I have been feeling you wiggle around almost everyday this past week, a few times a day. Then the last two or three days ~ it seems like you are moving all day! And the coolest, craziest, strangest, most awesome thing happened last night ~ I felt you move from THE OUTSIDE of my belly. I put my hand on my lower belly when you were boppin' around and sure enough you rolled right under my hand. It was CrAZy! Your Pops is fishing this weekend (I'm really happy - he deserves a little trip) - but I can-not-wait for him to get home and feel you too!
He went to a place called Duck Valley Indian Reservation. There are three small reservoirs there ~ no motors allowed. It is a really neat place ~ very serene ~ some of the best bird watching I have ever experienced. Lots of birds are migrating through the area and they like to make a little pit stop at these bodies of water, so you can see birds that are not normally around. It was a BOYS trip this time around though ~ Your Dad, your Grandpa Joe, Steve and Josh Tyree. I'm sure they had a great time - and I hope they caught lots of fish. :)
Some other fun things that happened this week: We picked out a birthing class to take...your dad thinks we've got this 'in the bag' and we don't need to take a class ~ but I kind of freaked out and said tough luck! He came around though ~ once he realized how important it really was AND since so many of our friends said it was a good idea.
On Friday I met up with my best-girl Katie and we went to a Community Education class (we like to do this a lot) and learned how to blow glass! It was REALLY HOT inside the studio ~ but it was a very cool experience. We made these beautiful glass ornaments. They had to keep them overnight to cool down from like 1000 degrees (no joke) to room temperature. I'm lucky to have a friend like her - and trust me - she is SO PUMPED to meet you! Here are few pics I took during the lesson:
We have two Doc apt's this coming week. This post from the Pregnant Chicken talks about that upcoming visit ~ and clearly we already know you are a GIRL ~ but I think the post is interesting anyways:
WEEK 19
You may have already had your mid-pregnancy ultrasound (often called a Level II Ultrasound, Fetal Anatomy Survey or a Fetal Anomaly Screen) because you generally have it between 18 - 22 weeks.
They are checking out the size of your baby, the development of your baby’s stomach, urinary tract, kidneys, spine and brain. They will also measure the baby’s heart rate and look for defects in the ventricles and other heart anomalies.
The size and placement of your placenta is also on tap to make sure your placenta isn’t blocking your cervix (called placenta previa) although, even if this does turn up, 90% - 95% of the cases resolve themselves before you deliver so don’t panic. It just means it’s blocking the exit and it can get a little complicated if it doesn’t smarten up and move.
This is also the scan that may be able to tell you if you’re having a girl or a boy if the weeble cooperates. Some technicians won’t tell you but will note it in your file if your doctor wants to spill the beans. Others will blurt it out so let them know if you’re keeping it a surprise. Personally, I think there are benefits to both:
Pros of Finding Out:
- Finding out the gender of your baby is always a surprise whether it’s at 20 weeks or when you deliver
- Gender neutral stuff can get tiresome if you really want to go nuts
- You have just eliminated 50% of the naming arguments
- You can start grooving on the hand-me-down hoarding
- It sometimes feels nice to say “he” or “she” instead of “he or she” (make sense?)
- I was convinced I was having a boy and couldn’t picture having a girl so I wanted time to wrap my head around it that if that was going to be the case. I don’t think I would have reacted weird if they had shouted “it’s a girl” when I delivered, but I would have felt like a complete douche if I’d even hesitated for a second at her awesomeness.
- Ultrasounds have been wrong.
- It will drive people nuts and that shit is fun.
- It gives you something to keep guessing about. I wonder if it’s a boy because I’m craving lemons. I wonder if I’m having a girl because of how everyone’s been kind enough to tell me how tired I look?
- It puts off the gender stereotyping for a while
- Gender neutral stuff is gorgeous and you can use it for subsequent babies
- It’s the ultimate reveal after going through labour, after all, movies NEVER find out.
How your baby's growing:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.
