Appointment & 15 Week Update

We had our 3rd dr.'s appointment today. Apparently, I'm really bad at knowing what's going to happen in advance. I thought we were getting an ultrasound to do that testing, but instead, they just killed my arm, taking blood. I can't straighten it out right now, it feels so bruised. Heartbeat was good at 155, which makes Brian happy. He's stuck on that old wives tale about heartbeats and gender determination. We've gone from 171, to 164, to 155 bpm. Apparently, if the heartbeat is above 140, it's girl and under 140 is a boy. We're getting closer to his magic number, but not yet.

We scheduled our next ultrasound for July 14th and then the next appointment with the doctor on July 16th, which will be at 18 weeks. Crazy. If we decide to find out the sex, we'll know on July 14th. OH, I also found out that I'll have to drink 8oz of water every 15 minutes for an hour before that appointment, because the ultrasound has to be on a full bladder. 32oz of water without peeing is not going to go down well. I'll finally know what it feels like to be Brian. :)

Other than that, not much has been happening. We leave tomorrow to head to NYC and Portland. That's right, east coast to west coast. I'll post some photos along the way, or when we get back, something like that. In the meantime, read below to find out what kind of changes are going on with Little Frink.

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")