Two of a kind...

Baby Girl Miller on top -- Wesley on bottom (both with their hand on their forehead)

Looking at these two ultrasound pictures I’m struck with the realization that I now have two babies. Shouldn’t be too much of a shocker, huh? But, it really is. It’s hard for me to grasp that. I’ve been a mom of one for seven years now. Back when Wesley was little and people would ask me if I wanted more kids I would say, “Yeah, but not for a long time.” I expected there to be at least eight years between Wesley and the next one since I was ‘planning’ on going to vet school straight out of undergrad. God had different plans for me (I wouldn’t change a thing now). The older Wesley got the more I wanted another baby. It wasn’t that strong of an urge until Anthony & I got married. Then I dreamed of nothing more than to have a child with him & to feel the weight of my own baby in my arms again. Now, after some very impatient waiting on my part for it to be the right time, it’s coming true. After so much waiting & wanting I keep having these moments where I stop & think, “It’s really happening. We’re really going to have a baby.” Every time Wesley says something about his baby sister, it’s like my mind does a double take. Then I go, “Oh, yeah. We’re having a baby.” Maybe by the time she gets here it will be really real to me. For now I’m enjoying the secret pleasure I get from feeling her kick & flip inside my belly all day + looking at her ultrasound pictures and trying to picture her beautiful face + collecting lots of little pink things.

Lil' Carrot & 20 week belly pic...

Baby is about the size of a carrot (~ 10.5 inches long). Her taste buds are beginning to form.

And, here's a belly picture for 20 weeks...


I found out today that two of the professors in my department actually didn't know I was pregnant. One thought I might be but knew better than to ask a woman if she's pregnant (smart guy), but the other didn't have a clue. One of the other professors was telling me about a conversation she & some others were having at lunch earlier this week talking about the baby pool we have going (see link in post above) & he was like, "What? Mindy's pregnant?" She said they all got a good laugh out of him being totally clueless. I thought it was pretty funny, too. He came by my office today & congratulated me & confessed that he just found out. I was like, "Did you think I was just getting chubby?" He very wisely side-stepped that question. :)

IT'S A GIRL!!!

After what seems like forever waiting to find out, we have finally found out we're having a girl. Here are some ultrasound pictures...

In case you didn't know, babies in utero are verrryyy limber. In the picture below her legs are extended above her head (which doesn't look very comfortable to me). I labeled some of the different parts so you would know what you're looking at.

The one below shows her face really well. She had her hand on her head the whole time the tech was trying to take a profile picture. I have an ultrasound of Wesley doing the exact same thing.

Another profile pic...

And, the one & only time I will post a picture of my daughter's bits on the internet. For those who don't have children, the way they tell the gender is by looking for either boy parts (obviously) or looking for the three lines you can see in the picture below, indicating it's a girl. It's not simply the absence of the boy parts that makes them think it's a girl. And, that's your anatomy lesson for the day. :) (In case you're having a hard time figuring out what you're looking at, her booty is to the right and her legs are pointing to the left, on the top & bottom of the words "Girl").

She was very active the whole time the tech was trying to get the right shots for the measurements she has to have. The doctor said everything looks good.

Grrr.....

My big ultrasound was scheduled for 3:00 this afternoon, but had to be rescheduled due to the ultrasound tech having a family emergency. Sooo, I get to wait some more (not happy about that). It is now scheduled for Monday at 8:30 am.

As for a 20 week update, the baby is about 10" long (head to heel - at twenty weeks they switch from measuring crown to rump to using head to heel) & weighs about 10.5 oz. Newsletter says it's roughly the size of a banana. Its hearing is developed enough now that it can probably hear my heartbeat and the noises my stomach makes. It will be a few weeks before it can make out the sound of mine & others' voices. Right now (and at this time every afternoon) he/she is doing all kinds of acrobatics & karate kicks. I read that it takes a couple hours for nutrients to reach the baby after meals, so the sugar from that slice of hershey's pie I had after lunch is probably kicking in right about now.

Tune in Monday for ultrasound pics & the big announcement, as promised.

Superman & 19 weeks...

Wesley was Superman for Halloween (more specifically Clark Kent). Here's one of the pictures I took of him (minus the glasses that made him look more like a Drew Carey look-alike than a Clark Kent one).
And, my 19 week belly pic...

Grapefruit...

Almost halfway (hard to believe). Newsletter says at 19 weeks the baby is about 6" long & about the size of a grapefruit. Good news: the nausea is almost totally gone. Over the last week I've stopped taking my nausea medicine. I still feel it a little in the mornings, but it's not anywhere near as bad as it was - definitely tolerable now (as long as I don't drink juice or milk in the mornings). I feel like jumping up & down and shouting, "Hallelujah!" I was beginning to think I would be plagued with it for the entire pregnancy.

He/she is really starting to do some acrobats in there, especially after lunch & when I'm laying down to go to sleep at night. Love, love, love feeling the little kicks & flips. Anthony has been in Las Vegas since last Wed. for work - can't wait for him to get home on Monday so he can finally feel the baby move.

Only one more week until the big appt. I will try to post scans of the ultrasounds next Thurs. night for all to see.