Goodbye, Playdoh. Hello, Baby!

This is not my belly.  I bet this is a skinny model with a stuffed pregnancy pillow.

I have a confession.  I spent a lot of money yesterday.  Jt and I shop for clothes only when we have to, and when I say "have to," I mean we wore through our clothes and the ones on our backs are threadbare.  For whatever reason, it is a chore for each of us.  My wardrobe of black everything (thanks to the salon) was beginning to fade over time and since I've been working from home, I didn't notice all that much.  Then baby came along and everything started changing.  We hope to have lots of children, so I figured I might as well invest in a maternity wardrobe.  It's nice to have clothes that fit!  And I really don't know that I'll ever go back to normal jeans and pants again!  I love this stretchy waste band business aka Thanksgiving pants.  For the first time today, I pulled the stretchy part up over my belly and it felt so good!

Today, we had an ultrasound and, my, how baby has grown over the past since 10 weeks since he/she was a Playdoh blob.  Of course, I teared up seeing the profile of MY CHILD.  It's still so surreal.  We are 20 weeks and 5 days into this new journey, and time is escaping us so quickly. (For those who don't know, 40 weeks is full term.)

In the early stages of the baby's development, the eyes and ears are actually set back pretty far on the head.  I won't lie...I have been a little worried that the eyes and ears would never move to the center properly, but everything is in the right place!!!!  We got to see our babies arms, and adorable feet.  We were stunned by it's sweet but prominent nose (definitely takes after me!).  We got to see the heart beat steady and strong, and were in awe of the intricacy of our baby's healthy spine.

Our technician said this Nugget was a "wild little stinker."  Apparently, our little love bug was pretty active and wouldn't sit still and behave for the images.  The strange part is that I didn't feel any of its movements.  I thought my baby was pretty still, though I wonder if the pineapple juice I had for breakfast fueled my little rugrat with a sugar rush...  The technician also noted that our baby was sitting Indian-style, totally cross-legged.  I love it!!  So cute!  

There are two things the radiologist mentioned and I'm eager to talk them over with the midwife next week.

1. I couldn't find or remember the abbreviation or the proper medical term, but basically there was a white spot on the baby's heart.  (Let's call it a "heart birthmark.")  This is a characteristic of Trisomy 21 (Down's Syndrome) though 4% of normal, healthy babies also share this characteristic.   If this baby has Down's, then we know it is God's well-intentioned plan and we will be well equipped as my 15 year old nephew also has this syndrome.  My brother and sis-in-law would no doubt be a wealth of information, support, and education.  Though we will gladly receive any outcome, we are praying that our baby is that 4% that is just rocking a little heart birthmark.

2.  I have partial placenta previa.  The placenta usually attaches to the top or side of the uterus, however, mine is low.   Sometimes the placenta will naturally make it's way back up the uterus.   I'll go in for another ultrasound in 7 weeks to see if the placenta has moved, so please, please pray that God see fit to move my placenta up.  Where the placenta is placed also acts as a barrier which is why I haven't felt my baby's "moves like Jagger."  If the placenta doesn't move and continues to hover over the cervix, this could potentially mean bed rest, no vacation back East, an early delivery, and a C-section.  I really very strongly desire a natural, vaginal birth AND a healthy baby.  

Would you like to see Baby Tanner now?

This is our nugget's side profile.  Nugget is definitely taking on my schnozz!

This is our sweet nugget's face.  The obstruction you see is the umbilical cord.  

We are having a fabulous party on Saturday and are eagerly looking forward to finding out what this sweet angel is along with our friends. There will be lots of pictures and a video, so stay tuned for that exciting blog post!  Please be in prayer with us that God would strengthen our walk with Him, increase our faith, and move the placenta up.  We praise Him for this healthy gift of life He's bestowed upon us!