Here is a recap of our day of awesomeness:
Rick got up and went to work a little early while I slept in a little longer before getting up to do some work from home. I got up and did some work, got in the shower and my mind was racing the entire time. I had a little chat with gremlin about being a good baby that day and cooperating and that no matter what I loved them already. I got out, got ready and by then Rick had come home. So off we went to a long day of nerve wracking appointments.
First up was our fetal echo. Hands down the appointment I was most anxious about. There was so much that could be wrong in just that one quick appointment. My child could have a heart that would not support their life. Or they could need countless surgeries for the rest of their life that would undoubtedly be a horrible thing for both them and us to have to endure forever. We waited in the waiting room for a very long time. They didn't call us back for over half an hour after our appointment time was set for. The waiting was killing me. Knowing that whatever was done was done and there was nothing I could do to make it any better for this helpless little life was the worst thing. The called us back and she said that it would be much quicker than the anatomy scan would be later. We walked into the room and there was another tech in there. She asked a few questions and started the echo right away. I couldn't really see the monitor from where I was but Rick scooted over so he could get a good look at it. I didn't really know what I was looking for at that point anyhow. She looked and measured for what seemed like half an hour but was probably only 10 minutes at most. Then the doctor walked in, asked me a few questions about my brother and then asked the tech what she had gotten to get measured already. She then passed the duties off to the other tech that was in the office so she could get other measurements and the doctor looked at them then looked at me and said it all looked perfect. He said that even if the pediatrician hears a murmur or anything later in life it will be completely unrelated and there is no cause for concern any further regarding the syndrome. Then he told us to have a great day! :) We walked out of the office, hugged and I cried a little bit. Just tears of complete relief. I got myself together and then we went back up to the front desk to let them know we were done with the echo and ready for our scan. They gave us a pager and we went to get some lunch in the cafeteria.
I had lost my breakfast that morning but I was on such a high right then that I didn't even think to eat smarter for lunch. So I got a chef salad. It didn't stay down too long, but at that point I didn't care quite as much. haha! So while I was throwing up my lunch they paged me to go back. I stopped in the gift shop quick to buy some gum then we went back to have the scan. The nurse was ridiculous nice and friendly. She explained absolutely everything she was looking at, why she was looking at and showed us what all the measurements meant as she took them. The coolest picture of all that we got to see was the two little feet side by side in there. They were so tiny and adorable already. She went through all of the organs and everything looked perfect. The baby's head and belly all measured right at 20 weeks which is perfect too. Then she went in for the money shot. At first baby was being modest and I think Rick and I both at that point knew it was a girl but were afraid to say anything until the tech said it first. And then she did. She confirmed what we had thought and that we were having a very healthy little girl.
When we walked out of the office we again hugged but there were no tears from me this time. I was almost numb at this point. I was floating so high from knowing that everything was perfect and then we found out that we'd be having a baby girl. It was all so surreal. Like it was almost too much information to pack in to one day for a person. But we still had one more appointment to go. This would surely be the least exciting but important none the less. So we headed down to our appointment with the midwives and started our calls from there. First I called my dad. He guessed boy but was pleasantly surprised to hear girl. Same exact thing with my mom...guess of boy but VERY excited to hear girl. We also called his mom, brother and sister-in-law and I texted my brother and sister. I then also called my grandpa and my grandma and my aunt and all were very happy for us. :)
Our midwife appointment was pretty simple. I asked questions, she answered. She asked questions, I answered. And then we were sent on our way.
Right after that we headed downtown and applied for our marriage license! Seriously, how could this day have gotten any better? We threw around a few ideas of what to do that evening to "celebrate" but we ended up just spending the evening together on the couch. It was followed up by a very wonderful full body massage for momma! We called the girls to tell them the news. Victoria was quite happy to hear sister because she had no use for a little brother. haha! And Gabby was upset that she had to hear the news through her sister and not directly from us so she refused to get on the phone with us. Nothing out of the ordinary with that twirp though.
Overall it was a perfect day. The love I have for Rick right now is absolutely incredible. I don't even know how to describe it. We were in a bit of a rough patch for about a month or two. And not that our relationship was in a bad place, but we weren't the happy-go-lucky couple that we normally are. But we are getting that back. With my m/s subsiding that certainly helps. And we are just in a better place right now with everything too. Well at least I am so that obviously doesn't hurt our relationship. He's just an absolutely amazing man and sometimes I really don't feel that I deserve him. But I wouldn't give him up for anything in the world.
