So let me just start by saying the amnio went fine. I rested up really good yesterday by lounging a lot in bed. The appointment was sooooo scary. I knew I was scared but I didn’t realize how scared I was until after it was over and Alan pointed out exactly how very scared I was.

So how scared was I? Well…when we went in with the genetic counselor and she was explaining everything Alan and I were holding hands, they were intertwined. With all my nervousness I didn’t realize I was rubbing his hand with my thumb. And I must have been rubbing it pretty hard because he used his other hand to try to pin down my thumb (which of course I didn’t even notice, I was so scared). But that didn’t work because Alan had to actually say, “honey, you’re going to rub my hand raw”. Then I realized what I was doing and stopped.

So then after the counselor we went into the room for the ultrasound and amnio. I found out that the ultrasound was a level 2 ultrasound. They looked at the baby and measured her and looked for all those things they needed to look for and they said she looked fine. They didn’t see anything bad.

Then the amnio part was coming up. And again I was scared. I was squeezing Alan’s hand super hard (which of course again I didn’t even notice). Later when he told me about it he told me to squeeze his hand as hard as I could and it didn’t even come close to how hard I squeezed it during the amnio. The amnio was sort of like getting a shot I guess but I thought it hurt a little bit more. Especially at the end when he pulled the needle out. That seemed to be more oweee. I didn’t look at any of it. Alan said the doctor was very fast. He just popped it in there and waited for two tubes to be filled up and that was that.

So now my belly is tender where the needle went in, I’ve had some cramps here and there, and I have a big bruise. Overall I feel really good. No spotting or anything bad. Now it’s a matter of waiting for the results.

Well we finally did our taxes. I don’t think I’ve ever been this late before. I never do them on the day they’re due but that’s what ended up happening this time. And believe it or not printing them out actually took longer than doing them. Why? Because I had printer problems and internet problems and every damn thing went wrong that could go wrong. Aaah can you imagine me pulling my hair out in frustration? And that’s why Bridgette says, “see that’s why you don’t wait until the last minute to do your taxes.”

Oh and did I mention I have a stiff neck? I forgot to mention this yesterday but I tensed up so bad at the amnio my neck hurts and still does now.

Today sucked.

When Alan gets home from work in the morning he kisses me and then he kisses the baby (well my belly I should say). Well this morning he came home and kissed us and then I told him to come snuggle with me. So he laid down next to me and put his hand on my belly and he felt the baby MOVE! Now if I could only tell when the baby is moving.

Alan brought me to the yarn store yesterday. I’m going to be knitting something for the baby!! I couldn’t decide if I wanted to start with little booties or a little outfit or what. I finally settled on the Big Bad Baby Blanket from Stitch ‘N Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook.

I wanted something that she could keep for a while and not outgrow quickly. The design calls for Koigu Wool Designs Painter’s Palette Premium Merino. At the yarn store the lady helping me said it was not machine washable which I definitely did not want so I asked for something comparable that I could actually wash in the machine. She pointed me to Plymouth Yarn Encore Colors. It’s 75% acrylic and 25% wool. And instead of being 50g it’s 100g so I don’t need to use 2 strands together. I hope this turns out nice and I hope I get it finished before she’s born.

I’ve started the baby blanket! I think I’m making very good progress. I don’t know if I like it yet though.

And this morning I had my regular third appointment at the hospital. The nurse found the baby’s heartbeat right away. She didn’t even have to search. She got it the first time she put that listening thing on my belly. Last time at our regular appointment she couldn’t find the baby’s heartbeat. She searched and searched and finally had to bring in an ultrasound machine. The baby must have grown a lot from that last visit for the nurse not to have to search around this time. She also measured my belly but I didn’t think to ask how I measured.

When we got home I was reading my weekly iVillage newsletter about the baby. And it said that she’s big enough now where Alan can put his ear to my tummy and hear her heartbeat. So Alan took out a stethoscope so I could try to listen but they were so tight I think the beating I heard was the sound of my blood rushing through my head. Oh well. I’ll try again another time. Now I’m concentrating on trying to figure out when the baby is kicking.