Our First Miracle

I am just feeling extra blessed today and I wanted to share with you a little about how our first miracle (Caitlin) came to be the love of our lives...

First of all, it took 18 months to conceive Caitlin and the day she was conceived was the only time we tried the entire month (August 26, 2003 to be exact!).

Then, sometime within the first 6 weeks of pregnancy, a series of amniotic bands grew in the amniotic sac. We did not find out about the bands until the 20th week big ultrasound. We found out she was a girl and then we were delivered the news...

I had to have an Ultrasound every week downtown at a perinatologist's office to check to make sure the bands were not going to cut off one of her limbs - or worse...
An amniotic band is very rare and is not caused by anything known and is not genetic (doctors still don’t know why they happen) but they are ruptures in the amniotic membranes that cause “band-like” structures (my doctor described them as rubber bands) that can become entangled with the baby and cause loss of limb or life. That’s why they had to watch Caitlin via U/S so much – we are lucky that we live in the city we do - the peri could have done neonatal surgery on her if she had become entangled and he could have freed her (he was the only peri at that time doing these surgeries so we knew we were in the right place if that were to happen). I’m so glad that did not happen in our case! Living with the worry and uncertainty for 21 weeks was very difficult.

With God's help and yet another miracle, Caitlin Love was born extra healthy at 41 weeks and at almost 9 pounds! The worry, though, during those 21 weeks, was excruciating. I never knew if she would be born early or if she would be put in danger from that band.

We praise God everyday for the miracle that Caitlin is to us and our family.

We love you, Caitlin Love Hoyt!!!

For those of you who are interested, I've taken pictures of only some of the ultrasound pictures we have. We have TONS and these are the best ones. As she got beyond 28 weeks, the pictures were too hard to see (even for us) so I did not post those...and then as I was going through the photos, I came across some very cute ones from years past that I just had to share. Enjoy my baby!!

Cait at 18 days - First Father's Day














Cait at 5 months




























Cait at 4 months - Oh how I love to see those two together!!














Cait at 2 years - Bandera, TX - family vacation - how did my camera actually catch her jumping?? Wow!













Cait at 3 days














Cait at 1 year



















Cait at 11 months



















Cait at 28 weeks (3D) - great sleeping shot













Cait at 28 weeks (3D) - this one has always amazed me! She's looking at us!!













Cait at 28 weeks (3D) - great profile shot













Cait at 28 weeks (3D) - look at that eyeball!













Cait at 24 weeks - sucking her thumb!













Cait at 21 weeks - first peri visit













Cait at 20 weeks - first found out about band after this picture was taken