Happy New Year! Updates on Kai...

There's not been anything major to report in the way of appointments lately. Everything has been going pretty smooth and that is an answer to prayer!  We are usually going back and forth to appointments at least once or twice a week. Here's what we do know...

Kai has continued to grow bigger!  The last time we had a growth sono, he was about 3 1/2 pounds, which was right on target.  I feel like they always tell me that my babies are going to be bigger than what they end up being.  They said that Tucker was going to be at least 11 pounds and he was "only" 8 lbs 13 ozs.  I think it's their long arms and long legs that throw them off.  But at least we know that Kai isn't lagging behind too much!

His head/profile are in the upper right corner. It looks like he's sitting in a hammock,
legs and feet on the left side. =)

 

He is looking straight forward, chubby little face in the middle of the picture.

Kai has done great on his biophysical profiles. We usually go about once a week for these ultrasounds.  He has had a good strong heart rate, excellent fetal movement, and has gotten great scores for practicing his breathing! He is still SOOOO active.  There was only one sonogram where he was barely moving. It was so cute, in the beginning of the sono he was being very wiggly and within the first few minutes, he put both hands behind his head and went to sleep.  The sonographer pushed and prodded him for 15 minutes and he would NOT wake up! Kai just does his own thing, I guess... stubborn like his mama!

Little man has been head-down for the past month or so, but about 3 days ago, I told Dave that I thought he flipped around.  I could feel his hard kicks in a totally different area than usual.  Sure enough, when we were in for a sono today, she mentioned that he was transverse (sideways).  Little stinker!  Our doctor said that he could still easily flip back, especially with all the extra fluid... it gives him more room to swim around! Ha!

As far as my fluid, it is still considered very high, but it could be worse! The normal range of fluid is 8 - 20 cm and mine is around 35 - 39 cm most of the time.  I am still feeling great though!  I imagined I would be totally miserable by now, but thank the Lord, I am still enjoying every bit of this pregnancy.  Dave has been off work for a couple weeks, due to a shut-down at his work. I think that has really helped! God blessed me with a wonderful, sweet husband that takes good care of me! 


Some plans on labor and delivery...

After talking with our OB/GYN, we have definitely decided to deliver in Peoria. It is a little sad for me. We just love Carle and we love, love, looooooove our OB/GYN, Dr. Shepherd. We feel comfortable with him and he knows me so well. He has been such a wonderful support to us throughout this pregnancy.  He has called me at home to check on me and always tells us that he is there for us, even if it's just to talk. We've shared lots of hugs and even some tears over the past few months.  He agrees that we need to go to Peoria as well, for Kai's sake.  I will continue to see him right up until I deliver.  He assured both Dave and I that we will be in excellent hands in Peoria.  He had a lot of great things to say about the doctors and the hospital over there.

Dr. Shepherd said that he assumes that they will induce labor at 39 weeks, which would put us having Kai the last week of January! Yikes... only 4 weeks away!  It's so scary and exciting at the same time! I feel like we have so much preparing that needs to be done, yet we have no idea really "how" to prepare!

There is a chance that I could go into labor on my own, especially since my fluid is so high. It could "trick" my body into thinking that I am full term.  If I do go into labor, I am to immediately get to Carle, where they will evaluate me and put me on a helicopter to Peoria.  This will make things so much more complicated, so we are praying that Kai will just hang in there until his appointed birth date gets here! 

We aren't sure yet if we will have Kai naturally or if it will be c-section. We are hoping to find out more once we talk to the doctors at Peoria.  I have never had a c-section before, so that will be a whole new ballgame for us!

All that being said, we go to Peoria this Monday, January 7th. We have several appointments that day, including an echo appointment for Kai, maternal fetal medicine, and tours of the hospital and NICU.


Please continue to pray for us!  We appreciate every prayer and every sweet message that you send to us!

We feel like God has blessed us tremendously on this journey already and we know that He has so much more in store for us! There are going to be sad times for sure and it may not be what we want, but knowing that it's all part of God's perfect plan will be our hope!  I am so thankful that God knows what is best for us and we can hand it all over to Him. 


Isaiah 55:8,9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.  For the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.