Please Pray With Us

With a LOT of excitement lately, it has been easy to hope that all is well with the pregnancy. We are constantly in prayer for the small developing baby organs, that all parts and pieces will be molded together just right :) Just yesterday we received a small bit of information that is slightly alarming (especially to Lila who works with premature/sick babies). We were told that based on the first trimester screening that we had done earlier in the week, we are at an increased risk for having a baby with Down Syndrome. Our number is 1 in 259. Usually that risk is heavily based on maternal age, with a greater risk after 35 years old. As Lila does not fall into that category, this number we were given from the test is higher than average for someone 28 years old and healthy. There are many, many factors that go in to this, such as actual gestational age, which we are somewhere between 12-13 weeks, the size of the baby, maternal blood, and so forth. There is also a high false positive with this particular test. Here is one article I found interesting:

http://www.aafp.org/afp/20000815/825.html

SO....what now? Well, nothing right now. Lila, understandably, is a bit shaken and preoccupied with the thought of having a special needs child. Josh is being super optimistic. And we just have to wait for the next step in the process, which is an Anatomy Scan at about 20 weeks gestation...which would show any cardiac defects or other malformations. (Right now all of the ultrasound anatomy looks great!)

I just wanted to let you all know that this is heavy on my heart and mind. I am fully confident that GOD is in control, and that HE is knitting this baby together just as he would have it formed! Please pray for my mind, and that the devil would NOT play with my thoughts and feelings and fears about the baby! Please also pray for us this weekend as we travel to see family, that it would be a good time together, and safe travels. We love you all!!!!

Dance of the Little Bean (12 Weeks)

Today we got to see Little Bean in action. After a quick finger-stick to Mom, we were whisked back to a room where we got to see Little Bean on a big screen TV! :)

Here is the Baby doing the back stroke:


Covering his/her ears...


Already a ham! Smile for the camera Bean!!


Is that a Dodson foot or a Barnes foot!?? YIKES!!!

A Good Day

Well, if Saturday was the worst day of the pregnancy so far, then Monday was one of the best thus far! On Saturday morning I woke up feeling very yuckie. It was not the normal i feel ickie, it was BAD. After a very eventful, messy start to the day, we did make it out of the door to go to work. Let me just tell all and everyone, my husband is the BEST on earth!! He cleaned up my mess without hesitating, and was very caring in all of my pitifulness! So we both went in to work, Josh volunteering in the ER, me with the babies. But at about 9:30am I called Josh and told him that I just did not believe I was going to be ok to stay at work...so we were able to leave and come home. After another event I was carefully tucked in to bed and allowed to sleep all day! (Little Bean must have just needed rest or something, who knows!!) After sleeping all day on Saturday and all night, besides feeling very puny when I got up, I was starting to feel a little better. 

Monday was a whole new day! While I slept to recover from Sunday night shift, Josh mowed the lawn (I never even heard it!!), and tinkered in his shop. By 5pm me and Little Bean had worked up quite an appetite, and requested a special dinner. So we had Date Night!!! It's been a while since I have felt like doing much, so Josh was pleased to take me out for dinner. We went to the Japanese place where they cook it right in front of you...yummmm! The ginger salad dressing and white dipping sauce were exactly what Little Bean was wanting! :) At dinner we giggled as we watched a cute little family at the other end of our table who had 2 very boucy girls. 

As we are approaching the end of our first trimester, we are definitely looking forward to the return of my energy! It just seems like I am so super tired all of the time....but I am assured by many women around me that it will get better soon! This is a prayer request. It is not like me to not feel like doing much, and there is plenty to get done around the house for sure. So please pray with us that I will begin to feel better soon.

Also, Josh is in the process of finalizing all aspects of his applications for MUSC and USC schools of medicine. Although his MCAT scores were not all that we had hoped for, we are still confident that God can do great works, and if it is God's will that Josh get in to the Fall '09 class that it is still possible through God! So please pray for details to come together: with the applications, with Josh's Spring school schedule, with plans to get a job, etc. We are trusting in the Lord!!

The Beat Goes On

Today we went to the OBGYN, we got to see Little Bean's heartbeat!!! :) The above picture is so super cute, shows a beautiful profile of the little one. It was very exciting for Lila to get to see the heartbeat this time, makes it even more REAL! Josh enjoyed asking the doctor questions.

Here is a view where Little Bean is kicking out, that's the little feet dots in the middle! :)