Baby Update: Week 22 and Ultrasound

Yesterday, Wednesday, we had our 3rd and most likely last ultrasound. Once again, it was amazing! It was much shorter, since the doctor was really only checking out a few things. The doctor did confirm that she does not have a cleft palate, so that's great news! And she's still a girl, the doctor checked again!

We got about 7 more minutes of video footage, so Tony will be adding that to our DVD. We did see her sucking on her fingers this time, then she put a foot in her mouth! She also yawned, guess it gets pretty boring in there! The doctor estimated her weight at 1 pound 3 ounces.

I weighed at the doctor's office, and have only gained a few more pounds since the last visit. Just 11 pounds total. But I am most certainly showing now, which is nice! I'm still having a lot of cramping in my legs at night. It's so painful! But overall I am feeling great!

Baby Update: Week 21

Baby girl is moving quite a lot these days. Yesterday, as I was lying on the couch, she pressed something up again my abdomen, either a foot, or knee. She just keep pressing and I could feel this hard little knot! I called Tony over so he could feel it too. Then a few seconds later she moved it, but it was so neat to feel her!

I finally got a body pillow so maybe that will help me sleep better. Now that both of us have multiple pillows, the king sized bed is really crowded! I had more leg cramping this week, but Tony's offered to start walking with me in the evenings, so that should help. Exercise is good, but it's hard to get motivated.

I got my hair cut this weekend, it feels so much lighter! Well, I hadn't gotten a cut since March! That's way too long, I know! Anyway, I have a new stylist, Jake, and he is awesome. He actually got my naturally frizzy hair to curl! I did an ok job of it this morning on my own, but I need to practice with the diffuser and get some curl enhancing products. I didn't get any from the salon, way too expensive. But I've gotten a few compliments on my hair today, so I must have done an ok job!

Only two more weeks of the month left. Thursday we have ultrasound #3! I can't wait to see her again!

Visitor in my dream.

Last night I had such a wonderful dream. It was one of those dreams were you are watching stuff happen, yet at the same time it felt so real. I walked into a large room, it was dark with lots of people sitting around. I walked up to a man sitting in a chair, maybe it was a rocking chair. I walked right up to him, and he stood up, tall, old and frail, but so happy. He smiled and hugged me so hard, I felt it in my sleep. It was my Pawpaw.

I don't remember him speaking, but that hug, I can still feel it. His parents, my great-grandparents, were also there, sitting in chairs; they waved at me. Then the dream changed and it was Christmas and the extended family was getting ready to sit down for a big meal. I felt so happy we were all together, that Pawpaw was there. I don't remember much after that.

I've never dreamed about someone who has died, so it was very weird. But so good. I just felt so happy this morning, that he was watching out for me, that he is near and it feels so good to know that.

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today was Wednesday, August 16, 2006. One year ago today my Pawpaw died. I believe it was around 6pm in the evening, I remember my mom calling about 6:15 to let me know. I was at home, laying on the couch, literally waiting for the call. He was dying of bone cancer and we all knew he would pass at any time. I had spent the day at work, anxiously waiting, wondering if I would make it through the day before he died.

It seems much longer than a year, yet at the same time, how can it possibly have been an entire year? So much has changed. But that's life, right? Since last year, Tony and I decided to try for a child, I got pregnant, and I lost another grandparent. Now I'm 5 months and having a little girl, due on Christmas Day.

A year without my Pawpaw. It's been very sad, I miss him so much. But I know he's watching over me, and he knows about my baby, and he's watching over her too.

Well, it's a ....

GIRL!!! Yes, we've got a very healthy little girl on the way! Our ultrasound on 7/27 went very well, we were able to see some amazing things and even got 7 minutes of video. We heard the heartbeat, a strong 153 bpm. The tech zoomed in on her heart and we were able to see the perfectly formed 4 chambers. The tech commented "gorgeous heart, just gorgeous." She said that a lot about things, "gorgeous", which is great, our baby is developing perfectly! According to her growth and measurements, she is tracking right on target for a Dec. 25th birth!

She was in a weird position, laying upside down and facing my back, her head on my bladder (which I could have told the tech!). They got all the pictures of her they needed except for one. She wouldn't turn around so they could see her top lip and verify she didn't have a cleft palate. So we get to go back and get another ultrasound on 8/23! Of course, there is no reason to worry she would have a cleft palate, but it's just something they have to confirm.

We got a beautiful picture of her profile, and some amazing pictures of her brain. I will try to post pictures and the video today. Tony worked very hard and was able to convert the VHS tape into digital format, and made DVD's for the grandparents.