Anatomy Scan for Baby Shack!

Baby Shack makes it known that she is a girl!

The proud Papa!

Today we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary by getting to see our little GIRL on the ultrasound after two long months!  The technician said she looked great and was measuring at 17 weeks and 1 day so our new due date is November 28th!  She was very active flexing her feet, flailing her arms, opening and closing her hands, and even opening and closing her mouth.  She is one energetic little girl!  After our appointment we had fun registering at Babies R Us and then headed over to tell family by wearing our new pink shirts that we bought just for the occasion.  We do have her name all picked out already but have decided that at least ONE thing needs to be kept a secret until her birthday! We are so thankful for a healthy little girl and pray that she continues to flourish as she grows bigger and stronger everyday. 

Camping

End of the trip.  It was a such a beautiful day!

John and Julie!

This weekend we went to San Onofre State Beach to camp for the weekend.  It was our first camping trip since being married and we had a great time!  We relaxed by the campfire reading and playing card games with our good friends John and Julie!  We also went down to the water to watch the surfers catch waves.  One of my favorite things about California is that you don't have to go far to feel far away.  It was a great break from our normal routine and fun first in our marriage.  Dan has always loved camping but I haven't camped. . .well for maybe 20 years?? We will definitely go again! 

Dan, the camping expert, making his morning coffee!

Seriously!?

Well we were SUPPOSED to find out the gender of Baby Shack today.  Key word here. . ."supposed".  Dan and I walked in for our appointment to a room with no ultrasound machine.  I just confidently told Dan, "It is probably one of those portable ones."  Well then the doctor came in with a pocket fetal doppler.  Yes. . . the same gadget that I paid a mere $45 for last week.  When we asked why we weren't doing an ultrasound he launched into an explanation as to how I am not far along enough, how if we did an ultrasound today we couldn't see much and that I needed to be atleast 17 weeks along,  to which he asked, "How far along are you?"  People, how come OBs ask their patients how far along we are?  Don't they know this stuff?  When I first came in last month they asked me for my due date.  I just told them, "I thought that is what you are supposed to tell me!?"  I got our due date off the internet calculator and that is the due date they used for me.  Anyways, after the LONG explanation as to how it is too early to tell the gender he looked at us with pity and said, "You guys are just spoiled from going to the infertility doctor's office where they do an ultrasound every appointment."  I totally get what he meant but I didn't take it kindly.  Dan I changed lots through our infertility experience, but "SPOILED" is not one of the qualities we picked up along the way.  Honestly, I felt like saying this:  "Dr. B. .. we are rookies here.  I don't know what is supposed to happen every week of my pregnancy or at every appointment unless you tell me and at our last appointment in May YOU told us that at our June appointment we would be doing an ultrasound for an anatomy check and gender identification.  I only "EXPECTED" an ultrasound today because YOU told us we were going to have one!"  In reality I just sat there and looked at him while fuming deep inside.  He then got the doppler out and told me this could take a minute.  I told him exactly where the baby was (I had just used our fetal doppler the night before) and just like that we heard Baby Shack's heartbeat.  And then that was it.  I can't believe we drove that far for something we could have done at home.  Silly.  BTW why are they so stingy on ultrasounds?  Is it expensive to turn the machine on?  Is it dangerous to the baby?  It is not like an ultrasound takes that long to do.  As Dan and I walked out of the doctor's office I whispered under my breath, "I miss Dr. K".  I am sure Dr. B is a great doctor.  Everyone has told me so.  Maybe I am spoiled.  Dr. K and his staff never made me feel stupid. . . ever. 

So after our appointment today we set up our ultrasound appointment for the anatomy scan on June 21st at 9am PST.  That is the day of our 8th wedding anniversary so hopefully we will have a good appointment and then celebrate with a fun day together.  So you will all have to wait 15 more days with us before we know how Baby Shack's body is doing and if Baby Shack is a boy or girl.  At least this kind of waiting is a happy kind of waiting.  =)

The Doppler Has Arrived!

Several weeks ago Dan and I won an ebay auction for a pocket fetal doppler and today I picked it up at the post office and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat again!  It was $45 for a brand new doppler.  I love that we can hear the heartbeat whenever we want now!  I am really looking forward to our ultrasound on Monday so we can know if we are having a boy or girl!!!

This is the video that explains how the doppler works.