Weeks 12-13: It's likely a... boy!!

..........It's a BOY!!!..........

 (Well, it's a 95% chance)

 

This week has been the most exciting week so far! We had 2 appointments, one being Wednesday's routine 12 week appt with Dr. Shimer to hear the heartbeat and ask questions/review a few things (it was quick and relatively uneventful), and the second was the "sequential screening" on Thursday with a prenatal specialist to assess the risk for Downs Syndrome, Trisomy 18, and other neural tube defects. For that screening, a sonogram was performed to take specific measurements and two blood tests are analyzed as well.

David met me for Thursday's appointment and was a nervous wreck. You would have thought the actual birth was fast approaching! He became distant, quiet, and was just acting goofy. (In a cute way, though.) When he shook the doctor's hand, he apparently used a death grip because the doctor commented, "Strong handshake." Haha. Then David was pacing around the room and asking questions when the baby came up on the screen. Funny to watch, but it doesn't give me much hope that he will make it through the real day!

The specialist thoroughly analyzed the sonogram picture and said that everything looked healthy! The little one was putting on a show for us and was moving around all over the place and moving its hands and feet quickly. It was the first time that it all felt real. It was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Afterwards, I asked him his opinion on the sex and he said very confidently and directly, "It's a boy." He said he was 95% sure after asking him how confident he was! We both lit up! David was the happiest I've ever seen him. We went to Chick-Fil-A for lunch to celebrate.

We called our parents and the Biagini's were thrilled and also surprised after betting on a girl. My parents were ecstatic, and my dad asked about his new grandson's availability for Roughrider's baseball games in late August.

After work, I went to Target to get a little something for David to celebrate our big day!

 

 

Here's what's been going on the past few days and into next week as Wednesday marks the beginning of the 14th week!

• He begins to practice inhaling and exhaling movements.
• His neck is getting longer, and the chin no longer is resting on his chest.
• Hands are becoming more functional as he may find it comforting to start playing with his fist or even suck his thumb.
• At this point all nourishment is received from the placenta.
• Thyroid gland has matured and he begins producing hormones.
• The prostate gland develops.
• Lanugo (very fine hair) covers his body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age. Generally this will be shed prior to birth and its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water.
• Tiny ribs may soon appear.
• He is beginning to form urine and discharge it into the amniotic fluid.
• Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another!