Yesterday (Tuesday), I had my ultrasound at 1:30, followed by a 2:00 Dr. appointment.  The ultrasound was pretty much the most fun thing EVER!  I had been kinda apprehensive about it.  Not so much because of the things I discussed in the last couple of posts, but because I had to drink 16 oz of water an hour prior to my appointment.  Without peeing.  See, I was really looking forward to the ultrasound.  And I wanted to be able to really focus on what was taking place and save it as a wonderful memory.  I feared I’d be so delirious needing to pee that I wouldn’t even be able to enjoy it.

So on Monday night, I decided to do a test run.  I drank the water, and about 30 minutes later, I really thought I might die.  I somehow endured another 15 minutes before I had to go to the bathroom.  Uh oh.  Friends reassured me that they had had perfectly good ultrasounds without drinking the water, and that I would be fine.  That helped some, but I still didn’t want to do anything that might compromise my view of my little baby!  I thought maaayyyybeee I’d start drinking the water a little short of an hour, and maaayyyybeee I’d drink a little less than 16 ounces.

Tuesday.  I managed to stay reasonably focused during my 2 hours at work, which was probably a miracle.  Then I ran to the restroom for my final pee before I began drinking the water.  Since I am a rule-follower (I can’t help it), I started right at an hour before my appointment, though I drank it rather slowly up til about a half hour beforehand.  When we pulled into our parking spot at the Dr’s office, I probably had a couple of sips left, but I just couldn’t do it.  Surely 15 ounces would be enough.  My bladder was clearly filled to the brim.

I checked in, and the lady at the desk let me know she couldn’t give me a sticker because of my ultrasound.  (Normally, they’ll give you a name/info label to put on your pee cup as soon as you get there since they take a sample every time.)  I think I said something like, “I know, but I would REALLY like a sticker.” Not really asking for one, but I was UNCOMFORTABLE, and I guess I thought everyone should know.  I took my seat next to Pete and waited.  I fidgeted.  I tried to distract myself with magazines.  Not working.  My eyes were watering.  THANK GOD I was called back right on time.

The walk back to the ultrasound room felt like forever.  The hallway really isn’t that long.  Except it is when you think that too quick or too firm a step will cause pee to come out.  I expressed my concern to the ultrasound technician (her name is Janis, spelled just like my mom’s!) since I was really worried what would happen when she actually applied pressure to my abdomen.  She said she’d take a look since sometimes there’s actually too much water.  Ah, I was relieved.  I was sure this was my case.  “Actually,” she said, “there’s really not that much in there.”

YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FREAKING KIDDING ME!

Dear God, oh Lord, please don’t let me pee on this table right here and now.

Seriously, what?  Not at all surprisingly, the kid seems to be quite comfortable sitting very low in my abdomen.  Cushioned nicely right over my bladder.  Ha!  That would explain a lot.  Not at all surprising given the increased urination I have mentioned maybe a few times in this blog already.  And considering I have felt the kicks so low.  I’m thinking, this could really become a problem as the baby grows.  Ah well.

View moves to the baby.  OH WOW, IT REALLY IS IN THERE!  What the heck, that was really my first thought.  I really did believe it before then, but actually seeing it is still so different!  Amazing.  I’m already miraculously distracted from my full squished bladder.  (Second thought: look at that tiny little heart beating away in there!)

When they do the ultrasound, they start at the head and work their way down.  They look at everything before they look between the legs.  However, I’m going to go ahead and spill the beans here on boy or girl.  I’m sure anyone who bothers reading this already knows anyway.  It’s a GIRL!!! (It’s just too troublesome to continue and not be able to use the word “she.”)

I’d honestly be excited about boy OR girl, but I am really excited.  And also a little proud of myself that my hunch was correct!  I think I mentioned this before, but I had to consciously stop making myself think girl because I feared I’d get really confused if it turned out to be a boy.  The girl vibe was just so strong.  My friend Erin said that she thinks pregnancy hunches are almost always right, and maybe they are, but I didn’t have  much faith in myself.  I did a surprisingly good job of making myself stop thinking girl AS much, though I definitely still felt that way.  Soooo many people were predicting boy, I was starting to think I was just crazy.   But all along, I only wanted to look at girl stuff (though I haven’t really looked at that much “stuff” yet), girl names…I just wasn’t caring as much about boy things.  Anyway, back to the ultrasound….

First glimpse of the baby, it looked like she was trying to cover her face with the back of her hand.  Damsel in distress?  “Don’t look at me, I’m sleeping?”  I don’t know.  But it was cute.  (Duh, everything my kid does is cute, even in the womb.)

First, the sonographer measured the head.  She looked at the heart, saw all four chambers.  Then she used the computer to measure the heart rate: 145 bpm.  She followed the spine.  I was in awe of all the tiny little vertebrae.  She labeled her little diaphragm.  Looked at the blood flow through the umbilical cord.  FINALLY looked to see the sex.  (All along I was thinking, “I don’t see any boy bits, but we haven’t really gotten a good look yet.)  It was difficult at first, but finally we got a good few.  Girl!  After seeing from a few more angles, Janis said, “definitely girl.” =)  At first, she said the only thing she couldn’t see was the base of the spine.  But then the baby moved so that she could see it.  So cooperative.  This is my kid? =)

Not surprisingly, little girl looked like she was riding a bike in there!  She was pumping those little legs a lot.

Okay, pictures! =D

Here’s one.  It’s the only one I have without writing on it.  It doesn’t show a lot, but I still love it. =)  (click to enlarge the image)

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Here’s one that Janis printed at the very end, just for the grandparents!  =)  I think my mom has been staring at it almost endlessly since we gave it to her. =)  At one point, as she was looking at this pic, she commented that (though it’s too soon to really tell) it looks like she has my nose!  I agreed.  Until I got home and took a better look at OUR picture.  (Look at those little fingers!)

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Here’s the pic just for us!  After I got home and started uploading scans to my computer, I took a better look.  This picture…does not look like my nose.  Haha. =)  Maybe it wasn’t a direct profile on the other two pics.  I don’t know.  But I still think her little nose is perfect. =)  At one point, we got a frontal view of just her nose and mouth, and it was the sweetest nose and mouth ever.  In this scan, it looks like she’s sucking her thumb!  I didn’t notice that at the time, so I don’t know if she’s really sucking her thumb, or contemplating the mysteries of the universe.  I’d say either scenario is likely.  She likes having her hand up by her face!

I won’t upload the scan where it was apparent that she…is a she.  A little girl has to have her modesty, and the internet is a public place after all.  But…her butt is cute, too. =D

After the ultrasound was over, I was totally blissed out.  I got to see my perfect baby girl AND I could finally pee!  Yes!  I happily took my sticker and a cup and made a beeline to the nearest restroom.  A few minutes later, I was weighed (I’ve gained 6-7 lbs so far) and placed in an exam room.   The nurse took my blood pressure (it was good) and we talked about some things.  Then I waited for the doctor.  Longer than I had in the past, but that’s ok.  Still nothing like other waits I’ve had at Dr’s offices.  I contemplated if I should go to the bathroom again while I waited, but decided I could manage waiting.

After a while, the nurse came back in and told us that the doctor was going to be a while longer.  There was an ultrasound after me that was bad news, so the doctor was talking to her. =(  I don’t know how bad it was, but I felt really sad for this anonymous person, and I felt truly blessed that everything has been going so well for us and our little one.  Since the doctor was going to be a little longer, the nurse… (Why do I remember everyone else’s name, but always draw a blank on hers?  Is it Gail?  Did I make that up?) …Anyway, she measured my uterus and listened to the fetal heart rate.  She said the uterus is right where it should be, but she didn’t mention the heart rate.  I figured it was probably pretty close to what the ultrasound said anyway.

Finally, the doctor came in.  She said all the ultrasound measurements were right in the middle of the normal range.  Awesome!  One of those times you like your kid to be average. =)  According to the measurements, my due date would be February 25, but that’s just so close to the original February 27 due date (based on my last period), we’re not going to bother moving it.  If it’s within 5 days, they generally leave it alone.  I still think it’s interesting that no one cares if you actually know when you ovulated.  But with due dates, a couple of days give or take is probably meaningless in the long run anyway.  Especially in my family.

Dr. also answered a few questions.  She wasn’t at all concerned about the TMI incident I mentioned a couple of posts back.  What she said pretty much coincided with what I figured was probably the case, but I just couldn’t have peace of mind without asking.  She said the cramps I’m experiencing are normal.  Did I mention the cramps?  At the very beginning of my pregnancy, I had very mild, dull cramps.  It almost felt like my period was coming.  Dr. reassured me that it’s just my uterus growing, and they faded away after a few weeks.  A couple of nights ago, the cramps returned, but stronger.  I figured it was probably just my uterus growing again (I’m due for another growth spurt in that department, I think), but it’s still a weird feeling to be 18 weeks pregnant and feel like you’re getting your period.  She said that was, in fact normal.  And it is, in fact, my uterus growing.  Makes sense that the cramps would be a little stronger when my uterus is a whole lot bigger than it was a few weeks ago.  Flu shots still aren’t in, but they should be soon, so I’ll be calling next week to see if they’re in yet.

On our way out of the office building, I told Pete that I bet him 50 cents that if he told his mom it’s a girl, the next words out of her mouth would be, “redheaded.”  (I think she’s been praying for a redheaded granddaughter since Pete and I got engaged…if not before.)  He said he’d take that bet.  In the car on our way home, Pete called his parents.  Good thing I only bet 50 cents because I totally lost that bet.  Her first words were, “Are you okay with that?”  LOL!  They just knew that he had a slight leaning toward boy first then girl.  But of course, he is totally fine with girl first.  We just pray for a healthy baby. =)

Shortly after, we went to my parents’ house where we could deliver the news in person and give them the hi grandma and grandpa scan.  And borrow their scanner since ours is crappier and not hooked up.  I told my grandma C that she’ll have to wait a little longer if she wants to see that redheaded great grandson she was so stuck on having.  She’s just fine with having a great granddaughter.  Everyone is super excited.  It’s so fun to watch.

Random: I’m feeling little kicks at all times of day now, though it’s still most frequent at night.  I love it. =)  I only feel it when I’m sitting still though.

Cartoon baby time!