Boy oh Boy!

Houston, we have a penis! Last Friday (sorry for the slow post, it's been a crazy week), we found out that we're having a baby boy. While he was generally being uncooperative (refusing to uncurl long enough for the tech to get a good picture of him), he did manage to flash her pretty quickly, giving us a good shot of his, um, package. So Gilman School may have a new member of the class of 2027!

The ultrasound came back normal -- they couldn't see everything because of his position, so I have to have a repeat ultrasound in a few weeks. Everything they could see looks normal though -- pfew.

Now that the gender is known, we're down to figuring out names (we have some in mind, no, we're not telling), and decorating the nursery (again, we have ideas, but we're still figuring it out). Any theme suggestions are welcome!

Bend It Like Beckham and the End of the Innie

We are beginning to think that the child takes after its grandfather, the former college soccer star. On a daily basis, I'm feeling consistent kicking and moving that I can't blame on indigestion. It's not strong enough for other people to feel, but it certainly can be startling to me. I think the cat can feel it, because he's stopped sleeping on it. That, or the fact that my belly is definitely convex now, and it's making it harder for him to keep his balance.

I have read and heard that by the end of the 5th month, your belly button changes from an innie to an outie. For some reason, contrary to all logic, I just assumed I would suddenly wake up and my belly button would be sticking the wrong way -- kind of like a turkey thermometer. But it's a much slower process. Suddenly I'm noticing that the depth is decreasing on a daily basis -- it's almost even with the rest of my abdomen now. It's kind of creepy...

And some other news that I never thought I'd be able to share -- I have not gained enough weight during pregnancy! I'm still in a normal range, but at the low end. It's probably due to the fact that I had such bad morning sickness, and that junk food (with the exception of my much-beloved chocolate malts) grosses me out. I'm actually eating healthier now than I did before I was pregnant. So they're going to be keeping a close eye on me to make sure the baby is developing normally and is at a healthy weight.

Other news: Cystic fibrosis test negative, spina bifida negative. Pfew.

Next step: 20-week ultrasound this Friday -- checks for abnormalities, plus we can find out the gender! (Bets anyone?)

Pickles and Ice Cream, Anyone?

I have officially started the weird cravings. For the longest time, I didn't have cravings, just a very limited list of food that I could actually stomach. Now that I'm 17 weeks, the cravings have officially begun.

Examples of some recent meals:
- Fried green tomatoes, Belgian waffles, kiwi, bacon
- Brown rice, coffee cake, enchilada
- Bowl of strawberries, pumpkin seeds
- Bowl of cherries, bacon

The theme seems to be bacon and fruit. Interesting....

On another note, my due date has moved up because the baby is already big for its age (NOT a good sign...) -- I'm now due on November 12th!

Next step: 20 week ultrasound on June 23rd -- we are going to find out the gender (if the baby is being cooperative).

Want Baby Names?

Ever find yourself wishing "If only I could hear someone call out long lists of names, so I could see what they sound like and name my baby?" Wondering what to do with yourself on a Friday at 4:00pm? Have I got an offer for you!

Flutters

They're not real kicks, but there have been several times recently where Gretchen has stopped suddenly, and said "its moving..."

On a related note, things proceed apace. Gretchen is getting more noticeable and thinks she has heard the kids speculating about what to expect if she is expanding. This last charming phrase, is of course, the name of my primary reference guide for the pregnancy. Like many of my literary choices, Gretchen is most displeased with my reading preference.

First Baby Pics!

We had our first trimester genetic screening today. This test is designed to screen for Down's Syndrome, Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 18. It's pretty much a big probability game, but by combining family history, blood work, and ultrasound results, they can determine the probability of the baby having a chromosomal/genetic abnormality.

The good news is that the preliminary tests have come back "negative", meaning I have a very low risk of genetic abnormality. The better news is that we got a bunch of super pictures from the ultrasound! For comparison purposes, we also have the 6-week ultrasound pictures.

Week 6 Ultrasounds -- It looks like a blob. It's the little lima bean looking thing at the bottom of the black mass.

Week 12 Ultrasound -- It actually looks like a baby!!! You can see its profile. The little bump on its face is the hand, and the leg and foot are on the far right.

It's waving hello!


No gender news yet; we'll find that out in mid-June.

Current cravings: Anything I can keep down -- everyone says the morning sickness ends after 12 weeks. They lied. I truly think it will never end....

That and dried cherries.

Next step: Doctor's appointment on May 21st.

Condensed Baby Tips

From the same folks who provided us with those invaluable pregnancy tips. Now we know what to do after the baby shows up.

http://www.c00lstuff.com/1133/Do_s_and_don_ts_with_babies/