18 weeks

So I've been waiting and waiting to feel some baby karate in there. There have been a few times when I thought I may have felt it but nothing for sure until today. I sat on the couch curled up to the coffee table playing around on my laptop and I'm pretty sure I felt some break dancing. Apparently this little one doesn't want to be squished. I'm 18 weeks today. This is all starting to feel a bit real. In 8 days we will (fingers crossed) know whether we have a baby boy McCabe or a baby girl McCabe. I really want to surprise the kids with the gender. They'll be in school when we find out so I'm considering throwing a mini gender reveal party. I've seen some really cute themes and ideas but I'm having a hard time choosing one. Number one in the running is a "HE or SHE, what's it gonna bee?" theme. Mainly yellow and black decorations and possibly a pink or blue balloon release. The other theme, in a close second, is a monkey theme with the words "Boy or Girl? We're gonna go bananas if we don't find out soon!". I don't have quite as many ideas for that one though. I have a week to get it all done. Oh yea and to finish up the odds and ends for Abby's slumber party. Oy vey!

There is a tenant in there!

This morning at 10:10am I had my monthly appointment with the midwives. My usual midwife, Becca, is out this month and next month because she had her hand operated on so I saw Amy. She's very nice but very quick and to the point. Becca is much more chatty. I gained 1/2 a lb and am up to 264.5lbs. My blood pressure by the nurses definition was a bit high (140/82), but Amy said that was fine and wasn't worried about it. With that she had me hop up onto the table to take a listen with the doppler. I held Alexa in between my legs and within a couple of seconds we heard this little peanut's heart beating nice and loud. I've had ultrasounds where we heard the baby's heartbeat but it always makes the pregnancy feel more real. When we couldn't catch it at my 12 week appointment I was very disappointed. Since then I've been waiting to feel any sort of movement in there but sadly I have yet to feel that either.

It's hard to believe that by my next appointment we'll know if Scooby Snack is a boy or a girl. My next appointment is October 10th. Boy! Boy! Boy! We need some more blue around here.

I can breath again!

At 6:24pm I got the call that took a giant weight off my chest. I've been super stressed thinking about the health of this little Scooby Snak. I couldn't imagine getting through the emotional wreck I would've been had I received bad news. Monday's blood draw went great. Patty the nurse who does the blood draws is exceptionally understanding. She knows how worried I am with every pregnancy since the twins. She knows why I'm a super neurotic patient and she's ok with that. We talked about how my risk ratio was very similar to the risk ratio I received with Alexa. She calmed me down a bit and promised to call with the results as soon as she got them. She said the earliest would be Thursday but that the office had off on Friday so I may not hear from her until Monday. She did however instruct me that if I didn't hear from her on Thursday that I should call early on Monday morning. She wouldn't be able to call me until the end of the day but if I called her she said she'd have to take the call and could then give me my results. I couldn't have been more surprised when I received the call from her tonight, 1 day after the blood was drawn. She started by saying "I have good news for you!". I said "Really good news? Like I can breathe again good news?". She said "Yes!". My new down syndrome ratio went from 1:140 to 1:1,200. Woo! Woo! My T-18 ratio stayed the same at the lowest possible risk of 1:10,000. My spina bifida ratio (which I never received last time) is 1:1,400. All of my ratios came back better then my age related risks. I couldn't be happier right now. I feel amazing!!!

Getting close

Today I go in for my second blood draw. I'm praying on a daily basis that in a couple days I hear back from the nurse with fantastic down syndrome numbers. I pray that this worry and nervousness will soon pass and I can once again enjoy this pregnancy. I feel as if I've been in a bit of a standstill. I'm still too worried to really feel like I'm pregnant even though every Monday this little munchkin is growing bigger. I'm trying to let myself get excited about being able to feel him or her kicking soon. I think I was 17 weeks pregnant when I felt it with Alexa. I know this baby is super active so I look forward to lots of movement. There's been a couple times when I thought I might have felt it.

Prayers prayers prayers!! C'mon my healthy little baby!