Let the Countdown Begin!

Me and Baby at 30 weeks.

It's official -- 55 Days and counting until baby boy Puplis will be born. My C-Section date has been set for May 17th at 11:30, which is later than originally thought, but the doctors (my OBGYN, the pediatric surgeon and the Neonatologist) consulted and agreed it's best for me to be as close to full term as possible. So that puts me at only 3 days before my due date, but baby and I are going to try really hard to make that happen! Nonetheless, I am certainly counting down the days on fingers and toes - I have to use Joe's and Claire's, too, for now. I'm sure many of you can understand, in what seems like the looonnnngggest pregnancy ever, it is nice to have an end in sight.

The Neonatologist

Hello everyone. As I mentioned Friday, I had the opportunity to visit the new Helen DeVos Children's Hospital to meet with a Neonatologist, a pediatrician that specializes in caring for sick newborn babies. He was helpful in explaining what life will be like after our baby is born. He made it clear it won't be without challenge. A successful surgery is just the beginning of what is often a long and tedious recovery; however, we're grateful to have the wonderful care we do.

The Pediatric Surgeon

This morning I had another ultrasound to check on Baby's growth and progress, and I tell ya, he is growing more and more handsome each time I see him.

Baby's face.

Look at those chubby cheeks!

Once again, the umbilical cord covered his face, but you can still see his little grin.

Oh, how could you not just fall in love with him?

Baby now weighs 3 lb. 4 oz, which is right about where he should be. The doctor was very positive and glad to report "no surprises" during the ultrasound, which translates as good news.

We then met with the pediatric surgeon at the hospital, which I have been anxiously awaiting. I've been eager to learn more about the surgery and the process that leads up to it. The doctor was incredibly encouraging and very patient as he explained what we can expect. He said that omphaloceles can be quite serious because of other health conditions and physical deformities that typically accompany them; however, the good news for us is the remarkable health of our baby. So at this point, the omphalocele is more of a physical nuisance rather than a serious health concern.

There's much we won't know until the baby is born, but the doctor talked us through three possible scenarios to consider. First, is the best case scenario in which the baby's condition allows him to have the hole repaired surgically about a week after he's born, after everything, including the liver, is gradually placed back in position. This is possible, but not necessarily likely due to the severity of the omphalacele. The second scenario is if there isn't enough muscle to close the hole, they could surgically implant a patch to cover the hole and then sew him up. This would take more time, but still, could hopefully be done within a month of the baby's birth. The third possible scenario is to use a multi-step patch system in which they gradually close up the hole through a series of surgeries. This could take up to a year, but that's the worst case scenario, and hopefully won't be necessary.

Ok, that was a lot of information, so thanks for hanging in there with me. To boil it down, while the process can be trying, we have every reason to believe and hope for a perfectly healthy baby boy post-surgery. The only reminder of this experience for him will be that rather than having a belly button, he'll have a scar running across his abdomen. All in all, a very promising prognosis.

Tomorrow, I will see Dr. Luce, my OBGYN, for my weekly appointment, and then Monday I'll be meeting with the neonatologist at the Children's Hospital, so I'll keep you updated on those visits as well. Thanks again for reading, for praying, and for loving us as you do.

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...And a Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all. Hope you all enjoyed your big, sugary bowl of Lucky Charms this morning!

Moving On Up

Some of you might recall back in November when we announced our pregnancy, I had alluded to a project we were working on to prepare for the new baby. Well, we're finally finished and very eager to put it to good use. But before we show off the final product, that is Claire's new "Big Sister Bedroom", here's a brief history of the project.

This is what the room looked like before we began the renovations: functional, but definitely more musty and drafty than warm and cozy.

We began working on the room last summer and proceeded in stages, taking it slowly, but enjoying the process.

Claire watches Grandpa unload the truck.

The Demolition Phase

The insulation

Grandpa also put in a little peekaboo window for Claire. This spring, we'd like to add some shutters and flower boxes to the windows, which will be a happy addition.

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And now for the big reveal...

We're still missing a few details, like curtains and furniture, but all in all, the room is complete, and we are enjoying it thoroughly.

A closer look at the Dick and Jane wallpaper that my mom and I hung.

The toy room - a pleasant surprise in the renovating process and a wonderful addition to our home.

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We are so grateful for the help we've received throughout this process. As it is with much of our home, we appreciate that this room is filled with the fingerprints of those we love. I think of Mom teaching me the skill of wallpapering, Joe staining with Pauly, and his bonding with Dad over much work and many Reese's Pieces. And of course, I think of all the support and encouragement others have given along the way. We thank God for each of you.

Holland Aquatic Center

This weekend we celebrated Sylvia's birthday at the Holland Aquatic Center. I can't believe she's 6 years old already!

Claire's thoughts: "Frightening but Fun"

There was, of course, an obstacle course challenge between the boys.

Mike did well.

Joe did better...

but once again...Laura was forced to educate them both as to how it's really done. You go girl!

(Sidenote: I love Mike's expression in this picture)

Children's Museum

A few pictures of our visit to the Children's Museum this weekend...

fun at the bubble table

a lesson on dental hygiene

a giant Lite-Brite!

A Healthy Heart

This morning's ultrasound with the pediatric cardiologist could not have gone any better. While Baby was not eager to cooperate for pictures, he did great through the heart exam. The doctor was able to get an ideal view of the heart and examined it thoroughly. He studied every nook and cranny, and after extensive observation, was able to give us the news we longed to hear. He reported there was no heart defect! It looks and functions as it should. On top of that, the sonographer saw no sign of the brain cyst that had earlier been detected, and the left hand, which was thought to be slightly deformed, also looked perfectly normal. All around, Baby is growing just as he should be. We don't take good news for granted, so needless to say, we're thrilled! Baby will still need surgery to repair the hole in his abdomen. I didn't meet with the surgeons or neonatologists today; I'll be doing that in another month, so we'll have to wait to hear how they plan to handle that. But for now, we continue to celebrate each victory as an answer to prayer.

The doctor did note that for the safety of the baby, they will need to do a Cesarean delivery. There's just too much risk in damaging the baby's liver with a natural delivery, but at this point, we're fine with that. We'll do whatever is best for the baby.

So without further ado...a few more pictures of baby. As mentioned earlier, he didn't want to cooperate for the pictures. Apparently he was too busy playing with the umbilical cord in front of his face to let us get a good look at him. He's definitely our son!

3D view of Baby playing with the umbilical cord.

Baby's profile with his arm in front of his face.

Baby's face

A short video of Baby

(There's not much to be seen, but still kinda fun!)