"Take it Easy"

I'm 15 weeks already! Where is the time going? I'm sure the next few weeks will be incredibly slow, as they always seem to be this time of year. This is the time of year where we wait. We wait for warmer weather, we wait for spring, we wait for when we can finally go outside without bundling up, and this waiting drags on and on. It seems to take a million years for warmer weather to arrive in Pittsburgh after the holidays are over.

I had a doctor appointment with my OB this morning. Jocelyn came along and seemed to enjoy helping the doctor measure my belly. She didn't enjoy most of the waiting around though, but she flirted with all the nurses, and also went up to a random girl in the waiting room and asked, "Baby?" like she knows what people are there for (which she doesn't--'baby' just happens to be her favorite word right now). Unfortunately, this girl was not obviously pregnant and she told Jocelyn "No, no baby." I was embarrassed, but how do you get a 2-year-old to keep her mouth shut? Jocelyn also, right on cue, yelled "baby" right when the nurse found the baby's heartbeat on the Doppler. She has the BEST timing--but there's no way she could know that the sound on the Doppler was her little brother or sister's little heartbeat. Just no way!

The doctor talked with me about the results from my ultrasound last Wednesday. She agreed with what the doctor at the imaging office told me--that my placenta is a little too close for comfort to the cervix. A little issue that in most cases resolves itself as my uterus grows, but causes some aggravation and worry for me in the mean time. I have certain restrictions until we can have another ultrasound to make sure placenta is moving away from where it shouldn't be. Because of this placenta issue, she also tells me to take it easy as much as I can and then looks at Jocelyn. "As much as you can with a 2-year-old." Alright...I'll try! She offered to write me a prescription for another ultrasound, but I declined. I've already had three and I am confident that the doctor knows what she is talking about and that my "problems" are being caused by this placenta issue. I was not hauling Jocelyn to the imaging office and trying to get her to sit still while I got another sneak peak at my newest little one. It's tempting, but I decided against it. I heard that little heart beat and I'm sure everything is OK.

I also got my prescription for my anatomy scan, which is the "big" ultrasound that everyone looks forward to. It will also be the next time they check my placenta issue. I made the appointment for Friday, February 12 at 10:20am!! I will be 19 weeks, 1 day and Todd should be off that day already, which will make things easier. Hopefully baby will be healthy, have all the body parts developing the way they should, and also be cooperative with showing off the area that will tell us whether or not we will have to re-paint the nursery!

Pink or blue what will it be?

Just Look How She's Grown!

January 13, 2008

January 8, 2010

I just can't believe it!

Jocelyn's 2nd Birthday

Jocelyn's 2nd birthday was a success! She had a great time doing all her favorite things and spending time with everyone she loves! The theme this year was Elmo--Jocelyn's favorite friend!

Here are the chocolate cupcakes I made to go along with her Elmo cake!

Jocelyn's birthday breakfast

After breakfast, we braved the snow-covered streets and below freezing weather to get Jocelyn a birthday haircut and then spend some time at Chuck E. Cheese's.

Jocelyn's birthday shirt made by Gramay! The front says 'Birthday Girl'

McDonalds for lunch

Mommy and the Birthday Girl

Daddy and the Birthday Girl

After lunch Jocelyn took a much needed nap, and then she got to open her presents from Mommy and Daddy. One of which was this vanity, another was a "real-looking" baby doll that drinks a bottle, laughs and coos. Both were a big hit!

Jocelyn's party was supposed to begin around 6:00, but another round of snow delayed the party by a little bit. Almost everyone was able to brave the weather and roads to celebrate the night with Jocelyn!

Elmo decorations!

The cake!

Party hats and guests!

Pizza for dinner!

Blowing out the candles!

Cake and icecream!

Presents!

Our family of three, two years in the making!

Happy 2nd Birthday Jocelyn!!

Jocelyn's 2nd year in pictures and videos!

14 weeks!

Welcome, 2nd trimester, I am so glad to see you!

The results are in...

...and it's good news. The woman said that the chances of the baby having Downs before yesterday's screening was 1 in 570. That number is based on my age. After the screening, she said the chances of the baby having downs is 1 in 18,000. So good news in that department! She also said that nothing indicated that the baby has trisonomy 18 and the chances were very, very small of that as well. Quick results, huh? They wanted to let me know quickly and apologized once again that I had to wait for over an hour for my ultrasound. It wasn't even their fault! They are too nice over there at AGH...

Oh Baby!!!

I'm finally making the official announcement!! Baby #2 is due to arrive on July 8, 2010!! Jocelyn is going to be a big sister, and we just know she's going to make a great one!

Waiting to tell has been SO hard! We found out I was pregnant on October 29, fairly early along, and were cautiously optimistic. When you have a history of miscarriage it's just so hard to be completely optimistic.

A picture of my home pregnancy tests!

I know. I'm weird to have taken a picture of them, but seeing two lines is so thrilling!

On November 20th we had an early ultrasound just to make sure everything was going as it should. I am always on pins and needles before I have an ultrasound, and this time was no different. Luckily, we saw baby was ok and developing just as it should be, measuring 7 weeks, 1 day. You can see the baby at 7 weeks in the picture below. You can call him/her 'blob' if you would like, but that blob had a beating heart with a heart rate of 162 bpm. When you look at the picture, there is a large round object that I'm sure you will think is the baby's head, but it's not--that large roundish thing is the yolk sac and baby is sitting right next to it to the right (head is toward the top). The spot that looks a little brighter is the baby's heart!

So after that ultrasound, I let myself become just a little more optimistic and we decided that we would tell family that Jocelyn was going to be a big sister on Thanksgiving, when most of our immediate family would be together in the same place at the same time. We dressed Jocelyn in a T-shirt that said, 'Big Sister to Be', and let everyone notice it. It was great seeing everyone's reaction! For those who weren't with us that day, we took the picture you see below and sent it out as an e-mail! More excitement!!
Fast forward a couple of (morning, afternoon, and evening sickness filled) weeks, and Todd, Jocelyn and I were sitting in my doctor's office awaiting my second prenatal appointment. I was 10 weeks 4 days, and anxiously awaiting hearing the baby's heartbeat. The nurse used the Doppler and found the beautiful sound of the baby's beating heart rather quickly. Relief (and excitement)!

Since then, I have been feeling much better. The constant sickness and tiredness have let up, which is a blessing, and with each passing day I get more and more optimistic and excited. I looked forward to the First Trimester Screen, which was scheduled for today. This screening is to measure the risk of the baby having Downs Syndrome or Trisonomy 18. It includes an ultrasound (hooray) and a blood test. We went in this morning at 7:30am only to have to wait over an hour because my doctor never sent the order over, nor did they send my records. In the end, records were sent and we now have more beautiful pictures of the baby! Totally worth the wait!

For those of us who can't see what an ultrasound picture is really showing (ah hemm, MOM), I will try to describe what you are seeing below.

Baby is in the center of the picture, inside the darker black circle. Head is at the top, profile view (the face is a bit brighter of a white color). You can see baby's neck and belly and then the legs are looking like they are sticking straight out. This picture really shows a lot of detail!

This one looks like baby is starting to do a forward somersault. Also a profile shot, the face is facing downward, and you can see baby's spine (glowing a brighter white color than the rest)! The feet are at the bottom, but you can't really see the legs connecting them.
Another downward, somersaulting baby picture.

This is another ultrasound photo, uncropped. Baby is in the black circle, with it's back facing the "photographer". The sonographer was measuring baby's heart rate. We could see and hear baby's heart beating at a rate of 152 BPM. The wavy line at the bottom of the picture is a print-out of baby's heart beating. Beautiful!

The sonographer took the measurements she needed for the test, and reported right away that everything looks normal. Baby is measuring right on with my due date: 12 weeks, 5 days! Next, they will combine the results from the ultrasound with my blood work, as well as my age, and they will get back to me in a couple of days on the final result. I am expecting good news.

So, after today, I am completely relieved to know that everything is going as it should. Baby is growing nicely, and it feels more real that there is truly a baby growing inside of me! Another baby!! We have already been so blessed to have Jocelyn, and now another miracle! We are so excited and so thankful!!

We can't wait to meet you in July baby!!

Snow!

Jocelyn gives reason to love the snow!

Hot chocolate face (and forehead)!

Our Christmas Tree

PALS Christmas Party

Jocelyn had a blast at her Playgroup Christmas Party! Friends, singing, dancing, cookies and Santa, what could be better?

Jocelyn wasn't afraid of Santa this time and she sat on his lap right away! She didn't cry, but she also didn't smile...

Christmas Past

2008

11-months-old

2009

23-months-old

How fast she has grown!

A Visit with Santa!

We took Jocelyn to visit Santa tonight! We told her we were going to see him and she was very excited...until we got there. She waved at him from afar, but once it was time to walk up to him, she got a little clingy. She is slow to warm up sometimes, and that was the case with Santa too. After a couple of minutes she was ready to sit on the chair with him, and then she was ready to sit on his lap. The first few pictures are our snapshots, the last two are the "professional" ones.

Ready to go see Santa in her new dress!

"Nice to meet you Santa."

"I will sit with you if I can hold your little doggie."

After visiting Santa, I got to ride a train!

Mommy and Daddy were happy that I didn't cry! Another year tear-free. We wonder what next year will bring!

Dancing

Jocelyn wanted to dance in her tu-tu this morning. I'm trying to get a good booty-shaking session on tape, but she never does it when I want her to. This is a toned down version for sure.