This Makes Us Optimistic

We know that this isn't unheard of, BUT for our guy it makes us excited. For a boy who we were told would have weaker muscles, he is very strong! He just keeps getting better at rolling over and is now rolling both left & right. He has turned tummy time into roll me back over time. So, Porter Boy, the doctors can tell us what to expect, but that doesn't mean you have to do as they say. We like it when you surprise us and that's what we're expecting.

Our Two Week Champion!!!

Porter had his two week check-up and there was lots of good news. Our two biggest concerns were low muscle tone and heart problems, since these are very common in down syndrome children. The doctor was checking Porter out and said that his muscle tone and strength were good. When the doctor was listening to Porter's heart I was praying with all of mine and I'm pretty sure Aaron was, too. The doctor couldn't hear any problems and seemed very optimistic about there being no heart troubles in the future. We were overjoyed as we left the office. We came away knowing we have a healthy little boy!

Porter is getting better every day at tummy time and holding his head up. We're also enjoying the deep blues of his eyes more often! He's already got so much attitude and personality, we can't help falling even more in love with him! Having Porter in my life makes me feel as if I've never had so much to live for, so much to look forward to, and love in every single moment. It's hard to describe, but my heart is so full just looking at him.Doesn't he look so thoughtful? Wish I could see his dreams.

Sweet Angel Child

I'm so sorry, we haven't posted since the birth of our son! Things have been crazy and I intend to share our story with you a piece at a time as I find the strength to do so.

Remember my list of things to do with the three weeks remaining which was actually only one week? Well, there was lots of chocolate and a trip to the temple. As Aaron and I attended the temple that evening we felt the peaceful comfort that we always do. Aaron and I like to talk about impressions or feelings that come to our hearts while at the temple. We shared with one another the feelings we had of, "A very special spirit was coming to us." and "That the Lord was putting great faith in us." Now we understand a little more why the intensity of theses feelings.

The evening of Porter's birth the on call pediatrician came to tell us that they were pretty sure Porter had Down Syndrome. It's been an emotional roller coaster and the lab work confirmed earlier this week that he does have an extra chromosome. Aaron has moved through the emotional steps much faster than me and is my strength. I'm doing better with every moment and anticipate a love stronger and deeper than I've ever experienced. I feel as if this is a time to rise to a new potential and that the Lord will help me reach the expectations He has for me. The fear and anxiety are subsiding. I know some fears will never completely disappear but I'm beginning to see past the scary. Living on daily faith is not something I've ever really had to do, but that's the only way I can see to raise Porter. Trusting in the Lord to guide us one day at a time rejoicing in the journey. I'm learning so much about Porter and aw at who his is to have been sent to this earth with the protective shield of downs so Satan cannot reach him. WE ARE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE HIM!!!

Below is a letter his daddy wrote to our family:

Hi Everyone -

Meghann and I would first of all like to thank all of you for the love and support you've shown us since Porter was born. We had constant visitors at the hospital and continue to have many visitors at home. It's nice to know we're loved.

We got the results of Porter's chromosome study last night and it was confirmed that he has Down Syndrome. We have both struggled with this news, both with the original diagnosis the night of his birth, as well as now that it is confirmed, but through lots of praying and with the help and support of family and friends we are doing much better now. In fact, we look forward to raising and loving Porter through his life. What a blessing it is for him that he is perfect and always will be! He will bring such a light to our lives and those around him and he will enrich our lives in ways that we cannot yet imagine.

Again, we thank you all for being so loving and supportive. One of our biggest fears is that people would think we did something wrong or that people wouldn't love him as much as if he were "normal". This has not been the case at all, and for that we are so thankful. It's nice to know that our family and friends will love Porter no matter what. We have also appreciated the fact that there have been no "I'm sorry's" or any other indication of remorse from anyone. We don't feel sorry for ourselves or for Porter's condition. In fact, we feel blessed that we have the opportunity to have a celestial child and that he chose us to be his parents.

This became a little longer than I originally intended, but I just wanted to keep you all up-to-date and to express our feelings in general.

Aaron and Meghann

This is my favorite picture of him! We love you Porter and will do our very best for you!

Meet Porter Ray

We are happy to announce the birth of our first little one, Porter Ray Gelter!

Porter was born at 1:59 pm today and he weighs 6 lbs 1 oz and is 19 inches long. His umbilical cord was too short to make it through the birth canal, so he had to be taken via C-Section, but he and Mom are doing just fine. We were also very surprised to discover that he has red hair like his Mom! Thanks to everyone who has come to visit already, it's been nice to see you!

an INQUISITIVE mind

I hope Porter is curious like his Daddy. We had to replace our lawnmower and Aaron couldn't wait to take the old one apart to see how it works. Thanks, Nate, for helping Aaron through our lawnmower troubles!

Goodbye, Sissy Girl!

I'm sharing this with a grain of embarrassment, but it's okay because I've learned a lot from this morning's excursion.

This morning after tracking contractions for 3 hours at every 2 minutes I called the nurse to see what I should do. She had me come into the doctor's office to be monitored and checked. I swear as soon as they put that monitor on me the contractions slowed down, but at least there were some. After being monitored for a while it seemed pretty obvious this was a sissy girl false alarm. I'm so lucky, though, because my doctor and nurse were wonderful about helping me feel like I did the right thing by coming in. It was also very educational because I never felt like I was in much pain so together we studied my contractions and they let me know the level of intensity to look for in my muscles based on the contractions I was having today. My doctor told me that since this is my first baby it's going to take stronger contractions to send me into labor, but that I really am having good contractions often. We talked and decided that for the last week and a half of school I'll be going part time. YAY!!! This feels like a fabulous compromise to me because I can still work and have a schedule but if the contractions get bad I can actually get off my feet and relax. Not to mention I might actually get to do more of the crazy nesting woman's cleaning that keeps wanting to bust out of me.

Overall this experience just ticked me off at myself. I know a lot of the anxiety I was feeling about the contractions was because we hadn't gotten the lab results back about the pre-eclemsia and I was scared my body might be hurting my baby. Well the lab work came back negative and we got to see how Porter responds under a decent size contraction and he's just fine. So, no more worrying, no more anxiety, and no more sissy girl! We're just going to roll and when this baby wants to come he'll come! Like Grandma said, "Put it in the Lord's hands honey, there's nothing you can do because it's up to him." I'm a little relieved because now we can talk about all the things we want to do with our 3 weeks remaining.

Here are some things that come to my mind:

Eat lots of chocolate, something like this would do

Make a few more visits to the temple

Finish painting this series of canvas baby jungle animals I've started for Porter's nursery. The giraffe is the only one I've finished.

I would like to go on a FANCY date with Aaron

Maybe get a few more dinners in my frozen pantry since there hasn't been any progress made on that.

Plant a flower garden
That would keep me busy and happy!

True Or False?

My talented sister-in-law put this amazing documentation of my pregnancy together. I can't believe I was that little and that I felt fat when she took the first shot. You should check out her blog, Rachael Tyler Photography, she does beautiful work. I can't wait to see the pictures from our maternity shoot last week!

True Labor or False Labor?

This is the hardest question I've had to answer in a long time! This Tuesday when Aaron and I were standing around the Babies R' Us customer service desk our little guy was moving around like an acrobat causing contractions, then all the sudden he dropped. I was totally freaked out. Where did my baby just go?! Was he okay? And why was by belly button not an outtie anymore? I made Aaron come poke around to try to figure out baby's position and called mothers. I know, such a simple thing but it made me nervous. The lovely thing about Porter getting into position has been the false labor...it hasn't stopped! I've been having contractions consistently from anywhere to 2-10 minutes apart, but nothing real yet. I've been awake since 6 this morning trying to figure out if this current go around is true or false. I'm thinking it's more false. I'm having contractions every 2 minutes but they aren't increasing in intensity so I think I'm going to start ignoring them again. Why isn't this like the movies where the pregnant woman just wakes up and announces, "It's time!" What a lie! I know I'm new at this; I'm not really sure what's going on. Hope next time is easier.

Oh yeah, if you're wondering why I'm worried 3 weeks away from my due date it's because when I went to see the doctor on Friday I was 80% effaced and she bumped my next appointment up so she could see me right after the long weekend. I don't know when we'll have this kid but he's toying with the idea of being born. My doctor did find some tell-tell signs of pre-eclampsia which has me a little worried. But why worry until the lab work is back? If I do have pre-eclampsia that would explain the swollen ankles. It would also mean being induced ASAP...which doesn't sound like much fun to me. So we keep waiting.