20 weeks

Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!

Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you'd like your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

How Far along: 20 weeks, 2 days!

Total weight gain: Eww. Ok, I'll be honest - 15 lbs up. I blame the lack of exercise and this kid's sweet tooth.

Maternity clothes: Maternity shorts and capris, and regular skirts. Still in regular shirts too.

Sleep: Still good.

Best Moment this week: Anatomy scan and getting to see the kid for 30+ minutes.

Movement: I think I can feel small kicks here and there, but only in the evening while I'm on my back in bed.

Gender: Hah. I've got a surprise for you!

Labor signs: No, thank you.

Belly button: In, but getting shallow.

Cravings: Apple Fritter. I cannot find them anywhere. Not Kroger, Publix, Walmart, or the gas station. When I ordered an Apple Fritter at Starbucks, they gave me some whole wheat fruit muffin crap. It was good, it just wasn't an Apple Fritter.

What I miss: Nothing at the moment.

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling kicks.

Milestones: Half baked!

Ok, so as I mentioned yesterday, we had our Big Ultrasound this morning. It was really cool. Jonathan hadn't seen it since 7 weeks (aside from the printout I brought home last time), so it was neat for him to see it as an actual person in there. They also turned on the doppler on the wand for us to hear the heartbeat - also his first time hearing it. It was sooo much clearer than the hand held doppler at the OB's office.

So, the tech went about her business checking the head and belly circumference, the length of the humorous and femur, the heart, the kidneys, all that good stuff. Then, there is a power surge and a fuse gets blown shutting off all the equipment. It was a hassle and annoying for the tech, but I have just accepted that there will always be something that happens when I go for stuff like that (did I remember to mention that they lost my blood that was supposed to be a part of the quad screening for Down's and chromosomal abnormalities?)

They got the machine back up and running, but they had to measure half of the stuff they had already measured. Bonus time for us though!

We saw the umbilical cord, and she turned on the color to see the blood flow. We had no clue what we were looking at, but it was still kinda cool. She measured the femur and I kept looking for that little something sticking out confirming my feelings that this kid was in fact a boy. Unfortunately, it took a little while because baby way lying breech, facing up and had its legs crossed. Modesty does not come from me.

Finally after some jiggling and jostling around, she got a shot of the goods. Can you guess what it was?

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As it turns out, my motherly instincts have failed me and I have gone against every Old Wives Tale in the book.

Yes, folks, we are having a GIRL!


I cannot believe it. We were both shocked because we have been convinced that this kid is a boy. The first U/S tech said she was 70% sure it was a girl. The second tech (someone had to come back and get a clearer shot of the spine) said she was 90% sure. When we met with the doctor after he looked at the pictures and he said he was 99% sure it was a girl. We are going to get a 4D U/S because I am paranoid and we want to make doubly sure.

So there you have it. We are having a daughter...

Where are the paper bags?