3-Hour glucose test

I went today to the lab for the 3 hour glucose test. It felt like it took an eternity to get through! When I first came in, they took some blood for a fasting level. Then they had me drink a highly concentrated sugar drink. After that, my blood was drawn 3 additional times at 1 hour increments. I'm glad that's over with. I guess that the doctors office will call when they get the results.

Pics of baby girl!

I am finally posting some u/s pics of our baby girl! These are from this past week at 16 weeks 1 day. We have our anatomy scan, aka big u/s, on 1/11. Can't wait to see you again baby!

17 weeks

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. The umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes are now topped by one-of-a-kind prints.

1-Hour Glucose Test result

I got the results from Monday's 1 hour glucose test. The normal result for pregnant woman is 130 or under. Mine was 177. They scheduled me for a 3 hour test next week. When I went to the perinatal doctor, for my NT screening, they told me that for many mothers who have had GD it can come back earlier and more severe. So, we will see how the test next week goes. I spoke with the doctor about my experience with DS re: his size and the painful episiotomy that I had. She just said that they will monitor her size and the GD, if I have it (which it looks like I do), possibly deliver her a couple of weeks early. I had DS at 41 weeks. She suggested possibly 38 weeks this time, but they will keep an eye on it. She said that having a baby around 7.5 pounds will make delivery a better experience.

It's a.........................

GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We are having a little girl. I had a couple of boy dreams, so I thought that is what it was going to be. Wrong! Little princess on the way!

16 weeks: Avocado

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender.

Last week, I started to feel baby make little movements. I can only feel it when I am laying or sitting still. Yay! We have an u/s tomorrow and will check for gender. I hope the baby's legs aren't crossed!

By the way....

I forgot to mention that I put up a baby name poll to the right. Check out some possible names! We are really struggling with names. You would think we would have our boy and girl name on lock after all this time.

Infertile Feelings

For years, we have been struggling both emotionally and physically to get to this point. It had been such a gut wrenching experience that I can feel how it has changed a piece of who I am. Now that I am pregnant, I don't feel like a "normal" pregnant woman. When I speak to others about the pregnancy, I still feel a strange mist come to my eyes, the same as when I would speak with other woman about their pregnancies trying with the most effort to be happy for them. I don't know why I can't "just be happy". To accept that I finally have a life growing inside of me. My mind and heart are probably trying to protect themselves from another traumatic event.

For the most part, I have had positive thoughts and hopes for a healthy pregnancy. It became evident to me, this past Monday, how much I am still affected by infertility. My church has a Mother's of Young children gathering once a month. It is hosted by a woman in the group (of about 20) and we all get together and talk about marriage, family, and offer support to one another. Well, the cutoff for the group is when your youngest is five years old. I have actually been missing several of these meetings because I felt like I no longer qualified. Let's keep it real, a lot of the woman in the group are my peers and most of them have had a couple additional children while I have been in this struggle which was hard to deal with starting into year 3 of trying. Something like when I had to go to endless baby showers after miscarrying again and again. Torture.
Well, I went and I had a good time - feeling somewhat better now that I have a valid reason for being there. At the end of the get together, they have a time for prayer requests. I wasn't going to say anything, but for some reason I felt the urge to ask for prayers and possibly have support. So, I told them that I was about 4 months pregnant. It took us about 4 years to get to this point and to please pray for us that the pregnancy will be healthy and that we can welcome our little one home in May. I got some strange reactions. A lot of people said congratulations. As I looked around I saw someone mouth to another woman "4 years! OMG" Others gave each other looks. At that moment, I wondered if I should have kept my mouth shut. It made my feel like I was a weirdo. It was probably just surprising to them. I know that I shouldn't feel like that, but I have the tattoos of my experiences. Anyways enough rambling.

Maybe my feelings will change and the wounds will heal once I get to look into my baby's face.