Getting Ready...the baby and me

I feel like there has been so much to process and understand about our little boy that I haven't realized how quickly my pregnancy has gone by in such a short amount of time. I am 22 weeks and 1 day today, past the half way point...I cannot believe I am going to meet my son very soon. That being said, my husband and I have gone into semi baby mode...painting the baby's room, purchasing baby furniture and some accessories.

I hunt the clearance section for winter clothes, which by the way is a great way to find really cheap items. I have bought long sleeve onsies and thermal underwear for $1.97 at Old Navy and flannel and fleece one piece outfits for $3.99 at Carters. Shopping off season is definitely the way to go for babies, especially since they are going to out grow their clothing so fast!

As for me, my stomach is growing and therefore my clothes are not fitting. I have gone to the clearance sections of Mimi Maternity and to Kohls for reasonably priced maternity clothes. At one point I even bought some maternity clothes on Ebay, but I did not have any luck with the lot that I purchased. Out of 6 items I ended up only keeping ONE skirt and GoodWilling the rest. I also had the good fortune of having several friends who had babies already and were willing to let me have or borrow their maternity clothing!

For many women being pregnant and watching their belly grow is a joyous occassion and they love every second of it. I will admitt that it is very difficult watching my belly grow, my boobs double in cup size and my butt becoming a shelf. Although I love the thought of my little man growing inside of me, it is still very hard to see my body like this in the mirror. And don't get me started about bathing suit shopping...why do they make zebra striped, plaid, and polka dot bathing suits for pregnant women?!! How about something in a solid color?! That being said, I just have to get past my insecurity and know that in the end this is all worth it and even though it will be a "differernt" kind of birth and beginning of life, it is still the beginning of something new and exciting for both my husband and I.

Father's Day...

Today Chris went and picked up the furniture for the baby's room and is in the process of painting the room with Home Depot's Freshaire Choice (environmentally and family friendly as well as no odor paint) in Charted Voyage...perfect for our water themed room!! Happy soon to be Father's Day Chris! I love you!!

Finally...

When we got our amnio results, the echo results, and told our parents about everything that has been going on...I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. I feel like I can finally be happy and excited that we are going to have a baby boy!! My husband and I have started planning our nursery, registering, and just feeling my belly as he dances around in there...it has been a long road that I know will be longer once our little man is here, but it feels like we have jumped a hurdle and are just beginning to train with all the information necessary for the next one. Finally...I can be excited about being pregnant!

Fetal Echo cardiogram

Today I had my fetal echo cardiogram...the heart according to the doctor is "perfect." She even said, "Oh my look at that beautiful heart, what a great picture!" I feel like a new person...we got ice cream from the Mr. Softy truck on the way to our car to celebrate, and then I celebrated a little more by buying some cute baby things for our little boy!

20 Week Anatomy Scan

As fate would have it, right after our amnio results came we had our 20 week anatomy scan. This was a crucial part for us because this was where we were going to find out what exactly was in the omphalocele and how the baby was growing.

Ladies...the anatomy scans really do take at least an hour, and about 45 minutes in I had to go to the bathroom again and that ultrasound wand was starting to really annoy me. After lots of prodding and poking and printed pics the scan was done. My husband and I asked for the sonographer to write down the sex of the baby in a card (she also put some pics in there to "show" us it was a boy). After the appointment we were going out to dinner and going to open the card together and cherish the moment when we found out the sex of our baby!

After the scan the doctor looked at everything and came in to talk to us. "Well we still see the omphalocele" NO REALLY?!! I thought..."And everything looks good and normal. Inside the omphalocele is mostly liver and therefore we call it a giant omphalocele." Ok now, I was not ready to hear the word giant!! But I guess after all the 1 in a million things we had already defied I should have prepared myself. I am not going to lie, that was difficult to hear! The doctor also told us that although the heart looked good and was doing everything it should, it was a little more crooked than it should be however, it could just be the gravity of everything being pushed into the omphalocele that was causing it to be positioned like that...so off to get a fetal echo cardiogram, which is par normal for anyone who is having a child with an omphalocele...but that didn't make it any less intimidating for me to hear that!

Amniocentesis...take 2

I guess there is something to be said for the second time around! This time the process was quicker, less painful, and all the fluid needed was collected. I told my husband that when we were in the office I felt like we were rock stars. Everyone knew we were the couple whose cells did not grow...I mean that hasn't happened in 6 years! Everyone gave us a kind smile, told us that they were routing for us, and to breathe and relax...they were right! In 24 hours we had our preliminary results...two chromosomes for trisomy 13,18, and 21...there is a sigh of relief. Ten days later we were called with the rest of the results...ALL good in the genes! PHEW!