Elianna Belle

Due Date October 29, 2005

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Photographed by Sarah Greer. Copyright 1998-2006 by Sarah Greer. All rights reserved, Sarah Greer
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Update 02/17/05 Positive! We are pregnant!

I'm pretty sure it was no secret that we had been trying to have another baby for a while. It took us 4 years to get to this point and the story is way to long (and boring) to repeat here. I'll leave it at this. In March 2004 I was laid off from a stressful job. In May 2004 we became vegetarians. From March to July I lost about 20 lbs. In July 2004 I had my first regular menstrual cycle. In October 2004 I went to a new OB who suggested I chart for 3 months to determine when and if I was ovulating. In January 2005 I actually spent some time out of town and instead of having a normal cycle, I had my first irregular cycle since last July. But miraculously I ovulated on Feb 5th and had a positive home pregnancy test on the 17th.

Update 06/13/05! It's a girl!

The first half of my pregnancy has been interesting. I remind myself everyday that it took a long time to get here and even though I feel tired or sick or hormonal, I should cherish each day because I wished for this for too long and I don't know if it will happen again. I had very little morning sickness, only nausea and it ended right around the 8th week. The only difference with my first pregnancy was that I was getting ill at night more than during the day. I had the same smell aversions and food aversions. In my 6th week I was having nightmares and a hard time sleeping. We had our first ultrasound in week 7. In week 11 I felt my first Braxton Hicks contractions and I could feel the faintest movements if I lay really still, late at night. I began to feel my first real kicks around week 16. All prenatal tests came back normal. By 18 weeks, Brian could feel the kicks and in week 19 Nick felt them too. Hiccups started around week 18 too. She is head down because all of the kicks are at my belly button and all the hiccups are on my bladder. I don't think she ever changes position. It's really been a very easy pregnancy.

During the ultrasound, Elly was reaching up and touching her nose and may have even been sucking her thumb. The technician did find a white spot in her left ventricle and we have been scheduled for a second ultrasound on June 20th. This one is a level II, to check the white spot which is called an Echogenic Cardiac Focus. It's just an echo in the heart but it could be a soft marker for Down's Syndrome. The chances are still quite slim that it would be Down's and it will more than likely go away before she is born.

Belly Shots

I've gained 6 lbs total and was in maternity clothes at week 7. If I wear a normal tshirt you can't even tell I'm pregnant, I just look overweight. If I wear maternity overalls, you might get the hint. Mostly I just look chunky. Some of the earlier shots I look bigger than later, that's bloating. With Nick I had a nice round tummy, apparently with Elly, I'm going to gain all the weight in my hips and thighs and she's going to stay below my belly button for a while.

04/25/05	05/11/05	05/18/05	06/02/05
06/13/05	06/29/05	07/14/05	07/27/05
08/19/05	09/10/05	09/27/05	10/11/05
10/17/05	10/24/05	11/01/05 hours before her birth!

Update 06/20/05! Level II Ultrasound results

We just got back from our ultrasound and Elly wasn't real cooperative. She didn't want them to get a real good look at her heart so we are going back in two weeks. However they checked every other part of her and she is completely normal. There are no other signs of Downs at all or any other birth defect for that matter. They just wanted to get a better look at her heart. Our fears have been alleviated, so as far as I'm concerned it's just another chance to see Elly before she's born :) She's 15oz and right on her due date. New ultrasound pics below. The first two are her face. The third is her feet and the fourth is her gender shot, no boy parts!

Update 07/27/05!

I forgot to update after our second level II ultrasound, but everything is perfect with Elly. They were able to see all of her heart and it's perfect. Our last ultrasound picture is below. She's got her hand up by her nose, which she really likes to touch.
I finally popped out during the 4th of July weekend. I feel and look pregnant now. And not an hour goes by that I don't know Elly is there. She's much more wiggly than Nick was and she's not too fond of sleeping at night. She's getting the hiccups everyday, though not as often as she was before. She's very attentive and will be still if she hears Brian and Nick, especially if they are talking close to my tummy. But she doesn't like to be left out of anything either. When she hears the first words and feels the movements of the morning, she starts to wiggle to let me know she's awake too. Last night Nick had some problems sleeping and everytime he woke up, so did Elly. I wonder if we have a light sleeper on our hands?

Update 08/19/05!

Well lots of things have happened in the last 3 weeks! I've decided to change OB practices at 30 weeks pregnant and that means a change of hospitals too. Instead of delivering at Gwinnett Medical, I'm going to travel an hour and a half to get to North Fulton Regional. Why? Because I'm going to have a water birth! North Fulton is the only hospital in GA that offers that option and this new practice is the only one that does water births. I've talked to the new midwife and she's fabulous. I'm hoping to get a chance to meet her face to face in the next two weeks. We did a hospital tour and saw the room with the birthing tub and it was very cool. We are really excited. We had a slight hitch when I failed my 1 hour glucose test and there was a chance I might have gestational diabetes because that would have made a water birth unlikely. But I passed the 3 hour test with flying colors.

Update 09/10/05!

Everything is going well with this pregnancy. I've seen Margaret, the new midwife, twice now and I love her to death. I've had a little heartburn in the last few weeks and Elly is getting so big that many of her wiggly movements are painful now. Those are really the only pregnancy complaints I have at this point. I have finished our birth plan finally and it's much shorter than before. Most of what I want for this birth is standard procedure for Margaret so I'm looking forward to a really great experience. New belly shots above!

Update 11/01/05!

Nothing to report at this time. I've got an NST today to make sure Elly is doing ok in there. Other than that, it's a waiting game. At my 38 week appointment I was 1.5cm dialated and 70% effaced. At my 39 week appointment I was 2cm dialated and 70% effaced. I'm hoping for 3 and 90 today at the very least.

Update 11/06/05!

Elly is here! Born November 1st, 2005. Check out her birth story and her first year!

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