Anatomy scan!

Last night was a very restless night. I slept wrong the night before and my shoulder hurt, I was also worried about work things. A was sneezy and I think I kept waking her up. Plus, it was like Christmas when you are 7 years old and you just can't wait to wake up and tear through your stocking.

We met my mom in the parking lot at the hospital (our midwives have to send you to the hospital for any ultrasounds and testing). The ultrasound tech seemed very capable and once we were brought back to the room, she started right away. I asked if we could get a copy of the video and she was a little taken aback. She said that she would print us out pictures and the video stayed in my medical record. I pointed out that it is *my* record and I have a right to it. She agree and said she would talk to her manager about the actual procedure when he was back from vacation next week.

It was amazing. For us. I don't think the baby agreed. There was a lot of chasing the baby around my abdomen and TONS of kicks and punches. It was crazy to feel a kick and then see the little foot on the screen move.


The first attempt at seeing the sex was semi-failed. I think the tech could tell, but she wanted a better shot. A has been looking at so many photos on the internet of sonograms that she had a guess, but I missed it. The tech said she would come back and hope the baby's legs were open more.

She continued with measurements of the abdomen, and different angles of the heart, counting fingers and toes. You know, all of the actual medical things that make it a diagnostic tool that insurance will pay for.

the foot and a little bit of the umbilical cord

waving so we can count the fingers

Next she tried to get the brain measurements. This was the point where the baby decided to play tricks. Every time the tech would get close to the image she needed, the baby's head would move. She would use the ultrasound probe to shake my belly around, she had me lay on my side, she would dig the probe into my abdomen as hard as she could (I had to hold onto the side of the bed to keep from sliding or rolling back over), but she couldn't get the brain measurements. After a few minutes of this she stopped and told us we were in trouble because our baby was a stinker. Ha!

Eventually she got the necessary measurements and tried for the sex again. She sighed because the only image she could get was really not obvious (unless, like A, you have been studying them online). Just then, the baby moved and gave her the perfect shot.

We are having a GIRL!!