Pictures from 10-8-08

Here are two pictures that we were given from our AMAZING appointment on the 8th. The first is Hendrix's profile (with his mouth WIDE OPEN lol) and the second is him looking at you!

God is SO good!

God is good..all the time. David and I had another high risk appt today, and I can't even begin to describe the joy and thankfulness that fills our hearts right now. The doctor said that he couldn't even believe he was looking at the same baby, his lungs have improved THAT much. He went on to say that it was almost scary because if this would have been our first time in to his office and he didn't know what we were coming in for, he probably would have missed the mass when looking at the sonogram. He said that the mass is DEFINITELY shrinking, his heart is almost back in it's normal spot (the mass was shoving it way over) and he doesn't think that Hendrix will have any hydrops forming (those would need in-utero surgery). He said since things are looking so good that we can have 4 week appts now instead of going in every 2 weeks..We also found our that our little boy is (approx.) 1lb 8 oz, and today I hit the 6 month mark! The doctor also said "congratulations" as he walked out the door. Hearing a doctor say "I can't believe this" is the most in-awe-of-God thing ever...it's like God said "hey watch this". We cannot express enough our deepest appreciation for all the people who know our situation and have been praying for us. At no time this week did I ever have FEAR or WORRY about this appt. today. I thought about it a few times, but with a very peaceful heart. That speaks nothing to me and everything to the prayers that are being prayed and answered, and to a God who is the greatest Comforter there is. I cried on the way home, just in awe of what God has done, how His mercy has shown up, and how His healing hands have been on Hendrix. To think that God is taking care of my son in the ways I can't is breathtaking.

Psa 34:1 I bless GOD every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise.

This is a verse my father in law sent me and I've really hung on to it the past month, praying that not only my lungs, but Hendrix's lungs too, would expand with praise for God...and they have.

9/25 update

David and I just got back from the high risk doctor..with good news. There are no hydrops (excess fluid that a growing mass would cause)..and while he couldn't clearly say that the mass had shrunk..he DID SAY that the heart looks less crowded than 2 weeks ago, and Hendrix looks better! God is good..all the time. Thank you all SOOOO very much for all the prayers, they are SO very appreciated. Please continue to pray that God would heal Hendrix and that David and I would continue to have peace these next 2 weeks while we wait until our next appt. :0)

Peace and Hope

On Saturday David, my mom, and I went to our 2nd (of 12) baby class meetings. We thought it would be a good idea to tell the instructor what was going on with Hendrix in case we do have to have surgery within the next 7 weeks, she would know why we stopped showing up. As we were telling her the whole story with the 4 possible scenarios she listened intently. She then said "wow you guys seem to be taking this REALLY well". That statement REALLY meant a lot to me, although I have nothing to do with it. Our family and friends have been covering the 3 of us in prayer and in return David and I seem to have this peace that certainly doesn't fit what's going on right now. I am so thankful for this, since like I have said before, I am the queen worrier. However..this 2 week wait until our next appt. does seem to be dragging by soooo slowly. Please keep praying that David and I would continue to find peace in our hearts about this situation, and also pray that God would put His healing hand on Hendrix and remove or shrink the mass in his right lung. Thank you to everyone. :0)

He's My Son

Mark Schultz \ He's My Son:
I'm down on my knees again tonight I'm hoping this prayer will turn out right See there is a boy that needs Your help I've done all that I can do myself. His mother is tired I'm sure You can understand Each night as he sleeps She goes in to hold his hand And she tries not to cry As the tears fill her eyes.
Can You hear me? Am I getting through tonight? Can You see him? Can You make him feel all right? If You can hear me Let me take his place somehow See, he's not just anyone He's my son.
Sometimes late at night I watch him sleep I dream of the boy he'd like to be I try to be strong and see him through But God who he needs right now is You Let him grow old Live life without this fear What would I be Living without him here He's so tired and he's scared Let him know that You're there.
Can You hear me? Can You see him? Please don't leave him He's my son

Update on Appointment

We went to the high risk pregnancy doctor today for a level 2 ultrasound. Hendrix's heart looks good, but he has a mass in his right lung. He will likely require surgery after birth, and I may have to deliver downtown Harris. I now have to go back every 2 weeks to the specialist for ultrasounds (sonograms). We are praying that the mass will shrink, which will mean that he will have surgery either right after birth (if he's having trouble breathing at delivery) or 3-6 months after birth (if he has no trouble breathing at birth.) HOWEVER...if the mass grows, it will then start taking up space that the heart needs..and Hendrix would then need prenatal surgery (surgery while I'm still pregnant.) That is usually done on or around 28 weeks, (which is only 8 weeks away..scary)

This website explains everything very well, so please check it out if I just rambled on and you still have no idea what's going on:
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site2192/mainpageS2192P0.html

Please pray that the mass shrinks, doesn't grow as Hendrix grows, and doesn't push into his heart's space. Please also pray that David and I, as well as our family would have peace about this situation, and continue to have faith that God knows exactly what He is doing.

Tomorrow's Appt.

Tomorrow is the appt with the high risk preg. doctor. I'm praying that they will have no trouble finding Hendrix's aorta..and that he was just in a weird position when my regular sonographer couldn't find it. I've had peace about this since we found out they couldn't see it last Wednesday. I'm the queen worrier and I have only thought about this appt a few times...I am so thankful for that...but the appt is very close now and I'm starting to feel nervous..and my peace is subsiding. I know that the King of Peace is always with me, I just sometimes choose to not accept His comfort. Please pray for Hendrix, that his body is whole and everything is working just as it should be. Also, please pray for David and I, that we would have peace no matter what the doctor tells us tomorrow, and that we remember that He will be there with us.

**pictures added**Snips and snails and puppy dog tails...

That's what little BOYS are made of!
That's right we are having a little BOY.....blew our minds...we were totally convinced it was a girl....but there was NO denying it...no shy boy here!
So now our baby has a name: Hendrix Alexander Nickle
David will scan the pictures on Friday. The doctor scheduled us an appointment with a high risk dr for a higher level ultrasound b/c they could not see the aorta..PROBABLY b/c the baby had his head tucked down, all snuggly. Dr said nothing to worry about right now..they just want to be sure everything is ok. So that is next Tuesday at a different hospital. Everything else looks great.
DH is of course very optimistic and I am trying to do the same. Prayers please.

The Big Reveal......

will happen tomorrow night, I'm guessing around 9pm. We are having our parents and siblings over for dessert to share the big news and we will blog/myspace/facebook/twitter the big news after that!

Am I What???

So Thursday night was Meet The Teacher night up at our school, where all the kids and parents can come and meet their teacher, see their new classroom, fill out a few papers, etc. Then out of nowhere this dad (whom I've never met) asks "so when are you due?" TOTALLY catching me off guard b/c this was the first time someone noticed I was pregnant without being told first!...I was so excited and startled I said "umm uhh end of January"..I think I pretty much floated on cloud nine the rest of that night. David and I were talking about it today, and we decided that the next stranger that asks when I'm due, I'm going to say "due for what?" and see what kind of expression I get playing like I have no idea...lol..I don't think I'm mean enough to do that..but oh man it would be funny!

New Favorite Song

This is seriously my favorite new song. Not my favorite of all time, but my favorite of all the newest songs on the radio right now. I'm adding it to my playlist, it should be playing right now, so pay attention, and TURN IT UP!!!! :0) BTW-I realize that in reality Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash didn't start out in the best of ways...but seriously listen to the words and you can feel the unmovable love they had.

Johnny And June - Heidi Newfield
Oh there's something 'bout a man in black,Makes me want to buy a cadillac,Throw the top back,And roll down to Jackson town,I wanna be there on the stage with you,You and I could be the next rage to,Hear the crowd roar,Make 'em one more,I'll kick the footlights out,I wanna love like Johnny and June,Rings of fire burnin' with you,I wanna walk the line,Walk the line,'Till the end of time,I wanna love,Love ya that much,Cash it all in,Give it all up,When you're gone,I wanna go too,Like Johnny and June,I wanna hold you baby right or wrong,Build a world around a country song,Pray a sweet prayer,Follow you there,Down in history,I wanna love like Johnny and June,Rings of fire burnin' with you,I wanna walk the line,Walk the line,'Till the end of time,I wanna love,Love ya that much,Cash it all in,Give it all up,When you're gone,I wanna go too,Like Johnny and June,Like Johnny and June,More than life itself,No-one else,This here is promise,They don't make love like that anymore,Is that too much to be askin' for,I wanna love like Johnny and June,Rings of fire burnin' with you,I wanna walk the line,Walk the line,'Till the end of time,I wanna love,Love ya that much,Cash it all in,Give it all up,When you're gone,I wanna go too,Like Johnny and June,Like Johnny and June,And when we're gone,There'll be no tears to cry,Only memories of our lives,They'll remember, remember,A love like that.

Confession

I'm an eating machine today..this morning DH made me 2 eggs and 2 small pieces of sausage, then when I got to church I had a banana, after church I had about 10 pringles, then went over to the in-laws for lunch where I had pork loin, 2 SMALL helpings of salad, and a big helping of rice. As soon as lunch was over I went and grabbed chips out of their pantry...what the heck is wrong with me???

Kick!!

I've felt little flutters here and there for quite a few weeks now. Only once or twice has David been able to feel the flutters...the baby is small and basically in the middle of me, so I can really only feel the movement from the inside for the most part...until tonight when the baby starting kicking like crazy, I yelled for David and we both sat there in amazement as the bean practiced karate on my uterus! It was the strongest movements I have felt the entire 4 months...SO VERY COOL !! I can't wait until the movements are more frequent so the rest of my family can feel the bean too!...also...in 22 days (baby cooperating) we will be able to call the baby by it's real name instead of "the bean". :0)

14wk. appt.

We had our 14wk appt yesterday. The nurse started off by weighing me..I'm now back to my pre-pregnancy weight (I lost 4 pounds in the first trimester). No ultrasound this time, but they did use the fetal heart monitor and goo on my belly to find the heartbeat. This time it was in the 150's. I broke the news to my dr. that I wanted a natural birth, and thankfully she was supportive. I told her that I've been getting headaches every day, and let me tell you she did not look a bit surprised. Apparently my hormones are still fluctuating up and down, which in return causes headaches, and she told me I can expect them frequently until about week 20. YAY! :-( On to the WONDERFUL NEWS...we scheduled the BIG ultrasound for Sept. 3...so in just (haha, "just" who am I kidding) in 5 weeks we will know the gender of this wonderful bean growing inside me!! SAHWEET!!!

Blessed!

Oh I haven't even started this and I'm tearing up already..dang hormones. I just wanted to put into writing how very blessed I am. I have parents and inlaws that are possibly more excited about this pregnancy than I am (which is hard to beat, I'm ecstatic). My amazing mom (who has been bugging me to make her a grandma since our wedding day) has taken me twice now shopping for baby and maternity clothes. I have a mother-in-law who is taking her daughters and me for a girls weekend to hang out and go shopping. All I ever hear about is baby talk-and you know what-That is GREAT! I'm sure I'll eventually get tired of the baby getting all the attention but not today! My dad, brother, father-in-law and brother-in-law are even getting into this pregnancy asking questions, joking, making plans for when the baby is here. I am so very blessed to be surrounded by such Godly people who bring such joy into my life, and to be married to a selfless man I couldn't deserve in a million years. Thank you Lord.

3 months!!!

Holy crap, I'm already 3 months into this pregnancy! Yesterday was 12 weeks for me, and compared to 40 weeks that doesn't seem like many, but 3 months compared to 9 months..THAT got my attention!

I've been feeling much better here lately, now rarely do I almost throw up/dry heave. It's been a little over 2 weeks since my subchorionic hematoma stopped bleeding and I think DH is more happy about that than I am b/c it means my doctor released me from a 6 week pelvic rest. I'm just glad the 4 weeks of bleeding is over with-yuck.

Yesterday I bought, started, and finished reading "Belly Laughs" by Jenny McCarthy. Pregnant or not, anyone can enjoy this book, it is hilarious, although lude and crude in certain places. Go check it out!

BTW, if I remember later tonight (ha I have preggo brain who I am kidding) then I will post last nights weekly belly shot!

Babywearing Contest!

How cool would THIS be to win?

Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

10 weeks

Wow sorry I haven't posted in forever (wait who am I saying sorry to,no one reads this!) Things have been different than I expected with pregnancy. Complicated. BUT..God is good, all the time, and this baby bean is growing strong in me regardless of bleeding, cramping, and so forth. David and I had our 3rd appt on Tuesday. Technically I was 9weeks 6 days pregnant, but the baby measured 9w3d. Not a big deal, no concern from Dr. We heard a strong hearbeat of 173bpm which was very different from 2 weeks before that when the hb was 148bpm. We also saw the baby wiggling around-VERY COOL! So without further ado...here is our bean!..oh btw, this awesome picture you see here, is due to a certain ultrasound wand and I becoming VERY familiar with eachother...hopefully next time I go in (13 weeks) I will be far enough along for the on-top-of-the-belly ultrasound!

Oh baby!

David and I are expecting at the end of January. God has a funny way of laughing at your plans and then showing you plans of His own!

Tomorrow will be 7 weeks exactly. We go back to the OB on the 18th to see a heartbeat!

Last Weekend

Less broken tile, more wood floors, and a shot out window. Wow it seems like every weekend since we closed on the house has been SOOO busy. Last weekend I air chiseled up the tile in front of the fireplace b/c 2 of the tiles were broken...look at me go:

<--- Ok this was when I started chiseling by hand...2 minutes later I smartened up and got out the air chisel.

David and his dad started on the wood floors:

The horrible news.....we had one of our bedroom windows broken by a vandal with a pellet gun: