10 more weeks!

Holy smokes ya'll! 10 more weeks! At first...it seemed like time was moving so slow...and now all of a sudden I only have 10 weeks left! We are doing good! I started prenatal yoga about a month and a half ago and that has been helping me with a lot of my aches and pains. Although, I did injure my back this past Friday. I'm doing my best to keep it iced and to take it easy because I would really like it to heal completely before the baby comes.

We've chosen a name! Isabella Emi Kumagai ... Emi is Japanese and it means beautiful blessing. With everything that we have gone through with this pregnancy...I felt like she is my little miracle...my little blessing....and the name was perfect for her :)

we're normal!

Gosh...I'm not as good at this blogging thing as I thought I would be! I first came up with the idea to keep a blog while on bedrest during our first scare. I figured it would be a good way to pass time and good way for me to keep a record of this pregnancy since it was so different from my pregnancy with Madi. It's been nearly four months since the first scare...and I'm "normal"! At my last OB appointment two weeks ago, my doctor said both clots had virtually disappeared and that I can resume normal activity! I'm still going to take it easy as I have been during this pregnancy (as easy as you can take with a two year old at home, that is) because I certainly do not want to risk any more bleeding or complications. Early in the pregnancy, we were told that if this pregnancy held full term, the clots posed a higher risk for other complications such as preterm labor, placenta previa, and stillbirth. So, even though I'm "normal"...you can see why I don't want to risk anything!

My doctor says that in the second pregnancy, you feel more ligament pain because the muscles are stretching and they do not have the same elasticity that they used to. I've heard this from many women before, but really, it makes no sense to me. If your muscles have already stretched once...you would think they would have an easier time stretching again, right? My point in all this rambling is I have been experience a lot more aches and pains the last couple months. Back pain, stomach muscle and ligament pain, and the worst is the sciatic nerve pain!

At this point, I'm about 5 1/2 months along! Only four more months to go! I can't believe how much time has passed! I feel like I have so much to do...hopefully I find the time and the energy to get it all done!

I will try to be better about blogging in the future, I promise!

it's a....

Girl! We are having another girl! Let me tell you, I was so so so shocked...I even had the tech check three different times because I was sure it was a boy! We are all so very excited! I'm especially excited for Madi...as a friend recently told me (and I completely agree), sisters are very special. :)

In addition to finding out the sex of the baby, an anatomy check was done and everything is perfect! We feel so very blessed to have a healthy and happy baby girl growing in my belly...especially considering all the scares and complications we have had throughout this pregnancy. Thank you all so much for your prayers and good wishes! Please keep them coming!

I feel like I've popped over the last couple weeks. I can feel my skin stretching, my muscles pulling, and I'm starting to feel the extra weight that I am now carrying around. Oddly enough, I feel like I am smaller than I was with Madi (Soosh disagrees, haha!), but then I remind myself that I still have another four and a half months to go!

We have decided on a first name for the baby. Unlike my pregnancy with Madi, we plan on sharing the name with everyone instead of keeping it a secret...although, I don't really plan to share it until we decide on the middle name!

I have had some mad cravings for iced green tea as well as sweet tea from McDonalds but I will continue to be good and ignore those cravings!

Other than that...just resting and plugging away as usual!

appointments and kicks

Another successful appointment today! The baby's heartbeat was so clear and so strong...it was amazing! :) My doctor is still very pleased with my progress and since I have not had any bleeding for a week, my next appointment is the normal one month out instead of every other week as I have been doing. If I have any more bleeding or other complications, I will start up the frequent appointments again.

The big ultrasound is on April 27th! 11 days...I'M SO ANXIOUS!

I started feeling the baby move last week and the movements have been becoming more frequent and stronger everyday. I am very happy and feel so very blessed. Now...just need to overcome these dang allergies and then all is well!

we're plugging away!

I had another dr. appt last Thursday and everything went well! My ob was very pleased with my progress. I have another ob appt next Thursday and then April 27th is the BIG DAY!!

I'm starting to feel the baby move once in awhile. It's not the big kicks yet, but early fluttering senstations known as "quickening". It's pretty cool! I didn't feel them with Madi until 18 weeks...but some women have felt them as early as 11 weeks. It's sometimes hard to distinguish the sensations from gas, indigestion, and all those other tummy googly feelings, but once you feel the real thing, you just know! :)

We have all been doing great over here! I'm finally starting to get some of my energy back which is wonderful! It's amazing what a difference it makes just having some energy! Our spirits are good and we are very positive! I didn't want to live in fear of all the maybe's and the what if's so I'm just taking it one day at a time and enjoying this pregnancy as it is :)

the latest images...

These are images from 14 weeks. As of today, I am 15 weeks and 3 days...but that also depends on who you ask. I have had two ultrasounds since my first initial ultrasound with my OB...one in the ER and one at Obstetrix...the facility that specializes in high risk pregnancies. Both the ER and Obstetrix ultrasound place me about a week and half further along than originally thought...I love my OB...but since Obstetrix has the state of the art equipment...I'm going with their date, haha!

more and more updates

Last week I had a nuchal screening test, which is basically a routine first trimester test that checks for genetic abnormalities, etc. The test went well...the numbers were normal and within range so we just have to wait for my blood test results. About an hour before this appointment, I started bleeding again. It was nowhere near as bad as a few weeks ago and it was old blood, but still scary nonetheless. During my ultrasound, they discovered that I actually have two large blood clots. I was scheduled to have an appointment with my OB the following day so the doctor from the testing facility was going to call my OB to make sure she aware of the findings.

On Friday, my OB confirmed what I kinda already knew...this is gonna be one loooong pregnancy. I am a high risk pregnancy and will be seeing my OB every two weeks or sooner if needed. All of my ultrasounds will take place at the facility I had my nuchal test from since they specialize in high risk pregnancies. I have two large blood clots, one is directly over the cervix and the other one is on the upper side. We suspect that the one over the cervix is trying to come out since I keep having spurts of old blood and tiny clot pieces. The options are for the clots to come out...to heal themselves and reabsorb into the placenta...or to detach the rest of the placenta (which is bad).

There's really not much that can be done. I have to continue with all the necessary precautions (i.e. no lifting, no sex, no exercise, no stairs, and rest as much as possible) and it's almost certain that I will have to remain on these precautions the rest of the pregnancy.

Of course, there is still a lot of risk of miscarriage as well as a higher risk for second and third trimester complications such as preterm labor, stillbirth, and other horrible things that I will pray against.

I had such an amazing pregnancy with Madi, never in a million years did I think I would go through something like this, but it just goes to show that everyone and every pregnancy is different.

The silver lining amongst it all is that the baby is happy and healthy and growing and developing with a steady and healthy heartbeat. It's a little fighter! Also, I'm very grateful that I'm not working right now because I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like having to deal with work on top of all of this.

I'm so grateful to my family and friends for their love and support, prayers and positive thoughts. Please continue your prayers and positive thoughts that the baby and myself will make it through all of this happy and healthy!