Finally, an Update

It has been so long since I've updated here, but I need to get back into it again. Things have been crazy, but good these last few months. So here we go.

I am pregnant again and due July 26, which is one day before Abby turns two. We were very excited when we found out in November that we were expecting again. We did not plan on telling anyone about the pregnancy until after we had seen a heartbeat, but Mom and April found out on Thanksgiving morning when they heard me getting sick in the bathroom and didn't want to be anywhere near me. They were sworn to secrecy though, and not even Christopher knew. That was the only time this pregnancy that I've had morning sickness or nausea. I haven't even had any food aversions this time around.

I had my first appointment on December 16. The baby had a heart rate of 154 and was measuring four days ahead already. That was great news! Since I hadn't had any symptoms, I was sure that something was going to be wrong. That day I also had to take my 1 hour glucose test since I had gestational diabetes last time. Thank goodness I passed with a 128 (needed below 140). I had my second appointment on Jan. 18 and my third on Feb. 15. Both times I heard a very strong heartbeat.

I first started feeling some movement around 17 weeks and now that I'm 19 weeks, I am starting to feel movement several times a day. On Saturday night, Leonard was able to feel the baby kick for the first time, which he enjoyed.

March 17th is our big ultrasound, where we will find out the sex (hopefully). My guess is that it's a boy because this pregnancy has been totally different from when I had Abby.

As for Abby, things are going much better than they were at this time last year. We were recently able to decrease the thickness of her liquids from honey down to nectar, which is a great step. She has made it through the winter so far with no pneumonia! She has battled several colds, an upper respiratory infection, a sinus infection, and a stomach bug, but the rest of our house has all had it too. I'm hopeful that next winter will be even better.

Heart-wise, we had a follow-up with the cardiologist in August. She did not have an echo done this time, but the cardiologist thought the hole in her heart sounded smaller. She does not have to follow up again until next August. At that time she will have another echo and we hope that it will show the hole has completely closed on its own.

Abby started walking two weeks after her first birthday and has not slowed down since. She loves to run and play outside and especially loves to pet Jack, when he lets her. Her speech is really getting better and can say multiple words now: hi, bye, dog, woof, more, milk, mama, dada, backpack, moo, quack, roar, Blue (from Blue's Clues), yellow, yes, and no (her favorite word). She can also count from 2-10, but will never say one. She tries to sing her ABCs and attempts to sing along to any song she knows. She is starting to put two words together like more milk, bye-bye mama, and more eat.

The cutest thing ever happened this morning when she said I Love You as we were putting her in the car.

Unfortunately, she seems to have hit the terrible two's early and loves to throw temper tantrums. She will lay on the floor and scream and yell and kick her feet. If we leave the room, then she will follow us around and start all over again.

This has been a long update and it seems like there is so much more to say. I will work on doing a better job of keeping everyone up to date, though I'm not sure anyone looks here anymore.