Video Link and Other Thoughts

I think the segment on the Style show was very nice. More than anything, Steve and I love to watch the baby move around on the ultrasound (especially on our big screen). Amazing! What a wonderful thing to show him/her someday! We haven't quite figured out how to post the actual video - that is a work in progress - but I have at least attached the link for anyone who would like to see it.

http://www.wbir.com/video/player.aspx?aid=52694&sid=50575&bw=hi&cat=12

If that doesn't work, you can visit http://www.wbir.com/, then link to the Style show, and our video is there. I am not sure how long it will be available, but I would guess a couple of weeks.

I really thought the segment was supposed to be about Dr. Keenan's office, with me as the side "human interest" story. Guess I was wrong! But now that I have the opportunity, I would like to say that Dr. Keenan and his staff are wonderful. I don't feel like the story gave them the credit they deserve. How amazing that God has gifted them with the knowledge to do what it is they do. They are such a large part of our baby's life, and Steve and I will be forever grateful for their care. We have to laugh when we think about our baby's conception - Nurse Mary was right there with us, pushing around my ovaries trying to find my uterus!! There are too many people who don't believe in modern day miracles. If this baby isn't a miracle, I don't know what is.

We appreciate your continued prayers and support. And today, I would love it if you would say a prayer for Dr. Keenan and his staff, Tina, Mary and Jenny. It struck me how much heartbreak they probably have to deal with on a day to day basis, as they diligently work to help women conceive. It's a stressful time. A heartbreaking time. A frustrating time for the couples who are going through it. And when the day of celebration comes, as they thankfully got to enjoy with us, they have to send us out the door and back to "normal life". It takes a special kind of person to do that every day. So, thank you to Dr. Keenan, Tina, Mary and Jenny, from the bottom of my heart. There are really no words that are adequate to describe what they mean to us.

Another Programming Note

I got a phone call from Carolyn at channel 10 on Friday. My segment has been changed from Monday to Friday, October 26, at 4:00. That should be final, because its the story highlight on the "What's Coming Up On Style" portion of the website. I'll try to post the video, or at least the link, after it airs.

Nothing else new to report. I'm still having problems eating, but hopefully that will end soon. Just praying that our baby is growing!

New Photo

Finally got the new ultrasound photo scanned in. The baby is really growing! This is the one that was taken on Monday at Dr. Field's office. His/her head is up. You can't see arms and legs in this photo, but I promise they are there!

Programming Note

I taped my segment for the Style show today and wanted to let you know that it will be airing on Monday afternoon at 4:00. We may be the first story! They talked to me a bit about how Steve and I met, when we decided we wanted to have kids, how we felt about my diagnosis, how we dealt with the treatments, etc. I hope I said everything I needed to!

As an unexpected bonus, Tina did an ultrasound on me today so they could film it (just the over the belly kind). Our baby did not disappoint! S/he was very active again today, waving and kicking. S/he was also running his/her mouth - no joke! You could see the jaw opening and closing, simply amazing. Tina says girls are more prone to "run their mouths" in utero (insert your own joke here), so she thinks its a girl. The heart rate was up again today as well, 181 beats per minute. If I can figure out how, I'll put up a poll to see what everyone else thinks, just for kicks.

The video should be available online Monday for anyone who would like to watch it. The address of the station is www.wbir.com, then link to the Style show. I will do my best to email the link to some of you once we get it. If you don't watch for any other reason, please watch to see the video of our bouncing superstar one and a half inch baby! It's amazing!

Our "Wiggle Worm"

Steve and I had our first official appointment with Dr. Fields today. We also had another ultrasound. It's amazing how much the baby has grown in just a week and a half! And it has a strong heartbeat of 179 beats per minute. Steve is now convinced that the baby is a girl and that we need to be thinking of girls names. We'll find out for sure at our 20 week ultrasound, which should hit right before Christmas. Dr. Field's office is changing over to a DVD recording system, and they hope to have it up and running by then. If so, we will actually be able to post a video of our bouncing baby!

We were also able to hear the heartbeat today, not just see it. It was truly overwhelming!! And the baby was really moving around. I laughed when the nurse said we had a "wiggle worm" - that was my "handle" on Gran and Grandaddy's CB radio when I was little, apparently because I never sat still! So maybe our baby is a little bit Fletcher after all. Fletcher or Noland, the baby is very healthy, which is all we can ask for.

On another note, for those of you who are in the Knoxville area, I'm going to be on channel 10's Style Show on Wednesday. They are doing a segment on treating infertility in women with PCOS, in conjunction with Dr. Keenan's office. They thought it would be good to have a patients perspective. Since Steve and I are now (thankfully) a fertility success story, they asked if I would be willing to talk about my journey. Of course I will! I feel like our lives are a testimony of God's goodness and grace, and if I can give anyone else hope in the midst of a difficult time, I will do it. I'm so glad you are still on the journey with us! By encouraging us, you have given us the strength and ability to encourage others.

Unfortunately, Kathleen, my computer guru, is not in the office this afternoon. I'll post new photos of baby Noland later this week. Blessings to you all!

From Blob to Baby

Guess what? There really is a baby in there! Isn't it amazing how much he/she has grown in just 2 weeks? Dr. Keenan didn't give us any official measurements or stats today, but he said the baby looks great. Jenny had to press down on my abdomen to get a good shot, because my ovaries are still crowding things. This was the first shot. The second time she did it, the baby flipped! I guess he/she didn't like being disturbed too much. Poor thing. Its only been a tiny little functioning human for a couple of weeks and we're already poking at him/her. For anyone who may need guidance, this is a profile shot. The baby has a big head with its butt in the air.

I've been saying "he" an awful lot, so Steve is trying to counterbalance me by saying "she". Only 10 more weeks and we'll know for sure!

I'm finally having some dreaded pregnancy symptoms, but I'm not going to complain. I sleep alot , and generally feel run down. The smallest things seem to take more energy these days! I'm pretty much lost my appetite, though I haven't had a lot of nausea. My stomach just never seems to feel right. I have to make myself eat, which has made for some interesting meals. The good thing is that most of these symptoms should subside in the next 2-3 weeks, when we officially enter the 2nd trimester.

We go for our prenatal appointment with Dr. Field's nurse in the morning. It probably won't be too very exciting. Just a big information exchange. I don't imagine we'll see Dr. Fields for another 2 weeks or so. Steve and I are very much looking forward to being regular ol' OB patients. What is that like?!?

I'm going to thank you again and again and again for your prayers and encouragement. Look at that tiny little human - you are such a big part of its being here!