Zangel's Pregnancy Story

Posted Thursday, March 11, 2010 12:03 PM

"When the day finally came to learn the baby's gender, we were so ready. We counted fingers, toes and measured the beats of the heart. And then we saw it, clear as day..."

Finding out

February 25, 2009
My husband Brian and I had been trying for many months to get pregnant, and each time we tested, we prayed two lines would appear on that little white stick. Just like every morning, the alarm went off and I grabbed the thermometer hoping to see a temperature rise. As the numbers went higher and higher I could feel a sense of relief come over me. But it was only 10 days past ovulation and I didn't want to get my hopes up like the many months before tha, just to see another failed attempt. The thermometer beeped and I realized something felt different. I figured it was just my usual paranoid “is this a symptom?” thought, but decided to take the test anyways. After I was finished, I sat it down and just began staring at it.  It was almost as if I was trying to draw the second line with my eyes. It seemed like the longest two minutes of my life... and then came our life changing moment: the second line started to appear! Tears rushed down my face and I knew it was our time. This was our Valentine's Day miracle.

It's a...

June 18, 2009
When the day finally came to learn the baby's gender, we were so ready. Were we having a boy or a girl? I was smiling from ear to ear as I laid back in the chair. Brian was sitting next to me holding my hand as the ultrasound technician poured the cold gel on my belly. As she spread the gel around with the probe, we could see our beautiful baby on the monitor. First the technician moved over the head. We counted fingers, toes and measured the beats of the heart. Then we saw it. Clear as day, our baby was showing us exactly what was between the legs. I laughed and the technician looked at my husband and said, “It's a girl”.  The tears of joy started all over again.

Ups and downs

August 11, 2009
Today was the day I was having my gestational diabetes test done. I went into the doctor's office fairly confident that I would pass. I took the drink and sat down next to the magazine rack. It was going to be a long hour, so I figured I would stay close to the reading materials. The fruit punch drink went down easy and the time began. It really wasn't that bad and when the hour was up, I was called back to have the blood drawn. I sat in the chair waiting for the results and then I got the bad news, “Sorry, but you failed and must come back for the three hour test.”  I started thinking about the things I ate that morning and just assumed that it was the sugar cereal that hiked up my numbers. No biggie, I would come back tomorrow and pass the three hour. 

So, the next day I was back in the doctor's office bright and early. This drink was much harder to get down than the other and I wasn't feeling so well afterward. The nurse checked my blood pressure and had me lay down on a bed because I was really light headed. Again, Brian was there to hold my hand. The time was up for the first hour blood draw and the results were not as I expected -- the reading was much higher than it should have been but I still had two more chances. Well that second hour flew by. I watched the clock, scared out of my mind, until the moment of truth came. They put the drop of blood on the monitor and I heard the beep. I looked down and realized it was over. I failed...again.  

But after speaking with the doctor and doing a lot of research, I realized gestational diabetes wasn't the end of the world after all. With some extra attention, I was able to control my numbers with a healthy diet.

Feeling baby kick

May 28, 2009
I was laying on the couch one night, enjoying the premier of my favorite dance program when I felt a rumble in my stomach. At first I thought it was hunger pains, but since I had just scarfed down a large bowl of vanilla ice cream, I assumed it was gas instead. I ignored the feeling and went back to watching the television. Then the flutters started again. It felt as if something was tickling me from the inside. That is when I realized  -- it was our little tap dancer putting on a show for us. I yelled for Brian but as soon as he put his hand on my stomach, the movements stopped.

The shower!

October 3, 2009
Even after my good friend, Donna, had already thrown me a shower back in August, I was extremely lucky that my sister and mother threw me a second one in October. I arrived at my parents' house greeted by so many friends and family members. Although I had gestational diabetes, that didn't stop me from enjoying some GD-friendly cheesecake my sister and mother made. (The two of them did such a great job making sure I had plenty to eat!) When it was time for games, I attacked the "Don't Say Baby" game, and after taking all of the clothes pins, I was one gift card richer. I soon realized I wasn't so good at the game where you guess the types of baby food, though. Good thing the jars come with labels, otherwise every meal would be a mystery to me.

By the party's end, it was time to guess my belly size with string. Unfortunately, most of the people guessed way too big which confirmed my assumption that I did indeed look like a hot air balloon! After opening presents, it was time to call it a day. We packed up the car and started to head home. And that's when it really hit me: I would be having a baby just a few short weeks later. Cue the happy tears...

Update: Baby Katelyn was born on October 22, 2009, weighing
6lbs 15oz. and measuring 19 inches long.

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