13 weeks and end of the first trimester!

I am so happy to be at the end of my first trimester! I have been so busy these last two weeks I haven't really noticed if I am tired. I actually feel pretty normal. We had a great time at my ten year college reunion! I will try to post a few pictures tomorrow. We have Simon & Ellie this weekend and will be taking them trick-or-treating on Halloween so I will have more pictures next week!

Your pregnancy: 13 weeks
How your baby's growing:Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

I guess our baby is a large shrimp since we know he/she was already 3 inches long last week! I am sure he/she has grown a little since then!

Love,
Tiffany & Sean

Results of Nuchal Translucency Test

We went to a specialist today, Dr. McGhee, for our Nuchal Translucency Test. We decided not to have an amniocentesis, since it is not recommended unless I am 35 or older, but to have a non-invasive pre-screening test done for Down Syndrome. (The Nuchal Trancslucency Test, performed between 11 and 14 weeks of pregnancy, uses ultrasound to measure the clear space in the folds of tissue behind a developing baby's neck. (Babies with DS and other chromosomal abnormalities tend to accumulate fluid there, making the space appear larger.) This measurement, taken together with the mother's age and the baby's gestational age, can be used to calculate the odds that the baby has DS. Nuchal translucency testing is usually performed along with a maternal blood test.)

Dr. McGhee did the ultrasound and we got to watch the baby move around for at least 15 minutes! In the top picture the baby is waving (or I think about to suck his/her thumb), the middle and last picture are from about waist up. Apparently he/she was not in the right position for the doctor to measure the space in the neck for a while so we had to wait and watch. The doctor pointed out two hands with five fingers on each one, two feet, two eyes, a nose, mouth, two ears, heart, liver, and all the major organs! He said our baby is very active! Once the baby was in the right position he measured the space in the neck and immediately said 1.19. Sean said, "Oh good!" but I had no idea what 1.19 meant. Dr. McGhee said that if the number was 2.5 or above his voice would be changing dramatically right now and we would be having a very serious conversation but since it was a low number all signs are indicating that we have a healthy baby! We will get the final results when my bloodwork comes back on Thursday but everything looks good. Conveniently Sean was out of the room when the nurse took my blood this time, ha! We will go back in 3-4 weeks for a follow up where Dr. McGhee measures the space again to make sure the number still falls within the normal range.

We do want to find out if we are having a boy or a girl and the doctor told us what he thinks we are having!!!!! But, we won't be officially announcing the gender until a few more weeks after another ultrasound. Surprisingly Dr. McGhee asked me if I was sure of my due date? I said May 1st is the estimated due date my doctor gave me and I was accurate with the dates I gave him. Apparently our little one is developing quickly. Dr. McGhee said from crown to rump he/she is about 3" long, which developmentally is about 14 weeks, which would estimate my due date as April 19th instead of May 1st!

I am 12 weeks and 3 days. Here is what babycenter.com says about how the baby is developing:

Your pregnancy: 12 weeks
How your baby's growing:The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

We are so excited to be at the end of the first trimester! I feel great and have my energy back. We have my TCU 10 year Reunion/Homecoming this weekend. We can't wait to see everyone and catch up! I will try to post a few pictures next week.

Love,
Tiffany & Sean

11 week update

We went to the doctor this afternoon and had an ultrasound. Everything is great. We heard the baby's heartbeat it was an unbelieveable experience! The nurse took several viles of blood and I am usually quite squeemish. (ask my Mom, I fainted once when I had blood taken when I was 14) But amazingly I found someone who is worse than me, my husband! I had to tell Sean not to look and that it would be ok. He did stay in the room and hold my hand. Gee, I wonder how he will be in the delivery room? =)

Somehow last week flew by and I missed the 10 week update but he/she was the size of a kumquat. This week he/she is the size of a fig and is doing "water ballet"! Here is what babycenter.com says how our baby is developing. See below:

Your pregnancy: 11 weeks
Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.

Our next doctor's apoint is 4 weeks from today on November 10th. I will post a few updates between now and then.

Love,
Tiffany & Sean

Top Golf

Sean and his mini-me!
Simon hitting the ball
Ellie and her Daddy
What a cutie!

State Fair of Texas

We took the kids to the State Fair last weekend. We had so much fun. We spent most of our time on the kiddie rides and walking around. No, we did not try the chicken fried bacon (yuck!) although the line was wrapped around the corner! We did all have corny dogs and split a funnel cake. As you can see, Simon lost his front tooth. (a few weeks ago) The other one is loose so it looks like he will be missing both by the time we have their Christmas pictures taken!