November 27--Happy Thanksgiving

Today the parents to be told Bill's family about me, and showed pictures from yesterday's ultrasound. Since tomorrow is Grandma Treasure's birthday (she wants me to call her Antema, though) so Regan and Bill got her a calendar with babies on it. Bear began a commentary about how now he was always going to see babies in her house for another year.

Over the space for June 1st, they taped a picture of the Gerber baby, with a note saying "Expected arrival, June 1." Antema didn't notice it at first, but Uncle Bear did and stopped his monologue long enough to ask "What is that extra picture?" Then the excitement started!

Regan's dad and stepmother were called with the news, and they were excited as well. The plan is to let her mom and the rest of the family know just after Christmas. It's going to be hard to keep a secret that long!

November 26--let the tests begin

Today we visit the TREO center and speak with the specialist about being part of a research study that can help predict many inherited diseases without having to resort to amniocentesis. Since that long of a needle terrifies Regan, we will try the other methods first.

Part of the exam is an ultrasound, so we have a few more pictures of O'Baby. At first, we find the wee one sucking on its thumb:

And a little later, the ultrasonographer catches a little bit of a wave:


Towards the end of the exam, O'Baby was pretty upset and started jumping around, boxing and squirming. Mama can't feel anything yet, but she has a feeling that she's going to be in trouble in a few months! The legs are bent in the second picture, and the overall crown to rump length was long enough that they are threatening to move the due date back a little more.

October 26, 2006--The alien

Today is the big day--our first OBGYN appointment. Bill and Regan meet with Dr. Lorie Jones, who reassures them that things will be fine, and that we'll have our first ultrasound today! She's not overly concerned about weight gain. She did recommend some exercise, but that's hard with a broken foot, so it will have to wait.

The first thing Regan notices is the blinking area that is the heart beat. The "alien" is real, and alive, and the blood does not mean that she's miscarried. Towards the end of the exam, O'Baby arches its back a little. Six and a half weeks of gestation and already moving. Due to the 1.8 cm length of the baby, the expected due date is judged to be June 1, 2009.

There are some concerns about advanced maternal age, so we will go in for an extra round of tests with the specialists downstairs.

The dark spot is normal for an embryo at this stage of development--it will become the fluid filled ventricles of the brain eventually.

September 28, 2008--No doubts now!

No doubt this time--two very pink lines on the pregnancy test!

One very panicky mama to be and one very happy daddy to be in our house. Now the discussions begin on some of the changes and when do we start telling everyone...

Regan does tell her online class about the news--which seems to explain why she's been so darned tired all the time--and one of the class members dubs the little one "the O'Baby". The name sticks.

September 19, 2008--maybe baby?

A definite maybe. There might be a weak positive on the pregnancy test. But it is very faint, so I will wait another week and test again.