5 Weeks and Counting!!

I can hardly believe how quickly this pregnancy is flying by. Five weeks from today, I will check into the hospital and meet our little girl! I have been blessed to have an ultrasound every week for the last three weeks and will continue to have one each week until she is born. I love being able to see her little feet and her tiny belly and all of her movements as she continues to grow.

I measured behind schedule about a month ago when my doctor checked my belly, so he ordered an ultrasound. Our daughter's size looked just fine, but my amniotic fluid was a bit lower than they expected, so I was told to come back in two weeks for an additional ultrasound to double check and make sure my fluid didn't decrease. During that waiting time, I got a stomach bug and got so dehydrated that I started contracting regularly. I spent the night in the hospital, hooked up to an IV until my contractions stopped and then until I could keep some fluids down. I was in the same room I had been in five years ago when I was in labor with Nathan...and although it was emotional, it was also healing in a way. My nurse came in and somehow recognized me from years ago and remembered I had been in that same room and wanted to know if I needed to change rooms. I looked at her incredulously and asked, "Do you remember me??" She said that there are some people that you never forget and that the day my little boy was born was very memorable. I cried and thanked God that someone who didn't know me at all still remembered our Nathan and was touched by his short life. What a blessing that was for me to be able to talk to her.

At my next ultrasound, my fluid level had dropped one point and so my doctor decided that weekly ultrasounds and twice weekly non-stress tests would be wise to make sure that our little one continues to grow and thrive. So far, things look good and she is growing and moving and passing all of the tests. :) She measures a bit smaller than my boys did, but ultrasound tests are not always accurate (as you moms know). My belly still measures about four weeks behind, but according to her latest measurements, she weighs in at a whopping four pounds, twelve ounces, and is in the 37 percentile for gestational age. She has cute little chubby cheeks and beautiful full lips and I love her SO much.

Please keep us in your prayers during these last weeks as my time for delivery gets closer and closer. I feel God giving me extra peace and reassurance through all of these tests and through my wonderful friends and family who continue to be here for support. Thanks to all of you who keep us in prayer and who listen to me when I have fears. God is so good!!