Our BABY

4 Months Old and Rolling Over

2009-07-25T05:10:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my little baby is already 4 months old (as of yesterday). He celebrated his 4 month mark by rolling over for the first time. He was so proud. You should have seen that big smile on his face. Here are the pics you have all been asking for. :) I promise to do better.

Ready to go swimming.

With his friends...all together for the 1st time.

Meeting his best friend Samuel for the first time.

Blain and Sam

Blain and his proud Mommy

Lounging at the pool

Look at me hold my head up!

Cute, sweet baby

Almost 4 months old!!!

2009-07-20T14:07:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that baby Blain is almost 4 months old. I have owned this blog for over a year now and love going back to read the postings where all of our faith was in God giving us a baby. Blain is so big now. I think he weighs over 16lbs, but we will know for sure on Monday. He is now holding up his head and chest when lying on his belly. He can stand on his feet (with assistance) and holds his head steady when pulled up from lying on his back. He smiles and laughs all of the time, and his favorite person is MOMMY! He is sleeping about 10 to 11 hours at night. He is the best baby in the world!
We have had a VERY eventful summer. We were hit by a drunk driver on June 6 and Blain took his 1st ride in an ambulance...and hopefully his last. We were all o.k. God took care of us, as always. My car was totaled (we were stopped at a red light and hit from behind at 55 mph). Most of my weekdays have been spent traveling back and forth to physical therapy. I got a pretty good whiplash.
Also, I decided I just couldn't work full time. I needed to be home with Blain if I could. God answered that prayer when he had another Williamson Co. Kindergaten teacher call me and ask
if I would be interested in doing a job-share. I will be working 2 days one week and 3 days the next week (alternating)! Great huh?

Motherhood is AMAZING!!!

2009-06-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Since my last post, Blain has grown so much! He now weighs 12lbs 12oz and is almost 24 inches long! He is doing great. I hate to brag, but he sleeps fabulously at night. He wakes once per night to eat. He is smiling and cooing all of the time. His favorite part of the day is bathtime. He is definitely going to love the water, like his mommy. I went back to school for 2 weeks and cried every morning when I left him. He was in good hands, though. Phillip watched him in the morning until my mom arrived. It was still torture to spend the day away from him. I am now home for the summer and praying for my next miracle (to somehow be able to stay home with him when school starts back). I am VERY attatched to this little boy. God really outdid himself with this little guy! Enjoy the pictures. They are from the past couple of months. Sorry I haven't updated lately. By the way, Blain is now 2 and a half months old!! My big boy.

Our Little Gift from God Has Arrived

2009-04-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!!! So sorry I haven't posted yet, but motherhood is a BUSY and amazing job. As you all know, Blain made his grand entrance at 11:58 am on March 24th. That was induction day, but thankfully I didn't have to be induced. At 8pm the night before, I went to bed. Phillip told me goodnight, and we were both very anxious . So, we had our sentimental moment, and I closed my eyes. Seconds later Blain did a great big STRETCH !!! Then, POP and gush! My water broke!!! Long story short...I received an epidural, labored for 16 hours, and gave birth to the most beautiful precious angel in the world. He is now 2 weeks old and an absolute charmer. He does not cry much and sleeps a lot. Nights are easy so far. We love him SO much.

About the pictures...one of my bestest friends, Rachel, is an amazing photographer. She came over and took pictures of Blain. Check them out by clicking on the link, click on ENTER, click on SESSIONS, in the bottom right corner type the password: Amber.

Link: http://lilachillphotography.com/#

More pictures!!

2009-03-25T08:16:00.000-07:00

Hey it's Natalie again here are a few more pictures for your viewing pleasure....

Sweet baby boy!

The first picture of the future couple (my little one Brylie and Blain)

Super happy Grandma!! (Amber's Mom)
Phillip his mom and Blain

Phillip, his dad and Blain

HE'S HERE!!!!

2009-03-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone this is Amber's friend Natalie and I just wanted to let you all know that baby Blain is here!!! He is perfect and beautiful!! Amber's water broke Monday night and he was born today at 11:58 a.m. He weighed 8lbs 6oz and measured 21 inches long! He has lots of brown hair and I believe he looks a bit like his Daddy!! Mom and baby are doing great! He is nursing like a champ! Amber is a little tired but she did GREAT and had no problems, everyone is so proud of her! I think they are planning on going home Thursday afternoon or Friday. So when they get home and settled Amber can let you in on all of the details! Tonight when I left the hospital she said "I have never felt love like this"! I'm so glad that god has blessed them with this beautiful miracle! Here are some pictures I know you are all waiting for.....

The beautiful baby boy!

The beautiful Mommy and Blain

A family of three!!!

Proud Daddy!!

Proud Mommy!!

Update on Baby Blain

2009-03-21T08:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the weekend is here (4 days past my due date) and baby Blain still has not made his grand entrance! For weeks we thought: "he is coming any day," but he got pretty cozy and decided to stay a while. We are so thankful that he went full term and is the picture of health. So you ask "what now?" Well, Tuesday is induction day. Yes, I know, he could still come anytime. However, mommy has a feeling that we will be meeting him on Tuesday. We are spending the weekend at home...enjoying our last few days as "just a couple." Phillip and I have been "just a couple" for 10 years in July!! That is a long time, and we are so excited to become a team. :) Blain is going to add so much to our marriage and home. God is so good! Thank you all for your prayers and for continuing to send them our way. I am not sure how Blain will get here, as he measured...9 lbs. 3oz. during Thursday's ultrasound!!! We may be looking at a C-section, but I am at peace with whatever has to happen. I will have someone announce his birth and put pictures on the blog after he gets here. So, stay tuned for the grand finale'.
Love, Amber

The Journey Continues

2009-03-11T15:01:00.000-07:00

This is the best picture the ultrasound tech. could get. Blain's fist is right in front of his nose and upper lip, and he looks a little scrunched up (as I am sure he is)! So CUTE!!!

I had a doctor's appointment this morning at 9 am. Everything is the same: 2cm and 60%. The dr. sent me for an ultrasound and said "if we see any cause for concern, we will induce your labor in the morning." He is leaving town on Sunday and really wants to deliver Blain. Well, the ultrasound showed that everything is PERFECT!! I really want to meet Blain, but we are so happy to know that he is healthy and safe. The plan, now, is to wait and see if my water breaks or I go into "real" labor. If not, my dr. will induce labor on March 24th. I know that sounds like an eternity... trust me, I know!!! But we have not even reached the poor baby's due date and everyone is shocked he hasn't come yet. I am just going to relax, be patient, and wait for him to come. God has a plan...he has all along, and we are going to trust that. I am so excited for him to come and to share his arrival with all of you. Thank you so much for continuing to pray for our sweet little baby boy.

Due Date One Week From Today!!!

2009-03-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

I am feeling so very blessed today. I told Phillip this morning that I can remember sitting across from our fertility dr., and he told us the baby's due date. March 17th. What a magical date. I remember feeling so excited for March to come. It was definitely a long wait but well worth it. I can't believe that we are one week away from March 17th. Our little boy will be joining us any day.

I had a special surprise last week. My friend, Angela, had her precious angel baby at 30 weeks. He is a true miracle. His name is Samuel, and he has been so very strong over the past 4 days. Please keep little Sam in your prayers. I love him so much.

Below is a picture of the newest addition to our nursery...the glider. This chair was Phillip's grandmother's chair. My dad painted it white to match the nursery, and he did a beautiful job! Grandmother and Grandaddy would be so proud to have another great grandchild rocked in that glider. We are proud that it is part of Blain's room.

The picture at the bottom is a picture I bought right after we found out I was pregnant. Of course, we didn't know if the baby was a boy or girl. The picture could go either way, and I decided I would have it framed with blue or pink matting...depending on the gender. This is the precious end result... Thanks mom for having it framed. Your the best.

Can you tell a difference?

2009-03-02T15:57:00.001-08:00

Ok, so the title of the posting is VERY sarcastic. :) The first picture is when I was just 9 weeks pregnant. In the other picture, I am 2 days shy of 38 weeks. Wow! I can't believe how different I look!!! I am having contraction ALL the time. False labor stinks!! I don't know why they call it false. It hurts. Every contraction reminds me that Blain will be here very soon. :) I can't wait to meet my baby and tell him how much I love him. Every person in my and Phillip's family is on pins and needles. We are all so anxious to meet our little guy. At my doctor's appointment on Thurs. I was one centimeter dilated and 60% effaced. Hopefully, I am making more progress. Keep praying for us. The finish line is in sight.

A Loving Family Adopting From Etheopia

2009-02-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

I absolutely LOVE this family. Their daughter was in my classroom last year. They are very strong Christian people, who have found it in their hearts to adopt from Etheopia. I must say that they have SO MUCH love to give! I could go on and on about how wonderful they are. :)

They need your help. Below, are some FABULOUS t-shirts to help their cause. The little girl they adopt is priceless; however, adoption is EXPENSIVE. Please consider ordering one of these precious t-shirts to help bring Bristol home. The shirts are $20, but as I said Bristol is priceless. My prayers are with this family and their baby girl. Please pray for them, as well.

The shirts have the outline of the continent of Africa with a heart where Ethiopia is located. they say "bringing Bristol home". in case you hadn't heard yet- Bristol is her name! they also have a Bible verse on them Matthew 18:5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."

If you would like to help, please comment on this posting or email me at amberp1@wcs.edu

Thank you for your generosity...and I'm sure Bristol thanks you too!

Blain's Nursery

2009-02-17T11:26:00.000-08:00

After worrying that we just could not possibly get this baby's nursery finished before his arrival, we now have a complete and beautiful nursery. It is a GREAT accomplishment that took all 4 of our parents and Phillip. Phillip and his dad transformed the room from a yellow-painted guest bedroom to a sky blue and white beadboard nursery. They worked very hard and eventually the construction zone was Blain's room. They finished the construction work and painting on Saturday morning. Later that day my mom and dad came to our house. My dad helped Phillip assemble the adorable crib and dresser/changing table. The shelf you see was in my room growing up. This shelf was built by my great-grandfather, redone by my dad for my room, and painted and spruced up recently by my dad for Blain. My mom put all of the goodies in the room, as I pointed (and helped as much as I could). Sunday, Phillip's mom and dad returned to put up the curtains. Phillip's mom is a window treatment pro! She did a great job monitoring and instructing Phillip and his dad on the curtains. All-in-all we finished on Sunday...with the help of our loving parents. We are so thrilled about his little room. It is by far the BEST room in the house. As expected, Phillip and I peak in his room first thing in the morning and last thing at night. We still have some things to hang on the wall, but we will get to them when we can. Enjoy the pics!! By the way, I know... I'm HUGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Lovely Shower

2009-02-09T10:13:00.000-08:00

I had another baby shower on Saturday. It was wonderful!! My granny, aunt, mom, sisters-in-law, and friend hosted the shower at a beautiful bed and breakfast. Many friends and family attended, and I was so thrilled to see them all. Two of my friends who attended are also pregnant. I have know one of them (she was my neighbor growing up) since I was 4 years old. The other, I actually met the day I was born in the nursery. We share the same birthday. It is special to me that we are all expecting. Many family friends attended from out-of-town. I felt so loved. Blain is very loved and received many wonderful gifts to welcome him to the world.

The night before the shower I received this picture of my grandparents. They owned a flower shop when I was growing up. They closed the shop years ago, but the memories I have there remain a big part of my life. My grandparents, who have both been under the weather lately, took the time to put together the centerpiece and corsage for the shower. I must admit that I shed some tears at the sight of this picture. They are two very special people in my life.

Childbirth Class

2009-02-02T15:07:00.000-08:00

We took our childbirth classes on Friday night and Saturday. I must say that I already knew a lot of what they taught us. Watching "Birth Day" and "A Baby Story" all day for 4 months can really be educational!! However, I was a little shocked by the constant reminder that childbirth HURTS!!!!!!! As a woman, I was raised knowing that giving birth to a child was a painful experience. Why was it that this instructor felt like she needed to scare all of the poor pregnant mommies in the class? The entire way home Friday night, Phillip was reassuring me that I can do this. I will live through the pains and humiliations that come along with bringing a beautiful life into the world. Don't get me wrong...you all know that I would do anything to bring my beautiful baby Blain into the world. I just felt a little overwhelmed with the gory details. We did learn some useful information, and I feel like we are both more prepared. It was quiet funny to see Phillip's reaction to many of the topics and activities. We were probably the least engaged couple in the class. My favorite one-liner from Phillip was: "No kitchen utensils will be used in our room!!!" The lady had a rolling pen for massaging the mommy. Overall, it was a fun experience to share with Phillip. We will have many laughs over that class. :) Love from our family...AMBER

A BABY SHOWER!!!

2009-01-27T11:37:00.000-08:00

My very 1st baby shower was on Saturday. It was hosted by Phillip's sister, mom, and aunts. The shower was perfect and so loving. MANY friends and family came to celebrate Blain's life and my pregnancy. I was, honestly, overwhelmed at the outpouring of love. Family, old friends, new friends, almost everyone attended. The theme was beautiful...blue and silver. The food was very tasty and the environment very warm. Blain is going to be the cutest kid on the block with all of his new clothes. We also received a pack-n-play, jumparoo, playmat, highchair, 2 mobiles, bouncy seat, bath necessities, towels, blankets, books, a lamp, monitors, bibs, and a hand-made quilt (to name a few items). My baby boy is already so loved and cherished. It truly touches my heart. Thank you to everyone who attended. I enjoyed seeing all of you. Thank you also for the wonderful gifts brought and sent to the shower and our home. I will be sure to tell Blain often how much you all prayed for and love him.

Goodies for Our Little Guy!

2009-01-15T14:04:00.000-08:00

I had some visitors yesterday who came bearing gifts. Forrest, a darling little boy from my class last year, and his mom stopped by. They were invited to my shower on Jan. 24th but wouldn't be able to make it. I felt so loved as Ada walked in with a baby bath full of goodies for Blain. She has been so sweet to me through this entire journey. They gave Blain several precious outfits, some onesies, 3 hats, a Johnson's baby care pack, a book about Easter (which will be Blain's first holiday,) and quilts and a pillow sewn by Ada's mother. They even picked fabric to match his room. It matches the bedding and curtains PERFECTLY!! Blain is already so loved. I am one proud Mommy. Thank you Larry, Ada, and Forrest. I love you all and know Blain will, as well.

Catching Up!! :)

2009-01-13T11:04:00.001-08:00

Our lives have been very eventful since the last posting. My birthday came and went with many wonderful celebrations and gifts. My parents gave us Blain's car seat and Phillip gave me a video camera. I used the camera over the holidays, but it has not seen its busiest days. I can't wait to document every little moment of Blain's arrival.
Checking out the carseat. It is a Chicco Keyfit 30. The color is Adventure. I LOVE IT!!

I love my mom!! A pic. of us on my birthday.

After all of the birthday festivities, Phillip began the transformation of Blain's room. He put the first little bit of sky blue paint on the wall. We are so excited to have a blue room in our home!!!

Phillip claiming the nursery for Blain.

Christmas was very eventful, as always. We were very blessed to have all of our family home and healthy. Our Cortina Keyfit Travel System was complete when my parents rolled in Blain's stroller on Christmas day!

Phillip's brother and his wife and our 2 precious nephews came in from Florida the day after Christmas. We had our Christmas with them on Sat. and loved watching our 3 nephews open gifts. They are too cute!

All of the birthday, Christmas, and New Year's festivities did catch up with me. I ended up spending New Year's day in the hospital. I had some preterm labor, but with fluids and rest we were able to get it under control. I am now 31 weeks... only 9 weeks to go!! We feel so blessed and can't wait to meet Blain very soon.

Baby Blain is healthy and BIG!! (28 weeks)

2008-12-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

I was smiling and the lady just missed it when she printed my picture. You can catch a glimpse of a smile here. :)

Look closely and you can see that my eye is open. The black dot in the center is my iris.

This picture was taken right before I put my hands in front of my face. I'm not so sure I like all of that poking around on my mommy's belly.

Here I am all snuggled in for a nice nap... which I do mostly during the day. I like to be awake at night, just like my daddy. Notice how chubby I am getting.

Notes from mom: Our 28 week ultrasound was today. The baby is absolutely perfect and beautiful. He weighs approximately 2lbs. & 15oz!!! Can we say big baby? The technician said "you have a chubby baby here." That was music to my ears. I love knowing that he is healthy. She also noted that he has some pretty significant hair on his little head. :)

I am making great progress. Bedrest works people!! The dr. still wants me to "do nothing" for the next month at least (those were his words). I am an old pro at doing nothing. I am just happy to know that things are moving in the right direction.

Merry Christmas...God is good and full of miracles.

And it shook when she laughed like a bowl full of jelly!!

2008-12-15T14:11:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Like the title of this posting? I saw my brother and his fiance this weekend and they loved to watch me laugh, because my entire belly shakes. It is really funny. Here are some pictures of my belly. I am almost 27 weeks and all is well.

This one is my favorite!! We are so excited about Phillip's tummy...heehee. Just fun to switch roles.

26 Weeks Tomorrow!

2008-12-09T12:28:00.001-08:00

I had another Dr.'s appointment today and had to do the dreaded glucose tolerance test. YUCK!! Surprisingly, it wasn't that bad. I just felt like I was back in the beginning stages of pregnancy and NAUSEOUS!! After we left and grabbed a juicy hamburger, I was feeling much better. The doc says that everything is still going very well. My BIG belly is actually measuring right on track. Lots of people say that I look much bigger than 6 months pregnant. Dr. says they just aren't used to the new me. It is kinda funny to see my stick arms and legs (that have not gained an ounce) with this big jolly belly in the middle. Heehee! Blain is doing fantastic. His heartbeat sounded so strong this time. Dr. said it sounds stronger the bigger it gets. It was a thud, thud, thud; instead of whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. I can see and feel even the slightest movements. It is so neat to watch my belly move. I am loving every second of being pregnant. I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS.

Bedding!! Hooray!

2008-11-20T15:20:00.000-08:00

I finally picked and ORDERED the bedding for Blain's room. Above is a picture of the bedding. However, the bumper will be blue with chocolate piping. He is going to have a white crib. I have yet to pick that out, because I would prefer to see it in person. (all of my shopping thus far has been done online.

Below is a picture of the moses basket and stand that will be in our room. Of course I am not putting my little boy in a bed of pink. So, if you scroll down you will see the moses basket for a boy. I can just see that precious baby sleeping and having sweet dreams in this little basket. There is just something so symbolic about putting Blain in a "Moses" basket. He and we have been on a long journey to meeting eachother... as Moses was to meet his loving mother. :)

Isn't it just precious!! The only thing that's missing is a sleeping bundle of joy.

Baby Blain at 22 Weeks!

2008-11-12T09:37:00.000-08:00

As you can see, we saw our precious baby boy yesterday. He was unusually sleepy. Our little mover and shaker just did not want to perform. That's ok, he is still the most precious baby in the world. He is also a big boy. He weighs approx. 1 lb and 5 oz. He is in the 66 percentile for size!!! Oh boy! Everything looks great with his development. Phillip asked "is he still a boy?" When she looked at that area...Phillip said "yep, definitely a Boy!!! " :) We had a great visit. As far as my prognosis, the placenta has not moved. I am still on the same (if not a little more) restrictions. Dr. Chern says that home and rest are the right things for myself and baby Blaine. We will just do as instructed. Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. Without God's grace, Blaine would not exist. Please keep praying for us. Love, Phillip, Amber, and Blaine

By the way, we did get a video of the ultrasound. It is in DVD format, and I can't get it to upload to the computer or to Youtube. I will try to film it w/ my video camera and see how it looks. Then upload it to the site.

My Girl is Pregnant!

2008-11-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

I am so happy to share this experience with my girl Angela. She is so special to me, and I know she will be a fantastic Mommy. Please pray for her baby as well. We are both so excited to be 1st time moms. I love you Angie...pieces!

Just Me and the GIRLS!!!

2008-11-10T09:58:00.000-08:00

My bestest friends from college came to see me on Saturday. It just happened to work out that they were all available and in town at the same time. God has a very special way of making things work out like that :) . They spent the afternoon at my house (since I can't go anywhere) and dragged me outside for a quick photo. It was so good to see them. They are such amazing women. Jen is getting married in Feb. She will make a beautiful beaming bride. Also, I love her "Suri" haircut. One of these girls, besides me, is pregnant. However, I haven't asked if I can share her news w/ the world. So, I am not revealing her identity. I can just say...she will make an amazing mommy to that baby! I am so excited to have a photographer friend. Rachel now owns her own photography business. She named it Lilac Hill Photography. She is amazing at her work. I can't wait to see them again. I do love my girls.

The baby is doing great. As you can see in the pictures, he is GROWING! He kicks and flips all the time. I love to feel him move. The other night, Phillip was curious if he could hear him. He put his ear to my belly, Blain kicked right where his ear was. It was so funny to see the look on Phillip's face.

We have another ultrasound tomorrow and are hoping for good news. We also can't wait to see our little guy. We love him so much.

Coming up on 20 weeks!!!

2008-10-27T12:44:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, I will be 20 weeks pregnant! Half way there! Blain is so active. He moves constantly, and boy does he kick!?!? I am so in love with him. Here are the much sought after belly pics. Enjoy! :)

Gender Reveal!

2008-10-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

IT'S A BOY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
His name is Blain Thomas. We are so excited to be able to call him by name.
I have other news. I will be out of work until January. I have a condition called placenta previa. Basically, my placenta is partialy covering my cervix. This can be very dangerous, but I have a great doctor who is putting me on bedrest. Please pray for this condition to correct itself. The placenta can and hopefully will migrate away from the cervix. We will know more at around 30 weeks. Pray, pray, pray!! Love always Amber, Phillip and BLAIN!

It's A ......

2008-10-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Well, Its a ____________________! You fill in the blank. We found out the sex of the baby today. We want to know what you think it is. Take a look at the pictures and give it your best guess.

Love, Phillip and Amber

Last Visit with Doctor V !!

2008-09-22T16:19:00.000-07:00

I went to see my reproductive endocrinologist for the last time today. It was bitter-sweet. I feel like I have graduated into "normal" pregnancy. :) Baby looks GREAT!!! Pictures aren't so good this time, because the ultrasound tech. was not there. Dr. V did the ultrasound, and I saw our little baby moving. It is such a miracle and a gift.
Thank you for your prayers and support,
Love Amber, Phillip, and Baby P.

13 WEEKS on Wed!!!

2008-09-08T18:29:00.000-07:00

Dr.'s appointment went GREAT!! Baby is measuring perfect size and heart rate.

11 Weeks!!!!!

2008-08-26T16:09:00.000-07:00

We had another Dr.'s appointment yesterday. As the sonographer began the ultrasound, we suddenly saw a foot pop into the picture. "The baby is moving!!!" I said. She focused the picture on our little one, and it was rockin' and rollin'! :) It looked so strong! We were in awe as we watched the new little addition to our family show-off for us. We decided that it had learned some of its moves from the Olympics (we have watched them religiously). I am so in love. Phillip and I just could not stop smiling. Come to find out, the Dr. said that the baby must have REALLY loved the lemon drop I ate on the way to the appointment. I will definitely be popping those on the way to ultrasounds!! :) We are very blessed and know that this baby is a gift from God. Thank you for you continued prayers...Love A, P, and B (baby)

Is That a Bump?!?!?

2008-08-14T18:04:00.000-07:00

Well, I was nine weeks yesterday( Hooray). Every day is just one more blessing. We are really getting attached to this little one. We saw him/her on Monday. The heart rate was 170. Everybody said..."It's a girl." We just want a baby. Boy or Girl!! The baby is measuring right on track. As you can see in the pictures...I am starting to get a baby bump. One of my student's mom told me: "I thought you were pregnant, but I didn't want to say anything." That was a first for me. No one has told me that they suspected just by looking at my belly! I am sooooo excited about my bump. Grow baby grow!!!!!!!!!!! Love ...Phillip, Amber, and Baby

8 Weeks Today!!!!!

2008-08-06T16:11:00.001-07:00

My pregnancy is going VERY well. That little one is in there growing stonger and stronger. I have been pretty nauseous off and on during the past week, and my sciatic nerve hurts!!! Other than that, I am doing great. Here is a picture of an eight week fetus.

We saw..............ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

I have to say that I have experienced more miracles this summer than I ever thought I would. The lady doing our ultrasound said "I will look first, and then I will turn the monitor and talk." I just prayed. It felt like eternity. She finally turned the monitor and said: "Well Amber, I see one gestational sac." Meaning...one baby. I looked and immediatly saw a flicker of light in the center. THE HEART!! It was our baby's heart!! I must admit that I had instant tears. The baby is measuring great. All looks well. Praise God!! We just love this baby!

2008-07-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

This is what our baby(s) should look like now. I am six weeks tomorrow. Phillip and I give thanks for every day we are given with this pregnancy. I feel pretty good. My sciatic nerve is already being pinched. Doc says there is not much room for things to move around in there. That is gradually changing. I already had to buy a pair of maternity pants! Lucky me!! I am loving every minute. Keep praying for our little bundle(s) of joy. We will have our ultrasound in 6 days!!!!!!! We love you all.

Ultrasound Date Set!!!

2008-07-17T16:25:00.000-07:00

Everything is still going very well. I feel great. Exhaustion sets in at about 4 pm. I secretly love pregnancy symptoms :) ...guess its no secret now. My jeans are already fitting a little tighter! I can't wait to have a big fat pregnant belly. My nurse called and we set a date for our very first O.B. Ultrasound!!! It will be on July 28th. That is only 10 days from tomorrow!!!!! That is the day we will see our baby or babies. People keep asking "how many do you think it is?" I go back-and-forth. One minute its one baby and the next, I'm convinced I am carrying twins. Whatever it is, we feel very blessed. I want to thank all of you for your encouraging prayers and comments. Keep them going. Love...

Life is GOOD!

2008-07-13T12:18:00.000-07:00

I am now in my 5th week of pregnancy. Not a second passes that I am not amazed at the miracle we are experiencing. Our baby is growing! It will have a heartbeat within the week. Arm and leg buds are developing. It is truly a MIRACLE!!! I found this picture of what a 5 week fetus looks like.

We went to church today. Great message...as always!! Peter announced our good news (I got so many hugs and well wishes). Rhett, Amy, and Gracie gave us a card and gift for the baby's room. They are a precious family. After, we went to lunch with Pastor Pete and others. We feel so loved and welcomed by everyone there. Blessings are all around us. :) Life is good!!

More BIG news!!!

2008-07-13T07:26:00.000-07:00

My brother, Adam, and his girlfriend called last night. He proposed to her. I am now going to have a 4th sister-in-law. I am so happy for them. He took her to St. Augustine, FL and got on one knee in front of a beautiful fountain. How sweet is that? I love that boy...man. :) Rachel is going to be a great new addition to our family. God is good...

Everything is going GREAT!

2008-07-12T07:14:00.000-07:00

I went back to the dr. yesterday to have blood drawn (ahh the life of fertility treatments). They have to check every 2 days to see if my HCG levels increase. The nurse called yesterday and said "your levels are all excellent." Man, I have grown to love that word. Then she called back with more good news..."NO MORE INJECTIONS." My hiney is loving that!!!!
About Wednesday...
I can't begin to tell you how thankful we both are for the gift we have been given. They told us that morning that we could expect a phone call between 3 and 6pm. So, we tried very hard to waist as much time as we could. We drove around Nashville for a couple of hours, ate at the Belle Mead plantation, drove through some parks, etc. Then, we went home to wait...and wait...and wait. Finally, the phone rang at 5:28pm (I was on the computer trying to pass the time and Phillip was watching tv). I ran into the living room and we both stood there. "Hello".... "Amber, this is Anita...CONGRATULATIONS, you are pregnant! My face lit-up!!!!!!!! I instantly started to cry and looked at Phillip. I told him " I'm pregnant...there's a baby in there!!!!!!" He was elated, and we were both shaking. Then she told me that we would know in approx. 20 days if it is one or two babies. We both feel very blessed and thank God every day for this baby(s).

IM PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

Glory to God. The Lord is faithful. I am PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Praise to Him. Thank you for your prayers. Keep them coming. I will update more later.

Awaiting Wednesday

2008-07-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am so anxious about tomorrow. It is amazing that the day has ALMOST finally arrived. I wish I could say that I am feeling great and ready for some good news. However, I am in so much pain all day and night. My hips are swollen and hot and PAINFUL (from the progesterone injections)!!!! On a scale of 1-10, I would have to give the pain a rating of 10! Only the best for me ;) My spirits aren't great either, because I can't sleep at night. Most of you know how important my 9 hours of sleep are. Let's just say I have cut back to about 4 to 6 hours of restless sleep per night. And poor (amazing, wonderful, caring, loving, selfless) Phillip has been up and down helping me make it through the night. I have not had to lift a finger to do anything. He has been sleeping on the floor for a week now. He pulled the twin mattress off the guest bed and put it on the floor by our bed. Is he the best husband or what??? Anyway, I know that when they call us tomorrow with GREAT news...all of this will have been worth it. Just so you know...our appointment is at 9 am. Then we will have to wait for them to call us with the news. In the past, they have made all of their calls at around 5:30 pm. That's right, more waiting. :) Love and Prayers...

Counting down the days

2008-07-05T19:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I am so sorry that I haven't updated lately. As most of you know, I have been on bed rest ALL WEEK! I made it, but I must say that it was torture. My hips hurt VERY bad...making it uncomfortable to lay down. I would have updated via a laptop computer, but we decided that it was best for me not to have access to the Internet. I would like to say that I have self-control, but I would have researched every pain, cramp, itch, etc... just trying to find out what they mean. I just have to make it to Wed. and take that test. Pray for me to be patient and to stay occupied. It's hard to be up to much, but I want to try to stay busy.
As far as the transfer, we put in 3 embryos!!! Two of them were blastocysts (very big and strong) and the 3rd was our little 8 cell embryo. We decided (after signing consent forms, lol) that we wanted everyone of those little babies. I looked at Phillip and said..."I really want triplets now!!" This is in part because our other embryos tuckered-out. Meaning...we would not have any frozen and this was our big chance. The moment of the transfer, I am going to keep private. However, I will tell you that it rated right up there with walking down the aisle at my wedding, or walking across the stage to get my diploma. It was one of those events in life that I will always cherish. I know that God was in that room with us. Keep praying for us and our babies. We love all of you very much.

Brylie is here!!!

2008-06-27T22:29:00.000-07:00

Yipee!!! Natalie's baby was born tonight at approx. 10 pm. She is beautiful and... are you ready for this?... She's a redhead. That's right, she has strawberry blonde hair. How funny. She is perfect. Everyone was thrilled to meet her. Mom is fine. She had a wonderful labor and delivery. Big sister was a delight as well. I love them to death. :)

EMBRYOS!!!

2008-06-26T08:19:00.000-07:00

Well, we officially have..................6 definite embryos!!!! I say definite because we have 2 maybe babies. Two of them look like they may divide, but they haven't yet. So the number is between 6 and 8. Isn't that just the way Phillip and I do things? We always have something waiting in the wings. However, what a great number!! Our prayers have truly been answered. We were both very concerned that we would have 18 or something. Then we would have the chance of having 18 children...doesn't sound very appealing. Six children would not be the end of the world. We are so fortunate. Thank you for your support and prayers.

Update

2008-06-25T19:28:00.000-07:00

The egg retrieval was today. Everything went very smoothly (I guess). I was under anesthesia for the entire procedure. The dr. and embryologist retrieved 12 eggs. A very good number...one dozen! :) Once again, we are blessed! They will call tomorrow to tell us how many eggs fertilized. We will also be told when our transfer day is. It will either be Sat. or Mon. We hope for Mon. That means the embryos are stronger and more developed. I will update more when I am not on the verge of passing out. Love to all of you.

My Rock and My Building... ;)

2008-06-24T18:43:00.000-07:00

I don't know what I would do without the best mom in the whole world. My mom has taken me to most of my dr.'s appointments. She has been my rock. When I feel crummy...I call her. When I am nervous... I call her. I love this woman and hope to be an amazing mommy just like her!!!

This is my Dr.'s office. He is located in one of the buildings at Centennial hospital. Isn't this a pretty building? I am so shallow. Heehee!

Best Friends

2008-06-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

This is Natalie. She is my BFF. She has really been there for me the past 2 years. She will soon be welcoming daughter number 2, and I can't wait to share the experience with her. I also can't wait to give little Brylie some friends to play with. :)

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!

2008-06-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

God is good! He continues to bless us with each dr.'s visit. My nurse called last night and said: "no more Lupron or Repronex injections." I was elated. This meant that my egg retrieval would be TOMORROW!!!!! She said that everything looks perfect and we are ready for our trigger shot ( this tells my ovaries to release the eggs in 40 hours). We are so excited. I could barely write her instructions, because my hand was shaking. We did our trigger shot last night at precisely 9 pm. The doctor goes in exactly 36 hours after the trigger shot to retrieve an egg from each follicle (29 in my case). He said that he would probably get 20 eggs from me. Not all of them will fertilize. Anyway...at 9 am tomorrow morning, Dr. Vasqueze will do my egg retrieval. Not long after that, the eggs will be fertilized and Phillip and I will have teeny-tiny embryos. I pray that God breathes the breath of life into those little guys. I told Phillip this morning...tomorrow the decision will be made of what color hair and eyes our children will have. So amazing. We truly are living a miracle. Your prayers are appreciated and WORKING. We love all of you and could not do this alone.

I want to give a special thanks to two amazing families. The Giles family and the Bryan family. Forrest and Gracie were students in my classroom this past year. Their families each gave me a care package this week. I got lots of goodies to keep me busy and make me feel loved during my bed rest (June 30th - July 4th). Thank you Gracie and Forrest (and parents). I love all of you dearly.

YUCK!!!!!!

2008-06-21T09:18:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in my house on this beautiful summer day and I feel YUCKEEEE!! These hormones are brutal! I have been very nauseous, soar, and TIRED! Went to the dr. yesterday and he says all is going well. My follicles continue to grow. However, my estrogen level was a bit elevated. Thus, they had me reduce the amount of Repronex Phillip injects (into me...of course) at night. I am so thankful for your prayers and support. We are overwhelmed with the love we feel around us. Keep those prayers coming. After all, life is a God creation (the dr. is just helping out). :)

Thanks Jessica for your comment. It was so loving and sweet.

Another GREAT report!!!!

2008-06-18T14:52:00.001-07:00

Went back to dr. today. My bestest friend Natalie took me. He did the ultrasound and said I am doing "GREAT"! Oh man, I am really getting excited now. The nurse called this afternoon and said that my estrogen levels are "excellent." Every report just gets better and better. I told Dr. V that I was worried about some stuff and he said the best thing to do is just "Give it to God." At that moment, I knew I was in great hands. I love God and know that my Dr. does, as well. I am so blessed. I can't stop saying that, but I am. Phillip and I both are. I have another appt. on Friday. I will update more then. Oh yeah, Dr. says I will know for sure on Monday if we are doing the egg retrieval on Wed. Pray, pray, pray. Our love and thanks...P and A
P.S. I love the comments that some of you are leaving. Please drop me a line if you have time. :)

2008-06-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went for my long-awaited appointment to Dr. Vasquez. This appointment was to reveal how many follicles I have growing and how I am responding to the stimulation meds. My mom and I watched the ultrasonographer measure one follicle after another. I was sooooo anxious to know how many!?!?!?! After she silently measured the follicles, she said: "o.k. your nurse will call you this afternoon." That is when I said PLEASE give me some kind of idea how many. She then looked at the screen and said "ummm I think about .... 30." I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted. Phillip and I could now rest assured that he is doing those stinking injections right at night...and I am mixing the meds correctly. I was soooo excited. Mom and I just couldn't stop beaming. I went home and looked straight at my IVF books. We now have a 68% chance of success, as apposed to 50%. More follicles = better chances. The nurse did call and the official count was 29 follicles and my hormone levels are looking good. I have another apt. in the morning to check the progress of the follicles. If these side effects are any indication, this medicine is surely doing its job!!!!!!!! Good night & keep the prayers coming...THEY ARE WORKING!!

2008-06-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

I went to dinner with my 3 best friends from high school on Friday night. It was so nice to see them and play catch-up. They are lovely women, and it is amazing how we have all grown up and gone in different directions. Yet, we remain close and pick right up where we left off. They are very supportive of our choice to start a family through the use of IVF. They all say they are praying for us. I am so blessed with loving friends and family.

2008-06-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I must say that A LOT has happened in our fertility world this week. I had great plans of posting on Tuesday, but things did not go as planned.
We went for our visit on Tues. and were told that everything is still on track. However, Wednesday (yesterday) I would have to return to have a cyst aspirated on my ovary. I was so afraid that this might jeopardize our chances of success. I spent most of Tues. night praying and crying. My wonderful loving Mom spent the night and took me to the dr.'s office yesterday morning. After some Meprigan, Toroidal, and Valium...I couldn't feel a thing. The procedure took all of 8 minutes. Then I went home to sleep the day away (we are talking over 24 hrs.)
The IVF coordinator called this morning and said that the cyst would not interfere at all with our cycle, and we should continue with our cycle as scheduled. RELIEF!!!!! I felt very good today after having slept for 36 hours straight. Also, removing the cyst made my Estrogen levels drop (less hormonal is always better :).
We did get our cycle map on Tues. It goes as follows:
June 12 (today) begin stimulation injections (these stimulate my ovaries to make ripe beautiful eggs) Phillip gives these to me
June 25 : Egg Retrieval day (The dr. will go in and take the eggs from their follicles ... this is also the day that my eggs will be fertilized)
June 28-30 : On one of these days, we will have 2 or 3 embryos transferred to ME!! :) The rest will be frozen for later use
****July 9 **** Pregnancy Test Day!!
Phillip gave me my first stimulation injection tonight at 10 pm. The injections have to be the same time every night. He was a pro!!! I did not feel ANYTHING! I am so proud of him. I can't think of anything that would bring us closer than this experience. Both of us have been put into awkward, nervous, and vulnerable positions. One thing is for sure...God is guiding us. I know he had Phillip's hand tonight. Please continue the prayers. We love you all...

2008-06-12T09:49:00.000-07:00

My precious friends from college decided to spend the weekend with me. Angela came Sat. night and went to church with us on Sunday. She has been VERY supportive through this entire journey. She even wanted to watch me give my injection. What a trooper. I love her very much.

Sunday evening, Rachel joined us for dinner and fun. We ate at Bonefish Grill and just talked. It feels good to have people to listen. Rachel is our experienced friend with all of the wisdom about motherhood. She is such an amazing mother and wife. I am very proud to call them both my friends. P.S... We missed you Jen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-06-03T20:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally put my pictures from Memorial Day weekend on the computer tonight. I thought I would share them with you. We had so much fun. It is easy to forget everything when you are relaxing at the lake.

I felt o.k. today. I am VERY tired. Must be hormones. At least they are working. :) All my love...Amber

We are right on track!!

2008-06-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I want to give a quick update. My injections have gone pretty good. I only had one mishap that left a bruise, but I am tough (growing up with 2 rough-housing brothers will do that)!! All-in-all, I am very relieved by how easy the injections are. Phillip is my strength. He has insisted that I NOT do my injections without his support every morning. It helps so much to have him just watch and count for me. :) I spoke with my nurse today about "stuff" (I will spare you the details) and she said "We are right on track!" WOW! She was so encouraging. That 5-word sentence boosted my confidence sooo much. Gotta go...bed time.
Thank you for your love, support, and most of all PRAYERS!!

First Injection

2008-05-29T09:48:00.000-07:00

After a loooonngg night of little sleep, 7:30am finally arrived. What is 7:30 am, you ask? Lupron injection time. That is the time I will do an injection of Lupron every morning until June 11th (when we meet with our dr. to learn how to do the intramuscular injections...yuck). I got out of bed, and it was the moment of truth. Phillip read the directions step-by-step. What a great husband I have been blessed with. Then 1-2-3 (we counted) and the needle was in. I DID IT!!! Watch out Gray's Anatomy, a new dr. is in town. Heehee :) I was sooo proud and nervous. My hands were shaking...I think from the anticipation. First words out of my mouth: "that didn't hurt at all." That's right, I didn't feel a thing physically. Mentally, I felt like we were beginning a very EXCITING journey. Thank you for all of your love and prayers. I received many replies to my email and they were all filled with love and support. Baby blessings...

The Meds Have Arrived

2008-05-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

My medications arrived today. There wasn't as much medication as I had expected. However, there were WAY more needles than I thought there would be. I have to admit, I felt a little overwhelmed as I looked through everything. There are 3 medications that are injectables. They all come with different size syringes small, medium, and LARGE. I just know this is all going to be worth the nerves and pain. Please continue to pray for us. My biggest prayer right now is that everything go smoothly. Getting the medications has been a struggle, and I want all to go well from here on out.

Pharmacies Are Driving Me Bonkers!!!!!

2008-05-09T18:06:00.000-07:00

Ughh!! I have been dealing with pharmacies since Monday at 5pm. You would think it would be simple..."here's my prescription...send my meds". I wish! I guess the only easy thing about this will be getting a positive test result in early june. :-) I was a bit overwhelmed when the pharmacist started listing off all of the medications. He started with "Sharps Box" and ended with "and last, the needles." I wish he would have thrown those in during the middle of the conversation. Anyway, Phillip is dying of hunger!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will post more later.

IVF Class!!! Lets get this party started!!

2008-05-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today we had our IVF teaching. I begin my injections on May 29th. Ooh sounds painful...I have to give them to myself in the stomach. I can do it! It will be worth every needle, bruise, and mood swing, lol. The funny part...Phillip has to give me injections in the hip every day for 2 weeks!! He is so nervous about that. We will have our ER on May 25th (maybe a day early, maybe a day late). Our ET will be on approx. June 30th. If you are curious about the accronyms, just shoot me an email and I will explain. After June 30th, I have to be on complete bed rest for 5 days. I can't even shower!! I can only get up to go to the bathroom. So...expect a phone call from me that week. I will be super bored. Right now, I am SUPER excited. She kept saying: "just be prepared for twins or triplets." Wow! That sounds BIG!! Heehee. We are so blessed to have supportive family and friends. I am so thankful for our doctor and the ability to do fertility treatments. God is good!