Blessings at the BIG Ultrasound

We are 18w4d into this pregnancy. How exciting it is to be carrying our child. Today was a BIG day. It was a morning filled with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. At 10:30 this morning, we had my anatomy scan, the BIG ultrasound. For the first time, I walked into the ultrasound tech room with confidence, and sure enough, the baby popped up immediately on the screen. During a normal ultrasound, the tech checks the size, weight, and heartbeat of the baby. But the anatomy scan is much BIGGER. They check EVERYTHING. He is still a he, so we can confidently call him Nolan now. But even more exciting, Nolan is 100% perfect. He has all his body parts, major organs, and the 4 chambers of his heart. No spots showed up on the ultrasound near his brain that would usually call for more extensive testing. What a huge sigh of relief when my doctor told us, "everything is perfect."



After the ultrasound, we had our regular appointment. They checked my weight and blood pressure and Dr. Graham answered my list of questions. Each appointment the list of questions get shorter and shorter for my doctor. I am still hesitant to give up my medicines, to which my doctors just smiles. We both know I don't need it, but it makes me feel better. Phil was proud to tell Dr. Graham that he had gained 10 pounds during this pregnancy (which he attributes to the Coke and GingerAle). The weight I didn't gain in my first trimester, I have certainly made up for in the past month. There has been a major growth spurt. The scale confirmed that my belly has grown and rounded over the past few weeks.

We feel very blessed and thankful to God for our healthy son. We can't wait to start feeling him kick. There has been some movement, but nothing that we can confidently identify as a kick yet. I have nicknamed Phil the "baby whisper" because he can find him immediately when he puts his hand on my stomach. He still doesn't believe me that it is my uterus he is feeling, he just tells me that "they have a connection." I love listening to Phil talk to my tummy. I'm wondering if he is going to be a daddy's boy.

We're about to have a huge garage sale. One of the guest rooms is being converted into Nolan's room. After the garage sale, it is time to start shopping. I can't wait to order the furniture. Yes, we've picked it out. And we can't wait to get his room ready. There are so many preparations for his arrival in October and we are loving every moment of this pregnancy together.