22 weeks.

     First things first.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful niece Charlet Michelle!!!  I can't wait to see her, even if she will be a toddler when I do!  Congratulations to my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Rebecca and Matt.  I wish I could be there to celebrate with you guys.  

Weight Gain: +9

Stretch Marks: No new ones. 

Movement: I can see the baby move without even having to focus on my belly, that's how crazy the movement is already.       

Cravings: Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice Coffee

Sleep:  Pretty horrible.  I can barely keep my eyes open at 7pm, but at 10pm or so I am wide awake. 

Best moment this week: Finding out that the little baby is HEALTHY!!!  The baby does not have any genetic or chromosomal disorders!  We still have to wait until birth to find out about club foot, but we are praying that the baby does not actually have it and it was just the way the foot was laying during the ultrasound. 

Gender: Okay, so every instinct I had was WRONG!!!!  So were most wives tales! So was the whole heartbeat thing! And our first guess was wrong as well.  But Scott and I would like to announce that we are having another little baby GIRL!!!  Her name will most likely be Cassidy Jo (Cassie).  If we stick with Jo, she will be a 4th generation to have the middle name. 

Labor signs: None. 

Maternity clothes: Yes. 

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.  Not being exhausted all the time.  

What I'm looking forward to: Getting the fabric to start decorating her room.  

My next appointment: 10/17 for my second gestational diabetes test; 10/24 for a high risk appointment; 11/6 for my next regular OB appointment

     We are so exited that little girl is healthy and the longer I know that she is a girl the happier I become about it.  Scott is excited that he doesn't have to teach a boy how to pee standing up, lol.
     I have already picked out and ordered all of the fabric for little girls room.  I am excited to get it & the fabric for Maggie's room to start decorating.
     I have also decided that I want a more "natural" birth this time.  I am not ruling out an epidural, but may ask about a walking epidural or just IV medicine to take the edge off.  I am hoping that pursuing this option will allow for a faster, "easier" delivery.
     That is all for now though.

22 weeks 1 day

21 weeks

Weight Gain: +5

Stretch Marks: No new ones. 

Movement: The kicks are getting ridiculous.  They are going to get VERY painful in the end because they already make me jump a little.       

Cravings: Chocolate and Chocolate Lucky Charms (DELICIOUS!!!)

Sleep:  Same as last week

Best moment this week: Seeing the baby again when I went to the hospital Friday night.  It was moving around like CRAZY! 

Gender: We still have a guess.  

Labor signs: None. 

Maternity clothes: Yes. 

What I miss: Sleeping on my stomach.  Not being exhausted all the time.  

What I'm looking forward to: Getting the results from the amnio. 

My next appointment: 9/25 for a regular appointment

Sorry for no pictures recently... I know I need to get on that.  Maybe next week.

20 weeks

Weight Gain: +5

Stretch Marks: No new ones. 

Movement: The kicks are getting stronger.  I can feel them on the outside.      

Cravings: Chocolate.  

Sleep: I have hit the uncomfortable stage of pregnancy & can no longer sleep on my stomach or my back, so its been rough.  I toss & turn so much that I pull the sheets off the corner of the mattress.  And I have to sleep with an 3 king size pillows just to get comfortable.   

Best moment this week: Ummm, having Scott home with me as I dealt with the emotions & stress of going through the amniocentesis.

Gender: We still have a guess.  

Labor signs: None. I did think I was having contractions one night (Friday) and even went to the hospital.  Apparently, round ligament pains are worse during a second pregnancy and because of my scaring from my ovarian surgery I am going to have more pain this time. 

Maternity clothes: I am in mostly maternity clothes, but have a few regular shirts that I can still wear.  I am in the in between stage where my regular shirts are too small & most of my maternity shirts are too big. 

What I miss: The excitement of just having a baby.  

What I'm looking forward to: Getting the results from the amnio & my next appointment at 22 weeks.  

My next appointment: 9/25/2012

     I did get the amniocentesis on Tuesday, the day I switched over to 20 weeks.  It was a painful experience, but not as painful as I thought it would be.  I had to rest a lot and thank God that Scott was able to stay home with me Tuesday and after lunch on Wednesday.  This unit is so much better than Tanks in that aspect.  We are now just patiently awaiting the results from the amnio to find out if anything else is wrong and knowing 100% what the sex of the baby is. 

19 weeks.

    This little baby is the newest addition to our family.  I think the baby looks like it's sister, with the Miller nose I inherited from my dad.  You can see the hands and the cute little face, already looking a little chunky.  And while this little baby is perfect, it has a special foot (potentially).
     On Friday September 7th, I went for my anatomy scan to check the skull and spine for defects (I was born with a neural tube defect leaving my children more likely to be born with them).  So far the baby's skull and spine look perfect.  But upon inspection, the baby's left foot is turned in, leading the doctor (Maternal Fetal Medicine) to believe the baby has club foot.  It is singular, but still there.  Because of my history and the fact that club foot can be linked to genetic disorders like Downs Syndrome and Trisomy 18, the doctor suggested I get an amniocentesis.  We go in Tuesday morning for the amnio.  It will take up to 2 weeks for the results.  We are praying that these results come back negative and that the only thing wrong with our little angel is a club foot.
     Club foot is treatable and even famous athletes have been born with club foot (Mia Hamm).  It is also fairly common, happening in about 1 in every 1000 births.  We are optimistic and while it sounds a bit mean, we are praying for nothing to be wrong, but if something is wrong that it is "just" club foot.  We will start meeting with pediatricians and other doctors to plan for treatment, because treatment for club foot starts about 7-10 days after birth, if there are no other complications.
     But now on to my normal update...

Weight Gain: +3 

Stretch Marks: No new ones. 

Movement: The kicks are getting stronger.  I can feel them on the outside.      

Cravings: Chocolate.  

Sleep: It can be good and it can be bad..   

Best moment this week: Seeing our little gummy bear squirm around on the ultrasound on Friday.  

Gender: We still have a guess.  

Labor signs: None. 

Maternity clothes: I am in mostly maternity clothes, but most of my shirts are still a little big to wear. 

What I miss: Right now, just sleep.  

What I'm looking forward to: Getting the results from the amnio. 

My next appointment: 9/11/12 for the amnio & 9/25 for a regular appointment