Life was just sailing along there for the last 6 months.  I was feeling good.  Doug was feeling good.  Kids were healthy.  Then, out of the blue, I noticed that when Doug took off his socks that the imprint was still there and it was obvious.  I pointed it out and we shared a giggle about how funny it looked.  Then, I thought about it for a minute.  A few weeks prior, a friend in a facebook pregnancy group has posted a picture of how she was very swollen and how if she pushed on he ankles, it would stay depressed.  So out of curiosity, I pushed on Doug's ankle and my thumb print stayed... and stayed... and stayed.  It really is a creepy thing to see.  I convinced Doug (with little convincing needed- remember it is creepy) to call the doctor in the morning.  She had him come in, ran some tests, started him on a diuretic, and sent him home.  After the results of the tests came back normal and his liver enzyme numbers were still perfect, she was convinced it was just another awful side effect of his medications.  That was about 2 months ago. 

Last week Doug had a check up with the GI doctor.  Doug and I both were very hopeful that since his liver was still doing great that he might be able to eliminate at least one of the meds and thus eliminate the swelling issue that was persisting despite the water pills.  As it turns out, things aren't looking good.  We don't know what is going on just yet and we are praying that is is something simple and easy to fix.  His liver does still look great but he has low Albumin in his blood and is spilling protein in his urine which often means something is not working right in the kidney department. 

We are still in the midst of tests and trying to figure out what is causing these things.  We appreciate any prayers as we get to the bottom of this. 

In pregnancy news, I am fine.  Officially in the 3rd trimester and everything has been uneventful.  Considering what has just been set upon our plates, I couldn't be more thankful for this. 

Since finding out that we are expecting another little boy, we have been asked countless times if we have picked a name.  Everyone has their own "thing" for picking names and ours hasn't been consistent.  With Gavin, we named him within moments of finding out he was a boy.  We called him by his name ever since.  To be honest, there wasn't any real reason for his name other than Doug and I both loved it. 

With Joey, it was a little more involved.  Maybe it was because we had to work so hard and deal with so many losses, that he deserved a name with a little more thought.  We talked about various names but just couldn't agree.  Doug really liked the name Garrett and while I liked it, I am not a huge fan of having two G names and that setting a precedent for any future children to be G's as well.  So, one date night we got on the topic of Doug's brother, now deceased due to a tragic accident.  He passed long before I was in the picture so I was just curious to know more about him.  As we talked and I could hear how close Doug was to his brother, it just seemed to make sense.  I liked the name Joseph and now it had meaning.  So after asking permission from my mother-in-law, he was named.  But, outside of the three of us (and maybe more if MIL spilled the beans) no one knew what his name would be.  Doug and I had slipped up a few times while I was pregnant and called him by name.  Gavin, who never misses ANYTHING, started saying the name.  For fear that he would spread the word, we started joking around and calling the baby Guido.  As a joke, he is occasionally called Joey Guido. 

This time we are going a whole new route and I am really enjoying it!  We are making a list of names that we like.  There will be probably 4-5 names that Doug and I both agree on and then, when we meet him for the first time and share those hours nursing and getting to know one another, we will pick a name.  No one ever said that a baby has to have a name in the first minutes of life.  Just another reason to be eager to meet this little fella!  In my opinion, it is very important not to share any of the names we are considering.  Frankly, I don't want anyone's opinions coloring our decision.  The names are all pretty traditional, but people still like to throw in their two cents and I don't want all of that loose change. 

It is so hard to believe that baby will be here in less than 100 days!!  Double digits now!

I do have some posts in the works about some things like teens and abstinence and another on how the media and main stream television has helped us to think of our children as little adults and somehow we are okay with this.  But... those posts require thought, energy and my attention, all of which I am still trying to locate.  Soon though!  Hopefully before baby shows up!