Week 18: Bell Pepper

According to BabyCenter, Bean is now about 5 1/2 inches long and weighs almost 7 ounces. She's able to flex her arms and legs now, which I guess I should be able to start noticing soon! Her blood vessels are visible through her skin, and her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. Here is the latest shot of Bean from our most recent doctor's appointment on January 2nd:

Cusp of week 16-17 ultrasound

(Note: We didn't get a printout of the view that showed what seemed to be the "girl parts" that I discussed in my last post, so you'll just have to take my word for it.)

So now I have some really good news to report! We just got the results from the AFP (alpha-fetoprotein) test, aka Quad Screen. The AFP is a blood test that screens for certain birth defects such as: open neural tube defects (such as spina bifida), abdominal wall defects, chromosomal abnormalities such (as Down syndrome and Trisomy 18), and Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. I have to admit that being the natural worrier I am, was concerned. I've heard many stories about how prevalent "false positives" are with this test, and especially given my age, I was secretly preparing for the possibility of having to undergo further testing. To my (our) delight, all the tests came back NEGATIVE! YAY!! Which means no further testing will be necessary, which means we will NOT be doing an amniocentesis, which we are very glad about! Because, although amnios are supposed to be 99% accurate in detecting these types of birth defects, it is also a highly invasive test, that carries with it a 1/300 chance of miscarriage, so we wanted to avoid having to do this unless it was deemed absolutely necessary. Since our AFP results are good, Bean is good, we are good...and so very relieved to be skipping that whole scary business! :)

I feel the need to mention here that we have been extremely lucky and blessed thus far and this is a fact that is not lost on us one bit. We have very good friends who have experienced complications either with conceiving or during their pregnancies, and we feel extremely grateful for our experience thus far. Yes, I am a worrier. But I am trying to be better, and I'm trying to keep in mind that there is no good reason why the pregnancy can't or won't go smoothly. Ash also reminded me of this very thing the other day, and it's true.

Now, this part may sound kooky to anyone who wasn't fortunate enough to know my mom, but I strongly believe that she's got a hand in all this, which gives me even more reason to believe that everything will be okay and that I needn't worry. This goes beyond the she's "watching over me" cliche- if you knew "Aunty" Linda, you knew how truly amazing she was. She promised me that she would be working "behind the scenes" (Lisa, I know you're picturing her with a clipboard in hand!) - and I know she's been at it - to get me the things in life that she wanted for me (and that I wanted for myself), including Brian coming into my life, and now Bean. When I think about how things in my life have fallen into place, I have no doubt that she is at least partially responsible. Call me crazy if you want, or you can just talk to anyone else who knew her and who could attest to her special powers- she could *so* do this, people!

Okay, so back to this week. I've started to show. Like, all of a sudden. Like, within the last week and a half or so. I believe the term is to say that I've "popped." All I know is that my tummy is sticking out and a coworker even said, "Whoa! You look really pregnant!" when I walked into the office Monday morning. So, here's a picture of me, taken last Sunday (I feel even bigger now).

Bump, circa the beginning of Week 18 (aka: It's not all fat anymore.)

On the topic of food, Brian took me to Crustacean on Saturday for a very lovely birthday dinner, whereupon I managed (as always) to devour an entire garlic roasted crab on my very own. This was our third visit to this amazing eatery, and I decided that I'm never as much of a pig as I am at Crustacean (which is saying a lot). I'm sure I must look really cute, too. The best part? I'm completely unashamed. That place is A-maaaa-zing! In slightly less-piggy news, I think I've hit a pregnancy milestone: I actually craved a salad yesterday! That's right, a salad! I think the salad thing started after I met my friend Christine for lunch last Friday at Urth Cafe and had a really yummy one, and then we had another really good one at dinner on Saturday night. (Note to self: Need to go back to Crustacean to buy some of their miso dressing.) Then yesterday I had a yummy spinach salad for lunch and it really hit the spot! I might even have a salad for dinner tonight! :)

Special thoughts going out to my fellow mamas-to-be, if I may. Thinking especially of Heather, who will be a mommy by this time next week (please send good thoughts her way as she is kind of freaking out right now), and to Jen, who continues to be the most amazing trooper bedrest has ever seen. You're the awesomest, seriously!