It's a girl!

Today's anatomical ultrasound showed that we're having a healthy baby girl! She has ten teeny tiny toes (see photo 1, her feet are 1" long), ten tiny fingers, and according to the ultrasound tech, very long arms and legs. I think we have a future Kerri Walsh on our hands....or maybe I've just been watching way too much of the Olympics! She currently weighs 7 ounces and gave us a good show of her acrobatic abilities. She rubbed her eyes with her hand and at one point had her toes up by her head! We got to see a lot of her today, which is good, because this should be our last ultrasound, unless we have a change of heart and decide to pay the big bucks for one of the 3-D ultrasounds not covered by insurance.
We're both very excited to meet our daughter in January and Greg is anxious to make her Daddy's little girl. Don't forget to submit your applications soon to take over guardianship during Miss Bayer's teenage years. As my mom says, payback is hell.

Smile for the Camera!

Monday, Greg and I met with our fetal specialist for our third ultrasound at 12 ½ weeks. It was the most amazing experience ever! As part of the sequential screen testing process (a screening for Downs and other developmental disorders), the ultrasound tech needed to get a photo to measure the baby’s neck. Instead of showing off for the camera, the baby preferred to stay curled up on the uterine wall (see photo) instead of offering up a profile, which we needed. So, the tech had me cough several times, which made my diaphragm contract, causing the baby to stir. He/she was quite active for several minutes, moving its arms and legs and bouncing around in the womb. We even saw her/him move an arm over its head as if to say, “why are you messing with me, I’m trying to rest!”

After what seemed like 15 or so minutes of baby watching (I was ready for some buttered popcorn), we finally got some cooperation and the tech got the measurement she needed. The Doctor reviewed the pictures and said that everything looks good, and scheduled us for our next ultrasound on August 18. Pending cooperation from out little one, we should be able to find out the sex. Yeah! We can’t wait!!!! Anyone want to take a guess? Greg thinks it’s a boy; I’m leaning towards a girl.

Here’s the clearest photo. Can you see the toes in the left hand side of the picture? The baby has toes! And the best part is, as far as I can tell, the feet resemble normal feet, not Greg’s carni-like apple grabbers.

I do have to confess that I had a total pregnancy brain moment after the doctor. I was in such a rush to get to my appointment on time that I paid absolutely no attention to where I had parked. I arrived at the parking deck to have no idea what floor I’d parked on. I got some exercise finding my vehicle!

What do these photos have in common?

Greg thinks the baby's 9 week and 4 day ultrasound pic resembles....Matthew McConaughey. Why, you make ask? Apparently, it's all in the arms. Frequent TMZ.comers, you have to know that as hunky as Matthew is, he does receive a bit of ridicule for claims that his arms are too short and stubby for his long, lean, chiseled, body. Case in point, the photos. In the ultrasound photo, the baby's head is center right, and you can see one of the stubby little arms poking up to the top of the frame. Gregory has a point. What do you think?