Last Monday's Appointment and Poppy!

Going into last Monday's appointment, our nurse told us that we would not have another u/s until we were able to tell the gender, which was going to be around week 19 or 20. Even though I desperately wanted to see the little one, I was content with just being able to hear his/her heartbeat. So, before we arrived to the doctor's office I did a little research about the fetal dopplers and mentioned to Jeff that I had read that using a Doppler to find a baby's heartbeat was a lot harder than finding it on the u/s and that after several times of trying they will do an u/s to make sure everything is fine. Boy...am I glad I prepared him for that!

Our CNP (Nurse Practitioner) brought in a nurse with her to listen to the baby as she filled out my chart for 2nd trimester screening. I could tell the nurse was concerned after several minutes of trying and no heartbeat. Stephanie (our CNP) came over and gave the nurse some directions and told us that sometimes a 16 week baby's heartbeat was hard to find on a Doppler. I saw the look of panic on Jeff's face and I, myself tried to remain calm. I just kept thinking that "it" had to be there and this could not be happening to us. Then...thump...thump...thump...there it was...the sweetest, most perfect sound I have ever heard. Shewww...what a relief! We finished up the appointment with bloodwork for our second trimester screening and when I got the results a couple of days ago and everything with the baby was great. I, on the other hand, am still slightly anemic and my thyroid is just a little overactive (which causes you to have a harder time gaining weight). The doctor says that both are commonly seen during pregnancy and not to worry because my thyroid was tested a couple of months before I got pregnant and everything was fine. I'm not required to take any medication for my thyroid, but I am having to take an iron supplement once a day. My doctor said that I needed to eat more meat since I was anemic and also because I have yet to gain any weight. I'm sure the weight will come with time :)

Since our slight scare, we have since decided to rent a fetal monitor doppler from a website that a friend shared with me called Tiny Heartbeats. They will let mother's who have suffered from a miscarriage, fetal demise, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, loss of a child to complications from pregnancy, or even women in high risk pregnancies rent the Doppler's free of charge. If you would like to rent one or want to know more about it, you can check out their website at www.tinyheartbeats.org . My rented doppler should be here any day and I will blog about it once I learn to use it.

I just wanted to leave you with a few pictures from when Jeff and I told my Dad that we were pregnant. They are pretty special because I love my Dad so much. There is just something about Daddy's and their little girls :) He has been everything a father could be and so much more. I know Baby S will love their "Poppy". I can't wait to see him and my mom with their first grandson or granddaughter. I get teary eyed just thinking about it.

We gave Dad a handkerchief that read "Grandpa"

This is CLASSIC!!! He was upset because I had spent the day at his and Mom's house and I didn't tell him the good news when I saw him earlier...I just told Mom cause I knew he couldn't keep it secret!

Awww...I can't wait til he/she gets here!!!
(I was pretty proud of myself because I made this on my sewing/embroidering machine that Dad and Mom bought me for Christmas :)

Warmest,