Happy Halfway There!

Here we are, the halfway mark 20 weeks! This means that we only have 140 more days until I could deliver, 16 weeks until the cerclage comes out, and I am off bed rest, and 4 weeks until I hit my first mini goal. (Can you tell I have been counting down). In terms of the baby, her skin is becoming covered with a waxy-like substance called vernix which will protect her skin from becoming scratched or chapped. She is also starting to produce meconium, the result of digestion, which will accumulate in her bowels and eventually pass during delivery or in her first diaper :) Adorable. Now in honor of my 20 weeks, we decided to do one and only one belly photo in front of Sloane's chalkboard. When I was pregnant with Sloane I did a monthly photo to show my belly progress, and at 20 weeks was the last photo I took with her so I never erased the chalkboard and wont. I put them side by side so you can see the difference between the sisters :). I also did a fun little update.

Sloane on the left, Baby Girl on the right

How far along? 20 weeks
Total weight gain: 5lbs
Maternity clothes? definitely tops, but being on bed rest I mainly rock yoga pants
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: it depends on the night, some nights I sleep like a rock while other nights all I do is toss and turn. It also will depend on the injections and how my butt is feeling after
Best moment this week: bringing jessica with me today to give her a look into the preggo world :) and her first ultrasound
Miss Anything? Life! ha getting up and just doing whatever I please 
Movement: This little girl has her times messed up because she is moving and kicking right when I am going to bed and will not stop. However I have been feeling her so much everyday, Marty calls her the female version of Bruce Lee haha
Food cravings: still buffalo sauce, and then just randoms. Portillos cheeseburger with cheese fries, gyros, and lime Popsicles
Anything making you queasy or sick: brushing my teeth
Gender: Girl!
Labor Signs: none and thank jesus!
Symptoms: crazy bloody noses, peeing every 15 minutes, heartburn, some rib pain and round ligament pain from my belly stretching
Belly Button in or out? in however it's stretching horizontally
Wedding rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time: honestly lately moody and if you ask my family they'd say I am always moody however now that its getting close to when I had all those problems with Sloane I am beyond nervous and moody and scared
Looking forward to: hitting my first mini goal of 24 weeks. We can do it!

 

Now on to our appointment with Dr. Khater today. Notice the sonogram photo of our "high maintenance" little girl because that's exactly what she was today during the ultrasound. Face down hands over face giving us everything but a cute little profile picture. One of my very best friends Jessica even came with me to see her first ultrasound and this is what her niece gave her Auntie Jess, nothing! I am even weary about showing you all this photo because of how silly it looks but if you can tell its her spine up top and her head to the right and she is facing down. Not one of her best. However we had an amazing appointment today. Cervix is measuring at 4cm (which at this point with Sloane my cervix was only measuring a 2.5cm) and there is no pressure on the stitch what so ever. For the baby's anatomy scan everything looks wonderful. All four heart chambers, brain looking great, eyes, ears, and nose all developed perfectly! We also decided to get the MaterniT21 test done today. The MaterniT21 PLUS test, is a laboratory-developed test (LDT) that analyzes circulating cell-free DNA extracted from a maternal blood sample. The test detects the relative amount of 21, 18, 13 and Y chromosomal material. So we should get the results back in 2 weeks. No matter what the tests shows nothing will change, our doctors just recommended that we get it done. So next appointment is January 14th with Dr. Font and then January 29th with Dr. Khater. Dr. Khater did say that if I feel the need to come in for an ultrasound at anytime in the next 4 weeks to call and they will squeeze me in. These next 4 weeks are going to be mentally and physically hard on me, I am not going to lie but I will remain as positive as I can for this little one. Keep the prayers coming especially now, for a quiet, stable next 29 days :). I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! 2013 is the year for the Mitchells :)