Great Results

So, I had to share this with everyone. Bryan and I had a hard time deciding if we wanted to do the sequential screening for Baby Benton. When we were first asked about it, we thought, well it doesn't matter if we find out something is wrong, we aren't going to change anything. So, we almost dismissed it immediately. Then, we decided that it wouldn't hurt to be armed with knowledge about what to expect. So, we decided to go ahead with the tests, and think positively. This test screens for Down Syndrome, Trisomy-18, and Neural Tube Defects (like Spina Bifida). They did the first round of blood tests at my 12 week appointment and did an ultrasound to test a fold on the back of the baby's neck. Then, they do another blood test at 16 weeks to compare results from the first test. Well, the fold they said looked nice and thin. And, then this week we got our blood test results back, and everything was within normal limits. This is one of those tests where a lot of people get false positives, so it was a relief to know I don't even have to worry about that. So Martin is in the clear, and Mommy and Daddy can breathe a sigh of relief!

Calm and Quiet

Ok, let's try this again. I just typed a pretty hefty post, and it got lost in Blog Lang.....yikes! So, I will attempt one more time, then I am giving up. This week has been much better than last for the Benton house. We had a calm weekend despite the bad weather swelling all around us. We did go to Double Decker on Sunday and got several Ole Miss and Oxford prints and paintings for the Ole Miss themed game room. I can't wait to get them framed and hung. Sounds like a Hobby Lobby trip in my future..... I even bought Martin an Ole Miss outfit. It is blue and white striped with the Red Ole Miss logo monogrammed on it. I looked for more baby stuff, but didn't find much for boys.

I started looking for nursery bedding this week. And, I have fallen in love with www.javisdavis.com bedding. They make it look so easy. Now, if I can just decide which collection I love the most. I need to order swatches and decide....but it sounds like work. Maybe I will get something done this weekend....but probably not. I need to clean out some closets. I know we just moved in the house, but if I didn't know where to put it, it went in a closet. I need to clean out, throw out, organize and move the rest to the attic. But, I am betting if the weather is pretty I will end up outside reading a book or working in the garden. Bryan works all weekend so I will have plenty of time to get that stuff done.

On a happy note....Bryan and I are going to the beach for Memorial Day, and I cannot wait!! We planned this about two months ago, and it is what gets me out of the bed each morning. I am keeping a mental countdown until the sand is between my toes. Bring on the beach.....I hope Martin grows up to love it as much as his Mom and Dad do.

Blue or Pink???

After much thought and prayer, I have decided to share this with my "readers". I guess, mainly because I am not sure how many more times I can say it verbally. It was pretty stressful and traumatic for Bryan and I. But, all turned out well, and even ended in a very happy day. Monday morning at 3 am, I woke up and was having severe bleeding. We got in the car and rushed to the ER (although I kept checking, because it felt like Bryan was driving 25 mph on I-40). They took me to a room, where we sat and waited for what felt like an eternity. If you have been keeping up, most of you know I did a 5-K on Saturday, well I couldn't help but worry that I had done something to cause this to happen to the baby. So, we sat and waited, and prayed, and I cried, and we waited some more.

Finally about 5:30 I had an ultrasound. Baby Benton was being very active (which explains why I can't sleep much at night). The ultrasound tech was laughing with us as BB flipped all over in there. I was so happy the baby was moving and everything appeared to be ok. She decided to check to see if she could see what the sex was. At one point she stopped and asked me how much I had been feeling, when to her surprise I said I hadn't felt ANYTHING. I will sit really still sometimes to see if I can feel anything....and NOTHING. When she asked, the baby was stretched out in there, with it's foot really close to my hip bone...and still I felt nothing. Well, baby wouldn't be still. On the ultrasound machine it looked like BB was standing up and then flopping down (like a 2 year olds tantrum in wal-mart). So, she decided to measure the head instead, and then BB flipped around butt to the ultrasound screen. She got a "good angle" and started to look when BB put it's hand down there and covered up the area. Bryan kept saying, I see something, and it's not just umbilical cord. I was so happy it was moving I didn't care what it was.

Well, they discharged me about 7:30, and we headed home. I didn't have any answers, but I had a moving baby, so that was all that mattered. I called my doctor's office and got a follow up appt for 3 pm. Before I saw the doctor they gave me another ultrasound. They diagnosed me with MARGINAL placenta previa. I stress Marginal, because if you google this, it will scare you to death, but the scary part is mainly full blown placenta previa. This means the placenta is lower than they like. Lots of women have marginal previa in the early stages, and it moves on up as everything expands in there and isn't previa anymore. So, mine could get better, and the best news is that it CAN'T get any worse. It will not become full blown Previa where the Cervix is blocked by the Placenta. I feel like an expert now on the subject--but at first I thought, what if it gets so low it goes away.....I was thinking of a volume measurement, not a placement measure, but now I am all straightened out. The two things that this could mean is 1-I might have more bleeding, or 2-I MAY have to have a c-section. Both of which are manageable. The best thing being it causes NO stress to the baby. Just stress to Mommy from freaking out!!!

But, Baby Benton was very cooperative during the second ultrasound. When she started, the baby was just as still as could be, and she said, "well there is our answer---look up there mom and tell me what you think". Well, no denying it, Baby Benton is a BOY! Martin Bryant Benton. Then, Martin rolled over with his back to us like, "It's been a long day, you have seen what you want, now let me sleep". I think my little angel looks perfect. Well, when I saw the doc he jokingly said, "you just couldn't wait until May could you"? Then he said he was glad we could find out, but sorry we had to do it this way. I am a lot more at ease now. I took 3 days off work, but when I go back tomorrow, it will be back to normal. He told me I needed to keep doing what I had been doing, and not change a thing. And, reassured me it was nothing I had done. So, that felt good-I could stop blaming myself. So, please everyone continue to pray for us, and now you can include Martin in your prayers too, instead of BB. Thanks for reading this LONG post.

Martin Bryant Benton

His Back as he naps after a long day!!

16 weeks

As the title suggests, this is week 16 of being pregnant. And, I must say, I am loving every minute of it. Minus the headaches here and there. This week the baby is the size of an avocado which makes me want guacamole....weird huh?? I went for my third doctor's visit yesterday, and it was by far the most uneventful. I didn't even get to sneak a peek at the baby this week. I guess that isn't too bad, since most moms have only had the first ultrasound and I have had two. But, we got to hear the heart beat on the doppler (that was Bryan's first time) and it was pretty cool....it never gets old to hear that!! Doc said BB was doing great. The baby was in the right place based on where the heart beat could be heard, and said everything looks great. I officially gained a pound this week. Hopefully my weight gain will continue at this rate. I don't want to gain too much--just enough for my little one. Yeah right....??? I can dream, right? Oh, and he said that the first round of the sequential screen everything looked clear, although the next test is the final say so. Fingers crossed BB is a healthy baby!!

I think the best thing about the visit was he told us next visit we would get to find out Blue or Pink. These next four weeks cannot pass fast enough. Our appointment is May 10th at 10:30. I am trying not to count the hours, but I cannot wait!!! Bryan still really believes it is a boy and I think it is a girl....so we will see who is right in 4 short (or long to me) weeks. Then let the fun begin. I am excited to get started on the nursery. I have been trying not to look at bedding until I know what I am having, because I don't think I want a gender neutral nursery. It is hard not to look, and hard not to buy. So, Bryan should beware of what will happen after we know what BB is going to be!!

I broke down this weekend and made my first round of maternity clothes purchases. There is a cute little shop in Memphis called A Pea in the Pod, and they have CUTE maternity clothes. Who knew spandex could be so stylish. I started small....pair of jeans, pair of shorts, and two shirts. I took a belly picture, but still haven't decided if I want to share with the blogging world. You can see a baby bump now especially if I have on a tighter fitting shirt. Stay tuned for more blogging. Thanks for reading!!

April

So, I warned you that blogging weekly would be a stretch....I proved myself right. It has been almost two weeks now. I go back to the doc next week, so I will have more to report then (Monday to be exact). I think Mom is coming up this weekend or maybe the next, and I will be glad to see her. I haven't gotten to see her since I found out I was pregnant--and I think she is anxious to rub the baby bump! It is getting bigger everyday. For the longest time I wondered if I would ever "start to show"....now I am scared to get on the scale. As of last Monday I still weighed the same pre-baby weight--but I bet that has changed now.

The weather is finally pretty here and I think it is here to stay. I have been walking in the afternoon when I get home from work, and it has been gorgeous. We are getting a fence this week, and Bailey is excited about that. Me too, because I need to get a little sun, but I feel strange laying out in my backyard with all the construction workers watching, so I haven't done it yet. So, maybe this will help me not be so white! Hope all is well with everyone. Look for a blog update early next week.