Madalyn Rhea Garner - Weeks 18 & 19

Well, it's official. We are having a girl. It's really exciting, but I don't know what to do with a girl. I mean, I was a little boy, so I've got that covered. But, having a little girl will be a very interesting experience. We went to the doctor for our 19 week ultrasound. Dr. Anderson and Jennifer wanted to set the date of the ultrasound a little later (some people get these done at 16 weeks) to make sure and get a positive ID. We go in and they start looking at everything. It seemed like forever before they told us it's a little girl. Madalyn would not hold still and it took awhile to get a good picture of her, but we got a few.


To be honest, I think the discovery of our daughter was more of a surprise for Jenn than it was for me. Because the baby had been so rambunctious, Jennifer had been thinking it was a boy. She's still excited about having a girl, but she's had to shift her thinking somewhat. We've been looking at bedding and we've bought a few pieces of clothing and I think that helps. Jenn is really getting excited about doing hair and painting little nails and stuff like that.

In addition to finding out about Madalyn, we've also been very busy. My new job is really starting to take off and I've been getting more and more responsibilities. Also, it's the end of the summer semester, so I'm trying to finish up strong. Also, I've really been trying to ride a lot of miles because the Hotter Than Hell 100 mile Bike Event is just a couple of weeks away and I've been slacking on my training.

Also, the transmission in Jennifer's car has gone out. She went to Sonic for something to drink and then couldn't back out of the spot. I had to drive over there and physically push the car out. Just so you know, the Toyota Camry has a safety feature that keeps you from pushing the car backwards unless you flip this little hidden lever. I felt like a big wuss trying to push this car that wouldn't go anywhere. But, once I found and flipped the lever, it moved much easier.

Madalyn in week 18 is, "head to rump, about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from her head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place."

Week 19 and Madalyn's "sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, taking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom —about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.


That's all I've got for now. Thanks for checking in!!!