The Craig Family Logbook: 19 weeks

We had our official ultrasound Monday, and were able to see Baby Craig again! The quality of the pictures/ultrasound was not nearly as clear and easy to see as the one in Oklahoma City even though B.C. is 2 weeks older! This ultrasound was more of medical test, and they measured him, weighed him (some how??), and checked out all of his organs. The doctor said he looks PERFECT!! He is free from all the abnormalities that they check for (Down's Syndrome, Structural Heart Defects (No Mitral Valve Prolapse like MOM - YAY), Cleft Palate, Kidney Tumors, Abdominal Wall Openings, or Spinal Bifida... Those were the one's she told me about ). She also said he weighed 8 oz. which is about 1/2 pound, measured about 8 inches long, and had a heart rate of 150 (much slower than the first couple of visits). She did say that the baby is in the 50 percentile for his weight and encouraged me to eat more (not sure how I could do that) to get my weight where she wants it. On the ultrasound, she could see that he had a full tummy (amniotic fluid...YUM!) and a full bladder. Yes, the bladder empties and the baby drinks up some more amniotic fluid... GROSS!

We are still deciding on a name, and having a really tough time with this. I am getting inpatient, but I guess we have plenty of time. I can definitely tell that he is getting bigger, and I can feel him sitting on my guts now... I can tell exactly where he is lying. He seems to have a preference for my right lower side... I thought he was squishing my appendix the other night! My belly is still not noticeable to people who do not know I am pregnant, but my friends and co-wokers (and J) have really been able to tell a difference in the last week! I have been playing B.C. music at night while I read my books (I really love the girlfriend's guide to pregnancy, first years, etc... books! They are funny and interesting to read!) Tonight B.C. got to listen to Kenny G Radio on Pandora, and I have noticed the only times I felt movement flutters has been while I play him music...maybe he will get his Dad's musical ability (Jason use to play the drums, and can secretly sing pretty good too)!

Development this week:
This week your baby starts bulking up and packing on the grossly named "brown fat" he'll need to keep warm when he gets evicted from his comfortable uterine home. Other highlights this week:
Vernix, a milky white coating that protects your baby's skin, appears all over your baby's body to keep his skin from getting pickled in the amniotic fluid. Think of it as if your baby has been dipped in yogurt, like those delicious but fake-healthy yogurt-covered raisins and pretzels. Ooh, we feel another craving comin' on. ... Under the vernix, a fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo now covers baby's body.
Don't worry, your Mini won't look like Cousin It when he's born. Most of the fuzz will fall off before baby makes his grand entrance.
Good news: Your baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week. Bad news: That means there will be lots of diapers in your future. But so far you're safe—at the moment the pee just passes into the amniotic fluid.
He or she now weighs about 8½ ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread (or Honey Oat bread, or Oregano bread or ...)

I will try to post some pictures from the ultrasound and my belly tomorrow. I do not have these pictures on CD it is hard to get them online...That shiny paper doesn't scan or photograph well.