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	SEPTEMBER 30, 2000 WHILE IN OKC I TOOK A HOME TEST THAT SHOWED POSTIVE. WE WERE SHOCKED AND EXCITED <---
OCTOBER 5, 2000 MY PCM DR ECHANDIA, DID A TEST AND CONFIRMED IT, WE ARE DEFINATELY PREGANANT	TUESDAY OCTOBER 10, 2000 1ST VISIT WITH HROB- DR DILLON, HE SAID A LITTLE OVER 8 WEEKS, DUE DATE MAY 20, 2001, LEVEL 2 SONOGRAM AT 18 WEEKS, TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS OK, NAIL DOWN THE DUE DATE AND FIND OUT THE SEX. HE SAID I WAS ALREADY FEELING REALLY PREGNANT. (OH GOODY!) NEXT CHECK UP NOVEMBER 7, 2000
	November 7th, 13 weeks Sam & Dusty hug the baby, yes I am already showing. We all heard the babies heart beat today for the first time.
	12/05/00 Ok had my check up today off bed rest now to light duty LOL. Heard the heart beat, and an echo, I am sure it's JUST an echo. I gained 5 lbs wow !! The Dr said my uterus is to my belly button and that means 20 weeks, but the dates are showing 16 weeks. He is scheduling my level 2 sonogram with the neonatoligist at university hospital and I should hear from them on a date for that. I also have even more stinking blood work to get done. I joked that they need to give me a transfusion before drawing any more blood as I am running low. As you can tell I am really really showing already. I can feel the baby moving. Oh I was on bedrest for a week because I had some pre term contractions last tues. But apparently everything is a-ok. We are still batting around names, I guess once we know the sex that will narrow down the argument. Next apt Jan 2, 01. I am definatly gaining weight, but my rings slide off my fingers and my shoes are loose the Dr said is all in the belly, and that I am gaining right in the middle of the acceptable norm. till next time.
this is the profile of his head and chest.. for all 3 songoram pics in a larger view click here.	12/21/00 Well we had our sonogram today, here's the scoop. 1 baby, it's a beautiful little boy, complete with 10 fingers 10 toes, a 4 chambered heart, a 2 lobed brain, 2 kidneys, the works. He looks awesome. We have decided on the name, he will be Lloyd Alexander Kirk. Lloyd ofcourse after his daddy, and Alexander is the root name for Sanders wich is my grandfathers family. Well enough talk, here's the picture !
	12/28/00 Ok on the 26 I passed out twice so off to the e.r. They said Alex was fine, didn't know why I was passing out but that I had gall stones. Went to my OB today, he said no worries on the gall stones, and surely the passing out was just a weird part of this pregnancy and just to try not to hit the floor too hard. He said everything looks fine and dandy and Alex is getting big, and my weight is right on target. He said as long as there is no pain with the stones to not worry, if there is pain and the can't treat it then worry about surgery, not now. I am off bedrest again. woo hoo, 2 days short of 20 weeks. that means 19 to go for me. I am over 1/2 way there.
	1/28/01- happy new year. well I went to the dr on 1/26, for my apt, everything is fine, but I was having contractions so I had to go to the hosptial and be monitored and do the stupid bed rest thing again. AS you can tell I am getting the big ole basket ball belly thing going on. Alex is audtioning for Lord of the Dance, either that or soccer championships. See ya next month.
	2/8/01- Went back to the Dr for the third time in 3 weeks, they needed to check and make sure there were no changes. The Dr said, in just 7 days the baby went from 23 to 27 that's 4 weeks of growth. I have more bloodwork tomorow and go back next thursday yet again. Everything seems fine. Here's a pic of me and Lloyd on our Mississippi trip last weekend 2/4/01.
PICTURE COMING SOON	2-16-01 thru 4-7-01 Went to my Dr's appt on 2-16 and they examined me and I was sent straight to the hospital. It appears that I am 100% effaced and 3 cm dialated with my membranes showing. I am in consistant preterm labor and hospitalized in "trendelanburg" a position where your feet are up in the air and you head is down low, in other words, using good ole gravity to keep little alex in there. This was a long and VERY HARD hospitalization with way too many details to write here. The baby turned breech, but then he turned back vertex and at 34 weeks we able to come home with a tributaline pump in my thigh to give me medicine 24hrs a day to keep the contractions irregular. It works. I still have them all day every day but they are not strong or regular so it's tolerable. I have home health nurses, and go to the Dr weekly now that I am home and past 34 weeks everything looks much better for baby Alex.
Our anniversary. 4/18/01 35.5 weeks	4-17-01 Went to the Dr today, he checked me out and said I was doing okey dokey, they are so surprised I am still pregnant. We take out the pump next monday 4/23 and they feel I will have him shortly after, I am saying 3 days wich means late wednesday or thursday. Feeling good and doing fine. The c-section has been scheduled for may 8, but everyone is pretty sure this will be an april baby. But we are all delighted that alex will be fine now as I approach the 36 week mark wich will qualify us for being full term instead of preemie. 10+ weeks of labor I think I hold a record. I haven't killed or injured anyone. Sounds like jewelery is an appropriate reward huh?