Week 11!

FIRST REAL APPOINTMENT

On Thursday, I had my first real doctor's appointment. Shawn decided that since this is our last (the doctor just laughed and said, "I think I've heard that before"), he would take the day off and go with me. When I got up to the window to pay my copay, I noticed a note on my chart that said, "Weekly ultrasounds starting now". Needless to say, this threw me. When the nurse brought me back she explained that my bloodwork didn't come back the way they would like it to. I need to go back to explain. Around Valentine's Day, I got very sick. I just woke up in the middle of the night with a really high fever one night.   The fever just kept getting worse, until reaching 104degrees about 4 days later.  I really didn't have any other symptoms.  I just felt horrible with chills and aches from the fever.  I finally decided to go to the doctor and he sent me immediately for bloodwork.  My white bloodcount came back at a 1.  The doctor really thought I might have lymphoma.  The next day, I woke up with this really odd rash all over my arms and legs and my joints were all swollen.  Then, they started thinking I might have Lupus.  It was a very scary few days for my family.  Finally, they decided that I just had an odd virus and my blood levels started to go back to normal.  Anyway, about a week later, I get a call from the school nurse.  Apparantly, Drew broke out in an odd rash at school.  I took him to the doctor and she said it was "Fifth's Disease".  I realized then that it is exactly what I had.  She said that sometimes children don't get the fever, but adults can be really affected by it.  So.... back to my appointment.  When I got my initial bloodwork, I mentioned the Fifth's Disease to the doctor.  He decided to test me for it.  It seems that when I got the bloodwork done (about 6 weeks into the pregnancy) I still had the Fifth's Disease in my system.  This can cause anemia in the baby.  I have to get weekly ultrasounds for the next ten weeks to see if they baby is anemic.  If it turns out the baby is anemic, then he/she will need a blood transfusion in utero.  Apparently, there are only 10 doctors in the world who do this surgery.  The good news is, the doctor does not think it will come to this and feels we are just taking the necessary precautions.  We are trying to stay positive and just thinking that we get to see the baby a lot.  On a brighter note, when he did the ultrasound, the baby has grown arms and really long legs and was moving all around.  I don't care if it is your first, fifth, or fiftieth, you never get over the entire miracle of the whole thing!

MOTHER'S DAY
Yesterday was Mother's Day. It was the first time that Drew and Dawsyn really got into it without a lot of prodding from Daddy. Drew "interviewed" me so he could write about my life. It was so cute. He asked me to sit down at the kitchen table and answer some questions. He wtrote the numbers 1-31 on a piece of paper. He then, very seriously asked me, "OK--what is your favorite memory from when you were one?" This went on for all of the years. When we got to year 23, he said, "Mom, I gotta tell ya, I'm a little surprised that you haven't mentioned me yet!" I just laughed and explained that he was born when I was 23, so he is my best memory from my 23rd year. I could tell he felt much better then. Shawn and the kids got me a gift card to Old Navy so I can get some maternity clothes, which I am needing very badly! Dawsyn made me a beautiful bracelet, using the "J" letter magnet that hangs on our Fridge and an old hair ribbon. Of course, just like every proud mom, I wore it to church for all to see! :) Dax brought me breakfast in bed, ok--he really just carried up a tray and a spoon, but it's the thought, right??? Delaney was very proud of signing her own name to the card--in lower case letters, I might add! We went to church (only a slight mishap when we were pulling out of the driveway and suddenly Daxton's head pops up between Shawn and I in the front seat and he yells, "Hey--don't drive yet!" because we hadn't hooked him in yet. (Poor kid is raising himself!). We went to church--Father Steve called up all pregnant ladies to get a blessing at the end of mass. We hadn't told people in church that I was pregnant yet and the looks on people's faces when I walked to the front was priceless! The young people shook their heads, thinking we have obviously lost it and the older people smiled sweetly because we are "such good Catholics".
After church we had a cookout at mom and dad's. Cassie, Josh, CJ, Carl and Judy were all there and the kids were so excited that their good friends, Kaylor and Isabella got to come see thier bunnies. This should be our last crazy week of activities and then things should slow down--hopefully then we'll remember to buckle Dax in his seat. Hey--at least we had all four kids in the car, right????