Back in Touch...Plus, Babycenter.com Update: Week 19

I know I haven't posted lately. To tell you the truth, I've been feeling a little preoccupied. Since the amnio, I've been trying to distract myself and not think about things until test results are in.

Well, they're in, and all is fine. We're still waiting for some bloodwork, but the big tests--the ones that detect chromosomal abnormalities--are normal. What sweet relief. I'm very grateful to know that Spike is doing well.

Oh, and the amnio confirmed: Spike is a girl.

Here's this week's update from www.babycenter.com:

How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born.

BabyCenter Update: Week 18

If you missed yesterday's post, look below. Spike's gender is revealed!

Here's this week's update from babycenter.com:

How your baby's growing: Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) 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 your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

And the winner is...

Today was my amniocentisis. First of all, I have to say that the injection in my uterus hurt. A lot. Luckily, it was quick, so it was doable. I managed not to shout my favorite expletive during the procedure, but it did take a lot of effort to restrain myself! We get results in about a week or so, and we are feeling very positive.

The ultrasound was very cool. We saw the spine, the arms and legs, the heart, and the brain. Really interesting and detailed. We have a VHS tape of all the cool pictures.

And now, for those of you who have been guessing about the baby's gender...drum roll please...

It's a girl!

We're pretty shocked--we thought it was a boy--but we are so, so overjoyed.

BabyCenter Update: Week 17

Here's this week's babycenter.com update:

How your baby's growing: Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. He can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden to bone. His sense of hearing is also developing. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker.

Conversations with Spike

I mentioned last week that I read that the baby could hear voices. So P.C. and I have been talking to Spike. A few nights ago, I started singing to it before bedtime. The song I've been singing is "Lullaby" by the Dixie Chicks. (I know, I know--I'm in love with their recent album, Taking the Long Way.) It's a beautiful, calming song. Here are the lyrics:

They didn't have you where I come from
Never knew the best was yet to come
Life began when I saw your face
And I hear your laugh like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

I slip in bed when you're asleep
To hold you close and feel your breath on me
Tomorrow there'll be so much to do
So tonight I'll drift in a dream with you

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

As you wander through this troubled world
In search of all things beautiful
You can close your eyes when you're miles away
And hear my voice like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

TamPontification

My sister, Nancy, sent me a link to TamPontification, a site run by Seventh Generation, a supplier of non-toxic and environmentally safe household products.

Here's the text from the site:

Women’s shelters in the U.S. go through thousands of tampons and pads monthly, and, while agencies generally assist with everyday necessities such as toilet paper, diapers, and clothing, this most basic need is often overlooked. You and I may take our monthly trips down the feminine care aisle for granted, but, for women in shelters, a box of tampons is five dollars they can’t spare. Here’s some good news: you can help us contribute to rectifying this situation by making a virtual donation! For each virtual donation, Seventh Generation will send a pack of organic cotton tampons or chlorine-free pads to a shelter in your state.

For those of you who are skeptical, this claim is true, according to Snopes.com.

To donate, visit http://www.tampontification.com/donate.php .

Exciting News! Plus, BabyCenter Update: Week 16

We went to the doctor's office yesterday and all is well. Strong heartbeat, good size--we're still rocking along! The really exciting news is that on the way home from work today I felt the baby move for the first time! Lots of fluttering going on in there as I write this. SO exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's this week's babycenter.com update:

How your baby's growing: At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, though, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. Her heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating her total blood volume through her body many times. (By the end of your pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts.) The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails.