From Baby Emmel...

Hi everyone! It's Christmas and I got some really neat stuff!! Thank you for all my cool books, clothes, shoes, and toys!!! Yipppeeee! I love Christmas already!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can't wait to meet you!! (Sorry I can't come sooner, but I'm currently working on my lungs, footprints, fingerprints, and sense of balance!)

Love, Baby Emmel (aka Peanut)

PS... I turn 25 weeks in the womb tomorrow!!!! :) :) :)

Week 22 and Recent Doctor's Appointment

Today marks week 22 for Baby Emmel! The baby should weigh about a pound by now. His or her taste buds are forming! Baby E is also experiencing the sensation of touch for the first time!

Earlier this week we went back to the doctor. The news was a little better than expected! Basically, the bed rest is working and the doctor was pleased that nothing has gotten worse. He would like me to stay on bed rest through the end of December for now. At that point he said he would actually consider sending me back to work for a while! It was great to hear that he is confident that things are at least staying stable for now.

Until next time...

Week 20 Update

We went to the doctor yesterday (Thursday, November 20th) for our big ultrasound to see how Baby Emmel is doing. Everything looks great!!! The baby is 11 ounces and developing right on schedule. The doctor confirmed that we are still looking at an April 10th due date.

As for bed rest... I am still making a permanent dent in our couch!! The doctor wants me to continue to rest until the first week of December. We go back to see him on Tuesday, December 2nd, when he will make the decision to either keep me on bed rest or send me back to work.

Today starts Baby Emmel's 20th week... according to the baby books, permanent teeth are forming under the baby teeth that will eventually break through the baby's gums. The eyebrows are also beginning to grow. Baby Emmel has been moving more and more. Brad has even been able to feel the baby move!

Bed Rest.....

A lot has been happening since our doctor's visit on Monday, November 3rd. The doctor put me on bed rest for a week because he is worried about my body being able to hold the baby in for the length of the pregnancy. So, we went back to the doctor on Monday, November 10th. The condition did not worsen, but he would like to continue to take it easy.

Now, we are on bed rest on a week to week basis for about a month. The doctor would like to see us make it week 22 without any negative changes. Brad, Baby Emmel, and I will go to the doctor weekly for check-ups so that he can monitor our progress.

The good news is, as far as we know right now, Baby E seems to be just fine! Whew!! We are going for our full sonogram on Thursday, November 20th!! Yippeee!!!
Keep your fingers crossed that my condition improves! Again, Baby Emmel is just fine, we are just working on keeping he or she inside the belly for as long as possible!!

Right now, the baby is at 18 1/2 weeks.

Boy or Girl????

Many of you have heard that Brad and I are probably not going to find out the sex of the baby... but, here's a little info to keep you thinking...

I've had three dreams now that show we are having a baby girl. And what they say about pregnant dreams is true! They are VERY realistic!!

However, the famous Chinese Birth Calendar tells us we are having a boy!

Time will tell................ until then, have fun predicting!!

(As of today, Baby Emmel is 18 weeks!)

What to do...what to do....

Brad and I can't decide if we should find out if the baby is a boy or a girl! Any thoughts?!?!?

P.S. Thank you, Roger, for the advice!

P.P.S. Baby Emmel is 15 weeks today!

2nd Doctor's Visit - Monday, October 6th

The Emmel family of three ventured back to the doctor's office on Monday. Everything is looking good! We heard the heartbeat and had a quick ultrasound. Our next appointment is November 3rd. Then, we go back on November 24th for a sonogram!!! If we want to find out the sex of the baby, that will be the day! But, we still can't decide if we want to find out or wait until the baby arrives... decisions, decisions!! Either way, we have decided that we are going to keep the baby's name a secret. So, we'll all have at least one suprise on the big day... maybe two if we wait to find out if it's a boy or a girl!

WEEK 13 - Friday, October 3rd

This past Friday marked the 13th week for Baby Emmel. Right now, he or she is about the length of your finger!! The baby's vocal cords are forming.... yikes!! :) Better to keep us up all night in April....
Also, up until now, the baby's intestines were actually right outside his or her body inside the umbilical cord! Now, the intestines are going inside the body. (Kind of icky to think about!!)
On Monday, Brad, Jenn, and Baby are going to the doctor. Hopefully, we will get to actually hear the heartbeat this time. At our 9 week check-up, the doctor could see a heartbeat on the ultrasound, but we could not hear it yet. Keep your fingers crossed for this visit!!!!

September 19th - WEEK 11!

We are almost out of the 1st trimester.... YEAH! As of week 11, the baby should be about 1.6 inches in length. His or her fingers and toes have seperated and nails are beginning to grow. Also, the baby's tummy is starting to digest food! (I'm sure he or she loved the Cinnabon Jenn had today!!)

Our 1st Doctor's Visit - Monday, September 8th

Today, Brad and Jenn went to the doctor for our first ultrasound. The doctor said everything looked just fine and he was able to see the heartbeat. Brad and Jenn could see the baby's little legs kicking back and forth! At this point, the baby measures at 9 weeks and 3 days. We will be going to the doctor again on Monday, October 6th.

10 WEEKS! Friday, September 12th

We are ten weeks. At this time, Baby Emmel is about 1 inch long and weighs about 1/6 of an ounce. The baby's bones are forming in his or her limbs. The kidneys and lungs are already present but not fully formed yet.