Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Alan and I headed in for the big 20-week ultrasound today. We stayed strong and stuck with our wish to be surprised about the gender, so we'll be continuing on the path of buying baby greens and yellows. The baby got a clean bill of health though, and we're very happy about that. I get butterfly-nervous before every appointment, so it's always good to get confirmation that everything is right on track.

During this scan, they focus on the anatomy to make sure that everything is developing properly. The sonographer spent about 10 minutes looking at the heart. One push of a button turned the blood into vibrant reds and blues so that we could see the blood pumping through the heart, body and umbilical cord. Then she moved on and checked out each bone of the arms and legs. We got to count fingers and toes before heading up and checking out the brain and head.

She elevated the table at one point so that my head was down and my feet were way up to try to move the baby into a better position so she could check out the head. After awhile, she asked if I was doing OK. OK? I could have been hanging from my ankles and I would have done it all day. Who wouldn't want to look at this little one?
In the top one, you can see the profile of the head at the right, the spine at the bottom. That little black spot is the stomach, ready for a Big Mac in 19 weeks or so. In the bottom one, you can clearly see him/her practicing a yell with a wide-open mouth. The tooth buds are even visible on the lower jaw.

On the right: It could be skull, but it could also be a spike of hair at the front of the forehead. A punk-rocker in the making.
I'll be the first to admit that those 3D images that look like molded clay are a little freaky. But our clay baby? Our clay baby is adorable!


That little arm and hand just kill me.

View from head on, head tilted. You can even see where the little belly button will be.

This one is my favorite. He/she looks so warm and cozy. Makes me want to take a nap.

Barring any unforeseen events (me breaking an arm, Alan injuring himself building something or the doctor needing to check the baby's position), the next time we'll head to the hospital is when I'm in labor. And the next time we'll see the baby is when the baby is here. We've got some gettin' ready to do!