BDR = Gigantor

BDR in profile. Does she still have the Davis Chin? Or has she grown a Ross Ridge? We'll just have to wait to see.

This morning, KJ and I had what we (fingers-crossed) hope will be the last ultrasound for BDR. You may recall that we learned during her 20-week scan that she has a "bum kidney." Apparently, one of her renal drainage tubes measured out of range, and Dr. Shin wanted to make sure that she'd grown into them.

The good news is that BDR's fine. Her drainage tubes are "likely within range" for a fetus at her gestational age.

But what is her gestational age? All surveys say she's a solid week older than we anticipate, which suggests she'll be coming out the weekend of May 5 - 6.

Which is great - the earlier she emerges, the better at this point - but May 5 is the First Eucharist service for the Faith Formation kids, and is the only date in the upcoming three months - nay, year - that provides any inconvenience at all. Clearly, BDR is her mother's child.

The ultrasound itself was fine - BDR's so big now that it's kind of hard to make out anything. She certainly doesn't fit in one frame the way she did at 20 weeks. Our ultrasound tech was the same as our last scan, who was really friendly and helpful but told us way more information that he probably ought to. (The room is covered with signs informing patients that the ultrasound technicians CANNOT tell you anything diagnostic, so don't even ask mister.) Really, the only drag was that I couldn't lie on my back any longer (stupid vena cava) and had to roll over, away from the screen, so I missed out on the show. In retrospect, this was probably a stroke of luck, as I could easily see myself caving and looking for signs of BDR's female or maleness.

And, I apparently have great amniotic fluid.

In more exciting news (that we've suspected all along), it seems that BDR's already cracking the scales at over 7 pounds. With four weeks to go, this means we may be on track to have a 9 pound baby. And, if her most recent femur measurements are correct, a short, 9 pound baby.

Yeah, BDR's a butterball. It must be all of those jellybean waffles I've been eating.

BDR is NOT in breech position...yet

BDR, 32 weeks...almost done!

We had an appointment this morning with Dr. Shin, our OB-GYN. Everything has been going so well that I kind of feel like we're a boring case for the doctors. Well, a good boring. I really have had very few side effects with pregnancy (other than the increasing discomfort with toting around BDR and her habitat), very few Braxton-Hicks contractions, and no complications.*

And, we're cleared for camping this weekend. Although...we didn't really ask about backpacking. Dr. Shin just reminded me to drink lots of water and to put on sunscreen.

The good news is that (at least for right now) BDR is NOT in breech position, as I have dreamt about for the past two weeks or so. This is a relief, as we covered C-sections in our last birth class, and neither Kevin nor I were able to stomach the pulling-apart-your-abdominal-muscles part. Ug.

BDR still likes the right side, though, and particularly likes to wedge her little feet under my ribs. She's also starting to bulge out in weird ways. Kevin's new term of endearment? Lumpy.

*Actually, you may recall that BDR has a bum kidney. We'll have it looked at in a couple of weeks to see just how bum it is.

Baby Davis-Ross, Preview Edition #3

The last week of Trimester Two.
27 weeks down, 13 to go.