3 for 3- We are having a BOY!

      We are ecstatic to announce that we are having another boy! I was so incredibly nervous during the ultrasound just hoping our baby was developing normally, my heart was racing so fast.  We found out last Thursday after almost 2 months of waiting that they finally had an answer to the Maternti21 test results and there was no evidence of trisomy 13, 18, or 21. We knew that this wasn't a possibility for the baby anymore but at the first screen they indicated that could mean there was a heart problem or something if there was space between the NT fold. At the ultrasound once they said he was developing normally and his heart looked great , I finally could relax!  The baby was not shy about showing us his boy parts. Before the ultrasound tech told us what it was I could see a scrotum, she put the wand like looking up at his business and knew it was a boy! To be quite honest I was a little freaked out at the possibility of having a girl for some reason. I guess because all I know is how to raise boys! Jason and I are very attached to the boys name we picked out anyways. Its funny because my mom and sister were convinced it was a girl!  I honestly didn't care. I will say I was a tad disappointed at Corbin and Grayson's ultrasounds because I wanted a girl so badly. This time was so different.  It just seems so petty to worry about gender with all that has gone on this pregnancy.  That has really changed my outlook. Now looking back it seems so silly. I wouldn't trade our adorable sweet boys for the world.  Our boys currently fight over who can sit next to Mommy and snuggle with me and Jason a lot of times has to scoot over to make room for our sweet boys!  They are Momma's boys!!!

  We cannot wait to meet our new baby boy!!  We have his name picked out but cannot decide on a middle name yet! So we will announce it once we know his full name! Keep on growing baby!! We love you! Your brother's cannot wait to meet you!!!

Yesterday we went to brunch at Z'tejas for my parents 41st wedding anniversary.  While getting ready to go I heard Grayson getting into Jason's drawers. He picked out Jason's outfit!!!! Grayson was like "Mommy, Daddy needs pants!" I had to help him get Daddy some shorts but Grayson picked out his shirt! It was so cute!

We bought our new brother some presents. Grayson got him a Angel Dear lovey which are his favorite little blankets. I let the boys pick it out and they got him a puppy.  Corbin picked out a pacifier attached to a little longhorn toy. Corbin proudly took the picture with his newest brothers presents! :)

Here is a picture of Grayson's in-progress big boy room! We have since moved his bed so that one side is against the wall. We are having a bit of trouble sleeping all night long. He has woken up at like 2 or 3 am a few times  and screams for me from under his door.  We need to add decorations and Jason put up curtains over the weekend. It will come together eventually!

Bullet pointst

 The last few weeks in bullet points:

• My sister and her girls were in town over the Fourth of the July and we had a great time! My nieces and the boys got along so well. They even introduced us to a new favorite children's book series  Pete the Cat. 
• We went to Sea World with my family and it was amazing seeing the boys get so exctied to see all the shows and Corbin even went on a water roller coaster type ride. He did awesome, Jason and I were really nervous because we couldn't go on with him so he went with my parents and sister and their family. I couldn't go on ride of course and Jason didn't go because he is not a fan of heights.  Corbin loved it! ;)
•  My sisters and I got to take my mom out for a much belated Mother's Day play at the Zach. We like to wait until my sister is town to go for a girls night plus my dad! :) We had a good time going to Z'tejas and to see the play Fully Committed. 
• While my sister was in town we went to the mall to shop for her birthday. While there my child almost sent me into the biggest panic of my life.  We were about to go in the Gap and I went in with Grayson in the stroller and Corbin was with my sister and husband and her girls. The next thing I know I am saying "Where is Corbin?" He likes to hide in the clothes racks and stuff and so I gave Grayson to my mom and my brother and I started searching for Corbin.  It took a good 20 minutes and telling the employees what my child looked like to find him.  A girl found him in the baby Gap store which is attached to gap and gap kids. OMG I started bawling when they brought him to me. I told him how terrified I was that I thought someone had kidnapped him and that he was confined to the stroller the rest of the trip. Scariest moment thinking the worst when I cannot fine my child. 
• THE DOCTORS OFFICE LITERALLY JUST CALLED AND SAID THEY NEED ANOTHER BLOOD SAMPLE BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH FETAL DNA IN THE 3 VIALS THEY TOOK! They are sending to another lab this go around and seeing if we can get results this time.

Praying for a Result

   Let me preface this by saying that we have only shared this information with our parents and siblings and weren't sure if we wanted to put this private matter on our blog.    After my First Screen test was conducted we have found out that the baby is at slightly increased risk for having Downs Syndrome. Since 13 weeks of this pregnancy we have has quite the emotional roller coaster.However this is the personal "limbo" we have been in the past few weeks and its been rough.  I have managed to hold it together very well considering that I have taught students with Downs and I know how loving, yet super stubborn they can be.  If that is God's plan for us to raise a child with Down's then that's is what we will do.  Jason has had a harder time with all of this and I am trying to get him to look at the positive in all of this. Funny coming from me because I usually am such a pessimist in life, this trial has shown me how much strength I can muster in times like this.

Sometimes I wonder why we are tested by God and everyone. I am not a very religious person but at times I feel I need to turn to God to help me sort out life.  We have waited three weeks for results for Downs Syndrome testing results.   When I went for my First Screen test at 13, my doctor called a few days later and said the babies risk of Down's was 1-42 and I am at increased risk based on the measurement of the nuchal translucency, it wasn't off the charts it was just slightly higher than the norm. There is a brand new test out called Maternit21, which analyzes fetal DNA from a maternal blood sample and detects trisomy 21, 18, and 13.

   We met with a genetic counselor, and we told her all our family history etc, they drew my sample and said it would take 8-10 calender days. Fast forward to last week. I start calling everyday from Monday on to see if they have my results. Of course they don't and I call my dad, who is a doctor to see if he can get anything. I get a call back from my OB, my OB is not at all concerned about the babies risk of downs, we told him our plans if it did indeed have downs, no question, we would raise it in our loving home.  The genetic counselor also called me that day and said the lab wasn't able to read the results and so they were moving on to the the next and last vial of blood. She warned me that there may be a possibility they may have to do this test ALL over again.  She told me that we would hopefully have the results on July 3rd.

   Of course I call today and we indeed need another sample. Jason was wondering if we should even do this test again if the results keep coming back inconclusive.   My mom called my Dad and he said that he believes they won't get an inconclusive result again because the baby is bigger and has more free circulating cell DNA.  So Jason and I are going on Thursday to have another sample taken.

   Please pray that they will be able to read the results this time. We are going back to the Perinatologist for my 20 week ultrasound for the anatomy scan per my OB's request because the Peri does this kinda of ultrasounds all the time.  We go to my ultrasound on the 27th, they day I turn 20 weeks. Seems so far off! I am almost 17 weeks.