I can NOT show big enough hugs, use enough smilies or GIFS to show my thanks to y'all for your support, thoughts and prayers. 10,000 of them wouldn't even be a drop in the bucket to the appreciation I feel!

I'm home to get some sleep. I've not slept since Weds night and that was about four hours because I was up putting together baby furniture...feeling an urgency.

We went yesterday for the high risk ultrasound as planned, overseen by a neonatologist. The tech started the test and didn't do the normal "cute" stuff. She left the gel on daughter's belly and said the Dr. would want to look for himself. Of course, we were very concerned.

He came in doing measurements, talking to tech, etc. After he spent what seemed gobs of time on his belly, I couldn't take it anymore (I was afraid they were seeing something horrible). I asked what they were concerned about. He said he is small. I actually sighed a relief...that was expected even though OB said he wasn't...we expected it based on FACTS and knowledge of grave's babies born to hyperthyroid moms.

They estimated him to be 5 lbs. 4 ozs. at almost 37 weeks which is considered full term.

Anyhow, he went on to say that her amniotic fluid was very low as well and the combo of the two indicated improper placental functioning. We explained we were going straight to OB's for non-stress test. He explained that no, we weren't. We were going to hosp. and he'd call OB. He was sending us to closest one that OB worked out of and when I explained that she was set up to deliver at another, he said to go there. We pretty much knew...THIS IS IT.

We got in the car and I called hubby. He grabbed son-in-law and met us out there.

When we got there they told her that she wouldn't be leaving without a baby. We were thrilled and petrified. We knew that God had heard our prayers and that dr's finally realized that he needed to come c-section (daughter had known this for months in her mother's heart).

Her regular OB was out of town and his BRAND NEW PARTNER was who we would be dealing with. She'd not even yet delivered here...more anxiety, but daughter was relieved (sad).

They had her all hooked up and was saying that the new OB would probably start pitocin pretty soon....um, what??? We explained that they still couldn't see whether or not he had a goiter and NO. She said that's what OB was planning. Goodness.

They hooked her up to all the monitors and everything looked fine for about an hour, then boom...alarms, about eight nurses, two doctors, room full of people were in there. JJ had a deceleration to 57 heart rate and was staying there! It was a blur and something like you'd see on TV. They were READY. One was putting in IV, another was taking monitors off while a dr was breaking water to insert monitor in scalp, one was rolling her over pushing on belly, etc. He normalized. They reckoned that due to the low fluid when he moved, he compressed the umbilical cord. OK, then the OB we were having was on scene and said that she'd be starting the pitocin soon.

I'm so proud of my daughter when she looked at her and said, "are you serious??? We don't know if he has a goiter and you want him to go thru the birth canal and now this just happened and could happen again???" They explained that he'd be OK, they were ready if they had to do c-section, etc. My daughter said, "Can you tell me for sure he doesn't have a goiter when the specialists can't? I don't care about my healing. I want him safe and he's been put through too much...we're pushing the odds too much and I demand a c-section." OB still tried to talk her out of it, but she stood her ground and the paperwork was signed. Not three minutes after that, he decelarated badly again. Nurses and dr's running, the OB passed me in the hall and said, "Yep, she knew. She made the right decision."

After the second serious deceleration, they didn't waste time. They took her on back and he was born safely and it was picture perfect from there.

He was 17 3/4 inches long, 5 lbs. 9 ozs. On both his one minute and five minute APGAR tests he got 9 out of 10 which is about the best they give they said. The ped. said that his reflexes are that of a full term baby and he's JUST FINE...just small.

He's eating, breathing, crying, burping, and holds a pacifier in his mouth with absolutely no help. HE'S PERFECT. HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL. He doesn't look really thin or anything because he's not long. He's got the cutest cheeks. I'll have pics in the next couple of days for y'all. Our family has a boy

Daughter is doing very well and endo was already to see her today and started her back on the PTU because her grave's is so "cantakerous"...LOL. He said he knows she'll flare and pretty quickly due to the hormone changes.

She's having minimal pain since the procedure because after the spinal, they inserted a morphine into her spine. She wasn't altered in the slightest but it helps to manage pain well for about 24 hours. Such a blessing.

I can't thank you all enough and am continuously praising God...He saw through this perfect baby against all odds...starting at conception.

My daughter's smile and light face is the best gift I think I've received in my entire life. She's whole now. She's ok. Her world is right for the first time in a year.

I'll be back with pics when I can.

Thank you so much. I love you all.

KD