My birthday brought good news!

I got this result on Father's Day... at only 3 1/2 wks pregnant! We were excited... but oh so nervous. I don't think Ryan nor I really believed it could be true. I've been through lots of blood work since then and already had numerous dr's appointments. Yesterday was my first u/s.

And I got to see Baby Knepp for the first time... AND HEAR the heartbeat. It was 144 bpm! It did bring us some relief to know that so far, so good. I'm also reluctant to be too excited b/c this time, I know there isn't a "safe" time to be pregnant. We already love this precious baby so much! It was the best birthday present ever to hear that sweet heartbeat.

We just told Brycen yesterday b/c we didn't want to tell him before we knew everything was going alright so far. He was excited! He also said he needs to teach this baby how to be a boy :) If anyone could do it, it's B!

I was 7 weeks yesterday. Last time they gave me a due date of March 4, but yesterday they said March 1st. She also said she isn't too worried about a due date b/c she will for sure take me 2 weeks early-- if I make it to then. I am seeing the perinatalogist on the 27th for my first appointment with him (Dr. Fitzpatrick at the Women's Hospital). I will see him along w/ Dr. Reisinger, my regular OB, throughout the whole pregnancy. I am considered high risk b/c of my past troubles and I do have a fifty percent chance of developing pre-eclampsia/HELLP again. With many more appointments, bloodwork, ultrasounds, and eyes watching me, they should be able to catch it early on though. I go back to Dr. R on the 3rd for my first regular OB appt. just to listen to the heartbeat on the doppler and all the "normal" things you talk about at an appt. I will see Dr. R on a pretty normal basis (i.e. week 10, 14, 18) until week 20 and then I believe she said I will start seeing her every two weeks, and then once I get to week 28 I will see her each week. Those aren't even counting the perinatalogist appointments inbetween! I'm not complaining. I think the more appointments and the more people checking me out the less likely of anything serious happening too quickly. The good thing is that PE and HELLP hardly ever show up until after wk 28. And since with B it happened at wk 38 and A at wk 34 they don't think mine will show up that early if it does decide to appear this time.

We ask for your continued prayers through this uncertain, nerve-wracking time for us. One day while waiting on lab results I was just a mess (oh yah, this is why my anxiety has been so high!) and anyway I was reading my devotions for the day and it hit right at home. It said something about how we just need to give our children over to the Lord b/c he cares about them and what happens to them, even more than we do. Um yah, thanks for the reminder, God, I needed it!

Hope you all have a great weekend... Tonight is my birthday dinner at my parents house! YUM! I have been very nauseated and not feeling well at all, so I'm hoping to feel like eating tonight!