23 weeks down ...

I guess I ought to update everyone on my progress. It's been over two weeks since my last update and the main reason why I haven't updated the blog is because I have been trying to get the ultrasound pictures from my 18 week exam viewable on here, plus I now have my 22 week ultrasound DVD and pictures I want to add. My problem is I don't have a scanner - and I don't know how to convert the DVD into a smaller format that can be loaded onto the blog. Soooo, long story short, I haven't felt up to updating the blog because I can't share the pictures and DVD with everyone. It's a big bummer for me.h
But I can at least let everyone know that the baby is doing very well. Dr. Hansen and the nurse/technician who recorded the ultrasound to DVD and took the ultrasound pictures said that the baby is looking really healthy with a strong heartbeat averaging about 160 beat per minute. She has a four-chambered heart running on all cylinders, her kidneys are also functioning fully and the formation of her skull and brain are right on track. I was told she's weighing at about one pound, which is normal for her gestational age. And at my appointment last week for my 22 week exam, you could see that she was certainly active and kicking. She was doing a lot of the latter, which has me worried how it'll be in the last couple of months when she's bigger. There are kicks (or some kind of movement) now that sometimes startle me so well it's like something's trying to spring from my stomach - like in the movie Alien with Sigourney Weaver. Minus the blood and the violence and pain. But that's what the movement reminds me of. The force behind her movements amazes me because Emma's still so small. It was so fun to watch her move around and huddle up in her little space. Her most comfy position seems to be with her ankles crossed and her hands at either side of her head.
Back to the appointment itself, the one thing the doctor has seen in the last two appointments is that the baby is measuring about a week smaller than I calculated. When you take into consideration my LMP, she's due around May 24th, but Dr. Hansen said she's physically measuring to be due more like June 1st. He hasn't changed the date on record, and he said if he does it'll be closer to my due date before he changes it. But I'm hoping that she'll just be a small baby and that she'll make her presence known on the 24th (give or take a couple of days). I can't imagine having a nine pound baby, like my mom did - with me.... yes, I admit I was for some reason a hefty blessing. But I don't want that big of a blessing on my first try. For those that don't know I'm the baby in the family so Mom got two practice labors so-to-speak on my brother Tyson and sister Rachel. So with Dr. Hansen telling me that Emma's measuring small is actually a relief to me.
BUT, if Emma somehow starts packing on the fat (which the gestation calendar says this is the time that the baby is storing fat to live outside the womb) then so be it. I just hope I'll be able to get her out either way.
EPIDURAL! Yes! I forgot, I'm definitely getting one of those babies! So maybe things won't be bad after all....

20 weeks and 4 days . . . and counting

So as you know Rob and I will be having a baby girl. And in the last week I have really begun to feel her - literally. She moves all around, mostly at night and it's the weirdest most inexplainable feeling. My pregnancy book said women can confuse the feeling with gas, but I don't see how. It feels nothing like it, that's for sure. The closest feeling I can liken her movements to is when you feel your stomach drop a little. Like when something scary or intense happens, and you feel that catch in your stomach, that's about what it feels like. I've felt her for over a week now, but I think last night started the beginning of her making some serious movements.

First, Rob and I were laying in bed and talking. And as it seems that all babies in the womb do, when I'm ready to sleep Emma decides it's time to move around. And whether she was kicking or elbowing I don't know, but she was certainly moving enough for me to be startled. I took Rob's hand and put it on my stomach and she very obediently bumped against his hand. He was a little freaked out because that is the first physical contact he had with our baby girl. I think that really showed him that we are really having a baby - and that we're half way through the pregnancy now. (WOW!)

And after I thought that she had found a comfortable position in the womb, she made two b-i-g flops that made me freeze up and shout "WOAH!"

Rob about peed in the bed and was like "What?! What is it? What's wrong?!" and nearly jumping out of the bed.

And I laughed and told him that Emma was just moving and it was the hardest I've felt her yet. But thankfully, once I fell asleep she didn't bother me. But that doesn't mean I slept well last night. For whatever reason, my back has begun to really hurt and last night I had a tough time getting comfortable. But that's life I guess, and right now I'm using a heating pad to loosen up my back.

But here's an interesting picture of a model fetus and what Emma would look like (thereabouts) if you held her in your hands. I thought this pretty neat.

And the Winner is . . . . .

IT'S A GIRL!!!
We always thought it was a girl, and we are extremely excited for our baby's arrival in May (or June). We had some very neat ultrasound pictures that we hope to post as soon as we can get them scanned in by my brother-in-law Brett (ahem... hint hint)
During the ultrasound appointment, Little Miss was being very modest and ladylike by keeping her little legs crossed at the ankles and making it difficult for us to know what the sex was at first. But thankfully, with the "gentle persuasion" of the technician, Little Miss begrudingly revealed her sex. Actually, we outflanked her by getting a shot from underneath her bum. Her legs stubbornly stayed crossed.
As for names,we're thinking about the following:
Emma Olivia
Emma Sariah
Irene (my FANTASTIC mother-in-law) has stubbornly (I think that's a trait that runs in the family) settled on Emma Olivia.
And Heather has stubbornly settled on Emma Sariah.
We'll see who's opinion will win the battle of baby names.