Oh Hey, Thursday!

Well look at this....I'm actually blogging during Elena's nap instead of napping, too.  Probably the first time that has happened since we got back to Ohio.  ::pats self on back::

It's a good Thursday.  Lots of thankful thoughts and I just couldn't quiet my brain enough to sleep.  So, instead, I'll ramble write.

I had some serious bad dreams last night.  Legit, waking up sweating and taking a good minute or two to figure out where the hell I was kind of dreams.  Nothing scary, just really long, drawn out dreams.  One took place in the house I grew up in.  I was having a fight with my mother.  It was awful, out of character,  and made me cry when I woke up because I felt like I had this opportunity to spend time with my mom and I f'd it up by fighting with her.

One of the other dreams was about my OB appointment.  I left Elena at the office in the stroller and forgot to ask the doctor all the questions that I had prepared.  When I realized, the office was closed.  Typical night-before-meeting-a-doctor-for-the-first-time anxiety dream.  I have the craziest, most detailed dreams ever.  So real and terrifying.

Have I made it obvious that I was really nervous about my appointment today?  This was my first time meeting my new OB and that anxiety, coupled with the general fear of "What if..." that always accompanies any of my pregnancy appointments had me feeling extra pukey this morning.  And let's not forget my little partner in crime that I travel with.  You know that crazy, yet oh so loveable toddler I talk about around here?  No mincing words here.  Mama was skeeeered to death to bring her to the doctor by myself.  I knew it was gonna be a lengthy appointment with the regular intake stuff, consult with the doctor, internal exam/Pap, and ultrasound. 

If you could have seen all the crap that I had with me. Good Lord.  I looked like a homeless person pushing around a shopping cart containing my entire life, except I was pushing around a stroller.  I was armed with toys, the Netflix set up on the phone, and snacks up the yin-yang.   She had a few feisty moments but overall was a gem and stayed strapped in the stroller the entire time without protest.  I promised her I'd take her to Graeter's to play and have ice cream if she behaved.  What?  Don't judge. 

As for meeting the doctor?  LOVE.  LOVE.  LOVE.  I am so freaking excited/happy/overjoyed at the decision I made choosing her.  I mean, seriously?  I asked her if I was going to get an ultrasound picture and she giggled and said, "I love pictures! Of course!"  And she proceeded to give me 14.  FOURTEEN pictures of my little baby.  And I do not say baby loosely.  This little nugget *REALLY* looks like a baby now!  I'm talking fingers, people.  Baby #2 was waving.  With real little fingers.

Waving!

Umbilical cord on the left & fingers/hands on the right.  Amazing.

Everything looked great.  Heartbeat was 174 bpm, which, if you go by the old wives tale, means it's a girl.  BUT.  And this is a huge BUT, we thought we may have seen an appendage of sorts between the legs.  Yes, a penis.  A freaking PENIS!  She put a little arrow pointing to it and took a picture *just in case* Baby #2 really winds up being a boy, we could say we knew it at 10 weeks.  Ah-mazing.  I'm not going all snakes and snails and puppy dog tails *quite* yet, but it's still fun.

Potential boy parts???

Actually, I will probably know the gender for certain by the end of next week, which seems just crazy to me.  Especially since I didn't know Elena was a girl until 20 weeks.  Apparently because I'm special 35 and considered Advanced Maternal Age {say whaaaaat???} there is a new blood test they do that takes the place of the Ultra Screen that is typically done between 11-13 weeks to provide risk assessment for chromosomal abnormalities like Downs Syndrome and Trisomy 18.  A simple blood test that actually is able to test the fetal blood from my blood.  It also detects the presence of Y chromosomes.  So, along with greater accuracy of detetcting any genetic disorders, it tells you the gender of the baby.  It's called the MaterniT21 test.  And it's perfect for impatient people like me.  So excited.  I go Monday and the results take about a week to come in.  Holy 11 week gender reveal.

I've made all of my future OB appointments through the end of April.  They are all on Fridays, which hopefully means no more anxiety ridden dreams from fear of bringing the toddler with me alone, since Paul is usually home on Fridays.  

I'm incredibly thankful today.  As I am most days, but especially today.  I tend to imagine the worst in between appointments, so there is nothing more gratifying than seeing that there really is this precious little miracle growing in my belly.  God is good.  And Paul comes home today.  Another reason to be incredibly thankful.

And look at that....a post is done.  My child is still asleep.  You know what that means.  I can probably squeeze in a little cat nap :)

A good day, indeed.  Happy Thursday, friends. 

Having some pancakes in the waiting room. She does not look impressed.