Updates

Thirteen weeks. That's how far along I am. Tomorrow I go for a first trimester screening. The screening will involve an ultrasound, where they will measure the the fluid accumulation at the back of the baby's neck (the nuchal translucency), and a blood test, where they will measure two proteins. Basically, they won't be able to tell us anything, but they will be able to provide a risk assessment for Down syndrome and Trisomy 18. According to the brochure, the combined testing detects approximately 85 percent of Down snydrome and 97 percent of Trisomy 18. Those are pretty good percentages and are actually better than the second trimester screening percentages.

Here's something I know. I remember going in for Lily's first ultrasound. It occurred around the same time Gabriel's was done. I remember thinking how small Lily looked on the screen compared to Gabriel. I just figured it was due to magnification. Maybe it was Trisomy 18. This time, the baby's length measured 12 weeks 5 days, the exact number Dave and I were using in our calculation. Just getting my hopes up, I guess. Unless we do an amnio or CVS, we won't know for sure until birth.

I'm trying not to be nervous and dwell on the fragility of this baby's life--of any baby's life, for that matter. But this pregnancy is certainly different from my other pregnancies. There was this invincibility before Lily. Not anymore. I now know that perfect pregnancies do not exist for everyone.

As for Lily. . .since her g tube placement, we have seen weight gain--she's now 14 pounds--, better eating of solids--she's up to about 25 bites on her best days, and a happier baby. As the previous post's picture shows, Lily is getting bigger. Oh, and that's not me. That's my friend Jennifer. We hung out with her family on the 4th, and I just couldn't help taking that picture. Lily was so content in her arms. In the past, I've always picked on Jennifer because Lily would fall asleep every time she held her--and it always seemed to be at times when we wanted Lily to stay awake so she'd sleep better at night. Lily is sleeping better, too. But it also helps that the place we live in now doesn't allow every little sound to penetrate our bedroom door. Lily will let out a cry here and there at night, but she'll go back to sleep.

Lily is also rolling on her stomach more and holding her head up really high. This is great to see because she hasn't had therapy since the end of May, and we've not pushed tummy time because of the button. Her rolling is telling us that she's ready to progress.

Lily also has a tooth! She got a bottom tooth a few months ago and chews on her hands nonstop. She's been drooling a lot, so I'm expecting another any time now. She's so cute with her bottom tooth. I just can't imagine her with a mouth full of them.

The button has given us a little concern. It's redder around the area than Dave and I like, but the surgeon seemed to think it was normal. Her pediatrician prescribed an antibiotic. We've also had a little granulation to deal with, where skin (?) grows up like a blister of sorts along the button. Silver nitrate fixed that, but it turned Lily's skin a blackish color around the button. Some of that is still there. Apparently, according to the pediatrician, it's an issue we're always going to have to deal with. It's a little frustrating because rotating the button is supposed to help with that. We do it and this granulation still occurs.

But really. What are we fussing about. Things are going so well I hate to fuss. Lily's gaining weight and happier. She's healthy. Right now, it's all good.