Heartbeat

Today's appointment was- as expected- not terribly exciting, BUT we DID get to HEAR the heartbeat!!! We've seen the heartbeat twice (at both ultrasounds) and we've seen our baby move a lot, but we hadn't actually heard it until today. True to our baby's current history, it was moving around in there and messing up her count so it took awhile to get a number (160), but an active baby is a healthy baby, right? Right!

We did ask and she did reluctantly write the slip for our gender ultrasound at 18 weeks (though i think they ideally scan at 20 weeks). The lady who actually makes the appointments said she's been making them for 18 weeks all day and then they get to me, and the ultrasound people were like "that's too early! she might have to come back!" and the appointment lady smoothly lied that we would be on vacation for 2 weeks after (which is not completely untrue, we will be on vacation right after, just not for 2 weeks) and they would just have to do it. I told her she is just the coolest. All the books say gender ultrasounds are good anywhere between and 18-22 weeks. Anything earlier than 18 weeks can often be inconclusive (though people do frequently find out before 18 weeks). Between our big family vacation at 18.5 weeks (which we'd like to announce during) and the fact that our super active baby may not cooperate for any number of gender ultrasounds, we don't think it was an odd request, and she said they absolutely should be able to tell at that point. Beth the receptionist/appt lady rocks!

Today we paint the nursery :)