Quick Hello!

Hi all! A quick hello and update. Not too much news right now, but all's well here on the Hartsell front.

25 weeks along, Baby is 23 weeks old.

• Baby is about 1 1/2 pounds and 8 3/4 inches long.
• Lots of movement can be felt during these weeks because Baby is still small enough to move around in there!

I feel Baby move all day long. Wonderful little kicks and bumps! Some days he/she moves more than other days. The books say to expect this. Monday was Baby's most active day so far this week - we were really movin' and groovin' that day!

Brent's mom was over visiting this past weekend and stayed until Tuesday. It was so nice to have her here! We had a great time. We chatted late into the evenings and talked about Baby and the exciting times to come. Kathy has been hanging out in Tampa with Angie and the girls for most of the month of June. She will be staying in Florida until we move to Michigan and she'll also be helping us drive up and make the move. We'll be so glad for her help!!

This coming Saturday is my niece Olivia's 3rd birthday! Brent and I will drive over to spend the day with her. I can't believe it's been 3 years - seems just like yesterday when she was born and we met our little Livi-girl.

Lots of my family met in Indy this past weekend to see Philip and Michelle. They had a get-together at Joan's house. I was so sad to miss it, of course. My mom gave me the full report - they had a great time and she said Phil and Michelle look wonderful.

Good news - the loan for the house has been approved! We heard the good news yesterday. Now all we have to do is sign the paperwork and 1907 Country Club will be ours!

I'm feeling fine. Very tired this week. I haven't been going to bed early enough. Tonight looks to be turning out the same way. Rats. Better head that way and get some z's. Hope everyone is happy and well!!

Love ~ Laura

First Baby Shower

Today was my first baby shower! My co-workers threw a little get-together for me at work. People brought in food and a cake at lunch time. So many people got Baby gifts, I could not believe it. I was really overwhelmed by the generosity. We got the cutest stuff - Baby Hartsell made out! Little outfits and onesies, bath time stuff, and even the baby monitor I registered for. I brought everything home and Brent opened the gifts for a second time - what fun we had looking at of all Baby's things. My co-workers are sad to see me go and I will miss them also. I promise to send them pictures of the baby - doesn't seem quite fair that they won't be able to meet him/her. They really made me and Baby feel very special today!

24 weeks along ... Baby is 22 weeks old.

• Baby weighs 1 1/4 pounds and is 8 1/2 inches long.


• Baby's face and body look more like that of an infant at the time of birth, but is still very tiny!

Hope all the fathers out there had a great Father's Day weekend. I missed my Dad terribly. Brent had his Father's Day In-Training. What fun we'll have next Father's Day!

Well, I've run across the first snag of the move to Michigan. Transferring my nursing license to Michigan will take longer (much longer) than I anticipated. I completed the paperwork today and they said it could take 6-8 weeks for processing. I did not expect this at all, as transferring my inital license to Florida when I moved here was very simple and I was able to start work right away. Seems not to be so when moving back to Michigan. I cried and cried when I learned all this today. Brent reassured me and kept telling me not worry and that it will all work out. My parents say the same and my Dad thinks it may not take as long as they say. I have an interview set up for the week after we get to Michigan. It's a part-time case management position in a hospital close to Grosse Pointe. I e-mailed the nurse manager there to let her know the situation and I'm hoping it won't ruin my chances at getting the job. As long as there is no competition and no other applicants, I think they will hold the job for me if they want to hire me. I am so mad at myself for not checking on this sooner. I'm usually so organized and on top of everything - and have up until this! I guess for all the plans and decisions I've done for the past few weeks, I've done fairly well. I keep telling myself that things happen for a reason and this too will work itself out. I guess if it takes a few more weeks before I'm able to start a new job, not all is lost. I'll have plenty of time to unpack boxes!

I'm a little tired this evening - busy day. Such a nice morning with the baby shower and such a crappy afternoon with the license thing. Keep my chin up, right? I know, I'll go look at Baby's new onesies ... that will make me happy and do my heart some good.

Love all ~ Laura

Ultrasound News

Today was our ultrasound in Orlando. The ultrasound tech and high-risk doctor looked at Baby's kidneys. The right kidney is still large and retaining fluid. The left kidney is normal in size. The right measures just over 1 centimeter and they consider anything over 1 centimeter to be large. The doctor said that the finding is not "normal", however it just needs to be watched and can be followed up with a local doctor and he recommended another ultrasound be done in 2 months. He said I did not have to return to the high-risk office unless I wanted to. I told him we were moving and my new doctors will just have to do an ultrasound and make a determination how they want to follow it. The doctor said that most often the problem will persist throughout the pregnancy and the baby will need follow-up tests after he/she is born. My niece Olivia had tests after she was born and for her everything came out normal. We're hoping the same for Baby Hartsell. The doctor said that in the scheme of things, to have an abnormality, this is one you would choose as it is "milder" and can be fixed fairly easily with surgery after the baby is born, if it needs to be fixed at all. Let's hope not at all!

On a lighter note, Baby looked great on ultrasound. The tech said she could tell whether it was a boy or a girl, but she didn't tell us and we didn't see anything that would give it away. Baby must have been sleeping at first and was hanging out really low with his/her face down, so all we could see was the back of the head. The tech said the baby was being stubborn - ha! Stubborn already, I love it. Then near the end, Baby was moving around more and we got great pictures of the face. We could see the baby's whole face and we saw him/her open their little mouth! It was so cute. In the pictures, I think the baby looks just like a little Brent. So, I think it's a boy. But I've always thought so, really. Execpt that I have had three baby dreams and in all of them the baby was a girl. Time will tell! The tech also said the baby likes to hang out on the right side of my belly and I totally agree - that's where I feel most of the kicks. The baby is actually kicking right now - he/she is saying hello to everyone. We got a great picture of the hand - I posted it for you to see. Baby Hartsell's first wave.

The local OB appointment on Monday went fine. Quick in and out. I'm measuring right on target. Oh, today at the ultrasound they said Baby weighs 1 pound, 4 ounces.

We got the final closing date for our house - July 11th! I reserved the moving truck. My dad and Brent's dad bought plane tickets down that week to help us pack and move. We're on our way!

Prayers for baby. Love you guys ~ Laura

23 Weeks, Over Half Way There!

Hi all, we're 23 weeks now and baby is 21 weeks old. Baby is kicking and moving several times a day now. Baby seemed to like church this morning, the spirit must have moved him/her!

• Baby weighs almost 1 pound and is 8 inches in length.
• Baby's pancreas is developing.

Monday is our local OB appointment. Tuesday we go to Orlando for the ultrasound and opinion on baby's kidneys. I took off work all day on Tuesday. Brent will take me to both appointments. We are looking forward to Monday when we can hear the heartbeat and Tuesday when we can see baby on the ultrasound again.

It's hot as blazes here in Florida. I hide from the hot sun during the afternoon. Last evening it cooled off quite a bit and Brent and I took Jo-Jo for a walk in the park across the street. Then we sat on the screened porch and grilled out pork chops for dinner.

My niece Olivia just got her second set of tubes put in her ears on Friday. The surgery was quick and went very well. Angie says she's doing fine, a little grumpy is all. We're glad she's doing well and on the mend!

Brent's mom is here in Flordia right now and staying over in Tampa with Ang and the girls. They're having a great time, I'm sure, and enjoying the pool in this awful heat!

House update - just waiting on the final closing date. We are working toward July 11th. Once we get the okay, then we'll make reservations for a moving van, etc. My dad will be flying down a few days prior to our moving day to help us pack - and to enjoy one last Florida dinner of crab cakes with us! We'll be so happy to have him!

I'll post later this week after the ultrasound appointment to update everyone. Prayers for healthy kidneys in the mean time!

Love ~ Laura

Update at 22 weeks

Hi everyone!

Good news on the new-home-front. We have signed the final paperwork to make the offer to buy our little Country Club house. A price was decided and we have been pre-approved for the mortgage. The house inspection was yesterday and Brent's dad actually drove to Grosse Pointe for the inspection in our place. (Thank you so much, Greg!) The house is in great condition - only a couple minor repairs to be done immediately and a couple other minor things just to monitor. We signed the final paperwork today to complete the deal and soon we should hear the final closing date - we are shooting for July 11th. I hesitate to say, but I think we are steps away from owning our first home!

Brent and I have been having fun talking about home improvements. We've really only seen the house twice and we're looking forward to actually being there and starting to make it our own. The first project will be the baby's room. The room right now has a pretty awful shade of purple carpet. We'll put new carpet in and paint the walls. We have picked out a color - "Friendly Yellow". It's really a lovely color - very creamy with a hint of yellow. It's friendly, just like its name!

22 weeks along now - I can't believe it. Baby is 20 weeks old!

• Baby now weighs about 12 1/2 ounces and is 7 2/3 inches long.
• Eyelids and eyebrows are well developed.
• Baby's organs continue to develop. (Develop away, little kidneys in there, develop away.)

I was talking with Brent the other day about when I worked in the NICU and took care of premature babies. Some were born as early as 24 weeks. I can picture these babies so well in my mind. It's strange because our baby is close to 24 weeks, so I can realistically imagine what he/she looks like....how small, fragile, and perfectly baby.

Brent's last day of school was today! Bittersweet for him to leave Rivers Edge - he has been there for three years now and it was the first classroom of his own as a teacher. At the same time, he's very excited for our new start and for the new adventure he will have in his new position at Reach Academy up north. I'm very jealous this time of year - Brent sleeps in and Laura goes to work. It's really the pits! I should have been a teacher.....

Baby Hartsell is really moving lately. Brent felt a good kick last night! It was really the first good kick he's felt and it was a great moment. Baby seems to move a lot while I'm at work - it must be all the thinking I'm doing or something. It's an amazing feeling to feel the baby move. I love it, love it, love it. Amazing!

Well, time to wrap up the night. Congratulations sent out to my Mom and Dad - their 31st wedding anniversary was today! Wishing them many happy more.

Love you guys ~ Laura