Before I had found out I was pregnant, Phil and I had decided to move in the direction of adoption. Upon returning from Disney World, I called a local attorney and set up our first meeting for February 15th. We had researched adotion agencies and weighed the options of using an agency or attorney, and we were learning towards a local attorney. I was so excited when I made that phone call in early January. I went on with filling out the paperwork, already dreaming about one day adopting a child. I had no idea there was a little peanut growing inside me. The fatigue, loss of appetite, and soreness should have been a clue...but it wasn't.
I ran into my doctor at school the morning I got my positive HPT and of course I about ran and jumped in her lap screaming the great news. She got my paperwork ready to get my bloodwork done on Thursday and Saturday. My HCG level (the hormone that confirms a pregnancy through urine or blood)came back back at 1742 on Thursday and my progesterone at 10.1 (not great). The important thing is that the HCG number doubles every 48 hours. On Saturday, it had risen to 3389-close enough to consider this pregnancy viable. The progesterone came back at 14.9. The progesterone was an easy fix with supplemental medicine that I will stay on through the first trimester (I knew it would be an issue since it was what caused me to lose my first pregnancy).
If anyone tells me that God doesn't have a sense of humor, I have a story to prove otherwise. After my doctor received my bloodwork levels back from the lab, she called to schedule my first ultrasound for FEBRUARY 15TH!! This was the same day we had our appointment with the adoption attorney. Obviously, we canceled that appointment and went on with our first ultrasound.
I could not eat or sleep on Valentine's Day. We went to a fancy steakhouse dinner and I ate bread and macaroni and cheese while sipping on Ginger Ale. That night, sleeping was near impossible. I tossed. I turned. Phil told me 100 times that everything was going to be ok. He prayed. I prayed. And I conintued to toss and turn all night long just hoping to hear good news the next day at our appointment.
Finally, the moment arrived. "Ann Heppding." Phil and I leaped out of our seats. We followed the nurse. She took my weight and blood pressure (amazingly it hadn't sky rocketed). I could feel my heart pulsating through my clothes. She took me in the ultrasound room and told me to get ready. I knew the routine. I have had so many ultrasounds from my previous doctor that I needed no directions. After what felt like forever, the u/s technician came back in. And up popped a sac on the ultrasound screen. The baby wasn't visible but the two necessary sacs were there. I met with my doctor and she told us, "I think this is it." "Keep your fingers crossed for a heartbeat in 10 days at your next ultrasound. 10 days? That's my BIRTHDAY!!
Yes, on February 25th 2010, Phil and I saw and heard the most precious thing ever. I received the best birthday gift ever. I saw my baby for the first time with a racing heart beat of 186. That's fast...real fast. The heart was just beating away. We could even see the flicker on the screen. Now, at this point, it looked like a blob, maybe a peanut. But it was our peanut. Our growing peanut. I cried so much I was shaking. I cried so much that the technician told me I needed to calm down so she could get all the measurements. I was beyond thrilled and I eventually quit shaking enough to finally enjoy the news that we were indeed pregnant.
We left that appointment estatic. We called both of our parents before we were out of the parking lot. I called both Heather and Ally with the great news of the heart beat. It was time to celebrate my birthday and being pregnant. Phil had made reservations at another nice restaurant, but there was no way I could stomach a big meal. Yes, it is true. On my 34th birthday I begged for McDonald's. I celebrated with a Happy Meal and it was probably the yummiest meal to date. (Jenn Purdy, if you are reading this close your eyes or substitute it with a healthier meal).
During the first week of March, I had yet another ultrasound. I was assigned to a new doctor (who is an angel in disguise and I'm so excited she is my new doctor) and she decided to do another ultrasound because my files had not been transferred correctly and she wanted records and accurate information for my chart. In a little over a week that peanut had grown so much. The heartbeat was still in the 180's and everything looked perfect for 9w3d. It is amazing what God does in such a short amount of time. We got a new picture of our child. I held it like it was gold. We looked at it all the time. It has sat on my nightstand in a growing collection of ultrasound pictures. Our child looks like a peanut, but already has budding arms and legs. See for yourself-but you might need a magnifying glass and you will need to scroll back up to the top of this page.
We had our due date of October 2nd. And I was given a list of dates for all of my appointments through September. We left the doctor's office much happier than I thought possible. At 9 1/2 weeks I wasn't sporting a baby bump yet, but my waist was most certainly thickening. I'm very proud and excited that my pants won't button. It means my body is working right. I have no shame-so much in fact I will even post a picture. Thank you Lord for this miracle!!
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