Baby Cox sucking it's thumb at 13 weeks and 3 days:)
How big is baby? Apparently baby is approximately the size of an avocado!(so says my Babycenter iPhone app)
It's helpful to know the size of the baby as the girls are always curious to know how big baby is getting. Fruits and vegetables seem to provide a easy visual:)
Over the next few weeks baby will double in size to about 10 inches at week 20!
Complications and Bed-rest: For those who didn't know, at week 8 I was put on bed rest. In addition to some other complications, I had a large subchorionic hemorrhage(SCH). No known cause to these bleeds except for perhaps implantation but apparently it's 'common' in the first trimester. About 1% of women get them and they typically resolve themselves by the end of the first trimester. There was little to no pain physically associated with this, but the symptoms were pretty scary. Ultimately, there are risks to baby with SCH, so bed-rest was necessary to speed up healing and keep baby safe.
I spent a good 5 weeks on the couch and in bed and on leave from work. Some people might say...sitting around and relaxing for 5 weeks sounds wonderful. It might be for some, but it made me just plain stir crazy. I tried to find projects to keep me busy such as helping to coordinate volunteers for a Feed My Starving Children event, working on my faith resource submissions for Vibrant Faith @ Home(an online ministry website I write for), helping my sister-in-law with her cake business blog, and other little projects. I read, drew, watched a couple movies, chatted with family and friends on the phone(Vanessa called on her drive home work many days - love you sis!) and tried to make the days pass by as quickly as possible.
We have amazing family and friends who provided visits, meals, care packages, and prayers from near and far. We were truly humbled by people's generosity and kindness...
Trina introduced me to a friend of hers who is certified in Reiki. I had never tried it before, but I knew Trina had experienced it and really loved it and Suz(Tony's mom) had worked with Michelle for relief from ALS symptoms. It's like massage but gentler and with more focus on the energy of the body. Trina and Michelle came over on a Monday and my first Reiki experience was so powerful. I had spent so much time worrying about baby that I had not been able to spend much time bonding with baby. This was my first time bonding with baby and it was amazing. It made me feel close to baby, baby's grandma Suz, and all who love us. Trina, thanks for introducing me to and for all your support:)
My husband was an absolute rockstar. He took great care of me, our family, and this home. I guess that's what a strong love is all about right, when times are hardest, your partnership is strongest. So blessed by him...
Healing! At 13 weeks(and 3 days) I had returning symptoms that prompted a unscheduled trip to the OB for an ultrasound. I was so worried something had taken a turn for the worse. To our surprise, not only was baby healthy but my hemorrhage had completely healed! I was officially off bed-rest and as my midwife said..."It's time to move on from this."
Power of Prayer
I have heard this phrase before, but I feel like we have really experienced it. We would be talking with someone and before we knew it they were sharing how a church they knew in another state had us on their prayer chain. People we didn't know were praying for us from Arizona to Michigan, Canada to Oklahoma, and Georgia to Illinois. I believe these prayers gave us the comfort and peace we needed to work through complications and hard times and reminded us that the healing we experienced came from the power of prayer through Jesus. Praise and Glory to Him...Amen.
My Clothes Don't Fit! Last week I started back to work which meant i needed to go shopping! Many of my work clothes did not fit anymore so I had my first official trip for maternity clothes. Thanks to some help via text from my sis and husband, I found some clothes to get me started.
It was great to get back to work. I had incredible support from my co-workers and being able to come back and contribute to the team again felt great.
One of my co-workers told me yesterday that I 'popped'! I had heard there is a time in pregnancy when your belly just seems to pop out and I am pretty sure week 15 was it for me!
H3 and Baby Blessing
We told the girls at about 11 weeks. I had ordered silver frames that read Me and My Big Sister and we put our recent ultrasound picture in the frames. We gave the girls the frames in gift bags and when they had opened them, none of them could really figure out what it was. We asked Hayden to read the frame out-loud. I said "Hayden, if that's for you, are you a big sister?" She said "Nooooo...I'm a little sister" I said "You're a big sister now too...we're having a baby." The girls erupted with giggles and hugs of celebration. It was a very special time. We set-up the iPad and recorded the whole thing and look forward to showing baby how excited big sisters were when they found out!
The girls like to touch my baby belly and have even read to baby. Today Hayden told the baby all about the pets and what colors they are and how Mr. Smidge puts his pug tail down when he is sad. Baby will be so saavy when it's born from all of big sister's educational moments;)
Boy or Girl
Stay tuned... Our next appointment is June 11 and we are excited to find out if baby is a boy or girl. Predications? Most people think it's a boy, I have had four dreams it's a girl(and one that it's a cat...weird!). So we shall see! What we want...healthy:)
Trip to Michigan
Due to all the time off I had to take for bed-rest and a better safe than sorry approach to the rest of pregnancy, we will be postponing our annual summer trip to Michigan. Instead, we will be coming to Michigan on Christmas Day through new years as family...mom, dad, H3 and baby!
Thanks for all of your prayers and love...
