18 Week Ultrasound

Finally! The 18 week Level-2 Anatomy Scan. There is a detailed breakdown for my own records :)



Part 1
0m5s: face profile.....head, nose, lips, chin
0m16s: heartbeat
0m43s: alien baby...looking at Ryan's face
0m48s: eyes, nose, mouth...even if it is an alien
1m11s: measuring the cervix, it's closed...no babies today! Ryan is in the breech position
1m22s: anterior placenta....the reason i can't feel little baby kicks yet
1m38s: umbilical cord....it will be anywhere from 3-6 feet long!
1m51s: pretty sure you got knocked up by an alien
2m07s: spinal cord
3m00s: tailbone
3m24s: arm#1
3m32s: arm#2
4m01s: leg#1
4m12s: leg#2
4m40s: trying to get a potty shot but Ryan has his leg's crossed (again) and is being stubborn (again)
5m33s: umbilical cord has 3 artery/vein things....that's good (2 umbilical arteries and 1 vein that transport nourishment to the fetus and remove its wastes)
6m08s: money shot! Ryan is definitely a boy (btwn the legs view showing boy parts + umbilical cord)
6m31s: second money shot
6m50s: profile
7m02s: 5 fingers
7m16s: looking up the nose...2 nostrils and 2 lips...this rules out cleft palate
7m40s: 2 hemispheres of the brain
8m09s: Ryan's brain....it's huge, so he must be smart like his mom



Part 2
0m04s: so far measurements are big for his age....the baby may come a few days early!
1m23s: examining the heart
1m33s: 4 chambers...2 atria/2 ventricles...valves are seen
1m50s: trying to measure the heartbeat, Ryan wiggles around
2m20s: finally get a good reading! HR=140bpm (normal is 120-160)
2m44s: belly measurement i think...looks like a little balloon
3m43s: measuring the right thighbone
4m04s: yep, still a boy
4m15s: left thighbone
4m45s: stomach and bladder...they're opaque and fluid-filled so that means Ryan is processing fluids
5m12s: kidneys
5m39s: profile
6m17s: sitting Indian-style again...legs and feets
6m37s: toes
7m32: baby weighs 8 ounces (1/2 a pound for you non-math types)
7m44s: he is averaging slightly ahead of schedule, showing a due date of 9/12
8m20s: the end!

New Babymobile

Although we've been looking for awhile now, I wasn't expecting to get a new car quite so soon. It just so happens that the color i wanted is not-so-common and we happened to find one in that color with the features we wanted. Check out our new Toyota Highlander!

Lots of buttons and heated seats

Rear climate control and lots of legroom

A third-row seat that folds down for cargo space and second row seats recline

17 Weeks

Baby's now the size of an onion!

Baby's skeleton is hardening, changing from rubbery cartilage to bone, and fat is finally accumulating around it. His umbilical cord is getting thicker and stronger, and those little fingers and toes now feature one-of-a-kind prints. He can move his joints, and his sweat glands are starting to develop.

How far along? 17 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: Ok seriously, walking up a flight of stairs gets me winded...what's going on?? I'm trying to walk on most days but my 2 mile trip has turned into probably half that because i just can't make it any farther. I get tired very easily now from just being awake.
Sleep: i can't get comfortable anymore, even with my snoogle. I'm already using the A/C every night because it's just too darn hot to sleep!

Best moment this week: Cake, cake, and more cake! Plus we got a new car!! It's a baby-blue Toyota Highlander.

Worst moment this week: nothing really so i'll just tell you how my maternity jeans are now "worn in" and therefore looser. They won't stay up very well and are always riding really low on my waist so i feel like a pregnant thug when i wear them.

Movement: There was one time when i was eating cake that i thought i might have felt Peanut, but i haven't felt it since so i'm not so sure

Food cravings: still none

Gender: We get confirmation on Monday that Peanut is still a boy, and we think we've decided on a name. Peanut's name will be.....Ryan Cole Bolton (i think...)

What I miss: I thought this was funny at the time but now i totally get it...."when going poo was not such a big accomplishment - worthy of a happy dance." ~J.S.

What I am looking forward to: ultrasound on Monday 

In Other News:

Here are some pictures to entertain you...
Getting my ultrasound to find out that Peanut is a BOY!

Mom *knew* that Peanut would be a boy because she found this beanie baby named "Peanut" that is a BLUE elephant!

My new, very noticeable, belly! My belly button is quickly becoming non-existent.

Peanut Is A...

Originally the tech said Peanut was a girl! That was the clip from yesterday. Here is the last little bit of Peanut's ultrasound where the tech changed her mind and said BOY!!! She seemed pretty confident by the end that we're having a baby boy, but i'll get doctor confirmation at my 18 week scan on April 12th. Does it look like Peanut is a boy to you??

Ultrasound Preview

I'm so impatient! At the ultrasound Tuesday we started off pretty quick. The tech pointed out almost immediately what gender she saw (the arrows). This clip goes on to show little hands and feet and the heartbeat, plus a little baby blob in 3D. I'm going to give you this little preview and let *you* tell *me* what gender you see. A "hamburger" (3 white lines) would be girl and a "turtle" would be boy. Just so you know, the tech saw one gender at the beginning and a different gender at the end. Her final answer was at the end of the ultrasound, but i won't post that until Friday night (sorry!) Some of those that attended the ultrasound, however, saw something different at the beginning (this clip) than the tech, so i'm curious what you see! (You may need to watch this full-screen to see much)

Please post your comments with guesses but if you already *know* the answer don't spill the beans yet!!!!

16 Weeks

Baby's now the size of an avocado!

Watch what you say...tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean he can now pick up your voice. A few more minuscule changes: Eyebrows, lashes, and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop. 

How far along? 16 weeks 2 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I get worn out very easily, and out of breath too. When we go on walks i usually have to tell Jake to slow down, and it used to be the complete opposite!
Sleep: Sleeping better now but i feel really tired, almost hungover when i wake up.

Best moment this week: seeing Peanut on the ultrasound and finding out the sex!!

Worst moment this week: Peanut didn't really feel like moving much at the ultrasound and was being really stubborn, so i had to drink 2 containers of orange juice. It made me want to throwup!

Movement: I found out i have an anterior placenta which means it's acting as a "cushion" between Peanut and my tummy, so i probably won't feel kicks until later :(

Food cravings: nope

Gender: I can't wait to spill the beans! After the rest of the family all find out on Friday night i have lots of pictures and video to share!!

What I miss: i don't care for this bigger tummy business. I think it's going to get in my way.

What I am looking forward to: Easter dinners...yummm! 

In Other News:

Check back Friday night or Saturday for a very important update!!

15 Weeks

Baby's now the size of a naval orange!

Continuing the march toward normal proportions, baby's legs now out-measure her arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably can't feel the movements just yet. She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

How far along? 15 weeks 3 days

Pregnancy Symptoms: I'm starting to move slower and i get aches and pains. Like at work standing on my feet all day *kills* me. I think i may be starting to waddle a little too, although i don't know why because i don't have a huge belly yet. Pregnancy brain has *definitely* set in.

Sleep: The Snoogle has helped a lot, i sleep a lot better now, but still have to get up a couple times a night to pee.
Best moment this week: starting my vacation week, yay!

Worst moment this week: finding out we're being forced to give shots at work, even though i dislike needles and sticking people with them. Oh, and my bonus was $2.46, that was awesome too.

Movement: My stupid doppler crapped out! Apparently there's something wrong with the connection/wiring according to Jake. I ordered another one because i listen to Peanut almost every day. Sometimes i wonder if i'm feeling Peanut flutters, but then i decide probaby not. We're getting Mexican food tonight so i'll see if the spicyness has any effect.

Food cravings: i keep waiting for the pickles and ice cream to hit but it just isn't happening. I do still like fruit better now and eat less chocolatey type things.

Gender: Tuesday can't come soon enough. So excited!! All of the family won't know until Friday night but as soon as i get home from dinner i'll post the ultrasound!

What I miss: my old clothes...most of them aren't long enough to cover the pregnancy panel on my maternity pants

What I am looking forward to: Ultrasound and Easter dinners!

In Other News:

I was forgetful before i was pregnant. It's *so* much worse now! At the maternity store i was trying on pants and went to ask the girl helping me if she thought the pants i had on were too short. They were, so i decided not to keep them. A minute later she came to ask me if she could take any of the clothes i didn't want. It took me at least 30 seconds of scanning the tiny dressing room and asking "Where did i put those pants??" before i realized....i was still wearing them.

There have been several occassions where i'll get up to go do something (like in the other room a few feet away) and will forget what i got up for. I had to write down my pin number for my debit card that i've had for several years because i'm scared i'll forget it. How i'll remember where i wrote it down? Beats me.