Ultrasound update

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers leading up to our appointment on Friday. I can honestly say that I felt much much less nervous than I anticipated, and I know that because of the prayers of so many people… all rooting for this healthy little babe.

I am so happy to share with all of you that we got the best report possible. They were able to check all of the "markers" for a chromosome abnormality, (which include the pinky finger, bridge of the nose, and top lip) and all of those looked normal, and great. The baby's brain was perfectly divided (Jude's brain was only partially divided), and we could even see the spot where the two hemispheres of the brain were corresponding/communicating with each other. How amazing is that? Not only is so incredible that technology would allow them to see that on a 7 ounce baby, but how amazing is our God who knits these sweet tiny babies into being… so. incredibly. perfectly. intricately.  


  We will go back, and do the same antimony scan ultrasound in a month, and after that will "graduate" from the Maternal Fetal Medicine doctor that we see now, and continue with our family doctor.

The girls have some more exciting news!
it's a…..  GIRL!

Larkin has said from the very beginning that she wanted a sister, and my gut feeling was a girl. Almost everyone else kept telling me they thought it was a boy. But the ultrasound tech said she was very very sure that this baby was a girl! 

We know our lives are going to be very busy, and probably filled with drama for a very long time :) but there really are no words to express how grateful we feel to be able to add this little girl to our family. 

Pregnancy update: 18 weeks

 
18 weeks:
gender: unknown.. for a few more days!
baby's name: unknown… but will stay a surprise
baby's size: a sweet potato, 5 1/2 inches long from head to rump
food cravings: cereal, watermelon, and anything with lots of sugar in it, fountain pop (at least I crave healthy stuff…… )
food aversions: I used to always choose salty over sweet… and now salty food is not appealing
sleep: I still sleep great (I will thank my girls for that) except for getting up to use the bathroom multiple times a night
movement: not too much. I notice little movements here and there, but nothing obvious or regular
maternity clothes: I have put away all of my regular pants except one pair of jeans that still tie. I wear a mix of maternity shirts, and my regular shirts that were long/bigger to start with.  p.s. I will wear only maternity leggings forever and ever more.
morning sickness: except it was all day. and all night.  But it is mostly gone now! 
 
I figured that being pregnant while chasing a toddler + preschooler would make the time fly by, and that has proven to be the case the last 2 months. The first months were L.O.N.G. I was felt sick pretty much every minute I was awake, and so tired I couldn't function. Slowly, but thankfully! surely energy has returned to normal (like I had any before with a 3 & 1 year old?) and I can go through most of the day without nausea.

We have an ultrasound on Friday afternoon, where they will do a growth & anatomy scan.  This was the scan where they found many things that were not right when I was pregnant with Jude, and so of course we are very anxiously awaiting this appointment. I know with my whole heart that God does not make mistakes, and that this baby is no different. We are hopeful. We have no reason to think anything is wrong, but of course I've gone through every scenario in my mind. the good, the bad, the worst. I've spent nights laying in bed fighting back tears thinking about how much Larkin's heart would be broken with bad news about this baby she already adores. I've put off physically preparing our house for the baby, just in case. I am so hopeful that after this appointment that so much of the fear and anxiety will be erased. This can be a new season for us, a season of life and hope because we know that God can restore what has been broken.

Will you pray for us? for the doctor, nurses, & ultrasound tech? for this sweet baby?

For I am about to do something new.

See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?

I will make a pathway through the wilderness.

I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19