Ultrasound!!!

So we went in for our ultrasound today!!! What a neat experience to see the baby moving! We got to see pretty much everything from the heart beating to the hands and feet moving. We actually saw the baby kick the umbilical cord. We were able to see the blood flow through the umbilical cord and placenta. We saw the brain and spinal cord and according to the tech everything looks great! I'll post some pictures for you all to enjoy! We still don't know what we are having although the tech said she knew....what a tough wait we have ahead of us!!

Here's our baby's first portrait! The hand is right up by the face (it kind of looks like it's coming off the nose!) :)

Okay, I know this picture looks a little weird, but this is with the new 3D imaging...they don't look very "baby-ish" yet since they still have so much development left. But I did think it was neat that you could see the baby in 3D with their hand by their little face!

Here's a picture of our little family!

Here's me, enjoying my little baby belly at 19 weeks...

And finally one of just my belly, again at 19 weeks...

Okay, that's the update for now!! Thanks for sharing our love and excitement for our precious new life!

Almost Halfway!!!

By the end of this week, we will be halfway done!!! That is so crazy to me! Peanut is now about 6 1/2 inches long and weighs almost 10 1/2 ounces.  Peanut can also hear sounds from the outside world now and can cover his/her ears if the sounds are too loud. He may even "jump" if any sounds are too startling!  Jerad and I started playing music for the baby this week and so far I think they like it! I feel lots of movement when the headphones are on my belly.  I'm definitely feeling a lot of movement especially at night around the time I get home from work.

Liz (our midwife) said I look the picture of health. My blood pressure is great and I have been getting plenty of fluids and nutrition!!!! I have gained just under 5 pounds since I got pregnant and am definitely sporting the maternity jeans with pride.

Oh, Peanut just kicked! Lol. At our appointment today, the heartbeat was 145 which some people will tell you is the "boy range."  For anybody confused I will explain: some people believe that girls typically have a faster heart rate in the womb, approximately between 150 and 170. Boys heart rates are then believed to be a little slower; about 130-150.  It's definitely not an exact science. Liz says she tested this for about a year...she would predict the baby's gender based on the heart rate and she was only right 60% of the time.  So it's definitely still going to be a surprise what we are having.

Our ultrasound is scheduled for Wednesday, so come back later this week and I will upload pictures...also I promise, the much awaited pictures of my belly will be up too!!!

So we have completed 18 weeks and are moving right along into the 19th.  Here's what is developing this week...Peanut will be about the size of a large tomato; around 6 inches long and weighing 8 1/2 ounces!  This is a very important week in terms of sensory development (smell, touch, taste, hearing and vision).  

Another very exciting thing is that last week I felt the baby move for the first time! I was sitting and all of the sudden felt this little poke in my belly! Now since then, I feel Peanut moving alot, mostly at night once I am laying down and not really moving much.  This is pretty common because the baby is usually rocked to sleep by mommy's movements during the day. I am loving every moment of this; it's really special because it will be a few weeks yet until other people are able to feel the baby moving from the outside so I get a few weeks of enjoying this for myself. Pretty soon I know I won't be able to keep people's hands off my belly.  I think I'm actually ok with people touching my tummy, unless I don't know them and then I can't really guarantee what my response will be!

Jerad and I went shopping for cribs last night-who knew there were so many options! I think we found one that we like, but we are going to wait another day or two until we make any decisions so we can think about it.

Our ultrasound appointment is next week so I will keep you all posted after that!!!

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. I am feeling much better now and I know this baby is doing well because of all the prayers!