Last update... and a miracle!

I mentioned in my previous post that I've been a slacker.  Let me explain...

If you remember (or if you actually read it) my really, really long post to catch up over the year I talked a lot about fertility issues.  We had gone to see a specialist in November and found out that my right fallopian tube is completely blocked.  We also learned through genetic testing that Andy is a carrier for the Cystic Fibrosis gene.  After spending a lot of money and finding out those things the doctor recommended we go through IUI treatments.  We ultimately decided we were going to wait till after the holidays.  While down in Utah for Thanksgiving I also mentioned that I wasn't feeling great.  I felt just kind of "icky" the whole week.  I wasn't throwing up or even to say I was sick... I just didn't feel my best.  I also had some other symptoms that normally I would have thought, "Could I be pregnant?"  But I knew that wasn't even a possibility.  I thought for sure I had been ovulating on my right side during my recent cycle (blocked side) and I was in Vegas for most of my "ovulating days".  So I kept telling myself there is no way I'm pregnant.  Well, I was supposed to have a visit from my little friend on Thanksgiving and it never happened.  I was frustrated when we came home and I still didn't get a visit.  By Sunday morning I thought, "I'll take a pregnancy test and it'll be negative.  And then I'll start later today... because that is how it always happens!"

This is what I saw just barely after washing my hands!  There was no question!

I flew open the bathroom door and said, "Andy!" He was a little taken back and said, "What?" I said, "I'm pregnant!"  Andy was then surprised and said, "Are you sure? Let me see... That's awesome!"  He gave me a high five and then said, "That just saved us $3,000!"  I laughed that he first gave me a high five but then followed it with a comment about the cost.  I'll take it, though.  When I told him I was pregnant with each of the girls his response every time was, "Oh, crap!"

Although we were very surprised and happy to see the positive test we were still cautious because of my history.  I called the fertility office and my doctor's office the very next morning.  I didn't know who I was supposed to see at that point.  The specialist had me go in Tuesday morning and get my blood drawn and get my Beta levels checked.  I had the results sent to my doctor's office as well and waited a few hours for the results.  Since I was barely 5 weeks I was thinking the numbers would be in the 200 range or so.  (Anything above a 5 is positive for pregnancy) I had two different nurses call me back.  They both said, "You're definitely pregnant.  Your levels were at 2,906."  I was kind of quiet on the phone for a second and then said, "What?"  I wasn't sure if I heard the number correct.  I heard correctly and then they wanted me to go in on Thursday to make sure my levels were going up.  Those results were 5,686!  They were definitely going up as they should.  They immediately started me on a low dose of Aspirin (blood thinner) and a Progesterone suppository that I had to do every night.  Next they scheduled me to have an ultrasound at my 6 week mark.  We could see the heart beating, but it was too small to measure how many beats per minute.  So they scheduled me to come in the following week.  At that ultrasound the heart rate was measuring at 146!  The normal range is between 120 and 160.  When we did meet with my doctor for the first time he came in with a huge smile on his face and said, "Oh, I was so excited when I saw your name on the schedule!  I was almost jumping up and down because I was so excited!  Congratulations!!!"  We were glad to see things were going as they should, but still cautious.

(Funny and very smart Katie... along with telling the girls)

Katie came RUNNING down the stairs yelling, "Mom! You're pregnant!!!  You're pregnant!!!"  I was a little surprised and trying not to smile I said, "What makes you say that?"  She said, "Because, I saw that thing in your bathroom.  It has two lines.  Two lines means you're pregnant!  Ashley come see!!!"  I didn't say anything to deny or confirm it other than, "I didn't say I was pregnant." and hoped she wouldn't say anything else. Andy and I decided we were going to wait to tell the girls till we were further along that Katie was right.  We went to get our Christmas tree and on the way home we were listening to the radio.  They were having listeners call in and tell things they did growing up they always thought was normal until they reached adulthood and realized it wasn't.  A girl named Samantha had said something along the lines of they used to go to the bathroom with the door opened.  I laughed and said, "Samantha, was that you?"  Andy said, "She's not the only one that leaves the door open.  And if mommy's baby is a boy that better stop!"  I shot Andy a look and said, "I thought we weren't going to say anything yet?"  He smiled and shrugged.  Katie smiled and with a sly look on her face she said, "I knew I was right.  I knew you were pregnant."  The girls were very excited and wanted to tell everyone.  We told them it needed to be a secret and they couldn't even say, "I have a secret, but my mommy said I can't tell you" because that gives it away.

(This part it a little gross... sorry.)

It's normal to have a discharge with the suppository and although it was annoying I didn't worry.  That is until the color changed.  It freaked me out when it turned a dark red color.  It was the day after Christmas and I had just woken up.  I immediately called the nurse and she said, "The only thing we have available is in 45 minutes.  Can you make it?  If not you can wait till tomorrow and see Dr. Hodges.  He is not in today." Of course I wanted to go in and know either way.  I hate the waiting game!  Sammy had just left with my mom and I couldn't leave Ashley and Katie home.  I called around frantically trying to find someone to take them without any notice.  After about the 6th phone call I dropped them off at my friend, Angela's, house.  I called her on the way to apologize for literally dropping my kids and running.  (I didn't even shower.  I threw my hair back in a pony tail as I was brushing my teeth.)  I eventually broke down and cried to Angela because I was nervous about the results.  My mom by then had dropped Sammy off at the house and realized my car was gone so she took her back to her house.  (This is when I didn't have a choice in her going to my mom's house and she ended up getting sick.)  Andy met me at the doctor's office and were relieved when we did the ultrasound and the lady said the baby had a strong heartbeat.  She also said, "Everything I can see here looks really good.  So hopefully the bloody discharge has to do with the cervix and not the uterus.  That's something you'll have to ask the doctor.  But as far as I can see everything looks really good."  I told Andy, "Sorry for being a nervous ninny.  And I know I should have a sigh of relief, but I just can't do that yet."  Andy had an amazing response of, "You're not crazy.  You did the right thing to check and make sure.  And I don't think you will have that sigh of relief till the baby is in your arms."  I was glad he was there.  I picked up the girls, went home, and finally got a shower just before Dallin and Brindy showed up for the week.  Needless to say it was a stressful day.

After our little scare I decided I really needed to take it easy and focus on taking care of myself and this little one growing inside me.  I stopped watching Owen mostly because he is such a big baby and I was scared to death to pick him up.  I know that seems silly, but the kid was 20 pounds by the time he was 6 months old!  And I swear the boy gets bigger every time I see him.  Most of my days were spent vegging out at home and trying to get enough nutrients in my body.  Later on I started to shake a ton!  I tried eating more, but nothing seemed to help.  Dr. Hodges told me that I probably have a bit of a hyperthyroid problem.  After talking with my sister-in-law and hearing her experience with it I felt like that was probably what it was.  Dr. Hodges pleads with me to get more protein in my body... but that is the thing I can't stand the most!!!  It all makes me nauseated!  Meat, cheese, yogurt... it's all gross.  And the worst part is Andy decided to start the Atkins diet which is a ton of meat!!!  He makes eggs every morning for breakfast and I want to punch him every time!  To me it smells like vomit, it lingers in my house all day, and then it happens all over again in the morning.  So disgusting!!!

It was hard to keep it hidden since I started showing pretty quick.  Friends and neighbors wondered what was going on because I was starting to get chubby in my midsection and not doing much.  I even had one friend trying to get it out of me and she said, "So do you still run in the winter?"  I knew what she was getting at by the look on her face.  I responded with, "Normally I run through the winter, but I haven't run since Thanksgiving."  She then smiled and said, "Why???"  I told her it was okay to ask me and she said she had suspected for a few weeks but didn't want to say anything and be wrong.  Some people in our ward are just finding out and I want to smack them and say, "Did you honestly think I just got really fat all of a sudden!?"  And then I'm glad to hear my cousin say, "Corey came home one day and said Alanya looks pregnant."  I know I wasn't in the best shape of my life before we got pregnant, but come on!  I am very round and obviously not just overweight.  Not only that I am super emotional.  I cry at the dumbest things.  One day during activity days my friend Melissa was our guest speaker and asked if I would stand with her and the YW she brought and recite the theme.  I agreed and when we started I couldn't stop the tears.  I've said that theme a million times!  Melissa kind of laughed and said, "It's fine. She's pregnant."  All the girls looked at me in surprise!  Whoops!  Melissa didn't know we weren't exactly telling people at that point.

The girls were so excited when we told them on Valentine's day that they could finally tell their teachers.  The teachers were all surprised when they found out the girls had been keeping it a secret for nearly 3 months.  They still whisper, "Do they know?" when someone is around.  I always respond with, "Honey, it's obvious now and I think everyone knows."

We go in nearly every week to make sure things are going well.  We've only had three visits where they didn't do an ultrasound... So my fridge is covered in pictures of the baby.  My friend, Brenda, brought me a present 2 weeks ago and said, "I saw this and thought Ally needs this."  It was a frame to hold your ultrasound picture with a caption underneath that says, "Coming soon".  We were having another ultrasound the next week so we decided to wait and get a better profile picture.

When we opened the frame we realized there were several captions you could put in it not just coming soon.  The girls and I chose "bun in the oven" as you can see.  Ashley asked what that meant and Sammy responded, "It means Mommy has a baby in her tummy."  Ashley said, "I know that, but what does it mean?"  I replied, "It means Daddy's been doing some baking and he put a bun in my oven."  Ashley then said, "Daddy's a good cook!"  I laughed so hard!!!  Our little bun is growing and it's heart rate fluctuates from time to time.  It's gone from 146 all the way up to 176 and back down to 144.  We've been told not to worry at all and that is completely normal.  As long as it stays in the 120-160 range (well, as long as it stays above 120) there is nothing to worry about.  We did ask at the last ultrasound to take a peek and see if we could see the gender.  The baby had it's ankles crossed and it's legs tucked way up under it's bum.  It was moving a ton during the ultrasound, but kept it's ankles crossed.  We have another ultrasound 2 weeks from Friday and hopefully the baby won't be so modest... that's the only time in it's life I will say that!  Any guesses as to what the baby is?  Boy?  Girl?  Definitely not both!  I've heard that more than once... mostly by Katie.  She wants there to be two.  I keep telling her there is only one.  And then she'll say, "But one could be hiding behind the other one."  I tell her that can happen, but we've had so many ultrasounds they would have seen that by now.  Only one!

Here are my growing baby bump pictures:

12 weeks

(end of the day... I always seem to be bigger at night when I relax a bit more)

 14 weeks

 17 weeks

This one was taken Monday in the late afternoon

Also, if you have any suggestions for names I would like to hear ideas.  We are super picky and have a couple rules.  It needs to be a name (or something that can be shortened for a nickname) that ends with a long E sound.  Andy, Ally, Sammy, Ashley, Katie... we want to stick with it.  We don't want any family names and boy does that make it hard!  We don't like duplicates.  (Sorry if I'm offending anyone who likes to do family names.  It's not our thing.)  And last, if it's a boy we can't have any J names.  He would have the middle name Edward... here is where you are going to think I've fallen off my rocker!  It is Andy's middle name and his dad's middle name.  This is our only exception to a family name.  Andy is the first born son and he would like our first born son to carry the tradition.  You might be thinking what's wrong with a J name?  When we were pregnant with Sammy and didn't know she was a girl we had a boy name picked out, too.  If she was a boy her name was going to be Jacob Edward---way before Twilight ladies!!!  We thought it was a good, strong name and then my little brother ruined it... before Twilight ruined it for good.  He said, "You are such a jerk.  Why would you do that to your kid?"  I was confused thinking it was a great name.  He said, "Did you ever think about his initials?  They would be J.E.W.!  He would get teased all the time."  Thanks a lot!  So now all boy J names are out which totally bites because there are a bunch to choose from that go along with our theme... Jamie, Jeremy, Jeffery, and the list goes on.  I am open for suggestions because everything I've taken to Andy he immediately shoots down.  I have 2 baby name books and I'm still at a loss.  Sammy was the only one who had a name before she was actually born.  Poor Ashley was 3 days old when we finally agreed on her name.  And Katie popped up as a contender during labor, but wasn't named till she was a day or two old.  I'm open to suggestions.