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Faith had an awesome birthday!  We had her birthday party the weekend before her actual birthday.  She had her party at the park with family and friends.  She had tons of fun.  The following weekend (Friday, July 3rd) was her birthday.  We went to the zoo, and then stopped at Toys R Us for her BIG birthday present:  a Powerwheels Jeep!

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

I haven’t yet shared with everyone a decision Aaron and I made a couple months ago.  We decided to try out fertility treatments as a last-ditch effort of conceiving.  As many of you already know from reading my blog, I had two miscarriages last year.  These past two pregnancies happened naturally, but sadly they didn’t progress.  Since then, Aaron and I still continued to bring another little one into our family but it just wasn’t happening.  It’s been almost a year since my last miscarriage.  I talked with Aaron about getting help from the doctor for just a couple months, and if it doesn’t happen.. at least we can say we tried everything.  I was and am ready to accept God’s will if another baby is not meant to be for us.

So last month I began fertility medication for the first time, and it worked.  It WORKED.

When I got the positive pregnancy test, I told Aaron only.  We decided not to share the news yet until I saw my doctor.  I had to have a blood test to check my HCG levels.  They have to check and see that the HCG pregnancy hormone in my body is at the right level to indicate a healthy embryo, and more importantly, if the HCG is doubling in number every 48 hours then that is a strong indication that the baby is healthy and growing normally.

I tell you, I was dreading these tests.  With my past miscarriages my numbers were barely rising and definitely no where near doubling.  So as I drove to my first appointment this week to get my blood drawn, I was a nervous wreck.  The first test results were 251.8.  This was a good number for 4 weeks pregnant!  But like I said, it is even more important that those numbers DOUBLE in a couple days.  So as I drove back two days later for another blood draw, I was downright scared.

The results came back and the numbers more than doubled!  It was 684.7!  When Aaron got home from work I was able to say, “It more than doubled!” without crying, but when he asked what the numbers were I started choking up and I was in tears.  We got good news :)

We are not out of the woods yet.  There is still a high chance of miscarriage in the first trimester.  Most miscarriages occurring in the first trimester happen before the 12th week of pregnancy. After the first 12 weeks of gestation, the chances of a miscarriage dramatically decrease to less than 10% of all pregnancies.  Halloween is when I will be 12 weeks pregnant so if this kiddo decides to stick around for that long, then it’s safe to say I probably won’t miscarry.

The reason I want to share this news with you all now is because I would much rather prefer you all pray over our baby now!  I have a life growing inside of me right now and I can’t keep that a secret and don’t want to!  No matter what happens, I have to share the wonderful news.  RIGHT NOW things are good :)  RIGHT NOW our baby is healthy :)   I have to tell the world this!  And if my pregnancy ends in another miscarriage, I know that all of you will have us in your thoughts and prayers.  It’s very comforting to know that my loved ones are praying for our baby right this very minute, and praying for me and my family no matter where this road may lead.

But I choose to be happy now :)  And I know you’re feeling happy right along with me :)  Please keep us in your daily prayers.

I will continue to post updates if my pregnancy progresses.  I think I will hold off on posting belly pics until I am safely past the first trimester.

 

 

 

Oh, one last thing.  Two old friends of mine recently messaged me.  Neither of them knew that I began fertility treatments, and I also haven’t chatted with them in a while.  Both of them said they had a dream I was pregnant.  At first I laughed when my BFF, Lidia, shared her dream with me.  But then when Kerry messaged me a day later and said, “You’re pregnant!”  I was creeped out.  I actually didn’t even ovulate yet at the time of their dreams.

 

 

Well, my friends, your dreams came true!  My mom said that those dreams were God’s way of trying to send me a message of encouragement.  Maybe so :)

 

 

I am now 7 weeks pregnant.  I had an ultrasound done, and we heard the heartbeat!  I was so relieved to hear, and actually see, the heartbeat of our little baby.  157 beats per minute.  A normal and strong heartbeat!  Everything looked good and the doctor congratulated us!  Aaron and Faith were with me, and Faith also got to see the baby and hear the heartbeat.  She is also very excited.  She kisses my tummy and says, “I love you, baby.”   The doctor told me that once they can hear the heartbeat, the risk of miscarriage drops down to 1 to 3 percent!!!  When he said that, I couldn’t hold back the tears.  I thought such a low percentage of miscarriage only happens when I am out of the first trimester.  What a joy, and what a relief to hear such good news.  Although I do realize due to my age that my pregnancy is still considered “high risk,”  for now, we are all just very very happy that all is well :)

Another great sign that a healthy happy baby is growing inside of me is the fact that I am SICK!  Yay!  Well, I don’t like feeling so bad, but regardless, I am very happy that my body is extremely fatigued and I am now fighting constant nausea. I won’t complain!  This means that our baby is growing and thriving!  It’s strange, my pregnancy symptoms are exactly like how it was when I was pregnant with Faith.  I am ok in the morning but by late afternoon/evening, I am very nauseous and exhausted – just like with Faith.   I am craving icy cold drinks and popsicles – just like with Faith.  I am craving icy cold orange juice, and with Faith I craved cold mandarin oranges.  I would eat full jars of them in one sitting.  Now I’m drinking gallons of cold orange juice.  Nothing else helps the nausea – just like how it was with Faith.  I took all of the advice from other moms to fight nausea; crackers, peppermint, ginger, carbonated drinks, etc.  Nothing helps.  Just cold and citrus.  I’m wondering if I’m pregnant with another girl because my symptoms are exactly like when I was carrying Faith.

So, as of right now, our baby looks like this at 7 weeks…

Baby’s hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny baby fingers and toes. Technically, our baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that’s the only thing getting smaller. Baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.  Baby has eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of baby’s brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in baby’s growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.

7 weeks belly pic!