Update 12-22-09

Been too busy to update my blog but we are all doing well. I'm not ready for Christmas and am so glad that tomorrow I get off at 12:30pm and then have all day Thursday off. As of 12/18 Friday baby girl's anemia is the same and my antibodies are the same so she's safer to stay right where she is at! What a huge blessing! Calvin & McKenna are on winter break and loving it. They are excited for Christmas of course and enjoying playing with their friends and outside the past few days. It's still 65 or so degrees here although today it was a bit colder and we had a good rain storm. Will is luckily staying busy with real estate and bpo's. He seems to be working all of the time but at least a lot of it is from our very own home. My belly is getting huge and I still am amazed every time I feel the baby move! I feel so blessed to be having another baby so no matter what drama or pain she is worth it! :o)

Baby Sophia Update

Went again today and had a level 2 fancy ultrasound and baby Sophia's anemia levels were lower today than Friday so that is good news!!! Her blood is healthier today than Friday! She looked great and then we waited and waited to see the specialist....the perintologist and she talked to us for a very long long time. Basically she wanted to do a bunch of non-sense tests that wouldn't result in anything for this pregnancy. She had both of us go get our blood drawn today and so by the time we were done it was an all day event with a ton of waiting in waiting rooms!!! She wanted Will's blood to confirm that he is a carrier of Big E since the baby is and to see if he has two Big E's or one big and one little e which will determine the risk for anything in the future. She wanted to test my blood to see if my antibodies had increased and we will have the results on Friday. If my antibody levels have increased then they will have me come back in for another ultrasound right away if they are the same or less it will be in 2 weeks. So in other words and to sum it up she might come early but she might just stay right where she is at and if my levels and her levels stay good she could be a full term baby which would be the absolute best thing!!! Thank you Heavenly Father!!!

Dr. Appt Results & Pics of Our Baby Girl

Yesterday the Dr.'s office called me and said that I didn't need to see a genetics specialist that I needed to see a perintologist and one wouldn't be in until Monday so I would only have an Ultrasound. So I went to the ultrasound and my Mother-in-law Maggie met me there. When the tech was done she said she had to have a doctor review it but that Baby girl probably Baby Sophia was great! 3 lbs 12 oz with their fancier machine and at the 48% percentile of babies at this stage which is 30 weeks 6 days so practically 31 weeks.

A doctor came back and said she needed to continue with the ultrasound to look at one more thing she was a genetics specialist and extremely nice! She looked at the babies brain and at a specific blood vessel in her brain and explained to me that it appears that the antibody anti-e is possibly taking effect on the baby by causing her to be anemic and they determine how anemic she is by looking at this vessel in her brain, the faster is goes the more anemic she is. She said she was a little anemic but would have to put the numbers into the complicated equation to tell us how anemic (should know Mon).

She explained more of what the anti-e was and that Will is probably a negative blood and carrier of anti-e and that I probably developed the antibody because I'm obviously not a carrier of it in my blood. She said this probably happened in a previous delivery or miscarriage. She said that the perintologist would go over all of this on Monday and that they might want to test Will. She told me that our baby was great in every other way but Monday they want to do another ultrasound to look at that vessel in her brain to see if she is more anemic and we can go from there. I asked her if she is what would they do she said that they would access how anemic and try to have her stay in the womb until at least 34 weeks if I was less along like in the 20 weeks and she got more anemic they would want to do a blood transfusion through the umbilical cord which can pose a few risks but because I'm further along they would take her via c-section and she would possibly have to get some blood transfusions as soon as she was delivered to give her clean blood that isn't being attacked by the anti-e antibody. So she said everything looks pretty good come in Monday and let's see what levels we are at and hopefully we can just do an ultrasound every week to make sure she's not in the severe anemic stage and we can get you past 34 weeks. That is only 3 weeks away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at her chubby little cheeks so cute!!! I can't wait to kiss those lips!!!

It was a relief being able to talk to a doctor who explained this a bit more to me. I asked if I could do anything to help her anemia because I'm anemic also and was just given a RX for iron she told me to take it...it couldn't hurt but it probably wouldn't do much good if the anti-e was the culprit making baby girl anemic because it was in her blood trying to destroy her red blood cells making her blood more watery thus going faster through her vessels. We left with hope because I thought they would say oh you need an amniocentesis right away and blah blah instead she said your baby is good size, overall very healthy, moving great and responding well and super cute she should be fine even if we had to take her early.

BUT Holy cow we don't have anything set up or bought or ready for this little girl and she could be born in 3 weeks (well actually less I guess but Monday we'll see for sure)! I hope she isn't because that is still too little and she would probably have to stay in the hospital for awhile until her lungs developed fully etc. I would prefer 6 weeks before delivery. :o) We haven't cleaned out the room that will be hers and currently it is a craft office room for me with all sorts of junk in it, we need to paint her room, need to sand and paint the crib & changing table, get bedding, we don't have anything else for her so I need to get the basics and a car seat immediately! Brandy gave me lots of clothes luckily some are preemie clothes because Kyah was only 5 lbs so I need to wash them up and sort them. I don't have a dresser for her or anything I'll need to get diapers and stuff and pack up my bag and be ready I just in case. I truly feel stressed to get ready and usually would have been because I'm such a planner and want everything perfect but life has been too crazy busy and work has been extremely busy with 10 -12 hour days this entire week.

By the way thanks so very much for caring, for praying for us, for offering to go with me to the appointment and for the words of encouragement it truly has helped!!!! I appreciate it so much!!! I plan on getting a blessing this weekend and going shopping & packing my bag today!!!

Here's some pictures of baby from yesterday....look at those full lips and chubby cheeks!!! I LOVE IT!!! Allot like Calvin had. Sorry if these pictures freak any of you out I'm amazed and love seeing what she looks like because I'm so impatient! The best part about this whole ordeal to me is the awesome 3d or 4d ultrasound that shows me exactly what she looks like because I love that kind of stuff it amazes me! :o)

This one the cord is near her face on the right side so it made it a bit blurry

and she didn't turn all the way so the machine couldn't get her full face

She's not a hairlip she was starting to make a face and the cord is still there
The tech said she has hair but you can barely see any both of my other two were baldies :o)

Her face is in there and she had raised her hands & the cord so it's a bit blurry

Her profile with both fists up...if you look close you can see her full lips sticking out. :o)

Again, thanks for all the support and prayers! We hope this little dolly stays right where she's at and that she doesn't get more anemic and we can go full term or at least a few more weeks so she's got a better set of lungs. :o) Sorry Mom looks like you might have to change your flight.

A little nervous - level 2 ultrasound & genetic spec appt tomorrow

So today the referral department had the specialists office call me and they wanted me to come in today or tomorrow for the level 2 Ultrasound and said that immediately after the fancy ultrasound that I would be seeing the Fetal & Women's Genetics Specialist. I asked them why and they said it was because of the antibody anti-e in my blood. I asked why they needed to see me so quickly and she said because it said on the order ASAP.

So I'm scheduled for tomorrow at 1:30pm and Will can't come with me because he is having more dental work done and can't cancel because the dentist will be closed during the holidays and having to utilize the insurance before the end of the year thing.

Do these people know how much of a heart attack or worry they can cause a pregnant lady who has wanted another baby for 7 long years??????? To top it off I'll have to go alone and probably not remember a word they say.

Still hoping that all is well and TRYING not to get stressed out about it.

Dr. Appointment Yesterday ?? Anti-E ??

So yesterday I had an ultrasound and doctor's appointment. The ultrasound showed sweet baby girl but never would she look at us she kept turning her face and putting her arms and feet in front of her face so no good pictures darn it. She weights 3 lbs and 14 ounces and is in the 70% of babies that are in 30 weeks so kind of a porky. :O) Everything looked great with her according to the tech and the doctor.

The doctor however told me my 28 week lab results and said that my iron had dropped again and so I had to be put on RX strength iron, my potassium is still a low to keep taking the pills and eating lots of bananas etc but the thing that bothered me was that she told me that my blood came back with antibody anti-e in it and that it is treated like rh- factor and that I need to go see a specialist, have another $1180 ultrasound and more blood work done because it could attack the baby. Of course she also told me like three times not to freak out because the baby was great etc. I didn't understand what she was talking about really and neither did Will. She kept asking me if I had a blood transfusion and I said no.

Well after looking it up online it turns out that it's not treated quite the same as rh- factor because in rh- factor you get a shot to prevent your blood from making the antibodies that attack the foreign blood or thing in your body. I already have the antibody and so I have to have another level 2 fancy ultrasound to see if my blood is mixing with the babies or vice versa. The blood work will see if the antibodies have increased. My anemia or low iron could be partially contributed to the antibodies as well. I'm not freaking out about it because she could have the same blood type as me and there's nothing to worry about. Plus I already know I have to have a c-section and because I had pre-term labor with the other two it's crossed my mind that she might come a little early or bed rest might be in my future but it would have been great if she explained it a little bit better yesterday. I'm now waiting for the referrals department to call me in the next day or two to schedule this fancy ultrasound. Oh yeah I read that it can be caused by a blood transfusion or by a miscarriage or a previous child who had negative blood when Mom has positive blood and that my body could have made the antibody after I miscarried or delivered but once you create an antibody you always have it.

In my prayers last night & today I felt peace and comforted that everything would be ok so that is so awesome. I just hope that the antibodies don't attack or increase so she can continue to develop right where she's at and where she needs to stay for awhile longer. :o) I'm due on Valentines day but my doctor will take her by Feb. 8th if I don't go into labor or have problems before then. Besides my hip being dislocated and a few more braxton hicks contractions than I'd like today, I've feel great and feel so blessed to be pregnant! Well I guess I feel kinda of fat these days too but that's to be expected. ha ha

I'm wondering if anyone else has ever heard of this or dealt with it????

Rocco the Bird & Family Pictures Nov. 09

We went to Utah for Thanksgiving and stayed a week...it was great! My Mom & Jim have a bird named Rocco and he talks & sings a little bit and loves people. Here's a picture of Will and McKenna trying to get him to talk to them.
So a little bit later my Mom & Rocco's favorite lady comes over and starts singing to see if Rocco will join her. As you can see it ruffles his feathers. :o) Oh how my Mom loves Rocco so she's going to give him a little kiss like usual right. Except this time he decided to kiss her back! Yikes! She was hoping he didn't tear off her lip! Birds beaks are pretty strong and this was a first time event.

Oh sick Rocco! Luckily he let go softly and my Mom hurried and wiped off her mouth! We gathered around so Jim could take all of the pictures my Mom wanted of us...we all forgot to get group shots on Thanksgiving Day so this was the last night we were there last minute.

McKenna, Me, Will and Calvin 11/28/09

Jim (Pops) & Mom (Grammy) 11/28/09

McKenna (age 11.5), Me and Baby Girl

A whole group shot taken 11/28/09

front row: Kenna, Adia, Pops, Kyah & Calvin

back row: Will, Me, Mom, Brandy & Tyson

Another group shot

Adia & Calvin

Cute Cousins!

Me and Calvin hugging his baby sister :o)

Us girls Brandy my lil sis who wasn't feeling well, Mom and I

Will and I and baby girl bump :o)

I'll post more later but we had a great time! I miss them already and wish we all lived closer so we could be together more often!!!

Going to Utah...Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!!! We are heading off to Utah to have it with my Mom & Sister. We are so excited to enjoy a week of being with them and not working :o)

My Step Dad Jim aka Pops & my Pretty Mom Sherri

My TV Sister Brandy & Kyah & Adia & Tyson :o)

And although our kids are going to miss playing on their new playhouse/swing set they are looking forward to playing with their cousins and hoping there is SNOW!!!

It's still 75-79 degrees here during the day so they play everyday after school on this thing! Below is Grammy's house a couple of years ago with the first snow of the season and they are really hoping for snow!

Will & I on the other hand hope that it the snow evades us as we drive and the roads are clear. We like to visit the snow but neither Will or I like living in the snow. I'm a sun shine girl and only like snow around Christmas. :o)


If there's no snow on the ground at my families houses then we will drive up to the snow because the kids are set on building a snowman while we there and I can't say I blame them!

I am so thankful for so many things but most especially for the knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father, for his Son Jesus Christ who atoned for our sins, for the Holy Ghost, for being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, for having a testimony of the gospel, for repentance, for all of my freedoms, for the men and women that have and continue to make that possible, for great friends and especially for my wonderful FAMILY!!!

Hope you all get to enjoy lots of yummy food and be surrounded by the people you love!