Name Game

We have yet to take serious consideration in determining what the kiddo's name will be. However, we have brainstormed some names, some of which I am sure will be edited out once we sit down to actually review them. There are a number of factors that we ultimately measure each name against, from childhood through future career and life, which is what makes selecting a name so extremely difficult. Included in these are: current popularity (less is better), opportunities for peer teasing (this one is taken quite seriously by the once-Rikki Tikki Tavi), and future credibility in the professional world. And, of course, we have to like it. Our unedited list, in no particular order, currently includes the following names:

Casey
Peter
Paul
Mitchell
Zachary
Samuel
Owen
Todd
Reed
Glenn
Seth
Brett
Colin
Chad
Dominick
Isaac
Nate
Tobin

21 weeks

The baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed.

He is really on the move now. Fetal researchers say babies move about 50 times an hour even while sleeping. All that movement helps stimulate the baby's physical and mental development. While I haven't felt the consistency of movement that I felt with Franny at this point in the pregnancy, I have felt his movements more strongly over the past several days. We witnessed at the ultrasound that he is unquestionably a very active little guy, but for whatever reason, he doesn't seem to be kicking in a way that is always noticable to me. Soon, though, I hope!

His hearing is developing, and sounds from conversations can be heard inside the uterus--along with my heartbeat, stomach rumblings, and the pulsing of blood vessels. In fact, the womb is so noisy that it's been compared to an airport runway during takeoff; it's thought that the stimuli prepare the baby for the cacophony of noises, sights, and sounds that will greet him at birth.

20 weeks: the half-way mark

Amazingly enough, at 20 weeks, we have reached the half-way point for this pregnancy, which leaves another 20 weeks until the little guy joins the family. He now weighs about 10 1/2 ounces ; in length, he's around 6 1/2 inches long from head to rump, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, measurements are taken from the top of the baby's head to his rump. After that, measurements from head to toe are used. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against his torso during the first half of pregnancy, making accurate measurement difficult)

Also, a greasy white substance called vernix caseosa now coats his entire body to protect his skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. (This slick coating also eases the journey down the birth canal.)

He is swallowing more, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's the result of cell loss, digestive secretion, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in his bowels, and he will pass it in utero, or shortly thereafter.

Week 19

Well, now that I've caught you all up, here's what is currently going on for the little guy:

Over the last three weeks, he has doubled his weight and added inches to his length. At this point, he weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures about 6 inches head to rump. His arms and legs are finally in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body. His kidneys continue to function, and the hair on his scalp is starting to grow. Although he is able to hear some of the functions withing my body, over the next few weeks, he'll be able to hear voices outside the womb and respond positively to music or loving words. Also, a protective coating called Myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born.

This is a crucial time for sensory development. The baby's brain is growing rapidly. By this stage, all of the major areas have been differentiated. Now, the cortical layers, which govern specific brain functions, are beginning to form, designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch.

To catch up...

We are quickly approaching the half-way for this pregnancy. Amazingly, by 13 weeks, the most critical points of his development had already been completed--his body was fully formed, as were his tissue and organs. Even his unique fingerprints were established very early on. At this point, all he really has to do is grow and mature.

The changes that the little guy has already undergone is amazing. He can move his joints and even grasp; his skeleton, which has been rubbery cartilege, has begun to harden to bone. His more advanced body systems are working, including his circulatory system and urinary tract. With a heart rate of 140-160 bpm, his little heart pumps about 25 quarts of blood each day, circulating his total blood volume through his body many times. By the end of this pregnancy, this will increase to about 190 quarts. Although closed, his eyes are moving and he can sense light and darkness; his sense of hearing is also developing, as he is able to hear sounds, such as the flow of blood, the beating of my heart, and the rumblings of my stomach. He's even started growing toenails, teeth beneath his gums, and taste buds. Thanks to brain impulses, his little facial muscles are in continuous flux, as he squints, frowns, and grimaces. He may be able to suck his thumb. Finally, his body is now covered with lanugo, an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, which enables the baby to maintain a constant body temperature.

Whew! That's quite a lot to have accomplished in 18 short weeks, don't you think?

Due in June

On Friday, we had our ultrasound visit, which measured the baby's size and location, checked the level of amniotic fluid, evaluated the baby's basic anatomy, and determined the long-awaited question regarding the sex. And it is official: our baby is, without question, a boy.

A boy. Even the word sounds foreign at this point. We are so used to saying she, her, or girl, and being surrounded by a cloud of pink. While it is starting to slowly sink in, for some reason, it is slow to completely resonate. Franny is going to have a little brother. We are going to fall in love with his tiny body and precious soul, and he is going to charm us with his coos, laughs, cries, and unique personality. As the newest member of a very special family, our son will truly be blessed, as are we with him. Amazing. I am completely overwhelmed with this little person--this little boy--growing within me.

And so, with this entry I begin my baby boy blog. It will begin with the developments throughout the second half of my pregnancy and continue after his birth, tentatively anticipated for the first week of June.