Level 3 ultrasound

I have been looking forward to, and dreading this event since the day I found out I was pregnant. There is nothing I love more than seeing my unborn babies. Every ultrasound is like the first time. It's funny that you can be so excited about something time after time after time! But I was also nervous. Scared silly is more accurate! I am always nervous before an ultrasound but this particular ultrasound was extremely nerve wracking to me. Because I am 'advanced maternal age' and because I have had 10 c-sections, I know that there are a million little things to worry about. Since before I got a positive test, I had a feeling I might be pregnant and I was already praying that if I was, to please, please let the placenta implant at the back of my uterus. With some of my last few pregnancies I had an anterior placenta and besides the risk of bleeding when they cut through it, I knew that there was an incredible risk of placenta accreta or placenta percreta. Worst case, but depending on what and where you read the chances are really high! So I have prayed, and prayed that the placenta would be in the back. I had a feeling it probably wasn't anterior because I heard the heartbeat so early, before my first appointment even. But still I was concerned. Also knowing I am well beyond when they start saying you are AMA... there are risks to the baby. Before we went to the appointment I asked Thayne for a Priesthood Blessing. I love my husband! I love that he knows me so well the he knew I would need one, and I love that he honors the Priesthood so much that he is prepared to give me one. The blessing was absolutely amazing. I felt like the Lord was talking straight to me. It told me what a gift this child was, that we had been willing to walk through the trials and that this ultrasound would be a witness of the Lord's hand in our lives and in this pregnancy and that we will find such great joy with this baby! Peace settled over me and while I was still anxious and a bit nervous to get the show on the road, I was very excited! The ultrasound tech wasn't awesome, but definitely wasn't terrible. She was at least willing to talk... I asked her where the placenta was and she said in the back of my uterus. I felt like jumping up and down and screaming for joy... all I could think to do was say "Thank You!" to my Heavenly Father for answering that prayer!!! We then went on to see a 3 vessel cord, 4 chambers of the heart, no cleft, 2 kidneys, liver good, brain good, spine good, 10 fingers, 10 toes, no markers for downs, although we know that this is no guarantee we are taking all of the good news we can get. Thayne asked how we would handle it if the baby had downs... I said the same way we handle all of them... love him! But so far everything looks wonderful! He has Thayne's nose... like so many of our kids do. It always makes me smile when I recognize the nose in the ultrasounds since I love his nose! :) Then the doctor that reads the scan came in to go over it with me. I was really grateful that we didn't have to wait to officially hear the results. She said everything looks AMAZING! She then asked me to go through my pregnancy history. It seems she also thinks I am a freak of nature and that I have defied every law when it comes to pregnancy and c-sections. Thayne and I were both very happy with our conversation with her. We mentioned that we were concerned at another 37 week or earlier delivery and we wondered about me staying in Salt Lake for a week and trying to get closer to 38 weeks. She said of course we need to talk to my doctor but she wouldn't recommend it. That at this point delivery at 36 weeks may even be best... that the risks of carrying later than 37 weeks are likely not worth it. I asked her thoughts on steroid shots since every doctor I have talked to say that past 34 weeks they aren't effective and aren't used. She said it was funny that I asked, because there is actually a study through U of U right now that is trying to determine if steroids are worth it later in the pregnancy, as in 36 and 37 weeks and that she would make a note to my doctor to recommend getting me in the study. I was so excited about that. She said either way she would send a note to my doctor recommending we go forward with them anyway. I have had 3 vertical uterine incisions. I know that going beyond 37 weeks is not worth it... but as a mom I want to do EVERYTHING possible to give this baby the best advantage starting out! I told her I was relieved about the placenta being in back. She was actually shocked that I knew the importance of that and that I knew so much about accreta and percreta. As we talked she said that most paitents don't know as much about risks/benefits and that she really had nothing to tell me that I didn't know... of course she doesn't know the smart friends I have on my large family and uterine rupture boards! :) She told me again that whether it was chance, a blessing or what but that I defied odds and that obviously she can't tell me odds when it is apparent that I beat the odds constantly. I told her it wasn't fate, and it wasn't beating the odds, it was a true blessing that we have prayed constantly for! I know that anything can happen... bad things happen everyday... but I DID see the hand of the Lord through the ultrasound and I recognize the great blessing we have been given. This baby is a miracle! The gift of this pregnancy is a miracle! We have been given a gift! I was promised during the first miscarriage that if I was willing to walk through the pain that would come, and learn what the Lord had for me to learn, that He would bless us with a healthy pregnancy and that I would be able to carry that baby to term... I will hold onto that and trust that the Lord doesn't lie... EVER. I will do my part and He will do His! I can't thank my Heavenly Father enough!!! I will forever look at this baby as a gift and a miracle! We have had so many in our life... but I won't take them for granted! I look forward to talking to my doctor now and going forward with making this baby as healthy as possible. We grabbed him a few more little pairs of pajamas and a cute little pair of shoes and I look at them and just want to hold this little man. I love to see how cute the kids are when they see the little clothes and how excited they are! And the funnest part of it all is that while we got to see the 4 chambers of the heart, he kept putting his hand up in front of the heart so they couldn't get the pictures they needed so we get to go back on April 8th and see this sweet baby again soon!!!