12 week ultrasound

Today was a great day. We had our first ultrasound at 9:30 this morning... and it was an incredible feeling to see the baby for the first time. I still can't believe that it's living inside me and I can't feel a thing. I'm not-so-paitently waiting for the first kick or hiccup.

The baby was cooperating throughout the tests until they needed to do the nuchal translucency test, the test they do to determine the risk of down syndrome. We just couldn't get the baby to move to the right position. It took over an hour and three nurses to find the measurement, which they dertermined to be 1.6. Anything above 3 is considered risky so we're in the clear.

Here's our little one... with a heartbeat of 158 and measuring roughly 2 inches, about the size of a lime. In the bottom picture it even looks like the baby is sucking its thumb. You can even see tiny fingers. At one point during the ultrasound the little one was even waving it's hand like it was saying hi. I got tears in my eyes at that point.


We even got lucky and got to see a 3D image... You can see one arm up near its face and the little legs all squished up in there.I also took a picture of my belly at 12 weeks. I wish I would have taken one sooner so you could see the difference, but take my word that the little pooch was not there 12 weeks ago. :)

Here's what babycenter.com says is happening this week:

Your baby's hit the 2-inch mark (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce. Her face is beginning to look more human. Her eyes, which started out on the sides of her head, have moved closer together on her face, and her ears are near their final positions on the sides of her head. Your baby's intestines, which have grown so rapidly that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into her abdominal cavity about now. Her kidneys are secreting urine into her bladder. Her nerve cells have been multiplying rapidly, and synapses (neurological pathways in the brain) are forming. Your baby may have acquired more reflexes by now, including sucking, and she'll even squirm if you prod your abdomen, though you still won't be able to feel her movement for several weeks.

Love to all!