Pregnancy Update

I can't believe we are just about 1/2 way to our new baby!  Or, "other" baby/brother... I'm trying to be careful with Wes and how I talk... we have a lot of work to do to get him ready for the transition!  Sharing Mom is HARD for him!

Tuesday we were 19 weeks, and since my c-section will be at 39 weeks this really is about half way.  We have had some ups and downs: a few more downs these past few weeks... but I'm feeling better about the whole thing:

We elected to do some of the screening tests the OB offers: well, one of them came back with an elevated result.  Sigh.  So, all we really know is that I have fetal proteins in my blood.  Why?!  Well, they can rule out Downs Syndrome and the myriad of Tri-somy issues.  That leaves us with the concern of open neural tube defects.  This was all about 2 weeks ago.  After a few days of freaking out, we got in for an ultra sound, and our local office did a great job of scanning everything and the tech really made me feel much better saying she didn't see anything that would indicate the elevated (and it is just slightly high, 2.67 when 1.0 is normal and up to 2.5 they count as "acceptable") numbers.  There was no major anomaly that she could see.

Yesterday Bill and I went up to Maine Med for them to look.  Through a cluster is mess-ups, we really don't know much more... somehow my OB didn't request from them the right testing/meetings. So, they looked on ultra sound, and confirmed what they had seen (or not seen) here- there is no major physical issue with the baby that they can identify.  I figure it wasn't a total waste of time- the more I can hear that the baby looks healthy the better I feel!  We have to go back in 10 days for another look, and to meet with the genetic counselor... but for now I'm working on the assumption that it was a wonky result, and we have nothing to be concerned about. 

Other than all of that, I'm feeling so much better!  I can eat again, and actually have a pretty big appetite!  I'm trying to be careful, I don't want a huge gain when I was already carrying Wes' weight around, but still, food is my friend again!  I'm over the major exhaustion too- it's nice to be fully functional again.  My sciatic nerve on my left side has been acting up, making it hard to roll over in bed and sit up from a reclined position.  Sometimes when cleaning stalls I'll get a major radiation of pain down my butt/leg, but it's still manageable and I'll survive.  I also have this odd symptom that I need to discuss with the Doctor.  I have raised red bumps all over my legs and now onto my arms!  They itch like crazy and make me insane at night!  I scratch until they bleed, and have scabby lumps all over.  I look pretty scary- I feel bad for the other ladies at swim lessons.  They must think I have some terrible disease!

I have broken out some of my maternity clothes and have started to wear some of them.  We are getting ready to start the room downstairs, and I'm seriously nesty already!  I have the newborn and 0-3 months clothes out, and have gone thru them and sorted twice already I think!  I bought a few things here and there, some diaper stuff mostly, but will wait for the rest of the shopping until we get a little closer (or until I have some extra cash!) and summer stuff is out. 

I'll have the excitement of Krista and Brad's new baby to tide me over anyhow, they are being induced on the 14th- A Valentine's Day baby!  I can't wait to meet my new nephew!