Life without my cuddle bug.

Scootie baby!

Mommy's little cuddle fella

Doing what he does best!

Sleepy, warm frito-boy --- my favorite time to spend with him

Scootie and D-gurl -- she misses her best friend

Yesterday, along with being sick, I had the worst possible day of my life. Scootie was having another pain episode a couple days ago, subsiding for a day or so. On Saturday morning, I came home from work to sleep with my lil' guy and cuddle. However, he woke me up yelping in pain around 1:30 that afternoon. I gave him the appropriate medications, but after a hour and half - he was still getting no relief. So we headed to the Emergency Animal Hospital.

We had to make the most difficult decision of our lives. Scootie had another area in his back that was now affected, causing him pain every couple of months. The doctor gave us the option of having another back surgery, giving him 3 days of steroid injections, or putting him to sleep. Surgery was not an option for us or Scootie and the injections would be only temporary and maybe not even work.

The doctor gave him an injection of high dose pain medication while we waited for Jason to get to join us. When we arrived to the vet, he was constantly yelping in pain and the pain medicine only made him get comfort for a couple minutes at a time. The pain of watching him suffer was agonizing and we felt it was time to make the decision that we knew would some day come - just not realizing it would be this soon.

Mommy and daddy loved on him and made sure that he knew how much we loved him. As he went to sleep, mommy kept whispering in his ear that I loved him and how he was going to be pain free and able to walk again. Jason and I completely lost it and the doctor left us alone to say our last goodbye's. He went peacefully, knowing how much we loved him and would miss him and NEVER forget him. Mommy kissed on him for a few minutes and whispered in his ear and then we said goodbye.

This was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I have never felt so empty and really hated to return home. It has been a little over 24 hours and I have cried throughout the night and day. It is hard to let Daysia out, come home, feed Daysia, lay on the couch, take a shower and even sleep at night. He was my little sidekick and he was always cuddling with me or at my side. We feel like we have lost a child, not a dog. He was so dependent on us for every care that he needed. Our schedule was arranged around his cares and took up time from the day. Time that I wish was still being taken up by taking care of my lil' man. We will always love him, never forget him and always think of him. We know he is better off, but that doesn't make it any easier! Please pray for us that this time will pass and things will look up. I have never felt this much pain in my lifetime - he was such a special member to our family. All of you know this, as I talk about him and laugh at his actions all the time. We will miss our lil' Scootie.

Week 10 update - another week down

Little baby feet at 10 weeks old

Hard to believe they already look like this at 10 weeks!

I can hardly believe that we are already at week 10! I am feeling much better, especially due to these Sea Band nausea wristbands. I think that my morning sickness is slowly tapering off, however, I have started having bad heartburn- which is causing me to feel nauseated at times. My little pooch is starting to stick out, causing people to question if I am pregnant. Exciting!

As for the lil' bean inside - (s)he resembles a newborn baby. Facial features, limbs, hands, feet, fingers, and toes are present. The nervous system is responsive and many of the internal organs are beginning to function. The heart is almost completely developed. The blood is now starting to be oxygenated through the placenta. Twenty tiny baby teeth are forming in the gums. Sucking, swallowing, and breathing will begin this week, as well.

We are looking forward to our first OBGYN appointment on Thursday morning. We have been gathering family history and are getting excited to see how much development has changed since our ultrasound 2 weeks ago. I am so excited that Jason gets to go to this appointment and see how much our bean looks like a lil' baby!

Thank you to my Aunt Kathy & Uncle Jamie, Alexis and Sue for our first gifts for the beebe! All will come in handy. I will post photos of each in the next couple of days! It is hard to believe that we are REALLY going to be a mommy and daddy! I can hardly even comprehend it still.

8 week ultrasound update

** Introducing Baby Smith - our lil' miracle **

On Thursday, I had my 8 week ultrasound (although we are officially 9 weeks today!!!!). I know, I know-it took long enough to update everyone of the details. Everything went great! The beebe is now 1.91cm long and has fast heartbeat of 185bpm (increasing from 120bpm two weeks ago). The sound and flicker of the heartbeat were much easier to make out. With the last scan, the bean was the size of a grain of rice and now (s)he is the size of a pinto bean! (S)he is growing at a fast rate, but this week the growth will slow down to a more consistent and steady pace.

The four chambers of the heart are now formed and blood is being pumped throughout the body! The beebe is now able to hiccup and react to loud noises. (S)he now sleeps and awakes, drinks the amniotic fluid for nutrition, and excretes waste. This week the eyelids remain fused shut for a while yet. Their external ears are formed and their inner ears are now filled with fluid—now starting to develop the sense of balance. The kidney is actually functioning now, which means (s)he has started urinating.

My mom had went to the ultrasound appointment with me, because Jason was unable to take time off of work. It was a very exciting day to share with my mom, although I was a little sad that Jason was not there. My mom was so amazed at everything that was going on. She reminded me that when I was younger, ultrasounds were not done - even to determine the gender of your baby! Therefore, my parents never knew beforehand if I would be a girl or boy. So, this was a huge experience for her. She was sooo excited and intrigued that Dr.G gave her her own picture of the ultrasound to take home!!! It was a wonderful day to spend with my best friend!

So I, of course, took a video of our appointment - mainly to show Jason. However, I thought I would post it for all of you as well. I am also attaching the ultrasound picture of Baby Smith. (S)he is facing down with the head at the right side of the screen. Our little bean is growing so quickly!

Oh, one more thing! I have to give a huge THANK YOU to a co-worker for giving me these nausea bracelets to wear. I feel like I am in the 80's, wearing sweatbands around my wrists. But as hesitant as I was, these things actually works (so much that I am going to send a friend of mine these bands to help her)! Jason and I went to dinner with some friends last night and I ate my first actual meal and felt great! I have had a little bit of nausea, but only so faint compared to what it was - simply because now my body wants me to eat more and more often! My little belly is starting to form, my little pot belly is growing. I will post pictures later!

Sorry for the long post, I feel like I had so much to talk about! We are officially released from the fertility specialist and will have our first normal OB/GYN appointment on September 25th. The beebe will be right in the middle of 10 weeks at that point - so the ultrasound will be even more exciting to see!!!

And on to the 8th week ...

I cannot believe that we are already into the 2nd month. Yesterday we entered the 8th week and are developing at an astonishing rate - now moving up to the size of a pinto bean. This week Baby Smith has now been labeled a fetus. The amniotic sac is housing the baby and (s)he is able to swim around in there!

(S)he will develop the ability to open the jaw, move the tongue and even hiccup, this week. Other movements include: squinting, opening the mouth, and plantar flexion of the toes (I can just picture those little folded out nuggets)! :) All of the organs are almost formed and in place. The outer cells are becoming nerves and the nerves deep within the embryo are becoming the organs, muscles, bones and blood vessels. The heart is in the early stages of development and is now forming.

This is a big week for our lil' bean! We have our next ultrasound this Thursday. My mother will be going to the appointment with me, which is exciting in itself. She is going to be just as excited as I am. I thought it would be nice for her to experience this exciting time with me. We are scheduled for our first normal OB/GYN appt with Dr.R on 9/25. At this appointment, we will be giving all the family history, getting loads of info, and getting another ultrasound. So by the time the 10th week is done, we will have already had 3 ultrasounds! More pictures for us!!!! :)

Here is a little picture of what the bean will look like at the end of this week - no tail!!!

Week 7 update

Well we got thru the tough 6th week, which was when we miscarried in April. This was a bittersweet week - reading about our baby developing and remembering what this week was like and how we were feeling not to long ago. But WE MADE IT! We are on to week 7 and next Thursday (9/11) we will have our next ultrasound.



I have been reading about the baby's development each week, surprised at how fast things change, develop, and grow. This week our little beebe is beginning to develop limbs and vital organs. (S)he still has a little tadpole tail but the legs, knees and toes are forming. (S)he is the size of a single grape. The bones are starting to form and harden. The heart is currently bulging from the chest and the right and left chambers are forming. The face is beginning to develop characteristics - the eyes have some pigmentation and little eye lids are forming. The digestive system is beginning to form, while the umbilical cord is now providing nutrients and oxygen to the beebe. The exciting part is that the gender variation is beginning, however the genitals are not visible. So we will be waiting to see what color of cigars to purchase for a few more weeks! :)

Here are a few pictures of development of hands and feet this week:


Hands are developing at an amazing speed this week! Day 48

And this is the hand only 3 days later



Your baby's feet are developing at an amazing speed as well. (Day 51)

And this is the foot in week 8 (Day 60)

(I cannot wait to hold these little hands and tickle the little toes!!!!!)

I am really starting to take all of this in this week! I am still having morning sickness, mostly in the evening and night - but starting as soon as I wake up and before even moving. Not nearly as bad as it was, making it much easier to start to enjoy myself. I am able to eat a variety of foods now, still taking in no caffeine and trying to each healthy. I went to put a scrub top on last night and it didn't fit. It was a tighter fitting top, but the point is that I couldn't even breathe. I have only gained 2lbs so far - but that will all change!