18 Weeks and an Ultrasound!

(There goes Ian making me hold an animal in my picture again.  This time it was Einstein!)

 (14, 16 and 18 weeks.  Wow, what a difference!)

So, I thought I would save this post, since we went in today to have our 18 week ultrasound and see our baby for the first time since 9 weeks (man, these 9 weeks have just FLOWN by!).  

And, what a week it was!  So many nights I woke up obsessing about the baby and if it was a boy or a girl and couldn't fall back to sleep.  I think gender thoughts were consuming me because I didn't want to think about anything else that could be wrong with the baby, so I thought about the sex instead.  However, the past two nights I slept SO good, maybe I got all of my worries out or something.  I finally got over being sick and started feeling better on Monday but still have this dang cough (that subsequently makes me have to pee every time!) so I was rested and ready to see the baby.  I didn't take anything for my cold and didn't have a fever so I'm thankful for that, I just slept a lot and rested, it totally wore me out.  It seems to be what is going around, all my kids at school are sick.  Now if I could just stop coughing!

Not much else happened last week except that we saw a good friend of ours from high school and got to go to a preview party for the first two episodes of her TV show, Cougar Town (it starts Valentine's Day if you've never seen it before - totally funny!).  The twins, Ian and I went and it was super fun, and great to see our friend, but the next day I realized that I maybe should have stayed home because I was back to being sick again.  I napped at school on Friday and then took it easy all weekend again, colds while you're pregnant are a totally different monster, it knocked me out!

Now - the ultrasound!  We went in today and got to see our lemon move around for a good 15 minutes.  I was scared to really look at the screen though because I thought at any moment I would see a penis and the surprise would be ruined; so I wish I could have looked longer (and harder) because I kind of feel like I missed seeing every inch of his/her body.  We decided to have the tech write down the baby's gender, and then give it to my bestie of 17 years, Christine, so she could make us something to open on Valentine's Day.  She is a jewelry designer (check out her etsy shop!) and she is either going to make Ian and I something pink or something blue - and then put them in a box for us to open.  

I know, I know - how can I wait 6 days knowing that my best friend knows something I don't know?!  She is probably dying right now too, wanting to tell me but can't.  Ugh - it kills me but it is kinda fun too - you have to admit!  We still aren't sure how we are going to tell our parents or our other friends (maybe another surprise is in store for everyone?), and then we will finally go public with the news.  So, readers,  it could be a little while before you find out!  (Doesn't it just kill you?! Probably not us much as us!)

(I am only posting two pics here because the others you can't really tell what you are looking at.  This one is of the baby's profile - you can see a nose and a head and an arm, right up by his/her face.  Ian thinks it's a girl because baby has my nose.  He also thinks he's an ultrasound tech because he has been reading up on how to interpret ultrasounds.  Ha!)

 (There's baby's foot and leg, too cute!)

We got a flash drive with video of the baby moving around too (even a part where it turned a looked at us and blinked!), and had the tech put the gender on it so I had to give that to Christine also.  I maybe shouldn't have had the ultrasound tech include the gender though, because it would be fun to watch the video now (and post it)!  I am DYING to study it like crazy when I get it back, I want to remember every inch of that little lemmy! 

We met with the doc after the ultrasound and she said everything is fine and baby is on track for a July 7th due date.  She did mention that my placenta is low, not fully covering my cervix but partially, and didn't seem concerned about it.  I, of course, am freaking out (and had to read everything online about placenta previa), but all that I've read sounds like the placenta most likely moves (not really, but ends up in the right place) eventually (95% of them do).  She said we will check again at my 30 week ultrasound (doesn't it seem like it should be sooner?!) and make sure everything is ok.  No one else seems to be worried about this, and it happens a lot in early ultrasounds (I've read), but I feel like it's just one more thing for me to worry about.  I am crazy, I know.  But, I am staying positive and know that my Nani is watching over us - keeping me and baby healthy and happy.  Ian and I just have to keep chanting - move, move, move!  :)

Today was one of the happiest days of my life, next to my wedding day, and I just couldn't believe we got to see our baby moving around.  (And, if you didn't already know, 8 is my favorite number and today is February 8th.)  I feel like when I look up the fruit or veggie that is supposed to represent the size of our baby each week, that the fruit or veggie is actually in my uterus, not a real baby.  But today I did not see a sweet potato on that screen, I saw a baby - blinking, eating, doing somersaults, playing with his/her foot, touching his/her face, swallowing, sticking his/her tongue out and whose heart was beating, just like mine.  It was a lovely experience and went by way too fast!  Now, to look forward to Valentine's Day and finding out if this little lemon is a boy or girl!  Don't forget to vote at the top of this page - the votes are currently tied 50-50!

Keep sending us happy thoughts and prayers, and feel free to chant along with us - move, move, move!  We appreciate all of your love and support, always!