32 Weeks...

Wow... I can't believe how long it has been since I have last updated.  For those who have been checking in for news, I owe you an apology!  I honestly don't know where the last three weeks have gone.

The update:

I am now 32 weeks into this pregnancy, and am doing WELL!!  I am done with my weekly appointments (for now, at least), and have "graduated" from the high-risk clinic all together.  I have been adding some more activity into my day, which has been a great thing for my spirits. Still need to be watching my activity levels a bit, and am not supposed to be lifting at all... a little bit hard when caring for my 31-pound three year old who wants to be held by his Mama!  A newer concern at this point is the major swelling I've been experiencing in my feet over the last week or so.  My blood pressure is creeping up there, so we will be monitoring that and praying that I don't end up back on the couch (I had high BP with Will at the end of my pregnancy as well, and ended up on bedrest from 36 weeks on).  Trying to get as much done around here as I can in the meantime.

Evelyn is doing great!  I had an ultrasound yesterday, and she is now up to FOUR pounds!  Her movements are getting so strong... this little one will definitely give us a run for our money, I can tell that already.  But even so, what a true blessing she will be!

On a side note, Will had surgery on his adenoids and had new ear tubes put in on Tuesday.  He did great!  Day one was a bit miserable, day two a little better, and by yesterday he was full of energy and back to daycare.  

Thanks again to all of you who have been following this journey and who have been holding us close to your hearts in prayer.  We are blessed to have you! 

 

"Baby Girl"...

As you know if you've been following our story, Steve and I are expecting a little girl.  We found out way back at our 16 week ultrasound, and then got confirmation after our amnio.  I realized the other day that I refer to her as "baby girl" in all of my posts.  Well, she will be called "baby girl" no longer, because she officially has a name!  We would like to share it with you.  This little girl will officially be named:

"Evelyn Joyce Hafeman"

"Evelyn", or "Evie" for short, is a name that Steve and I have both fallen in love with.  It means "light", which we feel is perfect for her.  Thanks to some digging on my brother's end, we also found that it is a family name from my Father's side in the 1900's.  Being that we are big fans of family names, this is a definite bonus!

As for her middle name... "Joyce" is Steve's Grandmother's name.  She is a strong and caring woman who raised a beautiful family of four children, and we have so much respect and admiration for her.  Her faith is unwavering, and she is one of the warmest and most loving women I know.  We are honored to have our little girl carry her name.

So there you have it!  Now on with the update...

I had my weekly testing done yesterday, and Evelyn is looking beautiful as ever! She is practicing breathing and is still moving around like crazy!  Her fluid levels still look great, and she continues to "thrive" in her environment.  As for me, I had some more bleeding again last week.  Still not sure where that is coming from or why it is happening.  Any time there is bleeding, I will need to be back on the couch for a good few days after it has stopped to help ensure that it doesn't start back up again.  In between these "episodes", though, I will be able to start adding some activity to my day.  In fact, I went to TARGET yesterday and didn't even have to drive around in the scooter.  Nothing beats an afternoon trip to Target when it comes to a mom that's been stuck on the couch for nine weeks!!  It was heaven!

Next week, another ultrasound to measure Evelyn's growth and another round of testing.  I'm 28 and half weeks now, so I have made it out of the "danger zone" of 23-28 weeks.  Not that it wouldn't be a long road if she decided to make her appearance anytime soon, but her chances of surviving (and having minimal long-term problems) are much greater after the 28-week mark.  

Thanks so much for all of the prayers and positive thoughts!  We appreciate them more than you know!