Wyatt Jacob is here!

Wyatt Jacob, 12/19/08 9:52pm 6lbs 8oz 19.5 in.

Here's my short version of his birth:

BP was high so went in for amnio on Thursday. During the initial ultrasound the doc said the baby's fluid was too low--half of what it had been the week before. No need to do an amnio, we need to have a baby. They sent me to the hospital to start my induction. They put in the Cervadil(sp?) that evening to thin the cervix. Started the Pitocin Friday morning.
I asked for an epi around 5cm. Doc checked me at 7-8cm and said he didn't think I'd be able to push the baby out b/c of my pelvis being too narrow, but that I could try...so, in trying to avoid a c-sec I told him I'd really like to try. I ended up pushing for a total of about 3 hours--including after my epi stopped working--to no avail. Baby couldn't get past the pelvic bone. So, exhausted, we went for a c-sec. They re-dosed my epi, but it didn't fully take and I felt the surgery--I heard the baby cry and I was out....they'd put me to sleep. I didn't get to see Wyatt until 2 am. He had to go to the Special Care Nursery b/c of his blood sugar being low. But he is fine now. I'd go thru it all again to get my new little man!

No induction this week

Well, I had my visit with Dr. Rohrer today. I'm kind of bummed. I was really hoping she'd be able to induce me this week, but she'll be going on vacation beginning on Thursday and won't be back until Monday, December 29th. Yep, AFTER Christmas! Ugh. But, she did say that the Dr. I'll see in her absence may do the induction for me depending on the amnio results. I'd much rather her deliver Wyatt, but I'm willing to let the other doctor do it too.
The only draw back is that my appointment with the other doctor is at 2:30 on Monday. I don't know how these things typically work, so I don't know if they'd put me in for an induction that same day or not...or if I'd have to wait until the next day. If I have to wait until the next day I'd be nervous that if something went wrong and I had to have a c-section for some reason that I'd be stuck in the hospital on Christmas Day. So, I'm wondering if it may be better to just wait until after Christmas so I don't have to worry so much about Christmas. It is only 2 weeks away after all.....surely I can handle it that much longer.
Now, with all this said, there is a chance that I'll go into labor on my own before being induced. This would be wonderful as long as I don't have to be in the hospital on Christmas....that's my biggest fear--I don't want to miss Christmas with Walker. But, I'd be surprised if I go on my own. According to Dr. Rohrer I haven't dilated any more, although I'm thinning nicely (as she put it) and the baby is low. So, I could be like this for weeks.
I'm anxious to for my appointment on Friday with ROC. I'm hopeful that Wyatt's lungs are fully developed and we'll have the option for an induction if I feel I can't go any further. We'll certainly keep you all posted on how things are progressing.
Take care!

Merry Christmas from the Douglas'

Merry Christmas from the Douglas Family!!!!

Maybe BABY in 1 week!!!!!

Well, I had my weekly visit with Regional OB -- the high risk group. All went well. Little Wyatt is weighing in a 6lbs 12oz. So, he slowed a little in his growing, but is still a good size. I asked Dr. Kipikasa how much longer I had to wait until we could deliver him. He wants to wait a week, do an amnio....if his lungs are good, then we're free to be induced! YAY!!!!!!!! He said it only takes a couple of hours to get the results back. So, it'll depend on on Dr. Rohrer's schedule. I'll be discussing this with her on Tuesday.

So, there is a VERY good chance we can meet Wyatt before the end of next week! We are SO excited!

I also wanted to talk a little about the class I took last night. I'm so glad I took it! It was VERY helpful. I'm surprised at how expensive the good electric breast pumps are--WOW--Over $350 with tax! YIKES! I think I'm going to start out with a manual pump, just so I have one in case of engorgement. If I see that I'll need an electric one down the road, we'll deal with it then.

Anyhow, please say a little prayer that all goes well with the amnio next week and we can get this baby out and that Dr. Rohrer is willing to do the induction as soon as we get the results!

Slow progression.....but slow is better than no

I saw Dr. Rohrer yesterday for my 37 week visit---well, 37 weeks per Dr. Rohrer, 35 per ROC because they will not officially change my due date. Anyhow, all went well on the NST (non-stress test) monitoring. Wyatt was being a bit lazy at first and I had to stay on a little longer, but he perked up and all is well. Dr Rohrer asked if ROC had mentioned anything to me yet about a possible delivery date and I advised that no they had not. I asked if a delivery date would be up to them and she said yes, of course unless my body chooses to go in labor Au natural!:)
I was supposed to have my Group B Strep test, but she forgot to do it before checking me....and it had to be done before a check, so she said to let ROC know and they may decide to do it otherwise she'll do it at next weeks visit. I have to say this about my exam.....IT HURT!!!!! OUCH!!! I'd heard that it might, but OMG, I couldn't believe how uncomfortable just an exam could be. The only good thing about it was finding out that I am 1cm dilated and thinning. Not quite what I was hoping for, but better than nothing. I was hoping to be at 2 or 3 and 100%, but no such luck. I could be this way for weeks, but at least I'm not at 0.
Tomorrow I'll get to find out how big the little booger is....can't wait for that! Oh, and tonight I have a breastfeeding class. I'm looking forward to it. Randy will be staying home with Walkerman.....he said I was on my own for this class--can't blame him, not like he can really do much to breastfeed the baby! lol
Well, I'll post an update tomorrow about my class tonight and my appointment tomorrow!
Keep your fingers crossed that they'll let me pick a date!!!
XOXO
Missy

36 weeks

Finally, we're getting closer to meeting our newest little man. Personally, I'll be so glad for him to be here!
As the days come closer to meeting Wyatt, the more nervous I get about delivery, however it may happen, but I'll be so glad to be done with pregnancy! I think the only thing I will really miss about being pregnant is feeling him move around and kick. It's really an awesome feeling and I think it's one of those things that I will always remember...at least I hope I will.
Well, I had my 2 doctor appointments for the week. I love Dr. Rohrer, but good grief, her office is so busy! I swear I think they forgot about me on the monitor--I was on it for an hour before the nurse finally came back in to check on me. I saw doc for about 2 minutes and then I was out the door. I think my next appointment will be a little more detailed as it will be time for the Group B Strep screening. Ugh, I'm not looking forward to that at all. One of those things though. Anyhow, the baby was good. I actually had a few contractions that showed up on the NST--one was actually up in the 40 range...yeah, I know it's nothing compared to what it will be, but it was neat to see one get up that high--it didn't hurt. The infrequent contractions are becoming stronger, but they still don't "hurt", they're more just uncomfortable.
My second appointment for the week was on Friday with my high risk docs. Randy actually got to go with me to this appointment which was great! It's the first time he's been able to go with me since we first moved back to Chattanooga. My b/p was elevated (144/98) and I told the doc about all the swelling I've been having and how it's been getting much worse. It made perfect sense to him since I'd gained 8 lbs in just 1 week!!! OMG! I was like what the hell??!!!! He said it's likely water. With the swelling and pitting, elevated b/p and rapid weight gain it's likely that I may have the beginning of pre-eclampsia. He said that it's not uncommon during pregnancy, especially with the diabetes. He asked about work and I told him that I work at home. He asked that I take a couple of 20 minutes breaks while working and lie down on my left side. I'm so glad Randy was with me at this appointment, otherwise he may have thought I was just trying get away with watching TV rather than working--hehe!! I just hope I can take these breaks without falling asleep! :)
So, we'll see what happens next week. One good thing will be that we'll get weight measurements again on Friday to see how big the little guy is getting.

Oh, I almost forgot...here's my weekly belly shot:

Well, I guess that's about it for now. Hope you all have a wonderful week!

34 Weeks and other stuff....

I'm a little late getting this posted, but it's been a crazy week.
First of all, this was my first week of going to see a doc twice a week. Um, I'm over it already! But that's probably because of the extra crazy week we had. Let me fill you in........
My first appointment of the week was on Tuesday with Dr. Rohrer. All is well with the baby--heart rate was great. All-in-all a normal, quick visit of pee in a cup, blood pressure, weight, doppler and measuring of the belly....and the all important, are you having any problems or do you have any questions. This week, my only question was can I still travel (yes, less than 200 miles) and a short discussion about possible delivery dates. So, all was well. Next appt will be with ROC on Friday......or so I thought (da-da-daaaaaaa)
So, on Thursday I up and getting Walker ready for school. He had something on his hands so I wiped them with a wet washcloth and he complained about his sore pinkie. I took a look to see what he was talking about and his little pinkie finger is swollen! I asked him when this happened.....he said on Saturday! WHAT???!!! And this is the first I've heard about it!? I couldn't believe it....he just says "Well, it only hurts if you touch it." Like it's no big deal, Mom! To me, his finger is swollen and he hurt it on Saturday, it looks like it could be broken to me. So I tell him that we're going to have to see the doctor about his finger. He's perfectly fine with that, as long as it's after school. I'm like, no buddy, I think we need to go this morning to get it checked out. I'm thinking to myself that we can get it checked out and him back to school for a good half of the day....his dr has a walk-in clinic from 9-11:30am, so I don't have to worry abt making an appt. Well, he gets very upset and insists on going to school before seeing the doctor. So I figure, it's been close to a week since he injured it, what difference will another hour or so at school make at this point....so I take him on to school.
So, actually, this is a good thing because it gives me time to get a shower and put on presentable clothes (as I'd no plans of going anywhere this day). So, I get ready and head to the school a little after 9 to pick him up....I was afraid he'd still be mad about leaving school, so I was prepared for attitude. I'm happy to report that I did not get attitude from my little man, so that was wonderful :)
As we were walking out of the school into the parking lot, my large pregnant self toppled over! Yes, it was like a Weeble that DID fall! I, for the most part, caught myself, but I did sort of land on my belly. It scared the crap out of me.....and Walker. My keys, wallet and sunglasses went flying as I hit the ground-hard. My poor little man, he was so sweet asking if I was ok and if I needed help. God love him. I stayed on the ground long enough to regain my composure and try to heft my largeness off the concrete (no easy feat, I must say)! Trying to assess the damage, I am trying to figure out if I've crushed the little one growing inside me. My knee and both my hands hurt, but I am not too worried about that, more so about the baby (of course).
So, Walker picks up my things that have fallen and we get to the van. Walker keeps asking if I'm ok, because as much as I try not to, I'm crying because I'm so scared that I've hurt the baby. And I keep reassuring him that Mommy is fine, just scared. He told me "You scared me too, Mommy. But that's ok, it wasn't your fault." My sweet little man.
I call my ob's office and tell the nurse what happened--all the time crying, but trying to stay calm for Walker....um, I wasn't doing a very good job of it. The nurse tells me to come on in so they can check me out. So, I call my mom who just happened to be at the Walmart close to my dr office. When I'm trying to tell her what happened I start crying all over again....and can't make myself stop.
Anyhow, next I call Walker's doctor's office and see if I can just get him an appointment for the afternoon. I figure, if for some reason there's a problem with the baby, there will be someone available to take him to have his finger to be checked. So, I was able to get him an appointment for 2.
We get to the ob office and mom is waiting for us. She watches Walker while they put me on a monitor. The baby hadn't moved since I'd fallen, but he usually was asleep during this time anyhow, but I was still very concerned b/c I tried waking him with no luck. His heart rate was OK, but not as high as it had been just 2 days before. So the nurse puts this little buzzer thing on my belly and buzzes him a couple of times....well, that did the trick--he was awake and kicking and moving. The fall, evidently, never even phased his sleep pattern....he slept right thru the whole thing until then :)So, baby checks out fine and we are free to go after an hour or so of monitoring.
Mom goes on home to work, which I made her late for, but I'm so grateful she was able to help me out with Walker....Thanks Mom!
Walker and I head to McDonald's for lunch and some time for him on the playground...we had time to kill until time for his appointment. Then we went to DQ for a little ice cream---yes, I know I shouldn't be eating that, but I'd had a really bad morning and wanted a treat--humph! :)
Finally, time for Walker to see the doc. She agrees that he needs an xray...well, they have to send us to Chattanooga Imaging for that....so, we're off again. Thankfully, Randy calls and says he's off work. I tell him where were are going and he decides to meet us there--I'm so glad! Walker gets his xrays and we head home. I call the dr office to see if they've gotten his results and they do...his little bitty pinkie finger is broken!! So, they tell us we can put a splint on it and make an appointment for an ortho. My baby has broken his finger!!! When I told him it was broken he was so upset...saying how he didn't understand why it was broken because he could move it. Then, when we put the splint on, and he realized he was going to be wearing that to school on Friday, he was excited to show all his friends. Boys, how do they find such joy in things like this? Walker will be seeing an ortho on Monday morning. I picked up his xrays to take with us and I can't see the break, so it must be tiny....I know my eyes aren't that bad.

Ok, Friday I go to the high risk docs (ROC). Mom goes with me to this appointment too....but that had been planned for a while since she had the day scheduled off. I knew we'd be getting measurements this time and was looking forward to knowing how bit the baby is getting. Well, he's certainly growing...he's measuring in 5lbs 5oz and we still have 6 weeks to go! The doc says I've got a big boy growing. The tech says he has a chubby little belly :) So, the doc also mentions the possibility of a c-section...not that we'll necessarily have to have one, but depending on how big he is towards the end, it is a possibility. I'm not going to worry about that too much right now. In 3 more weeks we'll have a better idea when they do measurements again. Here's my belly shot for the week:


So, next week (because of the holiday) Walker has an appointment on Monday, I see my regular ob on Tuesday and then I see the high risk docs on Wednesday! Whew, we'll be busy next week too!

We have decided not to travel to Nashville on Friday following Thanksgiving. I'd love to go, and even though the doc says it's ok, I'm scared to death of going into labor while I'm there. I DO NOT want to be driving from Nashville to Chattanooga in labor---not my idea of fun. So, I made the call to not go. We'll just have to skip seeing Opryland Hotel decorated for Christmas this year. The four of us can go next year.

So, that's our exciting week....
OMG!!! I almost forgot to add and update about Anthony.....HE'S OUT OF THE HOSPITAL!!! Thanks to all for prayers--they worked!

Until next time, be safe!
Missy

Baby Shower

First, I'd like to say thanks to my mom and my BFF Stacey for all their work. And to Mary for the cake she worked so hard on!

And second, let me say that I'll post more pics when I get them. Most of them were taken with my mom's camera rather than mine, so I have to wait until she gets them to me (yep, that's a subtle hint, Mom) before I can post more.

Wow, it was a great turn-out! Even with the few people who were unable to attend due to illness, there were quite a few ladies and kiddos there!

My sister in law, Mary, made the most wonderful cake!! She is super talented! Here's a picture of the cake:

I hate that I didn't get to spend much time visiting with Mary and the kids....especially since they'd driven up all the way from Alabama. It was a crazy busy weekend.
My wonderful friend Shari, her kids and her sister drove in from Spring Hill for the shower. Little did we know there was major construction going on that basically shut down I-24 coming into Chattanooga! It took her much longer to get here than anticipated and Randy (with Walker) drove to Tiftonia to bring her in a back way. Bless their hearts for sitting in all that traffic! They did make it to the end of the shower and came over for a visit before heading back home.

I think the best part of the shower was that everyone was so willing to bring food for our little food drive! We originally were going to donate the food to the Chattanooga Food Bank, however I found out about a Ringgold family who is in need of help. The only thing the kids had for dinner on Halloween was the candy they collected. So, we decided to give the food to them. We collected a lot of food, I think, for a small baby shower! Thank you to everyone who brought in items for the food drive. I have wonderful family and friends with big hearts!


Not only did all of these wonderful ladies bring food for a needy family, they brought wonderful gifts for us! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! All will be put to good use when Wyatt makes his appearance!
And a special thanks to Karen....for bringing a little something for Walker:)XOXO He was so excited to get his own little gift. Walker had a big day too. Shari's son, Tyler, and Walker are good friends but haven't gotten to see each other since we moved back here....so, Walker got to spend some quality time with Tyler. Randy took them to an arcade during what was left of the shower when they finally made it through the horrific traffic!

Lastly, I have to comment on the entertainment! My beautiful niece, Samantha, was absolutely a hit! She's 4 and was the life of the party!!!!! She helped my open gifts and was just hilarious! She's just the cutest, funniest little thing I've every seen! She can definitely work a crowd. I think Mary needs to get her an agent! :)


So, that is about it for the shower. Again, I'd like to thank everyone for all the wonderful gifts and for bringing non-perishable food items.
As soon as I get those pictures from Mom, I'll post a few more.
Take care!

33 weeks....well, almost. And update on Anthony.

I'm posting a day earlier than normal because my normal Tuesday appointment had to be on Monday this week.
It's hard to believe we're only 7 weeks from our due date!


Starting next week I will be seeing a doctor twice a week. I didn't think this would start now, but here we are! I'll see Dr. Rohrer on Tuesday and ROC on Friday every week until delivery.
Today's appointment went well. Wyatt is doing well; blood flow, heart rate & lungs look good...the amniotic fluid was a little low. Dr. K says not to worry b/c it can fluctuate and since it wasn't really low, they'll just check it again next week. They will also be doing measurments next week. I was hoping to find out today what they're estimating his weight to be....but, they they won't do that until next week. But, we did get a great picture of his face! I just love this...he's looking pretty chubby!! What do you think?


Anthony:
After my appointment today I went to see Anthony in his new room at the hospital. Yes, he is out of CCU!!!! Anthony is now off the ventilator and in the intermediate care unit! The swelling he had all over his body is gone. He has a tracheotomy, but is now able to talk. A friend of his took a PS2 and some games to the hospital for him, so he has something to do to pass the time. He is doing so much better and I thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and please keep them coming. Although he is on the road to recovery, phyically anyway, he has a long way to go....We are all so thankful for his improvements!

32 weeks!

I'll be 32 weeks tomorrow!


Saw Dr. Rohrer today. Wyatt's heartbeat was great and all is going well. Dr. Rohrer says she sees no reason that I won't be able to deliver in one of the LDR rooms rather than having to go to LD and later to recovery...unless there is an unforeseen complication between now and then. I'm very happy about this b/c the LDR rooms are much bigger and seem to be much more comfortable.


Not really much to report on. Will be seeing the high risk docs next week...It seems they do a scan every time so I should get to see the little guy again next week. I'm hoping they'll do measurements again so we'll know how much he's grown.
Until next time.....

Halloween

I hope you all had a wonderfully scary Halloween!!!!!
Walker had a blast trick or treating with Daddy and Erika (and 2 of her friends). Mommy opted to stay at Nana's to pass out candy while Nana worked.
Before trick or treating, Walker and I carved his pumpkin. Here are some pictures:






Here is Walker in his Red Ninja Costume:


Saturday we went to Shelby's birthday party....Stacey had a haunted house in her backyard......Randy helped scare the kiddos! Walker refused to go thru the haunted house once it was dark. Here are a few pics:

Anthony Update

Just a quick update on Anthony....he's doing soooo much better! We're all in shock at the turn-around.
At the end of last week brought in a liver specialist who changed his treatment and WOW what a difference! His kidneys and liver have begun functioning again. They were able to drain the fluid off his belly because of this turn-around. They were also able to do a tracheotomy rather than his vent tubes in his mouth. Randy and I saw him yesterday and he was alert....he was frustrated and it was hard because we didn't know what he wanted, but he was trying very hard to communicate with us. We are all excited about this progress and thank everyone who has been praying for him. Please continue with your prayers as he is still not out of the woods.

Week 31-per new due date

Well, I've had an interesting start to this week.
I thought that Randy would have to take me to the hosptial on Sunday night. I was having mild contractions-about 4-5 an hour. I called my doctors office, the on-call said to drink lots of water and lie down and count contractions over the hour. If they got to 6 or more an hour, then go to the hosptial...other wise, just call for an appointment in the morning. Well, thankfully they never came more than 5 in an hour. I saw Dr. Rohrer on Monday to be checked. There was no dialation--thank goodness! She did a test that can predict pre-term labor in the next week or so. I'm guessing it was negative since I haven't heard back. She told me just to rest as much as possible and drink lots of water.....especially if I have contractions. So, that's what I've been doing.

I saw Dr. Kipikasa today with the high risk group. Wyatt is now weighing in about 3lbs 8 oz!!! He's getting big! His heart looks good and he's growing well. Dr. K told me the same as Dr. Rohrer....rest and water is the best thing. We want to keep him in the belly as long as possible!!!

So, the contractions are getting less frequent....I've only had a few today. They're different from the braxton hicks contractions that I've been feeling for a few weeks now...I'm really trying to pay attention to my body--I don't want to go into pre-term labor and think it's nothing if there's a chance it could be stopped. We don't want our little guy born too early.

I decided to take a different view of a belly picture today---thought it was funny. So, here is MY VIEW of the belly:

Um, where are my feet????? :)

For those who may be wondering, here's an update on Anthony:
I saw him briefly after my dr appointment this morning. He wasn't doing well. They've increased his vent back up to 10. His liver bloodwork was worse today than yesterday. He was so swollen today. It's been 3 days since I've seen him and I was shocked to see the change--it just broke my heart. I'm trying to stay as positive as possible, but it's difficult some days when it seems so much worse. I try to stay positive especially around my SIL and MIL....but at what point do you have to really face the reality of his condition? I pray for a miracle to pull him out of this. He squeezed my hand today when I told him I was there....but he didn't open his eyes, not even once while I was there. Please continue to pray for him.

New Due Date!

Well, as I've mentioned in here before, my scans have been showing Wyatt up to 2 weeks further along than my original due date. Dr. Rohrer says that according to the last report she has from ROC, they have me at 1/4 due date and she is calculating 12/31. So, my new official due date is 12/31/08! She says that we will try to keep to as close to the due date as possible since there has been some fluctuation, so we're still shooting for the week AFTER Christmas....unless Wyatt decides to make an appearance before then :)
I did get my RhoGAM shot on Tuesday. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had heard, so I was pleasantly surprised.
I go back to ROC (my high-risk docs) next week. Looking forward to that so I can see my little man in black and white! Can't wait to see how much he's grown since the last measurements---lastly he was weighing in around 2.8 lbs....such a big boy!
Speaking of big, here is my most recent belly shot!


Randy and I have our One-Day Prepared Childbirth Course on Saturday! Yes, it's the day of the TN/AL game, but we'll survive and should be able to catch the 2nd half! I'm really looking forward to the class and I hope we'll both learn a lot. I just hope Randy will pay attention and actually watch the videos so he'll have an idea of what to expect.....Lord help him if he passes out during delivery! So, I'm hoping this will help prepare him :)

Also, last Friday was Walker's field trip to the Guthrie Pumpkin Farm in Riceville, TN. They all had such a great time....and I think the parents that went enjoyed it just as much as the kiddos! Here are a few pics of my little man:

Sad News

Our nephew, Anthony(25), is currently in CCU at Erlanger. He is very sick. They were hoping to get him off the ventalator today, but it's a no-go. Maybe tomorrow. Not going to get into the details, but please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as they are much needed.
He is a very sick young man. We thought he was going to die on Tuesday, but as of yesterday (Wednesday) the doctors are optimistic that he may recover.

27 Weeks--Beginning of 3rd Trimester!

Ok, so I really shouldn't be wearing my favorite Old Navy t-shirt any more....it's going to be way too stretched out after the baby is born if I do! ;)

Well, this is the beginning of the 3rd trimester! I can't believe it. There are some days that it seems like the day to meet Wyatt will never get here, but most of the time it seems to be going by so fast!
My appointment with the high-risk group went well yesterday. The amniotic fluid and my b/p were good. They want to see me every 2 weeks now. I knew this day was soon approaching so I already had a plan that I would try to schedule the appointments with them and Dr. Rohrer on the same day and just take a day off from work every 2 weeks....well, yet another plan is out the window! They want me to be seen in their office on the alternate weeks to the appointments with Dr. Rohrer so that I'm seen every week. YUCK! But, they are the docs and know best....so I'll do what ever I have to do to make sure Wyatt is healthy and hopefully full-term.
They will start doing fetal monitoring at 32 weeks unless there is a problem. They have a really nice area for this with recliners, a tv and headphones to listen to music. Dr. K says it takes about 20 minutes each visit. Anyhow, I guess I'll be starting this in about 5 more weeks.
Next week I go to see Dr. Rohrer and I have to get my Rhogam shot. In case you don't know what that is, I am RH negative (I have O- blood type) and have to have this shot in case the baby is RH positive. Here's why: When an Rh-negative woman carries an Rh-positive baby, small numbers of the baby’s red blood cells may get into the mother’s bloodstream. This can happen during your pregnancy as well as at delivery. The mother’s immune system sees the baby’s Rh-positive red blood cells as foreign and goes to work to produce antibodies against them. Info taken from the RhoGAM website.

My next visit with Regional OB they will do measurements again to see how big he's getting. I'm not sure if I'll be having a scan at Dr. Rohrer's next week or not. One of the nice things about being high-risk is how often I get to see Wyatt on screen. I have a little photo album now with all the u/s pics....they start from a little dot at 7 weeks, then to a peanut, then to an alien, then to a teeny tiny baby and now a bigger baby that seems to be growing by leaps and bounds! No matter what gestational stage he's been loved from the day we found out about him. Granted, we were in shock and dismayed by the fact he was there, but none the less, he is very much wanted and loved :)

Well, I guess that's about all. I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers for my brothers. Until next week.............PEACE, LOVE & HAPPINESS!

Maj. Johnson ~ Afghanistan Update

Here is an email received from my brother just after arriving in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Please continue to pray for his safety.


First let me apologize for a couple of things. One, for the mass email; it just seemed easier with my limited connectivity here. Two, not keeping all of you in the loop on how this whole deal went down; I'll be trying to correct that in this email. Three, for any misspellings, rants, stream of conscienceness writing, etc., as I have had very little sleep in the last five days.

To catch up those that may not know, I volunteered for an individual tasker to the lovely land of the Afghans. The job seems like it'll be kinda cool. I'm going to be the Joint Personnel Recovery Officer for southern Afghanistan. Basically I'll sit behind a desk and tell people how to run combat search and rescue missions. The nice thing is that this is only a 6 month deployment. I'll miss Christmas, but should be back in time for the kids' and Mary's birthdays.

As for the lack of sleep, I've been in transit from Ft. Benning, GA (I had to spend a week there doing individual replacement training...fun). I left there on 3 Oct bound for Kuwait to process into theater. Enroute we stopped in Maine and Germany, then on to the land that shouldn't be. Kuwait sucks (for those that don't know...many of you do). I spent 5 days there trying to get on any flight I could to get to Afghanistan. The best part was that there are a bunch of thieving bastards there, so you can't leave anything unattended. A few of us that went through Benning together rotated guarding all of our worldly deployment possessions, and didn't sleep much since the terminal never sleeps. Once I finally got a flight out, it got delayed due to maintenance issues, yet I did get out of Kuwait late last night. I arrived in Bagram at about 2am, found a tent to stay in, called Mary, then tried to sleep....no dice. Just couldn't fall asleep. So I explore the little bit of Bagram I dared and went to the USO building across the street form the passneger terminal to get a cup of coffee. Thank God I did! Just as I was explaining to a young Army Specialist that flight school wasn't as much fun as he thought it may be, I here over a loud speaker: MAJ Johnson...last call for MAJ Johnson. Surprised by this, and expecting another of my namesake running around, I went to investigate. Somehow I got put on a flight to Kandahar that I didn't even know existed. So I quickly went to my tent to pack my things and do the duffle bag drag the 500 yards or so to the terminal. Let me tell you, after living in south Bama for a couple of years, the 6000 feet altitude at Bagram about killed me carrying all that stuff.

But finally I have made it to my final stop and have a place to call my own for a few months. Well, my time is up on the MWR computer, so I must go. Please pass this on to anyone I may have missed. Take care, and I'll talk to you soon.

GEORGE M. JOHNSON
MAJ, MS
DUSTOFF!!

Week 26

Ok, today in lieu of a belly pic, I'm posting a Wyatt pic :) Haven't posted one of these in a while and I thought these 2 were cute. Here's a great profile of his face and a pic of his little foot....how cute is this baby already!!!!


According to the scan today, Wyatt is up to around 2lbs 8oz. He's getting BIG!!! He was again measuring a little ahead of schedule, but as of now the due date remains the same. My b/p was better today and there was still just trace amounts of protein showing up; so there was no talk of bed rest or hospitalization--thank goodness! I will still be going back to the high risk docs next week for a follow up. After today's visit, I will begin seeing Dr. Rohrer every 2 weeks.

Baby Shower Update:
Mom and Stacey (with my input) have begun planning the shower. It's going to be great. The date is now officially set for Saturday, November 15th. Invitations will be forthcoming. We'll be having a fall theme....I'm so excited about it and since it will be so close to the Thanksgiving holiday, we're going to ask that (if you want) everyone bring a non-perishable food item to the shower and we will donate all of it to the Chattanooga Food Bank. As of right now they have a special need for the following items:
Canned peas and vegetables
Canned meat and juices
Dry beans, rice, oatmeal, and cornmeal
This is a time of year for us to be thankful for all that we have and to give to those in need. The person who brings the most food items will win a prize :)

Walker is on Fall Break this week and is hanging out at home with me. Tomorrow he's going to work on something to send to Uncle Perry who's in basic training right now. He got to hang out with Ninny and Hayden today while I went to the doctor. I plan to take him with me to one of the scans. Had there not been issues last week, I'd have taken him today.....but I didn't want to in case there was a problem....thank goodness there wasn't...I did, however, take him with me to the chiropractor this morning--he thought that was cool. :)

Anyhow, that's all for now. I'll update next week after my next appointment. Have a great week!!
Missy

Major Johnson.....prayers needed!

My brother, Matt (Major George Johnson) is currently on his way to Afghanistan. Please keep him, and all the troops traveling with him, in your thoughts and prayers. Please also pray for my sister-in-law, Mary, who will be holding down the fort in Alabama while he is gone....it takes a special woman to be an officer's wife....and of course my niece and nephew, Samantha & Michael while their Daddy is gone off to war.
I spoke to Matt as he was boarding his plane for about half a second. I just want him to come home safely in 6 months.

Matt, please be careful...we love you and are praying for you! Be safe!!!!!!!
Love, Missy

Also, please keep my youngest brother, Perry, in your thoughts and prayers too...he is currently in basic training for the US Air Force!

Dr appt....25 weeks

Here's my 25 week pic.
I saw the high-risk doctors today. This appointment didn't go as well as I'd hoped. My blood pressure was elevated to 144/98~~not good. Don't panic....it did go down to 136/89. I've had some swelling and a couple of dizzy spells over the last week, so it didn't come as a complete shock, but I didn't expect it to be quite that high. There was also a trace amount of protein in my urine. Since I will be seeing Dr. Rohrer next week, he wants me to come back in 2 weeks to follow up. I was so scared he was going to put me in the hospital and/or bed rest. Neither of which I want to do! At this point, I will not have to go on bed rest. I will, however, begin keeping a daily log of my morning and bedtime blood pressure...and also take it any time I'm feeling like it could be elevated. In addition to this, the baby's fluid is a little on the low side...this, from my understanding, can be a problem associated with my blood pressure. Fortunately, I agreed to participate in a study for preeclampsia, so I am having extra blood work and additional urine tests when I see the high risk group. So, they are keeping a VERY close eye on things. The study is nothing invasive...only extra questions, blood and urine samples each visit. So, it really is to my benefit b/c I'm having the extra things done.
Wyatt is doing well....he's now up to 1lb 11oz which is right where he should be!!!
I am keeping my fingers crossed that my next appointment is better and there is no bed rest or early hospital visits in my future :)
I'll update next week.............

week 24

Not much to report on the pregnancy this week...... I go to see the high risk docs next week and I'm looking forward to seeing Wyatt on screen again :) He's been moving around like crazy and put on quite the show for me last night.....it was the first time I actually saw him moving around by way of my belly looking like it was popping popcorn! Too bad Randy was busy watching stupid wrestling and missed it.....but I'm sure there will be plenty more where that came from :) We have now registered and paid for the One Day Prepared Childbirth Course at East Ridge Hospital (Parkridge East) which will be on 10/25/08....yes, I know that's the TN/AL game...I've already caught flack from Randy about that, but I just don't think we should wait until December to take the class. We're keeping our fingers crossed for a later afternoon game so hopefully we can catch it....but they haven't announced the game time yet so we'll have to wait and see. Oh, and here's my 24 week pic....sorry it wasn't the same clothes, but I was afraid I'd forget if I waited until I had on the same top.








Walker is a little under the weather this week....had to pick him up early from school yesterday b /c he was running a little bit of a fever and had a headache. He seemed fine this morning, so I took him to school. Here's a pic of him yesterday with his little fever thing on his head drawing pictures while I worked:



There has been a slight change in plans for the baby shower....we're looking at changing it to early-mid November rather than next month. So, invites will not be coming as soon as I last mentioned....they will likely be coming by mid-October....so be on the lookout!


I'll be sure to post an update after my next dr appt which is a week from today. Until then, be well!

Week 23 and other stuff....

I'm really going to try hard to start updating weekly now that it's getting closer. There's really not much to report on the pregnancy. I did take my first belly shot.....um, it would probably be cuter had I not started out fat, but hey, it is what it is.. :)




My next appt w/the high risk docs is on September 30th. Where has this month gone?? I'll get back to back scans this time around....first with the high risk guys and then the next week with Dr. Rohrer....then, it's every 2 weeks to the docs (both the ob and high risk). I've been told that once you start going that often it really starts going by fast. Next thing you know it'll be Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas! I hope we can get everything we need in time for Wyatt to get here. Speaking of which, looks like Mom is shooting for October 12th for the baby shower. So, mark your calendars and watch your mail....invitations will be forthcoming (probably in a week or two). My dear SIL is going to make a yummy, not to mention beautiful (as always), cake and come all the way up from Daleville, AL! She's so sweet :) Thanks, Mary!


Walkerman had his first field trip yesterday....it was also his very first ride on a school bus! I'll post some pics as soon as I can manage to blur out the other kids faces....don't want any mad mommies calling me :)





IMPORTANT NOTE: Please keep my brothers, Matt (George) and Perry in your prayers.


Matt is leaving for Afganistan soon. He'll be going to Ft. Benning for 6 days then off to Afganistan for 6 months. This will be very hard for his wife, Mary, and their kiddos....especially since he'll be gone during the holidays. We're all very happy that it's only for 6 months and know that we've been very blessed that he's only had to do 1 tour in Iraq for a year...it's been 3 years (I think) since he's been deployed.


Perry is leaving for basic training! He decided to join the Air Force before graduating from high school. We're all so proud he's made this decision to serve his country. He is leaving for basic this weekend. Perry will be in Texas for basic training and then North Carolina (I believe) for his job training.

That's all for now folks!


Be sure to check back in, send me an email or post a comment!


Until next week...................

Non-Pregnancy related entry

Ok, I just had to blog about my little man....he's made such an improvement at school! As of late, he's had more good and great days than bad. It's so nice and he's really enjoying school for a change!

Friday was community worker day at school and kindergarten parents lunch. Walker dressed like a doctor...he looked so grown up in his little shirt and tie with the white lab coat! Take a look:

Today was the BPS Fall Festival. I worked the tattoo booth for 1/2 an hour while Walker, Daddy, Nana (Yvonne) and Pawpaw checked things out....well, mom did come over to the booth to work with me for a while and left the boys to do their thing. They had 4 of the blow up things and Walker's fav was the giant slide! I bet he did that thing 50 time.

Later I got a call that I'd one one of the raffles for a $25 gift card for Target! Yeah me!!!! :) We then headed out for dinner. We called to see if Nin wanted to go with us to Red Robin and she said that Stephanie(my cousin) and Jason(her hubby) had just called to invite her to go w/them to Red Robin!! Great minds! So, we all met there.....it was the first time I'd seen Uncle Terry (Steph's dad) in years....in fact, he'd never met Walker.

It was a great meal with family. Walker really took to Uncle Terry. It was very cute.

All in all we had a great day.

Week 22

Well, time is beginning to go by way too fast. There's so much to do and get before Wyatt makes his grand appearance! How ever will get it all done?!

Saturday mom took Walker out for the day so Randy and I could go on our tour of the hospital and register at Babies R Us. Walker and Nana went to the TN Aquarium and Coolidge Park-they had a great time! Nana said that Walker talked her ears off all day! :)


While they were enjoying that, Randy and I had our little tour of Parkridge East (aka East Ridge Hospital). Unfortunately they had so many ladies there either in labor or just delivered that all of the rooms were full and we were unable to see one. Not to worry though, we'll have another chance to see one when we take our Prepared Childbirth class next month.......speaking of which, Randy is a little upset that the next class happens to fall on the sacred day of the TN/AL game. I'd reschedule it, but the next one isn't until December and I'm just not comfortable waiting to take the class......since the time for the game hasn't been posted yet, we're keeping our fingers crossed that it will be after 4pm.

After our tour of the hospital we headed to Babies R Us to get the Baby Registry started. WOW have things changed in 5 years!!!! So, we are now registered.

We also stopped by Children's Fair to check out furniture and found EXACTLY what we wanted. It's starting to seem real! The furniture will actually be a different stain, but here is the style. It will a lighter, oak stain.

What do you think?







I go back to the high risk docs on September 30th and then to Dr. Rohrer on October 7th......after that I start going every 2 weeks!

That's all for now, folks. Take care!

Week 21

I saw the high risk group today. Got to see baby Wyatt (or Squirt as Walker calls him) wiggling around. He weighs in just over 15 ounces--almost a pound! They said he's looking good and see no reason to change my due date...he wasn't measuring 2 weeks bigger today; just a few days, so we'll stick with Jan. 13th---which should put us at delivery around Dec 29th (I hope).

They weren't able to get a really good look at his heart today, but nothing to worry about. We heard a strong heartbeat and saw all 4 chambers, he was just positioned wrong for additional views they were hoping for.....the doc says not to worry, doesn't mean anything is wrong just something they like to look at when they can. So, hopefully Wyatt will be a little more cooperative next visit on September 30th.

This weekend Randy and I will visit the Parkridge East Birthplace for a tour and information on classes. We're pretty sure we're going to sign up for the 1 day prepared childbirth course rather than the one that lasts 6 weeks. We'd rather get it over with in one 8 hour session. I'm also going to check into the breastfeeding class. After the tour we'll be heading to Babies R Us to do our registry. I'm looking forward to a baby day! Mom will be keeping Walker for us while we do all of this....she's going to take him either to The Creative Discovery Museum or The Tennessee Aquarium---whichever he decides on....so, they'll have a fun day out! (Erika will be on her ROTC rafting trip, so she won't have to endure Walker's torture :) I'll be sure to post about our experience at the hospital and registering...it ought to be fun!

Next week, Sept. 9th is my next appointment with Dr. Rohrer....then I won't have to go back to the doctor for 3 weeks! YEAH!!!!

That's all I have for now. Hope all is well where you are.

We're halfway there!!!!!

Sorry I haven't been doing a great job in keeping on top of my blog. I'll try to do better:)

Well, we're at the 20 week mark. It's hard to believe, but we did it! So, we could possibly be at the 22 week mark, but we'll stick with the original unless it's "officially" changed.

Yes, at the last ultrasound when I was 18 weeks, Wyatt was measuring at 19 weeks 6 days....that's 2 weeks bigger! They'll just see how things look when I have my next ultrasound before deciding to change the due date....but, if they do change the due date, we're looking at a date of December 31....which means if they induce at 38 weeks, then he could possibly be born around the week of December 16th. I'm still holding out hope that we can shoot for after Christmas, but we'll just have to see what happens. :)

My next appointment with my high-risk docs will be on September 2nd. We'll probably get another ultrasound then and maybe we'll know more about that due date.

If I have new pics then, I'll be sure to post them. I also have a great video, but I haven't figured out how to get it posted....when I do, I will.

On to things other than baby........
Randy's job is going really well and he really likes it. He may have to make some short trips in the near future, but it will only be a couple of days at a time. They are aware that we're expecting, so they know the closer it gets to the due date, that he won't be able to go far.

We took Walker and Hayden to Lake Winnie over the weekend...they had so much fun! I'll look forward to next year when I can actually ride some of the rides with them :)

I'll be in Nashville for work on Tuesday. Looking forward to seeing my buddies in the office.

Y'all take care and be sure to check back....I'll try my best to better about updating the blog in the future. :)
Missy

Missy's Pregnancy

It's a BOY!!

We found out today that we are being blessed with a baby boy! We are all so excited! We will welcome Wyatt Jacob at the end of the year.

The baby is growing and is right where he should be. All is going well.

Thanks for checking in!! I will update after my next doctor appointment on August 12th.

Closing out month 4!

Well, we're nearing the end of month four of the pregnancy! It's hard to believe how fast it's going by. I guess with the move and all, it's given us other things to focus on besides just the pregnancy.

I saw Dr. Rohrer, my regular OB on Tuesday and all went well. I got to hear the baby's heartbeat and see the little peanut. He/she is just growing right along :) Dr. Rohrer says the baby looks perfect and right where it should be. I will see Dr. Rohrer again on my mom's birthday, August 12th.

On Thursday I saw the diabetic counselor at the high-risk group I'll now be seeing. She was wonderfully helpful....much more so than the dietitian I saw in the hospital early on. We had to make a minor adjustment to my long-acting insulin for night-time, but over all she said my numbers look good. I will not have to go into the office weekly like I had been in Nashville. I will just email her my numbers twice a week and for now I'll just see one of the docs once a month. Which means for now, I'll be seeing a doc about every 2 weeks between the high-risk and Dr. Rohrer.
I will see a doctor there on Monday, July 28th. Since I'll be 16 weeks at this appointment, there is a VERY good chance we'll get to find out the sex of the baby! We're very excited about possibly finding out. But, since Randy won't get to go with me to this appointment, if they are able to tell the sex, then I am to have them NOT tell me, but to write it down and place it in an envelope. The plan will be that I will go to Randy's work to hopefully meet him for lunch so we can find out.......I don't think I can wait all day long! :)

So, all seems to be going well. I think I'm finally getting over this nasty cold and bronchitis I've been fighting for going on 3 weeks now....I'm at least on the upswing it seems. Other than what seem to be general pregnancy aches and pains, I'm feeling pretty good.

It'll be just a couple more weeks before Walker starts kindergarten....I've yet to get him registered, but plan to do so this week. We picked up his supply list....I can't believe what all you have to get! But, it'll be kind of fun to get all the supplies for him. I just hope I don't cry like a baby when I drop him off for his first day.

I will also be traveling to Nashville this week for an audit at work.....yeah, I know your jealous! :) I'm looking forward to seeing everyone in the office, even if it is just for 1 day.

I will be sure to keep you posted of any changes or news. I will certainly post after my appointment on the 28th. Keep your fingers crossed that the baby's legs aren't and we can see what we have!! :)

Hugs to all!
Missy

Update on Baby and our move

We've been so busy with the move I haven't had a chance to update on our test results. So, here's the scoop:
All is well. My risk factor for the baby having Down Syndrome has decreased significantly. This decrease was based on the ultrasound where they measured the folds of the baby's neck (I think this is correct....something like that anyhow) and blood work done at the same time. The test results were negative for Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18. So we're very happy with these results.
I will go to see my new OB/GYN on Tuesday in Chattanooga. I'm looking forward to this visit. Now that we're 14 weeks, I'm hoping if they do an ultrasound we may be able to find out if the baby will be a boy or girl.
Speaking of boy or girl, we've decided on names. I know I said we were set on a boy name already, but we've tweaked it a little....so, for a boy it will be Wyatt Jacob and if it's a girl it will be Claire Elizabeth.
The more I thought about Wyatt Leland, the less I liked it. I told Randy there is no reason (if the baby's a boy) that both boys need to have the same initials and I really would like the middle name to be a biblical name like Walker's. So, in trying to come up with a biblical middle name that flowed well with Wyatt, my mother-in-law suggested Jacob and I loved it!! So, Wyatt Jacob it is....it took a little convincing for Randy, but as I so kindly pointed out, he picked both of Walker's names and this time I get a turn! :) It's only fair, don't you think. hehe~~!

On to the move.........
Walker and I are now in good ole' Ft. Oglethorpe, GA. Randy and his dad left this morning to head back to Columbia to finish up things around the house and be there for the movers to arrive tomorrow. All of our worldly possessions will be delivered to GA on Tuesday. I'm glad that it's almost over. Randy has worked so hard on this move and I feel bad that I haven't been able to help him out as much.
OK, so my job is working out well. My employer is going to (for the time being) allow me to work from home here in GA. They are WONDERFUL!!! This means I don't have to try to find a job while I'm pregnant. I will be working 30-35 hours a week. This will be just perfect when Walker goes back to school....I can just work the hours he's in school. It's going to be great!

Walker is really looking forward to kindergarten. We've drove him by his new school so he could see it. He was so excited to see that it's a new school and has 2 big playgrounds.

That's all I have for now. Please check back in later in the week for an update from my next doc appointment!

Heading into the 2nd trimester

I've been to the doctor since my last post. On Monday I had 2 appointments; one with my high risk doc and the other with my regular OB. All is going well. I was almost past the point of not being able to do the down syndrome screening so Dr. Osburn scheduled me for the next day. On Tuesday, July 1st I had an in depth ultrasound and blood work to screen for down syndrome risk factors. We should get the results back next week. The advantage of having this done is for preparation. If we have a high risk of downs, then there are additional tests that can be done, but we've decided (at this point) that we will not do any invasive tests. We do not want to risk miscarriage or causing unnecessary harm to the baby. Whether or not this baby has downs will not sway our decision about how to proceed....this is a precious life that God has so graciously bestowed to us, and we have every intention of raising this baby as best we can regardless of what special needs it may or may not have. We are truly blessed with this baby.

So, with all that said, the ultrasound pictures are great! It is so neat to see that it actually looks like a baby now! It's just amazing at how quickly things change in a matter of weeks.

Our move is still scheduled to take place on July 14th. We're looking forward to getting moved and settled in and before we know it, it will be time for Walker to start Kindergarten! It's hard to believe he's old enough for it.

Walker is very excited about the new baby coming. We keep telling him what a great big brother he's going to be, and he agrees 110% with that! :) He is still going back and forth about what he thinks the baby will be, but usually he says it's going to be a little girl.

Here are some of the names we're considering at this time....let us know what you think:

Boy: Wyatt Leland.......just so you know, this name we're pretty certain on....I doubt there will be any changes to it.

Girl:

my fav and Walker's fav is Claire Elizabeth

suggested name: Savannah.....I do like this, but afraid it may be too popular. If we go with this, we're thinking of either Savannah Grace or Savannah Claire.

If you have any suggestions for girl names, please let us know. I don't want anything too popular and I would prefer a name that doesn't have a "typical" nickname associated with it. We want our kids to go only by their first names and no nicknames! :)

Take care and we'll keep you posted on how things are progressing!

Missy

First post

Let me begin this first post by saying that I'm still a little in shock that I'm actually talking about myself being pregnant. After nearly 14 years of marriage, several years of fertility treatments, and adopting a beautiful son, I just didn't think this would happen.
My first, and official, due date is Jan 13, 2009. The baby has actually measured a little further along than this date since the first ultrasound, but only by about 4 days...which isn't enough of a difference to change the due date.
We are so very excited and feel so blessed. We've been doubly blessed....we have a wonderful son, Walker, who was 5 in May and now we have another baby on the way.
We were quite content with having just Walker. Didn't think pregnancy was even a possibility, especially at this point in our lives.
So, here's the scoop on the pregnancy thus far:
Because of a personal history of borderline diabetes and a family history of diabetes, the doctor had me begin testing my blood sugar at 7 weeks. 2 weeks later I returned for a check up and was referred to a high-risk group to determine what treatment needed to be done since my levels were elevated. They admitted me to the hospital to begin insulin. I was there for just 2 days, thank goodness, and it's be going fine since. They've had to make 1 minor adjustment to my insulin and I'm seeing the high-risk group weekly for now.
I'll be seeing my regular OB and the high-risk group on Monday, June 30.....I will let you know how it goes.
On top of all that's going on with being pregnant, my dear husband, Randy, has been offered a wonderful career opportunity back in Chattanooga! So, in July we are moving back to our hometown! With that means I'm having to change doctors.....this, I've found, is quite a pain due to the high-risk issues....just a few more hoops to jump through. :)

I'm really looking forward to my OB appointment on Monday....can't wait to see the baby again! I will be sure to update frequently!