23 weeks.. and something a little scary

Feeling pretty good? Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed now, your baby can feel you dance. Those dainty fetal movements have progressed to karate kicks. You may even be able to see your baby squirm underneath your clothing. You may notice throughout your pregnancy that some symptoms subside while others surface. These days, for example, you may find that any tension headaches you'd been getting are a thing of the past, but your feet may start to swell soon. (Time to get out your roomiest, most comfy shoes or invest in a new pair.)

How your baby's growing: Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. His skin is red and wrinkled. Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing. He can swallow, but he normally won't pass his first stool (called meconium) until after birth. Loud noises heard often in utero — such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze your baby when he hears them outside the womb.

How your life's changing:
If you dealt with headaches in your first trimester, they might be subsiding now. (Many women have headaches in early pregnancy, thanks to pregnancy hormones, changes in circulation, and/or sinus congestion.) You may notice some mild swelling sometime during your pregnancy, especially in your ankles and feet. It's called edema, and it happens because changes in your blood chemistry cause fluid to shift into your tissue and because your enlarging uterus puts pressure on the veins returning blood from the lower half of your body, slowing circulation in your legs. Edema is often worse at the end of the day and in the summer. Your body will eliminate the extra fluid after you have your baby (which is why you may urinate often and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery). In the meantime, put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, avoid sitting still for long periods, exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning). You may be tempted to skimp on liquids, but you need to drink plenty of water, because keeping hydrated actually helps prevent swelling. If you notice severe or sudden swelling in your hands and face, be sure to call your midwife or doctor because it may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia.

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I had a doctor's appointment on Monday. Had my gestational diabetes test. . that wasn't too bad. . . gained 2lbs for a total of 7.5 so far. .blood pressure 110/78-ish . . that's good too

Bad news - I have to have a Level 2 ultrasound. The ultrasound tech saw something called intracardiac echogenic foci on the ultrasound in/on(??) her heart....honestly .. it's probably nothing. .the ultrasound tech said in 13 years she's never had one come back from a Level 2 ultrasound with any problems (when there are no other risk factors present - and there aren't). It's a soft marker for Down's Syndrome but again. .without any other markers it really means almost nothing. .BUT if you could keep us (and especially Ellery) in your thoughts it would mean the world to us. I'm so so so so scared and trying to be okay. . but I'm not. John is staying very positive but I'm sure he's a little scared too.

Anyway....her heartbeat is fantastic and everything else looks just great :)