24 Week Check-Up

I've been sufficiently checked on today. I had my glucose test, thyroid, cervix and baby checked. Whew!

First, the glucose nasty drink has given me a headache and I feel all strange still. Yuck.

I've gained 6 pounds in 4 weeks -- only supposed to have gained 4. That makes me sad. I need to watch it. Total weight gain is now 13 pounds. I've found that my hips have spread out which also makes me sad. Is that normal?

My cervix was great measuring 4.7 cm (yay!) and the baby is estimated to be around 1 pound, 8 ounces and is in the 48th percentile. The u/s tech said my fluid levels were low and to drink more water, but the doctor told me it was fine and that at any time the fluid levels fluctuate because the baby is constantly swallowing it and peeing it out. I am still downing the water now though.

I stopped by the fertility doctor's office and said hi to everyone. The doctor was very kind and seemed to appreciate the update. My OB told me at my appointment that he had stopped by a couple weeks ago and asked how I was doing. I thought that was very thoughtful considering how many patients he must see -- that he remembered me and which OB I was going to.

Here are some pictures of me from today at 24 weeks! I've finally gotten the courage up to show my bare belly. :-)

Insulted

Well, just when I thought that all the people who have insensitive and insulting things to say lived in my prior world of infertility, I was proven wrong.

So I'm at the grocery store today just trying to pick out the Cheerios I want from the 18 different flavors offered. A nice stock boy asks me if I know what I'm having. A nosy, insensitive woman enters stage right.

Stock boy: Do you know what you're having?

Me: A boy.

Stock boy: I want a boy.

Woman in aisle: Oh! No, no ... you don't want a boy (disgustingly, like boys are some sort of disease). You want a girl! I had a girl...girls are just so ahhh...(she trails off longingly).

Um...Hmmm. She had just heard me say I was having a boy. Why on Earth would someone be so insensitive to say something like that in front of someone who just said that?!

Wonders never cease.

It's a Boy!

Josh and I had our 20-week ultrasound on Wednesday. It revealed a healthy, perfect little boy. We are so grateful.

The ultrasound tech measured everything from his brain to his kidneys. We saw his stomach, bladder, the four chambers of his heart -- everything. He weighed 13 ounces and was even measuring a few days ahead of his due date. My favorite shot of all was his profile. It was a glimpse into what he looks like. Many of my friends say that that picture in the womb is very accurate as to what they look like outside the womb. How exciting to get a quick look at his sweet face and the baby for which I've dreamed about and tried to imagine for so long. Do you remember the commercial from GE advertising their ultrasound machines that was on quite some time ago? The background music was Roberta Flack's, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." I couldn't help but grin ear to ear upon finally getting a glimpse at a very developed profile of what finally resembled a baby. My baby.

My cervix was measuring about 4 cm and was long and closed. The doctor now feels that incompetent cervix has been ruled out and now the concern is premature labor. I'll go back at 24 weeks to start the every two week monitoring again. I'll also start the every 4 week growth checks of the baby at 24 weeks as well.

I had hoped to walk down to the good ole' fertility doc's office to say hi, but it was too late when we finally got out of there. I wanted to let them know I was still very much in the game. :-) All glory to God!

Josh felt the baby move on June 30th and I really started to feel movement right at about 20 weeks last weekend. I had flutters before, but wasn't sure if that was him, but there was no doubt last weekend. I am enjoying singing to him and praying for him knowing he can hear my voice now.

I am enjoying every minute of being pregnant and trying not to take one single day of it for granted. I think mostly because I just know how fortunate I am to be where I am today.