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Friday, November 18, 2011

Maybe if I were the Georgia O'Keefe of vegetables. And here we are at 17 weeks. With news!


This week the kid is the size of a turnip. And if I wasn't willing to draw an avocado with toenails, I'm damn sure not drawing this one out.

So we had the amnio and we were supposed to get early results in 48-72 hours.

The genetic counselor we met with was very nice. When she called the following week she said, "The preliminary results look good. No Downs, no Trisomy 13 or 18. [Thank God] And it's a girl. [What?] BUT..."

BUT is not what you want to hear in this circumstance. I sucked in my breath.

Turned out it wasn't a punch in the face but. It was this kind of but:

"But they got some maternal cells in with the sample."

"What does this mean?"

"It means that at this point, they can't be certain that these are the results from the fetal cells. The odds are that they are, but..."

"In other words, it could be a healthy girl..."

"Yes."

"OR they've verified that I don't have Downs, or Trisomy 13 or 18. And I'm a girl."

"Well...yes."

So we had to wait for the culture to grow for 10-14 days. Apparently they feed those little suckers something that only promotes the growth of the fetal cells. So they really really know by the end.

And then the cells were slow growing. Which I took as a very bad sign. Slow growing? Slow? They assured me this had nothing to do with the cells. It could just be lab conditions.

Nick called for updates twice a day. Just to see if they'd gotten results. He was very polite. Just, you know, persistent.

I am sure they were sick of him. He was fine with this. He wanted them to be tired of him to the point where they'd give us results the minute they had them just to stop the calls.

This is not something I can do. But I am so grateful he can.

He said, "I don't care if I annoy them. We're paying them a lot of money - and it's not like we're going to invite them to dinner next week and it's going to be so awkward."

And they called - the minute the lab reported the results. In fact, the genetic counselor spoke with the head of the lab to get his assurances that there were no concerns about maternal cells.

And so...

It's a GIRL! A little vagina-having turnip!

And she doesn't have Downs, Trisomy 13 or 18, or any of a host of other potential genetic things they test for!

And neither do I.

47 comments:

  1. Glad that you don't have Downs or Trisomy 13 or 18. And also to know you're a girl. Nick might have been surprised to discover otherwise at this stage. Thats quite something to throw at a guy, not just at this stage

    But many many many more smiles for the fact that you're having a healthy girl shaped turnip.... may she remain healthy and happy in there for a while yet!

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  2. I'm so glad neither you NOR the girl have Downs, etc. Good to know for you both!

    And also? Yay, a girl! (For the record, I totally would have yayed a boy too. But think of all the awesome shoes you can buy a baby girl!)

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  3. oh yay! congratulations!! Everyone we know is having a girl next year it seems like. I'm told that there's researching showing more girls than boys are born during economic downturns in order to sustain the population but who knows. We're planning to be surprised in February when I'm due, but since we already have 2 girls.... odds are it's another. Congrats again - girls are so fun and so challenging in all their own ways. You'll enjoy it!

    -Carrie

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  4. Congrats on the little girl!!! I know you'll have fun dressing her in matchy-matchy outfits! :D

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  5. oh my god congratulations!!!! you will love having a little girl. :)

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  6. Squeeee! Congratulations! This is very exciting. :o)

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  7. Yay!! A Girl! I'm glad your having a girl because you will see for your self how very different the sexes are. You'll have a few ah-ha moments where you'll really see that boys are born farting, burping and making motor sounds and girls, well, girls are practically perfect in every way...uhh except they poop too. Have a GREAT weekend to all of you. And this made my pretty good day even better. Thank You

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  8. Ok I literally started crying. I REALLY REALLY thought and hoped you'd have a girl. YAYYYY! Now you'll have someone to wear tutus with next halloween =).

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  9. Look, I know that the Internet is full of lols and "tears are streaming down my face" and whatever but I'm not shitting you EVEN A LITTLE when I say that I got chills reading this post. Happy chills! Your turnip has a vagina! J is going to be a big brother to a sassy little mini-lemongloria! Hunny bunny, you have put a huge smile on my face.

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  10. Oh Lisa, I'm over the moon happy! It's a Girl! This is really wonderful news. Have a great weekend :)

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  11. Oh shit! I just read the comment above mine and now I feel like a meanie. I wasn't talking about you, frugal! xo

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  12. Wooooohoooooo!!!! Yaaaay! I'm so excited for you! I have to say, having one of each is awesome. Mazel tov!

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  13. Hurray Hurray! I feel like between the genes coming from you and Betty and Nick the world may not be prepared for sassy pants Lemongloriaturnipvagania!

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  14. Hooray!!! How exciting for all of you!!! Congrats :) :) :)

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  15. Girl turnip! Hooray! (Boys are good too, I'm just partial to girls as I am one and am having one.)

    You'll be a good mom for a girl. I just know you won't cover her in pepto pink. Fight the power!

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  16. I am so happy for your family! xoxoxo

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  17. Oh, YAY!! I am so excited for you!!! Jordan is going to be an amazing big brother.

    And, wow, extra waiting, how hard that must have been. I along with everyone else here are all very grateful for Nick and his persistence gene. So many happy-making posts from you lately! Now I'm getting all teary too, dangit!

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  18. YAY, girls ROCK!!
    (Boys rock too!)

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  19. Fantastic news! A precious bouncing baby girl turnip!

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  20. Congratulations! Though I can't speak to the contrary, little girls are wonderful! I can hardly stand the wait to find out what gender turnip we're having this time...I can't imagine the anxiety and excitement in your added wait!!

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  21. Yay!!!!! I knew it was a girl - I'm psychic you know, or my husband may say psycho, lol. How wonderful! Girls are fun too and the clothes! Congrats to all 4 of you!

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  22. Sugar and spice and everything nice! Congrats to you, Nick and big brother-to-be Jordan.

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  23. so so EXCITING!!! CarolynG

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  24. Girls are so fun! Congratulations on all fronts! Ah, a girl...happy, nostalgic sigh...:-)

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  25. For some reason I have happy tears flowing for you - you obviously have a wonderful relationship with your mother so I can only image you're looking forward to having the same with your daughter. I'm just so incredibly delighted for you!!

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  26. Melissa (formerly Browneyedgirlie)11/18/2011 7:45 PM

    Oh YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! So ridiculously happy for you!

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  27. you get BOTH !
    won the lottery.

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  28. So exciting!! And happy for your family :D

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  29. A GIRL! That's fantastic. Think of the shoes, especially when she gets older and you can shoe share! Have you also noticed that most children's stores are full of girl clothes and the boys get, like, one rack. You will have a ton of fun shopping!! Congratulations!

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  30. Dana - Thanks! That's how I feel!

    That gentleman's lady - Yes, big relief all around! Thanks for the nice thoughts.

    Ginger - I love my boy so much that I was kind of rooting for a boy...but I the girl clothes do look very very fun...

    Carrie - I just recently heard the same thing, but the gist of it was something about how the boy sperm, which are typically the fast ones, lose their advantage in times of stress and just don't make it or something like that...I could have it completely wrong.

    And CONGRATULATIONS! The idea of a surprise baby is very fun. I would not be able to manage it myself, but oh, yay for new February baby!

    Miss Dallas - The outfits are what is really sucking me in. Although I have to say, I have been loving buying J shirts with tractors and trucks and fire engines. I really have.

    mrsmac - I am pretty daunted. But I trust you! :)

    Jess - Thank you, my friend!

    Lynn - So, this is something I have been thinking about, because I feel like I GET how boys work...and I have no idea about girls at this point! But I do think it will be fun. Hugs to you!

    frugalveganmom - Huge hugs to you! I cry at baby news as well, even though it seems silly. And your tutu comment made me giggle. You are so right! LOVE tutus!

    Hillary - Your three comments, so close in timing and so varied in tone, made me laugh. Big hugs, hunny bunny!

    HK - Thank you, sweet friend! I hope you have a great time at the game with your dad and I hope your weekend is wonderful!

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  31. Mary - Thank you!

    vvk - Uncle Vik, she's going to love you!

    Wendy - I know how much you loved your boy before Josie came along and I know how much you adore her. It's been so sweet to watch and I have that very much in mind.

    Grace - Thank you!

    Clearbluewater3 - Um...now that you put it that way, I might not be strong enough for this kid, actually.

    Maiden Metallurgist - Thank you! I might be asking you for babywearing help in the future. :)

    moosie - Thank you so much! We're all excited!

    Guacaholic - I know your little girl is going to be beautiful just like you!

    And I love pink. Love love love. But not baby pink. Fuchsia and magenta and strong pinks. Particularly with orange. :)

    Lisa - Thank you! We're happy.

    Laura - I was climbing the walls. Nick kept stressing to them, when they would go into "we're in the 10-14 day window, as stated in the paperwork..." how it's all fine and good to give the pamphlet speech up front but at this point they were dealing with two early 40s parents with high anxiety.

    I do think J will be a good big brother, once he gets over wanting to be an only. :) Hugs to you, my friend.

    Moomser - Absolutely!

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  32. That is Fantastic! For both you and your little 'neep! :) It's what they call little turnips apparently in GB. I am going on what my mother said, so you can rest assured that such is iffy at best. But totally cute! :)

    I am so so so so so happy for you and Nick and Big J! Hurray for a Girl! Now you have one of each!

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  33. Oh how exciting!! Congratulations!

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  34. Oh, Lisa I'm so incredibly happy and excited for you!! It's certainly different having a girl after being used to a boy, but it's so much fun, too. Hooray!!!

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  35. Oh, and by the way you look FANTASTIC! I was huge by that point the second time around, but you're still little and cute!

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  36. I swear to Jeebus I told Lexa your baby would be a girl Friday morning, before I even saw this post...I'm becoming more and more convinced I've got "The Gift."

    And yay! Fluffy and lacy and pink and dresses and hairbands and bows! With a big brother to boot! So happy for all of you!

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  37. This is lovely and wonderful news! Hooray.

    Also, I got to disagree with k up there. Please don't put headbands on your baby. They are weird.

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  38. Big congrats Lisa..but let me tell you - girls are WHOLE other beasts :)

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