Family of 4!

In January we learned some exciting news .. our little family would be expanding by one.

For those of you who know us well ... you know this has not been an easy road for us to travel. My miscarriages are not anything I have ever actually discussed on the blog - but they have never been an off limits topic for me in real life. Throughout this fertility journey, which dates back to the fall of 2011, Josh and I have had our fair share of disappointments and have always tried to turn things to a positive light, looking to God for his perfect timing and knowing that eventually he would show us the best path for our family. 

This baby, like any other baby, is a true miracle and we have taken each day as a gift. Here is the story of Baby Edith Louise Habel. In January after a positive at home test I started my weekly visits for blood work and ultrasounds. Once I was at 12 weeks we switched to checking for her heart beat on top of my stomach weekly. Even though I knew God was in control - this was my weekly reassurance appointment. Going four weeks without hearing that confirmation at this point was too long for me.

In May, the Monday after Mother's Day to be exact, we brought Charlie along to our appointment to find out the gender. As we entered the hospital that morning I'll never forget my conversation with him ... CGH: "Mom I just really hope it's a sister?" Me: "Well, Charlie, dad and I told you - that decisicion is out of our hands, it was decided the day Jesus blessed us with the baby inside Mommy's tummy: CGH: While looking up to heaven, "Please Jesus, make it be a girl!" Josh and I were both shocked at just how much he wanted a sister. And thank goodness he did, all his wishes came true. The ultrasound tech gave him his own photograph of his baby sister and off to school he went. That night I asked him "Who did you tell at school today?" His reply ... "EVERYBODY!" 

And that was the truth, texts and calls rolled in with congratulations.

My pregnancy has been full of surprises - and hiccups as Josh would say.
I have never had much sympathy for women who complain of nausea ... well, let me tell you, it is no day at the beach! After a few weeks of steady Zofran addiction we got over that hurdle. Thankfully. The exhausion in itself was enough to knock me down (and out) around 7:30 pm for the first few weeks as well. I spent many an hour on the couch with the heating pad. At this point, we had not shared the news with Charlie --- and I think he thought his mother had gone down hill fast! Josh was, and still is a saint, picking up on where I have needed to check out.

In June after a routine dermatology appointment I learned I had a basal cell cancer on my forehead one Monday morning, not to be over shadowed by a call I got from Charlie's pediatrician that night with the news that he had 5th's Disease. He handled it with flying colors, but after blood work we learned that I was not immune to the disease and had to be monitored with weekly ultrasounds. During the second ultrasound the tech used the words "he" and "handsome" - so we went a week wondering if there was something they had missed in May - On July 3rd I was given the green light (and a 100% close up confirmation, that Edith is indeed an Edith and not an Edward) and I am happy to report, there hasn't been another hiccup since.

As I type this post we are in our 34th week and oh so thankful to be here. September 30th can't come soon enough - the nursery is in full swing - as of this weekend. And I can hardly wait to snuggle this miracle!