Ultra Sound Photo Shoot

I am choosing not to post the picture they gave us in which the ultrasound technician was able to recognize the baby as a girl... mostly because I don't want our daughter to be mad at me in 15 years when she learns I posted her private parts on the internet.

She (it's weird to say "she") was not in the mood to be photographed today, but we did get a good 3D one in which she looks remarkably like Shaun, even at a gestational age of 18.5 weeks.

It's a...

GIRL!

I can't believe it. I mean, I never had super strong feelings either way, but this morning I was pretty convinced that it was a boy.

The ultrasound went well - everything looking good so far. We'll have a Fetal EKG at the next ultrasound, but that was planned due to my brother's transposition of the great vessels, not due to anything they saw that was questionable. In fact, they were able to see all 4 chambers of the heart and the aorta, but the baby wasn't in a great position to see the right ventricle so they still ordered the Fetal EKG, even though the radiologist said that he'll be really surprised if there is a problem.

I am mostly excited by the prospect of a Mary Poppins-themed room!!!

Shaun took the photos from today's visit with him, so I'll scan them tonight.

Baked Potato/ Onion/ Turnip

3 separate websites gave me 3 separate food identifiers for the baby's size this week. I prefer Baked Potato.

Not much excitement in this neck of the woods. I definitely have a discernable baby bump, and am starting to feel more pregnant. Of course, I am establishing what "feeling pregnant" is for the first time myself, so the fact that I feel more pregnant is really just relative to how I felt last week. The cold is virtually gone (finally) but I'm keeping an eye out for other bugs that may be on the horizon, what with the compromised immune system and all. Lots of handwashing going on in our house.

I saw the doctor last Friday, and he said that everything is going fine. I'm participating in a study about the effect of Vitamin D in decreasing the chance of asthma and allergies in children. While I don't have asthma, Shaun is the poster boy for it (and other allergies) so that puts the baby at an increased risk, thus qualifying me for the study. Basically, I take a Vitamin D supplement (or placebo) every day with my prenatal vitamin, and when I go to my doctor's appointments they check in with me to make sure I'm taking the supplement and sometimes some bloodwork. I'm all for science, and it's not like it's a lot of extra work for me, or anything that on its own could do damage to the baby. Once the baby is born, there are some basic tests that need to be done, and check-ins at his or her 1, 2, and 3 year pediatrician appointments. I just think it will be cool if this study amounts to people learning more about how to keep their kids healthy. If people didn't participate in studies like this, how would we know all that we know now?

Next week we should have updated ultrasound pics... plus official news on whether the baby's room will be Philadelphia Eagles Football themed or Mary Poppins themed!

Avocado

Today we're at 16 weeks, which means the baby is the size of an avocado. I like being back in the world of fruits I recognize.

I am in the final throws of the longest documented cold on record. At least, it feels that way. I'm just congested, but much better than I was last week at this time. Still, going on 2 weeks with a cold isn't fabulous.

On Sunday night I slipped on some ice and had a fall-- fortunately it was on my butt and there is ample padding there. It was a little scary for a second, and I'm sore, but the baby appears to be fine and I'll be fine too... once I get used to sleeping only on my side, because sleeping on my back is still too painful. Never a dull moment around these parts, I swear.

Otherwise, when I'm not sneezing, coughing, blowing my nose or complaining about my back hurting, I'm doing well. Work hasn't been very busy, and the rehearsals for "Ragtime" are going pretty well. I go for my appointment with my OB on Thursday, and then the ultrasound in which we find out the baby's gender (or in my words, "we find out what kind of baby we're getting") is 2 weeks from Friday. So that's the next big milestone... I can't wait for that!