20 week anatomy scan ultrasound

Boring title, but a fun day. We got to see all the little parts of the Guajolote (except that part).

Heart beat: 156 bpm

I was worried it would be a rough day, The Hottest Computer Scientist in the Universe was up from midnight-4am for work. Then we had to get up at 6:45 to make it to the appointment. And it was the second day in a row he was operating on 4 or fewer hours of sleep due to work.

The ultrasound tech did the uterus, placenta, and brain measurements first. Poor THCSITU was yawning, because it's just a round shape there. But then, more recognizable parts: spine and ribs, little hands waving in front of the face, frog kicks to my bladder as she tried measuring the kidneys (yep, that's the renal system kid, good job...).

We could mostly tell what everything was without having to be told. Since I saw the 1st trimester screening ultrasound too, I knew to expect a black hole for a stomach. But it still looks weird, like a wound or something. It looks like a hole punch on the image.

He* had his little ankles crossed for the last half of the exam.

Guajolote, 21 weeks 2 days:

Ankles crossed. That's the left foot print with the toes of the right foot visible to the bottom right.

The tech offered to tell us her guess as to the sex of the baby, but we declined. So "he" is strictly a place holder still, absolutely may be a "she" instead.

THCSITU had two interesting thoughts: we know when the heartbeat started, and it's going strong even though this Guajolote probably wouldn't make it on the outside right now. It ought to keep on going, and (hopefully) we will not know when it stops. Today was hopefully the last time we will ever see his heart beat.

And also, if the Guajolote's heart is beating inside his body, which is inside of me, and we are STILL peering in to see it.... well if you can't get a little privacy in the womb, where in the hell can you get privacy in this world anymore?

Guajolote, 21 weeks 2 days:

Hand to mouth (mmm practicing future eating?). That's the skull to the right and the bump of the nose, then the hand floating to the right of that.

Bigness

I have to sit down to put on shoes and socks now.

I'm usually a balance-on-one-foot type, because I'm always running late. But now the belly gets between me and my leg, and then the foot - knee has to go out to one side, and then my balance is all off-kilter. So sitting down it is.

And last night THCSITU told me as he walked by: "I don't know how you keep your balance." Because this belly is sticking out in this ridiculous way - and I was standing still with both feet on the ground!

Tricky little bugger...

The Guajolote has been obviously moving around for more than two weeks now, and The Hottest Computer Scientist in the Universe still hasn't felt him. I know a number of these motions are detectable from the outside, but if I holler to him to come and feel, the little guy stops! Or of course if I get up to give THCSITU a chance to check it out, he quits moving.

I am really looking forward to our only other planned ultrasound, so THCSITU can see the little guy moving around. It's just me getting enormous so far, and not bleeding 6 days a month. No actual tangible babyness - at least he can get a visual indicator. (Not saying he doubts, but it's just not as shared a journey yet as I might think it is.)

*

I do appreciate the motion for keeping me cognizant of what the heck is going on in there. I'm not just getting fat. It's helped me stop drinking any coffee, and kept me away from candy bars and other bad junk. I save my indulgences for good (better?) junk like ice cream or homemade baked goods. Mmm, butter...


* We haven't yet had the opportunity to find out the sex, but we also don't plan to find out until "he" emerges. I just don't like "it" - sounds so impersonal.

This pregnancy brought to you by Old Navy

All these posts on various message boards about which clothes, which jeans, Bella Band or not, will get you through pregnancy and alleviate discomfort - I thought it was a bunch of women making mountains out of molehills.

Well I've got 4 skirts that still go on at all, and sweatpants. And one pair of maternity pants - which isn't too bad, but I'm only 20 weeks. I'll be down to two skirts by next week, I am pretty sure.

But yesterday the maternity/nursing clothes I ordered came! And they are GLORIOUS. I put on the yoga-ish pants and they felt amAZing. Amazing.

Tonight, out for ice cream with my family, I idly mentioned that I should write to Old Navy and see if I can get a sponsorship from them or something (their stuff was on sale, so that's the only place I've ordered). The Hottest Computer Scientist in the Universe pointed out that I surely have the advertising space available in the front...

busy two weeks

Apologies for not having posted - not that there are legions of followers, but the intention is to record things that otherwise will be forgotten, and that doesn't work well if you don't record anything. I will post several short things backdated to the date of occurrence, etc.

We got the loan

We are going to buy this house.

We did get a loan that allows us to keep some of our cash to make the repairs now. Electrical overhaul, plumbing reinstall street-to-faucet, brick repairs, shoring up the porch... there's a long long way to go before this Guajolote gets here!!

Closing is Friday. We are meeting a contractor in the morning, signing at lunch. Then... it's our problem. Ulp.

Protein!

The Hottest Computer Scientist in the Universe is very concerned about my protein intake. I am not someone who eats a great deal of protein every day, more of a grain sort of person. Baked goods and pasta will do me for a long long time. I don't get sick of them ever.

However, overall, I think it is helping us to eat healthier at home. If we are going to have porkchops, or lasagne, or something good like that, I am pretty conscious that there's a lot of fat and no fiber in there! So we also have a cooked vegetable and a salad. Otherwise I usually get lazy about making balanced meals.

It's kept our evenings pretty busy though, and our house a disaster. SO MANY dishes are made each day, and we have no dishwasher.