Baby Willow!

As planned, we had our first ultrasound on May 20. After confirming that our baby had all the right parts and the right quantity of each, our ultrasound technician (who informed us she'd been doing it since 1978) said she was 99% sure we are having a daughter. Happy tears just poured down my face. With the distinct lack of girls on Don's side of the family, we were convinced we were expecting a boy, so it came as quite a surprise. Of course we would have been just as happy with either, but it is so fun to know now and to think about our baby girl.

Here are her first few pictures:

This one shows her heart.

This one shows her stomach (the larger black dot) and her bladder, I think (the smaller black dot).

And this one Don fondly calls "Skeletoria" (he has a copy on his desk at work).

First Family Portrait

Auntie Mel and Baby Willow

The next day we had another visit with the baby doctor, who told us that my "Quad Screening" blood test showed no increased risk for genetic abnormalities, so we won't be having further, more invasive tests. Phew!

The nesting instinct has started to kick in, so we've set up the crib and the dresser/changing table, and moved my dresser and the TV out of the baby's room and into our room. Last weekend, my friend Stephanie and her daughter Katherine helped me find my first maternity clothes at Target and start a registry at Babies 'R Us. Both the bedding I purchased and the dresser have bunnies on them, and the mobile on the crib has birds, so I think we're going for a forest animal theme in the nursery. It's starting to come together - now I just need to get painting in there before I fill it with too much more stuff!

We're now at 21 weeks and she's the length of a carrot. So big!

The Second Trimester Is Here

Hi all!

Sorry it's been so long between posts. Over a month has passed and things are progressing well. Auntie Mel joined us for our most recent doctor appointment and got to hear the "whump-whump-whump" of the baby's heartbeat, until she made me laugh too hard and almost got us kicked out of the place. Both our first ultrasound and our next dr appointment are scheduled for May 20. Hopefully we'll get to find out if we are expecting "Baby Henry" or "Baby Willow!"

Brace yourselves, here come the pictures! These were taken last week (at 15 weeks):


















Now we're in week 16 and the baby is the size of an avocado. I've started to feel little flutters in my tummy, and a couple of times I've felt almost like a little tap inside. I usually feel the most at night, though I've felt the baby move a few times during the day at work, which is really fun. It takes me away from my job and reminds me of what an exciting time this is.

We've started setting up the baby's room, and are filling it with lots of generously donated "gently used" items from friends, along with a few items I "just had to have." Mel's planning on setting up a changing table and crib at her apartment for naps and sleepovers, too.

And, the other exciting news is that my sister Loni and her husband are also expecting a baby, due in November! We are overjoyed that the cousins will be so close in age. Here's a picture from her first ultrasound:


Isn't it cute?! Congratulations Loni and Hamoodi!

What a Spectacle!

We're very happy that the blog has been a hit with you all so far.

Current status: Feeling a little ill once or twice a day, but usually if I eat something I feel better. Tomorrow makes 12 weeks and the baby will be the size of a lime.

Picture time!

Here are mommy and daddy, with their brand new glasses (thus the title of this post):

Next is Don, preparing for his first ride of the season. Mom and The Lime have to stay home.

One more, for the ladies. Check out how tough the future papa was last month when we were in New York City:

Yeah, that's my man. :)

First OB Visit

This morning we went to see the doctor for our first OB visit. Our primary doc is on maternity leave, so we met Dr. Wesley today instead. She'll see us for the first few visits until Dr. Noll is back.

Mostly we just answered lots of medical history questions, a surprising number of which were about tuberculosis, which fortunately neither of us have ever had. Then came the standard physical part, which, though unpleasant as usual, ended with the doc saying, "Everything looks just perfect!" which was encouraging to say the least.

Then came the best part. She took out a little walkman looking thing with a wand attached, and after a few seconds of rolling it around my lower abdomen, we started to hear a strong, thumpy little beat. "Sounds just right," said Dr. Wesley, and I couldn't have agreed more.

So, we're having a baby! Feel free to tell anyone you've been waiting to tell. I told my boss and my team lead today, and will probably tell the rest of my team sometime this week.

We're planning to keep this blog updated, and don't worry, there will be photos to come. As I told Grama on Sunday, my belly is just now starting to look like a baby belly and less like a fat belly.

Time to finish making dinner - baby and mommy are hungry!