We got to the hospital in plenty of time for good parking which is always a win. Then we played our usual waiting game. Our appointment was at 7:00 and I guess we weren't the only ones tired because the chick sitting next to me waiting was sawing some pretty serious logs. Then, about 8:00 I finally got called back to the secondary waiting room where boys weren't welcome. Got to watch a bit of the Today Show and see Robert "Twilight" Pattinson greet a million screaming fans. Good thing Blaine wasn't there.
After some bubble-popping on the phone, the show finally got on the road. They had a trainee do some of it, then the trainer. I tried to look but couldn't see much of anything given the angle of the monitor and the fact that it's an ultrasound and therefore indiscernible. That's okay because I was waiting for my baby daddy to join us. I'd read in a book that it's good to go with a full bladder, advice which I took eagerly. At only 18 weeks it's on the early side for an ultrasound and I wanted to see as much as I could. Boy, was my bladder full.
Then Dad joined the party and they did a few more of the organs and whatnot. Finally I could kind of see. I could see the heart (they said it has four ventricles - hope that's good!), the spine, and the fingers. I also saw the bladder, which for some reason really stands out. I sort of saw a face but I could never quite tell what part of the face and from what direction. But I was assured it was a face. There was also no indication if we'd "put the stem on the apple" which is good since we (I) don't want to know.
It's really mind-blowing to see that, the spine and fingers, and know that it's all sort of assembling itself and seems to be doing a pretty decent job of it so far. We're just praying it gets my back, not dad's. I still can't tell if I feel it moving. Sometimes I think I might, but who knows. It's my first so I have no clue. Some day I'll feel something and have no doubt. Some day I'll see a foot shape punching at my belly.
They did have a few glitches with the machine. I felt like suggesting they get a Mac ultrasound, but bit my tongue. I don't have any pictures yet, unfortunately. I hope to have some soon. They said everything looks good, which is nice to hear. I do get to have another one in about 6 weeks when everything is more developed.
