Houston, we have nasal bones

I celebrated my birthday on the couch with great news!  So far so good.  While we won’t get the official screening results for the first trimester combined screening for about 10 days, we do have many things that indicate improved results.

1. We have easily recognizable nasal bones
2. Crown-rump length is good for their gestational age
3. Neural tube measurement is 1mm on each behbey
4. NT measurement/Crown-rump length is excellent

At the Maternal-Fetal Medicine office, they actually do a full anatomy scan when they do the nuchal translucency (NT) measurement.  I don’t know if this is standard everywhere or not.  I had not read that this was a normal part of a NT scan on any WTF2Expect web sites.  Our lovely ultrasound technician started by checking each twin’s crown-rump length.  They are growing right on time to a little big, that is good news they are measuring 12w1d for Baby B and 12w3d for Baby A.  I was officially at 12w0d.  She looked at the placentas and seemed to think that the previa was  partial and not complete, but I don’t know.  Then she checked the NT measurement after waiting for Baby A to move into a better position.  It was moving, but never in the right way.  She kept saying, “Come on little one, just a little more” and finally took the ultrasound tranducer that was on my belly and gently bounced it up and down, saying “here we go.  Move a little.”  AND IT WAS SOOOOOO AMAZING because we watched on the monitor while both wiggled and moved a bit after the bouncing of the tummy.  MrBeep and I  laughed and I was getting teary-eyed.  Finally they were in good places and she measured separately each one’s NT neck area and they were at 1mm.  Then she checked the heart rate, they were good and strong, around 155 for Baby A and 145 for Baby B.  Then she started at the top of their heads and looked at the following things, brain, each arm, each hand, each leg, each foot.  She also located and pointed out the bladder and then the stomach.  She explained that since she could see the bladder and stomach clearly that the babies are making urine and swallowing, so they will be able to make amniotic fluid.  That was another good indicator.  WHEW!!!  The anatomy scan took about 30 minutes and we got to watch those kiddos move.  It was the best birthday present ever, especially after my scare.  Things are looking up.

Thanks so very much for all of your kind wishes and offers to join me for a couch party.  I would have loved to enjoy a nice cup of…eh…chocolate milk with my bloggidy pals.  I did get a very nice present from my MIL and FIL:

WALLACE & GROMIT
The Complete Collection on Blu-Ray!!!

It’s got four short films:
A Matter of Loaf and Death
A Grand Day Out
The Wrong Trousers
A Close Shave

I was so glad to get some encouraging news for my birthday.  MrBeep was grinning and kept saying, “A great birthday sweetie, are you happy?”  I’d smile back and say, “Yes. Very, very happy indeed.”

The birthday dessert was…<drumroll>…eggnog gelato!  It was super yummy and MrBeep put in as many candles as he could without it melting right away. 

I closed my eyes and made a big wish for everyone.  I won’t tell you my secret, but know this…I was thinking of me, monsters and all of you.  May all our wishes come true.