27 week ultrasound

Sophia- she kept trying to get her fingers in her mouth. adorable.

her sweet little face. she looks so content.

+ this week was a great week. we needed a win on our side. really really needed this actually.

+ so first off- AJ talked to Sophia before the appointment and told her she needed to lay still (she is always moving so much during the ultrasound we cant get a good picture or measure her easily) and grow. she did both, she is a good girl and all ready knows to listen to her daddy. love it. she was practicing breathing (which i guess baby's do to prepare for birth, as they aren't really breathing) which made this momma so happy. i dont know why but i find such comfort in the fact she is preparing for what will be her biggest hurrdle when she arrives. it was adorable to watch. the tech told us that baby's in distress in the womb don't practice as they are conserving energy, so it is a good sign she is doing this as she must be feeling well.

+ we went into this appointment now expecting a 9 week delay... as that is what typically happens with these babies. well she defied the norms this week and has grown 3 weeks worth of growth in 3 weeks- so no bigger delay this month. still just at a 7 weeks delay, which shocked our doctors and made us a little relieved, and oh so proud of her. praise to God that he has worked on her growth this past month. yay!

+ we did have some new abnormal news-- i have excess amniotic fluid building up. which could mean a number of things- it could be- i have gestestional diabetes (we did a test yesterday to find out- will learn in a week or so if i am at risk), she isn't swallowing the regular amount of fluid that every baby does (due to some issue with swallowing or blockage), or some dwarf babies just have extra amniotic fluid in the womb (we are crossing our fingers that this is it). the extra fluid- is making my tummy look (and feel :o( )bigger than it should, and making me more uncomfortable much earlier than i should be. it also puts me at risk for pre-term labor because my uterus then thinks i am further along than i am. if i go into labor, they will stop it with meds. if it happens multiple times, they will stick a big fat needle in there and drain the excess fluid out. yikes. so i just need to take it easy and not push myself for the next few months. they also wouldn't be surprised if i start having some braxton hicks contractions soon.

+ we did get to talk with Dr Adelberg- who is going to let us get induced to deliver vaginally. which is going to be the best of both worlds. i really want to deliver vaginally- so i can recover quickly and be with sophia and aj right away, and lung wise, vaginal birth is better for babies. BUT we wanted to make sure our family can be here and meet Sophia right away and not risk them missing meeting her (in case she does pass away shortly after birth). So we will go in on Feb 7th in the pm and she will hopefully be delivered on Feb 8th. i feel such a sense of relief that this is the plan. i know things don't always go as planned and that is okay. BUT i am able to feel some sense of control in this absolutely out of control situation. it comforts me and i will be so glad our family can plan to be here.

+ i don't think i am nesting quite yet, but i am most definately feeling more encouraged and ultimately more excited about the pregnancy. i feel like those first few weeks i was angry and frustrated and very very sad. i am still sad this is happening, but feeling much more connected to her and wanting to do things to prepare for her. just in case we do get to bring her home and share our life with her. so this coming month we will be painting, setting up the nursery and getting some baby stuff. i didn't think i would want to get all kinds of baby stuff, but as of now i do and i want to feel excited. i don't want that to be ripped from me, because the pregnancy may be all the time i have to feel excited and close to her, and i want to try to enjoy that. so hopefully this will be good for me and also a way for aaron and i to connect with her together.

-prayer requests-

+ safe travel for us all as we go home to see family for Thanksgiving

+ tristen does not go into labor early (sophia needs to cook :o) longer)

+ growth and healing for Sophia

+ feeling very thankful this week- love- t

+ also- many people have asked for our address:

6968 E. Briarwood Cir.

Centennial CO 80112

Week 26

+ it has been a good week generally. my work finally allowed me to swtich to working 4- 10 hour shifts a week, which relieves a huge burden for me with all of my doctor appt's I was missing alot of work and using up alot of my PTO. starting Nov 15th I will have Tuesday's off to make Sophia and I's doctor appt's. my next check up is Nov 9th (the dreaded weigh in) and our next ultrasound is Nov 16th. I also am doing a research study on milk that pays me some money to let me get a pedicure and massage and treat myself a little.

+ we have really been stressing/talking lately about how we are going to financially handle all that is coming our way, especially if Sophia does survive and needs some time in the NICU. I unfortunalty didn't get signed up in time for short term disability (to get paid while I am on maternity leave) and at this point we don't think we could survive on just Aaron's income (those darn Paramedic companies don't want to pay him what his medical decision is worth--- which is crazy, he is the person that finds you in your house having a heart attack and makes decisions to save your life gets paid less than someone checking you out at Wal-Mart). so i will most definatley be going back to work as soon as possible. possibly just to keep Sophia on a better insurance and with the better doctors, as any insurance we would have access through on either of his current jobs is not good. so i just keep praying aaron gets picked up by a fire dept full time so i don't have to work as much!!

+ on the flip side of this we have been incredibly blessed in the past few weeks by our family, to a point that brings me to tears. they have really taken care of us with small and big gifts to us that they didn't have to do, but did. it really has helped relieve this financial burden we have been fearing and reminds me that God is using them to remind us that he will take care of us. I am such a finances worry wart/cheapie, so sometimes i get so freaked out by all these extra tests that i forget that knowing month to month by baby is okay and growing even just a little is so much more worth it. so another big thank you to our family that we are so very lucky to have.

+ i also went on a women's retreat with our church last weekend, which was great on multiple levels. it was nice to just spend time with some friends i all ready have and to meet more women in the church. i was so lucky to have them all place hands on me and pray for Sophia and our family. this little girl has more prayers for her than i have ever been a part of. i like the whole laying their hands on me to pray part- it feels like it works better... which sounds rediculous but it just feels different when someone does that.

+ other than that- sophia continues to kick and hit me and do flips all day long. she is one happy baby in there, and it make me one happy mommy to feel her. she really starts hitting when i lean forward when i am sitting, i'm beginning to think she is one stubborn little girl and gets fiesty when i do something she doesn't like. like mother like child.... i hope she gets my determination to do something and that carrys though to her being a fighter to breath when she is born. type a personality pays off sometimes :o) other than that- i am lucky as she is most active mostly during the day (she hasn't woken me up yet with a kick), yet the past week she is kicking when i wake up around 5 am to pee...

+speaking of peeing... i thought that whole wake up to pee in the middle of the night thing was only suppose to be in the first few months and then again at the end months... oh no. my body and i have fought this the entire pregnancy. i have probably slept thru the night maybe 2 times since about 6 weeks preggo... and when it happens i actually worry. ha. other than that, my hair falling out and endless acne (that i have never had before- even when i was a teenager) pregnancy hasn't been too bad to me. i was never that nauseated (only enough to not want to cook for a few months :o) oh darn!) and was only tired during month 2 and 3. i know that now that i am starting the 3rd trimester it may all get alot more uncomfortable.... but being that our situation is special i have decided she can stay in there as long as she wants... as me being physically uncomfortable isn't nearly as bad as the heartache we may encounter when she is born.

+ i apologize for a long post. guess i had more on my mind than i thought today. thank you for listening and caring about my precious daughter and our family. since i have been getting asked alot lately-- at this point we will not be having a baby shower before Sophia is born. we will await to see what happens to celebrate her arrival after with a party. i am registered at Target, with the basics for now. we will be setting up a nursery very soon... i think i have decided that will be the spot i will go spend time with her. hopefully we will be blessed and get to bring her home to her room.

-prayer requests-

- Aaron's grandmother- Lois recovering from surgery and multiple heart attacks
- Aaron and I to make wise financial decisions
- Sophia to be healed, and her ribs/lungs to grow.
- Aaron to be hired by fire department full time