Week 23-24 update

I am so far behind with my updates! I often think that I will go home from work and write away but my couch & comfy blanket win. I love naps right now!


We have had an uneventful two weeks! Thank God!

Wanna recap?
Mother’s Day; Beautiful day but there are always people who really just don’t know what to say. More times than I could count, people ( who knew of our daughters) said, “ Happy Mother’s Day TO BE”. I just had to thank God for the grace to simply smile & say thank you. I really wanted to say, “TO BE”???, where have you been? I’ve BEEN a mother since 2007. This really made me question WHAT IS A MOTHER? Are you a mother only if you have living children? Certainly not! I came to the realization that everyone may not view me as a four, I’m JUST an expectant woman/mother. No matter the thoughts of others, I know that I am a mother and that’s all that matters. I said happy Mothers day to my friends who have ever had a + HPT, those who have had one or multiple losses, those with no living children, those with empty arms but full hearts and those with children. Those are the mothers that I recognized!

I had my gestational diabetes test last week . It wasn’t as bad as I thought, but nothing that I’d really WANT again The glucose drink was a tropical flavor, which made drinking it a little easier. I had my labs checked one hour post drinking and still felt fine. By mid afternoon, I just wanted to go home and “get rid” of that tropical junk by any means ( or end) necessary. :0) The office was to call me back ONLY if my lab work was abnormal….It’s been over week and no call!!! YAY

I had my 2 week follow up with Dr. G on Thursday. There was a different ultrasound tech that scanned us. She remembered me from an U/s with Madison. She is known for getting the sweetest 4D pictures…until that day! She was so chatty and wanted to know all about Ethan, my cerclage and everything. She was anxious to scan him, so much so that she opted to check my cervix last. Ethan was laying face down and had absolutely no intentions of looking at her. She tried everything that she knew to get him to roll over so that she could get a good shot of his face. He was awake but perfectly content with showing us his butt & his feet only. She managed to get a few side profile pics but you still can’t see much in those because his hands are in front of his face, cupped together as if he is praying that she’d leave him alone. :0) After 30 minutes of noncompliance, the tech finally surrendered and declared Ethan the winner of THIS round. He weighed 1.3 pounds as of Thursday and everything was perfect.

We were informed that Dr. G was off & we’d be seen by his partner. No one bothered to say that he was such a handsome OB!!! He was great and did a thorough review of my history and the ultrasound findings. He said, “ there are ppl with an average cervix of about 2.5-2.8, above average is about 3, and then there’s YOURS! Girl, your cervix measures 5.4, that’s like in HOLY MOLY range”. So, I take it that he was impressed. He was also curious as to why I went to Chicago for my cerclage when there are a few doctors that have experience with them. I told him of my research with Dr. Haney, his success rate, and years of practice. His numbers couldn’t compare…he does 2-3 a year & Dr. Haney may do 2-3 a day and has been for 25 years. He did proudly say that there has been a 100% success rate in the procedures. This makes me wonder why OB’s just don’t do the abdominal cerclages all the time rather than taking the risk of cervical failure with the vaginal.

Chris & I registered over the weekend. That was fun but it wore me OUT! It seemed as though we walked up & down each isle registering for items that we’d possibly need. I looked at the registry online after we got home only to find that we had scanned 77 items. It felt like we had scanned 777 items! There was still so much that we missed,s o we’ll have to do several updates prior to our baby showers!

On Sunday, we arrived at the 24 week/6month mark!!! :0) This is also considered the age of viability. :0)  We're over 1/2 way thru this remarkable journey and Chris & I could NOT be any happier.

Here’s what going on at week 24.

Week Twenty Four: Practices breathing

You are 24 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 22 weeks)
• The child is now gaining around 3 ounces (90 grams) a week.
• Baby weighs about 1.3 pounds and is 12 inches long.
• Baby weighs about 600 grams and is 30cm (crown to heel) long.
• The eyelids can be seen very clearly.
• If born at this stage is officially considered viable, they may well be able to survive.
Your baby is producing surfactant. This is stuff that keeps the small air sacs in our lungs from collapsing. The unborn baby is covered with a fine, downy hair and the skin is protected by a waxy substance. Some of this substance may still be on the child's skin at birth at which time it will be quickly absorbed. The baby practices breathing by inhaling amniotic fluid into developing lungs.
Baby gains about 3 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs. The body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn. Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his or her distaste.
Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of the hands has improved as they sucks their thumb. Over the next week or so, the sweat glands will be forming in the skin. The lungs are developing branches of the respiratory tree and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

After this week your baby is officially considered viable. 36% of babies can survive premature birth at 24 weeks - However, serious complications are still possible.
Baby now weighs about 1.3 pound (600gm) and is around 12 inches (30cm) long.

21 week update:

We had our bi-weekly visit with Dr. G. today. My award winning cervix continues to make us extremely proud. Today’s cervical measurement was 5 cm…AWESOME! Thank GOD!

We only had a very quick scan of Ethan today. The Tech was only going to check his heartbeat until I asked how much he weighed. His heartbeat was 145 and he weighs 1 pound!!! Usually, we have some really good pics to show but that isn’t the case today. Ethan is head down & facing down with his lil butt arched to the left and his lil’ feet are right at my navel. I can’t imagine that being a comfortable position but if it works for him, it works for me. So, based on his awkward positioning we have a good shot of a foot!

Dr. G. wanted to know if I was ready to see him weekly and my answer was NO!!! Actually, I think I could handle moving the visits out to every 3 weeks but he said that he’d miss seeing us, so we’d just leave it at every 2 weeks!!! I heart him!!!! :0)

So….here’s some preggo info:

• What are my cravings?

   o Cabbage (my husband makes the B*E*S*T) and homemade coleslaw
   o Strawberry smoothies
   o Fresh Pineapple! YUM!

• What are Daddy’s cravings?
   o Frosted flakes & cheese toast ( yes, together)
   o It was an Ice cream float (vanilla bean ice cream & Pepsi) but that craving has ceased.

• How much weight have I gained?
   o 7 pounds ( I’m happy with that…I can still wear some of my regular pants)

• Symptoms/sickness?
   o Thankfully, absolutely NO sickness or even nausea!!!!
   o Heartburn for both Mommy & Daddy!
   o OILY FACE…OMG….I am shining like the STAR OF DAVID *****

• How much longer?
   o We’re 21w4d which means only 129 days until the due date!
   o 3rd trimester begins on Father’s Day, June 20th
   o I’m not in a rush…I want to enjoy each day …each moment of this wonderful pregnancy!


• Our thoughts?
   o I often daydream about Ethan. I have already hit the fast forward button in my mind and I picture the moment that Ethan cries to announce his arrival to the real world. I see the deep, warm grin on Chris’ face and feel the waterfall of tears that we’ll both release at the very sight of our love child.

   o Daddy’s thoughts:” I just think about him being HERE and arriving safely” …

Just the facts, Ma’am…just the facts!

I wanted to take a few minutes to address some myths about my emotional state.

If you read any blog entry from the past 6 months and come away with the conclusion that I am depressed or poor in spirit, a catastrophic misinterpretation has occurred! If you see me and judge my countenance to be depressed, a catastrophic misinterpretation has occurred. If you see the smile on my face or even a tear in my eye and conclude that I am poor, pitiful, or in need of sympathy, a catastrophic misinterpretation has occurred.

These are simply the facts!

On the contrary, I am delighted to be alive, honored to be in love, and totally fulfilled to be the mother of 4 children: three of which live inside my heart and one that grows inside of my womb. While my past pregnancies have had many turbulent moments, please know that the good, far surpass the bad. Please don’t define be by my past pain..all of that has helped to empower me into who I am today.
Phrases like “ Poor Tanika” do not apply to me. I have had unfortunate events but I have recovered and continue to recover.

Do I have thoughts that make me sad? ABSOLUTELY!

Do I think of our daughters and miss them? Yes, TERRIBLY!

Do I think of our daughters and smile because of the joy they brought to our lives? ABSOLUTELY!

Do I cry?? YES!!! Happy & Sad tears…so, don’t judge then…ya never know!

Every day I experience a love that heals. I choose to love and be loved. I make the conscious decision to LIVE!

These are simply the facts!

While I walk proudly, head held upright, and can look at others face to face, I am reminded that it may not “feel” right for others to look at me. Its easier to lower heads and stare at my growing stomach. Doing so is fine, if you must but you short change yourself because you missed the smile on my face & the pride in my heart.


So, the facts are :

I am well ( in heart, mind, and spirit)


I am blessed.


I am thankful ( for the past, present, & future)


I am excited.


I am inspired.


I am healed ( and continue to experience healing)


I am loved.


I am greater than any pain I have experienced!


I am well!

Can you see the heart?

In a prior post from last week, I mentioned our 3d ultrasound and Ethan’s Heart shaped head/face. Here’s the picture. Can you see the heart? I think this is a clear indication that he is our love child! He’s already loved so much by so many! We can’t wait to meet him!

Ethan might be a Daddy’s boy!

I just love rainy Saturdays, especially when I’m at home enjoying it! Yesterday was such a special rainy day. Chris and I took a nice THREE hour nap and listened to the wonderful rainfall CD that the Lord played for us. After our hibernation ended, we cuddled on the couch to read a book for our Sunday school class. Chris read the book aloud and rubbed my stomach the entire time. Ethan had been fairly quiet in his favorite spot on my lower left side for most of the day until this point. I could feel his little 11oz body rolling around toward the center of my belly.

I interrupted Chris’ reading to say, “ Ethan is responding to your voice or your touch”. We both smiled and Chris continued to read. A few seconds later, Chris felt Ethan’s lil active body move for the 1st time. It was such a memorable moment.

I have tried with previous pregnancies to articulate how the movements felt but nothing could compare to Chris actually feeling this for himself. So, this was the 1st movement that he has EVER felt in 4 pregnancies!!!

I could almost predict that Ethan is gonna be a Daddy’s boy! I couldn’t believe him. I sing to him and he hears my voice all day and he doesn’t respond to me like that! ;0) I’m kidding…it’s really okay and I think its precious!

We’ve decided to start reading to him several times a week. I think it will be great bonding time for all 3 of us!

Maybe we can all learn from this…listen for the voice of your ( Heavenly ) Father and respond accordingly!

Ultrasound today!!! 19w 4d

Here are pics from today’s ultrasound. Ethan is great and weighs 11 oz!


Everything looks great and we couldn’t be happier. He behaved for the most part of the ultrasound until the very last minute. He started playing with his “toy” again. I was told by the tech that I should get used to this; It’s nature! I guess its the one thing he will always hold on to!

I cried for most of the u/s just knowing that we've passed every milestone. How I just LOVE happy tears.

There are 3 more pics that I will post from the 3D u/s.  I am not kidding... Ethans head & face are shaped like a heart in the pics.  I'm sure its just the angle of the camera but it's really priceless...stay tuned for those pics!

I just love him.......

I am 110% positive that I have the most amazing husband in the world. I just love seeing/hearing his excitement about Ethan. He actually knows how far along we are…like down to the DAY! In conversations, he’d say, “ we’re 18 w 4 days pregnant with a baby boy”. Most folks would be really generic and say 4 months but each day is so significant to him and to me.


As of Sunday, we were 19 weeks. It’s so amazing to me. With my previous pregnancy with Madison I was in the hospital on complete bedrest and fighting off an infection at 19w and praying that she would not make an entrance within the next day/hour. I have never been at home or able to work  or even happy at this stage in pregnancy. It’s simply a blessing. After being pregnant for a total of 54 weeks over the past 2.5 years, we are starting a new chapter of un-chartered territory!

Chris came home from work yesterday with a surprise to celebrate this milestone in pregnancy. He had a dozen red roses and a card in his hand and the biggest smile on his face. The card read, ( and this was posted with Chris’ permission)

“ Happy 19 weeks and a day :0) I love you so much

and

 I thank you for your courage and not giving up.

You mean the world to me “

Okay…so, how was I supposed to respond to THAT??? I just hugged him as tightly as I could and sobbed a river full of happy tears on his shoulders! He held me (just like he does thru happy or sad tears) and then asked…WHY ARE YOU CRYING???? (LOL….Umm, “why NOT Sir? )

I just love every fiber of his being! And more importantly, I love the love that we have for each other.

 I couldn’t imagine this journey without him! I thank God for blessing me with such a wonderful husband and for breathing into our marriage! What a wonderful journey!!!  I can't wait for the moment when we can both lavish all of our love on Ethan!