I cut Reese’s hair earlier this week. It’s always hard to chop those golden curls (though, I haven’t done it for about a year). The back was getting long and the top was long too, the front and sides don’t grow. She was already washing her hands in the sink, so I took advantage. She did well.

This morning I was cleaning all morning (again!), and she had some fun in the dress-up box. Featured are Cecilia Freitas’ lady bug boots and a hand-me-down bathrobe -”dressing gown” a la Fancy Nancy.

I’ve been feeling the baby move more, though some days she’s more active than others. Brian got to feel her, which is amazing. I don’t think he felt Reese move until well after 20 weeks. I love this part. We’re working on names and making some really good progress, but no decisions yet.

We went to get our detailed 18 week ultrasound this morning, which was really, really fun. I’m still so nervous about bad news when I go, I am kind of a mess. Fortunately the wait in the waiting room was short and we saw the baby the moment the ultrasound tech put the wand to my belly. She did a good job of talking us though, so we learned all about my cervix and all the baby’s parts. She had been going for a very long time before she asked if we wanted to know the sex. When we said, “YES!” she hurried it up a little. I didn’t mind. I was so much more concerned about a healthy baby that that was what I was most anxious about. I had just started to get impatient when she asked. She did the whole, “I believe it’s a girl…” thing at first, which totally kills me. Fortunately, she did say “Yep, that’s a girl” and got the crotch shot. Not a close-up like with Reese, but it was there (or, as on baby girl u/s photos, It was not there. ) She was not moving around much at first, then she got going and was giving the tech a time trying to take a good picture of her heart. She finally did, and we got to see the 4 chambers. I’m so surprised by how much she moves around for the Doptone and the u/s because I feel some, but not much movement. She seems to move in protest to being squished so far. She had her hand up to her face and I told her “Get that hand down!” since Reese had been a compound presentation at birth (hand by the face) which gave Mama some pain.

Anyway, I was a little surprised. I really had thought it was a boy more than I realized. We haven’t talked at all about girl names, but it certainly does make life easier. Exact same season, we can reuse all of Reese’s clothes (poor girl) and bedding. They can share a room too, which is really great.

Here’s a profile picture for you.

And of me. 17 weeks +5 days. Photobooth make those easier when you are solo.

Sorry I haven’t been on much and am not likely to be on much for a while. Jonah and Caleb, two of Brian’s/my nephews were with us for 4 days and now I’m in Richmond, soon to be in the DC area, then back in Richmond for a week.

I did want to post that I had my 16 week appointment. It was routine, but for me that was special. The first two appointments I had were totally nerve-racking for me each time I waited for them to find the heartbeat. This time there was a student NP doing the Doptone, and the midwife commentated. The midwife warned the student it would be hard to find the heartbeat, and she wasn’t kidding! Fortunately, we got to hear a lot of kicks and the blood moving in the placenta, which were both really cool and special. When the student found the heartbeat, this look of total relief came over her face. The heartbeat was 140s-150s, which was lower than with Reese, making me think it might be a boy. We’ll see! Two weeks to go! I’m feeling the early twinges of kicks, which I love and I’m certainly “showing.” My belly now is the the size it was with Reese at about 25 weeks! Totally normal, fortunately.

I’ll try to get a picture, but don’t get your hopes up.