21 Weeks – Dr. Barber and the Fetal Echo

We went in for your fetal echo and the verdict remains. ASD, atrial septal defect, and Aortic Stenosis with some questions about your left ventricle size. The great news is that Dr. Barber is fantastic and we were very appreciative of the time he took to answer our questions. Dr. Dixon was also there and she was again very personable and supportive. It was explained to us again, that while you are with me in my tummy, you will continue to do just fine and that on your birthday they will do an echo on your heart and really know how to best help you. Some more great news is that we get to stick with Dr. Moreno as your doctor and believe me, we were so relieved to hear that. All doctors are different and she is the perfect one for us. Kind, supportive, patient, understanding, and the list goes on and on. Of course every doctors visit comes with a plan and the plan for you and I is that we will continue to have ultrasounds every 4 weeks to see how you are growing, fetal echos to watch your heart, and keep with our regular schedule with Dr. Moreno. You have lots of people watching out for you and your dad and I trust that they are really going to be able to help you. We love you Miss Adelaide and cant wait for you to be with us. Heavenly Father loves you too and He has given you to us as a blessing that we are so thankful for. 

Growth Stats

Mommy - 100 lbs
Baby Otte - 7.2 inches, 10.5 ounces

20 Weeks – Baby Shower Extravaganza

After an exciting week of Dr. appointments and meetings, Preston and I were excited for our Idaho getaway. What we were a little less excited for was 16 hour drive from Tucson to Burley. Throw the puppies and being 20 weeks pregnant into the mix and an adventure was created. Lucky enough though the drive was pretty uneventful minus pouring rain and Wilson escaping from the boot to try and be co-captain.  We spent the first couple of days in Burley bird hunting with the puppies and I am proud to say that I was a trooper and went out with them.

On Saturday we traveled to Smithfield for the beautiful baby shower.  Kami, Bristal, and Janet, your Aunt, Aunt, and Grandmother threw an awesome baby shower for you at Aunt Shelley’s house in Smithfield. There was a great turn out with Aunt Janet’s family, Aunt Shelley’s family, many people from the Larson side and the Johnson side too. Some of my good friends were even able to make it and it sure meant a lot to me that all those people came to show their support for you. Your Aunt Bristal had a cake made with koalas on it, Aunt Kami went above and beyond as usual with her gift basket and there were just so many beautiful gifts. Thanks to Stephanie, your Dad’s cousin, we played some pretty interesting games and let’s just say I was sure blushing by the end of them. There are a lot of people that are exicted to meet you and we can’t wait for you to meet them too.

We drove the lovely 16 hour drive home on Tuesday, October the 12th with a car topped full. We get to have an appointment with Dr. Barber, the pediatric cardiologist, and our good friend Suzie, to see how everything is looking on your fetal echo on the 13^th.  As always little one, just keep growing stronger each day. We love you very much and pray for you always.

20 Weeks - A Geneticist and a Perinatologist

We met with two new Dr.'s this week, one a geneticist and one a perinatologist.

Leslie, the geneticist, was very nice. She asked Preston and I a lot of questions about our families and their health. The she looked at all of your previous ultrasounds and all my previous blood tests. With all the information she analyzed and reviewed, Leslie felt like your little heart was the only thing that didn't turn form as perfect as the rest of you.

Dr. Maciulla, the perinatologist, joined the visit a little later. He also said that every thing else looked great. He explained that on the day of your birth we will have a lot of people ready to help you and I. The neonatology team will be there, the pediatric cardiology team, perinatology team and our favorite of all Dr. Moreno. I have a feeling it will be quite the day when you decide to come on out but please, please take your time. You can stay a little longer too if you'd like, I wont mind, I promise.

At the end of this week, your Aunt Kami, Aunt Bristal, and Grandma Janet will be throwing you a little celebration baby shower when we are in Idaho. You sure have a lot of people that love you, including your Dad and I. Keep growing and moving, and dont you work, no matter what we love you.

Growth Stats
Mommy - 98 lbs
Baby Otte - 6 inches, 9 ounces

19 Weeks - Pink or Blue

We went in for the "20 Week" ultrasound with hopes of finding out if you are going to be an Adelaide or Oliver. During this ultrasound they also look at all your body parts to see if they are the right size and make sure everything looks ok. Before we went in, Preston and I filmed our predictions on the video camera. We still stuck to our original guns, Preston said you are an Adelaide, I said you are an Oliver. We invited my mum to come see the excitement as well.

During the ultrasound they did look at everything. Measuring your bones, looked at all your organs, measuring fluid, etc. Everything looked great with one minor detail. There was something with your heart that made Suzie the Ultrasound Tech take a second glance. The second glance turned into a lot of glances and she called in some specialists. Dr. Reed and Dr. Dixon, perinatologists, came to take a look as well. After a lot of looking their final answer, for the mean time, is that they think you have an atrial septal defect and aortic stenosis. But they said your heart is little right now, only the size of my thumb nail that they cant be completely sure. So the plan is to meet another doctor, Dr. Barber, who is a pediatric cardiologist to check things out in about 2 weeks. They also wanted us to meet with the genetic counselor just for more support.

But there is good news in all of this, I promise. The first one is that your Dad was right and you are a little girl! We couldn't be more excited. The second is that we love you, more then you could know. So Miss Adelaide Ann we need you to keep growing and fighting! We will keep loving you and praying for you.

Here are your latest photos, you have quite the album little one.

Growth Stats
Mommy - 98lbs
Baby Otte - 6 inches, 9 ounces

18 Weeks - Dr. Moreno

This week was a Dr. Moreno week. We went in for our check up and guess what I gained a pound! We went to check your little heart beat but the machine wasn't in the room so Dr. Moreno surprised us and asked if we wanted to see if you were a boy or girl on the bigger ultrasound next door. We said yes of course! We checked your little heart beat which was beating really strong and it looked great. Then Dr. Moreno went searching for your little parts. She couldn't be sure because you are still pretty little but her guess is that you are a little girl. She told us not to have her prediction be the final one though and to wait and see at our appointment next week. I was quite surprised when she said girl though, for some reason I think you are a little boy. Preston on the other hand claims you are a girl. We will just have to wait and see.

Here are more photos for your collection.

Heart Beat

Little Face

Possible Girl Parts

Growth Stats
Mommy - 98lbs
Baby Otte - 5.25 inches, 5.25 ounces

17 Weeks - Moving On Up

This week was very exciting. We felt you move, at 17 weeks and 3 days I felt you move. And then at 17 weeks and 5 days, you were moving so much that Preston was able to feel you move! It was such a neat thing and wish I could feel you every minute of every day. I lay in bed at night waiting for see if you are going to move or kick. We have your appointment at the end of this week with Dr. Moreno.You just keep moving your cute self, all day every day if you really want to.

  

Growth Stats

Mommy - 97 lbs

Baby Otte - 4.8 inches, 3.4 ounces

16 Weeks - Slowly Growing

We are at 16 weeks now and I have slowly been telling people at work that you are on your way. Everyone is very excited. We are just staying steady, growing in some ways but no big weight gains yet.

 

Growth Stats

Mommy - 97 lbs

Baby Otte -  4.8 inches, 2.8 ounces