Aubrey's Room

Finally did it... got Aubrey's bedding set!!! Now her room is painted, and the bedding set should be here in a week or so.... so excited!!! I hope she likes it as much as I do!!!

C-Section Officially Booked....

Got a call from the doctor's office this morning.... we are all booked for March 30th... the time, 11:30am... we need to be there 2 hours prior and I can not eat/drink anything past midnight the night before!!! WOW!! The countdown begins!!!

9 weeks and counting!!!!!!!!!!

Let the Real Countdown Begin...

Doctor's appointment went well today... Aubrey's heart rate is good... she's growing and moving around... and practicing her breathing... And we met with Dr V at the end of the appointment... Here is goes...

On our 2 year wedding anniversary, I will undergo an amnio (3rd one in my life now!)... and then we will wait on results. If her lungs are mature enough (which I would assume that they would be if I have had steroid shots)... then our scheduled c-section date is March 30th!!!! OMG!!! I can flip the calendar twice and see that date!! and in 11 days I will only have to flip that calendar ONCE!!!!

I will upload her ultrasounds later.... she was hysterical for those... this little girl didn't want her picture taken so badly that she had both hands and a foot in front of her face.... Boy, this little girl better change that attitude.... her mom is a paparazzi!!!

PASSED!!!!

Got my results of the 3 hour glucose test.... and I PASSED!!! Every blood draw they took, I passed!!! So happy I don't have to worry about that... now on to waiting until Thursday to meet with the head doctor and hopefully he will give us our scheduled c-section date... so exciting!!!

Failed the 1 hour....

1st test failed... not by too much. Took the 1 hour glucose tolerance test on the 5th, and me being as impatient as I am, I brought my meter with me and tested myself, so I knew before they called me.... but I surely did fail my 1 hour with a 155, when they wanted me under 130...

I go back on Friday the 14th for the fun 3 hour Glucose Diagnostic Test... this should be fun, seeing I was in the doctor's office for about 3 hours for the 1 hour.... lets see how long I will be there for the 3 hour... Luckily I have something to do when I go on Friday... I started a blanket for Aubrey Faith, and I could possibly finish it that day, LOL! I seem to be able to do 1 row every 15 minutes.... so 4 rows an hour.... Okay, maybe not finish it... but I'll put a nice dent in it.... lets just hope I sleep well the night before... For the 1 hour, I was up since 4am... no fun! I plan on going to bed late so that I can sleep through the night.

Then on the 20th, I will finally meet with the "man behind the curtain", Dr V... and he will hopefully give us our more tentative scheduled c-section date!!! That date all depends on the results of my 3 hour glucose test... If I pass, he will try to get me to 37 weeks... if I fail, it will be sooner, but I assume it all depends on watching her growth.

The weeks are flying by! I can remember being just 4 weeks pregnant, and now I'm close to 27 weeks!!! It's insane!!! I don't mind the weeks flying by, because I would not like it to drag... that would get annoying! 1-1/2 weeks until we hit our 3rd trimester!!!

The End of 2010...

The ball will drop at mid-night, signalling the end of 2010, and the fresh start to 2011.... just thought I would take a moment to regroup about everything that has gone on in 2010...

I remember the ball dropping last year, sitting on my bed crying, saying "good riddens 2009!" I knew that 2010 had better things to bring after the loss of our son, Timothy Joseph. During 2010, we started the year living with my mom at her house, which I loved!!! We made it past our original due date for Timothy Joseph... on March 28, 2010, we celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary in the Poconos... On May 1st, we started renting my grandmother's house from her, we had our own place again.... but I missed living with my mommy! We hosted our first every backyard BBQ on a very hot humid day... and boy was I an agitated women that day! Little did we know that about a week later we would find out that I was pregnant! We found our early... and we couldn't keep our mouths quiet about it... thought after last time, we would do the normal 12 week wait... who are we kidding....

The pregnancy has been a doozie, as you have read here.... lost of doctor's visits, my numbers doubling rapidly, them thinking it could be twins, then the other baby never making down my fallopian tube (so no twins).... meds, shots, spotting.... all the fun I could have! But things are going well... we have been pregnant for most of 2010... so I guess you could say that that makes for a great year....

2011... what I look forward to... working at paying off some bills... sharing in life's moments with all our friends who are expecting in the first 5 months of the year... Seeing Aubrey Faith come into this world in March! Watching her milestones as the weeks go by... enjoying all her 1st holiday's... Growing closer to Timmy as my husband and the father to my children... seeing him interact with Aubrey... that will bring a tear to my eye... watching him hold her. He will be an awesome father!!!

Last day of 2010! I will spend it running errands, cleaning, and cooking.... I hope everyone else had a good year in 2010....

Happy New Year Everyone!!!!!

Oh, I remember that stinging burn!!!

Yesterday was an interesting day at the doctors... I waited for my ultrasound, and in comes another lady with the ultrasound tech.... "Hi, my name is Deb, and I'll be performing your FFN test"... my what??? Apparently it's another test to see if I will go into labor within the next two weeks... fun! Just what I want to know... best part is, they have to use a speculum... but they are not allowed to use gel, b/c it will mess with the results... talk about uncomfortable! Oh well... gotta do it! Ultrasound cervical check went well... everything is holding up!! I'm always above 3cm (I think that's what they are measuring in!). Then I was transferred over to another room for fetal monitoring... no heartbeat tracking yet.. but they were monitoring for any contractions... 40 minutes... and not one single spike in the line! YIPPIE!!! Then in comes the doctor with my ice.... oh fun!!!! She asked me if I remember the Steroid Shot from last time.... I said, "kind of... I remember them walking into the room with it, and me climbing up the gurney and then up my mother's arm, b.c I saw the needle..." she explained that it goes in easier than my P17 shot, but it will burn a little.... sure enough, the minute that she started pushing the solution thru the needle and into me... "YUP! I remember it now!!!" OUCH!!!!

I have to go back today for the 2nd steroid shot, as well as my P17 shot... so much fun... 3 shots in the back in 2 days.... way to end the year! Then next week will be my 1 hour glucose challenge test.... Fingers crossed that I pass!! Or else I have to go back and do the 3 hour Glucose Tolerance Test... Even more fun! But after the pass/fail come back from those, we will have a more tentative scheduled c-section date for when Miss Aubrey Faith will enter into this world!!!!

Last Night was Awesome!

I was sitting at the computer last night, talking to my mom on the phone... I glanced down and thought I saw something move... at first I thought, "no... it's just my eyes..." Then I decided to stare at my tummy.... and sure enough, there was a kick... and another one!!! WOW!! I can see Aubrey kicking me now!!!! So amazing to see that!!! I know what I'll be doing when I'm bored during the day now and I feel her moving!!!

Today is my first shot of steroids at the doctors, along with fetal monitoring for contractions... then two more shots tomorrow... Next week is the glucose test, along with a growth measurement of Aubrey and once we get the results from both of those, we will hopefully receive our tentative scheduled c-section date!!!! can't wait!!!!!!

Only today and then two more days left in 2010.... this year has flown by!!!

My Daily Routine, and what's to come....

Went to the doctor's on Friday to find out that they "have a plan" for me! I looked at my doctor and said, "Why do we need a plan???".... I guess the fun starts here....

This weeks appointment will be a normal one... and I will be 24 weeks!! (6 Months!!)... Yippie!! Then the following week, I will have two appointments... the first one, I will have my normal check up where they will check my cervical length and administer my P-17 shot... with the addition of my 1st steroid shot, and monitoring of possible contractions... followed by an appointment the next day for my 2nd steroid shot.... 3 shots in the back in 2 days, way to end 2010!!!

Here's my daily routine....

I administer one shot of Lovenox into my tummy and take 5 pills in the morning, then 4 more pills at night... I have become pretty good at the Lovenox shots... but they do leave bruises sometimes.... No one's perfect!!!

I can't wait until Aubrey is here, and I can cut down on the pills... I know I will be on the Lovenox for at least 6 weeks after delivery, great!

Half Way Thru December Already!

WOW... half way through December... 10 days until Christmas!!! The days are flying by! Plus we have something just about every weekend from here through mid-February.... so we will stay busy! Oh boy!!! I don't want to rush things, I want this baby to be fully "cooked" before she enters this world.... I'm just glad that the days seemed to be going by effortlessly, and things are going well....

I have my moments where there are things that concern me, but luckily I have awesome doctors that are there for me whenever I need them, and no question is stupid! I have to think of a really great "Thank You" gift for them when this is all done!!

Just need to get through the next 3 weeks to be at my little milestone.. but the next 5 weeks to get where the doctor wants me to be... in the 3rd trimester!!! Just going to take it easy for the next month or so, and make sure I get there!!!

Never a dull moment...

Today was another weekly doctor's appointment... I went in for my weekly ultrasound, and there was a trainee in there. "take you're time" is my response... I don't mind laying there and watching Aubrey on the screen. So the ultrasound took a good 30 minutes, and boy was Aubrey kicking around throughout the entire thing, until the ultrasound tech tried to get a good picture for me... then Miss Drama Queen had her hand over her face!! She tried as hard as she could, but no good picture. It was off to the reception area to wait for my doctor to get my P-17 shot, and it was quick this time... but we walked pasted the lab... back to an ultrasound room... huh??? Jess then explained to me that one of the blood-work results that came back was positive... it was the AFP (alphafetoprotein) that came back high... but she told me not to worry, that they were going to do another level 2 Anatomy scan to double check everything, and then I would meet with Dr V again to discuss.... So a second 30-40 minute ultrasound... I couldn't really enjoy this one, b/c my brain was just running in circles!! When the ultrasound was over, I went and got Jess to receive my P17 shot, while I waited for Dr V...

Then he called me back to his office... where he told me that he's 98-99% sure that everything is perfectly fine... but if we wanted to rule it out 100%, I would need to do an amnio... I will have to speak to Timmy about that one... I'm good with 98-99%, and it's not like we would end the pregnancy now anyway! So why go through it??? Dr V said that the positive result could've been from the spotting that I have been having... then he also told me that I have yet another abnormality! What a surprise!!! My placenta is shaped oddly! Great!!! Not only do I have the normal placenta, but I have a mini one next to it.... I can't remember the name for it... but it's very rare... Seems like I'm a magnet for rare!!! It could be harmless... but it could also cause some issues... like small birth weight... but that's not a problem for Aubrey as of yet... she's 13oz right now, which is actually a little bigger than the average baby... websites say that babies at 21 weeks are 10-11oz! WOW! 3oz away from 1 lb!!! Oh and not to mention, she has her umbilical cord wrapped around her shoulders... but I was assured that it's okay, that they will keep an eye on it!

All in all... the appointment went well... Another week down! He said he would like to see me get to 37 weeks... and I probably will... so looks like the 2nd to last week in March... right before out 2 year wedding anniversary! What a great present!!!

Past one point.....

Yesterday was 20 weeks, 5 days... that was the point where we were admitted into the hospital last time... One down....

It's weird seeing the BIG milestone on the calendar this month... Dec 30th will be 25 weeks... that's what the doctor wants to be get to next.... small steps! My week to get to in my mind is the following week, at 26 weeks, I will get further along than I was with Timothy Joseph...

The months are flying by! I feel like just yesterday I was flipping my calendar at work and seeing the beginning of November... now it's December 1st! Amazing!!!!!! And this month will be a busy one with the holidays!!

Our house is full of the holiday spirit... Timmy and I managed to put our tree up before Dec. 1st!!! Our 1st Christmas Tree!!!!

Heading into the "Worry Zone"

19 week appointment went well... didn't get a printed picture :( But I guess I shouldn't be complaining, not many get weekly ultrasound pictures... but she's looking good!

We finally settled out naming game... Timmy keeps saying that if he finds a different one in 3 months we're changing... NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!! LOL! I'm set on our name!!!

Aubrey Faith Montague

I love it... it was our pick last time we found out it was a girl... so it's implanted in my brain!

Now it's time to really relax.... I'm keeping my fingers crossed that our doctor's appointment goes well this Friday and I get the thumbs up to take a road trip with my mom on Saturday to go see my cousin's and aunt... FINGERS CROSSED!!

But we are entering into that time where everything got thrown into a whirlwind last time... Thanksgiving will be 20 weeks... last time I went into the hospital at 20-1/2 weeks.... and then at 25-1/2 weeks we lost Timothy Joseph... so I will be a nervous-wreck, but will try my hardest to remain calm between Thanksgiving and the week after New Years.... Our next big milestone to hit, that the doctor said, is 25 weeks, and that's the Thursday before New Years Eve.... Time to pray and pray and pray... and think positive thoughts!

The Countdown Begins....

Went to see the head doctor this past Thursday... so I finally got to ask more questions... my main question: "I know I'm having a c-section, so is it scheduled, or do you wait for me to go into labor?"... his reply was that it would be scheduled, but I won't know the date yet... He will not let me go past 37 week due to the way my c-section was performed last year... there is fear of uterine rupture if the baby gets too big... So she will be arriving in March!!!

I came home after the appointment and was writing to my mom... that's when I realized... 37 weeks.... that means we only have 19 weeks left!!! and that's the max!!!! Could be sooner if I develop Gestational Diabetes... so lets all keep our fingers crossed that GD stays away... then he told us that he will make sure that she's "ready" to come out before he takes her.... my eyes widened... and I said, "Ready?? are you talking about another amnio?" his reply, "maybe".... oh boy!!!

Timmy nicely asked for me if I could take short walks... he said, "mmmm.... no... we want to be safe... but you can go for a walk at 36 weeks!!" my reply, "What? I'm not going to want to walk at 36 weeks!"... his reply..."u see my plan!"

Months are flying by... before we know it, March will be here... my next milestone to get to is 25 weeks, which is the day before New Years Eve.... so I will be celebrating a lot more than ringing in the new year!

I just made a "countdown chain" to hang in our living/dining archway... it'll be fun to see that chain get shorter and shorter.... scary that it's not that long to begin with... check it out...

GENDER.....

Well... even though it's a week before the anatomy scan... we got the 100% definite answer that

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

We are excited... Even though Timmy was hoping for a boy, I know that he will be wrapped around this little girls finger from the moment she comes into the world!!!

16 weeks...

16 weeks... 2 more weeks until the big anatomy scan... everything has been going good... it's Halloween weekend, so I thought I would share a picture...

Update...

Timmy's blood work came back great... he's NOT a carrier of SMA... so we're in the clear on that. Yesterday I had to get two shots of penicillin in my lower back/upper buttock b/c I already tested positive for Group B Strep... hopefully that just killed it for now... Next week I'll have my "bearing wall" put in, LOL! Basically something to support the weight of the baby so it's not on my cervix... and then the following week I'll start my weekly P-17 shots!! Lots of needles!!

3 weeks until a definite on what we're having!!! So far 3 guesses... at 12 weeks, Boy.... 13 weeks, Girl... 14 weeks, Girl.... I have been thinking girl the whole time.

Luckily I get to go to the doctor's every week, so far, for cervical length checks, so I get to see the amazing growth of our child, and hear their heartbeat weekly! I was told that when they do a 4D ultrasound, they could save it to a disc for me!! That would be an awesome keepsake! I can't wait!!!

One Year Ago....

It's been 1 year since I gave birth to our first son, Timothy Joseph.... I can't believe how quickly time has gone by! Seems like just yesterday. We miss him so much, even though he only lived for 29 minutes, he'll live forever in our hearts!

We didn't know what to do today... we both had to work, but we just spent the evening together, and lit his candle by his picture on the mantel. Left it burning extra long today, seeing that it's his birthday.

I know he's up above us all, watching over us... I miss him every single day...

Happy Birthday Timothy Joseph! Mommy and Daddy Love You!

SMA?!?!?!?!

One week after my cerclage was in, I couldn't believe it had been a week.... then I got home and received a voice-mail from my doctor's office to please call them. I thought it was to verify my appointment for the next day, but it wasn't the normal girl that called. I returned the call.. "Tracey Montague returning Heather's call..."

Heather came on the phone... my results from my genetic testing came back... Negative for Fragile X, but I tested positive as a carrier for Spinal Muscular Atrophy... the words sound scary, and the first thing I wanted to do was research, but I'm trying to hold back... I was told that Timmy needs to also be tested, because that will be a huge factor...

If Timmy is not a carrier, then our children only have a 1% chance of being born with SMA and will just need to be tested to see if they are a carrier of SMA when they get older...

If Timmy is a carrier, then our children will have a 25% chance of being born with SMA... or should I say, they have a 75% chance of not being born with SMA...

Just the pamphlet that they gave me the day I got tested... 1st sentence in BOLD says, the leading cause of early childhood death. WOW!!! But I will try not to read into it too much until we get back Timmy's test results. He went today to have his blood drawn, and the results should be in in the next 2-3 weeks.... And the wait begins... I thought my next milestone would be getting to 26 weeks so I would be further along than last time... but looks like we have a small milestone before then... getting through these next 2-3 weeks in one piece....

Another Milestone... Cerclage is in...

Today was the day... woke up early, got ready and headed to the doctors. NT Scan first, which went well... Our baby is already a trouble maker!! Not positioned right, and pushing off the side of my uterus every time he/she got into the right position... we will have our hands full!!! It was an awesome scan, b/c we got to see the baby move around, and even smile!!! The smile made the baby look like Pac-Man!!! After all that was done, it was off to the Tully Center.

Arrived at Tully at 10:30am... that's when I started shaking!! I was so nervous, even though I've been through it before... it's still going into an OR, which I don't like!!! We were taken into the Pre-Op room, where we sat and watched TV, as they set me up with my IV... then it was just waiting. Dr V was running late... I could've taken a nap!! Finally by about 12:30pm, he arrived... Walking to the OR was like the "green mile".... LOL! And the one thing I didn't forget about last time... How COLD the OR is!!! But luckily they give you nice warm blankets! I fought with the Anesthesiologist because she was giving me the lecture about how there are two ways of doing this, general or spinal... and how much better the spinal is, blah blah blah... I'm like, "listen lady... the guy that took my signature agreed on general... stop your babbling and put me out!" I don't want to hear the doctor's talking about their family, or golf game... I don't want to remember what they do during the procedure... I just want to breath deeply and wake up when it's done!!! Thankfully she did what I asked, not without attitude... but whatever! My doctor is awesome.. he knew I was getting aggravated, and worked up, so while I laid on the table getting all set, he held my right hand to calm me down. I tell you, he's my favorite doctor!!!

So I can't tell you much about the procedure, because I was asleep... but I remember waking up and making fun of Dr V for having a purple phone!! I was in good spirits, knowing that it was done. 1st level recovery didn't seem too long, but apparently I was in there for 45 minutes to an hour... I only remember about 20 minutes of it.... then I was taken to 2nd level, where Timmy got to come and sit with me.

Now I'm back home... recovering on the recliner.... I have heard people say they feel 90% better the next day! I have hope, and my fingers crossed!! When I get up and take pictures of our ultrasounds, I'll post those.... but for now, it's off to dream land!