28 Weeks & Good News!

Finally we can relax a little!  Our anxiety level has plummeted after a day at the hospital yesterday!

Jason and I started our day early.  I had to pre-register for the fetal MRI early, and then lots of waiting... Finally I was called back to change and get ready to go into the noisy tunnel.

To prepare for the MRI, all I had to do was take one little Ativan tablet to help baby and I relax.  It was important for us to both sit still during the MRI.  The baby must have cooperated very well because the MRI only took about 40 minutes total.  It was a bit easier to do this time, rather than the first time I did it with baby Tyler.  This time I knew what to except.  I'm not claustrophobic, although I think all people would feel a little uneasy being in such a tight space.  It is the chest band that they put over my belly that I found to be bothersome because it holds your arms down.  I don't like the feeling of being pinned down!  But the radiologist was talked to me during the procedure and time really did fly by!

Now, all we had to do was wait for results!  We were SO ready to hear how baby's brain looked.

Our afternoon was spent with a regular OB check and ultrasound.  Once again, the baby looked great during the scan.  He was so handsome, with his little arm pushed up under his chin.  It made his upper lip stick out.  He looked just like Ty when he was sleeping like that.  Later on, he had his tiny toes up by his eyes - it's always amazing how contorted they can get inside there, and yet they love it!

Baby weighed in at 2 pounds 10 oz - right at the 50th percentile.  His head was measuring 5 days ahead of his due date.  So huge to us!  Overall, I am measuring 1 day ahead of my due date.  After each scan the technicians bring us a copy of the graphs and measurement charts - and we are seeing the head size go up, up, up... So surreal to us!  

The doctor came in, and was of course pleased with the current ultrasound.  But what we really wanted to know was how the MRI turned out.  He went to see if he could get a rush on the dictation of the results.  More waiting :)

Finally the ultrasound tech came in and told us that the doctor wanted to see us in his office.  He wanted us to hear the dictation from the radiologist ourselves (on the voicemail).  So off we went!  I remember asking as we walked along if the doctor had already heard the news... and the tech smiled and said yes.  I thought for sure I'd cry, for sure I'd lose it, as we sat down to listen to the results.  The nurse played the voicemail for us - it was a lot of medical lingo that was not super familiar to us, but at the very end we heard the words we wanted to hear.  The baby's brain was normal for his gestational age!  I didn't cry because I was listening so intently to the message, and then because I was so excited!  It was such an awesome moment!  After a very overwhelming 6 months, we finally had some relief!  

As the weeks went on and we saw great head measurements, we started to wonder if we should still go through with the fetal MRI.  In the end, I think we still needed that reassurance - we needed to know for sure one way or the other so that we could prepare for baby as best as we could.  Finding out that Ty had lissencephaly after his fetal MRI helped us to prepare for his arrival - we were able to set up an awesome birth plan him!   

I'm glad we did the MRI for a few reasons - firstly, we can now have some relief and we will be able to prepare for baby accordingly ;)  And, because if we had to do an MRI for baby, for whatever reason, I feel better doing it while he was safely inside me.  Because if we had to do one after he was born, he'd have to be sedated or put to sleep.  That is the same reason we chose to have Ty's one and only MRI while he was still in my belly.  

We finished the day down in the lab where I had my 1 hour glucose blood draw taken.  I had gestational diabetes with Tyler (not with Aidan), so praying those results come back normal!  Not a fan of poking my fingers all day or having to stick to a diet ;)  

And now for the pictures of our handsome little man - he who will be the best "BIG little brother" ever!

Hello sleeping baby!

Profile.

His little hand under his chin.

That's his foot by his forehead - little toes!

Fat little feet like his brother Ty!

Tellinghuisen nose!

Thank you everyone for sharing in our good news with us - we are so grateful to have so many people supporting us and praying!  No matter what the test results showed, we would love this 'lil guy just as equally and deeply as we love Aidan and Tyler.  All three of our boys are true blessings!!!!