20 Week Ultrasound

I've been trying to find a time to write this post for almost a week now, but time has been limited.  Finally, I decided to just stay up late to write something, which I'm sure I'll regret in the morning, but it's allowing me to feel accomplished tonight.

Hans and I had our 20 week ultrasound last week.  I'm not going to tell you the results right away, though.  I mean, I have to keep you interested in reading, right?

Let me start this story by declaring that Richmonders suck when it comes to snow.  I LOVE Richmond.  I don't know that I could fathom living anywhere else.  It's where I was born and raised, and I could see me spending the rest of my life here.  I'm very protective of Richmond.  HOWEVER, when it comes to snow, we just can't cope...at all. 

This was fun when it allowed me to get out of school, but it's not so much fun when I still have to work.  It's also not so much fun when I have a 7:45 a.m. ultrasound scheduled that ends up getting cancelled due to weather when I still have to drive in to work early.  Let's just say that I was in a very bad mood last Wednesday (the day my ultrasound was originally scheduled).  I was not satisfied with rescheduling just a day later.  I wanted to have that ultrasound NOW!

Come Thursday I was an excited ball of nerves.  My 7:45 Wednesday appointment was now scheduled for 3:00 pm on Thursday (more than 24 hours later!!), and I could hardly take it.  Hans joined me at the kennel, and I kept yelling at him to hurry up and let's go.  Of course, once we got to the doctor's office we still had a 45 minute wait, but that's beside the point. 

We went back to the ultrasound room, and we saw a hand and a foot, and we heard the heart beat.  Then came the big reveal.  Our baby is...

...very talented at lying face down.  Apparently the technician couldn't get a good angle to determine the sex.  Frustrating!  So, we went off to see our doctor and check weight and other measurements.  All looked good there, so we were sent back over to ultrasound to see if the baby had moved at all.

Well, no movement.  NONE!  Still snuggled up tight.  Maybe this baby is trying to sleep for me!  The technician pressed and poked and prodded, but no luck.  So, I decided to take things into my own hands.

One of the benefits of having been a voice major is that I have a bit better control over my diaphragm than a good percentage of people.  The tech was trying to get my baby to move by pushing from the outside.  I figured what we really needed was a good shake up from the inside.  So, I took a deep breath, did a few quick contractions of my abdominals, and THERE!  We had a flipping baby.

Let's just say that SHE was not at all pleased with being woken up, and SHE promptly let me know it by issuing a swift kick to the bladder.  Yay.  SHE will be as stubborn as I am.

Hans and I celebrated by picking up a dozen cupcakes from our favorite cupcake shop (we had pre-ordered and then just called in the color icing that was needed) and doing a mini reveal at the kennel.  The staff couldn't wait to find out.

What a delicious way to spread the good news!

Anyway, I suppose I should make things clear.  I'm thrilled we're having a girl.  I may hate pink, and I may dread all the girly, frilly, froo froo things to come, but I'm thrilled.  Why am I thrilled?  Because we're still having a happy, healthy baby.  A baby girl.  And she has a name, and we can stop calling her "baby" (although I still do).  How exciting is that?!

Oh, and in case I forget to leave out my other children; Cody and Lollie and Mo and Stolte have been wonderful.  They've been a bit more protective and a lot more cuddly, and I'm loving it.  I'm trying to dedicate more time to them while still getting everything done, and I think they're appreciating that too.  I think we're going to have a big, happy family!