US appointment, April 8th

Today, I went to the doctor for an ultrasound appointment.  I thought I was scheduled for next Tuesday, but, to keep a long story short, there was miscommunication with the receptionist and I ended up going today instead.

Below is a picture that I accidentally took instead of a  video of the baby moving around on the ultrasound images. 

*I thought I was measuring around 22 weeks and 2 days, but according to my doctor's notes, I'm measuring closer to 23 weeks. However, she has said that as long as the baby is measuring within a 4 week range (2 weeks "younger" or 2 weeks "older"), that everything is fine, and that it will change every month.

Below is an US image of the spine.

Below is the measurement of the leg.

*David had to work this afternoon, so I went alone but was able to take some short video clips (I'll post them tomorrow...) while sitting sitting in the ultrasound room as the doctor was rubbing the ultrasound device over the gel on my belly.  It wasn't easy!

Below is a picture of the leg bending at the knee.

*The doctor said baby girl has "great muscle tone."  I said, "What?!  Can you really tell that the baby has good muscle tone while she's still in my body?" and she said that she can from the images.  Crazy!  I guess that's cool that she's already got some strong arms and legs!

Below is a 3-dimensional image of the side of the baby's face. 

*The baby was moving around A LOT and wasn't exactly cooperating with us to get some good profile pictures.  My doctor did her best to get a face shot, having me move from one side to the other and trying to get a good angle of her face, but we were only able to get one picture of the side of her face after five minutes of trying.  The doctor called her a "wild child."  I am okay with a "wild child," and I just feel grateful that she is moving around and alive with energy inside of there!  I am pretty certain that I felt her kick me once while the doctor was trying to get a good face picture.

Below is a 3-dimensional image of the baby's foot. 

Below is an image of the heart.  The fetal heart beat measured at 156 bpm, which the doctor said was great. 

*The baby weighs 1 lb, 1 oz.  The doctor was able to get this estimated weight from the ultrasound waves on the machine.

*My blood pressure was 102 over 64.

*The next doctor's appointment is on May 6th when I will need to take a glucose test.  I've heard

about this where I will need to drink a bottle of sugar water and they take my blood exactly an hour after I drink the sugar water at my appointment to analyze results.  I heard it's gross to drink, and the nurse just recommended that I drink it cold and just chug it down instead of sipping it to get it over with.  I think I already have "pregnancy brain" and forgot the bottle at the doctor's office, so I need to go back and pick it up this week.

Below are my "Tuesday selfies" just because I thought that I might as well take some more pictures to record the progress of the belly.  My doctor today exclaimed, "Wow you've popped, haven't you?!" when she opened the door and saw me perched up on the ultrasound bed.  I guess it's really growing, as much as I don't notice it when I see myself in the mirror every morning!