Week 18

First things first...we simply must do something about the name “Baby June Bug”.  It’s just not going to work anymore because it’s way too girlie a nickname for a BOY.  Yup....we’re having another BOY!  Yay!  Bryce was the only one who called it.  The rest of us thought girl...only because I was so sick in the beginning, and because he was measuring a little smaller at 12 weeks.   But the Ultrasound Tech checked twice and there was no doubt about boy bits being present!  I’m thrilled!

I wasn’t sure if I would feel sad about not having a girl...but I'm not! Strangely relieved! I feel comfortable being a "Boys Mom"...that's all I know! I don’t think a little girl would have stood a chance in our very boy dominated, worm picking, hockey stick swinging, Dino tossing, home anyways!  

Mom was able to come to the scan with me which was a special moment to share, and then we went shopping afterwards and purchased some little blue sleepers to celebrate the reveal.  Later that evening, I sorted through boxes and boxes of baby clothes that I kept from Bryce.  Sorry baby number 2...hand me downs will be a natural and necessary part of your birth order.  ;)  But being that babies grow so fast, there were a number of items that still had tags, and other outfits that Bryce wore maybe once before outgrowing.   Birth order aside, Baby number #2 won’t be able to live on hand me downs alone, as they will be born in opposite seasons.  In regards to the scan, Baby looks great.  He was curled up and facing down so we weren't able to get a great profile pic.  However, the Tech was able to perform all the measurements and everything was present and accounted for. Additionally, it looks like baby has had a growth spurt since the 12 week scan and is now measuring ahead by a 5 days.  Nothing seemed to be off, and she didn't linger in one spot too long.  I honestly don’t know how they know what they are looking at half the time.  Besides the obvious things like spine and foot, the rest just looks like shades of grey/black. 

It feels like once you find out the gender...you are able to bond even more with the baby.  Don’t get me wrong (if you are reading this Baby #2) I loved you from the start.  It’s just now I know more about you and can choose your name.  Plus, I can really start to decorate your room for you!  I see green walls and blue Monsters in your future!!

18 weeks with Baby # 2

18 weeks with Bryce

After staring at the Ultrasound pic for some time, it dawned on me how remarkable the conception/baby development process really is.  We just take it for granted because it happens with such frequency BUT it really is a miraculous, amazing feat.  Two tiny microscopic cells coming together to instigate and generate over 200 hundred billion cells...which end up weighing 6 billion times more than the fertilized egg itself.  All of this taking place silently within our womb while we trudge through our daily routines.  Here are some another interesting facts;

• It takes 75,000 calories to create a baby.
• Male offspring predominates over female.  106 males for every 100 females born.
• A 7 week embryo already has all the features and organs of the future adult at only 1” long.
• At birth your baby will have 100 billion ready to use neurons.
• Dreaming encourages fetal brain development and that is why babies spend the majority of their time sleeping.
• Maternal genetic influence accounts for almost entirely the baby's birth weight. Fathers have very little to do with it.
• Babies lungs are the last major organ to mature. It does not occur until at least 34 weeks.
• Second babies are bigger than first borns.
• Between weeks 28 and 32 your baby is capable of feeling and remembering.

What’s happening with baby this week?  “Your baby is now about 5 ½ inches long and weighs about 6 ounces.  During this week the baby will gain weight at an incredible pace!  Now that all of the organs have developed the baby’s body will focus on gaining weight and size.  You may begin to feel a bit off center as the baby and your uterus is getting larger. Because the baby’s inner ear has formed its bones and nerve endings from the brain have formed, hearing has become very acute.  Your baby can hear your heartbeat and the blood moving through the umbilical cord as well as your voice.  They will even try to cover their ears if they hear a loud sound!  Baby becomes sensitive to light now, as the eyes are further developed and the brain is growing very fast.  A little girl will have all the eggs inside her ovaries that she will need for her entire life.  Little boys begin to develop the prostate gland.  Meconium, or the first bowel movement continues to accumulate inside the bowel.  Brown fat begins to cover the baby, so their skin appears less transparent. This is the last week you would normally have an amniocentesis, if your health practitioner has suggested this test.  Often between 18-22 weeks your health practitioner will order an ultrasound.  You may begin to experience heartburn now, as the uterus begins to push upward on your stomach.  Try to eat several small meals and stay away from high fat items.  If you prop yourself up with pillows it can help with heartburn, too."

Only 22 weeks to go!