35 weeks

Well, yesterday we reached the 35 week milestone, and are relieved to have done so, after last week's little adventure. I had an appointment with Dr. Mc today, which went well. I was excited to hear that something actually is going on now, and I was a whole 1 cm dilated ;-) and 50% effaced, though Elijah is still up pretty high. I asked about his thoughts on Elijah coming early, since Abi came a month before her due date, and he said there really is no way to know if he will or not. He asked how big she was, and I reminded him she was a good size to be 4 weeks early, at 6 pounds 13 ounces. He said, "Well, I'm betting Elijah left 6# 13 in the dust a long time ago." That was after measuring me (which showed 38 weeks), and based on past ultrasounds and the size Elijah feels to him, and he said he really wouldn't be worried if E. was born soon, guessing he could be around 7 1/2 pounds already. I feel the same way - though we don't really know how big he is for sure, or when he'll come, I do think we've reached a great point where I'm comfortable with him arriving whenever he's ready and God decides so.

Because of the continued spotting off and on since last Friday, and the fact that we're just not sure exactly where that annoying placenta has settled, we're going to do an ultrasound before next week's appointment to get the latest information on it. Though he is not unduly concerned, Dr. Mc said he'd feel more comfortable with knowing a little more recent update on it, since it was still so close to the cervix last time. He said that at this point, when I go into labor, he is concerned that I get to the hospital quickly, because if it's still just over a centimeter removed from the os of the cervix, there could be significant bleeding, combined with how Elijah presents and that affects things. With all the Braxton-Hicks contractions I've had lately, he said to expect continued spotting, and not to be alarmed, because it's just probably how it's going to be as E. grows and puts more pressure on the placenta, and it is actually shearing away from the lining of the uterus little bits at a time. (Doesn't that sound lovely?)

As he left, he said he'd be on call this weekend, so I told him I appreciated knowing that, and I'd go ahead and plan on seeing him then if I had my way about it. :-) Overall, it was encouraging and again a great reminder of how blessed I am to have such excellent care and concern from this wise man. He asks about the kids and James by name almost every time I see him, and though that's not really even something I'd think about if he didn't, it means so much to me that he does seem to care for our family's well-being, and not just me as another patient he sees during long work days.

To close, here are some sweet and sappy photos we took this week. I really wanted a few of me pregnant with this baby boy, and of our family of 4, before he arrives. This whole process - the 2 years of waiting to get pregnant again, and now the end of that pregnancy nearing brings bittersweet emotions, because it has been such a huge blessing and answer to prayer. At one point while I was holding this little word "hope" carved from wood, I just lost it and started crying. Poor James probably thought my hormones were to blame, and they may have factored in some. Mainly though, I was really overwhelmed thinking about how this baby is almost here that we prayed and longed for, and at times doubted we'd ever have. Holding that word in my hands, and remembering how I would sing and cry through "My Hope is in You" for so long, and realizing that hope is almost fulfilled is a pretty amazing thing. God is awesome, you know? Thanks for sharing this journey with us. I hope you're encouraged by my ramblings and details of things you may not really care about, if only because they point back to a God who answered our prayers in a beautiful way, and comforted us while we were waiting on that answer. I feel so undeserving and so grateful.

29 weeks

What a nice birthday gift today has been already! I had a check-up with Dr. McK this morning and was in and out of the office in less than an hour. Elijah was cooperative and we heard that steady heartbeat, complete with kicks of enthusiasm from him. :-) It's hard to believe that at 29 weeks, our sweet Isaac was born. I'm so thankful that I'm not in labor right now. Though Isaac was a fighter and did amazingly well to be 11 weeks early, that is just too soon to enter the world, and has made his life complicated at times. We have lots to be thankful for!

Dr. McK was happy to hear Disney went so well, and we chatted for a while about that. We discussed a few other things too. One was the possibility of a c-section looking more possible (he gave me a 70% chance of having one due to the placenta not shifting yet, though it's still possible). I'm still hopeful, but not in despair or anything if we have to do surgery. Reading up on placenta previa and realizing the profuse bleeding and scary issues that happen when a mom goes into labor sure make me want to avoid that. It's so risky for the mom and baby, so I am glad we have technology to help us be aware of these situations today.

As he measured me and felt around on my belly for E, I asked him to show me how to tell what was what. He took my fingers and lightly pressed down on the top of my abdomen, and said when I felt the bouncing back, that was the head. Then, the bottom feels "doughy", and gives in a little, instead of bouncing back like the head. Right now, Elijah is still breech, which is not uncommon at this stage of the pregnancy. That explains why I felt like a foot was stabbing me last night, really low. It was! He said he can still turn to get in position, but it's harder with the placenta in the way, and with his increasing size.

A little concern is that he shared he's never had a lady get pregnant with an ovarian remnant and also have placenta previa, resulting in a c-section, so he said that will just be something he has to carefully consider if we end up going the surgical route. (Some of you may remember that this remnant was found months ago before I was pregnant, growing where my left ovary was removed 11 years ago. We left it alone, because it wasn't changing over several months that we watched it and wasn't causing any problem, so neither of us wanted to do a surgery just for it.) His word to describe the c-section with placenta previa and the additional factor of removing this remnant is "grungy." :-) He said a uterine polyp or tumor would be simpler to handle, since he obviously would be there in the uterus anyway. Getting over to the ovary area and removing that during the bleeding that happens in a normal c-section is just more complicated. Right now we can't even see it any longer during sonograms, due to Elijah's size, so don't know what exactly is going on with it. It's not a major problem, just something he wanted me to know he remembered (I'd totally forgotten about it), and that we'd talk more about it as things progress.

For now, he put me on additional iron supplements, since I was borderline anemic with my last visit's bloodwork, and plus, he said anticipating the possible surgery, he wants me to "tank up." I realize more and more every visit how much I appreciate this man for his sensitive manner, and godly wisdom. James and I both are so impressed with the care he's given us for 6 years now, and it's so nice to really trust that he is seriously praying for us, and the best way to provide care for me. It gives me a lot of peace of mind, and I can happily anticipate each visit, knowing his heart, and his attention to details. What a blessing.

I'll go back in 2 more weeks, and then the next visit after that, probably at 33 weeks will be the final ultrasound to determine the delivery plan. Thank you all for praying! God is so good.

27 weeks, and a sonogram

We were so happy to be able to see our not-so-little pumpkin today, via the wonder of technology and sonogram. Here's a profile view of him, when his hands actually were not covering his face. He's about to move them right in front again though. :-)

After last week's appointment, Dr. McK wanted to get an updated view of the placenta and our baby boy this week. We happily complied, since we're eager to see him again, and also wanting to have recent info to take with us on our trip next week to Disney World, just in case anything crazy happened.

Libby, the wonderful tech who also did the big ultrasound in August, was there again, and took her time doing more measuring and detailed viewing. She noticed hair on his head, and loved how active he was, saying, "He hasn't stopped moving the whole time!" I laughed, and said, "No kidding!" He is a busy boy, and kept putting his hands near his mouth, and almost had a toe in there at one point. He looks so sweet and cozy. Isaac and Abigail both just loved seeing him again.

The update on the placenta previa is that it really hasn't changed. She said the placenta is still sitting on my cervix, but it's not inhibiting Elijah's growth any. I commented on how much chubbier his cheeks looked this time, and she replied, "Uh, yeah." I glanced at her, and she smiled and said, "Yes, he's growing just fine...he weighs about 3 pounds, 8 ounces." I said, "The email updates I get said he should be just over 2 pounds!" She said, "Right. He's measuring several weeks ahead." All along we've been told he was, but didn't have any measurements or details. I'm 27 weeks, 2 days, and Elijah is measuring between 29-31 weeks in different areas. His abdominal circumference placed him in the "greater than 98 percentile" and his head was 88% and femurs measured 98%. I asked her how accurate those measurements can be, and she said they are pretty reliable, since she took them multiple times each, from different angles, and the program generates the average.

So, based on today's information, the adjusted due date based on his physical development alone is more like December 21, instead of my actual due date of January 8. We know all this is just interesting at this point, and just encourages us that he's healthy and thriving, but may help us know later on what needs to happen about delivery if the placenta stays where it is. It's still too early to know what is best regarding a c-section or not, and there is time for the placenta to move, since there are cases that it does finally resolve by the 34 week check-up. So, we're just content knowing that things are fine for now, and will wait and see.

My biggest hope is that however he's delivered, if it is safe for him, and he's developed enough, that God would allow Elijah to be born in time for our precious friends Scott, Robin, and their family to meet him while they are here from Richmond. They are coming in on the 19th of December, and leaving the 24th, so I'm just praying God knows our hearts and deep desire to visit with ALL of our kids during the holidays and that He can work it out if He sees fit! I know He cares about our little desires and this is a pretty big one, so I'm praying specifically, and trusting that He'll do what's best. Either way, we are getting very excited about seeing far-away friends, and welcoming our sweet son before too much longer!

Check out his cute self here:
Lean your head to the right, and you're seeing him at the correct angle. He's curled up, with his hands up by his face. Sweet, sweet! This is the chubby cheek picture. :-) Next are the Tubbs' toes. Look at that big toe sticking out!

26 weeks

It's just a baby boom in our family! My cousin Tara had her little girl, Cate, last Tuesday, and she joins Emerson and Casey who were born in August and September to my cousins Todd and Tucker and their wives. We're so excited to have all these little ones in the Tubbs/Veazey families. They are beautiful and healthy, so we are so grateful. We can hardly wait for Elijah to meet his cousins! We're under 100 days till our due date! In order above they are: Emerson, then Cate, then Casey.

Our little pumpkin is growing, and this week, the email update I get said that his eyes are really starting to open. I guess he is bored with the mostly dark environment he's in, but it's neat to think of another awesome development happening. Here's the info:

Your baby's eyes — which have been closed for the past few months (so that the retina, the part of the eye that allows images to come into focus, could develop) — are now beginning to open. What this means is that your baby is able to see what's going on now (unfortunately the view in your uterus isn't all that exciting). The iris, the colored part of the eye, still doesn't have much pigmentation (that'll fill in over the next month or two), so it's too early to start guessing your baby's eye color. Even the color your baby will be born with might not be the permanent shade; so you may be kept guessing until your baby is close to six months old.

Look what else is going on this week: Your baby's brain-wave activity is kicking in, which means your little one can not only hear noises but can now also respond to them. Not in so many words, of course, but with an increase in pulse rate or activity.

And talking about activity, at your baby's current height and weight (about nine inches tall and two pounds), and at the rate he or she is growing, your baby will soon be feeling a little cramped in your uterus. Not to worry, there's still plenty of room for your baby to grow. It just means your gymnast will have less room for those somersaults, cartwheels, and other Olympic feats.

25 weeks

Well, I can't believe I haven't posted in so long. The email update I received today reminded me I hadn't, when I read that my uterus is about the size of a soccer ball. That is no shock to anyone I've seen recently, since it looks like I have swallowed one, and since Elijah seems to think he's in a match with David Beckham or something, with all this kicking. :-) I sure am happy to feel it though, especially in light of other families who have never experienced the blessing of a pregnancy. I was reminded again today of the struggle many face in trying to have a baby, and thanked God again for our busy little boy.

My update also said that E's "skin is turning pinker. No, not because he's getting overheated (in fact, the amniotic fluid is perfectly climate controlled, keeping him at an always comfortable temperature), but because small blood vessels, called capillaries, are forming under the skin and filling with blood. Later this week, blood vessels will also develop in your baby's lungs, bringing them one step closer to full maturity — and one step closer to taking that first breath of fresh air. But those lungs are still very much works in progress. Though they are already beginning to develop surfactant, a substance that will help the lungs expand after the baby is born, the lungs are still too undeveloped to sufficiently send oxygen to the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide when he or she exhales. In his gums, buds for permanent teeth line up behind baby teeth. He's practicing using his arms and legs (I would certainly agree!), but his skin is still loose and wrinkly, and hangs like a too-big pair of pants."

I had a weird episode today that was almost scary, until I told James and we both realized what probably had happened. I went out early this morning to water the recently planted mums and pansies, and also kept leaning over to pull up weeds. After about a half hour of this, I got very light-headed and my heart was hurting so bad, I felt like I was going to pass out. I sat down, in the yard, trying to process what was happening, and caught my breath a little. I could hear my pulse so loudly in my head it was wild! I then walked slowly on in the house, but by the time I got in there, was so faint, and hurting so bad, I jokingly (kinda) told James I thought I was about to die of a heart attack. Once I sat for just a minute, I was fine, just tired-feeling. Describing it to him and thinking about what triggered it, we both assume this is one of those vena cava issues I've heard of later in the pregnancy. With the pressure of the enlarging uterus on my organs , and my repeated bending over, I guess I was cutting off my own blood circulation, and my heart was letting me know it!

Since James had just gotten home from working all night and was going to sleep, I was so thankful I recovered quickly, and didn't pass out in the yard! :-) I told him, as I leaned over to turn off the water faucet, I just knew I was going to keel over, and a few hours later when the kids got hungry enough, they'd have found me face-first in the flowerbed. So, no more bending and weeding, from now on. I'll have to just plop down and work, I reckon...

It's been a nesting kind of week, as James and I have been working on projects around the house to ready it for putting on the market. We are just about ready, and it's crazy, but exciting too. We have no idea that it will sell in this current market, but feel that God has told us to at least try. We're assuming if it doesn't sell we'll just figure out a way to squeeze in one more little person and a whole lot of baby stuff, and if it does sell, that God is truly providing us the opportunity to move. I've even been washing up baby clothes that are hand-me-downs, or were Isaac's and had been in the attic. It's nice to just have something to handle and do, relating to Elijah, in this last few months while we are just waiting on him to arrive. Isaac and Abigail love ooh-ing and aah-ing over the sweet, tiny clothes. It's very fun to share these times of anticipation with them, and see their excitement. We can't wait to meet you, little brother!!

Halfway There! (maybe)

This week was the 20 week mark. YEA! We're very happy to have gone through this first half of the standard pregnancy length so well. Though I know that nothing is guaranteed, we're praying that this baby boy hangs in there for approximately the same amount of time from this point forward. He is still super wiggly, and at times, I'm pretty uncomfortable, because of his position. At this point with Abigail, I felt her some, but nothing like with our boy. He's noticeable, literally, every hour of the day. I'm assuming that has something to do with the placenta being where it is, and at times feel concerned about the pressure and movement, but so far, think things are going all right. Ow! There was a swift kick to my bladder....

At this point, our little fellow is about 9-10 inches long, about half the length he'll probably be at birth. We also learned these fascinating facts we've been sharing with Isaac and Abigail:

• The baby can hear and recognize his mama's voice. We encourage the big kids to talk to him often so maybe he'll learn their voices too. He may even may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during his development stages often are calming after birth.
• The toenails and fingernails are growing.
• The growth of hair (lanugo) on the rest of the body has started.
• The skin is getting thicker.
• His heart can now be heard with a stethoscope. Actually, James can hear it sometimes by just leaning on my belly and listening carefully, depending on the baby's position!
• Immunities are being transferred from me to our baby now. These immune cells will protect him from viruses I've already had for up to six months after birth!
• The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections.

What a miracle life is, and we're constantly amazed at how we've been blessed with another little life growing inside me. Thank you Lord!

Development at 12 weeks

I love these updates I subscribe to that keep me posted on what is happening with our "kiwi-sized" little one. Abigail loves to go through the foods our baby's resembled at different points - first a grain of rice, then a small bean, then an olive, then an egg, and now a kiwi. :-) This week it said:

Your baby's skin is sensitive and will respond to stimulation or touch. If you could touch its face, it will open its mouth, in what is known as the rooting reflex. The newly formed muscles are still weak. The gall bladder, pancreas, and thyroid are nearly complete.

Isn't that awesome?! I just love it.

What to Expect - 11 weeks

I just think it's amazing how rapidly our tiny baby is growing, and here are details. We're so thankful that we've been able to find the heartbeat nightly since last week, at home. The kids just love hearing it, and Abigail gets down to my belly and says, "Hey! It's Abigail. I'm your big sister!"

Week 11: The Budding Acrobat Takes on Yoga
Slightly more than two inches long now and weighing about a third of an ounce, your fetus is growing by leaps and bounds. And so is his or her head, which is equal in length to the rest of the body (don't worry — all fetuses are top-heavy).

On the crown of that large head (and over the rest of the body), hair follicles are forming. Fingernail and toenail beds begin to develop this week and by next week, the nails themselves will start to grow (so don't forget to add a baby nail clipper to your to-buy list).

Your baby's body is straightening and his or her torso is lengthening (sounds like a yoga pose, doesn't it?). Other poses your baby can assume now: stretches, somersaults, and forward rolls. And while you can't tell this baby's gender by its cover yet, testes are developing if it's a boy and ovaries if it's a girl.