27 Weeks

 We went back to the maternal-fetal specialist (MFM) on Friday and we all feel much better. After having a week to think about everything, we definitely had some questions. My mom met Mike and I at the doctor's office and it was great to have her there for support. One neat thing I like about this office is that they have a big TV screen on the wall so everyone can see the ultrasound images, but unfortunately, the screen had stopped working so we all had to try and see the images on the little ultrasound machine screen. The ultrasound didn't take too long...we got to see and hear his heartbeat, which is such an amazing sound, and we saw him folded in half. He is quite flexible!! The tech measured the fluid and then looked at the blood flow to the cord. 

We then went and met with the doctor. She was very positive and we all felt such a sense of relief. She said the fluid level looked good and that while there are some spots on the cord that don't have great blood flow (which she said is typical at 27 weeks) that the rest of the cord looks great. We asked a few questions about some of the things we had read about. I knew that an enlarged kidney and being on the smaller side are both soft markers for Down Syndrome and asked if she thought we might be looking at a chromosomal abnormality. She said that is not at all on her radar screen which was very reassuring, Mike asked if there was anything we needed to do or not do and she said the typical, stay away from alcohol, massive amounts of caffeine, no seafood or cold cuts...all the things we knew. I asked if she was more concerned about the kidney or the weight (he is only a few ounces behind) and she said that starting next week, it is all based on his health testing. Starting next week at 28 weeks, he has "tricks" he has to do during the ultrasound...move, practice breathing, etc. They will also do another growth scan to see how much he has grown in the past 2 weeks. Again, she emphasized that a small baby is fine, they just want to make sure he is a small, healthy baby!

Yes, those are his legs and feet over his head!!

George wanted in on the picture!

27 weeks....headed to a baby shower for a friend

26 Weeks

So I am way overdue for an update so here goes. . .

Here are pictures from 24 weeks. . .

         

You can see the pack and play set up in the background. We actually got it around Christmas when we realized that the set we wanted was being discontinued. The pack and play, swing, and bouncy seat (we already have them all) are the Snug-a-bunny line by Fisher Price. We had seen the swing and bouncy seat in person, but had not seen the pack and play so we decided to go ahead and set it up to see what it looked like, and thankfully, we love it! 

If you remember from the previous post at 20 weeks, when we went for our anatomy scan they found that one of Will's kidneys was slightly enlarged. It is a very common prenatal diagnosis, but they watch it to make sure it goes down. We went last Friday at 26 weeks for a repeat ultrasound and they found that his kidney is still enlarged. One of his kidneys looks like a milk chocolate M & M and the enlarged one looks like a peanut M & M. The doctor didn't say how enlarged it was, but at 20 weeks, it was measuring at 4.5 milliliters of fluid instead of 4...so not an extreme case, but enough to keep watching it.

We also learned that Will is measuring small for his gestational age. When they what they call a growth scan, they measure the femur in the leg, the width of their tummy, and their head circumference. All of his measurements were about a week behind. They also measured the amount of amniotic fluid, which was normal, and the health of the umbilical cord by looking and listening to the blood flow, which also looked good.

I was hoping that I would not have to return to the maternal-fetal specialist after this visit, but that is not the case. I will continue to go each Friday to have my fluid level and umbilical cord checked as those are 2 good signs that everything is good. Then every other week, I will also have a growth scan to check his growth progress. I am trying to stay positive and not think about the "what ifs", but it is hard at times. After having some time to process what the specialist told us, we obviously have some questions. It is hard for Mike to get off from work and drive from Athens to Snellville, so thankfully my mom is going to go to the next 2 appointments with me. We appreciate prayers, specifically that Will's kidney to return to normal size and that he would grow like a weed...well, not too much...I'd rather not birth a 10+ pound baby!

William Lemke Hervey @ 26 Weeks!

How far along? 26 weeks 

Total Weight Gain? Zero....still hanging out at about 18 pounds lost..and not complaining about it!

Maternity Clothes? Definitely...now that spring is around the corner, I may need to get a few more things so I am not hot all the time.

Stretch Marks? Not any new ones!

Sleep: The last few nights have been anything but great. I am falling asleep ok, but have a hard time staying asleep after about 1 or 2 am. 

Best Moment of the Week: Feeling Will moving around!

Miss Anything? Great sleep

Movement? I feel rolls and tumbles a few times a day and some pressure on my bladder, but no real kicks or punches yet.

Food Cravings? Anything ice cream related

Anything making you queasy and sick? Brushing my teeth is still not my favorite thing

Gender: Boy!!

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Just tired and I get very full after I eat

Belly Button: In

Wedding Rings: On and very loose

Mood: Good...just worried about out little guy

Looking forward to: Getting the changing table...it's a great shelf that my dad made years ago and my sister used it for both of her kids. We got it from them this weekend and my dad is repainting it. Once we get it in the nursery, we will be able to get things where they need to go!

Stay tuned for nursery pictures when we get everything arranged!

20 Weeks :: Halfway Point!!

20 Weeks :: We are halfway there!!

Adorable little Ralph Lauren outfit I found at TJ Maxx!!

How far along? 20 weeks 

Total Weight Gain? Zero....sill hanging out at about 18 pounds lost

Maternity Clothes? Yes...need to get more maternity shirts 

Stretch Marks? Not any new ones!

Sleep: Falling asleep is not as easy as it used to be

Best Moment of the Week: Seeing Baby Hervey on the ultrasound!

Miss Anything? Great sleep

Movement? Not yet

Food Cravings? Ice Cream!!!

Anything making you queasy and sick? Brushing my teeth is still not my favorite thing

Gender: Boy!!

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: I'm pretty tired and still really nauseous a few times a day

Belly Button: In

Wedding Rings: On and very loose

Mood: Good

Looking forward to: Starting to get the nursery going...taking out the guest room furniture and painting the walls!

Friday marked 20 weeks....only 20 weeks to go!! Hard to believe we are halfway to meeting our little boy! I have been thankfully feeling a bit better day by day...haven't been physically sick in over a week but still have bouts of nausea, which I will gladly trade over throwing up! We had an appointment with the maternal fetal specialist for our 20 week anatomy scan on Friday. We were so excited to get to see him! He was quite active. It was kind of surreal to see him moving and squirming and kicking and not be able to feel it yet. The ultrasound tech did the first part which lasted about 25 minutes. She looked over every single inch of him! I really appreciated how she told us everything she was doing and what we were looking at. She took a lot of measurements of him. She also was able to totally confirm that he is definitely a boy! Mike finally got to hear his heartbeat and it was so cool to be able to see the blood flow of this heart...and his stomach and his kidneys. It was really just fun to get to see him! The tech left and told us to hold still since Dr. Molina would come in and look more closely at parts of the ultrasound. Dr. Molina came in and started doing the ultrasound again. He spent a lot of time looking at his heart, which looks great. He then looked at his kidneys. One of Baby Hervey's kidneys is enlarged so they will need to watch it. He said it is from one of 3 things....a) it's nothing and will go away over time, b) he has a blockage in his kidney, and c) he has what they call reflux where the bladder leaks urine back into the kidney. There is no way to tell the difference between the later of the 2 in utero. We go back in 6 weeks for another ultrasound to see if it has gone away. Mike and I both started researching and found out that an enlarged kidney is one of the most common prenatal diagnosis they make and 75% of babies who have it are boys. They will continue to watch it and if we get closer to the due date and it is still enlarged, they will refer us to a pediatric urologist. From what we have researched, more than half of the cases resolve themselves and the babies do not need anything further after birth. I asked if this case was bad and Dr. Molina quickly said no...the cut off they use is 4 milliliters and Baby Hervey's is at 4.5 mL. We are obviously hoping and praying that everything is normal when we go back in 6 weeks! I also asked about my weight loss and how much Baby Hervey weighed....he is measuring right on schedule and is 11.5 ounces and is 6.5 inches from head to rump and 10 inches from head to foot! Dr. Molina said that as long as he continues to grow on schedule that they won't be concerned with my weight loss, but that hopefully I will start putting some of those pounds back on!

That's all for now...hopefully in the next few weeks I can show off some progress pictures of his nursery! For now, here are a few ultrasound pictures!

Baby Hervey's 20 week profile....look at his little button nose!

He is definitely a boy!

18 Weeks and Counting!

18 Weeks and Counting!

How far along? 18 weeks 

Total Weight Gain? Nothing....still hanging out in the negative 18-20 pounds lost range

Maternity Clothes? Yep! I probably need to get a few more shirts

Stretch Marks? Not any new ones!

Sleep: Falling asleep is starting to be a little more difficult

Best Moment of the Week: Hearing the little one's heartbeat on Tuesday...it was strong at 147 bpm!

Miss Anything? Still miss feeling good all the time

Movement? Not yet

Food Cravings? Nothing this week although I am starting to get my appetite back

Anything making you queasy and sick? Brushing my teeth and anytime I get too hot

Gender: Boy!!

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Haven't gotten sick since last Thursday, but still have some daily nausea and some other lovely pregnancy symptoms, but I will spare you the details!

Belly Button: In

Wedding Rings: On and very loose

Mood: Great...very sleepy tonight though

Looking forward to: A 3-day weekend...we are heading to my sisters in SC to go through her baby clothes!!

I'll write more when we get home on Monday and hopefully, I can show off some adorable baby clothes!

16 Week Update!!

How far along? 16 weeks 

Total Weight Gain? Nothing....Weight Lost? Close to 18 pounds

Maternity Clothes? Yes...my regular pants fit, but they are just not comfy and the shirts aren't long enough

Stretch Marks? Not any new ones!

Sleep: Sleeping like a champ!

Best Moment of the Week: Realizing I had not thrown up since Christmas Eve...still battle nausea daily, but manaing to keep more food down

Miss Anything? I miss feeling good on a day to day basis

Movement? Not yet

Food Cravings? Right now it's salty, crunchy things like kettle chips

Anything making you queasy and sick? Brushing my teeth!

Gender: Boy!!

Labor Signs: Nope!

Symptoms: Still dealing with bouts of morning/afternoon/evening sickness, and I am still pretty dang tired. 

Belly Button: In

Wedding Rings: On and very loose

Mood: Great....I know the next few months are going to fly by

Looking forward to: My doctor appt with the OB next Tuesday...can't wait to hear the heartbeat again

I went to the endocrinologist on Friday for my 6 week Thyroid level check. During pregnancy, thyroid levels can go bonkers and since my doesn't work correctly anyway, they want to really watch it. I went 6 weeks ago and they upped my dosage. This time, my levels were perfect so they are going to keep my dosage the same. When the PA came in, we talked for a few minutes and then she did a double take when looking at my chart. She said, "you know you have lost a lot of weight in 6 weeks." I told her I knew and that I had been really sick and asked her how much their scale showed. She looked and said "almost 16 pounds." She said she knew my OB was watching it but that at some point I would need to put some of those pounds back on. She then basically told me to eat whatever tastes good and whatever I can keep down. Right now my cravings have been for salty, crunchy things like Kettle Chips and also for Dairy Queen Blizzards...again, she said, "eat them...it is better than nothing!" I told her that although I had not gotten physically sick in a week that my scale at home showed that I had lost 2 more pounds. I never thought I would hear a medical professional tell me to eat whatever I could handle and to try and gain a few pounds! I go back to see them in February. I see the OB a week from Tuesday and then see the specialist at the end of the month for the big 20 week anatomy scan! Hard to believe I will be at the half way mark in just a few weeks!

A New Chapter: Baby Hervey

I thought I would catch everyone up with all the excitement of the past few months...Baby Hervey!!

We found out on Sunday, October 5....actually, I found out first. I had decided to take a pregnancy test honestly because I was sure I was not pregnant and just wanted the confirmation that I wasn't. Mike had gone into work for a few hours and I was supposed to meet him at my parents' church, Loganville UMC, for their Blessing of the Animals service that afternoon. About 1, I decided to run out and get a Sunday paper and decided to swing by the Dollar Store to grab a few tests. I had heard their tests were very accurate (and cheap) and honestly, I was convinced it was going to be negative and I didn't want to waste an expensive test on a big fat negative result! I came home, took the test, and waited. When I went back to check on it, there was a very faint 2nd line...I stood there in shock!! I went to the Blessing of the Animals and acted like normal...even with Mike and my mom there. I hadn't thought a=of a fun way to tell Mike, so when we got home and he said he was going to the bathroom, I ran in there, grabbed the test from the counter, and just came out and held it up. He looked at it, looked at me, and asked, "is this what I think it is?" I said it was and we both cried...it was pretty special! We told our families throughout the week and everyone was thrilled!

I am now almost 16 weeks and feeling okay. We had a scare at 6 weeks with me bleeding that sent us to the ER at Eastside....after some very stressful hours, loads of bloodwork, and a long ultrasound, we finally got news that everything was ok. There was apparently a small pool of blood between where the baby implanted and the uterine wall. They said it was not uncommon and that they would watch it on the ultrasounds. We also found out that I am Rh-, so I have to have the Rhogam shots. To make it simple, if the baby has Rh+ blood, which we don't know until he is born, and his blood gets into my bloodstream, my body could attack it. It's not such a huge deal for this baby, but definitely a concern for any future babies we have. So I had the first shot at the ER and it was awful. I mean, awful. No one enjoys needles and shots, but this one was fierce! Mike said he even turned his head when he saw how long and thick the needle was. I will have another shot at 28 weeks, one before delivery, and then one after delivery is the baby has Rh+ blood...if he has Rh- blood, then I won't have to get that last shot. But, with each subsequent pregnancy, I will have to have the same shot routine.

Since then, all has been well. I have been very, very sick and have lost close to 18 pounds since I got pregnant. I haven't had much of an appetite and when I do eat, it is usually a small amount, like half a sandwich or part of a bowl of soup. We have been to the OB 3 times, had 1 US at the OB offcie, had numerous vials of blood taken, failed the 1 hour glucose test, passed the 3 hour with flying colors, been to the endocrinologist to check my thyroid levels and will continue to go every 6 weeks, seen the maternal-fetal specialist twice, had 2 more ultrasounds with the specialist, and finally, had a free cell DNA test to check to see if Baby Hervey has any chromosomal abnormalities and to find out the gender. We found out on December 23 that we came back with the lowest level of risk for chromosomal abnormalities and while the nurse said that is great, she also reminded us that nothing is certain until delivery. They do not recommend that we have any further testing...yay!! And....we found out that Baby Hervey is a boy!!

I am hoping that I start feeling better in the next few weeks...I have not been physically since since Christmas Eve, but I definitely still have daily bouts of serious nausea...it's not fun! I am going to start doing updates every 2 weeks, so stay tuned for more updates on Mama and Baby Hervey!!

Give Me Jesus

It's been a long week at school. A very long week. I am tired. And weary. I came home and was looking something up on You Tube and this song popped up as a recommendation. God totally had His hand in that. I love this song, but had never heard this version before. I listened to it, sang along with it, and then, of course, I bought it on iTunes. It is my mantra for the time being..."You can have all this world, Give me Jesus."

The Hervey Story : The Prologue

So it's been a while since I last updated. Actually that is an understatement....it has been over a year...419 days to be exact! But after reading some blogs lately and getting sucked into the lives of complete strangers, I decided to dive back into the world of blogging.

My blog used to be called Joy On The Run and it was a place where I wrote random ramblings about my life, but it has a new name- "The Hervey Story" and a new address because this blog is no longer just about me and my life. It is now about us and our life. I am no longer just a "me," I am part of a "we." On May 31, 2014, I became a part of a dynamic duo better known as Mr. & Mrs. Hervey!

I will spare you all of the details (since most of you have heard the story a few dozen times) but Mike proposed in the most perfect way on October 26 at the top of Skyview Atlanta, the ferris wheel in downtown Atlanta. It was utterly magical! My engagement ring is pretty magical, too. For one, it is my engagement ring. But also because the center stone is from my Nannie. She passed away in December 2006 and she left her jewelry to my sister and I. The diamond was set in an old setting that needed a lot of repair. I knew I would most likely never wear that ring the way it was, so we decided to take the stone out and use it in the engagement ring. I had seen a setting that I loved at Barron's in Snellville and nothing could have prepared me for how gorgeous the diamond looks in the setting. I am pretty sure I stared at it for a solid half an hour after Mike slipped it on my finger!

Soon after we were engaged...like that week, we started planning and it was really pretty much planned within a couple of weeks. Everything just fell into place seamlessly. There was one MAJOR issue, but that is for another (l-o-n-g) post on another day! The date was set and the countdown was on. We spent our time still dating each other, going to church, spending time with our families, and gearing up for becoming husband and wife. Thanks to awesome technology, we did our premarital counseling over FaceTime, since our minister lived in Connecticut. I rearranged things in the house to make room for Mike and all his stuff (and he has a lot of stuff!) and spent my Saturdays and Sundays at fabulous wedding showers hosted by some of our amazing family and friends. Then on the last day of May, we woke up bright and early (like 3:30 am early) to get ready for our big day. The ceremony was at 10:30 at Loganville UMC and we had a fantastic brunch reception at The Georgia Club in Statham. I will be honest, I had never been to much less heard of a morning wedding and a brunch reception, but it sounded just perfect for us. And from what everyone has said, the entire day from beginning to end was very much perfect for us. And I agree! I won't bog down the blog with pictures, but if you want to see more, click here!

Since we got married and spent a glorious days in Saint Lucia, life has been great. Mike went back to work at UGA and is taking online classes at FSU (we will both be quite happy when December comes and he finishes his MLS!) Over the summer, I spent my days getting the house organized...redoing the linen closet to make room for the new towels, redoing the kitchen cabinets to make room for the new dishes, redoing the china cabinet to make room for the new fine china, and reorganizing the garage to make room for some new shelves and cabinets. Thankfully, everything (for the most part) has found a home...there are still a few random items living in random places. I will find new homes for them when I need their current random homes for something else!

So, here we were...the middle of September...school is back in full swing and married life is simply amazing. I recently started thinking about our lives as stories and since Mike and I are both librarians it is kind of fitting for our story to be told together. If you had told me when I was 24 or 25 that I would be 35 when I got married, I would have very quickly said "no, thank you....I'd rather it happen much, much sooner than that." But you know what? Now that I am on the flip side, I would not have it any other way. God knew what He was doing. I could not picture a better man for me than Michael and our story, written by God, is absolutely perfect! We are both excited to see where God takes us and what the future holds for our family and our story, but for now, we are basking in the wonderfulness of being Mr. & Mrs. Hervey!

Goodbye 34...Hello 35!

So yesterday I celebrated my 35th birthday...well, honestly, it was a weekend of celebrating! On Friday night, my amazing small group (minus Melanie) cooked out and had a fantastic dinner at Sara's place. Sara and Martha are quite the grill masters! It was delicious and just a fun evening...it had been awhile since I had hung out with them for just a social night...it absolutely reminded me how lucky I am that God brought us all together almost 2 years ago. Yesterday, I slept in and lounged around the house some. Mike came over about 4 and surprised me with 2 beautiful white rocking chairs for my back porch! We were at Home Depot a few weeks ago and when we left, we sat in some rocking chairs outside of the store and I mentioned that I wanted to get some for my back porch. When I saw them, I couldn't believe it...I was so excited and shocked! He said they were for us to grow old in! We moved them to the back patio and rocked in them for a bit...I can't wait to spend many evenings sitting out there with the love of my life! We went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (a personal favorite of mine) and then met Jen and Nate for dessert and drinks at Cafe Intermezzo, which was delicious!! This morning we got up and met my parents, David, and Lauren at The Georgia Club for brunch...it was unbelievably good! I am one blessed girl and this birthday weekend just reminded me how incredibly blessed I am!

A look back at 34...
-completed my 4th half-marathon
-completed my 6th Peachtree Road Race
-got a bit faster when running and gained the confidence that I AM a runner
-completed my 13th year teaching (only 17 more to go!)
-had my 6th (and hopefully last) hand surgery
-met the man of my dreams!

A look ahead at 35...
-tackle my 5th & 6th half-marathons (and maybe #7)
-conquer my 14th year teaching
-get faster
-hopefully get a ring and change my last name!

Loy.al.ty

Today I had the sobering realization that I have a character flaw. Well, actually, I have quite a few, but today I am focusing on only one. What is it you ask? I am too loyal...almost loyal to a fault. 

Loyalty is a good thing and a great character trait to have. We all know people who are loyal...loyal to their family, their friends, their jobs, just loyal. All the time. Heck, my dog might be the most loyal creature I know! Now, I am not saying that I am perfect and am loyal 110% of the time, but I do pride myself on being someone my family and friends (and sometimes ever strangers) can count on. I can safely say that I am someone who does what I say I am going to do. In my opinion, loyalty should  be a 2-way street...but, sadly, it's not. And at almost 35 years old, I am learning it the hard way. 

Please tell me if I am wrong, but I feel like I am someone my friends can count on...count on to listen to them and not judge, count on to be there for them whether they are getting married, having a baby, changing jobs, or having emergency surgery..I am there...even if it screws up my plans and my schedule. Even if I have to rearrange my plans. Even if I don't agree. I am there. But unfortunately, I am slowly realizing that loyalty is not always reciprocated. And honestly, it stinks. Really, it sucks!

It is hard for me to say no to people...but apparently, it's not that hard for a lot of people. I think I need to learn to say no. Learn to tell people that I can't. Learn that it is okay to say no. I think I say yes a lot because I don't want to let people done or hurt their feelings...but apparently, lots of other people don't have a problem with this. I am not saying that I want to be someone who no one can count on...but I think I need to take a long, hard look at some of my friendships and evaluate if the loyalness is a 2-way street or if I am driving on the road by myself. I guess it's part of getting older. Seeing who your true friends are. Seeing who will be there for you in the good times and the bad. Seeing who makes it a point to see you and talk to you..even if it is out of the way. Even if it is an inconvenience. Even if it means changing plans. 'Cause I have always thought that that is what friends do.