can hear the thud on the machine and see my belly move. She's been doing that since the first time I listened to her with it. I thank God for these little moments that she and I share! I also thank God that my mom was able to feel her move today and to actually see my belly move. It just tickled her too death. She is so in love with this little girl already as are we all. Thank You Heavenly Father for this tiny, 2lb blessing growing inside me as we speak!

I have purchased her stroller, car seat, and high chair. I got all 3 at Kmart at a really great price. They are brown and green because I want to be able to reuse them if I am blessed with another child down the road. I didn't really want to put a possible, future baby boy in a pink stroller haha The print is called African Safari and I really like the brown and green together. Her room is BRIGHT PINK. My dear friend Tina is suppose to come paint a Care Bear mural on the wall if we can ever get my hubby's stuff out of there and we still have to hang the Care Bear border as well as get the furniture from my SIL. Still a lot to do.

I feel ok. I am staying really, really sore down low like where my torso meets my legs...I guess the groin area. I am also feeling more pressure down low. My feet and legs are swelling some at the end of the day but nothing that is too major. I am still grouchy a lot haha I also have hormonal episodes and speak my mind a lot more than I use to (sorta like I did when I was young). But I'm not too awful haha. The heartburn is getting worse... that's the one symptom that's followed me pretty much through the whole thing.

I guess I will head out. It's after midnight and I'm still going. I actually had a nap today. I never take naps anymore.... just never have time. All I do is work, unpack, sleep and repeat haha. God bless each of you and know that I am still Praying for you! Remember if you are near here Monday let me know!

Ps. I will add the new ultrasound pictures as soon as we hook our printer/scanner up...it may be a few weeks!

22 weeks 3 days Appointment update ... A New Pic and a Surprise Video

So the appointment went well this week. Zoey was doing well. They finally got her final heart view captured. They said that everything looked great. Thank You Heavenly Father! Her heart rate was 142 (or 144 can't remember which) bpm. She weighs exactly one pound now. How precious! And I feel every ounce of that pound on my bladder daily haha. No complaints!

I truly do feel so blessed to be able to be pregnant and get to experience this life growing inside me. It is all that I thought it would be and more. I love feeling my baby girl kick and dance around inside my womb. I am not taking one second of it for granted because I know how big of a deal that it is. This has been my life long dream and God has blessed me to get to see it through... and I truly believe He will see it through until she's healthy and here in our arms. God is just too good to me.... and I am so unworthy of His grace and His mercies!

I do have a new ultrasound picture to share and another surprise to share. I received my fetal doppler from "Tiny Heartbeats" yesterday and I have enjoyed using it all day today. I wanted to figure out how to record the heartbeat so I set up my camera and recorded it that way. So... here's my lil Zoey Danielle's heartbeat. Enjoy!

P.s. I am still Praying for each of you.... Continue to keep us in your Prayers as well. One more thing... I am planning a baby shower... details to follow soon. Any advice from anyone is welcome!

Dancing Zoey

So what's been going on with me lately? A dancing Zoey girl! Zoey has been moving since the day after my last appointment. She has been moving quite a bit most days. She moves quite a bit in Church during the sermons. It's hilarious. She enjoys any sugar I consume, no matter how small. I love feeling her move. It is so awesome and so amazing. I love her so much and I have never even held her yet! Amazing that you can feel that way isn't it? God is so good and so amazing to design things to work the way that they do!

I have thought about purchasing a doppler since I first found out I was pregnant so I took the advice of a dear blog friend and was blessed enough to set up the rental of a free doppler from Tiny Heartbeats. You can click on the title of the organization Tiny Heartbeats to read about it. It is an awesome organization that rents dopplers for free to anyone who has experienced "fetal miscarriage, fetal demise, ectopic pregnancy or stillbirths, lost a child to complications from pregnancy, or those women in high risk pregnancies." I sent in my liability wavier and my doctor faxed in the prescription last week. Dana, the founder of Tiny Heartbeats, said that she should be able to send one out this week. I'm excited! I can't wait to hear Zoey's hearbeat daily and to be able to share it with my family that can't go to the doctor with me (namely my dad and often times my hubby).

I haven't shared a lot of pregnancy symptoms so I figured I would back track a bit here and list them for myself mainly:

Very 1st symptoms: EXHAUSTION, major heartburn, tingly boobs, shortly after I found out I had a lovely battle with a bum bump (we know what I'm talking about) lol, major trapped gas issues... so severe I woke up in the middle of the night in severe pain... and I ended up with a UTI.

The heartburn went away but since I hit my 2nd trimester, it has shown back up. It flares up pretty often now. I also have had a hard time sleeping since about week 14 because I can only sleep on my left or right side. This gets harder with each passing week. I am already having a hard time getting up and down when laying on my parent's couch that I sink down into haha I have a baby belly... showing quite a bit. I'm making use of my maternity capris though I can still fit into elastic waisted pants from prepregnancy... though they are fitted.

In my current month, month 6, I am still feeling the heartburn. My feet and legs swell when I am on them too much at work. I've managed to get a blister back in my throat again (had one back at 19.5 weeks). I am on my second round of antibiotics... this time a Zpak and an antifungal called Nystatin. It doesn't seem to be clearing it up. I try to gargle saltwater daily and that seems to be helping more than anything. I have also had some sinus issues and bleeds in the past day or so.

Hmm... I think I mentioned it all. I had a great weekend with my parents and brother. Mike went out of town to his parent's house to get boxes and the trailer to help us move in a few weeks. He also picked up our lawnmower that we bought from my aunt. I stayed with my parents because I don't need to be 5 hours away from my doctors ... I'm already almost 2 hours away. My parents, brother, and I went to Pigeon Forge (which is closer to my doctor than we are here at home) and shopped at the outlets. We got Zoey some summer dresses, hats, and baby Crocs for next summer. I had a great time. I also enjoyed church this weekend and our Labor Day weekend sermon's and missionary speaking.

I go back to my doctor Wednesday. Pray that Zoey D. is still doing well. Please continue to Pray for the health of Zoey and I both as we are exposed to numerous sicknesses at my workplace. I stay nervous daily with all that's going around and especially with the outbreak of the Swine Flu which keeps getting closer and closer to us. Pray for a hedge of protection around us and our family so that we can get this baby here healthy! Much love and many Prayers to each of you with your situations!

THANK YOU FATHER FOR YOUR WONDERFUL BLESSINGS!

18.5 Week Update & It's A .....

Hello all:

I have the hardest time making myself sit down to write about my appointments anymore. I always try to be so detailed for you guys (and mainly for me so that I'll remember all this in the future). I get to where I really have to push myself to type all this out. I am certainly glad I do though because I have so many local friends who are also going through infertility that ask me questions and I have to get on here and look up to see the information that I remembered at some point and what happened with it. It is a very handy tool for me as well as the most awesome way to keep up with my blog friends (all of you guys)!

So... I went to the doctor on Wednesday. I, for once, was nervous but not overly nervous like I usually am. I didn't have to wait long and I got the ultrasound tech that I just love. She is so sweet and so informative. She explains everything to me. She is also the tech who predicted that the baby was a girl right after all of that bleeding. Well, she told me again on Wednesday that she definitely is indeed a little girl. I am having a Zoey Danielle!

Zoey is a name that my momma and I heard at my brother's football game the night before my IF surgery. Of course I had heard it before but we just fell in love with it. It was brought up again a couple of months ago and it has stuck. This baby is a Zoey! The name means "LIFE" and that's just what she is to me, my life already : ) The middle name is Danielle which is in remembrance of my beloved, best friend Danielle Bowman. I have said from the start that when I got pregnant, I would use her name if I had a little girl. I Prayed at the beginning for God to let her be a part of this pregnancy and baby in some way and He has!

Would I have been disappointed with a little boy? NO, NO, NO! I would love either and would hope to one day have both. I have just yearned for a baby, no matter what it's gender was. But it is nice to be able to name the baby after Danielle. The name Danielle means "God is my judge" and that fits perfectly, too, because it is God who has judged this situation and decided to provide life to this little child and to this expectant momma. Praise the name of Jesus for this wonderful blessing! May this situation, this child, and this family bring honor to the name of God!

I did find out more than just the gender. The baby is growing well and measured up well. The genetic counselor came in during my ultrasound to aid in looking for markers for Downs Syndrome since my test came back at an increased risk. Some of the things they looked for were the kidney shape, the "sixth digit" which was making sure there were 3 bones in the pinkie finger, other organs and their shapes, and cysts on the brain. They thought that they possibly saw a cyst on the baby's brain but they were really unsure. I felt at peace the whole time because I truly feel that she is OK. The doctor came in and did a third ultrasound and confirmed that there was no cyst there and that it was normal! Praise God! The only thing they couldn't really see was the heart and they will scan it next time. So, be Praying that the heart is functioning well please : )

The genetic counselor realized in the middle of the scan that I had bled in the weeks prior to, and during the week of my Quad Screen. She said that the bleeding could have thrown the blood work off, too. The doctor confirmed that as well. He said it was the HCG levels that were off a bit and those were what would be affected by the bleeding. I had read this online when researching so I was familiar with what they were talking about. I hadn't been overly stressed either because God had given me a peace about the situation just hours after the phone call with the test results.

The blood clot was mostly gone. There was some blood left in the uterus and was just laying there. The doctor said that I could pass it or it could reabsorb. The membrane (water sac) had began to attach to the uterine wall but was still unattached just a bit. For this reason, I was kept on modified bed rest for another 2 weeks. Also, the placenta had moved out of the way! Praise God!

I do have a couple of pictures for you. These show the baby looking at us. None of my pictures have been as good as those from 14.5 weeks but we'll take them! No big deal to me. I just love seeing her. There was even one point where she covered her face with her hands as if she were saying, "Not more pictures!" Too funny because I am the picture queen! The tech tried to get a picture of the baby so that I would have proof she was a girl but she closed her legs right as she tried to capture the image and she wouldn't open them again. Oh well, at least she is modest. That means we are off to a good start : ) HAHA

Thanks be to God for giving me such great news at this appointment! I am so blessed to have gotten good news and I just praise my Heavenly Father's name for that! Thank You Father for this little girl who has already touched my life and the lives of so many. Continue to bless her in my womb and throughout her whole life. Use her life to glorify You! Strengthen me so that I am able to teach her all about You and Your perfect ways. I love you Jesus.

Here are the pictures of Zoey Danielle. Enjoy and remember that I am still Praying for each of you guys. I feel like God is moving in a lot of your situations even though I'm not sure how. He is good and I know that you guys know that because after what we've all been through, I can't imagine heading into such a dark tunnel of infertility without the light of Jesus guiding us through. I love you guys!