Baby Rhodes

As my first post of the new year, I thought I would reveal our little secret... baby #2 is going to be named

Rhodes Steven

There is no use in trying to hide it this time around.  Ledger knows the name and whenever he points to my belly, he talks about "Baby Rhodes".  Rhodes is definitely developing a little personality in there.  He is ALL elbows and knees, I think, because he is continually "reminding" me that he's there.  I am pretty uncomfortable already -- especially when I've spent a lot of time on my feet.  My belly tightens up and just gets achey and I feel like I'm lugging my body around.  At work, I spend a lot of time on the floor and it is getting increasingly difficult to get myself back up!  I remember feeling this way when I was pregnant with Ledger, but not until I was further into the third trimester!!

Right now, baby Rhodes is 28 weeks along and I have just started the third trimester.  We had a 3D ultrasound on Monday and invited Grammie Pam and Oma Korey to join us to see the little man in action.  The technology is pretty cool -- you can really see a little face and person moving around in there.  Rhodes definitely gave us a good show.  He was sitting breech (butt down) for the photo session which allowed us a really good view of his face.  He was suckling and swallowing a lot -- normal practice for babies in the womb.  He moved a fair bit and even "waved" at his big brother Ledger.  It was pretty cool.  By the end of the session, he put his hands in front of his face as if to say I'M DONE.  The only disappointment was that we couldn't get a good confirmation picture of his "boy parts".  The ultrasound tech took quite a few measurements and said that Rhodes is measuring about a week big -- that is definitely different since Ledger was always right on for his age.

Just today I had my glucose tolerance test and doc doesn't think there is any cause for concern there.  My blood pressure is great (yay!) and my weight gain has been pretty minimal so far.  He noted that the baby is riding way up high, under my ribs, which is why I've been so much more uncomfortable this time around.  Sally, the ultrasound tech, snuck me back into the ultrasound room to see if we could get a good "boy parts" shot.  Luckily, he has turned back into the head down position and so we got a very convincing "boy" picture this time!  I have another "monthly" check at the beginning of February and then after that we'll start doing appointments every 2 weeks.  I really am nearing the "home stretch"!  We also re-addressed the issue with my tearing and scar tissue problems from the last birth and decided that during that last month, we'll probably just have to repeat a pelvic exam and make a judgement call on how big the baby is at that time.  To make a long story short, if there is a big risk of me tearing again, we may end up in a c-section.  I'm hoping that's not the case, but I trust my doctor and if he says that he thinks that will be best, then that's what we will do.

Can you see his little smile?

Hands in front of the face -- I'm done having my picture taken!

That is definitely a penis.  No question... it's a boy.