ultrasound appointment

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to tell you a little more about our ultrasound appointment this week. The pictures (see below), while amazing, don't do it justice...

First we had to wait a loooong 10 minutes while the technician measured different parts of the baby to make sure everything was OK, they don't show you anything on the screen during this time which was scary, but our technician was really friendly, she even remembered me from previous appointments when Baby Niner was still in the works! After awhile she turned on the big screen and there was the cutest little baby, moving all around, and then I realized, that's OUR baby! It was very cool.

The baby was sitting with its legs crossed, almost Indian style, and we tried to get a look at whether it was a he or a she. The technician said she knew so if it didn't cooperate she'd just tell us. She asked us what we thought and I said that I'd felt like it was a girl but when I dreamed about the baby it was always a boy. Soon thereafter he showed us, and it was very clear, the baby is a boy! She said 'your dreams came true!'

We were so happy and spend the next several minutes just watching him move around, he wiggled his toes, put his fingers in his mouth, and the technician pointed out things to us like his heart and stomach and his spine which was lined up with mine at the time with his feet down low and his head up high. He was breach but she said at this stage they move around all the time which we saw firsthand though I'm not feeling too much...yet!

Hard to believe the next time we 'see' him it will be on the day he's born - we can't wait!

Love you baby!
Mommy

Take a first look at our son

It's been a long day, but ... what a day! This morning at 9 Amy and I had our 2nd and last ultrasound, and the tech showed us visual confirmation - we're going to have a boy. A baby boy. A son. A son! Amy and I are going to have a son.

It was easy to overlook the fact that more important news was on tap - the baby's health. We're so fortunate that the little guy is incredibly healthy and growing well. He's actually a week ahead of schedule in most of his measurements - he's supposed to weigh about 10 ounces, but he already weighs 12 - he's 3/4 of a pound! That's my boy. As we were driving back from the appointment, Amy asked what 12 ounces was, so I told her the first thing that came to mind. "That's a beer, honey - he's the Bud Light Lime I had last night!" Amy didn't seem to appreciate it on quite the level I did, but later I used the comparison with Ed and he was right there with me.

Check out the pics above and say hello to our boy! Click on them for a larger, closer view.

The Proud Papa

Amy's Belly: May 23

Update on Amy's belly - it's pretty clear if you compare the two pics that her belly is, in fact, growing! If I put my hand on her belly and push slightly, it resists - the best thing I've read in all of the books we have is that it's like a balloon is slowly inflating inside of her. Amy feels the baby every now and then, but I can't feel it yet - I can't wait for the first time it kicks hard enough for me to feel it too! Right now Amy can't tell if it's really the baby, or gas bubbles - perhaps it's gas bubbles FROM the baby. :)


On Tuesday we go to the doctor for our last ultrasound, and find out whether we're having a boy or a girl! Amy took an old wives' tale quiz on the web yesterday, and there's a 70% chance according to a collection of tests like the Drano method that we're having a girl. The most statistically significant test to date? Amy feels like she's having a girl, and we read somewhere that the mother-to-be is right 75% of the time. To combat the ever-growing sentiment for a girl, I've made it my mission to watch every NBA playoff game the last 6 weeks - I hear if a team from west of the Mississippi wins 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals over a team with black uniforms and at least two guys named Spud, you're definitely having a boy.


We're both ready for a boy or a girl, we just want to know! Stay healthy baby, we'll "see" you on Tuesday. :)
Love,

Dad

Appt. with Dr. Gorsuch: 5/14

We had our 2nd appointment with Dr. Gorsuch today - I believe this is our 4th overall. Mom Hoye came along, too, and she didn't even ask any (silly) questions! :)

The nurse came in and rubbed jelly on the heartrate monitor and put it up to Amy's belly, and the sonar went to work - it was tougher to find the baby and isolate the heartbeat this time, but she said a lot of that had to do with the baby moving around! The heartrate came back at 152, although I watched and it was jumping all over the place - real hard to get the baby to stay still this morning.

They first said Amy had a slightly high level of protein, so Dr. Gorsuch ran some further tests - but they came back with no protein, so nothing to worry about. We asked about the stitch/cramp in Amy's side (is it appendicitis! we both wondered - thanks Ed), and she said it was probably some ligament cramping. Am only had it for about a day, so it shouldn't be anything to worry about, but Mom and I both recommend that she resist picking up all 30 pounds of Bubba Man.

That's about it - less than two weeks to our final ultrasound, and then we find out whether it's Ms. Baby Niner or Mr. Baby Niner!

We love you baby - can't wait to find out whether we'll be playing dolls or G.I. Joe.

Love, Daddy

Baby Niner is just starting to show itself. Here's the first picture Sean's taken to track the progress of my growing belly...