Well, we announced Jakey on the ole blog by saying we'd have Shrimp at Christmas. Basically, the first time we saw him on an ultrasound picture he looked just like a shrimp. And, until we found out "it" was a "he" we referred to it as "shrimpy". =) Lovingly, of course. The funny thing is that he turned out sooo not shrimpy! He was 9lbs 7ozs and to this day is a very big boy! Anyway, I digress.
We found out the first week in February that we are expecting baby#2! We were shocked, surprised, elated, worried, scared, overwhelmed, joyful...but most of all THANKFUL. After having Jake, then thryroid surgery and then brain surgery in a matter of 12 months I wasn't sure that my body would ever get pregnant again! If you're unfamilar with the functions of the thyroid and pituitary glands, all you need to know is that those are two of your body's master controls as far as hormones. And let's just say that over half of my thyroid is gone and my brain still has a tumor of over 1cm in diameter. I wasn't sure if I could get pregnant on my own or if my body would maintain a pregnancy. The doctors weren't, either. All they (Endocrinologist, Neurosurgeon, OB/Gyn, Family Practitioner) said was, "if you want another baby, try for another baby." Oh, and the neurosurgeon added to that sentence that it must be a consideration in my mind that another pregnancy was possibly committing to another brain surgery soon after the baby. This is because Estrogen grows higher and higher during pregnancy and estrogen is also known to grow tumors. And, possibly, it is why I never had brain tumor symptoms until immediately after Jake was born, because I had the tumor all along and it grew large at the end of the pregnancy.
In case you're wondering, baby #2 has already gotten slighted by a much un-cooler nickname than Jake. You people have been telling us it would happen! ;) Baby #2 wouldn't get or have everything Jake does, right?!? The pig in a blanket reference is because we've seen him or her several times via ultrasound and the last couple of times he/she's been snuggled up in a ball all curled up. :) And, as far as Halloween goes, our due date is mid-october but Halloween was the closest holiday and I had to reference one since Jake's due date was Christmas Day.
So....... we are thankful! If you ask me, each baby is a miracle- everything has to go perfect at the perfect time to conceive. Well, this messed up, "genetically inferior" (according to my hubby) ;) girl got pregnant on her own exactly one year after brain surgery! And, when I say on my own, I firmly believe that this baby was meant to be and that my God did all of the work and care for us.
We appreciate that He knows our deepest wants and needs and that we've prayed for a baby and a brother or sister for our sweet boy. I'm ever so thankful for our boy, he was our first miracle baby and we didn't even know it at the time! Now we've been given another and we couldn't be happier! The God that made the trees, the oceans, gravity, ants, hurricanes, love, marriage, family, friends, and babies has proven to us again that He loves us and wants what is best for us. To think of someone so mighty that these things are created by Him and yet He listens to his children's petty desires is simply amazing.
We would be so grateful for prayers on our behalf. We long to hold a healthy baby! And, I would be thrilled for the brain tumor to remain the size it is so that it will not cause any future problems. We will not know until later on during the pregnancy if it is growing, I'll have an MRI probably mid-late summer.
Thank you so much for sharing in our life, our excitement, our joys, our struggles and for praying for us and checking in on us via the blog!!
Our hearts are happy and we love this sweet baby so much already!
Oh, the faces of Jake when he's drunk off cupcake sugar! =)
this crazy kid will do anything to get a couple of laughs!
Clapping after singing Happy Birthday!
A giant card of past pictures made by their good friends
Jakey thought it was a blast feeding Aunt Starr his fries!
