4/14/09 doctor appt.

I had my first ultrasound with my doctor today. Even though I had already found out the sex of the baby, my doctor still wanted to check for several disorders, and make sure everything was in tact, including all four chambers of the heart. I was notified earlier that Dr. Boran, Melissa's doctor, also a doctor in the same clinic as my doctor, would be meeting with me today. Just incase Dr. Willis is unavailable to deliver Mr. baby boy then Dr. Boran or Dr. Cloada, another doctor in that clinic, will be able to deliver, so they allow me to meet with each doctor before hand to get to know them incase. I asked a few of my family to join in and a close friend to watch the ultrasound. All four chambers of the heart are fully in tact, kindeys, bladder, stomach, lips, nose,all the way down to toes are all there and perfectly growing :) that is the best feeling ever to know your baby, that you constantly worry about making sure he is ok, is responding really well and growing normally. All my family was excited to see everything maturing too, maybe even a little too much. He is in the 83 percentile of his age, meaning he is a tad overweight. I guess all those cinamon rolls are catching up :) After I met with the sonographer, I was notified Dr. Boran was running behind so I met with Dr. Cloada. I have to say, every single one of these doctors I would be completely happy with to deliver my boy.

I was mostly glad to know that it was for sure a boy, a big boy as a matter of fact. I have already began washing his clothes and the fear of knowing all those clothes not being returned scared me. :) Still no names yet. Well actually we are continuing the "joe" as his middle name since Brandon's family is alllllll joe, so technically it would be my call to pick the first name right? We both agree on a few but I have favorites and so does he. So we'll see. But im already calling him Cass, not Case, Cass, and I know he will give in, well because he's going to have to :)

Mr. Howell

Ok, this is pretty funny. I was on a website the other day and decided to create a picture of what the baby would look before it arrived. It's simple really, take a picture of Brandon and a picture of me upload them, and click transform and wal-la, a baby that might look both of you. So I wanted to share..... this is funny, can you see any resemblance. I can't.

IT'S A..........

Yesterday, March the 21st, was my appointment at Storkvision to confirm the sex of the little one. My parents, along with Meme and Dan, and Brandon's aunt and mom and little cousin Clyde (nicknames for Carter) joined in. We were all making bets before we even got to the place, and even though I continuosly told myself and everyone else, it was a girl, deep down, I knew the little booger was a boy, but I still had hopes. So we all went in and sat around the big TV as the lady began my ultrasound. She immediately announced the heartbeat was 171 bpm. I was like 171 oh yea it's a girl because that's one high heartbeat. I could already see the worry in Brandon's eyes and the plot to attack all the boys in the world to stay away from his daughter. I sware it wasnt two minutes after she told us the heartbeat, she stopped the monitor and pointed to the middle of the screen and said....."Oh, well.... and the word's "ITS A BOY" came across the screen. Ok, imagine this 12x12 room with 10 or so people in it, pitch black minus the tv color, and I sware the room lit up with light, it was Brandon's smile. He was so excited, and I was so thankful it was all there in tact. hehehe. My mother and his mother already knew we were going to have to take back all our cute girlie stuff.

He was so beautiful. His spine was perfectly formed, His heartbeat was there and normal, his feet were as big as mine and there in the middle of his legs as Clyde would put it were his little "mcnuggets," all ten toes, and while one beautiful hand waved to his family, the other was fisted up in his mouth. Yeap, the little booger was already sucking his thumb. It was the most amazing thing to see and it filled my heart with love. I don't know if I can wait five more months to see him but it gives me some time to shop.

Still no names have been decided on yet, but we will get there eventually. Thanks everyone for keeping up. We'll keep you posted.


IN OTHER NEWS.......

Brandon is still going strong at Motor Trike. I guess they rely on him so much because he comes home filthy dirty and exhausted. But we arent complaining.

I finished up my clinicals at the Digestive Health Specialists and the Lord is good, because they immediately asked me to join their team as a Medical Assistant. I love it. Working with patients is so fun and helpful and amusing all at once.

Still in nightclass. Will apply for the Radiology Tech job in April. Won't know anything til the latter part of the summer. Pray for me.

Brandon and I have decided to build our own home as soon as we find a reliable builder. We know we have to be done by August, and the stress of building a house is extremely overwhelming, but in the long run, it will be worth it. He already has his own land it Troup, so this is where the house will be. Im staying out of it now as much as possible, no more stress on me or the baby right now.!!!!!!

3/1/09 just to catch up

This week has been great for us! It finally feels like things are slowly coming back together! I have my fingers crossed but do not want to get excited too quickly. Only a few more weeks until we find out what the baby is and I am extremely anxious.

Everyone who has kept us in your prayers thank you. Brandon has been working for his grandpa's company for the last two months and earlier this week received the call to welcome him to Motor Trike as part of the assembly line crew. He is very excited. He has also decided to put his project show truck for sale to help us find a home to buy, and we have found a few to look at within this next week. So wish us luck!!!!!!!! I finish up my clinicals on Friday and hopefully will get the job as a Medical Assistant at the Digestive Health Center in Tyler. I have been praying constantly that everything will work out so we can begin our life together for this baby.

Yesterday, I had the day off and decided to do a little shopping since my clothes no longer fit. I went more crazy on clothes for the baby than I did for myself. But dont worry, I kept my receipt. You should see the stack of clothes, it keeps getting bigger. WOw, if its a boy, I promise I wont be upset, he'll just have to wear all these cute little dresses. :) And as for everyone who wants to see the baby bump...its posted.

My morning sickness has finally subsided without the medicine. I entered my second trimester this week and its is scary and exciting to know that I only have 5 and a half more months to go.
I will continue to keep you all posted.

P.S. Go look at my adorable new cousin miss Charlee Addison at charleeaddisonsworld.blogspot.com She is the sweetest thing and the love of our lives. I cant wait for her to meet her new playmate.

Every child born into the world is a new thought of God, an ever-fresh and radiant possibility.Kate Douglas Wiggin

Doctor visit 2/24/09

I finally had my second doctor visit on tuesday the 24th. Everything went well. They took too much blood but I survived. For the first time, I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. It was a miracle. It's amazing to know that something is growing inside of you. My mother went with me to this doctor visit. I told Brandon they were only doing blood work so he didnt have to go and when I found out we were listening to the heartbeat and told him, he was disapointed. The heartbeat was right at 160 bmp, which is high and as the old wives tell goes, it sounds like a girl. As much as I talk about wanting a girl, I think Brandon deep down wants another girl in his life too. :) It really doesn't matter to either of us though we just like to butt heads about being right.

Brandon's parents have decided to treat me to a storkvision session to find out what the sex of the baby is on March 21st. My parents will be joining along with his family as we await inpatiently to see this baby. I have already broke down and bought the sweetest little outfit, my mother is starting to stock up on diapers, and Brandon's mother and aunt have taken over Target's baby clothes section. So everyone, "Save your receipts."

We have also decided on a girl's name. The boys name however is a harder since we cannot agree. I have my favorites and he has his and the boy name will be the death of us yet. So pray for Paisley Elaine.

Ok, I don't know how this happened it was pretty much amazing and weird at the same time. I have had a tiny pudge for the past month now, nothing serious and all my pants were still being buttoned. Friday I get up and go about getting ready for my clinicals (which are going great) and finally at 5 o'clock I go home. Im changing clothes to leave for a dinner date and OH MY GOODNESS, there it is... a baby bump..a huge baby bump. My mom comes in and kind of giggles so I know she sees it. I go to Brandon and he gasps. This thing is huge. Its hysterical that it grew overnight!!!! I cant wait for everyone to see it. Its just too funny that it happened soo fast.


A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for.Author Unknown

Weekly BABY UPDATE:

Baby Update:

Weel 7 - Your baby's head is the largest part of the body - indicative of the rapid brain growth that has been occurring. All four chambers of the heart are now in place. Intestines are also developing but they are not yet encased inside your baby's body as yet. They bulge out into the umbilical cord. The crown to rump length of your growing baby measures at 4 to 5 mm (0.16-0.2 in).

Week 8 - At about 36 days of development, your baby's ears begin to assume a more human shape. The baby is starting to resemble a newborn. The facial muscles begin to develop, the eyes begin to develop color, the eye muscles begin to form, the eyelids start to develop and the nerve fibers that connect the nose to the brain begin to form. In the heart, the valves are present and distinct. The body's trunk area is getting longer and straightening out. Elbows are present, and arms and legs extend forward. By the end of this week, your baby will be about 1.4-2cm (½ to ¾ in).

Week 9 - Your baby is now a little more than an inch long roughly the size of a large grape, 2.2-3cm (1-1¼ in). Your baby's arms and legs are longer. The head is more erect, and the neck more developed. The eyelids almost cover the eyes. External ears are evident and well formed. Your baby now makes some movements and this can be captured via an ultrasound exam. The baby looks more recognizable as a human being, although it is still extremely tiny. It is not possible to make a distinction between a male and a female baby at this point.

Week 10 - The end of week 10 is the end of the embryonic period and marks the beginning of the fetal period. Most congenital defects occur before the end of week 10. The critical part of your baby's development is safely behind you. Few malformations occur during the fetal period. However it is still advisable to avoid severe stress or radiation. The tubes in your baby's lungs are fully formed and his intestines have migrated from the umbilical cord into the abdominal cavity. Your baby's taste buds start to develop and if your baby is a girl, her ovaries start to descend into the pelvis. Your baby is still very lightweight and measures about 1½ to 1¾ inch long 3.1-4.2cm and weighs close to just 1/30th of an oz or 0.18 oz (5g).

Week 11 - Your baby is approximately 1¾ - 2½ inches (4.4-6 cm) in length and weighs about 0.3 oz (8gm). Your baby is about the size of a large lime. Fetal growth is rapid now. The head makes up nearly half of its length. Fingernails appear. Your baby's external genitalia are beginning to show more distinguishing features and within another 3 weeks, the sex differentiation process will be complete. If a miscarriage occurs after this point, it may be possible to tell the gender. All embryos begin life looking the same, as far as outward appearance is concerned.

Week 12 - Your baby is about 2½ inches (6cm) long and weighs ¼ of an oz. Small amount of hair are beginning to cover baby's body, fingernails and toenails are beginning to grow, and your baby's first permanent tooth buds are forming. The digestive system is able to produce contractions that push food through the bowels. It is also able to absorb sugar. The thyroid gland has started to function and the fetal nervous system is beginning to mature. The amniotic sac which houses your baby contains about 1½ oz of fluid and by the time you deliver, the sac will contain about 3-4 cups of fluid. Your doctor is able to detect baby's heartbeat from now on using a Doppler. Your baby is moving inside your uterus but you probably won't feel it for a while yet.

Week 13 - Your baby is growing rapidly; its growth is particularly noticeable from now through about 24 weeks. The baby has doubled in length since the 7th week, measuring at 2½ to 3 inches long (6.5-7.8cm) and weighing at about ½ and ¾ oz (13-20g) roughly the size of a peach. Changes in the fetal weight have also been tremendous during the last 8-10 weeks of pregnancy. One interesting change is the slowdown in growth of baby's head compared to the rest of the body. By week 21 the head is about one third of the baby's body and at birth baby's head is only ¼ the size of its body. Baby's body accelerates in growth as the fetal head slows down in growth. Baby's face is more human like now; eyes that started out at the sides are now closer together on the face. External genitalia have developed enough so a male can be distinguished from a female baby. Your baby's vocal cords have begun to form. Your baby's hand is structurally complete and consists of 27 bones held together by a complex network of ligaments. Similarly baby's foot is also completely formed with the toes, heel and bones all in place.

Week 14 - While in the first trimester the focus was on the creation of the various body systems, from this point on the emphasis will be on fetal growth. Your baby will start growing at a rapid rate. In fact this month alone your baby will be doubling in length and quadrupling in weight. Your baby's ears have moved from the neck to the sides of the head. Eyes have been gradually moving from the side of the head to the front of the face. The neck continues to get longer, and the chin no longer rests on the chest. Sexual development continues. It is even more obvious to tell a male baby from a female baby just by looking at the external genitalia. Your baby is the size of your fist measuring at about 4 inches (about 9cm) and weighing almost 1 oz (25g). If you enjoy listening to your baby's heartbeat, devices are now available so you can listen at home. Some people believe this activity helps a couple bond with their baby.

Week 15 - Your baby is about 4½ inches long and weighs just under 2 oz. Baby's skin is translucent and covered with downy hair called lanugo. While your baby is moving quite a bit you are not able to tell yet until a couple of weeks later. By this time your baby may be sucking its thumb. Eyes continue to move to the front of the face but are still widely spaced. Ears continue to develop externally. Bones that have already formed are hardening and ossifying (retaining calcium) rapidly. If an X-ray were done at this time, your baby's skeleton would be visible. Your baby looks more human with each passing day.

Week 16 - Your baby is swimming in a tiny pool of amniotic fluid (about a cup of fluid has accumulated inside of you at this stage). This fluid plays an important role in the development of your baby's pulmonary system. The amniotic fluid allows your baby to breathe in the utero as the fluid moves in and out of baby's lungs. The fluid also provides protection to baby as it contains antibiotic agents to inhibit bacterial growth hence your baby is protected prior to its birth. The umbilical cord is attached to the lower part of baby's body. Legs are longer than arms and both limbs move; this can be captured on the ultrasound screen. Some women may also start to feel their baby move at this point of pregnancy; these feelings have been compared to gas bubbles. Many women do not recognize the feeling and may attribute it to being gas bubbles when actually it is their baby moving. Your baby measures at about 4½ inches (11.5 cm) and weighs close to 2¾ oz (80g).

Week 17 - Your baby now measures at 4½ to 4¾ inches long (11-12cm) and weighs about 3½ oz (100g) now. Baby is now the size of your hand spread open wide. Fat or adipose tissue begins to form beginning from this week and continues for some weeks to come; fat is important to the heat production and metabolism. Water makes up about 3 oz (89g) of your baby's body. If it is a girl baby, her fallopian tubes are formed around this time. If you have not felt your baby move, you will soon. These movements may not be felt everyday but as pregnancy progresses these movements grow stronger and more frequent.

January 16, 2009 - Doctor's Visit

Wednesday January 14th was our first doctor's visit to officially confirm the pregnancy. I was excited and nervous all at once. Dr. Willis perfomed our first ultrasound of the baby. It is growing rapidly inside my belly. It is seven weeks six days old and 5/8 of an inch long. It has started to grow its arms, legs, and head. We saw the heart beating inside its little peanut body. It was a relief and a moment of joy all at once. We have announced the news to most family and friends now, and want to thank everyone for their congratulations. The grandparents seem very excited and are ready to spoil it with love. We have been throwing a few names around, but none for certain yet. Brandon has his heart set on a boy, while I am hoping for a little girl. Either is fine though as long as it's healthy. We will keep in touch. Thanks again for your blessings.



A new baby is like the beginning of all things, hope, a dream of possibilities. ~ Anonymous