23 Weeks

Your baby is still making remarkable changes. Her skin is still quite red and heavily wrinkled by the end of pregnancy week 23. Your baby can often hear loud noises in the womb from now and as you continue your pregnancy week by week, so don't be surprised if your baby seems to move around a bit when you are vacuuming or in an environment where loud noises are quite common.

The bones located in your baby's middle ear are starting to form and your baby is continuing to fill out and look more and more proportional.

If your baby were born this week there is a small chance your baby would survive, however it is best that your baby stay put for a number of weeks! Many women start to wonder what might happen if their baby is born prematurely. A baby born between 23and 24 weeks would have a 10 to 70 percent chance of survival. It truly depends on a number of factors that have to be taken into consideration.

Every day your baby stays in the womb increases their survival rate approximately 3 percent during weeks 23 and 26.

Generally after 26 weeks the survival rate jumps to 80-90%.

Many things can affect your baby's chances of survival if she is born prematurely. If your membranes rupture prior to 24 weeks your baby has less of a chance than if they stay intact. Male infants are considered more at risk because they are less mature than female babies when born prematurely. Other factors such as diabetes or high blood pressure can place added stress on the baby during delivery, increasing the chances of complication.

Your uterus is continuing to grow and expand, and by now is about 1.5 inches above your bellybutton. You are probably feeling less and less graceful 23 weeks pregnant as your belly continues to expand.

Your baby has lots of room to move in your uterus now, so her movements are probably quite strong at this point. You probably feel lots of flipping and flopping, and may even notice your stomach moving about!

Update

We are scheduled to meet with Dr. Roten, the pediatric cardiologist, on Jan. 6th. She will do an echocardiogram on Laiken and determine from there the extent of her heart defect. The defect they think she has is called atrioventricular canal defect. I don't really know too much about it since I have decided not to scour the internet like a mad woman...and I was told by family and friends that it is best to hear from the Dr. rather than try to make my own assessment of the situation. Besides, I don't want to read something that scares me for the next two weeks.

I also wanted to add that our annual Girl's Christmas party was this past week and I just wanted to thank all of you girls for your support and prayers as we go through this. You will never know how much it means to us to have so many wonderful people in our lives that care so much for our precious baby girl!! Thank you all again, and it was great to see all of you.

22 Weeks!!

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Huh?!? Part 2

Yesterday we went in for another, and what we thought would be our final, appt. with the specialist that we had gone to for the Down's testing. We both fully expected everything to be fine but to our shock it is not.

Laiken has a heart defect that is going to require surgery and lifetime care with a cardiologist. Basically, the four chambers of her heart are not all closing like they are supposed to so the oxygen-rich blood and the oxygen-poor (because it has already gone through the body) blood are not staying separate like they normally would, instead they are mixing which will not give her enough oxygen to grow and thrive like she should. They will have to put patches in to create the four chambers. We are not quite sure all the details at the moment, we should receive a call sometime today from the pediatric cardiologist at Cook Childrens to schedule a consult. Once we know more about what we are facing I will let everyone know but until then please keep our baby girl in your prayers.

Also, because half of all babies with Down's have heart defects as well, this puts her at more of a 50% chance of having Down's instead of the original 1.4%. Our specialist checked again for any soft markers and still sees nothing else of concern. We are still choosing not to do an amnio at this time and will not unless it will help the doctor's to be better prepared upon her arrival, either way I don't want to know the results. We were told that I would be induced early in order for her to be born into a more controlled environment, with a "team" standing by for her. This is what we know for now, I will keep updating as we know more. If anyone has any experience with things of this nature that you may want to share but don't really want to post as a comment my personal email is lem1146@yahoo.com.

21 Weeks!!

Your baby is still pretty active and continues to move all over in the amniotic fluid. However, towards the end of this trimester the baby will begin to settle, usually in a head down position. Your baby is beginning to show evidence of eyebrows and eyelashes and the hair on his scalp is much more visible. He wakes and sleeps in regular intervals, similar to what a newborn would do. This may be apparent to you by his movement patterns. He regularly ingests and absorbs large quantities of the amniotic fluid and excretes urine. Your baby is approximately 27-30 cm (11 inches) and weighs about three quarters of a pound.

You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.

Our big news for this week...Roddy felt little Laiken doing gymnastics!!! She completely rolled over and so he felt her flipping!!! It was such an awesome moment!! That happened Wednesday night and then the next day he felt her practicing tae-bo...Billy Blanks style!! =)

We had a doctor's appt. this week as well, everything is fine, we are measuring right where we should be. I have gained three pounds so far and although no woman ever likes to gain weight it's nice to know it's from Laiken rather than too much Casa or fries. =)

Painting is about to start on her room this weekend and hopefully we will have some pictures to post of that soon...speaking of pictures I think I owe you all a few!!

Halfway There!!!!!!!

No little monkey's life is complete without bananas!! It still amazes me to finally be pregnant with this precious baby girl and now to know that we are actually at the halfway mark. It seems like it was just yesterday that we were announcing our news to everyone and now we are just inching closer and closer to her being here!! We are so excited to finally be parents and hold her in our arms and the wait is driving us both crazy. There were times when we never thought we would get to this point and now to know that come April, just a few short months away we will be on this amazing new journey together as a family. Anyhow, I have been taking belly shots but I keep forgetting to upload so I will get to that very soon!!

19 Weeks!!

If baby is female the uterus starts to develop, the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes are in place. Females have a limited supply of eggs in their lifetime. At this point your daughter will have 6 million eggs. This amount decreases to approximately one million by birth. If it's a boy, the genitals are distinct and recognizable. Even if the sex looks obvious, ultrasound operators have been known to make mistakes. (I sure hope not...we have already been shopping!)

Baby's legs are reaching their relative size and with the increase muscle development occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon. If you have not felt movement yet, you will soon. Your baby will increase its weight by more than 15 times between now and delivery.

Your baby's size is around 6.5 inches (17cm) and 9 ounces (250gm)

I am still feeling fine and I think Miss Laiken is definitely letting her presence be know. It seems as though early in the morning I don't really even look pregnant but then by the end of the day due to either lunch or gravity, she is sticking out again. It's kind of funny! I feel her almost day now and although it's light I get a little freaked out now when I don't feel her. Luck for me Mandy shared her info on the doppler and I have my own now to check on her when she's not so active. Wow, I still can't believe we are almost half way through this pregnancy...before we know it she will be here!!

Introducing....

We found out on Thursday afternoon what we are having and we are so excited to announce that...




it's





a






GIRL!!!!!



Miss Laiken Reese Neff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We couldn't be more excited!! Sorry it took me so long to update, we have been shopping and then Friday and today we have been doing inventory at work so no time to update!! I apologize for keeping you all waiting!!! I will post pictures as soon as I get home today!!! Thank you all for the prayers after our little scare, they look again on Thursday and said that everything looked great and we could expect a happy and healthy baby girl come April!!

18 Weeks!!

Vernix (a white cheese like protective material) forms on baby's skin with the lanugo, a soft lightly pigmented hair covering the body and limbs, both help to protect your baby's skin during the months in water. Your baby may hear your heart beating, your stomach rumbling or blood moving through the umbilical cord. He or she may even be startled by loud noises.

Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs and the vocal chords are formed. Baby goes through the motions of crying but without air doesn't make a sound; yet.

Your baby may have the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. Baby will have a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods.

Your baby measures about 6 inches (15cm) crown to rump and weighs about 7 ounces (200gm).


At our appt. today we found out we are having a precious baby girl and that she is measuring in at about a half a pound! We feel so blessed to finally give our baby a name and begin designing her nursery!! I will post pics as we begin to transform her room!!

HUH?!?

So as some of you may remember we went in for a NT Scan (the long video) which is basically an ultrasound to measure the fluid in the baby's neck and blood work to check for Down's Syndrome, Spina Bifida and things of that nature. We were told at the time that everything looked fine and that they would schedule another standard blood test in four weeks for further testing. Well yesterday I see that I have a message so I call back and they tell me that one of the results gave us a higher chance then expected for our baby to have Down's. She mentioned that they wanted us to come in for genetic counseling and a more detailed ultrasound and that they had an opening the next day at 9:30. I think Sam could tell something wasn't quite right the minute she walked back in our office and was very understanding (THANK YOU SO MUCH BTW!!) and after talking to Roddy we planned for our surprise appt.

Roddy and I had already talked about the possibilities of having a special needs baby and decided it didn't matter, that is still our child and we would never be given more than we could handle so we went in with high hopes. Now our actual chance of our baby having Down's was 1 in 70 which breaks down to 1.4%, very small but relatively high for someone my age. They told us they were going to be looking for "soft markers" which include smaller thigh and arm bones, heart defects and fluid around the kidneys to mention a few. Well, the Dr. saw absolutely nothing to cause any concern but wants us to come back in a month for another detailed sonogram. We were also offered an amniocentisis to find out with 99.9% accuracy but that it also came with it's own risks, such as miscarriage. Knowing that we were going to have our baby no matter what we opted to pass on the amnio, we figured why bother, knowing isn't going to change a thing. So for now we are pretty sure our little monkey is perfectly fine and would appreciate any prayers anyone would like to pass along our way to help ensure Baby Neff is healthy.

Oh, and by the way the Dr. did tell us what he thinks the gender is...but I have decided not to say anything until we get another opportunity to find out on Thursday for sure!!! So make sure you stay tuned. =)

17 Weeks!!!

How big is your baby at 17 weeks pregnant? About five inches long and more than three and a half ounces — the size of your open hand. Body fat (baby's, that is) is beginning to form and will continue to accumulate through the end of your pregnancy. By the time your baby is born, body fat will make up about two-thirds of his or her weight (and will make all those chubby parts especially yummy).

Your baby is almost certainly listening up by now. In fact, loud noises — the dog barking, the doorbell ringing — will actually startle your baby (and also get him or her used to such noises; for instance, fetuses who regularly hear a dog barking will become babies who sleep right through Fido's outbursts). Your baby's eyes (which have fortunately finished their migration to the front of his or her head) are making small side-to-side movements and can even perceive some light, though the eyelids are still sealed. And since practice makes perfect, your baby is sharpening his or her sucking and swallowing skills in preparation for that first (and second…and third) suckle at your breast or bottle. In fact, most of the survival reflexes that your baby will have at birth are being perfected in utero right now.

And here's some proof that your baby is truly one of a kind (as if you needed any!). Within the next week or so, the pads on your baby's fingertips and toes will become adorned with completely individual swirls and creases (aka fingerprints).






So I finally feel like I have popped and look more pregnant and not just bloated and fat. As you can tell we did not get to find out if we are having a boy or girl just yet but we go in next Thursday for sure!!! WOW, only one more week until we find out whether it's a mini me or mini Roddy!!

16 Weeks!!

At this point of your pregnancy, your baby is approximately 4.3 to 4.6 inches long and weighs 2.8 ounces. Not only is your baby growing, your uterus and placenta continue to grow to accommodate the growing baby inside of you! Just six weeks ago, your uterus weighed about 5 ounces. This week it now weighs 8.75 ounces! The amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby is increasing and there is about 7.5 ounces of fluid. You will easily be able to feel your uterus approximately three inches below your navel.

Your milk glands start production at this time and this causes some tenderness and swelling in early pregnancy. Your veins will become more visible because there is an increased amount of blood flowing to the breasts.

Five and a half inches tall and only six ounces in weight. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.

At this time, your baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. Your baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. Your baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms. Because your baby is moving well now, you may begin to feel his movements! Some women say that the early movements feel like gas bubbles or a slight flutter. If you have not yet felt the baby move, don't worry. Fetal movements are usually felt between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy.

You may feel your heart beating 'louder'. This is because there is a lot more blood in your body than normal. (about 20-25% more)

We go to the Dr. next Thursday and we are hoping to find out if we are expecting a baby girl or baby boy. I am thinking girl still and I am getting the feeling that Roddy and his mom and brother are all thinking boy. Nobody really cares either way, we are all just excited to know!! Dad and Lynzi haven't decided yet as far as I know so I will try to get an idea of where everyone stands before next Thursday!! On to the belly shot!!

Welcome to the Jungle

No, we are not planning on a jungle theme nursery. The jungle is where the little monkey sleeps right?!?

Let me start by saying thank you to Roddy's Mom, Beverley, her mother left us and his brother, Scott, some money to use for our children. Bev set this aside for us when Nannie past away last Halloween. Nannie was a sweet woman, who loved her family and made sure we were always taken care of and it was awesome of her to think of us and want to give this gift to us and our children. Now every time we look in our baby's room we will also think of her and although our babies will never meet her in the formal way they will hear the stories that only family can tell and know how wonderful she was.


I know the room looks a little plain right now but I promise as soon as we find out what we are having the project will begin!!




A crib fit for a Prince or Princess!






The changing table that Daddy better learn to use!! =)






And the armoire for all our books...right now it just has Mommy's preggo books!!

Apple of Our Eye!!

Rapid growth of your baby continues at this point. The skin is very thin and you can see the blood vessels clearly underneath. The scalp hair pattern is developing while fine hair (called lanugo) covers the baby's body. Your baby is approximately 12-14 cm (3.7 to 4.1 inches) and weighs about 50 grams (1.75 to 2 ounces).

Your baby's taste buds already look like a mature adult's and doctors have learned that the amniotic fluid that surrounds it can smell strongly of curry, cumin, garlic, onion and other essences from a mother's diet. Your baby's bones continue to harden and retain calcium very rapidly. At this point in the pregnancy the placenta will begin to take on the job of hormone production to sustain the pregnancy, which was the job of your ovaries up to this point. Your baby's eyelids are now firmly shut, and will stay closed until the third trimester.

Still feeling fine and attempting to wear maternity although they are not staying up very well just yet. I am showing more and more every day but luckily still not gaining any weight. Not yet anyway...I am sure that day will be coming soon!!



Here is my belly shot at 15 weeks!!

Pucker Up!!

Wow, we are already in our second trimester...I wasn't sure exactly when it started since it is different depending on where you look but I am going to stick with week 14. =) I am still feeling good, my energy disappears fast still but that's okay. I still haven't gained any weight and my regular jeans still fit...for now.

Your baby's body systems are starting to work on their own. The digestive system practices moving food along the intestines and through the renal system and he can create and eliminate urine. He also continues to practice breathing the amniotic fluid in and out of his lungs. Your baby has tiny, soft nails on his fingers and toes, is growing hair and may even suck his thumb. Your baby is approximately 10-11.5 cm (3 1/2 -4 inches) and weighs approximately 1.5 ounces.

Also, your baby's blood is beginning to form in the bone marrow and blood vessels are beginning to connect various parts of the fetus to another. The joints and muscles allow your baby full body movement so your baby is able to move around. The baby's neck is getting longer and his chin is no longer resting on his chest. The eyes and ears continue to move into place. The hands are becoming functional and reflex movements often occur. Nourishment now comes from the placenta. Remember, some of what you eat and drink is getting through to your baby. The doctor can tell if your baby is a boy or a girl using special tests.

Amniotic fluid is an amazing substance. It completely regenerates itself every three hours. We do know that it is partially composed of urine from the baby, but where amniotic fluid in general is made we are not sure. Modern medicine still has some surprises left.

Baby Neff Shrimp Co.

Your baby can make a fist and even suck his or her thumb this week—both skills that are über-cute during infancy ... and not so much at the age of 9. If you're really lucky, you might catch a glimpse of baby's thumb sucking on an ultrasound photo. That's a framer! Other exciting developments include:

Your baby's eyelids are fused shut to protect his eyes as they develop. His bones and skull are solidifying and soon itsy-bitsy ribs may appear. (Baby ribs! How cute is that?!) Baby's intestines are finally right where you want them—in his or her belly instead of poking out into the umbilical cord. Baby's tooth sockets are all loaded and ready to pop out baby teeth six or seven months after baby is born (causing baby a lot of pain and you a lot of lost sleep).

Who's that singing? Elton John? Could be your baby: His vocal cords and larynx are completed now. He won't be able to make any sound yet, however, because sound waves travel through air and baby is submerged in fluid.

Your baby-to-be now weighs about 20 grams and is nearly 3 inches long, or about the size of a Nutter Butter, covered in chocolate. OK, it doesn't have to be covered in chocolate, but isn't everything better that way?

Tuesday of this week we went in for our NT Scan which is basically a test to measure the fluid in the back of the baby's neck to see if there is a possibility of Down's syndrome. Even though we were low risk we figured it was worth finding out...plus it included a 20 minute ultrasound and if insurance is going to pay for it then why not do it. =) So here is a couple minutes of video from that...

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Then today we went in to Dr. Z to see what was going on with the blood clot and it is completely GONE!!! Finally, back to normal, pregnant lady again. =) We were so relieved and now it's back to all the things involved in a regular pregnancy and no bed rest!! During the two ultrasounds we had this week we realized how active this baby is...bouncing all over the place, I could watch it all day!! We have been spoiled by getting to see this little monkey every week and now we won't get to see it again until they do a gender scan(hopefully in about 4 weeks). I am still feeling well and have started to show a little but haven't gained any weight...yet. =) Roddy put the baby's crib and changing table together and once we get the armoire done I will put up some pictures of that. Until next time...

12 Weeks

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

So, our follow up appointment went well, we were told that the blood clot is getting smaller but that we are not out of the woods completely until the entire blood clot is gone. He also said I am off of bedrest but that I still need to take it easy. No lifting and things of that nature. I am going to attempt to go back to work on Monday, going every other day this coming week, and depending on what my doctor says next Thursday when I go back I will reassess my work situation then. We can not believe how much bigger the baby gets every time we go in, and Roddy can't understand how I feel none of the little monkey's acrobatics. It's just a matter of weeks before I have more than heartburn keeping me up at night...and I can't wait!! I know I promised video this time but my camera man was having technical difficulties even though we did training in the waiting room!! =) So, we will work on this and try to do better next week. Here are ultrasound pictures from this week, baby is measuring right under 6cm...whoa! Oh, and I found out we will do a gender scan at 18 weeks...only 6 weeks until I break out the credit cards!!! =)





We can't wait to meet you little one!!

11 weeks

Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccuping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.




I meant to bring the camera with me so that I could get some video of our ultrasound but due to the reasoning behind it I didn't want video if some thing would have been wrong. At our appointment next week I will have the camera ready...which by the way is a brand new one...just like Ashton's! ( THANKS DAD!!)


Here is the ultrasound picture from 9 weeks and one day...baby was measuring right at one inch. This is showing the baby straight on, you can see the arms out to the side and legs down at the bottom.



This is the picture from yesterday...10 weeks 6 days. Not as clear of a pic as last time but as you read in the last post baby just wouldn't sit still! You can see where the little spine is forming and the little monkey's profile. =) Hopefully we will have a video for next weeks update.

ER...

and not the TV show. =( Unfortunately late Saturday night I went to the restroom and was stunned to see bright red blood when I wiped. So I looked down and to every preggo's horror saw three blood clots about the size of nickels. Off we went at 12:30 to the lovely emergency room, which is a popular place on a Saturday night. We got back and did a pelvic exam, urine sample and sonogram...all of which turn out fine thankfully! I am told to stay on bedrest until I can talk to my OB on Monday.

I called my OB Monday the minute they opened and was told to stay on bedrest the rest of the week and to call back if any more bleeding occurred. Well, then on Wednesday as soon as I woke up and went to the restroom, once again bright red blood. So I call the nurse and was told to come in as soon as possible. Roddy came to get me and off we went.

When we got to the doc's office we were pleasantly surprised to see the Blankenship's there as well! I guess because of the complications we didn't have to wait very long and were taken back for blood work, a pelvic and another sonogram. On the way to the doctor I had been drinking some OJ after hearing it can help to make the baby a little more lively and boy did it work!! Baby Neff had a strong heart beat and was bouncing around so much that the doctor was having a hard time measuring the little monkey! I was so proud and relived to see that whatever was going on and causing us so much stress certainly didn't seem to be affecting baby at all. After the measurements and a view of baby's heartbeat he searched around for any evidence of an evil culprit, and there it was, a fibroid and a blood clot. A fibroid is a tumor on your uterus and while it normally can go unnoticed, when pregnant it likes to "share" in on your hormones and added nutrients and grow right along with baby. This fibroid could have been the cause for the blood clot and subsequent bleeding. So, my bedrest has been extended to next Thursday in hopes that this clot will absorb back into my body and quit disturbing my happy pregnancy. The fibroid will be monitored right along side baby and will hopefully go back down once baby is born and it quits mooching off of us.

For now everything looks good and if all goes well I will be off of bedrest next week and able to enjoy the remainder of this pregnancy without anymore cause for concern. I wanted to post about this earlier but until yesterday we were unsure of Baby Neff's fate but now after reassurance yesterday from Dr. Z I pray the worst is behind us.

Holy Kumquat, Batman!

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.

He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.

If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.



In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.

Whoa, 10 weeks already, one fourth of the way through!! I still feel fine, I get an occasional burst of energy but once I have used it, I am a so done. Going to bed at 8:30 is not unusual at our house anymore...even on the weekend. =) Clothes are still fitting...just a little snug around front when I sit. (I did go ahead and buy a couple pairs of preggo pants at Old Navy but they were only $10 so I had to!)Oh, and I did buy a belly band but I have yet to use it, other than playing at the house. I have been looking through the schwag bag that the doctor gave us and was curious if anyone else out there has done/looked into cord blood banking. I am considering it since it could have saved my own mother's life and knowing that how do you not do it. It's not cheap either though so I was just wondering if anyone else has gone through the pros and cons and what they decided. Well, not much else going on right now...I promise I will get the new ultrasound pictures up ASAP...I haven't forgot but we had a garage sale last weekend and our computer is on the floor and the scanner is in the other room! =)

Drs. Appointment Update

Well, one down another 10-15 to go!! =) I met my new OB and he is GREAT! Couldn't have been better, I did not like my last doc at all so I was glad that the new OB search was over after the first attempt. We started with testing of all my "fluids" and then went on to the much awaited ultrasound...which I will post pictures of later. Baby Neff measured 24.5 mm which is just .5mm shy of being a full inch long. We could see eyes and a huge melon along with arms, legs and all four chambers of the heart!! He changed over to let us see the blood flow which was really neat...it started with the heart lighting up and then you could see it go up to the brain and down throughout the rest of the body. No video this time but hopefully by next appointment I will have a new camera to take some video of my own with...(hint, hint, my birthday is next week. =)

Quarter...I think we've got you beat!!

Congratulations! The embryo inside you gets a new name this week—the official designation is now fetus. And this fetus is looking less and less like a pink blob. The tail has disappeared and the body shape is now emerging, thanks in part to the elongation and straightening of the trunk area. Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth.(Chompers, already?!?) The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.





Here's a glimpse into the womb!!

We have another doctor's appointment tomorrow and I was told another ultrasound so stay tuned for tomorrow's ACTUAL glimpse into the womb!!

One fifth of the way through!!

The mighty kidney bean!!

Wow, can you believe it?? Time has seemed to fly lately! Still feeling good, although the sleepiness is increasing and I haven't had any morning sickness but lunch and dinner haven't really been too appealing lately. (Although last night we went to Bosses' Pizza for Jordan's 7th birthday, YUM) Tums and ginger ale have been my two buddies here lately. =)

As for baby, by the end of your second month of pregnancy, your baby is about the size of a pinto bean and is approximately 14 to 20 mm long. (In the sonogram pics below, baby measured 8.5 mm, just to give you an idea of how much we are growing now.) Eyelid folds and ears are forming. Your baby's eyes are still very wide apart on the sides of her head, but will eventually center themselves out. The tip of the nose is actually present at this time as well.



The tubes that lead from the throat to lungs are branching and your baby's torso is getting longer and beginning to straighten out. Just a few weeks ago, your baby's arms were tiny buds. Now the elbows are actually present and the arms and legs extend forward and have grown longer. Fingers and toes are becoming visible also.



Our next appointment is on September 19th, we will be 9 weeks and 1 day by then and I was told we will have another sonogram so look forward to some more pictures soon!!

Baby Neff's Big Debut!!

Well, I guess the BIG debut isn't really until April but these give us the first peek at our little monkey so far!!





The baby is a little blurry in this picture but the two white bean looking things are the right and left lobes of it's heart...the other two chambers will be formed by the time we do the next sonogram in two weeks.





This picture is the baby's profile...you can see the head at the top, the body goes down on the left and the two little dots sticking out of the body are it's arms! It almost looks like it has a diaper on...I am not sure why is lighter there but I thought it was funny!

Baby Neff's 1st Video...

Here is a quick video of the baby's heart beating...it looks kind of funny, like it's clapping, because it's heart isn't fully developed yet but hopefully next time we can get a view of all four chambers beating!!

Hello Little Blueberry!!

Today we will get to see our little blueberry or pinkberry-(although we won't find that out for a while)!! =) My appointment is at 3 and it feels like time is standing still today!! Everything has been going smoothly so far, no morning sickness, just a little more tired and super thirsty all the time...which explains why I am up a couple times every night. Here is what is going on with baby this week:

This week your baby has an amazing growth spurt. At the beginning of this week, your baby is approximately 4 to 5 mm and by the end of the week it has more than doubled to 11 to 13 mm! Your baby weights approximately 0.03 ounces. Most women are ready for the world to know they are pregnant. (OR if you have a big mouth like I do, you have already told the entire world!!)Your baby's leg and arm buds are longer now and they have divided into segments where the hands and feet will be. The hands and feet also have an area where the fingers and toes will begin to form. At this point of your pregnancy, the heart is bulging from the body and it has divided into right and left chambers. The brain's hemispheres are continuing to grow and the air passages into the lungs are visible. Your baby's eyes are beginning to get pigment.(Hopefully Roddy's baby blues!) The nose is developing and the beginning of the face can be seen.

Grow Baby Grow!!

6 Weeks!

There is alot going on in there!! The baby's heart has already began to beat, the arms and legs continue to develop & these little limbs are stretching out more and more. Baby's brain is growing well, lenses of the eyes appear, nostrils are formed, and intestines are growing - initially these are actually located outside the baby's body within the umbilical cord. Baby's pancreas is now equipped to deal with digestive enzymes and take on processing the insulin and glucagons the body needs to function. That's crazy how much that little monkey grows each week!!





Here's a glimpse into the womb...whoa, look at that head...ouch. =)

I LOVE Surprises!!!!!!!

Just ask my Dad...I almost gave him a heart attack on his birthday a couple years ago. =)

Anyhow, on Thursday, our actual anniversary, we hung out at the house and grilled steaks...very yummy dinner...thanks Hubby!! Well, earlier that day I was trying to think of a way to surprise him and it hit me...fondue!! We had done a cheese fondue at home for Valentine's and Roddy really enjoyed it so I thought going somewhere would be a blast! I called The Melting Pot and made reservations for Saturday...thanks Stacy for the heads up on reserving a time!! We had already planned on going to Ikea on Saturday so we get up bright and early...which is not one of Hubby's favorite things...and head out. We were done shopping and on our way home I suggested swinging by Old Navy, which happens to be right across the street from The Melting Pot. =) I had already packed a bag of nicer clothes and shoes for both of us but I let him in on the secret and told him that if he did not like what I had picked out he had about an hour to find something else. Good thing we did have a little time to shop...the shirt I brought him had a freakin' hole in it...I was wondering why he hadn't been wearing it.=) So, with his brand new shirt on, off we went, and it was AWESOME!!! Not something I would do all the time but we will definitely do again! We were so full by the time we left I could barely keep my eyes open on the way home...me and baby were on chocolate overload!! =) They even gave us an anniversary card, too cool!!




Stay tuned for baby's 6 week update tomorrow!!

4 years & 5 weeks

Today is our Anniversary!! Hard to imagine that 4 years ago we were sweating in Vegas about to completely change our lives!! Roddy and I like to follow the traditional and modern anniversary gifts such as our first anniversary the gift was paper...so being the thoughtful and unselfish man that he is, he bought his bride...a pair of Cowboys tickets!!! Just what every girl dreams about right?!? Oh, and then his Dad had a couple extra tickets so we got to share our anniversary with Scott and Brandon too!! =) Guess those things are bound to happen when you get married young. This year the gift is fruit, flowers, or appliances. Well, last week I received a beautiful fruit bouquet from hubby and I am thinking we both already have the best present ever, we just found out about it a little early. =)

So, today also marks 5 weeks for our little monkey!! We still are so eager to see it, even if it is tiny, I just want to see something!!! Hopefully at tomorrow's appointment we will found out when that will be. Here's what's going on development wise:

Now at 5 weeks the central nervous system, muscles, bones and even the heart will begin to form. Early skeletal development is also possible. The heart will begin to divide into separate chambers and start pumping blood. The heart is formed from the middle layer of cells called the mesoderm. Other organs that will develop from this layer include the muscles, cartilage and bone. The primitive placenta and umbilical cord are also developing. The neural tube starts developing in the top layer of cells called the ectoderm. The skin, hair, nails and sweat glands will also develop out of this layer of cells. The lungs, intestines, thyroid and pancreas also develop from a third layer of cells called the endoderm.

Wow, there sure is a lot going on in there!! I haven't noticed much yet, a little tired, and moody but nothing too unusual. Well, other than my "aversions". =) Look at how much our little monkey has grown in just a week's time!! WHOA!!




Week 4-The poppy seed



Week 5-The much older and more mature sesame seed. =)



This is just a stock picture since I haven't had a chance to upload my actual pictures but there was a mylar balloon that said congratulations attached and the card said "Eat up mommy!! You need your strength! Love, Roddy"

I think I am falling in love with him all over again!! =P

Aversions Alert

So, I tried to eat some cottage cheese the other day (normally one of my favs) and I thought maybe I just bought a bad batch. It tasted awful...almost sour, but it was a new container so I just chalked it up to trying a different brand than normal. Well, Saturday Roddy and I go to Jason's Deli so I tried it again there...yuck. Had to hurry and swallow before the smell made me vomit. So, no cottage cheese for me for a while.

Pickles and lemons have become my new best friends though. The other night I had a glass of crushed ice, fresh squeezed lemon juice and a dash of salt...just thinking about it is making my mouth water! I am trying to limit my salt intake but that's all I have been wanting, anything sour or salty! And ice, I have been wanting ice... alot! Sonic, Taco Casa, Chicken E, and snowcones...of course they have to be pickle flavor!! Well, tomorrow is five weeks and our 4th anniversary so stay tuned!!

Here's the Flower Pic!!

Isn't that just the most beautiful pee stick pic ever!!! Thanks again Mandy!!! =)

We are having the Best Week Ever!!

Saturday night it all began, my ta-ta's were acting funny, kind of like before Aunt Flo comes into town. So I immediately began to think it just wasn't our month...again. Well, Sunday Roddy and I go swimming and I noticed that my ta-ta's were trying to escape out of the top of this swimsuit and Roddy definitely noticed too!! We decided to grab a dollar store test and it was SO faint that we were both squinting and took it outside to look for better lighting. Staring intently we both were thinking there's a little something there but we would try again in a couple days.

Monday comes and I refer to my "expert" on all things baby, Mandy, who immediately tells me I am going to the store on my lunch break so she can see for herself. So off I go on my mission and find a pack that has a regular test and a digital test. Armed with my CVS bag in hand I dash into the restroom at work and there it is, a little blue + sign, still faint but more visible than the day before. Well, I think I was in a state of shock and I called Roddy and told him my new discovery, we decided right then that the digital was to be done before the end of the day.

3:00 rolls around and the urge to "go" strikes again so off we go, we being myself, Sam , and our in house expert Mandy. Little did I know that the digitals take a while to decide your fate so after a bit Mandy and I get distracted only to hear a GASP out of Sam. So, there we are in our bathroom at work giving hugs and taking pictures of this precious little pee stick that has just brought me so much joy!

From there we run to Shirley's office and show her and Von and do the hugs all over again!! Roddy was immediately sent about 10 pictures of the test including a few in the flowers that we have in our restroom at work! Too funny, thanks Mandy!! =) Then I gave my doc a call and scheduled a blood test so we could share all of this with everyone. The results came back yesterday...you are definitely pregnant...those were the nurses exact words, we have waited so long to hear that, it was truly awesome!! I go in tomorrow to find out how much our little monkey has grown and to hopefully make an appointment for the first pictures, which they already said would be in about two weeks!!

Thanks everyone for all your congrats and well wishes, it means the world to us to have so many people that care so much!!

YIPPEE!!!

TA-DA!!