The Williams' Family: 2012

The Last 6 Weeks

11/12/2012...

Avery is 6 weeks and 3 days today. A lot has changed in the last 6 weeks. She has grown like a weed and is now 10 lbs and 22 inches long! She smiles like crazy especially when we put toys in front of her or when we speak to her in a higher pitched voice. She is a really good baby and only gets fussy once or twice a day for about an hour to two hours max. She is an amazing night sleeper and typically goes to bed around 8pm, wakes at 3am to feed and then sleeps till at least 6:30am. She is napping 2-3 times during the day but when she is awake, she likes to be held, go on walks, be outdoors, or lay on her back and have me play with her legs in a bicycle motion. She also LOVES baths and smiles away when the warm water hits her.

Ben and I have adapted well to being parents. We have been very fortunate to not be sleep deprived and Avery is fairly predictable so that helps!

We will be traveling to our parents homes in FWB this Friday and spending the week with them. Everyone is excited to see how much she has grown. She also gets to meet both great grandmas and several great aunts and uncles too.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! Safe travels!

Week 3

Week 4

One Month Old

Week 5

Week 6

Week 2

October 13, 2012...

We had another great week at the Williams' house. Avery has continued to be a great baby who is alert and quiet throughout the day. Since the Doctor gave us the OK to no longer wake her for feedings, she is sleeping a minimum of 3-5 hrs at a time. We had her 2 week follow up appointment on Friday and she weighed 7 lbs 15 oz (39% percentile) and was 20.25 inches long (50% percentile). She is growing fast but is still in newborn clothes and diapers but I don't see that lasting very much longer.

I am doing well too. I have been off pain meds since the Wednesday following my surgery and feel about 80%. I go for my follow up appointment on Monday and anticipate being able to drive next week as well as increase my daily activities.

Ben and I were very fortunate to have both of our families help out the last two weeks. We took advantage of the situation and even got away for a dinner date Friday night to our favorite restaurant.

For more pictures click on the following link:

http://alibenpictures.shutterfly.com/pictures

Avery's First Week

October 5th, 2012...

As I write this and I look down at the time it is 7:13pm, approximately the same time last week that Ben and I agreed with the Doctor's suggestion to move forward with a c-section after 13 hours of unsuccessful progress delivering naturally. Although we were scared, I was reacting poorly to the epidural and all other signs pointed to Avery not being able to descend properly.

At 8:14pm on Friday September 28th, 2012, Avery Kate Williams entered in this world.

Avery weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 19.75 inches long. She greeted us with wide eyes and a loud cry and passed all her initial health tests with flying colors.

Week 1
Ben and I took Avery home on Monday October 1 around 11am. Her first day at home was great and we were amazed at how alert she was and also very content (barely cried). We got a good nights sleep and were forced to wake Avery up just for feedings.

The remainder of the week was just as good and every day we notice the small changes including a partial rollover this morning. Avery loves to be held and plants an open mouth on our faces regularly. Its hard not to just laugh when she shows us these signs of affection (although we know she is likely just looking for a bottle or pacifier).

Week 1 Doctor's Appointment Stats: Same length, weight is 6 lbs 13 oz. The Doctor says it will likely take her 14 days to return to her birth weight.

Below are a few of our favorite pictures and the rest I will upload to our shutterfly website in the upcoming days.

It's only fitting that I end this blog at 8:14pm exactly one week to the minute from Avery's birth.

We truly have been blessed with an amazing daughter and we thank God for the gift.

Week 39

Week 39

Not much to say except we are ready to meet Avery! Below is a pic of me the week before I became pregnant and the bottom picture is my first and last "belly" shot.

Almost week 37!

September 6, 2012...

I had my weekly Doctor's appointment yesterday and a "last chance" sonogram today. Baby Avery is doing well. She has been staying in the down position for weeks now and its very unlikely that she will flip around. No weight measurements as I am told its very hard to estimate and they could be off 1-2 lbs.

I have been feeling OK. Some days I feel great and others are filled with contractions (not strong enough to send me into labor), heartburn, and restlessness. Still no swelling and my total weight gain is around 24 lbs. We have scheduled the inducement date for September 27th if she doesn't make an appearance sooner. We are VERY excited and anxious for her to come and continue to pray she will be healthy.

Below are a couple of pictures (3D image) of Avery's face. As you will notice her face is a bit smushed as she is running out of room. Both of her hands as well as her foot were hanging out by her head the entire time.

Week 35 Update

Week 35...

I can no longer:

See my belly button
See my feet
Rollover in bed without grunting
Stand to be in the heat
Go a day without heartburn medicine (thats approved by the doctor)
Sit on the floor without having back and tailbone pain
Walk faster than 3mph (I probably could, but its not fun)
Go a day without dessert

Last week I had my 34 week checkup and all is well. The doctor suggested that we go ahead and schedule the inducement date for September 23rd or later, assuming I don't have her earlier. While we haven't set the date we are leaning towards Thursday Sept 27th so our parents would be able to travel down and spend the weekend with us. I go next week and we will see if I am "progressing" and then from that point on it will be appointments every week until I deliever.

Below is a picture taken this past weekend. Of course Bella has to be in every photo with me with her crazy green eyes!

32 Week Update

8/3/12: Another week down. It is becoming more real the closer we get to the due date. Our to do list in July was a bit crazy, but luckily we were able to paint the nursery, refinish a dresser, order the glider and crib, begin washing blankets and clothes that will be used immediately, sterilize bottles, and complete the birthing class. We still have a few things remaining in order to have the nursery 100% ready to go, but we already feel better about what we accomplished last month. Oh and we bought a new car since mine was totalled. I am now driving a 2010 Acura MDX. It is very nice and SAFE! But I do miss my Tahoe dearly.

On Sunday July 29th, Meghan and Jaime hosted my Tampa baby shower and it was wonderful to spend time with my girlfriends and they showered me with generous gifts! It was also hilarious to hear the other "moms" stories about the things they never thought their child would do. What did I learn from all of this...DON'T JUDGE! KIDS ARE UNPREDICTABLE!

Below is a picture of me with the hostesses. More pictures can be found at http://alibenpictures.shutterfly.com/pictures/1843

Here are my stats:

32 weeks pregnant
Baby approx measurements per last ultersound and approx weekly growth- 4 lbs 6 oz and approx 17 inches long.
Weight gain thus far - 20 lbs
Swelling - none
Baby position - head down ready to go! She "dropped" around July 15th and hasn't changed positions since. I can no longer see my belly button when looking down.
Contractions - yes; but they have calmed down since the wreck.
Other symptoms: I have definitely slowed down. It takes a lot more effort and breath to just walk around.
Doctor appointments - every 2 weeks

July 8, 2012...

What a week. Well I am so thankful I can write this post knowing that I am OK and so is our baby, Avery.

Monday night at 6pm I was leaving work and as I was passing through a green light another car blew through a red light and hit me. I luckily saw her a few seconds before and was able to speed up so she only hit the passenger rear door and cargo area but flipped the car onto the driver’s side and threw the car into a spin. I was able to immediately unbuckle my seat belt and find a way out through the back cargo window. I was met my numerous bystanders, police officers and the Chief of Police who all witnessed the accident. Although I felt fine besides my accelerated heart rate and blood pressure, we proceeded by ambulance to St. Joes Hospital where Ben met me. About 30 mins after my arrival they hooked me and the baby up to machines which indicated I was having contractions every 1-2 mins. They then transferred me to labor and delivery where I could be looked after by my Doctor. We had a sonogram and that confirmed that my uterus, cervix, placenta and the baby were all OK and no visible damage had occurred. However since my contractions were still very present they kept me overnight. After about 8 hrs the contractions settled down and although I still have them they are mild and less often. We were finally released after 7pm Tuesday night. I had a another sonogram and test on Thursday which confirmed that I am no longer at risk of going into labor within the next 2 weeks so I can resume normal activity for the remainder of my pregnancy (11ish weeks to go).

Unfortunately my car is totalled and now we have to look for something else, likely a tahoe again, in 100 degree weather and 7 months pregnant!! I am not happy about this but will take it over any alternate ending!

Thank you all for the prayers, thoughts and numerous emails, texts and calls. We have a great support system!

June 29th, 2012...

Today I had my first baby shower. WOW, what an amazing job Shannon did on decorating and planning such a wonderful celebration. Many of you may know that Shannon truly has mastered event planning/decorating and she went all out for my shower. Everything was beautiful and the guests could not get over her attention to detail. Shannon, I love you and thank you and everyone else who helped!

We were so blessed with so many gifts! I really was shocked by how many items we received and the thoughtfulness behind the choices. I believe this may be the beginning to spoiling our little girl, Avery Kate...yep you heard me correctly, Ben caved and agreed to Avery Kate Williams! Below are two pics of the shower and more can be found at http://alibenpictures.shutterfly.com/pictures/1807

June 19, 2012...

Wow, time flies. I am almost 26 weeks pregnant (6.5 months). Ben and I travel to our parents house in FWB/Destin this friday evening. I have a funfilled week planned with a girls weekend at Watercolor June 22-25 followed by quality time with our family and my baby shower June 30th. We have been receiving gifts including the car seat & extra base from my mother in law; the stroller from my parents; and a high chair from aunt Nell (THANK YOU). And it is becoming very hard for me not to buy $5 outfits from Carters!!

I am still feeling well and haven't really changed much in the last 4 weeks. I am just 1 pound heavier but am still on track. According to Baby Center, little Avery is 2 pounds and 14 inches long. She is sooooooo active and its funny to just watch my stomach move throughout the day. She tends to either push her head or tush just to the left of my belly button so daily I have to rub her and get her to re-adjust.

On a very sad note, in the last 2 weeks we lost my uncle Robbie to his fight against Scleroderma and two great dogs in the family, Ranger and Jade. Getting older has its pearks but losing family and friends is not one. My love goes out to my family as the celebrate Robbie's life; he will be missed greatly.

5/30/12: Today I had my week 23 checkup. Everything is going well and the baby is VERY active and has a strong heartbeat at 150bpm. Once again I was reminded of how short I am particularly in my torso which is why my baby bump looks so much bigger/farther along than what I really am. From my pelvic bone to my belly button I am almost 3 inches shorter than the average women according to my doctor. I continue to gain weight every week so I have stopped weighing myself daily and have decided to just let the nurses weigh me at my visits. My next set of labs are in 2 weeks and include blood tests and also a gestational diabetes test. I return to the doctor on July 3rd which will be the end of my second trimester and from this point on I will have appointments every 2 weeks for the remainder of my pregnancy.

This upcoming weekend my friend Katherine, who has 2 precious little girls, is taking me to the baby store so I can finish up my registry so I promise it will be available next week. Its crazy to think that in the next 8 weeks Ben and I need to really start putting together the nursery, go to the birthing class, pre-register at the hospital, pick a pediatrician, and even put together a bag for the hospital. The general rule is to have all of this done by around week 32 in case you deliver early.

Name game...well Ben and I both really like Avery, but can not agree on a middle name. I personally like Avery Kate Williams, but Ben does not. If anyone has middle name suggestions we would love to hear them.

Till next time...

May 17th 2012...

Well nothing much has changed since the last post besides my ever expanding belly. I seem to be maintaining my weight over the last 3 weeks which is good because I think it was getting out of hand even though the weight gain luckily was only in my belly. But now I am back on schedule with the Doctor's expectations.

I still have no cravings, no emotional breakdowns, no swelling and for the most part I feel pretty good. I would definitely say this is the best I have felt in the last 5 months. For the past 2 weeks, I have been feeling numerous movements/kicks from our baby throughout the day which is so weird but amazing! Ben has even been able to feel her once, but he doesn't have the patience to just let his hand rest on my belly and wait for more. The movements don't hurt but I can't imagine a one pound baby doing any damage at this point.

We still haven't decided on a name but we keep coming back to Avery, Kate & Reese, so there is a good chance two of those names will be used but we don't know the order yet! We are open to suggestions, but you can't get mad if we don't use/like it. :)

Well that's it for now. My next appointment is May 30th and I will update the blog shortly thereafter.

Below is a picture from a wedding of a long time friend, Jason Dewrell. The wedding was held at the Science Museum in Orlando on May 5th.

April 30th, 2012

Dr. Appointment...Today we had our 18 week appointment. Our baby girl was very active and making it hard for the technician to take the measurements of her bones, heart, and brain, but in the end we got them all and they were right on target. We then saw another one of the Doctors at the practice, Dr. Young, and he may be my favorite thus far. I mentioned that I felt like my belly was measuring large so he checked and I was measuring approx 20 weeks which could either mean excess amniotic fluid or just a result of the way my body carries a baby. Either way, nothing to worry about. We also discussed my towering height and at what point would they recommend inducing labor or a c-section. If the baby is in the 70th percentile at 37 weeks we will likely induce at week 38 or 39 so long as her lungs were fully functioning. If the baby is in the 90th percentile, he suggested we consider a c-section, BUT no decision will be made until week 37.

Overall Feeling...I have been feeling a lot better but I am still not used to carrying this extra weight in my belly and it can be uncomfortable at times. I am trying my best to go to the gym 3 times a week and also walk or do other exercises at home. My appetite has definitely increased and it's hard finding healthy (low calorie) snacks to get me through the day. As far as my weight gain, I am within the normal range and the doctor would like me to gain no more than 25 lbs total, but with +/- 20 weeks to go I am not sure if I can achieve his goal.

Names...well this has been pretty hard to be honest. There are a few we like, but I don't want to rush into any decision quickly, so this may have to be decided mid-late summer (sorry Shannon!). Once we are positive, we promise to share.

Nursery & Gear...at the advice of several friends, I purchased the book Baby Bargains, which provides both consumer and expert advice on what products you must have and which are just nice to have. The book also gives ratings on the quality of the products and suggests the top picks within each category. This has been very helpful and also enlightening. We will likely register at http://www.diapers.com/ whose prices are the lowest I have found and they have free 2 day shipping and everyone knows how much I love that! However, Ben and I need to go to a local baby store and test out car seats, strollers, carriers, etc before we complete the registry.

Well that's it for today. Below is a photo from last friday at 18 weeks.

We are having a GIRL!

April 17th...Today we went to an elective ultrasound to find out the baby's gender. Ben and I, along with most of our family and friends, had a strong feeling we were having a girl but the ultrasound confirmed it. The technician was able to immediately see the three white lines in the pelvic region that are a definite sign the baby is a girl. We are thrilled. This was the first time I actually become emotional after a Doctor's visit and it was just what I needed to truly bond with our baby. It's not that I haven't been excited about having a baby, its just that the entire experience thus far has been filled with terrible side effects and it was wonderful to get such great news and finally put a gender to this tiny miracle growing inside of me.

Here are 16.5 week pics:

Look at those long legs!!! She doesn't have her mother genes.

February and March

February 7th - April 8th...Well I have been "blessed" with morning sickness, actually all day sickness and to be honest it was horrible. It's a very different experience than just having the stomach bug and one I do not wish to relive in a post so I will stop here.

March 23rd...Today we had our 13 week visit and wow the baby has grown. We could see so much more detail than at the 6 week and 9 week ultrasounds. At this appointment they also did an NT test. An NT test shows "the collection of fluid beneath the fetal skin in the region of the fetal neck and this is present and seen in all fetuses in early pregnancy. The fluid collection is however increased in many fetuses with Down's syndrome and many other chromosomal abnormalities. This test results in a 90–95% detection rate of pregnancies that may be at an increased risk of carrying a genetical problem such as Downs Syndrome."

The good news is we past the test and have a 1 and 10,000 chance of passing along a genetical problem to our baby (the best results you can receive).

Here is our baby at 13 weeks:

First Doctor Appointment

February 6, 2012...Today Ben and I went to the Doctor's office to confirm the pregnancy and get an indication of how far along I was. After explaining to the Doctor my unique situation (a very irregular cycle and the fact that the birth control I was on in December was just recalled) she agreed we needed an ultrasound immediatley to see how far along I was in my pregnancy. The ultrasound technician was able to locate a heartbeat and estimated I was just over 6 weeks pregnant. The baby pretty much looked like a small black spot with a little white dot flashing (this was the heart). Hearing the heartbeat was an amazing experience and it was a relief to know everything thus far was fine.

I AM PREGNANT

January 17th, 7:30am...I woke up this morning feeling really weird. I had been very tired and extra sore all over my body for the last couple of weeks but something told me to take a pregnancy test. Well it was POSITIVE. I immediately called Ben who was just as shocked as I was. Our conversation may have lasted 3 mins with us each repeating "this can't be real" "are you kidding" "oh my gosh". After we hung up I had to call my parents because I needed someone other than Ben to tell me everything would be OK. My father answered the phone and I started with "Well are you ready to be a grandpa?". My parents were very surprised but thrilled with the news and helped me settled down my fears. By the end of the day, my parents and Ben's mom were told they would be grandparents and Ben and I just sat in shock that evening.

Well to back up and give you the global view, Ben and I only had our first serious discussion about having children 3 weeks before. We agreed we would start trying this year (2012) and maybe by the end of the year be pregnant. NEVER in our wildest dreams did we think it would happen that fast. We both assumed we would have the entire year to get fully prepared (mostly mentally) to become parents. To be continued...