One of the most amazing days of my life...kind of

I went for my first OB-GYN appointment yesterday. Shawn took the day off to go with me. First off, my appointment was at 9:45, but we of course had to wait in the lobby for about 45 minutes. (Why do doctors make you wait so long anyways?) I remembered reading in my pregnancy book that it's good to ask other moms waiting in the lobby what they think of the doctor, so I started talking to the mom I sat next to. She was super nice and I learned a lot about Dr. Cecilia Chu. Then another mom joined our conversation and simply raved about Dr. Chu as well. This made me feel really good to get two solid recommendations. We finally got called back and Shawn went in the room with me. After a short wait, the doctor came in, talked a bit, performed the pap smear which I was due for, and then started the ultrasound. There are not enough words to explain what I saw and felt. Dr. Chu said oh yeah, you are definitely pregnant as she found the baby immediately. She turned the monitor to face Shawn and I where we saw baby for the first time. I instantly felt a rush of emotion overcome me. Being the girl I am, I started crying. Seeing the baby on the monitor made it even more real. In the past I've had a hard time making out a baby in friends' ultrasounds, but this one I saw instantly. The head, arms, and legs were so prominent you couldn't miss it. The doctor pointed out the heart beat as well. From my reading, I knew that the baby's head would be really big compared to the rest of the body, but it was funny to see for myself. The doctor then said she'd try to get the baby to move for us, which was a piece of cake. That little one started twisting and turning in no time. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Shawn stood there glued to the monitor and kept saying wow! For the rest of the day, we walked around with this newfound glow. We are parents!!! The doctor then sent me to the lab to get some blood work done. I was shocked to see 7 vials sitting out on the table. They had to take 5 big vials and 2 small vials of blood for all these tests they need to run. I was excited that the lady was able to find my vein immediately since in the past I've had nurses stick me 4 or 5 times trying to find a vein. This woman got it on the first shot. Hallelujah. After giving that much blood though, I was starving, plus it was way past my lunch time. Shawn and I sat at lunch talking about the ultrasound and the baby and I again started to cry. Shawn of course sat there and laughed at me. Guys just don't get emotion. This is when I think women are so lucky that we get to experience what it feels like to have another human being growing inside of us. It truly is the most amazing feeling I've ever had and it reaffirms my belief that women rule!!

To cap the day off Shawn and I babysat our niece Avery so Thane and Kristi could go out for dinner and a movie to celebrate Thane's birthday. Happy Bday Thane! The night started off good with Avery, Shawn, and I taking a walk. Then we played in the backyard. I warmed up her dinner and she did great and ate all her food. The three of us played for a bit. As usual, I got to change a full stinky diaper. I swear that girl unloads when she knows Auntie Marisa is there. Then bedtime came and there was no mercy in sight. She fought going to sleep for well over an hour. She screamed and cried and didn't want anything to do with me. She only wanted Unk Sha. Finally after an hour of fighting, I took her from Shawn and told him to leave the room. She got pissed and screamed bloody murder, but I figured she just might cry herself to sleep and that would have to do since it was already 9:30. I rocked her in my arms and walked around the room pointing out all her stuffed animals. She finally stopped crying. I then pointed at the pictures on her wall and recalled that Kristi always does prayers with Avery before bedtime. I figured why not, so I said our prayers and blessed everyone we know plus all the animals I could list. Her eyes finally closed and she was out. The little one finally fell asleep at 9:45, an hour and fifteen minutes after her bedtime. This was a good end to the night to remind me of what journey I would be experiencing in the next 7 months when our little one arrives. Life as we know it will never be the same, but it's totally worth it in the end.