WELCOME TO THE WORLD JOSHUA ANDREW

JOSHUA ANDREW WELCH
BORN AT 36 1/2 WEEKS
DECEMBER 5, 2005 @ 7:00 PM.
7 POUNDS, 0.6 OUNCES AND 19" LONG.
BROWN HAIR, AND BLUE EYES.

Well today is the day Joshua is coming to meet us! We were scheduled to have a c-section on the 15th of December, but when I went to the doctor today my blood pressure was getting very dangerous. My doctor said that we needed to deliver him today so that we didn't lose him or me. So we went to the hospital and had to wait until 6:00 pm before we could do the c-section because I had eaten and drank something before I went to the doctor. By the time I got to the operating room, my blood pressure was 224/114 with a heartrate of 165. So at 7:00pm Joshua Andrew made his way into the world. He weighed in at 7 pounds, 0.6 ounces, and 19" long. After they got me to a recovery room, they took Joshua's blood sugar and it was low, so they thought that they were going to have to send him to the NICU, but they called up a NICU nurse and she had to take his blood sugar again, and it was going lower so she fed him through a tube in his nose that went to his stomach. They finally got his sugars back up, and he didn't have to go to the NICU. He did have to go to the nursery though while I rested because I was on Mag Sulfate, but he came to our room to feed. After I got off of the mag sulfate they let him stay in the room with us. He is a very good little baby, and we love him so much!

Jonathan and I went shopping at Target today for baby stuff. I let Jonathan pick out a toy for his baby brother that I said that he could give to him when he is born. He then asked me what born means. Which I told him that it was when Joshua comes out of mommy's tummy. He was happy with that and picked out the toy that he thought Joshua would like. We then went to look for a toy for Jonathan but he thought we were still looking for toys for Joshua. Every toy I would ask him about he would say "mommy that would be to big for Joshua he's not old enough." Finally he got that we were getting something for him, and he picked out what he wanted. When we got home he asked where Joshua's toy was and I told him that it was in the bag still. He then asked me "mommy is Joshua born yet?" He can't wait to have his baby brother here. He is so cute!

Today was Jonathan's first day of sharing with his baby brother. Jonathan got this rail road crossing sign that lights up today. He would put it on my belly and tell Joshua that he could play with it. Then he would turn it on so that baby Joshua could see the lights. He kept saying that he likes to share with his baby brother.I thought it was so cute!

The big sonogram day!

IT'S A BOY!!! HOORAY!!!

His name will be Joshua.

He weighs around 6 ounces now.

His heart rate was 152 bpm, which is normal.

We are currently 17 weeks 3 days pregnant.

While the sonogram tech was trying to measure him he was being a little turkey and kept rolling around and stretching out and then getting into a ball. It was really neat to see him doing all of that.While she was trying to look at his brain he kept putting his hand over his head so she couldn't see it. He did not want her looking in his head! She finally was able to see it and it looks great!

When she went to look at what the sex of the baby was he was very proud to be a boy, and showed off his little boy parts plain as day! Then she turned it to another view and he was getting ready to go pee pee. You could see the water in his bladder moving around, she told me that he was getting ready to go pee, because she could see more than I could. You could also see the water in his stomach.The water in his stomach and bladder mean that he has already learned to swallow.Everything is looking and measuring good. Everything is right on schedule, and my due date is the same. December 24, 2005.After that appointment I went to see Dr. Hoffman(my OB), and everything is looking good. We got to hear his heart beat which sounded really good and strong. My Blood Pressure is running a little high, but not to worried about it yet. Also I have been really swollen in my hands and face, and sometimes my feet and ankles.The quad screen came back normal for everything, so there are no birth defects that we have to worry about.

My next scheduled appointment is August 16, 2005.