Sneak Peek

Yesterday was our ultrasound to check in on Anna Reaghan.  The day before (Tuesday) we also had our weekly check-up with my doctor.  Everything is still great.  Did I mention we took a tour of the hospital last week as well?  Everything seems very on par with where Asa was delivered.  A few "advantages" we didn't have full access to in FL include that all the unit's fetal monitors are wireless and waterproof.  So while they prefer to do continuous fetal monitoring during labor, you are free to walk around, get in the shower, be in whatever position you want.  In FL, they had to disconnect me whenever I went walking.  I didn't mind being disconnected ;), but getting "permission" from some of the nurses wasn't always easy.  The unit also has wi-fi, so you can expect to see Anna Reaghan shortly after she's born and we've had a chance to bond, nurse, etc.  Matt won't have to run home to post pics. :)  The only "disadvantage" compared to FL is that they do not do the first bath in the room with you. Since labor and delivery rooms are usually very cold (no, seriously), their procedure is to take the baby to the nursery for a bath.  Dads are allowed to come watch, and they'll wait and do it while I get moved to a post-partum room, I just loved getting to see Asa's bath right at my bedside in FL.  Oh well.  Matt will be sure to capture it on film. :)

So, as I said everything was fine at my check-up.  I'm measuring back right on instead of a cm ahead.  We (Matt, Dr. O, and I) were all feeling quite curious about what the ultrasound would tell us. We found out that:

• AR is very head down, and she indeed has her spine out.  Prime positioning. :)  She is so head down, in fact, that the tech had to tilt the table I was on down so my head was below my feet in order to try to get AR to back up just a little so she could get a more accurate measurement of her head circumference. :)
• One measurement of her head was slightly below 50th percentile (Asa's ALWAYS was, but his is very proportional to his body :) ), and another was slightly above.  Her head seems to be shaped JUST like Matt's and Asa's--very oval.  She does not have a Charlie Brown head. :)
• She was very far down, partially hiding her face with a hand, and squished in general such that we didn't get a full profile or face on view.  The tech even tried to get us a 3d shot (our first ever in any pregnancy), but she was just too squished. :)  However, we were able to make out some fun features.  She seems to have my nose (as does Asa)--Matt was very excited about another baby having the "little button nose." :)  Her lips also seemed (she could have been making a funny face) to be very rosebud shaped.  Asa's lips, even on ultrasound, were very wide side-to-side.... more like a duck bill. :)  Anna Reaghan's very LIPS looked feminine.  That was pretty cool. :)  Both the tech and the doctor commented on how much hair she already has. :)  As Matt would say, she's another "furby," following in Asa's footsteps there as well.
• Her abdomen was slightly larger than average (circumference).
• Her femur length was above the 90th percentile!  So those Guilford genes must be expressing themselves in more than just her nose!  Whew!  She seems like she is a LONG baby.  I think my guess of her being 20" long at birth is kind of obliterated.
• Overall, she is measuring only one day ahead (the size of a baby due July 3rd), BUT the calculations they use to determine a weight estimate (head circumference, abdomen, and femur length, as I recall) are all skewed by her LONG legs especially and they think she's 7 lbs. 13 oz. now.  Most babies gain about 1/2 lb. each week the last month of pregnancy (or so), which would put her at 8 lbs. 13 oz. if she came on her due date.  I honestly would be a smidge surprised if she really weighed that much, given the way everything is skewed by her leg length. :)  But either way, it sounds like they're predicted mid- to high 8, pooooossibly low 9s depending on when she comes, and it sounds like it's more of a "long" higher 8s, not a "big" higher 8s, if that makes sense.  Our midwives said similar things with Asa--they predicted a LONG 8 lb. baby, not a BIG 8 lb. baby. :)

Asa was a bit concerned at first about what the tech was doing to mommy, but then he decided she was just squirting "water" on mommy for the ultrasound wand, and that made it all better.  Except for the lights--the lights were off in the room (there was plenty of sun coming through the blinds though), and Asa is ALL about turning lights ON.

TODAY we are having FUN celebrating ASA'S SECOND BIRTHDAY!!  Stay tuned for a complete wrap-up tomorrow!  How we LOVE our precious boy!  WHAT a gift!