Wednesday, July 8, 2009

It's a girl!

These past couple of weeks have been pretty eventful! I finally felt the baby move on June 28, at 16 weeks 5 days! I felt it eating breakfast one morning and wasn't really sure if it was the baby or not since it was the first one and just out of the blue. By the end of the day I had felt it about 10 times! It was such an amazing feeling to finally feel those movements! It's not everyday that I feel it, though. Some days I feel it and other I don't. Maybe once, maybe a few times, but I love it every time!!
This was the week that I was waiting for! 18 weeks and our next ultrasound. Surprisingly those 2 weeks between our last appointment and today went pretty fast. There has been a lot to keep me busy! I was so excited for the ultrasound today, the anticipation was terrible!! I felt like it was our wedding day all over again because of the massive excitement I was feeling! I wish I could have an ultrasound every time I'm in the office. I can't get enough of seeing her! And of course we found out that she is a girl! I thought we were having a boy, so I guess my motherly instinct hasn't kicked in all the way yet. :o) I couldn't be happier to be having a girl! I wish she was here now! After seeing her today, all I wanted to do was have her in my arms! 22 more weeks, give or take... seems so far away!

her heart beat is 152 BPM and she weighs 8 oz! Everything looks great! We even caught her sucking her thumb today!! So cute! We were able to get all the pictures on a CD and even get the whole ultrasound put onto a DVD! Now I can see her whenever I want!
here's what's happening at 18 weeks:




Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound. Around this time, your baby becomes more sensitive to the outside world and shows her presence through powerful kicks and prods. The bones through which sound is passed to the inner ear have hardened and the parts of the brain that receives and processes nerve signals from the ears are developing. This means that your baby can hear now. Your baby will get used to familiar sounds, such as your heart beating, familiar voices, blood rushing through the umbilical cord and other daily routine sounds. Your baby will become startled if she hears a loud sound.