First Official Doctor's Appointment

Wee-hoo! Rob and I arrived early to the doctors to fill out a lot of paperwork. He did most of it because I had a momentary freak-out thinking that I was re-scheduled with the male doctor on staff. (Tangent! I have no problems with male doctors, in general, but if I am giving birth and/or having problems with my woo-ha, I want a doctor that either has a woo-ha and/or is a mother.) Luckily, I was just on "his" schedule but was still seeing my regular doctor, Dr. Donna Akuda.

So, as my name is called out, Rob asks if he should come back with me. I am not really sure what this appointment is going to entail, though I have a good idea, and invite him back nevertheless. I get blood drawn, give urine samples (yes, plural -- you pee a lot when pregnant), get weighed, and have my blood pressure taken. Everything seems normal except now I have a baby in me. (My blood pressure is a little high for me but I am sure that's okay, because it was usual borderline low before.)

Rob is hanging out, watching all this take place, like a good trooper; he's also cracking jokes and making the nurses laugh. Finally, we go to get our sonogram. The SUPER-NICE nurse practicioner, Connie W. does the general run-down of questions. Are we married? (Yes, we say but when she excited asks for more details, we try to explain our "legal arrangement," i.e. domestic partnership, she just looks confused.) How long have we known each other? Was this planned? Birth control used? Etc. Etc. Etc. But, it was really funny to try to explain to her our relationship and from then on, I just deflected the question with another question or a completely random comment.

And then, it happens. Sonogram time! Connie is going to do the sonogram and then once she finds everything, she will go get Dr. Akuda and the good doctor will verify that everything is A-okay. Well... except, super-nice, bubbly, and excited Connie cannot find my uterus. I am beginning to think that I am not pregnant: All my "symptoms" are psychosomatic? After a good five minutes of poking around, she decides to go get the doctor.

Dr. Akuda came in and found my uterus, complete with baby. Apparently, my uterus is tipped towards the back instead of the front (that explains the back pain!). She called Rob "the donor." I was not too happy about that comment but he did not seem to mind. Back to the important stuff: the baby!
He/she is alive and kicking. While they were trying to get a picture, the baby even did a little dance, moving his/her arms and legs like they were doing the twist. Very cute. It was very surreal but cool. And then, sound!
The baby ceased to be a movie star and became a living thing at that moment. It was like they had surround sound in that room. The sound of the heartbeat was what did it for me. I cannot wait for the second showing! Maybe there will be a little dance again....